Chapter 22

"And now we know there is another who can use the Monado," mused Dunban.

"Yeah," replied Shulk.

I yawned, eating a somehow really filling cracker Shulk gave me as Sharla readied her rifle with the Ether crystals.

Dunban breathed out. "I can't wait to meet him."

Reyn looked at his friend. "So you and Andrew weren't just having a sneaky nap then?"

"Nah," I spoke. "I have the hardest time ever at trying to have a nap... only had... what, two in my life? Yeah..."

Shulk blinked. "Wow. Only two naps?" he asked. "How do you do it?"

"What?"

"Okay," interrupted Sharla, standing. "Locked and loaded. Everyone, stand back."

We all stood and moved away from Melia as Sharla pointed it into the air.

She shot... something into the air, and it sprayed down like rain.

It moved into Melia's body, like a magnet, making her glow.

"Wow..." breathed Shulk.

"Unbelievable," commented Dunban, leaning forward.

Anyone else want to say a one-liner? I thought.

Melia let out some seriously weird sounds, shifting slightly. Shulk slowly moved closer to her.

"Yeah... she's coming around," declared Reyn. "All thanks to our medic!"

She looked at Reyn, smiling slightly at his compliment.

"Are you okay?" spoke Shulk as the very much older person opened her eyes.

"Where am I?" she mumbled, looking around a bit.

"Clearly not a forest," I muttered.

Shulk looked at me for s brief second, before smiling at Melia. "Everything's fine."

And this is how she falls for him! I thought. Shulk, you idiot... when Fiora comes back, I bet... never mind...

"You're gonna be..."

She gave a loud gasp. "Get your hands off me!" She slapped Shulk, and he flinched, wincing in pain.

"Hey, watch it!" shouted Reyn, moving forward.

Melia's face turned from one of anger to be more of one comparable to shock, perhaps even disappointment in herself.

"Forgive me." She almost seemed to force the words out. "I did not mean to..."

"Uh... sorry if we surprised you," responded Shulk, and I could barely hold back my laughter.

Melia's eyes came over me. "You..." She looked closer. "Are... you the ones who helped me?" Her gaze came over all five of us.

"Well.. something like that," answered Shulk. "When we came along... Andrew was with you. And... stuff happened after that."

"Excuse me..." With her staff, the princess stood. "My name is Melia. Forgive my indiscretion."

What does that word mean? I thought.

"I have not have the pleasure of coming into contact with a male Homs," she continued.

And this is where all those stupid thoughts come up after reading way too many lemon fan fictions, I thought with an inward groan. Because staying up until midnight is the BEST idea on a school night, me...

"Coming into contact?" mused Dunban.

"Hey, Shulk," spoke Reyn, towering over his friend. "You're creeping this lady out..." His eyebrows raised.

"Shut up, Reyn!" replied his friend, moving away from the taller man.

"This large one is far worse," mused Melia in a somewhat nonchalant voice.

"Me?!" gasped Reyn, and Shulk and Sharla laughed at his face.

"Melia, is it?" managed Sharla once she got over her laughter. "How did you get here, then? What, is there no one with you?"

"I must apologize, but my current situation does not concern you," replied Melia. "And I shall not be divulging anything to common passers-by."

"Duly noted, your ladyship," declared Dunban. "But... if I were to be so bold, I'm guessing that you didn't come here alone and you weren't just taking an afternoon nap."

"Hmph... and what, if I may ask, are you doing here?" she responded. "It is rare to see Homs venture this deep into Makna Forest."

"We're travelling to the head of the Bionis," replied Shulk.

When did you decide that?! I thought.

"We've got a long journey ahead of us," he continued.

"The head of the Bionis?" echoed Melia.

"We were just figuring out how to get there when we found you," spoke Reyn.

"I see. Then permit me to return the favour by aiding you in your quest," she spoke.

"Really?" replied Reyn in disbelief.

"There is only one path to the head of the Bionis," she spoke. "It is the path that leads to Eryth Sea."

"So... this Eryth Sea is at the head of the Bionis?"

"If you would kind enough to escort me out of the forest, I will show you the way."

"You'd... you'd do that?!" exclaimed Shulk. "Thank you, Melia! I'm Shulk. Pleased to meet you."

