And now for the barely-awaited chapter four! I have to do a little promotion here, and I apologize. However, the first chapter of my newly revamped original 'Sparks' is now up on Fanfiction and Fictionpress for your viewing convenience! Seriously, you'll be Sir Bid forever if you read it. Oh, and the swearing in this chapter is a little more... prominent that I usually write. So, PG-13.
I don't own the Tales characters. Duh.
Chapter 4
I'd been crawling through an air duct for fifteen minutes looking for the red-clad dual swordsman with no luck. Also, I'd gotten sufficiently lost. The method I'd taken to was turning randomly whenever I could, and that hadn't worked out well. After covering my coat and hair in dust, I heard a silky voice directly below me.
'And just who the hell are you?' All I could see of the speaker was a dark cape, but I knew the voice from somewhere.
'Give me your name, and I shall give you mine,' said another voice, one that was unmistakable.
'Ha ha ha! You certainly have guts,' laughed the first voice, and suddenly, it made sense.
'Uncle Yuan?' I whispered to myself in confusion, 'why is he here?' Yuan was a friend of my father's, and he visited us regularly in Iselia. He'd always been amused by my antics, and he laughed often. While I was having a mental breakdown in the duct, Lloyd and Yuan continued arguing.
'An Exsphere? You're Lloyd?'
'And if I am?' Yuan came into view, examining Lloyd closely.
'Hmm, I can see the resemblance,' he mused, and I moved closer to the grate, trying to hear better. What I didn't know was that it wasn't bolted into place, and I fell ten feet to the floor, landing on my knees.
'You,' he hissed, 'what the hell are you doing here?'
'I could ask you the same thing, traitor. I came to get my friend back.'
'You tell Kratos anything, I will destroy you.'
'You wouldn't dare. Get out of my sight, swine.' Just then, Botta, the formerly handsome man from the temple, rushed in.
'Sir, we've received reports that the Chosen's group has infiltrated the facility.'
'You dolt! Of course they have, can't you see?' He pointed at me. 'Amethyst, join me. I don't want to kill you.' Everything clicked into place when he said that. Mr. Mystery, the Desian-like base, Yuan, the attack on the temple. It was all connected. I staggered back from my childhood friend with a gasp.
'You- you're trying to-' I tried to talk to Yuan, but he was already leaving the room. My body was turning numb, and I fled the room. I ducked into an empty corridor and curled into a ball. How was this happening? I trusted Yuan, and he betrayed me. He was supposed to be working against Yggdrasil, not me. I could feel consciousness leaving my body, and before I let myself slip under, a pair of strong arms encircled me and lifted me from the ground.
I awoke on a soft surface, its warmth soothing my aching muscles, and I nestled into it further, trying to slip back into a dreamless state to no avail. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes, expecting to find an empty room, or at the very least, my father. Instead, I saw a splash of deep blue and cursed.
'Why am I here, Yuan? Why don't you just kill me?'
'You are far too valuable to kill, Amie.'
'That's Amethyst to you, Ka-Fai. You lost the right to call me Amie when you betrayed us.'
'Don't be so cold, Amie. You'll find that my loyalty to you has remained unscathed.'
'Don't lie to me. Trying to kill the Chosen? My best friend? Remember when you filled that role, fifteen years ago?'
'You were four years old, Amie! The only other person you had besides your parents was your little brother!' He realized his mistake a few moments later. 'Shit.'
'I have a brother? Why wasn't I informed of this? It seems like I'd be privy to that kind of information.'
'I assume your father thought you were too weak to handle the information,' he said with a hint of cruelty, and my last nerve snapped.
'Shut up! You don't know anything,' I screamed, 'I'll kill you! I'll kill you with my bare hands, and your damn guards won't be able to do anything about it!' I made to stand up, but my wrist jerked me back. I glanced down to see a set of handcuffs binding my left wrist, the one I needed, to a rail on the bed.
'You bastard,' I hissed, 'let me go.' Yuan shook his head.
'If I let you go, you'll try and kill me. You're staying put.' I was shaking with fury.
'What of my father? Does he think I'm dead?' Yuan stayed silent, and I screamed one long furious, hurt scream.
'How could you? How could you fucking do that to him? I'm all he has left, and you know that! I will rip your throat out and cut you to bits, you son of a bitch!' Yuan left the room without another word, and I strained against the cuffs, and then, finding no way out, cried myself unconscious.
When I awoke, my Mystery was sitting in an armchair near the bed.
'What do you want?' I wheezed, my voice hoarse from screaming at Yuan.
