The story's rating will change depending on its flow. Disregard the "without prior notice" warning that I've said two chapters ago. I'll keep you guys updated especially in the story's rating. Sorry about that.
Disclaimer: AC02 does not own Grand Chase and the characters. She owns the plot and it's for fan purposes only.
Chapter 6: Myriel Ariaden
The sun's rays stung his eyes. They shone past the windows and the curtains fluttered. Ryan awoke and sat up on the bed, quite recalling the place where they are. He rubbed his head and cocked his head to his side. Curled just near him is a crop of blonde locks under the sheets. His gaze softened just by looking.
He had taken her away for an urgent reason. Well, he had to.
Deciding not to wake her from her peaceful slumber, he hopped off of the bed and grabbed his armor and weapon. He lightly brushed past the sleeping Elf and exited the room. He left the door open as he proceeded to the forest to do some training. Meanwhile, Lire is sleeping on the bed. When she opened her eyes, her fingers made their way to her lips. Her mind suddenly went back to the scenario last night. Her other hand grappled the sheets as she remembered the forest scene of just the two of them where she saw Ryan's aggressive dominance before he even realized that he's, well, going too far.
Thoughts came into her mind.
"A-Ah!" she quickly sat up when blood filled her face, causing it to turn redder in color. She shook those thoughts off of her mind and snapped back to reality. She jerked her head to her side to see Ryan gone.
She sighed.
The archer hopped off the bed and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. She hoped there would be enough food in the pantry and kitchen equipment and utensils so she can get to work. However, the result failed to meet her expectations.
"Aww man!" she complained and sighed abruptly. "Is there a store here?"
Lire grabbed her green scarf and bag. She looked around for a piece of paper so she could at least leave a note. She counted the money she has and hoped that it will be enough. She prepared her leave and attached her note on the door when she then grew worried that she doesn't have the keys. Since it was Ryan who inquired for the house, she quickly presumed that he had them with him.
Lire paused on her tracks when an orange ball of fur blocked her path. The critter stumbled on the earth and groaned.
"Hello there, Rocco~" the archer cooed, taking the orange raccoon on her arms and helping it stand up. "Can you tell your master that I've gone to a store for a while? I have to buy some food."
The orange raccoon blinked at her and looked around.
"C'mon, please?"
Rocco nodded readily and hopped off of her arms. Lire giggled and went off.
"Goood morning, sleeping beauty!" Arme grimaced as she fluttered her eyes open. The person who appeared first thing in the morning is none other than that annoying redheaded guy.
"I'm trying to sleep here!" Jin's warm and welcoming expression wore off. He nudged the sleeping mage almost violently as the petite girl resorted to losing her temper.
"C'mon, midget! No one's gonna cook breakfast."
Arme grunted and pulled the sheets above her, which annoyed the fighter.
"Oi, Lass!" he called out. "This stupid kiddo's stubborn! Why don't you wake her up?!"
"GET OUT!" Arme finally sat up on the bed and pointed towards the door. Jin took that hand and dragged her away from her nest. "C'monnnnn!"
"Let go of me! I'm still tired!"
"You're the only one who knows how to cook. Now , git!"
"Ohhh? You don't know how to cook?" Arme eyed him in shock. "Really?"
"Tch, don't ask any more questions, shorty. We're hungry," Jin abruptly dragged Arme away from her room and then to the kitchen where Sieghart and Lass are seated on their stools playing cards. The magician gave in and swatted away Jin's hand. She checked the fridge for the eggs and frozen bacon. She readied the frying pan and cooking oil and started cooking. Sounds of sizzling oil and mixing are heard in the background when the air is contaminated by the smell of bacon.
"Mmmmhhh…. Sweet scent of heaven~" Sieghart said in his fantasizing tone.
"What are you making?" Lass asked.
"Eggs and bacon and…" Arme fixated her gaze on something she's mixing on a bowl.
