Lady Katra is pissed beyhond belief. No updates to fanfiction till a whole freaking week, my koura on neo was oddly changed from fire to yellow, might I add the fire paintbrush was a gift from my friend, and now I'm in a sour mood. Not good to be sour while writing, is it? I might do something rash, might not. All depends on my attitude right now. And seeing what it is at this current moment, I'm flipping mad beyhond belief.

Nall: It's your own fault. And plus, don't you think that two things to make you mad, neo and fanfiction, they're telling you that hm, maybe you should finish Lunar 2 Eternal Blue!

Me: I dunno.. I already got to your sexy self, so theres no reason.

Nall: You haven't seen the tomato scene, or any other scenes involving me..

Me: Who's to say I WANT to.

Nall: You've been saying you wanted to for a year now.

Me: Well, I changed my mind!

Nall: Jeesh, mood swing USA. And it's not even the monthly boat rounds.

Me: Shut it, or die.

Nall: Your threatning me?

Me: Yea, I am. Get used to it!

Nall: Just get on with the story.

Me: Warnings;-

Nall: Everyone knows the warnings already!

Me: Ok, fine then. I shall start..

Eternal Souls
Chapter Sixteen:Words and Reasons

"Are you feeling any better Yuan?"

Raising my head from a well-deserved slumber, I noticed Kratos was sitting next to my sleeping body. Trying to keep my eyes open, I felt a surge of pain as his words echoed in my head. Gritting my teeth, pretending nothing was wrong, I looked back over at Kratos, and tried to smile, but it looked more like a plee for help.

"Does it look like it.." I managed, but then couldn't speak without the pulsing pain traveling from my head and down to my feet. Every word I had just spoken contiuned to echo throughout my head, and the pain kept growing stronger every second. Squinting my eyes agonizoly, I watched as Kratos' smile flickered to a unsettled look.

"No, it doesn't. I was just asking Yuan, and I wasn't looking for a sarcastic response. I know you're in pain, but I'm trying to help," Kratos retorted. Why did he have to use such long sentences! Every word he spoke felt like a needle through my head, and my vision became hazier everytime something made a sound.

Looking over at the seraphim, pleeing with my eyes for help, I tried not to speak. His expression remained firm, and he just sat there. What did he expect me to do? Get on my hands and knees and make him heal me? Clenching my fists so strongly that they began to bleed, trying to deal with the current pain, I contiuned to watch Kratos, praying he'd do something.

"Do you want my help?" Kratos suddenely asked. From the word 'do' to the word 'help' , I felt like a sword was slicing my me in half , slowly so the agony could contiune to build. Trying to look Kratos straight in the eyes, I attempted to ask him with my eyes, for speaking was out of the question.

The pain was immense, and if he didn't do something, fast, I could possibly fall over and faint right there. Faint for who knows how long. I watched as he smirked, then extended a hand and touched the middle of my forehead. Almost as if commanded, the pain dulled and I felt well enough to talk. But like before, my body was numb and useless from the earlier pain.

"Thank you..." I glanced down as I spoke those words. Fixing myself so I sat next to Kratos, I looked at my bleeding hands. Not from whatever was wrong with me, but I myself had caused the bleeding.

"Now tell me, do you know what's wrong with you?" Kratos asked curiously, as he took my hand in his and examined it. For some reason watching him look at my current status made me feel uncomfortable, or possibly ashmaed, and I turned my head away sharply. "Why are you bleeding?"

"Use your head would you? The pain was powerful I clenched my fists trying to deal with it," I mutterted, not looking him straight in the face. Almost in command, Kratos let go of my hand immedaitely. I didn't see his expression but I heard a displeased sound.

"Then the pain is worse then yesterday?" Kratos asked as I felt his hand grab my shoulder. Glancing over, I looked at his expression. It wasn't amused, or displeased, but concerned. I guess all his naive comments earlier were catching up on him.

"Correct," I responded, trying to look away from his eyes, but he kept a stern look at me, which seemed unbreakable. At first I thought he was going to give me a lecture about not flying when I wasn't feeling well enough, but he gently pulled me closer next to him.

