Disclaimer: I do not own Ragnarok Online. Ahaha...sob

Booming Voice: And now I present to you, part 1 of "A Streak of Gold"!

"A Streak of Gold"

"Hi it's me…" I said as I lay my bouquet of flowers on the grass next to him.

"You know…I missed you…" I whispered to him, lying on the soft grass near my flowers. A slight breeze blew through and I shivered a bit. The priestess garbs that were given to me by the church were anything but clothing. I still wonder why they gave these to newly inducted priestess, while the clothes the men received were very lavish and looked too expensive for people of the Holy Order. As I lay thinking, another breeze passed and yet again, I shivered. I sat up and put my arms around me to try and keep me warm but to no success. My head then jerks up as I feel arms wrapping around me.

"Thanks Gene…"

My body relaxed at knowing these arms around me were his. It was actually a comforting thought. I close my eyes and I rest my head in his lap, taking his hands in mine. There I reminisced about times gone by. I went back to memories, memories of our first meeting.

I remembered it was a cold rainy night. I had just graduated from the academy earlier that afternoon and I was very anxious to start my preparation for the induction of acolytes. As the man in the academy bade me farewell, he had accidentally warped me near the outskirts of Izlude. I knew the church was located in Prontera so I had taken a look at my map and marked a trail towards the Capital. I kept repeating in my head, I better hurry if I want to reach Prontera by nightfall, and, The monsters come out at nightfall. I shuddered at that last thought. I ran in the hot rays of the sun, making me sweat as I continued my path.

I stopped for a while to rest my tired legs and looked up at the sky, which was steadily growing darker. I sighed as I stood up and dusted my pants. My right hand went to my head when I felt a sharp pain pierce it. Then another one and another. Oh no, I thought as rain came pouring down like an onslaught. I hurried towards the gate of Prontera, which was within my sights already. Oh how my legs were suffering but still I urge them, for the gates were only meters away.

As I entered the arc that was the entrance to the Capital, fatigue washed over me and I dropped to the floor. Luckily for me though, a boy came to my tired form and carried me into his house. There he laid me on his bed and he let me rest. I had no time to look at his face for my eye lids felt very heavy at the moment and I had no strength the urge to let them fall over my eyes. The last thing I saw was the boy pulling up a chair beside the bed and he slept.

-Morning-

The sound of clatter outside woke me up instantly. I immediately sat up as the events from last night flooded my mind. Then an image popped into my head.

Where is the boy, I kept asking myself as I looked around the room I was in. I only found a small table by the bedside and a small window to my left. I strained to reach the window and see what was going on outside. My neck hurt because of the sudden stretch but I could see more or less. A small gasp escaped my lips at the sight outside. A stall, full of fruit, was knocked down on the ground. Pieces of lumber were scattered all over the marbled streets along with the fruits it once contained. A burly man, a merchant, was shaking his clenched fist; his eyes were that of pure hatred.

"Come back here you little runt!" he yelled as his legs moved towards a young boy in the crowd. Then I saw the boy look at the enraged man with innocent eyes, as if he knew nothing of the matter. Then he hoisted, with tremendous effort, a straw sack which was about as big as him and turned around. I tilted my head in curiosity, What was inside that bag? I wondered.

He didn't even get to take a single step when a whistle blew in the distance. Every head in the area turned towards the direction of the high-pitched sound. It was the Prontera Local Police Force.

"What is the disturbance here?" the head of the troop asked in a slightly loud voice, showing his authority.

"Someone has stolen my goods! There he goes! There he…goes?" the merchant stood thunderstruck. The boy was gone, disappeared into thin air. His head turned in various directions, searching frantically for the assumed thief. He scratched his head, gave up after about five minutes of searching and sat down on a crate. Some of the people in the crowd, mainly merchants, snickered at the unfortunate man. The police helped clean up the stall a bit and soon after went back to their headquarters, somewhere off to the east of Prontera, I assume. As soon as the police left, the crowd dissipated and the lonely merchant was left to tending to his battered up stall.

