Disclaimer: See prev. chapters.
Well everyone, it's been a while since I updated, but I'm really happy with this chapter. Well, I didn't edit it as well as I could have, but it was a necessary link between the before years and the after years that I have been putting off for a veeeery long time. And it's finally out of the way. Yay! After this, it's the sex-pot Dilandau we've all been waiting for, I promise.
Oh, and don't forget to check out the end of the chapter for a little *cough * link that takes you to a site where there is illustrations for this story. Enjoy.
---~-----~-------~----
Chapter 4
A Bridge between Two Worlds
---~----~----~----~
Many months passed. Ava was improving more and more, and became closer with the other Dragonslayers. Dilandau still hadn't quite accepted her, despite her constant attempts to prove herself. Ryoun, on the other hand, still hated her, but Ava didn't really care; it was clear that would never change.
Though the three girls had become friends, Naria and Eriya still had a constant need to try and show Ava up. But this was becoming more and more difficult. Ava was catching up to them at a rapid pace, and she was even able to use a bit of her power during combat, albeit not much.
The three were poised atop a large mat, having a one-on-one-on-one session. Or at least, that's what it was supposed to be. Naria and Eriya had both kind of teamed up on Ava.
Eriya lunged suddenly at her, wielding a long, thin lance. Ava backflipped clumsily out of the way, andjust in a nick of time. Eriya's sword smashed onto the floor where Ava was just moments before, causing a great rip in the mat. No sooner had Ava dodged Eriya's blow, but Naria came at her with her own lance. She struck at Ava, and Ava raised her own thin sword to meet it. They were locked like that, Naria trying to force hers downward, and Ava forcing hers upward. All too suddenly, there was a sickening thump, and white-hot pain seared up Ava's spine. She fell to the mat, stunned. While Ava and Naria were duking it out, Eriya had got her with the flat end of her sword.
A moment later Ava pushed herself up, groaning. Her head was swimming. Naria and Eriya smiled down at her, looking smug, but they both offered her a hand. Ava could tell they'd do just about anything to impress Folken. She saw them sneaking glances all throughout their little battle to see if he was watching. It was funny.
"Good match" she said, grinning. The twins grinned back "Likewise. I would've had you if Naria the lunk-head didn't get in the way." she teased Eriya good naturedly. The girls proceeded to go over to Folken's lab, and sat around a large table with bubbling cauldrons and flasks. Folken was teaching them to make poisoned needles. They chatted for a while, dipping the pins in the cauldron, then holding them over a Bunsen burner to set, which was when the turquoise paste charred to the copper, and finally arranging them carefully in a holder.
"I don't know how you can stand that insufferable git, Dilandau," said Naria. "He's so pompous."
"and loud," Eriya cut in
"and demanding," Naria said.
"And he's always disobeying Folken-sama," they said together passionately.
"Dilandau's not really all that bad," Ava defended, all though not sure why.
"Yeah, I can tell by the way he rags on you all the time. He's a real sweet pea." Naria said sarcastically. Unfortunately, Naria sort of had a point.
"Well, you have to admit, he has gotten better. He's not entirely horrible."
"Oh yeah, I agree" Eriya said seriously. "Especially when he slaps you guys around." Ava cuffed her on the back of the head, giggling. Again, she had a point.
After a while Folken appeared, and sat down beside them.
"How's it coming?" He asked gently. Ava presented him with her neatly arranged darts in a beaker that looked curiously like a shot glass. He examined them, and with a look of apparent satisfaction, pulled a long, tube shaped object from under his cloak.
"Now, I'll show you how to use this," he said, holding it out. It looked like an oversized straw made of polished mahogany, with clever engravings along the sides. A metal device with holes, resembling the top of a salt shaker was fastened to the end, along with some artful looking tassels. "Alright, take the pins, and insert them into this end, poisoned side first."
--~--~---~-----~-----~
It was late, and Ava was sleepily making her way to the dorm. Walking along the deserted corridor, and absently rubbing at the stains on her fingers, contemplating what Folken had told her only minutes ago, when they had finished with the darts lesson and Naria and Eryia had already left.
-~-
Ava stood at the washbasin, scrubbing that last of the beakers.
