A/N: I must warn you that Chapter 2 begins rather... err, not peaceful. Most likely this is the only spot in my story with such a scene, but some people might be squeamish and not want to see it at all. It's also quite a bit longer than the first (yay!) and actually goes somewhere in regards to the game's plot (yay!) So on with the show!
He stood at the edge of a cliff, towering over a small cross in the ground. The New and Old Moons were full and lit up the detail of his body, heart and mind to anyone who could see. He knelt down in front of the cross, left arm outstretched to hold the top of it. His eyes rose to the moons above, but he could not decide on which to focus. He then discovered the position where both could reflect his gaze and fixed it there. Slowly he reached for his blade with his right hand. He raised it up high enough to glisten silver in the moons' light. Then without hesitation, he swung it down through his upper arm. His grip on the cross was broken, and his arm slipped with only gravity acting on it. Where dry ground once was was a crimson puddle of blood, and fragments of bone reflecting only the shine of the Old Moon.
Her eyes shot open to discover that it was almost morning. At one point last night she must have gone into her sleeping bag, but she could not remember this. No, the only things she could recall were her dreams of him. She brought her hand up to brush the hair out of her eyes, and could not help but feel her pillow was wet with tears.
"Human, he has to be human..." She heard the first bird in the sky and took it as her cue to get ready for the day ahead. The fire was nearly out, so she cast another log and a lit match into it. She readied a pot of water for her tea, tossed some meat and eggs in a pan and placed them over the fire. Now she could sit back and enjoy the sunrise in peace.. that is, until her two friends woke up.
Jack slid out of his sleeping bag and sat cross-legged on the ground, nearly crushing Hanpan. "HEY!" the Wind Mouse squeaked as loudly as a Wind Mouse could, "be careful! Some of us prefer not getting injured by allies!"
"And some of us are smart enough to not get in the way!"
"Smart? Who's the genius who nearly got us killed in the Memory Temple for one?"
She could only chuckle at their good-natured teasing. The sign of true friendship, something she never knew before her life as a Dream Chaser. By this point breakfast was almost ready, and the arrival of a home-cooked, or as closed to home-cooked as this situation allowed, meal could stop any male in his tracks. She reached into her backpack for simple dishes and silverware they would need, setting them on the ground accordingly before removing their breakfast from the flame.
The sizzling meal was not distributed as one would expect. Of course the Wind Mouse's share was small in direct proportion to his size, but she had given herself as much if not more food than Jack. Hanpan scurried over towards the plates. "Looks like our chef gave herself quite a bit of food! Don't have to worry about being a proper lady and impressing a certain someone anymore, right?"
That was one of the worse things that could have been said, and seconds later the whole party knew it. She hung her head down, eye closed tight to prevent tears, and slammed a clenched fist into the soft earth to the right of her. Jack seemed just about ready to pound the Wind Mouse in, but she raised up her right hand to stop him. "It's ok," she squeaked out in a vain attempt to hide back any unhappiness in her voice. "You guys know spell casting takes a lot of energy. Wouldn't want to be exhausted right before some healing is in order, right?" Jack and Hanpan simply nodded. "Come on, breakfast isn't going to stay hot forever!"
The two Dream Chasers and Hanpan ate in almost perfect silence. They were all reminded of the dire situation they were in. No one could guess how time passed for him, but she was sure that deep down, every minute was an existence without life for him. Even if he could not feel it now, he would when he was cured. The loneliness, the absence of hope, the absence of love?
She sighed softly. Funny how one stray, random thought could resonate within her. Ironic, then, that her test from the Guardians exploited the absence of love in her own life. But that seemed close to a lifetime ago. So much has happened during their journey together. Not only were they working together to save Filgaia, they were at the same time also working to help each other. She had made friends for the first time in her life. People who stayed by her side not for her title, but for her as a person. People she could be herself around because she was no longer a symbol for the masses. She is seen not for what she was born as, but for who she really is. And now, people can hate him from being of demon origin, or love him for being of a human heart...
Jack finally broke the silence. "Hey, it's gonna be ok. I know you don't want to talk about it and I can't blame you at all, and I'm probably just rambling but... dammit I never know what to say at times like this. But I know he's gonna be ok. We'll get through this forest, use the Guardian Blade, then you'll be right there at his side, and once he wakes up you'll be the first thing he sees." A smile unlike one she had ever seen before flashed on Jack's face. One full of encouragement, understanding, and... hope.
She tried her hardest to return his smile. "Thank you. Just hearing that means a lot to me, you know." She began to put away their supplies. "If you're ready, I think we should leave shortly. The sooner we get to Vassim..." Jack simply nodded, and gathered his things, and they were back on their way within 15 minutes.
The Forest Prison proved to be the same labyrinth that perplexed them yesterday. Each path seemed to loop them once again to the origin. "Last time I ever listen to a damn squirrel..." Jack muttered on more than one occasion. None of the battles they encountered were against particularly strong enemies, but it was obvious that she was distracted by something in battle. Something, or someone, was taking priority over the monsters in her mind. And all of them knew what it was but said nothing.
After hours of wandering, they found the chest that imprisoned the Life Guardian. She held up the spirit key, her hand trembling, and unlocked the chest. From it came one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. Odoryuk was in the form of a shimmering unicorn, and radiated with the power of Filgaia's living creatures, past and present. This was a key to saving him, she knew. The Guardians had traced the Dream Chasers' path with coincidences, and surely this must be one of them. But aside from that, she knew it was a factor. She loved Filgaia, and all life on it. Therefore...
