Disclaimer : I don't own -Man
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Chapter 18
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We need to get back.
You shook yourselves so harshly, why? I may not be powerful, but at least I'm capable of protecting us both.
Those two intruders were not here, well they did mention that they'll be later than usual today... Wait for them?
Why? My strands, why are you waiting for them?
Are you losing faith on me?
More screams erupt from the direction of my clan, I could feel my leaf tribes yelling out for me.
You swirled tighter onto the trees, stopping my every motion to move to my destination.
They're dying, my strands. Why won't you let me go? I need to make sure every one of them dead or we'll be in trouble.
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Why?
Why in the world do you trust Neah more than me!?
I may not be the strongest flower, but I still can protect you! I can even sacrifice my life for you!
No, stop with that. Living for myself is out of the question. If you die, I'll go after you, easy as that.
...Neah Neah Neah, everything evolves around Neah for you, is that it? You're my strands, not his!
"...wer! Flower!"
I forced myself against my destination, pulling my strands which were still holding tightly onto the trees with me by force.
There's no time to lose.
Closing my eyes, I sensed for my leaf tribes.
5 more to go.
5 more dead leaf tribes, and I'll be free from them.
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... What... Is this?
"A flower? The flower to this clan?" The attacker stared into my eyes with a cocky smile as he finished off the last leaf tribe and threw him onto the ground roughly.
I took a step back, and another.
Why would this creature come here? This is not his territory, he shouldn't be able to enter here!
"Well well, it's been ages since I last ate one. I'm craving for one now."
"...!"
To think that he was those that ate flowers before... He's dangerous.
"I wonder how will you taste like?" He licked his lips and took a step forward. "Oh, right, those leaf tribes said something interesting just now."
I need to run.
I can't win against him.
The only one who stood a chance defeating him is Neah.
Quickly, I turned around and started my run, my strands destroying everything that blocks my way before me, allowing me to have more space to run away from that monster behind me.
You were right.
I should have waited for them to come with me.
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It's useless, I can't run away from him.
Coldness spread throughout my veins, I could not stop the trembles at all. The tree I lay in was large enough to hide my presence, I told myself repeatedly. My strands wrapped around me like a blanket, trying their best to warm me up. Even so, the coldness was from the inside of me, not the outside, so their efforts were pretty much useless. Yet, I said nothing to them.
Even after I ignored your pleas not to come back, you're still trying your best to calm me down in such situation?
There was an explosion somewhere out there, I hugged my strands and curled my body into a fetal position, staying as close as possible to my strands.
"...I'm sorry." It was only a whisper I spoke, I knew my strands can hear it loud and clear. They only wrapped around me tighter as a gesture of comforting, probably telling me that it was okay.
"We're going to die here, this is all my fault."
If only I had listened to your advice not to return here, we would probably be messing with those two intruders now and laughed along them, right?
For our future to not have anything to do with leaf tribes was to pretend that I did not exist at all when they were attacked. As long as none of my leaf tribes live to spread my existence to the world, I can live on with you without caring for the world. I've dreamed of it so many times. A world where only you and I are together. Maybe with the exception of those two intruders as well, the four of us can live happily ever after. Neah can continued messing around with Tyki; I'll play with you all day or maybe we can join Neah to tease Tyki all day.
Yes, those happy days will last forever.
For flowers and leaf tribes can live for eternity. We'll won't die of old age or sickness; we'll only die when we were killed or when our partner dies.
For this future, it was important to ensure my leaf tribes dies.
It was really important.
But not anymore when the one who killed my leaf tribes are the creatures called "Yezua", the claw of the dark.
With the form of a beautiful fox, they hunt every night. Breathtaking yet deadly moves of theirs killed thousands of creatures. None of the creatures live to tell what was it feels like to meet a yezua.
For so long, Neah D Campbell was the only one who could defeat them. At least, he had managed to kill one before.
"Found you."
A sudden pain jolted from my back, causing a loud gasp of pain to escape my lips. Unbalanced, I fell onto the ground with my face down, I quickly turned my head to the side to stare at him with fearful eyes.
My back was gone for good. Almost two third of it was gone, I could feel every inch of my cells protesting in pain as it tried to fix what was gone. My strands on the other hand lashed out wildly in anger, and they have scratched him a little. Yet those injuries inflicted on him have been nothing compared to what he'd done to my back.
