Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.
Author's Note: Last chapter! Please be sure to drop off a review on the way out! I was kinda depressed when I only got 5 reviews for a story 11 chapters long....I would have even been happy if I had gotten flames by that point! T.T my new favorite smilie.
NeoNaoNeo
Chapter 16: Stranger
"Oh, we're going home, we're going home! I'll finally be able to cook by myself again!" Quan sighed blissfully, packing his clothes into a suitcase, the early morning sunlight illuminating the small room he, Fawn and Almanac were sharing. It wasn't that Garnet didn't have enough rooms for each of them, but they were so used to sleeping all together that the thought of sleeping alone was simply terrifying.
"I know, I know!" Almanac agreed with a nod, pulling his bag of things off the bed. "I miss my books."
"And my flow'rs probably need water," Fawn said.
"It's rained plenty," Quan said, giving Fawn a slight, playful push.
"But they probably miss me...." Fawn said.
"Your flowers can't miss you!" Quan argued.
"Yeah! Th-they can!" Fawn retorted. Sprite walked into the room, his face unusually solemn as if he was bearing a burden on his soul. Fawn turned around, noticing his quiet brother. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, I just wanted to tell you Dad was coming home with us too." Sprite said happily as he could.
"What? H-he can't! He tried hurting you!" Almanac said defensively.
"Almanac...." Sprite murmured.
"He's right," Quan said.
"But he didn't know any better! We have to teach him everything all over again!" Sprite said.
"What?" Fawn asked.
"He doesn't remember, so we're going to help him, okay?" Sprite said, his statement more of a command than a request.
"Okay Sprite, if you say so," Fawn nodded.
The other two siblings agreed submissively. Sprite smiled and gave his brothers a hug.
"Thanks..." Sprite murmured. "It won't be the same....but we'll get through."
Quan nodded.
Sparrow walked into the room, bags in both his hands.
"Hey, come on! They're loading the airship, Patches is already on there." Sparrow said, jerking his head towards the dock.
Quan and Fawn picked up their bags and began walking out of the room, followed quickly by Sprite, Almanac lagging behind as he dragged his bulging bag slowly. Sparrow offered a hand and tried picking up his younger brother's bag in addition to his, but nearly fell over from the heavy weight.
"Jeez! What do you have in here!?" Sparrow complained.
"....Garnet gave me some new books..." Almanac said sheepishly, adjusting his glasses.
"Ugh, you're hopeless." Sparrow chuckled and took out a few of the heavier volumes. "Here, try carrying it now."
Almanac lifted his lightened bag up and walked out of the room, Sparrow following behind.
Vivi stood on the deck of the airship, looking skyward, his wings stretching and closing at his sides nervously. He'd never heard something make so much noise or saw anything so big....
He looked around, noticing a familiar looking mage staring at him. Vivi thought a moment and sighed. 'I hope Sprite gets here soon....'
"Dad!" Sprite peeped and ran at Vivi, hugging him around the waist. The waltz drew back for a moment, but felt oddly comforted by this gesture. He was used to being in Sprite's position, holding onto a larger counterpart for security and insurance, but being the insurer was a peculiar feeling.... Vivi returned the embrace cautiously.
Quan, Fawn, Almanac and Jet-Jet had gone on the other part of the airship, skiddish of their own father's presence. Sparrow, however, was fairly curious and intrigued. He adjusted the cock's feather in his hat and examined Vivi's wings.
"H-hello..." Vivi said. "What are you doing?"
"I-I'm just looking at your wings," Sparrow replied shyly.
"Oh, don't do that, they're ugly..." Vivi muttered. His wings did look fairly unorganized and even ugly at the moment, several feathers falling out clumps at a time.
"I'm still jealous," Sparrow chuckled. "Besides, you're just molting."
"'Molting?' Isn't that something with spots?" Vivi said. Sparrow was taken back at this statement, completely surprised by this unknowledgable response. He remembered what Sprite had said and decided to explain.
"No, that's mottled," Sparrow said. "Molting is when your feathers fall out so you can get new ones."
"But I don't want new ones..." Vivi grumbled, another plume falling out and drifting away in the breeze. The engines' grumbles became several roars as the airship took off.
"Well...you can't help it," Sparrow sighed.
"Yeah..." Vivi murmured. Sprite had left and joined his siblings. Sparrow began to leave, but Vivi stopped him. "Are you going to leave too...?"
"I don't have to," Sparrow said.
"Good!" Vivi said with a smile. Sprite was once again walking up, followed by the rest of his brothers. "Hi, what are you guys doing?"
"Nothing really," Quan murmured.
"What's he doing?" Vivi asked, looking to the cockpit.
"He's driving the airship," Sparrow replied.
"Why?"
"It's his job..." Almanac responded.
Vivi gulped. Lenore had given him a job and he had failed miserably. He bit his lip and sighed. Vivi didn't want to let go of the life he had had at the Desert Palace, the security he had with Lenore. 'But I failed.' he thought. 'So I can't...'
He shook his head and looked below.
"Hey, what's that?" he asked and pointed. The whole group of mages turned their gaze below, seeing nothing but the sea of green grass.
