"Oh, Polly, I'm so glad you're alright!" Elena said, very relieved that evening when Rue and Mint returned to the Golden Sands inn, her parents waiting for them anxiously. After Klaus was completely satisfied with their story, specifically Rue's encounter with Shadow, Mira asked her children to help her and Kasim fix dinner. Prima and Elena followed their mother outside, with Mira closing the door firmly behind her.
"Gee, Rue, I never thought you'd be the type of person to bring trouble." Mint said, shrugging. "Just what did you do to pissed him off so much anyway?"
"I…I don't know." Rue wished that he did, though. It's perplexing for him to be a target of revenge for something he didn't do. At least he should know what he was going to be killed for.
"Regardless, it's obvious this Shadow character is very dangerous, and that you shouldn't even go near the Ruins." Klaus was saying. He sure didn't like where this events were leading. And he was certainly worried with these two youngsters than most; the adventure in Carona seemed more like a picnic than now. At least in that experience, no one was stalking Rue to have him dead.
Rue shook his head, "I know I'm endangering myself. But I'm still planning to go. I can't back off from this."
"Besides, Klaus, I really have no intention of flying solo, if you know what I mean." Mint butted in, backing Rue up. "From what you just told us a few days ago, the desert ruins are pretty broad."
Klaus sighed, "Well, that is true." He admitted. There was a brief silence in the room before Klaus was groping for something in his pocket. "By the way, Mint, I found out something really interesting with the coin you found."
"Really?!" Mint said eagerly, glad that Klaus decided to let the issue rest for now.
"Here, let me show you. Bend over here." The archeologist instructed her as he placed the coin behind her ear. Almost instantly the coin seemed to stick to her skin, not irritating her flesh despite its age and it's prone to rust, much to the girl's surprise.
"Interesting is an understatement." Mint said. "So it sticks to your ear, what exactly does it do?"
"For the moment, I'm not really sure. It's too complex just to serve as an earring and decoration. I could assume that that it has magical properties. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anyone who can check it out for me." Klaus looked a bit sheepish. It was unlike him not to be informed with current events.
"Rod already told us that magic is banned from the city," Rue said.
"Which sucks, actually." Mint said, shrugging. "After what happened a while ago, I'm certain my magic can help us a lot for experimenting this."
"It can't be helped. In any case, Mint, I think you should keep the earring for now. I have a feeling it would be very useful in the future." Klaus sighed. "But let's go back to business, shall we? I want you two to see this." He produced from his books that were stacked neatly at his side a dust-laden map of the desert. "The archives told me that this map was created two hundred years ago."
"So basically, it was the nearest thing to the Ephlesia ruins." Rue commented.
"True, but I'm not sure if this map is even accurate. However…there is this one landmark that all the maps have, we could check out the atalier of…" the doctor hesitated.
"Valen's, isn't it?" Mint finished for him, sneaking a glance at Rue. Rue's expression was pretty much neutral, although she knew that he must have been feeling similarly.
"Yes, how did you know this?"
"Rue's brother Ruenis told us about it. He said most of Valen's research could be found in the ruins. I'm surprised though, Valen particularly likes to hide his work from view. Why is his atalier so accessible?" another unsettling thought occurred to Mint. Could this lead into an intricate trap? But Valen's [relic] was the Dewprism, which was lost a year ago. Why would he be concerned with the other [relics] that was likely less powerful? However, Shadow and Rue seemed to be pieces of a bigger puzzle, and she began to worry that her plans of world domination may not turn out smoothly at all.
"I don't know. The desert's landscape and sandstorms is to blame, most likely. Besides, this is interesting. By checking out Valen's workshop, we may discover how an Aeon conducts his studies," Klaus said. "I really didn't say the atalier is accessible, though. There were lots of stories that adventurers who went inside never came out."
"Er, gee, Klaus, thanks for boosting my confidence."
"Just warning for you two to be careful. I'm also planning to go in this venture." Klaus was about to say when Mira entered the room, there was a look of concern in her face.
