The soft ever present sound of the morining bells symbolizing the
beginning of a new day, was the first soudn the young girl heard. It was the
same every morning, sitting up she ran a hand though her long silvery white
hair and sighed. *Sometimes I wonder if there isn't more to life Eternia.*
She thought as she stood and walked over to her robes, after dorning them
and her boots she grabbed her staff and smiled as a small platinum dragon
landed on her shoulder. "morning Nall." She said softly. "morning Princess."
Nall said smirking and knowing that it would bug her. Sharaku only shrugged
it off. Soon it would be time for daily prayer.
*I wonder, I really do, if all life is like it here, or if there is more to
see and learn out there? Eternia, can you show me? Can you teach me more
about these worlds?* She thought as she walked on.
The Opening of Atlantis
A Journey into the unknown
Meanwhile, in another place, there was a young man camping. He was too
dressed up for a campist though, his clothes consisting of a cotton
long-sleeved shirt, cotton pants and leather shoes. He had an overcoat
wrapped around himself as a blanket. As he slowly got up, he stretched and
shook his head clear of the remaining sleepiness. *Oh gosh, I can't get used
to camping... I grew too used to sensei's luxury house...*
A noise behind him halted all his thoughts and had him react instantly: By
jumping onto a nearby tree and hide. He mentally kicked himself as he
noticed he had left all his camping stuff scattered around. Pulling out his
necklace, he caused a portal to swallow everything in a matter of moments.
No trace of his pass had remained.
He watched as three young men dressed in strange clothes entered the
clearing he slept the last night. Cautiously, he saw as their leader pulled
out some strange device and turned it on, making it shine strangely for a
few seconds. *Don't tell me the Neos found me with stupid detectors...*
He was rather startled when a big portal opened before the three strangers.
They looked around cautiously and then crossed it. *A warping device! This
site must be a secret passage for one of their bases!* He thought,
completely ignoring the strange idea of the Neos making a secret passage in
a Node (point full of magic energy) like this clearing. Not thinking twice,
he rushed into the portal before it closed.
Shara looked up as a portal opened once again. It was beautful, completely a
swirling of rainbow colors outlined in what appeared to be a gold gate. The
portal always opened up into the shrine since it was sheilded from attaacks
by Eternia's blessing and her older bothers magic. She looked at the portal
and watched the three who were sent out arrive with one other. The acolyates
screamed outsidder and Nall became human, holding out a large sword and
screaming. "You fools, how could you let an outsider enter the lands of
Atlantis.?" Sharaku looked at him. *So this is an outsider? He doesn't look
soo very bad* Looking over at Nall he looked like he was worried. The three
turned and grabbed him.
"LET GO OF ME!" Ryuji shouted, snarling in anger on himself being so
careless. "Let go of me OR ELSE, you stupid sorceror hunters!!" Letting go a
long groan, Ryuji caused strong winds to push the three acolytes away
several meters. The young magician looked around and stared at Nall and
Shara for a moment. He blinked as he noticed that the place didnt look like
one of the holes the Neos call bases, but still they used weird instruments.
*Oh crap, I'm in deep this time.*
"Seize him!" the men shouted. Shara winced. "Enough!" Her voice rang out and
she looked at the man. "There will be no viloince in the house of Eternia!
Or do you wish her warth!" Shara called out. (k.)
"Eternia?" Ryuji blinked. He had heard that name before... But the Neos
would never... But then... "Uh... This wouldn't happen to be a secret base
of the Neo Illuminati, would it?" He asked Shara, scratching the back of his
head in the usual oh-damn-I-screwed-up-again fashion. (:P)
Shara looked at him. "No. This is the Dragon Shrine in Atlantis."
Ryuji gulped and nodded. "Ah. I see. I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions,
but..." He looked up at her with a start. "A-ATLANTIS?!!"
Shara nodds." Yes Atlantis. I am Sovereign Lady Preistess Sharaku. Head
Preistess of Atlantis. This is scared ground. Why have you come here?"
Ryuji didn't reply. He laid sprawled down on the ground, having passed out
due to the shock.
Shara watched as the men took him to the Tower of Atlantis were he would be
questioned, she herself joined them as he was brought before the King. Her
older brohter and a man who prefered to stay in his fox form.
Ryuji didn't take much longer to come back to his senses. "Mama...? Is that
you...? No school today, I'm feeling sick...." He babbled for a moment
before his eyes focused on the King of Atlantis. He blinked and shook his
head. "Oh, lemme guess. I'm in trouble, right?"
Kiten was a kind man and very confused at the turn of events. "It is my
understanding that you are from the outside..and caused an uproar in the
Holy Dragon shrine. Am I correct?" He said in his soft spoken tones.
Ryuji thought for a moment before nodding slowly. "Yes, that's right. You
see, I'm hunting down some sorceror hunters and I... huh... mistook some of
your people for some hunters... and I followed them. I only wanted to find
the base of the Neo Illuminati and blow it up, I didn't mean to... uh...
find Atlantis."
Kiten stood and chuckled. "You seem nervous. I take it this form makes it
so?" Standing he assumed a more normal appearance, short red hair and amber
eyes. The collar still present he walked and up to Shara. "You are
unharmed?"
