Tale 1: Reunion of sarcasm
Yuri P.O.V.
As I lead the group through the forest by Ehmead Hill I feel a strong wind that makes me pull my vest closer together. My hands rub against the black chain I got from Dri. She was so strange, she lived in the forest and no monsters attacked her. Now that I think back, none attacked us while I played with her. In my ponderings, I realize I fell behind the group. I jog to catch up. A whine from Repede signals he noticed my pause and he wants to know what's wrong. I assure him it was nothing and we continue down the monster trail. Eventually, we get to a clearing where we spot a monster that had attacked Halure! Prepared to fight it, we don't notice till it gets closer that something's strange. It seems half dead, there are knives imbedded in its back!
"W-what happened to it?" Karol stutters, obviously afraid. I keep my eyes on the monster, those knives are familiar… Suddenly a figure jumps out of nowhere! It's hard to see them as they're moving too fast! The monster falls and the figure is standing there, holding the knives that were previously imbedded in the monster's flesh. My eyes widen as I take in the stranger's appearance. Red hair, short, she turns and I see her eyes.
"D-Dri?" I stutter, amazed.
Third P.O.V.
Adrianne turns towards the group and her eyes light up. A cocky smirk forming on her face, she confirms Yuri's stutter.
"Long time, no see Yu." The rest of the group stare shocked as the two grab each other's hand and hug. (Bro/man hug if you didn't know.) Estelle looks at Adrianne curiously.
"Dri, Yu?" Yuri turns to face Estelle.
"Nicknames, like yours Estelle." Adrianne faces Yuri.
"Who're these peeps you got hanging around you?" Estelle's head tilts.
"Peeps?" Rita looks annoyed but curious.
"Short for people." She holds out her hand. "Nice to meet you, I'm Adrianne Hawk, a friend of Yuri's." Estelle shakes with her.
"I'm Estellise Sidos Heurassein." Adrianne chuckles.
"I'll just call you Estelle, simple and nice." Estelle blushes and Adrianne turns to the other three in the group. "Now who are you three?" Rita steps up first.
"I'm Rita Mordio, a famous mage from Aspio." Adrianne nods but Yuri can tell she has no idea what Rita's talking about, after all, you don't hear a lot when you live in forested areas right? Now that he thinks of it, it is kinda suspicious but who is he to question her now? They were younger and simpler then, now they have to keep moving. Yuri had zoned out for the rest of the introductions and now back, they start to head out. They reach a cliff with a beautiful view of the ocean. Adrianne runs up to the edge.
"Amazing isn't it?" She faces the group and grins. After a while they head down to Capua Norim. (I think) The dreariness is heavy and Adrianne watches silently at the display of the parents trying to save their son. Noticing some noise in a nearby alley, Adrianne watches Yuri enter only to start fighting some red eyed assassins. She watches quietly as a blonde knight intervenes. After defeating the assassins, the blonde knight raises his sword at Yuri when Adrianne finally intervenes. Her eyes burn into Flynn's. (if you didn't figure that by now it's him!)
"That's enough. Lower your sword knight." Flynn, startled at the firmness and interruption, lowers his sword. Using her knife, she knocks his sword from his grip.
"Dri! He's a friend!" Adrianne sheaths the knife that was now at Flynn's neck.
"Sorry, he was annoying so I wanted to make sure he didn't bother me." Both sweat drop and Adrianne suddenly breaks out laughing.
"What?" They both stare at her as if she's crazy.
"It worked! As if I'd be that cold, seriously!" Suddenly Flynn punches Yuri in the face.
"Idiot! How did you get this! You're a criminal now!" He points to a wanted poster of him!
"Cool! It's up to 10 000 gald now!" Flynn seems about to argue when Estelle appears. She must know him for she starts fluttering over him like a mother hen. Yuri tries to slip off quietly and I stab a long knife in front of his face.
"Where do you think you're going? Tell me everything that happened, now." Seemingly terrified, Yuri steps back to only have Flynn's sword at his back. Annoyed I look at Flynn. "Are you sure you're not injured? You took quite a spill back there." Estelle starts to flutter around him again and I drag Yuri to a bridge overlooking the port. I look at him expectantly and he sighs.
"I guess I have no choice." I smirk, my hand holding his wrist tight.
"Yup! No choice whatsoever." He sweat drops and I smirk. I listen as he explains the situation. After he's done I stand there for a little bit.
