Ellipsis had spent his every waking moment talking to people, trying to find Drake. It wouldn't seem like such an issue, except he had gotten less than fifteen minutes of sleep and that was in one of Drake's secret passageways Ellipsis had just found...
“You're supposed to be smart. You find him.” He said, staring at the little owl that had somehow gotten out of the hawk keep with the rest, probably Drake's doing, and had returned a short while ago.
Vanda fluttered her wings and continued down the stairs, taking them one step at a time as she walked down.
“Then again, how smart can you be? You have wings and you choose to walk down the stairs rather than fly out the open window!” Ellipsis sighed and dropped down into the chair by his room.
Three days! The damn brat had been gone three days! Four nights! How could he have possibly gotten off the mountain!? There was no way he would have been able to fly! Not in that condition. He'd have fallen into the ocean before he would have even spotted land. Then he'd drown or freeze and be dead and there would be a great number of signs if that had happened...
So where was he?!?
Eclipse had vanished as well. Ellipsis wasn't sure if that was out of annoyance and anger, or if he were trying to hide from the embarassment that the almighty Eclipse had lost his charge...
In the sixteen years Eclipse had been dealing with Drake, there had been many battles and arguments between them. Eclipse wanted obedience, Drake wanted freedom. To be more accurate, Eclipse wanted a puppet and Drake wanted him to go to hell. There were arguments, there were surprises, there were many things Ellipsis was still amazed hadn't lead to a death... but in the end Eclipse had done something right, because Drake didn't dare going completely against him. The boy acted up, ran away, other childish things Ellipsis knew most teenagers did, but he also obeyed most of the time even if he was dragged into it. He'd be late, but he'd show up.
The only things Ellipsis had ever counted on was that Eclipse was too professional to kill the boy and Drake wasn't really as suicidal as he came across. Drake would never go against them because he'd been raised by them. Where else could he go? That's what Eclipse always said. Drake could run away and pout so long as it didn't conflict with Eclipse's plans, but the boy would come back or Eclipse would go find him.
... Except now. When no one knew where the hell he was!
So now what do we do? Ellipsis grumbled in his mind.
He got up and headed down back into the castle and then into the main library, trying to get more clues as to where the boy had gone...
“I've never seen her leave so quickly.”
Ellipsis glanced over at the teenage girls who were chatting together near the main entrance.
“I know. Her airship had hardly landed before they took off again!”
That caught the full extent of Ellipsis's interest. ... There was an airship here?
“Uh, pardon me.” Ellipsis broke in, moving closer to them. “... Whose ship was here?”
The girls looked at him with a mix of anger and wondering how stupid he was while they sized him up, wondering why he had dared talk to him while deciding he was old enough to be their father and wondering if they should scream for a guard... teenage girls were weird like that.
However, one of them must have recognized him as being one of the few actually allowed into the palace behind the library and she quickly whispered the information to her friend whose expression suddenly changed, but not by much.
“Empress Pricilla of Shivel... duh.”
Oh of course!! “Thank you for your time.”
“Yeah, whatever.”
“Gawd. Some people...”
Ellipsis ignored their bickering as he quickly head back toward the tower.
Of course. How could they have not seen it! Who else would actually drag someone who was suffering from severe blood loss away from the healers? Pricilla! Oh that little witch could be so useful and yet so annoying! Ellipsis had thought he might have seen her ship, but it had never occurred to him that it would be important. All memory of it seemed to have vanished while he was too busy worrying about if Eclipse would kill Drake.
It almost made Ellipsis grin a bit. If Pricilla was the one who had him, at least there was a guarantee Drake was suffering for it! He'd probably drag himself back her begging for forgiveness— well, that was probably going too far. Sticking to Drake's nature he'd probably avoid them for as long as possible and then try to pretend the event never happened while still obviously being pissed off about it...
Ellipsis passed Vanda on his way up the stairs and knocked on the door to Eclipse's room before entering, not waiting for a response.
“Master Eclipse,” he began. “I believe I found out where Drake is!”
“He's in Shivel with Pricilla,” Eclipse turned the page in the book he was reading and didn't even look over at Ellipsis. “...” Ellipsis's good mood dropped a bit. “... You knew?”
“Of course I did.” Eclipse replied, still reading his book.
Like Hades you did! Ellipsis thought, letting his anger at being forced to search for so long get the better of him.
He knew there was no way Eclipse had known that, not for long anyhow. Not with the way he'd been acting and not with how he'd been searching for the boy. Still, the silent, draining glance Eclipse gave him reminded Ellipsis he needed to have more restraint on his thoughts, especially while being in the same room with the man. He quickly looked down in a silent apology for his personal outburst.
