The Hidden Island

[Amnesty Lazuli]

"All right!" Reno cheered, heading back towards camp with the rest of the crowd as a few stout soldiers surrounded the prisoners. "Time for a lizard kegger!"

Rude, meanwhile, could only look back at Abel silently for a moment, roughly loosening the Silken's hands from his coat.

He finally chose to speak. "Abel... I went into the wreckage looking for him. He was gone. He could be alive, he could be dead. It's impossible to know."

****

Vincent made his way back down from the fortress before returning fully to his usual self, joining the rest of the throng... but remaining seperate by means of his impenetrable silence. He glanced up as Ami was flown back at the head of the survivors...

She was already looking back at him.

She waved and winked.

Thanks...

He nodded in return, and brought his attention back to the world around him.

He caught the brothers watching him, silent and solemn as a row of blackbirds.

He turned away abruptly and started walking.

Kadaj stiffened, glaring after him.

If you accept one, you must be prepared to accept us all.

Or do we have the wrong kind of eyes for that?

He began marching back, his brothers' attitudes similarly darkened.

****

Ami was rejoicing at the final end of the Sins... but still worse challenges lay ahead... most notably, seeing that the fallen were not desecrated. We'll be working sunup to sundown tomorrow to bury them all, she thought glumly. But for now, we need to rest and lick our wounds.

She leaned on Lutz and tried to rest before the landing... because she knew rest would become a distant memory after the hero's welcome...

[matt]

Akira made his way back to the camp and boarded the ship straight away sitting on top of the ship. unsure of entirely what was going on, but could make out that there had been a battle here. And he could tell from all the celebrations who had won. sighing he began to think of all the strange things that had happened to him since he met Squall. He had had a lot of fun, but his life was one doomsday after another. Maybe his life would have been more peaceful if he had never met Squall, or any of these people for that matter. Maybe it wasn't worth all of the chaos he had to endure. He sat, consumed by his thoughts, staring down on the celebrations.

[lutz]

Abel dropped to his knees.
Samson....don't die....what will I do without you....
Someone gently touched Abel's shoulder, he spun around and looked at Akasha.

Akasha: "Abel....you promised to return....and you have! I love you so much!"

she dropped to her knees to be eye level with Abel, she gave him a big hug and kiss.

Abel: "Akasha....I don't break promises..."

Akasha: "oh Abel...."

Grom and Linken walked over to the two lovers.

Grom: "Abel!"

Abel rose up quickly.
"Yes sir!?"

Grom studied Abel and look at his brother Linken then back at Abel.

Grom: "Abel....take care of my daughter...."
He slowly walked away.

Linken: "Good job brother....you are brave after all, and you are a much wiser Silken then I could ever become...."

Linken patted Abel on the back and left him and Akasha alone.

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

Lutz touched down and awoke Amnesty.
"Ami...the people are waiting...."

It was more like the people were cheering, as they were right when she was in sight. many Silken bowed down to her as if she was a demi-god. Grom chief of the Silken apporached Amnesty. he to had bowed to her.

Grom: Human-Amnesty.....I am forever thankful for our meeting, you have saved our realm from doom! you shall always be remembered as a goddess in the eyes of our people."

he rose up and turned to his people
"For lady Amnesty!"

The Silken roared with rejoice.

Lutz looked at Ami and smiled.

Lutz: "You have done it Ami.....you are the chosen one....protector of worlds...."

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

From the ashes of the airship rose barrels of smoke. A figure came in the clearing. it was Samson, is face was dirty black from all the smoke and he sat down next to Akira.

Samson: "Hey stranger....you have any fresh water ya savy?"

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Amnesty blushed at Grom's words... she turned and bowed to him in turn. She kept her voice low so as to not embarass him. "Thank you for your kind sentiments... but the last thing I want is to pretend I'm a goddess."

She spied her brothers near the edge of the crowd and winked at them.

They nodded back, smirking. They all knew what (or rather, who) she was talking about...

