Little idea I had for a one shot which i could later expand on in the future depending on the sort of interest it could gather. How different would the world be if Lloyd couldnt be around to see the world he had saved from destruction, how many lives would it affect and how many great things could have happened which now must remain as unclaimed possibilities?
This story is based on the standard ending, namely the Colette one as that is the one everyone gets first without knowing of the affection system in the game.
So without further ado here is my 2nd OneShot.
The Life of One and the Lives of the Many.
It had been a rainy day in the sleepy little village of Iselia, on most days this would have been welcomed by the local community as essential water for their crops but on this, the bleakest of days, rain was appropriate as the villagers and the "heroes of Symphonia" were present for the funeral of one Lloyd Irving.
There was a podium which was above the grave which currently housed a beautiful shining red coffin adorned with numerous carvings of the journey...this had been requested by Colette specifically as Dirk wanted to contrbute something for Lloyd's journey to the next life.
Amongst the crowd were the heroes split into a couple of small groups, in one was Genis, Presea and Colette, both of the former trying to console the former Chosen as she attempted to stifle the tears which were trickling out of her glazed eyes.
The other group consisted of Sheena, Zelos and Regal, Zelos with an arm around Sheena whilst she cried quietly into his chest. Regal as was befitting this formal event, merely paid attention to the podium feeling all of his pain on the inside rather than on the outside like some of the others were displaying.
Raine stood behind the podium offering a few words of consolement for the locals and looked straight ahead whilst she recollected how her life had changed since she had met Lloyd, thinking of him brought a small smile to the half elf on this otherwise depressing day. With this in mind she started to speak.
"I never had the priveledge of knowing Lloyd all of his life, I met him when i was but a child myself when I turned up to the gates of this very village." she composed herself before continuing. "I remember it well, watching a 5 year old Lloyd chasing after a screaming Colette with a wooden sword in one hand and holding for dear life onto Noishe with the other". Raine looked around to see Colette smiling ever so slightly as she was seemingly recalling the very same memory.
"After a few years in this wonderful community, i had the 'privilege' of teaching Lloyd in my class right here. Never before had I known a student with such a talent for falling asleep through history lessons as Lloyd Irving, I tried everything, making him stand on his table, putting him to the front of the class by me, even trying to have him stand up whilst holding two buckets of water". She smiled genuinely as she saw Genis reminiscing about those very times. "Before the journey of Regeneration was upon us, I honestly thought there was no place for Lloyd among us, how wrong I was, without Lloyd, we would quite possibly not be alive today and for this I thank him as should all of you". Raine closed her eyes, giving her own silent prayer that Lloyd would find happiness in the next life, after all he deserved it more than any other.
Raine walked off the podium and lay her key crest that Lloyd had fashioned for her on it, letting a tear slip from her eye as she did so, she placed a hand on it and simply said "Goodbye Lloyd I'll never forget you". Some claps were heard from some of the attendees and Genis and Colette ran up to her and hugged her with emotion.
Genis took Raine's place on the podium with his youthful optimism as he remembered the impact Lloyd had had on his life. Clearing his throat he began; "Lloyd was someone very special to me and someone without whom I would never be here standing in front of you now, he was by far the most trusting and genuine human i had ever met. Without him, I wouldnt have learned to trust in humans as a species. Even the little things we used to do before the journey began, doing things like his homework for him, even though Raine would inevitably scold me for it later".
Raine gave an all knowing look towards her brother as he lamented on times past.
"During the journey, he was so headstrong in doing the right thing that it just felt good to be around him, there are very few people like that in this world and i feel priveledged to have known him for as long as i had". He wiped a tear that was escaping the confines of his eye with his cuff before continuing. "The journey we have all been on changed us all, I would like to think for the better, Lloyd became a pretty mature guy and perhaps the best friend this lone half-elf could have ever asked for. I'll miss you Lloyd". With that Genis stepped off the podium and placed his Kendama on Lloyd's coffin with a heartfelt smile on his face "Here's hoping you can finally learn how to use this in the next life Lloyd".
