Author's Note:
Ryu: Hello all, tis Saturday again! Oh I just love Saturdays!
Rio: Maybe that's why we made our updation day Saturday?
Ryu: Sounds good to me!
Rio: *sighs* Oh well. I tried people I really did, but I couldn't finish Lemuria. That's right, Lemuria will have to be two chapters. ducks random projectiles HEY I DID write what I promised. LOTS of Felix/Picard and they did get to Lemuria, they just didn't leave it yet. *audience is enlightened* AND any fluff lovers will agree with me that the ending is just perfect!
Ryu: And I take credit for Felix's thoughts!
Rio: Yes, Felix's thoughts are Ryu's creation (but wouldn't that mean that they are my creation if we are the same person.. .oh whatever). From what my friend has told me they are quite funny.
Ryu: They are accurate! People actually think like that!
Rio: *refuses to carry on this point of conversation* Anyway I think they're cute, especially because it gives Felix an innocent aura.
Ryu: Felix isn't already innocent? *Is confused*
Rio: *rolls eyes* Enjoy the new chapter everyone! *goes off to prepare for all the "aww they're so cute!" reviews that she could get for writing this fluffy stuff*
Fantasies of the Open Mind
Chapter Eight: Cataracts of Heaven
"It looks like it's part of the reptilian family." Solinari observed.
"No, it has webbed feet, and that's a feature of amphibians." Lunitari murmured.
"Yes, and it would suckle its young, providing it had young. But that's a mammalistic trait." Nuitari was puzzled.
"You know. It occurs to me that if we were looking at the live creature instead of its corpse, we might know much more." Solinari pointed out.
Having found this revelation, the three ghosts stopped analyzing the creature that had just been destroyed and tuned into the conversation that was taking place in front of them.
"So you're not working for the mayor?" Briggs asked fearfully.
Sheba made a gagging noise and Jenna shuttered. "Let him do his own dirty work." Kraden spoke. Briggs smiled faintly but turned fearfully to Felix. "You won't turn me in?"
Felix shook his head no and walked over to where Briggs was standing. He held out his hand and Briggs took in in a sign of friendship. Surprisingly Felix used his other hand to hit Briggs rather hardly over the head. "Neener, Neener, Blah." Felix said seriously, before walking back to where Picard and the others were watching. Sheba giggled while Picard and Jenna just blinked. Had Felix done something remotely humorous? It was a sign.
Briggs winced, "I guess I deserved that." Felix smiled before letting Briggs's wife take her "poor Briggsy" down to rest his head.
Picard nodded to Jenna and the two of them walked over to older woman who had watched the entire confrontation. "You are one of the forge, are you not?"
"Yes, I am descended from Hephestus's power. Have you a need of a forge?"
"We do." Jenna brought out the three prongs of the trident. A gasp filled the chamber.
"The prongs of the Trident! You want me to fix the weapon of Triton?"
"If that isn't a problem." Picard said, "We wouldn't want to ask something if it's not possible."
"NO... er... no problem at all." Picard smirked as she began melding the prongs together.
Meanwhile the ghosts, bored with the goings on, were again arguing about the salamander.
"Do you think it's cold blooded or warm blooded?"
"I have no clue. Maybe it's both?"
"Couldn't be both, has to be one or another."
Flames shot up from the pit, startling the three ghosts. When they saw it was merely the trident being fused back together they returned to their specimen.
"If it has all the properties of a water creature, be it amphibious or reptilian, then why do you suppose it is fire based?"
"One would think that fire would harm it, not be used for a weapon."
The ghosts continued thinking about the creature until Solinari noticed the adepts leaving. Pointing this out he and the other ghosts followed their guarded, still arguing about the long dead creature.
"I still think its amphibian..."
"Sometimes Alex REALLY annoys me!"
It was later in the day and Jenna was again sitting at the prow of Picard's ship. She, Saturos and the Dark Mage ghosts were commenting on the run-in they had earlier with Alex, Agatio, and Karst.
"It was surprising to see him with those two." Saturos commented.
"Surprising is not the word I would use." Jenna muttered.
"What's so upsetting anyway?" Nuitari whispered to Solinari.
"No clue." Solinari whispered back.
"Oh."
"Karst is so annoying, how can Alex stand her?" Jenna and Saturos had continued talking while the ghosts were conversing.
