Chapter Eleven: When the sun rises: Chapter Eighteen

Sheena

The morning breeze wrapped around my face like a clean plastic wrap around fresh food, working it's way around my loose hair and closed eyes, I could feel morning, the dew dripping off the grass, the sea breeze only enhancing the sweet smell of the ocean and grass. I sat up, looking around, a burned out fire pit lay dead in the corner, a person dressed in red slept silently asides from the few breathes he took. Standing up, I tightened my corset ever so slightly, and wrapped my white sash around myself.

Looking outside the cave, I noticed the soft blur of the distant bridge, a little closer was the local Church of Mana, beyond that, it was pure wilderness. Thank Mana for all her blessings she bestow upon this world. Closing my eyes I imagined her, and all of her beauty. Then without a second thought, I placed a seal on the ground, and said another quick incantation. A pillar made out of dirt rose out of the ground, it was my height, the dirt still crawling with worms and some blades of grass.

I realized I shouldn't just be so focused on my attacks with seals, so I started to practice martial arts every now and then, and when I had the chance, I would practice with Celsius. Kicking the dirt, I tested how sturdy the pillar was. It barely moved. Good. Jumping with my spare leg, I did a quick 180 degree turn and kicked it with my other leg, and just as soon as I landed on the other leg, I grabbed the pillar with my hands, focusing all my mana to my feet, I pushed the dirt pillar away with my leg that was kicking it and did a complete flip.

"That was nice." I looked over and noticed Lloyd was already standing up, fully dressed. He wandered around the cave, staring at his surroundings and examining them with no intent for actually finding something.

"Oh, good morning Lloyd." I smiled softly, showing a side I rarely showed in the past.

His eyes wandered into mine, each of our eyes drowning in each others. "Sheena, tell me. Why is it that you try so hard to help me?" he asked, looking slightly downcast and kicking the dirt.

I sighed, I knew this question would come up eventually, but I still don't know how to answer it. "There was once a person, by your same name, Lloyd Irving. I told you his story, but now I want to tell you mine." I looked out into the horizon, the sun almost wholly above it. "That person named Lloyd was someone important to me, so important that I would gladly give my life to him in an instant."

Lloyd say down and listened quietly and intently.

"Maybe it was his smile that first got to me, maybe it was his sincerity, but I know his honestly found his way deep into everyone's heart."

Lloyd looked at me harshly, "But who was he to you?"

I felt my heart skip a beat, to me? "To me, he was the most important person in my life. More important then my grandfather, more important then Orochi, more important then," I thought for a second, "then my best friend Corrine."

Lloyd nodded, and drew random pictures on the ground, "What do you think you meant to him?"

I honestly didn't know, did he hate me? Did he love me still? "I don't know. Often at night, I often stay up at night pondering this, how could he love someone so stupid and inconsiderate?" I asked, fully knowing I wouldn't get an answer.

Lloyd stood up, and looked at me, "Do you really feel that scared that you'll lose Lloyd? Your so worried about his love for you, but you don't ever look at the love he might still have for you." he walked towards me and smiled. "C'mon, let's go." He looked out at the distance and began to walk out of the cave, and along the sandy beach.

I don't know, but something struck me at that moment, Lloyd will always be there for me, wether he is 'Lloyd' or not. That's something I never realized before, that Lloyd is the person I love. I shouldn't doubt that. "Wait up! Let's go back together" I yelled, running quickly to catch up to Lloyd.

I remember this one dream I had, it happened every so often around the same time of year, I can still remember it vividly as if it happened yesterday. I'm standing in front of a giant tree, which emanated a grand light, not shining, but more like it was glowing. I felt lightheaded, and then I see myself fall from some kind of unknown pressure, falling to my knees trying not to avert my gaze. Then I feel a sudden warmth surround me, normally I would reject it, but this touch, there was something familiar about it, looking up, I see this boy with brown hair, reaching down and holding my shoulder, I ask him his name, right as he says it, he disappears.

