Okay, this is a very angsty one-shot song-fic for Storm. I won't reveal too much about it, but I will say that the song is by Three Days Grace and the song is called "Animal I Have Become" This story doesn't really have a timeline that I can say of. I will say that it probably takes place sometime after the Dark Age series. I have wanted to do something with this song since I heard it, and there is another song I want to do something with as well, but I'll figure that out later. Anyway, I hope you all like it. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia and I don't own the song "Animal I Have Become," by Three Days Grace. I do own Storm, Anna (Storm's daughter), and I co-own Sutra with Kararu Rinamino.
Storm couldn't help but feel different ever since her run in with Mithos. When she was with him something changed, and even when the group broke her out of it she still didn't feel the same. Yes, the rage that she had was contained, but for how long? How long would it be before something made it come back? What if she did something horrible when it did? She had almost killed her own daughter, and now she was gone. She couldn't blame her for running after everything she'd done to Anna. If she had been in her shoes she would have run as well. Something was eating her up inside and she didn't know how to stop it.
I can't escape this hell
Storm rolled over in bed, she tried to quell her thoughts long enough for her to fall asleep, but it was a losing battle. She thought over how everyone had been acting towards her since she returned to the group. They had gotten along with her during the final battles, but she could tell that they were all afraid of her. The only exception was Zelos, he didn't care how she was acting he always stayed by her side to help her through it. The rest of the group didn't really go near her too often, she knew they all saw what was inside of her. She could feel it too. She wanted it to leave, but it just wouldn't. The feeling to destroy everyone and everything that caused her pain, it was all there and she didn't know if she could ever rid herself of that feeling.
So many times I've tried
But I'm still caged inside
What they didn't realize was that by them hiding from her, they were only making it worse. It made the feeling of hatred grow inside of her. She cared about them all, but this rage that Mithos had put inside of her didn't care how she truly felt about them. She knew that she would either turn on them, or they would turn on her.
Somebody get me through this nightmare
I can't control myself
If it wasn't for Zelos she probably would have fallen apart already. She didn't know how she'd survive without him. She just wished that he could find a way to stop the feelings inside of her. What was it that made her feel like this? It felt like someone else was inside of her trying to take over. She knew that this wasn't what she really wanted, but there was something that made her think this way anyway.
Storm got out of bed, not able to even come close to sleeping. She went into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. She saw what her feelings were doing to her physically. The lack of sleep had made her look horrible. She had dark circles under her eyes and she was very pale. She looked sickly, and she felt it too. She looked deeper in the mirror and noticed something that she hadn't seen before. Inside the mirror she could see Yggdrasil. She realized that his darker soul had somehow moved inside her. She didn't want him to control her. But...was he the only one who was controlling her?
Zelos rolled over and felt that Storm was out of bed. He sat up and looked for her, knowing that she wasn't able to sleep again. She was looking bad and she wasn't acting like herself. Ever since she was kidnapped by Mithos she had been acting differently. She would try to act normal at first, but as time went on she tried less and less hard to hide it. He noticed the light on in the bathroom and went to see if she was all right.
When he got in he saw Storm staring at the mirror with a look of horror on her face. Zelos quickly looked into the mirror, but he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. Storm's glance snapped towards him when she saw him, and he could see the pain and anger in her eyes. She wasn't the same anymore. Something was wrong with her and he wanted to help her.
So what if you can see the darkest side of me?
No one will ever change this animal I have become
Help me believe it's not the real me
Somebody help me tame this animal
"Storm, what's wrong?" he asked her gently as he took a step towards her. Storm glared at him as he came closer and moved back slowly, away from him. She wouldn't say anything to him.
She could feel it building up in her, she felt herself like she was before. She was about to black out from the thing that was inside of her, from Yggdrasil. He wanted to take over and finish off the person that was keeping her in check. Storm tried to shake it off, but when she realized that she wasn't winning she pushed past Zelos and ran out of the house.
It was raining outside and it was pitch black, all the lights in the street were out for the night and Storm was left to run through the streets and in through the dark alleys. She just kept running, she had to get far away from Zelos before she did something she'd regret forever. She kept running and running, hoping that somehow she'd be able to escape the grasp that her rage and Yggdrasil had over her body and her mind. If only she had told someone sooner, but she kept pretending she was okay and now she was stuck with no way out.
