"Why is that everytime Galian comes anywhere you immediately pay attention to him…yet you can't seem to stay awake during our extremely important discussion?" Dorothy tapped her foot in frustration as Nanashi yawned.
"What's tha', hot stuff? yawn I'm so sleepy I can barely hear ya…" His eyelids drooped.
"Men…" The annoyance in Dorothy's voice was as clear as crystal…And Nanashi began to snore, quite loudly. Steam rose from the witch's hair.
"Isn't it obvious?" Gania said with a minor snort. "Galian is Nanashi's stimulant, and the dude's overdosed. You can see how weak it's making him…"
Dorothy replied with a hearty laugh that extinguished the smoke rising from her head. "But all joking aside, what are we going to do?"
"Ahem." The Elder of Caldia cleared his throat. "I suggest we head to Lestava Castle and meet up with Queen Snow. She should at least provide us with the castle for a temporary headquarters."
"Why not use Caldia?" Dorothy asked. "We have a steady supply of Arms, don't we?"
"But Lestava has soldiers," The Elder pointed out. "We need more manpower than Arms, because they can still use swords and spears."
"Point taken," Gania said. "I'm thinking we should rest here tonight, then go there in the morning."
With an agreeing nod, the Elder exited the room. "Good night…" The candles went out with a single wisp of air.
Pyromania's Underground Fortress: Dungeons
"You awake?"
Mumbling, Veru punched himself and came to reality. Through groggy and tired eyes he made out a shape near a torch. As he focused his vision, he noticed it was Reno. The boy's face had a certain contempt to it that made Veru asked, "What's wrong?"
"They've begun to move out," Reno replied swiftly with a poisonous quality now present in his voice. "These bastards who want nothing more than world domination…have already began their conquest…"
Veru hurriedly rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, and in moments was fully awake. He stood up and came to the bars of his cell and began banging vigorously on them. "Then I have to get out of here!" he shouted. "We have to -" Reno's fist collided with Veru's face, sending him spiraling to the end of the cell.
"Keep it down!" he hissed in a rather hushed tone, eyes small and serious as a heart attack. "They hear you, and you'll be put under surveillance! Then my whole plan to get you out o here will be nothing! Nothing!"
This made sense to Veru when not much else did. What was he thinking? He was desperate for freedom, yes, but he didn't think he was desperate enough to try and break down steel bars. In a much quieter voice, he asked, "What if your plan doesn't work?"
"Then I'll think of something else. But I don't intend to fail." Reno looked into his palm. "I can't let them keep you here, not with as much innocence as you have.
"If given the opportunity, the Chess will take everything from you. You're just another pathetic human to them, whose life isn't worth having anymore. They'll steal everything precious to you, your innocence…even your life. I absolutely refuse to give them that chance." His eyes blazed with a furious inferno. "A year ago, in the second War Games, those damn Chess killed my mom and dad. They nearly took my sister away from me, too." Torchlight revealed tears falling from Reno's cheeks. He struggled to keep his voice together. "They…they made me watch as they did it. I'm nursing my sister back to health, and now this comes…I can't ever forgive them!" He punched the wall.
Looking back, his expression was very solemn. "I won't let them take away anyone else I can save."
With great care for keeping the silence intact, Reno walked forward. "The time for your plight is soon, Veru. Prepare yourself.." Taking one last look at the boy, Reno melted into the shadows. His breath echoed throughout the corridor one last time before it ceased to exist there,
Lestava Castle
The castle's door slid open sluggishly as light started to flood the bright interior. An alabaster carpet stretched up the magnificent marble staircase that bloomed into two separate ones that curbed to form the second floor walk. The stairs were made of gleaming, dark cherry wood while the rest of the floor was adorned with multiple rugs in a plethora of vibrant colors: Butterscotch gold, auburn reminiscent of autumn leaves, fresh carrot orange, green the color of ripe grapes, pink that belonged in sunset's rainbow, chilling glacier blue, and an assortment of other colors that covered the entire color spectrum. Banners hung from a low ceiling that had the emblem of Lestava emblazoned on them. Truly, the foyer had the grandeur of the fanciest chateau in the entire world…all at the entrance. If that was indication to the entire castle's regained splendor, it must be something to behold.
As the door came fully open, everything began to sparkle brilliantly. An old, slightly haggard voice cooed, "Come in!" Everyone obliged without hesitation.
