As Dilandau walked absently through the halls, wondering where to go, he reviewed what Gabrielle's mecha had said to him. He remembered every word. It pained him that she might like Gatti better, and that she felt intimidated by him. He wanted to protect her, not make her feel afraid. His heart seemed to ache within him. He felt sad. The Libreia had said she'd felt alone... Like me... He related. But he realized that she felt more alone than he ever would. He just didn't know how he was supposed to tell her how he felt, when he couldn't find the words to describe it to himself.
He wandered aimlessly for two hours, completely forgetting about everything. He walked out on a bridge that was exposed to the direct outside. It joined two complexes. He stood in the middle and watched the clouds below him twist and turn endlessly as they went by. They looked like a massive sea, but white and blue with the moonlight. The breeze changed direction and headed for him, stirring his hair and making his cloak gently begin a flaring movement behind him.
He watched the clouds and listened to the wind whisper for a moment more, trying to decypher what it was saying, but in vain. He slowly made his way back to where he'd come from, heading towards his quarters. He heard a very soft noise. He ceased movement, and even held his breath for a moment, listening. He heard it again. He headed for the noise, pausing every so often to hear for it. It was very late at night, so the long corridors were practically silent, with the occasional far-off echo. He heard the soft noise again, and it seemed fairly close by. He heard the opening of a door, and the hissing as it shut. It then occurred to him that he was near quarters. There were footsteps coming in his direction.
There was a small hallway next to him that harboured a computer terminal; He could duck in there unnoticed and let the person pass. He did so silently, and pretended to be typing on the computer, lest they see him. He waited there for only a few moments until the footsteps grew slightly louder, announcing the prescence. He turned his head just in time to see Gabrielle walk past, changed into a newly washed uniform. Where could she be going? He wondered.
He cautiously stepped away from the computer terminal and back out into the hall. He began to follow her, quietly as he could. She stopped and listened. She shook her head to herself and continued walking. He followed at a fair distance, making sure she never heard, nor saw him. She walked down the curved stone walls, lit by torches placed every few metres. She eventually came to the door that led outside to the bridge. She opened the door and shut it gently behind her.
He weighed his options. He could go immediately after her, but then she would know she'd been followed. But what if she was going to jump off the bridge? She wouldn't do that. Would she? The Libreia's words came ringing back to him "... You need to tell her... " He could wait for a moment and then go outside... That would be better. Then she wouldn't think she'd been followed. Then again, she wasn't stupid. She could more than likely put two and two together and figure out he'd tried to dupe her by waiting... So then he should go right now. But... How would he explain that he'd followed her? He didn't quite know himself. Then tell her that, you tongue-tied idiot. Said a harsh voice in his head. He took in a deep breath, and then walked down the last section of the hall to the doors.
She was standing in the middle of the bridge, exactly like he had done earlier, staring at the endless expanse of clouds and sky. The wind whipped her hair behind her, and she had her head at such an angle from him that she didn't notice him opening the door. She was talking to herself, and the wind snatched her words away from her and onto the breeze. He only caught a few disjointed whispered words. She sighed and faced straight ahead, her eyes closed.
He cleared his throat. She spun around to face him, her arm forming an automatic guard. She recognized him, and her guard relaxed. "What are you doing out here?" She asked him. The cold was beginning to get to her. "Watching you." He replied, his arms crossed. "Why? Why are you watching me?" She asked. "Well... Because I noticed something was wrong. You look sad lately. Did something go wrong with Gatti?" He asked, and involuntarily his right hand formed into a fist at the thought of him.
"No, I-" She shivered. "I just miss home, that's all." She said rapidly. "Why don't you tell people?" He asked. "Because I don't want to be a problem." She reasoned. "Well, you're not a problem. Come inside, you're cold. And... I have something to tell you." He said. "I like it out here," She replied, but she could not hide her shiver. He stood beside her. "I like it here too. Please, come inside." He said as he took her hand very gently. She looked down at her hand. It looked so small compared to his. Her hands, in reality, were actually quite large, but they seemed almost dwarfed.
