Chapter Text
It was a beautiful Spring morning. The daylight breaking through the canopy of the thick forest roof. The nightly dew was just beginning to evaporate as the crisp morning air took hold. It was the first sunny day since the beginning of the winter, which had been nothing but harsh. Extremely harsh.
Beneath the canopy resided a lone shelter known as the nest, similar in structure to a beaver's home but much larger. Inside the nest Roz laid resting. Having had to power down over the winter due to a lack of sunlight to power her.
However, with the arrival of the first sunny day of spring, with the sunlight able to cut though the clouds for the first time in months, she was finally able to charge her depleted power banks.
Roz awoke slowly, powering on her systems. Her indicator lights across her face slowly flickering to life and her visors opened as the spring sun filled her power banks.
She laid there for a few minutes absorbing the rays of sunlight so she could properly be able to move and operate, and hopefully see him, see Brightbill, see and make sure he was ok.
She stood up after a few minutes had passed, not fully charged up but enough to get moving and going. With that she bolted out of the shelter and into the woods.
She bolted through the woods at lighting speed. Trying her best to avoid tripping over the brush and greenery beneath her feet.
As she moved at breakneck speed, she had to swat tree limbs out of her path to avoid them smacking her as she ran.
She was running to the field where she knew he would be. To where Brightbill would be when he and the rest of his flock returned. Longneck had told her that that was where the flocks of Geese returned after flying back from the summer resting grounds every year. And so she rushed there. She wanted to see if he was ok. To see if he was alive and well.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she began to notice the clearing through the thick foliage she was bolting through. That was it she thought, as her speed increased even more than it already had. Bracing for the open clearing and not wanting to startle off any of the geese by barging into it (and also not wanting Brightbill to see her) she began to slow right before she reached the clearing. She braced to see the massive flock of geese once she reached the end of the thick forest and shrubbery, preparing herself to search all over for Brightbill.
She had finally reached the clearing; however, she was taken aback by the sight she witnessed.
There was nothing there.
Nothing, absolutely nothing.
She examined the open clearing devoid of anything but vibrant tall grass and an admittedly beautiful array of foliage consisting of daisies, dandelions, heal alls, and other flowers. All of them rustling in the peaceful Spring breeze. Silently absorbing the sun’s fresh rays as it climbed higher into the sky.
Roz stared at the sight for a moment and wondered what had happened. But how she thought. Longneck had said they would return the day spring first broke on the island. That's when they always return, he said.
Roz snapped her head around the clearing, using her sensors to scan the space for any sign of the flock. She whipped her head around, scanning every bush, every tree, every stream.
Nothing.
She turned to the pale blue sky above and began searching there. Scanning clouds, distant vistas, and the horizon. Once again, she found nothing.
No sounds of geese flapping their wings, no sound of their aggressive honking, no sound of any of their tell tale gossiping.
Nothing.
Nothing but the breeze rustling the shrubbery and the quiet nature already here, and Roz.
Her thoughts began to race. Why were they not here? Was Longneck mistaken? Has something gone wrong? Did anyone get hurt? Where are they? What if Brightbill was hurt?
No, she shouldn't freak out, she thought. They might have just landed somewhere else. They might just be in another place on the island. She would just have to search around for them, she thought. But where was she supposed to start, she wondered.
Where? Where? Where? She didn't know where. Maybe someone knew where, or knew something else. Maybe someone knew where they were. Or maybe someone has seen them. But who could that even be?
Roz thought for a long moment. Who has been around long enough on the island that she knows well enough to have possibly seen or even possibly knows something about the flock’s migration pattern.
She thought for a long moment before finally hit her.
Fink! That's it, she'll find Fink and ask if he's seen them. He's bound to know more about this since he’s lived on the island his whole life.
With her mind determined on finding the sly fox she began to wonder something. Where was he?
She began to make her way back to the nest, believing it to be the best spot to start looking for her fox friend. She made her way back through the thick forest, now so much livelier than it was in the winter.
It took her a minute to get back to the nest, with her making her way back at a much slower pace than earlier.
