Aftermath of Quake's Attack

Soon after we were all done talking amongst each other, I regained my stamina and left the cluster of trees to assess the damage.

Avie may have cracked the ground with one of her kicks, but she kept the damage minimal... besides the buildings with the tops caved in, and several glass planes shattered. It was a simple fix, and I would make sure to help.

The evacuated crowd didn't get hurt, and it didn't seem like we received any casualties... then, we really won that encounter.

I was looking around the city in the same area as Ruby approached me with bandages wrapped around her body, and Alatus, Fudo, an old man, and the blue-haired girl named Hiyochi surrounded her.

"So, this is your doing?" Ruby asked me.

"I plan to help with repairs, and I'll work however you want me to. Was anybody injured or killed?" I asked her.

"No. No injuries or casualties..." Hiyochi muttered.

Ruby still had a confused and displeased look on her face.

"Why?" She asked me.

"Why? That's not very specific," I replied to her, and she shook her head with an annoyed scrunch of her face.

"Why didn't you destroy this city with Quake? Why did you... defend the people who live here...? What kind of villain are you...?" Ruby asked me.

"Could it be possible that I was telling the truth, and was never a danger to you, to begin with?" I asked her. I realized it was mean of me to ask that question, but Ruby was in serious need of a reality check.

"It's true, Ruby. He didn't falter, even when you didn't have vision of him. He sat in front of certain death when I was behind him to protect me..." The old man said.

So, that's why he was here... I didn't realize he was the same old man.

"Fine! I give up then. I'll let you roam free." Ruby finally caved in, and I couldn't help but smile.

I grabbed her shoulder and sent strands through her body to heal her wounds permanently. Her arm slowly reformed itself with my Golden Strands, and she moved it around with a surprised look.

"Now that we're allies, I guess I'll give you access to the powers I had. Hiyochi, do you have any permanently injured people in your hospital, or know of any at all? I might be able to help... tomorrow. I need some rest." I asked her before rubbing my eyes.

I was getting way too tired to even stand up straight now.

Ruby's radio started to gather some chatter on it from a familiar voice... Umbra, was it?

"Ruby?! Hey, are you alright?! I heard loud noises, I have forces on the way. Ruby, are you alright?" Umbra screamed into the radio.

Ruby threw me the radio and nodded.

"She wants to hear Avie's voice, not mine," Ruby said.

I turned it on, looked toward the horizon, and spoke into it.

"This is Sky Asterio. Ruby is fine, and there have been no casualties." I said to her.

Umbra, with a hint of hope in her voice, asked the question.

"...And Avie...?" I could hear her tears through the radio.

"Switch with me, Sky... please...?" Avie asked me in my head.

"You don't have to be so polite. Go ahead." I told her.

I willingly switched with Avie and as my appearance changed and morphed into what I thought was half of Avie's, my voice changed, and Umbra was hit with a sweet response.

"I'm back, alive and well," Avie said, into the radio.

Avie let a tear loose and she spoke into the radio and quickly wiped it up while staring at the horizon.

"I'm coming there right now. I want to catch up with you as quickly as possible." Umbra said. She set the radio down and hung up, leaving Avie holding the device while looking in the same direction.

We switched places once more and my appearance shifted into my own.

"That was... weird... is that like a thing now?" Alatus asked, looking at her brother.

"Guess so." He said.

"Avie... that's the person who did this?" Ruby asked again, scanning my body.

"She's the person who saved you, that's right," I told Ruby with a slight smile.

It felt like a breath of fresh air standing on this mound that overlooked the sky. Like I finally had the opportunity to take one moment of rest without anything happening.

"Then, you'll have to thank her for me. We will enjoy our time separate from everybody else tonight, and tomorrow we will begin cleaning. It's going to be hard for me to just ignore your history, but expect this to lead to a bright future if you continue to produce results like this." Ruby said to me.

I kept my head forward, ignoring her gaze as she walked off.

"You don't seem like a bad guy," Hiyochi said, curiously studying my body as she walked off with Ruby.

"Hey, Young Man. I wanted to come here to thank you for saving my life. I own a tailor shop in the middle of town near the Black Tavern. Come visit me when you have a free chance, I can whip you up some new clothing." He told me.

I looked down, analyzing my body and my tattered clothing. This was the last of the outfit I received from the Isle... I was able to clean it while in the bath in jail, but now barely anything was left of it.

"I'll take up that offer, thanks," I told him, and he hobbled off. Next, Alatus and Fudo walked up to me.

"Time and time again, you give us a glimpse of strength we couldn't begin to fathom. Do you have anything else hidden from us, Sky Asterio?" Fudo asked with a smile.

"If I told you, I lose my edge," I explained to him. Alatus playfully hit him and agreed with me, and the two left.

"Hey, Avie... do you think Red would be proud of me? I was able to take a tragedy and turn it around, keeping everybody alive." I asked her. Of course, she wouldn't have a voice in the real world, and every time she spoke it was only a voice in my head.

"I don't think Red ever hated your efforts, Master," Avie commented.

I felt tears fall to my cheeks as I nodded in agreement, turning around to regather with my group.