a/n OMG! I'm sooooooo sorry that my bro and I haven't updated! So many things came up and...I could just never get back to the story! Anyway, I think I should be utterly ashamed for forcing you guys to wait, after all the righteous things in the story. Well, enjoy!
Ja Mata! – (Not crimson, but his sister, who will soon get an account!)
Chapter Four!
A/n Flashback!
(Now entering SLOWMO SCENE!)
Lloyd felt his body roughly pushed forward, screaming "Not again!" Colette stood there, frozen in place to what seemed to be history repeating itself too soon. Their bodies crashed together onto the ground, splattered onto each other like a pizza pie tossed to high and getting stuck to the ceiling!
As Zelos came crashing down sideways, he was not paying attention and grabbed the closest thing in sight to prevent him from falling. He had grabbed and ripped off Sheena's bikini top! Almost automatically, her hands came to cover her chest. But before running back into the changing stalls, Sheena gave Zelos (who now fell hard onto his back) a nut cracking stomp between his legs!
(End of slowmo scene)
"YOU BASTARD!" yelled an embarrassed Sheena.
Zelos just rolled around in utter agony.
During that, Lloyd and Colette had realized what was going on. As they both saw that they were on top one another, their faces grew pale and their eyes widen in shock. Not to mention the commotion had gotten the attention of almost everybody in the springs!
The priest at the entrance of the springs just shook his head at the disastrous sight.
"Oh sweet mother of Martel… have mercy on these poor unfortunate people."
A/n Flashback done!
Lloyd and Colette, mortified up to a point that you'd want to commit suicide, got up before you could even say 'Mithos!' They spread at least a yard away from each other, and their faces turned beet-red. Zelos, still rolling around on the floor, was clearly suffering the 'after effects' of that little 'accident.' A lot of people looked worried and puzzled, while others were apparently amused and delighted they decided to come to the hot springs! Everybody was helped up and out of the changing room. Several people were sent to hunt down our so-called 'Wonder Chef' (yeah, some wonder all right).
Later on, at least an hour or two after the incident, the girls went to the spring for a little peace and relaxation. Raine and Presea attempted to make Colette feel better, but it didn't really help that much. Sheena, on the other hand, was huddled up, in the corner all by herself, as if she were a little girl lost in the dark. Spontaneously, Kratos strolls up the path of the spring, and just hops in, like nobody was there staring at him.
"Eeek! Kratos, what are you doing here?" Raine shrieked at him, covering herself like she was naked and exposed. He just looked up at her, not knowing what she meant.
"Why, I'm enjoying myself. What else would I be doing here?" he said, sounding exceedingly innocent. Raine just looked at him, shrugged, and then they talked about kids, and how brainless they can be sometimes. Presea convinced Colette to sing with her, while Sheena was still uber-irate at Zelos. The moment continued on for a while longer.
Now, it was finally time to leave the hot springs, and go somewhere else...like back to Flanoir! They got packed up and ready to venture back off into the wonders of their world. Zelos, still traumatized of the little Wonder Chef happening, was sort of twitchy and jumpy, while Lloyd and Colette wouldn't speak, let alone look at each other. Lloyd's company agreed that whatever happened at the hot springs, stayed in the hot springs.
The group gathered at the entrance of the domain, counted heads, and set course for Flanoir on the Rehairds. The trip back to their hotel in Flanoir was all but social and comfortable. Lloyd and the others hardly cracked a conversation with one another, in fear that the "incidents" that they all wanted to forget might be spoken. Lloyd sighed as he sat upon his Rehaird, contemplating on where he stands with Colette.
"She probably thinks less of me." Lloyd pondered, staring off into the distance.
He brought his attention towards the rest of his friends as he peered behind him. Zelos seemed quiet for once. His usual obnoxious and sly demeanor was now replaced by a silent and somber fascia. Lloyd's eyes then jumped to Sheena, who looked as though as she would kick anyone in the balls (if they had any) if they touched her. The young man was reluctant to lay eyes on Colette and finally decided against it, for he knew she wouldn't be all too cheery. He heaved yet another sigh.
