Chapter VIII: Moving Forward

"Over here Ragna!"

The young teenager looked and saw his younger siblings sitting next to their Matron mother. Ragna gave a small wave as he ran over towards them. There group was sitting by the river as they watched the sunset, the field bathed in a gentle orange glow. Ragna continued to run over to his siblings… and he kept running as the scene changed.

The church was in flames, as he found himself on the ground grasping where his right arm had been. This is all your fault. Those five words from his younger brother would continue to haunt him. If only he'd seen this coming, if only he'd known about Yukianesa. If only…

The scene changed once more. He found himself in a building that he quickly identified as an NOL branch due to its design. The Imperator sat in front of him. Looking him dead in the eyes with an expressionless face. Now the only goal you have is to kill me. Very fitting… for the Black Beast. Will you go enjoy killing your beloved sister I wonder?

Ragna was breathing heavily as he shot up out of the bed he was in. The nightmare had seemed so real to him, who's to say it wasn't a message? Damn it, am I really letting a stupid dream turn me into some coward? Ragna thought bitterly. He looked down at where his left arm had been and only saw a bandaged side. His shirt and jacket had been removed and were sitting on a hook across the room.

"Is something wrong?" a familiar voice asked him. Ragna turned and saw Tager slumped over against the wall. He looked better then the last time Ragna had seen him, some of his parts had been repaired, but the work was far from done.

"Where are we?" Ragna asked looking around. Their current location seemed to be the infirmary room for a small clinic.

"This is Doctor Litchi's clinic in Orient Town. It's close to ten at night. This is where Makoto brought me during your fight with Relius Clover. Thank you again for that. I wouldn't have made it out otherwise."

"You're welcome," Ragna said, despite his thoughts being elsewhere. "What happened to Makoto and Noel?"

"They're resting in the other room. They had wanted to stay here and make sure you were alright, but Kokonoe managed to convince them to get some rest. Makoto was actually the one who bandaged your new wound."

The door opened revealing the pink haired half-beast. She looked over at the two and sighed. "'The hell am I going to do with you two? How you holding up Tager?"

"Your repair units are working efficiently, but at this rate I'm afraid I'd be here for a full week," Tager admitted.

"I'll take care of that once we get back to sector seven. And you Ragna?"

"Physically speaking, I'm healing. Otherwise… It's been a tough day." The Grim Reaper sighed. "We lost Lambda by the way. She died saving me from Terumi."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Kokonoe admitted. "But in the meantime I've got something for you." She grabbed a long, silver, case from the hallway and opened it. Inside was a bio-mechanical arm, resized and fitted to meet Ragna specifications. "This is going to hurt like a bitch," Kokonoe admitted as she undid Ragna's bandages and set the arm in place.

The sensation to Ragna reminded him of when he had attached the BlazBlue, not at all pleasant. After a few moment of searing pain, the arm was set looking like Ragna's old arm had never left. His sense of feeling was in place and it acted like his old arm, even the color and size was perfect.

"Why the special treatment?" he asked suspiciously. Kokonoe sighed.

"Consider it a sign of trust. If the Imperator's as strong as I'm lead to believe, I (as much as I can't stand to admit it) need your help. Also, the material for that came from Lambda's regenerative tank, so take care of it."

"Got it," Ragna said before standing. There was only a minor discomfort now, the BlazBlue having taken effect. "What's the plan from here?"

"I'm going to need you to head to Ikaruga soon. I have a contact there that might be able to help us. Until then, I need to start a full scale maintenance on Tager back at Sector Seven, so feel free to stay in Kagutsuchi and rest for a few days."

"Professor?" a young girl asked from the hallway. "The uh… movers are here."

"Oh good. Well Ragna, Tager and I are off. Make sure to behave yourself, I know having to girls around all the time could be fun but…" noticing the Reaper roll his eyes Kokonoe chuckled. "Now I see why Rachel messes with you, it is kinda fun."

After Kokonoe and Tager had left Ragna put on his shirt and jacket, leaving him alone to his thoughts, but not for long.

"Hey Linhua, did the Professor already lea-?" Makoto's question was caught short as she saw Ragna in his room, standing and conscious. After staring at him for a moment, she ran over to him and tackled him with a hug. The Reaper blushed as he caught the new term for the phrase 'flying squirrel.'

"H-hey! What are you…" the Reaper asked; his face now the same shade as his coat. Makoto realized what she was doing and blushed slightly.

"Sorry, I just saw that you were alright and… I guess I got a little too excited."

"Makoto?" a voice sounded. The two turned and saw Noel with her 'deer caught in the headlights' look. Makoto was about to answer when Noel simply smiled. "So that's how it is, you two make a really cute couple."

"….The world is against me," the two thought.

"Couple!?" Makoto shouted blushing. "What are you saying?"

Ragna face palmed. "Noel, I don't think a relationship between Makoto and I is going to work," he admitted.

"Then how come you two are still hugging each other?"The two's blushes deepened and they, much to Noel's disappointment, let go on one another. "Oh, okay," she said downcast, before she got an… interesting, idea. "Hey guys, you know that this door is locked from the outside for medical emergency purposes, right? And there are no windows in this room."

Realization dawned on the two far too late. With a flick of her arm, Noel slammed the door in their faces and locked it in an instant. She even applied ARS MAGUS to the damn thing! Ragna banged his fist against the wood. "NOEL! Open this door right now or god help me, I'm breaking it down!"

"Do that and I'm kicking you three out!" Linhua yelled.

