The last chapter I will do in the United States for about four weeks. I leave tommorrow afternoon for my 10 PM flight. Anyway, this was a harder chapter for me to write for some reason, taking longer than it usually would for me. And no, Sage, I have a year-round calendar at my high school. Hehehe.

Anyway, we'll see what happens at Luin when we get there. Hehehe. Lets not spoil the fresh milk as you get it, shall we?
Please read and review!

Chapter IX – Coast of Everlasting Qualms

It was a relatively short cruise across the ocean to Palmacosta. Raine finally stopped panicing, in fact she was twitching a bit. But she tried to keep herself calm. She had to be strong for everyone…they were all counting on her. As they floated into the port, the fisherman Max dropped anchor and everything came to calm halt. But there wasn't peace. Compared to the small town of Izoold, Palmacosta was a brimming center of commerce and trade. People were walking and talking, crowding the port. Paul just stretched out his arms. To him the "large city" was nothing more than a regular-sized town. Colette and Genis were enjoying the sights, though.

"Professor, can we get this?"

"Raine, this looks so cool! Let's buy it."

"Does this go with my blonde hair?"

"This will really help me in my studies, I promise!"

"Professor!"

"Raine!"

Poor Raine, the unofficial treasurer of the group, was being pelted by the two energetic children. Surviving a close encounter with the dreaded water of Sylvarant, she was too focused on trying to regain her composure. Her head was aching, and the two annoyances were not helping to alleviate her pain.

Kratos, Lloyd, Sheena and Paul were busy surveying the weapon merchants set up there.

"Paul, being unarmed is not necessarily a bad thing, but perhaps you should purchase a weapon?" Kratos said, examining a sword on sale.

"Hm…well, I'm not very good at double-swordsmanship. I can barely handle a kendama, let alone use it in battle."

Paul moved to another section of the weapon shop.

"Staff? Please…"

He then picked up some disks.

"I don't even know how Colette uses these things…"

He then continued to look around.

"A single sword? Bo-ring…no offense, Kratos. Cards? I can only shuffle them…"

Sheena was insulted by his comment. "Hey! They're not used for gambling…"

Paul sighed. "Man, I can't find a weapon that fits me. This axe is way too heavy for me to use. I can fight with my feet, but these greaves don't even fit me!"

Lloyd rubbed his head. "There are a lot of weapons, Paul. There's one for you. I just know it."

"Thanks for the words of comfort, Lloyd. But I don't think I'll find a weapon here. Eh…? What do we have here?"

Lloyd's face twisted. "I have no idea."

"It's a bow, Lloyd. It was a rhetorical question."

"A rhetoric-what?"

Paul slapped his own forehead. "Forget it. This looks way too confusing to do…and stringing a bow? No thanks. Let's just go."

After purchasing some weapons, they returned with the rest of the group. Raine, finally surrendering to the relentless attacks of the greedy, had bought Colette and Genis a whole bunch of useless nicknacks that they wanted because they simply "looked cool." They went into the bulk of the city of Palmacosta. Lloyd stopped, but Colette didn't pay attention and ran into another young woman. As Colette fell on the ground, the sound of a potion bottle breaking rang among the group. Before Colette, a mess of a potion was on the floor.

Lloyd helped Colette up. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"Ahh! The Palma Potion we just received!" the woman said.

"Hey lady," said an irritable young man, "that was a very valuable potion! How are you planning on making up for this?"

Colette's tone became apologetic. "I'll buy a replacement potion right away."

The man growled. "Replacement potion?! Do you seriously think that's going to be enough to appease my anger?!"

Lloyd pointed one of his twin blades at the man. "Oh, come on, now you just sound like an idiot."

Genis rolled his eyes.

"What-did-you-say?! Do you know who we ar-"

Paul, unable to contain his anger, punched the man in the face. Kratos then held him back. The man was on the floor, his nose dripping blood.

"Hey, you cocky punk! Let me go, Kratos! I'll show you…"

"You! You bastard! I'll make sure you see Martel sooner than you think!" The man stood up, but he was being held back by another woman – older, more reserved.

"Stop. I'd like to leave here as soon as we can. Don't start any unnecessary trouble."

The younger woman nodded in concurrence. "I agree. Let's just have them replace the potion."

The man spat and his spit landed on Paul's shoe. "Bah. You got off lucky this time, kid. Hurry up and go buy that potion."

