Lord Cynic: "Sorry, couldn't resist! I think I'm on the oneshot train for the moment, because the ideas keep coming in. This is the full version, and rather shortish (the story content's less than 1500 words). However, I hope you enjoy it."
Lord Cynic: "I don't own Tales of Symphonia, it belongs to Namco. That said Lloyd is damn cool!"
Clumsiness can be contagious
"Oops, hehe! Sorry!"
"Sigh... not again..."
Raine heaved a heavy sigh as Lloyd helped Colette rise to her feet yet again. It was the fourth time in half an hour that the clumsy blonde Chosen had tripped over an invisible rock, or some other similar foreign object. Everybody would assume that because she had wings she could fly, but let's just say she hasn't figured that out for herself yet.
"Are you okay?" Lloyd asked for the fourth time, once Colette had dusted herself off. She smiled in an assuring way.
"Yeah, I'm okay," she said for the fourth time. "Sorry, everyone."
"Don't apologise," Lloyd said, then he turned to the rest of his group - the 12-year old half-elf and friend Genis Sage, his (Genis's) sister and their teacher Professor Raine, the stern mercenary Kratos Aurion, and the new addition and mysterious former assassin of Colette, Sheena Fujibayashi. "Okay, let's keep going, shall we?"
They mumbled and nodded, wondering how many more stumbles Colette was likely to have. Genis tried to raise a bet (sneaky for a preteen), but a sharp whack on the head from Raine prevented any further gambling ambitions. Sheena was particularly weary of Colette's habits - the first time they had met, another accident from Colette had sent the ninja through a trap door. However, now that they were on friendly terms, for the most part any bad luck would fall only on the bad guys. Nonetheless, the group continued onwards, Lloyd leading the way with Colette tagging along beside him.
The group's current destination was the mountain town of Hima. They hadn't seen civilisation for days, but it wasn't due to Colette's tripping trend. Instead, Lloyd's lack of direction was the cause, but he was far from admitting the fault. Raine, Genis and Kratos were growing more exasperated, and Sheena was impatient for a bed. Colette, on the other hand, was her incorrigibly cheery self as she remained by Lloyd's side on the front lines.
"Those two are like peas in a pod," Genis muttered as two thirds of the group lagged behind. "If Lloyd was to detour into a forest, Colette would follow him without hesitation."
"Would she really?" Sheena asked curiously. She was still relatively new, so she didn't quite understand the relationships between her fellow adventurers.
Raine nodded with her eyes closed.
"Since they were younger, they've been almost inseparable. If Dirk lived in the village, instead of outside the forest they would probably never need to be apart. They may be one year apart but that's probably all."
Sheena nodded, letting the information about Lloyd and Colette's intimate friendship sink in. She had wondered why they were so close, and now it seemed natural.
She watched the aforementioned ahead of her. Lloyd was striding confidently, without a care in the world. His spiky chocolate-coloured hair swayed ever slightly in the gentle wind, relishing from its stubbornness to fall apart. The duel swords on his back remained idle, ready for battle with stray monsters. The blades were lightly splattered with the blood from previously fallen foes, so they gleamed crimson in the bright sunlight. He wore a satisfied smile on his face, as if he could take on the world, and his walking manner reflected the self-confidence.
Colette, on the other hand, appeared more innocent and carefree than the young swordsman. The blonde Chosen's hair, which went past her shoulders, wasn't really affected by the light gusts. However, she was swaying gaily, letting her arms swing freely as she moved from side to side. Sheena couldn't see, but could guess the half-angel's face flourished outwards with extreme bliss. Indeed, Colette's mouth was fixed in a very content smile, and her eyes shined pure happiness. If Sheena was better educated about the group and could see, she'd recognise the expression on Colette's face to be one of complete harmony and safety with her walking companion. If not for the lethal ring weapons hidden in her robe, Colette had the overall appearance of a harmless, pure but clumsy 16-year old girl.
The clumsy part was about to be proven when Colette tripped over an invisible log.
"Whooaaa - huh?"
