Arc Rise Fantasia 2

Emil C.: "Oh, gosh guys…." – bows down- "I 'm so sorry for not updating faster!"

Gray: "He's been busy with all he's responsibilities for admission to college…" –puts an arm over me-

Happy: "Besides all the extra job Gray makes us do just to stay at his home!" –Starts crying-

Gray: "Oh! C'mon! It's not that degrading!" –Scrubs over my head-

Tenebrae: "Gray-sama….!" –comes Tenebrae posing as Lucy- "Are you ready for your mid-day massage…? Teehee!"

Emil C.: "You were saying…?" –throws daggers with eyes-

Gray: "He's enjoying it!" –Retorts mockingly-

Happy: "You well know that every time Ten-Ten shape-shifts his mind is very vulnerable to outside influences." –sweatdrop-

Emil C.: "In other words, you made me ask him to change into Lucy…." –looks in a derogative manner- "And then you told him he was your slave and asked him to use skimpy clothes…."

Happy & Emil C.: "Shame on you!" -points index finger accusatively-

Gray: "Ten-Tenabrae!" –Starts sweating- "Disclaimer, please!"

Tenebrae: "Sure, Gray-sama!" –Sends a kiss to Gray- "Master-kun and Gray-sama do not own Arc Rise Fantasia, Fairy Tail or Tales of Symphonia… Teeheee!"

Emil & Happy: "Now, now Tenebrae take a deep breathe…" –take Tenebrae by both hands and sits him down on a chair to relax-

The Rise

"Family Meeting"

"Well, like I said before Lady Ryfia…" Ronald blurted placing a cup of tea on Ryfia's hand and a glass of lemonade on L'Arc's. "I come every so often to the cemetery in order to pay respects to my great-great- great grandparents…"

"N-No…" L'Arc's perspiration became more evident every passing second in that room. "This is just some sick twisted joke, isn't it?" His stoic face holding on the shocking news he had just received from the stranger, and to be honest L'Arc didn't hate nor blame the kid in front…

"Don't tell!" Ryfia giggled as she listened to all the stories concerning Roland's family. "So that's when 'he' decided to come and live here with 'her', right?" The Diva's eyes sparkled as she took every word from Roland to heart.

"Not exactly, you might not know," the chestnut haired swordsman sat beside Ryfia getting closer to his guests all most as if they were gossiping around, "but my grandmother had a really rough life!"

"You don't have to tell me!" L'Arc yelled inside his head as his posture tighten up and his teeth gritted each other.

"Really?" Ryfia smiled at him once again getting thrilled with excitement. "What happened to her?"

"Well," he sighed scratching the back of his head in embarrassment, "for starters, she was the Emperor's concubine and a delicacy of a lady, or at least it's what my grandfather used to say my great-great-great grandfather described her as…"

"He better had!"L'Arc's eyes burned with fury and raged as his hand shook earnestly making the lemonade from the glass spill a little bit. "They must be thankful they're death, because if they hadn't been death I would've personally shattered them into little pieces…!"

"The Queen, Alfonse's Mother, at that time filled with hatred and jealousy towards my…." The boy sighed in dismay. "Let's just call her my 'grandma', shall we?" Roland smirked at both of them almost looking for their approval.

"Sure, sure!" Ryfia daintily nodded with her head. "Just, please be as kind as to tell us more about 'them'!" The girl jolted almost jumping out of her seat without further notice.

"I don't need to be reminded about 'her' dark past…" L'Arc moaned in discomfort, his cheeks taking the same color as Roland's had after telling his "grandma's pre-marital status".

"Anyways, Elena, had to escape from the castle after she was intentionally poisoned by the Queen herself, when she gave birth to my Uncle Weiss…" The young swordsman said in a matter-of-fact tone looking right in to L'Arc and Ryfia's eyes.

"Oh, brother…" L'Arc couldn't restrain himself of this feeling, her mother hadn't wait for his return. She had decided to keep up with her life and live it her fullest. "But what about me, mother?" They never asked him his opinion about it, L'Arc doubted he would have even considered the proposal.

"I know this part…!" Ryfia chimed gleefully. "So she met a man who claimed to be part of the 'Three Lord Knights', right?" Roland just stared at her with awe, as she continued with the story.

"What was his name again, L'Arc?" The fair girl in seating beside him inquired turning her head to him for the first time since the conversation started.

"U-Uh…." L'Arc's voice faltered as he was still enveloped in his own ideas. "Rex…" He finally muttered, "his name was Rex Bright Lagoon."

