Chapter Nineteen: Friend

After some time I felt something push me to my feet. Some shred of determination to hang on while hoping to be found. I pushed myself up and changed into his shirt and my cargos. Then I carefully tucked my stealth suit into my bag. For a moment I was greatful for my decision on keeping my pack with me despite Duke's offer. At least I had all of my belongings; clothing, both of my stealth suits, my drawings, photos,a blanket, all the jewelry he'd given me kept in a wooden locked case, and other random items I owned.
Once it was securely zipped up and locked I made my way to the stadium in the center of the building. There I found the large room to still be empty. So I located some seats with the arms pulled up and gave in to exhaustion, with my blanket wrapped around me, as I reluctantly drifted off to sleep.
I jumped up when I felt a tap on my shoulder. With a startled gasp I looked to see another beakless being stairing down at me bewildered. He was leaning over from behind the row of seats I was resting in. When I jumped he quickly pulled his hands back, "Easy there kid!"
I grabbed my back ready to run, but found myself much weaker than I recalled being. I then realized I hadn't eaten anything since the day before. We had eaten early too so we wouldn't be sluggish during the job we'd been on. My head spun a little as I sat up.
"How did you get in here?" The figure beside me asked.
"I just let myself in, the door was unlocked," I shrugged.
"Lousy security," he grumbled with a shake of his head.
This person was quite odd. He was wearing a blue leisure suit with a purple tie. The tie had yellow bursts up and down it. His brown hair was combed back into a ponytail. His rounded face gave a half smile as he pondered what to do about me waltzing in it seemed. He was a fair bit taller than me with a generous heft to his frame.
"What are you doing here?" He asked as he then seemed to notice my beak and feathers.
"I don't really know myself," I heard myself admit.
"What are you anyway?" He questioned a bit bewildered.
"I thought that was obvious," I stated tiredly, "What are you though?"
"I think the answer you're looking for is human," he said scratching his head.
"Human?"
He nodded.
"I see, so that's what your kind are," I confirmed getting used to the term, "Humans."
"So you are a duck?" He replied.
I nodded now.
"So what are you doing here?" He asked.
I looked out over the ice bitterly, "It was the closest place that felt familiar to me."
"Are you one of those mutants I've heard of on t.v.?" He then enquired.
"Mutants?"
"Yeah, they're kinda like you. Part animal part human," he mentioned thoughtfully.
"I was hatched this way," I said with a raised brow.
I then gave in a little, "I'm not sure how I got to your world. I just know I was with someone...and then I was here. I don't really know how to get back to him or my home now."
"Jeez, that's pretty rough kid," he said sounding genuinely concerned.
I looked out over the ice, "I'm sorry, but may I skate here for a little while? Where I'm from there's a lot of ice, and it might help in a way to just be on it."
"I don't see why not, the game isn't until tonight," he shrugged.
"Thanks," I said as I got to my feet.
To my surprise he offered a hand for me to shake, "The name's Phil Palmfeather by the way."
Furthering my surprise I accepted it, "Heart...Heart L'Orange, formerly Heart Flashblade."
I wasn't sure why I had volunteered both names like that? Perhaps it was my way of linking me to my family back home? Or maybe it was a way to thank him for not tossing me out? Either way I felt a sort of comfort saying them before heading to the ice. Phil even found a pair of skates that were close to my size that I laced up a little tighter.
Then for the first time in a long while, even when on Puck World, I slid out onto the ice. Ignoring my empty stomach I found the ice nurturing me in another way. Closing my eyes for a few moments I thought of Duke, Nosedive, Wildwing, Canard and all the other encounters I'd had back home. My thoughts traveled to a late evening when Duke offered a hand to me while out on the ice, then further back to my brothers and Canard while they tought me to skate. Tears brimmed my eyes as I then wondered if I would see them again.
