Pebblekit: I am so sorry. I'm scum. Seriously. I haven't updated in two weeks. …. Or was it three? It's been so long that I don't even remember. PLEASE FORGIVE ME!! I had three HUGE projects due. My editor had the same problem. This chapter is really long, thankfully. I haven't been able to read anything either, which makes me feel void of life. Writing and reading are my life. Without them, I'd be dead. I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY TO ALL OF THOSE THAT CONTINUE TO READ THIS STORY AND ESPECIALLY TO THOSE SELECT FEW THAT CARE ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY REVIEW. I will try to update faster in the future.

Also… I lied. I get to keep Shinon and Gatrie until the next chapter. I'm sorry. There was just so much that I needed to write in this chapter, that I couldn't fit everything! Shinon is possible a little OOC in this chapter, but… I don't have a lot of time left with him… I need to make that connection between him and Rolf soon, otherwise, part of the story won't make sense.

Just so you know, the reason I refer to the laguz as sub-humans in this chapter, is because none of the mercenaries know that they are called laguz. This will change soon.

Pairings for this chapter: No one, really. If you want a certain pairing, tell me and I'll try to use it. I might not though, in case I already have a partner for one of the people.

Disclaimer: I do not own FE: POR or anything that could be taken from it. This includes dialogue, characters, places, battles, and anything else I failed to mention. I would love to, but sadly, I don't.

Two more than five, and still going strong

Prisoner in Reality

Chapter Seven: Despair in Parting Ways

Scene One

Rolf had a bad feeling. Mist, Elincia, and he were to part ways with the rest of the group and move on to Gallia without them. The thought of heading there alone with only a bow to protect them really upset him. Not only that, but if he were that far away, he wouldn't be able to know how Boyd and Oscar were faring.

Earlier this morning, Rolf had been extremely mad at Boyd. However, now he couldn't help but worry about him. His brothers were to head off with the rest of the group and try to find Shinon, Gatrie, and Commander Greil, who hadn't come back yet.

Rolf couldn't shake the feeling that something bad had happened. That something was going to happen. He hadn't felt that way since he was really young, and the fact that he was feeling it now just made him worry about the future. Deciding that he should say something to them before he left, Rolf walked over to Oscar and Boyd.

"Oscar… Boyd… Don't get killed out there, all right?" He said, not willing to look at his siblings in the eyes, but instead staring at the ground.

"Rolf…" Oscar's voice was sympathetic and filled with worry. Rolf looked up at him and wondered if he too felt the dark feeling that had settled over the mercenary company.

"Knock it off, both of you! You're like a couple of old women. We're gonna be fine. Nothing bad's gonna happen while I'm around!" Rolf turned his gaze to Boyd and saw a sunken look in his brother's eyes. Whether the fighter wanted to admit it or not, Rolf had a feeling that Boyd was as worried as he was.

Ike called for Oscar and Boyd to join the rest of the main group. As Rolf watched them walk off, he couldn't help but feel scared. What if something happened to them?

Mist came over and jolted him from his thoughts. "It's time to go." She told him.

"Okay. I'll be right there." The kid shot one last look at the rest of the group before walking off with Mist and Elincia across Gallia's border with Crimea. The two children were to take Princess Elincia off to the royal castle of Gallia to talk to the beast-man king. Rolf wondered vaguely about what the man would look like before pulling his thoughts back to the reality at hand.

The three slowly made their way deeper and deeper into Sub-human territory. Rolf half expected a Daein soldier or a Gallia warrior to jump out at them and attack. The intensity that filled the air around them told Rolf that Mist and Elincia were probably thinking along the same lines.

The sun got lower in the sky. Sunset was about an hour off before anyone dared to utter a word. It was Mist that broke the silence. "Do you think that the people of Gallia will be mad when we show up at the castle?"

"I'm not sure. But I sincerely hope that this will not be the case." Elincia answered, a note of worry in her voice.

