A/N: Hey all! Sorry for the long lapse, I got Paper Mario, a midterm essay, and the Sox went to the World Series.. ::sweatdrop:: It's been a busy week. Anyways, I hope this chapter is worth the apology. lol. Thanks to Rainbow Pheonix, Yukina Starfire, Charlett-The-Druid, and SunkissSMB for the reviews! And now on with the story!
Chapter Two
The small hidden village of Mizuho bustled with activity. Forgetting the setting sun, people scrambled back and forth finishing decorations.
In the middle of the village, their chief stood on a bench shouting out directions. Every now and then, the young leader would glance at a checklist. She wanted everything to be just right for her friend.
Black hair was twisted up in a bun on the back of her head, keeping the majority of her hair out of her face and way. Her status was evident by her clothing – dressed in violet, with a traditional Chinese kimono-style shirt and black pants with matching purple accents. The shirt was sleeveless, her arms covered with lavender gloves that ended past her elbows.
"Sheena, your friends are here!" shouted one of the many Shinobi running about.
"Thanks, Orochi!" Sheena called back, hoping off the bench. She handed the clipboard to one of the other Shinobi, leaving him in charge.
Jogging over to the entrance, she saw the small group of three clustered together by the bridge.
"Guys!" Sheena happily called out in greeting. All three turned their heads, smiling. "Wow, it's been awhile."
"Yes, it has! But I'm so happy to see you again!" the blonde cheerily replied, pulling the new chieftain into a bear hug.
"Colette... I can't breath..." Sheena gasped as Colette momentarily forgot her angel-like strength.
"Hehe.. sorry..." Colette giggled, letting go.
Now twenty years old, the young former Chosen of Sylvarant had barely aged. Her golden locks were pulled into a ponytail at the back of her head. Her outfit reflected her status as a messenger of Martel: black boots and leggings, deep blue knee-length skirt, white long-sleeve shirt, and a light blue vest she left unbuttoned. Two chakrams hung at her hip.
"Sheena, the village looks fabulous," the older woman complemented, looking around.
"That means a lot coming from you, Raine," Sheena agreed, blushing at the complement. Raine looked behind Sheena at a cluster of female Shinobi staring in their direction.
"Yes, Lloyd will like it a lot," Raine joked, noting where the girls were staring. "Isn't that right, Genis?"
"Yeah, whatever," Genis replied, crossing his arms. Sheena had to do a double take.
"Genis?" she gasped. The tall, half-elven man in front of her looked nothing like the small child she shared an adventure with four years ago.
Genis Sage had indeed grown several inches, like most boys his age. Now sixteen, he was as tall as his sister, Raine. His white hair had grown out on their journeys and he now wore the long white hair tied at the base of his neck. His black shirt was sleeveless – the sleeves having been ripping off by Genis himself. His pants were also black and slightly baggy. Hanging loosely from a loop on his belt was his kendama, which was black and white.
Genis noticed the girls staring at him and cursed his sudden good looks. Mumbling an excuse, he darted off toward one of the buildings, shutting himself out of sight.
"What's his problem?" Sheena asked, raising an eyebrow at her friend's odd behavior.
"Genis is discovering girls," Raine laughed. "I don't think he's taking the attention well."
Raine hadn't changed much in the four years since Sheena had seen her. Her white hair was perhaps slightly longer, but her blue eyes showed the weariness of travel. She still wore her old outfit of black pants, white shirt, and red overcoat. She leaned her staff against the side of a nearby building.
"Has Lloyd arrived yet?" Colette asked, looking around.
"No, he hasn't," Sheena confirmed. "HEY! Leave him alone!" Sheena ordered, noticing a few of Genis' admirers sneaking around the back of the building. Being caught, they pouted and sulked away.
"If I knew he would have been this much trouble, I would have left him at Heimdall," Raine apologized.
"Nah, it's alright. I'm sure they'll be more occupied when Zelos shows up," Sheena muttered, scowling.
"Do I hear a hint of jealousy?" Colette laughed, knowing full well her Shinobi friend had a deep crush on the other Chosen. But Colette also knew Sheena would most likely die before admitting to it.
"NO!" Sheena retorted, blushing deeply. Only twenty-three and chief of her village for a little over two years, she had yet to marry. Though the villagers thought of her as extremely choosy, a few of her closer friends had guessed the reason to her reluctance.
"Now, now," Raine scolded lightly, preventing any arguing over the subject. "Have the others arrived?"
"No, you guys are the first. Then again," Sheena mused, "Altamira is fairly far from here, especially compared to Iselia."
"I'm sure Regal wouldn't allow himself and Presea to be late," Raine explained. "He's such a stickler on time."
"I don't think I've ever seen him be late," Colette added as an afterthought.
"Huh? Presea is with Regal now?" Sheena asked, surprised.
"Being in charge of the largest spy network isn't helping you much in social circles, is it Sheena?" a deep voice jested.
