.
Breath of Fire III: Of Gods and Dragons
Chapter Seventeen: Their Paths Converge
Written by Estrelita Farr
.
Syn City, where they arrived four days later, was a slum-like city in a large cave inside a small mountain. Lit windows were like still fireflies in the darkness, and dim lamps barely lit the road before them.
Ryu, however, immediately felt that something was wrong the moment he set foot in the city. There was a terrible stench in the air… something he had smelt before, though he had forgotten what.
"Do you feel that…" Nina looked around nervously. "…something's not right?"
Garr's expression hardened as he sniffed lightly. "That smell… it is blood."
She gasped, her hands covering her mouth.
Ryu shook his head, gritting his teeth, but said nothing.
They stepped forward, mentally preparing themselves for what could be ahead… and found a figure lying on the ground.
To their horror, it was a dead man, his body covered in deep wounds, lying in a pool of his own blood.
But he was not the only one.
The whole street was covered with corpses.
Bleeding corpses, each with an expression of pure horror on their faces, as though they had died screaming.
A massacre.
All the trio could do for a moment was to stare in silent shock.
The young man soon snapped out of it. "N-no!" He immediately sped forward, fear striking his heart.
"Ryu?!" Nina exclaimed as she pursued him.
He stopped at the nearest body he found, putting a hand to the nose to tell if there was still breathing.
Nothing.
Gritting his teeth, he rushed to the next and did the same.
Several bodies. None of them alive.
Ryu grew more and more frantic and horrified, remorse etched deeply in his heart. Shaking his head disbelievingly, he found himself thinking, Why didn't I come sooner?!
Then, he heard a weak groan from somewhere nearby. His heart hoping desperately that the person would still be alive, he hurried to where he heard it and found a wounded man in a dark robe, his face pale, his breathing shallow.
"Are you okay?" Ryu asked as he knelt, his hands glowing as he prepared a healing spell. "Hang on!"
"Ryu!" Nina called from a short distance away. "There's someone still alive here!"
"I'm coming!" he shouted, glancing over a shoulder. "Garr, can you please bring this person somewhere warm?"
The Dragon-like man nodded and complied.
For the next hour or so, the three of them worked hard to save the survivors of the attack, with Nina searching, Ryu healing and Garr moving them to beds in a building that seemed like an inn. Those who were at least semi-conscious kept muttering about a tiger.
A weretiger.
Rei. The gentle, carefree yet dependable friend.
…behind this massacre?
Ryu's heart pained.
Rei… why…?
"Ryu?" Nina stated, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Oh… right, sorry." He knelt beside the survivor, unleashing yet another heal spell. The wound closed slowly, the blood no longer flowing out.
When he was done, Garr, upon returning from his last trip, lifted the survivor easily and made for the building once more.
"That's the last one, Ryu," the princess said, kneeling beside him.
"I see, that's good." Ryu sat against a wall and rubbed his eyes, a little weary.
Concerned, she asked. "Are you okay? That's quite a lot of healing you did…"
He nodded, smiling slightly. "I'll be fine, don't worry."
Just then, Garr approached them, his heavy footsteps audible, his expression harsh. "I inquired around."
"What happened here?" the azure-haired man asked.
"A tiger was behind this massacre, searching for the leader of this city." He shook his head. "However, the leader has long fled towards the northern checkpoint."
"A tiger…" Nina gasped again. "It has to be Rei! He must've given up on McNeil and came here!"
Ryu closed his eyes.
Garr nodded. "He still seeks solace for himself, for that time he had failed to protect."
"But what's the point of doing that now?" The princess shook her head quickly. "We have to go after him! We can't let him kill the leader!"
"You're right." Ryu stood up, his eyes hard. "Friend or not, he has to stop this."
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
Three hours later, just a short distance away from the large wooden gates of the western checkpoint, a large rotund man ran as fast as he could towards it. His green hair and beard a bright colour in the sunlight, his red robe dragging on the ground behind him, his breathing was ragged as he held tightly on to two heavy bags filled with money, which did nothing but slow his pace.
Suddenly, a shadow darted from a tree and landed behind him, its claws gleaming – the weretiger.
"What?!" he cried as he spun around. "It's here already?!"
The creature growled as it transform into a golden-haired half-tiger. Fearing for his life, the large man continued to speed towards the checkpoint.
Rei's eyes glowed with hatred and disgust; even while running for his life, this man still held on tightly to his beloved coins… his ill-made coins.
"You're all the same… you care about nothing but money."
He didn't care about chasing the man, knowing that his speed was more than enough for this rotund man. He pulled out a throwing knife, twirling it, and flung it with great accuracy.
The dagger narrowly missed the green hair and stabbed the wooden gate.
"Argh!" the large man exclaimed and stopped, dropping his bags as he turned around. The expression on his face was no longer of fear, but of anger. "You! What do you think you're doing?! Do you know who I am?!"
"Oh, I know who you are…" The half-tiger, glaring at him with harsh eyes, approached him slowly. "You're the don of Syn City, the high and mighty Mikba, aren't you?"
Mikba chuckled. "Well, then you know what will happen to you if you mess with me." He smirked. "I'll ignore what you've done to Syn City, as long as you stop your little game now…"
"Stop my game? Heh." With a wry smile, Rei pulled out his main daggers from their sheaths and twirled them once. "That's what your men said years ago, when they came to kill us… that our game had gone too far." His eyes narrowed as he got into a battle stance. "But did they let us go? No, not at all…"
He took a step back in fright. "Y-you…!"
