ran through the Forest. She had found something, and she wanted to share. And she knew someone who needed it.

Liëka! she cries. Liëka, where are you? She always called her mother by her name.

Liëka raised her head from the warm rock she was sleeping on. Here, .

bounced up.
You kay?
Suppose. Why?
I found something. I thought you might like it, I thought it might help.
Well, what is it?

Music.

...what? Music? You can't.. -carry- music! I mean, not without gadget stuff. We know Tuna and Her tried to bring back those altric...elatric things from the Otherworld, but the elatric...stuff never worked here...?
Um, yeah! But look.

waved a small metal object in Liëka's face. She poked it and it made a tinny noise. She poked it again and it stopped.

Runa brought it, you put it in your mouth. I dunno quite how it works, but it uses your skull as a... what was it? Sound box. Only if you have your teeth touching these bits here. Runa went on about singing toothbrushes from the Otherworld, but I didn't really understand it. Apparently, it's a variation on that that works here.
What song is it?
Something by Elton John.
.... I don't like Elton John. >.<
Since when have you heard Elton John?!
Since Runa took me! It was on everywhere. I'm never going back there, by the way, and NO you can't go.
Just try it! And listen to the lyrics. I don't like the tune much, but the lyrics are beautiful.
O...kay then.

Liëka took the gadget in her mouth, making sure she touched both ends with her teeth. It coiled like a spring, allowing her to close her mouth, and with a faint *click* setting off the mechanism. Liëka looked round, but had run off.

Nothing happened for a moment, but then suddenly the music was all around her, in her and through her. It was a very strange feeling, like the Abiogenesis music that comes from everywhere and nowhere all at once. A simple guitar began, and for some reason it hit her heartstrings and made her well up. But that was probably because she'd been feeling so emotional recently. Another guitar joined the first, and Liëka felt deep sadness and happiness all at once.

There is a-much, I haven't shared.... with you, along the road....

You... Liëka remembered the past.

And through it all, there'll always be.... tomorrows episode.....

Faithful... if anything went wrong, just wait for tommorrow. Kindred spirits don't die. Don't split. Always come together in the end.

A keychange caught at Liëka's heart.

Suddenly! That isn't true!

Memories...

There's another... avenue...

Choices... drifting...

Beckoning... the great divide...

But we stayed together.... didn't we?

Ask no questions... take no side!

We had always been so close....

Who's to say! Who's right or wrong!

Who could tell!

Whose course is braver run...

So close...

Still we are.. have always been... will ever be... as one.

Oh gods, why didn't it work...

Keychange, oh gods, keychange!

What is done! Has been done for the best!

I hope they're happy now...

Though the mist in my eyes might suggest...

Liëka was crying in earnest now.

Just a little... confusion... about, what I'll lose....

gone forever...

But if I started over...

Oh, to start over again!

I know I would choose...

Oh, gods!

The same joy! The same sadness!
Each step! Of the way!

After all we went through!

That fought me, and taught me, that friends never say....!

...all the things we never said...

(...say goodbye...)Never say goodbye! (Never say goodbyyyy-iyyyye...)

Now there's no-one left.

Never say... Gooooodbye! (Never, never say goodbye....)

nobody nobody nobody

(...say goodbye..)Never say goodbye! (Never say goodbyyyy-iyyyye...)

Nobody to never say goodbye to

Never..... say... Gooooodbye!

Liëka listened to the instrumental, wiping tears from her cheeks. She had nobody, just herself against the whole world. Nobody that she'll know as close as the last time. Why hadn't they said goodbye? They should have.... why didn't they?

(ba-da da-da-da-da da da da, ba-da da-da-da-da da da noo, ba-da da-da-da-da da da da, neverrrr sayyy goodbye no...)

Suddenly! That isn't true! There's another... avenue...

But there's always a choice, surely....

Beckoning... the great divide...

Was it always going to happen?

I would choose...

What was best to have done?

The same joy! The same sadness!

They had had good times, they had had bad times, then they had faded away from each other...

Each step! Of the way!

Was that what put her here today?

That fought me, and taught me...

Would she be who she was without it?

that friends never say....!

It feels like she has always failed...

(...say goodbye...)Never say goodbye! (Never say goodbyyyy-iyyyye...) Never say... Gooooodbye! (Never, never say goodbye....)

Was this what she wanted?

(...say goodbye...)Never say goodbye! (Never say goodbyyyy-iyyyye...)

Was it possible to find someone to never say goodbye to, when she was so bloody different?

Never..... say... Gooooodbye!

Endless circles, endless circles, endless circles...

Sigh.

Liëka looked down in surprise at the damp patch around her, she hadn't realised she had cried that much. She had always thought she had been confortable with the idea of being alone, just her and Runa against the world... but then, this song really brought out what she had been hiding from herself. Runa doesn't really count. It's just me...

Too different...

Liëka blinked hard and spat out the object. Surprisingly, she felt better now. Now she knew where things lay. And she had got it off her chest. Many of the things she had thought weren't even her thoughts, anyway, but they felt... right. Probably a blurring of boundaries again. Liëka still wasn't quite sure what they were, but Runa had explained about them. About Liëka having two minds.... she didn't really understand it.

Runa knew it better than her.

crept cautiously back. You kay?

Liëka smiled. Yes, thankyou. Much better now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The best vid/best sound quality of the song, without any Road To El Dorado referances, is about Ryan and Colin and their amazing friendship. Here if you want to know what it sounds like! http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AMBSvaCMUpk

This is not about Walter, btw. I felt the need to type.