Severance

A/N: 'Mother' and its sequels belong to Nintendo. 'Mother: Cognitive Dissonance' was created by 'otherhand' and their team.

Edited and cleaned up on 09/05/2017. Enjoy!

-X-

Alive.

Happy.

Happy to be alive.

The small creature could not quite discern whether what he saw was reality, or in fact an impossible dream that he had yet to wake from.

An oppressive red mist seeped through his eyes, needling within his head. Hate. Misery. Anger. Waking up in such a place, before a terrifying, grisly machine, when the last thing he remembered was the comforting arms of Maria's embrace.

Maria. George. The king and queen come to rescue him, love him and care for him like none other... Not like his own kind.

Where were they?

The child had no time to wonder about such things, for the ground on which he stood had begun to shake and scream, roaring to the deep recesses of his young mind. He tried calling for his adoptive parents, begging for their help, their safety.

But nobody came.

He had no choice but to pick himself up, a difficult task on his small, thin arms and legs, and then lift off and fly precariously into the machine, his abilities still straining on his undeveloped mind.

The moment he did however, the environment around him groaned in protest. This time though, he did not falter. Frightened, the small creature instead found focus, flying faster, searching desperately for a way out. Through the machine the world seemed to break down, the ground falling away into dark oblivion, leaving behind small floating fragments, covered in writhing blood-red vines.

Trying to ignore how this all terrified him, he spotted something that stood out on the largest crop of land before him. A floating grey orb, toned orange under the ambient light- the only other feature it sported was a ghastly black crack incised across it, upturned as if it were laughing at him.

Calling to him. Not seeing any other option, he shot over to it and reached in.

And tumbled, falling into a whole new nightmare.

-O-

Alinivar was confused.

The mook didn't quite know what to make of Niiue's babbling during their battle, but Alinivar had accepted his word at the time without much consideration.

"*I think I know how to stop him! I just need a few moments to use this technique, and it might just help us out! Please, buy me time!"

Yeah, like that was easy, fighting for your last breath against an inconceivable, incomprehensible cloud of malevolence!

Giygas had been unlike anything he had ever seen, dreamt or even had nightmares about before. During their battle, the mad-geeg had begun to warp, his incessant, hateful ranting changing him from a slender, tailed, bipedal grey humanoid, into what Alinivar first thought was a rough marshmallow.

A demonic, horror-marshmallow with a screaming face, and burning energy bubbling out of him as a river bursts its banks.

And then Niiue announced Zarbol's success, and sanity was flung to the farthest reaches of everyone's mind.

Now here Alinivar was, sat in what he thought looked like his magicant. Only, the ground was shuddering, and there was that blood-like mist permeating everything, tingeing the Saturnian cave he found himself in red, the normally-blue rocks writhing and splintering as if at any moment they would break.

This was bad. Though he did not feel it, if this was his mind, then…

Suddenly, his right eye spotted something approaching, fast, through the tunnel. Tensing, raising his spiny-blue tentacles in as intimidating a pose as he could, Alinivar began to prepare a quick psychokinetic pulse. If it was anything like what he and the rest of the crew had encountered in here before, then he'd need to be ready!

"…?"

All his gathered power sputtered out, nearly blinding all three eyes, his guitar almost falling from his back as he reeled backward in surprise.

Before him floated a small, bipedal grey creature the size of a cat. Large, corneous ears protruding upward from either side of his head, a long waving tail, short, thin legs and arms. Blue, catlike eyes, glowing brightly, piercing through the red miasma.

Alinivar recognised who this was of course- just as he appeared in the memories they had seen, but the mook knew this had to be another trick! He demonstrated this foreknowledge by snarling, and preparing his fiercest attack yet- he wasn't going to go down here!

Abruptly, something small struck him in the abdomen- hard enough to push all the air out of his lungs, but not quite enough to hurt.

Looking down with all his eyes, the mook's power once again waned; this time however, it was fully intentional. He could not believe what he was seeing and feeling!

After a moment, in which he quickly considered and gauged the energies emanating from the little interloper, Alinivar gently wrapped his tentacles around the creature, which was hugging him tightly in the chest. He broke into a beaming smile, despite himself; this only prompted the child to clench tighter, and the mook quickly looked for an exit-orb, contented for now that he wasn't going to have his mind shredded to pieces!

