A/N: I'm so sorry that it took me so long to post this third chapter! I've been really busy lately with assignments and beastly homework! ...That, and I've been sick. D:

Keep the reviews coming!

Disclaimer: Still don't own Suikoden, or any of the related trademarks.

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It was starting to turn to late morning, and yet, the captain of the 14th unit still lay asleep in his room...

"Think we should wake him?" Elaine asked, waving the letter that she and the others had found outside Dukes' door, when they had awoken.

"I don't know..." The tall one eyed dog said from behind Elaine.

"Hm, maybe we shou-" Elaine started, but the sudden opening of the door before them stopped her train of thought.

Giving his neck a quick crack to one side, and stretching his arms as he stifled a yawn, Duke gazed sleepily at his team. "You're all up early." He stated, his cocky grin returning to his tan face for another day.

"Du-..." Elaine started, but was shortly cut off again.

"Hm, why do you guys look so serious?"

"Duke, we found a let-"

"I mean, did somebody die or something?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"DUKE!" Elaine yelled, waving the letter in front of his face.

"Hey, what's that you got there Elaine?" Duke asked, reaching forward to snag the letter from his teammate. Ignoring the fuming blond in front of him, Duke looked over the letter, his cocky grin sliding off his face, for a split second, before returning, this time if possible, even cockier than before.

"Well, well..." He uttered, his voice no longer filled with the aftereffects of sleep, as he finished reading the letter and lowered it from his face. "It seems like that one-eyed trickster really wants to fight after all... I thought Ace had just shot off his mouth in the bar... but it seems like Geddoe really thinks he'll win..." Duke laughed, tossing the letter aside.

Picking up the letter, Elaine glanced it over again. "Duke... do you really think Geddoe would write something like this?" She asked as words like scarface, toad, and moron jumped off the page. "It's not really like him to use such taunts..." She muttered.

"What?!" Duke asked, turning around. "Of course Geddoe wrote this! Who else would have?" he asked, practically humming to himself in Anticipation

"Gah... never mind..." Elaine mumbled, as she turned to the others. "Guess we should get ready to hike up the mountain path..." She sighed.

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Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Geddoe and his team were at the blacksmiths, arguing about Geddoe's sword...

"Really... I don't think my sword needs to be any sharper, it's fine, just the way it-"

"Nonsense boss!" Ace uttered as he finally wretched the sheathed blade from Geddoes' grasp, and slammed it down in front of the blacksmith. "Level it up!" Ace grinned to the weapon temper.

"That'll be 12000 potch." The blacksmith said happily, as he took the weapon from the table, and placed it behind him. "It should be ready in a few minutes, and if your going into battle, might I also suggest visiting the item shop down the street?" He grinned.

"Ha ha..." Ace uttered humorlessly, as he turned back towards the door. "Come on, we might as well look around the town a bit while we wait... We haven't been back here in awhile." he muttered as he went out the door.

Sighing, Geddoe walked out of the shop as well, coming face to face with the rest of his unit who had been waiting outside.

"Ah, so Ace convinced you to get it tampered after all..." Joker grinned, slapping Geddoe on the back.

"More or less..." Geddoe sighed, a small smile spreading across his face.

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It had been roughly two hours since Geddoe had retrieved his newly sharpened and shiny sword, while laughing to himself as Ace cursed about having to pay for it... Now however, he and his team were nearing the desired meeting place for the fight. They climbed up the mountain path, careful to be weary of the cliff sides.

"Damnit, why'd that Duke have to pick here of all places?! We've been walking for hours!" Ace seethed, as he huffed his way over a protruding rock in hopes of a shortcut.

"Guess he thinks that Geddoe will be tired from his hike." Aila uttered from beside Jacques.

"OH! That MUST be it! That sneaky bugger hopes that Geddoe will be worn out, and fall easily in the fight!" Ace shouted. "I'm such a genius!" He laughed.

Rolling her eyes, Aila walked up beside Queen. "What a doofus." She muttered.

"...Hm..." Jacques offered.

"Gah! How much longer till we get there!?" Ace seethed.

"We're here..." Geddoe uttered.

"Here where? This place looks exactly like every other stretch of rock and dirt along this road!" Ace muttered, plopping onto a rock.

"This is where the road forks isn't it?" Joker asked, taking a seat on the rock next to Ace.

Nodding his head silently, Geddoe leaned his back to the rock wall behind them. "He should be here soon..." He stated.

However, no sooner had he spoken did a wheezing and out of breath Duke climb onto the rocks at where the 12th unit stood, shortly followed by the rest of the 14th unit.

"There you are, y-you, -wheeze-, sneaky, -cough-, ferret!" Duke huffed out, collapsing on top of an outcrop of rocks across from Geddoe. "Think that a little hike up here will improve your chances eh? Well you can think again!" He spat, wiping the back of his hand across his forehead.

"What the hell are you talking about Duke?! Wasn't it you who proposed that the fight should be up here?!" Queen asked, standing up from her seat on the rock.

"..." (( Jacques ))

Sitting up angrily, Duke stood to his feet and walked partway over to where Geddoe stood. "Don't play those mind games with me Geddoe!" He seethed. "Draw your sword!" He shouted with anger.

"Why you-" Ace started, but stopped as he saw Geddoe walk away from the wall, and towards the center of the road, towards Duke. "Boss?"

"Fine Duke, If it's a fight you so desire, than let's end it quickly... I have other priorities..." Geddoe sighed, his dark eye starring directly into Dukes'.

"What?... You arrogant bastard!" Duke snapped, unsheathing his sword, and holding it in front of him. Whipping it forwards, Duke ran at Geddoe. "Take this!"

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Watching the fight start to heat up from atop the cliff framing the mountain path, stood the two from the night before. However, this time they were with another. This one dressed in black and sporting a long blond braid and hat.

"Are you sure it's one of them who have it?" Spat the tall figure in black, tipping his hat to one side to reveal one red eye and one of blue.

"Yes Yuber, but try not to be so impatient." The masked bishop muttered.

"Well, how do you know that he'll reveal it in this small fray?" Yuber asked, his eyes narrowing as he concentrated on the two men below them.

"If he doesn't, then we'll just force him to..." The masked man continued.

"What if neither of them bears the true rune?" Sarah asked from behind them.

"Then we'll kill them... every last one." Yuber grinned, his hands resting on either blade at his sides...

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A/N: Bah, not a very thrilling chapter, but I'm sick so give me a break. D: Anyway, the next chapter will be much better, promise!

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