Final rays of sunlight sang their harmonious finale as the curtain clouds whisked the holy sphere away, so that it could begin its performance in another horizon, so that the audience will chirp at its existence, and that the trees will sway, while eyes will receive the will to open up again, gazes of happiness filling the other side of the world once more. Metallic bars that refused entrance and refused exit even more suddenly burst open. Orange and purple of clouds became blackish blues. Metal ribs clattered as they were blasted open, their middle suddenly split and freed like a sandwich shared. Traces of moonlight began to show.
Moments later, voices were heard. The South Vermillion Bird gate was a gate of great worth. The bird statue's pride and soul split in half to give way for the enterers, the ones even more worthy of respect and acknowledgment. "It's time!" teenage voices shouted. "Let's go!" they echoed.
"Teresa-sama," a familiar voice tapped her shoulder with respect. Her eyes broadened at the sudden voice. She sat, surprised, against the knees of a begging tree, crooked arms giving way to comfy shade, a blanket of blackness to keep cool. Legs were crumbled into a thoughtful, processing ball. Arms held each other to prevent artic ice from coming in.
She jerked her head up ever so gracefully, and barely whispered, "Minoa-sama," as graceful and serene as she. "You're here all ready?" she spoke formally. Her finger lifted from the teenager's soft shoulder. The stabbing, prickly cleaves of the tree's body dug into her skin and flesh, yet was ignored from and by emotion.
"Yes," Minoa answered. Teresa turned. They met eyes for a second, violet, wowed eyes seeping into pale innocence, like Jeremy's. Time seemed to freeze for just a second. Blood stopped rushing and pumping through veins unnoticeably. Trees stopped whispering. Birds stopped fluttering. The night froze. And suddenly, as if starting back again a second later, everything was brought back to place. "Everyone's waiting," Minoa called to the Mind Minor. Teresa's expression of awe turned off, and suddenly, she turned her head back. She began to ignore her presence, or, at least, pretend it wasn't there. She sat uneasily as she brought herself back to the same position she had been before Minoa had come, before this week had ended.
Minoa sighed. She, too, began to become solemn. "Listen, I'm sorry I refused to teach you how to use Visible Darkness, but I want you to teach it to yourself first," Minoa explained, thinking that this was what Teresa seemed so distant for. As her sentence began, Minoa thought she saw a smile grow on the violet-haired girls face. This made her think, but nonetheless, she continued. "And then, I can teach you something else that -" Minoa's sentence was cut short by a loud scream. No, this was not a scream of despair, nor was it a scream of fear. It was a confident scream, a battle cry, and who else to give it than –
Teresa. The violet-haired girl screamed in determination as she suddenly turned, getting up to her feet and crying the loudest she could. Minoa, utterly filled with shock, backed up – but, was it too late? A loud crashing and booming screeched the trees and scraped the sky. Dust and smoke blew everywhere like an erupted volcano. Chunks of it moved in inclusion unwillingly. Trees shook at their burrowed feet, brownish puffs scattering everywhere like sprinkles on dressing on garden salad.
Eyes caught, Daniel and Kenneth turned around. They were right at the gate, watching out for anyone who might try to escape while they were vulnerable to entrance. They eagerly watched the cloudy puffs go past in anxiety. Thoughts went around as to what just happened. Birds seemed to flutter back to their respective trees, afraid of what was going on. Shocked, greedy trees jumped on their feet, getting clumsy and dropping their fruit to the soil ground. They cursed and swore in anger.
As the dust finally cleared, wisps of thick, purple energy dissolved away into nothingness, a nothingness that shall remain and always remain the same – unnoticed. Minoa stood in the rolling, grounded clouds, the ones that were tainted with gray and bad behavior, penalized by their mother earth and father sky. She gasped heavily, eyes narrowed and now cross, thinking, wondering of why and what just happened. Her hair became flustered, unorganized from the sudden blow. What is she trying to do? Minoa asked herself as her lungs continued to inhale and exhale strong, deep breaths. It was like she couldn't get enough. How strange.
