Frozen Hell

Lana looked into his eyes with her green ones, marveling at just how wonderful they really were. Using her other arm, she wrapped it around the back of Balo's neck and brought him closer, foreheads touching. Absently, she leaned forwards and pressed her lips against his, kissing him yet again.

Balo couldn't help it this time. He began to kiss her back. He held there for a few seconds before breaking off. "Getting a little greedy aren't we? Although now it seems you are all better."

"Yeah..." Lana answered weakly as she tried to sit up, wincing a bit.

"Hold your horses there. You just drank nearly half you body weight in blood. I doubt you will be able to move properly for a few minutes. Just sit there and rest." Balo pulled up a chair next to Lana. "In the mean time, how about your speech?"

"...Huh? What speech?"

Balo sighed. "I told you needed to give a formal saying allowing me to be your guardian remember? The blood drinking was the first part now comes the verbal part of it."

"..." Lana turned her head away. "What happens if I don't allow you to be my guardian? Will you still be with me?"

"Hard to be by your side if I am dead not isn't it. That's how it works. We are guardians. If our masters don't want us then we serve no purpose. If we serve no purpose then we have no reason to stay in this world."

"That's how things work for us."

Lana sighed and gazed into his eyes once more. "It's just...nevermind. I'll do it."

Taking a deep breath, she prepped herself and spoke. "Balo Fry...I, Lana Black, accept you as my guardian from now on until the day that I die." Hopefully that was good enough for the guardian.

Balo knelt down on one knee and closed his eyes as she began to ceremony. Upon completion, the crest on his left hand began to glow red and his eyes went black. Something was also going on with Balo's mental state. As Lana's guardian, Balo's brain was becoming in sync with hers. This way he could respond to a potentially deadly situation swiftly and effective before it became out of hand.

"See? That wasn't so hard was it?"

"No..." Lana smiled and traced the crest on his left palm. "Will you...always be with me?"

Balo took her hand in his. "Forever and always. I will always be there to protect you and comfort you. Don't you worry about that." With his free hand, he brushed Lana's face with the back of his hand.

Lana leaned into the touch, loving the feel of his hand against her face. She then took his hand in hers and kissed it softly, caressing his face.

Balo just loved how Lana looked in her dress. He also really liked her long, black hair. Basically he admired everything about her. Her figure, her eyes, her hair, her skin, her lips...

Before he knew it, he was pressing his rough mouth to her soft, cherry lips.

She was a bit surprised at her new guardian's sudden act, but quickly melted into the kiss. It felt so wonderful, and a voice in the back of her head was telling her that this was what she had wanted all along, and she couldn't help but agree. All this time she had grown feelings for Balo, ever since she had met him in Eshta Fer for the first time, and now she could finally reveal them without the fear of rejection. Breaking off the kiss, Lana moved her lips to gently kiss at the tender skin of her guardian's neck, holding him close so that she could whisper in his ear.

"I love you, Balo Fry. I always have...and I always will. Forever and always."

Balo smiled to himself. "You don't need to tell me that. I already know." He pointed to his head. "Our minds are linked now if you haven't noticed. All the same, it is wonderful to hear it said out by your voice." Balo grabbed the back of her neck and went back to kiss Lana.

"True...but there is no better way to know how someone truly feels without hearing the words come from their lips." Lana mused and kissed him again, pulling away. She went to sit down at the piano and flexed her fingers. "Those words were just the essence of what I really want to say. I can't just tell you, I have to show you."

Lana then began to play the piano, a soft melodic rhythm flowing throughout the room...and then she began to sing.