'I can't let you go,' he said sadly, 'I would lose my status in the organization, and I would be less than useless to you.'
'My father thinks I'm dead.' I felt a lump rising in my throat, and tears threatened to spill over.
'I know.'
I'm afraid he's given up.'
'I know.'
'I need to go back.'
'You can't.'
'Please. Please let me go back. I'll do anything. I'll become a double agent, just let me go back. He needs to know I'm alive.' I was pleading now, and the tears were running freely down my face. He stood up and pulled a key out of his pocket.
'I will let you go.' I was shocked.
'Y-you will? Do I need to sign a contract?'
'Unless you want to work with us, I will not hire you.'
'Why not?'
'You need to see your father. Something I couldn't have.' There was a click, and blood rushed back to my hand. 'Go. Hurry, before anyone notices you're gone.' I rocketed off the bed and kissed him full on the lips. Once again, his arms encircled me, just like that day in the woods, and he pushed me back against the wall. We kissed frantically until a sound was heard in the next room, and we jumped apart.
'Up there,' he pointed to the ceiling, where a duct was hidden. I nodded, and he gave me a boost up into the small hole. He passed me my sword and replaced the grate. Before I could protest, he laid down in the bed and cuffed himself where I was once imprisoned. Guards rushed into the room and my Mystery shrugged.
'She's a lot stronger than she looks.' I smiled and began searching through the maze of tunnels for the way out.
Thirty minutes later, I'd found an exit and ran for my life away from the base, looking for Triet. By the time I made it back, night had fallen. I dragged myself to the inn and leaned heavily on the reception desk, my sword arm in agony from the cuff, my head spinning, and my clothes dirty. My hair was matted and tangled, and the woman behind the counter gasped.
'Amethyst? Goodness, what happened to you?' I glanced up and squinted to see her.
'Alia?' I croaked, 'is that you?'
'Yes, child. For heaven's sake, you must rest.' I shook my head.
'No time. Has the Chosen left the city?'
'Y-yes, but-'
'Which way are the Triet ruins?' I asked, cutting her off.
'Southwest, but you're in no condition to travel that far. It'll take you all night.'
'I have to find the Chosen,' I insisted, and pushed myself off the desk with my bad hand. 'Oh Martel, I forgot about that,' I hissed.
'Wait,' Alia's voice sounded behind me, and I turned. 'At least take this.' She handed me an apple gel and I smiled, ignoring the pain of my dry, cracked lips.
'Thank you. I promise I will return safely. I can't leave your house in a state like that anyway.' We locked eyes for a moment, and then I left, walking straight out of the city toward the ruins.
It took me all night, and by the time I saw a small fire, I was swaying on my feet. I dropped to my knees and crawled toward it, energy steadily leaving my body. I saw the outline of five bodies, four sleeping, and one poking at the fire, and my heart leapt. I used my last ounce of strength to pull myself to my feet and yell for help.
'Dad! Please, I need you!' The head of the one poking the fire whipped around, and three of the four sleeping figures stirred. I stumbled toward them blindly, tripping over small rocks in the sand, my hand screaming in pain as I fell back down to the ground. Strong arms swept me up and crushed me to a warm chest.
'I thought you were dead,' said the deep baritone, and I smiled faintly.
'It'll take more than that to get me out of the game,' I said weakly, then groaned. 'You wouldn't happen to have any water, would you? I've been walking for almost a day with no Gald and no supplies.' Dad nodded and helped me over to the fire, unscrewing a canteen and passing it to me.
'Amie, you're alive!' Genis said in disbelief but I didn't answer. Instead, I was taking long swigs from the canteen greedily, until Dad pulled it away.
'You'll make yourself sick,' he said firmly, and I stuck my tongue out.
'Yeah, I'm alive. How's Colette?'
'She's resting,' the Professor cut in. 'She should be all right by tomorrow.' I let out a long breath.
'At least something went right.' The Professor nodded.
'Our next destination is across the sea, to the east. We were planning on leaving in the morning, but you aren't fit to travel.' I smiled gratefully and curled up on Dad's bedroll.
'How long have I been gone?'
'Three days. Almost four,' Dad said, and my heart dropped into my stomach.
'So, for four days, you thought I was…'
'Yeah, but you're alive now!' Finally, Lloyd spoke up in his brash tone. 'That's all that matters, right?' Despite how crappy I felt, I couldn't help but laugh.
'I suppose it is. Thanks, Lloyd.' And before anyone could say another word, I was fast asleep.
I was woken up many hours later by a small pair of arms hugging me. My eyes cracked open to see a mound of blonde hair across my face, and my laughter rang out.
