Just a quick update on what I'm doing. I've been asked to write another Valentine's story (Escaflowne, of course) in celebration for the holiday of love. Personally, I've got absolutely no one to celebrate it with this year, so I'll have to share it with my only true love - Word Document. It truly understands me...
That being said, I'm putting this aside only for a week to finish my little Valentine's fic and then I'm picking this monster right back up because it's flipping getting to the reeeaaallly good parts! Ahh... I want to keep writing this so bad. I would have had this chapter done earlier if not for a most handsome man who has started working right across the desk from mine. Talk about some goooood distractions. Seriously. This guy is really cute.
Again, if you see any mistakes in this, please let me know. Don't have a beta reader and my computer at work is a piece of crap (would have had this posted earlier, but noooo... stupid computer had to be a jerk and completely knock itself off the internet).
Anyways, I'll say more later after the chapter. Go forth, my reading companions!
After watching Goau's form disappear slowly in the distance, it had taken Varie at least thirty minutes to regain her composure. She had sat in the car listening to the rumble of the idle engine until all her tears finally dried. Looking at herself in the mirror, she sighed through a blocked nose. She had to clear up. The kids needed a strong, happy mother who wasn't worried about the future. She was a grown up and that meant she needed to have everything under control. Goau had said he was coming back, so in their innocent minds he would return. But Varie understood what his leaving had meant.
There was a high probability they'd never see him again.
She'd shaken her head in frustration and began to reverse in the car. She still loved the idiot no matter how many times she told herself he was worthless. Those three years they were separated she'd almost convinced herself she didn't care about him.
Then he shows up and screws with her heart once more.
And now she knew would always love him. Being with him at the log cabin not only awakened her longing for his presence, but reaffirmed exactly how much she'd missed him. The familiar smell of his skin – occasionally overpowered by burn ointment. The way he tried to make light in almost every dark situation. Even the way he narrowed his dark eyes when he was thinking deeply. She found herself sitting and watching him when he wasn't looking. Or maybe he did know she was looking. He sure did kiss her like he knew. Of course, that had been mostly initiated by her, but still, he'd kissed her back with as much longing - as much passion - as she felt inside.
The goodbye kiss had left her breathless and wanting more.
And the idiot just walked away again! Out of her life and back to his research. She should have made him stay. She should have found a way to guilt him into it. Now that he was gone, she was heartbroken all over again.
Damn him!
Sucking in her grief, she'd packed the cabin with much gusto; hardly giving herself breaks between carrying heavy luggage. Despite her son's complaints and Hitomi's curious expressions, she didn't rest until it was time to drive away from the cabin. The day was passing well into the afternoon when she finally stuffed them in the back seat and took her place behind the driver's wheel.
The wind whistled through the cracked windows of the car as she pulled onto the main highway. Varie shivered slightly, but still welcomed the outside chill. It was a long road to the next town. Checking her gas tank, she calculated she'd have enough for the next three and a half hours or so.
That was one good thing about her junk car – gas mileage.
Glancing in the rearview mirror at the two children sitting in the back seats of her car, she smiled to herself with false cheerfulness. Hitomi's green eyes solemnly followed the passing scenery outside. Van was staring at his lap looking a bit dejected. His expression was exactly how she felt on the inside.
"Cheer up, Van," The long-haired woman called to her son. "It's not going to be forever. We'll go to the cabin again someday."
"It won't be the same," he mumbled. "Dad won't be there."
"He decided to miss out on fun. That doesn't mean we have to."
"It won't be fun without him…"
The mother clicked her tongue. "You never know. Maybe he'll show up there again someday. This time he'll bring a radioactive puppy for us to take care of."
Hitomi blinked and started giggling. Varie noticed her son's alarmed look. He reached out with a hand and immediately touched her small arm. He didn't flinch, but it was evident the girl's power was stirred a little with the happiness.
