Adventure of .. and .. Part 12

Part 12

Dismal: "Are we there yet...?"
Dusk: "We're close...very close to Shadow...." ...Our heroes have become separated from one another and are now lost...in the center of Blacklight Lake...in a forest that has not seen the light of day for an eternity....

✿ Meanwhile, somewhere in the dark forest....

Lying comfortably and coated in warm fabric, the gentle breeze touches her face as blades of grass sway to and fro. The rich scent of earth along with the aroma of flowers rouses her sense of smell. Akimei slowly opens her eyes but she sees nothing. This forest is without any kind of light. No sunlight. No starlight. No moonlight. She feels the woolen cloth wrapped around her.
Akimei: "...Where am I...?" She goes to sit upright but her injuries make it painful.
???: "You are awake."
Akimei: "...W-who...who's there?!"
???: "It's okay; I'm not going to hurt you."
Akimei: "I can't see you...." Her eyes search the dark for this figure.
???: "Let me come to you then." He swiftly moves...! The figure glides across the lush grass with ease. He comes next to Akimei. She feels his presence. .... "Don't be afraid." He sits cross-legged on the ground, puts a gentle arm against her back for support, and holds her hand delicately.
Akimei: "..Thank you. ...Um,...where am I??"
???: "We're in the deepest part of the forest at the center of Blacklight Lake."
Akimei: "...Black...Blacklight Lake...?"
???: "That's right. I found you here at the shallow end of the Sapling's pool. Your clothes were rather soaked so I got you something warm to wear while they dry out."
Akimei: "..Uh thank you." Her clothes felt damp on her skin but the blanket wrapped round her kept her warm. ... "..Here." Akimei offers it back to him...thinking that he needs it more than she.
???: "No. No, please, don't worry; keep it. I'm a-OK." He gently bundles the blanket round her a bit more. "It's quite cold here with there being no sunlight."
Akimei: "..It's not too cold though." She says despite being unaware that her hand is cold to the touch. Slightly holding that same said hand of hers, he can feel that it is indeed chilled.
???: "Yeah, it's just a little chilly." He smiles. "Do you remember how you got here?"
Akimei: "...." Her memory is hazy. "...I-I...I remember a flash of light.... Red eyes...? Black wings...carrying me...hurting me...?! ...And then...! ...The pain.... And...falling...? ...Falling into darkness.... ...."
???: "What happened to you? You're really battered and bruised."
Akimei: "I don't know. ..I-..I-I can't quite...remember...."
???: "Well, you're safe now."
Akimei: "But why do I feel so lost...?" She hangs her head down.... The pendant round her neck dangles freely....
???: "Don't worry. You're going to be okay. I promise." Such a warmhearted smile he has. Akimei begins to feel better,...not physically though, but she smiles a bit. She raises up her head.
Akimei: "..Thank you...." Akimei feels happy tears fill her eyes. 'I wish I could see you,...but it is just so dark....'
............A blink of light gleams from the necklace...! ..........
...Everything becomes bleached in white light!! ...Everything turns black again! The dark and bleak sky above starts to fade.... Sunlight breaks through the clouds...! The darkness dwindles away as the sun brightens in the sky. ...There it is. The midday sun in a beautiful slightly cloudy sky that was just a minute ago sunless. Their eyes have finally seen the true light. The two of them see everything clearly for the first time. Eye to eye on the grassy and leafy forest floor near a pool of sparkling blue water, the two meet each other at last.
???: "Did...did you do that...? The sun. The sun...! How? ...Who are you?"
Akimei: "..M-My necklace...? ..It must've changed the weather...because of my feelings..! And my name is Akimei." It was all suddenly coming back to her; she remembers!
???: "Did-...did-...did you say your name is Akimei...?! ...Is it really...you...?!"
Akimei: "Yes, yes Akimei is my name. ...Is there something wrong?"
???: "...I-..I thought I would never see you again." He gazes at Akimei with a sentimental smile and tears in his yellow eyes.
Akimei: "...What? Never see me...? Do I know you??"
???: "Don't you remember? My name is Vyrl. It's me."
Akimei: "Vyrl...?" .... "Sounds familiar, but honestly I can't quite remember. ..I'm sorry...."
Vyrl: "It's okay. I promise you everything is going to be all right. I am just so happy to see that you are safe and well. Oh it's so good to see you~."
Akimei: "I'm really happy that you found me. Thank you Vyrl~." He smiles at her.
Vyrl: "I bet you're hungry."
Akimei: "Oh gosh, I can't remember the last time I ate either." Vyrl and Akimei laugh together as the sun shines upon them on the forest floor.

