OOH! This makes me mad. The idea sounded soooooo much better in my head, but I just……CAN'T WRITE THIS STUFF Dx

The fight later is probably the crappiest fight ever, and the last part…I dunno, I think the last line is the only good part of it .

In any case, enjoy, if you can D:

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything mentioned in this story. If I did, I could definitely have written this a heck of a lot better ._.

Nel slowly opened her eyes, blinking several times when she realized the blinding sunlight was pouring through her window. She had grown far too accustomed to living on the ship with Fayt, Cliff, and the others. Now that she was back home, she would have to remember how she lived without the technology she had gotten so used to.

…Well, she wasn't exactly home yet - but that detail was beside the point.

"Are you sure you don't want us to take you farther?" Fayt asked.

"I'll be fine," Nel responded, "I'd like to walk anyway. I've almost forgotten what this place looks like."

She laughed quietly. Why had she said that, again? She hadn't forgotten anything - and she had never been a big fan of walking anywhere. Oh well, she thought, the damage has been done.

She stretched, got up, and immediately prepared for the journey back to Aquios - she at least wanted to get to Arias before nightfall, if at all possible. Wondering to herself it that would be possible, she paid for her room and left the inn.

As she walked down the road toward the gates of the royal city of Aeriglyph, however, a familiar voice shook her from her thoughts.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?"

She turned. Albel was running toward her, an aggravated innkeeper yelling after him.

"Impatient maggot," he muttered upon catching up to her. "Well, don't just stand there dumbfounded, let's get going!"

"Wha-?" She blinked, confused, before following him along her already predetermined path. "Why do you want to come with me?"

Albel shrugged. "I'm going to Kirlsa anyway. Figured it wouldn't be so bad to take you that far, at least."

Nel frowned. "I'm perfectly capable of making the trip by myself," she said in an aggravated tone.

"I know, I just thought I'd be nice. Damn."

She laughed. "You? Nice? Since when?"

"Look do you want to go by yourself?"

She thought for a moment. "I guess having someone else along would definitely be better. A little less boring, at least."

He smirked. "So I was right, then."

"Don't get cocky."

"Too late."She rolled her eyes. He was absolutely impossible.

"So, why are you going to Kirlsa, anyway?" she asked curiously. "I thought you were going to stay in the castle, or something?"

"Nah," he responded, "that god-forsaken place bores me. At least Kirlsa has the Training Facility nearby. Besides," he added, almost thoughtfully, "I figured it wouldn't be so bad to visit Woltar."

"Huh? Why?" She was generally confused. "I thought you didn't like Woltar?"

"Are you kidding? The guy's the closest thing I have to a father anymore.""Closest thing? What happened to your real father?"

Albel suddenly stopped. Nel glanced over at him, trying to read his expression, but his hair hid his face. "…Nothing." he finally said. "…Come on, we're burning daylight."

As he nonchalantly walked past her, she noticed the look in his eyes.

She had never seen any more than anger in them, or the triumphant look he got when he won or was right about something. But now…

"…Was your father Glou Nox?" she finally asked. "I've heard he was a great warrior. Did he -?""No." Albel growled. "It's none of your concern. Drop it."She sighed. Just when she thought he was opening up to her…

It was strange, really. Albel seemed to be exactly the type of person she'd normally hate. Arrogant, always putting others down, disrespectful…

And yet those same qualities about him were so…Fascinating.

Yes, she had to admit, she had been wary about allowing him to accompany her, but to be completely honest, she was glad he wanted to come. She couldn't really bring herself to say goodbye to him yet. She enjoyed having him around.

Which was why it bothered her that he wouldn't open up to her…

Albel sighed. After so many years of finally putting the haunting memory out of his mind, it was now back and bothering him again. This is bad, he thought. She's getting too close…damn it, why did I let this happen? He shook his head. That's it. Once we reach Kirlsa…that will have to be it…

"Ah…so much for reaching Arias by nightfall…"

Nel looked at the sky with a frown. The sun was already setting, and they had just reached Kirlsa. She sighed. "Ugh. And the inn here is so…" she shuddered.

"…You know…The place I'm going…it's a mansion…I'm sure there's a spare room there…"

No! Albel thought, You fool! What the hell are you thinking? This is bad, very very bad…!

"Really? I'd appreciate that, thanks!" Nel smiled. It was a genuine, kind smile. One didn't see such a smile on her face often, and Albel had noticed that throughout the time he had spent with her. Why..? Why was she smiling…?

Nel looked out the window. From it, she could look down at the sleeping town below. She couldn't believe that her day had passed so quickly. She remembered greeting Woltar, meeting him for the first time on friendly terms - the exquisite meal he'd had prepared immediately (which was incredibly good; much better than anything she would have received at that filthy inn), and then Albel had quickly retired to his room for the evening early on. She sighed. Tomorrow she would have to tell him goodbye. She wasn't too sure whether or not she would be able to.

