Chapter 10: Scattered

{Dreamscape: Unknown}

"So….this is a door?" Noctis asked as he stared at the golden, glowing circle hovering in the water.

"Yep…." Noctis looked at it again.

"It looks like a glow in the dark hula-hoop…" Cari laid her ears flat.

"Well, I don't choose the designs of the doors: you do." He looked to her.

"Me?" Cari gave him a glance.

"Sorta….you kinda do….but then you kinda don't. I guess the person trying to keep you in the Dreamscape thought that if he made it look different than a normal door….you would overlook it," she said.

"Then I guess he thinks I'm pretty stupid huh?" she tilted her ears.

"Guess so…" the two remained silent for a moment, staring at the loop in the water.

Thus far, on their way to the door – or glow in the dark hula-hoop – they had ran into four more monsters, six plants that seemed to like the taste of Carbuncles, twelve rocks that disappeared, nine living streams that tried to strangle them both, seven exploding flowers, three evil barbs, two fire-breathing frogs, and one squirrel looking thing that threw acid-like acorns at them. Noctis and Cari were covered in singes, dirt, muck, and blood to the point that they looked as if they had tumbled down a hill – which they had done as well – and at this point Noctis was certain the only thing that could make this worse would be a rain-storm, but with the ominous sound of thunder roaring in the distance, he figured that was on its way too. But, they could also be missing a partridge in a pear tree if he thought of the number count of the insane things they had dealt with.

"So….now what?" Cari looked to him.

"Drop the crystal into the hoop, and then I'll jump in. make sure to follow my tail through or you might get lost; okay?" she stated.

"Okaaaay…."Cari flicked her ears.

"Just do it you imp…" the boy sighed as he pulled the crystal out of his pocket and then looked to the hoop in the water before he tossed it into the center of the hoop. Seconds later it lit up brighter than before and Cari looked to him.

"Great…now it's on super-charge….so….we have to jump in?" he inquired.

"Yep! Follow me marshmallow!" with that she jumped in and he growled.

"Would you just drop it already?!" Noctis dove in after her as the light around the ring faded.

{Secondary Stage: Unknown}

Noctis broke the surface of water above him with a gasp before looking around the room and where he was standing. At current, he was in a dining room area that he recalled as being part of the Citadel, and he could see where several old blocks and books had been meticulously stacked in a strange fashion. Normally, this wouldn't strike him as too strange; however, he had come to notice that everything around him was roughly ten-times the size it should have been, including the water dish he was currently standing in, and of course: Cari.

Staring at the oversized Carbuncle, Noctis found himself pondering why he was so small while the rest of the room seemed almost impossibly gigantesque. The nine-year-old shook his head and crawled out of the water dish before turning his gaze towards Cari who remained curled up as she looked to him and chirped before looking around the room while Noctis did his best to locate the crystal. At the top of the block and book tower stood the crystal and wandering around the tower, was a series of monsters, waiting for him to come their way.

"Yay….more monsters…." Cari sneezed.

"Well, at least you can sneak past them if you're quiet," she said as he gave her a glower.

"I couldn't sneak past them even if I wanted to! Cari, those things have hyper senses. I don't know anything about stealth!" Cari gave him a pointed look.

"Can't you learn?" she probed as Noctis took in a deep breath.

"I haven't gotten there yet….unfortunately…." the carbuncle looked him over.

"Well, no time like the present," she stated while he glowered at the journey ahead of him.

"I fail to see how this is going to end well…" Cari puffed at him.

"Just use those skills like you did back in the canyon," she said as Noctis looked at his hands in questioning.

The skills that he had used in the canyon had come from his time training with Marshal Leonis, Gladiolus, and Ignis; however, the rage, strength, and aggression that he had put into those swings and attacks did nothing short of terrify him. Somewhere, deep down, Noctis knew that what had happened, was somehow normal for him. The book took in a deep breath and glanced to Cari before looking at the monsters not far off.

"Well…at least they can't hurt you, and you could just step on them," he said.

"You have to deal with them so I can deal with locating that doorway. Noctis, I need you to rely on your training so we can get this done…." The boy looked down.

"How can I do that?! Cari, I'm just a kid….I don't know how to handle any of this….I can't rely on skills I don't have or…." Cari nudged him, her wet nose sliding across his arm.

"I need you to stay strong. Keep your chin up, focus, and believe in yourself….Noct, we gotta do this and while doing so….you're going to get stronger….but the sooner you do this, the easier it'll be for you to put faith into yourself," she said.

"Myself?" she nodded. Noctis took in a deep breath.

