Usual Disclaimers Apply.  Konami own Suikoden 2 and all it's respective characters, places and names.  But they are really nice people who wouldn't dream of doing anything to the poor helpless fan fiction writer who is doing this for fun, not profit.  The very same fan fiction writer who apologizes profusely for not updating in, like, forever.

Other Disclaimers: Everyone yells. Expect exclamation points.

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Chapter 52

The Up's and Down's of Love

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"What do you mean 'it's over?'" Andrew was understandably not happy about Elaine's little announcement, "Please tell me that's not what you came here to Two River for, to tell me that!"

"Don't be stupid," Elaine snapped back, "I'm here to help Riou, that's all.  I can't do that if you're hanging over me all the time!"

"I don't believe that for a second!" Andrew yelled, "You could have figured out a better way to break my heart, Elaine!  I knew you were an assassin, but I didn't think that would make you totally heartless!"

Elaine's look turned into one of pure anger, she stormed right up to Andrew and then, in a move most unbecoming of an assassin, she slapped him.  Hard.  A full red handprint adorned Andrew's face as Elaine walked out of the room.  Andrew could only stand in shock at what she had just done.

"I may be heartless Andrew," Elaine said over her shoulder to Andrew, "But at least I'm not cruel."

Andrew wisely waited until Elaine was out of earshot before muttering to himself; "That's debatable..."

---

Ugh, I can't believe I lowered myself to such a level...slapping him like that.  Elaine was now furious, not only at Andrew but at herself.  Apparently breaking up is hard to do after all.  Elaine slumped down in one of the seats in the inn's entrance area, and glared at Millie who was looking at her with worry in her young eyes.

"What *IS* it, munchkin?" Elaine snapped, fed up with the girl staring at her.

"Nothing...I was just..." Millie didn't finish; she abruptly stood up and ran out of the inn.  Elaine sighed impatiently, shoving Bonaparte off her lap after he tried to hop onto it.  The groundhog whimpered as it ran out after Millie, whose faint sobs could be heard from outside the inn.  Elaine sighed and shook her head, wishing for something to do other than sitting around the inn.

Actually, why *AM* I just sitting around the inn?

It then occurred to Elaine that there was no sign of Riou in the inn, which probably meant that he was off seeing Two River's figurehead.  And that pretty much told her why she was just sitting around the inn; there wasn't much she could do until Riou got back.  That also explained why Millie and Andrew were still here, who in their right mind would take a ditzy girl and a thief with them to see Two River's leader? 

Then again, who would take an assassin to see such an important person?

Elaine smiled grimly, it was easy enough to fob Andrew off with the excuse that she was here to help Riou, but there was nothing she could actually do to help in this situation.  This was diplomacy, stuff for people like Shu, definitely not for people like Elaine.

"I suppose it's for the best, really," Elaine looked over to the stairway and saw Andrew walking calmly down the stairs, "I mean, you're an assassin, and I'm a treasure hunter.  You'd be out killing people, and I'd be all over the place searching ruins and stuff with my partner...we'd hardly see each other anyway."

"Yeah, guess you're right," Elaine agreed, not daring to look Andrew in the face, "We're not really in the right professions to be thinking about romance anyway.  For all I know, I might have to kill you next."

"You don't have to say that so casually..."

"Why not?  It's perfectly reasonable that there's somebody out their who you've ripped off who'd pay to see you dead," Elaine finally turns to face Andrew, her all too calm expression made Andrew feel a little uncomfortable, "And I'd do it.  Don't forget that."

"Well, so much for staying friends after then."

Urgh... Elaine thought angrily, I should have just stayed with the others in Lakewest...then I wouldn't be dealing with all this crap right now.

---

Meanwhile, back in Lakewest...

"Knock again, Malcolm," Kara sounded angry, "Maybe they didn't hear you."

"Or, think about this one for just a second," Malcolm retorted, trying hard not to lose his temper, "Maybe, just maybe, they *aren't* in!"

"Boy, seems to be a real problem with parents being home at the moment," Warren sighed, scratching his head in confusion, then he grinned, "You don't think they went to Greenhill too, do you?"

