Im back again, for the first time in a while. This fic will differ greatly from my last ones in the regard that the pairings will be different. Im breaking away from my usual pairing of LloydxSheena to bring you all a Preloyd fic seeing as how ive noticed the complete and utter lack of fics regarding this subject.
Credit for my change of heart regarding the subject lies purely in the hands of Funkymoleperson after reading his story "The Would Have Been", I was so moved by the relationship interaction portrayed between Lloyd and Presea that I had to have a shot at it myself…I hope I don't disappoint you.
To date I have only seen one worth my time and it has given me the influence to write this piece of fiction. The story takes place roughly two years after the defeat of Mithos Yggdrasil and follows on from the Sheena ending...yes there is a point to this as you will see by the end of the story.
In a shameless plug, please have a read at my most recent oneshot "The Life of One and the Lives of the Many", I assure you it is a good story, just some people cant seem to deal with a little bit of a sad twist it seems.
Disclaimer: I Do not own Tales of Symphonia or any of it's characters, that priveledge belongs to Namco and them alone.
Help Me Find Myself
Chapter 1: A Strong Inclination
Lloyd and Sheena had been travelling around the reunited worlds of Tethe'alla and Sylvarant recently renamed Aselia for the last 18 months, making progress in both their journey to free the souls imprisoned in the exspheres and of course their friendship.
The sun was setting on yet another evening for the pair as they prepared to make camp near what they had discovered to be a village called Pygar founded by the half-elves in the last couple of months. The village had been founded by the previous Mayor of Exire as the new home for the half-elves.
Gazing upon the village basking in the sunset, lit eerily as the last remnants of sunlight for the day creeped in the nooks and crannies of the new houses, Lloyd couldn't help but appreciate the effort that Raine and Genis must have put in to convince their fellow kin to leave their floating safe-haven.
Obviously Sheena having spent the last 18 months of her life travelling with the young swordsman knew when he was troubled by something. "Hey Lloyd something bothering you?" she questioned.
"Hmmm, It's nothing I guess, just not sure if the world is ready to accept the half elves from Exire here yet?", Lloyd replied sadly.
Sheena gasped unsure of what he meant.
"I mean, it's great that they have" Lloyd quickly added sensing his friend's shock, "I mean, I'm not sure if the prejudice will allow them to live peacefully just yet, but then again, Raine is a scary person to cross, if she says it's safe for them, i guess it must be." he mused.
Sheena cocked an eyebrow at him unsure whether to be surprised that Lloyd was doubting his beliefs or the fact he used the word prejudice in it's proper context. She was shaken from it by Lloyd catching her gaze.
"Well I'm going to turn in for the night, you should do the same, we have to head across the Grand Aselian Bridge tommorow!" Lloyd said boldly before retiring to his sleeping bag for the evening.
Sheena was left to watch as the sun went down and plunged the area they were into total darkness save for the starlight. She could already hear the snoring sound coming from the sleeping bag, signifying that Lloyd was already asleep. Why cant I tell him how I feel? Sheena sighed before retiring to her own sleeping bag. She pulled the covers over her eyes before mumbling a quiet goodnight to Lloyd.
Lloyd found himself dreaming hazily about being on the journey with all of his friends once more, he saw himself in the Toize Valley mine with Presea and Tabatha from a couple of years before. He remembered vaguely the sparkling of all the exspheres all around him and recalled how beautiful the whole environment was, and even more so, the young girl that was accompanying him. He never noticed at the time, just how pretty she really was, the way she cocked her head to the side when she questioned something or listened to someone speaking to her.
"So exspheres are lonely too...just like me" the young girl said looking to the ground sadly.
"Of course not Presea, you have all of us, as long as you have that you will never be alone" Lloyd replied in an attempt to cheer the young girl up.
"Thank you Lloyd" Presea said with a small smile and a slight pinkish hue to her cheeks.
"We should head back now" Tabatha butted in and said robotically.
"Yeah let's head back" Lloyd said enthusiastically.
Presea grabbed Lloyd's hand and gazed into the surprised swordsman's eyes "Lloyd, you wont ever leave me will you?"
Suddenly there was a flash of light and they were both standing side by side in front of Sieg's grave in Ozette with her father's friend Ralph.
"My friends keep my heart strong..." Presea commented.
"That's right, we will always be here for you" Lloyd said in a friendly way.
Ralph closed his eyes and smiled "You are truly a very lucky person Presea, your father would have been proud."
Presea smiled wildly with tears in her eyes, unable to place the emotion. "Thank you very much". she replied.
Lloyd found himself smiling at her, unable to place the feelings he was feeling for Presea, however before he had time to contemplate things any further, he heard Sheena yelling from the entrance to Ozette.
"C'mon Lloyd wake up!" she hollered.
"What?" Lloyd stared in confusion.
"Wake up!" she slapped him as he woke up with a start.
"Sheena, what the...?" he asked.
"It's time to go, you slept in, C'mon that bridge isnt going to cross itself."
"Im sorry, hey I just had the weirdest feeling that I have to go to Altamira first" Lloyd said in a daze.
"What why?" Sheena asked cocking her head to the side in a cute way," there's nothing there and besides if there was , Regal and Presea would have dealt with it by now" she added.
Feeling his heart skip a beat at the mention of Presea's name, he knew he had to follow it through. "I ..er...dont know what it is, I just have the strong instinct to go there, maybe...there is something they uh missed." Lloyd stammered.
"Alright I guess it cant hurt" Sheena said nonchalantly silently wondering what caused the change in Lloyd's attitude to the journey.
At this Lloyd's enthusiasm peaked as it always did before "Alright then to Altamira!" he declared.
Update should be due next week seeing as how the chapter is already written, Chapters should average around 2000 words as im not too strong a writer yet, however this one is shorter purely for the fact it is merely setting the scene so don't shun it unless you have good reason…thanks.