"You ok?" I nod then a smile comes onto my face as I drop the façade I had around his friends. I give him a huge hug and he barely stays standing. I burry my head in his neck.
"I missed you Yuri." I can feel him smile. His voice turns softer than around anyone else.
"You too Adrianne." I finally let go and hold him out at a distance.
"You turned into a man on me dammit Yu!" He turns back to the Yuri of before.
"You've turned into a woman on me Dri." I slap his head.
"Pervert, you were staring at my chest!" He blushes and I giggle. "Hey Yu? Meet me just outside town tonight okay? I wanna show you something." He nods and we head back to the inn, where everyone had now moved into for the night. I look at the view and review the past two months. I had heard of Aspio, I had gone there and bought history and battle books with gald I picked up from monsters. I knew all there needs to be known but I feel heavy. I know I shouldn't lie to him but I have no other option, no one will trust me if I admit I lied and Yuri would think that I'm crazy if I did. I look up to the sky and, for once, speak English again. "I know that I'm special to Yuri, and he's special to me. I just don't understand the fluttering in my heart." I walk towards the hotel room, intent on learning more about the people here.
Skit: Meeting Repede
Repede: Woof!
Adrianne: Hello what's your name?
Repede: Woof! Woof woof!
Adrianne: Oh! Well nice to meet you Repede!
Repede:-Licks Adrianne's hand and rubs against her leg.-
Yuri: Wow! Repede never even liked me this fast! You must be good with animals!
Adrianne: I guess he just feels like I'm just trustworthy.
Estelle: Huh?!
Adrianne: Dogs have a huge sense of pride and, from what I can see; he doesn't think he's a dog, meaning he would think you assume he is low because you're treating him like a dog.
Karol: That seems so weird though, he is a dog!
Repede: Grr… ROWF!
Karol: GGAAAAHHHH!
Adrianne: Hey Repede! Go for the neck!
Karol: GAAAAAHHHHH!
End of Skit
I stare down at the rainy port from a ledge overlooking it. I lose myself in my thoughts, thinking on a special choice for this special night. I don't notice Yuri till he's standing beside me.
"You invite me just to ignore me?" I snap out of my ponderings and blush.
"I just wanted to show you something! I'm not sure how the others will react so I'm showing you first; you're the one least likely to get scared after all." He smirks but I see the confusion behind those gray orbs. I look away from him.
"After I met you, I started to try and learn about our world. I got the basic history and I learnt about Artes, but I realized my Artes were different. I couldn't find them in any of the Arte books I read so; I thought everyone would think me as weird." He sighs.
"Show me. I bet they're pretty cool." I look at him. Those two gray orbs amaze me and my focus is lost in them, in a panic, I hastily pull them back together.
"Here I go!" I stand tall and stare at him, a magic circle glows around me, a dark black.
She never slows down. She doesn't know why but she knows that,
When she's all alone, feels like it's all, coming down.
She won't turn around, the shadows are long and she fears if she cries,
That first tear, the tears will not stop, raining down.
So stand in the rain, stand your ground, stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain, you won't drown, and one day what's lost can be found
You'll stand in the rain.
'Stand in the Rain' by Superchick
While singing my arte had made the music play too, the drums, guitar, everything! At the end, I'm faintly glowing black, and Yuri is gaping.
"It enhances my strength, speed, stamina, Etc. while and after singing." I see Yuri's face go to a more curious form.
"What were those noises in the background? They went good with the music." Crap. What do I say? Oh!
"I can add those sounds using my imagination to make the spell more powerful. It's hard to change some from others though." He nods and I start to head to the hotel. Yuri follows closely. I feel my face heat up! Why? I feel shy right now! I will the heat down from my cheeks and head straight to bed beside Yuri and Rita.
In the morning the group were talking about infiltrating Ragou's palace place. From what I deciphered, he's the average corrupt coward with too much talent at foot kissing his superiors. They talk about going to defeat a monster that would give them presence with Ragou. I could already tell Yuri's plan. Captain Flynn saves the day and he pushes Flynn one step up in standings. They head out but I stay behind. Karol turns around, noticing my lack of following.
"What's wrong Adrianne?" The others have turned now and I sigh.
"I guess I have to go don't I?" Rita steps up beside Karol.
