"Drink this," said the man, holding out a flask to Presea. "Only a mouthful each; it is very precious and I dare not waste it."
They were at the edge of a forest in southern Japan. They had driven there in what was now referred to as the Catharsis van, and they had walked not a mile into the forest when the newcomers ordered them to a halt.
Presea took the flask, filled her mouth, closed her eyes, tasted it, and swallowed. She sighed. The liquid was thin and thick at the same time, sort of like syrup, but far less sweet, yet more flavorful. It also had somewhat bitter undertastes, and for some reason the unique consistency made her think of quicksilver. Soon she noticed a burning, a hot fire inside, and she felt strength and vigor flow into her body. Clarity came upon her head and removed all drowsiness.
"Mmm," she murmured. "It's like embers within my breast, and energy in my limbs." She opened her eyes, which were clear and bright. "What is this?" she asked. "Miruvor," replied the man as Presea passed the flask to Kratos. "The finest elven liquor to be found," added the woman without thinking. "Elven?" said Yuan. The man grabbed her by the shoulders and whispered something scoldingly to the woman. The woman whispered something back, and he seemed to concur with whatever she had said, for he nodded after a moment and released her. "Aye, elven," said the man. "We are both elves, as the young one has noticed. My name is Elemenduil, and this is my wife, Laurelindae. We are from Heimdall, city of the Elves in the world of Tethe'alla. If you hope to find answers in us, your hope is unfounded. We know nothing of the way back to Symphonia, nor do we have any clue as to why we're here. We first came here shortly after you did. When you went missing, it came to us, my wife and I, to find you. We were one of the most vital links in the Mizuho information network; we gathered information from places no one else dared to touch, or could not find. We were their last line of spies, the best in the business.
Naturally, His Highness and Mizuho got us on the case. In a bizarre twist of luck, we were sucked into Earth through some sort of portal. We thought all was lost until we picked up a trail of you. We had nearly caught up when you destroyed the tower. Then in the confusion that followed, we thought we had lost you forever. And then, following a lead on you in the headlines, we headed here, and now, at last, we've found you."
"Why weren't you surprised to see us?" asked Yuan. "Who says we weren't?" asked Laurelindae. "We've merely been trained not to show it. Showing surprise or not is often the determining factor of if things go your way or not." "Sheena probably would know about that," mused Genis. "Sheena Fujibayashi?" asked Elemenduil. Genis nodded. "We've heard tremendous stories about her. Speaking of which, where are the rest of you? We were sent to find eight of you. And I've never seen three of you five before. And the Earthers we of course know nothing about. Perhaps you could fill us in?" Presea smiled. "We'd be glad to," she said.
Zelos breathed deep, and sighed. The heady ocean spray filled his lungs and made him smile. He looked to his left, where Colette leaned against the railing, gazing out at the ocean. She looked at him and smiled. "Having a good time, my darling?" Zelos asked his wife. "Oh, it's great!" said Colette. "It kinda reminds me of Altamira." A deep sigh came from behind them, and they both turned to see Regal standing there, holding drinks in his hands. His eyes were cast downward. "Would you like a drink?" he asked a bit glumly.
"Are you all right, Regal?" asked Colette concernedly. "Yeah, what's up, man?" asked Zelos. Regal closed his eyes. "There's nothing wrong, really," he said. Zelos cocked his head. "Come on," he said. "Anyone can tell you're as blue as the ocean. You can tell us. What's wrong?" Regal opened his eyes and sighed again. "I suppose I'm just a little...homesick...is all," he said at last. "Ah, so that's it," said Zelos. "Missing your old seaside resort, the people you left behind, is that it? Don't worry, dude, I'm sure we'll get back sometime. Besides, our world's years behind this one. Even if we could cross over, we'd have to add time travel in there. One impassible barrier is enough for me. So enjoy this world while you can, Regal."
Regal nodded. "I'll try," he said with a smirk. "Drinks?"
"I see," said Elemenduil, an hour and a few miles later. "So you're not even sure where they are right now?" "No clue," said Genis. "Well, it's really not important," said Laurelindae. "Even if we had found all of you, there's nothing we can do, really, so..."
Elemenduil held up a hand, calling the group to a halt. "We're about fifty yards from the beginning of enemy territory," he whispered. "Be alert, and be ready for a fight. Follow me, do as I do, and don't say a word." With that he started walking again. He extracted a longbow from underneath his cloak and slung a quiver over his shoulder. They stalked through the trees until the wood ended. In a circle roughly a mile in diameter, the normal trees ended, and instead there were planted rows upon rows of olive trees. Elemenduil slowed his pace and bent well below the trees. Carefully, he examined the area as he moved forward. Soon they came to a small metal building. He pointed to the ground, indicating that there was more to the structure underground. Elemenduil surveyed the house and quickly found what he was looking for: a wide, tall shaft leading down and into the building. He lowered himself into it, and fell through. Laurelindae went next, followed by Catharsis and then the Shinsengumi.
