A Cosmic Mystery

C7 - More Than Meets the Eye



//Gonna be a long one...//

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ID Input ....... Russell, Maxwell T.

Location ..... Rico Mountain Trail, Terrus

Status ......... Tired, Relieved

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The drive home was exhausting. When we landed I left my battle gear in my FF-2, got some coffee, and went home.

From Besa Airfield, I had to go over the bridge and drive through the suburbs. Kate practically begged me for a ride across, so I gave her a lift. Ridiculous. After that, I got to drive through Havens City, which is always beautiful in the evening. When it comes to cities, it's the place to be.

After getting through the city, it was the hour-long drive through hills and fields that drained me. Nothing but grasses, and dust, and a few trees every now and then. However, past all the boring terrain was where my house lies-- the Rico Mountains.

If you ever go to Terrus, //which I'm sure you won't//, visit Havens. Then see the Sade Pit. But for the love of Mike, you have got to climb the Rico Mountains. It's the most beautiful place in the world. And I've been everywhere.

Anyway, I got to the base of the mountain and finished my coffee. I had to drive up the mountain and across the top, which is actually really dangerous. 

I hesitated. But not because of the danger.

I had my house built on the mountain after the top was blown off. In the first attack on Terrus, 14 years ago, it was flattened by a huge explosion. I have certain... memories... with this place. So I couldn't bear to leave it.

"Sigh..."

I pressed the accelerator and started up the mountain. The view is beautiful; you can even see the glow of Havens if you look closely. On the other side of the mountains is Jera City, which you could also see.

I passed the familiar oak tree next to my driveway and pulled into my property. 

Ahh... my house. My big beautiful house. It was two stories with a basement, and practically everything south of the mountain for miles was mine. I have a lot of kills under my belt, so I've got a lot of money.

I drove into my garage and turned off the engine. I stepped out and closed the door. In front of the front door was a little swinging bench that overlooked the river valley in between two mountains. Walking over to it, I breathed in the fresh air. It was very different from the city and the compressed air we got on missions. This was real air.

Birds sang in the warm summer night, and crickets chirped in the grass around me. I sat down and looked up at the sky, and found the bands of the Arms Galaxy and several planets in our system. I could easily make out Lreesc since it was so bright, and I saw Sageh because I had looked at it so much in the past.

I stayed there for a few minutes, watching shooting stars go by, and listening to the sweet sounds of nature. But I couldn't stay out for long, because soon enough the temperature would drop. The weather is usually unpredictable up here.

I headed inside, closing the two front doors behind me. In front of me was my pet Turtle, Habitat. I walked over to him and patted his head. 

"Hey, you miss me, buddy?"

He looked up and then back down, and then turned around and crawled away.

"Pfft, jerk."

I smiled and stood up. I had to feed my fish, Fish Maxwell, so I walked up the stairs to my bedroom. I had given him a bunch of food before I left, but he might have run out. After opening the door gently, I turned the light on and noticed that he wasn't in his tank.