FicWad

I couldn't tell you
Why she felt that way
She felt it everyday
I couldn't help her
I just watched her make
The same mistakes again

"Nobody's Home" By Avril Lavigne


When night fell, so did Josh's hope of Sky's smile coming back. She was unusually quiet. When you tried to speak to her, her eyes were as cold as ice. Her lovely sky-blue eyes turned dark and cold. She didn't even insult Josh all night. Sooner or later, Sky left the group so she could use the "washroom", meaning outside in the bushes.

Josh just finished making a new fire, laid back, and admired his work. They decided to camp out. Josh turned to look at Kalvin and their new teammate, who wouldn't tell them his real name. Josh thought for a second what they called the boy. Oh, yeah, Jake, thought Josh. That's it.

Josh gave a nervous cough. He didn't want to seem like he had feelings for Sky or anything like that (even though he did), but he was worried about her.

"So..."

Jake and Kalvin looked at Josh.

Josh continued, "did you guys notice anything different about Sky?"

Kalvin and Jake remembered their promise to Sky of not to tell Josh of what she did for Josh. Kalvin looked to the side with a fake cough nervously. He was never good at lying.

Jake knew Josh was getting suspicious, so he needed time to think of a decent lie, so, he pretended he didn't heard. "What?"

"I said, did you notice anything different about Sky today?" Josh repeated a little bit louder and slower.

Jake shrugged. "I just met her. But from what I've seen, no."

Kalvin looked at Jake. Kalvin envied him for a moment. How could he lie so well? He wasn't fidgeting. He wasn't sweating, or even blinking too much. Kalvin then felt Josh looking at him.

"Sky always has these mood-swings," lied Kalvin, a little less confident than Jake. "Probably nothing she can't handle by herself."

Josh raised an eyebrow, and he studied Kalvin. For a second, Kalvin thought Josh was getting suspicious. Josh contemplated their past conversation, and decided to believe it. He nodded his approval of their lies, not even knowing it.

Their conversation ended right on time, for Sky had just returned. She sat down, without a word. She held herself for warmth, and her eyes sparkled with the fire's blaze.

Josh couldn't help but to stare at Sky, curious of what was bothering her and her sudden change of personality. Sky felt someone staring at her. She looked up at Josh. Josh was too slow to turn his eyes away. Sky knew he was starring at her.

"What?" Sky snapped. "Keep looking, I might do a trick!"

"Sorry, Sky," apologized Josh, "erm, could I please talk to you...alone?"

Jake, knowing Josh wanted privacy with Sky, grabbed Kalvin's arm. "Come on!"

"Where are we going?" Kalvin asked, not getting what Jake was trying to tell him.

Jake nodded towards Sky and Josh.

"Ohhhhh...." Said Kalvin, finally getting it.

"Let's go pick some berries," suggested Jake.

"'Kay." Kalvin agreed.

Josh watched Jake and Kalvin until they were out of sight and out of ear-shot. When he was satisfied with his privacy with Sky, he sighed, and looked at Sky.

Josh moisted his lips nervously, not knowing what to say. He slowly said to Sky, "you know you can always talk to me, right?"

"There's nothing to talk about." Replied Sky coldly.

Josh grunted in frustration. "This isn't like you, Sky! You haven't insulted me all day. Please, tell me what's wrong." Josh begged.

"You wouldn't understand!" Countered Sky.

"Try me." Challenged Josh.

"Leave me alone, Josh. Just leave me alone!"

"Not until you tell me what's wrong."

"You can't make me. Now quit it!"

"Sky, I'm worried about you. You know I lov...I mean, care about you, right?"

"Care about me?" Spat out Sky, yelling, "you know nothing about me. NOTHING. So don't act like you do!"

Then, Sky did something Josh never expected- Sky slapped Josh across the cheek. Josh fell back to the ground, and gasped in surprise.

"Humph," Sky mumbled.

Josh was speechless. The girl he had a crush on just slapped him! Why? Why, why, why? Josh wiped away his tears. She's talk to him when she's ready, right?

When Josh went back to camp, Sky was asleep peacefully on the ground. Thank God! He didn't feel like fighting anymore with her. Kalvin and Jake returned with some more berries about twenty minutes after that. They were off to dream land in no time at all right beside Sky on the ground. Everyone was asleep. Besides Josh. He was laying on the ground on his stomach, with his eyes closed.

