The Way Back

Lucien freezes as he breaks through the treeline, "Shit"

---

"Its not a problem."

Derek: <Yes. And what's your name, young lady?>

~Kari~

*She hears a familiar voice.*

???: <It's... it's Crone.>

=====
~Kentaro~

*As he's walking towards the city's main gates he sees the soldier who gave him the letter notice him and widen his eyes, looking at him like "Where's the folder?! I'm so fired."*

=====
~Derek~

*Her face turns red and she steps back.*

Girl: <E-E-Ella, Mr.King.>

=====
~Lucien~

*She looks back, sensing something, but shakes it off and goes back to staring forward at the cliff that goes on until the beach.*

=====
~Crowley~

*There are several soldiers as well as people in sailor uniforms roaming around the large airship. Spade, the fat bandit, and the blonde thiefess follow Crowley. The fat bandit speaks with a deep and rather comic voice.*

Fat Bandit: <Biiig airship.>

Spade: <It's the King's private airship. Are you sure it's headed to the capital of Alda?>

*He looks at the thiefess, who nods firmly.*

Derek: <A fine name.>

*He nods as he kneels down to meet her at eye level.*

Derek: <Is something the matter?>

And for some (possibly plot related) reason Lucien forgets at this moment that he could cast an illusion and move onward. But no, he moves forward all awkward like towards the elven woman.

---

Creed waits.

*Crowley spaces out for a second.*

Crowley: <(So we're going to Alda... I've never been there before, I wonder what it's like?)>

*Crowley continues to zone out.*

*She backs away from the door.*

"Go away!"

=====================================================

"Gave it to someone who said they were on their way to Alda."

~Kari, Creed & Kentaro~

Crone: <I guess that's that. Let us go back.>

*He turns around preparing to walk back into the city just as Kentaro arrives at the scene.*

=====
~Derek~

*She shakes her head and steps forward, blushing even more. With her teddy bear under her arm, she holds one of his hands with both of hers and stares at him.*

Ella: <You want to play family with me and Sir Fluffles?>

=====
~Lucien~

*She abruptly stands up without turning around.*

Lin: <You... it can't be you...>

=====
~Crowley~

Fat Bandit: <(How we sneak in?)>

Random Soldier 1: <You two over there, get those crates on board!>

Random Soldiers 2&3: <Right away sir!>

Spade: <(There you go.)>

Derek: <Sure. Am I the cool uncle who always brings the best gifts?>

*Crowley comes back to his senses and hears the conversation going on. He quickly digs into his pocket and gets a knife out, and then uses it to open the lid off of one of the crates that the soldiers were ordered to load.*

Crowley: <Hurry, get in!>

*Crowley quickly dives into the crate.*

"Are you sure Crone? She doesn't know you've changed..." Creed says.

---

"It... it is Lin..." Lucien looks at the ground, "I'm... here on official Aldanian business" he weakly produces his crest of the royal family hoping to the gods who may or may not exist it was enough to keep him from being hung.

*Upon seeing Crone, Kentaro's hand goes to his waist. With his gun not being there he clenches his fists. Inside Kari's standing against a wall with her gun pointed at the door.*

~Kari, Creed & Kentaro~

*He walks into the city, glancing at Kentaro as he walks past him.*

Crone: <I'm sorry.>

=====
~Derek~

Ella: <No! You're going to be my boyfriend. But you can't be King. Kings are old. You need to a prince. First, we get married, yes?>

=====
~Lucien~

*She turns around to face him, widening her eyes. Only then does Lucien notice a crossbow hanging from her waist.*

Lin: <Y-You're... h-how dare you come here!?>

=====
~Crowley~

*Spade and the blonde thiefess hop into the crate with Crowley and the fat bandit into a separate one, both are filled with smelly tuna and are soon thrown into the storage room in the airship.*

Fat Bandit: <...Guys?>

Derek: <Uh.. alright...>

*He scratches his head a bit.*

Derek: <So, how exactly do we get married?>

*Crowley remains silent and begins eating a piece of tuna.*

Crowley: <Mmm, raw or not, I don't give a crap, I'm starving.>

*Kentaro ignores him and heads home glancing over his shoulder. When he opens the door a bullet wizzes by his ear.*

Kentaro:<I'm... I'm home?>

*Kari drops the gun and runs to him.*

"Sorry, it's just that..."

Kentaro:<I know.>

~Kari & Kentaro~

Jade Rabbit: <I understand that was scary and all, but Kari has something she wants to ask you about a lifelong dream of hers.>

*He goes to get the pamphlet and holds it out to Kentaro in his mouth.*

=====
~Derek~

*She sits Mr.Fluffles down and turns to Derek.*

Ella: <Mr.Fluffles will marry us. We just need to kiss.>

*She leans in towards him but much to his relief ends up turning her cheek on him, waiting.*

=====
~Crowley~

*The fat bandit talks from the other crate.*

Fat Bandit: <It don't smell good.>

Blonde Thiefess: <That's because you're in a crate full of tuna fish.>

Fat Bandit: <No fish here.>

*He burps.*

Blonde Thiefess: <...Was there fish there 2 minutes ago?>

Fat Bandit: <...>

Blonde Thiefess: <You didn't answer my question.>

Fat Bandit: <...Yes.>

*Derek hesitates, then backs up and blows a quick kiss half-heartedly to the girl.*

Derek: <I've got to go do, uh... King things!>

Creed follows Crone.

---

"Official... business..." Lucien manages to say.

*The two step away from the door, so it can be closed.*

Kentaro:<Life long dream of hers?>

*Kentaro crouches down and takes the pamphlet.*

*Crowley facepalms.*

Crowley: <Just make sure that you're able to fight. We might have to do alot of that in a bit.>

*Crowley takes another bite of his tuna.*

~Kari & Kentaro~

*He sees a shitload of pictures of frozen Aldanian landscapes.*

Jade Rabbit: <Tada! Also, don't look up.>

=====
~Derek~

Ella: <But Mr.Prince! You can't leave me, not now! I will be heartbroken. Oh, poor me, left to raise our child by myself.>

*She hugs Mr.Fluffles in an overly dramatic manner.*

=====
~Lucien~

*She shakes her head and points her crossbow at him after arming an arrow.*

Lin: <Don't... don't you dare approaching the village.>

*She walks off into the woods, trembling somewhat.*

=====
~Crowley~

Fat Bandit: <No problem, boss.>

Blonde Thiefess: <What's taking them so long?>

Spade: <Just... shut up.>

*They hear squeaking just outside the crate and the thiefess starts trembling.*

Blonde Thiefess: <R-R-Rat...>

Fat Bandit: <Rat? Where? I eat.>

"I have to. Its sort of my job at the moment" Lucien follows her. "The whole world is going to go to shit..."

---

Creed is following Crone.

*Kentaro looks up then back to the rabbit.*

Kentaro:<Something tells me you somehow did that.>

Derek: <WHAT!?>

*He groans and makes a run for it, obviously flustered both about the fact that he was playing house with a six year old, and that the girl looked eerily similar to Kelphy.*