Chapter CV: Into the depths of Atlantis Part V

Sighing wiping off a bead of sweat off of her forehead after lowering down a certain crate she'd been asked to move Nozomi spoke aloud, "wow that was a haul!" For this had to been now maybe the twelfth or maybe fifteenth crate she'd been asked to help out with.

Thinking about the objects themselves Nozomi looked up to the dark cave ceiling as she wondered what could possibly in them? For they were all quite heavy, maybe they had some kind of ammunition, food? Or maybe… " I'm too tired to think about this right now…" With that she sat herself on the back of the truck she was next to as she felt icky with sweat, sighing again she spoke, "I need a break!"

Then as though responding to this little exclamation Milo suddenly appeared from around the truck, seeing her he called and waved "oh! Hey Nozomi!"

Hearing him she turned surprised for a moment but then seeing him she brightened up in moments as she responded, "oh! Hi Milo how are you?"

Glad to see an optimistic reply he told her," Okay… though I'm still sad that I can't drive the truck." He finished with a sad slight pouty face as he sat next to her.

Hearing him say this Nozomi replied," oh I see…" for she remembered that little moment rather too well, for at the time not only was he annoying the commander to pieces the rest of the crew too were just as bitterly aggravated.

For unfortunately as much as Milo would like to think, he was not a good driver for every time he tried to drive the vehicle forwards into the vast unknown of the underground leading the rest of the troupe, he always stalled every other minute.

And sadly everyone else didn't have the same humorous patience like the king did, saying that he would get better in a while. But that while was obviously going to be way too long for anyone's liking so for Milo sadly he had to be happy with being led by the digger machine by a string of rope even though it was his great expedition.

However not wanting her friend to get too depressed seeing his sad face Nozomi told him trying to be reassuring, "but you know its not that bad really! I mean you've been really reliable so far! I mean we'd never have got this far into this place without you!"

Hearing this praise surprised to hear this Milo asked her, "really?"

Nozomi nodded at this smiling as she then went on, "yeah I mean all those corridors and stuff! I'd never be able to think of which one to take to another! I mean I'd be like a rat in a maze, and the others too definitely!"

Seeing that his work was being praised Milo replied, "wow thanks! I haven't had that much praise for it yet."

Smiling herself glad to see that she was cheering him up then said, "well you deserve it… though when we come to a cross road corridor path like that again, you better make sure that your book is the right way up."

For she remembered then the other rather embarrassing memory that had happened not too long ago, at one point there was a choice between two different corridors that they could take, one to the left and one to the right at first Milo had pointed for them to go to the left but sadly that path led to a rather big pothole which the digger fell into.

This obviously had distressed a very disgruntled Mole who cried over the rather big boo boo his poor mechanical wonder had gone through, this had caused Milo to look back at 'The Shepard's Journal' and realise his foolish error as he turned the book over and pointed in the opposite direction with an awkward smile. This caused everyone to look at him with annoyed eyes while the wailing and fussing from Mole continued in the distance.

This had then led to everyone having to help drag out the digger with lots of ropes and a whole lot of muscle and sweat leaving everyone with aching muscles and backs and this had further increased Milo's unpopularity, sadly.

Remembering this incident Milo laughed awkwardly as he told her his hand scratching the back of his head, "yeah I will from now on, sorry."

Hearing him say this Nozomi nodded as she told him, "yeah well you better! Besides it took my back at least a few days to recover from that." With which she flexed her left shoulder holding onto it with her right hand getting rid of a kink in her bones.

As she did this it was then Milo noticed one particular passenger that was continuing to rest on her back by those black straps, "so uh? How's Cait sith? Has he woken up yet?"

Hearing this question Nozomi looked at him and blinked and then remembered him, she was quiet for a moment as she reached behind herself and had Cait sith sit on her lap. He appeared limp and unmoving; obviously in his toy mode again, looking at him it was hard to believe that he could be such an annoying hair pulling and loud individual.

Staring at him for a moment with Milo silently looking on she then sighed as she said," nope, obviously not… he's definitely taking a nap and a half."

