Chapter 2
Downfall of What Was
Kriye had been to Esthar countless times with her parents, nevertheless, the sheer splendor of the city never ceased to amaze her.
The bright, chaotic mess that the city of Esthar represented was just astounding.
Oddly enough the city reminded Kriye greatly of her grandfather, who happened to be the president of the great country. Bright and Chaotic summed up her grandpa quite well in Kriye's opinion. Maybe that was another reason why she was so drawn to the city.
Grandpa Laguna was an odd man. His head was always up in the sky, it only visited reality when he absolutely had to. Truly, when first meeting him he would be the last person you expect ruling a country such as Esthar.
The subject of grandfathers has always been a bit of an ironic laugh for Kriye. Both her grandfathers our presidents of countries, where Grandpa Laguna was the president of Esthar her other grandpa, Charles Caraway, was the president of Galbadia. If you ever want to talk about contrast all you ever have to do is ask Kriye about her grandfathers.
Grandpa Laguna was easy going and silly at best, where Grandpa Caraway was strict and stern. The really odd part was Grandpa Laguna was her dad's father, and Grandpa Caraway her moms. It was ironic, but that was just how some things fell.
Walking the long streets of Esthar Kriye turned to look over at Ceila who had her mouth gaped open; Ceila had only been to Esthar on a few occasions. Giggling at her friend's expression Kriye asked her.
"What do you want to do?"
Finally shutting her gaping mouth Ceila answered.
"I don't care, what do you want to do?"
Kriye thought about it for a moment. "We could go visit aunt Ellone, it's been ages since the last time I've seen her."
With Ceila's nod of agreement the two set out for the presidential palace.
Since Kriye was younger she had called all her parents close friends aunts and uncles. There was uncle Zell and Irvine, and aunt Selphie and Izza. Aunt Ellone, however, was Kriye's only true aunt.
Aunt Ellone was her father's sister, by some complicated arrangement that made Kriye's head hurt every time she thought about it. Aunt Ellone was her aunt; to Kriye it was as simple as that.
Upon arriving at the palace Kriye and Ceila had to stop at the entrance security guards. Kriye always wondered why the palace had security guards in the first place, in the end they always let you in. Grandpa Laguna was much too trusting, but she figured even to some like Grandpa Laguna pretences meant something.
With hardly a question Kriye and Ceila where let into the palace. Walking to the transporter Kriye plugged in aunt Ellone's name. Faster then lightning the transporter, with them in it, vanished and then once again appeared right outside aunt Ellone's door.
Getting off the transporter like it was an elevator the two young women stepped up to Ellone's door. Kriye gave Ceila a quick smile before ringing her aunt's doorbell.
At first when no one answered Kriye thought that Ellone wasn't home. She was about to walk disappointedly away when the door suddenly swung open and the cheerful squeal of her aunt reached Kriye's ears.
"By the guardians Kriye, Ceila, what are you two doing here?!"
Before either of them could answer Ellone had ushered them into her apartment, there they crashed on Ellone's couch while the older women began to talk rapidly.
"You two this is such a surprise, a wonderful surprise let me add. Who did you two come with, is Squall here?"
When neither Kriye nor Ceila answered Ellone began to look at them skeptically.
"You two did come here with your parent's right?"
Kriye would always give her aunt this, it was hard to get anything pass her. She could catch any lie, even if it was between two truths. She would have made a formidable mother.
When Kriye and Ceila didn't answer Ellone began to talk very sternly, which if you knew her well was a bit of a contrast to how she usually spoke.
"You guys know how upset your parents are going to be when they find out you came to Esthar alone? Especially yours Kriye?"
"We know, we know it's just that we had to get away," Kriye tried telling her aunt.
"That's fine dear, but all the way to Esthar? I'm not going to believe that Squall won't notice that you're gone."
"Well," Ceila spoke up her voice filled with a bit of guilt "they kind of think that were at my parent's house."
"Okay, so if I'm getting this straight not only do your parents not know you're here, but they think that your some place else entirely?"
With reluctance both Kriye and Ceila nodded.
"Well that's great." Ellone said exasperated walking away from them.
Kriye got off the couch and started walking after her aunt.
