Chapter 63-The Secret Ingredient
My eyes widen as crimson-red blood begins to seep through the cracks between the rocks.
My eyes widen, and my body trembles.
"H-h-he-he's-" I stammer, but Gaia cuts me off.
"He's dead, who cares," Gaia says as he turns around towards the pedestal hosting the Secret Ingredient, and Gaia's rock shield lowers back into the ground, revealing the golden glow of the Secret Ingredient, "Let's just get the Secret Ingredient and get out of here."
"He's dead…" I softly say, "I killed Wood…"
"You didn't kill Wood," Gaia grumbles as he continues making his way towards the Secret Ingredient, "The landslide did."
"I killed Wood…" I tremble.
Gaia pauses in his tracks, then sighs.
"Let's just say…that I misinterpreted your plan, yeah?" Gaia asks, with his back turned towards me, "You didn't MEAN for me to cause an underwater earthquake that will create a tsunami strong enough to cause a cave in to kill wood, did you?"
"No…" I sigh, "I suppose not…"
"Yeah…that's how we'll put it," Gaia replies as he begins approaching the Secret Ingredient again.
"You know, Gaia-'' I begin to say as a small smile spreads across my lips, "You put on such an asshole persona, but…you're a nice guy, you know that?"
Gaia flinches, then pauses again.
"I-I'm just repaying my debt, it all!" Gaia stammers as he turns and peers over his shoulder at me, his face bright red in embarrassment, "First, to Rocko for saving my life, and now…for you guys, who…did the same…"
Gaia's voice trails off as he sheepishly rubs the back of his neck.
"I understand!" I exclaim as I turn and peer over my shoulder at Gaia with a beaming smile.
"Just…shut up, Water Charger…" Gaia mumbles as he turns to face the Secret Ingredient again.
"FINALLY…" Gaia marvels as he stares down at the Secret Ingredient, and I take a step over to Gaia, and Peer down at the Secret Ingredient, as well, "What I've been searching for…is FINALLY in my grasp…"
Slowly…Gaia reaches out and plucks the Secret Ingredient off of its pedestal. Gaia then brandishes an orange blanket, and gently cradles the Secret Ingredient in it.
"Now, let's get out of here," Gaia says as he turns around to face me.
"Right…" I reply.
Gaia turns around and begins heading up the passageway from which we came. As for me, I take one final look at the bloody rocks to the side of me, before following after Gaia, at last.
Gaia and I climb, and climb, and climb, until eventually…the two of us spot a bright white light up ahead of us.
"That must be the exit!" I exctiedely exclaim,and Gaia and I step on the gas.
After a bit more climbing, Gaia emerges out into the open, where we drop to our hands and knees, gasping heavily for breath, as blood leaks out of our wounds. Above us…the sun has begun to rise, yet again.
"Where…are the others…?" Gaia pants.
"They better…have made it out…" I paint back.
"Noah!" I heard a voice cry from behind us.
"Gaia!" A second vice cries.
I turn and peer over my blood-soaked shoulder, where I watch an equally bloody ey smiling Mary and Old-Man F emerge from the cave opening. Old-Man F has an arm draped sound Mary for support.
"Mary! Old-Man F! I happily exclaim.
"Noah!" Mary shouts, one last time, as she lets go of Flint and rushes over to me.
Flint's eyes widen,and therm, with a yelp, he collapses to the ground in a bloody heap without Mary to support his dead weight.
"OOF!" I cry as Mary leaps into my arms and tackles me to the ground.
"I was so scared, Noah…" Mary sobs into my chest, "I…I killed Copper…"
I frown as I pat Mary's head. "Your opponent, a Treasure Thief?" I ask, "How did it happen?"
"A cave-in…" Mary sobs.
Mine and Gaia's eyes widen as we peer over at one another.
"That…may have been MY fault…" Gaia admits as he sheepishly lifts a hand, "I…sort of created a MASSIVE cave-in…"
Mary unburries her face from my chest then wipes her eyes.
"Oh…" she replies.
"Ah, my opponent caused their own cave-in to kill them," Old-Man F adds as he raises a hand as well.
"Well then…" I grunt as I push myself up to my feet, "Shall we head ba-"
But before I can finish my sentence, everything goes dark, and I fall face first ontot he ground.
"NOAH!" Is the last thing I want, before slipping unconscious.
…
"Ugh…again, eh?" Is the first thing I hear when I wake up.
I peer over to where I heard the grunt, and see that I'm lying on top of Mary's blood stained white tarp, side by side with Gaia.
Snoring on top of my chest, is Mary.
"What happened?" I ask as I peer over at Old-Man F, who's making his way over to the two of us.
"We were all pretty banged up after fights, you two especially-" Old-Man F begins to explain as he kneels down in front of Gaia and I, "Sooo…much to Mary's, well…DETRIMENT, as you may see, she healed you two, and thus, she fell asleep."
"This…can't be good for Mary's health in the future, can it…?" I frown as I peer down at Mary, "Constantly sacrificing her own strength and energy to heal others…"
"Certainly not," Old-Man F replies as he lifts his shirt up, revealing a huge, bloody gash in his chest, "That's why I told Mary NOT to heal me. She kept pestering me, but agreed to heal you two, first. Luckily…Mary fell asleep after healing you."
"So that's why I feel like shit," Gaia grunts.
"And why Mary's sleeping on top of me," I reply.
And so, Mary eventually wakes up, and after resting up for a bit, the four of us pack up and head on out, back towards Mount Gaia, Rocky Eats, and of course…Khione and Ana.
"Damn…" I once the four of us are standing at the base of Mount Gia, "How are we gonna climb up this time? We're all half DEAD."
"You forget, Earth is MY natural element," Gaia replies as takes a step forwards and places a hand to the rocky figure, and instantly, stone pillars begin to rise out of the side of Mount Gia, forming a rock staircase to the top, "With it…I can create ANYTHING."
"Woah…" the three of us marvel as we stare at Gaia's impressive handiwork.
"Come on," Gaia smirks as he begins climbing the staircase he created, "Let's head to the top."
Once the four of us have reached the top of Mount Gia, Gaia instantly spots the ruins of Rocky Eats and rushes over to it.
"No!" Gaia wails as he drops to his knees, "Why…would the Treasure Thief Bandits DO such a thing! I never should have left, this is all my fault!"
"Gaia…" I softly say as I place a hand on the chef's shoulder, "Don't worry. You have the Secret Ingredient in your possession, Rocko will forgive you."
"You're right…" Gaia replies as he pushes himself back up to his feet and wipes his eyes, "Thank you, Noah."
"Hee hee…" I giggle.
"What is it?" Gaia asks.
"You finally called me by my name and not 'Water Charge'!" I chuckle.
Gaia blushes and quickly turns away. "Shaddup…"
"Sooo…where are Khione and Ana?" Mary asks as she surveys the area.
"Well…we HAVE been gone for roughly four days now," Old-Man F replies, "I can't imagine that they would STILL be hanging out around a destroyed shack."
"Well…they wouldn't have left us," Mary replies, "So they MUSt still be on the mountain."
"I know I know where they are…" I sigh.
Old-Man F and Mary blink. "Where?"