Me: Hey everyone. I know I said I would have this up... *stops to count* umm... about a month ago, but between being uber busy, having my flash drive filled up with the files from my mp3 since I needed to send it in for repairs and having no space left (still don't really, but I went through the gig of stuff on there and deleted some stuff I didn't need). But, I got to it.
Anna: You could just ask us for help, dear.
Me: Err... that's okay Anna. At this point especially, I couldn't do that.
Anna: You sure? And why not?
Kratos: You'll see Anna. Appreintice owns nothing.
Anna: Aww, she told you? What's gonna happen Kratos?
Me: No, I didn't tell him Anna. And you'll see soon enough. Let's get rolling to Chapter 13, part 2.
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Selean did her best not to bang down Haato's door as she eagerly waited for the ebony haired woman to answer it. As soon as the door cracked open, Selean burst. "Haato! I finally got a mission with Lloyd and Sheena for the king! Can you believe it? I'm so excited!"
A sullen look crossed Haato's face. "Oh... so you're leaving?" Haato asked. The girl nodded. "How long will you be gone?"
"I dunno, I didn't actually get to read the letter. Could be a day, a week, a month, maybe more. Who knows?" Selean shrugged. The two kunoichi were silent for a moment.
"Come in for a minute. I've got something for you, musume." Haato said, barely above a whisper. She turned, and Selean followed her into the small house. Haato disappeared into one of the bedrooms, so Selean waited in the main room out of courtesy.
After a few moments, Haato rejoined the auburn haired girl, giving her the small stone box she'd come out with. Selean stared at the box for several seconds before slowly, gently removing the lid and quietly gasping.
Inside laid a beautiful piece of tanned leather, molded into an oblong shape. On its surface an intricately carved flame surrounded some sort of red mineral embedded into the leather to form the ancient Mizuhoan character for fire. On each side was a small hole.
Selean lifted the leather to find a pin carved from ivory with a leather string attached to one of the pin, a loop at the end of it. "Anjin made it for you a few years back. He said it was because your hair kept falling in your face during training, and he was going to give it to you for your birthday. You would've gotten it sooner, but I was waiting for him..." Haato explained.
"It's beautiful..." Selean trailed. Haato held out her hand.
"Here, I'll help you put it on." Selean placed the leather piece back in the box and handed it to Haato, then turned around. Haato folded her auburn ponytail in half, so that some hair was above and some was below the hair tie, tucking in some loose hair on the sides.
"Let me move your bangs from your face..." Haato muttered, reaching towards the younger kunoichi's face to sweep the auburn locks to the back. Selean caught her hand.
"Just leave them alone, I like them there." Selean said quickly. Haato hesitated a moment before grabbing the pin and shoving it through the holes in the leather. Finally, she secured the ivory pin with the leather string.
Haato turned Selean around and pulled her into a tight hug. "You be careful, alright?" Haato said.
"Don't worry, I will." Selean answered.
"And come back. I don't know what I'd do if I lost another child." Haato said as tears started to gather in her emerald eyes.
"Don't worry," Selean started as Haato released her. "Anjin's still alive out there somewhere. I don't care what Kip said about no detours: I promise, I will find him now that I can finally leave the forest." She said solemnly. A few tears escaped from Haato's eyes as she watched the girl she'd come to think of as a daughter turn and walk away.
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Selean ran into her home and down the small 'hallway', tripping over Kirona when the poor Hygren failed to scramble out of the way in time. Once she got into the girls' room, she rushed over to her bed and drug the crate out, ignoring Lloyd and Sheena who were putting things into the wing pack.
The girl rummaged through her belongings, removing spare clothing, a couple of her prized daggers, a weapon maintenance kit, a small personal stash of gold and medical gels, a few odd ingredients, a pack, and a small pouch.
'What are you doing?' Selean heard in the back of her mind before she felt paws on her shoulders.
'Kirona, where were you five minutes ago? Imagining some cute Hygren chick or something?'
'So you really are going?' Selean removed a pack with items already in it, the one Kirona usually wore when she went out to train.
'No, we're going.'
'Thank you.'
'Why are you thanking me? I know you want to go too. Even if I told you to stay, you'd probably come anyway.'
'I can't let you go into the unknown alone.'