"Ellone, please don't tell on us. We know that we shouldn't have come her without telling our parents, and compromising you, but I needed to get away. In a couple of weeks I'll be taking my SeeD test, and then I'll take my field exam and before you know it I'll be a SeeD. I guess, even if for just a brief moment in time, I wanted my own life. Please try to understand."
Kriye watched as a smile broke across her aunt's face.
"I won't tell on you two under two conditions. One, as long as your in Esthar you stay with me, and two don't go visit Uncle Laguna he's not as good at keeping secrets as I am."
When both she and Ceila agreed Ellone's expression went back to its calm and kind usual way.
"Alright now that that's settled, what do you girls want to do today?"
Kriye couldn't remember the last time she had so much fun; Aunt Ellone had a way about her, an energy that Kriye couldn't figure out. Sometimes Kriye would just stop whatever she was doing and just marvel at her aunt.
Ellone since her younger years knew that she could never have children. The experiments that were performed on her as a child left her baron. This alone would have been enough to poison one's soul, but Ellone remained strong. Even through more heartache Ellone's spirit always remained.
A few years after the Ultimicia ordeal Aunt Ellone married an Esthar soldier, Alan Dash. About ten years later Uncle Alan was killed in battle. All Aunt Ellone was left with was pain and heartache, but she didn't let those things control her. She was in control of her own destiny, come what may. Aunt Ellone was probably the person aunt Ellone admired most in the whole world, besides her mother.
The whole day with aunt Ellone was great. It gave a Kriye a taste of what life might be like if she didn't have to be anything. That night the three of them giggled the night away like little school girls. It was care free and Kriye loved it.
The next day aunt Ellone had a few meetings she had to attend to, so Ceila and Kriye had the day to themselves.
The two of them spent the day shopping, and visiting all the interesting landmarks of the city. Suddenly the sun began to set, and Kriye was about to suggest that they head back to aunt Ellone's when they passed the hospital.
Kriye had never seen Ceila so adamant about anything as she was about going inside that hospital.
"Oh Kriye," Ceila wailed "the most high tech medical equipment is in there. Hell, Dr. Fielding and Dr. Jagery work in this building. There the most renowned doctors in our time. Can we go in Kriye; it'll only be a couple of minutes? Please?"
Kriye smiled at her friend. "I'll tell you what, how about you dink around at the hospital, and when you're done meet me back at Ellone's."
When Ceila immediately agreed the two parted. Kriye watched as her friend practically skipped into the hospital the sight made Kriye laugh.
Kriye always admired her friend's ambition; she was even a tiny bit jealous of it. Ceila knew what she wanted in life, and in the end she knew she was going to get it. Kriye, on the other hand, was to become a SeeD, and that was the bottom line.
Sulkily Kriye began to walk back to the palace. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't even see a guy coming right at her. The two banged into each other, Kriye stumbled back while the guy yelled at her.
"Watch where you're going would ya?!"
"Take it easy," Kriye said a little off guard by the guy's aggressive manner "I didn't mean to run into you."
The guy didn't say anything; instead Kriye could see him looking her over. He was actually a very good looking guy himself. He was tall, well built, had wavy blond hair, and soulful brown eyes. Kriye stopped gazing at him the moment he spoke again.
"So can you use a gunblade?"
"Excuse me?" Kriye asked him confused.
"I said can you use a gunblade?"
Kriye looked down where he was indicating with his eyes. Her gunblade rested on her side, where it always did. Kriye looked back up at the guy.
"What is it to you if I can?"
Taking out his own gunblade he began to wave it smoothly through the air. "Do you want to duel?" He asked her.
Kriye looked at the guy incredulously. "What right here?"
"Why not, no one's around?"
Looking around Kriye found this was true. Night time was coming in and the streets were nearly deserted.
"So how about it?" the guy persisted "Don't worry it won't be long, I'll make short work of you."
Kriye glared at him. Taking out her own gunblade she said to him "I think you should tone down your arrogance you pompous asswhole."
The guy smirked "Make me."
