Disclaimer: I only own the stuff that I created. My plot, the new Dragoons, the Dragoon Judges, the new characters, myself, and anything else that I created. Oh, the Couran and Cougarus are also mine. SO HA!!.........I'll shut up now......

Chapter XV: Why Is It Always Me?

"Well, looks like we're here..." I said. Vidalio was the Human town and we had arrived here after two days of traveling.

"Crystal!" Came a very familiar voice.

"Hajeri! Look! They're all here!" Without thinking, like usual, I ran up and hugged Hajeri. I immediately realized what I had done and quickly stepped back several steps. "I...uh...um...uh...I..." I could feel my face heat up. 'Someone say something so I don't have to stand here!' Words just wouldn't come to my mouth.

"Looks like you found Mike." Boralo said.

'Thank you, Boralo!' I silently thanked him. I quickly returned to normal and looked over at Mike.

The red-haired man was leaned up against the wall.

"I guess I should introduce Selistia to you now." I told Saphira and Ace after I regained my voice. "Saphira and Ace, this is Selistia and Selistia this is Saphira and Ace."

"Nice to meet you." Saphira smiled at Selistia.

"Hi." Ace waved.

"Hi." Selistia waved back, but quickly turned her attention towards Milro, who was sorta hiding behind Rose.

"Ya know what Hajeri did to me?!" Phirala sounded really mad. "He tied me up and dragged me all the way here!"

"I told you to shut up and you didn't so I made you shut up." Hajeri told her.

"Ya didn't hafta do it like that! All you had to do was say 'please'!"

"I don't say 'please'. And plus, my way worked, didn't it?" Hajeri glared at her.

"Yeah, but-"

Milro interrupted Phirala. "Can we just get some food?!" Everyone looked at him. "So what?! I'm hungry!"

XxXxX

We had eaten a good meal and the team had split up to go do their own things. Milro hid from Selistia, Phirala followed Milro then gave away his hiding place, Rose rested, Mike is Soa knows where, Ace and Boralo played poker in the hotel room and Ace lost the last 10 gold that he had, and Hajeri and Saphira were missing. At least until I found them, that is. I had heard voices coming from a room, so I decided to spy and be nosy. I had my ear to the door and I listened closely.

"Listen, Hajeri, I want to talk to you," came Saphira's voice.

"What for?" Hajeri sounded like his grumpy self.

"Do you think that, maybe, um, after we stop the new evil that we could go out together sometime?"

There was silence for a long, long time. Okay, only for at least ten seconds but it was long enough to make me think Hajeri just had a heart-attack and died.

"Saphira, I have been trying to get your attention for, let's see, ever since the Dragon Campaign!" Hajeri exclaimed. "I finally realized that I should stop chasing you and just get on with my life. So, I have. The answer is 'no'." I heard footsteps coming towards the door.

I quickly walked away from the door and began whistling like I just happened to be passing by. "Hi, Hajeri." I said when he came out of the room.

"Hi...were you-"

"NO!! I mean, no. I just happened to be passing by..."

Hajeri stared at me suspiciously. "Okay, then."

Just then, the ground starts to shake. I lose my balance and Hajeri catches me. I blush but quickly stand back up.

"Guys! The Acid Dragon and Nianith are back!!" Milro came running down the hall towards us. "C'mon!"

We all were now standing outside and we could see Nianith and the Acid Dragon flying above the city. A building or two had been hit and was already melting.

"Okay, um, Mike, when I say 'now', you'll use your magic, okay?" I looked at Mike.

"Got it." Mike nodded. Since he was the Dream Dragoon, he could make people fall asleep but to make a Dragon or a Dragoon fall asleep, their power had to be lowered a bit and the only way to do that was to attack them and wear them out.

"After they fall asleep, we'll give 'em all that we've got." I drew my sword. "Phirala, Saphira, Selistia, and Rose, distract the Dragon. Everyone else will distract the Dragoon." I looked at everyone. They all nodded. "Now let's fight!"

Phirala Dragooned and flew towards the Dragon. She began to glow a bright white. "Angel Wings!" She circled the Dragon and began to pick up speed. A tornado was formed and the Dragon was picked up off the ground. Phirala flew away from the Dragon and the glowing disappeared.

The Dragon hit the ground hard. The other Dragoons also Dragooned. Saphira used her 'Deadly Desire' magic attack and Rose used her 'Death Dimension'. Selistia began shooting the Dragon with arrows.

I ducked as Nianith swung her swords at me. I jumped out of the way as she tried to cut me again. I blocked her attack with my sword, but she kicked me in the side of my head. I flew to the right, but my wings came out and I landed softly on the ground. She came up from behind me and would have stabbed me right in the back if someone didn't save me.

"You leave her alone!!" Hajeri flew in and managed to stab her in the shoulder. She flew backwards and the sword was pulled out. Hajeri continued slashing his sword at her and hit her several times. His sword made dents in her Dragoon armor but couldn't seem to cut through it enough to cut into skin.

