Chapter Two
A Chance Meeting

Groaning a little, the brown haired boy slowly stirred. Lying on his back, he rested for a moment- he felt a little weak, the world was dark... and then he opened his eyes. The sky was bright and the sun shone through the light cloud cover that existed to try and block its rays. As soon as he had opened his eyes, a smile came to his face. It was slow in coming, but after only a few seconds, he was laughing to himself. He'd done it! He had managed to get himself back without any help! It had been so long since he last breathed in such fresh air. Genki took a few deep breaths before sitting up, and then standing up. It seemed that everything survived the transfer to this world, he thought, as he looked to the supplies that had somehow left his back and were on the ground now. His backpack, rollerblades, sleeping bag... yep, looks like everything was there. Sighing a little, he leaned down to pick up his belongings, and then to take a look around, to see if there were any familiar surroundings.

It had been several years... but still, Genki gasped in surprise. He was standing in the middle of a rather large clearing. The clearing was near a huge mountain, and in between him and the mountain, was a large shrine or something. It looked a lot like a monument. There were several statues... but Genki was still too far away to be able to see just what they were. This place seemed somehow familiar, he thought, as he began walking toward the large statues. He couldn't place it, but this place was very familiar. "Why can't I remember this place?" he asked himself, and he shrugged, deciding that it was all in his mind. A few moments passed, and Genki found himself much closer to the statues. A wind had picked up- a very, very cold wind, even though it seemed to be the middle of summer. Genki shivered, and then walked around one of the statues as he reached it. Chiseled and worn, it looked like the statues had been here for years. As the wind died down to a slight breeze, Genki took his hat off before walking in front of the statues. As he reached a good spot, he turned around slowly. And then he gasped.

In that spot were 6 statues of monsters. On either side of four of them, were two statues of Golems. One was a flat gray color- that one was on the left. The other was a combination of blue and white colors. In the middle were four other monsters that Genki could recognize. From the left to the right were a statue of a Tiger, looking ready to unleash his torpedo attack. Next was a Suezo, who seemed to be looking up to the sky. The Suezo had a knapsack behind its eyeball, which made it even more likely... The next statue was of a Hare. Its right paw was resting against its chin, even as the left supported the right's elbow. It looked about ready to devise a plan, Genki could tell. Already, his eyes had begun to water, and he looked to the last one. It was smaller than the others. It was done out of a pale rock. It was of Mocchi. Genki sank to his knees, and then his hands hit the dirt as he looked down, his eyes filling with tears. This was a memorial to his friends, he thought.

"That is correct, young one... It has several years since last you have been in this world." A voice from nearby said, and Genki looked up, and over toward the voice. That voice was familiar as well, he thought, even as his eyes lit up at the sight of a familiar face. Well, maybe face was too much to say, as Genki saw his own reflection. The black, obsidian-like wall of brick stood not too far away. It levitated about half a foot above the ground, and it wavered up and down every other moment. "M... Monol?" Genki asked tearfully, hoping that this was his friend from before the end of Moo. Before the Phoenix had been resurrected by five of the six heroic monsters that had a statue in their memory.

"Yes, Genki. I am Monol." The voice emanated from the mirror-like monster, and Genki smiled. Finally, a friend! Someone he could talk to, and find out about what had happened since he had last been here. Suddenly, the monster dipped to the right a bit. A snoring sound was emitted from the now sleeping monster, which caused Genki to shake his head. There was no loud mouth Suezo to wake him this time. No, this time, it was up to Genki to wake up the dozing Monol. "Monol, wake up!" he yelled annoyingly, his voice cracking once or twice from his volume. With a start, the monster woke up again, yawning. "Sorry about that... Anyway, Genki... Welcome back. Let me tell you a story..." he began, at which someone else stepped up near him.

