Chapter 6: Follow the yellow brick road . . . or limestone cave.

Okay! This is Me, the author and I'd just like to say, wow I've been busy today. Blah. Anyway, If you think I'll make Zeek and Rose fall in love easily . . . YOUR WRONG! That's right! Oh yeah, I found out I had a mistake with Zeek's name. It's Zeig. I can't believe I got it wrong!! what the heck?!?! But, it's too late in the game to change it all now. If I can, I'll do it and notify everyone whose reading it. Basically that's Water Goddess. Yeah, so here's the sixth chapter. You also might be wondering What's up with breaking the dragon stones, right? Muwhahaha!! I always wondered what would happen if materia broke from FF7, ya know. And what WOULD happen if a dragoon stone actually did break? Hmm! He he he . . . . isn't it cool?

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Legend of Dragoon clothes were awesome! Yes, they were. I was hoping to get Rose's old outfit. I didn't In fact, the outfit looked more like something from Ruroni Kenshin mixed with Lord of the Rings. I had a sort of kimono thing that had no sleeves and stopped five inches short of my knees. I had on shorts that were an inch shorter than the kimono and I had boots that came up about an inch from the end of my kimono. Mostly my clothing was either black or red. Oh yeah, I couldn't forget the gloves. They were fingerless and black as well. They reminded me of my collection of arm warmers from Hot Topic back on Earth, but the was better. Hey went up to my biceps. Oh yeah, totally. Also, Shana had given me the one and only Demon Stiletto.

The way Shana had talked to me . . . It seemed like she knew that I'd do something. She was calm and wise like Merlin was when he entrusted Excalibur to a meager stone that would allow King Arthur to prove his worth and rule Camelot. I felt like Arthur had when he was unsheathing the sword from the stone, sealing his destiny, my destiny, forever. She had said wise words to me:

"You have done my family and I great deeds. There is Rose's likeness in you as well as her good heart. I have noticed how you worried over something during the time before my husband arrived. Maybe you have not had the same past as she, but you are the new Rose. The Rose who will find a happy life and not have to settle for death. I give you her sword. It is all we have left of her, or did until you came."

I had taken the sword and looked solemn in doing so. I sheathed the weapon on my waist as Rose would have done and walked out to leave. I felt like a real hero. It felt nice.

But then again with Zeek in front of me, acting like I was nothing but an annoying fly he couldn't get out of his chardonay, that feeling went away pretty damn fast. The lug kept walking in front of me ignoring everything I said. We were on the prairie and probably approaching the old run down cabin. Yeah. There were a couple of houses in the distance, I'm sure some people had come over the time change. Not everything was going to be the same. We were going along, coming near to the rundown cabin when a woman walked past with her son. They were so sweet. The woman was pregnant, but carried wood in her arms.

"Hello there," she greeted us as we walked past. Zeek smiled, but paid her no real mind.

"Hi,! Would you like some help with that load you're carrying?" I asked. Hey, I respected any woman who could carry around another life form, ruin a perfectly good figure, and then squeeze it out in the most painful way. Oh yeah, I was gonna help her out. Or try to.

"Oh, no. My husband hasn't allowed me to do anything lately. Please, you should go ahead. I can handle myself."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "I'd be happy to help!"

"Rose, we have to go." Zeek said, stopping.

"Dear, you should go. It's quite all right. Everything will be all right. My husband will probably be along any moment now. Lloyd is very protective."

I stopped dead in my tracks. "You're WINK?!"

"Yes, of course. How did you know?"

"You're husband is Lloyd, a Winglie, right?"

"Yes. . ."

"It's an honor to meet you Mrs. Wink, quite an honor! I'm so happy you're okay. Especially how you had saved Dart's life! I would be so depressed if you had died!" I said. Whoops. Shouldn't have opened my mouth.

"How did you . . . Are you the Rose?" she asked.

"Uh . . . no, never mind. I'm terribly sorry!" I replied, hurrying along. She stared, I knew it.

When we made it to the fork in the road Zeek took out his map.

"This way to the stream that leads to the Limestone Cave." he said.

"Don't you wanna rest first?" I asked. "Let's go to the cabin!"

