Chapter 2: Training begins

Here we go! who will win and who will lose. well it really isnt that hard to tell who will win CoughZeroCough

Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Riviera although i would like to

The next morning the whole group gathered up in a large open field for first a sparing match and then an evaluation of ability.

"Everyone here?" Zero asked looking at the rather large group.

"Yes," Ein replied.

"Alright, Good to see you Ledah. Are you sure you're up to it?" Zero asked

"Yea I'm ready," Ledah answered.

"Good. First I want to have a sparing match with the grim angels. Just come over here and I'll signal to begin," Zero continued. Ledah, Ein and Leon looked at each other and walked up next to Zero. As soon as they did a light flashed all around them and encased the area in a barrier. "That way we won't destroy this place too much… Oh and don't worry about injuring yourselves. When you're inside this barrier you cannot be injured. But as soon as you hit your limit you will be transported outside of the barrier," Zero explained. The three nodded and drew their weapons. Ein drew a glowing yellow blade, Ledah drew a long red Lance, and Leon drew a glowing blue blade. "Begin!" Zero shouted. And with that the battle had started. Ledah and Ein charged Zero at full speed while Leon stayed back to charge up his special attack. Zero dashed right between Ledah and Ein and kicked Leon in the chest before he could finish charging. Ledah and Ein doubled back and charged Zero again but this time Zero met them head on with his glowing green sword in his right hand. Ledah readied his lance and tried to stab Zero in the left shoulder but was unable to due to Zero's sword being in the way.

"It is the will of the –Ooof," Ein tried to get his own special attack ready but was kicked in the head.

"Kikyder!" Leon shouted. Zero looked to see that Leon had charged up his special attack and ran towards him.

"This is unfortunate for you Ledah," Zero said. He kicked Ledah's feet out from under him and threw him at the oncoming Leon. They collided and Ledah emerged from the chaos with a stab wound. "Heel!" Zero said slashing Ledah across the chest making him fall to the ground.

"Diabond!" Leon shouted firing a beam of light at Zero.

"Enough games," Zero announced as the beam neared him. In a single move he seemingly bent the beam and shot it back at Leon who was hit by the blast.

"Divine ascension!" Ein shouted as he charged Zero again.

"Fool," Zero murmured. "Bou-Shen Earth breaker!" Zero's blade started to glow a bright white. Zero sent out a huge shockwave towards Ein, who just stood in awe. When the light was gone Ein was on the ground unconscious. "Well that takes care of that little sparring match," Zero commented.

"Ein!" Fia shouted. She ran towards her friend.

"Ledah!" Rose shouted simultaneously running to her friend.

"It's alright they are uninjured only unconscious," Zero explained.

"I'm up!" Leon shouted spontaneously as he sat up from his position on the ground.

"I figured Ledah would wake up before you," Zero commented

"Nice greeting, makes me feel very loved…" Leon responded gloomily.

"Whatever," Zero continued. Leon stood from his place sitting on the ground and sheathed his sword on his back.

"I almost forgot how strong you were Zero," Leon commented

"That almost explains your sloppy performance," Zero shot back. Ledah stood from his place on the ground, helped by Rose.

"How'd we do Zero?" He asked

"Not so great, I mean you didn't even injure me," Zero replied.

"Why are you so much stronger than us!?!" Ein shouted standing with the aid of Fia.

"I don't think you can comprehend the answer I have," Zero explained, "Now that you're all awake I would love to express my sheer distaste in your abilities. Your performance was pathetic for fighters of your level. This was an appalling failure for this mistake of a team."

"I don't think the solution to our weakness is yelling at us!" Ein shouted.

"But I don't care about your opinion. You're supposed to be the guardian of Riviera and you can't even put a tiny scratch on me! The coming threat is a much stronger foe than you can ever imagine and yet you sit here and get mad at me for stating the truth instead of doing something about your weakness! Your resolve should be to get better not to get mad!" Zero yelled angrily.

"Ein! Enough!" Ledah shouted, "If you're going to disagree with Zero then go get stronger on your own if you can!"

"Please don't leave us Ein. We've all seen your potential; we all know we have the ability to improve. And that is what we must do to protect the world we love," Fia explained.

"Fia…" Ein muttered. He didn't even know who to follow so he just stood.

"Look Ein," Zero started, "It won't matter what I say if you just take it in stride and use my criticism to get better. I'm trying to show you your weakness so you can get better. It may take a week or a month but you will be stronger because of this. After assessing you abilities Ein needs to work on strength and speed. Ledah needs to work on defense and quickness in abilities. And Leon, you need to work on everything."

"What a ringing endorsement," Leon muttered angrily. The group separated to rest after the sparing match. Some went in couples some didn't. As for the 'needs to improve in everything' boy he headed to the grove of response in Elendia.

"Leon?" Serene said coming into the grove of response.

"Huh?" Leon replied standing to greet her

"I thought you were back at Fia and Lina's place," She commented.

"Yea that's what I told Ein but I wanted to go somewhere and relax," Leon replied.

"You came to the right place," Serene giggled.

