- 11 -
"La la la la!" Isabelle skipped along with Nimbus, Cirrus and the twins.
"SHUT UP, YOU BAKA!" Cirrus screamed. Isabelle blinked at her.
"Baka? What's a baka?" she asked.
"An idiot!" Nimbus giggled. Grinning, Alex and Michael laughed.
"We're in Tamur, aren't we?' Alex asked.
"We've been here for a day!" Michael said, rolling his eyes.
"What's that? Over there?" Isabelle asked. They looked in the direction of.
"A CASTLE?!?!" they yelled.
"T-that's Sunset Castle!" Cirrus gasped.
"That means we can stop her!" Nimbus cheered.
"How?" Alex and Michael asked.
"Ok, here's what we'll do." Cirrus started.
Five hours later, they stood in front of the giant wooden doors. "Ready?" Isabelle asked. They nodded, and pulled it open.
"Wow," Alex said, as they walked in, "creepy."
"Yeah," Michael agreed.
"Halt!"
"Huh?" They turned and looked at Violet.
"I always wanted to say that!" she giggled. Violet walked over to them. "Looking for Marjoly?"
"Yes, why?" Michael asked. She looked at them.
"Come with me." she said. They started the trek through the halls. Nimbus didn't notice that one of the doors was open.
She yelped, when someone grabbed her and pulled her into one of the rooms. "Shhh!" whoever it was said, cupping their hand over her mouth. "It's me!"
"Umph." Nimbus squirmed to looked up. He let go. "Oh! Ash! What are."
"There's no time for explanations. You have got to get them out of here!" he hissed.
"What? Why?" she asked. Ash sighed.
"You idiot! It's dangerous, you guys being in here!" He looked around. "Get them out of here. I'll take care of Marjoly for now, until I can split."
"Ok, Ash," Nimbus nodded. She left. "Cirrus, Isabelle!"
"What?" they asked, looked at her. Nimbus ran to catch up.
"We have to leave, now!" she whispered.
"Why?"
"I can't tell you here." she said. They nodded, and told Alex and Michael.
"Violet, we have to head back.we can't see Marjoly." Isabelle said. Violet looked at them, and nodded.
"OK." They left.
"What's up, Nimbus?" Alex asked.
"You won't believe what happened."
Ash crept back into bed. He sighed in relief, noticing that his absence hadn't bothered her sleeping. Trying to think of an excuse to leave the castle later, he drifted off to sleep again.
Around noon that day, the group waited impatiently in Tamur. They were about ready to leave, when a deafening explosion caught their attention. Sunset Castle was crumbling, falling to pieces.
"What!" they yelled.
"B-but did they get out of there?" Nimbus asked urgently.
"Let's go look!" Isabelle suggested, before they ran for the ruins of the castle.
Nothing moved as the dust settled on the ground. The group walked around the remains, shifting rocks. "Hey, look at this!" Alex yelled.
A sword was stuck in the ground, the blade bent and battered. Michael pulled it out, and looked at them. Cirrus' eyes went wide. "Th- that's Althena's Sword! Ash uses it! He must be around here somewhere!" she gasped.
They shifted through the rubble, until they could hear slow, even breathing nearby. Nimbus frowned, and scanned the area. A red thing sat on a pile of rocks, looking around.
"Hi!" it said, flying over.
"Ruby?" they asked. It nodded, and started glowing. Rocks started floating in midair, and exploded. Soon, most of the area was cleared. They looked around.
The limp form of the Dragonmaster was a few feet away. Nimbus, Cirrus, and Isabelle ran over. "ASH!" they yelled.
Isabelle collapsed next to him. "What is up with this?" she asked, noticing his strange position.
"Oh no." Nimbus said, "I know what he did."
"What?" they all asked. Nimbus got down on her knees, frowning. She grinned.
"You won't believe it!" she squealed, pulling her staff out. Nimbus stood up. She waved it, and Ash sat up, eyes closed. Like magic, he was pulled up into a standing position, but his feet weren't touching the ground. "Remember with Plantella?"
"Yeah." Cirrus said, then grinned. "MAY!"
