Rozzlyn: Fixed that, I hope. Anyhow, I actually wouldn't recommend reading the Wheel of Time. The majority of it is a waste of time and all the characters seem to blend together after a while, especially the female ones.
TemplarofNi: Prepare for things to become far more interesting.
Avari, wind seer: Thanks, for the notice and the comment.
moonjump05: Thanks for the heads up.
Semaj Fallen: I'd wondered where you'd gone. Welcome back.
AmandaZgreat(x2): As ever, your reviews are welcomed with open arms. (However, if you are going to propose to it, I insist that you wait until my fic is of marriageable age.)
Kd7sov(x11): My god... I must say that I admire your persistence. Just... wow. Eleven times. In one week. I must tell you, answering my email and finding all those reviews day after day was rather impressive. :shakes head in amazement: There is so much I would like to reply to, but it would take me hours. I thank you for pointing out every single flaw that I'd noticed and hadn't gotten around to correcting, as well as a few I hadn't seen. Your input with be very useful when/if I get around to editing this thing.
Myshadow: Thanks. I fear progress has slowed greatly from then, though.
Epobbp: Define "soon".
End of Response Section7/22/05
Well. It's been a while. Let's see how well I can handle this, shall we?
Disclaimer: Rallalon does not own Golden Sun or any of its characters, places or times. Nor does she own pay phones, China, Asia, air ports, draught, life-changing experiences, languages, techniques used by Guy Kay -- effective though they are, planes, fatherhood, or memories.
.-.-.-.-.-.
In a manner that was not exactly calm, Mr. Hame checked the status of his plane only to find it still "delayed". It had been "delayed" for hours now. The family talent of sleeping in chairs had come into use.
And his plane was still delayed. His son's flight was going to land soon. In China. Where he was to wait for the two hours it was supposed to take for Mr. Hame to catch up. How would he know that his father's flight had been delayed? Who would he turn to for help? What if his sister was there and sued him for mistreating Evan? No, that was unlikely, but Evan might feel pressured to go off someplace with Hua instead of waiting for him. Would that be better than waiting for what, eight or ten hours?
He took a breath. Evan was a smart boy: doubtlessly he'd check the status of his father's plane and then try to put a call through to him. They could figure out what they would do then.
Evan would be all right. Simple as that.
Now to find where the non-out-of-order phones were.
.-.-.-.-.-.
"I just got readjusted to the time zone back home. This-"
"'Fludes'?" Satornil offered his younger friend. It seemed the guy had volunteered to pack lunch for the half of them going to Russia. Nothing worse than being stuck atop of large tower with nothing to eat, Satornil could vouch for that. Apparently, Andrew had taken care of it last time, but Felix seemed to like doing this sort of thing. Why, no one was entirely sure. He'd hated it when he had been stuck with kitchen duty before. Things must've changed... From Saturos' perspective of the world. No reason for Satornil to be feeling this left-behind and frustrated.
Matthew quirked an eyebrow. "Can it be used like that?" he asked in Russian, practicing.
"All-purpose word," he replied in the same language, thankful for the change. He was practically thinking in English by now. "At least according to Saturos." He paused for a yawn. "So how's everyone else doing this fine time of day?"
"Well . . . I think Garet's up and running about."
"Not Gary?"
"Still sleeping. Almost enough to make me wonder what Felix did with my body while I was asleep." A pause. "I was jokin- Yeah, I get that-" Another pause. "I never said that you did, but-"
Satornil found it in his best interest to ignore the spectacle. There was only one word for all this: bizarre. And yet . . . it was becoming increasingly natural. If it weren't for that Gary kid, would he still feel like this, mind it so much? Was this-
'It's similar to fusion, yes, in everything except having two bodies fused.'
'What?' Satornil found himself closing his eyes, picturing Saturos as he remembered himself. He'd found that it made the act of speaking with him more comfortable.
'That's what you were going to ask, wasn't it?'
'Yes . . .' Were they-
'It is possible to fuse together too close, but I don't think we're there yet. Still...'
'We'll have to keep an eye on Matthew.'
'True. First to come, first to happen.'
'Logically.'
'Though, being second, we might go soon anyway.'
'That is what's going to happen?'
'Maybe. You're right, I might separate from you.'
'We don't know when, or if.'
'I . . .'
'I know.'
