(OOG: Okay, I ended up making some last-minute modifications to this post, so I hope I didn't miss anything! And as is becoming our usual practice, Rune and I co-authored this post. ^_^)

//"I wish I could stay behind, but I have my orders. I'm sorry......"

"No, don't be sorry Elly." Her mother gave her a hug, stroking her hair. "You have your duties, as we all do. I'm proud to see you so dedicated."

"I love you........"//

-----------------------

Cool air bathed her skin, and warmth wrapped her from waist to toes. Her nerves tingled as if they were on the edge of assaulting her with pain, but her breathing, at least, came easily. She remembered her terror not so long ago, when she had not had such a luxury. It seemed only a few minutes had passed, but surely it must have been longer......

But why, she could not remember. All she remembered were the screams, and the terrible cracking...... cracking she had thought was her own body, her own bones......

Elly shivered, feeling goosebumps rise on skin she had forgotten existed. The feeling brought about a more intense sensation -- something her mother used to call 'pins and needles', yet much, much worse.

She gritted her teeth and tensed, clenching her hands into fists -- or trying, in any case. Her hands didn't want to obey her commands. Her muscles felt like stretched rubber.

**Medication. Has to be......** Or was she hurt more than she had thought?

Silly. She couldn't even remember how she had gotten hurt in the first place. Maybe -that- was the medication at work. Or whatever it was that they gave in Aveh. Her mother had always warned her about surface drugs.

**......Surface drugs?** The feeling of pain subsided, and she opened her eyes. **Mother......** Where was her mother? It would be so nice to see her face......

And the fact that she could now remember that face lifted a weight from her heart. If only she could remember more...... But she supposed it was not meant to be.

Instead, she stared at the plain plaster ceiling, vaguely recognizing it as the one in her room -- the room she had been given upon her enlistment under Lord Ariath's Command. Dappled sunlight illuminated it, casting warmth upon her body.

Warmth she didn't need. All too quickly, recollection of Aveh's intense summer season came back to her. After the last few days she had spent outside in the Arena under the full assault of the sun, she was surpirsed her skin didn't feel as tender as everything under it.

That was it -- the Tournament!

She and Kyoko had been watching the tournament...... watching the final bout........ Then......

Then......

What?

//"Oh gods Elly, what if --"

"No!" Elly gasped out, a familiar shiver seizing her.

A bried vision flashed before her eyes, a dream she had had the night before, of Kyoko falling, buried alive --

She seized her friend and threw her to the side, just as the second shockwave hit. Its force smacked into her like a brick wall, tossing her effortlessly through the air to land a dozen feet away in the blessed shade of the bleachers......//

**Attack! The attack!**

Her eyes widened in alarm -- the most she could do, without fear of pain -- and her senses sharpened, enhanced by fear. Little details that had gone by unnoticed before suddenly jumped out at her; miniscule cracks in the ceiling plaster, the emptiness of the walls, the thickness of the dust motes swirling in the sunbeams, and a million other puzzle pieces that were clicking into place.

Now that she knew what to look for, everything spelled out recent distaster. Even the air seemed charged. Several days had to have passed, but the residue of ether still drilled into her senses.

**Kyoko!** Panic seized her for a moment, but quickly subsided. Other memories told her Kyoko had been out of the range of the bleachers, if only barely.

**Darius? Lord Ariath? What....... what about the rest of them? Xeilia? Victoria? Alysril?**

Elanore pushed herself into a sitting position, gritting her teeth as stiff muscles stretched for the first time in days. Surprisingly, she felt no other pain. Did that mean that whatever had happened to her was already healed? Why would she be here, if that were the case? Wouldn't the nanoreactors repair the damage right away?

Nanoreactors...... she shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Where had she heard that term before? Only vaguely, she thought, during her tour of the flagship. But...... she remembered clearly that the reactors were supposed to do...... whatever it was they did...... with great speed. And the man they mentioned, Mordon...... no, what did he have to do with it?

