A/N: Get ready for the forth chapter!
Ah, reviews, so let's get some statements done:

Lloyd (Irving) Aurion: You're asking for a time frame? Well, I'm not that sure yet. I thought of the romance part as some kind of reward, for the readers as well as the characters, so I won't make it too easy for Sheena and Lloyd. But on the other hand, I don't want to wait too long. I think in the next chapter(s) there will be some (emotional) scenes between the two without having to speak of romance if you know what I mean. The romance itself will most probably finish this fiction, because I don't have a story besides Lloyd's disappearance and his relation towards Sheena (maybe you want to write a sequel once I'm done with this, heh). So, I'm afraid I can't offer you any time frame.

Green Magicite (is it just me or did you change your name?): What does 'OC' mean? 'Other character'? Would be Geoffry then I guess.

Thanks everyone for your reviews (I'm glad you still like my little story), keep sending them in! But now, enjoy the new chapter!

Winds

Sheena sat on the grassy ground apart from the others with her head on her knees, lost in thoughts, frowning and murmuring. After some time, she noticed someone approaching and raised her head.

"Oh, there you are", Colette noticed. "You're okay?"

"Just thinking", Sheena replied.

"About Lloyd?"

"I'm thinking about where I would go in his place."

"Oh", Colette said with a smile, "any ideas yet?"

Sheena sighed. "Not really. Lloyd is... I mean, no one besides himself knows what he is thinking right now, so most probably it's futile to try."

"You're worried about Lloyd, aren't you?"

"Do I really have to answer that question?" Sheena asked back being a little offended.

"Uhm, right, I'm sorry" Colette answered closing her eyes.

"Well, do you want to tell me anything? Or why did you come here?"

"Oh, yeah, you're right. We're just planning our routes, so maybe you want to join us?"

Sheena just nodded and got up.

"We decided to leave after the breakfast. Genis is preparing it right now."

"All right."

Silently, the two went back to the others, who were sitting in a circle on the ground, exchanging opinions and suggestions.

Raine was just talking. "No! We all know why you want the Meltokio-route."

"Aw, I just want to make sure everything is fine at home, that's all", Zelos explained.

"Yeah, sure", Genis commented sarcastically.

"Well, if you don't want me to go there, fine! But I know the town best."

Sheena and Colette joined the others, sitting down quietly.

"I guess we'll find the locations we're looking for without your help, thank you", Raine said in the same manner as her brother did. "You'll check out the monastery, then Flanoir."

"Oh, come on! Not the monastery! You know I don't feel comfortable with HER around! Why can't I take Altamira instead?"

"Now, pull yourself together! Knowing you lurking around in Altamira is not much better than Meltokio!"

"All right, all right, as you wish", Zelos sighed disappointedly.

Raine nodded, then turned to Sheena. "Sheena, I guess it's best to have you visit Mizuho."

"Sure. I'll make use of our information-network."

"Fine. Presea, do you mind visiting Ozette or Altessa? It's close to Mizuho, so..."

"It'll be okay", Presea answered in a voice that missed all emotion.

"As your group is the largest, I suggest you'll take the tour to Altamira as well", Raine said looking at Sheena, Presea and Colette. The three females nodded. "Good. That leaves Meltokio and Sybak to Genis and myself. Every group should check the Houses of Salvation as well. - Any objections?"

"Where do we meet each other when we are finished with our tour?" Colette asked.

"I think Flanoir is the best decision. Besides that Regal and Zelos will end up there anyway, it's relatively safe. And, of course, should we continue on making pacts afterwards, we will be very close to the Temple of Ice", Raine claimed, avoiding to look at Sheena.

"Is there any way we can contact each other in case we find out something about Lloyd's location?" Regal wanted to know.

"A limited way, yes. Genis and I invented some special marbles made of mana", Raine said and took some small round and shimmering things out of her pocket.

"Oh, they look nice!" Colette called out.

"How will they be of use to us?" Regal asked.

"Well", Raine continued her speech, "in case we have to meet each other immediately, you can crush one of the marbles to free its mana, causing the others so vibrate and to buzz. Here, there is one marble for all of us", she said and handed one to everybody. "So, should your marble buzz or vibrate, head to Flanoir immediately. Any more questions? - Good. Then lets have breakfast before we start."

"So, where are we heading first?" Colette asked as two of the three rheairds ascended into the air.

"The optimal route would be Mizuho, Ozette, Altessa, Altamira, Flanoir", Presea announced.

