Disclaimer: All characters used belongs to their rightful owners except for Enzeru, she's mine.
Author: Lady Blue
Chapter 5: Dragon Fate
Harle sit on the edge of the pier, watching the children playing in the water, with Leena away for over two weeks she took turns with the other girls in the village babysitting the children. It was not to her liking but at least she can keep herself occupied until Serge return from his daily trip out the sea. Slinging her legs as if trying to splash the water below her, while keeping an eye on the children playing, she somewhat envy them. So young, they get to enjoy their life, without any care of the world around them. She continues to sling her leg. Lowering her head, seeing her own refection staring back at her... she never did take a good look at her own face without her make-up or costume. The dye on her hair has already started to fade leaving her natural blond hair.
She turns to the old man sitting on the other side of the pier. She sometimes wonders how he could just sit there the whole day and catch only a few small fish. Harle start to giggle as the old man loss another catch while he was falling asleep, it must be a sort of interest for him to spend his time. Slowly she heard footsteps approaching her from her back.
"Tadi! Tadi! Tommy bullying me" little girl crying. Harle looked at the little girl and give her a smiled; the kids still calls her by that name.
"Shh... Itz going to be fine, don't cry little one everyt'ing going to be fine" Harle give the girl a soothing voice trying to calm her down. She got up on her feet and crouch down to the girl level "Now if you promise moi not to cry, I promise to show you a little magic" she looked at the girl who's now stop crying. Harle then cup her hand together as a light glow of light emulates in front of the girl. Slowly Harle open her hand and butterfly's fly out from her hand. The girl laughs looking at the butterfly.
"Tommy! Next time don't play zo rough" She looked back at the boy standing next her. "Now say sorry to Mint" she instructed. "I'm sorry Mint" said the boy.
*****
Not far away a cloak figure walks down the trail from Fossil Valley leading to the small village of Arni, wearing an elegant white cloak the figure slowly approach the village gate, she stood outside looking around her surrounding. As usual, the old man comes out to welcome the woman. She looks at him as she slowly remove the hood of her cloak reveling herself to the old man.
"Can I help you Miss?"
"Maybe" she replies.
"I'm from the Guardian Kingdom and I'm looking for a friend of my, I believed she might be here" said Enzeru. "I think thou might have seen her"
"How does your friend look like Miss?" the old man asked.
"She should be wearing a blood red jester costume and speak with a foreign accent" she describes.
The old man think for a moment, Harle does have a foreign accent but she does not wear any jester costume. "I'm afraid that we don't have anyone which match those descriptions miss"
"Oh! Is that so" tying to sound innocent.
"I was hoping that I'd find her here. Let me enlighten thee, we're old friends and I sure she'd be happy to see me" Enzeru seems not convince with the answer she getting from the old man. Deep in her blood, she can feel the present of Seventh Dragon on this island, especially this area.
"See here miss, if your friend is how you mention her to be, I sure I'd couldn't have missed her. I'm afraid there is no one here that looks like that, miss" the old man shook his head, giving a small laugh.
"Then I think thou won't mind if I have a look around, it's been sometime since I visit a place this beautiful"
"Sure miss, make yourself welcome" said the old man. "Do you need a tour?"
"No, I'll be fine"
She looked around the village surrounding and slowly head for the village tavern. Then Enzeru overheard one of the children taking. "Tadi incredible mama, she can make butterfly come out from her hands" the little girl told her mother.
"Pardon me" Enzeru approach the child. "Can thou tell me where I can find this Tadi?" Enzeru knelt down to the girl level. Mint runs and hides behind her mother, looking at Enzeru with a frighten eyes. "I apologies for my daughter behavior, she a little startle around strangers" the woman explain.
"That alright, I'm fond of children" Enzeru reach out her hand, she slowly open her hand and a red flower appeared in front of the girl.
"Mint don't be rude"
"Thank you" she reached out to the flower.
"She over the pier waiting for Sergey" Mint points her finger towards the pier.
"Thy help is much appreciated, little girl" Enzeru thanked Mint before she heads to the pier.
