The Laboratory

"I was meaning to ask you before, but we got distracted," Alfred told Virginia, "What in the heck did you do back there when we were fighting? It appeared as if you grew wings. But how can a human being do something like that? Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it, please don't hit me Miss Virginia."

"It's ok, that's the reason I don't show them, don't want to freak anybody out. The truth is, I was in an accident when I was just a child. So was Jet. It nearly killed us, but my father saved our lives using a method he and his fellow scientists had discovered. The only side effect was added powers that come from the planet itself. I can utilize the wings in either combination attacks with Jet, or to simply fly away from a hairy situation. We can even fly across long distances together, but I can only take one at a time. So we do need a Dragon to carry the whole party places, else I'd be going back and forth for everyone," she replied.

They were climbing up the Dissection Facility, where the monsters were quite strange. Each one represented the four major elements: Geo, Fray, Wing, Muse. These four states were the essences of the four Elemental Guardians, and were used in the casting of Crest Sorcery. Virginia knew all this from her books on magic, but she'd never seen monsters that carried the direct essences inside their own bodies.

Partway up, they came to a closed door. Todd took out his sword, and said, "I served Milday and Master Alfred's father. He took a bum like me in, and taught me swordsmanship so I could find myself a useful job. When my training was over, however, he died in a monster attack. After that, I devoted myself to protecting the late Lord Schroedinger's two children. With the sword he gave me, I will prevail against those who wish to do us harm." He then went up to the door, and slashed it right in half, much to the amazement of the four Drifters. Virginia never imagined you could do something like that with any archaic weapon.

* * *

Shortly after that, they saw a switch. It was too high up to reach, and the door was locked. Shady took that as his cue to get into action, flying up towards it. "Long ago, a Schroedinger locked me in a little box to perform some experiments on. It had something to do with the state of a living being, but I remember very little about that. I thought I'd be trapped forever, when Maya found me. At first, I wanted nothing more to do with the Schroedingers, even to the point of wanting my revenge, but then she asked me to come with her on her adventures. I had fun too, looking all over the world for gems. I'm not going to let it end right here and now, I've still got a lot of lost time to make up for." With that, he hit the switch, and used his firebreath to stop the wall from crushing him. The door in front of them opened, allowing them to go onwards. Shady flew down to the others, relatively uninjured. But Virginia checked his wounds nonetheless, not wanting to have one of the team down for the count. If something bad happened, they'd need the Schredingers' help.

They traveled onwards, solving many puzzles. Soon, they arrived at the top. In a side room, a pair of monsters attacked them, one that committed suicide to damage the team, and a second that fought them and revived his partner. It was a difficult battle, but they were eventually able to defeat the monsters and get the treasure. And back in the room before that one, they found a book lying right there on the hard ground.

"That's Maya's!" exclaimed Alfred, "She's always reading 'Disaster Girl of the Wasteland'. You see, she gets her gun toting persona from this book. And this is the only one she can carry around inside of her for long periods of time, even if she's injured, due to her interest and natural skill with ARMs. That proves it, Sis was here. Maybe right through that door." He went over to it, and blew the lock off with dynamite. Then he simply pushed the door in, giving them a place to enter. Inside, they found this lab's computer room.

After touching one monitor, Siegfried came onscreen. Virginia snarled at him, she didn't want to deal with the Demon Lord right now. And if she did have to do so, why didn't he come and meet them. Her rage seemed to boil at the monster about now, and she was ready to kick his butt with one Saint spell. But in doing that, she'd compromise her true identity, and maybe Maya'd think to hunt her down for some Gella.

"Good evening Drifters. It's good to see you all here. Now then, let's get down to business. I know why you're here, you're looking for your little friend. She's right here, and she's perfectly safe. If you want to see her alive again, then give me the Teardrop. I know you all already know where it is, for I managed to weasel it out of the young lady as well," he told them, motioning to Maya. She now had on a brown skirt and coat over a green vest and white shirt. It appeared as if she was a schoolgirl of some sort. And lying near her on the ground was a book. Virginia strained to read its title. The line read, "Your Honest Self."

Alfred yelled, "Give me back my sister. I'll do anything if only you spare her life. Maya is the only family I have now, and I'm not going to lose her." He was on his knees on the verge of crying about now.

Siegfried studied the boy. "Then you must bring me the Teardrop. And none of your tricks, Shaman. I know what your kind can do when they are in combat. If you try even one double cross, then you're going to pay for it with the life of your friend. I'm sure you'll do the right thing, like when Cecilia Adlehyde gave this gem up in order to save her whole kingdom from being torn asunder by the power of my Demon Warriors."

The screen faded to black, and everyone but Jet, Virginia, and Gallows gasped. They'd heard what he'd said about Virginia, heard the stories about Shamans in the past. Clive, however, seemed to be trying to assure the Schroedingers that she would never join with the Demons, she was too good hearted for that.

Jet was getting infuriated at how they all seemed to doubt her, even knowing how good a heart she had. "You are all stupid! Think for one moment! Virginia is the kindest person we all know, and you have the nerve to think she'd summon a Demon? Am I the only one who lets the past actions of a person speak more for them than the information you find in the general world? If Virginia would summon a Demon, then I'm an Ork."

"No Shaman ever would," Virginia stated, "Remember what Halle said that day in Baskar, we're the Avatars of the Guardians. Our kind did nothing more than call forth our Guardians for protection on the day the Demon attacked. And you know how people can behave irrationally in times of crisis and/or great pain."

"Now isn't the time to be fighting amongst ourselves you guys. We've got to save my sister. I'd do anything to get her back, even if I had to join up with the Demons themselves. Ummmmmm. . .I don't think you're a Demon Miss Virginia, you certainly don't act like one," Alfred said, backing away very slowly.

Virginia stated, "Don't worry about a thing. I know you don't mean harm, you only want to say how badly you want your sister back. I'm going to help you get her home safely Alfred, no matter the cost. So where is the Teardrop anyway, Maya seemed to know all about it." She looked towards the teenager.

"In the Ruins of Memory. There is no record of how it got there, or what its uses are, only that it somehow arrived there and has been awaiting an owner ever since. So, can you guys go on ahead and find the Teardrop? I've got a plan, and I need to get things ready for it. That'll show those Demons not to mess with the Schroedinger Family in general, and my sister in particular." Alfred seemed to be more confident now, Virginia noticed. She believed it was because he had to get it all together for his sister, he would be able to do anything in order to achieve that. The girl looked to Jet, realizing she'd do the same for him too.

- - - -

Teefa's Last Word…

I think Reed from Suiko 3 looks like a blond Kuwabarra from Yu Yu Hakusho. Ok, back on topic now. Jet defended Virginia's honor, how sweet. Well, he is deep inside. I'm always thinking up these stupid and weird scenarios where the entire Council of Seven didn't die, the Prophets come back to life, and Werner's copy is also around (Duran decided to fix Hyadas, don't ask me how he did it cuz I was simply having some crazy visions). Leehalt begins insulting Virginia about certain things (mattering the time, in case it takes place when she's pregnant, he and Werner argue about her "virtue" he basically says she's a whore to her face). One angry Jet comes in and threatens to give him "Deus ex Machina X2". Don't ask, I just have a weird and twisted mind.