Disclaimer: I don't own any of the SOTET things, they belong to square blah blah blah.

A/N: I updated a bit faster then normal because I could and there were ideas in my head. There's heavy MariaxFayt Smut but nothing too big. There's some NelxAlbel and NelxCliff, not too much of that though. That's about it so it's a little more interesting then the last chapter

PART 8

Maria took Fayt's hand, "Come Fayt!"

She smiled at him, her long blue hair flying out as they exited the old base in Arias. There was a devious smile on her face but she kept her eyes away from him for once as she pulled him roughly along.

"Maria…wait!"

Fayt had already started stumbling along when his arm felt like it was being pulled off. He had almost called out, 'Sophia.' But he had held his tongue, knowing that it wasn't here and that it was Maria who suddenly did something that Sophia normally did around him, growing up.

She glanced at him for a moment, making sure he saw her eyes. On her face she had hidden part of the mischievousness that had played on her lips. Her feet had carried her away and through the paths.

Immediately all thoughts dissipated, leaving only his desire for her. He felt as everything was rushing past him and he could only follow the direction that Maria was pulling him. There was nothing but he and Maria in his mind.

"Maria, are you even going to tell me where you're taking me?" He said dejectedly, not being able to contain his curiosity.

Maria shook her head, calling back, "No, you'll just have to wait until we get there, but don't worry, we'll be there soon."

Mirage spun quickly, raising her fists; the gauntlets slipped upon her hands as quickly as she turned to see who was there. Her eyes darted around the area, feeling the presence of another. Her senses pulsed rapidly as she searched for what could have been causing her such edge.

"Who's there? Show yourself now." She said, her voice in a deathly calm.

"Mirage, it's just me." A small pink clothed figure said, skipping out of the bushes.

Peppita shook the branches off her that clung to her clothes with the small thorns that grew from its base. She leaned down, intent on dragging her entire body out if she had to and she tumbled forward as her body jerked into a roll, landing her on her bottom.

She stood up swiftly, rubbing her backside and brushing herself off. She softly groaned and muttered under her breath, "Oh darn it!"

Mirage just shook her head, releasing the tight feeling in her fists. She voiced a small laugh, peeling the gauntlets off her hands and placing them on the side next to the tools that sat upon the ship's haul.

She finished laughing, adding quickly, "Peppita, you really should be more careful."

Peppita giggled softly, "I know stuff that you don't know." She covered her mouth with her hands like she had a secret.

The bangles upon her wrists and ankles jingled as she started to spin and dance around Mirage. She almost taunted her, "I gotta secret! I know stuff that you don't!"

Mirage placed her hands on her hips, "Tell me Peppita why are you here because I don't think it's just for this 'secret.' And I do not think this is a secret that you were willing or are going to tell me."

"What's it worth to you?"

"It doesn't really matter to me…I just thought you wanted to tell me that's all."

Mirage turned around, inwardly smiling. She couldn't be happier to this moment, Peppita's secret or not. She had discovered Cliff had feelings for her and that was enough. She hadn't thought about it much before but now that she had thought about it, she realized how much she constantly thought and worried about him.

Peppita huffed, "Well…I won' tell you then! I only came here so that you wouldn't be all alone. See Cliff's got Nel, and Fayt and Maria are together, I just passed Albel and Sophia, and even Clair's got a new beau."

"Wait…wasn't it earlier that Albel had hurt Cliff? Sophia went off to fight him by herself if I'm not correct. Everything's all right, right?" Mirage said worriedly, slightly concern but mostly trying to find the facts, just making sure it was that Cliff wasn't hallucinating when he told her what he remembered.

"Yeah, Albel looked all right. Sophia healed him up good. Have you seen any of the others? They wouldn't let me talk to any of them so I don't know what's going on anymore."

She nodded, "Cliff's getting better at the Arias base, as is Nel, recovering from the previous battle. Maria and Fayt are just together, not sure about them, but those two are getting rather close. I didn't think Sophia was taking it well."

Peppita fell backwards, "All this stuff is happening and I don't know what to do. The only thing that seems to stay the same always is you, me, and Albel."

They both sighed, relaxing either on the ground in Peppita's case or against the hull in Mirage's.

"This is just getting more confusing all the time. I don't think I can keep track of it any more," Peppita said exasperatedly.

Nel's dream

-- Albel's Half --
Nel stood at the brink and limits of everything. Her own daggers were held at her throat, ready to kill her by slicing her neck open. Her pride had covered her mouth, unable to scream or call for help, though when she glanced around, she saw no one to call to.

Hands held the daggers, though only shadows could be seen lurking across the ground. Her own appendages were tied with a rope, as she hung suspended in the air like a pendulum.

There she watched her life play through her eyes as if it were a bad movie. She sank into certain thoughts…

"Glou go outside with your father! You are to train if you want to become great like him." She said, pushing her son onward, softly. A smile came to her face when the boy turned around to look at her. The eyes were a soft green with a pale violet ring, his hair tousled black with magenta tips fading into blond.

"Do I get a real sword yet? I want to be just like father. Captain of the Black and Dragon Brigade for Airyglyph!" He boasted, pleading with his mother.