"Shulk..." She paused for a moment. "Ah, yes. Likewise..." She seemed lost in thought for reasons definitely not obvious.

Nope. Not obvious at all.

Sharla turned to Reyn. "She's a bit high and mighty, but she's a Homs too, right? What's she doing here?" she wondered.

"Ain't got a clue," replied Reyn. "Ask her yourself. I ain't so good with her posh accent."

Hey, you've got an accent too, man! I thought.

"Come on, guys!" declared Shulk. "There's Sharla, Reyn, Dunban and Andrew with us." He pointed with each name.

"Hello," spoke Melia, simple.

"Okay!" breathed Shulk. "Let's get out of here!' He went off at a dash, and the rest of us followed after a brief moment at his actions.

...

"Already?!" I shouted as a massive toad thing came at us. "A monster that wants to kill us! Fantastic!"

"Is that a hint of sarcasm I am sensing?" spoke Dunban as he drew his sword. "GALE SLASH!"

"Summon Bolt," spoke Melia, twirling her staff around. "And... Summon Flare! Elemental Discharge!" Flames emerged, burning the monster toad thing.

"Worldly Slash!" shouted Dunban, as Reyn charged in using Sword Drive and Shulk used Slit Edge. "Now... Tempest Kick!"

"Hah!" I shouted, unleashing a shockwave from my sword, and the massive toad fell, dead.

"That was easy," mused Dunban as the best fell.

"No kidding," I muttered. "Where are we going?" Nopon village... what is it called again?

"Well... to get permission to pass into Eryth Sea, we must see and gain permission from the Nopon village's chief, in Frontier Village," spoke Melia.

Oh... it's called Frontier Village? I thought. What's that remind me of...?

"So we go there," declared Shulk. "And... go to the head of the Bionis."

All so you can get vengeance... I thought as we continued to walk.

"Oh... it's growing dark pretty fast," mused Shulk. "Maybe we should just stay here for tonight, and get to Frontier Village in the morning. That sound okay?" As we all nodded he gave a sigh. "Then let's do it."

...

I lay in the grass, the bonfire burning before me.

"Hm... your name is Andrew?" I blinked as Melia came into my vision.

"Yeah."

She paused, fiddling with her weapon. "Against that beast at first... thank you for defending me."

"Don't thank me," I muttered. "Just let me sleep."

A slight chuckle came from the mage. "I leave you to it, then." She moved away.

I groaned. Now that the older person had talked to me, it would take too long to fall asleep.

I stood. Sharla was talking with Reyn a little bit away, and Dunban kept guard a few metres away.

I sighed, looking at my sword, before placing it on my back.

At that moment, something growled in the dark, and I drew my sword again.

"What was that?!" exclaimed Dunban, rushing over with his sword drawn.

"Probably nothing nice," I responded as a Homs (or maybe a human) rushed forward, a sword flashing from underneath a cloak. "Whoa!" I ducked, with Dunban deflecting the blow.

"Huh?!" Shulk got up, the Monado in his grasp as he blocked a swing from another Homs/human. "What is this?!"

"There's another Homs over here too!" grunted Reyn as he and Sharla grabbed their weapons.

"Three of them at once?!" mused Melia, casting elementals.

"Time to exercise the power of teamwork," I grunted.

"Who are these Homs?!" wondered Shulk as he tried to strike at his foe.

"Ask later, Shulk!" shouted Reyn, defending Sharla from a stab with his Driver. "Right now, they're tryin' to kill us!"

"Then let's stop that, shall we? Serene Heart!" declared Dunban. "Gale Slash!"

I grunted, using Stab Strike with the foe deflecting both attacks effortlessly. "What?!" I gasped as he slashed me, causing me to stagger back. "Ow..." I went flying as Dunban crashed into me. "This is going well..."

The older swordsman arose. "Thunder!" he shouted, but the swordsman dodged the attack. "Hm?!"

"Hah!" I sent shockwaves at the foe, and he deflected them with his sword. "Shoot."

I could hear everyone else, and the battle wasn't going well at all.

"RAH!" I roared, morphing into my Soul Trigger state and lunging with Whip Slash. The swordsman dodged the attack.

"Too slow." The voice was feminine, and she stabbed me, kicking me away. "And too easy."

