Chapter Three: Falling In (And Out Of) Love
Yo, this is a sort of songfic, since I was listening to "Yubiwa" from the Escaflowne: A Girl In Gaea soundtrack when I wrote it. It just seemed to fit. I don't own that, either.
The 12th unit of the Defense Force had to take the long way around Brass Castle; thanks to the attack on the Lizard clan (not to mention Crys' little scuffles with Roland and Chris), it would be dangerous to take Crys into the city. After a day and a half of hiking, the group finally reached the Plain of Amur. "Thank God!" Crys exclaimed happily as they approached it.
"Took long enough ..." Ace grumbled.
"Hey, it ain't MY fault the ironheads attacked Great Hollow!" she snapped, frowning at him.
"Never said it was, never said it was ..." he sighed, waving a hand in the air toward her. "Anyway, Captain, can we stop for the night? I'm exhausted."
"I suppose."
Crys sat down with her back against a rock and yawned. "I'm soooo tired," she remarked. Jacques sat down next to her and closed his eyes. "Hey, blondie, what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, why?"
"Uh ..." She thought hard for a moment; she'd actually asked only because she wanted to spark a conversation. The guy was too damn quiet. "Well, you just don't seem ... you kinda look ... it's just that ... ah, forget it."
"Looks like someone has a crush," Ace teased, using a gloved hand to mess up Crys' hair, which she'd finally let hang loose.
"Hey! Watch it!"
"I'd watch out for her type, Jacques," he warned cheerfully. "They get all clingy in a relationship. But then again, I dunno what a man'd see in a flat-chested giant like her anyway."
"Shut up!"
"Oh, take it like a man, Sasquatch!" he laughed. "Or, should I call you Babyboobs from now on ...?"
"You are SUCH a moron!"
"Ace, stop teasing her!" Joker said firmly. "And Crys, stop encouraging him!"
"Oooh, someone's in trouble with the old man!" Ace snickered.
"Yeah, and in case you didn't understand, you are, too, stupid!" Geddoe sighed; Joker and Queen started laughing. "And besides, I do NOT have a crush! You're just reading something into it, you got that?"
"Oh, come on, sweetie, Jacques here has 'Casanova' written all over him! Women can't resist his kind."
"Maybe, but they sure as hell can resist YOURS."
Ace frowned. "Ah, forget it. He probably wouldn't go for your type anyway."
"And what 'type' would that be?"
"I believe I've said it before - a flat-chested giant."
"Stop calling me that!"
Sometime during the argument, Jacques had left the campsite. Crys quickly noticed this and set out after him, calling, "See what you've done?" over her shoulder to Ace. She headed toward a small cluster of trees, thinking he'd probably want to go someplace shady; it was nearing sunset, but the sun was still brutal. Sure enough, her instincts were right, and he was sitting up against a tall tree, reading a dog-eared copy of "The Great Gatsby," his favorite book.
"Uh ... sorry about that," Crys said sheepishly, brushing several long strands of hair out of her eyes. "I'm just sorta ... confrontational."
"It doesn't bother me. I just prefer silence when I read."
She let out a nervous laugh. "Then I guess you wouldn't want me here, talkin' your ear off, huh?" She turned to leave, but Jacques' voice stopped her dead in her tracks.
"I don't mind ... if you'd like to stay here."
Crys felt her heart leap. The world's shyest prettyboy was saying he didn't mind if she stayed with him! Sure, it wasn't like he was asking her on a date or anything, but it was a start. "Oh, okay," she said quietly, sitting down about four or five feet away from him.
"You don't have to sit so far away."
'Okay, so maybe I CAN get excited about this,' she thought to herself, standing up and sitting back down so that there were only six inches in between them. "So, uh, what're you reading?"
"'The Great Gatsby.'"
"Oh, by F. Scott Fitzgerald? Have you read 'Tender is the Night?'"
"Of course. I've read all of his published works."
Their conversation about such famous authors as George Orwell and John Steinbeck lasted nearly three hours; when the sun finally set, they began heading back toward the campsite. 'Jacques is ... easy to talk to,' Crys concluded as they reached the campfire where the others were waiting impatiently.
"So I assume you two were getting all lovey-dovey," Ace chuckled. "Nothing else takes that long."
"It - it wasn't like that!" Crys protested, her face turning red.
"Then what were you doing?"
