Time for another Sheelos story! And this one is going to be multiple chapters, and pre-game! (gasp!) Yeah, I know, I'm melodramatic. The opening of this chapter takes place during the journey of regeneration (as you'll easily discover) but it becomes a first-person telling of certain things that happened two years prior. It's pretty much and interpretation of what, perhaps, happened between Sheena and Zelos in the past to make them act the ways that they do. I hope that all of you Sheelos fans out there like it!

Disclaimer: I. Own. Nothing. However, I do pwn you! (I couldn't resist doing that...)

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/Just Tell Me/

Chapter I: My Knight in Pink and White

The sky was ablaze as the sun gradually lowered itself into an unseen abyss; golden-red rays of light flowed across the plain where a group of eight close companions had set up their camp. The crackling fire in the centre of the human figures seemed almost indistinguishable from the ground during this time of sunset. The four male members of the group were huddled around the fire – the two swordsmen attempting to create a masterpiece meal, while the two actual cooks tried desperately to convince them that their means of cooking were ill-advised. The half-elf healer sat near to the aspiring chefs, her nose buried in a book, although her ears listened to everything that was being said near the fire in hopes of picking up on cooking techniques. Tiredly staring at the swordsmen goofing off, the pink-haired lumberjack was beginning to drift into a slumber with nothing more interesting to do.

Distanced from the rest of the group, the blonde angel and the summoner sat watching. The teenage Chosen was beaming as she saw all of her close friends in such high spirits... except for the one sitting next to her. Her smile faded when she noticed that a scowl was present on the
Mizuho ninja's face. Tracing the destination of her friend's stare, she could tell exactly who it was that made her seem so upset. "Something happened between you and Zelos, didn't it?" The summoner's entire body seemed to tense up at this question. "...Sheena? What was it? You trust me enough to tell me, right...?"

Exhaling forlornly, Sheena answered, "Of course I do, Colette. It's just... a difficult subject for me to talk about."

"Oh, um... I'm sorry, then," Colette quickly apologized, a humiliated blush present on her cheeks, "I shouldn't have asked. It's none of my business to begin with... Sorry." Mentally, she was angry with herself for letting curiosity take over. She should not have tried to pry into another's life.

Sheena simply shook her head in reply, though. "Just because it's hard to talk about, doesn't mean I don't want to," she explained, "It's okay. Truth be told, I've just never... told anyone about it before. I've always wanted to, but..." Colette gave an understanding nod, remaining silent as though to tell Sheena to go on. The ninja forced herself to tear her gaze away from Tethe'alla's Chosen, and to look towards her considerate friend. "It was two years ago when – as you know – I was sent by order of the vice-chief to Meltokio to partake in some experiments at the Elemental Research Laboratory. Apparently, there had been a man-made summon spirit created and they needed a summoner... Mizuho saw it as a way to get back onto the King's good side."

"Is this before you met Zelos?" Colette piped up.

"Yep," Sheena replied, "In fact... I hardly even knew of his existence," she quickly corrected herself, "I mean to say... of course I had heard of the Chosen, but that was it—a title. It really meant nothing in regards to who he was as a person."

Colette thought about what Sheena had said for a moment, and realized it was true. When she had gone on her journey of regeneration, no matter where she travelled to, people knew her by her title; never by her clumsy tendencies, habit of apologizing, or even by the name 'Colette'. She was like a distant world that perhaps many people had heard of, but only few had ever visited and become attached to. "How did you end up meeting him?" Colette asked curiously, "Did he try some pick-up lines?"

That last comment made Sheena snicker. "He wasn't quite as bad then as he is now," she said, "He had more class than that..." By the way that the summoner's voice softened as she spoke of how Zelos used to be, Colette could tell that he had meant a lot to her, and also that she had meant a lot to him. "...He did try to flatter me, though," Sheena suddenly added, which in turn made Colette giggle. "Anyway, I had known that I'd have to spend a few nights in Meltokio, but I really didn't think it necessary to make a reservation in the hotel... That was a misjudgement on my part."

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After the day spent at the Elemental Research Laboratory, I was just about ready to collapse and fall asleep right on the lab's floor. Of course, I wasn't about to let that happen, so I began heading out of the building to go and get a room at the hotel. Just as I was about to step out of the front door, the lab's receptionist called after me, "Oh! Umm... ah..." her words staggered over each other as she searched the corridors of her mind for my name.

"Sheena," I said, saving her from having to think any longer.

She laughed nervously, "Yes. That's right. Well, Sheena... I was wondering if you made a reservation at the hotel already..."

Something in the tone of her voice made me nervous, since I had most certainly not made a reservation. Everyone had told me that Meltokio had one of the largest hotels in Tethe'alla, so I naturally assumed that there would be enough room for me. "No," I replied at last. I did not like the way that the receptionist seemed to give a forced smile, awkwardly kicking at the floor with her toes. "Why? ...Should I have?"