“My apologies. The information was new to me.”
Eclipse watched him with a warning gaze for another moment before turning back to his book, “Mh.”
“Is it wise to let him remain there?” Ellipsis asked, trying to keep the topic moving rather than stopping there.
Eclipse was in no hurry to respond. He paused to turn the page again and read a few lines before he even began speaking again, “I have decided so.”
“... Why?” Ellipsis didn't entirely care why. He was just vaguely curious as to what Eclipse would list as his reasons while he was risking Dragon's life from his own screw up. “Aren't there some of Poseidon's worshipers there this time of year?”
“It won't be a problem. Drake needs to cool off for a while and him being there will prevent him from doing something stupid and it provides a decent enough punishment for his actions. It will work out better this wat. Given the seriousness of his injuries this time, it is more than likely that the boy will be much more willing to behave and do as he's told from now on.”
Ellipsis wasn't all too sure about that. Eclipse had been more and more willing to give out physically evident punishments the past few months and Drake's behavior hadn't greatly improved. “... And Poseidon's cult?”
“They've never been a problem in Shivel before. It isn't like Pricilla will let him leave her castle, anyway.”
“You're right...” Ellipsis admitted, giving a nod. “... Is there anything else you need?”
Eclipse shook his head in a mild, dismissive manner, concentrating on his book and nothing more.
Ellipsis turned and left, taking notice to the burns that were on a few of the bookshelves and the documents that were now missing...
He's right... Drake will definitely have learned something from this. Maybe it will help his behavior... At least he's stuck suffering in Shivel and I can get some sleep! Justice is served.
“How many times are you going to ask?”
Zidane grinned, “Till I get an answer.”
“That will be a while. Thank you, again, for picking me up.” Drake leaned back in his seat, looking out a window in the Chariot.
“Not a problem. Again, why were you in Shivel? Isn't that where the wicked witch in pink lives?”
“Indeed.”
“...So?” Zidane pressed.
“So what?”
“So why were you there?”
Drake made a fireball in his hand and watched it for a moment. “... I don't believe that's any of your business.”
“Just asking! Woah, were you there visiting Pricilla by any chance?”
“You sure do talk a lot.”
“I'm just saying... you're there, at her palace, you won't say why...”
“I needed to get away from mine for a little while, that's all.”
Zidane looked over at Drake, confused. “... Why?”
“Change of scenery is always nice.” Drake put the fireball out, though he watched his hand for another moment as if debating if putting the fire out had been a wise decishion.
Zidane continued to stare at the Dark Prince. “... How did you you get Eclipse to shift to his True Form?”
“He'll do it on his own once he finds out what we're up to. You needn't worry.”
“Does his transformation have anything to do with why you have to be out of your castle?”
“I don't have to be out of my castle.”
“I heard something crash below me and then I saw Eclipse was above... Was that you?”
“What a foolish question.”
“Because the answer is it obviously was you? ... ... ... Drake?”
“What?”
“What happened? How did you get him to transform?”
“I made him mad.”
Zidane glanced at the sky, shortly, to make sure he wasn't going to hit anything. “And then?”
“I went to Shivel. Well, I was kidnapped and forced to Shivel...”
“So, how exactly did you do all this?”
“I'm very talented.” Drake looked out the window, “And I'm very tired. Interrogation over, please.”
“What made him go to the forest? He was chasing something.”
“I'm done talking.”
“And you hate Pricilla, why would you let her kidnap you?”
“I was tired then, too.”
Zidane shook his head. “You were ready to fight when you ran off, Drake. What happened? From what I've seen and heard I can't imagine you willingly going anywhere with Pricilla and how come it took so long before you answered your phone? It took hours for you to answer.”
“I told you, I was busy.”
“Yeah? Doing what?”
“Doing...” Drake thought about it, but he couldn't come up with anything logical that he would be doing in Shivel... there weren't any meetings going on, there wasn't any events planned... Not that Zidane would know any of that.
“Doing...?” Zidane continued to pick at the scab, digging for answers.
“... I'm finished talking.” Drake leaned back in his seat, resting his head on the back and watching the clouds pass by.
“So, what? That means you're just not going to answer?” And indeed it did. No matter what Zidane said on the topic, Drake didn't reply, so he changed the conversation. “... I went and checked with Blank. Seems Brahne's been pestering them about their possible involvement with all this.”
“And?”
“All I've told them is that Brahne's gonna get what's coming to her. I figure it's best not to tell them too much. I don't want them to be in danger.”
“Mh.”
“Think I should have told them?” Zidane asked.
