Hi and welcome to chapter 8!

Actually chapter 7 & 8 were just one chapter, but it was just far too long and kind of exhausting to read. So I split them up.

I do not own the characters or the locations of Tales of Symphonia.

Mental note to myself: Don't ever again let Noishe sleep beside you! thought Anna still trembling. The sight of a huge fur ball had quite startled her, especially when it had been the first thing she had seen, after she had opened her eyes.

She looked to the sky. The sun was shining, but on the horizon there were dark clouds and a rough wind was blowing. "Looks like an upcoming thunder storm" she mumbled. Now Noishe woke up as well and yawned. "Morning, sleepyhead!" Anna said smiling. The animal barked and touched with his nose her cheek.

"Noishe, remember when I told you that I was afraid of you?" He nodded. "You know, I really like you, but I'm still a little bit afraid of you. So please make sure that when I wake up the first thing I see isn't a huge Protozoan." The last word sounded a bit proud. Actually Anna was quite proud that she knew what Noishe really was, but there was no way she would admit that.

He looked at her and a bit sad he nodded. "Oh, don't give me that look! I said I like you. But you intimidate me a little. You're like Kratos. Frightening and adorable at the same time. Okay, adorable is the wrong word for him. Well, I would say he is cute."

Noishe didn't seem to agree.

"Fine. You know him the longest. How would you describe him?"

He whined.

"Yeah, that sounds fitting. He really is always sad."

Now Noishe shook his head.

"You didn't mean that? Then what?"

Noishe looked quite frustrated.

"I'm sorry, but it's quite hard to understand you. You have to show me what you want to say."

Noishe whined again and desperate he lay down.

"Okay, we are not getting anywhere. Can't we agree that he is exactly the opposite of me?"

For a moment he seemed to think about it than he nodded.

"Alright. It's settled then." She smiled and caressed Noishe's forehead. After some minutes Anna looked around. "Where is he, by the way?" Noishe's ears twitched then he pointed with his nose behind her.

She turned her head, but she couldn't see him. "Even if he doesn't sleep why is he always somewhere else?" Noishe just jerked his shoulders. Anna sighed and stood up. "I hate being up so early. Even with the nightmares I would like to sleep longer." Last night her nightmares had reappeared. But it hadn't been that bad. I can live with that.

Anna walked in the direction Noishe had pointed. After she had walked past a few trees, she could see some fields and the ocean. And even though the horizon was covered by dark clouds the sun was shining as bright as yesterday. He stood just a few meters in front of her. The wind played with his hair, making it messier than it already was. One hand was resting on the hilt of his sword.

She made one step forward. "Are you trying to sneak up on me?" Kratos asked without looking at her. Anna smiled and answered "No. Not this time. Besides I doubt that it's possible to sneak up on you. At least for a normal human being." She came a bit closer. "Usually I would ask what you are doing so early, but since I know that you can't sleep at all…"

"That's not correct. I simply don't require sleep, that doesn't mean I'm not able to do it."

"Oh. Then why don't you do it?"

"It's just not…necessary."

"I don't get your point."

"What do you mean?"

"Just because something isn't necessary doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. Most of those things are fun to do. I wouldn't give up my sleep."

"Even though you are haunted by nightmares?"

"Yes. I mean the ability to escape reality, even if it's just for a few hours, is something I would miss dearly. Don't you miss it?"

"No. Not really."

"Okay, now it's official. You spent way too much time being an angel! I don't care how long you were parted from this world, but forgetting how it is to be human is too much!"

"I didn't…"

"Oh, you did! I bet you don't even know anymore how it feels to be asleep. That's it! I'm going to teach you how to be a human again!"

"I don't think that this is a good idea."

"It's a great idea and it's not like you have a choice in the matter anyway." Anna smiled and Kratos sighed. She looked at the horizon and said "It's going to rain pretty soon."

"We will arrive at our destination in time."

"Our desti…You mean Izoold?"

"Yes."

