"I...always thought of myself as the only exception. But I don't feel that way anymore."
- Dizzy

Dizzy gave a small yawn and readjusted her position on the branch she was sitting on so her tail could swing down and relax. She was sitting high up in an oak tree, contentedly observing her surroundings of the forest that had been her home for as long as she could remember.

She had been hidden here to escape the abuse of the humans. Humans who were afraid of her. When Commander Gear Justice had died, the entire population of gears had malfunctioned and had their minds wiped, completely voided of all memories. They did nothing- couldn't do anything without orders from a leader, and therefore the humans had triumphed over the gears.

However, when they found Dizzy, a half-human half-gear who was still intact after Justice's death, they started to worry.

Countless bounties were put on her head to track her down and kill her, but they had run into a problem or two.

Problem one was Testament.

When Justice died, the gears malfunctioned. This included Testament, though however, Dizzy had come across him and saved him in time before he was destroyed. After that, he swore to protect her no matter what, come a bounty hunter or an army.

Testament, Dizzy thought, was technically… her best friend. Her guardian, so to speak.

She smiled at this thought. She had always been one to be afraid of being alone, but ever since she had met Testament, he had kept her company and given her a friend when she needed one most.

He always said that she was the one most precious to him, and Dizzy liked to hear him say that. Inside, it made her feel like she was on this earth for a purpose other than being hunted and abused by humans.

Problem two was herself.

Even though she was only a half-gear, she had incredible fighting powers. Her other two guardians, Undine and Necro, fought alongside her (sometimes without her consent) and in her short life, she had only been defeated once… by Sol.

He had come into her woods and found her, defeating her. She couldn't match his power; to her it was insane. However, she did not turn out how Sol thought she would and he spared her life.

After that, things were relatively quiet until she had been grafted onto the Jellyfish Pirates crew, where she grew to be very good friends with May and April. Life there had been fun, though a little awkward at times. Dizzy had felt useless, having grown up not knowing how to do mundane things like wash a plate or do the laundry. May had taught her and found the entire ordeal rather amusing, but Dizzy did not and eventually convinced May to let her take some 'shore leave' back in her forest grove.

Dizzy had thought it to be a good idea, and since Sol had already come and fought her, she deemed the place to be relatively safe. The odd person came now and again to try and seek her out for a fight, but those times Testament did away with them.

And ever since then, she had been here, spending her time quietly with the place she grew up in, and on the odd occasion, May or Testament came to visit her. They talked about mundane things, which may seem amusing; a girl with blue hair, a tail and wings talking to a tall black-haired man with a scythe about the weather.

But it made her happy, and that seemed to make Testament happy, though his face rarely showed emotion so Dizzy found it hard to analyse what he was feeling.

A small bellbird hopped onto the branch next to Dizzy's head and she smiled, listening to it's friendly song as it chirped. Soon, other birds joined in with it as a chorus and Dizzy looked around for the cause. Seeing the sunlight that filtered through from the roof of leaves start to fade, she concluded it was time for their eveningsong. She sat and listened for around half an hour or so, before she was slightly startled by Testament appearing on the branch next to her.

He looked solemn as always, his crow sitting next to him on the branch and eyeing the bellbirds mischievously, but his giant scythe was nowhere to be seen. He didn't often carry it with him, as he didn't always need it and he could call it to him if he did.

Unneeded burdens were unnecessary, he always said. Dizzy agreed.

"Hello, Dizzy." His deep voice was level, but not emotionless. She gave him a cheerful smile.

"Hello. How are you?" She replied, as she shifted again so she was sitting more upright. April always scolded May for slouching at the dinner table, and it had rubbed off on her. Every time her shoulders inched down the tree trunk, she heard April's voice shout in her head.

Testament inclined his head. "Well enough. And you? No… trouble, I hope?"

Dizzy knew what he meant when he said trouble. "I've been fine, and you know I'd let you know if there was any trouble. I tell you everything."

He gave a wry smile. "I know. I cannot help but worry, though. After Sol."

"Sol was a long time ago. In my sense, anyway. Isn't it best to leave the past well alone?"

Testament shrugged his shoulders. "It is also best to not repeat past mistakes. Anyway, I shall drop the subject." Dizzy let out a small giggle at his behaviour and nodded.

