Ku began her flight across the sky, eventually reaching the familiar crack on the side of a mountain, with a huge nest laying in the center of it. It looks like it hasn't been touched in months, with the tiny bits of dust and leaves on it. It was a far cry from the home she grew up in, but it was still a home to her. It was her family's home. Her true family.
Even though she was still an egg, she remembers hearing her mother care for her and her other children. But, she also remembered... that day, as clear as the sky they traveled across.
M...Mom? M-Mom, where are you? A light voice played in her head, small and shy, afraid of something.
She remembered how she felt an overwhelming source of magical energy circulate around her egg, towards the voices in the background. She began to tear up slightly.
It's ok guys... it's ok. The light can't hurt you if you don't see it. Another voice played in her head, more mature, but still scared of something.
She didn't even remember their appearances. All she heard were their voices, and their cries of pain as well. She fell into the nest, and started weeping softly.
No! NO!! Why... Why did this...? *growl* SEIN!!! *screech* A loud, feminine voice screeched in her head, angry at someone or something.
Her mother was enraged by the death of their children, so she went after the Spirit Tree, and Sein as well. Little did she care about all the lives she ruined in that one act. It traumatized the orphaned girl to hear those cries. It didn't make things worse when a few days later, she started to feel an unusual warmth around her egg.
She had no one protecting her. No mother, no siblings, no light at the end of this tunnel. There was nothing stopping the fire from engulfing the egg, and Ku along with it. The fire started to singe her left wing, leaving it permanently damaged. Right as the fire began to toast her whole, she felt an overwhelming mass of light blast all throughout the land. The burning stopped, but the damage was already done, and she fell unconscious inside the egg.
"Mom..." she cried. "Why... why did you have to do that?" She continued to mourn for her mother and siblings, as she never got the opportunity to do so before. She didn't even see them once, but they were still her family, and she lost them.
She let her emotions out, right there and then, to hopefully finally be rid of the guilt that was crushing her on the inside.
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The twinkling night sky came over the land, the flowers blooming throughout the land. Naru and Gumo were outside their home in the cave, watching the Moki play at night. They shared themselves a dinner together, and recollected the events that happened the past few days.
"It's been really... interesting these past few days." Gumo said.
"Yeah, but that's a good thing. Ori came back to us, Ku has never been so happy, and the Glades became more lively than ever." Naru replied, looking at the stars.
"Yeah... I just hope they're both doing alright over in Nibel."
"I'm sure they'll be fine. Sure, it's a little less safe than Niwen, but Ku remembers the area pretty well, and Ori's good at protecting her if the need arises. They'll be alright in Nibel."
"Weren't you the one freaking out a few hours ago, going on and on about how you were so worried for your babies?"
"N-No, that wasn't me." Naru replied, embarrassed.
Gumo chuckled. "It's ok to be nervous. That just shows how much we care about them. And it's like you said, they're safe, and they'll be back in our arms in no time."
"Yeah... you're right."
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Ori was the first to arrive at their old home, so he took a small seat in the nest that was his. The sun was setting, coloring the sky in a beautiful orange tint. It was so enchanting on his soul. Maybe that's why everything felt so magical to him before, because he wasn't meant to be in this sort of environment. Wherever he came from, there was no way it was this enchanting and beautiful, right?
Ku eventually arrived home later in the night, and talked with Ori for a bit about what they did. Ori explained that he met with Sein, and discussed his past. Ori said that Sein didn't really have an answer to his question, but he would try something tomorrow and see if it would work. He had to lie to Ku. He didn't dare mention what actually happened at the Spirit Tree. Luckily, Ku didn't know he was lying, or so he hoped.
The night was still young, but the children felt very exhausted after today's events. Both of them decided that they should relax for a bit. So, they picked a nice patch of grass near their home, and laid down on their backs, gazing up at the stars. Ori took a few deep breaths, and watched the immense starfield twinkle in front of them. It looked so majestic, it almost looked fake.
