Rara Animis

Chapter2

Dead, But Not Gone

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The white-haired child opened his eyes to the green sky. Wait green? The sky shouldn't be... right? The boy tried to sit up slowly, his... everything hurt. Hurt bad. With a grunt, he managed to pull his body somewhat upright and peered over the rock he was sitting on. The rock itself, however, had nothing supporting it. That isn't right...Or, at least, it didn't feel right ...Right?

As he sees the massive swirl of green just a bit away a lingering phantom pain of static trailed over his arms. His eyes widened as he tried to back away from it. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the floating rock he was on, the boy lost his balance and tumbled downward.

With a frightened squawk, the boy managed to direct his downward trajectory onto a new floating rock somehow. He belly flops onto it and was happy to discover it didn't hurt nearly as much as he'd thought it should have. Plus, this one was a little bigger and seemed to be more stable.

He curled his arms around his knees as his little mind raced. "Mommy... Daddy...?" he sobbed into his legs.

It was with that pitiful call he realized something horrifying. He couldn't seem to recall a clear picture of his parents! How? How could that be? Vague blurs of colour, blue and orange filled his mind. He wanted his parents so desperately right now...But would he recognize them? NO! They needed to find him! And he really needed a hug.

"'M sorry I took the marker," he sobbed out. Was this his punishment for taking it when he shouldn't have? Is that why his parents hadn't come to scold him yet? They were mad science people after all...at least that's what the other adults at the park had said. That anger had been burned into his brain. Maybe his parents erased his mind?

No, that didn't seem right. "I don't know! I'm sorry!" he sobbed before throwing his head back to cry out. "Help!" he wailed into the sky.

"Oh dear, that's quite a set of pipes you have there, little one," a gentle voice sounded from behind, startling the child. Once again, he threw himself upwards and fell off the rock, little arms flailing desperately. "I got ya," the voice called before jumping after him.

He wasn't sure what to expect, but the person catching him and then flying them both back up to the rock like a superhero was not it. Regardless, the little child looked to this person with a new sense of awe. It was then he took notice of their blue-tinted skin and orange-red armour. The colour pallet felt so soothing and he clung desperately to them.

"I dunno... I dunno what happened!" hecried desperately into the chest of this person he'd never met, at least he didn't think he had. "I... I was- and now I'm..." he managed out between sobs and sniffles.

"Oh, I'm sorry little one, but... I think I understand," theperson said solemnly. "Do you know where you are?"

"No... It's all green, and it, the sky! It's green!" he sniffled.

"It's alright. Come, it's not safe for one so young to be out alone like this," they said. "My name is, Aspida, do you remember yours?"

"I'm... I..." the child began to panic as he struggled to remember, it was like something so close, yet just out of reach. Upon realizing his mind was bringing up a blank, he began to sob again.

"It is alright, child," Aspida said soothingly. "Not all things are recalled when one comes here at first. I'm sure in time you will remember, and if this is not the case, then you can pick a new name if you so choose."

"But... But I want my name!" the boy sniffed before wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"Well then, we shall put pause on trying to gain you a new name, hm?" Aspida hummed out, rubbing small circles in the child's back. "Come along, child. We are in transit, and I fear I have taken away enough time from the convoy."

The tyke simply buried his face into the ghost's armour, which, strangely, seemed to almost bend as he gripped it. The plates seemed to melt under his touch as though some sort of sponge, only to harden if he applied too much pressure once again.

"What have you found, sister?" agentle, but distinctly feminine, voice asked. The little one picked his head up from Aspida's armour to examine the owner of the new voice. She was dressed similar to the one who was currently holding him, though her blue skin was a shade brighter. She had a length of green hair tied tightly back in a braid, but what caught the young child's attention, more than the spear she wielded, was her four arms.

"A babe?" she asked, moving her upper set of arms to brush away some of the tot's white hair allowing her to look at his emerald eyes, before taking the child from her friend. The boy had no problem with this, as the two women just seemed to emit safety and protection.

"It seems as such, yes, and new to the realm as well," Aspida said solemnly. "Nary a core vibration, I doubt he's a day old."