"And sadly, I'm still a kid at heart…" Abruptly he sprang forward with lightning speed, snarling. "I just don't know when to quit!"
With all of his strength, he drove his blades into the heart of the don, his mind welcoming the scream of pain. The hard expression on his face remained even as he pulled the bloody weapons out, watching Mikba clutch at his chest, and he hatefully slashed him across the face.
Then he stopped, his ears perked up at the sound of footsteps, and glanced over his shoulder.
There was Ryu, with his two friends, arriving just in time to see the large figure of the don collapsing onto the ground.
"Stop!" the girl shouted as soon as she was near enough. "That's enough!"
Rei ignored her, lowering his blades. The hate ebbed away from him and his expression grew softer as he gazed upon his old friend. "Ryu… I thought you might show up."
With a glance at the fallen body of the don, covered in blood, Ryu clenched his fists. "Rei… why?" His eyes flared. "Why did you have to kill so many people?!"
The half-tiger chuckled lightly, but there was no joy or amusement in his voice, only bitterness.
Of course Ryu would be angry. He had always been the nice one of the three, after all.
Another painful reminder of the happy past Rei could no longer regain.
"Why indeed…" He chuckled again. "If I had been as strong then as I am now, maybe I could've saved Teepo… then maybe we could've continued living peacefully…"
Ryu did not answer.
"But at the time, I never wanted to hurt anyone." Rei shook his head, pain tearing at his heart. "That's why I kept goofing off, playing robber…" Resentfully, he laughed. "I was afraid of my own strength…"
"Rei… I…" the azure-haired man began, and stopped. Panic washed over his face as he cried, "Rei! Watch out!"
"What?" He spun around quickly.
But it was too late.
With one powerful swing, the blunt side of an axe slammed into him. There was an audible crack followed by a searing pain, and he was thrown across the ground. He crashed first into the side of a cliff, then the ground, filling his body with pain.
But more than the pain in his body, his heart was filled with despair.
His revenge… the only way he could make up to himself… ended just like that.
He laughed quietly, bitterly, even as darkness was beginning to shroud his mind.
In the end… that's all I am… a good-for-nothing…
And his body went limp.
"REI!" Ryu shouted, ready to run towards his friend, but Garr clasped a strong hand on his shoulder to stop him.
The fallen body of the don was no longer there, but a giant purple lizard-like creature in black armour, complete with red horns on its head. Great bat-like wings spread from its back, a long tail swished once behind it, and in its hands was a gigantic battle axe. A demonic mocking laughter came from him.
"Afraid to hurt people?!" Mikba's boomed from the creature, a grin spreading on his face. "Don't make me laugh! Our power has been given to us by the Goddess to use as we see fit! Use it to make you life better, just like I do!"
Ryu straightened, unsheathing his sword, his cerulean blue eyes cold. "…a power to make your life better… but create suffering for others?"
"You're Ryu, huh?" The monster cackled. "So you're the punk who killed Balio and Sunder, aren't you?! Good!" He swung its weapon in the air once. "I can tie up all the loose ends at once!"
"Not a chance!" Nina cried, her wand glowing brightly as she raised it above her head. "Lightning!"
With the crash of thunder, lightning bolts shot downwards from the sky, striking Mikba in a great flash of light, stunning him. Garr charged forward, his halberd ready to strike, but Mikba's axe blocked the blade. They glared at each other, their strength equal in comparison. Then they both drew back and a great battle raged between them, their blades clashing repeatedly.
Knowing that the Guardian could keep their enemy busy for a while, Ryu rushed to the half-tiger's side, his voice frantic. "Rei! Are you okay?!"
There was no response.
Kneeling beside Rei's fallen body, he quickly summoned a wave of healing energy, surrounding both their bodies with light and circling sparkles. His healing spell would not heal the wound entirely, but as long as it could save him…
At first it seemed as though the spell had no effect, but within a few seconds, Rei stirred and groaned, opening his eyes. "Ugh, dammit…"
"Are you okay?" the younger of the two asked again, concerned.
"Yeah, I'm–" Then his eyes widened. "Watch out! Behind you!"
Ryu spun around, his eyes wide as well.
A gigantic axe, its curved blade gleaming in the sun.
Falling towards him.
He had just enough time to dodge out of the way.
…and leave Rei behind? Rei, who had been hurt too badly to move, to be left behind in the path of the raging axe?
No.
He didn't want another painful episode of the past to recur.
He unsheathed his sword and raised it above his head, supporting the blade with the other hand.
Even if he had insufficient strength to block the axe… he had to try.
He had to protect Rei.
Just as he had failed to protect him years ago.
Time seemed as though it had slowed down, as though each second passed was a whole minute. Ryu's muscles stiffened painfully, as he prepared for the heavy strike…
Then, he felt warmth within him.
He was surprised.
S-Sara…?
"A true Dragon," her serenely voice spoke.
The warmed in his body shifted, as though she was guiding him. He turned around, facing Rei, who had his eyes glued to the blade.
Time had stopped.
Giving him a chance to protect.
The warmth within him shifted once more, accumulating in his hand.
You… want me to touch him…?
Sara's spirit resonated.
Confused, he obliged. He raised a hand to touch Rei's arm.
Rei's fur-covered arm was warm to the touch.
