EndTale - Galactic (revising w.i.p. - check desc for update notes)

Chapter 9: Pursuing a Lost Cause

Gallery took a breath, thoughtful about how to start off his story. "Growing up, every kid around Ebott was told the tale of how a young child once went missing there... and how their body was brought to the town by a terrifying monster a year later, only for that monster to never attack, and instead leave with the body still in its arms. But to me, it was always just a centuries-old legend." He hummed contemplatively. "Until... I heard my friends talking about the town's recent news. The Mayor's kid, a sixteen year old girl, who was already a successful culinary entrepreneur, ran from home during an argument. She was last seen by witnesses heading towards Mount Ebott, and after a week of searching, she still hadn't been found. The Mayor assumed the worst and held a public funeral service for her daughter, and that's when I finally heard about it." 

"Even though I remembered the legend, I asked my friends why no one tried to go into the mountain to look for her- and they laughed at me. 'You think rescue workers are going to take chances with monsters, Gal? She's a lost cause, and it's her own fault' is what they told me. But I swore it was just a fairy tale. I wasn't afraid, and I told them that. I declared to them I'd rescue her myself, like a knight in shining armor." He chuckled faintly, tone melancholy. "If only it was that simple..." A sigh. "My friends let me know I was nuts, and didn't take me seriously. But their reactions only encouraged me more."

"That night, I went home with a goal set in mind. I ran through a plan in my head while my big brother Steph made dinner. Nosily, I asked him how I could 'hypothetically' save a child from Mount Ebbot. He looked at me briefly, knowing where I was going with my question, then answered 'Gal, I know we're all hurting from Quinn's disappearance, but putting yourself in harm's way to find her yourself will create more problems than solutions. You're twelve, bro. Let the adults look for her, okay?' I ate my dinner in silence, but I still had my mind set on the task."

I could hear the determination in his voice. "I had made it my mission to rescue her, since no one else would. I went up to bed really early, and did my usual nightly ritual. Steph eventually came in to lay down in his bed, looking extremely tired. With the disappearance in mind, a question popped into my head. 'Do you miss mom and dad?' I had asked him."

"He looked at me with a stern gaze, then responded with 'Yeah, all the time Gal. Now let's just go to bed.'"

"I ignored him and continued 'Do you hate them for leaving us?'"

"Steph had scoffed. 'They didn't leave us Gal, you know that.'" Gallery was starting to speak slower.

"'I... I know. I'm glad I still have you Steph.'" He released a shaky sigh.

"'I'm glad I still have you too.'" Gallery stopped talking. I could feel the tears collecting at the corners of his phantom eyes. "I wish I never left him." He let out a soft sob.

A single tear drifted down my cheekbone from my left socket... one of his tears. I gently wiped it away. "Calm down Gallery... are you gonna be okay?"

"Yeah... I just miss him a lot. I don't know how long it's been since I died- and he's probably all alone at home now, losing his mind worrying about me." He suppressed his sobs. "Or worse... he's gone now too."

Those words... hurt. I'd have to ask Gaster later how long the soul of Patience had been in the underground. "It's okay if you don't wanna continue, Gallery. You... really don't have to." I wished I could physically comfort him, although all he was now, was a voice in my head.

"N-No, I want you to know this, just bear with me. Okay?"

I nodded my head in response, knowing he could feel the motion.