'I wouldn't be alone. Lloyd and Sheena would be with me.'
'But who knows how long you'll be gone? Or where you'll be going, or if you'd be able to come back? I love you too much not to be with you Mommy.'
'I love you too Kirona.' Selean jumped when a hand landed gently on her head.
"Talking to Kirona?" Lloyd asked.
"Yeah, I'll be ready in a sec." Selean answered as she began shoving the gald and gels into the pouch and the rest of the stuff into the pack, save the daggers. She attached the pouch onto her belt, then clipped the daggers onto the tops of the insides of her boots.
Selean handed her pack to Sheena, who placed it in the wing pack. After putting Kirona's pack on his back and allowing the creature to jump up onto her back, she stood up. "Alright, let's go!" Selean chirped.
"You're not armed..."
"Shut up..." She murmured with a sheepish 'dangit' look on her face as she left the room. Lloyd smiled after her.
"She's no worse than you on your first mission." Sheena stated as she came up to stand beside Lloyd.
"At least I remembered my swords." He responded.
"At least she remembered to pack, and to put on pants. Thank Martel you wear boxers." Lloyd turned a deep shade of red at the memory as he too left the room. Corrine jumped up onto Sheena's shoulder.
"I know you liked that Sheena." Corrine squeaked. Sheena clamped her hands down onto Corrine's muzzle, silencing the small fox-like creature.
"Corrine!" Sheena scolded, blushing. After a minute, she let go.
"It's true. I know you like him Sheena..." Corrine trailed.
"I do not Corrine, not like that." Sheena said, flustered, before going to join the others.
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"NO!" Kitoushi practically yelled. Selean, who had begun to place her Kamas into her obi belt, paused and looked at the blonde.
"What?" She asked.
"I just finished fixing your top because you cut it last night doing that."
"But my belt's the easiest place I can quickly get them from..." Selean trailed.
"Then use a damn cover for the blade."
"You can use a sheath for Kamas?" Kitoushi sighed as she turned around and pulled something from one of the boxes.
"Come here, Selean." Kitoushi ordered. She held her hand out, and Selean placed her Kamas in it. Kitoushi slipped a leather cover over the blades before placing them in the girl's black obi belt. "'Kay, you're set to go." Kitoushi said as she patted the wooden handle of the weapon twice.
Lloyd and Sheena came up behind the auburn haired girl, each placing a hand on one of her arms. "You ready to go?" Lloyd asked.
Selean nodded. "Yeah, let's get going!" Selean chirped quickly, excitement thick in her voice. Kitoushi gave each kid her customary good bye hug, being careful not to unbalance Kirona as she embraced his summoner, and murmured a 'good luck' to each.
Sheena nodded before receiving mental signals from Corrine and Kirona. As the small group vanished in a puff of smoke, the door slid open. "I'm sorry Haato, you just missed them." Tiga informed her in a level tone.
Haato's emerald eyes, already red from tears, began to pool up with moisture. "Oh, Martel, please..." Haato whispered under her breath.
"Just have faith in them Haato." Ryori said, trying to soothe the nervous woman.
"Yeah, they've got the sense to find the path in the forest. They'll be fine." Kitoushi added, suppressing a laugh.
"Shut up about that already." Ryori snapped. Tiga gave Haato a look that said 'later' in response to her confused one.
"How... how long will they be gone?" Haato asked, her voice cracking.
"The letter didn't say." Tiga answered.
"Wh...What if..." Haato started, but didn't finish as the weak dam behind her emerald orbs gave and salty tears streaked down her cheeks. Axenia grimaced nervously, one of her tails twitching before crossing the room in her usual quick, bouncy stride.
She wrapped both of her clawed hands around one of Haato's and tugged. Here. C'mon, let's go get you cleaned up and calmed down, m'kay?" Axenia cooed. Haato dazedly obeyed.
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Meltokio, Outside the Castle
In the middle of the brick tiled courtyard, a cloud of smoke appeared, quickly clearing to reveal two girls, a boy, a fox like spirit, a hybrid spirit, and a giant green and white dog. Noishe immediately made his way up the stairs leading to the castle entrance, laying down a couple feet from the castle's massive double doors. Sheena sighed in relief. The distance she was able to warp had vastly increased in the past four years, but even with Kirona's help, adding another person to the equation had made her nervous.