"Don't be silly," Kara replied, now more than a little frustrated at the whole situation, "Why would they go there?"

"Maybe they knew I was coming, and headed for the hills," Malcolm shrugged, "No big, guess we'll just have to wait at the inn after all."

"Oh no you won't!" Kara yelled, "We're waiting for them to come back!"

"Oh, what's the point Kara?  Seriously?  They'll see me, mother will get all weepy, and then I'll be leaving again, to which father will probably try to stop me and drag me off into the fishing business with him!"

"And, you don't want that?" Warren asked, regretting doing so the moment Malcolm spun around to glare at him, "Guess not...I'll shut up now."

"Well, let's look at the alternative to working with father, okay?" Kara was all but screaming at this point, "What are you gonna do?  Go back to that dinky little hut in the middle of nowhere making your *TOYS*?"

"It's far better than staying here and listening to your *WHINING*!" Malcolm retorted, his voice rising well above usual standards too.

"STOP IT!"

There was a silent pause that lasted around half a minute, during which the eyes of Kara, Malcolm and Warren all turned to face a very upset looking Joseph.

"Could you just stop arguing for one minute?  You're creating a lot of attention, or didn't you notice?" Joseph waved his arm behind him to illustrate the point.  It seems that practically every person in the vicinity was watching the four companions.

"Fine," Malcolm muttered.

"Only for you," Kara grumbled at the same time.

"There, isn't that better?" Warren placed one arm around Kara's shoulders and the other around Malcolm's, "One big happy family!"

Warren smiled, despite the fact Malcolm and Kara were looking in the exact opposite direction from the other.  Warren, finally noticing this, couldn't help but chuckle lightly. 

"This may be a bad time to say this," Joseph said softly, his usual demeanour returning gradually, "But the door is unlocked."

Kara's grin slowly returned as Malcolm's frown increased, "Excellent," She said, walking in and practically dragging Malcolm in with her, "We'll just wait for them to get back, and this'll be such a perfect surprise!"

"Oh, *joy*," Malcolm muttered as Warren and Joseph followed the siblings into the house, "You couldn't just knock me out with that football of yours, could you?"

"Oh, sorry, can't do that," Warren grinned, "I just *love* surprises!"

"It figures..." Malcolm grumped as the door to the house shut behind them.

---

"You know, Elaine," Andrew said casually, much to Elaine's annoyance, "I have to ask.  Seriously, what could have happened between your little display at Kuskus and now to change your mind about us so radically?"

Elaine sighed, "You're not letting this one go, are you?  Can't we just accept that it'd all end in tears anyway and move on?"

"*NO* Elaine, I can't just accept that and move on with my life!" Andrew replied, letting his voice rise well above acceptable decibel levels, "You haven't given me *ONE* good reason why we shouldn't be together.  You can't just think that I'd just be okay with you saying 'it's over' to me.  I figured you knew me just a little bit better than that!"

"You think I like this?" Elaine retorted, equally raising her voice, "You want the truth?  Fine, I'll give it to you!  Giving into emotions by loving you make me weak! I can't do what I do if I feel…I have to be cold.  As much as I'd want to be otherwise, I'm an assassin first and a woman second!"

"So are you telling me that you'd rather be a cold blooded killer than a woman who can love and be loved in return?"

"Yes!" Elaine yelled, but stopped rather abruptly after she managed to digest exactly what Andrew had just said.  She took a few seconds to digest it, before putting on a brave face, "Yes."

It was obvious there wasn't as much of a convincing tone on that second 'yes,' however.  Something Andrew easily picked up on.  He laughed mirthlessly, "Well, if that's how you really feel, that's fine.  I don't think you really believe your own excuses, though.  I can wait until you figure things out."

Elaine blinked, not quite expecting Andrew's reply.  She shook her head, "You seem to think I'll change my mind."

Andrew could only smile in response, replying in a rather cryptic tone, "We'll see."

Elaine could only sit in stunned silence as Andrew walked outside.  She felt, rather ridiculously, that she had just been proven wrong.  But she had managed to accomplish what she had set out to do; Elaine had broken up with Andrew.  It was, on the whole, relatively pain free.  Except on Elaine's brain; which now ached something fierce trying to figure out what Andrew had just said.  It wasn't what he said; it was how he said it…as if he already knew better.