"Can you feel it?" She heard him whisper to Hitomi. His hand lingered a bit on her arm.
"Yes, I can. I'm sorry." She whispered back. "I'll try to stop it."
"Just enough so you don't destroy the car," Varie announced smiling. "It's not bad to be happy, honey."
"But it will be bad if she causes us to be stranded on the side of the road." Van countered sourly.
"Van, if you can't say anything positive then keep it to yourself." She scolded. He ducked his black head bitterly and frowned.
"Mrs. Fanel?" Hitomi's small voice ran from the back seat.
"Call me Varie, honey."
The girl blushed sweetly. Van's mahogany eyes widened and he shook his head at the woman. "Stop making her happy, mom!"
"Why can't she be happy, Van? Today is the start of a new day. The three of us are a family now. Did you want something, Hitomi?"
The little girl nodded. "I just wanted to say that I think you should let the truck behind you pass."
Glancing at her rearview mirror again, she noticed a run down red pick-up truck gaining on her. She clicked on her turn signal and moved to the right side of the two lane highway. The truck sped past hulling a large, dirty white trailer behind it.
"Where are we going anyways?" her son inquired.
She sighed. "Your father suggested heading south to the rural country. He said it would be easier to hide than the ci-"
"Mrs. Fanel, watch out!" Hitomi shrieked suddenly, her green eyes going illuminatingly wide. The pick-up had decided to swerve into her lane without checking to clear the trailer. Varie gasped and instinctively slammed on the brake. She heard the children scream behind her. It was too late.
Crunch!
A metallic scraping made her teeth grit with fright. Her entire body flung forward with the inertia and she felt her forehead hit the steering wheel painfully. Blackness encroached on her vision and she blinked ferociously. Pressing the brake more firmly, she breathed slowly to straighten her wavering surroundings and slowly pulled over to the side of the highway. It was several seconds before she could clear her frightened, scattering thoughts. Wincing at the throb above her eyebrow where she'd hit her head, she watched the pick-up pull over a handful of yards away.
A massive dent spread across the bottom part of the stained trailer. The right side of the double white doors of the trailer was swinging open on broken hinges. Varie vaguely made out the logo of a popular candy on several boxes stacked to the ceiling. Turning around swiftly, she gave a sigh in relief. Both children had put their seatbelts on before they'd left the cabin. Her son had taken his off and was sitting on his knees at Hitomi's side of the back seat. His arms were around the little girl. She was breathing heavily and he was muttering words of encouragement in her ear. She had her small arms tightly around his waist; her head resting against his thin chest.
"Both of you are okay?" Varie asked.
Van looked up from comforting the small girl and gasped. "Mom, your head is bleeding."
Bringing down the visor, she checked the mirror.
"I'm alright. It's only a scrape. How's Hitomi?"
"Calming down," He answered with a strained look on his face. It was obvious her power had flared quite a bit.
"You two wait here. I need to speak to the driver."
"Be careful, mom."
Varie nodded and opened the door. Slamming it shut, she walked to the front and winced at the damage on her front grill. The left headlight was completely knocked off its socket and was dangling by only a few cords. The car was already having engine issues. This on top of everything else?
The long-haired woman held back an irritated sigh. Shifting to face the truck's driver's side, she watched the door slowly open and an older man climb out. He was tall, thin, and lanky. His tan skin was the color of melted chocolate. He walked closer to Varie and she immediately noticed his long, strong fingers, which looked easy to wring around a woman's neck. She swallowed and tried to push down her growing nervousness. The man removed a ball cap from his head and threw the hat inside the truck bed. The sun glinted on his brown, bald scalp.
Plucking up her courage, she gave the man a meek shrug. "It looks like we've had a bit of an accident."
"Dis is true," the man smiled, his wide mouth making him look even more menacing. Now that his hat was gone she noticed his dark eyes were sunken slightly in his skull. "I belief dis es my fault. I dud not look at mey blind side. I apolugize, mudam, but yu seem to hafe been hurt." He had a strong Indian accent. She was startled by his obvious concern.
