One Last Look

Prologue

The two children ran happily among the snow, kicking up clouds to try and hide their place from the other.

"You're slow!" yelled one, the girl, her light brown hair a mess from the wind. "Come on, Dart!" He laughed and tackled her, pushing her into a nearby bank. "Ahh! Hey!"

"You asked for it, Koro," he said. She grinned and pushed him off.

"That was still unfair. You're bigger then me."

"I can't help that." She made a face, then laughed, the smile spreading to her blue eyes. "So, Snow Bunny, what do we do now?"

"We're six and ten, Dart. There's not much we *can* do." He shrugged.

"It's up to you."

"Oh, so the big Dart is too tired from playing with a little *girl* to be creative?" she taunted. He stuck out his tongue.

"That's not funny." She pushed him playfully, knocking him over.

"Oh, it was very funny," she said. "And I have a better sense then you, mister 'don't-run-around-Neet-Square-in-her-shirt-sleeves'."

"You're father would absolutely kill me if he knew about that," he said firmly. "And you know that."

"Ah, pshaw. I have the guards and soldiers to watch me. You're my playmate, Dart, and my friend... or so I thought." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her tightly.

"Always my friend first," he said reassuringly. "And a princess second."

Chapter One - Shortly after Shana's Kidnapping by Zeig

"Ack! There's so many people!" Meru darted among the throngs of shoppers in the market and stopped when there was a clearing. Rose left their group to go look at the weapons booths and Miranda followed, eager to find a new bow. Kongol seemed out of place, but paid little heed to anyone who looked at him oddly. He was more intent on the activity and how it worked. Dart remained calm, despite the part of him that had always been happy at markets. The days of *that* were long gone.

Albert excused himself to go look at cloaks and Haschel simply wandered off. That left Dart alone to look through the wares, all while maintaining a bored and indifferent look. He stopped at a jeweler's booth, thinking both of Shana's love of beautiful jewelry and of someone else's, someone who had died with his past.

"May I help you?" asked a soft voice. He looked up and locked eyes with the silver haired matron, blue in gray. Her hair wasn't colored with age and her face was youthful, but saddened somehow.

"No," he said, studying her eyes intently. There was something about them, despite their color. "No, I was just looking." She nodded.

"Perhaps for a girlfriend?" The comment was bold, but she made it sound starkly normal. Her eyes glanced at Miranda and Rose momentarily and he realized she had seen them all together.

"No, no one I know is interested in-"

"Ooo!!" Meru came up behind him and almost pushed him away. "These are beautiful!" The matron smiled warmly and Meru went over the pieces. "Dart, don't you think they're pretty?"

"They're very nice," he agreed. Rose and Miranda came over a moment later.

"Are you Ryu Kokoro?" asked Miranda. She nodded. "One of the weapons makers sent us to you for magic weapons." Another nod.

"Come with me," she said. "What kind of weapon do you need?"

"A bow," said Miranda. Kokoro opened a flap of cloth, leading to a shop that also doubled as living quarters obviously. She indicated a line of weapons against a wall. Dart saw a multitude of swords and various other weapons.

"These are what I have," she said. "I don't know if they'll be any better for you then the other makers, but you can see." Meru was a bit more inquisitive about the rest of the room and gravitated towards a room at the back. She was about to push the curtain aside when Kokoro spotted her. "Don't go in there," she warned in a firm voice. Meru stopped and looked at Dart, who shook his head. She pouted and plopped on a stool, pouting. No one ever usually told her no. He had to smile at that.

Miranda handled the bows each carefully, somehow finding fault in each one. She sighed and shook her head finally. Kokoro nodded, just as a crash came from the back room.

"What in the name of-?!" Kokoro rushed into the curtain and came out a few moments later, carrying another bow, along with a broken staff under her arm. She set the staff pieces on the kiln and handed the bow to Miranda. "Try this one. I had forgotten about it." Miranda took the bow and something settled in the air. She examined the bow, turning it in her hands before lifting it up and testing the eye sight. Then she smiled and nodded.

"It's perfect," she said. "Absolutely prefect. How did you make it?"

"It's platinum," said Kokoro with a shrug. "Something my husband left to me before he ran off. I have some more in the back, but they're very fickle weapons to use. I've always gotten them back, one way or another." Miranda nodded, then chuckled.

"I'll use it wisely then," she said. "And it will stay away this time." Kokoro laughed, a familiar sound to some part of Dart.

"I believe you," she said honestly. There was a low rumble of thunder outside and she clicked her tongue against her teeth. "I have to go pick up my shop."

"We have to find our friends," said Miranda. "How much do I owe you for the bow?"

"500 gold," said Kokoro. "Do you have a place to stay for the night? There's a inn down the road. It's twenty gold a night." She nodded.

