"...oh, and I can't wait until they set a date. It's probably the best thing to come out of this whole thing."

"Aren't you jumping the gun a little?" Devlin asked. "I mean...the war only ended a few days ago, and they've only just gotten reacquainted with one another as friends."

"They belong together!" Reyna declared cheerily. "Well, sort of. Personally, I always saw him with Milea, but this works just as well. Not just because they're royalty, though that does help things a bit. They share the same desire for peace, and from what I've seen, they get along pretty well."

"I'm not arguing with that," Devlin replied. "It's just...they haven't even gone out on a date yet, much less gotten betrothed. Shouldn't you wait a while before breaking out the festivities?"

"There's nothing wrong with dreaming of a wedding." Seeing Devlin's skeptical face, she pouted. "Oh, all right. I won't be picking out centerpieces just yet."

"Heh heh. Oh, where's Barlow, by the way?"

"Hm... he said something about going to the general store. Said he'd be back in half an hour, but that was nearly two hours ago."

"Probably fell into the taffy bin again," Devlin groaned. "Well, we'd better go pull him out."

Reyna started to follow Devlin out of the inn, but a short laugh behind stopped her. She turned around to the ninja standing there. "What?"

Andrew shook his head. "Bastion and Sadira..."

"What? Are you surprised they ended up together?"

"No, but I'm surprised at you. I figured you were aiming for 'Bastion and Reyna.'"

"Not a chance," insisted Reyna. "Sure, I find Bastion to be quite a catch, but if I were interested in becoming his girlfriend, I would've done so a long time ago! Or at least tried. But believe me, even if he weren't royalty, I could never see myself with him."

"Why not? From what I can tell, you're a bit of a catch, yourself."

"I, err..." Reyna was somehow caught off-guard by this comment. "I...I just..." she started again, feeling her face grow warm. "He reminds me of my little brothers, that's all. Wh-why does this interest you all of a sudden?"

"Just a passing observation."

Reyna watched as Andrew then walked off, wondering if it was more than just that.

Strange... she thought. He usually has something pigheaded to say, but he didn't say anything this time. In fact...it's been a long time since he said something sexist to me, and we've been getting along quite well. Why is it I haven't noticed it until now...?

The four comrades were on a trek to Hibernia. Only days had passed since the end of the long war, but both the Kingdom and Empire had been swift in signing a peace treaty. Such a momentous occasion required a celebration, or so both princes of the Kingdom and Empire had claimed. As the terms of the treaty were being worked out, it was agreed that the celebration would be held on the historically neutral ground of Hibernia. Alden had allowed it, and while the other leaders stayed behind on Empire soil, Devlin, Barlow, Reyna, and Andrew volunteered to help Melior set up a hall. They were currently crossing through Nordilain territory, and despite the protests of the Duke, the four decided to stay in town.

The four friends had been hardly that at the start of their adventure. Devlin and Barlow were the only two that had already formed some kind of friendship. Reyna had more of an interest in Bastion, and Andrew was...just there. All of them had their own purpose in the war, but while events were set into motion, all their purposes merged into a single one. While they worked together for this purpose, there were bonds formed all around, some stronger than others. Others, however, were strong only on one side. Andrew's was one such case.

It was in Andrew's nature to flirt with the ladies constantly, and Reyna was no exception. However, being the only woman to strongly reject him on that level caused Andrew to respect her. Eventually, this respect turned into something more, and before he realized it, he had fallen in love. He tried not to make his feelings obvious, but everyone else had caught on, except for her. Still, with feelings so strong, he treated her less like one of his regular female friends and more like one of his dearest friends.

After the night at the Imperial stronghold, Reyna unexpectedly showed appreciation for this kind of treatment. She began speaking to him on the same level as everyone else, rather than berating or ridiculing him when she had the opportunity. Soon, they were getting along well, and their once semi-rocky encounters turned into genuinely friendly banter. And many had taken notice of this.

"Don't be silly, my dear," Andrew was saying as they passed through the door of an inn. "Just because your dating card was filled with wimps doesn't mean real men don't exist."

"And who are these real men you speak of?" Reyna asked. "Certainly you aren't referring to yourself."

