A Dark Cloud 2 Fanfic
Chapter 5: Malachi----By The Several
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The Several: Sorry about the late update. I have a job now (even though I'm a minor), so now I have less time to do everything I want. Whaaaaaa!
On other news, the chapter title's pronounced "Mala-kai" not "Mala-chee". It's an "aaa" sound not an "eee" sound.
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"My father's will…" Max murmured to himself soft enough only for Monica to hear. He gazes at the small silver crystal that, as Monica said, his departed father left behind. "B-But how? I thought he…"
"Max," Monica interrupted as she slowly explained. "The soul of the departed cannot die. Their bodies do, but the soul returns to the planet and grows anew. This is the cycle of our lives." Monica held the crystal tightly to her heart, and felt a warm sensation filling her spirit. "When I first met your father, I think he didn't like nor trusted me very well. This," Monica showed, "it felt like he finally does. Like I'm a part of your family."
"Family…" Max repeated. How those words continued inside his mind, like a long dream made a reality. That Monica fulfilled. He felt stupid to forget everything that had meaning to him.
"Don't you remember, Max?" Monica questioned him. "You're the one who told me that. It wasn't just advice… it was the basis of your principles. Though our parents have left us, I think… maybe their spirits still watch over us." Monica then began to wobble a bit. Using her powers to finish off the battle earlier left her empty and tired. "And maybe…"
"…maybe that's where you'll find him…" Monicaended before finally collapsing.
"Whoopsie, lass," Cedric says as he catches her. "Looks like she's a little tired. Don't worry, I'll let her lie down for now."
As Cedric left with Monica, Max stares at her tired but smiling form. Donny comes from behind him and says, "Ya know, I used to think that chick was a lot more trouble than she's worth."
Max was silent for a moment. "…And now?"
Donny thinks for a minute, and replies, "I guess he kinda reminds me of you, in a way. Right now, what you used to be."
Donny then pats him on the back and began to walk away. "...She's your light. Don't lose sight of her."
As Donny went off into the distance to rest, Max concentrated… and as Monica said, he felt a rush of wind flow around him. A feeling of not being alone, as if being protected by some unseen force. Like a father's guiding hand, or a mother's gentle touch. Maybe both.
Max looks to the distance with a smile. "…Don't worry. I won't."
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Monica felt a little groggy, but her eyesight seemed to be returning. When they started to open, all she could see was… green?
Monica suddenly stood up, realizing she was in a green tent. She looks around, seeing that the townsfolk had set up a lot of them around the area. Without houses inside the train station, the tents would have had to do for so many. After all, it was a whole town of people inside the station, and there could only be so much space. Some of the people even slept inside the trains.
Though that was true, the place was still lively. The side-shops near the entrance became open and food was being served - as if nothing had happened. Monica was happy that through all that the people have been through, the smiles from their faces could never disappear.
"Oh, your awake." Monica looks to her side surprised to see Mena there, carrying some medicine. "How are you feeling?"
Monica touches her forehead and replies, "I've been better. Just lost some energy, that's all."
Monica felt uncomfortable. Although Mena replied to her with a smile, all she felt was a frown under that face when Mena had turned around. Mena was hiding something. Or maybe it's just her. Either way, it was followed by an uncomfortable silence.
"I heard that you have the ability to go outside the barrier now…" Mena suddenly spoke out of the blue.
"Um, yes, that's correct…" Monica replied shakingly, feeling awkward. She hadn' felt that way when Mena was helping her on their previous adventure. Heck, she even fought beside her on those occasions. But why now?
"Naturally, Max is going with you. Right?"
'Naturally?'
Monica scratched her head. "Well, if there was a way to do that, I guess he would be."
Monica's heart suddenly jumped when Mena accidentally dropped what she was holding, smashing the items to the floor. "O-Oh! Sorry about that…"
Picking the broken pieces up, she turned away, leaving the tent. Before she got out of the tent fully, without looking to Monica she said, "Please take care of Max."
As she left, Monica was left to ponder what the heck was going on. "…What was that about?"
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"…So it's settled then," Cedricdeclaired as he slapped hishand onto the blueprintslying on thefloor."Since Monica can get out of the barrier unharmed, she'll stand a better chance of finding that stone tablet we've been searchin' for."
"Well, not exactly," Osmond interrupted. "Here, Max. Catch," he said as he threw a small contraption to Max.
"W… What is this?" Max questioned as he examined the small device Osmond handed him.
"That's a smaller version of the time barrier, just finished it today. With it, you can join Monica to search for the tablet. I'm sure you're worried about her going alone."
"O… Of course I am. I don't think she should do it alone, especially out there in The Nothing…"
"Of course not," Monica suddenly says from behind him. Max turns around and sees that she's all well – and changed too. She's wearing her new clothes from when she was searching for Max before. Her modified violet sleeveless jacket-vest and pants, and her blue scarf. "We're a team, right?"
