Hello, friends! Nani here.
I've decided for once to give a little prompt for a future contribution to the fandoms of these series I've kind of gotten too much into. Mostly Symphonia though, since none of the actual protagonists of CP will appear, more than the principal ghosts and the scenery. This is more of an AU than a Crossover tbh, and while this follows the same story as Blood Covered, it won't be told the same exact way. I decided to put different turns of events, and add some of the same in-game events here and there (because I'm a weird nerd and would find amusing seeing my Symphonia babies experiencing this pain, too.)
In conclusion if you like Symphonia and are interested in/like Corpse Party too, please feel free to read it. If you don't want Corpse Party Blood Covered spoilers, I don't suggest you to do it.
Anyway, for anyone that this may interest, here the basic information you should check before reading this thing:
Series: Tales of Symphonia, Corpse Party (Blood Covered) setup.
Characters: The entire main Symphonia group + Kratos and Yuan. The ghost-kids and their "Murderer", and probably any other ghost from the CP series. (Why did I only tag Sheena, Zelos, Colette and Lloyd you ask? Because ff doesn't let me tag everyone. And because they'll be the main protags for the most part I guess? Don't trust me on that.)
Pairings: There is no plan to intend romantic pairings for the main story. If much, I will be focused in keeping every relationship in a platonic/filial way for everyone to be able to enjoy it. How they got organized with each other does not have anything to do with it, trust me. My mind just decided to place them like that for the plot's convenience.
Genre: Horror, Supernatural, Drama, Angst for lots, sad and spoopy stuff in general.
Rating: T? This might get a little M though, because lots of blood and dying people.
Warnings: Blood, death, spoilers (For CP more than for ToS it is), friendship/family feels, my fucked up imagination (and bias for angsty stuff and character suffering). Also, any typo you might find, feel free to tell me- English isn't my first language, so I might not get them easily by proof-reading it myself.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these series or characters (Tales of Symphonia belongs to Namco Bandai, Corpse Party belongs to Team GrisGris). In fact, they own me. I might own some minor characters I get to add for the plot though.
Everything said and with no need to repeat all of this over and over again on every chapter, then here we go~
Enjoy!
Praefatio
Welcome to Heavenly Host!
ー
Sachi is my pride and joy
She would do anything for me
I don't think she even recognizes me anymore
But I still love her with all my heart.
ー
Thump, thump.
Everything was pitch black and pounding, so hard that the product headache it gave was unbearable.
Regaining consciousness suddenly didn't seem like a good deal; a hint of pain spread all over the side of her figure, as if she got hit really hard there somehow. Her mind began spiralyzing and bringing her back to a conscious state, welcoming her with a rough sensation of dizziness.
She could puke anytime now. But she held back, she was stronger than that.
Thump, thump.
When she'd finally forced her eyes to open, she could see no more than wooden surfaces and school desks through the partial darkness of the room. It was a rather unfamiliar scene, yet not so much of a strange place; and for a moment she'd thought that maybe she was just having a bad dream.
One of these strange nightmares she'd been having lately, even after being almost a year since she'd overcome them almost completely.
Was there something else that had triggered these newest, strangest nightmares?
Thump, thump.
She moved her hand instinctively to the side of her head, where there was a huge pounding pain. It almost felt real.
Too real.
Realization immediately struck her, that maybe she was actually wrong. That maybe this wasn't really much of a dream. That maybe, somehow, this was reality, and that the pain spreading over her entire body was likely a side effect of an anterior impact. She'd probably fallen from quite the height.
She had fallen?
A strike of memories, reminiscence of the events that unleashed not so long ago (Or maybe she was just unaware of how much time had passed?) suddenly came back to her, bringing her awareness of the real strangeness of her situation, and unsettling her from her position in this obscure place.
This definitely wasn't Lloyd's house. Not even by little chance.
ー
"I saw it on the newspapers yesterday, it has become quite a popular trending!" The blonde with the bright smile and bright blue eyes had clapped her hands together excitedly, commenting to her fellow companion over the little paper doll she was holding in her hand, up for everyone to see. "A charm, isn't it?"
"It is." Replied the raven haired, smiling back with as much brightness. "Actually, it's very similar to a traditional charm we often use in Mizuho to wish for family union and prosperity." The younger female clapped her hands again with a little squeal. "This one seems simpler, though. And it's said it keeps friends together for the rest of their life, no matter what."