They fell for a few dizzying seconds before landing beside Elemenduil, who was already looking for their next move. They were standing in a long room, beginning a few feet behind them and extending about twenty meters in front of them. They stood on a series of immobile conveyor belts. None of them were moving. Everything was still, almost too still. "Follow me, and don't touch anything," Elemenduil warned. They walked behind him as he started down the belts. When they reached the end, they could see that the belts stopped abruptly, so that they would drop off whatever they had on them down into an enormous vat. It was about thirty feet to the bottom. Above the vat they could see a number of devices obviously designed for pounding out the last drop of liquid in whatever was put in their way.
Laurelindae dropped a rope down to the bottom and secured one end to a piece of stationary machinery. They all slid down the rope easily, and once they were all at the bottom of the vat, Laurelindae tugged on the rope twice. It came down instantly and easily. She coiled it up as Elemenduil looked for a way out. He found one on the floor. It was a circular screen, about four feet in diameter, made of a fine but strong mesh. Elemenduil attempted to break it, but it neither bent nor tore. "Let's try this," said Presea, remembering the Arbiter's gift. She produced the small black tube and followed the Arbiter's instructions.
With a pop like that of a miniature lightning bolt, the energy blade materialized around her hand. She kneeled down next to the screen and plunged the sword into one end. It sliced easily through the mesh, which she pulled out of the hole once the circle was finished.
Elemenduil peered down into the darkness. "Well, we've come this far by plunging head first," he said. "Let's go!" With that he jumped down into the hole. After a few moments of hesitation, the others followed, one by one. Presea was last. She took a deep breath, let it out, and dropped down.
For a few fast seconds she slid speedily down a curved tube. It was pitch black and she became completely disoriented. Finally she sensed she came out into a wide space. She fell for a moment, and landed in liquid. "Ugh," she said as she emerged out of the stuff. "Tell me about it," came Genis' voice. "What is this stuff?"
Presea bent over and sniffed the knee-high substance, which meant it was about waist-high for her. "It's olive oil," she said, puzzled. "Well, that might explain it," said Kratos. "What do you mean?" asked Genis. "Instead of relying on usual lubricants that they would have to purchase from the outside world, this facility grows olives and uses their oil to grease their machinery," explained Kratos. "It would seem that this is one of their storage containers. It's fortunate we all landed in the same place. I have the feeling that same tube system could have led many different places. I think the large vat we were in previously was used for extracting the oil. The oil then runs down into, presumably, several large containers, where it is stored until needed. I did not see any other exits from that vat, so the crushed olives probably went down that same tube, but with the tube paths manipulated so that they went to another place: wherever they dispose of their waste material. It could have been very bad if they left the network in that position. In any case, we're all here, so, let's get some light, and then let's find our next move."
There was a rustling sound, then a few snaps, and then a noise like something being shaken. A waving bar of green light began to glow, and a dim light began to fill the space. Kratos was holding the glowing bar, which he then stopped shaking. "What is that, Kratos?" asked Presea. "It's a glow stick," answered Kratos. "Once when we were out shopping, I discovered these devices. By bending them, you release a seal inside the tube that allows two compounds to mix. When they react with each other, they produce light as a by-product. I shook it so that the chemicals would mix better." "Cool!" said Genis.
"So," said Megumi, "does anyone see a way out?" There was a brief silence, then the Arbiter spoke. "There," he said, pointing up at the curving wall. Indeed, there was something. An area of stress fractures could be seen about halfway up the cylinder. "It's not much," he said while searching his belt, "but it might work. Do I have your permission to create an opening?" Elemenduil frowned. "Will it be loud?" he asked.
The Arbiter shrugged in the manner of his species. "The grenade exploding will create about as much noise as, say, a rubber ball would, if I threw it at the wall," he said. Elemenduil shrugged. "Well, I guess we don't have much choice," he conceded, "but everyone get ready to fight. And what kind of grenade are you talking about, anyway?" The Arbiter held out a tennis ball sized orb in his hand. It faintly glowed blue. "Plasma," he said, and pushed on the sphere. It immediately flared brightly and gases of an electric blue color poured out of it. The Arbiter aimed carefully and hurled the grenade at the cracks, where it stuck. The group held their weapons at the ready, anxiously waiting on the grenade. It exploded, throwing off a large cloud of the blue gas, and when it cleared, there was a good-sized hole in the wall.