Nel said, "Not yet, your sixth birthday will be in a few days and I promise you, you will get a chance with a brand new blade. Now just go out with your father and train for now. You'll need to be able to handle the blade when you get it."

The boy ran out the backdoor to Albel standing there against the wall. He growled, "Maggot, you took too long."

Glou beamed up at his father, "Father, it won't happen again!"

And in his hand was tossed a semi-heavy wooden sword. The boy started to attack the dummy with it, not quite fast, still dragging the piece of wood along the ground but being able to lift it and fling it at the fake person.

Nel followed them outside into the courtyard, leaning against the wall. Albel came to stand next to her and she leaned against him.

"He's growing up nicely. He wants to be just like you, maybe better."

"Little maggot is weak, but under my tutelage, he will be come great, I will see to that."

As the boy swung the fake sword he yelled to the skies, forcing himself to do better, "It's not the great who are strong, it's the strong who are great!"

She rested her hand over Albel's chest and murmured, "Just like his father."

…-- Cliff's half --

"Pow, pow! BANG BANG!" A yelling rang through the air and bustling little figures ran through the living room.

"YOU'RE DEAD! I GOT YOU!"

"NU UH!"

"YEAH HUH!"

"HAHAHA I GOT YOU BOTH!"

Two little blonde twin boys ran, pretending to fight. A little girl with paler pink hair screamed, "I WIN!"

"Now now… Faer and Vaene stop it. Your little sister, Clair won fair and square," Nel said.

In unison the boys rang, "We can't let a puny little girl win!"

"Oh you're gonna get it for saying that!" She said and the markings of Runology glowed upon her arms and legs. She pressed her hand to the ground, "Firebolt!"

Two small flames rose from the ground, the heat small but intense and heading toward the two boys.

A taller blonde, older stepped in between them, absorbing the shock of the minor symbol attack.

"What did I say about using your mental powers inside the house?"

The little girl with bright blue eyes groaned, "No using it inside the house."

The two little boys stuck their tongues out at he, "Haha you lose! Dad told you."

"And what did I say about being mean to your sister?"

"We have to play nice," There tones mocking him, identical to the last speck of their emerald eyes.

Nel spoke over them, "Go outside, you can play with the neighbors."

Cliff sat next to Nel, relaxing on the couch with her. He put his arm around her waist as she leaned down to put her head on his lap. She smiled looking up at him, taking her hand and rubbing his cheek softly with her thumb.

He did the same if not only his large but gentle hands rubbed her abdomen, rising to caress the tilt of breasts for a moment. He smiled playfully at her. She took his hand and brought them to her lips, gently kissing the tips.

Maria stopped in front of a lone cabin, trees surrounding the small clearing. "We're just outside of both Airyglyph and Aquaria. I had a thought that we might spend sometime here since we still have two more days until Clair's wedding that we are supposed to attend."

Fayt shrugged, unsure, "Whatever you think is best Maria."

She walked up the steps, opening the door and entering the boundaries of the small house with Fayt at her heels.

The room was furnished plainly with a small kitchen that included a place to start a fire and cabinets with various utensils. A single couch sat in the middle parallel to a fireplace. Two doors stood leading to a bedroom and crude bathroom.

Maria took a seat, patting a place next to her and looking at Fayt, signaling him to come and sit with her.

He nodded, sitting next to her, "This place is very low tech, but if this is where you wish to stay for the next few days until the wedding, I will follow you of course."

"You don't like it?" She asked. Her finger worked in a spiraling motion upon his shoulder as she stared up into his eyes.

Fayt was a bit uneasy; "I like it if you do."

He shrugged, his fingers running through her hair as he brought Maria's chin to his face, his lips pressing harshly into hers. A pressure in his mind multiplied his desire by much, continuing to work his lips roughly into hers.

She obliged him immediately, mumbling, "This is what I've been waiting for…a chance for us to be alone."

She bit his bottom lip as she positioned herself on his lap, directly across from him. One hand snaked its way behind his neck, the other slid down his vest, bring the zipper down with her hand. A smirk was curled in her lips, the thoughts already rising in her mind.

His heart pounded as he started to remove the material that bound her chest. He had started to kiss her neck, his hands busy for the moment, concentrating on taking Maria's shirt.

Her shirt had fallen prey to his hands as did the rest of her clothing, leaving her scantily clad in a bra and thin lining that was supposedly a thong.

She clawed down his front and back, causing him to groan out right. She fiercely kept her fingers in his choppy blue hair, occasionally lightening her grip and sliding down his spine.

"This is what I want, give it to me!" She cried out hastily, her voice showing her anxiousness to be taken by Fayt's possession.

Fayt peeled the rest of his clothes off, leaving himself in his boxers, tipping Maria's chin. His hand had wandered to take off her lower undergarment.

His finger entered her, feeling the warmth and moist liquid that slowly oozed from her. He caressed the inside of her thigh, rubbing it in slow circular motions, his patterns growing closer to the edge of her clit.

She screamed not in agony but in torment that he was holding her by a thread. She hung suspended with the soft touch of his hand that barely graced the edge of her skin. She yelled out at him, "Fayt! Don't do this to me! I want you now!"

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