She found herself smiling and waving her hand. "I'll be fine. It looks worse than it really is." She gestured to the broken door on his trailer. "What should we do? You will lose all your supplies if you keep driving like that."
"I wull figure someting out. I belief I hafe mey tull bux in da truck bed." He frowned at the trailer like it was its fault. "Just between yu und me, mudam, I'd rather not hafe the polace involved."
Varie blinked. Feeling a shiver of fear run down her spine, she forced her voice to remain steady. "Why don't you want the police involved?" she asked her eyes slowly traveling to the candy boxes. The man followed her gaze.
Suddenly she heard a car door open behind her and Van call out.
"Hitomi! Get back here!"
Turning around, the long-haired woman and the stranger watched the little girl sprint around the car to where the man was standing. Varie opened her mouth to demand her to get back in the car. Then she stopped shocked as the girl gently grabbed the man's long fingers with both of her small hands and smiled brilliantly at him.
"Hello, mister!"
The man was obviously taken back. He and Varie just stared at her. Van stopped by his mother's side and narrowed his mahogany eyes in confusion.
"You're going to help us, right, mister? We can help you, too. We've got money!"
"Hitomi!" Varie shouted zipping her eyes from the little girl to the grown man in front of her. She felt her fear rise into panic. "Don't tell him that!" Turning to the tan man, she waved her hands in front of her. "We really-really don't have any money-I don't know what she's talking about-"
"But we do! In the briefcase!" she insisted. "Trust me, Varie! He's a good person!"
The short-haired girl let go of his hand and walked to the broken door of the trailer. Tapping on a dented box of candy with her palm, she grinned at the man. "There isn't any candy, is there?"
Varie shifted her astonished face back to the man. His small eyes looked even more shrunken. She watched his Adam's apple bob strangely as if he was having trouble swallowing. "Of curse, dare es only cundy in dar. What else wuld it be? Get away frum it!"
The green-eyed girl grabbed the box and groaned as she yanked it out of the trailer.
"Hitomi! What are you-"
"Don't du dat!"
The box's cardboard ripped slightly as it slammed into the concrete. It was just enough to see the black metallic nozzles of…
"Guns!" Varie squeaked. Oh, God. We are dead. We are dead. We are all dead.
His body was tense, his concaved eyes unnaturally wide.
"How dud yu know?" he whispered. His voice was quiet, but the mother and two children could easily hear him over the loud traffic. "How dud yu know, liddle gurl? How culd yu possibly-"
"We need your help, mister. Would you happen to know where we could get different names?"
"Hitomi, that's enough!" Varie shouted. Reaching out, she grabbed the little girl by the arm. "You and Van need to get back into the car!"
"For the briefcase?" she asked innocently, her green eyes blinking up at the long-haired woman.
"No! No, we need to get out of here! Please," she looked at the stranger and gave a frighten chuckle mixed with hyperventilating breaths. "Please, let us go. We won't say anything, I swear. This was all just an accident, a misunderstanding." The tan man looked at her thoughtfully. "I'll give you money if you just let us go. Please, please, or you can take me. Just take me and leave the children!"
"Calm down, Varie," the small girl whispered looking worried more for her sanity than the situation. "You're hurting me a little."
"But… but the guns and-"
"Yu need differunt names? As un new idendities?" the man murmured with a strange smile slowly on his face. "And yu hafe munny in a briefcase? I guess yu don't want da polace tu show up either."
Varie stopped moving, her heart beat racing a mile a minute. She gasped for another breath and gave Hitomi a questioning looking. The little girl was beaming and nodding her head encouragingly.
"That – might be – a possibility…" she answered vaguely still trying to stop her panic attack.
"I dink I know just da man yu need."
There was silence between the two adults. Then Van spoke up.
"You do?"
