Well, here's the second to last chapter. I hope you like it. Sorry
about the delay. I couldn't get at the computer. Hopefully the next chapter
will be out a little sooner. If not, it will be out next Thursday.
To Erriel: In response to the "Escaflowne" reference, "Escaflowne" is about a girl named Hitomi who can see visions of the future. A bad future, where people die and cities blow up and such. Anyway, about halfway through the series, the characters start nattering on about how because Hitomi tries to see the future, she creates a terrible one. So, it sounds kind of like what's happening to Sanji. I didn't even see the similarities until I re-read the chapter for like the fifth time. (I would have answered that last time, but the chapter was already uploaded, and I didn't feel like typing it again.)
* * * * * * *
*
Kibo appears many times over the next few weeks. At first, I try to avoid him, but it is hard to do both that and to keep from going in the direction that the curse pushes me. And I think that now he tracks me down. Though I am still moving from place to place, Kibo seems always to be close behind. Weak as I am, I cannot outrun him.
But I am now growing stronger, for each time Kibo comes, he brings food. Meat. I accept his offerings and eat gratefully, thanking him heartily each time, but I still refuse to hunt. Kibo does not know why, but he never asks an explanation. I am grateful for this, too.
Gradually, we become friends, though I do not make the mistake of becoming comfortable, as I did with the Eevees, and with the Sneasels. I wait, dreading the coming vision of death. The small visions have already returned. Time and again I warn Kibo of pitfalls, loose rocks, and even, once, a human trap.
Each time he praises my quick eyes, my sharp wits. Though I know I do not deserve it, I glow with the praise. It has been so long since someone has loved me. I frighten myself with the strength of my affection for him. It will make it that much worse when the curse at last comes for him. I try to steel my nerve against it, but I know I will never be ready, as I was not ready for any of my visions.
At last, the day comes that I have been waiting for; dreading; praying would not arrive. I have my vision. It is awful, as the visions always are, but it does not, as I had half expected, foretell the destruction of the forest.
No. This time, only Kibo is in danger, but that is quite bad enough. Today, this afternoon, a raging Nidoking will crash through the forest, train his hyper beam attack on my friend, then continue on, as if Kibo is nothing more than a small obstacle in his path.
I remain in the place where I have slept, watching the forest with worried eyes. What if Kibo does not come today? What if I never have the chance to warn him; to say goodbye?
But, just a little after midday, he appears from out of the brush. I watch him eagerly, happy and sad at the same time. Glad that I have been given this last time to be with him, sad that I shall never have that chance again.
He smiles warmly as he drops his daily offering beside me. I smile back, my expression tinged with sorrow, and lick his cheek.
Kibo is surprised. I have never before touched him, thinking it might make things worse when the curse finally took hold of him, but now I mourn the lost opportunities. I avoid his eyes as I bend to eat the Pidgey that is my meal today. It is probably the last meat I will ever taste.
"Are you all right?" Kibo asks as I finish. "You seem terribly sad today."
His kindness closes my throat and brings tears of sorrow to my eyes. "No," I say thickly. "I am not all right. Could you . . . will you stay with me today? Just until sunset." Perhaps, if he does not go off alone, his fate can be avoided.
"Of course," Kibo says, and my tears run over. I lean my face into his thick, white ruff and sob, and he lets me. I had thought, after the Sneasels, that I had no more tears left in me, but now I find that I have enough to drown the forest in.
After a time, my tears slow to sniffles, then finally to nothing, and I lower myself tiredly onto my belly.
"There, there," Kibo says, settling himself comfortably beside me. "What's this all about?"
I shake my head and do not answer. Perhaps, if I do not speak of it, his death may yet be averted.
For a long time we lie quietly side - by - side, and as the sun sinks lower in the sky, I begin to think that maybe, just maybe, I have beaten the curse this time. By now, I ought to know better than that.
All at once, a huge crashing echoes through the forest, and we both start to our feet. I run a few steps, then stop and look back, realizing that Kibo hasn't followed. He is staring into the woods, probably curious as to what might be making that noise. I already know.
I turn to go back and urge him away, but at that moment, an enormous Nidoking bursts into the clearing. The hulking creature glances about, spots Kibo, and begins to charge up his attack.
Kibo seems frozen in place, mesmerized; whether from fear or surprise, I'm not sure. And suddenly, a white-hot rage spreads across my mind.
No! I will not let the curse have it's way this time. It has taken everything from me; family, friends, even my own love for life. I will not let it take Kibo, too.
Just as the Nidoking unleashes his hyper beam, I speed across the clearing and knock Kibo out of the way. The beam lances toward me, hitting me in the side. But because I was moving so fast, the attack does not kill me. It only skims across me, tumbling me over and over until I fetch up near the base of a tree. I vaguely hear the Nidoking move off, his anger spent, as Kibo rushes to my side.
"No!" I hear him cry. "Don't take another from me,please!" His parents, he has told me, both died from the same illness; a fever that washed over his pack, leaving few alive. We have much in common.
"I am not dead," I manage to choke out. It hurts to move, hurts to breathe, hurts even to think, but inside I am rejoicing. Kibo is not dead! He is here, still, with me. My visions can be changed!
"Thank goodness," Kibo says, touching his nose carefully to my cheek. "You must live, Sanji. I could not bear it if you left me."
