Redemption, a tales of symphonia fanfic

Disclaimer: I own stuff. However, that stuff is not anything you recognize here.

"Good morning, Alicia," The calm, cool voice that spoke these word belonged to Regal Bryant. His long, blue hair laid the same as it had for years, although now he wore a simple, blue-and-green suit. A pair of handcuffs still bound his wrists, but he gave off an air of control and elegance.

His hard eyes lay upon a grave. The headstone was marked 'Alicia Combatir'. The one woman he had ever loved.

"Regal," This cold, kind voice was that of Presea Combatir, Alicia's older sister. The girl was 28, although her body maintained that of a 12-year-old child. Her pink locks were done up in two pigtails. A pair of soft blue eyes stared levelly at him. Her blue-and-white dress was smooth and unwrinkled. "You should not be up. It is too early. They will not be here until 6."

Four A.M. two hours to go

I'm wear'n out a lonely glow

I miss you more than I could know

Here I am, here I am

Won't you get me?

Standing up, Regal walked over to stand next to his assistant. The years of Cruxis's reign had left this girl scarred. Not in the literal sense, nor the metal sense. It was the fault of the insane Mithos that left her this small child when she should've been almost his age. And compared to that, his pain was nothing.

He could not redeem himself for Alicia to see. But he could redeem himself in the eyes of her sister.

I've got my hands at redemption's side

Whose scars are bigger than, these doubts of mine

I'll fit all of these monstrosities inside

It'll come alive, come alive

"Regal. Lloyd and the others have arrived."

Duke Bryant had gone back to sleep after Presea had pulled him out of Sky Terrace. Two hours later, the pink-haired girl was waking him up.

"Regal!" Even before he could lift himself out of the old armchair he had drifted off to sleep into, a small, blonde blur launched herself at him, hugging him tightly.

"Colette," Regal said, smiling wearily, "It's good to see you."

"You too!" Colette Brunel said cheerily, hugging him tighter.

"...Air," Regal coughed. She loosed her grip.

"I'm sorry! I don't know my own strength..." She told him, smiling.

"Colette! Regal!" The voice of Sheena Fujibayashi heralded as the purple-haired ninja raced in. She grinned at them. "Hey, guys! "

With my fists all at your feet

I was running out of mysteries

Insecure and incomplete

Here I am, here I am

Won't you get me?

Colette, too, had been scarred. Her once carefree, happy manner had toned down a bit. And her wings. The former Chosen's wings had not disappeared with Mithos' fall. And compared to that, his pain was nothing.

And Sheena had been as well. The girl did not know her true family, and the people who were like her family had shunned her for so long. And he knew compared to that, his suffering was nothing.

He could not redeem himself for Alicia to see. But he could redeem myself in the cheerful eyes of Colette and Sheena, both of whom was so much like Alicia in many ways.

I've got my hands at redemption's side

Whose scars are bigger than, these doubts of mine

I'll fit all of these monstrosities inside

It'll come alive, come alive

Alive, come alive

"Regal."

It was later that night. Regal had found his way back up to Sky Terrace, and was sitting there, just sitting there, looking at Alicia's grave. It was Raine Sage, an intelligent, silver-haired, half-elven woman. She sat down next to him, looking quietly at his lover's grave. She didn't have to say anything, but he knew she would have loved to know Alicia from the look in her eyes. And he didn't have to speak, and she knew Alicia would've loved to know her, as well.

My fears have worn me out

Yeah, my fears have worn me out

My fears have worn me, worn me out

Raine, as well, had been hurt by those cruel half-elves. Most of all because she was one of them. Not literally, but by blood, they were the same. And Regal knew his pain was nothing compared to that.

He could not prove himself for Alicia to witness, but perhaps he could do it for Raine, whom with he shared an unspeakable understanding.

I've got my hands at redemption's side

Whose scars are bigger than these doubts of mine

I'll fit all of these monstrosities inside

It'll come alive

At redemptions side (these scars)

Bigger than, bigger than, these doubts of mine

I'll fit all of these monstrosities inside

And come alive, come alive

Later that night, Presea, Raine, Sheena, and Colette excused themselves from the party, telling their dance partners (Genis Sage, Raine's younger brother, had been dancing with Presea, Lloyd Irving with Colette, the perverted Zelos Wilder with Sheena, and Raine had been a wall flower for most of the evening) that they would back in a moment, that they needed some air. Traveling up to Sky Terrance, they found Regal, staring quietly at Alicia's grave, smiling.

Click. Clatter.

The sound of metal on the floor rang as the handcuffs that had bound his wrists for so long fell to the ground.

A/N: Well, I'm rather pleased with this fic! ) If I did anything wrong, spork me.