Gleaming Knight
Author: Shaddowind
WARNING: General spoilers from the later half of Tales of Symphonia. If you haven't finished the game and you still want to be surprised… you might want to visit this story later.
Summary: Sheena Fujibayashi's role in the salvation of the two worlds has come to an end. Or has it? What really happened once Lloyd and the remainder of his party continued without her?
(A/N: This story takes place after the events of 'Chosen Identity,' but before 'Gravity,' two of my other one-shots. While 'Gleaming Knight' can stand on its own, please feel free to take a look at 'Chosen Identity' and 'Gravity for more of the story.)
Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the game's original characters, dialogue, or settings - I just bend them to my will in this story.
"Sheena! Are you okay?"
The young swordsman called back across the chasm left in the wake of the bridge's destruction. As bits of broken masonry continued to crumble into the blackness, the summoner wheezed and gave herself a few moments to catch her breath as she leaned her hands onto her knees. Every fiber of her being felt singed after the powers of half of her summon spirit pacts had blasted through her once again. It had achieved the desired result… the remnants of the Great Tree's root had been destroyed. But it left the ninja feeling even more drained than before. Her body felt leaden and unwilling to move, yet Sheena still managed a couple of shuffling steps and pushed herself upright to offer the party's leader weary smile. "Yeah, I'm all right," she answered, knowing it was only slightly a lie, but she knew Lloyd wouldn't accept any other answer.
Lloyd let out a victorious whoop as he pumped his fist. "That was amazing!" the teen called from where he stood with the remainder of their companions on the other side of the broken bridge.
Dammit, there should be more of us.
The ninja shoved the voice that refused to be silenced to the back of her head and moved closer to the edge, peering down into the blackness with a frown as her breath continued to grate over her lips. "Just don't ask me to do it again, okay?" she tried to chuckle, propping a hand on her hip in an act that she hoped didn't betray how weak she felt. "That drained all my mana, I'm going to rest for just a-"
Suddenly, the cavernous room resounded with a whip-like snap of noise that echoed up from the darkness below. Sheena's eyes widened and she took a staggered step back, her hands rising out of sheer instinct to move into a defensive stance. But even years of Mizuhoan training couldn't overpower the ninja's weariness when a tendril of wood whipped out of the black void. The vine arched like an angered snake for a moment before it coiled around her calf so fast that it hurt when the tip snapped into place. What the hell…? A million actions flashed through Sheena's mind – half-formed options to get away. She could slash at the wood… jerk her leg free… draw her cards – but mana drain left her sluggish in both mind and body, and that mind and body simply couldn't come to an agreement anywhere near fast enough to fight back when the root lifted her like a rag doll and dragged her over the edge. A cry that she would have denied ever came from her at any other time rolled back to her ears from the inner edge of the pit as the ninja's hand clutched desperately for the sharp edge and ended up finally tangling in bits of the very root that had come back to drag her down with it.
"Sheena!"
Lloyd again. Sheena would have smiled at how predictable it was that the teen's voice that rang out over all of the others. She would have, if the combination of her desperate grip on the woody vine and the insistent tug of whatever was below didn't feel like she was so close to ripping in half. Lloyd was the perfect hero… unassuming… sweet… all too willing to shoulder responsibility that he had no place in having to bear. Unlike others… who were meant to be heroes…. The summoner ground her teeth together, knowing that her bitterness had no place… it served no purpose. But it was impossible to ignore. She simply couldn't make herself let go of it. It wasn't a choice… it was a festering wound.
"Hang on, I'll –"
Lloyd's voice echoed down into the void below the spiraled stairs. Far below, the cracking sounds of the remnants of the Giant Tree's root colliding with unseen walls continued to punctuate the walls. It almost kept time with the summoner's weary heartbeat, leaving Sheena to wonder which sound was coming from within her body. Oww… she grimaced, grinding her teeth as she looked up to where her fingers were tangled in the vine. She wheezed, knowing if she didn't answer soon, Lloyd would probably panic. Pain lanced down from her wrist all the way to her feet as her arm shook from the strained of how she was being pulled apart. She wanted to answer… maybe something reassuring… perhaps something heroic and befitting of their noble cause… but when her lips parted, all she heard was a weary and somewhat disturbing laugh.
So, this is how it goes….
"Wh… what's wrong with you? Why are you laughing?" the brown-haired swordsman demanded, his tone laced with panic.
I should be the one panicking, Sheena told herself after a mental kick for worrying her friends even more than necessary. She clearly saw what Regal had done… she knew why he had done it. The blue-haired warrior knew that they couldn't be slowed down by a fight or be followed by a fight. There was so very little precious time left…
… thanks to… him.
The ninja's hand curled into the vine above, though the act had nothing to do with holding on to pull herself back up. This time, with her defenses already weakened, she had no way to stop the thoughts that screamed for release.
Zelos. It all came back to Zelos. If it hadn't been for him, they wouldn't be in this position. Colette would be safe with them and Yggdrasill wouldn't be so damned close to his goal of reviving Martel. The summoner shook… with strain and anger in equal parts. He had been their ally… all the while he had been Cruxis' secret weapon. He was perfectly placed to tear them apart from the inside.
… and I thought… I thought….
