Chapter I: Return from the Goddess' Land
Ryu stared out into the desert, Rei, Nina, and Momo by his side. They had defeated 'God' or Myria…whatever she wanted to be called. But now what would happen? Ryu thought. He had finally fulfilled his destiny—he had avenged the senseless murder of his race, the Brood, and in the process had lost Garr—the Guardian who had prompted this search for God—to discover the truth, and had lost Peco…sort of. Ryu was still reeling from the fact that Peco had been Yggdrasil watching over them. He missed the little onion the entity had possessed and then assimilated. He knew Momo missed him a lot.
Ryu turned to everyone else and gave them a smile. It was hurting all of them, he knew. He knew that the trip back was going to rough on all of them. But they had each other. He'd never lose Rei again. Nina—he hoped—would always be with him. He looked to Momo and she gave him a wink. And so would Momo. At least whatever happened when they got home, he knew that they would face it together. They'd already gone this far after all.
"Ready to go home, guys?"
"Always," was Rei's groan.
Momo stretched. "I am starting to miss my lab."
Nina giggled. "I think Mother and Father are going to lock me in my room for the rest of my life when I get back home." She nibbled on her lower lip and gave Ryu a smile. "I'm ready."
Ryu grinned. "Then let's go home!"
The four arrived at the Oasis a day later. Fa'ah was just as hospitable as the day they had first arrived. At dinner that night Fa'ah was trying to pry out as much information as possible from the four. He was wondering at why they all felt a weight had been lifted from their shoulders…and why suddenly all the plants were beginning to blossom more. He said it was almost as if life was finally having a chance to grow.
Ryu said nothing to the mayor's comments; Nina only giggled. After the meal they all prepared for a good night's sleep before they began their return trip across the desert. They all knew they could've taken the teleporter in the Container Yard home, but they were willing to make the long trip for the sake of one last journey. Taking the teleporter would have given their quest an abrupt ending. This way, they had more time together. This way, they had time to figure out what they were going to do when they got home. They knew there going to be a lot of problems. Nina was the one worrying the most about it. Ryu knew what she was worrying about. Hopefully, they could figure out something. He didn't want to never see Nina again because of her parents.
Ryu looked at Rei and Momo who had just started another fight. He thought he and Nina had problems. Those two were constantly bickering. Ryu shook his head. They were impossible.
"Excuse me? Do you mind running that by me again?"
"I said, 'That smock you're wearing is going to give you the heatstroke instead of Nina if you don't get rid of it.'" Rei said with a taunting grin.
Momo growled menacingly. "'Smock!' I happen to like my tunic, and that's just what it is, you brain-dead muskrat! It's a tunic! Don't you know what a tunic is? And heatstroke?" Momo let out a humph. "The only one who should be worried about a heatstroke should be you! You're the one with the fur coat! Heatstroke, me? Yeah, right."
Rei stepped up to Momo and growled into her face. "I wasn't even talking to you! Why do you always butt in?" Rei shook his head and turned away. He shrugged. "Well, since you brought it up—weren't you the one dying of suffocation the last time we went through the desert? Miss Little Engineer? Why don't you use that pea brain of yours for something else than impractical gadgets? Like getting yourself some clothes that won't make you a burden when you pass out in the middle of the desert!"
"What! I'll have you know, thief, that I do not have a pea brain. If I did, there would be no way you would have been able to get anywhere. You would never have been able to get on our ship without me—"
"Which one? The one you 'fixed' but still couldn't get us out of the Inner Sea? Or the one you tried to blow a hole in and ended up attacking me?"
Momo didn't even stop to listen to Rei. "—You would never have been able to use the teleporters AND you would have never gotten out of most of the mazes that Myria still had around from the Techno Age!" Momo's eyes narrowed. "And I don't like the way you said, Engineer."
Rei whirled around and growled. "Well, then tough, Miss Big-haired, baggy clothed, braid-dead Engineer. I'll say it any way I want to."
"Argh!" Momo took out her bazooka and blasted Rei. Ryu heard Nina gasp. He blinked. Momo had actually gone and done it. She'd blasted the hell out of Rei. Her face turned red in embarrassment. She turned on her heel and strode out of the room.
Rei coughed, spouting black smoke from inside his mouth. He gave a low growl as he stared where Momo had been. His hands clenched. Rei looked so pissed…
Ryu couldn't hold it in. He burst out laughing just watching a blackened Rei growl at nothing. The laughter just flowed out of him. He couldn't help it. Ryu kept seeing Momo's red face, and Rei's black one and by the end, his side and abdomen were hurting. He grabbed onto his stomach and toppled to the floor, he was laughing so hard. It was just so damned funny!