"Talking," Jacques replied calmly. The girl at his side frowned and nodded.
"Right, right ..." Ace sighed, laying the sarcasm on pretty thickly.
Crys' excitement about the day's events kept her awake for a while. After a few hours she sat up, deciding to take a walk. As she did, she noticed Jacques sitting on a rock, watching over the team. "Can't sleep?" he asked quietly.
"No."
"I can't either." He sighed. "I used to be a sniper for the Harmonian military, so I was up late at night waiting for any signs of movement. I guess I haven't quite broken the habit yet."
"That's the longest you've ever spoken since we met. When we were talking earlier, I'd have to urge you on after one sentence!"
Jacques was silent for a moment. "Why don't you tell me about yourself?" he asked. "You don't talk about yourself that often."
"Well, you're about the first person to show any interest." She thought for a second about what to say, then spoke. "Well, I'm seventeen, I'm 5'8", and I like dogs. Is that enough?"
He shrugged. "Isn't there anything else you'd like to share?"
Crys felt a little nervous; even so, she was delighted Jacques had such interest in her. "Uh, let's see ... I'm usually a people person, I'm terrified of water, heights, and spiders, and ... well, my papa always tells me no one will marry me if I don't start acting like a girl." She immediately shut her mouth after that final comment, fearing he'd think that she had a crush on him or something (even thought she did).
" ... That's not true. I'm sure there's a lot of men out there that'd like you for who you are."
She felt her cheeks grow hot, and was at once thankful for the darkness. "Thanks."
"Anyway, you should get to sleep. We'll be leaving early."
"But what about you? You should get some sleep, too."
"Don't worry about me. I'm used to not getting a lot of sleep."
Crys opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it again, thinking it better to shut up and go to bed. After a fitful night's sleep, Queen shook her awake, and they were off to Karaya. "I'm so sleeeeepy," Crys yawned. It was barely daybreak and they were already hiking at a fast pace. She glanced at Jacques, who was wearing his usual emotionless expression. "Are you okay? Did you get any sleep?"
He nodded. "A little."
"Oh, alright." She couldn't think of anything to say. She wanted desperately to ask about him questions about himself, but was too shy. It was odd, since she was usually bold and not at all scared to share her opinions. She had a little crush on him, but she wasn't sure yet if it was love.
"And there it is," Joker said after what seemed like an eternity. "Karaya Village."
"How pretty," Crys remarked. "They really picked a great place to live, what with the open plains and all."
They slowly walked into the town, but were confronted by a young girl and a group of swordsmen. "What are you doing here?!" the girl demanded.
"We're from a traveling circus," Ace explained. Crys groaned in exasperation, with Queen and Joker following suit. "The little girl and I are knife throwers, and Ð"
"I'm NOT a little girl!"
"Anyway, as I was saying Ð"
"Don't try to trick me!" the dark-skinned girl growled. She set an arrow and let it fly, missing Ace's cheek by mere inches. The team drew their weapons as the swordsmen advanced toward them, seeing that a fight was inevitable.
"Oh, great," Joker grumbled. "Another fine mess you've gotten us into, Ace."
"Don't blame me!" he protested as he held one of his knives out, blocking an opponent's attack. "I was just trying to keep us out of a fight!"
"A lot of good it did, too," Queen snorted, parrying one of the swordsmen's thrusts.
Crys planted the blade of her spear in the earth and used it to swing around and kick her enemy in the stomach. Before one of the warriors would charge her, Jacques fired several arrows at the enemy's feet, preventing him from moving any further while he regained his composure. Crys took that second to punch him in the face, opting to knock her enemies out rather than kill them.
"Stop it!" a deep voice commanded over the commotion. The girl immediately stopped fighting and looked at him.
"Jimba!" she exclaimed. "These people Ð"
"Are our guests," he finished for her. "Captain Geddoe, I am sorry for this. Our warriors are away, and we're rather edgy."
"It doesn't matter," the morose captain replied, shaking his head. "It's fine."
"Please, come in. I'll make up for the rude greeting. Aila, please apologize."
The girl known as Aila frowned. "I'm sorry for attacking you. I had no idea you were guests," was the brusque reply.
"I somehow doubt your sincerity," Crys said flatly.