As thought, the second form was of the young girl, curled in a ball. Nimbus smiled. "The Dragonmaster has done his job," she said.
"And got hurt because of it." Isabelle sighed. Nimbus let him sink back down onto the ground. Isabelle teleported them to Tamur Hotel. Putting both unconscious forms in bed, Alex and Michael frowned.
"How much longer, do you think?" Isabelle asked, a week later, at the hospital ((they had gotten to the hospital in Lyton, thanks to Isabelle's teleport thing)). Alex shook his head.
"I'm not sure. A week? A few hours? It can't be predicted." Isabelle frowned.
Nimbus sat in the chair, yawning. She jumped up out of her chair, when she heard Ash groan. "Where am I?" he slurred.
"Hospital in Lyton," Nimbus replied. He frowned at her.
"Is-"
"She's just fine." Ash relaxed considerably, smiling weakly. "The doctor was more concerned with you."
The smile disappeared. "Why is that?" he asked.
"When Sunset Castle collapsed, you took the full blow of...whatever happened. What *did* happen?" Nimbus asked.
Ash looked at her, and frowned. "Well, obviously, the three sisters figured out that the potion had worn off, so they went and told Marjoly. Then she *tried* to shove another bottle of that...stuff...down my throat. I used Dragon Circle-"
Nimbus looked at him. "D-dragon circle?" she said, "Not were you summon all four dragons?"
"Yep...wait, how do you know about that?"
"You attacked Meribia, remember?"
"No...?" Nimbus explained about Heather, and what happened. "You have got to be kidding? I'm toast."
"It won't be that bad. But, then what happened?"
"Well, like I said, I used Dragon Circle. The Dragons did what they were supposed to, but on the castle itself. Of course, it started collapsing. Figra, Violet, and Jagar made a run for it, like normal, erm, *people* would. Did Marjoly and me? No. She, get this, freaked out, and went berserk. 'WHAT DID YOU DO?!?!?!?!?!' It would've been funny, if the situation hadn't been so dead serious. I almost got knocked out, when a bit of the ceiling hit me. Then, here's the weird part, Marjoly went all quiet and stuff, and stared at me."
Nimbus looked at him with wide-eyes. "Go on?"
"Well, then she said 'A-a-ash! Are you alright? What is going on?' It was strange. Then she practically tackled me. The floor then decided to give way, and we both fell down...3 floors?"
"That had to hurt, when you two hit the ground. Go on."
"I can't. I think that's around the time the castle entirely crashed down."
"Oh." Nimbus frowned, "Then Cirrus, Isabelle, Alex, Michael, and me showed up, and started moving the rocks, then Ruby helped by using her magic. Why was she there, anyway?"
"Dunno. Maybe she knew something was wrong?" Ash said. Nimbus shrugged.
- 5 days later -
Isabelle looked at Cirrus. "That isn't helping with the injuries. Can't you do anything?" she asked.
"When he sets his mind on something, he doesn't quit," Cirrus said, "Just have to wait until she gets better to get him better."
"Yes, I guess you are right." Isabelle sighed, "But the thing is, it's been five days, and Ash hasn't left her side! Not even for a minute. And he's barely eaten anything."
"I know," Cirrus said gently, "It'll get better."
"I know..."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
May opened her eyes, and looked around. It was entirely silent almost. She noticed the sleeping form of the Dragonmaster, and smiled. Ruby, in her baby form, was curled around his neck and shoulders tightly.
She ran a hand through his hair. Ruby scowled in protest, when she got dislodged because of Ash moving. The baby dragon snuggled closer, yawning. "Come on, its time to wake up."
"I dun't wanna," he moaned. May giggled, and gently pulled off Ruby.
"What are you doing?" the dragon grouched, "I am trying to sleep."
"Trying to wake up you two." She replied, "Get up, before I hurt you."
"Oh, huh, what?" Ash pushed himself up into the normal sitting position, looking at her with unfocused eyes. "May!!!! You're up!"
"Um, yes?" May looked at him. "So, what's new about *that*?"
