Memories

By Dixxy

Chapter One: The Very Special Visitors

Fifteen years earlier. . .

General Viper was nervously ringing his hands as he paced back and fourth in the man hall, waiting for a pair of very, very important guests to arrive. Three of his Devas were waiting with him. Zappa was examining a sword that one of the privates had bent in five separate places while Garai and Radius were discussing a trip to the local bar with the other two Devas. The fourth Deva, who was named-

CRASH!

Zappa looked up, then growled. Stupid kids. . . he thought to himself, always getting into trouble. I swear, one of these days that boy is going to get it from me in a way he'll wish he were never BORN! "KARSH! IF THAT WOS YOU AHL KICK YER KEISTER FROM HERE TO GAIA'S NAVEL!" he yelled.

-was out on an expedition in Guldove to speak with the shrine maidens.

The sound of several people outside announced the expected arrival. Viper leapt to his feet. "They're here! They're here!" he said, now pacing back and forth at a more hastened pace. "Garai! Radius! Zappa! Two of your, open the door! They're HERE! Move it, move it!"

Garai and Zappa exchanged looks, shrugged, and opened the door. Radius walked over to the general and tried to calm the frantic man down. I knew it. Viper Churro overdose. They should never be mixed with Heckran bone soup with mushrooms from the Shadow Forest- they make for a very antsy General Viper.

"Calm down, General, if they see you in this state they'll look down on all of the El Nido islands- to the majority of the humans and some of the demi-humans, you are their leader and a representation of them. Please, make us look good before our guests," said Radius. "And stay out of those Viper Churros when you've had soup and mushrooms!"

The general took in a deep breath. "Yes, yes, you're right. I will calm down."

Just as the General took in a few needed deep breaths, the very important guests arrived. All three Devas and the General bowed respectfully, the crowned King and Queen of Guardia returning the gesture. Viper walked boldly up to King Crono and shook the young monarch's hand. Amazing that someone so young is in charge of an entire kingdom. It's mind blowing.

"On behalf of Termina and all of the residents of the El Nido Archipelago, I welcome you to Viper Manor, Your Highnesses," he said. "I am honored to have you in my home and I hope that we are able to accomplish all of our goals. When we are not discussing the issues at hand, feel free to make yourselves at home. Myself, the Devas, and any of our other fine young Dragoons are at your service."

King Crono nodded. "Thank you, General Viper," he said. "Shall we-"

"DAD!"
"GARAI!"
All eyes turned to the large double doors as two preteen boys skidded into the main hall, crash landing into poor Radius, causing all three to smash into the opposite wall. As Radius began to mumble incoherently about "all the pretty Dodos", the two boys scrambled to their feet and immediately surrounded Garai, both spitting out a thousand words a minute in a panic-stricken frenzy.

General Viper looked about ready to have a heart attack.

Garai looked ready to strangle both boys.

"Dario! Karsh! I thought I told you two to stay-"

"But Dad! You don't understand!" the blonde boy started.

Garai held up his hand. "I don't want to hear it. I told you two, Glenn, and Riddel that you were to NOT bother me, any of the other Devas, or the General tonight under ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. Did I or did I not make myself clear on that matter?" he said, turning off his "Acacia Dragoon Deva" mode and going into "Parent of Twelve Year Old and Five Year Old Boys With Twelve Year Old Scottish Friend" mode.

Karsh shook his head. "But Garai, ye-"

Zappa raised an eyebrow at his son. "Karsh, ye don't want me to send ya home to yer mother- ye know what she'll do to ya if I have to send ye home because of yer antics with Dario! Listen to Garai. We have two VERY IMPORTANT guests here right now- in fact, they're right here! Now GIT!"

"But-"

"No buts!" said the General. "Now, I'd suggest you run along and play FAR AWAY FROM THE PARLOR AND OUR ROYAL GUESTS unless you ENJOY spending a night in the dungeon with all the rats and ghosts and monsters that like to eat naughty little boys. Why are you boys refusing to listen to your superiors? Garai is right- we DID tell you that you have to leave us alone tonight."