"Big hands... Kind of run in my family." He said. Not that he really remembered much else about his family. Her hand was spread against his, and she noticed that his were about two digits bigger than hers. He folded his fingers down inbetween her own and stepped back towards the door, pulling her in with him. Her hair settled back into place with the sudden abscence of the breeze. She looked up into his eyes, with such a look of despair and utter loneliness it almost made him feel it as well.
"Please don't be so sad." He said, almost like it was an order. Her gaze slid away. "Why?" She asked innocently. "Because it makes me so." He explained. "Please?" He asked her, trying to get her gaze back. "I'll try." She said with a small smile. "What was it you wanted to tell me?" She asked him, and she looked back at him. "I... That... That we have a mission to go on tomorrow morning. We have to get up very early. You should get to sleep now." He said. "Yeah." She said in a small, alone voice, and she gently released her hand from his. She smiled, but it wasn't a true smile. She gently turned from him and began to walk to her room, her hand gently rising to hold her shoulder. It made her look very small.
Good going, idiot. Don't just stand here, say something to make her feel better! He looked back at her. She had begun to turn the curved halls. He caught up to her. "I want to stay with you." He said. "Uh! I mean, until you get to your quarters." Even though I want to spend the night by your side to keep you safe... He continued in his mind. "Okay. You can stay for a minute and talk when we get there if you want." She said.
His heart leapt. Quarters aren't monitored past midnight... I could stay... If I play my cards right. I don't care if I have to sleep on the floor. I want to stay and watch her. Keep her safe. Just what to say? He wondered.
They arrived at Gabrielle's door. "Are you going to stay for a while?" She asked. "If you want me to," He replied. Yes! Yes I am! Yes! The voice in his head echoed his true feeling. She opened the door and she stepped in first. He followed, and she shut the door. She took off the outer cloak portion of the uniform so she was in the shirt and pants. She also took off the boots and placed them neatly by the door, hanging up the cloak. She then walked back and sat on the bed, resting her chin on her hands and watching him as he sat down at the chair by the desk. She was growing more and more tired by the minute, and Dilandau observed this. He took a quick glance at the timepiece on the desk. Four hundred hours.
She yawned. "What's the mission tomorrow?" She asked, to make conversation. "We're to go into Fanelia." He said simply. "Oh." She replied sleepily. "Where's that?" She asked. He flicked on the desk light and shut off the main one. "It's a large country mainly surrounded by forest. Land wandering dragons abound in that part of the world. Ruffian country if you ask me. To become King, a prince has to first go and slay a dragon to retrieve it's Energist." He explained. "What's an Energist?" "An Energist is a type of crystal. Dragons have a natural type of them in the centre of their bodies for hearts. We use them to power mecha suits. We can also mine Energists, too. The most powerful Energists come from Dragons. Both the Libreia and Oreides have dragon Energists, interestingly enough."
"Uh-huh." She agreed, blinking slowly. Not much longer now! He thought gleefully. His plan was going to work. I'm going to stay! She shifted and lay down on the bed, her eyes still open, watching and listening to him in the warm, dim glow of the desk light. Dilandau sat with his arms resting on the backrest of the chair, his head placed on his arms.
"What did you have for dinner tonight?" He asked. It took her a moment to answer. "Pizza." She said softly. "Oh. You don't seem to be listening, so I'll just go..." He said. "No, I'm listening. I'm just tired." She insisted. Good! He thought, and he continued to talk to her, occasionally asking her a question. Eventually, she didn't answer, and her blue eyes were shut. He smiled to himself and watched her. He was absolutely silent, save for his breathing. He watched hers. It slowed and deepened, and he knew she was asleep. He still waited for a moment. Perfect.
