Author's note: Warning! This story will contain a very unlikely and perhaps even unpopular pairing! I'm sorry, but the more I think about it, the more I like it--just like my Nida/Fujin pairing! With that said, the first "true" romance story in the Fifteen Minutes saga! Ladies and non-ladies, for your reading pleasure, I present to you…
Beloved Aegis: The Tale of Oulan
The closest thing that Ouland could compare herself to was a turtle. She was by no means a hermit, or an antisocial loner, so that idea was dismissed. She did, however, have a very tough outer shell, which was the result of genetics and years of training. Her parents were both warriors, one an Amazon and the other a Berserker, so her build was partially traceable to an earlier generation--but she also trained her body whenever she could, so as not to lose such a precious gift.
However, as a turtle is impenetrable on the outside, if one should break the shell, then they would find soft innards. It was the same with Oulan: hard and muscular on the outside, but gentle and kind on the inside. Of course, as many people were unable to see past the shell of a turtle, so Oulan exude a similar aura wherever she went. Not only was she quite tall for a woman, but she was also very muscular, and she had a kind of glare to her eyes that sent lesser people scrambling. She was as intimidating as they came, which caused many simple-minded people to stir countless rumors about her.
#1: She's a deadly, powerful warrior. That one was true--it was very true.
#2: She's butch. Well, if butch meant that she was tall and muscular and intimidating, then yes.
#3: She's an emotionless loner. Not true. Oulan expressed just as many emotions as any other woman, and she didn't shine to privacy as much as other people. Oulan would never decline the company of another, unless there was some very good reason for it.
#4: She's a lesbian. Well, it was true that the only people who really admired her work were girls, and thanks to than silly "fan club" of theirs, perhaps a few unfair and nasty thoughts had circulated around. Oulan did admit that she preferred defending the female gender, but then again, it was usually this gender that needed help more. In reality, Oulan had a sort of crush on a very important young man, but of course, since he was of high class, she didn't reveal these feelings. Oulan knew how to act professional, especially around the people she liked, so it wasn't like she was a hopeless romantic.
#5: She's an orphan. Well, if the definition of an orphan was somebody who lost their parents to natural causes three years ago, then yes, it was true.
#6: She's too cold and hard to really care about anybody--she just does her job. Definitely not true. While employed in the Stupid Army, Oulan gathered quite an assortment of friends around her--yes, mostly women, but several men chummed up with her as well. Oulan especially grew attached to Emilia, Hanna, and Wakaba, the former being something of a counselor in times of distress, the latter being a kind of pupil (whenever Long Chan-Chan was unavailable), and Hanna basically being an omnipresent friend.
#7: She has a thing for Emilia. True--they were an extremely unlikely pair, much like Marlowe and Koyu, but those two definitely weren't any closer than best friends, and so was it with the librarian and the bodyguard. "And besides," Oulan would say (oftentimes to Hanna, Emilia, or herself),"if those morons knew the truth, they'd probably all die from the shock!"
#8: She has a thing for Shu. True. Only too true…
This last rumor was perhaps the most unknown, as well as the one that was kept the best. Only the smallest whispers went around Stupid Castle, concerning Oulan's unknown "love", and most of those had been started by those crazy people whose apparent job was to bring one person to another in some kind of romantic connection. It was these same people who claimed that Koyu liked Wakaba (which was true), and that Jeane and Raura were an item (which was not), and Camus and Miklotov were lovers (also untrue).
But, unknown to everyone save the small few that Oulan really trusted, the whispers about her attraction to Shu were dismissed as silly and harmless claptrap. After all, there were a million and a half other "possible romances" that these silly people had concocted, many of whom focused on Lord Rious' preference or Lord Shu's preference, so in fact not a one could be believed unless backed up by the persons in question. And except for a small number of trustworthy people, Oulan hadn't told a soul about her "love".
When the redheaded bodyguard first enlisted in the Stupid Army, Lord Riou had just given Solon Jhee a royal kiester-whipping. He had earned the respect of South Window, Two River, and a few other locales who had suffered too long under Highland's oppression. Oulan, a professional bodyguard who had just stepped into unemployment, had also heard about Riou's victory, though never did she expect to actually meet the hero. When she did, ironically enough, it was when a group of nasty thugs had ganged up on him. Riou had apparently felt confident about his skills and thus surrounded himself with five beautiful women, which only helped to draw out the nasties of the street.
