|
|
Post by Sakura-chan on Jun 16, 2006 10:40:41 GMT -5
Chapter 2- The Eternal War
A melody filled my ears as I awoke from my seemingly eternal slumber. Instead of awaking within the small basement I thought I should, I awoke into a blinding white. I stood, and tried to figure out where I was. I walked in all directions. It was an endless white realm. Was this what it was like to die?
The melody grew louder, as I turned around to find its source. A woman, who looked only twenty or so, was sitting there with harp. The song it played was as beautiful as she was herself. Her unnatural pink hair flowed with the melody she created, as she worse a pure white dress. Even though no wings were shown, she HAD to be an angel or…
“…The goddess herself…” I mumbled to myself, thinking aloud. My hands immediately went to my mouth as I realized what I had said. The beautiful woman bowed at the compliment. She seemed to laugh as she did so.
“It’s nice to think that you think I am…” she said, putting her harp around her back. “Instead, I am Milfe- Guardian and Shepard of the dead.”
A solemn expression instantly went to my face. “So, I AM dead…” I said, pulling my arms around my body. It seemed I was going to live, only at the last moment, my life was taken away. Suddenly I noticed a tear run down my cheek. Even though through out the past hour or so, I had prepared for death, but I never thought it would happen. I never thought that I would wind up dieing before I even married or had my own life.
Suddenly, an angelic figure appeared behind me, and startled me with her voice. “You’re not yet,” she said, informing me of my fate. I turned around questionably. One told me I am dead, while another says I am not. What was I to believe? I suddenly noticed the other’s appearance. She had angelic blonde hair, and wore a simple red and black dress- entirely opposite of what you would think of an angel to wear. There was one catch: This angel had white wings
“Wha?”
“Hmmm, I bet Milfe said nothing about this just being another battle!” she said, insulting the young angel. I quickly turned to Milfe. She had an angered look. “WE are in an eternal war: a war of souls. She usually tries to force deaths to come to her- cancers, deadly storms, etc, while I on the other hand, prevent and try to save.”
“Ranpha! Shouldn’t you be trying to save that poor man in the mountain slide just west of Flowerbud?” she asked, trying to alter the angel’s attention.
The angel, now known as Ranpha became infuriated. “You cut his heart open with a rock! Unlike him, this young girl has a chance if she chooses life!”
I immediately looked at Ranpha, “I do?”
She smiled. “Yes, just listen to them; those who care about you. Can’t you hear them begging for you?” she asked. I turned to listen. The sound began to ring in my ears. It wasn’t huge, but I could hear their thoughts, begging for me to be ok. I cocked my head, as I turned to the sound. Suddenly, a pool of what seemed to be the present filled next to Ranpha. Many were surrounding me, some crying, others too shocked to even think.
Abruptly, their thoughts were erased from my mind as a threatening melody began to play from the Death Guardian’s harp. All color began to fade from the small pool. I ran to it; I wanted to go back, but however I couldn’t, and that I knew.
Suddenly, an arrow shot from Ranpha’s small hidden bow. The Guardian’s harp blew from her hand. Immediately, the young angel turned to me. “Listen to them!”
A sigh came into my ears. I closed my eyes, and I could see it; what was going on just around my body. Most of the village had surrounded me in disbelief. Jack, Cliff, Gray, and many of the other men from the village were holding up the bookcase as I was being pulled out. The doctor immediately pulled me out and flipped me over.
As he began to examine me, I noticed the others. My mother and father were crying- something that could be expected from parents. What was odd was, almost everyone was. Elli was too shocked to move, as tears fell, while many of the others did the same, or just couldn’t move. What caught my attention made the biggest movement of them all.
It was Gray. He dropped the bookcase on the other guys as he immediately rushed to me. The blacksmith’s eyes withheld a fear greater than anything I had ever seen. Most of all, he was crying. The sight made me cry all the way from my land between life and death. He had only cried twice- when his mother died, and when his father died. Now, this was a third. The young apprentice was truly the only friend that I had. He never made fun of me, even if it was playfully. He willingly visited me, and he had become the only person that I had come to trust. How could I put him through such pain?
Suddenly, Doctor arose from my body with a worried expression. “There’s a pulse, but barely. Her entire body, even her lungs have just stopped… It’s…. It’s like she’s trying to decide…”
Anna, my mother, quickly jumped up. “Decide what?” Unlike many people, she did not believe in the afterlife, and that if you are unconscious, your spirit can decide your fate. She immediately became angry because she did not know.
Then, Gray’s face immediately turned grim. “…between life and death…”
Abruptly, my father pushed the doctor away from my near lifeless body. “Mary! I don’t care what it takes, you have to come back to us now!” he yelled at me, tears welding up in his eyes. My father always tried his hardest not to cry in front of my mother, but he couldn’t help it. His only daughter was dieing. What else could he do?