“Wow... do you think I care?”
“Not particularly. I'm guessing you either want to train more or you just couldn't stand being in Shivel anymore as the only reason you called me back?”
“I can't see any other reason for the call.”
“Well, I hate to disappoint, but I've got to get home.”
“Meeting to attend?” Drake asked, forgetting how improbable that was.
“No, I just have to kill my brother.”
“Any particular reason?”
“Nope. Anyway, you don't mind hanging out on Terra for a while, right?” Zidane asked, having a few reasons for it. He was curious about the sounds he'd heard the night he saw Eclipse's true form. There was a nagging instinct in his mind... The same instinct he felt when he knew he needed to go with Freya to Burmecia when it was under attack. The same feeling he'd gotten more times in his life than he could count. The feeling that he needed to stay by this person to keep them safe, because something bad would happen if he didn't. It had always been something he'd done. When he was worried about someone he tried to stay by them.
Probably due to his issues with abandonment... if he were with the person he knew they wouldn't be able to leave him or get hurt without his knowledge and he could protect them from whatever pain was coming.
Drake thought about it for a moment and decided he didn't mind being anywhere so long as it wasn't near Pricilla or Eclipse. He had told Pricilla he was leaving... sort of. He'd carved I'M OUT OF HERE on the door to 'his' room, “Fine.”
“So anyway, you know about the Ball right?”
“Ball?”
“Yeah, Dagger told me about it... a little before everything got complicated.”
“Ah.” Drake gave a slight nod, trying to go over the royal events that were going on this month. “I believe I heard something about it...”
“Yeah? Well... you going?”
“I'd imagine so. Why?”
“... Do you think Dagger'll be there?”
“Gee... seeing as how it is being held in her palace...” Drake rolled his eyes.
“So, yeah?”
“Is there a point to this topic?"
“I miss her, is all... I mean. I still can't—,”
“Oh, gods, I'm going to jump out of the jet if you don't shut up!” Drake shook his head. “I get it, she gets it, the world gets it and we're all sick of hearing it! You love her, you miss her, you're unsure about how she's going to react to all of this, you're second guessing her intentions even though I've told you a million times it's caused by the bind Brahne had on her that she broke! Shut up!”
“I'm just saying...”
“You're constantly just saying, I am just saying, 'shut up'.”
Zidane shook his head a bit. “There's a lot riding on this... I mean, how would you feel if everyone turned against you one day?”
“Amused beyond the expectations anyone has ever envisioned.” Drake said with a sly grin, “I'd kill everyone. It would be so much fun.”
“Well I don't like my friends seeming to hate me. I just want to know I've still got their friendship.” Zidane explained, “They mean the world to me. I have to know what side they're on. I want... I want to talk to Dagger. I want to be able to look into her eyes and see the person I'm used to seeing!”
“Will that shut you up?”
“You just act like it's no big deal. Main reason I'm even trusting you is because of them.” Zidane reminded, glancing over at the Prince. “As I said, my friends mean everything to me. I want them safe in all this and you've proven yourself so I'm trusting you.”
Drake looked at him. “... From what Garnet has told you, you'd trust any creep that said they wanted to follow you.”
“Leave Amarant out of this." Zidane warned, "He hadn't given me a good enough reason not to trust him... and he stopped Eiko from being a hostage. You, on the other hand, have stated your initial intentions were to kill me.”
“Yup.”
“So, yeah, I'm really trusting, but my friends lives are on the line here and I'm not going to just forget that.”
“Fine. What if we arrange a time when you can meet with Garnet?”
“I'd say hell yes! I need to talk to her!” Zidane stated.
Drake was silent for a while, watching the sky.
By now, he thought he surely would have proven his alliance. He'd been given the ability to kill Zidane plenty of times and he hadn't... wasn't that good enough? Zidane didn't know all the risks Drake was taking; all the danger he put himself in. Every time he got into real trouble with Eclipse now it was because of Zidane...
... Stupid monkey wouldn't shut up about the Princess, either. Blah, blah, blah, like his life is sooo perfect. His friends were strong enough to at least resist the pearl's influence even though hardly anyone else in the entire world was able to, Garnet had already proven that outside of the pearl's influence she was still head over heels for the damn Genome. There was an easy fix to his problem, but so what? There were still obstacles in his path. Even if there weren't, it didn't change the fact that he was still an alien to this planet even if he had grown up here. The damage Brahne had done could easily be un-done, but the opinions of some people weren't altered by her pearl, they just did not think Zidane belonged.
... His life was far from perfect and it probably never would be true paradise, so he should stop acting like it could be. Even if in his group of friends life was wonderful, outside that circle laid hatred and people who would stab him in the back the moment he turned around.
