Title: Truce
Character: Author and MinTo_Be
Point of View: Third Point of View

Plot Summary: Continuation of Formalities

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Now let's see... Thus the story going so far, things have been way out of the usual wavelength for both of them. And total no sign of getting along. Well usually, people would have given up for so long trying to get along with others who weren't compatible with each other unless they were on the same wavelength or patient.

Well here's the deal though.

Dawn was never patient to begin with.

"Damn it Aria." Dawn gritted her teeth as she tries to hold onto her. "Stop squirming."

"AAAAAAH!!" Aria moaned.

Outside Aria's bedroom, Marianne and Charmaine heard her screams and smiled. "Ah, I'm glad they're finally getting along." Marianne chirped happily.

Charmaine nodded along and went to her side.

"Don't make those sounds!" Dawn scolded. "People will hear you!"

Downstairs, Kaden was holding onto his daily newspaper. Looking at the direction to where the source is, Kaden sigh and shook his head.

"Ah, kids. They grow up so fast." And continues his routine.

Charmaine looked back at Marianne and closed her hands together, saying. "I hope things don't get too rough in there."

"I agree. Children must have had a new kind of way of fun." Marianne nodded with her eyes closed, as if it was a serious matter.

"AAAAHHH p-please..." Aria begged. "S-stop touching meeeee!!!"

"Ngh!" The sound of big thud was heard as Dawn continues. "If you move too much, it'll make things harder for the both of us!"

"I don't care! L-leave me alone!!" Aria stuttered, squirming out of her touch.

Another loud thud was heard, making the pain visible in Marianne and Charmaine's faces as they flinch.

"Sometimes I wonder, what do kids do this days?" It was a rhetorical question for Charmaine, so Marianne left it as that and they both laugh their way downstairs.

"I don't think we'd like the answer." Marianne said after a moment.

"Indeed." Charmaine nodded.

But then, "KYAAAAAHH!!!" Aria screamed once more and the two laides turned their heads, horrified expressions were plastered on their faces. "Charmaine!!!!! Help meeeee-"

"Ow...! Don't be too rough, Aria! Just remove your clothes and it'll be over." Dawn said.

"EEEEK!? Nooo- I..I'm not doing it with you!" Aria widen her eyes.

Charmaine's face morphed into a worried expression and cupped her ears when she said. "D-did you hear my name? I think I heard my name being called."

"Really?" Marianne hummed in question. "Must have been your imagination."

The two ladies laughed at the idea and moved onward, deeper into the house where Aria and Dawn won't be heard.

"N-noooooo!!!" Aria cried. "TRAITORS." She's triggered, alright.

Apparently in the end, Dawn won the battle. Seeing her hair was quite a mess and her breathing turned ragged a bit as she pulled a newly clothed Aria behind her, her arms crossed.

"Oh my, going somewhere?" Marianne ask cheerfully, seeing as both Dawn and Aria were side by side together. Even if it may seem odd as they looked like they had been in their own World War.

"Just heading outside for a walk." Dawn smile as she use her free hand to comb her hair. "I'm bringing Aria with me."

"I'm not a thing, you can't just bring me anywhere." Aria argued.

"Yeah, your not a doll but your still coming with me." Dawn frown slightly. "Now come on and stand up, we don't have all the time in the world."

"No, go away." Aria pushed Dawn's hand away.

With a defeated sigh, Marianne shook her head at them and said as she turned to the other side. "I'll leave you two to it, just make sure to bring Aria home in one piece." She warned.

Nodding in approval, Dawn sigh as she stares at Aria. "You've got two choices. Come or I'm carrying you."

Before Aria could disagree, Dawn continued.

"And you can't say no or else I'm dragging your feet."

"Neither are good choices, so let's do vice versa." When Dawn gave her a confused look, she continued. "Either you leave me alone or I don't come with you, like, ever."

Another sigh escape. "Guess we're doing this the hard way."

Before she know it, Dawn had tugged her wrist and carried her over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Kyaaaah!" Aria screamed like a girl being rap- ehem- sorry, I meant a child getting her toy stolen from her.

Having a quick body, she twisted Dawn's arm and got out of her grip. In one swift move, Aria swung her right foot under her and Dawn fell on her butt.