Is this my end?
Yezua have no mercy, they devour everything. He'll just devour me after I lose consciousness.
Stop attacking, my strands. We're done.
Come to me? Will you lay beside me one last time?
You hesitated, then returned to me, covering my back as you did so. I could feel you healing my back, smiling, I shook my head a little.
What's the point of healing my back when we'll both die here? Even so, I did not stop you.
I just wanted to feel you one last time.
"Your leaf tribes told me something really interesting."
My back was fully healed then, you proceed to wrap around me protectively.
"So, oh, very interesting. I'm considering letting you go."
I ignored him.
It was then I felt him pulling you so harshly.
"Your hair... Something's special about it, isn't it?"
He smirked, pulling harder at you as I felt to despair once again.
Somehow, I knew what was on his mind.
No, no, please, no.
You pushed me away as far as you could, leaving you alone to face with that monster.
"No! Don't do this! Please —"
It was the end of my life, mentally.
With my agonizing screams, you were separated from me.
Even so, you did not try to save yourself.
You pushed me further away from there, leaving some of you on my hand.
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Before long, you stopped pulsing.
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You did not return to me.
Touching my now-short blue strands, I felt nothing.
Not even remorse, not even sadness — Nothing.
Neah and Tyki tried their best to cheer me up everyday but I just couldn't bring myself to smile anymore. It sadden them, I could see.
What can I do?
This lips don't smile anymore.
Silently, I sat beside the riverbank staring into thin air.
Not long after, Neah came to say his goodbyes. They're going to save a new clan in the East, something about the tree gave birth to a new flower, I did not know the full details. Numb, I nodded and continued staring.
"... Take care, alright?"
With that said, they left.
I was all alone once again.
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"... Neah's leaf tribes are being attacked?" I muttered to no one, tilting my head to the side, I allow my thoughts to wander.
Neah is strong, that's for sure, so how exactly would his clan being attacked by... Humans?
The more I thought about it, the more I felt insecure.
After all, Neah and Tyki are the only ones I have left.
I trailed after their scent and entered the East.
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Tears gathered, my lips kept moving by themselves, repeating the words "this is a lie" again and again like a mantra.
This can't be happening.
Tyki's identity... Who is the betrayal that spread it around?
Looking around, I covered my mouth with both my palm, widening my eyes as I did so.
Out of everything, leaf tribes were the ones who betrayed Neah?
Wasn't leaf tribe the kindest, the most understanding ones?
When was it that even leaf tribes were no longer pure? When was it that they were tainted with such darkness?
Have their purest self evanescent into nothingness after all these years of staying alive?
It was my first time seeing Neah in such grieve.
Tyki laid motionlessly in his arms but he could do nothing to bring him back.
I wanted to help him.
Neah may be the strongest flower, but that doesn't mean I'm powerless to the point I can't do anything.
I wanted to help them.
They were so pure together, so much purer than those filthy leaf tribes.
Tyki deserves to live.
When the particles burst, I quickly trailed after Tyki's, trapping it within my hold as hard as I could. Turning around to Neah, I saw him dropped to the ground.
Is he dead?
He probably is, after exhausting that much power to the point he was totally powerless against human, adding with the fact that his partner died.
I rushed back to our hideout, quickly forcing the particles in my hand to settle down before me.
All those memories about Neah, I'll have them removed.
Let's forget the past and live on together, Tyki.
"Leaf tribe before me, return, I grant you permission to do so."
I will protect you in Neah's place.
"With the price, memories of Neah D Campbell blocked for eternity until the very person appears before him."
Come back, Tyki.
I don't want to lose you too.
"I, Road Camelot, shall be his new flower, and shall he serves under me."
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Road Camelot
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Those memories flashed into his mind suddenly, Tyki could only gripped his hair tighter to get rid of the pain caused by overload information flowing into him.
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"I'm afraid I hear no sincere in that apology."
"Well, what do you say, Tyki? Should we forgive her?"
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His memories were unblock.
He remembered everything.
"... Neah!" In an instant, he reached for the door once again, hoping that he could rushed to Neah's side as soon as possible.
Neah's bonded partner was him all the while.
