Elvengirl: Well...here I am, back again. With another chapter. I've progressed alot in this story I think. I'm taking it in a new direction...adding an original sub-plot in the next chapter. One I'm quite proud of, it being the driving force behind this fic. I'm also branching out, and mixing my own ideas in. This includes changing one particular character...that was a pain, but it works alot better for me now.
What's up in my life:
- New semester. Bio, math, and mandarin this term. Pretty heavy workload...might make updates more sparse than usual.
- I've been reading alot of Naruto lately, and I'm enjoying it. I have a new favorite villain, Orochimaru. The series is worth checking out.
- Inuyasha on the other hand...the plot has fallen apart. Not that I wasn't ecstactically happy when Naraku showed up, but if Inuyasha would stop being such an idiot I'd be happier.
- I'll be uploading a new Gundam Seed story soon, so if you want to check it out, please do.
- G-project will get another update as well. I found the plot again.
"Blast it! That stupid...leaving without saying a bloody word!" Hector was roaming around tthe Akabeko, ranting, raving, and destroying anything in sight.
"Calm down!" Rebecca yelled, trying to stop the eraged Hector. Florina did all she could to avoid him.
"That's it! I'm going to Kyoto! And I won't come back till I've belted him! Don't go wandering off without my say so...peh!" Hector stomped off down the street, muttering and swearing.
"He's very angry," Florina squeaked. Rebecca placed a comferting hand on her shoulder.
"Indeed, and he didn't pay again," She sighed, "Still, I never expected Karel-san to go back to wandering. I thought he was happy at Lyn's place."
"Hey! Have you guys seen Hector?" yelled Guy, running up the street.
"He was just here trashing the place," Rebecca replied, glancing at the damage Hector had caused.
"How's Lyndis-san doing?" asked Florina with a blush.
"Not good," Guy replied, "It's as if she's lost her spirit. I guess he just flat out said farewell..." Guy related what happened before he came to the Akabeko. His attempt to get Lyn out of bed had failed, miserably.
"She hasn't eaten a thing for two days now...so maybe Florina, you and Rebecca could check up on her..."
"Of course," smiled Florina. Guy smiled back and left to find Hector with a wave.
"Here...this should be enough money to get to Kyoto," said Eliwood, sliding an envelope across the table to Hector.
"Thanks. I'll pay you back when I get back," said Hector, "Dunno how," was added in an undertone.
"You're welcome," Eliwood replied, "I won't hold my breath."
Hector got up to leave.
"Wait," said Eliwood, "hold out your hand."
Hector did as he was told, and Eliwood dropped several canisters into his hand. Hector's eyes widened.
"You've been making bombs again!" Hector yelled, "...cool design though."
"It's just for protection," Eliwood replied, "Be careful Hector, the Kyoto of today is a dangerous place, more than you think."
"So you know of Kishuna?"
"Never underestimate what a journalist hears."
"Just don't write about it."
"I won't, though I doubt anyone would believe me."
"You're probably right," Hector agreed, "Well then, until I return." Hector walked out the door and ran right into Guy.
"Where are you going?" Hector exploded.
"To find you!" Guy yelled back, "Y'gotta help Lyn, she's a mess!"
"I...can't help her," Hector looked away, "Guy...you've been followed."
Guy turned around. Saitou Ephidel leaned against the opposite building, glaring at them. He sniffed contemptuously.
"Where do you plan on going?"
"To Kyoto. That bother you?"
"Yes...it worries me, to have a weakling involved."
Hector stiffined. Ephidel shrugged.
"What...was that?"
"You heard me." Ephidel took a step forward. "The essence of combat is to strike at your opponent's vunrabilities. If you go to Kyoto, the Sword Demon would feel he has to protect you. Thus, you'll become a place for Kishuna to strike. Why do you think he went alone. To the Sword Demon, you are nothing but a liability. I attacked you to drive that point home. Go to Kyoto and you recieved that wound for nothing."
"I see..." Hector was shaking in fury, "To Karel I'm nothing but a vunrability. Good to know...cause now I'm really gonna belt him! Out of the way, Ephidel! Or I'll move you!"
Ephidel remained where he was and glared at Hector.
"Just try."
