Author's Note:

Rio: Hey all!

Ryu: She only says that when she has something to say to change the routine... *is suspicious*

Rio: Well... yea. You see this is a good change though... Well I have to go to a service for my Grandfather, who died on Veterans day (yes, both my Great Uncle and Grandfather died in the same week...) but I don't know when I'll get home. So... I have decided to play it safe (so to speak) and post this chapter on Thursday. (yes, this will make many people annoyed...*is sarcastic*) And speaking of this chapter... it is dedicated to two people: my Grandfather, and UmbrielBluethorn... I will not describe why, my comments in previous author's notes will clue anyone in... (and in accordance to comments made by said best friend and author... about how one never sees Alex fight... well here's the answer!)

Ryu: Anyway... enjoy the story everyone, Fluffiness ahoy!

Rio: -_-;;; Ryu... I won't even ask.


Fantasies of the Open Mind

Chapter Thirteen: I'll be Your Candle on the Water



Alex stood looking at the blue monstrosity known as Aqua Rock with passive interest. Though he had never been here, just knowing that all the puzzles had been solved, made the natural wonder loose its luster. But seeing as it was secluded, it did supply him with a perfect place to reflect. For some reason water always helped when reflecting. So here he was, preparing to climb Aqua Rock.

Much had happened in the past few days, giving Alex many things to reflect on as his body fell into the steady rhythm of climbing. If one had told him a week before that Isaac and Felix would be willing to work together towards lighting the Lighthouses, he might have believed it if it was due to extenuating circumstances. But if one had told him that he would be tagging along... well Alex would have accused them of being drunk or crazy. And yet both things had happened. Alex had debated with himself over what Saturos had said. He would have to give Saturos credit for figuring out not only Alex's plan, but Alex himself. How Saturos had connected him to his heritage when Alex made sure that his origins were never mentioned, was beyond the Mercury Adept. Maybe it had something to do with dying or being dead. But Saturos had somehow known. He must have, to have brought up Alex's father like that.

Mercury was giving Alex a chance to choose a path different than that of power. Well Alex could believe that. His parent, like any other, was displeased with the lifestyle of his child and wanted the child to change. A common problem in families. The only difference was that his parent had much more power than a mortal parent. His parent was a god.

Directly connected to the Mercury Clan, Alex was. In fact, that was all most knew about Alex. Even those who had watched him grow up in Imil only knew that he was part of the Mercury Clan. Alex himself didn't know who his mother was, but he did know his father. And Alex had made sure that no one in Imil found out his strange heritage, saying that his more powerful abilities were the product of strict study and discipline. Heck, he had even fooled his teacher. Yes, even Mia had been fooled, even though she knew he spent hardly any time looking at spell books. Maybe she had thought it was a natural talent or something along those lines. If that was so, Mia would never know how right she was. Even though Alex was only half divine, he was born with all the healing and destructive powers of his father. It was almost an even split, Alex had thought before. He got his adept power from his father's side and his mortality from his mothers.

But that was why he was sure that he never fought in front of anyone, so no one would be able to see his power unleashed. But maybe that is why Saturos knew. He had brought Saturos back from the brink of death at the top of the Mercury Lighthouse. Saturos knew how close he had been to death, and yet Alex could heal him with close to no thought at all. That must be how Saturos had figured it out, because Alex was sure the Proxian had never seen him fight.

But he was closer than ever before in having his power revealed. Mia was starting to put two and two together even if she was openly refusing to see the signs pointed out in the records of the Mercury Clan. He knew that she knew that enhanced powers came from a more direct line to the god creator of the Clan. Why, after she had seen him Warp many times did she still not know? It bothered Alex to no end that she was acting as if there was nothing going on. He would rather have her say something than be silent. Not knowing what she thought was worse than knowing, he had decided. And if she hadn't figured it out by now then the girl was in serious denial.

Alex frowned. He had run out of rock to climb. Oh well. Alex found a perch on one of the statue heads that was not spouting water and started reflecting again.

As they stood right now, everyone was split up among the islands here and to the north of here. Picard, Felix, Isaac, and Jenna were heading northward towards Gaia rock. Ivan and Sheba were staying in the jungle-like town a bit northwest of here, the one devoted to Aqua Rock. Garet was staying in Izumo. And Mia? Alex had no idea where she was. Did that erk Alex to no end? Yes it did. Could he do anything about it without exposing his feelings to the world? No he could not. Did that annoy him? Yes it did.

"Alex."

Alex opened his eyes to see the answer to said annoyances.

"Mia." he replied calmly. It was time to "put the mask on" so to speak. Time to do what he absolutely hated to do and yet had done for most of his life: lie to Mia.

Mia raised an eyebrow at his greeting. The Alex she knew did not act this way.

"What's up?" she asked, sitting next to him on the statue.

"The rain droplets that make up the clouds in the sky." Alex answered firmly. This drew a small laugh from Mia.

"Alex, something is troubling you. I've known you too long for you to hid something like that from me."