Luckily, a jobless Oulan was there to save him, and the encounter led her to Stupid Castle--and to one of her longest and most difficult jobs. Like a true bodyguard, she vowed to stay on until the very end, and then planned to either employ herself with one of the members of the Army, or else wander off elsewhere in search of gainful employment. Oulan was a powerful woman with a vicious attack, and she had a responsibility to use such powers in the right way, so it was the life of an Aegis for her.
She just never expected to find a "different" reason to remain.
Oulan met Shu on casual terms and thought little of the first encounter. As head strategist for the Army, he assigned himself to become acquainted with everyone Lord Riou brought in, whether they were known or unknown. It was these ambiguous people that Shu attended to the most, for he was a shrewd young man, and could discern between true friend and bitter foe. From what Oulan later learned from Emilia, there had been many questionable people that came through the castle doors, but many of them later proved their loyalty and worth. Of course, there were always people like Hoi and the Lampdragon Bandits milling around, and when the enigmatic Pesmerga signed on, even Shu felt uneasy about the encounter. Luckily, the figure in black armor kept mostly to itself, and the Lampdragons were quite reliable and trustworthy, and Hoi……
Well, four out of five wasn't bad…
As for Oulan, Shu apparently believed in Lord Riou's decision. When she told him about her profession as a bodyguard, the dark-haired man smiled and raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
"I wonder," he told her, "whether you can live up to your claims." Oulan had crossed her arms and gave him a blank stare.
"Do you have any means wherein I can prove myself?" she asked. Shu pursed his lips and thought about it.
"Lord Riou has suggested the construction of a dojo in order to physically train our troops," he mentioned. "Perhaps, with someone so obviously skilled in hand-to-hand combat now on our team, maybe it really is time to start building one. But as for your skills……" Lord Shu had trailed off, his brilliant mind bubbling up a way for Oulan to demonstrate her skills. Just then, Viktor had strolled in and complained about a stubborn boulder that had been lying in the hallway--most likely one of the last resilient members of the castle's former ruin.
"I can smash it up if you want me to," said Oulan. "All I'd really need is protection for my hands. I'm strong, but my skin would still break if it smashed up against a rock." Lord Shu nodded his head in agreement and gave Oulan some gauntlets. She then proceeded to lead Shu and Viktor to the aforementioned boulder, and then proceeded to smash it to dust. It did take her quite a bit of pummeling, and her gauntlets were terribly bent out of shape by the time she was finished, but it had been enough to convince Shu that Oulan lived up to her claims.
"Holy crap!!!" Viktor had squealed. "Oh, man! If she could do that to that big boulder…" The mere possibility of Oulan's strength dazzled Viktor, so much so that he took several humorous steps backwards. Shu, on the other hand, rubbed his chin and smiled.
"Fascinating," he said. "Miss Oulan, we should like to employ you as soon as we can. You obviously have a strength far beyond that of a normal person."
"Thanks," she said with a wave. Had he complimented her two weeks later, when she was at the height of her infatuation, the poor woman would've probably blushed or at least stammered. Oulan, tough as she was, had a tender spot for those people who could not defend themselves (hence her friendship with Emilia and subsequent attraction to Shu), and although he had the mind of a world-class strategist, Shu was anything but a fighter. He could hold his own when it came down to mental capacity, but in a situation that required strength, he was out of his league.
Of course, Oulan's affections for him did not run so shallow as that. She also liked Emilia for the same reasons she liked Shu (her relationship with Wakaba and Hanna were completely different situations), and there were many others in the Stupid Army who were also physically unable to fight--or at least unable to fight well (she recalled a friendly sparring match between Meg and Millie that led to nothing but hilarious disaster). But, just as she was different from the warrior Hanna or the swordsman Humphrey, so Shu was different from any other "defenseless" person she knew.
Yes, he was brilliant, and yes he was generally a good man, with a bit of an edge to him, but Oulan saw something in him that very few other people did. Perhaps only Apple really understood Shu that well, and luckily (for Oulan, that is), the girl with the golden-brown hair saw Shu as little more than a kind of big brother (and vice-versa). Everyone in the Stupid Army knew that Apple cared for Shu; this was a given. But Nanami also cared for her "brother" as well, and of course they weren't in love (luckily for Eilie).
What Oulan saw in Shu was not a struggle nor a sin that had to be conquered before a greater level could be achieved. Unlike some of the members of the Stupid Army, Shu did not have a depressing story behind his good looks, nor did he have a load of angst, regret, or trouble on his brow. Indeed, if ever there was a case for happiness, then Shu would be the one to exercise it. He was young, wealthy, brilliant, attractive, respected, important, and generally a good man with few problems in the world, save for his busy schedule. He had a definite strength to him that was rare in other men, and Oulan admired this secret strength of his.
