Chapter CCCXC: Feelings and Healing ~Sapphire

6400 and Sapphire walked back to Lich's hut on the east side of the village, after the ceremony of 6400's painting. Sapphire's need to get away and be alone grew as she walked. "Hey, Brian, I'm going to go explore the village."

"Want me to go with you?"

"No, I'll be fine."

"You sure...?"

"Yessss."

"Feeling curious, Sapphy?"

Sapphire nodded in the usual response to being called Sapphy.

"Alright, I'll meet you back at the hut later."

"Yeah, later."

6400 headed on towards Lich's hut and Sapphire walked off in the opposite direction, hoping to find some place where there wasn't anyone to ask mindless questions. Suddenly she remembered that she had left her back-pack at Lich's hut and rushed back. Panting as she entered, she found 6400 in their room, lounging as usual.

"Forgot my back-pack." Sapphire walked over to the corner where she put it last and shouldered it.

"Silly, Sapphy."

"Very funny, I'll be off now."

Sapphire waved to 6400 as she left, he waved back of course. Sapphire started back on her walk around the village. Most of the homes were still being rebuilt by the Yoshies.

"Wow, they really work hard to help each other." Sapphire waved and smiled at a few.

The village was composed of mostly huts.

"Of course this village is mostly huts, what else would it be," she told herself.

Sapphire continued to wander, hoping to find a place where there was some quiet and nobody to question what she was doing. Several huts, Yoshies and a very long walk around later she found a building that was still intact. It looked interesting and feeling her curiosity level rise a great deal, she decided to take a look inside.

"Hmmmm, just a small peek would not hurt,” she mused. “If I get in trouble, I'll just apologize a lot and maybe loan my services if need be in exchange of not hurting Lich's reputation. Well, here goes."

Slowly, Sapphire peeked in the door. Letting out a small gasp as she glanced the injured lying in cots; leaning back against the side wall adjacent to the door way she felt a pang of guilt.

"I wonder if they'll accept my help. They could sure use it, especially that guy on the far end with his wing hanging above his head in a sling." After a slight pause, she exclaimed quietly, "Hey! I think I know that guy"

Taking another peek, this time a bit longer, she narrowed her eyes and tried to focus on the guy with the wing above his head. "Hmmmmmmmmmm." Leaning back against the side wall she concentrated and tried to
remember. "Who is he, I remember him…Rar! Why can't I remember?!"
Concentrating for a time she recalled seeing him limping. "Hey, now I remember: he's Kuza, Naaro's friend, I think. Poor guy, I'll come back and heal him later. It'll probably make me feel better if I don't find peace now. Well I should get going, and be back before I make 6400 worry too much. I know he'll probably worry anyway, but still I would rather get rid of my guilt and lessen his worry that way than keep faking my happiness to him."

Continuing on her walk again she went all the way to the edge of the village and looked around, hoping for trees or a forest or anything to help her find peace. Glancing further west from where she was standing she noticed a forest. "That'll be perfect!"

She set off, hoping upon hope that there wasn't anyone there to bother her. Walking along she let go a short length of the leash in her mind, that kept her confusion and loneliness and sadness in check, but keeping it under control so that if she passed someone they wouldn't ask her what was wrong and if they could help. She didn't want help; she just wanted to be left alone to deal with her own feelings. She wished that she could tell 6400, but she couldn't and didn't want to yet, knowing that he would do anything to console her and make her happy again. She didn't want to be happy, yet. She needed to let these feelings flow out of her or else they would stay inside bottled up, and it made her feel uncomfortable to keep all them inside. She couldn't hold them forever and she really needed to let them go right then or else she might have released them at the wrong time and she didn't want that to happen. She kept up her pace and looked up to make sure she was on the right track towards the forest.

Finally reaching the forest she looked around and took in her surroundings. "Doesn't look to be a forest, more like a rainforest because it feels extremely humid in here." Glancing around even more she noticed that there was a bit of wildlife. "I hope I don't run into anything dangerous in here. Well, I should find a place to sit and think."

Glancing back to make sure of her place from the village, she walked on further into the rainforest. "It's beautiful in here."

Walking on cautiously she kept her eyes up and let her senses take in what they could. As she walked further in and to the north, she passed a group of Yoshies who looked to be hunters. "Lots of spears," she mumbled to herself.

Keeping her eyes on the trees around her and keeping her direction northward she kept on walking, also careful of the ground in case she caught her foot in something. Passing many trees and several strange animals and bugs, she found a nice clearing with a nice sturdy large tree to climb. "Ahhh, at last, this will do nicely."