And that was it. Kriye was the first to attack, but to this the guy easily defended. It was actually to Kriye's great surprise that the guy was pretty good. She thought maybe he attended Trabia or Galbadian garden, but then she thought against it. His technique was much too unorthodox to have been trained in a garden.
She was just about to call it quits when a piercing scream came cutting through the silent night.
Kriye and the stranger immediately stopped fighting and listened until they heard the scream again; she could feel her stomach tighten into a knot. It was Ceila.
Not daring to think about it twice Kriye ran towards the scream, she hardly noticed the stranger that she had been fighting with just seconds before was right on her heals. Kriye stopped at the hospital where she saw a small group of people gathered, Kriye yelled at them.
"What's going on here?! Where was the screaming?!"
The group of people all shook their heads; only one of them spoke up.
"We came out when we heard the screaming too, but when we got here we couldn't find anything."
"So no one knows where the screaming came from?"
Passed the crowd a small girl walked up.
"I saw what happened." The girl spoke timidly.
Kriye knelt down to the girl, and in the gentlest voice she could manage considering the circumstances she asked her.
"What happened?"
"A girl your age was walking when men in black came from no where, they took her and put her into a car, and then drove away she was screaming the whole time."
Kriye stared at the girl blankly "So.so they kidnapped her?"
* * *
For Rave it all happened so fast. At first he was dueling with a
beautiful raven haired, piercing blue eyes girl, next thing he knew he
was following this girl, and discovering that her friend was kidnapped.
It was a lot more then Rave expected when he first ran away from home,
only a few days ago.
After the little girl had told Rave's dark haired friend that her own
friend was kidnapped the dark hair girl was down the street searching for
clues. Rave once again found himself right behind her, much to the girl's
irritation.
"Don't you have anything better to do?" The girl snapped at him.
"Why are you resisting help when you obviously need it?" Rave replied
leaving the girl silent.
They were walking down the dark, silent streets of Esthar for awhile,
neither of them saying a word. The presidential palace had just come into
view when the girl spoke again.
"Thank you." She told him in the softest voice that Rave had ever
heard.
"For what?" Rave asked earnestly.
"For your help, I mean just I don't know.for just being here."
"Don't worry about it. I just hope we can find your friend. Would you
have any idea why they would take her in the first place?"
"Not a one." She told him, her voice sounding uneasy.
At that point Rave decided it was time that he introduced himself.
'I'm Rave Almansy, by the way." He told her extending his hand, the
girl took it.
"Kriye Le.Heartilly." She told him shaking his hand firmly.
"So Kriye what do you purpose we do?"
"I thought we go to"- Kriye stops there when someone from within the
shadows spoke out to them.
"Are you two vooking for a girl?" A short, odd looking man whispered
coming into view. Both Rave and Kriye gave each other an apprehensive
look before turning their attention back to the man.
"I know vu took her," said the short man.
"Who?" Kriye asked eagerly.
"Vey are bad men. Scientist vike myself, however, their attentions are
vot as noble as my own."
"What are you talking about?" Rave asked already sick of his rambling.
"Vo to vey Estharian bar Bones, vo into vey ladies voom. There should
ve a staircase under vee second toilet."
The man started walking away when Kriye grabbed him by the shoulder.
"Wait, how do you know all this? Why are you even helping us?"
The short, odd man gave Kriye a hard. "Vits just say I'm vaking up vor
past vins."
"What do you mean?"
"Just vo, Dr. Odine vas helped, now vo."
Rave and Kriye looked at each other, then without exchanging a word they bolted towards the Esthar bar.
Once they reached the bar 'Bones,' Rave immediately got the feeling that he wasn't going to like the place, once they walked into the bar he knew he was right.
Esthar as a city is one of the most beautiful places that Rave had ever laid his eyes upon, 'Bones,' however, wouldn't demonstrate that. It reminded him of what his uncle Raijin always said.
"Every pretty flower has to have a wilting petal, ya know."
If Esthar was a pretty flower then Bones was defiantly the wilting petal.
Bone's had the layout of a typical bar. In the back was the counter, where the two bar tenders stood. Throughout the bar where round tables with chairs scattered around them. Outlining the bar were booths with square tables around them.
