All the Threads of Fate characters portrayed here are property of Squaresoft, Ltd. Except for those that I originally created. And the [relic]'s mine, ya hear? MINE! Mwahahahahahaha...er, let's get on with it.

CHAPTER I- Rendezvous at Carona

 “Dang, I’m seasick.”

“You weren’t seasick the first time you came here.”

“I was too busy thinking about world domination to be seasick.”

“.....Aren’t you thinking about it now?”

Mint threw her hands in exasperation. “Ugh! So much for a traveling companion.” With a huff, she moved to the bow of the boat.

                A trace of a smile tugged at Rue’s mouth. However, this was no time to fool around, he thought. They had a [relic] to search for, and a world to protect. From Mint, that is.

As he snickered to himself, he heard shouts and cries coming from the front of the boat. Turning to the cacophony, he spotted several passengers panicking as two badly dressed ruffians illegally boarded the boat. Clutching the Arc Edge tightly in his hand, he darted behind a pile of cargo, waiting for the hooligans to come closer.

“Oy! Is der some red-headed witch on dis boat? We herd she was comin’.”

“Yeah! An’ ‘er name’s Mint!”

“What the-?! Who the <expletive> were you calling a witch?!” Mint exclaimed vehemently.

“AIIIIEEE! Blood, it’s ‘er!”

“You wanna piece of me? Huh? Well, you’re gonna get it, you sorry stinky blockheads!

“Blood! She called us ‘blockheads’! An’ stinky, too!”

“Don’ cha worry, Smoky! Wer gonna bust ‘er up like da cockee buthed dat she is.”

“WHAT DID YOU SAY???!!!!”

At this point of the heated conversation, Rue leaped out of his hiding place and into the scene of the argument, where he found Mint ready to pounce on two familiar figures and incinerate them with her magic.

“Is there a problem here?” he said coolly and calmly, hoping to alleviate the situation. He brandished the Arc Edge subtly, making it clear to the villains that he was not someone to deal with.

The short, stout one gaped at him. “Look, Blood. It’s ‘im! It’s dat guy who beat us up, too!” he remarked, tugging at his taller and equally ugly companion.

The man named Blood narrowed his eyes at him and rubbed the stubble growth on his chin, trying to recall where he had seen Rue. Realization dawned on him, and he did a double take. “Yikes! It’s dat powerful dude from last year, Smoky!”

Mint frowned. “Hey! Aren’t I powerful, too?”

Smoky turned to her. “No, ‘cos you’re jus a witch. <snort snort>” That scornful remark earned him a flying kick to the face, and he lay on the deck unmoving, knocked out cold.

“You better get out of here,” Rue said warningly. “You’ll get hurt if you don’t. I mean it.”

Blood nervously glanced at Rue, at his lethal Arc Edge, then at Mint, at Smoky, then back at Rue again. “Wer sorry, Rue! We won’t be botherin’ ya anymore,” he said as he dragged his incapacitated cohort back into the row boat they were using. With a final, fearful glance, he rowed as quickly as could away from the ship.

A moment’s silence passed, then everyone on the ship breathed a sigh of relief.

“Damn pirates,” the captain muttered as he passed by them.

Mint turned to him, frowning. “Dang, why’d you have to go and ruin things? I wanted to beat them up so badly,” she remarked as she returned to the bow.

************************

“Uh...is anyone home?”

Rue knocked once more against the wooden door of Klaus’ atelier. “I don’t think they’re here,” he informed Mint.

Mint rolled her eyes. “Duh! Isn’t it obvious? We’ve been knocking on their door for several minutes, and no one answered it. I’m not stoo-pid.”

Rue cast his eyes down. “I’m sorry.”

Mint jerked with surprise. “What are you apologizing to me for?” When Rue didn’t answer, she laughed. “You know, Rue, you’re too stiff and formal! Don’t you take anything lightly?”

“This mission isn’t something to be taken lightly, Ms. World Domination,” Rue replied.

Mint smiled smugly. “Mission for you, adventure for me,” she remarked. “That’s the difference of our views of life.”

They both heard a door slam nearby, and stifled gasp.

“Oh my, it’s you! It’s the two of you again!”

Rue and Mint turned at the voice. “Mrs. Cartha!” they exclaimed simultaneously.

