I do not own Legend of Dragoon or any of the characters.


Alive

Cade shouted into the cloth they'd gagged him with, fighting to break the ropes binding his hands. Across the room from him, Albert watched him sympathetically, but made no move to release him. Cade shouted again, profanities mixed with please and orders to let him go, to let him go find Rose. he had to go. She was still alive. She had to be. She was too powerful to die from falling off a ship as low as the Queen Fury. She was too special.

"I'm sorry," Albert said finally. "I...I know how you must be feeling."

Cade shouted at him again, working his wrists furiously, trying to loosen his bonds even the tiniest bit, but nothing gave. Haschel was as good at tying knots as he was at fighting. Cade finally managed to work the gag out of his mouth as tears began to fall again, as they had been off and on since he'd woken up.

"Why!?" Cade demanded. "Why won't you let me look for her!?"

"You wouldn't find her," Albert said.

"You don't know that!" Cade said. "I can feel her! I could use my magic to find her!"

"No, you couldn't," Albert said.

"Yes I could!" Cade snapped "Let me try! She could be hurt! She could need-"

"She's gone!" Albert snapped finally, gritting his teeth. "They're both gone! You can't find her, because she's gone! The ship sucked them down and they drowned!"

"You don't know that!" Cade shouted. "Just let me go and I'll find them!"

Albert stood, walking over, then knelt and pulled the gag back up into place and tightened it. "I want them to be alive too. But they're gone, Cade. Rose is gone. No one could have survived that fall."

Cade began to shout profanities at him again, returning to working his bonds futilely.


Cade squirmed and yanked, ignoring the burning in his wrists as the rope rubbed them raw. He'd probably lose the skin on his wrists before he managed to get free. The door opened and he looked up as Haschel walked in. Cade didn't bother to ask him to release him. Haschel was the most stubborn one about keeping him there. Meru and Shana were the most likely to let him go, but neither had been allowed to watch him, for exactly that reason.

"Stop doing that before I put you to sleep again," Haschel warned.

"Fuck you!" Cade spat into his gag.

Haschel sighed, walking over to him. Cade rolled out of the way of the first punch and made a break for the door, only for Haschel to sweep his legs out from under him, then drill a punch into his back, knocking him out.


Rose raised an eyebrow as Meru pushed herself up.

"Dart!" Meru gasped. "Rose! I knew it! You're alive!" She cheered and twirled around them happily, only to stop, looking between them. "Have you been to the hotel!?"

"Is that where the others are?" Dart asked.

"Yes!" Meru said urgently. "Come with me! Quickly!"

She turned and sprinted toward the stairs leading into the main section of town. Rose sighed and she and Dart followed at a light jog. After a few minutes, they arrived and found the others waiting. The others began to greet them, only for Meru to rush over to Rose, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the stairs.

"You have to go see Cade!" Meru said urgently.

"Why?" Rose asked, a pit forming in her stomach. "What's happened?"

"He kept trying to go after you so we had to knock him out!" Meru explained hurriedly. "but then when he woke up, he kept fighting to go after you still, so Haschel tied him up and they've been keeping him in here ever since!"

"What!?" Rose gasped.

"First door on the right!" Meru said as they reached the top of the stairs, pushing Rose toward the door.

Rose nodded and walked to the door, opening it and gasping. Cade was lying on the floor, hands and clothes stained with blood from having rubbed his wrists raw trying to get out of the rope binding his hands, a gag in his mouth, eyes bloodshot and swollen from tears, and dark shadows under them.

"Cade!" Rose said, rushing over to him and using her sword to cut his hands free as he stared at her.

Then, as soon as his hands were free, he was clinging to her, tears of joy soaking her shoulder. Rose blinked in surprise before wrapping her arms around him as well, tucking her face into his shoulder.

"I...I thought..."

"It's alright," Rose said softly. "I'm alright. I came back."

He nodded, holding her tighter for a moment before she finally pushed him back gently, Cade releasing her and wiping his eyes, forcing him under control.

"You really were afraid, weren't you?" Rose asked, receiving a nod. "It's alright now."

He nodded and pushed himself up, glancing at his wrists. "I should probably get cleaned up."

"Here," Rose said, pulling out a healing potion. "Drink this."

