Dreamer

Amazon Bunny: HELLO! Okay to start this off, I think the bug on my computer half-died, so there shouldn't be too much clumping words and stuff. There will, however, be an awful mess of cottony, fluffy fluff, in moderate amounts. If that made any sense. This takes place during the first-disc of the game, before Sheena joins the team, so think of either Ossa Trail, Izoold, or Asgard and Palmacosta, with mild one-sided Kraine and bits and pieces of Colloyd.

I don't own Tales of Symphonia!

And Enjoy.

Daydream: A dreamlike musing or fantasy while awake, especially of the fulfillment of wishes or hopes.

"Okay...Close your eyes and hold out your hand."
Something slithery, wiggly, and really quite itchy plopped into Colette's hand. She giggled as it inched up her sleeve, eyes still closed.
"Okay, open your eyes," said Lloyd.
Blonde lashes fluttered open, catching sight of a rather large millipede on her arm, working its way up her arm, underneath her coat sleeves. She shrieked, shaking her hand manaically in a desperate attempt to get the bug off her arm.
"Lloyd!" she protested, slapping at his hand playfully. "That was mean!"
The twin swordsman shrugged.

Raine watched the two "friends" (or so they claimed) from a distance. Sitting on a dead, fallen log in the shade, a heavy book written in angelic language was open in her limp hands, teetering dangerously, though she paid no heed.
It wasn't fair, really. Some people had all the luck in the world. Lloyd and Colette, for instance. The love they shared was unbreakable, and it was mutual.
She shot a quick glance at the mercenary who sat by the river, washing out a blood-stained package.
If only...
She sighed quite audibly.
Colette had tripped (probably over a rock), and accidentally tackled Lloyd. She could hear their laughter. Genis came skipping along the grassy trail (butterfly net in tow), and proceded to bellyflop on his best friend. She heard Lloyd squeal out in pain, Colette's mirthful laugh, and Genis' screeching, most likely from landing on the hilt of the sword.
The Sylvarant Chosen gave a hand to each of her friends and helped them to their feet.
She wanted to know how his hand felt against her own.
Butit was foolish, she knew, since the man rarely even gave her a second glance. Silver lashes fluttered shut, and she imagined lying in his arms, in the shade of a large willow. Oh yeah, that was nice...
The coolness of the tree's shade felt pleasant, and she dozed off, in her own little world of fantasy.

Genis had gone off on his own to catch more butterflies.
Besides, who wants to hang around a lovesick sister, a grumpy mercenary, and a couple of lovebirds anyway?
Skipping along the grassy field, he sights a large blue butterfly, fluttering around a large white flower. He crouches, and begins the hunt...

Raine watched the events unfold quietly.
Kratos was still over by the river, now scouring dirty pots and pans with sand. She watched as he let out a large yawn.
Genis was half-crouched, half-prowling after a large butterfly. This could be interesting... She saw him pounce..."GOTCHA!" he bellowed. A small smile tugged at her lips.
Colette and Lloyd were playing hide-and-seek. Raine smiled wistfully.

Lloyd conked his head against a tree trunk, while counting to thirty.
"Twenty-two...twenty-two...twenty...Dammit, what's after twenty-two?" He wailed. "Twenty-two...twenty-two...twenty-two..."
"It's twenty-three," Colette called out, giggling. She hurried over to Raine, and scrambled up thetree behind her. "Shh, don't tell Lloyd where I am."
"I won't," said Raine, pressing a finger to her lips to show her silence.
"Twenty-three...twenty-three...Forget it! Ready or not, here I come!" yelled Lloyd, stampeding towards Raine.
She blinked as she saw him charging, and quickly ducked her head to pretend she had been completely and utterly absorbed in the book.
"Which way did she go?" he demanded. "Did you see..?"
"See what?" Raine asked innocently.
"Colette?"
"Wasn't she with you?" asked Raine.
"No, we're playing Hide-And-Seek. Seen her?" garbled Lloyd.
"Well in that case, if I did see her," said Raine. "I wouldn't be likely to tell you, would I? It wouldn't be fair."
Lloyd stared at her, mouth moving soundlessly, trying to comprehend the words. "Oh. Okay. Thanks, Raine."
As soon as Lloyd had charged off to go bully Genis into telling, Raine heard a faint "thank you" from the tree. She smiled and wrapped her book in her waterproof jacket.

"Need help?" Kratos heard behind him.He stopped scrubbing the pot in his hands.For a moment, only the sound of the rushing river and squealing in the distance was heard.
"Thanks."
Raine fished out a towel and began drying the cleaned pots. They worked in silence, Kratos scrubbing pots and pans, and then handing them to Raine to dry.
"It's very nice out today," said Raine. Stupid! she cursed herself. The weather? Are you kidding me?
"It won't last long. There's a squall forming across the river."
They worked in silence again, and heard in the distance.
"AHA!" came Lloyd's voice, rather vehemently, followed by a very long, high-pitched squeal.
"We'd best head out as soon as we can. The House of Salvation is a few hours away," Kratos said calmly.
"Yes; we don't want to be caught in a storm. Especially out in the fields. Imagine the lightning."
They fell into silence again, perhaps imagining the lightning.
"Maybe we should get the kids and get going as soon as we finish washing these pots," said Raine.
"Hmph..."
"I'm serious, the clouds're moving fast," said Raine seriously. "We'll be caught by nightfall. If we move now, we'll make it to the House of Salvation by night and we'll spend tomorrow there. Or we could possibly evade the storm altogether."
"So much for a day off, eh?" mused Kratos, handing her the last pot.