"Thank you. Come on." Rose stood from leaning on the wall and Meru straightened. She had been looking at the staff and the amulet on top.

"I'll stay and help Kokoro take down her shop," said Dart. At the lady's start to protest, he added "It will go faster and you can beat the storm." She closed her mouth and nodded hesitantly. "It's all settled them. You guys go on to the inn and I'll meet you there in a little bit." They nodded and left. "Well, come on." They walked outside as the dark clouds finished filling up the sky. She told him where to put what and easily pulled the two supporting poles from under the overhang, letting it fall against the side of the building. The other booths had already been taken down and they were the last people on the street. Between them, they managed to bring in most of the crates and she went back into the new rain to grab the last few. Dart went to help her, resulting in both of them being soaked to the bone. His armor kept him mostly dry, but she had nothing except for her skirt and tunic.

"Ah, that's not fun," she said, wringing the water out of her hair. "I'm going to go change. I'll get you a towel first." He nodded. "And don't think about going to the inn tonight. You wouldn't make it halfway there before you caught pneumonia."

"If you say so." She smiled and handed him a towel.

"Be right back." She disappeared behind the curtain and emerged a few minutes later in a fresh tunic and skirt. She sat down by the kiln and picked up the two parts of the staff and sighed. "I swear, I repair this thing more often then I get to use it."

"I can't imagine the Liana is a very dangerous city," he said calmly, drying his hair with the towel. He took his headband off and set it on the table next to him. "It's mainly guarded, right?" She nodded.

"But the guards can't keep out everything," she said softly. "And for that, I have this." She picked up a strip of silver metal from the top of the kiln and carefully wrapped it around the crack where the two pieces met. Then she smoothed the strip down with her fingers, oblivious to the temperature. "One of these days, I'll have this rightly repaired, instead of bandaging up the same old wound."

"Can't you do it here?" he asked. She shook her head.

"I don't have the skills," she admitted. "I can craft the stupid thing, but I can't fix it." He smiled and she chuckled. "My husband always said I could learn if I wanted to, but then why would I need him?" Dart laughed now and she joined him, laughing too. "I don't think we've been properly introduced. I am Ryu Kokoro."

"Dart," he said. "And my friend's were Miranda, Meru, and Rose."

"Meru most have been the one who was so curious," she concluded. "And Miranda the archer." He nodded. "And let me guess, you're a swordsman."

"I try," he joked. She smiled warmly and shook her head.

"I couldn't handle a sword if my life depended on it," she admitted. "I prefer the staff or a dagger, given a choice." She stood and tested the staff in her hands.

"Is the weight off because of the medallion?" he asked. She shook her head.

"I forced myself to remember it was there and now I automatically account for it," she said. "It's not that heavy anyway. It's platinum and the stone's the heaviest part."

"May I see?" She handed it to him and he looked over the amulet with interest. There was a silver/black stone surrounded by an intricately carved snake. The snake's eyes were tiny sapphires, cut to a point so they twinkled in every light.

"Did you make this?" She nodded.

"The stone was my husband's. I didn't have a figure head for my staff, so I just did that." There was a loud clap of thunder and a wind blew in through the front door, which hadn't been latched. "Gods!" She ran to close it, only to stop when a shadow blocked the way. "Oh no... you stay away from here!"

"Miss Ryu?" asked a cold voice. "It is nice to see you again." The candles puffed out, plunging the room into darkness. "Give me what I want or I will harm the child."

"You wouldn't *dare*." Dart listened intently, hearing Kokoro nearby, on his left, the stranger still by the door, and an odd sound behind him. "Dart, look out!" Something lunged and Dart turned quickly, unsheathing his sword. The blade cut easily through the shadow and it died with a pained cry. "That's it! I've had enough of this!" There was a glow of light from the top of her staff, illuminating the room. The stranger was near the kiln now, wrapped in shadow so the light simply disappeared before it hit him. The creature that had attacked Dart lay at his feet, dark green blood seeping around it.

*A kiwi,* he thought. *Here?*

"You touch Sayia and I'll kill you," said Kokoro with conviction. "And I'm not giving it up. You want, you prey it from my cold, dead fingers."

"That can be arranged..." It lunged, moving liquidly toward her. Dart moved too, bringing his sword forward to slice it in half. The blade caught on air and snapped with a loud crack, echoed in the thunder. Kokoro grimaced and swung her staff around her, catching the creature in the side. It hit a wall and crumbled.

"Come on!" she said quickly. "Into the back." He followed her, still astonished about his weapon. "Take this," she told him, pulling a sword from the shelf. "It's made with the same metal as my staff. It's the only thing that can effect that creature."

"What *is* that thing?" he asked.

