It's wonderful to hear what you guys like about Fairy Tales and Brave Vesperia! I've made sure to answer everyone's reviews the moment I get them to try and show how much this means to me.
Now for Rhino600, since I unfortunately can't send immediate replies via email for your review.
I'm highly honored by your praise, both as a writer and as a fan of Tales of Vesperia!
I'm also glad to see so many people figuring things out right on schedule. I was afraid I was either being to obvious or not clear enough, but you all got it just as it clicked in Letha's head!
The tattoo and any other side effects are for you all to keep speculating about however ;)
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Chapter 15: Why Did You Lie?
x x x
I woke up to the sound of Rita shrieking as she only can when a blastia is involved. "You're dead, freak! Dead!" This was followed by a sound like a whale crying. Ahhh? I looked up blearily and saw a flying steroid dolphin. ...Judith's second coming.
I had to assume the others had carried me with them, rather than leave me behind where monsters could get me or wait in the aer dense area for me to recover. Good thing, since I finally figured out I'd been suffering from aer sickness all this time. Being from the aerless Earth, my body wasn't accustomed to an environment where everything was made of aer, so was more sensitive to the sickness. It had been gradually getting less intense because my body was slowly adapting. I really was an idiot for not figuring it out earlier.
The Entelexeia was going wild (I couldn't remember his name, so for the time being he was Ent), as was Clint who was flailing his own oversized sword around and shouting. What is it with people and using swords half to twice their size?
I pushed myself back onto my feet, ready to fight or run as needed, and tried to cover for knowing the situation despite having been unconscious. "Guys, what the hell is going on?"
"You're okay!" I nodded to Karol, "I don't really get it, but some really dense aer made us all sick. There was a reverse blastia keeping a giant monster trapped in here, but then the Dragon Rider showed up and destroyed the blastia. Now the monster's on a rampage!"
Not approving of Clint's eagerness to fight Ent, Judith and Ba'ul blasted the Hunting Blades with a burst of fire. Nan threw her crescent shaped blade at Judith who spun and looped through the air to dodge. Shouting happily (could he be related to Zagi, perchance?) the hooded Hunting Blade member called Tison ran up a wall and leaped through the air to reach her. While he and Judith struggled on Ba'ul's back, Ent let out an angry bellow that shook the building.
We ducked to avoid the rubble flying everywhere. Everyone was exclaiming in fear and disbelief, but I hardly noted what they were saying. I'd just gotten my first good look at Ent.
He was BIG.
Seriously, he could eat steroid dolphin Ba'ul in two bites if he wanted to! And swallow me whole! Or step on me without even realizing there was a squishy sounding bump in the road!
My brothers took Spanish in high school, and occasionally started using phrases they learned around the house. The one that quite randomly came out of my mouth at that moment was, "No me gusta..." Then followed up with my own time in French class when I started shouting "Zut, zut, et zut!" when the big rock and crystal looking Entelexeia attacked.
Yuri made some casual remark about having to take care of someone else's pet for them as he threw himself back to dodge a swing from a rock like...paw? Fist? ...Stump?
"Afterimage!" I slashed away with my dao on Ent's left side. I felt guilty for attacking the Entelexeia when he only wanted to escape from the humans trying to kill him, but I doubted we'd manage to do any damage to the behemoth that he wouldn't be able to recover from.
Yuri, Repede, Estelle, and I were all dancing around using strike artes and trying to stab him with our respective swords (or daggers) without getting hit by his pseudo fists and tail. Rita stayed back and blasted him with spells (mostly Fireball, sometimes Champagne or Stone Blast) while stuffing orange gels into her mouth like candy. We would frequently have to jump between her and Ent, or she'd duck behind a piece of rubble to avoid the thrashing tail. Karol? He booked it when we weren't looking. I hoped he made it outside on his own safely.
It's like playing jump rope again! Ultimate Jump Rope, time it wrong and smoosh! your knees are jelly! While thinking that I actually accidentally landed on his tail when I misjudged the speed of it's swing. "Woah-oh!" The tail jerked out from under me and I landed hard on my back. "Uggh, failed back fall, that hurts!" Blinking the pained tears out of my eyes, I looked up to see the tail about to come slamming down on me.
Suddenly I felt my hand grow warm again, and from somewhere off in the shadows near the exit an arrow with scarlet fletching came shooting past my shoulder. I only managed to get out a squeak of surprise before it slammed into the tail above my head and barely managed to deflect it enough so that it smashed into the ground next to me. I scrambled to my feet and backed away, Holy shit, how much force would it take for an arrow to even do that? And does that mean Raven's here? WHY?