Aila huffed and stormed off. "Please, come in and sit down," Jimba offered. ***
"You! You there!" a voice called out. The remaining members of the team (Geddoe had left to speak with Jimba) turned to face a man in a white porcelain mask. He grabbed the hands of Crys and Jacques in either of his and shook them. "You two! You're perfect for the parts in my play! Please, please lend me your talents!"
Crys gasped and yanked her hand from his grasp. "Go away, you creep!" she nearly shouted.
"Oh, don't misunderstand," he said politely, giving them a bow. "I want you to work as actors for me. That's all I want."
Jacques calmly removed the man's hand from his own. "Find someone else," he said quietly.
"But you two are PERFECT! I'll pay you any amount you wish!" he pleaded.
"That ain't worth the spit you wasted saying it!" Crys growled, but Ace put a hand on her shoulder.
"How high will you go?" he asked, smiling.
"Make an offer and I'll pay it!"
"A quarter of a million and you can have them," he said.
"Done!"
"What?! No!" Crys pulled away from Ace. "You can't do that! You're not our pimp!"
"Hey, Babyboobs, traveling isn't cheap. We need a lot of money if we're gonna keep letting you tag along."
"But ... but ..."
"Do what you want, but we have to be out of here in three days, tops," Ace explained. "Is that okay?"
"Oh, yes, that's fine. It's a very short play, and we'll only have one performance. It'll be here in the village, so you don't have to worry."
Jacques didn't look that upset, but Crys was fuming. "So, Babyboobs, I hope you like acting."
"Don't wanna, can't make me!" she whimpered, horrified.
"Come on, take one for the team, kid," Queen said with a smile. "Jacques doesn't seem to mind that much."
He rolled his eyes. "This isn't the way I expected this trip to go."
"Ace, didn't you even think about running this by the captain?" Joker inquired.
"Relax, old man! He said we'd be here for three days, so it's natural that he'd allow some money-making to go on."
"Oh God," Crys groaned, sinking to her knees.
"I'm Nadir," the masked man greeted. "What are your names?"
" ... Jacques."
"Crystelle Syaoran."
"A Syaoran? My, Li Syaoran was a fine actor! I gave him acting lessons as a child!" Nadir exclaimed.
"I know. Papa told me you did."
"So you're Marquis Li Syaoran's daughter? Oh, I had no idea I was in the presence of royalty."
"You're not, really. We're like the white trash of royalty. No, don't bow! I said QUIT it!"
"Her temper's getting shorter and shorter," Joker remarked to Queen and Ace, who both nodded in agreement.
Nadir clasped her hand again. "I sure hope your hands are clean ..." she mumbled.
"Now, you two, off to rehearsal!" ***
"Why didn't you say you were royalty?" Ace asked as Crys leafed through the short script.
"It was on a need-to-know basis," she replied without a hint of interest.
"Really? How?"
"YOU didn't NEED to know!" she hissed irritably. She quickly caught herself, however. "Sorry, sorry. It's just that ... well, that Nadir guy's creepy. He ... creeps the hell out of me." She paused. "And I'm really mad at you for pimpin' me and Jacques out! That's horrible! We're not whores, you know!"
"Please, Lady Crystelle, come and rehearse!" Nadir urged. Crys shuddered angrily and joined Jacques, who was standing near the creepy, creepy drama producer (or whatever the hell he was, she didn't care). "Now, please, start reading from the top of the second page."
"'Oh, Allen, I don't care what my father says. I know our love is forbidden, but I can't stop loving you!'" She looked up at Jacques. "This script SUCKS," she whispered. He nodded in reply. "'It's true what they say, isn't it? Love never dies.'"
"'Marlene, I know how you feel. I feel the same way, but ...'"
"'Allen, can't you tell me you love me? I know you do, so why can't you say it?'"
"That's such a sappy script," Queen remarked. "Doesn't look like either Crys or Jacques are getting into it."
"Um ... I think they are, actually," Joker replied. "I think they're talking to each other more than anything else."
After a few minutes more of watching the two read their lines, it became more and more obvious to Queen and Ace that Joker was right; Jacques and Crys were using the lines as a front to let their emotions out. "Love is a beautiful thing ..." Ace sighed.
"Like you'd know anything about it," Queen murmured.
When the final scene was reached, Allen and Marlene (get the joke? do you? if you don't, watch The Vision of Escaflowne) managed to declare their love for each other openly Ð and it seemed that Jacques and Crys finally had, as well. Even if it was through the lines of the play, they seemed relieved to have spoken their true feelings.
