“Oh?” Eclipse asked before realization hit, “Oh.” he repeated and gave a nod, then the slightest of smiles. He had never actually met the princess, though he had seen her that time in the library...with the boy with the tail...

His smile grew wider for a brief moment; this was perfect. “So you met the princess?” He asked.

 

Drake grinned. “Yes, I did. She interests me greatly. She's with the thief, but that can't last long. She liked the hawk... and she followed me.”

 

Eclipse gave Drake a smile that was unreadable, and nodded. “I thought you might,” he admitted, “Though...”

 

“Though?” Drake's eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't like a 'though'.

 

“Well, it sounds likely she will be marrying the genome...” Eclipse said, putting a regretful tone in his voice, despite this being very beneficial to him, and his plans.

 

“Oh, I know.” Drake yawned, easily shrugging that off.
He outranked the Terran. Out classed him; out did him in every way. Drake was royalty, the same age as Garnet, and their relationship could join the two nations... there was no question who the other world leaders would prefer.

 

“So you won't object to going back there in a week or two?” Eclipse asked, rather hopeful that he now had Drake 'on his side'.

 

“I'd like to go back,” Drake confirmed.

 

“Good. But we still need the genome...we can't get rid of him, yet.” Eclipse informed Drake, making it clear by the tone of his voice that it was an order.

 

“Oh,” Drake was slightly disappointed about that. That would have been easier. “... I'll have to go live with Pricilla again if I kill him, hu?”

 

Eclipse's smile widened, and he gave a nod with well-hidden threat in it. “Not yet.” he said, and then seemed to think about it. “But when I no longer have a use for him, you may hunt him down, or whatever, if you wish.” Eclipse added, just to make sure Drake stayed on his side.

 

Drake was amused by that idea. He thought he would hate the Terran... but he didn't. He didn't like the idea that Zidane was with Garnet, or that Drake had to act like Garnet when he was around them both... he still preferred Garnet, though, so if something were to happen to Zidane it wouldn't bother Drake.

“Alright,” he shrugged again.

 

Strange, Eclipse would have thought that Drake would have been more enthusiastic about getting rid of the genome. After all, he was probably going to marry the princess unless they did some serious meddling.

“So what did you think of the Terran?” Eclipse asked, wanting to find out more about Drake's 'odd' attitude.

 

Drake was not going to fall for that. Eclipse hated anyone who might out power him, and Zidane... had managed to defeat many people.

So, he shrugged for the third time, said “Meh” in a disgusted, but dismissive, way and went back to reading his book.

Drake was always nicer to people his own age that weren't Pricilla. He was even nicer to other people who Pricilla disliked or who disliked her and were his age. Drake hardly ever got to spend time with people his age since... well... always. Ellipsis let him hang out with some, but Eclipse said either they would be bad influences, were too immature for him, or simply couldn't stand to be around them.
Ellipsis let Drake get away with a lot of things... and he taught Drake all the fun words in both the main languages they used— which Eclipse hated and Drake knew it.

 

Eclipse said only power mattered, and only Eclipse had a TF like Drake, thus Drake figured he was the only one who could really help, and would know best.

That didn't mean Drake was going to blindly follow Eclipse's orders/prodding/rules. It just meant he would consider it more and be sneakier all other times.

 

Eclipse let it slide, and left, a moment later, already planning the next move. He was going to make sure he kept an eye on Drake though; he had to make sure he didn’t get attached to the genome.

However, the trip was arranged for a week later and Eclipse needed to be elsewhere. A part of the plan that would come into play a lot later. So he ordered Ellipsis to his room, and told him to go in his place.

 

To keep an eye on Drake.

Then Eclipse left that night, leaving Ellipsis to consider the unpleasant assignment. He didn't want to be there a week in the Mist Continent! However, there was a solution. Eclipse hadn't told him to go personally, just to keep an eye on the Prince… He was an Occultation; there were ways to do that, without being there...

“Guard!” Ellipsis called out the window to the head guard, who promptly came up the stairs and to Ellipsis’ room.

“Yes, sir?” The guard asked. Ellipsis and the guards had a pretty good understanding. Ellipsis stayed out of their way, for the most part, and the guards followed their orders. He was better than Eclipse, at least.

