Me: hey guys looks like my block is broken so I can continue to write

Lyn: uh Shadow

Me: yeah Lyn

Lyn: Look

Zelos: Oooooohhhhh what have we here now what's a beautiful woman like you doing in a place like this.

Me: ZELOS GET THE FUCK OUT NOW OR I WILL KILL YOU!

Lyn: You might want to heed his warning he didn't get enough sleep last night and he's a little testy.

Zelos: only if you come with me my voluptuous hunny

Me: THAT'S IT WHERE'S MY BLADE! oh and here's chapter 8 read, review, and all that in the distance ZELOS YOU PERVERT GET OUT NOW!

Chapter 8

Morning had arrived shortly after Shadow had lied down to sleep, the first thing he did was curse his curiosity toward the unknown and the consequences that followed. "That's it I'm never drinking again." he said angrily. "What's with you?" a voice asked him. Shadow turned his head toward the tent flap to find Lethe standing with her arms crossed. "And why are you in my tent you hate me if I recall." Shadow asked changing his tone. He knew better than to constantly get on Lethe's bad side even if he didn't mean it. "Ike wants the two of us to get into a two-on-two sparring match so that we can learn to work together as a team, personally I think it's stupid." Lethe said explaining the situation. "You're right it is, but be that as it may we have no choice but to comply, but my question is why do you and I have to partner up? Is it because we argue more than anyone else here or is it to torture us?" Shadow complained. Lethe for once in the amount of time she had been around the boy actually agreed with him. Lethe left the tent several minutes later to allow Shadow to get properly dressed and geared up making sure not to let anyone barge in on him. "Are you almost done in there we're going to be late you know." Lethe said. "Okay I know I'm talking to a laguz but still give me a break here I have more stuff to carry." Shadow raised his voice. "A typical beorc excuse you don't need a metal sword just a wooden one." Lethe snapped. "Fine then I guess I'm ready." Shadow snapped back.

"Morning Shadow...um...Shadow where are you and Lethe going?" Romeria asked curiously. "Lethe and I have been forced to partner up in a sparring match so we're heading off to practice." Shadow said. "Um...why you two in particular?" Romeria asked. "It's probably to torture us or something." Lethe answered. "Anyway could you let us know when the whole thing gets started goddess only knows what would happen if we're late." Shadow said walking away. Lethe quickly followed him and the two were out of sight. Romeria took this as an opportunity to talk with Lyre, if anyone knew what was going on it would be her. Lyre in the meantime was continually trying to grab hold of Ranulf's arm but to no avail. "Lyre knock it off would ya I don't like you in that sense, are you even listening to me?" Ranulf asked still evading Lyre's grasp. "Captain come on, why do you have to be like that?" Lyre asked stamping her foot on the ground. Romeria appeared on the scene when Ranulf bumped into her causing Romeria to fall to the ground. "Romeria, are you alright?" Ranulf asked helping her up. "Yeah I'm fine thanks for asking...Lyre can I ask you something?" Romeria turned her attention to Lyre. "Uh sure let's go find a nice quiet spot to..."Lyre started. "No it's nothing private I just wanted to know why your sister and Shadow are paird up for a sparring match." Romeria said cutting Lyre off mid-sentence. "I'll answer that, you see, Lethe and Shadow's arguments are starting to get on everyone's nerves so to help ease whatever tension is around the two they're being forced into a two-on-two sparring match to see if a bond can be formed or not it's just a little experiment and it was soren who suggested it, personally I think that we should lock them in a room and not let them out until they resolve their differences, but that's just me." Ranulf said coolly. "Captain that's not nice and besides they'd hate us for doing that especially Lethe." Lyre said. "That's still not answering my question I'm sure you realize that even putting them on the same team warrants little results right?" Romeria asked. the conversation lasted quite a while until Ike and Mia showed up. "Romeria have you seen Shadow or Lethe it's time for the sparring match." Mia asked explaining the sudden appearance. "They went into the forest to practice I'll go get them." Romeria said running off. "Do you think we'll succeed at this?" Lyre asked. "It's either that or we never hear the end of the Lethe/Shadow issue." Ranulf said.

"You're pretty useless you know that?" Lethe mocked. Shadow and Lethe had been practicing teamwork for a while now but between Lethe's mocking and Shadow's wild movements there was no way both of them would ever be able to do so. "I'm not exactly used to fighting with just a sword just so you know." Shadow said half sarcastically. "Yeah right face it you can't do any real damage with any kind of weapon." Lethe said. "Oh really and I suppose you can?" Shadow asked. "Yeah I can." Lethe boasted. "Alright then prove it." Shadow said challenging Lethe's boast. "Alright give me your sword and I will." Lethe said. Shadow tossed the wooden sword at Lethe's feet and waited for her to prove him wrong. Reluctantly Lethe picked up the lightweight weapon and immediately began to swing it around haphazardly and at the end of it all Shadow said "You're no better than me so you might want to keep your comments to yourself." This nearly signed the boy's will because as soon as Lethe dropped the wooden blade she tackled him to the ground and pinned both of his arms high above his head with one arm while the other stradled his waist to keep him from moving and just stared at Shadow. "Don't ever tell me what to do you weak little beorc remember I'm much stronger than you and could easily tear you limb from limb." Lethe threatened. "And then you would get confined to your quarters for a while but go ahead and do what you wish I don't care." Shadow said without showing any emotions. Suddenly the two heard a gasp and faced where it originated to find Romeria staring at them shocked. Shadow and Lethe loked at each other and noticed their compromising position and blushed furiously. "I'm sorry if I was interrupting anything but...uh...it's time for the sparring match." Romeria said her face still a dark crimson. "Uh...thanks...and uh...what you saw here never leaves here got that." Shadow said. Romeria nodded while Lethe continued to stare at him her face still a little red.