For then quiet again she wondered why on earth he had to sleep for so long? After all the king wanted to speak with him now too, especially considering the magical yellow shining barrier that had protected them all from the leviathan's blasts. How did he make it?

Also she remembered before when she fought against some of the heartless at the start of her journey and the knight in the red armour in Basil's world when he'd been there on her back. He definitely had something inside himself he hadn't told any of them about. How did he appear when she'd been in battle with that knight unlike any of the others? Why was…

Seeing Nozomi doing her serious curious stare at Cait sith all Milo could do was look on quietly himself, but then thinking he knew what it was he reached for something he noticed on his right side. A water flask, seeing it he picked it up and thought quietly for a moment and he knew what might help as a small smile appeared.

Nozomi not noticing for a moment continued to stare on quietly at her inanimate friend when suddenly something came into her vision as she heard Milo say, "here this'll perk you back up."

Looking up surprised Nozomi saw then the flask in the mapmaker's hand as he smiled down to her, quiet for a moment still she heard him continue on as he said, "you know Cait sith'll perk back up again, I mean I haven't known him too long but I can tell he's definitely not the type to leave you guys hanging around forever, right?"

Really surprised he'd come to this summary Nozomi was speechless for a moment but then she smiled herself as she took the flask from Milo for a brief second and uncorked it taking a large swig out of it.

Watching her swallow Milo saw Nozomi puff out a breath of refreshed rejuvenated air with a smile on her face as she told him, "Yeah you're right! I know he'll recover and while he does we'll definitely make huge discoveries on this trip too right?"

Seeing her do this Milo was pleased that he'd been able to uplift her himself and so took the flask from her and then opened it saying, "You bet we will! We'll make huge bounds in science that no one ever has and the world will know about all the huge awesome pieces of history in here! We'll go back as heroes!" With that he took a swig himself.

Watching as he chugged the water from the flask down Nozomi moved Cait sith back over her shoulders and as he finished she told him, her fist clenched rocking it back and forth victoriously," you darn right we will!"

Quiet then there was simply smiles between the two of them when suddenly Vinny appeared from Nozomi's side, noticing him the two of them were surprised as he had a wide-eyed nearly panicked look on his face as he looked at something in particular, pointing he asked, "you guys didn't just drink from that did you?"

Thinking that this question a little odd, Nozomi looked at the flask that Vinny was staring and pointing to in Milo's hand as he nodded his answer quietly while she simply shrugged her shoulders and answered, "yeah so what?"

With that Vinny told them both a horrible revelation, "well that's not good! That was Nitro Glycerine in that flask."

Puzzled for a moment Nozomi suddenly remembered a certain little lesson in Chemistry about the dreaded chemical. She jumped off of the truck freezing in place paralyzed with fear as she spoke out, "what?" While Milo simply held his neck as though something was going to explode from his throat.

Vinny then told them in a cautious manner holding his hands out, "okay you guys don't move! Don't breathe! Don't do anything… except pray maybe."

Hearing this feeling sweat pouring down once again from her forehead as she was holding her breath dreading an internal implosion Nozomi thought to herself bitterly pursing her lips as her face was turning red, 'we might as well just be dead already then!"

"BBBOOOOOOMMMM!"

"AAAAAGGGGGHHHH!"

"AAAAAGGGGGHHHH!"

Both Milo and Nozomi screamed at this sudden huge roar of noise and then suddenly it died down as it was replaced with hysterics of laughter as both Vinny and Mole started to walk off obviously highly amused from the trick they'd just played.

On the floor now breathing hard almost feeling she was going to have a heart attack Nozomi heard Milo speak up gasping for air himself, "man I can't believe those guys did that!"

Nozomi herself on the floor digesting what had just happened clenched her hands tightly as she spoke clearly agitated, "you…you…you..!"

Milo looking at her was quiet now feeling even more nervous now than with the just hoax explosion incident that had passed as he watched as suddenly Nozomi got up and summoned her keyblade suddenly in her right hand as she shouted, "you jerks!"