Climbing the tree and finding a nice thick branch to settle in, she placed her back-pack on a sturdy branch near her.

Meanwhile, back at Lich's hut, 6400 decided to take a walk. "Maybe I'll go out and find Sapphire and surprise her, and see if she needs any help with the injured."
Stepping out of the hut he realized he had no idea where the infirmary was, and wondered if he should look for Lich for directions to save time.

"I just hope she hasn't gotten her self into trouble; with her curiosity she's bound to have done something silly." Walking back to where he was painted 6400 looked around. "Must have just missed him; oh well, looks like I'll have to find the infirmary on my own."

Walking along he tried asking a few Yoshies where the infirmary was and they pointed him westward. He nodded and left in that direction.

Finally finding the infirmary he peeked inside, and was a bit surprised to find that Sapphire wasn't inside.

"Where could she have gone? I've been about the whole village and I haven't seen her at all. I hope she has not got herself into more trouble."

Leaning against a wall outside the infirmary he thought to himself about where Sapphire could have gone.

Back in the forest Sapphire sat in her tree with her mind a stir with all her feelings. She sat for some time, wondering to herself.

"Why do I feel this way?” she argued with herself. “It just isn't right. I shouldn't feel so jealous.

"I know I've felt this before but not this strongly, I didn't think he would just join the tribe just like that. I knew I should have told him how I felt when Lich and he figured out they were cousins but I didn't want to make either of them upset, just because of how I felt. It would have been rude.

“Maybe I'm not jealous, maybe I just feel left out. After all, I don't have family, he's the only one I know and have known since we were very young, I have Airashii and Tamashii too, but they’re different. Now that he's joined a tribe, it feels different.

“WHY! He never even thought to talk to me about it. You know, I probably would have said no...but, it's not like he has a choice. I mean, he's Lich's cousin after all, right…”

Back at the infirmary 6400 was still trying to figure out where Sapphire would have gone off to. I wonder why she would have lied. Maybe I made her upset some how. And she's crying somewhere…Or she's playing a game with me.

I don't think so, or I probably would have seen her somewhere. I should go look for her; maybe she is in trouble. But which way? Hmmm. If she wanted to be alone then she would probably go to a forest. Are there any forests near here though?

Walking towards the end of the village from where he was standing,
6400 saw it. I wonder if that’s the one. Well, it's worth a shot.

He then set off for the forest with hopes of finding Sapphire.

“I would have at least considered it, but I wouldn't have made any difference in his decision,” Sapphire continued to argue. “Even if I said no or yes, he still probably would have to join, or ‘rejoin’ as they said any way...

“I feel so confused and upset. I just wish I could tell him somehow without making him feel upset. I just feel so lonely now; it feels like he might leave me and stay with that tribe and I'll end up with just Airashii. But, I know I don't want this to get in the way so much. I think I just need to talk to him without getting so upset, but I'll probably just end up crying anyway…"

After sometime of crying and silence, Sapphire just sat there having cried herself out she decided to just sit and think in silence and without crying.

"Maybe I should just tell him. After all, how bad could it be."

After a while of not thinking and sniffling, Sapphire wondered how long she had been sitting for and if she should be getting back soon.

Having reached the forest, 6400 wondered where to look. This place is big and I’m sure there is just one place where she could be. But where is what I need to find out. Where should I look first?

Closing his eyes, he concentrating hard about where Sapphire could possibly be. If I just focus on her maybe I'll know what direction to go to.

Standing still and keeping his eyes closed and continuing his concentration, he kept his thoughts focused on her. Then deep in side something clicked. I hope I’m right. Then, following his intuition and going into a direction which he hoped would lead to her, he took off at a run.

Still sitting in her tree Sapphire continued to wonder and debate on whether she should tell 6400 about how she truly felt. "If I do tell him, what if he gets upset and does something that he shouldn't do? But I don't think he would get upset, but maybe he would. Or not." She paused. “What if he gets angry? But, I don't think he'd do that either. He'll probably try to make me feel better if anything. Yeah, even if it makes himself unhappy. But I don't want him to be unhappy either, so should I or shouldn't I? Oh, I’m still not sure, but I know deep down if I continue to keep this inside I'll just get upset again and have to get away again, so I should probably just tell him and hope for the best, and that he doesn't get upset."

After a long run cum jog cum walk, 6400 saw her sitting in a tall tree with her backpack near her. Keeping a good pace, he went right until he was below her. "Hey Sapphy, you okay?"