But, then again, she had to admit that he was downright attractive, and quite the gentleman. Of course, men like Shu would probably be best-suited with another classy and sophisticated woman--like Emilia! (The librarian herself blushed a little when Oulan suggested this) Teresa Wisemail made a little more sense as a possible love interest for Shu, and perhaps if one stretched the possibility enough, Leona was as well. Women like Oulan couldn't possibly be seen with men like Shu (Viktor could easily empathize with the redhead).
So even though she knew that her admiration and slight infatuation would be left unreturned, Oulan continued to harbor her feelings and thoughts, leaving them bottled up inside. She knew that she was doomed to keep them in there forever, for once the war was over (it was becoming more and more inevitable by the week), she and Shu would most likely part ways without anything more than a thank-you and a farewell.
"Such is love," Emilia told her. "I of all people can attest to its painful sting."
"Ah, so do you have a certain person in this castle that's gained your interest?" smiled Oulan. Emilia's face turned a little pink, but it wasn't quite red just yet.
"Oh, nobody in particular. I can say that if a gentleman were to visit me here and ask me out for the evening, I would not decline, but no--there is no specific person here that I 'have my eyes on'."
"But you were in love once," stated Oulan. Emilia nodded her head.
"Yes… Of course, it's only human nature to love others. There are definitely cruel people in this world, but I believe--naively, if you want--I believe that all people, deep down inside, are really working for the betterhood of everybody else. Remember, Kiba and Klaus were just two of the many righteous Highlanders, and from the scant details Lord Riou has provided, it seems that Princess Jilia is also a diamond in the rough."
"Yeah… Seed and Culgan are pretty hot, too," remarked Oulan with a wolfish grin. This was the button that activated the red in Emilia's face.
"Oulan…!!"
"Whaaaat? They are! Hey, I'm just trying to live by the old adage, 'Love thy enemy'."
"Oulan, I don't think the sacred scriptures meant that kind of love," remarked Emilia. Oulan chuckled roughly.
"Yeah, well, why not? C'mon, admit it--you think they're pretty dashing too."
"I won't say a thing!" exclaimed Emilia gently, though her pinkish face betrayed her. Oulan smiled roughly, rubbed her unlikely friend's shoulder, and gave the slightly-older woman a wink.
"Ahh, don't worry about it. We can harbor a little bit of attraction to them. It's only natural. C'mon, don't be so stiff and formal. Of course, I'm not saying that you should completely give in to your desires--"
"And that at least is reassuring," smiled the librarian. Oulan nodded her head, and walked over so she was leaning up against the wall, right next to the door. She crossed her arms in a way that made her enemies run in fear and her closest friends relax in safety. Oulan might've been tall, intimidating, and powerful, but in truth, she was really as gentle as a lamb (a very powerful lamb, maybe, but a lamb nonetheless). She and Emilia got along so well because they were the yin and yang to each other: one was strong on the outside, one was strong on the inside. One was sharp-minded, the other was sharp-fisted. One was sweet, one was spicy, and they were both beautiful in their own way (no wonder so many rumors had circulated around these two).
"So," said Emilia after a long pause, "what are you going to do about… 'you know'?"
"Probably nothing," shrugged Oulan. "Think about it. Me and Shu? Get real! I mean, sure I like the guy, but do you really see me with him?" Emilia sadly shook her head.
"No offense, Oulan, but to be honest, I really can't see you with anyone."
"None taken, but what do you mean?" Emilia quietly swallowed, adjusted her glasses, and made sure she was going to say the right things before she elaborated.
"Well… would you be interested in, say, anyone here in this army?"
"Possibly," replied the bodyguard. "It depends."
"All right, let's say that there's a man in here that you like, but he's older than you--say, by ten years. Would that be a problem?"
"Not really," she said with a lazy wave. "I can handle ten years, maybe even more. I'm not too picky on age, if that's what you're thinking. I know Shu's two years younger than I am, but--"
"I never said anything about Lord Shu," said Emilia with a sly smile. Oulan grumbled darkly and snorted.
"Hmph… wise acre…" Emilia chuckled and let the harmless insult slide.
"So do you also have no qualms about a man being ten years your junior?"
