Rain Child: Okay, thanks so much for the reviews, but I would like to clear something up before I ever write again: I AM NOT TRYING TO BE EVIL TO MIA AGAIN!!!!!  Yes, she is not my favorite character, and yes, I'm not very fond of her, but I DO NOT hate her, I just dislike her, and I have what I call the fanfic writer's code of honor:

Thou shall NOT make any character from anything OOC, no matter the extremity of hate, except in a humor category, where all the characters are OOC!

SO PIFT!!! :P

Garet: *cowering* Rain Child doesn't own us…(*whispers* thank you!) that would be Nintendo, Camelot, and its genius creator!!! So you know, it's not even worth suing her; she doesn't even have five dollars!!!!

Rain Child: Garet, shut up! Or shall I call Ivan over here with the little anime mallet of doom I gave him!?!

Garet: EEP!!!!

Rain Child: Okay, Garet, go hide in Naomi the Fire Adept's file, she likes you. ^_^

~*~*~*~*~*~

  Unrequited

Part II, Ch. II

~*~*~*~*~*~

            In small towns, news travels fast.  Vale is no exception. So naturally, when Isaac told Dora and Kyle of his plans to go visit Ivan, who currently resides in Kalay, the whole town knew by nightfall.

~*~*~*~

            The well-traveled roads of Angara were strangely void of travelers, save two.  What few monsters left over from years past, fell with a single blow of either's sword.  The two Adepts steadily made their way southward, where a Lemurian ship waited in a small harbor.  As they boarded, the young woman tentatively asked her husband,

"Where are we going? We don't need a ship to get to Kalay; we can walk there easily."

"We're not going to Kalay."

"But you told them--"

"—I didn't want to be followed."

"Then where…?"

"Lemuria. Something's not right in Weyward. I refuse to be involved in bloodshed again."

            The young woman squeezed his hand reassuringly as they steered the ship away from Angara. 

"…Isaac, don't worry. I think our part of this story is done, ready to be celebrated then forgotten."

"…Jenna…"

            His piercing gaze turned upon her. Jenna turned away, pausing at the door that led to the inner ship.

"We'll be there tomorrow, Isaac.  Set a strait path for the ship, come down, and don't worry so much about it."

            The silent Venus Adept nodded submissively as he set the coarse, and went downstairs, shutting the door gently.

~*~*~*~

"OUCH! Jenna, not so hard..."

"You're the only who went off fighting without picking up a sword to battle in several years."

"And I suppose you haven't either."

"Have too."

"Well, it still hurts," whined Isaac as Jenna kneaded out the knots that had chosen to gather around Isaac's shoulders.  The blond Adept winced as Jenna began on a new one near his neck.

"This is the last one, jeez, you're such a baby."

"Good," he muttered, taking her hand from the knot and kissing her fingertips lightly.

"You're evil," he added, smirking at her.

"Well, I wonder how that happened. Probably because I was stuck with you and Garet as friends."

"I resent that!"

            The two sat in silence, the faint echo of waves hitting the wooden hull just barely reaching their ears.  Isaac was first to speak.

"Garet worries about his son. I think it's because his son doesn't have any friends near his age."

"…I didn't know you'd talked to him."

"Are you mad?"

"Of course not!"

"…Children need friends."

"Yes, of course Isaac, but what are you getting at?"

"Huh?"

"You're being weird, Isaac."

"Weird?"

            His eyes had gone a stormy color, and oddly lit up.  He turned to Jenna, who fidgeted under his stare.

"…Yes, you're being weird.  Are you sure you're okay?"

            Isaac's blue eyes resumed their normal color, a hint of worry in them.

"I'm sorry, really, I didn't mean to scare you," he murmured, taking her hand.

"Isaac, what's happened to you?  We leave Vale, and suddenly you're acting like—like…"

"Like I actually care about you?"

"Well…"

"I do care, you know."

"So why the sudden change…?"

"…"

"Sorry, I guess I shouldn't have asked."

"It's okay."

"You said something about rumors, what was that?" she asked, trying to stay off that subject, not that this one seemed any better to the Mars Adept.

"Yeah. They, they think I don't really care."

"That's crap."

"Of course, but you know how people are. They just don't understand some things."

"Well, what are they saying?"

"They wonder why Merric doesn't have any friends."

"…Oh…"

            Isaac 'coughed' as he flopped down on his back, cheeks ever so slightly pink.  Jenna added quietly,

"Merric's going to have a little brother. Mia told me last week."

"Well, I guess that'll keep Garet quiet for a while, I hope."

"…Isaac…?"

"Hmm?"

"Do the rumors really bother you that much?"

"No, not really, just the fact that they are so interested in our private lives, it's just, you know."

"I don't mind…getting rid of them…" It was her turn, to turn bright red.

"But…are you sure? I mean…what I'm trying to say is…"

"Don't worry, it's not like I didn't marry you for no reason."