"Satornil?"
He opened his eyes and didn't bother apologizing to Matthew. "So are we done?"
.-.-.-.-.-.
Evan came through the gate and was immediately hit with the full realization of a very simple fact: he was in Asia. For the first time in his life, excluding trips to a few China Towns, the majority of the people around him looked... well, like him. He heard occasional snatches of English, but that was mostly by businessmen into cell phones. Cool.
He was feeling a little over-whelmed, but, man, this was awesome! He was in China!
First things first, though. He needed to find his sister, a board with the status of his dad's plane on it, and where his stuff would be.
But his sister first, he decided, taking a few steps to his right without thinking about it. How he was going to do that... Uh... What were the odds she'd be standing somewhere with a cardboard sign with "Evan Hame" written on it?
Yeah, he'd thought so.
A woman tripped over someone's carry-on bag left on the floor and spilt her coffee. He sidestepped, but it wasn't necessary. Maybe if he had been standing a little more to his left, it might have been.
Paying no attention to the incident, Evan decided finding the other two things on the list would be a good thing. And finding a bathroom as well as the current time and an approachable English speaker. It was a good thing the signs were multi-lingual. It was weird how no matter what airport he was in, those symbols were always the same. Even the arrows-
He turned around.
That was... odd. A weird... tug feeling. Probably nothing. Something caused by jet lag, plane food, nerves, pick one. Nothing...
Purple.
What was that? Some toy a little kid had thrown that had gotten stuck up there? Those light fixtures were pretty high up, though...
Still, there was something purple up there and-
Had it just moved?
"Isaac, Garet!" he called back over his shoulder, giving the sculpture of the mayor's wife another light push and finding it unsteady. "I think we can move this statue."
"What for?" the Mars Adept asked.
"Garet, give Ivan some credit. Without him, we wouldn't be in this cave." Isaac gestured Ivan to get out of the way and once the younger boy had complied, cast a simple Move.
"Okay, so the thing can be moved? Why are we down here?"
Ivan shrugged, walking deeper into the cave. "A feeling." He got them sometimes, and when he did, he had found it was best to follow them.
Even if it did make some people think he was not quite right in the head.
"You see anything?" Isaac called.
"I..." Ivan squinted in the very dim light. "I'm not sure."
There was something there... He could tell.
"Hello... Is someone there?"
A small, surprised squeak hit his ears, echoed off the walls and hit his ears again. A child playing hide-and-go-seek, perhaps? But it felt like...
Jupiter. And when he reached out with his Psynergy, he felt strong winds pulling at him, pushing him, playing with his hair. It was hard to believe he was in a cave, with still and musty air.
Another squeak.
"Ivan? What's back there?"
"I'm coming after you!"
"No, Garet. I'm fine. Isaac... I think I found a Djinni."
A third squeak sounded, and this time, a small creature flew towards him, then around him, again and again.
/Hello, Adept/ the Djinni said into his mind, giving off a sense of formality for this occasion. /Will you be friends with me/
'I will.' Ivan was mildly aware of Garet behind him, followed by Isaac. This was the first time another had contacted him mentally. And if he had been honest with himself, he had envied the Valemen for their Djinn.
/Good. I think I'll like you./
'You mean you don't already?'
Another squeak, an amused one. /Perhaps I do. What's your name, Adept/
'I am Ivan of Kalay, servant of Master Hammet. What is your name?'
The Djinni landed on his shoulder gently, hardly as large as Ivan's fist. There are what look to be two small wings on its back, one over either shoulder -- could it have shoulders, if it had no arms? The plume on its head was longer than the Djinni was tall, though not by much. One blue eye gazed at him as the boy stared at his newfound companion. It nearly looked like there was another set of eyes, orange and where Ivan supposed its temples to be. This was a creature of Jupiter, an animal of wind.
It was beautiful.
The Djinni once reached out to him once more, touching his mind as no one else ever had before. This was no invasion of privacy, as he had feared it might be, like a hug from a stranger.
This was a mother's embrace.
As Isaac and Garet watched, hearing none of this conversation, the Djinni told Ivan its name.
"Gust."
The Djinni gave a pleased squeak. /I've missed you./
Evan stared at the thing on his shoulder. And then, had he been able, he would have stared at the inside of his mind.
