Dododex

ARK: Survival Evolved & Ascended Companion

The Arks: Over Heaven

Chapter 5: I Miss You

Original Post Date: Nov 10, 2023

Note: Story starts in Wyvern, Aerial ABC backwards filter and has a Prologue. Last chapter in Tropeognathus, next chapter in Summoner.

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Samuel, Neddy, Aurora, Ruby, and the dodo bird. The five of them were sitting on the cliff’s edge and looking out at the lands below them. They had traveled as far and quickly away from the site where the raptors tried to attack Samuel and Neddy, so now they were at rest. Samuel took a look at his surroundings on the way to this site. The plains of the hill had transformed into a forest of giant, towering trees that were as large as buildings. Along the way nothing tried to attack them, luckily, except for those weird venom spitter creatures. But fortunately for Samuel with Aurora and Ruby’s weapons they were nothing more than pests.

“Making allies was a good idea,” Samuel thought, his legs crossed and his hand brushing and petting the feathers of the dodo. Below the cliff’s edge was a treacherous-looking swamp. The water was murky and filled with algae, and the trees covered everything beneath it, stopping Samuel from seeing any further. Samuel could smell the swamp’s stench from where he was sitting.

“Night’s falling,” Aurora noted as she looked up at the stars, “Let’s set up camp now.”

“Huh? Why?” Neddy asked dumbfounded, “But wouldn’t it be a good idea if we’re getting as far away from those raptors as possible? What if they find us-”

“We’re not going into the swamp, especially not during the night,” Aurora shot back, “We don’t know what could be in there. Besides, I’ve traced our steps with the stars. The path we took is twisting and full of random turns, the raptors couldn’t trace us.”

Aurora turned to Ruby, and she got up.

“I’m going to gather some resources to create a campfire,” Ruby declared. As she walked off, Samuel looked back at her and then at Aurora.

“Is it a good idea for her to be going out alone?” Samuel asked her. Aurora rolled her eyes.

“She’ll be fine, but if you insist,” Aurora turned to Neddy, “You. Half-naked guy. You go with her.”

“O-Okay,” Neddy replied, getting up from the ground and scuttling away.

With the two gone, it was just Samuel, Aurora, and the dodo bird left. Samuel looked at Aurora, who had an authoritative and stern look on her face. Her face was covered with even more grime and dirt than he would’ve thought. Aurora looked at Samuel and glared.

“What do you want? What’s with that look on your face?” she asked.

“Nothing,” Samuel replied, looking away. Samuel remembered he used to go about his life, doing things as he was told, and not having a care in the world. But then that day… He should have seen the signs.

“That’s why, I couldn’t let anything pass by my sight,” Samuel thought, “Get every detail, little and small. Put the pieces together. I won’t let another situation like that happen again.”

Samuel turned to Aurora and asked her a question.

“Why do you act so bossy?” Samuel asked, “Is it because that gem in your wrist lets you chart the place we’re in with the stars, or because you were the valedictorian?”

Aurora closed her eyes and grumbled.

“Because no one else stepped up to the job, that’s why. And I’m surprised you figured it out,” Aurora stated, “What the gems in our wrists do.”

Samuel ignored Aurora and continued.

“Well you don’t have to be so mean. A little kindness won’t hurt you,” Samuel said, as he rubbed his smooth, empty left wrist. The dodo squawked in agreement, resting its head on Samuel’s leg complacently. Aurora looked at the dodo and then back at Samuel with a scowl.

“Why do you even keep that useless thing around anyway?” Aurora asked, “It’s not doing you any favors.”

Samuel was taken aback by her words.

“What are you even talking about?”

“You seem smart enough to know that a creature like that proves no use to us. So why do you keep it around like some pet?”

Samuel failed to find an answer to her question. Now that he thought about it… Why?

“I guess,” Samuel answered, “Something deep in my heart told me that this dodo would mean a lot to me.”

Aurora rolled her eyes, starting back off and into the lands below the cliff, as if she was trying to figure out where to go next. Samuel stared at her, and suddenly his vision flickered, showing her hunched over crying, but then it went away. Samuel turned away.

“What a grumpy lady,” Samuel thought, “No wonder why Nova doesn’t like her.”

Samuel’s thoughts slowly began to drift to Nova, and he leaned back and rested himself on the soft grass, staring up at the moon that just rose from the horizon. Unlike the night sky back home, this fantastical island’s night sky was filled with stars, and the moon was even larger than it was back home.

“I know you’re somewhere out there, Nova,” Samuel whispered, peering into the moon, “I hope you’re doing okay.”

But deep down, Samuel didn’t feel the need to worry.

“She’s a strong girl, she, she’s going to be okay. She can handle herself,” Samuel thought. He rested his hand on the dodo bird’s feathers, and closed his eyes gently.

“I miss you,” Samuel’s thoughts slowly came to a stop as he fell into a restful slumber.