Adding a quick reflex, Aria pulled Dawn by the collar and raised one fist. "Touch me again and you'll regret it." She threatened.

"Wow, nice skills." Dawn praise as she raise both hands above. "But did you know? Your actually quite cute."

"I've had enough of you." Aria finally let go of Dawn and turned around to where the stairs was. "I told you already, leave me the hell alone."

"I won't." Dawn said sternly but quickly change into a cheerful one. "Plus you made a slight mistake."

In return, Dawn once more carried her and this time put her inside an actual sack and closed it as she carried it.

"Never. Ever. Let your guard down." Dawn grin as she opens the door and shout. "Be back at 6!"

And finally close it.

~~~

"Mfhmhfmfhfmfh...!?"

"Geez, playing rough, are we?." Dawn shook her head as she put down the sack to a certain tree and slowly opened it.

In a blink of an eye a fist shot out to Dawn and punched her straight on the throat.

"Gah!" Dawn stumbled down from the pile of leaves, leaving her alone grasping onto her throat. "Fisting, really!? You really must have wanted it bad!"

Taking the last limb out from the sack, Aria dusted off her pale blue off shoulder blouse and shot Dawn an icy glare, silently staring her down.

Coughing back, Dawn stood up, a grin forming on her face. "Jokes aside, we're here."

Gesturing, Dawn lets Aria take on her surrounding. "Where'd you drag me?" Aria spat.

"The forest behind the school yard." Dawn simply shrug. "Thought I'd show you this place."

"I've known this place since I first came here." Aria scoffed. "You could've just told me were going here."

"Stupid right?" Dawn smiles and look up as she hold onto the tree. "But I bet you haven't seen what's above."

"A hammock." Aria said with a bored tone. "Your bet's even more stupid."

"That's quite the perception." Dawn's eyes widen in surprise. "I couldn't even see that far. But as I was saying, no, not that."

Raising her foot, she climbs slowly and waited at the first branch.

"Come on, I'll show you. I promise it'll be breath taking."

Rolling her eyes, Aria grumbled something in her breath and followed, climbing a branch of her own.

"And they say no one could warm them up." Dawn giggle as she continue forth.

"None of this are warm ups." Aria said with an annoyed tone.

Face palming, Dawn shook her head. "Seriously, this is why you need to try getting along with others than being cold."

"One more word about me and I'll pull your leg from here." Aria threatened.

Grumbling, Dawn salute. "Yes Princess."

"It's Queen actually. Ice Queen, to be exact." Aria correct with a smirk.

"Oh? Apologies, your Majesty." Dawn played along with her free hand holding onto the branch as she turned around and bow down. "Your humble servant is here to served you."

"You've been rejecting my orders a lot, peasant." Aria continued the act, a snobby accent lacing her voice. "So now you shall receive my punishment."

"Apologies once more, my Queen." Dawn said truthfully. "As your loyal companion, I was merely expressing my thought of shedding some light for you rather than being forced to be hurt."

"The heck does that mean?"

Preferring silence to be the answer, the rustle of branches and leaves left in their wake didn't give it as a option.

Close by, Dawn muttered to her breath, hoping somewhat Aria never heard her say, "It was an accident."

If Aria ever did hear it, she didn't say anything. Reaching the last of the branch in the tree, they stop climbing and Aria raised an eyebrow. "What are you showing me?"

Hustling herself to her favorite hammock, Dawn check her watch. "We still have a few more minutes, so what do you want to do?"

"So you're showing me time." Aria said flatly, a bored expression plastered on her face. "That's dumb."

"Silly Queen, if people kept waiting for time to pass." Dawn said as she look towards the town just afar. "Then what do you ever plan to do? Surely, you'd have to control your people to victory or something?"

"You're going off topic peasant." Aria huffed. "Now off you go, show me what you need to show me and do it quick. I have no time for such lowly humans like you." She shooed Dawn away and crossed her arms, still acting in character.

"One more minute" Dawn announce before she continues. "Rather than controlling your people, you prefer shooing them away?"

"Controlling people that doesn't follow your orders are completely utterly ridiculous especially since one of those people are," Aria took in a dramatic breath and gave Dawn a once over. "You."

"And those people, like me, ridiculously crazy they may be," Dawn roll her eyes and huff. "Act on their own free will. Not just because they do it for themselves." She then turns to Aria with a slight genuine smile. "But maybe because they want do to it for others sake. Even though, knowingly they won't get any reward or whatever. They just do."

"Now you're really not making any sense." Aria rolled her eyes. "But you know, I wasn't lying when I said I have no time. If you don't show it now I'll leave in an instant." Turning her back against Dawn, she prepared herself in jumping down the tree she climbed on.

"5...4...3..." Dawn count down in cue. "And there we have it."

It was actually just the sun setting down, gleaming down its rays towards the town.

"Well?" Dawn chuckle slightly. "Guess that's the end of it all."

"A sunset." Aria said dryly. "Wow, it's the first time I've seen one, I'm scared~" She muttered with a high pitched voice dramatically.

As much as Dawn would like to continue playing along, she had to make a choice. A second of hesitation filled before she replied.

"How would you like things to turned out in the end, Aria?"

"Easy, watch you disappear."

"Thought so." Dawn sigh but it wasn't a defeated one, rather it felt relief. "How about you and Kaden and Marianne? What are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing, does it look like we have problems with each other?" Aria sounded with an annoyed tone.

"Doesn't it?" Dawn pointed out. "Having to lose the same feeling you had when you were younger. Those moments you enjoyed with them. Isn't that one of the reason why you-"

"Why I'm what? Come on, finish that sentence." She cut her off, her blood boiled at what Dawn was about to say.

Without hesitation, Dawn answered sternly. "Why you hated the change that have happened."

Change.

"What do you know? After all, I think we're both aware that you're the reason of this change."

"I know." Dawn sigh. "So I thought some time, if changes could happen, then it may be possible to revert it back the way it used too."

"Right, because the only possible way to correct this change is by you leaving." Aria said without thinking.

"Exactly." Dawn announce. "I'm leaving."

Surprise attacked Aria, she didn't think she'd give up that easily but she also knew that by letting her know she was surprise would make Dawn feel better.

"Then do it quick." Aria said without hesitation.

"You really don't hold back, do you?" Dawn flash a smile before heading down quickly.

After dusting herself, her figure left.

But being Aria, she followed her down and watched her silently, observing her properly.

She did left.

With an emotionless expression, Aria turned on her heel and went back in the direction of her house, not once looking back at Dawn's retreating figure.

If she left, would everything really go back?