I want to talk to him… she thought with a sigh. But it's been hours…I'm sure he's asleep by now…

With an exasperated sigh, she crawled into her bed and closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep. As she drifted off into a world that bordered reality and dreams, however, she got a strange, foreboding feeling - a faint one, that she could not bring herself to recall in the morning.

"Oh, good morning Woltar." Nel said in surprise. She hadn't expected to bump into him in the halls. "Do you know where Albel is? He wasn't in his room."

"He went out, though I don't know where," the old man responded with a shrug. "Though he asked me to bid you farewell should you leave for Aquios before he returns. You aren't leaving already, I hope?"

She couldn't help but sigh. "Yes, I want to get home as soon as possible," she said quietly, though she would much rather stay where she was. "Thank you," she finally said, "for everything. Goodbye."

"Goodbye; have a safe trip!"

It was odd, she thought as she left, that such a kind man was the one to raise Albel. He'd said the old man was the closest thing he had to a father - was whatever had happened to his real father what made him so bitter? It surely couldn't have been in the way Woltar raised him…

She sighed. What does it matter? she thought. I must leave now…it will probably be months - years, maybe. - before I see him again. If I see him at all…

Albel kicked at the rocks in front of him as he walked along the path. He had planned to go to the Kirlsa Training Facility, to vent and let out his emotions. But these conflicting feelings - the ones he hadn't felt in so many years - could they be discarded as easily as his anger, his sadness? He tried his hardest to remain cold, emotionless - the only way he could get rid of the unwanted feelings was through fighting. But, he wondered…would it work now?

As he continued to pace back and forth along the small stretch of the path, he heard the voices behind him.

"So…he's finally back!"

"And right into our grasp, too - what a pleasure!"

Albel immediately turned at the sound of the voices. Their faces turned his frown into a scowl. They had been Vox's most loyal men, when he had been alive.

"What do you worms want with me?" he growled, "I don't have time for you."

"Not much," one sneered, "just to make sure you realize you're not getting away with killing Duke Vox - not with a clean slate, anyway!"

"Hmph. You're stupider than I thought. As much as I wish I could say I did, I was not the one responsible for Vox's death. So take your crappy attitudes elsewhere; go frighten the children or something."

"Oh, listen to him!"

"If our attitudes are crappy, what does that make you? Some kinda nice guy? A saint?"

"I think we should teach him a lesson, whether he killed Vox or not!"

Albel quickly found himself surrounded. Idiots… He immediately grabbed his katana, ready for a fight. He could tell already that he could take these guys out by himself.

Or so he thought.

Just as he turned to attack one who was nearby, another quickly ran up and lashed with his own blade at his arm. The only way to avoid the attack was for Albel to drop his katana and move out of the way, as the sword would have still been caught in the blow. As he turned and started to lash out at them with his prosthetic claw, there was a clash where the sword met it. He smirked. Did this guy really think…

There was a sound of something breaking.

Thinking it was the other's sword, Albel grinned in triumph, ready to attack. But then he realized, he was wrong.

The man quickly dragged the sword down Albel's arm, and despite his attempts to stop it, it still made it to the claw at the end. The man wedged the blade in the crevice where his wrist used to be…

Albel's eyes widened in shock as he felt his control over the prosthetic leave him. The man had successfully broken it.

Damn it! he yelled mentally. How is this possible? I've had this thing for years - nothing can break it! Have such improvements been made in the short time I was gone..?

He looked around anxiously for his katana. Another of the people were between him and it. I…fell right into their hands when I dropped it…

He gritted his teeth. There was no way he could beat them without his katana - and there was no way to get past the guys blocking his way without beating them. For the first time, he felt truly helpless.

But that doesn't mean I'm not fighting back… he thought angrily.

Nel sighed. She had found herself overcome with thoughts of her black-and-blonde haired comrade, if she could call him that. He knew I was leaving, she thought, so why didn't he hang around to say goodbye? She frowned. Had she made him mad when asking about his father?No, that can't be it…besides, if he were just angry with me, he would just refuse to come out and say goodbye, or something - not leave to come up with some bad excuse…

"Mi…Miss Nel!"

She turned at the sound of the exasperated voice behind her. It was a woman, probably from Kirlsa. Though she had never seen this woman before in her life, it was not surprising that she knew her name. She had, indeed, become quite famous…

"Oh, good! I hoped it was you I saw!" the strange woman stopped to catch her breath. "Please, you must help!"

Nel's look was immediately one of concern. "What's the matter? I'll help any way I can.""I was…on my way to the Kirlsa Training Facility," she began. "I was taking supplies - clothes, food, and the like. There seemed to be some sort of fight going on - I'm not sure what about, or who exactly is involved - the only one I recognized was Lord Albel."

Nel's eyes widened in surprised - a reaction she couldn't avoid, despite her successful stifling of a gasp. Albel? "What, exactly, do you want me to do?" she asked.

