Disclaimer: ToL belongs to Namco still.
Chapter 1
"Hey guys, I have a serious question for you," Norma said as the group sat on the floor in Senel's living room. "Where was the weirdest place that you've had passion?"
Will's eyes widened. "I beg your pardon?"
"Here, I'll go first," Norma continued. "My weirdest place would have to be the Crystal Forest."
"My weirdest place would have to be the Misty Mountains," Moses said.
"What about you, JJ?" Norma asked.
"My weirdest place? Probably...the Legacy's bridge," Jay replied.
"You don't mean during the battle with Vaclav?" Will asked.
"Yes, that's right."
"C?" Norma asked.
"Uh...I'd have to say...the Waterways," Chloe said.
"Oh, say no more. I know exactly what happened."
Chloe looked at her oddly. "No, you don't. You weren't even there."
"What about you, Shirley?" Senel asked.
"Hmm...my weirdest place would have to be...under the sea," Shirley said.
"Oooh..." the others cooed.
"Senny, what about you?" Norma asked.
"I think my weirdest place would have to be...in Will's bedroom," Senel responded.
"What!?" Will snapped.
"Oh hell..." Senel grumbled.
Will stood up, marched over to Senel, and bonked him on the head.
"Ha ha, Senny got bonked!" Norma sang.
Will turned around and bonked her as well.
"Ow! Teach, what was that for?"
"Just in case," Will told her.
Before the conversation could continue, Harriet came into the house with a stack of pies.
"Hey, everyone!" she called. "I brought some homemade rhubarb pie! Doesn't that hit the spot?"
Everyone's faces soured. "Nope..."
Harriet passed out the slices of pie despite everyone's protests.
"So how did you find passion in Raynard's room?" Chloe asked Senel.
"Well..." Senel scratched his head. "I wasn't feeling good at the time, so I don't remember what happened in that room..."
"I can't imagine being in a situation where you just had to have someone right then and there."
Senel looked at her oddly. "Neither can I. I guess it was one of those times when I was feeling down, and I just needed someone."
Chloe nodded. "Yeah, though I think that passion is definitely overrated. Eventually, it just burns out. But hopefully you'll be left with trust and security."
"Yeah, you're right. Stella and I didn't have that much passion, and yet...I trusted her."
"But you know something, Coolidge? I see great passion in your future."
"Thanks, Chloe." Senel smiled as he patted Chloe on the shoulder. "Well, I'm off to Port-on-Rage."
"See you later, Senel," Will called as Senel left the house.
"Wow..." Moses whispered. "Senel and Chloe really have somethin', don't they?"
Jay shook his head. "It's never gonna happen."
Moses threw him a look. "Why not?"
"She waited too long to make her move, and now she's stuck in the Friend Zone."
"What zone? She ain't in no zone."
"She's the queen of the zone."
"A queen? Whoa..."
Jay rolled his eyes. "Never mind."
"Hey..." Moses suddenly changed the subject. "Why's Senel goin' to Port-on-Rage?"
"He's just going to monitor the ships that come in," Jay said. "Security has tightened since Vaclav and Solon came on board the Legacy, and after that army invaded."
"Oh yeah, we wouldn't want any more of those guys..." Moses lamented.
-------------------
Senel stepped onto the wooden deck at Port-on-Rage. He simply stood, observing the people as they disembarked from their boats. Suddenly, a woman screamed from behind him.
As Senel turned around, he spotted a Phynx flying above the deck. The people began to panic, scrambling and trying to find their way out. Senel waited for the dock to clear before raising his fists in a fighting stance.
As the monster dove at him, Senel leaped into the air, then darted at it with his Phoenix Strike attack. Struck by the attack, the monster fell, hitting the ground with a thud.
Senel rushed in at the monster again, but it got up and took to the air again. Senel chasted after it until it gently landed in a girl's arms.
Senel stopped to look at this girl. She had pale white skin, and she wore a black schoolgirl dress. She had long black hair, and she had different colored eyes, green and blue.
"Hi..." Senel said, entranced.
"Hi..." the girl responded in a sultry voice.
"Wow..."
-----------------
"Hmm...I wonder how things are going at Port-on-Rage?" Chloe said aloud. "Maybe I should go help Coolidge..."
"Is that the only reason you wanna go there, C?" Norma asked.
"What? O-Of course that's the only reason!"
At that moment, Senel came into the house with the girl on his arm.
"Hey, everyone," Senel said. "I'd like you all to meet Sadie."
Sadie went and shook hands with each of the party members as Senel introduced them. "This is Shirley, Will, Chloe, Norma, Moses, Jay, and Grune."
"Hello, Sadie," Grune said sweetly.
"It's good to meet you all." Sadie took Senel's arm again, caressing his chest with one hand.
"So where did she come from?" Chloe asked.
"She just boarded the Legacy at Port-on-Rage," Senel replied. "Isn't that great?"
"Yeah, it's great." Then Chloe whispered to Shirley, "And she keeps touching him."
"Yeah..." Shirley whispered back.
"Come on, Sadie, I'll show you around the town," Senel said.
"Oh, I'd like that," Sadie responded.
She took Senel by the arm again as they both left the house. Chloe, Shirley, Moses, and Jay stood up and lined up, staring at the door.
"Just look at him," Chloe said. "They just met, and she's already all over him."
"Oh my," Grune gushed. "It's nice that Senel found someone new."
"What!?" Chloe and Shirley exclaimed.
"Senel has been sad ever since Stella died," Grune continued. "Now he can be happy again."
"She stands there like she wants Senel on her plate," Moses said. "And he stands there lookin' like a happy meal! This ain't right!"
"He seems like an entirely different person," Shirley said.
"This ain't right!" Moses yelled again. "We haveta get him back!"
"Wait a minute," Will stood up. "What do you mean 'get him back'?"
"Well, look at him! It's like he don't even care about us no more!" Moses said.
"I have to agree," Jay added. "He seemed quite eager to be alone with her."
"I think you guys are just jealous," Norma said.
"What? No, we're not jealous," Chloe insisted.
Will shook his head. "Well, I think you all are just jumping to conclusions. I mean, we don't even know Sadie. It's best if we got to know her better before we make these conclusions."
"Well, you have a point," Jay admitted.
"Then let's get to know Sadie a bit better," Chloe said.
The others nodded. "Right."
The four quietly left the house, leaving Will, Norma, and Grune in the room.
"Well, Teach," Norma said. "Looks like it's just you and me...and G-Girl."
"Hello..." Grune said with a smile.
"I know better," Will said out of nowhere.
"Huh?" Norma asked.
"I'm curious as to what they mean by 'getting to know Sadie better.' I'd better keep an eye on them, just in case."