The three girls turned around to see the people in question approaching. Regal pushed his blue hair behind his ear.
"That was timely," Raine and Colette muttered, sweatdropping.
"Sorry we are late. The forest paths have changed and we got lost," Presea explained simply.
"Not a problem," Sheena replied, waving off the apology. "The guest of honor isn't here yet and neither is Zelos."
"I expect him to be late as usual," Regal sighed, taking a seat at a table that had been set up earlier.
Though his shackles were gone – he couldn't run a successful business in chains – Regal still seemed to carry that great weight on his shoulders. He hadn't aged much either, save for a few signs of approaching his forties. He wore dark green pants and a tight white t-shirt over which he had on an open black jacket.
"Where is Genis?" Presea asked, looking around and noticing the mage was not to be seen.
"Hiding," Raine sighed, pointing to the small building behind them. Several girls were now peeking into windows trying to catch a glimpse of the poor half-elf.
"I will fetch him then," Presea stated, walking over.
The pink-haired girl's body was finally catching up to her age. She now looked liked an average 20-something (even though she was over thirty). Cleaned of her Cruxis Crystal, Presea was now nearly as tall as Sheena (and nearly as well built or so the men would say). She had cut her hair short so that it hung at her shoulders. She wore a simple black dress with shorts underneath, similar in style to what she wore four years ago.
"Excuse me," she offered, catching the girls' attention. They turned around and glared at the pink-haired distraction. "Move or be moved."
The five girls didn't think anything of the threat until Presea went to physically remove one girl from the door. Catching the hint, the females sulked off, in hopes of finding a more corporative victim.
"Genis, I'm coming in," Presea spoke loudly so the mage could hear her. With ease, she forced open the locked door. The young mage looked up from his hiding spot and promptly jumped to his feet.
"Presea!" he stuttered, surprised at how she had changed. Even four years later, Genis still had feelings for the axe-wielder.
"Why are you hiding?" she asked, taking a seat on one of the chairs by the wall. Genis bit his lip, trying to explain his cowardice.
"Those... girls were crazy!" he uttered angrily. "Just because I've grown a bit, they all seem to think it is okay to stare. By Martel, I don't know how Zelos puts up with it!"
Presea chuckled at the remark. "But you are nothing like Zelos. You cannot compare yourself to him."
"At least someone understands," Genis sighed, plopping down on the bed along the opposite wall.
Silence followed. Genis stared at the ceiling, thinking. He didn't know when he'd see her again, and as such he mused telling Presea about his feelings for her.
"Presea-"
"Genis, there is something I wish to tell you," Presea cut him off. She paused, realizing her interruption and waited for him to continue.
"No, no. You go first," Genis offered, scratching the back of his head. "It's not important."
"I wanted to tell you because otherwise you would find out and things would get uncomfortable," Presea explained. She looked confused, like she was having trouble explaining her thoughts to Genis. "I know we are good friends-"
"Yeah! We were like best buds!" Genis exclaimed, suddenly feeling his heart skip a beat. Is she saying what I think she's saying? His mind whirled around the possibility.
"Yes. Therefore I think you should know that the feelings you have are not right."
"Wh...what?" Genis asked, pulled from a happy train of thought. "What do you mean?"
"It is not right for us, Genis. I am almost ten years older than you."
"What? You're joking," Genis stammered, shocked.
"I do not joke. The cruxis crystal experiment stunted my growth. It was only with its removal that my body began to age again."
Genis looked stunned, as though his biggest dream had just been shattered.
"Please do not be upset," Presea requested, seeing the display of emotion on Genis' face.
"What? Upset? Me? No... just surprised..." Genis faltered, looking for a believable excuse for his sudden change in emotion.
"And don't hate Regal, either. Life is just the way it is," Presea said in closing, rising to her feet. She left Genis to decipher the statement's meaning and went to join the others.
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Wind blew across the field, causing the long green blades of grass to move in waves. The grass tickled the faces of two people who just happened to be lying down in the middle of the field.
Aya blinked a few times, staring up at the darkening sky. A full moon was rising. She turned her head – the mana loss from transporting herself and Kratos from Derris-Kharlan gave her little options in terms of movement – to look at what she could of the scenery.
They were situated on top of a hill in the field, which gave her a view of the rolling planes. Nearby she could make out a cluster of trees and a lake. Her eyes took in the image as if trying to store it to memory.
"Home looks nothing like this..." she murmured in a mixture of awe, sadness, and disbelief.
"Is your aim always this good?" Kratos suddenly spoke aloud, sitting up and looking around.
"What?" Aya asked, pushing herself up to rest on her elbows. Her companion looked down at her with his brown eyes and raised an eyebrow.
"Ll... the Eternal Swordsman isn't here. He should be heading towards Mizuho," Kratos explained, taking the time to look around to get his bearings. "It seems you teleported us to Lake Umacy, which is clear on the other side of Symphonia."