"Yes, he didn't harm anyone, just startled everyone." Shara asked. "What is
the Neo Illuminati?" "Nothing to worry about, Nall, see she remains safe."
Kiten said then turned to face Ryuji. "It would appear we have a problem, no
outsider has been allowed though those gates since the Fall of the Silver
Kingdom. So what to do with you."
Ryuji rolled his eyes. *Just my look.* "The Neo Illuminati is a group of
fanatic murderers crazy about high-level technology who hate magic users."
He answered Shara before turning to Kiten. "Huh... How about just letting me
go and make me promise I won't talk about this place to anyone?" He
suggested. He hoped the King wouldn't be insulted by his suggestion, but if
things went like this he'd end up at best as a slave. Nothing he'd be
looking forward to anyway.
Kiten rose an eyebrow "I'm afraid that in and of itself is impossible. You
see, I can not let you go, there are too many lives here depending on the
location of Atlantis being a secret, and I'm afraid promise or no promise,
you will tell them if asked. "
Shara looked at him quietly a moment. "I could always cast a spell of
forbinance. A scaared promise to Eternia to protect this land and keep all
it's secrets form those who would do it harm..."
Ryuji gave them a flat look. "Oh, geez, thanks a lot for saying in my face
that my honor word has no meaning. Geez." He then blinked when he remembered
his current situation. "Huh, I mean...."
Kiten turned and glared at him. "I see. It would appear the outsider still
lack respect for those around them and there ways. Take him to the cells.
Prehaps it will give him some time to think about things."
"Kiten!" Shara protested. "He's probably scared and confused right now."
"Shara." Kit said catching her face. "Don't let this outsider confuse your
mind little sister. They haven't changed, men like him brought about the
down fall of a beautiful kingdom."
Ryuji raised an eyebrow. He didn't budge when the guards tried to pull him
out of the hall. "Hey, I apologised already. I didn't hurt anyone. Ok, I
messed things up and got into Atlantis by accident, but hey -- that was an
ACCIDENT. I'm not trying to destroy any magic kingdom, ok?"
Kiten slowly turned. "Yet you refuse to let us take the means to protect our
kingdom? The last person we trusted from the outside nearly destoryed
everything."
"I'm not refusing anything. I just gave a suggestion. Yeah, it was stupid,
I'm sorry if I'm still SHOCKED with the idea of just stumbling into the
legendary Atlantis all by chance, but I never expected to something this
absurd to happen." Ryuji looked away. "Besides, I'm not in the position of
refusing anything anyway."
"Brother please." Shara asked. "How are we any different if we force this on
him?" Kiten grit his teeth. "And how are we to know there is anything
trustworthy out there?" Shara smiled. "I could go. Learn about there world,
and see if they are indeed trustworthy, and being with him would prove
weither or not he is a man of his word." Kiten growled low in his thoart not
likeing this at all.
Ryuji blinked at Shara. "What do you mean, being with me?"
Shara turned to look at him. "I mean traveling with you. If I leave Atlantis
and travel with you, you show me your world and if there is anything trust
worthy out there."
Ryuji blinked twice. "But... But you can't! I'm hunting dangerous people, I
can't take the chance of risking anyone else besides myself!" He grit his
teeth as he remembered the last time he had taken someone in his fights with
the Neo Illuminati.
Shara looked at him. "You would refuse to take me to your world? Is your
world really such a horrible place unwrothy of the light and love of
Eternia?"
"No, no, it's not that..." He sighed and decided to use another approach. "I
mean, I'm not worthy of such a gracious company..." He blushed as he felt
embarrassed at the corniness of his words. (ppl might tkae the blush wrong
though. lol)
Shara smiled. "None sense, if that is all that's bothering you, then you
need have no worries all are welcome in the light of Eternia." She smiled.
"And seeing you world will let us know what needs to be done. You will show
me won't you?"
*Ok, now what? Well, I guess I have no way out...* Ryuji tilted his head,
still uncomfortable with the whole turn of events. "Well... It'd be a
pleasure. That is, if the King has nothing against it...?" He glanced at
Kiten, his last hopes relying on his refusal.
Kiten looked into the emerald eyes of his little sister and groaned, he knew
that look and knew he had lost. "Nall take care of her." "Of course sir."
The man said nodding then turning to them. "Release the boy and prepare the
gates for departure, The sovereign lady is depating." the men scrambled.
Nall walked up. "You lost the minute you peeked her highness's intrest."
Ryuji took a deep sigh and glanced at Nall. "How long has it been since an
outsider set foot on Atlantis for the last time, anyway?"
"Do you know the Reign of Queen Serenity Megami?" Nall retored with.
"Queen Serenity...?" Ryuji scratched his forehead for a moment then blinked.
"Ah, you mean the legendary Silver Millenium?" He frowned. "It was one
thousand years ago!"
"Exactly." Nall said as he looked at the man before him. "That is why your
arrival has caused such choas."
Ryuji nodded, quite absent-mindedly. *Ok, too much info in too little time.
I feel like passing out again...* He shook his head clear. "I think we still
need a more formal introduction...? My name's Ryuji Kuonji."
