A/N: Well folks, here is the deal and such. The story itself is, in fact, based after the end. So there will be a little bit of spoiler, and if that is something you fear, RUN AWAY! Yes, the primary pairing is Lloyd/Sheena, but I will have others. I have a real surprise for Yuan fans too, seeing as how we Yuan-ites have to stick together and all that jazz.

Disclaimer: Yup, I don't own Tales of Symphonia. NAMCO does...as the do own Xenosaga…and other fine games…

"I…I want to be with you Lloyd"

"…S…sure, I want to be with you too."

"R…really! Then it's settled, okay? You can't change your mind now! We're going together on a journey to collect all the Exspheres in the world!"

"Yeah. That way, no more people will fall victim to the Exspheres, and these things will never be dragged into a conflict like this again."

"It's a promise then? If you don't keep it, I'm going to invoke the Mizuho tradition of making a liar swallow a thousand needles!"

Lloyd could only return with a closed eyes, nervous smile as the implied meaning of her words sank in, nodding silently in response. "Whoa…okay, okay, I promise. I promise." Before he could open then again, a pair of arms wrapped around his neck, and he soon found himself locked in a warm hug with the ninja, unable to see the tears forming at the corners of her eyes. Before anything else could be said, she ran off, leaving a dumbstruck Lloyd to try and piece together what just happened.

Every night, his mind would trace its way back to this event, losing himself within it. The warmth of her hug, the lightness in her words, the way she looked basked in the soft glow of the moon. Those words saved his life on more than one occasion since that night, reminding him over and over again as he fought long and hard. She wanted to be with him.

Tales of Symphonia – Faraway Promises

Chapter 1: Attempts

Again, his mind drifted towards that night, and everything that it encompassed. Lloyd was slowly beginning to see deeper into it. He'd had an idea for a while now. Well, it was more like a feeling than an idea, but in many ways they were entwined with one another. Nonetheless, Lloyd was lost, deep in thought over his feelings, over that night, and over one other thing. Something that had haunted him since he dealt the deathblow to Mithos, and ended the madness he represented. As the shattered fragments of his Cruxis Crystal seemed to absorb into his Exsphere, he was left alone with one empty, unfenced and completely mind encompassing thought.

"I don't want to be like him…" Lloyd muttered, brushing his pillow with his nose, finally coming out of his near comatose state of thought. He found it quite ironic that he could go into a sleep like state when thinking, but that his thinking actually kept him from sleeping.

"Like who?" A curiously melodic voice answered, startling Lloyd and drawing him back into reality completely. He had, for better or worse, believed that Sheena had long since fallen asleep, and while he did find something else to focus on appealing, he still felt foolish for letting his thoughts out into the open.

Lloyd gave a stupid smile to his partner, before muttering, "No one…just talking to myself…" He replied, as happily as he could fake it. It had been a long four weeks since the start of his journey, and to say that they have made progress would be an understatement. Every so often, his mind would drift to his friends, and how they we're living. Colette, Zelos, and Raine were in charge of Iselia, with Raine as the new mayor of the town. Genis, Presea, and Regal, on the other hand, were busy using the Lezareno Company's power and funds to help build a new world. On both sides, he knew relationships were budding.

Genis and Presea, though excruciatingly different in age, could care less about such a thing as they enjoyed life together, as serious as a thirty year old and a child could be. Of course, if you only just watched from a distance, and really never heard a word they said, they both looked like a happy young pair, perfect for each other. On the other end of the world, Zelos had found himself smitten with the once former opposing chosen. Despite his antics to make a pass at any passing woman still raging strongly within him, Zelos was always rendered helpless when he laid eyes on the smiling Colette. The great Chosen One, Zelos Wilder…rendered helpless by the most innocent person on the face of the planet.

And then there was Lloyd and Sheena, alone in a forest a day's length from the city of Meltokio. A woman who had said, clearly from the bottom of her heart, that she wanted to be with him. His closest friend in the world, closer than he and Genis had ever been, closer than he and Colette could have ever hoped to have been. And he could tell, quite easily, that she didn't buy his smile.

Sheena knew Lloyd enough to know when his smile was an empty one. Curiously, she cocked her head to the side, and stared at Lloyd. "What's wrong Lloyd?"

A near silent sigh escaped Lloyd's lips. "I was just…thinking about things. The bad things."

"Zelos bad or the real bad?"

Lloyd chuckled at the Zelos crack, a common occurrence between them. If something was bad, anything at all, Zelos's name wound up somewhere next to it. More often then not, the two would associate his name with anything that could be perceived as dirty. It took Lloyd a while to actually get this, as in the beginning he would actually call dirty things, like mud or muddy animals, "Zelos things."

