The Court Case
Disclaimer: I don't ToS, but I own SoT. Sales of Tomorrow! Yeah.
Flaren:…Shut up.
A/N: Anyway, lots of stuff will be happening now. Universa was definitely unable to deal with is feelings, as we'll see. And, Dialmond will probably have some things to say as well. Saphfyre's going to fume when she sees Cali again. And what will Scorch do about this? Also, I don't own Chrono Crusade, as some wording from that is in Singe's poem. And Sheena will now feel more regret than before…
Chapter 27: Decisions We Make
Every day we find something to do in our lives. Making us a bit more of who we are and what we are the day next, and the day after that, and the day after that.
Everything builds up to who you are.
People don't realize the full extent of what they can do.
We've got to live. And find our way.
Our wings will surely carry us, even weighed down by our burdens and sins.
We can live. We must make our mark.
Live.
Singe set down her pen as she found she was writing about the same thing again, but with different words. A bit frustrated, she put the pen back in the notebook and looked up from her work. Astra came up to the general and the rest of the people eating at her table--Sheena, Raise, Universa, Flaren, Cresenta, Sola, and Crimsonia. It was quite a large table.--and the Mistress of Stars looked quite serious. Solemnly, she sat down at the table. She must have thought about her love again. Emereld then came up, with the same serious look. Looking at the people, she spoke.
"Universa's gone."
"What?" Raise suddenly yelled. This also caused a small shock from Embre, who was sitting at the neighboring table. Flaren promptly got up and left.
"Where are you going?" Astra asked before the girl left.
"Bathroom." Flaren responded, lying, "If you're so interested in what I have to do up there, you can come. NOT REALLY."
This just caused Astra to get confused and caused Flaren to fall up the stairs instead of down them. Knowing people would start to annoy her, she chose the bathroom upstairs to hide in.
"That's strange." Rubyi stated, "She went to use the upstairs one and the downstairs bathroom is just over there, and no one's in it."
"Where is Universa?" Raise suddenly brought up. She seemed anxious.
"Let's look everywhere." Emereld commanded, so everybody followed her orders and began to look around the following area. Lapisa went into town and asked if Universa was there, saying he was a Summon Spirit and should be easy to spot and wore a kind of robe/armor. Singe also happened to ask nearby people who were coming to Lapisa's now-daily song. They missed it anyway, as the girl was searching as well, and said they hadn't seen him. Sheena was walking around the house when she saw something. A letter. With her name on it. Written very neatly, and the envelope sealed just right. The female ninja clumsily opened it and a flower dropped out.
Miss Sheena:
I am very sorry to have brought this upon you, but I cannot be with you any longer. I have no desire to be just friends. The flower I have put in here is from where I will reside, but do not look for me. I know you have gone through so much already, and the ways things are at the moment, my being around would be a displeasure. I know it will take time for Raise to understand, but tell her I meant her no harm. I wished things could have gone better between us, Miss Sheena. I truly love you, and my heart will not stay with anyone else. Tell Embre I am sorry her friend walked out on her. And tell Flaren I could not find my "Rest of the Heart". Too many things have gone on, and too many times have I proved I am too weak t protect you, or try to stay your friend. Miss Sheena, I will always love you, and I hoped you would have loved me, but you heart lies somewhere else in those terms. I am truly sorry.
Teardrop after teardrop dripped as Sheena began to cry. It was all her fault. All of her stupid, oblivious fault. Stupid. Love was stupid. Leaving was stupid. Feelings were stupid, too. Everything was very, very stupid. And Sheena was so mad at herself for not being able to change things, for not being able to let Universa heal. You just can't stop loving someone. When your heart is turned down…
Flaren walked in and said to the ninja, "He's not in the house, Sheena. We already know that."
This was replied by a sob and Flaren looked over at the girl. Immediately rushing over, she looked at the letter.
"Why…?" Sheena cried, her hands in her face, "Why?'
Flaren read over the letter and let a tear fall. She now felt the fault was hers. She told Universa to go for it. To tell the girl. She never thought it was Sheena--that was a bit strange. But people love who they love, and may be able to never stop those feelings, even if they wanted to. If that person isn't with them--isn't their wings, isn't in their heart, isn't in their love--can they go on living? Will they be able to see that person and smile after rejection? Is there a ray of hope to live by? Apparently Universa didn't know. He may have tried to end it, or he may have just left. Flaren looked at the flower Sheena was holding between two fingers. Giving it a strange look, she said…
"The Plains of Hope? He went there? That's…"
"What!" Sheena suddenly yelled, "So you think you know where he went?"
