I stood in the hallway. I had finished the cleaning test not to long ago, getting a perfect score. I had trained for a week for this battle, and there was no way I wouldn't win. Fang barked in anticipation as we entered the hallway. I had just defeated the first two preliminary fighters, ready to fight the level master-
"Saurhead." I greeted.
"I'm gonna rewrite your dictionary with a new definition of PAN!" He roared.
"Very nice." I sighed, Fang rolling his eyes.
"It's impressive that you've made it this far, but that's it, you're not passing me. Let's do this!" Saurhead went into the battle arena and I followed. I got on my pillar, waited for it to rise up, and placed my vivosaurs down. Alectro, Elasmo, and Megalo V.S. Guan, Pachrino, and Pelto.
I have to admit, it freaked me out when his Guan turned into a freaking T-Rex. That was a shock. But, in the end, I defeated him, not even losing a single Vivosaur! I was so disappointed at this turn around that I almost wanted to yell. He was called some big shot who was the greatest around and even if I was a great Fossil Fighter how could someone who had been training for a mere month defeat someone who had been training for years?!
I exited the stadium, both relieved and disappointed that I had been able to win against such a strong opponent like I did. Standing outside was the little fanboy and the older fanboy of Saurhead, the ones who told me I wouldn't win. I walked up to them, cross expressions clear on their faces. Tiffany watched from behind the counter.
The little fanboy stepped towards me, fuming. "You must have cheated to beat Saurhead!"
"Yeah," The other said. "...Cheater! You're a dirty, cheating...Cheater! Cheater!"
"Wow, I am soooo threatened right now." I muttered sarcastically. I sighed, shaking my head. At the very least they could have insulted me well.
"Rooooaaaaarrrr!" Someone yelled. "Thats enough! Do you not think Saurhead can't spot a cheater!?" We turned around to see non other then the masked level-up master. He stomped over to us, causing us to bounce off the ground from the force of his steps. He stopped in front of me, waiting a few seconds before sticking his hand out. "That was a good fight! Saurhead hasn't felt the sting of defeat for a long time now." He roared.
"It was a good fight." I agreed, taking his hand and shaking it. When I let go of his hand, Fang walked over, sitting down and putting out his furry, white paw. Saurhead chuckled a little, shaking his paw.
"So that was just a hard fought fight? No cheating!?" The little fanboy asked.
"I promise you, that cheating isn't even in my list of things I would do to win." I promised.
"No cheating at all." Saurhead assured. "And a victory over me makes you a master fighter! Here you go kid, you deserve it." Saurhead said, handing me my master fighter lisents. Suddenly, while I was examining it, it was pulled away from my hands. I looked up in shock as Dr. Diggins stamped the card, handing it back to me.
"Sorry, forgot the stamp it again. Congrads. See you." He said, leaving the building. I just kind of stood there, shocked.
"It wasn't even... his job to... Never mind." I said, shaking my head.
"Now kid, don't get cocky! There are plenty of stronger fighters out there, much stronger than me. I raised those vivosaurs just for level up fights, those weren't even my strongest ones. See you around, kid." He said, stomping off.
"Wow, Saurhead wasn't even taking this battle seriously!" The little fanboy shrieked happily.
"I'm gonna get him for that." I hissed, pissed off that I didn't battle the best. The two boys left, following Saurhead. I shook my head, sighing.
"Jackie!" I turned around, looking at Rosie who was standing behind me. I smiled at her.
"Hey, Rosie." I greeted.
"So, I'm guessing you made Master Fighter." Rosie said, seeing the new Fossil Fighter License in my hand.
"Yeah." I smiled. Then I frowned, grumbling in anger. "But it wasn't even his strongest team."
"You sound disappointed. Why on earth would you be upset about that?! You could have been crushed by his normal team!" Rosie shouted, grabbing my shoulders and shaking them slightly.
"Exactly! That means I didn't really beat him! It's like, he thought that using his normal team would mean no one could become a master fighter. But he goes ahead and tells everyone that he went easy on kids just so they have a chance. I don't FEEL like a master, that's for sure. Not until I truly beat him down." I monologue, gripping my fists, shaking them in frustration and determination. Rosie smiled, giggling a bit. "What?"
"It's just that... you care way too much." Rosie said, laughing at me. I crossed my arms and scowled.
"Whats wrong with that? I just want a fight where both sides go all out that challenges me is all." I frowned, shaking my head.
"You sound like you think you're some unbeatable monster that can't be challenged by anyone."
"Whatever. So how about you, your up next aren't you?" I asked, changing the subject.
"Yeah..." She frowned, looking down.
"Whats wrong?" I inquired, tipping my head to the side.
