KH: Lloyd, would you say the disclaimer please?
Lloyd: Sure. Kharlan Hero does not own Tales of Symphonia, Namco does. Also she got the city name, Ombra, from the book series Inkheart. Another thing is that she got the name Lartan from a story by freakyanimegal.
KH: Thanks, Lloyd. Enjoy!
It was a calm spring day with a light breeze causing the trees to rustle. Birds were singing, the wolf pups were wrestling with each other under the watchful eye of their parents, and a bear was just emerging from it's cave with its cubs after a long winter. Yes, one could call this a perfect day, unfortunately, young Kratos was not that one. He ran through the forest, fighting for breath and wiping tears from his eyes. Once again he and his father had fought. It was the fifth time this week and each time it was about the same thing; his parents allowing his older brother to join the army and go to war. His brother, Lartan, was now fighting in the war that had been going on for centuries, so long that no one could tell you how it started. He knew he shouldn't fight with his father about it, after all Lartan had wanted to go, but his mother had been sick for a while and he was upset by the thought that he could lose most of his family in less than a year. A little green and white puppy came up to Kratos and whined.
"What is it! I don't wanna talk right now!" Kratos snapped.
"WHIIINE" Was the only reply from the puppy, which Kratos had named Noishe after finding him injured in the forest.
"I know. I know. I shouldn't come to our clearing if I'm just gonna yell at you."
"Bark"
"Don't give me that look!"
"Whine?" Noishe tilted his head to the side.
"Because it makes it look like you think I'm an idiot!"
"Howl" He wagged his tail happily.
"You weren't supposed to agree to that." Kratos muttered angrily, looking perfectly capable of killing his canine friend.
"GRR"
"What is it- AAAH" Kratos suddenly found himself on the ground with a blue haired boy on top of him, moaning.
"Ow, what I hit? Ah, human!" the boy jumped up and looked ready to attack Kratos.
"That hurt. Why'd you run into me? You have pointy ears... Are you one of those half-elves?" He was looking at the boy in awe either not noticing, or ignoring, how he didn't look too friendly.
"Stay back, human!"
"Can you use magi-?" Just then a rustling was heard among the bushes. A group of humans walked out with weapons drawn.
"What going on?" a very scared Kratos asked.
"It's the slavers, they've caught up with me!" He started to run, but the slavers were quickly gaining.
"Get away from him!" Kratos picked up a stick and started furiously whacking the slavers. However a stick isn't much use against swords...
What should I do? Now's my chance to escape, but I can't just abandon the only human whose ever been kind to me. If I don't help him, he'll die! I pray that I don't regret this. The boy began charging up a spell. "Thunder Blade!" The slavers didn't know what hit them but they were gonna get out of there as fast as possible! "Are you alright, human?" He reached his hand down to help the older boy to his feet.
"You can do magic... That was awesome! I wish I could do that!"
"No you don't. Elven blood is a curse..." He said bitterly. "Now are you gonna get up or not?!"
"Oh, yeah. Thanks for helping me. Oh, and what's your name?"
"Yuan. And technically I should be thanking you."
"My name's Kratos!" The ever cheerful youth proclaimed.
Yuan began to walk away.
"Wait, where are you going?"
"Anywhere where there aren't slavers."
"But you can't leave!"
"Why not?"
"Um... Do you have any supplies. You can't go anywhere without at least food. I can get you some."
"Why are you helping me?! Most humans would try to kill me as soon as look at me!" Yuan said, annoyed at this little human.
"Are all half-elves treated like that...?"
"Pretty much. Because or this stupid war! It wasn't as bad before."
"That's not right. Someone should do something about this war. I'm going to stop it!" Kratos said with fierce determination.
"What do you mean you're going to stop a war! You'll get yourself killed! And what about your family?! You're lucky enough to have one, are you really going to leave all that?!"
"I have to do this for them too! The sooner this war is over, the sooner my family's safe! And Lartan will come home."
"I see... I have clue no why I'm actually doing this, but I'm going with you!"
"Really? Thanks Yuan." He had a big goofy grin on his face.
"You're going out to stop a war, you shouldn't be smiling like that!"
"Right. Now I just need to get supplies and say goodbye, and we can leave."
"Whine"
"Oh, and Noishe will be coming too!"
"What is Noishe?!"
"Growl"
"I have no clue..."
So, this odd duo began their journey right after Kratos packed his stuff and said goodbye to his parents. They traveled for two years, trying to figure out what exactly they should be doing. Kratos, now 16, and Yuan, now 15, had become the best of friends. Both had become good fighters, due to acting as mercenaries to get money. They were approaching Ombra, a fair sized city between Iselia and Triet, when they heard the shout of what sounded like a young woman. Having nothing better to do, they went to investigate, finding that a group of humans had a female half-elf and a half-elven toddler cornered. Kratos, having not quite grasped the concept of thinking before he acted, of course went to save the half-elves, Yuan soon joined him muttering that the idiot was going to get himself killed someday.
"Back away from the half-elves!" Kratos demanded.
"Give us a good reason why we should!" The apparent leader of the group didn't seem as though he would comply.
"Really, Kratos, you should think before you act. Thunder Blade!" What happened next was the same as what happened to the slavers two years ago, the humans ran.
"Are you alright?" Kratos asked the young lady.
The toddler waddled up to Kratos, "Who awe you?"
Kratos knelt down to where he was on eye level with the boy. "My name's Kratos, what's yours?"
"Mithos!"
"Don't you dare hurt my little brother! Mithos get back here!" The little boy went over and grabbed the lady's skirt.
"We don't mean you any harm. My name's Kratos and this is my companion and best friend, Yuan." Kratos put his hands up to show surrender, Yuan just stared, having just gotten a good look at the lady.
"But Yuan's a half-elf... How can he be your best friend...?"
"I personally don't care about race. Yuan is a good person and has proved himself more than worthy of my friendship time and again."
"That's amazing... Is Yuan alright?"
"I don't know. He was fine a moment ago but it's hot out here, maybe the sun melted his brain."
"SHUT UP, KRATOS!"
"Sorry, don't get mad at me. You were the one staring at her like an idiot."
"I'm not an idiot." Yuan grumbled unhappily.
"Right." Kratos said sarcastically rolling his eyes. "By the way, what's your name?"
"Um, I'm Martel, and you already know my little brother's name."
"It's not safe for you or your brother out here. Yuan and I can escort you at least to another town."
"Going to another town wouldn't really change much... The people there would just find out we're half-elves and the same thing would happen, except you wouldn't be there to save us. Thank you for saving us this time though."
"It's no problem. I can't stand seeing half-elves treated that way. They're people too. Maybe it would be best if you and Mithos traveled with us, that way we could protect you."
"You would really do that? Thank you. I hope it's not too much trouble."
"N-Not at a-all."
"Maybe the sun did melt his brain."
"Nah, he's always like that."
"SHUT UP, KRATOS!"
"Didn't you already say that?"
"Who cares, I'm telling you again anyway."
"We have an odd group, don't we, Mithos?" Martel said with a bemused smile.
"Yas, Sis. Odd."
"Howl"
And thus their journey begins. One holding twists that they never dreamed of.
KH: And thus ends the oneshot. I hope you liked it.
Lloyd: I'm sure they did.
KH: And thanks yet again, Lloyd. Please review. Constructive criticism is welcome, but please no flames.