'Good to see you too, Colette.' I pushed myself into a sitting position and cried out when I put weight on my left arm. A deep purple bruise was visible, and it encircled my wrist.
'Professor? I got a little beaten up before, do you think you could…?' She nodded in understanding and summoned her magic. At last, the pain faded, and the bruise disappeared. 'Thanks.'
'Amethyst, you're a mess. We must return to Triet and get you cleaned up.' Her words, though sharp, were filled with concern.
'We don't have time. We've spent enough time here. Let's move on to Ossa Trail,' Dad dismissed the idea quickly.
'Y-yes, I agree. I'm fine. Ossa Trail it is.' I stood up and swayed, and Colette shook her head.
'You aren't fine, you need to eat, your clothes are dirty, and your hair is matted. We have to go back to Triet.' Dad sighed.
'Fine, I suppose a few hours won't hurt.' So, to my dismay, we headed back to Triet, with me riding on Noishe.
'Can you believe this?' I muttered in his ear, 'I'm totally fine to go on, and yet here we are, back-tracking for no reason. Noishe huffed, and I frowned.
'Okay, so maybe I'm a little weaker than I normally am, but I know my limits.' He stopped walking and looked back at me, and I bit my lip.
'Don't look at me like that. It'll be nice to have a bath and a proper meal; I'm just worried about you-know-who finding us again.' The protozoan whined, and I knew he understood. He'd crossed paths with Yggdrasil before. Before too long, Triet was looming in front of us, and I slipped off of Noishe's back.
'Thanks,' I said as I stroked his neck, 'I don't know what I'd do without you.' He nudged me forward affectionately, and ran toward the small stable to take a nap. Lloyd came up beside me and watched him go.
'Why are you so friendly with him?' I shrugged.
'I don't know, I guess I've just taken to him.' Most of that was true. Noishe was a friend of Dad's, and he lived with us on the surface until Mom died. 'How did you meet up with him?' Lloyd shook his head.
'He's just kind of always been there. He doesn't normally take to strangers, though, and he ran right to you the day you came to Iselia.'
'What can I say? I'm good with animals.' I bumped him with my hip playfully and walked toward the inn, Colette right behind me.
'Amie, your hair… Let me brush it out, please!' I slung my arm around her shoulders.
'All right, just give me a few minutes. I want to take a bath and wash my clothes.' I patted the sleeve of my coat, and a cloud of dust rose from it. 'See?' She nodded.
'Okay, just come to the oasis when you're done.' I smiled and pushed the door open.
'Alia! Have you got a hot bath for an old friend?' My construction client grinned.
'Amethyst, you're safe! Right behind that door.' She pointed to a small door under the staircase and I shot her a grateful look.
Minutes later, my clothes were clean, and I was soaking in a steaming tub. I hadn't felt water this warm since I was on Derris-Kharlan, and it was glorious. I knew I had to meet Colette, so I got out of the tub and dressed, looking at the water with a longing gaze the entire time.
I strolled to the oasis with a spring in my step, feeling quite refreshed from my bath. I saw Colette sitting on the dock, her boots off, and her feet dangling in the water. I sat down beside her, noticing the oddly pensive look on her face.
'What's wrong?' She snapped out of her haze and glanced at me, swishing her toes around through the cool water. I pulled off my own tall black boots and followed suit, my feet hanging a little lower.
'I was just thinking about how much I'm going to miss this,' she said quietly, and I sighed.
'You know what will become of your body during the transformation, am I right?' She closed her eyes and nodded.
'It's already started. But, how do you know about that?' I cursed myself for being so careless.
'Okay, I'm going to tell you something, but you can't tell a soul, okay?' She cocked her head, and I continued.
'The reason I came to Iselia is because I'm hiding from an angel named Yggdrasil. He tried to induce the transformation on me, even though I don't have the blood of the Chosen, and I escaped with Dad.'
'Okay, but why come to Iselia?' That was a fair point, but it was tricky to answer without revealing the existence of Derris-Kharlan.
'My father told me I was born there,' I said uneasily.
'You don't sound convinced,' Colette replied, and I shrugged.
'I've spent the last fifteen years elsewhere, but if I really did live there, you'd think I'd remember something about the village. I'd remember you being born, that's for sure.'
'Well, why don't you talk to Kratos about it? I can't see him keeping something like that from you.' I snorted.
'I'm not so sure. When I was in that base… I ran into an old friend of my dad's. He said I had a brother. But, I don't remember anything about that. I just remember my parents.' The blonde frowned.