"You changed?" Max said, sort of pouting. "I'm kind of jealous. I want a new costume too!"
"Master Maximilian!" someone suddenly shouted from behind. Max looked around to see that it was the housemaid, Adel. Although living in Sindain since the trouble with Emperor Griffon began, she had always been loyal to Maximilian's family.
Moving closer to Max, she smiles, "Here, Master Maximilian. I thought you needed a change of clothes…"
Handing him over some change of clothing, Max checks them out and smiles. "Wow! Thanks, Adel! You always have the right timing!"
Adel blushes and bows to hide her face. "T-Thank you, Young Master."
Max laughs and pats her on the shoulder. "You don't need to call me that. I told you… call me Max."
"Y-Yes, Youn--- I mean… Max. Thank you," she bows again. "Please take care of yourself. Ferdinand and the others are worried about you too."
Max winks with a smile. "Don't worry, I will! Please thank them for me too. Now… I better go get changed!" With that, he enters the privacy of one the train cars and changes.
As Adel leaves, she looks to Monica and says, "Take care of the Young Master too, Miss Monica."
Monica felt threatened. First it was Mena, and now Adel. "…Was there something I did?"
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"Looking good," Monica smiles with a thumbs up as she looked at the new Max. Adel purposely made his costume look similar in design to Monica's, with his green open jacket-vest, his cargo pants, and now with gun holsters at both sides of his waist. Last but not the least, his traditional cap sitting proudly on his head.
"Hahaha! Thanks!" Max laughed. Seeing this, Monica felt relieved that Max wasn't mad at her and that with what she said, Max was finally able to get his own hapless-happy self back. It suited him well. "Well, let's go and get that stone tablet!"
Monica nods and holds the silver crystal close to her heart. With a bright emitted light, Monica was instantly transformed into one of the nameless flying beasts. "Hop on!" the flying beast said with Monica's voice.
"You mean… on your back?"
"Duh. Now shaddap and get!" Monica urged. With that, Max climbed on and turned on his time shield. As Monica's gigantic form aimed for the sky, Max suddenly heard a cute little cry from a little girl down below.
"...Corrine? What are you doing? We're already leaving! Get out of there or you'll get swept away!"
"Max! Max! Where are you gwoing?" Corrine shouted, as Monica's transformed self flapped its gigantic wings for a liftoff.
"Don't worry, Corrine! I'll be back in a few! Be a good little girl now!" Max said with a goodbye salute as the transformed Monica flew towards the sky and onto the vast emptiness of The Nothing. Corrine waved away, as she saw the two disappear into the distance – into the bowels of darkness.
"So this is The Nothing…" Monica whispered to herself, eyeing the location of a world that stopped existing. "But there's nothing around this place but darkness!"
"Well, it IS called The Nothing, so I guess it's only normal that there IS nothing." Standing on Monica's gargantuan back, Max looked around for even a glimpse of something else other than black. "Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhh… Wait! I think I see something glowing over yonder!"
"Over yonder? People still say that?"
"Concentrate, Monica! Look! Over there, where the darkness is!"
"…."
"Sorry… turn east!"
Gliding to wherever "right" was in a place of no directions, the transformed Monica sees what seemed to be a glimmer of light, barely shining in the darkness of The Nothing…
…Behind thousands more of the unnamed flying demons.
"Crap."
"I guess we're not done yet!" Max smirked, gearing up for the fight with his gun and wrench.
As Monica dives into the sea of the distortion creatures to begin their attack, she was reminded of one other ability she had forgotten that her monster transformation gives her advantage of -the knowledge of tongue of the creature she had transformed into.
As Monica flew through the sea of beasts that flew around her, she was surprised to hear hundreds of voices calling out to her, saying the same thing over and over again:
"Abomination," the voices said as if coming from a single being that spoke in different intervals. "Why do you deviate from the orders of The Malachi?"
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NEXT CHAPTER: Max and Monica discover the identity of their enemy, as well as the names of each individual type that is under it. Although they now have the knowledge and the power to travel through time, the same question remained: what IS The Malachi?
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The Several: What's up with Mena and Adel in this chapter? Heeheehee! I'm sure some of you have guesses, but the answer to this question will have to wait! It'll be revealed, sooner or later. I also put in Corrine in this chapter because she's going to play a big part in this story as well. I'll try to give an important element for all the characters in DC2 for this one.
Wanna know something funny? Even though it's summer time, I have less time to write fanfics now than I did when I had school. Though the reason for that is because I'm writing instead of doing homework (baaaad!)
Good news is, thanks to everyone writing fanfics, as I read them I've been given more inspirations to write. And now, I'm writing even if it takes me all night! It'll give me less sleep, but it's worth it!