My own Battle Network story.
My dairy.
Last time, it was an awesome day to go to Electown mall before the N-1 Grand Prix: The tournament that was going to change our lives forever. But one thing wasn't right……… Maylu was late…
There was a bus accident… a bus crashed against a truck. 5 dead and 10 wounded. The thing that panicked us the most… was that Maylu was with the wounded.
Lan proceeded with Maylu to the Dencity general hospital and we were going to catch up later. The thing was that Maylu was fine, but one thing… she had Amnesia. She didn't remember anything. Out names, our relationship to her… and Lan… This struck Lan deep in his heart…
Maylu remember some stuff thanks to Roll's explanations, and she is wiling to remember. So Lan bowed to her that she would remember everything soon. Maylu believed him.
Chapter 43. – The festival of the kites.
Maylu: I… I trust you… Lan.
After that moment, Lan got E-Mail. The header read Ran. That name was familiar to Lan.
Megaman.Exe: So, you're going to get it?
Lan: Oh yeah. Could you excuse me for a second Maylu?
Maylu: Sure.
Lan tapped a few buttons on his PET as he read the message.
The message read:
Dear Lan.
Long time no see. Do you remember when we fought in the Hawk tournament seven years ago? Oh god. I still remember that. Anyways, I'm not sending this E-Mail for that. I want to invite you and your friends to my island for the festival of the kites of his year. It isn't just for the festival that I want you and your friends to come, I'll explain later when you come. Please reply me ASAP when you read this.
Ran.
PS: I'm now making sure that I'm not drinking rice wine. Even Windman is enforcing me about it.
Megaman.Exe: That sounds awesome Are you going to reply?
Lan: Of course, you reply it.
Megaman.Exe: Got it.
Maylu: What is it? You sound happy.
Lan: To start things up with our relationship, I will take you to a peaceful place full of tradition and legend, a place for your mind to be cleared up and to remember with time.
Maylu: The southern islands?
Lan: You still remember that?
Maylu: I remember a lot of stuff, just basic stuff.
Dex: So Lan, aren't you gonna take us with you to the southern islands?
Everyone else including me was just at Lan's door staring at them with a smile.
Lan: What?!? How much time have you guys been there?!?
Yai: We came with Maylu. She didn't knew where your house was.
Thori: Oh Maylu! Kiss me!
Dex turned around wrapping himself in his arms simulating passionate hugging.
Lan: Guys!
Lan laughed loudly followed by Maylu.
Maylu: You guys are funny! Have you been always this funny?
Brandon: Nah. Just when we feel like it.
Aldo: But sounds like the southern islands are a good place to go before the N-1 Grand Prix. Doesn't it?
Lan: Well, you guys are right. Let's go al of us! But we gotta go now! The flight leaves in 30 minutes!
Mr. Hikari: Then I'll drive.
Lan: Have you been here longer than them?
Mr. Hikari: I had to help Maylu up. She didn't knew where your room was.
Lan: Maylu!
Maylu: What?
Maylu kept her smile.
After that, we let to the Dencity international airport where we took the flight to the southern islands of Electopia. The sight was a beautiful was ca could see. Blue crystal waters with spread coral fields and a traveling group of whales playing with the water. The perfect summer spot.
We got off the plane and picked our basic luggage. We just took our backpacks. Then there was a girl outside waiting for us. Her skin tone was a little darker and had blue-black hair. She was wearing a tropical dress with an ornamental hat. As she saw Lan, she smiled.
Lan: Ran!
Ran: Lan! Long time no see! Just look at you! Last time I saw you were boy! Now you're a handsome looking young man!
Lan: You did the same Ran! You're pretty damn beautiful! Maylu, this is Ran, an old friend of mine from the Hawk tournament.
Maylu: Nice to meet you.
Ran: Is it true that you and Lan are finally together as Megaman says?
Maylu: Well… Looks like it.
Lan: Ran, we need to talk.
