Overcoming Destiny

"Talking"

'Thinking'

"Wireless communications"

Ch 12

"Come on Aunty. I want to see the some more of the tree before we head back." Yui called as she ran ahead through the corridors within the tree Yggdrasil.

"Don't get to far ahead Yui otherwise your parents are going to kill me." Cardinal called her back, looking to the side and noticing a door. "This wasn't here before the transition." When Yui stopped beside Cardinal the door slid open to admit the pair.

The room was bare, save at the back wall, where there rested a white coffin with a red cross on it.

"No, he should be dead." Cardinal said frozen where she was, the shock written on her face. After a moment she started walking into the room slowly, Yui following keeping an eye on Cardinal.

When the pair reached the halfway point across the room the coffin slowly opened allowing the occupant to sit up. "It's good to see you Cardinal."

"Father." Cardinal said quietly while Yui moved behind the Sylph.

OOooOO

Argo was sitting in the dining room of an inn within the country of Romalia, glad that her appearance wasn't to out of place allowing her to travel around without being suspicious. When she had first logged into ALO she was originally going to be a Catsy but had determined through research that the Imps would serve her better; now she was glad that she had followed her gut. Currently she was on a fact finding mission planting informants in the countries around Tristain so that they could get information on the political climate. Her current problem was the would be informant that she was traveling with at the moment.

The human looking informant sat across from her, allowing her to see him. He was 178 cm tall, with short purple hair and eyes, wearing a navy blue tunic, pants, and vest. "So here's what you asked for." He said as he set a cloth-wrapped package on the table.

"Any reason why it's gift wrapped?" Argo asked incredulously. "It's only local fare for the road."

Looking shocked he said. "I thought girls liked guys to give them wrapped gifts?"

"I don't have time for this Echo." Argo moaned as she hit her head against the table in exasperation.

"Well forgive me for trying to be thoughtful." He snarked as he crosses his arms.

"You can be thoughtful with the important things." Argo mumbled twirling a clump of her waist length hair absently.

"So food isn't important?" Echo asked quirking an eyebrow.

"You know what I'm talking about numskull. Don't make me say it." A clearly agitated Argo declared pointing an accusing finger at him.

"You're the one that brought it up." Echo said raising both eyebrows.

At this Argo screamed in frustration, throwing her hands up in the air before stomping out the door, leaving the package on the table.

After watching her leave Echo looked at the package and shook his head. "Well, that went well."

"Don't let that girl go so easily young man." The old innkeeper stated with wry smile on his face.

Echo looked in surprise at the innkeeper, then looked at the package, realization dawning on his face. Of course the people around them thought they were a couple. Grabbing the package he stood up following after Argo.

"Stupid informants acting like the court jester." Argo mumbled to herself, having scaled the wall of the inn and sat down on the roof with her chin resting on her knees.

Coming up behind her Echo said. "I was being totally serious."

"Of course you were. That's why your wife didn't look too worried about the fact that you would be gone for months at a time." Argo said sarcastically, staring at the spires of the cathedral.

"Well, we've had experience." Echo said as he looked down at the streets.

"Yeah right." Argo said a little louder than a mumble. "What were you, JSDF?"

"That's classified." Echo replied matter-of-factly.

"Don't want to say or ordered not to?" Argo said turning toward him.

"Does it really matter?" Echo asked as he met her eyes.

"What no comment on the fact that I know that your wife came with you?"

Echo smirked. "It's not like I tried to hide it, Argo the Imp."

"It's the rat dadgummit." Argo shot back her eyes misting.

"You want yer gift?" Echo asked holding out the package.

"Fine." Argo said in defeat as she stood up and accepted the package and got ready to leave.

"By the way." Echo said. "Children aren't called rats till they're twenty-one, so for six more years you're an Imp."

"How did you know my age?" Argo asked with an accusing look.

Smirking Echo looked at her. "Yer not the only one who can gather information, after all that is why I was selected for the job."

"No you volunteered." Argo stated.

"I volunteered to help you. Titania asked me."

"I see. So she knows about your past but I'm not?" Argo asked a little miffed.

"She's special." Echo said.

"Hmm." Argo said as she turned preparing to jump off the roof.

"Finally. The Imp's Leaving." Echo said exasperatedly.

"Just keep up with your communications and we'll be fine." Argo stated as she jumped off the roof, disappearing from sight.

"Of course." Echo said staying a minute longer before he left the roof as well.