Lloyd clenched his fist. "There's no need to bother, Colette!"

"No, I ran into them, so I have to pay for it…"

Sheena sighed. "It's the right thing to do, but these guys are total jerks."

A few glares later, they arrived at the shop. Lloyd and Paul turned to each other. They knew very well that this shop belonged to Marble's family. Their hearts sank. Lloyd opened the door, and they could hear the voices of the Desians and Chocolat arguing with each other. After the Desians made their snide remarks, they left the shop without any more altercation. Chocolat turned to her mother.

"Well then, I'm off to work now, Mom."

Walking away, Paul thought it was already clear and began to move. However…

Crash!

"Agh! Hey, watch where you…"

"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking…"

Before, when Paul saw Chocolat, he had no opinion of her. In fact, he would have cared less. But this time was different. He wasn't just looking at a minor character from the comfort of his own television screen, but a living and breathing person. He felt her crash into him, and they were both on the floor, looking straight at each other. He absorbed the image of Chocolat into his own consciousness – brown hair and brown eyes, "adventure" attire with fair skin. Not necessarily the most unique he had seen, but she was obviously created to only stick out a bit. But, thinking about his figure, he had dark brown hair and black eyes, a thin build with tanned skin. He might have stuck out in the world of Symphonia, but back in his world he was as common as an apple. He couldn't decipher what he was feeling – pity, regret…or something else? Chocolat's face turned scarlet and her chocolate eyes just stared into his. He saw the fire in her eyes, and he could see she was headstrong and quick to judge. Neither of them could speak. The group just watched as the two were struggling to say something…anything.

Chocolat looked down, "I…uh…have to go!"

She ran out, feeling very exposed and vulnerable. Not even the Desians could get her to feel like that.

Paul just stood there, dumbfounded.

Sheena giggled. "Looks like Paul found a girlfriend."

"Sh-shut up…"

Colette meekly walked towards the counter. Chocolat's mother Cacao, a little shaken up with her daughter's confrontation with the Desian soldiers, just smiled in respect to the prospective customers. "I apologize for what happened. I'm sure you were startled. Please, relax and take a look around."

After purchasing supplies and the Palma Potion, Paul stopped Colette.

"Hey, Colette. I'll give it to them, it's the least I can do to apologize."

Colette smiled. "Alright, just come back quickly! We have to get the Book of Regeneration, remember?"

"Right."

Paul walked off towards the center of town. Lloyd and Kratos, seeing how violent Paul got towards the imposter Chosen's group, started getting worried.

"Lloyd, is something wrong?" Colette asked, cheerful tone in her heart and smile. "You look really uncomfortable. In fact, you and Kratos look alike."

Kratos and Lloyd tried not to make a face. Kratos sighed. "I don't know if those people are to be trusted to not try and attack Paul while he's alone. Lloyd and I will observe him, just in case."

Raine nodded. "Yes, we mustn't let Paul go off on his own. I trust you, Kratos. Lloyd…try not to make a mess of things."

"Professor…"

Sheena, Genis, Colette, and Raine waited in front of the item shop – Marble's.

"What's taking that girl so long?" the man asked, irritated.

The young woman, who had fallen earlier, pointed out Paul coming from the eastern side of the town. "Here comes that guy again."

The portly fellow, timid in appearance despite his girth, had shaky legs. "Do you think he's come for a fight, brother?"

"Hah!" said the cocky young man. "We'll see who'll be on the floor this time!"

As Paul approached the group, Palma Potion in hand, he could see the grinning idiot thirsting for blood.

"Here's the Palma Potion you wanted."

The young woman, trying to keep a polite demeanor, extended her hand.

"Thank you."

He handed the potion to the young woman.

As the potion was given, a flapping sound could be heard. The young man, who wanted to punch Paul in retaliation for what had happened earlier, was completely pale. He, or any of his companions, could not believe what they saw. Paul, who looked like a normal and thin teenager, now was accented by crimson angelic wings. Paul was grinning, looking at his Exsphere as if it were the best thing that had happened to him. As the young man was frozen in place, Paul picked up the hotheaded young man. The pudgy man was hiding behind the older woman, who was frozen in place as well. Kratos and Lloyd arrived on the scene, as Paul had the man in the air like a wet napkin. Paul put down the victim of his scare, and he looked as if he would soil his clothing.

