Crickets chirped loudly in the night, the freezing waters of the dam by Vane shimmered as light from the Blue Star reflected off of it. Nightstar sighed quietly as he soaked in the cold water, not really bothered by how frigid it was. He brushed back his long black hair and sighed again, allowing the water to seep out the stress in his body.
Yuki splashed about in her human form on the opposite side of the dam, hidden behind the massive rocks. She giggled as she swirled the water about, making small whirlpools.
"Aaaauuuurrgh..." Nightstar groaned as he gingerly rubbed the back of his neck.
Yuki tilted her head as she heard Nightstar. "Still sore?"
"...Yeah, a little," Nightstar replied as he slumped in to the water, closing his eyes.
"You know, going to a statue of Althena would take care of that," Yuki pointed out.
Nightstar flinched.
"...No thanks. No pain, no gain, eh?" he muttered, trying to keep his voice neutral.
"I guess... but those fake water dragons were tough!" Yuki frowned, then pouted. "And ugly too. I don't see how they thought they could pass themselves off as the real thing."
"Heh... I heard a human once thought a big fat frog was a dragon. One of the FOUR, no less." Nightstar grinned.
"They thought a frog was one of the four!?" Yuki peered over the rocks at Nightstar, incredulous. "You're kidding me!"
"Someone thought a giant frog was one of the Four Dragons," Nightstar repeated, and then paused. "...Oh, and that one of the colors was 'teal.'"
"...That's insulting," Yuki pouted as she slipped back in to the water. "How could anyone mistake a FROG for one of us?"
"Maybe he was drunk?" Nightstar offered as he leaned back, tilting his head. "Or he was lying and was trying to pull a scam."
"Or the guy was an idiot that wouldn't know a rock from a man-eating plant," Yuki huffed, appalled at the very idea of a frog being mistaken for a dragon.
"Heh, no kidding." Nightstar rubbed his neck again, and then stretched. "But what's worse? Being mistaken for a frog or for a cat?"
"Frog. Cats at least resemble us," Yuki replied, leaning back against a rock and splashing the water around with her hands.
"Yeah... he must have been trying to pull a scam. Only ignorant people would believe a frog is a dragon," Nightstar grunted.
"Yeah... kind of like that one guy we saw trying to sell water and saying they were Althena's tears," Yuki agreed.
"...I enjoyed throwing him off the dock and dumping his wares on him. Like anyone'd believe that someone like him could get tears from the Goddess," Nightstar scowled.
"I dunno... He did freak out when I threw that large bag of his into the river after him. I think it might have been full of silver," Yuki pointed out.
"It was... it probably sank in to the mud. He deserved it. Selling water to sick people and saying it'll cure them... disgusting."
"Yeah... It's almost as bad as what my uncle said about Pentagulia and the fake of Althena." Yuki sighed, slipping deeper in to the water until she was submerged up to her neck.
"...I'm surprised Papa was even up to that sort of thing..." Nightstar muttered, then shook his head. "I guess it comes and goes..."
"That's good." Yuki nodded then sighed. "Too bad uncle didn't want me to come too because I'm so young. I would've liked seeing him, your dad, and Nall and Ruby blasting that place to bits."
"..." Nightstar cracked his neck, slightly. "...To be honest, Papa shouldn't have gone to begin with."
"Why's that?" Yuki asked as she tilted her head slightly.
"He's been going insane slowly for centuries," Nightstar sighed, and then slumped against a rock. "Nall, Ruby, and Uncle Ditsu had no idea how much danger they were in."
"Eh?" Yuki blinked and turned towards the rock divider. "What do you mean?"
"They stood just as much chance of getting blasted by Papa as Pentagulia did," Nightstar muttered.
"What?!" Yuki gasped, horrified. "Why would your papa wanna do that?"
"Papa... could very well have killed all three of them and never realized what he was doing," Nightstar muttered. "He's... lost his mind, Yuki. Completely. I'm the only one he even recognizes anymore."
"That's terrible..." Yuki whispered.
"...I know." Nightstar closed his eyes. "I know it more than anyone. Nall and Ruby... they don't even know. They don't visit Papa... so they don't know how far gone he is. They only visited him once... and that was with Lucia. The only reason why he had any shred of sanity right then was because of her aura and power. I guess she had a calming effect on him... but it wasn't permanent."
"Oh... I guess that's why uncle didn't want to see you. He must have thought you were your papa and that your papa might attack us..." Yuki sighed softly. She blinked as a thought occurred to her then tilted her head. "Maybe Lucia can help him get better permanently. I mean... if she could help him by just being there... maybe she could figure out how to fix him for good."
