Alone Together

Somewhere high in the sky, Anne was once again riding with Olivier upon his magic staff.

She had been quiet for awhile, but was starting to wonder why they were leaving the city.

"Oliver...Seriously, where are we going?" spoke Anne, finally.

"Hold on, we're nearly there." said Olivier.

Anne breathed out and watched as they now flew over a forest.

Eventually, they lowered down into what looked like a vast meadow.

When they finally dismounted, Anne looked around at the wide open space.

"wow. this place feels more like Amphibia than that park did."

Anne then looked at Olivier. "so, why did you bring us here?"

Olivier was silent for a minute...and then spoke: "Do you remember what I told you about Palismans?"

"I think." said Anne. "They are those magic critters carved out of wood like Pinocchio, right?"

Fleetwing came to life, and perched upon Olivier. "pretty much, yes.

Olivier then patted Fleetwing's head (who emoted in a way that implied he was enjoying the attention.)

"My grandfather...he taught me all about Palismans." continued Olivier.

"Not just the Palismans themselves, but the Palisman TREES that their wood comes from."

Olivier then drew out a cloth bag from his person.

He opened it...unveiling a cluster of strange looking seeds.

Anne looked at them. "Hey...I remember those things."

"yes. They are Palisman Seeds." said Olivier. "When I was a child, I gathered them with my grandfather.

They are VERY rare where I come from, as Emperor Belos deforested many woods where the trees grew."

"Why?" asked Anne.

Olivier had a nervous expression. "I'd rather not say...it's too horrible to speak of."

Anne grimaced at this. "o-kaaay..."

"Anyway, I promised my grandfather that I would plant new Palisman trees where there were none." continued Olivier.

"He probably meant for me to do that in my own world, but I've already planted some in Amphibia."

Olivier then smiled at Fleetwing. "Which is how we got YOU, buddy."

Fleetwing chirped happily.

"I see...And, you want to do the same thing here." spoke Anne, thinking aloud.

"yes." said Olivier. "Like Amphibia, any Palisman Trees that grows here will be safe from Belos.

AND, besides: The sooner we grow a Palisman Tree, the sooner we can carve your own Palisman."

Anne's eyes lit up. "R-REALLY!?, we're still gonna do that?!"

Olivier smiled at Anne. "Of course...BUT, we need Palisman Wood first."

Olivier then opened up his seed bag to Anne. "here...pick one. It can be YOUR Palisman Tree."

Anne looked into the cloth sack full of seeds. She paused as she looked inside, trying to make a decision.

True, all the seeds looked the same...but Anne knew they were each unique,

and she was picking the seed that would grow into HER tree...her palisman.

Anne finally dipped her finger into the bag, and stirred the seeds.

She closed her eyes, and tried to *feel* them for the one that felt like hers.

After almost a full minute...Anne finally picked one.

Anne pulled out the seed she picked, and Olivier closed up his bag.

"is...this the one?" asked Anne.

"Only you can answer that question, Anne." said Olivier. "If you truly feel that it is the one...then, it is."

Anne looked at the palisman seed as it rested in her hand.

It was so small, and yet...she could feel a faint power radiating from it.

It almost harmonized with her own Calamity power, syncing with it.

"yes...Yes, I think it is." said Anne.

"Then we should next find a good spot to plant your seed." said Olivier.

Anne clutched her Palisman seed as if it were a fragile egg,

and proceeded to run around the meadow, looking for a good spot for a tree to grow.

Olivier was tempted to pick a spot himself, but decided to let Anne make the decision.

(Afterall, it was HER seed, HER Palisman. It was only right that SHE pick where to plant the tree.)

"OLIVER!, OVER HERE!" called Anne.

Olivier rushed over to where Anne was.

Standing over a hill, Olivier and Anne looked over at a small pond.

"huh. I never noticed that before." mused Olivier.

Olivier followed Anne as she ran over to the pond. The pair looked and saw some frogs swimming in the water.

"I think...I think I want to plant my tree HERE." said Anne.

Olivier looked at Anne...and smiled. "yeah...I think we should, too."

Anne began to look around the area near the Frog Pond, trying to pick a good place for her tree to grow.

She then looked right at the pond, and noticed something: "Is that an Island?"

Olivier looked where Anne was pointing...and DID see a patch of land

at the very center of the pond, that kinda did look like an island in the sea.

Olivier then put his arm around Anne's waist, and jumped really high.

The pair then descended slowly onto the center island of the frog pond.

"Hmm...This ground is pretty sturdy, and while not very big...it's big enough." mused Olivier.

"The tree will certainly get all the water it needs...but why HERE specifically, if I may ask?"

As if on cue, a tiny frog hopped onto the island at Anne's feet.

Anne picked up the tiny frog...and smiled as she looked at it.

