9/5/12: Is anyone alive out there? So I was looking back over my stories and noticed that many are in dire need of editing. So, I am re-posting this one in its entirety, fixing grammar, typos, and a few bits of dialogue here and there. No major changes. BUT! New reviews will always be appreciated! Enjoy!

"I love you!" Sei cried. "Please don't go!"

Adalais, or Ada couldn't take it. She turned and ran through the forest, far away from her boyfriend of 3 years. Sei watched her go, the hand holding the ring falling limply to his side.

Oh Sei… She thought, closing her eyes against the torrent of emotions that poured through her. How can I explain my heart to you? Even I don't understand why I feel as I do. I know you are not the one. But I don't know who is. Why does it feel like I'm waiting for someone to find me…to save me from all of this?

21-year-old Ada had felt that way for most of her life. None of the boys who were captivated by her striking brown eyes, none of the friends who were drawn to her caring, yet feisty, attitude could fill the void she had held since before she could remember.

Anna skidded to a halt in front of a giant tree…the largest tree in all the forest. It was this spot alone that gave her comfort, that let her escape her loneliness. She smiled up at it. She called it the Giant Kharlan Tree from her favorite video game, Tales of Symphonia. The name suited the tree perfectly.

"Ada!" She flinched. He was looking for her.

"I'm so sick of being here!" She cried softly. "I don't belong here! GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

She felt a warmth rise in her chest as she looked up at the tree…her tree. Suddenly, there was a bright flash of white light and Ada felt herself being pulled through the air, the light burning against her closed lids.

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Kratos Aurion was trying his best to ignore the mindless ramblings round him. Once Lloyd and Colette got talking, they could go on for hours about the most meaningless subjects. The young half-elf, Genis, would occasionally take part, but even that child was too intelligent. Raine read, though Kratos suspected that was to prevent herself from twitching every time Lloyd said something ridiculous, which was quite often. Sheena half listened, half shied away. She knows things are sketchy as far as her place in the group goes. I suppose she'll prove useful when we invade the ranch.

Lloyd was asking Genis what a geyser was as Genis rolled his eyes. He's your son, Anna. Kratos thought, wryly. Inwardly he flinched as the painful memories and emotions welled up inside of him. How could fate be so cruel as to deal him this hand? He would have to betray his son, the son who had so long been lost to him.

At least he's alive, Kratos's sensible self argued. Though if he and Colette don't stop talking about puppies, he might not be much longer. Anna…if only you were alive as well…

"Kratos?" Kratos turned to half look at Lloyd, who looked confused. "Are you ok? You looked annoyed about something."

Kratos turned away. "It is of no importance." Lies…more lies…

Suddenly he stopped walking. "What…?" He put his hand to his chest and felt…his heart was racing? How could that be? He felt a strange sensation fill his chest…fear? No...it was happiness. And…dare he think it…love? What on earth? The only time I've ever felt those all at once was the first time I ever saw her…

There was a faint sound. He focused his angelic hearing…there…it was someone screaming. He looked around and saw no one. Then he realized: it was coming from above, from the sky. What the…?

"Kratos what is it?" Lloyd asked. Kratos did not respond but looked up, as did the others.

"Look!" Colette said, pointing to the azure sky. "Something's falling from the sky!"

"It's a…person?" Raine said in awe.

"HELP!"

Kratos gasped. "I know that voice…" he muttered. He took off, not caring that he ran faster than he should be able to. The girl was falling fast, her screams dying as she got closer to the ground, as though she was accepting her fate. This can't be!

"No!" he growled throwing his arms out, catching her before she hit the ground.

He stared in disbelief at the trembling woman in his arms. Her eyes were scrunched shut in fear as her brown hair blew gently in the wind. Her clothes were strange, a rough blue material formed breeches and her red shirt was baggy with some kind of hood and pocket attached, her boots were sensible enough, but for some reason they had buckles and zippers that served no functional purpose. Still…there was no mistaking her as she opened her brown eyes and paled as she met Kratos's cold, dead eyes.

"Kratos…" she whispered, paling visibly.

"This can't be," he put on her feet. "Are you really…" She tilted her head to one side and he thought his heart skipped a beat. "Anna?"

"Anna?" she said. "No. I'm Ada. Or Adalais." She hesitated, looking unsure then said, "Kratos, Anna is…dead." She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. Kratos blinked and felt for her mana signature. It wasn't Anna, no matter how much this girl, Adalais looked like her. Still that did not explain her mana signature: constantly in motion as though it were growing or changing.

"Kratos!" Lloyd ran up, closely followed by the others. They all stared at Ada, who blushed.

"Why are you looking at me like that…oh my gosh!" She gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. "Are you…are you Lloyd Irving?!"

Lloyd instantly went into his heroic pose. "Give me your name and I shall give you mine." To everyone's amazement, Ada squealed and clapped her hands.

"It is you!" She twirled in a circle. "Please don't let me be dreaming."

"Well...you seem to be awake so you're probably not dreaming," said Colette, looking confused.

"You're Colette Brunel!" Ada giggled. "Which means your Genis Sage, and she's your sister Raine Sage, and your Sheena Fujibayashi...eek!"

Suddenly Kratos had the tip of his sword at her neck, which was jarring for him as she looked so like Anna. "How do you know our names?" he demanded. Ada raised her hands in surrender, her eyes wide with fear.

"Who exactly are you?" Raine demanded.

"Um…"Ada scratched her head. "My name is Adalais Orion." Kratos twitched. The names were so similar, Adalais Orion, Anna Aurion. "I'm…not from Sylvarant."

"Wait…"Sheena said. "Are you from…"

"No, not from Tethe…I mean…"she looked pointedly at Sheena and said "the moon,either."