"I don't think we should be pairing me up with a seventeen year-old," grunted Oulan. "I don't like kids the same way Hanna does. Make that nine years."
"Or whatever," muttered Emilia. "In any case, I suppose you'd have no problems if--"
"No, no, I'm not too picky when it comes to age," replied Oulan. "No old geezers, no kids. That's all." A pause.
"All right. Well, we've narrowed down the search a little. Tell me, Oulan, would you prefer a man like… oh, say, the legendary gladiator Morgan?"
"I hate to contradict myself, but… yes," she said with a smirk. "I'm always up for dating a legendary warrior-turned-priest."
"And would you also date a man like… oh, say… Zamza?"
"Blech, no!" groaned the bodyguard. "He's too egocentric for me."
"I don't mean like a narcissist, I mean like a mage."
"Oh." A pause. "Well, I suppose…… Uh, no, I don't think I'd go well with a mage. There isn't one person in this castle who is both magically skilled and mentally sane. Think about it--Zamza's probably the most normal magic-user we have. Luc is too sarcastic and scalding, Viki and Millie are sweet but utterly mindless, Jeane is a little on the strange side, and I don't even wanna talk about Raura!"
"Point taken," pointed Emilia. "Well then… What about Dr. Huan?"
"I thought you liked him," pointed Oulan. Again, the button that made Emilia's face turn red had been pushed.
"Ehhhh, heh, umm… Just using him as an example! Well, um, uhhh… Would you go for, uh… Lord Jess?"
"Raura likes him."
"Viktor or Flik?"
"Viktor's sweet but a bit on the irresponsible side, and I don't think Flik's interested yet."
"How about Richmond?" A dark pause.
"I hope you're kidding."
"Ugh, sorry… Yeah, you're right, he's a bit of a creep. Well, uh, what about Tai Ho or Yam Koo?" Oulan shrugged.
"I'm sorry, Emilia, but I guess I'm just a hopeless cause. …Oh, blast, you were right!! I can't see myself with anybody else, either!"
"Except for Lord Shu," noted the librarian. This time, it was Oulan's face that gained a pinkish hue.
"………Why you little…"
"Go ahead and admit it, my friend," pointed the older woman. "You like him. I'll admit I like Dr. Huan if you'll admit you like Shu."
"Aha! So you DO--"
"Oulan…!" Emilia's stern scolding voice was enough t silence the powerful bodyguard, and with a sigh, she revealed her feelings.
"All right, all right, I'm very much attracted to him and all that nonsense. There, you happy?"
"You know I am," smiled Emilia. Oulan, for all her muscle, couldn't find the strength to smile along with her unlikely friend, and left the room shortly thereafter to be by herself.
Since Tetsu rarely allowed anyone complete privacy in the baths, Oulan just had to hope that nobody else wanted to use them. She was, after all, quite tired after her long day (she had been out fighting shortly before her heart-to-heart with Emilia), and very much wanted to both relax in a toasty tub and be alone, and for awhile it looked like she would have both. As fate would have it, though, she would soon be joined by another woman--and out of all the females in Stupid Castle, the one that joined her in the bath was none other than Apple herself.
It wasn't as if Oulan had a rivalry with the young strategist. If Apple and Shu were romantically attracted to each other, then Oulan had two extra arms, so it wasn't like they were going to compete over the man. In fact, Oulan liked Apple a little bit. It was just that she was the wrong person to share a bath with, and Oulan wanted to have a moment to herself, and there was going to be a big battle coming up sometime in the future, which meant that the topic would eventually point towards Shu.
"Oh, hello," said Apple with a wave. Oulan regarded the young woman with a silent, curt nod, and tried her hardest to get back to meditating. The bath was hot but not unbearable, and definitely the best place to go if one wanted to relax, or to talk. Apple thankfully kept silent throughout her visit, and seemed happy enough to shrink back to a corner and splash around a little. Oulan almost never started a conversation herself, unless it was with someone she genuinely called a friend. She spoke only when spoken to, which left Apple the responsibility of speaking first.
"…You think we'll win this next battle?" asked the young lady suddenly. The tone of her quiet voice indicated that this was an extremely general question that could've been shot out at anybody, be it Shu, Oulan, Gengen, or Nina.
"I hope we do," replied Oulan in her usual husky voice. "It would suck if we came all this way just to lose."
"Yeah, it would…" Apple, who came off as more of an adult than a teenager, smiled just faintly as she agreed with the older woman. Then, the inevitable question popped up. "…What do you think Shu will have us do?"
