Title: Get Out Alive
Author: NexustehULF0o
Description: Inspired by the song "Get Out Alive" by Three Days Grace. Sheena accompanies Zelos on a journey to vanquish a suspicious group of people known as the "Remnants."
Rating: T for death, angst, and language…seriously, I was a crying, depressed wreck while writing this.
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN TALES OF SYMPHONIA, NOR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS FROM THE GAME.
Nexus: "This is a very angst-y fic; something out of the ordinary for me. If any of you knew me personally, you would know that I am naturally a quite sunny person, and when listening to Three Days Grace, especially "Get Out Alive," the only thing I could think about was a Sheelos deathfic. So here I am, a messed up wreck, with a Sheelos deathfic that I could enjoy writing and sob at at the same time. If this is good, then I'm glad, because I'm not writing another Sheelos deathfic ever again. So…
…
Enjoy?"
Author's Note: The italicized lyrics are not being sung; they are italicized to separate the lyrics from the rest of the story.
Chapter One – Reality/Reminisce
If you want to get out alive, run for your life.
Those were the only words uttered in order for her to start running for the light beaming at one end of the tunnel. Tears were streaming from her eyes, causing her to stumble and forcing her to catch herself and wipe her eyes with her glove.
No time for goodbye… Don't put your life in someone's hands; they're bound to steal it away. Don't hide your mistakes 'cuse they'll find you…burn you…
He had told her, his voice getting weaker as he continued to speak. She had pleaded him to stay with her, that they would find some way to survive together. He just needed to stay. That was all she wanted. She told him that she would help. He just needed to hang on. He had to. Without missing a beat, he'd chuckled.
And now she was alone. So very alone.
It was a cold sinking feeling that infiltrated quickly through her heart and soul, numbing them, but causing more pain nonetheless.
If I stay, it won't be long, 'till I'm burning on the inside…
If I go, I can only hope, that I'll make it to the other side…
She tripped again, falling face first into the rocky floor, her tears catching the dirt on her face and staining her cheeks. She let out a wail of agony, distress, and pain, pushing her face into the ground as if to look for some kind of warmth. Some retribution in this godforsaken layer of hell of which she was trapped forever.
She had tried everything to sway him, hadn't she told him…over and over again…that she loved him? When all this time, she had denied it, called him weak and heartless…called him narcissistic and rude…unfeeling and undeserving of a woman's love? She had convinced herself that it all was true, even if in the beginning, she didn't want to believe it. But now…when she had come to know him on so many different levels…when she had come to see through his egotistical, uncaring façade…
A dead man stole her first kiss…the only man she truly loved.
If you want to get out alive, run for your life.
---
Sheena Fujibayashi had stared at him.
He had the same face on as he did when he asked a question he knew she would be unwilling to answer. As did she.
And then he laughed.
She had no idea why she loved his laugh so much. It made her feel like none of this was serious. Like she could relax.
Of course, nothing was serious with Tethe'alla's own Chosen of Mana.
"Oh, come on, you don't think I would ask you first?" He asked, leaning forward while placing his palms on his knees. "Who else am I gonna ask?"
"I dunno…Lloyd? The King? Why do you need me?" She asked, shrugging it off. "Don't you know I'm the Chief of Mizuho now? I have many duties to attend to…!" She shook her head.
"But…I trust you the most." He looked away, making Orochi shudder in the corner.
That wasn't something that she entirely expected.
Zelos had been getting better at expressing his true feelings, especially to her for some reason. Though there would always be the side she had come to know; the side of him that she could not stand in the least.
"Uh…mmmh…" She stammered, looking away herself before blushing a bit.
"Come on!" He smiled warmly at her, sitting straight. "It'll be fun!"
There was a pause where Orochi cleared his throat.
"I won't like this." She told him while standing and rolling her eyes. Beaming, the Chosen stood as well, brushing off his pants and nodding to Orochi, who sighed out of his nose and looked to the other side of the room.
Agreeing to go anywhere with Zelos was a hassle. After all, she had gone on a "vacation" with him once…one that she was all too close to something she'd rather not talk about.
The Chosen was suspicious to a gang of 'weirdoes' as he put them, gathering in Meltokio. He had seen them in the city before and that they all had an odd star-shaped symbol on a sweatband on their arm. He had said they called themselves 'Remnants.' He thought they might be up to something. Something having to do with the Church of Martel.
She still wondered whether this was a good idea or not…but it was a chance she had to take…If he thought that it was that important that she would have to come along…then she might as well go.
And so, after leaving the village of Mizuho, Sheena and Zelos boarded a Rheaird, both unaware to how far this little journey would take the both of them.
She held tight to the Chosen's waist, having not been acquainted with heights since the journey of Salvation. She looked down, seeing clouds hovering below her as well as the distant outline of cities and towns in the new land of Aselia. Zelos chuckled and leaned forward.
"You would just get mad at me if I didn't ask you, anyways," He spoke up, shaking his head when she scoffed under her breath.
"No I wouldn't…" She trailed off, although she knew herself it was an utter lie. Smiling a little, she tried to distance herself from his back, only wrapping her arms around his waist and giving him not even an inch to enjoy for himself.
She loved to spite him.