Kadaj smirked most of all. So much for you being the chosen one, eldest brother... it seems dieficiation skips a generation.

But for you, Ami, the greatest challenge lies ahead... when you come into the fullness of your matronhood, the children will begin to flock back to mother's table... This will all be nothing compared to what will happen then.

For all our sakes, I hope you will be ready when the time comes...

****

After a few hours taken aside to freshen up and patch themselves (the old-fashioned way, with bandages instead of Reno's healing powers), a celebration was deemed in order.

Ami spotted her brothers off away from the others, talking almost animatedly amongst themselves. What are they up to?

She almost went to see, until Vincent intercepted her with a hand on the arm. "I doubt they want interruptions," he said solemnly.

Ami stopped short. "You know what they are doing?"

"I have no idea," Vincent replied. "Walk with me, your eminence."

"Hardy har har," Ami said dryly as he steered her in the opposite direction. "You're a laugh riot."

One look from him was enough to silence her sarcasm. "What?"

He looked forward. "When we return, to the other world... there is something I feel you should see. We must go alone. Even your brothers cannot join us. It may take us time to get there. But you deserve to know the truth."

Ami was dumbfounded. "What truth?"

"Will you come or not?" Vincent asked, as if she had not spoken at all.

She made a face. "I know I asked you a question, because my mouth moved."

"Will you come or not?" Vincent repeated flatly.

She examined him and sighed. "OK, fine, be that way, Mr. Cryptic. I'll come, if you insist on being difficult."

He nodded satisfaction and walked away.

Ami shook her head and went to Reno, who was trying to manage a roll of gauze to go over a cut he had gotten in the fray, but was only getting himself tangled in it. "What is with him, anyway?"

Reno scoffed. "Long story, yo. Depressing, too. Maybe you should ask your bros."

"What would they know about it?"

Reno paused. "What, you mean you don't know?"

"Know what?"

Rude chose this moment to arrive with some scissors. He began cutting his partner out of the mess he'd gotten himself into, as usual. "I don't know what you don't know, but I do know that you don't know you're supposed to be over with the females getting yourself dolled up for the party."

Ami almost protested, but Reno shook his head. "Later, kid."

Ami shrugged and headed over to the females. Why does everybody know something I don't?

On the way, she ran into Lutz, who was already groomed and dressed for the to-do. "Hey, Lutz m'boy," she grinned. She gave him a big hug. "Lutz, you've known Vincent longer than me. What's his story, anyway?"

[lutz]

Lutz was dressed up in heavy shiney armor and had colorful hawk feathers decreated everywhere. He looked like a knight...a wolf knight. he was shocked to see Ami showing more interest in Vincent then the party and she wasn't even dressed up yet!

Lutz: "Vincent...well we both were being exposed to Chaos matter around the same time, I do know of him, but very little about him besides when I read through my file in the Shinra Mansion I couldn't help but to look at Vincents files as well....well its been close to 40 year ago he was a Turk like Reno and Rude and He was assigned to supervise the Jenova project in Nibelheim, there he fell in love with a scientist named Lucrecia Crescent, she once was an assistant of Vincents father, they had alot incommon and loved each other very much, though she blamed herself for Vincent's fathers death, he tryed to save Lucrecia from another matter called Omega they were testing on, the Omega matter killed Vincent's Father...Grimoire Valentine, and Lucrecia felt it was her fault he had died, she told Vincent she could no longer be in a relationship with him and later got invaloved with the new Chaos matter project runned by Hojo, Hojo ran the show for both Chaos and Jenova matter, shortly after Lucrecia was pregent....but the dates just didn't match up for it to be Hojos baby....even though Hojo said it was his...chances are it was....well anyway the baby was named Sephiroth....thats right the nightmare....Lucrecia gave birth to Sephiroth and Hojo did Jenova testing on the unborn baby. Vincent was not happy with the choices Lucrecia was making siding with Hojo, and allowing her baby to be exposed to Jenova cells, Vincent when to Shinras mansion to talk it over with Hojo but he had other plans Hojo shot Vincent several times with a gun and Lucrecia wanted to save him, but the only way was to expose him the chaos matter....she allowed Hojo to do his twisted testing on Vincent transforming him into the Vincent we see today, then Lucrecia killed herself, killed herself over guilt for the pain she caused Vincent and giving birth to a monster, her body is frozen in Mako crystals, where that is I do not know....Vincent then slept in the basement of Shinra mansion for 30 years, the Chaos matter stopped him from aging, he may look in his late 20s but he is really closer to 50 by now...that is all I really know about Vincent...."

