Author's note: A rewrite of my orginal One-Shot. I hope I did it right.
It was another busy morning in Iselia as the half-elf woman taught her class. Pacing back and forth through the wooden schoolhouse, she reviewed each lesson from her book. Everyone had their eyes on her, well almost everybody. It did not take long for Raine to discover an uncooperative student.
To her dismay Lloyd has been sleeping in class again. It made her little brother, Genis, frown as he knew Lloyd was asking for trouble not following Raine's lessons. Grasping her piece of chalk, Raine was not amused with the young swordsmen's behavior.
"A century ago, recently the goddess power had diminished and the Desians had begun to rebuild their forces. After that time, the land starts become barren, plants were dying and the whole world was heading towards their destruction. The only way whereby the goddess power could be returned is the Chosen journey of World Regeneration." Genis told the story.
"World Regeneration, yeah whatever," Lloyd talked in his sleep as the whole class heard him snoring.
Before long, a piece of chalk was sent hurling at Lloyd's forehead. Upon impact, it made him fall off his chair and hit his head on the ground. The whole class was shocked, but laughing at the same time. As they witness Lloyd's fall, they also witness an intimating gaze at the teacher's face.
"Must you sleep through my lessons every time?" Raine asked with her arms folded.
"Yeah, it's not like there are other things to do then listen to your boring lectures about ruins all day." Lloyd yawned sarcastically.
"Uh-oh, he's done is now." Genis muttered as he knew what was coming next.
Raine was not happy about his statement. She felt like she was going to explode. "Boring? My lectures are boring, you say?"
Later on that day as school day came to close. "Alright, everyone class is dismissed. Be sure to review all the lessons in your notes." Raine reminded everyone leaving the school.
As Lloyd was about head to the door, Raine called out to him. "Lloyd, I need to have a word with you in private.
"Somebody's in trouble." Genis whispered taunting Lloyd while on his way out of the classroom.
When everyone was out, and it was just the two of them Lloyd was prepared for the worst. Raine sighed as she began. "What will I do with you? Out of all the students, you are the least bit corporative. And even your grades are unacceptable."
Lloyd ran his fingers through the back of his head. "It just slipped out Professor; I didn't really mean those things."
"Don't change the subject Lloyd. You know what I mean. Why can't you follow along like everyone else?"
"Fine, I get it. I'm stupid."
Raine slapped hers hands on the desk and shot back, "You are not stupid!" Raine took a breather to calm down. "Look I know you can get these things if you try. But at this point I don't know anymore."
"Are you giving up on me Professor?"
"Oh far from it Lloyd, even if student has no interest in learning, I never back down from teaching them. That is why I'm having you accompany me to ancient ruin sight tomorrow. It will just be the two of us, consider this an extra lessons. We go at dawn so don't be late."
Lloyd was behind surprise, "Okay Professor."
"And if you don't show up, I will hold you back a year."
Genis stood waiting for Lloyd by the school house. But he didn't hear everything that was said. When Lloyd took his leave, Genis met up with him. He was dying for any details on his punishment as the two walked through the village. "So what did she want? Knowing you I guess you received more lectures than usual."
"Yeah, no matter what she won't let up on how she loves ruins and all that crap. It's kind of creepy. Either way, it doesn't matter."
As the Rooster did his morning crow to the rising the sun, Lloyd ate breakfast quickly and hurried to Iselia. He got there as quick as he could through the mountain path, since Raine did not tolerate lateness. Everyone was still asleep. Even if the sun was up, not a sound was made.
"You made it as I knew you would." Raine noticed. "It certainly saves me the trouble of having to drag you out of bed."
"That's harsh Professor." Lloyd said catching his breath.
"When it's just the two of us? Let us be on our way, the lesson shall begin. Be sure to follow along."
"Right I'm right behind you Raine."
Along their travels, they stumbled across an old tower that was centuries old. It was mostly rusty with leaves and dust that surrounded the building. Lloyd glanced at the tower with non-surprise, but Raine was deeply fascinated on the environment. Her eyes sparkled by every sight of the ruin. She was determined to learn more as she pulled Lloyd along the ride. "Lloyd, do you know what this is?"