Jin's saffron irises shrank. "A…Are those – "
"Sweet, pancakes!" Sieghart let out an exultant grin. He lightly smacked Lass's shoulder. "She's a good keeper, ninja boy! You're one lucky guy."
"If only Amy could make real food for just once…" Jin said in a frustrated tone. The Chase knew the pink-haired muse for making killer dishes. To make things clear, Amy doesn't really know how to follow the procedures properly. She ends up improvising the ingredients even though they're not really for the dish itself. Nobody likes her cooking, apparently.
Arme frowned. "If only I have my dough shapers with me so I could cook these pancakes in right shapes…"
"They better be in perfectly round shapes!" Sieghart retorted as his gaze returned to his stack of playing cards.
"Don't remind me…" the mage rolled her eyes. She cooked the pancakes in a jiffy when she heard the growling stomachs of the guys. She cranked up the heat to speed it up. Several minutes later, she grabbed a plate and stacked the pancakes one by one, creating a tower out of them when she scraped the last one off the pan. Upon placing the last one, the pancake tower swayed. She served the plates of eggs and bacon then the pancakes last (with Lass in charge of keeping the pancake tower stable).
"No butter?" Jin eyed her incredulously.
"…and no syrup?" Sieghart finished.
Arme smacked her own forehead with her hand. Lass sighed.
"I'll help."
She used her scarf as a hood and a cloak. Her crossbowmaiden attire showed too much of her belly. Everything around her is just green. Plants, trees, bushes, leaves.
"Where can I find a store here?" she talked to her herself more often as she looked around. She found herself at luck when the trees actually produce fruit. She plucked several leaves and fruits and stepped over high boulders to peek at the harpy nests. She got used to this routine of scouting around forests to hunt for food – only in hunting for berries. If only she could kill a harpy for meat…
She made sure that the mother harpies left behind their nests where some of their eggs remained not hatched. She took them and placed the goods inside the small woven basket she brought along with her.
"That should do it," she sighed in relief and prepared to head back. While she walked, she felt something heavy behind her. She kept her grip on her basket so the contents won't fall. Arms encircled around her waist and a giggle.
"W-Who's there?!" Lire exclaimed, struggling from the embrace of that figure. The giggle behind her grew louder.
"You don't recognize your best friend~?"
"Best… friend..?" the archer blinked twice in confusion.
"It's me~!" the figure let go of her and suddenly appeared landing in front of her.
"Wh… who are you?"
The girl in front of her pouted and slapped both sides of her cheeks with both hands, earning a cry from Lire.
"Are you out of your mind? Don't you recognize me? Why can't you remember?" the girl gazed at her intently.
Lire eyed her for a few seconds, still wincing. "My…Myriel, that hurts!"
The girl's eyes widened and her smile reached from ear to ear. "Yaaay! You remembered Myriel~!" She pounced on the female archer again to pull her into a tight hug. "I can't believe it. My cute Lire had grown! Her cheeks are chubbier than before! And – " she gasped in awe. " – her boobies have grown~!"
Lire's face turned red and her green irises shrank. She pulled away from Myriel and covered her chest with her arms. Myriel laughed merrily.
"Mine are still bigger~" she stuck her tongue out at the blonde-haired archer.
"What are you doing here, Myriel?" Lire asked while checking the contents inside the basket.
"What else would I be doing~?" the wild Elf girl cooed in a child-like manner. "I saw you and I was happy that we would meet again! How was the monster-busting club for you~?"
"Well, I – "
"What was that called – ah – Grand Chase!" Myriel raised her forefinger. "I heard you save the world from evil. How was it like?"
"It's hard work," Lire replied, fumbling for words.
"I see~ so, watcha doin'?" Myriel asked while eyeing on her basket.
"I'm going out to hunt for some fruits and vegetables, taking as much as I could find. By the way, is there a store or a market in here? I need to buy some meat."
The reply she got was another ear-to-ear grin from Myriel. She grabbed her wrist and dragged her along.
"H-Hey, where are you taking me?!"