The layout wasn't what made the bar eerie, it was the mood. The bar was dark, only a few dim lights were hanging from the ceiling. You could barely see two feet in front of you. As far as decorating they had placed weapons on every free area of the walls, and it wasn't your ordinary weapons that they had hanging up. Along with the swords and various guns hung up were old medieval weapons such as that ball with spikes on it, or a regular bow with spears at the ends of it. Rave was even more disgusted to find that some of the weapons still had blood stains on them.
"Let's just get to the bathroom," Kriye said from behind him.
Rave was all too eager to oblige, the staring eyes from everyone in the bar was creeping him out.
Together the two of them walked briskly to the back where the bathroom signs hung. There was at least one thing good that could be said about the bar, it had nice bathrooms.
Kriye walked into the girl's bathroom, feeling slightly odd Rave followed.
There were three stalls in the bathroom Kriye went directly to the middle one. Rave heard her yell from inside the stall.
"How the hell is there suppose to be a staircase under the toilet, it all looks pretty regular from here."
"Let me see." Rave said as he joined her in the stall. She was right; there was nothing there that would indicate a staircase was near by.
"Did you try flushing it?" He suggested to her. Kriye gave it a try and at first nothing happened, but then something odd started to occur.
The whole toilet began to lower. As it transcended a staircase started to come into view.
"What kind of people are we dealing with if they have to hide under bathrooms?" Rave said, only half joking.
Kriye let out a nervous laugh, and then stepped onto the toilet, which was now even with the floor and the two of them began to make their way down the stairs.
The staircase wasn't large; it only took them roughly a dozen steps before they reached the bottom.
Like the bar above the basement was eerie. Preceding though the basement they came to a dark hallway which at the end they could hear whispered murmurs.
Slowly they walked until the end of the hallway came, and stopped in front of two wooden doors.
"Let's just creak them open shall we." Rave said to Kriye who nodded.
Ever so carefully Rave opened one of the wooden doors, now the murmuring had turned into clear voices.
"Dr. Ledman, this isn't her."
"What do you mean this isn't her?" growled an angry voice.
"We just ran a blood test, it doesn't match her mothers."
"But our agent said it was."
"I don't know what else to tell you Dr. Ledman."
"Dammit!" yelled the angry voice of Dr. Ledman. The sound of something metal colliding with a wall followed.
"What do you want me to do with the girl?"
"Dispose of her."
"Wh.what?"
"If she's not the sorceress' daughter then I don't want her!" yelled Dr. Ledman.
Rave could feel Kriye's body tense beside him as they continued to listen.
"I understand Dr. Ledman, but why can't we just let her go? Must we kill her?"
"Don't question Dr. Dickson or rest assure you will be joining her shortly." With a less threatening tone Dr. Ledman went on "Now I have an appointment in Timber that I must attend."
The conversation had ended, and a door being slammed indicated that Dr. Ledman had left the room.
Rave looked over at Kriye; a dangerous looking fury was burning in her eyes. Rave watched as Kriye drew her gunblade.
"I'm going in." She told him, leaving no time for argument, as soon as the words left her lips Kriye was inside the room. Rave was left with no choice, but to follow.
Only what had to be Dr. Dickson was in the room. Kriye had knocked him out with the back of her gunblade quickly, she then moved to the girl lying on an operating table in the middle of the room.
"Ceila," Kriye cried "Ceila, are you alright? Oh Shiva please say you are."
"Kriye," said the delirious voice of Ceila. "Kriye, how did you find me?"
"We'll talk later; let's get the hell out of here first."
With Rave's help they lifted Ceila from the table and started to head back the way they came, but as soon as they opened the door voices could be heard coming down the hall.
Without a word the three of them made their way to the door on the opposite side of the room. Another long hall way awaited them. Running as fast as they could with Ceila they made it to the end of the hall which led them to a ladder. Up the ladder they went and through a trap door.
The three of them had arrived outside. Rave was astonished to find themselves in the middle of the Esthar desert.
"Where do we go from here?" Rave asked the two girls.
They all looked around; it was Kriye who pointed out a forest.
"Let's go there; we can discuss what to do later. For now I just want to get out of the open."
The matter was settled, as Kriye, Ceila and Rave all hurried to the forest.