"Have you ever thought about the stars, Ori?"
Ori turned his head towards Ku. "What about them?"
"Well, there is something I remember Mom telling me a while ago, about something her father told her when she was young." Ku turned her head towards Ori. "Mom told me that the stars, if you look at them just right, are able to see pictures. But, she's never seen any kind of picture up there, and neither have I. So, what exactly are these pictures, and how do we find them?"
Ori thought for a moment. What were the pictures in the sky? How do we fi- He figures it out."Well, that's the thing Ku. You don't have to find the pictures in the stars."
"Then, what do you do?" Ku asked.
Ori turned over to his side and smiled at her. "You make the pictures in the stars."
"*gasp* Really?! But, how do you do that?"
"Well..." Ori got a little closer to Ku and pointed up towards the sky. "It all comes down to imagination. No matter what two stars you look at, you can always draw a line in between them. So, if you combine many of those lines, using the stars as edges of the lines, they form a big picture once it's complete."
"So, just see the lines in the sky, and form pictures out of them."
"Yeah, and I think I see one right now." Ku gasped in anticipation, wanting to see exactly what Ori found. Ori laughed, and held up his hand towards the stars. He pointed at a single star, and began drawing a picture with it, moving the line a little to the right, then a bit down and to the right, then down, right, right again, and up.
"Huh, it kinda looks like a spoon."
"Well actually, some people name these pictures. For instance, that would be-"
He caught himself on the words he was about to say. 'For instance, that would be called "The Big Dipper."' How did he know that name? How did he know any of this? That seemed like a very vague piece of trivia, not to mention being almost impossible to find in the beauty and immense quantity of the lights that is the starry night sky. Why did he know about this at all? Maybe, that was an actual part of his past, something he learned a long time ago? Was his true memories and knowledge coming back to him? He hoped so.
"It would be... hmm... The Great Spoon!" Ku said, joyfully. Ori began laughing at her ridiculous name for the constellation, and Ku turned to him in irritation. "Hey! What's so funny?"
"Sorry. Heh. It's just... that's a really dumb name for the picture. Very simple and bland."
"Well then you come up with a better one!"
"Hmm..." Ori thought about what he should name the already named constellation. He could just say it's official name, and Ku would never know about it, but he felt doing that was kinda cheating, so he decided to give it a unique name. "Hmm... how about... The Mighty Shovel!" Ori said as if it was a superhero. The Mighty Shovel...? Wow, great name, kid. You really beat Ku there with your incredible naming conventions. Soooooo original...
"The Mighty Shovel... I like it! Very courageous, and intimidating. Like a weapon of grand proportions." Ku replied to his dumb naming convention.
"Why thank you, Ku!" Ori said, wrapping his arm around Ku for a hug.
Was it wrong what he was doing? Taking advantage of his fake identity for his own happiness? Showing affection to someone he shouldn't? Blatantly, yes, but he also felt like he had to. If he didn't, it'd become easier and easier to understand that something's up. He wasn't sure how long he would have to keep this a secret, but he had to do it, for the sake of Ori and his family, not for himself.
No matter what, he'll bring Ori back. He'll pay whatever cost is necessary to give him his happiness back. Although, one can wonder what Ori is experiencing. Is Ori mad at him? Does he even know another soul is in his body? He hopes not, but he had to fix this as soon as possible. For their sake.
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"..."
...
Seir?
"Hmm?" He heard an unknown voice inside his head, one deep and stern.
What have you messed with?
"Messed with...? What are you talking about?"
Our child seems to have been taken over by another being... one not of this world. What have you done?
"Umm... I don't know what you're talking about."
*sigh* We will talk again soon, Seir. And by then, you better have an explanation for your actions.
...
"That was... odd..."
...
"I gave him his life back, and this is how he repays me? *sigh* Well, I hope he can do what he needs there. If Ori is fine, surely he will be fine too."
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There is a difference between telling a lie... and living one...
Let me know your thoughts!