"Wait," Roland yelped, taking notice of how his guests actually knew about his family heritage, "how do you know so much about my family?" Backing up from them with horror in his eyes.

"I knew it!" He yelled taking out his sword. "You're one of them aren't you?" Taking up a fighting stance he plunged against L'Arc.

"Too slow!" L'Arc calmly chuckled stopping Roland's attack bare handed. "But I'll admit it's been a while since the last time I fenced against the 'Oigen's' swordsmanship style…" The Child of Eesa said taking Roland's sword out of his grip and throwing it away.

"Now," he said washing the dripping blood from his hand that caught the blade, "can we go on with the story?" L'Arc said with a bright smile.

"No!" Roland glared suspiciously at L'Arc. "First of all you must tell me who you are!" The man stated coolly.

"But we've already told you, haven't we?" Ryfia begged the young man before her. "I'm Ryfia the Imaginal Diva and he," pointing at L'Arc who seemed very uncomfortable in that moment, "he's L'Arc!"

"L'Arc Bright Lagoon, Child of Eessa and it seems not the last descendant of my mother's…" He blurted out with a slight tone of indignation. "Oh, but don't get me wrong I always wanted to have a little brother, you know?" He finally gritted hugging the still petrified young swordsman who not even an hour ago tried to kill him.

The air surrounding them changed with such subtlety that only Ryfia seemed to get what was going on. The young Diva smiled seeing for the first time in a long time her partner in such a state of happiness and delight. "Good for you, L'Arc…" The girl internally said, glad to see his beloved acting differently as he would've done in the past, an air of elegance and maturity now drawn in L'Arc's expression.

"What are you talking about, Mr. L'Arc?" The younger swordsman yelped pushing away the other man's embracement.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" L'Arc apologized scratching the back of his head. "You see, I've already lost so many people this past days that," he sighed as the weight of his friends lives passed in front of him, "I was just glad to know that there's still someone who shares my same blood in this times…"

"Don't apologize, L'Arc!" The Diva smiled gently at both men before her. "It is obvious that after so many years asleep, people forgot about our existence and our stories faded away in the annals of history..!" She laughed taking hold of both men's hands.

"But I know," Ryfia looked deeply in to Roland's eyes, "that if you see the man in front of you again, you'll feel the same connection that yields a family to be together…"

"Oh! Ms. Ryfia," Roland laughed with all his might, "you two are really good actors, I now know you're not some demons," the young swordsman smiled cleaning up the tears that flowed from his overexertion of pleasure, "but both of you sure are ready to go to a psychiatrist!"

"I guess there's no other way to convince him, don't you think?" L'Arc muttered under his breath while an evil smile formed in his lips. "Oh, well…" The Child of Eessa drifted away in to a trance.

"Lapis of Foresight that commended to protect us!" L'Arc commanded as the temperature in the room suddenly dropped down. "Come forth, Allul!"

"L'Arc, what's the reason for you calling me here?" The unknown woman that appeared in front demanded.

"Sorry, Allul…" L'Arc smirked at the woman, "but this guy over here thinks we're just baloney!"

"Is that so," the woman bowed down to Roland with ease, "I am Allul leader of the 12 Heroes of Noir and Rogress of Foresight," the woman raised again her head letting her rebel hair flow freely from the heavy armor she was wearing into a beautiful pale blue ornate gown, "and who might you be?"

"S-She is…" Roland stared at the woman trying to swallow up everything that had happened in this place in no more than a second ago. For Roland, all these experiences looked like a figment of a child's imagination, and he knew that he had been wrong all along; but he had spent all his life in disbelief of his family's stories had heritage, and now been confronted by the same fables he grew up with was too much…

"Are you alright, Roland?" A worried Ryfia asked before Roland's sight began to fade and was left with an overpowering feeling of apprehension in his heart. Then, nothing…

"…Is he really fine, Ryfia?" Roland heard L'Arc say in a whisper. "I was so worried that I over did it with him…." The young swordsman's voice full of concern towards Roland.

"Gosh, what happened to me…?" The young swordsman thought to himself trying to move his body. "Where am I? Why am I in my room?" Roland pondered as he tried to straight himself and open his eyes.

"So you're finally awake…" A woman's voice bounced in his head freezing him from moving as he turned to see the same woman that appeared back then to his side. "I'm sorry my presence caused such a distress over your health," the woman whispered putting a wet cloth over his head, "but what those two fellows outside told you is truth," the woman stated pulling away the cloth and looking at him once again with her piecing blue eyes, "they are the heroes of legend and you carry the same blood as L'Arc does, whether you want to accept it or not." The woman ended retreating from Roland.