"Oh…That's…good. …You really did keep your promise. Unbelievable that you endured my company for a whole month. You're tougher than I thought. I'll go and get my stuff then." And before he could answer she disappeared behind the trees. Are we really this close to Izoold? Are we? She thought while she headed to the camping place. You wanted to stay till you know how you feel about all this, but be honest: Do you know it? The answer is no. You are as clueless as you were at the beginning. Two days are not enough to know something like that. And you know that he won't let you stay any longer. Why should you? You have no reason…right?

"Two days are just not enough…" she mumbled while she was packing. Noishe sat beside her and looked worried. Then Anna looked at him. "Today I have to say goodbye to you. We will arrive at Izoold very soon." The Protozoan looked absolutely shocked. "I'm going to miss you. You are first animal that didn't want to kill me. …Hey, Noishe what are you…" Suddenly the huge animal jumped at her and nailed her to the ground. Whining he licked her face. She smiled a bit sad.

"Like I said, I'm going to miss you too, but please let me stand up."

The animal shook his head energetic. "Just because you won't let stand up, doesn't mean I'm not going to leave."

He didn't move.

"Noishe, look. I…I can't stay. Kratos said he would escort me to Izoold and he did. He kept his promise. I can live a normal…mostly normal life and I'm sure I wasted enough of his time."

Noishe's whining grew louder. He licked her face again. Then Noishe looked at her like he wanted to convince her that she was wrong about what she had said. "Noishe please stop that! If you don't I believe I'm going to cry." He didn't stop. She sighed and asked "You are going to miss me that much?" The Protozoan nodded.

"Noishe, I really enjoyed being around you two. I really did. You and Kratos were the first two…persons who were kind to me since I was captured by the Desians. I will never ever forget that. And maybe…there's a part of me that would like to stay with you…with him. But let's be honest a human staying with a Seraph and a Protozoan? There's no way this could end well. And it's not like you don't have something to do. I don't want an "Age of lifeless Beings". So you better think of a way to solve that problem. If I go, it will be the best for everyone."

Decision made. You go. That's the right thing to do. Finally you do something smart. He licked her face now a bit more gently.

"Are…What are you doing, Noishe?" Kratos asked. He stood a few meters away, and seemed quite surprised. "Finally you are here!" she said relieved "Your friend here doesn't want to get off me and I'm not able to push him away. Please help me!" He came closer. "Noishe, would you please get off her?" But the animal shook his head. "Noishe, you have to let her go." For some seconds the Protozoan looked like he wanted to resist, but then he whined and got off her.

"Thanks! I started to think I would never get away" Anna said while standing up. "Have you said anything that could have upset him?" Kratos asked.

"What? Why do you ask?" But then she saw Noishe, who was looking quite angrily at Kratos. Anna had expected that he would look at her the same way, but Noishe looked at her with the same friendly expression like he always did. "Don't look at me like that. I didn't say anything. If he's angry at you then it's not my fault. I'm totally innocent" she said to Kratos "You know him better than I do. Find out why he's mad."

She looked at the horizon. The clouds are nearly black! "Shouldn't we get going? I don't want to be outside when it starts raining." He nodded. I have the feeling that this is going to be most awkward and most uncomfortable day of my life.

The morning was unusual quiet. Normally Anna filled the silence with questions or just babbling, but today she didn't feel the need to say anything at all. The only thing that was different was the fact that Noishe kept walking between her and Kratos. He really wasn't in the best mood, but he seemed to be only angry at Kratos, which confused not only her.

After the fifth time she had nearly fallen over Noishe she said angrily "Okay, that's it! Noishe I want you to stay at least one meter away from me. I can't even walk without tripping over you." He whined and really kept his distance. "Much better!" she sighed relieved.

"What are you going to tell them?" Kratos asked.

"Tell who what?"

"How are you going to explain your relatives how you came this far?"

"Oh that. Since I doubt you will enter Izoold I'll just tell them a mercenary let me tag along."

"And you think they will believe you?"

