Memories

By Dixxy

Chapter Nine: Scarred For Life

"Are they coming?" asked Glenn. Norris had made the younger boy sit behind a bush to shield him from searching eyes. He shook his head, still seeing no sign of the other fleeing boys. "Did that bad man take them away?" Norris turned to Glenn and shrugged. The little boy frowned, still holding his face in his hand.

"I don't know- here they come now!" said Norris. Glenn instantly cheered as he saw his brother and Karsh come into their line of vision, both rushing towards the woods. Dario gave his younger brother a hug while Karsh looked at Norris, a serious expression on his face. Once Dario was finished with checking on Glenn to make sure he was all right, the boys had a quick meeting.

"We need a place to hide in case we can't get back to Guardia before Curtis finds us," said Dario. He turned to Norris. "We obviously aren't from around here. You are. Do you have any idea where we might be able to hide from them safely in case that happens?"

"Uh, Dario, ah hate to break this ta ye but, they ARE coming," said Karsh.

Norris bit his lip. "There's a sanctuary in the middle of the forest dedicated to the woman and strange creature who saved it," said the Porre boy. "The nuns there will help us out- I know them well." He took Glenn's hand and started to sprint, making sure that Dario and Karsh were behind him.

Norris and Glenn began to dart through the woods, the former leading the way as the latter kept a hand on the injured cheek. Norris chose his path wisely, finding wholes and crevices through the low tree branches that Karsh or Dario would be able to pass through quickly. He could hear Glenn's quickened breathing behind him- hopefully he wasn't running the kid out of breath.

Soon enough, the small church could be seen. Norris made a beeline for the front door and opened it, ushering Glenn in. Dario and Karsh emerged shortly after, the sounds of several very angry soldiers in the background. His two comrades scrambled inside and Norris closed the door.

A very stunned looking nun was giving them an odd stare.

"What is going on here, Norris? Who are these young men with you and-" she asked. The sister gasped, rushing to inspect Glenn's injury. He hid behind Dario, not liking the strange woman making a fuss over him. The sister turned to the Porre boy. "By the moons, what happened to this little one?"

Norris took in a deep breath. "Hide us, Gracie," he asked. "Please. One of the men in the army did this to him and we're afraid he wants to hurt him even more." The nun closed her eyes, turning her head to the door. Gracie nodded and led them to a door. The boys followed without question, Dario glancing back at the front door every so often. The woman opened what looked like a large storage closet. All four boys scrambled in and Gracie closed the door. Dario held his brother tightly, none of the boys making a sound.

A minute passed before they could hear the sound of the door opening and slamming quickly. Irritated stomps filled the tiny church. Glenn whimpered slightly, yet managed to do it quietly. Karsh was breathing in very slow, deep breaths while Norris and Dario exchanged concerned looks. "Where are those little sons of-" The boys winced- it was Curtis.

"Do not speak those words in this sanctuary and do NOT bring firearms here, either!" they could hear the sister bellow. "Outside. Now. Leave your gun, and you may then return. I will not allow symbols of war in this shrine under any circumstances, Porre soldier or not."

"Sister Gracie," they heard their pursuer say, "I am looking for four boys who ran into the woods- I believe they are runaways and I would like to return them home safely." Dario held back a growl. You liar- you want to bring us back to that torture chamber so you can torture the three of us!

Please don't turn us in, Norris pleaded.

Gracie declined once again. "Commander Curtis, this is nonsense. When children run away it is best for them to see for themselves that they need to return home and not force them home. If you drag them back to Porre they'll try to run away again. When they get hungry they'll come back running, now you go on back home, you hear me? Go home."

"But these boys-"

"Go home."

Curtis did not argue with the sister on the matter but he was not finished. "Listen, Sister. I am NOT leaving these woods without those boys, with or without your help. Do you hear me? I'm not leaving," he said. Curtis snarled. "You have no idea who you're messing with, missy."

"Oh? Well is that so, Commander? I have to say this to you- I don't believe a word you're saying for a minute. If it were runaways, why are you the only one here? I would have that your general would have sent out at least a team of six or seven men. I also know that you have quite a temper and any boys who are in these woods may have a good reason to run from you. Now, if they are truly runaways you will return to Porre, find more men, and THEN you may search these woods as long as you please. Do you understand ME?"

Norris smiled. Go Gracie!

"Fine. I'll be back." With that, more footsteps and a slamming door were heard.

After several minutes, the sister opened the door to the closet. "Go out the back door. Quickly- I do not trust that man and I did not want to bring harm to boys who have obviously already met harm," she said, resting a soft finger above Glenn's injury. "Now go before he becomes suspicious."