Hastily they exited the container to find themselves in a dimly lit area. Its ceiling could not be seen, but behind them they saw five huge tanks, one of which they had just come out of. They were each about forty feet tall, and above them a few red lights glowed. Elemenduil scanned the area quickly. To their left was a metal staircase with a heavy steel door at the top. It appeared to be the only way out, so Elemenduil took them up the stairs and before the door. He pressed his ear against the door. "There's two beings beyond this door," he whispered. "One on each side of the door. I'll enter and take them out as fast as I can, and then you rush inside and secure the area; make sure no one else sees us. Ready?" He stepped back from the door and drew two long daggers from sheaths on his belt. He held them out to his sides and took a deep breath. Then he kicked in the door and sprang through. The door swung to the left and hit one of the guards. The other one, a tall, nasty looking humanoid, barely had time to look to his left before Elemenduil's knife sliced through its neck. Elemenduil whirled to his left. The other guard was almost on his feet when Elemenduil threw one of his knives into its face.
The others came in and checked the area while Elemenduil retrieved his dagger. He sheathed his blades and turned to Kratos. "No one saw," Kratos informed him. "Eeew, what are these things?" asked Xiaoxing, indicating the guards. "They're what humans in our world call goblins," Laurelindae said. "They're called yrch in elven-tongue, or Orcs in the speech of humans and half-elves. They were once elves, before they were corrupted by powerful evils, such as Nebilim, or the creatures that were found in the Niflheim."
"We've wasted too much time already," said Elemenduil gravely. "Let's keep moving."
Quickly they darted down the hallways and past guards. Elemenduil would stop every few minutes, cock his head as if listening, look around in all directions, and then lead them on again. After an hour or so of doing this, they halted briefly for another drink and rest in a dimly lit room of off a short corridor. Elemenduil cocked his head again while he sat. Presea asked him what he was doing.
"Well," he said, frowning and standing up, "I keep thinking I hear something like footsteps behind us, but every time I stop the group to hear better and look, it stops, so I'm not sure I'm really hearing it or not. I thought I heard it again just now, but I couldn't tell for certain." He sighed and sat back down. "If I'm going to keep this up we'll take forever to get to Ryoko. And if I'm right, we've still got a ways to go before we reach the area where she's being held."
They rested for a few more minutes, and then Elemenduil called them back up. They went back into the hallway and were walking down towards one end when Presea noticed the ribbon keeping her hair in place had fallen off and drifted to the opposite end of the hallway. "Just a moment," she said. They waited at the doorway they had just reached while she went to retrieve her ribbon. She nearly had it when Kratos frowned and put his hand to his sword. "Something isn't right," he whispered. She bent over to pick it up. He ran towards her with a cry of, "DON'T!"
It was too late. She picked it up and a hidden metal door fell down from the ceiling and cut Kratos and the others off from Presea. She whirled in time to see a massive claw lunge at her and grab her around the abdomen. She looked down in horror and saw the massive slab of a hand gripped her from her chest to her waist. She looked up and saw the owner of the hand, a gigantic Orc the size of a tree. It was dressed in a suit of black armor and an iron helm that protected its head but still showed its jagged, yellow, grinning teeth. It lifted her in the air and began to squeeze. Presea gasped as air was forced out of her lungs and enormous pressure began to contract her insides. She shoved on the hand with both hands, but as strong as she was, its grip was stronger.
It squeezed harder. Presea coughed hoarsely and let out a sharp cry as she felt a rib snap. The Orc grunted in amusement and redoubled its efforts. Another rib snapped, Presea's vision began to grow dim, and her head swam. It can't end this way, she thought desperately. But there's only one chance...
She mustered all her strength and shoved as hard as she could on the grotesque hand. It didn't move much, but it was enough. She stuck her left arm down into her belt and pulled out the knife on her belt. Gripping it in her palm, she plunged it into the wrist of the beast and pulled down, slicing through muscle and tendon. The Orc bellowed in rage and pain. With a mighty sweep of its arm it threw Presea from its now limp hand. She slammed into the hard stone wall, cracking the rock. Presea fell to the ground face first and gasped for air. It rushed into her lungs and she coughed as oxygen returned to her bloodstream. The darkness receded a little from her vision, but still she lay, broken and helpless, before a very angry monster.
The steel door caved in under the combined barrage of the people behind the door. Megumi ran over to Presea and took her in her arms. Kratos saw the girl and growled deep in his throat. "You shall pay for your crimes now," he said coldly as he drew his sword.
Clutching the hilt in two hands, he yelled and rushed the Orc. It swept its good arm at him, and he leapt on top of it. Running up the trunk like limb, he reached the beast's neck and swung his sword with all his might. The blade bit deep into the Orc's neck. Kratos pulled it out and hewed at it again and again, until finally its ugly head rolled off its shoulders and onto the ground. Pitch black blood gushed from the severed neck, drenching Kratos' feet. He jumped to the floor as the body toppled over with a loud thud.