By the time Ryu started to calm down, both Nina and Rei were laughing just as hard as he was, their faces red and tears coming out of their eyes. He grinned and Nina, still chuckling as the girl began to calm down.
"Ryu," she began, between laughter, "I've never seen you laugh like that before!"
Ryu grinned. It's true. He chuckled again. They were finally free to laugh again.
Ryu turned to Rei who was wiping soot and tears of laughter off his face. "I sure made a fool of himself, didn't I?" He chuckled again. "She gets into a fit over anything!"
Ryu burst out cracking up again, reliving the scene in his mind. Soon they were all laughing again. Hard, rolling laughter that had Rei on the floor with Ryu while Nina was struggling to stay standing. It felt so good to finally be able to laugh again!
Momo stared up at the moon with a sigh. What was wrong with her? Whenever that tiger was nearby and he'd just utter one little bait, she would automatically take it. Why? Why couldn't she just ignore him and let him choke on his own saliva? Momo shrugged and gave a little sigh. What was it about him that made her always on the defensive and always ready to get into a fight with him? She shook her head and sat down on the dock staring into the shimmering river that sparkled with the glow of the moon. Always on the defensive…
Admit it to yourself, Momo. Her subconscious whispered to her. You think he's incredibly handsome so you'll do anything to have him notice you. Momo shook her head in refusal.
"NO! That's not it at all…" she murmured out loud to herself. "It's just that I've never had anyone tell me I was stupid before. Absent-minded, yes. But stupid?"
He didn't necessarily call you stupid, you know.
Momo sighed again. "No, he called me a pea-brain. Close enough"
You can deny it all you like, but I know the truth. You're in love with the man.
Momo snorted. "Yeah, right! In love? With him! With what's-his-name? I don't think so." She shook her head. "He's annoying, pigheaded, insensitive, a criminal and downright rude! He's much too physical for me. And I barely know him!"
Barely know him? You just went on entire journey—that lasted months—to almost death with him. Because going up against a god is SUICIDE. Yet you lived. And on another note: all those are the reasons you like him…and the 'physical' stuff is just what you want the most.
"That's not true!" Momo said aloud. "All that man has is faults! He has no good qualities! I mean, he screamed my ears off when I blasted the Black Ship, and that was the first time he had ever spoken to me!"
Had you spoken to him before that?
Momo was silent as she stared up at the moon. "No…"
Then what in the world are you complaining about?
"I don't know… I don't know anything…"
Momo sighed as the conversation with herself ended. If the man in question ever knew that she had such long extended conversations with herself he probably would never let her live it down. He'd probably call her crazy as well as a pea-brain.
She shook her head. She wasn't a pea-brain…though she sure had felt like one earlier. She felt her face flame up again at the stupid thing she had done earlier. She had actually blasted him. She actually let him get to her that much. But she couldn't help it… He just… He just…drove her nuts!
Momo pounded her fist on the dock and she closed her eyes tightly shut. If she only hadn't snapped and given into the temptation to blow his head off. Then maybe she wouldn't be so embarrassed. But she'd done it and she felt like a fool for not holding her temper. Momo groaned. It's not fair. He's got more of a temper than her anyway.
She sighed and slowly stood up. If only there was something she could do to make up for her stupid behavior…
Suddenly, she heard a groan come from beneath the dock. Momo jumped, she was so startled. Her bazooka was loaded and ready for blasting before she knew it. She looked around but didn't see any monsters. She shook her head. Maybe someone was hurt? They had been through so much by now, that she assumed everything was out to get her. After all, she was already geared to blow it to smithereens.
Momo put away the bazooka and slowly lowered herself down to the dock and pressed her ear against the boards, listening from any other noise that could emerge from it. Another low groan sounded through the boards… Definitely the groan of someone in pain. Momo quickly moved to where the dock began and skidded down the bank of the river. Her boots hit water, but she was beneath the dock. She turned and saw a body half submerged in the water. She waded to it and saw that it was a young man. He groaned again and Momo leaned down to him, taking out a flashlight from her coat.
"Hold still. I'm here to help you. Let me make sure nothing's injured and then I'll help you out." Momo put the flashlight on him and saw a lot of violet hair floating on the water, and the man's face pressed against the land. He groaned again, while Momo was checking for injuries. "You're okay over here. Let me turn you over." Momo carefully began to turn the young man over, struggling with his weight.
