Groove Adventure Rave Fan Fiction ❯ Groove Adventure Rave: The Tenshi Quest ❯ La Razza: Plue's Revival ( Chapter 4 )

Groove Adventure Rave: The Tenshi Quest
By Adam Carr

Groove Adventure Rave and all related names are copyright of Kodansha and Konami.
No infringement is intended

In this chapter, we meet Ethan and Angela, two characters who helped Haru in his first Playstation game. There's also another enemy from the manga here...
You'll also meet some original characters, which you cannot use for your own stories unless you ask nicely.
This part also includes a new look Plue. There's a rumour going around that once Haru collects all the Raves in the manga, Plue becomes a super beast (ala Kero-chan), so I've expanded on this.
Ranting aside, please enjoy!

www.kodanclub.com
mariasart.cjb.net
www.tokyopop.co m



As first light broke over the building, Helix rubbed his eyes and settled back into his chair. The computer monitor displayed the fruit of his labours. A picture of the boy from last night filled the screen.
He had fought many opponents in his time, but that boy had been one of the most skilled swordsmen he had ever met. His speed and skill matched perfectly with his aggression. And the way he had transformed the sword… when he had found the boy on the Internet, he wasn't too surprised by what he found.
Willis entered. "Hey erm… has the big man reported in yet?" There was nervousness in his voice.
Helix simple spun his chair round to face the skinny man. "Tell me Willis, when you go about kidnapping someone, do you take the time to find the background data of that person?"
Willis didn't like the calm tone of voice. "Well, y..yeah. Always."
"Really?" Helix took a mocking tone. "So it must have slipped your mind then, to tell us that that kid from last night was the one who defeated Dark Bring!"
No longer masking his incompetence, Willis looked closer at the picture on the screen. "Him? He defeated Dark Bring?
"Yes. His name is Haru Glory. Some yahoo from an island who found a sacred stone and used its power to destroy Dark Bring."
"Wow."
"Yes, wow." His voice was as deadpan as ever. "And now, one of the most powerful heroes ever is defending her. This is going to make our job difficult."
"Shouldn't we capture her first?"
Helix smiled. "Ah, now you'll like this bit. If I guess right, she'll want to find out where the temple is. Such is her obsession with her past. All we do is follow her, and we'll get what we need no problem. Of course, we'll need to order a few operatives in to take care of mister Glory, but I think we'll pull through okay."
Willis looked at him critically. "First we have to find her."
"That's where I come in, mate." A loud, brash Australian voice sounded. A gangly man, dressed in dirty khakis, a beige vest and with stubble on his chin walked in. He grinned and thrust a hand at Willis.
"Who the hell are you?"
"G'day mate. Billy Kady, the best damn bounty hunter on the continent." Willis shook the hand gingerly, then swiftly took it away.
"Yep, I've hunted down the biggest criminals, outlaws, scoundrels, and just a few little problems the Government can't be bothered to sort out themselves. Don't wanna get their hands dirty, you know what I mean?" He beamed. "Whoever this Glory fellow is, I'll have hm trussed up like a turkey like that!" He snapped his fingers."
"Great." Willis said with no enthusism.
"Right then er… Helix. I figured out where they might have gone."
Helix looked surprised for once. "Already?"
"Sure, wasn't too hard. There's only one town up the river, and they probably stopped there to dry off."
"Excellent. We'll leave soon."
"Lovely. Shall we take my van or yours?"
"Both. We shall need some guards for extra firepower."
"Great. Be nice to work with some real hunters for once."
Still grinning, Kady left the room. Willis glared at his employer
"You hired that fool?"
"He came highly recommended. He'll be our only chance for catching up with her, so you'd better get used to him."
Willis huffed. "Fine, but this had better not blow up in our faces. I've invested too much in this to lose now."
Helix merely smiled. "You'll get what you deserve. Trust me."
Willis nodded and left the room. Helix shook his head, then returned to the computer. He clicked on a video link, and a small window appeared.
Within the window, a face covered by a white mask stared back at him.
"I hope you have managed to recover from this unfortunate setback." An emotionless voice spoke.
"Worry not Lord Tyrant. We'll reach the temple… and this world will be within our grasp.


