Night Out

Mkay, this is my next instalment in the Shoujo-ai chain. I hope that you'll all enjoy. Note, that this is set before Gale, Sage, Kay, or Alex, so yeah.

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Disclaimer – I own Rayne, Lizzie, Trip, and Blaze. Xenolord owns Maria, Natalya, and Serras. Flame owns Shiro, and Armor. Flame and I own Felix and Faust. All others, we dont.

The sun shone down on the town of Battleon, bathing it in the morning light. The windows and assorted metal objects glittered brightly, most so the guardian tower. But that wasn't the case on the inside.

Although it was a beautifully bright day, there were still many torches, candles, and oil lamps placed around for light. It might have been hot outside, but the stone, and lack of natural light in some places, kept it wonderfully cool and dark inside.

Such as the case in one, rather large room. Although, the inside wasn't as cool as the rest of the building; probably due to the heat of the many bodies sitting around the room. Inside, were Rayne, Lizzie, Felix, Maria, Trip, Aria, Safiria, Shiro, Armor, Blaze, Faust, and many others. Blaze, Shiro, and Armor were sitting on a desk, with Armor leaning on the edge of it. Lizzie, Trip, Aria, and Felix were sitting on the ground, the small rug the only thing keeping them out of contact with the floor. All the rest, was either sitting on the many chairs placed around, leaning against walls, or sitting on the tile not touched by the rug. All, were staring at a single thing; a large, white, screen,

Slowly, a person walked in front of the screen, clad in full, specialized guardian armour, including cape. As they reached the middle, they turned, to face their audience. Clearing her throat, Maria Despair looked over them, and began to speak.

"Now, all of you have been called today, because you all have some sort of relationship, to either, or both, of these two." Maria stepped to the side, and with a small click, a slide of two people appeared, a slide of-

"Serras and Natalya." She stated. Holding Rayne's pointer, she held it at the ready. "As some of you may know, Serras has recently announced her…attraction, to my elder sister." She paused, to allow for polite applause, and for the fact to sink in, for the unaware. "But what most of you probably do not know is that tonight… is their very first date."

Murmurs arose throughout the room, but quieted immediately as Maria held up a hand.

"As the slides show…." Rayne, who was manning the slide reel, went through many slides, showing various shots of people in the room, interacting with Natalya, Serras, or both, "you all know them, as friends, as protectors, as equals."

Turning off the slide projector, Rayne snapped her fingers, and the enchanted, usually never ending flames (which had been quelled for the meeting) shot up in their place on that torches mounted on the walls.

"Which is why," She announced "Were all going to help them." Walking next to Maria, the two warriors stared long and hard at the crows. Timidly, one person raised their hand. The knight immediately spotted this, and nodded for the person to continue.

"How exactly are we going to help them?" He asked.

"Were going to make their date, the best first date ever." The green haired woman said confidently.

"Did they ask for our help?" Valencia asked.

"Well, no." Maria admitted. "But neither of them would, because they're too shy!" Everyone, seemed sceptic at this. Both the elder Despair sister, and the ex-mage, were both known for their boldness, and ability to speak out. "But I'm sure they'll appreciate what were going to do."

"So were going undercover for this mission." Rayne said, switching back to the original topic. "Mission?" Lizzie spoke up, looking up at Rayne with a questioning look. Rayne just shrugged.

"Now, we thre- I mean, asked Warlic to make us a spell, that should let us be able to keep in touch with one another," She said, as she motioned to the desk that Blaze, Shiro, and Armor were on. As they looked, they saw a large pile of small scrolls, unnoticed the whole time.

"Mind you, that these scrolls will wipe themselves blank by 8 AM tomorrow." Maria told them cheerfully, as it was obvious that people were thinking of other reasons to use the spell.

"A couple things before you'll be dismissed." Rayne said, now sounding as if she were running something for the military, instead of helping out two of her friends. "Keep the scrolls with you for the whole day. Later on, were going to contact you, and we'll all meet again here, to give everybody their roles, before we head out."

"And one more thing," Maria added in, before Rayne began to let everyone go.