Sheena wiped her tears from her face and put her hand on Genis's shoulder, almost a sign of appreciation for Lloyd's wishes before she walked past him to take the podium herself.
Looking out into the crowd of people she began her own recollections and thoughts about Lloyd.
"Lloyd was perhaps one of the most influencial and possibly the sweetest person i'd ever known. I'd never met anyone who held everyone above himself in such a selfless way, even when i first met him and just so happened to be his 'enemy' I could see it in his eyes when we fought." She brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. "Even when I accidentally fell down that hole on the Ossa Trail.." she broke off to glare at Colette in a playful way who looked back apologetically at the assassin. "I overheard Lloyd saying he hoped I was okay and that he would see me again, repeated meetings with him would cause me to question my morals, more or less pitting my world against him. So strong was the moral conviction he allowed me to nurture inside myself that i chose to help his and Colette's journey in any way possible in order to save both worlds, well as you can see Lloyd, here we are and we owe it all to you."
Several people in the crowd applauded Sheena's inspiring words about the recently departed hero and she restrained her blush as she made her way back to her seat.
Colette took the podium, staring long and hard at the expectant faces and down at the coffin which housed her lifelong best friend, inside she could feel herself screaming about how unfair this whole ordeal was. She cleared her throat as she tried to prepare some words to express how she felt about her lost friend but she found she couldnt do it, she broke into tears on the podium as Genis and Presea left their seats to comfort her. However before this could happen, Colette allowed her pink spectral wings to come into being and flew off without any regard for the people she was shocking all around her.
Colette found a clearing that she could truly be alone and express her thoughts hopefully straight to Lloyd's soul which she truly believed would live on in this world instead of attempting to talk to the lifeless body in a box.
"Why did you have to leave Lloyd, You were special to me and now I dont know what to do" she crossed her hands over her heart and closed her eyes. "I think...I think I lo.." before she could finish her sentence a young voice cut her off.
"Colette here you are" the voice exclaimed.
Colette turned around to see Genis standing there on his own, he'd obviously seen her landing in the clearing and opted to follow her. "Hey Genis" she said with feigned optimism. "I'm sorry about that but I just couldnt do it" she said tearily.
Genis walked up to the young blonde girl and hugged her softly, "I know, i miss him too but we should head back to the ceremony" he reasoned.
"No!" Colette exclaimed catching the young half elf off guard, "I cant see what's left of his body after that whole experience. Dont you see Genis, I loved him...and I wanted him to love me too, now I will never get that chance, im so alone now".
"That's not true" Genis said with pride, "We are all here for you, Presea, Raine, Zelos, Regal, Sheena and...me" Genis stalled before mentioning himself.
"I know, I'm sorry I made you all worry...it's just I'm having a hard time dealing with it all" Colette responded.
"I guess i understand, I didnt have to see him die with my own eyes, im sorry for pressurising you into coming back if you dont want to." Genis sighed.
"No no dont worry about it, I'd just like to be alone right now, let everyone know i'll see them later, I just have to do some thinking about what I want to do with my life now he's gone." Colette then took to the air and out of sight. Genis could merely look on and walk back to the village alone.
Colette found an apt tree to sit amongst the branches in, here she could truly be alone and lament over her thoughts, allowing herself to lean back against the tree bark she let her wings fade away whilst closing her eyes and allowing herself to dream.
Flashback
The reuniting of the worlds - Derris Kharlan - 3 days earlier
Mithos Yggdrasil stared at the ragtag group that had defeated him so definitively and in particular eyed Lloyd whom was walking towards him.
"Farewell my shadow, you who taken the path that I chose not to follow"
Not feeling any regret in his words or his actions he continued "I dont regret my choice, if i had a chance i'd choose the same path all over again". Mithos closed his eyes and waited for his existence to disappear from this realm.