A stray whisper pulled the summoner back into the pit… and into her body that had already been pushed so far past its limits. It took a few moments for her to realize that Lloyd and the others were still calling for her. She let her laughter die, her breath far too tied into simply filling her lungs. "No," she smirked, forcing herself to keep the strained smile in place, though the memory made it easier. It wasn't the fact that she had threatened Colette or attacked them all. It was for the fact that she had found friends – true friends. Dear friends… for once in her life. "I was just remembering the time when we first met. It looks like I have a strong affinity for falling into holes." Another laugh – this one a little more heartfelt… but it was still an effort. It might have been sentimental, but it was a more comforting thought than of what was waiting for her in the blackness below… or the redhead that might as well have shoved her into the hole himself. She pinched her eyes shut. Colette, Regal… Zelos is going to be the one… that destroys everyone's hopes and dreams. He's going to destroy the worlds ….
"Just hang on. I'll be right there!"
For just a moment, Sheena's mind fuzzed. She was sure she heard Lloyd's disbelieving laugh, but for that one instant… she thought it had an echo. No, echo wasn't right. It was more like a chorus… or… maybe only a duet. It wasn't just Lloyd's voice. But the instant she realized that… the summoner knew what her traitorous mind was trying to hear… and she hated it. Hated it. She fought through the anger that was now directed at herself and shook her head, even though there was no one close enough to see the gesture. "Don't worry about me," she snapped, her frustration boiling over as she fought to keep her voice from shaking. "Just hurry up and go rescue Colette."
A frustrated growl sounded from above. "This is not the time to act all tough!"
Sheena understood the frustration – shared it even. But she was pleased that she at least only heard Lloyd's voice this time. "I'm not acting," she insisted, indignance seething in her tone. Her arm was shaking badly where she dangled from the vine, and it was getting difficult to keep it out of her voice. "It's just like the last time when I climbed up from the bottom of that pit and I took you on. And this time… I won't miss the main event." The thought brought her an odd sense of peace… and a smirk to her lips. The main event. Zelos, one way or another, I will take you down… or I will haunt you for the rest of your life for what you've done. Oh, she liked that thought. She liked it very much… and hoped that whatever power was truly guiding what was left of their shattered world would help her make it happen. It would be justice, after all… wouldn't it?
"You better be telling the truth," the young swordsman called down into the yawning pit, a hollow resolve in his voice.
The summoner looked up to see the brown-haired teen kneeling at the edge of the cut stone. She could see his expression clearly… the suspicion swirling in those warm brown eyes. He understood… even though he didn't want to understand… and Sheena knew that speaking the truth aloud wasn't an option for him, either. He knew time was precious, and that saving Colette and the worlds meant that he didn't have time to argue with his friends. He knew it and he hated it. And while Sheena hated having any part of putting that dull look in her friend's eyes, she knew she didn't have a choice. "Of course!" she insisted, mustering a cocky smile for her friend – one she simply knew just had to look fake. "You better leave me a piece of the action!" she declared with as much attitude as she could as she tried to find what was left of the ninja that Lloyd had accepted into his group as a friend.
Lloyd slowly pushed himself up from the edge, his arms straight and tight at his sides, his hands curled into fists as he offered her a single nod. "Okay, I'll be waiting for you, you got that?" he asked and scuffed his feet back in a grudging step from the edge, his eyes not leaving her until his slow retreat made it necessary.
Sheena tried to ignore how her heart sank as Lloyd vanished first… then Genis… Presea… one by one, they gave her a mournful look that said that they all understood… and then she met the knowing gaze of the half-elven healer. Raine lingered for a moment longer, and even as the weight that pulled her down into the dark grew heavier with every passing moment, Sheena saw a dignified nod. The ninja struggled to return it, finally – ironically - finding solid footing between herself and the woman that hadn't trusted her for so long.
Then Raine was gone. Then they were all gone. Sheena heard their footsteps retreating, their echoes multiplying as they filtered down to her.
The ninja lowered her chin, tightening her jaw as the stretch became almost unbearable. I'm so stupid, she berated herself, giving in a little more to the inevitable. Stubborn to the very end… I really need to start acting more feminine at times like this and let him rescue me. That brought one more pained chuckle from her lungs. That wouldn't be my style, now, would it?
There was nothing left to do. Her body couldn't go any further. Sheena's strength had fled, her mana depleted in calling out to her pacts… and even her spirit was begging for rest. She had lost so much… and she had caused so much loss. The ninja had seen sights both marvelous and horrific beyond her imagination… so, wasn't it greedy to cling any longer? Wasn't it kinder to get out of the way for the stronger… the braver… the ones that truly could save the worlds?
I can't even save myself.
Sheena's eyes drifted open at that.
Feeling sorry for myself? Now? Really?
She wanted to laugh, but another insistent tug at her leg stole the urge and replaced it with a pained gasp. The Great Tree wanted her as dead as she tried to make it in some kind of bizarre justice that made her realize that her desire to haunt Zelos was probably just one more joke to that unseen higher power.
The ninja felt her trip slipping and tried desperately to tighten it once more, though, for what, she had no idea.
Zelos.
Sheena blinked. She had been ready to let go… but even a random thought of the redheaded swordsman kindled her stubborn nature once more. Why him? He was annoying, arrogant, moody, sarcastic….
