Helloz! Without having to wait any longer, cuz I know I make you wait enough as it is, here's chapter 11!

Enjoy!

.

Chapter Eleven

Crossing Hakonesia Peak

.

.

Drops of rain were dripping on her cheek, making her eyelids twitch in annoyance and causing her to finally wake up.

Corrine had probably returned to his mana state during the night, Sheena thought. The rain must've kept him from sleeping.

But what about Zelos?

She stood to get a better view of the place that she had left Zelos to sleep for the night, which she was now realizing was really far for nothing. Normally, red flaming hair, pink and white would be spotted instantly on the green grass due to contrast, but there was no sight of him at all.

Finding him gone reminded her sleepy head that she was mad at him, which made all of her senses wake up instantly.

"ZELOS!"

She stomped to where he had been for the night just to scream at his non-present self some more. When that plan didn't work, she tried Corrine.

"Corrine!" was all she needed to say to summon her best friend.

"What's wrong, Sheena?" the little summon spirit asked as soon as it appeared, already sensing the anger in her heart.

"Have you seen that idiot Chosen?" she asked him quickly. Zelos was making her loose even more time than he had the day before.

Corrine looked around quickly, making his bell ring, "Where has that dumb human gone to now?" he asked himself, indirectly answering Sheena's question.

Well this plan wasn't working either. So Sheena repeated the first one, "Zelos! You idiot! Where are you?" she yelled to the sky.

With no reply, the irritated assassin chose a third plan, "Fine! I don't have time to play games with you," she got out her map roughly. "Looks like I'm leaving you behind!" she called.

She waited a bit; actually hoping for a complaint and that he would come running yelling, "Don't leave me alone in this crazy world!", but he didn't.

"Let's go," Corrine proposed, obviously mad at Tethe'alla's Chosen for acting like a child.

"Yeah," she mumbled between a couple of 'idiots' and 'jerks'.

He had a sword, he had healing arts, he had gels, and he even had his shield. He'd be perfectly fine on his own.

Convinced, Sheena followed her map to Hakonesia Peak.

Hours of walking and hiking the mountain had passed before Sheena could finally see the top of Hakonesia Peak. She and Corrine sprinted the last few yards in relief. Zelos wouldn't be able to say she'd gotten herself lost.

Why was it that the piercing laugh she heard among many others reminded her so much of someone?

Wait a minute…

"Oi! Sheena!" the laughter was still present in the familiar voice, "It took you long enough!"

She stopped running as she heard him, just as she arrived on the smooth terrain of the nearby house, where a junk graveyard laid beside. This place seemed to be a resting area for travelers crossing the mountain. She was surprised to see a dozen people there. Corrine vanished before anyone could see him.

Noticing the man who had ditched her this morning and plenty of female company, Sheena decided to simply glare holes in his dumb head.

Quickly noticing the dark glare he was receiving, the man in question politely gave his farewell. "Forgive me hunnies, but our time together has come to an end, for I must depart." With complaining and disappointment, the women let him go as he bowed somewhat thankfully.

"Hey, missed me?" the red-headed Chosen winked at her as he got closer.

Of course, the answer he got was a pounding.

"What's wrong with you? You abandon me in the woods to fool around with those girls?" She asked him angrily, adding a few kicks while doing so.

"Ow ow ow ow ow! Sheena, hunny, please!" he falsely begged while on the ground protecting his pretty face with his arms, "Let me explain."

Letting out a furious sigh, she stepped away from him, waited for him to get up and explain himself. It did sound reasonable, and she could always hit him again after he explained, since she doubted there was any good reason to leave someone like that.

He dusted himself off, rubbed his shoulders in attempt to subdue the painfully brutality they had endured, and explained.

"They passed by in their carriage during the night, and, not wanting to walk anymore and being my curious self, I asked them where they were heading. Turns out they were going to… um, what's the name? Uh… it started with an 'a'… No matter, they said they had to pass through the Hakonesia Peak. So I figured I'd hop on and have fun right?" he laughed and Sheena's glare was back on.

"And you didn't tell me?" she cut in, anger fueled again.

"Heh… Listen, Sheena, hunny, we –"

"Don't call me that!"

"Alright, Sheena, sweetheart, wh –"

"JUST Sheena! Nothing else!"

"Got it, got it," he winked, "but Sheena, the ticket to ride along was to participate."

"Participate?" curiosity spread across her features, "in what?"

He laughed like an idiot.

"Let's just say the girls weren't just ridding on the carriage last night," he finished with a wink.

Her face tainted a deep red as she came to realization. "You pervert!"

She hit him again.

He laughed again, "Just think of it as consideration for you!"

She groaned angrily, cheeks still as deep of a red and hitting him once more, "Let's just go!"

"Aww, Sheena, come on! I'm starving and the sun will be setting soon!" he managed to stop her with his words, "I heard there's some guy living in that house," he pointed to the said house, "maybe he'll let us in for shelter, and if we're lucky, food."

She was hungry, and the sun was already low. Only now did she realize that her stubbornness had kept her hiking nearly all day. There wasn't much of a choice.

"Fine," she mumbled and led the way to the house of the man who could maybe help them.

"I got this," he told her, lifting a hand in assurance.

Zelos knocked on the door and an answer was heard almost immediately, telling them in an obviously annoyed voice that it was open. Zelos opened the door and stepped inside.

"Hey, man, do you mind if we crash here in your place?" he asked the short little man who wobbled on his cane as he walk to meet them. Judging by his red nose, the Chosen guessed this man was drunk.