He took off his cloak and placed it, folded, on the chair. He also took off his boots and placed them there, too. He slowly walked to the other side of the bed, and then he sat on top of the covers next to her, silent and praying she was still asleep. The most noise she made was a little cough. She looked so at peace, all the sadness gone from her. He took off the jeweled headband and placed it on the desk beside him, putting his arm around her casually. She stirred very slightly, and he held his breath. She did not wake. She merely curved her back to fit more comfortably to the conforms of his body. He smiled, and he closed his eyes as well, not caring or even thinking what his excuse would be in the morning.
Fairly early in the morning, Gabrielle opened one eye. She became suddenly aware of the warm presence next to her, and she opened the other one. She held her breath, her body tense. She could hear the other's breathing. She slowly turned onto her back. Was anyone in her quarters last night? Dilandau was... Didn't he leave? She gently turned her head a little to see. Apparently not! He shifted in his sleep, and she heard him mutter something. He resettled again. What do I do? If I move, I might wake him up... Would he be mad? She wondered. He adjusted to her movement. Unconsciously, he lifted his arm and placed his hand spread on her flat stomach. He nestled up to her, his forehead touching her temple. She lay like that for a moment. Hadn't he said they had to go on a mission?
She gently tried to separate from him, but he made a little noise of disapproval and pulled her back close to him. Great. What do I do now? She asked herself, thinking rapidly. "Dilandau." She said. No answer, just a tighter grip. "Wake up." She said. He was holding her so tightly she was having a little trouble breathing. "Hey, you're hurting me." She said, and his grip immediately relaxed. He still had his arms around her, and when she tried to move, he dragged her back. She turned to face him.
His eyes were closed, and his expression was soft and peaceful. He was lost somewhere in a dream far away, and she'd never seen him like that before. She half sat up, and he attempted to pull her, but he was sluggish and slow, still asleep. She pulled up the entire way and stepped off the bed. She turned around and looked at him. "Now what have you got to say for yourself?" She asked him, even though she knew he couldn't hear her. She smiled and shook her head. Maybe she wasn't so alone after all.
She poked him. He reached out and caught her arm before he knew what he was doing, flipping her neatly onto the bed, and he held down her shoulders, snapping his legs down over her middle. He suddenly recognized her and paused. She blinked, looking up at him. He was ontop of her. He suddenly realized the posture. He turned absolutely red and got off of her, suppressing his wings, which wanted to burst out of his back.
"Sorry, it comes from being in the military. Someone pokes you and you automatically attack them." He said, looking at the ceiling and smoothing back his hair, his blush fading fast. However, the sudden hormonal rush wasn't. He opened his mouth to speak, and then a voice over the intercom rang out.
"Gabrielle, report to the Dragonslayer's meeting room for a breifing." Chesta's voice said. "Oh, and if you happen to see Dilandau, could you tell him to come too? We can't find him. Well, see you in a minute." He said, and the intercom link terminated. She looked at Dilandau, sitting across from her, fidgeting. She stood off of the bed and went to comb her hair.
"You're cute when you sleep." She said, picking up the comb and smoothing out her wavy hair, which really didn't look too bad, even after sleep. The blush returned slightly to his face. "Yeah, well you're always beautiful. Cute too." He said, and she turned to face him for a second before turning back to the mirror. "Thanks." She said with a shy smile. She then picked up her cloak and put it on, slipping on her boots as well. She went into the small bathroom she had, which contained a sink and a toilet. She shut the door and washed her face and such. She came out.
"I talked to the Libreia last night." He said. "You did?" She asked. "Yes. It's joined with you, so it always knows what you're thinking. It also has personality to it now, too." He said. "How do you know that?" She asked, curious. "Oh, the Oreides is joined with me, and the Libreia's information panel said it had the right chip in it." He explained. "And... What did you talk to her about?" Gabrielle asked.
"Things." He said, and put on his boots. "We should go." He said, and put on his cloak as well. He checked his hair in the mirror. "I just have to stop at my quarters first, so you go ahead and tell them I'm coming. If they ask why, just tell them I'm not going anywhere without brushing my teeth, and I don't care who ordered me to." He said, and she smiled. "Will do." She replied. She stepped out the door, and headed for the rest of the Dragonslayers.
