A/N: Hey!!! If you're reading this, that means you're actually reading
this!! * blinks * YAY!!!!
Well anyways, I only got one review on my last chapter! * sniffs * So here's a GREAT BIG THANK YOU, to my lone reviewer: Sarin Kinarya: THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!! I wuv you!!! You sent me such a nice review!! Thank you!! And I'm gonna read your fics, and I WILL NOT FLAME YOU!!!!! Thank you again!
Now, please review this chappy!! PLEASE!!!! Now, on with the ficcy.
The next morning, Van awoke to Merle shaking him excitedly. "Lord Van! Lord Van! The Crusade's here! Wake up!" She jumped up and down on his bed. "Wake up!" Van groggily opened his eyes, and sat up. "Wha.Who's here?" Merle shook her head in frustration, and tugged on his arm. "Come on! Get up!" Van finally stumbled to his feet, and trudged into the bathroom, Merle pulling on his arm the whole time. He felt more alert after dunking his head in the sink a few times, and was actually able to make out what Merle was shouting. "ComeonLordVantheCrusadesheresohurryupweregonnabelateandifwedonthurrywellmis sitandeveryonewillbesadandihateitwhenpeoplecryespeciallybabieslikeHitomishew assuchaninnyandsoscaredandhelplessbutanywaysyoubetterhurryuporweregoingtomis sallthefunsogetamoveonandhurry!" Van pulled on his shirt, and ran impatient fingers through his hair. "Merle, why don't you go wake up Ken-I mean, Lord Kendai. I think he needs to be introduced. I'll meet you in the docking bay." Merle nodded, and bounded off. Van pulled on his boots, and looked at his reflection. He looked somewhat different than he had the last time he had seen Gaddes and the others. He was almost a head taller, and his red shirt fit differently. Suddenly, his reflection was replaced by a figure in a deep blue cloak. The hood covered the figure's face, but Van knew who it was, regardless. After standing in front of the mirror for quite some time, a bell rang, signaling the arrival of the Crusade, jolting Van back to himself. Shaking his head, he headed for the docking bay.
Van strolled into the docking bay, and sure enough, the magnificent airship was there. He turned when he heard footsteps behind him. Merle arrived at a run, with Kendai behind her. Allen emerged from a side corridor, and joined his friends. They all watched as the hatch opened, and a man stepped out. "Gaddes!" Allen stepped forward, and the man looked up. "Bos-I mean, Allen!" The two friends embraced, pounding each other on the back. When they stepped back, Gaddes looked around. He saw Van, and his eyes widened. "Well! If it ain't Fanelia! You've grown into quite the King, or so I hear." Van shook his hand. "Well met, Commander! You yourself have grown into your position!" When Gaddes' eyes lit on Merle, his grin widened. "Little lady! Wait! You aren't so little anymore!" He scratched her ears, as she alternated between giggling and purring. Van stepped back and gestured to Kendai. "Commander Gaddes, I'd like you to meet the newest Knight of Caeli, Lord Kendai no Saira." The two men bowed to each other, and Van gestured towards the door. "Now, we have a lot to catch up on, so let's not waste any time on formalities and chit-chat." He strode off, with the rest of the company behind him.
Later that night, Van again returned to the roof, in hopes of meeting Kendai. He was lucky. The young man was there, leaning over the battlements, watching the horizon. Van joined him, and they watched the last rays of the sun disappear. When it was fully dark, Van turned to his friend. "So, Kendai. I know almost nothing about you. Tell me about yourself." Kendai raised an eyebrow. "Only if you tell me about yourself in turn!" Van chuckled and nodded. "Well," said Kendai. "I'm actually adopted. My sister-" he stopped, and bowed his head. Van put a hand on his shoulder. Kendai smiled gratefully at him, and continued. "My sister and I, we're twins. We were adopted by my foster parents when we were almost six. I can still remember my mother. She had long black hair, and a beautiful voice. I remember her singing to Kaiyari-that was my sister, and I. She would sit in the window, and hum a lullaby. She vanished the day before our fifth birthday. That was tweleve years ago. Everyone keeps saying that she's probably still alive somewhere, but something tells me that she is dead." Kendai looked out past Van's shoulder. "She would have come home by now." Van nodded. "My mother is also gone. She vanished when I was very young. My father died shortly before her disappearance. My brother, as I said before, was killed at the end of the Great War, two years ago." He stared off into space. Kendai was silent also, as they sat together on the roof. After few moments of companionable silence, Kendai straightened. "Van, there's something I-" "Van-sama!" He was interrupted by Merle, who had found them on the roof. She bowed to Kendai, before throwing herself jubilantly at Van. Van was bowled over, and his face was well washed before he managed to right himself. Kendai chuckled, and Van shot his friend a mock-death glare. Merle, oblivious to the exchange, smiled at the young man. "Hey Lord Kendai? You're supposed to be some really great sword fighter, right?" "Merle!" exclaimed Van, shocked at her rudeness. But Kendai just chuckled. "Well, I'm slightly biased, so I don't think I could give you a fair opinion!" They all laughed, but Merle was onto something. "Well, Lord Van, I think you two should fence! Just a friendly match, of course." Van laughed. "Of course!" He stood, unsheathing his sword. "You up to this, Lord Kendai no Saira, Knight of the Caeli?" Kendai bowed extravagantly, and likewise pulled out his sword. "The question is not, 'am I', it's 'are you', Your Majesty?" The smiled at each other, and crossed blades.
