Fan Fiction ❯ Illusia ❯ Terran - A Love Found 4 ( Chapter 34 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Serenitychan13 
Chapter 4: Question of Strength
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Suspense / Supernatural / Romance / Fantasy / Action / Angst / Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.24.2004 | Pages: 1 | Words: 798 | Visits: 152 | Status: Completed
Chapter 4: Question of Strength
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Suspense / Supernatural / Romance / Fantasy / Action / Angst / Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.24.2004 | Pages: 1 | Words: 798 | Visits: 152 | Status: Completed
Chapter 4
“--- And that’s how we ended up here,” said Illusia, concluding an obviously glossed-over but incredibly long narrative of exactly what had happened in the forests around Kea’ahno. The little pest snored loudly. Though she had edited out a few details, trying not to shock the ringtail, I saw that just thinking about it brought tears to her eyes. She looked away to hide her tears.
“Illusia?”
“Wh-what is it?” she asked, trying unsuccessfully to keep her voice from shaking.
“Are you alright?” I asked softly, taking one of her thin hands in both of mine. She tried to smile, but her eyes were still sad and full of tears.
“I’m fine,” she lied. “You really shouldn’t worry about me.”
“No you’re not… And I do worry about you.”
I was leaning forward to kiss her forehead when the pest interrupted.
“Eh? I’m awake,” said the pest, stretching and yawning. “So, uh, Princess, what were you sayin’? I guess I sorta just, eh, nodded off…”
Illusia said nothing. There were still tears in her big lavender eyes. She stared at me, her gaze pleading. I could hear her voice through our link. She sounded panicked.
“Terran, do something! I can’t tell it again… I know I’ll break down… And I know I can’t let the creatures I’m supposed to be protecting see how weak I really am. I can’t do this…”
‘Yes you can. And listen to me, crying doesn’t show weakness. It shows that you’re strong enough to acknowledge your emotions.’
Illusia smiled at me. I just continued to hold her hand, smiling back at her.
‘Now could you get this stinking pest off me?’
A sound I had never heard before startled me and broke our link temporarily. When I turned around to see what it was, I nearly fell out of the tree. Was there any way to be certain that this was real and not some kind of dream?
Illusia was laughing. I had seen her smile many times, but in most cases her eyes were still sad. Even in her thoughts, I had never heard her laugh. This had to be the real Illusia, not the depressed, expressionless shadow she had seemed to become after the incident with that vampire. With that kind of reaction I wondered if all he did was bite her and drain her energy.
Did he do anything else to her?
As her outright laughter toned down to soft giggles, the little grey pest hopped down off my head. Greatly relieved (both about Illusia laughing and the pest getting off me), I started laughing myself as the ringtail climbed onto Illusia’s shoulder. The little thing was just sitting there, scratching its head and looking very puzzled.
“Eh! I dunno what’s so funny.” it grumbled. It hopped up on her head and settled itself between the four buns. Still grumbling to itself, it curled its long ringed tail around itself, pouting.
Illusia was more relaxed than I had ever seen her. Even as I held her unconscious form in my arms, I could still feel her tension. Gently, I eased my arms around her, pulling her in close. The little grey pest turned away from me, hopping off Illusia’s head into her lap.
“Are you alright now?”
“I’m so scared,” she said softly. “And hurt…”
“What is it you’re scared of?”
“My whole life,” came her almost inaudible whisper. “Everything depends on me, and it’s terrifying. I just don’t know if I can be strong enough. And if it turns out I’m not… This world… and everything living in it… All of it will die… I can’t do this alone, I just can’t.”
“But you’re not alone. I know it must be terrifying, but you don’t have to face this by yourself…”
She shifted to look up at me, questions and fear obvious in her eyes. A soft kiss on her forehead earned me a small smile.
“You have me… I’ll always be here for you… So you don’t ever have to worry about being alone… You have enough power in you to take out any threat. You’re just having a hard time finding the strength to use it… So I’ll help you be strong. We’ll be strong together, and together we will protect this world.”
“--- And that’s how we ended up here,” said Illusia, concluding an obviously glossed-over but incredibly long narrative of exactly what had happened in the forests around Kea’ahno. The little pest snored loudly. Though she had edited out a few details, trying not to shock the ringtail, I saw that just thinking about it brought tears to her eyes. She looked away to hide her tears.
“Illusia?”
“Wh-what is it?” she asked, trying unsuccessfully to keep her voice from shaking.
“Are you alright?” I asked softly, taking one of her thin hands in both of mine. She tried to smile, but her eyes were still sad and full of tears.
“I’m fine,” she lied. “You really shouldn’t worry about me.”
“No you’re not… And I do worry about you.”
I was leaning forward to kiss her forehead when the pest interrupted.
“Eh? I’m awake,” said the pest, stretching and yawning. “So, uh, Princess, what were you sayin’? I guess I sorta just, eh, nodded off…”
Illusia said nothing. There were still tears in her big lavender eyes. She stared at me, her gaze pleading. I could hear her voice through our link. She sounded panicked.
“Terran, do something! I can’t tell it again… I know I’ll break down… And I know I can’t let the creatures I’m supposed to be protecting see how weak I really am. I can’t do this…”
‘Yes you can. And listen to me, crying doesn’t show weakness. It shows that you’re strong enough to acknowledge your emotions.’
Illusia smiled at me. I just continued to hold her hand, smiling back at her.
‘Now could you get this stinking pest off me?’
A sound I had never heard before startled me and broke our link temporarily. When I turned around to see what it was, I nearly fell out of the tree. Was there any way to be certain that this was real and not some kind of dream?
Illusia was laughing. I had seen her smile many times, but in most cases her eyes were still sad. Even in her thoughts, I had never heard her laugh. This had to be the real Illusia, not the depressed, expressionless shadow she had seemed to become after the incident with that vampire. With that kind of reaction I wondered if all he did was bite her and drain her energy.
Did he do anything else to her?
As her outright laughter toned down to soft giggles, the little grey pest hopped down off my head. Greatly relieved (both about Illusia laughing and the pest getting off me), I started laughing myself as the ringtail climbed onto Illusia’s shoulder. The little thing was just sitting there, scratching its head and looking very puzzled.
“Eh! I dunno what’s so funny.” it grumbled. It hopped up on her head and settled itself between the four buns. Still grumbling to itself, it curled its long ringed tail around itself, pouting.
Illusia was more relaxed than I had ever seen her. Even as I held her unconscious form in my arms, I could still feel her tension. Gently, I eased my arms around her, pulling her in close. The little grey pest turned away from me, hopping off Illusia’s head into her lap.
“Are you alright now?”
“I’m so scared,” she said softly. “And hurt…”
“What is it you’re scared of?”
“My whole life,” came her almost inaudible whisper. “Everything depends on me, and it’s terrifying. I just don’t know if I can be strong enough. And if it turns out I’m not… This world… and everything living in it… All of it will die… I can’t do this alone, I just can’t.”
“But you’re not alone. I know it must be terrifying, but you don’t have to face this by yourself…”
She shifted to look up at me, questions and fear obvious in her eyes. A soft kiss on her forehead earned me a small smile.
“You have me… I’ll always be here for you… So you don’t ever have to worry about being alone… You have enough power in you to take out any threat. You’re just having a hard time finding the strength to use it… So I’ll help you be strong. We’ll be strong together, and together we will protect this world.”