Mist fell silent after this for a moment before asking, "Do you think that they found dad and the others?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Elincia asked. Then understanding filled her face. "Oh! That's right… If I remember correctly, you are Lord Ike's sister, correct?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"My sincerest apologies. That fact completely slipped my mind. This would make you Commander Greil's daughter, correct?" Mist nodded.

Rolf spoke now, his voice horse from lack of use, "I'm sure that if Ike and the others haven't found Shinon, Gatrie, and Commander Greil yet, than it won't be long before they do. Either that, or it could end up being the other way around."

None of them spoke for awhile after that. They all seemed to be too scared to. For fear of making any of the Gallian population angry, the trio headed on without another word.

After a little while though, Rolf heard something up ahead. "Do either of you hear that?"

"Yes," Mist's voice shook as she spoke, completely overrun with fear. "What do you think it is?"

"I haven't the slightest. But, it is possible that it could be nothing more than an animal, correct? Or could it be that I'm mistaken?" Elincia seemed a little more composed than either of the children, but her face showed that her statement had just been wishful thinking.

"Maybe we should avoid whatever is over there?" Rolf now recognized the sound to be some bushes shaking ahead. It sounded as if someone very portly was trying to hide in a plant that was far too small for him.

"I think so…" Mist started to edge her body in the opposite direction.

Soon, all three of them were crawling along the ground, praying to Ashera that they wouldn't be seen. They were about halfway up a hill, if they could reach the other side, they just might be able to crawl over and hide without being seen at all.

It took a full five minutes to reach the top of the hill, which was starting to feel more like a mountain. Once they had crawled over, Mist rolled over in relief. Elincia sighed a strangled breath that she had been holding for who knows how long, and Rolf was starting to feel the effects of worrying so much in the pit of his stomach.

After a few minutes, in which the sun started to turn an orange color, the three decided to move on to castle Gallia. Not long after though, they came to another hill, taller than the first. Rolf reckoned that if they were at the top of this hill, then they might be visible to whoever was in the bushes.

After he informed the other two of this, they started climbing. Thankfully, Elincia's dress was bright orange and blended right in with the fading sun. Mist was wearing yellow, which turned to orange in the dim light. She was going to be hard to notice as well. Rolf looked at himself. He was wearing a blue shirt and khaki shorts. The shirt was highly visible in the dying sun.

"Wait a second." Elincia and Mist glanced back at the boy behind them and waited in confusion, wondering what was wrong. Rolf took off his blue shirt, so that his orange undershirt was seen instead. Comprehension dawned on the two girls, and they both looked at their clothes. "You guys are all right. That's the only reason I noticed my shirt." He whispered.

Soon after that, they were on the move again. They reached the top of the hill without much difficulty and rolled over the edge. However, they weren't expecting anybody on the other side of the hill. All three of them crawled back, praying no one had noticed them, and peeked over the top of the mound of earth they sat on. Daein soldiers littered the ground below, apparently setting up camp for the night.

Mist was the first to speak. "What are they doing so far in Gallia? This isn't their country! Why do they think that they can walk all over it like they belong there?"

"Didn't stop them from doing it to Crimea," Rolf stated grimly. "We need to go around their encampment without being seen. How many do you think there are?"

"A lot." Mist said, scanning the clearing

"Actually, exactly two-hundred-seventy-four men." Rolf's blood turned to ice. He didn't recognize the voice that had spoke. All three of them whipped around and came face to face with three Daein soldiers. "Did you really think you could sneak by the bushes without us seeing you?" The soldier that looked like the leader sneered at the looks of utmost terror on Rolf, Mist, and Elincia's faces.

Scene Two

Shinon searched the undergrowth for any hint of Ike or the group. Gatrie and Commander Greil were nearby, scavenging for any clue of where the rest of the team had gone. It was about an hour away from sunset. The three of them had come back here to find that the mercenary group had moved on. Usually, this wouldn't be a problem. However, there were only three sets of tracks that had led to Gallia, which pointed to the conclusion that the bulk of the group had stayed behind and gone elsewhere.