*****
Enzeru walks to the pier, hoping that the person Mint mentions could be the Seventh Dragon she was seeking. Enzeru finally arrived on the pier and in front of her stood a blond girl. It is unmistakable that the girl in front of her is the Seventh Dragon, in her true form.
A cold feeling suddenly stuck into Harle mind, she could feel someone watching her. She turns to Enzeru who stare back to her. Harle tries to take a few steps back but realizes that there is nowhere for her to run.
"Found thee, Seventh Dragon" Enzeru's said softly to Harle.
Enzeru walks up next to Harle and looked at the children's playing in the water. Harle cannot understand why, but the present of Enzeru beside her is like a living nightmare. Harle keep silence as the two watched the children playing, trying not to show any fear in front of Enzeru.
"Children are wonderful aren't they?" finally, Enzeru open up a conversation.
"Oui, zey are" said Harle with a calm and steady voice. However, in her mind, she felt the opposite reaction of cold and shivering feeling while Enzeru's stand next to her.
"It took me a while to find thee, I hardly recognized thou in thy true form, Seventh Dragon" said Enzeru. "Its better then I has anticipated"
"Merci! For ze complement, I waz afraid zat I might look az repulsive az you" Harle smirk, trying to test Enzeru patience, but its as if she hardly felt the insult.
"Zo how did find moi?" she asked out of curiosity.
"I think thou know the answer, don't thou feel it, the burning sensation inside thee" said Enzeru. Harle touch her chest, the object inside her. True enough she felt something inside her, warm and strong. The feeling was almost the same three nights past when she felt the same feeling inside her chest. It must have awakened the dagger the moment Enzeru steps into this world.
"We have unfinished business to attend to Seventh Dragon"
"I know. Zat it will only be time zat you find moi" she whisper, facing herself away from Enzeru.
"Then thou understand what thou must do?" asked Enzeru. Harle just stay quiet for sometime, thinking.
"What if I refuse?" she finally asked back.
"They look peaceful don't they, Seventh Dragon. Not a care in the world, not knowing that their very existence lies within one hand" Enzeru said it with her usual emotionless tone, somehow those words sound more like a threat to Harle. Harle turn her attention to the children and the villagers around her.
"What give you ze idea zat I have any concern towards zis human?" said Harle. "Zier puny life have no concern to moi, I just used zem as I have used everyone"
"True, human are merely toys to thee"
"Then I assume that thou will not intervene my punishment to the small village of Arni, beginning with the young ones" said Enzeru, she turn her attention to the children playing in the water. She slides her hand out from her cloak.
"Thou shall have the chance to see their suffering face before they die"
"Stop" urge Harle.
Harle could not believe what Enzeru about to do to the people of Arni. To her knowledge, she understands that Enzeru is supposed to protect human but not to destroy them, but most importantly, she couldn't understand herself. Weeks ago, this people meant nothing to her, their life and their future. However, now she is standing here with her worse enemy taking concern for the human around her that she was suppose to destroy.
"Zis people pose no t'reat to you. Why must you do zis? I t'ought zat you were suppose to protect zem, not harm zem" Harle question back to Enzeru.
"Punishment" said Enzeru with a level voice. "Punishment for accepting thou into their care, I will not tolerate on anyone aiding the dragons, human or demi-human"
"You Monster!"
"Monster!" Enzeru sound a little surprised over Harle. "I never knew that thou concern for this people since what thou willing to do in the past, Lucca Ashtear resident" she replies.cewo watch the chilren ""
Harle recall memories of the burning flames from Lucca house, the heat and the sound of children pleading for help still runs fresh in her mind even after all those years. She help Lynx start the fire; it was her idea to kidnapped Lucca and eliminates the princess clone at the same time. Those children that night were considered disposable. Luckily, for the princess and the other children's Serge came to their rescue, it was then she took a short look of the person she will face in the future, the instrument of her goal.
"Thou who's willing to sacrifice innocent children's for thy own selfish purpose dare calls me a monster" said Enzeru staring back at Harle, who now looks insecure of her own emotions.
"Thou are the real monster" Enzeru continues.
Harle stood in front of Enzeru helplessly, those words she just said actually hurt her in someway. Harle felt the pain from the past catching up to her, her guilt. The pain that was never supposed to be there in the first place now hurts her. She feels like running away but where could she run, guilt is something that one can never run away from, no matter where she run it will never go away, it will always be there constantly reminding her of what she did.