"Maybe I'm not so well after all......" she whispered, letting herself fall back onto the pillows. Perhaps they hadn't fixed everything yet -- maybe that was why she was still in bed. She honestly didn't recall. Staring at nothing would have to satisfy her until someone came in to talk to her.

The ceiling was just as boring as it had been a few minutes ago.

The door opened, and Elly lifted her head, gladly abandoning her study of the ceiling to see who had come to visit her. She sat up again, watching in surprise as Ariath walked in and closed the door softly behind him. Myaru, she was relieved to note, was nowhere to be seen. Just him...... which was a mystery in its own right.

"Lord Dracorte....."

A ghostly smile graced his face. "I'm glad to see you awake, Elanore. We were all a little worried when you slept so long." He pulled a chair over to the bed and took a seat. "-Are- you well? Are you experiencing any pain or sickness?"

She smiled and shook her head, a bit beweildered by his concern. It stood to reason that he would be a little worried, as she -was- under his command, but it seemed strange that he would care so much. "I feel a bit stiff, but I think it's more from sleeping so long...... I don't really feel any pain."

Not really, anyway. It still felt as if it might come back if she moved too fast, but even nanotechnology wasn't perfect. She would just have to rest another day or two.

"Excellent." He leaned forward, eyes catching the light. They glowed like a pair of spectral emeralds. "And the rest?" She blinked uncertainly, and he continued. "Do you know what happened to you? Do you remember anything at all?" He paused, then added, "Of the battle, that is."

**Of the battle?** He said it as if there was something else..... perhaps the memory of her mother? But how would he know? "I...... I remember pushing Kyoko out of the way...... Shockwaves...... something...... fell on me, didn't it? Something......" She shivered, recalling the dream she'd had, of suffocating weight...... "Why?"

Ariath seemed to consider for a moment before replying, and his voice was gentle when he finally did speak. "You had nightmares. Terrible ones, if what I heard was any indication. Myaru seemed to understand them......" A darker, contemplative look crossed his face, then was gone. "I just want to know you'll be alright, from now on. The less you remember about the incident, the better."

She nodded slowly. "I think I'll be fine." Nightmares? She couldn't remember a thing. Was it the fire, again? That one confused -her-. "I-I'm a little surprised you're worried about that. Everyone has nightmares."

"Perhaps." That ghost of a smile returned. "Even still, it is worth a little concern. I'm here to protect your well-being as much as I am to give you orders." He reached out, resting his hand over her arm. "I want to be sure of your safety."

Elly smiled hesitantly. "I -will- be fine -- you don't have to worry about me. Mordon's inventions haven't failed me yet." His eyebrows rose sharply, and she stopped, wondering what it was she had said.

"I had no idea you were acquainted with Mordon."

Was she? It seemed like a strange thing to say now, but...... it had just slipped right out. The statement had the undeniable feeling of truth, but now that she thought about it, she couldn't even remember what it was the man did. He had only been mentioned by Myaru during her first general briefing.

"It doesn't really matter, I suppose." Ariath stood, smiling down at her with that peculiar expression he always seemed to wear in her presence. It reminded her of the way he looked at Myaru. "Now that you're awake and well, there are others who wish to see you. If you have no objections......?" She shook her head. "Then be well -- I'll be back to check on you tomorrow."

She watched him leave, chewing her lower lip. Was there something wrong with 'knowing' Mordon? She didn't, by her recollection, but that was hardly anything to go by these days. Especially when things like that kept slipping out without her realizing it. It could get her into trouble......

And what was it about that look Ariath had given her......?

"Elly!"

She looked up, hearing Kyoko's joyful cry. Her friend rushed from the door to her bedside, enveloping her in a careful hug. Elanore smiled into Kyoko's hair and closed her eyes, relieved beyond words. She hadn't been hurt in the attack after all -- and that was what was important.

Kyoko pulled away and sat on the bed, eyes full of tears. "You have no idea how good it is to see you Elly. I thought......" Then she grinned, even as the tears ran down her cheeks, making wet trails in the sheen of dust over her skin. "But you're okay! And Lord Dracorte said you're completely healed." She hugged Elly again, more tightly.

