Disclaimer: Nothing's changed since the last 4 chapters.

Well, I've had two guesses for Mr. Mystery…and I'm sorry Anarchy Sky, but it can't be the crazy cat lady – she's down the street right now giving skateboarding lessens to the squirrels and chipmunks. Those furry critters can really move!

MelanieStar: I'm really getting into you story 'Into the Dragon's Den'. I just love your pebbles! XD

Praises all around! The top stories I'm keeping an eye on are:

Into the Dragon's Den by MelanieStar

Leave me alone! By IceBlueWings

Say My Name by vox shade

The Black Brigade Theatrical Troupe by Anarchy Sky

The Nature of Strength by BlueTrillium

- check them out! -

I love all my reviewers! I'm making plushies right now of all of you to sit on top of my monitor and be my muses.

Okay, that's a long enough intro. Now, on with the FLUFFY – uh I mean story

-

Chapter 5

WHAT! Nel almost yelled at him. Did he really say that? Did he really call her cute? That was so unlike him. The anger she had just felt dissolved. She stopped dead in her tracks and froze.

She heard him approach. She couldn't turn. She just couldn't make herself look at him. Her heart stopped for a brief moment.

He let out a sinister laugh. "You're so predictable."

Oh, that got her attention. A mischievous smile crossed her lips. He seemed to think he knew her. Well, if he thought her predictable…she just might have to change that.

She waited until he was close enough. Listening to his footsteps behind her, she judged him to be within arms distance. She turned with lightning quick reflexes and pounced on him.

Her hands landed on his shoulders. Thrusting her body weight at him, he fell back. A look of complete shock crossed his face as he fell. He landed hard on his back, as she landed more gracefully on top of him.

She looked into his eyes and winked. She could tell by his expression that he didn't know how to react.

He moved his lips, prepared to say something, but she cut him off. "Shut it!"

She lowered her head quickly, pressing hard, and kissed him. His eyes were open wide. She had succeeded in her surprise. But, he finally gave in. His eyes closed.

-

She leaned against the wall at the Northern entrance. "First, tell me how you did it. After that I want to know why…though I have a pretty good idea to what the answer to that will be."

"Hehehe…it wasn't that hard. All I had to do was to combine the talents of Puffy and Misty Lear." He caught her sideways glance. "You know…Puffy's compounding skills and Misty Lear's alchemy skills. When they were done, I had the star-crossed lovers' potion."

She stiffened a little. "And what exactly does that potion do?"

"Um…don't exactly know…technically. It's just supposed to get the two together. All I had to do was provide funding and a sample from a place where they could meet to work out their feelings."

There was a brief pause. She quickly added a mental note not to underestimate him. After all, she couldn't trust him fully…not after all the hell he'd put her through.

She lifted from the wall and paced in front of him. "So, you had to use two inventors…wait, did you say alchemy? How does that work?" She had never thought of those two talents being combined.

"Don't know that either." He laughed nervously. "I went to Puffy first. When I told her what I was looking for, she said it was impossible. Seems there's no such a thing as a love potion. Then she told me to get an alchemist. She said that it was possible to make a potion that would unite a couple who already had feelings but wouldn't admit it. But first she needed an alchemist to help, so I recruited Misty."

So, the two had feelings but neither was willing to admit it. That didn't surprise her. If anyone had really paid any attention then it was evident. Especially with Albel. He was cruel to everyone and Nel was no exception. But he was less cruel to Nel. She was surprised she hadn't noticed it before. She had thought that he only felt a respect for his enemy. Who would have known it was more then just respect.

On the other hand, he had obviously read into it. He seemed to have a mind set on pairing people.

She let out a soft laugh. "Yeah, Nel can be pretty hard headed."

"Not to mention Albel." They looked at each other. "Nothing more needs to be said about stubborn." They both chuckled.

-

She kept her hands on his shoulders as they kissed. She really didn't know what she was doing, but she didn't care either. She let go of all the thoughts swarming her head and just let in to an invisible force. The invisible force was now in control.

His hands came off the floor and caressed her. He tightened his arms around her, pulling her closer. His right hand gently combed her hair. He prevented her from resisting him by holding the back of her head as he deepened the kiss. Once satisfied with her acceptance of him, he moved his hand off her head and returned it to her back.

Neither knew how much time had passed. Every second seemed like a minute and a minute seemed like no time at all.

Then, without warning, his hands slid off her back and to her shoulders. He pushed her up and gave her a hellish grin.

With no loss in time, he swung his weight to the left. She couldn't stop him as he pushed her off. As she landed from her side to her back, he rolled with her. Now he was on top.