Odd she is taking such an interest in Vincent....something is going on between the two...i can sense it....

Just then Grom apporached the two.

Grom: "Amnesty! please will you wear these Silken clothes, we revamped them to fit a human!"

The clothes were soft silk dress with diamond sowed on, the dress also had sowed on hawk feathers simlar to Lutz's armor.

Grom: "Once you put this on we can begin the dancing and your final speech!"

Grom cheered and ran back to the crowd.

Lutz: "Ami....I know this isn't my place but, I haven't seen you with Squall in sometime....are you two doing ok?"

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

Abel and Akasha danced. Abel looked into the full moon sky.

Abel: "Finally our world can get back to the way it was...no more quicksand....things can be green again...and safe...we could start a family...."

Akasha: "if it here or another world I don't care Abel I want to be with you....forever....even it if means me being a pirate with you!"

Abel smiled and held her tight.

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Ami took the clothes and smiled, but inside she felt numb.

I knew it. From the day we met I knew it.

What he said at the Inn nearly confirmed it, but I wasn't sure.

Now there can be no doubt.

I only ever doubted it before because... well, we're so... different.

She spotted Vincent hovering near the edge of the clearing, trying to avoid any Silken dealing out party paraphenilia. There were a few harcore merrymakers pinning hawk feathers on anybody they bumped into. Some of the sneakier ones had managed to get some on Vincent's cape while he wasn't looking.

Well, not that different. But different enough.

She hadn't even been listening to Grom and Lutz. They could have told her that her hair was on fire and she wouldn't have been the wiser.

Suddenly she felt scaly hands tugging at her arms, and she snapped back to reality. "Huh?"

The females had her and were trying to prod her into getting ready. One was already pulling a comb through her tangled black hair, and running into several snags... "Ouch! Hey!"

They ushered her behind a row of trees and started dressing her. Her yells of consternation could be heard from the other side..."Hey! Wait a minute! Can't we talk about this? Hey, you! Don't touch me there! Yipe!"

One of the younger Silken smiled shyly. "Could you possibly, milady, honor us with a small preview, perhaps, of your victory speech?"

Ami froze, several combs sticking out of the top of her head and her outfit half-on. "Did you say speech?"

One of the elder Silken fetched the girl a rap on the head. "Don't presume to address human Amnesty so impertinently!"

Ami failed to process this. "Did that kid just say speech?"

The females just giggled and kept dressing her. Ami swore under her breath. "As if I haven't suffered enough today."

****

Some fifteen minutes later, Ami finally escaped the lizard women to find her brothers waiting for her.

Their bloody, claw-marked leather suits were replaced by rather less threatening outfits of green, blue, and brown tunics with some fairly nondescript dust-colored pants that looked almost like they had been made from burlap or raw wool. These seemed rather roughly made altogether... but then, Amnesty had noticed that the Silken males usually wore loincloths or armor instead of anything resembling pants.

Ami smirked. "You look ridiculous."

Loz made a face. "I think we look kinda good."

"Anything beats that neo-SOLDIER c**p," Yazoo commented wryly, tugging at the hem of his sleeve, which had started to unravel.

Kadaj just smiled. Ami's gown was gorgeous... it suited her perfectly. But no brother in his right mind ever gives his sister a compliment like that.

G**, that gunnysack looks familiar... It looks like... like... The coronation robe! My G**, it really does... The one a Larval wears when she passes into full Matronhood.

