JUST LOVE

Chapter Twenty Nine

Ryudo raced to the side of Elena's bed and looked around the room frantically. "Damn! Damn!! Dammit!! Where the hell is she?! She shouldn't be up and about just yet!" Ryudo babbled with panic. "Think they moved her to another room?"

Skye took off from Ryudo's shoulder. "I doubt it... her medical equipment are still here."

"Where do you think she could've gone?"

"In her state, not very far. I'll go alert the others," Skye announced and flew out of the room.

Ryudo dashed out of the room and headed towards the garden. If Elena should be anywhere in the castle, it would be there. "Probably went to feed the fishies at the garden pond," Ryudo thought. When the Geohound reached the pond, he found nothing.

Ryudo sank on his knees in defeat. "Where... where is she? There's no way she could've gone anywhere in her condition... unless someone took her. But who? What could Gatta or Nekura want with her?" He shuddered at the thought of Elena being tortured and alone out there. "I failed her... again. That's another person I've lost. Why? Why does it always come to this? What have I done to deserve this?" He looked up to the sky as if he expected to see the answer up there.

The Geohound returned his gaze back to the pond and stared at it. He then heard several voices calling out to him from behind but paid no attention. "Gone... she's... gone."

Millenia ran towards the Geohound and stood next to him. "Ryudo, we've searched the whole castle. We can't find her." When the redhead received no answer, she knelt in front of him and waved a hand to get his attention. "Hey! Did you hear what I said?" she asked in an irritated tone. No response still. This time, Millenia shook his shoulders but there was still no reaction. Millenia stood up as realization hit her. The annoyed look on her face was replaced with that of concern. "I think he lost it, completely lost it."

Melfice came up from behind Ryudo and turned him around. "Brother, don't shut yourself out. Don't give up just yet, we... we can still find her." Melfice knelt in front of him and put his hands on his shoulders. "Ryudo, snap out of it."

"Come on, Ryudo, don't run away," Skye said.

"We will find Miss Elena," Roan told him.

"It is not over yet," Tio stated.

Millenia moved to stand next to Lance's side. "You're awfully calm."

"An advantage of being numb," Lance supplied. "If you don't have emotions, you don't have a heart. If you don't have a heart, you don't have a soul. If you don't have a soul, you don't have a conscience. If you don't have a conscience, you don't regret anything... you can take whatever the world throws at you and spit it right back," he whispered.

Ryudo eyed his companions slowly. They all looked genuinely worried but none of that mattered anymore because Elena was gone. He could hear them all call out to him but not really hear them. He was utterly lost in his mind. The only thing he could think about were his memories of Elena and the fact that he would never see her again.

---
Ryudo and Elena sat around the camp fire, in front of a tent, after they crossed half of Inor Mountain. "You calmed down a bit? Pay attention next time," Ryudo told Elena.

"All right..." Elena replied, somewhat submissively.

The Geohound eyed the Songstress curiously. "Anyway, what happened back at the tower? Ready to talk about it yet?"

Elena looked away from Ryudo's intense gaze. "...I do not remember much. It was... I believe it was a ceremony of Sealing. I was to sing... I began my songs. My Sisters moved to restore the Seal... and then..." she answered, her voice barely audible.

"What about the wings?"

Elena looked apologetic. "Forgive me, I do not wish to remember."

"Uh-huh." The Geohound nodded his head. "We're missing something here. You must be able to remember... or did the clouds of incense fog your memory?"

The Songstress gave him a puzzled look. "...Do you assume...?"

"Hey, I'm not presuming to know what goes on behind closed doors, Sister. I'm just saying you were there... Bah. Hopeless," Ryudo retaliated.

She shook her head. "You do not understand."

Ryudo arched an eyebrow. "Because I'm not sophisticated enough? Because I don't fall over myself to be the first in line at the temple doors?"

"Now you mock me."