"I don't think he does. Agatio isn't bad though he lets Karst walk all over him." Saturos shook his head. "No backbone at all."
"I still don't understand why Alex needed them anyway. If he wanted to remind us about the lighthouses then I don't see why he couldn't have come to us by himself." Jenna frowned. "It's like I'm missing something."
"By now I'm not sure if Alex himself knows why he does half the things he does. The way it stacks up logically makes no logical seance. Those two are weaker than Menardi and I were so I don't see how Alex thinks they might succeed where we did not."
Jenna looked at Saturos surprised. "Succeed in what?"
"The Mars Lighthouse. It's in Prox. Alex must expect Agatio and Karst to light it, since you need an adept that is the same element as the lighthouse to complete the job. But even that makes no since because neither Karst nor Agatio knows how to light the Mars lighthouse. Sometimes Agatio and I would go there when we were younger. We couldn't get very far of course, but Karst, and Menardi two I imagine, refused to go there. After it was decided to light the lighthouses the elders in Prox forbade visiting the lighthouse except for those with the Mars Star. Karst and Agatio would never have gone against those orders."
"So they know nothing of the lighthouse." Jenna was thoughtful.
"Nothing useful anyway."
Jenna frowned, looking in the distance. "Fog's rising."
Saturos's eyes narrowed. "It's not rising Jenna, we're moving towards it."
"That's probably where Lemuria is then." Jenna murmured.
Saturos nodded. "You had better get back to Felix and Picard. They'll need help navigating through the whirlpools."
Jenna nodded and left the four ghosts on the prow.
"Sheba?"
"Yes?"
"We were supposed to go RIGHT, not LEFT!"
"Opps."
Felix sighed as the ship shuttered. They had just barely missed being swept back out to sea again. "Let's try this for the third time."
An hour or so later, the group emerged from the whirlpool area. Looking around Picard frowned. Felix saw this and walked over to where the Lemurian stood, looking out over the water.
"What's going on?" He asked quietly. He knew that Picard had known something about the trident that he had not told. Now was as good a time as any to find out.
"Its as I feared. With the lighthouses partially lit, Poseidon has risen to guard Lemuria against any evil that might come our way. And now he seances the trident."
"So we'll fight him." Felix shrugged. Picard turned to the earth Adept, worry etched on his features.
"It won't be that easy. Poseidon can't be hurt by normal attacks, he is a God, remember?"
"But we have the trident." Felix motioned towards the completed trident that Picard was holding. "If anything will pierce his armor, it would be that."
Kraden called Felix over to the other side of the ship where three volcanos could be seen in the near waters.
Picard sighed. "Its not hurting the guardian I'm worried about Felix." For a few seconds he let his eyes trace Felix's frame before turning to look at the three volcanos.
Jenna had watched the whole interaction. It was laughable. Her knowledgeable brother. The same one who seemed to know everything even if it was hidden in a hundred twisted ways, was completely clueless to a situation that was staring him in the face. She giggled. It would be interesting to see how long it would take Felix to understand. She gave him a week.
"So... that's what a guardian god looks like..." Sheba was a bit speechless.
They all stood on the prow of the ship, looking at the guardian before them. Kraden was trying to turn the ship sideways so they could fight on the deck, but for now they stood, staring down a God guardian.
Poseidon was huge. He had the body of an older man from the waist up but the body of a fish from the waist down. In his left hand he held a trident that looked like a larger version of the trident Picard held.
Surprisingly, Poseidon waited until the ship had turned to launch his first attack. The group had moved to the larger deck of the ship, Felix near the front with Picard, with Sheba and Jenna towards the back. Suddenly Poseidon roared and sent a wave towards the ship.
Picard's eyes widened. Watery Grave. He had heard of this attack. "Get down!" He yelled. They all ducked towards the deck as the water rolled over the ship. Felix was hit first, the wave catching him and whipping him back over the deck of the ship, to land with a crack on the rail of the ship. He hissed with pain as he lost feeling from the waist down. Felix swore, he had hit his backbone.
Picard's eyes widened as he saw Felix drop to the deck. Whipping the trident around, he let it fly towards Poseidon and ran back towards Felix. Jenna and Sheba moved forward to shield the healer, a practiced maneuver.