I can't escape myself
So many times I've lied
But there's still rage inside
Now, the only person that could really help her was lost, and she couldn't go near him. She was afraid that she'd try and kill him at this rate. Storm made her way to an alley as she sat down, leaning herself up against the wall as she buried her head in her knees. She wanted to be freed from it, she wanted to live a normal life like everyone else. Why did she always have this pain?
Somebody get me through this nightmare
I can't control myself
Storm was soaking wet as she continued to hide herself in the alley. The questions kept running through her head as she watched the rats run out of the rain. Why did Lloyd have so much more luck in life? Why was she cursed with something everyone else thought of as a gift? Why did Yggdrasil keep haunting her? Did this mean that she wasn't truly convinced she had done the right thing by leaving Cruxis?Why did the one thing she tried to do right in her life, Anna, end up being destroyed? Why? Storm kept thinking through all these questions. It was as if someone was asking them to her as her rage increased with every thought.
So what if you can see the darkest side of me?
No one will ever change this animal I have become
Help me believe it's not the real me
Somebody help me tame this animal I have become
Help me believe it's not the real me
Somebody help me tame this animal
She wanted help so badly. She didn't want to think about these things and she wanted the pain to go away at the same time. Where was her help when she needed it? Why did she run when Zelos could have helped her? She was too far gone for him now, she was being sucked in by her darkness.
Somebody help me through this nightmare
I can't control myself
Somebody wake me from this nightmare
I can't escape this hell
Suddenly, she heard the sound of splashing in the rain. She heard someone running through the rain. It was Zelos, and he was yelling out for her. He was worried about her? Even after how she had acted, he wasn't afraid to find her? She didn't move at all, her head still on top of her knees and her hands were over her head.
Zelos rounded the corner and saw her on the ground. He ran over to her, before stopping in front of her. He was so worried about her. What was going on? He bent down and took a hold of her hands. When he did, she looked up at him and stared at him in the eyes.
Did she want him there? Her mind was saying no, Yggdrasil was saying no. She listened more carefully and felt what her heart was trying to tell her. This is where she should be, she needed to be with him.
"Storm...," he whispered gently as he brought his hands around her back before pulling her into an embrace. He didn't care if she was about to hurt him or not, he had to comfort her, he had to make her feel secure.
Storm's eyes widened as he pulled her into the embrace. She couldn't believe that he still trusted her and loved her that much even after everything she'd done. She felt the stinging pain in her heart begin to slowly subside. She knew that it was still there, but she felt so much better.
So what if you can see the darkest side of me?
Maybe with his help she would be able to overcome this obstacle. She would be able to take on Yggdrasil's hold inside her and stop the rage. She wouldn't try to hide it from him anymore. She needed him, and she had to let him know how she was feeling instead of always hiding or running away.
No one will ever change the animal I have become
That's what she had thought before, but perhaps there was hope for her, a happier life where should would be free, no longer a prisoner of her mind. She could finally be free of Yggdrasil for the first time in her life.
Help me believe, it's not the real me
Somebody help me tame this animal I have become
Help me believe it's not the real me
Somebody help me tame this animal
She would do it, but she'd need Zelos' help all the way. She slowly stood up with Zelos as she buried her head in his chest. He rubbed her back gently as they stood there in the rain.
"I'm sorry...," Zelos told her. "I wish I would have known sooner, I could have helped you," he told her softy.
Storm held on to him tighter with his words. She knew that he understood what she was going through and that he wanted to help her. She couldn't believe how he was always there for her.
"It's my fault...I'm sorry," she told him as she buried herself closer into his chest before they began to walk back. Storm made sure to keep her rage in check as he walked her back. She would never act like that again if she could help it. Of course, to do that, she needed Zelos.
Well, that's it for this story. I don't know if I really like how it turned out, and I like my other one-shots better. But, oh well. Anyway, like I said this is just a one-shot from not too long after the Dark Age. So, I hope you enjoyed it. Please review and tell me what you think. PLEASE REVIEW! I don't care if they're anonymous if you're not registered with fanfiction, your opinion matters too. Thanks!