Zayla Eternal

Old Lady Tonton! The Graveyard Of Discord!?

Bodoku was helping Tidus through Orbita to find a healer, "Bodoku..." He heard a voice calling to him, he looked down to Tidus pausing mid stride, "are you alright?" He asked. Tidus glanced up at him, "I'll be even better when we find that healer..." "Right, sorry I just thought you called me because you needed to rest, let's continue". Tidus frowned, "hold on, what do you mean? I didn't call you". "You did, just a moment ago that's why I stopped..." Tidus shook his head, "wait... the voice. Could it have been-" Tidus coughed and wheezed as someone walked into him knocking them both over. "Watch where you're going will ya!" Came and old woman's howl. Bodoku sat up with a huff helping Tidus sit up who's wound was now bleeding again, "b-but we were standing still..." Tidus choked. They looked up to see a short old woman with long silver hair wearing a brown dress and wielding a stick, her scowl turned to concern as she noticed Tidus' wound, "oh dear me... I'm so sorry, let old Tonton take a look at you". she held her back as she knelt down and lifted Tidus' top. He blushed, "uh... hey..." "Don't get all shy young man, I'm the healer this side of the city". "The healer", Bodoku echoed, "we've been looking for you actually". "It's a good thing I bumped into ya's then ain't it sweety? Although I didn't mean to tackle yous to the ground!" She smiled sheepishly. Bodoku blinked, "yeah, I'm still not quite sure how you managed that to be honest..." "I'm old but I drinks me milk!" She looked at the bandage over his eye, "what happened to ye then?" "I was burned". Tonton gave a nod, "alright, get the bleedin' one up, I can help ya both at my house". Bodoku helped Tidus to his feet, "I'm fine, it's just him that needs-" He froze staring at the end of her stick as she held it up to his face, "I canne leave you like that, you look like you have a very handsome face. No arguments!" Tidus and Bodoku looked at each other then followed after Tonton until they reached her house. It seemed to be the largest house in the city overshadowing stores and the statue even. White stone with a blue brick roof, the outside was nothing compared to how it looked on the inside. Tonton opened the door and walked in, "watch your head tall one", she told Bodoku. Bodoku had to duck slightly to walk in, "Bodoku". "Eh? You sneeze or something?" "Uh no, it's my name. I'm Bodoku, and this is my friend Tidus". She turned her head as she continued walking through the long hallway, "I'm Tonton, and this is our stop", after passing several doors they reached a room with two separate beds, "come, come. Lay Tidus there and sit on the other bed". Bodoku laid Tidus down as gently as he could then looked down at him, "I'm sorry..." Tidus grabbed his hand and squeezed it with a pained smile, "it's not your fault you know that..." Bodoku patted his hand, "just get some rest..." he pulled his hand away. Tonton watched them with a frown then batted Bodoku's arm, "didn't I tell ye to sit on the other bed? Honestly, you got the looks but you don't know how to listen do ya!" Bodoku rubbed his arm then did as he was told. Tonton mixed several things in a bowl making a white paste with pink freckles then moved to Tidus and help him remove his top, "I won't lie sonny this will sting a bit, but only a few seconds". He gasped trying not to move as she spread the paste over his open wound, "ah... what is it?" "This special mixture is what I call Zenezin, it's a blend of various flowers and herbs that work in super healing! After a few hours you'll be good as new with nothing but a scar", she smiled at her handiwork then gently pressed a gauze pad down on his injury, "there's only one catch, you have to sleep for it to work with your blood cells". "Sleep... got it". Tidus closed his eyes. Tonton turned to Bodoku, "you just wait there, I'll need something different for you". Bodoku crossed his arms, "I did say I'm fine", he grouched turning his head. Tonton pouted, "I oughta smack you on the head..." she muttered under her breath. "What was that?" Bodoku questioned. Tonton face him gritting her teeth with a closed eyes smile, "oh nothing sweety, just finishing this concoction", she brought a bowl of green paste towards him then placed it on the bed. She reached up towards the bandage making him flinch away, she put her hands on her hips, "take it easy I don't bite! Much..." Bodoku uncrossed his arms and sighed remaining still as Tonton carefully took the bandage off of his face. "Hmm they got you good huh?" "I never said anyone-" "Keep your mouth shut!" He huffed as she slapped paste onto his mouth. She couldn't help smirking at his irritated