"Hey, let the rest of us get a turn......"

Her friend held on a moment longer, then let go somewhat reluctantly; Elly looked past her to find Darius waiting beside the chair Ariath had occupied a few moments ago. A timid smile crept onto her face before she could stop it. **I can't believe he came to see me...... did he wait all this time with Kyoko......?**

She clutched the sheet about her more tightly, wishing he had come -after- she had had time to fully clothe herself. But still...... for some reason, seeing him there waiting for her made her feel warm......

**I'm so stupid......** She hugged her knees to her chest and smiled again, more broadly. "It's really nice to see you......" She couldn't keep her surprise out of the words, any more than she had with Ariath.

Darius grinned. "I was worried about you too, you know. I......I was afraid I hadn't gotten there in time, when you didn't wake up right away." He shrugged, voice growing a bit softer. "But I'm glad you're okay, Elly. I hope you don't mind if I stay here......"

"No, not at all." She ignored Kyoko's knowing grin and continued. "What about the others with you? Robert, was it......? And Aishou?"

"Robert is okay, I guess -- I saw him a couple of days ago. And Aishou got out of it all without a scratch, as far as I can tell. She's downstairs somewhere." He took a seat in the chair and leaned forward - just as Ariath had, with the same intent look. Strange. "What about you Elly? You were the one who caught the worst of it......"

She shrugged, resting her cheeck on her knees and fastening her eyes on him. **What is it about him? It's such a strange feeling......** She hardly noticed Kyoko settling down on the floor beside her. "I'm really okay! There must be other people in far more pain......" She trailed off. There had been screams, in that dream......

"Always thinking about other people......" Kyoko squeezed her hand with a reassuring smile. "I'm sure everything is okay. That Ariath said he'd take care of the people in the city."

"Take care of the 'innocent Lambs' you mean." Darius's mouth twisted. "I really don't like the sound of that...... It's like he thinks he's god or something. I got my fill of that from those gears, whoever they were."

The gears...... -they- reminded her of something as well, but the knowledge was always just out of her reach...... and who could she really ask? -No one- really knew where they had come from.

"Wait......" Elly narrowed her eyes, chewing on her lip again. "What happened to them, anyway? I assume we came out victorious, since they're not here......"

"Victorious... I don't think I'd put it that way." Darius replied, running a hand through his blonde hair. "It's as if... they just up and left. Or SOMETHING made them up and leave."

"Something... what happened?" Elly asked.

"I don't know how to explain it... it was like a huge hole opened in the sky and..." Darius shrugged, at a loss for words.

Kyoko smiled and waved her finger at Darius. "I'll tell you what it looked like... it looked like the vacuume cleaner from hell, thats what it looked like."

Elly giggled at the thought, in spite of herself. Darius gave Kyoko a puzzled look, and decided that he WOULDN'T ask what a vacuume cleaner was.

"Anyways, the cleanup is going well.. if it wasn't for muscle lad here and Lord Dracorte, things could have been alot worse." Kyoko finished, jerking her thumb towards Darius. "I suppose we can be thankful that they are both so thick headed... else you might have had someone who wouldn't have been able to lift that pile off you, Elly."

And so the rest of the afternoon passed, the three of them chatting like old friends, or old war buddies... as if they had been through this all before, Elly noted. Strange that...

------------------------------------

Evening.

Elly leaned back against her pillow, looking foward to being able to get some sleep. Real sleep, not the kinda of half unconciousness that comes with nanoreactor healing. Certainly better sleep than she had gotten so far.

There had been the matter of shooing Darius and Kyoko out of the room... no, she was fine, she didn't need anything. They could go back to the palance and sleep there... what do you mean most of the bedrooms were demolished? Alright, so you're sleeping in the hospital? Well for gods sake, you don't have to sleep on the FLOOR of my room... I'm sure there are some nice beds somewhere OTHER than here... what do you mean am I serious? Of COURSE I'm serious...