"I'm glad to see we're all merry." He thought.
Even his sarcasm couldn't compensate for the uneasiness that hung in the frosty air, for Flanoir was just in sight of their view.
It was now evening and everybody had parted their ways for awhile in the city of snowy wonder. Raine was the only one who stayed at the hotel, because she had no desire to go anywhere for awhile (after being a part of that catastrophe, can you blame her?). She stayed in her room which was #14. The young professor took a shower and was in the middle of brushing her teeth when she heard the door to her room shut, as if somebody had walked in. She paused, trying to fathom who could've had access to her room.
"Couldn't be Presea, she left with Regal not too long ago. Or could it?"
Raine spat into the sink and made her way out of the bathroom, shutting off the lights. But when she gazed upon the room, she was more than surprised (like 'pee your pants' surprised) to see him lying there casually on her bed, in the midst of reading a novel.
"K-Kratos!" She stammered aloud, taken back from his sudden appearance. "W-What are you doing here?"
The composed man closed the book in his hands, and sat up at the side of the bed, facing Raine in her pajamas.
"Why, I'm relaxing, what else does it look like?" He stated.
A noticeable hint of a slight smirk could be noticed on his face. At that point, Raine's cheeks turned to a shade of tomato paste, but she stood her ground.
"W-Well," Raine stuttered again, "How the hell were you able to get in my room?"
Kratos looked up and thought.
"Hm, how was I able to get inside her room?"
Enter Kratos' Flashback!
Kratos walked in the Hotel Flanoir, desiring a room for the night. But when the attendant at the front desk said that they were booked for the week, he decided to approach the matter differently.
"Well," Kratos began to say slyly, "Is there not a Raine Sage staying in one of these rooms here?"
The attendant skimmed through a list of customers and found her name. "Why, yes there is, Room #14. Do you know her?"
"Do I know her?" Kratos began, "why, good sir, she is my wife!"
The bluff obviously fooled the attendant for he apologized and gave him extra keys to the room. Kratos laughed, pleased with himself, and walked to Raine's room.
End of Flashback!
Kratos, to answer Raine's question, pulled out the spare keys the attendant gave him and jingled them in front of Raine's face, to her horror.
"How did you get these?" Raine queried, despite her blushing face.
"The attendant at the front desk gave me them." He said honestly. "Besides, don't we know each other well enough for us to share one room for a night?"
Raine did not know what to say. True, she did know Kratos for a long time, ever since their journey with Colette, form the very beginning. But the thought of her actually sharing a room with this friend from the past for one night, it left her a little uncomfortable. But with Kratos waiting for her to answer, how could she deny him?
"Alright," She gave in, "but for one night, okay?"
Kratos smiled. "Yes, one night."
Then the two started engaging in a conversation, catching up on each other's lives.
Lloyd strolled down the icy streets of Flanoir, which the weather greeted him with a flurry of snow. He huffed, his breath visible in the dry air. Nothing seemed to be going right for him, and now he wasn't sure what Colette thinks of him.
He found an empty bench at the side of the street, and decided to rest his feet for a while. Many things went through his mind, like how Zelos and Sheena are doing or where they are. But most of all, he wanted to know where Colette went. After they arrived back at the hotel, everybody left in different directions. Genis, Presea, and Regal went one way, and Zelos and Sheena went opposite ways. He didn't even notice where Colette managed to slip away too.
"Colette..." He murmured.
Of course, as if on cue, he felt the bench move down in weight, like somebody had sat on the other side of it. He glanced over, and saw her long blonde hair descend from her head, parts of her bangs covering her lovely blue eyes. She looked over and saw him.
"Lloyd! You surprised me! I was wondering where you were." She said.
