AfterShot - Niko's Long Road Home.

Chap.1/Part 6 Spirit Release

Previously . . .

Ori - *wakes up "Where, am I?"

Niko(?) - *sobbing.

Ori - "Hey, it'll be ok, you're homesick right? I'll help you get back home."

Niko(?) - "Y-You really mean it?"

Ori - "Of course."

Fades to black . . .

Niko - "C'mon Ori! You can't sleep all day!"

Ori - 'I am back home?'

Niko - "C'mon!"

. . .

POV. Gumo

It's a beautiful day outside. Birds are singing, Ori is showing Niko around the forrest, and I have a new project in the workshop. I've gotten the diagrams all drawn out for a moving platform to make accessing the higher regions of the forrest. Especially since some of the pathes Ori had been taking were . . . Well, let's just Naru would probably kill someone if they expected her son to have taken those routes. Combined with the pathes that had been destroyed via the energy surge from restoring the elements or the decay, and this is going to be a massive task.

I had been measuring some logs for cutting when I had heard a knock at the door. Naru went out to collect fruits from the orchard so it fell to me to answer it.

Spirit guardian(?) - "Excuse me, Oh, hello Gumo. I was wondering if Ori and Niko were home."

Gumo - "Hm? I didn't know the Spirit Tree managed grow a new generation of guardians."

Spirit guardian - "Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot you haven't seen like this before. It's me, Sein."

Gumo - "OH! I didn't know you had a spirit form, sorry for not recognizing you. Ori took Niko to explore the forest, I believe Niko mentioned they wanted to get a view from atop the Ginso Tree."

Sein - "Ok, thanks!"

Sein began to turn to leave when they stopped themself and looked back to me.

Sein - "Hey, I just remembered, Ori had mentioned wanting a spirit well closer to here. Do you think you could help me with the construction for a well some day?"

Gumo - "Me?"

Sein - "Yeah, the Gumon are some of the best engineers in the world. The construction would go by far smoother with your help."

Gumo - "Sure! I was planning on improving the routes of the forest so it would be easier to traverse in the first place so . . . You pick the spot and time and I'll meet you there with my tools."

Sein - "Thanks! We can discuss that part later, now, I'm off to find Ori and Niko."

Gumo - "Good luck Sein."

Sein had turned and began back down the path that had led her to Naru's cave in Swallow's nest, and Gumo shut the door and returned to cutting those logs he'd measured a few minutes ago.

Pov Sein

Ok, that went well, could've been better if they had still been there but it makes sense. Ori has an undying wanderlust and energy to match it, Niko looks as though they're equally attracted towards exploration . . . I wonder, if Niko was a guardian what would their skill be? They're sort of Feline so perhaps something speed or climbing related. No shot it would be aquatic in any way.

Fah, I'm getting off topic. Arriving at the first spirit well I can find, I was about to use it when I realized . . .

Sein - "If Ori is showing Niko around the forrest then why would they just teleport there? Sure Niko can use them but they'd probably save that for the return trip home."