Chapter 45- Dawned Truth
Julia enjoyed being a mother. It was a fulfilling and pleasing life. Destiny was such that she not only had the time to raise Peppy well, but have plenty of time to herself and her friends, being as young as she was. She loved Peppy so much it was almost hard to believe that she was his foster mother. Playing with him, raising him was a reward in itself. She was concrete proof that love comes from anywhere, even where you least expect.
"Mama! Let's play tag!" he screamed out one day.
"Okay. Tag... you're it!" she responded quickly jabbing his shoulder playfully as she then ran rather quickly. "I'll get you mama!" Peppy yelled while running around on an almost wild goose chase. It was fun; for Peppy had been chasing his mother to places he never knew of; the grassy knolls, the sunset point and even the mountain where she saw Juliana. Even though Julia hated tag, playing it with him was rather fun. Finally, when it was his turn and she was chasing him, she started losing it.
"It'll be fun..." a sinister thought came round her mind's eye.
When Peppy was earshot, he found that Julia was gone. "Ha ha! Mama can't catch me!" he sang as he kept running faster. Then tried, he hid behind a tree. "I'm gonna make things hard!" he muttered as he then looked out for his mother. After going round 15 trees, he felt tired and rested behind one. "Is mama really that slow?" he wondered. He then slunk down and slept. After half an hour, he woke up. "Mama!" he called out. "Mama!" but there was no response.
He then ran round in circles looking for her. He thought of it as a game of hide and seek initially, but then that thought emerged- what if she died too? He searched frantically for her and called out her name, but to no avail. Then he slumped down and started to cry.
While crying, he heard a voice behind. Immediately defensing up; he went and was turning his head real slow when Julia suddenly hugged him from behind. "Surprise!" she screamed as she then hugged him and turned him round to see his swollen, red eyes. "What happened to you, son?" she asked in concern. "Mama- where were you?" he cried. Julia felt pretty bad; she only wanted to have a little fun. She then embraced him hard. "I'm sorry, baby. Mama will never leave you like that again." She said while his tears streamed down her body. Peppy then had a hard cry and then started to feel sleepy. Sensing this, Julia then lay him down and started singing a Paraiosan lullaby composed by Aerid herself.
He was soothed by the song and then fell asleep. That's how Julia git him to bed daily, by singing to him. She had a rather beautiful voice though and for no formal training, it was a wonder. It was often soothing for others too and she'd sing it to young growlithe babies who were immediately soothed and though it took time, they'd fall asleep too. When Julia stopped singing, she herself felt more awake. Looking at Peppy asleep was another simple pleasure. He looked so peaceful. Julia then carried him to her war camp and fell asleep near him, instinctively putting her arm round him.
"Julia! How is your journey as a war mother?" a voice came out. Julia suddenly felt shocked until she saw Cresselia who was talking to her. "Hi! You startled me!" Julia exclaimed. "Sorry, darling. I did get a bit carried away. All the same, how are you feeling?" Cresselia answered. "Great, thanks." Came the prompt reply. Cresselia smiled- Julia was learning a lot from all of this and she was certain to save Paraiosa from evil that was a fact. "It's nice to know you love him so much. It's everything he needs. So what are you going to do for the war?" she asked. Julia then looked a bit wistful. "You know, Cresselia..." she said. "I have something to tell you."
She looked at her in earnest.
"You know, the more I think of it; it has been months now. Over 4 at least. I realised something. You once told me I'll be fighting the war not just for glory, but a greater yet simpler cause. I think I've found that. I want to fight this war, not for glory but for my son; for Peppy. I want to fight for him and my country and Saphira. Those are the things that truly matter. I doubt I'll want to think of anything else." She confessed.
Cresselia almost fainted in joy- Julia finally figured out the message.
"But I'm still writing the diary for the humanoids to read!" she protested. "Go on, darling. I'm not stopping you." Cresselia replied joyously as she hugged Julia. She now really matured into a woman. Then, Julia turned wistful. "All the same, Cresselia, I don't want to die. I'm really scared- it hurts so much. I won't get to live anymore- that's scary. Worse, what'll happen of Peppy if I do? He'll be all alone again!" Cresselia then looked at her and caressed her cheek. "You will not die. Stop being such a worrywart. You will live not just for your son, but for you. That is a fact. You will still fight the war, but now you're doing it for his future. I'm sure you'll know what to do. If you falter, I'll be there. That's what I'm here for." Cresselia assured shortly before letting Julia sleep.
