Chapter 5: Promise Kept
"You are sure of this?" Hermes asked her gently as he ran a finger through her soft feathers after greeting her so fondly when she finally arrived.
Meteion chirped as she sat perched upon Hermes's hand, remaining in her starbird form. She tilted her head as she sang softly and he smiled sadly. They sat at the very shores of the aetherial sea, where the Hermes that she knew—while incomplete—sat there with her when she came to him. She could see how there were pieces of his soul still missing… like fine threads that reached out from his very being—most likely connecting with his other sundered pieces still living in the other shards.
"Nor can I say with any certainty how long this life of yours will last," he added to her gently. "It could be a few days or decades…?"
"I think she knows that," chuckled a voice and Meteion looked up to find the lilac-haired man, Hythlodaeus standing there. He smiled as he held out his hand and she fluttered onto his outstretched fingers before he raised her up to his eye level. "Personally," he said with good cheer as they looked at each other, "I believe it to be for the best. Do you not think so, Hades?"
"Hmph," huffed the grumpy voice of the man she knew to be Emet-Selch as he stood behind Hythlodaeus. "After all the trouble she's caused us, you are honestly thinking of allowing her to be sent back?"
"Not forever," Hythlodaeus answered smoothly as he examined her starbird form with interest. "Just so that she has the chance to explore Etheirys for a little longer. That is what you want, isn't that right, Meteion?"
She chirped back excitedly, wanting to be able to see more of what this world had to offer—to witness both its joys and its beauty.
"Now, what heartless monster could refuse such a heartfelt plea?" added a female's voice and Meteion turned her head to find the pretty, white-haired woman she could recall as Venat coming towards her. Venat smiled softly at her as she ran a gentle finger over her feathers. "After all, she never had the chance to explore Etheirys in our day. I know that she would be fascinated to see how much has changed since then. I don't suppose that we could…?"
"No, not a chance," Emet-Selch countered and Meteion felt sadness at his refusal and chirped pleadingly up at him.
He gave her a cold look before he looked away and Hythlodaeus gave a friendly pout.
"Oh, come now… do I have to pester you again and again until you agree?" he asked.
"Your tricks don't work on me," he retorted. "If you are so keen on doing this, why not let Venat work her magicks?"
"Unfortunately, I am no longer able to use the most basic of spells," she sighed. "I have used up all that I had before, including my very soul, in my final battle. As such, I no longer even the strength for reincarnation. I have forever been cut from the cycle of rebirth. But that is alright." She smiled at him and added, "I know that the world we all loved so dearly is in good hands."
"And as such, our great Emet-Selch, it is now up to you and lend just a little bit of your vast strength just this one last time," Hythlodaeus requested. "I know that you have no intension of rebirth—at least, not anytime soon—so you can't use that as an excuse to be stingy this time."
"Can you blame me? I have walked this world for thousands of years! I have no intension of going back anytime soon. If at all," he retorted.
"Or, are you just wanting to wait until our dear friend join us again?" Hythlodaeus asked knowingly and he glared at him. "Ah! I knew it! But you know that she will probably wish to be reborn eventually as well. And so we may all look forward to that day together. It make have taken us awhile but we will all meet up here again, someday."
"Though, hopefully, not for many long and happy years in between," Venat chuckled at that. "But we are getting off topic now. The question is whether or not we allow Meteion to return, even for a brief time?"
"True," Hythlodaeus said thoughtfully before looking to Hermes, who remained where he sat. "As Meteion's creator, what is it that you think, Hermes?"
"What I think no longer matters," he said honestly. "Meteion deserves to decide for her own. It is the least that I can offer. However, I no longer have the kind of strength that she needs for this journey. After I was defeated once again and then pulled down into oblivion…?"
He looked down, his heart still conflicted with emotions.
"Mankind had been able to stand against the despair that you set against them," Venat reminded him gently. "They proved their right to live. To live is to suffer… but that is what makes it worth living for. As I'm sure that Meteion can attest to that."
Meteion chirped once and Venat smiled at her again.
"There is still so much to learn and see… so much that she was not able to experience," she added. "I'm sure that if we allow her that chance… when she next returns to us… she can tell you all about it. And you will see just how beautiful life can be."
"Besides," Hythlodaeus smiled as well as he threw an arm around Emet-Selch's shoulders, flushing the man up to his side while his other hand held the swaying Meteion as she tried not to be knocked off her perch. "I'm sure she can keep an eye on our own beloved friend for us. She's recovering from her last battle as we speak! So why not have an extra friend ensure that she's being taken of?"
Emet-Selch glared at him, but there was no anger or even a hint of annoyance in his eyes as Hythlodaeus grinned back. When he realized that he was outnumbered four to one he finally sighed and lowered his head in defeat.
