Disclaimer: Tales of Symphonia is most certainly not mine.
Oppressive humidity and confined spaces made the leafy corridors of the Gaoracchia forest seem less like a grove and more like the innards of a great beast. The thick canopy of boughs and vines suspended high above the forest floor did an admirable job of blotting out the sun's rays, adding to the effect.
The party had been traipsing around the forest paths for several hours. Despite their best efforts, they had quickly become lost in the maze of twisting trails.
It was an unpleasant experience for everyone, to say the least. Lloyd complained loudly about his aching feet and tired legs while he attempted to simultaneously navigate the rough terrain and dig through his bag for a snack. Zelos kept himself amused by reciting ghost stories and frightening Genis terribly, though the poor half-elf would never admit it. Raine, her volatile nature already sorely tried by the heat, struggled to keep a hold on her temper. Successfully ignoring the combined prattling of Lloyd and Zelos, she suffered in patient silence with Presea and Regal while Sheena quietly bemoaned her own lack of direction. But, as bad as it was for them, it was worse for Colette.
She had never had a good time in the forest. The first time the group had traversed the woods, she had been nearly comatose due to her malfunctioning cruxis crystal. The second time, a dark entity known as the Elite from the Underworld had challenged them to a particularly grueling battle, one which ended in a Cadmean victory. Not to mention that they were still on the run from the Papal Knights and she had to lug Regal's unconscious form with her. Now, not only were they lost, but Colette could sense a maliciousness radiating from within the dense crush of vegetation that lined their path.
The presence was unlike any Colette had felt before. It wasn't the raw, elemental power of a summon spirit or the cold darkness of the Sword Dancer. It wasn't even the low, dangerous buzz of a Devil Arm. This feeling was a mix of mild nausea and a cold pressure settled deep in her chest, accompanied by the paranoia of being watched. There was no doubt, Colette's senses had never been wrong before. Something was out there, lurking among the plants.
-x-
Movement became more difficult as the party delved deeper into the forest. Near the borders of the woods they had needed to worry only about navigation, but now that they were in the very heart of it there were a great deal more obstacles to be dealt with. The most common of which being gnarled tree roots that crept across the ground, eager to trip passers-by, and the multitude of craggy branches which extended across the path, grasping at hair and clothes until they were bent away. The slowed pace at which the party traveled gave the members more opportunities to take note of each other, something that Genis finally did.
Casting a quick glance over his shoulder, the young mage asked "Hey Colette, are you okay?"
The question must have caught Lloyd's attention, because he turned to see for himself and added, "Yeah, what's wrong? It's not normal for you to walk around with your wings out."
"Oh, I, uh... I just thought I heard something, that's all. Hehe, it's no biggie." Colette stammered, blushing heavily and trying to mask her anxiety with a sheepish grin.
"Colette, you should warn us if you suspect the presence of an enemy. The last thing we want is to be caught in an ambush."Raine stated calmly, never one to ignore her role as the voice of reason and maturity. "Now we should get moving again. By simply standing here we present an easy target to any foes that may be nearby." The suggestion was more of an order as she drew Hanuman's Staff and set off down the trail at as brisk a pace as possible, forcing the rest of the party to hustle or be left behind.
Genis took off in pursuit, calling for Raine to slow down. Lloyd, on the other hand, stayed exactly where he was and leaned forward, hanging his head in despondency. "Aw man, I wanted to rest a little longer... But Raine's probably right. Let's get going Colette-!"
It was at that precise moment that a dark green pod of vegetable matter, half as big as Lloyd himself, flew swiftly along its arc and smashed directly into the young swordsman's face. The force of the blow causing him to fall to the ground and skid across the forest floor, coming to rest after a jarring impact against the base of an ancient tree.
-x-
"No... No! Lloyd!"
Alerted by Colette's cry of denial, the rest of the party was back and ready to fight before her scream died. Although, the only thing they could see was Colette kneeling by Lloyd, shielding him with her own body. Whatever had attacked the pair was nowhere to be seen; at least the monster wasn't in view. The pod projectile lay in the middle of the path. Warily scanning for hidden dangers, the group fell into a circular battle formation around the two.
"Colette, what happened here?" Raine asked as she crouched to examine Lloyd's injuries. There were shallow lacerations gouged across the side of his face and neck, accentuating the swelling lump just over his right eye. He probably had a concussion or two, but nothing that couldn't be healed quickly.
"That green thing came from up there and hit Lloyd in the head. I think someone threw it!" Colette explained, pointing first to the pod, then up into the mess of branches and ivy above their heads as if to locate the mysterious assailant.
"I wonder what it is." Sheena mused, moving closer to get a better look at the pod. After prodding the odd vegetable with her toe, her analysis was "It kinda looks like a bell pepper." She had barely got the words out when she was forced to leap backwards, silently thanking her shinobi reflexes, as another pepper flew through the air, leaving a small crater where she had been standing just moments before.
"So there is someone in the trees, leave this to me! Ground dasher!" Genis' magical earthquake caused the nearby trees to thrash violently and drop all the various objects that had been perched in their branches. It was a brilliant plan that worked wonderfully. The only problem was that it worked too well.
What had been lurking up in the canopy was not just one territorial monster, but one that was active and seventeen more that had been slumbering peacefully in a hibernative trance. Now that they had been so rudely awakened by a thirty-foot fall from their comfortable nests, they were as rabidly upset as a swarm of monsters could be. Genis' cunning remark? "W-whoa, there's a lot of them! What are these things?"
"I've got it! These are Bellpepper Heads." Raine exclaimed, tossing aside a depleted Magic Lens. "Amazing, these monsters are not native to the Gaoracchia forest. They're supposed to be found only in the Torrent forest. This is an unprecedented discovery!"
"That's great Raine, but maybe you should be focusing on fighting right about now!" Sheena yelled as she dodged another pepper, the first of a barrage thrown by the advancing monsters.
"Yeah! Professor, you need to hurry and heal Lloyd!" Everything about Colette spoke of urgency. The party was surrounded, by monstrous bell peppers of all things, and outnumbered. Her best friend was unconscious, lying in a crumpled heap in the dirt, and their most skilled healer was too preoccupied ranting about the enemy to treat him. Slipping away from her natural optimism, Colette realized that no matter what the out come of this battle, she had an entirely new reason to hate green peppers.
AN: Hm... Now that I've conquered the bell peppers, I'm considering on starting into the realm of tomatos. Your thoughts on the matter?