The man's smile widened. It didn't look as menacing as it did before. He nodded at the boy. "My name es Plaktu. I wull take yu to Da Merchant."
Swinging around the curves of downtown city, the long-haired woman knew this was exactly the place she shouldn't have gone. Was she insane? Was this all part of some strange hallucination? Soon she'd wake up in her bed at the rent house and realize these past few days were just a dream. No one was hunting them. Goau was safely in his lab buried in his research. Van was awake and getting ready for school. Balgus was calling her and demanding rent money, but hinting that she could wait till next month. Everything was as it should be.
But nothing was as it should be. She followed the old, beat-up trailer as it made another right at a traffic light. The hanging back door had been patched with the tool kit that Plaktu had stashed in his pick-up. Frowning at her swinging headlight, he once again apologized for swerving in her lane. She had shaken her head and smiled at him. Just leading her to this Merchant was enough to make things square between them. She had sworn absolute secrecy to his 'supplies' and he willingly agreed to help her get inside to see The Merchant.
"If yu hafe da munny, he'll make miracles happen." He had said. "I'll explane huw tu git ur new idendities. It shuldn't be tu hurd."
"Where is he exactly?" she had asked watching him attempt to hammer the broken hinge back into place.
"He chandges his location edvery year, but he hus shops all arund da many cities. Lucky fur yu, he came back tu town recuntly. He duesn't usually take persunal requests, but," he glanced at Hitomi, who was listening to something Van was saying several yards away, "I tink he'll make un exceptiun fur her. "
"Why? What's up with Hitomi?"
The man had given his mysterious smile and went back to hammering. "Yu know as well as I du. She es a vury special gurl, yur daudter. I knew us soon us she touched mey. The Merchant will wund tu see her in persun."
"She's not my daughter." Varie had corrected with a slight blush. "But I will admit she is special. So, you know how to get us the fake papers."
He had nodded without looking at her. "I'll make sure yu cun repeaut it backwurds."
Varie sighed and turned on her signaler. The red pick-up maneuvered to the left hand lane and she followed making sure no one would get in-between them.
Night had fallen early, signaling the beginning of winter. The flashing signs and loud noises were enough to set her teeth on edge. Glancing in her rearview mirror, she saw Van's mahogany eyes zipping all over the window. Of course, he'd be excited. The boy had never been to the city before. Checking on Hitomi, she noticed the girl sitting happily on the seat.
Well, if Hitomi's comfortable, obviously this is the right thing to do. Varie thought in attempt to calm her nerves. She knew that he didn't have candy in the boxes. And despite the guns, she knew he would help us get new identities. She also sensed he was a good person when all I saw was danger. Her forehead crinkled. She told me to get over, too! She told me to let him pass! Did she know that he would swerve into my lane? That I'd hit him in the back of his trailer? Did she see this all before it even happened? It's the same with Van at the lake! She knew he would drown. Van told her to leave and she ran and got me. She was trying to save his life even before he made the mistake of getting into that boat.
Flicking her mahogany eyes once again at the content girl, she tried swallowed down her increasing curiosity. Who is this girl? Did the Energist make her this way? Goau mentioned her mother was a bit of a fortune-teller. But something like saving Van and running into Plaktu… this is unnatural.
Her mind switched to reality as she followed the red-pickup into a small parking lot. A rundown café stood about fifteen yards from the lot and had only three cars parked around it. She furrowed her eyebrows at the title of the restaurant: The Kissing Mermaid. She heard her stomach growl at the posters of sandwiches on the dark tinted windows. If this turned out to be only a restaurant, she decided then and there she'd order the ham and cheese.
"This is it?" She asked out loud.
"If Plaktu says it is." Hitomi answered making the woman jump. She hadn't expected the girl to answer.
She did as Plaktu had told her and parked in front of the shady café. She watched as the red pick-up swerved around the parking lot to the back side of the building. Despite her ever-increasing nerves, she smiled at the obviousness of it all. If someone truly cared, they could easily figure out all that candy couldn't possibly be for a sandwich shop. The Merchant should invest in boxes with a famous deli meat for the logo.