"She left," Nightstar muttered. "Besides, he's gotten much worse since then, if you can imagine. He's so bad that he'd probably attack her on sight."
"Oh... So there's no way to fix your papa...?"
"... Althena could," Nightstar replied. "If she were alive, I know she could. Even as a human, I'd bet... her song drove him insane, so her song could heal him. It'd only make sense."
"Oh..." Yuki went silent for a few moments. "...Hey... Nightstar...?" she asked very quietly.
"Yeah...?"
"Why did Althena become human?"
"...I don't know," Nightstar muttered. "...Probably got tired of us."
"...Why would she do that...? I mean... she made us..."
"...I don't know." Nightstar repeated, sighing.
Yuki sighed too, sadly, and leaned back on a rock. "I guess we'll never know for sure..."
"Yeah," Nightstar shrugged.
Yuki went silent, splashing the water for a few minutes before she looked up. "You sure you don't want to use one of Althena's statues? Suffering's never any good you know."
"...I'm fine. It's not so sore anymore."
"Okay... if you say so." Yuki splashed around some more.
Nightstar slumped in to the water. "... ...Yeah."
"Hey... Nightstar?"
Yuki peered over the rocks again.
"...? Hmm? What?" Nightstar looked up.
"Thanks for letting me tag along on your adventure. I'm having lots of fun!" Yuki smiled brightly.
Nightstar blinked, then smiled. "No problem... thanks for keeping me company. It's not so... lonely... when you're traveling with someone."
"Yeah." Yuki smiled cutely. Nightstar chuckled softly, then sighed.
Yuki tilted her head slightly. "You know... you never did say who we're going to be fighting," she pointed out.
"Hm?" Nightstar blinked, taken off guard.
"You know... the big bad guy threatening Lunar that we've gotta fight and take out." Yuki crossed her arms atop the rocks, propping herself up so that she could continue to peer over easily. "That's the reason all Dragonmasters become Dragonmasters I thought."
"...Oh." Nightstar blinked, then sighed and leaned back. "You'd probably think they're stupid reasons."
"No I wouldn't!" Yuki protested cheerfully.
"...I had a dream," Nightstar whispered.
"A dream?" Yuki repeated curiously.
"No, a nightmare," Nightstar muttered, more to himself. "It was hideous..."
Yuki blinked.
"I saw... this five headed THING... I couldn't tell what it was exactly. It was surrounded by this noxious purple mist... but it was a dragon of some kind," Nightstar shivered. "And it was destroying everything."
"Hey... I once had a dream like that too!" Yuki exclaimed. "Only in my dream I saw a pretty blue-haired lady. She was singing but she disappeared before that thing appeared. It came right at me and I was so scared that I woke up!"
"It was eating people right and left..." Nightstar muttered, as if he couldn't hear her. It was as if the memory of the dream consumed him. "Snarling and snapping... destroying entire cities with a single blast... and the rivers ran red with blood..."
"...That dream thing is nasty..." Yuki paused as she looked thoughtful, a slight frown on her face. Suddenly she brightened. "Hey! Maybe that's the bad guy and we both dreamed of it 'cause we were supposed to join up together to fight it!"
"... Maybe..." Nightstar sat up. "...But after the scenes of carnage... a voice whispered that I had to get the armor... all of the armor... and quickly. It was important. I don't know why... but it was important! But then... the beast turned to look at me and... SMILED at me... and it was Papa's face! I woke up screaming... it felt so real... and I found that Papa... Papa had the same dream."
"Yeah, it must mean something if three of us had it!" Yuki exclaimed, excited. "Uncle might not have had it because he said he was dreaming of your papa and something called S and M, but maybe Ruby and Nall did too, and maybe it's a vision of this unknown evil coming!"
"Papa... was thrashing about. He was screaming and tearing at the walls with his claws, snarling and snapping at shadows. He kept screaming that 'she was coming' but that 'he would kill her forever and ever.' He also said that he had to 'find the unicorn and her rings.'" Nightstar swallowed. "That's... when I made up my mind and- ...what?" Nightstar turned to stare in Yuki's general direction. "What did you say?"
"I said that our dreams are probably a vision of some unknown evil coming because three of us dragons had it," Yuki repeated. "Nall and Ruby might have dreamt of it too. And maybe the stuff in our dreams were things we needed to know or find or something."
"... ..." Nightstar shook his head, deciding he must have imagined what she said about Ditsu. He figured that even if Nall and Ruby had the same dream as them, they'd dismiss it as just a dream that was influenced by bad fish. They would think that Nightstar was stupid for getting riled up over a dream. However, the Dragonmaster in training knew it couldn't have been just a dream; it was just a feeling he had and black dragons were notorious for their feelings.