"It's just that, if he's so strong, even if he IS using a weaker team... I just don't know if I'm gonna win or not." Rosie said, looking down.
"Of course you don't know if you'll win, it hasn't even started. But it's not like you only have one chance- you can keep trying, over and over again. Don't worry about winning the first time around, just fight like you usually do." I said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Her cheeks lit us and she intertwined her hands in front of her, looking down and nodding. I lifted my hand to her head and patted her, smiling kindly. "You can do it."
"Y-yeah, thanks." Rosie said, fixing her hat for no reason. She rushed past me, quickly stopping to wave back at me, giving me a wide smile. She turned back to the door leading to the stadium, turning to me one last time. I gave her a thumbs up and her eyes shimmered oddly, nodding before entering the room.
I smiled, turning to walker to one of the benches, planning on waiting for Rosie, when I slipped on something, catching myself before I went to far. I lifted my foot up to find a small piece of paper on the ground, a footprint now printed on it. I reached down and picked it up, bringing it to my face to read through my shoe print.
'There is something I want to talk to you about, Jackie. I'll be waiting in the park for you tonight. From Duna'
I stared at the small letter, a blank look on my face as I stared down at the small slip of paper. I stuffed it in my pocket and sat down on the nearest bench. I wondered what she wanted to talk about and what I would say to her. Our relationship was an odd one, we had both fooled each other on who we were, my identity still hidden from her watchful eye. My mind once again drew back to who and what I was. I suddenly felt like the odd one out. I acted differently than anyone else on the island, sounded different, and even looked different. I suddenly realized how much I stick out in the crowd. I have almost no fear and a daring attitude, something that seemed to be unique in this society.
But than again, so what? It occurred to me that all people were of different colors here- so many different personalities, fashions, and so many unique people. I suppose everyone is an odd one out around here. I let out a quiet chuckle, smiling up at the ceiling. Life just seemed so funny all of a sudden, so unpredictable and hard.
"You've changed." I turned my head to Tiffany who leaned over her desk, staring at me with a wide smile.
"Parton?" I asked, sitting up and staring back at her.
"I said you've changed. I would have never thought that that young boy with those scary eyes would have waited for a girl out here, laughing to yourself. It's nice to see that change." Tiffany smiled. I smiled back, looking up at the ceiling. "I'm sure that you would never had changed if you didn't keep trying to be such a great fossil fighter."
"Sometimes I wonder... how would everyone be if I never become a fossil fighter." I admitted. In all honestly, I had wondered that so many times. How many people would have hated me than?
"Well we would have never met you if you didn't." Tiffany pointed out, giggling.
"No, I would have been around." I admitted, causing Tiffany to frown, scrunching up her eyebrows together. "In all honestly, I didn't come here to become a Fossil Fighter- that just sort of happened."
"Really? Why did you come than?" Tiffany asked, leaning in.
"Well... you know, this place it beautiful with all the greens and all the life." I said, changing the subject. Tiffany seemed disapproving of my answer.
"Of course, it's like this everywhere. Surely you've seen nicer before." Tiffany sighed.
"Nope, this is, honestly, the first time I've seen something like this- a town, a park, and lots of people." Tiffany sat up in surprise, blinking at me in astonishment.
"How could that be possible?" She asked. I shrugged, frowning.
"I suppose that my entire life so far has just been in my room." I said, causing Tiffany's face to drop.
"Thats one lonly life."
"I never knew the difference."
"...So why did you come here?" Tiffany asked again, really trying to get the answer out off me. I sighed, turning to face her.
"Honestly, it's a secret. But you know, I think that I came here for something different than I was supposed to. I think that, in my mind, I came to escape the life I had before, even if I'm supposed to go back home at one point."
"You have to leave?! When?" Tiffany cried, standing up. Her eyes looked so sad. It never occurred to me that I had such close bonds with the people around me. When did I start to think of myself as one of them?
"Hopefully not soon." I chuckled, smiling at her.
"I really couldn't imagine you leaving, life would change so much." Tiffany frowned.
"Yeah, the police would need to step up their game." I said, causing Tiffany to laugh.
"Rosie would miss you very much." Tiffany said.
"And I her." I admitted. The doors opened, Rosie somberly walker out, head down and tears falling down her face. I rose up, mouth hanging slightly open. She kept walker, stopping onto when she noticed I was still there. She gasped, quickly wiping her tears.
"J-Jackie! W-what are you still doing here?" She asked, her voice cracking slightly.
"I was waiting for you." I answered, frowning at her.
"R-really?" She asked, covering her face with the rim of her hat. "You never did before..."
