A/N: Just to clarify, since someone told me Yuri was a bit.. um.. hardcore... And it ain't allowed on the site, this story is what's considered Shoujo-ai. Focusing mainly on relationship and love, yadda yadda yadda. On with da show.
Alouete: I'm surprised you're the only one who's said that! I thought I'd get nothing but flames from people asking me when the heck they were actually going to be all.. you know. Fluff, fluff. But don't worry. I'll make up for it in later chapters. :Wink wink nudge nudge:
Everyone Else Except Whopper: I love you all! Muah! Beautiful reviwers, you make my day when you add a new review. So keep posting and I'll keep writin'!
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"That was weird," Sheena said wisely.
"What was he so flustered about, Regal?" Lloyd wanted to know. "I mean, besides being engaged and all. And why's he even upset about that? Pandora's really cute! You'd think he'd be in heaven."
"It's not because she's a half-elf, is it?" Raine asked. "Because if he hasn't gotten over that stupid prejudice yet, I'll-"
"It is not because of racism," Presea said. "It is because she has tricked him into proposing marriage to save his reputation by spreading untruths about certain deeds he has done."
"Um... what?" Colette, Sheena, and Lloyd said at the same time.
"Either Pandora or her father spread nasty rumors about Zelos," Regal translated for them.
"What kind of rumors?"
"Well," Regal said, "It's really not my place to say. And I'm not one for idle gossip." He turned to Sheena, not changing his tone of voice at all or making a break in his sentence: "You fly exceedingly fast."
Sheena looked confused for a moment before blushing. "Oh, well, y'see, I'm used to flying alone so I just got caught up and forgot about you. Um. Sorry!" She bowed from the waist, quickly, like the people of Mizuho often did when apologizing.
"It's quite fine," he said. "I was just concerned you might have lost control."
"Me, too," Raine muttered, almost feeling queasy again at the thought.
As they were talking, a few maids they had never seen before appeared, offering to show them to their rooms. It would seem that since Zelos had gotten a bigger house, he had needed more staff to keep it presentable. That, or he enjoyed watching girls in maids outfits. Either option seemed credible. Since there was still lots of time left before it got dark Colette suggested that the rest of the day could be spent with each other, taking in the sites of Meltokio.
"Sounds like a plan to me!" said Sheena, linking arms with Colette. "You and I, we have some serious shopping to do. And Presea! She needs to get out of those doll clothes and start dressing like a teenager. How old are you again, Presea? Fourteen right?"
"...In a sense," Presea said.
"..Right...Well anyway, I'm gonna make you unrecognizable." She gave Regal a long-suffering glance, as if to say, 'Shame on your for not doing this with her earlier.'
Regal frowned.
Raine saw Sheena's bright attitude and wondered how she could be so cheerful in light of what had happened. She figured Sheena would be torturing herself for not being there when her grandfather died, or depressed. Raine figured Sheena was trying to distract herself, trying to get away from the problem still at hand.
"I think I'll just stay here-" Raine started, but Colette and Sheena jumped her at the same time, splitting apart and flanking the Professor on either side. Linking their arms with hers, with gleeful expressions they marched out of the door, dragging Raine along whether she wanted to go or not. Presea followed, a few steps behind.
Regal and Lloyd looked at each other as if to say, 'Now what?'. Lloyd shrugged.
"Would you care to spar in the Coliseum?" Regal ventured.
"Sure."
(A/N: Boys... :rolls eyes:)
---
Raine, Colette, and Shena waited outside the dressing room, Colette and Sheena chattering and holding up dresses while Raine let her eyes wander about the store, trying to find something that wasn't completely doused in sequins. Unfortunately for Raine, Meltokio had expanded quite a bit since she had last been here, and clothing shops for the rich nobleladies were in abundance. She sighed. While she was here wasting time, Genis was probably getting farther and farther away, and no matter how skilled the Shinobi were she found it difficult to imagine them finding Sheena here amidst the piles of clothing.
"Ooooooooh!" Colette and Sheena crooned at the same time, and Raine turned to see Presea walk out of the dressing room, wearing hip-huggers, a shirt that said 'Cutie' in silver sequins, and a depressed expression. "You look adorable, Presea!" Sheena squealed, unable to resist the temptation of hugging the teenager.
"...These clothes do not provide the same amount of defense that my old ones did..." Presea said, for lack of anything else to say.
"Hhmm," Sheena said, taking a step back and examining Presea, one hand resting against her chin. "You're right. That is a problem..." she grinned. "Because you're gonna need the defense when the boys come after you!"
"Yeah, you look really cute Presea!" Colette chimed in. "If Genis could see you now, he'd fall in love with you all over again!"