He nodded, drinking it, and his wrists sealed, not leaving a mark. She picked up a rag from off to one side and wiped the blood off his hands and arms for him before tossing it aside.

"There," Rose said. "Better?"

He nodded.

"Good," Rose said. "Because if you hug me again, I might kill you."

He smiled weakly. "Sorry. I couldn't help it."

Her eyes softened slightly.

"I just saw a golden opportunity to hold someone as beautiful as you, so of course I had to take it."

She groaned, rolling her eyes. "I should have known."

His smile grew when he saw the small smile tugging at her lips, despite her best effort. He smiled, opening the door for her and clearing his throat, sweeping an arm across his body in a grand gesture for her to go first.

"After you, my lady," Cade said.

Rose sighed, rolling her eyes again before walking out past him. He followed her as they walked down to the common area and Haschel held out his sword to him. He took it, putting it back on, then sat away from the others, crossing his arms and refusing to look at them. Rose sighed, getting herself and him a drink at the bar before sitting beside him.

"They were right to keep you from coming after me," Rose said. "Winglies can't fly underwater, and you probably couldn't have found me in the state you were in. You were too emotional to control your magic properly. try not to hold it against them."

Cade remained silent, draining half his drink before sighing heavily. "Only because you're the one asking, beautiful."

Rose let her head fall, then shook it as she raised it again. "You're incorrigible."

Cade smiled, sipping at what was left of his drink. After a few minutes, Dart, who had been comforting Shana, Cade expected, returned, Shana just behind him, and they sat at the bar. Cade finished his drink and stood, Rose doing the same. They both got another drink, then sat down as part of the group as Dart began to fill the others in on what had happened. Apparently, he'd been unconscious so Rose took care of him until they were found by a child named Pete. Pete took Rose, who carried Dart, to his house where they rested until Dart woke up. Then, Dart and Rose agreed to escort Pete and his sick mother to Fueno, the port town they were in now, since the Underwater Cave that they had to pass through apparently had some kind of monster in it that made it too dangerous to pass. However, when they had passed through it, they hadn't been bothered by any monsters at all, let along one particularly nasty one that would make the cave impassible.

"May I ask you a question, please?" Meru asked as Dart finished his story.

"What's wrong?" Dart asked, frowning. "Why are you being so formal?"

"You guys were along in the cave, weren't you?" Meru asked, looking between the two of them several times. "Did you put yourselves into...um...a romantic situation?"

"Meru!" Haschel scolded. "Don't be silly. Even though you are trying to learn about love, that's too rude!"

"Okay," Meru said, scuffing her foot before returning to her seat.

Haschel turned to Dart, grinning cheekily. "So, Dart. Did you cuddle with Rose?"

"Haschel!" everyone in the group besides Kongol and Meru snapped.

"Sorry, sorry," Haschel chuckled. "It just slipped out."

"What do you mean slipped?" Dart asked, crossing his arms.

"Don't worry, Shana," Rose said. "Dart was concerned about you the whole time."

Shana smiled, nodding, and Dart turned to Rose.

"Me?" Dart asked, raising an eyebrow. "You were-"

"Anyway, about Lenus," Rose interrupted, giving him a pointed look, which simply earned a smirk back. "We should ask about her in the city. We may find out something."

"If she was wounded by Shana's dragon, she might have bought healing potions, or maybe even stopped by the hospital," Cade suggested.

"Good thinking," Dart nodded. "Let's split up to make it faster. Me, Shana, Albert, and Haschel will head to the potion shop and ask around that area. You four head for the hospital."

Cade nodded and he and Rose finished their drinks before leaving the bar with Kongol and Meru. They walked into the hospital and began to ask around. After a couple minutes, they found out that a woman had been treated for severe burns over almost half of her body, but that she'd left after only a day. They also said she had stolen almost a dozen Healing Fogs, a sort of inhalant version of a healing potion that apparently worked twice as well. They thanked the doctor for the information and left, heading toward the potion shop just as Dart's group was walking toward them.

"Lenus was definitely here," Cade said. "She got treated for burns over half her body then stole a bunch of medicine and took off."

"We think we know where," Dart said. "A place called Prison Island that can be reached through the underwater cave is apparently the home of a Sea Dragon. We're pretty sure Lenus is there."