Everyone was waiting for Colette to make contact with the dirt, but the moment never came. When they opened their eyes, they found that Lloyd had wrapped his arms around the blonde girl's waist to prevent her from falling onto the ground. She was the last to realise that she wasn't descending, and when she discovered her saviour from embarrassment, she still blushed.
"It was lucky I caught you," Lloyd said softly, his arms still supporting Colette. "You okay?"
"Y-Yes," she whispered, still unsure of what was happening. She let Lloyd lift her back onto her feet, and then looked at him. "Thank you, I'm sor -"
"You're welcome," Lloyd said before she could finish. "And don't apologise, even if clumsiness becomes an epidemic."
"Wow, you surprise me," Genis said, breaking the moment between his friends. When Lloyd gave him a confused look he explained, rather snidely. "I didn't think you'd know a word like epidemic exists, let alone what it means."
That effectively ruined the mood, and the annoyed swordsman promptly whacked the half-elf over the head.
"Oww! What was that for?"
"Lloyd Irving Rule #1," Lloyd said, mimicking the Dwarven Vows, "anyone who calls me stupid or implies it, unless they're an adult, receives appropriate consequences."
"Did you just think that up on the spot?" Genis asked bitterly, rubbing his head.
Lloyd thought about that, then laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head embarrassedly.
"Yeah, I guess I kinda did," he said. Most of the group fell down in stupidity, but Lloyd quickly regained some dignity. "C'mon, we've still gotta get to Hima."
Everyone but Colette nodded exasperatedly, and they started to resume their progress. However, within 15 steps...
"Ack! Whoa - oof!"
A face met the earth again; only this time it wasn't Colette's. Members of the group sweatdropped heavily as they stared at the brown-haired young swordsman kissing the dirt (figuratively speaking). For the first time in the story, Kratos spoke.
"This may not be a time that Lloyd wished he was right," he said casually, watching as Colette kneeled beside the young man.
"Are you hurt?" she asked as Lloyd scrambled gingerly to a sitting position.
"No, I'm fine," he said. He rubbed his head. "Argh... no, it's nothing..."
"Oh, silly Lloyd, you are hurt," Colette said worriedly and playfully at the same time. She did something unexpected and kissed the sore spot on Lloyd's forehead. "Feel better?"
Lloyd stared at the blonde Chosen, blood rising rapidly to his cheeks. She giggled at the expression on the boy's face, and as they stood up, he scratched the back of his head again.
"Yeah, it... it's feels better," he said. "Thanks."
Colette beamed, and Lloyd couldn't help but smile back. However, a loud clearing of someone's throat made them jump.
"If you don't mind, we'd best be going," Raine said, tapping her foot impatiently.
Lloyd and Colette nodded dumbly, blushing darkly, and Raine strode ahead of the group. Genis and Sheena followed, the half-elf smirking at Lloyd and the ninja winking suggestively at Colette. Lloyd and Colette blushed again as Kratos brought up the rear, his straight face expressing its usual disinterest.
However, all too soon...
"Aaah! Ooof!"
"Aah! Look out, Raine!"
"Eeeep! Careful!"
"Whoa!"
It was Lloyd and Colette's turn to sweatdrop as their companions tripped over each other into a heap of confused bodies.
"I guess clumsiness is contagious."
"I guess so."
"C'mon, race ya to that field of flowers!" Lloyd declared, already sprinting. Colette laughed and cried out in mock protest, then raced after her friend.
As the teenagers disappeared into the distance, voices could be heard from within the mountain of tangled bodies.
"I don't believe it, Lloyd was ri -"
"Don't say it, Genis. Just don't."
"What's this shiny metal thing I'm touching?"
"That's my sword... hey, that's not!"
"Sorry!"
Lord Cynic: "... That was confusing and disturbing at the same time. Oh well. I hope everyone enjoyed it. Comments, criticisms, flaming barrels, death threats? Oh, almost forgot... I had Golden Sun on the brain when writing the draft... I wrote Isaac instead of Lloyd once. Whoops!"