What felt like hours, was only thirty minutes, Bella hears a bark, she turns and sees a black dog running towards them. The dog then stops a little way from them, raising a brow, Bella looks at them as they began walking towards the dog, Bella follows behind them as the dog, known as Umbra, guided them a little way from the Post.

The men stop and gasp. "Gentiana," Noctis breathes out, shocked.

"Oh, hear me King of Stone." She began speaking. "By the Stormsender's blessing will the path to the stone that opened." Gentiana's voice spoke softly. "The Oracle goes hence the King's name."

Noctis gasps quietly. "Luna – where is she now?!" he asks impatiently, worried about his love almost shattering Bella's heart, but she knew she couldn't fall in love with him. He was getting married. It would be wrong.

"The eye of the storm," Gentiana pointed into the distance. "When the covenant stone is forged the Oracle and the ring shall await their King at the walls of water." Her voice was so soft, Bella could barely hear her if she wasn't listening too intently. "Stray not from the path," And with that, she disappears.

Bella was shocked, ready to ask who she was, but Ignis beat her before she could. "She's a messenger of the Gods."

"For real!?" Prompto is shocked at what he has learned.

Gladio chuckles, crossing his arms a little bit. "We're going beyond real, pal,"

Bella looks at Noctis as he looks at his book that he and Luna share, and he writes back sending Umbra off once more. The young woman barely smiles at them, feeling some jealously towards someone she hadn't even met before... Feeling the rainfall from beyond the skies, drenching all of them. She felt her clothes cling to her skin, she looks at Kirara who shakes her fur from the rain jumping off Bella's shoulder and changes into her bigger form as Bella jumps on.

"Let's go," Bella states with a smile. "We can never keep a woman waiting," Bella winks at them as four Chocobos run their way with saddles on them. The men chuckle getting on. "Into the storm, we go,"

"Another day, another deity," Prompto laughs as his Chocobo rushes off behind Kirara.

Bella, on Kirara, was following Noctis towards the Runestone, thinking about everything that is happening throughout this journey, glancing at the King when she can without the others looking. She couldn't become jealous of someone she doesn't even know or just met. Sure, the gang and her only been together for what? A couple of months, if that? But – she can't help the way she feels. Her big brother taught her that when he had free time to help her learn about herself. Cloud kind of did the rest with Tifa's and Aerith's help after her brother passed away.

Letting out a quiet sigh, she quieted the thoughts by leaning down on Kirara's drenched fur, feeling her clothes sticking to her body, her hair as well. Her bright eyes looking through the distance of the plains they were traveling. When Kirara stopped abruptly, Bella jolts up looking at the King touching the first Runestone; it was silent. Too silent. She didn't like it. Kirara grunts a little bit, taking a step back looking back seeing no one behind them.

"What's wrong, Kirara?" asks the young woman, touching her partner's head gently. She looks up and widens her eyes, wondering if that was...

"Bells?" snapping out of her thoughts, she turns her head seeing Gladio looking at her worriedly, she waves her hand gently. "Everything alright?"

Bella pinches her lips a little bit. "Um, if you don't mind, I'll catch up with you, I have something to take care of,"

The guys didn't question it, they heard it in her voice. Something was up, but they knew she would tell them – eventually. They nod as Kirara takes off quickly towards the figure in the distance. With the little spurts, she has told them, it wouldn't be hard to piece together what she has told them. Especially about... him.

Bella stops in the distance, looking back not seeing the guys there. She turns back climbing off Kirara looking around. "I know you're here... Show yourself..."

"I can never hide from you, Little Butterfly," said the voice walking out of the shadows. "I see you're looking better,"

Bella crosses her arms as Kirara growls his way. "Don't be hunky-dory with me, Genesis, I want to know why you're here and why I'm even here at this point."

Genesis chuckles walking towards them as Kirara steps in front of Bella, blocking him from getting closer. He smirks stopping, looking directly in Bella's eyes. "You have a future here, Little Butterfly, better than our world, you actually serve a huge purpose here," Genesis explains turning around. "That purpose you will have to find out on your own."

Bella groans, putting a hand to her head trying to comprehend what he meant about it. But didn't want to question it. "You keep saying that, but – at this point, I'm not going to ask why you think this. You've lied to me once more, what's changed now?"

"You'll see," Genesis says flying in a heap of black feathers making Bella gasp. "Until the next morrow, Little Butterfly."

Letting out a loud huff, Kirara pushes her head to Bella's chest as Bella shifts a little bit putting her hand on Kirara's head gently. Finally letting out a small breath, Bella closes her eyes gently, feeling a hot tear running down her face.

"We should probably head back to the guys," suggested Kirara looking at Bella when she moves her head back. "They're probably wondering where we are."

"Yeah..." Bella nods, agreeing hopping on Kirara's back as she took off running towards the guys.

When she finally reaches the guys, they finished the third runestone, Bella smiles as Ignis suggests they go camping. Even though the raining was slowly letting up.