Jenova was only thirteen. Her Matron, Gaia, died suddenly from the toxin... she was forced to bear her first child within six months. And then she miscarried...

"All you guys need are a few ceremonial hawk feathers... then you'll be fully decked out for burning at the stake," Ami teased, darting around them and ruffing their heads in turn.

Kadaj swiped at her. "Knock it off. We haven't poked any fun at that disco ball you're wearing yet." He smirked. Got you.

"Oho, feel like playing dozens with the Lizard Queen, do you?" Ami lobbed back, narrowing her eyes playfully.

"OK, enough of that," a dark voice interrupted.

They turned... Vincent had interrupted them while prying the feathers from his cape. "Ami, you're wanted at the fire circle."

Amnesty gulped. "Um, tell them I lost my voice."

Vincent merely eyed her.

She sighed. "All right, I'm coming."

She headed for the circle. "Public speaking is the pits... I was wetting myself during that bit before the battle earlier... I figured that if I messed it up too bad no one was going to survive to remember it anyway..." Her voice faded off into the distance.

The brothers watched her go, then turned back to Vincent.

The men regarded each other silently for a few moments.

Ironically, Vincent was first to break it. "She takes after you, you know."

Kadaj half-chuckled. "She wishes."

Vincent paused for a beat.

Kadaj was about to say something else to fill in the gap when Vincent replied at last. "Her mother would be proud."

Loz scoffed. "Her mother would grind her bones to make her bread--"

Kadaj silenced him with an upheld hand. Loz cut short, masking his slight confusion, as Kadaj looked at Vincent's half obscured face with a strange look about his eyes.

He nodded slowly. "Yes... her mother would be very proud of her."

Loz didn't get it. "What--"

"Yes, very proud," Yazoo agreed.

Loz was getting more confused by the second. "What--?"

His brothers both looked at him pointedly. It suddenly dawned on him.

"Ohhhh... yeah, you're right," Loz said slowly, comprehending.

Silence fell again.

Kadaj nodded to himself. Almost proud as I am.

The others stared at him.

It took him a second to realize he'd said that out loud.

Yazoo said nothing. He just offered his hand to his brother.

Not quite understanding, Kadaj took it.

Yazoo shook. Good work, prodigy.

Loz did so in turn. "Ya did good," he grunted.

Vincent looked at the trio. He hesitated.

Kadaj glanced at him, although he'd told himself he wasn't going to.

Vincent also shook hands with him, gravely. He spoke almost inaudibly. "Well done."

Kadaj withdrew and shrugged, trying to brush off the weight of the moment. "You know what they say about the life you save."

Loz turned. "What was that again?"

Vincent was already walking away, disappearing into the dark.

Loz shrugged. "Let's just go eat. And then let's find out howw lizards get drunk." He headed for the fire circle.

"Testify, brother," Yazoo agreed, following him.

Kadaj paused.

He had heard Vincent clearly.

You're a much better father than I am.

He followed his brothers.

On the way, he spied Squall out of the corner of his eye. So far I've been successful in keeping you away from her... and I plan to continue doing so until I get to the bottom of that vision I had at the Inn before we left.

He thought back, to a day sixteen years past. The day of initial decanting for the Fifteen Series.

"She looks like some kind of larva."

"Then congrats, son. You are now the proud father of a healthy little maggot. Ha ha ha."

"...What? I don't understand."

"Ha ha... She thinks you're her parent."

"Who, me?"

"Post-natal imprinting, Kadaj. Like a baby bird."

"Don't tell me I have to teach her to fly, Dr. Harper."

"Ha ha... only if you want to, son. Only if you want to."

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Ami arrived at the fire circle, trying to sneak in behind Reno, who was (as she had predicted) almost covered in feathers by now. "Red... what are we up to--"

The Silken sitting beside him spotted her trumpeted out the news."Human Amnesty has arrived!"

The Silken all stood and cheered.