"Fine, on one condition," Emet-Selch said grumpily. "And that is if she is willing to give up her abilities. Her powers with dynamis has got to go. I'm not risking another Final Days the next time she hangs around someone who has a bad day."
"That can be arranged," Venat agreed. "Assuming that Hermes has no objection to that. I say that we simply create some kind of wall to block out all sense of emotions from around Meteion… that should be enough to prevent her from feeling everyone's emotions. She may still have some connection to dynamis, but so long as she remains on Etheirys, we may not need worry about triggering another Final Days."
"In that case, she will need to remain in this form… and lose the ability to traverse the stars…? That is a tall order. But once that is taken care of, then we need not fear the coming of any other Final Days," Hythlodaeus added as he cooed over her adorable starbird form. "I'm sure our mutual friend will also be there to keep an eye on her and keep her in line. So what's the problem?"
Emet-Selch looked ready to go into a rant of the millions of things that could go wrong but while the three of them talked—or rather Venat and Hythlodaeus listened with smiles on their faces while Emet-Selch argued—Meteion took flight and returned to Hermes, who gently ran a finger over her feathers once more as he looked over her lovingly.
"I'm so sorry for all that I have done. For what I put you and your sisters through," he whispered to her sadly as she gently rubbed her head against a finger, silently letting him know that she understood. He smiled back at that and answered, "I did always wish for you to fly free and learn what life has to offer. So, please, go with mine blessings. But this life of yours will be limited, like I said. I don't know how long even Emet-Selch's magic will last… but your life will be nowhere near as long as you expect and it can be snatched away at any moment. Yet, when you are ready to return… please tell me about all that you have seen."
She chirped at that as she had a question in her heart she had been wanting to ask. He chuckled and shook his head, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.
"I don't believe that I deserve to be reborn, not yet at least," he told her softly. "I am not ready for it. I will wait here until your return… and then I will contemplate your discoveries. This time… I will do it the right way."
She chirped again in understanding before she realized that Emet-Selch's voice died down.
"Fine! Let's get this over with before I change my mind," he stated as Meteion turned to look at him as he towered over her.
He really was scary at times.
"So, you wish to return to Etheirys as a normal bird," he made sure. "A limited life with no other powers… not even able to transform into your true shape. Do you agree to these terms?"
She hopped up and down excitedly and Emet-Selch rolled his eyes. He then held up his fingers, ready to snap, and added, "Know that if you cause any trouble, we shall all know."
Meteion nodded in agreement as she looked back to Hermes one final time.
"If you are sure…?" Hermes asked with a sad smile before holding up the hand holding her. "Then fly free… I shall await you here when you return."
'Thank you, Hermes!' she thought as she took flight and went soaring upwards as she heard a loud SNAP below her and she disappeared.
Everything happened so suddenly that one moment she was in a warm and safe place with Hermes and the others… the next second… she was blinking in the warm sunlight. She almost fell out of the sky in shock before she regained her sense of balance and landed on a nearby tree branch. Once she was settled, she looked about her in bright excitement while ruffling her feathers. She was sitting upon a tall tree overlooking the ocean… oh, she had long since longed to see the ocean for real ever since she first learned of it! It was so much bigger than the tiny pools and ponds that were upon Elpis ever were!
She stared at the sparkling blue waters, as blue as her feathers, and how they seemed to stretch out as far as the eye could see and even beyond. She could remember seeing Etheirys from high above and how much blue there had been… how this star was mostly covered in water…?
She could only stare at it in amazement.
She stared and stared, watching how the warm sun sparkled off the waters and made it sparkle, broken only by the large boats that sailed across it. Many boats, in fact, were coming and going from the harbor and she bounced a little further out onto the branch to get a better look at the city.
The structures around her were so white that the sun shining off them was almost blinding. The buildings stretched out far across this cold-looking landscape and seemed to criss-cross all over. She couldn't remember seeing so many buildings like this! Oh, she was sure that Hermes would have loved it!
She hopped about the branches for a while and, no longer able to wait a second longer, stretched out her wings and took flight to better look at this city.
So happy she was to explore this world, she didn't notice how someone—covered in bandages—had just opened the window when she had seen a flash of blue flying past her window.
"Meteion…?" Claire whispered, opening the doors a little wider and leaning out to try and get a better look at the bird, not sure if she had just been seeing things or not.
*A Few Weeks Later*
Meteion had been soaring about this part of the world for a time now, really getting a good look at everything around her. She was so fascinated by everything that she couldn't help but wish she had more eyes to be able to see it all at once! Everything about this world was so different to Ultima Thule and even Elpis! So many people… so many colors… different landscapes and different kind of creatures that roamed about. She spent a great deal of time looking about the city with all the beautiful white city on the ocean before she decided that she should journey across the waters herself. She had been wondering where all the boats were going back and forth from for some days now and was curious to see where they would lead. As she followed the boats, she would sometimes even land at the top of the tall masts to take a rest and simply watch the people below working on sailing across the waters. It was all fascinating to watch.
