A/N: Okay, I've gone back and changed the ages. Lloyd is ten, Colette is nine, Genis is five, and Raine is seventeen. That's as close to canon as I can guess.

Thank you for pointing it out, tiger002. And for all of the amazing reviews.

--

"… I'm hungry," Genis said, face pulled into a pout, lip twisting as he looked at the ground. "When do we get to stop again?"

Raine sighed. "We're almost to Iselia, Genis. We can stop there, and hopefully get something to eat. I still have some gald left from the last place."

"When are we going to stop, sis?" he asked, blue eyes clear and far smarter than his age. "I mean … for real? When are we going to stop living like this? Why didn't Mom want us?"

"Because we're half-elves." Raine knew how to be cold. She knew how to be calculating. She knew how to survive, albeit barely. She just didn't know how to break her brother's heart. "She couldn't look after us, so she abandoned us. She told me to take care of you. And the only way I can do that is to keep moving on. So people don't get suspicious." Raine's hand fisted into her dirty robe. "People don't like half-elves much."

"But why?" Genis scowled. "We're not that different. We're not monsters or anything."

"But that's the thing, Genis," Raine said gently. "That's what they think we are, because there's a bunch of half-elves called the Desians who steal and kill humans and do awful things to people. So everybody doesn't like half-elves. We have to pretend we're elves, and even then, people are wary around us. It's easier not to stay in anyplace too long."

"What about … Dad?" Genis managed, blinking hurriedly to hold back tears. "You said Mom was an elf. What happened to Dad? Did he not want us, too?"

"He wanted us," Raine assured him. "We used to live with him and Mom for a while, up until a few months after you were born. But we had to keep running then, too. And then Father died. And Mother abandoned us." She still hated her for it. Even though now, from experience, she knew it was hard. Having to fend for yourself and someone else, someone absolutely dependent on you, in a hostile world. Evidently too hard for her to do alone. "Come on, Genis. Enough resting. We're almost there. Didn't you say you were hungry?"

"I am hungry," Genis whined. "But my feet hurt, too."

So Raine scooped him up. It was easy, too much so. He was slight of build even among the elves. He was so small. She wasn't getting him enough to eat. "Well, then, let's take your mind off of it. Who was the hero of the Kharlan War?"

"Mithos," Genis muttered sulkily. "I don't want to study."

"It's a good distraction. What's 5 times 3?"

"I don't know. Multiplication doesn't make sense!"

"Remember, Genis, multiplication is just an easier way to write out addition. Let me say it this way: what's 5 + 5 + 5?"

"Five plus five is ten and ten plus five is … fifteen. It's fifteen! I did it! Yeah!"

"Good job. Now, what's 3 times 5?"

"Uh … fifteen! You just switched it around!"

"Very good. If you're fighting a wind monster, what type of elemental spells would you use against it?"

"Earth spells! Like Ground Dasher!"

"Try 'Stone Blast,' Genis. But yes, that is correct."

They grew nearer and nearer to the village, making Raine's stomach clench. The Ossa Trail had been hard, and there had been barely any rest in Izoold … the people there were still terribly suspicious of outsiders, especially since they hadn't come on any of the established ships. Stowaways. It hadn't been easy, sneaking food, finding places to hide, all the while living with the fear that if the people found them they'd simply toss them off board to sink or swim, just another couple of drowned half-elven rats. Raine had nightmares about it, when she allowed herself to sleep. Dad couldn't save her this time, and there was no way she could save Genis …

It had been easiest in Palmacosta. There were plenty of scraps and shadows in a big city, but there were plenty of other people who wanted them, too. Even the abandoned humans, the ones who lived on refuse and begged and stole, gave no mercy to half-elves. So they'd stowed away.

And now …

Iselia was about to become the same. But Genis was hungry.

Sadly, love wasn't edible, and neither was fear. If they were she'd never be hungry again.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" someone shouted, and the next second a hulking red blur crashed through the trees at them. Raine bit her lip as she nearly shrieked, hurriedly backing up and swaying with Genis still on her back. He dug his hands into her hair. The blur turned out to be a boy, wearing bright red, who had a more cheerful smile than Raine had ever seen pointed anywhere near her direction. "Are you going to the village? We hardly ever see travelers! Oh, yeah, I'm Lloyd. I live with my dad, he's a dwarf, a little ways that way." He pointed. "I was just going into the village. After school gets out I go play with Colette, when she doesn't have Chosen duties. That's why you came here, right? On a pilgrimage?"