"Uh, who else would I be referring to? I'll have you know that chicks dig the whole rugged package."

Reyna uttered a laugh in response to this. "Oh, please! Anyone who uses massage oils instantly fails the rugged test."

"Hardly," Andrew replied, shaking his head. "Those oils are reserved for the ladies, unless, of course, they prefer to treat the Andrew-nator. In that case, relinquishing the title of rugged hardly seems like a sacrifice."

"You'd only have the title in looks, anyway."

"Why, thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"It's still greatly appreciated," said Andrew. "These looks have earned the admiration of ladies across the land."

"The only thing they admire is your bravery in going out in broad daylight with those sideburns. That, and your ability to bend the laws of gravity with those things. 'They're so thick, how do they stay up?' they wonder. Actually, I'd like to know myself, Andrew. How do they stay up? Or am I correct in suspecting that you've been smuggling two squirrels up there for some time?"

Andrew was turning red. "Big ouch, babe, but considering your repeated interest in them, you prove my point."

Reyna was smiling. "Oh, really?"

"Oh, yes. Even you can't resist the great Andrew. You marvel at the very mystery of me!"

"Please, I marvel at-"

"Would you two get a room already?" an impatient Devlin asked from behind them.

"Oh, sorry, Devlin!" Reyna said, hurrying up to the front desk of the inn.

Barlow looked on in confusion. "Uh, Reyna, I don't think that's what he meant-"

"Quiet, Barlow," Devlin ordered quickly. "This works just as well."

"...So I'll be out for a while," Andrew was telling Devlin. "Usually I don't ask friends for favors-"

"Andrew, it's just a tune-up!" Devlin exclaimed. "We've brought our ATACs to the shops dozens of times. Don't worry about it."

"Thanks, man."

"No problem. Just don't stay out too late. Wouldn't want to worry Reyna, would you?"

Andrew smirked. "I doubt she'd mind if I visited some friends. If anything, she'd be glad to be rid of me temporarily!...Heh. Well, I'm off. Take care, my friend."

"You too." He watched as Andrew walked off to the next street. Devlin momentarily seemed troubled, but he then turned and entered the shop. "Oh. Reyna. Barlow. How goes things?"

"They should be done by morning," Reyna responded. "Provided my worst fear isn't true."

"Which is?"

"The arm actuator on Haurol has been acting up a bit lately, but so far, no one's been able to tell me what's wrong." She let out a sigh. "The problem is, we got spoiled traveling with Puck. He would've had Haurol fixed in a jiffy, but I don't know these guys. What if they end up finding reasons to make more of a buck than they should?"

"Claire said they were pretty trustworthy," Barlow piped up through his lollipop. "A free chocolate with every tune-up!"

"Barlow, you shouldn't trust just any old stranger, even if they do have candy," Reyna told him. "Besides, Claire's recommendation doesn't guarantee that this won't cost us an arm and a leg..."

"Reyna, you worry too much," Devlin said. "Maybe these guys aren't as good as Puck, but Claire's recommendation should indicate that they are, at the very least, good guys."

"I...I suppose," Reyna replied. "I think I'm just a little nervous about the celebration. By the time we get there, we'll only have a couple of days to unload, organize something, hire help, put the actual thing together-"

"My sister's already on that, though. That should help move things along faster. Besides, it's more informal than anything, so there shouldn't be any reason to worry..."

"I hope you're right. Where's Andrew, by the way?"

"He went to visit some friends."

"Oh." The look on Reyna's face was one of surprise. "He wasn't kidding. He really does know a lot of people."

"It's probably more like one or two friends," Devlin said, sounding vaguely resentful. "Or none."

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm just wondering if he had to make up a reason to leave our group for a while."

"Why would he do that?"

"Maybe because a certain someone keeps hurting his feelings," Devlin said accusingly.

"Huh?" Reyna was confused. "Oh, that. Of course his feelings aren't hurt. He knows I'm just joking."

"Once or twice is joking, Reyna. All throughout the course of our journey does not give one the impression of jest."

"Why are you defending him all of a sudden?"