Ran: Oh… That…
Lan and Ran walked away a little… Lan spoke to Ran, but she covered her mouth as Lan spoke with a sad face. Then she hugged him and replied some words. Lan looked better. Then they walked back to us.
Ran: Don't worry Maylu. Everything will be all right. I'll nbe praying to the wind deity to help you.
Maylu: Thanks Ran.
Ran: Anyways, why don't you guys follow me to my car?
So we followed Ran to an SUV. It wasn't exactly very actual times, but it looked neat. Very much like a classic. We got inside, enough for eight people. There was a car refresher with vanilla scent that made the car smell good.
The road was pretty much like a single street in a meadow. Going completely narrow with two lanes. A few houses started to show up. And after a single hill, the most beautiful thing ever seen would show up.
Aldo: Whoa!
It was a quite medium sided village. It had a beautiful sight of the sea and various rice plantation fields. Single houses were built near each other and big windmills reflected an enriched history with the wind deity.
Lan: Oh my god Ran! This village is awesome!
Dex: Yeah!
Ran: Welcome to the village of the wind deity. We have served and worshipped thw wind here since the dawn of time.
Maylu: This is beautiful!
Thori: I know that the southern tropical regions of Electopia were amazing, but this beats them all!
Yai: I could never buy this in my whole life!
Brandon: This left me speechless…
Ran kept driving until we got to a small house. It looked small, but warm. We got off the SUV heading inside the house. It was Ran's home. She lived alone after her parents died in a tsunami incident five years ago.
Ran: So, you guys want a drink?
Lan: No thanks.
Maylu: Maybe some water.
Brandon: Me too.
Aldo: I'm not thirsty.
Yai: No thanks.
Dex: Just water.
Thori: I'm fine.
Ran went to the kitchen getting two cups as she filled them with water.
Ran: So, I guess I better tell you the real motive of my invitation.
Ran walked to us as she placed the two cups on the table.
Ran: Listen, there's another custom today besides the festival of the kites.
Lan: And what is it?
Ran: The calling for the new priestess of the wind. Every year, a different priestess is named. If the priestess is very related and has faith in the wind, a good year will come. But if the chosen priestess doesn't have faith, disaster will surely strike.
Lan: And that caused the tsunami?
Ran: I guess so.
Yai: And who's this year's new priestess?
Ran: You're standing right in front of her.
Dex: You mean you are the new priestess?
Ran: Yes!
Lan: Oh my god! That's awesome!!!
Ran: But… but I really wanna be like priestess Talim.
Aldo: Priestess Talim?
Ran sat down as she relaxed her hands taking a deep breath about to tell us a story.
Ran: Long ago, there was a priestess. Her name was Talim. She was the youngest priest. She went in a quest for the wind before she became a priestess. She succeeded in proving her courage and love and became the best priestess this village ever had. And I hope I can be as great as Priestess Talim.
Lan: Of course you will be! You proved yourself in making it to the final of the Hawk tournament! I know that your strength will be the one for the job of a priestess! Even as great as Priestess Talim!
Ran: … Thank you Lan.
Thori: So, going to the other topic. Isn't the festival of the kites when you worship the winds on mass?
Ran: Yes. Lots of kids of the village gather up and make their own kites. The contest of the festival goes to the best-designed kite tat has the best meaning of or faith. Then in the dinner after the sun sets, the people gathers at the shrine of the wind to name the next priestess as she wears her dress for the ceremony. Then she becomes the priestess under the blessing of the wind.
Dex: And there's a dinner?!?
Brandon: Count me in!!!
Ran: Well, the only problem is… my dress…
Lan: What's up with it?
Ran: The to-be priestess had to make it herself. But I don't get a lot of money… and… just look…
Ran walked to her closet as she pulled a dress out… It looked hard-made and somehow faded…
Ran: I can't wear this… and I just have three hours before the festival of the kites…
Lan: Do you guys have the idea I have?
Yai: Yep!
