:: 5 ::

:: Everlasting ::

( Constructive criticism and reviews only, no flames )

"Jade, do you have any idea about these ruins?" Guy suddenly questioned as they headed further down the deeper parts of the ruins. "I heard Sophia say these are from the Dawn Age. Is it true?" added Tear. "I'm not sure but I'm certain that part is true. Ruins from that era are usually buried deep down in the ground; as is this one, to protect something. But I'm not a history expert myself, so I can't say for certain."

"None of the books I've ever read detailed on the facts of any ruins in Auldrant." Sophia commented. "But it's still good to see them firsthand." she smiled.

"Ion where are you?" Anise whined while going ahead, faster than the others. "Slow down Anise! We don't know what could be here! Think before you rush head on like that." scolded Tear. She pouted. "But Ion is in danger! Who knows what those God-Generals are up too!"

"Yes, but we ourselves should also take precaution." Natalia added. "If we run into harm now, who would be left to save the Fon Master?" Guy nodded. "That's a good point. Let's just hurry but with care, alright Anise?" She sighed. "Fine, fine!"

Luke scowled.

"Hey! I'm the ambassador here! How come no one's asking me anything?" he snapped. Jade sighed and cocked his shoulders. "Why, I don't suppose you have a better idea than going faster but with more care now do you?"

"Well...no but still...!"

"Luke, let's just keep going." Tear finally ended. "Whatever!" Luke shouted and they all proceeded deeper into the ruins.

"You shouldn't be so angry Luke. I'm sure Van can wait." Jade remarked. He scowled again. "Don't mock him!"

Jade chuckled and replied. "My, my, why would you think that?" Sophia smiled at Luke. "He must be important to you." He looked back at the older woman and let out a proud grin. "Of course! He's my master! He trained me how to fight while I was at the manor!"

"Thank you for sharing that with me, then." she answered. He blinked. "You're kinda weird. You keep saying thank you all the time, even though you shouldn't."

"At least, she says thank you." Anise giggled. "Unlike some people around here..." Tear shook her head. "Let's just keep going?"

"Right! Coming!" she answered with a sing-song voice and followed. Guy and Jade continued to stay behind the others as they kept their distance especially from the blonde newcomer. He sighed and started to talk again. "Maybe? So there's a fifty-fifty chance you aren't going to get to know her?"

"Well, I don't know about that. You put it in a way that sounds so negative, Guy." the colonel replied with his usual tone.

After a brief moment of silence, he continued. "In these kinds of situations, emotions aren't really necessary." Guy frowned. "I know but still..."

"You should stop worrying about us so much. It'll take a long time before things start to clear up but both of us know, surely, the consequences of rushing." Jade answered quietly, quickening his pace just a little so he was ahead of Guy.

Guy blinked in confusion.

"Consequences?" he repeated. Jade looked back slightly, so that Guy could get a small view of his crimson eyes. "When things are rushed, people tend to find out about things they shouldn't know just yet."

I still remember it clearly, even up till now.

I know I shouldn't be thinking of such things at an inconvenient time like this, but it's hard to overlook. (I'm sorry. I guess we should be searching harder for the Fon Master inside the ruins.) Ever since our meeting (I'm also sorry I keep bringing this up.), our conversations with each other haven't been...developing the way I had thought.

Silence greets us with every chance I take and, I cannot seem to remove it once it takes its place. I don't know whether the colonel tries to do the same though, but, I'm just getting a little tired of it. (Sorry to say, no harm intended.) I'm not mad at myself, nor am I mad at the colonel for this, but for some reason, I just seem to run out of things or thoughts to say when that moment comes up.

I take too long, and probably, that fear that holds me back turns into a deafening silence. (It's ironic on how loud silence can get.) It's not affecting the colonel though. (I might assume, but knowing me...)

I don't know what really holds my fear that prevents me from saying things I should, probably be saying to him. Even when I get chances to think about it more clearly, I can't seem to derive anything. Maybe it's the fact that I know I don't really need to do this? The fact that, I don't really need to develop emotions for the colonel?

In marriages like this, I've always been told all I really needed to know were the basics. As long as stability is ensured between both parties, what normal husbands and wives have don't necessarily apply to us. (In this case it's...)

And yet, even though I know this fact, I still try to make a conversation with the colonel. I still try to, connect with him, if not in small but meaningful ways. (Like I said, I try.) Even if I'm the only trying, then that's fine with me.

I laugh at myself whenever I think these thoughts. While everyone else around me is thinking of how to save the Fon

Master or, how to get past the ruins or maybe, what to do afterwards with the God-Generals, I'm thinking of...me and the colonel. It seems like I'm so selfish but, what can I say? I'm only human after all.

As we came in much deeper inside the Zao Ruins, (Mieu also found a new ability here; I didn't know he was that strong.

He could beat me in fonic artes any day.) I came to think again; about the day which I couldn't forget. (No, it isn't our first meeting.)

Luke was named the goodwill ambassador to help in the Akzeriuth mines. Miasma was all around the area and the people there were gravely suffering. All of them were sick and since, it used to be part of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, he and the princess had to help. (Although she was not allowed to go.) I left with Anise as the colonel, Luke and Tear were left to talk in the Audience hall. She left after leaving the confines of the castle and I was alone in the garden just beyond the entrance. (I guess I was wrong about Luke being...a little spoiled. He was named an ambassador after all.)

