Chapter 2

I have a lot of followers for this piece... and I kind of don't know why... eh. Here's chapter 2!

"Alright. I used to play around this park a lot when I was younger," spoke Shulk. "With my other friend, Fiora."

No, you don't say, I thought. Well... just so I don't fumble with the story of this game... "Who's Fiora?"

"Oh, right. You don't know. Fiona's my childhood friend, like Reyn," smiled Shulk. "She... well... she's a bit overwhelming..."

Around you in particular, I noted. Geez... why did it take for her to become a Mechon before he... I'll forget that sentence... "I bet."

Shulk grinned. "Anyway... maybe we can practice our Arts," he told me, drawing his Junk Sword. "Want to practice?"

I sighed. "Alright." I grabbed my claymore. "Um... what kind of Arts do you have?" I asked.

"Well... you saw earlier with my Back Slash... Stream Edge... did I show you my Talent Art?" he suddenly spoke.

"I think. Turn Strike, right?" He nodded. Only logic in this game knows why he can't use that every two seconds... "That's pretty cool."

"Yeah. Plus another Art. Light Heal," he declared. "I can get you back on your feet with a little healing from this." He posed.

"I bet..." I snorted in amusement. Well... I wonder if he has the Shadow Eye Art yet... "Got any others?"

He nodded. "Sort of. Shadow Eye is the working name for this Art. I think I need more experience in battle, it's not working very well."

You need more Art Points or something... I guess... "Well. Let's practice, then! Maybe I can help you develop that Art!"

Shulk sighed. "I don't think so. There needs to be more then just me for it to really work. Shadow Eye lets me lose the enemy's attention and increase the damage I do with my next Art," he explained. "If Reyn or Fiora were here..."

It's still beyond me how you haven't hit on her yet, Shulk. "I see... maybe we can try developing new Arts in general?"

"Maybe," mused Shulk. "I need some more inspiration, though. Well... as we beat up on that last Krabble, did you feel a... strange feeling inside of you?"

"Kind of..." Yeah... then it suddenly burst, like I got filled with energy...! "I guess. Is that me awakening my Talent Art?"

Shulk nodded. "I think so. I always feel filled to the edge with energy before I use Turn Strike. Kind of like that?"

"Yeah," I agreed. "Wait... Shulk... have you tried to wield the Monado before?" I asked.

He nodded. "A lot of times. Usually ends in me smashing up the lab, though. I wonder what secrets it could hold..." he muttered.

"Shulk!" I blinked, and Shulk turned around. Fiora faced him. "There you are! Dickson told me you probably went to the park, so..."

"Oh, yeah. I did tell him I was. Well... meet Andrew," spoke Shulk, gesturing towards me behind him. I waved.

"Oh... hi." Now Fiora's mood seemed slightly downcast. She turned back to Shulk. "Here, I got you a sandwich."

"Thanks!" grinned Shulk, sitting on the nearby bench and beginning to eat the sandwich. Despite his massive bites, it barely looked like he touched it. This game really does have weird logic on that sandwich... I thought as Shulk ate.

"And you..." Fiona glared at me. "Come over there..." She pointed. "I believe we should talk."

I sighed, before following her until Shulk couldn't hear us. "Let me guess. You don't trust me around Shulk," I started before she could say anything.

Fiora frowned. "How did you know I was going to ask you something along those lines?"

Oh, crap... "I... um, I can see it in your face," I responded hurriedly. "Hey, Shulk! You finished that sandwich?!"

"Sure am!" He stood, and snorted. "Man... I feel like I can tackle a thousand Krabbles! And win!"

Fiora smiled. "We all know you're fragile, Shulk," spoke Fiora as she walked towards him. "Better leave that kind of stuff to Reyn."

I followed her with a slight sigh. "So what do you think we're going to do now?" I looked into Fiora's eyes as she snapped her head around to glare at me.

"We?" she demanded, turning to fully face me. "Who exactly... is we?" She trembled slightly with anger.

"He means him, you and I!" Shulk turned his head slightly, looking over the two of us. "Let's head back to the lab!"

"Sure," muttered Fiora, and the two of them walked off, leaving me to dash after them.

