Pri§m -;¤

Oh what fun it is…ahem Gomen, a bit of
Holiday music stuck in my head

To my uber wonderful reviewers:
Wai wai!
You probably have no idea what reviews do to me!
--hands out homemade fudge and prezzies--
I hope I've turned out another story you'll enjoy!

I credit this to Ty as he requested more
and then proceeded to 'remind'
(read: AIM nearly every other day!)
I also credit it to Kaylee, proofing for me again
And lastly, my shout out to the Sakusha ML, still going strong!

- -
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- An Ancient Legend - -
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- Continued - -
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'Ravie! Ravie! Wake up!'

I rubbed my eyes slowly. Sleep was a blissful state and I did not want to waken fully if there was no need. And most likely, there would be none.

'Ravie!'

The call became urgent and grayness began to tinge my sight.

'We are alone.'

I stood up with trepidation. Alone? I listened. No birds. No fox squirrels. I fell as a jolt ran through the roots. My world spun and my vision clouded. Gray was a color I hadn't seen for many falls.
A color I couldn't ignore.

Running down the corridor my bare feet made soft padding noises that echoed up the deep roots of the Lefe Tree. "Shion?" My voice cracked. I couldn't remember when the last time I used it was.

'...it's falling'

I halted and a sick taste came to my mouth. The gray changed to a
pale yellow-green.

"Shion!" I called and felt the whoosh of wind blow back my hair; the signal of Shion landing outside my sleeping quarters. I slipped through a knot of vines and jumped into the smooth metal arm Shion extended. "Show me."

Shion's cold plated chest felt comforting despite the disturbing mix of colors I was seeing now;
pale yellow-green rusted into red, then black, white, blue, settling back to the original gray.
This time I wasn't sure if there was anything
I could do.
And this feeling chilled the part of me that knew, deep down knew,
I would have to leave my home
someday.

'Someday is now.'

Shion. He knew my feelings. He'd raised me after my mother's death. Even if there was no living breath inside him, he understood me; my thoughts were no puzzle. And that was why I could find comfort. I was not alone in this. Thankfully not alone.

Without warning there was a shift in the roots and twigs, bark, and leaves scattered
all around Shion. I guarded my eyes and struggled to peer ahead. Death crept up and I stifled my cry.
The heartstone that had been locked in the Lefe Tree's roots for the past dozen years was dark.
There was
no sign
of the small glimmer that had held my home at a stable height.
'Laputa fails'

I slipped down from Shion and ran to the heartstone. "No!"
I embraced it.
Colors blended into nothingness and I was blinded with one feeling: loss.
I would have to leave.
With the heartstone finally failing, the Lefe Tree would climb higher and higher into the atmosphere, farther than human beings have ever been, but farther than human beings can ever go, this
I knew.
But.

"I don't want to leave!"

Shion embraced me with the heartstone.
I cried bitterly.
There would be nothing left for me, not without the Lefe Tree.
Anger rose in me
and I struck the heartstone without thinking. The top shattered, leaving a jagged edge and a crack running down the side. Shion pulled me away from the debris slowly. Splinters were embedded in my arms, hands, and one had pierced my ear,
but I felt none of it.
Death had come.

'Ravie. Ravie. Do not leave me.'

A simple plea. I blinked. No!

'Ravie.'

Shion's voice brought me to life and the pain brought fresh, but clean, tears to my eyes. "Shion...oh Shion. I-"

Shion wrapped me with one arm and lifted us away from the Lefe Tree's center roots. He soared into the sky for a moment before drifting easily down to the topmost branches.

'Ravie, collect things.'

I nodded and waited for him to set me down.

'Ravie hurt. I will awaken.'

"Shion?" I turned to look at his face, grimacing as firey darts of pain shot up my right arm. I tried to speak again, but blackness closed in and I felt myself drift away to where the pain could not reach me.

Right then, I didn't understand what Shion meant.
Nor did I really understand what
I had done,
shattering the top of the heartstone. Because I had lived alone, one of the sole survivors of an ancient race,
I knew nothing.
Nothing of the legend behind the heartstone,
nothing of the true reason behind Laputa's creation. And
I had no idea
of the world below,
how vast it was
nor how much it had changed
since the day I saw my cousin. It didn't matter, not then.

But now, it does.

- -
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- t.b.c. - -
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Ah! Please pay no special attention to the formatting of this,
I centered it like this just for dramatic effect.

Possibly meaning will come out of it later on,
but for now, forgive me if you find it annoying to read.

Don't hesitate to ask any questions or give advice,
I'm open to it all!

Cheers and Happy Holidays to all!

Pri§m