"Brilliant! Brilliant!" Nadir cried out, clapping enthusiastically. "Please, meet me back here tonight for another rehearsal."
"Finally!" Crys sighed as she and Jacques walked toward the outskirts of the village. She sat down on a log. "I thought we'd NEVER get through that stupid script."
Jacques, standing next to her, nodded. "It was really ... sappy."
"Yeah, it was. Plus, I hate love stories. The people who write them are a bunch of emotional wusses. Always so freakin' sensitive!" She shook her head. "Sorry. I've gotten really short-tempered since I left home. Hope you don't mind."
"I don't."
The two were silent for several moments; letting their feelings out during the play had paved the way for anxieties galore to keep them quiet in each other's presence.
Nadmida ga ato kara afuredashite
Saigo no egao ga nijinde mienai no
Ikanaide! Ikanaide! Koko ni ite
Sora e hikari kakenukete yuku
(As my tears keep overflowing,
I can't see your last smile through the blur
Don't go! Don't go! Stay with me
Light breaks through the sky)
Jacques shyly sat down on the log next to her and cleared his throat. "It's ... a beautiful sunset, isn't it?"
She nodded. "Yup."
Konna ni chiisa na watashi dakedo
Anata wo dare yori sei ippai aishita
Arigatou ikutsumo no
Taisetsu na kimochi
Tewata shite kureta yo ne
(I'm so insignificant, but
I love you with all my soul Ð more than anyone
Thank you for all of the precious feelings you've given to me)
"You know ..." Jacques begun, but his voice trailed off. Crys turned to look at him and noticed he was blushing, even though it was difficult to tell in the fading light. She felt her chest tighten as she thought about what he wanted to say.
"Sono toki zutto watashi wa kie kaketa hikoukigumo wo mite ita ..."
("At the time I just watched for ages as the vapor trail vanished ..."
"About the team ... how long will you be staying with us?"
Her heart sank. "Oh, THAT. I guess I'll part ways with y'all when we get to my hometown."
"Really?"
"Actually, I might even leave sooner than that. Since everyone's getting ready for war, my papa's probably worried about me, so ..."
He looked disheartened. "So ... we might not see each other again ..."
Wasurenaide hitori ja nai
Hanarete mo te wo tsunaide iru
Hajimete no koi hajimete shitta
konna kanashimi ga aru koto
(Don't forget you're not alone
Even if we part
Our hands are still linked
It was my first love
When I first learned of sadness like this)
"I wouldn't say THAT, but maybe."
"I ... I, um ..."
She gave him an angry look. "If you want to say something, just say it!"
Nanika ga shoumetsu shite mo nanika ga
Futatabi yadotte
Wakare ni kureta hohoemi wa tsuyoku ikiyou to yuu
Anata kara no mesejii
(Even if something fades away
Something will live again
The smile you gave me as we parted
Was your message of truimph for me)
"Look, I ... I have feelings for you, okay?" he said finally, looking off to the side.
Her anger faded into confusion. "You do?"
"... Mm-hmm."
She smiled and looked at the ground. "You know, I kinda picked up on that when we were going through our lines for the play."
"You did?"
Itsu kitto aeru
Futari naraba
Tookutemo hitomi mitsumeau
Kibou to yume no subete o kakete
Yakusoku wo shiyou yo
Ano hi no hageshisa wo daite
Ashita saku mirai wo ikiru
(Someday surely we'll meet again
And be together
No matter how far, we'll stare into each other's eyes
Let's promise each other that we'll
Hold onto the intensity of this day
And live for the future that blooms with tomorrow)
"Yeah. I guess I was using the play as a front to tell you how I felt, just like it seems you were. I'm just too cowardly to tell you outright, I guess."
"You're a lot braver about expressing yourself than I am," he said quietly. "I've had problems doing it since I was a kid. But, you're the one that gave me the courage to finally say it."
"What do you mean?"
"You have this personality that just screams 'live for the moment,' that's what. I decided to be more like you and just get it out in the open."
Crys smiled warmly. A still-blushing Jacques tentatively put an arm around her shoulders; she responded by leaning against him. They sat together calmly for what seemed like (and both wished it could be) an eternity. The only thing that stopped them from staying there all night was the first of many flaming arrows fired into Karaya Village.