With that sudden shout Mole and Vinny turned around to see a furious Nozomi on their tail, seeing that she hadn't taken the joke very well they started both running now panicked themselves.

Vinny as he ran called back, "hey little lady can't you take a joke!"

Hearing this Nozomi shouted straight back, "I'll teach you about funny so called death jokes!"

With that in the distance as everyone continued to work away fetching supplies, Riku Mickey along with Helga and Rourke who were all standing together having a discussion watched as the silly little scene occurred.

Riku simply shook his head in annoyance as he then continued to move his crate along unsurprised by her usual idiocy; Mickey smiling awkwardly himself spoke up, "well uh? It's good to see she's lively there." He finished with a nervous laugh.

Helga obviously though wasn't amused as she had her arms folded annoyed, Rourke though serious in most of his moods couldn't help but be slightly amused himself as he spoke out, "indeed, but at least that's an interesting show to watch."

Still chasing her prey Nozomi shouted out, "get back here you idiots! I'm gonna hammer you both to kingdom come! I'll-"

But suddenly she stopped as she caught a glimpse of something at the corner of her eye, looking into the far distance into the caves above she squinted her eyes for a moment. She thought she caught a look of something shiny… silent she was sure she saw movement of some kind, "what was-"

However she was interrupted as a couple of mocking voices interrupted her thoughts, "oh look the mademoiselle is all a flustered and weakly kneed!"

Vinny nodded too, "yeah no absolute real fight in there!"

At these words Nozomi automatically snapped back to rage mode as she heard them cackling away again and once more she swung her keyblade around as she went straight back to her chasing shouting out loudly, "I'll give you a fight! Now hold it right there while I-"

Watching in the distant darkness from where they all were the mysterious masked strangers chatted amongst themselves in a strange language as they saw the strange show of running and shouting from one of the members of this odd group.

One of the members feminine in tone turned to another member of their group unmasked but hiding in the shadows with them. The feminine one speaking her question was quiet as the shadowed figure waved their hand dismissively obviously uninterested as a sigh was then heard.

The masked female was silent for a moment before turning to her other members and directed them to go on forwards, at once clutching their sharp spears they all proceeded forwards into the darkness again.

Waiting as her comrades went past the masked leader looked to her shadowed companion who too shuffled and went to moving on too. Around that person's shoulders a sound of shuffling was heard as well as some odd animal chitter chatters that were quickly quietened by a gentle hand as then they all launched into the darkness with the female masked leader following quickly and closely behind.

The journey continued on for many more days and nights, though for how many though it was hard to tell for with no light shining from the sun or moon there was no real clear way to tell.

The work that everyone had to do was hard on occasions and even exhausting for the most part, assisting the trucks, carrying ammo, fetching and searching for supplies in the barren ancient cave.

But doing al this work had allowed them to start interacting and helping them get along with the crew. Nozomi and the others had now gotten to know everyone just a little bit more and for their impressions now? Well not too different, Mole was still a digging dirt obsessed weirdo, Vinny still bomb and explosive crazy and still as drone like as ever.

But Nozomi had gotten a little more used to Audrey and now at least wasn't fighting her, too much. Sweet their medic who she finally got to meet was definitely the nicest of the lot though for some reason she couldn't understand why Milo Riku and Mickey were uncomfortable around him.

However there was also two other things that she and the others were clear about and that it was no matter how much time had passed, first of all that there was still a rather biased feeling against Milo. Why this was though was clear for a couple reasons, first of all his rather weak and awkward uncoordinated nature and for also some of the mishaps they had so far had had on the trip. This had led the crew to excluding him from certain events and even some acts of completely dismissing him. Such as doing something simple like not helping the mapmaker up a rather steep hill, leaving him to practically fend for himself and excluding him from the evening meals.

Feeling that this was unfair had led to them mostly assisting Milo and hanging out with him as he worked through the journal surrounded by his many books and map measuring devices. The king was the one who paid the most attention and interest in the research that he was doing, while Nozomi and Riku chattered now and again and sometimes when they managed to, play a game of cards which helped to pass the time peacefully. This was also refreshing not having a certain cat bantering and making a fuss which led them having probably one of the most peaceful times they had had so far in their long journey.

