Ta-dah! Chapter/Part Eight of To Understand comin' at'cha! Hope ya like it like the last Seven Chapters/Parts!

To Understand: Part Eight

True Feelings of a Traitor

By Harmony283

Good Reviews: 3 (Holy cow 20 reviews! YAY!)

Hiranieas-Yes I know, poor them. I actually felt kinda bad for them too, and I'm the writer! And yes, I wonder why Genis just up and said 'let's go fight Mithos!'…maybe he was putting on a strong front? Or maybe not? Anyways…here's the next Chapter I hope you like it!

TheTwilightPrincess-Truth be told I wasn't much into guy/guy couples either. That was, until I bought ToS…then I decided to read some fan-fics about it and the first one I just so happened to read was Before the Turning Point By Shinneth. That's what got me thinking that this was the only guy/guy couple that made sense. I'm also glad that you thought I wrote this in a way that made you like it (I don't think I could ever do just a plain shonen-ai story. I'd be afraid of making too many mistakes…so this one has action/adventure thrown in as well). I'm really happy that you said that my story might change your views on them—it must mean I'm doing a good job! Thanks a bunch for your review and here's the next chapter!

Nady-Kun-Heh…exactly what can I do? Hmm, you'll just have to wait and find out. As for the whole 'Let's go fight Mithos!' thing…it's basically either him putting up a strong front or him thinking Lloyd was dense enough not to question why he was so 'gun-ho' about it (remember how 'happy' he sounded when he said it?) And the reason I chose Flanoir to start off with…well, for one thing it too is my favorite city and I just thought I'd twist it up a bit since I didn't want it starting at 'Mithos' betrayal' scene (that's overused a lot). And yes, I hate betrayals too. It made me cry the first time when Mithos betrayed Genis and the group. Oh yes, here's the new chapter I hope you like it (and on a side note I've seen, and saved, most of your artwork—it's awesome!)!

Me: Wow…to think that this story'd get so many reviews…that and that it used to be just a four parter…things sure do change.

Feral: Yes and that was because you decided to stick me into the story. Now tell me am I going to show up in this chapter or not? I thought I was supposed to be a major character.

Me: Yes you are an important character but…I can't say! The readers'll just have to read and find out! Now be a good girl and do the Disclaimer

Feral: Fine, fine. Harmony283 will never ever, EVER own Tales of Symphonia or any of its characters. She just owns me and the plot. If you accuse her of anything else…I can't be too sure if you will live…

Me: …0o;;; Ack! I said do the Disclaimer! Not threaten the readers!

Feral: Mweh, heh, heh…

Authors Note: -gulps-Uh, anyway…in this chapter there's…well…more conversation between Raine and Genis. Also there's more Genis/Mithos action…as in talking in the dead of night after a group of monsters attack!

Me: Hmm…am I forgetting something?

Feral: Yes you are.

Me: Oh yeah! Pronyma, as you all know, dies when you reach the 'Great Seed Chamber' but in this…she doesn't. Don't ask; it just goes along with the plot. (Yeesh I should've just mentioned this in the first chapter…but I forgot…)

Feral: Yes it does. Poor Genis…

Me: What did I tell you about spoiling things for the readers? –Glares at Feral who shrugs and walks away casually-

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Genis' POV

Okay, I knew we had left Flanoir. That city surrounded with snow…but it was still cold. And the wind wasn't helping much either.

'What did you expect from flying on a Rhieard at top speed at--nine o'clock at night?' Feral asked, her voice extremely sarcastic.

I looked around, everyone else seemed to be wrapped up in their own thoughts and the wind was making it close to impossible to hear anything, which was good.

"What's up with you?"

'Hmm? You aren't afraid to talk to me.'

"No one can hear me cuz of the wind and besides, they're all caught up in their own thoughts to care much anyway." I said the last part bitterly. Why did that bug me though? It's not like I like being the center of attention or anything.

'You seem slightly annoyed. Hmm, is your hand bothering you at all?'

"I smashed a mirror and hurt my hand because of that--of course it would hurt!"

'I don't mean that…I mean your…Exsphere. Has it been bothering you?'

"No, not that I've noticed much or anything…should it?"

'I'm not sure. It's just…'

"Just what?"

'No, it's nothing. Nothing important anyways.'

"How can you say that it's not important when you sound so worried?" I asked, slightly annoyed at her. It seemed like now, more than ever, people were trying to hide stuff from me. That or give me part of the answer.