Ryudo smirked sardonically. "No, I've been mocking you for the last half hour. A little slow to notice, aren't we?"

"Why do you persist in vexing me? Do you bait me to watch me suffer? Do you take pleasure in my pain? Please, I do not need your grief, as I have much of my own!" Elena yelled, her eyes filled with frustration and anger.

The Geohound suppressed a chuckle. "...I'm s... surprised that you've managed to remain so naive and survive as long as you have."

"Is that... what you think?"

"Forget it. Get to sleep. We've got a ways ahead of us in the morning."

Elena stood up and headed towards the tent.

"Hey! Leave some space for me!" he called out.

"I hope you are joking," Elena hissed and left to sleep beside the tent. "Never mind. I will sleep outside the tent!"

"...I didn't mean it that way... uh... ... Hope you like sleeping on rocks!" Ryudo scoffed. "Suit yourself..."

Later that night, Ryudo sat alone by the fire. "So, she's finally asleep..." the Geohound muttered to himself and turned his head to the left as he heard Skye return. The bird had left earlier to hunt his food for the night.

"What about you, lover boy? You going to sleep?" Skye asked coyly.

"I can't... I keep seeing Elena surrounded by Darkness in the tower... Nightmares, man," Ryudo sighed in exasperation.

"Don't think about it. Nothing you can do now," Skye responded.

"And, I pissed her off, man. She's so... perky and happy... Now she hates me. You saw her."

"It can't be helped. You know how the church feels about us working types."

A look of sympathy crossed Ryudo's features. "But I guess she HAS been sheltered her whole life. She's never seen the world outside her window. And then to have her friends die on her like that... And I couldn't save them..."

"Compassion, Ryudo? A little late for that. Your words would sound far better had they been spoken sooner."

"Sometimes... all I can... I didn't want... She was to be kept from harm, yet even now she suffers. And I cannot bear to see it. It is my duty to protect her..."

"You're mincing your words again, Ryudo. Badly. You know as well as I that what you feel has less to do with duty than with..."

"With WHAT, Skye? With concern? With sentiment? That's... not me... Still, I've never felt... Bah, good night, Skye," Ryudo groaned and let himself fall on his back from his sitting position to sleep.

"...Sweet dreams, Ryudo," Skye said, his voice almost paternal.
---
Ryudo drew out a dagger and pointed it towards Elena as if he was going to kill her. They were in the Mirumu Inn and the Geohound just had enough of Elena's rant about Valmar and Millenia.

"Ryu- Ryudo!?" Elena gasped as she took a step backwards.

Ryudo narrowed his eyes at the Songstress. "Look, you're not giving me a choice here. You can keep crying about Valmar this and Valmar that, or we can settle this now." He watched Elena whimper and shake for a moment and sighed when she stopped. He then put his dagger back in its sheath. "You calmed down yet? Hey, what's gotten into you? What happened to the almost-stereotypical determination and pluck that I know so well? What's wrong, Elena?"

Elena knelt down and fixed her ruby red eyes on the floor. "...All right, Ryudo. Kill me! If that will destroy Valmar..." she whined.

Ryudo looked liked he was hit by a ton of bricks. "What!?"

The Songstress started to shake again and tears threatened to flow out of her eyes. "What's wrong, Ryudo? Do it quickly! I'm a little... scared... so please, make it as painless as you are able."

The Geohound glared at her. "Do... don't be STUPID! That's Selene talking, not you!" He turned around and looked out to the window. "My job is to get you to the Cathedral. If you want any extras, hire someone else. ... Just stop your brooding and get to bed!"

"..." Elena stood up slowly, puzzled, and went to her room.

Ryudo smacked his forehead and tapped his left foot against the stone floor. "Dammit! NOT the right approach, Ryudo. NOT the right approach! ... What the hell is wrong with her?"
---
Ryudo, Skye, and Elena sat around the camp fire with a tent behind them after they crossed half of the St. Heim Mountains. The three of them were alone since Roan and Mareg left to fetch some water.