But the other one last major thing that they were unsure about was their commander and lieutenant, Rourke and Helga. For none of them had been able to spend that much real time with them and they all agreed that there was something about them both that they had to be very much on guard about around them…

Stopping at a huge gap that was in the way of the expedition group was a huge pillar, looking at it mostly everyone had the same train of thought, how on earth were they supposed to go forwards now?

However though Milo and the king the eager learners and researchers ran across as they studied the single pillar that was there as it was covered in numerous hieroglyphs and engraved images.

Looking at it his eyes widened in amazement and fascination Milo beamed to the king, "this is amazing isn't?"

Hearing him the king replied just as impressed, "yeah it sure is! Look at all this amazing work!"

To which Milo nodded eager to learn all about the wonderful information this pillar had to reveal, the king continuing to look on at the pillar then suddenly noticed a certain image that had caught his attention.

However he hadn't noticed Vinny behind him who stared up rather bored at the wondrous artefact that was before them, Milo seeing Vinny spoke to him, "you know this is amazing! I mean look at the size of this! It must be half a mile high! At least! It must have taken hundred, pff! No thousands of years to…" However then Milo's voice quietened down as Mickey was concentrating fully on the engraving he saw before him.

It was simple but in a strange way dazzling, it was an image of a single person with their hands and arms reaching out as they seemed to be shining with something and in the centre of their chest was a single glowing diamond of some kind. But the other thing that really drew his attention to the image was a particular other thing that was on their body. Seeing it he asked, "Could the Atlantians have had-"

But he was cut short as Vinny pulled him by the scruff of his neck as he told him, "c'mon there mouse cheeks! I don't want ya going ka blooey everywhere!"

However as he was being dragged back Mickey began to call out a little bit distressed, "hey wait there! There's somethin' I got see on there! I need to-"

However it was too late as Vinny quickly let go of Mickey as he got to his favourite toy to use, the ignition box. Like a child at Christmas a big smile on his face Vinny pushed the switch down and in seconds the dynamite that he plotted here and there around the pillar exploded and made the wondrous artefact collapse in seconds making now a walkway across the huge gap that was their obstacle.

Seeing it fall Nozomi knew how much the king was going to be upset about it along with Milo as she said, "oh dear… "

However Riku though knowing this just as much as Nozomi spoke up in a rather cool tone, "well there goes the pillar."

Walking up to where there former discovery was standing Mickey and Milo were both staring with appalled open mouthed faces, Vinny though undeterred spoke up with his hands up showing what he'd created, "hey look I made a bridge, it only took me like, what? Ten seconds? Eleven tops?"

Quiet still the both of them still saddened at what had happened simply walked back to the others; Milo then spoke again, "aww! That was such a waist of a discovery!"

To which Mickey only nodded quietly as he walked and he wondered to himself as he saw Nozomi with Riku both waiting to greet him with smiles on their faces, 'did the Atlantians know about them too?'

Further on into their journey together they'd all now come across an area covered in snow and ice and the temperature was very low, making everyone's teethes chatter.

Due to this the travelling troupe were all given warm clothing, however though in some cases this clearly wasn't enough as Nozomi was busy rubbing her arms like mad feeling really, really cold. Though she was now wearing a big grey snow jacket and gloves on each hand and a matching white coloured scarf finishing with a grey snow hat, it didn't stop the temperature penetrating into her skin.

She had been asked to carry some wood out but due to the weight and slipperiness of the ice and her being a girl they let her carry it on a small snow sleigh which she dragged by a single rope which she'd dropped to the ground. Then as a big enough cliché that could have happened at that one moment she sneezed loudly as she spoke out her complaints, "man it's cold!"

Riku behind her also carried some wood but in his arms wrapped up warmly himself with a blue coloured jacket and some simple white earmuffs on he told her, "What do you expect? It's not like we're going to Hawaii is it?"

Nozomi annoyed looked at him with jealously at his better strength as she then said still rubbing her arms, " how can you not be affected by this! It's practically sub zero out here!"