Along the opposite side, the side of where Minoa's eyes were directed at, the clouds cleared as well, clouds that lost their way to the sun at the newborn night. Teresa was somewhat breathing heavily as well, and it seemed that she could not catch a good breath. Her violet hair was more flustered than it should be, scrambled all over the back of her neck. However, she did not care for this kind of thing, not like Marissa did. Her long hair swayed coolly with the bristling wind. They gave each other cold, hard stares, Teresa's hidden in shadow as purple force field energy faded from her crooked fingers. Smoke never seemed to end, always seemed to last.
"I'm sorry," Teresa apologized halfheartedly. Her voice was raw, tough, unforgiving. Changed. "But next time, don't patronize me," she insisted. More force field energy faded, also never ending and also always lasting.
She's gotten stronger… Minoa thought, her mind even too tired to speak. How unusual. How…different. What happened to her over the past week? Why was she suddenly so much more powerful? Her will was strong, yet, she didn't seem to have the confidence or right mind to have a power of this level. How did she change? Why did she change? More than enough thoughts flooded Minoa's ears with her own inner voice. It began to get irritating, agitating.
"You can teach me that 'something else' now. Were you not saying something about that earlier?" Teresa asked as she lifted her head to reveal a narrow, pale stare. Her violet, indigo-ish eyes had been drained of their purple norm. Now, filtered white and pentacle eyes stared straight at Minoa, showing themselves, strutting their stuff. Minoa gasped, realizing that she had all ready accomplished something she didn't expect her to. Next, after the shock, came the pride, and of course, happiness.
"You-" Minoa couldn't finish the sentence. All emotion was strained from her face like a plastic basket full of vegetables being prepared for dinner, tainted and tinted and dotted with beautiful faucet water, sitting there alone as if of no use. Minoa had to stop taking so many heavy breaths. Her voice was frozen, caught up in her stomach, lost, amazed. Eyes filled with awe, mouth dropped open and shoulders began to droop, give up.
"Yes," Teresa replied. She brought her hand back to her side as the last whispering energy disappeared, as well as the clearing clouds of smoke. More awe filled Minoa's eyes.
"What're they doing over there?" Daniel muttered as he narrowed his eyes, squinting as far as he could to find the two female elements. Emerald gaze began to cross. Suspicion filled him eerily, creepily, like the first drops of water beginning to filter through the blackish, rolling thunder clouds.
"They look like they're about to fight," Kenneth replied, not quite as curious as his brother, Daniel. He looked back and forth at the scene and then the gate, making careful measures of both of them at the same time to maintain balance. It would be a horrid thing if someone escaped the Swamp of Mystery that wasn't supposed to while the four people weren't noticing. Come on, four people? It'd even be a disappointment to have four people fail to stop the escape of someone from the Swamp of Mystery that wasn't supposed to.
Back at the scene, last bits of smoke hissed. Pebbles were weathered away from their original spots, but no one cared. They were away from society, unnoticed. Teresa calmed herself and her tensed muscles as she began to walk easily and patiently past Minoa. Minoa, becoming tenser by the second, seemed to pick up the energy Teresa had just released. Why was she becoming so scared of her, yet so proud of her?
"I've activated it," Teresa whispered lightly as she approached past Minoa's shoulder. Minoa tried to hold in her breath, she didn't know why. "I've finally realized that bonds with others aren't useless. Now, about that thing you wanted to teach me?" Minoa's tension left her. Slowly, but surely, it left her.
Minoa smiled and pulled away from her Minor Counterpart. Now, her tension was replaced with a higher level of pride. She felt great that Teresa could figure that all out by herself… right? Smiling gleefully, Minoa began. "Now, now, let's not do it now. We have to get going. It's time to leave," Minoa insisted. Teresa shrugged, and began to walk on her own. She seemed more independent than when they had left her. She was no longer as timid and unstable. She was strong. And that fact alone caused Minoa to smile even wider.
Daniel gulped at the immense power he had just seen. As Teresa approached, he could feel his muscles tighten, beginning to edge up and stress. What was this great energy and vibe that Teresa seemed to release? It was powerful, overwhelming almost. It was amazing. Teresa slid easily past him, and slowly, Daniel's muscles cooled. He picked up his glasses in nervous habit. She had this much power all along? Daniel thought. She really is something.
