A/N: Wow, life has been busy. What, with a huge sickness that knocked me off my feet for two whole weeks starting right at the end of my local anime convention, (there were ToS cosplayers! I spotted a Colette, a Raine and a Sheena! Eeee!) I've been dealing with a lot. The convention itself was fun. It's not huge, but it's not little, either. 1100 people attended this year, even though it was Yukinocon instead of Tsukinocon. (Lots of snow this year. Very much a first trying to run around in cosplay in the snow~)

Alright, on to what you guys actually come to this for. The story itself. o3o

I hated going into 'child mode'…

It was a bad habit I'd had ever since I was a small kid. When I was out of my comfort zone, or nervous about something, I practically walked on the heels of whoever was nearby that knew what they were doing. I acted like a small, lost kid in a department store, really and it was ridiculous, sometimes. Hell, if it got really bad, I would often grip the back of the person I was following's shirt. Thankfully, I managed to refrain from gripping the back of Zelos' pink vest as we ascended a flight of stairs, and climbed into the higher, more important areas of the castle. Zelos gave me a small reassuring smile at one point, ruffling my hair.

"Just follow my lead, got it? We'll have you out of these city walls and remembering your past before you know it." He said softly as we arrived at the door to the Crimson Chamber. Outside waited two stern-looking guards and a man who was dressed lavishly and I recognized immediately as the Pope. The man stared at me in disdain and I had to fight down the urge to glare at him. For what reason did he have to look at me like that?

"This is the errand you had to run, Chosen One?" he asked conceitedly and Zelos placed his hands on his hips, smiling charmingly as if the Pope wasn't looking at him with the same amount of fondness that Mariposa did at that dead cockroach she'd found under the sink a week ago.

"Why, yes. It was. Now, shall we?" he asked, gesturing to the door with his cocky expression still plastered convincingly on his face. Placing a hand on the handle, he pushed it open.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, travelers from Sylvarant." The Pope said with that same tone of arrogance. I immediately looked over the odd ragtag group that waited in the room. Obviously, the one in red with the unruly brown hair was Lloyd. Now that I could take a good look at him, I saw that he was lean and handsome. He glanced back at me, curiosity and recognition in his eyes and I realized he remembered me from earlier that day in the square. Quickly, I averted my eyes from the protagonist's chocolate gaze, not wanting to seem rude, and looked at the rest of the group.

Genis was standing in front of a chair nearby, which suggested he'd probably been sitting in it before our entrance. His silver hair stuck up at cute angles and his blue eyes were striking, revealing much more intelligence than your average twelve-year old. He had his hands on his hips and he wore a frown as he regarded the Tethe'Allans in the room.

Raine was just as striking as her younger brother, her orange outfit draped about her body. She was staring warily at me and those I'd entered with, especially the Pope, who looked none too pleased. She gave off an air like a teacher and I looked away almost immediately as she looked at me, feeling nervous.

Of course, off to one side were Colette and Presea. Both stood side by side, staring blankly at the rest of the room. It was almost frightening how much they seemed like statues and I shivered instinctively, stepping behind Zelos as if to shield myself from them.

"Did you read the letter?" Lloyd asked, standing and looking determined. The one to answer him was my companion and shield, Zelos.

"Yeah. We did. You want to use Tethe'Allan technology to save the Chosen from your side, right?" he asked in a business-like tone I'd never heard Zelos use before. It prompted me to look at him curiously, and the gaze I spotted in the redhead's eyes was calculating, as if trying to decide whether siding with the Sylvaravti or with the Pope was the wiser decision. However, I knew he'd side with the Sylvaranti. He had to, otherwise the whole plot would be destroyed… right?

"Our Chosen, Colette, has lost her soul." Lloyd said, glancing wistfully at the blonde haired girl who gave no notice of him and simply continued staring blankly before her. "If she stays this way… she'll die." The sorrow in the brunette's eyes was overwhelming and I felt my sympathy go out to him. However, the tender moment was ruined by the Pope snorting arrogantly and waving his hand as if to dismiss Lloyd's comment.

"As long as your Chosen one lives, our world teeters on the brink of destruction. I can't allow her to survive…" he snarled and the two knights stepped forward, readying their weapons. I saw darkness rise in Genis' eyes as he clenched his fists and grit his teeth.