“I want you to go with Prince Drake to the Mist Continent. Keep a close eye on him.” Ellipsis directed, and it was clear that the order was not up for discussion.

“Of course, sir.” The guard agreed, despite a look of disappointment and slight dread in his eyes.

“Dismissed, then.” Ellipsis said, looking rather pleased with himself, and the head guard left the room.

 

The head guard certainly didn’t look happy as he headed for the barracks. Nevertheless, he had as smile on his face by the time he walked through the door. Inside were about ten men, all either off duty, or sneaking a break.

“You four!” The head guard shouted to four men that were doing just that, they shot to attention, sure they would be punished. In a way, they were.

“You four will be accompanying the Prince to Alexandria, on the Mist Continent. Keep a close eye on him!” The head Guard bellowed, and left before any of them had the chance to argue.

The four lower ranking guards debated, but reasoned there was really no way to get out of it, there was no one ranked below them to allocate the task to.

 

However, on the morning Drake was set to leave, one of the guards called in sick, complaining of some kind of allergy to fire, so the head guard chose a replacement for him. The three other guards and the new one assigned to the task swore revenge, if they survived…

Then, later that morning, moments before the ship was about to leave, one of the guards chanced across a trainee guard. She must have been new that day! It dawned on him that he outranked her, so instead of asking her out (she would have rejected him anyway), he walked up to her with a different purpose.

“Trainee!” He called, standing rigidly like his own commanding officer often did.

“U-uh! Y-yessir!?” The trainee asked, kind of panicked.

“You will be taking my place on the trip to the mist continent, keep a close eye on the Prince.” He ordered, and was about to turn to leave.

“T-the PRINCE!?” The Trainee guard asked, and then promptly and unceremoniously collapsed on the floor, fainted.

“Crap…” The guard muttered. He was so stuck on this mission now. He wasn’t going to be able to force this panicky and fainting newbie on the mission. So he left her there, he had to hurry to catch the ship…

Once he was out of earshot, the Trainee guard sat up easily. “Sucker…” She muttered, and giggled as she stood up.

 

Drake walked out and noticed... some odd things. One new guard was laughing and skipped inside, there were a lot more guards on the ship that normally wasn't so full, and they did not look happy.

Drake had, since he was eight years old, made it obvious that he preferred to be alone. When he was younger, Eclipse made them stay away. After Drake started disobeying Eclipse... the guards came back and Drake found a lot of his hunting trips ruined by guards who were nervous about Drake's powers and that made Drake mad. If everyone was going to fear him, he'd give them a reason.

He had a bad temper, and their armor was mostly metal and thus wouldn't burn. It would, however, heat up, and scare the living Hades out of them.
Which was fine with him. He liked to be alone.
So... why they were on the ship...?

Drake walked back into the tower. “Ellipsis? Why is there so many guards running, laughing, hiding or crying?”

 

“What?” Ellipsis asked, confused. He didn't usually bother himself with the guards, and hadn't noticed the odd behavior. Even if he had, he wouldn't have linked it to his order to the head guard...

 

“It's like they're all panicking.” Drake replied, looking back out of the tower. “And there are four on the ship and— ... ... oh,” Drake groaned. “No! They're not coming with me, right? Right? No! Ellipsis! No! I do not want guards stalking around after me! I don't need babysitters!”

 

“They will be going with you.” Ellipsis confirmed, sternly, in almost an Eclipse fashion. “It's improper to send a member of the royal family to a far off land without an escort of some sort; especially when we have only been acquainted with the government of that land for a short time.”

 

“... I never need them when I'm forced to live with Pricilla.” Drake noted, pouting and plotting about how to lose the guards. “This is Eclipse's doing, I'm going to go set his room on fire.”

 

“I'm afraid you don't have time, your ship leaves in a few minutes.” Ellipsis said; making it clear that would be a very bad idea.

 

Drake grumbled about getting Eclipse back for this... but got on the ship without causing problems.

 

 

 

He didn't enjoy the ride, but he was happy once they reached the palace.

Brahne caught him and spoke to him for a bit, but he broke away from her fairly easily.