Getting out of the car, she worked her way to the back of the vehicle staring the building up and down with distaste. The peeling paint combined with the flashy, half-lit, florescent mermaid sign added certain silly shabbiness to the place. She wondered vaguely – notwithstanding the appetizing pictures on the windows - if anyone ever came in to actually eat.
Pulling up the trunk of her car, she dug till she found the briefcase. Slamming it shut, she swallowed and took Van's hand with her free one. He turned and grabbed Hitomi's.
Together, hand-in-hand the three of them walked into the little restaurant to meet The Merchant.
"You think this is acceptable?" the gravely voice of Dornkirk sounded from a chair in the corner. On the large televisions in front of the leather recliner were flashes of burning cars and scrambling bodies. Gray stood silent. "Do you actually think I'd let you continue the hunt with this kind of collateral damage on your head?"
"I never did-"
"You never did what? You were there, Gray. You had him in your sights. And you let this happen. They are saying that a gunman was seen."
The only noise that followed was a groan from the old man as he stood slowly from his seat.
"I'm removing you from Fanel's case. Your judgments are unpredictable just like Dilandau's. I should terminate both you and Dilandau for this embarrassment."
"I swear it won't happen again. If I had Dilandau's sharp shooter abilities then I would have-"
"But you didn't." Dornkirk said quietly. Standing, he was shorter than Gray only by a few inches, yet somehow the old man made the spy feel like he was two feet tall. "You didn't think. You didn't act like you usually do. What is wrong with you, Gray? You are my best."
"I got irrational once I spotted my target."
The old man frowned. Gray knew immediately that was the worst thing to say. Ever.
"Those are dangerous words, Gray. You didn't go through the training. I trusted your stoic mind to constantly remain calm and collected, but you broke that. You acted out. And look what it bought us." He gestured a withered hand to the bright television behind him. "They are saying fifty-seven deaths. Fifty-seven innocent people because of you got 'irrational'. You knew Fanel had the fossil. You knew he was desperate and might resort to violence. Look what happened. Look at that television."
The older man never shouted. Never once raised his voice. But all at once, Gray knew he was treading on fragile glass. Both with being 'terminated' by the company and Dornkirk figuring out his real identity.
"I beg you give me another chance." Gray said quietly not even fluttering an eyelid. Dornkirk walked slowly towards the young man; his long white beard swaying back and forth. He stood staring, soaking his fierce, wrinkled gray eyes into smooth mahogany. Their faces only inches apart.
"No. I will send someone else. You will be reassigned to another mission until you can be trusted again, Gray. All of your information, computers, spy-ware will be given to your replacement."
The silver-headed man allowed himself to exhale slowly in attempt to quail his rising fury.
"Do you mind me asking who the one is replacing me?" he said slowly, fighting the urge to grit his teeth.
The right corner of Dornkirk's mouth slowly went up. Turning away, he strolled slowly to his chair and sat down once more. The leather squeaked under him.
"His name is Green Smile. Make sure to take good care of your stuff for him."
The door had a bell which clanged loudly as soon as she disturbed the door. Varie grimaced at the noise and pushed her way inside. The front was boxed in and empty except for an old, stained wooden desk with a welcome sign on the front. There were two doors – one on Varie's right and the other behind the desk with a crooked "Employees Only" sign taped on the front. The long-haired woman suddenly took back her wish for a ham and cheese sandwich from this place. She didn't need indigestion on top of her already piling nerves.
An older blond woman sat behind the desk with her cheek in her palm. She didn't even look Varie's way as the loud bell resounded through the entire building. She was dressed in a tacky beach shirt that made her look like she was in a bikini. She had an odd-looking microphone headset strapped around the back of her head and plugged in one ear. Varie walked closer to her and read her name tag.