"I understand you're struggling with Dilandau," he said, after a long span of silence as they cleaned. Ava looked up at him, but he was only restocking high shelves, his face unreadable. She blinked, unsure how he knew, unsure how to respond.
"Yeah," she said finally, looking down. "I guess I don't like how he treats us. He acts like he's better than us, as if we could never be as good as him at anything." she trailed off. She knew that she was treading somewhat rocky ground, as Folken was a high-ranking officer.
"That's because it's true," came the reply. Honestly, she never expected such a rude comment from Folken, he was always very gentle in demeanor. "Forgive me for the bluntness Ava. I think that there is something about Dilandau you don't understand." He shut the cabinet on the shelf he was placing flasks in and sat on the edge of the table, his cloak falling open. He motioned for Ava to sit beside him, waiting for her to scramble up beside him before he continued.
"I don't know if anyone has ever told you this, but Dilandau is not like other boys"' Ava bit back a snort. "He is a prodigy, an exceptional person of intelligence and physical prowess, when it comes to combat. He was born for war, literally." Ava didn't want to hazard a guess as to what that meant. "One day, he will be the leader of the Dragonslayers, I can tell you that with complete certainty. He is the ultimate war-lord, a paradigm of the perfect soldier. He was created for the exclusive purpose of bringing glory and triumph to the Zaibach army." All Ava could manage in response was a look of confusion.
"But how."
"Dilandau isn't what he seems, Ava." For the first time, Folken looked vaguely uncomfortable. "He is not the way he is without the intervention of science. Zaibach. used to perform experiments on live subjects, until, with the use of one little girl, they perfected it." Folken trailed off meaningfully.
Ava was baffled. After the initial amazement at the scientific triumphs of the Zaibach army, she couldn't help but wonder at the validity of using a human test subject, but she kept this to herself. After all, they couldn't have used children that people really wanted or cared for, could they? Otherwise, they'd be missed. As cold a thought it may seem, Ava reasoned that Zaibach was doing unwanted orphans a favor. At least they were wanted here.
--~
Ava, back in the present, continued towards the dorms. Contemplating this rather shocking information about Dilandau, it occurred to her that, while Dilandau was difficult sometimes, (and rude, and pretentious, and sexist, her mind intervened) she could still never lead the Dragonslayers like he could, even if she wanted to. After all, Folken said it himself. He was the ultimate soldier. Ava pitied the people stupid enough to cross Dilandau in the future.
---~----~---~
Over the following weeks and months, Ava grew more and more accustomed to her niche in the Dragonslayers. She now understood that, just because she was subordinate to Dilandau in rank and would one day serve him, she realized that this fact did not define her as a lesser person. And in a weird way, it made her stronger. Now armed with the knowledge that she, along with all the other dragonslayers, fit into a specific and important role, she lost the self-doubt and impetuousness that plagued her earlier months with Zaibach.
--~---
It was late, and cold, and the Guymelefs were blanketed in a thin layer of snow. Part of the dragonslayer's training sometimes involved late night Guymelef training at the whim of General Adelphos and/or Dilandau, and this night was no exception. Since the port was aboard the Vionne, the 'Melefs buzzed about the flying fortress thousands of feet in the air, which, to some, could be rather unnerving.
Part of the evening's regimen involved formation-target practice. While it was a rather droll operation, flinging fireballs and shooting Crima claws at moving targets projected from the Vionne, Ava had to admit, there was a certain degree of feverish excitement whenever the Dragonslayers partook in these exercises.
As she and 4 others approached in a V-formation, a reclusive sputtering noise caught her attention. She looked around, just in time to witness Guimel's Guymelef explode mildly at the shoulder, and burst into flames. His Guymelef lurched, crashing headlong into the propulsion device at the back of Dilandau's Guymelef, positioned at the point of the V.
Right away Ava could tell things just went from bad to worse. While Guimel's guymelef was on fire, it was still certainly airborne, and in no critical danger, albeit he got to the hangar ASAP, while Dilandau's Guymelef gave one ambitious squeal to remain airborne, then plummeted. Vaguely, she heard the other Dragonslayers shout out, and Dilandau's frustrated yells over the comm. Unit. Without even thinking, she cut the thrusters. It seemed for a moment she was suspended in the air, but a split second later, she too began to fall. Faster and faster the ground and the distant burning guymelef approached, but it wasn't fast enough.