Lloyd, Sheena, and Selean made their way to the entrance, glancing at the soldiers standing guard. "Ah, there you guys are." One of the men said.
"We've been waiting. You may go straight to the throne room." The other said.
"Thanks." Sheena said, nodding once and striding past them, Lloyd and Selean flanking her. At the throne room door, Sheena knocked before cracking open the door and peering in.
"You may enter." Came the king's voice. Someone standing on the opposite side of the door finished opening it, and the trio walked in. Standing off to the side of the king was a man with brown hair spiked in an unusual fashion, dressed in a strange robe type garment.
"Ah, Sheena, Lloyd, it's good to see you again. Are you well?" The king asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty." The two answered in unison.
"And this young lady must be your younger sister, correct Lloyd?" Selean opened her mouth to comment but closed it when Kirona dug a claw into her shoulder.
"Yes sir. This is Selean." Lloyd answered. The king looked over Selean, pausing on Kirona, giving him a curious look before smiling at the young kunoichi.
"It's good to meet you, young lady. I hope that after this I can call on you again." The king said.
"Yes sir!" Selean chimed eagerly in response.
"Excuse me sir." The brown haired man said, an accent thick on his voice. "If you don't mind..."
"Ah yes, I'm sorry." The king said, turning to glance at the man for a brief second before turning back to the Mizuhoans. "This gentleman is Botta. He is the one who came to me with the mission's request. The Pope and I have already agreed to it." The king explained.
"Now, if you would, come with me." Botta commanded, making his way toward the door.
"Dismissed." The king said with a nod. Lloyd, Sheena, and Selean followed Botta out, coming to a stop when the man suddenly halted a little ways from the throne room.
"I understand that you have a... dog, correct? Where is it?" Botta asked.
"Yeah, he's outside." Lloyd answered.
"C'mon, we'll show you." Selean said, heading off to the enormous double doors of the castle entrance. Botta followed her, receiving a small curtsy from a few of the maids as he passed.
"You know, at least when Axenia was here, you could tell the maids apart." Sheena commented.
"No kidding. They all look the same." Lloyd laughed before the duo followed the auburn haired girl and the brunette. Once they were outside, Noishe quickly trotted up to his human companions.
Botta gave the animal a long, hard look, his face unreadable all the while. The ninja watched him for a moment in silence. Noishe let out a quick, quiet whine. "Is something wrong?" Lloyd finally asked.
Botta's attention snapped up to Lloyd. "No. We should be going." Botta said quickly. Before any of the Mizuhoans could react, a large amount of mana quickly pooled around them, and the city disappeared.
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The setting that the group appeared in was that of a hangar of some sort. "So, you've finally arrived." The small group spun around to see a tall man with long blue hair pulled back at the base of his skull, dressed in a cloak.
"Lord Yuan." Botta greeted with a curt nod.
"Have you explained to them the extent of what we're having them do?" Yuan asked. Botta shook his head, closing his eyes briefly.
"No. I thought it would be better for you to, sir." Botta answered. Yuan exhaled in a silent sigh before looking over at the ninja. In the back of his mind, he now had a doubt. Lloyd and Selean were looking around in amazement and adoration, like a child in a candy store.
Sheena watched them with a sheepish look on her face before glancing over to notice Yuan watching them as well. "Sorry, you'll have to excuse them. Selean's young and hasn't been out much. And Lloyd's, well... Lloyd." Sheena explained, trailing as she finished.
Yuan shook his head slightly. "Wait, what's that supposed to mean?" Lloyd asked, turning to look at his female partner.
"Exactly wh—"
"I'm sure," Yuan began, an annoyed edge to his slightly raised voice, thus cutting Sheena short. "You're wondering what you'll be doing."
"Yeah, that'd be nice." Lloyd responded. Yuan gave him a hard look.
"Well, first, you'll need some background information. Follow me." Yuan commanded as he swept out of the room. The others hurried after the blue haired man, trailing him down the corridor.