My heart leapt has I heard a faint knocking behind me. I stared at the door and soon the knocking grew louder. I got off the bed and cautiously walked to the creaking structure. Slowly, my hand reached for the knob and pulled it towards me. A gasp escaped my lips as I saw boy, with golden hair, dressed in what seemed to be the novice outfit. He entered and went to the small table. He dropped a sack he was carrying and sat down, panting.

"Whew, that was a close call eh?" he said to no one in particular. Again, I tilted my head at the new arrival. My gaze wandered from his bright hair, to his grinning face and finally, my eyes rested on the sack on the table. Then it hit me.

"Y-you were the one the merchant was pointing at! The thief!" I exclaimed, in a slightly loud voice too. This is bad, the thief is here with me! Thoughts flew through my mind at light speed, maybe even faster. What will he do with me if I tell on him? Will he hurt me? Or should I keep this a secret? He rushed towards me and cupped my mouth.

"Be quiet, they might hear you!" he said in a hissing voice. He took a quick look out the window and outside the door. Finally, he sat down on the bed and opened up the bag he had carried earlier. From inside, he brought out two apples. He polished both on his sleeve and tossed on to me. The fruit landed in my hands, which I noticed were clenched tightly together.

"Hey relax, I won't hurt you, you know," taking a bite of the apple in his hand, he stood up and went over to me. Weird, I thought, he smells like fresh bread. Once again, my eyes roamed his perfectly-shaped face. Perfectly shaped? Where did I get that? I stared deep into his eyes, the same color as his hair. He seemed to have caught me staring at him because he quickly looked away and busied himself with the sack. His fingers fumbled at the knot the he was trying to tie and ultimately resorted to throwing it to the foot of the bed, and kicking it under. Again, he moved towards my sitting form and reached out a hand.

"I'm Gene, what's your name?" he asked innocently.

"R-reis…" Shoot, why am I stuttering? Am I…nervous?

"What a beautiful name," he told me. I felt all tingly inside as well feeling blood rush up to my cheeks. I must've looked redder than the apple in my hands. His calloused hand reached for mine and lifted it up near my mouth.

"Go on, eat it. It isn't poisoned. In fact, that man has the best fruit in the whole city," he said with pride. I just had to smile at that, and to my delight, he smiled back at me. I just melted at that. I didn't even notice that the apple I was eating was but a mere core of the fruit, which I bit into. Instinctively, I dropped the apple as it had hurt my teeth and made a quick save before it hit the floor. Gene took the core from me and lazily threw it out the window, earning himself a loud yelp of pain from someone outside. And I giggled. I'm so childish, there's no way he's going to like me now…I thought as I sighed. Wait, where did THAT come from? Not going to like me? I shook my head disapprovingly and sighed once more.

"Why do you keep sighing Reis?" he inquired while he tidied up his room.

"Oh it's nothing…I was just…Um…Thinking…" I answered back, giving him a weak smile. He smiled back affectionately and continued his work. I just have to get these thoughts out of my head. Argh! Have to get out!

"I think I'll take a walk outside for a bit. I want to see if the church is taking in new members. Is that alright Gene?" I was already at the door when he answered back.

"Sure Reis, I'll go visit the church later as well. Want me to pick you up?" My heart leapt in joy.

"S-s-sure. Thanks Gene…" I closed the door behind me and looked at area I was in. Several merchants were busy haggling over a price of what seemed to be a silver ring with a bright ruby attached to it. Who wants a ring like that? I'd rather get a diamond one…I walked around in deep thought, not noticing where I was going until I bumped into a VERY handsome sage. He looked as if he was in deep thought too so I didn't bother talking to him. I tried trailing him with just my eyes but he was lost in the crowd and so I continued my exploration of the city.

