Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or Naruto nor any of the characters. Just a fan of both.

Of Angels and Ninjas

1

It was a late night tonight.

He was a simple man, a dwarf—and resident blacksmith—that lived just beyond the forest from the nearest village. He seemed like a hermit but he occasionally showed his face around the villagers every now and then. Should it be to purchase supplies or sell some simple, crafted weapons he made at his workshop at his house, those were the only times he had any human contact. The humans that lived in that village nearby weren't bad people—they used to be wary of him because of his different race but they managed to bypass their differences. Well, most of them did.

Earlier that evening, he had been cutting down a few trees for firewood for his workshop. Imagine his surprise when, later this night, he would be the one to find a severely injured woman, coated in blood, already at death's door but holding onto a small child that couldn't have been any older than three or four years old. She was wearing a dress, if the leftovers of it could be called that, and had short, but extremely dark brown hair. Her eyes were also dark, which blended into the shadows of the night. The child though; he hardly had any bruises on him; just minor cuts that could be easily tended to. There were dead bodies of the dreaded half-elves—the Desians—scattered about, all mortally wounded, slashed or penetrated. The works of a sword from a skilled swordsman, which the woman didn't have on her. Perhaps she got in the crossfire of a fight?

It was a shame; the woman was dying, but in her last moments, she entrusted him, a complete stranger, to take her son and the blue stone—Exsphere, he knew what it was—with him. She barely had the energy to mutter the boy's name and her own before she passed.

Lloyd Irving.

Anna.

Those were their names. The dwarf had nothing against humans and wouldn't turn a blind eye on someone who needed help. He scooped up the boy and left the cliff's clearing. He assumed the woman must have been an escapee from the Human Ranch nearby. When he got to his small, dome-shaped house, he dressed the child's wounds, lied him in his bed and prepared to give the woman, Anna, a proper burial, as soon as he returned to the clearing again.

However, it seemed as if the gods had yet another surprise that night for the kind dwarf.

The wails of an infant carried throughout the darkened forest, which was subjected to the sky's tears—rain. Wary of what was to come, the dwarf armed himself with his larger-than-average mallet, preparing for the monsters that made their home in the forest. As he got closer to the sound where the crying baby's holler resounded, he smelled the scent of fresh blood and...death.

No.

He picked up his pace, hoping that the child wasn't harmed in any way. He was quick to find its location and when he got there, he couldn't help but gasp. Laying in a pool of blood was a man, with a gaping hole in his stomach, lying face up but in his arms, was a bundle. It contained the screeching child who looked none too comfortable in the position he was held in. Not to mention, he was getting wet from the downpour and blood—not his own—that had been on him was washing away little by little. The man had shocking blond hair that only matted down because it was wet. Hints of blood were tangled into the golden locks. He was wearing something odd; a vest, some kind of suit underneath, sandals and a dirtied long coat with pale, red flames as the design on the edges of the coat. He wore some headband on his head with some strange insignia on it. What was really odd was the circular tear from the man's vest and shirt (he wasn't sure) that appeared just over his chest.

When he got closer, there was some intricate pattern in black ink or some other sketched over his chest. What was really odd was the same pattern appeared on the baby's exposed belly. He took careful note that the infant had identical blond locks as the man, and strange, three lines on each side of his face as he wailed on. Whoever this man was, he must have been in a fight with monsters or worse...the Desians as well. Did he try and help that woman before? Were they together?

Before he got any closer, the seemingly dead man's eyes creaked open, his chest slowly rising and falling, struggling to stay among the living for one final time. His arms languidly tightened around the crying infant's form, a demonstration that he was conscious enough to attempt to defend with the very life he was soon losing. He even tried to sit up but was losing that battle very quickly. The dwarf stopped, placed his weapon down and tried to make peace with the man.

"Easy 'ere. Peace. I'm not gonna hurt ya or yer boy."

The man didn't seem to understand him as there was a faint look of confusion on his face. Perhaps he was too much in a daze to comprehend. The silence between them continued for only a few moments before the man's head slowly nodded. The dwarf sighed internally. Good; he didn't want to really repeat himself. This man was most likely on death's door as well. The blond man's breath hitched and he tried to hold back a cough, but it failed miserably. Not only did saliva burst through his weak defense but more blood. He wasn't going to live much longer.