While she was walking down the hall, she wondered why Dilandau hadn't just left when she'd fallen asleep. She remembered the warm feeling of him next to her, and a little flutter in her stomach accompanied the memory. She opened the door to the Dragonslayer's meeting room. They all stood in a line, and they apparently had been expecting Dilandau to walk in first, because they all saluted her.
"Um, okay... I'll just go in line..." She said, and stood in line beside Gatti. Chesta spoke, "Where's Dilandau? Did you see him?" He asked. "Yeah, I saw him. I told him. He said he'll be here in a minute. He had to stop at his quarters first." She explained. "Did he tell you why?" Chesta asked. "He said he wasn't going to leave without brushing his teeth." She said, and they all rolled their eyes, except Gabrielle. "Hey, it's a hygeinic choice. I brush my teeth." She said. They were all silent. Gabrielle's stomach turned. "You mean to tell me... That none of you brush your teeth?" She asked, aghast. Migel piped up. "I do." He said, and they all looked at him. "Usually." He added. She shivered with disgust, and stood back in line. Eventually, they heard Dilandau's footsteps approaching and they all stood with a salute.
He opened the door wide in an impressive entrance. "All right, everyone. Let's get down to business. Anyone steps a toe out of line, and I cut it off. Clear?" He barked, and they all nodded vigorously. "We are to fly into Fanelia. Destroy anything worth destroying on the way to the royal city. Don't harm any natural resources if you can help it. Once again, this is supposed to act as a lure. Any further details will be presented to you on the radio. Go!" He commanded. "And don't forget to turn your invisibility cloaks on!" He added, and they were all gone, running towards the docking bays. And don't let Gabrielle hate me for what we are going to do. He prayed in his mind.
Gabrielle opened the Libreia and sat again in the pilot's seat. "Libreia, interal flight control, invisibility cloak activate." She commanded, and the Libreia responded. Acknowledged. And the systems hummed to life. The red dragon shivered as it broke the docking seal, and it heaved up onto the main level of the floor towards the open sky.
The red mecha spread it's wings, and as soon as it was in stable flight, it turned invisible. Almost invisible. The light rays curved over the metal, concealing it from view as best as it could. They flew in formation, and all were silent, remembering what Gabrielle had said before.
He wandered aimlessly for two hours, completely forgetting about everything. He walked out on a bridge that was exposed to the direct outside. It joined two complexes. He stood in the middle and watched the clouds below him twist and turn endlessly as they went by. They looked like a massive sea, but white and blue with the moonlight. The breeze changed direction and headed for him, stirring his hair and making his cloak gently begin a flaring movement behind him.
He watched the clouds and listened to the wind whisper for a moment more, trying to decypher what it was saying, but in vain. He slowly made his way back to where he'd come from, heading towards his quarters. He heard a very soft noise. He ceased movement, and even held his breath for a moment, listening. He heard it again. He headed for the noise, pausing every so often to hear for it. It was very late at night, so the long corridors were practically silent, with the occasional far-off echo. He heard the soft noise again, and it seemed fairly close by. He heard the opening of a door, and the hissing as it shut. It then occurred to him that he was near quarters. There were footsteps coming in his direction.
There was a small hallway next to him that harboured a computer terminal; He could duck in there unnoticed and let the person pass. He did so silently, and pretended to be typing on the computer, lest they see him. He waited there for only a few moments until the footsteps grew slightly louder, announcing the prescence. He turned his head just in time to see Gabrielle walk past, changed into a newly washed uniform. Where could she be going? He wondered.
He cautiously stepped away from the computer terminal and back out into the hall. He began to follow her, quietly as he could. She stopped and listened. She shook her head to herself and continued walking. He followed at a fair distance, making sure she never heard, nor saw him. She walked down the curved stone walls, lit by torches placed every few metres. She eventually came to the door that led outside to the bridge. She opened the door and shut it gently behind her.