I will live. I know this as surely as I have ever known anything. It may not go very quickly, but my wounds will heal and everything will be well.
To Erriel: In response to the "Escaflowne" reference, "Escaflowne" is about a girl named Hitomi who can see visions of the future. A bad future, where people die and cities blow up and such. Anyway, about halfway through the series, the characters start nattering on about how because Hitomi tries to see the future, she creates a terrible one. So, it sounds kind of like what's happening to Sanji. I didn't even see the similarities until I re-read the chapter for like the fifth time. (I would have answered that last time, but the chapter was already uploaded, and I didn't feel like typing it again.)
* * * * * * *
*
Kibo appears many times over the next few weeks. At first, I try to avoid him, but it is hard to do both that and to keep from going in the direction that the curse pushes me. And I think that now he tracks me down. Though I am still moving from place to place, Kibo seems always to be close behind. Weak as I am, I cannot outrun him.
But I am now growing stronger, for each time Kibo comes, he brings food. Meat. I accept his offerings and eat gratefully, thanking him heartily each time, but I still refuse to hunt. Kibo does not know why, but he never asks an explanation. I am grateful for this, too.
Gradually, we become friends, though I do not make the mistake of becoming comfortable, as I did with the Eevees, and with the Sneasels. I wait, dreading the coming vision of death. The small visions have already returned. Time and again I warn Kibo of pitfalls, loose rocks, and even, once, a human trap.
Each time he praises my quick eyes, my sharp wits. Though I know I do not deserve it, I glow with the praise. It has been so long since someone has loved me. I frighten myself with the strength of my affection for him. It will make it that much worse when the curse at last comes for him. I try to steel my nerve against it, but I know I will never be ready, as I was not ready for any of my visions.
At last, the day comes that I have been waiting for; dreading; praying would not arrive. I have my vision. It is awful, as the visions always are, but it does not, as I had half expected, foretell the destruction of the forest.
No. This time, only Kibo is in danger, but that is quite bad enough. Today, this afternoon, a raging Nidoking will crash through the forest, train his hyper beam attack on my friend, then continue on, as if Kibo is nothing more than a small obstacle in his path.
I remain in the place where I have slept, watching the forest with worried eyes. What if Kibo does not come today? What if I never have the chance to warn him; to say goodbye?
But, just a little after midday, he appears from out of the brush. I watch him eagerly, happy and sad at the same time. Glad that I have been given this last time to be with him, sad that I shall never have that chance again.
He smiles warmly as he drops his daily offering beside me. I smile back, my expression tinged with sorrow, and lick his cheek.
Kibo is surprised. I have never before touched him, thinking it might make things worse when the curse finally took hold of him, but now I mourn the lost opportunities. I avoid his eyes as I bend to eat the Pidgey that is my meal today. It is probably the last meat I will ever taste.
"Are you all right?" Kibo asks as I finish. "You seem terribly sad today."
His kindness closes my throat and brings tears of sorrow to my eyes. "No," I say thickly. "I am not all right. Could you . . . will you stay with me today? Just until sunset." Perhaps, if he does not go off alone, his fate can be avoided.
"Of course," Kibo says, and my tears run over. I lean my face into his thick, white ruff and sob, and he lets me. I had thought, after the Sneasels, that I had no more tears left in me, but now I find that I have enough to drown the forest in.
After a time, my tears slow to sniffles, then finally to nothing, and I lower myself tiredly onto my belly.
"There, there," Kibo says, settling himself comfortably beside me. "What's this all about?"
I shake my head and do not answer. Perhaps, if I do not speak of it, his death may yet be averted.
For a long time we lie quietly side - by - side, and as the sun sinks lower in the sky, I begin to think that maybe, just maybe, I have beaten the curse this time. By now, I ought to know better than that.
All at once, a huge crashing echoes through the forest, and we both start to our feet. I run a few steps, then stop and look back, realizing that Kibo hasn't followed. He is staring into the woods, probably curious as to what might be making that noise. I already know.
I turn to go back and urge him away, but at that moment, an enormous Nidoking bursts into the clearing. The hulking creature glances about, spots Kibo, and begins to charge up his attack.
Kibo seems frozen in place, mesmerized; whether from fear or surprise, I'm not sure. And suddenly, a white-hot rage spreads across my mind.
No! I will not let the curse have it's way this time. It has taken everything from me; family, friends, even my own love for life. I will not let it take Kibo, too.
Just as the Nidoking unleashes his hyper beam, I speed across the clearing and knock Kibo out of the way. The beam lances toward me, hitting me in the side. But because I was moving so fast, the attack does not kill me. It only skims across me, tumbling me over and over until I fetch up near the base of a tree. I vaguely hear the Nidoking move off, his anger spent, as Kibo rushes to my side.
"No!" I hear him cry. "Don't take another from me,please!" His parents, he has told me, both died from the same illness; a fever that washed over his pack, leaving few alive. We have much in common.
"I am not dead," I manage to choke out. It hurts to move, hurts to breathe, hurts even to think, but inside I am rejoicing. Kibo is not dead! He is here, still, with me. My visions can be changed!
"Thank goodness," Kibo says, touching his nose carefully to my cheek. "You must live, Sanji. I could not bear it if you left me."
I will live. I know this as surely as I have ever known anything. It may not go very quickly, but my wounds will heal and everything will be well.