Me: Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I give many thanks to my first reviewers!
Nari: She greatly appreciates it. (hands out cookies and 'long live ToS!' towels)
Me: Please lemme know if you like this chapter.
Nari: If not, it will be burned.
Me: ...No, seriously. We're gonna throw it in the fire.
Chapter 10: A Different Way...
Yuan had been pacing back and forth once more, wishing with all his heart that he could find a way to get back to Symphonia. If only Origin hadn't mysteriously lost his power, everything could've been sorted out better. They could've been in Symphonia right now, rescuing the angel. Yuka had gone to his side many times to try and assure him that they'd find SOME way to get back ASAP.
But he couldn't be convinced with what little hope he had.
Some of the Eternal Swordsman's group would take turns going out and walking around the forest to look for clues to the man who'd taken over Scarlett, since the voice didn't seem like it was Theron's. They'd walk out back and check out the survivors to be sure they weren't getting sick or dying or anything like that.
While Yuan, Yuka, Nari, and Lloyd were taking a walk...
Nari sighed loudly, "I'm sooo cold."
"Then why'd you come?" Lloyd retorted.
"Because. I felt like it. Gotta problem with that?" Nari snapped.
"Nope."
They were walking back from the tree houses, and Lloyd heard a faint voice, "Master of the pact..."
Lloyd burst, stopping in his tracks, "Origin?!"
Yuan looked back at him, "Origin? What?"
Yuka raised an eyebrow, "Maybe he's losing it."
Lloyd hissed, "Quiet! I just heard Origin."
"Master of the pact..."
Nari stated, "Hey, I hear it, too!"
They all turned to their left, and saw Origin's faint glow and shape. "Master Lloyd..."
"Origin! I can see you! Well, kinda...What's going on?" Lloyd approached.
"My power...is slowly returning..."
"Really?!" Yuan bursted.
"Yes. Before, it was only the children who could see me...now, you can see and hear me as well. I'd say in about a week, I may be back to full strength."
"That's great!" Nari beamed, "Then we can rescue Scarlett soon!"
"Until then..." and Origin faded away.
"Mmmmmaaaannnn!" Lloyd whined, "A week's too long to wait!"
"You said it." Yuan groaned.
"Well, let's head back now." Yuka suggested.
"Chiiiirrrrp!" Bob shrilled.
They continued walking after Yuan zapped the bird with an electricity ball enough until it satisfied him.
They were almost at the house when Nari snapped, "Wait a minute."
The other three looked at her, asking, "What is it?"
"Someone's following us." she whispered.
Yuka casually turned around, looking behind them, "I don't see anyone."
"I hear 'em, though." Nari looked around, not caring about being casual anymore.
"I don't hear anything..." Lloyd frowned.
"Because he stopped moving." Nari took a step forward, "Wait...I hear him."
She walked forward, her whip in her hand, coiled up, and the others watched her and her surroundings in case the person tried a sneak attack. A hand flew out, and Nari flung her whip's end around the man's wrist. Her eyes went wide, and she lowered her whip, whispering something inaudible to even angel ears. Then, she got louder, "Andrew?...Is that really you?"
"It's me, Nari...I've been with the survivors all along, but I couldn't face you...but I can now." the man replied.
"I missed you, 'Drew...really bad. Where have you been?" Nari demanded.
Andrew stepped out from behind the tree, looking around 21, with midnight blue hair and sapphire eyes. Andrew looked at the three clueless angels standing in the snow, and he inquired, "Who are you?"
"Who are you to ask for my name?" Lloyd countered.
"I'll take it you're the Eternal Swordsman. I'm Andrew." Andrew stepped forward, offering a hand to shake with Lloyd. Lloyd hesitated, but shook it, "So...who are you to Nari?"
"I'm her boyfriend."
Yuan nearly gagged, and Nari slapped him, THEN hit him with her whip. She noticed Yuka wasn't surprised, and remembered that she hinted she had a man.
