(XXIV) Secrets of the Rave

Kuma walked out of the room wearing black armor and a battle axe strapped to his back.

"You're that bear we saw before!" Haru said.

"Yeah... Kuma right?" Naruto asked.

"What are you doing here?" Elie asked.

"And what'd you suddenly attack me for?" Haru asked.

"Didn't you read the sign?" Kuma asked.

"There's a Rave in there, and you expect me to just sit here?" Haru asked.

"I still haven't accepted you as a Rave Master," Kuma replied as he headed in, "I'll let you through 'this' gate though."

"Wh-what about the ghost?" Naruto asked.

"What's wrong with the kid?" Kuma asked.

"Naruto is scared of ghost," Elie replied.

"Really... and he came this far..." Kuma said.

"No one told me there would be ghost where the Rave Stone is at!" Naruto yelled.

"It should be obvious," Kuma said as he headed in.

"I still can't get over it-a talking bear!" Griff yelled.

"Looks who's talking," Musica responded.

"You seem calm about it," Haru said.

"After meeting Naruto's summoning and seeing this thing (Griff), talking animals no longer surprise me," Musica said.

...

After managing to convince Naruto that it was okay, they headed into the room.

It was a large spacious room with a statue over another set of doors.

"Amazing," Haur said.

"You never think we were in a cave," Elie responded.

"I built this room to protect the Rave," Kuma said.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"That would be a very long story," Kuma replied, "I'm one of the guardians of the Rave Stones."

"That was short!" Musica yelled.

"I get it. I think I understand," Haru responded, "You were testing us the whole time... since we met."

"Hmpf..." Kuma responded which meant yes.

"You're obviously not an ordinary bear," Musica said.

"And you're obviously not a summoning," Naruto responded.

"I was once a human," Kuma said.

"Human?" they responded.

"Puun" Plue ran over to Kuma and hugged his leg.

"Oh, Plue! I didn't get to greet you properly outside. It's been a long time but you're still shaking as alway, I see."

"Huh? You know Plue?" Haru responded.

"Wait a second... you were here for fifty years... you were once human... you're guardian of the Rave Stone... and you know Plue..." Naruto said, "Ah! You fought along side with Old-Man Shiba when he destroyed the Shadow Stone fifty years ago!"

"Old-Man Shiba..." Kuma chuckeled, "That's an interesting nickname... especially since the last time I saw him he was not much older than most of you."

"Naruto was correct!" Musica responded.

"Not exactly... first let me tell you my human name. My actual name is Deerhound," Kuma... er... Deerhound said, "50 years ago, I did fight along side SHiba as one of the four knights of the Blue Sky. But before Shiba attempt to destroy the Shadow Stone, all four of us knights lost our lives in the war. But when we discoveroed that the Rave had been broken and scattered, our spirits borrowed the forms of animals, and have been protecting the Raves for the past fifty years."

"So you're not a ghost?" Naruto asked.

"No and yes. As long as I possess this bear, I'm close to being back to life. But once my job is over, I'll move on as a spirit," Deerhound replied.

"So then you have the rave stone?" Elie asked.

"Yes, I do but..."

"You dumb bear!" Haru yelled.

Everyone but Naruto was shock hearing it. Naruto actually knew why Haru said that.

"You say you've been right here protecting the Rave for the past 50 years? Shiba spent the past 50 years all alone. Never letting himself make any friends. Just looking for the Rave Stones," Haru said, "If you were his friend, then why didn't you help him?"

"Haru, you're wrong. When I first died, I couldn't talk to the living. I knew Shiba was looking for the Rave Stones, but I couldn't do anything about it. It was fate that he couldn't find this place," Deerhound responded.

"How could this happened?" Haru demanded, "I feel bad for him. If oy had helped him he wouldn't have had spend the last 50 years wandering alone."

"Are you trying to say the past 50 years of Shiba's life were worthless?" Deerhound asked.

"Yes! He must've been so lonely..."

"Not necessarily, Haru," Naruto said.

"Huh?" Haru asked.

"When facing loneliness, some find something else to make their life means something. Sometimes it turns out good, sometimes it turns out bad, depending on the person's decision," Naruto said, "Old-Man Shiba made his life meant something by dedicating his life to find the Rave Stones, obviously so that the death of his comrades won't be for nothing."

"Nice choice of words for an young man," Deerhound responded.

"I have experience when it comes to loneliness and meaning to live one's life," said Naruto as he scratch the back of his head grinning.

"He's not lying. I can see it in the boy's eyes that he has personal experience with loneliness and met others who faced it as well," Deerhound thought.

Then he turned to Haru. "I would listen to your friend's advice, Rave Master, as you come with me into this room to face the Rave Stone," Deerhound told them, "I'm sorry, but the rest of you must stay away."

Deerhound opened the door and he and Haru went through to the other room. The door shut behind them.

...

The other room was basically a grave yard but instead of grave stones there were mostly swords. There was one Grave Stone shaped almost like the Rave Stone Haru has.

Deerhound started telling a story: "It was 50 years ago... armed with the Shadow Stones, the large country of Raregroove sought to unite the entire world under it's rule. The small country of Symphonia tried to stop them, and war broke out. The proud warriors of Symphonia fought bravely to save the country and the world but... Most of them left this world unfulfilled husks. This is their graveyard. But it is a graveyard only in name. Their bodies aren't actually here. Just their memories. Even now, I can still hear the voices of their hearts... just like it was yesterday."

As Deerhound spoke Haru had visions of the past during that war. He saw soldiers and knights killed in battle. Deerhound, who was a young man with blonde hair, was killed right in front of Shiba. The last vision was the Overdrive.

Haru collapsed on his hands and knees. "That... that's so sad!" Haru cried.

"You heard them too, didn't you? The voices of those warriors," Deerhound said.

Deerhound walked up to the grave stone and took a sphere like stone with what seem to be a foot print on it.

"I'm glad that a man like you is the Second Rave Master. Just like your friend, you too have a good heart. It's appropiate that you or him are the one to hold the Raves," Deerhound handed out the stone, "Take this. It's one of the Raves that scattered fifty years ago: The Rave of Knowledge."

Haru took it as the stone glowed.

"There must not be another war. That is why the Rave Stones were created. Used in the propper way, they will strike evil at the source."

Haru smiled. "I'm sorry, you have to protect this alone."

Deerhound smiled back before he felt something struck him. Deerhound fell onto the ground.

"What's the matter?" Haru responded.