"Hang on...where ever ya are?" I heard Duke ask only to find he wasn't there again.
Hope burned in my heart like a candle refusing to die out as I nodded my head in response without words, "I will."
Once I was finished skating for a bit I made my way back to the stands. Phil waited patiently in his seats as though standing guard in some strange fashion.
"Feeling any better?" He asked curiously.
I shurgged with a nod of sorts, "A little bit I guess."
Then my stomach alerted him to it's current empty state.
"How about some breakfast? I doubt you have any currency on you for this world?" He offered.
"Why are you being so nice?" I asked aloud, "You don't know me."
Phil shrugged, "It's just how I am I guess. I mean I do like making money, but sometimes it's good to help people too."
"Help people?" I replied while Phil nodded his head.
I thought of Duke leaving money for families in tight spots back on Puck World when he could. Hearing that humans could be like this as well gave me a bit of hope.
Phil soon lead the way to his car while I kept my pack with me at all times. While he drove he explained a little bit about their world to me. Apparently I was on a planet called Earth and that humans and what they called mutants lived upon it. Though I then learned that mutants were a recent dicovery from the last 5 to 10 years. He mentioned that he'd never seen any in Anaheim before. I wondered if they had just been there before hand unknown, but I didn't really ask either. I repeated that I was indeed from another planet and dimension.
"I just want to go home," I mentioned quietly as I watched the passing scenery of the city.
"I'm sorry kid. I'm not quite sure how much I understand about it, but I'm still sorry," Phil offered.
"Thanks Phil," I said half heartedly as I grasped the necklace I wore, the heart fitting perfectly in my feathered hand.
"So you said your name was formerly Flashblade?" He asked in an attempt to strike up a conversation from the akward lingering silence.
"My family name," I nodded.
"But now it's L'Orange? Is that right?"
I smiled while saying more to myself more than him, "It certainly is."
"Is that who you were with before ending up here? Your husband? You're awfully young to be married," he commented in surprise.
I raised a brow at this, "Doesn't really matter does it? On Puck World we're considered adults around 17 anyway..."
Though at the time I hadn't really thought about it. Duke and I had made our vows with only each other, and perhaps the Great Mother, as witnesses. I had just turned 17 a month prior to this ceremony. Knowing this I shrugged, because I knew it didn't really matter all things considered.
"Besides, I would give anything to be back with him. Isn't that what matters?" I retorted.
"Well Heart, I hope you find each other again soon either way," Phil said encouragingly.
"I do too..."
Soon we were at a pizza parlor. I thanked him for the meal provided and started to eat. For a moment I thought of Nosedive and wondered how he was. I wondered if they knew I was missing. Seeing how I lived a life hidden away with Duke I wasn't really sure.
"Try to cheer up Heart. This place isn't so bad," Phil said as I finished my food to then place my head in my hands.
My fingers ran through my hair, pulling it loose from the ribbon tying it. I then untied it for a moment, ran the ribbon between my fingers gently, and finally retied my hair with it.
"I just don't know why this is happening, I don't know where to go," I said.
"If you need a place to stay for a bit I can help you out for a little while," Phil offered.
"I don't really know..."
"Come on, it's better than wandering the streets. It's also safer," Phil insisted.
For the moment I found myself giving in. Though before heading to his apartment Phil took me around to show me some of the sights of the city. I could tell he was trying to get my mind off things, yet I couldn't help but be reminded of my family worlds away.
"Is there anything else I can do to cheer you up?" He asked as we walked along the mall.
I hadn't been paying full attention to him when we passed by a music shop. From inside I heard what I was told was rock 'n' roll blasting. A guitar rift pulled me in as I listened curiously. Then a voice began to sing.

