Author's Note:  Err what's there to note on? Just read the chapter that continues chapter 4!! The real battle begins!

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Chapter 5

Soon, after a rough stop on to the land Zell order the 4 teenagers out of the ship. Adrienne walked in fort of her group leading them. After, they were put into cars and was dropped off in the "Dark Forest" as it was called. When Laurette got there, she realize the reason why it was called "The Dark Forest". Under all the thick trees, and bushes there was no light that peered through. It seemed like night in that forest. The group then walked into the unknown forest with their gear and their mind turning.

"I'm tired…" their so called captain whinnied. "How much longer?" She asked being the dumb blonde she was. "How should we know?" You're the one navigating." Laurette pointed out fixing her backpack strap.  She then shot Laurette a glare. Laurette just rolled her eyes. "Come on, can't you navigate?" Aleron shouted at his captain. "Hey! You! Go look for the flag." She said pointing out at Aleron. "What?! Me!!?? We're suppose to stick together as a group." He shouted. "Well!! I'm your captain!! You do as I say!!" Adrienne snapped back at Aleron. "Well I'm not doing it!!" Aleron said and crossed his arms. The two kept on going with their come backs, shots and all. Laurette was too busy looking around her surrounding making sure everything was okay. She looked over to Arnoux who was doing the same. He then took out his weapon and slashes through the bush area making a new pathway. He peered through and so did Laurette to find the blue Garden flag sticking there. Laurette walked up to him. "I think this is it…" She said. He nodded showing that he agrees. Adrienne took note of this and minded Aleron walking over to Laurette and Arnoux. She then pushed Laurette aside and stood next to Arnoux. "I think I've found it!!" She then announced. "What?! Arnoux found it!!" Laurette exclaimed. "Yea, yea sure whatever." She said and walked up to the flag. "Grr…" Laurette was a bit frustrated. "Hey, let it go alright?" Arnoux whispered to her with his hand on her shoulder. She couldn't help it but agree with him. They joined Adrienne near the flag.

An hour has passed, and they were still watching the area. It was dark, so they had a fire going. They would walk back and forth around the east area waiting and watching. Laurette looked at her watch, and realizes it has been over 3 hours since they've been there. "I wonder how the other teams are doing…" She thought, and as if right on cue, group A ran pass them screaming. "Huh?" Arnoux exchanged glances with Laurette who then looked over at Aleron and Adrienne. Then they heard a loud tump, and another tump, which made the ground shake.  "…" the four didn't make a sound as they waited. Then they heard an explosion sound coming from not so far. "I say we run to it!!" Adrienne said and started to run. "What?! Damn, that girl must be crazy!" Aleron said and ran after her. Laurette looked over to Arnoux to see what they should do. He shrugged and they both ran after their two teammates.

As Adrienne ran she then realize she couldn't see the light of the fire any more and she stopped in the darkness. "Crap…" She said and looked around. She couldn't see nothing. Aleron then joined her. "Adrienne!! Where are you going?!" He shouted at her. "I'm going wherever I want!!" She snapped back. Aleron felt a bit frustrated with her. "You could be killing the whole time!! Come on lets go back!!" He shouted. "Look blondie! I can do anything, and go anywhere I please because I'm your LEADER!! You got that?!" She pointed her finger into his chest. "What kind of leader puts her personal hate for one of her teammates into her job?" Aleron asked. Adrienne didn't answer but shot him a death glare which he could feel in the dark. Then the tumpping sound started to get near them when Laurette and Arnoux caught up. They all paused in silence as the ground below them shake. Laurette peered through the darkness around her. She then saw two glowing red eyes coming their way. "Captain…we should run." Laurette said. "Why?" Adrienne asked with her arm cross. "No questions, run!!" Laurette started to run. Aleron and Arnoux couldn't be more happy then to fallow. "Huh?" Adrienne said. Laurette looked back at Adrienne and ran back taking her hand and dragged her along. "Let go of me you bitch!!" Adrienne demanded.  "Well why don't you look behind you!!" Laurette said as she pick up the pace. "Why should I?!" Adrienne asked. Laurette didn't give an answer but kept on dragging her through the woods area. They both then heard a deep hiss. "What was that?!!" Adrienne shouted as she did her best to pick up her feet and ran with Laurette. Laurette could care less about answering her right now. Adrienne then looked back to find the two glowing eyes that Laurette had seen. "Oh shit!!" She shouted. "Run faster Laurette!! Faster!!" Adrienne shouted hoping that Laurette would drag her along. "Whatever." Laurette then let go of her hand and started to run faster. "Hey!!!" Adrienne shouted as she started to run. The tumpping sound kept on going and going. Laurette kept on running, but her running was then stopped when she caught up with Arnoux and Aleron.