Haru rose up from his blankets. To put it ironically, he was not a happy camper.
The dream had come again. And once again, he had not reached the girl. And this time, she had actually looked at him as he stood at the sea of lava. He couldn't make out her face, but t It was getting frustrating. Just why was he so eager to get to this girl anyhow?
"This is great, I'm losing my mind. Not what I need when I'm escorting a friend to some hidden temple."
A motion next to him caused him to look around. Elie was still asleep, her head just protruding from under her blanket. Plue snoozed soundly on her chest. He chuckled. She looked really cute.
He wondered why he had been having such thoughts about her. Yes, she was cute, and sexy, but with Elie, it didn't really matter. What he liked about her was her carefree spirit, her great courage, and her sincerity. Those were what really made him warm to her. He smirked. Though having a gravity-defying chest didn't hurt.
He silently got out of the tent, picked up the Eisonmeteor, and walked over to a small clearing. From there, he began his usual ritual of thrusting and twirling the sword in a variety of different attacks and defensives, striking against invisible enemies. He felt training with the sword helped him think better. The movements were second nature to him now, so he could move effortlessly and concentrate on other things.
Right now, he was thinking of Helix. He'd faced a lot of challengers in his time- Lance, Go, Sieghart and especially Shuda, the most determined swordsman he'd met till now.
But Helix… if he really was Shiro Gear… Haru shuddered to think. His other opponents were thugs and assassins. Shiro Gear was a legend. His sword, Rizion, was revered by collectors. How could he beat him? Especially since he'd revered the man since seeing him on television?
How had he joined those people, whoever they were, and actually hit Elie? This was nothing like the Gear Haru knew of.
He sighed. So many questions. He holstered the sword on his back. Hopefully, finding this temple would get some answers.
Walking back to the tent, he wondered if Elie was right about this temple. She did have a tendency to get on the wrong track and jump forward without thinking…
He noticed that Elie was missing. Only Plue was at the tent, eating a lollypop.
Haru seized up, and looked around. Where was she? He moved forward to the cliff and forest behind the tent.
Moving around the bush, he heard two things. The sound of rushing water, and a sweet, crystal voice.
"The night has no secrets, when we are together.."
The voice wasn't really concentrating on the song, but it sounded wonderful anyhow. He moved closer to the sound, pushing through bushes and branches.
Peering through a set of leaves, his eyes met with a small waterfall cascading down the cliff. And stood underneath the cool looking water, was Elie.
His eyes practically jumped out of their sockets at the sight of her bare back and behind. Her hips swayed slightly as she continued singing, oblivious to his presence.
"Look into my eyes, you'll always be mine…"
He knew he shouldn't be here, but the sight of her enraptured him. He always knew she was good-looking.. but he never realised just how stunningly beautiful she was. And this was just her back. Her frontal side… Haru felt himself going red at the thought.
Suddenly, she jerked her head, and spun round to see him.
"Haru?"
"GAAHH!" He yelled, turning tail before he caught a glimpse of her naked chest. He rushed back to the camp, and sat down, gasping for breath. Plue looked at him quizzically.
"Well done Haru, well done." He self berated. "You have just branded yourself a pervert." He heard her coming out of the trees, and began to feel nervous. What would she do to him?"
"Get a grip! You're acting like one of those anime losers who get surrounded by girls and can't cope with it. Just act mature." He reasoned with himself. He stood up to face Elie, who approached him wearing her blanket. He was thankful for that.
She looked at him in confusion. "Haru, what were you doing back there?"
Haru tried to keep a poker face. Not easy when he noticed how the towel hugged her curves.
"I'm very sorry Elie. I didn't mean to intrude on your privacy. I just stumbled.."
Elie shrugged. "Hey, its no biggie."
His eyes widened. "No biggie?!! I saw you naked! Aren't you angry?!"
She giggled. "Should I be? I mean. It's just me. It's nothing to get jumped up about. And you've seen me nude before."
True, but he'd only gotten a quick glance before Elie had smacked seven shades out of him.
"Does nudity bother you?"
He rubbed his head nervously. "Well..no, but… I just wanted to be a gentleman and give you privacy."
She crossed her arms. "Haru, you are always a gentleman. Hell, you'd be a nobleman if you got rid of that silly haircut.
"Hey!" He cried, a smile returning to his face. "How about you get dressed and we'll head to this temple?"
"Okay!" And she scampered into the tent. Haru sighed. She truly was one in a million..
He reached into his bag and pulled out a map. Plue jumped on his shoulder to get a better look.
"So where does the book say we have to go?"
Elie's voice resonated from the tent. "Well, it didn't give an exact guide. It just gave the names of three towns we have to pass through: La Razza canal city, Oaklands, and Platiax City. Then we just go north from there. Easy!"
Haru studied the map. "I found La Razza, that's east from here, but Oaklands and Platiax aren't anywhere on this map."
"WHHHAAAT?" Elie leaped out of the tent, fully dressed, and snatched the map from his hands. "They've got to be here!"
"Its an old book, Elie. They may have changed names or even been destroyed." He saw the worry on her face, and held her shoulders. "But don't worry. We'll find our way somehow."
She grinned. "I know we will."
Then Haru felt an object touch his foot. Looking down, he saw a small wireless radio had appeared at his feet. The two looked around them, but they saw no one.
Haru stooped to pick it up. Almost instantly, it crackled into life. Tentatively, he placed it to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Mr Glory. Glad to see you're both up and ready. You've got a long walk ahead of you." A voice replied.
"Who is this?" Haru demanded, looking around for any movement in the trees.
"Just consider me an ally. I've been watching you since they captured you. It's vital that you get to your destination before they do, and I wish to help."
"How do I know that I can trust you? What is this temple anyhow?"
"These questions can wait until you get to La Razza. Watch out, there will be guards after you." The radio clicked off.
Elie frowned. "Well, he was considerate. Can we trust him?"
"Lets worry about that when we get there." Haru replied. He reached for his bag.
"Yes sir!"
As the two picked up their bags, a man watched them from a tree. Not that they would have seen him, as an invisibility barrier surrounded him.
"Lets hope you've got what it takes." He murmured.


The shopkeeper of Rouge Town's only hardware and camping store looked on in awe as a large blue flying machine, the name ADVENT emblazoned on it, lowered down to the grassy area n front of the store and hover, swaying the grass and knocking over a rack of bikes with it's downforce.
A hatch opened near the bottom, and a tall man with spiky hair jumped to the ground, followed by a small blue blob with arms and beady eyes. The man waved to the cockpit, and the ship rose back into the sky again, then shot forward and disappeared into the horizon.
Griff spoke up. "Wouldn't it be easier to take the ship to look for them?"
"Nah. We have no idea where they are, and it would be harder to locate them from the ship." Musica smiled. "Besides, its nice to get out into the country and stretch our legs."
"Alright for you maybe. You actually have legs."
They walked up to the shopkeeper, who was still a bit stunned by the ship's arrival.
"Excuse me, but we're looking for friends of ours. Have you seen these two?" He produced a picture of Haru and Elie.
The man jolted out of his trance, and studied the picture. Enlightenment showed on his face.
"Yes, they were here last night. Bought a load of equipment, then took off. I think the girl said they were going east."
Griff rubbed the area where his chin would be. "East… If I remember my maps, La Razza is that way."
"Great! Thanks a lot." Musica shook the man's hand.
"Sure. Uh… are these kids in trouble or something, because some other fellas are looking for them."
"Others?"
"Yeah. Strangest fellows I ever saw. One guy had a huge sword and looked like Death. The other just smelled like it. Got in what looked like a SWAT van."
Musica frowned. Were these the men the kidnappers? He would have to find his friends fast.


La Razza canal city was most noticeable for being a large stone island set in the middle of a wide river. Upon this plateau, rows of terra cotta stone buildings stood, the streets below them intersected by small canals. Boats were constantly moving up and down, delivering their wares for the markets.
The Rave Master and his friends took all this in as they walked down a promenade. People walked by them in a constant swarm, eager to get to the market.
The two reached a fountain and looked around. Haru asked. "So, should we wait until our mystery friend contacts us?"
Elie snorted. "Yeah, right! I say we try to find out where Oaklands is from here."
"Sounds good. But be careful okay?"
She smiled. "I'm always careful. Lets meet here in an hour." Then she scampered off into the crowd.
As Elie walked down the road, dodging people left and right, she couldn't help but think about the incident that morning. Had it been anyone else, she would have dealt a swift death to them, but oddly, she had no qualms about Haru seeing her in the buff.
Why wouldn't she? She trusted Haru immensely. He could always be counted upon to act sensibly and to treat you with respect.
But then, why did he jump like a loon when he saw her? Surely he'd seen a naked woman before, right?
She smirked. "Yeah, he must have loads of girls lining up for him. He is the Rave Master."
So why hadn't he mentioned anyone else? And why was he so adamant to go with her, if he knew he would be in danger?
And what confused her most… why didn't she try harder to stop him?
She blinked, locking away her stray thoughts. She had to stay focused. She had to find a way to Oaklands no matter what. She had to…
She rounded a corner, and her eyes were met with a large building with hundreds of neon lights adorning the front. A flashing text read HYPERION CASINO.
"So pretty…." Elie murmured in a daze.