Right now, the trio was trying to figure out where the rest of the mercenaries had gone. They were having trouble separating the tracks that were made during the battle, and the tracks made afterward. A knot tightened in Shinon's stomach. It was he same knot that had developed in the battle at Capitol way… or Capital Road… either way, it was as Rolf said, a stupid name.

Shinon had long since forgotten about the tension, but now his brain was reminded as he bent over double, crossing his arms over his stomach. Stupid knot. Just go away. What are you there for, anyway? The fact that it was this persistent was really ceasing to be amusing.

It wasn't long after that that Commander Greil found the tracks that signaled the mercenary group's movement away from Gallia, and heading, instead in the opposite direction.

"What in bloody blazes are they going this way for?!" Gatrie proclaimed as he got his foot caught on a root and nearly tripped.

"Knowing Ike, he probably wanted to do something heroic, and went back to look for us." Shinon answered absently, keeping his eyes on the ground so that he did not do the same thing as Gatrie.

"No way. Titania and Soren would have never allowed him to do that." Gatrie grunted as he stumbled again.

"But they have to listen to Ike if he is in charge. I reckon that Shinon is probably right," Commander Greil stated, also keeping a close eye on the ground.

"No way!" Gatrie tripped again, and this time, Shinon had to grab his armor to ensure that he didn't fall. He was heavier than the sniper expected.

"I bet you, that's what he did."

"I don't gamble." Gatrie said, glaring slightly at Shinon.

"You always spend your money on pointless things, though."

"Do not!

"Do too."

"What about when I bought the Ultimate Shield?"

"That was a gate crest for some rich family, or something, wasn't it? You got chased by the police all the way down the road."

Gatrie didn't answer, due to his foot getting caught on another root. "Stupid roots! Why are there so many, anyway?!"

"Do you need help walking?" Shinon asked in a slightly teasing voice.

"Hey, seeing out of this armor is harder than you think, you know!"

"We've been through this before. If you're going to complain about the armor, than don't be a knight."

It was quite a few minutes before the three of them finally found out where the mercenary group had gone. The footprint trail that was left behind eventually swerved away from the woods and headed straight for a random castle that was sitting right in the middle of the forest. Shinon took one look at the building and got the bad feeling that if he walked in, there was a high possibility that he would get hit on the head from falling ceiling blocks. The three stared at it.

"What the heck?! Why would they go in there?!" Gatrie asked.

"They probably thought that we had taken refuge in there and went to check." Commander Greil said thoughtfully as he cast his gaze over the stone castle.

"Why would we go in there?" Gatrie looked at the building wildly. "That place just screams the word 'CONDEMED'! If you leaned against a wall in there, it would probably fall right on top of you!"

"It was possible that we would go in there," Shinon tried to calm the knight down. If any Daein soldiers were around, he really didn't really want to meet any of them. "I mean, sure, we would have to be raving mad, but it was possible. They weren't that unreasonable."

"You think I would go in there?! No way in he-"

"Are you guys going to argue all day?" The three men whipped around. They all recognized the voice that belonged to the boy that had talked to them earlier that day about killing off Daein soldiers.

"Where are you? Did you follow us?" Commander Greil looked at the trees behind him, trying to find the stranger.

"No, I didn't follow you. I simply was just worried about your team is all."

"Is that so? Then can you tell us where they are?"

"Sure. As you thought, they're inside that building over there. I saw them go in. The red haired paladin said something about seeing someone, so they went to check it out. I went to find you, because I didn't think that you were in there."

Shinon looked around, trying to see through all the leaves that surrounded the three. "Why did you come to find us? Why didn't you just tell them we weren't in there?" The sniper asked.

"I saw a hoard of Daein soldiers go in there earlier today. I went to find you and tell you to help your friends get out of there. I couldn't handle it myself."