Downfall of What Was
Kriye had been to Esthar countless times with her parents, nevertheless, the sheer splendor of the city never ceased to amaze her.
The bright, chaotic mess that the city of Esthar represented was just astounding.
Oddly enough the city reminded Kriye greatly of her grandfather, who happened to be the president of the great country. Bright and Chaotic summed up her grandpa quite well in Kriye's opinion. Maybe that was another reason why she was so drawn to the city.
Grandpa Laguna was an odd man. His head was always up in the sky, it only visited reality when he absolutely had to. Truly, when first meeting him he would be the last person you expect ruling a country such as Esthar.
The subject of grandfathers has always been a bit of an ironic laugh for Kriye. Both her grandfathers our presidents of countries, where Grandpa Laguna was the president of Esthar her other grandpa, Charles Caraway, was the president of Galbadia. If you ever want to talk about contrast all you ever have to do is ask Kriye about her grandfathers.
Grandpa Laguna was easy going and silly at best, where Grandpa Caraway was strict and stern. The really odd part was Grandpa Laguna was her dad's father, and Grandpa Caraway her moms. It was ironic, but that was just how some things fell.
Walking the long streets of Esthar Kriye turned to look over at Ceila who had her mouth gaped open; Ceila had only been to Esthar on a few occasions. Giggling at her friend's expression Kriye asked her.
"What do you want to do?"
Finally shutting her gaping mouth Ceila answered.
"I don't care, what do you want to do?"
Kriye thought about it for a moment. "We could go visit aunt Ellone, it's been ages since the last time I've seen her."
With Ceila's nod of agreement the two set out for the presidential palace.
Since Kriye was younger she had called all her parents close friends aunts and uncles. There was uncle Zell and Irvine, and aunt Selphie and Izza. Aunt Ellone, however, was Kriye's only true aunt.
Aunt Ellone was her father's sister, by some complicated arrangement that made Kriye's head hurt every time she thought about it. Aunt Ellone was her aunt; to Kriye it was as simple as that.
Upon arriving at the palace Kriye and Ceila had to stop at the entrance security guards. Kriye always wondered why the palace had security guards in the first place, in the end they always let you in. Grandpa Laguna was much too trusting, but she figured even to some like Grandpa Laguna pretences meant something.
With hardly a question Kriye and Ceila where let into the palace. Walking to the transporter Kriye plugged in aunt Ellone's name. Faster then lightning the transporter, with them in it, vanished and then once again appeared right outside aunt Ellone's door.
Getting off the transporter like it was an elevator the two young women stepped up to Ellone's door. Kriye gave Ceila a quick smile before ringing her aunt's doorbell.
At first when no one answered Kriye thought that Ellone wasn't home. She was about to walk disappointedly away when the door suddenly swung open and the cheerful squeal of her aunt reached Kriye's ears.
"By the guardians Kriye, Ceila, what are you two doing here?!"
Before either of them could answer Ellone had ushered them into her apartment, there they crashed on Ellone's couch while the older women began to talk rapidly.
"You two this is such a surprise, a wonderful surprise let me add. Who did you two come with, is Squall here?"
When neither Kriye nor Ceila answered Ellone began to look at them skeptically.
"You two did come here with your parent's right?"
Kriye would always give her aunt this, it was hard to get anything pass her. She could catch any lie, even if it was between two truths. She would have made a formidable mother.
When Kriye and Ceila didn't answer Ellone began to talk very sternly, which if you knew her well was a bit of a contrast to how she usually spoke.
"You guys know how upset your parents are going to be when they find out you came to Esthar alone? Especially yours Kriye?"
"We know, we know it's just that we had to get away," Kriye tried telling her aunt.
"That's fine dear, but all the way to Esthar? I'm not going to believe that Squall won't notice that you're gone."
"Well," Ceila spoke up her voice filled with a bit of guilt "they kind of think that were at my parent's house."
"Okay, so if I'm getting this straight not only do your parents not know you're here, but they think that your some place else entirely?"
With reluctance both Kriye and Ceila nodded.
"Well that's great." Ellone said exasperated walking away from them.
Kriye got off the couch and started walking after her aunt.