"Do thou think he will ever accept thee, a beast?"
Harle stay quiet, in her mind she does not wish to answer to any of Enzeru question. Maybe Enzeru was right, what happen if Serge figures out what she did in her past?
"Do thou think that he will ever care for a beast like thee, what he would think of thee if he finds out the truth about what thou did in the past?"
"I-I" Harle couldn't say a word. Enzeru watch as she breaks Harle up from the inside. Defenseless and broken down inside, Enzeru about to strike Harle down where she stands.
"Hey Harle! Serge back!" yelled one of the kids in the water points out to the boat. Harle turn her attention to the Boat, she can see Serge and a few other fishermen's making their way back to the village pier.
'The arbiter'
Enzeru takes a few steps away from Harle. If she acts now, the Chrono Trigger will surely intervene in her matters. In her current position, it wise not to strike yet.
"We're not finish yet Seventh Dragon, we'll see each other again, soon" said Enzeru who's about to leave the pier seeing Serge getting close to the pier.
"One last thing, do not involved this issue with the arbiter, if thou knows what best for him" Enzeru placed back her hood back before leaving the pier.
From afar, Serge watch as the strange woman walks away from the fishing pier, once Serge reaches to the pier, Harle stands where she is greeting his return.
"Zo, how did you do today Serge?" Harle asked Serge with a cheerful voice trying to hide her problem. "Great! He is a born natural! Never have I seen anyone so good in it!" replied one of the fishermen.
"Zat true, zere iz not'ing Serge cannot do!"
"It's nothing actually!" Serge trying to sound modest, he then remembers about the woman he saw on the pier earlier.
"Who's was that with you on the pier just now Harle?" Serge asked Harle but he can see it on her face that is something was bothering her.
"No one! She just a traveler asking for direction" Harle lied.
"Hi guys!" young girl calls to them.
"Una! When did you get back and where Leena?" Serge asked Una who's carrying her bag over her shoulder.
"Just like you Sergey, only worry about Leena, What about me?" Una teasing Serge. "I-I"
"Just joking, Leena fine, she'll be back so in a day or two" Una then explain what happen on their trip to Termina.
"Poshua will accompany Leena back, don't worry"
"I'd tell something, it boring staying at Lisa place. Nothing but looking at elements the whole day and disturbing customers that don't actually buy anything but stare at us the whole time!" Una complain as they head back to the village square.
"Harle! The Chef wants to see you" said the tavern girl as she replaces Harle from babysitting the other children. "Breakz over, I'd see ze both of you later"
"Catch you later" said Serge, he then turns to Una who looks a little amazed.
"When did Tadi start to speak?" Una asked with amazed.
*****
Harle waited in the tavern, thinking. What Enzeru have said, could what she has stated be true. She shook her head trying to get the matter out from her head. She needs to do something, fast. Knowing something like this will come she actually did plan something out, however she did not aspect Enzeru to turn out so soon.
"Hey, Harle! Harle" said the Chef, but Harle still not respond to him "Harle"
"What? You call moi" said Harle, looking puzzle.
"What's with you today girl? You look a little pale" Chef said, Harle turn to the Chef. "Not'ing, just a little tired"
"Why don't you take the rest of the day off?" said the Chef, Harle just stare back at him. "I can handle things from here"
"Are you sure?"
"Sure, not much of a crowd today"
Harle nod her head. She then turn and headed out of the tavern. Standing outside the tavern, she felt a bit better, but deep in her, she still trouble.
"You're early?" said a familiar voice.
"Huh?" Harle turn to the figure standing behind her "Oh! It you Serge"
"What the matter with you, you look a little shaky" said Serge and he accompany her to their hut.
"Not'ing" she lied "Where are you going?"
"I'm heading to Lizard Rock?" Serge looks at Harle, she seems uncertain "You want to accompany me?"
"Why zere?"
"I need to get something" Serge replies.
Harle thinks for a moment, maybe it is a good idea to get out of the village for a moment. It will give her sometime to think.
"Sure" said Harle with a smile.
