Okay, time for another update!

Disclaimer: Namco owns Tales of Symphonia.

Chapter 10:

Anna cried. She cried because she was angry and helpless and happy. She was laughing as she cried because it was so childish.

I came back for you.

The possibility that she had actually heard those words come from the mercenary's mouth was improbable.

But after she saw his perplexed expression, her laughing choked off, as did her sobs. She froze, her eyes locked on his face, searching for some type of humor. There was none.

Her hand instinctively whipped out to slap him, but some how he pulled back, missing him by a finger's width. The humor appeared then, dancing in his eyes, watching her face, a strange smile on his lips.

She was infuriated. She tried to hit him again and again he pulled back. She scowled at his evasiveness. "Stop it! It's not funny! Why would you say something like that?"

For a moment, confusion showed on his features, but it quickly disappeared. "I was merely stating the truth. I came back for you."

She clenched her teeth, fighting off the tears again. Why was she crying so much? It made her even madder. "Why? Why now?"

"After I left I realized my mistake." His voice was more serious now. She froze, her heart pounding harder. What did he mean? His mistake?

"Placing you, the Angelus Project, in the hands of a commoner and so close to Kvar's Ranch was not the wisest decision on my part." He held her eye, reading her reaction.

She felt her chest tighten and she turned her head away, cheeks flushing in embarrassment and frustration. Of course, she thought to herself. How could she possibly think that he had come back for her? She clenched her hand, her palms stinging from the raw skin beneath the bandages. She hissed and she noticed he shifted.

What was wrong with her? She immediately assumed this man had come back for her. That she actually meant something to him and not the abhorred gem stuck in her chest. The gem. The only reason she was so important. Nobody cared about her, her as a person. Why didn't she just give them what they wanted? Why did it matter if she lived or died?

Her hand shot up to her chest and her fingers felt the edges of the stone along her skin. Instantly, Kratos' eyes widened and in a second his hand flattened hers against her chest, covering the exsphere.

She blinked in surprise, noting the panic in his eyes. "What—"

"What are you doing?" he asked angrily, his hand pressing firmly against hers. Her palm stung.

She felt extremely awkward, having her hand stuck on her chest beneath his. She couldn't even move her fingers. She frowned irritably. "I am giving you what you want. This-This thing is what you are worried about, isn't it? Then wouldn't giving it too you ease your troubles?"

His eyes hardened and averted for a mere second as if he was struggling inwardly. Was he actually considering it? His hand pressed harder and he glared at her. "If you remove it, you will die."

"So? Why does that matter to you?" she snapped back, but even so her voice shook with fear. She would die. She could almost feel a pulse through the stone beneath her hand. How would she die? Would it be quick and painless?

"I will not have a death on my hands simply because you can't control your human emotions." He snapped, tearing his hand from hers. She didn't move as he leaned back, his face in a scowl. "I do not personally require the exsphere; I simply do not want it to come into possession of the Desians."

Her hand slowly slid down to her lap, his eyes watching the movement. "Human emotions?" she asked curiously, but he didn't answer. "So you are going to watch me until it kills me," she said dully, accepting.

Kratos gave her a peculiar look. "No, just until I can find a dwarf that has the skill to remove it. Then you are free to do as you wish." His voice was strange, as if he was forcing himself to say it.

"What is with you? What are you trying to stop yourself from saying?" she demanded, practically shouting. Kratos glared at her and then looked away. He stood swiftly and fluidly and walked away from her.

"Kratos!" she called after him, but he didn't reply. "I hate you," she mumbled, scowling at his back.

He paused for a moment and she thought she heard him chuckle. "It's not funny," she mumbled again.

--

"Why Hima?" Seth asked as he watched Anna slap Kratos' hands away. The mercenary sighed and she climbed onto Noishe's back on her own.

"It is the closest town, save for Asgard which would be to dangerous to attempt now. Also there is a south-western route that connects to the other continent." Kratos rubbed Noishe's head as the protozoan growled glancing up at Anna.

"See, he doesn't want me to ride either. Why can't I walk?" she argued.

"Because you are injured." Kratos replied.

"So is Seth."

"He does not have a broken arm."

"But he has a head injury.

"Anna, please, I am fine. Just ride the…" Seth eyed Noishe who was giving him dark look. "Just ride him, okay?"

She pouted and crossed her arms, grumbling. Why did Seth have to take Kratos' side? She knew the real reason that Kratos wanted her to ride. It was so she couldn't try to sneak off, which was what she was planning to do. She knew it was childish and that she wouldn't be able to get away, but perhaps if she annoyed him enough, he would decide forget the whole 'watch her' idea.

Why should she make things easier for him? He was in all reality keeping her prisoner. Wasn't it her decision whether or not she went with him? Whether she stayed with Seth?

