Remembrance
By Sir Exal
Chapter 1: Catching Up
Colette looked up at the Tree. It had grown so much for only being on the earth for two years, but then again, she didn't really know how much trees were supposed to grow, much less Great Unity Trees. The Professor would probably know, Colette thought. Maybe she taught the lifespan of trees one day in class...but Colette couldn't remember a class like that. She knew trees lived very long, but didn't know exactly how much one grew in its lifetime... "Hmmm... I wonder where Professor Raine is?" Colette said to no one but the tree. Maybe Genis would know, being a half-elf and all, Colette thought, then amended herself. "But then, where's Genis?" wondered the blonde. "Let's see..." Colette was talking to the tree again. "Lloyd is journeying all over the world to destroy the exspheres, Zelos and Genis are traveling with Lloyd," she ticked her friends off on her fingers as she spoke, "Raine is living in Exire, trying to smooth everything over with half-elves and elves and humans, Sheena moved everyone in Mizuho to near the Linkite tree...hmmm." Colette stopped, with only five fingers ticked off. "Regal is back managing the Lezareno Company, Presea is helping him rebuild Ozette, and Kratos is on Derris-Kharlan. He should come visit sometime!" Colette finished, grinning. But then her face turned into concern... "Wait. There were eight of us, not counting Kratos," Colette said, staring at her hands, "who am I forgetting?" She puzzled it for a bit, then laughed. "Oh, sorry! I forgot me!" she giggled at the Tree. "I've been taking care of the Great Unity Tree, and sometimes been visiting Mom and Dad back in Iselia! I remember!" Even though the Tree did not seem to care about this realization, Colette happily hummed as she watered the Tree and idly wondered if she was overwatering it.
--scene--
"C-C'mon guys!" Zelos shouted to his friends. "Wait...wait up for a second!" Genis and Lloyd looked back at the red-head, who was struggling up the steep incline of the mountain they were on, and both sat down grudgingly on a rock as Zelos caught up.
"Great," said Lloyd. "We have to take another break. We'll never get to the top of this mountain at this rate."
Genis sighed. "Well, maybe Zelos isn't cut out for the traveling life. Should we leave him behind?"
"Guys! Gimme a break, I rode around on the Rheiards before...And I was planning to go back to the cushy life after all that stuff with Yggdrasil..." Zelos shook his head. "Change of subject. What is it you're dragging us over this darn mountain to see? I think you've kept us in the dark for long enough, Lloyd."
"Yeah Lloyd," said the young half-elf, "you haven't told us where we are going, and you haven't let any of us see the map for ages! Where are we headed?" "I don't want to say. I want it to be a surprise for you two!" Lloyd's mouth stayed in a toothy grin. "Besides, isn't the journey required for the reward?"
"Wow, Lloyd, that sounded like Kratos!" laughed Genis, "You're even looking a bit like him with that little mustache you're growing in...("Shut it,Genis!") But...you're really not the type to keep secrets!" said Genis.
"Yeah, you're usually like an open book about everything," agreed Zelos, "It's hard to get you NOT to say everything that comes to your mind."
Lloyd grumbled. "Let's keep going." Zelos's face fell. "Oh...but I'm so tired...and my feet hurt. Can't we stay here for a while? Please?"
Lloyd looked almost startled. "But I wanted to get up the mountain before nightfall." Genis looked at the sun, then up at the faraway peak of the mountain. "Even assuming there's an hour and a half of sunlight left, and we're walking a rate of 3 straight kilometers an hour, and assuming that there's about...2500 straight meters before we get to the peak, and the grade keeps at a 40ΒΌ slant, and even if we take no breaks along the way, it's doubtful we'd reach the peak before nightfall."
Lloyd looked completely puzzled. "Grade? Like B? What does it mean?"
Zelos grinned. "It means we're camping out here tonight! Haha! I'm making dinner!"
"He's right," said Genis, "I saw a pretty flat area over there. Let's stop there for the night."
--scene--
The fire crackled its familiar, comforting crackle. Lloyd and Zelos were sitting down, smacking after a good meal made by the former Chosen. "Hey, what are you doing, Genis?" asked Lloyd, watching Genis dig in his pack for something.
"You're not the only one who can keep a secret, Lloyd." said Genis, slyly. Turning, he showed he held a small package of cookies. "I got the ingredients when we were at the Abbey," Zelos tensed considerably. "and I made cookies for everyone! Dig in!" As Zelos happily grabbed his two and proceeded to devour them, Lloyd took his cookies and, after one bite, thoughtfully chewed. "Something wrong?" Genis asked his friend through a mouthful of cookie.
Lloyd responded, "No, it's just that...These cookies remind me of something...I think I've had them before...sometime..."
Genis's face contorted into one of thought as well. "You know, you're right..."
Lloyd perked up. "I know! It was when we saw Marble being attacked at Iselia!"
"That's it! I made the same cookies for Colette on her birthday..."
Zelos looked confused. "Okay, spill. What are you talking about?"
Lloyd cleared his throat. "Well..."
--scene--
Genis couldn't make it up the last ledge, and Lloyd grabbed his wrist, pulling him up to the cliff overlooking the human ranch. They looked over the fence of the ranch, and saw old Marble, their friend, getting relentlessly whipped by Desians.
"She's..." gasped Genis.
"We've gotta save her!" said Lloyd.
Genis gulped. "But how?"
"You attack the Desians from here with magic."
Genis gasped. "What! Aren't we gonna get in trouble?"
Lloyd shook his head. "We don't have a choice! Afterwards, hide among the bushes and make your way back to the village. I'll act as the decoy."
Genis found himself gasping a lot recently. "But that'll put you in danger!"
"I'll head down the cliff so they don't see my face, then run in the opposite direction from the village."
"Okay...Hey, you'll need energy for this. Here, I saved some of the cookies I made for Colette. Here." After they ate, Genis cast Fireball at the Desians, stunning them; one of them noticed Lloyd's red shirt as Lloyd jumped around the ranch's fence, and the Desian called out "There he is! Stop him!"
"Open the main gates," cried a recovering Desian.
As the Desians rushed out, Genis nervously watched them from behind a bush. He didn't see the stick in his path until it was too late. He slipped, landing hard on an elbow. "Owww..." he groaned.
"What was that?" asked one of the Desians.
"Uh-oh." muttered Lloyd, unsheathing his twin swords. The first Desian went down after being stabbed in the back by one of Lloyd's swords, the second's whip burned Lloyd twice before Lloyd killed him. Before more could arrive, he jumped off the cliff.
--scene--
"And then I met up with Genis..." said Lloyd. "someone must have seen me though, because the next day, the Desians were there..."
Zelos interuppted. "Yeah, yeah, I know that story. Wow. So a cookie reminded you of that?"
Genis laughed. "Yeah, Lloyd thinks with his stomach!"
"Genis!" shouted Lloyd.
"I was right," said Zelos, "you usually tell anyone everything!"
"Zelos!" yelled Lloyd, jumping upon him. Genis joined in. And soon, after a hard hour of play-wrestling, Lloyd, Genis and Zelos slept peacefully in their sleeping bags.
Before drifting off, Lloyd idly thought, "Back then...who would have thought of all that would happen just from the one act of kindness... Amazing."
--scene--
There we go. First chapter down...But soon, I'll have a plot twist you won't believe. Let's see if I can write a good Symphonia fanfic.
--Sir Exal