He weighed his options. He could go immediately after her, but then she would know she'd been followed. But what if she was going to jump off the bridge? She wouldn't do that. Would she? The Libreia's words came ringing back to him "... You need to tell her... " He could wait for a moment and then go outside... That would be better. Then she wouldn't think she'd been followed. Then again, she wasn't stupid. She could more than likely put two and two together and figure out he'd tried to dupe her by waiting... So then he should go right now. But... How would he explain that he'd followed her? He didn't quite know himself. Then tell her that, you tongue-tied idiot. Said a harsh voice in his head. He took in a deep breath, and then walked down the last section of the hall to the doors.
She was standing in the middle of the bridge, exactly like he had done earlier, staring at the endless expanse of clouds and sky. The wind whipped her hair behind her, and she had her head at such an angle from him that she didn't notice him opening the door. She was talking to herself, and the wind snatched her words away from her and onto the breeze. He only caught a few disjointed whispered words. She sighed and faced straight ahead, her eyes closed.
He cleared his throat. She spun around to face him, her arm forming an automatic guard. She recognized him, and her guard relaxed. "What are you doing out here?" She asked him. The cold was beginning to get to her. "Watching you." He replied, his arms crossed. "Why? Why are you watching me?" She asked. "Well... Because I noticed something was wrong. You look sad lately. Did something go wrong with Gatti?" He asked, and involuntarily his right hand formed into a fist at the thought of him.
"No, I-" She shivered. "I just miss home, that's all." She said rapidly. "Why don't you tell people?" He asked. "Because I don't want to be a problem." She reasoned. "Well, you're not a problem. Come inside, you're cold. And... I have something to tell you." He said. "I like it out here," She replied, but she could not hide her shiver. He stood beside her. "I like it here too. Please, come inside." He said as he took her hand very gently. She looked down at her hand. It looked so small compared to his. Her hands, in reality, were actually quite large, but they seemed almost dwarfed.
"Big hands... Kind of run in my family." He said. Not that he really remembered much else about his family. Her hand was spread against his, and she noticed that his were about two digits bigger than hers. He folded his fingers down inbetween her own and stepped back towards the door, pulling her in with him. Her hair settled back into place with the sudden abscence of the breeze. She looked up into his eyes, with such a look of despair and utter loneliness it almost made him feel it as well.
"Please don't be so sad." He said, almost like it was an order. Her gaze slid away. "Why?" She asked innocently. "Because it makes me so." He explained. "Please?" He asked her, trying to get her gaze back. "I'll try." She said with a small smile. "What was it you wanted to tell me?" She asked him, and she looked back at him. "I... That... That we have a mission to go on tomorrow morning. We have to get up very early. You should get to sleep now." He said. "Yeah." She said in a small, alone voice, and she gently released her hand from his. She smiled, but it wasn't a true smile. She gently turned from him and began to walk to her room, her hand gently rising to hold her shoulder. It made her look very small.
Good going, idiot. Don't just stand here, say something to make her feel better! He looked back at her. She had begun to turn the curved halls. He caught up to her. "I want to stay with you." He said. "Uh! I mean, until you get to your quarters." Even though I want to spend the night by your side to keep you safe... He continued in his mind. "Okay. You can stay for a minute and talk when we get there if you want." She said.
His heart leapt. Quarters aren't monitored past midnight... I could stay... If I play my cards right. I don't care if I have to sleep on the floor. I want to stay and watch her. Keep her safe. Just what to say? He wondered.
They arrived at Gabrielle's door. "Are you going to stay for a while?" She asked. "If you want me to," He replied. Yes! Yes I am! Yes! The voice in his head echoed his true feeling. She opened the door and she stepped in first. He followed, and she shut the door. She took off the outer cloak portion of the uniform so she was in the shirt and pants. She also took off the boots and placed them neatly by the door, hanging up the cloak. She then walked back and sat on the bed, resting her chin on her hands and watching him as he sat down at the chair by the desk. She was growing more and more tired by the minute, and Dilandau observed this. He took a quick glance at the timepiece on the desk. Four hundred hours.
