Well, welcome to the next story. I really hope that everyone likes this one as well. I can't believe how far Storm has managed to come. I'm so happy that you have all allowed me to develop her character this far. I know the story wasn't much to look at in the first story, but both Storm and I have come a long way since then. Anyway, here's the next story. And, once again, thanks for all the continued support. Thanks and enjoy!
Chapter 1: A Lost Cause
Storm woke up with an excruciating headache as she slowly moved onto her side for more comfort. Unfortunately, when she did, she was met with an even worse pain by her ribs. She screamed out in pain as she felt a wave of pain move over chest as she rolled back onto her back. She could tell from the pain that she had either bruised or broken a rib and she wasn't looking forward to healing that. Unless someone healed her, she would be forced to wait like anyone else for it to heal on its own. She tenderly sat up, trying to cause as little pain as possible to her chest, as she got a better look at her surroundings. Of course, there wasn't much to look at where she was. The walls were gray, the floor was gray, and her bed was stiff and hard. She was definitely in a prison cell of some sort. She was sure that someone didn't want her to leave, but with her current condition she wasn't planning on any escape.
Storm tried to remember exactly what had happened before she blacked out. She knew that Sutra had tried to resurrect Mithos, but she couldn't remember if it had worked. She remembered seeing someone and feeling the pain that she was feeling again, but she couldn't quite remember that face or the voice that went with the figure. She tried hard to jog her memory, but was unable to recall anything of the past events.
Storm soon heard doors begin to close as she realized that someone was coming down the hallway, looking for her she was sure. Storm sat completely up, wincing a bit in pain as she tried to cover up the actual pain that she was in. Whoever it was, she didn't want them to know how she was feeling. As the person came down the hallway, they stopped at her cell as was expected. They were standing in the dark hallway, making it almost impossible to see them. There was a single light in the hallway and it didn't create very much light, but the person decided to step right next to it so Storm could see exactly who he was.
Every mask of happiness and confidence that Storm had once hidden over her true emotions suddenly shattered into pieces as Storm saw her worst nightmare appear in front of her. Mithos Yggdrasil cocked a smile at Storm as he walked closer to her cell. Storm's eyes widened as she backed up into a corner of her cell, trying to create as much distance as she could between herself and Yggdrasil. She ignored any of the pain she was experiencing before as she moved quickly to the back corner of her small cell. Yggdrasil could easily see the fear in her eyes as he opened the cell and slowly stepped in, closing the door softly behind him.
"How are you feeling Storm?" Yggdrasil asked sardonically.
Storm kept quiet at his question, not wanting any more abuse from him as she looked at him fearfully. Mithos scowled at her reaction as he walked up to her and grabbed at her arm, causing her to cry out in pain from her recent beating.
"So, you can still feel that bruise I gave you. Next time, it will be a broken rib," he told her, laughing at her pain as he threw her to the floor. "You shouldn't act so terrified all the time Storm. I want you to let out exactly how you feel. If you're angry at the way I'm treating you, do something about. Don't just sit there in fear, defend yourself," Mithos ordered her.
Storm was confused by his commands, normally he would tell her not to show her emotions, but now he wanted to see them. Of course, what she was showing was what she was feeling. She wasn't angry at the time, but she was terrified of what he would do to her.
Realizing that she wasn't going to show off any other emotions, Mithos decided to leave her for the time being. "Well, you'd better heal quickly because your training begins tomorrow. You will be working for Cruxis again in no time, I can guarantee that," Mithos laughed as he walked out of the cell, slamming the door behind him.
Storm carefully pulled herself off of the ground as she made her way back on the bed, which was really just a plank with a thin sheet plastered on it. She wondered what her friends and family were doing, and if they had given up on her. She knew that on the inside she, herself, had already given up. She closed her eyes once again to let her mind wander into sleep, hoping to ease her pain a little bit.
"We can't just give up looking for her just because you think that she's working with him again!" Zelos screamed at Raine who was threatening to abandon the group.
"Why, don't you think it's more important to help some of these people get their lives back on track?" Raine asked challengingly.
"Well, that's great and all, but one of our good friends might be in danger," Yuan added in.
"Yuan, Zelos, I know that you both really care about Storm, but even I have my doubts that she's still alive," Sheena told them sadly as she walked over towards Raine. "Besides, maybe she doesn't want to be found." Raine smiled as Sheena walked over towards her, followed by Lloyd, Genis, Presea, and Colette.
"But what if she is alive and she's trapped somewhere. I couldn't live with myself knowing that she could be alive and suffering somewhere, and that there was something that I could do to help her," Zelos defended her desperately. He couldn't believe that his friend's trust towards Storm was so low. He wouldn't give up on her, he refused to. Besides, he had nothing else to go back to, he had to keep fighting for her sake.
"I agree with Zelos. It's not fair to abandon Storm when she might need our help more than ever before. She chose your group over Cruxis a long time ago, imagine what that must have been like for someone like her. She trusted all of you, and now you're going to break that trust and leave her stranded somewhere?" Yuan asked.
"Yuan...we can't keep this up forever, we have to move on and prepare in case Sutra, or worse, Mithos attacks again. These people are important to us too. Face the facts; Storm and Anna are dead, there's nothing any of us can do about that," Raine told them. She looked at Yuan, Zelos, and Kratos one last time before realizing that none of them were planning on joining their party. "We'll meet you somewhere along the road soon, I know it. Take care of yourselves," she told them as she began to walk in the opposite direction, followed closely by the others. Lloyd was the only other one that seemed to be fighting whether or not to leave. Suddenly he grabbed a hold of Sheena's shoulder and forced her to look at him.
"Sheena, I have to stay behind with Dad and the others. I can't abandon my family," he told her.
"But Lloyd, we're family too. What about Martel and Kagerou? What will I tell them?" she asked desperately trying to get him to stay with her.
"Tell them the truth. Hopefully one day they'll protect each other. I would want Kagerou to do the same thing for Martel," Lloyd said.
"You're so stupid sometimes," Sheena started, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "But you have a heart of gold," she finished as she pulled him into a farewell kiss. "Bring her back, and, please, be careful," she ordered him.
"I will," he replied.
"Thank you Lloyd," Zelos told the swordsman. "Now, let's go and find Storm."
Well, that's the end of the first chapter. Sorry if it wasn't that great, but it's a start. Next chapter might be a little darker, with some violence with the Storm/Yggy moments. Anyway, I hope that you liked it nonetheless. Please review and tell me what you thought.