"I'm sorry you're feeling so horrid, but please try to educate me on why you're like this," Kratos asked me as I was literally pulled to the side of him. Pausing for a moment to try to explain that I didn't know what was wrong with me, I came up empty. I couldn't just say I hadn't the faintest clue on what was wrong. At the very least he'd think I was stupid, or uncapable or taking care of myself.

"I'm," I began but I stopped talking when I noticed the bleeding and pain in my hand had vanished. Eyeing my hand suspiously, I looked back up at Kratos who gave the dimmest smile towards me. "Thanks.."

"So, you don't know what caused you to loose control and fall of the Rheaird," Kratos asked, almost in a silent murmur. Slightly nodding my head, I rested my head on his stiff shoulder. His firm body seemed to relax as he felt me lean on him for support. "I'll try my best to find out what happened to you," He whispered.

"It shouldn't be your burden. I'll do it," I decarled firmly. At first I felt full of determination, but Kratos hused me internally by shaking me off his shoulder, and taking my hand in his. Looking to see what caused him to do this, I observed a caring look fill his face.

"Not with the way you've been acting. You'll need me to aid you, both mentally and physically," He advised, looking down at my hand with full focus.

Tilting my head, I sighed. It was true, I couldn't just go alone and leave Kratos to go back to the house. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to relieve this unearthly pain I kept expreiencing. For once I needed Kratos.

"I guess I wasn't thinking," I spoke, in a grunt. Honestly, I didn't want to come out and tell him I was wrong and he was right. So I spoke lowly, hoping he wouldn't hear or understand me. But he did, and he released my hand and watched me.

"Yuan, I want to know what's wrong with you just as strongly as you do. I couldn't let you go out to find that answer in your current condition, now could I? No, so I'll be alongside you whether you like it or not," Kratos declared, with a gleaming smile.

"But how do we know something caused this," I questioned uneasily. I didn't want him to exert enegry, time, or effort for something that was pointless. Maybe it was just me, or maybe I wasn't feeling well. But then again, we were angels and these type of things don't happenwithout a cause.

"Yuan, I know you yourself couldn't have done that. Some force did that to you," Kratos spoke taking my hand in his again. Sighing, I looked back over at Kratos' determined glance.

"But how do you-" I began but Kratos gave me a steady glance and murmured something under his breath.

"How? Because I know you too well," He declared with a soft smile and managed a softt chuckle. Tilting my head, I had to agree with him. He knew everything about me, and for some reason I didn't seemed worried about that at all.

"Right," I replied in a whisper.

"Now, believe me when I tell you it'll be ok. We'll find a way to destroy the pain you're feeling. Together," Kratos smiled and rubbed his left hand over mine.

I didn't know what to say to him. I knew he'd never leave my side, but now he was proving it. I always had to prove my loyality to him, when something happened to him, but now he had to protect me. The tables were turned, and he was right there for me.

"I believe you," I spoke under my breath. Just saying I believed him was something akward to say. But would we ever really be ok? So many things stood in our way of being together forever, and sooner or later we'd get tired of facing them. I wasn't ready to face all those evils, I just wanted to spend time with Kratos. More time then what we were lately.

"I'd give my life to protect you. I'm not sure if you understand that," Kratos asked all of sudden. Tilting my head in confusion, I wanted to tell him I felt the same but just hearing Kratos pledge loyality to me was so, fufilling. Was it enough to live? Was it enough to live? He saved my life from certain exile, and it was a love that ran soul deep. For eternity.

"Kratos, you know I understand that. If I didn't, do you think I'd be sitting hear with you if I didn't trust you?" I asked, questioning him. Kratos seemed stunned at my question, but then smiled.

"That's true. It's just sometimes I think what would happen to me if you ever left, and that is a horror to me, and sometimes I feel you don't know how much I care about you. You've been there for me everytime something happened to me, and nows my chance," He began. My heart seemed in complete shock. Of course I knew how much he cared about me, if he didn't then why would he have given me the ring that rested beside Martel's.

