The Way Back

*More steak is brought out. Hell yeah, Jesus Chef.*

Derek: <Help yourselves.>

*Crowley sighs and follows everyone else.*

~Derek, Kentaro, Lucien, Creed, Alto & Crowley~

*Apparently all of the guys decided to gather on Derek's ship. Also the thiefess.*

Razz: <See?>

*Razz smirks to Kentaro, and the thiefess chuckles. The fat bandit doesn't react so well to being called fat. He raises his head from the now almost empty table and looks at Creed like a hungry lion, not even noticing the steaks coming in. The thiefess and Razz turn to face Creed.*

Blonde Thiefess: <He's going to eat his head off.>

Razz: <Like he leaves leftovers.>

Blonde Thiefess: <Good point.>

Jade Rabbit: <It's just like in my nightmare about the large wolf!>

=====
~Kari, Kelphy & Allina~

*The lady hands Allina and Kari their dresses. Kelphy smiles to Kari.*

Kelphy: <...Shall we take them back to the palace? The ball is in three days, you should just stay there instead of having to go back to Sephira and then all the way here again if you want.>

Allina: <Oh, thank you. But... we still gotta buy make-up and shoes! That's what my mom told me I'd need.>

Kelphy: <I have plenty of that, don't worry.>

Allina: <Are you sure?>

Kelphy: <Y-Yes, of course.>

Allina: <Okay then. Kari, where did Kentaro and furball go again?>

Derek: <Oh dear...>

*He eats his steak, acting like nothing weird is happening.*

*Crowley quickly swoops in and grabs two steaks before everyone reaching for them could react.*

Crowley: <I promised I'd never steal like this again, but damn am I hungry.>

*Crowley devours one whole, and then goes to start nibbling on the other one.*

*Kentaro quickly takes one before the bandit has a chance to to.*

=====================================================

"I think they went with Derek."

"Well, he is big and he hasn't said his name yet. What am I suppose to call him? Bandit? Vagabond? Big Thief Guy? None of those are very flattering ether you know."

"He has a point" Lucien says.

~Derek, Kentaro, Lucien, Creed, Alto & Crowley~

Blonde Thiefess: <What.>

Razz: <I don't think they're very smart.>

Blonde Thiefess: <You never asked him his name. Duh.>

*She pokes the fat bandit so he notices the steaks, and he forgets Creed, plunging his head back down into them.*

=====
~Kari, Kelphy & Allina~

Allina: <Where?>

Kelphy: <To his airship, to eat his chef's steak.>

Allina: <Oh. Ya guys wanna go there after leaving the dresses at the palace or...?>

"Either or is fine."

"Well I thought you guys would introduce yourselves" he shrugged, "What are your names?" he smiles.

*Crowley munches down the other steak and then looks at the fat bandit and blonde thiefess.*

Crowley: <Yeah, come to think of it, what ARE your names? I've traveled everywhere with the two of you and I still don't know...>

Blonde Thiefess: <Yeah, like we're telling you now.>

*The two bandits glare at Creed. When Crowley speaks, the thiefess blushes a little.*

Blonde Thiefess: <I-It's not important.>

*She walks out just as Kelphy, Kari and Allina are walking in. Allina makes her best "what the fuck." face just for the fat bandit.*

"I still don't know what to call them" Creed sighs.

Lucien waves to Allina.

Alto is reclining against a wall eating an apple in silence.

*Crowley looks kind of shocked.*

Crowley: <Uhh... did I say something wrong? Or....>

*Finished, Kentaro pushes the plate away then casts a glance at the thief.*

[He's not going to start licking the plates, right?]

*Allina waves back and smiles. Kelphy is still staring blankly at the fat bandit. After eating every steak nobody else took, he burps Derek off his chair.*

Fat Bandit: <Sorry.>

*He then gets off the table, cracking it up in half in the process.*

Allina: <So what happened, your friend seemed upset.>

*She looks at Razz, who just points at Creed.*

"I called the big guy fat guy because they haven't mentioned their names..." Creed shrinks back.

*Crowley sighs and gets up.*

Crowley: [I wonder what's wrong with her... maybe I'll go look for her.]

*Crowley leaves the room to go look for the thiefess.*

*Creed is goddamn lucky the bandit is too busy climbing off of the table to hear him. Kelphy walks up to Lucien and Allina sits next to Kentaro, and presumably Kari.*

Allina: <So Kenta, Kari is gonna look awesome at the ball.>

Kelphy: <We need to talk. I'd like to know how it went.>

*She looks at his pact ring, smiles, and motions him to follow her out.*

=====

*The thiefess is sitting atop a large pile of crates, staring at the airships across the aerodrome.*

Kentaro:<Yeah, I'm sure she will.>

"And Allina will look great too" Lucien says and smiles cheerily. He then looks at Allina and nods, "Alright. I'll be back shortly" before following her.

Alto finishes his apple and yawns, "You guys look like you have things taken care of here."

*Crowley walks up beside her and sits next to her, then sighs.*

Crowley: <Hey, what's wrong? Why'd you bail out like that?>

Allina: <Kenta. Do you have anything to wear?>

Jade Rabbit: <No. I bet he'd wear his favourite shirt if I hadn't used it to fix our roof.>

=====

Blonde Thiefess: <...I just don't really like my name.>

*She sighs and wraps her arms around her knees.*

=====

*Kelphy spots Crowley and the thiefess at the top of a pile of crates as she is walking out. She walks a bit around the airship and then turns to face Lucien, smiling.*

Kelphy: <Tell me.>

"I saw Derek and you. Shadow showed me how happy you would be and I realized how stupid it was of me to let my duty blur how I really felt. You have my full blessings Kelphy. Not as your servant but as your friend. That... and it gave me a chance to find something which actually needs protecting. I had been so blind in assuming you were so fragile... instead you were the one protecting me in a way. You don't need me to stand in your shadow anymore. I've chosen to be Allina's strength."

Crowley: <Oh, is that all?>

*Crowley turns to her.*

Crowley: <I wouldn't be so concerned about something like that. If anyone thinks it's so bad, they'd have to take it up with the rest of us. Y'know, the way we all used to do things.>