[center][h2][color=sienna][b]Cerden[/b][/color]	and [color=darkorchid][b]Flora[/b][/color][/h2][/center][hr]
	Cerden smiled. He waited for Ace to say what he was going to say before he would respond. He remembered the last time that Ace spoke to him. As much as it was then as it was now, Ace’s hate for the Empire was ever-present. If anything, it might have gone up a bit after those two princesses were taken by Nomis. So it wasn’t a surprise that Ace was just as hostile(without being rude of course) as ever.

	[color=sienna][b]“Yes, losing two Princesses of Heart at the same time would indeed kill team morale, now wouldn’t it?”[/b][/color] Cerden said, eyes closed and a smile cracked. [color=sienna][b]“Surprised? Don’t be. As I’ve told you, I was formally with the Empire, so it shouldn’t come to you as a surprise that I know who those two lovely girls were.”[/b][/color] Cerden said, [color=sienna][b]“but that is not why we approached you.”[/b][/color] Cerden.

	Suddenly, Ace’s attention went to Flora as he asked her why he should trust Cerden. The latter also looked at Flora as he was curious what she was going to say. Meanwhile, Flora knew that she had to choose her words carefully.

	[color=darkorchid][b]“It’s true that both of us are former Empire personnel and you kids, whose lives have been taken by The Empire, have all rights to hate anyone affiliated with the Empire -- former or otherwise. However,”[/b][/color] She paused, looking Ace directly in the eyes, but a tear formed from the edge of her left eye, [color=darkorchid][b]“we are not like them. We’re trying to do right by the worlds and fix what we both feel was our fault. Plus--” [/b][/color]FLora siad, her voice trailing off as more tears formed in her eyes. 

	Cerden put a  hand on her shoulder, comforting her. She turned away, trying to hide her tears. [color=sienna][b]--plus, her brother along with one of our closest and oldest friends was kidnapped by The Empire along with those Princesses of Heart.”[/b][/color]Cerden said, finally revealing why they really wanted to join with the kids,[color=sienna][b] “you can hate me and my past, but you can’t let your stupid pride cloud a great opportunity for both parties.”[/b][/color] Cerden walked up to Ace,looking down at him as they were eight inches in height difference and not cause he viewed Ace lower than him, [color=sienna][b]“You want to take down the Empire and so do we. You want to rescue your two friends and we want to rescue [I]our[/I] two friends. You want knowledge on the Empire that you couldn’t get on your own and we can provide you with that knowledge.”[/b][/color] Cerden said, holding out his hand hoping it wouldn’t be like last time when Ace blew Cerden off. [color=sienna][b]“What do you say, Ace?”[/b][/color]

[hr]
[center][h2][color=fff79a][b]Shinto[/b][/color][/h2][/center][hr]
	[color=fff79a][I]Good, they’re heading this way. .[/I][/color] All Shinto could do now was play the waiting game as the two minds that he reached out to would find themselves to his prison cell.

	Minutes went on by until Shinto felt the two minds come in. Due to the absence of light, Shinto couldn’t tell who it was. All his ears would hear next was the cell door turning as if being unlocked by a key. He thought that was weird since he didn’t remember seeing a key being anywhere in the room. In fact, Shinto was almost positive that Nomis wouldn’t just leave a key lying around for anyone to use. If he did, Shinto would have used it long ago via the use of his telekinesis. 

	[color=fff79a][I]Whatever.[/I][/color] Shinto shrugged at the thought. 

	It didn’t matter because within the next few seconds, the cell door opened and he would walk out. When he did, he came to a view of two teenaged girls -- one of them standing in a slightly defensive position and the other over her shoulder. [color=fff79a][b]“I’m so glad you didn’t think I was some weirdo who potentially lead you to your deaths.”[/b][/color] Shinto said, chuckling.

	As he got situated with the lack of light, Shinto started to stretch his muscles and joints. He had been cramped up in that small cell for god-knows how long. A half of a minute of just releasing the tension in his arms and legs and back and neck was all that he needed. He rolled his arms a few times, having his right hand on his left shoulder as he rotated that arm and then he did the same to his other arm, then he popped his back lightly, cracked his neck, and all of his knuckles.

	When Shinto finished all of that, he finally gave the teen girl who rescued him his full and undivided attention. [color=fff79a][b]“I thank you for rescuing me. The name is Shinto, and yo--”[/b][/color]
	

	[color=crimson][b]“SHIN! GET AWAY FROM THOSE TWO!”[/b][/color] A loud voice interrupted, [color=crimson][b]“I’LL SAVE YOU!”[/b][/color] 

	A crimson-haired male entered the room, zipping towards Shinto and the latter used his telekinetic powers to force the male back, crashing into the left side of the doorway.

	 [color=fff79a][b]“You idiot. This one here saved my life, no thanks to you.”[/b][/color] Shinto annoyingly said.

	Dominic rubbed his neck as he had hit the wall pretty hard. [color=crimson][b]“Oh.” [/b][/color]He said, realizing that he acted first and didn’t think. He always did that.

	[color=fff79a][b]“In any case, I think we should get going. I don’t know how long until Nomis gets here, but no doubt with Dominic loud vocal burst, it didn’t help.”[/b][/color] Shinto said, leading the girl to follow him. [color=fff79a][b]“Oh, Dominic, be  a lad and carry the unconscious girl. I think she’s too heavy for the little one.”[/b][/color] Shinto ordered Dominic 

	[color=crimson][b]"You got it, Shinny my boy!"[/b][/color] Dominic said.

	Just like Dominic does when Shinto does just that, he grabbed the unconscious girl over the teen’s shoulders. Whether she wanted him to or not, it would be a lot easier if Dominic was the one to do it. Time was not on their side and they needed all of the seconds that they could manage.