Vale: angst I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in forever. If I did own Legend of Dragoon the release of it would probably be somewhat like Halo 2. Scheduled for March, postponed until July, then probably delayed some more. I'm so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so os os os so so sorry.
Thor: You do realize you spelled so wrong like three times?
Vale: ; just to show them that I wasn't copying and pasting...
SUMMARIZE THE WORLD
CHAPTER TWO
BY:
Vale (Saturn Angels)
Rose stirred slightly, her vision blurry and she couldn't exactly tell at first why-- it didn't seem to be one that someone would get just because they had been sleeping.
She paused, when had she fallen asleep? And why was the room spinning so much? She groaned in annoyance, feeling nauseous as she lay back onto the bed, immediately recognizing the bed sheets to be that of the local inn.
But why was she in the inn? How had she gotten there? She certainly didn't remember walking... but what she did remember, was going to the pub.
That she remembered for certain, and could pinpoint that to be the reason that she couldn't recall much else. She remembered Daisy, unfortunately, and she remembered mixing her drinks, taking it in shots... and...
...that's where her memory began to get fuzzy.
She ran into someone... but who?
As she tried to think of who it could have been she felt the bed shift under the weight of someone and immediately her heart dropped to the bottom of her stomach. Had she..? No, even in her drunken state she wouldn't do something that stupid...
Would she?
Perhaps it was just some weird person who had broken into her room, she balled her hand into a fist and lashed out at the person, making direct contact with his cheek.
His, great that made matter worse.
"Who are you and why are you in my room?" she asked, glaring but even then she fell back onto the bed, resisting the urge to curl up into fetal position at the horrid nausea she felt.
The man regained composure, "The name is Lloyd.. I don't think we were ever really properly introduced except for when they announced me winner of the Hero Competition.."
Rose frowned knowing it to be true-- after all, how many people had silver hair these days? Other than Winglies... she grimaced just at the thought of them how she despised them... it wouldn't surprise her if this 'Lloyd' was one of them.
"And I'm here to wake you up-- we have to be out of here within the hour unless you want to pay for an extra nights stay."
"You took me here." Rose commented, Lloyd merely nodded in response.
"While I was drunk." her voice was accusing as she continued to mildly glare at him, even while she had a hangover the glare was still powerful enough to send some mild animal packing... but not Lloyd. He had won the Hero Competition and that had to amount to something.
"We didn't do anything," Lloyd said with a shrug, "Much to your chagrin I can tell..." he added, rolling his eyes.
Rose sneered at him, "Oh please. Just get out of my sight, you're making my head spin."
"I have that effect on women," was his response, "but I'm not leaving until you pay me 25 gil. Half of what I paid to rent this room out."
"A cheap price-- take it from my wallet." Rose answered, closing her eyes after stuffing her head underneath a pillow to block the harsh sunlight that was filtering in through the blinds.
"If I had known where your wallet was I wouldn't have had to try and wake you up, now would I?" he asked and Rose looked at him from underneath the plush pillow.
"Then I would hunt you down as a thief and not give you a chance to explain before I killed you." Rose said before pulling a thin leather wallet from her long boot-- which Lloyd hadn't the decency to take off for her. She tossed it to him, not wanting to pull her head out from its safe haven to give him the 25 gil. She just hoped he wouldn't take more than that...
"If you remember correctly, I am the one who beat you."
"Hn, just take the gil and leave."
There was a moment of silence though Rose could hear him clearly sifting through her wallet.
"You only have 10."
"Then accept that I cannot give you anything other than what I have and leave already." Rose answered growing more and more annoyed with the persistent man.
"I'm not that generous." Lloyd responded, "and I do not know your name."
"I don't see what my name has to do with your levels of generosity." Rose responded, shifting slightly to get more comfortable under the sheets.
"It has absolutely nothing to do with it, but perhaps I would feel more generous knowing your name than I would not knowing it."
"Why's that?" Rose asked, merely wanting an excuse to keep it from him.
"Because you know mine, and without knowing yours I fear we're just like strangers."
"Which we shall stay. Take the 10 and leave, I'm sure you can pickpocket 15 more gil or just take it from your spoils after killing a monster and pretend it came from me."
"Heh. No, you're not getting off that easily, Dragoon of Darkness."
Rose's eyes immediately shot open, "How did you know that?" she asked, her weapon drawn and pointed at Lloyd's neck in the blink of an eye. She was unwavering and steadfast, she hardly seemed lethargic at all anymore...
"You were singing it quite loudly yesterday."
Rose cursed, "Who else heard?"
Lloyd shrugged, "I don't know. Though it did boost my ego, I defeated a legendary dragoon. Something I'd like to boast about."
Rose snarled slightly, "You will tell no one, or I will kill you. I went easy on you at the competition, it won't happen this time. In fact, I may have to kill you anyway."