Shinon recalled the scene from that after noon. He saw again in his mind the blood in the clearing. And the soldiers lying dead. "What do you mean 'you couldn't handle it'?! Look at what you did earlier today!"

"My style of fighting only works effectively in big, open spaces. I wouldn't have enough room in there to be of any help."

"Then why didn't you stop them from going in?"

"…I have my reasons…"

"I see. So because of your reasons, innocent people might die, is that it?" Commander Greil looked angry. Shinon understood why. Both Mist and Ike could be in that building, completely cut off by Daein troops. Then he remembered the three sets of tracks heading farther into Gallia, and felt a fleeting hope.

"Don't worry. Princess Elincia, Mist, and Rolf are all safely heading to Gallia castle. They parted ways after the battle earlier. If the children had been in this predicament, I wouldn't have left…….trust me on that. As for the rest of the team, I think they'll be okay for a little while. But you need to help them, I don't think they will be able to last much longer."

The knot in Shinon's stomach tightened as he pictured Rolf, Mist, and Elincia going to Gallia castle. They could easily be met by opposition, even across the border. Then he imagined the rest of the mercenaries inside, fighting. This set off his anger. If anyone got hurt, some Daein scum was going to pay for it! Then he thought of something.

"How do you know their names?" He asked the boy.

"Uh…well… one learns many things… if-if they only stop to listen." Shinon didn't think that was the whole story, but Commander Greil didn't seem to be worried about that at the moment.

"Then we will head out to join our friends in battle." Gatrie and Shinon followed the Commander to the entrance to the fortress.

"Wait! Don't go in that way!"

Commander Greil turned around. "And why shouldn't we?"

"Because that's where your friends went. You wouldn't help them much if they already moved farther into the building. It would take you longer to get to them….There is a side entrance you can use…."

"Where is it?" Commander Greil demanded.

"I can't describe how to get there… I'll…I'll show you." Before any of them could wonder what he meant, the boy suddenly jumped down from a tall tree. He then quickly retreated behind another. Shinon saw a flash of green, and nothing else. "This way." He said. The three followed.

Somehow, the boy was able to keep out of sight as he led them on. All they were following at this point were the tracks in the dirt that he left behind. After a few minutes, however, the tracks disappeared. "Head straight on toward the building. Once you reach it, slide past the boulder and head down the stairs. Make a right turn at the fork and follow the path." His voice came from above, as though he had climbed a tree.

"What boulder?" Gatrie asked, looking around. Shinon, too, was confused by what the boy was talking about. Commander Greil, however, walked up to the building and looked around.

"Shinon! Gatrie! Come over here!" Shinon and Gatrie looked at each other, and then ran over to their Commander. Once they reached him, he pointed over at the right. Both men gaped when they saw it. A boulder was lodged between the wall of the building, and an outer wall that neither of the men would have ever guessed to have been there. The outer wall seemed to be some sort of place that archers would stand in battle so that they could shoot from above. It was exactly the same color as the actual building itself, which was why they hadn't seen it before.

"I don't believe it! This place was built for battle!" Gatrie said as he examined the archer area.

"That's kind of why it's called a "fortress", dumb butt." Shinon retorted, even though he was as awed as the knight.

"Please hurry! If anything happens to those mercenaries, I'll never forgive myself!" Shinon jumped and looked up. The voice was coming from on top of the very wall he was looking at.

"How in Ashera's name did you get up there?!" Gatrie practically yelled.

"How indeed," Commander Greil was also looking up in shock.

"Go find your team and get them out of there! If any of them get…hurt…or…or………I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Please!" Shinon wondered what was going on. This person, had killed easily over a hundred people earlier today. Now he wanted to protect a group of mercenaries to whom he owed nothing. That logic confused the sniper greatly.

"We're going." Commander Greil walked over to the boulder. "It seems that this entrance you speak of was concealed quite awhile ago, yes?"

