Ringing the Dinner Bell [Closed]

With every word he read, Cheshire slowly started shaking. His grip on the letter tightened and tightened as if he was nearing the point of tearing it apart. The letter started getting wet as drops of tears fell upon it. Cheshire's head was bowed over the letter, his eyes hidden while his teeth clenched in anger and desperation.

The faunus seemed to have silently cried for five whole minutes before wiping his tears and straightening up. His eyes were narrow, his expression dead serious.

"We're going right now," Cheshire stated, his fist gripping the letter tightly, "Let the fates be damned if I wait another second. I will save Liseran and I will bring her back even if it means I have to tear out that bastard's throat with my teeth."

Cheshire's scroll makes a small sound as he recieves a message, it is from Aeden. 

"Cheshire, we need to talk...alone. I'll be waiting at the docks near the entrance. Don't tell the others of this message. It's important that we meet. -Aeden"

Cheshire looks down at his scroll and silently put it away. He got up and excused himself. "I need to prepare for the journey. I will come back shortly."

Cheshire left the dusty old shop and made his way to the docks using his semblance. He appeared at the rough location the message indicated and looked around for Aeden.

Aeden had been leaning against a wall waiting for Cheshire to arrive and had his face buried in his scroll. He no longer wore his suit and was back to his standard battle outfit having gone back to the dorm briefly to change. He looks up from his scroll as he hears Cheshire arrive with a serious look on his face. "At least you're quick. I didn't even have enough time to put my scroll away." Aeden pushes off the wall and starts to walk over to Cheshire noticing his eyes were red. I'd be a fool to ask what that's about. As he stands in front of Cheshire Aeden looks him in the eyes. "Do you have any idea why I asked you to meet me with me alone?"

"I have a few assumptions," Cheshire replies bluntly, "But I'd rather hear what you have to say directly."

Once Cheshire left, Faun and Merriweather had come in.

"The men that attacked the cottage were working for the Fares," Faun said. "But we handled them and they're being interrogated right now by the police."

"Right, as if they'd be useful," Merriweather grumbled. "One word from Senator Fares and they're clean to go."

Flora had been the one to have found Rae-rae. The Raven had been returned to the original address of the Ace Riders Dealership, abandoned with the keys in place. After hearing from the godmothers' end, Vixen explained to Flora the events of what happened at the Vale Archives, Flora sat and cried a bit for Liseran being taken away, but was determined to do anything she could to help.

"Actually, Sylvian's come up with a decent plan," Rory told Flora reassuringly. "And we will get Liseran back. We're just getting ready...and trying to find out where the Fares' Fortress is."

"Actually, now that Merriweather's here, I believe she can help with that," Vixen said.

"I can?" Merriweather said. Vixen nodded.

"You're semblance is Projection, right? It allows you to portray what's inside one's mind," Vixen said. "Liseran is the only one who can foresee the future willfully using Dust. But with your projection...and my Sight...you can project the futures for me."

"Well, if you think it will help..." Merriweather said.

"It's probably gonna be very brief..." Vixen said. "So girls, ready your scrolls for recording it so we can analyze where the location could be precisely."

"Fine, well I already told you I'm supsicious of you but it doesn't end there. There's something I need to tell you about Lise leaving. The truth is I had known for quite some time that she was going to leave, I even tried to stop her but in the end I couldn't do it. The only thing I managed to do was promise I would stop you from following her." Aeden breaks eye contact with Cheshire as he prepares himself for the part he expected to anger Cheshire. "Vixen had also visited Rory and I and told us you would be the cause of her end and to not tell you. That was where my suspicions started. After long consideration in a frantic state I mistakenly came to the idea that you were lying to Lise, making a false relationship to get close to her, and eventually kill her if you needed to. I was with Rory at the time and my mistake but the idea into her head." Aeden heads his hang, as he hears the words come out of his mouth he starts to feel how foolish his idea really had been. "After what happened at the Archives I can see I was wrong. I'm sorry Cheshire." Aeden gritted his teeth and braced himself for the beating he expected and half hoped for.