"It's just like Raine said…" he growled, and Lloyd stepped forward.

"Please, wait! Just hear us out!" he exclaimed, holding up his hands. Before he could continue, however, the Pope lifted his hand.

"I don't want to hear your excuses! Get them!" he exclaimed, and the two knights rushed Colette, looking ready to kill. I stepped further behind Zelos, gripping the back of his vest and hiding my eyes. Either those men would succeed in killing Colette and the whole story I'd known would be destroyed, or she would likely kill them out of self-defense…

Clang!

The sound of metal on metal echoed around the room and I carefully peeked out. Colette had effortlessly blocked the mens' spears with her chakrams. She spun quickly, knocking both men back. I yelped as one of them practically flew at Zelos and I, but the redheaded Chosen simply pulled me by the back of my shirt and stepped out of the way, freeing the guard's path to crash into the wall with a loud grunt. The Tethe'Allan Chosen gave an irritated huff, running his hand through his hair.

"Did you not listen to me the first ten times I told you, Pope? These strangers have exspheres. Of course they're tough enough to fight off a couple guards." He said in a voice that dared the Pope to respond. It was Genis that piped up with a small chuckle, however.

"You're not as dumb as you look, buddy." He said to Zelos, shaking his head. The redhead glared back at him, placing his hands on his hips.

"Impudent little brat…" he snapped back at the half-elf boy, which earned him a short glare from Raine, who crossed her arms.

"What would you all say to making a deal?" she asked diplomatically. All parties looked at the woman questioningly, and the Pope narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"What do you mean by… a deal?" he asked, and Raine sighed.

"Colette lost her soul because she was being reborn as an angel in order to save Sylvarant, correct? If we save her and she does not became an angel, the Journey or Regeneration will not be completed and Sylvarant will not be saved." She explained and I felt Zelos bristle with interest.

"I get it… So if we save your Chosen from becoming an angel, we'll be saving Tethe'Alla's prosperity as well?" he asked, and Raine nodded.

"Precisely." The Pope, however, shook his head.

"That means you'll be abandoning Sylvarant entirely. Can you turn your back on your own people?" he asked, and he received a nod in response.

"I don't really care." Raine replied, crossing her arms. She then noticed the appalled gazes she was receiving from Genis and Lloyd and turned around before either could protest. "We came all this way to save Colette, did we not?" Lloyd looked hesitant for a moment, but another glance at the empty shell that was Colette seemed to steel him and he nodded.

"Alright. That's fine." He said, nodding firmly. Genis glanced at the floor as Lloyd spoke.

"Can we really just turn our backs on Sylvarant like that…? I mean…" The older brunette placed a hand on Genis' shoulder and smiled reassuringly.

"The Professor is right, Genis. Right now, we need to focus on saving Colette. Otherwise, what was the point in coming to Tethe'Alla in the first place?" He asked, and the half-elven boy sighed softly, nodding. Raine nodded, satisfied.

"Then our decision is to save Colette in this world and forget about Sylvarant." She said in a finalizing tone. Lloyd nodded, though I spotted the hesitation that still lingered, despite his giving the okay.

"Please, tell us how we can save her…" he said, staring at the Pope and Zelos determinedly. Zelos sighed, placing his hands on his hips.

"Hey, Pope. Why don't Faith and I tag along with these people? I mean, if they don't go back to Sylvarant, then they can't complete the regeneration ritual, so having us along to keep an eye on them should be satisfactory even for you, right?" I had to suppress a chuckle at the way the Pope bristled and glared slightly, before nodding.

"If… If you insist on it, Chosen One."

"Oh, trust me. I do." Zelos replied in a no-nonsense tone, and Genis gave a small half-smile.

"Then… Colette will be saved after all?" he asked, and the redhead Chosen shrugged.

"We'll do all that we can for now. I swear on my name as Zelos, the Chosen of Tethe'Alla." He replied, giving a small nod, and the Pope huffed before giving in.