Josh couldn't explain how he felt. Was he angry at Sky for hitting him? Worried? Sad? There was no word that described how he feels. Josh looked at his glow-in-the-dark watch. It said that it was midnight. He sighed. He rolled on his back, hoping the change of position would help him fall asleep. He froze in surprise when he heard a moaning sound and someone getting up. Josh, not wanting to startle the person getting up, quietly looked up to see a silhouette.

It was Sky. Now, Josh was always a curious kid. His eyes followed her to see her go into the bushes. Did she have to use the washroom, Josh though. Nah, she used the washroom just before she went to sleep. Curiosity getting the best of him, he quietly got up, and followed Sky.

Josh followed Sky towards the river where the group and himself went for a drink. Josh hid behind the bushes. He heard her grunt in frustration. She was holding her head with both hands, pacing back and forth, back and forth. She then collapsed to the ground, on her knees, her hands now on the ground. She looked up on the sky, and it was then Josh saw that she was crying. Sky. Crying.

She continued to look at the sky, and she screamed as loud as she could between her tears. She pounded her fists towards the ground. After her little fit, she put herself in a ball, and held her knees to her chest. She continued to stare at the river.

Josh just stared at Sky, his mouth opened a little in surprise. He watched her in fascination as she pour out her emotions out and cried into the atmosphere.

More than once Josh wanted to go up to help Sky. To wipe away her tears. To hold her and never to let go. But, fear stopped Josh. He put a hand on his cheek, right where Sky slapped him not too long ago. She would probably slap him again if she found out he was spying on her. Why couldn't she see he was concerned for her? Was she either blind, or that heartless? Didn't she get his hints?

Sky wiped her eyes and stood up. She sighed, then walked back to their campsite. Josh hid in the shadows, frowned, his heart crying for Sky. Not wanting to upset her more, he stayed there, quiet as he could be.

The dawn of a new day soon arose, and so did the four friends. The friends were munching on some fish and berries. Man, did Josh ever miss his mother's home-made cooking.

"So," Josh said, killing the silence, "where's this second test?"

"The second test is the test of the heart. You already took the test of the mind, right?" Jake questioned.

"Yep," Josh said proudly.

"The second test is somewhere in "Massacre Valley"." Jake answered.

"That sounds pleasant," muttered Kalvin.

"C'mon. It's not that far from here." Jake encouraged.

It took a good hour to get to Massacre Valley. When the gang got there, they were disgusted. There were people getting whipped by other people. They were screaming, and bleeding bad. Josh looked at who was whipping the poor people. Then, he saw it on the person's arm- in Japanese writing, it read, "Bloodhound".

"This isn't good," whispered Josh. "We got to help them!"

Kalvin put a hand on Josh's shoulder. "We can't."

"Why not?" Josh complained.

"We aren't ready to face the Bloodhounds," Kalvin said slowly, "if we try to stop them now, we would just be putting our lives at stake, also. We need all the Chosen Children. Remember the last time I used Holocaust?"
Josh shivered. He remembered when Myst appeared, and that smirk...That evil, annoying smirk. He wanted to wipe it right off her face. Then, when Kalvin summoned Holocaust, instead of attacking Myst, it attacked Josh.

"Okay." Agreed Josh, "We'll wait till we're stronger."

"Let's not let them see us, or they'll attack us," Jake told the others.

Jake was shivering. He seemed nervous, Kalvin noticed. Was he...Was he scared? Kalvin then looked at Sky. She didn't say a word all day besides saying, "pass the berries". Kalvin bit his lip. He then looked at Josh. Determination was in his eyes. Kalvin was glad Josh looked confident about the second test, but, what if he can't pass it? What if it's too hard for him?

The four reached a cave.

"This is it," announced Jake.

The cave was buried with grass. Josh was about to enter, but Sky, Jake and Kalvin didn't enter.

Josh sighed. "Let me guess...I have to do this on my own."

Sky didn't reply. Jake and Kalvin nodded their heads.

"Good luck," wished Jake.

"You can do it, man," encouraged Kalvin.

"I'll see you when I'm done," said Josh.

When Josh entered the cave, and was out of ear-shot, Kalvin whispered, "If you even pass the test."

When Josh entered the cave, it was similar to the one in Death Valley, where he took his first test. In this caves, there was torches, but they weren't a reddish-orangish colour. They were a dark blue. And instead of skeletons, there were only crushed skeletons. Josh quickly stepped over the skeletons, scared of the sight. It was disgusting.