Zidane had the entire world against him, at the moment. It was amazing he hadn't snapped and decided to destroy Gaia entirely. That's why Drake decided he could give him this one. Let him spend some time with the Princess, figuring things out, so he doesn't snap and change his mind against the plan. Might shut him up for a while, too, and was that ever a needed event.
Once on Terra, Zidane searched for a spot to land that wouldn't wake everyone up.
“This'll do.” He said, spotting a place and setting the jet down.
He shut the engine off and jumped out the instant the top slid away; landing in an attack stance, ready and expecting a fight to begin instantly, and was quite surprised when he looked around for a target and saw nothing...
“Zuh?” Zidane straightened up and looked back at the Jet to see Drake still sitting there, looking amused.
“... I thought you had to go kill your brother?”
“Well, yeah, but that's a constant thing... He always needs killing and I'm the only one to do it, but... Don't you want to practice?”
“I want you to practice. You're still not ready. I, however, am.”
Zidane rolled his eyes, staring at the Dark Prince. “And what makes you so sure of that?”
“I've seen you fight and you suck. You're afraid of Eclipse's True Form. And I have been practicing.”
“You're not afraid of that form!?”
Drake waved it off, leaning back and closing his eyes. “The weak are afraid, the strong make them so.”
“Not true. I'm afraid of spiders but I can still crush them with my boot.” Zidane declared, lifting up his foot and then stomping the ground as it to prove it.
Drake completely ignored him.
“I'll be back...” Zidane said, running off. He'd promised Mikoto he'd help her in town and he was already fairly late for that.
As he ran into the New Bran Bal, Mikoto greeted him with a smile.
“Ah, so you did come back.”
“I told you I'd be right back.” Zidane said, walking over. “I had to meet up with Drake.”
“Mh... I must say, I'm unsure about trusting him.”
“I know, Mikoto, but we'd be dead right now without him.”
“I know...” Mikoto looked down for a moment. “I just think it might be best to give up on Gaia... there is plenty to do here.”
“They won't just leave us alone, Mikoto, you know that.” Zidane said, hearing a bite to his voice that he didn't like. “I just... I'm sorry. I miss my friends. If there's any chance I can get the world back to how it was, I'm going to try for it.”
Mikoto was silent for a long while, considering that. She was happy Zidane was no longer set on starting a war with Gaia, but she did wish he could just forget about that place.
Why couldn't they be enough of a family for him? She had wondered that often. At times she couldn't help but wonder if Zidane was unhappy because they weren't what he expected, or if it was that he just missed what he had... Either way, it saddened Mikoto to think they weren't good enough for him to be happy.
“What's up?” Zidane asked, looking around at the few Genomes standing around, watching him.
“We still need to get some houses built.” Mikoto said, “We have been working hard at making sure everyone has a place indoors to sleep and be whenever they choose. It will be helpful should the weather ever return.”
“Yeah. Alright, let's get some places built.”
“We'll only need about three more.” Mikoto glanced around, making sure that number was right.
“Wow, really?” Zidane asked, surprised.
“There aren't many of us.” Mikoto replied, “It might do to just have one large building.”
Zidane looked at her. “... All those places in Bran Bal... there was even an Inn...”
“Yes,” Mikoto confirmed. “But they were not ours, Zidane. They were left over from Terra's civilization and we maintained them for the return of the Terran souls. That was their only purpose.”
“Yeah... I sorta wondered why you'd be expecting visitors...” Zidane sighed. “I want this town to be like a real town. How are they ever going to learn how to be normal if their surroundings are so uncommon?”
“They may never—,”
“Don't say that.” Zidane insisted, shutting his eyes as if he could block it all out. “You just have to give them a chance...”
“I think it's an important fact for you to know, Zidane. Yes, you could be right. Maybe, somehow, you will be able to help them. But the likeliness of you being successful is minuscule, at best.” Mikoto walked over and put a hand on his shoulder, “You need to be prepared. You are our leader, Zidane, you are their King.”
“I know, but...”
Mikoto nodded a bit, understanding. Her whole life she had wished for more but told herself she was being childish and silly for it. Why ask for what will never happen? “... Would you still care for them if they weren't family?”
“Well... yeah.”
“And will you still accept them if they never change?”
“Of course.”
Mikoto smiled a bit. “That's all that matters, Zidane. That you care about them. The rest will work itself out.”
“But I want more for them. If there's a possibility, I want to try!”
“Then try. Just don't let it corrupt you.”
Zidane gave a sharp nod. “Protecting them comes first; before anything else.”