"… No," Raine finally said, somehow finding her voice. She would have thought it had been shocked out to the other side of the ocean. "My brother and I are just travelers. We were looking for something to eat and possibly a place to stay the night. Nice to meet you, Lloyd. I'm Raine and this is my younger brother, Genis. Could you perhaps show us the way to the village?"

"Um, sure! I was just going there! And maybe you could stay at me and my Dad's house tonight!" Lloyd beamed. He looked up at Genis. "Wow, you're really little! How old is he, anyway?"

"I'm five, even though it looks like I've already learned more than you," Genis said, sticking out his tongue at him. "It's mine and my dad's house, stupid! How old are you, anyway?"

"Wow, you're really smart!" Lloyd's brow wrinkled in confusion. "I don't get it, though. I'm ten. My friend Colette just turned nine. How old are you, Raine?"

The question made her blink for a moment. How old was she? Mother and Father had never said … "I don't know. If I did, I don't remember. I'm not sure I even remember my birthday. I just know Genis's."

Lloyd looked shocked. "That's awful!" he said. "My dad doesn't know my exact birthday because he found me in the woods with my mom's body, but that doesn't mean we don't celebrate it! He just calls it the day he found me. And everyone celebrates Colette's birthday, but that's mostly because she's the Chosen, and when she turns sixteen it'll be the Day of Prophecy and she'll get to go on a journey and regenerate the world. I hope I get to go with her. Come on! I should introduce you." He started out into the forest completely confidently, and for the first time Raine noticed that on each side he had a sheathed sword. Genis reached over and tugged on one of his white ribbons. "Ow! Hey!"

"Sorry," Genis said, though from the way his voice sounded Raine could tell he wasn't particularly sorry at all. "I just wanted to see how well it was attached. I've never seen a boy who wears ribbons."

"Yeah, well, I've never seen a little boy with white hair who talks like you," Lloyd muttered. "Are you guys on your own?"

"Yes," Raine answered stiffly. "Our father is dead, and we have no idea what became of our mother. We're looking for a more tolerant place to settle down, where I can raise Genis. I wish I had the proper resources to teach him more …"

"Well, I guess he is really smart for a five-year-old," Lloyd replied, grinning again. "That's cool. Are you guys human then? It doesn't really look like it. You act a lot smarter than I've seen humans do. Are you elves? I've never seen an elf. Dad says they're basically extinct, and so does Phaidra, Colette's grandma."

"Yes, we're elves," Raine lied through her teeth, going with the only reasonable lie. "My mother taught me how to control my magic, and I've been teaching Genis. Sadly, people don't really think much of elves around here. They haven't been the most friendly. We've been traveling since my Mother disappeared in a forest a little outside Palmacosta."

"Wow," uttered Lloyd, eyes wide. "I've never met someone who's been to so many places! Is Palmacosta really a giant city?!? What are the boats like? Did you ride in one to get here? Is it exhausting, to travel so much? Did you ever sleep in the forest? Wait 'till I tell Colette about this! She's going to have to go on a journey, too, someday, so I bet she'd love to hear about what the places are like! Look, we're almost to the village!"

And indeed they were. They had apparently stumbled back across the road leading to the main gate, manned by bored-looking city militiamen, when suddenly a green blur hurled itself out of the trees on the other side and ran to Lloyd, jumping on him and licking his face. "Aw, Noishe," Lloyd groaned, trying ineffectually to push him off, "you know I hate it when you do that. Especially since it was your fault you ran off. Get off of me. Come meet Raine and Genis."

Noishe looked up, wagged his tail, and hopped off of him, trotting up to Raine and nudging his head under her hand in an invitation to pet him. Genis shrieked to be let down, wanting to play with the "doggy." It certainly didn't look like any dog she'd ever seen or heard of. For one thing, it was green. And was certainly the largest thing she'd ever seen. But it certainly acted like a dog. It looked like it was Lloyd's pet.

