Summer: Within Dark Clouds Lies Rays Of; Light PT. 2/4
"Okay, so is it decided then?"
Everyone had gathered around the now extinguished campfire. I had Nyx to my left and Necessitas to my right, with Lachesis standing up, having finished going over the plan.
"Do we really have to pack everything up though? Why can't we come back here my dear Lach~?" Eros purred seductively.
"There's a campsite nearer where we are going. I just think it would be better to just head there instead of coming all the way back here. We'll be able to cover more ground that way."
"It feels like we're exploring the new world or something," Nyx muttered next to me, which rewarded her an elbow to her side from Hemera.
"It's exciting. I've never been exploring before, so I'm rather excited, although from the stories big bro tells me, he's-!" Luna got cut off by Hiro's hand covering her mouth.
"In other news, I've already packed up everyone's stuff, so don't mind all that. We can leave whenever you guys want." How Hiro managed to pull that off is beyond me.
"Alright, then let's get a move on. Luna made us all sandwiches, so we can eat on the way."
Hiro uncovered Luna's mouth, which revealed a slightly embarrassed, but still very cute and adorable, face. "Oh, it's the least I can do."
We all smiled when we saw it. Yep, she is indeed precious to us all.
After we all grabbed our stuff, we started on a trail that would take us to the western side of the mountain. It was vastly more forested than where we where at, and the humidity trapped within made our trip more unbearable.
"Ugh, it feels like my face is melting away," Nyx said, wiping her face with her light green t-shirt (she originally had a black one on, but she traded it for one of Hemera's).
"I know what you mean," Hiro said, also wiping his face with a green shirt. "Having dark skin during times like this suck."
"It seems I've found my brother." She fist bumped him, and I could only shake my head at their exchange.
"But man, Luna sure is enjoying herself. I'm glad she's happy and all, but I wish she would at least stay back here with me…" Luna was near the front, where she was happily chatting with Prez and Erebus. How she hit it off with those two though is beyond me.
"Well, she has changed from when she first enrolled. You should be happy Hiro," I said, patting him on the back.
"I know, and I am happy, but…" Hiro once again had a complicated expression, one filled with happiness and worry, and yet neither having anything to do with one another. "That's enough of that. How far have you gotten in my watchlist?"
Nyx tilted her head inquisitively, her grey eyes focused on Hiro. "Watchlist?"
"Yeah, I gave him a list of anime to watch, but I haven't heard him say anything about it to me yet. You have watched at least one of them, right?"
"Yeah, I watched the one about dating evil, not having many friends, not wanting any friends, dirty jokes not allowed, um, lets see, oh, and the one about psychic powers."
Nyx looked confused while Hiro just nodded to himself. "Okay, not bad. Which one are you on right now?"
"Dating evil."
"That one's pretty good, yeah?"
"It is, but I preferred the previous ones to be honest. This one seems like the weakest one out the list so far."
"Well, you need to watch all kinds to differentiate the good and bad, right?"
Nyx sighed and wiped her face with her shirt once again. "Yep, no clue what any of those are."
Hiro chuckled. "You would like the one about Shinigami."
"Hey you slowpokes, hurry it up! You're dragging the group behind!" It was Prez yelling at us, waving her arms at the top of the hill.
"It's fucking hot and humid! Leave me alone you prick!" She stuck her tongue out at Hiro's response and tapped her foot, waiting for us to reach the top.
"Seriously, we have to be together you know. Aren't yah number one?"
"You wanna race then number two? I'll beat you faster than you can say 'Nani'!?"
Knowing him, he probably could. "Hey, it's too humid for this. Let's just get along please."
Nyx raised her hand. "I second that motion. I don't know how you guys have all that energy." She yawned, covering her mouth with the hand she raised before fanning herself.
"Oh, I have an idea. How about we go as fast our slowest person? Okay, Depra, you're up!"
"Why am I assumed the slowest," I grumbled, rolling my eyes at Hiro's idea.
"I must deny said idea. How about you go faster? You get a breeze when you go faster!"
