Mission 13 - Epilogue

Key Matters
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Crash! Boom! Splash! The Dhelmise mass of seaweed and wreckage continues to thrash about the lagoon outside Nā Pepeiaohao, destruction and chaos raining in its wake. Slamming bits of itself on the sea, sending wave after wave into the fleet of outrigger canoes, caring not for anything around it -- all it desired, all it wanted was beyond its reach, and it let its frustrations be known through otherworldly howls and shrieks to the darkened heavens. Those left to cower before it were thoroughly soaked, completely exhausted, and quickly losing hope of finishing this endless fight.
But suddenly, just when things were looking most grim, a shout echoes from behind the fleet, and everyone (minus the Dhelmise) turns to see a speck of orange quickly approaching. The colored dot in the sky wobbles only for a moment on unsure wingbeats; then, the shape of a Charizard dips low and lands on the main canoe, letting its two passengers slide off its back.
: That took entirely too long -- Lono, what were you thinking?
: I-I’m sorry, Pania, I didn’t mean to! It’s just-- that thing was scary, and--
: You think you’re the only one who was scared? Kid, you see the size of that thing, right?
: Be that as it may, you must do something about this creature. Why else would Tāwhiri ask us to bring you here?
: Wha-- no! I can’t, look at i--
: You have no choice! If you don’t, we will all die!
The Manaphy’s eyes round, practically bugging out of their skull… but he says nothing, cowering on the canoe’s deck with head buried in his flippers. Gawain exchanges glances with Pania then sighs and turns to face the Dhelmise with squeezed fists at his side.
: Welp, nice knowin’ you. Just wish I coulda been myself again, one last time.
: (under her breath) Not helping, captain... She then kneels at the Manaphy’s side, placing a claw on his head clumsily. Lono, you care about Kaleo, yes?
Lono looks at the orange dragon and nods slowly.
: Because he looks after you, and cares about you?
He nods again, this time more confidently.
: Then, if you care about Kaleo as much as he cares about you, then you need to try to stop this thing. If there is anyone for you to be brave for, it’s him, because he will suffer more than anyone else if this creature continues its rampage.
: …
: You’re right. I gotta help Kaleo... I’ll try… something.
: Good. Now go remove these things from our waters!
: And don’t worry, kid, we’ll be right behind ya.
Lono perks up at bit at this, antennae bobbing slightly over his head, and with a quick motion, he leaps overboard and swims tentatively towards the Dhelmise. Meanwhile, Pania looks to Gawain with a raised brow.
: What do you mean, “we’ll be right behind him”? Thought you couldn’t swim.
: I can’t -- but the little blighter needed all the encouragement he could get.
: So you lied.
: I prefer to think of it as “persuasion.”
As Pania rolls her eyes at Gawain’s answer, Lono draws ever closer to the Dhelmise. The mass of seaweed looms over the lagoon, imposing and full of menace. Lono, already frightened to approach the mass of spirits, jumps suddenly when they screech in unison and dives deeper under the waters of the lagoon. He skirts around the collection of Dhelmise, praying that the right answer will just come to him, when he sees the creatures lash their tentacles and wail in agony, and feels his own heart lurch at the same time.