Somewhere else in the forest....

❁ Shadow: "Do you know where we're going?"
Ember: "...Yeeeeeeeaaaaaaahhh...no."
Shadow: "All right then...." Shadow stops running.
Ember: "What?" And Ember also stops running as well.
Shadow: "Well, the person I think we're closest to...should be...a boy with a white T-shirt, a black jacket, blue jeans, and black shoes. ..And probably looks like someone beat him up maybe."
Ember: "Oh, my gosh! Your friend is hurt?"
Shadow: "I'm not sure,...but while we were fighting someone--this annoying Bat guy,...he, he had a hold of Bat, then he wanted us to run, so we'd be safe, but somehow, Bat got away from him."
Ember: "Well, what's his name?"
Shadow: "Drew."
Ember: "All right. Now let's go!" They then continue their search for Drew.

Somewhere ELSE in the forest....

Dusk: "...Ugh...I'm getting tired. ...Are we there yet, Dismal?"
Dismal: "Quit your whining! Just think of something else to get your boredom off your mind...."
Dusk: "...Sheesh, fine."

✿ Dusk and Dismal continue to wander through the pitch black forest as they search for the rest of the group.

Meanwhile in a different part of the dark forest....

...Drew scuttles and stumbles on the forest floor as he urgently looks for the others.
Drew: "Where are you?!! Shadow!! Hey! Akimei!!" He shouts loudly! The forest answers back with its eerie silence.... Drew walks with a limp leg. He got hurt. While he was fending off Bat, Drew was caught off guard and Bat sent him slamming into a tree. After that he could do nothing and so Bat got away. Drew can only hope that Shadow, Akimei, Dusk, and Dismal all are safe and that they all got away from Bat. He could only hope....
Drew: "Hello!! Can anybody hear me?!!! Dusk!! Dismal!!" He yells!! Again there is the eerie silence.... Drew hobbles on across the ground. His leg muscles throb with pain on every step he takes.
Drew: "Please!!!! Can anybody hear me?!!" He takes a faltered step forward,.......
.......and then light...!! There is...there is light...! Drew can see...everything! He rubs his eyes in disbelief. Drew looks again,...and finds it to be real.  He gazes upward to the sun and then looks back.  A curtain of dark nothingness shrouds the forest behind him. ... The sunlight was slowly making its way further and reaching out into the forest beyond...little by little, banishing the darkness that has been here nearly forever.

Meanwhile, back with Akimei and Vyrl....

Vyrl's leaf whistle fills the air with its enchanting melody. Akimei lays in a bed of soft grass. That light in the sky shines bright warmth all the way down to the forest floor. As she rests in the light of day and the harmony of life, her bruised body sleeps peacefully while her eyes are awake. She looks up toward the sky and watches the clouds go by.
Akimei: "...It's so beautiful...!" Vyrl slowly brings the green blade away from his lips and jumps down from the tree. He walks over to her.
Vyrl: "Yeah." He says softly and smiles at her. "...Um, here I got some berries for you. They are natural healers, so if you eat some you will begin to feel better." He sits down beside Akimei. "Here, try one." Vyrl feeds her a berry. Akimei chews the soft, bitter-sweet, blue berry.
Akimei: "...Thank you. ...Oh,...the pain...my legs and shoulder don't hurt..as much."
Vyrl: "What did I tell you. Here, eat some more." And so she does. .... Afterwards, Vyrl and Akimei both lay back and watch the clouds roll by above. Side by side and a smile on both their faces. As Vyrl and Akimei lay on the grass watching the clouds roll by while the sun shines brightly, the grass sways to and fro, and the crunching leaves on the trees can be faintly heard, in the peaceful forest.

To be continued....