A/N: YAY!!!!!! cheers REVIEWS!!!!!!!! I'm soooooo heppy!!!!!!! I've been
begging forever. Anywho, I know it's been along time since I updated, but
I've been getting discouraged by the lack of reviews. coughs
Well anyways, here's a great BIIIIIIIG thank you for RYOKI, who reviewed
EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER (except chapter 6, but that's irrelevant.)
~RYOKI~ To answer all your questions, that haven't been answered already. 'Dilandu' is not in this story. Celena will enter later, if at all. There will be a new bad-guy, only worse. He will be introduced soon. As to the Wings question, you'll just have to wait and see. And Merle isn't supposed to be annoying, just oblivious. She makes it all better soon. And Kendai was going to tell Van that- wait, that'll will be answered soon also. I didn't take out the fight scene on purpose.It just didn't occur to me. But if you read chapter 6, there's a NIIIIIIIICE BIGGGG fight scene for you there. ****AND THANK YOU FOR THE POSITIVE REVIEWS!!!!!! huggles****
Now, enjoy the next installment.
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Eventually, Kaiyari awoke. She blinked as her surroundings settled into place. She was staring at the ceiling of her room in the palace. Suddenly, a face came into view. Pink hair, expressive eyes, sparkling smile, and furry ears. "Merle!" she cried. The cat-girl grinned. "You're awake!" her eyes danced with happiness. "It's been so long! I was beginning to wonder if you'd sleep forever! I thought you'd NEVER wake up!" she licked Kaiyari's face. Kaiyari gently pushed her friend away. "What do you mean? How long have I been asleep?" Merle counted on her fingers. "Three.four.uh. I think you've been out for a little more than a week." Kaiyari's jaw dropped. "A week?!" Merle nodded, grinning. "The healer gave you some sort of sleepy-juice. She said it would heal you three times as fast!" Kaiyari pulled up her shirt. "It's gone!" All that remained of her fearsome injury was a smooth white scar across her ribs and stomach. Merle nodded, her grin threatening to wrap around her head at cut it in two. "The healer said that you should stay in bed for the rest of the day, but that you can get out tomorrow!" They chatted a little, Merle catching Kaiyari up on the palace gossip. They were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. "Come in!" called Merle. "She's up!" The door opened, and Gaddes poked his head in. "Hello little lady!" he grinned at Kaiyari, and slipped inside. "You gave us quite a scare there!" Merle squeezed Kaiyari's hand, and went into the hall, closing the door behind her. Gaddes took Merle's place on a chair by the bed. "How are you feeling?" Kaiyari smiled. "Much better! It's all healed now. That healer was good!" Gaddes grinned. "She ought to be! Paid out of the Royal coffers, she was!" She smiled at him, and he winked. "On another note, you have some visitors." At Kaiyari's confused look, he leaned back in the chair and rapped on the doorframe with his knuckles. The door opened a little, and Reeden stuck his head tentatively in. He smiled, and stepped inside, followed by the rest of the Crusade's crew. They clustered around her bed, all wearing the same goofy grin. She spent the next hour catching up with them, all the while reassuring them that she was fine. Suddenly, someone cleared their throat by the door. Everyone turned to see Allen leaning on the doorframe, smiling. As if by some unspoken signal, the crew made a graceful exit, covering grins, and sly winks. Allen shut the door behind them, and sat down, next to her bed. He squeezed her hand, and grinned at her. "All mended?" She nodded, and looked carefully at him. "And you? Last I saw, you were bursting into my room trailing bandages to stop Van's tem-Van!" she started, and threw her feet over the side of the bed. "I have to explain! I have to-" Allen stopped her with an outstretched hand. "There will be time enough to do that tomorrow. Your explanation can wait an extra day." Kaiyari sighed, and lay back down. "I'll bet he hates me now." Allen smiled wryly. "He just doesn't understand. Time will help that." Kaiyari nodded. "Would you mind if I-can I just be alone now?" Allen smiled sadly. "I understand. Let me know if you need someone to talk to." He gripped her shoulder, and made his exit. Once the door clicked behind him, Kaiyari turned her face to the pillow. A single tear dripped onto the fabric.
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Merle roused slightly, as Allen stepped into the hall. She had been waiting outside her friend's room, and fallen asleep. Allen smiled softly down at the cat-girl, and ruffled her hair. She purred, and he grinned, heading for the practice yard. Merle was about to go into her friend's room, when she heard the soft sounds of muffled sobbing coming from inside. The cat-girl sighed sadly, and leaned against the door, sliding down it to the floor. //Poor Kaiyari.// She was suddenly seized in a violent rage at Van. //This is because of him! He's been such a jerk! It's not her fault!// She jumped to her feet, and ran off to vent her anger on Lord Van.