"Please," the woman pleaded, "if someone doesn't do something soon…it looks as though Lord Albel was losing…he may die…"

Nel couldn't hide the gasp this time. No way…Albel wouldn't let himself get beaten by some random thugs…but… She nodded. "About how far are they from here?""Not very," the woman said. She turned and pointed at the direction she had come from. "That way. Oh, do hurry! I wish there were something I could have done, myself…"

But Nel was already hurrying off of the path in the direction the woman had directed her to.

Damn it, Albel…what kind of trouble did you get yourself into?

"You bastards are really getting on my nerves!"

As Albel dodged around another blade as it flew through the air at him, he noticed an opening - the fool had left his sword unguarded. Just as he started toward it, though, one of the others was quickly in front of him, causing him to have to pull another dodging maneuver.

"What's the matter?" one yelled mockingly, "Can't fight hand-to-hand?"

Albel smirked. "I probably could, actually. But this isn't hand-to-hand; it's more like hand-to-sword. Are you maggots so pathetic that you have to completely disarm me to take me out?" Now was probably not the best time to provoke them, he figured, but he felt the need to do something aside from just dodging their swings. Somehow, throughout this whole ordeal, he only had a few scratches so far. A couple on his face, quite a few on his right arm - they seemed to be the main targets.

"Hmph, I'll show you that you're truly the pathetic one!" the one who seemed to be the leader of the 3 yelled.

"How about I take care of that, instead?"

As the men turned to see where the voice was coming from, bolts of fire seemed to come from nowhere, causing them to run, frightened.

Runeology..!

Despite the millions of questions racing through his mind - Why is she here? How did she find this place? Why is she helping me? - he took advantage of the distraction and snatched his katana from the ground, determined to finish things quickly.

"Your arm is broken?"

"I believe I've already established this fact."

Nel, having finished bandaging Albel's wounds (although he was sure that none of them were really all that fatal), examined his broken prosthetic with great curiosity. "Has it ever happened before?""No, actually. When it was made, I was told it was the best - nothing could break it." He smirked slightly. "That guy…he has some explaining to do, now."

Nel couldn't help but smile, too. "So, who were those guys?" she asked, finally.

He shrugged. "Hell if I know, really. They were loyal to Vox when he was alive, though - and it's a well-known fact that Vox and I never got along very well. I guess that bitterness seeped down to his stupid subordinates as well. In any case, they seemed to think that I was the one responsible for his death - which is absolutely ridiculous, might I add, as I was imprisoned at the time!" He sighed.

"Now it's your turn to answer a question. How did you find me? And why?"Nel shrugged. "I was on my way to the border when a woman who saw what was happening found me and said I should probably do something before things got too bad." She didn't want to tell him that the woman had been fearful for him. She knew that it would only hurt his pride, knowing he looked so weak and helpless. I won't even say she mentioned him specifically, she decided.

Albel let out a short, cold laugh. "Really, now? What compelled you to do anything? You could have easily kept walking, and minded your own business."She shrugged again. "You know me. I like to help."

He looked at her suspiciously. "Did this woman…tell you that I, specifically, was there?"She once again had to resist the urge to gasp. It was almost as though he had read her thoughts. "Err…n-no…" she stammered. Yeah, very convincing… she thought sarcastically.

He immediately looked away again, though she noticed the small smirk creep onto his face. "That is quite possibly the most obvious lie I've ever been told," he finally said. He laughed, and ran his hand through his hair. "Ah…it wasn't supposed to turn out this way…" He glanced at her. "You're an idiot. You could have been hurt."

Nel blinked in confusion. Since when did he care? "So? Half of the things I do involve putting my life on the line, so -"

"But doing so for another person's sake," he cut her off, "is the most ridiculous thing a person can do.

"After all…if not for such foolishness…my father would still be alive…"

Was that what all of this was about?"Please," she finally said, "tell me…what happened to your father?"

Albel laughed quietly. "I was 15...I thought I was ready to take my place in the Dragon Brigade…but, the ceremony…the Ascension of Flame…failed…"

He trailed off, no longer speaking to Nel - he was off in his own world.

"I should have died…" he murmured quietly, in a tone of voice Nel had never heard him use before. "Father, you idiot…it was a punishment…why did you save me…?"

Nel bit her lip. She understood now. "I'm sorry…"

Her apology seemed to remind him that she was still there. He glanced at her, then sighed. "You should have left," he said, in the same unnatural tone of voice. "Hopefully, you're not so dense that you don't see…why I didn't want to say goodbye…"

She nodded. He didn't want to get too close to her…that was why he was so concerned…he didn't want her to end up like his father had…

Her emotions were confusing. She was sad - sad for Albel, because he had to live through such pain. That such a painful memory was why he was the person he was…he did things to push everyone away…

She reached out, placing her hands on both sides of his face, forcing him to look at her. "You don't have to push everyone away," she said. Then she added, in a soft whisper, "You don't have to push me away…"

A small smile crept onto his face. "This…has gone too far…"

But as their faces drew closer together - as they shared the kiss they had both been secretly longing for - he whispered one more thing into her ear.

"But I suppose I can deal with not having my way…just this once."