… oh, and a traitor. Can't forget that….
The biting reminder made the list sting even more, but there was something even more irritating below the layers of labels. They were alike… perhaps too much alike. It was a realization she struggled against as it fought to form, but once it did, she couldn't deny it. They were both broken, ready to fall apart when the first wind blew from the right direction. She hid it beneath her drive for duty, honor, and strength. He buried it beneath layer upon layer of… well, being a pompous ass. She could always feel the weakness boiling beneath her skin, and she knew it was clear to anyone who cared to look. But Zelos never let anyone see beneath those defenses – he lashed out in any way he could to keep them intact.
They were both solitary creatures by necessity. And while Sheena knew that, deep down, she wondered what it would be like to be so open – like Lloyd and Colette – she had the suspicion that Zelos wondered the same thing. She had seen his expression at the dance when she told him that she didn't hate him. She had told him twice, in fact… apparently, in a fit of weary honesty. He hadn't known how to take it. Sheena saw the uncertainty flashing in his eyes… spooked like a rabbit in the woods… and then it rushed away to hide behind that cheesy smile and too-smooth laugh. He was scared….
The ninja let her eyes drift open to the blackness and once again felt the grip of pain grinding into her body. Zelos had been scared… and he hid himself away… just like he had always done.
That meant, for just a few, brief instants, he hadn't been hiding. He had taken a chance and let her see him – even if it was just a glimpse.
Sheena groaned, though not completely in reaction to the pain that was starting to numb her body.
Goddess… could… I have stopped this?
She hadn't lied to him – she told him the truth when she said she always believed that, deep down, he was a good person. But was that just too late? Or was that the instant the realization had caught fire?
I never… ever… thought he could do something like this. Ever.
It was one more failure on the pile… one more doubt to eat at her… and the last thing she needed. A moment later, she felt how her arm was shaking and how the weight that grasped her leg was growing with her every ragged breath.
It was over. With the gaze of all of her mistakes firmly focused on her - weighing down her heart more than any tree root could ever do to her body – she closed her eyes and told her hand that it was okay… that it had fought well for them… that it was time for them both to stop hurting.
Lloyd… good luck….
With a slight grind of wet wood against her abused hand, it was over. There was a slight rush of chilled wind against her face, and she didn't have to open her eyes to know that the dark had swallowed her beyond any hope for rescue. No rope would catch up to her to save her, no nets would break her fall, and no smoke bombs would help her trick her way out of the fall. There would be no more tricks… but she would finally be beyond them. No more hiding who she was or what she could do – no more apologizing for having a conscience or a heart that could be so easily touched if she didn't keep her guard up constantly.
It sounded… wonderful.
But even in the darkness that was stealing her senses one by one – confusing them into numbness – it was her heart and conscience that were ganging up on her… pressing the fight even though it was over. Her chest tightened a little more… it felt like sorrow… and she knew the feeling well… it was etched into her soul.
Sorrow when she lost Corrine.
Sorrow when the Mizuhoans who supported her against Volt had fallen all around her.
Sorrow on the day of her first visit to Meltokio.
The memory slowly emerged as if it had been hiding behind a thick, dusty velvet curtain weighed down by time… and Sheena remembered….
It was snowing in the capital city. It was a bitterly cold day where the white of the blanket of snow made everything almost seem stark. Everything but the rich emerald and amethystine flags that flew from every pole and post was either black or white….
And it was so quiet… so very quiet.
There were people everywhere, but it was nearly silent… barely a whisper could be heard as the mass of people moved around them, climbing the massive stone stairs of the city in slow procession.
Sheena looked from side to side, but all she could see was black cloth. Everything she saw was similar to the cloak that her grandfather had given her for the trip, save for the fabrics. They were all black… but just about all of it looked softer than the coarse cloth that she wore around her shoulders and over her head.
"Grandfather," she whispered, one hand tightening over the one that held hers as she looked up to the hooded figure that walked beside her. "Grandfather, why –"
Her eyes widened as she was suddenly swept from her feet and seated against her grandfather's hip. She stared into his kind eyes for a moment while her surprise faded, but before she could ask her question again, a chilled finger pressed to her lips.
"Shh, my little shadow," her grandfather whispered, his hood shielding his face from the light of the stark white sky above. "We must be quiet. We must be respectful. It is a sad day for Tethe'alla, no matter where we call home."
Sad. Sheena understood sad. She liked happy a lot better, but she still nodded and wrapped an arm around the back of her grandfather's shoulder. With her other hand, she carefully pushed back the side of her own hood. Once they had entered the city and been swallowed by the crowd, she had seen nothing but swirling black and patches of white beneath her feet, but lifted up in her grandfather's arms, she could once again see the falling snow… and the sea of black-hooded people in every direction. It wasn't scary… just strange. She was used to people in hoods or masks – but there were just so many….
And it was quiet… quieter than even the tiny village that she called home. Sheena was sure that if she listened hard enough, she would hear the snowflakes striking the hood of the figure in front of her. It felt like a dream, but she remembered her grandfather waking her that morning in their tiny campsite just outside the city walls.