"Klaus, do you mind if you could help me here?" She asked.
"Well, er, yes, I could but…" Klaus concerned at her expression. "What's wrong?"
"It's about Rod."
*****
"So you already knew, huh?" Mint said, as she Rue and Rod were drinking tea that Elena prepared for them.
"Yeah. I already knew ever since we met again by the river." Rod said. "Besides, Lucine was being very nice to me, not bringing up the promise and all that. I knew something was wrong. I found out from the local grapevine a few hours ago."
"I'm really sorry, Rod." Rue said sympathetically, he also knew that Rod really cared for her.
"So you came here to seek advice, or planning to storm in the house and take Lucine away?" Mint asked.
"Well, more on advice. I figured Lady Mira could help me on how to….how to….to…co…co…" here Rod looked like he was choking on something huge.
"How to what? To cook? To cope? To…"
"To court, Mint." Mira said, laughing, as she and Klaus joined them on the table.
Rue looked genuinely puzzled while Mint looked in shock at the now blushing Rod. "Courting? You are going to court Lucine?" she asked incredulously. "How?!"
"Er, what's courting?" Came Rue's innocent reply. Not exactly relevant to Mint's outburst, regardless she found herself facefault on the table, a huge sweatdrop forming. Never had she heard such a ridiculous question. But this is Rue, and she suspected she should have known.
"Well, courting is how a man proposes to a woman. In a way," Mira explained. "You've never courted anyone before?"
"No." Rue said, shaking his head. Claire never told him about that. Nor this 'proposal' business. But he decided not to ask about it, since Mint was reacting strangely to his questions, and may hurt herself as a result.
"When I was young, I was pretty much a stubborn mule." Mira continued, "I thought I didn't need a man in my career. Then Klaus came and well, we…" she paused, laughing in embarrassment. "To be frank, we're not really sure how it happened. I just realized that he's the only one for me, and then we got married."
"I tried courting her," Klaus said. "And I used to write poetry when I'm not busy with my research. Mira liked them very much."
"It's so refreshing than the other men who keep trying to impress me with their brawn and swordsmanship. Reading poetry gives me time to reflect a lot of things."
"Besides, Mira kept defeating her suitors in duels."
"Oh, so you're planning to give poems to Lucine?" Mint said, bringing back the original topic after regaining her composure.
Rod nodded. "Well, her father is a very demanding man, but not close-minded. He doesn't care about money, but he wants his daughter to be married by someone everyone else will take seriously."
"Rod, even I can't take you seriously." Mint said, "You have a looooong way to go."
Rod nodded, looking unhappy. Rue intervened, "Mint didn't mean it, Rod." He began.
"Yes, I did mean it," Mint whispered, Rue gave her a slight nudge on the ribs. She hated it when he did that; trying to take back what she meant but she never did anyway.
"That's why I have to reinforce myself to Lucine and her father. If I don't, the promise will be for nothing." Rod said.
"We'll help," Rue said. Mint shrugged in defeat, while Klaus and Mira looked on with uncertainty.
"How?" Mint said sarcastically, before she could stop herself, "You don't even know how to court!"
Rue looked hurt and a bit annoyed at her remark. But Mint was far from being repentant. Rue was only trying to help, as usual, but she resented him for that. You're not the one going to court Lucine anyway, Rod is, you idiot! Besides, it would be better for both Lucine and Rod's sake for the Blade Star to do it on his own, admit his own feelings in his own way and fashion rather than relying on someone else. At least, that was what she always believed in. Annoyed, Mint stood up in a huff and stalked away without giving a proper explanation. Knowing that Rue was looking after her in disappointment.