"Sure. Why shouldn't they? Besides I was gone for a year. They believe I'm dead. I don't think they care how I managed to survive."

"I suppose you're right."

"Don't worry about me! I can take care of myself. If you believe it or not I'm no damsel in distress."

"I never said that you are helpless."

"Pff…but you act like I was. You are far too overprotective. The only time I was hurt during this month, was when the Desian cut my arm. And even though it was just a little cut you acted like my whole arm was cut off."

"I certainly did not…"

"My point is that I'm not made out of glass. I survived a year in a human ranch. I'm tougher than you think."

"You are surely more resistant than the average human."

"You make it sound like I was a machine."

"We're there" Kratos said and stopped. Surprised Anna saw the village of Izoold. She was just a few hundred meters away. Wow. I'm so close. Only a few minutes and then I am a normal human again. For a while there was just an uncomfortable silence. Then Anna said "So…do you want the long farewell or the short one?"

"You have a short and a long version?"

"Of course! What do think I've been thinking about all morning? But I admit I would prefer the short one. The other one is just so…long. And I really don't want to be outside when it starts raining."

"Then just the short one."

"Alright." Anna took a deep breath. "First of all…Do I owe you something?"

"No, you don't."

"Okay. …This is harder than I imagined. But since we haven't got all day" she looked at the ground, unable to look into his eyes "Again thank you for saving me…and bringing me here…and well…" Finally she could look at him "Thanks for telling me the truth. I really…appreciate it even though it destroyed my whole worldview and everything. Well,…Oh and I'm sorry for causing you trouble, whatever you count as trouble." She sighed. "And before you start, you don't have to say something. Besides I'm sure you would ruin the mood if you would." Now she even smiled faintly.

"Okay, I guess that's it. Like I said the short version…" She turned her head away and ran her hand through her hair. "Hey, where's Noishe?" Anna asked a bit surprised "He was the next one on my list." She couldn't see the Protozoan anywhere. "I don't know, but he can't be far away" Kratos replied.

And suddenly Noishe appeared out of nowhere. As soon as Anna saw his face she knew that there was something wrong. And in the moment where she saw how Noishe looked at Kratos she knew what was wrong. Frustrated she groaned "You've got to be kidding! Desians? Here? But the closest ranch is the one near to Iselia! And even that's really far away!"

"I don't think they are from the Iselia ranch. Judging from Noishe's tension they are…"

"…from the Asgard ranch." Anna finished his sentence "So close! So damn close! It's just like the last time. Just when I think I'm safe Kvar's Desians show up! Fate hates me." She sighed frustrated. "And did he tell you where they are exactly?"

His expression was enough explanation. "Let me guess they are exactly there, where I wanted to go a few moments ago?" she asked bitter. "I'm afraid that's correct" Kratos stated simply. "You are so damn lucky that I know that you are a Seraph and not a Desian Lord. Otherwise I would kill you right now" She closed her eyes for a moment then she said "And have you got a clue what those Desians are up to?"

"For me there's nothing left, but to find out" he answered while looking at Izoold. Anna rolled her eyes "I suppose that means I will have to wait with Noishe till you've finished…"finding out"?"

"Yes."

Anna sighed again. "Okay. Then Noishe and I find better a dry place, because I'm sure this is going take a while. …Fate really does hate me."

Just when Kratos wanted to go, Anna said "Hey…be careful, okay? Don't get yourself hurt."

"There are just Desians. They don't pose a threat."

"Still. As strong as you are, you are not invincible. …Just say that you will be careful, so I won't worry."

"Alright. I'll be careful."

"Thanks." And just slightly she touched his arm. Then Anna turned around started to walk in the direction they had come. Noishe was walking beside her and even though he tried to hide it he was quite happy. "Seems like I will have to stay with you for a bit longer." And her companion started to grin.