Even if Nightstar had been trying to control them.
Nightstar grunted and tugged at his hair, slightly. After his father started losing his sanity due to Althena's dark song and his imprisonment in the Grindery, Nightstar spent most of his time trying to cope with it. He trained himself both mentally and physically in order to strengthen himself as well as learn to control his feelings. He knew he had a temper.
Nightstar had avoided the other dragons, hiding whenever anyone came to visit Papa or going off on long training excursions. He wanted to confront Nall for not helping the dragons but he was also frightened of what he might do if he did. As his father lost his mind, Nightstar had become all too aware of what a black dragon was capable of: black dragon rampage.
Nightstar trembled and massaged his forehead with his fingers. He knew what a rampage was; he also knew that he was fully capable of going on a rampage as well. That's why Nall didn't recognize him on Taben's Peak; Nightstar had avoided him completely out of fear that he would do something that he would ultimately regret.
When Nightstar discovered, or rather sensed, that his father had left the lair to attack Pentagulia, he immediately returned home. He had been so frightened that his father had gone on a rampage...
Even when he was relieved to discover that his father hadn't gone on a rampage, Nightstar couldn't get over the fact that Papa COULD HAVE. So, the young black dragon convinced his father to surrender his power and his status as the Black Dragon to him. His father seemed to always be on the verge of a rampage. The last thing Lunar needed was a psychotic black dragon on an eternal rampage with nigh godly powers.
Unfortunately, Nightstar had a suspicion that he was no safer than his father.
Nightstar had tried to control himself when he went to get the red and white dragon armors. He tried so hard to control himself, but the words just slipped out. As a result, the entire meeting was a disaster. Obviously, he just couldn't control himself once he lost his temper. Seeing Nall literally tore apart every ounce of self-control he had, filling him with anger and pent frustration. In the end, Nightstar had lashed out and alienated his family.
So much for his training.
It seemed that all Nightstar had succeeded in doing during his one thousand years of training and hiding was turn his anger in to a hideous poison of bitterness and resentment.
Nightstar reclined back against the rock and slumped, letting out a frustrated grunt. What was the point if he lost his temper so easily?
SPLASH!
Yuki bobbed in the water in front of Nightstar in her baby dragon form, smiling cutely. "You know, it doesn't make much sense to use two different sides of the water. We should both be on the same side and having fun during our bath!"
Nightstar stared then yelped and dived behind a rock, his face bright red. "YUKI!?"
"What? What's wrong?" Yuki blinked, confused.
"I'm NAKED!?"
"So? I'm naked too, you know." Yuki blinked.
"T-that's why we're supposed to use different sides!" Nightstar flushed.
"Only when I'm naked in my human form. When I'm in this form I can be over here with you."
Nightstar stared at her.
"...How do you figure?"
"Well, my uncle always said that it's okay for boys to run around naked even as humans, but it's not okay for girls to since that's just another way we're different."
"...L-look... I'm a... a guy... you're a g-girl... we're not supposed to.. to...!"
Yuki tilted her head. "Not supposed to what? My uncle runs around naked all the time and he says that all guys can do that. It's just girls who have to wear clothes all the time in public unless they're in their baby forms."
Nightstar stared at Yuki. "...But..."
"But what?" Yuki tilted her head.
"...G-guys and g-girls aren't supposed to... to... see each other!"
"No... it's guys aren't supposed to see girls, but girls can see guys. At least that's what my uncle always tells me."
Nightstar blinked. "That can't be right... can it?" he thought, his cheeks still red. "... I... I was always told... that you... can't see EITHER..." he ventured.
Yuki blinked and scratched her cheek with a claw. "But my uncle always told me that it was okay for guys to run around naked... Why would he do that if it wasn't?"
"...They can run naked... if they're ALONE... I guess..." Nightstar blushed brightly. "B-but not in front of a girl! It's the same as a guy seeing a girl naked! T-that's what Papa said!"
"Then why would my uncle do it? He runs around naked all the time and doesn't care who sees."
Nightstar facefaulted. "... ...Yuki... didn't you notice that your uncle's... weird? A long time ago, he tried to convince the others to help him make a tower out of dragon diamonds."
Yuki stared at Nightstar with a weirded out look. "A tower of DRAGON DIAMONDS?"
Nightstar flushed and coughed. "He... he said that if they all sat down in the same area and, um... ...c-concentrated... that they could all... go a lot and..."