"Yeah. The owner of the building sealed it due to some sort of accident with a robber or something. I think that his daughter got killed, but I can't be sure. He closed it years ago and hasn't come back to this place since."

"Ah. I see. Then I wonder…. How do you know of the entrance?" The boy didn't answer. Commander Greil didn't seem to mind, however. He just smiled. What he said next really surprised Shinon and Gatrie. "You're welcome to help, if you want." With that, the Commander scuffed past the boulder through a tiny hole near the floor.

Gatrie looked at the hole, and signaled to the sniper next to him. "You go first. I don't want to get stuck when you haven't gone through yet." Shinon nodded. And dropped to his knees. Before he crawled into the hole though, he turned back and looked up at the top of the wall. The sun was almost setting by now. "Are you still there?"

"Yes." The boy answered.

"Are you coming?"

"I already told you. With my sword style, I would be of no help in a closed up place like that."

Shinon shrugged. "Suit yourself." Then the sniper started to crawl through the hole. Surprisingly, it was bigger than expected.

Gatrie was about to follow, when he also turned to the boy. "You're free to change your mind." The knight came through the hole, with much difficulty, and sat panting on the other side.

"Come you two," Commander Greil was somewhere ahead of them. "Our team needs us." Gatrie stood up, and the two followed the older man down some stairs. They came to a fork and started to hear the sounds of battle coming from the right side. The three ran as fast as they could down the path.

Soon, they reached the end of the passage and entered a huge network of hallways in a maze formation that connected to about five rooms. Soldiers were everywhere. In the rooms, the hallways, behind suits of decaying armor… Blood was everywhere too. Shinon looked around, searching for any sign of the mercenaries that were supposedly fighting.

He saw a ranger up ahead with blue hair and a red cape. "There's Ike!" Gatrie pointed to him. None of the soldiers had noticed the three of them yet.

"Yes, but where are the others?" Commander Greil was looking anxiously around. A wind tome farther down the passage that brought down two enemy knights signaled that Soren was okay.

A flash of red and the neigh of a horse showed Titania's fighting before a fighter fell down dead. Three alive, at least. But where were the others? Shinon looked and looked, but he couldn't see anyone. The knot in his stomach grew tighter. Rhys, Oscar, and Boyd were yet to be found. The sniper thought of Rhys' low defense and couldn't help the feeling of worry inching up his throat. Oscar and Boyd were good fighters, but there was only a certain amount of damage they would be able to take. With all of the Daein solders, it was quite possible that…

Shinon saw Rolf's face, littered with tears. What would happen if they had to tell him that he would never see his brothers again? The knot in his stomach got tighter. Commander Greil and Gatrie seemed to be thinking along the same lines as they searched frantically around the battle field for the remainder of their friends.

Then, she came…

General Petrine of Daein entered the castle from a door that Shinon assumed led to another room. She shouted something to Ike about surrendering, completely oblivious to the fact that Commander Greil was there. After a little while, Greil made his presence known and Petrine said something about keeping him…

"…So the rumors of mad King Ashnard's twisted games are true, are they?" Commander Greil asked, his attention fixed on Petrine.

"Shinon… What are these "twisted games" the boss is talking about?" Gatrie asked.

"There's a rumor the King Daein gathers strong men from around the continent and sets them to fight one another. Those who live, regardless of their birth, are given influential positions." The sniper answered. "Don't know if it's true, though."

"Oh…So that weird dame's got her eye on the boss, now, does she?"

"Shinon! Gatrie!" Both men were jostled back to reality at Greil's call. "I'll distract the women. You two grab Ike and the others and get out of here now!

Shinon thought of Rolf, and for some reason, anger surged inside him. "Got it!"

"But Commander! We can't leave you here on your own!" Gatrie sounded worried.

"Idiot! That woman's no threat to the Commander. All right? Come on! Let's go!"

"Move it! We'll regroup in Gallia!" Greil stated. Then, after some well chosen words with the paladin, the Commander and Petrine went to a different room to fight one on one.