"It... would have been wise," she answered after a moment's hesitation, "It's rather unfortunate, but you've come into town just in time for the annual festival... I mean, it's a beautiful thing to get to see, however the inn is always completely booked at this time." I cursed under my breath, leaning against the doorframe in exasperation. "It couldn't hurt to, you know, go and check at least," the woman tried to reassure me, "There's always a chance that they'll have one, tiny free room... maybe..."

"Yeah," I forced myself to say, "Maybe." I really didn't have any hope, though. I wasn't about to think that it was a possibility when the woman had already said 'always completely booked'. Always is always, and that day would be no exception—I was sure of it. "Thanks for letting me know." I gave a feeble wave goodbye to the receptionist before leaving through the front door. The instant after I closed the door behind me, I groaned, falling lazily against the building. I had no idea what I was going to do if there were no rooms available in the hotel. I wasn't about to bother the scientists in the lab for a place to stay, and I wasn't familiar with anyone else in the city. It seemed like I was destined to a night on the streets, and that was obviously not something to look forward to.

Nevertheless, I trekked over to the Meltokio inn and asked if they had any available rooms. Surprise, surprise, I received a reply of, "I'm really sorry; we have no vacancies at this time."

I think it's pretty evident that I wasn't in the best of moods, so I simply left the hotel without even granting a 'thanks anyway'. Just imagine—I was wandering through Meltokio's streets as the sun was setting, thinking to myself: hmm, what would be a good place to sleep? The noble quarters are out, and I'd prefer not to stay at the slums... Heh. Where else was there for me? The gap between the rich and poor was so great that no one was capable of living in the middle class. I unenthusiastically trudged towards the slums, only to be stopped the moment that I was about to set foot across the distinct barrier where the stone streets became filth. "Excuse me, ma'am, but I feel compelled to warn you that that region of Meltokio is not one that you would enjoy visiting."

As if I didn't know that already... But, I wasn't about to say that all-too honest remark out loud. I turned around to face the giver of advice; it was a man—nope, not Zelos, if that's what you were thinking—well-dressed in an almost too orderly suit, his face graced with a neat, brown moustache. With a false sense of merriment, I said, "I know. There's just nowhere else for me to go tonight."

The man gave me an incredulous look, however he did not seem capable of objecting to what I had said. Mind you, at that time I hadn't a clue that this man was actually the servant of a noble, and not one himself. "Very well, ma'am," he stated robotically, "I hope you manage to have a good evening, anyway." And then he just walked off. I thought that his conduct was rather strange, but I forced myself to ignore it.

Wandering deeper in the slums, I couldn't help but feel a little revolted... I know that it's a terrible thing to say considering that by no means do the poor choose that lifestyle. Just imagine it... I mean, I only had to experience it for a little while and it affected me. I curled up into a far corner of the district and tried to get some sleep. Slumber never came, however, because I could not help hearing everything that was going on... I still remember the loud crash of glass that came from a few streets over; the low profile murmurs of two men making some kind of unknown exchange; and then, there were screams between a man and woman. I remember that the most because it just so happened that the feuding couple lived in the building nearest to where I was. The woman's cries were distorted through her sobs, while the man apologized over and over again. Finally, there was a piercing shriek of, "Get out! Get out of here!" followed by those agonized sobs again. Merely overhearing the entire thing made me cringe. I huddled closer into my corner as the building's door creaked open, screeching closed again with an unbearable slam. Pulling my knees up to my chest, I buried my face in them, thinking that maybe I could escape the reality of it all; maybe if I kept my eyes closed, the sounds would fade away, and the sun would come out and bring morning. It didn't, but... something else came. Someone.

A tender voice that juxtaposed everything in that hellish neighboured drifted into my ears. "Hey. Hey there, lovely lady. This really isn't a place for someone as fragile as you." I would have accepted flirtatious words over spiteful yelling any day... and so, I opened my eyes and looked upward. That was the first time that saw him, starting with those steel blue eyes whose glow reflected the light of the moon, almost instantly letting the warmth of benevolence take me over. There was just something about him... Next, I noted the warm, red hair that draped over his shoulders. Sticking to the still-existent dress code, he was wearing a salmon-pink button-down shirt—which, mind you, was only buttoned up halfway—and loose, white pants. Everything about him was so radiant within the dull, dreary atmosphere of the slums... The brightness was welcome. He held his hand out to me, a smile on his face, "C'mon. I can offer you a place to stay for the night."

I accepted his hand. It wasn't that I was an irrational person, or that I was being ignorant... I simply would not have been able to handle the night in that area. He seemed sincere, and so I automatically trusted him more than anything in the slums. Like anyone else in the world, I had heard those fairytales of strangers whisking a woman off of her feet—that knight in shining armour that would rescue her from a ghastly scenario. Well, as shameful as it sounds saying it now, I considered the fact that maybe this man was my knight... in... pink and white.

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Heh, heh... as I finished writing this chapter, Chris Jericho was singing "Shelton Benjamin is a Little Bitch" on my TV. Now, even if you don't know the first thing about wrestling, you can tell that that's a weird thing to be hearing while you're writing something like this story. XD Anyway, I'm pretty happy with how the first chapter turned out, and I'm hoping that I'll be able to keep this fic going well. Please give me some feedback; it's always appreciated!