Disclaimer: I do not own Blazblue just the words below

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On the outskirts of Kagutsuchi, near several dilapidated buildings, the silhouettes of two figures could be seen in the weak winter sunlight. It was quite the mismatched pair for one of them was a member of the NOL whilst the other was their sworn enemy. Yet instead of trading blows, they were trading words instead.

"How long do you plan on hanging around? What did you say your name was...Noel?" The man with white hair and a red coat asked the girl in the blue uniform beside him.

"Huh?" The girl called Noel uttered as she snapped out of her day dream when she realised that Ragna the Bloodedge had asked her a question. "Oh, yes. Um...I'm sorry"

"What's with the apology? You didn't do anything" Ragna said getting slightly annoyed at the girl's constant apologies. She was starting to sound like a broken record to him.

"I...I'm sorry" She repeated weakly as she stared down at her feet not seeing Ragna's left eyebrow twitch when she spoke.

"You don't have anything else to do here, right?" He asked before growling in exasperation. "You being here is really starting get on my nerves"

Instead of slowly backing away in case Ragna decided to add her to his list of opponents he had defeated, Noel awed in what seemed to be sadness and disappointment.

"Now what?" Ragna asked starting to get irritated.

"No, it's nothing" Noel said shaking her head. "I just...thought we could talk for a while"

Ragna could not believe what he was hearing. Here was a girl-okay, a woman that just lacked the maturity and looks of one-who was with the Novus Orbis Librarium, his enemy. Yet, instead of trying to apprehend him, she wanted to talk to him? Then again, she did pound his chest in fury at the scare he gave her earlier on.

"Why would I waste my breath?" He snapped as he turned his back on her. He had enough people breathing down his neck without adding another to the list.

"Why do you have to talk that way?" Noel asked sounding upset.

"Just go away" Ragna said coldly despite feeling ashamed of what he was doing.

Noel just stared at the man's back as if wanting to protest but instead just sighs in defeat.

"Ok" She whispered before bringing out her military persona. "Ragna the Bloodedge, I will go this time, but when we meet again, it will be as enemies"

With that said, Noel quickly vacated the area where she and Ragna were talking. Even though she did not look back she still heard Ragna's last words to her and felt her heart clench.

"Geez. Don't ever come back"

"Ugh! Seriously, what is wrong with that man! I can't believe the nerve of him!" She fumed out loud once she was out of earshot as she stomped down the beaten path before her. "He doesn't have to say things like that to me!"

Noel suddenly stopped in her tracks as another thought occurred to her.

"Did...I do something wrong?" She asked the wind before shaking her head and continued on walking. "No...I didn't. I know I didn't. At least I think I didn't..."

Noel stopped in her tracks again sighing in depression as she looked over her parting words to the man in the red coat.

"Seriously though" She huffed as she began walking again. "He didn't have to be so rude to me"

Lost in her thoughts, Noel kicked at the ground in a mixture of frustration and sadness. When her foot brushed through something cold, wet and solid, Noel glanced down to find herself in the middle of a grove of trees that were covered in snow.

Despite it being the appropriate time of year for the frosted fluff, the Hierarchical city's climate manipulation Ars Magus usually kept the place looking like a warm summer's day. Either there was a malfunction with the Armagus or the huge Ars Magus that had appeared briefly overnight during the NOL officer's confrontation in the bowels of Kagutsuchi created a temporal hole in the barrier.

Staring at the stuff she had only seen from afar, Noel jumped slightly when she heard the sounds of footsteps passing by her location as well as a familiar voice grumbling incoherently. Whether it was the man's earlier words or being able to tread through snow for the first time, Noel felt something inside her blossom as a childish smile blemished her face.

"Damn it. Why does everyone want to butt into my business? It's really starting to get on my nerves" Ragna grumbled as he walked wherever his feet were taking him. "What I do is none of their concern"

Anything else he wanted to moan about was abruptly interrupted by a white sphere exploding off his back. Jerking forward at the force, Ragna whirled around in time to see a smiling Noel a good twenty feet from him before a second snowball struck him clean in the face.

"Gah! What the hell?" He exclaimed as he brushed the snow off his face to glare at his assailant. "What in the world are you playing at? And why is there snow inside Kagutsuchi?"

"Who cares, let's just enjoy the moment!" Noel giggled before scooping up another handful of snow, compacted it and threw it at Ragna who actually had to move to the side to avoid the speeding projectile.

"Did you fall and hit your head, idiot?" He asked sounding bewildered. Not even ten minutes ago, the person before him was practically a mumbling weakling. Now she seemed to be all happy-go-lucky for some strange reason. He had to admit, she was cuter when she was smiling.

(Wait a minute! Where did that come from?) He pondered to himself obviously surprised by his own admittance. Unfortunately, his sudden lack of focus allowed Noel to strike him again upside the head. This time sending him to the ground.

Noel laughed out loud at his misfortune and quickly ran off through the trees as Ragna sat up and spat out a mouthful of snow. Instead of walking away now whilst he had the chance, Ragna stabbed his sword into the ground behind one of the trees before following after the officer. He did not know why, but something about the cheerful blonde made him want to get even with her on equal terms.

Following the footprints to wherever Noel was hiding, Ragna instinctively ducked as a snowball suddenly sped towards him. Quickly scooping up a handful, Ragna flung it in the direction the earlier snowball came from causing Noel to yelp in fright as she ducked down. It was not because the snowball got her, she had been quick enough for it only to graze her beret, but the force of that alone knocked it clean off her head.

"T-That could have really hurt!" Noel cried out from where she was crouched on the ground.

"What happened to that cute little brat who wanted to enjoy the moment?" Ragna teased actually enjoying himself in something that did not include destroying another cauldron.

"I-I'm not a little brat!" Noel yelled back her cheeks tinged pinks by the other word Ragna called her.

Her glare vanished when she saw Ragna pick up another handful of snow and quickly jumped behind a tree before he could throw it at her. That turned out to be a bad move as Ragna threw the snowball at the tree with enough force that caused the snow that had settled on its branches to cascade down on top of her causing her to scream.

Ragna was unable to stop himself from laughing when he saw Noel covered in little mountains of snow on her head and shoulders.

"Ragna the Bloodedge" She growled softly before suddenly pouncing on him sending both to the ground. "You're finished!"

Grabbing handfuls of snow, Noel proceeded to cover Ragna's face, and even attempted to fill his shirt, with the stuff whilst Ragna tried to block her assault. Catching Noel's hands in his own, Ragna suddenly rolled over so that their positions were now reversed. Neither of them realising how close and intimate their position was as they caught their breath.

"Are you going to stop throwing snow at me, or would you prefer being buried again?" Ragna asked as he caught his breath his spiky hair now hanging limp over his face.

Having no idea why, Noel suddenly closed the remaining distance between them and covered Ragna's lips with her own. Despite being caught off guard, Ragna deepened the kiss as he moved his arms so that he was leaning on his elbows as Noel's arms wrapped themselves around his neck.

Perhaps now, Ragna might want Noel to stick around for a while.

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