Everyone deserved a chance. And if this is what Niiue meant, then he should be taking this opportunity while he could! Besides…

Who knew the universal cosmic destroyer could whimper in fear?

-X-

Alinivar.

The pariah mook. Blue in skin colour, carefree. An anomaly.

His power radiated out from his core like the sun, power that was granted by a much higher entity, rather than something he was born with.

Power he had to die for. But who had killed him?

The little creature did not know. Perusing gently through the thoughts and memories of the Saturnian now carrying him, the identity of his attacker was obscured, its hidden nature only matched by the thoughts he had for him.

Alinivar knew him, but from where? The little creature had never seen the mook before in his life!

…Or had he?

He didn't know. Looking further, trying to distract himself from the environment they moved around, or the desperate manner in which the mook fought and ran, the creature reamed with childish curiosity over his saviour's experiences, wanting nothing more than to escape reality.

A child, no different to the rest of them in spirit, but segregated from his peers and family. Why? Because he had blue skin. This had set a precedent in which Alinivar would entertain and teach himself, learning to paint and play the guitar. A sad existence, isolated.

Until the attack. An attack by something, which led to his death. It would have been the end, if it were not for the quest. Find the apples of enlightenment, and slow down the destroyer.

Simple enough, or so he had thought at the time, paradoxically. Along the way, he had made lifelong companions, trained his newfound powers to an incontestable degree. Saved societies, changed worlds.

And murdered countless people, some who didn't even know any better. These memories were clouded in sadness and remorse, but at their heart?

Alinivar even had to kill his own friend. Larice the renegade starman. Such an action had since been reversed, and all forgiven. But the creature looking into the mook's mind could see that he had never, and possibly would never let go of his regrets. Looking into the visor of his companion as he slowly died.

Pulling away from his memories, the creature looked up to Alinivar's face. A gentle smile, hiding countless sharp teeth. Three green eyes, one central and large, the other two atop stalks which protruded far above his body.

Such experiences and appearance would terrify anybody else, but to the creature, the mook's soft demeanour, his shame and desire for a carefree life strumming guitars with his new family…

Trust. He wanted to trust Alinivar. Maria was gone. George was gone. There was no choice until he could find them again, and he was desperate for a friend.

Maybe… if he stayed with him, he could make more? That would be nice.

The mook must have noticed the child peeping up at him, for Alinivar turned one of his eyes to look at him, holding onto him ever-so slightly tighter, more securely. Smiling.

But what was he so tense about?

-O-

"Colonel Saturn!"

Exiting from the caves of his magicant, Alinivar had run with the creature in his arms across the maelstrom-torn islands of the destroyer, barely managing to repel the inscrutable nightmare-monsters that assailed them.

Lucky for him that they seemed just as confused as the world did at that moment; they could not seem to hold themselves in-place and concentrate, and they cowered with each unearthly roar that resonated through their entire beings!

Rushing from orb to orb, Alinivar had managed to wind up in what he thought was his Saturnian magicant again, only this time it was on the endless 'happy plains', and the rocks were…

Walking around and jabbering to one another, complete with angry faces. Truly, Giygas had managed to warp reality into madness!

Wasting no further time in gawking at it all, Alinivar had sprinted forward, slowing only to ensure his unlikely companion was secure in his arms. Spotting an outcrop of rocks ahead, the mook rushed toward it, only to find the first of his crew sat on the other side of it, inspecting his guns.

"OH HOWDY-HO CAP'N! I WAS A-WONDERING WHEN YOU WOULD ARRIVE -DING! IT SEEMS GIYGAS HAS A-LEFT ME… IN THE DREADED ROCK-WAR A-GAIN! BOING-!"

Alinivar had been always mesmerised by the speech patterns of the mook's fellow residents on Saturn, but none other came close in their excited, insane nature than the old mayor before him.

He still didn't know what he meant by 'rock-war' either, but now wasn't the time for such questions.

"Colonel, if you hadn't noticed… we kinda have to get out of here! Are you coming or what?!"

"BUT OF COURSE-Y! I WAS JUST CHECKING ME-SHOOTERS! LET'S GET… WHAT IS THAT."

