Re: Reaching Salvation: Post-Acer Part 1

[Big Uri]

"Go away," Luke replied, not recognising the voice.

[Book the Hero]

Joey paused, sensing a powerful Flow, similar to how powerful his and Nathan's were.

Joey...I recognise this Flow...it's Tom's.

Joey stood there for a second, before telling Gabe he would be back in an hour, before rushing back to the village.

[Stabberz]

Nathan frowned and made a slashing motion with his hands. Darkness ripples appeared from nowhere and ripped the bushes to shreds, missing Luke but removing his cover.

"If you don't remember my voice, do you remember the flow?"

[Big Uri]

Luke glared, making the sign of the cross with two fingers at Nathan.

"Begone hallucination!" he called warily.

[Book the Hero]

Joey ran over the hill, seeing the young man he had sensed earlier. "Hey Tom!"

[quackers are yummylicious]

Kira hesitantly stepped closer to the bushes. "L-Luke...pl-pl-please...?" she asked, raising her voice's volume a little. Maybe he couldn't hear her...maybe he just didn't want to see either of them. She squeaked when Nathan slashed at the bushes. "D-Don't hurt him!" she cried out.

---

Heidi finally made it into the village, seeing Ade at the gates. "Can you tell whose it is? How close is it?" she asked, relieved that she wasn't the only one.

[Big Uri]

Tom waved in Joey's general direction.

"So I did get the right place. Huh."

[Stabberz]

"I'm not going to." Nathan responded to Kira before glancing at Luke and frowning.

"He thinks we're a Hallucination."

[Book the Hero]

"Yeah..." Joey said, walking up to him. "Heidi's been worrying bout you, just thought I'd warn before she starts trying to beat the crap out of us."

[quackers are yummylicious]

Kira bit her lip, looking back at Luke. "W-We're r-r-real...o-okay...?" she mumbled, a little upset that her teammate didn't even believe in them- literally- anymore.

[Shadoe Mayari]

Adeline shrugged. "It's Tom," she said.

[Big Uri]

Luke frowned. He'd had plenty of team-mate hallucinations before.

"That's exactly what a hallucination would say," he replied, retreating slightly into the bushes.

--------

Tom nodded his thanks at Joey, feeling a little bad about Heidi.

"Thanks for the update, I appreciate it," he replied, continuing along towards the village gates.

[quackers are yummylicious]

Heidi choked a little at Ade's reply. "Wh-What? But Nathan just said that Tombo was working for him! Does that mean he's gonna be hostile when he gets here? Oh...dammit..."

The bushes reached up and grabbed Luke, keeping him in one place. Kira sighed, giving Nathan a questioning look. "Wh-What d-d-do w-we d-do...?"

[Rose Hathaway]

"No, I say that to everyone." Christina said. "Not that anyone really cares."

[Big Uri]

Luke frowned.

"Besides, why would my good team-mate be working with my bad one? Really, like I'd believe that. Must be really losin' it," he replied, a little upset by what he believed to be a vision.

------

Tom continued up to the gate, trying to recognise the Flows, but it had been too long, and he hadn't kept track of what people's Flows felt like.

"Howdy," he called cautiously.

[quackers are yummylicious]

"I can be your friend if you want..." Elena frowned, sitting down next to the girl. "My name's Elena. I'm sure Simon'll be friends with you, too!"

---

"B-Because N-N-Nathan s-said w-we'd f-find y-you...a-and I-I-I..." Kira trailed off, almost wishing that she hadn't agreed in the first place.

---

Heidi watched Tom suspiciously, biting her lip. "Nathan didn't send you here to attack us, did he...?" she asked slowly, really hoping he said no.

[Big Uri]

Tom smiled sadly.

"Nathan doesn't send me to attack anyone. I'd tell him where to go," the blind boy replied.

------

Luke kept frowning, choosing not to reply. Kira was smarter than him. She would know not to believe Nathan at this stage.

[Stabberz]

"Things have changed Luke, I've grown up." Nathan responded. He then turned to Kira and sighed. "He used to be in love with you, you're the only one who can sort it out."

[quackers are yummylicious]

Heidi's face broke out in a smile, before she tackled her old friend in a hug. "Where've 'y been, Tombo? I thought you hated Shima."

---

Kira started pulling at her jacket, blinking back tears. Why was he so caught up on them being illusions? Didn't he want to see them again? "B-B-But...I-I-I...how...?"

[Big Uri]

"Ohoho, that's where you're wrong! I've had this one before!" Luke called. "'Sides, everyone knows at this stage that trusting you is a fast track to a lot of pain. And Kira's smarter than I am, she'd definitely get that."

------

Tom frowned.

"That day of the tournament... When Shima attacked. I went up against Nathan and Eithne on my own. They were too strong to be let loose on everyone else, especially since Eithne turned adult. I was doing pretty well, but in the process of the fight, someone let off the trigger that Shima left in my head. 'Open your eyes, Tom', that was the phrase. I mean, it had to be Nathan, and I don't remember it too clearly, but I have a weird idea that it was Eithne. Must be my imaginnation. Anyway, Shima took over, and I've been trying to regain control ever since."

[Stabberz]

"I don't know..."Nathan responded with a shrug. "Hug him, prove to him your real?"

[quackers are yummylicious]

Kira nodded, hesitantly stepping closer to Luke. If he didn't think she was real, he wouldn't have a problem with attacking her. She carefully touched Luke's arm, a little afraid of him trying to hurt her.

[Stabberz]

Nathan tensed as he watched intensely. If Luke made one move to hurt Kira then he'd feel the repercussions.

[Big Uri]

"Hey! Don't come-!" The rest of Luke's sentence was cut off when Kira touched his arm. He suddenly realised they were real.

"...Kira?" he replied, his expression becoming much softer, before eyeing Nathan with an expression somewhere between terror and hatred.

[Rose Hathaway]

"I'm Christina. I'm new in town, even though I don't think I'll be staying very long. Your leaders don't like me all that much." she shrugged.

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