“Good.” Mikoto smiled at him and then pulled her hand back, “Then I'm happy.”
Zidane saw a few of the Genomes working on a house and ran over to help. Mikoto had taught them all basic construction- they were fast learners- and they worked tirelessly. Granted, construction was still slow. The Genomes understood the concept, but they were never very fast at anything except learning. They didn't tire, they kept to each task, they would wait patiently for help and would help those waiting for it, but there was never any rush to get anything done.
Mikoto thought it was funny to watch how Zidane handled that type of thing. When he couldn't help he just looked so lost. Standing there, looking from side to side, trying to find something to do, see someone he could help, figure out a way to speed things along.
Watching him trying to work easily showed the difference between Zidane and the other Genomes. You start to notice the slight difference in the shade of his skin. While the genomes were closer to the sun at times, their location altered as they circled Gaia, and thus the sun affected them different. The Terrans had drenched the skies with barriers and chemicals to make clouds in order to shield them from the suns rays in the months they were closest to it. Creating a blue glow from Gaia, and protecting the Genomes from any affects of the sun. Zidane's skin was just the faintest bit darker. Caused by years of letting the sun bake the pigments and alter them.
He preferred to move, too, Mikoto noticed. Be it was as small as needing to wave his tail, or the desire to change locations, he was constantly moving as if his body were unable to stop.
His muscles had grown and adapted, the Genome's hadn't. They were created to be naturally strong, but Zidane surpassed their strength from practice. His constant movement had altered his body type a bit.
... So many differences she had always noticed in herself and had tried to change. Tried to teach herself to be still, to regulate her eating, to balance everything... it must have been a joy, for him, not to have had to. There had been so many times where she had hated Garland for giving her a soul. Why give her such a burden when she was so confined and restricted? It was like showing a picture of a meal to a starving man. Hanging the keys to freedom in sight but far out of grasp of a prisoner.
Seeing how Zidane spoke, acted... it was so refreshing. Being given permission to act anyway she chose... it was as if she'd finally grasped that key. Mikoto never, ever wanted that to change.
If Zidane had left them in Bran Bal while Kuja was destroying it... she would have been fine with it. When she'd seen Kuja return, she'd known something major was about to happen. She had seen the return of her family and... it was nothing like she had planned. She has ruined it by telling Zidane's friends where he was. If she hadn't... well, it still wouldn't have been perfect, but it might have been better.
She'd always hoped Zidane would return. She'd hoped Garland would handle things— make him see their logic. Kuja would be back and try, again, to get control and, again, would fail. He'd tried enough times in the past it was almost funny... Garland would handle that, too, and they'd send the strangers back to Gaia.
And somehow everything would be fine... She'd have her brothers, they'd take Gaia and then they'd have Terra forever...but she hadn't been strong enough to do that. She couldn't look at her brother for the first time ever and not see he wouldn't be happy there. Maybe, yes, maybe he'd have learned... but even now there was proof he would never fully be happy here.
Zidane ran into Bran Bal's laboratory and over to Mikoto, shouting that they needed to go, that this place was being blown apart.
Mikoto couldn't even look at him at first. “...Unlike the rest of them, Garland gave me a soul, that I might replace you and Kuja. But Garland is dead. Terra will soon be destroyed. What's the point?”
“I asked myself the same question...” Zidane replied, quietly.
Mikoto was silent for a second, “Did you find an answer?”
Zidane just shook his head. “No... But maybe the point is to just try. It's gonna be hard... but I've got my friends. It isn't so bad.”
Ever since she had heard him say that, Mikoto resigned herself to trying. She would try her hardest to understand that. She would try her hardest to make it work outside of her plans and dreams, outside of everything she'd ever known.
So far... things were better than she'd ever planed. They weren't ideal in some instances, but they were... somehow better. She didn't like that Zidane and Kuja were constantly fighting, but at the same time it made her happy in ways she couldn't understand. She didn't mind the bickering and the challenges. They all got along well enough... three completely different paths meeting up. It wasn't always a pretty sight, but at least there was a connection. She would be happy with that.
Zidane, defeated in his attempts to find something to do, trudged back over to Mikoto. “So, hey, where's Kuja?”
Mikoto thought about that for a moment. “...Seeing as I have a problem picturing him anywhere else where work is or might be being done, I have to guess he would be in the palace...” she said.
“.................. th...think he might still be asleep?” Zidane asked, growing a bit pale.
Mikoto eyed him, figuring he had some immature prank in mind but the ill look on his face confused her. “... No... why?”