"Ah..." Aya realized, laughing in embarrassment. "My mistake?"
"So it would seem..."
"Hey now! At least we got off that desolate floating planet!" Aya snapped, now feeling that her companion was ungrateful. Kratos blinked in surprise.
"May I ask how you knew Derris-Kharlan was a planet? I don't believe I mentioned it," Kratos asked, curious.
Aya looked put-off by the question. She opened her mouth as if to explain, but then closed it again, deciding against it. "I think we all have secrets," she finally replied. "Like how you seem to know the one I'm looking for."
Kratos sighed, letting her knowledge of Derris-Kharlan slide. Shrugging it off, he rose to his feet, dusting off some dirt and residue from his clothes.
"If we want to catch him soon, we best be going," Kratos stated, offering Aya a hand and helped her to her feet.
"Yeah..." Aya agreed. She tried to take a few staggered steps forward but her legs couldn't seem to support her weight. She would have collapsed to the ground had Kratos not caught her and stopped her from falling.
"You weren't kidding when you said the technique required most of your mana," he realized, joking lightly. Aya blushed in embarrassment at the statement.
"Yeah... well..."
"In any case, it seems walking is not an option," Kratos decided, even though from the tone of his voice he wasn't pleased with the only option laid in front of him.
"Huh?" Aya spoke, confused. Two blue wings sprouted from Kratos back. Aya's eyes went wide. "Oh no..."
"I suggest you hold on tight," Kratos suggested, pulling Aya close and locking his arms around her waist. Aya's face went red at the sudden pressure of another body on hers, but forgot the discomfort as they rose off the ground. Squeaking in fright, she grabbed hold of Kratos' neck and buried her face in his chest.
"Not so tight..." Kratos grunted, her tight grip cutting off oxygen to his lungs. He hovered in midair as she didn't weaken her grip at all. It dawned to him that Aya might be afraid of heights. "You're not going to fall," he offered, his voice more gentle.
A lavender eye looked up at him in doubt but Aya loosened her grip anyway. Now able to breath freely, Kratos began to fly east towards the county of Tethe'alla.
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Lloyd yawned, tired from his journey. Having finally reached the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge, he offered the guardsmen the toll to cross. Lloyd stopped at the small shop at the bridge's entrance and bought water for both Noishe and himself.
Chugging the liquid (only after pouring some in a bowl for Noishe, who lapped it up rapidly), the swordsman started across the bridge.
As he remembered, the bridge was as long as ever. "They need conveyer belts or something, right Noishe?" Lloyd chastised, patting his ride on the side of its neck. Noishe whined in response.
"Yeah, I know. But don't you worry. Sheena and the others will fix you up with some good food after all you've done for me," Lloyd replied, as if understanding his lifelong pet.
It seemed like hours to Lloyd, but the pair finally made it across the bridge. Lloyd glanced at the sky.
The full moon was slowly rising behind him. He shuddered at the thought of the scolding he was going to get for being late. Then again, his mind argued, it was his birthday. Maybe they'd give him some slack.
"All right, Noishe. I know I've asked a lot, but one final sprint? We're almost there," Lloyd asked the large dog.
Instead of running, the dog stopped in its tracks, his ears flickering. He was listening to something.
"Noishe, what is it?" Lloyd inquired as the dog whimpered and began to tremble. This concerned Lloyd, as the only time Noishe behaved this way was when monsters or demons were near.
He quickly looked around from his perch on Noishe's back. He couldn't see a thing in the growing darkness.
"I feel like a sitting duck," Lloyd murmured to himself. Suddenly, at the back of his senses, he felt it: a strange mana signal. It was very faint and yet strong at the same time. This fact bothered him greatly.
Then something screeched, filling the silence of the night. Lloyd looked back towards the moon and in its light saw it. A large bird was silhouetted against the moon. And it was flying towards them.
Seeing the bird, Lloyd could suddenly feel its mana and gasped. The beast's mana level was well above what he felt it should be.
"Noishe," Lloyd started as the bird kept getting bigger and closer. Lloyd had no intention of finding out whether the beast had talons or not. "RUN!"
Slapping his heels into the dog's side and with a yelp on Noishe's part, the dog darted off. The demonic bird saw its prey moving away and shrieked again.
Black beady eyes followed the small dot as it traveled across the field. Extending its massive wings, it started a high-speed decent. It extended its feet, talons extended as it closed in on Lloyd and Noishe, screeching loudly.
--Silverwings
Teeheehee! Cliffhangers rule! lol. Poor Genis, right? Will anyone help Lloyd from his predicament? Where is Zelos? All this and more coming up in the next installment!
p.s. Suggestions are welcomed! Pairings? Ideas? Leave 'em in a review and we'll see what happens! ::winkwink:: So, comment or criticize! And, as always, leave a review on the way out!