LU 109 - Nautilus 6 / Shadow 6

Days go by. The old clock on the wall was ticking, like usual.

> *Ticking... where have I heard that before?*
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Nat tries... And tries... But he just can't re-surface the memory. Frustrated, Nat jumps up, and stomps his way towards Illios's study. Illios was leaning on the wall, head down with her eyes closed, as if casually waiting, or thinking to herself. We all knew she was just sleeping. The horns on her helmet still intimidated as usual... Nat looked down at the sword sheathed at her side. *The sword.*
Nat blinked. *Tick. Tick. Tick.* The clock on the wall was ticking, like usual. Only... It sounded cleaner. Sharp, loud ticking. Whatever, and wherever Nat was, it didn't seem like he was there at all, rather he was someone else. The man strapped on his armor, looking at his other fellow armored individuals. One resembled Jeremy, he had a sturdy and hardened face, but smiled a soft smile. Another, was a shorter man, juggling potions, he faced the man with determination, and dedication. A piston shot up a TnT, and was quickly defused by a man with redstone-powdered hands. In the corner of his eye... Was... Edelle? She sat with a worried face. Loud clopping of armored boots sounded through the corridor. In the entryway, stood a valiant woman with an axe. She winked.

> *"We're ready when you are, Fallen."*
> *"Excellent, Illios. Let us head to the portal."*
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Fallen glanced at through his sword, and at the reflection. The harsh golden eye, paired with the aqua blue that accompanied it. The scar that marked his face. He remembered something Slumber had said before leaving his head.

> *"I'm you."*
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Nat woke with a start. He stumbled and Illios woke with a start. Edelle walked into the room along with them, and Nat told them about his talk with Slumber. Slumber had wanted him to go to Seren, to relive the result of what the tree's had done to her. Nat still struggled to even remember what she was, so he convinced Edelle and Illios to pay her a visit. Jimmy the dog came along too, as a little treat.
Long, agonizing steps through the plains, paddling through rivers and oceans, cutting through jungles, acted as their obstacles before being met with the island in the middle of a lake. Illios paddles the boat with Edelle to the island, Nat carrying Jimmy on his back has he swam through the water. When they got to the island, they stared. What was once known as Zinnia's tree, the mother, Seren, was now a crater. At the very bottom, was her core. Jimmy had to stay up top, but the three slid down and walked on to her core in hopes to interact with them.

> *"Illios... Edelle...I'm so glad you have returned. I hoped you have slept well Edelle... And I hope your journeys were swell, Illios?"*
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Worried, Edelle and Illios had many questions, many to be unanswered when Seren called upon Nat and Zinnia.

> *"Apologies... Dear friends... Zinnia, Nautilus... I call upon thee into the dream world...*
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Illios's head suddenly emptied. Nat started to glow, and fade away, leaving Edelle and Illios confused...

> **Zinna:** *"Tch, of all things to do Seren, you put me with this idiot. How sweet, I get to talk to one of my oh-so-precious grandkid's toys."*
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> **Nautilus:** *"W, huh? Who're you? Also where are we?"*
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> **Zinnia:** *"Dream world, it's been a while for you numb nuts."*
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> **Nautilus:** *"My nuts aren't... Oh Dream world? Haven't been here since the stone thing..."*
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> **Zinnia:** *"Yeah. Then everything else went downhill. If you were at least half braindead maybe you wouldn't have gave her so much stress."*
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> **Nautilus:** *"Ouch... So mean... Also, her?"*
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> **Zinnia:** *"N-nothing. - Zinnia yells - Seren! Come out, this isn't hide and seek."*
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> **Nautilus:** *"Where e-"*
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> **Zinnia:** *"Kid, do you ever shut up?"*
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> **Nautilus:** *"Chillax... Hey wait you haven't even said your name!"*
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> **Zinnia:** *"Zinnia. Your woo-hoo good ol' granny. If I didn't come here you would not have happened... They wouldn't have been bothered so much by us..."*
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> **Nautilus:** *"I... guess? I don't know what you've done, but I guess I've been a fair b-"*
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> **Zinnia:** *"OF COURSE YOU HAVE. Edelle wouldn't have been so damn love struck by your dumbass if you weren't about. Illios wouldn't have to be on the lookout for some fish kid for the last 500 years."*
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> **Nautilus:** *"Wait wait-"*
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> **Zinnia:** *"I wouldn't have to think about my shit load of a family if my bloodline didn't involved growing and being god damn trees. Edelle wouldn't have cared one bit about you if she didn't know you. BUT NOOOOO. You just had to show your pretty face to her and get her all fuzzy and cutesy for you."*
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> **Nautilus:** *"Z-Zinnia please I just wanted-"*
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> **Zinnia:** *"DID I ASK? DID ANYONE ASK? NO. What I do ask, is for you to just play along. We're going to get EVERY bit of this shit out of the way, so I don't have to see your face ever again."*
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> **Nautilus:** *"Dude... I understand that I did something... Bad... But what I don't understand is who you even are to Edelle and Illios? Like... Why do you care s-"*
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> **Zinnia:** *"Why do I care? I've known, EDELLE, MUCH LONGER, than your sorry ass. AND Illios. I know I've been a bitch, to them both, but I did not straight up disappear in a time of need. We could have solved EVERYTHING, SO much faster if you didn't turn yourself into a rock."*
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> **Nautilus:** *"That wasn't even my choice..."*
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> **Zinnia:** *"Well you sure as hell came back at a perfect timing. Just to realize you were in Illios's things the entire time. Edelle wouldn't have worried so much about you. She could have been so much happier if you were just there. Seeing her sad was the worst thing ever, you know? - Zinnia's voice shakes - And I know I haven't done much better. I've turned her away. I've looked down on her for leaving, when I did the same thing one thousand years ago. I could do nothing but watch. Every time I remember it's agonizing. I can't bring myself to go back to see my own friend that I called a sister without remembering what she said to me before she left. It's hard seeing her so down and I'm sat in the back of Illios's head, cowering to the thought of bringing myself out to at least say some snotty comment... Why the hell are you still listening?? Honestly, I'm not even in the mood to see you. Go back to being a rock. Your face was prettier as a rock."*
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> **Nautilus:** *"I... Hm... Now that's... Now how do I respond..."*
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> **Zinnia:** *"- Zinnia tears up - Just don't. Just don't even speak."*
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> **Seren:** *"- The faint noises of her voice is heard, crackling, struggling to even get her voice out -"*
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> **Zinnia:** *"S-Seren?! Are you alright?"*
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> **Seren:** *"Welcome back dearest Zinnia... Please listen... To my final plea..."*
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Zinnia and Nat listened closely, listening to the dying voice of a friend. The longer Seren spoke, the more Zinnia cried, screamed, and begged her not to go. Nat stood, shocked, but silent.

> *"Edelle... she is a strong, burdened child. Everything thrown at her she was never something she wanted, but she always made her way around to make things right. Sweet... and caring. Her forgiveness for you, Zinnia, was something but extraordinary. One day when all of this ends, I wish for her to find the happiness that will quell her mind, and smile along with all the others she has made happy."*
> *"Illios, a one of a kind, a fighter for truth. She was never one to let down another for as long as she could handle it. Through every wall, through every window, to her it was to find a door or make her own. A friend in need is a friend she'll fight for. As for you Zinnia... she was willing to accept you just as Edelle did, and take you for one of her own. Truly... I must thank her for that."*
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Seren, with her dying breath, revealed what they must do to rid of their sworn enemies, as the dream world began to shake.

> *"Thank you... dear Zinnia."*
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The dream world crumbled, and shattered.