Yuki looked positively ill. "EWWWW! My uncle really wanted to do THAT!?"
"...He said I could... ahem... make the little stepping stones."
Yuki just stared at Nightstar, looking slightly green and very disgusted.
"...Y-yeah. My dad threatened to rampage on him if he ever suggested the idea again, so your uncle didn't really get far," Nightstar assured her.
"...I never knew my uncle could be so... icky..." Yuki stuck out her tongue.
"He... has his moments. I... don't know... I mean... he's one of a kind." Nightstar itched his chin.
"...Well... I've only ever known my uncle all my life.. but I didn't know he acted so... weird!"
"He's gotten better but... ...Guys aren't supposed to run naked in front of someone... It's... indecent..." Nightstar muttered.
"Oh..." Yuki nodded slowly. "Okay, I guess..."
"... ..." Nightstar looked at Yuki. "...But I guess it's okay if we're both..." He dipped under the water, causing Yuki to blink and look around. Seconds later, he popped back up in baby dragon form. "...Dragons!" he finished.
Yuki smiled brightly. "Okay!"
Nightstar chuckled as he paddled around the water, almost three times Yuki's size. Yuki splashed around with Nightstar, then blinked.
"You know, you're a lot bigger than I am."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." Yuki swam over to Nightstar so he could see their size difference; the baby black dragon was almost three times her size.
"...Wow. Why am I so much larger?" Nightstar stared.
"Dunno. Maybe it's because you're a boy and I'm a girl or because your the Black Dragon and I'm a blue dragon?"
"...That might be... ...but am I bigger than Nall?" Nightstar secretly hoped he was. Something about that made him feel better.
"Never saw him in his baby form before, so I dunno. I do know that I'm smaller than Ruby though." Yuki shrugged.
"I guess... people must mistake me for a flying DOG, not a flying cat!" Nightstar laughed.
"Or a flying panther cub!" Yuki giggled, splashing Nightstar.
"ACK!" Nightstar splashed back, grinning. "Rawr!"
Yuki giggled and squeaked as she was splashed, then returned the favor. However, Nightstar dove under the water to escape her assault.
Yuki giggled and dove in after Nightstar. "I'll get you!"
Nightstar smirked at Yuki, snapping his tail at her as he dove downwards. Yuki squealed, able to breathe under water because she was a blue dragon, and dodged the tail before swimming after Nightstar.
Nightstar made a choked noise, unable to breathe underwater like Yuki, and zipped off as fast as his legs could paddle him. However, he wasn't fast enough as Yuki lunged in the water and pounced him. Nightstar gurgled and flailed, air bubbles escaping.
Yuki giggled, then preceded to tickle Nightstar. The Black Dragon yelped, then sputtered as he accidentally sucked in water. The blue dragon blinked, sensing something amiss, and quickly swam towards the surface with Nightstar. The two surged upwards out of the water, Yuki taking a gasp of air despite the fact that she didn't need to and glancing at the larger dragon.
"Nightstar? Are you okay!?" Yuki asked, very concerned.
Nightstar floated on the water, breathing but looking very dazed.
"...Nightstar?"
Nightstar gurgled.
"Ookami?"
"..."
Karu sighed softly as he followed the hurried footsteps of his twin sister, his heels clicking against the tiled floors rather loudly. Behind him, the two large wolves padded quietly after them. Ever since they returned from Taben's Peak, Ookami refused to say anything at all. Karu could sympathize, but it still bothered him that the usually talkative sister wasn't speaking.
However, he knew better than to press the subject.
Karu sighed again and shook his head, the wolves whimpering behind him. Ookami continued to stalk, turning a corner and storming up the narrow stairs towards the upper level of the temple. The two had to go report to Aika about their failure to capture either dragon. Karu wasn't sure whether he should be worried about Aika's reaction; she seemed too calm and collected, yet she exploded violently in the face of the cloaked figure she had sent back to the past.
Aika was still very much a mystery to him.
Karu itched his chin, then yelped as he accidentally bumped in to Ookami. Ookami turned back and hissed at him to be quiet, then pointed at her ear meaningfully. Karu blinked, and then tilted his head to listen.
"La la la laaaaaa... la la la la... la la la la laaaaaaaa..."
Ookami and Karu blinked, then continued up the stairs slowly. Once reaching the top of the stairs, Karu and Ookami found themselves in a large, spacious garden. Pink sakura trees decorated the area, their soft cherry blossoms swaying in the wind, as flowers of all colors decorated their roots. A massive fountain rested in the center of the garden, a statue of a beautiful yet truly frightening woman, scantily clad in a strange bikini-like outfit, stood tall and defiant as water dribbled down her marble cheeks, as if she were crying.
