"Good evening. This is the Nakama World All Night News, back on the air thanks to sixteen newly constructed comms towers all around Nakama World. A big thank you to our Comms Tower Sponsors, the United Industrial Front, 'Coming Together To Serve All Your Needs'!
"Last night was the biggest news night in… well… ever! Especially for the far south. Skycrown Mountain saw the Mountains' Tournament of Ascension and then it was attacked and sunk, I repeat, sunk into the Lower Plane by the Green Men! Skycrown Mountain is {gone}!
"Battles between the Green Men and the Knights Alliance have erupted all over Nakama World. Almost every major continent is under attack; fighting is heaviest around Midway Metro on the Hourglass Continent.
"The Knights' Alliance is asking for volunteers to join the battle. All four Knight Orders are offering rewards based on the roles any volunteers may take up tonight. The Order of the Silver Helm and the Order of the Chalice are rallying at North Hour City, while the Order of Justice and the Order of the Wind gather at South Hour City. Yes, people, with the Green Men smack dab in between them at Midway Metro, tonight, the Hourglass Continent seems about to become one huge battlefield.
"If you wish to participate in the fighting, please contact the nearest office of any Knights Guild. Otherwise, we recommend staying away from the hot zones. Head to one of the smaller islands because there are still dozens of smaller skirmishes over every major continent except the Uber Marshes. And even those Marshes seem to be acting up tonight. But who cares, right? I mean, on a night like this, who on Nakama World would be hanging around the Uber Marshes?"
"In other news, the Starlight Hearts suddenly announced a concert in Nakama World to take place tomorrow night..."
***
"What's wrong?" Alicia asked Colin on the eighteenth night since Colin began his Journey in Nakama World.
Colin Rivers stared blankly, dumbfounded. He didn't want to believe what he was seeing at Lynn Airport. The J-Knights Outpost there was receiving a shipment of Comrades from the Hot Springs J-Knight Outpost, and with the shipment were some very familiar figures.
"What… what happened?!" Colin had to ask. It was risky in so many ways, being the Most Wanted guy on the J-Knight hit list right now, but he had to ask. This was… this was…
"Colin…" Sunshine Town's Chief Breeder Larissa was there now. It seemed she was currently in charge around here. "I'm sorry. Comrades that were given away can't be taken back."
There they were. Colin's old Comrades, the very ones he'd given to Katrin… all of them were sitting around in cages in the half-built Lynn Airport Comrade Home.
{I should never have come here…} Colin thought. {I should never have…}
Fireheart and Junrei. Gera, Rall and Bubba. Blackswirl, Glide and Ardent. Even Warc. All of them were Desolate, sitting in cages, far, far from Katrin.
"Katrin…" Colin stared. "What…?"
"This one came from Edward." Larissa pointed to Warc. "Said it reminded him too much of Katrin. These three," she pointed to Gera, Rall and Bubba. "Were only guests until recently. All the rest were confiscated and such, but she could have won them back with care. Instead, she called last night and gave them all up. All."
"Why…?" Colin found himself stumbling, sinking to the ground. {Shiro made them promises… we'd travel together, he said. Colin was a good Traveler, he said. We'd all be together… but I didn't know what he'd promised. I didn't know what he told them. I gave them to Katrin to help her, save her in the only way I knew… but now…}
Colin had a brief moment of gratitude that Shiro wasn't here to see this before grief crushed in.
"What a queer name…" Someone was saying. "Pilgrimage?"
"You mean Junrei? That means 'pilgrim' doesn't it, Melissa?"
"No, no, it means 'pilgrimage'. 'Pilgrim' is 'Junrei{sha}'."
{I couldn't even name them properly.} Colin had his head on the ground, both arms wrapped around it. The lowest ranking knight could come by and kill him without any trouble, and he wouldn't have done a thing about it, wouldn't have cared. {What have I done…?!}
"I want that one." Alicia's voice, piercing through the gloom, incited a wave of anger.
"Are you sure? I mean…"
"He fits my theme." Alicia said. Colin heard a soft tap, like the sound of a finger hitting a badge. "Dirge Squad."
Flapping wings sounded. Colin didn't look up, didn't move.
"Ah. Those are some good ravens. There's something special about this one… can't put my finger on it, but anyway… if you can match the price on the price tag, you can try bonding him."
"Thanks." Alicia said. There was a pause. Then, "Hey, Blackswirl, right? You're a guy, right? You know, all my other birds are girls."
There was a stirring Colin felt rather than heard or saw. Then Larissa said, "That did it. He's all yours."
{What's Alicia thinking, bringing Blackswirl with us…? Ah… but she wanted a Shadow Hawk. And she knows Katrin had one… THAT one. And I forgot to ask around for Nightwind earlier when we were at the Heart of the Forest. I forgot to get Alicia her own Shadow Hawk like I said I would. I'll have to get around to that next time… just to keep my word.}
{But I guess… in the end… I can't blame her. I can't blame any of them.}
{…I just wish I knew why.}
Alicia temporarily left her Comrades old and new with Larissa at the Comrade Home, ready to warp in as needed. They booked the 11 p.m. flight to Turtle Island, intending to take a boat from there to the Uber Marshes.
