Anima, Ch.11: Growing Bonds

[Anima, Ch.11: Growing Bonds]
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--01-- [Scene: none]
Time passed. Days became weeks, then months.
I spent time with Devin and Vivian just about every day, and got to know some of their friends as well.
I kept focused on my magic studies, and I even tried to teach them a few things.


--02-- [Scene: Dunbarton] <BGM: The Foundation of Alchemy>
"OK, on three," Vivian said. "One, two, three!"
I cast a Lightning Bolt spell at the same as Devin cast an Icebolt.
The two spells combined into one, then split again between our different wands.


--03-- <BGM: The Foundation of Alchemy>
"Ooh, it worked," Vivian exclaimed. "Now what?"
"Now we need to go use this on something," I said.
"No shortage of wolves around town these days," Devin said. "Let's go thin the pack."


--04-- [Scene: none]
They tried to return the favor and help with some of my own shortcomings, too,
particularly in the aspects of physical combat.
I think I'm still better at archery. Well, better at aiming, anyway.


--05-- [Scene: Tir Chonaill] <BGM: A Credible Roadsign>
Vivian and I watched Devin aim his bow at the archery target, and let loose a shot.
It hits well left of a bulls-eye.|He looked back at our disapproving glares.


--06-- <BGM: A Credible Roadsign>
"Oh, like you can do better?" he fumed.
"Maybe I can. Let me have a shot at it," I asked.
He hands me his bow and arrows and steps aside, inviting me to take a shot as well.
"Let's see," he said.

--07-- <BGM: A Credible Roadsign> {SFX: pow}
I readied not one but two arrows onto the bow, aimed carefully...and fired.
The two arrows hit a mere half-inch above and below Devin's own arrow.
I'd missed the bulls-eye too, but hit my target.


08-- <BGM: A Credible Roadsign>
"Huh. I guess not," I said with a wink and a mischievous smile.

Vivian doubled over laughing when she realized what I'd done.
Devin's jaw dropped when he figured it out himself.

--09-- [Scene: none]
We delved into the local dungeons now and then, more so when our instructors tasked us to find|missing pages for old books to learn new skills. We got lost a lot more than we want to admit to.



--10-- [Scene: Fiodh Dungeon] <BGM: Deep Forest>
"We've been down this path five times already," Vivian grumbled.
"I thought these dungeons weren't supposed to loop around like this?" I asked.



--11-- <BGM: Deep Forest>
"Um...new plan, pick a wall and follow it?" Devin said.
"Wall? What wall?! We're outside!" Vivian replied.

"Next time we come here, I'm drawing a map," I muttered.

--12-- [Scene: none]
I even tried to get them to take a liking to fishing, although...the fish didn't make
a good first impression. Oh, well. I still find it enjoyable, even if they don't.



--13-- [Scene: Emain Macha] <BGM: Reflected Scenery on Water>
The three of us sat by the lakeshore, fishing lines cast out into the lake.
"I still don't see how you find this fun," Vivian said.
"Well, it's not so much...fun," I said, "as it is...meditative?"


--14-- <BGM: Reflected Scenery on Water>
"It's, um...part calming, part anticipation. You never know when something's going to bite,
and in the meanwhile you just sit back and relax." I shrugged.
I...can't really explain it.


--15-- <BGM: Reflected Scenery on Water>
Vivian's line suddenly tugs against the pole. Something big's taken the bait.
"Ack! I think you jinxed it!" she cried, immediately tugging back to try and pull it in.
Something very big.


--16-- <BGM: Reflected Scenery on Water> {SFX: plop}
Whatever she's hooked...is much stronger than she anticipated.
Indeed, it pulled *her* forward, and off-balance.
She lost her grip on the pole and fell forward into the waist-deep water.


--17-- <BGM: Reflected Scenery on Water>
She resurfaced, completely soaked, and glared up at us.
"Sis, you're supposed to catch the fish, not let it catch you," Devin said, extending a hand to her.



--18-- <BGM: Reflected Scenery on Water> {SFX: plop}
She took his hand, pulled hard, and sent him tumbling forward into the water too.
"Hey! I was trying to help!" he shouted, after surfacing and spitting out a mouthful of water.



--19-- <BGM: Reflected Scenery on Water>
I sighed, putting a palm to my forehead and shaking my head.

I doubt they'll be doing this again anytime soon.