He'd been n the brightly lit bar for about an hour now. Just downing vodka, watching the sports, simple things to take his mind off the pointlessness of his existence. Unfortunately, the place was filled with couples and teens, all chattering away in a mindless buzz which threatened to drive him mad.
Maybe he would go mad. Maybe he would lash out with the old sword at his side. It would be the best workout he'd had in a long time. Maybe someone would want to challenge him.
Back when Demon Card was around, there was no shortage of people to challenge him. He relished the feel of battle and e got his fix everyday.
Now all that was gone. All thanks to some little shit with silver hair.
Much like the one now at the far end of the bar, talking to the barkeep.
He rubbed his bleary eyes to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. There was no doubt. The hair. The sword. The small animal. It was him.
He watched as the boy and his pet walked out. A grin travelled across his face. He had been dreaming of this opportunity ever since he had fallen at the mercy of that shape changing sword. Now at last, he could have his rematch. His revenge.
He stood up, wiped his mouth, then strutted toward the exit.
The bartender noticed him. "Hey Lance! You still owe me!"
He didn't hear him.


Haru glanced at the street signs, hoping to find some sort of tourist office. But that proved difficult with the multitude of people around him. With most of the town's vehicles being boats, the streets were packed with people. And no one seemed to want to stop and answer his query. Plue clutched tightly to his jacket to keep from falling off his shoulder.
This trip was turning into a nightmare. Why had he come here in the first place?
Because of Elie.
He had always found himself helping her, ever since they had met. Sure, she always tried to be strong, but sometimes, the burden of her self was too much for her to bear. Her fear of lighting. Her discovery of when she possessed the powerful magic, Etherion. She had cried when she had found out about her part in Sieghart's experiment.
Seeing her break down like that always tugged at his heartstrings. He had a fairly good life, while she had no real one to speak of. For all the joy she placed in herself and others, she deserved happiness. He wanted to see her happy.
"But, why do I feel that I'm the only one that can give it to her?" He always felt that he had to protect her, like it was his job. But why?
Plue studied his master's face. The furrow on his brow meant he was thinking hard. The creature was confused, Haru hardly thought extremely hard unless it was a school assignment or serious problem. True, the entire scenario they were in was a BIG problem, but even during the quest for the Rave stones, Haru had remained funny and loose until the situation called for it.
What had his master seriously worried? Then suddenly, the radio crackled. Haru didn't hear it, so Plue reached over to the backpack and pulled it out. Responding to the sound, Haru grabbed it and held it to his ear.
It was that voice again. "Hello again, Mr Glory."
"Cut the pleasantries." Haru snapped. "We're here now, and you said you would show yourself."
"I'm afraid we'll have to reschedule that meeting. I spotted a large number of guards entering the city, they're being led by a fellow named Billy Kady. You;ll have to get Elie and get out of there."
His eyebrows raised. "How do you know all this? Who are you!?"
The voice sounded severe. "Listen, get out of there now! You cannot let her get captured!" He hung off.
Plue replaced the radio, while Haru looked around, wondering if this mysterious informant was watching him from a rooftop or window. He felt extremely uneasy. How had they found them so fast?
He needed to find Elie. He started in a run though the crowd, Plue hanging on for dear life on his shoulder. He was relived at least, that this busy throng would be perfect cover for them. He turned round the next corner.
And came face to face with a man in dirty khakis and several armed men.
He turned tail and ran, hearing a voice with a strange accent shouting "Hell's bells! It's him! Get him lads!"
Haru shoved and leaped through the crowd, aware that this slow progress meant they would catch him easily. He could hear a burly guard closing in on him. He spotted a clothesline that hung low between two buildings.
Leaping up, he grabbed the rope and swung a full rotation around it, the guard passing under him. Haru then climbed hand over hand toward the wall. Clambering over to the roof of the building, he quickly looked down. The men had found a staircase and were sprinting up, the dirty man cursing all the way.
People looked up at the bizarre spectacle unfolding above them. A young man, with a small dog on his shoulder and a large sword on his back, jumping over gaps and bounding across the tiles, hotly pursued by a gangly man in sweat drenched combat gear and followed by several men with guns.
Haru was confident he could keep ahead of these goons. As long as he didn't run out of …..
He screeched to a stop, just about to jump over a sheer fall. He looked down. The next house was too far away. The canal divided them, it's flowing waters not looking very inviting.
"Ah, crap."
He turned around to face the guards, who all aimed for his head. The filthy man, who Haru guessed was Billy Kady, eyed him cautiously.
"Now calm down mate. Just give yourself in, and there'll be no trouble."
Haru did what he usually did in situations like these. He asked Plue for advice. The men looked on in confusion as he consulted the creature.
Plue indicated the gap, and Haru felt his heart sink when he got the meaning.
"You're kidding."
The creature shook his head. Sighing, Haru turned around and stood near the edge.
"Hey what you doin?!!" Kady shouted. Before anyone could react, Haru jumped off.
They all rushed to the edge just in time to see him dive into the water. They watched for several minutes, waiting for him to surface, but he didn't. Kady shook his head in disbelief.
"Bloody hell. Either he's very stupid, or that little bugger on his shoulder is very smart."