She checked him out again, but found no immediate injuries. He seemed to be all right. She flashed the light into his face. "You all right…?" She blinked as she stared at him and then leaned closer, trying to make sure she wasn't seeing things.
"Tee-Teepo?" she whispered. She put down the flashlight and lifted his head gently. It really was Teepo! "Where does it hurt?"
The young man groaned again. "In…my…head…"
Momo nodded. "Okay. Listen. I'm not strong enough to lift you by myself, but I've got my trusty bazooka here that'll work as a lever, but I also need you to gather what strength you have so I can be your crutch. All right?"
The young man groaned again, and Momo took it as consent. Well, she just wasn't going to leave him there by himself. She made sure she was careful as she used the bazooka to get him at a level where she could carry him. She left her trusty bazooka underneath the dock as she began to hobble with him. Right now, getting him help was more important. "I'll be back," she whispered to her bazooka. Just to make sure, she double-checked to make sure he was who she thought he was. "You are Teepo, aren't you? The dragon that's a friend of Rei and Ryu and got brainwashed by Myria. You're the one we fought, aren't you?"
The young man turned his head to the woman who was helping him. Momo could see that his eyes were hazy from the pain. She hoped he wasn't too badly hurt. "You. You're the one that helped Rei and Ryu defeat me… The red hair and glasses…"
Momo nodded and smiled. Her ears twitched happily that he'd recognized her. "Yep." She blinked and looked up at him. "But I thought you were dead. We all thought you were dead."
Teepo shook his head as Momo began to make her way up the steep bank of the river. "I did die…I think. But then a white-green light bathed me in warmth…and I saw you, another girl, Rei and Ryu fighting Myria. I heard everything she said…and all of your arguments… And I finally realized my mistake. I didn't know enough about the Brood to judge my own race…and I knew myself and I knew Ryu…We weren't like she said we were… I realized what a fool I'd been, and that I had betrayed my only family…" He groaned. "It wasn't a nice out-of-body experience…"
"Shhhh…" Momo hushed. "It's all right, Teepo. Don't say anything else. We're almost there. Then you'll be with your family again."
Momo thought for a moment that Teepo tried to smile, but then it went away again. She wasn't surprised. His head must be hurting something fierce. She hurried as much as possible to the Inn, trying her best not to hurt him. She heard a couple gasps of pain, every time she lost her footing though. She hoped it didn't hurt him too bad.
When she got to the door, she tried to open it with her hand, but Teepo started to slide off her. She quickly got a good grip on him and he groaned again. She couldn't do it that way. She started to kick the door, hoping someone would hear her. "Ryu! Nina! Someone! Open the door!" Momo pounded on the door again. "Open the door, Nina, Ryu… somebody! Open it, I say!"
Momo could hear Nina's sleepy voice from the other side and the movement of the men as they started to get up. "The door's open, Momo. Why can't you open it?"
Momo was about to yell out why she couldn't open the stupid door, when it opened, revealing a yawning Nina and two disgruntled men behind her. But the present expressions didn't stay as they saw who stood beside her, who was getting heavier and heavier by the minute.
Rei and Ryu couldn't believe their eyes. "Teepo?" they murmured in unison.
Momo nodded and said, "Now will you hurry and help me! We're both soaking wet and I don't think he can stay awake for very long. He's got a head wound. Hurry up!"
Ryu nodded as Nina moved out of the way, and he and Rei took Teepo from Momo's arms. Teepo smiled up at the two and said sadly, "I'm sorry…I betrayed you both…I'm sorry."
Ryu smiled at Teepo as they placed him on a bed. Nina moved beside Momo and took her hand. Momo gave it a squeeze. She was worried too. "Don't be sorry, Teepo. You didn't know enough about the Brood to not believe what Myria was telling you."
Teepo smiled up at his two brothers and his eyes slowly slid shut in a restful sleep. Nina went to him and began to dry him and wrap him in warm blankets. Rei and Ryu turned to Momo who was staring down at the man in the bed in relief.
"Where did you find him?"
Momo looked up to Ryu and smiled. "I found him underneath the dock. I heard him groaning and thought he was a monster at first, but when I checked it out, I saw a person. So I made sure to see if they were injured and then I recognized him. He said something about an out-of-body experience, but I didn't really understand. I think there's more. He didn't tell me how he came back from the dead yet. I think we'll have to ask him when he wakes up and is better, don't you?"
Ryu nodded and looked down at Teepo. Momo watched Ryu look to Rei and smile. "We're together again."
