Chapter Three: Problems arise…
An: Still having a great time writing! FF is still in upgrades, so this chapter will not be posted on time! Thanks for all the cool reviews!
CR: Pg-13
"Alright now! Pull!" Challenger yelled up at the Treehouse. Roxton stuck his head out the window, grabbing onto a rope that was connected to a small pulley. Ned clamped onto the rope as well. The two of them grunted as they threw their backs into the tugging. Slowly, a large support beam was lifted every so slowly off the ground. Challenger smiled below, "You're making great progress! Keep it up!"
Ned's face was red, he struggled to breathe, "That's… Easy for him to say! He's not pulling this log up!"
Roxton wearily chuckled, nearly loosing his grip on the log. His fingers fumbled with the rope, and the log came crashing down onto the jungle floor. Challenger jumped out of the way, avoiding the bark and branches that came tumbling down. He took of his hat, wiping off his brow, "This is going to be harder than I had first expected."
Veronica came from the porch glancing down at the men below, she smiled and called down to them, "How's is going?"
Ned glared hard at her, "Just peachy… Wanna help?"
Veronica laughed, "No thanks. There's a lot of work to be done in here."
Roxton rubbed his reddened hands, "How's our homewreaker?"
Marguerite called out from the balcony, "Sleeping… It took a few minutes to remove the wood fragment from his shoulder, but he should be aright."
Roxton blanched, "Marguerite?! How long have you been there?"
Marguerite smiled, "Long enough to see you two in action."
Roxton put his hand over his eyes, "This day keeps becoming better all the time."
Ned wiped the sweat of his neck, "Well… Look at it this way, it not raining…" he smiled, hopefully.
Roxton waved a finger at him, "Don't you jinx it now!"
Marguerite put her hand over her mouth, suppressing her laughter, when she turned around. Her eyes widened, and she took a step forward. Her voice high pitched, "What are you doing!? Get back in bed!"
A weak voice spoke back, "I'm fine… Besides, I've been in bed all day."
Veronica looked over, she shook her head, "Your wounded, exhausted, covered with scratches, cuts and a few black and blue marks. Rest up!"
Cirrus shook his head, and peaked out the window, he smiled at the group below. "Morning All! Challenger, I see you're having some issues!"
Challenger looked up, "Quite a hypothesis you developed… Mind lending a hand?"
Marguerite stepped in, "Challenger, Are you mad? The man has just fallen though a roof!"
Cirrus shook his head, "Nonsense Margaret! I can help with this!"
Veronica frowned, "He's becomes complete, and thinks he can take over the world."
Cirrus walked out onto the balcony, wrapped in a thin blanket. A bright red spot, stained the blanket. Fresh, warm blood leaking from the bandage on his chest.
He looked at the log below, "Bout three meters long, perfect to replace the secondary support beam that I hit." He snapped his fingers, "I got it!"
Roxton smiled, "Finally, a plan!"
Cirrus nodded, "Better stand back…"
The trio took a few cautious steps back, taking special care to stay out of Cirrus' way. Challenger called up to Cirrus, "Ready when you are!"
Cirrus nodded, and stretched out his hand from a corner of the blanket. He closed his eyes, picturing the log in his mind. He reached out, feeling its weight…."It is heavy…. But I can do this!"
His hand, shone with an aura of white light. The log vibrated…Shaking, as it slowly rose into the air. A few centimeters, then into a few inches. Steadily, the long rose up, small pockets of bark fluttered down to the ground below. Challenger put his hand over his eyes, blocking out the sun and watching as the log climbed to the balcony. Cirrus held his breath…"Damnit… Heavy…To damn heavy!"
The long faltered, its climb slowly coming to a stop. It dropped a few inches, hovering in the fresh air. Cirrus gritted his teeth, "Come on! Not now!"
The aura faltered around his hand, pulsed and started to fade. His eyes snapped open, "No!" He clenched his fist, reaching out with his mind. Using every drop of power to reinforce his mental grip on the large hunk of hardwood. The log's descent slowed, and it started to rise back into the air. Beads of sweat were running down Cirrus' face, as the log dropped down heavily onto the floor of the Treehouse.