Sitting daintily on the edge of the fountain was Aika, quietly running her fingers across the shimmering strings of a harp. She didn't look up at Ookami and Karu as she quietly played, her expression tranquil.
"La, la, la, laaaaaa... la, la, la, la... la, la, la, la, laaaaaaaa..."
Ookami blinked and glanced at Karu, then crossed her arms and tilted her head. She turned to look at Aika. "Hey."
Aika ceased playing and looked up at Ookami as Karu hissed at his sister, obviously distressed that she interrupted Aika. Ookami didn't notice as she tapped her foot, fixing Aika with a steady gaze.
"Nice song but what's with this 'lalala' crap?" Ookami asked. "Why is it that every singer on Lunar sings like that? I mean, don't you know the words?"
Aika blinked, then smiled. "Indeed."
"Ookami!" Karu hissed, warningly.
"I have a point!" Ookami retorted. "I mean, who knows what a singer's singing if all they do is say 'lalala'? The song could be about killing puppies in the streets!"
"...Killing puppies?" Karu arched an eyebrow.
"Hey, it could happen!" Ookami protested. "And if it's sung really cheerfully, then you'd never know!"
"That is quite true." Aika nodded slowly, then strummed a few notes on the harp. "Would you like to hear the words, then?"
"Yep." Ookami nodded.
"If it's not too much trouble..." Karu added, grinning sheepishly due to his sister's rude behavior. Aika's smile softened as she turned to her harp, her fingers expertly maneuvering to play. Ookami flopped down to sit on the ground, blinking at Aika, as Karu stood quietly nearby.
"Darkened Chaos... Won't you lead me...? To my destiny..." Aika sang, her voice beautifully complimented by the harp. "For that something... Hiding from me... I am searching for..."
Karu and Ookami blinked, glancing at each other before returning their attention to Aika.
"Is it all right for me to suffer like this? I stare at the star thinking about it... Is it okay for me to be what I am now?" Aika closed her eyes as she sang. "I obey you, quietly..."
Karu tapped his foot in tune with the harp, closing his eyes as he and Ookami paid close attention.
"Taking it all inside of me is tiring. Sometimes I feel like not waking up again. I don't fear dying, but I do fear pain." Aika continued to play, as if absorbed by the music. "I obey you, quietly..."
The entire garden seemed to listen with Karu and Ookami, as even the birds and insects stayed quiet.
"There are many different dreams... There are many different lives." Aika tilted her head, her expression hardening slightly before easing up. "They love each other. They kill each other. Everyone has problems like everyone else..."
Karu's expression grew solemn as Ookami blinked.
"As I follow you and your desires... I may be able to cross that bridge," Aika continued. "It's so mysterious yet feels familiar..."
The Vile Tribe siblings watched Aika as she played, the music soft and rather cheerful despite the strange words that came from Aika.
"But if you don't find me where I should be... I hope that you can forgive me for going. My heart won't stop searching for that mystery..." Aika looked skyward, thoughtfully. "Destiny is calling me."
Aika lowered her gaze to look at the cold water beside her, staring at her rippled reflection on the flowing surface. "I look at my refection in a mirror sometimes... Shattered pieces are all that I can see. What have I become now...? Am I still me...? Aika's expression hardened again before returning to its tranquil expression. "I obey you, quietly..."
"Where I'll go, what I'll become... Who I am, or what will be... I'll never know. Am I what I ought to be? Should I even want to see...?" Aika shook her head slightly as she continued to play the harp, apparently forgetting her audience as she sang. "Everyone is alone..."
"I am looking for that special something... That will form my pieces into one whole. Until that time I'll keep on searching...," Aika sang, softly. "If I take that final step and go... I know that I can never go back again. It's so frightening but I'll show no fear..."
Aika paused to look at Karu and Ookami directly. "Destiny is calling me."
Karu and Ookami blinked, though Karu looked slightly uncertain while Ookami simply looked confused.
"No one... Can see... This future... This tomorrow... I wonder what they dream...? For I have none of my own." Aika looked at them, her expression neutral though her voice seemed bitter. "As I follow you and your desires... I may be able to cross that bridge. It's so mysterious yet feels familiar... But if you don't find me where I should be... I hope that you can forgive me for going. My heart won't stop searching for that mystery..."
Aika suddenly stopped the harp's tuning completely with her hand, ending the song on a shimmering and almost disturbed note. "Destiny is calling me."