Eric… Teresa thought as she stopped at the open gate. She peered on to the dark horizon that awaited her. Dark vibes seemed to pour out of the Swamp of Mystery's entrance, yet Teresa kept the discharge low as can be without even wanting to. The dark, freedom grounds seemed too cool to step on, too liberating. She wanted that feeling to tingle all over her, to grasp and feel of her. She missed the feeling of normality so much, she'd kill for it. Heck, in this world, death wasn't even a thing of importance. People die a lot, and it's just one thing to deal with. Sure, you can mourn, but it happens. You can't cry too much over it. Not in this world. Or else you'd be one of the first to die. Eric… Teresa repeated the Fire Minor's name once more in her mind. It's all thanks to you, she thanked in gratitude. She couldn't say it enough.
Without that conversation back in the Inner World., I wouldn't have been able to realize just how much I was misinterpreting. Just how much I was missing, just how much I had forgotten about in the world. Thank you, Teresa repeated in her mind. She knew Eric couldn't hear her, but it was still worthwhile thinking about. It was like a prayer almost, a prayer to the new person she respected, the new person she cared about, and the new tight bond that she would help protect. No matter what.
Teresa… Minoa thought as she stared at the violet-haired girl turn around and plead at her with her eyes. It was easy to tell that all members of team four before her in the distance were eager to feel the fresh, innocent air once more before returning to the Inner World. I wonder, Teresa… Minoa thought, stalling their exit a bit longer. Did Eric help you? Minoa imagined the Fire Minor's face, the features she could only barely catch when she had run into him once in a while or when she had spotted him. He had never spoken a word to her, in fact. That kid… is he the same as…? Minoa finished the rest of the thought in secretion.
"All right!" Kenneth yelled out, getting hyped up. He cheered and burst into the air maniacally and comically. "Let's go! Finally free!" Kenneth continued to cheer eagerly as he seemed to beg and beg and beg Minoa to hurry and come. The Ice Minor was a bit too cheery sometimes, but he could never beat Dylan in that area.
"Yes," Daniel muttered in acceptance, picking up his glasses in habit once more. Light reflected off of them like a shade of some sort, brightness filling the squares magically, wowing newcomers. He nodded in acknowledgment and peered back to Minoa. His stare was serious, in fact, if you searched deep, deep down enough, you'd find his own pleading of escape. Sometimes, this amused Minoa. The Mind Council smiled happily, gleefully.
"Don't be so hasty!" Teresa smiled friendlily as she turned to Kenneth, trying to calm him down. Her smile was beautiful, Minoa noticed. It's just like mine, she thought. Teresa's eyes crinkled in a short happiness as she actually had to bring her hands to Kenneth's shoulders to calm down. What a beast this boy was!
Minoa sneered nostalgically. "She's right, Kenneth," she muttered as she began for the gate. Daniel's impatient tension began to tighten as she approached. What was with tension and the Mind Element? Dear lord, could they control your emotions, too? This was beginning to get crazy. Daniel was thinking of getting his mind checked afterwards when they got back to the Inner World, where they actually could feel safe for once. "Don't get too hasty," Minoa slowly approached. "We'll be going right away, so don't jump up and down or else I'll put you in here for another week."
Suddenly, Kenneth's uproarious state calmed. This amused Minoa, as well as Kenneth's brother. "It's surprising that it's all ready been a week," Daniel muttered as he stared back to the trees. They seemed to wave goodbye, paying their respects to the presence of the Minors, praising their power.
"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" Kenneth murmured, calmer now. His icy blue eyes were nothing but bonding and friendly. Teresa wished that someday, she could have the same eyes. However, making bonds with others comes with great consequence, this she knew. She wouldn't let anyone close to her die again – and for that matter, hurt. She didn't want to think she was crazy anymore. She didn't want to think of other people as useless, worthless pain. She didn't want to feel like she couldn't be friends with anyone, all the while watching the happy people with their ten year old relationships cheerily kicking and trotting down the street like nothing. She wanted to be one of those people. She wanted to be normal. Well, normal for a Minor, at least.
