AN: Chapter 2 (hopefully people are reading this...or will be reading this...)


Lumiere made her way out of the opera-house in a hasty fashion; nose turned up toward the sky in a proud-like manner. Eclair raced after her in her best attempts to catch up while stumbling over her high heels.

"Come on Lumiere, I didn't mean it, I've just been very overly exerted with work lately."

Lumiere spun on heel to face her partner.

"Really? As I recall we work the same shift, same hours, and nothing too overly exerting could have made you do what you did."

Eclair bit her lip and cast her gaze up at the sky; all while scratching her head. "Was it really that bad...?"

Lumiere scoffed. "Hmph! You were snoring like an elderly man Eclair! Extremely inelegant and unladylike!"

"Come on, I'm sorry. Can we just forget the whole thing!"

"Eclair!"

Noticing the frown on her younger partner's face, Eclair softened her gaze a slight to an empathetic look.

"You embarrassed me back there...I might never be able to show my face again..."

"Lumiere I....I'm sorry...but that's all i can really say. What else do you want from me?"

Lumiere's red eyes met Eclair's blue ones. She sighed, realizing her partner WAS truly sorry.

"Alright, I guess it can't be helped. I forgive you Eclair."

"Really???" Eclair's eyes lit up. "Oh Lumiere thank you!"

She flung her arms around the younger girl, causing her to blush from the abrupt act. Lumiere cleared her throat despite the awkward situation.

"Ahem, a lady really should be more elegant."

"Hey! Clairy! Lumy!"

Both girls spun around to the child whose voice was carrying their direction. A young familar Pink-haired girl was making her way towards them. It was Eclair whom first called out.

"Hey Viola, what brings you here?"

The girl stopped in front of them and bent over to catch her breath. "We were going next door to the Italian restaurant to eat when I saw you two."

Eclair wrinkled her brow a bit. "We? Is Cesario with you?"

"Huh?...oh..." She spun around and cast a quick glance toward a parked vehicle. "He was...but he's still mad cuz he wanted Chinese. He even tried locking me out of the car! Can you believe him?"

Both girls chuckled earning an upset look from the pink-haired ES member. "It's not funny guys, I really thought he wouldn't let me back in!"

Eclair smiled brightly. "You two never change."

All of them began to laugh at this when the laughter broke due to a small beeping sound coming from Eclair's earring. Eclair closed her eyes and sighed turning to face Lumiere.

"Looks like our break is over..."

"Indeed."

Eclair switched her attention to her earring preparing to receive a message.

"Eclair here...hmm?...Okay...okay...right away chief!"

After her brief conversation, she turned her attention to Viola. "Sorry Viola, we gotta go. Catch you later okay?"

"Awwww, I was hoping you guys could come with us, but I guess being a top class makes you always busy, huh?"

"Heh, I guess you could say that."

Lumiere leaned forward toward her partner. "Less talk Eclair, we best get going."

"Huh, oh, right. Later Viola!"

"Later guys!"

***

"You wanted to see us chief?"

Eclipse looked up from her desk to face the spunky brunette and her more reserved partner whom had just entered the room.

"Yes I did...There's been an issue regarded planet Parthenia...."

Lumiere frowned. "Parthenia? I've never heard of such a place..."

Eclair wrinkled her brow. "Yeah...me neither."

Eclipse fold her hands beneath her chin. "It's no surprise neither of you have...It's still considered uncharted."

Eclair looked up. "Uncharted? You mean like, no one lives there?"

Eclipse smirked. "Precisely. It's still being thoroughly explored. However many scientists and explorers seem to think it has potential to become an excellent planet for people to live. It seems it has plenty of natural resources...much like another earth one would say."

At this, Lumiere piped up. "Pardon me, chief Eclipse; but what exactly does this have to do with us?"

Again a smile formed on the blonde woman's lips. "Excellent question, Lumiere. I need the two of you to make your way to that planet with haste."

Eclair widened her eyes. "You mean, WE'RE gonna go exploring it?"

The chief shook her head. "Not exactly, more like searching..."

"Searching?"

"Right Eclair, you see...all the explorers and scientists thus far that have ventured to this planet have disappeared. No contact no nothing. It seems every time someone either goes to check the planet out or even to send a search team to recollect the previously missing party; they are never seen again..."

Both girls' expression changed to dark as the Chief continued her words.

"This leaves only the suggestion that someone or SOMETHING is causing the disappearances. And whoever this person or thing is resides somewhere on that planet..."

Silence filled the room as everyone's thoughts began to wander. After a moment, Eclair spoke.

"When should we leave, chief?"

"Whenever you two are ready, although, I recommend you go as soon as possible...preferably right after you are fully-stocked."

"So what do you say Lumiere? Are you ready?"

"Whenever you are Eclair."

"Wait, girls, before you leave..."

She held out a small remote device which slightly resembled a worn gps...

"This was a locating device that was presumably found in the area where all the disappearances had been occurring...it should help you locate any possible survivors."

Eclair looked down at the worn object. "I hope it still works..."

Lumiere held out her hand. "Even if it doesn't, I can get something as small as that up and working in no time as well as recover any lost data."

Realization struck Eclair as she looked up back at the chief. "Wait, didn't you say that no one had returned from the planet? How did you get a hold of this?"

Eclipse closed her eyes slowly then opened them up to face Eclair directly. "I failed to mention one...however, he is in no condition to speak for he has been declared 'insane' since this incident. If you want, you're welcome to try to visit him and question him in the current hospital they are keeping him...though security is very tight and I don't know how much he'll tell you..."

"We might try it anyway...thanks chief."

"Good luck gir..."

She was cut off by a knock at the door followed by it creaking open and a mousy looking girl peering in.

"Vendredi? What is it?"

Pardon me chief, but I retrieved the two members like you asked me to.

Confusion crossed Eclipse's face followed briefly by realization. "Oh...yes, I forgot...send them in."

She switched her gaze back to Eclair and Lumiere. "Apparently I booked another team to go on this mission with you...I almost forgot, however, locating is their specialty so it shouldn't be too much of problem."

Eclair's face crossed in confusion as Lumiere whispered softly in her direction. "Locating...Eclair, the only two people I can think of with eyes and ears good enough to locate are..."

"Heeey Chief, sorry we're late. I heard you talking to someone else down the hall; we didn't interrupt anything did...?"

His voice trailed off as he froze halfway across the room, eyes piercing straight toward the brunette a few feet from him.

"Eclair...It's been a while..."

She breathed in deeply, her breath hitching and the sound of his icy voice which she returned with her own chilling vocal. "Hello...Un-oh..."

The fog of tension felt so thick one could say you could cut it with a butter knife. Eclipse narrowed her eyes as she noticed the two shooting daggers in eachother's directions. She decided she'd best put an end to the tension, as the chief, it was her job to keep them in line.

"Ahem, understand that regardless of any sort of past rivalry; it is imperative that you four work together as a team. Not just for your own sanity's sake but for the sake of any survivors that may still be clingy to life on planet Parthenia."

Eclair cast her gaze away from Un-oh, whom still glared in her direction. Her thoughts began to drift. "As if...I would love to try to get this done. But...if I know Un-oh, he's not gonna cooperate as easily..."

Eclipse, seeing the tension flow off of Eclair and figuring after that speech she had won her over turned her attention to the young male ES member.

"Do not forget that this a mission ordered by me, chances are you won't find a better paying job that fall specifically into your expertise."

She smirked silently as she saw Un-oh's expression soften a bit. 'Good...' She thought 'Perhaps this won't be as hard for them to put aside their differences and work together after all...'


AN: I think that was a pretty well-informed chapter....reviews please!