"25 black!" The croupier called.
"YESYESYESYESYES!!!" Elie screamed with delight. She eagerly scooped up her winnings.
"Haha! Loadsamoney! Wait til Haru sees this!"
Her happiness ebbed. Back during the Rave quest, Haru was often on hand to cheer her on whenever she won big at the casino, or remind her when it was time to leave. She missed him.
"Miss him? He's only been gone…" She looked at her watch and gasped when she realised she'd been here for an hour.
She sighed. Haru would really have a go at her for this one. Still, more often than not, he was willing to forgive her.
She decided on one last spin of the table for the road. She placed a few chips on a number, and waited for the table to spin. Suddenly, a voice behind her shuddered.
"Lin…Lina?"
She spun around to come face to face with a woman of around forty, but who looked very young. She had dark wavy hair down to her waist, and dressed in a conservative business suit. She looked at Elie in complete shock.
"No… you can't be Lina."
"I think you've mistaken me for someone else." Elie replied, but then a thought struck her. Didn't Helix mention someone called Lina?
"Do you have a picture of this… Lina?" She asked nervously.
The woman nodded, and reached into her wallet. Elie watched in anticipation as she thumbed through the wallet, and she rapidly whipped the picture out of the woman's hand.
It depicted a younger version of the woman, posing with a girl of similar age next to a beach. Elie got butterflies in her stomach. The other girl had long, dark blond hair.
And looked exactly like the portrait Sieghart had shown her long ago, of Resha.


It's routine by now. He can jump over rocks in no time at all. Just in time for the pool of lava. It bubbles and broils at his feet, still looking deadly despite the fact it's still in black and white.
He breathes deeply, wondering what all this means. He looks toward the girl. She is now looking at him.
He can't make out her whole features. The colour radiating from her is too bright. But he can make out her eyes. They burn a bright gold, shimmering red and brown. They look at him with a longing at grasps at his heart. She needs him.
And some deep feelings within tell him he cannot fail her.
He steps onto the lava. The pain is overwhelming. He screams out loud…


He leapt up, crying out. As his vision adjusted from his deep sleep, he gasped for breath.
"Must've gotten knocked out. That's the last time I listen to Plue."
The dream was getting more vivid. This time, he really felt as if his foot was on fire. When was all this ever going to end? He'd probably need a shrink soon.
Looking around, he was aware he lay in a bed in what appeared to be a small hotel room. Apprehension hit his stomach. Had he been captured?
The door opened, and a tall, well proportioned woman strode in, wearing an orange tank top and denim skirt. She gave the teen a sly smile.
"Well, you're finally awake. Tell me Haru, is this going to be a regular thing with you? You end up half drowned and I pull you up?"
"Angela?!!" Haru gasped.
During the crossing to another continent during the journey for the Rave stones, Haru, Plue, Elie, Griff and Musica had gotten stranded on a distant island when their boat exploded. There, they had met Angela, a practicing mage who was learning from her boyfriend Ethan. Ethan had disappeared, along with Haru's Eisonmeteor, and so Angela loaned Ethan's Elemental sword to him while they helped her find him.
He hadn't seen her or Ethan since they had rescued him. As he was wondering of his location, the broad shouldered form of Ethan walked in, Plue at his heels. Still with his long aqua hair and heavy coat, he carefully carried a mug of hot tea. He moved over, placed the mug on the bedstand and embraced Haru in a friendly hug.
"It's good to see you again old friend." He said in his usual low voice. "We were quite worried about you."
"Yeah, you'd drunk enough water to supply a well." His beau interjected. "Just what were you doing in there anyhow?"
Haru sighed as he picked up Plue. "Oh just Mr genius' plan to escape the goons chasing us, that's all." He shot an accusing look at the creature, who had a guilty frown on his large head. "But what are you two doing here? You're a long way from your homeland."
"Oh, Ethan just wanted to improve his magic skills." Angela replied, holding his arm. "So we've gone nomadic for a while. Seeing the sights, all that jazz." She smirked. "Kinda like you did, only without Demon Card trying to kill you every time you stopped to take a leak."
Haru pulled himself out of the bed. Ethan passed him the mug and asked, "You say you were being chased?"
"Yeah. This gang of thugs are after Elie for some reason…
"Elie? She's still with you?" Angela interrupted. She then held her hand out at Ethan. "Right. Pay up."
The tall man sighed and reached into his pocket. "I cannot believe you still remember that stupid bet. Still, I'm a man of my word." He fished out a few notes of money.
"What is this?" Haru demanded.
"Oh well, after you left, An bet me that you and Elie would shack up together." He handed Angela the money.
Haru went livid. "Good grief! First my sister and now you two! Can't people take a hint? Elie and I are not together!"
"Oh really?" Ethan snatched the cash from Angela's hand. She stared at him indignantly.
"But you two make such a cute couple. I can't see why you two shouldn't be together."
Haru opened his mouth to respond, but then stopped. He realised, he didn't have a reason either.
Ethan stared at him. "I sense that you're quite troubled. Do you want to talk about it?"
Haru had forgotten about Ethan's ability to sense the feelings and emotions of others. And he was right. This new enemy Shiro Gear, Elie.. it was getting too confusing.
"I'm troubled all right. Shiro Gear is after me, and Elie is leading me to a place even she doesn't know about." He sighed.
Ethan looked at him quizzically. "Shiro Gear? Isn't he dead?"
"Nope, and don't ask how. Right now, we just need to find Elie before they get her."
"We'll help out." Angela assured.
"Thanks. We should split up and search…"
Ethan raised his hand. "Er… wouldn't it be easier to just try the casino?"
Haru blinked. "Casino?"
"Yes, the Hyperion Casino. It's the only one here. Surely she would be…
"Oh Elie!!!" Haru whined, the obsessive nature of his partner returning to make his life hell again. "Where is it?" He asked wearily.
"We'll show you. Your swords through there." Angela pointed out of the door.
"Thanks. I'll explain all of this to you on the way." He stepped out, Plue close behind.
Angela turned to her man. "Do you think he really doesn't want to get together with her?"
The tall man shifted his weight. "He cares for her very deeply. He just still has to realise just how much he does." He looked sternly at his love. "And no matchmaking from you. He's got to figure this out for himself."
"Hey, since when has my matchmaking gone wrong?" She defended.
"Remember that accountant and the girl from your old workplace?"
She huffed. "A one off. Besides, how was I to know she was bipolar?"