Nall looked at him quietly a moment then nodded. "I am Solanallara." He said
nodding. "Solran or Nall for short." He turned to look at Shara who was
making last minute aragments. "How good are you at teaching?"
"I don't know. I never had to teach anything before." Ryuji shrugged,
looking Shara too. "But if I'll need to teach anything to her, I think I
won't have much problems... As far as I can tell, she's smart."
"Keep that in mind Ryuji Kuonji, for in the outside world Shara will be an
infant learing everything for the first time." Nall said as Shara turned to
make her way over to them.
Ryuji sighed. "I see. You know how to make people calm, eh?" He added with a
bit of sarcasm, trying to come up with any way to continue with his vendetta
against the Neo Illuminati while guiding a princess around his world safely.
Failing to plan anything, he even considered leaving her on her own
somewhere... But that thought was shaken off faster than it came up. He
certainly could NOT leave a girl alone in the world outside... Specially a
girl as nice as Sharaku, to whom he knows he owes his very life. Accepting
his defeat, he managed to see the bright side of it: She was nice, she was
beautiful, she was friendly... Plus he's kinda tired of having no friends...
On HIS world, at least.
He smiled warmly to Sharaku as she reached them. "Are you ready for your
trip, Shara-chan?"
Nall face planted as Shara smiled brightly. "Yes, I have everything I will
need." She said giggling as she looked at the fallen Nall.
"Come on Nall! Lets go. Ryuji-kun lead the way!" She said brightly as she
linked arms with him.
Ryuji blushed a bit, his smile getting more nervous - first at the outgoing
friendliness Sharaku was showing, then when he noticed the weird looks he
was receiving from almost everyone else around. Man, how he wanted to leave
this place right NOW. He replied laughing nervously, then walked with Shara
(followed by Nall of course) to the place where the portal he came through
once was. "Hmmm... How do we create the portal?"
Shara walked away from Ryuji her eyes focused on the spot. The blue markings
on her face began to glow as she began to chant in an language long lost.
Seven small gold spots of light formed, then arched out forming a golden
ring. From those seven spots flooded a rainbow of colors the portal to the
outer world had been opened. "This way." She said softly as she walked
though.
"Oh. Thanks." Ryuji said, then leaded the other two through the portal and
out to the same clearing where this whole day started. "Well... now what?"
He mumbled to himself as Nall stepped out of the portal, which closed
quickly.
Nall rolled his eyes and looked back. "Good bye sanity..hello nightmare." He
mumbled. "Gee wonderful world for a dragon to be walking in." He growled
walking next to them.
"You have no idea." Ryuji commented mindlessly, looking up through the
trees. Then he stopped on his track suddenly and slolwy turned to Nall.
"What did you say??"
Nall sighed, "I said this was my worst nightmare, I am a dragon trapped out
here in this world."
Ryuji gulped hard. "Ah... ah... hahahaha... Yeah, that's what I thought..."
He sweatdropped, then turned to Sharaku. "He... it... he.. it... Is HE
really a dragon?!"
Shara looked at Ryuji silently a moment. "Why yes Nall is a Platinum Dragon,
one of the most poweful dragons in all Atlantis." she said as if stating a
fact.
Nall rolled his eyes, looked at Ryuji and sighed. "Well then lets get this
out of the way shall we?" In half a heart beat the large platinum dragon
layed there looking donw at Ryuji. "Does this make it easier to beleive?"
"Uhhhh..." Ryuji helplessly looked up at the huge dragon, sweatdropping.
"Yeah, it helps... a bit... though it might be something I ate that is
acting up... But I think now I believe... can you change back now, Mr.
Solanallara...? Please?"
Nall snorted and became the 'punk' teen again, his white hair with the
distinctive auburn patch. "Easy Ryuji, if Avalon has awoken as well as
Atlanis being shown to you, there will be many other things as well. From
griffons to sphynixs. You name it."
He nodded quickly. "I see. I'm sorry if I overreacted. I just had never seen
a dragon before... I think I wasn't ready to see an adult PLATINUM dragon
yet..." He added, trying his best to seem calm. "Oh, that reminds me..." He
steps back to face both Nall and Sharaku. "...We have to move quickly now.
You see, there're those evil sorcerous hunters I told you about earlier...
well... Just to avoid problems for now, we must avoid using magic and
transforming as much as possible, ok?"
Shara looked at him and nodded. "Okay I can try."
Nall snorted and shrugged. "As I said my worst nightmare. Of course I'll
reframe from using magic. Lets get going before it gets dark."
"Huh... okay..." Ryuji tried to calm down about it and checked the position
of the sun. He could see that it was past the middle of afternoon. "Well, I
guess that the first thing we have to do is to find some civilization, and
soon. I don't mind camping on my own, but..." He scratched his chin as he
glanced at Shara. "...well... I don't think camping is a good way for you to
start." He then mumbled under his breath "At least I hate doing it anyway...
Well, let's go!"
******
A few hours of walking later, they found a roadway and, a few hundreds of
meters away, a hotel by the road. "There, I think we can spend the night
there." Ryuji said, grateful that he had noticed that hotel last night when
he passed by. By the setting of the sun, they arrived at the hotel.