"You can do it and I'll watch your back while working on it finding the door. Just remember Noct….you're not alone," she said.

The boy slowly nodded, knowing what he was doing could be a risk; however, he also knew that was important to succeed. By absconding this Dreamscape, Noctis knew that he could put a chink in the plan of the person causing so much chaos and trying to kill him. It was quite the troubling fact to deal with at such a young age; however, he couldn't let that detail restrain him from accomplishing his goal right then. Taking in a steady breath, Noctis started running towards the opposition and prepared to enter another fight as he held out his right hand and the weight of the sword fell into his grasp and he jumped forward, swinging the weapon in a broad sweep as it sliced through a single monster, alerting the others to his presense as he pushed onward, striking again as he rushed through the creatures, hoping to avoid their sharp claws, barbed tails, and pointed fangs.

As the corpse of the beast hit the wooden floor, the others lunged forward, forcing Noctis to strike out in a swift blow while he did his best to avoid their attacks as he continued his stride towards the tower of blocks and books while keeping Cari slightly in his sights. The Carbuncle was busy working on getting up to the table where she had sniffed out the door while Noctis continued his way towards the crystal, batting away and cutting down the monsters as he went. Cari glanced towards the boy momentarily before taking in a deep breath as she considered what she was going to do next as her mind made up the facts on what Noctis was currently facing.

The crystals were his only hope of getting the doors to open for him to get out of the Dreamscape and into the world of the waking before whatever was hunting them through the stages of the dream got hold of him. Cari had a good sense of what they were facing and dealing with; but that didn't make the tasks any easier and while it may have seemed simplistic, deep within, both of them were highly aware of what they were dealing with. Taking the time they were, Cari knew that the creature that was searching for Noctis, would catch up with them and before they knew it: it would be there, doing its best to keep him within the Dreamscape.

"We can't let that thing catch up with us….if he doesn't wake up I know something bad is going to happen…."

"Cari?! Have you found it yet?" Noctis yelled as he sliced down another creature before running as he started around the table leg and under the chair towards the ramp made by a series of books.

Noctis slipped as he turned, the creature jumping towards him as he rose the sword up and swung, managing to catch it as it yelped and went down. Now stained in blood thoroughly, the nine-year-old forced himself up and started running again and went directly up towards the ramp, leaving red footprints as he went up the white book and further to the rise where the crystal was. Midnight-blue eyes looked directly towards the crystal and then at the creatures standing in the way as he ran forward and leaped up, driving his sword forward and into the jaws of one of the Daemons as he heard it choke on the metal and seconds later, slide down the side and to the floor where it splattered sharply. Wincing momentarily, Noctis looked at the other creature and took in a deep breath as he dodged the monster and ran up towards the top of the ramp before he laid eyes upon the edge of the book stack and leaned back to push his foot against it as the monsters started closer.

"Have a nice trip!" he stated as he pushed the ramp away and the monsters went with it. A sigh of relief left him as he jumped up while the monsters fell to the ground, covered by the books and blocks that had supported the ramp to the point that none of them were visible save for the blood that ran along the floor.

"Noct! Get the crystal and hurry!" Cari called for him and he nodded swiftly as he started forward and grabbed the crystal. In the next second, Noctis felt the ruby-crystal circlet around his head shatter as he looked to the ramp and started up it again, rushing forward as swiftly as possible.

"Are you up there? Cari? Did you find the door?" he looked around at the scene of the table top covered with monsters and Cari bouncing around to get to him as quickly as possible.

"Yea! The blocks at the end of the table have the door. Just start that way, we'll go together!" she called as he nodded, pocketed the crystal and ran forward, grasping his sword in preparation for the next round of attacks. Cari leaped forward, prepared for the attack as she grew a bit bigger and landed next to Noctis who stared at her.

"Look, you aren't a mouse anymore," he stated as he looked at the monsters that started to close in.

"And look at you! You're getting more confident in your skills…." Noctis kept his gaze upon the Daemons and then smirked just a fraction, causing Cari to widen her eyes as she took note of the more sinister energy around the boy.

"I guess….who knows….maybe I can show Gladiolus a thing or two when I get back…" he stated as he watched the creatures start to circle them.

"By the way….what's the name of that sword? It's kinda small…" Noctis glanced to Cari. True, the sword was small, but it had a bit of weight to it in addition to it being extremely sharp and very capable of its attacks.

"Airstep….." dark-blue eyes glanced towards the runes upon the center of the blade while Noctis heard Cari growl at the Daemons.