"Do you know which way we're going?" I asked as we walked along the sandy beach, finding myself gazing out and smelling the morning air combined with fresh air of the sea could lull me to sleep if I wasn't careful.

He looked around a bit, scanning the distance, "I'm pretty sure, if we go up north enough, we'll reach the bridge, then we can go southwest from there back to Tethe'alla." Lloyd said, pointing a bit in the distance. I find it strange, that any other person, I'd say 'okay, whatever' and go my own path. But this is still Lloyd and I trust him.

Celsius

I woke up rather late, well, later then normally, considering it was only 7 in the morning, I took a good gaze at my surroundings, nothing normal, no sun in my eyes, no shade to pull down, just a slightly dimmed room. "Man, that was a good sleep." I commented, jumping off the bed that I slept in, and doing a few jumps on one leg about thirty times before repeating it with my other leg. "Oh shit, I forgot about Colette and Chocolat." Oh well. I quickly put on my shirt and skirt and walked downstairs, putting on my sandals as we scanned the house.

"Oh, good morning Celsius." an elderly women looked up at me from the bottom of the stairs, to me she just looked like every other older women, nothing really special about her.

I smiled softly, "Yea, you too." I made my way down the foot of the stairs and looked around, scratching my head, feeling as if I forgot something, "I gotta leave, Gwen, tell Arthur I said thanks for the food and bedding." I smiled, grabbing my brooch from the table.

Gwen smiled, and then nodded, "I understand." She looked as if in thought, then smiles again, looking at Celsius again, "Oh yes, I almost forgot."

Celsius put her hands on her hips, "Yea? What's up?" she asked inquisitively, playing around with her brooch.

"If you happen to see a youth named Efreet, please tell us somehow." She said, which struck a odd tone in my mind. Efreet, isn't that the guardian of fire? Oh whatever, I hate the guy, so not like I give a damn about him.

I sighed, "Sure, I'll see what I can do." I lied.

"Thanks a ton Celsius." Gwen began to go back to work, "my husband is sleeping, but I'll tell him what you said."

After saying a few more words and goodbyes, I left promptly, another normal morning, people just started to set up shops and such, absolutely nothing new, but, it is to be expected. I walked towards the local Inn, a large stone building that stood in the direct middle of the science district, the shopping district, and the residential area. Which was a perfect starting place for anyone who wanted to do anything in Meltokio.

Inside the building was nothing too out of it either, stone walls giving way to wooden floor beams, with a wooden ceiling, with sleight creaking from people walking above. I walked up to the clerk at the front desk, "Hey, I'm looking for a Colette and Chocolat? I'm pretty sure they stayed here tonight." I said, looking around for them.

The male clerk looked at the ledger, "Okay, Colette and Chocolat. They're here, In room 214." He pointed up the nearby staircase, "upstairs ma'am."

I nodded, "Thanks." I left the clerk and began to walk upstairs, scanning each room, not necessarily for the number, but for the most noisy. It's strange how being with people can change someone, you begin to look for different things, not just the normal, but those little things that friends notice. I finally came up to the room, but it was rather quiet. I knocked, "Hello? Colette? Chocolat?" I asked the door, as if it was the two themselves.

The door opened slowly to reveal a sleepy Colette, her eyes obviously like that as if she just woke, "Uh? Celsius. Oh, okay." She closed the door again, completely forgetting about me.

"Colette!" No answer, I sighed. I didn't want to do this. But, hell. This would be fun. I closed my eyes and pictured Colette in my mind, beginning to chat a slow spell, something I learned from an old friend. I called it, wake up water. Suddenly, a very loud scream emanated from inside the room. Quickly I opened the door, Colette stood there, soaked with cold water. I couldn't help but laugh.

Author's note: I know this chapter is rather short, but let me explain, I'm really out of it, so I'm replaying ToS so I can get in the hang of things, meanwhile, I'm going to write a short fluffy one-shot in the meanwhile. Don't worry, I'll get this thing updated.