Rei nodded and looked back down at Teepo, whispering, "We should all get some rest. Hopefully, by tomorrow, Teepo will be better. Though it'll probably be a while before we can start traveling through the Desert of Death."
Momo and Nina nodded in agreement. Nina gave Ryu and Rei a hug before taking Momo's hand. The redhead led the princess out of the room and closed the door quietly behind her. "Let's leave them alone tonight."
Nina nodded in agreement. "I wonder how he got here?"
Momo shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know…"
Teepo woke up to a pounding headache and some really nice smells. He slowly opened his eyes, and even though the day was bright, it was nothing compared to the blinding light the redhead had beamed into his eyes the night before.
When the fuzziness cleared, Teepo recognized the figure turned away and growling. "Why can't that woman keep it down in there," he hissed.
Teepo heard a chuckle but didn't see a face. He recognized Ryu's voice the moment he spoke though. "Nina's trying to get Momo to stop cooking, so she could take over, and you know what that means."
Teepo saw Rei turn around and look at Ryu, even though Teepo still couldn't see the other dragon. Rei had a slight panicked look about him. "So it's either deal with the noise and possibly wake up the injured twit but actually have a decent meal to give him, or have peace and quiet and something inedible?"
"I could always get burnt rice balls from the faeries."
"No thanks. I'll pass."
A sweet very feminine voice suddenly filled the room. "I'm sorry, Rei. Momo says that Teepo is going to need some hearty healthy foods and she knows exactly what to make him. She isn't going to stop…"
"That's all right," Rei said. He had a nervous look about him. "Can't you just tell her to be a bit quieter about it?"
The sweet voice had a hint of amusement in it when it spoke again, "Actually, Momo heard you the first time and said, 'What is he talking about? Has he ever been in a kitchen before?'" Rei snorted and the voice giggled. "She's right, though, Rei. The kitchen at the palace was always really loud. That's why it was underground and there were thick walls all around it. To keep in the noise."
Ryu chuckled. "That and the acoustics in kitchens usually suck."
"Yeah, well, I don't know much about kitchens. I was smart enough to steal my food already cooked or have Teepo cook it for me."
"Do you want me to tell Momo anything, Rei?" the voice asked teasingly.
Rei shook his head. "Touché."
There was a giggling and then the sound of door shutting. At least a lot of the noise had been muted a bit. But Teepo still winced at the loud banging of a pot hitting an iron stove.
"Teepo?"
Teepo opened his eyes again and looked up at Rei. "Hey," was the dry-mouthed response. Teepo could hear the hoarseness of his voice. Damn, being brought back to life or whatever was a real pain in the ass.
He saw Ryu's face appear before him, beside Rei's. "You're awake."
"Hard not to be," was the hoarse reply.
Rei grinned. "Looks like you sound like you've got some of your spunk back. Maybe we can get you sitting up. Get that blood pumping again."
Ryu and Rei helped Teepo sit up. The violet-haired young man didn't know whether to be amused or humiliated, but he still smiled.
There was silence in the room for a few minutes, as the three marveled over being together again. Only the sounds of the 'kitchen', Momo's arguing with the food and cooking utensils, and Nina's quiet hushing could be heard.
Teepo smiled and closed his eyes, trying to calm the pounding in his head. How and where to begin? he thought. He licked his lips, and Ryu gave him a canteen not seconds after. "Thanks," Teepo rasped, before he downed the water inside. He heaved a sigh of relief and gave the empty container back to his friend. "I don't know where to begin…"
"Start with what happened…well, after the fight…" Rei whispered.
Teepo closed his eyes. "I don't remember much. I remember seeing you all from a distance, and hearing your arguments with Myria. How it all suddenly made sense, and how stupid I felt for not listening to you when you tried to explain it all to me. Ryu was right," Teepo said in disgust. "I only knew what Myria had told me, I knew nothing of myself. I should've listened to the people who cared about me for who I was. The ones who didn't care that I was Brood."
Ryu nodded. "Yeah, you should've listened to me."
Rei was about to open his mouth, but Teepo shook his head.
Ryu looked toward Rei. "How hard was it for you to fight Teepo, Rei? How hard was it?"
Rei closed his eyes. "It was the most horrible thing I've ever done. Especially after thinking that all these years he's been dead."
Ryu nodded. "It was the most horrible thing you've ever put us through, Teepo. You should've listened to me."
"I know," was Teepo's whisper.
Ryu grinned and gave Teepo a hug. "I'm so glad we didn't kill you."