Milro stood back and watched Nianith and Hajeri fight. "This fight is gonna be easier than I expected 'cause it looks like your boyfriend really cares 'bout you."

I shot a glare at Milro. "He is not my boyfriend!" I felt my face heat up again. "I...he..." I couldn't find the right words to say at this moment. "Let's just get back to the fight. Hajeri can't fight her all by himself."

"I can disagree with that." Milro pointed at the two fighting.

I looked at them. Hajeri was seriously kicking Nianith's butt. I looked at the other fight and noticed that the Dragon seemed to be weakened also. "Mike! NOW!!"

Mike nodded and spun his spear in a counter-clockwise direction. The sound of a really loud whistle buzzed through the air. "Eternal Slumber." The Dragoons, on our side, flew away from the enemies. Nianith and the Dragon was hit with a big gust of wind.

The two hit the ground.

"Now time to kill them off." I said.

Hajeri de-Dragooned and walked over to me. "Are you okay?"

"Oh...um...yeah...I'm...fine..." My face heated up again. 'What's wrong with me?' I quickly snapped back to normal when I remembered the enemies sleeping on the ground.

"YOU FOOLS!!" came a voice that reminded me of...the cloaked figure.

We all turned towards the voice and the cloaked figure stood in front of the sleeping Dragon and Dragoon.

"You will wake up NOW and fight them like warriors or you WILL die by my hands!!" The cloaked guy seemed incredibly ticked off.

"HEY!! Why don't you fight your own battles?!" I yelled at him.

The guy ignored me and stepped backwards several steps as the two began to stand back up. "Now, bring the girl to me and kill the rest!"

"Yes, master." Nianith retrieved her swords and flew up into the air. She pointed her weapons at us. "Acid Blast!" Acid literally rained down on us.

We all managed to dodge the acid balls falling from the sky, and Hajeri made a run towards Nianith.

"Hajeri!" I had absolutely no freakin' idea what he was doing.

"Foolish man!" Nianith flew down towards him.

Darkness surrounded him as he transformed into a Dragoon. His sword's blade turned into a black flame. The two flew towards each other and everything seemed to be going in slow motion. My heart began to race and my eyes widened once I noticed the Dragon rushing towards Hajeri. Hajeri seemed more interested in killing Nianith and I don't think he saw the Dragon. I couldn't take the chance of the Dragon hurting him or worse...killing him. My heart said to attack the Dragon, but my mind said to stay where it's safe. And ya know what? I listened to my heart instead. I quickly transported and reappeared in front of the Dragon.

"Don't even think about it!" My wings fluttered behind me as I stayed frozen in the air. "Halistia Quetonnos!" Translation: Hell's Fire. Fireballs shot down from the sky at enormous speed. They all hit the same target: the Acid Dragon. I put my arms straight out to the side of me and a fireball the size of a lion's head appeared in both hands. I moved my arms straight out in front of me so my hands could face the Dragon. Both fireballs joined as one and I fired it right at the Dragon.

The Dragon let out a cry as the attack hit him head on. And I mean it hit him head on. My attack distracted Nianith enough to give Hajeri time to stab his flame sword right into her chest. Obviously his sword could now go through her armor. The Dragon that was once flying in front of me was now completely gone. My attack had disintegrated him.

I landed and so did Hajeri. Hajeri de-Dragooned and the body of Nianith hit the ground. The Dragoon armor disappeared and a normal woman laid on the ground. The Acid Dragoon spirit hovered above the body for a second or two, then flew straight at Selistia. It stopped just inches away from her face, then fell into her hands.

"She's the new master of the Acid Dragoon spirit..." I would have been shocked, but so many things have happened that shocked me that I just didn't really have it in me to be shocked anymore. I sighed.

"You did very well, Wingly." The cloaked man seemed to be staring at me. "You and your......friend." Hajeri stared coldly at the guy. "That is why I want to fight you."

"You fight her, then you fight me." Hajeri stood beside me.

The guy let out a chuckle. "I thought you'd say that. That is why I want to fight her alone. No one can help her. Or...are you so dependant on your friends that you can't fight your battles alone?" I felt him staring at me again.

I looked up at Hajeri. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. Stop actin' like my brother and let me fight him." I could tell Hajeri wanted to stop me, but he didn't say anything. I looked back at the cloaked-guy-who's-hood-just-doesn't-seem-to-come-off. "Fine. I accept your challenge." I steadied my sword in my hand as I ran towards the man. 'Time to fight!!'

A/N: La la la la la la la la...... Oh I just had to end it there!!! Once more, I apologize for any of the previous chapters that are short. I try my best to make 'em long without combining chapters. Chapter seventeen will be a bit too short, so I will be nice and combine that chapter with chapter eighteen to make it longer. And trust me, it will defiantly be longer 'cause chapter eighteen is gonna be long.