For a moment, nothing happened. Ryu felt his fingers tingling, but that was it.
Sara…? What–
Then, power exploded from within him.
Burning energy shot through his veins, filling his body with intense heat. It circulated once, spreading to every inch of his veins, then shot through his arm and into Rei.
Rei screamed, writhing.
And the burning power surged back into Ryu, circling inside him once more.
Repeating the cycle again. And again.
Followed by a blinding light.
Followed by the loud sound of the axe striking the ground, creating a large crack.
Ryu and Rei were gone.
"What?!" Mikba exclaimed, turning around in search of his targets.
And froze.
Behind him was a huge tiger, easily the biggest he had seen; its shoulders were at least five feet from the ground, even with all four of its paws were firmly placed on the ground. Its fur was the strong colour of blood, covered in black stripes at regular intervals, and its tail, a lizard-like tail, swished behind it. A pair of horns pointed to the front from the top of its head, like a bull's.
Great golden wings, bat-like wings, spread from its shoulder blades.
Golden claws extended from its paws.
And its eyes, furious golden ones, glared at Mikba.
Golden eyes filled with Ryu's strong desire to protect.
Golden eyes filled with Rei's anguish over a loss caused by the failure to protect.
The power of a Dragon, combined with the power of a weretiger.
The Crimson Tiger.
Nina gasped. Even Garr was unable to take his eyes off the blood colour of its fur.
Mikba, although shaken by the sudden appearance of this creature, pulled his axe from the ground and attempted to strike at it.
And the blade struck the ground once more, creating another crack.
The Crimson Tiger stood beside where the axe had hit, just out of range of the strike.
No one had seen it move.
Suddenly, the blood red fur on the Tiger bristled. It snarled as it crouched, as though ready to leap, and electric sparks, as golden as its wings, circled around him like a furious whirlwind. The shocking effects of the intense electricity could be felt even a few feet away, where Nina and Garr stood.
Abruptly gripped by fear, Mikba gave a cry and turned to escape from this bizarre creature.
The Crimson Tiger roared, sending a blinding pillar of lightning into the sky, which then rained down on him.
Screams filled the air as Mikba convulsed, the electricity surging through his veins.
And, seconds later, the huge body of the don collapsed onto the ground, the sharp smell of char filled the air.
For a while, nothing moved. Nothing made a sound. The atmosphere was thick with the feeling of shock, with stunned silence.
Then, the Crimson Tiger was covered in a soft light, hiding all of its features. The light then divided into two, from which two figures fell onto a sitting position on the ground.
The light faded away, leaving Ryu and Rei looking dazed.
"Ryu!" Nina shouted, running to his side.
"Ugh…" Ryu groaned, shaking his head.
"What was that?!" Rei yelled and jumped onto his feet, nearly losing his balance from the dizziness. "Ryu?!"
Before Ryu could answer, however, their attention was quickly distracted by a deep groan from Mikba. Preparing for a continuation of the battle, they approached slowly, their weapons raised… but they could see that he was already beginning to revert to his human form. He remained on the ground, unable to move his limbs, breathing hard from the electric shock as he glared. With him this vulnerable, there was plenty of time for anyone to finish him once and for all… but no one made a move.
"W-what?!" the don cried, his eyes on Ryu. "Why won't you kill me?!"
Ryu said nothing, his hand gripping his blade.
Mikba laughed loudly. "You fool! You have the strength, yet you can't kill?! What a joke!"
"Ryu, if you don't kill him now…" Rei shook his head, his eyes harsh. "He'll just come back later and try to kill you instead."
Ryu shook his head slowly. "…no one has the right to take the life of another."
He approached him, his tiger tail swishing behind him. "Not even when he tries to kill you?"
"No, not even that."
"…well, if you're not going to kill him…" Rei drew out his daggers once more and snarled. "Then I will! That's what I came for!"
He gasped, shocked. "Rei! NO!"
With great speed and a loud yell, the half-tiger pounced onto Mikba with such speed that no one had the time to stop him. He raised his dual blades and stabbed both into the chest with all of his remaining strength. His target screamed in pain, his voice echoing loudly along the peak of the nearby mountains, and he coughed blood onto his already bleeding chest.
"H-happy now, you f-freak tiger?!" he spluttered, blood sliding from the corner of his mouth. "This i-is what your power's for… t-to get rid of those who g-get in your way!" He grinned. "Heh heh heh… too bad, but it l-looks like the people y-you're looking for… Balio and Sunder… have already been k-killed by that brat over there… heh heh… ugh!"
He was suddenly overtaken by a coughing fit, vomiting even more blood. His eyes bloodshot, he raised a shaky, bloody arm to the sky, reaching out for the sun as though seeking salvation.
And it fell heavily to his side.
He was dead.
Nina inhaled sharply and covered her eyes, shaking her head. "No…"
Garr closed his eyes.
Rei shook his head disbelievingly, the daggers falling from his hands. "…the ones I've been looking for all those years… dead already…?" He grabbed his old friend by the shoulders, shaking him lightly. "Tell me! When did you kill them?!"
"…I…" Ryu focused his gaze on the ground, his eyes dull with despair.
The winged man crossed his arms. "Balio and Sunder fell into Maekyss River ten years ago, and no one has seen them since." He gazed intently at Rei. "Ryu killed them not, nor did he try to avenge you. He firmly believed you were alive and searched endlessly for you."
