V.I.R.A.L

The sun began to rise on the west of the island, and it was bitter from the winter morning. This didn't stop one little boy, though. Gale would make sure every time no matter what he would be at the docks waiting for the monthly supplies shipped over from Victoria. Seeing the sight of the boats racing towards his small island was enough excitement to last him the month before it would repeat all over again. As the ships docked Gale jumped from the tree, he was confined in he began running along the coastline to meet the crew. Leaping from the hill, he landed on the deck as men were uploading shipments.

"Well if it isn't little Gale. Even in this weather, you are here on the dot."

"Of course, of course! I wouldn't miss this time of the month for anything."

The captain ruffed up his hair chuckling. "And are you being good for your mother?" Gale fell silent as the captain raised his eyebrow. "Gale?"

"I try. But it's. They expect too much from me."

"They only expect so much because you are incredible Gale!"

"You say that, but I don't know what's so special about me?"

He chuckled kneeling putting his hand on Gale's shoulder. "You're special because you are your father's son. That's pretty special. Me and him went way back, it still hard to believe he's gone." Gale looked away frowning. "Hey cheer up kid, I brought you something."

"You have?! What is it? What is it?!"

"Hey, now just hold on. Hold your horses." He barked, stepping back on the ship. Gale waited a short while as he came back with a fisherman's coat. "It's a little big, but you'll grow into it. Your father would want you to have it. Oh, and we have the hat to match!"

Gale squeezed into the jacket as the sleeves were longer than his arms. He looked up, thrilled. "It's perfect."

The captain patted him on the head, laughing. "You look just like your father now! I'll leave it with your mother for now, though."

Taking it back, Gale looked at the ship sighing. "What is it like where you're from?"

"You ask this every time, don't you?"

"It's just nice to know. It's so boring here."

"Now come on Gale, this is your home. Not many people get the luxury of living on an island free from harm."

"If it's free from harm, why is everyone so adamant of me protecting this island?"

"I think we both know the answer. Tell you what kid, next time I come I'll speak to your mother about joining us. You can help my crew with shipments, a month in the capital and then you come visit home."

"Seriously?! I can go with you?!"

"Now just calm down Gale. I will still have discussed it with your mother, and it wouldn't be until your old enough."

"I am old enough. I'm ten."

"Wow, ten already. I remember when you were at your father's feet watching us for the first time. But you'll have to wait a few more years, alright?" Gale began to sulk as the captain sighed. "Hang in their kid; you'll be just fine. I need to help with the rest of the shipment. Good to see you again, buddy."

Gale stepped back, watching the shipments go in and out. He began aimlessly walking around the dock, watching all the crew working. He frowned still not happy with his situation. Hearing so much about the world beyond his home was torture. He wanted to explore it all. He needed to see it all. As he kept on walking by an idea, suddenly came to him. Without a second thought, Gale acted slipping into the shipment. He sat by waiting. To his luck, the shipment was carried onto the ship and rested by the side. Some time went by as Gale waited with anticipation. Creaking the lid open he saw the ship had already set sail. He crouched back down as the crew were walking about. He rested his head bombarded with excitement as he took one last look at his small island. "I'm sorry mother. I'm going to explore the world, just like dad!"

****

Percy kneeled helping Zinnia. She was in a bad state the air from her lungs fading. He held her close shaking her. "Zinnia! Zinnia! Snap out of it! Hey, what is wrong with you?!"

Gale snapped back as the area was blown away. Slamming his foot to the ground, the flowers around him perished. Twisting his hand around, he moved a single step before vanishing. Acceptance spun around as Gale reappeared only to vanish in a second. Acceptance flinched as Gale appeared below throwing a single punch which knocked Acceptance far back. He smashed into a set of roots he called panting wiping his face. "Deadman's requiem. What a cursed attack! Being able to steal the life essence of your opponent when close to death is a brutal yet deadly ability. I should have known about this!" Gale appeared in the air his eyes dead of life as a red haze surrounded him. "But it won't be enough!" The roots flooded the sky crashing down on Gale. Swinging his leg, the roots were all torn apart as Acceptance floated in the air taken back. "Damn you, human!"

Gale flew past yanking Acceptance around his neck like a toy as Gale slammed back to the floor dragging Acceptance through the field before jumping up once more and smashing him back down. As Gale came back down, blood oozed from his body as the repercussions of Deadman's requiem was taking hold. His body began to tighten as he found it harder to move. He tensed up as Acceptance pulled himself from the crater with some mere scratches and a torn suit. Gale coughed up blood panting. "If you think you can take Zinnia away from me, steal my home. Kill anymore of my family and get away with it you have another thing coming!"

Acceptance flicked his bloody hand snarling. "Why the hell do you care what happens to this place anyway?! You've admitted it yourself! You don't want anything to do with this fucking island! All you wanted to do since your father died was run away. Leave the bad memories behind and find a new home. Yet you keep running forever and ever because you know truth down you don't belong anywhere. Not because there is no place, but it's because you can't come to the truth that you are too afraid to have somewhere else to call home. Someone else to lose."