~~~

With all that said and done, Dawn was back at square one. Totally lost, alone, and wandering with no place to go.

She really meant it when leaving the household. It was fun while it last, even though she was just there to make things better or worse for certain people.

Sighing under her breath as she walk to a certain street, she couldn't help but contradict herself. There she was. With a new family. A new life. A chance. And yet, once more, she had thrown it in the gutter for others sake. How much more would she have to endure to keep herself from falling apart and playing Felix Jr.? She doesn't know.

Even to all that, there was a slight spark within. If things goes right, if Aria would do what she needed too, then it may be possible for everything to go back to how it was.

Unless it backfired...

Well, Marianne and the others would be damn worried when they found out she was gone. Then again, playing dead and all is what she was good at. Here she was, playing manipulation with her family. How considerate.

Another sigh produce from her mouth. Where in the world does she plan to stay at the moment?

As if Lady Luck appeared, she called out to her. "Dawn? What are you doing here?"

"Searching." Dawn reply with her signature smile. "You?"

Raising the bag of groceries answered her question. "What or who are you searching for?"

Dawn open her mouth but quickly close it. Was it worth it to tell? Could she trust her?

"You know you can." Annabeth brought a smile. "After all, you did save me."

Ah, the past alright. She was doing it on a general thing that she hadn't noticed someone was looking out for her.

"Reading my mind?" Dawn chuckle. "Quite the scary power you have."

"I can only read yours." Annabeth chime but quickly shook it off. "So? What happened?"

"Gave what Aria wanted the first place." Dawn sigh first before saying it in one breath.

"Haven't found a place to stay?" Annabeth check.

"Nope. Nada." Dawn nod.

