Chapter 2 :

"W-what? A-a partner?" Said a shocked Nel.

"Yes. A partner." Replied Albel.

"Why do you ask that? Are you trying to brag to me that you have a partner and I don't?" Asked Nel, with irritation in her voice.

"No, fool. I am asking you if you have a partner or not. Well do you?" Answered Albel.

"No, I don't. And I don't think I will." Said Nel.

"Well I'm going to ask you anyway. Would you like to be my partner?" Asked Albel.

Nel was surprised. " You're asking me, an 'Aquarian scum' to be your partner? Well that's something new." She said amused.

runology."

"Hmph. Maybe I should watch you a bit before I myself go and train." Said Albel, for once he was actually quite interested in runology, or at least, interested in Nel using runology.

"Do what you want." Said Nel as she went out to the Iri sa fields to train. "The king told me to get a partner before the ball. So I just thought to ask you for an easy way out." Albel said with a scowl on his face but replaced it with his usual smirk.

"Well I think you're going to regret asking me that because I'm going to have to dance with you. I don't think you're going to want that do you?" said Nel.

"As much as I dislike it, I will dance with you. But just one dance of course. Then I'll be heading back to the inn and sleep." Said Albel.

"I see….then I might as well do the same, except I'm going to my room and not an inn." Said Nel.

"Bah. Like I care about what you're going to do." Said Albel.

"As do I, Nox." Said Nel. "Well, seeing that I have nothing else to do, I'm going to train my

Albel followed her to see her skills and he decided he would train too. "So, let me see your runology, fool."

"Whatever." She said as she saw an enemy approach and he quickly cast a spell. "Firebolt!" She shouted and the enemy disappeared into thin air.

"There's another one coming, amuse me." Albel said.

She glared at him for a few seconds and she cast another spell. "Ice Daggers!" It was a direct hit.

"Not bad, worm. But I'm bored. I'm going to train myself." Albel said.

"Good." Nel muttered.

Albel heard what she said. "Or on a second thought, I'll stay." Albel said and had a smirk on his face when Nel frowned. "Hah. I was just kidding around." And he walked off to train near.

"Stupid jackass." mumbled Nel. She started casting spells again for the next few hours. After a few 'Thunder flares' and 'Earth Glaives', she turned to see Albel. He was doing pretty well.

She suddenly felt a bit dizzy. She sat down to regain her consciousness. She stood up again and headed back to Aquios. She felt the dizziness hit her again and this time she wasn't taking it good.

Albel was fighting with the enemies without effort at all. He saw Nel turn back to see him. He smirked. He did a really good move in front of her to impress her. Wait a minute, why the heck am I trying to impress her, that worm? When he finished dealing with the enemy, he saw Nel sitting down for a while. After that he saw her stand up and walk back to Aquios. That's it? That worm's going to go back after that short fight? Pathetic. He thought. Just when he was going to turn around, he saw her collapse. "Nel!"

Nel collapsed. The last thing she heard was a man shouting her name. She couldn't think anymore as she just fell onto the soft grass.

Albel ran to her side and picked her up. He shook her lightly. "Zelpher! Wake up!" He shouted. He ran back to the castle and went straight to her room.

He laid her on her bed and called anyone he could find. And he found Fayt coming out of his room. "Leingod! Something happened to Zelpher and I don't know what happened! You've got to help me at least!" he ran around not knowing what to do.

"Calm down, Albel! What happened to Nel? Is she sick? She was fine hours ago." Said Fayt.

"How the hell would I know what happened to her, maggot! She just collapsed when she and I were training!" Albel shouted.

"Fine, let me go see her." He went inside her room. He found out what happened to her immediately the moment he looked at her. "Albel, she just used up most of her MP. Don't worry. Give her a blackberry or a mental enhancer, and don't scare people like that." He said laughing. "I'm even surprised you were actually worried about her." He continued laughing some more.

"Shut up maggot! I wasn't worried about her! I just………BAH! Who cares what you think! I didn't even care about her in the first place!" Shouted Albel.

"Right Albel, right." Said Fayt as he walked away.

"Stupid maggot, I wasn't caring for Zelpher." Said Albel and he searched for a blackberry or a mental enhancer. He found a mental enhancer and tilted Nel's head up so she could drink it.

After she drank the whole thing, he laid her back on her bed. She rolled over and had a peaceful smile on her face.

She must have been really tired, she's usually alert, awake or not. He thought. He also thought that the smile on her face looks cute on her. What the heck am I saying? How can I think that the "Nel Zelpher" looks cute? I'm really going crazy now. He was thinking about this for so long that he didn't realize that Nel had woken up.

"Albel? What are you doing in my room?" She asked while putting her hand on her forehead. "Ow, I feel a bit weird. What happened to me?" She asked.

"You used too much of you MP and u fainted. I had to carry you back here and gave you a mental enhancer." Albel replied expressionless.

"I see…..well then I must thank you." Said Nel. "Should I just say 'thank you' or you want me to do something for you?" She asked.

