Note: I've been thinking of doing a once-a-week posting for this considering it's all done now. Because I just love torturing you people. -hee!-

Not that thepseudo-cliffhangers I write would be enough for someone to slit their wrist over but...-grin-

Okay, enough gabbing from me. This is easily the shortest part in the entire mini-fic. Shorter than I really wanted but at the same time, can't put in words just for the sake of word count, can you?

As always, hope you enjoy. -smile-

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Anywhere But Nowhere

Part II

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Leki cocked his head, green eyes wide and curious as he watched his human mistress dash about her room grabbing various clothes and necessities and stuffing them haphazardly into a suitcase. Unlike last time she had packed like this, Cleao had been careful to choose what to bring. Now she only grabbed whatever she could find, and if she didn't have what she needed, she could buy it whenever she came to a town. She was a rich girl. And she would have Leki to protect from any thieves that might try to take her gold while she was on the road.

Her attire sported of her jeans and collared shirt, an outfit she had the habit of wearing more and more. It was convenient on the road as traveling in a dress had its disadvantages. And such an outfit made her look more capable of herself, another tactic to make any perverts and thieves and those in between think twice before attacking her.

It felt so strange, leaving the house to go on a journey all by herself. It almost seemed blasphemous going on any type of quest without Orphen and Majic. Somehow without them, it all seemed so meaningless.

I really didn't want it to end, did I? No matter how much I complained about sleeping outside or whined about wanting to go home, I truly didn't want it to ever end.

Maybe that was why she suddenly decided to leave now. Perhaps to reunite the three of them and travel some more?

Yeah, right. You just want to find Orphen.

She cringed at how dependant and pathetic that sounded. Especially when she had no idea where he could be. She could go to the Tower of Fang, not that Orphen would be there, but Majic was there now. Maybe she could get his help.

Nah. It was Majic who strongly suggested that the two of them should move on. He never did tell her what happened between him and Orphen after she left, but apparently it was something that made Majic not feel too bad about cutting ties with his master completely. Besides, this was something Cleao had to do on her own. Majic would only just get in the way. Or worse, talk her out of whatever it was she was going to do.

What was she going to do, really? It wasn't like she had any particular plan in mind. Though she couldn't very well just pick a random direction and hope for the best. While in any other situation that would probably be somewhat fun, it would only be a complete waste of time now.

Maybe there was a chance he would be in the towns they had visited before. Like Sebek…Seiun…Alenhatan…

Wait! That was it! Cleao remembered that Alenhatan was the hometown of Orphen's former partner. Surely he would keep in touch with her at least during the previous eight months.

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One could only imagine Stephanie's surprise when she opened the front door to her house, revealing the rather rugged looking but pretty blonde girl standing on her porch. Only the pretty little girl she had seen last time had now blossomed into quite the attractive young woman.

"Cleao!" Stephanie cried, taking her hands and pulling her into a tight hug. "It's so wonderful to see you! How long has it been? Three years?"

"Just about," Cleao replied with a smile. In spite of her earlier jealousy of the older woman, there was a warmth about Stephanie that Cleao couldn't help but find likable even back then. As Stephanie chattered on, leading Cleao into the living room and beginning the preparations for tea, the young woman wondered why she had disliked Stephanie so much in the first place.

A nagging voice had the sadistic pleasure of pointing out that it was because Stephanie had a strong connection with Orphen.

My God, was I really so immature back then? One would think she wouldn't be so at seventeen, but now that she had exceeded well past twenty years she was beginning to see things in a different, more grown-up perspective.

"So, Cleao, I see that you are by yourself," Stephanie observed as the two enjoyed their tea while Leki played by Cleao's feet. "Where are Orphen and Majic?"

Cleao gulped inaudibly, then looked down at her half-empty tea cup. Sensing his mistress's distress, Leki jumped up on the couch and rubbed his head affectionately against her side. "Majic went back to the Tower of Fang to study some more," Cleao explained, her throat constricting as something lodged itself about her vocal cords. "And Orphen…Orphen…"

Stephanie's expression switched from curious to worried at the blatant display of anxiety before her. "Cleao, what is it?" she asked, her breath shortening. "What about Orphen? Did something happen to him?"

