Hello, once again! Here is your Chapter 20! This week's players are: Rogue, Kagura, Sting, Yukino, and some minor roles for Frosch and Lector. Thanks for reading! – AMS

"Although after a time, they had lapsed into silence, Rogue and Kagura found it an enjoyable and companionable silence none-the-less. The food the staff of the café they were residing in were polite, and Rogue found the food quite excellent. But even he, a usually very reserved dragon found it hard to stay silent in the cozy atmosphere of the café. Before he attempted to speak, he cleared his throat awkwardly, a light dusting of pink over his cheeks. "Ah… Um, I… Are you…" Again he firmly cleared his throat, composing himself. He was a mighty dragon warrior, not some silly fae schoolboy, for heavens' sake! "Are you e-enjoying yourself, Kagura?" He asked politely.

"Hm?" She looked up with a mouthful of soup and hastily swallowed, dabbing her face hurriedly with a napkin. "Oh, yes I am, but shouldn't I be asking you that? I am the one who took you here after all." Rogue shook his head. "True, but as any good guest, I should ask after the welfare of my host."

Kagura quirked a wry smile at his stiffly formal tone and words. She found it rather endearing, but even she, the most uptight of the officers of the royal army knew when to relax and enjoy the company of others. Frowning slightly, she inquired, "Are you feeling alright Rogue? You seem a little," She raised her hands and clenched them into trembling fists, "Wound up about something."

Rogue gave an anxious half smile. "Didn't think it was that obvious." He quipped. Kagura just smiled coyly. "I've never really done this before." He elaborated when Kagura gave him a perplexed look. "On a… Going out like this with someone." Kagura's eyebrows almost disappeared into her bangs, and she hid her face with her hands as she snickered. Rogue blushed faintly and looked away from the shaking brunette. "Please don't laugh." He pleaded half-heartedly. "I-I'm sorry," Kagura composed herself; biting the inside of her cheeks in an attempt to stop herself from laughing. "It's just that, is this your first date?" She teased slyly, grinning at him.

Rogue wouldn't, or couldn't, answer, letting Kagura know she had guessed the truth. "Really?" Kagura sked Rogue, as he sipped a small spoonful of soup, disbelief coloring her voice. "A handsome, strong, young elf like you, has never been on a date?! At all?!" Rogue shook his head. "No. In fact, I'd never even considered it." The red-eyed male looked her directly in the eye, and said, "Until I saw you, that is, Kagura."

It was the Captain's turn to flush at Rogue words as she looked down at her lap, embarrassed. There was a bit of an awkward silence between the two before Rogue realized it was going to stay that way unless he said something. "I forget, have I already asked what is you do here in Crocus?" He offered as a way of apology for embarrassing her, and she gladly took it, relief coloring her voice as she answered. "I'm a Captain of the Royal Fiorian Army, although at the moment, I've been stationed as a… guard of sorts at the palace."

In response, Rogue nodded, looking intrigued, even though of course, he already knew this; even so, he knew he had to keep on a mask that would fool even the most astute of the Faeries. A task which would have been so much easier if Acnologia had just waited a week longer before sending out his operatives. The King's arrogance would doom them all if they weren't able to hold out until those lacrimas arrived. They needed those lacrimas, and Rogue knew it.

"Rogue?" Kagura's voice broke him out of his contemplative trance. "Uh, yes?" He looked up. "You seemed concerned about something. Are you alright?" She asked, waving a server away from their table. Rogue hesitated before shaking his head and assuring her, "It's nothing, I just remembered a bit of boiling water my boss will have me in if I don't do something right." "Ah," She nodded in understanding. "I know what that's like." Her tongue darted out to lick her dry lips. Rogue swallowed heavily. 'Will she see through me?' He wondered anxiously. "So," She continued. "What is your job?"

