Chapter 2: Unexpected visit
It was in a room that was as dark as the night. A figure, clothed in a black cloak which even masked his face, at before a strange machine.
"I wonder how much more time there is...?", the figure murmured, entirely absorbed by the presence of the machine. "The Score is like a drug, the end inevitable..." Another person entered the room without a noise, walking slowly towards the one before the machine as to not make him take notice of the intruder. "I´ve already been expecting you.", the person before the machine said and made the intruder flinch. "Did she send you?"
"What are you talking about?", the intruder asked.
"There is no use faining ignorance.", the person wearing the cloak said and looked at the intruder, also wearing a cloak. "Do you really think you can kill me?"
"We´ll see...", the intruder said and suddenly advanced towards the other one, lightning-fast.
Richly adorned walls with portraits, busts, tapestries, and thousands of long, long hallways which led into dozens of different directions: This was the castle of Kimlasca in short.
"No matter how often I come here, I always get lost in here.", Anise said while following the other three through the hallways. "I already thought I was lost forever when this little pest here had grabbed me and dragged me with him." Kamui shot a dark look at her which wished her her a long and painful death. "Anyway, did you hear already?", Anise continued. "Dist the Reaper has broken out of prison again."
"Don´t you mean Dist `the Rose´?", Luke asked, snickering.
"I just hope he doesn´t cause trouble again and gets on our nerves.", Guy sighed.
"Oh, I wouldn´t worry...", Anise said. "The Colonel has already been ordered to search for him. If anyone has to worry, it´s Dist."
"He should be especially worried about his as...", Luke wanted to say, but was silenced by a loud "Luke!" from Guy who nodded towards Kamui.
Outside at the outer wall of the castle clung a person clothed in a dark cloak, their face veiled by a mask, and held a strange little gadget in his hands.
"Just a little more, then the fun begins...", the person said and laughed in malice.
"Did you hear something?", one of the guards who were patrolling around the castle asked another guard while looking around.
"Did I hear what?", the other one asked.
"I dunno. It sounded as if someone... Ah, it´s nothing... I think..."
"Anise!!!", was the first thing that greated Luke and the others as they entered the throne room. The next thing they saw was something white-greenish which stormed towards them, and at the moment Anise´s hands were full of one loudly crying Florian.
"It´s all right! It´s all right already!", Anise said and tried to calm Florian by petting his head. "STOP IT!!!", she eventually screamed when he didn´t obey.
"Fon Master Anise, it´s an honor to be able to see you in Kimlasca again!", she was greeted by a woman with golden hair - Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Gardios - who sat on the other side of the throne room on the throne and was watching with mirth the events unfolding before her eyes.
"I´m honored as well.", Anise said, smiling, and finally kicked Florian´s behind so he would finally stop his cryig concert.
"Though you didn´t tell me that your Fon Master Guardian would be accompanying you on your journey."
"Excuse me?!?", Anise asked, now having finally reached the throne together with the other, confused, and only now noticed that the doors to the throne room had been opened again and Tear Grants had entered the room.
"T-Tear...!", Luke stammered, gaze suddenly totally dreamy. Beside him Kamui was making noises as if he was going to vomit because of Luke´s hopeless love life, but was immediately silenced by a glare of his father.
"Tear, what are you doing here?!", Anise asked, confused. Tear didn´t answer but just went towards the others in front of the throne. "Tear?"; Anise tried again. Tear finally looked at her. "I thought you had a date in Daath?"
"A... A date?!?", Luke repeated, eyes as huge as saucers.
"That´s none of your concern.", Tear said while fixing Luke with and icy glare. The red head looked as if the end of the world was near.
"So we´re nearly complete.", Natalia happily said and stood up from her throne.
"In what way?", Guy asked, slightly confused.
"Well, there´s only Colonel Curtiss missing, then the old companions would be complete.", Natalia explained. "It´s been a long time since we´ve been together like this. Two years to be exact, if I´m not mistaken..." She suddenly hugged Anise. "It´s nice to see you again, Anise."
"B-But, your majesty...!", Anise stammered. "Not in pub...!"
"Oh, enough!", Natalia interrupted her. "Your my friends after all!" She released her and hugged Florian next. "You look good, Florian."
"Thank you, your majesty.", Florian said. Next in line was Tear.
"Your visit is unexpected, but not unwelcomed.", Natalia greeted the other woman.
"I wouldn´t be so sure of that.", Tear said.
"What do you...?", Natalia began to say.
All the group could see was a metallic object that was swung as fast as lightning. And one moment later, Natalia lay on the ground, her eyes wide open, blood leaking out of her neck non-stop, the dagger wich Tear had used beside her.
"Mission accomplished...", Tear said.
The two persons, both clothed in black cloaks, faced each other inside the room with the machine, their swords ready, both breathing heavily.
"Not bad.", the person who had been working inside that room minutes ago said. "She must really be serious if she send someone as strong as you to finish me off."
"Tche!", was the intruder´s only answer.
"And with whom, if I may ask, do I have the honor of crossing my blade?", the person asked.
"I shall tell you my name...", the intruder said and took off his hood. A cascade of long, reed hair was revealed. "My name is Asch the Bloody!"
Both combatants looked at each other for a while, then the person laughed. "How very amusing! Such irony of fate!", the person snickered "I haven´t heard something this amusing in a long time! Tell me another one!"
"You won´t have time to laugh any longer! Die!!!", the intruder who called himself Asch shouted and stormed towards the other person.
Minutes later a huge explosion occured inside the room with the machine, said machine complete destroyed.
Annotation: I hope that chapter didn´t scare any Natalia fans off. Well, it was my brother´s decision to this, not mine. :'-( By the way, he has already written 21 chapters of this story. So until that chapter, I will be updating frequently. After that, it all depends on how fast my brother writes. He can be a bit slow when it comes to this and needs to be in the right mood for it. ^^;