Hector flew at Ephidel, who easily sidestepped him. Ephidel grabbed Hector's sleeve, which imobilized Hector's arm, and drove his fist into Hector's wounded shoulder. Hector winced. Ephidel then flipped Hector onto the ground and again attacked the shoulder, this time with his shoulder.
"No fair!" Guy yelled.
"Weren't you listening? In combat, one has to strike at their opponents vunrabilities. Fair or unfair doesn't exist. Karel goes not to a duel in Kyoto, but a deathmatch. This isn't for you. Stay put in Tokyo."
"Never!" Guy drew out his shinai. Ephidel glared down at him, cracking his knuckles. He had hoped it wouldn't have had to come to this.
"Hey..." Hector grunted from behind him, "No pain here...pain takes time," Hector got up slowly, "This wound might hurt, but that's nothing compared to knowing that Karel thinks of me as weak!" Hector threw everything he had into one punch and aimed for Ephidel's chest. Ephidel blocked the attack but was still thrown back against the opposite building.
"Outta my way, Ephidel! I'm going to Kyoto. I'm gonna show Karel how weak I am with my fists!"
"Then you seal his fate, showing him with your fists."
"You heard me!"
"Pfft...remember how easily I beat you," Ephidel sighed. Hector growled.
"It's a taunt, brush it off!" Guy yelled from the sidelines. Eliwood sighed. Knowing Hector this wasn't going to end well. Ephidel shook his head and undid his sword, dropping it on the ground.
"I won't let the choice of weapon be a factor this time. We'll fight your way, and have a fist fight."
"Don't trust him Hector! He'll probably kick you or something!"
"You really don't like me, do you?" Ephidel grinned, turning to Guy.
"Well duh!"
"You have my word. Fists only. No matter how stupid this chicken-head might be...he'll eventually have to accept his own worth, or lack of it." Ephidel cracked his knuckles.
"Just try!" And with a yell, Hector flew at Ephidel, who blocked easily, only to be bombarded by a barrage of multi-blows from Hector. Eliwood and Guy gasped. When had Hector learned that? Hector grinned, knowing that there was no way for Ephidel to retaliate. He ended his attack with a final blow to Ephidel's chest and stepped back. Ephidel smirked and droppd his defense. Hector's attack had done nothing.
"You are amusing," Ephidel sneered, and launched the same attack. Hector recoiled in pain. The speed was the same, yet why were his hitting? Ephidel's attack ended with a powerful uppercut that knocked Hector down.
"He's good," Eliwood commented.
"He's the only one I've seen in Karel's league," Guy admitted.
"Get it now? You're nowhere near me or the Sword Demon. You are nothing more than a hatchling."
"Shut up!" Hector grunted as he got up, "I'm going to Kyoto no matter what anybody says!" He braced himself against a barrel.
"My last hit must've affected your brain. You will not go to Kyoto." Ephidel slid into the Gatotsu stance.
"Dodge it Hector!" Guy yelled, "It'll hurt if you get hit!"
"No matter how you hit, you'll still be nothing more than a hatchling!" Ephidel charged at Hector, striking him squarely in the jaw.
"Your point being?" Hector's fists slammed into Ephidel's forearm and his teeth closed on Ephidel's fist. There was a crack, the sound of a bone breaking. Ephidel winced.
"You keep calling me "hatchling", but what are you? Even you and Karel had to start somewhere! So even a "hatchling" like me can get in a peck or two."
Ephidel hooked Hector with his free hand and turned away.
"I can no longer waste my time with a fool who can't accept the truth. Go to Kyoto if you wish, but if you die it won't be my fault. A fool who relies so much on his own toughness that he learns nothing of defense also has nothing to rely on."
Ephidel picked up his sword and turned away.
"You win Hector," said Eliwood. Hector nodded, watching Ephidel's retreating figure. He barely heard Eliwood suggest looking at his shoulder. Throughout the entire fight, not once had Ephidel gone for Hector's shoulder. 'He truly was fighting at my level,' Hector thought.
"Eliwood, gimme the medicane. I'll see to my shoulder on the way. Guy, I think you need to get Lyn to Kyoto as soon as possible."
Unable to protest, Eliwood and Guy mearly nodded. Ephidel's words rang through Hector's head, though he didn't know what was meant by them. 'All I know is that I've got to get stronger. And I'll figure out what he meant before I get to Kyoto."