"That's not how it works, and you know it! Ugh, it's so damn humid!" Hiro flapped his shirt quickly, trying to cool himself down.
"Nah, you're like this cause I'm so hot!"
"If you're hot, then I'm blazing," Nyx muttered, and I couldn't help but snicker.
"Seriously you four, hurry it up! We do have to get there before sundown!" Lachesis yelled from ahead, rolling her eyes at how slow we were going.
"We have plenty of time, trust me! Besides, once it starts raining it'll feel a lot better, trust me!"
"Number one, why do you think it's going to rain anyway?" Prez asked, now going the same pace as the rest of us.
"Oh, that's cuz it will. Call it belief, I guess. After all, if you believe in something, it'll come true. A wise woman once told me that."
"What a strange woman it must've been." Nyx said, stepping over a stray root on the dirt trail.
"Nah, she was the best. Awesome stories, great sense of humor, and terrific advice. Yep, what a wonderful mom indeed."
Everyone grew silent at his words, including Prez, who normally wouldn't be able to take a hint. Hiro noticed and scowled at all of us.
"Hey, just because she's dead doesn't mean you can start pitying me. It's over and done with, happened over a decade ago. Really, it's cool."
"Well, you can join the no moms club I guess," I mumbled, and I earned a tussle of my hair from Hiro.
"Aw man, I shouldn't have done that! It's too hot to be too close together! Fuck, I might really be melting away today. Don't miss me too much Luna!"
Luna, who was still talking to Erebus in the front, frowned and looked to her flamboyant brother. "Big bro, if you melt, I'll put you back together again!"
Hiro clutched his heart, having taken the full force of his sister's cute attack. "It's super effective once more! Oh, how my heart trembles!"
"Hey Hiro, that's an odd reference to make here, especially since, well, you know," I said, trailing off after remembering the guy he was referencing.
Nyx yawned again, stretching her arms out towards the green canopy above. "Man, how long have we been walking anyway."
"Day 355, I've been stuck with two weirdos and Depra, having been trapped in this magical forest."
"Oi, you're the weirdest one here Prez!"
"I agree, and how come Depra's normal?"
"Well, I mean, look at him!" All three of them looked at me before nodding to each other.
"Why do I feel as if I'm being pitied right now," I mumbled, sighing to myself, and the other three just laughed.
We walked our slow pace for a while longer, bantering around before Hiro nodded to himself. "Yep, here comes the rain."
In the distance, I could here thunderclouds rumble their way to us. Alarmed, the rest of us looked at Hiro, who shrugged before singing to himself a tune.
"All you need is belief, all you need is belieeeeeef!"
"That's not even how the song goes!" I said, wiping the sweat away from my forehead.
"Are we just going to ignore the fact that Number one summoned rain!? Is he a rain-bringer or something!?"
We ended up almost bumping into everyone else, who had stopped at Lachesis' behest. She was glaring at Hiro, who was the only one who seemed to be undisturbed by this sudden change of events.
"Are you going to explain yourself?" She asked, crossing her arms as she twirled her hair around her finger impatiently.
"Hmm? Who, innocent ole me? I would never! Besides, not as if I can just call rain whenever I want. Wait, can I?"
"Stop fucking with us damnit!"
"Jeez, turn it down a notch sista!" Hiro exclaimed, before letting out a sigh and scratching his hair. "It really wasn't me. But, don't you think instead of wasting time here, we should keep going?" He maneuvered his way through everybody before gently placing a hand on her shoulder. He whispered something in her ear, which seemed to only maker her even more mad.
"Okay, let's just keep going. I don't really get it, but it seems we just gotta keep going, I guess." Hiro nodded happily before waltzing away, seemingly without a care in the world. Man, he really didn't take stuff seriously sometimes. Although, when he doesn't, it's usually for a reason.
I still stayed in the back, along with Nyx, but this time Prez went ahead to where Eros, Hemera, and Lachesis were, while Necessitas joined me in the back, while Luna and Erebus stayed where they were.
"So, what have you guys been up to?"
"Hating nature," Nyx said, and I couldn't help but laugh at the inside joke, which only confused Necessitas more.
