Colette's Sixteenth Birthday
As soon as they make it back to the village the two students are overwhelmed with the sounds of happy villagers roaming the streets. They make their way to Colette's two-storied wooden house with a red tiled roof and bunches of bright flowers and vines showered on every wall.
"Then, we shall entrust the protection of the Chosen to Kratos and Raine." The mayor's voice can be heard throughout the house as Genis and Lloyd open the door.
"I have no objections." The mercenary agrees.
Colette turns her head to see the two students standing in the doorway. "Thank you so much for your help earlier!"
"Oh, you're back! Thank you for your assistance earlier! Please accept this small thanks." Colette's grandmother hands Lloyd a small book titled, Collector's book.
"Thank you, Phaidra." Genis replies.
"Say, were you talking about the world regeneration journey just now?"
Lloyd stares ahead at the table with Colette, Kratos, the mayor, Phaidra, and Frank sitting quietly around it.
"Yes." Phaidra states with her hands folded neatly on the table.
"Wow! I want to go, too! I wanna see Colette regenerate the world!"
"If Raine is going, I want to go too." Genis adds.
"No. You'll get in the way." Kratos affirms coldly.
"Wh-what?!" The swordsmen stutter in surprise.
"The battles at the chapel were nothing compared to the journey that awaits us. Children need to stay home."
"Kratos is absolutely right." The gray haired mayor agrees. "Now then, we still have things to discuss. You two should head home." The mayor points to the two students.
As Lloyd and Genis exit the house Colette follows before tripping down the small stairs and quickly pulling herself up.
"Please, wait!" Colette pleads as they stop in their tracks. "I'm sorry."
"It's not like it's your fault." Lloyd assures.
"Oh, yeah. I'm sorry."
"Listen! Ah, never mind."
"Oh yeah. Happy birthday, Colette!" Genis smiles and pulls out a small plastic baggy of cookies. "I baked you some cookies. If I knew you'd be leaving tomorrow, I would've made something a little more special. But- -"
Colette interrupts suddenly. "No, no. I love your cookies! Thank you very much!"
"So what about you, Lloyd? You promised to make her a necklace right?"
"Uhhh. heh." The swordsman scratches the back of his neck.
"Don't tell me you forgot."
"Uh, It's-it's almost done. Uh, I'll give it to you tomorrow before you leave.. I swear!"
"Really? I'm so happy! As soon as I find out when we're leaving. I'll go to your house to let you know. The Chosen holds her hands up to her chest and laughs.
"Isn't it going to be dangerous?" Lloyd asks worriedly.
"I'm the Chosen, remember? I'll be fine. See you later, then." Colette then walks back into the house and shuts the door.
"Liar." Genis says, holding up his hand to his forehead.
"If I start on it now, I'll finish it in time." The teenager's face lights up.
"Oh, really? Well, whatever. By the way, you're going home now right? Can I go part of the way with you?"
"Sure. But where are you going to go?"
"I'm going to see a friend."
"Huh? I didn't know you had friends outside the village besides me."
"Does it matter? Anyway, can we swing by my house so I can get my stuff?"
"Fine, I don't know what it is you need but make it quick."
The two make a pit stop through town at Genis' house and walk inside.
"Let's see, There should be some ingredients for sandwiches in here." Genis says examining the shelf stocked with food.
"When you said you wanted to get ready, you meant picking up ingredients?" Lloyd asks, confused. "Why are you bothering with that?"
"You shouldn't make fun of cooking, Lloyd. We can't use healing arts, so we need to use food to keep up our strength."
"Yeah. I guess you're right. Apple gels aren't cheap after all."
"Exactly, so don't judge my skills." Genis grabs the following ingredients and the two leave the carefully built home before being interrupted at the gate of the village by a loud guard.
"Lloyd! Do something about this thing!" The guard holds up their pitch fork scared.
"What?" Lloyd turns to see a horse sized white and green fur animal with the face and paws of a dog sitting at the gate. "Noishe!" The dog-like creature whines and hangs its tail sadly. "Hey, how many times have I told you not to enter the village?!"
"Hey, you always have him bring you to the village! Don't talk to him that way!" Genis shakes his fist towards Lloyd.
"Oh, that reminds me. Lloyd the mayor told me to ask you a question." The guard begins, "It's about the northwest forest that you go through. You know there's a human ranch on the way through, right? You haven't been playing near the ranch, have you?"
"Of course not! Right Genis?" Lloyd reassures before turning to a suddenly nervous Genis.
"Y-yeah, Of course not." Genis says almost sweating.
"Really? If so, that's fine but that weird animal- -" The guard is cut off.
"How many times do I have to tell you that Noishe is clearly a dog?!" Lloyd shouts angrily.
"Ah, sorry. He just doesn't look like a dog. Anyway, make sure he doesn't go near the ranch either."
"W-we can go now, right? Let's go Lloyd." Genis says facing the swordsman.
"Be careful you two." The guard warns.
"We will. See you tomorrow." Lloyd waves the guard goodbye as the three leave the village. "Time to go, Noishe. Why were you trying to go into the village anyway?" The dog whines loudly again.
"He was probably looking for you." Genis explains.
They leave the village and continue through the northwest forest.
Noishe whines loudly again. "Ah, that's right. Noishe doesn't like this place." Genis explains.
"He'll never go near places like this that have lots of monsters." Lloyd says, raising an eyebrow. "Even though you'll hardly ever see any monsters that are bigger than him."
Noise whines sadly again and runs off. "I keep thinking if he's going to run away he should at least take us with him."
The two best friends walk through the path leading up the mountain, tall trees and forest monsters interrupting their tracks. Eventually, they make it to a dirt road with a wooden sign marking "Human ranch" in the middle.
"Here's my stop." Genis says, turning onto the dirt road.
"At the Desian human ranch? Doesn't going there violate the non-aggression treaty?" Lloyd questions the elf suspiciously.
"The Desians already attacked the temple!"
"Hm, well. Yeah, I guess that's true.
"I know I'm not supposed to. But there's someone I just have to tell about the oracle."
"All right. But I'm worried about you going alone, so I'm going with you."