The girl who this is dedicated to is amazing! She wrote a story based on her life called "Why My Hair Is Pink," give and it a read and I promise you won't regret it. Her name is also Aria, and I named a character after her:) You are such a strong person Aria and I wish you nothing but the best in life <3 

Disclaimer! :D I'm doing it quick today:

Me no own ToS. Namco does.

Btw, like my border? Took me a while

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Presea stood in the warmth of Genis' arms, the usual feeling of his comfort seeping into her skin gone. She could not control her tears, as much as she hated it. Gulping around the lump in her throat, she attempted to talk to Genis.

"Genis...I'm sorry. This is my fault," she apologized, squeezing onto him tighter without regard for her own strength. Lucky for Genis, it wasn't anything bone-breaking. Presea gasped as she felt something lightly touch her hair, shifting the pink strands ever so slightly from side to side before sliding down to rub her back. The edge of the increasing panic slowed a bit as the soothing touch danced its way across her back. The ax-girl tilted her head up to look into Genis' cerulean eyes. He tried to smile, but it came out a little forced. It was obvious he felt the same fear she did. The fear of the solution was the biggest for Presea. If the problem was something unheard of, then the solution couldn't be very good just because it would be partly guessing. All of a sudden, the steel door opened loudly. A young woman with auburn hair and hazel eyes burst in, a shocked look on her face.

"Presea?! Why are you back here?"

Even hanging onto Genis, Presea caught a glimpse of the woman and immediately pushed back to get a better look. It was...her. One of the people that had helped Kate to experiment on her. One of the people that had assisted in almost killing her. One of the people that had cursed her with a feeble attempt at a cruxis crystal. One of those people.

"A-Aria? Why are you here? S-stay away from me!" Presea faltered, scared for herself. Acting like a child, she ran across the room and stood with her back to them, much like she had when she encountered Kate. Faintly she could hear Genis and Aria's voices.

"How does she know you?" Genis probed, unaware of the consequence of asking that question. The consequence of finding out something you didn't want to know. Aria hung her head, stray locks falling into her face.

"I was one of the people that helped experiment on Presea with Kate," she mumbled. Presea cringed, wondering how Genis would react. Just hearing Aria say that made her want to be sick. Memories flashed back at her, of countless days of a demented cycle. You'd come in, lay down, and they'd poke, prod, and stab you in any which way, trying to figure out the most efficient way to equip her with this...this thing that she had thought would allow her to save her daddy. Instead it had bought not only her father's death,  but her sister's as well. Her body had been abused then...and the day they finally got the crystal on her was even worse. That was the day she had felt herself slipping away from within. Genis' voice broke her thoughts, like a mirror being smashed. His single question made her heart throb.

"Do you know what you did to her?"

Aria's voice was very confident, but it was beginning to lose that strength little by little.

"Yes."

"Why did you do it?"

"They made us. It was that or die. That's the rule about half elves: Do the research or die."

Aria held much regret in her voice; She had hated herself for doing that to poor Presea. The girl had lost so much, but she couldn't have avoided it.

"No. You didn't research. You experimented," Presea retorted coldly, her cobalt eyes showing no emotion. "You didn't take the time to gather information, I was your information. You ruined my life, but not once thought about un-equipping this crystal in all that time." Presea turned to look at Aria, whose eyes were full of unshed tears.

"That is impossible," she whispered, practically inaudible.

"Wh-what?" Genis asked, hoping that wasn't true. Aria's calm, regretful demeanor turned to one of fury.

"Do you want to know what I found out about your current conditions or no?" she spat. When no one said anything, she continued. "Presea's crystal was never perfect, and it tends to react strangely when exposed to certain things. Strong emotion, such as love, is one of them. Genis' exsphere connected with that reaction, forming a link between the two. It messed with your dreams and just ability to serve as individuals. The fact that both of you passed out is concerning, because that should not have happened. It's quite likely that the key crest Presea wears is amlifying it, strengthening to connection by the seconds. The simple process of removing the key crest should be enough for this connection to wither down to the point of where it will not be noticable. If this is not stopped soon, you both will eventually die from the large mixture of unstable mana in your bodies. Therefor, Presea, I ask you let me remove your key crest."

Presea placed her hand over it. "No! I cannot...it's the only thing that makes me human again!"

"I can't lose Presea, not after she just got her emotions back!" Genis cried. Aria just looked at them sternly.

"I'm sorry, but it's the only way. Remove it now," she demanded. Presea looked at Genis worriedly, not accepting what news her ears had brought.

"Genis.....I'm sorry...." she told him, angst and reluctance edging into her voice. Genis jumped, hot tears climbing into the inside of his bottom lids.

"Presea! But you can't-"

"I can't let you die, Genis! I'll get back to my normal self somehow...but this is the only way." A single tear dripped off her cheek, silently, mournfully. Presea strode up to him quickly, pulling his lips to hers swiftly. It tasted salty from the tears falling from their eyes. Presea said she'd return to herself...but even she had her doubts. They'd have to find a key crest that protected from this, and that'd take some time. When they pulled away, evidence of crying showed on the clear tracks that stood out on their cheeks. Presea brought up one hand to stroke his soft cheek one last time, before her other hand came up to her key crest. Genis' eyes widened in horror, fresh tears rolling down his cheeks. Presea began to cry as well as she looked at the cruelty of everything. Life enjoyed watching her suffer.