"A Shadow, something that can't be fought except with platinum. I don't know *why*, but that's the way it works." Her eyes were full of light, worried and excited at the same time. This wasn't the first time she had fought with the Shadow. "Your sword is platinum too. Just don't try to cut it like you did, unless you're surprising it." He nodded.

"What is it after?" She held the staff out in front of her. The stone was glowing through its snake surrounding, almost as if trying to break through.

"This is. It's a stone I found when I was journeying and meant to give it to Sayia, until I found out it was a Magic implement." The curtain rustled and the room darkened. "It's awake."

"I guessed." They stood back to back, alert to their surroundings. She could hear the wind from the storm and Dart's breathing behind her. But her only sense that told her where the Shadow was was the feeling that ran from her staff into her body.

"I will not leave without that stone," hissed the air around them. "Or without your blood."

"Then you won't leave at all," she sneered. "Dart, in the corner!" She leapt, bringing her staff down. There was a satisfying thunk and the shadow collapsed. Dart drove his blade into its back without thinking or having to be told. Some part of him knew exactly what to do. They pulled back at the same time and looked at each other. A small grin spread between them. "Not bad, Dart, not bad."

"Not many merchants fight like that," he said. "Not so bad yourself." She nodded.

"Thank you." She leaned her staff against a wall and started to gather up other things around the room. "Take the other weapons," she said. "And give them to your friends. The woman, Rose, is a swordsman too, correct?" He nodded. "Good. And there's a glaive and arrows for Miranda. I hadn't thought to give them to her."

"Kokoro, why are you doing this?" She stopped and turned to face him.

"I've been hiding from that thing for over three months. If it knows where I am, it can sure as heck find Sayia. I have to go get her and find someplace else to put her until I figure out what to do. I'm giving you the weapons because I don't want to leave them here in the shop once I leave. And your group seems to have a knack for being able to handle them."

"But where will you go?"

"Bale." She wrapped the staff in a dark cloth and strapped it to her back.

"And after that?"

"I don't know. I honestly don't know." A cloak and a bag of clothes and such over her shoulder. "But it won't be back here. I'll have to send a pigeon Keaon that he can have what it's in my shop." She pulled her long hair into a horsetail behind her neck and sighed. "I hate to leave here..."

"Kokoro, I wish you would explain what is going on." Kokoro faced him and shook her head.

"You wouldn't understand. I'm sorry if I seem rude to you, but I don't have time."

"Don't you think you should at least wait until morning and rest? Not to mention it's storming outside." She shook her head.

"I can't, Dart, I'm sorry." She picked up a belt and fastened around her waist. "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Dart, and thank you for your help." She disappeared out of the curtain, then into the storm. He stood there for a moment before grabbing the sheath and taking off after her.

*******

Meru woke slowly, wrapped in a warm blanket and the even warmer sun around her. She smiled and sighed happily.

*I could stay here all day,* she thought. *Maybe I will. If *they* will let me.* A few moments later, the door to her room opened and Rose came in.

"Get up," she said. "We're leaving."

"No," said Meru sleepily. "*You're* leaving. *I'm* sleeping. And why are you waking me up? Where's Dart? At least he's nice about it." She sat up and let her hair fall unceremoniously in her face.

"Dart isn't here," said Rose, her voice and face dead pan, as usual. "He never came last night."

"So what? Maybe he got stuck in the storm at stayed at Kokoro's."

"The shop is empty and there was some sort of battle there last night," said Albert, coming in behind Rose. "Good morning, Meru."

"Morning, Al," said Meru, stretching. "Fine, I'm up, but there had better be food for this." She kicked the blanket off the bed and stood. After taking one last longing look at the bed, she raked her fingers through her hair and sighed. *Why am I even doing this? It's not like Dart can't take of himself. He did fine before any of us came along, obviously, since he's here. Or was, at least.* She was honestly too tired to care. *Soa, just let me go back to sleep.*

"Get your things," said Miranda, now the fourth person in the room. "One of the merchants just received a note from Kokoro saying he could have anything in her shop except the weapons in the back. Those are ours, payment for allowing Dart to travel with her."

"Does that make any sense to anyone?" asked Meru. "I mean, come on, Dart just wouldn't abandon us to chase after some chick... would he?"

"Just because he's a warrior doesn't mean he's any less of a man," said Miranda. Albert coughed. "And you're no better, making moon calf faces at Princess Emily. We all saw you." He blushed and Meru snickered.

"Still," said Rose. "He wouldn't abandon our mission. We need to find Shana and Zeig and he knows that."

"Rose has a point," said Albert. "I think we need to find him. But I want to see these weapons that Kokoro is giving us first."

"I know where they are!" said Meru. "They're in the back room at her shop!" No one said anything to that, just let her go on. Being sarcastic with Meru usually had strange results.

********

"I don't see what makes you think I'm gonna let you go with me all the way to Bale," said Kokoro, slicing the skin of the rabbit from its body. She handed him a chunk of the meat to Dart, who smiled.