After a few turns, Yuan stopped before a set of double doors. He quickly punched a code into the key pad, and the doors slid open. The room on the other side was large. Towards the north side of the room sat a desk surrounded by three chairs. Behind the desk was a wall to wall bookshelf packed tightly with various tomes and volumes of ancient text, and a couch sat on the opposite side of the room from the desk. The rest of the room was elegantly decorated, centering around a giant portrait of a beautiful woman with green hair. Yuan strode in. "Botta, if you wouldn't mind." Yuan said as he took a seat in the large chair behind the desk.
Botta moved quickly, scooting the chairs away from the desk and replacing them with the couch. "Have a seat." Yuan said, gesturing to the couch as Botta took his place behind the desk with his master. Sheena was the first to move, striding forward to take a seat on the right, while Lloyd took the spot on the left. Kirona hopped off Selean's back as she sat between her older companions, perching himself on the back of the couch.
"As you know, Tethe'alla is prosperous, and mana is abundant." Yuan began. "Do you know why Tethe'alla prospers?" The three shook their heads. "Thousands of years ago, the world's mana source was killed off in the war. Now, we survive by chipping away at a set amount of the mana leftover. However, we aren't the only ones."
"What do you mean we aren't the only ones?" Sheena asked, slightly tilting her head to the side.
"Yeah. Are different parts of Tethe'alla all going for the mana or something?" Selean asked.
"Huh? That doesn't make any sense. What do you mean?" Lloyd asked. Yuan smiled.
"It's not one part of Tethe'alla competing against the other for the mana. It's Tethe'alla competing against another planet for the mana."
"What the hell!" Sheena exclaimed in disbelief.
"You're out of your freaking mind! You expect us to believe that?" Lloyd demanded. Yuan waved them off, waiting briefly for an outburst from Selean, but the young girl was too shocked for words.
"I know this might seem ridiculous and far-fetched, but it's true. There's a world that lies adjacent to Tethe'alla called Sylvarant. Now, I would appreciate it if I could explain the rest without any interruptions."
Yuan paused, glancing over the ninja. When they remained silent, he continued on. "Your scholars say the two planets exist on shifted dimensions. Sylvarant and Tethe'alla exist next to each other. While the two planets cannot see or touch each other, they do have an effect on one another."
"Tethe'alla and Sylvarant are connected, like shadow and light are connected. When one flourishes, the other wanes. Like I said before, we survive by chipping away at a limited amount of mana. Sylvarant, however, is not as prosperous as Tethe'alla."
"But, they too have a Chosen, and they also carry out the Journey of Regeneration. You have probably been told that the purpose of the Journey is to restore mana. This is only partially true."
"If the Journey succeeds, then the mana flow goes towards the planet on which the Journey succeeded on. If the Chosen of Sylvarant successfully completes the Journey of Regeneration, then Tethe'alla's mana will flow to Sylvarant."
"Then, Tethe'alla will decline, and eventually, it would be destroyed. There's a supposedly impassible interdimensional barrier between the two planets. We will provide you with a craft that is able to pass through that barrier called a Rheaird. You may already be familiar with them through the testing the Elemental Research Laboratory did."
Yuan paused, taking a deep breath as he scanned the young shinobi before him. "If you desire for Tethe'alla to prosper, kill the Chosen of Sylvarant."
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Me: Still no mp3. T_T Still have to cope with burnt CDs and an ancient boom box.
Kratos: I honestly can't wait until you get that back. Don't take it the wrong way, but you're beginning to get annoying about it.
Me: You're so insensitive Kratos. T_T
Anna: *hugs me* It's okay dear. Music is probably after his time.
Kratos: Hmph.
Me: Anyway, the fan art contest is still going on. If you want to enter, let me know in your review, and I'll reply to you with the rules. In my profile is the link to my deviantart page where I have a couple of guide drawing. They aren't much, but they're enough to go off of. I'm working on better versions. Anyway, there are prizes in this contest
Lloyd: Please review. It puts the bi-polar teenage authoress in a good mood. Trust me, that's a good thing. She concentrates more and doesn't rant when she's in a really good mood.
Me: Lloyd, you're back! *hugs* Where have you been! I've missed you!
Lloyd: *being tightly hugged* Please review with all the criticism you like so she'll continue working on the next chapter and quite squeezing the life from me. *gasping cough* Can't... breathe!
Next Chapter: The Other Chosen
Edited: 5-23-16 Several consistency updates made mainly through deletion. Fixed grammar mistakes as well.