Chapter 1: Prelude to Trouble

"C'mon, it's going to be an adventure!"

I've got to hand it to my best friend, Ciel L'Arc, this time. I mean, since when did hunting enormous, deadly creatures like the Tigrex become an adventure?

Honestly!

"I'm not sure," I said, not really buying into her half-baked plan to rid her boyfriend's village of the Tigrex. "Isn't it a bit too advanced for us, hunting that Tigrex, I mean."

Ciel's face brightened. My own darkened. She really must've thought about this plan through.

"You could at least, like, think about it?" she said, barely able to contain a smile. "Anyways, it's not like you can do anything about it."

Whoa, I don't think I like the sound of that!

"What do you mean by 'nothing?'" I asked nervously.

"Well…" She paused, letting the words hung around us like a thick, wet blanket of stink and sweat after an entire day spent on gathering some wyvern's poop. "I already signed us up. Besides, professor Maze thinks we can handle it!"

My jaw dropped. She really did it this time.

I mean, she even got professor Mazereon, the legendary gunner from the frontier, to actually allow us to take the quest as our graduation exam!

"Aw, c'mon, Chosha-kun, don't be like 'that!'" She said, using her best hurt-puppy tone that no one on campus had ever been able to resist.

I shook my head, willing the shock away. "I'm not falling for that! And I'm not being 'that', I'm just being me, that's all."

"Please?"

"No," I said in my best matter-of-fact tone.

"Are you sure?" she asked, flashing that knowing smile I hate so much.

"Yup," I said coolly. Bracing myself for anything she's going to dish out.

"Honto ni?"

"Honto."

Ciel sighed exaggeratedly. I felt my heart beat faster. She's getting really good at this little ritual of ours.

"Too bad," she finally said. "After all the trouble Shijin went through to book us near that famous Onsen Resort you'd been dying to go to, you know, the one that your brother used to tell us about?"

I felt my resolve collapse beneath me.

"O-onsen no Sakura?" I said, shocked.

I can't believe it! She really is getting good at this!

"You betcha!"

I can't believe I'm finally going to see the place that my brother used to love so much! I said 'used to' because he's gone missing a couple of years back, something that I couldn't believe had ever happen to him. I mean, my brother was a member of the Elite team that had repelled the Lao-shan Lung!

"Okay, fine. I'll go, just tell me when and I'll pack my things, happy now?" I said, trying to hide the sudden surge of excitement away from her.

Anyway, I made a mental note not to tell her anything that she might be able to use against me, anymore.

Ciel lunged, half-tackling and half-hugging me to death.

"It's gonna be great," she whispered as she let go of me.

"You really put a lot of effort into this, didn't you?"

Ciel nodded.

"Thank you," I said as I tried to fight the tears away.

"You owe me big-time," Ciel said, smiling, warmly this time.

"I know," I said, hugging her. Then I added knowingly, "but we all know you owe me more."

Ciel laughed.

"Thank you," She said. "We'll be staying at Shijin's pod, I'll tell you the details later. Wish me luck?"

I smiled at her as she headed for the door. I could only imagine the look on her boyfriend's face as soon as he sees her in that cute gothic dress we'd picked up yesterday at Kelbi's.

"Good luck!" I yelled before she could get out of our room, I saw her mouth the words super thank you before door closed behind her.