"Damn right you do! If your sticking around, you can't ditch the fights because you're a coward." I glare at Rita.
"That was uncalled for! Seriously, I said I would, albeit reluctantly, I haven't worked with a group before though." Rita's expression turns a little ashamed.
"Sorry… I didn't know." Karol looks startled at Rita.
"Rita apologized! Holy crap! GGAAAAHHHHH!" Karol is sent flying via fireball from Rita. I laugh and walk past Rita.
"Apology accepted. Repede, drag the kid if he doesn't get up soon." Karol is up in a flash and hiding behind Yuri, Yuri just chuckles and we all head towards the exit of the harbor.
Skit: Adrianne and Yuri
Karol: How did you two meet anyways?
Yuri: We met when we were kids, became this close in one day.
Estelle: Wow! You must really like each other!
Adrianne: -blushes and looks away- I guess, we just had lots of similarities and differences.
Karol: Similarities? You two are completely different! Yuri is strong and casual, you're mysterious and not the strongest looking-
Adrianne: -malicious, devil-like grin- You wanna say that again brat?
Karol: GAAAAHHHH!
Yuri: Dri is more like a devil than anything else.
Adrianne: -big smile and eyes closed- Thanks Yu!
Estelle: W-wow… Karol, are you alright?
Rita: Hey! Enough nonsense, let's get moving!
Adrianne: Yes ma'am!
End of Skit
Third P.O.V.
It didn't take long for them to find the beast. (I haven't the courage to spell its name!) Yuri faces Adrianne.
"Why don't you show them your Artes?" The group stares curiously at Adrianne, whom sighs.
"Can't hurt I guess." Adrianne positions herself and a red circle appears this time.
Here I stand, helpless and left for dead.
'Dance with the Devil' by Breaking Benjamin (Search the song and listen to it while watching this scene if you like.)
Adrianne's body glows red as she charges the creature. By the end of the song, the creature has fallen.
"W-What type of Arte is that?!" Adrianne shrugs and the group notices a necklace around her neck, a regular chain with two rings on it. One is a gold ring with a ruby in the center; the other is similar but a silver ring with a sapphire in the middle instead. Rita grabs it and almost pulls it off her neck.
"H-hey! Watch it!" Rita ignores her and Yuri has to shake her before she chokes Adrianne.
"Sorry! Why do you have two Blastia?" Adrianne pauses, finally being able to breathe.
"I tried having the gold one on my neck and just keeping the silver one on a bracelet on my wrist but found that I couldn't cast without them both on my neck." Rita grabs them, lightly this time, and examines them.
"Perhaps your magic is so strong that it needs two Blastia, of perhaps!" Rita continues muttering the whole way back.
Skit: Weapon of Choice
Estelle: Why do use knives if there is a sword at your waist Adrianne?
Adrianne: This sword is very special to me so, I only use it if really necessary.
Yuri: Does it have a name?
Karol: Why would you name a sword?
Adrianne: It is said, that if named, a sword is stronger than if nameless. (Bleach reference anyone?)
Yuri: So what's its name?
Adrianne: I call it Akuma Dansa' or Devil's dancer if you prefer. Its name is based off of a heroine in an old story my grandparents told me.
Yuri: Cool name, what's the old story?
Estelle: Yes! It sounds very interesting!
Adrianne: I'll tell you guys at a better time kay?
End of Skit
When they arrived back they started to Ragou's palace, but not before giving the horn of the monster to the two parents.
"How about I get in first and wait for you guys there?" The others stare at Adrianne. She shrugs. "I've climbed and sneaked around for a long time in the trees. I'll scout out the perimeter behind the two guards." The group agrees and Adrianne sneaks past the guards through trees on the left of the palace. (Just humor me please!) She only sighs as she hears the familiar sound of a Rita fireball. She watches an old man run past, winking and jumping on one of two elevators. The group chases after and Adrianne walks onto the other one, right after the button is pressed Adrianne announces the flaw in their plan. "Going down!" The group complains as the elevator sends them down instead of up! Once down they come into a damp, dark dungeon filled with the smell of waste and decaying flesh. Unable to go back up, the group searches for a way out only to come across the child of those desperate parents. Taking him with them, they unlock and search through corridors till they come across a wall of gates. Across is the coward himself, Ragou. The snobby idiot stays calm till he hears about what happened to his beast/unicorn thing.