Hmph, he's just wishful thinking.  Now that all my emotional attachments are out of the way, I can focus on getting back to what's really important...

"Oh, and by the way Elaine," Andrew's voice came through the doorway, "If you are trying to become all un-emotional, you'll probably have to forget about Riou too."

Elaine stopped harshly in mid thought.  Then she frowned as she realized just how accurate Andrew's words were.  Of course, it was completely true.  It was Riou's kind actions that opened her heart before, allowing emotions back into her soul.  And for Elaine to truly become the perfect assassin again, she would indeed have to leave Riou behind...and that meant leaving Genkaku Castle too.

So...this is where it ends then.  As soon as this mission is over, I'll just leave.  No goodbyes.  Not even for Riou, and especially not for Andrew.  They'll be the only ones that would really miss me anyway...I won't be leaving anything precious behind.  Just stupid emotions that I don't need...never did.  Never will again...

So why do I feel like I'm making the biggest mistake of my life?

---

"How long do you intend waiting here for?" Malcolm asked Kara, irritation quite clear in his words, "They must be away visiting relatives or something."

"Do you really think father would just leave the business behind?" Kara replied, trying to sound calm, "No, they'll be back soon enough."

"So what are your folks like anyway?" Warren asked, ignoring Malcolm's roll of the eyes.

Kara, however, seemed more than happy to talk about her parents, "Well, mother's really domestic.  She likes nothing more than a good clean, well-managed home.  Father is in charge of a small fishing venture here in Lakewest, he's hardly home.  But he does have a slight temper..."

"Slight?" Malcolm scoffs, "See that hole in the wall? That's where 'father' just missed taking my head off when I said I wasn't going into the family business."

Kara suppresses a giggle, "It's very rare that he loses it that much though.  He's usually so carefree and easy going."

Malcolm raises an eyebrow at his sister, "Are you sure we're talking about the same man here?"

"I always found your father to be rather quiet," Joseph said softly, "At least he was when I was around. I think..."

"Guess the sea air *is* doing wonders for your memory," Malcolm sighs, "That's something positive at least."

Kara opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by the front door opening.  In walked a very pretty lady, and in that moment it was easy enough to see where Kara got her looks from.  Kara sat up quickly and squealed with glee as she ran over to her mother.

"Kara!" Mrs. Phillips was quick to hug her daughter, "Are you okay?  Back so soon?  Why is that..."

Her words caught in her throat as she noticed, finally, Malcolm sitting down from behind Kara's shoulder.  Her eyes widened in shock as Malcolm stood up rather primly.  Words seemed to fail those gathered in the room.

"Warren...Joseph..." Malcolm said softly, turning to face each individual as he said their name, "Could you leave us alone for a minute?"

"Sure," Warren replied, standing up and moving to leave the same time as Joseph did, "We'll be outside, I guess."

Malcolm, Kara and their mother watched in silence as Warren and Joseph left the house.  There was an awkward moment of silence that followed.  Kara's eyes darted back and forth between Malcolm and their mother.  Neither appeared to make a move.

"...will one of you two say *something*?" Kara finally said, looking ready to snap, "This silence is driving me batty."

Malcolm couldn't help but smile, the thought of his sister totally losing it bore potential.  He turned to look at his mother, and smiled a little wider.

"Can't say I haven't missed you," Malcolm said softly, happily in a way, "Guess I owe you a really long explanatioooof!"

Malcolm found it really hard to continue speaking after his mother had literally walked right up to him and grabbed him in what could only be described as a bear hug.  He felt her tears falling from her cheeks onto his shoulder, which she was only just tall enough to reach.  Malcolm couldn't help feeling a sense of comfort, and despite his intent to leave Lakewest as soon as possible, it looked like an increasingly impossible thing to actually do...

"There now," Kara said happily, "That wasn't too bad now, was it Malcolm?"

Malcolm could only nod as his mother released him from her massive hug, "I can't believe I'm gonna say this...but it's good to be home."

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