Trust

Three: Separated

My eyes scanned the rows of guns, built for the avatar's body size. I felt uncomfortable at seeing the weaponry, my body naturally shying away from it. "You're not much of a fighter, are you?"

Jake asked me and I gave him a look that told him to shut it before looking around the armory again. I was about to leave when I heard Grace's voice, "Looking for this?"

I turned around and saw her holding a metal staff. "We created this for you Venus, weighted to scale as your other one."

I reached forward, grabbing the metal staff with a smile. My hand spun the staff, slamming it behind me with a large grin. It felt natural, felt normal. "Thanks Grace."

"Don't thank me. It was Max's idea." I would have to thank him the next time I saw him. My hand strapped on the holding for it and put the staff on my back. "You ready to go see the forest Venus?"

"I heard she already did." Jake commented, making me pass him without another word. We walked toward the helicopter and I took the place of the soldier in the doorway. Jake took the other side and I held onto the bar, leaning back.

—

The air was crisp as we flew over the water. Jake was looking really excited and I would be lying if I said that I wasn't the same. This planet is so beautiful...

"Protect them Venus. Don't let them suffer the same fate. Not by those aliens." The Espirt's voice echoed in my head, reminding me of my own mission. I'm not here to be anyone's puppet or doing anything for someone else.

The helicopter landed on the forest ground, giving me the option to spin around. The helicopter powered down as I looked around the forest, walking toward the nearest plant. The bright petals were soft, smooth under my touch. "Venus, don't fall behind."

Grace called out and I turned around. Jake was walking with a gun in his hand and I felt my blood lightly boil at the sight of the weapon. I passed him without sparing him a look, walking into the forest and hearing Norm ask, "How do we know if they're here?"

"We won't. But they probably already know that we're here." Grace responded and I followed them silently. This forest... I wonder if the nature was like this on my home...

"Was your planet like this?" Jake asked me as he was looking around too. It seems like this green is something new to him too. "I don't know... I never went to the forests. We weren't allowed to."

"What? Why not?"

"I was not of the forest clan. I was with the wind clan. We stayed on the floating mountains."

"Floating what?" He immediately looked at me like I was crazy and I shrugged him off. I noticed a spiral looking plant and walked toward it with gently touching it. Me and Jake both lightly laughed at seeing the plant's reaction to our touch. Then we started touching the rest of the plants till there was a roar.

Jake raised his gun at hearing the roar, spinning on his heel to see the large animal. Bright color fans raised in the air, standing straight to threaten. "Jake, wait."

I put a hand on his shoulder, looking at the animal. They were breathing heavy, digging their front leg into the ground to show that he's ready to run. "Jake don't. You'll only piss it off, the skin is too thick."