*****
"Whoa. The air is so thick, you could slice it with a knife." Prima said awhile later as he, Elena, Mint and Rue were in their quarters the next morning. Mint and Rue spent the rest of the night ignoring each other, going through their things that they needed for their expedition and basically not talking to each other. For Prima, Mint being quiet and unyielding was much scarier than her stomping her feet in frustration or threatening someone with her magic. He had never seen her in this mood except once, when Mint threatened Doll Master on the night he was taken from Carona. She actually looked like she would flay Ruecian alive during that time, and Prima shuddered a bit at the memory.
Rue was also as quiet. But in a sad way, Elena reflected. It seemed that he didn't like it when one of his friends was mad at him. Even though it wasn't exactly his fault. She had always thought that Rue and Mint would get along very well, because of the adventure they shared in the past. It was obvious that she was mistaken.
"Mint, please don't be mad at Rue," Elena said a few minutes later when Rue was called by Klaus, in which the former left in haste. "I don't want to see you two fight, anymore."
"Yeah! You'd be better off with me!" Prima added, waving his hands.
"Oh, for cripe's…!" Mint said in exasperation, Elena was the third person who tried to convince her to make amends with Rue this morning. And she was getting tired of it.
"Especially when you have to go together to the atelier." Elena said, "And Rue's upset with it, he may not concentrate at all on this journey."
"That's his problem, not mine."
"Geez, Mint, all you guys just talked about is courtship! Are you jealous or something?" Prima apparently struck a nerve, as the princess hit his head with her rings in the genuine Mintlike manner, not amused with his banter.
Normally, Elena would have thought this reaction was a good thing, now she was looking at her friend very thoughtfully "Were you jealous, Mint?" she asked softly, it was something that had never occurred to her at all.
"What?! Of…of course not! That is most the inane thing I've ever heard in my life!" Mint shouted. She can't believe that these two were examining her like this. "It has nothing to do with that, alright?! Jealous? Why should I be jealous? Where the heck did you guys dig up such a crazy conclusion?"
Before Elena could reply, Mint grabbed her traveling bag and run to the stairs, her cheeks burning either in anger or in embarrassment, she never knew which.
*****
Mint was sure acting weird these past few days. Rue thought, but considering that he'd had been attacked twice, that nightmare in which he never forgot, and Shadow's obvious threat to his brothers still sleeping in the ruins, he should have been reduced to paranoia right now.
He sighed, he still can't get rid of the feeling that he has something to blame with this mess. After Mint left the table that night, Mira asked Rue to leave her, Klaus and Rod to talk about the weapon maker's troubles on their own. Mint never bothered to talk to him again, giving him the cold shoulder treatment. At first he didn't mind, since he had been angry and upset with her himself. He knew that Mint was being irrational again, one of her negative traits that he knew he had to get along with.
But as the silent war continued in the morning, Rue realized that he was beginning to miss her conversation. Ever since they traveled with Klaus from the ocean to the desert, in order to kill time they used to talk to each other what they were doing ever since leaving their respective homes. "Swapping tales", Mint used to say, who apparently spent considerable time in the bar than he did and listened to a wide variation of stories (*): especially about the evil magician Elroy, his work, his apprentices and eventually to his drastic end concerning Wylaf. She was not reluctant to re-tell those stories to him, Elena and Prima, even though he noticed that Mint never told them of her own adventures before Carona, or how she met Belle for the matter. He suspected that their first meeting was less than flattering. Still, she turned out to be a fine storyteller as well as a traveling companion and magician. So Rue never once felt lonely ever since he left Claire that day.
If Rue had known, it was because Mint was beginning to feel sorry for yanking him off to another adventure without spending enough time with Claire…the woman whom he spent three years looking for. He said that he basically came because he wanted to see the others again, but she knew then that he had a tendency for isolation (i.e. brooding) if left in his devices (i.e. doing nothing). So she asked Prima and Elena to at least engage Rue with any conversation they could think of. Unfortunately, Elena could only talk about her parents and Prima has nothing to tell about, given that he recently came out in the world. It then landed on Mint's shoulders to be the speaker. And she ended up telling a wide range of stories from the serious to the comic. She wasn't embarrassed to say that her father ate ten times a day, nor the petty fights she'd had with her sister Maya in their younger days.
