Chapter 6: Seeing is Believing?

A continent away from home could do a lot to a person, especially when they hadn't really been away from home. Precis tagged closely behind Opera, Claude, and Ashton, with Celine, Rena, and Bowman at the rear of the group. Things seemed awkward no matter where she looked. Ashton was acting a bit oddly, Claude seemed tired and often nearly collided with anything in the path of a straight line in front of him, Rena seemed to be thinking up a storm, Bowman and Celine kept looking at each other - all the while keeping Rena between them, and Opera kept asking if Claude was ok.

All in all, it was a very strange second day away from home. Thankfully this time Barney answered after Opera called a few miles from Herlie, and they made a quick hop over to Mars in no time. Once there, everyone split up, with Celine heading to her house, Claude heading to the elder's house to look at books, Opera going to the inn, Bowman disappearing, Rena walking around near the forest, and Ashton suddenly no where in sight. Precis was slightly annoyed at having lost the tall swordsman, and she wandered about town as well.

~*~

"Tell me, whose brilliant idea was this again?" The irritation in the voice was unmistaken, despite it being whispered harshly.

"Hush Jibril. These Expellians may know Heraldry, but if you keep quiet and don't do anything, they'll never suspect anything. Now, I'm going to go have a look around town. You watch this end of town for anything unusual, and Nicolaus will watch the other end."

"I don't like it Ruprecht. And besides that, I still say you look ridiculous." The hooded Wise Man looked down at the crouching Ruprecht, who was adjusting his pant leg one more time.

"I don't care, Indalecio sent us out to do something, so we're doing it. Besides, its better than being stuck in that smelly old tower anyway."

"Bah," Jibril muttered, looking away.

"Besides, it keeps me out of the way of Cyril the crab," Ruprecht added before taking off out of ear-shot of his elder. Once a decent distance clear of the grumpy wise man, Ruprecht relaxed, enjoying the feeling of these new clothes. He walked into town, looking at the various people about the town. Everyone seemed normal, though they all were either learning the art of heraldic magic, or were skilled in it. The air itself spoke volumes of that.

He walked through town calmly, no one bothering to even suspect anything about this 'traveler'. He had observed quickly and reliably the average appearance of those who went between towns on Expel, and matched himself to the part. He was the only one of the three who was capable of doing this, as Jibril always flat out refused to remove his hood, and Nicolaus could not part with his visor. That left Ruprecht who had neither problem, and only a two-pronged spear that was easily explainable.

Not that he didn't mind of course. It was exhilarating to be about these other people with them none-the-wiser. It was great to be completely free of the bindings of the Sphere, the Tower, and away from Decus, Vesper, and Cyril. And perhaps even Indalecio, although it was he who had sent him out in the first place. Perhaps he had known the youngest one wanted to wander.

As he neared what seemed to be a market, a sight caught his attention, something he'd never dreamed of seeing. A man with a pair of dragons on his back. And it seemed the pair were squabbling over the man's head. There was something about the individual that caught his attention besides the dragons. He was skilled in heraldry, yet carried a pair of sharp- bladed short swords at his side. And the dragons themselves had quite a bit of talent of their own form.

'If he got to the front lines, there'd be more trouble for Shin...'

"Hey, stop fighting you two!"

"Perhaps they are hungry," Ruprecht found himself saying. The air was filled with the sweet smell of cakes and other freshly cooked items, and it only made sense. It also reminded the Wise Man he hadn't eaten since early that morning. In sync, Gyoro, Urunrun, and Ruprecht's stomach seemed to agree on hunger.

Ashton turned to look directly at him, and the two met eye to eye. Green met bright brown, and they eyed each other. Lance for short swords, both wearing dark garments, about equal build, and both a bit surprised. Ashton arched an eyebrow. "You might be right," he said. His statement was followed by a few squawks and snorts, followed with a slight nudge to the ear. "Ok, ok, I'll get something for you two if you'll quit fighting." Both dragons blinked and nodded. "Thanks, erm..." Ashton said, trailing off.

'Think fast, Ruprecht. What was the name of that guy you overheard in Cross?' "I'm Chris," he said, offering a hand. It would look better to blend in and act normal, rather than raise anyone's suspicions. He almost knew he would hear about this later from Nicolaus, or Jibril. Probably both, and most likely in the form of taunting and condescending speeches.

"Ashton Anchors, and this is Gyoro and Urunrun" the swordsman said. "Won't you have something with us?"

"Sure," he replied, following. After a small order, they took a pair of open chairs at one of the small tables. "So, what are you doing in this town?" Innocent enough question.

"Well, my friend Claude is currently talking to the mayor about a book on exorcism," Ashton said, pointing up at the two munching dragons. "It was really all an accident in the Salva Drift."

'Salva... Drift... oh, the mining town.' "Ah. Curse or such?"

"Yeah, but it'll be remedied, I hope. Not many people exactly appreciate someone like me. I'm a defect, a damaged good."