"Okay. I saw May and Johnny the other day." She saw Testament tense slightly at the mention of Johnny's name, but he relaxed soon after. She knew that they had had several 'run-ins' in the past.

"I see. And how were they?"

"Fine. May, full of energy as she always is. Johnny, the wallflower he always is. All mouth and no cognitive functions."

Testament chuckled at Dizzy's aspect on him. It was true to a tee. "Have you decided on any plans yet? Leaving the forest?"

Dizzy looked down towards the grassy carpet of the forest and shook her head slightly.

"I… don't know. I still don't know if it's safe for me, out in the real world. The forest is comforting. I feel at home here… and I don't know when I'm going to leave."

There was a short silence between the two as they both thought back to the numerous fights they had been in, just defending Dizzy.

"I understand." Testament said at last, a twinge of sympathy in his voice. Dizzy smiled internally. He did care, after all. "Take your time. I will protect you, whatever path you choose to take."

"Thank you, Testament…" She said, and she said it as if she meant it, too. The number of times he had put his life on the line for her, well… she had lost count. She looked him in the eyes, so similar to hers in colour and he nodded, a silent understanding between the two.

"The world governments have seem to have forgotten about me now, anyway." She continued. "Perhaps… I could live a life of peace outside of here. Just not yet."

Testament just listened to her speak. He knew she needed someone to talk all these ideas out onto; she was in this forest alone day after day, just thinking. He also knew how hard it was for her, to deal with the constant hatred. And it was also how he admired her, for fighting against it and still being a virtuous person. She started to speak again and caught his attention.

"Though… when I go somewhere, I want you to come with me…" She said, thoughtful and genuine. Testament was surprised and somewhat flattered at the same time, though they both knew he would've gone with her anyway.

"Of course. I would not have it other wise." He said, his wry grin on his face again. His crow cawed, sick of being ignored and flew off indignantly. Dizzy watched it disappear.

"Won't you lose it?"

"No. She always comes back." Testament replied, slightly amused by the birds antics. It was one of the most temperamental creatures he knew, humans included.

"Oh, okay then. That's very loyal." She said, grinning at Testament who shook his head at her folly and then looked to the sky.

"You are a person unto yourself, Dizzy." He said, making the half-gear giggle. After she had finished, he turned back to her. "I had better go now. I'll be back in the morning." He stated simply, standing up on the branch he had been sitting on.

"Of course. Goodbye, Testament. Take care." She said, giving him a little wave at which he gave a hint of a smile at. Suddenly, his crow burst through the trees and came to perch on his shoulder, happy to be reunited with her owner once more and being given his attention.

"Goodbye, my Dizzy." And with that, he slowly disappeared into darkness that had not been there a few minutes ago. Dizzy blinked a few times and then gave another yawn, looking again at the quickly darkening sky.

---

Deciding that it was time to go inside shelter for the night, Dizzy stood up and jumped off the high branch, Undine and Necro spreading to slowly lower her down. When she touched down softly on the forest floor, they disappeared again and she wandered around the base of the oak to an overgrown path, one that was hardly ever walked.

She continued down it for a few minutes, before she had a twinge in her head. Stopping short, she gasped at the short pain and shook her head, as if trying to get rid of it. Something filtered through the pain and seeped into her thoughts, or so she felt, and it whispered to her.

'Dizzz… dizzzyyyy…you're the one… of the all…'

Dizzy would have cried out at the strange voice in her head, one alien to her own thoughts, if only the sound was tangible. But it wasn't, and it disappeared as soon as it had come, leaving her standing there and trembling. She stayed there for a few minutes, as if to confirm it wasn't coming back, and perhaps she may have just imagined it, before she continued down the path.

Turning right at an overgrown junction, she came to a pine tree well over 50 times her size, with a large gaping hollow trunk, a tree-cave with a little door Dizzy had fashioned for it over the years she had stayed there. Walking up to it, her head twinged again and she fell forward, supporting herself on the doorframe with her hand as the pain subsided, just leaving her with a dull headache and no voices.

Walking inside the tree, Dizzy felt scared for the first time since she had laid eyes on Sol.

What is happening to me?