Cheshire listened carefully to everything Aeden said, his ears twitching once in a while. When Aeden finished, Cheshire blinked once but otherwise his expression remained the same deathly poker face he was infamous for. Cheshire remained silent for a moment before finally speaking.

"I want to die," Cheshire stated beyond bluntly, "I don't care how. Somebody or something kill me already so I can die. I hate life, it's not worth putting up with anymore. I'm tired and I just want it to be over. Gut me, shoot me, behead me, I don't care. I just want to die."

Cheshire was silent for a moment after his statement. The atmosphere was heavy and depressing. The silence of the night did not help. After a few seconds, Cheshire spoke again.

"That was my wish every single second of my life since I was nine," Cheshire deadpanned, "My best friend had died when I was nine... she also happened to have been the girl I loved. Her name was Alice Caroll." Cheshire closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before opening them again and spoke. "Three kids. A girl and two boys in that order. I wanted to name the girl Elizebeth and I would have called her Lizzie for short. The boys we wanted to name Vladimir and Felix. A simple house, two stories with an attic. I would make a living drawing graphic novels. That way I can stay home while to take care of the kids working while Alice cares for her flower shop. When we eventually retire we would live a peaceful life and grow old together. That's all we wanted. A simple quiet life."

Cheshire paused in silence again and looked up at the sky, his hands in his pockets, his eyes and expression both completely blank.

"Losing someone you care about... is something meant for strong people," Cheshire stated, "I... am not a strong person. I am weak and pathetic. The moment she died, I wanted to follow her. Thing is, she would have killed me if I killed myself or let myself get killed. So I became a hunter. Hunting is the most dangerous profession after all. Out in the field, fighting both grimm as well as your own fellow man at times. If you wanted a way to get yourself killed without doing it yourself then this was the way. I put up a good fight, I do what I can to stay alive, all with the same thought in my mind constantly. 'Please let me die. Let this be the day I day.' ....

"You are not a foolish man Aeden. You are a good one. You wanted to protect a friend. The only thing stopping you from doing it was ignorance. You did not know. You were confused. You made assumptions and you made an ass out of you and me. I can not blame you for that. I can only say this... thank you for trying. Thank you for doing everything you can to protect Liseran, to protect the girl I love who gave me the strength to live again. Now I have to ask you a favor. I ask that you try again. And this time, with me instead of just next to me. You understand what I mean?"

Cheshire looked Aeden in the eye with nothing but seriousness in his eyes. He allowed Aeden to speak his reply. After he was done, Cheshire would ask him one more thing.

"I'm going to ask you one more favor because I am a weak man. Do you mind?"

Aeden had a hard time processing Cheshire's words, his reply was far different from what he had initially thought it would be. After a moment of thinking to himself Aeden looks back up at Cheshire. "Everyday that Lucina or anyone I care for goes out on mission a deep fear grows in me. I fear everyday that when I say goodbye it will be the last time I can say it." Aeden reaches into one of his pockets and brings out a small vial of amber liquid. "I don't remember the last time I had a dream. Thanks to this liquid any time I sleep it is as if I am unconcous. The reason I take it is because my fear manifests itself in my sleep. If not for this liquid every night would I be plagued with nightmares, seeing my loved ones fail in their duty and never return." Aeden returns the vial to his pocket making sure it is secure. "I'm sorry to hear about your past, really I am. It is not something I would wish on my greatest enemy. I'm sorry about the way I treated you and would gladly stand with you to rescue Lise. I would help you fight for love as long as you help me fight for friendship."

With his reply finished Aeden waited for Cheshire's and received another question. "As long it is in my power to do so  I would not mind."

"Clench you teeth," Cheshire deadpanned a second before swinging hard with a swift right hook to Aeden's face. Cheshire would stop after the one whether it connected or not.

Cheshire brushed his knuckles as if dusting off his gloved hand. "I said I couldn't blame you. I never said I wouldn't get angry."