The motherly figure scurried over to them, then gave them each a suffocating hug, which made Rue wince slightly and Mint gasp for breath afterwards. “My, how you two have grown.”

Rue and Mint glanced at each other, wondering whether they really have changed at all...or Mrs. Cartha was getting really old.

“Are you looking for the Klauses?” Mrs. Cartha inquired.

Rue nodded his head while Mint asked sweetly, “Have you seen them, Mrs. Cartha?”

Mrs. Cartha beamed. “They just headed to the forest with my son, Keizl. He just arrived from college in West Morantz, and he’s enthusiastic about learning what he can from the doctor,” she bubbled with pride. “Oh, you really must meet him!”

Mint strained a smile, attempting to look interested although Rue could tell she was most certainly not. Unless, of course, this guy held more information about the [relic] they were seeking. Rue sighed smally. Mint will never cease to be a power-hungry, greedy megalomaniac who takes advantage over others.

Rue waved at Mrs. Cartha as he and Mint headed towards the town gate. “Thanks for the information, Mrs. Cartha!”

“Make sure to reserve us some rooms for the evening!” Mint added just before the duo disappeared into the gate.

                  ***********************

                  Elena glanced about her absentmindedly, trying her best to look bored so that her dad would get the hint and stop conversing with the bespectacled youth before them. So far, the only response she had received was a warning glare from her mother. Jeez, how could they stand talking to him?! And besides, she was starving! Aren’t they hungry, too?

                “Ancient languages?! That was my forte in college! I believe that I am more inclined to that subject in arcane history.” 

“Really? My wife, Mira, studies primordial dialects, too. Perhaps you should start learning from the best.”

“Oh, dear...you’re exaggerating.”

Elena rolled her eyes at the brief outburst of laughter from the scientific trio. She cast a sidelong glance at her adopted brother, Prima, who was intently gazing at a butterfly lazing among the flowers.

Prima caught her gaze, then cocked his head. “What?”

Elena smiled. “Nothing.”

Prima turned back to the butterfly. “Why do battyflies like flowers so much?”

“It’s butterflies, doofus,” Elena giggled. “And they like flowers because they have nectar in them.”

“Nectar?”

“That’s the sweet syrupy thing all flowers have. Butterflies like to drink that.”

“Oh.”

They both sat in silence for several moments, while the arcane adorers were droning on in the background. Once in a while, Elena glanced yearningly at the temptingly desirable picnic basket at Mom’s feet. Groan...when were they going to eat?

All of a sudden, Prima perked up, as if alerted by something. “Someone’s coming,” he remarked, glancing at one side of the small plateau they were on.

Elena followed his gaze, and brightened as two familiar figures climbed onto the plateau; one with a weary, exhausted look on her face, and the other leveling a cool, observant gaze at the group of picnickers.

“Polly!” Elena exclaimed as she ran towards the young man, hugging him gleefully. Prima followed suit too, yelling out a joyful “Rue!” as he clutched the somewhat surprised boy’s legs.

“Hey! No one’s happy to see me?” a disappointed and annoyed voice spoke up.

Prima turned to her, gave her a brief “Hi, Mint!”, then returned to squeezing Rue. Mint, in response, stuck out her tongue at him, crossed her arms and turned away.

“Uh...were you expecting us?” Rue asked, cocking his head to one side.

“No, we were just bored to death with them,” Elena whispered, motioning to the conversationally involved trio.

“Oh,” Rue remarked, nodding his head and studying the brown-haired stranger whose back was turned to him.

Then, Klaus glanced up in recognition. “Rue?” he asked, standing up from the log. “Is that you?”

Mira jumped up after him. “And Mint, too! They’re here.”

After some chummy hugging, brief exchange of news, and kicking of shins between Mint and Prima, Klaus led them back to the picnic area.

“Rue, Mint, this is Keizl Cartha, Mrs. Cartha’s son and aspiring historian.”

The young man with brown hair that framed his fair, boyish face stood up and shook hands with them, his emerald eyes sparkling behind the stylish, round glasses perched on his delicate nose. He was garbed like an “aspiring historian”, with a brown vest over a black tunic and neat khaki slacks. To top it all off, he spoke in a refined, politely mature manner.

