Author's Notes
I don't own Tales of Symphonia, and I can keep saying that to myself to make me feel better. More Sheelos from the crazy crossover writer! I had a slightly depressing thought as I wrote this. I wanted to get this much out, to get this much to you guys to see what you thought. Let me know! I want to write more, but I have work. It's kind of down for my positive side. It hints at a plot. I hint at a lot of stuff though. Okay, we're closing shop in thirty minutes (I wrote this at work), and I have to start the closing duties (even though NO ONE is here…lol). Later!
EDIT: I have gone through and updated the page style to match with my other stories in terms of scene changes.
Dearly Departed Dad
Prologue: Son of an Angel
Mom says I should write to you. She gave me a piece of paper (the one I'm using now) and told me to write until I couldn't write anymore. She said that always made her feel better when she was little. We would burn the paper later, but that's beside the point. People of Mizuho cannot leave traces. She said even if we were burning it, you'd still get the message. After all, we're the most elite group of ninjas ever, right? Weren't you one too?
She said you said crude things to her when she was younger. When you said that one thing Dad, it made Mom laugh on the inside. No else says it like you can, she said. I've always practiced. I practiced saying it over and over again until my voice was hoarse. Mom says I'm too much like her. I can't bring myself to say the word without freaking out. That doesn't matter to me though. As long as I try, maybe one day, I'll be able to say it like you can. For now, I still can't say it like you. I laugh too hard.
Mom got a new kimono. She only gets those once a year. This time, it's a lavender shade and made of silk. She says that she used to wear that color all the time. Is that true? Did she really walk around in purple? Didn't she stick out like a sore thumb? Every time I think about it, I can't help but laugh. Mom does her hardest to hide. She says that everyone is looking for her—did she do something wrong?
I heard about the journey. I heard about how a group of ragtag Symphonian misfits (that's what the book said!) came together and actually saved the world. They said that the Chosen of Mana of Sylvarant was supposed to die, but she's still alive. Why didn't she die? Mom won't tell me anything about that. She said that the past is best hidden for now. Why is she so intent on hiding?
Kids at school say that Mom was part of the reason the world was saved. Is that true? Because if it is, then wouldn't that be a reason to come out, to be proud? Why does she hide? I hope you can answer me somehow. The kids say that I'm an outsider sometimes. That's why I asked if you were a ninja. They said if I could prove you were a ninja, I wouldn't be made fun of anymore. I beat them up once or twice for it, but they only shouted more then.
Did you really have long red hair? That's awesome if you did! I want red hair! But Mom says that my black hair is fine. I have it long, and she laughs. She said that most boys don't have long hair, and that I looked like my Dad when I did it. So I'm keeping my hair long. I don't care about the rules. They can go to hell. Mom usually hits me for saying that. I don't really care about the rules sometimes.
Dad, I heard about this guy who looked like you. I haven't asked Mom about him yet, but I'll tell you about him. He lived in the Meltokio Noble Residence. He was the Chosen of Mana of Tethe'alla—no one remembers his name. They say it isn't important. Actually, he was a pervert in every sense of the word. If there was a girl, he would sleep with her—that's the rumor that was spread. He pretended to be friends with the heroes who saved the world, and then he tried to kill them in the Tower of Salvation. They killed him and he died all alone. You know, he looks a lot like the way Mom describes you, but there's one thing that's different. She said that you were the nicest man she had ever met. With all of your flaws you were still the closest thing in her heart. Mom wouldn't love a pervert. That's crazy. And Mom wouldn't love a traitor. She hates traitors even more than perverts.
I'm running out of room to write. I'm going to flip the page over soon. I haven't told you all about me yet! Oh man, I got so worked up I didn't even bother to tell you how I was, who I was, all that stuff. My name is Shayne Fujibayashi. Mom said I got my real name from you, but I'm not allowed to tell you because it's supposed to be a secret. Mom isn't going to read this, so I'll tell you. My real name is Zelos. It's a secret though, so don't tell anyone else, okay?
Mom is such a worrywart sometimes. She says we're hiding in the hidden village until I can take care of myself. It was moved from Tethe'alla shortly before I was born. Mom worries me sometimes, when she stays up all night, watching out the window. She sounds like she's crying but I never try to catch her, because I'm supposed to be asleep. Oh yeah! I have these really cool senses. They are much stronger than most people. I can see all the way out to the summit from here, and I can hear things long before people can, so I always get away before I get caught. Oh, and there's one other thing I can do that I hide from Mom. I can fly. I got these cool red fairy wings! They remind me of the Sylphs, but way cooler!
They're used to be angels Dad. I suppose you know that. I mean, you were alive when they were around, right? They said that angels were trying to save the world by killing the two Chosen of Mana. Did they kill you in the massacres they created in their hunt for the Chosen? Is that why you're not here? Did they or those dirty Desians get you? Mom won't tell me. She doesn't say anything bad about you, and that includes how you died. She said that the bad things aren't important, that I wouldn't understand and get mad at you. What did you two do? Did you get involved with the Desians? I really want to know. Mom won't tell me.
I went off topic again. I was trying to tell you about me. I'm fourteen years old. I get picked on at school. I'm called Outsider more often than I'm called Shayne. All the girls are afraid of me. All the boys pick on me. I don't belong because they don't want me to. Dad, what would you do in that situation? Mom says to just ignore them; that they don't matter, but they do! They do matter! I don't have a friend in this village. I hang out with the Summon Spirits and Mom all the time. It's great to play hide and go seek with the Sylphs and even more fun to play tag with Gnome, but I can't make any human friends. None of them like me.
I want to meet you Dad. Mom says you were really awesome. She said that this year's kimono was bought on the anniversary of your first meeting. See, I think that you could help me out. Get me to be accepted, to be loved by the kids in Mizuho. Although, you probably are saying the same thing Mom does. Don't count on others to do what you can for yourself.
I hope that you can tell me why Mom is hiding, why the kids don't like me. Write me back, please? Oh, and that word I was talking about, it was something really hard to spell. Give me a moment to close and I'll write it down for you after I fetch a dictionary. Thanks a lot Dad for reading this if you get it. I hope that I might meet you someday.
Shayne Fujibayashi, son of Zelos Fujibayashi
Voluptuous