The annoyance of the guards was easy to solve. He was faster than them, sneakier than they were, and they feared him!

So he spent a large majority of his time either hunting or with Princess Garnet who fascinated him a new way each time he saw her.

 

Drake did manage to find a way to get Eclipse back for sending the guards after him...

 

 

 

 

 

Once Drake arrived back home, he sprinted through the tower and bust through Eclipse's door without any hesitation at all.

“Eclipse! Look at my new hawk!” Drake grinned. “Tobias, the Red Tailed Hawk!” he called, releasing the raptor.

 

Drake had burst into the room and said the words before Eclipse had time to register it in his mind. He had not expected him to come into his room and especially not with a bird.

So, when Eclipse looked up from his book he had been reading, still processing the words, it was just in time for the hawk to fly into his face, feathers flying as Eclipse used the book to knock the bird back as it continued relentlessly attacking him.

“DRAKE!!!” Eclipse bellowed, annoyed.

 

“Oooooooooooops,” Drake grinned.

He waited a few seconds, and then got Tobias back before the raptor got hurt... though hawks were harder to injure; one of the reason he'd gone after it, “How odd. I forgot the raptors absolutely loath you. How silly of me.” Drake said, still grinning, and then rushed off to the hawk keep before Eclipse could kill him.

 

Eclipse just barely resisted the urge to hurl the book after him. What the hell had that been for, anyway? What had he done to him to deserve that... recently?

At least he could guess that the mission had gone well. Either that or Drake had ditched Garnet and Zidane and gone off hunting for the entire week. He wouldn't put it past him… but then, Ellipsis had been watching him...

 

Drake put Tobias into a vacant cage and gave him a treat. “Good, good, very good hawk! Just don't do that when I'm not around or he'll axe off your head.” He warned, not at all kidding.
“Now... as long as he doesn't decide to come kill me, I'm happy... and if he does decide to come kill me, then I am at least happy till he gets here!”

 

Eclipse waited until later that evening before he went up to talk to Drake. Giving the boy some time to calm down from whatever was bothering him. Eclipse had grown to greatly prefer avoiding arguments with the Prince now.

“So, how was your trip?” Eclipse asked after he was allowed in. Showing no hint that he was still angry.

 

“Wonderful, I got a new raptor. You met him,” Drake smirked.
His smile quickly faded as he regained the knowledge of common sense. He tapped his fingers on the book he had been reading and then thought up a better answer. “Princess Garnet and Zidane were busy, I spent most of the time—... researching.”

 

“Oh?” Eclipse asked, eager to see if what it sounded like was really the case. Drake had spent the most of the trip hunting. Though it was still possible he had found out something useful, Eclipse was starting to doubt it.

He was definitely going to have to talk to Ellipsis after this.

 

“Yes, his sister was visiting. And the princess was distracted by her mother a lot... and by other people every time her mother wasn't around. Though there's something going on; something important. The one girl with the unusual accent mentioned something that should happen in a week or so... I couldn't find out what.”

Some of that was a lie, but a rather convincing lie that would have fooled Drake himself had he not known that he had, in fact, spent his free time getting away from the guards and hunting.
He wanted to go back, but didn't want the guards... so he figured he'd just pretend he had spent at least some time researching, and the rest of the time avoiding the guards. “Brahne is trying different ways to learn about Terra. She went after Zidane's sister and that didn't go as well as the queen would have liked. Apparently, the young girl can't open the door or anything. And I believe Pricilla died. It might have been a dream, I don't know, but I don't want to check.”

 

Eclipse raised an eyebrow. He wasn't sure if he really trusted what the boy was saying, but this big and secretive event sounded too important to ignore.

“It sounds like you will be going back next week then.” He informed Drake, matter-of-factly. He was sure the boy wouldn’t mind going back, and didn’t much care if he did.

 

Drake nodded, not putting up a word in argument.
There was some tournament coming up in Alexandria... he wanted to be there for that.

However... he couldn't stop himself from venturing off while still in Daguerreo. Tobias needed to be trained and... and Drake got bored easily.

Coincidentally, he 'vanished' when Pricilla stopped by.
So she spent all of her spare time in the tower looking for him. He spent all his time out hunting and cackling about the poor saps left to try and entertain the Empress.