OOooOO

Sinon was currently spending a lazy day hiding in the middle of the woods where a hot spring was bubbling out of the ground because she needed a day or two to relax. Being on constant alert was wearing her down and she didn't want to start making mistakes caused by fatigue. It was already her second day in this location; the day before being spent prepping it to be used for a few days. "I needed this." She mumbled lying in the spring. "I may be part cat now but I still suffer from fatigue like a human in combat." She said before adding louder. "I should warn you that it isn't nice to hide from people when they're in combat mode."

"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to scare you, I was just trying to make sure you weren't human, you know 'cause they've been tryin' to kill me recently." The person in hiding said. "I'll wait till you're decent."

"Thank you for small favors." Sinon mumbled as she left the water to dry off and get dressed. "I'm just as much a Fairy as you, though I can't tell what race you are."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm a Leprechaun named Smith, just Smith." The person said introducing himself.

"Just Smith huh?" Sinon said finishing getting dressed. "Did someone have trouble thinking of a name? You can come out now."

"No, no, not Just Smith. It's just Smith." the person said stepping out of the bushes. He stood at 6' 4", he had red hair with a metallic sheen, his eyes were steel grey. He was wearing a vest that hung open showing well defined muscles, at his waist was a plaid cloth with a cloth in the same color over his shoulder, on his feet were combat boots.

"What the heck are you wearing? And is that a skirt?" Sinon asked in shock at his appearance.

His face turned red as he drew the great sword from his back, "How Dare You Call It A Skirt." He blustered.

"Ok, ok. Sheesh. What is it called then?" Sinon asked holding her hands in front of herself in surrender.

Stabbing the sword into the ground, Smith gestured to the 'skirt', "This is the traditional clothing of my homeland, it is called a kilt, and the colors signify what clan I belong to."

"A kilt. Why call it a kilt?" Sinon asked tilting her head as her ears twitched.

Looking down, Smith adopted a look of concentration, "I'm not sure, it's been called that for hundreds of years." Crossing his arms he looked at Sinon. "Though personally it's called a kilt because that's what happened to the first person to call it a skirt."

"Really?" Sinon deadpanned.

"That's what I like to think at least." Smith said sheathing his sword.

"You're a little dense aren't you?" Sinon asked her ears twitching again.

"I can't tell you if I am or not, but all my friends seem to think so. Course I don't know what to think of what they say sometimes." Smith replied.

"Any of them come with you?" Sinon asked curious.

"No, they stayed in America." Smith answered.

"As far as you know anyways." Sinon mumbled.

"What was that?" Smith asked.

"They could have but you can't know for positive until we get back to Tristain." Sinon said louder.

"Oh, I guess. . . How we gettin' to Tristain?" Smith asked.

"We'll have to sneak onto a ship but that'll take some doing because I already have other people to take back with us and there's another that I was heading for when I sensed you." Sinon answered as she began maintaining her weapons.

"Oh. . . That works. . . So where's this other person?" Smith asked not sure what she meant by sensed.

"Somewhere that way." She said offhandedly waving her hand to the north.

"Alrighty then let's go get 'em. Onward!" He called vanishing into the forest.

"What the?! Where did he go?!" Sinon asked surprised that he just disappeared like that. "Hey get back here! I'm catching up on sleep currently!"

Coming back into the clearing, Smith said, "Sorry 'bout that. Got a little eager. You know, figured they might be a little frightened, what with the trans-dimensional crossing and all."

"Are you trying to sound intelligent?" She deadpanned.

"What? No! I thought I was just pointing out the obvious. After all, didn't you agree to the message?" Smith asked confused.

"You actually read all that?" Sinon asked in the same tone.

"Of course, you're supposed to read the fine print so that your phone company doesn't revoke service on a technicality. Why? You didn't?" He asked still confused.

"I knew what I was getting into if that's what you mean." Sinon said as she put her weapons up. "Now I'm going to sleep. You can do what you want." She finished pulling out her bed roll which happened to be a hammock.

"I'll just be over here then. You know, keeping watch, while you sleep." He said shifting nervously. Then noticing her glaring at him, he added: "Shutting up now."

OOooOOooOO

I wonder how people are liking our stories?

Don't know I'm not seeing any reviews.

Well Chris that could be seen as a good thing in one sense.

I would agree as it appears from the traffic list a few people are reading it at least.

Right you are but what ever I'm tired at the moment. Zzzzzzzz

The master is asleep I'll have some fun now. Chris stated rubbing his hands together with glee.