"It's not that. I can see that Andrew is content with what you two have. I just wonder if he's beginning to think that you don't respect him-"

"Of course I respect him!" Reyna declared, and then dropped her voice, slightly embarrassed. "I respect everyone I've formed a bond with. Okay, sometimes I get carried away, but who doesn't?"

Devlin sighed. "...All right. I'm sorry. It's not my place to make bad assumptions like that. I know you two have been getting along lately..."

"But...?"

"That talk I just had with him kind of worried me. It seemed like there was something missing. Err...though it could just be exhaustion."

"I wouldn't be surprised," said Reyna, though she was feeling slight pangs of doubt and guilt. "It...it was a long war. I've had trouble getting out of bed lately, myself. I just want to enjoy these peaceful times with a good night's sleep!"

"I'm not exhausted," Barlow said.

"Again, I'm not surprised," Reyna replied. "Someone on a constant twenty-four hour sugar buzz isn't going to drop anytime soon."

It was nearly midnight. Reyna sat by her window at the inn, looking down to the quiet streets below. For some inexplicable reason, she was pondering Devlin's words from earlier.

"That talk I just had with him..."

"...It seemed like there was something missing..."

Even in an exhausted state, that's not like Andrew, Reyna thought, feeling apprehensive. But...was he really like that because of me? He had to have known I was just joking. I respect him. I really do. He's my friend. I care about him...

My...friend...

A familiar figure heading toward the inn caused Reyna to hop to her feet. In a flash, she had left the room, hurrying down the stairs to be presented with a closer look of the person. "A-Andrew..."

The ninja grimaced weakly as he walked past her. "Oh...hey, Reyna. Everyone's upstairs...right?"

Reyna nodded. "Right..."

"Okay...well, good night."

"Andrew, wait."

"Hmm...?" He turned, somewhat surprised to be staring into a remorseful face. "Reyna, what's wrong?"

"I..." Reyna could feel her face growing warm. "...just wanted to say...if I've done anything to hurt you in the past, or said anything to hurt you...I apologize. I...sometimes assume too much of people...and they get burned by my insensitivity..."

"Huh? Er..." Andrew blinked, clueless as to what was bringing on this display. "I'm not sure what you mean, Reyna, but forget about it. If it's in the past, it's best buried there. I don't hold grudges. Oh, and the only thing you could ever burn people with is your meatloaf, dumpling."

Though it would have normally been taken as an insult, Reyna smiled out of genuine relief. "Thank you, Andrew. I was just..." She trailed off, gazing at him as her heart began to fill with unforeseen warmth. However, she turned away when she realized that she was becoming misty-eyed.

"You were just what?"

"Um...going to bed," she finished, feigning a yawn. "Good night, Andrew."

Devlin and Barlow were up at the crack of dawn, Reyna grudgingly following suit. The three had breakfast while Andrew caught up on his sleep. Afterward, they went by the shop, paying the bill (with a sigh of relief from Reyna) and then testing their ATACs. They returned to the inn just as Andrew woke up.

"You even tested Vedocorban?" he asked, sitting on the bed.

"Running as smoothly as ever," Devlin told him. "To be honest, I'm jealous."

"Heh. Thanks, and...sorry for oversleeping. You guys wait outside. I'll pay the bill, and then I'll follow."

"Don't take too long," Barlow said. "It's hard to find a candy store in Hibernia open after dusk."

"I wonder what's taking him so long," Devlin commented.

"I don't know," said Barlow. "I told him not to do that."

"Well, that's the problem," Devlin told him. "If it comes from your mouth, he won't take it seriously. However, if a woman says it, that's a different story." He turned to the other blonde. "Reyna?"

The young woman rolled her eyes. "All right, all right," she said with a smirk. "I'll drag him out by his ear if I have to. We can't have Barlow going without his sugar fix, can we?"

"Thanks, Reyna!" Barlow said in appreciation.

Reyna entered the inn, but she found the reception area empty. Andrew was not at the front desk paying the bill.

I wonder if he's still up in the room, she wondered.

But just as she reached the foot of the stairs, she heard a laugh, followed by a familiar voice. The words were indistinct over some kind of crowd, but she recognized who it was. She decided to follow the voice, and it led her through a corridor and to the pub.