"I suppose not." I said, beginning to walk towards her. She took a step back, beginning to ramble in a shaky voice.
"Well I guess there's a first time for everything, huh? Hah, I guess I look pretty stupid, crying like this over some dumb match, I'm pretty pathetic huh?" She said, shaking slightly. I stopped right in front of her, staring down at her sadly. She kept her face hidden, trying to pull her hat down in front of her face. I reached down and pulled off her hat, letting it fall behind her. I was still a bit taller than her, so her head was about to my nose. She looked up at me, eyes red and pitiful.
Taking a deep breath, I gathered all of her into my arms and pulled her close to me. She went quiet for a bit and I started to wonder if I was doing it wrong. It felt so weird to do this, but apparently it was a 'comforting gesture' in society, so I tolerated it for today. Soon she returned the gesture, whimpering softly into my stomach. I patted her head gently, now freed from her hat, and kept quiet.
After a while her whimpers disappeared and she calmed down. When she seemed alright, I let her go and she took a step back, whipping her remaining tears on her hands.
"T-thank you." Rosie whispered.
"...I'll walk you home." I decided, picking up her hat and placing it back on her head. She nodded her head and we quietly left the fossil stadium, a few bystanders watching as the scene ended. We walked in silence down to the guild area, walking side by side. Honestly, for the first time, the silence was a little unnerving. I was so use to Rosie's random blabbering that the quiet seemed too peaceful.
"You know," Rosie finally said, still looking down at the ground. I turned my head to her, waiting for her to continue. "You were really hard to talk to when I first met you and I didn't quite know what to do." She said, causing me to chuckle a little. She smiled as well, looking a bit more upwards now. "But as time went on, you weren't nearly as scary as I thought you might be. You're actually really shy about things and care much more than you let on. I don't really understand why you put on that tough guy act, but I'm glad you're open enough to let me see those bits of you." Rosie admitted, finally looking up at me. My smile dropped a bit and I looked away. "Whats wrong?"
"Honestly, I feel bad about the way I treat you. Yeah, you're bossy and scare the hell out of me sometimes. But you are my first real friend." I admitted, keeping my eyes on the sky. "But in a way, I don't think I was capable of being kind to people before I came here, even if I wanted to. I just... never knew how to before." I said, smiling down at Rosie.
"Really, I'm your first friend?" Rosie asked, leaning close to me.
"Yeah, thanks for that, Pinky." I smiled, patting her head.
"Hey! Don't call me Pinky!" She huffed, crossing her arms.
"Than don't wear so much pink." I chuckled, shaking my head.
"Aren't you, like, 15? Why do you always have to act 30?" Rosie whined. I chuckled, shaking my head.
"Perhaps you're just not as much as me?" I suggested.
"'Perhaps' you're just a stingy old man!" Rosie child, sticking out her tongue. I shook my head and lead Rosie to her grandfather's mansion. "Thanks for walking me home." Rosie smiled. I nodded my head and smiled.
"Not any trouble." I shrugged, waving her off.
"Still, thank you." Rosie said, hesitantly turning away to walk into her room. The moment she was out of sight I sighed. Man I was having a hard time being nice to people. Everything I said and did felt wrong in comparison to everything I've said and did before I arrived on this island. I turned to head back to the hotel to rest up when I found a white flash land in front of me. I smiled down at Fang, who sat there patiently for me.
"I forgot I brought you out with me. Man you disappear fast, now don't you?" I hummed, walking towards the docks, Fang turning to follow me obediently. I smiled down at Fang, beginning to talk openly to the white wolf. "You know, I don't think I ever thought I'd make friends down here. So much for completing my mission in a record time, huh?" I chuckled. Fang stared up at me, as if he could comprehend all I was saying on another level than some old mutt would. "I mean, I'm really glad that I did, but it just makes me feel bad about what I may have done to them, if I never met them. Oh man, now I don't wanna go through with this. Is that wrong?" I asked, turning to Fang.
Fang tilted his head to the side and whined. I frowned in response. It was hard to tell what he was trying to say- if he was saying he didn't know or if he just didn't know how to answer. I reached down and pet him on the head.
"Good boy, Fang." I praised, telling him it was alright if he didn't give me a clear cut answer. "You wanna go for a walk?" I asked, stopping in the middle of the street and pointing down to the dock. Fang nudged my pocket, causing the note Duna sent me. I smiled and pulled it out. "Can't get anything past you, can I?" I smiled, opening the note and holding it in front of him, knowing from experience that he could read as well as I could. He looked over the note and folded down his ears, growling lightly. "Now now, I don't think she's all that bad. I'm going to meet her as she asked of me. And if anything goes wrong, well, I'm strong. It'll be fine." I assured, tucking the note back into my pocket. Fang relaxed and nodded, turning his nose to the docks. "I knew you'd want to go on a walk. Come on, let's go." I said, leading Fang to the docks.