“It is a pleasure to personally meet you, Sir Rue,” he remarked as he shook hands with the perplexed youth, grinning with his beacon white teeth. “Klaus has been informing me of your daring exploits in the search for the Dewprism. It is quite unfortunate that you had not been able to retrieve it.”

Rue nodded his head, nonplussed.

“And you, Princess Mint of the East Heaven Kingdom,” he addressed the girl. Mint seemed pleased that someone had actually called her by her titled name. “I hear you have assisted Sir Rue in trying to obtain the Aeon [relic]. And that your skill with magic is incomparably excellent. Not to mention...you’re not bad-looking too.”

Mint raised her eyebrow. “So, someone has finally realized that,” she remarked, flattered. “You’re a very perceptive guy, Keizl. Keep it up, and I might grant you a high-ranking position in my court when I rule the world.”

Rue, Elena and Prima simultaneously rolled their eyes.

“Hmm...” Klaus spoke up. “I believe everyone is already hungry?”

Elena and Prima leaped to attention. “Yes!”

***************

Over a snack of Cockadoo sandwiches, Pumpkin juice, and Fungie Munchies, Klaus began to discuss the details of the next [relic].

“I found the information about this Aeon [relic] in, surprise! Cadmon’s Atelier,” Klaus informed them.

“In that dingy, old place?” Mint commented. “Didn’t we search there before?”

“I discovered another of old Cadmon’s journals in a secret compartment in one of the bookshelves. I was just gathering some for reference materials, and I accidentally triggered the switch,” Klaus explained, sheepish. “It says that once, he had tried to give upon on pursuing the Dewprism and start on another [relic]. He heard rumors and legends about one in the Western Desert, in Ephresia City. However, he was discouraged from making the trip, since the desert is quite far and intensely hot for an aging wizard like him. So, he quit and never pursued the other [relic] again.”

Silence fell upon the group as they pondered on this new information.

Then, Mint quipped, “So, the [relic]’s ours for the taking, right?” She beamed and flipped her hair smugly. “No sweat! Let’s go to this Western Desert!”

“I wish I could accompany you to take records of this new Aeon [relic],” Klaus sighed yearningly. “However, my bum knee seems to be permanently in a state of disrepair, and I fear I might cripple the operation...”  

“Don’t worry, Doctor,” Keizl suddenly jumped up enthusiastically. “I shall go in your stead, and I promise to bring you everything I could for you to study.”

There were varied reactions among the group: Klaus blinked in surprise, Mira frowned with anxiety, Elena cringed, Prima whooped, Mint made a face, and Rue...well, Rue said nothing.

“But what about your mother, Keizl?” Mira interjected. “Won’t she be worried to death about you?”

Keizl grinned reassuringly at her. “She’ll understand. After all, I’m traveling with two superbly skilled warriors.”

Mint rolled her eyes and Rue said...nothing.

“How do you propose to get there?” Klaus inquired.

Mint shrugged nonchalantly, and Keizl replied, “We’ll find a way.” Rue, of course, said nothing.

“Dad, can we go with them?” Elena asked hopefully.

“Of course not!” Mira answered immediately.

Prima jumped up and down. “But I want to go see the world!” he whined.

“Hey, I ain’t gonna babysit you,” Mint declared.

“But-but...” Elena sputtered.

“If your mother says no,” Klaus put in. “I’m saying no, too. It’s a dangerous world out there for you two. And you don’t even have the means to defend yourselves.”

Elena and Prima cast their eyes guiltily to the ground.

“Oh, Doctor,” Keizl piped up. “I’m sure it’s okay for us to bring- Ow!”

“Shut up,” Mint snapped, returning her hand back to its place after whapping Keizl with it.

And, of course, Rue said nothing.    

AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, whaddaya think, so far? I know, this chapter's boring. But I promise you a surprise next chapter. Ehehehe...Oh yeah, sorry if I'm leaving Prima at home. He's so kawaii! Too bad he doesn't fit into my story plot. And you might be asking...What's with Rue and saying nothing?! Well, it's just a little gig I made, you know, to perk things up a bit...I guess. I hope I can put up the next chapter soon, but juggling between updating the site, writing fics, school, and Playstation, I'm having a hard time. 

Oh yeah, and if anyone has suggestions about what the [relic] should be called, do e-mail me. The address is up there. 

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