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Illusion of Reality

Written by: Ashura L. Kusanaga

Adapted from: JDawson's adventure

Chapter Three

It had only a few days since the news of the loss of Cal and Agnes, as well as

the loss of three-quarters of Kalo's army. The townsfolk tried to go on with

their lives, and many did... but not everyone was happy with the news.

Although the people of Kalo didn't show it, they were filled with anger and

vengeance, or sadness and sorrow.

"Thanks for coming over Toshi" said Drake, pouring himself and Toshi a cup of

tea.

"I haven't heard from Anthony since he beat up that Acem" Toshi said, then set

down the pot. He looked away towards Anthony's room and frowned slightly.

"My Aunt Eliza is visiting us because Uncle Rupert was in San Kailon" Toshi

continued, and then turned back around. "He was okay, but he drove me nuts when

he talked about the Resistance... I'm only five, not as old as my dad... I

didn't know Uncle Rupert much, but Aunt Eliza wants me to love him even though I

didn't."

There was a silence.

"Anthony rarely comes out, he even eats in there, and he's been more quiet than

he usually is... I'm worried Toshi... you know him better than anyone, please,

help me figure out what to do" Drake said and then sipped his tea. Toshi looked

surprised, but thought a while, and just as he was about to say something, there

was a knock on the door.

"Newspaper!" shouted a voice from behind the door. Drake set his cup down, and

fetched the papers. He made his way back over to the table and sat down. He

read them to himself, and sighed heavily.

"I'm glad Toshi is so young and probably won't remember these things, but these

will forever be in my memory" Drake thought. The Headlines read "War Over", but

the other stories were about suicides and new overly protective laws being

passed to prevent war from happening again.

"I could talk to him" Toshi suggested. Drake jumped a little at Toshi's voice,

and while looking up, said while smiling, "Good idea Toshi, go and talk with

him!"

Toshi slid off the chair, and walked to Anthony's room. Drake's smile had

quickly disappeared, and he continued to read more headlines.

"Why are these people committing suicide? Their loved ones, both dead and

alive, wouldn't want them to die early," he thought to himself.

"Anthony?" said Toshi. The room was dark and cold. He shivered, and walked

over to the bed. Anthony was on it, lying on his side, away from Toshi and

toward the wall. He was crying silently, but Toshi could still hear him sniff

now and then.

"Buddy? It's Toshi, your friend" Toshi smiled hopefully. Anthony just lay

there, and sniffed. Toshi sat on the bed, and put his hand on Anthony's

shoulder.

"Things will change, you'll see" Toshi smiled weakly. He rubbed Anthony's

shoulder. Anthony said simply one thing and then said no more, "they're not

coming back, nothing will change."

Toshi's weak smile disappeared.

"Nothing will change?" Toshi said. Anthony stopped sniffing, and actually

turned over to Toshi, and sat up.

"No, Toshi, nothing will change..." Anthony said sadly. Toshi once again

smiled.

"We're good friends, and because of what's happened, I feel like were closer...

like brothers" Toshi said hopefully.

"I don't want a brother! It's bad enough that Brad ran away!" Anthony shouted.

Once again, Toshi became saddened, and tried again, but failed as Anthony had

gotten up and out of bed. "Maybe I should run away" Anthony whispered low.

"Anthony, no, don't do what I think you're gonna do" Toshi said wide-eyed. And

at that Anthony ran out of his room.

"Anthony, no!" Toshi shouted after him. He quickly leaped off of the bed, and

ran after him.

Drake had just looked up from his newspaper at Anthony as he ran outside.

"Drake stop him! He's running away like Brad!" Toshi yelled as he too ran out

the door. Drake got up quicker than anything did, and before his dust had

risen, he was out the door.

Anthony was good with animals, but he was fast too, however, he was not faster

than an adult was, like his Uncle Drake.

Anthony took advantage of being out of the door first, and ran around the back

of the house whilst Drake and Toshi looked for him out front. He knew he had to

get away quickly, and an idea came to him fast.

"Kae-oos!"

"Toshi, look around back, he may've gone into the HavenWood Forest!" Drake said

quickly. Toshi nodded and went around back. Just as he was about to round the

corner, a blur of green and white ran past him. As Toshi fell to the grassy

ground, he knew what Anthony had done.

"Drake! He's riding a Kholna!" Toshi bellowed. Just as Drake heard that, he saw

Anthony and his bird-like Kholna steed, that looked almost like a blur of green

and white.

"Damn it" Drake swore silently. He knew that particular Kholna was one of

Anthony's friends and was one of the fastest and smallest riding creatures he'd

ever seen. And it was only a young Kholna too.

Toshi came around the corner again, and was about to run after Anthony.

However, Drake stopped him.

"We can't catch him, but something I have can" Drake smirked. He whistled, and

from somewhere came a roar that sounded like... a Dragyn!

