Don't Forget Me

Chapter Eight

"Tom, you need food." Ringo reminded Tom, as he paced silently around his cave.

"No, I don't. I can live without."

"I know you can live without, but you shouldn't. It's not good for you. It'll hurt."

"I know it'll hurt!" He snapped at her, before taking a deep breath, "I know it'll hurt..."

"I don't think the others would appreciate you doing this," the dragon slowly stood and walked over to him, rubbing her scaley head on his leg.

"Right now, I don't care what they think." He kneeled down, and gently pet her.

"I'll go and find you some food," Ringo stood, and started walking away, when Tom interrupted her.

"It'll be a waste of time and food," he frowned.

"Tom, you need to eat."

"That's just it! I don't!" He stood, turned to his bed, and sat on the edge of it. Ringo whimpered, before walking over to him and jumping on his bed. She forced herself underneath his arm, and relaxed next to him. But she didn't speak. And it was good. For now.

««•»»

"Tornado! That's what we need!" Edd exclaimed. They three of them had been trying to figure out what fusion was really needed. The past few days had clouded their vision, and they knew they needed something. But no one could think properly.

"Oh, yeah!" Matt exclaimed. Tord nodded, albeit not enthused. However, when Matt and Edd started up the mountain, he followed. They stood in the centre, back to back, clearing their minds about anything and everything other than each other.

Tord watched as the two of them fused to form a giant Phoenix. It glowed with the fire that surrounded it. And, with a burst of energy, the creature flew into the bright, morning sky. As the wind swarmed around it, it's focus had drifted somewhere else.

««•»»

"Hey, Matt?" Edd asked his friend as their controlled form spun the air around them.

"Yes?" Matt was watching the creature through its eyes.

"How do you suggest we get Tom back?"

"I don't...I don't know...There's got to be something we can do."

Edd pondered for a moment, before asking, "When we were younger...and Tom first showed you his form, how did he turn back?"

Matt tried remembering that day, but it was all blurry. He looked at the destruction they were causing, when he remembered, "Oh! When he hurt Tord he immediately pulled himself back out."

Edd elminiated that possiblity, seeing as he nearly killed Tord, but he hadn't turned back.

"Hmm...What else could it have been?" He asked, as The Phoenix sent mini tornadoes in multiple directions.

"Well, he did start to panic. Maybe, that works," Matt shrugged as he watched Edd. Edd shrugged as well, but that might actually work...Just, send him into a panic. Despite how horrible that might be, it may have to be done.

««•»»

Ringo purred as she stood from her spot and circled the now sleeping God. She didn't think what he was doing was right, but she promised him she wouldn't do anything. She wouldn't tell anyone, she wouldn't get him food, she wouldn't help him.

Stretching, she jumped off the bed, and onto the floor. She paced around, trying to think of how she could bend the rules. Of course, Tom knew some of her tricks, so he tried being as specific as he could. Now, it made it very difficult to look out for him.

She yawned, and began her journey around Tom's caves. Occasionally, she'd notice some shadows bounce off the walls, confusing her. Shadows don't move. Even Tom can't control them.

She watched one of them, and after a while, it moved again. They moved very fast, and she hardly noticed where they had gone to!

"Who are you?" she growled at it. When she got not reply, she asked again, "Who. Are. You."

"I don't really have a kind, do I?" A soft voice spoke. Ringo looked around, then to the shadow.

"Are you the shadow?" She felt like it was a stupid question.

"Yes. And I worry." The voice grew softer.

Ringo sat down, "About what?"

"Thomas." Ringo froze. Whoever this was knew Tom. But, before she could speak, the voice continued, "Something is wrong with him. I can tell. He's isolating himself a lot recently."

"Who even are you?"

"I'm a shadow Tom created. He told me he was lonely, so, I was created."

"Wait, but I thought he couldn't bend shadows..."

"He can't anymore. He used whatever he had left to make me. Recently, he hasn't been acting the same. I've seen him a lot, but he ignores me..." she sounded very sad and in despair, almost.

"How come I've never seen you? You're really noticeable.."

"I've made myself smaller so not to bother Tom."

"Well, something's going on with him. I promised not to tell, and I intend to keep that promise." Ringo frowned, before she remembered something, "Wait, you said you didn't have a kind, but what about an actual name?" As Ringo watched the shadow, she noticed it start to shift and grow, into what looked like a person. The person had short hair, and was rather tall. A pair of pure white eyes opened, and a white smile spread across the shadows face.

"Call me Susan!"