How long has it been now, a minute, an hour, a day? I don't know but what I do know is everyone should be okay. I used my power to save them but at what price. Even with my power I still have my limits. Have I pushed them to far? Only time will tell, but for now all I can do is rest.
{So you finally defeated Myria and avenged your clan. I thought you could do it, but do you think it's over yet? Do you really think that the world can accept you for what you are? Even without the Goddess the people will still fear you for your power and what they think you can do. Maybe it would have been best if you stayed with her like I did Ryu. At least you wouldn't be feared and rejected for you being a dragon.}
"Stop it! I will not give in to this. I have been put through this before and I know that I can fit in regardless of my power. The people won't fear what they know won't hurt them. I will not hurt them like others have. No matter what you say, I will not give up on life, and I make a vow that I will protect the people for as long as I live."
__________________________________________________________________________
"Ryu? Hey guys I found him over this hill. He looks wounded. Momo, hurry up with the healing herbs! You'll be all right Ryu, I just know you will." Nina sighed as she tried to pull Ryu over towards the group. After the explosion, the group fell off into the desert. They were lucky not to have been too far apart and Ryu used his power to save them, but they didn't know that. Right now, all they cared about was helping a friend in need.
Two days passed before they are able to make it to the Oasis, and Ryu didn't seem to get any better. The group, minus Peco, had made their best effort to get to town as quickly as they could. Rei and Momo had managed to go without arguing the entire trip there. They did manage to find Peco, but he told them he had to stay there and grow into one of the great trees, so maybe life would return to the desert. Nina had been so worried she never slept until she got there, and even then waited until she knew Ryu would be in good hands. How long they would have to wait was unknown. He seemed to be in bad shape but they believed he would pull through in time.
{What would you do if Ryu didn't make it? Would you go back to Wyndia Castle and continue to be the little princess? Would you be in so much grief you never went back? No, something else would happen wouldn't it. You know what you would do, but what if he pulls through fine? What would you tell your parents? How could they even start to forgive him considering how stubborn they are about you? Would you care? Would you give in? What will you do Nina? What will YOU do? What…}
"No! Please stop. I don't want to think about that right now. I can't think about this. Please leave me alone. I'll deal with it when I come to it, but I can't now. I've been through so much and am so tired. I can't think straight. I need more time. I need…."
{But time is running short isn't it? You have to go back to the castle. Whether you want to or not you have to go back. Your sense of duty wills you to. I can see you sitting there learning politics, practicing grace, marrying someone you don't even know for diplomatic reasons. I can…}
"I won't take this. I won't. I won't. I won't!"
Dawn is a great time of day. It is a time when the sun is just peaking over the skyline and you can see it so well. For some travelers, this morning brings an end to a horrible night. Instead of enjoying it they are just glad it came. For this morning would be a day for answers. For two very well know travelers, this morning would be a time for the truth.
"Princess? You awake? I hate to wake you but I have to tell you something."
"Huh? Momo. I told you to stop calling me princess. We have been friends for so long now it's okay to call me Nina. Anyway what did you want?" Nina asked her friend while stretching from a bad nights sleep.
"Sorry. I didn't want to bug you but I figured you would want to know this."
"Yes?" Nina asked being a little annoyed by Momo not getting to the point.
"Well, one of the doctors looking after Ryu thought they heard him mumble something, and they…"
"He's awake!" She asked excitedly.
"Not yet, but they think it could be a sign of him coming out of his coma though. I'm not sure about these things but I think it's a good sign, and.."
"Did they hear what he said?"
Momo looked a little annoyed at Nina's interruptions but continued anyway. "They weren't able to make out all of it but they think they heard him say the name Teepo."
"Teepo? Hey, isn't he Ryu's friend that we had to fight at Eden? How could he talk to him? I thought we killed him. How…"
"Nina, I don't know the answer to some of your questions but he was the dragon we fought. The doctors couldn't make any sense out of what he was saying but figured he was probably going through a memory search or something." She told Nina while trying to calm her down.
"If he is starting to speak, then I should go see him. Maybe I can help him recover or get him to talk more." Nina spoke while trying to leave bed but Momo was gently holding her down.
"The doctors said he can't have any visitors until they conduct a few more tests. They figured it would be a few hours until there done."