"If anyone does not want to take part in this mission, raise your hand." Although she said this with the same professional, military tone as Rayne, her eyes didn't match it. There was a darker look, which gave proof that if anyone left, she would be furious.

The dark look lifted, and was replaced with one of masked glee and relief, as no one raised said body part. "You may go. Lizzie, stay here for a bit after everyone leaves, I have something I need you to do." She dismissed them, smiling. "And remember:" She pressed a finger to her lips.

"Not a word of this to them!"

-

Natalya paced around her room. It was a couple of hours until her date, and she was on the verge of a breakdown. She had a feeling that their date wouldn't go too well, due to her paranoia, and the fact that it seemed as if everybody was avoiding her. She sighed, and flopped down onto her bed. "Maybe I should just call it quits." She moaned out, to nobody in particular.

"Now, what kind of attitude is that?" Natalya turned over onto her stomach, to see Lizzie in the doorway. "Oh; it's you." She mumbled, right before she dropped her head onto the bedspread.

The redhead rolled her eyes. "Nice to see you too, Natalya." Calmly, she strolled into the room, and sat down next to the older woman. "You seem stressed."

"Stressed, is calling it lightly." She grunted, as she rolled onto her back. Lizzie nodded. "Okay then." Lizzie said slowly, with an arched eyebrow. "Mind telling me why you're stressed?" She asked innocently.

Natalya didn't say anything. She just grabbed her pillow, and held it to her head. Finally, she pressed it to her face.

"NighmphstdawiSers." She said quickly.

"First date jitters, huh?"

Natalya cursed inwardly. How the hell did she understand that? She had barely understood what she herself had said. Alas, all she could do was nod, and pull herself away from the pillow for some air.

"It's not just that." She mumbled. Natalya sat, stood, and began to pace around just like she was before. "It's the fact that I think everything might go wrong. I mean, what if we're suddenly called to fight? Or neither of us can make it? Or…." Natalya gasped, as her over active imagination, still affecting her after all those years, took over "Or, if Serras purposely doesn't show up?! If she ditches me, and she didn't really mean what she said!? Or if suddenly something happens to us, like an invasion or something, and one of us gets hurt?!" She turned abruptly, and faced Lizzie, her eyes widening with fear.

"A-and it's not just that! I'm not sure what we should do! Should we go to eat, or, or something else, I don't know!"

"And I don't know what to wear!" She wailed, throwing herself back on the bed, in hysterics, sobbing into Lizzie's lap.

"Uh…" Lizzie looked around in vain for help, but as she dreaded, there was none. She scratched the top of her head. If anyone had stumbled onto the scene, they would have laughed at the utter awkwardness.

Taking a deep breath, she put on her best smile at the moment, and patted her on the shoulder. "Err….don't worry, I'm sure Serras will show up." Why, oh WHY was it so hard to comfort Natalya? It was a habit of hers to comfort whoever was feeling down, and she usually could, but she'd never helped Nat before.

"And, um, your clothes are nice!" She tried, gesturing over her rumpled, messy, actually somewhat dirt covered (due to Trip accidently falling onto her).

"Don't lie to me!" Natalya yelped, muffled by the fabric of Lizzie's once dry pants. Lizzie winced, and sighed, scratching the nape of her neck gingerly. Scratching places around her head had become her new hobby in the last 5 minutes.

"Erm...look, Nat." She said. "You know what? I'll make sure that Serras goes. And, how about we clean you up, and get you dressed properly for tonight? I'll help you pick out an outfit?" She hadn't meant to make it sound like a question, but she was testing waters. While she would've instantly helped Rayne or Trip, or Maria, or whoever else, she wasn't so sure about Natalya. Although they had known each other for a while, she still didn't know much about her.

Natalya sniffled and nodded, pulling herself up, and rubbing at her eyes. A small smile appeared on Lizzie's face. "Let's see what we can do."

-

Serras walked over to Natalya's door. She closed her eyes, and breathed deeply, and willed herself not to run away that very moment and just forget the whole thing had ever happened. Although she was already quite comfortable with Natalya, and they already were a couple, she was afraid something would happen that night, and cause their newfound relationship to come crashing down.

