Aileen
Shalain looked around the cave. She had no idea why they had to come, but she
figured it had something to do with Lord Trowa's little brother. Aylee
jumped slightly as Luc walked up beside her. She glared at him and he rolled
his eyes.
"Why did we have to come here?" Aylee
asked him, "Do you know?"
"No. I think it has something to do with a
true rune though." Luc replied. "And if so, that would explain why
we're here…" He stopped and turned back to face their leader.
Aylee did the same, and then looked at Flik,
Keiiii, and Shiru standing beside her. She shrugged and turned back to Trowa.
Trowa looked around at all of them, and then
started to speak, "You all are probably wondering why I brought you here.
You see, there is a true rune in this cave, and we need to find it before the
enemy does. And since all of us own true runes, it should be easy to detect
where it is hidden." Trowa stopped talking and looked up at the roof of
the cave, "There are there tunnels leading off of this room. Keiiii, you
and Flik will go to the right-most tunnel. Shiru, You'll be with me, and
Luc and Aylee, you two can take the left tunnel…"
"Yes Lord Trowa." Keiiii, Flik and
Shiru chorused. Aylee nodded and Luc just leaned back against the wall.
After the others had disappeared down the separate
tunnels, Aileen turned to Luc and said, "Well we should get going as well
don't you think?"
Luc showed no recognition of her.
"Hellooooo" Aylee said and waved her
hand in front of his face trying to get his attention. "Anyone in there?"
Luc looked up "Eh?" He blinked for a
second, like his eyes were adjusting to the dark. "Uh, yeah…
Sorry…"
Aylee sighed and shook her head. "You know
sometimes I don't understand you… What were you doing?"
"Uhm… Nothing. It doesn't really
matter… What were you saying before?" Luc asked
"Heh. Doesn't really matter… You
say that too often…" said Aileen. "I said we should get going…"
Luc nodded silently in agreement.
Aylee started down the tunnel, and then turned
back to Luc, "Well?" She asked him. "Are you coming?"
Watching him slowly nod she continued down the tunnel, every few minutes
looking back to see if he was still following.
"I think it's about time, wouldn't
you say?" A voice from the shadows said.
"Yes. We should throw the experiment into
effect." Replied another.
"Why are we doing this anyway?" A
younger voice said.
"Haven't we told you already? I swear
we have." The first voice asked.
"Yes you did, but I kinda… Forgot…"
The third answers, and hears the first sigh. "I-I'm sorry…"
he said shakily,
"Alright we'll brief you again."
A feminine fourth voice said.
The second voice started "We are conducting
an experiment to find whether true, destined love can be constant, or if you
change around the variables, it will diminish. Those two are our subjects."
"Well… That still doesn't
explain much…" The boy replied. "How are we doing it?"
The first sighed again. "We are going to be
putting them through a series of tests. By changing their looks, and personalities
we will try and determine, if their love can last through those things."
"Okay…" The boy nodded. "I
think I understand now. How many tests are we doing?"
"We're… Not really sure yet. At
least two though." The woman answered. "Come… I will show you
the lab." The woman and the young boy walked away.
"Rookies…" The second said, with
a nod of agreement from the first. Then they followed the other two into the
lab.
"Wah!" complained Aylee. "This
place is huge! We've been walking for at least half an hour!" She
cried out.
"Actually, it's only been ten minutes."
Luc told her.
"Oh who cares…" Aylee glared
back at him. "Just come on…" She faced front again, looking
slightly annoyed.
"You get so annoyed over the simplest things…"
sighed Luc. He held the glowing orb a little higher, so that they could see
what was ahead better.
"I think I see a cave ahead…"
said Aileen. "Come on… Lets hurry…" She started walking
a little faster, forcing Luc to try and keep up.
"Why do you hurry so much?" Luc asked.
"No wait… Forget I asked…"
Aylee turned around and glared at him again. The
turned back around as they came to the new cavern. "This place is big!"
She exclaimed as Luc let the glowing orb go out.
"Hmmmm… That's strange…"
Luc muttered.
Aylee turned to look at him. "What is?"
she asked.
"It's nothing." He shook his
head, and looked at the thing in the center of the cavern.
Aylee followed his gaze. "That's funny…
Let's see what it is." She walked over to it and looked in. "It's
a fountain of sorts. But why would one be here?"
Luc shook his head. "I don't know…"
He stood next to her and put his hand in the water. "Well it seems normal
enough…" He pulled his hand out.
"Not everything is what it seems…"
Aileen says. She starts to turn around, but someone hits her on the head. She
falls to the ground, and is conscious long enough to see Luc crumple after her.