Sheena sighed and closed her eyes, curling into her grandfather's shoulder. The slow, steady rhythm of his footsteps lulled her, distracted her from the strangeness of the new city… and she was on the verge of sleeping when her grandfather's whisper drew her back.
"Sheena, wake up. You have to walk on your own now…" his gentle words urged as she felt his warmth pull away and her feet once again touched solid ground. His hand once again took hers, leading her as she used her other hand to rub her eyes and start to push the folds of her hood back, only to be stopped by her grandfather's touch again. "No, little one. Not yet," he urged as she guided her to walk in front of him. He patted her hand again, but that was all he said as they passed through a doorway that shone of polished gold.
Sheena's eyes went wide at the sight, her annoyance at the floppy hood fading. She knew her colors – silver was the moon, gold was the sun, but as they entered a building with the highest ceilings she had ever seen, she realized that the gold in the room outshone even the sun – and it was everywhere… along the walls, holding candles… there were even strips in the floor beneath her feet. It was… like magic.
But the spell only lasted for a few small, shuffling steps before the small ninja started hearing something else… something new. Somewhere ahead, she heard small sniffs and a growing chorus of soft murmurings that broke at the edges. It took the girl only a moment to recognize the sounds that began to surround her more with every step: people were crying. She tried to lean to her side to see who – or why – but her grandfather's hand kept her in place. Her instincts reared up at the restraint and she struggled to turn up to her grandfather to fix an annoyed, narrowed glare on him – but the building spark died when she met his patient gaze… saw the single shake of his head within his hood… and saw him press his finger to his lips.
Sheena huffed and turned forward again, stomping her foot to punctuate her objection, but said no more. She knew that her grandfather's silence usually spoke as loud or louder than his voice, so she tightened her jaw and turned her eyes back to that golden streak in the floor.
Why is everything so quiet? Why can't I ask? The girl's thoughts clambered over each other, trying to fit with what her grandfather and the other Elders had always told her – if you don't understand, ask. She glared at that bright, beautiful color step after step as her grip tightened on her grandfather's hand.
I don't understand.
But before her frustration could fully boil again, Sheena once again found herself lifted to her grandfather's hip. The change confused her for but a heartbeat before an all-new riot of color caught her breath and held it captive. Before her, on a bed of red roses, a woman slept… her hands laced delicately over her stomach. Sheena's eyes went wide at the sight of the woman who now embodied her image of the princess in all of her grandfather's bedtime tales. The red of her dress put the roses she rested upon to shame… and her hair… those tumbling golden curls made every bit of the gold that had amazed the little ninja seem tarnished by comparison. "Grandfather," she whispered again, still staring at the woman.
"Say thank you, Sheena," her grandfather whispered as he began to move again.
Sheena blinked, once again confused. "Thank you," she murmured obediently to the sleeping woman… and then her grandfather stepped away, leaving the girl to shift quickly to look over her shoulder to catch one more glimpse of the woman. She was so pretty… but why do I have to thank her?
"You. You're Mizuhoan, right?"
Sheena turned to face the hushed voice that stopped her grandfather's steps. A man in shining green and gold stood in their path, spear in hand. Thoughts of the sleeping princess slipped out of her mind as she curled into her grandfather's shoulder.
"Yes, we are from Mizuho –"
"Get to the back of the cathedral," the armored man ordered with a harshness only slightly muted by his quiet voice. "Keep out of the way of the nobles."
Sheena felt her grandfather's arm tighten around her… heard him draw a breath… and saw him bow his head.
"Of course."
The armored man grunted quietly and turned back to face the rose-bed as Sheena and her grandfather passed, but she once again squirmed to look over the chief's shoulder. Meanie, she hissed silently, glared, and –
"Do not stick your tongue out at him, little one," her grandfather whispered, startling her from the act. He's following his orders."
The girl froze, watching the back of the armored man's head until he was hidden by the hooded figures behind them and she once again turned forward. "But why do we have to go to the back?" she whispered, pressing close to her grandfather's ear with a pout. They hadn't done anything wrong! "And why did I have to thank the sleeping lady?"
"Sheena, the world is full of different people," her grandfather answered softly as they reached the back wall of the immense room and turned to place his back against the wall. "That scares some people. It doesn't make them right, but we can't make people change how they feel."
Something churned in her grandfather's eyes that Sheena didn't know the words for, but she remained silent as he drew another breath, his expression softened, and he leaned down to kiss her forehead. "And we're all thanking the lady for giving us Tethe'alla's Chosen. She is his mother… and he is our hope."
"Chosen?" The girl breathed out as the Mizuhoan chief shifted her in his arms and lifted her up to perch on his shoulders. The motion was familiar enough that her mind could once again slip off to the world of the stories her grandfather spun for her. This time, her imagination showed her the golden-haired princess cowering before the winged demon… and the Chosen in his gleaming armor sweeping to her rescue. Her grandfather only told her such tales when she asked for them, as he normally favored stories of honor and deeds done from the dark… but after what she had already seen that day, she was enthralled by the idea of the Chosen. "Grandfather, she's his mother? She's so pretty…" she murmured and folded her arms on top of her grandfather's hooded head. "Why are we watching her sleep?" Sheena asked, lowering her chin to the pillow of her arms.
