Repetition that had bee repeated for years and years of working in the Iselia Ranch had caused her to keep waking up as early as five in the morning. She had yet to forgive humans for what they had done to her friends at the different Ranches, but she found herself living in the same town as them.
And yet, she still hated humans for what they had done to her superior. She let out a low growl and tossed a blanket and saddle onto the back of a four-legged dragon, which tossed its head in response.
''Time to get out of here...'' She thought quietly, quickly getting a bridle over the beast''s head and pulling herself into the saddle.
Somewhere else...
Iselia, Ran-Chan thought as she walked through the quiet roads. No one else had woke up as the morning sun had not risen yet, and Iselia started early in the morning, just not as early as this. I do not know why I haven't left Iselia yet... but I haven't stepped foot outside the gate since... he left me here... I hope that whatever he's doing, he making himself happy. With that thought, Ran-Chan lept up on top of Collete's house, letting her wings fly out. I'm still an angel... and there is a ranch around here... I could go and cause trouble... It felt good to let her wings out and show her true self, even if no one could see it. She knew that no one but Lloyd and his friends knew about her identity, since Kratos told them before he left, but... did anyone else? She had been trying to hide her identity, because if she would have had her way, she would have left with Derris-Kharlan those some years ago... Giving the beast a good kick, Capricorn took off out the door the the temporary stable and let her mount choose the speed, before she gave it another nudge. The dragon unfurled its wings, and after beating them a couple times, took to the air.
I guess... it'd be best to go back for a little while... she growled silently, turning the dragon towards the northern end of the continent, Iselia Human Ranch... I wonder if anyone's still staying there...? she pondered, trying to keep her mind off of her other friends, all who had gone their seperate ways.
A twinge on her lower back reminded her that the tatto she bore gave her wings, made her closer to an angel than most other people. After all, she had been the protege of one of the four Seraphim...
The dragon touched down lightly outside the old Ranch, and Capricorn soon looked up at it, a soft sensation like a breeze suddenly grazing her face.
"Hello..." she said quietly, "It's been almost forty years since I saw these gates..."
Ran-Chan flew up into the air, and almost had to toss herself up to begin just to hover. It had been a while since she actually used those wings...
"Oy," she said to herself. "I can't imagine how free humans really are, even though they can't fly." She began to experiment and learn the basics of flying again, as she looked in the direction of the human ranch.
"I was right, there is one here." she thought a moment, and remembered what happened to Kratos years ago with Anna...I have to go. I have to see it with my own eyes where it all happened to fully understand what happened to him!"
So without a moment's hesitation she flew over to the gates of the Iseila Human Ranch... and landed right outside."This is it... I bet it was a bit scarier forty years ago..."
Capricorn suddenly felt the beast beneath her tense and begin to growl. Leaping out of the saddle, her hand flew to the hilt of her rapier, which she instinctively pulled out, ready for whoever or whatever was around. She crouched low to teh ground.
"Powers of the almighty winds," she muttered quietly, poking the tip of her blade into the ground, "Help me now, for you are truly the rod of destruction!"
A pause-
"Come forth, Anzul, for your assistance is needed!" she hissed, slamming her fist against the dirt. A piercing cry too high pitched for anything but a Half-elf or Elf to hear shot through the air as a dog-sized, thin dragon slithered out from under a bush.
The beast had a long, short 'mane' of greenish fur, and was covered in silver scales. The tip of its tail was tufted with the same green fur, and now flicking back and forth impatiently. His legs weren't extremely long, but long enough for him to climb up any surface, with sharp talons as well.
Go find who dares to set foot on these grounds? she growled in her thoughts, For he died here, and I will not allow anyone to desecrate his name!
Anzul took all this is and nodded his head before nuzzling Capricorn's hand with his nose. After that, he slithered off towards the Human Ranch's entrance.
Ran-Chan felt another presence around, but not a humanoid one. "What?" She asked, drawing her katana as she turned around. "I didn't come here to hurt anything... I came to find out something... Why would anyone attack me!" She let her wings out full force and called upon the light of Judgement.
"Oh Holy Light, I ask of you to purify these corrupt souls... JUDGEMENT!" she cried out.
As the rain of light pounded around, she heard some sort of creature snarl.
"Hmm? Oh shit." She flew up into the ground to see the silver scaled creature. "By Kratos, I can't be defeated by this! He would be so dissappointed. Well, here we go!" Ran-chan started charging up another spell... "THUNDER BLADE!"
The lightning attack missed, and she kept circling the enemy.
"HEY! CREATURE THINGY! I'm not here to destroy nothin' here, I came to investigate something very important that happened in this very ranch! Hey, you, I'm an angel - you don't attack me! Kratos-sama would have put you in your place, you know! So would've the best cardinal ever, you know... Forsystus-san! He was here... I know! I met him once! Man, was he so nice to me... Anyway, dammit, you're nothing compared to an angel! You heard me!"
As she kept babbling on to the attacking creature, Ran-Chan just... hovered there...
Capricorn froze in her position for a moment.
"Damnit..." she growled. Leaping up and climbing the side of the gate, she perched on the top of the baracade, eyeing the 'intruder'.
"Who're you?" she called after whistling to Anzul, who snarled slightly and crawled up onto Capricorn's lap, "You said you knew Kratos and Forcystus, therefore you must have been with Cruxis or the Desians, am I right?"
Anzul nuzzled Capricorn's hand again, looking for snacks.
"Not, now, Anzul..." she muttered, stroking the creature's head.
"And if not," she started, "I really don't want to have to get into a fight here." her eyes scanned the area, the exact same as it had been forty years ago. A large, crimson stain still covered the ground and walls near the exit, from her superior's last stand.
Ran-Chan landed on the ground, much happier that the creature wasn't trying to claw her to death. "Yes, I know them both... I was a part of Cruxis, as you can probably tell by my wings..."
She looked around, seeing that Desian Human Ranches were just like they had left them. "I came here to pay my respects to those long departed, for you see... two important events in my life happened here. The main one is that Forcystus-san saved my life. I would never do anything to destroy this place, he is a hero to me. I'm sorry... I didn't mean to offend."
Ran-Chan decided to leave then, unless the lady was going to call out to her again.
"Wait a sec," Capricorn started suddenly, causing Anzul to jump and nearly slip out of her lap, "What's your name, anyway...?"
She stroked the creature's head again, gazing lazily around.
"I'm Capricorn," she added, "Second-in-Command of Iselia Ranch. Or rather, I was Second-in-Command. We disbanded once Master Forcystus was killed, but there's still a lot of us around these parts, just lurking."
A familiar feeling crept through the air as Capricorn's gaze turned skywards, where thick, gray clouds were starting to gather in the immediate area.
"We better get inside, thunderheads are heading this way." she said quickly. She tucked a flustered Anzul under her arm and slid off the baracade. Taking a few long strides she reached the doorway, just inside the hall, and typed in a key code with lighting quick speed. As the door slid open, she let Anzul run in, and turned to the visitor.
"You want to come too, then?"
Ran-Chan smiled. "Yes," she said following inside the ranch. "I'm coming!"
Once Capricorn had let her into the main building, Ran-Chan decided to explain herself. "My name is... Ran-Chan..." she didn't really like to say her 'name' aloud. "It's more of an alias, but I prefer it. It's nice to finally meet you, Lady Capricorn. I heard a lot about you from Sir Yuan." She finally put her katana away and took a deep breath. "I was Kratos-sama's... Trainee and Servant. If he was to fall from Mithos, I was to take his place as a Seraphim..." Thinking about the ancient love of her life only made tears develop. "My story is long, but has no real need of being told..."