She knows of Tethe'alla then…who is she? Kratos glared. "How could you be here?"

"I'm from a place called Earth…in…another dimension. I guess. I'm not too sure actually. I mean, how the hell did I end up here, this isn't even a place!" Kratos scowled and Anna gulped. "But I guess you could say I know of you because the story of this journey, and what will come to pass in this journey, is famous in my world. You all are famous."

"So that means...you're from the future?" Lloyd said. "Awesome! And also really impossible."

"Quite," Raine said. "But you didn't say future, you said an alternate dimension, That's more…plausible."

"How?" Genis demanded

"Well…"Sheena began, but Adalais shook her head, causing Kratos sword to nick her throat slightly, but she ignored it.

"I don't know how to prove it," Ada said. "But how else could you explain my odd outfit?"

"Fair point," Lloyd said. "You look weird."

"That aside," Kratos said, bringing the topic at hand back, "You know far too much. Why should we allow you to continue on your way?"

Anna stepped sideways away from Kratos's sword and jumped towards him. He was so surprised and so confused by her similarities to his dead wife that he didn't react when she put her lips by his ear and whispered, barely audibly. "Because I know your relationship to everyone in this group. I could expose you. I'd rather not do that." The angel lowered his sword in shock, though his face did not betray him. Not only does she know about my angelic hearing…but she knows…about Lloyd being my son.

"As I was just telling Kratos, I can help you," Ada said, turning to the rest of the group. "I know things about this world that you have yet to discover. For example…are you on your way to do something involving…a human ranch nearby?"

"How do you know that?!" Lloyd exclaimed.

Ada looked around. "If memory serves…we're near Asgard. You're going to save the people of Luin…which has been destroyed…" Ada's face fell and she clenched a fist. She looked up and held Lloyd's eyes with her own. "Let me come with you. I can help. Decide what you would do with me after, but I have a plan that can get you into the ranch."

"Which is?" Raine said.

Ada pointed at Sheena. "She has a Desian outfit." Ada looked at Lloyd expectantly.

"So we get more and pose as Desians to infiltrate the ranch!" Lloyd said. He turned to the group. "Let's bring her with us. We can use her. We'll decide what to do with her afterward."

"Even Lloyd has good ideas sometimes," Genis muttered. Ada laughed, giving Kratos another jolt. Their laughs were alike.

I have no objections," Kratos said.

"Me too!" Colette and Genis added in unison.

"I suppose…" Sheena said uncertainly.

"I have my doubts…but I can see no other alternative," Raine sighed. "Let us go, shall we?"

"Welcome to the group Ada!" Colette said with a little wave.

"Yes!" Ada punched a fist in the air. Everyone stared as she gave a nervous laugh and dropped to the rear of the group as they set off toward Asgard. They had not gone far when a rustling noise came from the trees on their left. Suddenly, a large assortment of bandits dashed out of the trees, followed by five warlocks

"This looks like a dangerous situation," Ada heard Kratos mutter. She had to bit her lip to keep from squealing with fan girl pleasure. "Raine, focus on healing! Genis, guard Adalais!" He lashed out with his sword as Lloyd hacked at the bandits' scant armor. Sheena and Colette went for the sorcerers.

Ada clenched her fist as two bandits stabbed wildly at Kratos, only to die on the angel's sword. "I wish I could do something!"

"Ada, lookout!" Genis shoved her away as two bodies flew through the air, landing at her feet. Genis turned and began chanting. Raine was occupied with another bandit, as were Kratos, Lloyd, Colette and Sheena. There are way too many. If I could get a weapon…She looked down at the thin blades in the dead bandits' hands. Don't be silly! You know nothing about weapons or fighting. There was a roar as a huge dragon erupted from the trees, scattering the bandits. No time like the present to learn! She wrenched a blade from a dead man's hand as the group rushed forward, intent on the dragon. She paused and grabbed a second as well. There was an odd…confident feeling as she gripped the hilts. It feels familiar…like I've done this before. A roar snapped her back to the present as the dragon turned to her. No one would reach her in time as the beast bore down on her, but something in her knew what to do.

"Wait for it…" she muttered. The dragon was a bare inch from her, his neck stretching, his jaws opening. "NOW!" She dove under the dragon's belly and slid, turning in a puff of dust as he passed over her head. She leaped in the air, and before it could turn around.

"RISING FALCON!" She dove through the air, straight toward the dragon's neck, both swords pointed forward. She felt the blades sink into flesh and she ripped them free, splattering grass with blood as she landed lightly on her feet.

"Beast!" a powerful blow from Lloyd sent the dragon flying. It crashed to the ground, where it lay motionless.

Ada turned and wiped the blades on the grass. "Ugh…messy! Is it always this messy?" She blushed as everyone stared at her. She could swear she saw the anime ... bubble by their heads. "What?"

"Have never used a sword before?" Lloyd asked. Ada shook her head.

"This is…"Genis trailed off.

"Impossible…" Raine muttered.

"That was AMAZING Ada!" Colette cried, tackling the older girl in a hug.

"It sure was," Lloyd said, clapping her on the back.

"Impressive for certain," Sheena agreed.

"But if she's never used a sword…!" Raine cried.

"We don't have time for this debate," Kratos cut in. "We must get to Asgard."

Again they set off, this time Ada walking with Lloyd, Colette, Genis, and Sheena, who was trying a bit harder to be sociable.

Raine looked at Kratos. "I can't begin to fathom this girl. Who is she, really?"

"Indeed," Kratos muttered, lost in thought.

"Kratos?" Raine asked. He looked at her. "Do you know her?"

Do I? "No more than you do."

"I see…" Raine trailed off, biting her lip in contemplation.

She's not Anna… Kratos thought. But then…who is she?

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