And here is the next chapter! Hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. (:

Chapter Two

Morning came fast the next day, and with it came good news.

"Just as they promised, the Research Lab finished altering the EC's this morning!" Sheena announced as she made her way back into the dining room. Everyone else was still sitting there, eating breakfast. Lloyd and Colette were particularly focused on their food, heartily shoveling each bite of the variety of foods they had been served into their mouths.

Zelos, who was lazily leaning back in his chair, plate finished, couldn't help but to grimace at the news. "I can't believe we're going to be traveling on those things," he said, his voice tethering into a whine.

Sheena had a similar grimace on her face. "It can't be helped," she sighed. "It's the best we can do for now. It would be impossible for us to get a ship, and with the Bridge out…"

"Sis, are you okay?" Genis asked in concern as he noticed his sister's steadily paling complexion.

"I'm fine, Genis…" Raine assured him in a voice that didn't convince anyone. She put her utensils down on the table, visibly losing her appetite.

Sheena rubbed the back of her head sheepishly at that. "Ah, sorry, Raine," she said.

Zelos's eyebrows rose at the exchange between them, tilting his head curiously, but he more or less read between the lines, so he slid closer to the older half-elf with a suave smirk on his lips.

"Don't worry, my Ultra Cool Gorgeous Beauty! The Great Zelos Wilder will protect you!"

Her half-hearted glare did nothing but amuse Zelos, but he laid off the subject as soon as he saw Raine reach for her staff. Luckily for him, Lloyd took this moment to speak up.

"Man, the food was great!" he exclaimed with a satisfied grin, patting his full stomach. "I could get used to this, you know," he joked half-seriously.

"I am glad to hear that, Sir Bud."

Lloyd jumped in his seat as Sebastian spoke up from behind him. He had clearly not noticed the butler's approach with how thoroughly focused he'd been on eating. Zelos snickered quietly from his corner of the table, drawing an annoyed look from Lloyd. But he just as quickly turned that glare on Sebastian, protesting at the nickname.

"I told you my name isn't Bud! It's Lloyd!" he insisted.

Genis rolled his eyes. The exchange had happened enough times already that it had lost its humorous appeal.

"Shouldn't we get going already?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He snuck a glance in Presea's direction, wondering if she was alright. Without the Rheairds and without a clue on how to start saving the two worlds, the only thing they could do now is follow through on their promise to Kate and help Presea return to her normal self.

"The brat is right. There's no time to lose and whatnot," Zelos agreed and stood up from his chair.

"All right, well, let's head to the shore and make our way back to Sybak then," Sheena said and began to lead the way.

Sybak brought them little answers, but at least they had something to go on. Tomorrow, they would go see a dwarf named Altessa, who had also been part of the team that had experimented on Presea and was the only one who could cure her.

"What's the Gaoracchia forest like?" Genis asked Sheena as he finished drying the plates they had used to eat. It was after a general consensus that the group decided to camp for the night, settling down somewhat nearby the aforementioned forest. After all, they had no interest in going into unknown territory at this time of the night—and with their wanted status, there was no way they could have stayed at Sybak's inn.

"Hmm…" Sheena let out a long hum as she leaned back on one of the trees surrounding their camp, stretching her arms and loosening the kinks in her muscles. "Well, it's kinda scary to tell you the truth," she admitted. "Dark, easy to get lost in..."

"What's so scary about that?" Zelos cut in, shooting the ninja a leer that prompted her to throw a shuriken at his head. He quickly dodged the projectile, letting it sink into the ground behind him. "Hey, watch the hair!" he complained.

"I bet there's nothing to be scared of." Lloyd gave Genis an easygoing, reassuring smile. "It doesn't look much different than the Iselia Forest."

"Hmm, I guess." Genis frowned, not very convinced.

"It used to be just a normal forest, once upon a time," Zelos interjected, biting back a devious grin. "But then," he said, pitching his voice lower as he sat up and beckoned the two closer. "One day, a thief hid a stolen treasure deep in the forest."

"Oh, brother." Sheena, seeing where this was going, rolled her eyes, but she let him continue, an amused smirk ghosting over her lips.