While waiting, Alicia turned to Colin casually and said, "Wimp."
"What?!" Colin was so surprised, he didn't know whether to be offended or laugh.
"You're wimping out. You just saw something that upset you and now you're going all whiny and teary-eyed." Alicia snorted. "Any minute now, you're going to start complaining again."
"Mm." Colin had to concede that point. "Yeah."
There was a short pause.
"Well?" Alicia prompted.
"Well what?" Colin asked. "I'm waiting to wimp out. I mean, you're always right, aren't you? When it comes to the things I do wrong, you always know my faults. After all, you've been making a hobby of making fun of me for years. It's like you're a professional thorn in my foot. If the great all-knowing Alicia says I am about to start whining, surely, she cannot be wrong!"
Alicia blinked.
"That's why you decided to pick up Blackswirl, didn't you? It's not like you have reason to believe Katrin might be leaving her Comrades until she resolves things with the knights and come back for them later. No, no, you want your Shadow Hawk now, and never mind that it's just a little one that you can't fly on yet. You probably want to hurry up and raise it to be big as soon as you can. After all, why should you believe my promise to get you one from somewhere else? And how big would that other one have been? Why would I help you get one big enough to fly on? Just because I know that's what you want it for?"
Alicia stared.
"But no, far be it from you to accept {my} kindness! Well, now that you've got the Shadow Hawk I gave Katrin, surely you no longer need one from Colin the Wimp. You just {had} to steal Blackswirl away from Katrin with your girl-ravens and mess up your all-girl team theme just to torment me every time I look at your newest Comrade! "
Alicia shook her head. "I didn't do it to torment you…"
"Right, you'd just spend…" Colin thought back. "Twenty-two thousand Clira on something I'd have gotten for you for free. That's more than four hundred real life Clira, in case you forgot. And your new Comrade is upset after being transferred too. It's not like you can train him right away; he's going to need at least a couple of nights to recover, maybe even a week. In other words, he's not going to be much help where we're going."
Alicia cut in. "It's still a worthwhile investment, and I have no idea how long {you're} going to take, or where you're going to get a Shadow Hawk from. Do you even {have} twenty-two thousand Clira? I'm the one making all the money here. How are {you} going to pay for something like a Shadow Hawk?"
"I wouldn't {have} to pay! I was going to ask my friend to entrust you with one of his kids!" Colin snapped.
Alicia went white. "Your friend… you meant a Shadow Hawk? And you didn't tell me?! I thought you were going to empty your savings buying me something when I was making tons of money off you! I was trying to pay you back somehow, make up for your earlier mistake by redeeming one of the Comrades you left with a farmgirl who couldn't manage them!"
Colin froze. Alicia turned away. Neither of them said anything for a very, very long time.
{For me? Alicia was trying to redeem Blackswirl… give him another chance to Travel like Shiro promised… for my sake?}
Two weeks ago, it would have been unthinkable. But now…
{She did come rescue me in the first place. What kind of courage would that have taken her, even after she herself had been nabbed by the Green Men?}
"Sorry." Colin managed as their flight arrived. "I misunderstood."
"Well… at least you didn't wimp out." Alicia muttered. "I was wrong about you. Just this once."
{I might have…} Colin thought, though he didn't say it out loud. {If she hadn't gotten me angry. I might have moped about it for hours. But now I'm moping about snapping at her without asking for an explanation. I should have asked about her reasons first.}
Which, by the way, were very, very odd for Alicia. {Coming to my rescue? Trying to redeem one of my past mistakes? To pay me back, somehow? Is this really Alicia?!}
Speaking of asking about reasons… Colin decided it was high time to contact Katrin. He tapped his watch, thinking to send her a letter. And speaking of letters... he needed to get in touch with Lynn too.
But all he got was a flat warning. {No Comms Network available.}
"Oh. That's right. The comms are still down, and I'm not in a comms room. Maybe I can connect to a comms tower…"
"Not from the plane." Alicia said shortly.
With a sigh, Colin boarded the plane to Turtle Island. Letters to Katrin and Lynn were going to have to wait.
***
Katrin wouldn't have been able to read the letter anyway. She was flying north, mounted on a slender but powerful winged horse, headed straight for Soft Snows.
{Burrow Hollow didn't have anything or anyone helpful. Katrin grimaced, thinking of her last stop. The most they knew of the Blue Phoenix was that there was a statue of it in Soft Snows somewhere.}
{But they knew more about the Green Men and the Knights' Alliance. It's been war and things are about to get serious. I don't think anyone expects me to help out, not since I'm down to just one Comrade… but still… I think I should check in.}
{I'm going to have to call Abby once I get to a Comms Center.}
"Are you all right, Grace?" Katrin asked her horse as Soft Snows came into view. They had been flying a long time over the coldest land in Nakama World. Katrin marveled that the winged horse was able to withstand the cold so well.
