Uncertainty
Vyctori

A/N: This idea sort of evolved along the way. I forget its exact origins, but considering its general oddness, it probably came from a conversation I had with my cousin (we pick rather . . . unusual subjects to discuss). Normally, I'd talk about how it came to be, but that'd ruin things completely. So I'll just say I had a lot of fun writing this and I think it's not too shabby, if I say so myself. Hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: Tales of Symphonia and all its wonderful plot-twisty goodness belongs to Namco. They're welcome to it, too, since they're doing a simply smashing job.

Warnings: Het, oddness, and Zelos being his wonderful self. 'Nuff said. :grins:

O-O-O-O-O-O

Raine sighed as she gazed across Lake Umacy without seeing a thing. She didn't notice the clear sky with its many pinpoints of light scattered amongst the deep blue, and nor did she look at the waxing moon riding high in the sky. She didn't listen to the waves slipping against the sandy shore, or pay much attention to the cool breeze blowing strands of hair across her face. She had a problem to which she had to find a solution, one beyond their current task involving backtracking across Sylvarant. And she didn't know what to do.

She supposed she should just come out and say to him what she felt. She knew it was foolish to hesitate in such a manner. But every time she was on the verge of speaking, she would falter, or Zelos would start pestering Sheena and she'd have to break up the argument . . . or Genis would show up. And she couldn't say such a thing in front of her little brother. Even the thought of it made her flush faintly, much to her annoyance.

"This is ridiculous." Raine spoke aloud as a way of bolstering her courage. "I can't go on like this. I have to speak to him, and it has to be tonight. After all, it's a perfect night for it."

"A perfect night for what?"

Raine hadn't noticed Regal approach, and hearing his voice made her jerk slightly in surprise.

"Ah . . . Regal," she greeted him, mentally slapping herself for sounding so foolish. "Sit down."

Regal did so with an ease of movement completely unhindered by his bound hands. However, instead of pressing her about her thoughts, he turned his strong profile to view the lake.

For a while, the two were silent as they watched the placid surface of the water. Then Regal spoke.

"It's a lovely night, isn't it?" he said without looking at her. "Zelos would most likely call it romantic and start chattering about his 'hunnies.'"

Raine couldn't help but make a face. "No doubt he would." She paused for a moment. "Regal, I . . . have something to say to you."

"Yes?" Regal asked, now turning to look at Raine.

Raine took steadying breath. "Actually, this is quite hard to say. Could you give me a moment to compose myself?"

Regal nodded once. "Of course. Take as long as you need."

His relaxed pose seemed to calm her. After another moment, Raine smoothed down her pants to remove her tension along with the garment's wrinkles.

"I'm ready," she said.

-

"Hey there, Brat." Zelos gave Genis one of his lady-killing smiles, in this case turned to other purposes.

"Don't call me that!" Genis glared at the redhead as the two walked along on the way to their next destination.

"All right, sure thing, Brat." Zelos laughed at the expression on Genis' face as he repeated the hated nickname.

Sheena, hearing the beginnings of an argument, sped up until she walked between the two of them. "Come on, Zelos, leave him alone."

"Hey, hey, I'm not looking for a fight." Zelos gave a huge shrug, the picture of flawed innocence. "I just wanna ask him if he's noticed that his sister seems to have been acting pretty darn strangely the last few weeks."

"What do you mean?" Genis' anger was replaced with concern for his older sister.

"Yeah, what's up, Zelos?" Lloyd broke in as he let his steps slow to catch the conversation.

Zelos let his eyelids drop so his eyes were half-shut in a sly expression. "Well, you know, the beautiful Professor there certainly seems to be getting pretty cosy with a certain member of our little band, if you catch my drift."

"Huh?" Lloyd looked confused.

"Yeah, what do you mean, Zelos?" Genis asked.

Sheena frowned. "You don't mean Regal, do you?"

"I'm not saying anything for or against it, but you do have to admit they've been spending a lot of time . . . together." He pronounced the last word with particular glee.

Genis wasn't sure there was a way to cram any more meaning into such an ordinary word. He gave Zelos an irritated look. "You're just being weird like usual. There's nothing going on between my sister and Regal."

