Mt. Aleph: Rocky Roads

[Mage]

Isaac looked at the mess, he wasn't mad at all. Accidents happen, and he knew that all too well. "Don't worry ill simply clean it up, I also have more tea; only this time ill make it lighter." The Earth Adept went to the kitchen getting some paper towels and started cleaning up the mess, but he just remembered something; the tea pot in the kitchen was off the stove. He looked at Dedede, knowing he didn't have anything to do. "Could you get the new glass for him before it cools, Ive got to clean this up?"

[ButlerForLifeNumber2]

King Dedede peered down at Isaac as he cleaned up the mess. It reminded him of his castle and servants. He couldn't help but feel glad that Ion broke the glass; He began to chuckle softly. He rubbed the tip of his beak a little as he told Isaac, "Heh. After that little outburst, you truly expect me to do a favor for you?"

He took his glass off of the arm of the chair and wiped the rim with his robe. "I drank some, thus it's not so heavy anymore!" he said while cleaning it. He brought it close to Ion. He lightly pulled the robe away from Ion's face and hands, and motioned at him to take the cup. "It's just bloody awful tea! Its nothing to cry about, Ion." He repeated the name under his breath with a smile. Then he whispered, "He's used to labor and cleaning up like this...he's just a peasant after all...."

He told Isaac, without turning to or looking at him, "I'll be fine, thank you...After that awful taste, I don't think I'm willing to drink anything you prepared anymore!" He then asked sarcastically,"Though if clean water was used for this tea...why would I need to drink muddy water? Shouldn't I be able to drink some of the fresh water which was used for this? Or is that saved up and only used for your precious tea?"

He thought and then cried, "You've probably poisoned me! So-so you may have your way with Ion! YOU BEAST! I know it must be lonely up here, but it does not justify the fact you're taking advantage of a poor young lady!"

[mrfancypants]

Ion knew that Dedede was just trying to cheer him up but he felt worse than he just had a few moments ago. Because in addition to the guilt, he was now feeling embarrassed that he cried about something so small. Especially since he wasn't the type of person to lose his cool. He brushed away the cup, he didn't want tea anymore.

"I think I am going to sleep now. I need rest for tomorrow....Good Night"
He then closed his eyes. But the couch was very lumpy and uncomfortable.
Sighing, he sat up and then looked at Dedede, an idea popping into his head. "Say, Dedede...How would you like being my pillow for the night?"

[Mage]

Isaac looked at Dedede crossing his arms. "Trust me if I poisoned you, you'd know it. But in all seriousness its true I can clear the mud out of the water to make it decent, but without the help o..." He stopped himself looking at Ion. "Dedede as a pillow? Well I suppose he can do that if he wants." He got up and went to his room. "Get as much rest as you can your majasty, the rest of the climb up isn't easy." He shut the door, and went to bed.

[ButlerForLifeNumber2]

Ion's question surprised the king, and the innocence in his voice made him blush. He ignored Isaac until he heard a door slam shut. He was left alone with such a beauty...He knew it was done on purpose, and let out a faint grumble from nervousness. He remembered Ion was asking a question and turned to him to reply. "O-o-of course, deary!" he sputtered, "Just make yourself comfortable...It'd be a..pleasure...!"

He himself made himself comfy, too. It was difficult because the couch was as uncomfortable as Ion said, and to Dedede it was ten times worse because he was accustomed to only the best (not to mention he felt extremely hot).

After a while he repositioned himself and grabbed Ion's thigh by mistake. However, he rubbed the back of his hand lightly against it while under the covers... While brushing his cheek on Ion's forehead he---

He woke up...! He rubbed his eyes and was shocked to find that it was just a "bad" dream. He coughed shyly and looked at Ion. He was embarassed that a thought like that would ever cross his mind!...not to mention that he would dream it! He got up slowly from the couch, laying Ion's head carefully on a sofa cushion. He tried to find Isaac's kitchen and began to wander around in the dark. He disparately needed something cold to drink or a cold shower, no matter how repulsive the taste.

[mrfancypants]

Ion smiled and climbed on top of Dedede. He was very drained and weary so he fell asleep almost immediately. He snored softly and occasionally stirred, but his rest was mostly a peaceful one. Until the dream came of course. It was such a strange dream too. Dedede had his hand on his thigh by accident and just kept on going...

It was then that Ion also woke up. He was a bit surprised at the dream and worried. But, it seemed that the penguin was no longer in the room. That gave the boy some time to calm down and assure himself that it was only a dream.

He was still tired and wished to sleep some more but he was stuck on the lumpy couch again. He tossed and turned awhile before making a sound of frustration before he moved to the floor. And it was much more comfortable than the sofa was. It wasn't long before the Fon Master was back asleep and having sweeter dreams, of his time in Auldrant and Anise. "My cherished..."