"Fine. You have permission to travel in Tethe'Alla, but only under the supervision of the Chosen and his… companion." I realized the Pope was referring to me and I blinked. Somehow, I'd managed to make it through this whole conversation as an observer, and finally being referred to felt strange. I felt like I wanted to retreat even further behind Zelos, but I remained where I was, nodding slightly.

"… We don't have any other choice, so fine. It's a deal." Lloyd replied, glancing at me once again before turning his attention back to the others. Zelos grinned and clapped his hands together, tilting his head.

"Alright, then it's settled! It's getting late today, so we should probably head out tomorrow. Shall we all rest up at my manor for tonight and head out in the morning?" he suggested, smiling charmingly, and the Sylvaranti looked at each other, reading each others' expressions briefly before nodding.

"That sounds fine." Lloyd replied and Zelos grinned, turning for the door.

"Then let's be on our way." He said, and I followed him closely as we made our exit past a rather grumpy-looking Pope. As we headed down the hall, I felt a pair of eyes on my back and looked around, spotting Lloyd staring at me curiously.

"Can… I help you?" I asked, tilting my head and the protagonist smiled, holding out his gloved hand.

"We were never properly introduced down at the square." He said as I took his hand while we walked, and we shook. "I'm Lloyd. Lloyd Irving." He introduced himself, and I nodded.

"Faith Bentley. Nice to meet you, Lloyd." I replied, noticing the others making their approach as he reached the main hall and out the front door to the castle. Once we were outside, Zelos stopped up and turned around.

"You two are thinking ahead. We should definitely introduce ourselves. I'm Zelos, but you guys obviously knew that already. Now, putting aside the two guys, this gorgeous beauty is Raine, right? Which means this cool little cutie is Colette… and who's this?" he asked, glancing at Presea. Genis narrowed his eyes slightly and I couldn't help but smile as he responded firmly.

"Presea. She helped us sneak into the castle." He explained as I spotted him inch just a bit closer to the pink-haired girl. Zelos blinked.

"She's not from Sylvarant?" he asked, and Presea responded this time, her voice soft and low, and completely devoid of emotion.

"… Ozette." She replied blankly and the redhead raised his eyebrows.

"Ozette! That village out in the boondoc-… Ah… I mean… er… out in the forest? That's so cruel. You're being used by these uncivilized barbarians!" I couldn't help but force back a snort. Nice catch, Zelos. The redheaded male gave a melodramatic pose and I rolled my eyes. Out of the corner of my gaze, I saw Raine and Genis do the same while Lloyd glared and clenched his fists.

"Hey! Who're you calling barbarians?" he exclaimed and Zelos simply laughed good-naturedly, shaking off the teen's anger.

"Oh, relax. I was just playing. Don't get so mad. Especially since I managed to get you permission to get into the Imperial Research Academy in Sybak." He replied, shrugging. Lloyd's expression softened and he loosened up a bit, nodding.

"Not bad, Zelos." He said, placing his hands on his hips. "Since you know the girls, I'm Lloyd, and that's Genis." He gestured toward the half-elf who narrowed his eyes at Zelos. The Chosen nodded, looking uninterested.

"Charmed, I'm sure." He said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Now, hunny. Don't remain an enigma to these barbarians." He said playfully, easing me forward. I blinked and then nodded, realizing that I'd made no attempt to introduce myself

"A-Ah… Yeah. Right. I'm Faith Bentley. Nice to meet you all." I said, my stomach twisting slightly. I hated meeting new people under formal situations like this. One on one introductions were so much easier… However, the conscious and present members of the group all smiled amicably, introducing themselves again and shaking my hand. By the time what I had dubbed the biggest awkward-fest of my life was done, Zelos was already strolling down the steps of the castle, heading for the gardens that led to the Nobles' District.

"My place is this way. Shall we?" he asked, gesturing and the others nodded, following. After a while, I sidled up next to Zelos and frowned at him, speaking in a quiet tone.

"Why are you dragging me along in this, Zelos?" I asked quietly, staring up at the carefree male, who simply looked at me with a note of confusion.

"What do you mean? Why shouldn't I?" he asked, tilting his head. "It'll be an opportunity to get you as far as Sybak, at least. Maybe some of your memories will come back in that time… and besides. Doesn't a life of adventure sound more fun to you than sitting on your ass in one city, cleaning rich peoples' rooms all your life? Does to me." With that, I could tell the conversation was over and that this was one of those 'but thou must' things that often happened in video games.