"Camping sucks when it rains..." complains Noctis with a groan, feeling his clothes sticking to his body making Bella blush.

Bella shrugs a little bit. "I agree, we're already soaking wet – we..." pauses the young woman, blushing a little more. Sure, she's seen her brother shirtless, and Cloud at one point, but... oh lord...

"Maybe we should set our clothes next to the fire for the night and have them dry off the best of our ability," Ignis suggests, ignoring Bella's blush. "The rain is starting to let up."

The guys nod as does Bella and Kirara as they all roam to the next haven. Ignis had told them the next haven was about a five-minute run for the Chocobos. "I don't know if I can do this... Kirara..." whispers Bella leaning her face in Kirara's fur.

Kirara growls lowly, indicating that she was laughing quietly. Bella grips her fur gently knowing Kirara's thoughts. Bella lifts her head as Kirara keeps running with the Chocobos. After five minutes of the Chocobos running, they walk up to the haven seeing a spot for the fire, sighing a little bit. Kirara pauses after stepping foot on the haven.

"So, food until we get the Regalia back, suggestions?"

"Kirara and I are great scavengers, I think we saw a river nearby, we can some fish and get some fresh herbs somewhere," Bella said, staying on Bella. "Shouldn't take more than a half-hour or so."

Ignis nods, "Make sure you're back soon, don't want to keep you in those clothes and have you getting sick," as Bella nods, Ignis turns to Noctis. "Noct, why don't you go with her and help her get the ingredients."

"Sure," Noctis shrugs as Bella blushes as Kirara turns while Noctis hops on, "Let's go,"

Kirara nods rushing off, scaring Noctis briefly as he wraps his arms around Bella's waist.

After a while, Bella hears the river in the distance making Kirara slow down on her running and when Kirara finally came to a full stop, Bella and Noctis jump off, Bella stumbles a little bit and Noctis catches her before she falls. Bella blushes a little bit, and thanks him quietly standing straight looking at the sunset in the distance.

"Ready?" asks the King as Bella nods walking with him to the dock and went to the edge. "Alright, you wanna try to get this one?"

Bella takes a deep breath and slowly nods, trying to remember how to do it. Noctis put his hand out and a fishing rod appears, and he handed it to her. Bella takes it, slowly brushing her hand against his making her stomach be surrounded in butterflies. Kirara shakes herself, getting rid of the excess water that was on her fur and then sits down watching the couple in front of her.

Bella tosses the fishing line into the water and begins to wait a little bit. Noctis noticing her hands were not in the right places, he chuckles and walks to her whilst pressing his back against hers making her jump a little.

"No... Noctis what are...?" before she could finish, his hands grasp hers gently putting them into the right spots keeping them there. Bella keeps her eyes on the water trying to ignore his body against her. Her thoughts going down further, and further wondering what he would feel like without his clothes, his bare chest against hers. Bella's face went into a deeper shade of red.

"Are you okay, Bells?" asks Noctis looking down at her seeing how red her face was getting. "You're not getting sick, are you?"

"N-no," stutters out Bella, looking at him. "I'm not, I just went deep in thought, sorry," she smiles looking back at the water waiting for the fish. Noctis chuckles and she feels the vibrations against her back. "What will happen in Altissia when we get there?" Noctis looks down at Bella, seeing her just staring ahead but something in her eyes was screaming a different story. "Will the marriage take place when we get there?"

"Honestly, I don't know," Noctis responds bluntly with a shrug. "It may take a few days for us to get ready."

Bella quietly sighs, tightening her grip on the rod as her knuckles turn white. "She's one lucky woman, Noctis, to have someone as special as you..."

Noctis sighs taking his hands and wrapping his arms around Bella's upper body making her gasp quietly, he puts his head down onto her shoulder. It was silent except for the sounds around them. The river flowing gently down, their breathing and some rustle in the bushes every now and then. Frogs were making a sound as well as the crickets.

"Noctis..."

"Shh..." Noctis quietly says to her, holding her tighter. His heart pounding against his chest, surely, she felt it. "Just... don't worry about it, Bella," Bella's heart was beating erratically. "It's just us, it's okay."

Bella closes her eyes, relaxing in his arms for a little while as she judged herself in her mind knowing this was wrong. He is engaged, she keeps reminding herself. But – why do these two keep going to each other? Why does it seem a magnet is pulling them? Bella opens her eyes when she feels the rod jerking gently, pinching her lip, she begins to reel it in as Noctis stands straight removing his arms from Bella, helping her reel the fish in. When they grabbed the fish, it was big enough to feed all of them. Bella and Noctis smiled at one another, walking towards Kirara who got up as Bella set the fish on top of her. Bella looks around and sees all the plants around.

"What are you doing?" asks Noctis raising a brow towards her. She puts up a finger quickly, spotting what she was looking for, walking towards it grabbing a few of the plants and then turns to Noctis making him chuckle.

"Had to grab some rosemary and basil for Ignis, plus, I think with this fish it will taste better," Bella laughs a little bit making him chuckle. Noctis nods, walking with Kirara and Bella as she looks around for other things.