"Ellone, please don't tell on us. We know that we shouldn't have come her without telling our parents, and compromising you, but I needed to get away. In a couple of weeks I'll be taking my SeeD test, and then I'll take my field exam and before you know it I'll be a SeeD. I guess, even if for just a brief moment in time, I wanted my own life. Please try to understand."
Kriye watched as a smile broke across her aunt's face.
"I won't tell on you two under two conditions. One, as long as your in Esthar you stay with me, and two don't go visit Uncle Laguna he's not as good at keeping secrets as I am."
When both she and Ceila agreed Ellone's expression went back to its calm and kind usual way.
"Alright now that that's settled, what do you girls want to do today?"
Kriye couldn't remember the last time she had so much fun; Aunt Ellone had a way about her, an energy that Kriye couldn't figure out. Sometimes Kriye would just stop whatever she was doing and just marvel at her aunt.
Ellone since her younger years knew that she could never have children. The experiments that were performed on her as a child left her baron. This alone would have been enough to poison one's soul, but Ellone remained strong. Even through more heartache Ellone's spirit always remained.
A few years after the Ultimicia ordeal Aunt Ellone married an Esthar soldier, Alan Dash. About ten years later Uncle Alan was killed in battle. All Aunt Ellone was left with was pain and heartache, but she didn't let those things control her. She was in control of her own destiny, come what may. Aunt Ellone was probably the person aunt Ellone admired most in the whole world, besides her mother.
The whole day with aunt Ellone was great. It gave a Kriye a taste of what life might be like if she didn't have to be anything. That night the three of them giggled the night away like little school girls. It was care free and Kriye loved it.
The next day aunt Ellone had a few meetings she had to attend to, so Ceila and Kriye had the day to themselves.
The two of them spent the day shopping, and visiting all the interesting landmarks of the city. Suddenly the sun began to set, and Kriye was about to suggest that they head back to aunt Ellone's when they passed the hospital.
Kriye had never seen Ceila so adamant about anything as she was about going inside that hospital.
"Oh Kriye," Ceila wailed "the most high tech medical equipment is in there. Hell, Dr. Fielding and Dr. Jagery work in this building. There the most renowned doctors in our time. Can we go in Kriye; it'll only be a couple of minutes? Please?"
Kriye smiled at her friend. "I'll tell you what, how about you dink around at the hospital, and when you're done meet me back at Ellone's."
When Ceila immediately agreed the two parted. Kriye watched as her friend practically skipped into the hospital the sight made Kriye laugh.
Kriye always admired her friend's ambition; she was even a tiny bit jealous of it. Ceila knew what she wanted in life, and in the end she knew she was going to get it. Kriye, on the other hand, was to become a SeeD, and that was the bottom line.
Sulkily Kriye began to walk back to the palace. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't even see a guy coming right at her. The two banged into each other, Kriye stumbled back while the guy yelled at her.
"Watch where you're going would ya?!"
"Take it easy," Kriye said a little off guard by the guy's aggressive manner "I didn't mean to run into you."
The guy didn't say anything; instead Kriye could see him looking her over. He was actually a very good looking guy himself. He was tall, well built, had wavy blond hair, and soulful brown eyes. Kriye stopped gazing at him the moment he spoke again.
"So can you use a gunblade?"
"Excuse me?" Kriye asked him confused.
"I said can you use a gunblade?"
Kriye looked down where he was indicating with his eyes. Her gunblade rested on her side, where it always did. Kriye looked back up at the guy.
"What is it to you if I can?"
Taking out his own gunblade he began to wave it smoothly through the air. "Do you want to duel?" He asked her.
Kriye looked at the guy incredulously. "What right here?"
"Why not, no one's around?"
Looking around Kriye found this was true. Night time was coming in and the streets were nearly deserted.
"So how about it?" the guy persisted "Don't worry it won't be long, I'll make short work of you."
Kriye glared at him. Taking out her own gunblade she said to him "I think you should tone down your arrogance you pompous asswhole."
The guy smirked "Make me."
And that was it. Kriye was the first to attack, but to this the guy easily defended. It was actually to Kriye's great surprise that the guy was pretty good. She thought maybe he attended Trabia or Galbadian garden, but then she thought against it. His technique was much too unorthodox to have been trained in a garden.