"I…I don't know…" Cleao finally found the strength to look up at her hostess. The way Stephanie had asked about Orphen…

He hasn't contacted her. She doesn't know anything about his present location anymore than I do.

"That's why I came here," Cleao continued, more strength in her voice as she now already knew the answer. "I came to see if you might have an idea where Orphen might be, but…"

Stephanie shook her head regretfully. "I'm sorry, Cleao. I hadn't spoken or heard from Orphen since that day on the island three years ago."

"I see."

"How long has he been gone?"

"…eight months."

Stephanie almost dropped her tea cup. "What?" she exclaimed, bright eyes behind her glasses widening with shock. "Eight months? What on earth for? Why did he leave?"

"He didn't…I did…"

The pause in conversation was enough to acknowledge the steady ticking of the grandfather clock against one wall.

"Cleao…" Stephanie reached over and placed her hand over the younger woman's. "Tell me everything. What happened between you and Orphen?"

"But I love you! I love you!"

Nothing…

"Why are you just standing there? Why won't you say anything? Answer me, damn you!"

"And what the hell do you want me to say? That I love you back or some crappy-ass bullshit like that? Sorry, Cleao. But I don't feel anything for you. Nothing. You got that? NOTHING."

"That's not true!"

"Get over yourself, you stupid selfish brat. Don't tell me what I do or do not feel. I am not in love with you! I could never love someone like you!"

In the end, Cleao was sobbing openingly and Stephanie just sat there, unsure whether to be angry or sympathetic. She could understand why Orphen reacted the way he did. What she couldn't understand was why he had been so cruel in the process. Then again, she hadn't a clear picture of the true nature of Orphen and Cleao's relationship with each other. Orphen did possess his own amount of cruelty but this…not that Stephanie did not believe Cleao. It was very believable.

But she couldn't completely dismiss Orphen's viewpoint either. His foul-mouth and blunt attitude usually got away with him, but usually during times when he was very angry…or very scared. Scared, she could see. But angry? Why would he be angry over Cleao's confession?

"Cleao…I have a confession to make," Stephanie spoke up softly. Cleao stared at her, her sobs dying and the older woman continued. "I haven't been completely honest with you."

Cleao just continued to stare.

"I spoke with Orphen several months ago. He came by."

"Wh-what?"

"No, I still don't know where he is. He wouldn't tell me that. And, I'm afraid, I can't tell you everything he said."

"Why not?" Cleao leapt to her feet, slamming her hands down on the table. Propriety be damned; she was pissed. She didn't come all this way just to be told that Orphen didn't want her to know where he was. She kinda figured that much out from the lack of a memo where to reach him when he never came back to Totokanta. "Stephanie, you have to tell me!" She was practically hysterical. "What did he say? What's wrong with him!"

Stephanie took several deep breaths to keep herself from getting agitated. She sympathized with Cleao's situation but at the same time wanted to slap the stubborn girl for her selfishness. Dammit, she was Orphen's partner. Did she not realize by now that whenever Orphen wanted something done, it was not just for his best interest? Yes, the things he had said to Cleao were cruel and uncalled for…and completely not him.

Unless he had a reason.

"Orphen seemed fine to me when he visited," Stephanie replied calmly, hoping that her tone would soften the other woman's anger. "Please, Cleao, understand that he did not want me to tell you anything. And I'm already breaking a promise by telling you he was even here in the first place."

Pause.

"Fine," Cleao hissed, her voice low but no less vicious. "I don't care what you or Orphen or anybody else says. I will find him! And nobody--not you and most definitely not that asshole Orphen--are going to stop me from doing so!"

As Cleao stormed out of the house, Stephanie simply watched. She heard Cleao's words but it was what she saw in those intense blue eyes that stood in her mind the most.

"Why do you say that?"

He groaned, looking annoyed. "Because knowing her, she'll come after me. And I don't want her to know anything about this. So if she comes here, promise me you won't tell her anything. Not about my visit. Nothing."

"Orphen, what--"

"Just promise me!"

"…all right. I promise."

"You've grown up," she whispered, then went back inside and shut the door behind her.

-End of Part II-