"You've done this before?" asks Noctis looking at the young woman once more.

Bella nods to him; "Yeah, when we were traveling around escaping, we had to camp quite a bit. Thanks to my friend, I learned what was bad and what was good," Bella said stopping to put some things near the fish on Kirara's back. "Ever since then, I've been researching a lot more about what other stuff was good and bad. It took years to be perfect," Bella sighs seeing the Digythe Haven up ahead, Bella stops while Kirara keeps going to give the ingredients to Ignis.

Noctis keeps going too, Bella wonders what she should do for now about the whole situation with the King. He keeps giving her attention like how her brother gave Aerith when they were around one another, but – he then starts ignoring her and thinking about Lunafreya and asks if she's alright. Bella can't keep doing the run around like this...

Noctis, on the other hand, can't keep his mind off Bella. Everything she does sends him in a frenzy. It makes him wonder about his future with Luna. Noctis felt like with Bella, he's stronger, he's not afraid of the future, even though he has to die saving the world... What does he do at this point?

While the food was cooking, Prompto and Gladio both made a makeshift tent for them out of the wood they found and leaves. Bella had gone into the said makeshift tent and stripped into her undergarments and gave her wet clothes to Kirara who took them and put them on the rock near the fire to let them dry.

Bella had on her athletic sports bra and boy shorts, but she was embarrassed about her body because of all the scars her body contained. The one on her back and the one just below her breasts were the worst of them all. Bella sighs, walking out as Kirara goes next to her putting her head against Bella's stomach.

Both Kirara and Bella sat down everyone began eating the fish Ignis cooked, the men were all in their boxers making Bella slightly uncomfortable, sure – she's seen guys shirtless before, but not like this.

Her poor little innocence.

Pinching her lips tightly, she just focused on feeding her and Kirara. Bella began thinking a little bit trying to keep too herself. Bella sighs a little bit, taking another bite of the fish, she grabs a little bit of the fish handing it to Kirara who gently takes it from Bella, they both didn't know the scar below Bella's breast was showing and she hears a small hiss. Bella snaps her head at Prompto who points at the scar. Bella looks down and covers it up.

"If we may ask, what happened?"

Bella bites her lip and leans against Kirara. "I... Uh..." She gulps a little bit while looking at Kirara who nods a little bit, growling a little bit. "So, a couple of years ago, our city was attacked by a virus... It nearly killed half of our people. Cloud and I stopped the person that was attacking us, we saved the world, but we're reminded by these scars," She shows it again. It was a very light purple was a discolor of black surrounding it. "Took us a little while to get over what happened, we did it though," Bella smiles hiding the mark again.

"It's been tough, for sure," Bella finishes, taking another bite of the fish handing a bit to Kirara who, again, takes it gently. "I won't give up hope that I'll go home after I finish helping all of you,"

"Us, too," Prompto agrees taking a big bite of his fish. "It's been great having you here with us, I feel you were sent here to help better ourselves."

Bella smiles as the guys agreed with Prompto, Kirara growls happily as does the Chocobos that kweh a little loud. Bella chuckles grabbing the berries that Kirara had near her and put the berries down evenly in front of the Chocobos, as they ate it happily.

"Seriously?" Prompto gasps making Bella look back at him. "How do you know so much about Chocobos?"

Bella laughs a little bit. "Well, as I said before – I studied them a lot during the time we weren't fighting and saving the planet from evil beings," Bella said, sitting next to Kirara again. "They love these types of berries, the next time we stop at the Chocobo Post, we need some Gyashl Greens, those birds live off of that if made correctly."

Ignis smiles and nods, "I don't see the harm in doing that," Ignis tells her. Bella smiles as they all began talking to themselves once more. Bella finishes her meal and then leans back against Kirara looking at the stars in the sky.

"Come on," suggests Noctis standing up and stretching. "We should get to bed, we have a fairly long day ahead of us getting the Regalia back,"

"I agree with the King," Gladio nods, standing up himself walking into the tent after Noctis, then Prompto and Ignis follow suit. Bella wasn't sure if she should go in or not. But Kirara nudges her, making Bella standing up and walk into the tent, seeing how roomy they made it. Kirara walks in, behind her picking a spot by the door and flops down.

Bella lays on her, putting her head on her stomach, curling up getting comfortable. "Doesn't Kirara ever get tired of you laying on her?" Noctis asks Bella, as she turns to him and shakes her head.

"Not at all," Bella said with a smile looking back at Kirara as Kirara lays her head next to Bella's stomach closing her eyes. "When we're traveling like this, she always wants to keep me close just in case something happens."

"Makes sense," Noctis nods, as he stares at her a little more before falling asleep himself. She could hear the snore coming from the men already making Bella chuckle.

And with that, Bella falls asleep herself.

~

A/N: Oh lord!!! This took a bit to write, If I'm rushing, please let me know!! The next chapter is all about how they're getting the Regalia back(:

Love you guys! If you have any ideas with Noctis and Bella, let me know!