"Let me call for them," the woman said opening the room's door, "both of them have been deadly worried about your welfare." With that the woman walked out of the room closing it behind her.

"Oh, and if you don't you'll know by first hand why I was called the 'Ice Queen'!" She bluntly sated with a sly smile finally closing the door.

"Roland!" Ryfia barged in the room in one of her spurs of undeniable innocence. "I was so worried about you!" The girl jumped to Roland's lap and hugged him tight.

"Lady Ryfia, what are you doing?" The embarrassed swordsman squirmed noticing the compromising position in which both of them found themselves in.

"Don't mind her," L'Arc stated coolly as he entered the room, "she's usually like this or even worst!" The Child of Eessa said teasingly trying to cover his fading red eyes with the wrist of his vest.

"Master L'Arc!" The young swordsman yelled jumping out of the bed and Ryfia's embracement and kneeling before L'Arc.

"Uh?" L'Arc moaned. "What are you doing now, Roland?" L'Arc chuckled taking a few steps closer to his friend.

"I'm humbly sorry Master L'Arc for not realizing I was in front of someone of such feats and greatness…" He yelled throwing all the weight of his body to the ground.

"Well, it is good to see that you finally believe us," L'Arc smirked at the man kneeling before him taking him by his arm and pulling him up, "but there is no reason for such formalities between brothers!" The Child of Eessa stated punching Roland gently on the side of his arm.

"Ow, what was that for, Mr. L'Arc?" Roland inquired rubbing his hand over the place where L'Arc had punched him.

"Well, that's because you were so stubborn not to listen to what we said…" The red clad swordsman snickered closing the distance between the two of them. "And this," L'Arc yelled knocking over Roland's for head, "is for calling me 'Mr. L'Arc', the last person that called me like that well…" His eyes looking up to the ceiling in regret.

"Anyhow," L'Arc coughed getting his attention back to the man in front, "just call me L'Arc, ok?"

"Yes, L'Arc!" Roland politely bowed down.

"So," Ryfia interrupted the two taking Roland by his arm, "are you finally going to tell us how Rastan and L'Arc's mother winded up together?" The girl clinging to the blue clad swordsman clenching her nails on his poor skin in anticipation for the juicy story she so vehemently wanted to know.

"Well, like I was saying before I went a little off the edge…" Roland smiled seating beside L'arc this time.

Flashback

"Oh, Rastan is so good to see you…" The feeble woman smiled gently standing up from her seat.

"A pleasure to see you too, Elena." Rastan bowed and came inside the house at once carrying with him a very tired and sleepy Cecille.

"You brought Cecille with you, I see…" The woman chimed softly as not to awake the sleeping child. "I'll prepare Adele's room for her…"

"What about us!" Serge yelled deviously with the full intention of waking the girl that laid on Rastan's arms.

"As unconsidered as ever…!" Leslie retorted smacking Serge on the back of his head.

"Ouch! The violent femme strikes again!" Serge moaned with an unfaltering smile on his face.

"Oh! Trust me," Leslie walked closer to Serge's back, "'this' isn't even halve as violent as I can be," she whispered to Serge's ear, "so you better start behaving, got it?"

"But of course, my Lady." Serge mockingly bowed. "Any woman who can have me in such tight leash deserves such praise…"

"Keep talking hot-shot," Leslie naughtily smiled at him, "and you can say good bye to your manhood…"

"And that," Leslie turned and blew a kiss to him, "is a promise!" With that, Leslie walked away climbing up the stairs and follow Rastan and Elena.

"I see you two are very good friends…" Elena softly smiled at Leslie. "It is so good to see youngsters in love nowadays…"

"Yes, the love those two have for each other grows deeper every day…" Rastan nodded with his head tucking Cecille inside the sheets of the bed.

"We are absolutely not in love!" Leslie smirked evily towards Rastan. "We just have a partnership of some sort…"

"Oh, that's the same thing I used to say each time I met the King…" Her eyes filled with the memoires of her past. "I can still remember how I used to threaten him with cutting out his manhood!" Elena hoarsely chuckled.

"Now, now Elena…" Rastan brought his arm over her back. "Let me carry you back to your room we don't need you to get sick again."

"Well," Leslie chirped taking hold of Elena's other arm, "you two seemed way to close to be accusing poor little me from something as serious as a romantic relationship don't you think?"

"We don't deny it." Rastan stated it bluntly. "But one day you'll see that when you get to our age it isn't very convenient to start up love affairs." He kindly smiled at the woman placing her on her bed.

