Hey dudes! Thanks again for all the fantastic reviews! Like i always say they make me really chuffed. I'm actually in the middle of devising my own original story at the moment and reviews for my writing really boost my confidence XD I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I think it might be one of the best...I'm not sure you guys decide...buuut here's chapter fourteen!
Sheena Fujibayashi was cowering behind the gravestone tears falling from her eyes. She was struggling to breathe due to the extent of her grief, how could she have been so foolish to think it was all over? Snow was falling and catching in her hair. She didn't know, nor did she care whose grave she was leaning against. Why should she?
She let out a shaky moan and leant her head back so it was also touching the cold stone. Her clothes were starting to get wet…it had been seven years and she was still struggling to face them. Why did she deserve a celebration? There was no reason why anyone should celebrate her make-shift "birthday" it was more like her discovery day. As Kuchinawa had once said…it wasn't as though she belonged in the village anyway.
She let out a loud sob, and buried her face in her knees. She hadn't noticed the young man who had his head bent in concentration in front of the stone she was leaning upon and she hadn't noticed the fact that he was now peering round the rather substantial monument with a curious look pasted on his face.
For a moment he didn't disturb her instead he hesitated, unsure whether or not to speak up. Sheena didn't see this hesitation however and only heard the words, "Are you alright hunny?"
Sheena jumped and let out a shriek scampering away from the boy and almost colliding with another stone as she slipped in the snow. The boy gave her an adorable half smile, "I'm not going to hurt you. I just wanted to know if you were alright."
"I'm fine!" Sheena said defiantly taking in the red hair and piercing blue eyes which were fixed on her soft brown ones. She looked away reluctantly and brushed herself off her clothes now soaking wet.
"You look cold." The boy smirked playfully, "Are you sure you are alright?"
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing hanging out in a graveyard at night?!" Sheena demanded unjustifiably angry at the boy she had just met and who had just offered an enquiry as to her wellbeing.
The boy cast a rather uneasy glance behind him and shrugged, "I didn't know it was a crime." He said with a sniff. Sheena sighed and folded her arms across her chest relaxing somewhat.
"No." She said with a small smile, "I guess it's not. I'm sorry." He beamed, "My name's Sheena. Sheena Fujibayashi."
The boy grinned, "That's quite a mouthful. The names Zelos Wilder."
"I should have seen it coming." Sheena mumbled to Regal who nodded gravely. She gazed down at the blood on her tunic and grimaced…what a mess. Sheena looked ahead at Lloyd who wasn't speaking to anyone, he just gazed ahead his face determined as if none of it had happened.
"His hatred towards being the chosen was deeper than even I could have guessed." Regal said his voice dark, "I remember a long time ago, at one of the Princesses birthday parties the chosen was a young boy of ten. He fell over and I approached him to help him up, he shook his head and said, "I'm the chosen. I'm here to help you."" Sheena frowned as they descended the stairs into a massive chamber, Lloyd had pulled back and was listening to the conversation, "He sounded so…bitter."
Lloyd's face was set and he seemed to be struggling with himself, "Let's stop talking about him." Sheena whispered as bells started to ring out. Angels descended, Sheena groaned running at them her cards drawn the others behind her. She had to fight them off for him. Her anger was too great at herself, and at him. What did it matter if she wasn't to make it now? What good was left?
One down. Two down. Lloyd was fighting like Sheena had never seen him, Genis looked as though he was going to cry.
Ten minutes passed, "Dammit, there's no end in sight." Sheena heard Lloyd mumble. This couldn't be it, Sheena wanted to destroy Yggdrasil for taking him from her, for creating this disgusting world. For destroying a genuinely nice guy.
"Thank you for letting me stay here." Sheena whispered as she moved closer to the raging fire, "I doubt I should go home tonight at any rate."
"Not at all Bumpkin." Zelos said leaning back in the couch his bright eyes unusually dark, "In all honesty it's good to have company."
"You have a really nice house." Sheena said looking around at the sheer size of the mansion, "It must be nice to have so much money-" Immediately she blushed and clapped a hand to her mouth, "I am so sorry! I didn't mean it like that!"
Luckily Zelos laughed winking at her fondly, Sheena was relieved the last thing she had wanted was to insult him after all he had done for her. She ran a hand nervously through her hair finding a loose strand and twirling it around her finger.
"It's the one benefit to being the chosen I guess." Sheena gasped as realisation hit her. He was the chosen?! She was sitting in the Chosen's house nibbling on his food and talking with him?! And she hadn't even realised!