"It was a jewel worth several billion gald, so naturally a lot of people came after it," Zelos told his audience, which was slowly growing. Though Presea wasn't paying him a single ounce of attention as she straightened up her bedroll on the ground, Colette was drifting with a curious expression as she abandoned her own. Even Raine, who had settled down near the campfire with a thick tome in hand, seemed to be paying attention, though she hadn't glanced up from her book.

Zelos smiled, keeping his tone light as he continued his tale. "People from far and wide tried their luck, spending countless days and nights searching through every inch of the forest. But their greed only led to their demise. Every person who entered these woods died at the hand of the thief, who slaughtered them like a butcher, leaving behind their remains as a warning for anyone else who dared come after him!"

The trio hanging on his words gave a flinch. Zelos' lips twisted into a thin line that trembled with laughter.

"Over time," he continued somberly, slowly leaning towards the campfire so it could cast a shadow on his face, "the forest became stained with blood. As it seeped into the ground, the woods transformed into a cursed place, haunted by the lingering resentment of the people killed here."

As Colette's mouth dropped open, Lloyd and Genis blanched and held back the urge to shiver.

"You're not serious, are you?" Lloyd asked, giving the dark woods in the distance a few darting, nervous glances. He seemed much less enthusiastic to enter its depths now.

Genis gave a weak laugh. "N-No way," he said. "He's just trying to scare us… right?"

Zelos shrugged lightly. "Take it as you will, but rumors say that even now, when travelers enter the forest… the thief's ghost reappears to kill them without mercy," he warned them, and he really had to hold himself back to keep from laughing his ass off at the freaked-out expression he'd managed to put on their faces.

That's when Sheena decided to strike.

"Who dares disturb my forest?" she whispered from over their shoulders.

Lloyd and Genis have a loud yelp as they sprung up to their feet and scrambled for their weapons. Sheena burst out into laughter and Zelos joined her, clutching his stomach as tears pricked the corner of his eyes.

"Sheena!" The boys shot her a glare as they tried to calm down their racing hearts.

Beside them, Colette giggled into her hand, having been the only one of them who had heard Sheena's approach.

"Oh man, you should've seen your faces! Sheesh, not even three-year-olds believe stories like that these days!" Zelos exclaimed.

Genius and Lloyd turned their glare in his direction, their expressions mutinous.

"Alright, children, that's enough." Raine cut in then, closing the book that she had hardly been paying attention to. "It's late, and we all need our rest," she said sternly, but the way her lips were quivering betrayed her, revealing her genuine amusement.

After a few more disgruntled mutters from the victims of Zelos' and Sheena's prank, they all settled down into their sleeping bags, ignoring the snickers coming from the Tethe'allan pair.

It took a while before everything truly quieted down. Whispered conversations under the cover of the night sky was a common occurrence that the majority of the group had gotten used to over the past several months, but eventually, there was silence.

I wonder what kind of dwarf Altessa is… Lloyd thought tiredly, covering a yawn behind his hand as he wiggled in his sleeping bag to get into a more comfortable position.

As he wondered how his dad was doing, sleep fell upon him rather quickly.

That night, underneath Sybak's Imperial Research Academy, a certain redheaded swordsman briskly walked down the dark passageway that led to the academy's basement.

His footsteps echoed throughout the secret tunnel, the heels of his boots clicking against the stone floor, but Zelos wasn't scared of being caught. He held his head high as he hurried forward, his gaze steeled in determination.

When he reached the end of the corridor, Zelos triggered the mechanism that opened the secret door that led to the underground laboratory. It opened in a smooth, silent movement, revealing a dimly lit room, occupied by a half dozen half-elves.

His arrival didn't draw too much attention. A majority of the room's occupants were already asleep, some slumped over their desks with pens hanging limply from their fingers. There were a limited number of beds in the far corner of the room, all which were already occupied. That only left two people on duty, and while their faces were lined with just as much exhaustion, the sharp focus in their eyes remained as they continued to pour over the research they were conducting.

Thankfully, the person that Zelos had specifically come to seek out happened to be one of them.

"Kate!" He called out to her in a soft voice, not wanting to disturb the rest of the room.