Laurelindae took the injured girl into her arms and examined her, fear in her eyes. She felt the girl; the number of broken bones her fingers found frightened Laurelindae. A glazed look had come into the girl's eyes, and her breathing was labored. Her face was pale, and her clothes stained. Laurelindae was nonetheless relieved. "She will live," she was glad to say, "but we must tend to her as soon as possible. We must hurry and get Ryoko, so that we may leave. Here, Genis, please carry her. I know it may be hard for you, but I must be ready for close range combat, a martial art you are not terribly good at, I'm afraid." Laurelindae gave Presea's limp body into Genis' arms.
Grief filled his eyes as he looked into hers. "Presea," he whispered sorrowfully. "I should have taken better care of you. I'm sorry..." Presea had enough mind to smile. "I am sorry as well," she whispered back. "I have made you worry. I do not wish this to make anyone feel bad." Genis shook his head. "We should worry," he said. "It gives us a reason to accomplish our goals. And, it means we love you. Grief comes because something bad happens to someone you don't want it to happen to. I don't want anything bad to happen to you, and that's why I feel grief. Because I love you." Presea smiled. "Thank you, Genis," she said. "Come, Genis," said Kratos gently.
Genis went in the middle of the group, since he was unable to fight, and the others guarded him from the front and the rear. Presea coughed weakly, a sound that filled Genis with dread. "Am I going to die?" she asked Genis. Genis swallowed, trying to force down the lump in his throat. "No," he whispered, hoping it was true. "There's no reason to be afraid," he said, as much trying to convince Presea as himself. "Yes there is," Presea whispered slowly. "Lloyd once told me it is good to be afraid to die, because that means you love life. I am afraid to die, and I am not ashamed. I hope you fear death, too, Genis." Genis nodded, and bit his lip. "Yes I am afraid," he whispered. "I am very afraid." Presea closed her eyes and sighed. "Good," she whispered, before losing consciousness.
The next thing Presea was aware of was light on her eyelids, soft sheets on her body, and the faraway sound of people laughing, followed by a soft chuckle from a few feet to her right.
Presea's eyes fluttered open. Golden light spilled into the room from an open window to her left. Her sore eyes spotted the source of the laughter: a television set mounted to the ceiling in a corner. Presea's eyes drifted down and to her right. There sat Ryoko, dressed in a blue hospital gown, eating crackers and watching the television. She laughed softly at the bad jokes in the cartoon.
"Ryoko?" whispered Presea tiredly, confused. Ryoko looked over and smiled. Her eyes glimmered happily. "Presea!" she said, leaning forward on her bed. "I'm so glad to see you awake and well! I heard what happened to you. It must have been awful." Her smile disappeared and a worried look settled on her face. "How do you feel?" asked Ryoko. Presea sat up tentatively and poked herself where the Orc had crushed her. "Sore," said Presea. "Otherwise I feel fine. I am not tired, even." Ryoko's warm smile returned. "That's not such a surprise," she said. "You've been asleep for nearly three days." "That long," mused Presea. "I suppose that explains it." Ryoko chuckled. "I suppose so," she said. Ryoko turned the TV off.
"What happened to you, though?" asked Presea, now fully awake. Ryoko shrugged. "Nothing I couldn't take," she said. "They tried torture to find get some information out of me, but I didn't give in. Eventually they started beating me for fun, and once they started to do something sexual, but, ah, hm. Well, let's just say I got a couple opportunities to get back at them. They never tried anything like that more than once. Anyhow, it wasn't too bad, and at the time you rescued me, I think I still had at least another week in me, at the rate it as going. Mind you, I was still really glad to get out of there." Presea shook her head, disgusted.
"Where are the others?" asked Presea after a moment. Ryoko shrugged. "They stop by every day around four or five, to check up on us," she explained. "Genis offered to stay by your side the whole time, but they managed to convince him otherwise." Presea smiled. "That was nice of him," she said. Ryoko smiled. "You're lucky to have a boy like that," she said. "Especially under your, ah, circumstances. Do you feel the same way for him?" Presea nodded. "I love him very much," she said. "I am glad I have him." Ryoko nodded slowly. "I would be too," she said softly, almost to herself.
Absently, Ryoko tugged at her gown. "Augh," she said in disgust. She untied he cords keeping it together and pulled it off. She tossed it in a corner and sighed in relief. "I don't know what the hell those things are made of," she said, "but they are annoying. The nurses insist I wear one, but they are just so itchy and ill fitting...it's horrible. Besides, being naked is a lot more fun!"