"Hmm…..maybe I will ask you to do something for me. I want to have a friendly fight with you." He said smirking.

"A….friendly fight, you say? Fine, I have nothing better to do anyway." She said. "Where are we going to fight? Better be somewhere where we both can fight equally." She finished.

"We'll fight in the Irisa Fields near the stairs leading the Aquatic Gardens of Surferio."

"All right then. Let's go." Nel said as she walked first to the area followed by Albel.

Albel was thinking how Nel had a nice figure. Then he suddenly realized what he just thought. What the heck was I thinking now? I'm really out of my mind….but then again; she does have a pretty nice figure…..and she looks cute too….WAIT! WHAT DID I JUST THINK! I HAVE TO SERIOUSLY STOP THIS NONSENSE! He shouted in his mind.

"Albel are you ready? Albel? ALBEL!" Nel shouted at Albel irritated.

"What? Oh yeah of course I'm ready, fool." Albel said with a scowl.

Nel huffed. She would have to tolerate this because she has no other choice. "Ok, let's start."

They waited for each other to start the attack. After a few minutes, Nel got fed up and attacked first. Her daggers hit Albel's sword and the sound of swords were heard. Nel moved far away and started casting a spell. "Ice Needles!" she shouted. Unfortunately, the ice needles barely missed Albel. He rushed to attack her and she blocked his attack.

"Good one, Zelpher." He said. "You're actually praising me? Wow that's a first." Nel said.

She ran towards Albel and attacked him, but like Nel, he was able to block her attack.

"This fight seems like it's never going to finish," Nel said.

"Well, then I'll end it for you.." He said.

"Wha—" Nel couldn't finish her sentence when she felt a sharp pain across her back. She made a yelp of pain and fell. She slowly got up when she saw Albel look a bit concerned and he was standing near her.

"Are you okay? I guess I overdone it just now." He said looking concerned.

Is it just me or is Albel acting really different now? It's not like him to be acting like this, Nel thought. "It's okay Albel, the cut's not that bad anyway. "I'm going to go back and treat it. She slowly got up but almost fell if Albel didn't catch her.

"I don't think you're fine…..I'll help you go back to your castle." He said worried.

"Why are you worried about me Albel? It's not like you to be worried about others, especially me." Said Nel.

"It's my problem about who I get worried about." He said a bit annoyed.

"Well it's my problem if that someone you're worried about is me." Said Nel.

"I don't want to talk about this. Let's just drop this.." Said Albel. For once, he was confused. Is he starting to like Nel Zelpher? Is he falling for an Aquarian?

They both walked back to the castle and treated Nel's wounds.

"I'm sorry for giving you that wound." Said Albel, surprised at himself.

Nel was also surprised. "Are you really okay? The last time I checked you weren't the type of person to apologize or be worried about others." Said Nel.

"I know, woman, I know!" said an agitated Albel. "I don't know myself, I'm not sure myself."

"Then care to explain to me why this is happening?" Nel asked, looking innocent.

"I just said I don't know! I'm going to bed." Said Albel.

"Don't you want to eat dinner? It's almost time you know." Said Nel.

"Bah. Fine." Said Albel.

"Could you go call everyone first? I'll go catch up later. I need to go change." Said Nel, turning her back on him.

After she said "Change" he started thinking naughty thoughts. He had a faint blush on his cheeks.

Nel still knew that Albel was still here. "Well, Albel? I can't change with you here, you know, so go call everyone first. I'll come later." Said Nel a bit uneasy. She felt he was acting a bit odd.

"Yeah, yeah I'm not dumb, fool." Said Albel, as he went out of her room. After he went out of her room, he and Nel were thinking. (Nel/Albel : Weird…)

Albel walked through the halls of the castle. He had already woken up Fayt and Sophia, and those two…..those two were……..they were…….kissing! (A/N No offense to people who like Fayt/Maria coupling…) He felt sick. He almost barfed on them. They didn't seem to feel anything 'sick' about it at all. Eugh…..fools.

He reached Cliff's room. He knew that Cliff and Mirage would be in there because they seemed to be always together, and Fayt and Sophia were in the other room. He hoped these fools weren't like those lovebirds in that other room. He got ready and knocked on the door. Sounds of a chair scraping floor/carpet were heard, and someone opened the door…Mirage opened the door. "Well hello Albel. I suppose you have come to call us for dinner?" Said Mirage in her usual self. Always the smart one, you could say.

"Yes, yes. Where's that big fool?" Albel asked.

"Oh. He has fallen asleep. I'll wake him up. You can go on ahead." Said Mirage going towards Cliff's bed.

"Everyone here's a fool…..and some are maggots and worms." Said Albel.

"Well what a coincidence….Albel, or Albel the Wicked," Said a stranger from behind Albel.

Author's Notes :I don't know if this chapter is good as before…..i don't think I'm a good writer I guess. Could anyone please tell me what you think of this chapter? Don't hesitate to say anything which is bad in this chapter. I was actually hoping that this chapter will turn out nice….Please, tell me how good this chapter is! Oh I know rate it! How much is it out of 10?