Due to prompting by the muses, several friends, and the positive reviews I got from several people, I have decided to write a sequel to my first fic "He's Dead", this time from Presea's POV. Guess what? This one might have (gasp) CHAPTERS! You might wish to read the original for background info and suchlike.

Now for the reviewers. (Pulls out reading glasses)

(Ahem)

Ilvinaeda: Wow. Thanks for the glowing review. I'll take the quotes idea under consideration; you're right, some of the end quotes did bleed into one another all confusing-like. Sorry!

Moon-Cannon: Aw... thanks!

Mystica-Moshi: See above; yeah, Mithos went kinda nuts, I'm just trying to give a motive to him. Sorry if I sound less intelligent than last chapter, much of this was written late at night on a Sunday so I'm dead from the neck up.

GamerNick: Glad you approve. Here's your continuation.

Green Magicite: Ah, but that is where you are wrong my friend. Mythology may have a tree of life named Yggdrasill, but the game left the name for the tree open to interpretation. Translation: No one (legally) named it, so I (not legally) did. (hides from lawsuits)

Aeros Fujita: Thanks for the review. Good luck with your story. UPDATE SOON!

Tropicalia: Wow; now my story's an inspiration. Eek. That's just not right. I'm not good enough to be inspiration! Good luck on the RxA and Gesea tales though.

Now then...

LAME LEGAL FORMALITIES (i.e. THE DISCLAIMER)

-¿OM: (cricket chirps) Hey, where'd everybody go?

-Colette: Oh. Everyone ran off, saying something about Zelos and a Viking. What's a Viking?

-¿OM: (Uh-oh, think fast, think fast... I got it!) Oh, you'll understand when you're older.

-Colette: Oh. OK!

(Viking lawyer-mob passes by window, still carrying a screaming Zelos)

-¿OM: –; Eh...so anyway, since everyone else left could you do the disclaimer?

-Colette: Sure! ¿ObviousMan? doesn't own ToS, Namco, CapitalOne, or anything else somebody owns that he mentions by accident. OK?

-¿OM: Works for me. Here's a cookie. (Tosses Colette a cookie)

-Colette: X3 ! (scrumffchewyumcrunchmmmsgoodarrrmgnawmunchgaryum)

-¿OM: o.o; (edges away)

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PRESEA:

..."O-ok!" With that, the little half-elf collapsed into my arms, out cold in a dead faint. I tried in vain to hide a blush at seeing the dreamy expression on his face. Gently lowering him to the ground, I sighed and tried to recollect my thoughts.

It has been 3 months since that fateful day, when Lloyd rejoined the two worlds and revived the Giant Martel Tree. Genis was true to his word, starting his journey a week later with Raine and myself in tow. It has not been an easy task, but it is a rewarding one. Aside from the logical reason, that prejudice is unfair, there is another, more personal reason: with each half-elf law abolished, I can see a part of Genis grow stronger, which in turn makes me feel... good... inside.

We have covered many cities now. Luin was by far the easiest to convince; fresh memories of the help Raine and Genis gave quickly persuaded their legislature to edit the lawcodes. Heimdall, too, was an easy task; after the tower's collapse, half-elves had streamed to the city of their birth, hearing of its destruction and wishing to help rebuild. Families were reunited as banished children worked side by side with their elven parents. After daily exposure to the "hated" halflings, social walls had begun to crumble as the elves learned the truth of their halfling brethren. After a week-long debate with Raine and several citizens, the elven Elder was convinced to lift the social stigma from the half-elves and allow their re-entry as citizens.

This is not to say that all of our journey has been easy; several cities have blatantly refused to lift the oppressive legislature. I am... sad... to say that my hometown of Ozette is among that number. I still remember that day. The debate only lasted ten minutes. The mayor and several citizens, citing the recent Cruxis attack, remained steadfast in their belief that half-elves were dangerous. They wanted "nothing more to do with half-elves." The reminder of the Cruxis attack convinced the other citizens; Genis, Raine and I were quickly run out of town by a mob of enraged citizenry.

It was later that night, as we made camp on the outskirts of Gaoraccia Forest, that I realized something. I... I am alone. I have no one left. Daddy is dead; my mother died when Alicia was born. Even Alicia herself, the younger sister I thought would outlive me, is dead now. But all that was... okay... until now, because Ozette still accepted me. I still had a place in my town as the sacred woodcutter. I was accepted by the other townsfolk, even if they looked at me funny sometimes.