I sighed softly to myself, speeding up my Rhieard slightly. Raine seemed to notice something and tried to call out to me…

I slowed down enough to let her pull her Rhieard up to mine.

"Genis?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you…what were you talking to yourself about?"

I flinched, oh great. She had obviously seen my mouth moving…dammit

'Well I can't say I didn't warn, since I didn't, but I can say that you should have seen that coming.'

I flinched again, Feral was using that same cold, mono-toned voice. I shivered involentarily and Raine just looked at me worried.

"I'm…I was…"

"You were…? Are you okay? We…never finished our conversation you know. The one about…why you got angry."

"I don't think now is the best time to talk about it…" Then in a lower voice I added, "…Not that I want to talk about it."

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Raines POV

I just stared at the rather agitated and cold form of my younger brother, lips pressed together in a thin line of worry.

What was going on in that head of his?

What…did he mean…he didn't want to talk about it? Surely he didn't think he could solve this problem on his own?

How could he? This was something that he needed to talk out with someone--preferably a trusted adult (A/N: she's starting to sound like my health teacher)--about his problems.

"Why don't you want to talk about it? You know at some point in time you will have to. And the sooner the better."

I wasn't exactly sure what would happen next but…Genis seemed to be debating something extremely serious in his head at that one moment--his expression changed so many times--from rage to sadness to fear and back again. I wondered yet again what was going through his mind.

He used to be so open with me…but that changed once he…

…Met Mithos.

My eyes widened slightly; my mind replaying the conversation I had with Genis early this morning.

'Genis are you still friends with Mithos?'

'Well, yeah, I guess. I mean, I'm not friends with him because of what he does…I'm friends with him because of the way he acts around me…if that makes any sense at all.

He…never said that he had stopped being friend with the blond half-elf…our enemy. Oh gods, was he still friends with him now?

But…no…Genis specifically said that he would never join him. Ever. Then why was it so hard to believe that they were still friends?

Hmm…

"Hey Professor!" I blinked, snapped out of my thoughts by a very cold looking Lloyd.

"Yes? What is it?"

"Is it okay if we stop for the night? We won't do nearly as well if we don't have enough sleep!" Sheena finished for the brunette.

I nodded my head, "Well I suppose you're right. Let's find a clearing and set up camp there."

"but how can we see in this darkness?" Presea asked softly, looking just as cold as everyone else, but not showing it.

"My little Rosebud is right! We're not gonna do any good if we can't see anything." Zelos cried out, visibly shaking while trying to balance on the Rhieard.

Lloyd seemed to give Zelos a worried glance, to which the red head fully ignored.

"Hey I think I see something down there!" Colette called out, pointing to a location not too far off.

We lowered our Rhieards and sure enough it was a place to stay. It was also much warmer than it had been.

Genis was the first to get off his Rhieard. He seemed slightly calmer than before…but his eyes held a vacant look to them.

A few minutes later and everyone was set up for camp.

"Okay then, who will be the night watch?"

Genis immediately raised his hand, "I will." But he didn't seem too happy about it.

"Ah good! I'm bushed." Zelos said, yawning and falling on his sleeping bag.

Presea nodded her head in agreement and so did Sheena.

"Um, uh, that is…if you don't mind…" Colette murmured to which Genis just smiled, though it was an empty smile.

"Don't worry about it. You can sleep too, Lloyd. And Regal you can too…sis…you might as well go to bed now too."

"Genis…"

"I slept in late this morning remember? So I'm not tired yet. I'll wake you if I get sleepy."

I sighed watching as the others fell asleep. Genis had gone over by the fire, obviously to warm himself up.

"Genis…?"

"You really want to know, don't you?"

"Yes that and…are you still friends with Mithos now?"

"Didn't I already answer that?"

"Yes, in a sense, you did."

"And in a sense is all you're going to get--" his voice was rigid but tired at the same time.

"Genis…"

"Sis I'm really fine. When I wanna talk about it I will. Just…don't worry okay? I'll wake any of you if I see a monster or anything."

I sighed and opened my mouth to say more…only to find myself yawning.

Genis smirked, "See? You're tired."

I groaned softly, "Yes I suppose I am a bit tired. But this is really important Genis. You aren't giving me the whole answer, just half of it."

Genis seemed to freeze at those words, as if contemplating something in his head.