Raine let Genis down, where he cowered on the ground to the barrage of licks the dog directed at his face. "This is your pet? His name is … Noishe?"

"Yep," Lloyd said, nodding cheerfully. "Dad found me with him when I was a baby, and he's been my pet ever since. He comes with me every day when I travel to the village, but sometimes he runs off. He's afraid of monsters, the big coward. Like anything's much scarier than him." He snorted.

"Ah! Stop licking my face, you big mutt! You're so slobbery!" Genis cried. "Lloyd, make him get off me!"

"Noishe, stop!" Lloyd hurriedly intervened, shoving the dog away from him. "Bad dog," he chastened. "Don't jump on Genis."

"Should we head into the village now?" Raine asked, reminded of her grumbling stomach. "Not that it wasn't a pleasure to meet you, Noishe, I'm sure …" He twitched his nose at her, whining.

Lloyd frowned. "Sorry, Noishe," he said. "You knew where I was headed." He turned to face Raine and Genis's puzzled expressions. "Noishe isn't allowed in the village, for some reason, so he has to wait for me outside every day. We can see him again when I show you Dad's house. Come on. Colette's probably waiting for me. I bet she can't wait to meet you guys!"

He grabbed Genis's and Raine's hands and rushed them past the guards while Noishe whined and waited, not paying attention in the least to the men who looked at them as they went by the gate. Raine shivered. Just because Lloyd didn't care about their dirty clothing and bought their story about being elves didn't mean anyone else would. Being kicked out of a place was one thing. Being exposed to the public eye, unprotected in the middle, was another. But it was already too late for that.

"Colette!" Lloyd shouted, skidding to a stop in the center road and looking around. "Colette! Guess what!"

"Lloyd! You're here!" a blonde girl shouted happily, appearing from the right, wearing white-and-blue clothing in a style Raine was sure she'd seen once in a book. "I missed you! I – I mean … you were late …" She blushed and looked down.

Lloyd grinned broadly, not noticing anything wrong in the slightest. "I know, but look who I met on the way, Colette! This is Raine and Genis. They're elves. They came here all the way from Palmacosta! They're looking for something to eat and a place to sleep for the night. Wow, I just realized I'm hungry, too! Oh yeah, I didn't have a snack because I was playing with Noishe! Never mind. Do you think Dad would let them stay with us for the night?"

"I'm sure he would!" Colette chirped, apparently able to spout and understand information in the same impossibly speedy way Lloyd did. "Mr. Dirk's always so nice to me!" She turned her head, flushing. "Oh! I haven't introduced myself! I'm Colette, the Chosen, and I promise you I'll save the world someday! You're Raine and Genis? You're really elves? My grandma said that there weren't any left! This is amazing!"

Raine blinked unsteadily. Genis looked alarmed. Sadly it was up to her, as the older sibling, to be polite in formulate some sort of response. "Nice to meet you, Colette. You're Lloyd's friend, I presume? Don't worry, I haven't seen any elves for a long time either, not since my mother went missing. She … ahem … wanted to travel a bit."

"Oh!" Colette said, shocked. "That's sad. My mother died when I was little, so I guess I know what it's like to not have one around. But I have my father and my grandma, and the whole village. You've been traveling all alone? Genis is so little! It doesn't look very good for him …"

"Well, we don't really have much of a choice," Raine tried to say pleasantly, forcing the smile to stay plastered on her face. "No one really wants elves living near them. And, of course, we don't have parents."

"That's awful!" Colette gasped, looking horrified that something like it could happen anywhere in the world. "You have to stay here, then! The schoolteacher's house is open now, since he's decided to go teach at the Academy in Palmacosta, and I'm sure there would be a place for you in town. Since you're elves, I bet there's plenty of things you can do! I'll talk to Grandma about it and she'll talk to the Mayor!"

"Yeah!" Lloyd said, eyes lighting up. "Then you could teach school – you look real smart - and I could play with Genis and Colette! It'd be great! Can we go to your house, Colette? We could have a snack while we ask your grandma if it's okay."