Please tell he's not getting smashed...

"Andrew?" Reyna called, making her way through the crowd. "Hurry up. We've got to-"

Something made her stop dead in her tracks. There, standing by a table, was Andrew kissing a woman on the mouth. At that moment, Reyna felt as though the floor had dropped beneath her, but the rage boiling within her was causing her to rise back up.

"Andrew!" she shouted angrily, storming over to the couple.

Andrew broke away from the woman and turned just as Reyna delivered to him a hefty slap. "Ow! What the-Reyna! What's your problem?"

"What's my problem?" Reyna fumed as the other woman simply looked at her in horror. "What's your problem? Have you no shame?"

"Uh..." Andrew's initially shocked expression calmed as he rubbed the side of his face. "I don't know if you've noticed, sugarplum, but we're in a pub. This kind of thing tends to happen on occasion."

"I...know...it...happens...!" Reyna was now looking more flustered than furious. "I...just...we're on a tight schedule, and you're just fooling around!"

"I was saying good-bye to a friend," Andrew replied, giving a brief glance to the other woman. "As I've told you, Reyna, I have quite a few female friends. It isn't a crime to catch up on things."

"No, it isn't...!" Reyna's voice was taking a more wailing tone now. "It'd be a crime to forget old friends...or new friends that...that you're growing rather fond of..." She lowered her eyes sadly to the floor.

"And I certainly don't do such a thing."

"Well, good!" Reyna shouted at him, glaring. "I'm glad! I'm sorry I interrupted a private moment. When you're done, meet us in the damned courtyard. I'll...we'll be waiting." Looking both embarrassed and depressed, she turned and stormed out of the place.

"What's her problem?" the woman finally asked.

"I don't know," Andrew murmured, watching with an intrigued expression as Reyna exited. "I'd like to think I've gotten away with worse."

Reyna unintentionally pushed two bewildered town citizens out of her way as she continued her mad stride.

"Reyna?" Devlin called as the young woman passed by. "Where are you going? What's wrong?"

"I'm taking my ATAC out for a test run," she loudly replied back without stopping. "I have to make sure the repairs are fine."

"We did all of that this morning," Devlin said. "Don't you remember? We-"

A great fear in him brought him to silence as Reyna turned, all the fires of hell burning in the look she was giving him.

"O-on second thought...that's a good idea...h...have fun..."

Devlin remained frozen as Reyna continued on her way; he released the breath he had been holding when she was no longer in sight. "Oh, man..." He turned to Barlow. "Did you see that, Barlow? What is wrong with..." He stopped, noticing the redness of his friend's face. "Barlow? What is it? Are you okay?"

Barlow could only moan faintly in response as sweat began to trickle down his forehead.

That's when Devlin finally noticed the candy stick protruding from the boy's mouth, as well as the absence of the oversized candy piece. "Oh my God!"

"What is it?" came the voice of the approaching man.

"Andrew, thank God!" Devlin cried. "It's Barlow... he's choking! Could you do something?"

"Hmm..." Andrew studied the helpless Barlow, whose skin tone was now turning a pale blue. "Saving a life really would defeat the purpose of being a ninja...but what the hell. He's a friend." With that, Andrew brought a hand to his own face with the wrist rotated inward, two fingers extending so that the tip of his forefinger gently touched his forehead. He fell into a deep concentration, and then, two seconds later, coinciding with a shout of "Hi-KEEBA!" he tightened his hand into a fist, swung his arm back, and socked Barlow hard in the gut.

Barlow promptly upchucked the giant lollipop he had been choking on and fell to his knees, gasping. "Oh...oh man...did you SEE, Devlin? Reyna...that was...that was so scary..."

"Andrew!" Devlin scolded. "What the hell was that? Weren't you supposed to get behind him and do some kind of hug?"

"...I don't get into that kinky stuff, my friend," the ninja replied. "Unless, of course, I'd been saving a 'Barbie' instead of a 'Barlow.' Now, what's this about Reyna?"

