Many days were spent in the new tour bus, it felt like the caravan bus all over again. Claire easily noticing that the deserts that bordered around Mexico and Texas were so much more different then the snowy forests of the Canadian village she used to reside in with her guardian. She leaned her head on the window, feeling the rattling and vibrations on her head. It hurt for a while but she then was adapted to it soon after. She thought of herself being deep in thought and giving off a poetic impression. She saw Lisa sitting on a seat, putting her feet on top of another seat resting with a book in her hand and her eyes swiftly moving from side to side on the pages. Alchemy for Dummies by Brian Forrester was what the book was called. Claire then took her head off the glass windows and faced towards Lisa with a lazy manner, tired from the battle she had just experienced. "Who's Br--,"
"It's amazing, facing two of the most aggressive Astral Beasts and still you're alive." Lisa said, turning the pages of her book whilst not facing Claire. "I guess defeating Aries really did give you a more fierce personality in battle."
"A more fierce personality?" Claire asked.
Lisa closed her book, and looked towards Claire with a mean streak on her face. "You aren't always going to ask questions when you don't really need to right? When Diane… I mean my sister took her responsibility… her fate on being the one to save the world… She changed after capturing the beasts. However they were different, the beasts she faced were based on mythological beasts and Gods even. She carried the Lunar Wand, the power of the moon and even in the darkest circumstances, she shined bright."
Claire opened her mouth, about to talk, but refrained. She then looked towards the windows, where the sky soon turned a dark blue. Clouds moving in and the desert seemed quite different. Andre yawning went to the back of the bus to sleep, as only all of the back seats were enough to support him. Socrates looked behind him as he was driving the bus, seeing all the passengers tired from their trip. "We take a break here. Everyone have a good nights rest. Tomorrow is going to be busy."
He then turned the bus out of the road and into the dirt and sands of the deserts to stop at a far distance behind a large rock.
"Good Night everyone" Socrates said, turning out the lights and closing the doors. "Good night Socrates!" May said in a sweet tone. "Good night Socrates and to everyone else on the bus" Lucy giggled in delight. "Mexico sounds like fun!"
Lisa leaned her head on the window, closing her eyes and taking her spectacles off saying not a word but drifting herself to sleep. Claire looked around, but neither Adrian nor Mark could be found, until she looked above the bus where an opening was found and she heard sounds of footsteps on top of the bus.
Claire then rose activated her wand quietly, trying to cover the orb of light that usually came with the activation process and rose her wand towards the opening, eventually levitating herself as she was too short to climb towards it.
As she got to the top, she saw Mark looking down with his sword in hand. "Funny how you tried to conceal your presence, however you were just too obvious." Mark said with a mocking laugh, then jumping off the bus.
"But where are you… going?" Claire cried. Adrian sitting laughed to himself. "Don't worry Claire, he's only practicing his sword skills."
"Adrian, but what are you doing out? Aren't you going to get some sleep?" Claire wondered. "No, I like the night. Seeing all the stars in the sky. It's more beautiful then the day." He then stared at Claire, still holding her wand and standing.
"Armed? Well I can tell you there's no more dangerous scorpions in the desert anymore."
Claire looked to her wand, and then looked to Adrian. "This isn't what it looks like!"
Adrian laughed to himself. "That's magic for you. Makes you reach for places that no magic can't reach."
Claire then took a seat on the bus top and looked down at her wand, remembering the things that Lisa said before hand.
"Adrian…
Did the journey that you have before hand… Did that change Lisa's
sister?"
"What do you mean?"
"Lisa told me that
whenever she contained the beasts in her amulet, she changed. Into
someone different."
Adrian was silent for a few seconds looking at the stars and then looking towards Claire. "Diane never changed, she was always the Diane that we loved. The friend who'd always look out for everyone and cared about everyone. How could she… her own sister think of something like that?" Adrian then looked to himself and then blankly stared at the horizon. Claire wasn't convinced. "I don't want to change though!" she said, putting on a tantrum. Adrian looked to Claire. "You aren't going to change. Don't listen to Lisa even for a second." He then raised his hand and covered his face in disbelief. Claire watched him as his skin tone darkened like a light shadow covering over him. It was a full moon while the clouds were apparent, but only so slightly.
"I
don't want anything to happen to you Adrian…" Claire
sobbed.
"Nothing's going to happen to me, Claire. What makes
you think that?"
"It's because…" she wiped her eyes. "Of that curse that woman put on you. I know what she's capable of. Haunting my dreams every night. I don't even want to go to sleep anymore. And I know what's she capable of. She's powerful Adrian and I just hope… whatever happens, you'd be standing there watching me proudly as we save the world and save my sister Kristen as well."
Adrian then gestured Claire to come closer to him, only to hug her tightly keeping her warm from the chilly breeze of the night saying not a word, but keeping her close.
Mark jumped up on top of the bus and looked at the two. "I'm going to sleep, you close the thing after your done with this."
Claire was worried about the times to come. More and more, she knew that as time went by, her guardian was slipping away, but she kept him close. And didn't let go, as she refused to let him go. The stars were shining, watching the two holding on to what could be their last moments together. Claire saw the stars, seeing a flying spectre of Adrian almost walking on air. She then looked towards where Adrian had previously been and didn't see him there. She panicked, "Adrian… Adrian? Where are you?"
She then slowly opened her eyes, seeing herself inside the bus as it was moving. The sun was shined through the windows, everyone was wide-awake and Socrates took the wheel like he used to. Beside Claire was Adrian, apparently sleeping. She gazed at him sleeping and smiled, then tilting her head facing the window and leaning against it.