Yo, this is a sort of songfic, since I was listening to "Yubiwa" from the Escaflowne: A Girl In Gaea soundtrack when I wrote it. It just seemed to fit. I don't own that, either.
The 12th unit of the Defense Force had to take the long way around Brass Castle; thanks to the attack on the Lizard clan (not to mention Crys' little scuffles with Roland and Chris), it would be dangerous to take Crys into the city. After a day and a half of hiking, the group finally reached the Plain of Amur. "Thank God!" Crys exclaimed happily as they approached it.
"Took long enough ..." Ace grumbled.
"Hey, it ain't MY fault the ironheads attacked Great Hollow!" she snapped, frowning at him.
"Never said it was, never said it was ..." he sighed, waving a hand in the air toward her. "Anyway, Captain, can we stop for the night? I'm exhausted."
"I suppose."
Crys sat down with her back against a rock and yawned. "I'm soooo tired," she remarked. Jacques sat down next to her and closed his eyes. "Hey, blondie, what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, why?"
"Uh ..." She thought hard for a moment; she'd actually asked only because she wanted to spark a conversation. The guy was too damn quiet. "Well, you just don't seem ... you kinda look ... it's just that ... ah, forget it."
"Looks like someone has a crush," Ace teased, using a gloved hand to mess up Crys' hair, which she'd finally let hang loose.
"Hey! Watch it!"
"I'd watch out for her type, Jacques," he warned cheerfully. "They get all clingy in a relationship. But then again, I dunno what a man'd see in a flat-chested giant like her anyway."
"Shut up!"
"Oh, take it like a man, Sasquatch!" he laughed. "Or, should I call you Babyboobs from now on ...?"
"You are SUCH a moron!"
"Ace, stop teasing her!" Joker said firmly. "And Crys, stop encouraging him!"
"Oooh, someone's in trouble with the old man!" Ace snickered.
"Yeah, and in case you didn't understand, you are, too, stupid!" Geddoe sighed; Joker and Queen started laughing. "And besides, I do NOT have a crush! You're just reading something into it, you got that?"
"Oh, come on, sweetie, Jacques here has 'Casanova' written all over him! Women can't resist his kind."
"Maybe, but they sure as hell can resist YOURS."
Ace frowned. "Ah, forget it. He probably wouldn't go for your type anyway."
"And what 'type' would that be?"
"I believe I've said it before - a flat-chested giant."
"Stop calling me that!"
Sometime during the argument, Jacques had left the campsite. Crys quickly noticed this and set out after him, calling, "See what you've done?" over her shoulder to Ace. She headed toward a small cluster of trees, thinking he'd probably want to go someplace shady; it was nearing sunset, but the sun was still brutal. Sure enough, her instincts were right, and he was sitting up against a tall tree, reading a dog-eared copy of "The Great Gatsby," his favorite book.
"Uh ... sorry about that," Crys said sheepishly, brushing several long strands of hair out of her eyes. "I'm just sorta ... confrontational."
"It doesn't bother me. I just prefer silence when I read."
She let out a nervous laugh. "Then I guess you wouldn't want me here, talkin' your ear off, huh?" She turned to leave, but Jacques' voice stopped her dead in her tracks.
"I don't mind ... if you'd like to stay here."
Crys felt her heart leap. The world's shyest prettyboy was saying he didn't mind if she stayed with him! Sure, it wasn't like he was asking her on a date or anything, but it was a start. "Oh, okay," she said quietly, sitting down about four or five feet away from him.
"You don't have to sit so far away."
'Okay, so maybe I CAN get excited about this,' she thought to herself, standing up and sitting back down so that there were only six inches in between them. "So, uh, what're you reading?"
"'The Great Gatsby.'"
"Oh, by F. Scott Fitzgerald? Have you read 'Tender is the Night?'"
"Of course. I've read all of his published works."
Their conversation about such famous authors as George Orwell and John Steinbeck lasted nearly three hours; when the sun finally set, they began heading back toward the campsite. 'Jacques is ... easy to talk to,' Crys concluded as they reached the campfire where the others were waiting impatiently.
"So I assume you two were getting all lovey-dovey," Ace chuckled. "Nothing else takes that long."
"It - it wasn't like that!" Crys protested, her face turning red.
"Then what were you doing?"