"Hello, er, Eris," she said in her friendliest voice. She almost cringed at the fakeness in her tone. The woman slowly peeled her blue eyes from the equally peeling wall and focused on Varie's face.
"Hey, woman. Kids ain't allowed in The Mermaid." The receptionist's voice was completely monotone. Even her blinking was boring.
"I think you'll make an exception for them." She smiled brightly. Taking up the briefcase, Varie opened the latches with an easily click and withdrew one wad of rubber banded money. Expecting to see surprise from on the woman's face, she was disappointed when Eris' blank expression hardly moved. She withdrew twelve bills – the exact amount that Plaktu had told her – and laid it on the counter.
"I'll have three mystery subs on rye, please."
That woke the woman up. Eris's blank blue eyes cleared as she slowly rolled her piercing stare over all three of them. Varie glanced down at Van and they exchanged a worried look. After about a minute, she reached to her headset and said, "Three mystery subs on rye."
No sooner did she speak the words then the door behind her burst open and a tiny man ran out. His nose was the first thing Varie noticed. It was severely pointed. A rat, was the immediate description she gave the man. He was barely taller than Van with a balding head and a stringy mustache that needed to be trimmed. He was panting and sweating as if he'd run all the way there from across the street.
Slipping out six more bills, the mother boldly walked towards the newcomer just as Plaktu told her to do. Holding out the money with confidence she didn't feel, she said lowly, "I want extra cheese on all three." The man gave a strange, nervous squeak and Eris rolled her big blue eyes in annoyance. He took the money from her with a trembling hand. She acted like she knew what she was talking about, but inside she wondered what was so threatening about 'extra cheese'?
"You heard her, Eris," the man's voice was nasally. He tried and failed miserably to look authoritative while gesturing to the receptionist. "Extra cheese for the lady."
"Extra cheese on all three," Eris repeated in her headset, looking vastly annoyed. The rat man continued to stare at the blond woman with expectant eyes. Varie followed his gaze and watched her as well. Eris scowled at all four of them in turn, obviously not enjoying being the center of attention.
After about two minutes, she pressed her hand against her headset obviously listening to someone speaking. She nodded once and whispered, "I know, I know, but she just paid for extra." Tilting her head with an air of snobbery, she tossed her blond hair over one shoulder. "That's what I said, Mei-" She paused and rolled her eyes. "I mean, Merchant." Several more seconds. "How would I know she knew to say that? I didn't put it on the restaurant website this time, so don't you dare blame this one on me!" She scoffed. "Why don't you yell at that little pip-squeak of an assistant? He's the one that took her money!"
The rat man gave a quiet yelp and shook his head vehemently at Eris. She ignored him. "Yeah, I know that." Suddenly she glanced at Varie and looked her up and down. "She's tall, long hair…" She scowled. "So, what if she sounds hot! Are you going to make her sandwiches?" Several more seconds. "She's not hot at all! Get over yourself, Meiden!"
The long-haired woman felt the urge to back away from the desk as Eris' glare turned menacing. "I don't care what you think! She said 'mystery subs'! What else is that supposed to mean?" Even more seconds passed. "Stop complaining, you bastard! Who cares if you are playing both fields! You should be used to that by now!" Varie's eyes went wide. She wondered if she should cover Van and Hitomi's ears. "I knew you were with her the entire time and I wanted you to come to your senses, but you never did!"
"Eris…" the rat man muttered shakily. Varie watched him cower as the woman almost snarled at him. "The customer…"
"You going to make her sandwiches or not?" Eris demanded over the headset. She gave a long irritated sigh through her nose. "He says your sandwiches will be made as soon as you check in," she reported, her mouth falling into a tight line.
"Checking in, it is!" the little man chirped obviously extremely relieved to be leaving Eris' company. He quickly opened the 'Employees Only' door behind him. "This way, please." Entering through the door, Varie could still hear the woman yelling. She and the kids followed the little man down a long flight of stairs.