God, how I hated the 'but thou must's…

As we reached the Nobles' District and the fountain came into view, I hesitated.

"Zelos?" I asked, pulling the male from an attempt at flirting with Raine and failing horribly. Eager for the distraction from his failure, the Chosen turned around.

"Yes, hunny?" he asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulders in a show-offy manner. I glared slightly and pushed the offending limb off before continuing.

"I'm going to go tell Zeke what's going on, okay? I can't leave without at least letting him know." Zelos' expression softened slightly and he nodded, pausing.

"Alright, you go let him know. We'll be at my place." He said, and I smiled softly.

"Thanks. See you guys in a bit." I said, waving and jogging down the road that led to Ezekiel's manor. The jog took barely two minutes, and within barely any time at all, I ascended the front steps and stopped at the door, knocking before turning the handle quietly. "Zeke?" I called out, stepping inside the manor. A clattering from the kitchen revealed that the male in question was cooking once again. I should've expected that…

"Hm? Hey, Faith!" Zeke's reply came and I smiled, closing the door behind me and stepping into the warm kitchen. Ezekiel was bustling about the kitchen, making what looked like another Kirima cake. He paused in his bustling, however, to look at me. "You're off work early, today." He noted, smiling and tilting his head. "Something happen?" I nodded.

"Where to even begin…?" I asked, as I sat down at the table. Sensing my wonderment, Zeke sat as well, wiping his hands on his pants.

"What's going on?" he asked, and I took a deep breath before explaining the day's events to him. From bumping into the Sylvaranti group in the square to encountering them again and watching Zelos interact with them. Finally, I moved to the biggest part of the story, telling Zeke how Zelos had helped me equip the exsphere, (Zeke glared protectively upon my showing him where on my body it had been placed, and I had to suppress a giggle. Zelos was in trou~ble.) then led me up to the Crimson Chamber to talk to the Sylvaranti group again. I finished with how it had been decided that Zelos and I would go along with the group to Sybak to research on how to save Colette. All the time, Zeke sat rather still, taking in the story. Finally, he shook his head.

"I knew that idiot could deliver, but I never thought he'd give you an opportunity like this…" he said softly, standing. I blinked, frowning.

"You… You think I should actually go?" I asked, and the emerald eyes that gazed at me smiled softly.

"Yeah. I do… It'll be safe if you're with Zelos, and you need to get outside the city walls." Zeke explained, wiping his hands once more. "Now, what do you need to take with you?" he asked, smiling.

It took us barely an hour to pick out the things I was taking with me. On my bed sat a small collection of clothing, including my purple tunic and black pants, and my nightgown. My poi were resting on the bed and I sighed, staring at them long and hard.

"… Can't believe I'm getting dragged into this…" I mumbled softly, as I looked about the room, eyes resting on the closet. Ezekiel chuckled and ruffled my hair affectionately.

"I know, it's a bit hard to swallow, but think of it as a field trip. After all, Sybak isn't all that far away." He said, moving to the other side of the room. "I'll be right back, okay? Going to go check on that cake…" I nodded, letting him leave before moving to the closet swiftly and pulling aside a few pairs of shoes. The loose floorboard was easy to pull out of the floor and the small chamber below still contained my old things… Was it dangerous to take something from my home with me? Maybe, but… if I didn't have a memento, what if I started to forget about home? Granted, my families' faces were gone already, but I had to have something I could take with my to keep the memory alive anyway…

I pulled out my shoulderbag, inspecting its contents and smiling as I found my sketchbooks. I hadn't drawn in a long time… Perhaps I should take my books with me? I carefully ripped the front pages off, leaving them and their incriminating barcodes and brands in the secret compartment. Tossing the books and my tattered pencils and erasers, (they were the artist kind with no lettering in them, thank goodness) on the bed, I continued rooting through my things. I unearthed my cell phone and stared at it for a few moments, before deciding to leave that behind. However, my house key would be safe enough, wouldn't it? After all, it looked enough like the keys they had here, and I could keep it hidden in my bag. Picking up the small metal object, I slipped it and the drawing utensils into my rucksack before beginning to fold my clothes. Once folded, they went into the bottom of my bag. My sketchbooks were slid in carefully at the back so as not to damage them.