At some point, Yuri managed to get on Ent's back and began using Destruction Field to smash it between the shoulders and on the back of its neck. That seems like a good move to try and learn... It was the blow that seemed to, I dunno, knock sense back into the head of the panicking Entelexeia. He quieted, and the others stopped attacking. They seemed unsure what to make of the sudden change, but I just sighed in relief and sheathed my dao and the one dagger I held in my left hand. I wasn't sure when I'd drawn that one.
Ent looked us all over with intelligent eyes, pausing to study Estelle for a while longer, before he turned and left through one of the holes in the wall.
"We made it," Estelle sighed in relief as she fell to her knees.
"What about Karol?" asked Rita, looking around and noticing for the first time that the little Ace wasn't around.
Across the room we heard Tison shouting, "There ain't a monster alive that wasn't born to be my punching bag." Freak is an arrogant muscle head...
"Master! It's too dangerous!" Nan shouted back over the noise of the increasing number of rocks falling from the ceiling.
"This monster is mine, even if it costs me my life!" Tison ran up the wall again to try and intercept Judith in the air before she and Ba'ul could escape through the ceiling. She's still here? Must have been trying to make sure we didn't kill what's-his-name-Ent. Tison fell short of Ba'ul and plummeted back down to the rock ground.
"Ho shit!" I ran forward to see if he had survived, and was stunned to see him twist in the air like a cat to land on his hands and feet. "Hoo shiiit." Blastia make some awesome things possible, but I think that's as much a result of him being really really weird. If he hadn't staggered when getting up, and wobbled a lot when following Clint, Nan, and the rest of the Hunting Blades out the nearest exit, I would have decided he was part monster himself.
We all ran to make our own escape, practically dragging Estelle who wasn't convinced that Karol had made his own escape. Two things were on my mind as we left: what if Karol hadn't made it out safely? And who shot the arrow that saved me?
When we made it up the winding staircase and out the door, we were greeted by the relieving sight of Nan chastising Karol for leaving us behind. It was hard to listen to, her berating him for always being a coward.
"If you're not ashamed of anything, then shouldn't you hurry back to your friends?" Wait, that almost sounds like...
"It's just that..." Karol raised his head a fraction, but was cut off by Nan again.
"No need to explain to me. I think you've got other people who'll listen to you." I really think that's Nan trying to encourage Karol to talk things over with us, to make sure we're not mad with him. Or am I reading too deep into this? She sounds harsh whenever she talks to Karol, but she does seem to repeatedly show concern for him over the story.
In surprise Karol turned to see us walking up from the direction Nan had indicated. "Guys..." He had a guilty look, exactly like the one my dog used to have when she'd give us a sad "won't you love me anyway?" expression.
I couldn't resist. I ran up to him and squeezed him in a hug. "D'aww, you're okay little Ace! I was afraid you got squished by a falling pebble or under the En-the monster's foot!"
"Gyah!" His cry was muffled somewhat by my chest... I laughed and let him go.
More prim but no less relieved was Estelle. "Karol, I'm so glad you're safe." Her hands were clasped as if in prayer of thanks.
"Where the hell did you go? We were really in a jam back there." Lucky for Karol that we were between him and Rita, or she would have punctuated that with a punch or a fireball.
"I'm... I'm sorry..."
"Hey, at least you made it out in one piece." Yuri ruffled the kid's hair in a brotherly fashion. Always acting so cool, inwardly you're caramelldansen! God, I hope not. The dance is amusing but that song hits the wrong button in me.
"I'm leaving," Nan announced, sounding like she wanted to barf at all the fluffy friendship feelings. Or to hide your relief that we forgave him? Unlike all the other guilds? Maybe...
"Wait..."
"You think long and hard about what you've done. That's all I have to say to you." Karol watched Nan's receding figure with the sad puppy-dog look again. Noticing this, Yuri began rubbing his hair again vigorously.
"Hey, cut it out!" The boy ducked his head and covered it protectively.
"Let's get going, Karol. We're all tired."
"Yuri..."
Rita cut the touching moment short to complain (or help distract Karol?). "Man, we were way off. The Blood Alliance was nowhere to be seen."
"No kidding. We'll have to take any information that guy gives us with a grain of salt."