They have reached a stone wall too high to climb and it was a dead end. "Great…" Aleron said. The three could now see their captain running to them with red glowing eyes behind her. "Wow this sucks…" Aleron said. "No time to be joking, we gotta be ready to fight….there's no other choice." Laurette pulled out her "Angel of Faith" as Aleron pulled out his gunblade. Laurette didn't know what weapon Arnoux would be using but right now she couldn't concentrate on that because her captain was just getting closer and so did the two beaming red eyes. Finally Adrienne got there and lean against the wall breathing harder and harder holding on to her chest. "WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!!" She then screamed at Laurette. Laurette pointed her blade at her and up at the glowing eyes now only a few feet before them. "Oh…" Adrienne then pulled out her weapon which was a pinwheel and waited beside her teammates. The eyes was now right before them, and Laurette could cleary see it. It had fangs, red glowing eyes, long claws, and looked a lot like a vampire.

Laurette could hear it hiss and a horde of smoke pervaded the area around them. Laurette could hear Adrienne coughing behind her.  Then it's claw reached out and grabbed her. "AAAHHHHHH!!" Adrienne gave out a high pitch scream.  "Great…" Laurette said. Laurette then ran up fast, leaving a trail of dust behind her. She then jumped pointing the tip of her blade down the vampire's head. But as soon as the tip touched it, a beam flashed and bounced her off. She was then sent flying off on to the dusted forest grounds. She opened her eyes to seen a circular purple beam glowing around the vampire. "It must have some kind of protection beam around it…" Aleron said with a bit of fear in his tone. "We must break it." He added then rushed up to the vampire and jabbing his gunblade into it. Another flash appeared and he was sent flying back into the dust. "There's no use!! We've to find another way!!" Laurette shouted. Adrienne was still screaming her head off as the vampire swayed her in the air. Arnoux then out of the darkness shot daggers at it, and surprisingly the daggers peered through the layer and broke it. Laurette could then see the purple defense beam faded and the vampire gave a roar. Laurette looked over at Arnoux who had fire in his eyes. The glow in his eyes were like ember, as he rushed up and shot more daggers into the monster. Laurette then helped by shooting her "shooting stars" at it. Finally, Aleron then jumped up and cut the monster's arm off, the one holding on to Adrienne. The vampire monster gave out a cry of pain as it fell. The hand then smashes down the wall that was blocking their way.

The wall fell like rain from the sky, and tumbled down. They can now see light which blinded the vampire monster. The four then found themselves on a cliff. The vampire was now weaken, but before it went away for good, It smashes down on to the ground again, causing the blonde girl hanging on for her life. "AHHHH!!" she screamed. "Oh great…" Laurette said and then quickly dashed to the edge of the cliff reaching down for Adrienne.  "PULL ME BACK UP DAMNIT!!" all she could have done was screamed at Laurette. "HOLD ON!!" Laurette shouted back. She gripped her hand, but felt like something was going to happen. "LARUETTE!!" a familiar voice shouted. She looked up from across the darken pit to find Jules, and Garland waving their hands in the air. "HELP IS ON THE WAY! WAIT FOR US!!" Garland shouted and rushed off. Jules fallowed right behind her but he then fell to his knees with his eyes closed. He touched his head and then looked back up at Laurette. "NO! LAURETTE!!" He shouted. Too late. As soon as Laurette pulled up Adrienne, she found herself now the one hanging above the darken pit below her. Adrienne gave an evil smirk and rushed off running into the forest. "OH! YOU'RE NOT GOING ANY WHERE!!" Aleron then rushed after her. Laurette could feel the rocks slipping her grip. Arnoux then slid down and grabbed her hand. "Laurette, I got you." He said with must trust in his hazel eyes.  She wasn't so scared any more, after feeling the warmth in his hand, but there was another feeling of cold that ran through it. He pulled her put into his arms and held her for just a moment. She didn't mind, as the time slowed down.