Cirrus opened his eyes, and took in a deep breath. Flexing his tensed hand, and shaking off the lingering effects of fatigue. He walked over, noticing the trio exiting from the elevator. The looks on their face were all the proof he needed. Cirrus smiled, trying to mask his disappointment. Veronica noticed the change in his expression, she walked towards him, putting her hand on his shoulder. She looked into his eyes, "Are you alright?"
Cirrus' face was stone, but his eyes shone with a look of despair. However, he summoned up a small bit of courage, "I'm alright… At least the logs up." He made a small laugh, but it fell apart. His throat felt tight, and his eyes glistened… He sucked in a deep breath, clearing his throat. "Alright… Lets fix that hole." He walked over, and started tugging on the massive beam.
Challenger put down his hat, watching Cirrus work. He looked at Roxton and Veronica, shaking his head. He walked over, touching Cirrus on the arm. "Cirrus… Why don't you take some time off. You are still injured and…."
Cirrus interrupted him, "I understand, doc. If you want me, I'll be in my room." He dropped the beam, setting up a small cloud of dust. He made his way into the back, closing his door behind him.
Veronica turned to face the group, she sighed, "What… Was that?"
Challenger held his breath, speaking only when the words presented themselves. "I… Think, Cirrus, might be upset?"
Ned came up to Veronica, "We can fix the roof, that's no problem." Veronica shook her head, frowning at Ned. "It's not that… I'm not sure, but I think I might know what it is."
She took few steps forward, before Ned gently grabbed her hand. Concern flashed in his eyes, "Where are you going?"
Veronica smiled, pulling her hand away. "I'm going to find out. Put a end to this little discussion."
She made her way to the back, stopping at Cirrus' small room. She knocked lightly, hearing no response. She knocked again, this time with a bit more force. Again… No response. She squared her shoulders, and raised her hand, and was ready to slam her fist down onto the surface of the door. When it burst open, she drew back her hand, trying not to seem to startled.
She looked into the darkened room, and took a few steps inward. "Cirrus? Are you in here?" Her voice echoed off the bare walls. She noticed a figure by the window. "Cirrus?"
She walked past the hammock, glancing at the white feathers strewn around by the bed. A small pack sat on a wooden desk, it was slightly open, and a gentle bluish glow enimated from it. Veronica stopped a few feet away watching Cirrus staring out the window, his white wings blowing gently in the evening air. The sun was just starting to set, and soon, the stars would be twinkling in their heavenly host above.
Cirrus slightly turned his head, "I'm… Here." He smiled inwardly, "Don't know what good that will do."
Veronica walked up next to him, watching the sun set. She looked at him, "Cirrus, something's really wrong. You're not usually uptight… Not to me, atleast."
Cirrus turned to face her, "I know… And I'm sorry, for that." He shook his head, "I… Don't know what's going on…"
Veronica took a step closer, "Your in pain?" She reached out, gently caressing his face in the palm of her hand.
Cirrus cupped his hand in hers, "Not really… More of loosing than being."
Confusion flashed across Veronica's face, "I don't understand…"
Cirrus took a step back, Veronica's hand falling away. He turned back to look out the window. Veronica came closer, "Cirrus…"
Cirrus turned back to look at her, "….I…" he stammered
She grabbed onto him, drawing him into a fierce hug. She tucked her head into his neck, speaking into his shoulder, "Whatever's' the matter… You know that I'll…"
Cirrus wrapped his arms around her, putting his hand on the back of her head. His wings enticed the embrace, covering Veronica in a white, feathery cover. "Its…me."
Veronica lifted her head up, looking to his eyes, 'What?" She asked.
Cirrus nodded, "It took me a few hours to understand what was happening… But I think I fully understand now." He told her, holding onto her lower back. "After my completion with X'el… Something bad happened…"
Veronica shook her head, "No… You' re fine! Look, after your joining, you said that you would be complete!" her voice slightly shook with emotion.
Cirrus held her face, "I am complete… Its not that serious, just a small issue that I forgot to deal with."
Veronica slightly smiled, "Your not… Broke or…"
Cirrus chuckled, "No…No, not that!" his eyes glittered, "To put it mildly…" His head tilted, "My batteries dead, or dying."
Veronica mouth slightly opened in shock, "Battery?" Her lips closed, "what are you talking about?"