He gave Sheena an uncertain look, but before he could look back at the little man, a shoe was thrown at his head and he felt to the ground in surprise.

"I'll have you know that I won't stand guys like you in my house! So unless you want to buy something, get out!" the man yelled before stopping completely when gazing upon the ninja from Mizuho as she stepped inside to help the red-head who was now on the floor.

"Oh my!" he almost gasped and his voice gain a sudden ring to it, "what luck I have to have such a breathtakingly beautiful over for the night!" He walked now much faster towards them, hardly needing his cane anymore.

"Wh-what?" embarrassment creeping to her cheeks. Many had complimented her this way before, but she knew it was something she'd never get used to.

"Come, come," the man took her hand and led her to the beds. Zelos threw the shoe off him in an annoyed fashion. He knew he didn't like having this man eyeing every single inch of his favourite hunny.

"I am Koton, and such a beautiful creature like you can stay here as long as you like."

"Ah, um… Thank you." Talk about feeling uncomfortable…

"Mister Koton, sir," Zelos started as he got up and walked up to the man. Sheena noticed venom in his voice, "You just told us to get out, so we'll be leaving now," he said, offering his hand for Sheena to take it.

Reminded of his actions back on the boat on their way to Palmacosta, she reached to take it, but Koton whacked his hand away.

"Nonsense!" his voice changing again as he spoke to Tethe'alla's Chosen, becoming brutal, "I specifically told you to get out!" Sheena watched Zelos' eyebrow lift in annoyance as this Koton man tapped lightly her hand. His voice changed once again as he spoke about her, "If the lady needs a place to stay for the night, she's fully welcomed here for as long as she likes!" he smiled kindly and Sheena tried to as well, "Now you! Get out!"

Sheena was surprised to see the man actually whack Zelos out of his house with his cane. She immediately wanted to follow, but Koton's attention was right back on her. She could hear Zelos shout angrily through the door and call her name.

"If you want to bathe, the bathroom is right over here," Koton encourage.

Even if she had really wanted to wash up, she certainly wasn't taking any bath here. It was clearly time to leave.

"It's quite alright, but I need to get going, we've still got a lot of road to do and I can't leave him alone outside," she explained as nicely as she could.

"No! Please stay!" he begged, "I've seen that kind of ladies-man before, and believe me, that kind of man never stays with one girl more than he has to. Exactly the type to simply get what they want and leave! You, my sweet girl, deserve much more than a guy like him. I can assure you this spellbinding man will find another girl by day break!"

Nice wasn't going to get her out of there. Swiftly, her cards were in hand and ready to strike. Zelos was now threatening to kick down the door.

"I'll be leaving now."

Seriousness took over his features before he swung his cane at her head like a weapon. Being the ninja she was, she dodged it easily and attacked with her Pyre Seal, knocking him out immediately.

The door crashed to the ground along with the red-head. He got up as fast as he fell, completely alert, but calmed down quickly when he noticed Koton lying on the ground.

"Oh," he sighed a breath of relief, "You had me worried there," he admitted.

"Heh," she walked to him, "I can handle myself you know, that's why I'm here chasing after Sylvarant's Chosen."

He didn't want to get into that subject again. After all, he had only really went with those girls for relief of life's difficulties, something he'd been doing back in Meltokio quite often, with all of his Chosen duties weighing on his shoulders.

So ignoring it was.

"Yeah, I keep forgetting you're not the typical uptown girl who constantly needs saving here and there," he laughed, "And don't get me started on the princess."

She laughed too and headed for the door, "Looks like we'll be sleeping in the mountain."

"Looks so, whoa!" he noticed a beautifully crafted dagger popping out through what seemed to be junk Koton collected, "Come to papa!"

He twirled it around in the light, amazed by the actual joy and excitement it was giving him. He had to keep it.

"What are you doing?" Sheena asked suspiciously as he walked outside with the dagger.

"Whaaat?" he laughed, "The guy totally deserves it! Trying to assault my favourite hunny…"

She sighed in defeat. The guy really did deserve it. "Fine, let's just get going."

"Yay!" He hugged her, but not long enough for bashing, "I'll call it… The Assault Dagger!"

She laughed, "You name your weapons?"

"Of course I do, they need a name fitting for The Great Zelos!" He pointed his new dagger to the setting sun.

"Then what's your sword called?" she asked, actually curious.

"Ah! Well… it doesn't have any," he admitted, "I kind of just grabbed it when I ran after you…"

His eyes stayed glued to hers, making her blush a little. There he was again, the sun setting behind him making him glow. He was just being his beautiful self without meaning to, no. What was she thinking? Of course he knew how good he looked right now. He was Zelos after all.

She laughed, "Come on, we need to find somewhere to sleep, preferably with water."

He smiled his goofy smile, "Then after you, princess," he said, bowing the way he did at his many noble events.

It's was funny how she would've normally been bothered to be called that. But today, by this very annoying man, it made her smile.

.

Author's note:I'd like to clarify that I do not believe that Zelos screws around with every women he sees. He's most likely a virgin, due to his Chosen title and probably more his own morals. But it is debatable. What do you think?

I'll try keeping track of the weapons the two obtain, assuming they would gain them before they meat up with Lloyd. Although, I think Sheena can only get her cards in Tethe'alla, so that won't be a problem. So welcome the Assault dagger everybody! Say hi to the readers, Assault Dagger! ... Forgive it, it's quite the shy blade. ^^
And everyone can agree with me that Koton is creepy O_O

I'll get chapter 12 up as soon as I can manage! I'm so happy about being accepted in art that's it's distracting. ^^'