"Maybe something is bothering me, but I don't remember asking you to help me with it."

"You just did." Mia replayed dryly. "By acknowledging my presence you allow me to question you."

"I am not your apprentice anymore, Mia. You would do wise not to treat me as such."

Mia looked at Alex strangely. "Then you would do wise not to act like I cannot see what is in front of me."

"Do I act that way?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Did you think I would not notice Alex? The distance you kept from everyone only helped to point out your differences, not seclude them."

"Did you really come all this way to tell me what I already knew?"

Mia looked at Alex for a while before answering. "No. I came to find you. You changed Alex. The Alex who left Imil would not have acted the way you have. Did you think I would not listen to you? The Alex I knew-"

"The Alex you knew is dead. He died a long time ago." Alex's voice was sharp, cold as snow and painful as hail.

"I don't believe that." Mia's voice was soft as a morning snowfall, but timid, as if she only half believed what she was saying.

"Well then you had better start believing it." Alex said crisply as if there would be no more discussion on the matter.

"If the real Alex is dead, then why did you come with us?"

"Real Alex? How do you know who I really am?" Alex's voice began to rise in volume but he did not loose his temper. "If you think that the way I was in Imil was the 'real' me then you are sadly mistaken."

"Am I?"

Alex turned to see the other water Adept looking out at the view. "You are. I don't care, or haven't you noticed? I look towards one goal and one goal only. Anything lost on the way is no concern of mine."

"It is you who are lost Alex." Mia whispered, more as if she was talking to herself than to Alex.

"You are in no position to say that."

"Maybe I'm not, but Mercury, Alex! If I don't say it then who will?"

"No one." Alex smiled ironically. "Because you are the only one who is foolish enough to tell me what to do."

"Then I have all the more reason to speak Alex."

"No. You have all the more reason to back off and leave me alone, as everyone else does."

"Everyone doesn't leave you alone Alex." the other water Adept raised an eyebrow. "Jenna doesn't leave you alone."

"Jenna is in a similar situation as myself."

"Similar situation?"

"We both have divine power, or did you not notice as you were climbing the Lighthouse?"

"I noticed. " Mia looked at him strangely again, as if searching for something. "So the only reason you're here is to stop her from doing something stupid, is that it?"

"Do I really have to tell you? No."

"You are acting childish, Alex. One would think you are my apprentice from the way you are acting."

"...Go away Mia."

Mia looked at Alex for a long time before getting down from the statue and looking at him again.

"You are right Alex. " she said softly. "The Alex I knew is dead... he died a long time ago."

Alex didn't watch Mia leave. He couldn't. But he had to open his eyes at some point and he did, in time to see Mia slide down one of the many waterfalls.

"Gods, what have I done?" Alex growled in frustration, getting down from the statue himself and walking to the edge. Mia had gone into the cavern part of the Rock, he noticed.

Inside Alex wanted to scream. How could he have just done that? His eyes flashed dangerously and suddenly the statue which he had been sitting on was no more, dissolved into a rivulets of water. That didn't help. No, it didn't help at all. Where were monsters when you needed them? Alex thought for a moment. There would be monsters guarding that psyenergy tablet that Picard had been complaining about, and that was... in the cave. With Mia. Oh, Mercury, Mars, and Hades!


When Mia had finally calmed down to realize where she was she was inside the cavern of Aqua Rock. Oh well, she had meant to come in here anyway, but she had almost planned on being in here with Alex. Unfortunately that did look like it would happen any time soon. She started walking down the hallways, only half looking at the cavern, which before she had been excited about studying. It was all his fault. Alex. He left Imil just when she was starting to realize how she felt about him. Okay, maybe in her heart she didn't blame Alex, and maybe at the time she had been secretly relieved that she would not have to come to terms with telling him. But still, it was the principal of the thing. Then, when she thought she would never see him again he had appeared out of no where at the top of the lighthouse! All of the feelings had come rushing back and it was all she could do not to throw herself at him and never let go. Of course he had been working for what she had then thought of as the "bad" side, the side she had fought against. And he betrayed her again, would hardly even acknowledge her presence. So she had joined Isaac, Garet, and Ivan, partly to stop what Saturos and Menardi were trying to do, but mostly because she knew that if she continued on the quest she would see him again. Thus came the third fault. He had not shown up at the Venus Lighthouse! She thought maybe he had abandoned the idea and might even have gone back to Imil, but of course she had been wrong. This started the final problem, which included all of his behavior towards her at the present. It almost made her blood boil. He was rude, conceited-

She groaned. She wouldn't start listing his attributes right now, for she would eventually run out of bad ones and come to the good ones, and fall in love all over again. Alex himself was dead, this new... copy of Alex had said so. She would "start believing it" as he had told her to.

A low growl caused her to turn. Well, what had she gotten herself into this time...