"Goodbye Genis. I....I love you," Presea whispered before yanking off her key crest. Time stopped for Genis as her eyes went cloudy and the key crest slid between her fingers as she lost her will to keep a grip on it. Her crying immediately ceased, like she had been commanded to stop and was the faithful listening servant. Her whole presence just seemed like a doll standing there in her place, with blank eyes and perfect posture  and arms glued firmly to her sides. 

"P...Presea?" Genis called softly, knowing the cold truth. She was not going to respond, and if she did it would hold no meaning. Aria came up to Genis and touched him on the shoulder. 

"I'm sorry Genis, it was the only way," she told him reassuringly. Rage boiled inside of Genis, finally exploding out into the open. He threw her arm off his shoulder, not in the mood for sympathy. 

"No! It wasn't the only way! You take advantage of her, knowing that she listens to the logical explanation without ever questioning it. How DARE you put her back into that state!" he fumed, screaming at the now frightened Aria. This woman was responsible for Presea's suffering! Seeing the dangerous look in Genis' eyes, she tried to calm him down. 

"G-Genis! I'm sorry! It couldn't be helped! I'm sor-"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT CRAP!  You aren't sorry!" Hate burned deep within the half elf's ocean-blue eyes like the raging seas. Aria stumbled backwards, squeaking. 

"P-Presea! Protect me!" she called.

"Understood."

In a flash, the pink-haired girl came in between Aria and Genis, axe drawn into a battle position. Her normally bright blue eyes were blank and held no emotion whatsoever. All of Genis' anger dissipated into sorrow. Tears began to run down his face. Presea Combatir was not the girl standing right in front of him. It was an empty shell resembling her, like the first time Genis met her. Upon seeing his change in attitude, her arms returned to her sides and she straighted, looking like that doll again.

"Presea....what have they done to you?" he asked mournfully, crying steadily. He pulled her into his embrace, while she just stood there, limp and lifeless, staring into space like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Tears fell silently off Genis' face as he held her, Presea's stillness and unresponsiveness only reminding him of what had happened to her. The key crest that had cluttered to the ground had cracks in it and pieces that had broken off. "Presea..." he muttered, his voice cracking from holding back a needed scream. They had taken the girl he loved away from him...and she might not even come back. Now he couldn't hold it. An anguished, pained yell tore from his throat, only adding to his hurt as Presea still failed to respond. She might had been dead, it would have made no difference. Genis let her go, and she walked away to stand next to a computer. He had noticed Aria had fled, probably too much for her to face what she had done, or helped do. With overwhelming sadness he slid to the floor, pulling his knees to his chest. In an instant, the doors swung open with a bang revealing Raine, Lloyd, Colette, Zelos, Regal, and Sheena all came in, looking around. 

"Why is the little rosebud standing by herself? You two get in a fight?" Zelos smirked, his sly smile faltering as he saw Genis curled up on the floor in tears. 

"Where is Presea's key crest?" Raine asked, panic creeping into her tone. Genis turned his head to the side, not wanting to talk about it.

"Genis...what happened?" Lloyd prodded, concerened for his best friend. 

"Please Genis, talk to us. We want to help," Regal told him, sincerity shining in his words. Swallowing loudly, Genis began to explain.

"Well...Presea's crystal was having some issues, reacting to strong emotions she was feeling. It established a connection with my exsphere, and the key crest was amplifying it. If she continued to wear it, we'd both die....so...so she chose to remove it...and...and now...she's....gone!" he cried, the shock of reality hitting him like a brick wall. 

"Presea, are you alright?" Regal asked her, trying to get her to respond. 

"Physical form: No injuries detected. Energy levels are normal. Precentage of being harmed in current enviroment: 1.2983 percent," the ax-girl recited, sounding like a robot. No one attempted to make contact with her afterwards. 

"I can make her a new key crest!" Lloyd suggested. Genis shook his head.

"Then we'll be left with the same problem again. We need to figure out how to create one with a barrier to this...defect. If...there even is one," Genis told the swordsman. 

"Well, we can find out tomorrow. It's late, we need our rest. Let's go to the inn," Raine suggested, more of a command than a presentation of an option. Genis had not noticed how long he might have been out for, or how long he and Presea were in this room. Saying nothing, he simply followed the group out, leading Presea by her hand. 

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Genis watched Presea laying there in her bed on her back, eyes closed and features like a robot who was shut down. It was so different than the normal Presea, curled up on her side, face calm and content. Now...she was rigid, stoic, empty, like nothing would disturb her. Her arms, tight against her sides and blending with the figure of her perfectly straight body. It was eerie, like the real Presea had been shunned from her own body. He smoothed away her pink bangs, revealing her forehead. Leaning down, the half elf kissed it ever so gently, murmuring to her as he pulled away. 

"We'll get you back to your nomal self. Good night, I love you, Presea."

Genis smoothed her bangs back into place, staring at the strange way her hair fanned out, like a pink aurora. The tiny girl didn't show any response at all, just laid there, totally shut off from the world. Genis stole a glance at the horrid gem doing all this...the bright red crystal at the base of her neck. The golden key crest was gone, revealing grotesque veins sticking out around the jewel. What kind of pain was she enduring that she couldn't show? Genis cast on last look at her sleeping form before leaving the room. Presea...come back to me....

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Sorry this chapter was short too. However, I have an excuse this time. First, I broke my finger and it's really hard to type with it in a splint. XD Second, my birthday is tomorrow, on the 17th and I wanted to  upload this before then:) I hope you liked it, seeing Presea like this makes me depressed! Please vote, comment, and fan! Thank you to everyone who is reading this, I can't believe my story has gotten 500 reads already! It's enough to be a mini-bday present from all wattpad members:) Love and darkness,

BE