Presea's eyes betrayed the slightest hint of emotion at the mention of Genis's name. She fidgeted with her jeans, trying to see herself in the mirror. "Oh..." she said, but that was all the other two girls needed to hear. They piled more clothes on Presea with matching grins, saying stuff like, "Try this one sweetie, it brings out your eyes..." or "I think you need some skirts, here, this one is cute!" and soon, Presea was unrecognizable from the taciturn girl wearing clothing more suited for a doll, and despite herself she was smiling softly, and a little embarrassed.
"Now, to finish it off," Sheena said, steering Presea out of the shop when they had paid for the clothes. She pointed with one bag-laden hand at a beauty salon. "A new hairdo for my favorite pink-haired princess!"
"I really don't think-" Presea said, but was ushered into the store before she could say another word. Raine lagged behind, stopping only when a sign caught her eye. She turned and looked at the store, peeking through the windows, and a smile lit her face. "I'll only be a moment..." she promised herself out loud before walking inside.
--
(A/N: Meanwhile...)
Lloyd sat on the dirt ground, huffing and puffing, his face red. Regal merely dusted himself off with his now-unbound hands, waiting patiently for Lloyd to catch his wind. "Was I too hard on you, Lloyd?" he asked.
"N...no..." Lloyd panted. "I... just...shape...out of..." He fell flat on his back, making a face. "I'm out of shape!" he said, sounding disgusted. "I've gotten lazy now that there's nothing but weak monsters to fight."
"Understandable," was all Regal said. He helped Lloyd up and dusted him off as well, his big hands making short work of the dirt clinging to the swordsman. "I think we should join up with the girls," he said as they walked through the gaye leading outside. "Its getting dark."
"Yeah," Lloyd agreed, "And by the way-"
"Excuse me sirs," said a reedy, thin voice behind them. They turned around, confused and wondering if they had ever seen this short, unpleasently plump robed man before. Twirling a greying lock of beard, he said, "I'm afraid you'll have to return those weapons to where you found them in the arena. Stealing is not tolerated here."
Lloyd smiled, "Oh, but these are my swords," he said. "I didn't steal 'em."
"Then that is even worse," said the short man, sighing. Something about his voice seemed to grate against their nerves, but both of them tried not to show it. "Sir, you are aware of the new rule in Meltokio?"
"Uhhhmm..." Lloyd slowly turned his head to look at Regal, his eyebrows raised.
"It's the first time I've heard of it," Regal answered.
"Weapons are not to be allowed on the streets, due to the recent dramatic increase in the crime rate," said the irritating man, tugging on his beard. His golden-rimmed spectacles shone in the scant light of the setting sun, the lenses flaring white.
Lloyd took a moment to try and understand. He failed miserably. "But these are my swords," he repeated. "And look, they're not even dangerous. They're wooden swords." He partially unsheathed one, to show the man, but that just seemed to make him agitated.
"Threatening me with violence?" the short man demanded, bringing himself to his fullest, unimpressive height. "What an insolent punk! Hand over your weapons at once or I will be forced to arrest you! This is your final warning!"
"What!" Lloyd yelped. "That's ridiculous!" he said, stomping one foot. "I've never committed any crime, I saved the world for Pete's sake! Show a little pity! I'm Lloyd Irving! Doesn't that name ring a bell?"
"I don't care who you are sir," the short man answered, quivering with rage. "But the law is the law. You will hand over your weapons at once!"
"Ask me nicely!"
"What!"
"Ask me politely to hand em over and I wouldn't mind so much cause you're just doing your job," he said, trying to sound logical. "But you're just being rude and using your job as an excuse!" Crossing his arms, Lloyd started defiantly down at the man. "Now ask me, like a civilized person would."
"Lloyd..." Regal began, putting a hand on Lloyd's shoulder.
"No, Regal!" Lloyd snapped. "This is an injustice being carried out here, and I'm making him be nice."
"I don't have to be nice because I am the head of the Law Enforcement Knights!" the short man bawled. "Do you hear me? I am a very important man in this city, and I won't have some riff-raff from the slums ordering me about!"
"Hey!" Lloyd said, insulted at the term 'Riff-Raff', but before he could make another move powerful arms gripped him on either side and he was dragged away by two heavy men in light armor. Another soldier presented the swords to the short man, who smiled thinly and turned to Regal.
"Take that as a lesson, scum," he said, "That no thief or ruffian will get away with crimes while I'm in control. No one but the King orders about Max H. Kynes!"
And with that, he left.
---
"Gorgeous," Colette decided.
"Too cute for words," Sheena swooned.
Presea sat in front of the large mirror, with each of her friends on either side of her, also looking into the mirror. "Short," she said. And short it was. Boyishly short, her bubble-gum pink hair made a nice swishing sound against her ear when she turned or tossed her head.
"I figured you wouldn't want something too cutesy, but this is nice isn't it?" Sheena inquired, brushing a hand through Presea's hair.
Presea pondered this. "Short hair," she said after a moment, "Would be less of a distraction when in battle."