"Yeah, I do…" Flaren nodded, "But it's very far off…really…"
"I don't care! I may not love him, but he's still my friend! We gotta find him!"
"Yes! You're absolutely right!" Flaren yelled, stopping all outside activity, "We must go to the Plains of Hope! North!"
Everybody began to gather up at the door, wondering what Flaren was yelling about. Charging up random slashes and swinging at air haphazardly, the girl yelled.
"The Plains of Hope! We go there! But, only four people can go right now…mana is overwhelming there, and we need four people only to worry about. It's a decent sized group,. And all we really need. Me and Sheena are going."
"Sheena and I." Crimsonia corrected.
"Whatever." Flaren held up her hands sheepishly, "But, we do need to get going. Who else--"
The Mistress of Stars interrupted Flaren and took the flower she was holding away from her.
"This flower…" Astra mumbled.
"What is it?" Rubyi asked.
"Nothing. May I go as well? Universa is my brother, after all." Looking at the flower again, the woman had a distant look on her face.
"Okay." Flaren nodded, "But who else will--"
"I'm going. Whether or not you want me to or not." Embre stood defiantly at her sister.
"Embre? Okay, sis. Well, let's get going now anyway. Wow. I love to rush things." Leaving out the door and making a path through the people, the four girls took off.
The clouds began to roll out. The lightning had kept Dialmond up. Lloyd had fallen asleep, but he didn't look happy. His face was strained and he seemed to be saying something…
"I love you both. What should I do?" Lloyd asked nobody in particular, then his face got a little more strained. He then yelled, "Dialmond! Don't!"
"Lloyd?" the girl shook the man to wake him up. His body was so nice…rock abs and chiseled arms…soft, yet exciting hair, and some good legs on him, too….and his face was….Dialmond stopped herself before she groaned from pleasure. She then looked to her groggy companion. Lloyd looked up at her, then suddenly kissed her.
"Wha…?" Dialmond tried to push the man off. His mouth moved down to her neck, "You're alive…" he said, licking here and there and pleasing the girl very much, "You're alive…hnnn…"
Dialmond's eyes got wide as she thought of what he just said, "You thought me for dead?"
"Yeah…" Lloyd said, "I thought you said you couldn't take it anymore and…" the dual swordsman fully embraced the girl, knocking her off balance and letting them both rest on the floor. Lloyd continued, "I thought you were gone, Dialmond. Dead. You're here right? You're with me, breathing…"
Lloyd continued to be on the girl and she let out, "I am here. I will be. Now get off."
"Not until you promise me." Lloyd said, looking into the girl's silver eyes.
"What?" Dialmond asked.
"You'll be with me no matter what choice I choose…you won't do anything rash…even if I choose Colette…"
Dialmond sighed, looking away from him. She loved his weight all over him, his body fully over her, egging her passion to…the swordswoman got back to the moment, "I will stay in your heart, Lloyd…" she shifted for a minute, one hand behind her back, "I will be with you…even if your choice is not me."
Lloyd smiled and got off the girl. He was a little sad, being with Dialmond like that was fun, but he couldn't tease her. Dialmond got up, uncrossing the fingers that held a lie, and sighed once more. Maybe the weather didn't reflect her hope, or else the storm would have continued…
"Ready to go? We should get back to my house before another storm comes." Lloyd looked at the girl. Did he care?
Dialmond looked away and went into a sort of cold mood, "Are you stupid or something? I said I was alright and have nothing to bring back anyway. You saw that, you know, the way I had to burn my sword."
Lloyd kept the look on hid face but the words…hurt. What happened to Dialmond to make her mood change so quickly? He felt horrible guilt that the girl had left her most prized possession to burn. For him, what's more. Replying in the same mood he was always in Lloyd said, "O-Okay. How are you going to get back to the Secluded Lands, by the way? You don't exactly…have your sword."
"And you know why, too." Dialmond kept the coldness coming. She was mad at him for not being able to choose. To not let his stupid heart just take a pick. She was mad. Very, very mad. Very. She continued to speak, "I do not know how I am to get back. I have some Glad, though. It should be enough to buy some cheap sword so I can leave."
"Oh…" Lloyd now felt sad that she was leaving. He loved Colette, but his feelings for Dialmond were also not to be shunned. He wanted to repay her for her sacrifice, the wound that would not heal. Lloyd pulled out the Flameberge.