"He's probably already come up with some wacky scheme already," muttered the guardian. "You should know him more than I do. If you put him, Klaus, Jess, Hauser, Teresa, Kiba, and Ridley together in the same place, they could probably think up of a way to take over the world." Apple smiled weakly at the failed attempt at humor, and Oulan quickly wished that she hadn't said such a silly thing. Too late now. Ah well. It was just a joke.
"…So do you think we have a chance at winning?" asked Apple in that same general tone of hers. Smalltalk… only smalltalk… Jeez, lady, I'm not just some faceless soldier that you can speak too! I've got opinions and feelings too!
"Oh, we've got a chance, all right," noted Oulan. "Even if it's a million to one, we still have a chance. No guarantees or anything, if that's what you're asking. But yeah, we could win, just like we could also lose. It's all in how we fight--and how they fight as well." Apple nodded her head at Oulan's surprising wisdom (Emilia, Hanna, and Wakaba all knew that the redheaded guardian was a lot smarter than she looked), and seemed to find some kind of comfort in the older woman's advice.
"I see…" Silence once again overcame the duo, until they were joined by an extremely sober Anita--which in itself was a rarity, considering how often she drank. Poor woman put Viktor to shame at times (though not even the two of them combined could hold a candle to Humphrey's presence in the bar).
"Well, ladies, it looks like it's become a little popular in here," said the swordswoman as she slipped into the bath. Anita had the beauty of a lady and the strength of a warrior, whereas her temporary companions just had one or the other. It was extremely rare to see a woman who looked gentle on the outside but was truly strong when it came to skill, so Anita had her fair share of envious admirers. Oulan simply regarded her as "an annoyance with the potential to be a good friend"; Apple sneezed something powerful.
"Take care, little Apple," smiled Anita as she submerged herself partially. "We wouldn't want you to turn into a fairy on us, now would we?" No verbal answer came from the shorter, younger woman, unless one considered the slight groan she emitted.
"Lady Apple is concerned about the upcoming battle," mentioned Oulan in the same general tone that she younger woman had used. Anita regarded her temporary companion with that same mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Well who isn't? It's only one of the most decisive fights we've submitted ourselves too. Even old Valeria looks concerned, and I haven't seen her worry about anything ever since the Gate Rune Wars."
"Speaking of which, where is she?" asked Apple, who seemed to finally get rid of her bland, emotionless, generalized words. "Lords Shu, Ridley, and Kiba are gathering in the Great Hall, and since she's one of our main leaders…"
"How should I know?" snorted Anita. "I'm not her keeper. I hope she's alive for the sake of the war--I mean, I guess a fighter like her can contribute a little bit to the cause--but for all I know, she could be dead in a ditch."
"Yes, that would be unfortunate," muttered a voice from outside. Oulan didn't have to turn around to know who it was, but she did anyway. As if to mock her desire for privacy even more (as well as Anita's blaringly sober mood), General Valeria stepped into the bath with a towel around her hair and body. She gave her rival a civil glare before slipping in the water, and waded as far away from the other woman as she could.
"Valeria, where were you?" sang Anita in an apathetic tone. "Did you know that Miss Apple was looking for you?"
"Yeah, the meeting's already over," answered the General blandly. "We move out tomorrow. Ugh, and if you don't mind, I really would like to be alone for awhile. Unlike you, I actually have a duty to perform, so I need my rest."
"Hey, you take that back!!" snapped the blonde. "I might not have been promoted to Lieutenant and then to a General, but I can certainly hold my own against you! Apple! You tell her how much I've done for this army!" Apple meekly turned her focus to Valeria, who was giving the younger woman a reasonably civil stare.
"She is a valuable asset to the army," reasoned the girl. Valeria grumbled softly.
"Right, whatever. Anyway, if you don't mind…?" Apple immediately got the point and scurried out of the bath to give Valeria her privacy; Oulan for the most part was ignored, which was (for the moment) a good thing, since she really didn't want to involve herself in more conflicts than necessary. The brunt of Valeria's attention had been driven solely on Anita, and vice-versa, and Oulan prepared herself should she have to break the two women apart before they decided to kill each other.
"Please leave," ordered Valeria. Anita gave the woman a nasty smirk.
"Hmph, I have as much right to be here as you do."