"Nothing like that. I was just…" Another long sigh. Since the month they've been together, journeying the world, Lloyd had grown up quite a bit. While he was still, at best, slow on the uptake, he was thinking more and more, and actually working towards fixing his image of being the idiot. Sometimes, this would result in even worse results though. "…worried that I might be turning into Zelos." He finished, a big, stupid, and empty grin on his face.

Yes, just like that.

"…Idiot." Sheena muttered, rolling her eyes before rolling over and going back to sleep.

"Sheena?" Lloyd muttered, before she had a chance to. Turning slowly, Sheena locked eyes with Lloyd again.

"What Lloyd?" What she saw shocked her. Lloyd's usual soft brown eyes that exuded happiness had become somber, almost alarmingly so.

"In truth…I was worried about..." A long pause filled the air, as Lloyd struggled with the words, struggled with his own barriers. "...becoming Mithos." He muttered, his voice harbouring whatever lightness it could fake. "I try not to think about it, but the more I do, the more I realize that I really could be him."

"…Lloyd…" Sheena uttered softly, watching her friend's expression turn south. In all her time with him, she would never have been able to tell that he feared that. They were so different, so entirely and completely unalike in every way.

"All he wanted to do was change the world; make it a more accepting place for his kind. He wanted to make this world a better place. What if that battle, the final battle with Mithos, was more a glance into the future than a new beginning?" Lloyd muttered softly, any trail of joy gone from his voice. He stared long and hard into the ground, breathing deeply. "I'm afraid Sheena…of betraying you and my friends…of becoming obsessed with creating a world free of discrimination at whatever the cost..."

He sniffled gently, feeling unbelievably vulnerable and almost naked in his revelation. His deepest fear and darkest secret, revealed to the one person he came to trust more than anyone he'd ever met. He felt Sheena staring at him, afraid that she pitied him, or worse. He twitched as he felt a pair of hands draw him up, bringing him face to face with Sheena, who stared into her eyes long and hard. Gently, she wrapped his arms around him, and embraced him gently, comforting him as best as she could. She had never seen this side to Lloyd before, but she knew all to well what it was like to be afraid. And he was there for her when she was scared, ready to comfort her in the exact same way. Finally, she broke the hug, and locked her eyes with Lloyd, before finally saying something.

"You dork." She started, smiling as she saw Lloyd's reaction. Usually, Lloyd was the one using that word. "You're nothing like Mithos. You're kind, and strong-willed, and compassionate, and so much more. You're loyal to a fault, and you would sooner give your own life up then watch one of us suffer. If anything, you're what Mithos envied in the end." Sheena listed, never breaking eye contact with Lloyd. She could see the tears welling up in his eyes as each word put his mind at ease, and his fears to rest.

"Sheena…thank you." Lloyd muttered, wiping any possible tears away from his eyes. Here he was, staring into Sheena's soft brown eyes, her gentle words putting his soul to rest. His mind flashed back to Heimdall, to her simple statement that caught him completely off guard, that jolted everything he thought he knew about life, relationships, and Sheena.

"I…I want to be with you Lloyd"

"I…" Lloyd began…struggling with the words, with his head.

"Yes?" Sheena spoke softly, patiently watching and waiting, silently praying and hoping.

"I…" He began again…before closing his eyes and breathing deeply. He had admitted defeat once again, desperately wanting nothing more than to rewind time and forget even starting this conversation. "I am lucky to have you as a friend Sheena. You really are the closest and best friend I've ever had." He said, as happily as he could. He kept his eyes closed because, inside he knew, he had hurt her. It probably would have killed him to stare into her eyes after that.

"Thanks Lloyd." Sheena replied, not a difference noticeable in her voice. "Goodnight." If he could only see her eyes, he would have seen the injured hope, the unanswered prayers, and the tears that hid behind her false cheer.

With that, she let go of Lloyd, letting him sink back to the ground. "Night Sheena."

------ 1 Hour Later ------

Lloyd startled awake as a rock bounced off his head, drawing him from what had been a pleasant dream involving a family reunion between himself, both his dads, and his deceased mother. Before he could even utter a threat or even truly breathe, another rock hit him in the side of the head. He whipped towards where it came from, only to see a hand beckoning him. Not wanting to wake Sheena, who was sleeping peacefully, Lloyd quietly stood up, and walked towards the hand, connected to an arm that was connected to something behind a tree.

"Who's there?" Lloyd muttered to the tree, one hand resting on the hilt of one of his Material blades.

"An off and on friend." The voice replied. Lloyd cringed upon hearing his voice, all too aware of whom it was. Spinning around, before he could do anything at all, Lloyd had his forearm pressed against the man's neck, pinning him to the tree.

"Yuan! What are you doing here?" Lloyd growled, loud enough to get hit point across, quiet enough to not disturb Sheena. For a moment, Yuan had been more surprised then hurt, but very quickly his eyes turned fierce, as he pushed Lloyd off him.