"Yeah, but he doesn't like me." Nari a depressed look on her face.
"Who is it?" Raine asked, curiously.
"...Someone you don't know yet. That's all I'm gonna say." Nari answered.
"You were lying then, weren't you?" Yuka asked.
"...Yeah." Nari blew on a strand of hair in her face.
Andrew looked back, and answered Nari, "I was in Meltokio, taking care of some stuff, and I was going to come back to you, but you weren't back at Luin."
"Theron got to me before you did." Nari hissed angrily, "But Yuie here-"
"What was that?!" Yuan barked.
"-helped me out."
"Stop turning into Anna!" Yuan ordered.
"Someone call?"
Anna stuck her head out the door, noticing another person. She blinked, and stared before reeling her head back in the house.
Lloyd snapped, "Well, can we go in or what? I'm hungry!"
"You and your stomach..." Yuka sighed, "C'mon."
A few days later...
Andrew had been introduced to the group, but for some reason, Kratos didn't like him all that well. Andrew had no clue way, but kept his distance. (he's smart) Nari and Celeste explained everything about what was going on with Scarlett, Theron, and Origin. Andrew sarcasticly pointed out, "So it's all LLOYD'S fault we're stranded here! I get it now!"
"Shut it, tough guy." Lloyd grumbled.
Mithos groaned, "Will you two cut it out? Andrew may have a point, but it IS hard to move a lot of people like that, ya' know..."
"Well, my bad." Andrew scoffed.
Nari randomly asked, "Do you guys have a guitar here?"
"Where'd that come from?" Genis blinked.
"I play bass guitar. 'Drew here-" Nari was interrupted by Andrew hissing, "Do NOT tell them. They'd act just like you did when you found out."
"What? Do you sing?" Colette inquired.
"NO!" Andrew backed away in horror.
"Drums?" guessed Mahala.
"No."
"Not flute, right?"
"NNNOOO!!! You cannot make me even try to play THAT...THING! Leave that to..." and he muttered someone's name.
"Keyboard?" came Athena's voice.
Andrew's eye twitched.
Everyone stared.
Andrew looked at the preteen, "I don't like you."
"I was just guessing!" Athena barked.
"Shoulda guessed somethin' else." Andrew muttered.
"Can we hear, can we hear?" bugged Rylan.
They began pestering Nari and Andrew to play a duet, and the two got fed up and agreed, saying, "FINE! ONLY IF YOU TWIRPS SHUT IT!"
The kids instantly shut up.
Sabrina gave Nari the guitar, and showed Andrew to the piano. He sat down, glared at the kids, and looked at Nari, who nodded her head, holding her pick. She muttered, "1, 2, ready, go."
Andrew began playing a soft and slow song as Nari picked at the strings, tying a song together. Then, after three minutes, Andrew made the song faster, turning it more...bouncy. Nari rapidly moved her hands over, remebering the chords to play. The two had written this song before. For who, they wouldn't say. Nari had just said, "I'll tell you after the song.'
At last, their hands froze on their last note, stringing it out. Finally, Nari put her hand on the strings to stop the note, and Andrew stood. Presea nodded her head, "That was a beautiful song."
"Yeah, it was." Zeki agreed, "Now who was it for?"
Nari sighed, "It was for my older brother."
"What's your brother's name?" asked Renne shyly.
"...Ryan."
"Where is he now?"
"I dunno. For all I know, he's trying to prove that Luin was invaded by monsters. -Back when it was destroyed by the Desians."
"Oh."
One day before the week was up...
Yuan paced, "Isn't Origin ready YET?!"
Raine stood and smacked Yuan across the face, Yuka twitching. "Yuan Nebular, you are going to sit DOWN because you have been asking that for the past HOUR!"
Yuan grumbled something about 'angels' and 'pained face' before sitting down, sighing deeply.
Fifteen minutes passed and no one said anything else.
"Won't someone say SOMETHING?" begged Hazel.
"Something." Nari sarcasticly replied.
