Author's Note: I did it. I DID IT, I WON! *jumping up and down* I BEAT
CHRONO TRIGGER! Silly Lavos, thinking you can beat me! I AM INVINCIBLE!
Even though you had buried yourself in the center of the earth for
65,002,000 years, harvesting DNA from every living thing on the planet so
you could evolve and reproduce, spreading your spawn across the far reaches
of space, resulting in a cataclysmic end to the universe, I STILL BEAT YOU!
So there!
OK, I'm finished. I'm just extremely happy. Next up on my list of video games to beat is Final Fantasy 6... expect more rambling on that game soon!
In response to DDX's review, I'm afraid you're quite mistaken. This fic is nowhere NEAR its end. I'm planning on this going beyond 50 chapters. Yes, I am considering making this into a trilogy story arc. But that is a long time from now, trust me.
Chapter 28
"He ran away from his foster parents. He can't come with us anymore, the Spirit has chosen a new owner."
Sean spoke up at this point. He had been silent through the entire conversation between Rayen and his father.
"They're not my foster parents any more. The doctors at the hospital told me that they gave up their parental rights toward me the night after I left."
"Well, there you go. All the more reason he needs a place to stay. Can he crash here, Dad?"
"I suppose so. I supported you for seventeen years, didn't I?"
"Not alone."
Joseph O'Connor's face darkened.
"True. But your mother is dead now, Rayen. You need to accept that. She has been for two years, and you were fine during that time. Your friend will be fine here with me."
Kyra studied the two from her vantage point against the wall. She had seen Rayen at his mother's grave. She knew he had moved on. But the scar would always be there, just like the milky white slash that blemished his arm.
"All right then, we had better go."
"Are you sure you can't stay?"
"Yes. We need to meet up with the others. Do you mind, Kyra?"
Kyra nodded. They wanted a private conversation, and far be it from her to intrude. There were things that were best unknown by others. She and Sean left, leaving father and son alone. Joseph O'Connor grinned at his son and winked. Rayen knew what that look meant.
"Shut up, you old geezer."
"What? I didn't say anything."
"Yeah, but you were thinking it."
His father smiled again and shrugged.
"How many of them are there?"
"Two."
"Ah, good. Let them fight for a while, right?"
"I believe I told you to shut up at some point previously."
"Probably."
(Exactly what my father would have said, given the circumstances. .-;)
Rayen sighed. The banter veered away to other subjects, and eventually they exchanged a hasty sentimental goodbye. Sean came back in the room, and Kyra waited at the doorway for Rayen.
"Keep in touch."
"We'll come back and visit whenever we get the chance. We might be tied up from now on, at least for a while."
Joseph O'Connor nodded. After a final brief farewell, Rayen and Kyra walked out the door.
"So, can you find them?"
"Easily enough."
"Right. Let's go."
Kyra concentrated for a moment, locating the other group before they disappeared.
"What the hell?"
Phil was more than a little alarmed when Rayen and Kyra suddenly appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the back room of the RV.
"Miss us?"
"Hardly. Next time, a little more warning would be nice. Do you guys have your eggs?"
Rayen produced the football-sized egg, its ruby facets winking in the light. He placed it on the small table along with the Jade Egg already resting there. Kyra placed her own next to the other two. They placed various objects on all sides of the trio of eggs, to make sure they weren't jostled off the table if Dawn got into a rough area on the road.
"How long do you think it will be until they hatch?"
"Well, I'm guessing they all laid their clutches at about the same time, so they'll probably all hatch at once also. The Grand Red-Eye said they hatch quickly and grow faster, so we can assume it will be any time now..."
"Limestone Caves, dead ahead."
The motorhome slowed to a stop, and they all got out of the car. Kyra and Dawn created magical lights, and they led the way into the catacombs, their footfalls splashing in the many tiny pools of water. They eventually reached a large chamber, where Rayen stopped. Everyone else continued onward, until they realized they had left him behind. They turned around, waiting for him to catch up. But he merely stood there, gazing at the ceiling.
"What are you waiting for?"
"What do you mean? We're here."
"No we aren't. Have you noticed there aren't exactly any Dragons in the vicinity?"
"Yes there are. Look up."
"So, it's just darkness."
"Exactly. Have YOU noticed that the rest of the ceiling is covered in stalactites?"
As if on cue, the darkness expanded, and three pairs of huge black wings unfolded, revealing the trio of Dark Dragons. The Dark Dragon was quite unique in its body structure. While the other Dragons had some form of arms and legs, the Dark Dragons had no visible appendages whatsoever, except for a long claw of ivory that extended from the underside, from which the Dragons had hung on the ceiling like gigantic bats. Unlike the Jade Dragon, this species undoubtedly felt more comfortable in the air. The serpentine neck turned, and the Dragon gazed at them knowingly.
"Ah yes. Our saviors have arrived."
The voice was cold and bottomless, dully echoing off the limestone walls of the caves. Rayen could sense a hint of sarcasm in that last statement, as though the Dragon didn't approve of delegating such responsibility to mere Humans. However, the female extended her neck to its full length, the egg clutched safely in her jaws. Shade took it, and the three Dragons folded back up again, resuming their rest. It was clear they had nothing else to say. Rayen shrugged, and the Dragoons left the cave.