Felix felt the darkness at the corners of his vision as pain raced up and down his spine in twisted races. Water raced over him and he was plunged into darkness.
"Picard, watch out! Another wave's coming!" Jenna shouted. Careful not to bruise Felix's body, Picard maneuvered it back against the rail of the ship. As the water came he braced for the impact, placing his own body in front of Felix's own. (1) The water's force hit, throwing the two bodies together, Picard felt the wind be knocked out of him. As the water began to fade back he started concentrating on the prone form in front of him. A blue light surrounded them as Picard heard a bone snap back into place. Slowly Picard feed his Psyenergy into the spell, praying Felix would be all right.
Felix was. He just existed. Darkness clawed its way around him, but left him alone. Alone. Felix was alone. No, Felix wasn't alone. He was here.
After so many dreams with his mysterious lover, Felix now could feel when his lover was close. Was the dream lover even a he? Maybe the girl just had a low voice. No girls were yucky, except for Jenna. Jenna was his sister and therefore immune to all girl problems. So Felix's lover would have to be male. And He was here... somewhere. Where was he? Felix could feel him now all around, but he couldn't see him. No never see, only feel. Sometimes Felix thought he heard a voice, but he could never remember what the voice sounded like in the morning.
"Felix." Wait, that was a voice. Was it His voice though?
"Felix please-" Yes it was. Although Felix had never heard this voice plead with him before, it was His voice. Now if only Felix could see Him.
"Felix please wake up." Was that why Felix couldn't see? He was asleep. Well that made sense. But whenever Felix woke up, He wasn't there. Maybe Felix did not want to wake up.
"I need you to wake up Felix." the voice continued to speak. Well, Felix thought, if He needed Felix to wake up, then Felix would wake up. By now Felix would do almost anything to see who his mystery lover was.
"Picard-"
"I know Jenna!" Picard was getting annoyed. He liked a good fight but this was ridiculous! It did give him a chance to be really close to Felix though. For the umpteenth time water cascaded against Picard's back, pressing his body against Felix's.
"Come on. I need you to wake up, Felix." Picard begged. He was startled when Felix groaned and his eyes fluttered open.
Felix opened his eyes to see blue. Yes, blue was all he could see. Different shades and textures of blue. Oh, wait there was a body against his. Whose?
"Nice to see you back in the land of the living, Felix." Oh, it must be Picard's. "I'll move once the water stops pinning me against the railing here."
Water. Oh right, Poseidon. He wasn't destroyed yet. Felix blinked, feeling the Lemurian's body move away from his own as the water ceased running across the deck. Picard helped Felix up, just to hear Sheba cry out as she was rammed against the deck by Poseidon himself. Picard moved away towards the Jupiter adept and Felix managed to get to where Jenna was standing, somehow not bruised or battered. (2)
"One, why aren't you hurt, no offense meant. And Two, haven't we attacked that thing yet?"
Jenna turned to see her brother. "Oh, hi Felix. One, I have three familiars protecting me, and two, yes we have attacked him but he doesn't seem to be dead yet."
Felix frowned. "Do you know what the status of the Djinni is?"
"Sheba and I are out, Picard's are about halfway used, give or take a few."
"And mine are all on standby." Felix murmured.
"And we would like not to be." a voice squeaked. Felix frowned as he saw all of his Djinni waiting patiently. Sometimes they were more trouble than they were worth.
The guardian God sent a wave of lightning streaked with water at Picard and Sheba. Picard looked up from healing at the last second and threw Sheba away from the blast, the brunt of the attack forcing itself on the water adept's body.
Felix saw this, something twisting in his gut, and called for Judgment.
The earth Djinni squealed in glee and spiraled together forming into a beam of light that shown against the dark clouds of the sky. Felix watched his Summon devastate the waters with its attack thinking, "Now why did I do that?" Of course Felix would have attacked anyway, but why then of all times.
"Welcome to my home." Picard said softly.
Felix looked out over Lemuria. And Lemuria it was. Felix could see pillars and houses made of the same brick structure of the Lighthouses. In the distance he could see a castle that looked as grand and tall as a Lighthouse. If not for the air of sadness that wove itself around Lemuria it would have been a dream, a picture of the Elision Fields. But there was an aura of sadness, which was born from how everything seemed faded. This was not the Lemuria of legend, it was the Lemuria of today. That much was clear to Felix if not to Kraden.