Everyone including Elincia who for some odd reason decided to be a spectator waited until Lethe, Shadow, and Romeria to show. "I hope they get here soon I'm tired of waiting." Boyd said tapping his foot. "Oh shut up Boyd they'll be here." his partner Marcia commanded. Eventually Shadow, Lethe, and Romeria showed up but still had red faces which gave them alot of questions which were all answered at once with "You really don't want to know". Lyre didn't buy the excuse and secretly scooted away from Ranulf (who decided to stay and watch) and tried to ask Romeria. "Hey Ro. are you sure nothing happened that you don't want to tell us?" She inquired. "Lyre why do you keep asking it's nothing really." Romeria said. "Because when you appeared you looked angry so I want to know what happened." Lyre said concerningly. "It's nothing okay." "Really alright then I guess I should get the scoop from your crush or maybe even my sister." Lyre teased. The word "crush" echoed in Romeria's mind as she tried to imagine her and Shadow being together. "You didn't think I wouldn't notice, Ro. you should know the laguz better than that." Lyre continued. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Romeria said trying to hide her embarrassment. "Nice try Ro. but I see the way you look at him, the way you care, and frankly he'll never know unless you tell him, or would you prefer to lose him to someone else?" Lyre asked. "I feel nothing for him, yes he saved my life but that alone doesn't make me feel anything towards him, so go ahead and let him fall for another girl I don't care." Romeria said letting the anger ooze from her words. "Is that really how you feel?" Lyre asked. "Yes, now please leave me alone okay." Romeria stated coldly. Lyre walked back to Ranulf who was looking at her like she did something wrong, but put hand on her shoulder which said different. "If she doesn't want to talk then don't push the subject Lyre, you kno better than that." the only sentence that left Ranulf's mouth

Lethe was sitting alone thinking about the awkward position Romeria found her and Shadow in. Soon other thoughts started rushing her mind, thoughts that would be deemed forbidden by the goddess Ashera. "Ugh, get those thoughts out of your head Lethe and focus you and Shadow are going to be out there soon and you'll cost us a victory if you keep thinking something so repulsive." she said to herself. Speaking of Shadow, Lethe had finally noticed he was missing and decided to look for him. The first place Lethe went to was Shadow's tent thinking he might have forgotten something, no such luck he didn't even remove the iron sword from his makeshift bed. Next Lethe tried asking Aimee the shop keeper of healing items, again nothing. Finally Lethe heard voices coming from the twins forge. "Are you certain about this, I mean you're asking for quite the order." Daniel stated. "I don't care how it takes for the steel one but I would like the wood one today before my match if that can be helped." Shadow said. "Alright but the steel one may take a while so you'll have to be patient." Daniel said. "Like I said I dan't care how long it takes but I would like to have it." Shadow finished up the conversation by walking out of the shop. Lethe, realizing she would soon be caught rushed back to the others before Shadow had a chance to even notice her presence.

Back at field Boyd and Marcia had just appeared from a cloud of dust after Soren pelted the two with an elwind. the battle actually had started not long after Lethe went to find her partner so there weren't any injuries yet. "Hey Lethe where did you go I wanted to talk to you about what happened between you and Shadow." Lyre said as her sister sat down in her chair. "I went to go find him and he was at the twins shop asking about something." Lethe said. "Oh really? Anyway what did happen between the two of you I tried asking Ro. but she wouldn't answer." Lyre asked. "I pinned Shadow to the ground after he made a remark about me being no different than him and Romeria took it the wrong way apparently." Lethe said. "Really? Hmm I wonder if she got jealous for some reason, that would explain her current mood." Lyre said to herself unaware that her sister still paid close attention. "Current mood what are you talking about?" Lethe asked. Lyre explained to Lethe about Romeria and her anger towards the two because of the compromising position she caught them in. "Oh please like I would want to be with him for the rest of my life." Lethe said unaware of her own blush. "Well that's not what your face is saying right now." Lyre pointed out.

Me: sorry about that disturbence ladies and gentlemen but I really don't like That red haired pervert being in my studio.

Lyn: clearly, you almost killed him and with a dull blade at that.

Me: just goes to show that I don't tolerate his behavior. and as for the ending to this chapter I decided to make it a three part type so expect the real ending sometime soon.

Lyn:One question

Me: Shoot

Lyn: Whats with Lethe in this one, seems to me that she might actually be falling for your main character.

Me: Ah just wait Lyn I have some things in store for Lethe. in the meantime please stick around for more alright.

Lyn: I think I will.

Both: Later!