Cirrus nodded, he brushed back a few strands of her blond hair. "After my joining, I became complete. But the downside was that I didn't give enough time for my powers to recover." He pursed his lips, then continued, "Normally, after a feat like that, I rest for some time, allowing my powers to restore naturally. But I made a mistake, I continued on, not resting and my powers had no time to recover."
Veronica rubbed her chin, "How long will it take to recover?" She asked
Cirrus face shown a bit of disappointment, "That's the problem… I'm not sure."
He frowned, "It could take anywhere from a few days, to a few years…Or." He stopped, watching Veronica's face, "A few centuries." Her face became stone, but her eyes had a hurt in them.
Cirrus let go of her, "But… I found something that I think can help." He walked over to his desk, taking hold of the small pack. He opened it, pulling out a small white and blue crystal. It glowed in the palm of his hand, and the skin around the crystal seemed healthy, more alive and restored.
Veronica walked over, looking at the small gem, her eyes gittered with excitement, "What is that?" she asked
Cirrus smiled, "Possibly… My salvation. I found it while on my walk this afternoon. I was ambushed, and this little puppy helped use some of my power. Sadly, while I was flying, I used up to much and it stopped aiding me. Thus, I fell through the roof."
Veronica nodded, "Are there anymore of these?"
Cirrus smiled, "Yes… I found a whole bunch of them. I only took one, just for challenger to look at. But, if I'm correct, and these can help in my powers recovering their full strength…"
Veronica smiled, "Then what are we waiting for?"
Cirrus shook his head, "That's what I first thought… However, I think there's something bigger than these small fries. These are shards of a larger crystal. If these shards are small fragments, then there might be a larger, more powerful one on the plateau."
Veronica face was concerned, "But… What if you're correct, and there is one. Where would we find this?" She asked
Cirrus shook his head, "That's why I only brought the small fragment, I wanted to ask everyone if everyone wanted to aid in my quest."
Veronica smiled, "You know that we would help you! Besides, I'm not going to let you have all the fun!"
Cirrus grabbed onto her hand, "I know I could count on you!" His face lit up in a grin, "If we can find the full body of the gem, then I know that I'll be able to do something that I promised since the time that I first met you."
Veronica titled her head, "What is that?" She asked,
Cirrus smiled, "Bring you all…Home!"
An: Still having a great time writing! FF is still in upgrades, so this chapter will not be posted on time! Thanks for all the cool reviews!
CR: Pg-13
"Alright now! Pull!" Challenger yelled up at the Treehouse. Roxton stuck his head out the window, grabbing onto a rope that was connected to a small pulley. Ned clamped onto the rope as well. The two of them grunted as they threw their backs into the tugging. Slowly, a large support beam was lifted every so slowly off the ground. Challenger smiled below, "You're making great progress! Keep it up!"
Ned's face was red, he struggled to breathe, "That's… Easy for him to say! He's not pulling this log up!"
Roxton wearily chuckled, nearly loosing his grip on the log. His fingers fumbled with the rope, and the log came crashing down onto the jungle floor. Challenger jumped out of the way, avoiding the bark and branches that came tumbling down. He took of his hat, wiping off his brow, "This is going to be harder than I had first expected."
Veronica came from the porch glancing down at the men below, she smiled and called down to them, "How's is going?"
Ned glared hard at her, "Just peachy… Wanna help?"
Veronica laughed, "No thanks. There's a lot of work to be done in here."
Roxton rubbed his reddened hands, "How's our homewreaker?"
Marguerite called out from the balcony, "Sleeping… It took a few minutes to remove the wood fragment from his shoulder, but he should be aright."
Roxton blanched, "Marguerite?! How long have you been there?"
Marguerite smiled, "Long enough to see you two in action."
Roxton put his hand over his eyes, "This day keeps becoming better all the time."
Ned wiped the sweat of his neck, "Well… Look at it this way, it not raining…" he smiled, hopefully.
Roxton waved a finger at him, "Don't you jinx it now!"
Marguerite put her hand over her mouth, suppressing her laughter, when she turned around. Her eyes widened, and she took a step forward. Her voice high pitched, "What are you doing!? Get back in bed!"
A weak voice spoke back, "I'm fine… Besides, I've been in bed all day."
Veronica looked over, she shook her head, "Your wounded, exhausted, covered with scratches, cuts and a few black and blue marks. Rest up!"