He then let go of her, and looked at her. "Are you okay?" He asked his voice cold yet soft voice said. "I'm fine. Thank you." She said then looked up at the monster that was laying there. She sense something and see that the vampire's eyes shot up. She saw it's arm came up, and time seemed to go in slow motion. Arnoux jumped in front of her, but before the positions claws could smash down on him, Laurette heard a gun shot not far away, and the crackle of a whip. The vampire's eyes fell finally, and Laurette looked up to find Rosemarie and Iven standing there smiling their butts off. Iven winked at her. "Howdy! Glad to see you too!" He joked. "IVEN!!" Laurette shot him a glare. "Whoa! Hold it there missy!" He laughed. Rosemarie then elbowed him to shut up and she ran up to them. "Are you okay Laurette?!" She asked placing her hands on Laurette's shoulder. Laurette nodded. "I saw what happened, that stupid…", "No, just let it go." Laurette said and started to walk away. "What?! But Adrienne, just almost killed you there!!" She exclaimed tossing her hands in the air. "Let it go, I'm alive aren't I?" Laurette asked shoving her hands into her pockets leaving Rosemarie speechless. "Lets just go…" Laurette said motioning her hands at Iven, Rosemaire, and Arnoux to just get out of that place.

All of the groups that took the SeeD exam that day met back at Trabia Garden. Some were tired, and some were still filled with energy due to the fact that their team didn't really get to do anything. The SeeDs were going around helping the students who got hurt during their exams and counting all of the students to make sure they were all there. Garland sat there smiling as she watched her mother run around greeting all of her long time friends. She got up from her spot and greeted her mom. "Hey mom!" She smiled. "Hey kiddo!" Selphie smiled at her daughter. "How was it?" Selphie asked fixing Garland's yellow bandana around her neck. "It was fine, I'm not sure if I passed though." Garland looked down. "Awww, I'm sure you did. Getting help for a student is still a big and important part of being a SeeD." Selphie reassured her and embrace her in a hug. Jules then walked up to them. "Hey Mrs. Tilmitt." He smiled. "Hey Jules, how are you?" She asked him. "I'm fine, thank you for asking. And yourself?" He re-questioned her. "Super as always!" She smiled. "That's always nice to hear." Jules said and smiled. Selphie then heard one of her long time friends called for her. She then greeted her daughter and Jules good bye and skipped away.

"Now I can see where you get your happy-go-lucky side." Jules told Garland as they walked down to the basketball courts. She giggled. "I guess…" she smiled. He chuckled. "How's your head?" She asked him remembering seeing him on the floor holding his head. "It's fine…It has always been like that since I was little. No big deal." He said doing his best to get her off his case without sounding mean. "Oh okay." They finally reached the basketball courts to find the gang there. Everyone was there but Laurette. "Hey you two. Finally!" Aleron exclaimed. "Did you catch her?" Jules asked. "Yea, I did." Aleron made his voice sounding it was no big deal, even if he did trip and fell a few times before catching Adrienne. "Thank goodness that there were witnesses around to see that she pushed Laurette down when Laurette pulled her up." Rosemarie shook her head. "I know the two have been rivals since they were little, but at least Laurette has that will to forgive and forget…" Iven said. "Or else there would be more then a war between them." He added. "I can't wait to go back to the garden. I'm beat." Jules said and lead against the pole. "Yea, same." Garland sighed.

Meanwhile Laurette was wandering around, just lost in her thoughts. She walked around the plain not knowing what to do or say. "Laurette!" Zell called out to her. "Huh?" She turned around to find the tattooed face man running up to her. "Sir!" She saluted him. He saluted back. "What is it sir?" She asked. "We're about to leave, so please come back to the dock area." He said. "Yes sir." She then walked with him back to the docks. After a while, they all head into the same ships they traveled on, and they went home, ending their exams.

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