ONWARD IMAGINES

I Got You | Ian Lightfoot

requested by the_Elle_Stark :-)

/ / /

When you had offered to go with Ian and Barley on this quest to the phoenix gem, you didn't think that it would take quite this long. You had gone from a drive on the highway to escaping a burning building, nearly dying by a swarm of angry Pixie-Dusters, crossing a bottomless pit, and then losing Guinevere and having to complete the rest of the journey on foot.

It was going to be a full day of walking, and then hopefully the boys would have some time with their dad. The sun was surprisingly hot today, and there wasn't a single bit of shading to block you from the sun. 

You wiped your hand across your forehead. Ian glanced at you, using the staff as a walking stick. "You doing okay?"

"Yeah," you said. "Just a little tired is all. Plus I don't feel well, you know. We've only had cheese puffs in the last twelve hours and I kinda skipped lunch and dinner."

"We should've gotten you something real," Ian said. "I-I didn't know you hadn't eaten! If Barley hadn't of distracted me, I would've---"

"Ian, it's okay," you said, smiling. "Barley said we don't have that much longer, right? We can do it. Let's get to your dad."

"Well, we don't have that much longer looking for the ravens," he explained nervously. "Who knows where they'll take us."

"They could take us to the great unknowns!" Barley said, gripping the leash that Mr. Lightfoot was attached to. "Some adventurers have even reached the center of the Earth."

"I-I don't think that we have time to go that far, Barley," Ian said.

"Worry not, oh little brother! I have a good feeling that we are coming up on something big here." He used his finger to point out where the huge raven statue was pointing. "Ah-ha! This way!"

Ian glanced at you nervously again. It was true that you were tired, weak, and hungry, but you were completely running off on the feeling of how sweet it would be to see Ian meet his dad, to see Barley get to show him how grown he was.

"I'll be okay," you reassured him.

He smiled. "Okay."

Minutes passed, and the sun was eventually shadowed by dark grey clouds. A crack of thunder made you jump, and at the sound of it crackling away in the sky, the rain started to pour.

It was freezing. You shivered, hugging your arms against your chest, desperate to capture a little bit of warmth while water soaked every single part of you.

"H-Hopefully it lets up soon," Ian said loudly over the rain.

You nodded, unable to speak over your chattering teeth.

The worst part was getting up a hill. The grass was slick and mud sat at the top, quickly trickling down in a thick stream of brown sludge. You wiped water out of your eyes continuously, barely trudging your way up. Step by step, your feet sank into the soft ground a little more.

Eventually, Mr. Lightfoot couldn't handle walking blindly anymore, even when being lead by Barley and a leash. He stepped on a patch of pure sludge and slipped backwards.

"Barley!" Ian shouted as the leash was yanked out of his brother's hand. He lunged for it, but you were the one that managed to grab it, yanking Mr. Lightfoot back up the steep hill quickly.

As you stepped to yank, your foot sank into the dirt and your body jerked in shock at the sudden drop. Your stomach left your body and you twisted your leg, crying out as a pain shot up through your ankle.

"___!" Ian called out. He hurried over and grabbed your arms. "Here, I'll help you. You okay?"

"Yeah," you said, making sure Barley got the leash from you. Ian helped you lift your foot out of the mud.

"Are you okay?" Barley asked, his eyebrows pulled together.

"I'm fine," you said, nodding. And you were --- until you stepped down on your foot and felt the same pain shoot up from your ankle. "Ow! Oh holy --- no, no, I'm not."

"Barley!" Ian exclaimed. "Oh, I knew we should've stopped at least 'til the rain stopped!"

"We don't have that kind of time," Barley said. "We are barely gonna get a day with him as it is."

"Yeah, but look at her! Now she is hurt, and---"

"Guys," you said, leaning against both of their shoulders. You shook your head and breathed through the pain. "We don't have time to fight."

"You have to sit down," he said.

"No," you said. "I'll stay here. When you two are too far away to get caught again, I will call Officer Bronco."

"No!" Ian and Barley both exclaimed.

"We are in this together," the oldest said.

"I need you," Ian said. "Please. What if I... what if I help you walk?"

"That'll slow us down."

"No, it won't!" He grabbed your arm and put it over his shoulders. "See? Look. Hop. Come on, let's try it. Or --- or you can step on it a little, like that, see?"

"Ian," Barley said. "I-I don't think---"

"No, he's right, I'm okay," you said. You took a couple of steps up the hill. "It doesn't hurt unless I stand flat on the ground."

"Are you sure?"

You nodded. "I'm sure."

Ian let out a relieved breath. "You're sure you're okay?"

"I'm okay," you said.

And you were okay. You were a little hurt, but you could hear the desperation and fear in Ian's voice. He didn't want to lose this chance to meet his dad, or have you hang back all alone.

This was your only option.

"I promise I'm okay," you said. You tightened your arm around his shoulders and looked at him. "See?"

He nodded, gripping you tighter against him. As you started to go back up the hill, he encouraged you. "I got you. I promise."

"I know." You smiled. "Let's go meet your dad, okay?"