Well anyways, I only got one review on my last chapter! * sniffs * So here's a GREAT BIG THANK YOU, to my lone reviewer: Sarin Kinarya: THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!! I wuv you!!! You sent me such a nice review!! Thank you!! And I'm gonna read your fics, and I WILL NOT FLAME YOU!!!!! Thank you again!
Now, please review this chappy!! PLEASE!!!! Now, on with the ficcy.
The next morning, Van awoke to Merle shaking him excitedly. "Lord Van! Lord Van! The Crusade's here! Wake up!" She jumped up and down on his bed. "Wake up!" Van groggily opened his eyes, and sat up. "Wha.Who's here?" Merle shook her head in frustration, and tugged on his arm. "Come on! Get up!" Van finally stumbled to his feet, and trudged into the bathroom, Merle pulling on his arm the whole time. He felt more alert after dunking his head in the sink a few times, and was actually able to make out what Merle was shouting. "ComeonLordVantheCrusadesheresohurryupweregonnabelateandifwedonthurrywellmis sitandeveryonewillbesadandihateitwhenpeoplecryespeciallybabieslikeHitomishew assuchaninnyandsoscaredandhelplessbutanywaysyoubetterhurryuporweregoingtomis sallthefunsogetamoveonandhurry!" Van pulled on his shirt, and ran impatient fingers through his hair. "Merle, why don't you go wake up Ken-I mean, Lord Kendai. I think he needs to be introduced. I'll meet you in the docking bay." Merle nodded, and bounded off. Van pulled on his boots, and looked at his reflection. He looked somewhat different than he had the last time he had seen Gaddes and the others. He was almost a head taller, and his red shirt fit differently. Suddenly, his reflection was replaced by a figure in a deep blue cloak. The hood covered the figure's face, but Van knew who it was, regardless. After standing in front of the mirror for quite some time, a bell rang, signaling the arrival of the Crusade, jolting Van back to himself. Shaking his head, he headed for the docking bay.
Van strolled into the docking bay, and sure enough, the magnificent airship was there. He turned when he heard footsteps behind him. Merle arrived at a run, with Kendai behind her. Allen emerged from a side corridor, and joined his friends. They all watched as the hatch opened, and a man stepped out. "Gaddes!" Allen stepped forward, and the man looked up. "Bos-I mean, Allen!" The two friends embraced, pounding each other on the back. When they stepped back, Gaddes looked around. He saw Van, and his eyes widened. "Well! If it ain't Fanelia! You've grown into quite the King, or so I hear." Van shook his hand. "Well met, Commander! You yourself have grown into your position!" When Gaddes' eyes lit on Merle, his grin widened. "Little lady! Wait! You aren't so little anymore!" He scratched her ears, as she alternated between giggling and purring. Van stepped back and gestured to Kendai. "Commander Gaddes, I'd like you to meet the newest Knight of Caeli, Lord Kendai no Saira." The two men bowed to each other, and Van gestured towards the door. "Now, we have a lot to catch up on, so let's not waste any time on formalities and chit-chat." He strode off, with the rest of the company behind him.
Later that night, Van again returned to the roof, in hopes of meeting Kendai. He was lucky. The young man was there, leaning over the battlements, watching the horizon. Van joined him, and they watched the last rays of the sun disappear. When it was fully dark, Van turned to his friend. "So, Kendai. I know almost nothing about you. Tell me about yourself." Kendai raised an eyebrow. "Only if you tell me about yourself in turn!" Van chuckled and nodded. "Well," said Kendai. "I'm actually adopted. My sister-" he stopped, and bowed his head. Van put a hand on his shoulder. Kendai smiled gratefully at him, and continued. "My sister and I, we're twins. We were adopted by my foster parents when we were almost six. I can still remember my mother. She had long black hair, and a beautiful voice. I remember her singing to Kaiyari-that was my sister, and I. She would sit in the window, and hum a lullaby. She vanished the day before our fifth birthday. That was tweleve years ago. Everyone keeps saying that she's probably still alive somewhere, but something tells me that she is dead." Kendai looked out past Van's shoulder. "She would have come home by now." Van nodded. "My mother is also gone. She vanished when I was very young. My father died shortly before her disappearance. My brother, as I said before, was killed at the end of the Great War, two years ago." He stared off into space. Kendai was silent also, as they sat together on the roof. After few moments of companionable silence, Kendai straightened. "Van, there's something I-" "Van-sama!" He was interrupted by Merle, who had found them on the roof. She bowed to Kendai, before throwing herself jubilantly at Van. Van was bowled over, and his face was well washed before he managed to right himself. Kendai chuckled, and Van shot his friend a mock-death glare. Merle, oblivious to the exchange, smiled at the young man. "Hey Lord Kendai? You're supposed to be some really great sword fighter, right?" "Merle!" exclaimed Van, shocked at her rudeness. But Kendai just chuckled. "Well, I'm slightly biased, so I don't think I could give you a fair opinion!" They all laughed, but Merle was onto something. "Well, Lord Van, I think you two should fence! Just a friendly match, of course." Van laughed. "Of course!" He stood, unsheathing his sword. "You up to this, Lord Kendai no Saira, Knight of the Caeli?" Kendai bowed extravagantly, and likewise pulled out his sword. "The question is not, 'am I', it's 'are you', Your Majesty?" The smiled at each other, and crossed blades.