"I'd like three rooms, please." Ryuj asked the hotel clerk, a fat bearded
bald guy who looked up to them from over his newspaper.
"Sorry pal, we're almost full tonight. We only have 1 room vacant." The man
replied.
Ryuji sighed. "Ok. Then we'll want the room."
The fat guy looked Ryuji, then Nall, and finally stared at Shara for a
moment, looking her up and down and smirking. Then he turned to Ryuji. "Here
ya go, payment in advance please." The fat guy replied, picking up the keys.
Ryuji gave him a credit card and took the keys.
Shara looked at the key..that was weird. Then at the plastic retangle that
Ryuji handed the man, watched as he swiped it though something else and it
seemed to accept it. Blinking several times she looked at Ryuji.
"Um, Ryuji-kun...what is that?" She asked pointing at the credit card,
blinking comepletely innocent of what it was, or let alone what it was used
for. "And why do you need that funny peice of bent metal?" She asked in
reference to the room key.
Nall groaned and looked at Ryuji. "And just where were you planning on
sleeping ne?" He asked in a low soft voice...if this outsider thought he was
going to sleep anywhere near the princess he was highly mistaken.
"Actually, I'm hoping they have a couch, since the bed'll be for Shara-chan.
Otherwise I'll use my sleeping bag on the floor." Ryuji replied
absent-mindedly as he got his credit card back. "This, Shara-chan, is a
credit card. It's used to pay for things. Nothing is free in my world, you
see. This is one form of paying. But I have my limits so I use it as little
as I can." He explained as they walked to their room. "And this metal thing
here is a key. We use keys to keep things closed and to avoid letting
strangers open them. In this case, it's for the door to our room." He
finished as they arrived to the room.
Ryuji unlocked the door and opened it, turning the light inside on. The room
wasn't much big, it had a nice and comfy-looking couple bed, a couch, a
couple chairs, a fridge beside the bed, a TV and a door to a bathroom on the
other side. A big window over the bed was half-closed by the curtains, the
cloth covering the vision but letting some light shine into the room.
"Hmm... I think it'll do for tonight. C'mon in, you two." He said, walking
inside to lay on the couch. "Aaaaaaahhhhh... I was so tired..."
Nall only rolled his eyes and dropped into a chair. Watching rather ammused
as Shara entered eyes wide. "She's going to need clothes to fit in Ryuji."
He said watching her walk in her robes, head dress, and shaking his head.
Nall had almost faceplanted back there, almost he had caught himself.
Shara walked into the room eyes wide and courious she walked over to the bed
and pushed down on it with her fingers, it made a weird screeching sound and
she jumped back screaming, not knowing that it was supposed to make that
sound as the bed springs moved to suport the weight put on it. Landing
rather gracefully on her butt she pointed. "Wha..wha..what is that, why did
it make that noise? Is It DIEING?"
Somehow, Ryuji managed to fall on the floor from his position on the couch.
Slowly climbing back into a standing position to regain his composure, he
pondered on how to explain things. "Shara-chan, it is a bed... You lay on it
to sleep. It's making noise because it's got metal springs to be soft and
more resistant." He said as he sit on the bed, making it creak. "See? It's
not dying or hurting, it's okay to sit on it and lay on it."
"And you're right, Nall..." Ryuji continued, getting up. "She'll need common
clothes to avoid unwanted attention. I could change your clothes,
Shara-chan, but I doubt you'd like it if I ruined them... So..." He pulled
an amulet in a necklace that he only revealed now, so well hidden it was.
Pointing it to the bed, he opened a small portal where a set of his
clothes - a very plain set of male pants, t-shirt, shoes and a jacket - all
white - showed up. "I'll tinker with them. I'll wait outside while you
change, ok?" He said, walking up to the door. "Are you coming too, Nall?"
Nall walked out of the room and left Shara to change. Shara on the other
hand found herself in an intresting delima as she tried to figure out how
these weird clothes worked. After about ten minutes of fumbling with them
she managed to get them on. Looking in the mirror she blinked. "Okay..." She
said softly.
Ryuji leaned on the wall at the corridor outside, yawning as he put his
hands on the back of his head. He crossed glances with Nall several times,
feeling more and more uncomfortable.
Shara stood there a few minutes before sighing,and looking at the door.
"Ryuji-kun, Nall-sama, you can come back in now!" She called out softly.
Nall hearing her re-entered the room and blinked, she looked good if even in
male clothes....leave it to her.
Ryuji followed Nall back into the room and raised an eyebrow. Shara-chan
looked cute even in his male clothings... Which in fact was a rather weird
thing. Shaking his head to drive that trail of thoughts away, he cleared his
throat. "Ok, I will start my work now. Tell me when I do it right..."
Waving his hands, Ryuji modified the clothes around Sharakou several
times... First time, she looked like a punk girl. After apologising tens of
times to Nall - "I screwed up, I know! Sorry! I'm changing it! I'm only a
human, damn it!!" Then he changed the clothes into a costume he saw on an
actress once. "Cute but not practical..." He thought aloud before changing
the clothings into the kind of dress a business woman would use.
Shara looked down and rose an eyebrow. "Um...Ryuji-kun...I really don't like
this....it's uncomfortable."