I was able to keep myself going by immersing myself in my job even before the crystal stole my soul; yet with that mind-numbing crystal, came absolute bliss. As my mind sank more and more into an autonomous state, I dwelt less and less upon those troubling ideas of abandonment, isolation, being alone. Even when Genis –Lloyd, repaired my crystal's crest and lifted the crystal's "curse", I still had a goal I could immerse myself in, and... friends... I could relate with, so I did not feel alone.

But now, our group has disbanded. Our goal is complete; the worlds are saved. I no longer have a goal to immerse myself in. Worst of all, my town has disowned me as a... a... a sympathizer. I no longer have a home to return to, no support from anyone remaining whom I once knew. I... am alone again. No... that is not entirely true. I still have Genis. Genis, the one companion who always stuck with me. He never left my side, always encouraged me, always tried to protect me, in his own way. Even after I told him our age difference, how I was really 28, he still stuck with me. For that, I am grateful.

It was with these thoughts in my mind that I retired to bed that night, after our failure at Ozette. Raine was instantly asleep; I quickly followed, exhausted from the effort of escaping the mob. Genis, however, could not sleep as easily. I awoke some time later that night to the sound of heavy fabric rustling. Genis had left the tent, without even bothering to close the door; this was unlike the meticulous half-elf I knew. Concerned, I drew my blanket around my shoulders and followed him, to find him seated on a log gazing deep into the fire.

"...Genis? Why are you up?" I asked tentatively. No response. He merely continued staring into the flames, his back to the tent. Worried for my companion, I took a seat on the log next to him and looked down at his face. It was then I noticed his eyes were filled with unshed tears.

"Genis..." Throwing my usual cautions to the winds I gently wrapped my arms around the little half-elf and pulled him close, allowing him to cry on my shoulder. "It's not your fault."

"But... but... but what if it is?" he sobbed into my blanket/shawl. Troubled by this, I leaned him back up and held him by his shoulders as he dried his eyes and continued. "If I... if we... hadnt've been near Ozette, they wouldn't have been attacked by Cruxis. None of that destruction would've happened, and the townsfolk wouldnt've been so against half-elves when we visited!"

"Genis, it's not the Cruxis incident that made the townsfolk refuse."

"...sniff...huh?"

"The anti half-elf sentiments in Ozette stem from an incident long ago, around the time of the Great War. The Cruxis bombing was just something for the people to use as a weapon. The truth is, humans are prone to discrimination as part of their competitive nature. They are always looking for something to use to put others down, so they look better in comparison. The Cruxis incident was only a shield for them to hide behind when you told them the truth. If the Cruxis incident had not happened, I am sure they would have found something else to use." I stated matter-of-factly.

"...but if that's true, then how do we end the discrimination in cities like Ozette?" he replied, confused.

"I'm not sure we can. All we can do is try, and hope that in every city like Ozette, there are a few people open to change who can slowly take their fellow townsmen farther after we're gone."

"..." Without realizing it, Genis had snuggled closer to my blanket for comfort as we talked. Now, with the conversation over and nothing left to distract him, he blushed scarlet at realizing where he was.

"... uhh, it'scoldI'mheadingtobedg'night" Genis mumbled at high speed as he bolted for the tent, still crimson-faced. I chuckled lightly at this, until a gust of wind sent a shiver radiating through my body. Pulling the blanket tighter, I too retired to bed, slipping down quietly into my sleeping bag so as not to wake Raine. I pretended not to notice Genis' mock-snoring from the sleeping bag next to me, and soon dropped off into a dreamless sleep.

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Sorry it took so long to start the tale. I had a few... difficulties... to work out. Anyone who reads this please review. The reviews I get are the motivation I need to keep going. But please, if you're gonna critique it please say what you hate and why, not just "I hate this it sucks go back to kindergarten!" or something equally childish. Flames are welcome as long as they have at least one constructive point. Note to all readers: If you say something in your review, odds are 95 that I will make note of it and repair it for the next chapter.

Long story short: Get RRing or no update for you!

—¿ObviousMan?