The chief tipped his head slowly, carefully to the side so that he could look up to the little girl. "Sheena, the lady isn't sleeping. She passed away protecting the Chosen. She died, little one," he spoke gently. "She won't ever wake up again. That's why we came… to pay our respects and to say goodbye."
Sheena sat up a little, peering over the crowd to the woman lying on the roses. "She… died…?" she murmured, trying to fit what he told her into her world. "Like… Elder Kirita?" she asked with a frown as she looked back down to her grandfather. "But the Elder was so old…."
"Lady Mylene is gone too soon, Sheena," her grandfather answered and moved his hands to grasp her ankles hanging over his shoulders. "But she died so the Chosen could live. It was a very honorable thing to do."
"But Grandfather," Sheena shook her head as the fairy tale in her mind began to darken. "The Chosen is supposed to save everyone, isn't he? So why did she have to save him?" The fair princess saving the heroic Chosen? It just didn't make sense!
Her grandfather's lips curled ever so slightly into a smile and he gave her ankles a gentle squeeze. "Little shadow, do you see the boy with the red hair standing on the other side of the altar? Beside the man with the beard and the crown?" He waited for Sheena to look up and drew another breath. "The man is the King of Tethe'alla. The boy… he is our Chosen, Sheena. He's only a little older than you are. For now, he is the one that needs to be protected, but one day, he'll be the one to save us all."
Sheena shifted a little, huffing that she could only see the top of the boy's head, but when the crowd parted for just a moment, she saw him. The boy wore all black, save for his white gloves… his expression blank… empty. The girl squirmed as her chest started to ache… and she sat back. He looked so lonely and she understood. That tiny increase in distance made her see more – showed her two new colors. The red of the boy's hair put his mother's dress and roses to shame, shining brighter than the angriest of flames.
Then he looked up, lifting his eyes from the floor… and Sheena didn't know if she would ever call the sky 'blue' again. And he looked directly at her….
"He'll be the one to save us all," she repeated softly to herself and again leaned forward to rest her chin on her arms. "That boy will…."
Sheena's eyes snapped open with a start, though only to show her the blackness. The air still rushed around her, wrapping around her… she was still falling… still aching… still weary.
Goddess, I haven't thought about that day in years. I guess your life really does flash before your eyes….
The vision still held her tight, though. The sadness of the day that the girl she had been only gradually realized… the clear faith her grandfather had in the Chosen….
The summoner swallowed hard as reality slammed into her gut. The Chosen hadn't saved them all – he had Chosen to save himself instead of aiding them all to save two worlds. The girl she had been would have cried, but Sheena only had disappointment left. There was no time left for tears… even though part of her wished there was.
I won't cry over you, Zelos Wilder, she declared silently, stubbornly. We could have helped you, too, but you threw it all away… sold us to Cruxis….
The bitterness curled her hands into tight fists.
I believed in you. My grandfather believed in you. Lloyd, Colette… all of us. We all believed in you.
It hurt. One more ache to chorus along with the abuse her body had already taken. Goddess, she didn't want it to hurt – not when she was so sure that he had finally stepped into his role as a champion… when she thought she finally saw a crack in that obnoxious Casanova façade. She had come so close to finally listening to the little voice that still wanted to believe in her grandfather's bedtime tales… so close to finally listening to the little voice that still wanted to believe in her grandfather's bedtime tales… that there was a connection between herself and Zelos. She had caught fleeting glimpses of it over the years – so fleeting that it was almost easy to completely dismiss – but it was just enough to make her wonder.
And make her furious. Furious with herself, with Zelos… and with every twist of fate that had ever thrown them together to foster such a stupid, stupid notion.
Goddess, why couldn't I have just fallen for Lloyd…. This wouldn't even be an issue if I had.
Sheena almost laughed aloud at the exasperated thought. Even if it was a possibility, it would be too…
… too…
… easy.
Lloyd was everything Zelos wasn't. Humble, honorable, loyal….
She sighed. And naïve. Just like me. The ninja knew the young swordsman's life hadn't been quite as tainted as hers had been, but he still saw so many possibilities. She saw them… wished they were real… and suffered for the wisdom that told her that things were too good to be true.
You'd think I'd learn by now.
Sheena opened her eyes with an annoyed huff. Is this fall ever going to end?
Maybe this is it. An eternity falling so I have plenty of time to reflect on how stupid I was.
Oh, wouldn't that figure.
But before that particular fate could fully form in her mind, she realized that the pitch black had given way to a pale golden spot of light. It was dim… and so very small. It was either far away or a construct of her mind as it welcomed insanity.
It was impossible not to watch it, though. And, as she watched it, it got bigger – or closer – or… both?
The bottom…?
If it was, she had turned in the course of her fall and was sailing headlong to her end. But while she had been so close to wishing for just that just moments before, every fiber of her being suddenly railed against it.
Fight. Survive. Live.
Sheena burned with the demands even though she almost laughed. Sure. How?
The spot got bigger… brighter.
No Rheaird, no wings, no mana, no ropes, no tricks, no hope.
The outlook was bleak, but honest. She would at least die the way she tried to live – honestly, honorably – trying to do the right thing.
She tried to breathe out… to let go. But that damn glow kept getting brighter… more enticing… almost as if it was offering… hope?