Little did they know, the Dark Dragon was still watching them.
"We'll see if you are up to your tasks very soon."
OK, I'm finished. I'm just extremely happy. Next up on my list of video games to beat is Final Fantasy 6... expect more rambling on that game soon!
In response to DDX's review, I'm afraid you're quite mistaken. This fic is nowhere NEAR its end. I'm planning on this going beyond 50 chapters. Yes, I am considering making this into a trilogy story arc. But that is a long time from now, trust me.
Chapter 28
"He ran away from his foster parents. He can't come with us anymore, the Spirit has chosen a new owner."
Sean spoke up at this point. He had been silent through the entire conversation between Rayen and his father.
"They're not my foster parents any more. The doctors at the hospital told me that they gave up their parental rights toward me the night after I left."
"Well, there you go. All the more reason he needs a place to stay. Can he crash here, Dad?"
"I suppose so. I supported you for seventeen years, didn't I?"
"Not alone."
Joseph O'Connor's face darkened.
"True. But your mother is dead now, Rayen. You need to accept that. She has been for two years, and you were fine during that time. Your friend will be fine here with me."
Kyra studied the two from her vantage point against the wall. She had seen Rayen at his mother's grave. She knew he had moved on. But the scar would always be there, just like the milky white slash that blemished his arm.
"All right then, we had better go."
"Are you sure you can't stay?"
"Yes. We need to meet up with the others. Do you mind, Kyra?"
Kyra nodded. They wanted a private conversation, and far be it from her to intrude. There were things that were best unknown by others. She and Sean left, leaving father and son alone. Joseph O'Connor grinned at his son and winked. Rayen knew what that look meant.
"Shut up, you old geezer."
"What? I didn't say anything."
"Yeah, but you were thinking it."
His father smiled again and shrugged.
"How many of them are there?"
"Two."
"Ah, good. Let them fight for a while, right?"
"I believe I told you to shut up at some point previously."
"Probably."
(Exactly what my father would have said, given the circumstances. .-;)
Rayen sighed. The banter veered away to other subjects, and eventually they exchanged a hasty sentimental goodbye. Sean came back in the room, and Kyra waited at the doorway for Rayen.
"Keep in touch."
"We'll come back and visit whenever we get the chance. We might be tied up from now on, at least for a while."
Joseph O'Connor nodded. After a final brief farewell, Rayen and Kyra walked out the door.
"So, can you find them?"
"Easily enough."
"Right. Let's go."
Kyra concentrated for a moment, locating the other group before they disappeared.
"What the hell?"
Phil was more than a little alarmed when Rayen and Kyra suddenly appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the back room of the RV.
"Miss us?"
"Hardly. Next time, a little more warning would be nice. Do you guys have your eggs?"
Rayen produced the football-sized egg, its ruby facets winking in the light. He placed it on the small table along with the Jade Egg already resting there. Kyra placed her own next to the other two. They placed various objects on all sides of the trio of eggs, to make sure they weren't jostled off the table if Dawn got into a rough area on the road.
"How long do you think it will be until they hatch?"
"Well, I'm guessing they all laid their clutches at about the same time, so they'll probably all hatch at once also. The Grand Red-Eye said they hatch quickly and grow faster, so we can assume it will be any time now..."
"Limestone Caves, dead ahead."
The motorhome slowed to a stop, and they all got out of the car. Kyra and Dawn created magical lights, and they led the way into the catacombs, their footfalls splashing in the many tiny pools of water. They eventually reached a large chamber, where Rayen stopped. Everyone else continued onward, until they realized they had left him behind. They turned around, waiting for him to catch up. But he merely stood there, gazing at the ceiling.
"What are you waiting for?"
"What do you mean? We're here."
"No we aren't. Have you noticed there aren't exactly any Dragons in the vicinity?"
"Yes there are. Look up."
"So, it's just darkness."
"Exactly. Have YOU noticed that the rest of the ceiling is covered in stalactites?"
As if on cue, the darkness expanded, and three pairs of huge black wings unfolded, revealing the trio of Dark Dragons. The Dark Dragon was quite unique in its body structure. While the other Dragons had some form of arms and legs, the Dark Dragons had no visible appendages whatsoever, except for a long claw of ivory that extended from the underside, from which the Dragons had hung on the ceiling like gigantic bats. Unlike the Jade Dragon, this species undoubtedly felt more comfortable in the air. The serpentine neck turned, and the Dragon gazed at them knowingly.
"Ah yes. Our saviors have arrived."
The voice was cold and bottomless, dully echoing off the limestone walls of the caves. Rayen could sense a hint of sarcasm in that last statement, as though the Dragon didn't approve of delegating such responsibility to mere Humans. However, the female extended her neck to its full length, the egg clutched safely in her jaws. Shade took it, and the three Dragons folded back up again, resuming their rest. It was clear they had nothing else to say. Rayen shrugged, and the Dragoons left the cave.
Little did they know, the Dark Dragon was still watching them.
"We'll see if you are up to your tasks very soon."