Woo, another chapter up. Calculus final exam and then Harry Potter coming out the next day made for a few days of completely ignoring the fic. Also I have been plotting the middle out more carefully, which is taking some time but should make for a better story.
By the way, as this chapter makes clear, this fic assumes the ending with Zelos as Lloyd's "soulmate".
Also: the pairings status of this fic has changed from "uh, none, really," to "I'm not telling!".
"This is very worrying," Zelos heard Raine say as he entered his house, after having had dinner with some church officials.
"It's not very surprising though," said a vaugly familiar female voice.
"Yeah, but that they're targeting Raine is pretty disturbing," Sheena said, "even if it's to be expected."
"Never fear, ladies," Zelos said, swaggering into the living room, "the great Zelos Wilder has arrived to protect you all."
Raine, Sheena, Lloyd, and a dark-haired woman who he recognized but couldn't quite place looked up at him.
"Uh, Zelos? Did you just call me a lady?" Lloyd asked.
"Actually, I was competely ignoring your presence," Zelos said. "So what's up?"
"This," Raine said, handing him a piece of paper.
"I'm sorry," Zelos said to the third woman as he took the note, "I'm sure I'm seen you before, but I don't think I ever caught your name." He gave his most charming smile.
The woman raised an eyebrow. "General Devorah of the Renegades at your service," she said, extending her right hand as if to shake his.
He took her hand in his and bent low over it, barely grazing his lips on the back of her hand. "I'm glad to meet a gorgeous lady such as yourself."
"I see your reputation is well founded, Chosen," said Devorah as she withdrew her hand, giving him what she probably meant to be a withering look. But she couldn't keep the smile out of her eyes, Zelos noted with satisfaction.
"Zelos..." Raine said.
"Right, right, the note." Zelos read the brief missive. "Blood-traitors, huh? So who sent you this charming message?"
"Desians, probably," Sheena said. "Apparently it was delivered on this," she said, indicating a crossbow bolt. "I recognize them from the human ranches."
"Damn. Don't they realize that Yggdrassil is, like, dead and stuff?"
"There's no way he could have come back!" Lloyd said.
"The two most likely possibilities," Devorah said, "are either that some Desians believe that Yggdrassil was not killed, or that even though he is dead they honor him and plan to continue his plans- at least, what he told them his plans were."
"I'll see what our agents have observed regarding Desian activity," Sheena said.
"We've also got people looking in to that," Devorah said. "We may wish to contract with Mizuho for additional information, however."
Sheena nodded. "I'm sure we can work out a deal."
"Sheena," Raine said, "would you say this shot was intended to miss me?"
"Probably," Sheena said. "It says you're being watched- that says to me that this is a threat, not an actual murder attempt."
"We don't know which one of us it was meant for," Devorah said. "As the new leader of the Renegades, I could easily have been the target."
"Hey, it says blood traitors, not blood traitor, right?" Zelos said. "Maybe it was for both of you?"
"But nobody knew ahead of time we'd be together," Raine said. "We only decided it ourselves directly beforehand."
"Well, the note could have been written spur of the moment," speculated Devorah. "Perhaps they were following one of us, and took advantage of the moment to deliver their, ah, message, to both of us."
"Mmmm," Raine said.
The front door closed with a bang, and Genis walked into the living room.
"Genis!" Raine said, rising to embrace her brother. "Thank goodness you're safe!"
"Gaah! What's with you, Raine? I was just at the castle library!"
"She was worried about you, brat," Zelos said.
"Yeah, after that note..." Lloyd said.
They quickly filled Genis in on the situation.
"That's... that's awful!" Genis said.
"We must all be alert," Raine said. "Any of us could be a target."
"Yeah," Devorah said. "When you're trying to change the world, people tend to want to kill you for some reason."
"No kidding," Zelos said.
"Well, I don't think there's anything we can do besides keep our guards up," Devorah said. "I should get back- there's people I should talk to."
"Of course," Raine said. "Thank you for having dinner with me, by the way. I'm... glad to have an older half-elf to talk to."
"I was glad to have your company," Devorah said. "Sheena, I'll speak with you later about a possible deal."
"Sure thing," Sheena said.
"Well, then, good night everyone," Devorah said. She rose, bowed, and left the house.
Raine rose and yawned. "I should be getting to bed. I need to catch up on that sleep," she said.
"Pleasant dreams, beautiful," Zelos said.
"Genis, you should go to bed too."
"But Raine.."
"You need your sleep! Come on. And no staying up all night reading!"
"Fine, fine..." Genis said. "Night, everybody."
"Good night, everyone," Raine said. They went upstairs.
"Uh, yeah, I should go too," Sheena said.
"Dammit! All the hot chicks are leaving us, Lloyd!"
"Don't call me that!"
"Oh, fine. How about 'ravishingly beautiful warrior woman'?"
Sheena glared at Zelos. "Um, anyway, good night, Lloyd." She stared at Lloyd, a barely perceptible blush spreading across her face. With sudden resolution, she darted forward and kissed him on the cheek.
"Good night, Sheena!" Lloyd said.
"What, don't I get a kiss?" Zelos pouted.
"Oh, stuff it, pervert," she said, and walked out the door.
"Love you too, gorgeous!" Zelos yelled after her.
"Man, what is it with you and Sheena?" Lloyd said.
"Oh, she'll recognize me for the stud I am someday," Zelos said.
"...Uh, do you really think that?"
"Hell no. Hopeless case. I gave up a long time ago. I'd have to be a lot more subtle if I actually wanted to get anywhere with her." Zelos paused. "But she's still really hot. 'Specially when she's mad. So hey, I figure, take what I can get, right?"
"Zelos?"
"Yeah?"
"You're weird."