Moments later, Ezekiel returned to the room, carrying not only a plate with a slice of cake on it, but two drawstring bags with him.

"Here." He said, passing my the plate with the cake and I smiled, picking up the fork and taking a bite. I hummed contently as I chewed and Zeke simply chuckled, sliding both bags into the larger rucksack. "One of those has an extra few thousand gald, and the other has a small collection of Gels and some Life Bottles, just in case you end up in a pinch." I stared at him for a moment, swallowing, before putting the plate down and standing.

"Zeke…" I bit my lip and wiped my eyes, hugging the male tightly. I felt warm and protective arms circle me and I smiled, squeezing the redhead tightly. "You're so amazing, Zeke. Thank you…" I said softly with a sniffle. The man simply chuckled softly and held me tightly, petting my hair comfortingly. After a few moments, he pulled away.

"Alright. Eat your cake while I take your bag down to the door. I tried to recreate the recipe like you do it, but it's nowhere near good enough yet… I'm going to miss your baking while you're gone."

"I'm hooome~!" I called playfully as I opened the door to Zelos' manor. Granted, I'd only been to his home a few times, but Sebastian knew me (and embarrassingly referred to me as Lady Bentley. What was I, royalty?) and I felt comfortable enough to just walk in. Dropping my bag by the door and wiping my boots on the mat, which was as elegant as the rest of the Chosen's manor, I proceeded into the main living room. Zelos was sprawled on the couch, dozing and I chuckled, shaking my head. Perfect~ I thought to myself as I tiptoed closer and turned, lingering for a moment, before flopping back onto the couch and, subsequently, the pervert Chosen lounging on it.

"Uwaagh! Oof…! What the hell? Faaaaith…" Zelos whined as he was brought swiftly back to the realm of the living and began to flail pathetically. I giggled as I stood and waited for the now pouting redhead to right himself.

"That's what you get for leaving yourself open, silly." I said with a grin as I flopped back onto the newly freed space on the couch. Zelos sighed and smiled, punching me gently in the shoulder.

"You're evil." He said, shaking his head and I simply grinned back.

"Most likely. So, where are the others?" I asked, looking around. Other than the two of us, there was nobody to be seen. Zelos shrugged.

"I gave them all rooms upstairs, so they're probably relaxing and plotting away or something." He replied with a shrug, gazing at the ceiling. "Perhaps I should go check up on the ladies~"

"Perverted idiot."

"Ouch. That hurts coming from you, hunny~"

"Don't call me that! You know I hate it…"

Zelos chuckled and shrugged, ruffling my hair and making me scowl and wonder briefly why everybody did that to me? Okay, well, only Zeke and Zelos did it, but two was enough! Honestly!

"Well, I'm going to head upstairs anyway. I need a shower if we're going to be leaving bright and early tomorrow. You should probably make sure to get some rest tonight, too. Your room's the one right next to mine~" the Chosen said playfully before standing. I glared half-heartedly before sighing.

"Yeah, yeah. I suppose. Hey, do you mind if I go use the music room for a bit first?" I asked, glancing at the clock. "I'll stop before it gets too late, but I love it in there." Zelos simply shrugged.

"I don't see why not. You know how to treat all the instruments in there." He said, turning and heading for the staircase, obviously eager for his shower. I nodded, smiling.

"Thanks, Zelly~" I shot back, and Zelos paused, halfway up the stairs, pouting.

"Oh, come on. Vengeance just doesn't suit you, Faith." He said and I giggled.

"Then don't call me hunny." I replied, turning and heading down the hall that headed toward my favorite room in Zelos' manor. Barely a minute later, I was pushing open a large wooden door and I emerged into a comfortably-sized room with wide windows that allowed the sunset to pour in. I smiled, turning on one of the lamps by the door and looking around. It was as immaculate as ever, thanks to Sebastian and Zelos' numerous maids' work. Each surface sparkled, without a speck of dust to give warning to neglect. I smiled, looking over the contents of the room. Why Zelos had a music room in his manor was beyond me, as the Chosen hadn't exhibited any great musical prowess to me specifically in all the time I'd known him. However, one could always suppose that as a child, being born a noble, he'd had to learn the art of music.

