AGL: So the answer to why I loved writing Chapter 5 is the way Maria reacted when she saw Jade and I really liked the way I made her and Asch connect a little. I wanted to make it more interesting. If you don't understand the answer you will catch on in the next few chapters when things become more and more clear. Right now everything is a blur, even for me :P. Anyway, Enjoy! :D

Maria looked out the window of her cabin. They had been on the Tartarus for almost a day now and she was getting a little bored. Asch and her trained a little last night, but it wasn't enough to keep her active. Maria watched everything pass by as the Tartarus kept moving. She sighed and decided to go walk outside on the balcony a bit. She exited her cabin and walked outside. She leaned on the railing and felt the cool refreshing air go through her hair.

"I see you couldn't stay inside either," said a voice behind her. Maria turned to see Asch walking up to her.

"Yeah, I guess your right," she replied.

"Well since you are out and about, we are going on a mission of our own." Maria shot up an eyebrow, but of course no one could see it because of her long blond bangs.

"Where are we going?" Maria asked.

"Choral Castle."

Fubras River

Maria used the sword Asch gave her and sliced left and right. She charged up her fonons and attacked, "Fiery Tri-Force!" The monsters around her burned into ashes, and were carried off by the wind. They fought monster after monster after monster for the last five minutes.

Maria started getting tired. She was taking a breather when suddenly the ground started to shake. Maria fell to the ground from all the shaking.

"Asch what's happening?" Maria screamed. Suddenly the ground began to crack underneath Maria.

"Maria, move!" Asch yelled at her, but it was too late. A big purple gas came up from under her. In a heartbeat she fell to the ground. Her vision became blurry. She barely could see Asch running at her. The ground stopped shaking and everything calmed down, but maria's vision got blurrier and blurrier until it all became nothing but darkness.

*Asch's P.O.V.*

"Maria wake up!" he shouted at her. He lightly slapped her cheek, trying to make her conscience.

"Damn it!" he shouted. He picked up Maria and carried her. His hair waved in the wind as he ran. He held Maria tightly in his arms as her fought monsters and trying to find shelter to help her rest. After a few minutes of running and fighting, she started to gain conscience.

"A-asch? W-what happened?" Maria asked, but Asch didn't answer her. He kept carrying her until he found a large oak tree. He made Maria sit up and lean up against the oak tree.

"You okay?" Asch asked her.

"I think so," Maria replied holding a hand to her head.

"You are starting to become a real burden," Asch told her. Maria sighed at him and said, "Sorry. Um, thanks for not leaving me behind."

Asch just grunted at her, "What are you stupid? You think I was going to leave you?"

"Yeah, I guess your right. I knew you wouldn't leave me. I am an idiot to think that." Maria smiled at him, then look up at the sky. Asch followed her gaze and saw the sun setting in the West.

"It's getting late. We'll stop here for the night and continue early in the morning," said Asch. Maria nodded and stood up. He watched as she gathered some wood, grass, and a few small stones. He was a little surprised as he watched her make a fire pit.

He saw as Maria was about to use her fonons to light it up, but he stopped her. He didn't want her using her fonons and get sick. She just got hit by a deadly poison called masmia and he new she could get sick at anytime. He lit it up himself and watched her smile at him. It was her way of saying thanks. Asch got up and started walking near the forest.

"Stay here," he ordered Maria before disappearing into the trees.

*Maria's P.O.V.*

Maria watched him disappear before getting up and looked around the camp. She found two long patches of dry moss and half a log. She dragged the log and placed it in front of the fire to be used as a seat. Then she spread out the two patches of moss to make two small beds.

A few minutes later, Asch came back with a load of firewood. Maria saw a surprised look on his face, but he didn't say anything. He put the wood in the fire and sat on the log. Maria sat next to him and put the tip of a stick in the dirt. She rolled it around writing her full name, Maria Cecilia Curtiss.