"I'm his friend. I'm sure he would want me there to be by his side and help him. He would have done the same for me if not more. So that settles it. I'm going!" Nina moved Momo's hands away and left the inn. She thanked the owner for letting her rest and made her way to the elder's house. She arrived there shortly and noticed a man holding a spear blocking the door. She figured if she told him what she thought he would let her through.
"I'm sorry but until I'm told differently there is to be no visitors at this time." The guard impatiently told her. "After what you been through it would be best if you rested some more anyway. The doctor said you didn't look so good when you brought the kid here."
"I don't care! Ryu is my friend and he has been by my side when I was in trouble so I will be by his side now that he is in trouble. I can't control you but I'm asking you to please let me in. If there's any chance that he could get better wouldn't the doctors want that?" She asked while smiling at the guard hoping to make him change his mind. After all they have been through, she wasn't going to let a little guard stop her from helping her friend.
"Well, how bout this? I will ask the doctors and see if you can enter. If I do that will you be happy?" He asked.
"Of course, and thank you very much." She replied happily but the guard just sighed and went in the building.
"Now's my chance." When the guard went in she followed him a little ways behind and found a wall to hide behind. While she waited for him to come back she overheard some men talking in an adjacent room.
"Are you sure the procedure will work on him without him knowing? I mean, if anyone where to find out about us we could be in BIG trouble." A sly, skinny man in a lab coat said as he was preparing a weird looking machine.
"Of course it will work. He may be a dragon but his human side is just the same us ours. Besides, no one will find out. It only leaves a slight scar and we can just say it can from his wounds when he got here." Another man said sounding stern and in charge.
"Ok, but I still feel uneasy about doing this. How can you be sure it won't turn on us or something?"
"Quite simple my boy. All I have to do is put on this bracelet when it wakes up and it will listen to every word we tell it, and he won't take it off because every time he tries it will induce a sort of amnesia drug that will make him forget about it. You see I have everything worked out perfectly. No one will be able to stop us once its made." As the stern man finishes he lets out a sort of mechanical laugh that just annoys the other man but he says nothing and continues on with his work.
"Oh no!" Nina gasps, as she understands what the two men were talking about. They were planning on cloning Ryu!
[Author's note- If you don't fully understand the beginning it will be explained in the next chapter. As for the doctors, that I can't tell cause it would ruin the story. :)]
{So you finally defeated Myria and avenged your clan. I thought you could do it, but do you think it's over yet? Do you really think that the world can accept you for what you are? Even without the Goddess the people will still fear you for your power and what they think you can do. Maybe it would have been best if you stayed with her like I did Ryu. At least you wouldn't be feared and rejected for you being a dragon.}
"Stop it! I will not give in to this. I have been put through this before and I know that I can fit in regardless of my power. The people won't fear what they know won't hurt them. I will not hurt them like others have. No matter what you say, I will not give up on life, and I make a vow that I will protect the people for as long as I live."
__________________________________________________________________________
"Ryu? Hey guys I found him over this hill. He looks wounded. Momo, hurry up with the healing herbs! You'll be all right Ryu, I just know you will." Nina sighed as she tried to pull Ryu over towards the group. After the explosion, the group fell off into the desert. They were lucky not to have been too far apart and Ryu used his power to save them, but they didn't know that. Right now, all they cared about was helping a friend in need.
Two days passed before they are able to make it to the Oasis, and Ryu didn't seem to get any better. The group, minus Peco, had made their best effort to get to town as quickly as they could. Rei and Momo had managed to go without arguing the entire trip there. They did manage to find Peco, but he told them he had to stay there and grow into one of the great trees, so maybe life would return to the desert. Nina had been so worried she never slept until she got there, and even then waited until she knew Ryu would be in good hands. How long they would have to wait was unknown. He seemed to be in bad shape but they believed he would pull through in time.
{What would you do if Ryu didn't make it? Would you go back to Wyndia Castle and continue to be the little princess? Would you be in so much grief you never went back? No, something else would happen wouldn't it. You know what you would do, but what if he pulls through fine? What would you tell your parents? How could they even start to forgive him considering how stubborn they are about you? Would you care? Would you give in? What will you do Nina? What will YOU do? What…}
"No! Please stop. I don't want to think about that right now. I can't think about this. Please leave me alone. I'll deal with it when I come to it, but I can't now. I've been through so much and am so tired. I can't think straight. I need more time. I need…."
