YE: Next chapter just like I promised. Though I almost forgot to update that chapter yesterday. It's another short one though. If the chapters are shorter it'll be more of a steady update. I try. This chapter really sucks. I don't like it. I knew what I wanted to happen but I didn't know how to make it happen.
Kurai: Gee. You're so full of optimism.
Tsuara: You are what you eat.
-YE and Kurai sweatdrops.-
YE: What does that have to do with anything?
Tsuara: Absolutely…….. I don't remember but I'm sure it had a point.
MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
-Dilandau's POV-
My attention was diverted from the game when I saw Tsuara jump from her chair and race across the room to where the drunk pervert was hitting on the angry barmaid.
The rest of the dragon slayers and I watched in shock as she ran and took position in front of the barmaid. Shocked because of the speed, grace and lightness of her movements; which was totally contradictory to the weak, clumsy girl we had found and thought we knew.
I grew intrigued as well as surprised when she took the defensive position in front of the barmaid. Her naïve and happy look she had previously worn was now replaced with a cold and distant emotionless mask.
Her stance left no room for improvement. Coming from me that's amazing. (A/N: sure is full of himself, ne?) I have never been not able to point out a mistake in any stance. (A/N: wow this one confuses me. .) Granted, I had never seen this style before.
I heard the man tell her to move. The Slayers tensed and watched with keen interest, ready to step in should she need help. They had accepted her into the group, much to my ire. To my ever ending annoyance, she was an adept medic and many of the Slayers were sweet on her. I'd never admit it out loud but the Slayers performance has improved since she came. I can tell Folken is thinking about keeping her on permanently. He hasn't out right said it but he keeps making off handed comments. Keh, like I'd ever let that pathetic girl join MY Slayers.
The barmaid looked happy to see her and I faintly made out an excited "Tsuara". Tsuara said something to the barmaid that I couldn't hear, ignoring, but not taking her eyes off of the pervert. The man told her to move again and this time she replied with a loud, steady and simple no.
They moved forward to attack her. The Slayers got up as if to intervene but stopped midway when I motioned for them to stop. I was interested to see how she would handle this threat. She moved so fast that comparing the idoit perverts to her was like comparing rocks to a cheetah. She was moving as fast as a humming birds wing; visible only to those who train to see it.
She beat the five of them so quickly that no one in the room besides myself and the Dragon Slayers knew what had happened before it was over. The strange part was when she twisted her body to look at the last one and pulled out the strange contraption we had found on her when she was unconscious; the "family heirloom" as she had called it. Her pointer finger moved and the man dropped to the ground. I'd have to invistigate that later.
A man stepped up to her out of seemingly no-where. She responded to his comment and jealousy flared. I had been rude to Tsuara cause I was aware of and against my growing attraction to her. There was no way I liked that pathetic weakling. Not to mention I'm that way to just about every one. Granted she was pretty but I despise weak people. I value strength above all. However, after what I had seen tonight, I must question if she really is what I thought her to be.
The barmaid stepped up and said something. The male shot the barmaid a nasty look and responded. Tsuara didn't seem to respond and they started towards the bar. They sat down next to Chesta and talked a minute before Chesta left them looking dazed.
I decided it was time to talk to Tsuara.
As I stood up the slayers looked at me. I motioned to them to continue with what they were doing and walked over to Tsuara. Tsuara and her friends looked up when I stopped in front of them.
I noticed she still had water while her friends had alcohol. Nobody had been able to convince her to try it. It looked like her friends couldn't do it either. "You're one hell of an actress to have fooled Folken nevermind me. He always had a soft spot for a pretty face and brown eyes. These are two of the four of whom you spoke." I assumed more than asked.
-General POV-
Tsuara sensed him approaching, as did her companions. They ignored him until he stopped behind them. The three looked at him, Tsuara calmly but her companions with some suspicion. He seemed to choose to ignore them as his attention was centered on Tsuara.
"You're one hell of an actress to have fooled Folken nevermind me. He always had a soft spot for a pretty face and brown eyes. These are two of the four of whom you spoke." He stated. She nodded.
"This is Lori and Nanashi. Now if you wish to redraw your offer we will leave." She said.
"Oh no. This change is quite unexpected. I believe Folken will like to know more." Dilandau replied.
Tsuara shrugged and turned back to her drink. Nanashi looked at her a few seconds more and followed suit. Lori, however, stayed facing him.
"You're Dilandau." She stated appraising him. Dilandau raised his eyebrows. Lori made a motion with her hand as if swatting away a fly.
"Many rumors." She said and smirked sexily.
