Chapter 7: The Next Plan of Action
Once everything calmed down, our groups reunited to catch up as the rain kept pouring down on us. By that time, I pulled my hoodie over my head to keep any more raindrops hitting the back of my neck, and my bangs moved to cover the sides of my face.
"I thought it was you," Otharon smiled, looking at Dickson with his arms crossed. "Nice to see you, Dickson."
"It's been a while, grandpa," Dickson smirked. "One year if my memory hasn't left me... Good to see that you haven't kicked the bucket."
Otharon chuckled as he lowered his arms to his sides. "Put a sock in it."
"Wait... Dickson? Dunban?" Sharla asked, pointing at each one as she said their names. "You're the heroes who risked your lives a year ago, in the battle to defend the colonies."
Dickson walked up to her and inspected her, which unnerved Sharla. "What's a pretty young lady like you doing hanging around with this bunch of slackers? Neetz makes sense since she's looking after Shulk and Reyn, which I thank you for that."
"O-oh, it's nothing," I replied shyly. "It's not too bad..."
"Dunban, Dickson, thanks for helping out back there," Shulk smiled.
"I don't believe we did anything," Dunban replied honestly, shaking his head.
"He's right. Save your thanks to that giant bird," Dickson stated.
"What was that thing?" Shulk asked before he looked at me. "Neetz?"
"A Telethia..." I muttered to myself thinking as to why that name could have come to mind if I never saw the creature before.
"Neetz? Are you alright?"
I snapped my senses, looking at Shulk. "Huh? Oh, sorry, Shulk... Kind of got lost in thought..."
"That bird was a Telethia," Dickson replied, looking over to Shulk. "A mystical beast that protects the sleeping Bionis." Dickson put his right hand on his chin. "Though, I've never heard of one venturing down to where us Homs live. Strange..."
"A Telethia. So that's what it's called," Dunban stated.
"A mystical beast that protects the Bionis," Shulk echoed.
I had a strange feeling that this Telethia hadn't come alone, but I couldn't come to any conclusion as to why I thought this.
Dunban turned to face Shulk and asked, "So, what's your plan from here? Follow that metal-faced machine, I presume?"
"What else? He's going to pay for what he did to Fiora," Reyn replied with a challenging feeling to his voice.
Dunban put his left hand on his chin. "Well then, there's only place he'd go: Galahad Fortress in Sword Valley. A year ago, those things were building a huge fortress, right in the valley. Tactically, it's an excellent location to launch attacks from. I feel there's a strong chance they've now finished building it." He lowered his left hand. "That would explain why both colonies were attacked recently."
"Sword Valley... The very place where we made our last stand one year ago," Otharon thought back to those past memories of the war.
"So it's settled," Reyn decided. "Bash down a fortress and smash some metal brains!"
"Reyn...it won't be that easy," I said, speaking up at him. "Remember, we have nothing that can pierce or even harm Metal Face's armor yet. Unless there's some way to power up the Monado that way, you boys will be running towards your own graves."
"Neetz has a point," Shulk agreed. "And speaking of cutting Face armor, there's somewhere else I need to go first."
"But what can be more important than..." Reyn's voice trailed off when he remembered Shulk's foresight. "Wait... You saw another one," Reyn stated instead of questioning it.
Shulk nodded as Dickson and Dunban were obviously confused, and I couldn't blame them. "Saw what? What are you on about?" Dickson asked the boys.
Thus began Reyn, Shulk and I explaining to both older men about Shulk's visions. I only said what I needed to, and luckily nobody went talking about the Outsider or the men seeing my bracelet, now hidden beneath my jacket sleeve.
"These visions sound pretty handy. Well, out with it. What d'ya see?" Dickson asked, looking at Shulk.
"I was somewhere...very high up," Shulk began, trying his best to explain the vision. "I was fighting at a peak of a huge tower... Fighting Metal Face. I heard a voice...and then the Monado's power was unleashed. His armor instantly gave way. The Monado doesn't work on Metal Face at the moment, but if that vision comes true..."
"You'll be able to defeat Metal Face and any faced Mechon, correct?" I asked him, and he nodded.