"Sure!" she chirped. "Come on, Raine, Genis. You can come see my house." She grabbed Raine's arm and started to merrily drag her in the direction she'd first come from, leaving Lloyd to lead Genis and babble on to him excitedly. They were fiendishly nice people, albeit denser than the average and talkative enough for seven.

"Here it is," giggled Colette, pointing at a trim little house with plantlife growing over it and a little well in the corner. " This is where I live. Do you want to see my room?"

"Sure," Raine managed, still disconnected and disconcerted. "I'd love to."

Colette let go of her hand to push the door open, breezing in. "Hi, Dad! Is Grandma ho – " Her voice was cut off when she tripped and fell face-first into the floor. Raine looked down at her in shock, dropping down to her level. "Colette! Are you alright?" She felt so worried. It was strange, to feel this way for anyone except Genis.

Colette sat back up. "I – I'm fine," she said shakily, still smiling. "Don't worry. That happens a lot. I guess I'm just really clumsy. But come on! My room's just up the stairs." She got back up and led Raine through the kitchen and up them, completely forgetting about whoever she had been calling for.

"Well, here it is! Do you like it?"

"It's very … pretty." And pretty it was. Pretty, domestic, and neat, almost the way Colette herself was, but without her shy smile. Raine almost … liked it, not something she would have at all expected. "It looks like you. It has your taste."

"Thanks!" Colette beamed at her. "I'm so glad you like it. We should go downstairs now. Lloyd and Genis are probably already getting food from the kitchen, and I need to ask my dad if my grandma's here!"

"Of course." Raine followed her back down the stairs. "I really shouldn't leave Genis alone." Especially with Lloyd. No, she didn't mean it like that. More like, especially with Lloyd willing to babble out their life story to anyone who might have the brains to suspect there was more than it seemed to the story … it was hardly hole-proof.

"Uh-huh!" Colette nodded. How did she get to be so energetic? Really? Was it a side effect of the Mana Lineage, or just a natural condition? Raine would have liked to know.

"Hey, Colette!" Lloyd called from the table, biting into a sandwich. He chewed up the bite and swallowed. "Your dad said he'd go get your grandma from the temple for us, when I explained it to him. In the meantime, he said we could have sandwiches."

"They're reawy goo," Genis mumbled through a full mouth. "You shou ea un, Waine."

"And you should know better than to talk with your mouth full," Raine said reprovingly. "That's very kind of your father to fetch your grandmother for us, Colette. I'll be sure to thank him."

"I'm sure he'll be very grateful. Come on, Raine, let's eat!"

A while later, maybe a half an hour, when they had all sated their fill and fallen into playing 'Spiritua Says,' the two adults returned. Genis was in the middle of making them all paw at the air like puppies and bark, which caused somewhat of an awkward scene. Raine straightened immediately, blushing with self-consciousness. This may have been how Genis, Lloyd, and Colette should have been behaving, but not her.

The blonde old woman she assumed to be Colette's grandmother smiled. "Hello, children. Colette, Frank says you have something you want to speak to me about involving these children … ah, Genis and Raine?"

"Yes, Grandma," Colette told her, getting to her feet and smiling her widest, most excited smile. "I wanted to ask you if they could live in the old schoolteacher's house! And maybe Raine could replace him! She's really smart, and they're both elves! They've been traveling for a long time, though, since there aren't any elves left besides them." Her face fell. "Can they live in Iselia?"

Colette's grandmother – who looked to be a priestess, judging by the markings on her robes, and the mention of fetching her from the temple – smoothed her hands over her clothing and frowned a bit. "Well, I don't see why not," she said. "The teachings of the goddess Martel preach tolerance and giving to all living creatures, and there doesn't really seem to be a problem with it. The village will of course have to test you first to make sure you're up to the task of teaching, Raine, but if you're as smart as Colette says then there shouldn't be a problem. But the house may not be fit for children just yet. They'd need somewhere to stay for the night, most likely, before getting to work on it."

"Oh, that's okay!" Lloyd said. "They were already going to stay at my house for the night! And then we can help you guys work on the house tomorrow!"

"That's great!" Colette said. "I'm so glad you guys came here! Thank you so much, Grandma!"