"No one will get the better of me." His tone was harsh but strangely pleasant.

He was resting with his arms on the floor at each side of her. He wanted to control her and not suffocate her. He expected her to get angry again, but was surprised when her face showed an expression of warmth.

"Oh, but I think I already have." She smiled.

They exchanged words.

"Fool." His tone was harsh

"Barbarian." She seemed to be mocking him. She faked anger, smiling the whole time.

"Wench."

"Swine."

Albel was about to continue their spat, but her soft giggle interrupted him. He couldn't recall ever hearing her giggle like that. It was a playful giggle and not the ironic giggles she usually gave him.

"Well…" she said between giggles. "You really know how to sweet talk a lady."

Pride overcame him, and in an instant he had to refrain from slashing her. He gave her a frown as he sat up. Now he was straddling her, but refused to sit his whole weight on her legs.

"Bah. I don't see any lady here."

His statement only caused her to laugh more. She didn't know why she found it so funny. He had just insulted her, and normally she wouldn't find it at all amusing. But then again, nothing had been normal since last night.

"You find this amusing, don't you?" he asked. He crossed his arms.

She slid her legs from under him and sat up. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she nodded in agreement.

He couldn't respond. He could only stare at her. She was smiling like a kid with a new toy. She crossed her legs, rested her hands on her knees and smiled wildly at him. Her shoulders were drawn up, giving her appearance more innocence.

He sat back. He really didn't know what to make of the whole situation. Part of him wanted to dig his claw into her gut and the other…the other part of him wanted to hold her.

His eyes looked at her but his focus was not on her. It felt like red and blue were fighting in his head. Hate versus Love.

"Kill her now!"

"You know what you want! Just go for it."

"SHUT IT NOW WORMS!"

Nel blinked. Her laughing fit came to an abrupt halt. He had just yelled at the air.

"Are you well, Albel?"

He heard her but couldn't grasp her words. He was torn. Every time he imagined her dead he felt sick. How could he kill her without turning his blade on himself afterwards? If she died then life would be worthless.

He didn't believe his own feelings. This was not what he had in mind. He was a killer. A killer didn't stop killing and would never feel guilt over killing an enemy. So their kingdoms were no longer at war. She had once been an enemy and her actions had eventually sent him to the dungeon for a brief spell. She owed him in blood for that.

But, she had been there during his release. And she had fought with him in battle. She had even healed him during that time. He knew it was only for the sake of finding and eliminating this 'creator'. In a situation such as that, the stronger the troop the better.

But she had fought well then and hadn't lost her touch. She would have beaten him last night if she hadn't wasted her energy on healing him. She had healed him, though. And she had just kissed him.

He was on fire. He mentally thrashed against all the thoughts clouding him. He pushed them clear and found it easier then he expected to blank out his inner turmoil.

He centered his vision on her. "It's all your fault, woman."

"What…what did I do?" Her voice echoed genuine innocence.

Kill…or go for it? It didn't matter. The battle was won. Red and blue ended his torment. He reached out and grabbed her shoulders. He pulled her to her knees and hugged her.

"What did you do?" He whispered. "You…you got the better of me."

-

They walked the mountain path. Enemies were no problem for the two. Between fights they chatted. She wanted every detail. She would wait until after she got all of the information before hurting him.

"How did you get them both to drink the potion?"

He gave her a smile that bragged of genius. "It was during the farewell toast. All I had to do was sneak it in when no one was looking. At first I thought about slipping it into Nel and Albel's cups, but then I didn't know how to do that without the others seeing. So, I volunteered to pour the drinks." His smile widened. "Instead of taking a chance on them not drinking the potion – you know, the cups getting mixed up - I just poured it into the whole champagne bottle."

She stopped abruptly. She punched his arm with enough force to send him a few steps back. "YOU IDIOT. There's no telling how many are under the influence of your potion!"

He rubbed his jaw. "You know, I didn't think about that."

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I know, you probably think I'm really mean – but I just couldn't reveal the identity of Mr. Mystery just yet.

I think that with someone like Albel it would be too hard to say the 'L' word. He has such a cold character that it seems to me like he needs to admit things to himself before others.

Now, I officially declare that Blue will no longer be the color for sadness. BLUE IS LOVE! Yay!

Some of the events in this story were thought of before hand – others just come as the story's being wrote. One part of this that just jumped out of nowhere at me was the whole main cast of Star Ocean being 'infected' by the potion. Hummm, wonder who's dreaming of who? Hahahaha

Sorry for the short chapter – but it was important cause Albel finally admits to his feelings and Mr. Mystery gave away more info.