I came to a really huge statue of a man riding something, which, I think, is supposed to be a horse of some kind but had extra legs. I shrugged it off and went near the water at the base of the statue. The crystalline water looked very tempting hat I just had to dip my hand in it. Strangely, I found the coldness of the water very soothing. My gaze wandered a bit and came to a strange piece of stone. I took my hand out of the water, wetting my face before I departed. Closer and closer I came to the odd structure. When I was but a few feet away, I noticed a pair of hands was engraved on the stone. Now this aroused my curiosity. Why would a pair of hands be put on a slab of rock? I wondered.

"Excuse me young lady, but you seem to have something on your mind, yes?" a strangely clothed man approached me. A singe lens was on his right eye, giving him a look of someone of high authority. The cigar in his mouth showed that he was somewhat rich. The garments he adorned seemed to be woven from the finest material around.

"You are wondering what this piece of stone is for, am I right little miss?" he had asked again, bringing me out of my train of thought. I nodded and he explained, "I believe that this is a symbol of human relationships. The hands are clasped together, signifying a bond between us people. It also shows that together, we can achieve almost anything, the Capital is proof of that," at this last statement, his eyes seemed to sparkle. He then turned and walked behind the stone. I followed him but found nothing there, not a trace of the man. Weird.

Soon, glimpses of the cathedral could be seen and I excitedly rushed towards it. From afar, I could already see a glistening speck of gold. A smile placed itself upon my lips as I urged my legs to go faster. Gene stood up and walked towards me, never expecting that I'd make lunge for him. And because of this we both fell to the marbled streets, laughing. He helped me get up, dusted himself off and went through the huge oak doors of the cathedral, with me bringing up the rear.

A gasp once again escaped my lips as I took my first step inside. The cathedral was nothing short of beautiful. Several stained glass windows where placed above the entrance and along the walls. The light passing through the glass created a stunning display of colors on the granite floor. As I walked along the center aisle, I stared upon the crystal basins filled with holy water, calm and untouched. Candles strategically placed on the walls cast a dim light on the wooden pews, adding to the reverence of the cathedral. The candles' dancing embers mixed amazingly well with lighted colors of the stained glass up above. Of course, at the very core of the church was the altar, made of the finest marble. Upon it were two candles, each with a flame flickering upon it. A cloth of the deepest crimson hung loosely on top of the altar. All this was mind-blowing and I just stood in awe. Only by Gene's shaking was I able to snap back to reality.

"Hey c'mon, I'll show you where the pre-acolytes apply," he offered a hand, which I took shyly. He walked towards a simple wooden door, which was of complete contrast to the whole edifice. He let my hand go, Darn it, and turned the knob, pulled the door open, and pushed me inside.

"I'll meet you back here later ok? I have to finish something first," he called as he closed the door. There I was, in the dimly lit room, shaking in my shoes. I found a bench nearby and made to sit on it but my feet wouldn't let me, so resorted to leaning on the wall near the door.

"Come my child, be not afraid," a calm voice called out from behind the corner. I followed the voice's request and found a priest nearby. Slowly, I walked up to him, still feeling afraid. The priest gestured for me to go faster and so I did.

"What is your purpose here my child?" he asked in his calm, eerie voice.

"I-I want to become a follower of the Ch-church sir."

"Yes, yes…you will have to go on a pilgrimage. Search for an ascetic near the ruins to the east of here. He will know if you are to be inducted into the Order or not," he told me in a voice that hinted irritation. Then he shooed me away and went to his room, which was found behind where he stood earlier. I bowed and left the room quickly, leaving the cathedral. I made my way through the bustling crowd towards the east gate. There I saw the Pronteran Police Force apprehending yet another thief trying to take a piece of cooked meat. I walked past the scene and stepped out of the Capital into what looked like fields. It could be called a pretty sight except for the bugs that were crawling about. A man nearby was shaking his head in dismay. He was holding a bucket full of fruits and vegetables for the lunatics and porings that were found in the area but just as soon as he drops the food, the thief bugs come and take it.

I proceeded to make my way towards the ruins the priest told me about. It doesn't seem very far from here; I can make it in a couple of hours I guess. And so I started my trek. I encountered very few monsters on my way, which I think made my task easier. There was one plant that tried to get its long appendage into my shorts but I quickly cut the plant with my knife.

