A/N: This is my second Ragnarok fanfiction! The first one never did work out, but this is my second try! Anyhoo, this is dedicated to my cousin's Poring PauLTAcz and to my Francis! Hope you guys like this!

Disclaimer: I do not own Ragnarok Online or even Ragnarok: Into the Abyss. (I wish I did though… TT)

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Chapter 1:

The Hopeless Romantic and the Loyal Friend

The usual busy streets of Prontera were so crowded that day that nobody noticed a blue-haired swordsman scampering about. His usually soft black eyes were a bit clouded that day and his breathing was in gasps. He suddenly skidded to a stop in front of a large alchemist shop. He found the shopkeeper busy straightening a row of potion bottles.

"What is it this time, Miko?" the shopkeeper, a bright green-eyed, short and silver-haired alchemist with small spectacles sighed, not looking twice at the swordsman.

"I… saw… her!" Miko, the swordsman, panted, "Mayah… Be still my heart…"

"That's what you said with Sybille," the alchemist Mayah started counting off the fingers on her hand, remembering Miko's past infatuations.

"She had to go back to Morroc, to her family," Miko said, sitting down on the counter.

"And she dumped you…" Mayah was still going at it, "Oh, and Thea…"

"She went on her Sage training…"

"She went for that gorgeous wizard guy…" Mayah corrected, "As for Mikhaela… I remember…"

"Family problem…"

"Nope, she turned out to be Corianne's Isis on high with my potions…"

"Okay! Okay! I get you!" Miko exclaimed, frowning and covering Mayah's mouth, "So I was unlucky a few times…"

"53 times straight in a row, on my last count," Mayah interrupted again.

"Fine! 53 times then!" Miko snapped, "But I know it's gonna be different this time! I can feel that she's different from the others!"

"Okay, who is it this time?" Mayah sighed, "Have you finally gone out of your dreamland and asked Lois Chidder out?"

"Not funny, she's to pockmarked to be my type," Miko was beginning to get really tired of Mayah's wisecracks, "It's this blonde huntress I see everyday in the fountain. She's kind, gentle and really smart! I got to talk to her yesterday and I practically melted!"

"Artemis Shroomer," Mayah figured, "You're crazy, Micz, she's the most popular huntress in Payon and has a truckload of suitors! And guess who she picked?"

"Who?"

"Her Poring, Tacz."

"Great," Miko finally was exasperated enough to retort at Mayah's face, "I didn't know people without a lovelife can speak out too!"

"I do have a lovelife!" Mayah exclaimed, face turning scarlet.

"Yeah right, your Valiant Knight," Miko chuckled.

"So near…" Mayah muttered, taking deep breaths.

"Yet so far," Miko sighed, "When are you going to tell me who he is? I'm sure I've seen him in the academy before."

"I'd rather cut off my own tongue," Mayah stuck out her tongue and adjusted her spectacles, "One thing bothers me though, how do you say you'll win her heart?"

Miko suddenly fixed her a mischievous smile.

"What's with the look?" Mayah raised an eyebrow.

Miko's smile went even higher.

"Oh no! No way am I going to fix you an Aldaria's Drought!" Mayah shrieked, "It's way too risky!"

"Aw c'mon," Miko whined, "You're like, the best alchemist in the land! You graduated top of your class and you're the only alchemist alive that can whip up the legendary Potion of Sleeping Death!" A/N: Great, now Harry Potter's involved.

Mayah breathed deeply and turned her gaze away from the swordsman. She began to fix up her shop. Miko knelt in front of her and took her hand. He began to give her his infamous puppy-dog eyes.

"Miko…" Mayah tried to avoid it, but was captured by its spell, "You're the craziest person I have ever seen in my life!"

She began to pack up her shop and taking ingredients off the wall and into her bag.

"Help me pack, will you?" Mayah barked, "Aldaria's Drought is not an easy task and I just can't keep my shop standing here without a shopkeeper, you know."

"Mayah, you're the best best friend a guy could ever have!" Miko gave her so big a hug that her glasses lopsided, "Wait a sec, there's a catch, isn't there?"

"You're wrong this time- GERROFF ME!" Mayah elbowed herself out of Miko's grasp, "It's for free. Anyhow, what are best friends for? Why are you staring at me like that? Get to work; I can't leave my place like this."

After ten whole minutes of hauling wood, bottles with squiggly and slimy things in them, jars with hodgepodge matter crammed inside, empty flasks polished to perfection and bags, Mayah handed Miko a long and yellowed piece of parchment she produced from her pocket.

"Why do we even need this? You know the ingredients by heart!" Miko exclaimed.

"Yes," Mayah adjusted her glasses again, "But not all of them are in my shop. They're the ones with the red cross."

"A large jellopy from the Giant Hornet, grit from the Sandmen, a sprinkle of Stardust from a Bathory, a Cursed Ruby from a Drainiliar and a Pearl from a Myst Case," Miko's eyes grew wide as he read out loud, "Where am I supposed to find all these?"

"Why don't you be a sweetie and figure it out for youself?" Mayah snapped, still not looking at the despairing swordsman slumping on the ground.

"I'll never get to win Artemis this way…" Miko said, his usually high pride battered, "I was always a loser and I'll stay a loser… Look at me! I can't even pass the Crusader test… I can't even make a single girl fall for me!"

Miko's eyes were soon wet. Mayah took a glance at him and her expression softened. She sat with him on the hard ground and gave him a comforting smile. She placed an arm over his shoulder and gave him a one-armed hug.

"You really do love her," Mayah muttered under her breath, "If I can give you a piece of advice, you can go see Old Lidia in Alberta. She's been a merchant-slash-thief all her life and I won't be surprised if she has everything you need."

"You're the best friend I ever had, Mayah," Miko smiled at her.

"You're not a loser either," Mayah stood up suddenly, taking Miko by the hand, "I think you're the bravest swordsman in the whole of Rune-Midgard, because fighting for love makes more sense than any other battle in the world. C'mon, let's go, I'll treat the expenses this time. Kafra Therence is just down the road."

Mayah put on her goggles and handed her bulging bag to Miko. She marched down the busy street of Prontera and tapped the Purple-haired Kafra personnel on the shoulder.

"Two trips to Alberta, Kafra Therence," Mayah grinned.

"Right away, Miss Mayah!" Kafra Therence took Mayah's zeny and smiled at Miko, "Good afternoon, Sir Miko, I trust everything is going well with you and Miss Artemis?"

Before Miko could open his mouth, the whole ground opened up beneath his feet.

Pristine Harbinger: Yipee! Finished at last! Watch out for the next segment-

Kafra Therence: Relic Hunter Lidia from Ragnarok: Into the Abyss makes her way into the show!

Pristine Harbinger: Where'd you come from? (0o)

Kafra Therence: Where else? From Al De Baran of course!

Feathertop: Riiiight…

Akune: I'm cute! (--)

Pristine Harbinger: Where did you all come from? ARGH! I'm going crazy! Well, just stay in tuned and keep your reviews coming! () See ya!

Akune: Wait! I haven't even started on explaining how cute I am!

Kafra Therence: That can't be right! I'm cuter than you!

Feathertop: Riiiight…

Kafra Therence: WAAAHHH! Akune is mean! I'll tell you to Mommy!

Akune: And I'll tell you to Daddy!

Feathertop: Riiiight…

Pristine Harbinger: (--;)