"A tower, huh? Doesn't give us much to go on," Dickson thought, putting back his right hand on his chin to think.
"Can you remember anything else from your vision?" Sharla asked Shulk as he tried to recall.
"I remember...a huge horn," Shulk replied after he had a moment to think before his eyes widened. "That's it! As I fought Metal Face, I could see the Bionis' head."
Dickson thought for a few moments after what Shulk said, trying to figure out where Shulk was meant to be. "Prison Island," Dickson answered.
"Prison Island?" Sharla asked, taking the question right out of my mouth.
"I've never been, but I've heard of a black tower at the head of the Bionis. They say it was built by the ancient High Entia race."
"The High Entia are real?" Shulk asked, obviously surprised. "I thought they were a myth!"
"I wouldn't blame you, son. An ancient race living on the top of the Bionis head? It does sound crazy. But Bionis is home to all kinds of different people, not just us. That includes the High Entia."
The High Entia? An ancient race living on Bionis... Could these people have any ideas as to how I got here, what's with this bracelet, and how I could get back home? This was defiantly one thing I needed to look into.
"The High Entia, huh? I dismissed them as folklore as well," Dunban confessed.
"Never assume anything. Seeing is believing right?" Dickson stated.
"Have you ever met one?" Shulk inquired.
"Well, yeah."
"Wow! Dickson, man, you're just full of surprises!" Reyn exclaimed.
"What can I say? I'm well traveled." Dickson turned around with a small grin. "Heh, and it's all your future. Day and night, I've searched for new lands, met new cultures...and gained knowledge for own people. The life of a wandering old fool. A lonely one at that."
Dunban chuckled a bit. "Stop your whining," Dunban smiled. "You do it 'cos you enjoy it. And you make a tidy profit."
Dickson turned around and pouted. "Who asked you, Dunban?"
"Well then, Shulk, what's it to be?" Dunban asked, turning to Shulk.
"We'll head there," Shulk decided this plan.
"There are alternatives. We could abandon the colonies, find a place the Mechon will not discover and live in secret."
"...Dunban, can I just point out that these Mechon will hunt us, down regardless of what we do?" I asked looking at him. "We can't run from the Mechon."
"Yeah, we must fight on," Shulk answered back.
Dunban nodded, "I see... Then I am obliged to join you."
"You want to come with us?" Shulk gasped, so did the others.
"Scared I'll get hurt?" Dunban smirked with confidence.
"No way! We know you're stronger than anything! Right, Reyn?"
"You bet!" Reyn exclaimed happily.
"I've recovered a great deal since we last met," Dunban stated, "and that miserly old coot over there made me this." He tapped his new sword on his right side. "Sharp... Light... Perfect for cutting through steel. Show me a Mechon and I'll slice it in two. I might not be in peak condition, but I'm useful."
Yeah, because of your crippled right arm. I couldn't bring it up since Dunban was joining us, and I didn't mind it at all. Though I did wonder if anybody besides Dickson and I knew about Dunban's arm.
"I can't thank you enough," Shulk thanked with happiness in his voice.
"We're in it together now," Dunban nodded back, curving up his lips.
"You can count on us, Dunban."
"Miserly old coot?" Dickson asked with another pout, looking away from Dunban. "That sword is forged from Mechon armor. It's worth every penny."
"So you keep saying..." Dunban muttered under his breath.
"If you wanna go to the Bionis' head, you'll need a guide to get to the upper regions."
"We're at the bottom, so I guess the only way to go is up."
No ticking play coin, Dunban!
"Right," Dickson nodded, "but we'll need to go up the lower back first."
"The lower back..." Shulk put his left hand on his chin to think.
"Colony 6 is right at the top of the Bionis' leg, so we'll have to head around the waist..." Dickson turned to the location up ahead, "through a place called Satorl Marsh. Follow me."
With Dickson leading the way, most of the group followed him, but in the back with me was Dunban of all people. Juju was with Sharla for the hike there, so I was stuck with the older man for now. Since Dunban was going to be talking to me on the way there, I did so just to pass the time till our next destination.