Maybe I should go apologize to her. He thought as he turned to look at Mint's direction, he then quickly changed his mind. Mint's expression was enough to tell that she was in no mood to listen. Whatever Elena and Prima talked about with her, it apparently did not made her feel better.
Rue sighed. In which Klaus overheard. "This isn't the first time you argued at each other, Rue. So don't be too upset with it." Klaus had said, recalling the tiara. (**)
"Back then, I don't really know her." Rue admitted.
"Mint reminds me so much of Mira, she even reacts like her." Klaus said, looking at Mint thoughtfully. "I always wondered if they were related. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they were."
"Huh?"
"Well this is the part you both never get to hear last night. When I was courting Mira in my youth." Klaus explained patiently. "I had to compete with her other suitors who were obviously much more powerful than I am. I tried to get her attention by pretending I was a soldier who wanted to enter the tournament she was in, I wanted to prove to her that I'm an equal to the others.
"I ended up 'having my behind kicked' as Mint would say. When Mira found out that I got myself wounded in the fight, she became furious and didn't talk to me again for the longest time. I thought my chances with her were gone forever."
"Then what happened?"
"Then Mira came to my place one day and suddenly we became friends again, she made me promise not to get myself involved in that kind of situation again though. She was a very unpredictable person, a lot more volatile than Mint. What I wanted to say, actually, is that women like her can also get easily worried and hurt, despite how strong they really are."
"Are you saying I said something that worried Mint?"
"Well you have been into a lot of things that worried us," Klaus said, frowning. "And knowing that you might endanger yourself right now." Immediately Shadow's imposing presence flashed in the boy's mind. Rue almost immediately banished it, wishing that he could physically do it so easily as well.
"I don't see what it has to do with Mint and with the argument last night, though."
"I'm leaving it for you to figure it out, Rue. Just don't annoy Mint right now. It was one of the things Mira taught me."
Leave Mint alone. Actually he felt more confused and a little upset with Klaus' advice than he already is. The feeling surprised him. Am I upset because Mint is ignoring me? Rue always did the same to her the first time they met (***), and he never had this emotion. The thought was eerie and uncomforting.
*****
"Damn," Mint muttered under her breath when she stubbed her boot in the dark, dank, smelly cave that was told by the maps to be Valen's atalier. Even with Klaus' torch, it was hard for her in this light against the cracks and rocks that protrude from the floor. The stinking cave does smell like that jerk though, Mint thought with a grim smile. Always a plus, they may be in the right track and making the trip worthwhile.
After four hours of traveling from the city back to the open desert. They spent a considerable amount of time scouting to find the cave they were in now, in which the three wee walking in a single file, grateful that they weren't outside under the heat of the sun. Klaus was ahead holding a torch leading the way, while Rue was at the rear. This was actually good for Mint, at least she wouldn't be glowering at Rue had their places been reversed.
A small part in her mind was nagging that she should make up with Rue, that it had already been long enough for the cold war tactic. But backing off was not part of Mint's nature, even though she was the kind of person who never held a grudge against someone very long. Only enmity. However, Mint knew she could never make Rue her enemy, unless his attitude was similar to that of Belle or Trap Master. Also, she was beginning to worry that Rue might eventually seal himself up again if this kept going on. It was hard enough for her and Elena to make him lighten up already.
Fine, I'll be friends again with the moody dork. She thought to herself in exasperation, thinking that having a conscience around (****) did have its serious setbacks sometimes. But her heart quickly said Not yet. This was a huge blow to her pride, realizing this alone would make the whole amending thing more difficult for her. Her reverie was cut short when Klaus called out.
"Look at this!" the doctor said excitedly. Mint cursed again as she hit her toe onto a rock while hurrying to his side, Rue following closely behind. She saw Klaus kneeling beside a small wall, examining something very intently.