When she finally arrived she began to think about where to start looking for him. She had to think back to when she last saw him. She remembered him giving the speech in the shelter, and…and then making his way to her and curling up on her lap.
If that's the case then she must start from inside the shelter, she was bound to find something in there she thought. She made her way into the shelter, taking in its contents in full unlike before when she had booked it to the field without caring for such details.
It was bright due to the sun cutting through the roof, moss and greenery was growing in certain places and some leftover traces of the animals that had taken shelter here were still present.
She made her way over to where she was powered down at and examined it and the surroundings, trying to find any trace of Fink. Using her sensors to examine everything with particular detail.
She eventually found something. A few strands of Fink’s orange pelt that had come off.
She followed the strands of pelt, which seemed to lead outside of the shelter. She followed them outside the nest and eventually found light paw prints in the dirt that were unmistakably her friends.
She decided to follow them, believing them to be the best way to find Fink. She followed the print tracks back into the woods. Following them through the thick shrubbery and greenery that she had stomped through mere minutes previously.
The tracks twisted and turned as Roz followed them intently. They twisted around fallen rotting logs, alongside shallow clear streams of chilly spring water, around the sides of thick thorn bushes that would make any animal wince if they had gotten caught, and through thick bushes that were just beginning to blossom their spring flowers.
As Roz followed she began to wonder again back to what had happened earlier. Why wasn't the flock there?
Longneck had assured her that they would have been back the day spring first broke upon the island. He had said that they would be ok and would land in the open clearing once they had arrived back.
But they weren't here.
Why were they not here? She had thought that they had possibly landed somewhere else, but what if they hadn't? What if they hadn’t come back yet at all? What if something went wrong and that's why they were not back yet? What if someone got hurt? What if Brightbill got hurt?
With all these questions racing in Roz’s mind she had been failing to pay attention to where she was following the print tracks towards. However before she realized it she had been making her way atop the cliff where Roz and Fink usually sat.
Noticing this snapped Roz back to reality. No, she thought. She didn't know yet and was going to ask Fink. She would ask Fink where they were and he would provide a satisfactory answer.
She hoped.
Continuing to follow the tracks up the mountain side she noticed something in the distance at the summit. Something that seemed small. Something familiar.
As she approached the summit she began to recognize the small something as Fink. Not needing to track the prints anymore, she just began to walk up to him.
Fink hadn't noticed Roz approaching at first cause he had been staring off in the opposite direction at the vast ocean filled horizon. But he soon picked up her tramping and mechanical whirrs and whizzes and snapped his head around.
“Roz!!!” Fink screamed elated as he ran down to greet his friend. Having not truly spoken with her since she recused all of them months ago.
“Hello Fink," Roz chuckled out as she was amused by his ecstatic response.
As Fink finally made his way down to Roz he jumped up on her shoulder. Very happy to see his friend back.
“You're happy to see me,” Roz said quite happily.
“I am, I haven't talked to you in months! Began to think you were just avoiding me,” Fink joked.
“Oh very funny Fink,” Roz said jokingly in response.
Roz soon made her way back up to the summit with Fink perched upon her shoulder.
She soon sat down upon the top of the cliff face. With Fink settling into her shoulder.
They sat there and stared out into the horizon. Stared into the vastness of the ocean that surrounded the island on all sides.
“I really missed you Roz,” Fink said in a low voice, almost like a whisper.
“I missed you to Fink,” Roz said in a quick reply.
They sat there for a while, just getting lost in the moment. Both enjoying the company the other provided. Not having truly talked to each other in months really made them not want to let this moment go.
Roz really wanted to just sit there and not let this moment pass, but she had come up here to ask Fink about Brightbill. And now matter how much she didn't want this moment to end, she needed to put brightbill first and foremost.
“Hey Fink, i've been meaning to ask you something," Roz said.
“You have,” Fink perked up at that.
“It's actually why I came out here to find you,” Roz further elaborated.
“Oh, um, what is it?” Fink said questioningly.
