Batafurai revisited

The mist was so think, Ruki could not see her own hooves even if she held them in front of her eyes. The forest around them was closing in on her, trees appearing out of nowhere right before she bumped into them. It wasn't only because of the mist that she didn't recognize anything, even though her mother kept repeating how close they were. The last time she had traveled through these woods she hadn't exactly been sightseeing.

Ruki had lost count on how long they had been traveling. Two weeks? Three? Or maybe even as much as five? In the beginning, she had been too occupied worrying about the Breach and the consequences of what they had done, and later on she had begun to dread their arrival in Batafurai so much that she didn't want to think about time.

Her father.... beyond the mist, her father was waiting for her. And she didn't even know what to say. An eternity ago, she had lived there, on that island, once so certain she would never leave. So sure, that her future was to protect that island... and now she was going there to destroy it forever. Well, she had abandoned her task the moment she had ran away.

“It's the hanging tree.” Hikary said, pointing somewhere in the distance. Ruki didn't see anything special yet, but her mother said
“You're right, there it is.” A moment later she saw it too dooming up out of the mist; a great tree standing at the water's edge, with branches falling down, reaching for the water. A large tree, one Ruki had never seen before, swallowed up by the mist so that she couldn't even see the prana.

“Is this it?” Yuuro asked, staring out over the lake.
“Yes. Batafurai is at the center of this lake.” Hikary confirmed.
Ruki gazed out over the water, but she couldn't see anything. Even without the mist she probably wouldn't be able to see Batafurai, though. It was well hidden from the outside world, unable to see for anyone but the ones the island wanted to see. Would the island still want her?

“So, how do we get there?” Yuuro asked.
“There should be a boat.” Taira said, but in the thick mist she didn't see any.
“Maybe we should wait until the mist dissolves? We might get lost on the lake. We can't see a thing.” Yuuro suggested.
Taira grinned. “You can't find this island by following directions alone.”

They followed the shore for a bit, looking for the boat. The grass under her hooves was wet and the earth soaked, making it difficult to walk. And the lake was always there, waiting for her to make a wrong step. “There it is!” Taira exclaimed. Sure enough, a few meters ahead of them, a small boat appeared out of the mist.

“I thought there were two?” Hikary asked.
There was definitely no second boat, though; even in this mist Ruki could see there was only one. Looking closer though, she found another ring where a boat could be tied up.
“Look here.” She said.
“Someone used it. It's probably at the island.” Hikary guessed.

“Now what do we do? This boat is too small to hold all four of us.” Hikary sighed.
“I guess two of us should go, and then one goes back to fetch the others.” Yuuro proposed.
“Yes... I guess.” Taira said, obviously unhappy of splitting up their group.
“I'll stay.” Hikary said. “I think you should go first, Ruki.” she added after a moment.

“What? Why me?” Ruki asked. She really didn't feel like going first.
“I agree. I'll take her, and then I will come back for you.” Taira said, climbing in the boat. No one answered her question, so she glanced at Yuuro, hoping for some support from him.
“I agree with Hikary.” He said when he noticed her staring at him.

Ruki sighed and got in the boat. They loaded all their bags in the boat so that on the second trip, Yuuro and Hikary would fit together. Once they were packed, Taira got into the boat as well and Hikary untied it.
“I can help rowing if you want.” Ruki proposed, remembering how her father had thought her when she was little.
“I'm good, Ruki, but thanks.” her mother smiled while rowing the boat away from the shore.

They were only a few meters into the lake when Ruki already lost sight of the shore. She was captured in a prison of mist, with only her mother's instincts to guide her.
“Are you sure we will find the island?” Ruki asked, unconvinced that her mother knew where to go.
“Yes, I'm sure. Trust me, Ruki.” Taira said as she rowed the oars firmly.
Trust her... Well, she trusted her mother, she just didn't really trust the island. Why would Batafurai allow her to return, after what she had done to her father, the guardian and king?

The journey seemed to take forever. In the mist, there was nothing to do and nothing to see. Ruki's thoughts drifted off to their journey. They had followed the Breach south, finding it was slowly collapsing everywhere. Only when they ran into a village her mother recognized did they leave the Breach behind to follow the road to Batafurai.

Ruki awoke, not sure whether she had been asleep. Had she dozed off? Looking around, she noticed the mist was clearing. She still did not see anything beside the lake, but she could see farther ahead now.
“We're almost there.” Taira announced. Sure enough, within minutes a purple island broke through the mist.

Her home island was still exactly the way Ruki remembered it; purple as if you were walking inside a dream you knew was not real. The true color's of the island's many plants and flowers were hidden beneath the thick layers of prana, while the water was clear and bright, sparkling in the sunlight. And it had allowed her to come back, one last time.

They tied the boat to the shore and quickly unloaded the bags. Taira quickly got back in the boat.
“Wait here, Ruki. I will be back soon with the others.” Taira said as she untied the rope.
“Yes. Of course.” Ruki answered, but her thoughts were already miles away.
Her father... he was so close now. Surely he knew she was here. Was he on his way to her even now? The mansion... would her room still be the same?

Ruki only noticed she was walking when she no longer heard the water of the lake touching the shore of the island. She was home... and her home would not be around much longer. Slowly Ruki walked along the path she had wandered on so very often as a child. She left the lake behind her, the same lake she used to stare out over so very often, dreaming of her lady mother who was somewhere far away where she could not go.

But she as here now, and her mother would be with her again soon. They would be here, all three of them. She wanted to go home. The path twirled through the forest that soon gave way to the open valley. Surely, she had never seen anything as beautiful as this. The flowers softly moved in the afternoon breeze, the prana untouched by the wind.

