Note: Sry this has taken so long. A whole lot of crap has been going on in my life. Most of it centering around the soap opera that is my computer.
Knuckle Down:
Chapter 7
Cast continued his slow walk towards the village. Many things drifted in and out of his mind as he made his way to through the woods. There were many things he had to ponder. Many of them focused around Conte, Jason, Peppy, Yun. All the good people in his life who he had estranged. He had to face fact's. Conte was probably going to die. He was probably going to lose Jason as his friend and Yun as his trainer. Correction, he had already lost Yun. As Cast was making his melancholy walk through the forest, he noticed a vast tree taking up a large portion of the wooded land to his right. Cast took a long look at the majestic plant. How many years had that tree lived? How many trials and tribulations had it gone through?
Cast smiled to himself. The sight of the tree infused him with a new hope. Maybe It would all turn out alright. He had gone to far and tried to hard for it not to matter in the end. He would end up standing tall, a giant among everyone else. He would succeed. He had too. Cast had crept slowly up on the city, and he was caught unaware. He looked at the edge of the village of Corneria.
It was time to start over.
Wake me up.
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Peppy stared longingly out of the side window from his rocker. The window seemed to have been tainted with all the happenings of late, and its countenance showed it by projecting a thin line of film over the window. It had the effect of darkening the room and casting a gloomy shadow over the area where the rocker was currently doing its business. There were several dings and scratches in the wall, and the floor seemed to have magnetically attracted all sorts of bits of rubbish. The dismal state of his affairs did nothing to help poor old Peppy. His spirits were as gloomy as the room.
It wasn't as if he hadn't tried, Peppy thought to himself. He had only been looking out for his friends son, a by proxy nephew if you will. He had only done what he thought was right. Yet the kid had just thrown it up into his face. Where was the point in all this? He wondered half heartedly. Maybe if he cleaned up this dank room his spirits would lighten. But try as he might he could not bring himself to get up and get to sweeping, pushing, rubbing, scrubbing. It all seemed beyond his reach now. Well. Maybe he would take a nap. His old bones ached for some rest, and he happily obliged them.
Wake me up Inside.
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Cast walked through the town, approaching the area where Peppy's house resided. After thinking about his situation for a while, Cast determined that the only way to start getting his life back on track was to first apologize to Peppy and gain his forgiveness. Cast ambled up to Peppy's front door in a sort of slip shuffle way that told volumes of what his intentions were. His calm face belied his inner turmoil as he stepped up to the door. In all fairness it is hard to judge a beings true character by their words, it often takes close analysis of their actions to determine what their true motives and true feelings about a matter are. Cast's very manner in which he presented himself showed how insecure and troubled he was. He tried to conceal it through the way he talked and held himself, but those very things betrayed him. So as it was, when Peppy opened the door and found Cast standing there, it took him only a few seconds of thought to realize what he had come back for.
Peppy grasped Cast in a hug a nearly lifted him off the ground. Cast tried to speak but found that words had somehow left him in search of some new pursuit. Peppy saw this and said probably the most comforting words he had ever spoken to him.
"You don't need to say anything at all."
I cant wake up.
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Peppy and Cast talked for a while. The subject of what had happened after Conte had gone after him was brought up soon enough in the course of the conversation. Cast had no choice but to tell Peppy of what had happened.
"I cant believe it. Of all the things to happen…" Peppy looked about to break into tears. Cast could barely stand it and looked away. Peppy looked at him sadly.
"You must tell your friend. Jason has to know about it. It's your duty as his pal." Cast gave him a saddened look. Damnit he knew he would have to do it, so why put it off?
"I think he's out back taking a nap. He was waiting for you guys to return." Peppy heaved a tremendous sigh.
"Now If you'll excuse me, I need to go think." Peppy got up out of his chair slowly, his age showing. He ambled out of the room, and up the back stairs.
Cast could see the softly slumbering form of Jason out of the window. Every time he snored his body would jiggle most disconcertingly. Cast walked out to the porch and sat down in a dusty old chair next to Jason. He then poked him in the stomach.
"Snoooorfff wha huh whozzat" Jason realized it was Cast and was upon him in a second, faster than he could have predicted he would have moved. He shook him super hard, then pounded him with questions.
"Where have you been?! Where's Conte?! Why'd you run off like that?! Why'd you punch Fox?! AND WHY HAVENT YOU GIVEN ME BACK MY 5 SCARABS?!" Cast looked at him sideways.
"What 5 scarabs?" Jason ignored him.
"Aw who cares. All I want to know is what happened" Cast looked at him. He couldn't put it off any longer. He took a deep breath and started to tell his tale.
Save me…….
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"You cant be serious." Cast looked away. He could barely believe his story himself.
"I don't believe it." Jason said simply.
"Yeah, it was all my fault I shouldn't have…" Jason cut him off sharply.
"It wasn't your fault. But this is some bad juju man. Is there any hope for Conte's recovery?" Jason asked.
"I don't know."
"Well. Someone has to go tell her mother and father. They'd be frantic after all of this." Jason stated.
"Well yeah I guess so. I'll do it." Cast replied.
"Nah. You still have stuff to finish up with here I take it. I'll go back and tell Conte's Parent's."
"But what about the…."
"Yeah Yeah, I know. Im a hound though. I'll smell him a mile away. Humans stink. Anyway, I wont go through the regular path so I wont have to deal with him." Jason quickly summarized.
"But…"
"No buts. I'll go and that's it." For once Cast couldn't think of anything to say.
"Beside's, If you go, her parents will probably kill you, and you know if she survives she wouldnt want to find you dead now would she?" Cast looked at Jason with a new found admiration for his chubby friend.
"Thanks bro. I wont forget it."
"Bah. We're friends right? I wouldn't let anything to bad happen to you. Now, I gotta go pack. Looks like I'm going to have to cut my part of the vacation short." He walked upstairs and went to his business.
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An hour later Cast walked as his friend started his walk down the road. A brilliant sunset was coming on, and It illuminated his figure in an unearthly glow. Their parting words had been simple. But He would never forget them.
As Cast watched Jason walk towards his path, he couldn't help but think about where his path would lead him. Jason disappeared over the horizon, and Cast sat down where he was.
In the corner of his eye, Cast saw a figure that was to big to be a fur. He sat up and straightened out.
There was still business to attend to.
Call my name and save me from the dark……..
Author's note: There you have it. The first chapter to be done in a LONG time. I apologize for the delay, please forgive me. Anyway I tried to change the writing style up a bit. Tell me if you like it. As always, read and review.