"Hmm." Sheena didn't sound as convinced. "You know, you may be right, Zelos—much as I hate to admit it. I've caught them sneaking off a few times, and neither looked very happy to see me when I asked them where they were going. I didn't really pursue things, since it's their business. That, and Raine is really scary when she's angry."

"You said it." Lloyd half-ducked reflexively. "So, you're saying you think Regal and the Professor are . . . lovers?"

"That's stupid." Genis shook his head so hard his hair slapped against his face. "Zelos, you're an idiot."

"Whoa, that's harsh." Zelos held up his hands. "I'm just saying that's what it looks like. I mean, your sister is a woman with needs of her own, after all. And what a woman!"

The other three ignored Zelos as he stared off into space with a somewhat goofy expression. Nobody wanted to try to guess at what he was imagining when he got that particular look on his face.

"Well, maybe she and Regal really are. . . ." Sheena let the sentence trail off. "Do you think we should ask them?"

"Yeah, maybe we should." Lloyd put his hands behind his head as he walked. "I mean, there's no reason for them to sneak around, right?"

"But what if we ask them and it turns out Zelos is wrong?" Genis argued. "That's not unusual."

"Ouch! Man, you're really giving it to me today." Zelos, out of his trance, gave Genis a disapproving look. "The solution to that's easy, though. We follow them around until we find out whether there's anything to this or not."

"Er, you can follow them." Lloyd rubbed the back of his head. "The Professor might not like that, and if she doesn't, I kind of don't want to be around."

Zelos made squawking noises, and didn't stop even when Lloyd glared at him.

"Oh, all right, all right, I'll go!" Lloyd snapped. "Now stop with those stupid chicken sounds, Zelos!"

Zelos gave him a big smile. "Now that's why I like you, bud! Always up for a challenge!"

"Yeah, yeah." Lloyd looked annoyed. "So, what do we do?"

"We'll discuss strategy tonight, when we've stopped travelling for the day." Zelos gave the three of them a serious look. "Dismissed, troops."

"Why does he get to be the leader?" Sheena grumbled as Zelos walked on ahead to attempt to flirt with Presea.

"Because if we mess up and Raine catches us, he can be the scapegoat." Genis smiled, pleased. "That's why."

"Good point. You're pretty sharp, kid." Sheena shared his amusement.

"Poor Zelos," was all Lloyd said.

-

The four conspirators didn't get a chance to follow up on their plot until that evening when they had stopped walking for the day. During the meal, which Regal prepared, they noted that Raine was giving Regal more than a few looks. Being on the lookout for such things, all of them read into the glances far more significance than was strictly necessary.

"That was great, Regal!" Colette beamed at him. "You always do such a good job when it's your turn to cook!"

Regal couldn't help but look pleased. "Hm, well, I do like to do things to the best of my ability. Now, whose turn is it to wash up?"

"I think it's Zel—" Lloyd caught a few large gestures from Tethe'alla's Chosen. When Raine and Regal turned to stare at him, Zelos pretended to pop a shoulder in a stretch.

"Oh . . . right. . . ." Lloyd's voice trailed off. "Um, I mean, I think it's Colette's turn, isn't it?"

"Didn't she clean the dishes a couple of days ago?" Raine asked, giving her pupil a hard look.

"Yes, I seem to recall that fact as well," Presea said in her usual inflectionless manner.

Lloyd squirmed on the spot. The Professor could always tell when he wasn't being strictly truthful with her, although usually the only thing he lied to her about was the state of completion of his homework. And Presea probably wouldn't really understand what he and the others were trying to achieve.

He was rescued by an unaware Colette. "That's okay; I don't mind at all!" She jumped to her feet and dashed over to collect the pots and pans Regal had used, nearly falling headfirst in her eagerness. "Oops."

Regal caught the girl in his shackled arms. "Be careful, there. It wouldn't do if Sylvarant's Chosen broke her neck trying to pick up a few dishes."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Colette blushed and picked up a large pot.

Lloyd, as soon as he was able, grabbed Zelos by the elbow and yanked him to one side. "Hey, Zelos, what was all that flailing about, anyway?"