Initially, the excitable alien bounced on his stubby-pink feet as he normally did, his large, bulbous nose waving, whiskers twitching independently. All normal, despite the thunderous environment.

Until he seemed to notice the creature in the mook's arms. Suddenly he was stock still, his guns now pointed directly at Alinivar, his cheerful eyes now glaring harder than they had done during their recent cataclysmic battle.

"Hold it, he… he needs a friend. I don't think he's the same, and we need to find Niiue before we… you do anything rash, okay? The… kid has done nothing to me."

"YET."

"Still. Remember what our duty is, colonel."

"FEE-FO FINE-Y. BUT IF HE EVEN LOOKS AT ME WRONG… DING-!"

Alinivar took that reluctant acquiescence at face-value, wordlessly moving around the boulders in search of the next exit point. He knew the mayor would follow close behind, as he always did, unfailingly.

-X-

Colonel Saturn.

Eccentric, but tougher than the planets. Old veteran of the rock-war.

Something which Alinivar dismissed as a fictitious war story, but it was all-too real to the mayor. For saving his town single-handedly, his peculiar fellows had awarded him with the highest honour they could bestow.

A 'cowboy hat', delivered from the unknown. The title of mayor, colonel and eternal protector of Saturn. He was so proud of this, and yet he never let it get to him.

When Alinivar crossed his path so long ago, he hadn't hesitated to join him on his vague quest. The moment they found the point of power in the mountain overlooking his town however, he realised that his companion had something more than mere duty which he was tasked with; all became so clear. What he was destined to do.

And now he was bound for life, companions till the end. Colonel Saturn relished nothing more than this knowledge, of endless adventure.

But despite this, despite his jovial nature and desire to protect the weak, the creature perusing the gunslinger's memories was confused.

The colonel had only ever glared with hate at something once before now. And here he was, looking right at him with those same eyes, mistrustful and hostile. The creature wished he had never found this out, clinging closer to the comparatively benevolent Alinivar.

He knew, the only reason he did not shoot the poor creature dead right now was entirely because of his friend's word. So many battles they had fought together, it demanded nothing less.

But that didn't stop him from keeping his gaze fixed on the little creature, managing to never take his beady-black eyes off him even as they jumped through the orbs which took them to new places, the terrifying roar of something on their tail, tearing at the ground and their minds.

He only hoped Alinivar and this 'Niiue' could fix this. He could not understand, what it was they feared about him.

-O-

Tumbling through yet another gateway, Alinivar grunted tiredly as he barely managed to catch himself, reaching out with a tentacle to right Colonel Saturn, who had landed ungracefully on his backside!

Blustering, indignant protests aside, the little mayor resumed his blatant glaring at the poor kid still tucked snugly in the mook's snakelike arms. This only caused Alinivar to roll his eyes, quickly adjusting his precious guitar before resuming the endless search for an exit.

This time, they found themselves in what appeared to be the abandoned mothership of their enemy. The mook did not recall seeing this on their journey through magicant, and he figured from the colonel's otherwise blank look that he did not recognise it either.

Which left Larice and Zarbol. The thought of the latter twanged painfully in the blue squid-man's chest.

He would never see him again. Never rock out, watch the stars or exchange fiery wisecracks with the little buzzing-insect again. Zarbol had gone on a new journey without them, a task destined for none-other, whilst they stalled Giygas to buy him precious time.

Looking down to the fearful little creature in his arms, Alinivar briefly wondered what it all meant now. Just what had Niiue done? Pondering on the matter only seemed to make the child cling harder, burying his narrow grey head into the mook's chest.

With the reminder of their imminent peril once again ripping at the air and senses, Alinivar continued moving, uncertain whether the screams he now heard were not just that of the tortured world around them.

Metal corridors, segmented in silvery-grey panels, with exposed wiring interlocking between them. Lit both by harsh-white strip-lights, and the red mist which yawned ever-deeper with each passing-second. Frightening, ghastly and claustrophobic, as the tunnels shook, squeezed and narrowed.

Turning right, left; a straight run to end. Stairs. A corridor.

And then the path simply fell away, with the orb in sight ahead of them, a huge gap between it and the companions. Taunting them; something had evidently taken a bite out of the tunnel! Glowing red storm clouds boiling and thundering above and below; both Alinivar and the colonel knew they did not want those to catch up to them!