A voice piped up in the back. A very, harsh, unpleasant voice, “She’s lost all her books. What else does that girl have to live for?” Gray jumped to his feet, and ran towards the girl, who he finally noticed was Popuri. She was standing next to a wall. His fist went only inches past her head, onto the wall. The girl jumped at the tone of is voice.
“Mary has us,” he said, a glow of hatred building in his eyes. He immediately walked over to my lifeless body, and bent down to talk. “Please don’t leave us.” His voice drew lower so no one could hear. “Don’t leave me…”
I couldn’t take it. I destroyed the image before I could cry anymore. I did not notice it, but I had already dropped to the floor. No matter what life brought, I never expected to choose between life and death. All the people that I loved surrounded my mind. Was there truly a choice? I don’t have a choice, because I would NEVER willingly pick the other.
“Don’t worry,” I said pulling myself onto my feet. “I’m not going to go that easily…” and I immediately left into the dark abyss, switching realms.
As I left, I heard the supposable guardian whisper, “No one has left me that easily, and neither will you…”
As I opened my eyes, a rupture of colors came into sight, blinding me. I was surrounded by many: my parents, friends, Gray. My encounter with death had been too close. It took moments before people realized that I had opened my eyes, and let it be known, before anyone could say anything, my mother had smothered me in hugs.
Everything everyone said seemed to fade into the background as I tried to sit up. I was extremely weak. I turned to find others gathering around me with worry. As I looked around, I noticed there was one not among them. I turned to look for his, only moments ago, deep concerned eyes only to find that he was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, the crowd cleared, and Doctor came through, his bag in hand. It was as the crowd cleared that I saw him…
Gray was standing in the back of the crowd, tears welding up in the back of his eyes. It was almost as if he was ashamed to show them to me. The thoughts were quickly erased when the doctor pushed up my skirt. I immediately jumped almost out of my skin at the act. I knew he was just doing his job as a doctor, wrapping up my cut from before, and checking for further injuries, but it was still awkward.
As soon as he finished bandaging it, I tried to stand, only to fall straight back onto my knees, clenching my ankle. I did not cry, for I knew that I had faced worse within the past couple of minutes, but it hurt like hell. The doctor, who had turned away only moments ago to go check on others, turned back to me and began examine my fall. He noticed my hands on my ankle and asked me to move away my hand from it’s current position.
I really didn’t care. I just wanted to talk to Gray, but something told me, that would not be likely for quit some time; at least until the hurricane’s destruction cleared.
Days passed, and I was finally allowed to go outside of out small basement of a village. Families were spread around the small basement, creating what looked like a small 15by30 village. Since I was injured, I was basically assigned to stay with the children, and read books possibly because I could not move. However, I never did get my talk with Gray; at least, not right away….
One crisp summer night, as the few who worked on the village repairs came for their nightly rest, I had sat down with a rather childish book I wrote, and began to read to Stu and May. I smiled at how cute they looked together being two kids who played without a care in the world.
As I called them forth, a figure caught my eye. I turned to find it was Gray. He was sulking down into the basement, his hands stuck in his pockets, and his ever usual frown was slopped on. I wanted to thank him for everything he did for me only a few days ago, but could not bring myself up to do it.
It was a few nights ago, I had come so close- close enough all I had to do was pat him on the shoulder and tell him. Let it be known, my timidity caused me to run away, tripping as I did. Of course, he caught me and forced me to sit back down, and not stress out my leg. Nonetheless, this time was going to be different… I just knew it…
As I began to stand, clenching onto the wall, a small boy stopped me in my path. I quickly realized it was Stu, as he was in front of me, the ever bashful May hiding behind his back. I smiled as he began to speak.
“Mary? Are you going to read to us…?” he asked, with his sweet innocent voice. He was just a kid, and didn’t understand what was happening, let alone why we were all stuck together inside the Inn.
I smiled. “Of course,” I said. Gray’s sulking figure caught my eye as I said so. Before I thought about sitting down, I was back at Stu and May, placing the book right in their hands. “Here, you go get us some snacks, and set down by my bed and I’ll read to you in a second…” I began to say, turning to Gray.
Suddenly, May opened her mouth and began to speak. “Where are you going?” she asked, tugging on my skirt. I smiled. May only talked to a few people, and for some odd reason, she saw me as a big sister.
I held back a chuckle as I leaned into her ear, trying to reply like it was embarrassing. “Umm, I have to go and potty…” I said, lying every bit of it. The genuine smile and laugh I got was worth it. She skipped away, pulling Stu by the arm. I mentally kept telling myself that one day when they got older, they would get married.