“It's about Brightbill,” Roz said. After she had said that; however, Fink seemed to deflate a bit. Seeming a little disappointed at her response. Roz failed to notice this however and continued on.
“When I awoke I went out to the field where Longneck had said that they would return. He said that the flock would return the first day Spring broke on the island. Yet when I got there no one was there. I tried looking around briefly but found no trace of any geese having even been there.”
Roz continued on.
“I didn't know what to do so I decided to come find you and ask. Have you seen them?”
Fink listened to Roz, and he hesitated a bit before responding.
“No Roz, I haven't seen them. In fact I don't think they have returned yet.”
Fink’s answer sent Roz into an internal panic yet she didn't let it show.
“Are you sure Fink?” Roz said, almost pleadingly. Maybe her friend was wrong, maybe he just hadn't looked around hard enough, maybe…
“I'm sure Roz. I've been up here all day keeping watch for them and I haven't seen them arrive at all. They always land in that clearing that you looked at and if they were not there then they haven't come back yet," Fink said in a rather resolute tone. Very sure of himself.
“But, Longneck had said they would be back today. Was he wrong? Why are they not back yet? What if something happened? What if someone got hurt? What if Brightbill got hurt? What if…”
“Roz,” Fink said, cutting off Roz’s spiral.
“They will be fine. Brightbill is grown now. He is a capable and independent goose now. You raised him well,” Fink said reassuringly.
“I'm sure they are late because of some storm they had to wade out or something. It's not uncommon for the geese to return a day or few days late. Stuff happens that is out of our control.”
That brought a small comfort to Roz. It didn't completely quell her worries but it did bring her some comfort.
“Brightbill will be fine Roz,” Fink said.
“Whatever you say Fink,” Roz replied.
“Now, let's just sit here and enjoy the scenery for a bit. Maybe talk a bit, and then later we can do stuff!” Fink said in a rather happy and jovial tone.
“It'll help you keep your mind off of Brightbill for a while. Keep you less stressed out,” Fink added.
“That…that sounds rather nice actually. Sure, why not,” Roz replied.
They sat there for a while, taking in the scenery and talking about whatever came to their minds. Not long after they went about the island doing stuff. They did everything from throwing pinecones at squirrels to just walking around and talking some more.
It was very fun and relaxing for Roz. But it couldn't totally distract her from Brightbill and whether he was ok.
But soon something else came to her mind when she was walking around with Fink. What was she actually gonna do once she saw Brightbill?
Was she going to talk to him? Would he let her talk to him? If she did talk to him what would she say? Did he hate her for not giving him a normal life? Was she even a good parent? Was she even a parent?
These questions swirled around in her head.
Did she even give Brightbill a life he deserved? Could she have done better? Had she failed him?
“Roz hey. Earth to Roz. Can you hear me?” Fink said questioningly.
Roz hasn't realized that she had frozen in place and was staring off into space.
“Oh, um yeah. I can hear you Fink,” Roz said quickly and rather sheepishly.
“You good Roz?” Fink asked.
“Uhhh, yeah. I'm good,” Roz replied.
“Are you sure, you just stopped walking and starred off into space for like five minutes.”
“I'm fine Fink, truly. You don't have to worry about me,” Roz replied.
“Alright Roz, whatever you say,” Fink respond. Accepting but not entirely believing her answer.
They continued to walk around and talk as the sun had begun to set behind the tree tops signaling the end of the day was nearing.
They had begun to make their way back to the nest to begin to wind down for the evening since it was starting to get late.
Theys soon arrived and made their way inside. With Roz soon starting a fire in the center pit to warm up Fink, since even though it was no longer winter. Spring nights could be very chilly.
They continued to chat about miscellaneous stuff and just about how they were doing. Both very much enjoying the company of the other. However Roz couldn't stop thinking of Brightbill.
She couldn't stop wondering if he was ok, and what she was going to say to him when he got back.
“Hey Fink, I'm gonna go out for a bit by myself,” Roz said.