Ami winced and slumped. Reno shook his head, his arm around Nikky, who was seated beside him. "Nice work, Two-Tone," he said over the din. "Guess you didn't notice I was sitting next to the town crier."

"You would," Ami shot back.

Dancing and singing suddenly broke out, with Amnesty yanked into the throng. Ho boy, she thought, trying to keep up with the fast-paced motion of the scaly limbs surrounding her. The creatures danced in rings, arms and tails linked, and Ami was being integrated into the rings...

She winced as she narrowly avoided stepping on someone's tail, which then wrapped around her waist. She gulped. There's no place like home, there's no place like home...

"I thought I was meant to be giving a speech or something!" Ami yelled to the Silken female next to her.

The Silken shook her head. "Dance first, speech after!"

Well, at least I get more time to come up with something, Ami thought, but I doubt I'll have much time to think!

She craned her head around, looking for her brothers.

She finally spotted them. They seemed to be dancing apart from the others... weird... it hit her. Seraphic war dance. They used to do that all the time when we were kids. So they intend to show off later.

A small, unobtrusive, reddish glint from the trees caught her eye... Vincent standing just beyond the firelight. You chicken.

I'll catch up with you later...

The dizzying circles continued. Ami spotted Reno sitting out, brushing off invitations to join in the ring, claiming he'd got his foot hurt in the battle... but Ami could easily observe the real reason why he'd chosen to pass up the dance whenever the lizards left him and Nikky alone for a moment... He would turn and kiss his fiancee deep enough to make Ami shake her head and wonder if he was trying to climb down her throat.

Rude, meanwhile, was nowhere in sight. Ami gave up looking for him... she had to concentrate last she be toppled over by the various appendages tugging at her.

****

Rude had slipped away in search of Samson. It's been hours... even if he survived the crash, he could be dead by now from blood loss, or dehydration... I was trained to never leave a man behind, he thought stubbornly, pressing on.

He peered through the darkened battlefield, still shrouded in the moonlight by smoke... He thought he could make out a familiar shape, drinking from a canteen.

Rude got closer, keeping his gun at the ready... he didn't want to take chances that this was an escaped Sarsha prisoner... "Samson?"

[lutz]

Samson could hear someone call out his name, he looked at Akira
"Well thanks for the drink...I got people waiting for me..."

He jumped off the rubble and headed in the direction of the calls.
Sounds like Rude....awww how sweet, the tough guy has a soft spot....ha maybe I will....
Samson began to climb a tree, looking down he saw Rude apporach. he laughed in his mind.
This is going to be great!
Rude was now right below the tree Samson was hiding in, he quickly jumped down from the tree right behind Rude and screamed.

Samson: "Booooooo!....Savy!"

He had tryed to scare the day lights out of Rude.

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

Lutz watched as the Silken pulled Amnesty away to soon for her to answer his question about squall.
Squall has been in the shadows a little to often then normal...I am not even sure where he is now...one of my most trusted friends has become so distant now...why? it seems he is carrying some heavy guilt...

Some children Silken apporached Lutz very carefuly as if they were scared of him, yet interested.

Lutz: "Come children I am not going to harm you!"

The young Silken thought about running for it for a second then one of them spoke.

Child Silken: "they say your some kind of fire demon....."

the other young Silken smacked his friend for what he had said.

Lutz: "Demon? no....me and my friends just killed off the last demons you all should ever see.....I hope...."

Child Silken: "What are you then?"

Lutz: "Well you call your people Silken yes?

Child Silken: "Yes...."

Lutz: "Well you can call my people the Maloki, only my race is not from your realm so I understand your confusion...."

Child Maloki: "So there are other Maloki where you come from....?"

Lutz thought about that question then question he keeps asking himself from time to time, the question that scares him the most, are there other Maloki out there?
I could be the last of my kind child.....the last....as in me and only me....the rest killed off.....what a horrible thought....my race will end with me.....

Lutz: "There is very few Maloki left child...."
He had to hold himself back from shedding a tear.