The group had decided to split up upon arriving. Kraden had walked off who knew where. Jenna had headed towards the palace. Sheba had seen the Lemuria Springs and was having a ball there as far as Felix could see. And Felix? He and Picard were heading towards Picard's uncle and mother's house.
They were greeted warmly by Picard's uncle who informed Picard of his mother's death. Felix watched Picard's face whiten, his eyes open wide with disbelief. His voice was broken and soft when he asked where she was. His uncle replied that she had already been buried, and Picard left without a glance in Felix's direction. Felix made to follow him but was stopped by Picard's uncle. He was told to give Picard some space. Barely containing his emotion, Felix agreed and was told to go see Lupna.
As soon as he was out of the house Felix let out the growl he had been containing. How dare that man stop him... and why was he even feeling these types of feelings. Picard probably wanted to be by himself, but Felix couldn't help but want to go to him. Never the less, Felix waved down Jenna and Sheba and told them to find Kraden and go see Lupna. When Jenna asked him what he was going to do, Felix said he was going to go find Picard, and find Picard he would.
It took him a few minutes to locate the graveyard, considering his navigational skills and the fact that he had no clue where he was going. But he did find the graveyard, to see Picard break down at his mother's grave. A wave of pain hit Felix as he watched, but more as he heard.
"Mother...why..."
That voice. Felix's eyes widened as for the first time it clicked. His voice belonged to Picard...therefore Felix had been dreaming of Picard. During the battle with Poseidon, Picard's body had been against his and Felix had felt it. Picard and his lover had the same aura. Felix fought to keep a neutral expression, but his eyes were saddened. Why? Why did he have to know? Suddenly Felix wished he had never found out the identity of his dream lover. The rules of Vale would never permit love between two men, never. As long as he had not know the identity, he would have a chance to conform to Vale's rules, to live their definition of a "normal" life. Now he could not. How could he when he knew who he wanted?
Breaking away from his thoughts Felix walked away from the graveyard, surprisingly at a normal pace. He needed to think. He hadn't meditated in a long time, and look where it had gotten him. Maybe if he had taken time to think before he would have figured out the consequences of this knowledge.
Picard wiped the tears from his eyes which had not fallen. His mother was gone, nothing could be done about that. Not even Jenna could bring her back, for his mother had died when it was her time. He should go back to his life, back to... Felix. Why was Felix here? He had heard his uncle tell Felix to leave him alone. Sure Picard had hoped that Felix would disobey his uncle's request, but he had never believed that Felix would actually be there. Well he had been there. Felix turned away from the graveyard and started walking back towards the center of Lemuria, a pained expression in his eyes. Why pain? Picard smirked inwardly. How ironic. For once Picard was happy that Felix was sad, for it showed that Felix cared. Caring was always good. Dusting himself off, Picard followed Felix. Had he thought of what he was going to do, Picard would have thought of the repercussions which might arise, but caution had been thrown to the Jupiter Djinni and they weren't coming back any time soon.
Felix was wandering, Picard decided, as he followed Felix to the outskirts of Lemuria. Picard vaguely registered that they were near Lupna's house, when Felix jumped down a cliff and started walking towards a lone tree.
Figures, Picard thought. One does meditate under a tree most of the time.
Felix had just settled into a meditative trance, so to speak, when he sensed it. He was here. Oh, heck with denial. Picard was here. To be exact, Picard was sitting next to him. And Picard smelled of the ocean. Felix had always liked the ocean. He didn't know why, he just did. It always seemed to lull him to sleep though. That would not be good, falling asleep. But he was so sleepy. The days events, Picard's healing, and the stress must have finally gotten to him. So sleepy. Ocean. Sleepy ocean. Soft pillow, the ocean was. So very soft and comfy. No bed had ever been this comfy. Maybe he should sleep on the ocean more often. Maybe he should just sleep and not think about it. Yes, that was the best plan.
While Felix's subconscious was drifting off to dreamland, a very startled Lemurian was left in his wake. Yes it was not every day that the love of your life fell asleep on you unintentionally. Not that Picard minded, oh no. Picard would be very happy to just sit there and let Felix sleep. And that is what Picard did.