When Julia woke up, it was time for war. Hunter's grunts were at it and they had to do the whole freak show- again. They all geared up for war and ready to step out in the battlefield, or at least quite. "I don't know, Starling. What do I do with Peppy while I'm at war? I can't take him now, can I?" she asked. "Don't worry 'bout it Jules. He'll be fine. You've raised him for four months at war, so it won't be so hard." He assured. Julia sighed as she turned round and said "Peppy, I'll be going to play with my visitors. I can't be back very early, but when I do, I'll do whatever I can to get to you." Peppy just nodded. "Why do you always go there?" he whined. "I have to. They really like me." She answered. "Here, Audra! Keep him safe!" she called out to an Audino. She just nodded. Seeing Peppy's whining face, she then said "When I get back, I'll get you a gift. It'll be a really cool present. Mark my words." She said. Brightening him up, she then went ahead to fight a constant game of life- war.
24th September 2012-09-24
It breaks my heart to leave my son in such a situation. Why is my mother's instinct not kicking in pulling some strings? That's what I would do as a good mom, wouldn't I? All the same, I have to if this is going to mean a better future and present for my boy. I'd never want to see him live his life as a slave to those pesky humans. Fortunately this war is ending, we've outnumbered a large amount of Hunter's troops; ideally he should surrender. Different thing he isn't, but we'll find out the secret to his complacency and crush him with it. The sooner, the better.
Julia
Clearly she was getting tired of the war. Not because she was having to raise a young son alone, but because this was sapping too much of her energy and there was too much bloodshed. Worse, there could be chances of species extinction even without the weapons, so that was dangerous to full measure. After all, she was young; this work would get exasperating.
Same old bloodshed, same old fighting. Nothing new except more prolonged days of war and traumatised citizens showing this. What was its point? Then again, they were provoked; the mystic barrier had failed after all.
Julia and her pals were busy attacking with random attacks and trying to get to Hunter, only to figure that his troops were only increasing in number, rather replenishing and Meiko was his perfect impediment. "What is his problem? Every damn time we get to him, he always brings out that Vaporeon!" Julia yelled. "I don't know. Probably she really loves fighting, but then again fighting with an almost bent spine and a fractured leg would be torture for anybody, right Starling?" Evelyn answered. Starling said nothing, but then it hit Julia. She face palmed. "What's up?" Starling inquired.
"Err, Starling, tell me how Hunter gets so many troops?" she said. "What I do know is this; he has an unending supply of stuff from something." He answered. "Unless... IT'S THE SHIP!" Julia and Evelyn high-fived. "That's it! The ship! That's the one place where all the supplies would be found! He clearly has an unending army of men that explains his complacency. He probably has a ton of weapons too!" he joyously confessed. The three were ecstatic. Saphira could take them to the ship and then they could destroy the whole army.
"But what about Meiko?" Evelyn asked. Even mentioning her name angered Julia. "There must be some reason to why Hunter relies on her so much... Or rather too much." Julia thought. Then, it hit her. "Guys! I get it! It's to do with ideologies!" she yelled. The two looked blank. "Look, when the alpha female protects her children or her land, she is about a million times more formidable than usual. Blessed with beauty and brains, that's what! Even otherwise, knowing the two of us as females, we will be bound to have an intense rivalry with Meiko than anyone else. Even otherwise, she will be more hated and feared than Hunter who will be feared either way or hated forever! Meiko is a scapegoat, that's what! Hunter is too frightened of us confronting him, that's why Meiko is in the lead! It's all so simple now!" The three actually cheered. This was their one way ticket to saving out from a war.
Then again, they had to deal with the last few things. A few over smart grunts attempted attacking them. Starling was hit in the wing and he started to fall. "Crap! They're going to kill us!" Evelyn yelled. Julia cringed- how was this possible? She tried to levitate the two of them and it was a success. They were high up in the air. Even then, that didn't deter the grunts. At that minute, a huge wave hit and Saphira was seen with it. It swept away the grunts and a few other lackeys. She smiled and waved out to them, surfing on a Politoed. "Hey guys how do you like our new strategy?" she yelled. "Super. We love it!" Evelyn responded.
"Glad you like it!" she yelled while surfing away to the other side. "Now guys, here is the plan. Evelyn, distract Meiko. That'll be our first lead. Meanwhile, Julia and I will get to the ship and figure out Hunter's secret. Jules, you go ahead and kill Hunter while I'm checking out the supplies and then I'll blow the ship up. Don't worry, we can do it. After all, this was what we wanted all along. Freedom." Starling said while crouching around them. They immediately agreed and went ahead with the plan, but when they did move, Starling felt something sharp against his back.
"Why hello, guys. Miss me? I don't care what you think, I'm going to save master and get you twits off the line, either way. You are getting nowhere near the ship, that's' what. Try to escape and I'll stick this dagger straight down your throat."
"Try that and you'll be sorry." Julia screeched as she then extended herself for a battle. It was Meiko of course...
