I don't own Skies of Arcadia

Restless

For the second time in his life, Vyse was unable to fall asleep. No matter how many times he tossed and turned in his sleep, the bed was too lumpy and uncomfortable for him. It was as if it took it upon itself to continuously prod him until he slipped out of bed.

The first time he had trouble sleeping was almost two years ago, when he was about to command an amalgamation of air ships against the forces of Ramirez and . He had taken a walk outside to clear his mind and had run into Fina and Aika. He wondered if something similar would happen again…but knew that it couldn't.

He shut his eyes in disbelief. How could something like that happen?

Finally, after a moment of hesitation, he slipped out of bed and walked out the door. The wind was first to meet him as it blew through his dark brown hair. The next thing that he noticed was the soft, creaking sounds of wood that he was accustomed to. These two things often brought him comfort. It reminded him of sitting in the crow's nest in his father's old ship.

He walked to the edge of his ship and leaned against the railing. He glanced at the endless waves of clouds that churned against each other. It was like looking at the physical manifestation of what he felt in his heart.

"You haven't gone to see her since the accident."

Vyse didn't jump. He had smelled her soft perfume wafting through the air only moments before. Barely turning around, he acknowledged Fina's presence with a curt nod and continued to look upon the clouds.

"She's unconscious. It's not like she knows I'm not there," he said spitefully.

"Vyse, she needs you!"

The pleading in Fina's voice was almost unbearable. He felt the restraint--which he had been so desperate to cling on to for the past two weeks—slip away from his grasp. Something inside him snapped and he turned all of his anger and frustration onto the only other person who understood. "DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT!" he bellowed.

As soon as he saw Fina wince, he regretted his action. He had been regretting all his actions since that accident. In a quieter voice, he repeated, "Don't you think I know that?"

There was a moment of hesitation between the two before Fina turned and left him. Listening to her retreating footsteps, he returned to the thoughts that had plagued him almost every night since two weeks ago.

If only he hadn't pressured her to go—

If only he had been faster then maybe she wouldn't be—

Just because he wanted that damned moonstone!

He could picture her now, leaning against the railing right beside him. "What's the matter with you? Why are you so depressed?" Aika would ask. She would then rest her chin in her hand and give him a mischievous smirk. "It ain't like you. It's rather annoying."

He tried to wave the manifestation away, but it just wouldn't leave him alone…much like the actual person. He grinned at the thought.

She brushed back her red hair and stood up straight. This would be the point where she'd hit him on the shoulder and ask, "So why haven't you gone to see me?"

Vyse didn't know how to answer. There were so many words running through his head at that moment, but nothing wanted to come to his lips. Uttering anything just didn't seem right.

She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Anger, right? Or is it indigestion?"

"It isn't that"

"Then what is it?"

The first few words, he could only splutter them out. It was after her careful prompting that he finally cried out in a torrent of words, "I can't face you! It's my fault that you're in your room right now, unconscious! The area was known for its earthquakes and the water was too high—you can't swim and I still made you go—"

"Vyse, Vyse, Vyse," she whispered into the silence. "You didn't make me go. You know, after all the years that we've been friends that you can't make me do anything I don't want to. It's impossible."

"But you trusted me, and I let you down…"

Aika sighed. "There are things in life that we can't control no matter how hard we try. Nature, for example, is one of them. I can't stop it from raining and you can't stop the earth from shaking. But, there are things that we can be in charge of, such as visiting a friend when she needs you…"

Vyse smiled ruefully and turned to look at the raging clouds. Slowly, they were subsiding and becoming calm once more. Turning, he went back inside, listening to the creak of the wood and feeling the comforting wind brush against him.

He turned down the corridor and opened a door. It was bright inside since many moonstones were glowing happily around the room. Aika lay peacefully in the middle of her bed, her eyes shut as it had been for the past two weeks. The covers were pulled up to just below her shoulders. Her arms, still bruised, peaked out from beneath the blanket.

A chair stood beside the bed marking the place where Fina had been keeping guard and healing Aika's body. Vyse sat down in it and stared at Aika's unmoving body. She looked so fragile that for a moment he regretted coming. He was so used to seeing her as this powerful little bundle of energy, but now—

He slipped his fingers around hers and held on tightly. Her skin felt cold against his and for a moment he didn't know what to say. He stared at her long fingers that were relaxed against his. Finally, he whispered the words that were in his heart. "I'm sorry it took me a while to visit you. You know how stubborn I can be, you know?"

He sat back in his seat and watched her. "I've missed you so much…Please, Aika, if you could hear me, wake up."

As the sun crept over the clouds, the rays of light poked into Aika's small room. The beams lingered over the still form of Vyse who had fallen asleep in his chair. He still gripped onto Aika's hand, not wanting to let go.

In his unconscious state, however, he missed the other hand tightening against his own. He also missed seeing her blinking rapidly and opening her eyes slightly against the bright glare of the sun…and the many, many, many moonstones that surrounded her.

Her eyes finally focused on Vyse's form, sitting next to her. A little grin lit her face and she said in a hushed tone, "It's about time you visited, you blockhead."

The End

This was a story written because of by my own sleeplessness. I hoped you liked this little one shot.