After landing upon another city of the ocean, she passed over this new land with interest. She passed over the sea and great fields of lush green while watching people working hard in the fields. She could see the rebuilding effort of several places that were damaged due to those poor souls who had transformed as a result of the Final Days and left harm whosesoever they went. Her heart was heavy but there was no amount of wishing that could undo the harm that had been done.
She knew that the people would rebuild and move on… at least, she was hopeful that they would be able to do so.
Meteion continued her flight across the new world and savored all that she had seen and met on her journey so far. The younglings of this world were captivated by the mere sight of her and would stretch out their tiny hands to try and grab her if she flew near them, playing with her long tail in the process and all cry out how pretty she was.
She would smile if she didn't have a beak.
She enjoyed her time spent with the children and how they were fascinated by her, as if they had never seen a bird before.
Onwards she continued, wondering just what next adventure would be waiting for her… when suddenly she found herself upon a landscape that was covered with mostly crystal. She stared about in wonder as there was an entire town built up on the very outskirts of this crystalline landscape that seemed to cover just about everything here.
Curious, she flew down a little lower and rested upon one of the walls for a short while as she looked downwards. She could see many people walking about below her, the city was full of those whom she learned were called adventurers and there were so many of them! Of many different races and colors—all of them wearing assortments of different clothes. She had been so used to those wearing the same robes and masks so that they were often struggling to try and make out who was who… that this was a surprise that she delighted in.
It was a barrage of colors and voices all talking with each and she could not help but stare, feeling a little lonely as she watched them and wished she could speak with them as well.
Suddenly, on the other side of the town, a door opened and a crowd of people came out. They got her attention as she turned her head to look and that was when she felt her tiny beak fall open in surprise. There was a large group, but among them she recognized a few!
They were the same people who came to Ultima Thule! She stared down in amazement at each one of them as they came out of the stone building, all talking with each other. And then…?
Claire…
She was the last person to exit the doors. Most of the others, those whose faces she didn't know, had already left them, but she remained with the other seven for a little while longer as they talked. Suddenly nervous, Meteion took flight again before she would be spotted—not realizing how when the adventurer turned savior of this star looked up at that moment and spotted her taking off and began to soar across the rest of the crystalline landscape.
*Later that Night*
The sun had long since gone down at that point and it was the perfect clear night for viewing the stars above. But Meteion was more focused on what was below her as she sat perched upon a shard of crystal that was sticking out of the side of the cliff. She was watching over Claire as she was leaning back against the sleeping giant bird-like creature that was large enough to ride. Its feathers were of a bright shade of violet as they were curled up contented behind her, letting her rest against their feathers. With them was a second bird-like creation—that she later learned to be called a Chocobo—this time with black feathers, was now settling down next to them. Claire reached over with one hand to pat its beak as the two giant birds had soon cuddled up with her and were fast asleep.
Meanwhile, a dog-like creation was nestled at Claire's side with his head in her lap. This creation had fur as radiant as the sun itself—she had seen him before now that she thought of it—seemed to be happily waving his tail as Claire ran a comb through his long fur. They were sitting in front of a small campfire while some soft, white looking bits of food were stuck to the ends of skewers and were over the flames as they toasted.
Meteion looked over a little further, wanting to see more of what was going on as Claire ran her other hand—the one not petting her creatures—into the tiny stream at her side where a few smaller creatures were lurking.
Oh! She recognized them! They were Ambystomas! Like the kind that Hermes was observing! So they did make it into the world! She watched happily as the little Ambystomas danced upon her fingers as they made their way past her hand down a little further into the creak as they rushed towards the lake.
Claire smiled as she watched them go before she leaned up and began to take the food from the skewers when she saw how they had darkened. As she did so, Meteion watched as she seemed to be putting the burning pieces together with other ingredients. It looked gooey when she piled them all together and took a big bite, clearly enjoying the messiness of the snack.
Meteion continued to watch her for a time as her friend seemed to be enjoying herself… but upon the third treat she had… Claire paused there.
"I know you're there," she called up and Meteion felt herself freeze at her voice. Claire just looked up and they made eye contact. "I had a feeling that you were watching me from before. Please, come down and we can talk."
Meteion hesitated, but she knew that she wasn't the type who would wish to harm her either so she fluttered down upon the crystals, almost at eye level with Claire. The glittering dog raised his head at the sight of her and Claire ran her hand through his golden fur.
"Easy now, Argos," she cooed as the creature—Argos—and he instantly settled right back down next to her.