I hobbled over to Gray, as he began tending a small stove that was next to the elders. Doctor may had said my cut wasn’t deep, but after 3 days, it still had not healed, and it was annoying. Gray turned back to his master, adjusting everything to fit his every whim. As he walked away, most likely to finish his other chores, I approached him.
“Hi Gray,” I said, clasping my hands behind my back. I wanted to make it seem that I was healing, if only to make him feel better.
“….Hi….” he poked out, readjusting his cap. It was amazing. He had lost it only 3 days ago and he suddenly got a new one… did he have a secret stash or something?
Gray wasn’t the biggest talker in the neighborhood, but I worked it out the best I could- while balancing my self, without using my leg’s strength. As he turned his back to continue his work, I sighed. If I was going to do it any other time, it might as well been now.
I pulled a book from my small, purse like bag I always carried around and gave it to him. “Here,” I said. A look of astonishment came over his face. It was quite funny. Instead of his usual smirk, there was am almost smile brewing on his face. However, that look went to curiosity as he noticed the title. “The Mystery of Harvest Goddess Lake”. I remember writing that book. It was a mystery, that I made Popuri the victim, where it was framed as suicide. But that was written after she made fun of me, so she needed revenge.
“Umm…”
I smiled. Of course Gray wasn’t used to getting presents. “That’s for helping me the other day. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here. Both of the times…”
A surprised look came onto his face. I forgot- no one knew about Ranpha and Milfe- so they didn’t know that I saw everything that happened. Gray’s face went from thankful (from the gift) to curious and confused once again. It was my luck that within two minutes I could confuse Gray over two times. Shrugging that off, I tried to think of a lie to bring him out of that state.
“Umm, I heard that you were one of the guys that pulled me out of the bookcase…” I said, half lying. Only half because I didn’t hear it; no as we all know, I kinda saw it…
However, it seemed to satisfy Gray’s confusion as he muttered quick thanks from under his cap. It was as he pulled at the cap again that the thought once again passed. The hat… Where did he get a new one so fast? The thought pondered within my mind as he ran around and helped Ellen get her crochet set. When he walked back over to me, I couldn’t help it.
My eyes stared at his cap as I talked. “Umm, Gray. I thought you lost that cap in the hurricane,” I said, my voice trailing off, embarrassed to even bring up the topic. He let out a small chuckle.
“Huh, everyone has been asking me that question,” he said, pulling down on his cap once again, thinking it could hide the smile. It was then I also wondered exactly how far down he thinks his hat can go.
After that thought finished crossing my mind, he finally began to answer me. “Well, when we came back in, and the hurricane was over, Saibara came to me and said I was incomplete and handed me the hat. Pretty stupid huh?”
I shook my head rapidly. “No,” I answered, putting a confused look on his face. When I noticed exactly how rash I sounded, I began to blush, explaining my answer. “Well, it’s just, that…well… personally; I’ve always seen you with the hat on. Matter of fact, three days ago was the first time I saw you without it.” It was then that the confusion on his face went away with a small sense of understanding. But I still continued.
“I mean, its become part of the way people see you. If someone was to see you without that hat, as I had before, it could take a while to realize exactly who it is. So, its just without that hat, you just don’t seem like… you…”
Gray nodded as he processed the info in his head. When I finished, he seemed to laugh in understanding. “Ha. I never saw it that way, but you know, it makes sense.” He smiled, not even trying to hide it as he said it.
Suddenly, two little black heads came up and tugged on my shirt. A face of confusion settled onto the blacksmith’s face as he noticed the little kids. May and Stu had become very good at finding me when I seemed hidden from their sights. It was almost as if they developed a ‘Mary Detector’.
Abruptly, May put her hands on her hips. “It doesn’t take anyone that long to use the potty,” she declared. For a second I had forgotten about them. But that thought was sent back on by Stu shoving a book into my face.
Sighing, I pulled the books out of his hands, and smiled a friendly smile. “Of course, I’m sorry. I needed to give Gray something, and we got lost talking. I’m sorry…” A smile formed on May’s face as she let out a small forgiving phrase. “I’ll see you later, Gray.”
“Yeah, see ya,” he said, smiling as I left.
As we got a few feet away, May looked at me shyly, and said a sweet sentence, just loud enough for Gray and the other elders to hear:
“You didn’t really have to go potty did you?”
**********************************************************************
So, howd ya like it? I had to add May in there, and remeber all popuri fans that read this, - this is a re-write! From my first fan fic a LONG time ago, like over 4 years ago- back when i hated popuri, so i couldn't change the format of the story.... BTW, now i am no longer anti popuri, yet not pro popuri.... idk, so yeah. DOn't write comments about why everyone hates popuri.... b/c this was a long time ago.
But yeah, chappie 3 comming soon!!!
|