Child Silken: "Then you are no demon! thank you for helping us master Lutz!"

the Silken children ran away to go play, they had wooden swords and shields in hand battle each other.
Master...Lutz.....thank you child.....

Lutz sat down by the fire pit and began to meditate, one tear rolled down his cheek.

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

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Rude turned towards Samson and merely blinked. "Ha. Ha."

He put his gun away and took out a lantern instead. "No good deed goes unpunished." He began looking the pirate over. "I assume that since you were physically fit enough to climb a tree, you have no serious injuries."

****

The ring dance started winding down, and Ami managed to disentangle herself from the forest of scaly bodies, feeling as if she was literally being pulled in twenty different directions at once. She wouldn't have stood a chance if half the circle hadn't been distracted by her brothers' performance, a few paces removed from the circle...

She didn't bother joining them, and instead tried to find a relatively quiet place to sit down. It was the same basic thing she had seen the boys doing since they were children together-- although back then, the rules had been a little different. She giggled as she thought about it-- when one of the three managed to win out over the others in a brawl, the winner got to say what the others ones had to do... almost a variation of Simon Says, only the orders tended to get a little more suicidal for the boys.

Standing on one foot at the edge of a cliff, for example. None of the boys ever fell, and probably would have survived if they had... but it still nearly gave Nora heart attacks when she caught them.

What they were doing now was rather more traditional... a re-enactment of the battle's high points. It was paradoxically savage and graceful... the physical language of a different world, removed to a distant time, influenced in every respect by eons of war.

Ami was immensely grateful for the performance's distraction value, if nothing else. She didn't have enough energy left in her to be sentimental, though.

She sat beside Lutz, desperate for a familiar face that would NOT require her to dance around in dizzying circles. She noticed he was... crying? "Lutz, what's wrong?"

[lutz]

Samson nodded,
"eh yeah I was stuck in the c0ckpit then had to make my way to the back on the ship to escape....me pit bull is done for, just after I got her back ha....so is Abel crapping his pantys right now because I am not around?"

Samson shook his head.
"ha I bet he is....so Rude....did we win or what I want to make sure there is a good reason I crashed my ship!"

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

Lutz quickly whipped his tear away.
"oh I am not crying I was just thinking thats all....."

He looked into Amnesty's eyes and knew he couldn't fool her nor would he lie to a friend when they are trying to help.

Lutz: "Ami....I was just thinking....thinking about my race.....I could be the very last of my kind....no one has seen traces of my race sense the war with the ancients so long ago.....My race....the Maloki will die with me....I don't know its just a horrible thought to me...."

Lutz lowered his head and looked into the fire pit.

Lutz: "Ami can you imagine....other Maloki with elemental gift such as mine only it may not be fire it could be Thunder like Raja's gift or earth and water.....many more.....but someday the fire will burn out in me and all will be lost for the Maloki...."

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Ami listened, her arms around her knees, and stared across the fire to her brothers... the flames were superimposed over them by her line of sight... dancing in the fire...

She stood up before her friend and wrapped her arms gently around him. "Lutz... I understand." One of only four left... that is, I was... and then there were three... only three of my kind left.

Unless you count the Shinra children...

She shivered and pushed the thought away. "There must be others out there." She wasn't sure for whose benefit she said this... for his or her own...

****

Rude decided to forget about detecting any sign of gratitude in Samson. "We won. There's a celebration in progress at the camp. Join us if you want." He stalked off.

[lutz]

The pirate laughed with great confidence.
"HAHAhaha! of course we won! we are the good guys!....Hey Rude wait up!

Samson chanced after Rude.
Please be beer there please be beer there please be beer there!!!!!

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

Lutz stood up slowly
Now is not the time for my sorrow....we need to rejoice....be happy for our victory!

Lutz walked to the large group of Silken and began to cheer and drink the the crowd. He found the group of Silken Children from before and began to do fire tricks to entertain them. The kids clapped with joy.