I walked silently to the park. The stars were out and lights were off, crickets squeaking in the night gently. I trudged along the path into the park, moving to meet Duna in the park. I walked around for a while, trying to find her. Forgetting to give a time and exact place was a little frustrating, but I soon found her. She stood by the edge of the park, leaning on the fence and looking out onto the ocean. She turned to me when I let my shoe crush a leaf. She was in a human like form, red hair turned blonde and scaly, blue skin now white and practically glowing.
"You've come." She said quietly, standing up strait.
"I have." I nodded back. I approached her, stopping by her side and leaning out to the water. She turned back to the water as well. The two of us stood in silence for a moment, taking in the beauty of the night.
"I wasn't sure I would see you again," She finally said, breaking the silence. "So I wanted to talk with you one last time."
"I suppose you have something important to tell me." I said, turning to her.
"Yes... As you know, I'm not human." Duna said, turning away.
"I've noticed." I said, giving a quiet exhale of amusement.
"I am a Dinaurian, a creature from another world." Duna began to explain.
"'Creature'? You talk as if your not intelligent enough to speak of yourself as a species." I pointed out, causing her to smile.
"I suppose your better choice in words would suffice. As you know, evolution causes creatures t change over millions of years. You and I have followed different evolutionary paths and are now different species altogether." Duna explained.
"If I'm hearing what your implying correctly, than humans and Dinaurian branched from a common line?"
"I knew you were smart." She smiled, giggling lightly but soon becoming much more serious. "Dinaurians have never thought well of the human species. We find the way you have waged meaningless wars detestable. I myself have always thought of humans to be unable to give respect, wanting for nothing but conflicts. But," She said, taking a moment to pause and turn to me once more. "You are different. Despite the fact that I am a Dinaurian and attacked you... you saved my life." She said thoughtfully. I frowned and turned away, looking down into the black waves.
"I wouldn't use me as a model, I'm a bit of an... enigma around here. But I'll tell you this: everything you see in me can be found in almost any human here. I'm sure that there are many that have a kind enough heart to help someone out, even if they are a Dinaurian." I smiled, keeping my eyes down.
"Than why call yourself an enigma is so many more are like you?" Duna pried, leaning close to me. I bit my lip and curled my fingers tightly around the defense bar.
"It's... complicated." I managed to let out. Duna nodded understandingly. She knew I didn't want to answer that just yet.
"May I... ask you something?" She asked, turning away uncertainly.
"Ask away, I'm all ears." I said, causing her to smile.
"If there was a war between Dinaurian and humans... if I were your enemy... Would you still have saved me?" Duna asked. I wasn't quite sure how to answer something like that. I was no human, so the conflict wouldn't include me. But if it did...
"I think it's a bit more complex than that. The circumstances could cause me to act differently. But over all... I think I would. Not because I'm a good guy or because I ignore that you're an enemy. It's more of... I care about all life, because everything should have a chance to live." I answered, feeling rather satisfied with my answer.
"All life... is worth something..." She whispered, as if my words had hit something deep within her. "You answer... it is... kind beyond belief."
"Yeah, would you have believed that before I came to this island I thought nothing of the life of others." I chuckled. "The people around here have changed me for the better, that's for sure."
"I think I... like you." She admitted.
"And I am rather fond of you as well." I replied, looking at her out of the corner of my eye. She smiled back at me, sadness glooming in her eyes.
"It saddens me that I won't be able to see you again." Duna said, causing me to frown. Something about the way she said that made it seem like... something big was coming. "It is something that can not be changed." She said, sensing my understanding. "There is nothing that can be done. If only humans had become Dinaurians as well, I would have loved to have met you then."
"Would I really be the same person?" I asked, causing her to turn to me in surprise. "Everyone changes based on how they live. So would I really be like I am today- would I have ever been born if I was Dinaurian?" I turned to her and she looked away, almost ashamed of what she said.
"Goodbye, Jackie." She whispered, turning to me and placing her lips against my cheek. Keeping her eyes away from mine, she turned away and disappearing through the darkness. I stood there, staring after her. I turned to the ocean and looked to the horizon, touching my fingers to my cheek. Cold. Her lips were cold. The light was beginning to slip around the earth, though daybreak was long to come.
Okay, I swear I didn't realize I hadn't updated in a year- honest! I was so distracted by everything else that I never got around to it! And it's a pretty minor chapter, so I hope I can get something else out before too long!