"I didn't realise!" She said quickly, "If I had I would have…I'm so sorry Chosen!"
Zelos winced and stood up moving to the window gazing out at the snow, "You don't need to call me Chosen." His voice was bitter and slightly distant. Sheena also stood up and moved to the window.
"Alright. Zelos." He smiled gently turning to her a grin stretching from ear to ear and for the first time that night she smiled genuinely. His smile was infectious.
"So why did you run away? If you don't mind my asking…" Zelos asked after a minute turning back and moving back to the couch. Her eyes followed him and she sat beside him attentively. She felt as though she could trust him.
"They threw me a birthday celebration for my fourteenth." She said shyly Zelos looked at her an eyebrow raised and she shook her head, "I don't deserve a party. Seven years ago I…I made a mistake."
"Everyone makes mistakes." Zelos said earnestly, "Surely it couldn't have been that bad. Trust me, my whole life is just one big mistake. So I know one or two things."
"I tried to make a summon spirit pact with Volt because the village asked me too…he wiped out half the village." Sheena felt the tears burn again and she struggled with herself, "I couldn't understand him…my grandfather…he's in a coma!"
Zelos frowned and for a second she was scared he might ask her to leave or tell her just how disgusted he was, instead he took her breath away. He pulled her into an embrace and said bitterly, "None of that was your fault Sheena. You were young, they shouldn't have asked one so young to do something like that. And they probably feel guilty about it, so guilty they wanted to make a fuss of you today."
For a long while she wept as he clung to her tightly, giving her the closeness she had longed for all her life. She felt secure.
"Make a break for that passage!" Sheena, Genis, Raine and Presea ran ahead Lloyd and Regal behind them half way down the corridor they heard Lloyd yell out.
"You know I can't leave you behind!"
Lloyd was banging at the rubble his fists cut and scraped as they bashed off of the stones. Sheena made to move and help him, they couldn't loose another ally…another friend. Raine shook her head and held her back. Presea watched in horror as Lloyd banged and argued with Regal. Two minutes later they were walking in silence they could no longer hear Regal fighting.
If only it had been the only trap.
"Why were you at the graveyard?" Sheena asked gently after a little while, "I mean it was quite late…" Zelos was poking at the fire trying to increase the size of the flames. Sheena watched as he turned to her a sad smile on his face.
"It's my mothers tenth anniversary." He said with a small gesture to the portrait of Mylene Wilder that was placed on the wall. Sheena glanced at it and inhaled sharply, she was immediately taken by the beauty of the woman, long blonde hair and Zelos' eyes.
"I'm…I'm sorry." She said quietly, "She was very beautiful."
"Yeah." The voice was cold and distant, "She was." He leant against the fireplace, "They had a big to-do in the palace for her tonight. Which is why…which is why I'm still here I guess." He laughed, "This is my vacation time."
Sheena frowned the smile he was wearing was odd for someone who was talking about their dead mother, "You don't seem too sad." Sheena pointed out, Zelos glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes and shook his head.
"It was ten years ago. I'm used to anniversaries." Sheena looked at him sadly, there was underlying sadness in his voice that unnerved her, "I just like to get away…" And it was then Sheena understood. He wanted to get away from the memories. Sheena sighed heavily before letting out a yawn. Zelos smiled gently at her, "There is a spare bedroom upstairs…in fact there are many."
"Can I just stay down here…with you?" Sheena asked, "I like talking to you Zelos Wilder."
"And I you, Sheena Fuji…something." Sheena laughed and chucked the pillow beside her at him before lying back onto the other one. He sat on the other end of the couch and closed his eyes. For the rest of the night they were silent Sheena fell into the best sleep she'd ever had and Zelos had his eyes open the whole night gazing at the portrait who seemed to gaze back.
Sheena closed her eyes as Lloyd ran off reluctantly leaving her hanging by her finger tips on the edge of a great abyss. There was no way of avenging his tainted soul now...there was no chance of facing the man who had destroyed such a beautiful man, tears spilled from her eyes as she cursed her own stubbornness, loosing her grip and fell into the black pit. Her eyes were closed waiting for an impact, waiting for death to take her. She was ready, he was gone, what else mattered?
There was a lurch in her stomach as she landed, not onto concrete or anything of the sort but into a pair of strong arms. She screwed her face up in fear and braced herself as she opened her eyes. Piercing blue eyes stared back.