He then sighed rather abruptedly, shaking his head from side to side muttering, "Don't bring that up." Before turning back to face me.

"Why—or rather what—more do you want to know? I've already told you enough…haven't I? I? I mean, I've told you enough in my opinion."

This just made me worried again. So he honestly thought that giving me part of the answer was okay? He honestly thought—or should I say hoped—I wouldn't ask him anymore about it?

"Genis in all honestly no you didn't tell me enough. You said you were friends with Mithos but you made it sound like you were friends with him now. And you also avoided my question on if Mithos contacted you at all that night?"

Genis shrugged his shoulders as if it didn't matter, "How could he? I mean, Colette was down the hall from me and she has angel hearing, Lloyd and Zelos were right next door to me too and it's pretty obvious that they were still awake."

My eyes widened…so he really did know!

"And how do you know that?"

"Besides the fact that you said that they said that they heard something last night, I saw them walking back from the chapel. I'm guessing they were talking and stuff. Not that it's any of my business but…you seem really worried…what's wrong?"

Oh gods, if everyone had been awake I would have whacked him upside the head, but since they weren't, I felt bad about waking them up. His voice held both naivety and sarcastic humor that…ugh, I thought he knew better than to talk to me like that!

"Genis…"

Then I yawned, sleep seeming to envelope me like a blanket. Genis smiled again, though this time it was a gentle, caring smile, "See, sis? You are tired. Why don't you get some sleep?"

"But…"

"I know you want to talk to me about it, but you can't unless you're all ears and wide awake."

I smiled at him and nodded my head, "Yes you're right."

He grinned at his easy win.

"But that does not mean I'm not going to ask you about it. And I assure you we will talk about it before we reach the Tower of Salvation…before we face off against Yggdrasill—Mithos."

Genis' face fell immediately, his eyes going cold at the mention of his—I'm hoping former—friends name.

"Now then, I'm going to bed."

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Genis' POV

How could she put that so lightly?

'Well you did say that you'd fight up against Mithos this morning…are you going back on it now?' Feral asked, amusement in her voice.

"What the—you actually believed me?"

'Well you did sound extremely convincing. I think the only one there, besides me, that didn't fully believe you was Lloyd. But then again, he's dense.'

"Heh…yeah you're right." I muttered as I walked over to sit near a tree that was some ways off, though not too far off, from the camp. I sighed again, "How can I do this…?"

'It is going to be hard. I won't lie to you about that. Though if no one's noticed by now that you've been faking then you don't have to worry.'

"But I still feel bad…for keeping so many secrets…"

'And you should. But it's necessary. You said so yourself that your sister, as well as everyone else, didn't—couldn't—know about your relationship with Mithos.'

I sighed softly, knowing that Feral was right. I had said that and it was true.

I gingerly took out the single feather from my pocket. The feather from Mithos' wings…it still had the same soft, rainbowish hue to it that it had this morning.

I laughed to myself. Did I honestly think it would fade?

It was an angels feather for crying out loud! A perfect, or so we had thought, beings' feather. Of course it would be perfect.

I ran my fingertips over it, surprised by the warm tingling sensation I got from them.

"Hmm, so it's warm. That's interesting…but then again, the wings are part of the body…aren't they?

Wait. If they were then were my wings warm too?

I glanced behind me, making sure that Raine and the others were fast asleep, before I attempted to draw out my wings.

In a flash of pale blue the crystalline wings appeared.

And just like last time, they hurt.

Badly.

It felt like someone was diving a million or so needles into my back. I let out a soft groan before trying to reach around and pluck off a feather.

'You know…that might not be the best thing to do.'

"And what would you know? It's not like you know more about this than I do."

'Hmm you're right. But, call it a guess, I think plucking off a feather on your new wings would be like pulling out a strand of your hair.'

"But that doesn't hurt." I said, still reaching around behind me. I grasped one of the end feathers and tugged lightly. The feather came off surprisingly fast…but gods…it hurt.

And that wasn't the only thing that hurt.

I glanced to the side and gasped, retracting my wings immediately. There stood a monster with a spiky head and leaf like arms. I looked at my wounded hand and right above it, on the shoulder, was one of those thorns from that monster.

I glared at it hatefully but it just grinned back.

"Raine, everyone, get up it's a monster!" I cried out, trying hard not to show any fear.

But they didn't hear me.