But what choice did they now have? How would they get to the other side? It was foolish to think they could even jump half the distance, even with their psionics!

Another screeching-roar, and the clouds thickened, reached further. Peril, the ground shaking. No choice. They would have to do it.

Nodding once to his companion, who returned the gesture smartly, they jumped together without a second glance.

And fell. He knew this would happen. The child in his arms writhed in fright at their apparent suicide, and Alinivar closed his eyes, awaiting the pain.

"Got you."

A firm jolt as he was now propelled upward, barely managing to keep hold of the creature as a strong arm pulled them back from certain death. Looking around quickly, he could see Colonel Saturn also caught, hurtling with the mook toward the orb they had reached so desperately for.

And then they were through, the tingling, ionised air rushing through his lungs as he gasped, letting go of a breath he hadn't known he was holding. Solid ground. Safety.

Taking a moment to recover, he checked over his charge quickly before beaming at their saviour.

"LARICE! SPECTACLE! HERO!"

"Thanks a million Larice. We weren't gonna get out of that one without you."

If the normally-inexpressive starman could have blushed, Alinivar was certain he would have done in that moment. The huge, lumbering metal-soldier, wreathed in swirling, purple psionic energy stood proudly over them, leaning forward so he could peer down at his fellows.

"Not a problem my friends. One would have thought you foolish for attempting that jump, but I would assume that was one of your 'special measures', regrettably needed in this place. Though... Just what happened back there... with Giygas?"

Larice's voice was always delivered at huge volume; electric, interlaced with what sounded like the turning of an unfathomable piece of clockwork. Despite this however, it was never without a tone of understanding. Patience. It was well-known that the starmen were actually cyborgs; a mere step away from cold, emotionless robots. But the tall, powerful friend that accompanied them was a sheer cut above the rest.

Alinivar often envisioned him as being a cute pink-teddy bear at heart, totally harmless.

He wasn't far from the truth.

"I… don't really know, I thought we were holding out well, and then…"

"NIIUE DID SOMETHING SPARKULAR. ZOOM!"

Humming thoughtfully, the starman stood up straight, peering off into the approaching mist. "Niiue. Perhaps we should reflect on this later, and escape. For now though, I found myself here, back in my confusing magicant. Wondering if we had in-fact lost the battle after all. And then I found you both, along with… him attached to your midsection, Alinivar."

The mook was not surprised in the slightest by Larice's statement, nor how the starman seemed to be unfazed by the matter. Unlike the colonel, he was not overtly distressed by this development, though he could decipher from his careful tone that he was wary.

"I think first we'll have to get him to safety, and see what Niiue thinks. For now, he's not done anything except need our help, which is what we're supposed to be doing…!" Glaring with one eye at the mayor, all he received back was a grunt of dissatisfaction.

Larice hummed again, nodding slowly. "I find myself in agreement. He seems anything but hostile. For now though, it would be prudent for us to leave, and then understand just what happened during the battle against Giygas."

As if the landmass on which they stood disagreed with this statement, the ground below shattered, and what remained of the Applechasers leapt forward without another word spent.

-X-

Larice.

The convict. Escapee. Unwitting rebel.

He had already been an outcast in the starmen ranks long before his ousting by his old master. All starmen had to follow a strict code of conduct and thought, inhibiting any dissonance within the army.

And he was the lowest of the low anyway, how could he even hope to express discontent? An escape?

Niiue. The stand-in commander of the mothership; he had sent him to his lord, and then through a trial of pain and panic, crash-landing right into his new friends' concert. Unceremonious, but on reflection, the tin-man wouldn't have had it any other way.

… What was this?

The creature gazed upon the otherwise cold, menacing figure of the ex-martian in wonderment. If Alinivar was hope and the bright sunlight, then Larice was Maria's embrace. Her voice, her song. Inside the shell of the robot lay the gentlest heart his mind had ever touched; not even his adoptive mother, of whom he was so reminded was this innocent, though she unceasingly put on her best front for him.

Even apparent oblivion at the hands of his friends was insufficient to tarnish Larice's outlook. They had fixed him up afterwards, and the fight was not their fault.

And there was the worm of despair.