Lloyd swiped the Cruxis crystal and smashed it into a thousand pieces with his Ice Blade before uttering a reply. "You could have lived with us in our world...dammit".
The two hilts of Lloyd's swords' began to glow blue and red respective of their element before they both levitated out of his hands and merged into the huge purple broadsword that had been the original model.
The troupe suddenly heard Origin's booming voice as if it was being echoed all over the comet, "The old master of the pact is no more, what does the new master of the pact ask of this sword?"
Lloyd looked at the group confidently before turning to face ahead "Restore the true form of our two worlds". he yelled as he held the Eternal sword above his head pointing straight into the air.
A beam of light shot out of the sword blinding the entire group for a brief period of time. The next thing they saw was the wreckage of the Tower of Salvation and the greenery of the local plains all around them.
"Are we back?" Lloyd asked rhetorically.
"Your request is granted...but there is no link, without a link the land will die, the land is dying." Origin stated.
"I dont need to know why it's dying, what do we need to do to stop it?" Lloyd exclaimed desperately.
"Link the world with the giant tree, only that can save the world." Origin said omnipotently.
"Lloyd, we have to shine the mana of Derris Kharlan on the great seed" Colette said pleadingly.
"Derris Kharlan is already on the edge of the gravitational field, not even Yggdrassil...Mithos could stop this from happening, do you still intend to try?" Origin questioned with concern.
Lloyd set his face into it's usual determined mask before replying earnestly "Not like we have a choice"
"Even strengthened by your exsphere, your body will quite likely not withstand the forces, are you quite sure?" Origin added worryingly.
"I said i'm doing it so i'm doing it" Lloyd retorted irritably.
Origin knowing that Lloyd would not be shaken from his quest despite the risks, attempted to feed the mana from Derris Kharlan to the Great seed only to have it deflected off in numerous directions.
"Agh no, the mana is being deflected" Lloyd shouted to no one.
"The great seed...is already dead" Colette said hopelessly.
Lloyd's exsphere began to glow a bright white before a blinding flash erupted from it. When the light dimmed down, a massive pair of prismatic wings seemed to sprout from Lloyd's back much to everyone's amazement. Not having time to contemplate this the new born angel flew up towards the great seed in another attempt to germinate it with mana, knowing his own may have to suffice.
He reached the great seed in a matter of no time and looked down on it, suddenly Colette was next to him, holding his hand which was typical of her, no way was she letting him face such an obstacle alone.
Suddenly the Eternal Sword reappeared in front of Lloyd and he struck the great seed with it and he poured every last ounce of mana he had into it.
Colette was pushed away by the sheer amount of force and watched in splendour as the Great Seed seemed to stir as it fell back towards the ground.
"Lloyd you did it!" she exclaimed with glee before she noticed Lloyd was also plummeting to the ground just as fast as the seed was.
The young angel could scarcely believe that Lloyd would fall after so much and flew as fast as she could fighting tears as she did so to reach the ground first but she never did as Lloyd's body hit the ground with a sickening crunch.
"LLOYD NO!" she screamed in hysterics as she cried herself to a state of unconsciousness whilst holding his broken lifeless body.
She awoke later to find out that there had been no way to save Lloyd as there was absolutely no mana in his system by the time Raine got there and as such reviving him with Resurrection failed to work...Lloyd was gone.
Colette awoke with a start and fell off the branch she had fell asleep on smacking her knees off a branch or two on the way down before she could fully recover and float above the ground.
"Ow!" she complained, holding her knees tenderly with her hands noting that her clothes had been torn a little by the tree. Looking up however she noticed that the sun was just setting and yet another storm was brewing.
"Guess I'd best get home then" she said to no one in particular before flying off in the direction of Iselia.
Genis sat musing out of the window staring at nothing in particular, he had been worried for Colette all evening, she had taken Lloyd's death harder than the rest, including himself as he remembered how collected he had been on the podium earlier.
"Something interesting outside" Zelos suddenly uttered, making Genis jump out of his little dream world which he seemed to have been residing in lately.