"It's just so amazing. You look just like her." The woman Elie now knew as Kayana mused.
Elie was quite shocked herself. On a quest to find out about her past and Lisha, she'd found out about a person named Lina who looked like Resha… who looked like her.
There had to be a connection
And so she had taken Kayana to the bar to get more information from her. The woman seemed quite eager to talk.
"So are you related to her?"
She shrugged. "Beats me. I'm just trying to find out about someone named Resha. But it's freaky how alike they look."
"Yeah." Kayana sipped her drink "Maybe they're related."
Elie pondered the idea. Maybe Lina was related to Lisha. Hell, maybe she was Resha's daughter. It would explain the resemblence.. But how did she play into all this?
"What was she like? When you knew her?"
The woman smiled. "Only the kindest, dearest soul you could ever hope to meet. She cared about everyone and everything. Which was a bit strange because, when she was about ten she was an utter terror."
"Really?"
"We both were. Annoying the neighbours, tormenting the cat, things like that. Then she went on a holiday with her parents somewhere, and when she came back, she was utterly different." She sighed. "I was so sad when she left after her college."
"Then what happened?"
"She married her sweetheart, a man named Joey Valentine. A complete goof, but a strong fighter. He was in the army, and the two moved around often. I could hardly keep in touch with them."
"Was?" Elie breathed. He was in the army? "Where are they now?"
Kayana lowered her head. "They were murdered."
Elie gasped. She sat in stunned silence. For some reason, she felt really close to this Lina. The resemblance to Resha and herself seemed to make her relate. This journey had brought her and the truth about her family closer than ever. Maybe Lina could have helped her. At least it would have felt good to have met her.
And now she was gone.
"I'm so sorry." She murmured. She cast a sad look at the woman.
"I know I am. I never saw her again after she left town."
"Where did she go?" Elie asked tentatively.
Kayana pursed her lips. "A small town north from here, Oaklands."
The adventurer jumped out of her seat. "Oaklands? That's where I'm trying to get to! I couldn't find it on my map."
"You wouldn't. Oaklands has been a ghost town for years now. It used to be a mining town, but then one day, a fierce fire burnt the place down. I think there are still people living there though. God knows why."
Elie's mind was racing now. "Do you know where Lina's house is.. er was. I'd like to see it if its still standing."
Kayana seemed uncertain. "I do. But I don't see why you want to go there. It's been deserted for years."
Elie stood up. "I need to find something valuable to me. And maybe there, I can find it."
The older woman grabbed a napkin, produced a pen from her skirt, and wrote an address on it.
"Well, good luck to you then." She handed over the paper with a smile.
Elie pushed it into her pocket. "Thanks a lot Kayana. Maybe I'll see you again when this is over."
She then broke into a run for the exit, waving back as she went. Kayana waved, the smile still on her face.
When she was out of sight, it turned into a nasty smirk.


Elie grinned from ear to ear. This had taken no time at all, and while she was loafing on the job as well. Haru would be proud of her.
"I guess I really want to show him I can do this." She thought. She looked both ways up and down the street, trying to remember where that fountain was.
"YOU!! STOP RIGHT THERE!!!"
She jumped in surprise and saw several guards like the ones from earlier running toward her. She immediately bolted in the nearest direction. Fortunately, this street led to the fountain, where further along….


