Reaching Salvation: Post-Acer Part 4

Luke's face reddened, and his smile became a little nervous.

"Uh, thanks. I dunno, I don't really see a lot of other people," he answered, stumbling over some words.

Erika's forehead felt clammy, but it was more her stomach seemed to never settle.

"Y-You should g-go to th-the village and m-make fr-friends, then... J-Just because I'm a r-recluse d-doesn't mean y-you should be t-too..." Kira responded, not daring to meet Luke's eyes, before realizing her mistake. "B-But th-that doesn't m-mean I-I want you t-to leave!"

Adeline shrugged. "Maybe pregnant."

"I know, I know," Luke said, smiling again. "B-but I don't, I don't uh, gel well with those village people. Never have."

"A-At the beginning of th-the t-tournam-m-ment, I w-was scared of y-you," Kira pointed out. "M-Maybe you j-just don't know th-them well enough."

"What." Erika replied bluntly with.

"Really? I was hoping it was just Nathan," Luke laughed awkwardly.

"H-He looked scarier," Kira giggled. "Y-Your Flow kind of scared me, since it's fire...b-but I trust you, so it doesn't scare m-me anymore. J-Just normal fire."

Adeline shrugged. "It's a possibility."

Erika was about to reply when she lurched again. "Ughhh..."

Adeline sighed. "Want me to get you something to drink?"

"No, I'm... better, sort of." Erika replied. "Thanks."

"Oh good," Luke replied, going a bit quieter at the mention of Nathan.

Kira frowned slightly, noticing Luke's discomfort on the topic, deciding to change the topic. "Have y-you ever seen snow? Like r-real snow?" she asked. She didn't really know a lot about Luke before the Storm.

"Yeah, we used to get it around Christmas time back in Dublin. 'Course, all the cars and stuff didn't leave much on the road, but there was enough for some good snowfights," Luke replied.

"How do you fight with it? It's all...white and fluffy," Kira frowned, confused.

"Well, you kinda...compact it, into a snowball, and then throw it at someone else. Gets you cold and wet, but everyone does, it's fun and it makes it all the better when you get back to the heat," Luke replied, puzzled. "'Course, you can make igloos with it, snowmen with it. Used to get days off school."

"It was always really warm where I lived. We n-never got snow. But I saw it on the TV around Christmas!" Kira frowned. "One winter we should go u-up North, and you can show me how t-to make a snowball!" Her face broke out into a smile again, rather pleased with the idea. Traveling every once in a while was fun.

Zackary continued to move, reaching the house and looking inside. His sword and shield wasn't there...Sage must have moved it...but where did she go? Zackary frowned and looked around.

She had to be somewhere around here...

"Zackary!" A rather familiar, if not annoying as hell to Zackary, voice exclaimed. "You came back! I knew you would!"

"Only to reclaim my sword and shield. And I am not exactly, 'Zackary' but yet, I am." Calm Persona Zackary responded to the girl.

"Ooooooooh," Kaylee drew out. she was still invisible, having not gotten her clothes yet. "Will you pleeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaasssssssssseeeeee stay?! I'm making the puppy dog eyes, by the way."

"No," Zackary responded. "If I stay, what would be the point? One day, Zackary might wake up by accident and destroy the whole village."

"I kinda doubt that's possible with Paul around," Kaylee told him, "I mean, he can reduce the wind just like that. Plus, Joey can just rebuild everything."