She screeched as Noishe leapt forward and she desperately grabbed at the fur.

"Anna, are you alright?" Seth asked worriedly coming up beside her.

"Just fine," she growled.

"Perhaps you should pay more attention." Kratos admonished with a slight smile on his face. He must really enjoy this. She glared at Seth when she heard him chuckling. He shrugged and touched her hand. "Anna, don't take it like that. I just never heard you squeal like that."

"I didn't squeal!" she snapped, flushing.

"I beg to differ." Kratos replied from the front.

"Shut up."

"Anna." Seth frowned. "Ease up. We are kidding."

"He doesn't 'kid', Seth. He is just rude."

The conversation ended there, following with an awkward silence as they walked. Kratos kept them away from the main road, heading south cross-country. Anna bit her lip as she watched the sun rising, her hand drifting up to the exsphere. She was aware of it constantly now. She felt it, a small tug, a light pulse. It was killing her, she knew that and it frightened her. How much time did she have left? It had been attached to her for five years already. Was their some type of count down?

"Kratos?" her voice was quiet.

"Yes."

"How much time do I have left?"

He didn't reply right away and Seth looked at her worriedly, seeing her hand on the exsphere. Did he know already?

"I do not know." Kratos answered finally.

She frowned. "What do you mean? I thought you—"

"Exspheres are unstable objects. They are created from concentrated mana. Raw exspheres are mined, created in air pockets in the ground and rocks. The mana that is trapped eventually solidifies and takes that form. When an exsphere is attached directly to the skin, it immediately begins to absorb the wearer's mana. It continues to grow and evolve."

Anna stared at him silently. Seth's hand had somehow managed to find hers, gripping it tightly. Kratos didn't seem to notice them, his head facing away from them, concentrating on something in the distance. "When a person experiences stress, the mana in the body reacts and the exsphere absorbs it quicker." He slowly turned a faced Anna, locking eyes with her. "If you were still in the ranch, you probably would have only lasted a couple more years, three at the most."

She opened her mouth, but couldn't find her voice. She swallowed and tried again. "And now?"

He studied her, then turned. "If you keep yourself healthy, sleep and eat properly, you will live for quite a few years, before you start to feel the affects again."

The relapsed into silence once again. Anna felt her mind whirring, not even acknowledging Seth's attempts to calm her.

Quite a few years. She felt a sudden relief and she exhaled heavily, not realizing she had been holding her breath. Then she frowned. "How did you know all that, Kratos?"

He didn't reply and she clenched her hands. "Kratos?!" she demanded.

No answer.

"Anna—" Seth started, holding her hand tightly.

She pulled loose from him and swung her leg over Noishe. He growled and stopped. Anna couldn't get a proper holding on his fur with on hand and found her self slipping.

A pair of hands caught her beneath her arms and pulled her upright. She shoved at him, but he didn't let go. It felt like she was shoving against a brick wall. "Let me go!"

He did so and she whirled around and glared at him. "Why won't you answer my question?! How do you know all that about exspheres?" She was right in his face, though she had to look up. Why did he have to be so tall?

"My work is not always pleasant, Anna." He spoke low, staring down at her, his face expressionless. She didn't turn away, though she felt the intensity of his stare. "Sometimes you witness things that you would rather not see. Learn things that you would rather not know." She was shaking from rage and fear. "I know these things because I have seen them."

"How?" she choked out. She didn't know if this was something she wanted to hear.

Kratos held her gaze and she couldn't help but shiver. "You can't always choose you who work for. Do it because you have to. Now get back onto Noishe."

Anna didn't argue for once.

--

"Anna, don't let him get to you."

Anna chewed her lip, keeping her eyes on the ground. They had stopped for the night, just one more day until Hima. She felt Seth's caressing hand and she leaned against him, sighing. "I'm not letting him get to me, Seth."

Seth chuckled softly and brought a hand up to stroke her hair. "Then why are you so mad at him right now?"

Why was she mad? There was the possibility that he simply irritated her. She didn't like him. He was just a person she didn't like. The way he would look at her like a kid who didn't understand. She wasn't a kid! She had gone through much more than he ever did.

She also didn't like how she couldn't stand up to him. True, she could meet his eye, but it was obvious that she was afraid of him. She didn't like being afraid. In the ranch she had been afraid, but she had also been able to hide it. Why couldn't she do so now?

"You are glaring at him, Anna." Seth whispered in her ear and she scowled, tearing her eyes away from him. "You were the one who asked the questions. Besides he is only trying to help you."

"What happened to 'I don't trust that guy'?" Anna mumbled. "You seemed to trust him now."

Seth frowned and pulled away from her. "He saved my life, Anna. He didn't have to. And he saved yours. Perhaps you should think about that a little more."

