Xenoblade Chronicles

Chapter 5 - The Aftermath

It had been nearly a week. The remaining Defense Force and residents of Colony Nine had managed to patch up the colony reasonably well, considering the fact that the Mechon had almost turned it to rubble. However, too many people had died during the attack. The usual bustling Commercial District was now just a sad hum of people, and as of the moment, there was only one shop open. The attack had affected everybody, some more then others. Shulk sat alone at Outlook Park, on the same bench he and Fiora had sat on together that fateful day. He could almost taste her delicious soup, and could almost make out her voice in the wind. He felt the tears prickling at the corners of his eyes again, but he wiped them away. If only he had realized that that day would be the last he would ever spend with her again. "The breeze feels so good..." Fiora said softly. Shulk looked at her, before mimicking her actions and nodding. "Yeah...I'd forgotten what it feels like," He said softly. "I'd never thought it could be so quiet here." "You're spending too much time with Reyn," Fiora teased. "You're getting used to all the noise he makes." "Yeah, maybe," Shulk laughed and Fiora joined in. "It's so peaceful," She said, looking out towards the colony again. "You know Shulk? I hope everyday can be like this, always." "Hey." A voice interrupted Shulk's memories, and he looked up, seeing Reyn standing in front of him. Shulk smiled weakly and stood, walking to the edge of the park and putting one hand on the wooden railing. He remembered the games he used to play with Fiora up here. To see who could find Agora shore the first...Finding all the landmarks the two had made...One of Shulk's favourites was to tell her about the Anti-Air batteries. Dickson had once told him how they worked, and even though Fiora never found much interest in them, she had once said 'The way you say it, Shulk, makes it a lot more interesting then when my brother or Dickson tries to explain it.' "Have you been to see Dunban?" Reyn asked finally. "Yeah," Shulk nodded. "I just can't do it," Reyn said. "You got more guts then me." "Not at all," Shulk's voice was toneless and sad, and he refused to show any emotion. "It was him that consoled me." "Oh..." Reyn said, looking out towards the Colony. "I guess that's the type of man he is." "Yeah." Shulk let a silence stretch out between the two before he finally spoke again. "Even without the Monado, he's the strongest person I know." He thought back to earlier in the day, when he had come to visit Dunban in his home. "Shulk," Dunban said after the blonde had greeted him. "How are you holding up?" "I'm fine," Shulk lied. "But you..." "I will shed no tears." "Huh?" "A year ago, I felt the same sense of deep loss that I do now," Dunban explained. "The Battle of Sword Valley," Shulk clarified. "After that battle, many of my friends did not make it home," Dunban nodded. "While I was being brought in on that stretcher, they were all I thought about. But I decided I would not cry. Everyone that died in that war had something they wanted to protect. Family, friends, loved ones, their home. So, they fought to protect them. And we won." He cast a glance to the picture next to his beside, which showed him standing between Dickson and another man Shulk didn't recognize. "No matter how painful," Dunban continued, turning to face Shulk. "No matter how hard, it's nothing to be sad about. I decided that right there and then." "But Dunban-" "Shulk, Fiora would tell you the same thing," Dunban cut across Shulk. "She wanted to protect us. Or rather, she wanted to protect you. And you're alive now. So, I will not cry." "Okay." "Remember the gift of life that Fiora gave you," Dunban turned back to the window. "And treasure it. "I...I can't say that I understand," Shulk admitted. "But...I hope to...someday." "That is all I ask," Dunban said. "Believe me, I am only just trying to understand..." "'Treasure the gift of life that Fiora gave you,'" Reyn said once Shulk was finished recounting his visit to Dunban earlier that day. "He's one of a kind, that Dunban." "I've made a decision," Shulk said. "Huh?" "My purpose in life -I will pursue that faced Mechon," Shulk said seriously. "Shulk..." "They attacked our colony, killed Fiora!" Shulk growled. "I will find that Mechon -find it and destroy it. Destroy them all!" Reyn chuckled, and Shulk turned to him, scowling. "What are you laughing at?" "Sorry, sorry!" Reyn said hastily. "It's just a bit weird. I never thought you'd be the one to say it!" "So you agree?" "Of course, man!" Reyn clapped Shulk on the shoulder. "I'm just surprised you came out with it first." "You thought I'd try to talk you out of it?" Shulk managed a small smile. "'That's not what Fiora would want!' That sound about right?" "Yeah," Reyn nodded, folding his arms. "Something like that. I thought you'd give me a hard time." "In my head, there are two versions of me," Shulk said. "One of them is saying that. It's telling me, 'Listen to what Dunban said.'" "What about the other one?" Reyn asked. "It keeps shouting, 'make them pay!' 'destroy every single one of them!'" Shulk said venomously. "And it won't stop getting louder." "That doesn't sound like you," Reyn teased. "Sure it ain't my voice in there?" "Might be," Shulk scratched the back of his head. "It's a bit of a loudmouth." "There you go then!" The two enjoyed a good laugh. "So, when do we head out?" Reyn asked. "Right now," Shulk replied. "Perfect." The two started from Outlook Park in silence, before Shulk spoke. "It's all very well-going after that metal-faced Mechon attacked," Shulk admitted. "But shouldn't we have some kind of plan?" "How about checking out Colony Six?" Reyn suggested. "Colony Six...it's the only other Homs colony left," Shulk said to himself. "Colony Six is on the way to Sword Valley," Reyn explained. "Where there's supposed to be a Mechon base. If that's where they came from, maybe the people in Colony Six saw something. "Good point," Shulk stopped walking. "They might even know something about that metal-faced Mechon. So, we go past the Mag Mell Ruins and up through Tephra Cave. Then we should arrive at the Bionis' knee." "Yeah." Reyn nodded, standing next to him. "And if we can get to the knee, it ain't too far to Colony Six, right?" "Sounds like a plan!" The two headed back to the colony and collected their weapons along with all the materials they would need for their journey. Then, they headed out, Reyn shouldering his scrap driver, and Shulk keeping the Monado secure at his back. "Right then," Reyn said. "Yeah..." Shulk agreed, and they started forwards on their journey into the unknown.