With new resolve, Ava projected her Guymelef so she was facing downward, and falling headfirst. Then, she flipped the thrusters back on. Gaining speed, she realized what a delicate operation she had jumped into. Not only was Dilandau's helpless guymelef getting closer, but so was the rocky terrain below. She shook her head to clear it, and readied her Crima claw. She positioned the crosshairs straight for the cockpit, aimed, and fired.
And nothing happened.
It was with a sudden jolt that it occurred to Ava that the drastic change in cockpit pressure, along with flying upside down, had upset the pressure of the liquid metal. Ava started to feel a little queasy, but not from the ride. As she approached Dilandau's doomed Guymelef, she was left with the only other plan she could think of. Swiveling the Guymelef right-side up again, she pulled alongside Dilandau. With a single warbly claw, she clamped Dilandau's guymelef to her own, and shoved the arm of her Guymelef under the arm of his, much like an adult would pick up a young child. Then, she slammed the thrusters down as far as they would go. It seemed too little too late.
While it was slowly starting to counteract their fall, they were still falling to the earth at an amazing velocity. Ava guessed it was only hundreds of feet. She cringed, prayed, and braced herself. Eight hundred. Five hundred. Four hundred. They seemed to be slowing down. Three hundred. She started firing shots at the ground in a last ditch effort. Two hundred. She screwed her eyes shut, and it was then she realized she was screaming, harmonious with the screams coming from the cockpit jammed against hers.
CRASH
It was all black for a moment. Or an hour, Ava wasn't sure. But when she opened her eyes and pulled her protesting into a sitting position, it occurred to her that she was alive. She fisted the door controls, only nothing happened, although she could see why; the cockpit was mangled. By all rights, she should be dead. Luckily, however, the grate was mangled in such a way that the metal was pulled away from the frame, and panting, pulled herself from the wreckage. She looked to the smoking Guymelef beside her. It was in about the same shape: totaled. Knees shaking, and muscles screaming against her efforts, she stumbled over to the grate and peered between the bars. It was dark inside.
"Dilandau?" she asked timidly, afraid of what might respond, or might not. There was no reply. "Dilandau?" she asked again, a louder, and with an unnoticed franticness to her tone. This time, her efforts were greeted by a muffled groan. Tremendous relief poured through her, and she pried the cockpit open. Dilandau laid in his seat, eyes half open, cuts and scrapes all over himself. Without saying anything else, she stuck her hand out, offering. He grabbed her hand, and she painfully hoisted him out of the pilot seat. Both still shaky and shocked, they stumbled to the ground, and let themselves fall by the wreckage, panting. After a time, Dilandau turned to Ava, who was lying on her back on the rocky ground. She noticed something in his eyes that she never saw before. Underneath that layer of ice, she noticed a softness, a velvety crimson thank-you that she never expected, nor knew how to react to.
"Thanks," he said finally.
They held eyes for a moment more, embracing this moment of vulnerable peace and gratitude, barred none from the prying eyes of military and the pressures of expectations. Ava finally looked down, ears red, but smiled softly. "You're welcome." She said, and, with an afterthought, "Dilandau- sama".
Their attention was drawn suddenly to a distant whine; Above them, Ava could see a small vessel approaching with an entourage of guymelefs, most of which belonged to the Dragonslayers. They were coming to get them. Sighing with relief, she turned again to Dilandau, only got to say nothing. It was only after reading the look of shock on his face that she realized she was bathed in a strange blue light. Looking up, she saw she was sitting in a pillar, and was starting to levitate off the ground.
"No!" She cried, trying desperately to cling for something in reach, only to no avail. Dilandau took a final lunge at her, before she was pulled out of reach, loosing consciousness, and everything she had in the world.
---~-----~-----~----~------~-----~-----~----~-
Please R & R. And, for anyone interested, here is a little more shameless plugging of my story: I've drawn a wack of fanart for this story, so for anyone interested in slobbering over Dilandau, Dragonslayers, or interested in seeing what Ava looks like, go to: www.geocities.com/silverchair_fanatik/fanart.htm
NEXT CHAPTER: Drunken perverts, Mystic moon adventures, and Ava's back.But she's definitely changed!
