Gaaaah! I'M SO SORRY! I feel so noncommittal… which is a word, by the way. Erm, I look back and I think the fic is truly horrible up to now. I will probably go back and rewrite it. I hope some plot will fit in… somehow. Um, you should see some improvement in my work. That's what I've been trying to do lately, improve. I find it ironic, though, that spring break just ended, and I'm writing NOW. Erm, enjoy? And Sika'sheart, after I sent you the reply, I realized what you meant. Alex wasn't mature enough at any point, childhood or adulthood, to name his rabbit anything decent.

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Chapter Six: Departure

"What the bloody hell are you two doing?!" Mr. Irving roared, gesturing to the two on the floor. Said two persons were currently in an awkward position.

"Um…" was Anna's reply.

"I do not know," Kratos growled, but somehow rather calmly, "Why don't you ask the one shoving her foot in my side."

Mrs. Irving complied, "Anna, what happened?"

Anna in turn removed her foot and stood up straight, half-way composed, "He threatened to kill me if I touched him again!"

"WHAT?!" The Irvings gasped and yelled simultaneously. Mr. Irving's fingers looked completely ready to wring Kratos' neck.

The mercenary, though, just stood up with what dignity he could, "I did no such thing. I was asleep until you screamed extremely loudly and woke me." And it had hurt. Sometimes Kratos hated his hearing.

"No way! I was going to wake you, though I thought you'd be up by now, and you said, and I quote, 'If you touch me again, I swear I will kill you,'" Anna retorted. The Irving parents stood in the background just watching.

Kratos groaned and rubbed his temples. This was something he did not need. The auburn-haired man sighed, "I was… dreaming of my siblings. You just happened to hear me talk in my sleep to one of them as she hugged me when I did not desire physical contact. Happy?"

"No, not really. You scared the bejeezles outta me."

"Well if that's all dealt with, can we go back-" Mr. Irving started, then being interrupted by Noishe's barks.

Kratos stiffened, "What? Damn it! I must leave. Thank you for your… hospitality." The purple-clad man quickly gathered his belongings, turned, and ran out of the room.

Just after he had left, Anna eyed an object left behind by Kratos. She picked it up, "Wait! You forgot your-!" She called after him, but knew he was gone. Anna observed the item. It seemed to be some sort of key.

"I'm gonna go after him!" Anna waved to her stunned parents, rocketing out of the bedroom door.

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Kratos emerged from the large domicile in a rushed manner. Noishe was panting, rigid, but seemingly ready to leave at a second's notice.

"People are coming? Desians?" Kratos sped to Noishe's side. The protozoan nodded. Kratos cursed, jumping onto his pet's back, "They must be from the Asgard ranch! Take me to Luin!" He knew it would endanger the people, but they would find him easier in an empty space.

Noishe began at a trot, but soon went full speed. Luin was very close; it wouldn't take very long to get there.

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Anna came from her home just to see Kratos depart on Noishe's back.

"Crap! He can ride that dog?" She stomped her foot to the ground and began darting at full speed after the mercenary.

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Noishe snarled a few times to get Kratos' attention.

"I'm fully aware that there is someone following us! I can hear them!" Kratos barked.

Noishe whined. "Anna? Why would she follow us? I cannot be her."

Nonetheless, Noishe halted suddenly, putting Kratos in danger of flipping off.

"Noishe!" The green and white 'dog' just howled.

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Anna was just about to give up on her chase; they were too fast! Still, she persisted. Finally, after not too long, Noishe for some reason stopped abruptly, as if waiting for her to come. Taking his invitation, she hurried along to catch up.

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Kratos sighed, "Noishe, could you get up and hurry?"

Noishe just flicked his head in a backwards direction. Kratos glanced back, and lo and behold, there was Anna Irving, gasping as she ran to lessen the distance between them. Noishe gave him a wolfish grin.

"So I was wrong. Don't let it get to you."

"KrrAAAaaaaaAATttTToOOOOS!" Anna bellowed with the remaining air in her lungs as she was about twenty yards from Kratos and Noishe.

Kratos clapped his hands over his ears and Noishe folded his down. She was very loud for being exhausted.

It seemed to take forever for Anna to reach them, but she made it without collapsing. She bent down, hands upon her knees, breathing heavily.

"What do you want?" Kratos inquired.

"You…" Anna held up one finger, gasping for air again. She finally raised herself to full height and let out a great sigh, "Okay, that's better. You left this… this whatever-it-is when you ran off, which was very rude, by the way." She held up the object she had gotten off the floor after the man had bolted.

Kratos stared at the item. It was the key to his room in Derris-Kharlan! It was of no consequence. He needed it no longer. Still, he took it from her hand, "Thank you very much. You should probably return home now. It is not safe."

He climbed back on Noishe's back, gave Anna one final glance before prompting Noishe to go. The protozoan tensed up and whined. But at a glare from his master, he quickly began running again.

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Anna watched as Kratos went until he was out of her line of vision.

"That man!" She heaved a sigh, "What does he mean 'not safe'?! What would he know?"

At the moment, she felt heavy resentment towards the mercenary. She took all the effort to return that thingy, and he just thanks her (without even trying to sound like he meant it) and leaves her I the dust, telling her to 'return home'.

"Pfft! Men!" But Anna did turn to go back home. In a few days, everything would be back to normal. Boring, but normal.

Anna sighed again. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

"I had better get walking… Mom and Dad might worry…"

But after walking for a bit, nearing her home, she felt something unsettling. The woman slowed down a bit, listening. She heard footsteps from behind. She whirled around to meet whoever was back behind her, but just as she did, she felt a pain in her head. She fell to the ground, vision growing foggy.

Before she completely faded out, she heard two men talking.

"It was a good idea to separate."

"I think Lord Kvar will like her."

"She's perfect for it!"

But then, Anna's world went completely black.

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Finally! Something exciting! Two and a half pages. Bet you expected more. Sorry. So many transitions… I hate those so much. Ugh, I'm tired. I started this tonight and now it's 12:30… greeaaat. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Please review!