Ran: What idea?
Yai pulled her PET talking to Glyde.
Yai: Glyde, please call the closet jet to this coordinates.
Glyde.Exe: Gladly Lady Yai.
There was silence for a few seconds, but then there was a sound like an engine. It was a pink jet with Yai's logo. A group of people with many sewing accessories and fabrics came inside the house as Yai smiled.
Yai: Behold! My personal sewing team!
Ran: Oh my god!
Lan: Let's go everybody! Let's give Ran's dress a powerful make-up!
All: Yeah!
BGM: "Tidus's theme" from Final Fantasy X
Everyone was cooperating in fixing the dress to make it the best looking dress ever. As Lan and Maylu were picking stuff from a sewing accessories box, they touched their hands… both of them looked at each other in surprise and blending in feeling as they got even a little closer tilting their heads.
Yai: Come on! No time for staring at each other! We need to finish this dress before the festival of the kites!
Lan and Maylu snapped out of it.
Lan: Oh yeah! We better hurry!
Maylu: Yes, yes. We better hurry.
The dress was going even better than before. And with a single cut from the strand with a pair of small scissors, the dress was done.
Yai: And we're finally done.
Lan: Yeah! And we still got 15 minutes before the festival!
Ran: Thanks guys. I don't know how to repay you…
Aldo: Just do well in the ceremony wearing that dress.
Ran: Thanks.
Dex: Hello? We better get going to the festival of the kites before it starts and we miss the big dinner!
Brandon: Yeah! Dex's right! I'm going now!
Dex: What?!? You better wait for me!!!
Lan: Those two really are something.
Aldo: Yep, something.
Thori: We better get going too.
Ran: Yes. It will take place near the rice plantation.
So we followed Ran through a path leading to a hill with a beautiful view to the sea. The sun about to set down and people gathered. Small children were gathered in a group as they were showing their kites to each other.
Lan: So where do we sit down?
Ran: Right here where the grass grows green with flowers on the side. I always sit here every year because I sat here with my parents. This also was the spot where mom and dad had their first kiss. And where they found their love. I call it the circle of love.
Lan: Wow…
Ran: We better sit down. The festival is about to start.
We sat down looking at the meadow where kids were lining up as they received instructions from their parents. They were encouraging some and their mothers were kissing some. This was about family pride and faith to the wind deity.
Suddenly, the wind blew a little stronger. Normally the wind wouldn't blow from quiet to a little harder just like that… there was a charming scent in the air… maybe the wind deity…
Bgm: "Guided by wind" from Soul Calibur 2
The kids threw their kites to the air as they caught wind to propel themselves up. The kites were all of the colors of the rainbow and many different designs and shapes. This definitively was work of a deity for such beautiful custom.
Everyone roared in excitement as the kites touched the sky in such meaningful communications. There weren't words to describe it. Even Maylu was feeling it alongside Lan.
After the festivities, everyone went to the wind shrine to pray to the wind deity and after that to the wind temple where the big dinner was taking place.
We sat down and Ran went to change her clothes for the dress we fixed. There was a big feast on each table mainly of roast chicken, steak, spaghetti, fresh baked bread, roast pork, fried rice, and many other delicates.
Brandon: Are you gonna eat that?
Dex: Hey! I had my sight on that leg first!
Brandon: Now is mine!
Dex: MINE!
Yai: Stop fighting you guys! Where are your manners in the table?
Dex, Brandon: Sorry…
Lan: Yup… Really something.
Then, the head abbot of the temple stepped in front of everybody as he owed to everyone. He looked kind as father Benjamin back in ACDC.
Abbot: Welcome all. This year looks like the best year we ever had in the festival of the kites. Even more children participated this year. I first want to congratulate them for having such faith in out wind deity. Everyone please give them a big applause.
Everyone clapped at the children on an individual table as the children roared in happiness.