"..." Ookami seemed to be at a loss, and then grinned widely. "See? It's much better without the 'lalala' crap!"
"..." Karu said nothing, looking between Ookami and Aika.
"Thank you," Aika said, quietly. She paused, and then tilted her head. "You didn't bring back a dragon." It wasn't a question.
"...He had children with him," Ookami replied, her expression hardening at the memory. "They started crying."
Aika looked at Ookami, showing no sign of any change in her attitude as she waited for Ookami to explain.
"...You know how the Vile Tribe left the Frontier over one thousand years ago, right?" Ookami looked at Aika. Aika nodded. Ookami nodded back, acknowledging Aika. "...Well... it didn't work out. The humans were too afraid... They refused to give the Tribe a chance... so the Tribe was forced back in to the Frontier... after only a couple decades of persecution and rejection everywhere else."
"Indeed..." Aika softly whispered.
"...The Vile Tribe was forced to become nomadic, living off whatever land they could find within the Frontier with any sign of life... or simply steal land and defend it for as long as they could before the Pao humans fought them off." Ookami's expression grew dark and hateful. "Centuries passed and the Vile Tribe was no better off... reduced from great warriors to nomads and thieves."
"...I see..." Aika murmured. "And what did the children...?"
"...Because... that is what the Vile Tribe was reduced to," Karu interjected. Ookami tensed, and then stared hard at the ground.
"Excuse me?" Aika blinked at Karu, a shimmer of confusion in her otherwise neutral eyes.
"... ...Ookami and I are the only adults left alive," Karu replied. "All died off due to the stress and harsh conditions... The Vile Tribe was reduced to thirty children, ranging from ages four to thirteen, and two adults... Ookami and I."
"..." Aika was at a loss.
"... Hearing those children cry..." Ookami began. "...Was like hearing the starving cries of the Tribe... asking when the next meal is or whimpering about how thirsty they are. I can't... bear it. I just can't bear it..."
"...I understand." Aika nodded. Karu stared at Aika, startled by how lenient she was being. "You will have to draw the dragons away from the children, then... Don't worry yourself over this. You tried your best."
"...Alright..." Ookami replied. Karu stared in confusion as Aika stood up, patted Ookami on the shoulder, and walked towards the stairway. Neither Vile Tribe sibling moved until her footsteps echoed down the stairs to nothingness.
"Huh." Karu blinked.
"That's weird," Ookami looked up. "She was so calm and understanding... but she was so vicious to that cloaked guy."
"...She must have her reasons," Karu replied. He noticed Ookami's blank stare, then grinned weakly. "Someone can hate another so much that they would do or say something that they normally wouldn't... somehow, that other person's simple existence can unnerve you so much that your normal restraint and control disappears. If you loathe someone enough, it doesn't take much to lose your temper or do things out of character."
"Huh." Ookami blinked, then shrugged. "Whatever. I've never experienced that before. I guess I just don't hate anyone that much."
Karu laughed lightly, causing Ookami to eye him. He turned to smile a little more widely at her.
"Let's hope you never do."
A soft wind rustled the bright green leaves of the trees about Burg of the past. Birds sung merrily, obviously enjoying the day, as an occasional villager walked through the streets.
The figure darted along the trees, grunting quietly while attempting to remain out of sight. The figure continued to trail Laike, who strode quickly through Burg as his mind churned.
"..." The figure crouched in a tree, pausing on a branch to watch Laike curiously. "...Why is this man going here...?"
Laike paused momentarily and tilted his head as he glanced back, having the odd feeling of being watched. The figure crouched and tensed, watching Laike. Laike scanned the area around him, his hand straying to the hilt of his sword, before deciding he must have imagined things and resumed his hurried pace.
The figure waited quietly before following after Laike, trying to be much quieter. Laike hurried through Burg, striding past random people going about their business as he neared a small wood cabin at the edge of town.
"...Well, well... what have we here?" the figure muttered, though the tone was more disturbed than pleased.
"Swing! Swing! Swing!"
A lovely song filled the air as a young woman with long blue hair tied in a scarf sat on the front steps and hummed while making a quilt, her fingers expertly working the needle and fabric. Nearby, a young man with short light brown hair and blazing green eyes swung a large axe, chopping firewood. Sitting on a pile of lumber next to the young man, grinning like a Cheshire cat while 'supervising,' was a much younger Nall.
"...My, how they've grown," the figure observed.
"Oookaaay," Nall drawled, the young man trying to ignore him. "...And SWI-HEY! Look! It's Dyne!"
The figure stopped up short, drawing in a sharp gasp of air while drawing back and reaching for the hilt of a sword hidden among the robes. "...Dyne..."
