Last Chance Fallout
A/N: Sage: Ah, sorry for such a long delay but well, I really needed to work on other stories at the time and well, you know. But I'm here and ready to update this story.
Kaley: So now it's time for viewer mail!!
Bakura:…Don't you mean reviews?
Elk: She just watched X-Play, give her a break…ok! Some of you seem to really like Sora since you didn't like it when he died a bit back. But he just died in the game so he's probably fine. Maybe…uh, is he alright Kaley?
Kaley: Ok, now to Locked! If you would do something like clean up my typos and my mistakes and make the chapters look clean and neat I'd be most grateful!
Elk: She didn't answer my question again…
Sage: Yes, as you all have learned we love cliffhangers. Plus with the story ending soon it made sense to leave you all in a bit of suspense. Yay for rhyming.
Bakura: Ok, A. Pikachu asked what's up with Tsukasa. Well, he is really a she but plays a male character in the World. Elk probably never bothered asking what his gender was since he looks male and Tsukasa is a genderless name. Tsukasa probably also didn't feel close enough to tell Elk much of anything at first, and now feels so close to him that he's too nervous now to say anything. Phew. But yes Tsukasa is a girl. Kite knows this and Tsukasa's friends know this but Elk's in the dark.
Elk: I am?
Bakura: In the fic idiot…
Kaley: Kay! Also a lot of you liked how Kite was the friend Elk was in need of. I think they are good friends but Dark Seraph Aerith is slightly wrong. I'm not going to pair them up.
Sage: Even though I want to…
Kaley: Because Elk already has enough on his plate so to speak.
Elk: Kaos Soul said Kaley is now her muse…which means Kaley and all the other muses are now her muses, so I'm Kaley's muse and her muse or…wow weird…but thanks!
Kaley: I think that's everything. The reviews were great! They made me want to work harder so here's chapter 11!!
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"…Where did you hear that name?" Tsukasa was taken aback. He'd never thought he'd hear the name Maha again, especially not from Kite. Yet he the two stood, staring each other in the eye with the question floating in the air between them.
"I heard it from a friend." Kite said simply. "But you were also mentioned. She thought Elk was you and started rambling about Tsukasa and Maha."
"Well…I…I…" Tsukasa's hands tightened on his staff. "Listen…she…" He fell against the wall near him and let his head hit his chest. "I didn't tell…I mean, the only people that would know…but you remember don't you? I was in a coma…while I was trapped in here. When I was here…watching over that girl…that's when I met Maha…she was my…" He trailed off and sank slowly to the ground, pulling his knees up to his chin. The twin blade sat down next to him, noticing the sudden change in his friend. Tsukasa now seemed distant and almost angry in a way. He even looked like he could cry at any moment.
"Tsukasa, you said you didn't tell anyone this?" Kite said in surprise.
"Well, I mean, Bear and the others know…and you now but I didn't think…" The wavemaster bit his lower lip. "I just…Maha protected me and tried to stop her from hurting me and Subaru…but then Maha…she was…" Tsukasa's eyes closed and Kite saw a few tears seeping out. "I tried so hard to forget about it because Maha was always there for me. But she died…saving me and the others. I think I was the only one who understood her too. I…"
"So then Maha was an A.I?"
"I guess…" Tsukasa wiped away his tears. "But then I asked Helba once what happened to her and she said 'Morganna will reuse her, breaking her up and making something new.'"
"What did Maha look like?" Kite asked cautiously. He didn't
want to bring up these memories but if Mia thought she was some dead AI then it
was important to know all the details.
"Well…she was kinda small and…she had a wizard type of hat on, you know the pointy kind?" Tsukasa waved his hand above his head to indicate where the hat was. "Then she had this star over her eye, really pretty…oh! She wasn't a human AI he was more like a cat then anything."
"A cat?!" Kite blinked in surprise. How many cat types could there be? "Mia…Maha…their names are close…and both cats and…" Kite frowned and close his eyes. "Maybe then…they could be related or something…Maha died…but Mia…"
"Kite…what are you thinking?" Tsukasa frowned. "Do you know something about Maha?"
"Well…heh…" Kite smiled. "I think something might happen if I don't figure this out…would you do me a favor Tsukasa?"
"What is it?" Tsukasa was always weary of requests.
"Would you watch over Elk while I gather some information?" The twin blade stood, adjusting his hat. "I don't know what's going on but Elk could be in danger for all I know…and I won't be around so…just kind of be there for him?"
"Don't worry." The other boy stood, not a single trace of any of his former sadness on his face. Instead he had a somewhat cocky smile replace it. "Just be careful and…tell me if you find out anything about Maha."