Kuja stared intently at the door of his room. Something was out there... he could feel it. There was an icy chill that kept jabbing at his spine, demanding notice. Whatever it was, it was a threat. He didn't get this uneasy feeling often, if ever, and feeling it on Terra was peculiar. He had never feared anything on Terra because everything on Terra was either dead, pathetic, boring, or Garland who was all three... hehe... Garland had his creepy moments, of course, but he was long past dead... so whatever this was confused him.
The silver haired man got up and headed, quietly, to his door. He opened it softly and looked out with just a glance. Seeking the cause but preferring caution over boldness. He saw nothing. Still, Kuja let his energy charge in him. He still wasn't very strong... still recovering from losing all his powers at the Iifa Tree, but he had enough to at least distract whatever this thing was. Nothing was going to happen in this palace while he was there. This was his home now, his palace, he was a ruler here just as he'd always wanted and nothing and nobody was taking that away.
Kuja walked confidentially though the hallways. He heard his footsteps echo, but that couldn't be helped... he'd have to take off his boots which just was not possible. They were designer custom whose designer had perished in a horrible airship crash so getting a replacement pair should he lose them would be next to impossible, and they were just too classy not to show off. He would just walk as softly as he knew how and hope whatever was in here wouldn't notice.
He knew Zidane was there, he'd heard him pass through on his way to the village. Mikoto was supposed to be in the village, too, all day... Kuja registered that though he would never ever let them know about it. As it was he made fun of himself for feeling any need to know if those two were safe or not...
Through the empty halls he walked, peeking into each room as he passed them, but not seeing any sign of intelligent life or Zidane. So he ventured outside, spotting Zidane's Jet in the distance. Something near the jet moved, Kuja saw it like a shadow. He headed toward it.
Drake heard footsteps approaching and turned to face them, waiting to see what it was.
“Oh, it's you again.” Kuja stated, once he saw the boy.
“Mh.” Drake acknowledged the man's presence with mild distaste... their last encounter had not made a good first impression.
“You're... oh, damn, I know this.” Kuja thought about it, bringing his hand up and resting a finger on his lips, looking at the sky as if it would tell him the answer. “What was it... Lestat, right?”
“... No...”
“Louie?”
Drake blinked a bit. “... No.”
“Oh, my apologies. Spike?”
“No.”
“I thought I might at least be close with that one. Lucifer?”
“What?”
“Stop me if I'm getting close. Armand?” Kuja continued to
“No, my name is—,”
“Aro? Damien? Damon? Edward? Thierry? Gabriel? Cash? Khalid?”
Drake growled, getting the connection between all these names... “Original.”
“No?” Kuja tipped his head to the other side. “Demetri?”
“No.”
“Hannibal?” Kuja guessed again
“Mh. Funny.”
“Vlad?”
“No.” Drake crossed his arms, staring hard at the silver haired man.
“Alucard?”
“Reverse it.”
“Ooooooooh, that's right! I remember now, you're Jake.”
“... Drake. I'm Prince Drake.”
“Well then you lied to me.”
“... What?”
“You said your name was Dracula.” Kuja pointed out, still smirking.
“You're a very irritating person.”
Kuja shrugged, moving closer. “I'm just surprised to see you, is all! Out in the glory that is this day.”
“What is so glorious about today?”
“I meant any 'day', really.”
Drake glared and his lip twitched in a forcibly restrained snarl.
“I expected your kind to prefer the depths of night.”
“My kind?” Drake stomped forward a step, twisting his head to the side to prove his distaste toward the accusation that he might be something rather than someone.
“KUJA!” Zidane called, running out side with Mikoto right behind him.
“Ah, hello Dear Brother.” Kuja greeted, turning to face him, “Why did you bring a demon up here?”
Drake made a sound in his throat no human would ever be able to match, and most dragons would be too modest to say.
“Ooo, he's getting angry. Perhaps I should go locate some holy water?”
“Kuja!” Zidane groused, shaking his head as he walked over. “Drake's here to train, remember?”
Kuja pretended to think hard about that. “Hmm... No. I don't.”
Zidane almost went over the entire situation again, but he stopped himself. Kuja already knew all about it, Zidane knew that for a fact! He'd been over it with them time and time again. “... Yes you do.”
“Teeheehee, you're probably right.” Kuja mused, “But is it wise? There are a few trees here, what if he gets staked my mis-stake?”
“How dare you!” Drake hissed, stalking forward. He could feel his fangs itching to grow.
Zidane quickly got in the middle. “Alright, enough! Kuja, shut up. Drake, come on.” With that he turned and headed into their makeshift palace. Drake snarled and glared at Kuja before he followed Zidane.
