Cao - ACK! This one is LATE! Ish. . .Kind of. . .not really. . .
-shot- Whatever. Sorry for the slight delay. My imagination is endless but my internet access. . .eh, not so much. Grades. . .school. . .they HATE ME! And so does my mum, when I get bad grades. But then, when I get good grades. . .it's like. . .my bad grades were nonexistent and she loves me again. Creepy .
SO! Without further ado! Chapter 10! Take it away, Alex!
Alex - What?! Oh, fine. . .Cao does not own Tales of the Abyss in any way. But she can always wish and hope and dream.
Cao - . . .Remind me again why I haven't disowned you yet. . .
Chapter Ten – Cheagles' Crisis
"Ah, ha! They did do it!" Luke proclaimed; he, Ion and Tear were standing in front of a gigantic tree with an opening in it, red apples littering the ground. The Fon Master held on, and having examined it, they saw the mark of Engeve in it.
"Yes. It seems so. But I wonder why?" Ion sighed, placing the apple back onto the ground. Tear looked into the tree, a curious expression on her face as she stared intently into the opening.
"There's something inside this tree," she slowly spoke, turning and facing it. Luke arched an eyebrow at her while Ion only smiled faintly.
"The cheagles live inside here. Come on, let's go!" Before either the redhead or the knight could say otherwise, the Fon Master walked ahead. Tear immediately protested and ran after him into the tree, while Luke only sighed and shook his head. This kid is hopeless, he thought, taking a step forward to head in as well. But before he could, something slammed against his back, knocking him onto the ground and pinning him there.
"What the hell?!" Luke cried out, squirming to get out from under the thing, finally forcing himself onto his hands and knees and causing the thing to roll off him and onto the ground next to him. As soon as the redhead looked, he saw a giggling boy with blue hair curled up on the ground holding his sides. What the. . .how did. . .that little--! "What're you doing here?!"
Alex laughed a little more, fighting to control himself. After a minute or so of intense glaring from Luke, the child took a deep breath and sighed contentedly, rolling onto his back and sitting up quickly, looking at his master. "I'm here to find you, silly! Oh, and Guy's here, too. But he's at the beginning of this forest. You know, if it weren't for your super red hair, you'd be hard to find!"
"You're one to talk," Luke snapped, glaring at the little boy, who instantly scowled and glared at the young noble. The older of the two only shrugged and stood up, brushing off the dirt and examining himself, making sure his clothes weren't dirty before, after ushering for the kid to follow, walking into the hollow tree.
Guy sighed, leaning against the main trunk and sitting on the highest and best-covered branch, one leg swinging off his seat. He was bored. Really, really, really bored. Why hadn't he gone with Alex? The kid could've easily gotten lost. And if he'd gone with him, then he could have at least had something to do. Of course, he hadn't exactly thought this through, nor expected to be here in the first place. And he definitely didn't expect the sudden splash of water that fell from above him, causing him to yelp at the sudden attack and fall out of the tree, landing on the ground with a thud and groaning.
"Ha! You see? I told you there was someone there!" an unknown voice boasted cheerily, obviously to another. When Guy managed to push himself back up and shake his hair of any dripping water, he noted the two fonists standing in front of him, one grinning goofily to his companion while the other just rolled his eyes. . .and they were both wearing the blue uniform of the Malkuth army. Oh, great.
"Yeah, yeah. I see, I see. I'm not blind, you know," the other snapped, glaring at the former before turning on Guy. "Huh. He looks like a civilian to me."
"If he were a civilian, he'd be back in Engeve! Besides, I spotted him with a little kid wearing a white cape that had the symbol of the third fonon on it. . .well, something close. Reminds me of somethin'. . .but whatever!"
Guy's eyes widened as he listened; oh, really great! In a flash, his hand was on his hilt and he dashed toward the two fonists, quickly drawing out his sword and slashing the first across his chest, catching him off-guard and creating a nice clean cut. The fonist choked, collapsing back as he was struck. His eyes were closed, and apart from the blood that was oozing out of the cut, he would have easily passed for sleeping. The blonde swordsman silently apologized before turning on the second and attacking. But the other had been expecting it and jumped back, narrowly avoiding the bloodied blade. But Guy only looked on coldly at his enemy, pulling his sheathe out of its place on his belt (as it provided a surprisingly good defense) and dashed up to fonist, who had begun casting at that moment.
