Disclaimer: All appearing characters and places belong to Namco unless otherwise specified.

The O-dai themes belong to the Zeroshii-Wa, at http/deburu98249.jog. but written correctly. If you visit, don't steal!

Setting: In-game.

Warnings: Spoiler-iffic! Some fluff?


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Normal Version,

#11 – Worry

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Colette wrung her hands together but didn't even notice she was doing that. In front of her walked Pronyma (floated, more like it) and behind her Zelos made sure she didn't stray. Two times she had stopped, Goddess knew why because it wasn't as if she was about to try and run away, and in both occasions a firm push from the Chosen behind had motioned her forward. Firm, but not rough.

"I shall go on ahead and let Yggdrassil know about this," said Pronyma, suddenly stopping and looking at the redhead Chosen. "So he may ready the Great Seed."

Colette didn't dare to look up and instead kept wringing her hands, still unconscious of the movement.

Behind her she could hear Zelos' answer. "Yes, my Lady! Be careful, now, we wouldn't want such features to be marred, yes?"

Still she didn't look up, so she didn't see Pronyma rolling her eyes. "Take her straight to the Chamber, Chosen. We'll be waiting for you."

And in a swoosh the woman had disappeared.

Colette kept herself just as she was. She didn't feel brave enough to look at the face of the man who had just sold her out. She didn't feel brave enough to do anything but stand there, in shock. She wished she had her arms back – but then again, what for? Even after all that had happened in the past ten minutes, she wouldn't be able to strike Zelos. She wasn't brave enough. Not right now.

The man behind her sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking her softly towards a hallway to the right. They walked side by side, in silence, and the girl saw nothing but the floor moving under her feet.

Until she felt her head sway and fell down, that's it. The fact that this small trip to the floor hadn't been because of her clumsiness helped her little.

For her surprise, Zelos was almost instantly kneeling next to her, asking whether she was feeling alright and lifting her up with care, resting her against a nearby wall.

"I'm... I'm fine..." she managed to whisper, her voice strangely weak.

"No you aren't..." she heard Zelos reply and then a strong hand took her chin and lifted her face.

And thus she was forced to look into the face she hadn't wanted to look.

Zelos looked at her critically. "You're pale," he stated and then let go of her and searched for something in his pockets and placed that same something in her palm. "Eat this."

The girl looked at her hand expecting to find something strange and alien, some kind of Derris-Kharlan pill, perhaps.

Instead there was a small candy wrapped in blue and white paper. The name was written with white pink – 'Snow Kisses'.

For the first time in her life Colette couldn't get herself to trust someone. For the first time she wondered that perhaps it had been poisoned or had some drug inside of it. She stole a look at the other Chosen's face and found that he wasn't looking at her. He seemed to be staring into the opposite wall, moving his lips as if counting something she couldn't see.

Up close, she now noticed that he, too, was deathly pale and his eyes were surrounded by dark rings.

She looked at the candy again. She knew this kind of candy. They sold it everywhere in Flanoir; Snow Kisses. It was one of the local specialties, or at least one the tourists favored. She had seen Zelos buying it just the day before, when they arrived there in search of the doctor and decided to take a break until the others returned in the morning.

She gently tore away the wrap and took the small, white drop of candy into her mouth.

Next to her Zelos smiled a little. "The sugar'll do you good."

She nodded but averted looking into his eyes.

"It was just the shock, don't worry..." he looked out of the hallway and then up, and then turned and grinned. "You still look worried, angel. Why's that?"

As if by instinct she snapped her head around, eyes open wide in surprise. What a thing to ask, why was she worried, of all things...?

But then she saw his face and though he looked way more honest than she had ever seen him.

"Don't worry. You trust Lloyd, right?"

She nodded 'yes' again.

"Then you have nothing to worry about. You think he'd let his girl go off with an idiot like me?"

She couldn't believe it herself, but she had to stifle a giggle.

"See? It was only the shock."

"Zelos..." she started and looked up at him. 'Why did you do this?', she wanted to ask, but instead it came out like "Are you worried about something, too?"

The other Chosen looked surprised at the question. "...is that something you should worry about right now? I did capture you and all."

"Oh yes... sorry."

"You shouldn't apologize either. That's something I should do..." he muttered and pressed the button to the elevator. "So... uh... sorry?"

Once more she chose not to answer.

"I have one more," Zelos continued, and showed her another blue-wrapped Snow Kiss. "And though I'd like to eat some, I have to hold on to it..."

"...why's that?"

He grinned. "I made a promise."