"I thought it was you," she said to Meteion kindly. "I thought I was imagining things when I saw you in Sharlayan. But when I saw you earlier today, I knew that it wasn't a dream."
Meteion chirped and watched as Claire enjoyed her sweet-looking treat. Claire laughed and told her inquisitive look, "These are S'mores. Not like candied apples, but they are good."
Meteion watched as her old friend held up the metal prong with the white treat—a marshmallow she called it—and held it over the fire as it darkened.
"So, why are you back here? Did Hermes send you?" she asked as Meteion landed upon her shoulder and nestled next to her in a contented way.
She chirped and Claire gently ran a finger over her blue feathers after she cleaned off the goo from the stream next to them.
"Can you not change back?" she asked and Meteion wasn't sure how to answer her.
"How about this… chirp twice for yes, once for nay," she suggested with a fond smile as if remembering something from a long time ago. Meteion then chirped once to inform her that this would be her more permanent form.
"I see," she said. "Then… I take it you're not here for any more trouble?"
Meteion chirped twice to let her know that there was no longer any need to worry for her and she chuckled serenely at that. She then went ahead to introduce her to her three companions. The two Chocobos whom were called Huginn and Muninn—who were the best of friends with how sweetly they were cuddled up together as they slept.
"You may have to wait till morning before meeting them properly. And this one is actually another gift from Venat," she explained as Argos happily wagged his tail at the woman's name. He whined as Claire smiled at him and went back to scratching behind his ears and settled down so that his head was in her lap. "Argos…" she said fondly before looking back to Meteion still perched upon her shoulder.
"The Scions are disbanded—for now anyway—and so… I'm trying to figure out where to go from here," she confessed as she leaned back against her feathered friends as Argos continued his role as a fluffy blanket for her.
Meteion chirped in confusion, wondering where her friends left to and why she wasn't with them.
"Why am I on my own then?" she asked, correctly guessing what she was asking. "Well, there's no need for everyone to be together. They all decided to do what they can to continue protecting this world from the shadows. I can't deny that I'm sad too."
Meteion chirped comfortingly and rubbed her tiny, feathery body against her cheek in a comforting way and Claire seemed to take relief from it.
"I know it sounds strange," she said, more talkative than Meteion had ever seen from her before. "But I almost feel like I'm starting over again. As an adventurer, I mean…? It's a little scary. The fact is that for the first time since I stepped into the Waking Sands… starting tomorrow… I'll be journeying on my own again."
Argos snorted and she rolled her eyes.
"Aright, maybe not completely alone," she added with a fond pat and Argos shut his eyes again as he drifted off to sleep. "No idea where to go from here or what will be waiting for me… a part of me just wants to find a nice little island sanctuary for us. But…?"
She trailed off as she looked at Meteion, who tilted her head curiously.
"What about you?" she asked, "Do you have a destination in mind?"
Meteion chirped once as a no and Claire thought it all over.
"Well, I don't know where exactly I'll be going or what will happen from here on out… but you're welcome to come along for the ride," she told her as Meteion let out a soft song in agreement.
She was so happy to be reunited with her friend after so long and couldn't wait to see what will be waiting for them.
"Besides, I promised you I would show you some of my favorite things, remember?" she asked and she tweeted up joyfully at the promise as Claire removed her marshmallows from the fire and enjoyed another S'more. Meteion settled in comfortably on Claire's shoulder and surrounded by her new friends while they gazed up at the stars. So different than the countless sad ones she was used to back in Ultima Thule.
This time they were… beautiful.
(Yeah, it was an idea that I had when I saw the little starbird at the end of the game! I thought to myself, would it be great if Meteion was now watching over us? And then I wondered, how would she come back…? Well, what if Emet-Selch gave her just enough aether for her to take on her little bird form—but he would have been very limited with this gift. Made sure that she couldn't transform or feel the emotions of others anymore. I think that Meteion would have been happier with that as well. Not to mention that I finally got my starbird minion and as far as I'm concerned, it is the same Meteion and she is going to be our new travelling companion! In case you were wondering about the names, Huginn and Muninn were the names of Odin's ravens whom were able to travel the world and bring back knowledge for him. Huginn is the old Norse word for "thought" and Muninn is the old Norse word for "memory". They were his companions and they felt like good names for my Chocobos. The violet one is my Company Chocobo, Muninn, and the black Chocobo that Haurchefant gave us is Huginn. And as for Argos? I love Argos… I just wish that they could have had some scene where Venat—or even Hydaelyn—gift us Argos to take care of him for her or something like that. Anyway, thank you all so much, I hope that you enjoyed this short story of Meteion's journey and I hope that you all enjoyed the ending I came up with. Will she be appearing in later fics? Possibly :)