"I have thought about it!" she snapped. "And I don't understand it. All he cares about is this thing on my neck. It would have been much easier for him to have let the Desians kill me."

"Will you listen to yourself? You are talking as if he isn't human." Seth shook his head angrily. "Not everyone kills to get what they want like the Desians. Why do you think he is looking for a dwarf?"

Anna looked away, feeling guilty and angry. Angry at Seth for sticking up for Kratos and guilty for thinking about Kratos like that. It was just; he made her so mad all the time. The night before, she had actually believed, for a moment, that there had been something different, that something between them that had changed.

She growled in frustration. What was wrong with her? Just because he was the first person she had seen outside of the ranch she began to fantasize about him.

"Anna?"

"What?" she snapped and then blinked when she realizes it wasn't Seth talking to her. She saw a pair of black pants and the scabbard for a sword in front of her. Looking up she realized the mercenary was staring down at her. "Oh…"

"Eat. Then sleep." He placed a bowl upon the ground in front of her and walked away. She watched after him, then glanced over and saw that Seth was already eating.

For a moment she considered retorting, but she bit her tongue and silently picked up her bowl.

Night fell quickly and she found herself drifting off against Seth's shoulder. Insects hummed in the air and she pressed herself closer into his shoulder, but her eyes flickered and she opened them. A small fire was burning between them, Seth and Anna on one side, Noishe and Kratos on the other.

He was watching her; she didn't know whether he knew she saw him. Unlikely considering the strange look in his eyes. He appeared…confused. She didn't move, just watching him as the fire danced off his face.

He was sad too. His mouth was turned down slightly, his brow knotted in anxiety. He never once took his eyes off her.

She forced herself to breathe evenly, forcing back the sudden pounding in her chest. Her fingers tightened on Seth's shirt. They felt clammy. She prayed he couldn't hear her hammering heart. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Why did she feel…?

He smiled and chuckled quietly and lowered his eyes. She froze, eyes widening. No way. He couldn't have heard…

"Why are you laughing?" she whispered quietly, realizing Seth was asleep. She still didn't move.

"You look as if you are afraid of me. I merely find it amusing."

She frowned. "I am not afraid."

"Really?" his expression changed completely from what it had been moments ago. His face was relaxed and his eyes flashing. A smile played on his lips, though never quite showing. "Judging by your wide eyes, clenched hands and tense face, many would assume as much."

She blinked and lifted her head slowly, pulling her hands from view. "I'm not afraid. Those things could mean anything," she said annoyed.

"Such as?"

Her face flushed and she was glad for the firelight that disguised it. She turned her head to the side. She couldn't tell him what had been going through her mind. He would laugh; make her feel even more immature. Maybe she was. A child with childish thoughts, that described her perfectly.

"You should sleep." Kratos stood suddenly, his voice suddenly terse and emotionless. The abrupt change shocked her and she opened her mouth and then closed it quickly. He walked into the darkness, leaving Noishe to stare at her and he didn't appear friendly.

The protozoan huffed and rose shortly, trotting off after Kratos, leaving Anna to question what had just happened. Kratos' moods changed so swiftly she had trouble remembering if she had actually seen them occur.

Scowling, she gently pushed herself away from Seth. He jerked awake and looked at her blearily. "What's the matter?"

"Sorry," she mumbled. "I can't sleep. I think I am going for a walk."

Seth rubbed his eyes. "Anna, you shouldn't go off by yourself."

"I'll be fine. I am not going far." She smiled at his worry. At least with Seth, she knew how he acted. He was always worried about her and he didn't boss her around.

Seth hesitated and she patted his head like a dog which made him frown. She laughed, "Besides, that mercenary will be watching me, remember?"

He smiled back, "Okay. Don't be too long. You are going to be tired tomorrow."

"I promise," she said, getting up. She couldn't get the smile off her face as she walked away from the fire light.

The grass swished against her pant legs, dampening them with dew that was already forming. She shivered and cradled her injured arm. Her shoulder felt stiff and her lower arm throbbed. She couldn't believe she had actually fractured it by falling.

A cool, damp breeze brushed her hair back and she hunched her shoulders. Maybe she shouldn't have left the fire. She hadn't realized how cold the night air was until now.

She stopped and gazed upwards at the stars. She smiled as she stared at the stars.

A sound to her left, made her look down. The grass rustled then stopped. It rustled again, this time closer. She took a step backward, searching the shadows, when a pair of yellow eyes winked into view. She froze.

A low hiss rose at her feet and Anna felt a scream rising into her throat.

"Anna? Kratos isn't happy that you aren't sleeping. Anna?"

She didn't answer as the yellow eyes swayed, moving closer. Another hiss rose up and Seth stopped.

Okay, that is another chapter done!