"Poor dear."

"Dory, would you take him to the cart? He can't yet fly."

"Of course, sister," the newly named Dory responded before floating off to a large cart drawn by a pegasus.

The child couldn't help but stare at all the oddly dressed people. Warriors? Yes, that felt right. A few ruby eyes blinked at him in confusion, a couple smiled but no one seemed to pay him any real mind. "Can I trust you to stay here among these herbs?" Dory asked releasing the child onto the cart.

He looked at the oddly coloured and glowing plants he had been placed with. He wrinkled his nose at the strong smell before turning to look at the orange and blue lady with a pout.

She chuckled seeing his face. "Do not worry, child. I will be near," she offered soothingly. "Or if not me, one of my sisters will assist."

The youngster nodded and settled himself down upon a box to sit, grasping the edge of the oddly coloured and also glowing cart.

Did everything glow here? Even the people glowed. Did he glow? He blinked down at his gloved hand in confusion upon seeing that, yes, he was in fact glowing. It felt like he shouldn't, yet everything else did, so maybe that was normal. A loud crack caused him to flinch and dive for the herb pile just as the cart began to move.

"Are you alright? Did the whip scare you?" Dory asked as she flew alongside the cart.

"Whip?" he echoed. Literally. Was his voice always like that? "Not lightning?"

"Lightning?" the warrior wondered before her ruby eyes widened slightly. "No child. No lightning will be near this part of the barrens.

The boy nodded in acceptance as he picked himself up from the floor of the cart. He watched the landscape slip by at blurring speeds faster then he could ever hope to comprehend. There was the odd time if he focused really hard, he could see a purple door, and one time he thought he saw a skull on an island floating all by itself!

It was like an ocean, a water-less ocean. Or space! Yeah, it was more like outer space! The rocks were like the meteors and the large islands were like planets! Then what would be the stars? He looked about, his eyes scanning diligently about the blurring landscape, before focusing in on the woman flying a little ways away. She was glowing a brilliant orange colour as she expelled her energy to keep pace. Them! And him! "We're the stars!" he gasps out excitedly.

He felt his chest hum happily at that association.

It wasn't long before a new planet/island came into view directly in front of them. The child eyed it over the horse's furiously flapping wings, swallowing as he wondered if they would crash. They weren't exactly slowing... It seemed he needn't have worried, however, as suddenly everything in the long train of carts and people simply halted, and began floating gently down.

The tyke looked about the area as they descended, eagerly rushing back and forth within the cart's confines like he was the ball in a ping-pong match. This place! He'd never seen anything like this! There were so many colours and so many people, and the buildings looked like nothing he had ever seen! Although to be fair, that wasn't saying much with his current memory issue.

More four armed people were starting to crowd about them, some wearing the orange-red armour, some wearing simple tunics or garbs, but everyone began unpacking the caravans. "Lady Pandora!" Dory called upon seeing the leader.

A tall woman with four arms towered over all the others, like a queen bee observing her workers within the hive. "How was the trade with the western desert?" the tall woman asked. Her voice was as sharp as her eyes as they scanned the carts. The small child ducked down upon seeing her start to turn towards him.

He wasn't sure why, but it was like an instinct, from that same place that made him feel good before, that told him that this was not someone he wanted to be on the wrong side of.

"It went well, we were able to make everything go through pound for pound," Dory said back curtly. "However, on our way back Aspida heard a keen-call, and we found a babe. We believe him a day old phantom at most. Perhaps three or four in lived years." she reported

"A babe?" Pandora asked, her tone taking one of a steely warrior to that of a concerned mother.

"Truly. We felt it our duty to protect him."

"Yes, yes, of course! You made the right choice in this." Pandora nodded. "Who ha- Ah!" she exclaimed with a bright smile, seeing the odd white tuft poking out of the herb cart. "Thank you, Dory, you are dismissed. I will take the babe from here."

The warrior woman saluted before heading off into the crowd to do whatever duties she was required. The boy blinked as he suddenly found himself hoisted up by the large imposing leader. "Oh!" he squeaked out. "Hello..."