We were back at the lab within a few minutes. "Here we go!" snorted Shulk as he led the two of us in. "Reyn?!"

I grunted as Reyn held the Monado. I bet Fiora's going to get cut but take one damage... I thought, and walked forward.

"Whoa!" Suddenly, Reyn made a jerky movement and the beam of the Monado burst out. Fiona ducked, and Shulk simply sighed. With the same, weird movements, Reyn slashed the lab apart a bit. I blinked.

"Is there a way we can stop him?" I casually asked Shulk as we watched Reyn slash the lab apart with robot movements.

"Well... the Monado influences a Homs for a little bit unless you have an incredibly strong will to wield it like Dunban," explained Shulk. "I've tried to wield it, and I ended up smashing the lab up like Reyn's doing right now."

"AH!" Suddenly, Reyn lunged for me. I moved away, but I was too slow. He slightly cut my cheek, before the Monado was thrust away by an unknown force.

A slight pain flared on my face. I felt my cheek, and saw a thin trace of blood on my finger. Because I'm human... I realized. "Well..."

"Wait. Give me a second, Andrew." Shulk grabbed his Junk Sword. "Light Heal!" I felt the cut wear away. "There."

"Thanks." I watched as Shulk grabbed the Monado very carefully, and somehow managed to put it back on the altar thing it rested on. Before he fully placed it there, however, I saw him flinch. A vision...

"But it's strange..." mused Shulk. "I've never seen the Monado harm a Homs before... how could that happen?"

"It's fine," I spoke quickly. "Anyway..." I looked as Reyn got back up. "Hi."

Reyn grumbled, turning to face Fiora and Shulk. "Aw, man..." He let out a groan. "This isn't good."

"You just banged up the lab," spoke Fiora sharply. "What do you think you were doing?" She didn't mention me, I noted.

"Well... I came in to ask Shulk a favour... and saw the Monado there. I just couldn't resist," spoke Reyn, grinning sheepishly.

"Well... I'm here now, Reyn. What do you want to ask me?" asked Shulk, facing his friend.

"Old square-tache was really angry, so he put me on punishment duty." Somehow Reyn's grin became even more sheepish. "Fancy coming along?"

Shulk paused. "Well... yeah, that's just like him. He survived the Battle of Sword Valley, though," spoke Shulk.

Reyn sighed. "Yeah, yeah... he hit me and made me do a thousand sit-ups and push-ups. Now I have to go to the Mag Mell Ruins and back for the Ether Cylinders. Not a job I like doing. Mostly because I also have to put it into the mobile artillery.

"You've only done that job twice before," sighed Fiora. "On both times, you had Shulk come with you!"

It's really nice... just watching them... I thought. Bickering, only like old childhood friends can...

"It's fine. I'll go with you, Reyn." Shulk turned to me. "Andrew, you want to come too?"

"Uh... sure," I mumbled, though I was still thinking about friends... I suddenly shook my head. "That was a weird thought. Anyway, yeah!"

Fiona breathed out crossly. "Mag Mell Ruins are in Tephra Cave. It's dangerous, I've heard there have been Mell Lizards there." The game designers have some weird senses of humour... I thought. "Shulk's also delicate... if anything happened to him, I..." She blushed slightly.

Neither Reyn nor Shulk seemed to notice. "Shulk'll be fine," sighed Reyn. "In fact. I promise you he won't get a single scratch!"

Shulk nodded. "Right. Besides, I can take care of myself, Fiora," he told her. "With Reyn and Andrew around, we'll be an awesome team!"

Fiora snorted. "Right. I don't trust either of you." She tapped her foot and sighed again. "I suppose I'll just have to trust you two." She then moved off.

"Ha..." Shulk snorted. "Well..." He turned to Reyn and I. "Time to go off to Tephra Cave! But first... we'll have to climb Tephra Hill!"

"Yay," I deadpanned as Shulk led Reyn and I out of the lab. Guess this is going to be fun! I thought with a slight smile.

Oh... YES! Everything so far on this piece seems positive! At least... so far. It could change...

Anyways... thanks for reading!