"She was scary!" Barlow replied in horror, grabbing a hold of Andrew's shirt with his sugar-coated hands.

"Yeah, I gathered that."

"She just stormed right past us, saying something about testing her ATAC," Devlin answered. "I tried to tell her it was unnecessary, but then, she gave me the most absolutely terrifying look ever. I don't think I've ever seen anyone that angry. It gave Barlow and me such a fright!"

"That explains why he swallowed the lollipop."

"Yeah," said Devlin, "but it doesn't explain why Reyna was so angry. Did something happen in there?"

"How should I know?" Andrew responded, suddenly defensive. "One minute I'm kissing a lady friend good-bye, the next, I'm getting assaulted by hands quicker than my own. Only I can't enjoy it."

"So Reyna's mad because she saw you kissing another woman?"

"No. She saw me kissing one woman. There was no other."

"But...uh..." Devlin looked embarrassed. "I thought...uh..."

"What?"

"...Nevermind."

"Spill it, man."

"No...I was mistaken. Forget it."

"He thought you and Reyna were an item," Barlow said.

Devlin glared at his friend. "Thank you, Barlow. Remind me later to shove that lollipop back down your throat."

"What? I thought so too!"

"Let's get a few things straight," Andrew told them, annoyed. "Number one, Reyna and I are just good friends. At least we were before today. Number two, the topic of my love life, or lack thereof, is off-limits from this point forward. Number three...if you don't let go of me, Barlow, the ladies are going to start getting the wrong idea, especially if I have to start beating you senseless."

"S-sorry," Barlow said, releasing the man's shirt as he stepped back.

"Fine," Devlin replied. "But don't forget, Reyna's our friend, too. We reserve the right to our say if you've done something to hurt her."

"Fair enough," said Andrew. "But I haven't done anything. If I have, it certainly wasn't deliberate."

"But what are you going to do about it?"

"I'll leave her alone. Quite frankly, if she's hurt, she's the only one who can answer why she is."

The remainder of the trip to Hibernia was mostly uneventful. The four friends exchanged as little conversation as possible; it was mostly Devlin and Barlow talking to each other. Reyna only responded when addressed, while Andrew threw in a suggestion for the hall from time to time.

The ninja kept his word and said nothing to Reyna, but something still lingered in the back of his mind, nagging him, pushing guilt to the forefront. He tried his hardest to ignore this, however. While he had nothing but the utmost respect for his female friend, he would not allow himself to fall into a position where he would constantly be treated like dirt.

The four were greeted in front of Crocasis Castle and escorted inside, where Melior directed Andrew and Reyna to their respective guestrooms. For the moment, everyone was either unpacking or resting, but Andrew was exploring the palace, attempting to distract himself from the subject currently occupying his mind. This proved futile, however, as he eventually and unintentionally found himself near Reyna's room.

An indistinct sound then caught his ear, as well as the faint cry that followed. Deciding to investigate, he quietly entered Reyna's room, where he found her sitting awkwardly on a chair. She was leaning forward with her head bowed, her hands on her knees. She was also attempting to stifle a few sobs.

This very sight awakened in Andrew heavy feelings of remorse at last, yet he wasn't sure why. He and Reyna had never spoken of anything beyond their friendship, and he was certain he had never intentionally done anything to hurt her. While he had feelings for her, he simply couldn't bring it upon himself to waste his days pining for her if there was no chance they could be together. But he harbored no resentment toward her, no matter what she did or didn't feel about him. He would not be stupid to destroy what they had over that.

Watching Reyna, however, Andrew could not help but feel pain as well. He would not hesitate to remedy that.

"Reyna..."

The young woman lifted her head, surprised at his presence.

The tears rolling down her cheeks only made him feel worse. "I'm sorry. I should have been more sensitive. I honestly didn't know it would affect you this much. Just as I hate putting you in danger on a battlefield, I hate risking your feelings on the playing field of love. I didn't know how you felt. I still don't, exactly. I was just being myself back there at the pub. Believe me, hurting you was the furthest thing from my mind."

Reyna only stared back at him, her expression a mix of anger and confusion.

