DISCLAIMER: I don't own any Tales of Symphonia (Dawn of the New World or otherwise). They all belong to Namco. Nor do I own the song you shall see below. that belongs to The Rasmus.
And thank you AntiSora for your wonderful review. ^_^
Dangerous
"So that's how you really feel." The voice of a young brunette male taunted, his palms open as he shoved the blond before him to the ground. Only a stuttered "n-no!" in response to his words.
Just as the younger of the two made contact with the dirt did his back fall against legs covered by dark fabric.
The man looked down for only a moment before his gaze rose to glare at the twins before him. "Go."
"Wh-who are you?" The younger of the twins demanded, fear evident in his voice despite the rough attitude.
"I said, go!" He repeated, his tone sharp and unrelenting. If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was those who can't stand up for themselves.
Almost immediately the pair of dark-haired boys' backs straightened completely out of freight, their eyes widening as much as they could just before they turned tail and ran away as quickly as their legs could take them.
A hand was then offered for the blond as assistance to get back onto his own two feet. "Are you alright?" Unlike most people, he didn't utter a word in response. Instead, the boy stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed up at his savior. When the darker of the two green pair of eyes looked down to meet shining bright green ones, their owner was shocked silent for a moment. "You are..."
"Uh...y-yes?"
He shook his head, eyes closing momentarily. "It's nothing." Opening his forest eyes again to look at the teen before him before he had enough and turned to leave.
You got me in this situation
You got me backed against the wall
"U-uh..." The young teenager known as Emil Castinger hesitantly stepped closer to his rescuer. "A-about earlier..."
His voice just barely reached the ears of the one he tried to speak to, but the only reason the male did hear him was because of his race's unique hearing. "They said your name was Emil." Not a sound from the boy as a response. . . nothing what so ever. "Well, Emil, have you seen a girl around here with a red jewel on her forehead?"
Caught in a web of your creation
I bet you set me up to fall
Lime eyes widened in unwilling shock. "Wh-what? That...that can't be. Richter's a good guy, right?" A soft voice questioned, not wanting to believe what he had been told. The young blond stared at the dark shape-shifting centurion. "Tenebrae, you've got it all wrong."
"No, he's correct." The cold, emotionless tone of the auburn-haired stated, leaning against the open doorway of the only inn within Altamira. "I no longer care that you're in this form, I shall kill you. Ratatosk." Now I shall avenge you...Aster.
Once I thought about it
I figured out your wicked ways
There's no doubt about it
You'd sell your soul to seal the case
His mind was made up. There was no way he'd let that...that demon mock him by traversing about in his late friend's form. If he hadn't become so outwardly emotionless, those who passed by Richter would have noticed the half-elf's anger. What he was angry at wasn't completely the Demon Lord, oh no...he was also angry with himself. After all, who was the one who couldn't save the one person in the entire worlds he cared for? Who was pathetic enough to have been able to do nothing to keep his best friend from dying? Who, his mind demanded, was a fool to even have gotten so attached to anyone despite the discrimination against half-elves he had experienced first hand? A hand clenched tightly into a fist. Not many can get to me like this, Ratatosk, but you seem to have succeeded in crawling under my skin. It was decided: he would get revenge on Ratatosk.
You're the dangerous kind
Now look at what you've done to me
What you've done to me baby
You've gotta criminal mind
Your motive is to plant a seed
Now I'd kill for you baby
"I'm telling you, he's bad news." A young, short-haired redheaded human male clad in a pure white lab coat warned. "Clearly you haven't heard what happened to the last human who had gone off alone with Richter. It was because he dragged Aster with him that that poor boy died. And it's obvious that Richter doesn't even care if he's continuing on like he has."
Emil was soon left alone, having decided to finally leave the town of Sybak in order to think about what he had learned while in their research facility. The last male's words didn't surprise him at all, since that same reason to not trust Richter had been given to him by everyone he asked that had known Richter and Aster's unique friendship. Some who only knew the older of the two by his cold reputation merely scorned Aster's decision to even spend half an hour in the other's presence. After all, he was human while the other was "a filthy half-breed".
You gotta shady reputation
From bed to bed to man to man
The young knight of Ratatosk turned away from the male laying on his back upon a bed, only to be halted by a soft "wait". Emil looked back, curious as to what Brute, leader of the Vanguard, wanted to tell him despite the elder's weakened state. "I heard...from Marta...that you...know...Richter." The boy nodded wordlessly. "Don't...trust him. This all never...would have...happened. If not...for him giving...Solum's core."