Shying away from the memory, the creature tried to block out the dredged up feelings, wandering to the others. Of course it hadn't been his crew's fault.

It was all his.

Clenching harder into Alinivar's chest, the child instead tried once again to try and identify just what he had meant in his words to the others. How did they know who he was?! Why did the colonel look at him with such mistrust?

Larice saw the creature, and overlain atop it was a strewn image of his old lord, who struck him down, delivering him ultimately to where he was now.

But why couldn't he see who it was?

-O-

It would seem they were not moving fast enough.

Or at least, that's what Larice kept telling them, as if a constant reminder of the inevitable would spur them on!

Even so, they had managed to reach near the beginning of magicant, and what Alinivar hoped was the end of their turmoil. He had found himself excited, only for such a feeling to be quelled when he glanced over the side of the pathetic little islands they leapt across.

No longer were they floating far above the maelstrom; now the clouds were almost touching them, threatening to swallow them whole, rearing and biting. Roaring with ear-splitting volume, the energy of it resonated in their soul and throughout their bodies, pushing and pulling. If they knew not how to purge the terrifying miasma with their own power, the mook was certain they would instead be cowering, frozen in place with it all; Giygas was nothing short of the nightmare to end all nightmares!

And yet… the child in his arms. Quivering, whimpering and crying in response to each wave of terror. What was he then? Despite the situation, Alinivar stroked the boy's head, and continued forward for him, ignoring the pain in his tentacles and the poisonous lethargy in his body.

He moved because his companions were with him. Because it could not end here.

Looking down though… they needed a miracle. Fast.

Ahead. A black door, standing alone amidst the chaos. That wasn't there before. Seeing no other option, he made for it, running over splintering bridges and gripping tendrils, hoping that his friends would follow; he would not be able to hear them, nor would he be able to sense them in this moment. Constant roaring, growling; oppressive miasma now nearly crushing him.

Arriving before the door, the mook wasted no time in trying to open it, wrapping a desperate tentacle around its handle and pulling, only for it stick fast in place.

Panic. He pulled with all his might, adding a little psychokinetic energy to help him, so much so he knew it would break-

Nothing. It didn't even budge. The clouds were closing in. The evil.

Swiftly, Larice pushed past and tried it himself, stronger physically than any of them present. He grasped the handle with his robotic, energised hand…

And it swung open like it was nothing. Alinivar, the colonel, even Larice could have fallen to tears laughing at the spectacle if their current situation wasn't so frightening!

Beyond the door was the calm light of the apocalyptic Earth, a cool breeze permeating through. They only had to make the step through, close the door and the nightmare would be over. Though he was uncertain, he was sure their missing companion would be waiting for them! Anything less, and…

Larice went through first, then the colonel.

When Alinivar tried to cross however, it repulsed him back like an electric barrier; the stinging did not faze him, but the poor child in his arms…

He screamed. Blood curdling, terrified and tortured.

Trapped.

Torn between the creature's pain and the sense of impending doom driving him to cross to sweet safety, Alinivar reached for the door again, trembling violently.

"*Leave him."

Relieved, shocked and dismayed all at once, the blue mook swivelled his eye-stalks to glare at Niiue, who was levitating slightly above the tumultuous red ground behind him.

The normally upbeat geeg, with his unnatural blonde hair and strange attempt at emulating an earth-person was more than worse for wear. The only thing that did not seem scorched on the powerful alien was his red and blue cap, which sat lopsided on his head.

He didn't seem to be perturbed by the apocalyptic conditions around them, and was instead focused on the small creature in Alinivar's arms; unlike the colonel and Larice however, he appeared pleasantly surprised.

But then, what did he mean? Shaking his head and clutching the child close, the mook shouted over the din, unable to use telepathy to circumvent that problem. "I won't do that Niiue! We came this far; we can save him! I just can't get him through this!"

Gesturing wildly at the door, he was nearly bowled over by the next volley of oncoming thunder; as always, he was thankful for his many limbs, which caught him effortlessly. How Niiue, Larice and the earth-people managed with just four he didn't know!

"*He can't go that way; you'll have to leave him with me. Please, Al, trust me, and save yourself."

Staring in disbelief at the fractured alien, Alinivar looked between him, the door and the imminent danger. It was now creeping up over the last vestiges of land; they had a matter of moments. No choice at all.