"Besides, both of us have already enjoyed the happiness and fulfillment of a marriage." Elena said rubbing up her templates. "This would be my second mariage," the lady declared putting a hand to her chin, "and ninth man?"

"Tenth, actually Elena…" Rastan kindly stroke the woman's hair.

"Tenth!" Leslie yelped in total astonishment, never before thinking that a woman as Elena could've been such a 'busy-body' in her good days.

"Now, now, Rastan…" The woman deviously winked at the blue clad knight. "You know it's against the rules to count you twice!"

"Well, at least be grateful I'm just counting myself, twice…" Rastan laughed full-heartedly. "Just for the record we were together for more than a dozen times!"

"Rastan Oigen!" Elena pouted taking a broom from behind her bed and hitting Rastan right in the forehead. "Don't you dare start washing 'our' dirty laundry in front of Ms. Ferretti like this!"

"N-No…" Leslie muttered half-concerned of the embarrassing things she had just learned from her companions and half excited of the juicy gossip she would later use on Rastan herself.

"See? Ms. Ferretti won't mind!" Rastan begged dogging swiftly the restless attacks Elena was throwing at him.

"Very well, if you insist to talk like that I have no other choice but to make you come and live here at Samuel's School with Cecille!" The woman demanded with stern rigor.

"I could never deny myself to 'your' request, Elena." Rastan haughtily smiled at both women retreating from the room. "I know my way to the dorm so there's no reason for you stand again…"

"Wait just a minute there, 'Mr. Arcon Unit'!" The sick woman somehow threw the broom twards the door forcing it close once again. "I never said your stay here would be as a guest!"

"I could see that much…" The blue clad knight smiled at her. "So, what would you want me to do?"

"We need a new Fencing Professor for the advance class," the woman said pointing at a cabinet to the side of a stove, "and of course I would provide lodging and a good pay…"

"I'll do it!" Rastan said ushering Leslie to leave the room for him and Elena to have a moment alone. "This is the least I can do after what I did to Rex…" Rastan swore taking Elena's hand between his.

"Stop it already, Rastan." The woman carelessly touched Rastan's cheek, "neither him nor me ever kept any ill feelings of hatred towards you, so please stop talking like that."

"Very well, then Mrs. Lagoon!" He sarcastically laughed. "I guess it's time for us old folks to go to sleep, don't you think?" The latter just nodded in agreement and closed her eyes falling in a deep and gleeful slumber.

"Good-night, Elena…."

Three years passed in the blink of an eye, the summer sky shined ever so softly as the "new family" enjoyed of a picnic outside the garden in Samuel's School.

"Are you serious?" Cecille chirped excited of the news she was just given.

"Yes, my dear." Elena nodded holding Rastan's arms tightly around hers. "We're just waiting for His Majesty to confirm his invitation…"

"Well that and his 'support' that is…" Rastan sarcastically whispered, giving him in return scornful glares from the other two ladies. "Wrong audience, I apologize!"

"Anyhow," Cecille turned back to Elena, "do you think Alf will come to see us as he promised?"

"Well why don't you ask me in person, Cecille?" The young heroine jolted from here place surprised of the unexpected bystander behind her back.

"Alf!" The young girl blushed madly. "Don't you know is rude of a gentleman as yourself to come to innocent girls from behind?" The girl mockingly held her tongue out covering her developing bosom in an attempt to make Alf uncomfortable.

"For-Forgive me, Cecillie!" Alf started sweating frantically. "I didn't mean anything by that, I swear!"

"Calm down now, your Majesty." Elena greeted warmly to the King, "this child just takes way too much pleasure in other people's grieve!"

"I do not, Auntie Elena!" Cecille gasped in horror realizing what she just said. "I am truly sorry, Alf!" She blurted out hiding her head with her hair.

"Don't worry,Cecille!" Alf warmly smiled back at her. "It's been way too long since I've ever heard somebody besides 'her' calling 'Mamma Elena' by that name!" The King laughed hugging the two ladies after a long time of seclusion in his castle.

"Hey,hey, hey!" Rastan, who seemed unmoved with the fact that everyone forgot about his existence, yelled to the others. "Since when do you call my betrothed like that?"

"Well," Alf moved closer to where Rastan was standing, "ever since L'Arc made me promise to take care of Mom…"

"He's secretly been sending financial aid to the school!" Cecille interrupted jumping over Alf's back. "Alf! Horsey! NOW!" Cecille demanded as he kicked Alfin his ribs with her feet.