A maid clad in Altamira's dark blue uniform came over moments later, telling Emil he should be going since Mr. Lualdi's condition only allows him so much stress. The man's earlier words echoed in his head as he hear the door close quietly behind him: "It was Richter who had turned the Vanguard into the type of military force it is today."
Once you deliver your temptation
No one can stop your master plan
The sun was on its' slow descend beneath the horizon as two figures could be seen exiting the Vanguard's Cape Fortress, one slightly behind the other. While the taller of the two strode normally, the other followed him with a slight less of a bounce to his step due to the pair's destination: Meltokio. They were traveling in that direction because Marta, Sheena, and Regal were expecting his safe return from joining up with Richter alone; despite how much they thought it was dangerous. However, Richter stopped abruptly to turn around towards Emil; a slight frown on his face. "It's getting late. We should stop here for now."
The blond's head snapped up from where he was gazing at the ground only moments ago. "B-but! Mar-Marta and the others are ex-expecting me t-to meet them over in M-Meltokio." It was clear to them both that the boy would agree to stop for the night despite his protests. After all, he didn't want to anger anyone he came across, much less his friend. Although Emil couldn't help but feel happy that Richter was actually talking to him again. He had thought for a while that the other wanted nothing more to do with him now that he had the Deep Sea Scroll. The boy laid down, quietly staying out of Richter's way as the half-elf gathered a bit of firewood and light it with a tiny bit of magic.
Soon though, they both laid on opposite sides of the flames, Emil clearly not wanting to annoy Richter any more than he seemed to be at the moment. But a nagging feeling at the back of his mind caused the young knight to speak. "R-Richter?"
An indistinguishable grunt came from the redhead as his initial response before rolling over onto his side to gaze through the flames at that painfully familiar face. "What is now?"
"U-uh, I was just wondering...Is there a reason why you hate me so much?"
Forest green eyes narrowed in the darkness, not hiding behind a pair of glasses at the moment. "I don't hate you.., Emil." His words faltered just a little, but the blond didn't catch the difference at all.
"Th-then why are you always so rough with me on what I do? I-if you didn't hate me, wouldn't you try to be nicer or-"
"Just shut up and go to sleep," Richer snapped, the strain of the day's events getting to him.
You say you don't hate me, and that might be true, but you're not giving yourself that chance to really get to know me either... "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Don't try to lie about it
I don't believe a thing you say
"D-Don't lie! I-I'm not as stupid and n-naive as you think I am, Richter. I can t-tell something's wrong, and it probably has something to do with me looking like-ah!" Emil hurriedly log rolled away from the campfire, dragging his blanket with him, just as ice cold water appeared and fell to the ground where he had been moments before. "What the? Why'd you-"
"Just shut up." Dark green mixed with flowing red wavered in the small light of the fire, their owner's voice harsh and angry. "You know nothing about him and you never will. A demon like you could never understand, Ratatosk."
Emil's mouth fell open in surprise. That's why he was keeping him at such a distance? Because he was Ratatosk? "...I'm sor-"
"I don't want to hear an apology from you. Nothing you say will ever undo what you've done." The redhead turned swiftly away and started off out of the circle of light from the flames, seeming determined to get as far away from Emil as quickly as possible without running.
Light green eyes slowly faded into blood red, his gaze staring off after the short-tempered male. An unusual saddened frown shown upon his lips as a hand clenched into a fist. It was a spur of the moment decision, sure, but something inside him kept him from remaining there while Richter went off on his own. So Emil took off running in the direction he'd seen the other go, not even bothering dousing the fire. He hates me for what I've done, but his instinctual reaction to me asking if he hates me is no because I look like Aster.
The more you try to hide it
The more the lies show on your face
Red eyes shone with determination on catching up, his breathing steadily becoming less and less even. A sigh escaped the boy. This is childish, especially for you. Running off on your own like this...idiot.
"RICHTER!" Emil called out, the shadowed form of said half-elf sitting cross-legged on the ground finally coming into his view. "RICHTER YOU'RE AN IDIOT!" As he continued to run towards the other, Richter stood and turned to face him. Finally, Emil stopped his mad dash, panting slightly afterwards. "You...are such...a moron." The young blond stood straight up, still kind of catching his breath, in order to glare directly at his traveling companion with blazing red eyes.
Seeing that caused the forest orbs to widen ever so slightly. "Why did you run all this way? Couldn't you have made Emil do it instea-" His words ceased, a loud slap resounding in the air.