The blonde half-elf looked up upon hearing her name. Surprised flickered across her face but as she really absorbed just who was standing in front of her, her expression grew pinched. Zelos could already see the gears in her head turning, but this didn't deter him. He beckoned her over with a silent wave of his hand.

When she didn't move a muscle, he insisted. "Come on!" he said, raising his voice a little.

There was a long pause before Kate decided to approach him.

"What brings you back here again, Chosen One?" she asked him stiffly.

Zelos flashed Kate a smile, an attempt to put her at ease despite knowing it would not have that effect in the least. "I just wanted to ask you something, that's all," he told her.

Kate frowned. The thin frame of her glasses did nothing to hide the weary look in her eyes. But she did not turn him away, so Zelos got straight to the point, not interested in wasting unnecessary time.

"I want to know who it was that ordered you to conduct that experiment," he said plainly, referring to Presea's situation. Kate had been particularly tight-lipped around everyone else on the subject and Zelos hadn't pressed her then.

Now though… When Kate looked away evasively, Zelos didn't allow her to squirrel out of answering truthfully. He tilted her head back to him and held her gaze with a piercing stare.

"Was it the Pope?" he asked quietly.

Kate stepped back, out of his grip, and crossed her arms over her chest. Her stubborn silence was an answer of its own.

Zelos let out an incredulous huff. "Sheesh, I thought as much, but I almost wanted to believe otherwise. That pathetic old man just couldn't stand not having a Cruxis Crystal of his own, huh?"

"Don't call him that!"

Kate's vehement protest was unexpected. Zelos' eyebrows shut up as he stared at Kate, who bit her lip hard, looking like she visibly regretted having spoken up at all.

"Oh…?" Zelos voiced slowly, his voice dipping into a careful sort of curiosity. "That's certainly unusual. You, a half-elf, are siding with the Pope?"

"I… I'm not… siding with him," Kate denied, averting her eyes.

"Hmm, I see," Zelos said. "…I did wonder." He nodded, finally sure of one of his half-formed suspicions. The Pope's political standings and heavy-handed policies always felt like they came from a personal place. It felt satisfying to be able to confirm that was indeed the case.

"You're his daughter, aren't you?" he said bluntly.

The way her entire body tightened and curled into itself told Zelos everything he needed to know. But although he had gained one interesting piece of information, in the end, it didn't get him any closer to finding the answers he was truly seeking. He closed his eyes in irritation, knowing he had hit a dead end.

But it was a desperate hope that made him try one finally gamble anyway. He swallowed hard and remembered that beneath Kate's hardened heart, there had been a woman who'd regretted what she had put Presea through. There was a chance that she might have a clue that might lead Zelos back to his sister. A chance that she would be able to put her complex feelings towards the Pope aside for the sake of doing something good .

So he asked, and hoped that word of what he was doing and who he was talking to never got around to the Pope.

"My sister, Seles…" Zelos stared straight into Kate's eyes once again, searching for recognition but at once finding none. Disappointment dripped down into his gut, but he pressed on, clinging on to hope.

"A few days ago, she went missing," he told Kate.

He watched carefully as a wary sort of confusion crossed Kate's eyes as she took in his abrupt change of subject, but then her expression settled one of realization. It really was telling of how well she knew her father given how quickly she figured the real meaning behind Zelos' words.

"I… I'm sorry," she said after a pause, her voice soft. She looked at Zelos with pity and glanced away when her words caused a flash of anger to cross his face.

Zelos snatched her by the arm and pulled her close, her apology falling on deaf ears. "Do you really not know anything?" he snapped, shaking her in place as she forced her to look at him.

Kate tried to pull away, shaking her head. "I told you, I don't!" she protested, wincing as his grip tightened.

The movement jarred something in Zelos' consciousness, making him immediately let go. He proceeded to shut his eyes tightly and he took a long breath to recenter himself. It took several seconds before he was finally able to apologize.

"…Sorry." The apology came through gritted teeth. "Listen, just… forget about all of this. I was never here, got it?" he said firmly.

Kate was quick to nod in agreement as she cradled her arm. She said nothing else and kept her gaze on the ground as she stood in front of Zelos, unmoving. Zelos stared at her blankly before turning away from her. Without another word, he left through the same way he had come from.