"So much for the 'Legenday Hero', Minima Lady!" The new comer yelled from afar.

"Good grief, can you tell me why I had to take you with me?" Leslie seductively swung her arm around Serge.

"Because you can't have enough of me, true?" Serge mused himself taunting Leslie as he brought his hand to her lower waist.

"Easy now, cowboy!" Leslie smiled at him pointing her gun to his manhood. "Or do you want to get hurt?"

"Aren't they the cutest couple you've ever seen before?" Cecille giggled thinking she would be lucky enough to be the 'flower girl' not only once before she went to sleep, but possibly twice!

"You could say that…." Alf kindly smiled at his companions, trying not to show how awkward their relationship was with one another, yet who was him to say that they were so 'unique'… After all, the weight of Adele's sins still felt on his shoulders.

"So tell me, you two 'cougars', when's the big day going to be?" Serge blurted out gaining a firm courtesy of Leslie and a butt kick from Cecille.

"Leon, I see you keep unchanged." The eldest of them calmly replied. "Still hunting little girls' lingerie from their rooms at night?"

"How do you…" He stopped from finishing that sentence as he was greeted once again with the ladies accusative eyes glaring at him.

"But do tell, Rast-y! When will I be honored to be the maiden of honor?" The pink-haired beauty inquired rubbing her overflowing bosom on her friend.

"The day you get your virginity back, you…" Serge didn't had a chance to finish the last sentence when Alf who had remained quiet and composed darted a punch to his face knocking him out in the moment.

"Forgive my rudeness, but it seems the 'Lion' had to take a nap before someone got seriously hurt, won't you agree?" The former Child of Eessa stated turning to the ladies and man in front of him!

"Totally!" Cecille chimed pumping her fist up and giving one of her signature jumps.

"Oh, Alf-y! Any girl could fall head over heels for you my dear!" Leslie seductively teased Alf holding him close with his face in between her most impressive aspect of her body…

"And so, 'Grandpa Rastan' and 'Mamma Elena' got together…" Roland ended his tale placing the cup of tea he was drinking on the table.

"Few months later Mamma Elena, got pregnant with Rex," Roland stopped looking at how startled L'Arc seemed at the baby's name, "and Lord Alf married some lady of high status for the mere preservation of the 'Royal Blood'…"

"Alf, I'm sorry pal, you could never marry the woman of your dreams…" L'Arc sighed drinking the rest of his now warm lemonade.

"Did he have any children?" Ryfia innocently inquired to her new friend.

"Well indeed he did, Lady Ryfia!" Roland amiably replied the young Diva's inquiry.

"And what's the business, now?" L'Arc asked nonchalantly. "I mean, who's the King right now?" L'Arc ended up saying noticing that not even Ryfia understood he's expressions. "Do I really talk that weird…?"

"Yes, King Ingobert Meridia IV, sole Ruler of the Western Continent." The blue clad swordsman stated with satisfaction of been of any use to the heroes in front of him.

"Wow, Roland you're so knowledgeable!" Ryfia smiled clapping with both hands.

"Ryfia, it is common knowledge for someone that lives in one place to learn now and then the news from his its rulers…" The Child of Eessa told his partner struggling not to laugh at her naivety.

"L'Arc is right, Lady Ryfia." The man beside her nodded his head on agreement. "But, putting that aside, the King Ingobert gave birth to a child…"

"Our beloved princess and only heir of the crown, Lady Alice Meridia X…" Roland ended looking back at the two other guests with concern as they stood staring at each other in shock.

"L'Arc," Ryfia finally spoke, "do you think the Alice we met could be the same Alice that…"

"My thoughts are the same." L'Arc agreed placing his hand over to his chin. "But there must be a way to find out for sure," the red clad mercenary looked up to his relative, "Roland do you know any characteristic about Princess Alice?"

"The only thing I know is that she's been restricted to ever leaving the palace," Roland muttered trying really hard to remember everything he knew about her, "due to health issues unknown to the public of course," the young swords man took a sip of his cup and then continued, "I think she always carries with her a fan given to her by her belated grandmother and…."

"It was definitely her!" Ryfia jolted out of her seat. "But why do you think she didn't tell us who she was?" Ryfia frowned.

"Isn't it obvious?" L'Arc haughtily addressed his partner. "She didn't want to bring attention over herself," Roland listened to L'Arc with all his attention, "If she had told us she was the Princess, she would've been urged to go back to the castle immediately…"

"So you've met Lady Alice?" The young swordsman asked filled with admiration to his relative. "You really are something else, L'Arc!"