"Didn't you notice that this is about the time of day when Regal and Raine go off on their own?" Zelos asked him. "You know, when we're either cleaning up or preparing for the night. I didn't want to be left out of the action doing the dishes." He wrinkled his nose. "I might wreck these beautiful hands and that would disappoint my hunnies!"

Lloyd rolled his eyes but didn't comment on the last part. "So, when do you think they're going to leave, anyway?"

"Beats me." Zelos shrugged. "Sheena's the ninja, after all. She'd probably have a better idea of the exact time."

"Sure."

Lloyd decided to leave things in Sheena's hands, and so he chose to go help Colette with the dishes until it was time for the mission. Walking over to where she was hard at work, he saw the girl scrubbing away, wearing a patch of soapsuds on one cheek. Grabbing the dishcloth, he swiped off the bubbles.

"Here." Suddenly embarrassed, he twisted the cloth in his hands for a moment before grabbing a fork and towelling it.

"Oh, thanks, Lloyd!" Colette gave him a big smile. "But you really don't have to help me."

"Nah, that's okay. I'm sorry I kind of dumped this on you." Lloyd glanced at her and smiled hesitantly in return.

"It's fine, Lloyd. I really don't mind." Colette fished about in the wooden bucket she was using for a spoon that had slipped from her fingers.

"Hey, Lloyd!"

Lloyd turned around and saw Genis beckoning him. "Ah . . . it looks like Genis wants to talk to me. I'm gonna go, okay?"

"Sure!" Colette, grasping the spoon, raised it in the air in triumph. "Thanks for helping me, Lloyd."

"Aw, it was nothing." Lloyd fled, cheeks approaching the colour of his shirt.

When he reached Genis, the younger boy had a grin on his face.

"Shut up, Genis," Lloyd muttered, though Genis hadn't spoken a word.

Genis' grin widened but he still made no comment. "Sheena said I should tell you that she and Zelos have started following Regal and Raine, because they left by themselves again."

"All right then!" Lloyd pumped a fist in the air. "We're going to get to the bottom of this so we can tell them they have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of! Right, Genis?"

Genis nodded. "Yeah, and so I can tell Regal that if he so much as breathes wrong with my sister, he's fried!"

"Uh . . . right." Lloyd gave Genis a nervous look. "Now, which way did they go?"

"They went that way." Genis indicated the direction. "Let's go!"

"Where are you going?"

Both boys jumped, startled. Twisting around quickly, they saw Presea looking at them with her head tilted slightly to one side. She looked rather puzzled.

"I saw Zelos and Sheena leave earlier. You are leaving as well?" she asked.

"P-

Presea!" Genis stammered. "I-I-I. . . ."

"Yeah, we were wondering about that, so, uh, we thought we'd go check and see where they went, okay, Presea?" Lloyd covered for the two of them, realising that Genis would be absolutely useless in creating an excuse.

"Oh. I see. Very well." Presea turned around and walked back to the campfire.

Lloyd smiled as he looked down at his blushing friend, who had yet to complete a sentence.

"Lloyd, don't you say anything." Genis sounded annoyed. "Now, let's get going already! We'll lose Zelos and Sheena!"

The half-elf took off running; Lloyd jogged after him. After a short period of time, they caught up with Zelos and Sheena, who were sitting on the ground behind a small rise and having an argument as loud as they could whisper.

Sheena broke off as soon as Lloyd and Genis sat down next to them. "Thank goodness you two arrived. One more minute with this idiot of a Chosen and I'd've gone mad."

Zelos looked slightly sulky, but he perked up within moments. "Hey You, Brat. It looks like we're in the perfect spot to watch them. And it seems like I, the great Zelos Wilder, was one hundred percent correct as to what they're doing, because I think I spot a bottle of wine in the lovely Professor's hands!"

"Are they having a picnic, I wonder?" Lloyd asked. He peered over the rise. "Because they seem to be laying out some pots and dishes and stuff."

"Hey, so that's where my favourite cooking spoon went!" Genis said as he watched Regal dig out the wooden utensil from his pack and lay it on the ground near the pots.

"Um, guys? It looks like Regal's getting awfully close to Raine, here."