"Lori your games are not appreciated at such times. I thought you held better judgment." Tsuara said not moving. Lori looked at Tsuara in momentary disbelief. Nanashi also glanced at Tsuara, faint surprise in his eyes. Lori smirked suddenly.
"I see. You're finally…" Tsuara moved so fast no one could have seen it. Dilandau didn't. Nanashi didn't. And Nanashi had trained with her. He had thought he could at least see her by now but this just shows how strong she really is. Even when she holds back they still don't stand achance against her.
Lori was now pushed up against the wall her feet a foot off the ground. She was choking from the grasp of Tsuara's hand on her throat. Nanashi moved as if to stop her but froze half way standing and just watched. He was torn between protecting his friend and not getting in the way of his leader.
"You will not speak of me in such simple terms. You know nothing of me. Control your thoughts." Tsuara warned and dropped Lori. Lori fell to her knees looking down as she coughed trying to regain her breath. None of them noticed that the entire tavern was quiet with all attention focused on them. That or they just didn't care.
"That's just the problem. You DON'T tell us anything. We DON'T know any thing about you. YOU DON'T LET ANYBODY IN!" Lori yelled. "It's a wonder we trust you." Lori addded in a whisper. Tsuara shot her a look that sent shivers down Dilandau's spine.
"I did trust. Once. And I won't ever do it again. Besides, you all followed ME." Tsuara replied and stalked out of the bar. Nanashi looked after Hotoshia, perhaps understanding her name a bit better before going to help Lori. The rest of the tavern returned to it business, entertainment over.
"She always like this?" Dilandau asked derisively. Truthfully, he was curious, but he wasn't about to let anyone else know that. Nanashi made a face and Lori let out a winded laugh.
"We're lucky if she talks as much as she did tonight. We're even luckier if she uses a pretense word in the same sentence as 'I'. I wonder what she meant..." Lori said wistfully.
"We haven't questioned her before and she has yet to steer us wrong. I must wonder why you goaded her." Nanashi told her. Dilandau was impressed by the loyalty shown by this man and the fact that Tsuara had earned it. They had just met and had yet to speak to each other but he thought he was a decent judged of character. This man didn't strike him as someone to trust easily.
"I don't know. Sometimes its just nice to get a reaction out of her and prove that she really is human, not that ice box she acts like. Besides don't you ever wonder?" She implored looking at Nanashi with searching eyes.
"Yes, we all do. You know that. But it's not our place to ask. Think of what she's done for you and how she's treated you. Do you want to repay her by bringing up a past she obviously wants to forget and constantly questioning her?" Nanashi responded. Lori looked appropriately thoughtful and ashamed.
"Thought not." Nanashi stated flicking her nose in an unusually affectionate gesture before turning back to his drink. Lori stared at him in surprise before blushing lightly and going to her drink.
Both seemed to have forgotten about their spectator. He wasn't sure what to make of this... incident. He would be careful to watch them closely in the following weeks. It occured to Dilandau to make sure the blond hadn't left. He doubted she would leave if the other two were wtill here but it was always good to check. Dilandau strode out of the bar after Tsuara.
"Looking for something?"
Dilandau looked down and saw Tsuara sitting on the ground leaning against the wall to the right of the door. Her head was tilted back and her eyes were closed. "Folken wouldn't be pleased if I let you run away." He stated. She snorted than looked at him out of the corner of her eye.
"I wouldn't. As long as they were here." She said bitterly. He nodded understanding how she felt. He felt the same way about his Dragon Slayers.
"We'll be leaving soon. Don't go far." He ordered. She inclined her head slightly to acknowledge him and he went back inside.
-Dilandau's POV-
It was weird when we left the tavern. We had gathered Nanashi and Lori on our way to the door and found Tsuara in the same position I had left her in. When we had came out she had just stood and wiped off the skirt of the blue sun dress, which Folken had provided her with.
The slayers had been nervous around her but tried to hide it. They failed miserably. It was really rather amusing. They kept shooting her looks and were afraid to talk to her directly. They kept their distance for the entire ride, not sure how to handle the personality one eighty. She didn't seem to mind or notice.
Before they would be gathered around her, talking and joking. She would laugh right along with them. Now, however, I got the felling she was more likely to knock them flat.
Every thing had continued with the three outsiders like nothing had happened, I think it did anyhow.
Their reactions to the Vione were quite amusing. The female, Lori I believe, stood gaping like a fish before Tsuara quite forcefully shoved her, almost knocking her to the ground. Lori had rubbed the back of her head sheepishly with a faint blush dusting her cheeks.