"Shouldn't he be here by now?" Anna asked Noishe frustrated. The Protozoan lay in the little cave he and Anna had found. It was pouring and that was quite fitting for her mood. Noishe was watching a more and more worried Anna, who was going up and down. "I know I know he has to find us first, but usually it doesn't take him that long. He said that he would be careful, but he only said that to do me a favour. Are you sure that there were only Desians and not someone or something else too?" Noishe nodded like the first ten times she had asked that questions.

"I hate waiting and hoping everything will be alright! I feel more useless than ever! Even if something happened to him I couldn't do anything about it. I wouldn't even know it" she sighed and looked into the clouded sky "Please be alright! Please!" Noishe barked silently to calm her down. Anna took a deep breath. "I know I'm overreacting. It's just…I'm so worried! I can't help it."

The animal stood up and came to her. Then he licked over her hand. She smiled. "Thanks, Noishe!" The young woman took a deep breath. "I have to calm down. Freaking out won't help anyone." For a few seconds it looked like she would manage to calm down, but then she said quite nervous "You are sure that he's alright? I mean no one is perfect. Like I said he isn't invincible. Oh man, I'll lose it if he doesn't show up very soon!" Noishe rolled his eyes. "What? Aren't you worried at all?" He looked at her for some minutes with a certain expression. Then she turned red. "I got it. I know how I must sound like. I'm just worried that's all."

For a while both sat there in silence. Impatient she patted Noishe's forehead. At least I'm not alone…Then suddenly the Protozoan turned his head to the right and his tail started to wag. Some moments later Kratos entered the cave and after a split second Anna hugged him. "There you are!" she sighed relieved. "You sound quite…glad" he answered surprised.

"You were so long gone. I thought something happened to you."

"Hmpf…I told you that those Desians pose no threat to me."

"That didn't keep me from worrying about you. Better don't ask Noishe what I did the whole time." The Protozoan's expression was explanation enough.

"…You should let go now. I'm drenched with rain."

She giggled. "You really look like a wet cat." Then with one hand she wiped some strands of his hair out of his face and smiled. She moved away, but with her left hand she pulled him deeper into the cave to the little fire. "So…" Anna sat down and tried to dry the wet parts of her clothes with the warmth of the flames "Did you find out what the Desians wanted?" He didn't sit down and he didn't answer, but his eyes told her the truth. Smiling she said "The Angelus Project, I guess. And judging from your expression I suppose it's impossible for me to go to Izoold, without being captured."

He sat down. "How can you say that smiling?" "I'll tell you reason maybe later, but what are we…are you going to do now?" she asked. Kratos looked into the fire without answering her question. "…Well, if you don't know it yet just take your time and decide. This storm is still going to last for some hours. And…Oh my g…! Is that blood?" she asked shocked. On his right hand she saw definitely blood. "That's not…my blood" he answered. But nevertheless she came to him and took his hand.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking if it's really not your blood."

"You don't believe me?"

"You would say anything to calm me down" she said a bit absent minded, while looking at his hand. After some minutes Anna said "Okay. It's really not your blood." Due to the fact that he was completely sodden the blood was washed off after some moments.

Very short switch to his point of view.

She was still sitting beside him and was holding his hand. Anna's hands were warm, leaving this strange but familiar burning on his skin. She sighed, but it didn't sound sad like he would have expected. It sounded content. Then she turned around so he could look into her face. For a while she looked at the ground like she needed to find the right words. Her cheeks were slightly red and a smile played on her lips.

Then Anna said "You know…I don't…mind…if I have to…stay…a little longer. I mean…you said that you would…stay till I'm…safe and right now…I'm not…really safe. …I just wanted to let you know that….Never mind! Forget I said anything!" She said the last part quite fast. And before he could even think about what she had just said, Anna took his right hand and moved it towards her face, until his hand touched her cheek.

This felt very…different. He could feel how her breath stroke over his hand. Warm and soft. Before he could say something she said smiling "I just wanted to try how this feels. …Sorry! I should have asked you." But she didn't move a bit.

Back to her point of view.