Though it's been a long long road, since I packed and left from home...
And to carry a heavy load, just tryig to get back to a heart...

I loved and hated how direct the lyrics were as they resonated with me at this moment. It drove me to listen until the song was complete, mesmerized as it's chorus blasted through me.

Find your way back!
Find your way back!
To a heart!
Find your way back!
Find your way back, to a heart!

Tears brimmed my eyes as I listened. When it finished I sheepishly wiped them away as I found Phil watching worriedly.
"Odd they would play that. That song's over 10 years old," Phil commented.
"I like it," I said quietly, "As ill timed as it is."
I then found myself walking into the shop, browsing the rows of records and c.d.s as though trying to distract myself if only for a short time.
"This is it," Phil pointed out as he held up the cd for me to see.
He handed it to me to look over. I examined it curiously before setting it down.
"So a rock 'n' roll lady huh?" Phil prompted.
"I guess so," I shrugged as other songs played from the speakers.
"Why don't you pick out a few?" He offered.
I looked at the human accompanying me with confusion, "Why? I don't have a way to play them? Nor do I have currency from this world to pay for them?"
"Well I do," he pointed out, "And it's a gift. If it helps you somehow I don't mind."
With a slight smile breaking through I chose a few cds, keeping the one holding that song at the top. Phil looked them over curiously as he went to pay.
"Jefferson Starship: Modern Times, Alice Cooper: Hey Stoopid and Trash, Meatloaf Bat Out of Hell, these are all pretty good albums," he mentioned.
He then picked up a set of head phones and a handheld player. Once he'd paid he handed the bag they were all in to me, "Welcome to Earth Heart, enjoy."
"Th-Thank you Phil," I said as I accepted this gift.
Before long I found myself in his appartment sitting on the sofa. With a sigh I began sifting through my pack to pull out my sketchbook and pencils. The headset Phil had bought me rested around my neck as it played.
"An artist too?" Phil noticed looking over my shoulder.
I didn't have the energy to hide it. Instead I continued to sketch Duke's image onto the paper.
"I guess that's him," he guessed.
"We weren't able to have photos taken like I could with my brothers, and I wanted to make sure I had a way to look at him for now," I said as I focused on evey detail I could think of.
"Kind of reminds me of a swashbuckler or Robin Hood," he commented.
I looked at him bewildered until he turned on the television and began playing a film to show what he meant. I paused the music to watch as a fox-like being began hurrying from guards with his allie that was a bear-like man. I found myself laughing a bit when Robin spoke at times.
"He is a bit like him," I agreed trying to fight back tears again.
"This one was always one of my favorites as a kid," Phil told me as we continued watching.
By the end as the rouge hero and his fair maiden were wed I couldn't help but mist up. I couldn't help but imagine that if given the chance Duke would jump into a heroic role. No, I knew he would. This again brought tears to my eyes, but not of heart ache this time.
As the movie came to a close I began to drift off to sleep. Phil carefully took the sketchbook from my grasp before it fell to the floor. Then he draped my blanket over me as I sunk further into the sofa.
"Just wait and see Heart, you'll see him again," Phil assured me as I faded from the waking world, "If he's as great a guy as you say he is I know he's looking for you."
"I know he is..." I barely whispered as I began to dream.

Duke:
After leaving the temple I found myself staying with Silver, Saffire, and Diana at the apartment they had found. When I told them what had happened I thought I was going to be tossed right back out into the street.
"What do you mean you can't find her?!" Saffire demanded.
"I've looked everywhere Saffire, every inch of this city has been searched!" I exclaimed.
"We told you two to stay together!" Diana yelled.
"We did! I was right there with her! She was just taking a breath an' when I turned around she had vanished! An' I know no one took her!" I told them just as much in disbelief as they were in.
"I don't know what ta do," I said as I ran my hand over my hair and to the back of my head and neck.
"I think before you do anything else you need to rest Duke," Silver mentioned when he noticed the fatigue in my remaining eye.
"How can I rest not knowin' where she is Silver? If I had jus' stayed right beside her...if we weren't there...she'd be..." I trailed off, "If I could give her a better life we wouldn't be runnin' like we were tonight..."
"Duke, that's enough!" Saffire snapped suddenly.
I looked up a bit startled by my friend's outburst.
"How many times does Heart have to tell you how much she adores you for who you are? Thief and all? Don't forget you being a thief is what saved her life that night!" She told me as she tried to keep her temper down.
"You'll find her Duke, and I'm sure where ever she is Heart is looking for you too," Silver assured me.
"But you won't have the strength to find her if you don't take care of yourself my friend," Saffire pointed out.
With a reluctant sigh I gave in to these suggestions. I had been out all night in the cold searching for her. My body ached with cold and my head throbbed from stress. I hated that I couldn't keep going, but I knew they were right. So knowing I was in a safe place for the moment I allowed myself to drift off to sleep on their sofa.