She yawned. "What's the mission tomorrow?" She asked, to make conversation. "We're to go into Fanelia." He said simply. "Oh." She replied sleepily. "Where's that?" She asked. He flicked on the desk light and shut off the main one. "It's a large country mainly surrounded by forest. Land wandering dragons abound in that part of the world. Ruffian country if you ask me. To become King, a prince has to first go and slay a dragon to retrieve it's Energist." He explained. "What's an Energist?" "An Energist is a type of crystal. Dragons have a natural type of them in the centre of their bodies for hearts. We use them to power mecha suits. We can also mine Energists, too. The most powerful Energists come from Dragons. Both the Libreia and Oreides have dragon Energists, interestingly enough."
"Uh-huh." She agreed, blinking slowly. Not much longer now! He thought gleefully. His plan was going to work. I'm going to stay! She shifted and lay down on the bed, her eyes still open, watching and listening to him in the warm, dim glow of the desk light. Dilandau sat with his arms resting on the backrest of the chair, his head placed on his arms.
"What did you have for dinner tonight?" He asked. It took her a moment to answer. "Pizza." She said softly. "Oh. You don't seem to be listening, so I'll just go..." He said. "No, I'm listening. I'm just tired." She insisted. Good! He thought, and he continued to talk to her, occasionally asking her a question. Eventually, she didn't answer, and her blue eyes were shut. He smiled to himself and watched her. He was absolutely silent, save for his breathing. He watched hers. It slowed and deepened, and he knew she was asleep. He still waited for a moment. Perfect.
He took off his cloak and placed it, folded, on the chair. He also took off his boots and placed them there, too. He slowly walked to the other side of the bed, and then he sat on top of the covers next to her, silent and praying she was still asleep. The most noise she made was a little cough. She looked so at peace, all the sadness gone from her. He took off the jeweled headband and placed it on the desk beside him, putting his arm around her casually. She stirred very slightly, and he held his breath. She did not wake. She merely curved her back to fit more comfortably to the conforms of his body. He smiled, and he closed his eyes as well, not caring or even thinking what his excuse would be in the morning.
Fairly early in the morning, Gabrielle opened one eye. She became suddenly aware of the warm presence next to her, and she opened the other one. She held her breath, her body tense. She could hear the other's breathing. She slowly turned onto her back. Was anyone in her quarters last night? Dilandau was... Didn't he leave? She gently turned her head a little to see. Apparently not! He shifted in his sleep, and she heard him mutter something. He resettled again. What do I do? If I move, I might wake him up... Would he be mad? She wondered. He adjusted to her movement. Unconsciously, he lifted his arm and placed his hand spread on her flat stomach. He nestled up to her, his forehead touching her temple. She lay like that for a moment. Hadn't he said they had to go on a mission?
She gently tried to separate from him, but he made a little noise of disapproval and pulled her back close to him. Great. What do I do now? She asked herself, thinking rapidly. "Dilandau." She said. No answer, just a tighter grip. "Wake up." She said. He was holding her so tightly she was having a little trouble breathing. "Hey, you're hurting me." She said, and his grip immediately relaxed. He still had his arms around her, and when she tried to move, he dragged her back. She turned to face him.
His eyes were closed, and his expression was soft and peaceful. He was lost somewhere in a dream far away, and she'd never seen him like that before. She half sat up, and he attempted to pull her, but he was sluggish and slow, still asleep. She pulled up the entire way and stepped off the bed. She turned around and looked at him. "Now what have you got to say for yourself?" She asked him, even though she knew he couldn't hear her. She smiled and shook her head. Maybe she wasn't so alone after all.
She poked him. He reached out and caught her arm before he knew what he was doing, flipping her neatly onto the bed, and he held down her shoulders, snapping his legs down over her middle. He suddenly recognized her and paused. She blinked, looking up at him. He was ontop of her. He suddenly realized the posture. He turned absolutely red and got off of her, suppressing his wings, which wanted to burst out of his back.
