And so I return, with another chapter. I really appreciate these reviews you're all sending, but I really don't mind if you do send me bad ones. It'll probably improve the story. Anyway, here's what you've all been waiting for, the next chapter.
Lloyd was lying on the grass outside Raine's apartment, where Lucrus had brought them. 'Lucrus?' he was thinking. All these years he would have given anything to see him again, but now that he was there he felt like wanting to never see him again. 'He was alive all this time, knowing I was out there, and never came to find me. Being Raine's informant, he also KNEW where he was hiding. Why? Why?' he was asking himself "why?" for so many things lately. Especially about his feelings for Sheena. He then got angry, 'If he'd come to find me I would never of had to lie to Sheena and she wouldn't be in as much danger as she is now. She'd of been better off not knowing me.'
"Lloyd?" a concerned voice asked behind him, "Are you ok?"
He turned around to see Sheena staring into his eyes, obviously worried. "Of course I am," he lied trying, and failing to sound normal, "why would you..."
Before he could finish, Sheena slapped him. "Don't lie to me Lloyd!" she sounded a bit angry, "I can tell you're close to the one who saved us, yet you haven't even thanked him yet. Besides..." her anger stopped and was replaced by a slightly hurt voice, "...I want you to stop lieing to me."
Lloyd felt an enormous amount of guilt and sadness fall upon him. "You figured it out huh?" she nodded. "I never wanted to lie to you, nor anyone for that matter, but...but when Cruxis killed my family, just to fail to get me, I had to go into hiding. I tried to tell you many times, but I just couldn't do it. I had done something I shouldn't have done; I got to close to someone...you. I thought telling would ruin our friendship, but because of that you're now in danger, which is what I was trying to prevent. I'm so sorry." Tears were forming in his eyes now.
Sheena could now tell he was telling the truth, and she felt like crying herself. Unable to stop herself, she flung her arms around him, "It's ok, it's ok. Thanks for wanting to protect me, but you could've told me about it anytime." She then had a thought, "C-Can you tell me now?" She pulled herself back to look into his eyes, they were now overflowing with tears.
"S-Sure." He replied. "Well you see my real name's Lloyd Aurion. That woman who was after me was the one who led the assault on me and my parents, and was also the one who finished them off, and set fire to our house." He paused for a brief second. Sheena just nodded, not wanting to interrupt him in case he lost what he was saying. "Lucrus, the one who saved us, is like my brother whom we adopted. After getting me out the house, like dad said before he died, he ran back inside the burning building. I was too scared, and ran to hide in the nearby forest.. I-I looked back t-to see the house collapse, but no Lucrus." He was sobbing too much to continue, he'd never relived that time this clearly, even to himself but he didn't want to lie to Sheena anymore, so he said everything. It was overwhelming.
At this, Sheena knew she'd have to give him support to finish. She hugged him again, but tighter and said, "I'm sorry. You didn't have to go in that deeply. I can't imagine how badly you're feeling, having your parents dieing by murder, and not by natural causes like mine."
Slightly to her surprise, he hugged her back, his head in her shoulder, "D-Don't worry," he said with a fair amount of difficulty, "it's not your fault."
They held each other in their arms for quite a while, enjoying each other's embrace. Then they both realised what they were doing and let go instantly, blushing furiously.
Sheena was the first to break the silence, "S-So who are these people who are after you, and why?"
Lloyd's tears seemed to have evaporated due to his flushed face. He didn't tell her this but he now felt strong enough to say the rest of his story easily, and repeat it a couple times too. "Well, all I know is that they're called Cruxis, and they're looking for people with, well 'special powers' I suppose, but they seem to be after me particularly."
Sheena looked confused, "D-Do you have some sort of special power?" she asked.
"Well if I do, it doesn't seem to work very well whatever I can do. I mean I am fairly smart an all but...what?" Sheena suddenly laughed, "What is it?"
"You, smart!" she couldn't stop laughing, "No offence Lloyd but you're not the smartest person around, I mean I'm smarter than you and that's saying something!"
"Well I did have to disguise more than my name you know!" he wasn't angry, but was laughing along, really happy. This was the first time since lunch that day. "You know I must be at least a bit smarter than I am at school to be able to hide from Cruxis for these last few years."
"Well in that case you won't mind if I ask Professor Raine to give you a quiz on general knowledge?"
"No way!"
"Ah ha, chicken to prove yourself wrong eh?"
"Just cus I said I 'm smart doesn't mean I like taking exams!"
They laughed about this for a good few minutes, until Sheena asked, "Well why don't we ask Lucrus about it? I'm sure he'd know." But she was surprised to see him turn angry.
"I'm not sure if I even want to see him at the moment, let alone ask him something." He replied rather coldly.
"Oh come on Lloyd, I'm sure he's anxious to just to see you again."
"If he was that anxious he would have come to talk to me after finding where I'd gone!"
She slapped him again, "Oh come on Lloyd! If you're so smart, why don't you think about it? You lied to me to protect me, I'm sure he has a good reason why he never came for you too."
Lloyd paused, he'd never once thought of this, and now he had, he realised that that must have been the reason for it. They were closer than brothers when they were training together and always thought of the other's feelings before their own, of course that was the reason. "Yeah. Thanks a lot Sheena you're a great friend to me, I can really count on you."
Sheena smiled warmly at him, "No problem Lloyd, like I said you're the only person who's cared about me so earnestly." But inside, her heart sank a bit when he said "friend". She was actually hoping for a bit more, 'I don't know why I'm even hoping for this, from what he's saying, I'm lucky to be able to be his friend' Her heart sank even more, but rose when she thought, 'Though I was able to get him to tell me what happened to him, and he's never told anyone, o he must really like me more than anyone else.'
"Well lets go." He said suddenly, jolting Sheena away from her happy thoughts of him, "I want you to hear too, you probably want to know what's going on too." He paused then added, "And can you do me a favour? If I get angry and try to interrupt him, slap me!"
Sheena laughed, "You got it Lloyd." And they headed for the door.
Meanwhile---
Kuchinawa was smacked against the wall, clearly injured from a powerful blow, "How can a little girl hold so much power?" he coughed up some blood.
"Enemy damage, 85. Danger rating, minimum." Said a voice that sounded robotic. It was from a small girl, wearing a black skirt, with a belt around her waist containing a knife. She had pink hair and had a blank look on her face as she held an enormous axe in her right hand.
"Well young ninja," yelled the voice of the green haired woman that had captured him, "are you willing to help us in our cause yet?"
"N-Never!" he yelled back with extreme difficulty, " I'll never help you harm Miss. Sheena!"
"Oh come on, do you think she'll come to help you? Do you really think she cares for your safety?"
"You heard my answer!"
"Oh well." She then turned to the young girl, "Presea, take our 'guest' back to his cell."
"Understood." The girl replied, in the same blank, robotic voice, "You will come with me now."
"Ha! There seems to be no problem with this version, Lord Yggdrasil will be pleased." Said the women after they had left, "It's only a matter of time now."
Woohoo it's finally done, hope you like it. And please keep reviewing.
Do not worry, I have no intention of stopping before I finish.