And here's the next Chapter everybody! I'd like to thank everybody who reviewed and I have a special announcement: I have a Beta Reader who's going to help me out and it's TrueSapphire! So now you'll see some major… grammatical/spelling changes in the story for now on.. Ok, other than that, let's get it started!
Chapter 3: The Bionis' Kneecap
As much as I wanted to get out of the spider-I mean Arachno cave area–and they're both the same thing anyways, yet they're called different things. But then again...they aren't the same as we don't have huge, crazy human-killing spiders back on Earth except for movie magic. Shulk and Reyn took care of more quests and things like that, which if we were going to do everything, I might get bored pretty easily unless I fight with them. The new Art I unlocked–I now dubbed Spiral Strike-really came in handy for the boys when things got tight. Even though we have more run-ins with the Arachnos, I managed to get used to fighting giant spiders.
What seemed to be forever was finally over, and the three of us started to head towards the exit, and of course, passed through the Arachno Queen's Nest–thank one of the soldiers for that information. Once we were walking towards the exit path, I stopped and thought about the weird time-warp I experienced. I couldn't explain it, but it felt natural, yet unnatural for me. If I was getting used to this world already, would I still be the same when I got back home or would I have to adapt to living here instead? But what if...I had to tell the boys or anybody else the truth? Would they accept me or abandon me?
"Neetz!" Shulk called out, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Come on!"
I turned to see the exit and ran after the boys with a smile.
Ok... Can I just start praising how insane, yet beautiful the Bionis really was? At first, I questioned why they called the area they were going to the Bionis' kneecap...but I never expected that this world actually lived ON a stoned historical being with life springing forth from it. Even though Shulk did clarify that this was true, seeing it in person was another story; it was so huge! I almost fell to the grassy floor when I looked up! Life was around, just like the fields at home. Then I recalled how we're on the knee of the huge Bionis... Please don't tell me... Great, now I have to deal with fearing the fall and heights again.
"Wow..." Shulk awed as he looked up and his voice wandered off. Well, good luck talking to Shulk because my voice's been taken away by this place!
"No matter how many times I see this, I never get used to it," Reyn smiled at the Bionis. The boys turned around to not only look at the other massive stoned titan, but also to help me up to my feet. "Neetz, you need to stand up, you know." Reyn helped pull me up along with Shulk.
"Is this...your first time seeing this?" Shulk asked me, and I nodded. "Well, that explains it. How's it like to see this in person?"
"It's...amazing," I responded, looking out to the other huge mechanical titan. "To really think I've lived in a small part of a huge...place. I never imagined what it'll really be like to see it in person. It's AMAZING!" I yelled aloud, smiling before looking at both boys, only focusing on the other stone titan.
"On the other side of those clouds..." Shulk started off.
"Yep," Reyn finished up. "It's our enemy... Mechonis."
"Mechonis..." I mumbled to myself, casting my gaze down.
"Our enemy..." Shulk growled quietly with a bit of anger as he curled his hands into fists.
We just stood there for a while, taking it all in as I stood looking away from where the Mechonis came from. I didn't like it and yet...it made no sense as to why they needed to feed on living people to survive.
"If we just came up the Bionis' shin..." Reyn thought aloud, causing me to turn to the boys.
"Then this must be its kneecap, right?" Shulk finished, turning around.
"Yup. Which means Colony 6 is up ahead!" The three of us now looked towards the upper part of the leg, which I deduced that it was where we headed; it made the most sense to me. Both boys gazed around, looking for a place to climb up when we saw one part of the wall with vines going up.
"Looks like we can climb up there," Shulk noted.
"Great! I love a good climb," Reyn said, chuckling a bit while punching his left hand with his right fist.
"As long as it's safe, I'll be fine," I added to them.
"Relax, it'll be fine," Reyn assured me as I turned to him with a frown.
"I swear, if anyone gets hurt from climbing, I'm blaming you, Reyn."
"Now, you two, let's get going," Shulk chuckled a bit.
As Reyn happily went off to climb, I looked out towards the breathtaking view and sighed aloud. This beautiful world wasn't like what we had on home in terms of Earth not being some huge frozen stone creature with life growing off of it and being attacked by robots who ate people. Despite those things, who really had me surprised, who even though they had technology, it still kept a medieval type of feel to it. The creatures here did remind me of the ones on Earth, but they seemed to be more exotic. I really suck at figuring out how to explain their differences like the Arachnos, which are just bigger spiders.
I kept remembering what Shulk had told me about this world, but then again, with my headache going on, I couldn't quite remember the whole entire lore/background about this place. If I could, I would ask him again...but I taken too much into the view. What I didn't expect was for Shulk to tap my shoulder, causing me to flinch.
"Ah! Shulk!" I yelped, turning to him. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"Sorry Neetz! But I just couldn't help notice how you're...taking in a lot of the Bionis, here including," Shulk said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Is it slowing down your progress? If so, I can wait until things calm down to check these places out."