"Who's there?" Dorothy called as she stepped inside. From out of the shadows where the door was now almost fully engulfed came an old woman about the size of Ginta. She had curled gray hair and a slender nose. Her beige eyes matched her hair color, and she wore a light blue kimono.
"Welcome," she said, coughing a bit. "To what does Lestava owe the honor of having the great witch Dorothy grace our halls?"
"We need an audience with Sn- I mean, the Queen."
The old woman nodded. "She has talked much about you, and how she wanted to see you again. Follow me." For being old, she moved swiftly and was to the stairs within a few seconds. Waving her arm, she said, "Hurry!"
About five minutes the group from Caldia was entering the throne with a shining rectangular crimson carpet leading to the throne itself. Upon the decorated seat sat the girl who fought in the previous War Games.
Snow stood up with a cheery grin. "Well, well, well! Look who decided to show up!" She skipped gracefully to the group. She enthusiastically threw herself onto Nanashi. "HI!!" The blonde's cheeks went scarlet as he stared at the 15-year-old clutching him. Silently he told himself not to make a move on her. Although snagging a queen would get him about a trillion social points…
After letting go of Nanashi, Snow said, "Come this way. We can talk at the throne!" She buzzed off, zooming back to the throne as the others followed.
"By the way," Dorothy said as she got to the queen. "Who's the hag?" She had made sure she was out of earshot of the old gray woman.
"That's my attendant," Snow said, completely ignoring that the woman had been referred to as a 'hag.' "Her name's Agatha, and she's really my only company here…"
"Why?"
"After the War Games ended, people were hesitant to accept a royal family back into their lives. The memory of Diana just wouldn't quit nagging at them, making them uneasy and suspicious. After all, if she could be corrupt, then I could be as well. It's just me, Agatha, Edward, and the Arms…The scientists are always holed up in their labs, and Agatha and I do all the cooking and cleaning…" Snow's voice became quieter as she continued talking, and she eventually began to shiver. "What's the point of being a queen if you have no people to lead…?"
"That's really sad…I haven't heard much of anything outside of Caldian issues, so I had no idea…" Dorothy cleared her throat. "But we have other matters to attend to."
Some time and explaining later
Snow covered her mouth with her hands. "But…! If that's true, then that means there's…!" She immediately jumped to her feet and screamed. Quickly turning around, she slammed hr fist into a pillar.
"What?" Alviss was concerned; he'd never seen the girl this violent before. Agatha raised her arm and advanced towards the young queen. "What is it…?"
Whirling back around, Snow's face was emotionless and suddenly sullen. "It means there's not only a chance for a Chess revival, but odds are Babbo will be used by their leader: Phantom."
Everyone's breath was cut short. Alviss' blood ran cold; he wouldn't be able to endure a second time watching Phantom wield Babbo. It was too horrible.
"Based on this hypothesis," Snow continued, "I believe we should contact Jack."
Dorothy's face went the tone of blood. She turned around as tears gushed from her eyes. "I refuse to ever look at him again!" she screamed.
"Dorothy…" Nanashi began to stand.
"I will NEVER talk to him! Ever again! You don't know what he's done to me! Isn't there someone else you can contact, like Alan?!"
"Alan." Snow took note of the name. "We'll get him here, along with Jack." She bit her lip. "Dorothy…I don't know what he did to you, but need all the members of MAR here." She sighed. "Edward…" The dog saluted her. "Bring us Alan and Jack."
Pyromania's Underground Fortress: Private Room
Phantom sat on the edge of the silky velvet blanket facing the wall. He gritted his teeth, and tried not to let his anger unleash itself.
There was a soft knock and the door opened. The pitter-patter of footsteps and whish of a robe across the floor made Phantom clench his fist. "Go to hell, Pyro-!" He stopped midsentence because it was Peta who had entered; he leapt backwards to avoid the blow. Slowly, the silver-haired man slunk back to the bed.
"What's wrong with you?!" Peta shouted. He immediately regretted saying it, for he said, "I'm sorry…"
Phantom wasn't even facing his friend. "Don't be; I'm so damn fragile…"
A minute passed, and Peta sat next to him. "We're moving out tomorrow morning for Pazurika Town. It's pretty exciting, going back on the hunt…!"
"Sure it is," Phantom said. "But I can't concentrate on anything other than my hate for our 'leader.'"
Peta stood back up. "Then wallow by yourself. And try to get some sleep. You'll need your energy for tomorrow." He went to the door, but before closing it, he turned back with a smile on his face. "Good night…"
There was a "click!" as the door shut.