Haru finally paused for breath, having explained the entire story up to now to Ethan and Angela. Plue sat on his head, still feeling guilty.
Angela spoke first. "So just why are these guys after Elie? Does she still have that Etherion magic within her?"
Haru flinched at the word Etherion. The powerful magic that resided within Rave and within Elie too for a while. But she couldn't have it now. During the final battle with Dark Bring, she had somehow transferred it all to Rave in order to power it up when it was weakened.
"No." He answered simply. That day when they had all almost died… he hated to think about it.
Ethan rubbed his chin. "Well whatever it is she has, it must be something of great importance. But who would want such a thing? Demon Card is gone, and there are no terrorist groups with the numbers and firepower you described."
"I know!" Haru snapped in frustration. "But it's not like I can ask them, can I?"
A new voice sounded. "Well, here's your chance mate."
The group turned around, and came face to face with Billy Kady and his guards. People ran in a panic from the armed men, leaving the round area around the fountain empty in seconds.
The three fighters readied their weapons. Ethan unsheathed his Elemental Blade, a flat sword with rune symbols written all over the blade. Angela pulled a small wand from the harness on her back. It crackled with magical energy. Plue hopped down behind his master's feet, as Haru transformed the Eisonmeteor to the Blue Crimson blades.The three stood ready, prepared for the worse.
"Alright then." Haru said coolly. "Just why do you want her so bad?"
Kady shrugged his shoulders. "Search me mate. I'm just the bugger getting paid to bring you in. Now, you gonna tell me where the girl is, or shall I tell the lads here to get a bit rough?"
The Rave Master grinned. "Bring it on."
Obliging to the cry, the men charged forward, pulling out batons in order to knock their quarry out. Ethan held his sword straight in front of him, a blue glow emanating from the blade.
As two guards came within inches of hitting him, Ethan cried out and released a wave of magic from the blade, which instantly turned into a large jet of water. The force of the jet sent the men flying, forcing them against a brick wall. It pummelled them against it for several seconds, before the magic faded and they collapsed to the ground.
Nearby, Angela held her wand in a defensive stance at the three men looming toward her. They watched each other warily for a few seconds, trying to scope each other out. Then, without warning, she leapt into the air, flipped over the men, and landed on one foot while using the other to kick the nearest guard in the back. His two allies turned to face her, but were met with her wand, which she spun furiously in her hand, whacking both men to the ground.
Haru took the more direct approach. As the last men rushed at him, he clashed the two blades together, and cried out "Equinox Cutter!!
A bolt of red and blue streaked from the blades, freezing the men or scorching them with flame.
The three then turned their attention to Kady, who was now visibly shivering.
"Steady on! No need to get pissy with me!" He pleaded. His head darted in all directions, looking for some help.
Haru was about to press him for some answers, when a female shouted at him. "Haru! HELLLLLLLLP!!"
"Elie?"
The girl was running toward the group, closely pursued by several more guards. She leapt behind Haru and Plue. Plue hopped ahead of Haru and began to growl. He wouldn't let these fools take his friends without a fight.
Kady grinned. "Well, looks like the foot's on the other hand now eh?" The guards stationed themselves around the Rave Master and his allies.
Suddenly, the guards dropped their guns, and looked up. Haru watched in astonishment as they turned tail and started running like men possessed.
Kady blinked. "The hell? Where are you prats going? Get back here!" But there was no getting through to them. He turned around at about the same time Haru and co spun to see what the guards saw. At the same time, all their stomach's dropped.
A gigantic dragon, it's long body coiled in the air, stared down at them with glowing eyes. I t raised its massive head at the fleeing guards, and rushed at them. They ran fast, but the dragon was speedier. It struck the ground in front of them, resulting in an explosion which sent the men flying in a large cloud of smoke.
The gang and Kady stared in horror. But Haru's face showed grim recognition. He'd seen this before.
He turned around, already knowing who would be there.
A tall, burly man, looking dishevelled in an untucked shirt, black trousers and brown trench coat, stood holding a worn looking sword. His eues were bloodshot and the beard was now longer, but that annoying grin was still there. Lance, the former Demon Card commander and master of the Beast Sword.
"Well, well. Haru Glory. Never thought I'd see you again. " He glanced toward Elie. "Still hanging out with that tramp I see."
Elie seethed and began to move, but was stopped by Angela.
Haru pointed a sword toward the man. "What do you want Lance? I've no time for games."
"Oh no. I don't want to play games. I just want a rematch." He looked up at the sky wistfully. "Before you came along, I was a big man. Respected, wanted, feared. Now I can't even get a decent job. All I have left is this sword, which I had to get repaired!" He shook the silver weapon.
"Yeah well, cry me a bloody river mate. Just get out of my way, would you?" This came from Kady, who was now behind Lance.
The former Dark Bring user turned around, sneered at the thin man, then sent him flying with a straight punch.
Haru shouted. "Alright then! If it'll get you out of my hair." He took a defensive stance with the two swords.
Lance spun to face him, his own sword raised and that cocky grin still on his face. They stared each other out for several minutes, while the others held their breath.
Plue was the only one who watched calmly. After all, his master had beaten this fool before, and that was before he had completely mastered the Rave. What could possibly happen?
With a mighty roar, Lance charged toward his foe, swinging the sword above his head. It stopped short of its course, as Haru blocked it with the fire sword, and lunged with the ice blade. Lance bent his body in time to dodge the swipe, and swung again, using the Beast Sword's longer length to keep a safe distance form Haru's attacks. The Rave Master slashed his twin blades furiously, his arms cutting the air at a speed Elie could barely register. Lance was no slouch either, his sword swishing back and forth at an incredible pace.
All the while, the two warriors dodged and lunged at each other, trying to get a telling hit. They thrust and swiped at each other for several minutes, each jumping by instinct to avoid getting hit.
Haru slashed the two swords in a double motion, and growled in frustration. He had expected to finish this idiot off quickly, but he was harder to take out than before. He certainly hadn't been goofing off since their last battle. This Lance was tougher than ever. He was tempted to fire a blast of flame at him, but was worried that the increased power of the Rave might kill him.
Plue's face showed a frown. Why hadn't Haru defeated him yet? Despite using all his ability, the Beast man was standing his ground. His master was beginning to tire. He growled at the grinning man, wishing he could do more to help.
Elie could take it no more. She readied her guns and shouted. "Oh screw this. Lets kick his ass!"
Angela and Ethan also readied their weapons. Haru smiled at Lance as he defected another blow.
"Looks like you're outnumbered. Wanna give up?"
"Never!" Lance jumped away from his opponent, and held the point of the sword towards him. "I may not have Dark Bring anymore, but even this should finish you."
Haru saw the blade crackle with energy only for a second before a large bolt of lighting blasted forward and raced into him, blowing him off his feet. He crashed to the ground, his body convulsing. The pain was immense, he could hardly control his body.
"HARU!!!" Elie cried. She raced forward, eager to tear Lance apart. Plue, Ethan and Angela followed close behind, but Lance simply spun to face them and fired another bolt of lighting. They were flung into a wall, screaming in pain.
Haru painfully raised his head in time to see Elie cry in pain. Fueled by anger, he got to his feet slowly. He hadn't expected Lance to have obtained a new magic item.
"Back off, asshole!"
"Still going, are we?" Lance sneered. He blasted Haru down again. Scorch marks were now appearing on his skin.
Elie's eyes watered. "Leave him alone!"
Plue slowly got to his feet. He saw his master trying to get up, but obviously, the pain was too great. Lance moved toward him, the sword poised to stab him in the heart. A tear came to his eye.
"You don't know how long I've waited for this." He breathed. Haru watched, helpless to move, bracing himself for the blow.
Suddenly, Lance felt a searing pain in his foot. Crying out, he hopped away from his prey, and looked down to see the kid's dog, with blood on his conical nose.
"You little…" He slashed the sword, throwing the little creature into the air.
"PLUE!!" Haru pushed the pain back, and rose to his feet as fast as he could. With all his remaining strength, he kicked Lance in the back, shoving the warrior to the ground. Then he limped-ran to where Plue had landed. The others followed suit, not believing what had happened.
Haru dropped to his knees, shocked at the sight of his small friend laying prone on the ground, blood pouring from a heavy wound on his chest. He picked him up and cradled him in his arms. Plue gasped for breath.
"It'll be okay little buddy." Haru murmured, still in shock. This small animal had risked himself in order to save him. His master. From the beginning, Plue had been the most loyal personality he had ever met. No way could he be lost like this.
Tears dropped from Elie's eyes for her hurt friend. She always felt protective of the small creature, always defending him in battle. And now he'd tried to save them, and gotten hurt for his troubles. Anguish rushed into her, which she tried to counter with reason. There had to be something they could do.
Ethan looked toward his friend. "Haru, the Rave. Can't it do anything?"
Of course! Rave could heal the creature. Plue had done it countless times for him and his friends. But he had no idea how to do it himself. He glanced down at his gasping friend. He would have to try. He yanked the stone from its place in his sword.
He placed Plue on the ground, and placed his hands on the animal's chest. Breathing slowly, he willed the energies to the Rave, trying to transfer the power through his hands into Plue. He knew the stone could respond to his thoughts. All he had to do was tell it what to do.
The others watched as the stone that hung from his neck glowed a brilliant white, the light appearing on his arms and flowing like water onto Plue. They studied the wound, and silently gasped as it began to slowly close up. But the creature was still gasping for breath, gulping more desperately.
"Speed it up Haru! He won't last long!" Angela shouted.
"I'm trying!" He snapped back. Elie could see he was sweating from the immense energies flowing through him, and the mental control it took. If only she could help him…
"The power is still within you…"
Elie suddenly heard a feminine voice call softly. She looked around, but saw no one else. It spoke again.
"It cannot leave you. It is a part of you…" She gasped. Was this voice talking about… Etherion?
But she gave the power to Haru in order to power up Rave and defeat Dark Bring. She didn't have it?
Didn't she?
She felt compelled to touch Plue. Why not? She placed a hand on top of Haru's, who looked at her with mild surprise.
Sensations long forgotten coursed through her body, and almost entirely out of her control, She felt the magic pulse through her arms and into Plue.
She was as shocked as the rest of them. How was she doing this? The power was still within her. How had she not known?
Plue glowed even brighter from the combined magic from Haru and Elie. The wound healed almost instantly. But still, Plue lay still, the light around him glowing to blinding proportions. His body floated from the floor, the light now so bright the group had to shield their eyes. They stepped back, afraid and curious of what was happening to their friend.
They felt the glow fade away, and opened their eyes… to an amazing sight.