Teepo shrugged. "I'm not sure if you did or didn't." He remembered the words that had resounded in his head after he had seen Ryu, Rei, the blonde girl and the redhead defeat Myria… before he had succumbed to the darkness.
You're realization of your wrong has saved your own life. You have earned your life with your choice and your love for your family.
It was the acknowledgement of his stupidity that may have just saved his life. He still wasn't sure. "After I realized what an idiot I had been, while seeing all of you fight her… Something spoke to me. I don't know what it was or who it was, but it was warm and kind and told me that it was okay for me to live. Thanks to me not being a dumb ass anymore." Teepo lifted a shoulder in a small shrug. "I don't know if I owe that voice my life, or if I owe you guys my life."
Ryu grinned. "Maybe you owe both your life."
"And yourself for finally realizing what an idiot you were," Rei finished.
Teepo grinned. "Yeah, maybe."
The door burst open. Momo stood there, grinning, a steaming tray in her hands with at least 3 bowls of food and two loaves of bread. There was also a tray of shisu. Nina had a look of apology on her face and she was holding a jug and three glasses. "Food's ready!" Momo said.
Teepo watched Ryu chuckle and Rei let out a sigh. Teepo was about to ask who the two women were, when the larger of the two, the redhead who'd brought him here, put the tray on his lap. "I made all this for you. You need to get your health back and you're a dragon, so I figure you eat a lot." Ryu and Teepo blushed to their roots. "I even had some mackerel, vinegar, shaly seeds, and horseradish leftover in our rations! So I made you some shisu! The bread I made from scratch. Eat it all up, now!" Momo looked to Ryu and Rei. "I'm almost done with your breakfasts. You guys can come and get it on your own. Your legs work!" She put her hands on her hips proudly and her ears twitched.
Nina knelt down next to Teepo and gave him a glass and filled it with the water from the jug. "Here you go." She gave Ryu and Rei the other two glasses. "Um, here." She left the jug with Ryu and grabbed Momo quickly by the arm. "Come on, Momo. Let's finish up the rest of breakfast."
"Okay!" Momo rolled up her sleeves and closed the door behind her and Nina.
Teepo stared at the closed door with a mixture of shock and confusion. He felt like he'd crash-landed again. He looked to Ryu and then to Rei. "Okay. I recognize them both from the fighting and stuff. And I know the redhead saved me. But who the hell are they?" Teepo asked, just before his stomach growled.
Ryu laughed. "We'll explain while you eat. There's a lot to tell."
Rei was still looking at the door with a worried look on his face. "Do you think we'll really have to go out there to get our food?"
After Ryu told the story, Teepo had more specific questions. He wanted more details on the Brood and the Guardians, and how Ryu came to the conclusion he did. Teepo knew he had been wrong about himself. He wanted to know as much as possible and only Ryu could give him all the information he craved. He also asked more specific questions about Nina and Momo since they were the two still with Rei and Ryu. Teepo got from the story that Ryu was sweet on the princess of Wyndia, which seemed to be complicated but mutual. Teepo asked a lot of strange questions about Momo, mainly because he couldn't see how she fit into the grand scheme of things—other than being handy to have around with the machines and stuff. Luckily, Momo hadn't been there to hear most of those questions, though Rei certainly would have loved to see her face when Teepo did ask them the question and how he got his answers.
After they told him everything, and answered his questions, Teepo said, "I'd like to go to Dragnier, Ryu. Then I'd like to go home with you guys... If that's all right."
"All right!" was Rei's response. "What kind of comment is that? Teepo, you and Ryu are the only family I've got. Were you planning on living somewhere else?"
Teepo gave Rei a nervous laugh.
Ryu watched Rei rant at Teepo and Teepo begin to rant back and felt himself relax. They were finally a family again. So first to Dragnier, then home.
"What are you getting all mad about, Rei! It was just a question!"
"Yeah, and a stupid one! Sounds like you didn't get beat enough the last time."
"One on one, Rei, and I'll whoop you!"
"I doubt it, Shrimp!"
Ryu grinned. Sounded like Teepo was getting better.
Rei and Ryu bought Teepo some clothing and armor, weapons and items for the journey across the desert. Teepo still couldn't believe they had actually made it across the first time. Nina giggled at his startled expression when they went to the edge of the Oasis and stared into the desert. Ryu grinned. It would definitely be an interesting trip back…
And it most certainly was.
Ryu rolled his eyes as the sun began to come up over the sand dunes of the Desert of Death. He began to set up the camp just as Momo and Rei began their latest heated argument. Teepo shook his head as he and Nina helped Ryu with the tent. They ignored the two who were currently at each other's throats.