 

Eclipse was fairly annoyed that Pricilla kept bugging him, insisting that he should know where Drake was, but luckily, he was able to buy her off by giving her Drake's new cell phone number.

Moreover, perhaps another fortunate thing was that Daguerreo didn't actually have that many phones. Therefore, Pricilla would have a hard and long time trying to find one.

 

 

Drake... made the mistake of answering the blasted phone and regretted it until he found the 'End' button, and the 'power' switch.

She would be mad, yes, she would be mad! Nevertheless, she was leaving the morning he was pretending to rush home.

They had the best conversation he'd ever had with her!

“Oh, drat! You're on the airship... you meant it when you said that your ship was leaving soon.”

“Drakey! I didn't get to see you this whole time.”

“Nope. Bye.”

It was wonderful! He'd spent the week hunting, away from Pricilla, and now he had only the nights wait and he got to go back to Alexandria; no escorts, no babysitter, just fun. He was so happy about all this; he didn't take much caution when he walked in.

 

Eclipse went to see Drake after he came home. Again, he had not bothered to ask if he could go, this time Eclipse would probably have said yes! He hadn't even taken Celestina, which just made it worse.

“Good of you to come back,” Eclipse said to Drake. It was in a civil tone, but someone who knew him like Drake did would know he was annoyed.

 

“I thought so.” Drake said with an apologetic smile, sensing Eclipse's annoyance...
He was thankful that Eclipse hadn't raised the barrier, and took that as a reward for having not messed up in Alexandria, yet.

 

The annoyance, at first, he took as just a side effect of Pricilla, but as Drake thought about it... he realized he'd neglected to mention he was taking off, and that was a mistake, some times... most times... all but a few times. He felt lucky that there wasn't a chance for him to be grounded or anything, since he was leaving in the morning.

 

“Good, if we had missed our flight...” Eclipse started, but trailed off. He was sure Drake's imagination was active enough to think up a few things that could be used to finish that sentence.

 

“... 'We'?” Drake managed to ask while his brain cringed in agony at the thought of what Eclipse might have done... He'd need to remember to stock upon extra strength aspirin, again.

 

“Yes, we.” Eclipse agreed. “You didn't think you were staying here, did you?”

The question was for effect. He knew almost as well as Drake himself did that he was going. This was just a way of telling Drake there was no point arguing, so don't even try.

 

“... Drat.” Drake sighed.

He didn't consider this to be fair. The last two times he'd gone without Eclipse... but of course Eclipse was coming. This was far too interesting a situation for him to trust Drake with it. “I mean… great.”

 

The next morning, Drake got on the ship and they went to Alexandria.

The tournament was... dull, but it was the surprise afterward that Drake found... very interesting.

Zidane got a... tiny airship. It was very interesting in appearance as well as purpose. It looked fun.
He had to go along for the ride— despite the, uh... less than happy expression Eclipse's face held.

 

Eclipse let the prince go in the flying death trap for two reasons. The first was that he really couldn't stop him if Drake insisted. They were in front of the Alexandrian royals; it was too risky to give him orders.
The second reason was that this might actually give the boy some understanding of why the Genome was dangerous to them, and how truly powerful the Terran technology was.

These reasons didn't mean he had to be happy about it. He hated when the boy ignored him like this. This at least gave him a reason to not put up the barrier and make sure that the trip was Drake's least pleasant one in his life.

 

After they finally landed, Drake dragged himself back inside... that landing had been... less than pleasant. It reminded him of when he was younger; trying to learn how to use his wings... he had accidentally 'landed' in the ocean quite a few times.

When he got to the room he stayed in while visiting, he found Eclipse waiting... and looking quite angry— well... for Eclipse. Anyone who didn't know him might think he just looked slightly irritated.

 

“Have fun?” Eclipse asked coldly, and crossed his arms. The flight had taken longer than he thought, and he had seen the landing from the window...

 

Drake shifted his eyes, trying to think up the right answer. “... No?” He said, simply because it sounded like the safest bet... though he couldn't stop it from sounding like a question.

 

Eclipse sighed. “Did you at least find anything out?” He asked, sounding almost bored, and like he didn't expect much.