This feels quite good! Far better than I imagined! She saw his expression and giggled. "Why do you look so shocked?" Anna asked. "Shocked is the wrong word. A bit surprised fits better" he answered calm. Her smile became brighter. "I guess you are not used to…physical contact. Don't worry next time I'll warn you." She let his hand go, but for a split second his hand stayed where it was, before it moved away.

Anna looked at his drenched clothes. "Aren't you going to take your clothes off? They won't dry like this. You could catch a cold." They looked at each other for a moment. She sighed. "But since you are a Seraph you can't get sick."

"Yes."

"Still…isn't that uncomfortable to sit there in cold and wet clothes?"

"Not really. Like I said I don't feel those things as intensive as you do."

Anna rolled her eyes. "But they won't get dry if you leave them on."

"They will. Why do you want me take them off so badly?"

Now she blushed. Her cheeks had never been so red before. "It's…It's not what you think! I was merely worried about your health, but since you are no normal human it…does sound a bit strange, I admit that. …And maybe I'm interested how you take clothes like these off, because with all those belts and everything I have no idea how you could do that. But that's it! Really!" She turned away and tried to hide her red cheeks. Noishe watched her amused. This. Is. So. Embarrassing! But I really was only worried!

For a while no one said something. This time it was Kratos who broke the silence. "You do realise that I wasn't implying anything by my question?"

"I know you wouldn't do something like that. But it sounded like you did. I simply defended myself. It was just a normal human reaction. And could we please drop this topic? I feel…a bit uncomfortable.

"…"

"…Thanks. And I really was just worried."

"I thought you don't want to talk about it anymore?"

"You're right. I don't." Carefully she looked at him again. She sighed relieved. He looked like always. Okay, that's over. Anna turned her head to the fire and watched the flames for a while.

Suddenly there was the loud sound of thunder. Frightened by the sudden noise she jumped up and would have fallen on the hard ground, but Kratos had caught her just in time. "Are you afraid of thunder storms?" he asked. "Usually not, but it seems that this day was more exhausting than I thought" she answered.

"We didn't walk…"

"I meant mentally exhausting not physically."

"And what did…"

"Well, first of all Noishe startled me in the morning. Then I thought the whole morning long that I have to say goodbye to you. After that the Desians showed up and then you were so long gone, that I nearly…Ähm…You get the point."

"…That you nearly what?"

"Do you have to ask that? It's not interesting anyway…"

He just turned his head away. "You give in quite easily. It's not like I wouldn't like that, but it's a bit strange tough."

"I see no reason in questioning you about things you won't answer anyway."

"Pff…If I would use that kind of logic, we wouldn't be talking at all."

"…"

"And you do it again…"

"What?"

"You always stop talking when the conversation is getting interesting. I said I like your voice! Use it more often!"

"…"

"Kratos!" she said quite angry and frustrated.

He sighed but still wasn't talking. She groaned "You are making this harder than it is. But if you insist we can do this the hard way." For some moments she was silent then Anna said "I never imagined you to be forgetful."

"…"he sighed than he asked "And what did I forget?"

"Well, after you caught me you forgot something quite important."

"That would be?"

"Isn't it quite obvious? You are still holding me." She giggled. "You should see your face. Am I really so light that you don't feel my weight at all or…do you simply enjoy it?"

"It's your first guess."

"Oh please! Just admit it!"

"…"

"Sometimes you really drive me insane" she sighed, but then before she stood up she kissed his right cheek. Anna looked at her wet clothes. "Seems like I will have to sleep close to the fire, or I'll be the one who catches a cold." She looked at the Protozoan. "Remember what I told you this morning, Noishe. I don't want to have a heart attack tomorrow." He whined but nodded.

Then she looked at Kratos. "Hey…As soon as you know what you are going to do now, let me know, okay?"

"I will."

"Thank you. …And I still believe you enjoyed it."

"Hmpf…"

And it's done! I hope it's not too romantic. I really try to stay as close to the characters as I can (and believe me trying to get Kratos right is quite hard), but I've always imagined those two cuter than any other couple.

Thanks for reading! And of course Reviews are appreciated.