"'Guy'...?" Rita stared at Yuri in dawning comprehension and disbelief. "You don't mean...?"
"Yeah." He held out a hand in a what can you do about it way. Yuri's version of a shrug.
"Ooh! I am gonna roast that deadbeat the moment I see him." I nervously edged to the side so that Yuri was standing between me and the seething mage's direct line of fire. Thankfully the sweet and hard to hate princess tried to calm her down.
"Let's...let's take it easy on the way back." So saying, we all started to pick our way back through the maze-like ruin of a city, Yuri calling back when Karol lagged behind. He was still depressed, and I couldn't blame him after the rough time he'd had.
x x x
Aersick
Karol: So aer is more than just a handy substance for making blastia work, huh?
Rita: The questions amateurs ask, I swear... Aer affects everything in the world. Our own bodies, the growth of living organisms, even the weather.
Estelle: So the blastia in Ragou's palace that controlled the weather was interfering with the aer?
Rita: Correct.
Yuri: So then, that means the aer here is interfering with the processes in our bodies.
Karol: I mean, I can handle it, but is it really a good idea for us to be in aer this dense?
Rita: We shouldn't stay here too long. Especially runts like you who are still growing. The younger you are, the more of an effect the aer will have.
Yuri: Huh, guess that makes sense.
Rita: Though what I don't understand is why it effected Letha the strongest. For her to actually faint while the runt could still handle it is weird.
Letha: A-ah? Um, well, I've always been a bit more sensitive to aer than most people. I think it's one of the reasons my uncle wouldn't let me leave home until recently. Normally it isn't a problem for me.
Rita: Hmm.
The Dragon Freak
Rita: The next time I see that freak, my magic will be ready! No mercy!
Yuri: What's she so mad about?
Estelle: It looks like she's upset that we let that dragon rider escape.
Yuri: I never thought he'd go so far as the Caer Bocram underground to destroy blastia. Now that's dedication.
Rita: The next time we meet, I'll choke the life out of him with my bare hands!
Estelle: Rita's pretty dedicated herself...
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Not far from where we first entered the city, I felt my left hand growing warm again for just a moment. This time I quickly swept my hand around in the air around me, as if trying to catch that feeling of warmth before it escaped. Feeling it flicker again, almost as if I'd imagined it, I broke away from the path and started running after it.
"Wh- Hey! Letha, what are you doing?"
I spun as I ran to yell back at them, "I'm sorry! I don't have time to explain! I'll be back in a few minutes!" and then ran again. I could hear them shouting something at me, but I wasn't paying attention to what it was.
If it comes and goes like that, that means a piece of the heirloom is moving! Could a monster have it, or...? I stumbled, almost tripping over a root, but used the momentum from the almost-fall to keep propelling myself forward. Only to trip over something else. "Shi-!"
I was saved by a hand grabbing me by the upper arm. "Just what the hell are you doing?" Yuri's angry! He hadn't let go of me, holding my left arm with bruising force so I wouldn't run again. No! I'll lose it! I spun to face him, and reacted by reflex before we came to a full stop.
My left hand twisted around to grab him by the inside of his elbow, and my other hand flew up to grip his shoulder. I had a second to see the surprised look in his dark eyes before I stepped back with my left leg and allowed the momentum from him reaching out to grab me force him into continuing past me. He rolled across the ground from his own force and my guiding hands, and I ran past him again. "Letha!"
So close! The others were still chasing me and I hadn't slowed Yuri by much.
Suddenly there was nothing there when my foot came down, and I found myself sliding down a slope on my back. Once I stopped at the bottom I lay dazed, staring up at the clouded gray sky. My hand is burning. I scrambled to my feet again.
Standing with his back to me was a man with red hair and a long coat in an odd blue-purple color.
"You...!" He turned around, and the man facing me was Alastor.
"So good of you to join me, although you're running a little late." He pushed his spectacles higher up on the bridge of his nose.
"Wha...?"
He smirked at me with a confidence that was absent the last two times I'd met him. Then he raised a hand and flashed something at me. "I was certain you received my invitation not long after arriving here." He was holding three pieces of the heirloom, nearly identical to the first I had found but with different jewels on the ends.
I was immediately wary. It was obvious he knew that I was searching for those, and his words made it just as clear that he knew that I had a method of sensing them. "Why do you have those?"