Teepo whispered to Ryu as they set up the camp, "Does Rei always get into fights with her? Or is it just something that comes and goes? Because all I've ever seen them do together is fight."
Nina giggled, overhearing the whispered question. She stood beside Teepo and gave him a huge smile. "They're always fighting. One would wish they would get over it and finally admit what they feel for each other." Nina winked. "Isn't that right, Ryu?"
Ryu rolled his eyes heavenward. "One would wish."
Teepo lifted an eyebrow. "What do you to mean? You mean Rei doesn't fight with her because he hates her guts? He fights because he likes her?" The incredulous sound of his voice and Ryu burst out with laughter.
Nina giggled and answered Teepo with a wicked grin. "Likes her? They're probably in love with each other but they're both so stubborn that they probably won't ever admit it to each other." Nina shook her head.
Ryu nodded. "And before the fighting there was only silence. They didn't even speak to each other until the first fight. After that it was either fighting or hurling insults back and forth behind each other's back."
Nina shrugged. "Any one who got eyes can tell that they're crazy about each other, but they'll never admit it."
Ryu chuckled and stopped working to watch. "They're fun to watch though." Nina rolled her eyes in an exaggerated fashion, making Teepo shake his head. Ryu only grinned and winked at Nina, while the shouting of two furious people continued.
"That is the North Star! Trust me! I know what I'm doing and we're supposed to go south of it!"
"No, that isn't the North Star. That is. I know what I'm doing, you don't. I have an excellent sense of direction and you know where I get it from. I didn't survive this long just on strength alone, you know. That is the North Star."
"No, it isn't. That's the false North Star. I know it because it's almost directly east of the Evening Star."
Rei growled. "You don't even know left from right, let alone east from west! You're facing the wrong way! You wouldn't be able to find your way out of a library let alone the desert! Let me handle this! After we rest we go South and South is in that direction!"
"No, it isn't, you pigheaded tiger!" Momo shouted back into his face.
"Pigheaded? Who's being pigheaded! I just told you the right way! Why do you insist on arguing! You don't know anything about directions! All you know about is machines and that won't do us any good in the desert! Look, engineer, and let me do the navigating in the desert. You have no idea what you're doing."
"I know exactly what I'm doing! You just want to be difficult and I'm not as pigheaded as you are! Your skull is thicker than solid concrete!" Momo stood up on her tiptoes and scowled up at Rei. "I know which way to go and its not that way!"
Rei's hands clenched, as if to wrap themselves around her neck and squeeze. "It is that way, you obsessed computer-brained woman! You're just being stubborn because you know you're wrong!"
"Obsessed! I'm not obsessed, pompous thief! And I'm not wrong! You are and you just can't admit it!"
Rei growled to the sky. He stared down at her his eyes blazing. "Just shut up! You have no idea what you're talking about!"
"Don't tell me to shut up, you—"
Rei growled and grabbed her. He slammed his mouth down on top of hers so she couldn't say another word. Momo didn't even know what hit her. One moment she was about to tell the insolent tiger off and the next she had the softest lips pressed against hers robbing her of speech and mind. Her brain exploded into chaos. She couldn't even see properly anymore. Everything suddenly went hazy.
Rei grabbed her close and caressed the soft lips beneath his harshly. He just wanted to shut her up. He didn't expect the loudmouth to be soft…and to taste good. His hands tightened on her shoulders as he held her closer. But when she sighed into his mouth and her hands lay against his chest in surrender, he finally realized what he was doing and he tore her away from him, his breathing harsh.
Momo blinked in confusion, her eyes blurry and glazed, her entire body dizzy and disoriented. She'd been…and now… huh?
Rei just stared at her, all his senses geared up. Her eyes were dazed from his kiss and her lips were swollen. It filled him with the urge to kiss her again just to make sure she stayed that way and didn't get annoying on him. Rei shook his head and let her go, taking a step back. Rei could feel Ryu, Teepo and Nina's confused stare. Rei closed his eyes and didn't even think. He just turned and stalked away.
Momo stared at retreating back in confusion. She was about to take a step after him when she realized what she was about to do. Her brain came back into functioning capabilities again. What was wrong with her? What was wrong with him? One moment he was growling at her, calling her terrible names and the next he was making her mind chaos. Her eyes narrowed. She didn't think a kiss was supposed to do that. How'd he do it? She tried thinking back on it, and almost made herself dizzy. She shook her head. He was being weird. After he…he…kissed her, he pushed her and walked off. She shook her head again. It probably didn't even happen. She's having hallucinations. That's what it was. Probably from the growing heat.