"…I see…" The half-tiger suddenly laughed, releasing his hold on his old friend, and gazed into the sky that was gradually growing orange. Then, as he calmed down, despair glinted in his eyes. "What… have I been doing then… all these years…? Does it even mean anything, Ryu…?" He shook his head, closing his eyes. "Even now, without your help, I probably wouldn't have won…"
"Rei…" Ryu sighed softly. "Even if Balio and Sunder were alive, there's no point in killing them for revenge… it wouldn't bring Teepo back…"
"Yeah… I guess you're right…"
They lapsed into silence once again, not looking at each other.
Garr strode off, preparing to bury the dead body that lay in their midst.
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
"The power of the Brood…?" Rei muttered.
They were all gathered around the campfire after dinner that night, and Nina and Garr had told the half-tiger about what had happened so far – from the time the princess met Ryu in the prison of Wyndia Castle until their reunion in McNeil Village.
"You're saying he's one of those Dragons… the ones who tried to destroy the world five hundred years ago?" Rei shook his head. "Geez… I never thought that something like this could happen…"
"It does take some time to take it in, I know…" Nina admitted.
He shrugged. "Well, it's not like I don't believe you… I mean, I've experienced it firsthand myself, whatever it is!"
Ryu closed his eyes, feeling Sara's warmth inside him. "It's a power I gained inside Dauna Mine… only now I understand what her Dragon form is." He looked up slowly, his eyes focused on Rei. "This Dragon form – the Hybrid Dragon – fuses one other person with me, and its power and appearance changes with different people."
"That is why the Dragon form was a tiger…" Garr crossed his arms. "After all, Rei is but of the tigers."
Rei shook his head and faced the azure-haired man, determination showing on his face. "What do you say, Ryu? Why don't you and I go get them…" He stood up, his eyes glowing. "…go get those folks in McNeil Village for what they did to us? With your power, we'll kill them in no time!"
Ryu looked up in shock. "W-what?!"
"No!" Nina cried, standing up as well as she glared. "I won't let you do it!"
To everyone's surprise, Rei chuckled in amusement at their reaction. "Don't worry, I was just kidding… ever since Ryu beat me on Ogre Road, I realised I wouldn't be able to even the score…" Sitting down once more, he sighed softly. "I thought that if I used my power to change into a tiger, I'd be stronger than anything else… but…" He focused on his hand sadly. "In the end, I wasn't even able to control my own power… all I did was to run around attacking anything that moves…"
"True power lies not in inflicting pain," the Guardian stated, shaking his head. "If that is all the power of the Dragonkin is based upon… then I would have hesitated not in annihilating them."
Ryu shivered slightly as he recalled the skeletons of the dead Dragons deep inside Angel Tower.
"The Dragons fought a war and almost destroyed the world…" The half-tiger thought deeply. "Their power is the power Mikba was talking about, isn't it? The same power he and I have?"
"I believe so." Garr fed another log to the campfire. "The same power of death and destruction… yet on a magnitude far beyond yours or his. You have seen the power yourself while you were fused with Ryu."
At that moment, Nina raised her voice and interrupted him. "How many times do I have to tell you, Garr?! Ryu's not going to destroy the world or anything of the sort!"
He nodded, smiling slightly. "Worry not, I believe it no longer. That is why…" His eyes dimmed with remorse. "…that is why I wish to ask the Goddess… why we Guardians were tasked to destroy the Brood…"
"Why… why is there such power…" Rei gazed into the fire. "…such dangerous power in the world…?"
"As only Ryu now breathes among the Dragonkin…" Garr turned his head towards the dark night sky. "…the only one with the answer… is our Goddess."
"So that's why you want to go and meet her? You don't joke around, do you?" He shook his fist. "Hell, I've got a few questions of my own! Like why do people like Mikba and me have our powers?!"
Ryu was startled. "W-wait, you mean you're coming along?"
"What? Leave you alone now that we're together again?" Rei grinned. "I've got to make sure my little brother doesn't get into trouble, you know!"
"Little brother…" He chuckled, smiling now. "It's good to be with you again, Rei."
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
Once more they set out for the Yrall region, this time together with Rei. It took three days to return to McNeil village and another three days to climb Mt. Myrneg towards the City of Winds.
One night after they had descended from Mt. Myrneg, Nina found herself waking up in the dark, unable to sleep. She sat up, rubbing her eyes lightly and stretching her short wings, and then gazed at Ryu, fast asleep on his side in his bedroll. If it weren't for the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, one might even thought that he was dead, but the look on his face was peaceful, as though he did not have a care for the world.
It brought a smile to her face.
She wrapped her arms around her legs, resting her head on her knees as she watched him.
Ryu… you're always so strong, so kind, always thinking of others before yourself… but I know you're sad, because I can see it in your eyes… those gentle blue eyes that seem so easily hurt…
She ran a hand gently over his forehead, brushing the hair from his eyes, though she seemed only mildly conscious of doing it.
"Ryu…" she whispered under her breath. "I'm glad you could sleep peacefully like this…"
Just then, she heard a sound from outside, as though something landed heavily on the ground. Cautiously, she grabbed her wand and took a peek outside, a glowing spell ready at hand in case of attacking monsters, but to her relief, it was only Rei, who had jumped down from a nearby tree.
"Rei?" She shook her head, relaxing, and stepped outside. "What're you doing up this late?"