All four boys nodded, thanking the sister graciously for saving their lives (Norris adding an extra thank you and a promise for an much deserved explanation later) before finding the aforementioned back door and leaving through it. After finding a somewhat cleared path that wouldn't make too much noise from branches and sticks, they started back towards Guardia Castle.

"This must be Zenan Bridge," said Norris. It was now near noon and the boys had spent several hours walking towards their destination, only to stop long enough to eat off of a tree that Norris recognized as one that bore not-poisonous fruit. They were then at the southern end of the bridge that separated the north and southern halves of the continent. Guardia Castle was in sight.

"It is," said Dario. He turned to his comrade. "Haven't you been here before?"

"No," he said, looking at the castle in amazement. "I've never been this far from Porre before. I've played in the forest before with some of my other friends, but. . . I've never gone out this far- I wouldn't be allowed." Norris turned to the others and smiled brightly. "Thank you," he said.

"Fer what?" asked Karsh.

"I haven't had this much excitement for a long time," he said. "I'm grounded, remember?"

"But we owe you!" said Dario. He put a hand on Glenn's shoulder, causing the younger boy to look up. "You saved my little brother's life- if we hadn't intervened when we did, he would've been in even worse shape. He might be hurt but he's going to be okay thanks to you. And you helped us out even when you thought we might've been lying about it."

Norris turned to Glenn. "I didn't help him at all. I didn't get you there in time," he said. He bent over to look at Glenn better. "Glenn, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but that wound is going to be there for a very long time. I don't know what my fa- Curtis did to you to make it worse but it's very deep and was messed with."

"He pulled at my face after he cut me," he said. But he smiled. "Don't worry, Norris. You're not a bad person like your dad is." All three boys stopped. They hadn't told Glenn he was Curtis' son. "It's okay. I figured it out when I thought they looked a little alike and he made that comment about being nothing to him. He was disowning him."

"Smart kid," Karsh mumbled.

Norris looked back towards the path they'd come down. "I may be his son. His blood may be running through my veins and I might even look a little like him, but I'm not him." He turned his head to Guardia. "Maybe one day I'll change the way Porre has been acting if they don't brainwash their ways into my head first. Who knows? We may make peace one day."

"Those are very noble words," said Dario, extending a hand to Norris. He grinned. "Friends?"

Norris stared at the hand in astonishment. "Friends?" he asked.

"Ye helped us out there, Norris. That's a friend to me," said Karsh.

"You saved me," said Glenn. "Even if your dad IS a meat head."

Dario raised an eyebrow, not sure what his brother meant by "meat head". I'll let it slide this time, but not next time. What does "meat head" mean and where did he pick it up, anyways? All four boys extended a hand and made a somewhat clumsy four-way handshake. They laughed backed away, then looked towards the castle again. Soon, they'd be parting ways.

"Ye know. . . I dunt want ta hurt ye on the battlefield, Norris," said Karsh. "But ah have to someday."

"Who says?" Dario commented. The other three gave him a look. "We're all friends now, right? We helped each other out and went through something together. I say we agree not raise sword, ax, nor gun barrel to those who stand here now. It's the least we can do, perhaps the only thing we can do."

Norris nodded. "I worked too hard saving your butts to throw them away over a stupid war."

"An' we're indebted to ye," said Karsh.

"So it's settled," said Dario. "We don't hurt each other, and, if we feel it necessary, maybe even heal each other on the battlefield. Leaving someone dead and dying is almost as bad as shooting them or running them through with a weapon." The other three nodded.

Karsh held up a hand. "Ahm sorry ta say this, but dunt think we'll spare yer father."

"I don't expect you to," said Norris. "It will hurt my mother, but not me."

Dario narrowed his eyes. "Don't be surprised if you hear someone that meets my description killed him in battle, because I promise you this- if I see him, it'll be the end for him. I don't care how many bullets he may lay to rest in my body, but I will NOT spare that man's life. He's hurt Glenn enough- I don't want to think about the possibility of him doing it again."

Norris sighed, then proceeded to give them each a hug, spending just a few seconds extra with Glenn, the one he'd risked his life to save. I hardly know any of them, and yet I fell as if I am loosing the closest friends I will ever receive. How strange for such a thing to happen, Norris thought to himself. He smiled at Glenn. He'll be okay. He might be a little on the small side now, but he'll grow.

"It'll be years before I see any of you again, if at all," said Norris. He sniffled, wiping away some tears that were forming. "I now understand that the people I'll be fighting one day aren't at all different from me in any way. I bid you the best of luck in life. Good bye, my friends." He then turned to walk away. The boy turned once more to take one final look, began to walk backwards, then turned on his heels to sprint into the forest.