Shinon wasn't worried. He had seen the Commander fight- and he was phenomenal. The sniper hadn't even seen him fight with his full strength. He didn't doubt that the outcome of the duel would be in their favor.

Soldiers were now attacking both Gatrie and Shinon. To avoid the possibility of Shinon getting slaughtered, Gatrie stood in front of the sniper, taking up much of the room in the narrow hallway, and acted as a shield. The knight would soften up the enemies, and Shinon would finish them with an arrow.

All was going well, until a garbled yell was heard from the room right next to the duo. Shinon squeezed past Gatrie, who was standing right in front of the entrance to the room, and ran through the doorway. Shinon nearly got killed by an ax-man. Thankfully, however, someone in a BRIGHT orange dress, whom Shinon had never seen before, reached the guy first. She whacked him continuously with her sword until he fell over dead.

Shinon stared. The girl had purple hair and was breathing very hardly. She was bleeding from many wounds, but that didn't seem to bother her right then. She looked at Shinon and cocked her head to the side. Then she raised her sword. Gatrie was still blocking the entrance to the room. "You're not wearing black… are you with Daein?"

Shinon was afraid to answer. This girl didn't look like she was an enemy soldier, but you could never be too sure in a war. "I'm with Greil mercenaries." The girl seemed to deflate. She lowered her sword and let out a big breath of relief. Shinon decided that he had better ask, seeing as though the girl seemed to be okay with him. "Who are you?"

"Eh? Oh! Yeah! I'm Mia. I was hired by Crimea to help fend off Daein's attack. Sadly, I was caught. But then, Commander Greil saved me, so here I am, trying to repay the favor!" Shinon thought back. He, Gatrie, and the Commander had parted ways earlier that day to find the kid in the forest for a short while. He wondered if the Commander had rescued this girl around that time. Then he remembered the yell.

"Um…. Did you yell just a few moments ago?"

"Huh? Oh. Oh yeah! Crud!" Mia, as she called herself, ran back into another room that connected with this one. Shinon, afraid that there might be more warriors, followed her. She went to the opposite wall and bent down over someone in white robes that lay on the floor. Shinon looked and nearly fell in shock.

It was Rhys! Rhys was okay! Somehow, Shinon felt relieved to see the priest breathing. Until he noticed the blood. Rhys' robes were covered in the red liquid. Shinon ran over to see what had happened. There was a giant gash that ran across the mercenary's stomach, seemingly made by an ax. Mia was in a horrible state, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. Rhys was getting paler and paler, unable to move. Fear griped the sniper and the knot in his stomach got tighter.

Then, something darted past him. Something green. "Stand back." Shinon gaped in shock as he heard the familiar voice. It was the kid from outside that had been sitting on the wall!

Mia, didn't seem to know what to do, so she drew back, and then huddled over the priest again. Shinon walked up and crouched next to child next to him. "Can you do something?" He asked urgently.

The kid nodded. "However, I cannot recreate blood. After this, he will have to fight on his own. I also don't have enough energy to heal anything else after this."

Shinon and Mia nodded and backed up, giving the kid room. A light flowed from his fingertips and engulfed Rhys. A warm feeling spread though out the area. When the two saw the priest again, the slash was gone. Mia ran forward as Rhys sat up and looked at his stomach in disbelief. The sword wielder threw her arms around the pale man in a huge hug. Shinon looked at the boy, who was gasping for breath.

"Are you going to be okay?" the sniper asked.

"Y-yeah." The boy said shakily. "I'm… so….so…tired…." He slumped over, and Shinon barely caught him before his head hit the floor. "I'm… sorry. I'm so trouble…some… I cause nothing but… trouble…"

"That's not true!" Mia proclaimed. Rhys had passed out from blood loss. "You just saved Rhys' life!" The boy didn't say anything, but Shinon saw a twinkle in his eyes, as though he was happy to be needed. The rest of his face was covered by a piece of cloth that was forest green. The rest of his clothing, even his shoes, was the same color, as were his eyes. He also had a hood, but Shinon could see a few stray locks of hair, somewhere between blonde and dirty blond.