"Oops. Sorry." He said before snapping his fingers... And Sharaku now was
wearing a ballet tutu. "Uhhh..." He droolled for a moment before he could
feel Nall's glare burn on his back. "Guess this won't work ne...?" And then
he changed her clothes again.
This time, Ryuji hit the spot. Sharaku was wearing a pair of jeans, a
cotton blouse loose in the upper arms and tight at from the forearms to the
wrists, loose lace falling down around her hands. The collar of the blouse
has lace billowing down, the front fading out. On her feet, she was wearing
a pair of ankle boots. The boots and jeans were of a dark hunter green, the
blouse had an ivory color and the lace, a dark hunter green. She has a vest,
also dark hunter green, that goes over it.
Ryuji stood there staring at Sharaku for a moment. "....sugoi....."
Shara looked over her outfit and giggled. "Really?" She smiled. "It's
comfortable to. Thank you." She said looking in the mirror at it, her
pendant now holding both he robes and the Sceptor of The Heavens.
Nall shook his head. "I'll admit it, when you use a clear head, you can be
impressive. Ryuji-san."
Ryuji raised an eyebrow as he noticed how Nall called him. "Hmmm... Thanks,
Nall-san. Can you just call me Ryuji? This 'san' thing makes me feel kinda
old..." He then stretched and sit down on the couch again, looking for the
remote control of the TV. "Well, anyway, I think we'd better get ready to
call it a night and have some sleep... But I guess I'll have a shower first
to get refreshed..." He then stopped and glnced at Sharaku. "Shara-chan, do
you want to have a shower first? I might take some time in mine and I don't
want to bother..."
"Alright." Shara said looking around and entering the room that looked like
it had a bath.
Nall looked at Ryuji. "Agreed, if you remframe form calling me 'san', 'kun',
'chan' or even 'sama'. "
Shara was having an intresting problem, as she looked at the odd nose coming
out of the wall and the funny round thing above it. IF she looked up there
was another nose like thing with a long neck. She wondered what it was.
Looking at them she touched the funny round thing, then yanked her hand back
when it turned. Someone had left it in the shower postion so when the long
nose at the top sprayed water after rumbling she screamed and backed up
agianst the far wall.
"Opps." Nall said softly.
"Okay, Nall." Ryuji replied one moment before Shara screamed. "Shara-chan,
you ok?!" He asked, hurrying into the bathroom. He glanced from the bathtub
to Shara, then back to the tub and finally stopped his eyes on Shara. He
sighed. "Sorry, I forgot to tell you how my people take their baths..." He
sighed, scratching his chin. "I know! Why don't you look around and ask me
about things you don't recognise?"
Shara took a deep calming breath, his world was soo weird. Looking around
she looked at the long peice of wood with a fuzzy head. Blinking she smiled
slightly not sure what it was. "umm...what is that?"
"It's a bath brush. You know it's kinda difficult to rub your own back
clean, so we use it to wash our backs. Just rub the wet soap on the furry
side, like this..." Ryuji pretended to soap the brush to make things
clearer. "...And then you brush your back, like this." And he pretended to
use the brush on his back, not really touching his back with the brush. "Got
it?"
Shara nodded understanding now what it was used for, she was used to the
shirne maidens she supposed she had to do that on her own now. She looked at
the odd hat shapped thing next to the tub and sighed. "And what is that?"
"Ah, it's a hair cap. You curl your hair up and cover it with the cap. It's
used to keep your hair dry when you don't want to wash it - sometimes we
just don't have the time to wash the hair... In fact, some people wash it
only once or twice per week."
"Thank you Ryuji-kun." She said smiling as he left the room and her to her
bath. Shara smiled as she sunk down in to the waters five minutes later to
take the bath in the outter world.
Nall looked at him and chuckled. "Looks like you have your hands full,
teacher." He said leaning back.
Ryuji nodded. "Yeah, perhaps." He then sit on the couch, leaned back and
picked up the remote control. "Oh well, I wonder what's on TV, I haven't
watched anything the past few months..." He commented as he clicked the red
on/off button of the TV.
But the moment the young magician turned it on, he blushed heavily. He
wasn't expecting any... adult show on TV. And he switched channel after
channel, but he only found more and more adult material. Giving up, he
turned the TV off, his face red of embarrassment. "Seems like there's
nothing interesting on tonight." He said, nervous, and sighed. That sounded
so lame.
Nall said nothing from the first show to the last he had doubled over
pincing his nose shut, trying to stop the steady flow of blood from it.
Gritting his teeth as swearing was not allowed for him ever, he only held
his nose daring it to keep bleeding on him.
"Oh well..." Ryuji sighed, trying to ignore Nall's little nose accident.
"...How long does Shara-chan use to take a shower? I mean, I'm so tired I'm
even considering sleeping without a shower myself..." As he said that, Ryuji
waved two fingers to cast a small illusion spell to do his favorite game...
create small illusionary pegasi. He created one and made it fly around the
room. He had so much practice in it, the image seemed almost real... If only
too small to be real.