"You're a complete and utter moron, you know that? You treat Emil like he has some contagious disease just because he looks like your late friend, and he's done nothing to you except stop you from killing Marta and taking the core she has upon her forehead. Stop living in the past and try to forge a bond with this boy who's been trying so desperately for you to be his friend this entire time. You-"
Richter turned away, taking a few steps before the back of his collar, as well as some of his nearby hair, was snatched into an iron grip. "You, Ratatosk, are the reason Aster is dead. You are the moron if you think your pretty words will change the way I am. The true Emil had probably died with his parents in Palmacosta during the Vanguard's attack posing as the Church of Martel." A hand rose to grasp tightly on the space between his own head and Emil's hand just before whipping around to face him; successfully breaking out of the other's hold. "There is nothing I want more than to kill you. I swear you will one day leave this world, not as a core, but as the dust beneath my feet after I destroy your core. Don't you understand? I've realized Marta has a fake core ever since my suspicions of Emil being you were confirmed."
You're the dangerous kind
Now look at what you've done to me
What you've done to me baby
You've gotta criminal mind
Your motive is to plant a seed
"And when was that?"
". . . In Altamira, after you and your so-called friends took Solum's core from Commander Brute."
Emil smirked, the expression looking so very wrong on the innocent boy's face. "Then why didn't you kill me when we were in the Camberto Caves? That would've been a perfect chance, what with no one around except Tenebrae." They stared unwavering at each other for a few long moments before Emil's expression reverted back to the way it normally was, not including his bright green eyes though since he was still in "Ratatosk Mode". He took a few steps back away from Richter, the look on his face slowly growing somber. "I know that I can't bring Aster back for you, but traveling with the others as I have been has personally taught me many things."
Dark green eyes widened. Was this little speech of his going where the redhead thought it was going to be going?
"One of the more important things I've learned, is the importance of friendship. I realized not too long ago that what kind of reaction you'd have from what I did to him, and you'd never guess how that came about either." I, well Emil and I, were thinking about you. And what we'd do if we ever had to fight you for real with the intention of killing you. Not that either of us wanted to, him more so than me, but we agreed that we wouldn't give in easily if it ever came to that. We'd try not to have to kill you, but... He looked up at Richter, who was currently waiting patiently for the boy to finish his corny little speech. Ah, whoops. "I realized that I had cause you so much pain by killing him." I will not say his name. I will not say his name. Only Richter can do that at the moment. "And so, I'm sorry for being such an ass, Richter. I shouldn't have done what I did and I'm sincerely sorry for it. If I knew it wouldn't cause many as much pain as I have done to you already, you wouldn't have to put up with me anymore. I'd go away forever, like you say you want me to. I'll understand completely if you don't forgive me, but I am sorry."
Now I'd kill for you baby.
"Where have you been, Emi-" Marta began to demand before looking over the other's current state of being. "Oh my gosh, what happened to you? You're soaking wet!"
Emil's light green eyes stared slightly emotionlessly back at the light haired girl. "Mar-Marta? Can I talk to you and the others for a moment before we leave Meltokio? There's something I want to ask you all..."
Nodding, Marta turned to skip off and find a certain summoner and president of the Lezerano Company. "Sure thing, just try to dry off in the meantime, okay?" She disappeared out through the doorway, a slight gesture to the towels that laid on the couch in the corner.
"You're not going to mention I'm here, are you?"
The blond shook his head. "Uh, n-not at all, Richter. I just wanted to ask the others a few things."
"Alright..."
Minutes passed by in silence, Emil waiting in the middle of the bedroom with a towel in his hands as he tried his best to dry off. Footsteps could be heard nearing the door, so the half-elven researcher made sure to keep out of sight at all times while they were there. Regal, President of the Lezerano Company, entered first, stepping aside for the other two to follow. Faintly Emil wondered why he wasn't last, since Regal was such a gentleman and the blond thought gentlemen usually let the ladies go first...but oh well, no time to ponder that.
"Emil? How did you get soaked like that?" Sheena wondered, the rest looking to her with slight expressions of "you seriously want to know that before he tells us what happened in the Cape Fortress?" She chuckled awkwardly for a moment. "Uh..sorry. How'd things go with Richter?"
"U-um...Him going there ended up having nothing to do with Ratatosk at all."
Marta's eyes widened. "Nothing at all?"
"So it would seem..." A dark, even voice commented from the shadows beside them all.
The voice didn't shock many, but Emil did take a surprised step back once their centurion friend appeared out of thin air. "T-Tenebrae, I forgot you were with us!"
Tenebrae nodded his canine-looking head, a steady gaze at the boy. "Yes, Lord Emil, did you forget so soon that I was near you the entire time you were gone?"
Emil straightened completely, a hint of a blush coming onto his cheeks. "I-I- no, T-Tenebrae, I d-didn't forget at all..." You idiot... Ah! B-be quiet, Ratatosk! I-it- This is m-mainly your f-f-fault you know!