"Yea…" Leon gazed through the trees at the sky, "After all this I think I'm going to stay in Elendia."

"That would be great," Serene exclaimed.

"After all we've been though it's hard to see the upcoming threat… I mean it's so peaceful here," Leon commented.

"Its always been that way and that's why we fight," Serene said sitting next to the grim angel.

"To protect the peace of this village, that's a good reason, if there really is a good reason, to fight," Leon continued.

"Leon…" Serene muttered blushing.

"Yes Serene," Leon replied looking at the purple haired one

"Nothing…" She mumbled, "Oh I almost forgot!"

"What?" Leon asked

"Dinner's almost ready, you coming?" Serene asked

"Sure," Leon replied. They walked back to the house for dinner and prepared for a feast.

"Thanks for helping in the kitchen Zero," Cierra giggled.

"The least I could do for your hospitality towards strangers," Zero replied. Cierra turned as red as her hat and couldn't stop smiling for the second meal in a row.

"Well we had an… Eventful day none the less," Ledah commented.

"Correct," Zero replied taking a bite of his bread.

"Do I really need to work on everything?" Leon asked

"Yes you do," Zero replied. Dinner continued uninterrupted with light conversation here and there. Several Groups left the house including Ledah and Rose, Ein and Fia, and finally Zero and Leon, Who were just going to their tents. Ledah and Rose made their way to the grove of Response.

"So… Ledah," Rose smiled.

"What Rose?" Ledah asked sitting on the ground in a clear patch of the grove.

"Did you get your emotions back? You know when…" Rose asked sitting next to him.

"Yea, I got them back when I woke up…" Ledah answered.

"I'm glad," Rose smiled.

"T-Thanks," Ledah blushed.

"I've been thinking… You know about you and me… Before we left," Rose muttered.

"Really?" Ledah gasped.

"Don't act so stunned silly head," Rose laughed.

"S-Sorry I just haven't had enough time to get used to my emotions yet.," Ledah sighed.

"Don't worry about it," Rose smiled leaning on his shoulder making him blush.

"Rose…" Ledah almost whispered.

"Yes Ledah?" Rose answered looking up at him.

"I'm sorry. For leaving you earlier," Ledah continued.

"Ledah…" Rose sighed drifting closer and closer to him meeting his lips in a purely romantic moment of bliss. Ledah wrapped his wings around Rose enclosing them in a protected area. Rose reluctantly broke lips with Ledah and leaned up against his chest.

"Rose…" Ledah murmured.

"Ledah promise me you wont leave me again," Rose said wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Of course Rose, I promise," Leda answered. The two stayed together until they decided to go back to the house. Ein and Fia however went to a spot on a large hill. Ein sat down and Fia plopped down next to him.

"If Zero is anything to go by then the kind of foes we'll be facing then we're going to be in trouble…" Ein sighed.

"Don't worry Ein, Remember Zero is on our side," Fia reminded leaning on Ein.

"F-Fia… What?" Ein muttered.

"Oh sorry," Fia replied sitting up strait again.

"No its ok, sorry," Ein blushed.

"Thank you Ein," Fia smiled returning to his shoulder.

"Fia… I will protect you," Ein declared.

"Huh?" Fia muttered.

"I'm sorry about earlier… I was mad… I didn't mean to upset you," Ein apologized.

"Its ok Ein I would have been too," Fia reassured

"Still…" Ein sighed.

"Don't worry about it Ein you're alive right?" Fia asked.

"Yea I guess you're right," Ein smiled.

"See," Fia returned his smile,

"We should probably head back before anyone notices," Ein sighed."Yea…" Fia mumbled standing. Finally with Zero and Leon sitting near the tents.

"Well Zero?" Leon asked

"Well What?" Zero replied.

"Cierra really likes you haven't you noticed?" Leon asked

"Again I don't care," Zero replied.

"Oh come on who do you care about?" Leon asked

"No one," Zero replied

"What are you going to tell Cierra?" Leon asked.

"That I'm don't like her," Zero replied.

"That's pretty strait forward about it I mean she really likes you and you're just going to shoot her down," Leon explained.

"I don't care," Zero commented.

"You're heartless man…" Leon said.

"Relationships are a distraction. They may provide a reason to fight but if something happens to that person or persons your mind will shatter and you will lose most if not all of your fighting ability and will to live. Increasing the number of people you care about only increases the chances of this happening," Zero explained.

"That's why you're cruel and heartless person," Leon laughed

"Good night," Zero commanded angrily. Leon went into his tend fell asleep instantly.

Hard core Exf fans are going to kill me, as well as Cierra fans and fans of other people and later on everyone will try and kill me. but that will come in time. Anyway I, if you can't already tell, am really bad with names... so i was going to have a little pole. Just put a name in your reviews and I'll pick the one I like the best. And this is not a ploy to get people to review... well maybe...

Anyway on the next chapter : A little break a lot of romance

Relationships began to strengthen. A small little tidbit of Zero and Leon's past is shown... "Watch out for that Scythe Leon!"