"No it's nothing" Genis waved off Zelos' concern.
"Come on little buddy if there was something wrong you would tell me right?" the brash Chosen replied.
"Of course I would, im just worried a little for Colette, she hasnt came back yet." Genis added a mournful sigh.
Hearing this, the known philanderer walked up to Genis and sat next to him and rested his hand on the young half-elf's shoulder. "Dont worry, Colette is a strong young girl, im sure she can handle herself, I mean remember that time when we first met back in Meltokio?"
Genis couldnt help but smile, "How could I forget, you and I got off on a really bad foot."
"That was because you werent a cute chick, maybe not bad...for a guy but that's not my thing and I had to make sure you bumpkins knew that" he jested in return.
Genis closed his eyes, even now finding the Tethe'allan Chosen hard to deal with politely. "Is there any reason for this reference?"
Zelos regained his train of thought before arching his eyebrow "Yeah, remember when i tried to pull out my super suave moves on Colette back then...?"
"...Yeah and she threw you halfway across Meltokio, that was pretty funny back then, especially watching those horrible women in your fan club's expressions." Genis smiled inwardly for the first time in a while.
"Well we both know the sort of strength she has, I pity any man or monster for that matter that gets on the wrong side of her" Zelos crossed his arms and gave an all knowing look like Raine would have used.
Just then the door to Raine's house swung open and Colette stood with her top in ribbons after her encounter from the tree, however to Genis and Zelos it had looked like she had been attacked or worse.
"Colette! Are you okay?" Genis exclaimed with real concern underlying his voice.
Colette merely nodded before putting on the faux smile she was always renowned for using in the past "Im fine Genis, just had a fight with a tree and lost".
With this, Zelos broke into laughter "Same old Colette, some things will never change" he cracked.
Colette couldnt help but giggle, especially when Genis turned to glower at the perverted Chosen "Thats not funny Zelos, she could have been hurt".
"Nah! Not our Colette" he walked up to the young Chosen and got her in a play headlock "She's as tough as they come right?"
Colette giggled again before pushing Zelos off of her "Right!" she said proudly.
The angelic Chosen looked around and asked the first question any rational person would have asked "Hey where is everyone?"
Genis piped up beating Zelos to the punch. "Well Raine is out getting food in for me to cook, il be damned if im letting her anywhere near that stove" Zelos chuckled "Regal and Presea left for Palmacosta straight after the service, Regal said they had to continue the rebuilding as soon as possible so Lloyd's vision of a peaceful discrimination free world could come true quicker". "Sheena had to report to Mizuho to continue her training and also to get away from this chump" he added pointing to Zelos who looked at him with the expression of a wounded seal. "As for Zelos he opted to stay behind to make sure that you got back okay and also to help me stop Raine from cooking when she gets back."
Zelos' eyes lit up "What are friends for right?"
"Indeed" Genis concluded.
"Well now that you are back Colette, im going to go check on Raine, im sure she is buying the most bizarre ingredients so il catch you guys later." With that Zelos walked past Colette and closed the door leaving her and the young half elf on their own for a while.
"He's still an ass!" Genis sighed exasperatedly.
Colette smiled a little before sitting on the nearby chair next to some of Raine's well stocked bookshelves. "I've been doing some thinking when I was alone earlier today".
Genis sat across from the innocent girl who was in the process of removing her white top leaving her wearing a pair of pants torn at the knees and a black T-shirt, he had to admit she did suit black although it certainly didnt reflect her usual bright personality. He looked on attentively as Colette started to speak.
"I have accepted that Lloyd is gone and unfortunately wont be coming back but I sat and thought real hard about what he would want me to do with my life, back in Heimdall, we decided we were going to go on a journey to destroy all the exspheres in the world so that no more people would be sacrificed. However we can hardly do that now, but I sat and thought, maybe I should continue the journey that he wanted to do, I feel it would honour his memory better than any funeral or tombstone will."