"I just hope you can forgive me for it-no, I won't ask. I won't change my feelings even if you didn't. I just want you to know that, no matter what, you'll always have me as a friend, and I-"

"...What the hell are you talking about?"

The man stopped, realizing that he had probably made the speech for nothing. Reyna still looked bewildered, and she had brought her hands back, revealing a fresh and rather noticeable bruise on one of her knees.

"Oh..." Andrew was embarrassed now. "Reyna, what happened to you?"

"I was searching the desk for a blank sheet of paper when I hit my knee on the drawer," she replied, eyeing him with suspicion. "What happened to you? What was with that speech just now?"

"Err...nothing. Just forget it."

"Ohhh, I don't think so. Were you implying I was hurt by what happened in the pub, in fact, so hurt that I'd be broken over it like some weepy damsel?"

"N-no, of course not," Andrew stammered, horrified at having caught himself in his own unintentional trap. "I was shocked to even consider the possibility-"

"So you were implying it!" Reyna shouted, exasperated. "I can't believe you would be so pigheaded as to-"

"Hey, you can't blame me for taking a situation out of context! Anyone else would've thought the same if they hadn't seen what just happened!"

"Oh really? Let me tell you something, Mr. Egomaniac. 'Anyone else' would not have thought the same. You know why? Because 'anyone else' would have asked me what was wrong before making stupid assumptions!"

"You're right, Reyna," Andrew said angrily. "'Anyone else' would've thought it safe to ask you what was wrong. Do you know why? Because 'anyone else' didn't just have their face slapped off by you!"

"That's because I didn't find 'anyone else' shamelessly kissing another woman in the middle of a pub!" Reyna practically screamed, jumping to her feet.

Andrew smirked. "I thought you weren't broken up by that."

"I'm not!"

"Then why are you still crying?"

"I...b-because...you're...making...my...bad...situation...even worse!"

Andrew attempted to suppress his reaction, but this quickly proved impossible. "Heh heh heh..."

Reyna glared through her tears. "You know, Andrew, this really is an inappropriate time to be laughing."

"I'm sorry. I just realized the ridiculousness of this whole situation. Me, standing here, making assumptions...you, getting riled up-"

"Oh, shut up." She turned her face away. After a moment, her expression calmed, and she gazed back at him before breaking into quiet laughter.

Andrew joined in, and soon the two were laughing as though they had just heard the world's funniest joke.

"Andrew..." Reyna finally said. "I'm sorry. I was wrong for what I did in the pub, I was wrong for giving you the cold shoulder afterward, and I was wrong for snapping at you just now-"

"Hey, forget about it. I told you, I don't hold grudges."

"But..."

"Reyna, I'll survive. Really. But if I start getting on you for no reason, you can scream at me all you like. For the rest of my unnatural life, even."

Reyna chuckled. "I doubt that will come to pass...but thank you, Andrew."

"Just make sure those lanterns are positioned correctly."

"I know, I know. I don't know why we're even using them if we're doing all of this in the daytime..."

"It's Alden's wishes."

"I know, but I wish he'd base some decisions on-oh!" Reyna lost her balance, falling off the ladder.

"Watch out!" Andrew shouted, catching her in his arms.

"Oh..." the young woman gasped. "Thank you, Andrew."

"No problem," he said, setting her down.

They were staring at one another when the moment was interrupted by a shattering noise.

Reyna momentarily shut her eyes, horrified. "Sorry!" she called out to anyone it might have mattered to.

"Well...like you said...the celebration's taking place during the day," Andrew said as if in some kind of assurance. "And even if the festivities continued into the evening hours, I doubt they'll care about one little lantern."

"I hope you're right..." Reyna said with a guilty look. "Now where's the broom..."

"Oh, let me get that," Andrew said, grabbing a dustpan and setting it down.

"Thanks." Reyna swept up the broken glass, but just as she was finishing, she heard a snicker. "What?"

"Reyna...doing housework..." the ninja commented in his amusement. "Now I've seen everything."

"Why is that odd? Just because I'm good on the battlefield doesn't mean I can't do simple chores. You've seen me cook."

This only caused Andrew to laugh some more. "Right...the great suicide-assisting chef!"