I walked along the rails of the garden until I came across a beautiful fountain. The pathways lead to a cross, which had the symbol of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear engraved in the front and the bottom of the concrete beneath it. I walked towards the center, and basked in the peace of the area.

It was much more simplistic than Grand Chokmah, but I came to find it still, as lovely. I had this moment to myself, since everyone was busy with other affairs, so I continued to stare down at the water. My reflection again...

I felt a strong wind and it took my hair, dancing along with it. I didn't mind that it messed up quite a lot though; I was still busy with the reflection. (It's the one thing I can't take my eyes off.) At that moment, so many things came rushing into my head. The ship incident, Arietta, Chesedonia and the Dark Wings...and now, Luke was being named an ambassador.

I'd even met Princess Natalia then. That was the first time I've ever met Kimlascan royalty though.

The wind died down and I was left once again, looking back at my reflection on the water. It seemed somehow, a sort of portal for my thoughts to organize themselves. It's gotten to be quite a useful habit. I thought about a lot of things, after I've calmed down. (Even though they seemed more like questions...)

Just as I was in the midst of my thinking, (which I never realized took quite a long time.) the colonel suddenly came up to me. I didn't notice him, until I heard him speak.

"We're about to leave now; we're headed to Akzeriuth by land." he said to me, a little quietly. A snapped out of my thinking and turned to him. I smiled. "Alright. I'm sorry, I didn't notice you there." I answered back. He shook his head, adjusting his glasses. "That's fine. Can you make it there walking?"

I nodded slowly. "Yes, of course." He chuckled. "I don't know though, you might be lying to me again."

I blinked a little and giggled. "I'm sorry to disappoint you colonel, but I'm afraid I'm telling the truth this time."

The moment I walked out of my place in the middle of the fountain, my thoughts once again went all over the place. I hid it pretty easily though (I'm just afraid the colonel might notice.) and we walked towards Guy, Luke and Tear. (Luke seemed...frustrated for some reason.)

I could have sworn though, Guy gave the colonel a...look of some sort. (Maybe something got in his eye?)

We stopped talking when we left the city, but before that, Anise had some news for us; and it didn't sound good. She said that the Fon Master was missing, and that the people from Chesedonia (the ones that almost got away with Luke's wallet.), the Dark Wings, were the ones behind it. I wanted to wonder what their motives could be, but she gave out some more troubling news.

It seems that at that time, the God-General, Sync was watching over the exit out of Baticul. That wasn't good if they truly were interfering with the plans of the colonel and Luke. We had to find another way to leave the city and go to Akzeriuth without attracting the attention of Sync, or any other God-General in tow.

Anise was very worried about the Fon Master, so we had to think of something quickly. (I had already heard about the decoy ship that was going to carry Commandant Van and some aid troops to Akzeriuth.) I'm glad that Guy had found a way to get there, without having to go through with the God-Generals or the Oracle Knights. He said that an aircar led to an abandoned factory somewhere in the city. He used to go there as a child since, he admitted, he was a little adventurous. (My, I never expected that.)

Before we left though, (They had little choice.) Guy also showed Luke around Baticul (I'm sorry again Luke; I didn't know you were confined in the manor for seven years.). We even went to a dojo that, I never noticed was there. (We learn new things everyday, I suppose.)

We left afterwards, to the aircar.

That...wasn't what had made me remember that day though. Anyone, even me, could forget a trip by aircar. It was what happened before that, that I couldn't forget. The colonel came walking beside me, like he sometimes did as we traveled

(Did he think it was his duty to do so as my...fiancé?) and he started to talk.

"Are you sure you'll be alright walking to Akzeriuth? We don't know what we might encounter." he said. I smiled again.

(It's probably the only thing I can do perfectly.) "I assure you colonel, I'll be alright. And I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I really aren't lying this time." I joked.

"Am I really that obvious?" he answered. I was taken a little surprised by that (Did he want to catch me lying? How strange...) but I chuckled. Before we could continue with our small talk, Tear pulled me aside. She was smiling as well.

"May I talk to you Sophia?" she said to me. I nodded. "Of course you can. Is something bothering you?" She shook her head, some of her brown hair falling from their place behind her ears. (She was very pretty for her age.) "Nothing of grave importance but, I just want to say I'm sorry for Luke's behavior around you. Even for him, he seems very rude."

I giggled. (Maybe there's more to them than bickering? After all, she spoke in his name for me.) "It's alright Tear. I guess it's his way of...warming up to things." (Did I seem to rash?) She nodded. "I also want to say, even though things seem a little out of hand right now, you're welcome to be part of this...group."

I allowed her to continue. "Please don't think that we're only being this way towards you because of the colonel. We really do want to welcome you."

"And, I know it may not seem like what I'm about to say but, the colonel feels the same way." My eyes widened. She smiled warmly, and we entered the air car with the others. (She whispered and lowered her voice now.) "I don't know exactly how you must feel right now but, I promise you one thing." she continued.

I listened intently, as I felt a warm smile coming to me. "He doesn't talk to anyone like that; like the way he talks to you."

So I'm not the only one, after all.