Shara watched as the pegasi flew around the room having finished her bath,
and leaving plenty of hot water. She tilted her head and watched him. Then
smiled playfully. "Let that which is born of light take form and take
flight." She said softly weaving her magic though the illusion until the
pegasi was real and landing on his lap looking up.
Walking calmly over to Nall she smiled. "heal." She said playfully as she
stopped his nose bleed. "Saw something naughty huh Nall?"
Nall frowned. "Not my fault....I wasn't...." He said as he got up and
cleaned up his nose, in the bathroom. "Eternia...this child is going to be
the death of me." He sighed. "But I love her. Thank you for allowing me to
take care of her." He said softly, then walked back out to look at one
stunned Ryuji. "Ryuji are you alright?"
Ryuji slowly glanced from the small pegasus on his lap up to Nall. "Uh,
yeah, I think, just a bit... Dunno, surprised..." He ran a hand on the
pegasus' head, still having some problems to accept that it was real and
alive. "Wow, it's amazing..." He looked at Shara. "How did you do this? Give
him life and stuff...?"
"It's believed in Atlantis that she can weild a small fraction of Eternia's
powers....Ryuji you're looking at the only living Avatar to The Goddess
Eternia." Nall said in a calm tone. "That child speaks to her, and in return
gets answers. It's not the first time she's done something like that, and
rest assured that Pegasus is very real." He said softly.
"Have I done something wrong? He looked so sad, I just thought Ryuji-kun
might like to see such a beautiful creature for real." Shara said softly.
"No no,Shara you've done nothing, now get some rest." Nall said in a
soothing tone. She nodded and walked over to the bed, laying down she
drifted off. "Oh...Ryuji-kun you can name him." She said softly.
"Oh, sure... How about... hmmm... I dunno... Why not "Midori"? I know it's
more of a person's name, but I kinda like the way it sounds." Ryuji
suggested, patting the small pegasus carefully.
Shara only smiled in her sleep, but it was Nall who responded. "Midori is
fine name." He said nodding.
"An Avatar?" Ryuji raised an eyebrow, glancing at Sharaku before turning
back to Nall. The pegasus took off to land beside Sharaku, making itself
comfortable on the bed just beside the young priestess. "I thought avatars
were big, evil, monstrous things full of deadly powers ready to destroy
human civilization... But then again, I've only heard of avatars from evil
divinities..." Ryuji scratched his head. "And they're also only part of
legends..."
"Not quiet." Nall said looking at the sleeping child. "She is not a creature
who opens her body like a vessel to Eternia. She is a true avatar. You're
thinking of a host body. No, Shara was born with the ablitiy to speak to
Eternia litterly. She can hold hole conversations with her. She also weilds
a fraction of Eternia's power and I mean a bare fraction it's the sort of
power that allows her to do things like bring to life Midori....." He took a
deep breath. "However if Eternia were to ever let her, she could call down a
large amount of Eternian's power to save a whole kingdom. but the cost is
her life." He paused. "That is an avatar. A child who brings the words of
light and wisdom to others."
"Ah, I see... Sorry about my ignorance, I hope I didn't insult any of you or
your goddess..." Ryuji scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. "Hmmm...
I think I should go take my shower now before I fall asleep..." Jumping to
his feet, the young magician walked to the bathroom, closing the door behind
him.
***Next morning***
Nall sat there looking at Ryuji who didn't look all to pleased to be drug
out of bed this early in the morning.....Shara was an early riser. What was
more was Midori was at breakfast with them and the inn keeper looked
agaited, and Shara, for all her innocence kept asking questions about
everything.
Nall didn't think that morning could get any more taking when a group of
seven thugs walked in, they were all big and burly and looked very
mean.....he hoped Shara didn't get it in her head to stop them...
"Oh, great. Bikers." Ryuji sighed and took a sip of his juice. "And the
juice's not that much good either." He yawned a bit and glanced at Midori.
The little pegasus seemed satisfied with eating some cereal, but they'd
really need to find more adequate food for the little thing. "Ah,
Shara-chan." Ryuji looked the priestess. "Whatever you do, don't stare at
the punks over there. We have more to do than get in trouble with those
bandits, ok?"
Shara frowned but a look form Nall silenced any protest the young preistess
had been about to make. That didn't mean she couldn't listen.
"Get out of here before I shoot your asses, you punks!" An employee of the
small restaurant demanded, pulling out a gun. The bikers all stepped back in
a start. "Whoah! Hey calm down, dude! You could hurt yourself with that
thing." One of them said, smirking.
"Oh crap." Ryuji cursed and looked at Nall and Sharaku. "Okay, Nall, your
choice. Do we leave or do we step in before anyone get killed?"
Nall shook his head. "I'm not knife nor bullet pro...." He had started to
say proof when the sound of a chair scrapping against wood startled him.
Shara stood up and walked forwards gently placing a calming hand on the
employee's shoulder.
"Sir please don't. These men might harm you." She said softly.
"That's right listen to the little lady." One of them mocked.
Shara turned and growled. "And as for you. YOU should be ashamed of
yourselves!"
"Sugoi..." They said as one and she glared.
Nall growled and got up. They snorted at him...it didn't help that he looked
like a punk himself and he knew it.