From over the clearing in the woods just west of the Sear house, came the flaps

of leathery wings. A moment later, a horse-sized Dragyn landed not but a few

feet from them. Toshi was astounded.

"I'll help you on, but we've got to be quick" Drake hoisted Toshi from the

ground onto the Dragyn and climbed on as well. He made some clicking noises and

said loudly but nicely, "To the skies Elkira!"

Anthony was already down his house's hill, past Kalo, and making his way toward

the cliffs of the Virgin's Peak. He could turn around and head back those five

kilos to home, but he didn't want to. He was only half a kilo away from the

cliffs where he would contemplate. Contemplate his fate.

And not but a few minutes later, he reached the outcropping of the area, the

Virgin's Peak, aptly named for its history about a virgin maiden who waited

among the cliffs, waiting for something that only she knew about.

"You'll have to stay here, Katey" Anthony said to his Kholna friend as he

dismounted her. She simply ruffled her white feathers, and looked at him

quietly. It was more than a friendship for them. He loved her, and she showed

that in kind every day he played with her and rode her. She made a quiet

squawking sound, nuzzled his cheek, and nipped his ear each time he got off of

her.

He smiled, and patted her on her beak, and promptly turned around. He sighed

happily and sadly, and began his climb down to the plateau.

"That Kholna only has two legs like every other Kholna, but why is it so fast?"

Drake wondered aloud. They were almost to Virgin's Peak, and saw Katey in the

distance.

"There's that Kholna!" Toshi yelled over the wind. Drake nodded and glided in

for a dusty landing next to the Kholna. Drake got off then helped Toshi down,

and searched for Anthony.

Katey squawked loudly, showing her disapproval of Elkira's landing, and began to

ruffle her feathers yet again to get the dirt and dust off of her. Elkira was

taken aback by Katey's display of disapproval, and so lowed with a gurgle-like

growl then snorted once to show her status as a more dominant species. At this,

Katey clucked and turned away, only to scuff dirt at Elkira. Elkira roared

quietly, and was about to pounce on the little Kholna.

"Knock it off you two" Drake said not looking back.

Katey simply blinked and looked at Drake briefly, while Elkira sat on her

haunches with a 'thud'.

"I could end it all right now, and be with my parents again in the Celestial

Realm" Anthony thought. He had found a cliff that looked like a good place to

decide his fate, and was pondering his fate. "Nobody would really miss me...

Uncle Drake rarely sees me as is, Brad's gone, mom and dad aren't... alive

anymore."

"Anthony!" Drake called out. No sounds of a reply came, but only the sound of

the seaside wind could be heard. Toshi called out as well.

"Anthony, where are you buddy?" He shouted. No reply came for him either.

He looked sadly at Drake, who looked down at Toshi as if he knew something

wasn't right.

"I know what you're thinking Toshi, he's still alive" Drake said comfortingly.

"What would Toshi think? Would he care?" Anthony thought, now crying. "No one

else would miss me besides him, and he alone isn't a reason enough to stay

alive."

He stood up and leaned against the rocks, and thought about his parents. Then

he thought about his friends, both animal and human. His vision blurred with

tears, and he wiped his eyes.

"Sure they'd miss me, but they'll die of age before I do" Anthony thought, now

sobbing.

"Animals don't how to take their own lives, so if I continue, I can wait for

them in the Celestial Realm..." he reasoned, and standing away from the rock.

He began to walk, then jog, and finally run toward the cliff. His tears

streaming down his cheeks and behind him.

"... And I can guide them to the Celestial Realm when they die" he thought

happily, his feat pounding on the dirt. "All I have to do is jump!" He jumped

five feet before the edge of the cliff.

Drake and Toshi heard Anthony's sobs, and got to the plateau too late... Anthony

was flying through the air toward the sea.

"Anthony! No!" screamed both Toshi and Drake.

Anthony was enthralled. He didn't hear the yells, as he was oblivious to the

sound of their sorrow.

"The wind feels so wonderful," he thought. He smiled as he drew closer from the

edge. "It feels just like in my dreams!"

In his dreams, he had a sword in his hand, and shield in the other, and he was

flying in the night sky, high above a tall castle with a few turrets and towers.

He felt the wings coming from him pulling him away into the air, away from the

ground.

Everything felt like it was happening in slow motion to Anthony.

But then he fell toward the ground, and landed on his stomach.

He could've sworn he felt something grab or hit his legs.

His hearing returned to him as he no longer in the moment of happiness.

He heard his moans of pain and someone else's moans as well.

"Toshi, look it" Drake breathed. Toshi had sunk to his knees and began to cry

as well. But he heard that, and cautiously looked back up.

"Ow..." Anthony cried out. He propped himself up on his elbows, and turned his

head towards the direction of the moans that weren't his.

Lying on its back was a small child about his age with blue hair. Its head was

turned to the side.

[In the next Chapter of IoR: Fate and recovery.]