"I would like to be alone now," stated Valeria in a voice so scalding that it made the hot water seem frozen. Oulan sighed, trying her absolute best to remain neutral in the age-old conflict. Personally, she thought the two acted more like sisters than rivals, and at times could be very cooperative. When they fought together against Luca Blight, they were nearly unbeatable, but competition was usually their goal, and sadly, their full potential almost never was unleashed. It really was depressing, but on a more humorous note, some of the crazy romantic rumor-spreading people had claimed that the two swordswomen were much, much more than rivals.
"…So go off and be alone, then," sniffed Anita with a wave of her hand.
"I would very much like to take a nice, long, hot bath by myself," growled Valeria through clenched teeth. Anita made a face and sighed.
"Val… is the situation really that bad??"
"Worse than you can imagine."
"I dunno," sang Anita doubtfully. "I can imagine quite a bit."
"Please leave," sighed Valeria in defeat. Oulan, sensing that her usefulness was coming up fast, cracked her knuckles and made her presence known.
"You know," she said, "I can escort her out if you want me to. I'm finished here anyway."
"No," sighed Valeria, "if she's going to be stubborn about it, then I might as well go off somewhere else. Thanks for offering." The auburn-haired General slowly rose out of the steaming water, shivered a little at the air, and toweled herself off.
"You know, I can leave if it's really that important," offered Anita. Valeria turned around, and actually offered her rival a smile.
"No…… We've been through battles before. I don't think this situation calls for a hot bath, anyway. A hot meal, maybe…"
"Need some unwanted company?" offered Anita. Valeria sighed.
"Some other time. Anita, as much as I despise you, I certainly wouldn't want to see you die. I'm going to fight extra-hard tomorrow, so you should, too--that is, if you think you can handle it."
"Are you kidding?" scoffed the blonde. "Just you wait, Val. I'll slaughter so many enemy soldiers that you'll have an orgasm." Valeria sneered at the last inappropriate word and hissed in disgust.
"Not exactly the imagery I wanted to have in my head at this time."
"I'm sure Sir Miklotov would disagree," grinned the warrior coolly. Valeria blushed a little.
"………Whatever. I hope you slip on a bar of soap and break your neck."
"And I hope you die of food poisoning." Valeria left with a nod, leaving Anita to soak with Oulan. The redheaded fighter merely shook her head in amazement.
"You really do care for her, don't you?" she said. Anita smiled slyly.
"Of course. Isn't it obvious?"
"Oh, painfully obvious……"
The concerns of Apple, Anita, Valeria, Oulan, Shu--everybody, in fact--were laid to rest once the battle was fought and won. Mere weeks passed, yet the steamroller that was the Stupid Army continued to press onward, from Greenhill to Rockaxe and then to the capitol, L'Reinouille. Oulan was one of the five people selected to personally raid the castle (along with Zamza, she had to note with a dry lack of enthusiasm), but before she ran inside with her sworn leader, she took one last look back at Shu, to see if he had any sort of readable expression at all.
Hope. That's all that was on there. Just hope.
"Hey, Shu!" called Oulan. The strategist paid her audience as she called out to him. "I'm gonna go kick some Highland tail now, if that's all right with you. Forgive me if I suddenly forget the definition of 'restraint'!"
"I understand perfectly!" he replied. Oulan smiled at him, though not in the way she really wanted to, and left to follow Riou, Zamza, and the other three people into the bowels of Highland's headquarters. If she never made it out of there alive, then…… Well, she would just die an honorable death.
Hey, Emilia. Don't tell him anything if I don't make it, okay?
With the war but a distant memory and the celebratory ball just a few hours away, the only thing Oulan could really do was sulk. The good news was that she would have a golden opportunity to finally reveal her feelings to Shu--and the war was over--but the bad news was that she had to wear formal clothes. Perhaps the only other member of the army that had the same hatred of formal wear was Hanna (who was currently trying to curse her way out of being stuffed into a golden dress). Oulan was at least silent about the whole thing, but that might have actually been worse. She did look quite ravishing in her crimson-red dress, but she felt stupid.
"Hush up," hissed Emilia playfully as she pinned Oulan's short hair into braids. "You look perfect. Nobody will be able to resist you."
"That's not what my martial arts instructors told me," muttered the younger woman. Emilia chuckled and playfully stuck her muscular friend with the dull end of a needle, producing a sharp "Ouch!" from the strong woman.