"So, care to show me this sword in action up close?" she asked. A smirk greeted her.

"I think I can manage…."

Cari admired the courage she heard in his tone as the boy leaped forward with her and swung the sword as the Daemons clashed with them and seconds later Noctis seemed to disappear from beside her and reappear at a distance that was far too great to have merely run by her. Three Daemons laid in his wake, sliced cleanly through and bleeding profusely as Cari stared onward in shock at the scene before her while Noctis took in a shaky breath, his eyes wide while he tried to pinpoint what he had just done.

"W-Wha…."

"NOCTIS!" Cari leapt forward, biting down on one of the tails of the Daemons before slinging it as the creature howled in pain while Noctis turned in time for Cari to slide beside him on her paws. The boy looked to her and she nodded her head as she bared her teeth, ruffling her fur as the last two monsters started to back them up closer to the door.

"So….what now?" he questioned.

"I'll watch your back…and we're going to push it….can you do that thing again?" midnight-blue met black.

"I don't know! I don't even know what I just did," he stated as Cari laid her ears back at the two monsters, letting them know not to cross her.

"Whatever it was….it doesn't matter….just run if you have to and from there you can get the crystal into the door. If you do that….we can escape into the next stage….you ready?" Noctis nodded.

"Okay….just give me the signal…." Cari glanced to him and then to the Daemons.

"On my count…." The two monsters started towards him and Noctis braced himself for the potential fight.

"Right…." He stated.

"Three…." Noctis took in a deep breath.

"Two…." The monsters lunged at Cari and him.

"One! Run Noctis!" Cari shouted as she smacked one of the Daemons out of the way while the black-haired boy knocked the other back with the blunt side of the sword before running off towards the door.

Cari raced after Noctis who forced himself out towards the archway made of building blocks in golds and reds as he heard the sword drag across the table top, leaving a deep gouge as he continued to push closer and closer to the door with Cari right behind him. It took, what felt like ages, when he finally found himself close enough to the door to take out the crystal and throw it into the way, causing the circle to glow as Noctis turned in time to toss away one of the monsters as Cari jumped into the door and Noctis dove in with her as the claws of the monster grazed his leg before he rolled, hitting the cobblestone floor of a strange place.

"We made it!" Cari cheered as Noctis looked around the towering city of white marble and cobblestone while he heard water rush on past them.

The place had dark stone roofs, cobblestone streets and buildings with white marble accents and black, rough-iron fences and gates with stunning sculptures and fountains every-which-way. The sound of bells rang out in the background as dark clouds covered the sunlight and the once blue waters turned an ominous blackish-gray. Midnight-blue eyes shifted around the place as Cari stood next to the nine-year-old at her normal size while Noctis tried to make sense of where this place was. It was enormous, that much he could make out from the place he had dropped into being an overlook of the vast city and water ways. Cari looked around as well, frowning as she tried to figure out where they were as the sensation of something not being right kept their attention at present.

Noctis had the distinct feeling that he should have known what this place was; however, he couldn't pinpoint it as much as he wished he could while his heart continued to hammer against his ribs, a deep seated discomfort taking over him as he tried to shake the sensation of something not being right. Cari sneezed as she felt a drop of rain fall upon her nose, causing her to look up as he did the same and the two of them saw the rain begin to come down hard. Taking in a deep breath, Noctis shook his hair out, the water soaking them through quickly as they started walking in hopes of finding somewhere to get out of the rain.

"Do you get the feeling that something isn't right?" asked Cari.

"Yea, there's something wrong….but what? The place seems so peaceful…." The Carbuncle twitched her ears about, seeking out sound as she began to hear a metallic clinking amidst the raindrops.

"Noct? Do you hear that?" she inquired as he looked around, his hearing beginning to pick out the sound of something moving.

"I do…Cari? What….." suddenly an icy wind brushed past them alongside the bitter, and foul stench of burning tar as they looked around, anxiety shifting into their systems.

"Hello…." A voice stated this and midnight-blue eyes turned to the person standing before them with confusion and uncertainty.

"Mom?"

{…}

That's when something wild calls you home, home…..

{…}

Author's Note: Noctis sure is changing rapidly huh? I suppose that when one is thrust into such a situation, one must learn to adapt in order to survive. According to behaviorists, and psychologists: children are remarkably fragile, but also incredibly resilient in the case of adapting and learning how to cope with a hostile environment. Noctis is adapting like most children would in several situations and I believe this will assist in explaining – alongside the trauma he endured in the waking world – why he changed into such a taciturn person.

Have a wonderful day or night!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.