"I know my…I know Kratos would get mad, but you can keep this blade, Dialmond. You can use it--"
"I will go with my original plan, Lloyd. Just take me to Iselia." Dialmond looked away and Lloyd picked her up, which was a surprise, yes, but not enough of one to get the girl out of her mood. The wings furled out to their maximum stretching range as the two fully exited the cave. Lloyd flew past, Dialmond in his chest. She was really mad now. Did he like this, or was he just being there for her? Was the damn man pitying her? He really should not be. Dialmond's mood got a bit worse as Lloyd landed.
"We're here." Lloyd looked at the ground, "I guess this is goodbye…"
"Yes, I guess it is." Dialmond didn't look at him.
"Well, bye." Lloyd waited for a response from Dialmond.
The girl just took out her hand. Lloyd knew Dialmond loved him, so why was she doing this? She was shy around people sometimes, but…the dual swordsman ignored his feelings and shook the hand. Screwing over this formal good-bye, he embraced the girl. A tear slid down his face.
"I need you to stay alive. Because I love you, too Dialmond. As much as anyone. Even Colette."
Dialmond said nothing and didn't return. Lloyd then ran from the village. She received dirty looks. A little girl came up and asked…
"Why were you mean to Lloyd? Are you breaking up with him?"
"No. We were never dating. And I was not mean…I just do not return embraces like that."
Dialmond began to walk away and the little girl just said, "Well, he loves you, anyone can tell! Why won't you love him!"
Dialmond ignored her as a tear slid down her face. She really wanted to hit the girl, and tell her to shut up, but she didn't. So the youngster continued, "Why? Why? Why?"
Dialmond shut her up by slamming the weapon shop's door in her face. She turned to the clerk, "I would like to buy a sword."
"I don't think I need to sell one to the likes of a person like you. You can't even return a hug."
"I just need a sword." Dialmond said, "I have got 350 Gald here. Is that enough?"
"For a wooden sword, yes. But, do I feel the need to sell you one? Why do you need one?"
"I need a sword, dammit! I need a sword!" Dialmond jumped over the man, snatched a wooden sword and left the money behind. Leaving, she took off on her sword before the girl could annoy her again. She watched as the red figure--the figure that was her source of living, her flame, her will--left and ran. Dialmond felt horrible, but knew she couldn't go on if she was near him. But, at the same time, she needed to be close to him. Itching at her shoulder, she pulled out a white piece of silk-like material. She pulled out more of it and found it to be very long. Immediately, Dialmond realized what it was. Looking at Lloyd one last time, she found that she couldn't see the two white streams coming from his neck--the scarf. They were her white streams now. Hers…
Lloyd ran home, trying to get the girl out of his head. He was greeted by a smiling Colette, but all Lloyd did was a fake-smile and then a nice lie to get away to the forest. Sitting down, he found a picture. It must have slipped from Dialmond's things. He hoped she would keep his memento, even if she did hate him. Lloyd ignored the thought for a minute and looked at the picture. Seeing it was him and Dialmond, and a somewhat-in-there Colette, Lloyd recognized the moment. When he was first at Altamira, and had met Dialmond. He flipped over the picture, and sure enough was his writing, followed by some newer words.
"I will always love you, no matter what. Even if you don't feel the same way, and even if…you hate me. Dialmond Redjewel." Lloyd let another tear flow and looked at the sky. It said it was supposed to reflect people's moods, but if it did…then it wouldn't be so clear and bright…
Flaren sighed as she continued north. Another question from Embre--about the thirty-sixth time!--of, "Are we there yet?" And another answer of, "I'm sure it's a little further."
The girls were very high up, and the Mistress of Stars couldn't be more distant. Flaren also had some thoughts on her mind and ran into a rock. Getting up on the new land, she shook her self off.
Sheena asked quietly, "Are we here?"
Astra nodded, speaking for the first time since the girls left, "Yes. This is…the Plains of Hope."
A/N: Dun Dun da dun dun! Dun da dun dun dunnn! A sort of cliffhanger, and Dialmond and Lloyd's relationship suddenly plummeted for the worse. Great. Lloyd, make a decision! But now, we find the four girls at the Plains of Hope, and the reason of why Astra wanted to go. Will Universa come back? Will Dialmond finally be able to get over Lloyd, and will the dual swordsman ever tell the girls the truth? Also, what about the case, as there are only four days left, and this one soon to end? And what about the unmentioned Saphfyre, what'll happen when she finds Cali again? Answers will be told in the next chapter of the Court Case!