Presea raised an eyebrow, but smiled. "I agree with you," she said. "These are very uncomfortable, but I don't think I can reach with my sore body." "Here," said Ryoko. She rose from her bed and knelt beside Presea. She untied the strings and helped her take it off. Presea laid back and sighed, pulling up the covers. Ryoko sat down on top of Presea's bed. "You're not going to sleep, are you?" asked Ryoko. "I thought you said you weren't tired!" Presea sat up again. "I know, but what else can I do?" she asked. "Well, you got me there," Ryoko said. "Hospitals are kinda boring. All you've got are visits and TV. Visits are short and in this case, few and far between, and daytime TV is pretty dumb. We could always talk, but I'm not really sure what to say..."
She trailed off, and looked down. Ryoko trailed her finger along the folds in the sheets. Presea gazed at Ryoko. It was quite a feat; Ryoko said she had been beaten and tortured, but any wounds she bore were gone or fading quickly from her body. The medicine of Earth was rather good. She still believed Symphonia's was better, but without gels and healing arts using mana, it was impressive indeed.
Suddenly there was a noise at the door, and the knob began to turn. Ryoko swore and dove back into bed. "It's the nurse, hide!" she hissed to Presea. They both pulled up their covers just as the nurse entered the room, bearing a tray laden with unappetizing food. "Here you are, girls," she said, setting down plates on the moveable trays next to their beds. "You should eat it before it goes bad." Before? thought Ryoko. "Anything else I can get you?" asked the nurse. They shook their heads. The nurse seemed satisfied and headed out the door. Ryoko breathed a sigh of relief. "That was close," she said. Presea nodded.
Ryoko got up again and strode aimlessly about the room. "Why don't you tell me how you were rescued?" asked Presea finally. Ryoko shrugged. "I don't know much about it," she admitted. She sat down on Presea's bed on her knees and leaned back, thinking. "All I remember was waking up to see your gang bust up the guards in my room," she recalled, "and then there was the escape to the surface. But that was confusing, just a lot of running through hallways and knocking down anyone in the way. However," she said with a smile, "they did fill me in. It seems that after that monster attacked you, you were in pretty bad shape and they were debating whether or not to return to the surface or get me. Finally they chose to come get me. It turns out I was closer than they thought, so they grabbed me and ran like hell for the surface. The interesting part, though, was that none of them would have found me had it not been for you." Presea blinked. "What do you mean?" she asked, leaning forward with curiosity.
"Well," said Ryoko, leaning forward as well, getting into it, "my holding cell was in a kind of hidden spot, and it just so happened that, for some reason, you took off a pendant off your neck and threw it down. Genis noticed and picked it up. When he did, light from a single overhead bulb caught the crystal and sent a beam over to a dark corner. The beam shone directly on a barely visible keyhole, which glinted in the light. They examined it and decided to investigate, and lo and behold, there I am! Now, some might say that was a chance accident," at this point she leaned in close to Presea and lowered her voice to a whisper, "but I have a feeling it was more than that." She stared into Presea's eyes.
"You knew that was going to happen." Ryoko stared at Presea. Presea could feel her warm breath on her face. Ryoko's piercing eyes seemed to peer into her soul. Abruptly Ryoko's face was split by a huge grin. Presea lifted an eyebrow. "Huh?" she said, totally confused. "Sorry," said Ryoko, wiping away a tear. "I just love to mess around with people like that." Presea chuckled. "You're really good at that, you know?" she said dryly.
Abruptly the door opened. Ryoko whirled her head to see the nurse walk in, head down, looking over a notebook. "Sorry, I almost forgot to-" she began, then looked up and broke off. Her eyes narrowed and she put her hands on her hips. Ryoko grinned brokenly at the nurse. "Ah, yeah," Ryoko said, rubbing the back of her head nervously.
"Ryoko Mitsurugi!" the nurse exclaimed. "How many times must I tell you!" Ryoko got up and held out her hands. "Come on nurse, it's just-" she began before the nurse cut her off. "And now look!" she said, walking over to Presea and pointing at her. "You've got the child doing it too! What kind of example is that! You should be asham-" There was a loud thwack! and the nurse stopped talking. Her eyes glazed over and she pitched forward onto Presea's bed. Ryoko stood right behind where the nurse had been standing with her arm outstretched to right where the nurse's head had been.
"Ryoko!" exclaimed Presea. Ryoko shrugged. She took a glass of water off her tray and spilled some on the floor. Then she dragged the nurse's foot through it. "We'll say she slipped and fell," said Ryoko simply. Presea sighed, and lay back again. "Whatever," she said.
