The first chapter this year, yay! ^^
Thanks again to my two loyal reviewers angel2882 and axeloftheflame; I hope you will acompany me through this story this year as well. =)
Well ... Enjoy this chapter. ^^
Chapter 29: Calm days
So the next day was Ashton's birthday. Nobody had a present for him but he didn't really care. If he had wanted to get presents he would've said earlier that his birthday was soon. But it was still a nice party.
Sebastian had somewhere ordered several delicious cakes. On a tasty strawberry cake with chocolate cream six candles had been placed. Ashton blew them all out and wished for something. Of course he didn't tell anybody what he had wished for because in that case the wish wouldn't come true.
Three large tables were standing in the middle of the village so that everybody got a seat.
After everybody had eaten enough of the cake Zelos, Sheena and Lilly went for a walk with Ashton and his puppy. They walked into the Gaoracchia Forest.
Ashton was frowning and wondering why they were going for a walk in this creepy forest of all places when there were some nicer places near Mizuho. But apparently Zelos and Sheena had a destination because they were going with determination in a certain direction. Then they suddenly stopped.
"Ashton, Sebastian told us that your mother wanted to show a special place to you on your birthday. And I think it can only be one place," Zelos said before walking on.
The others followed him and the next moment they were at a beautiful clearing which was literally blooming of life. Ashton had never thought that he would see something this pretty in such a desolate region and that's why he was pretty amazed.
"Sheila showed me this place when we were still children. That's why I thought it's the place she wanted to show to you," Zelos explained. "It's one of the few places where the balance of the world still exists …"
"It's so beautiful here!" Ashton exclaimed happily while spinning round until he saw a deer which was standing on the border of the clearing and looking curiously at the group. "Come here! Don't be afraid!"
Indeed, the deer came closer and let himself hesitatingly be petted by Ashton. The boy was laughing happily and decided that this was his best birthday by far although he had to celebrate it without his mother.
Zelos lay an arm around Sheena and whispered: "You see? I kept my promise."
Sheena leaned against him and nodded. "You took your time."
They stayed for quite a while but when it was finally dawning they decided to go back to not miss dinner. Sebastian had prepared everything in the time being. The tables were full of different food. There were several salads, a suckling pig, a few chicken wings, potatoes in the skin and much more. Zelos asked Sebastian where he had gotten all the delicious food from but he only answered that he had his connections regarding food.
During dinner Bayne remembered something. "Zuzi, we wanted to eat together sometime. When will we do that?"
"We're eating together right now, aren't we?" Zuzi replied grinning.
"But I didn't mean it like that! I meant … only the two of us …" Bayne answered. The whole thing seemed to embarrass him suddenly because everybody at the table had perked up their ears.
"Hmm …" Zuzi was looking at him and seemed to think. "Tomorrow evening. In Luin."
Bayne was beaming with joy and totally forgot his food.
"Tomorrow evening in Luin?" a ninja who was sitting close to them asked. "Doesn't the festival for the Goddess of Water take place there?"
"Yeah, that's right. It's said that there will be great fireworks. So the two of them won't be that alone. My wife and children want to go there at all costs so I will have to come along as well …" another one answered.
"A festival?" Zelos asked who had gotten clairaudient.
"Yes, in Luin. At night there are supposed to be fireworks," the first ninja repeated.
Zelos looked at Sheena, Ashton and Sebastian. "Wouldn't that be something?"
"Oh yeah! I've never seen fireworks before!" Ashton exclaimed enthusiastically.
"It will certainly be nice," Sheena said.
Sebastian nodded.
"Orochi, are you coming along as well?" Zelos asked the masked ninja.
"Hmm … Alright."
They celebrated until late night but then the first people went into bed and it was time for Ashton as well. He was almost falling asleep so Zelos finally carried him to his bed. He helped him changing his clothes because Ashton was already halfway asleep and then tucked him in.
"It was a nice day … Thank you …" Ashton murmured before he ultimately fell asleep.
Zelos once again ran a hand through the boy's hair and then stood up. He was looking at Sheena who was standing with Lilly in her arms in the door frame.
"You're almost like a father to him … Although both of you didn't get along in the beginning at all," she said.
"We have experienced many things together … That's what welded us together," Zelos replied. He couldn't explain it any better. The last days he had grown fond of the boy. "What about you? You take care of these two like a mother."
"Hmm … Yes … I don't know … I just feel bonded to those two … I don't know if it would be the same with any child …" Sheena said.
Lilly moved a little bit in her arms and Sheena remembered that she had wanted to bring the little baby to bed. After she had lain Lilly in her bed she hunkered over it and watched Lilly for a while. Zelos walked towards her.
"Sheena … What will we do … if both of them are gone?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well … I will miss something … I don't want to think of the day when Sheila comes and picks them up … It would create a similar big hole in my heart like the loss of my house …"
Sheena leaned against him. "Oh, Zelos … You will have to prepare for that."
"Yeah …" Zelos replied while glancing one more time sadly at Ashton and Lilly. "We should go to bed now as well."
Sheena nodded and both of them left the room.
:::
Retisa had been in her room the whole time and had only unlocked the door to get the food which was standing in front of her door. The voice in her head she had heard had made her contemplative. To whom did it belong? And why did it have such a great influence on her?
These thoughts had controlled her mind the last days but she just didn't find any answers. If there had been at least somebody she could've talked to … But she was alone. Entirely alone. She had been always alone even if there had been always somebody in her proximity. Nobody had ever really cared about her.
