OH MY LORD! You, the viewers, have almost COMMANDED me to make another chapter. So, here it is. I apologize for the lateness, but what can I say? School comes, and it is EVIL! But anyway, here it is, hope you enjoy, as always I own none of the characters, and you must review! Thanks.
Things at the funeral were not shaping out very well. When Hilda discovered that Eiko was missing, Regent Cid found out immediately. And then, the guards received a swift yelling at, and the search party was sent out. Tantalus had split by now, and Amarant just didn't care. Freya, however, was rather concerned. She was heading the search party, in fact. Zidane thought Eiko had probably just gone back to the castle early, and Dagger couldn't help but agree with him. Steiner, in all honesty, couldn't care less what happened to her. In his eyes, she was still an annoying brat, despite all they had been through. Some things never changed.
As for Quina, s/he was too grief stricken over the passing on of his/her Master Quale to do anything. So Freya was the only true champion out there looking, but she did a good job. With her super-Burmecian jumping abilities, she had just barely spotted Eiko and Vivi getting away. Seeing the direction they were headed in, she led the party forth at full speed. Of course, by the time they reached the swamp, Vivi and Eiko were long gone.
As it was, those two were more then halfway across the ocean between the Outer and Mist continents. The new tunnel system with the Gargants really moved them at an incredible pace. To make things even faster, Eiko had cast Haste and Regen on the Gargant, so it would not have to rest and still move at awesome speed. The new trolley system made it even better. Vivi had been napping against the edge of the cart, resting up after having spent so much of his magical energy on the Aero spell, until he was suddenly brought back to reality as he felt a soft rubbing on his side. After his eyes readjusted to being open, he saw that Eiko's head was rested in his lap, her eyes closed and her face in a look of sheer innocence, while her hand just slid along his side absently. Sighing, Vivi took her hand and held it softly, but firmly, with his. With that, he started nodding off to sleep.
"Vi... Vivi?" Eiko stuttered, returning from dream world.
"Er, yes Eiko?"
She smiled up at him. "How much longer until we get there?"
He shrugged. "By my guess, it'll be another hour or so. Of course, that's just my guess."
His eyes rolled up towards the Gargant, and he noticed that it was loosing energy.
"Eiko, do you have enough magic to cast another Regen spell?"
She pursed her lips and lifted her head off of his lap, shaking it softly.
"Sorry Vivi. Don't have any Ethers, do we?"
"Nope. I didn't think we'd need one. Well, if this keeps up, the Gargant is probably going to stop soon to rest. It might even go to sleep for a few hours."
Eiko stretched her arms out, then leaned against the edge of the cart in a similar fashion to Vivi.
"That's fine with me, Vivi."
She winked at him. Vivi then blinked at her a few times, and turned his gaze to the cavern wall.
"There sure is a lot of growth over there. It almost looks like a crystal of some sort."
Eiko followed his gaze, nodding. "Yes, it's beautiful. Those crystals... or whatever they are... they kind of remind me of your eyes, Vivi." She smiled at him. Vivi just gave an odd look at Eiko. She blinked a few times in an attempt to show off her eyelashes. Vivi sighed.
"I get it now. You... like me... don't you?"
She giggled a little bit, and blushed softly, looking away. "Yup. You guessed it."
Vivi shook his head, looking down. "Eiko... you should have just told me. I would have gladly stayed here with you for a while, and we wouldn't be running from your parents and whatever search party they may be sending."
Eiko looked back at him, and became clingy.
"But, isn't this romantic? The two of us, together in this cart, running away from those who would look down on us... and besides, it was kind of fun riding on your head."
She released him and returned to giggling softly. Vivi blinked.
"I... guess..."
Eiko took this moment to look at his face, and she could swear she saw a small gray line to represent his lips as they smiled. They stared into each other's eyes for a while, just sitting there, until quite suddenly the Gargant came to a halt. The jerk caused Eiko's lips to touch whatever it was that Vivi substituted for lips for just a moment, as they both pulled away quickly. A bit of Vivi's face became a brighter shade, looking sort of gray, while Eiko blushed softly.
"That's odd... your lips aren't sticky like your head, Vivi."
They both smirked at each other. The Gargant was taking its time to munch a growth from the ceiling happily.
"Well, of course. How do you think I could kiss someone if I had sticky lips?"
They leaned in close to each other, inching their faces ever closer. They could hear the Gargant finishing up, and decided to just go ahead. Their lips pressed together, and stayed there for some time, even after the Gargant started up its slow pace again. When they broke from it, Eiko wore a slightly dazed look on her face.
"Vivi... what have you been eating?"
He chuckled softly. "It does have a strong taste, doesn't it? Fried owl. I'll have to cook you one sometime."
"Fried... owl? I had no idea you lived that rugged!"
Vivi nodded. "You better believe it."
Eiko sighed softly. "Wow... it's gonna be great staying with you!"
"I agree. So, have enough energy back for a Haste or Regen spell?"
Eiko smiled like a child eyeing a toy. "Well... maybe if I could suck some out of you, I could."
Vivi blinked, then thought of something. "Oh! You mean having me reflect an Osmose spell off of you, so that you absorb some of my magic?"
She shook her head, pulling him in close.
"Guess again..."
Vivi blinked a few times, then caught on. "Oh... I get it."
And once again, they were back in a kiss, this time with tongues trespassing into each other's mouths. The kiss didn't get much more passionate then that, but it lasted for a long time. While they were doing all of this, the search party had made it to the swamp. And Freya noticed the tracks in the muck, recognizing two distinct pairs, neither of them Qu in nature. Surely they had come this way. And so it was that Freya and the search party made their way down into Fossil Roo, and in hot pursuit of the escaping lovebirds.
Well? How was it? You like? OF COURSE YOU DO! But you have to review to let me know. So... what are you still reading for? REVIEW! Thank you.