The male, Nanashi, had froze and stared at it dazedly. He looked sorta like he wanted to tear it apart and figure out how it worked.
"Where are we gonna sleep?" Lori inquired when inside the compound. I started to answer but Tsuara interrupted.
"They can just stay in my room for the night." she offered, though it seemed more like a command. I shrugged. I wouldn't have cared if her friends had dropped dead.
Every one dispersed, presumably going to get ready for and or go to bed. Tsuara and her friends followed me but only because my room was right next to theirs. I turned into my room and they continued past. I walked into the adjoining bathroom and prepared for bed. I laid down and tried to get some sleep.
-Tsuara's POV-
Tonight was exactly like all the other times we had gotten into the fight about me. Well as close to it was gonna get, being on another planet. And I had never hinted at my brother. And I had never hurt one of them. Being here is playing on my mind.
I look over at Lori and nearly wince when I see the bruise starting to form around her throat. A bruise the same size and shape as my hand. Truth is, I am hurt inside and I can't bring myself to trust them no matter how hard I try. I don't like to admit it but they are important to me. I don't like hurting them and getting angry at them. I am not saying it isn't partially my fault for falling for it but she provoked me. I didn't see it before but looking back on it...
I showed them another shadow power that I have yet to teach them. I don't think they realize it though. I think they believe I just moved to fast for them to see. They don't realize I trained them to see me at my fastest and beyond. I do not believe I am the strongest fighter out there. The others would argue, but that's hardly the point. The point is I trained them to be able to over come any enemy or obstacle. They'd never beat me because I hold some crucial advantages over them. Unlikely as it is, I want power over them if they were to ever turn on me. Like I said, I have a trust problem.
Anyway, I got abit off track again. These 'powers' don't have official names but I have to call them something in order to differentiate between them. This one I call phasing. Its a bit like transportation but can only be done over short distances. What happens is you pass through the shadows from point a to point b. The pass through is instantaneous. So if you started in one corner and were to pass through to the other it would appear as if you had teleported from corner to corner in less time than it takes to take a step foward.
We just sat there in quiet contemplation for a few hours no one wanting to break the silence and everyone knowing we weren't sleeping until we figured out our next move.
"We're still missing Rea and Karei." Lori states finally, breaking the heavy silence.
"These people aren't being very helpful and we can't count on the pure luck we had in finding each other." Tsuara mused aloud.
"So what do you purpose?" Nanashi asked.
-Dilandau's POV-
I growled and jumped out of bed. Putting on a shirt and pants I grabbed my sword and headed to the training area. I froze in my tracks when I passed Tsuara's door. "… One of us will leave." Came Tsuara's voice through the door.
"Won't they notice when one of us is missing?" Lori's voice asked.
"Of course they will. They can't do anything about it. It won't be hard unless you've lost your touch. My skills are still intact. How are we gonna do this?" Nanashi's muffled voice inquired.
There was silence after that. Quite suddenly the door flew open, Tsuara in the doorway.
"Nice of you to drop by." She said sarcastically
"My, my an eavesdropper." Lori said smirking.
"You really have lost your touch. He growled and jumped out of bed not five minutes ago. He's been standing there for a while." Nanashi insulted.
"I KNEW that. Who can miss that chattering?" Lori hissed angrily.
"Shut up. You were on your way to the training area were you not?" Tsuara pointed out.
I nodded still shocked. How did they know all this? She started to close the door. Wait! I wanted some anwsers, damnit! I smirked snapping out of the shock.
"You don't think I'll let one of you leave now that I know do you?" I asked cockily. She paused and looked at me with her frozen eyes. She suddenly dissipated into nothing.
"I don't think it really matters." Her voice whispered eerily into my ear. I could feel her body heat radiate against my back. Lori and Nanashi looked on with sharpened eyes that danced in the firelight, with a nameless something.
I was greatly perturbed when the heat disappeared and the door closed. I was, once again, left alone in the hall. Disconcerted, I continued down the hall to the training room to think about things.
LORILORILORILORILORILORILORILORILORILORILORILORILORILORILORILORILORILORI
Tsuara: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH! What's gonna happen next? I can't wait!
YE: What are you talking about? You've already read the next chapter already.
Tsuara: I have? Oh yeah! Why am I so mean to my beloved? When are we gonna Kiss?
Kurai: Airhead.
YE: Be nice to the mentally challenged. Anyway ignoring the ice cube and bubble you don't have to review at this point because I'm gonna continue just to spite the people who don't like me. Any one who doesn't review doesn't like me. So if you like me you better review and tell me that.