"Oh…right…"

            Gentle waves hit the ship as Lemuria drew closer and closer…

~*~*~*~

            Picard paced the expanse of the hall impatiently. 'Hurry up, Isaac, you'd better arrived soon, or we'll be rendered helpless!' he thought angrily, 'Now is not the time to be coming to terms with your feelings. You're supposed to be here right not!'

            The Lemurian sighed in relief as he heard the quick tapping of running feet, four feet to be exact.  A moment later, Isaac and Jenna were both standing in front of Picard.  'Elements, now I feel old!' the Mercury Adept thought laughingly.  The two men clasped hands like old friends.

"It's been a long time, Isaac."

"It wouldn't have been so long if you ever bothered to visit."

"Maybe I will sometime, if I can." He said, laughing a little, "How nice to see you again, Jenna," he added, smiling at her.

" 'Lo Picard. Are you still unable to reenter Lemuria if you get kicked out again?"

            The Lemurian grinned at the old joke, as Jenna hugged him like one would an older brother (much older in this case ^_^).  Grinning awkwardly, Isaac placed his arm around Jenna. Picard raised his eyebrows, to which Jenna shrugged with her eyes, as if saying, 'don't look at me!'

            The three Adepts walked down the main hallway of the magnificent Lemurian palace. The only sound being the echoing of their footsteps.  Finally, Isaac spoke,

"There's a new threat to Alchemy, isn't there?"

"But of course. With every change new challenges arise. However, I believe we do get to sit this one out. Instead we get the job of waiting for the inevitable."

"…How long?"

"Long enough that your children will be nearly grown."

"Our children?"

"Certainly. Sheba and I keep good communications."

"What's she up to?"

"Helping make sure history runs its proper course, and she's given me instructions as well."

"Well, good luck, I suppose."

"Many thanks, both of you."

            Picard wished them well, escorting them to a spacious extra room.  After he left, Jenna remarked nostalgically,

"It's still as beautiful as it was when I first came."

"Yeah, it's very nice here, but I don't think I'd like to live here."

"Are you mad at Picard?"

"No! Of course not!?!"

"You two seemed a little…tense…"

"We weren't, bad news just puts a lot of pressure on me."

"…Well, okay." It was obvious she didn't believe him.

'Then why did he glare at Picard?' she wondered not noticing Isaac's inward animosity.

'How dare he!  Okay, so neither of them know I love Jenna, but still…' he thought, his fist clenched and knuckles white.  It was almost funny.

"…Isaac?"

"Hmm?"

            The blond Adept looked towards his wife. She smiled sweetly at him, her eyes warm, but bittersweet.  'My fault' he thought sadly.

"…Isaac, let's go home soon."

"Okay…"

            Isaac wanted to hold her again.  If only he had realized Mia only had eyes for Garet sooner.  'They're crazy, thinking me mad. I'm quite sane, if only around my Jenna…'

            Jenna watched the Venus Adept's eyes pale slightly.  Why was he acting so weird?  His eyes held something different. What was it? Feelings for Mia? Jealousy?  Thoughts broke off abruptly as Isaac's lips covered hers, not that she objected…

~*~*~*~

            Picard paced his room, thoughts swirling. Isaac and Jenna had changed a lot.  He remembered the Jenna he'd known from his travels fondly.  He'd admired her then, but had always been more focused on their mission.  He never regretted it.  She was going to be happy soon, he didn't need a Jupiter Adept to tell him that.  Sometimes the Mercury Adept envied Ivan, Sheba, and Hama, with their ability to see the truth.  He knew Isaac would go see Ivan next, desperate to stop whatever was coming, if only to keep his descendants from his trials.  Isaac, despite his brush with insanity, was still who he'd always been underneath his quiet exterior.

~*~*~*~

            Far from Lemuria, but near the current and former Vale, within the famous city of the Merchant Hammet and his adoptive son and hero Ivan, a boy with messy—but not spiky—blond hair sat, legs and arms crossed in meditation.  Occasionally, he would murmur things of people far away…

'Picard worries…'

'Isaac…and Jenna, a soon-to-be daughter…they're coming soon…want answers.'

'Mia…second son…Garet…worried about his friends…'

'Sheba…Felix…married soon…'

'Kraden and Hama…they'll be searching for more answers…'

            People visiting the sanctum often gossiped amongst themselves about the news Ivan told of the other seven heroes, and their mentors and relatives.  Of course, the gossip usually died out quickly due to lack of information. 

            A nineteen-year-old Ivan abruptly opened his amethyst eyes and looked up, his gaze piercing and oddly clear, as if to tell people he knew their thoughts, which he did.

'Two days…I'd better tell Hammet we're having some guests.' He thought, rushing off.

~*~*~*~*~*~

            Okay, I'm splitting it off right there, because that was a heck of a lot of typing, and I've still got more of this chapter to go, so I'll just make the next part chapter III.  As you can tell, part II is going to be much longer than part I.  Please keep reviewing; I need the inspiration!!!

~Rain Child