When Josh reached the end of the cave, there was a women in a pink cloak.

"Welcome, Josh," she said.

Josh couldn't see her face, but he knew it was a girl from her voice.

"So, you're the one who passed the mind test. The child who wants to be a Chosen Child. The child that wants to be the element holder of rain, the partner of Deluge." She mumbled on.

"That's correct," Josh said.

The women handed Josh the blue watch that held Deluge. Josh put it on his wrist.

"The soul test is harder than the mind test," the women warned, "for it tests you character. Who you are. Are you up for the challenge?"

"I am." Josh said with confidence.

"Okay. Let's begin!" She cried.

The cave became dark. The women was no where to be found, and Josh knew he was alone. Josh was careful to never let his guard down. He learnt that in the first test. The test of the mind.

He walked in circles, to make sure no one was going to sneak up on him. Then he saw...He saw her. It was Sky! Beside her was Jake and Kalvin.

"Guys, I thought you were outside..." Josh said.

"It was weird," said Jake, "we were outside, and out of nowhere, we're here!"

Josh raised an eyebrow. Weird. Maybe he was allowed help for the soul test? Josh looked over Kalvin's shoulder. There, was a cloaked man in black.

"Kalvin, look out!" Josh warned.

Kalvin did a shoulder roll just in time to miss the cloaked man. Kalvin's eyes widened with fear.

"Don't worry," the cloaked man said, "it's the girl I want."

He went towards Sky.

"No!" Josh screamed.

But Josh was too far away from Sky, and couldn't do anything. Sky screamed as the cloaked man scratched Sky's shoulder. The man laughed, then disappeared in a grey fog.

The three friends ran up to Sky.

"Sky, you okay?" Josh asked in worry.
"Get away from her!" Cried out Jake.

"Why?" Jake asked, confused.

"That was a Bloodhound! I saw his arm right before he disappeared. If a Bloodhound scratches you, it turns you into one of them! She's not Sky anymore. Get away from her before she hurts you!" Jake said in a loud, demanding voice.

Right when Jake said that, Sky got up. Her eyes were no longer a sky blue. Instead, they were red. Josh looked at the scratch on her shoulder. It had three stripes of red that were still bleeding.

She went up to Kalvin and Jake. "Say good niiiiiight," she said, laughing.

Then she chanted: "Chinook, holder of the element wind, come forth and reveal to me your true form!"

The beautiful phoenix appeared, and screeched. It looked at Kalvin and Jake, and then, Sky said it: "Attack!"

And with a tough wind, Jake and Kalvin where hit. They screamed, as they fell to the ground.

"Now," Sky said, walking up to Josh with Chinook, "without your two friends, what are you going to do? Huh? What are you going to do, you pathetic child?"

"Sky, this isn't you," Josh said with panic in his voice.

"You're right," agreed Sky, "this is the new me!"

"Please, Sky, please don't make me fight you. I don't want to...." Josh stumbled.
"Oh, but I do," Said Sky with a laugh.

I have no choice...Thought Josh. She's going to kill me if I don't do anything! With that, Josh put a hand on his blue watch, and chanted: "Deluge, holder of the element rain, come forth and reveal to me your true form!"

The giant blue shark appeared and roared.

"Deluge, help me!" Pleaded Josh.

But, Deluge wouldn't attack. It just stood put. Does that mean Deluge and him weren't meant to be partners?

"Deluge won't attack Chinook, and Chinook won't attack Deluge," Sky explained. "Deluge and Chinook been best friends for years. They would never betray each other, even if their masters ask them to."

Sky put up her fists. Josh knew she was challenging him to a fight. Josh was never good at fighting. He was just a computer geek in the basement, only going outside to get some smokes.

Josh's thoughts were interrupted rudely when Sky tried to punch him. Josh quickly remembered himself playing fighting games like Mortal Combat on the Game cube machine. It was just like this, basically, wasn't it? Josh criss-crossed his hands above his face to block Sky's attack.

Sky was obviously a better fighter than Josh. But Josh wasn't ready to give up. Giving up wasn't an option. Now it was Josh's turn to get offensive. He began throwing punches towards Sky, who easily blocked Josh's pathetic attempts.

"Give up. You can't win," taunted Sky.
"Never!" Cried out Josh. "Snap out of it, Sky."

"Snap out of what? Reality? You can't," Sky said angrily. "This is life. Get use to it!"

"Life is how you want it to be!"