"Everything..."
"La la la la!" Isabelle skipped along with Nimbus, Cirrus and the twins.
"SHUT UP, YOU BAKA!" Cirrus screamed. Isabelle blinked at her.
"Baka? What's a baka?" she asked.
"An idiot!" Nimbus giggled. Grinning, Alex and Michael laughed.
"We're in Tamur, aren't we?' Alex asked.
"We've been here for a day!" Michael said, rolling his eyes.
"What's that? Over there?" Isabelle asked. They looked in the direction of.
"A CASTLE?!?!" they yelled.
"T-that's Sunset Castle!" Cirrus gasped.
"That means we can stop her!" Nimbus cheered.
"How?" Alex and Michael asked.
"Ok, here's what we'll do." Cirrus started.
Five hours later, they stood in front of the giant wooden doors. "Ready?" Isabelle asked. They nodded, and pulled it open.
"Wow," Alex said, as they walked in, "creepy."
"Yeah," Michael agreed.
"Halt!"
"Huh?" They turned and looked at Violet.
"I always wanted to say that!" she giggled. Violet walked over to them. "Looking for Marjoly?"
"Yes, why?" Michael asked. She looked at them.
"Come with me." she said. They started the trek through the halls. Nimbus didn't notice that one of the doors was open.
She yelped, when someone grabbed her and pulled her into one of the rooms. "Shhh!" whoever it was said, cupping their hand over her mouth. "It's me!"
"Umph." Nimbus squirmed to looked up. He let go. "Oh! Ash! What are."
"There's no time for explanations. You have got to get them out of here!" he hissed.
"What? Why?" she asked. Ash sighed.
"You idiot! It's dangerous, you guys being in here!" He looked around. "Get them out of here. I'll take care of Marjoly for now, until I can split."
"Ok, Ash," Nimbus nodded. She left. "Cirrus, Isabelle!"
"What?" they asked, looked at her. Nimbus ran to catch up.
"We have to leave, now!" she whispered.
"Why?"
"I can't tell you here." she said. They nodded, and told Alex and Michael.
"Violet, we have to head back.we can't see Marjoly." Isabelle said. Violet looked at them, and nodded.
"OK." They left.
"What's up, Nimbus?" Alex asked.
"You won't believe what happened."
Ash crept back into bed. He sighed in relief, noticing that his absence hadn't bothered her sleeping. Trying to think of an excuse to leave the castle later, he drifted off to sleep again.
Around noon that day, the group waited impatiently in Tamur. They were about ready to leave, when a deafening explosion caught their attention. Sunset Castle was crumbling, falling to pieces.
"What!" they yelled.
"B-but did they get out of there?" Nimbus asked urgently.
"Let's go look!" Isabelle suggested, before they ran for the ruins of the castle.
Nothing moved as the dust settled on the ground. The group walked around the remains, shifting rocks. "Hey, look at this!" Alex yelled.
A sword was stuck in the ground, the blade bent and battered. Michael pulled it out, and looked at them. Cirrus' eyes went wide. "Th- that's Althena's Sword! Ash uses it! He must be around here somewhere!" she gasped.
They shifted through the rubble, until they could hear slow, even breathing nearby. Nimbus frowned, and scanned the area. A red thing sat on a pile of rocks, looking around.
"Hi!" it said, flying over.
"Ruby?" they asked. It nodded, and started glowing. Rocks started floating in midair, and exploded. Soon, most of the area was cleared. They looked around.
The limp form of the Dragonmaster was a few feet away. Nimbus, Cirrus, and Isabelle ran over. "ASH!" they yelled.
Isabelle collapsed next to him. "What is up with this?" she asked, noticing his strange position.
"Oh no." Nimbus said, "I know what he did."
"What?" they all asked. Nimbus got down on her knees, frowning. She grinned.
"You won't believe it!" she squealed, pulling her staff out. Nimbus stood up. She waved it, and Ash sat up, eyes closed. Like magic, he was pulled up into a standing position, but his feet weren't touching the ground. "Remember with Plantella?"
"Yeah." Cirrus said, then grinned. "MAY!"