"Talking," Jacques replied calmly. The girl at his side frowned and nodded.
"Right, right ..." Ace sighed, laying the sarcasm on pretty thickly.
Crys' excitement about the day's events kept her awake for a while. After a few hours she sat up, deciding to take a walk. As she did, she noticed Jacques sitting on a rock, watching over the team. "Can't sleep?" he asked quietly.
"No."
"I can't either." He sighed. "I used to be a sniper for the Harmonian military, so I was up late at night waiting for any signs of movement. I guess I haven't quite broken the habit yet."
"That's the longest you've ever spoken since we met. When we were talking earlier, I'd have to urge you on after one sentence!"
Jacques was silent for a moment. "Why don't you tell me about yourself?" he asked. "You don't talk about yourself that often."
"Well, you're about the first person to show any interest." She thought for a second about what to say, then spoke. "Well, I'm seventeen, I'm 5'8", and I like dogs. Is that enough?"
He shrugged. "Isn't there anything else you'd like to share?"
Crys felt a little nervous; even so, she was delighted Jacques had such interest in her. "Uh, let's see ... I'm usually a people person, I'm terrified of water, heights, and spiders, and ... well, my papa always tells me no one will marry me if I don't start acting like a girl." She immediately shut her mouth after that final comment, fearing he'd think that she had a crush on him or something (even thought she did).
" ... That's not true. I'm sure there's a lot of men out there that'd like you for who you are."
She felt her cheeks grow hot, and was at once thankful for the darkness. "Thanks."
"Anyway, you should get to sleep. We'll be leaving early."
"But what about you? You should get some sleep, too."
"Don't worry about me. I'm used to not getting a lot of sleep."
Crys opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it again, thinking it better to shut up and go to bed. After a fitful night's sleep, Queen shook her awake, and they were off to Karaya. "I'm so sleeeeepy," Crys yawned. It was barely daybreak and they were already hiking at a fast pace. She glanced at Jacques, who was wearing his usual emotionless expression. "Are you okay? Did you get any sleep?"
He nodded. "A little."
"Oh, alright." She couldn't think of anything to say. She wanted desperately to ask about him questions about himself, but was too shy. It was odd, since she was usually bold and not at all scared to share her opinions. She had a little crush on him, but she wasn't sure yet if it was love.
"And there it is," Joker said after what seemed like an eternity. "Karaya Village."
"How pretty," Crys remarked. "They really picked a great place to live, what with the open plains and all."
They slowly walked into the town, but were confronted by a young girl and a group of swordsmen. "What are you doing here?!" the girl demanded.
"We're from a traveling circus," Ace explained. Crys groaned in exasperation, with Queen and Joker following suit. "The little girl and I are knife throwers, and Ð"
"I'm NOT a little girl!"
"Anyway, as I was saying Ð"
"Don't try to trick me!" the dark-skinned girl growled. She set an arrow and let it fly, missing Ace's cheek by mere inches. The team drew their weapons as the swordsmen advanced toward them, seeing that a fight was inevitable.
"Oh, great," Joker grumbled. "Another fine mess you've gotten us into, Ace."
"Don't blame me!" he protested as he held one of his knives out, blocking an opponent's attack. "I was just trying to keep us out of a fight!"
"A lot of good it did, too," Queen snorted, parrying one of the swordsmen's thrusts.
Crys planted the blade of her spear in the earth and used it to swing around and kick her enemy in the stomach. Before one of the warriors would charge her, Jacques fired several arrows at the enemy's feet, preventing him from moving any further while he regained his composure. Crys took that second to punch him in the face, opting to knock her enemies out rather than kill them.
"Stop it!" a deep voice commanded over the commotion. The girl immediately stopped fighting and looked at him.
"Jimba!" she exclaimed. "These people Ð"
"Are our guests," he finished for her. "Captain Geddoe, I am sorry for this. Our warriors are away, and we're rather edgy."
"It doesn't matter," the morose captain replied, shaking his head. "It's fine."
"Please, come in. I'll make up for the rude greeting. Aila, please apologize."
The girl known as Aila frowned. "I'm sorry for attacking you. I had no idea you were guests," was the brusque reply.
"I somehow doubt your sincerity," Crys said flatly.
