Resting by the Camp Fire
(Bana's Office)
"Hmm, even though with Consul Dughall's help, Bana still thinks Rex-Rex will escape with that 'special' Blade of his." Bana said to himself after talking with the Consul of Gormott Province.
Bana thinks that now that Rex-Rex his gained a powerful Blade with an emerald-colored core crystal, he and his little brother along with that busty-motherly Blade will surely make things difficult for him as he thought wanting to sale that Blade for highest price.
Just wanted to make sure the plan works, Bana turns to one of his female attendants.
"You, get Bana touch with that 'Bandit' woman on the line, now!" Bana ordered.
"Yes sir." The woman said as she makes a call on the screen-caller (A/N: I don't know what they call them) and soon someone answered.
"Didn't expect to be getting a call from you, must be something important to call little ol' me." A woman voice joked.
"Cut the mocking, Bana have job for you with big reward for success." Bana said, wanting to get right to the point.
"Okay, what do you want me to steal?"
(With Rex and Rana's Group)
Rana slowly opening his eyes seeing a pair of giant orbs hanging above his head, easily recognizing them since he grew up seeing them everywhere he goes as he fully wakes up.
"Morning, Mama." Rana chuckled before sitting up.
"Thank goodness you're okay, sweetie, you and Rex don't seem to have taken any damage from the crash." Cattleya sighed in relief as she looks over to Rex and Pyra looking their way.
"You okay, little bro?" Rex asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little dizzy." Rana said, getting up on his feet slowly with Cattleya's help.
"What happened?" Rana asked.
"We seen to have washed up on a Titan of some kind, we're just about to go find of that girl with the tiger and your grandpa." Pyra answered.
"I see, then we better hurry." Rana said as Rex nodded.
The four ran through the unknown forest trying to see if they can find any clues of Nia and Azurda, of course the tiger Blade Dromarch too. Cattleya pointed out that there are some trees knocked down apart that seems to be an open path which also means that the elder Titan must have come through here during the crash and they follow the trail of destruction. Soon they found Azurda lying on his side and doesn't seem to be looking so good, especially with all those spears on his back and few on his neck.
"Gramps!" Rex called out as he and Rana rush to his side with Cattleya and Pyra behind.
"Boys, it's so good to see you both are unharmed." Azurda said.
"Oh dear…" Cattleya gasped, seeing the condition Azruda is in.
"How awful…" Pyra said, sad to see this.
"Okay, I should have some herbs in here." Rana said looking through his backpack, he felt a hand on his shoulder and look up to see Cattleya with a sad face.
"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do." Cattleya admitted.
"But…"
"She's right, Rana. My time was coming soon, so do not weep for I have accepted my fate." Azruda said.
"But gramps, we hoped…" Rex sobbed trying to fight back the tears and Rana is hugging Cattleya.
"No parting is forever. We will surely meet again when the flow of ether wills it…" Azruda said as he body starts to glow, and everyone gasps.
"The days with you two were the best I ever had. Cattleya, promise me you'll look after the boys as you are the mother." Azruda asked Cattleya one final promise.
"I will, I'll protect them with all my strength." Cattleya said, trying to put on a brave face but couldn't stop the tears.
"Thank you. Until we meet again, Rex, Rana…" Azruda said his final words before his body fades of ether flowing in the air.
Rex couldn't hold it in anymore as he drops to his knees and let out a loud crying as did Rana doing the same, Cattleya brings in both boys into an embrace telling them to let it all out and invite Pyra to join in, she accepts and enter the group wanting to help the boys too.
"Damn it, Gramps, you just had to go when we still needed you!" Rex cried.
"Stupid Grandpa, we wanted to show you Elysium too, you old fool!" Rana sobbed.
"Now, now, is that anyway to talk to your elder like that?"
"He's right boys, we should honor he's memories and move on." Cattleya agreed. Then she realizes something odd as so everyone else.
They all look to where Azruda once lay and slowly move their heads down to see a tiny creature that looks like a baby titan, and the strangest part is that this little guy seem familiar for some reason.
"Gramps?" Rex confused.
"It can't be…" Pyra shocked.
"Azruda, you're…" Cattleya paused, not sure if she should finish that sentence.
"Yes, Cattleya, it's me… sort of speak." The now tiny Azruda nodded.
WHAAAAT?!" Everyone shocked that Azruda is alive and tiny.
"But you were dying and you're so small now." Rana pointed out.