I couldn't chase after him...I don't know why...but that one word from him..."Sayanora".
That paralysed me.
And that's still...all I can hear.
"Lyn-chan, I know that this is difficult, but you can't just stay like this," Rebecca sighed, kneeling beside Lyn's futon and placing a hand on the sullen form under the blankets. "You've gotta get up. I'll even give you my tresures." Rebecca grinned as she held up two nishiki-e paintings.
"Who wants that garbage," Lyn snapped from under the covers. Now it was Rebecca's turn to freeze. Her tresures...garbage? It couldn't be.
'What am I gonna do?' Guy wondered as he wandered home sullenly, 'Hector's gone...maybe Limstella? But she's probably really busy with her patients...'
"Guy?"
Guy spun around. There was Limstella, giving him a confused looked.
"Are you looking after the dojo? I would've thought you'd be headed to Kyoto by now."
"What are you talking about? Lyn's still there?"
"Th-this isn't very good, but it's bad to not eat anything," Florina sighed, placing a small bowl of soup in front of Lyn.
"I don't want it," Lyn muttered in a monotoned voice.
"Oh, come on Lyn!" Rebecca was clearly getting annoyed with Lyn's depression, "Florina-chan made it for you, and she's right, you gotta eat something."
"I said I don't want it! Just leave me alone."
Suddenly, the doors opened with a loud clack! Rebecca and Florina looked to see Limstella standing there, glaring down at Lyn.
"What are you still doing here?" she asked, evenly.
"I could as you the same thing." Lyn replied.
"What else? I came to laugh at the loser who got dumped by Karel."
Lyn was livid and had to be restrained by Rebecca. Limstella sniffed contemptuously, and took something out of her kimono.
"My family's medicane...Karel-san told me it works well. Since you're clearly not going to Kyoto, I'll just give it to Guy instead."
"Why don't you just go to Kyoto yourself," Lyn snapped, "Stop depending on others."
"Because I'm a doctor and I have a responsibility to my patients."
"So your patients are more important than Karel! That shows how you fell about him!"
Limstella snapped and wound up to slap Lyn, who blocked the blow easily. She was about to speak when Limstella's other hand came down, stopping centimeteres from Lyn's face.
"My obligations lie not only to my patients, but to those harmed in my former life as well. I walk this path now because Karel showed it to me! So no matter what happens, I will continue as a doctor. That is how I show how I feel about Karel! If all you do to honor his memory is cry and sulk, go ahead...and now you're crying again? You really are a weakling." Limstella turned away and headed towards the door. Rebecca and Florina watched as Lyn sobbed, unable to argue with Limstella's last comment.
"How could you possibly understand...how it felt to have him say good-bye to me like that?"
"True...but how could you understand how if felt, knowing that he left without bothing to say it to me," Limstella sniffed, "This before you speak next time."
"You done talking to her?" asked Guy, as Limstella came toward him.
"Yes," said Limstella. her voice thick with emotion.
"Don't worry Limstella. We'll bring Karel back somehow. Don't cry, okay?" Guy ran towards the dojo. Limstella stood there, unmoving, wiping her eyes.
"Sure..."
Lyn watched Limstella's retreating figure, realising that Limstella would rush to Kyoto if given the chance. Her words rang in Lyn's ears.
"What's taking you so long?" Guy yelled.
"But --"
"Not buts! You're the only one Karel said goodbye to, right? That means that parting with you was the most difficult for him, and that you're our best hope for bringing Karel back! Limstella's gonna take care of the dojo, and in exchange, you're gonna hand her medicane to Karel! So Lyn, do you want to see Karel?"
"I...I really do want to see him. Let's go...to Kyoto...and to Karel."
"So...I'm the one left behind...looking after this stupid dojo," Limstella muttered, walking up to Kamiya dojo. She had just come from seeing Guy and Lyn off. She gripped the door and gasped. It was unlocked...but she had the only key. Limstella ran to the dojo, hope in her stride. Was Karel back? Limstella flund open the door and froze. It was not Karel who stood in the dojo, but Shinomori Jaffar.
"And just where did the Sword Demon go?"
Elvengirl: So, one more chapter till I get back to the action. Hope you all will bear with me through this. I find that this part is central in character development, and again, if I don't put it in, nothing in the future makes sense.
Next Time?