Alternative Chapter 3 -- The Exchange
DISCLAIMER: Live-a-Live was made by Square. Yeah, they're geniuses. All that happens here, characters and places and stuffs, are Square's. Don't sue me for defying copyright, or else I'll present this disclaimer in court. *evil grin*
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hopefully... the soap operas will end in this chapter. This is just Uranus and Straybow in Familia village (as Silver Dragon kindly pointed out, thanks dude!) Uh... okay, whatever. Let's get on with this, and end it quickly.
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Uranus welcomed the sights of Familia Village, his home. There were very few buildings in the town, and the old man's wooden hut was in the farthest corner, close to the woods surrounding Familia. As he expected, Uranus found Straybow sitting under a maple tree, his head in his lap.
The healer sat down next to the boy. "You all right?" He asked, real concern in his voice.
Straybow looked up. Uranus was surprised to find that there were no signs of tears on the boy's face. Instead, the older man could feel a strong anger with even a small hint of hatred.
Upon seeing who was trying to talk to him, Straybow frowned. "Leave me alone!"
Uranus had more patience than the average man, so he only smiled and continued to look into the boy's eyes. The sorcerer frowned again and turned away, unable to hold the healer's peaceful gaze. "You can't help me. Leave me alone."
The healer sighed. "You're just like I was, when I was your age."
"I don't care what you were like at my age! I don't care! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Straybow shouted, kicking the ground in frustration. Dust rose from the ground and thinned as it traveled upward into the air.
"I know how you feel."
"No you don't!"
"If you just."
"LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"Won't you listen to me?!" Uranus finally snapped. The sorcerer did not reply. Reluctantly, he turned to look at the healer, but the older man could clearly see the disregard in his eyes. "Thank you," Uranus said in a quieter voice. He noticed two little boys who had been running around the town had stopped and were staring at the two sitting under the tree. Seeing Uranus's gaze, they innocently returned to their play.
Uranus opened his mouth to speak, but instead it was Straybow who raised his voice. "Orsted is just too full of himself. No matter how cheerful and helpful I try to be, he still acts the role of the hero. But where would he be without me? Where would he be?!"
"In a faraway, warring land, there lived two men," Uranus began calmly. "Two spearmen. Together, they destroyed an enemy squadron by capturing the commander and wiping out the rest as they retreated. Neither played a greater role, and both acknowledged each other's involvement. They knew that neither of them could have done it alone. But when they returned to their army's camp, one of the spearmen proclaimed their victory. The victorious army's generals all began to praise that spearman, but the other was left without any glory at all. The first did not bother to mention the deeds of his companion. And although the first got all the recognition from the war leaders, the only one that acknowledged the second spearman was the woman they both loved. The first spearman was respected by his entire army and kingdom, while the second was respected by one person, but that one person meant more to him than riches or power. Now, which spearman was truly happy in the end?"
Straybow did not say anything at first. The two mages sat together, the scent of the maple tree filling their nostrils. Finally, Straybow whispered, "So do you mean to say.?"
"I mean to say the first spearman is Orsted, and was Hash so many years ago. And the second spearman. that is you and me."
Again, Straybow remained silent, contemplating both the story and his own situation. "But the princess is meant for Orsted, not for me. I do not get any acknowledgment, from anyone! It's always Orsted. especially now!"
"But she is still in the hands of the Demon King. It can all yet change."
"Perhaps." replied the sorcerer. "But why are you alone? What happened to the one whom you and Hash loved?"
A shadow appeared to fall over Uranus's face. His face was twisted into a bitter frown of irony. "She died, because I could not save her."
Straybow said no more, because he knew that the usually calm and cheery healer was not willing to talk about this. They sat together for a long time, enjoying the simplicity of the village, the trees, and the woods around them. They sat there, without speaking, until Uranus noticed the sun that was beginning to set beyond the distant mountains.
Rising from his seat, he said, "I think it is time we return to the king, and meet with Orsted. You will be able to face him now, I hope?"
Straybow smiled and sprang eagerly onto his feet. "He is my best friend after all!"
Laughing, they traveled out of Familia Village and into the dirt road that led to Lucretia. The sun was sinking quickly.
"I'm sure our warrior friend explained everything to his majesty," Uranus said. "We must return now and rest. But I advise you. talk to Orsted. Don't keep it all inside yourself. I'm sure he'll be considerate."
Straybow nodded. "And tomorrow, what will we do?"
"That is up to the king's wishes. But do not worry about tomorrow, for now. Sleep believing that Hash is alive - after all, there is as much possibility of his being alive as of his being dead!"
And they continued upon the path that led them to Lucretia, while darkness settled in lazily around them.