"Well, I'm glad you guys are having fun, I guess. I was trying to talk to who you call 'the ass' and Aether, and it went well, I think."
"Why not talk to Erebus then?" Nyx suggested, which earned her a step on the foot.
"How about you go talk to Hemera if we're going along those lines, hmm?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. She's just too optimistic. She burns me just by coming near me."
"Hmm, I have to wonder about that. She's quite oblivious, but even she has her limits. Keep it up, and I wonder what path you two will go down."
"I could say the same to you. He's bound to have his limits too, especially if you're always pushing him away."
What the hell did I get myself into!? I thought as I let myself fall slightly behind the two girls arguing in front of me. I knew about Erebus and Necessitas, but Hemera and Nyx? That's the first I've heard of that one. I shook my head. Yeah, best keep that one to myself.
"Th-that's different! You know how he's like! If only he could be serious…"
"He is, about you."
"Ugh, whatever, you don't get to lecture me if the reverse isn't true either, deal?"
"…Deal." And they shook on it, and the tension between them was gone. I involuntarily took a sigh of relief, and they both looked back at me, as if they had forgotten I was there.
"Oh, I forgot. Sorry about that Depra."
"Please don't say anything, my nature hating friend."
"Say what? I didn't hear a word." The two girls smiled at response, and I fit in between the two of them.
"You're too nice, you know that?" Necessitas said, putting both her hands behind her back, arching her chest forward.
"I can agree with you on that," Nyx said, giving me a rare smile.
"You both say that so readily," I muttered, and they both nodded. "But, am I really that nice." Before I could continue what had I to say however, there was a loud boom of thunder that shook the ground itself, and we all stopped, stunned at what just happened.
Hiro, the only one not stunned, whistled to himself. "Damn, looks like it's gonna get pretty bad huh?" There was a flash of lightning, and then another thunderous boom that was followed by an all too familiar crack in the woods.
It was not one tree this time, but three, one headed for Lachesis, who had just stumbled over a root and fell to the ground, another for Luna, who was about to step back over the cliff to dodge it, and the last one for Hemera, who was walking right into angle of impact. My eyes widened as I saw this scene unfold, and my eyes focused on the tree nearest to me, and my emotions came rushing back to as I, for the third time on this trip, did the thing that had ruined my life…
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I collapsed to the ground, shuddering to myself as I dug my nails into my arms until it bled.
"What just…"
"Honestly, what are the odds of that…"
Both Nyx and Necessitas behind me just stared stunned at the scene in front of them. Hemera had kept walking, without noticing a single thing, and not even a hair on her head was harmed. Lachesis too, was unharmed, the tree miraculously missing her and instead heading straight for the cliff, passing over her harmlessly. And as for Luna, she had fallen back on the dirt behind her where she had taken a step back, and the tree that was heading for her had broken apart a couple yards ahead of Hiro, who was now helping Luna up.
I dug my nails in even deeper before relaxing my body, my hands falling to the ground. I took a shaky breath before getting back up, where Nyx noticed my newfound wounds.
"Hey Depra, you're…" She trailed off as she noticed my demeanor, and I simply shook my head.
"I really fucking hate nature."
Hemera finally started to pay attention and looked bewildered. "Eh!? What the hell just happened!?"
The ass helped Lachesis back to her feet, and she scowled at Hiro, who was now tightly hugging Luna. When she saw that however, her scowled faded, and she turned around to look at me. Her gaze reached my now bleeding arms, and she looked stunned.
"Depra, are you…?" She wasn't able to finish, but I knew what she had to say.
"I'm fine, don't worry about it. Let's just continue." But right there, I felt a drop of rain on my nose, and it grew from that to a full-on storm.
Hiro looked up, gently patting his sister's head. "Right about now."
"Huh!? What the hell is this!?"
A new voice came from in front of us, having come from the hill on the other side. It was a cutesy voice, and the person had long pink hair with a pink cloak to match.
"Oh man, if I had known this was going on, I wouldn't have done anything damnit!" She pulled back her hood, and it was none other than Pinkie of the Hidden Club.
"So, I assume you guys need something?"