Groove Adventure Rave: Entertain Me.

Groove Adventure Rave is copyright of Hiro Mashima and Kodansha. No infringment is intended.

A small story I had done several months ago and forgotten about. Read and Enjoy.

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The prow of an airship isn't the most comfortable place to sit, with the small seating space and cold winds blowing in your face. But Haru was so deep in his thoughts he barely felt it

As the gale of the open air rushed by him, he gazed out at the darkening horizon of the clouds. Apprehension filled him when he considered that somewhere out there, Lucia was waiting. His arch nemesis, armed with all five Sinclairs, and possibly the power of the Endless on his side as well. He could still remember than insane look in his eyes, focused solely on destruction and death. The last time they had met, Lucia had coldly killed his former ally Hardner to take his Sinclair piece, then used it's power to set off an earthquake before Haru got a chance to challenge him. And before that, when they had battled in the Star Vestige, Haru had only been able to fight him to a stalemate, before the Endless had burst free.

Twice, he'd been unable to stop him, and lately, he was beginning to wonder if, when they fought again, he'd be able to stop him at all. It wasn't so much Lucia's power he feared, but his ruthlessness, his cunning, his sheer single-mindedness. There was no way Haru could think like that in a battle.

Could he truly do it? Even though he had all five Raves, and if Elie could combine them, would he still be able to win? He'd come so far… but would he make it to the end?

"Haru.." He shuffled around to face the deck, and found Elie standing nearby, a look of concern on her face.

"What you doing out here?" She asked innocently.

"Just thinking." He sighed.

Seeing her reminded him of the burden on his shoulders. Everyone on the ship, his friends and allies, were counting on him to stop Sinclair. He didn't want to imagine what would happen to them if he failed. Or what Lucia would do to her if he caught her…

He wished she didn't have to be here. She'd found her memories, by rights she should have left to forge her own life. Go somewhere where Lucia wouldn't be able to hurt her. But she wanted to help. They needed her power to stop Lucia and destroy the endless. And though he hated putting her in danger… it was hard to imagine a day without her there by his side.

"Thinking about what?" She pressed.

"Ah.. it's nothing." He replied. No need to get her worried.

"It must be something important. You look really stressed."

Damn. She could read him like a book.

"Come on, just say it." She was right next to him now, her scent of vanilla on his nostrils. It just reminded him of how much he needed her.

"I don't want you to worry about me. You've got enough on your plate."

She shrugged. "I'm not worried about Rave. I know I can reform it, it'll just take some time. And I'm not thinking about the whole Resha thing, if that's what you're thinking."

"I know I'd be thinking about it."

She smiled slightly, and spoke in a coying tone. "Come ooooon! Tell me. Is it embarrassing? I won't laugh."

He sighed. She just never gave up.

"It's just… it's starting to sink in, just how close we are to the end."

"The end? Of what?"

"You know, this. The whole thing. We've got all the Rave stones. All we need to do now is… beat Lucia." He swallowed a lump in his throat. Just saying Lucia's name was making him nervous.

"And.. that's a good thing, right?"

"Right…" He looked at the sky again, staring at some far-distant point. "But I can't help thinking… what if I can't beat him?"

"That's a silly thing to think."

He stared at her in confusion. How the hell could she take this so flippantly?

"What? Elie, it's Lucia we're talking about here. Remember when I fought him back in the Star Vestige?"

"Yeah." She grinned. "You totally kicked his ass."

"No I didn't. I was only able to stun him. The bastard got away in the end."

He remembered the battle, who the two had fought using their swords, then resorted to fists. Somehow, he'd been able to knock Lucia to the floor, powered by rage and fury. He'd grabbed the TCM, and had almost plunged it into Lucia's chest, killing him once and for all.

But he hadn't preformed the final blow. He couldn't bring himself to kill someone like that.

"I let him go.." He scowled. "If I'd finished the job then, I could have ended all this…" He stared at his feet, now feeling ashamed. "I don't think… when it comes to the final battle, I won't have what it takes to stop him."

Elie was now glaring at him, as if she was offended. "How can you say that? You beat everyone else. Lucia may be a little tougher, but you can beat him too."

"Have you seen him fight?" Haru snapped. "He's utterly remorseless. He killed Hardner, he stabbed Shuda, chucked me down a hole… and he just did it without thinking. It's like killing is all he can do. I can't… think like that. But I'm gonna have to if I have to fight him."

He looked at her again. "I can't lose. I can't let you down.. but if I can't fight him…" He trailed off, not wanting to think of the possibilities.

She edged closer, a smile fixed on her face. "You know Haru, I think you need to take your mind off it for a while. Getting miserable about it isn't going to help things."

He stared at her incredulously. "So what do you propose I do, ask Lucia politely to drop the whole thing?"

She glared at him. "I'm trying to help you here, mophead." She extended a hand. "Follow me."

He blinked. "What?"

"Just come with me!" She huffed. "I know just the thing to cheer you up."