Momo scowled at no one in particular as she made her way to the tent. She stopped when she saw Teepo, Ryu and Nina staring at her. Teepo had a totally baffled look on his face, Ryu's eyebrows were arched up, and Nina had a hand over her mouth and was giving Momo a shocked look. "What?" She grumpily got to work on the tent, inciting the other three to keep quiet and finish it off.
Rei couldn't believe himself. Why the hell had he done that? That was just nutty. Where had he gotten the impulse to kiss her? Why had he just gone and done it? What on earth made him do it? How did it even happen? It just wasn't like himself… But it had worked shutting her up. Rei stopped in his tracks, startled at the turn his thoughts had taken. But he couldn't deny it, it had worked. Rei grinned sheepishly to himself as he made his way back to the camp.
"Well, doesn't that just beat all?" he murmured to himself. That kiss had effectively silenced her…and it hadn't half-bad either. Maybe that would work every time? Rei shook his head as he entered the tent, seeing Ryu asleep against the wall of the tent with Nina sleeping on him with her head on his shoulder. Teepo was falling asleep into the diary, and Momo was in a corner snuggling into herself, her light snores the only sound in the room.
Rei grinned as he sat down on the cushion on the floor. He shrugged to himself as he slowly began to fall asleep… Doesn't that just beat all…
Ryu sighed in relief as he caught sight of Horis. At last, they had finally crossed the desert and hopefully he would be able to find some peace and quiet in the Faerie Village before they went into Dragnier. The only problem he could foresee was the factory; he was in no mood for more monsters…ugh. But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was Momo and Rei's constant bickering that was driving him nuts. Nina and Teepo were also suffering from the hotheaded tiger and the mouthy engineer's disputes over this and that and then they'd argue some more. Ryu shook his head as they came closer to the enthusiastically waving Horis.
"You're back! You actually made it back. Then you defeated the goddess? Of course you did, what am I saying? I could feel the freedom flow from across the desert! Hurry, Ryu, Griol is waiting your arrival… who is the young man with you? I don't remember him."
Ryu rolled his eyes and with Teepo and Nina beside him he approached Horis. Rei and Momo stayed behind growling and scowling at Horis. The old ex-dragon hadn't even noticed their dirty looks. Ryu introduced Teepo and told Horis everything about the other dragon. Horis' eyes widened in amazement. "Then you better hurry all the more! Griol is going to be completely amazed at the entire situation! Well hurry and get a move on…what's wrong with them?" Horis asked, his gaze turning to Momo and Rei.
Nina giggled. "They're very upset at you, Horis on the note you gave us it told us to go west not east, so we ended up really lost because of your directions."
Ryu grinned. "If I recall you weren't exactly too thrilled with Horis either, were you, Nina?"
Nina humphed. "I had a right to be. I almost died of heatstroke! My delicate constitution could only take so much."
"Oh, goodness. I'm so sorry. I had no idea I wrote it wrong!"
Nina shook his head. "We figured. Because we kept coming back and you never tried to fix the mistake. It wasn't until Ryu remembered what you said the first time we spoke that we realized the mistake."
Ryu smiled until he felt Teepo tapping him on the shoulder. Ryu lifted an eyebrow at his friend. Teepo motioned to behind them and Rei and Momo were at it again. But this time they were arguing over who was going to beat up Horis first.
Ryu grinned. Only those two would argue about that in front of their supposed victim. He turned to the old dragon and could see the sweat of worry building. They were effectively torturing him for his bad directions. Horis looked ready to run into the desert himself just to escape the furious couple.
Nina turned to Horis with a smile. "Hope they take out their anger on each other instead of on you."
Teepo and Ryu burst out laughing at Horis' eager nod. Rei and Momo continued their heated argument on who was going to be the first to damage and beat up Horis.
Griol couldn't believe that there was another dragon with power. Two members of the Brood that hadn't given their power away? It was a miracle that Ryu had managed to defeat Myria and give life and freedom to the world again. Now everything was just as it should have been…free.
Griol told Teepo everything he could about the Brood. Teepo could barely believe it. He had already heard so much from Ryu, but this just made it all the more real to him. He felt even more the fool. Ryu comforted him afterward, for he could understand the power behind the story, and the feeling of foolishness for believing in the lying goddess. Nina then told all of the dragons about what had happened and what they had discovered. She even told them about Garr's death.
That night, the tribe of people that once were Brood, held a feast. In honor of the battle Ryu and the others had fought, in honor of Garr, in honor of Teepo's understanding and healing. The party ran for hours and hours.