Capricorn tilted her head slightly and smiled softly.
"It's alright, Ran-Chan. I've no need to tell my story, either. Yuan is like an older brother to me, I'm glad that you were able to find a friend in him as well."
Capricorn picked up Anzul in her arms again and began to walk down the long hallway.
"I'm not a Seraphim, but I'm pretty close as well. Yuan and Kraots taught me how to weild a sword, and in return I worked for Cruxis. I have wings as well, but I'd feel better without them.
"Not even angelic powers could have sved this Ranch, you know.." she added quietly, pressing her hand against a lock on a door. After a second of authorizing her signature, the door slid silently open, and she stepped inside.
"Well, this is the old communications room." she said, changing subjects.
Back in Iselia...
Kaitos walked down the sun parched road in search of himself, he was walking for a few days. Kaitos only stoped for a few minutes at a Swordsmith shop to repair his Heavy Blade.
" Exscuse me, can you repair this blade?"
" Umm.. Let me take a look at the damege first. How did you damege such a strong cored blade?" The clirk said surpised
Kaitos lowered his head and didnt say a word. He thought of the fight with his older brother. He thought of why he was to fight him, the secret order that Proneama gave him to kill Kratos. Before Mithos killed her. Kaitos forgot all about the order and it sudenly came back to him wile he faught against Lloyde. He saw a gleam of true anger in Lloyde's eyes when he asked him where Kratos has gone.
And where Ran-Chan was..
Ran-Chan followed Capricorn into the communications room quietly. She put her wings away and focused mainly on being calm. Of course, while Forcystus has saved her life before, Kratos experienced pain here.
That was not acceptable.
However, she was trying to control her feelings, especially in the face of Capricorn, as she was really connected to the ranch.
"You're right. I kinda think it was doomed from the start," Ran-Chan managed to say. "How Mithos set things up. It really made me... angry..." She remembered her human father's death, and she felt an urge to destroy the place stronger than before.
Capricorn shrugged slightly.
"If Lloyd and his crew hadn't stepped in, Mithos would've probably succeded, but... nevermind." she paused as she ran her hand over a nearby keyboard, covered with dust.
"Forcystus would hate to see his Ranch in this state..." she mumbled more to herself than anyone else, glancing around the room again.
Ran-Chan laughed for a moment.
"I didn't take Forcystus-san as a neat freak," she said. "I think there might be some remaining who'd like to see this place blow." She let go of her anger, and only shrugged it off after a few moments, that being said. "Yeah, Lloyd did a good thing by stopping him. I may be a half-elf, but... my father was still human."
Capricorn shrugged again.
"My parents were both Half-elves, so I don't really have a say in who was right." she gazed at a few pieces of paper strewn about on a nearby table for a moment. "Although," she started, turning back to Ran-chan, "My mother hated me. My father was the one who adored me, and even though we were all the same race, to her, I was merely an obstacle."
She yawned.
"But not that I care, though," she added, "I mean, they passed away well over two thousand years ago."
Yes," Ran-Chan replied, "I can understand that fact. While they have died, don't you remember them as if you saw them yesterday?" She remembered that inside a pocket of her dress was a picture of her family together. "I do. I left, knowing that Mithos would bestow great honor on the world... and I feel horrible for not staying there..." She laughed a bit, then turned around. "I feel like I'm dragging your work, so I'll go outside. There's something I have to see for myself."
She proceeded to leave, wiping a tear from her eye.
Capricorn nodded silently and stroked Anzul's head absently for a moment. Finally heaving a sigh, she made her way down the hallway, up three flights of stairs, and into a room, all without looking, as if she had just done it five minutes ago.
"Let's see... where'd every go, then?" she muttered, sitting in a chair and wheeling over to a slightly dusty computer. She easily flicked it on, and quickly typed in a couple passwords.
"Mmm... Volker must be in-"
--Change of Views: Volker, Palmacosta--
Volker growled threateningly, quickly drawing a dagger from a sheath on his thigh.
"Get the hell away from me!" he roared, flinging the exotic weapon forward with lighting-quick precision.
--Iselia Ranch--
Capricorn paused her typing for a moment.
"Yep. Definetly there."
Ran-Chan's face looked a tad bit sad. Which wasn't a good thing, considering that she wasn't so pretty after all. The world was such an empty place, considering that love would never come by her again.
So, she put her wings away and trotted back to Iselia.
"I'm glad I'm out of that ranch. Don't mean to offend, but damn... that place hurts. Badly..." she kept going, until she faced the weapons depot. "Yes... I will look for a new katana..."
Capricorn paused after a little bit of snooping around and leaned back in her chair. She stared at the ceiling for a minute before she slowly closed her eyes.
You're not the only one, Ran-chan... who lost someone that close to you... she though sliently, lips curled into a slight frown.
She sat thinking for a while longer, head leaned back and eyes closed, before the small dragon at her feet leapt onto the console and nuzzled her neck with his fizzy muzzle.
"Okay, Anzul," she said quietly, her eyes snapping open, "Let's get out of here."
She stodd up and let Anzul leap onto her shoulder, and silently walked out of the room, shutting off the lights behind her.
She couldn't help it, but somehow, it felt like she was being watched... by someone so familiar, yet their name seemed to slip away whenever she thought about it...
Inside the weapons shop, she found many swords to her liking.
"This one is nice," she said, picking it up. "It has a wonderful weight, and the blade is nice and sharp! I like it." After deciding she would buy it, she noticed a face that had such a striking resemblance to the love of her life. "It's... it has to be!"
She looked at this man with a smile. "It's you! Isn't it? Don't you know how long I've been waiting for you! Kratos-sama! Kratos-sama! You're home!" She forgot entirely about the sword she was to buy, pouncing on the man she believed to be Kratos. "You're home... I can't believe it!"
The man's face was entirely disgruntled, and she looked at the man's weapon.
"A Zanbato!" she exclaimed. "Since when did you change weaponry and fighting tactics, my love?"
The rest of the weapon's shop customers were either scared away, or staring at the situation more wide-eyed than anything they'd ever seen before.
Capricorn froze in her mid-step halfway down a familiar hallway, much like the others in the Ranch. The fur on the back of Anzul's neck had risen, and he was trembling and growling at something behind her.
She whirled around, drawing her rapier as she turned, before stopping right at the throat of the person behind her. Her face went pale, and her body began to shake slightly.
"No way," she whispered hoarsley, "I burried your body myself, there's no way that..."
The person before her gently grabbed her rapier and turned it away. Shortly after, her hand went loose and the blade fell to the floor with a clatter.
"You're dead..." she growled, suddenly noticing that Anzul had crawled up the wall and was hiding in a corner, "You had no pulse..."
Capricorn slowly hit her knees as the one before her tenatively touched her cheek with their fingertips.
"Forcystus..."
Ran-Chan looked again at the man's face. "Whoa, whoa, you're not my love! Though you are kinda similar, you aren't him..." She got up, dusted herself off, then picked up the man, dusted him off, and bowed. "Forgive me. I've just been so... empty that I didn't know what else... to..."
In a burst of frustration and loss, she departed the weapons store, and ran outside the building and back into the woods leading to the Iselia Ranch as fast as she could, screaming out, "KRATOS-SAMA!"
At that moment, what seemed like a falling star blazed the sky, and caught RAn-Chan's attention for a breif moment. "Hey, that's pretty!" she said with enthusiasm. "It's probably just dead wishes to want it to be Kratos-sama..."
Then, when she noticed it was going to land very close to Iselia Ranch, Ran-Chan took off after it. "I have to find out what it is! I have to!" Tears flew out of her eyes due to her most recent embarrasment, but she kept on running anyhow.