Stepping across the room lightly, I sat on the long piano bench that rested humbly before the huge, old-fashioned looking piano. Smiling and lifting the shelf, I ran my fingers across the keys before setting my hands down on them and gently beating out a few chords. I'd never taken professional lessons or anything, but I could play well enough by ear, at least. Now, however, I began to play with care a tune I'd spent months learning, back at home.

It was Kratos' Theme, but this particular version I'd heard on Youtube, and the person playing it had turned it into a waltz. It always calmed me to play it, and right now, I felt I needed the help to stay calm more than ever. My fingers flew over the keys carefully, making sure to hit the notes softly, but with precision. It had taken me weeks of practice to learn this song, but now, I was quite glad I had. Although, it wasn't as if the piano was the only thing I could kind of play. I knew how to half-ass plenty of other instruments as well.

Three years learning viola before I dropped out of strings due to it interfering with my social life. I could play confidently, but I couldn't read the music.

I had basic knowledge of the chords of a guitar, and the ability to put them together into a song, though the strumming usually hurt my fingers, as I had had a horrible habit of chewing my cuticles back home.

I knew my basic rhythms on a drum kit, as well, though there were no drum kits as far as I'd seen in Tethe'Alla. Nothing that would give hint to rock music, that was for sure.

I sighed and stopped, starting a different song. This one had been another remix of a ToS song back home. A piano version of Old Familiar Scent of Iselia… or at least, I was pretty sure that was what the track itself was called. This had taken me just as long to learn as the last one I'd been playing. Plenty of hitting replay on my iTunes and sitting in front of my electric keyboard with a pen and my iPod nearby.

I sighed softly as I played, feeling much more relaxed in front of the piano than I had a mere twenty minutes ago, packing my things. I wished had chimes nearby when I recalled that this point in the version I was playing had them in the background. However, the music room lacked a set of chimes, and so I made due with what I could, simply imagining them.

Finally, I came to the end of the song and with a small flourish, I finished playing and lifted my hands from the keys.

"You're quite good."

I jumped in my seat and nearly missed banging my knee on the underside of the piano as I did. Looking over at the door, I saw that Raine was standing in the doorway… How long had she been there?

"Oh, uh, thanks." I said embarrassedly, lowering my hands and my head modestly. I wasn't used to praise on my music. Especially since my parents hadn't favored me deciding to draw and play music instead of study and get ahead in school. Admittedly, perhaps if I'd listened to them, I wouldn't have been three months from graduation day with six courses to still finish and a train wreck of failed courses in my wake. However, that was in the past. I looked at Raine and tilted my head. "Can you play?" I received a shake of the head in response as the healer stepped properly into the room.

"No, although I've always wanted to learn." She said, coming to stand closer. I shifted on the bench to make room, but she simply remained standing and leaned on the piano slightly. "… Everything here seems so much nicer for the rich." She said softly and I nodded.

"It really is. Those who are born into nobility are lucky." I admitted, closing the shelf and locking the keys away once more. I knew about the plain residential area and the slums down at the bottom of the stairs in Meltokio, but I'd never had reason to go down there, and frankly, I wasn't sure I wanted to. People up in the Nobles' District were always so harsh about half-elves, and I didn't want to see the horrible truth of the painful living habits the poor species was forced into. Granted, that meant I was shutting my own eyes to the problem and hiding from it, but… Sensing my general thoughts, Raine sighed.

"I take it you know how the people farther down live? We got lost for a while looking for the inn when we got here and ended up in the slums. I feel horrible for all the half-elves who are prosecuted here…" she said softly and I nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. It is pretty horrible. I've… never actually been down there, but I work alongside some half-elves in the castle and they're really treated badly. I hear they even make less than the human staff." I admitted, sighing. "I could never treat another person that way, human, elf, or half-elf. Everyone has feelings and it's our job as sentient beings to respect that and treat them well." Raine seemed surprised by my short speech and she sat on the bench. I was surprised, myself. I didn't usually speak that way, even in serious situations. Normally, I was the type to clam up and let others do the talking, like I had in the Crimson Chamber today. When I came back to the present moment and glanced at Raine, I received a look that was hard to read, but seemed to be positive.