"Calm down." Yuan spat out, brushing himself off. "Is that what people get for trying to help you?"

Another growl escaped Lloyd's lips, as he began to repeat himself. "What are you…"

"Shhhh." Yuan whispered, pointing his thumb towards where Sheena was sleeping. "Let's talk elsewhere." Without waiting for even a nod, Yuan trailed off deeper into the forest, putting some distance and obstacles in between the two males and the sleeping Sheena. "Now we can talk."

"What are you…"

"Doing here? Typical question really. If you must know, I'm following you." Yuan replied, his tone collected and calculated. "And that…was pathetic."

"What do you know?" Lloyd retorted, angered by his judgement. In what place did he have to right to belittle and insult him like that. Just because he… "Wait…how much did you hear…"

"From your deepest fear to your greatest failure. All so very touching." Yuan mocked, grinning as he watched Lloyd tremble with anger. "Don't get upset. I can tell you right away, you're no Mithos. Take that either as a compliment or an insult, I could care less. I am more concerned about how you let down that poor girl."

"And what would you know about it?" Lloyd responded, angrily. "It's not as easy for me as it would be for you or my dad."

"You love her don't you?" Yuan inquired, cutting right through Lloyd's statement. The question-like statement struck Lloyd in the chest, stunning him briefly as his mouth seemed to just drop open. Had he not been well prepared for what Lloyd's child like antics could bring, he would have laughed in his face. "Remember the ring you gave back to me Lloyd?" Yuan continued, warranting a nod from the swordsman. "Do you know who I gave that to?"

"Martel, right?" Lloyd replied with a smile, catching Yuan visibly off guard.

"Not as dumb as you used to be Lloyd." Yuan mocked again, nodding. "Yes, I gave it to Martel. But it wasn't nearly as easy as you might have thought. You see, the thing is…" A long breath interrupted Yuan, as he readied himself for what might very well be his dignity shattering in front of him. "You remind me of who I use to be, four thousand years ago…"

For the longest time, there was a silence. All Lloyd could do was stare in awe at the words he had just heard. 'Yuan had opened up to me…no wait…Yuan has opened up period…'Lloyd thought to himself, before speaking. "What?"

"I want to help you the same way Kratos helped me overcome my fear Lloyd…I can tell that you truly do love her… But I will only help you if you ask me too." Yuan muttered, sputtering out the last part in a desperate attempt to regain his composure.

"What makes you believe I need your help?" Lloyd demanded, almost insulted.

"Take it, or leave it. But I know every time you look into Sheena's eyes, you see her true feelings."

Swallowing his own pride, Lloyd looking Yuan in the eyes, delivering a threatening and cautioning glare as he nodded. "Fine…Yuan, would you please…help me?"

A smile crossed Yuan's face, not one of pride or mocking, but instead, one bordering upon sincerity. Yuan nodded, and looked in the direction of where they had left Sheena. Breathing deeply and with great length, Yuan turned back to Lloyd, and nodded. "Lloyd, you'll thank me for this later."

CRACK!

Lloyd was laying on the ground, out like a light, as Yuan rubbed his left hand gently, his knuckles red and swollen as he looked down at the freshly unconscious Lloyd. He had to smile at his handy work, wanting nothing more than to do that for the longest time. Yes, he truly intended to help him, but he was still Yuan of the Renegades. He had an image to maintain. Quickly, he dashed towards where Sheena was sleeping, and dropped a letter beside her, before making his way back to Lloyd.

"Kratos will not be happy when he finds out what's happening…" Yuan muttered, lifting Lloyd up, and tossing him onto his shoulder as he disappeared towards the Renegade base. "Oh well…at the very least, I gave him a chance to refuse."

------ In the Morning ------

Sheena stared at the unfolded letter, unsure of just what to make of it. First, she wakes up and sees Lloyd missing, and then she sees a letter left from Yuan. Like most of what the seemingly mysterious Yuan does, this letter was to the point, and about as tactful as taking a club to the side of the head.

Dear Sheena

I'm borrowing Lloyd from you. I'll bring him back in one piece. I want to study his Exsphere briefly before he destroys it. It should take me about a week.

I won't hurt him.

He'll be at Mizuho once I'm finished.

Yuan

It wasn't so much the understanding of it that eluded her; it was as to why Lloyd and Yuan felt the need to not consult with her first. Sighing agitatedly, she looked up at the sky and grimaced. She was missing him already, and she hadn't even been up that long.

"Idiot…"

A/N: Well… here's to hopping this chapter has gotten your attention. Yes, there will be back-story to what Yuan is talking about, and yes, this is going have a lot too it. I guarantee the next chapter will catch you off guard.