"What? What did you do to him?"(Insert name of weird unicorn monster instead of 'him') Adrianne joins the conversation.
"Killed it, and now we're going to maybe kill you, matters on if you struggle." Ragou's face twists to a look of terror and he runs as Yuri breaks the cages walls down with an Azure edge. The group chases after him till they arrive at a huge room with what looks like a giant Blastia in the middle! Rita immediately looks at it while the group agrees to completely destroy the place to make an opening for Flynn. With impeccable timing, Flynn and the dragon rider enter at the same time! Yuri takes this opportunity to start a chat as they chase after Ragou.
"Seems we have a boat to catch Dri!" Adrianne grins her trademark grin.
"Oh hell yes! I've always wanted to try this!" Chuckling, Yuri grabs Karol and they all jump onto the boat. Yuri pokes his head in a nearby chest, it being filled with stolen Blastia cores. Rita interrupts his search.
"None of those are the aqua Blastia. They're too small." Sensing movement, Repede barks. Adrianne takes out a knife along with Repede. They become surrounded by Blood Alliance members.
"Guys, we got company!" Yuri sighs in annoyance.
"Guess we have to take these guys out first." The enemy charges, only to be blown back as the group charges themselves. Yuri and Adrianne fight side-by-side, with skill that seems impossible given this is one of the first times they fought together.
"Yu-chan! You got too many openings!" A tick appears on Yuri's head.
"Yu-chan? What the heck? I'm not a girl Dri and I don't have that many openings or I would've died way before this!" They continue to banter as they fight.
"What?! Yu-chan isn't a girl? Never would have guessed a man could be pretty instead of handsome." Adrianne slices an enemy about to stab him through the back.
"Oh? You think I'm attractive, also you've seen my chest, there's nothing there!" Yuri performs destruction field, decimating two opponents.
"You're right! There was just flab, no muscle! I hope you've been working out more!" Adrianne performs a fighting arte, scorch storm, in which Adrianne performs a series of fighting moves before slashing the neck to end it.
"Because you'll want to goggle at my abs right?" Yuri crouches and Adrianne flips over him, slicing through three enemies.
"Sounds pretty interesting let me know when you get some!" Yuri snorts and they continue fighting and bantering till the enemies are completely and utterly, defeated. A huge man comes out of the cabin on the ship followed by Ragou. Adrianne decides to go for some taunting.
"Hey coward fart! Who's the fat guy? He doesn't show as your type! Doesn't mean he's not ugly, just not as ugly as you probably like'em." Both shake in rage.
"Zagi, get out here and kill them!" A man walks out with crazy hair that's three different colors, and looks insane.
"Oh! Oh! Yu-chan! It's a psychopath!" Yuri snorts and looks over at his female friend.
"You don't know half of it! He wants to write my name into his blood after he kills me!" Adrianne puts on a thinking face.
"Is that even possible Rita?" The mage's eyebrow twitches.
"How should I know that? Why would you even ask me that?" Adrianne completely turns away from Zagi, facing the group.
"Because you're smart, and I'm-whoa!" Zagi slashes at Adrianne and she back flips out of the way.
"Hey, psychopath, she was trying to speak you know!" The man faces Yuri, spouts out some random crazy crap and charges. Adrianne and Yuri take on front line as Karol stays as back up and Estelle and Rita cast from the back. Using a magic lens, they figure out that water is effective against him. Adrianne charges as Yuri backs up.
"Dri, what are you doing?!" Adrianne takes out another dagger, still charging him head on.
"Stand your ground, Stand in the Rain!" A less bright version of her music Artes glows around her and her daggers glow blue. She spins and throws the daggers, as they move forward, a giant wave on either side of him moves with them. He dodges the daggers but is unprepared for the suffocating waters to crash down and pull him off the boat. The ship starts exploding and the two cowards flee in the emergency boat. Yuri and Adrianne hear a voice coming from the cabin, they both go in while the rest of the team jumps.
Adrianne P.O.V.
I find the guy in the back corner of the room. Not caring to look at his appearance I throw him at Yuri who's a bit behind me. We run out and jump into the blue water of the ocean.
'I wonder if they have dolphins here…nah.' Are my last thoughts before the ocean water devours me.
This took a while but it's pretty good! I hope you like it and stay tuned for my turtle paced releasing of chapters!
From: Phineko
