This post is Sebby's point of view, parallel to "Dream Stasis."
(Also I wrote the whole thing on my phone so please pardon any terribly obvious mistakes xD )
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"Those dots are people ready to find the truth....Is that what you want too?"
Aerith's piercing gaze bore into my skull before she finally accepted my words with a nod.
"Good," I let a short breath I'd been holding in escape through my nose in relief. She let me shake her hand. "C'mon, there's a plane you need to catch." I was anxious to get going again, but she tugged me back with her hand still in mine.
"What about Yeye and the temple? I promised I would bring good luck as their guardian. Only Yeye knows what I truly am." I glanced back the way the rickety elder had gone, chanting ancient tongues all the while.
I thought about how to reply for a moment. "Then he is a wise man, but you're no fortune cat. If you want answers, then you'll head for Virginia and a car will take you to the club house."
"Okay, let me say goodbye at least." I let go of her hand and returned my own to the soft pockets of my hoodie. I'll probably be here for another hour, at least... I thought impatiently, though I was careful not to let it show.
Then Aerith seemed to realize something I didn't. Her eyes were wide and her expression intense. I was rather confused before I realized my ears were ringing. The monk had ceased his chanting, and the temple grounds were immersed in utter silence.
The following footfall seemed deafening by comparison, though it was only the sound of shoes scuffing stone. We both whipped around to see a man standing in front of our only exit. My fists clenched in response.
"It appears your luck has just run out." he called, a chipper tone to his voice. As he came further forward, I realized with dread that 1.) He was wearing a labcoat, and, 2.) He wasn't alone. Two similarly clad men stepped out from behind him (Wow, popular guy), their ebony coat tails flapping in the crisp air. I lowered my chin slightly to glare at them in what I hoped was an intimidating fashion. Xeno. Labs... finally decided to pay me a visit?
"Why are you here?" Aerith called, though I detected a familiar waver of fear in her voice. I glanced back at her, instantly reminded of the way Karin sounds when she's trying to be brave. She must be so scared right now.
"Hmm, well," the guy pretended to think about it, his lips jutting to the side in an exaggerated pout. "Because one of you knows too much, and the other one's a huge pain in the *ss." I grinned.
"I'll take that as a compliment," I called slyly, watching the guy's expression morph from amused to p*ssed.
Aerith and I were saved from a cheesy cliche retort, because at that moment they silently charged.
As I dodged, I tried to figure out what their weapon of choice was. I didn't see a blade or a barrel...only something shaped roughly like a police baton. By the time I realized what it was, the tip of one exploded in an electric ball of blue. Tazers? You've got to be kidding me.
I punched aside one minion's arm and twisted it up his back with my other hand. The tazer dropped from his palm, and crackled angrily as it hit the temple grounds. I quickly sank my fangs into the nape of his neck.
Promise me you won't kill anyone if you can help it, okay...? Karin's sweet voice rang in my memory. Can you promise me that? If you can't, I understand... I remember how timidly she pleaded, her arms wrapped around my neck in a tight goodbye hug. Man, how long has it been since I saw her last? Two months? Three?
I released my hold on the lackey and let him fall on his face, unconscious.
Meanwhile, Aerith was busy weaving away from viscious swipes of pure voltage. Two guys against one girl? You all make me sick. I wiped a stray trickle of blood from my chin, struggling to quell my rising temper.
And there she was on the dragon statue again, using her stealth to her advantage. The labcoats swung their tazers at her toes as they attempted to advance up the stone. Then before I could help, one of the men leapt and his stick made contact with her calf.
Aerith let out an awful scream as lightning enveloped her body. I tackled the man electrocuting her, ending his attack abruptly. Unfortunately, the shock had taken its toll on her body. She tumbled off the guardian statue and landed with a sickening crunch. Dammit...
I swung my fist into the second man's jawline, and the force of it knocked his head into the statue. I guess it's a lucky dragon after all. I thought with a smirk. He fell slowly to the ground, his consciousness fading. I took the oppurtunity to grab his tazer and use it on the man who had attacked Aerith, who was currently scrambling to his feet.
"It appears your luck has just run out," I mocked, pulling the trigger and watching as he convulsed in a veil of electricity.
I dropped the tazer. "Aerith?" I ran around the statue and found her coiled up on the ground, her chest heaving ever so subtly. Thank God,at least she's breathing...
I peeked back around the corner at the three unconscious men sprawled out across the sacred grounds. Without really thinking, I started rummaging through the nearest one's pockets, not quite sure what I was searching for. A clue? I didn't even know. It just seemed like something Akira would've wanted me to do.
I was just about to give up when I pulled a plain white business card from his wallet. There was nothing special about it, only the initials in the corner caught my eye. X.L.
I stuffed the card into my hoodie and jogged back over to Aerith. As I scooped her into my arms, she began to stir.
"Please-don't-freak-out," she looked up at me with wide, confused eyes. "I'm sorry, but you won't get to say goodbye like you'd hoped." She seemed to understand me and didn't protest as I carried her out of the temple.
As much as I missed Karin and Akira back in Virginia, I realized that I actually didn't mind being the stupid errand-boy. I mean, how many lives had I changed for the better so far? Call me cheesy, but... I feel like some kind of super hero! Y'know?
Yeah...I could keep this up for a little while longer.