Ryu wandered out of the tent and through the forsaken village, heading toward the shrine of Ladon, the Dragon God. He felt as if the Ancient Dragon God needed to be told about what happened as well, about everything that had occurred. So he too could celebrate, or at the very least, find peace.
"Ryu."
The young dragon blinked in surprise as he looked up, trying to figure out who had spoken. The broken carving seemed to pulse with energy and it took much of Ryu's courage not to take a step back.
"You have nothing to fear from me. I am only an empty voice of a distant past, long forgotten. My very essence seeps away and becomes a part of you, even as I speak."
"What?" Ryu couldn't believe it. He shook his head, trying to make sense of what was going on and feeling…strange, all over his body.
"The Elder gave you the all the power of the Brood. You have the power to destroy this world or recreate it. Everything you do upon this land will affect every life upon it. Using this great power, you have defeated Myria, the God of this world.
"You are now God."
"What!" Ryu took a step back, feeling strength tightening his muscles and power coursing through his body. He could feel the Kaiser in him clawing at his insides, demanding… But demanding what, Ryu was terrified to find out.
"You wield unimaginable power. You are the God of this world. Its fate lies in your hands."
"I'm not a god. I'm just a dragon. I'm just Ryu. I don't want to fight; I don't want the power." Ryu wrapped his arms around himself, trying to quell the sudden trembling.
"Even now you absorb what is left of my entity into yourself. You are now becoming the Dragon God—the God of this land. You will walk among the people and they will only sense your power, never knowing that it is God whose path they crossed."
"No! I don't want this!"
"Good…" the voice cracked and began to fade. "Those who desire the power will wield it unjustly. Your responsibility will weigh upon your shoulders and guide you down the right path." The voice became nothing but a whisper. "The world is your hands—and they are good hands…"
The voice of what once was the Dragon God Ladon vanished into the air. Ryu was shivering on his knees, arms wrapped around himself, and tears streaming down his cheeks. His body felt numb as he slowly lifted his head to stare at the disfigured image of a dragon. "What about Teepo? He's a dragon too. Why am I God? Why?"
Teepo found Ryu passed out half an hour later. At first, Teepo assumed Ryu had drunk himself into a stupor and passed out when trying to walk it off. But as he approached his friend and stooped down to shake his shoulder, his arm and hand darted back, a cold sweat starting to build between his shoulder blades. "Ryu…?" he whispered hoarsely, feeling torn between awe and terror.
"Teepo, what's wrong?"
The purple-haired young man whirled to face the Wyndian princess. "Nina…" he whispered hoarsely, shaking his head, amazed at what he sounded like.
"Teepo, you look like you've been scared witless. Is something wrong with Ryu?" She approached them both and bent down beside them. "He seems to just be sleeping."
"You don't notice?" Teepo spat out, unable to help himself.
"Notice?" Nina asked, wrinkling her nose. She looked back down to Ryu and stared at his sleeping form. Moments later, Teepo holding his breath to see what would happen, she turned back to him, as pale as he was.
"Teepo…"
"Mm-hmm…"
"What happened to Ryu?"
Teepo looked down at his friend—his brother—and turned back to Nina with a twisted smile. "Ryu seems to have become a god, sort of… I guess."
She bent down to Ryu and lifted him off the floor, kneeling beside him and putting his head on her lap. She smoothed away the hair from his face and shivered as she did so. "Yes, yes, he has, hasn't he?" She paused and moved a finger down the length of his nose. "After all, Myria's gone now. And he has all the hidden power of the Brood. He's the only god that exists now." Nina stifled a hysterical giggle. "I'm in love with God? How does this make any sense?"
Teepo opened his mouth to offer some sort of comfort, but was cut off when Ryu began to rouse from his slumber. His deep blue eyes fluttered opened and he stared up at two of the people he cared about most in this world. He smiled up at their worried faces. "Guess I must've fallen asleep."
Teepo felt all his worries go away. His entire body relaxed and he could sense the same happening to Nina. Ryu may have the power of God—may even be a God—but he was still Ryu, first and foremost. "Yeah, you did, you idiot," Teepo answered. "Come on. Get your lazy butt up. Griol has got one more toast for us. And you've got to see Rei and Momo, they're worse now that they're totally sloshed."
"Toast for what?" Ryu asked as Nina and Teepo helped him up.
Nina grinned up at him. "A toast for luck in the journey we're about to begin."
Teepo matched Nina's grin. "The journey home."