The crater was where the road parted to go to Dirk's House outside the Ranch. There stood a small little pod, smoking from the entry through the atmosphere.
"You... can't be... can you!" she asked loudly. "Are you there, Kratos-sama! Is that you!"
The pod opened slowly, and red hair peeked out of the door. His exit of the pod was slow, but it didn't bother Ran-Chan at all. He pushed the door, only to reveal the purple color that the young woman knew all too well.
"K... Kratos-sama... it IS you..." her voice quivvered in almost fear, and when the old Seraphim fell, she caught him right there. "Kratos-sama... I'm here, I'll take care of you. I promise!"
The man laughed for a moment, knowing who it was. "You're..."
Anzul interrupted Capricorn's train out thought as he slowly crawled down the wall, curiously moving towards the familiar man, nostrils slightly flared to see if he was the real thing.
After baring his teeth for a moment, the dragon curled around his ankle, thrumming quietly. Capricorn sat leaned against the wall, staring blankly at the opposite side of the hallway with her auburn eyes.
"Capricorn..." he growled quietly, crouching down next to her, "You never finnished the grave, remember? You couldn't bring yourself to do it."
She silently burried her face in her knees.
"You can't still be alive... a direct hit though your stomach..."
Forcystus settled himself down next to her carefully slipping an arm around her shoulders.
With Kratos in her arms, Ran-Chan looked around to see if anyone else saw what had happened for a while. Not at all, it seemed.
"You're... that girl..." Kratos said quietly. "The one... Mithos tortured..."
Ran-Chan didn't know where to take him, so she wandered closer to the ranch. "Save your strength, Kratos-sama. I have a new friend that might be able to help, she works here," she replied. "Since I came to search out your past events here..."
Kratos looked around, seeing exactly where he landed. His face drew back in horror. "This was the place...!" he said. "This is where...!"
"Shh, Kratos-sama," Ran-Chan said. "Please save your strength. I haven't waited so long to have you to come back and then die in my arms..." When she realized what she had said, she blushed brightly. "I'm... I'm sorry, that was out of place."
Kratos only smiled. "Possibly you are the only one that missed me," he said with a small chuckle. He stood on his own for a moment, seemingly fine. "So, what's happened while I was away?" He ruffled her hair playfully like he used to while they were training together, and Ran-Chan only enjoyed it.
"...not much for one who does not flow freely with the times," Ran-Chan answered with sincerity, even though it came out more funny than serious.
The two walked closer to the ranch, but didn't enter, for the conversation continued. Ran-Chan didn't want to just show up at the ranch to see Capricorn as quickly as she had left, with Kratos-sama in tow. Hrmm..." Forcystus mused, Capricorn's head finally leaning against his shoulder, "This place has gathered so much dust since everyone left." he said quietly, stroking Anzul's head with his other hand.
"Yeah." Capricorn replied. She glanced down the hallway.
"Want to get out of here for a bit?" she asked, shifting slightly against him. Forcystus shrugged.
"If you want to, alright. Let's head out for a little while."he replied, pulling himself up. Capricorn followed suit, and whistled to Anzul, who crawled up her leg onto her shoulder.
When Ran-Chan saw her new friend Capricorn, she didn't know wether to run and hide or speak to her. She and Kratos stood there, silent for a few minutes.
"Oh, it's Forcystus-san!" Ran-Chan said with a smile. "You're alive? I'm glad Mithos isn't here to see this!" She looked at Kratos, whom only nodded his head. "Miss Capricorn, guess who dropped from the sky?"
Kratos bowed slightly. "It's been a while. Both of you," he said. "I'm glad that you and Capricorn could get along, Ran-Chan. You were pretty disagreeable in training days, even to ones like you." He ruffled her hair. "Forcystus," Kratos said quietly.
Forcystus nodded quietly in response, carefully locking eyes with Kratos for a moment.
"It's good that we're not against each other anymore." he said, a grin cracking across his face.
Capricorn nodded. "Ran-chan isn't the only one who's disagreeable. Even I can be a jerk at the worst of times."
Anzul growled oddly, jumping from Capricorn's to Kratos' shoulder. He made a quiet purring sound and gently nuzzled Kratos' neck.
"Hmm, he remembers you." Capricorn added, smiling lightly at her companion.
Kratos, for the first time in years, laughed heartilly, letting his whole heart feel the joy. He petted Anzul and the creature went back to his owner. "Yes, it's a good thing. Well, how many years have passed?"
Ran-Chan looked up at the love of her life, trying not to reveal too much to Capricorn and Forcystus (who knows what they might have thought, knowing that an old student was in love with her mentor?) and said, "About forty."
"Forty?" Kratos replied. He was amazed to see Forcystus still alive, since he was with the party to stop his ranch some years ago. It didn't bother him, though, as he knew how Capricorn must have been quite upset when the aqua haired Desian fell. "Then, how is-" he stopped, and didn't fully ask his question.
"Are you talking about... him?" Ran-Chan asked. "He's doing well. Married with children of his own, I'd assume." She didn't want to say that for the sake of her sanity she actually watched Lloyd and his new family.
Capricorn yawned, sensing Kratos' slight amazement, but keeping her mouth shut.
She nodded though, and carefully picked Anuzl up back into her arms.
"About forty years, yes." she said, stroking Anzul's head, "I've been in Triet since then." she started, "Everyone there thinks it's strange that they're getting older, and yet I haven't aged a day..."
Ran-Chan laughed. "I get the same with the people living in Iselia."
Kratos cocked and eyebrow up. "You live in Iselia? But I thought your hometown was Heimdall?" he asked her. "Why haven't you gone home to tell your family about..."
Ran-Chan looked at him. "Same reason why you won't talk to Lloyd. My mother wouldn't be able to take it." she said sternly. When she realized what she had said, she blushed and backed off a moment. "Dammit, I have this habit of saying way to much."
Kratos shrugged it off. "I need honesty, so it's fine..." He then asked, "So, now what? How is the world fairing?" Capricorn shrugged.
"It's alright, I guess. Not many people that live remember the Desians and Cruxis, so it's kind of weird in a way... everyone used to be terrified of me, but now no one in Triet pays me any mind..."
She sighed.
"Well, it's better that way," she started, "Since I don't have to worry about someone trying to slit my throat in the night..."
Kratos nodded. "That would be a lot of burden lifted off of one's shoulders," he said, looking around. "It's a better thing that the world forgets about the struggles between Desians, Cruxis, and those caught in between. Possibly even ones who have caused so much trouble... can live in peace now?"
Ran-Chan agreed silently, but she knew inside that Kratos would probably never forgive himself for what's happened in the past. "I believe that peace is something that comes from within you." she said with a smile. "If you can overcome your past, forgive yourself, then you can attain a very precious form of peace that no war can take from you." She silently decided she would be her love's support. No matter what form she had to take to be it. She would. "I think that's why some people through the entire time we fought against each other, Desians and Cruxis, that did not feel like the battle tore them down."
'That should do it,' she said in thought. 'I did steal my first line from my mother, but I don't think that anyone would know that.'
Kratos laughed a moment, but the laugh was a bit stagnant. "Well... now that I am back on this world... wait a minute. What is the name of this world, anyway?"
Capricorn yawned and gently shrugged her shoulders.
"I don't know, and I don't really care, honestly." she said quietly, "I've been living in isolation since the whole incident at the Ranches happened."
Forcystus nodded as well.
"And I've been here, not doing anything." he mused, tugging on his aqua tresses, "I've no clue what's going on in the outside world at all..."
Kratos nodded. "The name of the world isn't important," he said.