[Mage]

Ion and Dedede weren't the only ones having a bad night, Isaac was tossing and turning in his bed trying to fight off a bad dream. "F.Felix wait!" He sprang up in a cold sweat, feeling his head attempting to wipe it off. Apparently he had a flash back to an event in his past, but with a sigh he wanted to shake it off. However he heard some odd noise's coming from outside, mumbling, rolling around, light snoring, doors opening. The sword man couldn't listen for any more suspicious activity anymore, for he was already getting up and walking out of his room grabbing his sword.

[ButlerForLifeNumber2]

Feeling his way through the darkness, King Dedede finally felt a doorknob. Thinking and hoping it lead to the kitchen or bathroom, he turned and pushed. He walked in and noticed the floor felt cold and bumpy. He shrugged it off remembering Isaac's home wasn't the coziest of places. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, there was now some form of light given off from the moon.

The king looked around and finally noticed... he had walked outside the house by accident. The door he had opened was the front one and the wind had slammed it shut. He turned the knob again and again. Locked. He remember Isaac saying it was very dangerous at night, and he must have not been exaggerating if he even offered his home to a bunch of strangers.

Dedede tried to keep calm and collected, but began to panic as he heard noises. He knew he wouldn't be able to fight off anything that may attack, he was paralyzed by fear and blinded by darkness. He wanted to call for help from inside the house, knock the door down too, or do something. But he couldn't move and was stuck in one spot; like a sitting duck.

[mrfancypants]

It was just a regular day in Daath, Anise was making her daily rounds around the church. She had a lot on her plate, as it was hard to get the people off the score after they have been depending on it for so long. Although she inherited the belief that the score was one out of many possible futures from Ion, not everyone could comprehend it.

She was wearing the traditional fon master outfit, actually one of the ones Ion used to wear....Ion....



Toddling behind her was Florian. He was waiting for her to finish her work so they could play together. He noticed a strange light coming from behind the rooms. "Anise...Look!" He grabbed her robe and tugged on it lightly, pointing at the room.



The girl turned her head in the direction Florian was pointing. "That's odd.." That was the room where the teleporter to Zaleho Volcano was. She opened the door and peered her head inside. The teleporter was giving off a strange light. She decided she would check it out. She took Florian's hand and stood on the teleporter.


Ion was still sleeping soundly on the floor until a pair of people fell on top of him from seemingly nowhere.


"Woah! This isn't Zaleho Volcano." Anise blinked. It was very dark in the room. "Oh well, at least we had a cushion to soften our blow.Teehee~"


"Anise I'm scared." He said, groping through the darkness searching for her. He felt a head, but that wasn't Anise. In fact..."Ah! Anise! We didn't land on a cushion! It's a person!"


Ion did a double take. He could've sworn that voice sounded like Anise, and he heard the name Anise. But that couldn't be. He was probably still dreaming. He wanted to go find the Dedede to see if he would pull any funny stuff on him. Then he would know for sure that it was a dream.
"Dream Anise and other person, I would appreciate it if you got off of me."


Anise was shocked! That was...that was Ion's voice! She was able to find Florian quickly and hopped off of him with him. She then just stood there, shaking. It was still really dark, it probably wasn't him...It couldn't have been, he's dead. Maybe they just found another Ion replica. It wasn't totally impossible.


Florian huddled close to Anise, squeezing her hand in his.


"Thank you.." He got up and started to fumble around, searching for Dedede. But he didn't seem to be around anywhere. "Dedede?" He called out, no response. His next choice would have to be Isaac. "Isaac?"


The two just stood there. Anise with racing thoughts going through her mind and Florian who was now starting to shake with fear.

[Mage]

Fortunately for Ion, Isaac was close by to hear the call. The boy entered the room and turned the lights on to find Ion...and two new people, a young girl and another Ion. Isaac looked confused, how did they enter his home? But he shook it off and asked. "Friends of yours, Ion?" Then he looked around Ion noticing at his choice in a pillow aka Dedede, is missing. "Wheres Dedede?" Not that Isaac was all that worried, but then he realized that if by chance Dedede was in danger, then that only means everyone here could be too.

[mrfancypants]

Ion winced at the sudden light. He squinted until his eyes were adjusted and he stared at Anise and the other replica. They were there, and they weren't going away. Maybe he wasn't dreaming. He pinched himself, because he was starting to feel that he wouldn't know if it were a dream or not if he didn't. He winced at the pain. It wasn't a dream...

He didn't know what to say though. He just stood there, dumbfounded.