"You know, I never thought I'd say this, but I enjoy being in the Oracle Knights," she said breaking the silence. "I barely did anything. I rarely got out, I rarely met people, but most of all I rarely talked. I never talked to my parents much because of the way they made a prisoner in my home. I guess that's they way us children should be. After all they probably found me a pain in the butt anyway."

Asch looked at her and said, "Why would you say that?"

Maria looked up at the stars then said, "Can you keep a secret?"

Asch nodded. Maria's eyes starting welling up with tears, "Well when were sneaking around at Grand Chokmah, I saw my parents. I listened to their conversation and I heard my mom say she was happy I wasn't around. It makes me feel like they didn't want me. After all I am just a burden."

Asch shook his head at her, "You're not a burden. I am sure you misheard her."

"Yeah, your probably right." They watched the stars for the last half hour until Asch said, "It's getting late we should get some rest."

Maria nodded and got up from the log. She laid down on one the patches of moss and fell asleep.

*Dream*

Maria ran through a field of hibiscus to get away from Jade the Necromancer. He had chased her, but she didn't know why. "Leave me alone!" she yelled at him, but he kept chasing her. This time he picked up the pace.

She turned to face him. He had a spear in his hand and attacked her with it. She blocked the with the sword Asch gave her. "Fiery Tri-Force!" she shouted. Jade blocked the attack quickly. He attacked doing 'Raging Blast'. Maria got hit in the stomach and fell to her knees. Jade raised the tip of his spear to her neck.

"Why are you chasing me?" she asked furiously.

"Don't you remember at all who I am to you?" he asked. "I am your-"

*End Dream*

Maria woke up before she could finish the dream. She sat up and saw the sun was rising. Asch was sitting on the log with his sword in hand. "He must have kept guard last night," Maria thought to herself. She got up and walked over to Asch. "Good morning," she said with a smile.

"About time you got up," Asch replied. The smile disappeared from her face as Asch got up. Maria pulled the moss pieces out of her hair and followed Asch.

They walked down the dirt path and reached the river after an hour of walking. That's when the unthinkable happened. Maria felt like someone was choking her. She grabbed her capacity core gem and pulled off her capacity core. That's when she saw a mark. It was a small flaming hibiscus that stained the center of her throat.

She was about to tell Asch, but didn't. He was already tired and worried about her as it is. She didn't want to cause him any trouble. She put the core back on her neck and covered the mark. She ran to catch up with Asch who was about to cross the river.

"Could you be any slower?" he barked.

"S-sorry," Maria said shakily. They jumped from rock to rock and fought monsters that looked like frogs from time to time.

After an hour of walking and fighting and more walking, they finally got to the place they were going to meet Arietta. Asch had explained to Maria last night that they needed Arietta for the plan, and that they were meeting up with her.

They stood there waiting for Arietta cold and hungry. Maria couldn't help but complain mentally at the fact she was cold, a little wet, and hadn't eaten anything since yesterday morning. Arietta finally showed up on the back of her liger, Lillian.

There we small tears in Arietta's eyes. Maria knew she was still upset about her mommy being killed. "The stupid replica and his friends are coming this way," she said.

"Perfect, but I need you to go to the Kaitzur Naval Port and kidnap the maintenance chief there. Then lead them to Choral Castle. It will be the perfect time to avenge you mommy."

"But why do all that when I can kill them here?"

"It will be better this way." Arietta just sighed and nodded at Asch. Asch turned his back on Arietta and kept walking. Maria followed, but was a little worried about Arietta being here by herself.

She about to turn and say something to her, but she didn't. Instead she kept walking behind Asch and followed him out of the river area.

AGL: OKAY, so kind of a boring chapter. More action will come in as we go along. I have been taking everyone's advice to me, and I appreciate it. I will try my best to make this story perfect. I have been writing a new story lately and will publish it soon, so I will be busy. Midterm exams are over so I will update more. Anyway, please review and favorite. :D