"I know yer not much for talkin', but..."

"N...Nami-i-ika-a-aze M-Min-n-n-ato."

That was sudden. He was going to ask the man for his name. He wasn't sure what kind of first name Namikaze was nor last name of Minato, but, he wasn't going to complain. Hm, now that seemed familiar. Some place, he wasn't sure, he thought he recalled people introducing themselves in that fashion. He wasn't sure who they were, as it was a faint recalling, but those people used their surnames first and first names last. Strange, but that means this man, and by proxy, the infant, were natives to wherever that was.

"Minato Namikaze?" the dwarf repeated slowly. The dying blond's eyebrow raised for a faint second before nodding. All right; he was familiar with the name rearrangement.

"And yer boy?"

"...U-uzu...ma...ki N-N-Naru...to."

The man was on his last leg, the dwarf knew. The child's cries weren't helping the situation. It was as if he could sense the distress and emotion from the man who was currently holding him. Rain pelted away, giving the dark atmosphere of the scene before him. The man attempted to cover the infant from the rain using the ridiculous amount of whatever cloth he was bundled up in. Shaking his head, seeing some pattern in the night, the dwarf cautiously moved towards the blond. "Name's Dirk. Don't worry about yer boy. I know a dyin' man when I see one. I won't abandon anyone in need. One of the Dwarven vows." A brief exchange of dark eyes with the cerulean of the man was made. The blond seemed confused again but took it with strained stride.

"...Dirk-san... I—"

"No need. You and yer son. Are ya both from the village?"

A slight moment's wait and a silent nod was given. All right, then perhaps he would take the tyke and then see if anyone would take the infant in. It wouldn't do to have one of the villagers' children with him. They could be looking for this man and his child for all he knew. "I'll take yer boy to the village when 'da weather clear up."

Smiling for another moment, Minato—the man—gave a short nod. 'Good. The Sandaime will take it from there if he hasn't already found us. Kushina... Naruto... I'm sorry.'

"...Please... do not blame my son... he is a hero... do not... mistreat him for the...burden he carries...Dirk-san."

Burden? What burden? What could this child possibly have on his shoulders already? And a hero? This was all too confusing. But perhaps it wouldn't do to question a dying man. Dirk simply nodded his head at Minato's strange request. It would be fair to honor his last wish, after all. Minato's arms around the baby shifted lightly, as if he were letting go the only anchor his life could attach to in this world. Dirk took note of this, approached carefully and took the crying baby from his father's final grasp. Using his own vest, he tried to keep the babe rain free as much as possible.

"Minato... Your wish will be granted."

"...Th-thank you... Dirk..."

Minato knew it was foolish to trust the villagers to treat his son as a hero. No, he wasn't stupid. They would try their best to hurt him, possibly kill him before his time because of what he—and by proxy, himself—contained. Using that seal, he knew his life was forfeited for villagers who would forsake his last, dying wish. His self sacrifice, both his own and his son's, would be in vain. But, hearing this man, Dirk's, voice of confidence, it didn't seem so farfetched. The man sounded odd, but he also seemed like a man of his word. A man who would do anything to make sure his sacrifice wasn't without. And, with that thought, he could die in peace.

When there was no more light in Minato's eyes, Dirk knew the man had passed on.

Shame, once again.

Two dying parents. Two abandoned children. Both in the same night. What were the odds of this happening? One was a three-year-old boy and the one in his arms was just a baby. Well, one he hoped had a home in the nearby village. It was worth the effort. Bowing his head in polite respect of the dead, Dirk made his way back to the clearing with the lifeless Anna's body, picked it up and headed back to his home. He would come back for Minato and prepare him a proper burial as well. Oddly enough, the baby in his arm stopped wailing and settled for sniffles and soft whimpers. It was kind of endearing in a way. Both of them were so innocent to these worldly terrors. Both lost their only family—to what he knew of—and had nowhere to go. Well, perhaps the blond little baby had someone at the village.

-x-

The night had already been full of chaos, but the destruction in the aftermath stunned the old man into silence. He approached the area in which the barrier had been let down, having seen a brilliant flash and the monstrous fiend shrinking down into chakra. Several ninjas garbed in dark clothes and wearing animal masks surveyed their surroundings. "Sandaime-sama! Kushina-sama is still alive! But she won't be for much longer until she's taken into immediate care!"