I coughed. "Are you mercenaries?!" I arose, slowing time. I grabbed the female and roared, holding her against a tree. I reverted to normal, time returning to normal. What...?

"Mercs?" she coughed. "No." She slashed me away.

"Ugh..." I fell back as Dunban leapt over me, striking away the female.

"An expert swordsman," he mused. "Almost too good for both of us."

"Yeah," I responded. My powers... why did they go away so quickly? I wondered.

I grunted as the woman got back up, sword in hand. "We have to kill her."

"Then kill we must," he sighed. "Are you ready? Distract he, and I'll go in for the killing blow."

"Alright." I lunged, using Defensive Reversal as she leapt at me. "Ugh!" I managed to force her back, and our swords clashed.

"Metal Blast!' shouted Sharla, the attack causing the female to stagger. "Go!"

"Sorry," grunted Dunban, lunging. "Blossom Dance..." With four fast strikes the female swordsman fell with a slit throat.

I winced. "That's brutal..." I watched as the human/Homs collapsed, eyes rolling back.

Dunban breathed out. "But efficient." He moved towards Shulk and Melia, who were struggling with their foe, who had a long staff.

I charged to Reyn and Sharla, and Reyn slid back with a loud grunt. "You okay?!" I shouted.

He groaned. "That guy is good with that spear of his."

Sharla gasped as she was cut, staggering away. "Unh..."

I moved forward, blocking the stab the foe forced at the sniper. "Hey... it's not nice to try and kill women!" I strained with the effort to force the spear back.

"Then what were you doing?!" he spat, leaping up to stab from above. I grunted, rolling away, and by then, Sharla had moved away.

"Playtime's over," he declared, and silvery spears materialized above his head.

"Goddamn it," I cursed. What, is this guy copying Vergil now? Summoned Spears instead of Summoned Swords?

"Andrew, watch out!" yelled Reyn, using his Driver to block the spears as they streamed forward.

"Thanks," I grunted. I breathed out, and the male leapt over the shield, high in the air. "Lift your Driver!" As he did so I leapt up and got on it, leaping up to deflect a fierce stab. So strong...!

We landed on the ground, and I attacked with Stab Strike, which the cloaked guy evading. "Ugh!" I slowed time as he stabbed towards me, and I slashed him back. "Huff...?" Time returned to normal. I... so tired...?!

Why?!

The male spat out blood. "So it was true... a worthy opponent, hm...? The name's Jake. I'll be your killer."

"This escalated quickly," I noted, regaining my breath.

Reyn grunted. "Magnum Charge!" he shouted. "C'mon, Andrew! We can do Chain Attack too! Let's do it!"

"Ugh..." I groaned, coughing. "Sorry, Reyn... but... all of a sudden, I... feel... so tired..." I fell to one knee.

"It's because that blonde guy is using the Monado," laughed Jake. "That Time Slow ability you got... it influences the Ether around you to shift your awareness, and slow down the events around you. The Monado, when it's in use, messes up with that Ether influence. It's gotten worse over time, hasn't it?"

I grunted, somehow managing to stand agin. "The hell... did you know about that?! Also, that made no sense..."

He smirked. "Well, well..." He threw his spear, and I gasped as it sent me flying into a tree, pinning me to it. I threw up blood as a result.

"If I told you... well, then you don't have to do anything yourself! And that's no fun." Jake's spear returned to his grasp, and he deflected a rifle round and Reyn's Sword Drive Art at the same time. "Both of you... weak."

Reyn let out a roar as he was stabbed through his Driver, and Jake threw him closer to me.

"Reyn!" shouted Sharla, aiming her rifle at him.

"Oops... sorry, miss." Jake knocked her out with his elbow, and tossed the now unconscious party members to me.

"You son of a..." I arose, and Defensive Reversal blocked his stab. I coughed up blood, flinching with pain.

"Ooh..." Jake lunged, and stabbed his spear into he ground. "Later."

A blast of energy -Ether?- sent all of us flying.

We were flying sliding along the ground.

And then there suddenly wasn't anything below any of us.

By the time I realized we were falling from a cliff, it was too late.

I hit the water and everything turned black instantly.

The last thing I heard before I lost consciousness was two other bodies hitting the water.

Thanks for reading!