"Perhaps you shouldn't pick a fight with a guardian of the Chosen."

"Wait, you mean that blonde girl was…"

The imposter's group was so shocked that they couldn't even say a word. Lloyd and Kratos, now side-by-side with the crimson angel, looked at the shocked group of impostors.

Kratos sighed. "It seems your Exsphere has already begun to evolve."

The impostors decided to make a run for it, dropping a book in their rush. Lloyd picked up the book. "Hey, isn't this the…"

"Lloyd! Where did you retrieve this?"

Lloyd looked around. "Those guys that we bought the Potion for, they had it."

Raine was aggravated and disgusted. "How could the Governor-General be so careless? I'm going to storm in there and give him a piece of my mind!"

Sheena hid behind Lloyd. "Is she always like this?"

Genis sighed. "Yes…"

"We should catch up to her. I don't think anyone is safe while she is in this state." Kratos commented, following the red-faced Raine.

"Hell hath no fury like Raine's mania." Paul said smugly.

Several knocked out guards, a revelation of wings, and an explanation later they found themselves preparing for the next part of the journey – the trip to the Water Seal. After planning their next plan of action, Raine was about to get in more detail (with Lloyd and Paul nodding off, of course) until the screams of the Palmacostans filled the air. As the heroes ran outside, they saw the innocent townspeople running towards the eastern side of town. Colette stopped a panicked citizen.

"Excuse me, but what's going on?"

The denizen of Palmacosta was hyperventilating. "Execution…at…town square…" The person just rushed off after saying it. Paul went completely pale. "We have to go…now!"

Genis blinked. "Is something wrong Paul?"

"I just have a feeling." Paul ran off.

"Let's go!" Lloyd said, running after him.

As the alliance of heroes arrived, they saw the proud people of Palmacosta watching in pure fear as the gentle storekeeper was being led to the gallows. Cacao was placed securely in the noose, overlooking the speechless population. Children were crying. Women were shielding the children. Men were scared. The town militia was absent, and everyone could feel the tension building in the moment of silence. And this was his cue. Red hair, a muscular body, and an evil grin… Magnius walked towards the would-be victim in his self-proclaimed "glory." As a man, who was too scared to get out of the way, tried to conjure up something to say Magnius simply picked him up and cracked his neck into a massive fracture. He dropped the poor man, bones shattering on impact to the cold and unforgiving stone road. Magnius grinned, looking up at one of his lieutenants standing atop the hanging platform.

"This woman defied the wishes of the great Lord Magnius and refused to provide us with supplies."

He grinned at Cacao, her eyes closed and tears dropped on top of the wooden deathtrap.

"Therefore, while the designated death count has been exceeded, we have been granted orders to carry out this woman's execution!"

The group arrived at the scene, and Paul was ready to get into action until…

"Mom!"

Paul froze. Chocolat ran to her mother, ready to fight the heavily armed Desians to prevent this execution, despite her disadvantage.

"Stop right there woman! If you interfere, we'll make you suffer in ways that will leave you begging for death!"

Chocolat clenched her fist and shook it at the Desians. "You think Governor-General Dorr will let you get away with this?"

Magnius approached the young woman slowly. "Dorr? Hahahaha! Don't get your hopes up, woman!" He readied his fist.

Chocolat shielded her face with her arms. "No!"

At the last second, Paul kicked Magnius in the shin and stabbed him in the hand with one of Kratos' daggers.

"You…disgusting little vermin!" Magnius said, holding his bleeding hand.

Lloyd decided to add more insult to injury and attacked Magnius with a Demon Fang.

Magnius was bleeding all over. "Ugh!"

Raine stepped forward. "Lloyd! Paul! Stop, do you want to turn this place into the next Iselia?"

Lloyd gritted his teeth. "How can we go on a quest to regenerate the world if we can't even save the people standing in front of us?!"

Chocolat sighed in relief. Paul nodded at Lloyd. "He's right! Colette!"

"Yes!" Colette stood strong, ready to defend the people she loved. "I won't just stand here and let this happen!"

A bunch of Desian soldiers approached went to their master's aide. "…You! You're wanted criminal #0074…Lloyd Irving!"

Magnius stood up slowly and spat blood at the party. "Well, now! So you're the boy with that Exsphere! Hahahaha! This is perfect!" He pointed at Lloyd. "After I take that Exsphere from you, they'll make me the leader of the Five Grand Cardinals! Get them!"