 

I found out there are rocks under the dock. “... I... I...” Drake searched desperately for an answer, for something he'd found out. All they had spoken about was the jet and he wasn't sure if Eclipse would care about the jet or not. “I... uh... no...”

 

Eclipse was silent for a long moment, before slowly getting to his feet and pacing over to the window.

“You do realize we have an objective we are trying to achieve?” Eclipse asked, while looking down at the docks.

 

Drake knew he was in trouble from that. Eclipse was disappointed.
“... Yes, Eclipse... I realize that.”

 

“Do you?” Eclipse asked, turning around. “Zidane is our enemy— your enemy.”

 

“I know, you've told me.” Drake looked down, not wanting to have this conversation.

 

Eclipse didn't share the Prince's desire. He did want to have this talk; Drake wasn't performing his tasks as well as he could have been. They would never make any progress at this rate.

“Then you must be trying to ignore me. You only seem interested in trying to be his friend.” Eclipse accused Drake, his tone cold, but not calm. His words were like an icy wind, sending shivers down your spine.

 

Drake growled. “I just wanted to have some fun! I'm doing all the work; I'll do it my way!”

 

“Your way will have you as best man at their wedding,” Eclipse snapped back at Drake. Though the remark was meant to sting, there was no obvious anger behind it.

 

Drake wanted to scream about that. That remark ticked him off; because he'd done something he made sure Eclipse didn't know about... he had bought an engagement ring.

His parents, in the sparse moments when they spoke with him before they all remembered they were only a pretend family, often spoke of an engagement. They wanted him to marry her eventually— most of the world leaders did...

Drake had it with him, the ring, but he didn't want there to be a competition. He just wanted Princess Garnet to come to her senses and realize he was the only rational choice. He would kill Zidane if he was told to, of course. Not to would get him punished, and then Eclipse would just kill Zidane in a much more painful way.
Drake figured he'd just shoot the Terran. One shot, bang and it's done. Eclipse... would probably make the agony last a while.

So why not have fun now? The original plan was for him to make friends with Zidane, and... that didn't work because Zidane saw him as a threat; someone coming in between him and Garnet. Drake wasn't going to back down and let the princess go...
However, he did not think it wise for the rest of the palace to hear the argument and Drake found he wasn't nearly as quiet as Eclipse was in a fight.
So he simply snarled saying, “Shut up!”

 

“Of course, my young Prince. The truth can be painful sometimes, I understand.” Eclipse replied, and turned away again. The words had been said in a way that was obviously mocking, but the tone had been neutral. Eclipse didn't want a shouting match either.

 

Drake... actually tried to hit him. He moved forward and shot his right arm out before he even had a chance of a better, wiser, less suicidal idea. He shifted to his TF form as well, minus the wings.

 

Eclipse, half expecting this, sidestepped gracefully to miss the boy's foolhardy attack. Then after Drake's arm had passed him, he grabbed it, and shoved the boy against the open window hard in an arm lock. Eclipse was much stronger than a human was, even when he wasn't in his true form.

He held the boy so he was half pressed against the wall below the window, and half suspended in the air, out the window. He smiled slightly. The boy still had a lot to learn about controlling his emotions.

 

Drake growled, already knowing how stupid he'd been.
“Let go!” He snarled in pure rage.
He was mad at himself for being so stupid, and for not being strong enough, and for the fear that went through him at the thought of some guard, walking out on patrol might look up and see him.

 

“Control yourself, Prince.” Eclipse half-mocked, “I taught you better than this.”

The pale, robed man was enjoying demonstrating his superiority over Drake far too much to let him go, yet. Besides, this was a good lesson for the boy, he would think twice about swinging a punch at him, next time.

 

Next time be faster, next time be faster! Drake ordered himself.
“Fine, I'm controlled. Now let me go!!”

 

Eclipse yanked the boy away from the window quickly, and not just because he had noticed someone below that might have looked up at any moment. In the same movement, he shoved the boy hard, too.

The force of the combined yank and shove would have been enough to send any man to the floor, but Drake was lighter, and had faster reflexes than most... So he might not fall.

