Division

- III • Tainted Skies -

- Plum's POV -

Orion stood in front of a figure not recognized at first. He turned to me, Tachi standing right before us. "Tachi?" I was more surprised than anything, "We thought you died!"

"Heh.. a few times there I thought I would've been dead too." Tachi responded, promptly looking off into the sky. "I was... wandering. didn't expect you guys to be alive either. No offence, I'm referring more to the... anomalies."

"Hmm" I thought. Anomalies is a good way to put island-ending threats. "Yes, though... it has been a stressful time. We plan to try and plot some sort of weapon or defence against Solio and Ozone. Vulx, has been attending to himself. We will need him." Orion went on.

"Though we are glad to see you safe and confounded properly with your morals." ...Orion really had this... science-y way with his words. "Yeah... thanks?" Tachi shrugged, not really knowing how to take it.

Telling by the grunt, Spear didn't seem all too happy. Orion and Tachi went on about recent happenings while Spear went up behind me. "Plum. Me and you need to discuss recent events. Now." He muttered to me, already walking to my region of the camp. His tone unsettled me. I looked between everyone outside. They all looked happier, what would be his problem?

"Going so soon?" Tachi questioned, like his demeanor never changed. "I'll be back as soon as I can, please wait though, I don't know how long it'll be." As I turned as respectfully as possible.

Every step amped an anticipation I never wanted. What has him puffy this time? It was all pessimistic once Orion walked in our cause. I lifted the cloth to see him leaned against the cabin wall.

He takes a seat infront of me, and just from the eyes I could tell he was really unhappy. "Do you have any idea what you're doing?" He started. I already glanced at the table, the way he started vague. "...Elaborate." I went.

"It all started with Orion. We don't know if he's completely free from Solio. Nor Tachi. What if Solio is still in their heads, huh? Just making them act themselves? Spying?" Spear ranted. "It's farfetched. They could've killed us all by now."

"You know Solio's ways, Plum. She'll toy with us to fill her own power over us." I fidgeted with my hands, his protectiveness reminds me of D'mantis. Both blessing and curse. "Spear, if you called me here just to turn my trust against my only family, I don't want to take part."

"You're being a fool! You can't just blindly trust everyone who doesn't seem off at all!" Spear shouted. "...If you're gonna go by that logic, we could all be under Solio's control then, knowing her just sticking stuff in our heads making sure we forcefully forgot it. Spear, you cant just blindly make up something that will start a larger quarrel than needed."

"Plum! You've led us into a situation we never had to be in! We could've just left and never tried to stick our noses in former Pridefoul business! You've gotten people killed!"

I was taken aback. The way... he said everything. The way he made me seem... evil. "I can tell you re-" "SPEAR! JUST STOP! YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUE DRILLING YOUR MIND INTO ME! I GET IT FOR STARS SAKE! YOU WANT NOBODY TO TRUST EACH OTHER BECAUSE YOUR PARANOID!"

I didn't mean to shout, it just happened. He wouldn't stop. He's repeating D'mantis' mistakes and I truly don't want anyone to end up a wreck like he did. "I-... Im sorry." Was the only thing I could say before sprinting out the door.

Nearly tripping on the way out, I just needed to escape, not only the people, but the situation, the thoughts. I took for the brush, the trees, the forest and whatever came with it. All I wanted was to help those I held closer than anything escape a fate that wasn't their own.

Panting through what seemed like endless rows of trees, the flora came to a clearing infront of a calm, shallow lake, clear like glass. The true tranquility?

I sat on the edge, sun warm and grass green, seeing my reflection in the water. I cupped it into my palms and splashed the cool water into my face and attended at peace.

Peace has been difficult to gain for a long portion of my life. Not only did being young struggle with the complicated fight over winged and wingless dragons, the facilities, it was all a lot. It all leading into this and all the lies to cover up where it all started truly.

I knew someone had followed me here hearing the tussle of the bushes behind me. "Plum, I... I kinda eavesdropped on what happened. Are you... okay?" Someone sounded, likely Echo.

I turned around and met with amber eyes. "Not particularly okay... but I'm trying as you know." I saw the look on his face, concerned. Echo kneeled to my side over the water. "I've known Spear for a long time. I wish he didn't go about it the way he did, but I know you know all he wants is everyone's safety."

He also began taking some water from the still pond and sifting his wet hands through his fur. "I meant to ask you, do you recognize this thing?" Echo handed me something I remember from D'mantis' bag. An orb, deep sea blue and a little translucent.

"...I do know what this is. This exact one." I held it in my hands, and a form took shape within it, the shape of a lotus. "How did you get it to do that?" He cocked his head at it. I sigh, knowing what I had to tell about it.

"Do you remember when me, you, Zen and Spear... and D'mantis, we all trekked land for nearly two days. When we first found Pridefoul still kinda in development?" I began. Echo nodded, still observing the glow within the orb. "I said I knew where it was because it was where I used to live?"

"What about Pridefoul?" "Well... I lied. I didn't want anyone else to know about the orb. The orb showed me the exact path and the future I should be on. The future where I saved the most people. It's all I wanted to be... a savior."

Echoes' eyes widened. "The myth of those crystal balls... er... ball... is true?" I nodded. "Yes. My old... friend had it in his facility. When it all came crashing down, I took all that I could for him. All that he said he deemed of importance."

"Plum... who was he...?" He questioned. I breathed in, thinking back on what all happened. "Vyx. H- He called himself Vyx. He was part of a group that worked on tech lead by older times, the abandoned city ruins is a good example. Vyx wasn't supposed to have me around, but he was a lonely man, and one day, he did something selfish, he chose himself and his company over someone who saved him, who was releasing him from something that always ended poorly." I paused. "He killed me because he was ordered to."

I extended my torn and battered wing for the first time in a long time. I hated telling the story so I always kept my wings to my sides. Echo almost didn't believe what he saw. "All because he implanted me, and nobody there saw anything special."

He stared at me, pure sorrow filling his mind. "I'm... so sorry, Plum." Echo muttered, staring off into the evening sky. I handed him the orb back.

"That's the same thing Zen told me when I told him the same tale."