"Do you know your name, young phantom?" Pandora asked soothingly, cradling the child to her chest.

He shook his head sadly before asking. "Phantom?"

"That is what you are, not who. A ghost, a spirit of one once living." She responds. The boy blinked up at her confused. "Never worry, it will come in about a week's time I would wager."

"I like Phantom... It sounds almost right..." He offered as he blinked up at her with big green eyes.

"Then, for now, Phantom you shall be." Pandora smiles. "You have travelledfar I'm sure, would you like to join me for dinner?" Phantom's eyes widened at the thought of food and he nodded eagerly, causing Pandora to chuckle. "Then we shall eat together."

With that settled, Pandora spun on her heel, sending a nod to one of her amazon warriors to communicate that they were now in charge of the unload, while Phantom continued to gawk about at the buildings.

It wasn't until they approached the palace that Phantom spoke up "Whoa! It's huge! And pretty!"

The building was easily the largest of the area, with huge columns and pillars holding the ecto-green stone aloft. Gold and red glowing carvings adorned the walls and bases of the pillars. At the top of the stairs they were ascending, was an odd-looking creature. It looked like a lion with a goat on it's back, and when it shifted it had... a snake for a tail?

Pandora barely spared the creature a glance, so Phantom too had no choice but to assume that was a normal thing to see around this new place. They entered the grandiose hall which looked more like something Phantom had seen in a museum once, and before he knew what was happening he was in a new room, and another. Passing so fast it made his head spin. In the next moment, he was being placed at a long table and blinking down at the food that was suddenly shoved under his nose.

Phantom looked down at the dish, poking it hesitantly. It looked odd, but he had somehow expected it to move. He was relieved when it didn't and seeing the tall woman eating a plate of the same stuff gave him the confidence to try it. It was meaty and chewy, and had an odd bitter thing on top, but was overall good. He wondered what it was, but found that he was far too hungry to care anyway, and the meal quickly disappeared.

"Was it enjoyable?" Pandora's voice snapped Phantom out of his musings.

"Yes. I liked it," heresponded, sending a bright smile to the woman. A pudgy green man came a moment later, and cleared the table of all it's soiled dishes before leaving right through the wall. Phantom stared at the spot the man had disappeared scrunching up his nose in confusion, before jumping to his feet and heading over to investigate the wall. In his hurry, he tripped catching his forehead on the corner of the table but paid it no mind, instead, he kept going until he placed his hand on the stone. It didn't give way.

Phantom puffed out his cheeks as he stared at the wall like it had personally offended him, only to jump back a moment later as the man's head poked through the wall. "Would you two care for dessert? Or will that be all this evening?" he asked, while Phantom jumped back, falling on his behind with an indignant squawk, much to the amusement of both adults.

"Don't hurt yourself further now..." Pandora said somewhat awkwardly, eyeing the small bit of ectoplasm that pooled onto the boy's forehead. If the boy hadn't whined about the injury, she wouldn't fuss over it.

The child stared up at the man glaring before heading back to the wall and poking as near to the man's half-submerged body as he could. "How?" he asked amazed.

"It's merely intangibility child," the man stated confused, as though it was the most obvious thing.

Phantom pushed harder on the wall as though he could simply force himself through it. Pandora laughed at the display before answering the man's earlier question. "No I believe we are good for tonight, thank you," she dismissed. "Do not worry child, all things in time." She chuckled when Danny still hadn't given up his pressing at the wall.

"He'll teach me how to do that?" Phantom asked eagerly, his wide eyes sparkling in excitement and wonder.

Pandora smiled. "Of course. Once you are strong enough, I will." Phantom pouted before coming back to the table and giving out a yawn. "You need to rest little one."

"No... I'm not tired," he argued back, lip coming out further. There was too much to explore! He couldn't possibly sleep. He yawned again as his body seemed to think otherwise.

"It is alright child. You will be safe here. And in the morning perhaps we can explore more if that is what you wish," Pandora said softly. Phantom frowned.