'I've missed you, too, Gust. I promise we'll catch up later, but I believe... Evan needs someone to clarify the situation for him.' There was a feeling of soft laughter. 'Even though I think I need someone to clarify the situation for me.'
A part of Evan's mind told him that, without question, he was going insane. This was the logical part of Evan's mind and it had come up with several reasons for this. First, having visions. Second, seeing weird creatures materialize. Third, having said weird creature talk to him when. It didn't even have a mouth. Fourth, hearing another voice in his head. Fourth...
Feeling like it was right for this to be happening.
'...Hello?' Did one talk to the voices in one's head by thinking?
'Hello. I'm Ivan of Kalay.'
Apparently, one did. '...I'm Evan Hame,' he replied, wondering why the person in his head didn't already know that.
'I'm an Adept,' Ivan told him as they walked towards a more private looking spot, gently taking the Djinni off their shoulder and carrying him. 'So are you.'
Ivan seemed... familiar. '...I know you.'
Evan had the strange feeling the man would have been nodding in approval had he had his own body. 'You should.'
'...How?'
'Do you believe in reincarnation?'
...That was a disturbing notion. 'I'm agnostic. So, not really.'
'I would say the same, except that I saw you.'
'You had a vision of me?' Here was a good place. And if he were to take his CD player out of his backpack, put the headphones on and lean against the wall... No one would bother him.
Evan had the oddest feeling that Ivan was curious about the CD player. 'A prediction. And that was a very, very long time ago.'
How long? 'You seem old.'
'Jupiter Adepts age well,' Ivan replied, his tone light and joking.
Jupiter? '...You're an alien?'
'A what?'
No, whatever else Ivan was, he was most definitely human. '... Never mind.'
He was getting the feeling that Ivan was pulling the answer out of his mind. He then got the feeling that Ivan was putting the matter aside for the time being. 'We need to find Hama.'
'Who's Hama?'
That sensation came again. 'Hua. Hama should have contacted Hua by now.'
Evan tried to copy whatever it was that Ivan was doing. '...Is Hama your sister?'
Ivan paused, and the pair of them came to a silent agreement not to look into the other's mind without permission. Ivan then opened his mind to him, trusting him with everything he had.
It was truly amazing.
'She is. We need to find her, and go someplace with her.'
Evan grinned, all thoughts of the possibility of insanity behind him. Everything would be all right. Well, maybe not. His father would be... Actually, it was better not to think about it. But he trusted Ivan.
And even if he hadn't found his sister yet, he'd found an unexpected brother.
.-.-.-.-.-.
The world has changed.
He has changed.
There is greater change to come.
He knows this.
He knows that what was once murky is becoming clear, a self-awareness of sorts. After so long, it confuses.
Because something is happening, something that he has no control over, no experience with. That is a strange and rare occurrence, frightening and exhilarating, a paradox of emotions.
Or something more.
Possibly. Eventually. He doesn't know yet.
But he will.
He will.
.-.-.-.-.-.
"Beware of trap doors!"
"Watch out for miracles!"
.-.-.-.-.-.
Well.
Here they were.
They'd Teleported to China and dropped off half of their number in a way that was seeming almost... normal now. And then, they'd Teleported here.
And here they were.
Home.
"Dolgorukii, what way are we going?" Makrina asked, looking up and down the street. It was obvious they had to get out of town before they would find the tower.
"Why are you asking me, Zoshchenko?"
Besides the jerking of her ears, there was no reaction.
Satornil still saw it, though.
Neither commented, and were finally pulled away from a staring match a moment later.
"It's been quite some time since I was in these parts last," Picard commented in their native language, somehow managing to dispel a large amount of tension. Even though Sheba had transferred the knowledge of the language from her and Satornil's minds into those of their other companions, Picard still sounded old.
Control now firmly in the hands of a man who changed slower than languages, the group finally gave in and asked for directions.
They were on their way.
'We're going to do it this time.'
'We are,' she agreed.
.-.-.-.-.-.
Thoroughly annoyed, Adrian sat down heavily on a wooden chair in Aquae's library. A sigh escaped him. He felt so worn out. He'd learned so much and nothing at all, learned until his head felt as if it could hold no more.
Picard -- Adrian could no longer think of the man as "King Piers" now that he knew him the way he did -- was more than he could ever have thought. There was so much pain, so much weariness in those crystals. Adrian couldn't imagine why the majority of the memories he had witness had been kept. There were several that made sense, telling him details more personal than Adrian had a right to know.