"A really old tower," Lloyd guessed from the top of his head.
"This is the Tower of Mana. It contains all the information from journeys of the Goddess and the Great War and other stuff as well."
"So it's like big library?" Lloyd inquired.
"Exactly, and it's just free for the learning. It's so fascinating on how it remained for so long." Raine rambled. "Come Lloyd there is more to explore."
Through the mighty big tower, lights were dim and floor was solid marble. They could almost see their reflection through the place. It was like fancy museum. "So many books here, filled with wonderful knowledge. I can almost taste it." Raine Ruinophilia kicked in high gear.
"Professor, aren't we here regarding my lesson?" Lloyd reminded Raine in her mode.
The teacher cleared her throat as she calmed down. "Ah yes, as I was saying Lloyd these ruins serve as monument to the great events that impacted this world. It mostly served as a meeting point for the gods and goddesses to determine their next move. It also connects to the Heavens some would say." Raine touched the wall. "Each and every one of these books is filled with unparalleled knowledge. Some even that I don't know about. It's beautiful."
"That's a lot of books I'd say there are more than one thousand stored in here."
"Not even close, I calculate five million stored in this tower all in order from top to bottom. This is also the place where the Summon Spirits Luna and Aska reside. They are the Summon Sprits of light." Raine continued to teach walking together with Lloyd.
Lloyd was still scratching his head; it was a lot to take in for him.
"You must have went to lots of schools to gain this much insight, right?" Lloyd asked.
Raine shook her head. "Wrong, I never actually had been to school.
"I never notice someone could be so smart without going to schools."
"It wasn't easy Lloyd." She replied. "Either way, moving on, the tower also served as power source to this world supplies it with countless amounts of Mana from the Heavens to the lands." Raine taught Lloyd. Before her next story, she noticed Lloyd gone from her sight. She caught the boy looking up with fascination eyes like hers.
"All the information in these books, it's so overwhelming." He continued to glaze.
"Yes it is." Raine stood by him. As the teacher went further, a trap with sprung. Lloyd saved her from the multiple arrows shot her way. But that wasn't all. Monstrous bats swarm at them like an ambush.
"Raine. Has this tower ever had booby traps?" Lloyd took her hand and started to run from the bats.
"No, there was never any."
As they continued their run, the floor collapsed on them. It was millisecond as Lloyd grabbed Raine's hand as he hung from the edge. "This cannot get any worse." It wasn't over as water sudden came down on the two of them. Before long, they were not being washed down into the hole.
While submerged, Raine started to fear the worst event to happen. Lloyd heard her cry for help as he held her in his arms. It was only a limited of time before their air ran out. Lloyd felt the piece of the stone to find hollow area. With a little breath left, Lloyd stabbed the stone as the water started to drain out. Both were relived to finally catch their breath.
This did not go the way it planned. Lloyd and Raine found themselves resting on the wall in lost sanctuary. All they had was their belongings and the warm fire to warm each other. It was just their Lloyd's jackets that were hung out to dry "Are you okay Raine?" Lloyd asked with concern.
Raine was still in shock. "Yes, thank you. I think I'll be fine." Even if she said so, Lloyd could still detect the fear in her body.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Lloyd asked again.
"I'm fine Lloyd." She shot back, still hiding her fear. As drop of water come down on her face, Raine screamed closing in on Lloyd. She grabbed on Lloyd black shirt burying her face inside.
"You're afraid of water, are you Raine?"
She wanted to deny it, yet the feeling was all over her face. She took a deep breath as she backed away to explain herself. "When I was little girl to explore a lost civilization, I saved Genis from drowning in the water, but I didn't know how to swim myself. I could barely keep up. I found myself at the bottom deep with no way out. I thought I was going to die."
"I see that most have been terrible." Lloyd quickly changed the subject. "I guess you still like ancient ruin sights at that age."
