The grass blew in the wind, and the sun glew brightly in the sky. Two vixens padded through the warm green strands. The sun shone brightly on their backs. The red fox stopped walking and began to stretch. "The weather is so nice today, especially since it's been really rainy lately. What do you think Red?"
The silver fox stopped and turned to face her, her blurry eyes shining in the sunlight. "Of course," Red smiled. "Silver, it's great to finally relax after all that madness happened, even if it was over a year ago."
Silver nodded. The two continued walking. "So, what's the plan? What's going to happen next?" Silver asked. Red tilted her head. "I'm not sure. I know Khos said that he planned on trying to find a way to build some sort of building in the Rift. Not sure how he could attempt that, considering how unstable it is."
"Oh, yeah of course. We... Wouldn't want him to end up like-" Silver paused. "N-Nevermind. It's probably best if we didn't think about it."
After some time, the two began to slow their pace. Red started to pick up speed again, but tripped. "Dang it! I hate it when that happens!"
She picked herself up, and shook the dirt off of her fur. Silver stopped. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Well, actually not really, but you know," Red grumbled. "Honestly, I'm just glad this hood is okay."
Silver examined the hood quickly and looked back to Red. "You do remember you can't even see what it looks like, right?"
Red huffed in response. "Of course I remember! I was born blind!"
"Ah, sorry. You know I was just messing with you!" Silver giggled. She jumped around circling Red as she moved slowly along. "Cheer up!"
A small laugh came from Red. "Alright, fine. You and I both know I can't stay upset forever!"
Silver stopped jumping and slowed her pace with Red's. She gave her a little lick on the ear and then ran ahead of her. "Sometimes I wish you weren't blind. Just think about it. Think about all the beauty you'd be able to see!"
"Silver, I already know the world is beautiful. I don't have to see it to believe it."
Silver sighed. "I know, I know. It'd just be nice if you saw the world. Just once."
She slowed her pace to match Red's again. Soon, they neared a shallow creek, and waded through it. Silver shook the water from her fur, then Red. "So, Nova said that the meeting place was just after the creek right? Meaning we don't have much more to go?" Red asked, shaking her fur some more.
"Yep, that's correct."
Red smiled. "That's good, because I'd rather not walk anymore!"
She laughed.
...
The wind blew strong in the clearing as Red and Silver approached the white creature. "Greetings Red, Silver!"
He smiled. He reached down to hug them both, then stood back up. "Greetings to you Khos!" Silver laughed back. "I see that everyone besides Starcatcher is here."
Khos nodded. "Yep. We have you two, Nova, Atlas, me, and Shadren so far. I've no idea what Star is up to."
Suddenly, a black dragon crashed into clearing, clearly in a hurry. "Oh my stars, I'm so sorry I'm late!" She cried. Red looked over to her, basing her location on the noise. "Star, if it makes you feel any better, Silver and I were sort of late too."
"Oh thank the stars I wasn't the only one then," she sighed.
"Well, if everyone's ready, we can finally begin!" Shadren growled. "If I might ask, what even kept you?"
"I-it's nothing. I just slept in..."
"Slept in?" Shadren snorted.
"Alright, that's enough Shadren. We don't need any unnecessary anger," Khos muttered.
"Sorry."
Khos nodded towards everyone. "Alright, let's begin. Today, we're going to be discussing our next plans. Of course, you all already know what I intend on doing, however, I haven't addressed all parts of it fully."
"You said you were going to build something in the Rift, right?" Red asked. "You know how unstable that place is Khos! I mean, who knows if you're even Rift Immune!"
Nova looked from Red to Khos. "She's right. Do you think that's even possible?"
Khos nodded. "I know. However, I'm willing take the risks, and besides, I can't die," he added grimly. "Not after that curse, anyways."
Nova was stunned, but slowly picked himself up. "Oh, that's right. I may have lived well over a thousand years, but... I can still die."
"Well, that and you did put your soul into a dracoran's body in order to save him," Silver added.
"Yes, I remember that."
Starcatcher looked over at Khos. "Oh, if I may add something, how do you plan on getting a foundation made? Not everyone can just stand the Rift."
Khos looked over to her. "Ah, that's a good question Star. I might have a plausible answer."
Khos looked around. "I'll have to find those that are in fact Rift Immune. Hopefully once the building's foundation is finished, those that aren't Rift Immune can access it. It'll be a long time before we'd be close to done."
Star nodded. "Hm, alright. I guess that makes sense enough."
Khos smiled. "Alright, those are my plans. Oh, and Atlas, do you think you can help me by exploring some universes?"
Atlas blinked at him. "U-Uh, sure? I mean, that's kinda dangerous too but, I've been meaning to anyways. Alright, I'll do it."
"And that's that. Anyone else want to share?"
All of them shook their heads. "Not really," Silver answered. "I mean, I think we'll just do our own things. Nothing big."
Nova nodded. "I'll be heading back to Volcanera."
"And I just agreed to help Khos. I'd rather not return to my parent's shop. You guys know how they treated me," Atlas muttered.
"I'll be returning back to the forest with the rest of my family," Starcatcher added.
"And I'll be heading back to my kingdom. It'll be bad if I'm away from it any longer," Shadren growled.
Everyone then looked towards Red. "What about you Red? What are you going to do?"
