Note: The Namco people's haven't heard my cries for ownership of Tales, so yeah. Story mine. Sorry for the slow-ness of new chapters, but somebody died.

Chapter 5: It's Life

Raine stirred, noticing the absent weight from her lap. She stretched out her arms, hearing the groans her tired bones made. Her head turned from side to side, searching for Colette. She didn't see her at the camp site, so she stood and walked slowly toward the trees. "Colette?" she whispered.

A shuffle in the bushes made Raine jump back. Holding a hand to her heart, she sighed. "Oh, Colette. I was worried."

The shuffling stopped. Raine inched closer. "Colette? Colette, are you okay?"

From the bushes sprouted a tree-like monster, slapping at everything in its reach. Raine cried out and grabbed for her staff. Groping behind her, the tree monster jumped at her face. She fell back, yelling. Her hand snatched madly for her magical staff, and finally found the slender rod.

She used the staff as defense, putting it between herself and the tree monster. She glared into its mass of green, dark with the deep blue of the night. "Get away…" Raine sneered. She pushed with all her might on her staff, causing the tree thing to fly backward. She planted her staff into the ground, beginning a spell.

The tree monster crawled back up on its roots, sprawling around on the writhing legs. Raine was disgusted by the hideous beast that has startled her. Her staff began to glow with powerful light. She picked it up and shouted, "Ray!" Bright flashes began to fly from the sky above the monster, and they radiated brilliance and magic. The rainbow flashes bit into the ground and a few hit the tree, causing it to scrunch into itself.

It gave out a wail and then lashed out with tentacles of brown roots, grabbing at Raine's arms. She dropped her staff, crying out in protest. "You…beast!"

A large, red hammer flew past her head, startling her. The grip left her arms and she collapsed on her back. The tree blew into the air, gone forever, much like the red hammer. Raine sighed, picked up her staff, and looked behind her while rising.

Colette was on her knees, holding her chakrums low on the ground. She looked so pitiful.

"Thank you," Raine said, walking close to her and sitting near the child. "How are you?"

Colette looked up at the professor. Her eyes were wet and surrounded with red, puffy flesh. She didn't speak.

"Oh, Colette." Raine wrapped her arms around the girl, trying to fill her with power, take her pain for herself. "You can talk to me."

Colette's eyes stared blankly at the ground. "I'm fine. Really."

Raine snapped out of the hug. "What are you holding back? Why can't you tell me?" She was loud, needing to get through to Colette, who still had wandering eyes.

They finally focused on Raine's face. "I…" she closed her mouth.

"Please. Talk to me."

She raised her head, slowly rising to her feet. She shook and fell back down. Raine held her again, willing her to speak. "I am…in pain."

"How can I help?" Raine stared into Colette's face, noticing the pale, gaunt features. The only color was the red, puffy eyes.

"Please. Help."

"Yes. Tell me how!"

Colette shut her eyes forcefully. She shuddered and then fell limp.

"Colette!" Raine yelled, lowering her face toward the still form. She tried to feel for breath from the poor child's lips.

The tent crinkled open. "Raine? What's going on?" Genis popped out of the tent, woken by the noises. "Is Colette okay?"

Raine tried to smile, tried to reassure her brother. "Yes. She's fine. Go back to sleep, Genis."

"She looks sick. Raine, what's going on?" He crawled out, trying to see for himself.

"Go back to bed. Colette is fine." She snuggled the still body closer to herself, hiding it from the small boy.

"But…"

"Go. Please, Genis."

The young mage sighed, knowing that he wouldn't get anywhere with Raine, and crawled back inside. He couldn't sleep anymore.

Raine whispered at the dead child. "I'll bring you back. I'm going to bring you back." She grew stronger with each word, and then grabbed her staff and readied her powerful life spell. With teary eyes, she cast the magical spell, crying out loudly, "Bring this soul back from purgatory! Resurrection!" A crystallized bird appears over the unmoving body, sending swirling blue rays down to it. The crystal wings flapped slowly, mourning for the death, and then feathers shrouded the body, granting new life.

She smiled as the bird disappeared. Then she ran back to Colette's side, taking her in her arms. "Colette…" she sighed.