She was with the Chorior as long as she could think. She had never gotten to know her parents. And for the leader she had always just been the person who could awaken the Tainted Child and protect them. So because Retisa never had had anybody who had shown a little bit affection to her she had become an uncommunicative and introverted person. She had no friends and she didn't really know why she should have any. Until now she didn't have any troubles with not having friends.
Retisa realized that it was useless to think any longer about the mysterious voice and so she finally left her room. In the main room she met Cozid, Nariko and Edoph who were once again discussing Edoph's singing skills.
The red haired woman saw Retisa first. "Are you better now, Retisa?"
It wasn't quite the right question but everybody knew that it was better to not ask Retisa what she had done the whole time in her room.
The quiet girl nodded.
"Ahh, Retisa! Don't you want to sing a little song with me now that you're here?" Edoph asked enthusiastically but the next second Cozid and Nariko were throwing several objects at his head.
"Someday I will shut your mouth, Edoph, I swear!" Cozid exclaimed.
"How many times have you sworn that already? Since our childhood?" Edoph asked while rubbing his head. "And you still didn't do it once."
"If you insist so much on it I will do it sooner rather than later!"
"No, thank you," Edoph said.
"Stop it already. We have more important things to discuss," Nariko remarked.
"Yeeeah, the new album of the Scissor Sisters for example!" Edoph replied while beaming with joy. (I don't know if they have a new album but that doesn't matter xD Edoph's just a fan of them. ^^ I just thought that it would fit him … But I like them as well, some of their songs are really nice ^^)
An artery popped out on Nariko's forehead. "Edoph …" Her voice was sounding so dangerous that the blonde haired immediately shut up.
Retisa looked at the three in silence. They were the only ones who cared at least a little bit about her. If they had been as long with the Chorior as Retisa she would've probably developed differently but the three had joined only about a year ago.
Edoph finally wanted to start singing again whereupon Nariko choke him. Cozid was standing next to them and couldn't decide if he should prevent Nariko from strangling the terrible singer or if he should just watch her.
Retisa was still standing silently close to them. Friends … No, she didn't need any.
(Don't worry, Nariko didn't really strangle Edoph xD But almost xDD)
:::
The next day Zelos was musingly sitting at the river in Mizuho. He was looking at something in his hand. Was the time already ripe for it? Or should he wait a little bit longer? But on the other hand … He couldn't wait any longer.
"What is that?" suddenly someone asked him and with shock he let the object fall into the river.
"Oh no!" Zelos exclaimed panic while watching the river taking the object with it. Without hesitating he jumped into the river and followed his little treasure. But he just couldn't reach it. As soon as he reached out for it the little object swam into another direction and Zelos grasped at nothing.
Ashton watched him frowning while wondering what object it was that had fallen into the river. It seemed very important to Zelos. The next moment he realized that Voax was jumping into the water as well and following Zelos.
"Voax, come back!" Ashton exclaimed but the puppy didn't listen to him. He glanced at the water with a little hesitation. Although Zelos had taught him how to swim a few days ago he still wasn't very keen to have to swim again; especially after his experience in the room full of water. But Voax was still a puppy and who knew if the current didn't get stronger somewhere?
So Ashton jumped into the river as well. At the beginning he was swallowing some water but then he was finally able to keep his head above water and so he followed Zelos and his dog.
Zelos had been finally able to catch the object and was now reaching a little isle. Soaking wet Zelos left the river and realized that he was on the Isle of Decision where Sheena had fought against Kuchinawa back then. Of course his Sheena hunny had won.
Zelos looked around although there wasn't much to see. Only a single tree was standing on the isle. (If I'm not wrong …) But something was strange … He had the feeling he was being watched.
The next moment he heard a barking. He saw Voax who was setting foot on the isle right now; Ashton followed him. But something quickly distracted him from them because he was hearing something coming from the tree. It sounded like a … startled wheeze. He wasn't sure though … But when Voax walked towards the tree and barked again he once more heard the noise; this time a little bit louder.
"Hey, you should come down now whoever you may be!" Zelos exclaimed.
"O-Only when you take this monster away!" a male voice came out of the treetop.
"Who is it?" Ashton asked while taking Voax in his arms.
"The 'monster' has been detained now," Zelos said amused. It was pretty strange that somebody called a puppy a monster.
The man jumped down from the tree and landed in front of Zelos and Ashton.
Now it was Zelos who was wheezing startled. "Kuchinawa!"
The place Sheila wanted to show Ashton had to be the clearing. ^^ It's amazing how this place grows more important with the time ... It wasn't planned at all but on the other hand most things in this story weren't planned. xD It's interesting how a story develops sometimes. ^^
Isn't it cute with Zelos and Ashton? ^^ It's really amazing how their relationship has changed, isn't it? ^^
Poor Retisa ... Surrounded by many people but still alone ... By the way, she will get to know her parents in the sequel. ^^ And she will open up a little bit as well.
Edoph xDD You just have to like him ^^
Well, has any of you a suspicion what this object that fell into the river could be? ^^
Hehehehe, yeah, Kuchinawa! xD You haven't anticipated that, have you? xD But don't worry, Kuchinawa doesn't want to fight. ^^ He has a reason why he's there. And, yeah, he still haven't forgiven Sheena but he will when time passes ... Although I think it won't be mentioned. o.O
Well ... So, what's the reason for Kuchinawa being there? What will happen at the festival in Luin? Will the Chorior attack?
To be continued ...