Zelos laughed. "Yeah, you too, bud." He rang a small bell on the end table. Moments later, Sebastian appeared.
"Sir?"
"Yeah, could you bring some brandy? Hey, Lloyd, you want some too?"
"What? But... Uh..."
"I'll take that as a yes. Sebastian, bring two glasses with that."
"Very good, sir." Sebastian left.
"So, Lloyd," Zelos said, moving to sit on the couch Lloyd was sitting on, "how've things been going for you?"
"Okay, I guess," Lloyd said. "I dunno, I feel pretty useless here. I'm not good at any of this stuff."
"Yeah. You still planning on doing that searching for exspheres thing?"
"Yeah. I've been thinking of starting soon. Hey, you still wanna come with me?"
Zelos sighed. "Want to, yeah. Don't know if I can, though. All sorts of stuff I really should do. People seem to think I'm all special and crap. Chosen. You know."
"Yeah," Lloyd said. "Why is that anyway? You'd think people would be happy to just get rid of the position of Chosen, with Cruxis exposed for what it is."
"Yeah, well... you know, people think we're heros, Lloyd. Us. Heros." Zelos shook head. Sebastian returned with a bottle of brandy and two glasses. He set them on the end table and disappeared again.
"So what does that have to do..."
"I mean, people listen to us. All this time being the Chosen, people barely took me seriously. Now I come back and say that it's all a big lie, that it's meaningless, and yet people pay attention to what I'm saying! And, like, I really should use that to help the world. Certainly could use the help." He poured brandy into the two glasses and handed one to Lloyd.
Lloyd looked at the golden liquid with some trepidation. "Wow, Zelos, you... I mean, you seem to be a lot more serious recently."
"Your fault. All that damned good influence rubbing off on me." Zelos said, taking a sip of brandy.
Lloyd hesitantly followed suit, and made a face. "Er, this stuff is..."
"An acquired taste," Zelos said.
"Ah," Lloyd said. He took another hesitant sip. "It's... interesting."
"Heh."
A few minutes passed in silence. Zelos finished his brandy and poured himself another glass.
"Zelos, you okay?" Lloyd said after a bit.
"What? Yeah, I'm fine, I..." Zelos sighed. "Right, you'll probably hear sooner or later anyway."
"Hear what?"
"So pretty much everyone important thinks I should marry Colette."
"...Oh."
"Nothing official, but.. I can see how it's going. They're probably right, too."
"Zelos... you... I mean... you don't have to go along with this, do you?"
"Have to? I could refuse, if that's what you mean. But... well, like I said. They're probably right. Politics here really rests on bonds of blood and marriage. This is probably the best way to get Tethe'alla to treat Sylvarant like an equal. And also, with the Church... I mean, the Church wants Colette to be basically their new leader, but a lot of people here won't want to be led by someone from Sylvarant. If she marries me.. then she's kinda Tethe'allian by proxy, right?"
"Dammit! It's not fair! Why should you and Colette have to get married to each other just because some guys in Tethe'alla want you to?"
"Hey, you're the one that keeps saying you don't understand politics."
"Yeah, I just... It doesn't seem right to me. Colette shouldn't have to marry someone she doesn't want to."
"Nobody's forcing her. She hasn't said a word against it. Hey, maybe she's fallen for my manly charm!"
"Hey Lloyd... you aren't jealous, are you?"
"Why would I be jealous? I'm just worried about her, that's all."
"Oh really? No secret feelings of love for our sweet little angel?"
"Well of course I love her, she's like a sister to me!"
"So her innocent beauty does not touch your heart? Harsh, man. Sheena'll be happy though."
"What? Zelos, you're being confusing again."
"Well, I mean, Sheena's got the hots for you, right? So she'll be glad you don't feel that way about Colette."
"Er, if you say so, Zelos."
"I'm serious! Sheena's totally into you! You should make a move on her."
"Make a move?" Lloyd looked skeptical.
"Yeah! Come on, it's a golden opportunity! Don't go wasting it!"
"An opportunity for what?"
"Now you're just being deliberately obtuse."
"I just... don't see the point, that's all."
"Don't see... What are you, blind or something? She's gorgeous, that's the point! Don't tell me you wouldn't love to be kissing those luscious lips, your hands on her ample bos-"
"Zelos!"
"What? Don't tell me you're offended on her behalf now or something."
Lloyd glared at him and took another tentative sip of brandy, completely failing to suppress the grimace it caused.
"Fine, fine. Man, don't you like any girls at all?"
"Look, I just think I have more important things to worry about right now."
"You have no sense of fun."
"Just because I'm not obsessed with girls like you are..."
"Okay, so what about guys?"
"Huh? What about them?"
"Interested in any of them?"
Lloyd looked thoroughly baffled. "Wait, what? But... er.. interested how exactly?"
Zelos shook his head. "Deliberately obtuse."
"What does that mean, anyway?"
"It means that I think you know perfectly well what I'm talking about and you're avoiding the question."
"Yeah, well you're the one that changed the subject."
"I did not- when did I change the subject?"
"We were talking about you getting married to Colette."
"What's there to talk about?"
"There's got to be another way!"
Zelos shrugged. "There's other ways to promote peace. We should use 'em. But an alliance marriage can only help."
"Yeah, but..."
"Look, things will be a whole lot easier this way and I'd rather not do stupid things that increase the risk of war."
Lloyd sighed. "I just want Colette to be happy."
"Yeah, well, she seems to think she'll be happier this way. Maybe you should let her decide that sort of thing for herself?"
Lloyd sat silently glaring out the window for awhile. Zelos didn't attempt further conversation. Eventually, Lloyd announced he was going to bed and left the room.
Zelos glanced at the clock; it was still quite early in the evening. Enough time for some fun, he thought to himself, and headed out into the night.