Felix drifted out of sleep to the ocean. The smell of the ocean to be exact. Felix liked this, he had obviously fallen asleep next to the ocean. But then why would his pillow smell of the ocean?( Reality took that instant to say "hi".) Oh no. Oh, no no no. Nononononono. He had not just fallen asleep on Picard... oh wait, he had.
Felix's eyes fluttered open. Well, how was he going to approach this predicament?
"Did you have a good rest?" Picard asked, his gaze out to the sea not wavering.
"Yes, actually. Best one I've had in years." Felix decided to just roll with the situation, nothing else he could do really.
"Would that be because you didn't fall off something?" Picard asked, smiling.
"And because you smell of the ocean."
Picard's eyebrow raised and he looked at Felix in confusion.
"I like the ocean." Felix tried to explain before he registered what he had said. Oh, dang.
Picard merely smiled, looking back at the ocean. Yes, even though Felix was awake he was still leaning on Picard, and Picard would not be the one to tell him that.
But Felix did figure out what position he was in and sat up against the tree again. Silence ensued as the two gazed away from Lemuria silently.
"Did you have a lot to think about?" Picard asked Felix after a while. "You obviously fell asleep while thinking."
"Just about the day... some rules that need changing." Felix muttered the last part then hoped Picard didn't hear it. But Murphy's Law states: Everything that can go wrong will. So it was inevitable that Picard would hear.
"Rules that need changing?"
"In Vale."
Picard thought for a minute. "Concerning you or someone else?"
Felix cringed. This would either be very good or very bad, he could feel it. But he had "dug his grave" so now he would have to lie in it.
"Me... and one other that I can think of." he said quietly.
"Who? Jenna?" Picard guessed because the rules of Vale only applied to those who lived in Vale.
"Not Jenna." Felix closed his mouth. He just would not open it again. This was getting to close to the subject that he decided he would NOT bring up with Picard. Little did he know that his was the very same subject that Picard was trying purposely to bring up.
"Who then?" Picard asked again.
"You." Felix cursed his mouth to the deepest pit of Hell. This was NOT good. Nope it was not good, very not good. This was not-
"But Valian rules would not apply to me." Picard murmured, his mind already yipping in glee as he worked out the rest for himself. Felix was, for once, letting emotions fly across his face with no barriers and, at his age, Picard knew what these emotions meant.
-good. This was not good. No, not good, not good, not good.
"So the only way Valian rules would apply to me-"
notgoodnotgoodnotgoodnotgoodnotgoodnotgood
"was if I married into a Valian family-"
No! Verybadverybadverybadverybadverybad!
"And since this also applies to you... I would assume-"
Badbadbadbadbadbadbadbadbadbadbadbadbadbadbad!
"-that would mean you have the same feelings for me that I do for you."
Badbad- good! Very good! Very extremely good!
I'm right, Picard thought, watching the relief play along Felix's features. "Am I right Felix?"
Felix nodded, worrying that if he opened his mouth the "Picard loves me!" mantra that his mind was now saying over and over would be brought to the surface.
Picard smiled, lifting Felix onto his lap. Felix snuggled into the embrace, his mind in silence after a "This is niiiice." thought.
Felix was vaguely aware of the closeness, vaguely aware of the protection he now felt, and vaguely aware that he was very, very happy. And secure. He could quite happily just stay here for the rest of his days thank-you-very-much.
"You still look tired." Picard noticed, watching as Felix fought to keep his eyes half open.
"Jenna... Sheba... at Lupna's-"
"I know. You can see the house from here. I'll wake you when they come out."
Felix heard no more as he drifted off into dreamland again, but this time he was not alone. No, Picard was there. Always, Picard was there. And that made Felix very happy, very very happy.
Author's Note:
(1) Don't you hate it when Poseidon uses Watery Grave over and over again? I hate it, so annoying.
(2) Didn't you wonder where the ghosts would come in? This will be talked about more next chapter when I focus more on Jenna.
OH, AND IF ANYONE CAN TELL ME WHAT "CATARACTS OF HEAVEN" MEANS I WILL POST THE NEXT CHAPTER ON WEDNESDAY! (I will then continue on my normal posting ritual. So if I have totally confused anyone I'll spell it out. Tell me what the title of this chapter means, i.e. Describe why I named the chapter this, and I will give you a chapter on Wednesday in addition to my normal Saturday uptation next week!)
signed Rio the FlowerofBlackFire