"Couldn't sleep," the half-tiger replied, shrugging, then grinned. "The same reason why you're up, huh?"
She smiled embarrassedly. "Yes, I don't like nights like this…"
He sat at the remains of the campfire, lighting it again. "Why don't we just chat for a while until we feel like sleeping? No sense wasting the night away with boredom."
She nodded and sat down, though for a long time both of them stayed in a rather awkward silence, not knowing quite what to say each other.
It was Nina who spoke up first. "Rei, I've been curious…" She hesitated for a moment. "How did you meet Ryu and Teepo?"
"Them? Hm…" He thought for a moment, remembering as his tail swished to and fro. "Well, I met Teepo two years or so before I met Ryu, on Yraall Road." He shook his head, an amused grin on his face. "Heh, I never thought the mistake I made that day would earn me a companion."
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
"Great, doesn't this just beat all?," Rei muttered to himself, shaking his head as he watched the small boy with long purple hair before him, dressed in rags that stood out in the late afternoon sun.
What he had attacked was supposed to be a merchant travelling with his son. He had judged that since the overweighed man had a child with him, it would make the thief's job much easier, and that if he could surprise them, they would probably run and leave the money behind.
And the man certainly did run away.
Leaving behind the boy, who now stood there with an extremely bored look on his defiant face.
While they had appeared to be a merchant and his child travelling together, the boy had actually been the merchandise; the man was a slave trader, and upon being taken by surprise by the robbery, he fled and left behind what he had intended to sell.
When Rei finally realised what had happened, he tried to make a hasty exit, the boy made a grab for his vest. His crimson eyes, though arrogant, had a gleam of innocence and helplessness, which seemed to be begging for help. Even when Rei had freed his vest and headed back towards his home, the footsteps of little bare feet followed right behind him.
He sighed, finally accepting the fact that there was probably no one other than him who could help this child.
"So, what's your name?" he asked, turning around to face him.
The violet-haired boy looked up at him, grinning happily. "Teepo."
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
"Wow," was the princess' reaction. "I never thought Teepo used to be a slave…"
"Me neither, I seriously thought they were father and son… I guess everyone makes mistakes sometimes." Rei rubbed the back of his head. "As for Ryu, well… I just found him unconscious in the woods one day, and I brought him back to where Teepo and I lived."
"I see." She gazed into the fire. "I wonder if Ryu's been really happy living with you two, now he just seems… sad."
He nodded, tossing a log into the campfire. "Well, personality-wise, he's hardly changed at all. Still quiet, still calm…" He grinned. "Still a goody-two-shoes!"
She giggled, raising her wand in mock anger. "How mean of you to say that about him!"
He held his hands up in defence. "Hey, I'm just kidding!"
Both of them laughed.
"Well, you've seen how Ryu refuses to kill, right?" the half-tiger continued. "He's always been the one who keeps telling us not to steal, not to do bad things… stuff like that. It's just how he is."
She smiled. "He's a good person, nothing at all like what we've learned about Dragons…"
"You've said it. He hasn't changed all that much, except… well…" He sat up straight, grinning. "He can fight pretty well with that sword now, but in the past, I had to teach him how to even hold the sword. And the way he used to swing his sword…" He laughed. "Man, that was the joke of the year!"
She felt curious now. "Why? How did he swing his sword then?"
"Like this!" He turned his head back, covered his eyes with one hand and madly swung the other arm in front of him.
She burst into a high laughter. "Gosh! I never thought he was like that!"
Grinning, he sat up straight again. "Funny, isn't it? Of course, I daren't tease him about it now; he'd throw me into a river with his strength!"
"No, he wouldn't do that!" She smiled. "He's always so kind."
He gazed at her. "You really trust him that much…" His face broke into a cheeky, knowing smile. "You like him, don't you?"
"W-what?!" A bright shade of red washed over her face. "W-what made you s-say that?!"
"Aw, c'mon, you don't have to hide it!" He slapped her lightly on the back. "I've seen that dopey look on your face while we travel!"
"Y-you're imagining things!" Completely red, she abruptly stood up, her body all tensed up. "I-I'm going to sleep!" With that, she strode back into the tent, the two ribbon-like plumes trailing behind her.
Rei had a good laugh by the fire, slapping his knee.
"I wonder when he'll finally realise she really likes him," he mused, grinning as he tossed another log into the fire. "I don't really think he's actually observant about this kind of things…"
Certainly, he wasn't.
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
"You need to use the eastern bridge, right?" Nina asked the next morning, as they walked along the junction of Eygnock Road, just south of the city.
The Guardian nodded. "Yes, to Angel Tower once again. Crossing the border shall trouble me not as I have recently acquired a passport of my own, but we have naught of a choice but to acquire a new one for everyone else…"
"That'll be a bit of a problem…" Her eyes narrowed with guilt. "My parents think it's your fault I ran away the last time, Ryu."
Ryu was startled. "H-huh? But I didn't kidnap you or anything…"
"Yeah, I told them that, but…" She sighed. "Mother wouldn't listen, and Daddy doesn't look like he believes me either…"
"Sounds like family troubles." Rei rubbed the back of his head. "So what do we do now?"
The princess perked up. "But I have an idea!" She turned towards the blue-haired man. "Ryu, you broke up the black market mafia, right?" She beamed. "All you need is one more feather in your cap, and even they'll have to admit you're a real hero!"