Merle found him wandering one Fanelia's gardens, gazing into a pool of crystal water. He looked up when he heard her footsteps. "Merle!" his face lit up, but grew puzzled when he saw her angry look. She flew at him, and slapped him across the face. Van stumbled backwards, putting a hand to his cheek, with a shocked expression on his face. "What was that for?!?!" he demanded. Merle glared at him, balling up her fists. "What do you think?! For what you did to Kaiyari!" Van's look turned stormy, when he realized who Merle was talking about. "What I did to HER? What about what SHE did to ME?!?! She lied to me, and made me believe she was my friend, and. and I told her stuff!" he yelled, face red. "She felt the need to make me look the fool! Well I won't stand it! She couldn't even tell me her real name! I bet she was lying when she said I was her friend!" Merle's anger rose. "You don't know what you're talking about! She cares about you! She's going to be disappointed when she finds out that you would back out on your 'friend' so quickly! If you were really her FRIEND, you would have stood by her regardless!" Van frowned. "She doesn't even care." "She doesn't even care?!?!" shrieked Merle. "She sobbed herself to sleep!!!! If she doesn't care, why-" Merle was interrupted, as a hand covered her mouth. Allen stood behind her, dressed for fencing. "I'll take care of the rest, Merle." He said, staring gravely at Van. Merle nodded unhappily, and scampered off, shooting angry looks over her shoulder. Allen sighed. "Van. I know this may seem false to you but think about Kaiyari. Deceiving everyone, so she could-" "Decieving! Yes! That's what I've been saying! She-" Allen pushed Van back onto the ledge of the fountain. "Covering her identity, so she could warn strangers of her family's betrayal. She could have just stayed home, twiddling her thumbs!" Van surged to his feet again. "But she didn't have to lie, and tell be she was boy!" he yelled, but once again, Allen silenced him. "Would you have believed her? Would you have even let her speak to you?" Van's silence was answer enough. "Think about why she had to do it. And look what happened when you did find out!" Allen raised an eyebrow as Van reddened. "Yes, she should have told you before. But everyone makes mistakes. Let it go." Van nodded. "I need some time to think." Allen nodded, and the corners of his mouth turned up. "You WERE a jerk though." with that, he shoved Van backwards into the fountain, and walked away, whistling.
~RYOKI~ To answer all your questions, that haven't been answered already. 'Dilandu' is not in this story. Celena will enter later, if at all. There will be a new bad-guy, only worse. He will be introduced soon. As to the Wings question, you'll just have to wait and see. And Merle isn't supposed to be annoying, just oblivious. She makes it all better soon. And Kendai was going to tell Van that- wait, that'll will be answered soon also. I didn't take out the fight scene on purpose.It just didn't occur to me. But if you read chapter 6, there's a NIIIIIIIICE BIGGGG fight scene for you there. ****AND THANK YOU FOR THE POSITIVE REVIEWS!!!!!! huggles****
Now, enjoy the next installment.
&*&*&*&*&
Eventually, Kaiyari awoke. She blinked as her surroundings settled into place. She was staring at the ceiling of her room in the palace. Suddenly, a face came into view. Pink hair, expressive eyes, sparkling smile, and furry ears. "Merle!" she cried. The cat-girl grinned. "You're awake!" her eyes danced with happiness. "It's been so long! I was beginning to wonder if you'd sleep forever! I thought you'd NEVER wake up!" she licked Kaiyari's face. Kaiyari gently pushed her friend away. "What do you mean? How long have I been asleep?" Merle counted on her fingers. "Three.four.uh. I think you've been out for a little more than a week." Kaiyari's jaw dropped. "A week?!" Merle nodded, grinning. "The healer gave you some sort of sleepy-juice. She said it would heal you three times as fast!" Kaiyari pulled up her shirt. "It's gone!" All that remained of her fearsome injury was a smooth white scar across her ribs and stomach. Merle nodded, her grin threatening to wrap around her head at cut it in two. "The healer said that you should stay in bed for the rest of the day, but that you can get out tomorrow!" They chatted a little, Merle catching Kaiyari up on the palace gossip. They were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. "Come in!" called Merle. "She's up!" The door opened, and Gaddes poked his head in. "Hello little lady!" he grinned at Kaiyari, and slipped inside. "You gave us quite a scare there!" Merle squeezed Kaiyari's hand, and went into the hall, closing the door behind her. Gaddes took Merle's place on a chair by the bed. "How are you feeling?" Kaiyari smiled. "Much better! It's all healed now. That healer