"Well, you could say we met her per chance rather than a 'private meeting'…" L'Arc responded in a whisper too embarrassed with the compliments he was receiving.

"Well at least we got to know her until that man, Phillip…" Ryfia sighed remembering that man's awful attitude.

"So you also met Duke Phillip Galliardos?" Roland asked with bitterness in his tone. "That man is the CEO of 'Re-Genesis' Industries, Princess Alice fiancée…" He stopped as his hand formed a fist anger flowing thru his body. "…And my belated mother's former boss…"

"What happened?" Ryfia inquired placing a hand over Roland's shoulder.

"Well, my mother worked as a secretary for him." He tried to explain as calm as possible. "But he unjustly accused her of leaking information to rival companies…" Roland's eyes flaring with deep hatred.

"Then one day he simply just fired her," his tear rolled freely as he hugged the first thing in front of him, "we thought it would be fine," he heard someone pulling him away finally noticing it was L'Arc who he had embraced, "but she died…"

L'Arc suddenly stopped struggling and looked down to his 'brother', "how did she…"

"The day she was fired," he looked at both of them with anguish in his heart, "I told her not stay that late at night, that it was dangerous…" He grimly smiled. "But she never listened to me…"

"In my heart I knew something was wrong so I sprinted all the way to her working place and stopped right before getting to the Company…" His heart ached with the pain of what he had witnessed. "I found a creature, hardly human rip my mother apart, limb by limb in a few seconds…"

"And I…" His sore throat making his voice hardly a whimper as he continued. "I couldn't…do…"

"It's Ok, pal…" L'Arc warmly smiled at him. "We know now, and you are not alone…"

"Of course not!" Ryfia interrupted as she plunged herself in a tight hug with the two others.

"We will find who the murderer was and we'll end him," L'Arc decisively swore, "and we will give you the pleasure of finishing that bastards live with your own hands!"

"Thank you…" Roland said getting his composure back. "To both of you…"

"What are families for!" L'Arc sympathetically smiled. "Right, Ryfia?" The Child of Eessa winked at her.

"But of course!" The kind girl kissed Roland on the cheek, making the latter flush bright red.

"Oi! Ryfia!" L'Arc yelped. "Stop being so friendly to everyone," the red clad swordsman groaned, "how many do I have to tell you about 'boundaries'?"

"Sorry, L'Arc…" The naïve girl giggled covering her mouth with her hand.

"Is she for real?" The two young men asked at the same time inside their heads turning to look at each other in a silent agreement that neither of them would ever fully understand that girl.

The next morning as L'Arc woke in his old room and walked to her mother's place, he couldn't shrug the feeling that his mother enjoyed a happy and treasured life. That thanks to her, he was born and once again he wasn't alone in this foreign time and life…

Walking towards an old closet, L'Arc couldn't help but take a peek one last time in the hopes to smell her mother's scent in there. To his dismay what he found inside were to blue coats and several male outfits, which seemed pretty familiar to the young swordsman. "Rastan you bastard, if I ever see you again I'll kick your ass…!"

"Oh, L'Arc you're awake!" Roland smiled entering the room they shared sweating. "I was just training a little before breakfast," the swordsman stated throwing away all his clothes, "I'll take a shower now and then we'll be able to eat…"

"Alright, I'll go and see Ryfia now!" L'Arc muttered leaving behind Roland and making his way to 'Adele's' old room. "Adele…." L'Arc sighed as he knocked on the door.

"C'mon in!" Ryfia chirped from inside. "Oh, L'Arc come! How do I look on this?" The dashing Diva asked wearing her mother's dress once again in a different one-sided pony tail hair style and her flower circlet bind down to her arm as a bracelet.

"You look…" L'Arc stared in amazement. "…Gorgeous."

"You really think so?" She said. "Well you don't look half bad wearing Weiss's garments either, you know?" The girl insinuated to his partner.

"Do I really have to wear that?" He reluctantly responded.

"Yes!" She said pushing him once again to the shower. "And remember also to wash thoroughly behind your ears!" The naïve Diva added with a sly smile.

"So where are we going to lunch now, Roland?" Ryfia casually asked.

"Well I was thinking we could go to…" The swordsman stopped his tracks as a ripping scream for help came from behind the group.

"I beg someone, please aid me!" A familiar blonde girl with an abnormal agitated state came running from the higher levels of the city.

"Alice!" L'Arc and Ryfia yelled at the same time. Roland just blinked in surprise of seeing the Princess for the first time, not in elegant clothes with fancy leashes, but pretty enough to denote her high status.