'Well, do you think he's still alive?'
'If he's got the same blood as me, I doubt it. Yggdrasil would've gotten to him by now.' I stopped talking as Lloyd and Genis ran past the dock, no doubt going to the fortune teller. Somehow, that small change of events lightened the mood.
'Now, what do you think? Can you get those knots out, or will I have to cut it all off?' Colette giggled.
'It would be such a shame to cut it, it's so soft! I'll do my best with the knots.' She picked her brush up and started to work, gently teasing out each snag. After a few minutes, Genis ran out of the fortune teller's tent, Lloyd in hot pursuit.
'Hey, Colette, guess what the fortune teller said,' the young mage said excitedly, 'she said that you and Lloyd are soul mates! Colette and Lloyd blushed.
'I-I don't think she meant it like that,' Colette fumbled for words, 'I think she just meant that we're really good friends, don't you think, Amie?'
'Yeah, I guess. Genis, why don't you and Lloyd go swimming while Colette and I watch? I'm sure you've been dying to ever since we got back.' Lloyd's face lit up.
'Yeah, come on, Genis!' He stripped off his shirt and kicked off his boots. One look at Colette told me that the fortune teller was spot-on.
'Why don't you just tell him how you feel?' I asked as she went back to my hair. I watched the two young men splashing around in delight. 'It's obvious he feels the same.'
'I can't put him through that,' she said sadly, 'you know what happens during the angel transformation. That's why I lied to him. I don't want him to see me like that.'
'Colette…' I was lost for words. 'He won't think any less of you.'
'There. All done. I think I'm going to rest in my room.' She stood up, picked up her boots and left. I sighed and leaned back on my elbows, staring into the sky. For someone so bright and cheery, she sure could be stubborn. I raked a hand across my scalp, smiling as the fine hair slipped through my fingers. Colette had done a wonderful job. My stomach rumbled, and I became aware of how ravenous I was. I stood up, plucking my boots from the dock, and walked barefoot through the hot sand to the inn. I sauntered over to the reception desk once more, and flashed a smile at Alia.
'Do you think you could let me use the kitchens? It's been a while since I've had a proper meal.' Alia hesitated.
'I don't know, they're pretty strict about stuff like that. What if I just have something delivered to your room?' I shook my head.
'I wouldn't want to trouble anyone. Just a few rice balls and I'll be fine; you'd barely know I was there.'
'Really, Amethyst, I couldn't-'
'Amie,' I corrected, 'my friends call me Amie.'
'All right, Amie, then. I suppose I could let you in for a few minutes. Just don't take too long, okay?' I smiled. Too easy.
'Of course. I'll clean up real well, I swear.' I let my dialect loosen to seal the deal, a twang creeping into my voice to make her feel more at ease. She handed me a key and pointed me in the right direction. I gave a mock salute and left before she could change her mind.
The kitchens weren't difficult to find- especially after threading through a maze of ducts (twice)- and I found my way there pretty easily.
'Hey! You're not allowed in here,' barked a burly cook when I pushed the door open, and I tried my best to look confused.
'Are you sure? Because I just got this key from reception. I'm with the Chosen's group. We haven't eaten properly in days, so they said I could make something down here.' The cook's eyes narrowed, but he relented.
'All right, you can use the kitchen, but I have my eye on you.' I let my shoulders droop and looked at him with innocent eyes.
'Of course, sir.' We turned away from each other, and I smirked. This was getting fun. I didn't want to antagonize the chef any more than I had to, so I made my sandwiches and rice balls and retreated to the room I shared with Dad.
'Tomorrow,' I insisted, and when I received an odd look from him, I elaborated. 'We are leaving for Ossa Trail tomorrow, no exceptions.' Dad shrugged.
'I was about to suggest that myself. You seem to be fit enough for travel now, to be honest, but we'll wait.'
'Dad, when I was in that base…' I started to tell him about what Yuan told me, but what if he was serious in his threats? I had no doubt that a large group of his soldiers could take me down, and even in a hand-to-hand battle, I'd never win against him. No, I wouldn't tell Dad about him, not yet. 'Never mind. I was just wondering if you knew who those soldiers were. They didn't seem like Desians to me. Up at the Martel Temple, too. They're faster than Desians.'
'Yes, I'd noticed that myself,' Dad sighed, 'unfortunately, we don't really have much to go on at this point. All we can do is stay wary and hope that we get more details later.' I nodded in silent assent and kicked off my boots. Shrugging off my coat, I crawled into the comfortable bed the farthest from the window and fell into a deep dreamless sleep in seconds.
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