HoujunRi: Yeah! Chapter 10! Haa Don't worry this fanfic will end soon. Also sorry for the long wait, but Sophomore year is getting really annoying. Not really, but eh! Enjoy! Also fluffy stuff in here! Or so I think.

Sakura1106: Yey! You reviewed! Hurray! I'm so glad you are liking the story more and more.

RevivedSin: Oh really? I always thought it would be 2,000 years. Ah must be wrong. Haa…

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia only Namco or the Tales studio does. But I do own my OC's.

Chapter 10

Kei lead them to the Chief, who greeted Kratos and Anna with happiness.

"Kratos! Ho! How you've been? It's been quite a while since I last saw you!" said the Chief with his green hamaka and yellow kimono. His gray hair was very short and his eyes were deep dark black. "Oh! May I ask who this beautiful young lady is?" He turned to Anna who blushed and bowed down. Kei and the Chief looked at each other and smiled.

"I'm Anna Irving," she said loudly so that the men can hear.

"Ah! You are not Kratos's wife?" asked the Chief looking at Kratos, who was giving him an emotionless face.

"No," was Kratos reply. He had been quiet since Kei took them to the Chief.

"Oh… I see…" muttered the Chief.

"Oh my!" said Anna trying out her new pink cherry blossom kimono. Her wooden sandals made a clapping noise that Anna found interesting. Also her hair was tied into a high bun, also a neat bun.

"It looks lovely on you, every kimono Anna-san picks is just lovely on her, don't you think so Kratos-sama?" asked a thirty five year old woman. She had a yellow kimono and a green flower on her front bottom right. Her black hair was tied in a neat bun also, her black eyes looked at Anna in admiration.

Kratos nodded quickly. Yes, she surely did look beautiful. Anna blushed at the woman, Samiko's, words. It had been a month since they came to Mizuho. Little by little Anna became more emotional, like getting happy or sad. In a better way to explain it moody.

"Samiko-san…" she muttered still blushing.

Samiko laughed at Anna's embracement. Anna sure acted like a kid sometimes. That's what brought back a bit of happiness to Mizuho. Samiko bowed down and took her exit. Anna looked at Kratos, who was turning a bit of pink.

"Do you like it?" asked Anna walking to Kratos's face. She smiled, while Kratos turned a bit more pink. He looked away and shrugged. He had no idea what to do when Anna came to the kimono shop with Samiko.

"So… you don't like it…" muttered Anna looking down.

"I never said that."

"But you shrugged!"

"Your point being?"

"You don't like it!"

Kratos blushed a bit and whispered, "I do like it…"

Anna's lips turned into a bright smile, without thinking Anna hugged Kratos and kissed him in the cheek, blushing as she did so. Kratos stood there stunned, surely this had to be a very friendly kiss on the cheek.

Both, Kratos and Anna, left the kimono store and went to the little home that Anna was mostly staying. Kratos visited Anna a lot, while he traveled. Now Kratos knew the feelings he was having, he likes them, but yet hates them. He can't take care of her forever, even if he wished. Each time he came to visit her five times a month, he missed her. Her bright smiles lightening up his mood or even her old complains. It was best for her to stay here in Mizuho. She was much more happier in Mizuho than any other place.

Once they got to Anna's house, she began to make some green tea for Kratos and herself. This might as well be a relaxing day for both of them.

"How long are you going to stay?" she said muttering looking at her green tea she had served herself. Kratos, too, looked at his green tea. He would be leaving in three days would she be alright with him staying at her small cozy house.

"Three days," he said it in a simple way. Anna looked at him and smiled. This would be one of the longest vacations that he would be staying at. Those three days gave her the opportunity to tell him something, she needed to ask him. Today seemed the perfect day to tell him that question.

"Kratos, ca-"

"Anna did…Oh! Kratos! You're back!" called Kei coming inside Anna's living room. Anna stopped what she was about to say and stood up.

"Would you wish some tea Kei?" she asked politely. Kei nodded and grinned. Once Anna left, Kei sat down next to Kratos, who's eyes were close.

"You know, she's getting pretty each time Samiko gives her a new kimono," said a blushing Kei. He rubbed his head of embarrassment. One of Kratos's eye went up, looking at Kei.

"Is that so?.."

Kei nodded, "I-I was going to ask for her to come and live with me instead of living in this house…"

Kratos nodded and closed his open eye. Then Anna came in holding another cup of tea, she set it in front of Kei's side.

"Here you go," she said sitting in between Kratos and Kei. Kei said his thanks and blushed. Kratos just looked both way at Anna and Kei. Maybe something was going on between them, but Anna seemed pretty normal.

"Yum! Anna this tea is wonderful!" said Kei smiling at her. Anna raised an eyebrow at him and nodded. "I'm not kidding!"

"It's just green tea Kei-san," she muttered.

Kratos chuckled while Kei blushed and looked down. A few minutes passed and Kei left to talk to the Chief. Now both Anna and Kratos sat there in silence.

"It's getting dark…" whispered Anna looking outside the window. Kratos made a small 'hn' and nodded. Anna sighed and stood up.

"Are you going to sleep here or at the Chief's house?" asked Anna smiling down at him.

"Yours, the Chief is currently busy with Kei I presume."