"Uh…" Ryu shook his head doubtfully. "That sounds a little farfetched…"
"Agreed." Garr crossed his arms. "Though I long to hear, what of this heroic deed he is to do?"
Nina pointed towards the south, where the metal buildings of the plant stood. "You know there's a plant over there, where they grow the vegetables using chrysm energy?"
The young man blinked. "Hey, isn't that the plant Momo's father built?"
"What about it?" the half-tiger asked.
"It seems there's something funny going on there lately…" The winged girl shook her head. "I've been thinking about checking it out, so why don't you come with me?"
"Why not?" Ryu said. "It's not like we're going anywhere for a while, anyway."
She beamed. "Great! Let's go!"
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
The plant, just like McNeil village, had not changed at all ever since Ryu was there last. There were still large reactors with glowing chrysm ores placed at various locations all over the place, and there were still those vegetables growing in tilled soil, some in greenhouses and some in the open air, with hired farmers looking after them.
However, even Rei, who knew little about plants, could tell that the plants looked rather disfigured and discoloured.
"Funny little place," he commented, looking about. "Are you sure these things are safe to eat?"
"I don't know," Ryu admitted. "We didn't think so the last time we were here… they look worse this time, though."
The four of them soon found Momo, who was so focused on repairing a chrysm reactor that she didn't hear anything around her. Ryu recognised her from her plaited fiery-red hair, white rabbit-like ears spreading from the sides of her head, and blue robes topped with a professor's hat on her head. This time, however, her face was shaped more maturely, just like Rei's. Honey, who was running about on a nearby vegetable field, caught sight of them, turned and ran to her mistress's side, tugging at the hem of her robe.
"Hm… this reactor doesn't have enough pressure," Momo muttered to herself, readjusting her small glasses. "If we don't get the valve turned up soon…"
Honey tugged harder, trying to get her attention.
She looked down at her, apparently realising her for the first time. "Huh? What is it, Honey?"
She pointed at the large group gathered behind her, attempting to tell her that her friends had arrived.
A look of realisation washed over her face. "Oh, right, the parts I asked for…" She gestured towards an empty spot on the ground without turning. "Just put them down over there, I don't need them yet."
Exasperated, Honey tugged even harder.
She straightened. "What is it, Honey? I can't play with you right now… huh?" It was only then when she looked up at them. "Who're these people, Honey? Friends of yours?"
The robot doll slapped her forehead.
"Don't tell me you've forgotten us already, Momo!" Nina cried, shaking her head.
"Nina? Garr? And…" She stared at Ryu blankly.
Ryu sighed – apparently Momo had not changed at all, since she still seemed as absent-minded as ever.
"I'm Ryu," he told her. "You know, the boy who could turn into a Dragon?"
The red-haired woman gave an abrupt squeal. "What?! Ryu?!" Her ears perked up. "Ryu! Is it really you?! It's been so long!"
He smiled. "It's great to see you again too, Momo."
She grinned. "You've gotten really big, Ryu! You're even taller than me now! How long has it been since then?!"
"I've been told it's been ten years…" He shook his head. "I'm not sure though."
"I see, well, I'm still really glad to see you alive and well!" She gestured to the chrysm reactor. "But I've got to finish fixing this first, do you mind waiting in that big metal building near the entrance?"
Nina nodded. "Okay, we'll wait there. Make sure you don't forget!"
"I won't! I promise!"
As they walked away, Rei asked, "Uh, is that really who we're looking for?" He rubbed the back of his head doubtfully. "I'm not sure she's reliable…"
"I heard that!" Momo's voice shouted from behind them.
"Sorry!" But he didn't sound apologetic at all.
"Cats should be lying in a corner and not be heard!"
"Hey!" He spun around. "Rabbits should hide in a hole and not be seen!"
"Whaaaaaaaat?!"
And so began a great bickering.
Ryu watched, amused, then realised a moment later that, coincidentally, Momo and Rei were both around the same age.
This will be interesting…
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-o-o-o-o-o-
.
"Hm…" Momo appeared thoughtful after listening to her companions' story in a closed guest's room at the plant. "So Garr tries to kill Ryu because he thought he was an evil Dragon, but now he doesn't know if the Brood are really evil or not, so you're all going to meet the Goddess to ask?"
It sounded terribly simple coming from the engineer's mouth, but Ryu nodded anyway. "That pretty much sums it up."
Embarrassed, she shook her head. "Sorry, I really don't know much about Dragons. All I know about them are from very limited studies, and I can only really understand machines…"
"Worry not." Garr crossed his arms. "I believe none of us truly understands at the moment."
Nina shook her head. "There's no point in pondering about that now, we came here for one reason, didn't we? Momo, can you tell us about the plant? What's wrong with it?"
The engineer realised with a start. "Oh yeah! Hey, listen! The director Palet is missing and the plant's falling apart! It's so bad that failed crops are the least of our problems!" She shook her head quickly. "If we don't do something soon, something awful could happen!"
Rei rubbed the back of his head. "That doesn't sound good…"
"Mutants appearing, chrysm reactor overload… just about anything could happen!" She shook her head again, looking worried. "The only one who knows what's really going on is Palet, and we don't know where he is…"
"Well, in that case…" The winged girl straightened, placing her hands on her hips. "We'll just have to find him and ask him about it!"
"I guess." She shrugged. "He sometimes disappears for a while, but I've heard he never goes too far."