Florian had stopped shaking and was now glaring at Ion. That was the guy everyone compared too. He must've been, seeing that he looked exactly like him and was referred to as Ion. But, he was supposed to be dead. "Anise, does this mean we're in heaven? Are we dead?" He asked, clinging closer to her. He knew that she liked Ion a whole lot and he wasn't going to give her up.


"Well...this sure doesn't look like heaven to me. This place looks like total garbage. I would expect heaven to have gold and fine furniture everywhere...." She said and patted Florian on the head.


She then smirked, looking at Ion. She was about to run to him when she saw him take a step back. "Ion?"


And he did indeed take a step back. He didn't know what this feeling was that was bottling up inside of him but he couldn't bear to see that boy all over Anise and her patting him. He saw how it was. Like he predicted, there was a replacement for him. He turned to Isaac and hesitated before saying. "...Yes. They are my friends..." Just because he was upset, did not give him the right to say that he and Anise weren't friends.

He turned and started walking towards the door to outside. "I don't know where Dedede is. He doesn't seem to be in the house. I'm going to go check outside." He grabbed the knob and turned it, walking out. He slammed the door on his way.


Anise didn't know how to act. She didn't understand....There was an expression of complete and utter shock and sadness on her face.


Florian smirked while no one was looking and stuck his tongue out as Ion left the room. Point one for Florian. He rested his head on Anise's shoulder. "He seems scary, Anise. He slammed the door for no reason."

[Mage]

Isaac looked at the newcomers confused. then he saw Ion leave the house...wait since Dedede isn't here this can only mean..."Oh no!" The Earth Adept ran outside opening the door and leaving it open for all to enter and go as they please, he looked around the dark mountain. "Ion, Dedede!" He called out hoping for an answer, he warned them this mountain gets dangerous at night...lives are at stake out here.

[TurkwithStyle]

Over the top of the mountain, clouds started to form. These weren't normal clouds, they were very DARK. Usually in a night sky the moonlight would shine off and onto the clouds...but these were different. They seemed to have been eating the moonlight on impact. There was most definitley something weird going on this night.

[ButlerForLifeNumber2]

Dedede jumped as he heard the door slam behind him. He turned around with a mixed feeling of terror and hope. "Ion!" the king sobbed while bringing the boy close to him for a hug, "You've come to rescue me! But please, don't be a hero! Its very dangerous out here! This is no place for a lady to be" He was shaking. "You...might get hurt!"

He noticed Isaac and his sword but was more interested in the doorway. Holding Ion's hand tightly, he bum rushed back into the house. "Close that door, you fool!" he yelled at Isaac. He let Ion loose and hid behind the couch. He looked up and noticed Florian. Thinking it was Ion he took his hand and began to rub it with his soothingly. He asked, "Are you alright, Ion? I how this experience hasn't scarred you!"

[mrfancypants]

Ion couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Dedede. He acted a bit more cowardly than he would have expected but it was cute. He almost made a groan out of protest when he was brought inside. Why did you think he went out in the first place? Finding the king was just an excuse although it felt good that he was glad to see him, or rather he was glad to see the door opened.

And then he was mistaken for Florian. Good going, Dedede. He felt like just leaving again but instead walked to the penguin. "Uhm, Dedede, I'm Ion. Right here. I am glad that you are concerned but I am fine. Are you sure that you were not scarred from being out alone in the dark for so long?"


Florian looked at Dedede with a terrified expression on his face. He pulled back, and ran behind Anise. "Ah! Anise, that fat smelly monster bird tried to eat me!" He started to tremble and peeked out from behind Anise to get another glimpse of him. "Ion, hurry! Come quick. Can't you see he's going to eat you?!" He didn't like Ion, but that didn't mean he wanted him to get eaten by the monster.


"I do not think he's fat. He is...plump. He needs to be nice and round to survive the cold. He is a penguin after all...."He took a step closer to Dedede. "And he's not a monster either. Stop being so silly."


"Yea, you're just being silly Florian. Not everyone is out to get you." Anise said to him, trying to reassure him. "And any friend of Ion's must be a good person." She said and walked up to Dedede. "My name's Anise. It's nice to meet you."


She took a closer look at him."Wow, those are some fancy clothes you are wearing! You must have a lot of money and you must be powerful. Like maybe an Emperor or something~ <3"


There was Anise...being Anise again. He sighed softly. He kind of wanted her to just go away. Or at least stop being herself and stop flirting with anything that looked like it had money. And Dedede was his friend first.


"Anise, NO!" The boy dragged her back forcefully and desperately.


He smiled. That replica did something useful and aside from whining.
He turned to Isaac and asked "By the way, what is so dangerous about being in the mountain at night?" just to change the subject.