She was just about to call it quits when a piercing scream came cutting through the silent night.
Kriye and the stranger immediately stopped fighting and listened until they heard the scream again; she could feel her stomach tighten into a knot. It was Ceila.
Not daring to think about it twice Kriye ran towards the scream, she hardly noticed the stranger that she had been fighting with just seconds before was right on her heals. Kriye stopped at the hospital where she saw a small group of people gathered, Kriye yelled at them.
"What's going on here?! Where was the screaming?!"
The group of people all shook their heads; only one of them spoke up.
"We came out when we heard the screaming too, but when we got here we couldn't find anything."
"So no one knows where the screaming came from?"
Passed the crowd a small girl walked up.
"I saw what happened." The girl spoke timidly.
Kriye knelt down to the girl, and in the gentlest voice she could manage considering the circumstances she asked her.
"What happened?"
"A girl your age was walking when men in black came from no where, they took her and put her into a car, and then drove away she was screaming the whole time."
Kriye stared at the girl blankly "So.so they kidnapped her?"
* * *
For Rave it all happened so fast. At first he was dueling with a
beautiful raven haired, piercing blue eyes girl, next thing he knew he
was following this girl, and discovering that her friend was kidnapped.
It was a lot more then Rave expected when he first ran away from home,
only a few days ago.
After the little girl had told Rave's dark haired friend that her own
friend was kidnapped the dark hair girl was down the street searching for
clues. Rave once again found himself right behind her, much to the girl's
irritation.
"Don't you have anything better to do?" The girl snapped at him.
"Why are you resisting help when you obviously need it?" Rave replied
leaving the girl silent.
They were walking down the dark, silent streets of Esthar for awhile,
neither of them saying a word. The presidential palace had just come into
view when the girl spoke again.
"Thank you." She told him in the softest voice that Rave had ever
heard.
"For what?" Rave asked earnestly.
"For your help, I mean just I don't know.for just being here."
"Don't worry about it. I just hope we can find your friend. Would you
have any idea why they would take her in the first place?"
"Not a one." She told him, her voice sounding uneasy.
At that point Rave decided it was time that he introduced himself.
'I'm Rave Almansy, by the way." He told her extending his hand, the
girl took it.
"Kriye Le.Heartilly." She told him shaking his hand firmly.
"So Kriye what do you purpose we do?"
"I thought we go to"- Kriye stops there when someone from within the
shadows spoke out to them.
"Are you two vooking for a girl?" A short, odd looking man whispered
coming into view. Both Rave and Kriye gave each other an apprehensive
look before turning their attention back to the man.
"I know vu took her," said the short man.
"Who?" Kriye asked eagerly.
"Vey are bad men. Scientist vike myself, however, their attentions are
vot as noble as my own."
"What are you talking about?" Rave asked already sick of his rambling.
"Vo to vey Estharian bar Bones, vo into vey ladies voom. There should
ve a staircase under vee second toilet."
The man started walking away when Kriye grabbed him by the shoulder.
"Wait, how do you know all this? Why are you even helping us?"
The short, odd man gave Kriye a hard. "Vits just say I'm vaking up vor
past vins."
"What do you mean?"
"Just vo, Dr. Odine vas helped, now vo."
Rave and Kriye looked at each other, then without exchanging a word they bolted towards the Esthar bar.
Once they reached the bar 'Bones,' Rave immediately got the feeling that he wasn't going to like the place, once they walked into the bar he knew he was right.
Esthar as a city is one of the most beautiful places that Rave had ever laid his eyes upon, 'Bones,' however, wouldn't demonstrate that. It reminded him of what his uncle Raijin always said.
"Every pretty flower has to have a wilting petal, ya know."
If Esthar was a pretty flower then Bones was defiantly the wilting petal.
Bone's had the layout of a typical bar. In the back was the counter, where the two bar tenders stood. Throughout the bar where round tables with chairs scattered around them. Outlining the bar were booths with square tables around them.