{But time is running short isn't it? You have to go back to the castle. Whether you want to or not you have to go back. Your sense of duty wills you to. I can see you sitting there learning politics, practicing grace, marrying someone you don't even know for diplomatic reasons. I can…}
"I won't take this. I won't. I won't. I won't!"
Dawn is a great time of day. It is a time when the sun is just peaking over the skyline and you can see it so well. For some travelers, this morning brings an end to a horrible night. Instead of enjoying it they are just glad it came. For this morning would be a day for answers. For two very well know travelers, this morning would be a time for the truth.
"Princess? You awake? I hate to wake you but I have to tell you something."
"Huh? Momo. I told you to stop calling me princess. We have been friends for so long now it's okay to call me Nina. Anyway what did you want?" Nina asked her friend while stretching from a bad nights sleep.
"Sorry. I didn't want to bug you but I figured you would want to know this."
"Yes?" Nina asked being a little annoyed by Momo not getting to the point.
"Well, one of the doctors looking after Ryu thought they heard him mumble something, and they…"
"He's awake!" She asked excitedly.
"Not yet, but they think it could be a sign of him coming out of his coma though. I'm not sure about these things but I think it's a good sign, and.."
"Did they hear what he said?"
Momo looked a little annoyed at Nina's interruptions but continued anyway. "They weren't able to make out all of it but they think they heard him say the name Teepo."
"Teepo? Hey, isn't he Ryu's friend that we had to fight at Eden? How could he talk to him? I thought we killed him. How…"
"Nina, I don't know the answer to some of your questions but he was the dragon we fought. The doctors couldn't make any sense out of what he was saying but figured he was probably going through a memory search or something." She told Nina while trying to calm her down.
"If he is starting to speak, then I should go see him. Maybe I can help him recover or get him to talk more." Nina spoke while trying to leave bed but Momo was gently holding her down.
"The doctors said he can't have any visitors until they conduct a few more tests. They figured it would be a few hours until there done."
"I'm his friend. I'm sure he would want me there to be by his side and help him. He would have done the same for me if not more. So that settles it. I'm going!" Nina moved Momo's hands away and left the inn. She thanked the owner for letting her rest and made her way to the elder's house. She arrived there shortly and noticed a man holding a spear blocking the door. She figured if she told him what she thought he would let her through.
"I'm sorry but until I'm told differently there is to be no visitors at this time." The guard impatiently told her. "After what you been through it would be best if you rested some more anyway. The doctor said you didn't look so good when you brought the kid here."
"I don't care! Ryu is my friend and he has been by my side when I was in trouble so I will be by his side now that he is in trouble. I can't control you but I'm asking you to please let me in. If there's any chance that he could get better wouldn't the doctors want that?" She asked while smiling at the guard hoping to make him change his mind. After all they have been through, she wasn't going to let a little guard stop her from helping her friend.
"Well, how bout this? I will ask the doctors and see if you can enter. If I do that will you be happy?" He asked.
"Of course, and thank you very much." She replied happily but the guard just sighed and went in the building.
"Now's my chance." When the guard went in she followed him a little ways behind and found a wall to hide behind. While she waited for him to come back she overheard some men talking in an adjacent room.
"Are you sure the procedure will work on him without him knowing? I mean, if anyone where to find out about us we could be in BIG trouble." A sly, skinny man in a lab coat said as he was preparing a weird looking machine.
"Of course it will work. He may be a dragon but his human side is just the same us ours. Besides, no one will find out. It only leaves a slight scar and we can just say it can from his wounds when he got here." Another man said sounding stern and in charge.
"Ok, but I still feel uneasy about doing this. How can you be sure it won't turn on us or something?"
"Quite simple my boy. All I have to do is put on this bracelet when it wakes up and it will listen to every word we tell it, and he won't take it off because every time he tries it will induce a sort of amnesia drug that will make him forget about it. You see I have everything worked out perfectly. No one will be able to stop us once its made." As the stern man finishes he lets out a sort of mechanical laugh that just annoys the other man but he says nothing and continues on with his work.
"Oh no!" Nina gasps, as she understands what the two men were talking about. They were planning on cloning Ryu!
[Author's note- If you don't fully understand the beginning it will be explained in the next chapter. As for the doctors, that I can't tell cause it would ruin the story. :)]