The summoner's senses were already fuzzy… time had lost its connection to her… but she suddenly felt as if she was falling faster. It was all thanks to how the light was getting bigger – or closer…
… or both?
As she stared at it, the light changed, shifting to become ragged at the edges as a dark spot ringed with glowing orange emerged from the center. It was moving… shifting… it wasn't the bottom, but she was definitely falling toward it.
Closer… closer….
Sheena squinted as the contrast of black and brilliant orange-gold became almost blinding.
What… the…?
The ninja threw her arms up in front of her face as her body snapped tight in anticipation of impact.
"No!"
The thing was solid, there was no doubt when she struck… but it was nothing like what she was expecting. It was firm, but not the stone she expected to end her life. She knew she wasn't falling anymore, but was that it? No pain, no all-consuming blackness? It wrapped around her tight on impact and then it eased….
Guess… it wasn't… so bad…?
And then, just as she attempted to try to draw a breath, out of the death-like silence… there was a chuckle?
"Now, see? Right here. Proof that there is a goddess, 'cause it's raining gorgeous ninja hunnies…."
Sheena's eyes snapped open wide only to be met with the glare of blazing vermillion-gold. "Wh… what in all the hells…!" It couldn't be. It just couldn't. She couldn't look away from the glow that was making her eyes water, but she could move… she could make her arms move to shift and brace against what she realized was a shoulder… covered in smooth, salmon-colored cloth…. The side of her that Sheena looked to for logic was already telling her everything she wanted to know, but every other part of her protested vehemently.
It couldn't be. He had abandoned them… betrayed them all by taking Colette and turning his back on them. She had just made peace with that and everything else!
Maybe I did die. Maybe this is my torment for everything I screwed up when I was alive….
With a frustrated growl, Sheena forced herself to look up… to push back in the arms that had caught her awkwardly against his chest. It only took a moment for her to catch a glint of golden light in those blue eyes that watched her… and a moment longer for her to see that light flicker with amusement.
Oh, that's it.
Sheena balled her ripped-up hand and slammed her fist into his chest. It hurt, but she welcomed it. For the chance she thought she had lost – whether she was alive or dead – it was worth it.
"Traitor!" she spat, forcing the word out with all the hatred and anger she could still muster. He had barely flinched when she hit him, but that wasn't a surprise… not when she knew how weak she was. No, her trophy was in how that smug amusement vanished with her single word… and she felt stronger for it. "You are the worst kind of person. To sell out the people that trusted you – that called you friend and proved that they wanted to help you. You… you…." The ninja realized at that moment how badly she was shaking. "You like nicknames? Fine! Here's yours: Selfish Bastard Traitor!"
Zelos tipped his head to her, the shifting light catching in his eyes a little more. "Hmm. Pretty sure there should have been a 'handsome' in there somewhere," he murmured thoughtfully, his voice betraying nothing of the dullness still seething in his eyes as he started to shift her in his arms. "Wanna try again, my Violent Demonic Banshee?"
The summoner gaped at him and at his grin for a moment before she jerked back her arm and hit him again. "You sorry, miserable excuse for a –"
Once again, he chuckled. Once again, he didn't flinch. The redheaded swordsman merely clicked his tongue. "You're not good at this," he lamented, though his lips were still curled into a smile. "Here. Start with 'handsome'… that might make it easier for you," he coached. "… my voluptuous ninja hunny."
Sheena squeezed her eyes shut and snarled. "How could you? You… you… jerk!"
"Handsome jerk," he corrected as the light behind his back fluttered slightly. "Summoner sweetie."
The ninja itched to hit him gain… so she did. Her hand throbbed, but she didn't care. "You arrogant, self-centered… ape!"
Zelos rolled his eyes. "Did you hit your head? I'm not answering to anything as long as the word 'handsome' isn't included." He looked back down to her and arched an eyebrow, the shadows playing strangely over his expression as he grinned. "Miss Jubblies."
Sheena had already drawn back and slapped his cheek before she even considered the action. "Put me down," she demanded as her hand began to sting.
The redhead blinked a few times and worked his jaw back and forth for a moment. "You have any idea how high up we are?" he asked, the playful note finally gone from his tone. "I don't think you'll bounce…" his voice trailed off and his lips quirked as his eyes obviously roved over her.
"I don't care," the ninja snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. "Better than whatever you and your Cruxis masters have in mind for us." She ground her teeth. "Better than ever hearing you call me that again, too."
"Man, so touchy," Zelos groaned and fell silent for a few moments. "Don't suppose it ever occurred to you that I was doing the one thing that would keep us all alive? And I was the only one that could?"
Sheena snorted softly and looked off into the darkness of the hole. "Not really. Not with how you just handed Colette over and sneered at the rest of us," she answered, a deep frown setting into her features. "What did you come back for? Pronyma offer you extra treats for taking us back to live at a ranch?"
Zelos let out a low whistle. "Wow. If you didn't hate me before, you sure do now," he murmured and shifted her in his arms.
"Well, what did you expect?" the ninja groaned and looked back up to him only to find his expression nearly eclipsed by the golden light behind him. "WE thought you were our friend 0 but you were only looking out for yourself."
He nodded. "Yup. Must have done a better job than I thought if it was that easy for you to believe…."