"Well", Sheena said, "We're going to Mizuho first, yes, but let's check there again before going to Flanoir. Presea, would you be the pilot?"

"If that's your wish."

"Why can't I be the pilot?" Colette interjected a little disappointedly.

"Because... It's nothing personal, but I wouldn't feel so comfortable with you as pilot. You know your bad luck, don't you?" Sheena said, blushing slightly.

Without speaking at first, Colette opened her mouth, eyes wide open. But quickly her eyes closed, her head went down. "Uhm - yeah, I do..." Then she added in an exited voice, smiling: "I'll just use my angel-sensed eyes to look for Lloyd!"

"All right then. Let's go!"

"Raine?" Genis asked his sister as they both went through the sewers of Meltokio.

"What is it, Genis?"

"Do you think one of us will find him?"

"To be honest, I don't expect it."

"Yeah", the young boy said, dropping his head.

"Don't be so depressed, Genis. Even if we don't find him, he will join us again, you have to be patient." I only hope he's still on our side.

"Yeah, but... I didn't think he would leave us without a word about where he went."

"I believe no one thought this would happen."

Genis sighed. "Why didn't he talk to me? Don't friends talk to each other when there's something bugging them?"

"Well, sometimes you don't want to talk to anybody, you just want to be on your own. The fact he didn't tell you anything doesn't mean he's not your friend, Genis."

"I hope you're right..."

"Of course I am! Now let's hurry, I don't like this place."

"Say, Regal, why do you think Lloyd left us?" Zelos shouted to fight the loud noise caused by the high speed of the rheaird.

"According to the note he left behind it looks like he suffers from some kind of depression. It may also be that he feels ashamed of something he wouldn't tell us", Regal answered as loud as Zelos.

"So, do you think he will come back on his own free will?"

"At least I hope so."

"Well, I didn't expect him to do that. I mean, he always gets bored very quickly, but I didn't think that he would be bored of us some time."

"I don't think that's the cause of his disappearance."

"Ah, Regal, don't take everything so serious! It was meant as a joke!"

"I have to take everything serious, as you don't take anything serious."

Zelos shook his head. Man, why can't this thing go faster? The earlier we're done with the monastery the better it is.

Damn, Lloyd, where are you? Sheena thought. Why the hell are you doing this to us... to me? - And why am I so worried about you? I hope that doesn't mean you did something foolish...

"Sheena?" Colette asked.

"Huh?" Sheena replied, being a bit shocked.

"Uhm, we're... there...?" the young girl said hesitantly, wondering that Sheena didn't notice the obvious.

"Oh? Yeah, sure, silly me", she answered with a fake smile. "Let's head to the chief's hut then."

A little while after, Sheena entered the chief's hut with Colette, then Presea behind. "Greetings to you, vice-chief", she said and bowed.

"Ah, welcome Sheena", Tiga greeted the summoner. "What leads you here?"

"Well, to get directly to the point, I need the help of our information-network", she answered.

Tiga nodded slowly. "For what purpose?"

"To find Lloyd Irving."

"Oh, the young man in red you used to travel with?" the vice-chief asked being surprised.

"Yes", Sheena confirmed. "He left us last night, and we have no clue where he might be. So, I guess he doesn't want to be found."

Being even more surprised, Tiga raised his eyebrows. "For what reasons should he leave you?"

Sheena sighed. "We don't know. But that's of no importance right now anyway."

"I see", Tiga said thoughtfully. "Well then, I will order our spies to track down Lloyd Irving."

Sheena bowed once more. "Thank you, vice-chief."

Tiga nodded. "Have you tried to ask the summon spirits for help yet?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Sheena's eyes suddenly opened wide. "Damn", she sighed, shaking her head, "why didn't I think of that possibility earlier?"

"We can do it now, can't we?" Colette asked impatiently.

Sure, 'we'... Sheena thought. "Who's the best choice?"

"Due to the fact that the rheairds are run with Volt's power, he may know where Lloyd has flown", Presea suggested.

"Yeah, sounds reasonable", Sheena replied, then thought for a moment. "Vice-chief, are you able to translate what Volt says? Raine did it before, but she's not with us at the moment."

"Unfortunately not."

"Well, do you know anyone who can?"

Tiga shook his head. " Regrettably, I must again negate."

"Damn!" Sheena called out. "Any suggestions whom to call instead?"

Presea came up with her second advice. "I suggest to call Sylph then. Maybe she can either sense the rheaird flying through the air or even hear Lloyd's breath, steps or voice."