“Where are you going Roz? The sun had set and it's dark now. And why can't I go?” Fink asked.
“I just need some quick alone time is all Fink. I just need to think about some things,” Roz said.
“I see,” Fink said. Trying to mask the ounce of hurt inside him of him being left alone again.
“I won't be gone long Fink. I promise,” Roz said.
“Ok,” Fink replied.
And with that Roz made her way out of the shelter and into the now dark woods.
She made her way through the thick brambles and thickets in the darkness, using her night vision in her sensors to see where she was going.
She knew where she wanted to go.
After walking for a few minutes she had made it to where she had intended to go.
The runway.
The runway where she and Fink helped Brightbill learn to take flight. Where they watched him overcome the impossible. Where they watched him truly succeed.
And now here it was, empty. With nothing here but the training posts and the stone.
Roz made her way up onto the runway and looked around. Taking in her surroundings. Not noticing anything out of place she made her way over to the posts.
As she approached her thoughts began to race. Had she truly been a good parent to Brightbill? Fink says she was one but he might just be saying that to not hurt her. Not hurt her anymore than she already is.
She had finally approached one of the training posts and stared at it for a while continuing to think. Thinking about Brightbill.
She couldn't even give him a normal life of course she wasn't a good parent. What was she even thinking? Brightbill hated her. He hated her because she lied to him, and because she took away his chance to be normal.
She kept staring at it as memories flooded her mind.
“If you are willing to do this, you can fly away. And we can both go to where we belong.” The words hit her like a freight train.
She really didn't belong did she. She had only made Brightbill's life worse, she thought.
“You don't understand anything! You don't feel anything! You're not my mom.” Brightbill's words rang in her mind like a church bell at the hour.
God she really did mess it all up.
She began to feel the training post. Feeling the rough splintery sticks and the thin layer of moss growing on the post.
What kind of a parent was she? One who lied to their kid about something like that she thought. One who killed their kid’s entire family? What kind of parent was that?
She didn't even deserve to have someone as amazing and kind and gentle as Brightbill was she thought.
She continued to just stand there feeling the training post. Absorbed in her own thoughts.
She doesn't know for how long she stood there. But after awhile she turned around and stared back into the dark forest. She would wait for him, she thought. But she wouldn't talk to him.
It was clear he didn't want to talk or deal with her, she thought, and she understood why.
It hurts tho. It hurts so much for her to accept that.
She just stood there and thought about it for a moment. She didn't know she could feel this much pain over this. She didn't fully know why.
No, she knew why. It was cause she loved him, that she loved Brightbill. But he didn't love her back. That he hated her.
She had learned to love at what cost she thought. She had learned to love at the expense of Brightbill's life. And that destroyed her. It destroyed her that someone she cared about so deeply resented her.
It hurt, it hurt so much to reckon with that.
But she would see him. Make sure he was ok before she left. She just wanted to see him one last time, to make sure he was safe and ok. That he was alive.
She wanted so much more. But she didn't think it would happen.
He had already made it clear, she thought. Don't push it any further.
Roz suddenly snapped back to reality. Realizing that she had probably been standing there for who knows how long.
She had promised Fink she wouldn't have been out here for that long, and yet here she was breaking that exact promise.
Realizing this, she soon began to make her way back. However as she had begun to make her way back to the Forrest a low rumbling began to shake the ground. Little pebbles soon began to float upwards as the rumbling grew stronger.
Roz felt the rumbling and became very confused. However, a loud whirring sound began to manifest behind her. And as she turned around she noticed a large black shape appearing over the edge of the cliff face at the end of the runway.
Soon the shape rose above the cliff face and turned bright blinding spot lights that bathed the entire runway in a bright white light and what appeared to be a ship made its way overhead of Roz. The ship blew a massive gust of wind as it made it way overhead blowing the training posts out of their place and scattered them into the woods.
Soon once the ship had made it's way directly overhead of Roz, a hatch on the bottom of the ship opened up and a tentacle-like thing floated down from the ship above.
“Rozzum 7134 I presume,” it said.