"But it's-"

"What part of 'no buts' did you boys not understand?" Radius said (he was no longer seeing "all the pretty Dodos"). "There is a possibility of a WAR. If we can work with the kingdom of Guardia we might be able to prevent thousands of casualties, both civilian and military alike!"

As if on cue, a young private ran in from one of the side corridors. "General, I regret to inform you that we have a slight problem on the Bluffs," he said. He cleared his throat and straightened himself as he saw King Crono and his Queen Marle. "I apologize for the inconvenience, Your Highnesses."

"That's all right," said the Queen. "If it's a serious problem, then tell the General so he can resolve it in a timely and fashionable manner." She smiled at General Viper, nodding to him. "It's all right. We've had important meetings disrupted before." Queen Marle then turned to the private. "Now tell us what happened."

"There's a five year old out on the Bluffs," said the private. "We don't know how he got there or why he got there, but he's there. Little kid with big blue eyes and dirty blonde hair. Got a white ribbon in his hair tied like some sort of a bandanna or something. Do any of you know who the boy is?"

The private needed not to speak another word, as Garai had already made a beeline out the front door towards the in-famously deadly Viper Manor Bluffs. Once the realization of why Garai had reacted the way he had, the General and the other two Devas were quick to follow, leaving Dario and Karsh with the monarchs. The King and Queen exchanged confused looks, as did their escort, and looked to the two boys for an explanation.

Dario gulped. "You see, there's really a logical explanation for all this. . ."

"There it is!" Glenn cried out excitedly, finally seeing the treasured pendant within his grasp. Looking down to the rocks bellow, Glenn got down on his hands and knees and started to crawl towards the shiny gold pendant. He had been out on the alcove that sat atop the deadly cliffs, looking at his mother's most precious piece of jewelry when he'd dropped it over the side. Then, realizing his father and his older brother would be mad if they knew he'd lost it, he decided that he'd better go and get it.

"Got it!" he cried victoriously as he grasped his hand around the treasure. He stuck it in his pocket, then patted it to make sure it was safe. Now he wouldn't get in trouble with his father and Dario! He smiled pleased with himself for saving his mother's precious pendant.

"GLENN!"

Glenn looked up to see his father was at the top of the Bluffs looking down at him. Yeah! Viper's guests must have gone to bed early and now Daddy's coming to play with me and Dario instead of going to that boring meeting! "Hi Daddy!" Glenn said, waving cheerfully.

"Hold on! I'm coming down to get you! Just stay where you are!" his father yelled. Then, the Deva began to descend the Bluffs to reach his youngest son before he either fell to a watery grave bellow, was attacked by one of the monsters on the Bluffs, or even worse.

Glenn blinked. What was wrong with his father? He was fine. He'd gotten the pendant, hadn't he?

Garai kept his eyes on his wide eyed son as he sat on one of the (thankfully) wider ledges, looking at him in curiosity. "Don't worry, Glenn, Daddy's coming!" said Garai. "I won't let anything happen to you! Just, just stay calm and you'll be just fine! I promise!"

In the distance Garai heard a sound, a sound so soft that it would've gone unnoticed had it not been for the many years Garai had spent training as a Dragoon and now, a Deva. He stopped momentarily, closing his eyes to try and determine what the sound was. He knew that sound, but what was it? A squawking sound, almost like a bird of prey. A very LARGE bird of prey.

"A MoaMan," he said. His eyes widened in fear, and he began to descend at an accelerated rate. MoaMen, giant bird men who lived in the mountains that surrounded the El Nido Archipelago, were known to hunt around the Bluffs, looking for a meal. Normally they made a meal out of the Gobledygooks or the Loch Nests, but he had a feeling that they wouldn't mind sinking their beaks into the tender flesh of a small child.

Garai leapt down the ledge where his son sat. He could see the outline of a MoaMan coming up behind his son now. Oh no! Glenn! he thought to himself. He started to run for his son who sat staring at his father, oblivious to why his father looked so worried. "GLENN!"

"SQUWAK!"