Grimacing, he gently pried the desperate child away from him, another twang of pain as he caught sight of the unadulterated flash of betrayal on the creature's face.

"Listen, kid… You can do this, just listen to Niiue this time, and we'll all see each other very soon, just don't give up, okay?!" Satisfied as the little child nodded tearfully, appearing to believe him, Alinivar backed away and nodded to his other companion, a last second gesture before he rushed to the door and pulled himself through alone.

Though he had utmost faith, he did not want another regret to add to his collection.

-X-

Niiue.

Despite his strange blue and yellow striped-attire, the blonde locks growing unnaturally out of his sleek grey head, he was just like him. A geeg, though unlike him, Niiue was evidently an adult.

Recognition of this fact put the child on guard immediately, this added factor nearly making him shoot away in fright; why did the nice Alinivar have to leave him for this person? Other geeg were the reason that George and Maria-

A flash of pain, blazing within his mind. If it were not for Niiue squeezing hold of his small hand just then, he would have grasped at the sides of his head with the sheer intensity of it.

"*C'mon, we need to get out of here, your… our little mess is going to soon catch up with us if we don't move now!"

His? Niiue's as well? He could not understand; he was responsible for the terror now reaching for them, yawning and spewing forth psionic miasma?! He was still a little child; he could not even speak properly yet, let alone construct monstrous psi like this!

The question and fright in his expression was lost however on his fellow geeg, who pulled him with incredible velocity away from the escape door, up and over the sparse floating islands now succumbing to the voracious maelstrom below. Razor wind tore at his thin skin, burning his little eyes, creating tears.

Barely managing to right himself along the trajectory they were going, the creature twisted his arm around in Niiue's grip so he could at least fly alongside him, rather than flop around painfully!

Looking down at the devastation below, it was all he could do not to cry and lose control; he repeated Alinivar's last words again and again, brought Maria's smiling face to mind, her song...

And found himself calmed. If he could keep doing that, then maybe, just maybe he could do them proud! He would like that, just as much as he would like to never see the swirling red storm ever again.

He tried speeding up, to help Niiue move faster, but all this achieved was to nearly knock himself off-balance. Numerous attempts later, the poor child gave up, and was left to the mercy of the fiercely concentrating geeg, who was seemingly choosing their destinations at random; at least they were getting away from…

…Giygas? Was that what they had called it? He thought it sounded rather like-

And suddenly, cracks started appearing in the darkness, above, ahead and below. Some were glowing red, others were glowing a harsh-white, equally terrifying in the sheer screeching they elicited as they widened; he could feel Niiue's hand clench harder, his power reaching the limit as they moved almost too fast for the child to keep his eyes open.

Debris, lightning, the roaring of something utterly incomprehensible; soon, even the mantra he repeated was not enough, nor his adoptive mother's smile. All he could do now was screw his eyes shut and scream. Hope.

Screeching, thundering, crashing echoing in his head.

A final, deafening crunch.

And then it was over.

-O-

Alinivar never thought he would be glad to see the barren wastes of future-Earth again, but here he was, cheering and breathing in deep the cold, rust-stench of the air, so relieved that they weren't just on the cusp of a most painful demise!

Nearby, he could hear Colonel Saturn squealing in joy, bouncing around on the burnt-umber grasses, and Larice, simply standing there with his arms outstretched, expressing his gladness all the same, only in silence.

They had accomplished more than what they had set out to do, or so Alinivar hoped. The thing that pursued them out of magicant was contained on the other side of the door, and now that's as far as it would hopefully ever get.

The mook could feel his utter relief drain away at this thought. At what cost though? Zarbol was the messenger, and his journey had been bought with their sacrifice. They would never see him again, and they could only hope he had made it to the chosen four.

That was the plan. That they would most likely die stalling the destroyer. And yet, Niiue had a change of heart; a new plan arose that he had neglected to tell them, and all of a sudden each of the Applechasers were strewn about in there.

And then he appeared, as if reborn.

He did not know what it meant. Did this mean Zarbol didn't have to leave? Did it mean everything was going to be okay? Why did Giygas still attack them?

Where were Niiue and the child?