Aila huffed and stormed off. "Please, come in and sit down," Jimba offered. ***
"You! You there!" a voice called out. The remaining members of the team (Geddoe had left to speak with Jimba) turned to face a man in a white porcelain mask. He grabbed the hands of Crys and Jacques in either of his and shook them. "You two! You're perfect for the parts in my play! Please, please lend me your talents!"
Crys gasped and yanked her hand from his grasp. "Go away, you creep!" she nearly shouted.
"Oh, don't misunderstand," he said politely, giving them a bow. "I want you to work as actors for me. That's all I want."
Jacques calmly removed the man's hand from his own. "Find someone else," he said quietly.
"But you two are PERFECT! I'll pay you any amount you wish!" he pleaded.
"That ain't worth the spit you wasted saying it!" Crys growled, but Ace put a hand on her shoulder.
"How high will you go?" he asked, smiling.
"Make an offer and I'll pay it!"
"A quarter of a million and you can have them," he said.
"Done!"
"What?! No!" Crys pulled away from Ace. "You can't do that! You're not our pimp!"
"Hey, Babyboobs, traveling isn't cheap. We need a lot of money if we're gonna keep letting you tag along."
"But ... but ..."
"Do what you want, but we have to be out of here in three days, tops," Ace explained. "Is that okay?"
"Oh, yes, that's fine. It's a very short play, and we'll only have one performance. It'll be here in the village, so you don't have to worry."
Jacques didn't look that upset, but Crys was fuming. "So, Babyboobs, I hope you like acting."
"Don't wanna, can't make me!" she whimpered, horrified.
"Come on, take one for the team, kid," Queen said with a smile. "Jacques doesn't seem to mind that much."
He rolled his eyes. "This isn't the way I expected this trip to go."
"Ace, didn't you even think about running this by the captain?" Joker inquired.
"Relax, old man! He said we'd be here for three days, so it's natural that he'd allow some money-making to go on."
"Oh God," Crys groaned, sinking to her knees.
"I'm Nadir," the masked man greeted. "What are your names?"
" ... Jacques."
"Crystelle Syaoran."
"A Syaoran? My, Li Syaoran was a fine actor! I gave him acting lessons as a child!" Nadir exclaimed.
"I know. Papa told me you did."
"So you're Marquis Li Syaoran's daughter? Oh, I had no idea I was in the presence of royalty."
"You're not, really. We're like the white trash of royalty. No, don't bow! I said QUIT it!"
"Her temper's getting shorter and shorter," Joker remarked to Queen and Ace, who both nodded in agreement.
Nadir clasped her hand again. "I sure hope your hands are clean ..." she mumbled.
"Now, you two, off to rehearsal!" ***
"Why didn't you say you were royalty?" Ace asked as Crys leafed through the short script.
"It was on a need-to-know basis," she replied without a hint of interest.
"Really? How?"
"YOU didn't NEED to know!" she hissed irritably. She quickly caught herself, however. "Sorry, sorry. It's just that ... well, that Nadir guy's creepy. He ... creeps the hell out of me." She paused. "And I'm really mad at you for pimpin' me and Jacques out! That's horrible! We're not whores, you know!"
"Please, Lady Crystelle, come and rehearse!" Nadir urged. Crys shuddered angrily and joined Jacques, who was standing near the creepy, creepy drama producer (or whatever the hell he was, she didn't care). "Now, please, start reading from the top of the second page."
"'Oh, Allen, I don't care what my father says. I know our love is forbidden, but I can't stop loving you!'" She looked up at Jacques. "This script SUCKS," she whispered. He nodded in reply. "'It's true what they say, isn't it? Love never dies.'"
"'Marlene, I know how you feel. I feel the same way, but ...'"
"'Allen, can't you tell me you love me? I know you do, so why can't you say it?'"
"That's such a sappy script," Queen remarked. "Doesn't look like either Crys or Jacques are getting into it."
"Um ... I think they are, actually," Joker replied. "I think they're talking to each other more than anything else."
After a few minutes more of watching the two read their lines, it became more and more obvious to Queen and Ace that Joker was right; Jacques and Crys were using the lines as a front to let their emotions out. "Love is a beautiful thing ..." Ace sighed.
"Like you'd know anything about it," Queen murmured.
When the final scene was reached, Allen and Marlene (get the joke? do you? if you don't, watch The Vision of Escaflowne) managed to declare their love for each other openly Ð and it seemed that Jacques and Crys finally had, as well. Even if it was through the lines of the play, they seemed relieved to have spoken their true feelings.