How do adults always do that, know what he's thinking? "But-" another yawn cuts off the boy "Okay..." he conceded.

"Come here child I can at least offer you placement here until you are strong enough on your own." With that, Pandora picked up the small boy once again before walking straight through the wall with him in tow. Phantom blinked. Was that why he couldn't figure out what was happening the last time she was carrying him? Four walls later and they arrived at a decorative door.

This time, however, the tall woman opted to open the door normally. He blinked confused, but didn't want to speak on that, his mind was reeling from something else she had said. "Can't I stay here with you? Forever?" he asks confused as he's placed into the bed.

"We'll see. You are not of Greek Mythos, or a ghost of one from this era, and most wish to be with their own kind," She responded. "It has nothing to do with you in particular, simply to how that is the nature of things here."

Phantom nodded in response though still not understanding. As Pandora moves to leave the room Phantom's weary and fear-filled voice catches her attention once more. "Stay?"

The warrior blinked a few times at the child who was now nervously crunching up the blankets. She gives a small smile before nodding and heading back to sit at the end of the child's bed. Feeling the weight shift Phantom looked up at her sending her a thankful grin before allowing himself to lay down fully.

As his breathing evened out and Pandora was once again getting up to leave a bright flash caught her attention. She watched in fascination at first before realizing just what was happening.

Blue white rings washed over the boy changing his appearance from that of the phantom her warriors had rescued to a mere human boy. This wouldn't be weird in itself, as many ghosts had the ability to hide or shift their appearance, but no, what caught her attention was the cut on his forehead.

The ectoplasm that dried there, had changed with the boy. "Blood?" She gently touched the small wound feeling it's warmth, its much more liquid yet still somewhat sticky texture, and it's iron scent. It was real blood, human blood. "You're... You are a halfa!" she gasped out. Gently she pulled back the blanket to examine the boy further.

It was as if he had an entire palette shift. As the boy went to roll over something crinkled and poked out of his jumpsuit's pocket. Gently she moved the boy's arm and pulled at what appeared to be a piece of white paper. The drawing the boy had done moments before his death in the rocket stared back at her. What caught her attention more then anything was the one labelled 'me' with 'Danny' right below the figure with the scribbled black hair.

"Danny, hm?" She hummed placing the picture back where she found it carefully, so as not to wake the boy. She wouldn't want to take anything from him after all. Still, this development was cause for both concern and celebration. Ever since Plasmius came to be, the elders of the realms have been on edge, especially after some of the stunts he had pulled in a vain attempt to gain power.

With one final look at the boy, she swiftly exited the room, making note of where it was before zooming out at top speed to locate one of her most trusted guards. The first one she found that fell into this category was Jupiter, who, Pandora found standing guard by the main chambers. His armour a gleaming gold, which was in great contrast to his green skin.

When Jupiter saw Pandora's face he immediately tensed sensing her urgency. "What do you require my lady?"

"Sharp as always," she said simply. Instead of speaking she tilted her head sharply, and the silent command was not lost on the old wizened warrior, as he instantly fell into a close flight behind his leader. When they arrived at the door that the newly discovered halfa was sleeping behind, Pandora was quick to explain her concerns.

"And that is why I need you to watch him," she finished her tale. "I will need to call council with the other elders on this matter, but for now our first priority is to make sure the boy is safe. If I can get word to Lord Frostbite of The Far Frozen, we may be able to make use of his technologies and have ways to better hide the boy from any who would wish to use him."

Jupiter nodded sharply. "Aye, my Lady. I will make sure the boy does not leave and none other then I will attend to him until you return."

"None below your rank shall ever know of this. The fewer who have knowledge in this matter, the safer for us all." She agreed. "I will be back as quickly as I can once I have word from Lord Frostbite." She nodded to the guard as she turned to leave. Jupiter in turn, dipped his head with hand crossed over his heart in a salute.

"May the winds of fortune blow at your back, my lady."

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A/N Thank you to everyone who took an interest in this story so far! My update goal is set to twice a month and I hope I'll be able to keep that up! As always reviews are appreciated!