"We're almost there. If I'd known this trip would take so long, I would've had Vyx pet-sit Skye here," Ryudo announced.

"I fear our trip would have been much shorter had you not been with us, Ryudo. It is only because of you that we have come so far. I have learned... many things, as well. Thank you for what you have done," Elena nodded with a smile.

Ryudo grinned like a madman. "Well... er... I'm, um, not the only one who should be thanked. I'm, um, did some things I normally wouldn't do 'cause of you... But it was worth it. I've never actually enjoyed doing a job before."
---
Ryudo and Elena sauntered into the night. Elena had just finished singing for Mareg's people for their gathering. After the two had finished their dinner, the Geohound and Songstress decided to go see the Nanan Spring as they heard it was beautiful under the moonlight and stars.

Elena stopped in her tracks and looked at Ryudo. "I was kind of nervous. Until now, I sang only for Lord Granas. I never thought I would sing for others. But I have never had so much fun singing. I never imagined it to be so exciting. Mareg's people are a wonderful audience."

"They're good folk. Hell, even I feel better after hanging around them," Ryudo admitted with his trademark grin.

The Songstress clasped her hands together over her heart and looked up to the stars. "I love to sing. It brings me a sense of peace... As if I were somehow closer to the world. I wonder if those who listen feel the same?"

Instead of giving Elena an answer, Ryudo looked serious and determined all of sudden and changed the subject. "Elena..." he began softly and felt his heart start to race. "I really want to thank you for what you did for me when the Horns... got me."

A look of confusion crossed Elena's angelic features. "Huh?"

Ryudo's composure broke down, looked sheepish, and babbled on, a bit nervously. "I got it all messed up last time. Like, what I meant to say was when the Horns possessed me... I... uh, felt you in my... heart. And... uh it was like our hearts were connected. Elena... you're... special to me..." The Geohound inwardly sighed with relief as he let his feelings out but his heart only beat more rapidly.

Elena smiled and giggled a little. "Ryudo, why... why do you tell me this now? So... suddenly?"

"I-I'm sorry. Did I say something wrong again?" Ryudo sputtered, a small trace of panic evident in his voice.

"Uh uh... I'm thirsty right now. Wait a minute while I go drink from the spring," Elena blurted abruptly and whirled around to leave.

As soon as the Songstress was out of sight, Ryudo turned around and smacked his forehead in defeat. "...Never... goes... how I want it to..."
---

"Yeah... nothing goes how I want it to," Ryudo told himself mentally. "Hell, it's like the world hates me or something."

"What are we going to do with him?" Tio asked.

Lance shrugged. "Don't know... but we can't have him like this and we still need to find Elena."

"I will go get Paulk and have him prepare the Granasaber Ship for our departure," Roan announced and left.

"Brother..." Melfice whispered.

"Hmph... he trapped himself in his mind. He's in there somewhere, cowering like a little, lost child," Millenia said.

***

Nekura stood at the center of the Seal where the Wings of Valmar used to be locked away in Garmia Tower. The Dark Shinobi held a purple, prism crystal in the air with his right hand and gazed at it with wonder in his eyes. "I can't believe I actually found it!! The scrolls at the library were accurate after all," he said to himself.

The purple clad man ran his left index finger up and down the crystal. "What a beautiful little thing... and what power too... One down, six to go. Next stop, Liligue." Before Nekura could leave, a portal appeared behind him and a Magna Valmar stepped out of it with an unconscious Elena in its arms. "I see, you brought the girl."

The Magna Valmar nodded its head like an obedient puppy.

"Good. Take her back to Demon's Law and tie her up," Nekura commanded.

The Magna Valmar whirled around and returned to the portal.

Nekura watched the portal vanish. "Good thing the girl survived my carnage. She's going to help me start the Ritual. She's going to help me destroy the world."