Post-game fluff featuring Sheena, Lloyd and Colette. Last of the fics from the old notebook.
The sort of dance/costume I had in mind was something along the lines of the Asian Lion Dance. (Chinese Northern Lion sort of thing particularly comes to mind but aspects of the others work too).
Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia, Namco does.
Sheena smiled as she watched Lloyd and Colette surrounded by a group of laughing children. The couple were still in the costume they'd been wearing on one of the festival's stages earlier, although now their movements were no longer a dance. The dog-like creature they were dressed as had become a source of amusement, playfully sniffing at snacks and chasing it's own tail.
Sheena was pleased that her friends had agreed to help with the world re-unification festival. It had become an annual event, celebrating the different cultures from across the re-united world, promoting peace. Since she was an emissary of peace Sheena was often asked to help organise events at the festival which included a stage on which traditional entertainment from across the world was performed.
One of the dances which was included in the programme of events on that stage was a Mizuhoan dance in which two performers worked together to portray one animal. As her friends had also learnt the dance and adapted it to suit a few different animal costumes Sheena had asked Lloyd and Colette if they would like to join in.
She was glad she had, the pair were obviously enjoying themselves immensely. Sheena found herself laughing with the children as the couple made the 'dog' sit down and scratch behind it's ear.
Considering how much of a klutz Colette could be sometimes Sheena had to admit that she was impressed with how well she and Lloyd managed to work together in the costume.
Right now, for example, Lloyd was stretching his foot up to tap it against the costume's head which Colette was holding and tipping slightly to one side while she also tapped her foot on the ground so that the dog's front paw moved in an expression of delight.
Then again she wasn't really that surprised. The couple had always worked well together, ever since she'd known them and, most likely, before that too. For example while the pair knew very few formal dances they always had fun when they danced together, moving together in a way that suited the music in their own way.
Something that showed just how well the two were able to work together was their cooking. Sheena had continued to be amazed when, while the group had been camping out on their journey and it was Lloyd and Colettes' turn to cook, they could cook an entire meal almost without talking about it. They had cooked together so often that all they needed to do was decide what it was that they wanted to prepare then they were able to finish the task while having a conversation about anything but the meal. The occasional "could you please pass…" and "thank you" were all that was needed.
They also worked well together when they told stories. No night around a campfire was complete without the couple telling a story, each of them contributing a part of it, voices and sound effects and such. Their enthusiasm and skills made the stories come alive.
They were doing a pretty good job of convincing the younger members of their audience that the 'dog' was alive too. Smiling as she had an idea Sheena walked over to them and asked the children if they'd like to see the dog do a trick. Unsurprisingly the response was an enthusiastic, positive one.
Grinning the summoner waved a ball with a bell inside it in front of the costume's head. Then she threw it a little way away and asked the dog to fetch.
The children around her collapsed in fits of giggles as Colette and Lloyd made the dog walk over to the ball in an exaggerated silly walk then waggle it's bum in the air as it bent down to pick up the ball.
As amazing as it was to know that it was two people controlling the costume that really did appear to be one animal Sheena found it all the more impressive to know that they pair inside it would have communicated with only a few simple gestures, if that, to work out how to make the dog respond to the spontaneous gesture.
Yes, Sheena thought, they made a good couple.