Lance picked himself up from the floor, cursing to himself. That stupid animal had stopped him before he could finish off the brat. He spotted the boy and his friends crouched over the body of the dog, and snickered to himself. Imagine getting all worked up over a stupid dog. Now he had the perfect chance to finish this.
But then something happened. The dog began to glow an eerie light, which got brighter and brighter to the point where he couldn't see anything. He had shielded his eyes, and when it was safe, opened them to a sight that was completely impossible.
In the middle of the group of friends, the dog stood. But it was bigger, about the size of an lion. It's body looked like that of a giant wolf, with strong legs tipped with sharp claws and a long, whip like tail. A set of white, eagle like wings were attached to the shoulders. But the head was slightly different. It looked like a wolf's head, with a mane of spiky hair down the back, but that horn, now in a longer, more elegant shape, still jutted out where the nose was.
It stared at the Beast Sword Master with red, baleful eyes. Any confidence Lance had swiftly exited his body. He trembled before this creature.
Then, surprising everyone, it spoke in a deep, resounding voice.
"You tried to harm my Master. Now you'll pay!"
Now it could talk? Out of fear and instinct, Lance charged at the beast, sword raised and hollering a war cry. The creature's nose glowed slightly, and a bolt of jagged, white coloured light jolted from the tip. It struck Lance head on, and flung him against a wall.


Haru stared in complete shock, probably the only thing distracting him from the pain. First Elie healed Plue with magic that could only be Etherion, and now the small guardian had turned into…. What the hell was it? And furthermore, it spoke and blasted Lance. Just what was going on?
The large wolf like form of Plue, satisfied that Lance would cause no more trouble, turned round to the Rave Master, who now sat on the floor next to Elie, who looked considerably weakened. Ethan and Angela stood, mouths agape.
"Are you alright Master?" The deep voice asked.
Haru finally found his voice. "P..P..Plue?"
"Yes Master, it's me."
"You can talk!?"
The creature's eyes widened, as though it had only noticed this new development. "Well, so I can. Interesting."
"INTERESTING!!!? You've just turned into a…. whatever, and all you can say is interesting!!? " Haru shrieked.
Plue stepped closer. "I don't think this is the time to talk about it. We should leave now."
"He's right." Out of his trance, Ethan saw Billy Kady calling for his troops to regroup. Already, several men were on the horizon.
"You three get out of here. We'll hold them off." He readied his sword. Angela was already at his side.
Elie's eyes widened. "You can't take them all on."
"Just you worry about your own hide dear." Angela directed to her. "We won't let them get you."
Elie blinked, touched by her friend's selflessness. "Thank you."
Ethan extended a hand. "Good luck to you. Lets hope we meet again in the future."
"I know we will." Haru shook it, then picked up Elie.
"Get on." Plue ordered. Haru placed Elie on Plue's back, then straddled the animal himself. He crossed an arm around Elie's waist to secure her.
The beast turned his head to them. "Hang on tight. I'm a bit new to this."
Then he began running down the street, flapping the large wings and creating a gale that whipped at their hair. Reaching a high speed. Plue jumped up, and began to rise upward into the sky. Haru could scarcely believe it, until he looked down and saw the ground getting farther away.
He and Elie looked ahead at the dimming sky, the sun setting slowly. The wind rushed at them as exhilarating speed. Haru whooped in excitement, as Plue made a dive down and skimmed the rooftops. Elie spread her arms, enjoying the feeling of flight. Then a thought hit her.
"Will they be alright?"
Haru looked down at the fountain, just in time to see Ethan turn three armed men into ice cubes.
"Yeah. They're cool."


"Oh that does not sound good." Griff stated.
Musica raised an eyebrow. "Observant as always."
The two had been wandering around La Razza for about two hours when they heard a loud explosion. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out Haru and chaos went hand in hand.
Following the source of the noise, they were almost trampled by a group of men with guns, fleeing from the fountain area for their lives. Griff duly noted that they were probably on the right track. Musica briefly considered selling the blob to a merchant, when a familiar figure entered his gaze. His eyes widened. What was HE doing here?
Lance was running toward him, looking badly injured and utterly terrified. And when he saw Musica, he got even more agitated. He panted heavily.
"You too!!? What is this?" He pulled out his sword. "Well, you won't get me! You won't…."
That was his last word before a bolt of ice hit his back and encased him in a cube. His face was frozen in a look of pure horror. Musica peered behind the cube to see…
"Ethan! Angela!"
"Musica!" Angela exclaimed. She ran up and trapped Musica in a massive hug. "Fancy seeing you here."
"Er.. yeah." He weakly replied, remembering what a flirt she could be.
Ethan walked up. "I'll take one guess why you're here. Trying to catch up to Haru and Elie, right?"
"On the money." He replied. "You know where they are?"
"We know where they're heading. They took off from here while we provided cover."
Looking ahead, Musica saw the fountain was surrounded by several unconscious men, some encased in ice, others just badly beaten. One was crying out in a peculiar accent from his cube.
"For the love of God mate, let us out!"
The silversmith smirked. "You have been busy."
Angela sniggered. "And I thought this would be the boring part of our trip."
Ethan placed a arm round Musica's shoulder. "Lets get a drink and we'll bring you up to speed. And trust me, you will need this drink when you hear what we've got to tell…."