“Brother! Don't invite him in! Now he'll be able to come and go as he pleases!” Kuja called.
“Why must you do this?” Mikoto asked.
“Aw, it is just too much fun not to, Dear Sister.”
“SHUT UP, KUJA!”
“Well, at least get me some garlic for my room!”
“Kuja, no one in or out of their right mind would ever set foot in your room as it is!” Zidane shouted back.
“What a horrible thing to say! I'm going to assume you're just under the influence of the vampire.” Kuja smiled, waving a hand.
“... What?” Drake asked, glaring back the way he'd come.
“Eh... nothing?” Zidane offered.
In return, he got a fierce, sharp glare from the Dark Prince and a repeat of the question. “What?”
“Well...” Zidane rubbed the back of his head, having long hoped he would never have to actually admit this to Drake's face. “...He seems to think you're a vampire... for some odd reason.”
“Some odd reason!?” Kuja let his voice show how apparent that reason should be.
“SHUT UP, KUJA!” Zidane ordered.
“If you choose to tattle on me, then at least get it right!”
Drake growled. “I am not a vampire!”
“Oh, you lie!” Kuja waved it off, dismissing the reply.
“Why the hell would anyone think I was a vampire?” Drake growled.
“... Are you for real?” Kuja asked.
Zidane grabbed Drake's sleeve and pulled him inside before either of them started firing off spells. “Just ignore him, he's... ... I don't even know... my best guess is odd, my worst is psychotic.”
“How would that be the worst?” Drake asked, the irritation still apparent in his voice.
“If he's just odd, it's excusable. If he's psychotic then it's only a short matter of time before he decides we all have to die.”
“So kill him first.”
“... See, it creeps me out when I can't tell if you're joking.” Zidane shuddered, letting Drake's sleeve go and walking to the observatory.
“Why would I be joking?” Drake questioned, following still.
When they entered the viewing room, the viewing orb lit up on it's own, displaying Alexandria.
Drake stopped when he saw it, and looked at Zidane with an annoyed stare showing how pathetic he found that to be.
“...Heh... usually I have to turn it on...” Zidane said, rubbing the back of his head.
“... You really are obsessed, aren't you?”
Zidane shrugged, walking over to the orb and looking down. “Growing up was a challenge for me. My first memory is waking up on a beach. I got adopted by one jerk then rescued by another. Baku's been great, of course, but I was always some runt running around trying to stay alive. My life's goal was to be a famous actor, because then at least people would know my name. I could feel important because I was at least known. I thought that could replace the fact that I didn't have a family. I'd make myself belong here somehow. And Tantalus is pretty well know, but it didn't change anything. I chased after every pretty girl I saw because I wanted more than what I had. I can't say no when someone's in danger, but I didn't understand how important a family was. I yelled at Garnet for still caring for her mother. Finally found out who I was while I was trying to save everyone else... I was a bastard and alone... then life gave me a Princess. She didn't have to care about me... I miss her a lot. She made all the bad in the world seem like it didn't matter. Like it was millions of miles away... Can't help but think about her.”
Drake stared at him. “... That was the sappiest, most pathetic rant I have ever heard. I resent my feet for remaining here while you spoke.”
“Ha, ha. I miss her and I'm not afraid to admit it.”
Drake rolled his eyes so far back the pupil and iris disappeared on each of them. “Then why not go see her?”
“Mostly because I'd prefer not to be locked up again...”
Drake shook his head. “During the ball all the guards will be occupied with the event, right?”
Zidane thought that over and going over what he remembered from training. “Yeah... the guards will be in and around the palace, mostly. The castle will be swamped with guards and soldiers, trying to make everyone inside feel sale. They'll all be distracted by the VIP's. No way in, but if you're a thief and you want anything from that town it's the perfect time.”
“... Nice little add on in the end there.” Drake pointed out, not looking amused.
“Heh... But Garnet would have to come out and... for however long she's gone we'd have to be able to cover for her... She'd have to be willing to meet me...”
“I'll talk to her.” Drake said, looking around the room like he was angry at the walls. “See what she says... In the end, it will be up to her and that should be the proof you need to tell what side she really is on.”
“I just can't believe she's really... her. When she summoned Bahamut... It just can't be he—!”
“I told you that pearl had a strong hold on her.”
Zidane nodded his head. “Yeah... it's going to kill her to hear all of this, but a part of me thinks she'll be happier knowing what's going on. She must be dying thinking about what happened.”
“She's mentioned it...”
“She did? What did she say?”
“... She said it felt like she'd done the worst thing imaginable.”
Zidane seemed sad by that. “... Oh...”
