Disclaimer- Once again, see previous chapters. XP
MoonCannon- Yesyes, I can't stand how short these are... >.0 The last few are longer, if I remember correctly.
Capricorn quickly stopped by her room as she passed it, grabbing her rapier from her desk and strapping it to her belt. Skipping a step to take a little weight off her leg, she left her quarters and proceeded to make her way down the hallway, passing a few soldiers here and there on the night shift for guard duty.
Punching the key code into a couple doors as she reached them, Capricorn finally stepped out into the night air, which was crisp and clear. Autumn was her favorite of the seasons for this reason, even though snow never usually fell in the warm region of Iselia.
Capricorn watched a few of the soldiers by the gate sitting around a small campfire, some lying there lazily, others playing cards. They seemed so comfortable, just sitting in their friend's company. She noted that one of them was actually sleeping, although the guard next to him was wide awake and dealing out cards for another game of poker.
Capricorn turned and walked through a small archway, which led to a special courtyard that only high-ranked officers could enter. She settled down on a stone bench next to a small pond; apparently the other officers had bugged Forcystus enough to make him put a fishpond in.
The fish seemed accustomed to Capricorn's presence and swam up to the edge, gills moving silkily back and forth in the shimmering water. She noted that these fish weren't native Sylvarrant breeds; rather, they were from the northern regions of Tethe'alla.
"I thought I asked you to stay in your room…" a soft voice commented from behind Capricorn. She jumped, having not expected anyone else to be here.
"Don't look at me…" she murmured, fingering the hilt of her rapier. She sensed the Half-elf behind her heave a silent sigh. She stood up and stepped to the side so she could lean against a stone pillar, cool and rigid against her back.
Forcystus stepped out from where he had been and looked up into the night sky, aqua hair brushed back from his face for once. Capricorn crossed her arms over her chest and watched her from the corner of her eye, hair veiling her face.
"You know, I've been wondering," Forcystus suddenly started to say, "What ever happened to that kid who has the Exsphere we want?" Capricorn looked up at him, watching his eye carefully, which was seemingly mesmerized in counting the stars. She shrugged in reply.
"I haven't the slightest clue… although I heard from a couple of my friends that he and his friends went through their Ranches." she replied, eyes now focused on the ground. Why was she suddenly so uptight? She almost felt… felt as if someone with wayward intentions was watching her.
Forcystus looked down at her for a moment, eyebrow raised the slightest bit. He could see that she was tense, and it was bothering him.
"Capricorn, what-" he was quiet for a second, still irritated as to why she was so tense.
Forcystus was about to open his mouth again when Capricorn turned to him. He paused, head tilted oddly at her. Before he could continue his interrogating, he had to catch his balance as Capricorn's weight fell against him, jaw locked with his.
"So, if it isn't the two lovebirds…" a voice scowled from somewhere nearby. Forcystus pulled his head back and narrowed his eye, obviously seeing something that Capricorn couldn't.
"Pronyma, get your damn ass out of my Ranch…!" he growled threateningly as the 5th Cardinal reclined lazily on the low roof.
"Go to hell, Forcystus!" she replied curtly, playing with a piece of her hair. Forcystus jumped backwards and leaped up to the roof, barely missing Pronyma's head with his arm cannon.
"Take that back!" he roared, endlessly bombarding her with his wind attacks and mana charges from his cannon.
"Make me!" she replied heatedly, blasting him with one of her own attacks, causing him to slide backwards.
Capricorn was about to follow when someone grabbed her arm. Turning, she smiled to see Shiru standing behind her.
"I don't know why, but I just feel that Pronyma has been trying to tick Forcystus off… it's endless." she muttered, pulling herself up onto the roof.
"Leonazuim!" Pronyma screeched, hitting Forcystus with full force.
"Air Blade!" he shot back, slicing her across the shoulder. She laughed.
"I see your aim hasn't improved," she mocked, placing her hand on her hip.
"Shut up!" he yelled, releasing another mana charge from his cannon.
It was an endless hue of magic and mana being blown back and forth as Shiru jumped up next to Capricorn, crouching down.
"What's up with them? I mean, I never liked Pronyma, but why are they fighting it out so heartlessly?" Shiru asked, scratching her head. Capricorn shrugged, eyes darting back and forth from Cardinal to Cardinal.
"Obviously something from his past." she replied, leaning on the hilt of her blade. She narrowed her eyes as Pronyma suddenly stopped.
"Well, I see you've yet to return your Cruxis Crystal to its rightful owner." she sneered, lifting her hand to start another spell, "Bloody La-" she couldn't finish before Capricorn screamed something incoherently, words from another language pouring out of her mouth.
"Capricorn…" Shiru muttered, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. Capricorn paused and turned to Shiru.
"We can't have either of them dying, as much as I hate Pronyma." she replied, jumping up, "Pronyma, get out of here." she growled, slowly advancing on the female Cardinal. Pronyma let out a haughty laugh.
"Fine, then." she replied, taking a step back and disappearing in a wisp of obsidian smoke.
Forcystus rubbed his head, dazed from being hit so many times with Pronyma's attacks. He looked up at Capricorn and Shiru standing near the edge of the roof.
"Dismissed, Shiru…" he muttered, waving his hand. Shiru looked slightly offended, but nodded and hopped off the roof, landing quietly on the ground. The Cardinal turned towards Capricorn.
"Dare I ask why you're looking at me like that?" she asked, re-sheathing her rapier. Forcystus shook his head.
"Well, there's… something you should know, Capricorn," he started, flipping open a small cover on his arm cannon. He quickly punched in a code, and the cannon easily slid off his arm, revealing his scar and Exsphere. "Would you show me your Exsphere?" he asked, walking over to her. She pulled a glove off her hand, revealing her Cruxis Crystal, although it was not a perfect sphere.
"Why do you want to see it?" she asked curiously, flipping her hand over. Forcystus heaved a sigh.
"Your Exsphere… it's not a full one, am I correct?" he asked. Capricorn nodded in reply. "Do you know why?" he added, fingering his own.
"I know that soon after I received it, it was split in two during a fight." she shook her head. "I've yet to find the other half."
"That's because," Forcystus started, turning his own hand over to look at the crystal, "I have it."