The walk back out the tunnel stretched for a longer period of time as each of his steps was weighed down by a heavy disappointment and an even heavier disgust for his own actions.

He hadn't managed to accomplish a single thing by coming here. The helplessness and self-loathing that had plagued his thoughts back at the camp had only deepened.

Is there really no other choice? Zelos wondered, feeling a noose tighten around his neck as he made his way out of the city, clinging to the shadows. The temperature had dropped significantly over the course of the night but Zelos was so lost in his thoughts that he barely felt its frigid caress as he made his way back to the area he and the others had chosen to settle down for the night.

It was only when the dimming light of their campfire was within sight that he remembered to be more conscientious. He slowed his steps during his approach, careful not to step on any twigs or trip over his own feet as he snuck back into the clearing. He made sure to feed the fire once he was within its vicinity, but as he warmed up in front of it and took stock of his surroundings, Zelos froze, his gaze becoming affixed on one of the sleeping bags, which was empty.

At once, the hairs on the back of his neck prickled and stood on end. Zelos' gut tightened as he heard a soft thump behind him. When he swiveled around, he found Lloyd looking right at him. He must have been perched on top of one the branches of the tree he was standing in front of.

"Lloyd…" Zelos's lips pulled into a tense smile. "You're awake…"

The serious expression on Lloyd's face almost made Zelos shift guiltily. Almost.

"You were gone for a while," Lloyd said quietly. "Where did you go?" he asked with an unwavering, piercing stare.

Zelos licked his lips and gave a nervous laugh, wondering why he kept getting caught off guard by this guy.

"Ah, well, you see…" he began, but a disgruntled groan from the left interrupted their conversation.

"Shutuuuup." Sheena groaned in her sleep, blinking her tired eyes open just enough to glare at them.

The distraction had been a blessing sent from Martel herself. In a flash, Zelos schooled his expression into a familiar mask. He put on his best flirtatious look, letting his lips curl into a sleazy-looking smirk.

"Sheena, darlin'," he purred, giving her his full attention in an attempt to avoid confronting Lloyd. "I'd be more than happy to help you back to sleep," he said, knowing it would wake her up enough to create a small scene.

His plan worked almost too perfectly. Sheena rose to his bait alright, but one look at his disheveled appearance made her grimace in disgust. (He really had to thank himself for having the forethought to mess up his clothes on the last stretch of his walk back to the camp.)

"Ugh, I can't believe you, Zelos." She looked tempted to give him a good smack, but it was a lot of effort to follow through with the desire when she was still half asleep. "You're despicable." She settled for glaring at him from her bedroll, scowling darkly as she struggled to stay awake.

Zelos shrugged carelessly, not bothered in the slightest by her words. Behind him, he caught sight of Lloyd frowning in confusion. From the look on his face, Zelos could tell that Lloyd did not understand why Sheena was getting so mad all of the sudden.

"Just ignore him, Lloyd." Sheena scowled, trying not to slur her words as her tired body tried to catch up with her brain. "Do yourself a favor and don't even bother with this pervert." She tried to sound stern, but her ending yawn ruined the effect. She couldn't manage to stay awake any longer after that.

When Zelos faced Lloyd again, any remaining trace of guilt and nervousness was gone from his expression. He gave the brunet his usual smirk, his flirtatious look remaining firmly in place.

"Heh, sorry about ditching guard duty and all," he said, not sounding very sorry at all. He approached Lloyd slowly, his gait less that of a trapped mouse and more of a cat ready to toy with his prey.

"I didn't mean to be gone for so long but hey, you know how it goes, don't you?" He let the teasing words brush against the edge of Lloyd's ear, his insinuating tone and hot breath making Lloyd shiver and take a step back.

"What do you mean?" he asked, not understanding why the way Zelos was looking at him was making his face heat up.

Zelos chuckled.

"Well, if you know, you know, and if you don't… I really shouldn't tell you, honestly." He winked at him, keeping up the charm.

"In any case, after all that, I'm certainly tired, so since you're already up, please continue to take over for me, will you, hunny?" With that, Zelos sauntered to his bedroll, not giving Lloyd a chance to protest.

"Night~!" he said over his shoulder, leaving Lloyd and his rapidly growing confusion—and accompanying red face—alone in the dark.