Back again, I see I have picked up some new reviewers in the last couple of chapters and that's just awesome, I love all you guys and you are all the prime reason for me updating so regularly.

This is an early update for all my loving fans (if there are any) and also owing to the fact that I have been able to write Chapter 8 a day earlier than I thought I would. I hope you all dont mind.

Replies to Reviewers:

Miori: Well I cant exactly tell you how this will all turn out, Im not going to tell you if Lloyd will wind up with Sheena or Presea, that would sort of give things away if I did, to find out that answer you will just have to keep reading like the rest of them as i update. All I can promise is it will be worth the wait considering I think I'm only like a third of the wayt done with this story. Oh and happy belated birthday by the way.

Ark Navy: I know, I kind of held off having any really tender moments between the pair of them for now, I hope it warmed your heart though.

Onto the next Chapter then everyone.

Chapter 7: "Lessons" in Love

Sheena awoke in the guest room of Zelos' mansion just as the sun broke through the window signifying the start of the new day. Hopefully Zelos would come through for her today seeing as how he said he would the day before.

The development of Zelos seeing Raine had certainly been a shock to her but it hadnt been as positive as she would liked to have thought, it only saw fit to make her believe that anyone could get lucky in love except for her.

She continued to hug her pillow whilst lying on her side staring out the window at the rising sun contemplating what she would do if the worst should happen when Sebastian knocked on the door and gave a wake up call for her. "Young miss, it is time to wake up," she heard his polite voice through the door.

"Coming," she mumbled before kicking off the thick blue duvet and finding her usual attire.

Zelos had fallen asleep on the couch again so as to give Raine and Genis his room; he felt it only polite when they were staying here, regardless of their relationship state at the moment. He was shaken from his reverie by a messy haired Sheena stumbling down his stairs.

"Wow! What happened, did a bear attack you in your sleep?" Zelos couldn't resist asking.

"Shut up Zelos, not in the mood," Sheena snapped.

"Still not a morning person then hunny?" the former chosen jested playfully.

"Whatever gave you that impression!" she sighed putting a hand on her forehead before allowing it to sweep some of her messy hair back into place.

Zelos sat in silence for a minute as his former obsession sorted her hair out in front of the massive mirror in the living room, when he was satisfied she was ready and wouldn't throw some random object at him, he spoke again. "So you ready to be taught by the master of love?"

Sheena couldn't help but glare daggers at him, inwardly she kept telling herself she was doing this for Lloyd, she nodded once but didn't cool her glare.

"Okay then," Zelos sat up on the couch and tapped the seat next to him motioning Sheena to sit next to him; he waited for her to sit down before continuing. "What exactly do you want to know?" Zelos asked.

Sheena stared at the carpet of Zelos' house, "How will I get Lloyd to like me? I've tried everything and nothing works." she sighed and closed her eyes.

"Well this means that you have told him how you feel right?" Zelos replied.

Sheena blushed a bit "Of course not, it's not the woman's place to do that, I have made it blindingly obvious though but nothing."

"Hmmm, well you have to remember my bud is hardly the most observant guy in all of the world, if you cant be open with him about your feelings, you might as well give him up to Presea now instead of worrying about it," he said in a matter-of-factly tone.

Sheena was taken aback by what Zelos said to her, she had always been raised on the Mizuho tradition that the man must always be first to declare his intentions of a relationship/romance. "But he has to tell me he loves me or wishes to engage in a relationship first, I'm going to be the chief of Mizuho soon and I can't undermine the traditions, I would be discredited," Sheena said fiercely.

Zelos shook his head at the woman whom he himself had been trying to have a relationship with for years, "You will have to decide for yourself what is more important, your feelings for Lloyd or your duty to your village, it really is that simple, Lloyd will only know that you have feelings for him romantically if you tell him directly."

Sheena closed her eyes letting all of what Zelos say sink in, "I'll need some time to think about this, I'm going to go someplace alone, I will return when I have decided," she declared before standing up and walking out Zelos' front door.

From the top of the stairs, Raine watched Sheena leave the house with purpose, "Do you think she will be alright?" she asked Zelos as she walked down the stairs.

"I have no idea, she has to decide what she really thinks is more important, Lloyd doesn't seem to realise just how much she loves him," he sighed.

Raine nodded and walked up to Zelos allowing him to hold her in his arms, "I hope she finds happiness, she deserves that much," she said into his chest.

"So do I," Zelos added.

Lloyd opened his eyes to find he had nodded off on Presea's bench, he wondered what time it was when he felt a weight on his shoulder. Looking down at it, he noticed that Presea had fell asleep against him last night as well, he knew it probably wouldn't be good for him if he woke her up but he knew he had to get a move on and hunt for Sheena.