"Because when my tree grows...I want it to become one, big shade tree." began Anne.

"with branches like great big arms that'll protect these little little guys from the sun."

Olivier stared at Anne, blushing a little at how Anne worded all that.

"good enough for me." said Olivier, quickly.

"So, where should we plant it?" asked Anne.

Olivier began to poke at the ground using his magic staff.

Eventually, he found an area where the ground was much softer.

As Olivier knelt down, so too did Anne. "so...how do we-"

Olivier drew a circle of golden light, which turned green upon completion.

He then took Anne's hands and pushed then through the spell ring.

Anne withdrew her hands...which were now a mix of blue and green.

"I gave you a dose of Nature Magic." explained Olivier. "You should know what to do."

Anne nodded, and waved her hands as if it were a motion controller for a videogame.

The patch of ground glowed bluish-green as it parted into a hole of fresh soil.

"cooooool..." spoke Anne, amazed at what she did.

Anne then placed the Palisman seed into the deep hole. She and Olivier then buried the seed under the soft soil.

Anne then quickly ran over to the shore of the pond, and scooped up some water.

She ran back just as quickly...and gently poured some water into the dirt mound.

"Sooo...How long will it take to grow?" asked Anne.

"Depending on the conditions, Palisman Trees can grow remarkably fast." said Olivier.

"They had to after hundreds of years of being cut down by the Emperor's Coven."

Olivier then knelt down again, and waved some magical energy towards the dirt mound.

...this cause a small, leafy plant to immediately sprout from the mound.

"of course, a little Nature Magic doesn't hurt, either." spoke Olivier.

Anne smiled as she looked down at the tiny plant that would eventually grow big, and tall.

She then looked at Olivier...who looked back at her. Both blushing bright red.

It was then that the Frog Pond began to illuminate as dozens of fireflies appeared.

The fluttering, blinking lights scattered all around the pond. Surrounding the two teenagers.

Anne smiled at this. "just like our special place in Amphibia..." spoke Anne.

Olivier said nothing. He just closed his eyes, and savored this tranquil moment.

He was then brought back to reality when Anne took him by the and and made him face her.

The two locked eyes as Anne flattened her hands against Olivier's, before linking them both.

Olivier smiled...realizing what Anne was intending to do right now.

With one of their hands clutched together, Olivier placed his other at Anne's side.

Anne then placed her free hand over Olivier's shoulder.

Their foreheads touched as that continued to lock eyes.

"Look at the sky...tell me what do you see? Just close your eyes, and describe it to me." sung Olivier, softly.

"because the heavens are sparkling with starlight tonight. That's what I see through your eyes."

"I see the heavens, each time that you smile. I hear your heartbeat just go on for miles." sung Anne, softly.

"And suddenly, I know my life is worthwhile. That's what I see through your eyes..."

Anne and Olivier embraced as they slow danced together.

The countless fireflies fluttering around them like magic light balls.

"Here in the night, I see the sun." sung the two, together. "Here in the dark, our two hearts are one..."

At that moment, Anne glowed blue and Olivier glowed gold.

Their respected energies then combined, turning white...and then flashing bright.

When the light subsided...Anne and Olivier had disappeared.

Once again, they had fused into Olivanne (who stood alone, hugging themselves.)

"...And love just took me by surprise." sung Olivanne, softly. "...Looking through your eyes."

After a minute passed, Olivanne then opened their eyes.

The fusion looked at their hands...and realized what had just happened.

"OH, GOD. I did it again!" exclaimed Olivanne. "Why does this keep happening!?, I-, wait..."

Olivanne closed their eyes, and inhaled deeply. "it's okay...this is fine."

Olivanne hugged themself again. "I'm...I'm okay."

Olivanne opened their light blue and dark blue eyes...and then leapt from the center island.

They landed gracefully away from the frog pond, and onto the grassy meadow.

Olivanne looked up at the night sky, gazing at the clouds illuminated by the bright moon.

They closed their eyes, and inhaled the air again. Taking in the nature all around them.

a gentle breeze blew against their face...it felt soothing to them.

Olivanne then opened their eyes again...which were illuminating in the darkness.

Looking ahead of them, their body began to glow a faint light blue.

They then took a step, and began walking...which gradually transitioned into a jog.

Their job then became a sprint, and soon the fusion was running.

They ran faster, and faster...until they started to move like the wind itself.

From high up in the sky, Fleetwing stared down as a blue light streaked across the vast meadow.

The blue streak then shot upward, ascending higher and higher...and then finally coming to a stop.

Olivanne was now floating high above the landscape, Gravity having no hold over them.

The fusion then smiled, spread out their arms and twirled around like a joyful child would.

Olivanne felt happy...they loved life, they loved this world.

And most of all...they loved being THEM.

[End of Part Twenty-One]