She stared at them through slitted eyes for a second. "Before I answer, I have a question. Why does everyone want to know what we do next? It seems a bit weird to me."
Starcatcher softly laid a claw on her head. "It's... So we know where we can find each other in case anything else were to happen."
Red dipped her head. "Ah, I see. Then I have a request to make."
Khos blinked at her. "What is it?"
Star removed her claw from Red as she slowly lifted her head. "When we all die, do you think it's possible if... we find a way to have reincarnates?"
Shadren stared at her. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, reborn. We sealed the Corruption away. We didn't truly defeat it at all. Besides, we have no idea if it'll break out when we're alive or not."
"And what if it never does?"
"Then, it doesn't. That doesn't mean we can't ever come back."
Shadren stared at her, then nodded. "You're right. But how do we decide who we'll be reincarnated as or whatever? We can't just decide who we want to be!"
Novak nodded towards her. "Shadren is right. Besides, how will we know when the Corruption returns, if it does?"
Red blinked. "I feel that we should come back when we feel the time is right to come back. I must add that we won't be able to choose a reincarnate. They'll be us."
"So, what if they have our memories? Wouldn't that put a lot of pressure on them? On us?"
Red sighed. "Yes. It would. So, if given the choice, we can choose to not retain our memories unless necessary. We'll all be completely different."
Red's blind eyes lead her to face Khos. "And this is my request. Khos, I also have something to ask of you."
He tilted his head. "What is it?"
"Look after us in our next lives. I know you'll still be here after all that time. So please, could you do this?"
Khos gasped. "I-I... o-of course... I'd be honored. Is everyone actually okay with being reincarnated?"
Starcatcher smiled. "I like the idea!"
Nova looked over to her. "Same here. It'll give me a chance to still protect Volcanera. Not just that, but the entire multiverse."
Atlas and Shadren nodded in agreement.
"And... you Silver?"
A big smile crossed her snout. "Absolutely."
Red smiled, and licked Silver's ear.
Khos looked around. "Is that all?"
Everyone nodded. Khos smiled at them. "Then, I'll see you all again when our paths cross. Farewell!"
...
Silver padded alongside Red. Rain fell harshly from the sky as they returned back home. Silver sighed. "That was short lived. A few hours ago it was so nice and now it's just raining again. There weren't even any rain clouds in sight!"
Red nodded. "And now the ground feels all squishy again. I hate it when it's so soft."
"This rain is so hard I can't even see!"
"Wait, is it really that bad? Well, at least you know how I feel."
Red shook her fur of water, even though more rain was pelting her. "This rain is too heavy. We should find shelter as soon as we can."
Red began to walk ahead of Silver.
"H-Hey, slow down!"
Silver squinted through the rain, and saw a long dark strip spanning the ground. Wait, that's a... that's a ravine! She thought.
Silver gasped. "Red stop! There's a-"
The ground beneath Red's paws began to crumble near the edge of the ravine. Red panickedly tried moving from the crumbling ground, but slipped, barely holding on to the edge with her claws.
"Oh stars! Silver help!"
"Red!" Silver yelled as she ran to the edge.
She grabbed her scruff with her teeth and tried pulling her up. Red's water logged fur made it harder for her to pull her up.
"I-I can't! I'm having trouble! You're too heavy!" She cried through a mouth full of wet fur. Red began to slip from Silver's jaw. No!
Silver began tugging harder, but it was no use. Silver winced as she felt the fur rip from Red's body.
"SILVER!" Red cried as she plunged into the darkness.
"No!"
She went closer to the side of the ravine, staring into the endless black.
"N-No... this can't be possible!"
Silver layed down at the edge, tears mixed with rain streaming down her face.
...
Light. Why- wait. How can I see?
Red looked around. Where in this multiverse am I? Why in this multiverse can I actually see?
She went slowly towards a huge, rugged pillar, dotted with small teardrop shaped items. Are these what trees look like? They... look nice. Is that what green looks like? Silver told me there are different colors. If that's true, then why does everything look the same?
Suddenly a ball light fluttered on by, startling her. Red jumped back, suddenly realizing there was more. A lot more.
"Woah, this... this is amazing!"
She started to run, looking around and taking in everything. All of this is amazing! Where is Silver? She has to see this!
She suddenly stopped. Wait a minute. I... fell. I fell down somewhere. I was slipping. Silver WAS there, but she's not here. Ravines are deep. There are no rocky walls here. I'm... not where I was.
Another thought struck her. Balls of light. Perhaps spirits? Trees, this is a forest. So does that mean... I'm in... the Forest of Spirits?
She looked around more.
I have to be. Though, that's impossible. All those stories say that it should be impossible to get here unless... Oh stars, I think I'm actually a ghost. I'm DEAD. No, this... isn't right. Not now, I wasn't ready!
She slowly began padding towards a rock with what seemed like water streaming from it. There was a pool where the stream ended. Red moved down to look into it, her gaze as solemn as it could be. "Wait, are those... stars? In water?"
She stared into the pool. Stars. Stars are scattered everywhere. At least, I think those are stars.
Suddenly it hit her. "This... this is the Pool of Stars! The central power of the entire multiverse!"
How could I forget this was in the forest?!
She kept staring into the pool. I-I believe I'm here for a reason, but... I'm not sure why.