The sarcastic edge to his agreement that made Sheena pause. So, he wanted us to be his friends… so he could betray us… so he could… help? "Dammit, you make my head hurt," she grumbled.
"Tell that to my cheek and chest," Zelos retorted quietly before he sighed. The breath echoed back to them, making it sound like the darkness itself was breathing. "Look, you don't want to believe me, fine. Whatever. You can discuss it with Regal when we get to the bottom. Just stop this 'ready to die' crap, okay? Lloyd's going to need all the help he can get – and soon – and I'm not going to be enough to get this part done alone."
The serious note in his tone – the utter lack of teasing – somehow tamed the anger that had been churning inside of her. Sheena looked up, seeking anything she could see of his expression… and anything in that expression that would show her that he was once again lying to her.
She saw nothing by the grim line of pressed lips that were usually quirked into a smirk of some sort. "What did you do?" she pressed cautiously, trying to hold back the still-raw urge to give in to her anger. "What did you do that only you could do? Because all I saw back there was you betraying all of us."
Those lips twitched, but didn't quite form a smile. "Ah, hunny… that's exactly what you were supposed to see," he sighed. He turned his head to the side, his attention slipping to the dark that surrounded them both outside their cocoon of warm light. "And I made a choice that no one else was in a position to make."
"Yeah," Sheena grumbled. "I saw. You chose your little Cruxis masters." Goddess was she really pouting? Over the actions of Zelos Wilder? She would have slapped herself in the forehead if she had any less control at the moment. Stupid, stupid….
He looked back down to her and sighed heavily. "Yeah, that's exactly why I'm running along after Lloyd and trying to keep all of you freaks with your mutant senses of duty from offing yourselves," he grumbled and looked back down to her. "Believe it or not, you'd all be way more screwed right now if I weren't here – and I don't mean you hitting that nasty pile of wood at the bottom and turning yourself into ninja goo."
Sheena bristled slightly and leaned to look over her shoulder. Far below, but visible was a dull green glow… the same green that bathed the lower levels of the Tower. "I'm not going to thank you," she stated, though she just couldn't force quite enough stubbornness into the statement for her liking… she was just too tired. What was he going on about? Was he really trying to make himself look like a hero?
"Didn't expect you to," Zelos shrugged as they continued to descend. "Also didn't expect you to go pitching yourself into a hole because you didn't think you'd get to see me again, but I guess stranger things might have happened at some point…."
"Pitch myself?" the summoner blurted out, her hands again curling into painful fists. "You don't know anything about what happened, so don't pretend –"
"That I don't know about all of you deciding that you were slowing Lloyd down and that he's better off by himself? I could, but I don't pretend so well, as you've pointed out a few times," he cut her off in a bored lilt. "But here's what you obviously don't know: If Lloyd has to do this alone, it's over – we're all over. Mithos wins. He takes his toys and goes home. Lloyd can make a difference – a big difference, but the kid can't get to that point alone."
Sheena wanted to protest… she really did. She didn't want him to be so… right. But she knew the truth – and apparently, so did the Chosen… so she tightened her jaw and drew a long breath that did very little to calm her nerves. The silence gnawed at her… all the things that she had wanted to ask of him tumbling into an incoherent mess in her head. Finally, when she let the breath go, her thoughts snapped into alignment. "And why do you have wings? she asked, finally finding some of the annoyance she had lost over the past few moments.
Zoro chuckled and looked down to her. "Angels have wings, so I must be an angel, hmm?" he asked, the playfulness thoroughly back in his voice.
"Demons have wings, too," the ninja countered. "You're the Chosen of the flourishing world – you didn't have to go through Cruxis' trials like Colette…."
"Hmm. Didn't I?" the redhead asked, tipping his head to the side. "Let's just say you might be surprised at the kind of training the flourishing world's Chosen gets."
Sheena blinked a few times at his answer and then finally looked back over his shoulder to the feathers of golden light with hearts of burning orange. They were beautiful. Her anger had demanded that she deal with it first, but she could finally accept the distraction of the wings and marvel at them. But their reality slowly settled on her how that ethereal beauty either carried a price or served only to mask cruelty in her experience with them. She frowned, but couldn't look away. "I never knew you had them."
Once again, Zelos shrugged. "Guess I haven't had to go all out yet," he answered, his tone carefree again. "And I guess you don't know me as well as you thought you did, huh?"
The question was clearly rhetorical… another verse to the back-and-forth dance they had perfected over the years. But Sheena couldn't ignore that this time, it stung. There was no smug pleasure and no anger that it was something that couldn't be deflected into another strike. The summoner had seen how Colette's transformation had affected her… her sickness and her pain. Did Zelos have to go through that, too? Even though his betrayal still smoldered – no matter if it was true or not – she couldn't help but recognize that she didn't want anyone else subjected to that kind of torment… not even Zelos. "I guess not," she admitted quietly and turned her eyes from the feathers of light, instead studying where her hands knotted together over her stomach with the way he had her scooped in his arms. "She swallowed hard, not knowing where she stood with him at that moment. "Do they hurt?"