expression, "it's obvious to me that you were in a fight, don't ye take me for a fool sweety it's plain as day!" She handed him a napkin, he wiped his lips then said, "why do I feel like you'll outlive us all...?" "Probably because I'm not as old as you think I am! Now hold still..." Bodoku gasped trying his hardest to stay still while she attempted to pull his eyelid open, "ah... ugh... ow..." "Oh quit being a baby". "Have you been burned before...?" "Can't say that I has". "Then shut it..." She raised her brows at him, "the mouth on you my sweet..." He gritted his teeth as she managed to get his eye open by softening it with the weird paste, "can you see anything through that eye?" Bodoku tried not to blink as just doing that was giving him a headache, "uh... no, nothing..." Tonton could see how much pain it was causing him and sympathized, "just a moment more and you'll be okay", she mentioned. Bodoku glanced at her face, for a few seconds she seemed to look younger, and her voice had even sounded different. He flinched as Tonton covered his eye with her hand, "nastartum", she said in a low voice. There was a glow under her hand, then she pulled it away. Bodoku squeezed his eyes shut, "what was that?" Tonton put a fresh bandage over his injured eye, "something to help you heal, it's only for sight, hopefully it helps", she began putting her supplies away. "Thank you..." Bodoku replied. "There's no guarantees of course-" She watched as he leant to the side, he was suddenly in a daze, "Bodoku". He heard his name and stared off into the distance, "Bodoku, kill them. Capture the girl. Bodoku... Bodoku..." "BODOKU!" Tonton made him jump, he looked at her. She noticed a purple glare vanish from his eye colour and froze. "I apologize, did you call my name?" Tonton nodded slightly, "did you need something?" Bodoku watched as she backed away slowly, "are you okay?" "Of course I'm okay! I just remembered that I need a rare ingredient for something and you're going to help me get it". "I am?" Bodoku sighed, making her pout at him, "hey I'm a healer and my ingredients don't come cheap!" Bodoku gave a nod and stood up, "I'm sorry of course, you need it to help others, what can I do". "Follow me", she grabbed a bag and walked to the door. Bodoku followed pausing at the door to look at Tidus, "he'll be fine", he heard the old woman say as she waddled fast down the hallway so he jogged to catch up. They both exited through a back door into a large healthy green garden with many flowers of all different colors and shapes. "This is... beautiful..." "Isn't it though, but this isn't why we're out here". Bodoku adopted a serious expression as she continued, "now the ingredient I need is called the Nectus dark flower". "What is it for?" "You ask a lot of questions dontcha?" He shrugged, "so anyway, have you ever heard of the Graveyard of Discord?" Bodoku gave a slow nod, "I was told that a lot of people died in Discord Village years ago, some sort of mass leak of Z energy turning the place into a graveyard". "It wasn't just a lot of people, the radiation killed everyone... but they didn't exactly stay dead..." Bodoku opened his mouth to say something but he was speechless, "it's true... I went to visit a few years back for family... I ran into horrible twisted creatures-" "Z energy corrupts DNA, it could've been some surviving animals or something-" He paused as Tonton sighed, "and here I thought you'd have an open mind..." "I'll admit there are a few things that have happened to me in the past few months that I can't really explain... I guess, I'd have to see it for myself". Tonton looked at him cheerily, "that's great! Because the Nectus dark flower just happens to be in the Graveyard of Discord". Bodoku sighed, "of course it is..." "But the only way in is to fly", he watched as she put two fingers in her mouth and whistled looking up at the sky. He glanced up crossing his arms, "so are you sprouting wings or what-?" He jumped back in surprise as a huge black crow landed between them, "what the hell is that!?" He cried as it twitched it's head, it's bright yellow eyes looking at him. "Oh don't make such a fuss, it's just my wee pet Skinner". Bodoku's frown deepened as he remained alert, "that is not a 'wee pet'! That is a-" "A what then? A monster?" The giant bird Skinner crowed at him, "you wanna be careful, Skinner doesn't like to be insulted". Bodoku backed up slightly as it sniffed towards him, "what is it doing...?" "HE is checking you out to make sure you won't hurt me". Skinner chirped then gave Bodoku a lick on the cheek, "ugh! Does that mean his going to eat me...?" Tonton laughed out loud, Bodoku watched her face as it seemed to appear younger yet again, he