Alex heard the sound of fighting and headed down that way. Rounding a corner he saw what he had almost expected to see. A lone water Adept fighting off many water-biased monsters. But what he had not expected was that she was holding her own against them. Sure she had a nice long gash down her right arm, but that didn't stop her from destroying all of the creatures trying to destroy her. Truly Alex would have liked to sit back and watch, it was a stunning and beautiful sight to see. Exotic how the blood ran down to her fingers, her eyes flashing in defiance as she was forced back. Not to mention that the entire scene was backed by the massive waterfall... which Mia was getting pushed towards.

"NO!" Alex's eyes blazed. Water pored from his being, controlled by his eyes which seemed to glitter with a godly light. The power consumed him, melding flesh to water and water to flesh. He was the water; the water was him. He saw Mia take the last step that would through her off the cliff into the deep ravine created by the waterfall and suddenly he couldn't see. Only feel. Feel the life drain from the monsters as his power consumed them. Feel their shrieks of pain before their life was snuffed out. But not see. All he could see was the Mercury Adept slowly falling away from him. He would not loose her. He would not!

"Alex!"

"I have you Mia."

Slowly Alex pulled Mia back on to the cliff, his eyes hardening when he saw the jagged outlines of rocks below. Mia saw where he was looking and looked down also as he pulled her up. She let out a little shriek as she realized how close to death she had been. Grabbing on to Alex, almost not realizing that they were both on solid ground. She held him as if he would disappear and let her fall. He couldn't! Alex would not allow her to die like that. Well the Alex she knew wouldn't do that. This new Alex, she wasn't sure. Would he have let her fall?

"I could not let you fall Mia."

Mia squeezed her eyes shut. This was the Alex she knew, whom was holding her as tightly as she was holding him. But how long would he be here before the colder Alex replaced him.

"Are you all right Mia?"

Yes, this was the Alex she knew. She could see the concern in that would be in his blue eyes, eyes that shifted from the angry blue-black of a shifty sea to the concerned aqua of a summer sky in Imil. No she wasn't all right. He would soon take Alex away again. The other Alex, the one that would have let her fall. "No. I'm not."

Alex just held her, rocking slightly. "I'm right here Mia. I won't let you fall."

"But the other you would."

Alex was confused, she could tell. Did he not know of the other being that would replace him soon? She had to make him understand.

"The colder you. The Evil you. He will be here soon... he will let me fall." The last part of the sentence was whispered so low, that Alex could hardly hear it, but it made his blood run cold.

"Mia, open your eyes. See that I am right here. I'm not leaving."

"But you will-"

"Mia, please, open your eyes." Alex begged. Mia could feel and hear the desperation that was now coloring his eyes to be a more gray-blue. Alex was hurting because she would not look at him? She would not let Alex be hurt.

Cerulean orbs opened to look at Alex. No smirk adorned his face, the calm demeanor was replaced with real feelings. This was her Alex.

"Don't leave me. When he comes, don't leave me."

"I never left Mia." Alex's voice was low, as a child would confess their sins, Alex talked now. "He was a mask that I put on around everyone to distance them from myself."

Mia smiled and embraced Alex again. This was her Alex and he would never leave, he had said so. The Alex she knew would never break a promise. But now that her Alex was here, there was the matter of how to tell him. And she promised herself, that when her Alex returned, she would tell him. But how to do so?

"Mia... you're still bleeding."

Mia looked down to see that Alex was right. The older adept ran his finger over the cut a small bluish light following it. The skin healed as if she had never been cut in the first place. With the return of blood to her system, Mia's logic returned as well. Looking around she saw that the room was covered in water and ice. Had that been Alex's work? Wordlessly she looked at Alex for explanation.

"You scared me Mia. I thought I would loose you. So... I lost control... sort of..."

Mia's eyes widened. Alex had called upon his normally untapped power of Mercury for her? But he never fought unless...

"I would never let you fall Mia." Alex said softly, claiming her lips with his own. Mia's eyes closed slowly as she gave into her own feelings towards the Mercurian descendant, burring her hands in Alex's hair and feeling his own encircle her waist. No Alex never fought unless...

...he was fighting for something worthwhile.




Author's Note:

Ryu: And there it is people, IN ALL OF IT'S FLUFFY GLORY! (All hail the power of fluff!)

Rio: -_-;;; *has stopped listening to Ryu* You know Ryu this chapter did not move the plotline forward in anyway...

Ryu: *rereads chapter* ^.^ It is the power of fluff. But we do advance the plotline in that one thought of Alex which tells where everyone is...

Rio: You dimwit! Alex does not "think". Felix "thinks". Alex "reflects".

Ryu: *is enlightened* I see... anyway it sets the stage for many things... ^.^

Rio: Yes, but I am a bit lost for the next chapter. If anyone has any specific ideas for Felix/Picard fluff and would like to see it written, tell me! I PROMISE if you tell me something (mind you not crazy stuff like committing bank robberies together... but romance kind of stuff) I WILL put it in the chapter! PROMISE!

Ryu: Well... you just gave away the major pairing for the next chapter... ^.^;;

Rio: Desperate times call for Desperate measures.