*****
They both head to Lizard Rock until they reach to the pond, Serge then slow down. He stares back at Harle who keep quiet most of the way, she usually very lively whenever she goes but she just keeps quiet.
"Let's take a rest" said Serge.
He then headed to the pond and gaze at his surrounding. Harle was surprised at first. The journey from the village to Lizard Rock has never been that far, however she just follows Serge and stand next to him. Serge turns to face Harle.
"You want to talk about it?" Serge suddenly asked.
"Huh" Harle stare back at Serge. "About what?"
"About what's troubling you?"
Harle stay quiet, she still does not wish to tell him about her problem, Enzeru did mention not to involve Serge into this.
"Serge I-I" She stops for a moment then looked at Serge, How could she involved him into this, he might get hurt. The last battle with Lynx almost killed both of them and whoever could control Lynx is surely someone not to be taken lightly.
"Does this have something to do with Lynx?"
"Non! Mon ami, zis have not'ing to do wit' Monsieur Lynx" she lied.
"Then what wrong, you're not yourself lately" said Serge, Harle could tell he actually worried about her. "Then please tell me what's wrong?"
"It'z a girl t'ing alright, you won't understand" she raised her voice, Serge look embarrassed asking her earlier.
"Sorry"
"Zat alright, I should be ze one zat should apologies to you, it waz your idea to come here and I have to spoil it" said Harle, crossing her arms.
"Don't blame yourself, I was the one who started it" said Serge.
"Serge" Harle whisper "What are we doing here?"
Serge look back to Harle, suddenly he remember why they were there in the first place.
"I'm hunting for Komodo" Serge replies.
"Komodo?" Harle asked back, she could not understand why Serge is hunting those lizards.
"Why don't you go without moi" said Harle.
"Are you sure?"
"Sure" She replies. Serge agreed and waves back to her before he turn and walk south to Lizard Rock.
She watches as Serge walk does the path deeper into Lizard Rock. She then turns to the opposite direction as she slowly head back to the village. Every step she takes she could feel that someone was following her. She could felt something was not right, her chest start to feel the burning sensation. She stops and turns around only to find Enzeru standing behind her, still with her hood covering her face but Harle can sense Enzeru is staring back at her.
"You have a bad habit of sneaking up on people" Harle smirk.
"I thought that I give thou a surprise"
"Yeah, a surprised zat I might not wake up from" Harle said, sarcastically.
"Thou can't hide behind the arbiter forever" said Enzeru
"Yes, but-"
"Don't think that I am afraid of the arbiter, I just don't wish others to get involved in this personal quarrel of ours" said Enzeru with her usual cold ways. "But if this matter does get out of hand my Seventh Dragon"
"What... What are you going to do?" Harle asked.
"I guaranty thee, it will be blood when it comes to that"
"Why are you!!!" before Harle could finish her word a strong winds picks up around them and the next thing she knew Enzeru was gone without a trace.
*****
Harle lied down on her bed that night, unable to go to sleep. She tries closing her eyes and fall asleep, but each time she tries closing her eyes she kept seeing the same image of Enzeru then a bright blue light coming at her.
'Zit iz driving moi nutz!' She opens her eyes
Knowing that she could not fall asleep she pulls herself up and places her arms around her leg. She could not understand Enzeru action earlier, why wouldn't she just attack her when Serge is around. Is like she afraid of Serge somehow.
She somewhat confused over the entire matter, true Serge could not always be around to protect her nor could she stay in the village and wait for death. Enzeru would not just give up, she did chase her to this world.
"What must I do... what can I do?" she whisper.
She raised her head turn to the window, looking at the moon. The moon almost full that night. One moon, not like the world she came from where there are two-moon hanging on the night sky. She stares at a long time at the moon, deep in thought of what to do, not many options opens to her.
"I have to talk to zat bitch"
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Note: Really sorry about the slow update, I got tons of things to do in my daily life not to mention I have to re-write the whole entire chapter.
One last thing I did mention in previous chapter why I used Kid looks on Harle, why? This is for those who is interested to know, during the game goes and visits the fortune fellow in Termina with Harle and Kid. One more thing once your Lynx with Harle in party go to Arni and watch carefully what Harle said to the old man guarding the gate.