"Surely not before you pay me back my 15 gil?" Lloyd asked, smugly. "Or at least tell me your name."
"Rose." she answered snidely, just so he would not go around calling her the Dragoon of Darkness and revealing it to everyone.
"Ah, that would explain why you're so distant. Every rose has its thorns, hm?" he asked causing Rose to roll her eyes.
"You're not on my good side right now: leave before I make you leave."
"Rose, you can't make me do anything. But one thing I'd like to say is: now that I know your name, who you are, and pretty much where you are going... I will get my 15 gil from you."
Rose glared, "Are you going?"
"Yes." Lloyd answered, his garnet eyes flashing an emotion that seemed... like mischief? before he turned, grabbing his cloak on the way, and walked out.
Rose sighed, slapping herself and forcing to stop the room from spinning. Now that she had no money and didn't want to cause a scene by killing everyone in the inn... it'd be wise to leave.
She left the room, grabbing her empty wallet: she had once had a pouch for coins that she'd kept on her sash but apparently that had been taken from her in her drunken state. It was probably that damned... Lloyd, or whatever his name was.
She exited the inn, using her arm to shield her eyes from the sun. It seemed to be around noontime already and the city was buzzing, merchants shouting their wares to her as she made it out of city limits.
"I had expected you to take longer." she heard a voice say just as she was passing the archway that served as the entrance and exit to the city.
She turned on her heel, "You."
"Me." Lloyd said with a smug smile, "You don't think I forget things that easily do you? I charge interest for my loans-- by the second. You're up to 150 gil now."
"That's not much." Rose said, frowning, she could make that after one battle and get this annoying one out of her hair.
"Please, spend more time talking." Lloyd said, his eyes giving off the hint of mischief once more, "You're up to 300 now."
Rose 'hmph'ed slightly as she left the city ready to get into a battle and shut Lloyd up to make him leave.
"600."
She walked briskly outside for a while, but when nothing happened she changed her route drastically. "1200."
She walked from city to city, and still she had encountered nothing.
"2400."
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she looked around her, why wasn't she running into anything? Where had all the enemies gone? Trying to get to the city she had run into over 50 battles but now it seemed that none wanted to face her..
"4800." Lloyd continued counting.
She turned to the Winglie, for now she was certain that that was what he was: she could never hate anything else as much, angrily, "Shut up. I will give you your money. Just shut up."
Lloyd looked at her expectantly, holding his hand out, "Pray give me the money so I can be on my way."
She sighed and turned around, perhaps she could just pawn the money off of someone else...
"9600." "Winglie!" she yelled finally, silencing him, "Why am I not running into any battles! I know this has something to do with you! I can feel it!" she said, finally losing her temper.
A grin formed on Lloyd's face, "Oh? Didn't I tell you? I recently learned a new skill... called, what was it? Encounter none... yes that must've been the name. You're up to 19200 now, just wanted to inform you."
Rose immediately ran at Lloyd to strangle him, "19200 gil just for one night at an inn!?" she yelled, "You must be insane."
"No, just extremely sly." he answered with a wink at the dark-haired woman who seemed to be in no mood to play games.
"I wish nothing more than to see you dead." Rose commented, her voice monotone as she said it, "How am I supposed to get you your money if you do not allow me to battle?"
"You will battle for it. You see, you have potential... you made it to the final round of the Hero Competition, that in itself says that you have potential. So, I'm going to need your help. The grand prize is 1,000,000,000 gil. If you help me win it, than I will completely erase your debt."
There was silence as Rose was tempted by the offer, "What will I get in return for helping you, other than getting rid of you of course?"
"1/3 of the prize money if we win... and if we don't, than a simple goodbye and parting of ways."
Rose did the math mentally, it would come out around 333,333,334 gil... she'd be crazy not to agree. "All right, I'll help you this once, Winglie."
"Please, call me Lloyd." he said his voice dangerous, "I don't know how you figured it out-- but I don't need you announcing it to the world."
"The same goes to you, Wi-- ... Lloyd." Rose responded, folding her arms across her chest, "Where is this battle?"
Lloyd smirked, "I'll lead you there. And believe me, it won't be as easy as the Hero Competition..." he said, beginning to walk off in a seemingly random direction.
"People find in groups?" Rose questioned, having no choice but to follow Lloyd.
Lloyd nodded, "Groups of 2 or 3. You're all I need to help me win." Lloyd looked up at the sky then, "It's around noon... we should make it to the city by nightfall."
------End Chapter Two------
TO BE CONTINUED
Special Thanks to:
Candace, Sors, DarkAngelB, Sorceress Damia, Iori Carolyn, Joanna, Maqical Fairy Of Doom, ¥¤Dark Elandru¤¥, Shin-chan, LCM, and Muslima
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