"Wonderful," Cade groaned. "First a Wingly, now a Dragon too. I'll bet there's a Dragoon involved with this as well."

"It's possible," Rose nodded.

"Great," Cade sighed.

"We should get going," Dart said. "We can't lose her."

"Not yet," Cade said. "We should rest first."

"We don't have time!" Dart said. "She could get away at any-"

"No, Cade's right," Rose said. "One night won't change anything. From the description of her injuries, it'll take her a few days to be able to travel more than a short distance. One night will be fine. Besides, it's only an hour and a half walk to the caves from here."

Dart hesitated before sighing and nodding. "Alright. One night."

They all nodded, heading back to the hotel and all payed for one more night. Once they had, most of the others went off to one side to plan for the fight against Lenus, and the inevitable fight against the Dragon. As Rose was walking toward them, Cade caught her by the left arm.

"Can I talk to you for a bit?" Cade asked.

Rose watched him for a moment before nodding. They left the hotel, heading to a small open area off to one side where they could watch the sun set and where there was no one else around. Cade was happy about that, because they would need privacy for the conversation.

"What is it?" Rose asked, leaning on the wall to his left.

"You're it, aren't you?" Cade asked. "The Black Monster."

Rose remained silent, staring out to sea.

"The form that people describe as the monster is your Dragoon Form, probably using Darkness Magic to hide yourself from view," Cade said. "Am I right?"

Rose was silent again, and Cade fell silent as well, allowing her to think. Finally, she nodded. "Yes. I'm the Black Monster. How did you figure it out?"

"The knights on that ship," Cade said. "They were caught in the past, but even so, they singled you out as the Black Monster. And then, when Dart and Shana were talking about the Black Monster being horrible, I could see the pain in your eyes." he chuckled dryly. "I finally understand why you're suffering. I finally understand why there's so much pain in your eyes."

Rose looked over at him.

"Can you tell me why?" Cade asked.

Rose hesitated before speaking. "What will you do?"

Cade looked over at her for a long moment before looking back out to sea, taking a heavy breath. "Well, even though you won't tell me what it is, I know you well enough to know you have a good reason for it. I can't imagine what that reason is, but you're not a monster, even if you're forced to act like one. I'm not going to tell anyone."

"Why?" Rose asked. "I'm a murderer. I've killed hundreds of innocent people. Women. Children. I didn't spare anyone. Why would you keep that a secret?"

"Like I said, whatever you may have done, I know you well enough to know you have a good reason for doing it," Cade said. "And telling them wouldn't do anything to stop you from being forced to suffer. On the other hand, you don't have to suffer alone anymore."

Rose frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I'm going to help you from now on," Cade said.

"You have a human lifespan," Rose said. "The Black Monster attacks every hundred eight years. How would you be able to help?"

"Well, I have a human lifespan, but you are human," Cade said. "In Lohan I told you I could sense the magic in your choker, but couldn't tell what it does. Now that I know you're the Black Monster, I understand. You're one of the original Dragoons. After the war, something happened and you had to find a way to become immortal, so you sought the help of a Wingly. They cast a spell on your choker to stop your time so that you could do what you had to every one hundred eight years. Given the fact that you kill entire villages, I'd wager you have to hunt something that returns to life every one hundred eight years. So, if I'm going to help you with that, we'll just have to go to find Winglies strong enough to stop my time as well. If I had to guess, I'd say that the Winglies of Ulara are the ones to see."

Rose was silent for a long while before shaking her head. "You're a lot sharper than I thought. But you're not going to help me. I'm a monster."

Cade smiled. "You're not a monster, and I am going to help you. You told me that the way I feel would change if I knew your past, but it changed nothing. I swore to you I'd ease your suffering. If the only way to do that is to shoulder it alongside you, then I will. I will do whatever it takes to be able to save you from your suffering."

Rose stared at him before looking away just as her eyes began to water, her jaw setting and her face becoming an emotionless mask, aside from the tears in her eyes. "Do whatever you want. I don't care what you do. As soon as this journey's over, I'll never have to see you again anyway."

Cade smiled, letting out a slow, silent sigh as he watched the sun set. Finally, Rose pushed off the railing and turned, walking back to the hotel. Cade remained there until long after the sun was gone and the stars had appeared, Watching the stars for more than an hour before finally heading to bed.


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