Wow, only an hour or two since I updated my profile saying I would upload new stories, and I already have one up. :D This is one that I'm looking forward to doing, and hopefully one that will be interesting for you guys, too. Unfortunately, I'm pressed for time at the moment (I may have more time than I think, but I don't know right now), so I can't describe it as well as I would like. But, what I will do is put the story description that had been on my profile.
I wasn't going to do this one, but after thinking about it, I thought it might be worth a shot. This is a chaptered story that takes place in Season One, around the time of Episodes 10-13. Basically, during a battle with Grand Kingdom's forces, Shu, Jiro and Kluke are separated from the others; if Shu and Jiro can get along for a minute, maybe they'll be able to get back to the rest of the group before something bad happens. There are a few similarities with Fateful Fall and Unfortunate Circumstances. The main focus of this is Jiro/Kluke/Shu friendship and the Jiro x Kluke Shu love triangle - both of these, as far as I know, were fairly absent in the anime (though I haven't watched all of the episodes yet, so there may be something I haven't seen). Which is the complete opposite of the game, where they had been the main relationships. So... I think I might have a few troubles with this one, but I'm looking forward to it all the same. :)
So, if there's anything that I didn't address either here or in the summary, please let me know, and I'll try to clear it up next chapter. By the way, if I'm short on time again when I upload new stories, I might start putting the descriptions that had been on my profile. Anyway, that should be everything, so after the disclaimer, read on! ;D
Disclaimer: I don't own Blue Dragon. If I did, maybe there would have been more of the Jiro x Kluke x Shu triangle in the anime. :P
She's useless.
That's the thought running through Kluke's mind as she sits, crouched behind a rock, hiding from Grand Kingdom's Shadow User forces.
They were ambushed. They'd thought they had escaped from Rogi's squad, but they hadn't. From the looks of it, he had simply been waiting for the right moment. And he found it, and struck.
And what has Kluke done, to help aid her teammates, her friends, since this ambush has begun?
Nothing.
Unless hiding behind a rock counted as something. She doesn't think it does.
Even Bouquet, who's Shadow can only transform, is able to do more than she can. That image, accompanied with another one of said girl smothering Shu, leaves a bitter taste in Kluke's mouth that takes a long time to leave.
She's wrapped up in her thoughts completely, in the self-incrimination (which if it goes on much longer, could border on self-hate), so it's understandable, if not a costly mistake, that she doesn't see Gilliam's Shadow using Feather Storm until it slices into the rock she's using to hide.
Kluke hits the ground with a little scream, her arms shielding her head as razor-sharp plumes soar over her at a blinding rate. She's knocked to the side a little, with another cry, when one of the feathers ricochets off the frying pan handle sticking out of her light blue backpack.
There's a short second where the dust is kicked up, and in that second she is back home, back in Talta, where dust gets kicked up all the time in the marketplace. But the memory-illusion is fleeting, and then she's back on the battlefield again, a target of enemies she doesn't have a hope of fighting against, that she must rely on her allies to defend her from. And all she can do is fear for their safety, and her own.
"Shu! Jiro!" Zola's voice is loud and clear over the sounds of battle, and Kluke lets her shoulders slump in relief; Zola always knows what to do. She'll get them all out of this, back onto the road where they'll be safe and happy, the only conflicts being Marumaro's groping and Shu and Jiro's fighting - where they won't all be at the risk of dying. "Get Kluke to somewhere safe!"
"But, Zola," it's Jiro; he sounds worried, "what about you-"
"I'll be fine. Marumaro and I can hold them off, and Bouquet will be able to help." At this, Kluke almost snorts, but doesn't, because Zola knows what she's doing. "Now, go."
Then, someone's pulling her upwards, and Kluke almost screams again, until she sees that it's Shu who has her by the arm. "Stop struggling! We have to hurry!"
"Sorry." Kluke mumbles, feeling stupid for nearly kicking him in her blind panic.
And then Jiro has her by the other arm, snapping out, "Don't waste time, you two! Zola's going to need help!"
Kluke hears a pained "Maro!" from behind her, and tries to twist around to see, but Jiro's insistent "Come on," and the pressure of his hand on her back has her stumbling forward again. Shu yells at him to be careful when she almost trips on a medium-sized rock.
She leans almost unconsciously into Shu, welcoming the familiarity that his presence brings. It's a comfort, and that's something Kluke needs right now. Her hand clings to his shirt, feeling the practically invisible line of the now-sewed tear that he made by accident when he was nine and a half. Just a few months prior, but here, in the midst of fighting, it feels like it's been ages. It almost feels like it happened to someone else.
She realizes too late that she's gotten lost in thought again when she hears Bouquet's shout for them to watch out. By the time Kluke turns her head, it's too late - a hail of large and pointed crystals is coming at them.
With a wordless exclamation, Jiro pushes in front of Kluke and Shu, glowing in the beginning of a Shadow summon, likely with the intent of guarding them from the assault.
But he doesn't move fast enough.
The crystals explode against the ground, which results in the trio being thrown backwards.
Kluke realizes a second before that they're about to go over the edge, but by then, there's nothing she, or any of them, can do to stop it.
She holds tight to Shu, holds tight to Jiro, and shuts her eyes against the scene of them falling over the cliff and into the unknown.
And the prologue is done! :D I'm sorry it's so short; next chapter will be longer, I promise. :) I feel that maybe I didn't accurately capture Kluke, since this is my first time writing about her in this period of the anime. Also, you likely noticed that the writing focused on Kluke's thoughts and feelings. That's going to be one of the main parts of the story, except that it will alternate between Shu, Jiro and Kluke. So, next chapter it will be in either Shu or Jiro's perspective – I haven't quite decided yet, though I'm leaning towards Shu. Note that, at least for the time being, the "perspective" will not be in first-person. Anyway, please review and let me know what you think! :) I'll try to update this after 10 hits, but it may take some time. The main thing that chooses which story I update/upload next is the poll on my profile, but that's going to be on hold for the next six days (it will resume afterwards), since I'm trying to upload some new stories. So, this story will not affect the poll results, and they will not be cleared. But if you haven't yet, please feel free to vote anyway. :) So, that's everything I have to mention – see you soon! :D