The former Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, sighed in relief that his successor's wife was still alive, albeit barely. "Hurry and take her to the hospital at once!" He barked the order.

"Hai, Sandaime-sama!" the ANBU who informed him hurriedly rushed the Yondaime's wife to the hospital via the Shunshin no Jutsu. The remaining ANBU followed their former leader, now searching for whatever remained of their Hokage and anyone else that had been within the barrier. The Yondaime had taken the Nine-Tails far from Konoha and erected the barrier. He had told his predecessor that the sealing technique he would use would be suicidal and there were no chance of him surviving it. He also informed him he would seal the beast into his newborn son, named Naruto, in order to stop the terror. It appeared successful, but the only thing was...

The Yondaime's body wasn't anywhere within the area. And no sign of an infant, either. The Sandaime was troubled—where could they have gone? It wasn't possible that they simply vanished out of thin air, could it? No. They had to be somewhere around here. "Namikaze Minato, his body should be in this area," Hiruzen said, turning to his ANBU squad, "There should also be an infant near him as well. Search for them." He commanded. With a salute and a 'Hai, Sandaime-sama,' the squad left for their search.

Little did they know, their search would be for naught; it would become the start of their nightmare for Konoha. It would be the beginning of the failed plan of the future threats that would have targeted the lost infant later in his life.

Hiruzen sighed heavily, knowing he would be working overtime once again. 'Minato... Where are you and Naruto? Was the sealing successful? If so... Are you both still alive...?'

-x-

He couldn't believe it. No, it was more like he didn't want to believe it. He had not only lost his family, but had killed his wife. And then... And then... They fell over the cliff. He couldn't save them in time. His mind was spinning, replaying the events that just transpired over and over again. Where had they gone wrong? No, where had he gone wrong? How did they get caught by them? When? How? Why? Where? He was staring at the spot where he felt his wife and child may have fallen and landed. There was absolutely no way a heavily injured woman and three-year-old boy could have survived that fall. No... but he hoped, gods, he really did. He had lived for a very long time in loneliness. Then he rescued her in spite of the dangers and eventually fell in love. He gave her hope, a new reason to live, to have his humanity back. And then, when she gave birth to his son, their son. He was such a precious being, and it brought even more joy to his life. With the both of them at his side, even though they were always on the move, he couldn't have imagined a better life.

Life was worth living for them. He would protect them with everything he had.

But, he failed them. Tonight, this dark, rain-filled night had to be the day he would have to abruptly say goodbye to them. For the world simply took them away from him and it was because of those damn Desians.

Why. Why them? Why did they have to die and leave him alone once more? He would gladly trade his life for theirs. For them to be happy and be alive. Fate was much too cruel. It didn't want him to be happy. It didn't care if he found what was lost in his longevity of life. It ripped his heart out and stuffed it back in with holes, bruises and an irreversible pain.

The only thing left that he had was a small, abandoned shoe. The left shoe that matched the size of his young son's. It was torn and fresh blood stained upon it, but it was the only thing left. Nothing else. He shakily sank to his knees, trembling as his hands sluggishly reached for the only shred of evidence that his son had been there. The fallen bodies of the Desians were still around, but they were long since dead. He had cut them down personally when defending his family.

He tenderly stroked the shoe as if willing his son to appear any moment.

As much as he wished it, it didn't happen. This wasn't a terrible dream, either.

He shivered, and not because of the cold, falling rain that pattered when it hit his body. The empty, dark feeling of sorrow, loneliness and denial gripped him like an iron fist. The reality had brutally reminded him of his loss but the acceptance of it... It would never come. No, he couldn't just accept this! No... maybe. Maybe they were still alive? They weren't here and it looked like they left this area. Perhaps- Perhaps there's a chance!

"No." A voice he remembered all too well, the voice he thought he escaped years ago. It was behind him. He turned around, frantically, not in any mood to deal with them.

"I have to find them."

"Calm yourself."

"No! They... They have to be around here somewhere! I will not- not leave them! They may be still alive! I have to!"

"They're gone."