"Well, we could just call it... 'the planet'..." Ran-Chan said, not thinking. She wanted to be closer than she was (which was pretty close allready) to Kratos, but she didn't make such and inkling.
Kratos looked at her, and noticed that a few features had changed since he left. Her expressions were a lot more revealing, and her heart a bit more closed off. "So, Ran-Chan, what have... you done since the world became one again?"
'Yearning to see you again...' Ran-Chan thought. 'Trying to see if you really did leave, or if the world was sent off and you had stayed. I've been... a really greedy person since you left...'
"I've explored many places, gathering information," she said. "Made a few friends, fought tons of battles, and found a place to call home."
Kratos laughed. "That's wonderful," he said, turning to leave. "I'd like to make a trip to Luin. Wanna come along?" he asked the group. "Hey, it's just an invitation, and you don't have to go."
Ran-Chan instantly agreed. "I'll follow you until the ends of the Earth, Kratos-sama!" She ran off behind him, making sure that she wouldn't lose sight of her beloved again.
Ran-Chan and Kratos had walked up to Iselia, and she decided to take him into town, even though they might walk into someone that would be shocked to see Kratos. "We can go in town. I bet hardly anyone will recognize you, so I'll take you to my house so you can rest, all right?" she asked.
Kratos nodded without saying a word.
She had rebuilt Genis' and Raine's old house since the half-elves left years ago and made it into a two story house to suit herself. "This is it," she said, welcoming him inside. "It's probably messy, and I wasn't expecting guests... ever again, but you can borrow my room upstairs if you'd like."
Kratos just went in, and watched Ran-Chan hurriedly clean the whole place. She was going to prove to Kratos just how much she loved for him to be here in more way than one. Capricorn, too, had agreed to come along, and was standing behind Ran-chan when they reached her home. She yawned and let Anzul jump off her shoulder and crawl around her legs to hide from any villagers that might pass by.
"Hmm." Forcystus mused quietly, glancing around. He hoped that no one recognized him while they were here. "It's strange... it feels like... we're being watched..."
"You noticed it too?" Capricorn asked, one eyebrow slightly raised, "I've felt it since we left the Ranch and headed through the forest."
Anzul shivered around Capricorn's leg and then growled, the fur on the back of his neck pricking up, his lip lifted just above his fangs.
"And that means," she started quietly, glancing behind her, "That we are being watched..." Ran-Chan showed the group her entire house, which was kinda small for four people. "There's the kitchen, but how many of us eat?" she asked, trying to think. "I made it incase there are hungry people that come to visit!"
Kratos only nodded.
"Well, come on, everyone," Ran-Chan said with a smile. "I've not had guests in years. Last time I entertained a party, I had a karaoke machine," she laughed at herself and the horrible scores she recieved back then.
"Why laugh at yourself?" Kratos asked. "You had perfect scores."
"No, they were horrible," Ran-Chan said, "Don't flatter me, Kratos-sama..." she blushed so red, she could have been mistaken for a totato with a very expressive face.
When she noticed that someone else, other than the arranged party, she looked at him. "Hello... you are...?"
And with that, she expected an answer.
Anzul shuddered and crawled Capricorn's leg, then leapt over to the wall and crawled to the ceiling, where he positioned himself carefully, as to not lose his grip. Capricorn merely shook her head, then pushed her auburn tresses back from her face.
"Ehh, he always gets nervous around strangers." she muttered, rolling her eyes at the dog sized dragon.
Kratos looked at the stranger and saw something in the boy's eyes. "You have an aura that reminds me of... those two," he said quietly. "Could you be their son?"
Ran-Chan noticed it, too. "Yeah, the child they had a long time ago! I knew about it, but didn't expect him to be... I dunno, I expected more..." she shrugged. "Capricorn, you guys are welcome to the upstairs room if you'd like, because I can't fit everyone down here, and I've got another cot here... Sorry, Kratos-sama, I can't give you your own room right now."
Kratos was a tad annoyed. "Stop it with the apologies. You remind me of that girl..."
Capricorn nodded and clamly dragged Forcystus towards the back stairs, ignoring the whimpering Anzul for a short while. He finally gave up and crawled down the wall, carefully landing in front of Capricorn and shooting up the stairs.
"Well, I need to go sleep." Capricorn grumbled, rubbing her forehead, "I haven't had a good rest since back when the Desians were a huge power..."
"Fine, fine..." Forcystus muttered, reluctantly following his former subordinate up the stairs.
"Enjoy your sleep!" Ran-Chan smiled and said, "Well, I don't know where they are. I've not been following them for some time. Once I got all the information that was available about Kratos-sama, I headed to a place with more info!" She was kinda hesitant to admit it, but she had Kratos back, so hopefully it didn't matter.
Kratos looked around and found plenty of pillows and blankets. He hadn't slept in so long he wanted to go to sleep, but his powers had forbade such an action. "Memor- I mean, Ran-Chan, do you actually sleep?" he asked during the silence between the others.
Ran-Chan didn't respond for a few minutes. "I... I was hoping that I could break the Angelic Curse like Collete did... I want to sleep, to dream, and to feel..." she said quietly. "I know how to break this... but I don't think I can... Kratos-sama, no, I haven't slept since Mithos made me an angel..." Capricorn paused at the top of the stairs for a moment, having heard the last bit of Ran-Chan's sentence. She heaved a sigh. She, herself, could sleep, as she wasn't truly considered an angel, and therefore still needed the things that normal Half-elves did... sleep, food, the latter.
Forcystus let out a yawn in the other room, and she hesitantly followed, flopping down onto the cot in the back of the room.
"Daamn..." she murmured, combing out her hair with her fingers, "I don't think I've had this much to do in one day since before..." she paused, the shook her head. "You know what I mean."
Forcystus nodded quietly and sat down next to her, gazing out the window on the opposite wall.
"It seems that so much has changed since the Desians were feared in every part of this land..." he muttered, stretching exaustedly. With that, Kratos stood up and walked closer to Ran-Chan, stroking her cheek. "You know what it was that saved Collete? The love that Lloyd had for her. You can tell that he loved her enough, I mean, Chaos is here," he said quietly. "You knew that, though... you're very intellegent, Ran-Chan."
Ran-Chan blushed. "But you were my sensei and my mentor. Kratos-sama, you've taught me most everything I know!" she said, trying to keep her voice down.
"I taught you about combat," he replied. "About battle, magic basics, and about things you needed to help with that revolution. Compared to you figuring out how to break the curse upon you... and me, as well... that is a lot." He turned around and laughed to himself. "Anna... because of her I could have broken my curse, but... because of her, I... took it upon myself. Don't do that to yourself."
Ran-Chan stepped around in front of Kratos and looked him directly in the eyes. " Zuruzuru! Zuruzuru! I told you this once before. Anna loves you still, and she wants you to be happy. Whatever it takes for you... to be happy..." she said, wanting to cry. "For you to be happy, you have to let out all that sadness you carry around with you! Since she can't be with you, she... I know Anna wants you to be free. Don't make Anna cry anymore than she does!"
With that, Kratos rose his hand to slap Ran-Chan, but he didn't. Instead, he ruffled her hair like he always did. "...so, even though you're in love with me, you still care about how Anna would feel, or do you use that as something to win me over?" he asked her.
"...Kratos-sama..."
"I know, that really hurt your feelings." Kratos reached around her for the first time and held her from behind. "I'm sorry. That's another beautiful loving woman that I've made sad. I won't... let you suffer... any more. Either of you," he leaned down and brushed his cheek on hers warmly. "I will be free if you'll let me."