Daniel turned his head and found the moon on the way. It seemed so far away, so distant, away from the gate. It was in the prowess of trees, ready to get its glow on, approaching its new sky home slowly. Oh, if only the moon knew that it's exact opposite shared the same house as it. Would it not freak out? Would it not cry and go crazy and feel invaded? "Shh…" the clouds would whisper. "Keep it a secret," they would say.
In the greedy fingers of trees, the moon seemed to want to pull away, slowly but surely. Then, Daniel's emerald eyes left the darkened sky, and peered to the horizon of the south. "Is everyone ready to go?" Minoa presented. Three nods went about. "Good, then," she smiled. She turned her head to look at the horizon awaiting them herself. It was beautiful to her. To her, it was a great canvas worth of praise, more praise than that of the Minors or Councils, or even great life itself. Something so beautiful will never be known by society. How sad. Minoa began to feel crazy for thinking such thoughts. She smiled to herself in secretion and took one step out of the Swamp of Mystery, and that one step made bliss spread around, just like jelly on peanut butter. "Let's go."
"Yes, Minoa-senpai!" Teresa decided that her Council Counterpart had earned the right to be called such a great title. With a burst, they ran off, and slowly, but surely, they changed into eager blurs, blurs of the night, blurs against the moon and sky. Blurs of glory.
As they left, the cool grass blades waved goodbye, the moon howled, begging for forgiveness, thinking that it was the cause of their leave. Now, it remained lonely, scared and threatened by the leftover beings below. Showing definite signs of no return, the gates began to trace with a purplish silhouette, as if fingers lightly fingering around their every aspect and detail. Oh, how much fun it seemed to be having!
Trees whispered good-bye, sharing moments and times that they had there. Good and bad, mostly bad, being that the Swamp of Mystery was, indeed, the Swamp of Mystery. This fact could not be changed. Cold sounds blistered the night, swelled up the misty; periwinkle clouds that could remind one of the deadly mist they had been caught up in, a hazy fog of hell full of memories finally overcome. For most, coming here was a bad experience, but actually, for Minoa, it was a great one.
A day later, everyone found themselves in their beds, tiresome bodies refusing to wake up. Birds twittered outside in the Inner World, one of the many live things it provided. Brother trees that were disgusting at sight because of the reminder of a forest lingered everywhere. The hot, new dimensional sun set new grass ablaze. Cool winds flustered past easily taking them and putting them in their hands. They so eagerly wanted to weed the grass, mow the lawn, having no chores for life, they felt left out from human society.
Inside the darker part of the realm, Zack, the unrespectable Wind Minor snored loudly. A loud, pig-like inhale gave way and conceived to an elephant, whistled exhale. Again and again this pattern repeated, one more time, one more time, one more time. Oh, how amazing was a sound like this. How annoying.
Lips flapped against each other in spitting exhale. "I'm tired... hungry…" Zack muttered in his sleep. He twisted and turned in bed, the coverlet wrapped tightly around him, clinging to his body like leeches that just couldn't get enough of his sweet, sweet blood and savory, fragrant scent. Zack continued to snore loudly, nonetheless.
In a nearby room, Derek, half-conscious brought his old pillow to his head which brought bare comfort and stuff his face in it. His eyes were closed, desperate for rest as he hoped the pillow to wish away the loud, echoing sounds of an idiot Minor nearby. He cried out angrily as he threw the pillow against the wall, making a humorous and comical impact. "Shut up already!" he cried out, sad and tiresome. His eyes brought themselves to an open, a resistant open, a reluctant spreading. "Damn it," he cried to himself calmly. He sighed, knowing no victory. "Why is it morning all ready?" Derek cried out in tiredness as he dropped back to the bed, eyes closed long before doing so. He gave one last sigh before going back to sleep.
This black-haired Minor just couldn't take it anymore. The sheets covered his whole body as he tried to drown the sounds away, the white coverlet providing no comfort to his ears. "Zack!" he shot out towards the wall in a muffled cry. Derek's clothes lay scattered across the bed and weighed against him from a restless night before. He was too tired to organize them, and he was somewhat surprised in the back of his mind that they had not fallen off the bed during the night. Derek sneered irritably. His straight, black hair somewhat pricked and softly tickled his arms as they supported the blankets over his head. Poor Derek. He just couldn't drown out his old teammate's noises.