"You little--"
"Ssh! Don't move or I really will poke you by accident!" warned Emilia. Oulan grumbled and muttered, and left no expletive unsaid as she forced herself to go through with the painful ordeal. Most everyone who had fought in the war had been invited for the celebratory ball, except for those who were "too cool" to stick around. Lord Riou wasn't in sight, to the disappointment of many, but once Shu told everyone where he had ran off to, they all began to understand his reasons. Oulan was also glad that Nanami was safe and sound. Because she had been one of the people who actually went into Rockaxe, she partially blamed herself for the near-loss of the adorable young girl. Luckily, Nanami really was stronger than she looked, so that at least was come consolidation.
"This sucks big time," pouted Wakaba, who looked very adorable--and very feminine--in her cute orange dress. "I can't dance, I hate these snazzy balls, the food is probably horrible, and I can't move a muscle without feeling all stiff and scratchy. Why can't I wear my old karate uniform."
"Because," replied Teresa matter-of-factly, "this is a sophisticated, elegant ball. You really should thank Lord Shu, myself, and all the others for organizing it--and of course, who knows where we'd be without sir Vincent and sir Simone."
"(Probably out having a real party,)" murmured Oulan to Wakaba. The young girl giggled at her co-mentor's joke, and not even the quiet glare from Teresa could quite silence her. Hanna, poor Hanna, could only wear a permanent scowl as her own muscular body was slowly morphed into a more feminine one.
"You look fabulous," complimented Leona. Hanna's scowl grew.
"I wish I were dead."
"Now now, you might enjoy yourself." Hanna gave Leona a dirty look (which oftentimes was expression enough, whenever the warrior chose not to speak), but by some majestic power, none of the females really made that much of an effort to get away from the ball. Of course, on the other side of the dressing room, Koyu, Amada, and Rikimaru were having similar problems……
Despite their disagreement, the three ladies were shoved out onto the ballroom floor, and forced to mingle with everyone else. Wakaba tried to conspire with Oulan, as the young girl already had a plan of escape, but she received a shocking reply.
"You go on ahead," sighed Oulan. "I heard that Lord Shu's offering me a permanent place in the new country. I can't turn that down no matter how much I want to. You go on ahead without me."
"…But…"
"Or you could stay here," offered the guardian. Wakaba briefly considered her options, and for a moment she wanted to stay, but when she saw her master and Koyu both conspiring in the corner by themselves, she ultimately decided to join them, and together, the three of them snuck out the first chance they could.
"It's just as well," commented Teresa as she joined Oulan. "This really isn't the kind of place for a thief or a martial artist. They obviously have a more 'entertaining' event planned. I am, however, slightly surprised to see Lady Hanna staying."
"She's got a thing for somebody here," pointed the bodyguard nonchalantly. "I'm sure she'd never even look at this room unless there was somebody here she genuinely liked. I dunno. Me? I heard I was gonna get a position in this new country they're gonna make."
"That's right," agreed Teresa. "I heard that you were going to be captain of the bodyguards. You'll have your own regiment of students to teach and everything. It's definitely not the kind of thing my own protector is planning to do."
"I don't suppose Shin's here?" asked Oulan. Teresa nodded her head and subtly pointed off to a dark corner, wherein Shin stood hidden, watching the event like a bouncer. Oulan smiled as she saw him. "Well, whaddya know…"
"Excuse me," said Teresa suddenly, "I must go somewhere. I suppose you're not going to dance with anybody?"
"I certainly would if they asked me," replied Oulan. "I might not know how, but that's no excuse to be rude. Then again, I don't know of anybody who actually would ask me, so I guess I'm safe."
"I know there's going to be some young gentleman who'll want to dance with me," said Teresa with a smile. "I'm positive that Vincent and Simone will ask, and maybe Lord Shu or Jess. I may even let Pico waltz with me for awhile."
"Yeah, right," snorted Oulan. "Knowing him, he'll have half the girls on his dance card before he even arrives. He's just like Sheena, only a lot more successful." Teresa nodded her head quietly, and excused herself again before mingling with everyone else. Sure enough, as soon as a song started, Simone was the first one to ask for a dance, wherein she accepted.
Poor Oulan was left to be a wallflower, along with Eilie, Viki (who had been too spaced-out to accept any offers), Hanna, and an impressive handful of men--most of whom looked as uncomfortable as Oulan felt. She caught the sad gaze of Tai Ho and gave him an apologetic smile and shrug. Before Oulan had time to sit and watch everyone else have "fun", however, Shu of all people approached her.
"May I speak with you in private, please?" he asked. Oulan, figuring that this was most likely about her new position, pushed her hidden emotions down and followed the young man. Okay, Oulan. Let's be reasonable. He's an attractive, rich, respected young man who's happy with his life and currently single. He's also going to be very busy with this new country, since Riou is on his journey, so don't believe for a second that he'll have any time for you. This is business, Oulan, so don't hold your breath and hope.