"You'll see~ follow me!"
Myriel dragged her friend along the roads. Lire, getting dizzy from the accelerated dragging, tightened her grip around the basket's handle. She tried to keep up with Myriel's running until the leader pried themselves out of the bushes.
"Here we are~!"
"Huh..?"
Right before her very own eyes, a village existed in the outskirts of Elven Forest. Lire gaped.
"C'mon, I'll help you with your shopping spree~" Myriel offered as she snatched the basket from her hands.
Meanwhile in the small wet market, Myriel interviewed Lire with tons of questions with the embarrassing ones inclusive. Lire had to restrain her friend from mouthing out a mouthful due to the people turning their heads at them. Myriel doesn't seem to mind if she's unconsciously attracting a lot of attention.
"Hey, hey, what skills have you learned in your archery sessions? Can you show it to me?"
"Uhh… maybe later, Myriel. I have some things to take care of…"
"Aww c'mon~!" Myriel pouted again. "Maybe you have something that you don't want me to see~"
Lire looked at her in shock. "Of course not! Because I – how can I say this?"
"Do you keep pets?"
"No… no, I don't,"
"Hmmm… is there a guy living with you right now?" The question caused Lire to scream mentally as her cheeks turned red again. Unfortunately, Myriel saw this as her ear-to-ear grin returned again. "Ohhh~ you have a boyfriend already?"
Lire couldn't think of another answer. She gave a timid nod as Myriel squealed in joy and hugged her.
"I'm so proud of you! Let me meet him!"
"Wait… now?"
"Mm-hmmm~"
The two Elves proceeded to the wet market to purchase the meat needed. Lire bought half a kilogram of the white meat (chicken). Soon after, Myriel ushered Lire back to the luxury shelter. She continued her wild interview whereas Lire replied flushed answers. She helped out in carrying her groceries until they reach the shelter. Lire checked the area if Ryan is out looking for her. The archer sneaked inside the house and thankfully found the inside neat just like how she left it earlier. She looked for Rocco next. Unfortunately, she couldn't find the traces of that raccoon. It must have scampered away. She took the groceries from Myriel. The wild female Elf decided to stay outside to explore the isolated area while Lire sorted out the groceries inside.
"Lire has a boyfriend, that's a great surprise~" Myriel talked to herself while suppressing a squeal. "She was able to lure a guy with her charms. I wonder when can I have one~?" she put her finger on her chin while looking up. She sighed. "Oh well, it depends on my destiny, I guess~"
She hummed an Elven hymn while skipping across her path. Myriel plucked off some berries from trees and popped them into her mouth and chewed on them noisily. She spotted a ripe fruit hanging on a high branch as she flashed a jubilant grin. Myriel stepped over a boulder that is high enough for her to climb the tree. The fruit's good quality and color attracted her that she wanted to take it right away. As she inched closer towards her target, she crawled forward and reached out for the fruit. However, a soft breeze brushed against her, causing the tree to sway slowly and for her to slightly lose her balance and focus. She let out a gasp when the special fruit fell right off the branch. The fruit landed on the dry leaves safely.
Myriel sighed and climbed back down. Just as she stepped on the dry leaves, her ears twitched.
And she jerked her head.
She finds an orange raccoon wearing a green and white striped shirt holding a large leaf.
And it's stealing her fruit.
"Hey!" she yelled, causing the raccoon to jump and stagger backwards while embracing the fruit.
"Give that back, it's mine." Myriel said to the critter. The raccoon shook its head and ran off.
"COME BACK HERE!"
The raccoon ran off, escaping from the female Elf who chased after it. She swore that she won't let it get away with her fruit. She is close to catching the critter when it froze and turned to face her.
"Ohh, giving up already?" she extended her hand towards it. "Now, give it back."
"Nuu!" was the raccoon's reply while hugging the fruit tightly.