"Good bye, Norris," said Dario. He smiled, cupping his hands over his mouth. "And thank you! We won't forget this!" Dario put a hand on his younger brother's shoulder and looked over at Karsh. "Well boys, I think I know where we need to go now. It's finally over. Glenn's safe and things might get back to normal now. Let's head back to the castle."

Riddel watched as the adults talked in the throne room about her three missing friends. She sniffled worried for them. Before Garai and Zappa had brought their sons to the castle, she hadn't had any friends. She'd spent the first years of her life alone amongst pets and dolls her father had bought her, but she longed for other children to play with her.

She remembered the day she'd met them very well. She'd been out playing by the stables when she heard something. Riddel, then seven, had watched as a ball bounced to a stop next to her on the grass. She looked up and saw a blonde boy just a few years older than she was run over to get it. He'd stopped to look at her, offered a hand to her, and asked if she wanted to play with them, offering the name Dario. Riddel accepted, and her new friend led her to his friend, Karsh, and his little brother, Glenn, who was still very much a toddler. Karsh had questioned Dario for bringing a girl to play with then while Glenn had just waved cheerfully, getting her warmly in a way that only little kids can greet someone.

But now they were gone.

The previous day had been spent searching through the city of Truce and parts of Fiona's Forest, but no trace had been found of the boys. Assuming that the searchers had done a thorough job of searching, that left the rest of the forest and, in the worst case, Porre. If they were in Porre, it wasn't likely they'd find the boys alive.

Riddel sighed heavily and left the throne room, opting to sit on the steps that lead from the front doors to the throne room. She rested her elbows on her knees and his chin in her hands, sniffling. She didn't want them to leave her! They were the only friends she'd ever had!

She heard the doors opening and looked up in hope. A familiar purple head poked inside, smiling. "Hey, Riddel!" Karsh said. "Did ye miss us?" Riddel cried out in joy as she ran to meet her friend, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. When she spotted Dario, she gave him a kiss on the lips, making sure to make it last a bit longer than the one she'd given Karsh. They were back! They were safe!

She looked for Glenn and saw him looking around in amazement, his right side facing her when she spotted him. She knelt down to him and gave him a hug. "I'm so glad you're all okay!" she said, then turned Glenn's head to look at him. Riddel nearly screamed when she saw the wound on his face and stumbled backwards. "Glenn!" she cried out. "What happened to you?"

By now the adults had gotten curious as to what the racket was all about. Once they saw the three boys they all breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Zappa and Zippa ran to smoother their son in a hug while Garai wrapped his arms around both of his boys at the same time. Glenn's injured cheek brushed against the armor and his winced. "Daddy!" he cried, instinctively bringing a hand to cover the wound.

Garai pulled away and looked at his son. Carefully, he pried the little boy's finger from his face. Glenn whimpered, afraid of what his father would do. Garai's eyes widened and his chin dropped in shock. Dario bit his bottom lip. "Glenn, what happened to your face!" he asked. He turned to his elder son and his purple haired friend. "Dario? Karsh? What in the name of the ancient Dragonians happened to him?"

The Guardia Queen bit her bottom lip. "Who did that to you?"

"I don't wanna talk about it," said Glenn, shying behind Dario as he tried to cover the scar.

Zappa snorted. "Oh yes ye boys will- dunt expect ta disappear for thirty-six hours and come back with an injury like THAT!" he said. He folded his arms. "Ye had us all worried sick about you boys! Where did ye go and why did ye go?" All three boys looked at the ground in some shame.

"That's not important," said Viper. "Obviously they've been through a lot and they've probably been punished enough as it is, especially poor Glenn- I've yet to see a wound that bad that hasn't left a scar, and there it is, right where everyone can see it." He turned to the boys. "Tell us what happened. We do not want to punish you any further than you have been."

Dario and Karsh exchanged looks, then told them the entire story from their perspective, Glenn adding in the details from his own view. The boys did, however, leave out all details on Norris to protect the safety of their friend, referring to him only as "the kid we met in Porre". When the adults inquired about his name, Karsh lied and said they didn't know what his name was. Riddel noticed Garai subtly grip the hilt of the Einlanzer, tapping at it with his fingers. He's really mad at that Curtis man, she thought to herself as she absorbed the story she was being told.