Sheena and Colette sweat dropped. "You have a one-track mind, Presea."
"It's what she's good at," Regal said, surprising them. Presea hopped out of the chair and ran to him, hugging him about the waist. He put a hand on the top of her head, smiling down at her softly before looking back up at Colette and Sheena with his usual solemn expression. "Lloyd's been arrested," he said.
"Again?" Colette asked. The Ex-Chosen of Sylvarant put her face in her hands, shaking her head. "Oh Lloyd..."
"For a guy who's saved the world, he gets thrown in jail a lot," Sheena agreed. "What did he do?"
"Apparantly there's a rule that says you can't carry weapons in the streets of Meltokio," Regal said. "It's a good thing you left your Chakrams at Zelos's house, or else you would be in trouble too, Colette."
"Let's go get him..." Colette sighed, dragging her feet as she left the store. Sheena felt a bit sorry for her. It must be trying to have the ever-energetic and outspoken Lloyd as a fiancee. She tsked, sympathetically, and then noticed Regal looking about the store, as if searching for something. When she asked him what was wrong, he said:
"Where's Raine?"
Sheena flinched, taking a step back. "Ah.. Oops..." she said, looking about the store as well, running into the bathroom and out again in search of Raine. Finally returning to Regal, she said, "It seems I have.. er... misplaced the Professor. Go on and get Lloyd, I'll look for her." Sheena dumped her bags in Regal's capable hands and sped off, wondering where to look first. "If I were a silver-haired half-elven teacher..." she mused to herself, looking at the shops nearby. "Where would I hide from the shopaholic sexy ninja assasin girl?"
Then, Sheena saw a bookstore.
"Bingo," she said, grinning. She ran inside and closed the door quietly behind her, seeing that there were people all around, sitting in armchairs and cuddled up with their newest purchase. The only noise was the occasional cough and the ruffling of pages. A bit dull for her tastes, but she had to admit it looked relaxing. Wandering around aimlessly, she was about to leave when she caught a glimpse of silver and orange out of the corner of her eye. Sure enough, there was the Professor with a pile of books next to her chair, and her nose buried deep into a book of her own. Sheena smiled when she saw this, sneaking up on the schooleteacher so she could read over her shoulder. What kind of books did Raine read, anyway? Hmm...
"A cook book?" Sheena said out loud, perched on the back of Raine's chair. Raine jumped, slamming the book shut with a red face and turning around to glare at the carefree ninja.
"I-I- was merely interested," Raine said, shoving the book into a nearby shelf and collecting other books, which looked suitably scholarly and old and humongous. Also at her feet, however, was a bag of clothes. So she did enjoy girly things such as shopping... Just not in groups, as far as Sheena could tell.
"Don't worry," Sheena whispered with a wink. "Your secret is safe with me. I'll even keep quiet about that romance novel you're trying to hide. If you really wanna learn how to cook, though, it's best to actually try out recipes. Books aren't like real life y'know."
"Of course I know that," Raine said, choosing to ignore the comment about the romance novel, "I'm a grown woman, not a hopeless giggling schoolgirl." Regaining her composure, she tried in vain to smooth her feather-like hair. "In any case, are you all done with your shopping frenzy?"
"Well, we are now," Sheena said, shoulders slumping. "Lloyd got arrested."
"Again?"
"Again," Sheena said, nodding. "He just doesn't get a break. Did you buy your stuff already?"
"I'll do that now," Raine said, gathering up her books and walking to the register. Sheena watched her for a moment, and then shook her head, quickly picking up a book and rifling through the pages. What was she doing, staring at the Professor like that? She might get the wrong idea...OK, so maybe Sheena had the teensiest, tiniest, little bitty crush on Raine, but it was just a crush. After all, who could blame her if she liked to watch the Professor sometimes? Especially after seeing her in nothing but a towel, when they were in the Hot Springs. She'd been quick on her feet to offer to wash the half-elf's back then, heh heh heh.
"I find something oddly disturbing about your grin today, Sheena," Raine said, breaking into Sheena's thoughts. Sheena started guiltily, as if Raine could read her thoughts. Her very Zelos-Like thoughts. Sheena just shrugged, changing the subject and they walked out of the store together, chatting about nothing. Besides, Sheena thought, it's not that she really liked the Professor two years ago. She'd been too busy being enamoured with a certain Chosen. Who had, of course, broken her heart. And now Raine was just a friend, and if keeping that friendship meant Sheena could only watch in secret then so be it.
Raine stopped suddenly, looking off in the directions of the city slums.
"You OK, Raine?" Sheena asked, stopping as well and looking over her shoulder at the Professor.
"I thought I saw..." she started, and jogged over, looking around. She came back a moment later, looking dissapointed. "..Nevermind," she said, and they continued walking.
They reached Zelos's mansion in a matter of minutes.