Well everyone, it's been a while since I updated, but I'm really happy with this chapter. Well, I didn't edit it as well as I could have, but it was a necessary link between the before years and the after years that I have been putting off for a veeeery long time. And it's finally out of the way. Yay! After this, it's the sex-pot Dilandau we've all been waiting for, I promise.
Oh, and don't forget to check out the end of the chapter for a little *cough * link that takes you to a site where there is illustrations for this story. Enjoy.
---~-----~-------~----
Chapter 4
A Bridge between Two Worlds
---~----~----~----~
Many months passed. Ava was improving more and more, and became closer with the other Dragonslayers. Dilandau still hadn't quite accepted her, despite her constant attempts to prove herself. Ryoun, on the other hand, still hated her, but Ava didn't really care; it was clear that would never change.
Though the three girls had become friends, Naria and Eriya still had a constant need to try and show Ava up. But this was becoming more and more difficult. Ava was catching up to them at a rapid pace, and she was even able to use a bit of her power during combat, albeit not much.
The three were poised atop a large mat, having a one-on-one-on-one session. Or at least, that's what it was supposed to be. Naria and Eriya had both kind of teamed up on Ava.
Eriya lunged suddenly at her, wielding a long, thin lance. Ava backflipped clumsily out of the way, andjust in a nick of time. Eriya's sword smashed onto the floor where Ava was just moments before, causing a great rip in the mat. No sooner had Ava dodged Eriya's blow, but Naria came at her with her own lance. She struck at Ava, and Ava raised her own thin sword to meet it. They were locked like that, Naria trying to force hers downward, and Ava forcing hers upward. All too suddenly, there was a sickening thump, and white-hot pain seared up Ava's spine. She fell to the mat, stunned. While Ava and Naria were duking it out, Eriya had got her with the flat end of her sword.
A moment later Ava pushed herself up, groaning. Her head was swimming. Naria and Eriya smiled down at her, looking smug, but they both offered her a hand. Ava could tell they'd do just about anything to impress Folken. She saw them sneaking glances all throughout their little battle to see if he was watching. It was funny.
"Good match" she said, grinning. The twins grinned back "Likewise. I would've had you if Naria the lunk-head didn't get in the way." she teased Eriya good naturedly. The girls proceeded to go over to Folken's lab, and sat around a large table with bubbling cauldrons and flasks. Folken was teaching them to make poisoned needles. They chatted for a while, dipping the pins in the cauldron, then holding them over a Bunsen burner to set, which was when the turquoise paste charred to the copper, and finally arranging them carefully in a holder.
"I don't know how you can stand that insufferable git, Dilandau," said Naria. "He's so pompous."
"and loud," Eriya cut in
"and demanding," Naria said.
"And he's always disobeying Folken-sama," they said together passionately.
"Dilandau's not really all that bad," Ava defended, all though not sure why.
"Yeah, I can tell by the way he rags on you all the time. He's a real sweet pea." Naria said sarcastically. Unfortunately, Naria sort of had a point.
"Well, you have to admit, he has gotten better. He's not entirely horrible."
"Oh yeah, I agree" Eriya said seriously. "Especially when he slaps you guys around." Ava cuffed her on the back of the head, giggling. Again, she had a point.
After a while Folken appeared, and sat down beside them.
"How's it coming?" He asked gently. Ava presented him with her neatly arranged darts in a beaker that looked curiously like a shot glass. He examined them, and with a look of apparent satisfaction, pulled a long, tube shaped object from under his cloak.
"Now, I'll show you how to use this," he said, holding it out. It looked like an oversized straw made of polished mahogany, with clever engravings along the sides. A metal device with holes, resembling the top of a salt shaker was fastened to the end, along with some artful looking tassels. "Alright, take the pins, and insert them into this end, poisoned side first."
--~--~---~-----~-----~
It was late, and Ava was sleepily making her way to the dorm. Walking along the deserted corridor, and absently rubbing at the stains on her fingers, contemplating what Folken had told her only minutes ago, when they had finished with the darts lesson and Naria and Eryia had already left.
-~-
Ava stood at the washbasin, scrubbing that last of the beakers.