The next thing Presea knew she was opening her eyes again. The light had gotten dimmer, and it looked to be around five or so. She looked around and saw Ryoko sitting on her own bed, staring blankly at the door. She was wearing the hospital garment, but she wasn't happy about it. Presea found that she too was wearing one. Ryoko noticed she was awake.
"Good, you're up," she said. "They'll be by soon." "Who?" asked Presea, stretching. "Everybody," said Ryoko, gesturing vaguely. "You know, my gang, your gang, the whole lot of 'em. Said they're going to release us today, and that we were going to go somewhere, just to relax." Presea nodded. Her hand went to her chest, feeling for the Arbiter's stone, but there was only her Exsphere and her decorative Key Crest around her throat; the chain was not there. She hadn't thought to check for it before. "Where is my necklace?" asked Presea. Ryoko stared at her, then shook her head. "Sorry," she said. "I think Genis still has it. Ask him about it when they come." "And when will they be here?" inquired Presea. Ryoko shrugged. "Any minute now," she said. "They said five thirty, and according to that clock it's just now five twenty-eight. So..."
Presea nodded and turned away, gazing out a nearby window. The red-orange sun blazed low in the sky, setting the entire city alight in a fiery glow. Presea sighed and rested her head on her hand. "What's on your mind?" asked Ryoko. "A lot of things occupy my thoughts," admitted Presea, "but foremost is one concern that you brought to my attention today." Presea looked back to see Ryoko roll her hand in the air, indicating that she should go on. "And that concern is...?" she said, waiting for Presea to finish it. Presea sighed.
"You know," she said. "About, ah, growing..." Ryoko couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sorry," she said between giggles, "it's just the way you say it. Yeah, yeah, I can see why you say that." Ryoko took a finger and pulled her own smock away from her body. She peered down her shirt. "Literally, I can." Presea smiled. Ryoko let it snap back and looked up at the ceiling. "You may have a lot to learn, but nothing to be afraid of," she said at last.
"Actually, um, Zelos has pretty much taught me everything," said Presea. Ryoko rolled her eyes. "Of course he did," she muttered. "But the fact remains, you have nothing to worry about. It's all natural, it happens to every girl, and I guarantee you'll make it through, no problem. Should you ever need advice, just ask me, or one of your older female companions. They'll help you out. They went through just what you're going through."
Presea nodded in acknowledgement. "Just out of curiosity," ventured Presea, "what change did you have the most trouble with? Which one did you not like, or liked the least?" Ryoko scratched her head. "I guess it was the hair," she said at last. "It starts growing in new places, and for me, I didn't really like having to keep up with it. However, once I accepted it, I could just shave my legs and underarms and be satisfied." Presea nodded again. "I notice you don't now," said Presea, "but did you ever-" "Yes," said Ryoko, cutting her off with a laugh. "But it was annoying and just another hassle, so I stopped." "Uh huh," said Presea. She looked down. "Still seems kind of strange," Presea said. Ryoko waved her hand in dismissal. "You'll get used to it," she assured her.
Just then a knock came at the door. "Come in," called Ryoko. Megumi opened the door tentatively. "Hi," she said. She swung the door open wide and the rest of their friends came in. Genis ran over to Presea and hugged her tightly. Presea winced and hugged him back. "I'm so glad to see you!" he exclaimed tearfully. "I'm glad you're glad," said Presea, "but please be gentle. I am hurt, Genis." Genis let go of her and smiled. "Ha," he said. "What is it?" asked Presea. Genis shrugged. "I-I don't know," he said. "It's just that, I always wanted to take care of you, and you were always strong, so strong, that you never needed anyone's help. And now that you do, it's, it's just kind of funny..."
He trailed off, shrugged, and laughed again. Presea laughed back at him. One by one the rest of them expressed their relief for Presea, and gave her small gifts. Ryoko had no gift, so she just hugged her and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
"Genis," said Presea suddenly. "Huh?" said Genis. "Where is my necklace?" she asked. "Oh yeah!" he said, digging in his pocket. He produced the chain with the Arbiter's stone on it, as well as a piece of paper. "These are for you," he said. Presea thanked him, took the items, put on the chain, and opened the note. The paper was unlike any she had felt before. It was soft as velvet but would not wrinkle or tear (for she tried later). Not only that, when it was folded and unfolded, no detectable creases were left. Presea began to read the flowing script, which seemed to be burned into the paper, to herself.
Dear Presea, it read.
I have been hard at work, and I regret I was not able to visit you during your convalescence, even if you would not have known I was present. My work is reaching what appears to be a final climax. If we can accomplish a few more goals, my duty with these people may be done-for now, at least. I wish you a fast and pleasant recovery. I may not see you soon, but you may hear, so to speak, from me before then. I've sent something to your house. I hope you enjoy it. It should arrive on Friday morning, around nine o'clock or so.