"Yes, you see I tried to regenerate from the wounds but they were too deep to heal and so I reverted myself in this larval stage. Though I be honest, I didn't think I had any strength to pull it off with the wounds and all." Azruda explained then suddenly being picked up by Rana.
"GRANDPA'S ALIVE! GRANDPA'S ALIVE!" Rana cheered spinning around with Azruda in his hands as he gets a little dizzy
"Sheesh, Azruda, you nearly gave me a heart attack." Cattleya punted, but glad to see the former elder Titan is alive.
"And I cried over nothing." Rex huffed looking away. Secretly happy on the inside.
"I think I rather have this than a dead friend." Pyra smiled.
"So, how long are you gonna be like this?" Rana asked, finally letting him go as he flies with his tiny wings.
"Good question. No more than 300 years." Azruda answered.
"Th-three-hundred years! We'll be long dead by then and Cattleya will probably be with a new Driver too." Rex stated.
"Hmm, I suppose you're right." Azruda said.
"That also leaves the problem of where are we going to live now." Cattleya added.
"Guess we should've thought of that more." Rana said, scratching the back of his head.
"Still, I'm glad you're alright, gramps." Rex smiled and Azruda gave him a thumb up.
Despite what happened to Gramps was a little over dramatic, but at least the whole group is still together, sort of with Azruda being small now. Then Rex remember that there is still one person left.
"Oh shoot! We can't stand around all day! We have to find Nia!" Rex reminded everyone.
"Nia? You mean that Driver and her Blade from before?" Azruda asked.
"Yeah, did you see them? They kinda saved our life." Rana mentioned.
"I hope they're okay." Pyra worried.
"I remember crashing through many trees before landing here… they probably fell off then." Azruda said, not remembering seeing them.
"Oh dear, they could be anywhere." Cattleya said.
"Perhaps we would have better luck following the trail of broken trees." Pyra suggested.
"Good thinking, Pyra." Rex said.
Azruda notice something an X-shaped gem on Rex chest, couldn't help but be curious about it.
"By the way, Rex, is that a Core Crystal I see shining on your chest?" Azruda asked.
"Long story short, Rex got killed and was brought back to life by Pyra." Rana explained shortly.
"Oh my…" Azruda surprised.
"I'll tell you about it later, we need to go find Nia." Rex said as he picks up Azruda and puts him in his helmet, he finds this to be a nice change.
They follow the trail hopping to find some clues if Nia and Dromarch had come through here, Rex and Rana wanted to thank her for helping them back on the ancient ship and fighting off against Malos and Jin until they were rescued. Hopefully they can still be friends with her if she's not feeling down on betraying her former group and all.
They walk through the woods for an hour until they heard some clashing noises.
"What's that?" Rex asked about the sounds.
(Music-Xenoblade Chronicle 2 Battle Theme)
"I felt a ripple in the ether. It feels like a Driver using a Blade in battle." Pyra said, certain from sensing the ether energy.
"Then it could be Nia and Dromarch." Cattleya said.
"Let's go!" Rex said and ran with the others.
(With Nia and Dromarch)
Nia and Dromarch are fending off against a frog-like monster as they are struggling to defeat it, considering it's a strong monster.
"My lady, leave this to me!" Dromarch assisted that he'll hold off the frog-monster for her to get away.
"I'm not just going to abandon you, Dromarch!" Nia protested.
As the frog-monster gets closer, it suddenly got hit by a fire projectile surprising the Cat-girl Driver turns her head to see Rex and his group arriving at the scene.
"We're we to help!" Rex said.
"We're coming, Nia!" Rana shouted.
"Rex, Rana, what are you boys doing here?" Nia asked.
"My lady, now's our chance! Let's attack!" Dromarch stated with more help to fight the frog-monster.
"Charge!" Rana charged with the spear in his hand dodging a striking and impaling the right leg making the frog-monster crock in pain.
Cattleya jumps high and slash at the beast forcing it back as Rex slashes with his sword and Pyra firing some fire-balls at it, Nia jumps on Dromarch's back as he roars at big frog creature pushing it back then Nia jumps off to slash it in the face with her duel-ring weapons. The frog-monster wouldn't go down so easily and launch its tongue at the group as they dodge it, Rana leans and spin his spear slashing at it and Rex fires a flaming-slash attack making the frog feeling the heat. The frog-monster became and jumps higher to crush them under its belly, Rana thought of an idea.