"I will." Kite grinned before leaving through the chaos gate for another server. Tsukasa glanced up at the sky and sighed.
"And I thought it would end if I was able to log out…"
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A small yawn was the only sign that Elk was extremely tired. According to his clock, it was about two in the afternoon but it made sense to sleep in. After all he'd been through it was important to get some rest. Now he was up and feeling wonderful. The young wavemaster walked around the floating city with a grin, stopping at the Grunty ranch to feed one of the new babies. He was even humming softly as he stoked the young creature.
"That's such a cute Grunty. I'm not much for raising them myself…" He turned and saw, a bit to his surprise, Subaru. "I'd like to sometime though…" She smiled at him. "I'm sorry. My ramblings must have disturbed you…"
"Not really…" Elk grinned. "Um, I was just humming a little and well…I just am really happy today!" He laughed nervously as the delicate girl sat next to him. Another Grunty cub wandered over and she began to pet him.
"I'm glad…you seemed a bit depressed the last time I saw you." Subaru said quietly. "But now you do seem to be much better. I…I was a bit worried about you."
"I'm alright." Elk sighed. "I don't know how long I'll be like this but…today for sure. I'll stay happy today. I saw my friend last night and she's ok. I've been so worried about her and last night I saw her."
"How are your…romantic dealings going?" She asked, seeming a bit uneasy. "I mean, I know it's a complicated situation."
"Oh you mean…" Elk's eyes fell from Subaru and went to the grass he sat on. "You're talking about Balmung and Tsukasa right?" He didn't wait for the woman to answer before he continued. "I guess it's gotten worse…Balmung he…umm…kissed me…and umm…I…" He groaned loudly, "I still don't get any of it."
"Any of…it?" Subaru repeated. "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean, I don't get…I guess the only word I can think of…is the emotions." He said. "The feelings and the emotions…I don't get it. I don't get what Balmung's feeling, I don't get what Tsukasa's feelings and I don't get what I'm feeling."
"Love is a very complex emotion." She smiled, her wings fluttering a bit in a gust of wind. "And sometimes it can be hard to see the difference between a friend you love and someone you love as more than a friend. So I can understand that you are confused."
"So what do I do then?" Elk asked her.
"The only thing you can do is sort out your feelings. Decide what it is you want before you think about what others want." Subaru put her hand over his, causing the younger boy to look up at her. "I had to figure out my own needs before I could truly be happy. I was so wrapped up in doing things for others that I didn't do anything for myself. So first you have to do what you want and go from there."
"Will that work?"
"It might." She giggled. "If it does, then you'll be able to comprehend your thoughts and then you'll understand what you're feeling. There's no guarantee that you'll understand Tsukasa or Balmung but…it's a start right?" The two smiled and suddenly Elk's mood became even better.
"You're right!" He grinned. "It's a start."
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"Reflecting on one's life…really sucks…" Balmung sighed and fell back into the grassy plain. It was getting late in the day but he was content for the time to stay here in this empty field. He'd even go so far as to clear all the monsters from it just so he could have this thinking time. A gust of wind blew his hair into his eyes, along with a few feathers. The swordsman was quiet for much longer after that, though he wasn't really thinking much, he was nearly asleep. With a cool breeze and the warm sun, how could he not drift off a bit? Balmung made a slight mental note to write an email later to the World, telling them their effects were really amazing. He'd felt Elk's kiss and now he felt everything else around him even more vividly.
"Hey…what are you doing out here by yourself?" Balmung jumped and titled his head back towards the voice. He smiled when he saw the pleasant face of his friend, Kite.
"Ah, hello Kite…I'm just thinking…relaxing mostly though." He answered as he sat up. Kite nodded and looked up at the sky.
"It is a nice day in this area. Good place to sit in…" Kite turned his attention back to Balmung. "Hey, listen, I'm meeting up with someone here…could you umm…you know? Give us some privacy?" He blushed and adjusted his hat. "I mean, we have these things to talk about and well…you know."
"I understand." Balmung stood up, flicked a few stray blades of grass from his wings. "You must be meeting with Blackrose then?" He added with a slight smirk.
"Huh?! Oh no, I-I'm not meeting with her…really!" Kite said quickly as Balmung continued to grin.
"Heh, you do like her a lot though, it just wouldn't surprise me if you did want some alone time with her…" The blademaster laughed and shook his head.
"W-well I guess so…but you do things like that too." Kite said, trying not to sound as though he were pouting. "You took Elk somewhere private."
