Here's another chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Please read on!

Don't own anything except the concept of the story.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: IN THE SKIES

In the morning, everyone assembled in the field outside the northern exit of Iselia. The best way to get to the renegade base was by Rheaird. No one (expect the people from Symphonia) never saw anything like it.

"Amazing," cried Ayrll.

"It looks like a metal bird," said Professor Genis.

"Some form of transportation?" asked Wilder.

"This is a Rheaird," said Lloyd. "We use it to get around the world."

"Our estimated time of arrival at the renegade base is approximately half and hour," replied Genis.

"Everyone, pick a Rheaird," Colette exclaimed.

Those with wings (Colette, Zelos, and Aurion) decided to fly the skies. Those without wings were paired up and shared a Rheaird: Lloyd and Little Raine, Regal and Presea, Genis and Aryll, Xavier and Sheena and Professor Genis and Professor Raine. Sheena rode the one-seat Rheaird.

"Aren't you forgetting about me?" asked Wilder. "I am not assigned a Rheaird."

"Why can't you just fly?" Lloyd asked.

"I don't have wings."

"Aren't you an angel?" asked Colette.

"An angel? What is that?"

"A spiritual being from the heavens," replied Professor Raine.

"How does one become one?"

"You're already an angel," replied Genis.

"Prove this to me."

"Alright, then," Zelos took some ground. "Just watch me." Orange feathers floated from the ground and in a flash, the orange feathers appeared on Zelos' back. "Alright, you try."

"I don't know how."

"Concentrate," said Professor Genis. "If what Lord Irving said was true, then the Mana links established my provide you to do so."

"Hmm…alright…" The governor focused all his energy into wings. Sure enough, he too had oranges wings on his back.

"This is…most amusing…"

"You have wings!" cried Aryll.

"Can you fly?" asked Little Raine.

The governor smirked. "All I have to do is flap and…" He started to rise into the air and flew circles.

"Looks like he's having fun," said Sheena.

"It's not everyday you have wings," replied Xavier.

"Now that Zelos got his wings, can we go now?" asked Lloyd.

Everyone cheered, got into their assigned Rheairds and took off. While in the air, the team was starting to get to know itself more and more. These are the conversations that were had on both the Rheairds and those who had wings:


Colette, Zelos, Wilder, and Aurion:

"How are your new wings, governor?" asked Colette.

"They are a little stiff but I will get use to them," replied Wilder.

"I remember my first flight," said Aurion. "I was having fun until I smacked into a wall…"

"Well, I flew gracefully the first time I took off," replied Zelos. "Yep, strong, graceful and dead sexy…"

"You forgot thick-headed!" exclaimed Genis from afar.

"Shut up, brat! I'm not you mama, I'll hurt you!"

"Why must you demean us both?" asked Wilder?

"Demean? How so?"

"Why must you always act like the way you do? Can't you be a gentleman?"

"Yeah, of course I can! I always have my way with the ladies!"

"That not what I meant! I mean, why can't you act more respectful towards both your comrades at arms and the opposite sex?"

"…I think Zelos should act like himself," said Colette.

"Why thank you my little angel," replied Zelos. "See, some people like the way I am. People like Lloyd and the others."

"Lloyd?" asked Aurion. "Are you serious? The Lloyd I knew would never act the way you do Zelos; to both others and his apprentice…"

"Lloyd had an apprentice?" asked Wilder. "Who was it?"

"Her name was…"

"Aurion," Professor Genis called over, "Could you come over here for a sec?"

"Uh, right."

Aurion flew close to Professor Genis' rheaird. The professor whispered. "Do not tell her about what happened to Colette and Lloyd."

"Huh? Why not?"

"One, it could create tension for the group which we don't want right now," said Xavier. "Two, it could create doubts about the relationship that the Lloyd and Colette of this world have right about now. So not a word, understand?"

"Yeah, yeah," said Aurion, moving back to his position.

"What was that about?" asked Zelos.

"Nothing," replied Aurion.

"So, who's Lloyd's apprentice?"

"I forgot."

"I'll find out sooner or later. Are you trying to stall us, or are you just senile?"

"A little from column A, a little from column B."

Zelos decided to give up the whole discussion. Colette however, using her angel senses of sharp hearing (did anyone notice that she could ease drop on a discussion without anyone noticing) heard what Professor Genis said to Aurion.

"What happened to me and Lloyd in their world?" she wondered.


Lloyd and Little Raine

"Are you alright, professor?" Lloyd asked.

"I think you're referring to my brother," Little Raine replied.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I've just gotten use to calling you the professor, that's all."

"How big an egghead am I?"