"Flame Burst!" the fonist cried, gathering up a mass of fifth fonons where Guy was currently positioned and letting a blast of fire burst. But the swordsman was too quick, avoiding it easily and closing the distance between him and the fonist.
"Try this instead," he said, quickly sheathing his sword but keeping his hand on the hilt. "Void Tempest!" The blonde quickly (and miraculously) unsheathed his sword in the blink of an eye, sending two shockwaves out at the fonist, who took the hit dead on and cried out in pain. He, too, collapsed on the ground, now sporting two shallow cuts that were leaking blood. Guy sheathed his sword for good this time and sighed, straightening up and looking at the two soldiers he'd had to strike down; they weren't dead. Far from it, actually. But. . .if he was to have any chance at keeping the kid's secret from leaking out. . .
With a swift movement, he plunged his weapon in a fatal strike on the fonist. Then he did the same with the other, ensuring their deaths. It was then that he sheathed his weapon permanently and took back to hiding up in the tree.
Well. . .some things just couldn't be avoided.
"Mieu mieu!"
"Mieuuuu!"
"Mieu mieu, mieu mieu mieu!"
"Please, let us through!" Ion asked, looking down at the ground where several (cute) cheagles stood, blocking their way to the back of the tree, where an old-looking cheagles stood; most likely the elder.
"Wooooow," Alex said in awe, causing Tear and Ion to jump in surprise at the new figure. Ion looked confused but didn't seem to mind. Tear, however, looked irked and annoyed, and as soon as Luke came up behind the boy, she made that perfectly clear.
"Luke, how could you let him come?" she demanded, scowling at the redhead who only looked away from her with a bored expression.
"Don't look at me! He came on his own."
"And why didn't you tell him to go back?!"
"Like hell he'd listen!"
Alex couldn't help but laugh as the couple in front of him argued, but then his attention was taken by the green-haired boy that was looking at him for a moment, then back at the cheagles blocking the path.
"Please, I just want to talk!" the Fon Master sighed, before turning on Alex, who was looking at him with a curious expression. "The cheagles helped found the Order, along with the Order's founder, Yulia Jue," he explained. Alex nodded, and was about to just go up to the cheagles and kick them aside. But a commanding voice spoke all of a sudden.
"Mieu. Mieu mieu, mieu."
All the cheagles parted at once, making a pathway just big enough for all four of them to walk through to the elder cheagles in the back. It had a ring in its two hands and was a dulled purple, the white of its fur slightly greyish and fur covering its eyes. "What is it you have come here for?" it asked in clear human language.
"W-Woah. That monster talked," Luke stuttered. Tear only rolled her eyes and Ion just started walking towards the elder, standing up straight in a dignified manner.
"That is the power of this ring that was given to us by Yulia," the cheagles spoke, shuffling the ring in its hands and bringing it to attention. "Are you of relation to Yulia Jue?"
"I am Ion, Fon Master of the Order of Lorelei," the green-haired boy spoke; Alex's eyes widened in a mix of awe and happiness. "Am I right in assuming that you're the cheagles elder?"
"That is correct. . ."
"Hey, monster," Luke spoke up; Tear made no further sound while Alex only sighed and shook his head. He really could be a little oblivious to others' feelings. Nevertheless, Luke continued, oblivious to the reactions. "You stole food from Engeve, right?"
"I see. . .so you have come to exterminate us," the cheagles elder said sadly, earning pity from both Tear and Alex.
"I don't understand. Why do you need to steal human food?" Ion asked curiously, though he didn't wait for an answer just yet. "Cheagles are herbivores and there is plenty of vegetation in this forest. So. . .why?"
"To preserve the cheagles tribe. . ."
"Why do you need to preserve tribe with human food?" Alex asked was he walked up to the old cheagle and knelt down in front of it. The elder seemed hesitant, as though bordering on telling something yet not quite wanting to say it. But then, to their relief, it spoke.
"One of our own caused the fires up in the north," the elder began to explain; everyone walked closer to listen. "The ligers that lived there moved down from there to here. . .in order to prey on us."
"So. . .you steal human food for the ligers?" Alex felt confused, tilting his head to one side to mimic that.