"Presea..." he began.

Presea groaned a little before nuzzling into his shoulder, great, now I really don't want to wake her up, Lloyd thought as he felt her hair tickle the side of his neck.

He had to try again, Sheena was depending on him, "Presea, wake up, we have to get moving," he finally finished.

Presea woke up with a blush as she realised just who she had been leaning against all night before, "S-sorry Lloyd, I must have been more tired than I thought," she covered up.

"It's okay," Lloyd replied before standing up and stretching.

Presea watched Lloyd do a stretch as the sun silhouetted his figure, she decided to stand up before she allowed any thoughts into her head, she knew as well as Lloyd did that they were beginning their search for Sheena today.

The pair walked into Presea's home and prepared a simple breakfast before lunch, both not wanting to speak of the night before but both infinitely comfortable remembering it inside their own head.

Presea broke the silence first, "Where shall we start?"

"Well before we headed this way, we were going to cross the Grand Aselian Bridge and head towards Meltokio," he replied munching on a sandwich.

"We should be able to make Meltokio by tomorrow if we decide to head in that direction." she smiled.

"Yeah, hopefully Regal has sent some men in the other directions, finding Sheena should just be a matter of time." he replied enthusiastically.

The pair finished the breakfast before heading back outside; the sun hanging in the air let them know it was still fairly early in the morning. "Shouldn't be many monsters on the plains yet!" Lloyd remarked.

Presea nodded as she held the Gaia Cleaver and the Bahamut's Tear in each of her hands unsure of which one to take with her. After two minutes of careful consideration and practice swings, she opted for the Gaia Cleaver, locking the other axe away in the house before joining Lloyd back in her front garden.

"Shall we depart?" Presea asked as she clipped the Gaia Cleaver onto her back.

Lloyd pumped a fist in the air as a sign of confidence. "Let's go!"

Sheena found herself walking around in the small forest behind Meltokio trying to gather her thoughts, wondering inside herself what truly was more important.

Lloyd or my duty to my village, damn why does this have to be so damned difficult? She growled at herself.

She continued to think but was shaken from her thoughts as a green mantis assaulted her from behind a tree, she yelped as its claw ripped across her leg.

The bug threw both it's claws back and let out a shrill cry causing Sheena to cover her ears.

After recovering from the sound, she reached into her kimono and pulled out her Acalanatha cards; she levelled her eyes with the beast before taunting it, "Prepare to enter a world of hurt."

Cards flew left and right as she unleashed numerous seals upon the beast, all the creature could do was try and cover up against the relentless assault, however it was too late as Sheena unleashed a ferocious Pyre seal against it. All that could be smelt in the air was the aroma of burning mantis.

"Hah! That's what you get for messing with me!" she sneered as she placed her cards back inside their pocket.

She accidentally dropped something else out of her pocket, it was a picture. She looked at it and remembered the story behind the picture.

Lloyd and Sheena had just cleared out all the exspheres in the area of Luin, the townspeople had declared them to be true humanitarians and had henceforth given them titles appropriately.

The mayor of Luin had wished for Sheena and Lloyd to have their picture taken in front of the statues they had built for them as a symbol of what they had accomplished for the town.

Lloyd had been exceptionally nervous about having his picture immortalised in Luin's history like that...as if the statue hadn't been enough, Sheena had found it to be her duty to make him feel more comfortable or at least detached enough to not be thinking of the camera.

The ninja had taken it upon herself to drape her arm around his shoulders as the photo was taken so as to make him less nervous, so it turns out this only made him worse as when the picture was developed his face was as red as his outfit.

Sheena continued to gaze at the picture and recalled all of the good times Lloyd and she had shared in the past; a tear began to make a course down her cheek as she continued to think of it.

"Time to head back," she said to no one and yet everyone at the same time, "I know exactly what I want now," she continued with new determination and vigour.

There we go Chapter 7 is finished, thanks for all the support so far. What does everyone think of Raine and Zelos being together? I wasn't sure how many people would go for it but I think it is a perfectly good pairing.

There is only about three or four (havent decided yet) more chapters in this part of the story, I have had some ideas that can spurn this whole story onto a new plot twist which I can promise will not leave people waiting for more (unless I choose to with some well placed cliffhangers in the future mwahaha!), I hope you have all enjoyed the story to date so far as I have said already, I'm just getting warmed up.

I leave you all with this question: What do you think Sephie will wind up telling Sheena when she is summoned once more? What sort of damage could be done and who will truly be affected by it, just think about that as I write these next couple of chapters.

Anyway til next time.