"Then get her to unlock the damn thing!" Ragna shouted.

"Come on!" Noel called on the other side in a sing-song voice. "Now's the perfect time to talk about your relationship with each other! Be back in an hour!" she said before leaving.

"Linhua, please let us out," Ragna begged. No response. "Linhua?"

"I think I'm on her side with this one, this sounds interesting."

Now Ragna was pissed. "DAMN IT! I'M NOT ABOUT TO DISCUSS MY LOVE LIFE TRAPPED LIKE THIS!"

"In that case, just wait the hour," Linhua commanded before leaving as well.

The two looked at each other and sighed, this was going to be a long hour.

15 minutes later

Makoto was debating whether to kill Noel or thank her. Ragna had said that he needed to test new arm out, so he'd started doing workouts. Makoto had forced herself to keep her eyes to her side of the room, but every so often she'd glance in Ragna's direction. "Damn it! Does he have to do it now?!" she internally groaned. "Being trapped in an interrogation room with a hot guy… Did I really just think he was hot?"

A few reps later, Ragna was finished. The two sat in silence for another moment before he cleared his throat. "So…" Ragna began nervously. "Partners? Just to clear this whole mess we're leaving it there right?"

"Why do you ask?" Makoto said.

"The sooner we clear this up, the sooner get out of here," Ragna admitted.

Makoto nodded. Noel didn't say they had to become a couple or kiss, she'd said to discuss their relationship. "Honestly I think that's where we're best at. People are already getting the wrong idea though."

"People," Ragna asked surprised. "As in more than Noel? Who else is there?"

"Well… there's your brother."

Ragna chuckled. "Jin, seriously? That's just…" The grim Reaper continued to laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Makoto said glaring. Ragna hadn't seen how flustered she'd been then.

"It's just, why me of all people?" Ragna asked. "Surely other people have taken interest with you."

"Beastkin, remember? Most people won't even look at me, let alone invite me for dinner." Makoto sighed.

Ragna stopped laughing. "Wait, you've never been on a date?"

"No I haven't; go on keep laughing."

Ragna didn't even chuckle. "Come on, certainly there's at least one decent guy that's talked or flirted with you, or at the absolute least thought you were beautiful?" Makoto shook her head. Ragna sighed. "Then the world's blind."

Makoto's brains might have fried just then.

"…I just said that out loud, didn't I?"

Makoto didn't answer, she was too busy blushing. "Uh…"

"PROGRESS!" came a shout from the outside of the room.

"NOEL!" the two yelled.

"No keep going! Ragna, you think Makoto's definitely beautiful right?"

"I just said it!" Ragna admitted angrily. "What the hell are-?"

"Then why won't you even consider being her boyfriend?"

"BECAUSE I CAN'T LET HER GET HURT!" Ragna shouted. I'M THE GRIM REAPER FOR GOD'S SAKE! I'VE GOT THE ENTIRE WORLD AFTER ME AND I'VE ALREADY LOST MY BROTHER AND SISTER ONCE BEFORE! HELL, ON THE TOP OF THE BRANCH SOMEONE DIED SAVING ME! THE ONLY REASON I BEAT TERUMI WAS BECAUSE HE SAID SOMETHING THAT MADE ME BERSERK!"

Ragna was breathing heavily. There, he'd said it. He'd admitted the one thing that kept him in constant fear of forming a relationship, the fear of losing another loved one.

Makoto gently grabbed Ragna's hand and asked him in soft voice, "What did Terumi say?"

"He said…" Ragna calmed himself, ever so slightly. "He said he was going to hurt you. He'd attack you, torture you, and then have you die in my arms. I couldn't let that happen. You mean too much to me."

Makoto nodded. "And it won't, because I'm sticking with you." Before Ragna could comprehend what she meant she slowly leaned in and kissed him. It was the first kiss for the both of them and it held so much meaning. After a few moments she ended the kiss. "Because you mean just as much to me."

The two were silent as they lovingly embraced one another. After a moment the door opened revealing Noel who looked somewhat guilty. The two stood and walked over to her, arms crossed. Noel finally spoke, "I guess that was taking it too far."

"I'll say," Ragna said before tussling her hair, like he used to do to Saya. "Thanks though, I guess I needed a push."

Noel nodded. "Well, I'm going to bed. See you in the morning."

"Be there in a moment Noel," Makoto said. When her friend was gone she turned to Ragna. "Hey, can we do something fun tomorrow, just the three of us?"

Ragna smiled. "Alright, but only if I get to take you out to dinner afterwards."

"Deal," Makoto said before kissing her new boyfriend on the cheek. "Night," she said before following Noel.

Ragna went back inside his room and lay on the bed, his smile never leaving his face. He'd been through hell and back recently. Old faces had appeared, new threats had emerged, and he was clearly in over his head. It didn't matter to him. For the first time in his life since the church, he felt like things were going be alright.

Makoto had made him see that.

Authors Note:

I don't own BlazBlue. The Author also apologizes to those who have died drowning in the excessive fluff presented in this chapter.

Now the relationships official. Sorry if I made Noel appear a little… mischievous in this. I thought it'd be a nice change for her character. Makoto was never with Kagura! Also, regarding the poll, I won't tell you the official results, but I will say so far it's heavily favoring the characters getting stronger. I didn't illiterate this last chapter, but the poll will be open until August 25th.

Lastly, a shout out to TheFallenGeneral for providing me with the cover picture. Seriously, thank you.

Until Next Time, Storm VII signing off. Ciao.