Okay, it's time for the next chapter. I really hope that everyone is enjoying this story. Personally, I think that this one is really fun to write. I think that Zelos and Storm's relationship is pretty funny, but can also hold a lot of seriousness to it. In my mind it makes a good balance. Well, I hope you enjoy!


Chapter 4: After the Battle

Once the group finally made it to the top of the Fooji Mountains, they were caught in a trap that was waiting for them. Storm had no idea who had set up the trap, but she had some pretty good ideas. She wasn't too surprised when she saw Pronyma appear, and not too far behind her was Yuan.

'Great...they must be here to pick up Colette...,' Storm thought sadly. She didn't want to admit that she had grown slightly attached to the young blonde.

After Colette's surprising recovery from her trance from the Cruxis Crystal, Lloyd's group began to battle a very angry Pronyma. Storm wasn't going to reject the request to battle someone like Pronyma, especially after everything she had already put her through in her short life. Storm and Lloyd were the first to get into the battle, Storm not holding anything back against the cardinal.

About half-way through the battle Storm was attacked by Pronyma's Agarasium attack. Storm was trapped in a tunnel of brightly colored mana as she felt her sides being ripped apart by the fiery energy. She tried to get her balance as she landed, but was soon thrown backwards as Pronyma used her Leonasium attack on. Storm laid stunned on the ground a few feet away from the madwoman that began to walk closer to her. Storm tried to get up, but could only watch as Pronyma drew closer to her. Storm cried out as Pronyma kicked her violently in the side, causing the young girl to curl up to hold back the pain.

Pronyma came at Storm ready for another attack, but soon let out her own cry of pain as Lloyd's sword made its way through her side. She jumped back as she held onto her wound.

"Leave her alone!" Lloyd screamed at the Desian Cardinal as he pointed his sword at her, ready for another attack. Pronyma looked at Lloyd, then back at Storm before rising into the air.

"You...you got away this time, but believe me we'll meet again soon," Pronyma warned them as she returned to the heavens. Storm slowly got up, still holding onto her side. She went to move towards Lloyd, ready for another battle with him, when she clutched her side again in pain. Raine went towards her to help.

"Storm...if you need help...," Raine offered. Storm pulled away from Raine's grip as she regained her composure, flinching slightly.

"It's nothing...," she assured the healer before going to join Lloyd who was ready to confront Yuan.

Fortunately for the group Kratos came to interrupt the battle, ordering Yuan to return to Derris Kharlan for a meeting with Lord Yggdrassil. Storm breathed out a sigh of relief, knowing that she would be able to rest.


The group set up camp for the night at the base of the Fooji Mountains, in the middle of the surrounding forest. It wasn't a good idea for them to sleep too close to the trails at night. There were a lot of bandits wandering the trails, not to mentions all the monsters. The whole group could fight, but then they'd never get any rest. Instead they camped out in the cover of the forest. Storm was sitting close to the fire as the others were setting up their sleeping bags for the night. Storm sighed as she thought about her battle with Pronyma from earlier. She just couldn't figure out why Pronyma hated her so much. Storm had never done anything to her, at least, before the beatings began.

Storm was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear someone come up behind her. She was surprised when she saw Zelos sitting next to her. She looked at him, her expression changing from surprised to threatening very quickly.

"If you say anything perverted I will hurt you. I'm not in the mood," she warned him.

"I know...when are you ever in the mood?" Zelos replied, smirking a little.

"So, you don't like that Pronyma lady too much do you?" Zelos asked her suddenly.

"Well, why should I, she's our enemy. She tried to take Colette away," Storm told him.

"There's more to it than that, I can tell. You both seemed like you knew and hated each other. There's something you're hiding," Zelos informed her of his suspicion. Storm glanced around nervously, not knowing how to respond.

Suddenly, there was a large crash behind them as Lloyd unrolled his sleeping bag. He wasn't watching what he was doing too closely and managed to knock over all of the group's supplies with one swift move.

"Lloyd! Look what you did! We had it all set up so nicely and everything!" Sheena yelled at him.

"Sorry...," Lloyd sighed as he got up to clean up the mess.

When Storm and Zelos turned around to find out what all the commotion was about, Storm yelped in pain from the wound she received in her side earlier. Zelos heard her and quickly focused his gaze on her, his eyes showing a rare emotion, concern.

"You're not okay," he whispered as he moved for her side. He gently lifted her shirt up just enough to see the large gash that Pronyma had put in her side. Zelos couldn't help but feel worried about the young girl, and also angry at Pronyma for doing it to her.

"I'm fine, it's just a scratch. I've had worse," Storm told him as she moved away.

"I think that it needs to be cleaned up at least if you're not going to let Raine help," Zelos argued. He went to get his pack which had a first aid pack in it. Storm was confused to say the least about Zelos' actions and his emotions. She wondered if it was just another way for him to get her to fall for him. If it was, it wasn't going to work on her.

Zelos soon returned carrying an apple gel in his hand. After cleaning up her wound he spread the gel over it. Storm had to admit that Zelos' hands were being very gentle, and hie wasn't trying to do anything else. The apple gel helped Storm with some of the pain as it began to work on healing her wound. He took out some bandage wrap and began to wrap it around her stomach to create a good bandage to keep the wound from getting infected.

"There, good as new," Zelos told her. He looked at Storm and saw the shock in her eyes. It was then that he realized that he had let too much of the person behind his mask come through.

"Thank you...," she said softly.

"Hey, I have to keep my hunnies healthy. I still have to win you over, you can't die on me yet," he told her as he walked toward the camp where Lloyd was still trying to clean up as Sheena and Raine threatened to hurt the poor swordsman.

Later that night, Storm was called by Yggdrasil to discuss her mission. Storm knew that it would only contain bad news and she wasn't really looking forward to what he was going to tell her. Of course, if Storm would have been paying closer attention, she could have noticed that someone was following behind her, a certain red-haired swordsman.


Well, that's it for this chapter. I actually liked the thought of that cute little scene. It made my heart feel happy. Well, I hope you all enjoyed as well. Please review and tell me what you thought. Thanks!