"Okay, I'll make and extra bed then," said Anna walking down the hall where her bedroom was. She took another futon that hid inside a small closet where she also place her futon. She put them separately and put some sheets and a small pillow. Once that was done she looked around and found a pair of night clothes. She put them on top of the futon smiling to her self.

"Done!" she cried, so that Kratos may come.

Kratos stood up and walked to Anna's room. Great spending the night again with her.

It had been a day already that Kratos had stayed in Anna's house. He was wondering where he will go next to keep Mizuho out of danger. Not only Mizuho, but Anna too.

"So what now? Oh! Want to go and visit Samiko-san so that she can give you a traditional clothing?" asked Anna excited about Kratos wearing a kimono.

Kratos sighed and shook his head, "No thank you."

"Aww! C'mon Kratos! It'll be fun!" squealed Anna jumping up and down in her kitchen. Kratos shook his head again in protest, but quickly Anna grabbed his hand and dragged him outside. Kratos grumbled and sighed, there was no way that he could get out of this.

"Oh don't worry Samiko doesn't bite at all, I mean she can be pushy bu-" She was cut off by the scene that had happened before her eyes. The kimono clothing store was burned, it seemed that it happened a few minutes ago. Kratos looked at the store and then began to look around the area. Who could have done it?

"Samiko!" yelled Anna getting close to the burned store.

"Anna!" cried Kratos grabbing her back, "Samiko couldn't have been there! Understand this, it just happened a few minutes ago, Samiko could have probably been at her home safe and sound!"

Anna shook her head, "No! I won't let her clothes get burned then! I can't let that happen!"

"Listen! The kimono's are already burned. The fire died about a few minutes before we got here…" muttered Kratos to Anna's ear. Anna stood there in shock, wondering why this had happened to her friends store.

What would she do now? Anna looked both ways, tears running in her eyes freely. She wanted to find Samiko, making sure she was not in the store. Kratos let her go freely, he looked around for a body or something that might give him a clue to see if someone in the village did this. There was nothing. He turned around and saw a blue haired man that looked very familiar.

"Yuan…" muttered Kratos. He looked around making sure Anna was away. "What are you doing here?" he snarled. Anna was no where near both of them.

"As you can see Mithos is looking for you…" muttered Yuan standing in front of Kratos.

"What does he want?" whispered Kratos giving a bit of a growl. Yuan smirked.

"He wants his Project back…"

"…"

"You do know that they'll find her right? Who do you think made that shop burn?" asked Yuan looking for Anna, she was nowhere near both of them. "Kratos, I don't think that Mizuho is safe anymore. Just a little bit of warning." Yuan looked back at Kratos and that's when he saw Anna look at him in confusion. He then left, leaving a quiet Kratos.

"Kratos was that just…Yuan?" asked Anna. Her eyes turned dark and dull. She looked at Kratos pleading for answers.

"It's nothing," he then left her there standing alone.

That's when Anna's friend, Samiko came. She stood there shocked at the even that had just happened. Her legs became all wobbly and she was taking short breaths. She was also wondering who had caused this insane thing.

"Kratos is leaving now…"muttered Anna under her breath. She was sitting in the little living room that she lived. Anna looked outside a little window and saw that it was about to rain. These past few days seemed to be gloomy, full of no life. "It's sad how you love someone so much has to leave you alone here…" she said to herself, quietly. Anna stood up and turned around. Everything was clean and neat, what could there be to do?

"Ahh! Anna! Aaaannnnaaa!" yelled Kei running towards the house all wet.

Anna looked outside the window and looked confused at Kei. Kei looked really tiered and out of breath.

"Kratos..is leaving..now!" he gasped those words out. He looked at her, pain in his eyes. Now he knew how she felt for Kratos. They were that close.

Anna left the window and outside the door. She had to tell him this time. There is no way he would leave without seeing her. Kei ran after her.

Kratos took his bag and looked behind the golden city. It was beautiful, even if it was raining, it was still beautiful to him. He sighed, he had to convince Mithos about his scheme. He wouldn't let her get hurt.

"Kratos!" yelled a female voice, "Kratos!"

Kratos turned his head forward and saw Anna running to him.

"Ann-"

"Don't go!" she said, hugging Kratos now. Her hair was wet and loose, it now came to her hips. It was either Kratos who was growing taller or it was either Anna who shrunk. Kratos stood silent, his hand rested on Anna's head. He couldn't get her in danger.

"I have to go…" he muttered.

Her grip was now tighten, she looked at him with her sweet eyes. Anna shook her head like a small child.

"No! I wont let you go! I…"

"Anna listen…I need to do this so you won't be in danger."

Anna stood silent for a moment and looked down. She was no longer hugging Kratos.

"Have you ever loved someone?…" she whispered.

Kratos looked taken aback but got his grip. He shook his head firmly.

"Well…If you knew how I was feeling…this would be a lot easier."

"…"

"I love you!" she yelled at him, looking with determined eyes.

Kratos stood there a bit shocked..

HoujunRi: I think there are 5 or 4 chapters left. I'm not so sure, ehh/sweat-drop/ I might not be able to finish this until Christmas! You wanna know why? Because I damn school! Just kidding I don't know maybe I'll finish this in November. Ah! Oh yeah, damn kimonos cost too much xX; Gerr…