"What's what?" Sparrow replied.
"All that green stuff down there," Vivi said. "It looks too small to be a tree or spider plant..."
"That's grass!" Fawn said with a innocent laugh.
"Grass? The only grass I've seen was yellow and crunchy." Vivi retorted.
"That's because it was dead," Quan said.
"Dead?" Vivi asked. "Plants can die too?"
Fawn nodded vigorously.
"Oh boy, here we go..." Jet murmured, knowing Fawn to be the only being on the planet Gaia to be able to get on a soapbox over plants.
"They die just like people, if they're hurt or don't get enough water..."
"You can't hurt a plant!" Quan said. "We've talked about this before!"
"Yes you can!!!" Fawn cried passionately. "They have feelings too!"
"Nuh-uh!" Jet taunted.
"If you step on the grass, does it hurt it?" Vivi asked.
"Well grass---" Fawn started off.
"Would you two stop talking about grass?!" Jet murmured with false irritation.
Sprite giggled at the small discussion going on between his father and brothers. It was as if nothing had ever happened, they were arguing, playfully fighting and adding their own two cents in at appropriate intervels, though it was now Vivi asking all the questions and his siblings were the sages that answered.
"You okay Sprite?" Sparrow asked his brother off to the side.
He nodded.
"Yeah, I was just thinking," Sprite replied.
"About what?" Sparrow asked, the conversation proceeding without them, Vivi was now asking what, exactly, clouds were made out of.
"Well, just...that we're finally going home, and we got dad back," Sprite sighed happily.
"Yeah but..."
"I know, it's not gonna be the same," Sprite said wistfully.
"Yeah."
"But does it matter?" the small mage asked. "I mean, as long as we're together, it's okay, right?"
Sparrow looked up to the sky for a moment.
"I never thought of it that way," Sparrow chuckled. "Sometimes I think you're alot smarter than you let on."
"Dad used to say that..." Sprite said, his voice slightly breaking.
"Aw, come on Sprite," Sparrow said. The small mage's sniffles became a laugh. "Hm?"
"You think Eiko's going to make that funny face she makes when she gets really mad when she finds out?" Sprite asked.
"Ha, yeah, maybe." Sparrow said. "But I think she'll just be glad Dad's okay."
Sprite looked to Vivi, who was playfully arguing with his sons.
"It might not be EXACTLY the same...but it'll be okay, I know it will," Sprite said happily and began walking towards his brothers to join into the conversation.
A/N: AWWWWWW!!!! Well, end story. Hope you enjoyed it.
NeoNaoNeo
Author's Note: Last chapter! Please be sure to drop off a review on the way out! I was kinda depressed when I only got 5 reviews for a story 11 chapters long....I would have even been happy if I had gotten flames by that point! T.T my new favorite smilie.
NeoNaoNeo
Chapter 16: Stranger
"Oh, we're going home, we're going home! I'll finally be able to cook by myself again!" Quan sighed blissfully, packing his clothes into a suitcase, the early morning sunlight illuminating the small room he, Fawn and Almanac were sharing. It wasn't that Garnet didn't have enough rooms for each of them, but they were so used to sleeping all together that the thought of sleeping alone was simply terrifying.
"I know, I know!" Almanac agreed with a nod, pulling his bag of things off the bed. "I miss my books."
"And my flow'rs probably need water," Fawn said.
"It's rained plenty," Quan said, giving Fawn a slight, playful push.
"But they probably miss me...." Fawn said.
"Your flowers can't miss you!" Quan argued.
"Yeah! Th-they can!" Fawn retorted. Sprite walked into the room, his face unusually solemn as if he was bearing a burden on his soul. Fawn turned around, noticing his quiet brother. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, I just wanted to tell you Dad was coming home with us too." Sprite said happily as he could.
"What? H-he can't! He tried hurting you!" Almanac said defensively.
"Almanac...." Sprite murmured.
"He's right," Quan said.
"But he didn't know any better! We have to teach him everything all over again!" Sprite said.
"What?" Fawn asked.
"He doesn't remember, so we're going to help him, okay?" Sprite said, his statement more of a command than a request.
"Okay Sprite, if you say so," Fawn nodded.
The other two siblings agreed submissively. Sprite smiled and gave his brothers a hug.
"Thanks..." Sprite murmured. "It won't be the same....but we'll get through."
Quan nodded.
Sparrow walked into the room, bags in both his hands.
"Hey, come on! They're loading the airship, Patches is already on there." Sparrow said, jerking his head towards the dock.
Quan and Fawn picked up their bags and began walking out of the room, followed quickly by Sprite, Almanac lagging behind as he dragged his bulging bag slowly. Sparrow offered a hand and tried picking up his younger brother's bag in addition to his, but nearly fell over from the heavy weight.
"Jeez! What do you have in here!?" Sparrow complained.
"....Garnet gave me some new books..." Almanac said sheepishly, adjusting his glasses.
"Ugh, you're hopeless." Sparrow chuckled and took out a few of the heavier volumes. "Here, try carrying it now."
Almanac lifted his lightened bag up and walked out of the room, Sparrow following behind.