 

Drake managed to catch himself. The shove had been fast, unexpected, and... painful. Which surprised Drake a bit. Eclipse had never physically hurt him, not that Drake could remember, and that worried him because he was sure it meant he'd gone a tad too far.

 

Eclipse made no new moves to attack the prince. He knew when enough was enough, though he seemed a little disappointed that the boy had not fallen.

“With hasty and ill thought out actions like that, how do you hope to ever defeat Zidane? Let alone win his loved one?” Eclipse sneered. It was designed to make Drake rethink his tactics with Zidane and the princess. However, it was also true, in a way. Drake needed to control his emotions better; they were often his biggest hindrance.

 

Drake snarled through his teeth, and for just a second he debated storming out of that room... but he was in his TF and at the moment his rage made it impossible to turn back; if she saw him... she couldn't see him like this. So he was stuck here, which just made him even more angry... and it had been such a good day.

“... I think you should have stayed in Daguerreo.”

 

Eclipse gave a small smile to the remark as way of a reply. Eclipse knew full well that Drake would rather he had not come along. Drake surely knew that Eclipse knew that. It should also be obvious to the boy why he was there in the first place.

So instead of speaking again, he just turned back to the window. The people far below going on with their lives, completely unaware of the monster peering down at them.

 

Drake grumbled a few things he was sure Eclipse would kill him for, which is why Drake would never have enough guts to say them in an understandable tone. Eclipse did not seem to like it when Drake said anything like, 'when I'm king, things will go my way'.

It made no difference... Eclipse was causing Drake's patience to run out swiftly, but Drake was insistent that he would do this his way... or at least... close to his way. His way was supposed to be the easy way, but it was no longer easy which was infuriating because it meant Eclipse was right and Drake hated that fact right now.
He closed his eyes and focused. After a few minutes, he managed to control his anger enough to let himself shift back to his human form.

 

“Did you say something?” Eclipse asked quietly after the long pause. Referring to the prince's grumbles. The fact that Drake was too scared to say the things he wanted to aloud was something that Eclipse was vastly proud of. Unfortunately, for Drake, he was not satisfied with just that.

 

Drake opened his eyes and found he still didn't have enough nerve to repeat what he'd said. “... Nothing you'd care to hear.” He muttered and walked over to the bed, lying down... he'd figure this out tomorrow; try to talk some sense into Zidane— get him to see what was right... something.

 

“Good.” Eclipse said; there was no point pressing it further. While Drake got on the bed, Eclipse thought for a moment longer. “Perhaps you should head back early...” He said quietly, as if he was still contemplating it.

 

Drake cringed, understanding the threat. “... Why?”

 

“Research,” Eclipse clarified. He almost seemed to be daydreaming, the way that he was staring out of the window as he thought.

 

Drake raised an eyebrow, looking back at Eclipse. “... I think I'd have better luck with that if I stayed here. You can leave, though.”

 

“No, I have to stay and investigate that band of thieves. They have had some access to the Terran's technology...” Eclipse answered, and it did make sense. He had to find out what they could do, and get his hands on what they did know. “I should be able to meet you back in Daguerreo in a few days,” the robed figure at the window added after another momentary pause.

 

Drake hissed at that, and secretly hoped Eclipse wouldn't be able to find anything. Just because it would irritate him. The idea, though, that he could be at home and free to go anywhere he wanted for a few days was enough of an advantage that he did not argue.

He went to sleep and the next morning hurried to beg for a ride home. He knew Eclipse was mad at him, and wasn't going to press his luck further... since he'd already crossed the line far enough to have Eclipse actually physically hurt him, and doing that twice within ten hours was something he wasn't going to do right now…

 

 

Garnet called him... which he loved, even though she just wanted to talk to Zidane. She called him on the bloody phone he'd tried to melt a few dozen times… looks like it had a purpose after all.

 

When they landed in Daguerreo, Drake didn't feel a barrier up... and realized Eclipse must not realize how fast the 'jet' actually was. Therefore, he decided he needed to talk to Zidane.

Drake showed him the ring he'd gotten for Garnet. Explained why he was the right match for her... and told Zidane how opening the Secrets of Terra would be the only way that Zidane would get Princess Garnet...

Then he walked back to the palace, quietly.