"No. We can't veer from our course. You shouldn't have offered to help that woman with my sister's name. And what's all this about her saving my fathers life, eh?"

"Oh, no. Dart really hasn't told you about these things, has he?" I replied. He looked at me with contempt and then went on. Okay, Mr. Tough Guy, I've had it.

"You look here, Zeek. I don't know why you treat me like this, but I'm sick of it!" I yelled. He took a deep breath, exhaled and went on. I ran up to him.

"Who do you think you are? I've used my best manners, tried being nice to you and your family! I grown to love your sister and Mother! Yet you only show contempt to me! Did you even mean what you said?" I asked, still yelling, and running to catch up to him. He ignored me. He heard the sound of water before me and walked on to a bridge. Wow we didn't have to cut down a tree! People had brains to build a bridge.

"Hello?! Are you listening? Answer me GODDAMMIT!"

He turned around just at the moment he stepped on the bridge.

"Why the hell are you yelling at me? I made a slip up okay? I said something I didn't mean. Maybe I did love you— when you were sleeping. Now you worry my father at night, and my mother can do nothing to calm him. Haven't you noticed he's up tight about you?! It's your fault the town caught on fire! And besides, how could I love someone as . . . open as you are! You would allow anyone into our camp because of a damn paper cut!" Zeek yelled. I just stood there, taking it all. Yeah it hurt. But I wouldn't show this bastard. Oh no! I glared at him with my gray eyes, waiting for his next move. Which was to turn away and cross the bridge.

And of course I followed him in silence. And eventually we made it to the limestone cave. As we got to the entrance, we heard someone yelling. It sounded like a man. Which was yelling profusely for help. Zeek took out his sword, like any egotistical man would, and ran in. eventually he yelled too. So being the only woman who could save the day, I walked in.

There was water running along the floor. And then there was a drop of and a water fall. The floor must have collapsed. Time changed a lot of places. I looked down to see Zeek and another man in green clothing hanging on for dear life. I walked down the path of stones that were smooth and paved and looked down at Zeek.

"Hi ya!" I said, crouching down. Both men looked at me.

"Rose, help me get up!" Zeek yelled. The other man looked sort of confused. He was sort of hot too.

"Nah . . . I'd really like you to apologize for what you said to me." I said. I looked down as he cursed at me. The water fall feel a good ten feet, but the water down there looked pretty deep. There were also stairs there, along with an entrance to the next room. Zeek acted like his life depended on it. Jeeze, did men ever think?

"What?! No way!" he said. I smiled and Held my arm out for the other man. He grabbed it and tried his best to get on the stones. And succeeded. I smiled to him and started to walk down. Zeek just yelled for me, but never apologizing.

While the red ape was yelling in the back ground I smiled at the man in green. He had dark brown hair and big green eyes, really good looking. He wore green clothes, like mentioned before. They were also soaked. He looked like he was sort of a bandit.

"HI, mister, I'm Rose!" I said, holding out my hand.

"Hello, quite a charming young woman. My name is Aron. I am a man of many talents, a merchant for anything at the right price." he said, kissing my hand. Oh, he was a charmer.

"It's very nice to meet you. Where are you going?" I asked.

"Anywhere, My heart has only one destination. And that's wherever women are!" he replied.

"Oh, I see!" He was a lecher. Okay. I could deal with this. No moves on my and he would go away unscathed.

"Are you going to help your friend?" he asked.

"Nah, he'll drop off sometime. The exit's this way."

"Yeah but there's a great monster in the water . . ."

Just as Aron was telling me this, I heard Zeek yelling as he fell.

"RROOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSE!! I'LLLLLLL GET YOUOOOOOOOOO!" he screamed. And then SPLASH!!!

My eyes were wide as Aron and I ran to the bottom, only to see Zeek being thrown into the air by a tail of a reptilian. I heard a loud hiss and then I saw the huge snake. I had to get Zeek out of there! Aron took his staff from his back and took the Demon Stiletto. I narrowed my eyes as we prepared to face the serpent Urobolus.

Okay, what did I remember about this boss, eh? 270 hit points. Element of earth. Description: one bad mother. Bring it on.