To which Riku simply replied almost in a cocky manner, " I just have a better metabolism than you, that's all," he said finishing with a small smile to which Nozomi just looked at him just more annoyed. But then he stopped and turned as he told her, "now come on, we've got things to do! This is no time for you to be chattering away with your teeth!"

Riku then walked on his way forwards continued on his way carrying the wood, Nozomi in the distance behind still chattering shouted out loud, "I don't need you reminding me!"

With that she picked the rope back up again as she continued to march forwards, annoyed bitterly she then remembered Cait sith on her back as she felt his straps again, "it's not fair you get to have a long nap and miss all this hassle we're going through!" She then spoke out a further complaint, "and at least in this mode you could warm my back up! You really are useless on-"

However she stopped then for as she looked in a certain direction she noticed something in the snow, it was shiny in the light. Noticing it surprised Nozomi quiet dropped the rope again as she walked on closer to inspect the mysterious item.

Looking down at the snow it was half buried in it was clearly small and looked like a marble, curious she took her right hand and lifted it out of the white substance. The object in question was a small sphere like object, almost like a marble or maybe it was a jewel? It was coloured in a pale blue colour or maybe it was a grey? It was to a point when Nozomi looked at it that it reminded her of stone for some reason, looking she then thought she saw something about it glow.

But suddenly breaking her out of her thoughts Rourke shouted up from his truck that he was travelling in, "miss Nozomi!" Startling her Nozomi turned her head and saw the commander with his arms folded with an annoyed look on his face, "c'mon! This is no time for loitering around! That wood is vital! Now hurry up!"

Seeing she was holding everyone up she quickly shouted back apologetically, "oh sir! Yes sir! Sorry sir!" With that she quickly stuffed the jewel into her pocket as she grabbed the rope again and quickly marched as fast as she could with the wood on the sleigh.

Suddenly again she heard rustling in the distance and stopped once more… did she see movement again?

But then, "Nozomi!"

Rourke interrupted her as she once again was being chewed out, apologising she shouted back, 'sorry!" With that she rushed forwards as quickly as she could unaware of the eyes that were watching after her in the darkness.

Annoyed Rourke himself at Nozomi's behaviour he watched as she went past his truck and apologised again hurriedly with an awkward smile on her face. Putting a hand to his forehead rubbing it trying to relieve himself of a headache, he swore this crew were all nothing but a hassle to him, "geez Louise," he said aloud to himself for after this trip he definitely was going to take a long well over due vacation.

But as he removed his hand from his forehead he noticed something himself at the side, "That's strange?" He uttered.

For something shiny seemed to be coming from a slightly collapsed stone building of some kind. Staring at it strangely his curiosity got the better of him as he jumped out of the driver seat of the truck and made his way forwards. Looking back he saw that the rest of the crew were busy with their duties and wouldn't notice him. Seeing this he decided to see what that particular shining thing was as he said, "well this should be interesting? Maybe a little bonus to what we're also gonna be getting at the end of this trip." His greed and glee relieving some of his annoyance as he made his way up.

Hiding away in that simple collapsed building, Uriax was the one who had created the shining spectacle as he simply used a mirror and a small flicker of light that he had called upon his right finger. This simply created the shining effect he wanted and bang on target the one who he aimed for was making his way up.

Smiling pleased at this Uriax then said, "just like a moth to a flame"

Pete next to him was very uncertain about this plan as he spoke worried, "hey are ya sure this is a good idea? We're mighty close to them lot down there, if he rats us out then-"

However he was cut off as Uriax told him, "don't worry he won't, besides this is one little arrangement he'll definitely accept without a doubt… after all," he then looked down and saw that Rourke was nearly up to them, smiling further he finished, "he's the type who doesn't like sharing with anyone."

Pete hearing this sensed the dark humour in his voice and usually he'd be one and up for it but the way he said it chilled him to the core and suddenly then Rourke finally emerged. As he did Uriax spoke dismissing the spell and putting away the mirror the smile still there, "now let's begin the propositioning shall we?"