Rory got her scroll ready as Merriweather cast a spell for ice dust. Using the water in the basin Sylvian retrieved for Cheshire's bruises, Merriweather froze it and then made her aura glow.

"Anytime now, Vixen," Merriweather said.

Vixen nodded and made her own rose madder aura glow, holding hands with Merriweather as the ice dust turned from clear glass into a window...

"I wish to See..." she whispered.

As Rory recorded, they saw the small ice reveal a large body of water. Slowly, the image rose and rose, reaching for the sky, passing the images of tall trees and structures. It became blurry as clouds got in the way but eventually it gave way to something else. High in the sky was what looked like a large airship, only there was more to it. A large walled structure of towers and buildings was above the ship and on all sides were guards and people. A smaller airship landed and the vision zoomed in to a young man with brown hair and a snide grin and a girl with violet hair and dead eyes behind glasses. The girl was being dragged by a rope. As the young man drew her into a kiss, the girl's fists tightened but she did nothing to stop him.

The glass shattered just as Rory finished filming.

"Of course..." Vixen said. "No wonder no one could trace it before. It's not on land or sea...it's in the sky. The Fares fortress is in the sky just above the sea. But now we know."

"Your airship is still at the Dormirse Household..." Faun said thoughtfully. "So, I don't know how we'll get up there."

"I can retrieve it," Vixen said. "But I need to do it alone. I'm the only one who can go unseen inside the Vale Archives and can retrieve it. I'll be back by morning. In the meantime, I suggest all of you rest despite your will. If we're going to get Liseran, we have to be in the best of shape. I'll see you then. Flora, please drive me to the docks."

With that, Flora nodded and the girls were left alone. At that moment, Rory's mind drifted as to where Cheshire and Aeden were at the moment. Cheshire went to get supplies, but how long would it be before she saw Aeden. Finally, she took up the courage to get her Scroll and dialed his number.

Please pick up... she thought.

No longer expecting the punch, Aeden stumbled backwards at it surprised him. He nearly fell over but mangaged to control his balance and face Cheshire. With a smile on his face, Aeden rubs his jaw a spits out a small amount of blood. "For a weak man you sure do pack a mean punch." Aeden straightens himself out and walks back toward Cheshire. "I realize this makes us far from even but lets settle it another time. By the way for future reference not in the face, its my money maker. I'll assume you all were making some battle plans while I was getting ready. How close are we to heading out...friend?" Aeden extends his hand toward Cheshire waiting the faunus' response but before Cheshire could respond he heard a familiar tone on his scroll. "Oh that's Rory's tone, maybe something happened." Aeden opens his scroll and answers the call. "Hello? Rory did something else happen?"

"Aeden?" Rorys said a little hesitantly. "Oh, we just wanted to know where you are. Now's not the best time for me to know how you're doing, but could you get to Rose Madder herbal shop, please? It's on the fifth street near Liseran's house. We're all here planning and...I think we know where Liseran is. Just please get here. Thanks."

Apparently Rory had settled to only sending a voice mail message, too scared for some reason to call him directly, though she didn't know why.

I wouldn't be that scared if I were Lucina... she thought.

Cheshire turned around and walked away. "You go on ahead. I need to prepare something before we head out," Cheshire announced, "I'll catch up later.... friend..." With that, Cheshire disappeared again.

In the floating Fares Fortress, everything was quiet and from a wide room with a glass window as a wall, there was a man dressed in a white suit with straw-colored hair. He was overlooking the sea, but he was also expecting something else to appear in the sky sooner or later. A woman in a secretarial suit came in.

"Senator Fares, we've received news that young Sir Fares' airship will be arriving around the dawn of tomorrow."

"Wonderful," the man said in a low voice. "I'm assuming that things went well at the Vale Archives?"

"The captain of the airship confirmed such, sir. Miss Dormirse is onboard."

"Good. Make sure to get their quarters ready and to set up the finest brunch after their rest. We have to make a good impression after all."

"Of course, Senator," the secretary woman bowed.