Ruprecht looked a bit surprised. Since the dragons had not simply killed him, seeming to get along with him, he didn't see a major problem with the two. If anything... "I would see having them on your back as an advantage, personally," he said, leaning back in his chair, taking a bite of a sweet danish. "They're quite powerful and useful, and can even watch your back if you were alone. On top of that, many things are weak to their elements. 'Damaged goods'? Hardly the case, I'd say you're even better that way." 'Oh, brilliant, just help the enemy,' he thought to himself.

Ashton seemed quite surprised. "Better...? But... everyone looks at me oddly and avoids me." He looked down at the table.

"Sure, some people may think its odd, but really, isn't it to your advantage? If you're afraid of being alone - you said you had friends? And besides, anyone who really would care would appreciate you for who you are, not how you look." Ruprecht blinked at what he had just said, and wondered whether this would later come back to haunt him. Truly though, he had spoken form the heart. He knew inwardly that this was rather true - he himself recalled his youth vividly.

Ashton looked up, blinking in surprise. "Its true, I'm traveling with some others since the incident, more at the time to rid myself of these two since they were responsible, but we've grown close," he admitted, recalling the talk he had had with Claude in Linga. "I don't know. I don't really mind the two so much anymore. I-"

"Ashton!" They both turned to look to see one odd blonde running over, waving one arm and carrying a book under the other. he stopped at the table, setting the book down before Ashton. "I found it!"

Ruprecht looked up at the young man, narrowing his eyes ever so slightly as he realized this man was no Expellian - he was a human from Earth! 'But what is a young Earthling doing here on Expel?! Wait... he matches the description of the runner up of the Lacour Tournament...' Ruprecht looked away before his stare was noticed and looked down at the table.

Ashton was skimming the book. He frowned as he hit a passage about the dragons and their fate. "But... I don't... want them to.... die," he whispered. Ashton looked up then to Claude. "Thanks Claude, but... we can't do this. I've realized how great they are, thanks to Chris here, and I wouldn't want them dead. .... They're kind of nice."

Claude looked over at Chris, and then to Ashton again. He shrugged, not bothering to ask about this here and now. If anything, at least the return to Mars had let them cross the path of Opera, so it wasn't a total loss. As he glanced about, he considered none of this trip a loss.

"Well, then, I'll just go find Opera and the others, and we'll get ready to head for Cross," Claude said, scooping up the book and heading back to the elder. "I'm rather glad to hear your choice, Ashton," he added at a distance.

Ashton sighed. "Ah well, looks like we're stuck with each other for some time more," he said, scratching each dragon's head and offering them more nibbles.

"Aawwk!" "Awroo!"

Ashton chuckled. "I know, I just don't want to see you guys hurt."

"You understand them?"

"Yes," he replied. "Thank you for making me realize that. I don't know how I would have felt if I hadn't thought of that. They really are kind of great, though. Except when they fight." He grinned sheepishly.

"True," he mused, finishing off his danish. He stood, speaking again. "At any rate, I really ought to be going. Perhaps, no, more likely, we will cross paths again." 'I'm almost sure we'll eventually meet in Eluria if you make it that far,' he thought to himself, a hint of sadness tingeing his own thoughts. 'That is if I don't get sent out again, or just happen to see you elsewhere.' "I'm liable to see you somewhere again, right?"

"Well, we were going to investigate the Sorcery Globe before we were sidetracked by my looking for a way to exorcise them, and then met Opera, who's looking for a three-eyed man. She has three eyes as well."

'A Tretragene as well? How interesting. The Sorcery Globe.... we will indeed see each other again in Eluria.' "Well, perhaps we may, perhaps we may not. It was good to meet you, Ashton. And you too, Gyoro and Urunrun." Ruprecht turned and left, heading for the place he left just outside of town, noting no one was following or watching him. He finally reached the bushes he had left earlier and re-entered, homing in on his elder's place.

"What was [i]that[/i] about?" he heard hissed at him from the left. He turned nonchalantly to see Jibril and Nicolaus both there.

"Hm? Oh, I seem to have found some curious information," he said, smirking. "I seem to have found some people who are going to investigate the Sorcery Globe."

Jibril and Nicolaus laughed. "Brave souls, aren't they?" Nicolaus sad.

"Fools is more like it," Jibril added.

Ruprecht kept his tongue in line before he defended Ashton. "One of them is a human from Earth, and apparently there are at least two Tetragenes on the planet, one of them currently with the others. That human apparently was the one who was also in the final round of that tournament from what I could tell. He matched the description we got perfectly."

"This is curious," Nicolaus said suddenly, no longer laughing. "We ought to return to Indalecio then and report for further instructions. Well done, Ruprecht." The two phased out, but he remained yet awhile longer in the forest, feeling a keen pain within himself.

'Why do I ache? Why should I feel as if I have betrayed someone when I have helped my brethren?' He faded into the brush as he teleported back to Eluria.