"So, it's something like a cheap love charm, but for friendship?" The amber glare of the ninja had suddenly turned and shot daggers right through the redhaired that had spoken, who stood next to the couch in a careless, and rather uninterested, fashion. "Sorry, hunny. I'm not into occultism and stuff, y'know." He simply shrugged, evoking a huff from her as response, accompanied by her arms crossing defensively over her chest.
"No one said you had to participate, idiot." His only response was another shrug, along by a mocking smirk she dared not to mind, for his good sake.
"I find it interesting. A well intentioned charm might as well be like a kind of bless, after all." Unlike her older fellow, the blonde simply directed an innocent smile to the man. "What better use to give a charm other than to bless our friendship? I find it nice!"
"Yeah, I don't see what would be so bad on trying it." The red-clad man commented, joining the conversation with a wide grin. "Sounds like something we can do after Christmas dinner!"
"Food first, friends later; isn't it, Lloyd?" The youngest of the group replied accusingly, yet with a playful hint; but the boy's grin vanished instantly, being replaced by a little frown. Seemingly, he didn't immediately get the hint of a joke.
"Hey! O-Of course not! I was just saying…."
"I myself am not so sure about it, either." From one of the chairs, settled far from the former companions, a silver haired woman added sternly, finally resigning her position as just a listener. "While I personally am not the superstitious kind, I'm not about to take any risk with an unknown charm that suddenly just popped on the newspaper one day."
"See? My cool beauty knows what's up." There was the other man, teasing again.
The kunoichi rolled her eyes. "Like I said, you don't have to do it if you don't want. It was just a suggestion for christmas."
"What even do you have to do?" Next to the red-haired man, a young ginger girl asked with an uninterested tone. "Offer your blood? Sacrifice a lamb?"
The raven leered her eyes, slightly irritated for the girl's intend. "It's a charm, not a spell to summon a demon."
"The suggestion doesn't seem so bad." The pink haired girl walked out from the kitchen, seemingly having heard the conversation whole. "I think we should give it a try after Regal finishes cooking dinner. I don't see what could possibly go wrong with a harmless paper charm."
"Right?" Sheena's smile returned quickly to place. "We're settled, then?"
ー
The sudden crash of thunder made her squeak back from her rewind. Being normally scared by lightning, she was surprised when she realized her trembling wasn't for the thunderstorm outside alone.
After they had settled in chanting the words of the spell and ripping the paper doll apart, as it was said that was the way the charm worked, an earthquake shook the wooden floor and had made it fall to pieces, bringing them all down to an abyss that shouldn't have been there. She'd lost her consciousness after the incident, and only got it back just now, on the floor of an unknown place.
Something went wrong, she knew that now. Something went terribly wrong.
Another look to her strange surroundings in the faint light, her eyes getting now adapted to the darkness of the place and all, revealed it was a classroom of some sort, quite like one she'd seen inside of the little school in Iselia. But a glance outside the windows was enough to realize this place wasn't that one; not counting this one looked far bigger, and was evidently abandoned and falling apart.
"W-What is… this place?" Another flash of lightning, followed by yet another crash, made her shudder in place. Though, through the flash of light, her eye caught on a piece of paper stacked to the wall next to the exit door; and having her curiosity picked, she was resolved to at least investigate where she was first, before actually seeking for the others, whom strangely enough weren't around in this same room.
Carefully, she shifted her position and began standing from her place, but felt a sharp pain run through her right arm when she used it to support her weight. Damn, did she land on it and dislocate? That would be really bad. She needed to find Raine as soon as possible to check it up.
Once on her feet, she squeaked in surprise as another bolt of lightning flashed on through the windows, and after a short moment calming down again, turned to search for the paper, and walked up closer enough to read it.
It was so dark though, so she sighed and snatched it off the wall, walking then closer to the windows and waiting for another lightning to illuminate the title, at least.
And when another flash came, she wasn't sure if she read it well. She didn't know how to make of the words on it.
Heavenly Host Elementary School
Announcement to all faculty and students
a soon closure and demolition of the building.
Author Notes:
I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT THE PAPER SAYS BUT I need to give some little context to the characters, y'know? Since Heavenly Host Elementary School and its spooky story don't exist on their dimension and all that jazz. They're basically coming to the cursed school blind. Not like the main cast of CP.
Also, I would really really appreciate feedback for this prologue! I'm still not sure about publishing this thing as a whole story, so to know your opinion about the idea at least for this one introductory chapter would be super helpful;;; In other words, Feedback = Possible continuation.
P.S: The chapters are far longer than this, I promise;;