.

(Ellone)

It was nearing midnight, most of the students in Balam Garden were in their dorms trying to sleep, but after the events of the day, sleep did not come easy. They feared the White Army would attack when they least expected it. Fearing the same thing Rinoa, Xu and Nida kept watch at the Bridge.

A few minutes earlier Layla had come to join them. "So the Headmaster is gone?" She asked outraged.

"Yeah," Nida answered. "He asked me to go get a car for him, and I asked him which SeeDs he was going to take with him. He said he was going alone."

"Alone? But where?"

"To see his wife. He said he needed a vacation." Nida shook his head. "Fine time he picked. I couldn't stop him, he said not to worry, that Elise would make sure everything ran smoothly."

"Elise?"

"Supposedly. As you can see she's working extremely hard." Nida said sarcastically.

"So who's running Garden?" Layla asked concerned.

"Well since our Commander is, indisposed," Xu said, "just us three." She turned to Rinoa. "What are you doing?"

"Who?" Rinoa asked absently, she was staring at one of the security monitors.

"I didn't ask 'who'. Why are you still staring at that monitor?"

"I'm expecting someone," Rinoa said keeping her eyes on the monitor.

"Who?" Nida wondered.

"Wait," Rinoa said holding up her right hand. "I think they're coming."

They all turned their eyes to the monitor, what seemed to be a pair of headlights was approaching Garden. As the lights came closer they confirmed that it was a black car. It stopped in front of the parking lot ramp, then it flashed its lights twice, turned them off and flashed them twice again.

"It is them!" Rinoa exclaimed. "That's the signal I gave them."

"Who is it, Rinoa?" Nida asked. "We can't let just anybody in."

"It's not just anybody. Trust me, I know what I'm doing. There will be three Estharian soldiers, find some place for them to rest."

"Estharian soldiers?" Nida and Xu asked confused.

Rinoa turned to Layla, "come with me." Layla hesitated. "Come on they're waiting."

When they arrived at the parking lot Rinoa rushed to a panel on the wall. She pressed a button and part of the wall began to open from the top transforming itself into a ramp. Once the car was inside Rinoa brought up the ramp again.

Three Estharian soldiers stepped out of the car followed by...

"Ellone!" Rinoa ran up to hug her. "I was getting worried, you said you'd be here earlier. I was afraid something had happened to you."

"I'm sorry," Ellone said, "but we had a bit of car trouble."

"We have a lot to talk about, let's go to my room." Rinoa turned to the soldiers. "The elevator is in the center of Garden, go to the Bridge on the top floor and Xu will tell you where you can rest."

"Thank you." One of the soldiers said and the three proceeded to leave the parking lot.

"This is Layla," Rinoa said motioning toward her. "Zell's girlfriend."

"Hi." Ellone shook her hand.

"This way, Ellone," Rinoa turned toward the exit, "we'll explain everything."

"So that's pretty much the whole story." Rinoa said as they reached the door to her dorm.

"Does not sound good," Ellone said. Rinoa took a key card out of her jean's pocket and opened the door. "So what-" Ellone began, but was interrupted by Rinoa.

"Quiet!" Rinoa hissed pushing Ellone inside and closing the door.

"Why did you-" Layla stopped when she saw Elise approaching. "Oh." She said quietly.

Elise stopped in front of Rinoa. She was wearing black pants and a black leather jacket, her sword hung at her right hip. Her cold green eyes locked with Rinoa's, she was obviously trying to stare her down.

"I'm not afraid of you," Rinoa said responding to her unspoken challenge.

Elise stared at her a while longer, suddenly her expression changed and she smiled sweetly. "Not today, Little Sorceress." Her sweet smile disappeared leaving a look of pure hatred on her face. "But rest assured, you will have time to prove yourself." She gave Layla an evil look, then continued to walk down the hall.

"She's a freakin' psycho," Layla said once Elise had disappeared around the corner.

"No kidding," Rinoa said. "Come on, let's go inside."

Elise stood in the Second Floor Balcony, the breeze was softly blowing her hair. She was smoking a cigarette, she didn't smoke often, she had always considered it a disgusting habit. But since it wasn't a habit of hers, doing it once in a while seemed okay.

Elise threw what was left of her cigarette over the balcony. She pulled out her sword and absently ran her finger over the engraved name below the hilt. Elise Avalon. She ran her finger on the edge of the blade, she flinched when she felt it cut her skin. Elise quickly drew her finger away, and looked at the sword, a single drop of blood rested on the silver blade.

She cleaned away the blood; it always amazed her how blood could be so easily wiped away. It never left a mark on the sword, but she knew that her sword had left a mark on many lives; a mark that could never be erased.

All the lives she had taken had affected at least one person in some way. They had either benefited or suffered because of her... suffered was the most likely. Suffering seemed to follow wherever she went, people usually lost their loved ones, or were left behind by them.

How does it feel to lose someone you love? She wondered, or what was even more puzzling, how does it feel to be loved? She had never known that feeling, and she knew she never would. She had no family, and the only friends she had were under her power, once she released them they would realize that they didn't really care about her. They would want to kill her rather than protect her if they ever discovered the truth.

"You are the only friend who will never betray me." She said looking at her sword. "This is so damn pathetic." Elise laughed when she realized she had been talking to a sword.

But deep down inside she knew that was true. "And tomorrow, when I receive my powers...I won't need you anymore." She said as tears began to escape her eyes.