"Huh?" The redhead's surprise blurted out quickly, too fast to have been filtered through a layer of sarcasm. "The wings? Naw, they're fine. Just another body part now. And speaking of body parts –"
"Finish that sentence and I will find a way to rip those wings off your back – I don't care what we land on down there," the ninja groaned and sagged in his arms. The low chuckle that answered her felt familiar… comforting… but her words quickly faded into the silence between them. "Zelos," she finally murmured and lifted her eyes to him only to already find him watching her by the brightening green glow below them. "I want your word – and keep in mind how little faith I have in it after that stunt with Pronyma back there – that you're on our side. I don't know what's waiting for us, but I don't have time to keep an eye on someone who's supposed to have my back because they just might get a wild hair to shove a knife in it."
"My Violent Demonic –
Sheena huffed loudly. "That's not helping. I'm serious, Zelos. Your word or I end this now."
"Uh, they don't come off…."
The ninja caught a quick, painful breath and threw her weight toward him, practically clawing to get at – and over – his shoulder.
"Whoa, whoa, hey!" the redheaded Chosen yelped and frantically closed his arms around her, the rushed embrace pulling her away from his shoulder and leaving them practically nose to nose.
Zelos blinked.
Sheena blinked. One instant, she had been faced with blazing feathers of light and, in the next, she was staring into blue eyes that had taken on a turquoise hue in the light that surrounded them. The summoner's arms hung limply at her sides, but doing anything about it was about the furthest thing from her mind.
"Sheena, I made my choice a while back. I just couldn't do anything about it until now," Zelos murmured, neither moving closer nor away. "Your back is safe."
The ninja swallowed hard just before a gentle jolt shook them… and shook her from her stupor. Glancing down as a second jolt raced up from her feet, she realized that they had reached the bottom of the hole. Zelos had saved her. All around them were chunks of twisted wood and vine, and she would have been crushed amongst them if it weren't for him. Forcing breath back into her lungs, she looked up again and found him watching her, his arms loosened, but there to hold her up if necessary. "You didn't really give me your word," she ventured, feeling her knees begin to wobble.
The redhead shrugged and took a small step back, catching her by the shoulders as the light around them began to condense into a glowing green rune ring. "I like being a man of mystery, what can I say?" he asked, winking at her and then closing his eyes. "First Aid!"
A rush of energy swept through her, stealing her breath as it washed away most of her pain and weakness. In that instant of disorientation, she missed the Chosen taking another small step back and releasing his hold on her, so when she finally did open the eyes she didn't remember closing, he was almost out of reach - and once again wearing his normal smirk. "Zelos…." She started to speak, but nothing would follow. Did she still want his word? Was it the thank you that she told him she wouldn't give him?
Zelos shook his head and held up his hand as his wings vanished in a quick flare of light. He held his finger up to his lips and gave her another wink. "Our secret, 'kay? Colette's our little angel and it's gonna stay that way," he stated, keeping his voice low. "Sorry I can't stay, my Voluptuous Ninja Hunny, but I have to hurry if I'm gonna earn my hero stripes today." He started to turn, but paused after a moment and looked back over his shoulder to her. "Oh, and Regal already made me give him my word. He'll be coming along soon, and he has the gels I gave him. Power up, decide whatever punishment you two think I need, and then hurry – there's gonna be a helluva blowout down at the end of this hallway – be a shame if you miss out!" Then, with an energetic wave and a grin, he was gone – sprinting down the hallway, leaving only the echo of his footsteps in his wake.
Footsteps… and a ninja that still couldn't speak.
What… just… happened?
Tethe'alla's Chosen had always been a hurricane whenever he blew into her life, but what she had just experienced with him was a storm of epic proportions. Was she still angry? Oh, she had a new definition for "angry" thanks to Zelos Wilder. But even her anger was diluted just by his appearance… and the fact that he seemed to know that she wanted to believe in him – even after everything.
Sheena heard heavy steps approaching from behind, but she didn't turn. It would be Regal – there was no doubt in her mind about that. He has no reason to lie to me, she told herself, hoping beyond hope that she wasn't missing something major.
He has no reason to save me or Regal… it would just be more hassle. He has to be on our side….
"He'll be the one to save us all."
She mouthed the words, giving them barely enough breath to be a whisper.
Maybe you were right, Grandpa.
If there was something only Zelos could do – if he was the one saving them to help Lloyd so they could put an end to Mithos' plans – then, wasn't that saving them all?
It made Sheena's head spin. But as she watched the hallway where the swordsman had disappeared, she knew nothing had really changed from when they stepped into the Tower. Zelos Wilder would always be a question mark… would always require a leap of faith to come even close to understanding.
But if what he said was true… if it had all been a ruse to get to another goal, all Sheena could do was hope that it was a goal that worked with the one she shared with Lloyd and the others: Salvation of the two worlds.
I guess I'm still breathing to ask that question… so I guess there's still hope….
(A/N Part II: This was just a little exercise to try to get back in the ToS frame of mind to try to wrap up my main fic, Heart of the Phoenix. After a maddeningly-long bout with writer's block, I think I'm finally shaking it loose. Thanks to Aio for the inspiration for this one from one of her reviews of Phoenix and to Yama for her encouragement to push through this one to get back on track again. I hope it was true to two great characters and that you all enjoy! As always, if you enjoyed, I'd love to hear from you! )