Chapter 12: Home At Last

Lyss stood in the center of the room with a glare that burnt through lead. As she stared at him, Dante' felt something he's never felt before, fear. "What do you mean your staying, what's wrong with you?"

"Listen!" Lyss stumbled back as the anger in Dante's voice filled the room. "What is there on earth for me? I spent my life on the street. No one cared about me, and I trusted no one. Everyone treated me as an outcast my whole life. You expect me to go back to a place like that?" Lyss felt hurt at Dante's words.

"I didn't treat you that way, and you're not an outcast. Why should you go back? Because it's your home, and you can't live here."

"Yes I can." Dante' went on to tell her about Tenomas and the six months of training he'll get if he stays. Lyss stood rigid.

"You can train on earth, why do you have to stay?"

"You just don't get it!" Dante' was fuming as he shouted down Lyss' throat. "I will never be strong enough to beat Akeo, but Tenomas can give me the tactics and confidence to do it." Dante' turned and walked to the window. "You wouldn't understand; you're just a silly girl. You can't understand how I feel, so just get it through your head, I'm staying final.

"Fine, do what you want, but don't think that I like it. I'm just a silly girl huh? Well better a silly girl with a soft heart, than a silly boy with one made of stone." Lyss took her bag and her clothes to the back room to finish packing. Dante's sorrow was drowned by his anger.

"You just don't get it", were Dante's last words before he went to bed

Lyss awoke the next morning. "Well I guess this is goodbye." Lyss looked over to find Dante's bed empty. Lyss searched every part of the hotel, but found nothing of Dante'. "The jerk couldn't even say goodbye, fine then I guess he wasn't who I thought he was." Lyss walked to the platform where the ship would take her back to earth. The thick steel door closed and the airlock clicked into place. "Goodbye Dante', have fun with your training", said Lyss with a deep frown smeared across her face. The ship took off in a blur of fire and ash. The planet Dangdra got smaller and smaller in the distance. Lyss took one final look at the planet before she turned away and walked to her cabin for the long trip.

She reached earth in 7 days just as before. The president was there to greet her as she got off the ship. "Well it's the lady of the hour", the president said with a smile. The smile faded as he said, "But where is the man?"

"He stayed behind." Lyss face was grim and firm. The president stood perfectly still.

"What was he thinking staying there?" Lyss went on to tell him about Dante, Tenomas, and Akeo. The whole story took about an hour, after which the president pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his forehead. "Well if it's for the safety of earth, I guess its ok." The president stood up and shook Lyss' hand. "We kept most of the tournament details under wraps, so except your family no one knows you're here. Don't expect to get any welcome celebrations except from them, ok?"

"Ok", Lyss answered, and with that, she got in the car to take her home. Lyss sat in the car as she said with relief, "Finally, I'm home at last."