Yasuo
"...'The
air was so warm and sweet, it made my heart fill with happiness
and laughter. Just as she did'..."
What
is going on? Who is that man? ... "Hello, Sir?"...I was
standing in a meadow that I could only describe as something
found in a dream. But this was too real to be any dream! Looking
into the sky not a cloud could be found. Just as the fellow
setting upon the large rock with pen and paper had said, the air
was indeed warm, and there was a sweet scent on the breeze of
which I could not place...
"...As
she did... no, that isn't right..."
A
vision of her... "As did she..."
"...As
did she! Yes! That's it!"
I
came out of my reverie as I realized what he had said.
"Excuse me, sir?" Why was this man being so rude? Could
he not hear me? He must for he had just repeated what I had
spoken! I reached down to touch his shoulder... My hand went
right through it! As if I were... a ghost!
"Are
you writing another poem? Oh do let me see!" A soft feminine
voice implored.
What
has happened to me? Wait... That voice... it sounds so familiar.
I looked up from my hands in disbelief and when I saw her stop in
before the man, I knew she was the one.
"Wake
up..."
She
had turned and spoke directly to me! "You can hear me!"
"Wake
up I said!"
She
blurred before my eyes, and like so many times before. I fell
into the darkness...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My
cheek stung and my eyes watered as I came awake and saw an odd
purple haired man looming over me. He weld a long stick and it
appeared that he had been poking me with it.
"Awake
you are!"
I sat
up slowly... only because for all my efforts I could not move any
faster, I knew in that instant I must've been drugged.
"Struggle
you didn't! In Nanza trouble you'll not make!"
"Please
sir. I assure you I'm not in Nanza to cause any trouble. I was
only passing through. Why have I been... imprisoned?" I
could barely utter the word. Sitting in this cell made my stomach
curl. I felt to confined; I needed to get out!
"Even
so. Free you not till drunken stupor does boss awaken from,"
my captor replied.
"Why
have I been put in this cell? I demand to know!"
"I
don't think you're in any position to be demanding anything,
friend." A baritone voice preceded the tall, tanned, warrior
I'd seen earlier. "So you'll know, I'm Kyle, the head honcho
around here." He came closer to the bars. "Escaping
prison and kidnapping - especially when it's a cute female - have
some pretty big penalties around here."
"Nonsense!
I haven't kidnapped anyone! Nor am I a criminal!" I
struggled to my feet and gripped the cold, metal bars.
"So
you say, but I think I'll take Hell Mel's word over yours any
day."
"Hell
Mel? I've never met that person in my life! This is making no
sense whatsoever! I was just passing through. As I told your
purple-haired employee over there, I'm not here to cause
trouble!" Was everyone I was to encounter here thickheaded!
"Listen,
you're staying here till some people from Meribia get here to
pick you up. Your problem is with them." And that was that,
Kyle whispered something to the purple-haired man, and left.
I sat
once more, propping some straw behind me. The adrenaline rush was
over and the effects of the drug I was sure that I was given sent
me into a peaceful slumber.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I
woke up exhausted. The bed I was laying on was so soft... Bed!
Forgetting my exhaustion I sat up to look at my new prison. Night
had arrived, yet I could see the room clearly enough lit by
moonlight. If this was a prison it was unlike any I'd ever seen.
The room was much like the one that I'd left Portia in back at
Althena's Shrine. I was lying on a canopied bed, and there were
tall windows on each wall with gossamer curtains swaying in the
light breeze.
I was
out of the bed in the next instant and moved to the nearest
window. All I saw before the door opened was a mountain range off
in the distance.
It
was she!
"I
see you've found your way back." She closed the door and
leaned against it.
"Found
my way back?"
She
giggled. "Oh don't play childish jests. We both know why
you're here."
The
breath caught in my throat. I suddenly couldn't bring myself to
say anything as she sauntered towards me. "I think there has
been some misunderstanding. Where am I?" This had to be a
dream! My mind seemed so clouded...
"Now,
now. Don't think playing innocent will fool me."
She
was now standing not more than an arm length away. She had the
thickest, beautiful golden hair... Her amazing crystallized,
lavender, gaze bore into mine.
"All
will be realized soon. So very soon... until then, rest. You
shall need it."
"But...
but where... am... I..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I
slowly became alert to the sound of hard voices.
"I
thought you said that you had captured him!"
"Hey
man, look, I was wrong okay? It was just some out of town
thief... from... Reza. His wife came to pick him up earlier...
yeah." I recognized the second voice as Kyle's. What was he
doing? I was sure that the other voice belonged to one the
Meribian guards here to sequester me.
"I'm
not buying your asinine story for one minute you filthy mugger!
Now I demand you take me to the fugitive at once!" This was
followed by a long pause. "What the hell are you
doing!"
"I'm
having you escorted to the door, sir." Kyle replied.
"And for your lily assed information, that's what I do.
Escort the nice people of Lunar through the long and dangerous
border. I don't mug people. Though for your sake you might want
to watch your back while around here, there's a lot of people who
have had many an unfortunate journey through these hills."
"You'll
hear from Lemia Ausa about this you swindler! Mark my words! This
isn't the last you've heard of me you dastardly, purse
cutter!" Kyle's only reply was a roaring laugh and a few
minutes later he appeared in front of my cell.
"A
lucky man you are, an acquaintance of yours is here. Fortunately,
the little playmate made it here to save your ass my
friend."
A
friend of mine? Portia. Damn! I should have known that she would
somehow find a way to seek me out! I was very ready to give her a
piece of my mind! I mumbled thanks to Kyle as I strode purposely
out of the room. She would be hiding a smug smile no doubt. Why
couldn't she do as I wished just once! She slowly turned as I
began, "Didn't I tell you to stay..."
"My
my, is that anyway to talk to a friend?"
For a moment I thought it was the girl, Luna, from Burg. This young woman could have been mistaken for her. As I looked at her I could have sworn I had seen her from somewhere before…