The woman smiled. "Anything for you, Chosen, Colette."

Raine saw a sliver of pain in her eyes as she called her granddaughter that.

--

"So here's where you guys are sleeping tonight," Lloyd said, gesturing sheepishly. "This is my room. You guys can have the bed. I don't mind sleeping on the floor, or downstairs with Dirk."

"You and Genis could share it," Raine said instantly, unwilling to accept anything more than she had already been given but wanting the best for Genis, always and forever. "I could take a pallet. We're used to sleeping out-of-doors."

"Sis could have the bed on her own and we could sleep on the floor," Genis offered, rubbing his eyes against the drag of a full stomach and immense tiredness. "I've never slept on a bed anyway, so I wouldn't miss it."

"Genis." Raine bent down, sighing. "That's all the more reason you should. Five-year-olds need to sleep in beds and get regular meals."

"Fine." Genis pouted. "I'll sleep on it if you do, too. But otherwise I'll take the floor."

"Fine." Raine looked unsurely at Lloyd. "Are you really okay with us doing this … ?"

"Of course." Lloyd rubbed his head. "I sleep in my bed every night, and you guys haven't slept in one in ages. I'll get to sleep in it again tomorrow, when you guys sleep in your new house. It'll be fine. I can pretend it's an adventure."

"Then thank you very much, Lloyd," Raine told him gratefully. "I don't know how we can ever repay you and Colette, or her grandmother for that matter. You've done so much for us. I haven't slept somewhere like this since … leaving the elven village. Thank you so much."

"Aw, it's nothing. Come on, let's sleep. We've got a lot of stuff to do tomorrow! I'll just get my pallet."

Eventually they all fell asleep, Raine feeling safer and more comfortable than she had in a long while. So she was quite surprised when she felt herself awoken in the middle of the night. After all, why did it feel like there was danger in the air when she was so content?

Genis. His heat was gone. She glanced down and saw his pillow stuffed in the nook of her arm. He'd run out for some reason. Why?

He wouldn't have left a doppleganger if he was just out to the privy …

"Lloyd." She shook him awake; he knew the surrounding area better than she did. It would help her that much more when she went to search. "Lloyd, wake up."

"Gmnustwygonieaz …" he groaned, shaking his head and sitting up. "Whazzat?"

"Lloyd, Genis is missing. I don't know where he went."

Lloyd immediately went wide-eyed. "Genis? Missing? We have to go look for him!"

"Of course." Raine stood up. It was lucky she didn't have the luxury of pajamas – it made it easier to roll out of bed in the middle of the night. She frantically tousled her hair. "He left a pillow for me to hold and slipped out. I have no idea why. We have to go look for him."

"Right." Lloyd grabbed his swords and they started down the stairs. Every step seemed like a shriek and every shadow like a writhing form, either the predator or the prey. Dirk, Lloyd's father, was still slumbering peacefully in his bed on the ground floor, and they went around him and outside.

"Where do you think he would have gone?" Raine finally asked, holding her arms around herself. It was cold tonight. "I can't imagine – he doesn't know the area – Genis wouldn't just go out for a walk – "

A loud whine came from the right, making both of them spin to face it. "That's Noishe!" Lloyd gasped. "He must have followed Genis! Come on, he'll lead us to him!"

He charged into the darkness, Raine hurrying after him. She wouldn't have done it for anyone but Genis, with the way the trees in the forest looked and the way she was defenseless. But he was out there with only a dog, most likely in danger, almost certainly frightened and in trouble. And so she charged into the darkness after Lloyd.

They ran down the slope and then turned in direction with the whines, Raine running into Lloyd point-blank when he stopped short halfway down the path. "I remember where this path goes!" he said, in a tone of dawning, horrified realization. "It leads to the Desian Human Ranch!"

"Genis is there!" Raine gasped, to the point of panic by now. "Come on! He's got to be in danger!" They rushed on.

And now she could hear Genis's voice in contrast to Noishe. "I'm telling you, I'm not a spy! I'm not a Desian! G-get away from me! I want my sister!"