Looking down, Sapphire got startled, because 6400 found her so quickly and she still hadn't truly decided if she should tell him what was bothering her. Nodding, she quietly said “Yes.”

"You sure?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Want to come down from there then?"

Shifting in her seat she thought and wondered about this.

"I thought you were gonna go check in at the infirmary," 6400 told her.

Quietly, she answered, "I did, but I wasn't ready to go in."

"Why not?"

"’Coz."

"’Coz why."

"Mmm."

"Sapphy, are you sure you okay?"

"Mmm...uhhh..."

"Sapphy, you have to tell me what's bothering you or else I can't help you."

She shifted in her seat, still un-sure if she wanted to tell him.

"Sapphy, I'm coming up there, okay?" 6400 spoke, and then climbed up the tree and sat next to her and then hugged her.

Sighing, Sapphire then said, "I guess I should tell you."

"Tell me what."

"How I feel about all this. But you have to promise that you won't do something silly."

"I can't promise you anything until you tell me."

"Alright, I guess I'll tell you then. But, will you promise?"

6400 sighed and then said, "Yes I'll promise."

"Okay. Well, I guess I’ll start from the start. Well, it started when you and Lich figured out you were cousins, I guess. And then I didn't feel this bad then. But, then today, you were painted and well I just felt like I would burst if I didn't get away." She paused for a while. "Oh, Brian, I felt jealous, okay; I felt jealous of you and Lich and the fact that you were cousins. And now, today, I feel even worse because of this tribe stuff and you didn't even bother to talk to me…I mean we've been together since either of us can remember, right? Well, I thought…I thought you were, well, gonna stay here with the tribe and not come back to me, and I thought they were taking you away from me and it made me feel even worse and lonely and, well, I didn't want to tell you at first but then if I just kept it in it would have made me feel even worse and worse and I would just be faking my happiness to you."

Sapphire was stunned into a long silent pause, and then broke into tears.

6400 held Sapphire closer and talked to her gently, "Oh, Sapphy, you didn't need to feel so lonely like that. I would never have left you and stayed with this tribe. I love you and, yes, I know we have been together since I can even remember; nothing can change that or take that away from us. Sapphire, love, listen, I won't ever leave you, okay."

Sapphire slowly noded into 6400's chest. He hugged her again. "Feeling better love?"

Sapphire nodded again.

"Want to stay here for a little?"

Pausing to think, and then remembering Kuza lying in the hospital bed with only one wing, slowly she started to say no, but re-considered, “Can we stay for just a little?"

"Alright, want me to keep hugging you?"

Sapphire nodded again and shifted a little closer to 6400.

6400 hugged Sapphire and held onto her, and watched the scenery. Slowly, Sapphire said, "How did you find me?"

6400 grinned and said, "I followed my instincts."

Smiling a little she says, "Oh."

6400 and Sapphire sat for sometime. 6400's stomach started to growl. Giggling, Sapphire sat up from where she had curled up next to 6400. "You hungry?"

"Maybe."

"I guess we should get going then, huh?"

"I guess."

"That and I should fix Kuza, shouldn't I?"

"Yesssss."

"Alright, we can go."

"Sure your feeling better?"

"I guess."

"Okay, I'll get down and you can climb down after."

6400 climbed down. Grabbing her backpack, Sapphire climbed down and 6400 helped her when she reached the bottom. Then holding each other's hands they walked back through the forest and back to the village.

On the way Sapphire asked and giggled, "So, did you have fun looking at yourself in the mirror?"

6400 shifted his eyes and grumbled. "You know I don't like getting painted."

"Of course I know you don't like it."

"Then why are you giggling?"

"Cause you look funny."

6400 grumbled again.

"Awww, I'm sorry."

After a pause, 6400 said, "You know, after all this is over, how about we go out and try to find out who your family is?"

Sighing Sapphire nodded and said, "I guess that would be alright."

She paused mid-step and gave 6400 a gentle hug. After that they both walked the rest of the way in silence.

Reaching the infirmary Sapphire still thought about how she was going to fix Kuza's wing. "Brian, I'm still not sure how I'll fix Kuza's wing."

"Sapphy, if you truly believe in yourself you will just do it."

"I know; well, at least I think I know. The scrapes and bruises are easy, it's just the wing."

"I know it'll be hard, Sapphy, but I believe in you."

"Okay, I'll try then."

Slowly entering the infirmary and holding tightly to 6400's hand, they reached Kuza's bedside. Sapphire took a seat near Kuza's bed and said, "Kuza, you awake?"