"So what's up?" she asked. "Is this about my, erm, 'promotion'?" Now that Shu and Oulan were in private quarters--one of the many balconies of Stupid Castle--they could easily have a more private conversation, and normally, this was what Oulan had wanted. But after assuring herself that she had no chance of ever being with him, it wound down to another business meeting.
"Yes, it is," he told her. "Miss Oulan, your assistance to the Stupid Army has been most invaluable, and since you've contributed so much to our cause, and since you've been with us for so long, I have indeed decided to place you in a position where you will be most beneficial. Please note that you will most likely be working with your fellow comrades, sometimes in close quarters, even."
Close quarters? she thought to herself. Ho, boy. Oh, no you don't! Don't think for a moment that just because you're going to see more of Shu, it also means you can…… well… "express" yourself. It's all business from here, girl.
"I can handle that," she said with a nod. Shu smiled at her.
"Good, good. I… assume you already know where you'll be put."
"Yeah, Lady Teresa kinda filled me in," she said. "Bodyguard instructor, huh? Well, I guess it makes sense."
"I'm glad that there won't be any problems," Shu said with a smile. Oh, there'll be problems, all right. I'll be in close quarters with you, and yet…
"……I hope not," she muttered. Shu smiled one last time and shook her powerful hands.
"Well, I'm glad we were able to agree so easily. Most everyone else I've talked to either had problems with the new arrangements, or else they were completely against them. Of course, there were people like Zamza who assumed I only gave them that position because of their greatness…"
"You put Zamza somewhere?" Shu nodded his head.
"Magic instructor. I had to have somebody I knew in that field, and out of all the available mages, his personality was the most normal." Oulan let out a faint smile, as the words of Emilia echoed back to her in an eerily familiar tone. Yes, Zamza was definitely normal compared to… say, Millie, or Mazus, or Raura.
"I see." A pause. Oulan desperately wanted to tell him everything she felt…… but it would've been a sheer waste of time. Shu would definitely blow her off--or worse, tell her "thanks but no thanks, but keep looking, and someday, you'll find the right person". Those kinds of responses personally made Oulan sick in places that even Dr. Huan didn't know about.
"Well, I must be going," said Shu, and he turned around to leave. Every last fiber in Oulan's brain screamed out for her to say something, anything, before he was lost to her forever. She decided to take a gamble, put everything in ante, and went for broke.
"Lord Shu?" He turned around to see what else she wanted. "Answer me a strange question." A pause.
"How strange."
"Really strange." Another pause.
"…Okay. Ask." Oulan took a deep breath to prepare herself.
"I've always wondered something, ever since I first met you," she began. "Tell me, Lord Shu, what are the chances of a man like you and a woman like me being together?" Shu's face twisted a little from the unexpected question, but despite his confusion, he genuinely gave it some thought.
"I'd say that my chances with you might not be that great."
"I didn't mean it like that!!" chuckled the guardian. She paused, wanting so desperately to get her words right. "…What I meant was… what would my chances be with you?" Again, Shu paused and considered the question before actually responding.
"…Oulan, are you interested with me?" Smiling slyly, the redheaded woman decided that since she had pushed the envelope this far, she might as well go all out.
"Yeah," she said nonchalantly. "Why, is there a problem?" Smiling just faintly, Shu shook his head and took her weathered hand into his.
"No. There's no problem at all. Tell me, Oulan, do you know how to dance?"
"Nope." Both of them flashed each other quick grins.
"Then I guess there's no better time to learn than now."
"I could stop you, you know," she said as he slowly guided her back to the floor. Shu smiled knowingly.
"But why would you?" Oulan flashed him a very pretty smile, and for the life of her, she couldn't answer him.
The End
Closing comments: It's pretty obvious that Oulan is one of my favorite characters. It's sad that her character isn't expanded too much in the game (much like everyone else I've written about so far)! Why do I like her? Well, she's obviously very powerful (make her Berserk and watch her kill!), and absolutely drop-dead sexy, and it's clear there's more to her than meets the eye. I figured that she'd have a good rapport with Wakaba (because she likes strong characters) and she and Hanna do that Unite skill, and as for Emilia… well, Marlowe and Koyu are friends, so why not them? ……I'll be quiet now. Oh, and I'd like to see more Oulan/Shu romances. ;)