And someone else growled, "Lies. You're trying to incriminate Lord Forcystus. We're onto you. No one else would come this near to the ranch. Now, who are you working for? Lady Pronyma? Lord Kvar?"

Genis's voice came back to them, sounding even more frightened and frantic, "I don't know anything about them! P-p-please don't hurt me!"

"We'll hurt you if you don't start talking, kid," the same person snarled, sounding much closer. Raine, with her elven sight, could see their shapes in the dark. "Now, who are you working for?"

"He's not working for any of you filthy Desians! Leave him alone!" Lloyd shouted, drawing his swords and charging at the closest one menacing Genis. "He's an elf, anyway!"

Raine tuned out the rest of the conversation as she rushed to Genis, dragging him back as she frantically tried to find anything wrong with him. He was largely unhurt, but she healed his minor scrapes and bruises anyway. "First Aid!" Meanwhile, the Desian and Lloyd were still having an insult-off match, which would probably escalate into something a lot more dangerous soon, but she couldn't bring herself to more than distantly care. In the background Noishe whimpered, retreating to the edges of her vision and disappearing.

"Sis … you're here," Genis mumbled, his dirt-streaked face creased with fear.

"Of course I'm here," Raine snapped. "I'm your big sister. I'm always going to be here, even when you do stupid things like this. Now stand up. We might need your magic if it comes to a fight, to get us all out safely."

"You're awful uppity, brat," the Desian growled, drawing his shortsword. "Don't you know about your precious non-aggression treaty? You're not supposed to be by the ranch."

"And you're not supposed to terrorize innocent people for no good reason!" Lloyd cried out. "Especially not my friends. What did he ever do to you? Typical of you Desians – trying to torture a five-year-old!"

"Five or not, he was snooping and he's an enemy spy!" the Desian yelled, making the others give him looks. Raine understood. It was slightly ridiculous. Genis wasn't an enemy spy, just a five-year-old half-elf out of bed when he shouldn't have been. She'd thought the Desians, being half-elves, would have been smarter. "You must be too! Attack him! Take them all prisoner!"

He rushed Lloyd, who parried with his wooden swords and thrust at him, yelling "SONIC THRUST!" The remaining three rushed towards her and Genis. Raine stood in front of him, looking to the first one and calling out "Photon!" The ball of light formed around his chest and made him collapse to the ground, gasping. But there were still two more.

"FIRE BALLS!" Genis shouted, hitting the other two and making them stagger back. He started casting again as they grimly kept coming forward. "Aqua edge!"

"Ow!" Lloyd groaned. Raine swiveled immediately. He was hurt, a wound to the side. A scratch that made the Desian grin with his blood-wet blade.

"First Aid!" she called again, feeling the slightest tug on her mana. Lloyd's side bloomed and healed afresh as the Desian screamed in rage and rushed him, Lloyd once again successfully getting back in the fight. "Wind Blade!" Genis shouted behind her, but she could hear in his ragged voice that he was getting tired from so much offensive magic.

She whirled and looked at them, or rather at the only one left standing, who was less than five feet away from them by now and looking murderous, shouting, "PHOTON!" he dropped, light choking him as he writhed. Lloyd's triumphant yell cut through they air before they had time to come and help him. He stepped away from the bleeding body of the Desian, looking at it in disgust. "Come on, Raine and Genis. Let's get out of here."

"Let's," Raine agreed with a shudder, glancing at the gate. The height of the walls mocked her. And the number of sentries … there was something she was missing, she felt sick with the knowledge of it. But it didn't matter. Genis was safe. "And Genis, you can tell us both in the morning why you decided to go out wandering at night in such a dangerous place."

"Y-yes, Raine," he stammered. "I – I'm sorry."

"Good," she said wearily. "We all need some sleep. Wait – where did Noishe go?"

"Whine." Noishe emerged from the trees with his muzzle bloodied, looking at both Genis and Lloyd anxiously.

Lloyd grinned. "You were taking care of some enemies for us further on, huh, Noishe? Thank you, bud. Now if I could only get you to fight monsters."

Noishe whimpered.

Genis giggled, digging into his fur as they began the walk home. Raine almost smiled. Her brother was safe, which meant she'd done her job and fulfilled her promise once again.