Soon enough, the Chosen's Group was on the road again.
"I almost got that butterfly," Genis was telling Colette and Lloyd. "I could've just snuck up on it and WHAM! in the bag. But no, Raine had to scare it away when she came running up like a big ogre..."
Raine slapped him.
"Owww!" whined the little mage. "That hurt!"
"Be grateful it wasn't that book like last time," said Colette.
"My book!" exclaimed Raine. She'd left the angelic book on the log. "I have to go back and get it!"
"Why?" quipped Lloyd. "You could just leave it behind."
"It's an artifact!" said Raine. "I can't leave it!" She hurried off.
Kratos rolled his eyes and thrust the packs into the arms of Colette and Lloyd. "Genis, you three go to the House of Salvation. Read the map if you have no idea where it is. Go, and stay inside. If I come back and find any of you gone..."
"Why don't you just let her go? She can find her way back easy," Lloyd asked.
"There are monsters," asnwered Kratos.
"She can defend herself."
"She is a magic user."
"So's Genis. And he can take care of himself," Lloyd pointed at Genis, who puffed up with pride.
"Raine is a healer. She doesn't use offensive magic," said Kratos, now very annoyed.
"Okay, okay. House of Salvation, stay inside, blah blah blah," Lloyd rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine. Let's go."
Grumbling, the three teens departed, and Kratos was left to find Raine.

Rain was pouring down in icy sheets. Raine really wished she had her waterproof jacket with her. Oh, where had she put it? A low, impatient growl came from her throat.
Thouroghly soaked and barely able to see, she stumbled blindly on. The constant buzz of the rain in her ears didn't help much, either.
So...cold...
She sneezed loudly, her ears popping. Great, a cold...
The half-elf ambled on. "I'm close," she told herself. "Almost..."Her foot caught on a tree root, and she fell. "Ow..."
Her nose was pressed against the soaked grass. So tired...
The misty black darkness closed in.

"Raine..."
Someone was slapping at her face. She heard rain pattering.My book...
"Raine..."
So warm...the scholar thought. I don't want to open my eyes...
A heavy arm was draped over her stomach. Get it off...
"Just let her sleep..." she heard a girl say. Colette...?
"She's getting color back into her face," Genis said squeakily. "That's a good thing."
"Seriously, it's a good thing you went after her, Kratos," said Lloyd. "She'da caught her death of cold."
K-Kratos?
She fell into a hazy, dreamless sleep.

The healer woke to stabbing pains in her back. "Eargh..." she moaned, her eyes fuzzy with sleep. "Oww..."
"You're awake." It wasn't a question.
Raine gave up trying to sit up. She looked around the room without turning her head. The first floor of the House of Salvation. It looked odd at night, when it was empty."Yeah..."
"That's good. Hold still." She felt a large hand on her shoulder, and another one on her forehead. "Ready?...First Aid."
Warmth trickled through her forehead and surged down to her fingers and toes like wildfire. The pain in her body numbed, and her eyesight cleared up. Above her was an auburn haired mercenary, looking oddly tired.
"Thanks for finding me," said Raine, sitting up.
"It's fine. I'm glad you're okay." Kratos yawned, and leaned back into the recliner. "Oh..." He reached behind him and handed her the orange jacket and book.
"Thanks..."
Kratos nodded.
"Where's everyone else?"
"Upstairs, sleeping. It's past midnight."
"...Get some sleep, Kratos," said Raine. "You've done enough."
She look up, and he was leaning in quickly, and soon they had closed the distance between them...

oOo

"Raine, stop daydreaming. You're grinning like a maniac," Genis grumbled, stepping on her foot.
Lloyd looked at his teacher, thoroughly frightened. "That...face..." he screamed and ran behind Colette. "You look like you belong in a mental asylum!"
Raine scowled. If only Genis had waited a minute longer...
Colette shrugged. "Something on your mind, Professor?"
Raine shook her head.
"Oh! I know what it is!" the Chosen said suddenly, and Raine cringed. "Don't worry, I'll regenerate the world soon. Don't worry about anything."
The professor sighed, relieved.
"Feh," she heard Kratos say behind her. "We need to get moving. The seals won't release themselves. I suggest you all stop dilly-dallying and focus." He gave Raine a hard look, and strode on.
"Party pooper," Lloyd said under his breath.
Oh well, Raine thought. It had been a nice dream...

Amazon Bunny: How was that? 'Dreamer' is finally finished! Wh00t! Been a while since I updated anything! So this was my first attempt at pure one-sided Kraine goodness. It's funny...I was listening to people get killed in Soul Calibur II and then listening to theotaku jukebox FINAL FANTASY VII! Leave all sorts of reviews XD