"Oi, stop playing dumb! That was mine!" She blinked in surprise when the raccoon pointed its large leaf at her like its sword. Myriel glared at it when she heard footsteps. She stood warily and prepared her bow and arrows. She cocked her head sideways as she readied an arrow. As the footsteps grew louder, Myriel prepared to nock her arrow and shoot. Meanwhile, the raccoon in front of her got away with the fruit and scampered away.
"Where did you get that from?" She heard a voice. She readied her arrow and aimed it in front of her, ready to shoot whoever appears.
"That's a huge fruit you got there, Rocco. Wait til she sees that." The owner of that voice seemed to inch closer. Myriel stood on her guard. When she saw the figure's shadow, she let go of the quiver as the arrow flew in a straight line towards her target. Her lips formed into a smirk.
Her irises shrank when the arrow she fired is deflected and is going towards her. She quickly dodged it as it stabbed a tree bark.
"Who's there? Are you here to destroy the forest?" This time, the voice is clear. A masculine voice. The footsteps inched closer as a pair of deep emerald eyes glared at her. Myriel staggered backwards as the figure unveiled his identity.
"And who are you?" the figure asked as Myriel observed him. He wielded a scythe with him and observing his pointy ears, she quickly distinguished him as another Elf. Her eyes then went on his shoulder where the orange raccoon sat holding her fruit.
"Hey, that was my fruit!" she pointed her finger at the raccoon as the critter stuck out his tongue at her.
"Oh," the male Elf blinked as he glanced at his pet. "Well, Rocco took it so it's his now."
"Rocco, huh?" Myriel eyed the raccoon intently and her glance returned to the Elf. "And look, I'm an Elf and an archer. I'm not gonna destroy the forest. I live here!"
"Archer?" the male Elf blinked in surprise. "Kind of reminds me of – "
"I'm Myriel. Myriel Ariaden~" the girl extended her hand towards him. "I'm from Eryuelle Island and it's not far away from the Elven Forest. And you are?"
The male Elf shook her hand. "Ryan."
"Ryan…" Myriel repeated when she gasped. "…the druid?"
He nodded. "So that's you! I've heard a lot about you from the Elven Corps. Even the Elves are talking about your race. Let me get this straight: you are the protectors of Nature and the guardians of the forests, riiiight?"
The druid nodded again. This girl's weird…
"Ooh, ooh, you said that I reminded you of something," Ryan slightly twitched. This girl is meddling with his thoughts already. He fumbled for words.
"It's nothing…" he replied. "Nice meeting you, anyway. I'm going home," He lightly brushed past her as Myriel pouted.
Hmph, meanie. I was just asking you! She thought when she realized that Ryan is heading towards the house where Lire is.
"Umm.. where are you going?" she asked.
"To that house over there. I live there."
"But someone is already living in there well… unless you really live there."
"It's my girlfriend watching over the house. And I have to go check on her."
Girlfriend? Myriel thought once more when she gasped. She followed Ryan all the way to the house when she tapped him on the shoulder.
"A girlfriend? You mean… you're Lire's boyfriend?!"
The druid looked over her shoulder. "You know her?"
Myriel cupped her mouth with her hands as she stared at him in shock. She wanted to rub her eyes to see if it's a joke.
"I'm her childhood friend." She said.
"Myriel, where are you?" Lire's voice is heard in front of them as the girl grinned.
"I'm over here~!" Then she sensed her friend coming over their place. Myriel put her hands behind her back innocently as Lire pried out of the bushes.
"Myriel, where were you? What are you – " Lire suddenly mouthed out Ryan's name when she saw him with her friend. Her cheeks heated and her lips became numb. Her blush grew deeper when she caught Myriel smirking at her.
"Ohohoho~ so you two are a couple. Mind if I stay with you guys~?"
UPDATE: 12.31.13
Myriel is not my OC. She's a character in GC, the childhood friend of Lire. Search the wikia.
Holy fiddlesticks, I updated on the New Year~! *happy dance* Oh well, I'll wish you guys a happy holidays and a great new year! Woo, 2K14 is here~
Please review~