"Please, excuse our discourteous receptionist, madam. She just started here ten years ago."
Varie nodded pretending that ten years was a very good excuse for rude behavior. She continued down the steps till they leveled out into a long hallway filled with doors. Several of the florescent lights lining the ceiling flickered with a loud buzzing noise.
"On the left, we have our BLT, Meatball sub, and Cold Cuts." She didn't like the way his eye twinkled slightly on the word 'cut'. "On the right, are Veggie Lovers, Panini, Flatbreads, and Mystery on Rye." He led the way to a door marked 'Mystery' and knocked.
"What do you want?" A cracking muffled voice called from inside.
"I've got an order for three Mysteries on Rye."
"Seriously? Ugggghhhhhh…"
The rat man squeaked and knocked again. "She's already paid."
"SHE!?" The door burst open and Varie gave a gasp in surprise. A teenage boy – probably no older than Folken – stood at the doorway. His squinting brown eyes scanning her up and down through thin framed glasses. His long curling brown hair framed his thin face. He gave her a calm lopsided smile, leaned against the doorway like a model, and a nodded his head in approval. Then his face fell as he spied Van and Hitomi behind her.
"Aw, man. She has kids?"
"That's why I said three." The little man emphasized.
"Eris talked to dad?"
"She's been approved, Dryden. Do you need him for this?"
The boy named Dryden traveled his eyes from its current journey over Varie's body to the children beside her. His face quickly flashed with recognition as they landed on Hitomi. Stepping out of the doorway, he walked closer to the little girl. Van immediately slid in front of her to blocking his path and glared at him.
He smiled brightly at the black-headed boy and reached out to ruffle his hair. Pressing himself even further to Hitomi, Van hit the extended hand away.
"Van," Varie scolded quietly. Her son frowned up at her and instantly glanced back at the green-eyed girl. She gave him a small smile and gently touched his hand. He looked at her fingers, nodded to her slowly and stepped aside. The mother took that as a nonverbal sign showing to him her power hadn't flared and she wasn't frightened. She instantly regretted her harsh tone. He was protecting Hitomi. She should be proud of her son for being brave.
The young man stepped up and knelt to the short-haired girl. She kept smiling, staring straight into his eyes. The lenses on his glasses flashed with the florescent lighting "We've got some interesting customers here. I don't think he'd want to waste time with Eris when he could be talking with these two beautiful ladies and fine gentleman."
Van growled and Varie put her hand on his shoulder.
"May we see The Merchant?" she asked quietly. Dryden kept his eyes on Hitomi. The buzzing sound of the florescent lights began to grow a little stronger and brighter all around them. Slowly, the brown-headed boy reached out and touched her arm. He gave an odd gasp and quickly let her go. The little girl's smile widened even more. Varie couldn't help but wonder what that smile meant. It wasn't a smile a child should make.
"My lady, you are well on your way to getting a good sandwich," he shot her seductive grin before standing up and making his way into the office.
The rat man murmured something like, "You are your father's son, all right," and cleared his throat.
"Go get my father," Dryden said pointedly at the man. He squeaked and ran to the door called Meatball subs.
The young man turned and gestured a hand inside the door.
"Come on in. We'll get you all set up."
I forgot how much I love playing with characters.
Seriously, I can't help but make them so weird sometimes! I actually laughed as I typed the part with Eris. I couldn't help it! I didn't even originally plan for her rant. It all just sort of came spewing out of my fingertips and the next thing I knew, she had character development and hinted romance. Curse me and my over-active imagination.
Annnyways, if you didn't read up there, I'll say it again. I'm working on a Valentine's fic. It'll be a one-shot, so don't expect more chapters from it. I will also work hard on the next chapter for this and hopefully get that done next weekend.
Have a glittery weekend filled with sparkles and magical pink butterflies!
Or just a regular weekend. Either one is fine.
blue...