A/N: Well, it's been a long time since I've actually decided to put a story up on here. This isn't my first story by any means, but it's my first one in about a year. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Breath of Fire or any of its characters.

Don't Put the Past Behind You

-Chapter One-

"We defeated Myria… This world is safe. There's no one to stop anyone from doing what they want." Rei said to himself, his yellow tail swishing a bit behind him. Nina, who was sitting nearby, heard him and looked up, smiling happily.

"I know! I'm so happy! But, you know, Myria wasn't a heartless being or anything… She was just like an overprotective mother." Nina's smile faded a little. "Like my mother, really, you know?"

Rei nodded some, "Yeah, I guess. But she had everything all mixed up! I don't want to be – what'd she call it? 'Led around by the hand'! I fend for myself! Besides, she wanted to kill off the Brood! She wanted to kill off Ryu, and… Teepo… " Rei sighed some. "You have no idea how hard it was to see my little brother after he'd been cooped up in that room all those years and being fed her lies!"

Ryu went over to Rei, placing a hand on Rei's shoulder, trying to comfort him.

"C'mon, Rei. It's all over now. Don't think about it so much!" Nina stood up, stretching a bit, her wings twitching.

"So, do we go our separate ways now?" Momo's ears flicked as she spoke up, still playing with her robot companion, Honey.

"I… guess so… I should probably head back to Wyndia. Our adventure's over, and I'm sure my family – and my kingdom – misses me," Nina smiled sadly. "I will forever be Nina: best friend of many, and a helper in the saving of the world. But in the same respect, I'm also Nina, the Princess of Wyndia."

"Yeah… I should probably head back to the Plant. It's my home, and there's always something to build!"

The four shared their goodbyes as Momo and Nina left, going their separate ways. Ryu and Rei stood on the edge of the cliff, Rei scratching the back of his head (an old habit of his), and Ryu simply staring off into the distance.

"Well, don't this just beat all? Where am I supposed to go?"

Ryu looked at him, a little confused.

"What, Ryu? I don't have a home. You know that!"

Ryu shook his head and smiled as he began walking.

"Where are you going?"

Ryu waved his hand for Rei to follow him.

"Oh boy… Where are you taking me, Ryu?" Rei followed his friend without hesitation.

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After several hours of making it back across the Outer Sea and back into Eastern Wyndia, the two were exhausted.

"Ryu… Hey, can we stop and make camp?"

Ryu nodded, knowing they were halfway there. They set up the little tent and started a fire, just in time for nightfall. Ryu sat in the orange glow of the fire, glad to be out of the cool night breeze. Rei took a seat by Ryu.

"I rolled out the futons."

Ryu nodded in thanks.

"It's kinda lonely without everyone else here. Peco – or… Yggdrasil – I guess went back that tree. Garr, well… he was created by Myria, so I suppose he had to die with her. Nina headed back to Wyndia castle. Momo went back to the Plant. Here we are – a couple of lonely travelers, huh?"

Ryu smiled some and took in a breath to speak for the first time, "We're not lonely if we have each other."

Rei looked to him. "I guess that's true. So… when'd you learn to talk?"

"I've known how to talk for a long time. I just… didn't see any reason for it."

"I see… So… where are you leading me to…?"

Ryu looked to Rei, a little surprised. "I thought you would've figured it out by now!"

Rei was a bit taken aback. "Well… I guess I wasn't really thinking about it…." He looked up at the sky, thinking. Where was Ryu thinking of taking them? Then it hit him, "That house? … Our house?"

Ryu smiled. "Yeah."

"But, Ryu, it burned down years ago!"

"I know. But we can rebuild it. The basic frame is still there."

'He's so optimistic about it,' Rei thought to himself. "Yeah, Ryu. You're right."

Ryu smiled and lied back, crossing his arms behind his head. "Do you remember those days, Rei? Back when Teepo was still around?"

"Yeah. Those were good times. I mean, sure, we roughed it, especially there for awhile when that monster was around and eating all the food and such. Hell, I remember that day I found you. I brother you home and Teepo actually thought you were dinner!" Rei chuckled some and Ryu smiled.

"I miss Teepo… Not only was he like a big brother to me, but he was just like me. We had a strange bond that… I wish I would've realized sooner… Funny how things turn out, I suppose."

Rei nodded. "Doesn't that just beat all? Not only did I have to kill my little brother with my own two hands, but I find out that he's a Brood too! … But… how much Teepo changed after all those years… He wasn't my little brother anymore… That really was my last straw with that Myria chick."

Ryu smiled some, mostly at how Rei called Myria, the Goddess, a "chick". "So, Rei… how do you feel now that you've saved the world?"

"Me? I think you're the one who started the adventure. I was just tagging along for the ride!"

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A/N: Well, sorry for the abrupt end to the first chapter. I was really anxious to put it up here, and that's all I had written down so far. I'm already working on Chapter Two, so be prepared!