Cirrus shook his head, and peaked out the window, he smiled at the group below. "Morning All! Challenger, I see you're having some issues!"
Challenger looked up, "Quite a hypothesis you developed… Mind lending a hand?"
Marguerite stepped in, "Challenger, Are you mad? The man has just fallen though a roof!"
Cirrus shook his head, "Nonsense Margaret! I can help with this!"
Veronica frowned, "He's becomes complete, and thinks he can take over the world."
Cirrus walked out onto the balcony, wrapped in a thin blanket. A bright red spot, stained the blanket. Fresh, warm blood leaking from the bandage on his chest.
He looked at the log below, "Bout three meters long, perfect to replace the secondary support beam that I hit." He snapped his fingers, "I got it!"
Roxton smiled, "Finally, a plan!"
Cirrus nodded, "Better stand back…"
The trio took a few cautious steps back, taking special care to stay out of Cirrus' way. Challenger called up to Cirrus, "Ready when you are!"
Cirrus nodded, and stretched out his hand from a corner of the blanket. He closed his eyes, picturing the log in his mind. He reached out, feeling its weight…."It is heavy…. But I can do this!"
His hand, shone with an aura of white light. The log vibrated…Shaking, as it slowly rose into the air. A few centimeters, then into a few inches. Steadily, the long rose up, small pockets of bark fluttered down to the ground below. Challenger put his hand over his eyes, blocking out the sun and watching as the log climbed to the balcony. Cirrus held his breath…"Damnit… Heavy…To damn heavy!"
The long faltered, its climb slowly coming to a stop. It dropped a few inches, hovering in the fresh air. Cirrus gritted his teeth, "Come on! Not now!"
The aura faltered around his hand, pulsed and started to fade. His eyes snapped open, "No!" He clenched his fist, reaching out with his mind. Using every drop of power to reinforce his mental grip on the large hunk of hardwood. The log's descent slowed, and it started to rise back into the air. Beads of sweat were running down Cirrus' face, as the log dropped down heavily onto the floor of the Treehouse.
Cirrus opened his eyes, and took in a deep breath. Flexing his tensed hand, and shaking off the lingering effects of fatigue. He walked over, noticing the trio exiting from the elevator. The looks on their face were all the proof he needed. Cirrus smiled, trying to mask his disappointment. Veronica noticed the change in his expression, she walked towards him, putting her hand on his shoulder. She looked into his eyes, "Are you alright?"
Cirrus' face was stone, but his eyes shone with a look of despair. However, he summoned up a small bit of courage, "I'm alright… At least the logs up." He made a small laugh, but it fell apart. His throat felt tight, and his eyes glistened… He sucked in a deep breath, clearing his throat. "Alright… Lets fix that hole." He walked over, and started tugging on the massive beam.
Challenger put down his hat, watching Cirrus work. He looked at Roxton and Veronica, shaking his head. He walked over, touching Cirrus on the arm. "Cirrus… Why don't you take some time off. You are still injured and…."
Cirrus interrupted him, "I understand, doc. If you want me, I'll be in my room." He dropped the beam, setting up a small cloud of dust. He made his way into the back, closing his door behind him.
Veronica turned to face the group, she sighed, "What… Was that?"
Challenger held his breath, speaking only when the words presented themselves. "I… Think, Cirrus, might be upset?"
Ned came up to Veronica, "We can fix the roof, that's no problem." Veronica shook her head, frowning at Ned. "It's not that… I'm not sure, but I think I might know what it is."
She took few steps forward, before Ned gently grabbed her hand. Concern flashed in his eyes, "Where are you going?"
Veronica smiled, pulling her hand away. "I'm going to find out. Put a end to this little discussion."
She made her way to the back, stopping at Cirrus' small room. She knocked lightly, hearing no response. She knocked again, this time with a bit more force. Again… No response. She squared her shoulders, and raised her hand, and was ready to slam her fist down onto the surface of the door. When it burst open, she drew back her hand, trying not to seem to startled.
She looked into the darkened room, and took a few steps inward. "Cirrus? Are you in here?" Her voice echoed off the bare walls. She noticed a figure by the window. "Cirrus?"
She walked past the hammock, glancing at the white feathers strewn around by the bed. A small pack sat on a wooden desk, it was slightly open, and a gentle bluish glow enimated from it. Veronica stopped a few feet away watching Cirrus staring out the window, his white wings blowing gently in the evening air. The sun was just starting to set, and soon, the stars would be twinkling in their heavenly host above.