"I work for a surveying company of sorts. We also look into renovations and buying and selling of properties." He lied smoothly, the words rolling off his tongue like slick oil. "I see… But I didn't peg you as a realtor type of guy." Kagura supposed. Rogue gave her a knowing smile. "Well, let's just say that I'm full of surprises, Kagura." The elf gave a small huff of amusement and smiled at the slightly corny line.

A moment passed before she tucked a lock of hair behind her pointed ear and said. "Any other surprises I should know?" Rogue smiled. "Not yet. I have to keep you interested in me somehow right?" Kagura winked at him and said, "Trust me, Rogue. That won't be a problem."

Sting tightened his grip on the sleeping Frosch; as Yukino inhaled sharply, eyes widening in concern. "The plague?" She echoed, and the gorgon nodded sourly. "Yeah, and of course right in the middle of market day too." Sting's eyes flickered over to Yukino, awaiting her reaction. The usually cheerful fae frowned, marring her otherwise pleasant looks. "Are you sure?" She asked. "The victim's plague symptoms, how far along are they?"

The faun shopkeeper wrung his hands anxiously, tottering on his hooves. "Too far, too, too far along I-I'm afraid." "Sir," Yukino asked patiently. "Can you please give me an exact, or as exact as you can, assessment of the progression of the symptoms?" Sting stared at the silver fae, impressed by her tact and skill to successfully take charge of the situation. 'She has better diplomatic skills and leadership than I gave her credit for.' He thought affectionately.

"He's already on the third stage, or about to enter it." The gorgon apathetically butted in, slithering a few feet closer. "There's nothing anyone can do for him now." There was venom in her voice. "Nothing except put him out of his misery." Out of the corner of his eye, Sting saw Yukino's frown shift into a deep scowl.

"Have you contacted the authorities?" the Lt. softly asked the shopkeeper. "Y-yes, we d-did." He stammered, and that was when Sting noticed it. The faun's greying fur and hair, his tanned leather-like skin, the world-weary and scared-rabbit look in his eye.

'This faun has already seen many deaths from the plague around him, he's was terrified of seeing it happen again. He must have moved into the city to try and avoid the outcroppings of plague that popped up more in rural communities than compared to cities. Here there are more doctors…. So he thought he'd never have to see any one developing the plague to this extent again.' Sting observed.

He shook his head. 'Poor guy. Disease spreads more easily in urban settings. Although I can't blame him for acting so scared. I'm probably just as startled by this,' Sting conceded, looking down then up at his two exceed companions. 'The plague was supposed to have been eradicated decades ago! Our information was faulty, we should have waited until we had more. Why put us operatives at risk? Though of course,' He grit his teeth angrily. 'We really are nothing but expendable pawns to Acnologia.' A small noise from outside drew his attention, turning his head sharply towards the noise, as Yukino's conversation continued in the background.

"And you're sure they said they'd be here in less than half an hour?" "Y-yes!" "And how long ago was that?" "Almost 25 m-minutes ago." "Well then there's no need for panic, is there? I'm sure they'll be here any moment." Yukino assured the faun. The faun nodded, still trembling. "Good luck with keeping him calmed down." Said the gorgon, catching Yukino's attention. "I was trying that before he brought you in here. Didn't work." She groused, shaking her head, though a small smile that crinkled the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes told of her endearment of the old faun. "Stupid old worrywart." She mumbled affectionately.

Yukino smiled at the heartwarming scene, now noting the tiny gold band on the gorgon's finger. She turned to make a remark to Sting, but couldn't find him where she had left him. She pursed her lips and quickly scanned the rest of the tailor shop. He wasn't anywhere among the other frightened, though now considerably less so, citizens or the racks of clothing, either.

When she couldn't find him, she cried out in alarm, "Sting?!" "Ahhhh!" Lector's startled yell drew her attention back to where Sting had originally been. Lector hovered in the air, looking around frantically. Frosch slept directly below him, where she had been placed on top of a stack of trousers. "Where's Sting?" Yukino called out as she crossed the distance between them. "I-I don't know!" Lector cried. "He disappeared, he was there one moment, and gone the next!"