At last, the ruins. I saw the hulking rocks of marble from the cliff I was on. I quickly found a way down and ran, tripping myself a few times along the way. There I saw a man tending to the yoyos nearby.

"Excuse me, are you the ascetic the priest was talking about"? I asked, panting.

"Ah I see we have another recruit for the Order," he smiled at me, throwing a banana for a yoyo to eat.

"Wait…Does that mean…?"

"Yes it does. We will accept you into the Holy Order," his eyes glinted as he said this. My heart leapt and I couldn't help but dance around. I didn't care if he saw me. I was just so pleased with myself.

"I will have to send a message to the head priest regarding your acceptance into the Order, please wait here," he said calmly, moving towards the bushes, where a flock of pigeons where kept. He carefully brought out one of birds and attached a rolled-up letter to on of the bird's legs. Then the bird took flight, in the direction of the church.

"There we go, all done. Now all you have to do is go back to the church," he beamed. I nodded my ascent and made way back to the cathedral. In my excitement, I didn't notice that it was already dark when I returned to the church. I still wanted to become an acolyte so I once again, I entered the huge oak doors and proceeded to the smaller door. There I saw the priest again, now sleeping on of the pews. I moved towards the sleeping man and nudged him a bit, eliciting a groan of displeasure. I nudged him again, now harder and that did it. He rolled off the pew and dropped with a loud thud. He quickly stood up and fixed his robes and hair. All the while I was giggling.

"You again? So you have met with the ascetic I assume?" he asked in his calm, lazy voice now. I nodded, wanting to get this over with and receive the uniform for acolytes.

"Very well, follow me please," and follow I did, back to the hidden corner. There, he signed a document, and brought out a pile of clothing. I got excited as I thought that that was the uniform. The uniform is a symbol of the acolytes and that meant, if I get it, I'd have finally achieved my goal. He handed the pile over to me and pointed towards something near the pews.

"Classes for new recruits will start tomorrow, at 8 o'clock in the morning. Sharp. If you want, dress in there," he stared at me for what seemed to be a minute before he yawned and returned to his room.

As I exited the cathedral, I looked at myself. Hm, kind of tight for a uniform…I shrugged the thought off, and sat down. Gene said he'd meet me back here, so I'll wait right here. I sighed, where was he. Just then, a shadow loomed from behind me. My hand went to the club attached to side and forced it upwards, hitting something and hearing something break.

"Ow…"

I know that voice! My head snapped around to see who it was. Gene! Quickly I cast my heal spell over his broken nose. Blood was already flowing down his face. I hate blood, I hate blood, I hate blood.

"I am so, so, so, sorry Gene!" I kept bowing my apologies. He waved it off and told me to look at him. There was something different about him. Was it his hair? No, it was the same golden hair from before. Was it his face? Nope, not that either. Was it his clothes? No, it looks the sa- wait. His clothes! He was wearing armor! Why is he wearing armor?

"Gene, why are you wearing armor?"

"Finally, you noticed!" he smiled proudly at me. Huh?

"I am now an official member of the Swordsman Guild! I took the test earlier and passed it, with flying colors, the guild leader said," the smile was still on his face and I could do nothing but hug him, also a big grin on my face. He hugged me back, HE HUGGED ME BACK, Yey, and laughed as we walked back towards his home. On the way, he bought something from a nearby merchant. Can you believe it? He wouldn't even tell me what it was. He just laughed. As the final lamp near the streets was lit, I was already in Gene's bed and he was back in his seat, eyes closed, hands clamped over the thing he had bought. As I closed my eyes, one thought came to my mind.

Finally, my dream has been achieved. And it's all thanks to Gene. I have to thank him properly tomorrow.

With that, my eyes closed and I slept.

Now, I have to say my apologies. I have not lived up to my promise of making this story short. Originally, this as supposed to be of one chapter only, but, due to fell clutch of circumstance, I had to make it two. I fear that if I had not cut this into two parts, you, the reader might think this boring, and that is truly a scary thought.