stared at her curiously until she stopped chuckling. She noticed his intense confused gaze, her features aged, "what's up with you?" "Uh..." He didn't know what to say, was she aware that she was doing it? Or was it just his eye messing with him? "It's nothing". Tonton shrugged, "well then, you ready to hop aboard?" she asked leaping onto Skinner's back. Bodoku snorted, "you are very agile for your age you know". "Thanks?" "But no, I'm sure I'll be just fine on foot". "Uh noooo you won't. Did you not hear the part about monsters, if we fly we can go directly to what I need". "I'll be fine". Tonton grinned, "oh. I see, you act like a hard ass but you're actually a big scaredy cat aren't you?" Bodoku looked offended, "I am not! I just don't-" He gasped as the bird scooped him up onto it's back, he landed behind Tonton and grabbed ahold of her as they took off, "FLYYYYYY!!" He screamed. They soared above the clouds, Bodoku's eye was squeezed shut as he held Tonton tighter. She glanced back and giggled, "hey I'm flattered but watch your hands there buster". Bodoku opened his eye and gasped almost falling off as he released her breasts, she grabbed his arms putting them around her waist, "you're fine to hold here". He gulped looking down, he quickly shut his eye again hugging into her back feeling his mouth go dry, "I'm sorry, if I'd known you were scared of heights I would've left you behind". He slowly looked up at her, "I-I'm not scared of heights... I'm just not fond of f-flying..." She gave a sympathetic smile, her features were that of an eighteen year old. This time Bodoku knew he wasn't seeing things, "Tonton", he said shakily. "Yes sweetheart". "I've been meaning to ask... I mean I think I've noticed it a few times now-" "You've seen my wrinkles disappear?" ""Well uh. Yes". "I did say I'm not as old as you think, I'm actually probably the same age as you, but Z energy..." she looked down at her wrinkled hand, "like you said, it corrupts DNA...I may look like a sixty year old but in reality I'm still just a spring chicken..." Bodoku sat up a little more, "you don't look that old". She smiled back at him, "that's kind of you to say, now hold on, we're about to dive". Bodoku gasped gripping her waist tighter as Skinner dove nearing the ground before shooting it's wings out to flutter into a landing. Bodoku quickly dropped down leaning over slightly and holding his mouth. Tonton chuckled before sliding down Skinner's wing, "off you go for now Skinner, I'll call you when we're ready to return". Skinner bowed it's head slightly then took off. Tonton tapped Bodoku's back, "are you alright there? You're not gonna throw up are ya?" "I-I think I'm okay..." "Good then straighten up, we need to move swiftly and silently", she watched as he stood. He looked off in the distance his eye giving a flash of purple, "I...have to-" "Pee?" Tonton interrupted shocking him out of his daze, "you'll have to go in a bush far from me. Far, far", she added. Bodoku stared at her, "I-I don't need to 'pee'. Let's just get to this Nectus dark flower". Tonton shrugged and started walking, "so... I didn't tell you what it was for huh. Well truth be told the flower is to help you". Bodoku glanced at her, "for me?" "Ya. It's your turn now, you were seduced by a siren song weren't you? That's why your friend was hurt wasn't it". Bodoku lowered his head, "I was... her name is Dahlia, lady of the Hymn Glaive, she made me do things... terrible things, I almost killed my best friend and tried to kill Tidus..." Tonton put a hand on his shoulder as he continued, "I hear her now, and I don't know how to stop it. Earlier I breathed in the pollen of the corpse flower and it broke her control, but it seems it was only temporary. She keeps calling for me and it gets stronger every minute. I don't know how much longer I can hold out". "You're strong to have made it this far, the corpse flower effects would've worn off long ago, I'm talking minutes and yet you've held on several hours I'm guessing?" He gave a weak nod, "well the Nectus dark flower is stronger, as long as you keep it on you, you'll never hear her again. Of course if you'd killed the bitch you wouldn't be hearing her anyway but you don't seem like the murderous type", she sighed. Bodoku froze as he heard something, he grabbed her arm. "What are you doing?" "Shhh!" He drew the skinny blade, "I think I hear something..." Tonton looked around seeing nothing but the darkness that was rolling in now that the sun had set, "it's probably just the siren messing with you", she replied. Her eyes widened as fog began to surround them, "oh no", she said, "they've found us..." "Who has?" "Not who. What..." Bodoku peered into the fog. Yellow