The girl shook her head, as if waking from a deep sleep. "What happened?"

"Nothing. But I'm here to help you."

"Damn it, Professor! I don't have a problem!" Colette shoved away from Raine, rolling out of the way.

"It's obvious, Colette. Stop fighting me." Raine stood, holding her head in exasperation. "Just eat. You aren't strong enough to argue."

"What are you talking about? I'm as strong as ever!" she tried to hide her weakened voice, her inability to stand well on her own.

Raine looked hard at the girl. "Look at yourself. You're sick, Colette."

"No, I'm fine!"

"Listen to me! You died! I had to bring you back to life! If you hadn't had that exsphere, well, I don't even want to think about it."

Colette backed away a few steps. "I couldn't have died. I'm fine. There's no problem."

"Colette, why are you starving yourself?"

"I'm not starving myself!" Colette let herself fall to the ground, pulling her legs beneath her. "I eat!"

Raine emitted a light laugh, one that expressed her tiresome appearance. "Just to get rid of it later."

"Raine, this isn't fair!"

"What? What isn't fair? You're killing yourself, and all you can do is talk about how unfair I am?" Raine yelled, losing patience with the sick child. "Colette, why are you doing this?"

Colette glared at the angered woman. "I'm not doing anything."

"Bullshit! You're killing yourself for what? To be with Lloyd? Lloyd is gone, and nothing can change that."

Colette lowered her head, crying. "I…I'm sorry."

Raine softened and knelt by the girl. She let her cry softly on her shoulder while patting the long hair on her back. "Just tell me why."

"I don't know," Colette said, her voice muffled by Raine's clothing.

Raine sighed. "Let me help you. We can work together to make you better."

Colette removed her face from the caring shoulder. "Will you be there for me always?"

Raine pulled her head back, getting situated so she could look into Colette's eyes. "Yes. Of course."

Suddenly, Colette stopped crying. "Professor. I want to be assisted."

"Yes?" Raine was shocked by the sudden demeanor change.

"Help me to save Lloyd."

Raine shook her head. "No. It's not right to bring him back. He gave his life to save the worlds, and that will have to coped with. I can't meddle with anything so powerful."

Colette suddenly jerked up from the ground. "Wasn't I meant to die just now? Why could you save me?"

"You weren't meant to die that way. No one is."

"But Lloyd has to be dead. How is that fair?"

"It isn't. But we, being alive, must learn to cope with it." Raine took Colette by the shoulders. "Colette, he saved the world. He saved you, too."

"Yes, I know. But couldn't he have done it without killing himself?"

"The power was too much, even for Lloyd."

"I just…Let me get better, Raine," she said, breaking from the grasp. "I'll try to keep food down, I'll try to be normal again."

"This is for yourself, right?"

Colette shrugged. "Of course."

Raine smiled and walked back to the tent. She reached into her bag and removed a few sandwiches from a frontward pouch. Walking back to Colette, she handed one to her.

"Thanks," Colette said, taking the offering. "What is it?"

"Don't worry," Raine laughed. "I didn't make them."

Colette smiled and began to eat the sandwich. "This is good."

"Yes, isn't it?" She sat on the log, watching Colette closely. "So, we're going to be walking a long way tomorrow. Are you ready for it?"

Colette nodded, biting into the sandwich. "Yeah."

Raine put out a hand to stop her. "Slow down. Take it easy. Your body can't handle food right now since it has been without it for so long. Just take it very slow."

Colette nodded, taking a smaller bite from the sandwich. She continued to look at Raine. "I'm beat."

"Yes, it has been a while. How about we go to bed?"

"Sure. When will we be up, Professor?" Colette yawned, then finished her food.

"As late as we sleep. I won't put a time on it."

"That's not like you."

"Well, we all change," she said, smiling. "Good night, Colette."

Colette followed the professor into the tent, saying, "Good night. And thank you."

They snuggled into the corners of the tent, contented with sleep and tired from the occurrences.

Genis turned fitfully, not quite sleeping. He wasn't sure if he was dreaming at all that night, or if what had happened was real. He didn't want to be awake, so he tried to hide his face from sunlight. He shoved his face in the bag, forcing himself to sleep longer.