"That's a very… mature way of looking at things. You're, what, fifteen? Sixteen?" she asked, eyeing me up and down.

"Seventeen." I replied, sighing bitterly and cursing my small stature. "I'm a bit small for my age, aren't I?" The woman chuckled softly and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Well, for seventeen, your maturity when it comes to other people is impressive. I think it's wonderful for you to be able to express care towards all creatures, no matter how those around you may think or act. It shows you have little care for what others think of you, though that in itself can be both a gift and a curse." Raine explained with a soft smile. "Now, I believe it's getting late. Zelos actually asked if I would come down here to check on you and make sure you were heading upstairs to shower and get ready for bed." I blinked as I looked over at the nearby grandfather clock and the roman numerals around the edge of its face that showed it was nearly nine.

"Oh. You have a point…" I said, standing hesitantly. I didn't really want to leave the music room yet, but if other people were gearing down for bed, then I probably should too. I didn't want to disturb anyone with my playing. Raine followed my example and stood as well. Before I knew it, I'd extinguished the lamp and we were heading upstairs, toward the string of bedrooms.

"By the way, Faith. Why are you going on this trip with us? I would have imagined that Zelos alone would have been plenty of supervision for our group." I heard Raine say, though she was ascending the stairs ahead of me so I couldn't see her face.

"Honestly? I'm going because I have amnesia about my life from up until very recently… I awoke in the woods around this area with no knowledge of where I was and only my name as identification… Zelos and my caretaker both feel that getting me outside the city's walls might help jog my memory, since I don't seem to be remembering much in here." I said solemnly, as we reached the top of the stairs, and I saw Raine's shocked face. Obviously, if she'd been expecting any answer of significance, it wasn't that.

"I-I see. That must have been hard for you." She replied softly and I shrugged. It was strange how my amnesia lie became easier and easier to tell with every person I told it to.

"It's hard to miss what you don't remember." I gave the 'elven' woman a sad smile before turning down the hallway to my own suite, right next to Zelos', and leaving her to stare at me in surprise and sympathy. Truth be told, I could handle the surprise, but the sympathy I'd rather skip. It wasn't doing her any good to feel for me. Especially, since I was lying about it. However, being a convincing liar, nobody knew any better. Not even Zeke and Zelos, my two older brother figures of the past few weeks. Stepping into my room and flopping down on the bed, I glared at my pillow. How I hated having to lie about all of this. However, I knew I couldn't let anybody find out I was from another world.

First, imagine trying to explain that one. I knew I'd get thrown in either jail or an asylum pretty quickly. (If they even had asylums here…)

Second, did I really want to challenge what seemed to be the 'but thou must' gods that were pushing me into the plot? I cursed quietly, stretching out on my comfortable bed as I decided that I'd pretty much stepped in it when I befriended Zelos those few weeks ago. Hadn't that been my first mistake? I should've realized that knowing a main character would immediately put me within a stone's throw from the plot itself. I yawned widely and stared at the ceiling. Tomorrow, I'd have to leave this haven I'd found and start traveling with the group, and since once we reached Sybak, Zelos would become an outcast, hunted by the Pope and his papal knights by agreeing to come back to Sylvarant, there was no hope of me returning either, since the Pope knew my face and I would likely become one of the accused along with the rest of the party…

As my eyes grew heavy, I had a cynical thought.

Perhaps this was karma, deciding that it had had enough of fangirls like me? Perhaps, from now on, when a fangirl got too hardcore about the series she loved, she'd get dumped into said series so she could just be eaten by the next lucky monster that wandered her way?

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised…

A/N: And… done! Goddess, this sat on my computer forever! First interactions with the party are complete. The chapter's actually a bit shorter than I thought it'd be, but it leaves room for thought on how the journey will go when the party leaves in the morning~

Next chapter will contain traveling, perchance some hilarity and achey feet, and a huuuuge bridge.

Oh! Don't forget to review, as well! It only takes a minute to let me know what you think of my chapters and it really does brighten my day!