"Shut up," she said, playfully hitting his leg with the broom.

"No can do. Inquiring minds want to know, Miss Reyna. What, exactly, are your methods? How do your victims bring themselves to consume your deadly dishes? Have they given up on life, or are they already near a state of death, including, but not limited to, loss of limb, difficulty breathing, possession of polka-dot underwear-ow!"

At this point, Reyna had already begun to assault him again. "What-"

"Ow-"

"-did I-"

"Ow-"

"-tell you-"

"Ow! Ow-"

"-Andrew...!"

"Ow! Okay, ow! Stop! I'm sorry! I'm...heh...sorry."

"Hmph." The woman started to turn around when the broom was snatched from her hands. "Hey!"

Andrew grinned back at her, the "weapon" now in his possession. "Hey, yourself."

Reyna looked nervous now. "Y-you wouldn't attack a woman. A poor, helpless woman. I know you wouldn't."

"Oh, my sweet Reyna," he said with a laugh. "We both know you aren't helpless. Or much of a woman for that matter."

"Andrew-"

"Careful," he said in response to her angered look, pointing the handle of the broom at her. "You wouldn't want to provoke me."

"If I wanted to provoke you, I'd make promises of putting out," she said.

"So why don't you?"

"Because I wouldn't want to provoke you."

"You should know by now that I don't mind being provoked."

"Just as you should know that I don't want to provoke you."

"Touché. You win."

"Really?" Reyna's face suddenly bore a sly smile. "Then you wouldn't mind...giving it back...!" As she said that, she grabbed a hold of the broom handle, playfully wrestling with Andrew for sole possession. In the end, however, Andrew won.

The ninja pulled the laughing young woman to him, grabbing her wrist as he tossed the broom aside. He let go, though neither smile faded as they gazed into each other's eyes. Before Reyna realized what was happening, Andrew had drawn closer and was now pressing his mouth to hers.

Reyna briefly fell into a state of surprise but responded by lifting her hand to the man's face, allowing the kiss to deepen. After a while, Reyna moved back slightly, opening her eyes slowly. "I..." she started, keeping her hand in place. "...really...hate your sideburns..."

Andrew smiled back. "I know."

"I can't believe you just kissed me, you jerk."

"You didn't resist."

"That's because I..." She trailed off.

"Hmm?"

"...Shut up, Andrew."

"A tough lady. I like that."

"Shut up..."

"I can't," he said with a smirk. "You're tough, but you're sweet...and, in case that little public display of affection didn't make it obvious, I really like you, Reyna. Not just as another girl I hook up with while visiting a town, but as something more. You're deserving of respect as well as love, and my feelings are strong."

"Andrew..."

"I know. It's hard to believe something like that could come out of my mouth not accompanied by an ulterior motive. But believe it or not, I've never used that line to get anyone in the sack. I've met many women, but no one has shown a will quite like yours. I respected you for resisting my so-called charms, not because I liked a challenge, but because it was a sign of strength, and I respect strength. I also appreciated you giving me the opportunity to have your friendship and the chance to get to know you. I knew there was something special about you, and it is for that reason I fell for the woman standing before me."

Reyna stared at him for a while, allowing the words to sink in. "I..." she started. "I'm...so embarrassed. All the things I ever said or did to you or even thought about you...but deep down, I knew you were honorable. I didn't care for the ninja whose ego was comparable to half the size of Avalon...but I ended up caring about the man who stuck with the side of good and often lifted the spirits of his comrades. You were right; I couldn't bear to see you kiss that woman. You were a friend, but in my mind, I had already elevated you to the status of something more." She began to look troubled. "I...I couldn't believe it..."

"Hey," he said softly, bringing a hand to her face. "It's okay. I had no idea how you felt until that happened. But it's all in the past now. We shouldn't look backward. We should only be looking forward."

"Andrew..." Reyna gazed into his eyes. "You're right. We should..." With that, she moved in and embraced him warmly.

Welcoming the gesture, Andrew brought his arms around her.

After a while, Reyna moved back but kept her hands on the man's shoulders. "So...where do we go from here?"

"Like I said," Andrew said, relocating his hands to her waist. "Forward..."