Ran-Chan was speechless. "Kra... tos-sa...ma... I- I mean, we both want you to be yourself again. I can speak for myself, but I know how Anna felt about you. I know how deeply she loved you. After all, I love you!" she said, holding his hands holding her in place.
At that exact moment, Kratos kissed her. Both of their wings flew up and out, filling the room with marvelous light, and together, they faded out of existence. The darkness settled before he released Ran-Chan's lips. His heart did feel free, and he felt inside that she was right. Anna was happy for them both. She was a soul like that, wishing peace and love for everyone. Kratos felt himself smile and saw Ran-Chan smile, too.
They both looked at the door to see that Chaos was still there. Neither of them knew what to say, except "Umm, hi!" while still standing together.
Capricorn yawned again and curled up next to Forcystus, reaching out a hand to stroke Anzul's forehead. He let out a quiet thrumming sound, closed his eyes, and settled himself on Capricorn's hip.
Forcystus looked down at her, his crimson eyes watching as she stretched again, then settled herself into a comfortable position. A small smile played across his lips before he reached out a finger to carefully stroke her cheek.
"Mmmpf." she muttered, her eyes still closed. Her thin fingers gently claped around his wrist before she shifted again and let a slight sigh escape her lips.
"Those were... good times." he murmurmed, leaning back against the wall, uncaring of her fingers latched around his wrist, "Good times..."
Ran-Chan decided that she'd close the door, because she felt tired. She actually felt tired! "Kratos-sama, I have to-" she started to say, but with that, she quietly leaned on him until she fell to sleep for the first time in years.
Kratos smiled. "Yes," he said quietly, "You do have to sleep. Chaos, I'm guessing you could stay in here. I don't think Ran-Chan has anything against guests. However, I don't know much about the house and I don't know what's here." He picked Ran-Chan up in his arms and placed her on a nearby futon, then closing the door, locking it, and letting Chaos in. "If you are to remain, then be quiet. Tomarrow might be busy and I don't want anyone getting annoying." he said sternly as he flopped down beside the sleeping girl. "I remember... back in the training camp... Ran-Chan would be so mad for not getting enough sleep. And hell hath no wrath like a tired woman." he said, finding some blankets to cover them together.
Kratos flipped out the light and held onto Ran-Chan, feeling himself slip into a dream. Ran-Chan was all ready there...
Forcystus was just nodding off into sleep when he sensed Capricorn's fingers move slightly on his wrist. He paused for a moment, then decided to open an eye slightly.
"I can feel your pulse." she murmured quietly, also opening an eye to look up at him. A smile crept cross his face, and he settled himself into a more comfortable postion, careful not to upset the sleeping dragon still curled on Capricorn's hip.
"Hmm." he replied, wrapping his other arm carefully around her shoulder. She let out a quiet snort and leaned her head just below his chin, letting out a comfortable sigh as she stretched ever-so-slightly.
Ran-Chan breathed heavily in her sleep. In a moment, she woke up as if shocked out of her dream. She found herself bound in Kratos' arms, which almost melted the fear she had carried into the waking world.
"Is something wrong?" Kratos asked quietly. He crept a tad bit closer with a concerned look on his face, displayed by a little moonlight. "Hmm?"
Ran-Chan looked to her side to find him warmly beside her. "I felt as if the days of chaos had returned," she said, wiping the sweat from her brow. "When I watched you from your own room, alone..." She giggled a bit, and he giggled slightly with her. "But those days are gone, and I know that now."
"As are my days of true betrayal," Kratos agreed, kissing her forehead. "You will need your rest. Go on."
"I know that." Ran-Chan replied, "But I'm afraid to see those images again."
Kratos nodded and then said, "Let me tell you something I told Lloyd when he was a baby. 'Dreams are only dreams, and they only last until you wake up.'" He smiled, rolling onto his back. "That's the truth, isn't it?"
"Yes, that is the truth..."
A few moments later, they both were asleep again. Until, a few hours later, the sun rose...
Capricorn growled quietly, the sun's pesky rays finding themselves right across her eyes. Even with them closed, it was still a bother, so she simply rolled onto her stomach, upsetting a sleeping Anzul as she did so.
He let out a snort of aggrivation and curled up again next to her, determined not to be woken up that easily.
"Good morning." Forcystus said quietly, leaned against the wall with a book in his hand. Capricorn opened one eye, groaned, and rolled onto her other side, still attempting to avoid the sun's rays.
"Nrrgh." she grumbled, pulling herself into a sitting position. She rubbed her forehead and pushed her hair out of her face, then gently stroked Anzul's spine. He growled half-heartedley and lifted his head into her lap, emerald eyes watching her carefully. Ran-Chan opened her eyes. She had not remembered what it was like to wake up, but now she did. The drunken stupor like motor skills were enough to drive the girl mad. She felt Kratos' breathing and heard his heartbeat, which made her calm and more tranquil, so she closed them again.
Kratos felt the warmth of the sun on his face, so he sat up and looked down at the lady beside him. "Well, good morning," he said. "I know you're awake." He pulled a few locks of her hair back and kissed her ear. "I can hear you thinking 'It's a new morning and I actually can wake up to enjoy the newness'."
Ran-Chan looked back up. "No, Kratos-sama, that's what you're thinking." she said playfully, pulling him back down. "I like sleeping. Let's go back."
"Hey, I want to make a trip to Luin... I have one last thing to do before I..." he didn't continue what he was saying, probably out of fear of her reaction. "Do you have any food?" he asked, feeling his stomach.
"Nah, but I'll run to the Halo and pick some up." Ran-Chan sat up with him, kissed his cheek, and ran to find at least something decent to wear outside her house. When it was found, she put it on, and left. "I'll be back. I hope you were able to meet the Wonder Chef, because I don't remember recipies."
Kratos laughed for a bit, then stopped her for a second. "Wait. How do you have money? What is your... occupation?" he asked as she turned around.
"...I am a monster slayer!" she said hesitantly, taking off to the Halo Grocery Store. She was afraid to let him find out that she actually profited the fall of Cruxis by being a historian and teacher. Sure, it was a nice thing she was able to teach others about the fall of the Angels and the Church of Martel, but would Kratos approve?
Kratos sighed. What was she afraid of?
Capricorn stretched and managed to pull herself up again, scooping Anzul up her her arms as she did so. She stretched her long legs, then headed for the stairs.
"You coming?" she asked Forcystus, who promptly nodded. He followed her down the stairwell, and nearly ran into her when she paused at the bottom.
Anzul whined incessently, wanting to be curled under a warm blanket, sleeping comfortably. He tossed his head, though, and wriggled out of Capricorn's arms onto the floor, landing with the delicate balance of a cat's.
He trotted off, talons clicking quietly against the floor. Capricorn sighed and went after him, not wanting him to get himself stuck under a piece of furniture.
Ran-Chan stumbled into the Halo, crash landing on the welcome mat. She almost cried, feeling the pain. She was so happy.
"Are you okay, lady?" the shopkeep asked.
Ran-Chan stood up and smiled. "Of course. Nothing like tripping over my own two feet's gonna stop me from my dreams," she said. "I need some food. A lot of food."
The shopkeep got all sorts of ingredients and put them into bags. "How many are you feedin', miss?" he asked.
She counted on her fingers, trying to remember everybody. "There's... what... five of us? I've got guests, and I forgot to go shopping, you know me!" she laughed, gathering up the bags. She slapped down some money and then added, "Keep the change, okay? I'll be fine without it." She left with the bags in her hands, as a few children came up to her.
"Sensei! Sensei!" one child said. "How are you, Sensei?"
"Pretty well, little one, how are you?" she asked. "You know school is out for two weeks, you'd better enjoy your spring break." Ran-Chan was peaceful to them for a while, talking and keeping quiet.