"Hmmm?" The young woman looked up, and then smiled. "Why, Laike! What a pleasant surprise!"
"Hello, Laike!" The young man stopped in his chores, then glanced at Nall. "We're not supposed to call him Dyne, remember?" he whispered.
"Oh yeah... right..." Nall muttered, sweatdropping.
"If I had known... I would have made some tea!" Luna smiled at Dyne, putting down her quilt and needle in her lap.
Dyne ignored the slip of the tongue, looking at the young man and woman, oddly serious. "...Greetings, Alex... Luna...," he nodded to each in turn, then eyed Nall. "...Nall."
Nall looked sheepish.
"...Why so serious, Laike?" Luna blinked.
"...Is something wrong?" Alex asked, arching an eyebrow.
"I apologize, but I'm not going to be staying long... I'm just here to ask a couple questions," Dyne replied, completely dropping the whole fake accent.
"Questions?" Luna blinked again. "Has... something happened?"
"...No," Dyne shook his head, and then lowered his voice. "...I just... Something's been bothering me and I just wanted to ask Alex directly about something..."
"...Oh." Luna looked confused.
"..." The figure's jaw clenched.
"..." Alex stiffened slightly, then tried to look casual as he glanced at Luna. "Luna... maybe you can make us some tea?"
"Alright," Luna smiled slightly as she stood up and walked inside. "I suppose it's 'man talk'?"
"Uh... yeah... that's it," Alex replied, smiling at Luna until she was out of sight before looking at Dyne seriously. "What do you want to know?"
The figure drew closer, slowly.
"...When you fought Ghaleon..." Dyne began, tense and speaking softly. "...Did you kill him?"
The figure drew a blade from the depths of the cloak.
"...Yes." Alex nodded.
"..." The figure crouched. "...Quick and painless..."
"..." Dyne went silent for a few moments, his expression unreadable. "I see."
"...Why did you want to know...?" Alex asked.
Suddenly, the figure leapt down from the trees at Dyne, sword outstretched.
"...! LOOK OUT!" Alex cried out, quickly shoving Dyne aside and blocked the sword with the axe he had been using to chop wood. The figure grunted, arms tensing to hold the blade firmly as his cape fluttered mysteriously about him. Alex grunted and kept a firm hold on the axe, forcing it back as best he could. The figure slinked back quickly, hopping a bit before crouching.
"A-Alex? What's wrong?" Luna asked from the doorway, holding a tray with tea.
"Get back inside, Luna!" Alex barked, holding his axe offensively at the attacker. Dyne quickly drew his sword and stood by Alex, ready to fight as well. Luna gasped and backed away in to the house, Nall following her nervously.
"...Stay out of this, dragon boy..." the figure growled.
"...'Dragon boy'?" Alex narrowed his eyes. The figure glanced at Dyne, and then pointed his blade threateningly at the bearded man.
"...Come, then!" the figure barked. "If you dare."
"I don't know what you want by attacking me..." Dyne tensed, ready to strike. "But if it's a fight you want, you have it."
"Heh, big talk little boy... you haven't exactly had a record for facing problems head on! Will you run away again?" the figure drawled.
"...Who are you to say such things?" Dyne growled.
"Hmmm, hmmm, hmm... have I struck a nerve?"
"Who are you?" Alex asked, warily.
"...Didn't I tell you to keep out of this?" the figure glowered at Dyne. "Must he really fight your battles for you once more?"
Dyne's eyes narrowed. "...Shut up and fight." He then suddenly lunged forward to attack.
"Hah!" the figure brought up his sword to parry the attack. "You've gotten slow, old man."
"Feh. First I'm a little boy, and now I'm an old man?" Dyne swung another strike, which the figure blocked once more, then thrust forward. "Make up your mind!"
The figure moved out of the way gracefully, then laughed. "I could say the same to you! What's with the beard, DYNE?"
"..." Dyne mentally cursed Nall for slipping up, the dragon in question flinching at hearing that, and then attacked again. The figure jumped back, crouching with cat-like grace, and smirked.
"One would think you were trying to hide from something, Dyne... your past, perhaps? Is there something you're ashamed of, pray tell?"
"..." Dyne glared, drawing back in to a more defensive stance. "Just who are you?"
"Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm... no, I don't think I'll tell you." The figure stood in a very taunting and haughty stance.
"...Cocky aren't you," Dyne muttered as he shifted his stance, charging in for another attack. The figure lunged backwards, swinging under Dyne's slash at his exposed side, before landing a few feet away.
