Hello, fellow Tales of Symphonia fans! Taking a break from the norm of my episodic series of SSD and HE to give you all a different story of mine...

Summary: Life after the reunification of the worlds has begun to settle down. Our heroes, amidst their new duties, have returned to where it all began, the oracle town of Iselia.
Genre: Friendship, Romance
Style: Oneshot
Point of View: Third-Person Omniscent
Setting: Aselia, Post-Game Symphonia
Pairing: Lloyd/Colette

A wild Colloyd story from me? Ah, yes! I enjoy the pairing very much actually. Even if it's not my main muse for writing, I've had this idea in my mind for a while now. I haven't seen it done before on this site, and I couldn't resist making a short story with them. To all the Colloyd fans especially, I hope this oneshot does your pairing justice, because it really is an adorable and innocent one! Enjoy~!

Disclaimer: Tales of Symphonia characters are owned by Namco.

Jack & Jill

Life after the reunification of the worlds had begun to settle down. Our Heroes of World Regeneration, amidst their new duties in this new world, have returned to where it all began, the oracle town of Iselia. The Sage siblings were the first to have returned to their home in Iselia. The two half-elves were busy with the responsibility of spreading equality across all races, but that didn't mean they couldn't go back home for a little break. Upon three years of non-stop traveling the new and unfamiliar lands of Aselia, the name of the united world, the Sage siblings decided on having a brief mental holiday for a week or two, just enough to sort out all the paperwork Raine needed to catch up on, and devising when and what future destinations they were going to tackle next. Following them, the exsphere eradicators, Lloyd and Colette, followed suit, returning to Iselia a few days after. It wasn't a planned event for the old gang to meet up, but it wasn't unplanned either, for the day when they all met up again was an important day that none of them could ever forget: the Anniversary of the Day of the Oracle, the event that sparked the Journey of World Regeneration.

The day was one of reminiscing for them all, especially for Genis, the genius of the group who always had something on his intelligent mind. Even as he skipped rocks over the pond next to his house with his best friend, Lloyd, for old times sake and to catch up after all these years, Genis couldn't help but think that despite all this change in the new world of Aselia, his friends hadn't changed a bit. Definitely not Lloyd and his wild brunette spikes and his juvenile goofy grin, or even Colette, for Colette was no where to be seen with the silverette and the brunette. The kind, enthusiastic angel was off running errands for the owners of the grape vineyard next to her house. Same old Colette, always lending a hand, no matter what.

"It's a shame that Colette couldn't join us today," Genis said, as he flicked a pebble across the water. He stared at the ripples the pebble made when it skimmed over the water's surface, mesmerized by the rhythmic waves. "It is the third anniversary of the day of the oracle, the beginning of our journey, afterall…"

"Yeah…" Lloyd hummed back in agreement, chucking a hefty rock the size of his palm into the shallows, creating a deep Plunk! to resonate from the pond. Lloyd smiled warmly at the sound. It brought back to him a memory from his childhood. "You know, I bet she's fetching pails of water from the well to water the plants with, like back in the day." He chuckles lightly. "Nothing ever changed with Colette. Not during the Journey, not during the Exsphere Hunts, and not now. It's like the Day of the Oracle never even happened, and Colette's still the same klutzy, caring girl who everyone loves doing the same job she's always done, fetching pails of water for the town."

Genis narrowed his sapphire eyes, questioning, "Wait, didn't you tell me something before that that's how you met Colette for the first time, through pails of water?"

"Glad to know you still have a good memory with that big brain of yours," the older friend mocked, tossing a rock at Genis, which hit him directly in the forehead.

"Hey!" Genis yelped, a displeased smirk on his face while he rubbed the spot where he got hit.

Lloyd snickered back before staring out at the pond again, watching the oscillating reflection of himself wisp this way and that as it was distorted by the winds. A calm break settled between the two, with no words shared. For a brief moment, he could even have sworn he was looking at a younger version of himself, and sitting beside him was an even younger Genis… like he was warped back in time when he first told Genis of his story. The story of when he met the girl with the pail of water. Letting the moment sink in, Lloyd spoke as he did ten years ago…

"It was my first day of school at Iselia, and wasn't much of a learner. I ended up falling asleep in class because it was so boring. Your sister, Professor Raine, wasn't happy with me, so she punished me by making me carry a bucket of water in the back of the class. But to get a pail of water, we would need to get it from the well. I didn't know the town enough to know where to go to reach the well, so someone offered to help me out that day. I didn't know it then, but it was Colette who wanted to help. At first I thought she was weird. She didn't know me, so why would she want to help me, an outsider? But she was so kind and bubbly with that smile on her face…" Lloyd beamed a slight smile. "I didn't want to say no. So we both went out to the well that day. After we filled the pail, I hulled it back up the well by pulling on the rope. Colette was the one who untied the pail from the rope and carried it even when I tried to tell her it was my job to carry it. She'd just repeat how she wanted to help, that she wanted to make sure I wouldn't feel tired before I even had to carry it in class. Colette, she cared about me. She didn't want to see me suffer. Though, that didn't stop her from being clumsy." He shook his head dejectedly, hiding a hidden smirk. "Just as she tried to carry the bucket down the hill, she tripped and bumped into me, dropping the pail of water in the process. I ended up tumbling down the hill, and Colette, feeling sorry for me, tried to pick herself off the ground and run down to me. But she slipped when she stepped on the grass soaked from the water, and she too tumbled down the hill… right on top of me." Lloyd chuckled to himself. "Professor Raine was so mad at the both of us, wet from the water and muddied from the dirt, that she punished us both by making us clean the classroom once everyone left… But that day, I didn't mind… I'm glad that I met Colette, even if it wasn't in the best of ways. Throughout everything we've been through, she stays the same…"

A genuine warm smile beams from the face of Lloyd Irving as he finishes his story, something comforting about the thought of something warm and familiar staying in his life.