Sincerely,
The Arbiter
P.S. Do NOT tell anyone anything regarding my work, nor let anyone read this message. Take my advice, and burn this letter as soon as you can. It will be safer that way. Our enemies are not to be underestimated. They could learn more from my words and this sheet of paper than you would believe.
Presea set down the sheet of paper. "He told me not to read it," said Genis. "Can you tell me what it says?" Presea smiled. "Just for me to get well," she lied. "Only in more words." Genis smiled. "Good," he said. "Are you up for leaving?"
Ryoko clapped her hands together. "You bet we are!" she said. "So, where are we going?"
They were going, as it happened, to a nightclub. This seemed to present a problem to Genis and Presea, but Zelos assured them it was all right. "Goddess knows what he's got up his sleeve," whispered Genis to Presea. She had to agree. Zelos was known to pull off some pretty amazing stunts. Presea remembered with a smile how he devised a way to pull down a huge tree using only a knife, a few wet cloths, and a kendama.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" asked Genis. "Were you thinking about the kendama and the tree?" asked Presea. "Actually I was thinking about the plungers, the spiders, and the underwear," said Genis. "Now that was something!" said Presea with a laugh. "Hey, I heard that!" complained Zelos. "You're only laughing 'cause I fell off three times! But it worked fine other than that!" "What about the old guy?" asked Genis. Zelos shuddered. "Don't remind me," he said, shaking his head.
The group of friends stopped before a black building with a bright neon sign over it and a long awning in front. A line of people snaked around the sidewalk, kept in order by velvet ropes and big bouncers. A deep beat could be felt emanating from the club. Zelos went over to the closest bouncer, a massive black man, and whispered in his ear. The bouncer glanced over at the others and nodded. He pointed at Genis and Presea and said something to Zelos. Zelos said something back to him. He seemed satisfied and nodded to Zelos, who waved for them to come over.
The bouncer lifted up the rope and let them pass before putting the rope back down and beginning to check names again. Zelos led them to the bar area while they followed, casually surveying their environment. Zelos stopped and hugged an Asian girl who sat at a barstool. She stood up and smiled. "Hello, you are Zelos' friends, yes?" she said, her accent thick. "That's right," said Regal. "Then welcome to my club," she said with a bow. "My name is Yumi. If you need anything, please ask and I'll do my best to help." "Thanks, Yumi," said Zelos, winking at her. She smiled at him. Suddenly her attention was drawn to her waist; her pager had gone off. She read the scrolling text. "Please excuse me," she said apologetically. "I'm afraid I've got some business to attend to. Have fun!"
With that she walked briskly to a door behind the bar and disappeared from sight. "So that's it?" said Sheena. "You know the owner?" "Bingo!" said Zelos. "I guess your chest isn't the only part of you that's well-endowed! Not too long after we arrived in this city I took the liberty of finding all the best spots for everything in this city and attaching myself to them. Figured it might come in handy." "That's a great idea, especially coming from you," said Lloyd. "I'll take that as a compliment," said Zelos. "Anyway, it never hurts to be prepared."
"What'll it be?" came a voice from behind the bar. They turned to see a well-groomed Australian man set down a glass he had been cleaning and lean forward on the bar. "What?" asked Sheena. "Come now," he said. "Bunch of young blokes like you are obviously here to have a good time! Don't usually do that without something t'drink, even if it ain't alcoholic. Speakin' a'which, how old are all a'you? Don't think some of you are old enough, if my eyes haven't completely failed me..."
They looked at each other and shrugged. "Just to be safe, none of us will have alcohol," said Zelos. "Besides, you don't need it to have fun." The man smiled. "Aye, that's definitely true," he said. "Don't suppose it'd interest you t'know I don't drink?" "Really?" said Raine. "Yep," said the bartender, "haven't had a drop for yea's. Don't really care for the stuff, and I know what kind of problems it can cause. But I just love being a bartender. Wouldn't rather do anything else." "How fascinating..." murmured Raine, a familiar gleam creeping into her eyes. "Oh no," said Lloyd, "not tonight, Professor. We're just here to relax." The glow faded, and she turned to Lloyd. Raine smiled. "You're right," she said. "Sorry."
At some point during the evening it began to rain. Although no one else seemed to notice it, with the scent of rain came something subtler, something hardly perceptible, so faint that Yuan wasn't sure he actually sensed it at first. Perhaps it was a hint of a forgotten aroma, the glint of a vaguely familiar image on glass, or maybe it was just a feeling. Whatever it was, Yuan became surer of it and felt compelled to follow it.