As thought, the second form was of the young girl, curled in a ball. Nimbus smiled. "The Dragonmaster has done his job," she said.
"And got hurt because of it." Isabelle sighed. Nimbus let him sink back down onto the ground. Isabelle teleported them to Tamur Hotel. Putting both unconscious forms in bed, Alex and Michael frowned.
"How much longer, do you think?" Isabelle asked, a week later, at the hospital ((they had gotten to the hospital in Lyton, thanks to Isabelle's teleport thing)). Alex shook his head.
"I'm not sure. A week? A few hours? It can't be predicted." Isabelle frowned.
Nimbus sat in the chair, yawning. She jumped up out of her chair, when she heard Ash groan. "Where am I?" he slurred.
"Hospital in Lyton," Nimbus replied. He frowned at her.
"Is-"
"She's just fine." Ash relaxed considerably, smiling weakly. "The doctor was more concerned with you."
The smile disappeared. "Why is that?" he asked.
"When Sunset Castle collapsed, you took the full blow of...whatever happened. What *did* happen?" Nimbus asked.
Ash looked at her, and frowned. "Well, obviously, the three sisters figured out that the potion had worn off, so they went and told Marjoly. Then she *tried* to shove another bottle of that...stuff...down my throat. I used Dragon Circle-"
Nimbus looked at him. "D-dragon circle?" she said, "Not were you summon all four dragons?"
"Yep...wait, how do you know about that?"
"You attacked Meribia, remember?"
"No...?" Nimbus explained about Heather, and what happened. "You have got to be kidding? I'm toast."
"It won't be that bad. But, then what happened?"
"Well, like I said, I used Dragon Circle. The Dragons did what they were supposed to, but on the castle itself. Of course, it started collapsing. Figra, Violet, and Jagar made a run for it, like normal, erm, *people* would. Did Marjoly and me? No. She, get this, freaked out, and went berserk. 'WHAT DID YOU DO?!?!?!?!?!' It would've been funny, if the situation hadn't been so dead serious. I almost got knocked out, when a bit of the ceiling hit me. Then, here's the weird part, Marjoly went all quiet and stuff, and stared at me."
Nimbus looked at him with wide-eyes. "Go on?"
"Well, then she said 'A-a-ash! Are you alright? What is going on?' It was strange. Then she practically tackled me. The floor then decided to give way, and we both fell down...3 floors?"
"That had to hurt, when you two hit the ground. Go on."
"I can't. I think that's around the time the castle entirely crashed down."
"Oh." Nimbus frowned, "Then Cirrus, Isabelle, Alex, Michael, and me showed up, and started moving the rocks, then Ruby helped by using her magic. Why was she there, anyway?"
"Dunno. Maybe she knew something was wrong?" Ash said. Nimbus shrugged.
- 5 days later -
Isabelle looked at Cirrus. "That isn't helping with the injuries. Can't you do anything?" she asked.
"When he sets his mind on something, he doesn't quit," Cirrus said, "Just have to wait until she gets better to get him better."
"Yes, I guess you are right." Isabelle sighed, "But the thing is, it's been five days, and Ash hasn't left her side! Not even for a minute. And he's barely eaten anything."
"I know," Cirrus said gently, "It'll get better."
"I know..."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
May opened her eyes, and looked around. It was entirely silent almost. She noticed the sleeping form of the Dragonmaster, and smiled. Ruby, in her baby form, was curled around his neck and shoulders tightly.
She ran a hand through his hair. Ruby scowled in protest, when she got dislodged because of Ash moving. The baby dragon snuggled closer, yawning. "Come on, its time to wake up."
"I dun't wanna," he moaned. May giggled, and gently pulled off Ruby.
"What are you doing?" the dragon grouched, "I am trying to sleep."
"Trying to wake up you two." She replied, "Get up, before I hurt you."
"Oh, huh, what?" Ash pushed himself up into the normal sitting position, looking at her with unfocused eyes. "May!!!! You're up!"
"Um, yes?" May looked at him. "So, what's new about *that*?"
"Everything..."