"One more thing. How is the machine?"

"Up and running, sir. It took them some time since it hasn't been used since Zephyr Veiller's death, but it's now in best condition."

The man nodded. "I'm pleased to hear that. Once my future daughter-in-law is...comfortable...we can put her to use right away. You're dismissed."


Rory had set out the sleeping bags with the help of Faun and Merriweather and it was time for them to take a small rest before Vixen came back in the morning. Rory, however, couldn't sleep as she was too eager to see if Aeden was going to arrive. And Cheshire as well. She was sure secretly Sylvian and Lucina were just as anxious, but Rory was the only one really showing it. We can't fail this time... It was only then there was a knock on the door. Rory stood from her sleeping bag to open it.

"Aeden...?" she asked with expectation.

Aeden opens the door and is immediately greeted by the sight of Rory. "Rory!" Aeden quickly stepped over and gave the girl a small hug. "It's good to see you." Aeden attempts a smile but winces a bit at the pain from the swelling caused by Cheshire's punch. "Rory where are the others? I need to hear what plans have been made so far. By the way Cheshire said he would meet us later, he had to go prepare."

"Aeden!" Rory said happily as she came into a small embrace. She was filled with relief and at the same time giddy at the fact she was hugging him. "I'm glad you're alright. What happened? Why's your other cheek red? Let's fix that up."

Rory led Aeden to the same chair she patched up Cheshire in a while back. Since there was no ice, she used the cool water cloth Sylvian had brought in.

"They're all resting at the moment," Rory said. "Vixen left to fetch her airship. We leave in the morning. Anyways, yeah, we've been planning. Thanks to Vixen's vision, we found out that the Fares fortress, that's the people who took Lise by the way, is high up in the sky in a different region. Sylvian's plan basically includes herself being the distraction while we use scrolls to record the inside. From there Cheshire infiltrates using his semblance. We're supposed to back up Sylvian in the meantime. That's the gist of it, mainly."

She finished dabbing Aeden's swollen cheek.

"I...I really got worried. I thought you got frustrated with yourself or something. I mean we all are, right? But we shouldn't give up. Cheshire told me that just a while back."

She smiled brightly, but her eyes were teary again.

"I just wanted to apologize for not being able to do my part earlier. I ended up getting caught and that made you drop your weapon. Anyways, we should rest now. We'll need the strength for tomorrow morning. I'm just gonna stay up a bit more and wait for Cheshire. You should see Lucina. I'm sure she was worried about you."

While everyone is taking their time, Sylvian couldn't stay calm from the inside because of the upcoming mission. If Vega is here, he would definitely give her some good advices, she believes so.

"Flying castle, eh? Another trouble suddenly got doubled. Hmmm..." Then she starts to wonder if her plan is going to work or not...

Alone under the shattered moon light, Sylvian is giving her armor a careful checking. Good thing it seems they  haven't touched it while she was captured.

There is a very large crack on the left side of the chest plate, which always reminds her of the very first mistake she made.

"Father... It won't be happening this time..." Sylvian speaks to herself, then goes on and prepares the Dust...

In time, Rory would fall asleep, not able to keep up waiting for Cheshire and by morning, Vixen would return with the airship ready. The smallest of breakfast would be held and they would board, traveling for four hours before they reached their sought destination, hoping to break the ties of a certain girl's fate.

In that same amount of time, that girl would be welcomed into the Fares Fortress and led to a well furnished room in a high tower. It was more of a prison really, but she minded no more than she would have if she were kept in a dungeon. She recalled the small happy month she had, knowing it would be enough until the end...the end she knew that was just hours away from her.

In that end... she thought to herself, recalling that vision she had set her goal in. In that end I will be in the dark and alone...I would have been put to sleep as my aura drained from me...though I could manage to survive it, I wouldn't have the will to live anymore. When that happens, I'll hear the ringing of Cerinthe's bells, a song readying for my departure and end...this is my final future. This is my Bell Requiem.

---To Be Continued in Next Thread---