Once in a while
You are in my mind
I think about the days that we had
And i dream that these would all come back to me
If only you knew every moment in time
Nothing goes on in my heart
Just like your memories
How I want here to be with you
Once more

You will always gonna be the one
And you should know
How I wish I could have never let you go
Come into my life again
Oh, don't say no
You will always gonna be the one in my life
So true, I believe i can never find
Somebody like you
my first love

Once in awhile
Your are in my dreams
I can feel the warmth of your embrace
And I pray that it will all come back to me
If only you knew every moment in time
Nothing goes on in my heart
Just like your memories
And how I want here to be with you
Once more
yah yah yah

You will always be inside my heart
And you should know
How I wish I could have never let you go
Come into my life again
Please don't say no
Now and forever you are still the one
In my heart
So true, I believe I could never find
Somebody like you
My first love
oh oh

You will always gonna be the one
And you should know
How I wish I could have never let you go
Come into my life again
Oh, don't say no
You will always gonna be the one
So true, I believe I could never find
Now and forever

Balo listened to the song through it's entirety but towards the beginning he conjured up black flames that resembled people. They began to dance on top of the piano. It was beautiful and mystifying at the same time.

Seeing the black-flamed figures dancing only made Lana want to join them. A quick sweep of her hand and now there were several more figures, this time of ice. They gestured to the flame figures, as if asking for a dance. A few of them were holding instruments, and soon an amazing melody filled the room. Lana began dancing to it, her moves becoming quicker as the tempo sped up, singing with great vigor.

All along I was searching for my Lenore
In the words of Mr. Edgar Allan Poe
Now I'm sober and nevermore
Will the raven come to bother me at home
Calling you
Calling you home
You
Calling you
Calling you home

By the door you said you had to go
Couldn't help me any anymore
This I saw coming long before
So I kept on staring out the window
Calling you,
Calling you home...
You,
Calling you,
Calling you home...

I am a natural entertainer
Aren't we all holding pieces of dying ember?
I'm just trying to remember who I can call,
Who can I call?

Home,
Calling you,
Calling you...

I run a secret propaganda
Aren't we all hiding pieces of broken anger?
I'm just trying to remember who I can call,
Who can I call?

Born in a war of opposite attraction
It isn't, or is it a natural conception?
Torn by the arms in opposite directions
It isn't, or is it a Modernist reaction?

Born in a war of opposite attraction
It isn't, or is it a natural conception?
Torn by the arms in opposite directions
It isn't, or is it a Modernist reaction?

Is it like this?
(Born in a war of opposite attraction)
Is it always the same?
When a heartache begins,
(Torn by the arms in opposite directions)
Is it like this?

Do you like this?
(Born in a war of opposite attraction)
Is it always the same?
Will you come back again?
(Torn by the arms in opposite directions)
Do you like this?

Is it always the same?
And will you come back again?
Do you like this?
Oh, do you like this?

Is it like this?
(Born in a war of opposite attraction)
Is it always the same?
(It isn't, or is it a natural conception?)
(Torn by the arms in opposite directions)
If you change your phone number,
(It isn't, or is it a Modernist reaction?)
Will you tell me?

Is it like this?
Is it always the same?
When a heartache begins,
Is it like this?

If you like this,
Will you remember my name?
Will you come play it again,
If you like this?
Oh, do you like this?

"That was beautiful. Almost as beautiful as you..."

Lana blushed and walked to the balcony, sitting on the rail and folding her hands in her lap. "...I'm not beautiful..." She mumbled, the blush still on her face. Truth be told, no one had ever told her that...

Balo stood in front of her. "Yes you are. Everything about you is beautiful." Balo brushed away some of Lana's hair that fell over her face.

Her blush intensified as she heard those words. "How can that be true...when you've now seen my true nature? I'm an animal, Balo...a living yet dead creature that will kill anything that stands in it's way with a raving thirst for blood of the innocent. How can that be considered beautiful?" She turned her head and closed her eyes, feeling a tear slid down her cheek.

Balo brushed away the tear. "As am I and you saw it firsthand. We are both the same. We both love each other for the same reasons." Balo had smirk on his face and put his finger to her forehead.

"I think you are beautiful for the same reason you are thinking that about me."

Lana didn't know what to say...but when that finger made contact with her skin, she shut her eyes. A warm feeling soon spread throughout her body, a feeling so wonderful that it couldn't be described in words. Lana soon felt herself lean against Balo, burying her face into his chest and holding his hand.

"...Thank you, Balo..." She whispered, moving to kiss her guardian.