Abbot: And now, the moment we have been waiting for: the time to name the new priestess of the wind for this year. After passing the hard trials along her way, she has proven that the wind deity is on her side. To follow the tradition once started by Priestess Talim 700 years ago. Please give a warm welcome to our new priestess, Priestess Ran!
Ran stepped out of the darkness wearing the dress we fixed for her. The dress looked beautiful, but Ran wearing it was even more beautiful than the dress itself. Ran stepped where the abbot was to give her welcome speech.
Ran: Thank you everybody. I know that the task of priestess of the wind is hard, but I promise that I'll try my best to keep us united in these times of changes. But I know that with the wind deity on my side, and Windman, I'll be able to stand any hardship to make it through together alongside the ones I love.
Everyone roared in excitement at Ran. Then a soft breeze made it way through the room. It definitively was the deity accepting Ran as the new priestess.
Windman.Exe: Well, you made it Ran. Or I mean, priestess Ran.
Ran: We're friends. You don't need to call me priestess Windman.
Lan looked around as he saw that something was missing…
Lan: Hey guys! Where's Maylu?
Yai: She said she needed to have some fresh air.
Lan: Not again…
Lan stood up leaving the temple.
Ran: Lan?
Lan headed to the meadow where the festival of the kites took place looking for Maylu… and Maylu was where they were, exactly on the circle of love called by Ran.
Lan took a few steps closer to Maylu, but Maylu spoke first not looking at Lan.
Maylu: I feel… something in this spot… like… buried memories want to come back from deep inside me…
Lan: What kind of memories?
Maylu: I… I don't know… but they are so familiar… I feel a warm feeling… with a cold breeze… in a white snow balcony… and… a single hill with fireworks…
Lan: Those moments… have been important for us Maylu… so important…
Maylu: Lan…
Lan: Yes?
Maylu: I feel… like…
Lan: I think I know what you mean Maylu…
Maylu: Really?
Lan kept his silence, as he got closer to Maylu. He grabbed Maylu's right hand and Maylu grabbed his left hand as they tilted their heads closing their eyes and making contact.
A soft breeze swept the bad times away as Maylu opened her eyes in a very surprising way with a quick shot of flashbacks on her head, every flashback with Lan on them. All the moments they shared, their friends and happy moments… and the moment between Lan and Maylu at the hill. Somehow resembling the moment of the kiss they were having.
Maylu broke from Lan's contact as she looked down.
Lan: So?
Maylu: … I… I remember… everything… Lan…
Lan: You do?
Maylu: Lan Hikari. Since when have you heard me saying a lie in oue whole life since first grade?
Lan: Oh my god! Maylu! You're back!
Lan sprung from his spot hugging Maylu as she hugged him too.
Maylu: Glad to be back Lan.
Lan: I thought I lost you… I wouldn't know what to do without you Maylu…
Maylu: Let's just keep things the way they were. Okay? We need you 100 ready for the N-1 Grand Prix.
Lan: Yeah!
Ran: Quite a nice scene.
We were staring a them from far away.
Lan: Guys?
Aldo: Ran told us the story of that spot.
Yai: This spot is not the only spot where Ran's parents met their love.
Brandon: It's also where Priestess Talim decided to be buried when she died. So her spirit helps those in seek of help for their love.
Dex: Yeah, and the greatest feature Priestess Talim had was her love for all life under the wind's touch.
Maylu: That's explains it.
Ran: Well, I better get back to the temple.
Windman.Exe: Let's say that this little help for Maylu's problem was a little thank you from the dress.
Lan: We'll take it as a thank you Windman. And we better go too. We got a big tournament tomorrow.
Ran: Well then, good-bye my friends, hope that the winds of fate let us meet again, and the winds of fortune to help you in your quest.
Now with Ran as a priestess, we know that the village of the wind deity will have the best year ever, we can leave satisfied that we helped a friend and got a friend back in the process.
Now, the next hardship for us to encounter will be the N-1 Grand Prix where many familiar faces will appear, and many questions will be answered.