The layout wasn't what made the bar eerie, it was the mood. The bar was dark, only a few dim lights were hanging from the ceiling. You could barely see two feet in front of you. As far as decorating they had placed weapons on every free area of the walls, and it wasn't your ordinary weapons that they had hanging up. Along with the swords and various guns hung up were old medieval weapons such as that ball with spikes on it, or a regular bow with spears at the ends of it. Rave was even more disgusted to find that some of the weapons still had blood stains on them.
"Let's just get to the bathroom," Kriye said from behind him.
Rave was all too eager to oblige, the staring eyes from everyone in the bar was creeping him out.
Together the two of them walked briskly to the back where the bathroom signs hung. There was at least one thing good that could be said about the bar, it had nice bathrooms.
Kriye walked into the girl's bathroom, feeling slightly odd Rave followed.
There were three stalls in the bathroom Kriye went directly to the middle one. Rave heard her yell from inside the stall.
"How the hell is there suppose to be a staircase under the toilet, it all looks pretty regular from here."
"Let me see." Rave said as he joined her in the stall. She was right; there was nothing there that would indicate a staircase was near by.
"Did you try flushing it?" He suggested to her. Kriye gave it a try and at first nothing happened, but then something odd started to occur.
The whole toilet began to lower. As it transcended a staircase started to come into view.
"What kind of people are we dealing with if they have to hide under bathrooms?" Rave said, only half joking.
Kriye let out a nervous laugh, and then stepped onto the toilet, which was now even with the floor and the two of them began to make their way down the stairs.
The staircase wasn't large; it only took them roughly a dozen steps before they reached the bottom.
Like the bar above the basement was eerie. Preceding though the basement they came to a dark hallway which at the end they could hear whispered murmurs.
Slowly they walked until the end of the hallway came, and stopped in front of two wooden doors.
"Let's just creak them open shall we." Rave said to Kriye who nodded.
Ever so carefully Rave opened one of the wooden doors, now the murmuring had turned into clear voices.
"Dr. Ledman, this isn't her."
"What do you mean this isn't her?" growled an angry voice.
"We just ran a blood test, it doesn't match her mothers."
"But our agent said it was."
"I don't know what else to tell you Dr. Ledman."
"Dammit!" yelled the angry voice of Dr. Ledman. The sound of something metal colliding with a wall followed.
"What do you want me to do with the girl?"
"Dispose of her."
"Wh.what?"
"If she's not the sorceress' daughter then I don't want her!" yelled Dr. Ledman.
Rave could feel Kriye's body tense beside him as they continued to listen.
"I understand Dr. Ledman, but why can't we just let her go? Must we kill her?"
"Don't question Dr. Dickson or rest assure you will be joining her shortly." With a less threatening tone Dr. Ledman went on "Now I have an appointment in Timber that I must attend."
The conversation had ended, and a door being slammed indicated that Dr. Ledman had left the room.
Rave looked over at Kriye; a dangerous looking fury was burning in her eyes. Rave watched as Kriye drew her gunblade.
"I'm going in." She told him, leaving no time for argument, as soon as the words left her lips Kriye was inside the room. Rave was left with no choice, but to follow.
Only what had to be Dr. Dickson was in the room. Kriye had knocked him out with the back of her gunblade quickly, she then moved to the girl lying on an operating table in the middle of the room.
"Ceila," Kriye cried "Ceila, are you alright? Oh Shiva please say you are."
"Kriye," said the delirious voice of Ceila. "Kriye, how did you find me?"
"We'll talk later; let's get the hell out of here first."
With Rave's help they lifted Ceila from the table and started to head back the way they came, but as soon as they opened the door voices could be heard coming down the hall.
Without a word the three of them made their way to the door on the opposite side of the room. Another long hall way awaited them. Running as fast as they could with Ceila they made it to the end of the hall which led them to a ladder. Up the ladder they went and through a trap door.
The three of them had arrived outside. Rave was astonished to find themselves in the middle of the Esthar desert.
"Where do we go from here?" Rave asked the two girls.
They all looked around; it was Kriye who pointed out a forest.
"Let's go there; we can discuss what to do later. For now I just want to get out of the open."
The matter was settled, as Kriye, Ceila and Rave all hurried to the forest.