"Kratos, you don't have to worry about that. I swear, sometimes you worry to much and it's not good for your health," I yawned, hoping the pain would never come back.

"But you're worth it," Kratos replied quickly. Me? Worth loosing sleep over? That was an overstatment, I wasn't worth anything. "I just want to be with you every day and night, with no regrets."

"I'm not worth losing your sanity over," I murmured angirliy. Kratos was worth more then me, and to hear him say he'd risk his life for me disturbed me. I'd give anything just to live forever with Kratos with no perils, but that'd never happen.

"I'm not losing my sanity. In fact, you've kept me going," Kratos replied and let go of my hand and chuckled to himself. What did he find so many? Yet just seeing him laugh made myself crack up. Of course I covered it up with a sigh.

"You don't have to hide your emotions, i'm not going to judge you," He contiuned to laugh and rested his hands on his sheathed sword. It wasn't that I was worried about him judging me, I was worried about me judging myself. I always thought about everything I said, and sometimes I overthought everything.

"Anyways, how are we going to find out what's wrong with me Kratos? I'm sure whoever did it didn't leave a clearly marked trail," I answered, in alittle peeved voice. Looking back at Kratos who was staring up at the clouds, I felt like I just wanted to disappear.

"We'll find them, I promise you. No fears," He answered casually and crossed his arms, eyes still fixed on the sky.

"No fears? I have to be worried. This pain, I have no idea why it hurts so much, and what is being caused by. I'm not sure how longer I can handle waking up to such agony," I murmured, almost in a whisper to myself. It wasn't the right thing to say, after everything Kratos told me. I sat silently, and hoped he didn't hear me.

"Then I'll be by your side every morning to aid you before the pain and bother you," Kratos answered, almost in amusement. He took his eyes off the sky, and then fixed his ruby glance upon me.

"But that's just a nuisance to you," I replied bitterly, I didn't want Kratos to go through so much annoyance just because of me.

"You make sarifices for the ones you love," Kratos assured me. I didn't really believe what he was saying.

"Then I would assume you want to know how I was feeling before I fell?" I asked, trying to stop this conversation about sacrifices of Kratos. It was a futile effort, but I had to try.

"Precisely," Kratos responded interested.

"Like I said, I felt uneasy and weak. I just shrugged it off, but it all whelmed up like a blast of energy and I was knocked out," I spoke, trying to relive the pain of a few days ago. It hurt like hell, and even though it was days past the event, the pain was still as strong as ever. So now I needed Kratos more then ever.

"That's strange," Kratos spoke to himself.

"Any ideas?"

"None what so ever, I'm sorry."

"At this rate we'll never find out what's wrong with me," I complainied. What was wrong with me.

"Don't be negative," Kratos laughed arising to his feet. Stunned, I stood up also and watched his gaze flicker from me then to the woods.

"I didn't see any other Rheairds near the resort. So our best bet would to search north of here to find the assasin," Kratos advised. Sighing I nodded and watched as Kratos walked straight ahead. So we were leaving our stuff here? And going off on foot? What was on his mind.

"So we're walking on foot?" I asked nervously. Would this pain suddenely come back? Then again, I would rather be on the ground then in the air.

"Exactly," Kratos replied, almost in a determined voice.

"How do we know they went North?" I asked, catching up to Kratos and strode alongside him. Tilting my head, I ran my hand over the ring on my hand for a few moments before looking back up at Kratos looking for an answer.

"Just an assumption," Kratos answered, and paused for a moment. He didn't look at me when he answered, just straight ahead at the dirt path that lie in the forest in front of us. For some reason my stomach started to lurch, I didn't like this idea at all.

"I have a bad feeling about this Kratos," I whispered. He didn't seem to hear me, seeing no reaction came from him. I myself paused for a few minutes, but thought better of it as we entered the forest.

"Why? We're both talented with weaponary, so we'll be fine," Kratos spoke in a strong voice. Just hearing him say that made me feel less sure of myself then ever. Was I really as good at him with a weapon. But then again... why was I even thinking that. I didn't need to worry about that. He was on my side, by my side, forever.