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

Grom had found Amnesty once again.

Grom: "Hello Lady Amnesty....how feels you?"

The Silken chief was a brute warrior but that didn't mean he wasn't wise, he could tell something was bugging her.

Grom: "Lady Amnesty.....we don't know each other as well as lets say you and Master Vincent but youcan tell me anything....It may seem like I have no ears but I can still listen...."

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Ami sighed. "I'm just tired, that's all."

That, and suddenly I'm some kind of goddess... and I've barely even spoken to my boyfriend for the past three days... and I'm suffering a major identity crisis... and I'm a member of a nearly extinct species...

G**, I need a vacation.

She wandered off to the edge of the fire circle, pretending to meander... until she got within arm's length of Vincent, still hiding in the shadows. She looked the other way deliberately. "You think you're so slick, dontcha?"

Vincent eyed her. "I've never left the open."

"Yeah, it's just our fault that we can't see in the dark, huh?"

He said nothing.

Ami shook her head. "Come on, wallflower. We just saved the world again. Relax."

"I'm afraid relaxation is not a word in my vocabulary."

Ami gave him a disbelieving look. "Geez... was that a joke?"

"No. It was a fact."

Ami tilted her head curiously. "I could use a little less conversation, anyway."

He watched her carefully for any nonverbal cues, but still couldn't interpret her intention. "What do you mean?"

Ami smiled and offered a hand. "Dance with me."

For the first time since he could remember, Vincent was actually startled.

Ami stood, waiting.

He withdrew further into the shadows. "I'd rather sit this one out."

Ami shook her head, following him. "I do not take no."

Vincent lapsed into silence again.

He sighed. "You won't leave me alone until I dance with you."

She shook her head and grinned. "Nope."

He shook his head. "I can't."

Ami narrowed her eyes. "You can, and you will."

She advanced, and before he knew it, she was dancing with him.

For a moment, he just stood there.

He grunted. "What the h**l."

She smiled as he danced with her.

****

The war dance ended, and the boys made a move to sit down, but found themselves surrounded by Silken asking them questions...

They tried their best to give non-committal answers and beg off for a rest, but had no luck. Kadak thought he spotted something suspicious in the shadows at the fire circle's edge...

His jaw dropped as he watched them. Well, what do you know.

[lutz]

Samson noticed Abel in the distance and decided to give his sneaky scare another try, and moved through the group of Silken like a sly cat till he got right behind Abel. Akasha was in prefect view of Samson, for she was dancing with Abel.

Akasha: "Oh Samson! there you are we been worried sick!"

Abel turn is head quickly.

Abel: "Samson! your alive!"

the Silken ran over to the pirate and gave him a big hug. Samson shook his head.
damn I just can't seem to suprise people with terrior anymore....meh oh well....

Samson: "I wont go dieing that easy now!"
Samson gave Abel and big hug back.

Abel: "Its good to have me partner back eh!?"

Samson: "I can drink to that! where is the Keg!?"

Samson, Abel, and Akasha all went to grab a few more rounds of beers.

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

Grom spoke to all the Silken.

Grom: "Everyone please may I have your attention! I have talked to Lady Amnesty! and she requests not to speak tonight, she is tired from the battle....besides now is the time to enjoy ourselves with family and friends! continue the party everyone!"

the dancing and music continued all night long....

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Amnesty was slightly thrown off-balance when Grom excused her. A perceptive fellow, indeed.

"I hope you had nothing paticularly impressive planned."

Ami was faintly amused by Vincent's comment. "Actually, I probably would have wound up improvising something about teamwork or sacrifice or some other heroic c**p like that."

If she hadn't known better, Ami could have sworn he smiled at that one...

****

Loz was looking into the calabash of drink he'd gotten suspiciously. "What's in this?"

Kadaj dope-smacked him. "It's never polite to ask." He went off to get one for himself.

Yazoo nodded. "Usually one is better off not knowing, anyway." He drank.

Loz hesitated, shrugged, and followed suit.