Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking; "WHERE THE HELL IS THE NEXT CHAPTER OF PARADOX, YOSHI!" Well it's COMING, chill. It's half-way done, and yes, it's the half that everyone actually wants. Sheesh. This is actually a little experiment I'm attempting, a way to flesh out Colette's character for myself. That little Chosen is one hell of a conundrum, all things considered, and I'm running a few tests to better my writing in Paradox.
In the meantime, here's an (I'd like to think) decently cute one-shot follow-up to A Day at the Beach. Fit it somewhere in the UR timeline after Cape Fortress, around the time the main plotline would be going into the Temple of Lightning or the Temple of Earth. Hey, look, it's almost cannon (in my little world)!
Disclaimer: Wow, haven't had one of these for awhile. Well, I still haven't gotten my hands on TOS; actually, I'd have the second game destroyed if I had any rights to this game. But, until that time, I'll have to poke and prod the plot until I change it enough that it's up to standards.
Now, enjoy!
….
Zelos Wilder wasn't one to worry; actually, he purposely avoided it on every occasion he could. When one spent their life reveling in sin, worrying about anything became a task that took quite a toll on a mind. Colette Brunel, on the other hand, had practically made herself a career of worrying. It really was almost humorous that the two Chosen were so vastly different. And Zelos had no doubt in his mind who made a better savior of the world.
But tonight both their minds were fixed on the same worry, and Zelos wasn't spending his worrying being guilty over his own actions, but worrying over his friend.
"What could he be thinking?" Colette wrung her hands; her blue eyes were round and wide and filled with such innocence it made Zelos feel dirtier than usual when she looked at him.
Zelos took a long drink from his glass of wine, regretting the choice of red wine almost at once, because through it Colette was distorted and stained in red. He put the glass down and looked at his friend frankly. "Angel, let's be honest here. It's Lloyd we're talking about, I don't think there's thought of any sort behind what he's doing."
Colette sighed sadly, not touching her own drink—innocent, white milk, oh the irony—and murmured, "But I'd really thought we'd figured it out at Cape Fortress when he proved that Decus was the one doing all the bad stuff…" In Zelos' esteemed opinion, "bad stuff" was a bit of an understatement for what that son of a bitch had done to Palmacosta, but he held his tongue for once in his life, not wanting to worry Colette much more. "But the way he acted toward Emil and Marta even after they'd helped him…"
"To be honest, Hun, they didn't do a whole hell of a lot for Bud. That was you, Jubilees, and Bryant." This time when Zelos took a drink, he didn't look at Colette through it.
"I…suppose, but still… But the fact that he was there…I mean, he and Seles weren't exactly close, were they? But he still came, that says the Lloyd we know is still in there."
"You can't be serious, can you?" Zelos sat up; for once his eyes, blue like Colette's but almost periwinkle next to her sky-blue, were sharp. "Why are you here, helping me look for Bud, if you're still questioning him? You sound like the Professor. If you're still not sure, go help the Knights and I'll find Lloyd on my own." The words came out harsher than he'd meant them to, but he didn't take them back: they were the truth. If his little angel was going to question their mission, the thing that was keeping them together, then there was nothing to stop them splitting ways now.
He almost expected her to cry, or perhaps just turn and leave then and there. Colette rarely handled things by direct confrontation. It wasn't her style, but when she was set against you, damn were you screwed. This, however, proved to be one of the times when she would surprise him thoroughly.
She looked up at him, her eyes intense and her pale lips pulled down in an angry frown, but no tears glittered in her eyes. "Don't say that, Zelos. I trust Lloyd; he's never betrayed us before, which means he must have good reason now. Lloyd is my best friend, and this isn't about to change that."
"…we're on the same page then." Zelos smiled, albeit slightly apologetically. "Angel, you never cease to amaze and inspire."
As quickly as she had angered, she was smiling again and she took the first sip of her milk, which looked to be growing lukewarm in the superheated air of the tavern they'd stopped off at for the night.
"So," now that Zelos had been made a fool of, he was anxious to change the subject, "where do you think we should pick the search up next? I was thinkin' ask Yuan or Altessa."
"Altessa? Why do you think Altessa?"
"Well," he leaned back in his seat, comfortable again, "that's just the thing, isn't it? If Lloyd needed a secret hideout, Altessa's a friend, and he's not exactly well-known by the rest of the worlds—world—and the old dwarf doesn't keep up with current events, it could be ages before he realizes that he might be harboring a criminal. Not to mention his house is out of the way, but still pretty central to everything that's going on in Tethe'alla."
"…wow Zelos! You're so smart!" Colette beamed at him, "I wouldn't ever have thought of that!"
Zelos laughed at this outright and Colette, not quite understand where his laughter had stemmed from, joined in, soon the two were clutching their sides, once again enjoying each others' company.