"That is correct. If they are not sent food periodically, we cheagles are captured and eaten. . ."
"That's horrible!" Ion gasped. Luke only rolled his eyes.
"If you're weak, you're food, that's how it works," the young noble said irritably, earning glares from Tear and Alex. He was about to say more, too, but the blue-haired child suddenly dashed up to him and tackled him to the ground. "Hey, what the--!" Luke cut himself off, though, as Alex suddenly had a knife up against his throat. And not a regular knife, either; it was one of Tear's knives.
"Grr. . .come on! I dare you to say that again!" Alex snapped, glaring angrily at Luke, who stared at him with a mix of surprise and annoyance on his face. "You can't honestly say that so easily! What happens if all the cheagles are eaten up, huh? Then who'll feed the ligers? They'll probably swarm Engeve next for food and wipe it out completely!"
"So? I don't care what happens to that stupid village. . ."
"That's not acceptable!" Ion protested while Tear somehow pried Alex off of the young noble (How did he get my knife? She wondered to herself) then reprimanded the young child; Ion continued with his own lecture. "Food from Engeve is shipped throughout the entire world; not just the Malkuth Empire. There would be world-wide food shortages without it!"
"Argh. . .alright, alright!" Luke said loudly as he picked himself up and brushed off the dirt on his clothes, glaring at Alex; the child knew he was going to be punished at any moment. But hey, now definitely wasn't the time, right? That was lucky at least.
"Then let's negotiate with the ligers."
". . .Can those liger-things talk too?"
"We can't speak with them directly, but if we take one of the cheagles with us as a translator," Ion began, voice trailing off as he looked at the cheagle elder, who had simply stood by and watched. But now, it hopped forward, carrying the ring in its hangs with it.
"Very well. Then I will lend this Sorcerer's Ring to the one who will be your translator," it spoke to Ion before turning on the cheagle tribe. "Mieu. Mieu mieu. . .mieu." After the foreign words were spoken, a young blue cheagle hopped out from the group of cheagles, bouncing up in front of the cheagle elder and standing there. The elder looked up at the humans. "This child is the one who started the fire up in the north. He will be your translator." Bowing its head in a sort-of imitation of a polite bow, the elder turned on the child cheagle and lifted the ring in its hands shakily over the child's head and trying to place it over his head. It didn't work, and instead, the elder hit him on the head gently. Both tumbled down, the ring falling to the ground beside them. But both stood up after a second and the elder stepped back while the child stepped into the ring and pulled it up. As soon as he did, he turned around and looked around (in order) at Luke, Tear, Alex and Ion, who had all huddled around him. Then, the cheagle looked in the reverse order, jumping as Luke's face appeared closer.
"My name's Mieu. Pleased to meet you!" the blue cheagle squeaked in a high-pitched voice, a happy expression on his face. Tear instantly fell in love with it, looking at it with the kind of expression any other girl would look at something so cute. Alex had knelt beside Mieu and was beaming happily as he reached over and cautiously pet him; the cheagle didn't shy away, though he did flinch. Ion smiled but Luke. . .well, being Luke, he had an irritated expression on his face.
"Something about this thing is really annoying," he muttered, trying to keep from saying it too loud. Of course, everyone heard, including Mieu.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" the cheagle hurriedly apologized, squirming uncomfortably on the spot. But the redhead only got more irritated.
"Argh! You're gonna drive me nuts!"
"Whatever, Luke. Whatever. Now, come on! Let's go to the ligers' place!" Alex said happily as he bounced up, picked up Mieu, and ran off with him out of the place. At first, the cheagle was surprised, but soon climbed onto the boy's shoulder and stayed there, clinging tightly so it didn't fall off. Ion laughed a little before he followed, and Tear muttered something along the lines of "how cute," probably due to the fact that two of the cutest beings she'd ever met were now the closest thing to being side-by-side. Luke only grumbled and was the last to follow the three of them.
Cao - Well?? What'd you think?? Review please! Oh, and prepare for next chapter. It's the fight with the liger queen! And people might call me inhuman but I DON'T CARE! Oh, yes. How many of you like Alex so far? Ah. . .if you only saw his picture. . .well! Too bad! XD
Alex - Do you enjoy being insane and/or torturing your few readers?
Cao - Yes. Yes, I do.