"Dear friends, we must flee!" The tarnished girl gasped trying to catch her breath. "Immediately!" She stated fainting in that instant over L'Arc's arms.

"You heard her, didn't you?" Ryfia screamed in distress. "We should go, now!" The Diva sprinted towards the elevators followed by a very confused Roland and an exhausted L'Arc with a girl over his shoulders.

"Ok, so what's the deal with the fainting Princess?" Roland said as they stopped right outside the city doors.

"Well," Ryfia started, "I felt that whatever it was that she had to tell us had to have something to do with this feeling…"

"Feeling?" Roland glared at the Diva in disbelief. "What feeling, Lady Ryfia?"

"I-I don't know how to explain it but…"The girl became silent as she pointed out to the trembling city.

"An earthquake?" L'Arc gasped in disbelief. "There has never been any record of an earthquake in Diamant!"

"Indeed!" Roland snapped out of his trance as he noticed the east side of the city crumble into pieces.

"Could this be what that unsettling feeling I had was all about?" Ryfia muttered biting her inner lip.

"I would belief so," a cold voice answered, "after all she 'is' Imaginal's Diva, isn't she?"

"Who are you?" L'Arc scoffed to the other man placing Alice gently on the ground.

"I am not your enemy," the man wearing a black cloak said, "at least not at the moment that is…"

"I am Dominus," the man bowed down never leaving his eyes from Ryfia, "and I have to thank you for saving our dear 'princess' for us."

"If it's truth that you're not our enemy," Roland walked closer to the cloaked man, "show us your face! Why do you hide it behind a mask?"

"That I cannot do," he simply shrugged with his shoulders, "but what I can do," the man deviously smirked, "is teach you child, some manners!" The man swiftly moved his hands with a twisted sending several waves of ray towards Roland.

"Gentle land, protect us!" L'Arc and Ryfia chanted in perfect sync creating a barrier of stone and that stopped the attack from harming Roland.

"Hey, you!" L'Arc barked indignant. "If you mess with my pal here, you are messing with me, got it?"

"I do now," the man merely nodded in response, "then let me tell you that the only reason we are not hurting any of them is because you're needed," glaring back at Roland, "but you kid…"

"You are nothing!" The man hysterically laughed. "But enough presentation, I have something else to do…" And with that the man walked back to the city and in an instance he was gone.

"Well that was nice…" L'Arc commented in the hopes to break the awkward silent.

"What do you think he meant, L'arc?" Ryfia added.

"Dunno…but…" L'Arc's eyes flared in fire and his body started to burn in pain as he let out a yell of pain.

"L'Arc!" Roland caught his friend before he felt to the ground.

"The Rogress!" L'Arc screamed. "They're in pain!" L'Arc's eyes filled with red stained tears.

"What do we do?" Ryfia shook L'Arc's body in despair.

"They…" L'Arc's body started convulsing. "They need to go back to their altars…" The child of Eessa muttered under his breath. "They want me to set them free…"

An ominous light engulfed L'Arc as several Dragon Gems flew far away to the distance only two stayed behind taking a human shape.

"Ryfia…" Simmah's voice echoed in the groups head.

"Child of Eessa, L'Arc…" Allul smiled placing a hand over his head. "Wake up; this is a serious matter…" The Child of Eessa didn't answer.

"Simmah, I mean Father, what are you doing here?" Ryfia inquired a little uneasy of L'Arc's weak state.

"Father?" Roland gasped in disbelief.

"It matters not right now," Allul coldly sputtered out, "Ryfia and you 'kid' take the Child of Eessa and the Princess to the place where those three Dragon Gems flew together…"

"But, why?" Roland earnestly begged for an answer.

"Understood." Ryfia nodded as she fixed her face to the man before her. "Roland, please take Alice and I'll take L'Arc with the help of 'my friends'" Roland just nodded impressed to see the same carefree, clueless girl taking charge of the situation.

"Lady Ryfia…" Roland smiled at her as he walked closer to the navigation bridge.

"Roland," the young Diva warmly smiled, "are our friends still sleeping?"

"Indeed they are…" Roland answered a little more relaxed than he was before. "Ms. Ryfia, do you know where we are heading?"

"Oh! Yes I do!" The girl smiled full heartedly. "Actually I think our trip will be a-maze-ing!" Ryfia laughed hysterically taking her hands out of the controls as she tried to hold her tears.

"Lady Ryfia, the controls!" Roland urged the girl who seemed to finally settle down from her frantic fit of laughs.