Sighing, the fight finally leaving him, Alinivar flopped to the ground in front of the phase distorter, which sat languishing near where they had exited from the nightmare, waiting for them to alight it and leave.

Looking up wearily as his remaining companions approached, their respective celebrations apparently completed, he waited in silence for the first word to be fired. The mook wasn't sure there was anything to be said. Yet.

Nonetheless, the colonel spoke up, unusually quiet. "WE MADE IT. BUT WHERE ARE NIIUE AND OUR… NEW FRIEND?" Alinivar could not help but guffaw at the difficulty the old mayor had in saying that last part. He said nothing however, not knowing quite how to answer without the clarity they all needed.

"They will make it too." Larice murmured, also oddly quiet for his normal manner. This time however, nobody reacted outwardly. It was an extraordinary occasion.

Minutes passed. Nothing more was voiced, though the sweet silence was in some ways more appreciated than feared; they wouldn't discount anything yet.

Minutes turned to an hour. Or so the mook thought. Everything was suddenly so still, and for so long! Alinivar knew he would fall asleep if it were not for the worry!

Just as he was approaching the end of his tether, something new broached through the cacophony of quiet; a crackle. A fizzle. Almost inconsequential over the gentle breeze, but they knew. Each of the companions arose quickly and stood straight, awaiting whatever would come.

The crackling became a buzz. The buzz became a whirr, and then it became a roaring, crunching screech emanating out of the ground, as if their trials had occurred just below their feet...

… And then they arrived.

Niiue, with additional burns atop the scorches on his clothes, some of his hair missing. He would need more than a short clean after this! Despite that however, Alinivar noticed his accomplished, relieved expression, and the mook swiftly looked around for his charge.

There. Clutching tightly to the geeg's hand was the creature, who slowly seemed to awaken to his new surroundings, his bright blue eyes glimmering in amazement and utter happiness at what he could see.

-X-

A/N- Cue music: watch?v=0XRodZXUYTA

-X-

He knew where he was.

It was so different now, but in this company, away from the nightmare? It resonated within him like sweet paradise. He squeezed Niiue's hand, unable to properly show his appreciation for saving him, but the other geeg did not seem to be paying attention to him at that moment.

Quickly, he searched instead for Alinivar, spotting the mook beaming joyously back at him. He shot over and wrapped himself round the mook's rubbery chest as hard as he could; after all, since words failed him, what better way to express his relief?

Happiness. A long, shuddering breath, content.

He did not move or react as he listened to them talk, or as his new caretaker awkwardly placed a tentacle over him, holding him gently.

"So! We made it, and you brought this little guy along-with, Niiue! I'd say we were heroes!" Alinivar crowed proudly, pulling a clumsy 'thumbs-up' gesture as each of his companions chuckled.

"Indeed we have, and now that our quest is complete, surely things should now improve even in our time?" At Larice's hopeful question, the three non-geegs turned to Niiue, who sighed, smiling and closing his eyes.

"*One can only hope. At worst? We've bought time, which is all that could ever be asked of us from the Apple. At best though, on the other hand, I think… things will have changed for the better. I earned us a second chance."

With his last statement, Niiue pointed between himself and the creature tucked snugly in Alinivar's arms, who was now watching them all curiously; he still shied away from locking eyes with the colonel however.

Said person chose that moment to throw in his two cents. "WHAT DID YOU HAPPEN? HOW IS THE LITTLE ONE HERE? SECOND CHANCE-DING?"

Despite the way he said it, the non-geegs once again turned to Niiue, eagerly wanting to know the answer to those questions. Said little-one squirmed uncomfortably over the thick atmosphere now directed at him, though he made not a sound.

"*I used a technique, only half-remembered by the two of us… 'Nightmare Empower' I think it's called in your tongue. I… hoped it might make things easier, but instead it seems to have… pretty much severed the evil of Giygas away, and so…"

He let those words hang, shrugging. Though the creature could not understand all of it, everything they had been saying before and now were falling into place.

Was he responsible for the nightmare? He didn't understand...

Both Alinivar and Niiue must have noticed the distress on his small face, for they both looked at him with concern. The mook remained silent, though he smiled gently at him; the child could see him reach behind with his other free-tentacles and grasp the wooden guitar strapped to his back, lifting it slowly over his head before strumming it, playing a calming tune.