"Why did you come back?" the sniper asked.

"I'm… free to… change… my mind…, right?"

Shinon felt an overlaying sense if worry, for some reason. It suddenly became very important to keep this kid awake, for reasons that he couldn't explain. The boy started to close his eyes. "Hey! No! don't go to sleep." Shinon shook the limp body in his hands. The boy opened his eyes again.

"I'm sorry… I couldn't be of… more… help…"

"What are you talking about?!" Mia exclaimed. "Rhys would have trouble with healing that wound with a staff. You did it without any help all! You were amazing!"

The kid smiled. "I want to…" He couldn't form the words. Shinon shook him again, but it seemed the boy had used all of his energy.

"Mia…"

"Yes Mr. Sniper man?"

"Get Titania. We need to get this kid on her horse. He'll get hurt just lying here." For some reason, Shinon cared. He couldn't explain it, just like he couldn't explain why Rolf's words had had such a great influence on him. He just… cared.

"Who's Titania?" Shinon looked at her in disbelief. "I'm sorry! By the time I joined your team, everyone was spread out! I don't know everyone I'm fighting with. I also doubt that they all know that I'm on their side!"

"Titania is the female Paladin." Then he realized that General Petrine matched this image, so he added, "She has red hair."

"Oh… Oh! I know who your talking about! Okie dokie! Don't worry, I'll bring her back as fast as I can!" Then she ran off at top speed. Shinon shook his head. How could someone so… hyper be allowed to fight? The sniper had only known her for a few minutes, and he was already surprised that she hadn't hit herself with her own sword in her eagerness.

The boy in his arms stirred slightly. Shinon looked down and saw two dark green eyes gazing back up at him. Somehow or another, the sniper had a feeling that it was costing the kid every last ounce of energy he could muster just to stay awake.

"I'm… sorry…. I'm just so………….pathetic."

"Save your strength. Someone will be along to help you soon."

"Really?" Shinon nodded. "I see….. so in the end…. I really did….end up…just causing t-trouble for everyone."

Shinon all of the sudden realized who the kid reminded him of. "You're just like Rolf." He said, without much thought.

The kid blinked. "Rolf?"

"Yeah. Both of you never worry about yourselves. It's always every one else that's on your mind."

"I see…. Will you… Will you do me a f-favor?" The kid was looking really tired now. All of his words were slurred together, and his voice was getting softer.

"Depends. What do you want?"

The kid tried to speak, but instead started coughing. When he found words, Shinon had to strain his ears to hear him. "I… don't let… Oscar… B-Boyd……."

Shinon looked at him in surprise, but before he could say anything, Mia entered the room. "Titania can't help. She's already picked up someone." The girl said, panting.

"What? Who?" Shinon asked. There were still two people that he hadn't heard anything about.

"I don't know his name, but he had dark green hair, an ax, and a lot of little injuries, but no serious ones." That was Boyd. Shinon felt relieved, seeing once again, Rolf's face. That meant that Oscar was the only one left to find.

"How does the battle look?"

"I think we're winning, but you and I really need to return to the battle."

Shinon looked at the kid in his arms. "Leave me with the priest," the boy said. The sniper hesitated, then set his burden down on the ground next to Rhys. "I-I remind you… of…. Rolf?" Shinon looked at the kid and nodded. "Why?"

"I already told you. Both of you think alike. You always worry about others first." The sniper was starting to feel uncomfortable. He didn't like children that much. Why he went so well with Rolf, even he didn't understand. Now, he had met another random kid that also brought out a side in him that he didn't like to admit he had. The knot in his stomach got tighter.

"I see… I wonder if that's why… you get…along so well…."

"What do you mean?"