The Desian mages charged up some fireballs but Genis, taking the chance to show off, blocked all of the hostile magic with his Force Field technique.

"Amateurs…" Genis said, grinning in triumph.

Magnius stomped his foot in a childish rage. "Damnit! You worthless idiots! I'll take care of this woman…"

As he was about to finish his sentence, Sheena already incapacitated the lieutenant and freed Cacao from a would-be demise.

"What the?!" Magnius yelled.

As he was looking towards the freed captive, Kratos ran up to Magnius and stabbed Magnius in the stomach. "Let us respect the wishes of the Chosen."

The Palmacostans were shocked and now full of hope.

"The Chosen?"

"She is the Chosen?!"

"The Chosen herself has come to save us?!"

Raine hit Lloyd behind his head. "Do you all realize full well what you're doing? If you defy the Desians, this city may be attacked just like Iselia."

"We know full well what we're doing." Paul replied, bringing Cacao and Chocolat to safety with Sheena.

"I won't let them have a chance to lay a finger on this city." Lloyd said, an unquenchable fire in his eye. "I'll destroy them all, the entire ranch!"

"Lloyd," Raine sighed. "That's insanity."

"We have the Chosen on our side," Lloyd smiled at the blonde teenager. "the savior who will regenerate the world!"

"Yeah!" Colette said, readying her chakrams. "I'm going to fight for everyone's sake."

"Oh! Lady Colette! The great Chosen of Mana!"

The people of Palmacosta were cheering and chanting for the victory of the Chosen and her allies. The children were jumping for joy. The women were ready to protect their beloved ones. The men found courage.

Raine shook her head in defeat. "I give up. You're all hopeless…"

"Will you help us, Raine?" Sheena said, already in a battle stance.

"I'd be worried about you otherwise."

Magnius' face was completely red with anger. His blood was boiling.

"Damned little…enough of this crap! I'm leaving them to you. Get rid of them!"

He said this as he was teleporting away to lick his wounds.

"How dare you lay a hand on Lord Magnius! You're all dead!"

"Paul…hey! Wake up!"

His eyes sprung open. They were at the Palmacostan inn, and he was waking up from a long day.

Lloyd grinned. "Seems like you've got a guest, bro."

Paul stood up in his bed, and after a few seconds of "waking up" he saw Chocolat. She was trying to avoid eye contact with the young man.

"I'll leave you two alone." Lloyd walked out of the room, and Paul thought he could saw a glimpse of a smile from his brother.

"I…wanted to thank you, Paul." Chocolat began. "If you hadn't stepped in, I might have…"

"It's alright…I just had to act." Paul said, looking at the covers and also avoiding Chocolat's mesmerizing gaze.

There was an awkward silence that followed, both people standing a "safe" distance away from each other. It was so silent in the room that Paul could hear the heartbeats and the breathing in the room.

"I should go. I have to lead a tour today and I don't want to stop you on your journey."

As Chocolat turned to the door, Paul stood up. "…Hey!"

Chocolat turned around, her eyes meeting his. "Yes?"

"Are you sure you're going to be alright? The Desians might come after you again."

Chocolat smiled a tiny bit. "Don't worry. I'll be ready this time!"

Paul looked down and chuckled to himself. It seemed determination was contagious, especially if one were around Lloyd. "I hope so."

Chocolat looked around and then she went up to Paul. She handed him a small box lunch.

"Is this for m…?"

He was stopped by a warm, somewhat wet feeling. A kiss on his cheek. Chocolat just walked out of the room, back to her duties as a tour guide. Paul placed his hand on his cheek, unsure of how to react to what just happened.

Vinheim was not a very pleasant place to be. The castle, though crowded with angels, was essentially an empty place. Echoes rang through the palace that held Mithos, Lord of Cruxis and the Desians. Mithos was reading to himself, something he liked to do while not destroying anyone or seeing his dear sister in the Great Seed. However, his peace was disturbed when one of the lower-ranked angels walked in.

"Lord Yggdrasill, there is something of concern occurring."

"Alright." Mithos quickly changed into his cold, adult form. "What is happening?"

"It seems the mana from the Great Seed recently decreased a bit, my lord."

"Huh?"

"And it was not just any mana…it was Martel's."