Instinctively, he curls himself into a tight ball and tries to will the feeling away, but it remains ever-presence, pulsing in large, short bursts like the beat of a heart. Confusion, distress, fear, waves and waves of these emotion fill the Manaphy with each pulse. He doesn’t like it -- it’s too similar, as if he had had these very same feelings on nights where storms raged against the coast, threatening to swallow him whole and drag him back to some deep, dark part of the ocean that he had never been, but knew too well in the back of his mind…
Lono takes a deep breath, and tries to let go of his fears, just like Kaleo tells him to when he’s scared. In, out, in, out, in, out-- all memories of letting go of his fear include Kaleo in some way-- in, out, in, out-- the old Magmar pulling him out of his little pond in their shared hut, pulling him close against his chest despite him being damp-- in, out, in, out- Kaleo offering him his compassion through gentle, reassuring words and soft humming of old songs-- in, out…
The pink lights glowing from Lono’s antennae are blazing now, illuminating the seas around in him a soft, rose light. The Dhelmise, having since lost interest in its attackers, has its gaze fixed upon the light and its source. Bound to its position and unable to reach the light with its whips, it opens its maw wide and takes aim at the light--
--the old duck walking Lono out to the beach the next morning, to show him that everything was fine and he need not fear anymore… The rosy light bursts from Lono like water escaping a dam, and rushes forward completely overtaking the collective of Dhelmise. The creatures shriek and scream in surprise initially, but quickly go silent. Slowly, the creature unravels itself, Dhelmise upon Dhelmise separating themselves from ship, sail, anchors, and other Dhelmise alike until there is nothing but debris left, leaving the lagoon still… albeit full of broken ship parts.
On their canoe, Pania and Gawain watch the whole thing in shock, gripping onto the side of the vessel as it rocks from the impact of the falling debris. The tides holding them in place shift away, and Pania could have sworn she heard the trilling song of the guardians on the wind as the remainder of their influence faded away -- but that thought is quickly forgotten as a pink light overtakes her vision and she’s abruptly back in her own body!
: Oh, thank Tāwhiri, I’m me again!
: Yessss, FINALLY! (He flexes his claws then launches a torrent of flames straight up) Oh YEAH, that’s what I’m talkin’ about!
: Yes, but -- where’s Lono?
: (fire petering away) Uhh…
The Simipour whirls towards the sea, quickly scanning the fallen ship pieces -- spotting a blue blob half-floating, half-sinking in the distance! Pania dives overboard, the currents surging about her as her muscle memory kicks in, and she reaches the Manaphy in seconds, gently tugging the smaller ‘mon onto her back and starting to swim back to the canoe.
: (tiredly lifting his head) Mmm…? Gawain?
: Pania, actually, and about time.
: (perks up, a little confused) Really? When did you swap back?
: After you destroyed that creature.
: Destroyed… I don’t--
Lono stops mid-sentence, and ends up yawning instead, eyes drooping sleepily. He gets a second wind once they reach the canoe, and he manages to hop off of Pania onto the boat on his own, with Pania gracefully leaping aboard behind him.
: (as Gawain approaches) And that, captain, is how you swim. Shame you never learned how while you were me, this all could have happened much differently if you had.
To his credit, the Charizard ignores the monkey’s jab, instead leaning down towards Lono and rubbing the top of his squishy head.
: Great job there, kid, knew you had it in ya!
: I, uh, thank you, but… did I destroy it? The Dhelmise, uh, Dhlemises…. Dhlemisesses-
: Dhelmise is fine, kid.
: Right, Dhelmise..es, uh. Did I really destroy the Dhelmise? I don’t remember doing that, and I don’t feel like I did…
: You made the thing bloody implode on itself, how is that not destroying it?
: What’s implode?
: Gunna stop this conversation before it begins.
: Lono, is that thing still alive?
: No, it was made of Dhelmise, they were dead from the beginning.
: Is. That. Monster. Still. Out. There?
: I-I don’t know… I’m sorry--
: What did you do?
: I-- (he pauses and thinks for a moment) When I got close to the Dhelmise, I started feeling strong, uh, feelings. Bad feelings, I didn’t like them, so I did what Kaleo tells me to do when I feel bad, aaaaaaaand then the Dhelmise weren’t all wrapped around ships anymore, aaaaaaaaand I felt very tired, aaaaaaand then you came and got me.
: …
: We’re going back.
: I hope you mean to Alaric and Kaleo.
: No actually, I was thinking about visiting my grandmother. Who else, you scaled moron?
: Tell you what, I’ll make you a deal: you get to shout right now to let everyone know that we’re heading back, and you get to do it as loud as you want, just to get it out of your system, because if I hear you, or anyone, speak one word on the way back, I will personally shove your own tail down your throat and asphyxiate you with it.
