Heys! This is a new story. I know, it's been like forEVER since I've submitted a fanfic. I've just been kinda busy. ;

Anyway, here's Zelos with the disclaimer.

Zelos: Scaff doesn't own Tales of Symphonia. If she did, I would have my very own anime cut scene. OH YEAH!!

Now here's Chapter One!

The group sat around the slowly dying campfire. Colette humming a soft tune to herself, Genis and Raine were in a discussion about trigonometry, Presea was zoned out and Regal looked at her with great interest. There was a bit of a commotion closer to the bushes. Sheena was trying to fend Zelos off. He was trying to grope her breasts again. Lloyd couldn't help but laugh at the couple. He turned to Raine who was making triangle shapes with her hands. "Hey, Professor?"

"And the tangent- yes Lloyd? What is it?"

"Why do the monsters we face seem to keep on getting harder and harder?"

"That's a very interesting question, Lloyd. Tougher monsters are drawn to tougher opponents though. It may seem ridiculous, but monsters have a great sense of honour," Raine said excitedly. Lloyd scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"So they think that we're really powerful and such?"

"It's more, they sense your power."

"Sense? What do you mean? How do they do that?"

"Well, you see Lloyd, monsters have a sixth sense," Raine started. Lloyd's smile suddenly stopped. He felt a little, weird. His eyelids started to droop. Raine noticed the change in Lloyd's behavior.

"Are you tired Lloyd?"

"Ah, yeah, I guess. I dunno, I just suddenly felt really tired," Lloyd said.

"Is that because this conversation is using too much brain power?" Genis teased. Lloyd glared at his half-elven friend and then laughed. Genis gave him a mischievous grin. As much as he would never admit it, Genis was becoming a bit of a prankster like Zelos. Lloyd rubbed his eyes, smiling weakly.

"So tomorrow we're going to the Temple of Earth, right?" Lloyd asked.

"Yeah, and my voluptuous hunny can form another pact!" Zelos said loudly, throwing his arm around Sheena. His actions were rewarded with a whack on the head. "Ouch, that hurt."

"Maybe if you used your head instead of your hands you wouldn't have so many bruises," Sheena said annoyed, concealing a small smile. Zelos laughed.

"What would be the fun in that?" he asked playfully. Colette frowned at Zelos.

"Why do you always do things like that to Sheena if you know she's going to hurt you, Zelos?" Colette asked innocently. A sly grin swept upon Zelos's face as he came closer to Colette.

"Well my little Angel, want me to show you?"

FWOOSH!

Genis had cast fireball on the chosen of Tethe'alla. "Cut that crap out," Genis said. He didn't completely know what Zelos was talking about, but he could tell it was something perverted. Lloyd stretched out his arms and yawned, walking up to Regal and away from the commotion. "Hey Regal, do you mind taking the night watch for me?"

"No, not really. But why do you not want to do it, Lloyd?" the convict asked.

"I'm just a little more tired than usual."

"Being on night watch while tired decreases reflexes and safety 26 precent," Presea informed them monotonously. Lloyd frowned slightly at Presea, but didn't think any more of it. Regal nodded to Lloyd.

"It is a little bit early, but sleep is important. Here's your blanket." Lloyd took the red blanket out of Regal's hands and said thanks quietly. He walked over to the edge of the forest and sat down on the cool dirt. It reminded him of when he was younger and used to make statues out of mud and show them to Dirk. The swordsman let out a soft sigh and looked up to the stars. To his disappointment it was a clouded night. Lloyd pouted slightly. He liked having the stars over top of him. They made him feel, safer somehow, as if the stars were looking out for him. "Whatever. It's not like they're actually taking care of me," Lloyd whispered to himself. He fell quickly into a dreamless sleep.

- - -

The black night's cold wind bit Lloyd's face. He bolted upright, panting. His head was throbbing, making the world feel as if it were moving in slow motion. He slowly got up, trying to gain balance in the blind night. He straightened his arms in front of him and walked blindly forward towards where Regal should be. After passing a shrub he saw a small glow to his right, and a figure in front of it. Lloyd shuffled over to the convict who noticed his presence. "Is something bothering you?" Regal asked the teen.

"Uh, I guess. I just kinda feel off," Lloyd said. The way Regal asked about him, it made him think of a certain mercenary. It made him slightly nervous.

"In what way do you feel 'off'?"

"Well, it's just my head. It feels like someone keeps on squeezing it," Lloyd moaned. Regal frowned.

"Hmm, that isn't very good. Do you feel warm?"

"Y-yeah, I do." Regal nodded at this information and took some herbs out of the food wing pack. "What are you doing, Regal?"

"I'm creating a remedy for you."

"Oh really? That's cool. You sure do know a lot about food and herbs and stuff," Lloyd stated quietly.

"Mhm." The two men sat in the dark silence. Lloyd looked at the glowing fire longingly. The small flames licked the sky so elegantly, like a dance. He became so engrossed in the fire that he didn't hear Regal talking to him. The handcuffed man poked Lloyd's arm. The swordsman jumped and turned to see Regal holding a mug. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you."

"N-no, it's fine. I was just thinking. Is that for me?" Lloyd asked, pointing to the mug. Regal nodded and gave the remedy to Lloyd. The teen smiled and took a sip. He perked up.

"Mm, this is good! Usually medicine doesn't taste that great."

"I added some fruits to it to make it sweeter for you."

"Oh, thank you. Heh, Dirk used to do that for me." Lloyd stared at the fire again and sighed.

"Dirk is your father, correct?"

"Yeah. I mean, he isn't the guy who like, 'got it on' with mom, but he's raised me since I was three. I owe so much to him." Regal smiled.

"He sounds like a great man."

"Ah ha ha. No, he's not a man. Dirk is a dwarf."

"…It was a figure of speech. I know he's a dwarf."

"Figure of what?"

"Uh, never mind. Are you feeling better, Lloyd?"

"Yeah, a bit. Thanks Regal, you're pretty cool."

"Ha ha, thank you, Lloyd!" Lloyd smiled at the man. He had never heard Regal laugh before.

"Hey Regal?"

"Yes?"

"When did you learn how to cook?"

"Hmm? Where did that come from?"

"Well, I was just wondering…"

"Alright then. I learnt how to cook from my father. He was a great chef and he taught me how to teach. It was our time together. Every night he would have me help him prepare dinner with him. At first he would only ever trust me to stir the bowls. And even that sometimes would end in disaster. Ah ha ha, oh man. Once I stirred too quickly and I lost control of the bowl. It went flying across the room and broke my mother's favorite vase."

"HA HA HA!! Are you serious?!" Lloyd fell into a fit of laughter that quickly turned into a coughing fit. Regal gave Lloyd his mug to drink. Lloyd took a huge gulp quickly and he started to relax. Lloyd gave Regal a smile. "I, I'm sorry Regal."

"Don't be. It's not your fault that you're ill, now is it?"

"Yeah. I'm glad I got to talk to you. I never knew that you were fun," Lloyd said. He got up and turned back to his blanket. Regal was left by the fire's glow.

"I'm fun, aren't I?"

I'm not much of a Regal fan, but I think I did him some justice here. What do you guys think? See any mistakes? Like it? Dislike it? REVIEW PLEASE!!

-Scaff