"My own business. Though perhaps if you tell me whether you managed to recover your "aunt's" notes...?" I unconsciously gripped the bag Estelle had bought for me tighter, and he smirked again. "Ah, good." A flick of his hand and the pieces were hidden again like a magic trick. "Well, that's all I wanted to know."
I expected him to start trying to bargain for the notes with the heirloom pieces, but instead he turned and just started to walk away. "Wait!" He turned and raised an eyebrow at me. "That can't be the only reason you came out in the middle of nowhere and started flashing those around? Just to see if I'd found Sophia's notes?"
"Letha!" Yuri and the others came running out of the trees behind me, though only Karol was unlucky enough to slip and fall down like I had. Whatever angry words they each had for me died once they saw the stranger there with me. "And just who the hell are you?"
Alastor swept a low bow. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Master Yuri Lowell." He stood up and smirked again. "Pleased as well to meet you, Ladies Estellise Sidos Heurassein and Rita Mordio, and young Master Karol Capel. I am Alastor Todhunter, an acquaintance of this young lady here." They were all visibly shaken that he knew their names. Yuri was one thing, his wanted posters made recognizing him a common occurrence, but all of them?
I glared at Alastor. "Stop trying to psyche them out, or I swear I'll knife you."
"Such a violent young lady," he sighed. "Though you are right, there was one other piece of business I had with you." From under his coat he somehow produced the bag I had gotten from Ludwig. "You left this back in Ragou's mansion my dear. The name 'forgetfulness' seems to suit you quite well, hmm?" He tossed the bag in my direction, I caught it and nearly dropped it on the ground in my surprise. "Try to take better care of your things? Especially the ones you don't want curious eyes to find..."
The bag in my hands shook as I began to put together pieces in my mind. "Bastard. If you could get my bag back so easily, why didn't you go look for Sophia's notes yourself?"
The smile on his face was broad yet thin. "Why I told you already, did I not? Those notes are most suitable in your hands rather than belonging to someone who does not understand their true value." With a courteous nod of his head, he turned again and with a few long strides was lost from sight in the trees.
I stared after him, unbelieving, my mouth hanging open. It seemed he managed to do that every time I talked to him. "Aaaagh! I hate that bastard!" The only other person who pissed me off and left me at a loss like this was Nevi!
…
GODDAMMIT, HE'S A FAIRY TOO!
"Just what is going on here?" Yuri demanded. I winced at the hard and cold tone of his voice. Slowly I turned to face the music, and got Rita's punch in my gut.
I doubled over in pain. "Tha hell-?"
"Idiot! We already told you to stop doing such stupid things!"
"I'm sorry!" I gasped, "But I really didn't have any time to explain!" How does a girl who spends all her time researching get such a killer punch?
"Who was that person?" Estelle asked, mercifully withholding her own scolding for the time being. She and Karol were hanging back, letting the other two deal with yelling at me. But they both had sad and hurt looks in their eyes that made me feel like I'd kicked an entire litter of newborn puppies.
"Man I met in Nor Harbor... Claimed he knew my aunt...," I slowly straightened again, but kept my arms wrapped protectively around my middle. "He's the one who told me about Sophia's notes in Ragou's Manor."
"You actually trusted that suspicious freak?"
"He seemed more trustworthy when I first met him," though not by much, "and it really seemed like he knew Aunt Sophia. Now I'm not sure if he'd ever even seen her before..." Ugh, how do I explain the random running off...? "I've felt like someone was watching since we got here, but thought I was imagining it. Then I thought I saw him just before we were about to leave, and I had to catch him before he got away..." Close enough, I suppose.
"Dammit, Letha, why don't you just tell us these things?" I flinched. Yuri usually takes things as they come, so his anger was actually more frightening to me than the perpetually hot-tempered Rita. It triggered an instinctive need to run that I had to quash down before making things worse.
"If I'd known the guy was using me like that, I would have told you!" I probably would have, everything except the fact that he was tied to the fairy fiasco I was in somehow. He was the type of slippery and cunning bastard who would try to turn allies against each other. Not letting them know he apparently had an agenda that involved me could have put the entire group in danger.
I bit my lip and looked down at my bag. 'Try to take better care of your things? Especially the ones you don't want curious eyes to find...' "I don't think he's done with me yet, either."
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AccessBlade, still feel like kicking Alastor in the head? Letha would cheer you on...
I'm back home for a week, so happy3
Though that means I'll probably have internet problems, and our house is pretty cold compared to the dorms...but my bed is so much more comfortable, and I have all the extra blankets in the house!