Zelos sighed, his mouth bunching on one side of his face as he rolled his eyes and pressed the speed button, smiling deviously as they lurched forward and caused her to cling to him even more.
Unfortunately, spite worked both ways.
The two of them shortly touched down in Meltokio, where an audience with the King awaited them soon thereafter. There was just enough time for Zelos to "swing by" his house and grab some things for their journey of which they were going to prep the King for. Sebastian, Zelos' butler, swiftly exchanged words with Sheena while Zelos hurried upstairs, muttering something or another.
Minutes later, the same Chosen guided her out the door, dismissing his butler and closing the door behind him.
Zelos linked arms with the summoner as they ascended the flights of stairs leading up to the King's palace, something that Sheena was none too happy about. Her eyes darted about the noble quarter, taking note that any woman who saw her would most likely ambush her later, when she was alone. So she inched closer to the swordsman momentarily, the Chosen beaming as she did so. As she went to return her eyes forward, a red stripe clouded her vision. A woman a bit older than she locked eyes with Sheena as she returned to eyes to what she had seen before; this caused her to instantly advert to the closest nonmoving object in her view. Out of the corner of her eyes, she watched the navy-blue haired woman, who gazed at her and Zelos for a few more seconds before adjusting a red band on her arm and withdrawing inside the Church of Martel.
"So," Zelos said with a sigh after a couple of seconds had passed, " You saw her too, then?"
Sheena nodded solemnly, straightening her back as if not faltered by the event. Zelos chuckled.
"You see the emblem she was wearing on her arm? That's not the first time I've seen those. Think I've seen her before too; they're all lookin' at me like I'm some kinda evil. To tell you the truth, I'm kinda worried. I'm sleepin' with one eye open." He replied, shrugging before shaking his head. "They never do anything though; always are scurrying back into the Church before I can even catch a good glimpse of 'em. I've been spying on 'em for awhile now, actually."
"Mmmh…" was all she could make out at the moment.
That woman had looked at her with hatred; anyone just giving her a passing glance would have guessed it was one of the many women swooning over the "manly, popular Chosen," and mistaking them for a couple. But that was not the case. When she caught the woman's eyes, she saw many things; jealousy not being one of them.
She remained silent, removing her arm from Zelos' and mentally wondering what the hell she had gotten herself into.
"Your Majesty." Zelos bowed low for the King of the continent of Tethe'alla, outstretching his other hand to his side while the first was held just before his waist.
"Chosen." The King nodded while gently shifting on his throne, causing his crown to tilt slightly on his head. He turned to Sheena, who, in the traditional Igaguri style, crossed her arms over her chest and bowed equally low for the monarch.
"And Elected Emissary of Peace, Sheena Fujibayashi." He nodded towards the woman as well, a sign allowing her to stand straight. "What brings you two?" The king asked, royalty drowning his voice as he spoke. "A grant to marry, I trust?"
This warranted an unsettling silence to pass high and far between the three of them. Unfortunately, Sheena was not permitted to scream at the King in protest.
The King cleared his throat abruptly, making the two before him stand straighter. "I kid; naturally, I kid. What is your purpose? Chosen, I believe you said something about a band of people gathering in Meltokio?"
"Yes, Your Majesty." The Chosen began, nodding while stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I have recently noticed many people inside Meltokio wearing some kind of band around their right forearms with an odd star-shaped insignia on them – I'm genuinely concerned for the welfare of the city and you, Your Majesty, and so I recruited her…" he briefly pointed to Sheena at the mention of this, "In order to get to the bottom of it." He pounded his fist into his open palm. The King nodded before turning to Sheena.
"Chief of Mizuho," He said boldly, making her feel rather important, "I trust you will be able to keep our Chosen in line, much less bring him back safely?"
She nodded, placing her hands behind her back.
"Naturally, Your Majesty." She replied confidently.
"It is settled, then." The King announced. "I grant the Chosen of Tethe'alla, Zelos Wilder, and his companion, Elected Emissary of Peace, Sheena Fujibayashi, permission to further investigate this shady bunch of trespassers. You will report to me when your investigation is complete however, and should you find them to be a threat, we will likely have them eradicated. And so Chosen, Chief…" He bowed his head to the two of them, who did the same in return. "I bid you two good luck."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Done and done, Your Highness."
The two spoke in unison before leaving the King's quarter, Zelos smiling a bit after they did so.
"What are you so happy about?" Sheena frowned, folding her arms. She hated any time that she had to have an audience with the King; mostly because they all involved interaction with "everyone's favorite Chosen."
"Aw, nothing. Guess adventuring's just my thing." He told her, placing his hands on his hips after adjusting his sword on his belt. "Anyways, I was thinkin' we might check the Church first. Does my voluptuous hunny have anything to say to that?"
Sheena scoffed briskly, shaking her head as if she would never understand his odd mannerisms.
"You're the boss, I guess." She shrugged, folding her arms.
The Chosen flashed a smile to the equivalent of a young boy in a candy store, turning around to face the entrance to the city and striking his fists into the air. She couldn't help but smile as well, although for what reason, she wasn't sure.
"All right!" he exclaimed, making a good number of people look at him until they realized it was "The Great Chosen," "Let's do this thing!"