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"... He'll suffer..."
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The door did not even move an inch, it remained there, the same position as Road had left it.
Ruled by his own frustration, Tyki kicked the door harder, mixing in some punches as well, wanting to break the door before him down.
"Neah, you idiot!" What did he meant by "he'll suffer"? It's alright that Tyki's taking all the pain, Neah suffered enough.
His heart aches more the more he felt the slight rejection on himself.
How's Neah doing right now?
Can he still take the pain?
Years ago, it was Neah who cried for him, he heard it, those cries. He was so helpless. He saw Neah crying and screaming for him but he could not do anything. He knew it was the end for him.
Yet, look at him now.
Alive and kicking, if he never bumped into Neah, he would probably continued his life without those precious sealed memories.
On the other hand, Neah suffered for so long.
Lying his head against the wooden door, he slid down with his fist still connected to the door.
"Neah..."
He wanted to be by Neah's side now.
He wanted to share his pain.
He wanted to hug Neah so tightly and never let go.
He wanted to let Neah know that he remembered.
He wanted...
There were so many things he wanted to do.
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But he can't.
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"Welcome to my clan, Allen Walker."
No one said anything after that statement. The white flower silently stared at her with an unknown expression, those leaf tribes stayed alert at her, almost as if she would attack the white flower anytime.
"... I'll be straight-forward, Neah's dying."
Surprisingly, the white flower nodded slightly as his face saddens. She thought the white flower would accused her of doing things to Neah, well guess she was wrong.
"Can we see him?" It was the red-haired leaf tribe who asked.
Road gave it a thought. There's certainly no problem if they want to see Neah, it's just that, Neah would mind these people seeing him dying. She knew that Neah prefered having Tyki by his side now. Even so, if Tyki is too close to him now, Tyki will be affected as well. Neah must have understood this, that was why he chased Tyki out of the swamp when the worst rejection occurs.
"Why?" She asked.
"There must be a way to save him."
She almost laughed at that comment the white flower made. Saving someone from rejection? Unless he himself are willing to suffer the rejection for Neah completely, otherwise, there were no more way to stop the rejection.
"Let us bring Tyki in too."
"No." It was an immediate answer. Whatever it takes, she'll protect Tyki's life for Neah.
"You can't protect him forever."
"I can."
"You can't!" Leenalee shouted at her. "You're a blue rose! Nothing good will comes out — " Before she could finished her sentence, Leenalee quickly covered her mouth, terrified that she almost said what the blue rose hated the most.
Blue... Rose? Yeah, she's a blue rose. Road kept silent, eyes locking gaze with Leenalee.
If a red rose stands for love, while the black rose stands for death, than blue rose symbolizes the non-existing.
In other words, she was a flower that should not have exist on earth.
"Please, let us bring Tyki in." Allen begged.
"I said it once, and I shall say it once more. No."
"We really can save him—"
"Like she said," Road pointed to Leenalee, "I'm a blue rose. Nothing ends up good around me."
Leenalee shrink a little before speaking, "You can change that."
"Who are you to say that?"
"I'm just a regular leaf tribe, but you're a blue rose."
Lavi stared into her eyes, pleading.
"You're the only one who can save him."
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TBC
A/N : Phew, Road's side of the story this time. This story is nearing the end by the way, in about one or two more chapters, this story will ends. Anyone knew the deep meaning of roses? Usually, we know that red is love, black or white is death, yellow for friendship but blue rarely appears. That's because there's no such thing as a blue rose in real life. Blue roses are artificial. They can be painted to blue or they were mixed with other breed. Even so, there's no cases that blue roses exist naturally. Only chemically, they exist.
Do you know that actually black roses have a deep meaning? If you give a black rose to a person, it means that you're telling that person "You belong to me until you die", well if that person knows the deep meaning then it will be romantic xD
Same with blue roses. Even though itself means "something that should not have existed on earth", there's another way to interpret it, that's why Lavi tells Road that she can save Neah. Any guesses?
REVIEWS :
DarkesWritterEver : *pass you tissue* there there.
Candy Crackpot : Yullen moments will be on the next 2 chapters, sorry that I left Yullen out for so long ORZ
Nella Moonblood Royalle : I'm glad you enjoy it~