Opening her eyes, she took one last relaxing deep breath, and knocked on the door. When no one answered, she wandered back down the hallway, and into the living-room of sorts, of their floor. Each floor of the tower had one. Looking at the wall, she checked the small clock hanging there. She frowned, and went back to Natalya's door. She was on time, and Nat had said that she would be there.

Maybe she didn't hear her? She raised her hand, and knocked on it again, harder than before. No one came to the door, but she swore she heard some sort of movement coming from inside. Curiously, the ex-mage pressed an ear to the door.

She was right. She did hear something. Listening closely, she could pick up traces of a conversation. She was relieved when she heard Natalya's muffled voice.

"Are you sure this looks okay? I mean- OW! Hey! What're you doing with that? Let go, it hurts!"

Her eyes widened. Nat was in trouble. Serras slowly reached for the doorknob, and was about to barge in, but stopped as she heard another voice.

"I'm trying to help you, that's what I'm doing. And it wouldn't hurt so much, if you would just stay still!" Serras nearly laughed, as she heard Lizzie's tone. The redhead was known for her patience, but clearly, it was growing thin. At least the Despair girl wasn't in danger. But what were they doing in there?

"And Sweet elemental lords, YES! For the millionth time, you look great!" Serras' eyes brightened, and a shrewd smile worked itself onto her face, as she stepped away from the door. So Lizzie was merely helping her get ready that was all!

Smoothing her slightly wrinkled clothes, she combed through her hair a few times. She brushed off the imaginary dust on herself, and rapped sharply on the door, many times, making sure that they would hear her.

There was an audible gasp behind the thick wood, and she heard an uncharacteristically high pitched Natalya, squeal "SHE'S HERE!"

"Hush up! She might hear you!" Lizzie hissed. The Granemorian couldn't help but laugh inwardly. If only they knew...

The door opened slightly. Craning her neck forward, she attempted to peer inside, when Lizzie poked her head out, stepping on any chance she had of seeing what was going on. "She'll be out in just one minute." Lizzie said cheerfully, although looking frazzled. Closing the door again, Serras sighed, and shook her head. Back to square one.

-10 minutes later-

28...29...30...

She was getting so bored; she had resorted to counting the tiles on the ground, the only surface on their floor that was not either wood or stone. A sudden bang from inside the room, along with a loud "Holy!-"cut off her steady pace.

"Uh, is everything alright in there?" Serras called to them, as she reached out for the doorknob. Before her fingers could make contact with the cool metal, the door opened, and this time Natalya stepped out. "No, nothings wrong, nothing at all Serras...Serras?"

Serras didn't answer. She just stared at Nat. There was something...different, about her. And she wasn't talking about the definite 'Not-Natalya' type clothes, or what other things Lizzie had done, but...something, which she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Serras?"

Said person shook her head, and smiled. "Uh, sorry...my mind sort've wandered off for a moment." She paused, before hesitantly adding in, "You look...different."

Obviously, That wasn't the right thing to say, because Natalya's calm appearance dropped, leaving her looking nervous and as harried as before. "You don't like it?" She asked flatly.

"Oh, no, no! I love it, honestly!" Serras said quickly. Natalya looked suspiciously at her, but she could tell that the other woman was definitely telling the truth, thereby wiping away all her fears.

"Let's go then." She said, flashing Serras a genuine smile. Serras smiled back, and the two headed off.

-

Lizzie brushed herself off, as she stepped out of Nat's closet. Natalya had 'accidently' pushed her in, after she couldn't wait any longer. Lizzie didn't mind too much; if she were her, she would've done the same thing.

Holding her wrist up to her mouth, she spoke into the watch-communicator-portal thing. "Get ready; they're coming."

With that, she closed her connection to whomever she was speaking too, and proceeded to run out of the tower, to get ready for phase 2.

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Well, I'm splitting this into 3 parts, or else it would be too long. Hope you likes it so far.