"Hmmmm... Perhaps! What will you do about it, pray tell?"
Dyne barely pulled back in time to get away from the slash, his clothes getting torn slightly. The figure's eyes widened slightly before narrowing, unseen by all.
"So very careless... Mmm, mmm, mmm."
"...You won't be so confident for long. I've not even gotten warmed up yet," Dyne retorted, bringing his sword down and thrusting it at the figure.
"Mmmm, big words... you're all talk, dear boy." The figure twisted out of the way, still as elegant as a fencer, and kicked at Dyne's shin. Dyne grunted and hopped back after his shin was kicked, shifting his weight to his uninjured foot and glaring at the figure.
"You're one to talk."
"Am I?" the figure smirked. "You can't even touch me! You're just a little boy in an old man's body."
"And you're a cowardly assassin who won't even give out his name." Dyne responded before charging once more to attack in spite of his sore shin.
"Cowardly?" the figure scoffed, dodging once more before glowering under his hood. "Hardly. I don't hide from you. I simply don't believe you have any right to know my name, DYNE... or should I call you LAIKE?"
Dyne simply growled in response, attacking once more as the figure had apparently hit a nerve. The figure brought up his sword to parry, flinching at the loud clash of steel against steel before sneering.
"Hmmm? Upset?"
"Shut up! You don't understand anything!" Dyne hissed, pressing his blade hard against the figure's. Behind him, Alex watched, unable to interfere in Dyne's fight, for fear that the assassin might choose to attack Nall or Luna should he move, as Nall peeked out through the doorway. Luna stood behind Nall, blinking slowly with a curious expression on her face.
"A-Alex?" she began.
"A little presumptuous, aren't you?! What makes you think I don't understand EVERYTHING!? DYNE!?" the figure spat.
"BECAUSE IF YOU DID UNDERSTAND THEN YOU WOULDN'T SAY SUCH THINGS!" Dyne snarled as he put more force in to his blade.
"Wouldn't I?" the figure sneered.
"Luna!" Alex turned to look at Luna, alarmed, before eying the fight warily. "I thought I told you to get in the house."
"...A-Alex... I think I... recognize that man's voice!" Luna whispered. The figure stopped up short.
"What?" Alex stared.
"...It seems so familiar... it's... I don't know, I can't explain it... but I'm almost certain...!" Luna muttered. The figure scowled, then shoved back against Dyne's blade roughly.
"Enough with the peanut gallery!" he barked.
"Well, who is he?" Nall asked.
"I won't let you harm them!" Dyne tensed, ready to defend Alex, Luna, and Nall.
"...Worry about yourself, DYNE!" the figure spat, lunging forward to slash at Dyne.
"I can't be sure but... but..." Luna eyed the fight warily.
"But?" Alex pressed. Dyne dodged the figure's fight, the slash knocking off his beret, and then lunged forward with a slash of his own.
"...GHALEON!" Luna cried out, pointing at the figure. The figure tensed and whirled to stare at Luna. However, that proved to be a mistake as he exposed himself long enough for the slash to slip by. The figure yowled and fell back, the hood ripping as the blade barely avoided cutting his face.
Dyne instantly froze, his eyes wide.
"...Ghaleon?" he whispered, disbelievingly.
"What? Ghaleon!?" Alex gasped.
"But he was dead!" Nall protested.
Ghaleon fumbled to his feet, backing away as a distinct flash of silver hair dripped out of his hood as half of his pale white face was exposed, though the hood still covered the left, scarred part of his face. "...Hah... I guess you still have some fight in you..."
"...It's... it's Ghaleon!" Luna repeated. Dyne simply stared, his mouth opening and closing but no words coming out. His sword dangled limply from his hand.
"Nall!" Alex tensed.
"Right!" Nall nodded, reaching in to his pocket dimension and pulling out the Sword of Althena. Quickly, he handed the sword over to Alex while Luna stared at Ghaleon, not so much afraid as confused and curious.
"... ..." Ghaleon eyed Alex before grunting and glowering at Dyne. "...I won't fail again... DYNE."
With that, Ghaleon whirled and bolted for the trees and disappeared in to the shadows with a flutter of his cape. Silence reigned before Luna finally stepped out of the house and towards Alex, uncertain.
"...Alex...?"
"Ghaleon..." Dyne barely whispered as he stared, stunned. His sword slipped from his grasp to fall lifelessly on to the ground.
Alex lowered the sword and looked at Luna, unsure of what to say, as he was completely overwhelmed. Nall blinked, glancing from Dyne to Luna and Alex, then huffed and crossed his arms.
"...Well... this sucks."