"Sensei," a little girl said, "You seem so different."
Ran-Chan only laughed. "A lot has happened," she responded carefully. "It's all right though, just go play."
"Okay!" the children walked off playfully, saying goodbye to their teacher.
When Ran-Chan reached her house again, she found Kratos with her apron on and holding up some cooking utensils. The apron, with the word "donut" on it, seemed a tad strange on him. "Well, you're in the cooking mood," Ran-Chan teased. "You know, I can only venture with you for two weeks, then I have to come home," she added. "I want to be with you all the time, you know, but..."
Kratos cocked his head to the side and slid closer to her. "I understand that frustration. But it's fine. I could easily make a world of good living here, after I complete something... Anyway, what food did you bring home?" he asked, taking a bag out of her left arm.
Suddenly, Ran-Chan fell over in pain. "My foot!" she said, dropping her entire being on the floor. "Dammit!" She tried to get up, but it didn't quite work so she fell again. "Oh, man! This hurts!"
He immediately picked her up and placed her back on the futon they woke up on that morning. "I'll make breakfast, you wait here." Kratos said, going back to the kitchenette on the side of the room. "Wow, you picked up a lot of different foods! I'll make eggs..."
After a few moments of silence, Ran-Chan laughed, while holding her throbbing foot. "I... feel like a newborn baby... I had no feeling of anything, but now I... feel this sharp pain in my foot! A foot cramp! Ahahahaha, I can't believe that I'm in pain!" she cried happy tears and had starry eyes, all because she could feel. "Kratos-sama, what you do for me! I am... so happy!"
Kratos was shocked. "You... needn't be... so formal to me anymore." he said carefully, getting out a cast iron skillet. "We're so close, I know your real name... Memoria Skysong."
Capricorn finally managed to scoop Anzul back up in her arms again, and quickly moved back into the other room, where Kratos was starting to make breakfast.
"I hope you bought some form of meat, Ran-Chan." Capricorn said jokingly, plopping the squirming dragon in her arms onto the couch next to Ran-Chan, "Because he needs to sit still for a while..."
Forcystus snorted quietly, then ducked as Capricorn made to give him a good whack on the back of the head.
"You try holding onto him." she muttered, pushing Forcystus down onto the couch. Anzul let out a purring noise and crawled into his lap, curling himself up into a comfortable ball.
"What were you saying, Capricorn?" Forcystus asked, stroking the creature's neck. She growled and flopped down on the other side of Ran-Chan, muttering under her breath threateningly.
Kratos fumbled through the bags. "Plenty of pork and chicken..." he said. "Will that do?" He looked back at Ran-Chan with a smile, and that's all Ran-Chan could do back... was smile. "Hmm. Well, plenty of veggies and everything, too," Kratos added, rolling out some flat bread. "I'll make breakfast wraps for everyone, so how many do you want? They're about the size of one of these." He held up a pita bread (something newly discovered on the new world with the combining of cultures) and waited for responses.
Ran-Chan said, "Two for me." She held her foot as it hurt, trying to be calm. She had been keeping in her laugher and tears since Forcystus and Capricorn came down. "Yup."
Kratos waited as he started to prepare what was all ready mentioned. "Hmm?" he hummed to himself. It seemed as if the kitchen was the place for Kratos, as he wore the apron and worked quickly.
"I'll have one." Capricorn replied, holding up her hand. Forcystus nodded, continuing to stroke Anzul's head.
"I'll have two as well." he added as Anzul uncurled himself and crawled across Ran-Chan's lap and over to Capricorn, before stretching out across her legs.
"Yeah, sure, now you want me to pet you..." she grumbled, teasingly tugging on the creature's tufted tail.
Kratos laughed. "Sure," he said, cutting up some meat. "Hey... Ran-Chan. Why don't you dig up something to do? You've got guests and you're not going to entertain them... or has being so lonely taught against hospitality?" He turned around for a moment, seeing Ran-Chan's red face.
"I think the kitchen gear on you is quite enough entertainment, Kratos-sama," she replied with a wry look on her face. "I can't keep in my laughter!" After a few moments, she then said, "If I was to be my greedy self, I wouldn't have let you get out of bed, for so much entertainment happens there." Ran-Chan preceeded to laugh herself silly with that, and all Kratos could do was turn back around and keep making breakfast. "Besides, you wanted to go to Luin. I think that is more important than my horribly low level of hospitality."
The sounds of the knife against a cutting board on the cabnet rang through a silent room for a few minutes. Then, Ran-Chan got up and managed to limp over to a nearby closet. She started to throw stuff out rapidly, until she found something that Kratos would recognize very well.
"Oy, it's that thing Martel bought outside Meltokio. Can't believe I still have it!" Ran-Chan said with a slight smile. "She gave it to me, saying that no one else could use it more than me..."
Kratos just looked back without moving his head. He remembered what it was. "Yes, and you do deserve it. I just couldn't believe that Mithos let you keep the silly thing." he said, knowing that she'd give a reaction.
"Silly? This is from Martel! Besides that, it's very important to me... it's what made you give me... my nickname, remember!" Ran-Chan asked, borderline angry.
By then, Kratos had three breakfast wraps made, so he gave them to Forcystus and Capricorn without thought. He was going to make four more before he let himself get too emotional with the girl standing halfway in the closet. "I remember, Ran-Chan. I remember it very well. Yes..." Of course, he couldn't stop himself from getting emotional, for he had forgotten that he no longer had an angel's poker face. "...so you wanted two, right?"
"Yeah," Ran-Chan walked over and started to cut up some meet. "Hey, Anzul... you can have this chicken if you want it." She put it on a plate and set it on the floor.
Capricorn yawned and dumped Anzul onto his feet on the floor, leaving him to trot over to the plate that Ran-Chan had set down for him, carefully taking one of the wraps from Forcystus' plate.
Anzul carefully grabbed a piece of chicken from the plate, sharp teeth picking it up into his mouth much like a cat eats, twisted, tan horns gracefully positioned away from his face.
Capricorn watched him for a moment while chewing thoughtfully.
"You have to admit, he at least knows manners, no matter what people may think of him." she muttered, shaking her head as he reached for another piece of chicken. The sea-green strip of fur down his back fell to the side, looking lifeless as he continued what he was doing, unnoticing of the eyes watching him.
Ran-Chan was standing close to Kratos then, noticing that Anzul really did have manners, even though he was frightening at first. "I have to admit... I was scared of Anzul when we first met, Capricorn..." she said quietly. "...but it seems he's kinda gentle now. I guess because I'm not an enemy anymore?"
Kratos handed her two wraps. "Here. I hope you like them," he said. "How are they?" he asked of the others.
"Hey, Kratos-sama," Ran-Chan pulled on his cape. "Why do you really want to go to Luin, anyway?" She took a bite of a wrap and chewed, spewing veggies all over the place when she let go. "Is there something you left there?" she hadn't finished her statement before she swallowed, showing that even creatures had more manners than she did. "Or a person you forgot to thank?"
Kratos looked at her and just shrugged. "I don't think I need a real reason to go there. I just have to stop and see something for myself," he calmly laughed. "I have to meet someone there, that's why I'm going to Luin."
"Meet?" Ran-Chan asked. "Who!"
"...don't you know?" Kratos asked. "You watched from afar, you kept persuing information about me... you should at least know more about me, Memoria."
"...didn't I ask you not to use my real name?"
"Then don't be so..." Kratos finished making his breakfast and took off his aporn, a little upset. "I don't want to hurt you, so I'm not going to explain it."