"Gee, thanks." Hazel glared.
"No prob." the whip master grinned.
Lloyd came back in from outside, and reported, "Origin is definitly going to be ready tomorrow."
"He won't disappear again if we go, will he?" Athena worridly asked.
"Probably not. This was just a malfunction." Lloyd answered.
"Good."
"Well, let's get ready."
Everyone split up, and Zeki finished packing quickly. He approached Yuka, and tapped her, "Yuka?...I thought I saw someone outside earlier in the snow, setting some stuff outside with signs."
"Oh. Dude's just prob'ly just setting up a yard sale." Yuka replied. (yes, in the snow)
"Can I go look?" Zeki requested.
"Yeah, sure...here's some money in case you want something. Be careful." Yuka handed him a few dollars.
Zeki thanked her, bundled up, and walked outside, the bucks in his hands. He walked across the street (nearly getting hit by a cat and dog in the process), Irene trotted at his side. He patted her, and approached the man. He gruffly greeted, "Afternoon. If ya want somethin', bring it here."
"Y-yes, sir..."
Zeki looked around, spotting a sword in a blue sheath. He grew curious, and looked closer.
Blue Storm.
His heart stopped.
This was Blue Storm, said to hold his destiny?! He instantly picked it up, shoving it towards the man, "How much?!" he begged.
"That ol' thing? I can't even get it out of it's sheath, it's so rusted. How 'bout just five bucks?"
Zeki handed him the five dollars, and rushed home with Irene, busting in the house, nearly running over his mother. He pushed it in her face, screaming, "Mom! Mom, it's Blue Storm! That katana that Aunt Scarlett was talking about! I bought it!"
Celeste put her hands on her son's shoulders, "Calm down, Zeki. Take a deep breath and tell me what happened."
Zeki quickly relayed everything.
"Oh, I see...but if the man said it was rusted, then..." Celeste gestured for the katana. She gripped it's silver grip, and pulled.
Nothing. It didn't even budge.
She shrugged and handed it back to Zeki, who attempted, too.
It came loose.
Zeki's eyes nearly popped out of his head, and he pulled the katana out all the way. It had a metallic blue metal, connecting with the silver grip.
Andrew nodded, "Another katana user? You go, kid."
Zeki looked at him strangly, and he showed his katana's sheath. Zeki grinned, "Cool!"
Celeste sighed, "Why is he like Lloyd sometimes?..."
"HEY!" protested Lloyd and Zeki, "THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH ME/HIM!"
Then, they looked at each other, "Well...maybe there is." Zeki winced as Lloyd smacked his nephew.
The next day...
Lloyd and the group stepped outside, and they bid farewell to Sabrina, Mahala, Hazel, and Myrtle, and walked out to the woods, meeting up with the survivors.
Sheena summoned, "...Come, Origin!"
The King of Summon Spirits appeared, looking as if nothing happened. "I am ready, pact master. I will not fail this time."
"Then let's do it!"
Everyone got in a large circle, cramming into each other somewhat, and Lloyd drew forth the Eternal Sword. "Let's get it right this time!" Lloyd hissed.
"Indeed. Ready?"
"I was born ready."
"Then let's do it."
A bright light flashed, blinding everyone.
Me: Now the question is if I got them there.
Nari: I hate you! You hear me? H-A-T-E!
Me: Aw, don't be hatin'. Be appreciatin'!
Nari: That was lame.
Andrew: Totally.
Me: Oh, thanks for reminding me! Andrew does not belong to me! He belongs to my sister's story, The Order of the Elements, but his creator is Forceuser3 the Jedi Master! Sorry, but I wanted to do my romance with MY character!
ET: What-ever!
Me: Hey, shut up! What are you doing in here? Shouldn't you be typing YOUR story?! I want you to post it, or I'll write it for you!
ET: You're annoying.
Me: I'm your little sister. I'm SUPPOSED to be annoying.
Nari: Run, Andrew!
Andrew: Right behind ya!