"Correction, you're the talented one," I spoke, with a silent snicker. Talented? Yes. Good with weapons? More then talented.

"As are you," Came the reply from Kratos. He still didn't look at me, and whatever glee that had just overcame me melted away. Was he mad at me? Or just set on our mission of finding out what was wrong with me. Hopefully the second option.

"I don't like this forest," I suddenely made known. The darkness loomed around us even though it was as bright as it could get outside of the forest. Guess the shading of the trees really made the difference. But the akwardness of this was what really was getting to bug me.

"Hmmm, why?" He asked, casually. I didn't really like that answer, but it was better then nothing.

"There's just, something about it," I noticed, looking around. My body was trembling as my eyes traveled over every object.

"I think you're just tired," Kratos reassured me. Words weren't as good as a look. But still. Yawning, I thought he was right. But in the back of my mind I knew he wasn't right.

"Kratos," I asked in the smallest voice. Still no tilting head, but Kratos' ears seemed to perk up.

"Yes?" He asnwered, not looking at me. Honestly, that was rude. True, we were walking in a forest, but at least the exchange of looks was needed.

"Promise me something," I dared. Something told me to ask that question. I didn't know what at that moment.

"Promise you what?" Kratos asked, finally looking over at me. He didn't seem concerned, but more stunned that I was demanding a promise at this moment.

"That when I'm around you, I'll always be safe," I murmured under my breath. No response came from the seraphim, which I found odd. Just complete silence, and my alerts had suddenely flipped up to high. Why wasn't he promising me I'd be safe. Did he know something. What was going on.

"Kratos. I know something is wrong," I snarled, trying to get out what was going on. And to top off my suspicousens, the pain was slowly starting to come back over me. Slow, but steady. Clenching my teeth, my voice changed from anger to plee. "It's.. coming back,"

"What's coming back?" Kratos asked, as clueless as ever. The pain was growing increasingly stronger, and I was starting to become numb. Stopping, I watched Kratos stop and turn around.

"The-pain..do something," I pleeded, crouching down and clenching my fists trying to dull the pain.

"Are you sure it's coming back already?" Kratos asked, un concerned.

"Kratos! H-elp," I demanded, as I began to tremble, slowly becoming faint.

"Yuan?" He asked slowly and beant down the side of me. For the first time, he was truly nervous, and I saw a tear flow down his face. Ignoring the pain, to the best of my efforts, I watched him.

"W-hy are you -crying," I managed and watched as he whipped the tear off his face. He was shaking like me and took his hand in mine and healed me slowly, enough so I could deal with the pain. That look in his eyes...

"Yuan," He spoke, wrapping his arms around me.

"What?" I asked startled. I felt his tears roll off his face and fall down upon me. What the hell was going on! Was I morphing into something! Kratos never cried, what was going on.

"I didn't want to tell you. But you deserve to know; she is your wife after all..." His voice quieted as he let go of me, stood up, and left back the way we came. My..wife? Surely he was confused, I watched him as he walked off.

"Kratos, where are you-" I began, shaking. He didn't turn back, and slowly disappeared from sight. My stomach lurched and I felt tears swell in my eyes. "Why are you.."

"Yuan? Is that really you?" A voice came from behind me. That voice, it couldn't be. Martel!

Author's Note:

Another Cliffhanger for all of you to chew on! Oh really! Is Martel back! and why did Kratos know before Yuan. Basically, Kratos lead Yuan into the forest to bring him to Martel. Poor Kratos, he feels rejected and lonely. Poor guy. Who will Yuan choose? Martel or Kratos? What a worthy choice for such a hottie!

Nall: For once you have a nice plot twist going. I myself have no clue what you are going to do next. Knowing you you'll make Yuan end up with Kratos. Which is wierd, anyway.

Me: But Yuan's fiance, well, OTHER fiance it back. I don't know what he'll do myself. I have to console my spiritual guides for the answer.

Nall: Spiritual what?

Me: The gods!

Nall: Gods of what?

me: Tukery!

Nall: Whatever. Please review, and make Katra shut up. I'm as interested as you to see what she's going to do. And that's a change.