"Brilliant! Brilliant!" Nadir cried out, clapping enthusiastically. "Please, meet me back here tonight for another rehearsal."
"Finally!" Crys sighed as she and Jacques walked toward the outskirts of the village. She sat down on a log. "I thought we'd NEVER get through that stupid script."
Jacques, standing next to her, nodded. "It was really ... sappy."
"Yeah, it was. Plus, I hate love stories. The people who write them are a bunch of emotional wusses. Always so freakin' sensitive!" She shook her head. "Sorry. I've gotten really short-tempered since I left home. Hope you don't mind."
"I don't."
The two were silent for several moments; letting their feelings out during the play had paved the way for anxieties galore to keep them quiet in each other's presence.
Nadmida ga ato kara afuredashite
Saigo no egao ga nijinde mienai no
Ikanaide! Ikanaide! Koko ni ite
Sora e hikari kakenukete yuku
(As my tears keep overflowing,
I can't see your last smile through the blur
Don't go! Don't go! Stay with me
Light breaks through the sky)
Jacques shyly sat down on the log next to her and cleared his throat. "It's ... a beautiful sunset, isn't it?"
She nodded. "Yup."
Konna ni chiisa na watashi dakedo
Anata wo dare yori sei ippai aishita
Arigatou ikutsumo no
Taisetsu na kimochi
Tewata shite kureta yo ne
(I'm so insignificant, but
I love you with all my soul Ð more than anyone
Thank you for all of the precious feelings you've given to me)
"You know ..." Jacques begun, but his voice trailed off. Crys turned to look at him and noticed he was blushing, even though it was difficult to tell in the fading light. She felt her chest tighten as she thought about what he wanted to say.
"Sono toki zutto watashi wa kie kaketa hikoukigumo wo mite ita ..."
("At the time I just watched for ages as the vapor trail vanished ..."
"About the team ... how long will you be staying with us?"
Her heart sank. "Oh, THAT. I guess I'll part ways with y'all when we get to my hometown."
"Really?"
"Actually, I might even leave sooner than that. Since everyone's getting ready for war, my papa's probably worried about me, so ..."
He looked disheartened. "So ... we might not see each other again ..."
Wasurenaide hitori ja nai
Hanarete mo te wo tsunaide iru
Hajimete no koi hajimete shitta
konna kanashimi ga aru koto
(Don't forget you're not alone
Even if we part
Our hands are still linked
It was my first love
When I first learned of sadness like this)
"I wouldn't say THAT, but maybe."
"I ... I, um ..."
She gave him an angry look. "If you want to say something, just say it!"
Nanika ga shoumetsu shite mo nanika ga
Futatabi yadotte
Wakare ni kureta hohoemi wa tsuyoku ikiyou to yuu
Anata kara no mesejii
(Even if something fades away
Something will live again
The smile you gave me as we parted
Was your message of truimph for me)
"Look, I ... I have feelings for you, okay?" he said finally, looking off to the side.
Her anger faded into confusion. "You do?"
"... Mm-hmm."
She smiled and looked at the ground. "You know, I kinda picked up on that when we were going through our lines for the play."
"You did?"
Itsu kitto aeru
Futari naraba
Tookutemo hitomi mitsumeau
Kibou to yume no subete o kakete
Yakusoku wo shiyou yo
Ano hi no hageshisa wo daite
Ashita saku mirai wo ikiru
(Someday surely we'll meet again
And be together
No matter how far, we'll stare into each other's eyes
Let's promise each other that we'll
Hold onto the intensity of this day
And live for the future that blooms with tomorrow)
"Yeah. I guess I was using the play as a front to tell you how I felt, just like it seems you were. I'm just too cowardly to tell you outright, I guess."
"You're a lot braver about expressing yourself than I am," he said quietly. "I've had problems doing it since I was a kid. But, you're the one that gave me the courage to finally say it."
"What do you mean?"
"You have this personality that just screams 'live for the moment,' that's what. I decided to be more like you and just get it out in the open."
Crys smiled warmly. A still-blushing Jacques tentatively put an arm around her shoulders; she responded by leaning against him. They sat together calmly for what seemed like (and both wished it could be) an eternity. The only thing that stopped them from staying there all night was the first of many flaming arrows fired into Karaya Village.