And so forth.

Finally she had managed to pry them both from the room, promising them that if she needed anything, anything at all, she would call them first. At that point, it was well into the night and the temperature outside was cooling down rapidly, making her wish that she had another blanket. She half considered ringing for one, but decided against it. It had been hard enough getting Kyoko and Darius out of her room the FIRST time... she didn't want to have to run a second bout.

A shaft of light cut into the room as the door slid open slightly, allowing a slight figure entrance into the room. Before Elly could make out who it was, the door clicked shut again.

"Hello... who is it?" Elly asked quietly, straining her eyes to try to see in the dark. When there was no response, she reached over for the switch to the lamp at the side of her bed, and the call button, wondering who would try slipping into her room this late at night.

She stopped cold when someone siezed the wrist of her extended hand.

"Shhhhh..." a feminine voice crooned in the darkness, the accompanying hand placing Elly's own back on her chest. A moment later, the light at her bedside clicked on.

Auburn hair, long pony tail, pale face... Aishou.

"Aishou... what are you doing here?" Elly asked softly, squinting as the bring light stabbed into her eyes.

For a moment the other woman simply knelt at her bedside, her arms crossed on the side of the bed. She looked over them at Elly, her brilliant blue eyes staring into Elly's face. Then, they narrowed.

"I don't know what it is, Elanore. I have never liked you for some reason." She finally said, still staring at Elly. "I just wanted to try and figure out what it is Darius sees in you."

"Wha..." Elly started, but Aishou ignored her and continued.

"Even back in Jugend, you were always little miss perfect, miss popular. You were one of the highest Gazel in the class, close to being handpicked to the Elements. I worked myself to to bone to earn my position, and you seemed to have everything given to you from the beginning." Aishou sighed, and stared off into the darkness of the room. "You had tons of friends, dozens of boys wanting to pay court to you, and one of the higher rankings in the class. And now I run into you on the surface, and not only did you manage to outperform me in this ridiculous tournament, but you've gotten Darius so infatuated with you it's not even funny. I was planning on dragging him back to Solaris, and you could just LEAD him there if you felt like it..."

Again Aishou lapsed into silence, staring at Elly over her folded arms.

Elly felt a pang of sorrow for the fallen Element... there were not many who didn't know her story, of the romance she and Lord Dracorte had shared, and her fall from grace. She was known in Solaris as a monster, one that needed to be contained to protect both the Abel and the Lambs from harm. But she had displayed none of that type of behavior here... Elly thought that she would be rather pleasant to be around, if it wasn't for Aishou's hostile attitude towards her.

Finally, Aishou reached into her uniform, a Solaris Elements' uniform, and drew out a small locket inlaid with a blue crystal. "Since Darius seems so attached to you, can you please give this to him? You can tell him whatever you like... it dosen't matter to me. Just see that he gets it."

Elly watched as the golden chain spilled down into her hand, the locket falling last from Aishou's own cupped hand. "But... why?" Elly asked quietly, as the other woman rose.

"Just do it." Aishou replied, walking towards the door. "It's just my way of telling him... goodbye."

Before Elly could say anything else, the door opened for a moment, and clicked shut again.

...

"There, its done." Aishou said quietly. The man in black nodded, the demon mask on his face bobbing.

"You told me that I could go back... away from all of this. They'd lock me in stasis for another few years, and by the time I got out, everyone would have forgotten me again." Aishou crossed her arms, rubbing them to try to ward off the chill in the shattered courtyard. She couldn't stand it... as the Drive wore off, all of these emotions, emotions that she had forgotten for so long, came crashing down on her again, and she simply couldn't cope.

"Please, I want to get away from it all... take me back to Solaris." she almost sobbed.

The black man wrapped his cloak around her, drawing her against him and cutting off the chill draft. Aishou shivered as the black fabric brushed against her shoulders, and grabbed onto the body armor the man was wearing, tears running down her face. Tenderly, almost as if guiding a child, Kyouran walked Aishou to the Solarian transport, the young woman choking off tears against him.