Sapphire nudged Kuza gently.

"Nnh…what…?" Kuza groaned as he woke up.

"Hi, my name’s Sapphire, I don't think we've formally met, but I'm going to heal you."

"Oh..." Kuza yawned, keeping his voice quiet.

Sitting for a bit Sapphire continued to think about how she would heal him.

"Something the matter?" Kuza inquired.

"Well, you'll be a tough case to heal for one thing, but I believe I can manage,"
Sapphire smiled at him. "Brian, think you could go get his wing up there," she pointed to the wing that was hanging in the rafters.

"Mmm, I think I can," 6400 said, went to get a stool.

"In the mean-time, I'll have you take something," she told Kuza. Sapphire then reached for her backpack from where she had placed it and rooted around inside for a jar. Finding it, she held it for about a minute and during that minute the jar glowed with a rainbow aura.

"Ahhh, now, let’s see which ones." Glancing at her jar, she pulled out a pair of jewel capsules, one red, the other yellow. She handed the red one to Kuza first. "Okay, now, when you take this one, think of all your cuts and bruises and think of them getting healed okay."

Kuza nodded and swallowed the capsule, concentrating on what she told him to. Watching him concentrate she saw the capsule working and his cuts and bruises fade away.

"Feel better?"

Kuza nodded.

"Alright, next one, this is for your shattered knee cap." Sapphire handed the yellow capsule to him. "Just try to relax your knee so the spell can repair the cap; as well, concentrate on the knee cap and think of how it should work and of it healing and repairing."

Nodding, Kuza swallowed the second capsule and concentrated again on what she told him to.

During his concentration 6400 came back with a stool tall enough for him to reach Kuza's wing. "Be careful, Brian, don't damage it," Sapphire warned him.

"I won't." 6400 then carefully lifted down the wing and handed it to Sapphire, and got down from the stool.

Kuza opened his eyes then and flexed his once shattered knee. "Hmmm," he said.

"Better?" Sapphire asked with a smile.

Kuza nodded.

"Don't try to use it too much for the time being. The spell isn't fully permanent yet, at least not for a full half hour, but I'm sure I'll probably be just finishing your wing by then. Well, I'll need to take those bandages off of you first."

"Okay," said Kuza.

"Hmmm, maybe we should sit you up first. Think you could by yourself?"

Kuza responded by slowly sitting up.

"Okay, I hope this doesn't hurt too much." Reaching over slowly and checking to see where the bandage started Sapphire slowly began to peel and roll up the bandage as she peeled it off. Kuza winced as Sapphire got closer to the wound.

"Okay, all done. Now the tough part."

Sapphire then also took off the wings bandages, as it had been wrapped up after being brought here. She was extra careful when she got closer to the cut-off area. Then she sat and looked at Kuza's wound and the wing where it was cut off. She began to see just where the cut off bits connected. After a good half hour Sapphire had all the connections she needed to heal his wing.

"Okay, this will be tough and will require my own energy, but I know I can do it. While I connect your wing back, you have to keep still; I suppose you should lie down, it will probably be easier for you to relax that way."

Nodding, Kuza lay back down slowly, face forward.

Taking a deep breath because this was her first wing healing, she picked up the wing and placed it where she had made all the connections in her mind. She then closed her eyes and began concentrating. Blue tendrils of energy flowed from her fingers and the connections Sapphire had made in her mind formed with those blue energy tendrils.

Slowly, Sapphire placed the wing flush to Kuza's back and the tendrils then closed the gap from wing to body and strengthened the broken areas. Sapphire continued to hold the wing in place, until the whole wing glowed with her blue energy. She had done it.

Sighing she sat down back in her chair and opened her eyes. "I think you can move it again, but don't try to fly with it yet, not for a full day and night, okay."

Kuza sat up again slowly and nodded, he then folded his wings back. Then looked at his once shattered knee.

"I think that should be alright now too," Sapphire said with a smile.

Nodding, Kuza stood up. “Where can I find Lich?" he asked.

"Hmmm, I’m not sure. Brian?"

"I’m not sure either." 6400 responded with a puzzled expression.

"Well, I shall go look for him then. Before I go, I thank you, Sapphire."

"Your welcome, and call me Saph, okay?"

Kuza nodded and left to look for Lich.

Sapphire looked to 6400. "Brian, I guess we should go as well, besides he'll probably be worried that we left the village."

6400 nodded and they both got up and left the infirmary together.