"Feeling better now, Master?" Plue asked.
"Uh.. sure." Haru replied, still a bit shaken at the new form of his friend, who had just used his healing powers on him.
The group had landed in a forest several miles from the city, where Plue looked after Haru injuries while Elie set up the tent. She stared at the large creature.
"I don't get it. Why haven't you spoken before?"
"I simply couldn't in my old body. In this form, I seem to be able to."
"You're certainly smarter than I gave you credit for." She smiled. "I feel kinda guilty for trying to teach you how to beg."
He chuckled. "Relax. I certainly know how to do that."
Haru rubbed his chin. "I don't get it. Did you know you could do this?"
Plue furrowed his brows in thought, a strange look on the creature. "No. I've always been able to absorb the energies of the Rave, but there was only so much I could take on at a time. You and Elie flooded me with more energy than I had used before, and… well." He gave a flourish with his head.
Haru smiled. "Well, I'm just glad you're okay. How do you feel?"
"About the same as always Master. You needn't worry about me."
"You look cool anyhow.. Just er… don't try to sneak into any sweet shops like that."
Plue laughed. "I can control my addition for sweets, Master. I'll just have less restraint in my normal form."
"Yeah." Elie joined in. "Like being a kid again. You seem a lot more mature like this."
"I guess so." His eyes looked determined. "And you can count on me to defend you and Elie with my life Master"
The teen frowned. "Would you stop doing that?"
"What, Master?"
"That! I know you're the servant of Rave, but you don't have to call me that." He grinned. "I don't see you as my servant. I see you as my friend."
"Oh. Well, thank you Master. I appreciate that."
Haru sighed in defeat. "Elie-chan, could you please explain to Plue…
Elie had moved away to a small rock. She sat there, staring into space with a sad look in her eyes. Plue sensed something was wrong.
"I think she'd troubled about the events of today."
"You mean the Etherion. I can't get over that myself. I thought it was gone…."
"You should try and comfort her master. I'll stand guard for you."
"You'll be okay?"
"I'll be fine Master. You just take care of her and get some rest."
He moved over to a clearing and settled down, looking like some mythical statue. Pleased that all would be safe, Haru padded over to the tent.
He had wanted to talk to her anyhow. An question was tickling the back of his brain. And he suspected it was eating her too.
He softly sat down next to her. She didn't notice his arrival, her gaze still in deep space. Even in the dim light, her hair and face shone brightly, contrasted by her bright eyes. Haru coughed politely, and She turned to him.
"Are you okay? You seemed out of it there." He probed.
She ran a hair through her hair. "Yeah. I was just thinking."
"About what? That Etherion thing?"
She shuddered, old memories coming back. He mentally slapped himself for bringing up the subject. He knew how upset she had been during that battle with the Time Lord, Sieghart.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" He started to apologize. But Elie shushed him with a finger to his lips.
It's okay. I can't stop thinking about it either." She looked at her hands, as is trying to fathom them. "I thought it was gone. I thought I gave it to Rave.How could it have come back without me knowing?" Her lithe body still shook, and Haru scooted closer to place an arm around her shoulders.
"We hardly know how it works. Maybe it just regenerated itself, like Rave does after I use its power." It didn't seem to comfort her much She directed her gaze to him, staring into his steel eyes. He found himself concentrating on her amber orbs. The eyes looked at him with a sense of fear and longing.
"I'm scared, Haru." She said timidly.
Somehow, he also felt the fright she felt, and held her tighter. She was no longer shaking, and now she leaned against his chest.
"I mean, what will I find about this Lina woman when we get to Oaklands?" Was she good or bad? Will we ever get to this temple? These men… what if they want Etherion? Is that why its come back? Why…"
Haru placed an arm around Elie's waist. He wasn't sure why he put it there, but he needed some way to calm her fears. Let her know he was close. He silently marvelled at how slim she was. He could almost encircle her entire midriff with just his arm. She looked up at him, surprised at the touch.
"Relax Elie-chan. I'm worried too, but we can't let it get to us. Whatever's waiting for us in Oaklands and beyond that, we have to be strong and face it." He smiled. "And we'll do it together. You don't need to be afraid. You've go me and Plue by your side."
She smiled brightly, and placed a hand on his arm. "You know Haru, you're a real rarity. A genuinely nice guy. Any girl would be lucky to have you."
He blinked in surprise. What did she mean by that?
Elie saw the look in his eyes and corrected herself. "I mean, if you don't have one already…" She blushed.
The teen gave a small chuckle and replied "No. I'm still single."
"Oh." She stared at him, a baffled look on her face.
Removing his arms from her body, Haru stood up and stretched. "We'd better get to sleep. We've got a long walk ahead of us."
The two walked toward the small tent. Haru got in first, settling in and making as much space for Elie as possible. She gracefully crawled in, filling the space left in the tent with an almost perfect fit. It felt a lot better than last night.
As he laid his head back, he felt a slight weight land on his chest. Glancing up, he saw Elie had fallen asleep already. Laying on her side, her arm was draped over his chest. He smirked slightly and laid his head down again.
"Good night Elie-chan."
The woods were silent.


The streets of La Razza were filled with song. Or at least one voice.
"Fat bottomed girls, they make the rockin' world go round!" Kady sung tunelessly, wondering when this bleeding ice cube he was trapped in would melt. The tall git who had put him in this predicament had reported him to the police, who had decided to leave him and the frozen men out here to be made an example of, with the exception of the man with the big sword, who had been dragged off into a van. He was thinking about what song to sing next, when a hollow voice spoke behind him.
"I expected better of you Kady."
Turning his head as far as it would go, He could just make out Helix. The swordsman walked around to the front of him, the sword bared.
"Hey Helix, great to see you mate. Sorry about missing the girl, but they had this weird dog with them, plus this lanky bugger came over and then…"
Helix slashed the sword and cut through the ice like butter. The hunter yelped as the blade came within inches of his body. The ice shattered, and Kady's first instinct was to cover his groin. He stared at Helix.
"Watch where you go! I've only got the one pair!"
Helix's cold stare bored down on him. "Screw up like this again, and I won't be so lenient next time."
Kady shuddered from the man's stare. He was beginning to think this job wasn't so hot after all. He got up.
"Alright then. Ill er… look for some leads then."
Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a female voice sounded. "You won't have to look so far."
Helix spun round, in time to see a woman with long dark hair step out into the shadows. A smile adorned her face.
"Who are you?" Helix demanded.
"Someone who would like your help to settle a score…"