"You mean, you might know where he is?" She nodded. "Let's go look for him then!"
"Okay!" She knelt down and called out to the robot doll. "Here, Honey, let's go!"
Honey immediately went onto her palm and was placed on her usual spot on the shoulder.
"Say," Ryu started as they left the building. "Where's Peco?"
"Peco? Well…" Momo gestured towards the east. "Over there, there's a place where there's a tree called Yggdrasil."
He felt startled. Yggdrasil! I forgot about him, maybe he'll answer my questions this time!
"Lately Peco's been spending all his time there," she continued, not noticing his reaction. "He's always there playing by the old tree, though I don't know why… maybe because he's an onion and Yggdrasil really is the legendary tree?"
Nina thought for a moment. "He was born here, so maybe he'll know something?"
The Guardian stretched his wings. "Shall we go?"
The others nodded and left the vicinity, heading towards the small grove to the east.
.
-o-o-o-o-o-
.
Yggdrasil, a legendary tree
The embodiment of an ancient sage
From a time of a distant age
No longer written on a page
Yggdrasil, an all-knowing tree
Teaching the whole world
The meaning of true wisdom
Older than even chrysm
Yggdrasil, a magnificent tree
Among the emerald sea
Awing all who see
Its grand majesty
Yggdrasil, a sacred tree
The holy guardian of the forest
A symbol of faith to us…
.
Ryu stared at the great trunk of the ancient tree as he walked, the song playing itself in his mind.
That's a song you sang to me, Sara… Yggdrasil's song…
He shook his head, stopping himself.
No, I'm getting those thoughts again… why, though? I'm pretty sure I've never stayed in a village with a sister… yet the feeling is so strong…
He placed a hand on his chest, remembering the warmth he had felt after battling the Dragon zombie in the Dauna mine, and before fusing with Rei to become the Crimson Tiger.
The warmth from Sara, who had become his protector.
"This is the place," Momo's voice interrupted his thoughts. "This is where Peco likes to hang out."
"Welcome, friends," a wheezy voice said.
Nina looked around, surprised. "…hey, did you hear that voice?"
Garr nodded. "I, too, heard it."
"So did I," the half-tiger joined in.
"Me too," Ryu stated. It's probably Yggdrasil… but the last time, I was the only one who could hear him.
"I didn't hear anything." Momo shrugged. "Maybe it's just the wind?"
"Or maybe it's just you?" Rei suggested, his tail swishing.
She scowled. "Oh, be quiet! What do you know?"
He growled. "I know more than you for sure!"
She straightened, trying to match his height. "Oh yeah?!"
"Yeah!"
Ryu, Nina and Garr glanced at each other; it certainly seemed their journey had livened up with these two together.
A little further into the small grove, the trees parted to form a large clearing, with a beam of light shining down on the grass. Yggdrasil stood magnificently in the light, his leaves spreading confidently at his sides. At the base of his trunk, Peco sat quietly, staring at the tree.
"…pukyu…" the onion murmured, not unlike a sentimental old man in contemplation.
"Peco?" Nina called, breaking the argument between Momo and Rei. "Is this where you've been all this while?"
Peco turned slowly, gazing at his past companions. He seemed quite unlike himself today, for he was usually either bouncing about in mad excitement or sleeping.
"Hey, Peco." Momo knelt beside him, patting his head. "Did you say anything earlier? Everyone said they heard a voice."
He appeared puzzled as he glanced at them. "Pui?"
She sighed, shaking her head. "I can understand him just as much as I understand a tree or a flower… and they don't talk!" She straightened. "Oh well. Anyway, come on, Peco! We're going to check out the plant where you were born!"
"Pukyu!" he cried, jumping up and down as he usually did.
The princess beamed. "Great! Now we're all together again!"
Rei rubbed the back of his head uncertainly. "Geez, you sure have weird friends, Ryu… I mean, a talking, bouncing onion?"
Everyone shrugged and turned to leave, except for Ryu, who gazed up at Yggdrasil. He had wanted to ask the ancient tree about various things, ask him about his heritage… but now that he was here, he hesitated, unable to voice out his questions.
"Ah, Ryu, you have returned." Yggdrasil's old voice wheezed. "You are looking very much like your usual self now."
"Yggdrasil… I…" He shook his head slowly, fixing his eyes on the ground. "You said before that I was too young to know things, but now… I'm older now…" Even if I don't remember what I did in the last ten years…
"Yes, you are now old enough to learn the truth. However…" The trees rustled in the wind, as though whispering a message. "To learn the truth, first you must seek out Lady Deis, for she is the one who truly knows you."
"Lady… Deis…?" He winced as a pain shot through his head, the image of a woman with flowing long blue hair flashed across his mind.
"She will tell you all you want to know, things that I am unable to explain."
"I see…" He felt disappointed once again for not receiving answers, but he was not completely overwhelmed by despair; at least he had a lead now. Raising his head to face the tree, he spoke again, "Thank you, Yggdrasil."
"Do be careful, young Ryu… I fear that this time it may be more dangerous than before."
Though confused, he nodded his head. "I-I will."
"Yo, Ryu!" Rei's voice shouted from behind him. "What's wrong? Everyone's waiting for you!"
The younger man turned to face his half-tiger friend, smiling sheepishly. "Oh, sorry about that. I'm coming."
Just as both of them left, Yggdrasil thought deeply, his wheezing voice muttering to himself.