Sheena drew the others' attention to where Regal and Raine, whatever it was they were doing complete, were sitting closely with their heads bent over . . . something. As the four watched, Raine moved the object of their concentration off her lap and started doing something with one of the pots. Over Raine's shoulder, Regal supervised her actions.

"Um, I'm not really sure what they're doing, but whatever it is doesn't look overly romantic to me," Lloyd said.

"Me either," Genis agreed.

"Maybe Regal has a food fetish? It wouldn't surprise me," Zelos remarked, earning a smack from Sheena.

"Let's get closer. We can't really see from here." Sheena, without waiting for her conspirators to agree, started creeping along the ground in a stealthy ninja fashion.

The other three were somewhat more conspicuous as they followed her. Sheena held up a hand when they were close enough to catch what their quarry were saying.

"How does the meat look?" they heard Raine ask. "Tender, like you said?"

"Yes, that's right." Regal's voice sounded as though he approved. "Now add the wine for a bit of flavour—just a splash, though."

"All right." They saw Raine pour a tiny amount of the red wine into the pan.

Genis turned to Zelos, disgust clear on his face. "You moron. Regal and my sister aren't in love—he's teaching her how to cook!"

"Maybe this is just what they do before they get down and dirty?" Zelos was losing support quickly and he knew it.

"You idiot Chosen!" Sheena whispered angrily. "You had us follow them for no good reason!"

"Hey, you were just as gung-ho about it as me!" Zelos protested.

"I was not!"

"Guys, let's go before the Professor catches us." Lloyd sounded very nervous.

"Too late," a very displeased voice said from behind them.

Very, very slowly, the four turned in almost complete unison. There stood Raine with the sort of expression Lloyd saw on her face just before she dropkicked him into the nearest wall. Regal was next to her, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Ah . . . heh heh . . . Professor. . . ." Lloyd tried and failed for a way to come up with a perfectly coincidental reason for their group to be where they were.

"What do you think you're doing?" Raine's arms were folded as she gave them that special look all teachers acquire. It was the one that said she was giving the delinquent in question a chance to explain events satisfactorily, but that she wasn't too confident that there was going to be a rational explanation for things. It was quite the look.

Raine hadn't hit any of them yet, but that didn't stop Genis from inching behind Sheena. "Um, we were just coming to, um, uh—it's all Zelos' fault!" He whipped a finger out to point at the startled Chosen.

"What? Gee, thanks, Brat." Zelos came close to what could almost be called pouting, but pulled himself together enough to put a charming smile on his face.

Rising to his feet and stepping forward, every move reflecting the confidence of the Chosen of Mana, Zelos said, "My Ultra-Cool Beauty! We noticed that you and El Presidente were sneaking away together night after night, and we wanted to make sure you realised that we would accept what we thought of as your love for one another."

Regal reddened at the nickname, and then blushed further when Zelos finished his explanation. "You thought that . . . Raine and I . . . ?"

"Um. Well. S-sort of." Sheena looked just as embarrassed as Regal. "I—I mean . . . why didn't you ask Genis to teach you to cook? He's excellent at it, just like Regal."

Raine temporarily lost her angered look. Her gaze slanted to one side. "Well . . . it would be shameful for a younger brother to teach his older sister how to do something she should be able to do herself. So I thought Regal could . . . help me. But I didn't want you to laugh, so I asked that he'd teach me in secret."

"Is that all?" Zelos laughed. "You two really had us fooled."

"Uh, why don't we go back to the camp and make sure Colette's holding up all right?" Sheena suggested, sensing the situation was calming quite nicely.

It was the exact wrong thing to say. Raine's fury leapt up again as though it had never disappeared.

"You left the Chosen with only one person to keep an eye on her, even though you know Cruxis would jump at the chance to kidnap her if they were presented with an opportunity like this?" The Professor took a step forward, fingers closing into a fist.

"Run, everyone!" Lloyd yelped, and the four conspirators took off at top speed with an enraged Raine pursuing them all the way.

O-O-O-O-O-O-O

End of fic note: This is not a Regal/Raine. This is what's supposed to look like a Regal/Raine. There's a difference. Really.