Chapter two is here! Thanks to those who reviewed with kind words, it's appreciated, really it is. :) Anyway, enough with my babbling...Let's see what happens at Zelos' ball, shall we?
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"Bud!"
"Er...Hi, Zelos."
"Hey, it's Sheena!"
"Hi there, Colette."
These were only a few of the many, many greetings that were voiced this fine night, as eight old friends were reunited amongst the guests of Tethe'alla's king. One after another, grins and waves, shouts and cries of glee. Raine was staying more to the side of this display, smiling at anyone who happened to notice her, and one glance around told her that Regal was doing just about the same thing.
Colette skipped over to give the older Half-Elf a hug. "Professor!" she said, happily, putting her hands together. "How are you?" The girl's hair had been pulled up into a ponytail, and looked as though she'd shortened it a bit. She looked like a tom-boy now, more than ever; somewhat baggy T-shirt that the mage decided Lloyd must have picked out for her, as Colette had no sense of acting on her own, and denim pants that did little to conceal her white running-shoes.
"I'm fine, Colette," Raine told her with a little smile. She wasn't their teacher anymore, but evidentally the name had been cemented in Colette's mind, and she'd probably have it for a very, very long time. "What about you? If I'm not mistaken, you went on a journey with Lloyd?"
"Yes, ma'am," said the former Chosen.
"How has it been, thus far?"
"It's been great!" she exclaimed. "Lloyd and I are travelling the world to collect the exspheres, and we've got most of Sylvarant all done! It's slow work, but I'm having fun!"
"I have no doubt," Raine mused. The girl could find anything fun, as long as she was with at least one friend. But Colette missed the humor as she beamed and hopped off to greet Regal in the same bouncey manner. Raine watched this for a moment, before turning back to the others who had now started to file toward her.
Later in the night, things had calmed down just a bit. Soft music was playing, and Zelos was trying to coax Sheena into dancing. Genis kept inching closer to Presea, his face reddening with every scoot, and Lloyd seemed to be considering asking Colette. But Raine had chosen a seat near the wall to simply observe as everyone danced. Most of them were strangers, but it was a rather poetic sight in any case...If a sight can be called poetic.
She sighed and looked away, brushing hair from her face. "You look lonely," commented a strong voice at her shoulder. Raine jumped slightly, and looked around to find herself staring up into Regal's face.
"I was watching," she explained, gesturing with her head at the couples on the dance-floor. "It's a marvelous scene."
"Indeed," Regal agreed, seating himself easily on the edge of the chair beside her. Here they sat for a while, and she merely stared, her chin in her hand. She might never admit it, but part of her wanted to be out there. Or, rather, wanted to know someone would care enough to ask her to join him. She didn't know the man beside her was considering doing just that. "Raine," he said, after another few minutes.
She turned her head back to him, blinking questioningly. "Yes?"
He stood, and offered her a hand. "May I?" It was a purely friendly gesture, to give them both something to do; she really did look rather lonely, and he could use a bit of company himself.
Her head tilted slightly. "You mean, you want to dance?" she asked, somewhat surprised.
"I-If you don't want to--"
"No, that's not what I meant. I just...didn't expect it, that's all," she assured him. The healer stood, and laid her own lightly upon his extended hand, a neutral smile playing on her features.
He nodded, and led her out. Regal faced her, placing a hand on her waist, the other holding hers. Likewise, Raine laid her unoccupied hand on his shoulder, and they began their slow dancing.
"You're very graceful," he commented after a moment.
"It comes with the art of the staff," Raine told him, shaking her head. "You have to be, lest you lose balance and be the one to end up on the ground, rather than your opponent."
A ghost of a smile played on his lips. He had had his share of "ending up on the ground" while first learning to cope with the shackles and fight with his feet at the same time. When the song ended, he stepped back a bit and gave her a gentlemanly bow, deep and dignified. "M'Lady."
A glance around told him that a few had stopped to watch, and this made him somewhat uncomfortable. But Raine had noticed as well - this he gathered from the roll of her eyes. "Children," he heard her mutter, and Regal had to agree.
"It appears to be a cool evening. Perhaps a calm walk, to catch our breath?" he suggested, inclining his head toward the door. This was the first real bit of socializing he'd done since they had all gone their seperate ways, it felt fairly good to be talking to someone other than George...Or Alicia.
As Raine nodded, he motioned her forward, and fell into a matching stride. They walked in silence until they had cleared the front gate of Castle Tethe'alla, and were walking down the steps. "Genis appeared to be quite excited about returning to the academy," he remarked.
She glanced over at him. "I haven't talked to him yet tonight," she admitted, cocking her head. It was unusual for Genis not to talk to her, particularly after spending several weeks apart, but she figured that this night he'd had eyes only for Presea. "But his letters did display his...exhileration."
Again there was silence for a moment. "You mentioned something," began Regal, "about 'wandering the world.' Where have you gone, exactly?"
"Only here. Well, and Altamira. I only started my little trip a short time ago, so I haven't gotten much of anywhere yet."
Regal dipped his head in a nearly invisible nod. "Would you like a bit of company?" he asked, finally, after another loud silence had extended between them. While they had walked, he'd been thinking. Some people probably regarded both she and her brother both in a bad light, given what they had been trying to do. It didn't seem a good idea that she travel alone, even if it were just to, as she said, "wander."
"What?" Raine had stopped, blinking at him with a frown.
"George has been after me for months about taking a break," he reasoned, slowing to a halt himself. "Now might be a good time, seeing as one of my companions is doing a bit of travelling herself. I cannot relax in Altamira, and a journey is more pleasant when one does not travel alone." It wasn't a lie, everything he'd said was true. But he did specifically leave out his initial thoughts - Raine was not one to listen to a suggestion that she couldn't take care of herself.
And not one to anger, either. Her temper had the force of a rather large time-bomb. "Are you certain?" she asked him, apparently having spent a few seconds in thought. "I'm not sure how exciting it will be, it's more to keep myself busy than anything else."
It may prove more exciting than you think, he mused. Being what she was - a half-elf that didn't lay low and accept their social status quietly - she was bound to run into some trouble. "Positive."
Raine quirked a slight smile. "You're more than welcome to come along," she said. "I can't make any guarantees, however."
"All I need is your consent, not promises," he said, evenly. He had the tendency to take things rather literally, but Raine blew it off.
She extended a hand in a business-like way, and he shook it. "Welcome aboard, Master Bryant."
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And they're off! Should prove interesting, eh? We'll just have to see what happens when Lord Bryant and Lady Sage set off on their little Tour of Symphonia, won't we?
Hmmmm...