Genis smiled widely "Im sure that's exactly what Lloyd would want, one thing though, you are planning to make this journey alone?" he questionned.
"Well I dont know, I never really planned that far ahead, I just thought about it a couple of hours ago". she replied staring at the ground.
"I...I can go with you, i mean if you want, i can at least accompany you, im sure it would be a long quest for someone to do alone." he said with a slight red hue in his cheeks.
"Really!" Colette said excitedly "Great, im going to try my best, now that you are going to be with me, nothing can stop us from completing Lloyd's mission " she continued.
"It's settled then, when are we gonna start?" Genis said well in the flow of things.
"Well the sooner we start the better, so how about we leave in the morning" Colette replied.
"Yeah!" he pumped his fist in the air similar to how Lloyd would have done, "I'll let Raine and Zelos know when they get back."
"Well im going to head home, il see you in the morning Genis, Im really tired and im going to need my rest if we are going to start the hunt tommorow."
"Okay!" Genis said maintaining his enthusiasm with ease. "Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of our lives".
Colette opened the door and turned to look over her shoulder "See you later then" she closed the door and left for home.
Colette opted to swing past Lloyd's grave on the way home, feeling she had to make some amends to the fallen comrade considering she passed on her ability to speak some good words about the young man that had captured her heart in the process of their journey.
Looking down at the tombstone carving above the freshly refilled grave she read the inscription that the crew had agreed on one more time. "Lloyd Aurion Irving, a young man so courageous and kind he saved everyone else before considering saving himself." The inscription certainly was on the mark as Colette grimaced, Lloyd had pretty much accomplished himself what she had been planning to do at the start of the journey. He had sacrificed himself so that everyone else would live as she would have done if the journey of regeneration had went along as planned.
"Lloyd i'm sorry I couldnt speak to everyone earlier" she began "It was just hard for me you know, over the course of the journey, you were always there for me and still I..." she wiped away a solitary tear which felt like it was burning a new river down the side of her face before she finished what she wanted to say to the young man more than anything. "Still I couldnt save you, and couldnt tell you how I really felt about you over time...Lloyd I loved you, I hope you can forgive me for not being able to say so when you were with us."
Overhead the storm began and slowly but surely rain started to patter against Colette and the grave upon which she stood. "Genis and I are going on the journey we said we were going to go on, I feel this would make you happier than any inscription or casket would, we leave tomorrow and I hope that in some shape or form you will be right there with us when we make your vision come true." Colette smiled feeling she was making the right choice about all of this before realising the rain had turned into a torrential downpour. "Sorry Lloyd, It's getting a bit wet out here, I'll never forget you or the times we shared in the past" she turned to walk away whispering as she went "Good bye Lloyd."
Genis sat around waiting for Raine and Zelos to come back when he heard the storm starting to hit the small town in which they were residing, he couldnt help but chuckle at the prospect of Zelos coming back, his hair in ruins after getting soaked through. 'Certainly would be worth seeing' he thought with a smile on his face.
At that moment, Raine and Zelos burst in with a bag of groceries over their heads as their clothes were completely soaked and as Genis predicted the red haired chosen had a bizarre do to say the least. He couldnt help but laugh which caught a series of nasty stares from both Raine and Zelos.
Taking this moment to cover up as Raine approached him he let out his one quirk "Nice hair Zelos" which in turn made Raine look back at her accomplice and laugh.
Zelos didnt have a clue what the pair of half elves were talking about "What's so funny" he asked before noticing his hair hanging in messy loose strands in a nearby mirror, what was heard next made the pair howl in laughter as the loudest most feminine scream was heard coming from Zelos "My BEAUTIFUL HAIR!" he screeched.
When the laughter died down and only a whimper could be heard from Zelos as he attempted to get his hair standing the way it always did, Raine threw Zelos a towel. "Take this and be quiet" she joked.
Genis suddenly turned serious as he eyed his big sister warily, unsure how she would take the news when she heard what he had to say. "Uhm sis..."