"The fact that you haven't tried anything yet," he said. "And all you do is talk." She chuckled.

"You're tempting me to do more then talk," she said. "But as soon as we reach Bale, you have to turn back. You're obviously going some where with your friends and I don't want to be the one that stops you from succeeding." He sighed and watched the meat cook on the flame.

"The way it's going, I don't know if succeeding is even possible," he said. "It's just all... fallen in on itself in the last few weeks."

"That's the way I thought when my husband skipped town," she said. "I had Sayia to watch and then... those guys started showing up and..." She sighed. "I know how you feel."

"So we're both secretly depressed." They laughed and she shook her head.

"Yeah, we are," she agreed. "But, at least, we're the only ones that know it."

"Exactly." He pulled the meat off the fire and tore off a strip for her. "Here."

"Thanks." She took it with her fingers and wasted no time with eating it properly. "So," she said, wiping grease off her chin with her hand. "Where exactly are you from?"

"Nowhere really." She raised an eyebrow at that.

"Everyone's from somewhere," she said. "Even a traveler like you."

"Seles then," he said. "You?"

"Denigrad," she said. "And I don't ever want to go back."

"Were you there when the dragon attacked?" The question was casual, but she stiffened visibly.

"Yeah," she said nonchalantly. "I thought it was a foolish thing for the dragon to do. All it did was make the people mad at it." She chewed thoughtfully on her meat. "But the Dragoons defeated it and it's gone now."

"Yeah," he agreed. "It's gone." Something swooped down from the dark sky and plucked the meat from Kokoro's hand.

"What the-?!" The bird landed at the edge of the clearing, on a log, and started to tear at the chunk. "No, wait," she said softly as Dart started to stand. "It's alright." She wiped her hands on her skirt and whistled lightly. The bird lifted its head, a piece of rabbit still in its beak. "Keri... Keriaira..." The bird flapped its wings and screeched. "That's it, my friend. You remember me. Kokoro... Remember..." She stood slowly and crept across the distance of the clearing, her feet barely making sound on the dirt. "Keri bird, come here, you silly thing." It finished its meat and hopped onto the ground, waddling over to her. She lifted it up, ignoring the pain of its talons in her arm. "Dart, meet Keri. She's an old friend. She doesn't-" She was cut off as it lit from her wrist to Dart's shoulder. "Usually take to people. Wow, you are certainly something."

"Keri and I know each other, don't we, girl?" he said, stroking her feathers. "She used to belong to a friend of mine, when I lived in Neet, before the Black Monster attack." He glanced up at her and saw her staring at him in shock.

"D-Dart?" she asked in a whisper. "F-from Neet?" Her eyes glittered and she whistled again. "Keri, come. We have to leave." Keri went back to her shoulder and she scooped up her staff. "Go back to your friends, Dart, before you get hurt and we both regret you ever joining with me." She vanished into the shadows of the trees, leaving absolutely no trace to follow. He kicked dirt over the fire quickly, not really caring about the meat still on it. It hadn't taken much to catch two nice rabbits and he still had one anyway, so it would be alright.

"Kokoro, wait!" he said, chasing after her. He had to know why she had reacted like that! What had he said?! "Kokoro!"

"Why must you be so persistent?!" She turned and faced him angrily. Small flecks of sparkle whipped around her, disappearing in the air. Tears? "Just leave me alone!"

"What did I do?!"

"You wouldn't understand if I tried," she said. "It's too hard to explain everything."

"Koro." He caught her arm and turned her around. "Friends first, duty second." Her grey eyes widened in shock.

"You knew?!" she yelled. "Why didn't you say anything?!"

"Because people change, Koro. Neither of us are out going children anymore." She nodded.

"But you could've said something... something at least..." She trailed off uncertainly. "Dart... I don't want you to go to Bale with me. This isn't something I want to risk your life over something I can't control." He laughed softly.

"You haven't changed much," he said. "You hated having to let fate take influence over your life."

"Yeah, well, I had reason," she said softly. "I still do." He nodded. "Dart, please, don't follow me. I cannot ask you to..."

"Then don't ask," he told her softly. "You are my best friend, always and forever, and I don't really have a choice anyway. I have to protect you. Your father-"

"Don't bring him into this!" Her voice reached a new point. "My father has ~nothing~ to do with this!" He carefully wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her to his chest. She body shook with unshed tears. "I hate him... I hate him so much..."

"Let's go to Bale," he said softly. "And find your Sayia. Then we can work out everything from the past." She nodded.

"Let's..."

A/N: This is my first LOD fic, so be gentle on my mistakes, please? Let's see... there's gonna be some connectional stuff in the future, so watch out. Maybe you can catch it before I put it out in the open!;)