Grace whinnied softly, reassuringly and turned back to nuzzle Katrin's shoulder briefly. She was fine, even after all that flying, even at that speed, that height, and in that cold. Grace was amazing, Katrin reflected. Phillip had given her an incredible Comrade.
He'd also given her an incredible thermo-suit. And more, besides. Lots more, though she hadn't known it was from him until recently.
{He was always looking after me behind my back. But I can't keep letting him do all the work. I have to carry my own weight.}
For a moment there, self-doubt crept up. {Even so… at the very least, I have to try.}
She could almost see the Blue Phoenix kicking her out again just for {thinking} that.
Katrin bit her lip in exasperation. {So close… I'm so close… I know where she is… I'm probably the only one who's found her in ages… but I'm missing something. Some quest, or some clue, or some item that I need…}
She arrived at Soft Snows in due time. Katrin landed just outside the Soft Snows Inn, noting all the repair work and reconstruction going on around town. {First things first. I have to set this place as my new base before I get killed and respawn far, far away. Then I have to find the J-Knights and report in, see if anyone knows anything about the Blue Phoenix…}
As if the thought were a summons, the door of the Soft Snows Inn opened and out walked Amina.
{Perfect!} Katrin raised her hand. "Amina!"
Amina turned around, still veiled and hooded in thick furs. She waved to Katrin and stepped forward to greet her with both hands outstretched.
Katrin tried to shake one, but found her hand clasped in both of Amina's. Some sort of greeting, Kat supposed. "Amina, hey. How's everything?"
"Everyone has gone off to war." Amina told her. "Hari, Daud… all the J-Knights, all the people who came to watch the Tournament… everyone has left."
"What about you?" Katrin asked.
"I prefer peace." Amina answered. "I would rather stay. We still need to maintain {some} presence in this land."
"Are you sure? I mean… staying {here}…" Katrin shook her head. "It's cold and the people are a little… strange…"
"I dislike the cold, but I like the people here. They're not like those you would find at Sunshine Town, for example."
"How so?"
"They are… wiser." Amina paused. "Anyone who has made it this far… anyone who appreciates the beauty of this land... such a person would not be like the children who first approach Nakama World looking for fun."
Katrin wasn't sure she understood. "Isn't this whole Dreamworld supposed to be about having fun?"
"It is more than 'fun'. When we first enter Nakama World, we begin a Journey. There is intent, and there is a destination, a goal for which we must strive. Doesn't that tell you something about the nature of this Dreamworld?"
"The nature of Nakama World?" Katrin echoed, a bit puzzled, but feeling that this was important, somehow. What Amina was talking about had something to do with this land… and this land had something to do with the Blue Phoenix.
"This Dreamworld does not just entertain children. It teaches us. It teaches us all, young and old alike." Amina said. "What is the first concern of every Traveler?"
Katrin thought about that. "Finding Comrades…? No, your First Comrade is given to you. The first concern, therefore, is raising the Comrade. Training it. No, wait… even before that… the first and foremost concern has to be… {feeding} it."
"Correct." Amina agreed. "The first thing every Traveler must learn is responsibility. It is a lesson that you cannot avoid, a lesson that you cannot ignore, a lesson you {must} learn in order to proceed or succeed in Nakama World."
"What does that have to do with this land? With the people here?" Katrin asked.
"Nakama World has many such lessons that Travelers must live and learn. The people who have made it this far… they have learned much." Amina said. "Enough to not just survive, but to settle a land such as this. They are reclusive, but they are resilient. They are reserved, but they are reasonable. They are reluctant to open up to outsiders, but they are righteous in their affairs."
"You really like them." Katrin paused.
"I do." Amina affirmed.
"You must know them a lot. Enough to be considered a local in all but name."
"I am not considered an outsider here." Amina admitted.
"Then you must know all the local legends, or at least, know those who would."
"Legends?" Amina eyed her. "What sort of legends?"
"The Blue Phoenix." Katrin said. "I want to know about it."
Amina fell silent for a moment. She thought for a bit.
Katrin watched her hopefully, trying not to bite her lip
Amina took in a breath. Katrin held hers.
At last, Amina said, "It is a bird."
Katrin almost fell over. "I KNOW it's a bird! I saw it!"
"You did?" Amina blinked. "In the far south, around Skycrown Mountain?"
"Something like that." Katrin said evasively. "I want to bond it. Is there some sort of quest involved…?"
"A quest?" Amina blinked. "That does seem… possible. I never thought it truly existed. I had thought someone mistook a Storm Swan or something… are you certain the bird you saw was not one of Shinji's?"
"Definite." Katrin answered. "So, come on. Help me out here."
Amina thought it over. "Very well. I will assist you in your objective if you assist me in mine."
"And what is that?" Katrin asked.
"My task is to send everyone on to the battle front." Amina said, and Katrin's face fell. "You included."
"Great. So you're sending me off to war while you stay here and investigate." Katrin hesitated. {Actually, that doesn't sound like a bad deal, compared to trying to talk to the locals.} "Fine."