lights glared back at him and a creature began to form, it's body was long, it's arms and legs were longer than any humans. His breath caught as it's face came into view, it was twisted. It's mouth was wide open with sharp teeth, the nose off to one side and the eyes were large with small yellow pupils. Bodoku felt his grip on the sword tighten, "what the hell is that?" He muttered, he heard Tonton's gulp, "that would be a Dreadnight they have the powers to obscure themselves, and they have a distinct taste for human flesh..." Bodoku tensed noticing more yellow eyes surrounding them in the fog. "Anything else I should know?" "Only that the one way to kill them is with light". Bodoku noticed the dark, cloudy skies, "of course it is..." he drew his chunky sword, "stay behind me". Tonton looked behind him, "you realize they're all around us don't you?" "You know what I mean". "Give me a sword". "No". "I can fight!" "You're sixty years old remember?" "A weird age curse isn't all the Z energy gave me Bodoku, now hand me the big sword!" She snatched the huge sword holding it with ease. A Dreadnight dived from behind Bodoku, Tonton swung the sword slashing it's legs and arms off before whacking it back into the fog. Bodoku was surprised, "I'll be damned..." "I'll take that as a compliment-" "Watch out!" Bodoku cut one in half as it leapt at her then kicked it's two halves away in one swift movement. Tonton raised a brow, "you're not bad yourself hotshot". Bodoku gave a slight cheeky grin, then became serious as the Dreadnights began attacking at once.

Tanjiro led Zayla into a large house, "and this is Tonton's place, she's the healer of all Orbita, the best one there is". Zayla looked around, "I can tell, she's obviously good at what she does to be able to afford all of this". Tanjiro gave a nod heading down the hallway, "she normally puts new patients down this way, but uh keep it down. She's not overly fond of noisy guests..." Zayla smiled as they walked into a room, "Tidus!" She cried, then smiled sheepishly whispering, "sorry", as Tanjiro shot her a look. They walked over to Tidus' bed, he was still asleep. "He looks like his doing okay", Zayla mentioned then looked around with a questioning gaze, "but where's Bodoku?" "And where's Tonton?" Tanjiro added. Zayla walked to the other bed picking up Bodoku's old makeshift bandage, she squeezed it in her hand going to the window, "where are you...?"

Bodoku cried out as a Dreadnight sprayed something into his eye, "Ahhh!" He stumbled back grunting as sharp teeth sank into his shoulder, he whipped his head back cracking the creatures face then span slashing it's head off. "Bodoku!" Tonton jumped forward slamming the huge sword down cutting a Dreadnight in two, she landed falling to one knee. "I've never seen them do that before..." Bodoku pulled her back up after wiping his eye, "Tonton, are you okay?" "I'm fine... just the old bones slowing me down a bit..." Bodoku gave a concerned look as the creatures closed in, "we can't keep this up forever, we have to leave". "No!" She straightened catching her breath, "if we leave, you will inevitably fall to the sirens seduction..." "Don't worry about me. I'll deal with it..." She looked at his expression, "you'd... kill yourself? No..." "It's the only way, but first we need to get you out of here". "Bodoku-" "Trust me, I won't let anything happen to you". He frowned with surprise as she slapped him hard in the face, "wh-what was that for?" "You trust me, I won't let anything happen to you". "Wha-?" He watched as she slammed his sword into the ground then leapt onto the hilt and launched off of it going high into the sky, "NASTURTIUM!" She yelled spreading out her arms. The fog cleared on the ground and the clouds covering the sky separated. The moon shone down on the Dreadnights, Bodoku covered his ears as they gave a deafening screech, the moons light was causing them to melt. The creatures that could move rushed into the shadows, the ones that couldn't melted into the ground. Tonton thudded to the floor on her butt. "Ow!" she rubbed her behind then struggled to her feet, "I should've done that sooner huh". She said picking up her stick, "Bodoku? Hey Bodoku you alright sweetheart?" Bodoku was standing completely still with sword in hand, "I will do, as my lady asks. Kill those in my way, capture the girl". Tonton's eyes widened as he faced her with his purple eye, "you are in my way..." She gulped giving a fearful look at the huge blade she'd stuck in the ground, as Bodoku pulled it out approaching her. She noticed a slight glow nearby and glanced at the ground. There was a purple flower bud, the Nectus dark flower... she took a chance and she ran for it...