Yuan stood up and excused himself from the bar. He passed the dance floor, where couples were sharing an intimate number. As Yuan watched the lovers, his heart ached, longing for the touch of the one that had left him behind. Could it be...?
He strode outside and breathed deeply. Now it was unmistakable: he knew that smell, rich as the earth and sweet as the wind. He ran out into the pounding rain, not heeding the sheets of water falling on him. He followed his nose, seeking what he thought was lost. The distinct scent grew ever stronger, until Yuan was nearly high off of it.
She was here, somewhere, he knew.
He stopped and panted, trying to catch his breath. He looked around, trying to spot her, but he could see no trace of her. He was standing in an alley between two tall buildings, with nothing but cement around him. No, she wouldn't be here. She loved the earth...
A patch of green caught Yuan's eye. Just a few yards away the building on his left ended, and he could see the signs of a garden beyond. Hardly daring to believe, he crept over to the edge of the building, and then, with a deep breath, he stepped out.
He froze, awestruck. There, in the garden, amongst young trees, dancing in the rain, was his one and only true love-Martel.
Yuan dropped to his knees. Martel wore no clothes, but if anything, they would have detracted from her beauty. Gracefully her lithe, slender body moved and twisted in the rain. Droplets of water glistened as they ran down her skin. Martel's pale green hair shone as if with moonlight, though the clouds covered the sky. Yuan watched her dance with a smile on her face and her eyes closed, and wondered what was real.
The moment seemed to stretch forever, and if it had actually done so, Yuan would not have minded. The edges of his vision blurred, and before he knew what was happening, he was sobbing uncontrollably, his body racked with spasms and his mind reeling.
Suddenly he felt arms around him and he opened his red eyes. Martel's kind eyes looked sadly into his own. "We meet again, yet you are sad?" her melodic voice, lost for thousands of years, said. Yuan opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came out. The lump in his throat made speech impossible. He closed his mouth, and his lips trembled. He tried to blink back tears, but they escaped anyhow. Her eyes saddened even deeper. "I think I understand," she whispered. Yuan opened his mouth again, but again nothing happened. "Don't try to speak," she said softly. "Just relax, and let me see your mind."
She closed her eyes and drew him into herself. Yuan shut his eyes and exhaled a long held breath. Her hands worked their way into his hair. "What have you been through?" she whispered.
Suddenly his memories began to flood through his mind, from the time Martel died, to the formation of the Renegades, to the reuniting of the worlds, to this very moment. Martel's eyes fluttered open. "I am sorry for all the grief that has fallen upon you," she said to him. "But I cannot change the past. I can only help make your future better." She smiled, and Yuan found the strength to attempt to speak again.
"H-how are you here?" he whispered. "Y-y-you-" "Died?" she finished. "Yes, that is true. But my spirit lived on in the Great Seed, and the one that was known as Tabatha became the vessel for the Seed." Yuan was confused. "Then, who are you, really?" he asked. "I thought that Martel was the spirit of the Great Seed and its guardian. The Martel I married was neither of those. And with Tabatha..." Yuan was at a loss for words.
Martel seemed to understand just fine. "I did not use to be the Great Seed, nor its guardian," she said, "but when I was fused with the Great Seed and entered into Tabatha, I took on the role of the guardian." "So are you really the Martel I married, or are you Tabatha, or what?" he asked, still not completely understanding. She smiled again. "That is a difficult question," she said. "The Great Seed had no entity of its own, and needed a vessel, a body, to grow the tree and guard it. When Martel became fused with the Seed, her spirit entered into Tabatha along with the power of the Seed. So, in a sense, I am all three of them, but my consciousness is that of Martel, the one you married. Yes, I am Martel."
Yuan sighed, then glanced at the ground. "But then," he said, "what happened to Tabatha? Is she...gone?" Martel stood up and uttered some word. A lavender dress of a fine, silky material flowed down her body, and a wooden staff with green wings at the top appeared in her hand. She sighed, and leaned on the staff. "She is not gone," Martel said at last, a troubled, preoccupied expression settling on her face. "That is difficult to explain as well. For now, you may think of her as alive in our homeworld. I will tell you the story when we have more time." Yuan's brow furrowed. "We don't have time now?" he asked.
Suddenly something caught the corner of his eye. He turned swiftly and it disappeared as fast as it had appeared. "W-what was that?" he asked. Martel swore in an elven tongue. "We must leave," she said. "Even you, an angel, will not be able to win against these foes. Come to me!" Yuan rushed over to her, and she lifted up her staff. Then, with her eyes shut, she fervently ran through a mana spell. Her voice rose and her eyes flew open with the last word. Yuan glanced back in time to see a black shape lunge at him, just before everything went white.