Viper bit his lip. "I can't say I'm pleased with you, Glenn for going with that man and I'm even less pleased with Dario and Karsh for not only sneaking off the ship but for following that man. They should have gone back for help or dragged him away from that miserable excuse for a human being. But what's done is done. There's nothing we can do to change that and I don't believe there's a need for a punishment- you've been punished enough."

Garai turned to Viper. "I would recommend sending the children back to El Nido before something else happens. This was a bad idea to begin with. We should have never brought them with us and I think we can all see the consequences of our actions. This is partially our fault."

"I agree," said Viper. He turned to Zippa. "Will you escort the boys home?"

Zippa nodded. "Will do, me lord," she said.

"I'll arrange for a ship to bring the five of you back to El Nido," said the King. "I shall send an escort with them who will then report back to me to assure us that they returned back. This escort will be a trusted someone who had been working for Guardia for many years and is most assuredly NOT a Porre assassin." The adults agreed on this, and before the day was out, the children and Zippa found themselves on a ship bound for Termina.

Glenn sat on the deck of the ship in the same spot where he'd met that horrible man. The wound had long stopped bleeding, but it was still tender and had been nursing it since their return to Guardia. It was now very late at night and he knew he should have been in bed, but he wasn't very tired. He had a lot to think about.

Everyone said that the mark on his face was going to scar. At first, he didn't know what it meant, but then Zappa explained it to him, showing Glenn his own scar. That had upset him greatly and Zippa whacked her husband for his slightly insensitive way of telling Glenn what he would have to deal with for the rest of his life. Zippa had then given him a much nicer explanation, saying that while yes, he would have the x on his face for a very long time, it wouldn't matter to any of his friends and family because to them he was still good ol' Glenn to them.

"Eventually it may fade a way just a wee bit, but it will adorn yer face for the remainder of yer life, little one," she had said, holding him close to her, much like his own mother would have done. "Yer a stronger little one- I'm sure ye'll turn out all right and one day ye'll be a great Dragoon just like yer father."

And there was Curtis. He was afraid that Curtis would hunt him down and hurt him again, although his father had assured him he wouldn't let than happen, as did Zappa and Viper. Zippa even said that Radius would keep an eye out for him as well when they got back to Termina and the old Dragoon Deva saw what had happened. That made Glenn feel a little better, but he was still frightened of the prospect.

"You should be in bed, Glenn."

Glenn turned his head to see Dario coming up behind him. Dario sat beside him and the two brothers looked up at the stars together. Dario put an arm around his brother's shoulder, pulling the small boy closer. "Dario," said Glenn. "I'm glad you came to rescue me. Thank you."

"Of course I would. You're the only little brother I'll have unless Dad remarries," said Dario. Glenn blinked in confusion. Dario laughed, scratching the back of his head as his cheeks turned a slight red color. "I'll explain it to you when you're older- Dad'll kill me if I tell you right now. Just accept that it'll be me, you, and Dad in the family for a very long time to come. And of course Karsh's family and the General and Riddel and Radius, too."

"I don't get why you're talking about that," said Glenn.

"Because I want you to know that there are a lot of people who love you very much, scar or no scar," said Dario, giving his brother a tight squeeze. "I don't want anyone to hurt you ever again, you hear me? As your big brother I'm the only one allowed to rough you up, got it?"

"Meanie!" said Glenn, making a face at his brother for the last comment. Then, he smiled. "Thank you for protecting me, Dario. I don't want to get hurt like that again- this stupid scar is ugly!" The little boy put his hand over the wound again. "The other kids will made fun of me."

"No they won't," said Dario.

"Yes they will!" said Glenn, his eyes beginning to tear. "I've looked in a mirror! I know what it looks like! None of the other kids have something like this stupid thing on their faces and you know it, Dario! I'm going to get made fun of even more than that kid with the bucket on his head!"

Dario bit his lip. "The guy who talks loud, right?"

"Dario!" said Glenn, breaking down into his brother's shoulder. "I don't wanna be different! I wanna go back to the way it was! I want to be a happy family again! I want mommy back! I want this scar to go away! I want to grow up to be a Dragoon and save Termina! I'm ugly!"

"You're not ugly, Glenn," said Dario. He held his brother tightly. "It isn't that bad at all. You still have both of your eyes and your ears and your tongue- Curtis only made a nasty incision, but he didn't cut anything off or disable you. You're still my little brother scar or no scar. Besides, you'll always have me, Karsh, and Riddel as your friends- you might be a lot younger than us, but you're still our friend."

Glenn sniffled, wiping his tears away. "Do you mean that, Dario?"

Dario sighed. "You're a good kid, Glenn, and I'm glad you're my little brother."

"I'm glad you're my big brother, Dario. . ."