Perhaps She's Right

"So?" Red asked me. I was too shocked at her response to give one back, shaking my head in surprise before she continued once more.

"If there's one thing I remember about Sky and everything he does... it's that he's an idiot. A reckless idiot looking for trouble and saving the lives of his friends in addition to his actions. He's relentless and capable of a great amount of things we can't understand. I can't tell you how I cursed him out in my head when he jumped into the ring to fight Ullr, let alone when he almost killed him. Or when he decapitated Raven, knowing he would be hunted if he did that. He's done a lot, none of it intelligent." Red sighed, chuckling while explaining.

I was waiting for the next part of her sentence, but with one open eye looking at me, I felt pressured to speak.

"He's stupid. He's gotten people killed." I finished.

"Are you dead? Am I?" Red asked me.

I looked at her in confusion, waiting to see where she was going with it.

"I might not be a smart girl, but what I do know is a leader when I see it. That bastard pawned everything off on me, can you believe him?! He had the White Stone and was born to be the leader... I was just a person! Yet, when blood started spewing and limbs started flying, he wasn't hiding behind me. He was in front, taking it all while I got to hide. Not for a moment did he cower when my life was on the line." Red told me. I tried to shoot back at her with a reply, but she cut me off.

"With everything you told me, he wouldn't even let his Mom fight on her own. He had to be there, he had to help the people around him. You told me a lot of people died... but it was Ullr, Xavier, and Ellie. I'm impressed Sky didn't kill Ullr sooner! He kept those people alive, whether it was his work or anybody else's, he could've made detrimental decisions that killed not just those three, but everybody." Red told me.

"You can't just excuse the death of three people just because others aren't following in their footsteps. My mother... Mitra... Myth... Eo..." I paused, looking at Red. She had a slight smile on her face.

"You said Sky had a Mom... what was she like?" Red asked me.

"Just as dumb as him. She made decisions that weren't very smart, but she protected everybody else." I told her.

"Ah. I see. If he has a family, what was his real name?" Red asked. I paused again, thinking about how she would react to his true identity.

"Sky Asterio is his name."

"I figured as much. From the little I've learned about the Asterios since my time on Earth, it's the epitome of Sky and his entire person. Those falsely accused heroes are blamed for everything and sentenced to death as soon as they hold that name. It's the entire White Stone dilemma too. Regardless of his name and if that holds merit, he's saved your life Faith, I know that for a fact. He's not a misguided fool, he just doesn't fit your standard. Perhaps if he did, it would've gotten you, or even me, killed." Red told me.

As soon as she responded so hastily to my claims, I felt like hurting her, but I froze at the point she was making and stared at the planks on the boat once more.

My planning... it got Dani sealed, didn't it?

"I'm curious to ask Sky about his experiences myself. And to see everybody again. You said Carl is down in Antarctica, didn't you?" Red asked me. I found myself unable to respond, smiling lightly while letting a tear loose.

This entire time... Sky's sacrifices are the only reason I'm able to question him in the first place. Cole would've killed me if he didn't jump in relentlessly. So many people would be dead... and I never understood until it was directly my fault. 

Why... why am I such an idiot?

"Yeah... Carl is..." I told her. I wiped my tears away from my eyes, thinking about what I could do next. There had to be something I could do...

I had to free Sky.

My dad.

"Red... do you think that I can redeem myself in his eyes? Do you think I can save him?" I asked her. I didn't expect her to know the answer to that question, nor the circumstance placed upon me. I had to fight a lot of people just to break through Cynthia's defenses... it hardly seemed possible.

"You're related to that guy, aren't you?" Red asked me with a smile.

"I don't know whether I should say 'unfortunately' or not." I responded back. 

"I know nothing about you, kid, but if you're the daughter of the man I knew would never give up, under any circumstance, I would say the chances of you saving him are astronomically high. I would like to help you as well... after I check up on Carl." Red explained.