This figure was human in appearance, wearing a cloak over his shoulders. In his right hand was a staff, and in his other, a scroll. The person himself drew the hood back down off his head, revealing reddish brown hair. His eyes were a hazel color, and he looked to Genki warmly. "Now, now, Monol, let's get straight to the point. Sir Genki, I bid you welcome back to this world." The young man's voice rang out, and Genki grinned slightly. "Thanks, but just call me Genki," he replied, to which the young man nodded. The young man couldn't have been much more than 19... maybe 20.

"Genki, then. It has been about 3 years since last you were here. These statues were created to keep the memory of those events fresh in the minds of everyone, human and monster alike. These six monsters played an integral role in the battles against Moo, as well you know. The battle ended in a stalemate." The young man began, but saw the confusion on Genki's face as he said the word stalemate. "Stalemate means a tie, Genki." Monol supplied, to which Genki sighed a little and smiled. "Yes... as I was saying, the Phoenix and Moo were evenly matched. They destroyed each other, rather than to keep struggling until the planet was destroyed." Genki's face paled, and his eyes closed, as the memory of the struggle came to his mind, via the telepathic link with Monol.

A large, white explosion ensued as the two gigantic monsters collided. Both are suddenly gone, leaving the sky awash in energy as Genki is thrown off of Falcon, the powerful Pirate Dragon, and was soon gone from sight as both Holly and Granity yelled his name. The flashback was then gone, and Genki opened his eyes slowly once again. "Afterwards, Holly and Granity searched for you, but never were able to find you. They released many monsters, though, most of whom were monsters that you Searchers had defeated along your quest. Released from their evil ways, many of those monsters had you to thank, and many joined in the search. Alan, Horn, Jagged Hound, and many others searched the world for you, to no avail. After a year or so, Holly decided that you had gone back to your own world. Many of those you had met earlier in your journey traveled here, to Mount Kyrus. Here, it took only a few months to make the shrine to your friends. Because of how much Holly believed you were alive and somewhere else, no statue was made for you. And it looks like she was right." The young man said, chuckling a little at the end of his explanation.

"Where's Holly? And Pixie?" Genki asks excitedly. He had only listened to some of what the man was saying, but now he was paying full attention. How could he find his friends again? That's what he came here for, after all. He stepped toward Monol and the young man slowly, hoping that one of them would have the answer he is looking for. "Genki... No one knows where Holly is. And Granity has not been seen for the past year. She never believed you were completely gone, so she searches for you still." Monol explained, and Genki looked down slowly. His hands clenched into fists as he took several deep breaths. "Then... tell me where you last saw them! I need to find them!" he said slowly and quietly, then looked up to Monol and the other person, a strong look of determination in his eyes. The man smiled a little, and then nodded. "The last time anyone I know of has seen Holly was when she was on the Southern continent...You would do best to go there." He replied, and pointed the way Genki would need to go. Genki simply nodded, and then began taking off his shoes. Once they were off, on went his roller blades. With a snap and click from both 'blades, he stood up carefully once again.

"Thanks! I'll be sure to find them now! Monol, I'll see you later! Thanks for the tip!" he shouted, and with that, he began heading off toward the south. His legs moving fast as he possibly can, Genki zoomed along on the ground, until he came up to a large rock that jutted from the soil. Using his built up speed, Genki locked his legs into position as he went up the rock-face quickly, and almost as quickly, was catapulted into the air, his right arm raised into the air as a "Yeah!" floated back to the two beings who stood near the statues still. As Genki fell back to earth, Monol turned to the young man beside him.

"You could have made it easier for him, you know..." the black mirror said, to which the young man chuckled softly before replying. "Very true, Monol. However, he needs time to orient on this world again." He ran a hand through his red hair slowly as the wind picked up once again, and then with both hands, he drew the hood over his head once more. Monol turned away to gaze out in the direction that Genki had skated off in, even as the wind grew a little more fierce, the human spoke again. "Besides, Genki has broken the bonds of balance by returning. Sometime, perhaps not now, or for a long time... But sometime, somehow, nature will regain its balance, as it always does. This world must be ready for when that happens."

By the time Monol turned to face the human again, he was gone.