What? Did he hear that right? Was she actually looking for him even though he had accidentally smothered his face in her chest and accidentally mounted himself on top of her? Was she serious? Yes, she was.
"You were looking for me?"
"Of course, I, I mean, I wanted to speak with you." She scooted closer to him on the bench, closing the gap the separated them.
"No," Lloyd managed to say lightly, "I need to talk to you Colette."
Colette smile but looked worried. "In that case, you go first."
"About what happened this morning," He started to say. Colette instantly remembered and tried her best not to blush, "I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention for that to happen. If anything, this was all Zelos' idea."
There was silence at first, but she then started to laugh. Lloyd shot her a quizzical look.
"What's so funny?"
Colette wiped a few tears from her eyes, still giggling.
"Now that I think about there entire day, it was really silly, wasn't it?"
"If you think all that was amusing, then I guess so."
The two of them laughed a bit and shared a comfortable silence instead of a lengthy conversation. Then Colette brought up something.
"Lloyd?"
The young man glanced over at the former chosen beside him.
"Yeah, what is it?"
"This is the exact place where you and I talked before the final moments of our journey, remember?"
He pondered, and then it hit him like a loco locomotive.
"Oh, you're right! Man that seemed so long ago."
Just then, he felt her lean against him, placing her head onto his left shoulder. Her hand was cold when he went to hold it.
"Thank you Lloyd." Colette muttered.
"For what?" he asked.
"For staying by my side when I really needed you the most. I don't think I'd be here without your help..."
With that, he responded by cuddling closer to her, feeding her body warmth from his.
Just as he thought nothing could possibly ruin this moment, he heard a noise. And not any particular noise, a loud, rioting noise like someone was being chased from down street. Then he realized.
"Oh no, it can't be." Lloyd cursed.
Colette looked up at him. "Can't be what?"
Lloyd shot up like a spring, peering down the road in disbelief. Alas, his horrors were true! There, sprinting like a madman, was the Wonder Chef (who was still naked, I might add) being chased by an angry mob with torches and pitch forks.
"Holy Sweet mother of Mithos!" Shouted Lloyd.
The crowd furiously passed Lloyd in pursuit of the naked maniac, bumping him in the process. He fell towards the bench, towards Colette. She squealed the highest she's ever had, but silenced when Lloyd's lips accidentally met hers. At first, they were a bit shocked by the sudden contact between them, but they eventually welcomed each other in the kiss.
Mean while, the mob chased the Wonder Chef into a dead end, where the he feared he was going to be lynched!
The Wonder Chef cried, "Why are you doing this to me! I was just trying to find my damn clothes!"
A rather middle-aged woman then appeared out from the angry mob, with an oversized kitchen knife in her hand.
"What's the matter chefy boy, a bit cold out her for ya?" Everybody pointed and laughed at the exposed cook.
He felt humiliated beyond belief. "What are you guys, an angry mob or monsters! You're all so cruel!" He wept, covering himself with his hat.
"Hey, Wonder Chef, ever made chop suey?" A man asked from within the mob.
"N-No, I-I haven't," Stuttered the Wonder Chef in fear, "are you going to kill me!"
"Cuz' were gonna show you how we do it in Flanoir baby!"
And with that, everybody pulled out knives and axes from various to ridiculous places, some out of nowhere.
"Today is a bad day to be a chef!" The mob yelled simultaneously.
They all inched closer to the Wonder Chef, as he let out a blood curdling scream.
The priest form the nearby church gazed down at the scene, shaking his head.
"O Holy Martel, why do you burden me with such idiotic people?"
The father walked away as the mob beat The Wonder Chef with the cheap plastic knives and axes they bought at the local toy store, for the blacksmith was closed that day.
A/n: Crimson here. Thus ends chapter 4. Hope you liked it! No, really, I do. Oh, yes, by the way, I intend to end this story within the next 2 or 3 chapters or so. R&R.