CHAPTER THREE: Meilin and Perel
Upon entering Louran, Ark saw the quiet, yet lively village he saw on his first visit there; even if that used to be only a mirage. He felt it was real now.
He made his way to Meilin's old place, but found it to be empty.
Luckily, Ark remembered her old hiding place.
Ark and Yomi went through the secret passage in the furnace. At the end of it, he was instantly halted by a spear, dropping right in front of his nose.
"Who's there?" a male voice spoke.
Ark swallowed, and spoke his name.
"That's not possible. Ark disappeared five years ago. Tell me who you really are, or I'll stab this here spear through your nose!"
Yomi recognized the spear as the Cryspear - the same one Ark discarded when Pandora's box was getting full. He pushed himself through the passage, and flew in front of the face of the guy holding the spear, with a cheerful "Hello!"
"Y-You! I remember you! You're the little guy that used to hang around with Ark! But then..."
The guy removed the spear, allowing Ark to enter.
Ark took a close look at the guy holding the spear. "...Perel? Is that really you?"
The guy nodded. "It's been a while, old buddy. Where've you been all this time? You look exactly like you did five years ago..."
Ark explained about him being the legendary hero, about having to disappear in an undisturbed sleep, only to return when there's trouble.
"I should have guessed." Perel replied. "And now, with that nutball taking over Beruga's ruins, it's time for you to set things straight again, huh?"
Ark nodded, and smiled. "So, where's Meilin? She left a note at my apartment, so I came over to see her."
Perel lowered his head. "She's in the back, still touched by her grandfather's death. It only happened two months ago, so she's still not over it..."
Ark looked over to the back. "Yeah... I understand. After losing her parents already, it must have been hell for her to see her grandfather die as well... Meihou was all she really had."
Perel nodded. "I heard what happened, and instantly went over here to comfort her.
And... well, I..." Perel started stuttering.
Yomi grinned. "Ah, you're the friend in need, and from one thing came another, eh?"
Perel blushed, and raised his head. "No, no! We haven't... well, you know. That didn't happen or anything. But... well, let's just say we've grown to like eachother alot."
Yomi smirked. "Sure, sure." Ark gave Yomi a nudge, and told him to behave.
"Well, at any rate, Come on. I'm sure she will want to see you." Perel said, quickly changing the subject. He lead on through a doorway, while Ark and Yomi followed.
In the back of the room, Meilin was in bed, asleep. Perel nudged her face with his hand to wake her.
"Meilin? There's someone here to see you." he said.
Slowly, the young woman woke up, rubbed her eyes, and looked at Perel.
"Hm? Who is it, hon?" She then turned her head to face Ark and Yomi.
"WAH!" Meilin almost fell off her bed in shock. "Ark...? Is... that really you?"
Ark smiled, and replied "Yeah, it's really me."
Upon entering Louran, Ark saw the quiet, yet lively village he saw on his first visit there; even if that used to be only a mirage. He felt it was real now.
He made his way to Meilin's old place, but found it to be empty.
Luckily, Ark remembered her old hiding place.
Ark and Yomi went through the secret passage in the furnace. At the end of it, he was instantly halted by a spear, dropping right in front of his nose.
"Who's there?" a male voice spoke.
Ark swallowed, and spoke his name.
"That's not possible. Ark disappeared five years ago. Tell me who you really are, or I'll stab this here spear through your nose!"
Yomi recognized the spear as the Cryspear - the same one Ark discarded when Pandora's box was getting full. He pushed himself through the passage, and flew in front of the face of the guy holding the spear, with a cheerful "Hello!"
"Y-You! I remember you! You're the little guy that used to hang around with Ark! But then..."
The guy removed the spear, allowing Ark to enter.
Ark took a close look at the guy holding the spear. "...Perel? Is that really you?"
The guy nodded. "It's been a while, old buddy. Where've you been all this time? You look exactly like you did five years ago..."
Ark explained about him being the legendary hero, about having to disappear in an undisturbed sleep, only to return when there's trouble.
"I should have guessed." Perel replied. "And now, with that nutball taking over Beruga's ruins, it's time for you to set things straight again, huh?"
Ark nodded, and smiled. "So, where's Meilin? She left a note at my apartment, so I came over to see her."
Perel lowered his head. "She's in the back, still touched by her grandfather's death. It only happened two months ago, so she's still not over it..."
Ark looked over to the back. "Yeah... I understand. After losing her parents already, it must have been hell for her to see her grandfather die as well... Meihou was all she really had."
Perel nodded. "I heard what happened, and instantly went over here to comfort her.
And... well, I..." Perel started stuttering.
Yomi grinned. "Ah, you're the friend in need, and from one thing came another, eh?"
Perel blushed, and raised his head. "No, no! We haven't... well, you know. That didn't happen or anything. But... well, let's just say we've grown to like eachother alot."
Yomi smirked. "Sure, sure." Ark gave Yomi a nudge, and told him to behave.
"Well, at any rate, Come on. I'm sure she will want to see you." Perel said, quickly changing the subject. He lead on through a doorway, while Ark and Yomi followed.
In the back of the room, Meilin was in bed, asleep. Perel nudged her face with his hand to wake her.
"Meilin? There's someone here to see you." he said.
Slowly, the young woman woke up, rubbed her eyes, and looked at Perel.
"Hm? Who is it, hon?" She then turned her head to face Ark and Yomi.
"WAH!" Meilin almost fell off her bed in shock. "Ark...? Is... that really you?"
Ark smiled, and replied "Yeah, it's really me."