"...he's a part of Filgaia too."
He stood at the edge of a cliff, towering over a small cross in the ground. The New and Old Moons were full and lit up the detail of his body, heart and mind to anyone who could see. He knelt down in front of the cross, left arm outstretched to hold the top of it. His eyes rose to the moons above, but he could not decide on which to focus. He then discovered the position where both could reflect his gaze and fixed it there. Slowly he reached for his blade with his right hand. He raised it up high enough to glisten silver in the moons' light. Then without hesitation, he swung it down through his upper arm. His grip on the cross was broken, and his arm slipped with only gravity acting on it. Where dry ground once was was a crimson puddle of blood, and fragments of bone reflecting only the shine of the Old Moon.
Her eyes shot open to discover that it was almost morning. At one point last night she must have gone into her sleeping bag, but she could not remember this. No, the only things she could recall were her dreams of him. She brought her hand up to brush the hair out of her eyes, and could not help but feel her pillow was wet with tears.
"Human, he has to be human..." She heard the first bird in the sky and took it as her cue to get ready for the day ahead. The fire was nearly out, so she cast another log and a lit match into it. She readied a pot of water for her tea, tossed some meat and eggs in a pan and placed them over the fire. Now she could sit back and enjoy the sunrise in peace.. that is, until her two friends woke up.
Jack slid out of his sleeping bag and sat cross-legged on the ground, nearly crushing Hanpan. "HEY!" the Wind Mouse squeaked as loudly as a Wind Mouse could, "be careful! Some of us prefer not getting injured by allies!"
"And some of us are smart enough to not get in the way!"
"Smart? Who's the genius who nearly got us killed in the Memory Temple for one?"
She could only chuckle at their good-natured teasing. The sign of true friendship, something she never knew before her life as a Dream Chaser. By this point breakfast was almost ready, and the arrival of a home-cooked, or as closed to home-cooked as this situation allowed, meal could stop any male in his tracks. She reached into her backpack for simple dishes and silverware they would need, setting them on the ground accordingly before removing their breakfast from the flame.
The sizzling meal was not distributed as one would expect. Of course the Wind Mouse's share was small in direct proportion to his size, but she had given herself as much if not more food than Jack. Hanpan scurried over towards the plates. "Looks like our chef gave herself quite a bit of food! Don't have to worry about being a proper lady and impressing a certain someone anymore, right?"
That was one of the worse things that could have been said, and seconds later the whole party knew it. She hung her head down, eye closed tight to prevent tears, and slammed a clenched fist into the soft earth to the right of her. Jack seemed just about ready to pound the Wind Mouse in, but she raised up her right hand to stop him. "It's ok," she squeaked out in a vain attempt to hide back any unhappiness in her voice. "You guys know spell casting takes a lot of energy. Wouldn't want to be exhausted right before some healing is in order, right?" Jack and Hanpan simply nodded. "Come on, breakfast isn't going to stay hot forever!"
The two Dream Chasers and Hanpan ate in almost perfect silence. They were all reminded of the dire situation they were in. No one could guess how time passed for him, but she was sure that deep down, every minute was an existence without life for him. Even if he could not feel it now, he would when he was cured. The loneliness, the absence of hope, the absence of love?
She sighed softly. Funny how one stray, random thought could resonate within her. Ironic, then, that her test from the Guardians exploited the absence of love in her own life. But that seemed close to a lifetime ago. So much has happened during their journey together. Not only were they working together to save Filgaia, they were at the same time also working to help each other. She had made friends for the first time in her life. People who stayed by her side not for her title, but for her as a person. People she could be herself around because she was no longer a symbol for the masses. She is seen not for what she was born as, but for who she really is. And now, people can hate him from being of demon origin, or love him for being of a human heart...
Jack finally broke the silence. "Hey, it's gonna be ok. I know you don't want to talk about it and I can't blame you at all, and I'm probably just rambling but... dammit I never know what to say at times like this. But I know he's gonna be ok. We'll get through this forest, use the Guardian Blade, then you'll be right there at his side, and once he wakes up you'll be the first thing he sees." A smile unlike one she had ever seen before flashed on Jack's face. One full of encouragement, understanding, and... hope.
She tried her hardest to return his smile. "Thank you. Just hearing that means a lot to me, you know." She began to put away their supplies. "If you're ready, I think we should leave shortly. The sooner we get to Vassim..." Jack simply nodded, and gathered his things, and they were back on their way within 15 minutes.
The Forest Prison proved to be the same labyrinth that perplexed them yesterday. Each path seemed to loop them once again to the origin. "Last time I ever listen to a damn squirrel..." Jack muttered on more than one occasion. None of the battles they encountered were against particularly strong enemies, but it was obvious that she was distracted by something in battle. Something, or someone, was taking priority over the monsters in her mind. And all of them knew what it was but said nothing.
After hours of wandering, they found the chest that imprisoned the Life Guardian. She held up the spirit key, her hand trembling, and unlocked the chest. From it came one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. Odoryuk was in the form of a shimmering unicorn, and radiated with the power of Filgaia's living creatures, past and present. This was a key to saving him, she knew. The Guardians had traced the Dream Chasers' path with coincidences, and surely this must be one of them. But aside from that, she knew it was a factor. She loved Filgaia, and all life on it. Therefore...
"...he's a part of Filgaia too."