: Grow a meter and then maybe I’ll consider that a threat.
: But, if you insist…
: ALRIGHT EVERYONE, (he screams, startling a jump out of the monkey) GET YOUR ROWING-ARMS READY AND PREP THE SAILS, WE’RE HEADING BACK!
: I cannot wait for you to be gone...
A light drizzle and thin layer of mist covers Puʻuwai island. The festival is officially ended, and all the islanders have returned to their homes, including Pania and her tribe members. Now the Pu’uwai Islanders assist the Aetherians as they prepare their ships for their return to Aether. With preparations nearly complete, Alaric and Gawain have taken advantage of their time left on the island to speak with Kaleo one last time.
: Thank you again for hosting us during Makahiki--
: (under his breath) even if we got more than we bargained for--
: --and know that should you ever visit Aether, our doors are wide open to you.
: Your offer is generous, thank you -- (laughing slightly) -- though I can’t say if I’ll get the chance to before I have grown too old and weary to journey so far. As Kahuna nui, I’ll have my duties even after Tama and Lono have fully grow into their roles.
: I shall continue to guide them so long as I still have years left to live.
: (nods, then looks at the placid pool in the corner) Speaking of your charges... where is Lono? I had hoped to thank him and young Tama for sending their invitation.
: He is resting from his ordeal with the Dhelmise. (sighing) Though I fear he is in hiding, worrying on what the other leaders might do to him.
: Can’t say I really blame the kid with what we came back to.
: Honestly, I’m surprised you lot aren’t at war with each other right now--
: The other leaders looked damn well ready to kill him when they saw him. Even after Pania told them of what happened with the Dhelmise, they didn’t seem any more keen on having him be around… or, you know, alive.
: Unfortunately, they do not hold the same respect for our past god that my tribe does. Although I feel she uses it too freely, if it hadn’t been for Pania’s sharp tongue, I fear the other leaders would not have left until Lono was deceased.
: Where are the other leaders now?
: Very likely still investigating their shrines, and not, I assure you, because they feel they will suddenly find success in contacting their patrons, but for the sake of the pride Pania wounded with her accusations.
: I expect we shall all meet again soon to discuss how to move forward.
: And what of Lono? Is he safe?
: For now, I believe so.
: You super sure about that?
: I am. Not only did Lono stop the creature from its rampage, but they have the favour of Tapu Koko. Even if they could deny Lono’s part in combating the beast, they would dare not go against the word of a god.
: Eh, we’ve seen it happen before in Sazanami.
: (slapping Gawain’s flank with his tail) Gawain.
: (clearing his throat) I’m glad that you, Lono, and your tribe are safe, Kaleo. We are due back in Aether, so this is where we say our goodbyes for now.
: It has been quite the experience, King Alaric, though not an entirely unpleasant one.
: Ah… likewise, Kaleo. I hope these next few months are fortuitous for you.
: And for you as well. A hui hou, Alaric.
Alaric and Kaleo incline their heads briefly before Alaric slithers out of the hut, Gawain close behind him. The two of them slowly make their way towards the ships, Gawain with his wings angled awkwardly above him to try to keep as much rain off of his body as possible, Alaric with a glazed over in his eyes as he slithers across the sand.
: Can’t wait to get out of this rain. Too bad by the time we’ll reach Aether that the rainy season will just be starting though, ugh.
: (blankly) Hmm.
: What’s the matter, Alaric? (grinning) Miss home? I’m sure the queen will be happy to see ya again.
: No -- I mean, yes, of course I miss -- uh, oh gods, this is embarrassing to admit…
: Go on, Alaric, let’s hear it.
: Okay… I must admit… I was just thinking about how I miss having proper hands.
The Charizard stares at Alaric for a moment -- then laughs loudly.
: Well, I for one am glad that you’re you again, sire -- just as I’m glad to be me and heading home.
: Heh, agreed, Gawain. Let’s leave with the tides and let the wind carry us home.
END OF MISSION 13
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Category:Arc 2
Category:Pae'aina