"What?" Balmung blinked several times. "It's…not…it's not like…" He blushed and looked away. "Uh, I should leave you and your friend alone. I shall depart now. Farewell Kite." He gated out immediately just as someone else gated in.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting Kite." The tall woman said. "I took a bit longer than expected to get all the information requested."
"It's alright, Helba." Kite smiled.
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"Oh, no…are you hurt? Are you ok?" "Ah, I'm just fine, please don't worry about me…" "No, you're not…I'm going to use a healing spell alright?" "Elk, don't, you wasted so many items in that battle and you're missing so much of your sp. Please, I'll use a healing potion on myself.""Oh but…Balmung I…I want to be able to protect you like you protected me…please let me…help you…"
"But why?"
"Because I…I…I love you Balmung!"
"You do? Do you mean it?"
"Yes of course I do! Mia, Tsukasa, no one else matters to me as much as you do…Balmung…"
"Elk…I…I love…I love you too…Elk…"
"Balmung…"
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A young man jolted up in his chair, his headset falling down his face. He blinked some sleep from his eyes and put a hand to his lips. The ones that, in his dream of only a moment ago, Elk had kissed out of passion. The man groaned and banged his head against the computer desk in front of him.
"When will these dreams end?" He grumbled, the vision still replaying over and over again in his mind. Such a brief but beautiful dream. "But that's all it is…a dream…a pathetic…stupid dream…Elk will never say those words to me…ever…"
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"Hey, Elk!" The young wavemaster looked up with a start. Subaru had left him about an hour ago and he'd spent most of it wandering in near silence save for his humming. Hearing his name caused him to feel a small adrenaline rush.
"Ah, Tsukasa you kind of scared me…" Elk laughed as the other mage caught up with him. "You came out of nowhere…"
"Hey Elk, I've been thinking about you today." Tsukasa said right away. The blue haired boy jumped, blushing almost instantly.
"Y-You have?"
"Yeah, and well I was thinking, you and I are close right?" Tsukasa's voice was staying so casual, yet Elk still felt his heart pumping against his chest. Unlike his friend, Elk couldn't keep calm for some reason.
"Y…Yes of course!" Elk cried. "You're one of my best friends Tsukasa…"
"Then why don't you come over sometime?" The tan robed wavemaster said. "Kite told me you live in my area. I was thinking we could go out and do something?"
"You mean…in the…not in…" Elk blinked, stammering useless words. "Well…I…you mean outside?"
"Yeah, you could come over. I already asked and he said it's fine. Um, you remember a guy named Bear?" Tsukasa held up his staff. "He's about this tall and he has blue paint on him? A blademaster?"
"I…" Elk thought about it, vaguely remembering a man with that description. "I think I know who you're talking about."
"I live with him now. He said you could come over. So, do you want to?" Tsukasa waiting patiently as Elk fidgeted with the hem of his hat.
"This is sudden…" The boy said. "I…I guess…but umm…I'd have to ask and…well it's kind of strange since we only know each other through the game…"
"Kite might come over too, I'm thinking Saturday. That gives you two days to ask. Mimiru probably might join in but I know she's kind of weird around you so I'll see if I can get some alone time." Tsukasa rattled off his plans as though Elk had already said yes. "You can spend the night too, but you'd probably have to sleep on the couch. It's pretty comfortable though. It's not that bad…and we could go out to eat, hit a movie…you know, get closer."
"Get closer?" Now even Elk's arms had turned red. "I…Tsukasa…"
"Anyways, tell me what your parents say ok?" Tsukasa sighed. "I have to go run an errand. I'll see ya later Elk…and um, I really want you to come over so please ask…" He logged off, the yellow light rings surrounding him before he disappeared. Elk leaned against the wall and before long he decided he would definitely ask his mom. He wanted to see Tsukasa outside and though the thought made him nervous, that feeling was accompanied by excitement. Elk couldn't wait now. He grinned broadly, just as another of his friends came into the World.
"Elk?" Balmung stared in a dumbfounded shock at the wavemaster. Elk laughed and nodded.
"Hiya Balmung!" He waved him over. "What are you doing?"
"Just…woke up from a nap." Balmung said. "What about you?"
"Oh!! It's so…Tsukasa wants to meet me on the outside!" Elk cried happily. Balmung's eyes widened and he sighed.
"Ah, of course…I hope…I hope you have a lot of fun!" He said, hiding his true thoughts behind his smile. Because right then, all he could think was 'Tsukasa won…'
A/N: Sage: And that's all folks!!
Kaley: Yep, sorry this chapter took so long! I had a lot of homework and tests and stuff!
Elk: But it's done at last…
Bakura: Remember to review and we'll see you all later!!