"I understand you're struggling with Dilandau," he said, after a long span of silence as they cleaned. Ava looked up at him, but he was only restocking high shelves, his face unreadable. She blinked, unsure how he knew, unsure how to respond.
"Yeah," she said finally, looking down. "I guess I don't like how he treats us. He acts like he's better than us, as if we could never be as good as him at anything." she trailed off. She knew that she was treading somewhat rocky ground, as Folken was a high-ranking officer.
"That's because it's true," came the reply. Honestly, she never expected such a rude comment from Folken, he was always very gentle in demeanor. "Forgive me for the bluntness Ava. I think that there is something about Dilandau you don't understand." He shut the cabinet on the shelf he was placing flasks in and sat on the edge of the table, his cloak falling open. He motioned for Ava to sit beside him, waiting for her to scramble up beside him before he continued.
"I don't know if anyone has ever told you this, but Dilandau is not like other boys"' Ava bit back a snort. "He is a prodigy, an exceptional person of intelligence and physical prowess, when it comes to combat. He was born for war, literally." Ava didn't want to hazard a guess as to what that meant. "One day, he will be the leader of the Dragonslayers, I can tell you that with complete certainty. He is the ultimate war-lord, a paradigm of the perfect soldier. He was created for the exclusive purpose of bringing glory and triumph to the Zaibach army." All Ava could manage in response was a look of confusion.
"But how."
"Dilandau isn't what he seems, Ava." For the first time, Folken looked vaguely uncomfortable. "He is not the way he is without the intervention of science. Zaibach. used to perform experiments on live subjects, until, with the use of one little girl, they perfected it." Folken trailed off meaningfully.
Ava was baffled. After the initial amazement at the scientific triumphs of the Zaibach army, she couldn't help but wonder at the validity of using a human test subject, but she kept this to herself. After all, they couldn't have used children that people really wanted or cared for, could they? Otherwise, they'd be missed. As cold a thought it may seem, Ava reasoned that Zaibach was doing unwanted orphans a favor. At least they were wanted here.
--~
Ava, back in the present, continued towards the dorms. Contemplating this rather shocking information about Dilandau, it occurred to her that, while Dilandau was difficult sometimes, (and rude, and pretentious, and sexist, her mind intervened) she could still never lead the Dragonslayers like he could, even if she wanted to. After all, Folken said it himself. He was the ultimate soldier. Ava pitied the people stupid enough to cross Dilandau in the future.
---~----~---~
Over the following weeks and months, Ava grew more and more accustomed to her niche in the Dragonslayers. She now understood that, just because she was subordinate to Dilandau in rank and would one day serve him, she realized that this fact did not define her as a lesser person. And in a weird way, it made her stronger. Now armed with the knowledge that she, along with all the other dragonslayers, fit into a specific and important role, she lost the self-doubt and impetuousness that plagued her earlier months with Zaibach.
--~---
It was late, and cold, and the Guymelefs were blanketed in a thin layer of snow. Part of the dragonslayer's training sometimes involved late night Guymelef training at the whim of General Adelphos and/or Dilandau, and this night was no exception. Since the port was aboard the Vionne, the 'Melefs buzzed about the flying fortress thousands of feet in the air, which, to some, could be rather unnerving.
Part of the evening's regimen involved formation-target practice. While it was a rather droll operation, flinging fireballs and shooting Crima claws at moving targets projected from the Vionne, Ava had to admit, there was a certain degree of feverish excitement whenever the Dragonslayers partook in these exercises.
As she and 4 others approached in a V-formation, a reclusive sputtering noise caught her attention. She looked around, just in time to witness Guimel's Guymelef explode mildly at the shoulder, and burst into flames. His Guymelef lurched, crashing headlong into the propulsion device at the back of Dilandau's Guymelef, positioned at the point of the V.
Right away Ava could tell things just went from bad to worse. While Guimel's guymelef was on fire, it was still certainly airborne, and in no critical danger, albeit he got to the hangar ASAP, while Dilandau's Guymelef gave one ambitious squeal to remain airborne, then plummeted. Vaguely, she heard the other Dragonslayers shout out, and Dilandau's frustrated yells over the comm. Unit. Without even thinking, she cut the thrusters. It seemed for a moment she was suspended in the air, but a split second later, she too began to fall. Faster and faster the ground and the distant burning guymelef approached, but it wasn't fast enough.