Raising the plastic bag close to Dawn, who gave her a questioning look, Annabeth said. "Your carrying the bags, I'll show you the way."

Taking it in her hands with her brow furrowed, Dawn ask. "To where?"

"My home." Annabeth suggest. "There's another room for you to stay in."

Dumbfound, Annabeth simply walk ahead, not waiting for Dawn. When she finally realize what was happening, she followed behind.

"Thanks."

"Likewise."

~~~

Walking back home, Aria could feel the tiredness seeping through. How come Dawn was able to bring her to their school backyard in less than 30 minutes?

After all, Kaden had always brought Aria to school through car and it always took long to arrive.

Will she survive the walk back home or does she need to call her parents only to find out Dawn had left?

Thinking about it now, she knew Kaden would not be happy. What would she say if they find out Dawn's never coming back?

"Ariana?"

Lifting her head at the person calling, she came face to face with the people she had tried avoiding.

"Danes." Aria nod calmly in greeting.

This was the first time they saw each other again after their incident at school.

"Charles," Danes nudged the boy beside him and he looked up in surprise with the contact. "Ariana's here."

They both had similar bruises on their faces, Charles having a cut on his left side of his jaw and Danes having purple on his right side of the face.

"What w-where!?" Before Charles could get his answer, a blonde girl similar with Danes face spoke up.

"Who's this?" She laid one hand on her hip and pointed a glossy fingernail in Aria's direction.

If this girl plans on ruining her night walk back home, Aria was not having it. She didn't have time for more problems clouding her way from freedom.

Aria raised an eyebrow at her and Danes answered for her. "She's Ariana, our uh.." He looked over to Charles and nudged him again, earning a death glare from the other.

But then Ariana caught both their gazes and she replied boredly. "Enemy. I'm your enemy, or have you both forgotten already?"

Their mouth gaped and their search for words but air came out, their expressions showing that they didn't like the answer.

As if on cue, the blonde girl gasped, horrified. "You're enemies!?"

"No Stacia- She's not exactly our enemy, you see-" But Stacia, the Blondie did not listen to Charles.

In a different situation, Aria would have made fun of the two if it weren't for the fact that Stacia looked just about to lash herself at her.

Before she knows it, Stacia flicked her fingers and called someone behind them. "BOYS!!" She screamed their names.

"Stacia, I'm telling you she's not really our enemy!"

"Shut up brother, I'll just deal with her and it'll be done soon." Stacia spat.

"She could be joking!" Charles added.

Stacia flipped her hair behind her and gestured the boys to come near. Once they were in Aria's line of view, Stacia ordered. "Get rid of her."

Just as soon as she told them her order, the boys came and showed 3 boys who looked strong and stern.

"She's been giving my poor brother a bad time in school and he hasn't been telling me." Stacia continued.

All this time, as Aria stood silent, watching all of their exchange, she finally huffed in annoyance upon hearing her order. "Wow, what did I expect. Like sister like brother."

Stacia's eyes twitched and groaned as she put her hands on her hips again. "Of course we are, we're the best siblings out there after all. Right Hunter?" She smiled brightly at Danes, her eyes gleaming as if, if he would protest then he's better off dead.

"Seems like the opposite actually, your personalities are disgusting." Aria gave her an icy glare and Stacia gasped in mortification.

Not liking what Aria said, Danes frowned but he didn't let it get the best of him. Instead, he shook off his thought and held Stacia's arm tightly.

With a jerk of Danes head in Charles way, Charles nodded back and went to Aria's side. "You ready to fight for your life again?"

Suspicious, she looked at him and she shook her head with a smirk of her own. "Be careful Charles or I might think you want to be friends with me."

Frowning at her, he took his gaze away from her and didn't reply, turning his attention to the 3 boys approaching them.

On their right, Danes is seen gripping Stacia's arm tighter until she would comply. "Come on Stacia, that's enough." He said calmly.

"But she's bothering you! Look at how she treated you right now." Stacia gestured to Aria's direction and gave her a death glare.

Danes's eyebrows furrowed for a second and then he spoke. "I don't care about how she treats me, just drop it and tell your boys to go away."

Whining in protest, she wriggled out of his grip and gasped at the mark on her wrist. "Y-your hurting me!"

Tuning their conversation out, she focused on the boys in front of her and prepared herself.

Let's just hope the school clinic is still open.

"Actually on second thought," Danes came over to them quickly. "RUN!"

And with that, the fight began.