"Don't listen to him!" Zinnia crocked lying in Percy's arms. "Team Rhapsody is your home!"

Gale was unable to move as he lowered his head nodding. "You're right. I was too afraid to find somewhere to call my own. I was too afraid to have new people in my life to look up to after my father died. I couldn't bare the thought of having more people I look up to leave me. But not anymore! I accept the new truth! My new home is with Zinnia and everyone else!"

"Tch, still holding onto false hope. I hate it. I hate it! Enough with these games! I'll finish this myself!" Acceptance began walking forward slowly as Gale was stuck in his curse. He couldn't move a muscle in his legs. His arms only an inch. Acceptance stood over Gale with a menacing atmosphere. "This is the end for you. Let the deep swallow you. Garden's Might."

Acceptance stabbed Gale as mass-energy bled out, blowing the area apart. Nobody moved an inch as Gale seemed unphased by the attack. His arm flew backwards as Acceptance stared on blankly. A Gale moved back his eyes snapped open as he ripped back to where he was. He flicked his hand past Acceptance, yelling out. "Final Move. Deadman's Counter…" Acceptance screamed out as he exploded with the sheer force of his own attack backed by the power Gale held. The area was decimated as Gale took one step before collapsing.

"Gale!" Percy yelled.

Gale lay on the floor as the sliver of life began leaving his body. Everything was getting dark. He licked his lips, unable to move but his arm. He raised an arm to the sky whispering. "Did you see that, Dad?" His hand dropped as he felt nothing. Death was coming.

"You just going to accept death that easily?" Acceptance questioned standing over Gale completely unharmed. He held a small bud over him as a purple liquid dropped onto his wounds. "The world of the living shouldn't be done with you just yet." Gale's wounds began to heal as he looked up in shock. "You'll be fine."

"You saved me? Why?"

"You accepted the fact you would lose, yet you still fought as you could win. You gave it your all Gale Lampard, even if I was heavily handicapped you still held your own against a slave to the five stages of grief. That should be admired. I cannot accept someone as valiant as you dying without a proper rematch. Just know you were lucky. If you had gone up against Anger or Denial, you would have fallen without a doubt."

Gale sat up feeling fine as he gave Acceptance a strange look. "What now?"

"You've won. I will not fight you anymore. I know when it's time to accept defeat. I shall stop the Moss and close this portal to the Garden. An inconvenience, to say the least. I was hoping to have broken the seal today. No matter, there is but a minor inconvenience after all. I've waited for 400 years; I think I can wait a few more months."

"We will stop you if you try."

"I wouldn't expect anything else. I accept that next time we meet, I won't hold anything back. Victory today Gale Lampard is yours."

"Please! Help Zinnia!" Percy screeched. "Whatever you did to her! Undo it!"

Acceptance laughed, shaking his head. "You have no right human to demand things from me. I cannot do such a thing. Only Zinnia can save herself. She just needs to accept the truth. For now, humans, this is goodbye."

Acceptance vanished as Gale rushed to Zinnia's side. "What didn't she accept?"

"Huh?"

"Tell me!"

"Oh, ugh. She keeps whispering something about her mother coming for her."

Gale grunted holding Zinnia. "Zinnia listen to me; you have to accept that. Please."

"No, she, she will come for me. I know she will. She has too…"

"This is no use! At this rate, she'll."

"Zinnia! Please, you know the truth. Think back to your birthday. The torn photo. What you and Alton discussed. Remember what he tried telling you."

"I know it's probably getting old for you and all. But I'm serious. Not only has this been the best summer of all time but also the best birthday. I got to spend it with all my friends, and I even got a present from mum. I never gave up hope she wasn't coming back."

"Just, promise me you won't get your hopes up too high, yeah?"

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind…"

Zinnia gritted her teeth as tears flowed. "She's never coming for me. Is she?"

Both fell silent as Gale shook his head. "Alton spoke to me about this that night. That photo is old. Too old to be your mother's. She isn't coming back."

Zinnia covered her eyes sobbing as air starting coming back. "I know. I know that I just didn't want to. No refused to accept that. But it's the truth I've been hiding from my whole life. She is never coming back."

The stage was torn from Zinnia as Gale fell back, taking a deep breath. "Thank God."

"Is she alright now?"

"She's going to be just fine." Gale laughed. The field began to fade as a light blinded them. Gale held his arm up. "So, we finally did it?"

As the light faded, the three found themselves back in the forest; it was now the morning. Gale stood up, turning around finding the ravine gone. Any traces of the Garden vanished once again. A soothing sound of birds filled the forest as the once tense and uneasy atmosphere was gone. The forest was once again at peace. Zinnia was helped up by Percy as she hugged Gale tightly. She cried in his shoulders. "I thought I lost you! Don't ever do that again!"

"I'm sorry. I'm just glad you're alright, and well, I'm sorry about your parents."

Zinnia shook her head. "I'm happy that I finally accept the truth. They aren't coming back, but. I found something else out. They really were heroes like I believed—two of the four legendary heroes of old. I'm the daughter of those heroes. Zinnia Trost."