"You're pretty scary when it comes to ruins. Also, you are afraid of water."

"I am not afraid of water!" yelled Professor Raine.

"Yeah, yeah…" Lloyd waved her off.

"My brother is afraid of water too," replied little Raine.

"Wow…so what the professor said was true. You guys are really are our opposites."

"Yeah, everyone is connected."

"Speaking of everyone…do you see that girl with blond hair and blue eyes flying over there?"

It was obviously a reference to Colette. Little Raine glanced over and saw her and said, "Yeah."

"Does she exist in your world as well?"

Little Raine looked at her gauntlet. It glimmered and Brunel spoke through it. Only little Raine could hear her.

"Raine…"

"Yes," asked little Raine.

"When I am at full power…it's his head on a platter…"

She didn't have to ask who. She already knew who Brunel was referring to.

"Uh, Raine?" asked Lloyd. "You didn't answer my question."

"She does exist," replied little Raine. "But I don't think you want to meet her."

Lloyd gripped the handlebars of the rheaird hard. He didn't want to know how the relationship between him and Colette was in little Raine's world.


Regal and Presea:

"Presea, are you alright?" asked Regal.

"I am fine," replied Presea.

"You don't look so good."

"That thing in Raine's gauntlet…it has gotten stronger."

"What do you think it is?"

"Whatever it is…it is full of hatred and despair…"

"How do you know all of this?"

"The same darkness…I felt it when Nebilim tried to possess me. The same hatred and despair I felt from Nebilim…is the same hatred and despair I feel from that gauntlet…only it's worse…"


Genis and Aryll:

Genis and Aryll didn't say anything to each other for a really long time (probably because they didn't know each other). Who was it that broke the ice? You guessed it, it was Zelos.

Zelos whacked Genis over the head.

"Why did you do that?" yelled Genis.

"Because you called me thick-headed," replied Zelos.

"That wasn't very nice," said Aryll.

"Well, aren't you a cutie! I suppose you use that rod of yours for fun, right?"

"That's a ruby wand, isn't it?" asked Genis.

"Yep!" chirped Aryll, "I can defeat monsters and stuff."

"……I say you're a little too young to use such an item."

"I am not! I'm the same age as you and I'm ten times more mature that you!"

"Am not!"

"Am so!"

"Am not!"

"Am so!"

"Am not!"

"Am so!"

"Okay," said Zelos, "I'll just leave you two alone now…"

"Am not!" yelled Genis.

"Am so!" Aryll yelled back.

"Am not times infinity!"

"Am so times infinity plus one!"

"Do'h!"


Xavier, Sheena, Professor Genis and Professor Raine:

Xavier and Sheena flew in one rheaird while the two professors flew in another.

"Aryll!" yelled Professor Genis. "Stop hitting me! I mean, the other me…I mean…"

"Give it up, professor," replied Xavier. "Oh no, Aryll just took out her ruby wand."

"Ow!" Genis yelled. "Quit it! Stop! I said…"

The rheaird did the 360 degree turn.

"Learn to steer this thing!" yelled Aryll.

"Well, stop hitting me!" Genis yelled back.

"This Aryll person is even more destructive than Raine is," said Xavier.

"That's an understatement," replied Genis.

"Uh…I don't think you should have said that," said Sheena.

"Why not?"

Professor Raine was really squeezing the handlebars of the rheaird. "Of all the nerve…"

"Pray to Martel," said Xavier.

"Who's Martel?" asked Genis.

Professor Raine turned her head. "When I set this thing down, I will kill you."

"I didn't say anything…except the truth……"

"You made it worse," said Sheena.

"Shut up…"

"The truth?" Professor Raine yelled. "I will not tolerate this…this…tomfoolery any longer! Although your appearance looks like an adult, you still act like a child!"

"Excuse me?" Professor Genis asked. "I'm not the one throwing a tantrum."

"I am not throwing a tantrum!"

"Why are you yelling at me?"

"Uh…guys?" asked Sheena.

"WHAT?" They both yelled.

"Kargoroks," said Xavier.

"What?" Professor Raine asked.

"KARGOROKS!"

A fleet of kargoroks were flying over attacking the rheaird. Everyone was downed a landed on a hill overlooking the renegade base. They defeated the birds in no time flat.

"Why are those bird things attacking us?" asked Lloyd.

"They are acting like patrols," said little Raine. "Invading anything in their airspace."

"We're too late," said Professor Genis.

"What do you mean we're too late?" Regal asked.

"Take a look at the base!" exclaimed Genis.

Everyone looked at the base. Sure enough, it was taken over by darknuts.

That's not good. So after two chapters of dialogue, here comes some action! Please R&R.