~~~

"How much farther~?" Grumbled the brown haired as she continues to follow beside Annabeth.

"Just a few more blocks." Annabeth reply. "You really are out of shape. Last we met, you were quite a jumble of joy, always running around causing trouble."

"That never left." Dawn put out her tongue. "If anything, I just want a peaceful life."

"Peaceful? Trouble always follow you." Annabeth pointed out with a slight roll on her eyes. "But I guess it's sort of reassuring."

"What? That my misfortune hates me and I always get the end side of the rope?" Dawn said with a frown. "As much as I like helping around, can't I at least have a break?"

Before Annabeth could reply, three figures pass by them swiftly.

"GET THEM!"

Before Dawn could realize what was happening, she found a girl running past them along with two boys. One blonde and the other brown haired. They seem to be running away from the voice behind them.

And then it took Dawn a moment to realize, the girl that whizz past them was Aria and same two figures behind her were Carlos's former friends.

But what caught Dawn off guard was the 3 people catching up behind them along with the girl in red heels and blonde hair following suit. "FASTER BOYS, ugh you're all so slow!!!"

"B-blondie!" Dawn stammered as she turned around.

"Hey Dawn, wasn't that--?" Annabeth didn't need to complete her sentence when Dawn followed behind. "Dawn! Hey! Wait up!"

Cursing under her breath, Dawn was not planning on letting things go that way.

"Damn it! Aria!"

~~~

Who knew that Charles and Danes were slower than a girl who's out of shape?

"H-hold up-" Charles panted, "Wait...for me!!" He said in between breaths.

Danes quickly got to Aria's side and they slowed down, noticing that the 3 enemies are far gone in the distance.

"Are they gone?" Charles asked, taking in large amounts of air.

Danes looked behind Charles and replied. "Yeah, we lost them."

Aria stayed alert though, she didn't talk to them and searched their surroundings.

She's getting near her house.

But then they heard the voices again and the two panicked. "PSYCH!" Danes immediately grabbed Charles by the shirt and pulled him for more boost.

Aria ran ahead of them and soon her thoughts clouded her mind.

I saw Dawn again, right?

Suddenly, her foot got caught and she tripped on mud, luckily her knees hit the round rather than her face and she was immediately swooped up by Charles and pulled her to quicken her pace again.

She wasn't alone.

As if on cue, Dawn appeared in the far distance and ran in their direction. Aria's eyes widened and she stopped abruptly causing Danes and Charles to stop halfway when they realize she wasn't following anymore.

"What are you waiting for, idiot!" Dawn scream. "Go!"

Snapping back to reality, before Aria could react, she was pulled by the wrist by Danes and they all ran along together.

Once Dawn was picking up her pace and side by side with the three, Charles and Danes slowed again and looked behind them. "It's okay, were clear." Charles muttered to them.

And then he turned to Dawn and gasped loudly, almost dropping to the floor from the shock. "Y-your the one that helped Carlos beat us!" His face turned red and he fumed with anger.

"What are you doing here?" Aria jumped in their conversation, staring Dawn down. She is curious to know why she followed them at least.

"What does it look like!?" Dawn growl rather angrily. "Blondie and her pack are playing wild goose chase with me. So I suggest you go hide somewhere quick while I lure them -"

"And then what?" Aria growled back. "You help us and then you get risk of being hurt? What kind of suggestion is that?"

Danes shut his mouth after seeing their interaction with each other, he looked at the two and shook his head at Charles when he was about to speak up.

"As much as I'd like to hear a better one, Princess. We don't have the time to argue about it." Dawn ask, gritting her teeth as she take turns looking around the area. "Just go already and it'll be over."

"No." Aria fought back. "Your coming with us."

Dawn hesitate as she observe Aria. What in the world was she thinking right now?

But stubborn as she was, Dawn shook her head in disapproval. "Sorry, but I don't think that's how it's going to work." Slowly giving a small smile, she remind. "After all, I'm leaving."

"Don't be dramatic, we can talk about this later on." Aria scoffed at her and look away. "Just please."

"Come with us, Dawn." She muttered.

It seemed like time frozen since this interaction with Aria and the emotion radiating from her was new to all of them.

And it's also the first time Aria had called her step sister by her name.

Sighing in defeat, Dawn curse under her breath. "Hate my misfortune." As if she was looking for answers within Aria's eyes from the sudden output, she reply. "Alright, Princess. You got me."

"It's Queen, you keep forgetting that." Aria smirked, going back to her usual self. "Guess your list of punishment increases."

And then they took off, all three followed behind Dawn as they searched their surroundings.

What's this I see? Their sister relationship grew? Wowzers. Who knew ice queens can melt too?