Suddenly, Zelos' angelic ears caught a strand of conversation that brought his laughter to its untimely end. "—the Chosens, that's right. I heard they were staying here for the night." That voice: Zelos knew that voice. Suddenly, he was back at Cape Fortress, watching his sister disappear in Lloyd's arms as his way was blocked by that idiot Decus. But cutting the foul-smelling imposter down hadn't taken long at all, it had been the man that followed that had caused Zelos, Emil, and Marta grief.
Richter Abend had blocked their way, and now he was here with Martel-knew-how-many men and looking for them.
"Colette, sweetie, duck under the table." Zelos' seriousness cut straight across Colette's giggles and, without so much as asking why, she followed Zelos' orders.
In his sudden, hurried attempt to help Colette, Zelos had missed the rest of the conversation between the barman and Abend, but all he needed to hear came in the next statement from Richter. "I don't care what you think. I'm coming in."
Zelos launched himself to his feet and pulled at the gold-and-ivory handle of his dagger, sliding the weapon out of its sheath at his hip just as Abend rounded the corner. "Well, well, if it isn't you again, you little bitch. What the hell do you want?"
Abend looked at the overzealous Chosen of Tethe'alla over the little spectacles that balanced on the end of his nose and really seemed to serve no purpose. Gods Zelos hated this guy. "As usual Chosen, your coarseness earns you no friends."
"This coming from you?" Zelos resisted the urge to swear at the man again, if anything for Colette's sake. He knew she didn't like it when he let his tongue slide. Besides, bitch was Kratos' nickname, and even Lloyd's old man had points over Abend. "Now, what do you want?"
"Get the Chosen of Sylvarant out from under the table, Wilder."
Zelos chuckled and realized for the first time that the rest of the room had fallen silent, watching their exchange. "Come on Angel, you wanna help me take the little bastard down?"
Colette stood up, smiling sheepishly first at Zelos, then at the people around the room; finally her gaze met Richter's. "Hello Mr. Richter. How are you?" Her smile widened slightly.
Richter seemed off-put by Colette's sweetness and Zelos chuckled at the odd expression that ghosted across his features.
"I," Abend chose not to answer Colette, "am here to take your Cruxis Crystal."
"…again?" Colette blinked. "I thought I explained to you before, that's not how it works…" she said earnestly, "I'm really very sorry!"
"I don't think you understand, you will either give it to me or I will take it by force." Richter's hand flicked toward the sword that he wore at his hip.
Zelos had to laugh again. "No, dude, seriously. Don't go screwing with these things. The Angel's don't like just anyone wearing their jewelry."
"Zelos!" hissed Colette, proving Zelos' fairytale to Richter. "That's not funny! Don't talk about it like that!"
"Don't worry Angel, I'm sure Martel won't mind us telling a few of her secrets under the circumstances."
Abend snorted, "I don't care what your Goddess claims, Chosen. Give me your crystals now."
Zelos moved, worried that Abend was growing tired of conversation. But while Zelos had been letting Colette distract Richter, he'd spotted a window within leaping distance of where they stood. In one swift movement, he slid his sword into its sheath again and grabbed the table they'd been sitting at, both their glasses falling to the floor and shattering, leaking liquid on their shoes. Zelos launched his table across the room at Richter who, in what seemed to be shock, didn't dodge, but allowed the table to knock him to the ground.
Zelos didn't wait to see what happened next, but he grabbed Colette's hand and, pulling out his own wings, launched himself out the window. "Wings!" he shouted to Colette, and the younger Chosen obediently pulled out her own rosy wings and the two took off into the sky. "G-Goddess, that was close…" Zelos realized for the first time he was almost out of breath.
"Oh, I hope he's okay!" Colette didn't stop flying, but she looked over her shoulder to where they could both see Richter staring out the window at him. Zelos caught the sight of red leaking from his forehead and was secretly pleased that he'd gotten the bastard good.
"Don't worry Colette, I'm sure he'll be just fine. For once in your life think about what he woulda done if he'd gotten your crystal. I don't think he gets that these are a pretty permanent obligation."
"I…suppose…and it wasn't very nice the way he yelled at us…"
"Exactly. He totally deserved that."
"I don't think he deserved to have a table thrown at him, Zelos…" she reproached him, but something had changed in her voice. It couldn't be…amusement? "He didn't actually do anything to us…" Yes, it had to be amusement.
"But he would have if you'd have given him the chance." Now that they were away from the heat of "battle," Zelos was realizing just how humorous that mess had turned out. He suppressed more laughter as they flew on, the cool night air pushing his long red locks out of his face. Colette's hand was still clasped in his and, to be honest, he didn't mind it. It felt good to have his friend at his side.
Yes, when the others all abandoned him, he knew that the little angel would be there for him.
"Come on, Angel, let's go see Altessa and find Bud."
"Okay Zelos!" Colette beamed at him and the two angels flew off into the night to find their friend.
….
Well that was almost more pointless than usual. All the same, hope it was at least a little enjoyable.
R&R
~Yoshi