The mansion on the hill invited her to come up. She trotted along the path, but stopped when she saw the small lake. The stone of flowers... the heart of the island. It shone so bright, Ruki couldn't bear to look at it. She forced herself to walk on to the mansion and not dwell on the horrible thing they had come for.

She walked up the stairs and soon stood in front of the mansion she had lived in for so long. Everything still was the same, Ruki realized. The colors, the furniture, even the plant that was growing up the wall... Nothing had changed. This is home. And yet it was not. So much had happened, and she had changed so much... This was home.

Slowly she entered the mansion, hoping and yet dreading to see her father or the butterflies, but no one was there. Her father would not, could not be far off, however. In the kitchen she saw used dishes and half-eaten fruit, so he had been here recently. Ruki remembered the way now, and she walked through the small corridor towards what was once her room. The door was closed. For a moment, Ruki hesitated. Would it still be her room, even after all this time?

Slowly, she opened the wooden door. She was amazed to find nothing had changed. Her old wooden bed was still in the center of the room, having the same light blue sheets on it. Against the wall stood her dresser that her father had made for her after the old one had broken. On the other wall hung the old mirror that had always been there. On her bed stood her little plush pony.

“I kept it this way. You know, in case you ever got back.” her father said. Ruki didn't dare to turn around and face him. Instead, she kept staring at her room.
“Thanks. I'm sorry... it took so long.” She whispered.
“That's okay. I'm just glad you found what you where looking for. Even if it took this long.” Her father replied. His voice was as steady as ever; it comforted her like it had comforted her back then.

Slowly, Ruki turned. Her room turned into a blur when she saw her father. He hadn't changed at all. His coat was as dark purple as ever and the stripe in his mane seemed to glow. His face was soft, like it had always been whenever he looked at her. So different from when his attention was elsewhere... but now her father's attention was on her, and Ruki barely could hold back her tears. Her father...

“Dad, I...” Fjaril did not let his daughter finish her sentence. He rushed over to her and held her the way only her father could.
“Hush, Ruki. You don't have to explain. I'm just glad to have you back with me.” Fjaril whispered.
“I'm glad to be back with you too, dad. I... I missed you. I missed you so much.” Tears flowed freely now like a river finally released. She had missed her father. Telling herself she could not go back here... she had done that for so long and she had always known it was but a lie.

He let go of her after a couple of minutes.
“Do you want some juice?” Fjaril winked, remembering his daughter's favorite drink.
“Yes, please.” Ruki blushed, unsure why. She followed her father to the kitchen.
“Your aunt is here, did you know that?” Fjaril asked as he began to squish some fruit for their juice.
“My aunt?” Ruki blinked. She had no idea what her father was talking about.

“Yes, your aunt Ivy. She arrived about two weeks ago.” Ruki had heard Ivy had visited Batafurai a few times in the past, but she did not know her aunt would be here now.
“Oh... I didn't know.”
“She said she never told any of you before she left. Or after, for that matter. She just rushed off one day, wanting to see Batafurai one last time. She became good friends with Sindo over the years. I think she wanted to be here when... well.”

“Sindo... Where are the butterflies, dad? I haven't seen any of them yet.” Fjaril sighed as he put down the fruit.
“They died. All of them, except Sindo.”
“What? All of them? Even Nayna?” Ruki asked, remembering the butterfly girl who grew up together with her.
“Yes. A few years ago, Nayna got pregnant. She died while giving birth. I'm sorry, Ruki- I know you two were friends.” Fjaril answered.

The butterflies- all dead except Sindo. And even he would probably not live once they took the stone away.
“Ruki... did you take the stone from the Breach?” Fjaril asked.
“Why... yes, we did. It was at the beginning of the breach, all up north... but why?” Ruki asked, wondering how her father knew this. Had Ivy told him? She could not remember if Ivy even knew anything of what they had set out to do.

“The Breach is dead. Even here, I can feel it... the prana slowly slipping away. Taking that stone away condemned this island to certain death.” “
I... we never meant to, we...” Ruki started defending.
“Oh but you did mean to. And you should. That stone... you need it to save the world. Just like you need the stone of flowers. This island has been dying for a long time now, Ruki. And when you were born... I knew whatever your mother's cause in this world was, it was more important than mine.”

“Dad, I...”
“Ruki!” her mother's scream interrupted her, and but a moment later Taira ran into the kitchen.
“Oh, Ruki! Didn't I ask you to stay with the luggage?”
“Has something happened to it?” Ruki asked, having forgotten all about the stupid bags.
“No, of course not. I was just afraid you... well...”
“She's okay, Taira.” Fjaril comforted her. Her mother only seemed to notice him right then.
“Oh, Fjaril...” Taira whispered.

Once again, Fjaril left the fruit behind as he walked towards her mother and embraced her.
“I missed you.” Ruki heard Taira whisper. Her family... her parents... Ruki got up as well and walked towards them, and they embraced her as well. Finally, after all these years, she got what she had set out to do. Her family was together... all but her little sister Frika.
“Is that...” Her father whispered.
“Yes, that is her. Your second daughter, Frika.” Taira whispered.

“Thank you, Taira...” Fjaril whispered.
“Oh, don't thank me. Thank your daughter, who has mastered the royal powers in a matter of months.” Taira smiled, and Ruki suddenly realized she was putting her memory of her little sister inside her parent's head. Oops.
“No problem, dad.” She whispered, when she saw his smile. They would always be together now.