was good!" Gaddes grinned. "She ought to be! Paid out of the Royal coffers, she was!" She smiled at him, and he winked. "On another note, you have some visitors." At Kaiyari's confused look, he leaned back in the chair and rapped on the doorframe with his knuckles. The door opened a little, and Reeden stuck his head tentatively in. He smiled, and stepped inside, followed by the rest of the Crusade's crew. They clustered around her bed, all wearing the same goofy grin. She spent the next hour catching up with them, all the while reassuring them that she was fine. Suddenly, someone cleared their throat by the door. Everyone turned to see Allen leaning on the doorframe, smiling. As if by some unspoken signal, the crew made a graceful exit, covering grins, and sly winks. Allen shut the door behind them, and sat down, next to her bed. He squeezed her hand, and grinned at her. "All mended?" She nodded, and looked carefully at him. "And you? Last I saw, you were bursting into my room trailing bandages to stop Van's tem-Van!" she started, and threw her feet over the side of the bed. "I have to explain! I have to-" Allen stopped her with an outstretched hand. "There will be time enough to do that tomorrow. Your explanation can wait an extra day." Kaiyari sighed, and lay back down. "I'll bet he hates me now." Allen smiled wryly. "He just doesn't understand. Time will help that." Kaiyari nodded. "Would you mind if I-can I just be alone now?" Allen smiled sadly. "I understand. Let me know if you need someone to talk to." He gripped her shoulder, and made his exit. Once the door clicked behind him, Kaiyari turned her face to the pillow. A single tear dripped onto the fabric.
&*&*&*&*&
Merle roused slightly, as Allen stepped into the hall. She had been waiting outside her friend's room, and fallen asleep. Allen smiled softly down at the cat-girl, and ruffled her hair. She purred, and he grinned, heading for the practice yard. Merle was about to go into her friend's room, when she heard the soft sounds of muffled sobbing coming from inside. The cat-girl sighed sadly, and leaned against the door, sliding down it to the floor. //Poor Kaiyari.// She was suddenly seized in a violent rage at Van. //This is because of him! He's been such a jerk! It's not her fault!// She jumped to her feet, and ran off to vent her anger on Lord Van.
Merle found him wandering one Fanelia's gardens, gazing into a pool of crystal water. He looked up when he heard her footsteps. "Merle!" his face lit up, but grew puzzled when he saw her angry look. She flew at him, and slapped him across the face. Van stumbled backwards, putting a hand to his cheek, with a shocked expression on his face. "What was that for?!?!" he demanded. Merle glared at him, balling up her fists. "What do you think?! For what you did to Kaiyari!" Van's look turned stormy, when he realized who Merle was talking about. "What I did to HER? What about what SHE did to ME?!?! She lied to me, and made me believe she was my friend, and. and I told her stuff!" he yelled, face red. "She felt the need to make me look the fool! Well I won't stand it! She couldn't even tell me her real name! I bet she was lying when she said I was her friend!" Merle's anger rose. "You don't know what you're talking about! She cares about you! She's going to be disappointed when she finds out that you would back out on your 'friend' so quickly! If you were really her FRIEND, you would have stood by her regardless!" Van frowned. "She doesn't even care." "She doesn't even care?!?!" shrieked Merle. "She sobbed herself to sleep!!!! If she doesn't care, why-" Merle was interrupted, as a hand covered her mouth. Allen stood behind her, dressed for fencing. "I'll take care of the rest, Merle." He said, staring gravely at Van. Merle nodded unhappily, and scampered off, shooting angry looks over her shoulder. Allen sighed. "Van. I know this may seem false to you but think about Kaiyari. Deceiving everyone, so she could-" "Decieving! Yes! That's what I've been saying! She-" Allen pushed Van back onto the ledge of the fountain. "Covering her identity, so she could warn strangers of her family's betrayal. She could have just stayed home, twiddling her thumbs!" Van surged to his feet again. "But she didn't have to lie, and tell be she was boy!" he yelled, but once again, Allen silenced him. "Would you have believed her? Would you have even let her speak to you?" Van's silence was answer enough. "Think about why she had to do it. And look what happened when you did find out!" Allen raised an eyebrow as Van reddened. "Yes, she should have told you before. But everyone makes mistakes. Let it go." Van nodded. "I need some time to think." Allen nodded, and the corners of his mouth turned up. "You WERE a jerk though." with that, he shoved Van backwards into the fountain, and walked away, whistling.