~~~

Now where was they? Oh right, they were still running away from Blondie and her crew. Being the eldest one, Dawn had to decide on which area should they enter to make their pirates abandon their ship.

Checking on her watch, she frown. 5:30. There was only 30 minutes left before Aria could head back home. She was not going to make anyone worried and angry for being out late after announcing that.

Then again, who was she to complain!? She was planning to leave anyway. Shaking the thought off, Dawn halt to a stop and look at her left.

"They're gone." Danes announced.

Nodding in agreement, Charles sighed in relief and looked at them. "We should really head back home now."

Observing the two, Aria squinted her eyes at the blonde and the black haired boy. "Go on ahead, I'll talk to you in school."

After bidding farewell, Aria watched the two walk away until their figures left.

Then it took them a short silence until Dawn spoke up.

"Glad you let them go but it doesn't mean we're out of the woods."

"Your not getting away this time Crow." As if on cue, Stacia appeared alone.

Dawn's guard raise. Where was her friends? Shouldn't they be --

But before she could think, someone had appear and grab on Aria tightly.

"Gotcha!" Boy A, or known as Eric, said.

Aria struggled out of his hold and kicked him under, causing the stout boy to stagger back and put one arm on his shin.

Even so, Boy C, Miguel grab both her arms behind and push her head to the ground.

"Let. Me. Go!" Aria growled at the boy pinning her down.

Wriggling under his grip, she took a glance at Dawn and saw her face to face with Stacia.

Dawn, angered to see the situation, spat at Stacia. "You heard her. Let her go."

"Does it look like I'm the one touching her? Didn't think you had one blind eye." Stacia mocked with a smirk plastered on her face, her hips popped out in extra effort.

Aria took the chance to kick her leg back again, only to miss Miguel since he was too far from her leg's reach.

"If you think I did something bad to your brother then you're wrong." Aria seethe. "Actually, it's the other way around. In fact the bruises he has are his own cause since the day he and his friends ganged up on me."

If Stacia was surprised, she didn't show concern for it, instead she looked offended. "Hunter and his friends ganging up on you? What a lame excuse. Think I'd fall for that?"

Huffing at her, Aria smiled bitterly and replied "Apparently, yes. You and your brother are very similar. Except he's the one sticking up to their leader."

Her mouth gaped for a moment and she regained it quickly, placing one hand on hip and pointing her finger at Aria. She fumed. "You-"

Dawn simply block her way, glaring at her as she observe. "What? Go on, Blondie. Don't you have better things to do than play with dolls and toys?"

Instead of finishing her sentence, she jerked her head and a cocky smirk replaced her features. "Bring her in."

As soon as Boy B, Jericho, brought in the girl, Dawn's eyes widened.

"Annabeth!" Dawn rush in but was quickly stop by Jericho when he had pull her arm to the back than intended.

Annabeth bit her lower lip, not letting Jericho or anyone get the satisfaction of seeing her get hurt.

"Don't..." Annabeth struggled to say.

Dumbfound, Dawn had lost her composure, frantically searching for anything to hold on and fix their situation.

"You heard me Stacia, I did nothing to your brother. Let me go." Aria grit her own teeth.

"Hah! Beg for it then." Stacia laugh seriously, flipping her hair.

In a blink of an eye, Aria pulled her head back and hit Miguel square on the jaw. Groaning in pain, he let go of Aria but his legs still pinned her down.

Turning her body around she pushed Miguel out of the way and punch him on the nose. A loud crack heard within.