He was silent, wondering if Elie could really help him get out of this glum situation. She smiled at him, and he felt a little warmer inside. She'd changed a lot in his life already… hell, what was the harm in trying whatever crazy scheme she probably had planned.

He took her hand. "Lead the way."

He led her into her cabin, which immediately got him worried. The only people who ever came in here were Belnika and Julia. Any males were politely told to piss off. To bring him into her little sanctum on the ship… she had something big planned.

"Sit down and close your eyes." She asked.

"Okay.." He felt more uneasy about this… and his suspicions were confirmed when Elie suddenly grabbed his left arm and attached something cold and metal to his wrist. Opening his eyes, he found his arm handcuffed to the bedpost.

"What the hell!" He tugged at the restraints.

"Sorry Haru, but for this, you have to stay on the bed." Elie's cute smile was still there, but he could see that mischievious glint in her eye.

"I'll stay on the bed, you don't have to handcuff me!" Haru wailed. "Wait… where did you get handcuffs?"

"I had Musica make them. And no offence Haru, but I don't exactly trust you to sit still for this."

"For what?" Maybe Elie was trying to take his mind of Lucia by scaring the crap out of him.

She opened a side cabinet, and revealed a small CD player. "Just relax, and enjoy the show."

She turned the player on, and a slow song with a deep bass blared out. Haru thought he'd heard the song somewhere before… he focused on Elie who now stood before him.

And she started dancing.

Her steps were similar to the dance she had preformed at the Ribelya dance contest, slow, graceful steps that emphasized the movements of her legs, hips, and hands. Haru stopped tugging on the handcuffs, and found himself entranced by the elegant motions. She stepped, twirled, hopped, and turned in a flawless motion, her body as fluid as water, in perfect step with the music. Even though she was wearing a halter-top, and her customary short skirt, the dance made her look like some ethereal creature, who lived only to dance and tease. He didn't expect anything less from the former Resha Valentine.

Elie then paused, standing before him with her eyes closed and a red tint in her cheeks. Haru wondered if she was finished, and was about to let him go…

When she grabbed the hem of her top, and lifted it up, removing the halter-top over her head.

Despite his best efforts to be a gentleman, Haru couldn't stop his eyes popping out at the sight of her generous bosom, safely encased in a skimpy pink bra. Then she knelt down slightly, and reached behind and under her skirt. He swallowed hard as saw her pull her panties down, drop them to the floor, and step out of them.

The dance resumed, but this time, she seemed focused on making sure he took good notice of her various… assets. He was tempted at first, to tell her to stop and cover herself up, or to just close his eyes so she wouldn't feel embarrassed. But it occurred to him that he was doing this for his benefit. She wanted him to see her like this, and frankly, it would have been rude to turn away. That's what he kept telling himself anyway.

He felt the heat rise, either from the room or his own body temperature, as she jiggled her breasts and wiggled her hips to the beat, the short skirt giving him a tantalizing glimpse of her bare bottom. Her lithe body seemed to bend and stretch in all directions, and his minds eye couldn't help but imagine certain positions….

Before he knew it, she moved forward and sat on his lap, straddling his waist with her legs. He got a brief look at her face- her creamy skin tinged pink, her eyes soft and warm- before she grabbed his head and pressed his face hard into her breasts.

"Mmmmph!" was his only response. Though shocked at first, the soft sensation against his face soon became very pleasant. He could feel Elie's warm body against his, and could just hear her heartbeat. Reaching as much as he could with the handcuffs, he put his arms around her, holding her close.

She nudged his head up to look at her. "Now Haru, are you thinking about Lucia?"

"Hell no!" Haru grinned, his hormones getting the better off him. His hands snaked up her back to reach for her bra clasp…

"Good. Then my work here is done." And with that, she pulled his hands off, and got to her feet, stepping back to retrieve her panties and shirt.

"But… wha?…" Haru was unable to speak, too confused and aroused to understand why she was leaving him in this state.

Elie turned off the CD player and walked up to him again. "I know you can do it Haru. You're everything Lucia isn't, and that's why you'll win." She smiled coyly. "And once you do save the world…"

She bent down and kissed him, sending him to bliss for a few seconds more. "…I'll stay with you always, so you can see the whole show."

She winked at him, then turned and left the room.

Haru sat silently scarcely daring to believe that it had really happened, that Elie had given him a semi-naked lapdance just to cheer him up.

He smiled. To have someone do something so personal, just for him.. and that someone be the one person he could not imagine life without…

"Alright Elie. I can do it."

He sighed happily, thinking of her. "I'll do it for you… so we can be together like you want…"

He finally felt at ease, and began to lay back on the bed. "Heh, maybe I should be sad more often if it gets me a free dance…"

His hand stopped short of the matress, and with horror, he realized he was still handcuffed to the bedpost.

"Damn!" He tugged at the cuffs, trying to get his hand free. "Elie! Musica! Hello?"

He bit his lip. "I gotta pee…

THE END