"Ancient manuscripts," Mint sighed after giving it a quick glance. She never did get to study those things again when she went home in that brief time. She could only rely on Klaus on this one.
"It says that this is … 'ancient door of…'" his brow furrowed in concentration. "It's too faint to read, although this one is written 'mirror' or 'reflection'. Hmmm, I wonder what that means."
"This is the door to the atalier, then?" Rue said in disbelief. It looked way too simple to be a doorway of Valen's atalier (*****).
"A piece of the door actually," Klaus pointed at the formation of the rocks nearby. "The ceiling gave way somehow and buried the door. This is just the most bottom part."
"Oh." That sounded a lot like Valen, then. Mint looked despondent, however. "Are you saying we should dig to get inside?" she asked.
"I guess so," Klaus said. "I know how you feel, putting this off for another day because we can't do anything now. If we could find another way in, though…"
"Klaus, what about that?" Rue pointed upward. They followed the direction of his finger and saw a hole above the rubble a few feet away from them, they could also see a faint light from that opening.
"Too small." Mint muttered in disapproval. The first word she said to him since last night. For some reason, Rue was glad of it.
"I agree." Klaus said, looking at the hole doubtfully. "Are you suggesting going inside on your own, then?" Mint looked at Rue in shock as if he had a potato grown on his head.
"Why not? I can transform and check inside for you. That way, we can figure out if this is the place we are looking for." Rue was saying when Mint took a couple of steps towards him, grabbed his arm, and turned him away from Klaus in one swift motion with a conspirational whisper. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"I'm going inside. We must be sure if this is the atalier."
"You're a Valen doll entering Valen's atalier. Do the math, Rue!" Mint hissed. "Who knows what's inside? What if that Shadow person is waiting for you in there? What if Valen made some back-up plan to control you again? You'd be on your own with no outside help if you're in trouble."
"Valen's gone, Mint. And Shadow said I'd meet him in the ruins itself, not in the atalier. I think I can handle it, so you don't have to worry about me." Mint suddenly let go of his arm, as if he suddenly became a hot piece of iron.
"Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you then." She said frostily as she stepped away from him. Rue sighed, he made her angry at him again. Suddenly the girl was pressing something on his hand. "Take this, you'd need it more than I will, I bet."
Rue looked at the item she gave. It was the foul tasting healing potion. He looked at Mint, who was smiling as she gave him an almost playful punch on his shoulder. "Just don't get yourself killed in there, got that? If you do, I'll kick your butt."
"Yeah," Rue grinned. Then somehow, he knew that they were friends again.
*****
After Klaus gave him a rope, a piece of paper, a stick of charcoal and a canteen of water (which was placed in Rue's knapsack), Rue transformed himself into a porcupine. With some difficulty (the rubble proved itself to be a poor foothold), he managed to pass through the hole….
…into a very well lighted open area. Smooth marble pillars slanted precariously on the walls. It was apparently the cause of the collapse of the ceiling. Rue jumped and transformed into his original form in mid-air and landed squarely on his feet without damage (******). He looked around his surroundings warily, Mint's warning seemed to be so real now that he put himself into this. He sincerely hoped that she was wrong with her speculations.
An unsettling thought occurred to him. Is this the place where I was created? Where I was born? He took a deep breath, he never felt this nervous ever since the Ghost Temple. In that brief moment, he was wondering if he should go back to the others. He looked at the hole where he came from and found out that from where he was standing, it was quite a climb. And he recently lost his ability to transform into a gargoyle when he and Mint fought off that giant scorpion a while ago. It's too late to go back now anyway, I have to go on ahead.
With a look of determination, Rue set forward. His steps echoing grandly in the open hall, letting his instincts guide him, knowing that it usually did that whenever Valen was concerned. He also noticed that his forehead was having a tingling sensation. Well, at least we're in the right place. That was a small comfort enough. Soon he found himself facing a huge old door, which apparently had seen better times. Bracing himself, Rue laid a hand on the broken handle.