Vivi stood on the deck of the airship, looking skyward, his wings stretching and closing at his sides nervously. He'd never heard something make so much noise or saw anything so big....
He looked around, noticing a familiar looking mage staring at him. Vivi thought a moment and sighed. 'I hope Sprite gets here soon....'
"Dad!" Sprite peeped and ran at Vivi, hugging him around the waist. The waltz drew back for a moment, but felt oddly comforted by this gesture. He was used to being in Sprite's position, holding onto a larger counterpart for security and insurance, but being the insurer was a peculiar feeling.... Vivi returned the embrace cautiously.
Quan, Fawn, Almanac and Jet-Jet had gone on the other part of the airship, skiddish of their own father's presence. Sparrow, however, was fairly curious and intrigued. He adjusted the cock's feather in his hat and examined Vivi's wings.
"H-hello..." Vivi said. "What are you doing?"
"I-I'm just looking at your wings," Sparrow replied shyly.
"Oh, don't do that, they're ugly..." Vivi muttered. His wings did look fairly unorganized and even ugly at the moment, several feathers falling out clumps at a time.
"I'm still jealous," Sparrow chuckled. "Besides, you're just molting."
"'Molting?' Isn't that something with spots?" Vivi said. Sparrow was taken back at this statement, completely surprised by this unknowledgable response. He remembered what Sprite had said and decided to explain.
"No, that's mottled," Sparrow said. "Molting is when your feathers fall out so you can get new ones."
"But I don't want new ones..." Vivi grumbled, another plume falling out and drifting away in the breeze. The engines' grumbles became several roars as the airship took off.
"Well...you can't help it," Sparrow sighed.
"Yeah..." Vivi murmured. Sprite had left and joined his siblings. Sparrow began to leave, but Vivi stopped him. "Are you going to leave too...?"
"I don't have to," Sparrow said.
"Good!" Vivi said with a smile. Sprite was once again walking up, followed by the rest of his brothers. "Hi, what are you guys doing?"
"Nothing really," Quan murmured.
"What's he doing?" Vivi asked, looking to the cockpit.
"He's driving the airship," Sparrow replied.
"Why?"
"It's his job..." Almanac responded.
Vivi gulped. Lenore had given him a job and he had failed miserably. He bit his lip and sighed. Vivi didn't want to let go of the life he had had at the Desert Palace, the security he had with Lenore. 'But I failed.' he thought. 'So I can't...'
He shook his head and looked below.
"Hey, what's that?" he asked and pointed. The whole group of mages turned their gaze below, seeing nothing but the sea of green grass.
"What's what?" Sparrow replied.
"All that green stuff down there," Vivi said. "It looks too small to be a tree or spider plant..."
"That's grass!" Fawn said with a innocent laugh.
"Grass? The only grass I've seen was yellow and crunchy." Vivi retorted.
"That's because it was dead," Quan said.
"Dead?" Vivi asked. "Plants can die too?"
Fawn nodded vigorously.
"Oh boy, here we go..." Jet murmured, knowing Fawn to be the only being on the planet Gaia to be able to get on a soapbox over plants.
"They die just like people, if they're hurt or don't get enough water..."
"You can't hurt a plant!" Quan said. "We've talked about this before!"
"Yes you can!!!" Fawn cried passionately. "They have feelings too!"
"Nuh-uh!" Jet taunted.
"If you step on the grass, does it hurt it?" Vivi asked.
"Well grass---" Fawn started off.
"Would you two stop talking about grass?!" Jet murmured with false irritation.
Sprite giggled at the small discussion going on between his father and brothers. It was as if nothing had ever happened, they were arguing, playfully fighting and adding their own two cents in at appropriate intervels, though it was now Vivi asking all the questions and his siblings were the sages that answered.
"You okay Sprite?" Sparrow asked his brother off to the side.
He nodded.
"Yeah, I was just thinking," Sprite replied.
"About what?" Sparrow asked, the conversation proceeding without them, Vivi was now asking what, exactly, clouds were made out of.
"Well, just...that we're finally going home, and we got dad back," Sprite sighed happily.
"Yeah but..."
"I know, it's not gonna be the same," Sprite said wistfully.
"Yeah."
"But does it matter?" the small mage asked. "I mean, as long as we're together, it's okay, right?"
Sparrow looked up to the sky for a moment.
"I never thought of it that way," Sparrow chuckled. "Sometimes I think you're alot smarter than you let on."
"Dad used to say that..." Sprite said, his voice slightly breaking.
"Aw, come on Sprite," Sparrow said. The small mage's sniffles became a laugh. "Hm?"
"You think Eiko's going to make that funny face she makes when she gets really mad when she finds out?" Sprite asked.
"Ha, yeah, maybe." Sparrow said. "But I think she'll just be glad Dad's okay."
Sprite looked to Vivi, who was playfully arguing with his sons.
"It might not be EXACTLY the same...but it'll be okay, I know it will," Sprite said happily and began walking towards his brothers to join into the conversation.
A/N: AWWWWWW!!!! Well, end story. Hope you enjoyed it.
NeoNaoNeo