"Mama, get to where its gonna land!" Rana shouted, Cattleya nodded getting the idea and stands to the spot.
"Are you crazy?" Nia asked.
"Don't worry, Rana always has a plan." Rex smirked.
Cattleya sees the frog-monster falling towards her just as Rana planned and charge some ether energy into her big sword and thrust it forward impaling the creature's stomach.
"Rex, give Pyra her sword!" Rana said.
"Got it, time to cook us dinner!" Rex punned as he threw the sword at Pyra.
"One cooked-frog meat, coming up!" Pyra grinned and fires a stream of flames at the frog, burning it alive until it can no longer move and died.
(Music End)
"Oh yeah, the Salvage brothers are better than ever!" Rana cheered, fist-bumping with Rex.
"You got that right." Rex smiled.
"Nice job, a bit risky but not bad." Nia commented.
"Splendid teamwork, you have my thanks." Dromarch bowed his head a little.
"Aw, no need to thank us, that's what friends are for." Rana chuckled.
"I'm really glad to see you're alright, Nia." Rex said.
"Right at back ya." Nia smiled, glad to see the boy is doing alright.
"By the way, what happened to the big guy who saved us? That Tian?" Nia asked, wanting to thank him too.
"Are you talking about me?" Azruda asked, showing himself to her.
"What? But how?" Nia gasped.
"It's a long story." Rex said.
"And I believe we should set up camp, it's going to be dark soon." Cattleya sated while carrying the cooked large frog.
"She's right, how about you two join us?" Rex offered Nia and Dromach.
"That seems prudent. My Lady?" Dromarch on board, hoping his mistress agrees.
"Sure, lead the way." Nia said, and everyone soon made their way to find a good spot to camp out.
(Later)
Everyone is seen sleeping close to the camp fire after a long talk they had about Pyra and Elysium, there are bones of the meat they ate around the fire. Rex and Rana are sleeping next to each other with Cattleya hugging Rana, Nia is resting on Dromarch's back while he sleeps too, the only ones who aren't sleeping is Pyra standing near a pound doing some thinking.
"Hello there, still awake I see." Azruda said flying next to her.
"I can't seem to sleep." Pyra said, probably due to being asleep for 500 years.
"It's good to see you again… Azruda." Pyra said.
"Likewise. Though you've changed a lot since last we met, Pyra." Azruda commented on Pyra's appearance, but he won't ask for the details.
"I suspected that you two know each other." Cattleya said, awake and walking up to them.
"Cattleya, not feeling sleepy?" Azruda asked.
"Like Pyra said, a lot happened. And I never got the chance to thank you for saving Rex, I don't know what Rana would go through if he loses his big brother." Cattleya thanked.
"Your welcome, Rex and I shared the same dream of going to Elysium. I can tell he means to keep his promise." Pyra mentioned.
"That saves the question I was gonna ask you, knowing Rex he would always find a way to involve himself in something like this." Azruda stated.
"I'm still surprises that you're the Legendary Aegis and Rex is your Driver, that means he will carry on the burden to save the world." Cattleya said.
"Indeed, especially with Jin and Malos. I cannot allow them to continue with their current course." Pyra declared, knowing the harm they can do.
"The fate of an Aegis never changes." Azruda sighed.
"Right…"
"Just be careful, seeing as you shared half of your core crystal with Rex, you can be hurt as any other human." Cattleya warned.
"I will, I promise to take care of Rex." Pyra promised the mother Blade.
"Alright then, goodnight." Cattleya said before walking away.
"Oh, wait." Pyra said, stopping Cattleya in her tracks.
"I overheard what you said to Jin, about Rana released you from your core crystal state as a baby. Did that really happen?" Pyra asked.
"Yes, from what I've been told that sort of feat never happens before." Cattleya answered.
"Wow, that's amazing." Pyra impressed. Almost like the universe brought Rana and Rex together for the purpose to finding Elysium together.
Cattleya and Azruda went to sleep leaving Pyra to take the night shift while thinking about what exciting adventure could await them.
KO a new chapter is done and hope you all enjoy it!
Rex and Rana's group are now away from the bad guys for now until they can find out where they are exactly and hope to get to the world tree without any problems though that's easier said than done with the Aegis now out from her 500 year-sleep. The boys will have to be extra careful going around as there could be others wanting to take Pyra for themselves and may have to fight against strong Drivers and Blades.
KO comment, favorite, and follow through of how this story will go!