Niiue on the other hand moved forward, within a step's reach of the two. "*Hey, Giygas isn't what you are anymore. He can't hurt us or you; it's all alright now!"

Despite the kind tone used for him, this was directed at everybody; clearly the geeg noticed the animosity, for both the colonel and the starman observably relaxed with his statement, trusting his word.

The creature was both amazed and grateful that he had such an effect, simply ending their worries like that! Once again, he tried to peer into his fellow geeg's memories-

And failed. No repulse, no insurmountable power. It was as if Niiue wasn't there in his psychic perception.

But his face, the hat he wore, the way he spoke, it was all so familiar. Where had the child seen him before?

As he sat comfortably in the mook's arms, staring at Niiue and pondering this very question, Larice stepped forward also with a curious gait, looking straight-down at the child; whilst anybody else would have cowered under such a looming figure, the creature now had a proper gauge of the starman's character. He meant no harm.

"Little one, can you speak? Do you remember your name?"

Of course he remembered, and judging from all his new companions' expressions, they knew it too! Puzzled, he opened his small mouth nonetheless, and tried to speak it, determined to get it right this time!

"Goo…gie…"

Pouting, withdrawing in embarrassment at the combined laughter of all present, it took the creature a long moment to realise that they were less laughing at him, and more for the sake of it; they were strangely happy. His mispronunciation had actually relieved them; he was so confused!

After several moments of this, in which Niiue was nearly crying with mirth at it all, said geeg closed the remaining distance between him, Alinivar and the child, taking off his beloved red cap. "*Well everyone, let's give a warm welcome to 'Googie', the newest member of our crew! Haha!"

"Hah… It's alright Giegue, we're just having a little fun… Unless you'd rather Googie, huh?" Alinivar's lopsided grin was met with an energetic head-shake from said child, who was then promptly buried in Niiue's red cap.

"IN'T THAT YOUR HEAD-PIECE BLONDEY BOY?" Questioned the colonel, still tittering over the unwitting icebreaker, his animosity now completely drained away.

As Alinivar adjusted the cap so Giegue could see again, Niiue responded nonchalantly, to the surprise of the other adults. "*It belongs to him more than me anyway, it was a… gift to him from a special someone. So he can have it, even if he might not remember who it was from."

Curiosity getting the better of him, Giegue lifted the cap to see strange-blue circuitry underneath, and the label sewn between it all. Maria had thankfully taught him how to read her Earth-language, though the name he saw was as unfamiliar to him as the stars he could see in the sky.

"Nin…ten…?"

"*Hey! You got it right! I'll… tell you about him later, huh? Right now, I think we all need some well-deserved rest…"

This brought a wild cheer from the other crew members, and Giegue could not help but cringe under the volume of it, pulling the cap down over his large ears!

They began to chat between themselves as they moved toward the large, round machine at the top of the burnt hill they sat on; the child thought it looked rather like Colonel Saturn, only silver, and with a door on the side!

As they slowly approached it, he yawned, fatigue chasing down on him like a wild animal. Alinivar had begun strumming the notes to his song, slowly; his adoptive mother's lullaby meant he had no chance. He could just about hear Larice's next words to Niiue before he turned his thoughts inward, contented.

"Do you think we should go and visit Cerue with Giegue? She is after all, another one of your kind. She might know what to do next."

"*She probably won't want to meet. She might have even moved on; heck, I wouldn't blame her, studying on Mercury has to be a real test of endurance… Besides, I think I'd rather go on another adventure instead of tempting fate once again..."

Another chuckle, resounding quietly between them all. Murmurs, light-hearted conversation as they boarded the machine. Giegue finally allowed his eyes to close.

His thoughts were acute; he was quick to try and dismiss the nightmare of his awakening, having met new, genuine friends. Though he doubted even Alinivar could measure up to Maria and George, the Applechasers had come pretty close already.

And an adventure sounded more fun than anything else! Happy.

With that thought, Giegue passed peacefully into sleep. A new life ahead of him, severed from something he would hopefully no longer have to know.

Hopefully.

-X-

Edit: 09/05/2017

A/N: New, closing chapter to this previous-oneshot. There is a full, multichapter, already-complete sequel coming soon! Full A/N on the next page.