{I really wish that I had more time to work on this....I'll just have to give up sleeping from now on.}

PART FIVE

The room was dark. Dirandau awoke with bandages on his face, and on his arms.
He felt sore all over, like he did when he first began training in the army. He sat up.

Dirandau: "Where am I?"
Allen: "You are at home…"
Dirandau: "Al…Allen?"

Allen was seated at the window. The moonlight streamed down over his shoulders. He appeared like a shadow. His head bowed slightly in despair.

Dirandau: "How did-"
Allen: "I'm sorry that you had to meet the Seraphim family…I had hoped to keep you from people like that."
Dirandau: "You know them?"
Allen nodded shamefully.
Allen: "From my past…We used to work together, after my mother had died.."
Dirandau: "What line of work?"
Allen: "……………."
Dirandau laughed lightly. This was the first time Allen seemed to be reluctant to share something with him.
Dirandau: "So, you have secrets in your past…..this should be interesting to hear about…"
Allen: "What makes you think I'll be telling you anything?"
Dirandau shrugged his shoulders.
Dirandau: "You love to hear yourself talk…and you always make me listen to you…as if I were interested. You'll tell me sooner or later."
Allen: "But, I never tried to tell you anything…I mean.…."

Dirandau glowered at Allen. What did he expect? For Dirandau to sit by in silence, and pretend he hears nothing? Probably.
Allen seemed to believe that he could 'speak'to Serena through Dirandau…why did the man have to be such an idiot?

Allen: "Please…let's just drop the subject."
Allen had other things on his mind right now. Eries may have found out that Dirandau had gone off into the city. He wouldn't find out until two days later. She would be coming by then, to check on how things had progressed. Thus far, she was unimpressed with Allen's ability to keep Dirandau under control. This incident might destroy any faith she has left in him.
Dirandau sat on the bed with his arms crossed, glaring at the ceiling. Allen resumed his place by the window. He gazed out into the distance, trying to figure out this whole mess.

An hour or so went by like this. The silence angered Dirandau. There should always something happening, something going on.

Dirandau: "What are you waiting for???"
Allen: "What makes you think I'm waiting for something?"
Dirandau: "Well…you're just sitting there, doing nothing. Nobody does that unless they're waiting for something…….What is it?"
Allen laughed.
Allen: "You're telling me you've never just sat down to think, unless you were waiting for something?"
Dirandau: "Of course not!…it's a waste of time…I've always had better things to do.."
Allen: "You think going off to torture people and burn down countries is a better use of time than not doing anything?"
Dirandau: "It's only the pathetic ones who say things like that…people whose lives are wasted and pointless…….Well, I suppose that it makes sense that you're saying it, then…"
Allen: "My life is not pointless!!"
Dirandau: "Oh, but it's worthless, at any rate…at least you don't try to deny that."
Dirandau chuckled. It was fun to get a rise out of Allen. The sap was so easy to annoy…. He took everything seriously.

Allen: "What the hell is your problem, anyway?"
Dirandau: "Ooh….breaking out the swear words…you must be mad."
Allen: "………."
Dirandau: "And you're one to be asking what my problem is…You're the idiot who's obsessed with a dead sister he hardly knew..."
Allen: "She's not dead…and I did know her…very well"
Dirandau: "What did you know? That she was happy, she liked fancy party dresses and to pick wildflowers, and she liked you?"
Allen: "She loves me….There's more to it than that….You don't know anything about her…"
Dirandau: "No, you don't know anything about her. She's….she's…"
Dirandau saw that Allen wasn't even listening, and ceased talking.

The mention of Serena had put a smile on Allen's face. He had often imagined what life would be like for her if she had grown up in Asturia.

Allen: "She'd be a proper young girl, that's for certain.…and adored, too. Everyone who knew her loved her…She was so sweet and innocent. I think she picked flowers simply because she wanted something equally as sweet and innocent to look at….she's an angel…"

Dirandau shut his eyes.
Dirandau: "You don't understand. She's not sweet…..She torments me…day and
night.......constantly....she's never going to stop........no one wants her to stop....no one except me......."
He pulled his feet up close to him, and lay his head down on his knees.
Dirandau: "She wouldn't even leave me alone...when my Dragonslayers were….killed.........no, she used that to her advantage, too...she tried to kill me then…she's a demon."

Allen didn't know what to say. He'd never really considered the boy's feelings, or what he might be going through.::"He's lost everyone he's ever had any feelings about whatsoever. He's lost his country. He has nothing left but himself...and he's in danger of losing that too."::

Allen had never realized how alike he and Dirandau could be.


Dirandau began to shiver. He was close to completely losing it. Everyone else had thus far succeeded in driving him towards the edge...
::"All someone has to do now was push him off."::

Allen walked towards Dirandau slowly. It occurred to him that he now had the opportunity to get rid of Dirandau forever, and have Serena back. He'd been working towards this for weeks...breaking down Dirandau's defenses...waiting. But, that was before he realized that Dirandau was a real person, that he'd be killing the boy.....

He hesitated for a few moments. Should he save his dear sister, or Dirandau?

His choice was clear.
:: "She'll understand….she cares so much more about everyone else than herself….she'll understand why I do this…"

He sat down next to Dirandau, and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
Dirandau: "Go away…..go…..leave….."
His voice was small, weak.

Allen: "No…I won't leave you."
Dirandau: "Haven't you listened to a word I've said? I'm not Ser-"
Allen: "I know that. I know you're not her. She's gone, she can't ever come back…maybe it's better that way. I want to help you."

Dirandau looked up.
Dirandau: "Why?"

Allen: "The whole world is against you. I've been through that, and I won't let another person endure it if I can stop it…"

Dirandau stared out the window.
::"What is this? Some new strategy?"::
Certainly…Allen must be planning to gain Dirandau's trust, then have an easier time of destroying him.
He wanted badly to trust Allen's words. He was tired of fighting a losing battle with everyone and everything around him. But, he knew all to well that they could never be true. He reminded himself of the promise he made yesterday, and strengthened his resolve not to allow Allen to defeat him.

Allen began thinking of the work that lay ahead….convincing Eries that Dirandau was not dangerous; making his friends accept an enemy; and helping Dirandau adjust to this new life. He would approach this just as he would any fight…with courage, determination, and noble intentions.
It would be long and difficult. They had two days before it all began…He'd use those two days to try and get to know Dirandau further.
He stood up.

Allen: "So…I'm sure you're tired of staying in this room…Care to take a look around the grounds with me?"
Dirandau nodded.

::"I'll play along with this bastard…I'll beat him at his own game."::

Allen: "Very well…I'll tell give the servants the day off, and then I can show you everything.."
He still didn't want the servants to know. They were too apt to gossip about it. The public would find out, and Eries wouldn't allow Allen any more chances.

Dirandau watched Allen leave.
"Of course…..you want to help me, you care about me…but you're still not going to tell anyone about me?"

::"Lying is not your strong point, Allen Schezar…"::


{So, Allen finally accepts Dirandau...yay.
As I said in the description of my fic, I'm accompanying a choir, and that means I don't have much time to work on this until the concert is over with (I've been neglecting my practice for this too much already.)
I've got lots more fun planned for everyone in this story, so I hope you'll stay tuned for my next update.}