Shulk shook his head. "No no, it's fine. I can understand it for being outside here for the first time. Though for you... You've acted like you've never seen the world outside before."
"Um..." I gulped. "It's just that... I was thinking about what you said about this place...but my headache's getting in the way."
"About the battle between the Bionis and Mechonis?"
"Yeah... It's just... I never really expected it to truly be like this... These two titans fought one another...until struck with fatal blows, and are now ceased to be moving. It sounds like just some myth, to be honest," I explained, looking out towards the Mechonis. "This... This is truly unlike my home..."
"Say, you never did mention where you're home is. I know you're not from Colony 9 or 6; your clothes give that away. I'm just wondering though, where are you exactly from?"
My eyes widened, looking away from him. I couldn't tell anybody about where I was from... I couldn't. We've barely known each other for very long, or at least two or three days. The day was getting towards the evening and darkness will cover us all up soon. Even if I could bring myself to tell them, I don't think I'd ever be able to speak to them ever again.
"I... Well... Maybe I can explain it to you and Reyn later," I replied, turning to him. "I...don't think now's the best time... And if I did tell you, I'd have to do the same for Reyn as well... Though he is already climbing up towards Colony 6..."
"Alright then, but you'll tell us soon, alright?" Shulk asked me.
"Yeah..."
"Oi, you two!" Reyn yelled from up above the wall. "Are you two going to get up here or not?!"
"We're coming!" I yelled, smiling before looking over to Shulk, "Race ya there!"
I quickly ran off, laughing to myself as Shulk yelled and chased after me. Running around freely was something I loved to do, except for when people were watching me back on Earth. Here was a different story, as I wouldn't have strangers looking at me for a while, and the boys didn't seem to mind it. Reaching the vines, I quickly grabbed onto it and started climbing up. Once I reached the top, I ran over to where Reyn was, but I had to stop soon, so I jumped and landed on the grass laughing some more.
"Oh, how I love having no restrictions on what I can do!" I laughed before getting up, seeing that Shulk had just climbed up here. "I win, Shulk!"
"Right... Taking off before the race even begun," Shulk panted, catching his breath.
"Come on, Shulk! Can't handle a bit of fun? Or as Reyn said, you don't have any fun because of being a bookworm?" I just laughed aloud as Reyn made up some excuse. Just because I wasn't talking I overheard everything the boys were talking about. My stomach grumbled, wanting a snack, and I got a snack from Shulk as we continued our way towards Colony 6. The boys found some more enemies to fight, including bunnies with dark colored tails called Arm Bunnits–which was funny since we were on the leg–and gathered up more spoils. We continued our way towards Colony 6 and entered a canyon. Curiously, I was staring to wonder just how long it would take us to get there because sleeping outside without anything to keep myself warm and comfortable would be pretty hard to do.
"Hey, Shulk... Are we going to rest for the night soon?" I asked, letting out a yawn and covering my mouth with my hand. "It's getting late, and I'm tired..."
"Are you tired already, Neetz?" Shulk asked before smiling a bit. "Well, we do have to go through Gaur Plains though, so you do have a point."
"Please, Shulk! I'm not used to be out this late..."
"Alright, we'll stop inside the canyon for tonight. Tomorrow, we'll go off into Gaur Plains..."
"Yes!"
To my relief, inside the canyon, we found a group of Homs travelers, and they had everything for camping for the night. After striking some deals with them, they allowed us to spent the night borrowing their stuff–though Shulk had to pay more for that, plus the equipment for the three of us. I was so happy that I wouldn't just be sleeping out in the cold for the night. We all ate dinner and by the time I was lying down, the fire was slowly going out and almost everybody was asleep except for Shulk that is. My eyes were looking at the night sky and I couldn't help but be taken away by the twinkling stars in the sky. There were only a few times that I've seen the starry night sky without it being obscured by urban civilization back on Earth. But here...it was just like those times, but better! The only thing making it a bit worse was the canyon walls, but the stars twinkled at night, and all I could think about were my parents.
"Mom... Dad... Everyone..." I whispered to myself softly. "Please tell me you're all right back on Earth. I...just wish I could tell you that I'm fine, and I got new friends upon this brand new world...or rather, they're living on a stone titan-creature called Bionis. It…takes my breath away at how in the cave, it had shimmering crystals, a lake with ever-so clear water, and the fruitful living people and creatures here. I am putting myself in danger fighting robots that eat people called Mechons, but I'm now traveling with two new friends, Shulk and Reyn, to help them aid and maybe find my way back home. I...just hope that you'll be fine without me for some time...if times passes that is. So until the next night... Farewell, Earth...and farewell all that care for me. I'm going to be gone for some time...but let's hope it's not forever."
Closing my eyes, I began to drift off into sleep with the last thing I heard being the fire crackling.