With new resolve, Ava projected her Guymelef so she was facing downward, and falling headfirst. Then, she flipped the thrusters back on. Gaining speed, she realized what a delicate operation she had jumped into. Not only was Dilandau's helpless guymelef getting closer, but so was the rocky terrain below. She shook her head to clear it, and readied her Crima claw. She positioned the crosshairs straight for the cockpit, aimed, and fired.
And nothing happened.
It was with a sudden jolt that it occurred to Ava that the drastic change in cockpit pressure, along with flying upside down, had upset the pressure of the liquid metal. Ava started to feel a little queasy, but not from the ride. As she approached Dilandau's doomed Guymelef, she was left with the only other plan she could think of. Swiveling the Guymelef right-side up again, she pulled alongside Dilandau. With a single warbly claw, she clamped Dilandau's guymelef to her own, and shoved the arm of her Guymelef under the arm of his, much like an adult would pick up a young child. Then, she slammed the thrusters down as far as they would go. It seemed too little too late.
While it was slowly starting to counteract their fall, they were still falling to the earth at an amazing velocity. Ava guessed it was only hundreds of feet. She cringed, prayed, and braced herself. Eight hundred. Five hundred. Four hundred. They seemed to be slowing down. Three hundred. She started firing shots at the ground in a last ditch effort. Two hundred. She screwed her eyes shut, and it was then she realized she was screaming, harmonious with the screams coming from the cockpit jammed against hers.
CRASH
It was all black for a moment. Or an hour, Ava wasn't sure. But when she opened her eyes and pulled her protesting into a sitting position, it occurred to her that she was alive. She fisted the door controls, only nothing happened, although she could see why; the cockpit was mangled. By all rights, she should be dead. Luckily, however, the grate was mangled in such a way that the metal was pulled away from the frame, and panting, pulled herself from the wreckage. She looked to the smoking Guymelef beside her. It was in about the same shape: totaled. Knees shaking, and muscles screaming against her efforts, she stumbled over to the grate and peered between the bars. It was dark inside.
"Dilandau?" she asked timidly, afraid of what might respond, or might not. There was no reply. "Dilandau?" she asked again, a louder, and with an unnoticed franticness to her tone. This time, her efforts were greeted by a muffled groan. Tremendous relief poured through her, and she pried the cockpit open. Dilandau laid in his seat, eyes half open, cuts and scrapes all over himself. Without saying anything else, she stuck her hand out, offering. He grabbed her hand, and she painfully hoisted him out of the pilot seat. Both still shaky and shocked, they stumbled to the ground, and let themselves fall by the wreckage, panting. After a time, Dilandau turned to Ava, who was lying on her back on the rocky ground. She noticed something in his eyes that she never saw before. Underneath that layer of ice, she noticed a softness, a velvety crimson thank-you that she never expected, nor knew how to react to.
"Thanks," he said finally.
They held eyes for a moment more, embracing this moment of vulnerable peace and gratitude, barred none from the prying eyes of military and the pressures of expectations. Ava finally looked down, ears red, but smiled softly. "You're welcome." She said, and, with an afterthought, "Dilandau- sama".
Their attention was drawn suddenly to a distant whine; Above them, Ava could see a small vessel approaching with an entourage of guymelefs, most of which belonged to the Dragonslayers. They were coming to get them. Sighing with relief, she turned again to Dilandau, only got to say nothing. It was only after reading the look of shock on his face that she realized she was bathed in a strange blue light. Looking up, she saw she was sitting in a pillar, and was starting to levitate off the ground.
"No!" She cried, trying desperately to cling for something in reach, only to no avail. Dilandau took a final lunge at her, before she was pulled out of reach, loosing consciousness, and everything she had in the world.
---~-----~-----~----~------~-----~-----~----~-
Please R & R. And, for anyone interested, here is a little more shameless plugging of my story: I've drawn a wack of fanart for this story, so for anyone interested in slobbering over Dilandau, Dragonslayers, or interested in seeing what Ava looks like, go to: www.geocities.com/silverchair_fanatik/fanart.htm
NEXT CHAPTER: Drunken perverts, Mystic moon adventures, and Ava's back.But she's definitely changed!