"Hm, yeah, I'll give it a try."

The summoner concentrated with closed eyes, murmured ancient words, causing glowing circles to appear under her feet, then called upon the summon spirit of wind.

"What is your command, pact maker?" one Sylph said after appearing inside the chief's hut.

"I need to know where Lloyd Irving has gone. I ask thou to listen to the winds for any sign of my trusted friend", Sheena commanded.

"We shall do as you wish", replied the second sylph.

"Prepare for the winds!" the third Sylph announced. Then they disappeared.

"Wait!" Sheena called. "'Prepare for the winds', what -" Suddenly all her movements froze. Only her eyes moved rapidly in all directions, flickering. Everyone else held their action in awaiting amazement. Too much time passed without any change.

"Ugh", Sheena finally gasped as she fell onto her knees, then went down onto the floor.

"Sheena! What's up?" Colette shouted.

"Don't... speak... nor... touch me... please..." she whispered breathing heavily.

Again, nobody moved, respecting the summoner's wish, not knowing anything else they could do.

Slowly, Sheena's breath went back to normal. After some long minutes, she sat up, groaning. "That was really horrid." Her voice was quiet, shaking, filled with disgust.

"Are you all right?" Tiga asked, anxious.

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine", she said, sounding sick. "Well, now I know what 'prepare for the winds' means."

"Yeah? What does it mean then? Do you know where Lloyd is?" an effusive Colette asked.

"Hold your horses", Sheena demanded. "Sylph made me feel what the winds felt... somehow I myself was Sylph... It was really horrible, a vast number of unknown sensations rushing through my mind with incredible speed... I don't ever want to feel that again, ever!"

"Hm, this reminds me of something I've heard a long time ago", Tiga remarked. "The summon spirits can link the summoner's mind to their own somehow. I think that is what Sylph did."

"Yes, that may be", Sheena commented. "It felt like... like I was an enormous entity. I could sense the movements within myself somehow, it's difficult to describe."

"Were these sensations you had of any help? Were you able to discover anything about Lloyd's location?" Presea asked.

"Well, my attention was focused on a certain region of... my 'body'... Maybe that is where Lloyd is."

"Are you able to identify that region?"

"Uhm, let me see... these 'flat' sensations are caused be water I guess, so here", Sheena painted figures with her hands into the air, "is ocean, while there is land... this here would be mountains I guess, I felt some kind of 'thin' there. Well, in addition to that, it was like something was piercing right through me, about here..."

"Judging from the shape it would be the region reaching from Toize Valley Mine to the east. The object piercing through you could be a rheaird, most probably heading to the southeastern monastery", Presea analysed Sheena's drawings.

"That's it? So, Lloyd went to the monastery, is that what you mean?" Colette asked.

"It is just a suggestion. Regal and Zelos are taking the way to the monastery or have arrived there already, so it could be their rheaird as well", Presea stated.

"It's so damn frustrating!" Sheena grumbled and hit the ground with her fists. "This could be the answer, but I don't understand it! - What shall we do now? Continue as planned or head to the monastery?" Her face showed an expression of uncertainty.

"I think we should continue the planned route. If Lloyd is or was at the monastery, Regal and Zelos will find out, won't they?" Colette asked.

Presea nodded. "I agree. Even if he went there we don't know where he is now. Also, we might miss essential information by skipping the other targets."

"Yeah, you're right, but..." Sheena sighed. "Zelos can't stand being at the monastery, perhaps they just rush in and rush out - I'm afraid they overlook something important."

"Well, I can dispose our spies to focus on the region mentioned", Tiga said.

"I... I just have the feeling that he's there, and... I have to check for myself. I couldn't convince him staying with us somehow, so it's my task to get him back."

"I understand you, Sheena, but what if... Altessa for example has seen him? I'm sure the Mizuho spies won't miss something, right vice-chief?" Colette threw in.

Tiga nodded. "Sheena, you know of the capabilities of our network, don't you?"

"Can't the spies check Altamira instead? We will check out Ozette and ask Altessa, but Altamira won't be done that quickly. Okay?" Sheena begged.

"That's a good idea, I'm in!" Colette agreed.

"I don't see severe disadvantages doing it this way", Presea stated.

"Oh, thanks to you two!" Sheena sighed in relief. "Vice-chief, then dispose the spies to check out Altamira. If you find out anything then send someone to Flanoir, we'll spend the night there."

"As you wish", Tiga affirmed.

"All right then, let's hurry to Ozette!" Sheena commanded and jumped to her feet.