Picard had married, several times.
Picard had known fatherhood, several times.
Picard had known death, more times than any man could count.
Adrian found himself crying, unable to stop. So long, so long, too long this man had lived. What kept him going, moving, keeping to his duty? He understood the man now better than he ever had before, enough to know that he was a complete stranger and always would remain so.
He had a sudden thought to that fellow who served Picard. His name eluded memory, but Adrian had a sudden moment of pity. Adrian's man had his trust and a larger amount of knowledge of him than he would be comfortable allowing anyone else to know. Ennis knew him in the way that only a man who had been with him since birth could know him. Picard's man had that denied to him, a thought making Adrian more inexplicably sorrowful by each passing wave of the sea.
The urge to go home and hug what was sure to be a very confused Ennis came and left him. He had to wait for Aquae and tell him what he knew.
Though, to be truthful, he was mostly taking a break. He needed to... He didn't know what he needed to do.
Wiping his face off was a good idea, he decided. The disgust that would normally accompany tears wasn't present. Never before in his life had he such a reason to cry.
Why didn't Picard cry? Could he, anymore?
Adrian stifled that thought and crammed a handkerchief back into his pocket at the sound of footsteps. He looked over his shoulder, not bothering to rise.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were fur-sick from my pet," Aquae remarked softly, the caline cradled in one of his arms.
Adrian pulled out the chair next to him for his mentor. The older man sat, letting his small animal go on the table, only paying it attention when it wandered too closely to some document or another. "What did you find out?"
"...Things. I saw..." Adrian shook his head and looked at Aquae hopelessly.
"Not much that could help us, I take it." Aquae silently asked him a question Adrian would not and could not answer.
"No. And I won't do it again."
"Adrian... I told you that you would see things best left in darkness. All Seers do, regardless of their Element." His voice was soothing, and aged, and easy to listen to.
"I lived it," Adrian said dully. "And I watched them all die."
Aquae studied him for a long moment, saying nothing, his hand idly stroking the arched back of his pet. The pair of humans watched as it jumped off the table and ran between rows of shelves, vanishing from sight. Finally, quietly, gently, the older inquired.
"Who?"
"Everyone he loved."
"King Piers?"
Adrian nodded after a moment. Vaguely, he wondered why he was grieving for these people, these faceless ghosts he had never met. But they weren't faceless, and he had known them, for a moment. There was so much lost, so much...
And in the same tone, the one he used to often imagine his father using with him, had he been the first son and not the second: "How?"
He explained, pressing his palms against his closed eyes. He spoke of the crystals, but was vague as to what he'd seen. There was a feeling as if he'd violated the man haunting him, and Adrian knew it was for good reason. He'd needed to know, he'd needed that knowledge, he'd done it for his king, he'd meant no harm...
He had seen disease and been unable to cure them all, being too weak.
He had seen ignorance and been unable to teach.
He had seen people die, from age, accident and murder.
He had seen love snap and break, felt it do so.
Adrian had seen and experienced a lifetime in one day. And it wasn't a lifetime he felt himself able to cope with.
"We can't use them. The crystals. We can't use them. We'll find another information source. We should have some time. Only months, but... We can't use them."
There was a long silence.
There was an aged hand on his shoulder.
There was understanding.
"Yet we must do something," Adrian finished. "I can't even predict things on command. In fact, Aquae, I doubt I can go to sleep on command."
The older man studied for a moment, before turning on his heel and striding purposefully towards the exit of his library. "I'll meet you in your rooms, Adrian, provided of course that you won't mind the headache you'll have come morning."
He stared at the retreating back for a moment before giving a vaguely amused sigh. If Aquae wanted to waste a glass of his stronger stuff on him, then why not let him.
Having the sudden thought of a lavender-haired man, he paused from the feeling of intense dislike. He didn't think he'd seen the man in one of the memories, but perhaps Picard had remembered the man in one of those memories. No matter how Adrian knew him, it was obvious these little flashbacks and rememberings would keep happening.
Shrugging the feeling off and continuing on his way, Adrian had the somewhat amusing realization that he was perhaps the first man who actually could solve his problems with a glass of the draught.
It all depended on if he dreamed, and what.