*****
"Well, now all we could do is wait." Klaus said, he then resumed studying the door again. "I almost wish I brought my book along, even if it is too big to carry, it would help us translate this message on the spot."
"Sure, Klaus." Mint sounded almost distracted. She could have sworn the she felt a light movement under the earth soon after Rue left them, but it was now silent and she was not so certain.
"Mint, I'm sure Rue can take care of himself." Klaus said, misreading her expression.
"What?" Mint broke off from her reverie, looking at the doctor in puzzlement. "You were saying something, Klaus?"
Before Klaus could repeat his sentence, the wall a few feet away from them burst open. With a yell of warning, Mint flattened herself on the floor as the rocks flew over the space where her head had been a few moments ago, briefly she saw Klaus following her example.
Coughing out the dust, Mint whipped out her rings, from what they've noticed during their trek in the desert that the local creatures were vulnerable to water attacks. She aimed at the assailant, then gaped. She found herself facing a huge three-story earthworm-like creature burrowing on the opposite wall, its centipede-like legs are clawing against the rock, disintegrating it. Mint knew without a doubt that this must be the creature Mira was talking about.
"Demon worms," Klaus breathed. The creature paid no attention to the two humans as it continued its activities. "This is the first time I ever saw one this close."
"But I thought Mira said they migrated somewhere else and no longer lived near New Ephlesia."
"Yes, I thought so too. This is not good." Klaus said. "Did you notice the color? It's a very small demon worm, so it must be a newborn."
"No way!" Mint shuddered. Even the Dewprism/Valen fusion wasn't THAT big compared to the creature.
"We have to tell this to the authorities once we returned. I'm disturbed we are not informed about this," with a worried expression on his face, the doctor looked back at the door. "Rue had better hurry back soon."
"Rue…" Mint hoped he wouldn't encounter this particular worm's parent anytime soon. Mira had told them that demon worms in general were not aggressive, but she wasn't willing to take her word for it. The girl readied her rings but made no attempt to fire. She had no choice but to follow Klaus' first sentence.
They could only wait.
------
(*) When Klaus asked Mint to give him some time for the phantomite amulet, instead of heading for the lake and talk to Rue and Elena, go to some other area. I was killing off those annoying critters in Gamul Forest to earn some cash to upgrade my armor. Upon heading to the bar, you will not see Belle and Duke, but the sailor who will tell you stories if you offer to buy him a drink. He has very interesting tales (the wizard who lived in the Carona Forest, the Grand Magician Elroy and how he created the Underground Ruins, the tale of the Last Hero, that the Poppu Purells were once the original inhabitants of Gamul Forest and other neat trivia). I never tried this as Rue, though.
(**) Prima's tiara. We already knew what they argued about there, either as Mint or as Rue.
(***) Admit it, Rue was not very friendly to Mint at all in the beginning of the game. Actually, the feeling is rather mutual, since Mint mentally called him a weirdo. But that's beside the point.
(****) It reminded me of the game a bit while typing this. This little event about the dolls in Carona Forest, when Mint came to help Mira. Trap Master: "Whoa. Never thought you'd be the type who'd do this for people. Never in my wildest dreams." Mint: "Who are you to judge me, you punk?" One of my favorite scenes in the game, and gives you a good insight on Mint's less greedy side of her character.
(*****) Come on, just take a look at Valen's Fortress. It was anything but simple. Not to mention Valen himself is a crazy egotistic megalomaniac.
(******) Rue did that transforming in mid-air during the opening of the game (you could also do that in mid-air, if you're patient). He also has this uncanny ability to land on his feet. He must be a cat in his past life (if he had a past life).
Author's Notes: This chapter was pretty long, but it's predecessor was way longer 0.o;; !! Anyway, I really enjoyed working on this fanfic, unlike my other multi-chapter ones (must turn attention to my neglected Escaflowne and G-Unit fiction). I hoped you liked it so far….
