Okay, it's definitely time to update this story. Okay, this is the part that I kind of skipped over in the first story. There will be a lot of that in this story. I want to go over some of the stuff that got passed up. So, enjoy this and I hope you like it.
Chapter 7: Side Trip to Mizuho
Storm and the others had recently discovered that to help Presea be freed from her Cruxis Crystal they would have to take her to a dwarf named Altessa who helped with the project. Storm wasn't so sure if she could tag along with this trip. She had gone on a few visits with Lord Yggdrasil when she was younger to check on the strange doll that he had built. That doll Tabitha always freaked her out when she was younger and after seeing Lord Yggdrasil's reactions to it, she didn't grow to like it either.
Storm snapped away from her thoughts when the group reached the Gonarrachia Forest. She looked at the entrance to the dark and twisted woods. She wasn't sure what the expression on her face was reading, but she knew that it wasn't what Zelos was thinking.
"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you my hunny," he said as he grabbed her hand. Storm wasn't sure if he was trying to comfort her, or if he was attempting to keep her from hitting him, but she whipped around her other hand and slapped him.
"I don't need your protection, and I'm not scared," she said as she yanked her other hand away from him and walked ahead in a huff.
"But...we should have a buddy system!" he yelled as he ran after her into the darkness.
Storm snapped around and looked at him with a mischievous smile on her face. "Fine...," she said softly yet with a strong hint of agitation in her voice. She turned around to make an announcement to the others.
"It is really dark in here and I think Zelos' idea for a buddy system is a good idea," she announced before looking back at Zelos at the last part.
"Really!" Zelos asked her in surprise. He never actually thought that she'd agree with him on his comment, but if she wanted to, he wouldn't disagree.
"I want Sheena to be my buddy," she finished before running over to Sheena who smiled happily at her friend.
Zelos' jaw dropped, he couldn't believe that she had blown him off in front of everyone. They all knew what she was up to, except maybe for Lloyd and Colette who were a little oblivious to the whole situation, and Presea who didn't really show much emotion.
"Okay, I'll go with Genis," Raine announced as Genis obediently walked beside his sister. Zelos knew that he was out on three of the women already, but there were still two more.
"Presea and I can be buddies!" Colette said happily as she clapped her hands together before running over to her.
"Why can't I choose who I want to be with?" Zelos said in a whiny voice. "Help me out a little here Lloyd," he pleaded with the swordsman, hoping he was as upset with the results.
"It's okay Zelos, we can be buddies," Lloyd said as he came over to the red-head. Zelos dropped his head to look at the ground sadly.
"Lloyd, you're so oblivious," Zelos sighed before surrendering to the group before Sheena and Storm decided to gang up on him.
As the group continued through the forest they were suddenly stopped when a man dropped in front of them. They all stared at him, realizing that he was the prisoner that they had met in the sewers. He kept saying he wanted to talk to Presea, but she didn't seem like she wanted anything to do with him. The others in the group knew that they'd have to fight him if they wanted to get any of the questions about him solved.
Storm figured that the man couldn't be too hard to beat, he had a pair of handcuffs on which allowed her to believe that he wouldn't be able to move or defend too well. Unfortunately, when Storm ran at him and jumped to attack him with her sword she had underestimated his strength and skill. The rest of the group learned quickly as they watched Storm get stopped in mid-air as the man kicked her in the stomach. She landed on the ground with a thud and groaned as she laid on the ground, struggling to get back up.
Lloyd came in and tried to attack him on the ground, but was having to defend himself against the man's skillful kicks. Lloyd could barely keep up with his movements and decided to allow someone else to get the first attack in. His wish was granted as Genis released his Spread attack against the man, knocking him off his feet.
Presea and Lloyd used this opportunity to come at him, giving him everything they had until the man finally collapsed from exhaustion.
They all stared at the fallen man before Colette informed them all that she could hear footsteps of the Papal Knights coming closer. They decided to wait to ask the man questions until he woke up.
"We can go to Mizuho until the Knights pass through," Sheena offered the group as Colette easily picked the man up in one hand, ready to take him wherever they wanted to go.
"You're actually going to take us to Mizuho? No outsiders are ever allowed there," Zelos asked bewildered.
"Well, it's an emergency," Sheena told him as she began to lead the way.
Once they got in the village they found out the man's name was Regal and that he did know Presea from somewhere. They also sat down with the vice-chief of Mizuho to see if they could convince him to help them with their quest to stop Cruxis. Storm was completely inspired by Lloyd's words, but Zelos wasn't too sure. Storm had never really thought there was another way to go about helping out the two worlds, but Lloyd made her think otherwise. After Tiga agreed to help them they decided to spend the rest of the night in the village. Storm went outside the village to the field just outside to think for a little while, she didn't know that Zelos was not far behind her. Although, she guessed that he might follow her out eventually.
She sat down and a few moments later Zelos placed himself beside her quietly.
"So, why did you want to join Cruxis anyway?" she asked him curiously.
"I already explained it, I don't really have much to lose and this group seemed to hold some opportunities for me. Besides, I always side with the strongest," Zelos told her.
"Oh...," Storm sighed. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into," she said quietly, almost to herself.
"Why, did something happen to you there? I mean, how does someone like you end up in an organization as powerful as they are?" he asked her.
"Well, I don't really want to talk about my past, but I will tell you that I've been in Cruxis since I was two. My father's been a member for a long time, and after my mother died he brought me into it," she explained.
"I see...I'm sorry about your mom. My mom died when I was a kid too," Zelos said sadly.
"I don't really remember her too much, I was pretty young. What happened to your mom?" she asked him as she looked away from the ground that she had been staring at for so long to look back up at him. She couldn't believe how sweet he was being, he hadn't tried to hit on her once. Maybe there was something more to him than met the eye...
"I don't really wanna talk about it," he told her.
"I understand," Storm replied. She didn't want to push her luck with his good behavior too much. She got back up, deciding to head back to the village.
"I'll walk back with you," Zelos offered as he got up to walk beside her.
"I really don't need any help, we already went through this," Storm shot back harshly.
"Nothing perverted this time, I promise. I just want to keep you company," he defended himself quickly before she could cause him any bodily harm.
Storm stared at him. She didn't really know how to respond to him when he wasn't being a complete lecher. She nodded silently as he walked alongside her. About halfway back Zelos felt a hand reach for his own as he gripped it gently. He smiled in the dark as he walked her back to the village. He couldn't believe how different she made him.
Well, that's it for this chapter. I hope that it was satisfactory. Tell me what you think and please review. Thanks! Until next time!
