Chapter 12 : Sooner or Later

So, a year has just passed. Everyone seemed to be fine and everything's going great.

In Prontera Park...

"Ahh...geez...why am I the only guy left out?" Szeto whined as he watches El and Kazu get closer to each other.

"Haha...you're jealous aren't ya? The last thing I remembered was when you were merely begging her to accept you!" Ultima teased. (Szeto if you read this, pleaseeeee don't get angry! It's just a fic!)

"Hmmph. Fine, but that time, I never knew she had feelings for El!" Szeto exclaimed, as he doesn't want to be humiliated.

The rest of the party laughed. Yup, it was true that El and Kazu are getting closer these days. Well, not only the both of them, Rhine and Evan were still strong. As for the other members, especially Szeto, is trying hard.

Well, as the whole party teases him as the desperate one, it seems others are rather suspicious about Ultima and Chiaki, another acolyte who's from Szeto's guild.

Most of the time when they train in Glast Heim's church, Ultima will always be teasing Chiaki "Fat" and Chiaki will get totally angry.

"Ahem...talking 'bout getting a girlfriend, I suppose Ultima's trying, too...Evil laugh" Nicot grinned.

"OOOoOoOoOo.....haha!" The rest giggled.

Ultima blushed. Kaede on the other hand, used his elbow and knocks Ultima's shoulder and chuckled.

Ultima had an angry look on his face. He couldn't stand it, and he left the place. The rest laughed.

Later, Ultima had to join the rest again for the training in Glast Heim church. Evan couldn't join as he had to run some errands for the guild. Chiaki was there all the while and now with the arrival of the whole party, she could train better and faster.

Suddenly, a Skel Prisoner came and chased after Chiaki. Ultima killed it with the help from the whole party, when he suddenly said, "Can't you move faster, fat girl?" Ultima exclaimed.

Chiaki got angry and fought back.

"Shut up!!"

The rest laughed at their antics. Ultima and Chiaki looked at them, and it seems their faces looked red...from what? Blushing? Heh heh heh....

The rest continued laughing and continued walking around the place. While they were walking, Rhine walked next to Ultima and asked him.

"You like her don't you?"

Ultima was stunned, but he replied as if he wasn't stunned at all.

"NO!"

Rhine chuckled. She knew that somehow, he does have a thing for that cute soon-to-be priestess.

Every now and then, the both of them could be heard quarrelling and the whole party will be giggling.

As they continued venturing deeper into the dungeon, the place became creepier and more dangerous. Szeto will always end up becoming the tanker and Simon was considered as the strongest priest in the whole party. Nicot will always be hitting from the back of the group while Ultima will be attacking from the front. The acos will always be in the centre, and the female priests have to look after them. Their strategy always worked, and they had formed a very good team together.

And again.....Ultima and Rhine will be quarrelling....

"Psst....I think they make a great couple...ehehehe...." Szeto told the whole party.

"YEA! YEA!" the whole party replied.

By now, Chiaki and Ultima were blushing furiously and shouted, "NOO!!"

Chiaki and Ultima quickly walked away and distanced themselves from the group.

"Erm...will they be safe alone? I mean like...this place seem dangerous for just 2 people to roam about.." Rhine said worriedly.

"Naa....don't worry so much, Rhine. I have an idea..." Szeto said while he rubs his palms with glee.

The whole group surrounded Szeto and listened to his wonderful plan.

"GREAT!!" the whole group exclaimed but Szeto asked them to quiet down as he doesn't want Chiaki and Ultima to find out..

Chiaki and Ultima looked behind and wondered what was happening... Something's fishy here...

The rest of the party quickly disappeared from Chaki and Ultima's sight and the party hid somewhere they couldn't see...

"Well, looks like we're alone now..."Ultima said.

"Wait, what are you doing here?! Stop following me!" Chiaki protested.

"This place is dangerous. If you roam around here all by yourself, you could be minced meat!" Ultima shouted.

Chiaki walked away angrily and Ultima followed her. Chiaki will always be avoiding Ultima but he'll still be following her to make sure she's alright. The party continued sneaking up behind them, and watched intensively when suddenly, a mob of undead chased after the both of them.

Nicot was about to shoot an arrow when Kaede stopped him. "If they really need us, we'll help."

Chiaki and Ultima were battling the undead when half of the mob surrounded her. Chiaki screamed, and Ultima rushed to protect her. As the skel was about to drop the metal ball on Chiaki's head, Ultima slashed the undead in the nick of time. Ultima continued slashing the mob until all of it was finally vanquished. Ultima received some injuries, and Chiaki tended to his wounds.

As Chiaki tended his wounds, he kept looking at her.

Cute and innocent.........

The party, who was hiding somewhere, chuckled softly as how close they were sitting together and how Ultima stared at her.

"What are you looking at?" Chiaki asked.

"Urm...nothing...." Ultima replied sheepishly.

Chiaki wondered why he acted so weird all of a sudden. The rest of the party nearly couldn't stand it and started to laugh. Rhine's laugh was quite loud that Ultima and Chiaki turned their heads to where the laugh came from. Kaede quickly closed Rhine's mouth and the rest went, "SHHHHHHHHHH"

"Let's get out of here before the both of them finds us." Elaine said.

So everyone walked further away quietly but they were still spying on that two. Chiaki and Ultima continued walking deeper into the dungeon. And then.... Chiaki tripped over a rock and Ultima caught hold of her body just in time.

For a few moments, Chiaki and Ultima were looking at each other. Ultima and Chiaki blushed, and Ultima had to put her down.

All of a sudden, a fly crept up behind Kazu and the whole party attacked the fly. Kazu was healed by Rhine. Because the whole guild was attacking the fly, Chiaki and Ultima could hear the noise from the fly and realized that the whole party was there all along.

Once the fly was killed, Chiaki and Ultima went up to the whole party.

"Erm...can u explain why you guys are here?" Ultima asked.

The whole party panicked, so they had to give an excuse that some priest warped them by accident and blablabla...

Ultima and Chiaki were rather blank.

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JaN: Thx to white tiger rage, I finally continued the story....wahahahaha Thx dude!!