In an instant, Aria was at Dawn's side and prepared for the next move. Eric blindly followed behind her.

"I'd never beg for people lower than me." Aria smirked, happy with the result of Miguel's broken nose. "I am the Ice Queen after all, if you haven't noticed."

Still unable to move, Dawn slightly flinch and tremble after all what had transpire. She was glad Aria got of the situation but not yet with Annabeth.

"Tch," Stacia clenched her fist and turned around, stomping away. "Just finish them already."

And with that, the two boys went after Dawn and Aria, leaving Annabeth still on the arms of Jericho.

"Hey Aria." Dawn finally speak.

"Hm?" She hummed in response.

"Do you like promises?"

Raising an eyebrow at the timing of the question, Aria gave a look at Dawn and hesitated. "No. They're hopeless."

"Looks like we finally agreed to something." Dawn cheer as she look at her in the eye. "But I tend to keep mine."

Aria gave a confused look and shook her head as she thought better than to ask now, they are going to talk later on.

If Dawn will agree.

"Right." Aria said distracted by the adrenaline shooting in her veins as she focused on the three's movement.

"Great. Then it's in your hands." Suddenly Dawn carried Aria bridal style and throw her. "Carlos!"

"Holy sh-"

And then Carlos and his two former friends appeared.

"What th-"

~~~

Catching her in Carlos's arms, Dawn gave a wink and salutes.

"Glad to know you got the call, Charmander."

"Well, I'm glad to be of service then." Carlos gave a lopsided smile.

"How did you kn-" Aria was cut off by Carlos as he dropped her down on her feet gently.

"Dawn called me before she got to you, warned me about you getting in another trouble." He smirked, answering for her.

"But-"

"Charles and Hunter? We'll explain later, c'mon let's get out of here." Carlos reached out a hand and after a moment of hesitation, Aria took his offer with a grin.

Sighing in relief, Dawn turned her attention to the three, Annabeth still on Jericho's grasp. This time, she wasn't scared. An act of will brought down to her as she slowly walk towards them.

"Jericho." Dawn said simply yet it lingers with venom. A new expression to most people has yet to see. "Would you be kind to get off?"

"Hah, scared to lay a finger on me?" He taunts.

Dawn glare steadily. "I like to see you try on me."

Throwing her a cocky smirk, Jericho gave a signal to the two and said. "Then get pass them first."

With that the two ran in her direction and Eric shot a fist towards Dawn. Stopping on her track, Dawn ducks in time to give the same medicine directly to his stomach.

Taking his wrist, she pulls it to his back before kicking him down to the ground.

"Here's a few tips." Dawn started. "Learn your enemies."

A groan reach out as Eric tries to stand up once more. All of a sudden, Miguel was at her side and pulled his leg from behind.

Slightly slow, Dawn brought out both arms to block the kick, only to be pushed a few centimeters away and pathetically slip to the ground with rubbish on her side.

"Dawn!" Annabeth called out.

"Not the best continuation." Dawn flinch as she staggered.

An evil smile played on Miguel's lips, and Eric was now by his side. Before Dawn could realize, Eric was charging at her.

"Great." Dawn force her body to slide between Eric's legs then rising up to evade the upcoming Miguel behind him.

"Faster you slowpoke!" Miguel said, furious.

Smirking, Dawn brought her fist and jabbed Miguel's face. Not noticing it, Miguel's head bobbed to right, spewing saliva in every direction.

"Gross." Dawn muttered before continuing. "Tip two, think tactics while in battle."

Eric soon came up to her and tried holding her down in a chokehold. Once more, she had duck to swipe Eric off his feet.

"You bitc-" Not letting him finish, Dawn gave all what she had on that single punch, knocking him down.

"Another tip. Don't get distracted."

Letting Annabeth go, Jericho shrugged his shoulders back and handed Annabeth over to a marked face Miguel.

"Must be a challenge to fight you then." He praised but with a straight face. "But don't be too happy yet, you're only just starting."

And by that, he lashed out at Dawn and pinned her on the ground, locking her neck to a chokehold like what Eric tried.

Struggling, Dawn tries to push him off, gasping for air but to no avail. Slowly she felt herself slipping back to the darkness.

Not good!

Before she realized it, it ended.