Reyna smiled. "I like the sound of that."

"Oh, you do, do you?"

"Yeah..." She brought a hand to the back of his head, and their lips met again. As things started to intensify, however...

"Whoa! Would you two get a room already!"

Reyna pulled back, staring at Devlin in confusion. "But we aren't in any-ohhh." Her expression grew amused as the context finally sunk in. "Was that what you meant at the inn?"

Devlin shrugged. "Well, you two were acting like an old married couple... err... I-I mean... Barlow's the one who thought you two were together at the time!"

"That's 'cause you told me they were," Barlow said with genuine innocence.

Reyna shook her head and then glanced at Andrew. "Come on. We've got to finish all of this by tomorrow morning."

"A toast," said Alden, raising his glass. All those present at the table followed suit.

"Today is a great day, a day in which sixteen years of horror, suffering, and uncertainty are truly at an end. The Pharastia Kingdom, restored to all its former glory, and the Junaris Empire come together in a much anticipated era of peace. Let all our nations join with them and prosper for years to come!"

"Hear, hear," said Zeira.

"I find no greater cause to celebrate," Dionne stated. "So, let's celebrate already!"

There was an outbreak of soft laughter, and the group proceeded to empty their glasses.

"Oh, man," Andrew moaned as he set down his drink. "I just realized...I'm officially whipped."

"You sure weren't complaining yesterday," Reyna said.

"That's because only you can do the things you do to make me forget, dumpling."

"Shut up, Andrew."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Well!" said Devlin, turning to the person on his left. "Bastion, how have you been these last few days?"

"Quite well, thank you," replied Bastion. "There's a lot to be done, but I'm optimistic."

"I'm glad."

"As am I. Duyere, Sadira and I have been discussing a few things..."

Andrew scooted closer to Reyna. "What do you say we leave these two to catch up on things for a while?"

Reyna glanced over at Bastion with a smirk, but then agreed. "All right. Just for a while. But remember, Bastion's my friend too." She took Andrew's hand, and the two stood up from their seats.

"It's different in the daytime, isn't it?" Reyna said, gazing out to the land below. The two had walked outside and were now standing on the terrace.

"I guess," responded Andrew.

"So what did you want to talk about?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's not like Bastion and Devlin were separated at birth. You brought me out here to talk about something. So what is it?"

"Oh, Reyna," chuckled Andrew. "Just because I got you alone doesn't mean I want to talk."

"Andrew," Reyna scolded. "Would you get your mind out of the gutter for a mi-oh." She shuddered as a chilly breeze came their way.

"Heh." Andrew moved forward, taking Reyna into his arms. "I told you not to come out here without a jacket."

Reyna pouted. "Well, it was daytime, so I thought..."

"You just aren't used to the Hibernian climate."

"I guess not, but I- Andrew, stop..."

He continued stroking her. "But you're cold..."

"I know..." Reyna said softly. "It's just...you're making this...too wonderful..."

"Hmm?"

"Just hold me, you fool."

"That was the plan." He ceased all hand motions and simply embraced her.

Reyna let out a sigh. "You're...going back tomorrow, aren't you?"

"Just for a few days," the ninja replied. "Dionne needs me for something, and there isn't a higher-paying boss."

"Well..." She lifted her head, looking up at him. "Avalon isn't too far away, I suppose."

"Of course, I'll have to break a few hearts in that time," Andrew continued in mock arrogance. "All the ladies will be jealous of you, you know."

"Oh, really?" asked Reyna. "Well, I'll just have to go tell them that they aren't missing much."

"You wouldn't dare."

Reyna smirked. "Who's going to stop me? You?"

"Damn right."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Oh, I will," he said softly, lifting a hand to her face. "I will, gorgeous..." He then leaned in, planting a kiss on her lips. The two continued holding one another for a while when Andrew finally said, "Well, I'd say it's time to rejoin the festivities."

Reyna sighed. "I'd say you're right," she responded as she broke away from him.

The two gazed at one another for a moment, little smiles forming inconsistently. Then, Reyna weaved her arm around Andrew's, and together they walked back into the palace.