Chapter 48

:::


::Makna Forest - Grand Makna Falls (Night)::


"Em ... How did we get separated? And how in the world did we land back in Makna?"

The group was just moments earlier at Valak Mountains' Three Sage Summit. They had come upon a strange door with three holes in it. Not following the story of having to find the hidden treasures of the Giants and any logic, Riki stuffs three pollen cakes that he had into the holes and the door opens. Only to then face an Invited Slobos.

With no time to react and no apparent reason, the group gets blasted off of Valak to Makna. The boys were nowhere to be found and the girls somehow landed on an isolated island near the Great Makna Falls.


::

"It's getting dark ... getting back on mainland will take ages ... it's raining cats and dogs ... and I AM drenched!" Sharla was very bummed out.

Suddenly, the rain stops. Melia and Sharla looks up to see a makeshift tent covering them.


"I can hold it and keep watch. You two go to sleep." Meyneth had found some rather large foliage on the island for the two.

"Are you sure? You won't ... rust, will you?" Melia was relieved to see shelter but along with Sharla was worried for Fiora. Ever since Alcamoth, Fiora had been looking very fatigued.

The nerve damage to Fiora's Homs side from the Face Unit mind control device had started to numb her sensory perceptions, in particular the sense of touch. Meyneth was warned that it would happen and since the Mechon body didn't have sensory receptors to substitute for the Homs side, she would lose her ability to feel. The group knew of it as well and had been watching over her ever more so.

Meyneth could try to remove the unit by herself but it was a lot to risk at the moment. All she could do for now was to suppress the unit from starting up and going haywire.

" ... Go to sleep, it's late."


::

The next morning, Sharla wakes up refreshed and starts stretching. She sees that it was still raining but realized that she was dry.

"AKKKKKKKKKK!"

"What's wrong?!" Meyneth was startled to hear Sharla's sudden cry.

"Oh ... ... ... right. Sorry Fiora. Having your helmet headgear on gave me a fright." Sharla looked up to see what was sheltering her but the first thing she saw was Fiora with her Mechon helmet mask on.

(!) "My ... apologies." Meyneth then reaches for the back of the headgear.


" ... No, sorry. Keep it on. I should have realized it. You had to protect yourself from the rain too. Are you ok? You're still soaking. Also where is Melia? "

Sharla's attention gets directed upwards. She finally realizes that Nemesis was brought in and was being used as a cover for Sharla and Melia, who was sleeping in it.


"Is she ... sleeping in your seat? You usually need it, don't you?"

A half covered smile replies, "It's alright ... She needed it."

Sharla was impressed and started to have a change of heart regarding Fiora.


(You're so selfless to us. Even if you don't remember and have changed, I see now why the three boys love you so much.)


"Sharla?"
"Sorry Fiora. What had happened?"
"You were sleeping poorly ... and it was affecting her. Especially since you were rolling all over the place."


::Last Night::


"Grumble ... Gadolt ... please ... "


ROLL! ROLL! ROLLLLLLLLLL! Roll! SQUISH! ... [ ಠ _ ಠ ]


Melia had enough of Sharla's rolling that she woke up, to only see Fiora with her headgear on.

"A-MMPH!"

Meyneth muffled her scream and apologized for scaring her.

"Sorry, I understand. Thank you Fiora for holding this up for us."


FOOM!


"There you are."

At that moment, Nemesis appears from the raining sky and floats down to the three.

"Sorry it took a little time to find her after being blown off the mountain, but this is the only thing I can offer as a proper cover than the makeshift tent ... especially with Sharla sleeping like that ... "

Nemesis walked over to shade the sleeping Sharla. Melia was amused to hear Fiora address the machine as an individual.


"By the way, not that you probably want to but if you do, the seat is heated."

Heated seat? Melia hadn't had a luxury like this in quite a while. Just when she was about to accept the offer, Melia then remember that she should be a prim and proper lady:

"What about you? It's your spot ... "

Nemesis kneels down and Melia took the hint.

The sound of the rain falling on Nemesis eventually makes Melia finally fall sound asleep for the first time in a long time.


::Present::


Sharla was red in embarrassment

"I better apologize ... " Sharla didn't realize she was this stressed out.


"Rise and shine, Melia!"

Melia wakes up to be greeted by Sharla and Fiora.

"Did you sleep alright?" Meyneth asks in concern.

"Yes, thanks again for Nemesis. It is surprisingly comfortable-"


"Melia, sorry. I didn't know I kept you up. Please forgive me." Sharla was just embarrassed.

Melia takes a quick look, "At least your complexion is much better now. Last night you were ... how should I say it? ..."


Heartbroken.


"What were you dreaming about? Besides the fact that it was clearly about Gadolt ..."


(Ultra Embarrassment!)


"HEY! YOU ARE HERE! WE FOUND YOU!"

The three turn to see the boys coming up from the shore.

"Riki worry about friends. Riki glad to see everyone together again."

The guys were relieved.


"How did you find us?"

"We saw Nemesis flying over last night and went in the general direction," explains Dunban.

Shulk walks pass the two girls for Fiora.


"Fiora, you don't look well." He opens her headgear and puts his hand on her forehead. "It's cold ... can you feel the cold?"

Meyneth took a very long pause and then shook her head no. Ever since last night, she couldn't even feel the water droplets, let alone the coldness. Everyone feared for the worst.


"We better go get you checked up. Everyone, we'll be heading to the Hidden Machina Village now. That place on Valak will have to wait ... I'm glad we're all back together again." Shulk smiles in relief.