Yukino stared in disbelief at the spot where Sting had disappeared from, and around the shop once more in vain. "Where could Sting have gone!?"

Arms crossed and frowning slightly, Rogue watched as Kagura payed the café's bill that she had insisted on paying for herself. He had offered to pay for his half, as he had enough jewels, and after all, he was trying to be polite; but she had refused, declaring that she was going to pay for both of their meals, and that was final. "Besides," She had added with a foxlike grin. "I was probably going to 'abduct' Frosch before I met you, so consider this compensation."

So he had reluctantly relented and sat back as she reimbursed the café for the food they had consumed on their impromptu 'date' of sorts. When Kagura had finished paying, they got up and began to exit the café, the staff cheerfully waving goodbye and calling for them to come again soon. Kagura returned their farewells politely just before they turned out of sight of the café and back onto the semi-busy streets of Crocus. "So, Kagura, would it be alright within the rules of—" He roughly cleared his throat and corrected himself, addressing her more familiarly. "It okay if I walk with you back to where we met up, and then go our respective ways? I'm sure my brother is wondering what in the world I'm up to at this point."

The elf smiled warmly at him, agreeing. He smile back and shyly offered his arm, which she graciously took, touched by his chivalry. "So then, Rogue," She proposed quietly, but loudly enough for him to hear her. "Do you think we could meet up again like this soon?" She gave a breathy laugh, surprising herself at the girlishness of it. Rogue flushed and was silent for a moment or two longer than was appropriate, and continued walking down the street with Kagura. "I-I would like that." He confessed. She smiled triumphantly and held tighter to his arm.

Before they knew it they found themselves somehow at the base of the dragon fountain the location peculiarly rather devoid of any other faeries or other creatures. Kagura detached herself from his arm and stepped in front of him, grabbing his hands in hers. Rogue almost flinched back at the unexpected intimate contact as Kagura stared into his eyes. "Meet me here again, tomorrow if you can, at sunset." She said. Rogue nodded, and was about to say something but was interrupted by a pair of soft lips against his cheek.

"Please be here." She murmured against his skin. His eyes widened as he looked down at Kagura, realizing what she had done. Then she let his hands go and lightly pushed him back with a playful smile on her cherry lips. The she was gone into the crowd that still somehow kept their distance; gone like a fading rose, here one day and gone the next.

Rogue lifted one hand to his face and gently touched the spot where her lips had grazed his skin. It was almost feverish to the touch, and he could still smell her sweet scent on his hands.

Slowly, Rogue raised his gaze into the fountain's statue, flickering over the dragon immortalized there in the marble. 'I understand you now….' He almost felt like crying, but he didn't know quite why. "I understand you know." He murmured to the not quite alive, and yet not truly dead dragon. "I know what it is you feel."

The statue said nothing in return. How could it? But the water spurting from the fountain jet embedded in its maw sputtered for a moment, sending a few shimmering drops of water flying into the air and onto the stone that made up the dragon's eye, where it collected itself before rolling down the engraved-scale covered cheek of the carved dragon. Feeling disturbed by the vision of the crying dragon, Rogue turned away, his dark cloak flaring out behind him.

Cue epic ending theme! *plays epic Fairy Tail Theme song (think end of GMG arc, the 16th opening theme, Strikeback by Back-On)* Heck, Yeah this is an epic song! *Dances*

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed, as always. And like always, don't forget to please review!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~DO NOT IGNORE! IMPORTANT NOTICE!~~~~~~~~~~

THERE WILL BE NO UPDATE NEXT WEEK, DUE TO REASONS. MAILY ME GOING TO A YOUTH RETREAT AND AN ALL AROUND BUSY SCHEDUAL. SORRY.

Thanks for your time! - AMS