DISCLAIMER: Live-a-Live was made by Square. Yeah, they're geniuses. All that happens here, characters and places and stuffs, are Square's. Don't sue me for defying copyright, or else I'll present this disclaimer in court. *evil grin*
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hopefully... the soap operas will end in this chapter. This is just Uranus and Straybow in Familia village (as Silver Dragon kindly pointed out, thanks dude!) Uh... okay, whatever. Let's get on with this, and end it quickly.
---------------------------------------
Uranus welcomed the sights of Familia Village, his home. There were very few buildings in the town, and the old man's wooden hut was in the farthest corner, close to the woods surrounding Familia. As he expected, Uranus found Straybow sitting under a maple tree, his head in his lap.
The healer sat down next to the boy. "You all right?" He asked, real concern in his voice.
Straybow looked up. Uranus was surprised to find that there were no signs of tears on the boy's face. Instead, the older man could feel a strong anger with even a small hint of hatred.
Upon seeing who was trying to talk to him, Straybow frowned. "Leave me alone!"
Uranus had more patience than the average man, so he only smiled and continued to look into the boy's eyes. The sorcerer frowned again and turned away, unable to hold the healer's peaceful gaze. "You can't help me. Leave me alone."
The healer sighed. "You're just like I was, when I was your age."
"I don't care what you were like at my age! I don't care! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Straybow shouted, kicking the ground in frustration. Dust rose from the ground and thinned as it traveled upward into the air.
"I know how you feel."
"No you don't!"
"If you just."
"LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"Won't you listen to me?!" Uranus finally snapped. The sorcerer did not reply. Reluctantly, he turned to look at the healer, but the older man could clearly see the disregard in his eyes. "Thank you," Uranus said in a quieter voice. He noticed two little boys who had been running around the town had stopped and were staring at the two sitting under the tree. Seeing Uranus's gaze, they innocently returned to their play.
Uranus opened his mouth to speak, but instead it was Straybow who raised his voice. "Orsted is just too full of himself. No matter how cheerful and helpful I try to be, he still acts the role of the hero. But where would he be without me? Where would he be?!"
"In a faraway, warring land, there lived two men," Uranus began calmly. "Two spearmen. Together, they destroyed an enemy squadron by capturing the commander and wiping out the rest as they retreated. Neither played a greater role, and both acknowledged each other's involvement. They knew that neither of them could have done it alone. But when they returned to their army's camp, one of the spearmen proclaimed their victory. The victorious army's generals all began to praise that spearman, but the other was left without any glory at all. The first did not bother to mention the deeds of his companion. And although the first got all the recognition from the war leaders, the only one that acknowledged the second spearman was the woman they both loved. The first spearman was respected by his entire army and kingdom, while the second was respected by one person, but that one person meant more to him than riches or power. Now, which spearman was truly happy in the end?"
Straybow did not say anything at first. The two mages sat together, the scent of the maple tree filling their nostrils. Finally, Straybow whispered, "So do you mean to say.?"
"I mean to say the first spearman is Orsted, and was Hash so many years ago. And the second spearman. that is you and me."
Again, Straybow remained silent, contemplating both the story and his own situation. "But the princess is meant for Orsted, not for me. I do not get any acknowledgment, from anyone! It's always Orsted. especially now!"
"But she is still in the hands of the Demon King. It can all yet change."
"Perhaps." replied the sorcerer. "But why are you alone? What happened to the one whom you and Hash loved?"
A shadow appeared to fall over Uranus's face. His face was twisted into a bitter frown of irony. "She died, because I could not save her."
Straybow said no more, because he knew that the usually calm and cheery healer was not willing to talk about this. They sat together for a long time, enjoying the simplicity of the village, the trees, and the woods around them. They sat there, without speaking, until Uranus noticed the sun that was beginning to set beyond the distant mountains.
Rising from his seat, he said, "I think it is time we return to the king, and meet with Orsted. You will be able to face him now, I hope?"
Straybow smiled and sprang eagerly onto his feet. "He is my best friend after all!"
Laughing, they traveled out of Familia Village and into the dirt road that led to Lucretia. The sun was sinking quickly.
"I'm sure our warrior friend explained everything to his majesty," Uranus said. "We must return now and rest. But I advise you. talk to Orsted. Don't keep it all inside yourself. I'm sure he'll be considerate."
Straybow nodded. "And tomorrow, what will we do?"
"That is up to the king's wishes. But do not worry about tomorrow, for now. Sleep believing that Hash is alive - after all, there is as much possibility of his being alive as of his being dead!"
And they continued upon the path that led them to Lucretia, while darkness settled in lazily around them.