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"There!" he called and threw the package at the summoner, who caught it with ease.

"...what's this?" she asked, half glaring at him.

"How can you expect to know without even looking at it?"

Sheena sighed and looked at the bag in her hands. It was pastel blue and had pink letters on the top. Snow Kisses.

"...are you implying something with this?"

Zelos cocked an eyebrow, still grinning. "Nope, not this time. Just a heartfelt gift from me to my favoritest hunny."

"Speak correctly, idiot..." she grumbled, but a smile was already tugging at her lips. "So are these mine?"

"Yep! Heard you telling Colette how you would buy some when we visited Flanoir, and I saw some so..."

She narrowed her eyes. "Can I accept this freely?"

"What do you mean, freely?"

"No strings attached?"

He brushed his hair and gave her his best playboy smile. "Only if you want to, of course!"

"Idiot!" she yelled and threw a pair of candies at him, "You're trying to attach them! Moron!"

"Ouch! Wait, fine, so no strings... maaaaan, and it even wasn't me the one who said it..."

"Yeah, well..." Sheena stopped, "Wait a minute, this was open already! What kind of gift is this?"

"It's not as if I ate them...!"

"Then why would you open them?"

"There's a special surprise inside," he winked.

The girl sighed. "Can I trust your surprises?"

"Only as much as you can trust me," was his answer.

The girl stared at him for a few seconds before shaking her head. "I'll be ready for the worst then," but the two knew she didn't mean it. She smiled. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it..." he, too, smiled before moving his sight to the window behind her, looking uncharacteristically serious.

Sheena wondered whether to ask if anything was wrong, but this was Zelos she was thinking of. He would just shrug it off and answer something stupid or something that would piss her off.

So instead she took a few more candies and pocked at his chest 'till he looked at her. Which didn't really take long.

"What what what what whaaaaat?" he asked, one 'what' for each poke.

"Have this," she said only, showing the candies on her palm.

He stared at it for a few instants before grinning, picking the two others she had attacked him with before and pushing her hand aside.

"I'm afraid I'll have to pass – do you know what that much sugar does to my face?"

"What? Here I am, trying to be friendly and you --!"

"Besides, they are way too sweet!"

"Don't interrupt me when --!"

"I'll tell you what though," he grinned and showed her the two he had picked. "I'll hang onto these two, and I'll have one tomorrow with you, after everything goes well."

"...Zelos..." she started, "That's... that's the most ridiculous, stupidly romantic thing you've ever said."

"See now?-! Here I am, trying to be kind and sensitive and sh--!"

"Can you imagine how hard it is to keep a straight face at that though?" the girl was now laughing.

"Aaaah, fine then! I'll hang onto these anyway!"

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Colette took her hands to her mouth. "I ate Sheena's candy then! I'm sorry!"

Zelos forced a grin. "Colette, after all I've done candy isn't exactly what I'm worried about."

The girl cocked her head. "What is it, then?"

"Lots of things. Getting to everyone in time, getting to you in time..." he had already explained her how he would hold onto her Key Crest and relocate it as soon as he had found the Aionis, and much to his relief Colette had assured him she believed in what he said. "And I still have one, anyway."

The 'angel' nodded.

"...you think she'll eat it?"

The girl nodded. "I'm sure she will."

"Aren't you scared?"

Now she shook her negative. "You said you'd come. And I know Lloyd will come, too. I trust that."

"...I envy that a little," the redhead smiled and looked up. "But our ride is about to end. Ready?"

"...yes!"

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The day before, after dinner, Sheena's hand had wandered once more into her bad of newly-acquired sweets and she was surprised when she found something that felt somewhat different. A strip of paper.

In Zelos' handwriting, a message.

'I'm sorry. Should've said something. Explain later. Don't worry!'

She wasn't sure why, but she decided to hang onto it, so she placed it next to her clothes before heading to bed and hid it underneath her sash the morning after, telling no one. Snow Kisses tasted a little funny afterwards.

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Notes: I enjoyed the conversations between Colette and Zelos a little (well, more than a little) more than the pair-scenes. I guess that's why you get a Sheelos o-dai with so little interaction between the two. I didn't have much time at all this week and thus I couldn't go over it and check for mistakes or change what things I didn't like as I usually do, so I apologize if it feels rushed.

But I still liked it, I think.

Thanks to all who reviewed! It seems some liked the second part better while some others liked the first one best. It's nice to know I can somehow satisfy everyone! I hope you liked this one, too.

WDR

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#12 - Salvation

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