--20-- [Scene: none]
Some days we just sit back and relax. I don't think the siblings have any plans for their future;
they're just taking things as they come and making the best of it.



--21-- [Scene: Dunbarton] <BGM: A Leisure>
I put down the book I'd just finished reading, stood up from the steps, yawned, and stretched.
"You remind me of a cat when you do that," Devin said. "You've got the eyes and ears to match, too."



--22-- <BGM: A Leisure>
"Don't be disappointed if I won't sit in your lap and purr, though," I said, with a mocking smile.
"Not today, anyway. Isn't it about time for the concert in Emain Macha?" I asked.



--23-- <BGM: A Leisure>
"Yeah. Vivian's already there, she's saving us seats."
"Well, let's not keep her waiting long, then," I said. "Shall we?"
I picked up my book, put it away, and together we walked to the Moongate.


--24-- [Scene: none]
We're not together all the time, though. I spend most of my alone-time in the library,
reading whatever books catch my eye, and I'm still practicing my magic. I have some new spells too.



--25-- [Scene: Dugald Aisle] <BGM: Scene 06>
I glared at the group of bears up the road from me. They got me before, but today, *I* am the hunter.
This spell takes me half a minute to cast. Just don't notice me here for a little longer...



--26-- <BGM: Scene 06>
A huge mass of flames grows around my new Fire Wand. Finally, it's ready.
I launch the Fireball in an arc at the giant bear in the middle of the pack, with a grim smile on my face.



--27-- <BGM: Scene 07> {SFX: huge explosion}
A massive explosion engulfed the bears as the Fireball landed among them.
The shockwave from the explosion almost knocked me over.
The ground was scorched; fire lingered after the blast dissipated.


--28-- <BGM: Scene 07>
I stood triumphantly in the middle of the road, with vehement satisfaction on my face.
Revenge is mine!
In among the flames lay several still-burning bear carcasses.
They'll trouble no one else.

--29-- <BGM: Scene 07>
The fire was still spreading through the grass along the sides of the road.
Maybe...that went a little too far. I didn't think this through enough.
I hope it rains soon, or this might be a problem...


--30-- [Scene: none]
The issue of my...amnesia comes up from time to time.
Devin and Vivian seem sympathetic to my plight, but don't know what to do about it.
Or how to relate to it.


--31--
While they're also Milletians from another world, they *do* remember their past,
and I get the impression that they don't *want* to remember it.

They came here to escape it.

--32-- [Scene: Tir Chonail] <BGM: Twilight Memories>
"My old life?" Vivian replied, as she folded a paper crane and threw it into the pile between us.
We'd amassed several dozen in the past hour.
"There's some things, some people, I regret leaving..."


--33-- <BGM: Twilight Memories>
"...but it was way more bad than good," she added.

"At least you know why you're here," I said, tossing a crane into the pile. "I've got nothing but vague feelings
and a gift for burning things."

--34-- <BGM: Twilight Memories>
"But you? You have an identity, a history, a family, and a lifetime of experiences to look back on.
Would you really want to lose all of that to get rid of a few bad memories?"



--35-- <BGM: Twilight Memories>
Vivian sighed, folding another paper. "Well, if it's all-or-nothing...no, I guess not."
A minute passed in silence.
"At the rate we're going, it's gonna take us days to make a thousand of these."


--36-- <BGM: Twilight Memories>
I set my handicraft kit aside. "This doesn't seem like such a good idea anymore.
Besides, it's not like I can just wish for my memories back. Nothing's ever that simple."



--37-- [Scene: none]
After all these months, I'm beginning to feel more like a complete person,
with my own thoughts, feelings, likes, and dislikes. Maybe even a sense of purpose.

But my old memories are still gone.

--38-- <BGM: That Beautiful Day>
How much of me is 'me?' My life now was built on the rubble of a forgotten past life.
Where does me-that-was stop, and me-that-is start?
I can't tell. Does it even matter anymore? Perhaps not.


--39-- [Scene: Sen Mag] <BGM: That Beautiful Day>
There remains the troubling issue of the increasingly hostile wildlife.
Bears and wolves are now coming right into Erinn's towns, attacking people in broad daylight, and not out of hunger.



--40-- [Scene: Sidhe Sneachda] <BGM: That Beautiful Day>
Milletians have stopped the savage beasts from killing anyone, but the attacks are only growing worse.
The land is crying out for a hero to restore peace...yet nobody is answering the call.

Why?

[chapter end]