"You still love her, don't you?" Genis asked, softly yet sincerely. He stares gravely at Lloyd, proving his seriousness. "I know that confession during the Journey three years ago wasn't fake. When Colette was soulless after completing the angelic transformation… You meant it, didn't you?"

Lloyd was hushed, replaying that day when Genis enticed him to say 'I love you!' to a soulless Colette, in a ditch effort to bring her back to normal. He watched the pond yet again, spotting the fishes skirt the mossy floor of the pond. The brunette knew he wouldn't have to answer Genis, because he knew his genius friend already knew.

Genis sighed, standing up from his spot. "I know you can be a lazy idiot sometimes, Lloyd, but why haven't you done anything? You two have been friends for almost two decades."

"I… I…" Lloyd buried his head into his hands, frustration and confusion clouding his mind. "I don't know!"

The silverette smirked, a devious scheme in mind. "Well then… Maybe you just need a 'push' in the right direction!" Just as he said this, Genis, who was now standing directly behind Lloyd, kicked the brunette directly in the back, propelling the elder hero to go flopping face first into the pond with a Splash!

Lloyd immediately thrashing his arms about, he found his footing to stand in the pond. Spitting out water from his mouth and throwing pieces of lily pads off of his head, Lloyd bellowed, "What the hell, Genis?" And just as Genis predicted, Lloyd vaulted out of the pond, anger seeping through his teeth as he yelled curses chasing after the sly half-elf.

Despite the death threats from behind him, Genis kept running. His elven ears took account of how close Lloyd trailed behind him. The silverette didn't want Lloyd to trail too close, of course, for the chance that he might get tackled, but at the same time he didn't want to lose the brunette either. What Genis wanted to do was take Lloyd to the perfect place where his plan would unfold, and thankfully for him, Genis had the legs to carry him all the way there. Unlike the anti-athletic half-elf of yesteryear, Genis was now fit enough to run long distances. Maybe not lifting heavy weights like Presea can, but he had gained endurance from all the experience in battle. And he wasn't going to let up now. Genis ran across the cobblestone pathways of Iselia, past the mayor's building and old schoolhouse, straight to that familiar verdant sea of grass and grapes. The vineyard.

With a faster step, Genis ascended the hill of the vineyard, coaxing Lloyd with smart-alecky remarks, "I'm gonna tell Colette if you don't!"

"You wouldn't dare!" Lloyd spat up at him.

Genis only grinned conniving in response before whirling his head back toward the well. "Colette, Colette! I got something to tell you about Lloyd! Colette!"

"You smartass bastard!" Lloyd angrily hissed from behind. His own legs kicked into overdrive, speeding up to catch up to the half-elf above.

But it was a little too late, and Genis arrived at the top of the hill, where Colette Brunel, carrying a pail of water, awaited. "Huh, what's the matter, Genis?" Colette asked innocently.

Out of breath, Genis huffed, "Lloyd… Lloyd…"

"Lloyd? What about Lloyd? Did something happen to him?" Colette spoke anxiously, as if Lloyd had gotten hurt.

"Lloyd, lo—"

"SHUT IT, GENIS!" they heard Lloyd interrupt, then a brown and red blur came between the two old friends. Having heard the voice with his sensitive elven ears, Genis barely was able to dodge out of the way. Colette, however, was not fortunate enough, and Lloyd, while he attempted to tackle Genis to the ground, instead grabbed hold of Colette's pail of water and tumbled down the other side of the hill. Dazed and drenched, Lloyd sat at the bottom of the hill with the bucket over his head. As if by reflex, Colette called out, and she began jogging down to him, only to trip on her own feet, causing her to tumble right down the hill and straight on top of Lloyd.

And still atop the hill unscathed was Genis, watching as his two childhood friends were interlocked and giggling at one another. He smiled at the two now fledgling lovers, as he remembered the old children's poem. "Just like Jack & Jill."

Author's Note Time!

And we're donzo! Hope that you found this oneshot was a cute one, which I was trying to go for. Oh and just to clarify, I don't own the children's poem of Jack & Jill either. Just was heavily inspired by it as you can see. I have a follow up oneshot in mind that takes place a little after this, but haven't typed it out yet. Don't know when I will, but I'll definitely keep it a point of interest if you guys want it. It'll star Lloyd, Genis, Colette, and Presea next time. But it will focus on Gesea, while still containing hints of Colloyd. So look forward to that future oneshot.

Take it easy, everyone~! :3