That's when I heard a loud huffing noise coming from above. I glanced up, almost afraid to look, and a saw a dragon like monster…it was dusting a light powder down on my friends.

'Hmm, that's strange. I've never seen a dragon do that before.' Feral said, her voice one of a curious onlooker.

"But what is that…powder?"

'It's sleep powder, but don't worry, it's non-lethal.'

I groaned again, trying to stand.

I had to put practically all my weight on my left side because of my arm…this wasn't good. They were coming at me…fast.

All of a sudden a beam of white light, well, more like many beams of white light, shot down, hitting the two monsters and making them disappear.

I blinked and turned around, seeing if Colette, who was the only one who knew an attack like that, had somehow managed to get up. But she hadn't.

Well if it wasn't her, then it had to be—

"Genis!" An urgent and all too familiar voice cried out from behind me. I gasped and turned around.

Standing there with a shocked, and slightly deshelved, look on his face was Mithos.

"M-Mithos…? What…what are you doing here? You could get caught!" I whispered, wondering at how he could be so…so…uncaring for his own well being at a time like this.

Mithos didn't answer my question he just stared at me, or rather, my arm.

"You're hurt!" The look on his face made my heart want to tear to pieces.

How could this person be our enemy when he…

"Um…yeah…the monster did that." I murmured, slightly embarrassed by my current situation. I specifically said that no one needed to worry and that I'd be the night watch and yet I hadn't even been paying attention.

"But the monster…couldn't have don't that to your hand! Your arm yes, since there's a needle there, but not your hand…is your Exsphere okay?"

Oh…my hand…oh great, this was not good.

Mithos was walking steadily closer, concern the only readable emotion on his face.

I backed up slightly, "No really, my hand's fine. So is my Exsphere."

Then I remembered that there was a tree behind me.

Great.

I felt the hard wood against my back as Mithos drew closer. Now he was only standing a few feet away from me.

He gingerly reached out, taking my arm and pulling out the needle that penetrated the skin on my shoulder. I sighed in relief when I saw that it hadn't gone deep, he did as well.

"There…now your hand…" He slid his hand down my arm to grasp my wrist. I gasped out in pain, trying to jerk away.

This was met with a very harsh gaze, "Look, I want to know how you hurt your hand. Can't you tell me?"

"I…It's nothing. I just, um, wasn't careful when I was doing something and…I hurt it."

"with what and when?"

"Um…I can't really say with what but…this morning is when I hurt it."

"Then how did you plan on going up against those monsters yourself?"

I gulped, "I wasn't trying to. One of the monsters, the dragon, put some type of sleeping powder on my friends a-and the other one attacked me…"

Mithos sighed, but didn't loosen his grip on my hand. Now I just had to tell him, "Um that hurts y'know."

Mithos glanced down at my hand, then back at me, his turquoise gaze locking with mine, "How did you hurt it again?"

"I—um—hurt it by...um…" I stuttered, trying to find a plausible lie, or excuse, to get myself out of Mithos' sudden, and ever tightening, grip.

But he wasn't buying it, of course.

He brought up his free hand, placing it on the tree trunk right next to my head, leaning in until his face was dangerously close to mine.

"Please tell me."

Even if I had wanted to lie, now I knew I couldn't.

"I…I…broke a mirror."

Mithos' eyes widened, "You…what…?"

"I…broke a mirror."

"With your bare hand?"

I nodded my head again.

I saw a flash of something in his eyes, before his expression changed to one of that who was thinking over a complicated problem. I waited, my face steadily getting redder from our closeness, as he thought over something in his mind.

Suddenly he looked back at me, a soft smile gracing his lips. He moved the hand that had been beside my head so that it was now cupping the side of my face.

My cheeks reddened and I felt my heart start pounding. It wasn't helping much that he was getting closer.

That or the fact that he had a highly unsettling look in his eyes. I couldn't place it and it was…

My mind turned to mush as I felt gentle pressure on my lips.

The only thought that even processed into my mind was that Mithos…

…was kissing me.

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Me: Whoo! They finally kiss!

Feral: Yes and I have to say, this is an accomplishment for you. Normally you have it where they kiss in the first chapter.

Me: That was Zelos and Lloyd. Now Genis and Mithos get their lil' time to shine! But boy would it be bad if someone woke up…

Feral: Yes, imagine the looks on their faces…

Me: Yeah –giggles happily—and as always please Read and Review! I LUV hearing from people!