"Lord Ladon… why would you not face him…? Why would you not tell him everything…?"
Only the rustling of the forest leaves in the wind replied him.
.
End of Chapter Seventeen.
Author's Notes:
Thanks to RedemptionWarrior who suggested I use the Hybrid Dragon form while fighting Mikba! I didn't know what to call it so I consulted Raiu's Dragon Guide from GameFAQs, but I decided to give it my own name instead. Except the whole scene seems rather weird today… I'll probably have to fix the scene again tomorrow or so. x_x
To tell you the truth, how Rei first met Teepo wasn't my idea, it's actually from Capcom's official site! Well, except I can't read Japanese (I recognise some characters, but not enough to actually know the words), so I read a translation of it at under "Translations"! I never knew that's how they met. O_o
Also, don't worry about how bad that song / poem on Yggdrasil is… all I did was to make it rhyme (sort of). Let it be known to all that I'm bad with poems!
And here, we see the first bit of bickering between Momo and Rei! Both of them are such good friends. xP
Oh, I also fixed the Chapter 8 scene, where Ryu, Nina and Momo were getting drinks before the visit to the plant (and before meeting Peco). I mentioned last week that I'd add a rock-paper-scissors game instead of scrapping the whole making-faces game (which I scrapped because Nina seems to be bullying Ryu, which is out of character, and Ryu ends up falling and crying). Hopefully it's better now!
Review Replies for Chapter Sixteen:
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To RedemptionWarrior:
Thanks, glad to see that my novelisation does live up to the game's expectations. xP
While I may be following the game's storyline closely, I like to add a bit of extra stuff here and there to… um, I guess the word is "personalise"… the story; that's why I made Ryu fall asleep while the other two talk. In the game, they merely talk. x_x
Hm… you're right, I could use the Hybrid form against Mikba. Thanks for the idea! That just gave me a thought on how I could implement it. :D
Thanks for the review!
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To Ferane:
Great to see you like the face-making scene, makes me feel better about putting it in now! And even though Garr's not quite the type to crack jokes, I think he might actually do it rarely. After all, all work and no play make Garr a dull guy. xP
Oops, you were talking about Garr? I seriously thought of Ryu at the mention of Kyrie… x_x Yes, since you put it that way, Garr would be able to learn it (though I can't quite imagine him being apprenticed under Durandal!) and he does learn it automatically at level 26 in the game, but he's more of the heavy melee type, which makes him not so good with magic. I've confirmed this using the Stats Gain Guide at ; at level 99, he has 98 INT compared to Ryu's 187, Rei's 140 and Nina's 229. Not good.
In the game, Kyrie is an OHKO spell against the undead, so if I were to use it in this novelisation, I'll be describing it as a damaging spell; if Garr were to use it in battle in this story, I don't think it'll do all that much damage. In fact, if let's say the Dragon Zombie is aiming for Ryu while Garr's charging a spell, I don't think he can react fast enough.
So based on all these facts, I don't think I'll let Garr learn Kyrie. Maybe Ryu, if he doesn't feel so bad about hurting his own (undead) kind. Sorry that I won't be using Kyrie, but thanks for your input. :D
Glad to hear you like the Loki scene, but as for Ryu hurting the weretiger after finding its eyes familiar… d'oh! You're right, Ryu's such a worrier that he wouldn't try to hurt the weretiger if he finds its eyes familiar (even if he doesn't know who it is yet); that's a really big mistake on my part. x_x
I've already fixed it; hopefully it's better now. o_o
Thanks for your comments / reviews!
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To Lord Kain:
I'm glad you like the Ryu-Nina reunion! While I like the great hug, I didn't really think Nina'll tackle Ryu to the ground… but that's just me. xP
Also, for the Faerie Village scene, it wouldn't activate until you actually step into the faerie ring, which means if you forget all about the faeries all about the faeries, it'll remain forgotten. x_x I decided to leave the Faerie Village out of this novelisation because to tell you the truth, I don't really like having the Faerie Village as part of the storyline, even if I liked building it… sorry. T_T
But thanks for your comments!
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To ZoharKnight:
Yay! Thanks for finally reviewing!
I'm glad to know you like how Nina was portrayed. :D I suppose you could call her harsh in-game… while she's surprised to see Ryu, she was more concerned with knowing what happened ("Return to the castle and take Mr. McNeil with you!" then "Now... please tell me what's going on?"). It's rather sad to see her that way. T_T
Thanks again for reviewing!
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To Airess Byrd:
Great to see you find Garr the regretful, battle-hardened warrior rather than the whiney type! I didn't find him too whiney in-game, though I did think he went about it a little too much. I'm relieved you find his character more fitting in my novelisation. :D
Ryu-Rei's reunion is really sad… especially when coupled with the For Old Friends background theme. I had it playing when I wrote this scene (or rather, I had the game playing in the background xP), so I'm glad you found the scene touching!
And good to know Nina seems more matured this time round… I hope to keep that image up in future chapters. :D
Thanks for the review!
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To Nina Windia:
It's good to see that you find Ryu-Nina's reunion cute! My version of Ryu is rather different from yours, but I'm glad you like him too. :D
Thanks for reviewing!
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To Dragoon Cecilia:
No offence taken, it's nice to hear your version of the Dragon lady in the mines! And I'm glad you think it's a great story. :D
Thanks for the review!