The bikers eyed each other, rather amused, and chuckled as they looked back
at the two strangers daring them. "Oh, my, looks like we're in deep trouble
this time, eh?" One of them mocked, making five of his friends laugh. The
only one who didn't laugh was the bigger of them, some big musclebound creep
who was wearing a hockey mask.
"Now, miss Big Nosey, you and your little brother just step aside and mind
your own business, ok?" Another bandit said, and they all laughed again,
except the one with the hockey mask. "You could get dirty, if you know what
I mean." The biker completed, a lecherous smile on his face.
Nall snarled in anger. How dare these ruffians even think of touching her in
such a way. Moving one lip he bared alittle of the fang, he retained slight
fangs in this from as it was in line with the dragon.
Shara looked at them and narrowed her eyes, she had no idea there full
meaning but the unease she was sensing from her goddess, the worry let her
know it wasn't good. "Leave." was all she said.
After gulping down his cup of juice, Ryuji got up and stood beside Nall,
Midori flying from his lap and taking place on a table nearby. He eyed the
punks with a dark face, the anger almost sparking in his eyes. The bikers
were too busy laughing and making bravados to notice it, but Shara and Nall
could sense the dark change in Ryuji's aura.
Shara looked at him questioningly and Nall rose an eyebrow. Ryuji took
protecting Shara seriously. To that end Nall was impressed. Turning back he
looked at the bikers who were smirking at Shara.
"Now now honey play nice." One said laughing. "We'll leave when we get what
we want."
"So take you and your friends out of the way..." Another agreeded.
"Now we could leave the boys...we'll just take the girl as payment for our quick
departure." The one in the mask said smugly.
Shara scowled her features twisting and what almost sounded like a low growl
eminating from the depths of thoart. THey would not be taking her anywhere.
"I don't think so." Ryuji snarled, walking towards the bandit closest to
Sharaku. "I lost a friend once, I will not lose another. You bastards will
leave this place NOW or else!" And as if to make a point, he grabbed the arm
of the biker in front of him and delievered a major shocking grasp,
electrocuting the bandit. The scream Ryuji's victim released was full of
surprise, terror and pain. Then the young magician decided that enough was
enough and let go of the poor bastard, who fell limply on the ground. The
other bikers and the employees of the restaurant both gasped in surprise.
"Leave." He spat through his gritted teeth. "Now."
The bikers eyed Ryuji for a moment and then looked each other, hesistating.
"What are you some sort of freak?" One asked looking at him, Shara's soft
growls meaning nothing to him. "Take him!"
Getting brave they pulled out weapons and headed towards them. Shara held
out her hand and summoned her staff, whipped it around and clubbed a guy
upside the head with it, spun the long staff the stars glittering and
narrowed her eyes. "Jerk."
Nall snorted as one pulled out a knife.
"Come on punk, I'll gut ya." He said snidly. Nall only shook his head
reached behind himself and pulled out a rather wicked looking sword.
"Nah..you'd have to get close enough first. Sovreign Lady be careful."
"Of course." Shara said grinning. "Just like sparring with Kiter's."
"Don't let him here you say that."
"What sparring?"
"No the other."
"OH! You mean Kiter's." Shara said smirking.
Shara brought the staff around and let go, the staff's head began to glow
she let go and it hovered in the air. Then she smiled and jestered it
dissappaared. "Not far for them while I have the Staff Of The Heavens out."
Holding out her hand the one she clubbed was starting to get up, "Stay
down!" She said annoyed as she jestered. "Oh, go play with the light
fixtures." She said as she narrowed her eyes and flung him up intot he air
with a levation spell. Then giggled as he became bysterical. "Wow...what an
odd response...most find flying fun.."
"Sharaku, behind you!" Ryuji called, before jumping to hit a flying sidekick
on a punk who had sneaked up behind the priestess with a dagger in hands.
"You creeps can't fight like men or are you all cowards?" He snarled as he
landed, throwing a highkick to the bandit's chin that threw him back on some
tables. ~No need to waste precious energy with those scumbags.~ He told
himself. "Sharaku, don't waste your time playing with these cowards, they
don't play nice." He pointed a thumb to Nall as he attacked. "Let's do like
him and take these idiots down, quick."
Not really waiting for a reply, Ryuji waved his hands and launched a small
sonic blast that pushed another punk back against the biker boss. Hard.
Nall brought his sword down hard and fast slashing painfully into one's
shoulder. Hearing his scream he reversed the motion and pulled out the blade
again then went at another that one on the ground holding his shoulder. Nall
wasn't killing the fools but they'd wish they were dead. Because death was a
lot kinder then him...especially when his 'daughter' was endangered.
Shara had yelped and almost sighed with relief when Ryuji took out the guy,
but games were done. She didn't care anymore. He had come up behind her, and
this was the end. Growling an amost feral sound her white hair ruffled as
soft silvery fox ears grew, her markings faded out, almost as if they had
never been there to begin with, her clothes shifted to the undergarments of
her robes, and from her back grew her eight tails. Curling up she slashed
out with her hand, sharp bone nails rackign across one guy's chest taking
him down she decked another sending him into a far wall. "I told you to back
off." She snarled angry, only to hear Nall snort. "Figures they get her
temper going." He muttered.