"Sorry, it comes from being in the military. Someone pokes you and you automatically attack them." He said, looking at the ceiling and smoothing back his hair, his blush fading fast. However, the sudden hormonal rush wasn't. He opened his mouth to speak, and then a voice over the intercom rang out.
"Gabrielle, report to the Dragonslayer's meeting room for a breifing." Chesta's voice said. "Oh, and if you happen to see Dilandau, could you tell him to come too? We can't find him. Well, see you in a minute." He said, and the intercom link terminated. She looked at Dilandau, sitting across from her, fidgeting. She stood off of the bed and went to comb her hair.
"You're cute when you sleep." She said, picking up the comb and smoothing out her wavy hair, which really didn't look too bad, even after sleep. The blush returned slightly to his face. "Yeah, well you're always beautiful. Cute too." He said, and she turned to face him for a second before turning back to the mirror. "Thanks." She said with a shy smile. She then picked up her cloak and put it on, slipping on her boots as well. She went into the small bathroom she had, which contained a sink and a toilet. She shut the door and washed her face and such. She came out.
"I talked to the Libreia last night." He said. "You did?" She asked. "Yes. It's joined with you, so it always knows what you're thinking. It also has personality to it now, too." He said. "How do you know that?" She asked, curious. "Oh, the Oreides is joined with me, and the Libreia's information panel said it had the right chip in it." He explained. "And... What did you talk to her about?" Gabrielle asked.
"Things." He said, and put on his boots. "We should go." He said, and put on his cloak as well. He checked his hair in the mirror. "I just have to stop at my quarters first, so you go ahead and tell them I'm coming. If they ask why, just tell them I'm not going anywhere without brushing my teeth, and I don't care who ordered me to." He said, and she smiled. "Will do." She replied. She stepped out the door, and headed for the rest of the Dragonslayers.
While she was walking down the hall, she wondered why Dilandau hadn't just left when she'd fallen asleep. She remembered the warm feeling of him next to her, and a little flutter in her stomach accompanied the memory. She opened the door to the Dragonslayer's meeting room. They all stood in a line, and they apparently had been expecting Dilandau to walk in first, because they all saluted her.
"Um, okay... I'll just go in line..." She said, and stood in line beside Gatti. Chesta spoke, "Where's Dilandau? Did you see him?" He asked. "Yeah, I saw him. I told him. He said he'll be here in a minute. He had to stop at his quarters first." She explained. "Did he tell you why?" Chesta asked. "He said he wasn't going to leave without brushing his teeth." She said, and they all rolled their eyes, except Gabrielle. "Hey, it's a hygeinic choice. I brush my teeth." She said. They were all silent. Gabrielle's stomach turned. "You mean to tell me... That none of you brush your teeth?" She asked, aghast. Migel piped up. "I do." He said, and they all looked at him. "Usually." He added. She shivered with disgust, and stood back in line. Eventually, they heard Dilandau's footsteps approaching and they all stood with a salute.
He opened the door wide in an impressive entrance. "All right, everyone. Let's get down to business. Anyone steps a toe out of line, and I cut it off. Clear?" He barked, and they all nodded vigorously. "We are to fly into Fanelia. Destroy anything worth destroying on the way to the royal city. Don't harm any natural resources if you can help it. Once again, this is supposed to act as a lure. Any further details will be presented to you on the radio. Go!" He commanded. "And don't forget to turn your invisibility cloaks on!" He added, and they were all gone, running towards the docking bays. And don't let Gabrielle hate me for what we are going to do. He prayed in his mind.
Gabrielle opened the Libreia and sat again in the pilot's seat. "Libreia, interal flight control, invisibility cloak activate." She commanded, and the Libreia responded. Acknowledged. And the systems hummed to life. The red dragon shivered as it broke the docking seal, and it heaved up onto the main level of the floor towards the open sky.
The red mecha spread it's wings, and as soon as it was in stable flight, it turned invisible. Almost invisible. The light rays curved over the metal, concealing it from view as best as it could. They flew in formation, and all were silent, remembering what Gabrielle had said before.