"When you don't explain, it makes me hurt more. If it has something to do with Miss Anna, then it's all right. I understand..." Ran-Chan looked up at the celing and stopped eating, putting the plate down to Anzul. "Here ya go. Eat up." she told him, going upstairs. "I have to do something up here. I'll be back down in a moment." A door shut.
Kratos watched her go and started to eat. "I'm amazed. You two are the best I've ever seen at minding one's own buisness," he said, eating pretty quickly. "Maybe it would have been better to stay in space."
Forcystus and Capricorn looked at each other and shrugged.
"Well, I've learned through experience that it's quite rude to cut in on someone else's conversations," Capricorn started, gesturing with her hand, "And your wraps are delicious."
Almost as if on cue, Anzul retracted his legnthy, snake-like tounge back into his mouth and retreated to an armchair, curling comfortably up with his eyes closed.
"Well, I don't mind holding my tounge about it, I can see that it's rather difficult for both of you." Forcystus replied, nodding slightly, "I wouldn't know, but I'd definetly say that you two ahve both had your share of troubles."
Kratos nodded with a slight smile. "Thank you," he said, taking a bite. "You both are great companions, and it's nice to be without a war between us..." He had long forgotten what it meant to eat and enjoy something, especially if prepared by himself, but when he ate it slowly, he started to remember a lot about it. "I've had a lot of practice cooking, so it's no wonder that they turn out at least decent."
In the upstairs room, Ran-Chan lifted up her skirt to see the specialty boots that she wore constantly. Made of a black leather like material that was more like socks, it was almost comfortable. She was amazed that they had lasted this much. Since they were made for her, she was never able to take them off, for they hid something unbearable.
"Mithos," she said angrily. "I have what I wanted the most, but you still win. I may be human now, but what you've done..." She wanted to scream as she remembered the journey. "Martel, Yuan, and Kratos... they didn't nessicarily agree with you..." Ran-Chan walked to the window and looked out upon Iselia, spying her school children. "...but I did! I wanted the reign of the half-elves, I wanted revenge for my murdered father, and I wanted to see you as the ruler of a lifeless planet so no one could feel what I felt..." she tightened up and turned away from the window hastily, seeing her katana lay on a table. "You still have your victory over those who live, don't you!" She snatched the blade and took it out of the sheath. "Mithos Yggdrasill. The curse of being an Angel is over. The curse of love and humanity begins. Life is a strain of curses. Did you know what when you died? Is that why you wanted to be lifeless? I enjoyed the food that Kratos made for us today... I felt the warmth of his kiss and the steadyness of his heartbeat, which made me so calm and tranquil, as if my life... as if I could finally be happy... without what you've done, I would have taken these things for granted, but they are more important now. Mithos, you still win." She took the blade and held it up to her neck. "How simple it would be..." For some reason, she started to cry.
Down stairs, Kratos had finished his breakfast, and was waiting for Ran-Chan to reappear as happy as she always was. He felt something was wrong, so he decided to take his leave of Capricorn and Forcystus to find out.
He knocked on the door. "Ran-Chan, aren't we going to Luin?" he asked. "I want you to come with me, and after we're done, I want to come back here and live with you... to live the life I always wanted to. Come on... are you angry with me? Are you angry at yourself? Memoria, are you even in there?" He opened the door slowly to find Ran-Chan standing with her boots open, showing all sorts of scars and bruses and her blade at her neck. "What are you doing!"
Ran-Chan looked over his way, and said, "My humanity has not been such a wonderful gift, even though it was by you that it returned. I thank you for letting me be me again, but that's what I'm afraid of..." She let her tears flow, handing him her sword. "When I was an angel, I didn't feel controlled by my imbalance... Hide that thing from me, lest I use it to do something stupid, Kratos-sama."
He remembered the days in the training camp, when Ran-Chan couldn't control her emotions at all. She tried, but only in the presence of the future four Seraphim. "You were... that's right... from your human father you recieved the mental imbalance," he explained aloud. "Aurora explained it to me... that you weren't suited for the battles because of the bipolar." He put the sword down and walked over to her. "Don't let that depression from all those years ago come back to haunt you anymore, because... I'm here with you. If you believe you can't make the trip to Luin with me, I won't make it. I'll stay with you if you need it, right here." He wrapped his arms around her, tightening his grip. "I won't let you take your life, because... in all actuality, I feel the same way you do. I hate myself for what I let happen to the world, to Anna, and to you."
Ran-Chan cried into his arms, leaning on his strength. "Kratos-sama...! Thank you!" she said through those tears.
Kratos laughed a moment. "You are welcome, Ran-Chan. Very welcome," he replied back, smiling through his own tears. "Let me help you, if you deem me worthy."
Capricorn yawned quietly, cursing the bustling of the villagers outside. She let out a low growl and slid over towards the window, quietly glancing out to watch people pass by the small house.
She heaved a quiet sigh and contentedly watched them all for a moment, before Forcystus quietly snuck behind her and lifted her up, half-dragging her back to the couch.
"Ssssh..." Forcystus murmured softly, smiling as Capricorn struggled to free herself from his grip. She let out a small squeal and squirmed a bit more, trying hard not to let out a laugh.
"Let.. go.." she growled playfully, twisting her fingers into Forcystus' hair. He snorted quietly and settled himself back down onto the couch with her still squirming in his arms.
"But I don't want to..." he whined teasingly, burrying his face into her shoulder.
After a few minutes, Kratos and Ran-Chan looked into each others eyes. They were so silent but trusting in each other, they need not pass words to understand. But just for the hell of it, they were going to anyway. XD
"Kratos-sama, I want to make the trip with you," Ran-Chan said quietly. "I really want to travel by your side. It's not fun when you travel on your own..."
Kratos agreed and looked down at her legs, seeing scars and bruises. "That's... from when Mithos...!" he said, amazed they were still there. "Thousands of years ago, he-"
Ran-Chan placed her hand on his mouth and shook her head slowly. "Kratos-sama, don't bring it up. Remember, we were angels and did not heal since our bodies felt nothing. Its like me with my imbalance. I didn't know it because the angelic powers nullified it." She explained. "I won't heal for a while, and that's why my feet hurt so..."
"Then should we stay here?" Kratos asked, grabbing under her knees and pulling her up into his arms. "I'll help you in any way that I can."
"But we'd never go before I have to get back to work." Ran-Chan said. "Wait-"
Kratos didn't wait. He held her closely and nibbled on her ear for a moment, making her squeal a little. "Shhh, they might hear you," he said playfully. "We don't want to get anyone in trouble."
"And who'd be in trouble, Kratos-sama?" she said, giggling.
"Now's not the time to point fingers, my love."
"...right..."
Kratos kissed her neck and kept being a bit more passionate as he kept going. "Being human again is a wonderful thing," he said, continuing. "We have to enjoy every living moment we have, or when it is gone, we shall regret it."
It was the first time Ran-Chan felt so alive and loved. She didn't know what to do, either to stop him or let him keep going. The second choice sounded more fun, but the first seemed more logical. Thinking about how she would usually make choices like this made her inwardly depressed. "I will make the journey to Luin with you, Kratos-sama. We have to go or we'll lose another day," she said, unsure of what choice she really should make.
"Yes, I agree," Kratos said, putting her back on her own two feet. "Even though I'd rather-" he kissed her cheek again "-spend more time with you like this."
Ran-Chan had been blushing a while, but she just got more redder. "Let's just go and get Capricorn and Forcystus so we can leave, okay?" she asked.
"If you promise to let me show you affection later," he tried to bargain with her, knowing he was going to win hands down.
The half elven woman smiled and nodded, as the two went back down the stairs together.