Glenn looked behind him to see the great bird swooping down from behind him. The giant bird man was coming towards him! And he didn't look like he wanted to play with him. In fact, he looked like he was going eat him! Glenn screamed and closed his eyes, waiting for the worst.

"TRIPLE CUT!"

Garai's attack struck the MoaMan- a Black one, which was much to Garai's advantage (Garai's innate element was white, as was the attack)- screamed from the mortal wound it had received. Flailing its wings in a panic-stricken fight for life, it began to loose air until it plummeted to the rocks below. Garai watched as its mangled body was swept away with the waves, now far away from his son.

Glenn looked up with teary eyes at his father. "Daddy! That bird man was gonna eat me!"

Garai picked up his son, who hooked his arms around his father's neck. Smiling, he started to climb the Bluffs again, happy that his son was safe and sound. He kissed his son's cheek. "Don't ever do that again, Glenn, do you hear me? Don't you EVER do that again! You had me worried sick!"

"But I dropped Mommy's pendant and I had to go and get it!" Glenn protested.

Ah, THAT explains it, Garai thought to himself. "Glenn, if your mother had to choose between you and that gold trinket, she'd choose you in a heartbeat. A piece of jewelry is just that- a piece of jewelry, no more, no less. If it was lost, oh well, that's life. But if we lost you. . . you were more important to your mother than that thing was. You understand?"

"I understand," he said as Garai pulled himself and his son back into the alcove. Radius, Zappa, and the General were all waiting. All three men sighed with relief. "Hi Radius! Hi Zappy! Hi General!" Glenn waved, a wide smiled on his face as he did so. All three men looked so happy to see him.

"Ye had us all worried about ya, little one," said Zappa (who, for once, had not corrected Glenn that his name was "Zappa" and not "Zappy", much like how his wife was "Zippa" and not "Zippy"). "We thought ye'd fallen into the water and onto the rocks. That wouldn't be a good thing."

"General! What is going on?" The group gathered on the alcove looked up to see the Manor's royal guests, two of their own guards, and the two boys who had interrupted the General in the main hall were on their way to the alcove to see what all the raucous was about. Apon seeing Glenn standing next to his father, Dario and Karsh ran over to smoother him.

"If you do that ever again I swear I'll kill you myself!"

"Don't go onto the Bluffs again, ye hear me?"

"We just lost Mom, we don't need to loose you, too!"

"It wouldn't be the same without ye following us around!"

Glenn blinked. Dario and Karsh were worried about him? Usually they told him to "get lost".

King Crono raised an eyebrow. "Viper?"

Viper cleared his throat. "I apologize, Your Highness-"

"YOUR HIGHNESS?" Karsh and Dario exclaimed in unison.

Dario fumed. "You didn't tell us we'd have ROYALTY at the manor!"

The Queen smiled, placing her hands on her hips as she leaned forward. "Viper, who are these children?"

Viper inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, this young man here is Karsh, Zappa's son," he said, placing a hand on Karsh's shoulder. "He and the other two boys here want to be Dragoons, perhaps even Devas, just like their old men Garai and Zappa, isn't that right, boys?"
"These are my boys, Dario, whom you've already met, and Glenn, who decided to go out on the Bluffs over a piece of jewelry," said Garai. Dario shot his younger brother a look while Glenn just held up his mother's pendant. The elder brother dropped his jaw as he snatched the pendant away, sending his brother a death glare as he mouthed some inaudible threat/reprimand/PROMISE.

"And I presume that Dario and Karsh went to get you after they realized this little on had wandered out onto the Bluff, correct?" said King Crono. Dario and Karsh nodded enthusiastically, grateful that SOMEONE had figured they had a good reason to go find Garai- Glenn could've gotten killed if they hadn't!

Garai, Viper, Zappa, and Radius looked at the two older boys apologetically. "I suppose we owe you two an apology. You were trying to tell us Glenn was in trouble and we all tried to punish you for doing the RIGHT thing," said Viper. He smiled. "You know, something I look for in my Dragoons is the common sense to known when you need help and call in the reinforcements."

That little comment from Viper was enough to keep both Dario and Karsh happy for the rest of the night.