I've been sleeping with the enemy
Now I'm doing the time
Paying up for the crime
Richter sighed to himself as soon as he knew he was a safe enough distance from Meltokio's boundaries for anyone to hear him. "Tenebrae...How could I have forgotten?" Flashes of Emil's sleeping form came to mind, the more prominent ones in which the boy was curled up like some sort of cat in his arms, and if he had been any less in control of his emotions and facial expressions, the half-elven redhead would have slightly blushed at the thought. "That idiot probably took that as something more than just trying to keep his precious master warm...although he may have seen the way I bid Emil goodnight after he fell asleep." A small smile played on his otherwise emotionless face at the memory of that soft blond hair as well as the scent of what could have very well been from a Special Gel. As the lone traveler continued to walk to his next destination, Aqua not wanting to make him angry with her since he was rarely in such calm and positive moods, Richter's thoughts wandered to a very touchy topic for him. Aster, while we traveled and succeeded in discovering so much about this world, I never had the chance to learn as much about you as I would have liked. Have you come back into my life in Emil? Or did you make me meet him because you knew what he could do to me...You had my friendship, my trust, everything...except the one thing Emil now possesses. If this was all because of you, Aster, then thank you. But I still can't completely forgive Ratatosk quite yet.
Guess you took everything you could from me
Days later, a lone figure stood on the outskirts of a forest, a small tombstone standing before him. Only a few words were etched into the beautiful stone, that the one standing there had done himself two years ago that very day. 'Here lies Aster, a brilliant genius and friend. 3984 - 4000 A.K.W.'. Richter had made up his mind. He wouldn't allow the demons of Niflheim to enter the realm of the living. Instead, he would create a new seal. There was only one flaw to his current plan. He would have to become the seal, leaving him separated from the rest of the world...and Emil. "I guess this is good-bye, Aster," he murmured, turning his back to the tombstone, having laid the boy's favorite flower as well as a few Miracle Gels. As he left, the cheerful voice of his late friend rung throughout his mind. "Ha ha ha, you have to try this Richter! These gels taste like you did when I almost drowned back over by the Thoda Geyser!" A smile graced his features at the memory, yet wondered what made him think to put Miracle Gels by his friend's grave. His foot steps eventually took him to the entrance of the Ginnungagap. A slight hesitation brought one last memory to mind, fueling the half-elf's resolve of going trough with is plan.
"Richter, I'm not saying this to make you feel better, but because I need you to hear it and understand. I may have done terrible things, especially to you, but I have a message to give you, so here it is. The boy before him closed his eyes momentarily before opening them to gaze directly into Richter's own. "Richter, I know you know that I know that we both know I'm dead, but please hear me out. This is not a trick, nor anything your mind may come up with that doesn't involve this really being me. I can prove it to you too, if you'd like." The redhead nodded once, not trusting himself to speak at that very moment. "When we first met, you called me an idiot for trying to compete with those so much older than with who had more experience than I did. You were rude and sharp to me, even though you knew I was only a child, but I later found out from you why you hated humans so much. I'm sorry I couldn't have been more of a help to you back then, but I did the best I could as the seven year-old-human I was. I knew who you were from the first day you came to Sybak's research academy. That you were the half-elf I nurtured after fight after gruesome fight. . .Ah, sorry, Richter, it seems even dead I get off my wanted topic. I-"
"That's alright, I believe you're who you say you are...What is it you want to tell me?"
Aster smiled, his lime green eyes shining through the dark of night. "I wanted to tell you that I'm proud of you, Richter. You finally know what it's like to care for someone deep enough to want to protect that person with your very life. Emil isn't me, but he's not Ratatosk either. Emil is Emil, so please treat him as being himself. . .Like me, he cares deeply for you, Richter. Let him by your defensive walls. Let him care for you like I no longer can. I'll be watching and hoping things turn out for the best for you two, Richter...Always remember: Courage is the magic that turns dreams into reality." With those parting words, the young blond's eyes closed just as he was about to fall to the ground only to get caught by his friend.
"Thank you, Aster."
Richter strode through the maze of paths to the center of the Ginnungagap, past a strange looking squirrel, where Aster had died by Ratatosk's hand. I never thought I'd come back here to stay for a while... This was all for their sake. For the sake of the peace of the world. He would die if he had to, but all he needed was for those special few he cared and trusted to be safe for the rest of their existences.
You're the dangerous kind
Now look at what you've done to me
What you've done to me baby
You've gotta criminal mind
Your motive is to plant a seed
Now I'd kill for you baby...
Good luck...Emil.
...Review? You know you want to.