"Yes, I always had grown a deep fascination with them when I was your age. I wanted to explore the wonders and the mystery behind the ruins. Just the sight of them told a story about its past life," Raine smirked.
"I guess you get it more than I do, which is way I never understand anything your saying." Lloyd let out a joke.
"Don't act so proud of yourself. Like I said, I know you can get these things if your try, yet you always fail." Raine remarked.
"Yeah, I never been really good at using me head."
"At this point you'll be better off not using your head. You act based off your senses. You follow your natural instinct. You're not afraid to lay your life on the line for anybody. You put others needs before your own." Raine stated. "Everyone has their weaknesses Lloyd but it's nothing to be ashamed about."
"You mean, you're cooking skills?" Lloyd inquired.
"I hate to admit it but your right. Genis does it better than I do. Most big sisters often cook for their little brothers, but I'm not one of them." Raine said sadly.
Lloyd chuckled for bit.
"You're going overboard with the laughing." Raine reminded.
Lloyd cleared his throat. "Sorry, but I just never heard you talk about yourself this much."
"You may be my student Lloyd, but that does not mean you're not my friend."
As their conversation went on Lloyd tried to find a way out of the tavern. Never had the young swordsmen imagine that he would hear his teacher express herself this much. He felt that relationship was forming around him and her. He still kept Raine close to him, due to her fear. Lloyd felt a thick wall as he intended to break it.
Raine caught his hand. "What are you doing, what if it's another trap?"
"This part is not stable enough, so if we hurry I'm sure we can get out of here. I'll protect you all the way Professor." Lloyd winked.
"What more do we have to lose?"
Using the power of his Exsphere, he busted through the solid wall. As they took their leave, Lloyd grabbed Raine's hand tight. He was determined to protect his friends at all cost. There was no turning back. It was race against the clock. "Stay behind me Raine." He advised his teacher.
Rock, spikes and dropped down on the two like a hailstorm. Arrows even back now coming from the left and right walls. All they had to do was keep running. There wasn't enough time to dodge the obstacles. It was like endless trap. When Lloyd noticed a cliff at the end, he grabbed Raine and took a quick leap without second thoughts.
"Next time warn me, when you're going to do something so reckless." Raine said bushing herself off.
"Like you said, I follow my natural instincts."
They witness the Tower of Mana collapse before their very eyes. This could not be the same tower according to legend as checked around for any remains. The ruble of the tower turned into dirt and the wind blow it away. She observed the dust. "I thought so. This tower is counterfeit."
"You mean it's a fake. I guess someone wanted to cash in on the real thing, so they made a duplicate."
"I was looking forward to explore the Tower of Mana. I think it's rather disgraceful that someone tried to copy such a fine ruin. And I didn't even get something to remember it by."
"I would not be so sure." Lloyd presented her a marble artifact that was real.
Words could not describe how surprised she was. "Lloyd, where did you get this from?"
"I picked it up, when we were stuck down there. I know how much you love these things. And I did learn a lot on our lesson."
Raine held the artifact in both hands. "Thank you Lloyd, really, thank you. You're always someone I count always count on. And that is what I love about you."
Lloyd offered her hand. "Let's go home Raine."
When she took his hand, the light had already vanished as night had taken the skies. The school teacher felt her student warm embrace as they were close together. She felt safe in his arm. It was her personal shelter.
Following his instincts, Lloyd closed in to the elf woman's lips. Even if she wanted to push away she found herself embracing him further in his lips. After the kiss broke up, Raine turned her back with both fingers on her lips. Could it be that she was felling more for Lloyd then she ever imagine, because Lloyd sudden approached said it all.
"I suppose you never imagine that didn't you?"
"Flattery will not get you out of anymore lessons. And Lloyd you know when I said I bring you here for lesson." Raine admitted. "Truth is I needed someone to come with me to the ruin sight, because it would feel weird going by myself again. So once again thank you for coming with me."
"Sure Raine." Lloyd said holding her hand as Raine did the same heading home.