"…Maybe all you need… all you want… is to have someone to… care about…you…"

Shinon looked in shock at the child, but the boy had already closed his eyes and gone to sleep.

Scene Three

"Run faster!"

"I am running faster!"

"You're still too slow!"

"That means a lot, considering that you're not running as fast as I am!"

"That's because you're in my way!"

"Then run around me!"

"I don't feel like it!"

Rolf sprinted as fast as he could away from the hoard of soldiers chasing them. His feet hurt and his chest was heaving, but somehow, that didn't seem very important at the minute. Elincia and Mist were right behind him. The princess was having some trouble running in her dress, but she was at least keeping up with the two kids. Mist was sweating so much that she looked as though she had been swimming. The three of them ran for their lives, trying their best to avoid the arrows being shot at them.

Mist had been hit by one, hindering her speed as the arrowhead bit into her thigh. But fear seemed to win over pain, and she was still running as fast as she possibly could. Elincia wasn't even being aimed at. Apparently, the soldiers had been ordered not to harm her. Rolf had been grazed multiple times, and also got hit on the shoulder. His arm throbbed as they headed on, without a clue of where they were going.

Mist was the first to see it. "Rolf, look!" She panted.

"Where?" Rolf wheezed.

"Just above the tree line!" Rolf looked up above a small row of trees, and saw a tall building in the distance.

"It must be the castle of Gallia!" Elincia called. It was hard to see in the fading light, but it was defiantly there. Rolf pushed his legs to the limit and ran even faster as he hit the row of trees. Mist was just behind, with Elincia at her side.

After about two minutes, the trio burst out of the trees and into some flowers. Two people looked up in surprise. Then they growled. Rolf, Mist, and Elincia kept running, but the Daein soldiers skidded to a halt.

"S-sub-humans!"

"We'll be killed!"

"Run!" About half of the warriors turned and fled.

The general looked around. More Gallian people were starting to enter the scene. "D-dang it! All personal, fall back! Fall back!" After about five minutes, all the Daein troops were gone, and Rolf, Mist, and Elincia were standing in the middle of a circle of Gallians.

Some looked angry. Some looked scared. Some looked as though they didn't know what to think.

After a few moments, one of them stepped forward. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

None of them spoke, all three of them were too terrified. The sub-human that had asked was a female, and she was glaring with all the hatred in the world. After a few minutes of silences passed, she spoke again. "Fine. Then I'll have to claw the answer out of you." She showed them her nails, which looked like cat claws. Rolf was starting to notice that all of the creatures around them had cat ears and tails. So that's why they're called 'sub-humans'…

Another Gallian stepped forward and grabbed his comrade's wrist, stopping her from doing serious damage to Mist. "Hold your paw, Lethe."

Lethe looked furious. "But, Ranulf! They're humans! HUMANS! They shouldn't be in Gallia!"

Ranulf, however, wasn't listening. He was looking straight at Elincia, inspecting her up and down. Elincia didn't seem too calm about this. "Um… excuse my asking, but… would you please tell me what you hope to accomplish by looking at me like that?"

"Quiet human! You have no right to speak."

"Lethe, shut up." Ranulf was still looking at Elincia.

"But Ranulf-"

"It's… it's you!" the male sub-human said to the princess. "Princess Elincia!"

Lethe looked shocked at this.

"What?" Elincia said, utterly lost as to how this guy knew her name.

"You're Princess Elincia Ridell Crimea, aren't you?"

Author's Note

Pebblekit: Fifteen and a half pages! That makes my longest chapter yet. Also, I'm not good at humor. To those of you who wanted some, I'm sorry. I try… and sadly, fail miserably... Also, I am withdrawing the Tormod or Sothe vote. I thought of something that would work perfectly, so I'll use that in order not to bother my readers. This is how the other vote stands.

Nephenee and Volke- 1 vote- yes. 1 vote- no

If you read the author's notes, say the name of your favorite character in this game.