Copy-and-Paste Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia. This disclaimer applies every chapter from here on. I do however own the concept of 'all matters of luck and fate'—more information on that can be found on my profile. The concept of 'brofriends'—which is also explained on my profile—belongs to TheRecorder but I have been granted the rights to use it as I will; also, unless otherwise stated or obvious, the relationship of Lloyd and Zelos should be viewed as that of brofriends.

Okay, this is an (extremely character-driven) AU fic where the game doesn't make you want to bawl and cry your eyes out as your heart shatters into tiny pieces.

Plus, we never saw everyone's final resting places or how their bodies disappeared…and people in this game have a habit of not being as dead as one is made to believe.

This is important, while most relevant notes will be at the bottom—however, most deviations from the main plot will not be mentioned as they frequently appear in other stories I've seen (like Ratatosk and Emil having separate bodies and Richter not sealed away in Ginnungagap)—notes absolutely vital for the understanding of what's going on will be presented at the top with their first one or few words bolded like the note below.

Decus and Alice also made it outta there alive because, let's face it, like they'd go down that easily.

Emil needed a few more moments to collect his jaw from where it had fallen on the Palmacosta Plaza stonework; so it was Marta who expressed their combined shock.

"How in the name of all matters of luck and fate did you get let into the police?"

"Not let in, Martmart, invited."

"And it's not just any job," Decus amended as he leaned against his broadsword, "we're more what you called…mercenaries." Decus turned his gaze from the two to direct his smirk at one of their three other companions standing behind them, who scowled in return, then turned his focus back to Emil and Marta before continuing, "We're hired to travel around and clean up the crime issue plaguing our dear land."

"And you're saying you're not just using this as an excuse to do something weird together?"

"Goodness no, Martmart! Why would I do that when there are plenty of highwaymen out there for us to…" she began to tap her riding crop against her palm, "punish together?"

"You forget, Marta," Richter began, "they're both complete sadists, Decus's bloodlust just wasn't always as apparent."

"Still…I can't believe they'd let people like those two run rampant."

Decus smirked, "Don't you worry, Emil," Emil scowled at the condescending tone Decus used upon saying his name, "we're allowed to do almost anything we want, but only if we keep it to those outside the law. As long as you're a good little boy and not do anything bad, we sadly don't have an excuse exercise our sadism upon your pretty little head. A real pity, there are so many things we were hoping to try out on yo-"

Decus cut himself off as the sword of the person at whom he'd earlier directed a smirk—a smirk that had been very similar to the one he currently wore—was now aimed towards his face, out of striking distance but the intention had been to get Decus's attention rather than to attack. "That is quite enough." To be honest, Decus was surprised they actually let him get that far, he'd expected them to cut him off before he even reached the end of the word 'exercise', "There are children and Emil present and I request you do not corrupt their minds."

"What do I have to do wit-?"

"Don't concern yourself with it, Emil." Richter interrupted.

"Oh, okay."

"Hey! I'm fourteen! I'm not a child!" Genis said indignantly.

The swordsman was silent for a moment, "Very well, Emil is present and I will not have you corrupting his mind."

"Richter, are you sure it doesn't-"

Decus snickered, smirk widening, "My apologies, your old-man-ness."

The swordsman briefly glared—one had to grudgingly admire that Decus did not flinch, especially if he was as informed as he seemed to be—before sheathing his sword.

"Eww, I just realized something," Genis began with a disgusted face, "You gotta be like eight years older than her."

Alice scowled, "It's six, you twerp, and do you really want to get into age differences? Because nearly every one of you lost that battle long before it began. And I do mean long."

"That's not true," Marta began, "it's only four years between Emil and R-"

Richter covered her mouth before she could finish and before Emil could question this, Genis had already started his own counter to Alice's statement.

"Yeah, there's only a five year difference between Ll-"

Genis abruptly stopped upon feeling a glare on the back of his neck from a certain swordsman—apparently the man wasn't about to make the same mistake twice and let too much be said. The act, however, was in vain.

Decus's eyes widened with malicious delight and Alice giggled, "My, my, that's certainly quite the love affair. I was under the impression was the other one."

"The other what?" Emil inquired.

"Before you go into any detail pertaining to that," the swordsman said, seeing Decus preparing to make another snide remark, "are you acquainted with something called Judgment? I heard it's quite the favorite."

"Favorite of whom?" Emil asked but was ignored.

Decus scowled, "Don't remind me, your old-man-ness, him and his pretty little fire-wing-flaring gave me friggin' hell. Though," he turned a sly smirk upon him, "I suppose I could give him a little credit, it's not as though his wings has some color like blue or, luck forbid, purple or some weird combination like that in them or anything."

"What is everyone talking about? Wings with different colors? Like blue and purple, or like rainbow-colored?"

"We're leaving." The swordsman said curtly, cutting Emil off, moving past the two as the rest followed him.

Alice giggled, "Oh dear me, did we hit a nerve? So sensitive about their colors that you're willing to move even faster to your doom? I don't think someone will be very pleased their father was dragged down from the heavens and didn't feel the need to inform him that he wasn't actually dead."

"Keep walking." Richter told the man, not even needing to look to know he was on the edge of being baited.

"I wonder how they found that all out." Genis thought aloud.

"Maybe it was Zelos," Marta suggested, "he's kinda a creep and enough of a douche."

"Marta, you really shouldn't say stuff like that."

"Oh, don't lie, Emil, you agree with me."

"Still…"

"But doesn't Zelos hate Alice?"

"True…"

"I'd say Ratatosk was capable of doing it, but no, that doesn't seem quite right."

"Considering he displayed quite the dislike for Ratatosk, if he were still here, I wouldn't put it pass-"

"Hey! Don't be mean!" Genis interrupted the swordsman.

Before he could reply they reached their destination, the area in front of the old Vanguard Headquarters.

Well, actually, it wasn't exactly their destination, just where their objective was.

"Da-Kratos?"

Notes:

My characterization of Emil is that he is aware of many things negative in nature such as the word 'douche'—after all, Emil did fight in many battles and called Lloyd a bastard at one point—however, he is innocent and naïve to pretty much everything sexual in nature; this is a trait that is easily picked up on. He really is a simple Luin boy at heart.

I know it's mean of me, but this is really only a taste of what's to come. That is, I won't be able to get these chapters up anytime terribly soon as there are more post-ready things waiting in the wings, but I'd thought everyone would like to know it's there. So, if you have some patience, for the first time ever, I whole-heartedly encourage you to alert and especially review.