Chapter Two: A Dark, Midnight Road

The hearse skidded to a halt, jerking the passengers, waking Celes up violently. She still had been lying on Lucille's lap, and was now being held on to the seat by one of the singer's arms he had around her.

Kohaku cursed as the large car stopped, along with a distressed groan from Gwindel, who had stopped the car in the first place.

Celes sat up, finding that they were at the gates of some other place the supposed "Grand Orchestra" was set to appear at.

A man walked up to the driver's side window, and tapped on the glass with his knuckle. Gwindel rolled it down, and reviled the man to be short and stout with a thick beard and beady eyes.

"State your business, travelers." He said promptly, with a strange accent.

Lucille, who had sleep eyes like he'd just woken up, spoke up and leaned toward the open window. "We're the Grand Orchestra. We were hoping we could possibly-"

The man laughed, "Finally! Took you long enough to get here. The people here are in need of some beautiful live music, I'd say. I was just telling my wife we ought to. Fancy you guys showing up." He moved away from the car, signaling someone somewhere to open the gate wider. When it did, Gwindel drove slowly through.

"Jesus, it's about time." Kohaku cracked his neck and stretched up. "How long have we been in this car, anyhow? Felt like year." His dark eyes narrowed, as he leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. Celes noticed how more and more childish he was becoming. He'd almost caught up with Lucille by now.

"Was it really that long?" Lucille yawned. "It didn't feel that long to me."

"Well, you were out like a light, Luc. You and Celes were. Poor girl couldn't have been comfortably sleeping cramped up back there like that." And with a snarky smirk, Kahoka continued, "Or not. You two were pretty snug back there and all."

Celes absentmindedly blushed.

"Are you jealous because you weren't comfortable, Kohaku?" Lucille smiled sarcastically, sticking his tongue out. He was still the childish one… Celes thought happily.

Kahoka rolled his eyes. "Put that back where it belongs."

The little town was cutesy, with the stylish cobblestone buildings with the wood trim. It was early morning, the sun starting to rise, shed a nice glow on everything. Nobody was outside, but there was stirring in some of the little houses, and shadows of figures in windows.

Celes like the little town already, and was hoping the rest of the inhabitants would welcome them as graciously as the man at the gate.

"Do you think the inn would be open yet?" Lucille asked allowed.

Both Gwindel and Kahoka shook their heads.

"Okay, then we're going to have to park for a bit. Gwindel, switch places with Celes and I. Kohaku, go to the back."

Kohaku turned back and glared at Lucille. "Go In the back with the Piano?"

"You weren't driving." Lucille shot back, as Gwindel parked in an ally way.

Kahoka groaned, opening the passenger door, and getting out. Gwindel followed, opening Lucille's door for him.

"Thank you." Lucille smiled, helping Celes out the same way.

Gwindel nodded, getting into the back seat and lying down.

Lucille slammed the door and looked at Celes with a smirk.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What, Lucille?"

"Your hair…" Lucille grabbed a lock of it. "It's getting long. It's really quite beautiful."

Celes's hair had been growing out, and she usually kept it tied up. It must have started falling out when she was asleep. "Yeah, I need to cut it…"

"No," Lucille stepped closer to her, "Let it get longer. I really like it." He began to run his fingers through it.

Celes wanted to make a clever comment to make him stop, but the words were coming to her. She had completely drawn a blank, and now getting lost in Lucille's beautiful eyes.

"It's cold…" she murmured quietly felling a breeze shoot by. It was cold, but she could have ignored it to just stand there longer with the singer.

"Right, of course it is. Get in the car before you catch a cold." He said quickly, almost sounding a little hurt.

The pianist ran to the passenger side, and opened the door quickly. Lucille was already in, wrapping his jacket tighter around himself. So he was cold.

She jumped in, stealing glances at Lucille every few seconds. He had his hair pulled up, and out of his face. The other day Gwindel had trimmed it for him, cutting at the ends an inch, as well as cutting Lucille's feminine, face-framing bangs. He licked his lips, and looked to Celes, who had now been stating at him. "Is there something on my face?"

"No…"

Kohaku, who had been rustling around in back, tripped into the piano, screaming out a curse. "Why in blood-gutted hell am I in the back again?"

Lucille just smiled his fake smile without turning to the tantrum of the violinist. "Be careful of the piano, Kohaku. It's worth double your life."

With a grumble, Kohaku found a place to lie down, and Gwindel was already snoring and asleep in the back seat.

The singer's smile faded, as he watched the small hedgehog turn circles in Gwindel's chest. He seemed to watch with a childish envy. Maybe he needed a small pet? A dog or a cat that could sit on his lap during long car trips would be beneficial.

Celes thought of the image of Lucille sitting and patting a small black and white kitten during a long trip. It was cute to think, but finding a cutesy animal that would fit Lucille's tastes would be difficult.

"Lucille…?" Celes called quietly.

"When did you begin allowing us to call you Celes again?"

Weird, why did he bring that up? Lucille was known for random topics when it came to Celes, and this wasn't unseen, but Celes actually didn't even realize that anybody was calling her Celes.

"I… I don't know, Lucille."

Lucille nodded, pulling up his hair. "I'd say about three… Four years?" He nodded again.

Was it really that long? She had joined the orchestra young, but three or four years felt like a long time. That would have made her thirteen or fourteen. She still looked like a boy, and still easily dressed like a boy, but were the other three calling her Celes instead of Eles?

"Yeah, four years," He snickered. "I know Eles wouldn't mind if you gave up a broken act."

Broken act? That wasn't a lie. It was going to be hard to hide being a girl any longer. Playing a boy was kind of impossible.

He turned and faced the windshield. "C'mon, Celes, it's not that big of a deal anymore-"

"Not that big of a deal?" Celes growled quickly in a whisper. "How is it not a bit deal? I played the piano that killed my brother and all the other children of my own city. I dishonored my family, and caused my father so much anguish and pain. I can't be the old Celes. Celes doesn't deserve to live anymore. She's gone. She died."

Lucille looked to her silently. He didn't speak but his eyes grew dark.

There was a knock on the driver's side window. An older woman stood there in the cold, her breath creating a puff of smoke.

The singer rolled the window, and looked to her.

"Are you the orchestra?" she asked with glee.

Lucille smiled the fake smile again, and nodded.

Her withered face brightened. "Oh, how wonderful this is! Francis, the gate keeper told me you might be coming over to the inn…"

"Oh, sorry, Miss. We didn't figure the inn was open." Lucille nodded.

"Yes! Of course it is! C'mon and back up and just head over, I'll get you the best rooms!"

The lady pranced around the car and towards the direction of the inn.

Lucille looked over to Celes and smiled a genuine smile as he back up the car and headed down the street towards the inn.

Xxx

A/N: Okay- I really personally do not like this chapter… It's poorly written, but I really needed to clarify calling Celes by Celes instead of Eles. Plus, I needed a place for the characters to be. There's a reason they are there, blah, blah, blah. The next chapter will be better, and clearly state the reasons for Century and maybe a bit of some type of conflict. Sorry- I also don't own Grand Orchestra. I don't want to get in trouble… Please, read and review~ many thanks!