Ryuji almost froze when the beautiful girl he was helping suddenly turned
into a... half-human-half-fox-thing. Granted she was still quite beautiful,
but the look on her face as she fought, that dangerous spark in her eyes,
the threatening stance she stood in now... He just didn't scream because he
was out of breath, his eyes widened.
His surprise just wasn't as evident as the remaining biker's panick, as they
stumbled to get away from the fox-girl. "Ow, crap, I can't believe we were
fighting over a monster creep!" The punk with the mask complained, pulling
two big guns from out of nowhere. "Now now, doggie, get back or I'll hurt
ya." He said, pointing a gun at Ryuji and the other at Sharaku. "Men, I'm
sick of this place. Take the cash and let's get the heck outta here." He
ordered. The others just nodded and hurried to the bikes outside.
Shaking his head, Ryuji glanced from the boss biker to Nall, with a look
that seemed to say 'Okay, now what?'.
Nall saw paused. "Monster?" He said shaking his head and paused as his guns
like any machine fell apart at Shara's command. Nall preceeded to deck the
masked man who ran forgetting the money as Nall's fist broke his jaw in
three places.
Once they were gone the feral look on Shara's face left, and she stared at
her hands. "Gentle Mother Eternia forgive me...for I lost my temper and
lashed out with the intention to harm another.." She said in tears...never
had she wanted to hurt anyone, all eight tails curled about her, Ryuji
feared her, she could smell it, and her ears went flat. SHe whimpered.
Blinking again, Ryuji took another look at the foxgirl before him. Sighing a
bit as he finally understood what was going on, he walked up to Sharaku and
knelt beside her. "Shara-chan...?" He called, tentatively. She was quite
diffenrent now, but her way of acting was very compatible to the Sharaku he
knew. He laid a hand on her shoulder, now more confident on who she really
was. "Shara-chan, what's wrong? Are you alright? Calm down, the bandits are
gone now, we won." He then touched her chin and gently pushed it up so he
could see her in the eyes. He gave her his best smile. "C'mon, tell me,
what's wrong?" He asked, the initial shock now completely forgotten.
Shara looked at him and felt the tears continue to flow as her ears folded
down.
"I hurt them, I hated them, I wanted to hurt them....I've never felt it
before, never wanted to hurt anything before...." She curled four of eight
tails around herself trying to become smaller. "I scared you....and lost
control of the the fox-spirit, my soul's other half....it sought to stop
them from attacking...." She whimpered and cried. "I hurt them.....I am a
child of Eternia....her avatar.....I'm not suppose to do that....my
hands.....I was filled with hate..." She was crying openly..."I don't think
she'll forgive me for this one..."
Ryuji looked Shara for a moment, trying to come up with something to say.
He closed his eyes - more to ignore Nall's looks or reactions than for
anything else - and gave her a reassuring hug, the kind that friends give to
comfort. "I understand... Calm down now. If I understood correctly what you
told me of Eternia, I believe she will forgive you."
He opened his eyes and looked down, a bit worried about being too abusive
for his closeness. "I mean... She's pure love and goodness, right? And
you're her child. I think it'd be only logical that'd forgive you for one
slip like this... Besides, you were defending innocents from criminals,
risking yourself in the process."
The young magician sighed, hoping he'd found the right things to say. "Not
to mention that... As Nall said, you're still a child, still learning and
growing up. Believe me, even though there're other better ways to learn,
making mistakes is one of the most efficient ways to learn... Besides, it's
not as if you liked what you did." His smile faltered a bit as he bit his
lips. ~Since when did I got to talk like this?~ He thought, wondering.
Shara uncurled her tails and looked at him. "Okay.." She smiled and put her
hands on the floor. Her eyes sparkling mischeivously. She was suddenly a
very small furry silvery fox, with nine tails and soft fuzzy ears. They
twitched a moment as she seemed to look at him, licked his nose yipped and
darted off, barking lightly she pushed her front paws down and curved her
tails up.
Nall looked at the frightened man and shook his head. "She's a guardian, a
Preistess, and protector of innocents like you." He said softly. "A child of
magi."
The man went from fear to awe as he watched the small fox yippe
excited..wanting to play.
Ryuji grinned and got up. "Well, let's get moving then. The day's just
beginning and we'll have a long ride back home. I mean, my home." He turned
to the small pegasus. "Midori, we're leaving." Letting Midori land on his
shoulder, Ryuji followed the small fox out of the hotel, Nall close behind.
There were a couple bikes outside, from the bikers still uncounscious inside
the hotel. "I think we could get a ride." Young Kuonji sit on the biggest
bike, looking it over. "No keys, eh? No problem."
One minute later, the motorbike was on and ready to go. "Yeah, that's right!
We're going to town!" He set Midori on his lap and looked at Nall and Shara.
"C'mon, let's go!"
Nall sighed and got on, having picked up a very active small fox, and looked at Ryuji's back. "Lets before Shara gets even more playful....she's horrible in this form full of endless energy."
The fox yippied and sat there waiting to go. "To the city with us."
And then they were off, Nall gritting his teeth and deciding that he didn't like this thing..not one bit while Shara seemed to love it....
The End