Drake looked back at him. “That doesn't make you happy?”
“What? Of course not. She means the world to me, I don't want her to feel bad... I want her to be free.”
“Well, the pearl's power has been broken.”
“Is she okay?” Zidane asked.
Drake looked around again. “She... Misses you...” It killed him to say it. He had half a mind to just ignore the question, but it was the truth. Garnet was dying without the damned monkey.
She wouldn't be happy without him...
Zidane just grinned. “I miss her, too."
"No?! Really!? I would have never guessed!"
"I can't wait to see her, I really can't! I miss her so much... I'm going to hold her till my arms fall off, I'm going to explain everything and I'm going to tell her how sorry I am for all of this!”
“And I'm going to puke now.”
Ellipsis walked around Shivel. He knew he should have just gone right into the palace, but he really didn't want to. He wanted to take his time. Sure that this would be an easy enough recovery mission. A week and a half had passed since Drake and Eclipse's fight. More than enough time, it was decided, for Drake to have realized his mistake.
And enough time for Eclipse to recover from the embarrassment of his mistakes... Ellipsis thought to himself.
Eclipse had wasted no time in sending Ellipsis here today. Eclipse was on his way back to Alexandria and wanted to know exactly where Drake was before leaving. Ellipsis had thought the smarter plan would be for Eclipse to come here himself and get Drake and then go to Alexandria with him. Seemed logical! He wouldn't have to wait for Ellipsis to get here, find him, and get him back to Daguerreo to know where he was. He'd just have to wait for himself to get her and find the boy.
However, no one would ever suggest a different plan than Eclipse's plan... except perhaps Drake. That boy... for as young and small as he still was, he sure had guts. Guts and stupidity, that is. One would think, with how much he reads, he'd know better than to pick fights with creatures bigger and stronger than he was, but he didn't. It was like he saw it as a personal challenge!
Ellipsis sighed at that. It was like one of those yippy little dogs. They bark and yip and howl at everything, bite at people's ankles and snarl at the bigger dogs even though one half felt kick would send them flying across the room.
Drake had always wanted a dog. Maybe he should get Drake one of the little yippy dogs... watching it might make him see how stupid he himself acted at times... but one of the raptors would probably eat it. Or the snake. Or... well, Ellipsis often wondered about the one horse whose name he didn't care to know. It was big, it was black, it was Drake's favorite and a gift from his grandmother, of course. It bit people, and he was sure he'd seen it eat a Gimme-Cat...
Eclipse would probably kill it first, though. He hated animals even more than Ellipsis did, though that was probably at least partially caused by the fact that the animals hated him back. Ellipsis would have thought Eclipse might have preferred a dog by now. They were loyal and very obedient once trained. They could be taught tricks and worked only to make their master's happy. Drake... didn't.
Drake did as he pleased more than he did anything else, he was in no way obedient and... Ellipsis only guessed he was loyal because there was nowhere else for him to be. He could not be trained to behave, he was not obedient, and his tricks were more closely related to things you would teach an animal not to do rather than reward them for learning...
And... he wasn't outside. With another sigh, Ellipsis headed inside the palace, nodding at one of the guards who knew him and let him in past the line of people glaring death at him for being permitted inside while they had to wait.
Immediately, Ellipsis knew something was wrong. There wasn't any screaming, nothing was on fire, there wasn't a search party going on.
“... Mmmh...” Ellipsis notices Ezekiel and walked over to him. “... What's going on?”
Ezekiel looked at him. “Nothing, really. Why? Is there something that you need?”
“I was just looking for Drake.”
“...Oh...”
Ellipsis felt the muscles in his stomach get tight. A bad feeling and preparation for bad news... “... What?”
“The Young Prince isn't here.” Ezekiel informed him, “He got out a week ago and we haven't seen him since.”
“... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... How?”
“To be honest, I haven't the slightest idea! Truly! We have bars on the windows and all doors leading out are guarded at all times! I've tried everything I can imagine to try and figure out how he escaped and I can come up with nothing!” Ezekiel shook his head, “I really must find out and solve it... Empress Pricilla won't be pleased if it happens a second time.”
“Oh... yes, I imagine she's rather upset.”
“We had to replace the door.”
“Yes.” Ezekiel motioned toward a room where they were storing things to be used for firewood in the winter months, a charity program Pricilla had started that gave scrap wood to the less fortunate in the winter so they at least did not immediately freeze and die and she could look like she had tried to help them... it was Drake's idea and people had bets on if she'd taken the suggestion simply to shock him that she had.
Ellipsis looked into the room and saw the door. “... At least he left her a good-bye note...”
“... Quite.”