Sky went to kick Josh, and she hit him right in the chest. Josh let out an "oof". Sky was ready to give him another punch, but Josh was ready this time. He grabbed her arm, and punched her with his other one. Sky fell to the ground. But she wasn't down yet. Out of nowhere, like magic, a sword appeared.

"How the hell did you get that?" Josh asked in panic.

"I'm a Bloodhound, remember?"

"You're not a Bloodhound, Sky!"

"I am! Now shut up and fight me!"

Sky went in for the kill. It hit Josh right in the shoulder. Josh screamed in pain. It hurt so much! Josh didn't want to show Sky victory. The sword was stuck in Josh's shoulder. Josh closed his eyes, and his head was down.

Sky laughed. Josh was dead! But, she wanted to double check if her enemy was really dead.

She went up to him with caution. Apparently, Josh wasn't dead. He ripped the sword out of his shoulder with a scream, and attacked Sky with it right where her heart was.

Sky screamed, and fell to the ground, the sword causing her to lose too much blood. Josh went up to Sky. He checked her pulse. There was none. Sky was dead. And he killed her. All of Josh's friends were dead.

The darkness soon faded, and the women in the pink cloak returned.

"Welcome back," said the women.

"Where's the test?" Josh asked.

The women laughed. "That WAS the test."

"Huh? But my friends were there..." Josh muttered.

"Those weren't your real friends, Josh," the women answered. "They were illusions for the test."

"So...the test was..." Josh paused for a moment. "What was the test?"

"The test was to see if you could stand up to someone you love." The women told Josh, "I know you love Sky. But sometimes, you have to hurt one person in order to save people. Sometimes you need war to create peace. You passed."

"But I didn't even use Deluge!" Josh complained.

He was disappointed. He loved using Deluge.

"That was another part of the test," the women continued, "you see, being a Chosen Child doesn't mean you just rely on your element partner. It means your element partner and you being one. You will have to learn how to fight for yourself, and not always depend on Deluge."

"Oh, I think I get it!" Josh said excitedly.

"Congratulations."

The watch on Josh's wrist disappeared, and Josh moaned. "I know, I know, I don't get Deluge back till the third test, right?"

"Correct. The final test. Then, after the third test, Deluge and you will be one. Good like, child."

And with that, the cloaked women disappeared...

Josh ran out of the cave, so excited to tell the others what happened to him. When he got out, there were Sky, Jake and Kalvin.

"He did it!" Cheered Kalvin.

"Of course I did," bragged Josh.

"I knew you could do it," added Jake.

"Weren't you the one telling me he should be writing his will?" Kalvin questioned Jake.

Jake blushed, making everyone but Sky laugh.

"I expected you to be dead," Sky said coldly.

"Okay, I had ENOUGH!" Josh screamed. "Tell me what the hell's going on with Sky, Jake or Kalvin! Stop lying to me, what happened!"

"The promise..." Kalvin whispered.

"You promise you wouldn't tell me," reasoned Josh, "but I figured out on my own."

Sky didn't seem to mind that they were giving away her secret. After the story, Josh was dumb founded. He pointed to the metal object on Jake's necklace. "So, this is the cause, right?"

He grabbed Jake's necklace, ripped it off Jake's neck. "Hey, Josh, quit it!"

But Josh ignored Jake's pleads. He chucked it to the ground, and stomped on it. Even though it was metal, it cracked as if it was glass. A blue mist came out of it, and surrounded Sky. Sky closed her eyes, and when she opened her eyes, he eyes were her usual beautiful sky-blue colour.

"Sky, you okay?" Josh said slowly.

"What are you talking about, City Boy? Of course I'm okay!" Said Sky, laughing.

Josh had tears in his eyes. When he broke Jake's necklace, it was like it released Sky's emotions from it and it returned to Sky. Josh ran and tackled Sky, hugging her. Sky hugged back.

"Josh, are you a fucking moron?" Jake yelled with anger. "That was the only way I could heal other people!"

But Josh didn't hear Jake. He was too happy seeing Sky back to normal. Jake sighed in defeat. They weren't going to listen to him. But he couldn't help but smile- to hear Sky and Josh laughing and hugging each other.

Sky the Ice Queen was now gone. And never to return.

But Jake knew it was only the beginning of their journey.

I believe in you
I'll give up everything just to find you
I have to be with you
To live-
To breathe-
you're taking over me

"Taking Over Me" By Evanescence