Cirrus slightly turned his head, "I'm… Here." He smiled inwardly, "Don't know what good that will do."
Veronica walked up next to him, watching the sun set. She looked at him, "Cirrus, something's really wrong. You're not usually uptight… Not to me, atleast."
Cirrus turned to face her, "I know… And I'm sorry, for that." He shook his head, "I… Don't know what's going on…"
Veronica took a step closer, "Your in pain?" She reached out, gently caressing his face in the palm of her hand.
Cirrus cupped his hand in hers, "Not really… More of loosing than being."
Confusion flashed across Veronica's face, "I don't understand…"
Cirrus took a step back, Veronica's hand falling away. He turned back to look out the window. Veronica came closer, "Cirrus…"
Cirrus turned back to look at her, "….I…" he stammered
She grabbed onto him, drawing him into a fierce hug. She tucked her head into his neck, speaking into his shoulder, "Whatever's' the matter… You know that I'll…"
Cirrus wrapped his arms around her, putting his hand on the back of her head. His wings enticed the embrace, covering Veronica in a white, feathery cover. "Its…me."
Veronica lifted her head up, looking to his eyes, 'What?" She asked.
Cirrus nodded, "It took me a few hours to understand what was happening… But I think I fully understand now." He told her, holding onto her lower back. "After my completion with X'el… Something bad happened…"
Veronica shook her head, "No… You' re fine! Look, after your joining, you said that you would be complete!" her voice slightly shook with emotion.
Cirrus held her face, "I am complete… Its not that serious, just a small issue that I forgot to deal with."
Veronica slightly smiled, "Your not… Broke or…"
Cirrus chuckled, "No…No, not that!" his eyes glittered, "To put it mildly…" His head tilted, "My batteries dead, or dying."
Veronica mouth slightly opened in shock, "Battery?" Her lips closed, "what are you talking about?"
Cirrus nodded, he brushed back a few strands of her blond hair. "After my joining, I became complete. But the downside was that I didn't give enough time for my powers to recover." He pursed his lips, then continued, "Normally, after a feat like that, I rest for some time, allowing my powers to restore naturally. But I made a mistake, I continued on, not resting and my powers had no time to recover."
Veronica rubbed her chin, "How long will it take to recover?" She asked
Cirrus face shown a bit of disappointment, "That's the problem… I'm not sure."
He frowned, "It could take anywhere from a few days, to a few years…Or." He stopped, watching Veronica's face, "A few centuries." Her face became stone, but her eyes had a hurt in them.
Cirrus let go of her, "But… I found something that I think can help." He walked over to his desk, taking hold of the small pack. He opened it, pulling out a small white and blue crystal. It glowed in the palm of his hand, and the skin around the crystal seemed healthy, more alive and restored.
Veronica walked over, looking at the small gem, her eyes gittered with excitement, "What is that?" she asked
Cirrus smiled, "Possibly… My salvation. I found it while on my walk this afternoon. I was ambushed, and this little puppy helped use some of my power. Sadly, while I was flying, I used up to much and it stopped aiding me. Thus, I fell through the roof."
Veronica nodded, "Are there anymore of these?"
Cirrus smiled, "Yes… I found a whole bunch of them. I only took one, just for challenger to look at. But, if I'm correct, and these can help in my powers recovering their full strength…"
Veronica smiled, "Then what are we waiting for?"
Cirrus shook his head, "That's what I first thought… However, I think there's something bigger than these small fries. These are shards of a larger crystal. If these shards are small fragments, then there might be a larger, more powerful one on the plateau."
Veronica face was concerned, "But… What if you're correct, and there is one. Where would we find this?" She asked
Cirrus shook his head, "That's why I only brought the small fragment, I wanted to ask everyone if everyone wanted to aid in my quest."
Veronica smiled, "You know that we would help you! Besides, I'm not going to let you have all the fun!"
Cirrus grabbed onto her hand, "I know I could count on you!" His face lit up in a grin, "If we can find the full body of the gem, then I know that I'll be able to do something that I promised since the time that I first met you."
Veronica titled her head, "What is that?" She asked,
Cirrus smiled, "Bring you all…Home!"