Forcystus finally loosened his grip around Capricorn's waist when he heard footsteps on the stairs, and let her slid off next to him. She stretched quietly, and curled up against the arm rest.
"Meh, we heading out?" Forcystus asked as Ran-Chan and Kratos stepped off the stairs, "Going someplace new-ish?"
Capricorn let out a snort and scooped Anzul up into her arms.
"Yeah, well, it'll be fun no matter where we head to, you know." she muttered quietly, stroking Anzul's head.
Ran-Chan looked up at Kratos, as if she hadn't done enough all ready, and nodded. "Yup. We're off!" she said. She had been holding Kratos' hand for those few seconds. "Aren't we?"
Kratos agreed. "Yes. We shove off," he said, handing Randi her sword back. "You might need this. Trust me, you can handle yourself until this is over." He ruffled her hair as he always did when she accepted and tied it back onto the left side her waist.
She looked at the other two, sparkly eyed enough to blind a few thousand people. "I'm ready. And since I've got enough Gald to feed us for a while, we don't need to take much." Ran-Chan and Kratos started to walk out of the house together, making romantic small talk very quietly.
Capricorn pulled herself up, etting Anzul back down onto the floor. She grabbed her rapier and strapped it to her belt, fingering the hilt absentmindedly.
"Alright, we going to walk or ride, then?" she asked, yawning, She was tired, but she attempted to hide it.
Anzul purred and crawled up Forcystus' leg as he stood up, perching himself up on his shoulder like a parrot.
"Hmm, riding would be a good way to travel, but do we have a mount for everyone...?" he asked.
Kratos looked at them and said, "We can walk at least a little bit, right?" He cocked his head to the side with a smile. "Ran-Chan, up to walking?"
Ran-Chan nodded. "You bet! I can't wait to go."
The group left the house after Ran-Chan locked the door firmly. They headed toward the gate of Iselia, ready to start another adventure.
Kratos had been walking close to her, leaning over every once in a while to kiss her ear or to say something short and cute just to make walking a better chore than it had to be. He realized that she wanted to make the trip because of how dedicated she was, and he didn't know if he really wanted to go through with it anymore. He knew that her legs ached now that she could feel pain, and it must have been what kept her silent except for small muffles every now and then. Kratos thought about his reasons to go back to Luin, which did have to do with Anna, and wondered if his little Ran-Chan could afford to make the trip with her legs in that condition.
"Ran-Chan," he said, turning to look at her as they walked together. "Are you sure that with your legs you can walk the distances required to make it from place to place? Maybe we should look for Noishe..."
She kept walking without really saying much until she answered with, "Kratos-sama... Noishe is with Lloyd, and who knows when or if we could find him..." Then she smiled. "I have you," she added, "and I know that with your strength, I can do anything."
That made Kratos stop walking for a moment and he grabbed Ran-Chan off the ground and put her on his shoulders. "There," he said. "Yes, you are helped using my strength." he laughed, letting himself to really smile. "I will let you ride for a while."
"Thanks," she said, hugging his head. "You are such a sweetheart." Ran-Chan sniffed his hair and nuzzled in it. "Hmm... smells like Kratos-sama!" she added, laughing.
"I'd be better at it if you'd let go of my head!" Kratos exclaimed, trying to stand up straight as he walked. "Come on now, let go..." He tried to be serious, but her attitude was a bit too cheerful. He couldn't help but laugh at the situation himself. "Please, let go of my head?"
Ran-Chan smiled. "But... it smells so good!" she said, happily.
Kratos stopped trying to walk and looked up at Ran-Chan who dropped her face before his. Even though it was upside down, it was still bright and happy. "This mood is a part of it, isn't it?" he asked, looking into her eyes. "Your brain chemistry is on the upbeat right now. It's starting to move pretty quickly from each side..."
"...no," she said, shaking her head. "I'm happy because I'm with you, spending quality time with you, and I'm going to make a journey with you! Kratos-sama, what you told me made me happy naturally." Ran-Chan peered into his eyes, too. She saw deep concern and love come from his dark eyes, which only made her worry. "I feel so confident when I'm with you. I want to be with you, Kratos-sama, because I love you!" She agreed to let go of his head so he could walk, but only if he agreed to at least let her braid a chunk of his hair while sitting up there on his shoulders. He reluctantly agreed and they walked out of the Iselia gate.
Ran-Chan gently took a clump of fluffy red hair and twisted it. The braiding idea was really boring and she wanted to walk beside her love without having any problems with it. 'Mithos,' she thought, 'Is that why you hurt my legs? You never beat anything else when you were angry with me. It was because I followed Kratos-sama... Now you... won't let me walk beside him...' With that, she dropped the clump and Kratos felt it.
"Smooth ride up there?" Kratos asked, looking up to see a droopy face above his own. "Oh no... Your moods are swinging again," he said quietly. "I'm amazed that your mother didn't have you in a place to help you take care of this problem."
"Heimdall doesn't have doctors or anything like that," Ran-Chan said. "And we couldn't see a human doctor, so we relied on a medicine man and our elder for ideas on how to control this human problem. You know... it's this mental... disease that led them to believe... I wasn't a full elf. This is how I'm part human, and this is the part of humanity I recieved." She explained, not shedding a tear. "My hair and eye colors, my skin tone, even my battle abilites are that of elves. It's what's inside me... that made me human... and led me to you... Just do me a favor. PLEASE Don't put me away because I can't control my emotions. PLEASE Don't think I'm crazy...!"
Kratos nodded, continuing to walk away from the little village. "You are not crazy." he said, reaching up to catch her hand, but he accidentally caught her butt instead.
"Ahh!" she said, jumping up. "Kratos-sama!"
"...sorry about that... hmm... it's soft... and squishy..." Kratos laughed, keeping his hand where it was. "It's such a nice one, yes?"
"Kratos-sama! We're out in a field!" Ran-Chan grew red in the face, but she couldn't do much to get away from his prying hand. She enjoyed the playfulness and it cheered her up, however so.
"...aww... it's so nice, I can't help myself. Let me play with it." He laughed, looking to the side to see that Capricorn and Forcystus were still with them. He blushed red, too, and realized that becoming mortal again ment that he had urges to fufill other than just the basics.
Capricorn laughed and gave Forcystus' hair a good yank. He growled and wrapped his arm around her waist, stepping in time with her pace.
"That hurts, you know." he muttered teasingly, crimson eye alight. He had needed to get out of Iselia, and he hoped that the trip would do some good to calm his nerves from the past years.
"I know, that's the point." she replied, laughing. Her own auburn eyes scanned the area, and she soon fell back into step with Forcystus.
Ran-Chan stopped braiding his hair. It wasn't worth the time, and it just made him look like he had dread locks, which made her cringe. "Bye, Iselia!" she said, looking back to wave. "Hee hee! I feel like a little kid up here, Kratos-sama."
Kratos laughed and replied, "You've been acting like one up there lately." He removed his hand, and kept walking. Soon all the group could see was a huge field that led to a large desert, and it seemed that it would take forever to get there. "Hey, Ran-Chan."
"Yeah?" she asked, looking down.
"Do you know where we are?" he asked, looking around to see the plains stretch so far it seemed as if the world really was flat. "This place is-"
Ran-Chan remembered where it was. "You remember, too, then. I chose to live in Iselia because of how close it is to this place," she said, messing with his hair again. "And how much it means to me."
To not leave Capricorn and Forcystus in the dark once again, Kratos explained the importance of the field they stood in. "This is where Ran-Chan and I first grew to know each other back in the days of the Kharlan War and where I gave her the nickname she uses so religiously," he said. "This field is where we trained for days with other half elves to... well, you know that story."