Raine turned away from the complaining Chosen to gaze upon her little brother "Yes? What is it Genis?"
"Colette and I were talking earlier and we came to the conclusion that the only way to honour Lloyd's memory would be to finish what he never had a chance to start, we were going to go on a journey to collect and destroy all the exspheres in the world together" he said the last part quickly and with his eyes closed so he didnt have to register the look on Raine's face.
"That's a wonderful idea Genis, im sure it's what Lloyd would have wanted, when are you planning to leave on this journey?" she queried.
"Well we both arranged to leave in the morning, Colette and I agreed the sooner we start, the sooner Lloyd's dream will become a reality."
"Well unfortunately I wont be able to accompany you, what with the Iselians possibly voting me in as the new mayor so I can at least pass on something that will be of use to you." Raine looked through her sturdy bookshelf and plucked a fair sized tome from it.
"Raine that is...?" Genis started astounded.
"Yes this is Boltzman's book, the one i got at the Tower of Mana, with it im sure you will learn some of my healing spells fairly quickly, on such a perilous journey, im sure you will run out of gels at some point and you always were the stronger with mana out of both of us." Raine stated proudly.
Genis felt himself tearing up with the compliment and Raine's willingness to help him. "Thanks Sis" with that he ran up and hugged her tightly, 'now we cant fail' he thought as he did so.
Raine pulled her brother away from her to gaze into his eyes which were full of love for his sister as she condoned his actions unexpected though they were, "You had best get some sleep if you are starting in the morning" she scolded playfully.
Genis gave a wide grin and nodded "Yes Raine, I'll see you in the morning". He turned and fell into his bed asleep in an instant with the smile ever present on his face.
Genis awoke with a start to find the house he was in empty, the sun was beaming in through a window straight onto his face "Gah! someone turn out the lights" he complained before getting up in a zombie like state to find his travelling gear, after all today was the day that his journey with Colette would begin and he couldnt feel like this.
After ten or so minutes, he was dressed and ready to go with a Kendama in his hand and the Chipped Dagger that Presea and Regal received in Derris Kharlan, they had given it to him as a symbol of friendship between them. He opened the door to see a near cloudless sky, seemingly the storm was over and the freshness of the air was evident to the young half elf. Convenient considering this sort of day signified new beginnings and this was certainly one of them. Gazing across Iselia he could see Raine speaking to Colette who appeared to be dressed differently. She was wearing a pair of Denim shorts which a couple hooks on the right hand side which housed her Chakrams, a fairly tight fitting black T-shirt and a sturdy backpack. 'Seems Frank must have been prepared for this' he thought with a smile.
"Hey Genis" Colette chirped happily as she noticed her soon to be travelling partner.
"Good morning Colette, how'd you sleep?" He politely replied.
"Couldnt really, too excited about getting on our way" she added with an almost sickening amount of enthusiasm.
Raine hugged both of them, "You are both growing up so fast, good luck to both of you, il be praying to Martel for both of you."
Colette and Genis both smiled returning the hug before they turned to face the village exit. "You ready to do this?" Genis asked.
"Let's go" Colette happily replied.
"See you in a while Raine" Genis waved to his sister before turning to walk out of the village, Colette following closely behind.
Raine closed her eyes with a smile on her face and a tear escaping her porcelain face "Good luck the pair of you".
A new day for a whole new journey, this whole ordeal proven to both of them that indeed the life of one can indeed change the lives of the many and because of this, neither of the travellers would ever forget their fallen comrade.
"Good bye Lloyd!"
Well there we have it, I hope this one goes down well as i put quite a bit of time and effort into it, this has taken me the best part of a week to put together the way id wanted it. Unlike my last one shot which was a one sitting ordeal, I've actually thought this one through a bit more and I hope that you all enjoyed reading it.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to read this and even more so to the ones that took the time to review it.
Sayanora til next time.
Regards
Riptos Fujibayashi.