"She can surely change from being regal and demanding to clueless and carefree…"Roland thought as he stared deeply in thought to the Diva's amber eyes.

Emil C.: "Ok, first of all, let me remind you all how bad Ryfia is making jokes… And even worst getting them…!" -chuckling- "And second of all, let's see how many of you guess where the guys are heading!"

Happy: "She sure is! Aye! There was once a time that I told her she was really cute in her underwear…"

Tenebrae: "That she actually went ahead and waltz around the streets just like that…."

Gray: "Also the boundaries issue… I mean, I can't call her a pervert as I do with Juvia because she doesn't know that what she's doing is wrong…"

Emil C.: "But, coming up to my father and kissing him on the mouth…. Well let's just say my father is now terrified of my mom and the balcony at night!"

Tenebrae: "But enough of those cherished 'familiy moments'" –Tenebrae shows up with an applause sign on his tail- "We have a guest today!"

Gray: "Against my will I may add…"

Happy: "No." –Happy shakes his head- "You said that if she was fat or a guy he couldn't come here!"

Emil C.: "Well guess what, Gray….?" –evil smirk- "She's a gal and she's perfectly fit!"

Tenebrae: "I hereby present, Lady Trinity!" -opens a door revealing a shy girl wearing a blue apron-

Trinity: "Hello everyone!" –shakes everyone's hands… and paws- "Such a pleasure to be here!"

Emil C.: "Trinity or as you might know her as 'ForgottenEternity' asked me ever so kindly to join our group of 'Jolly Men'!"

Trinity: "I'm a woman…" –sweat drop-

Happy: "I'm a cat…!" –smiles innocently as Trinity strokes Happy's back-

Tenebrae: "I'm a Centurion…" –laughs evily-

Emil C.: "Not literally you guys!" –sweat drop-

Gray: "What's the problem, bro.?" –shrugs- "At least the two of us are stick together as the 'Two Amazing Jolly Men'!" –smiles excited-

Emil C.: "I'm a Summon Spirit!" –moves away from Gray-

Happy: "By the way… isn't it a little weird 'they' didn't barge in and threaten the girl?"

Gray: "Oh, yeah…." –puts hand over the chin- "You would think they would get all possessive and jealous…"

Trinity: "Emil who are 'they'?" –looking frightful and confused-

Emil C.: "Oh a couple of crazy people…" –sighs-

Tenebrae: "Indeed! They are so possessive over my Master that I thought 'they' would take your eyes out and eat them!" –devious laugh-

Emil C.: "Tenebrae! Stop messing with our guests!" –punches Tenebrae on the back-

Tenebrae: "My apologies, Master and Lady Trinity…" –bows down-

Trinity: "What do you think happened to your stalkers…?"

Gray: "Good question…" –takes of his clothes-

Trinity: "Pevert!" –hits Gray with her bag and runs away-

-Somewhere in Eldrant-

Marta: "Emil is mine you faggot!" –attacks Luke with her spinner-

Luke: "Who says that 'Drama Queen'!" –counterattacks with a horizontal strike with his sword-

Marta: "You whinner!" –spits on Luke's face- "What are you going to do now that your frigid bitch lover is not here?"

Luke: "I don't need Tear to be great!" –punches straight on the face- "Unlike you that are 'always' praising 'Lloyd The Great'…!" –imitating Marta- "Oh, Lloyd! Touch me like this! Hmmm! And then I'll go to Emil and take his virginity because I'm a fat whore!"

Marta: "Oh yeah?" –imitating Luke- "Oh! I'm a spoiled brat who has already slept with the frigid bitch, the idiot Princess and even with a 12 year old little girl! Because I'm a pedophile! I've even slept with my best friend/brother who is 23 years old and I liked it! Now I want to go and infect sweet innocent Emil with herpes and make him a homo like me!"

Luke: "Whore!" –slaps Marta on the face-

Marta: "Bitch!" –kicks Luke on the nuts-

Trinity: "…" –stares at them with her mouth dropping to the floor- "Uh…. Don't mind me…."

-Back to Emil and the others-

Emil C.: "Trinity! You're back I'm so glad!" –hugs her- "Don't you ever leave like that there are creepy people out at night!"

Trinity: "Yeah…" –thinking about the scene she just presence- "I think I have a pretty good idea…"

Happy: "Aye!" –munching his fish-

Tenebrae: "Use a knife and a fork!" –slaps the cat on the back-

Gray: "Tenebrae, loosen up!" –talking with only his underwear on-

Trinity and Emil: "And here we go again…"