A pause. Only the splatter of the rain, the crisp, thundering above and the rushing wind could be heard. The men stared at each other for another second before the first's face twisted into a disbelieving scowl. "You're wrong. They- They're here. I know it. I will not stop until I find them. I—"

"I have searched everywhere. There is no trace of your family being here." The second said simply, green eyes meeting the denying auburn. "I'm sorry." The first didn't want to listen. Didn't want to hear that. No! It couldn't be true! His family, the only two beings in this world that made him a man, a father, a human again... They couldn't be gone! He clutched the tiny shoe, the only remnant of his little boy in his hand and slowly started away from the second. He would find them. He would help his wife and heal her. And then they could leave this darkness, this nightmare. Before he could get any further, a cool, firm hand stopped him by grasping his shoulder.

"Let- Let go of me. I must find them." He said in the strongest voice he could manage in this weakened, crushed state of his. His voice was shaky even—it was full of grief and a small hint of hope.

"I can't. I'm sorry, Kratos. But they're gone. Look at the ground beneath you. Monsters around this area are very hostile... They may have been dragged off by them or worse, eaten." The second said, his slender, blond hair sleek against his face and body due to the rain. The first man, Kratos, still denied every word but he couldn't deny the fact that there were no bodies here. Just the single shoe of his son's was left. It did look like his wife had been dragged a little before the trail stopped abruptly. And his boy—no, he was probably the first to go. The ravenous beasts of this forest must have gotten to him. That- That had to be the only explanation.

No... Perhaps there was time-!

"Kratos... It's time. It's time to come back. Look at where this foolishness you've led has gone. Now, because of you... It's gone. The false happiness you held... It's no more."

"No..."

"But, we can make a world of happiness. A world where none of this can happen. Where everyone is equal. No more death, no more sorrow."

"...No..."

"I can help you get your family back, Kratos. I can give you your wife and your son. All you need to do is accept. Give me your hand and let me guide you. With the next generation, I can give you back what you lost." The second man said, his voice soft and certain. The auburn-haired man before him was still in a state of shock and utter denial, but slowly, his hope was dwindling. The hope that his family wasn't dead, that he could find them if he could just get away and go look, damnit!

The offer... It was tempting... Very tempting.

His lost wife. He could have her again.

His son, not even old enough to have lived the life to the fullest. He would have him back.

And they could be a family again.

But- But was it worth it? Going back? Going back to the one who he betrayed several years ago to find his own way, his own road to happiness? His own solution to this corrupted world? Going back to that miserable life he had once led? No, but what else could he do? There was nothing here for him. It was taken away from him so cruelly. His smile, which was only reserved for his family, would never see the light. His determination to protect them to the fullest, all but collapsed. He felt so empty, so alone. Already, he was becoming the shell, the shadow, of his former self. Rather, he felt he was reverting back to the emotionless man he had once been before he found his love and his son. His mind was too jumbled, too distracted, to give him a rational answer.

Without even knowing it himself, he resigned and gave a small nod to the blond-haired man behind him.

"Don't worry Kratos. I will not disappoint. You will not disappoint. Your transgressions of Cruxis are forgiven. Let's go home." The swordsman, still gripping the shoe in his hand, allowed himself to be teleported away. Just as the leaner blond was about to, a faint, flicker of energy caught his attention. It seemed familiar, like the mana of one of the summon spirits, but like a human's. How could a human of this world summon a spirit without a Summoner? Slightly intrigued by this phenamenon, he followed the trace of the mana signature, stepping around many trees and brushes that were in his way.

As soon as he reached the location of the signature, he was very surprised. It was a man, who looked close to Kratos' physical age. He was wearing clothes that looked eerily familiar to a place located in the other world. One who wasn't supposed to be here. Did he try a summon and failed? Well, served him right for trying. But upon further sensing calculation, the mana within this man seemed...purer. More defined, but yet weak. His body was deliberately trying to salvage any of the remaining energy it had to keep it barely alive. It was also absorbing the minimal mana to compensate for the other mana-like energy that was lost.

There was also something else strange about him.

There was an even larger form of that odd, mana-like pulse inside this man. But he wasn't consciously tapping into it. No—it was doing that itself. A person who could heal themselves without becoming an angel of Cruxis? Very, very peculiar.

'Hm... Possible that I could use him. He is almost at death's door and it would be easy to manipulate him. After all, he would be under my thumb because he would be in my debt. Forever. I did need another up there to command. Something about Yuan frustrates me because he's becoming a presence that hardly comes around. Hm... And he could...utilize this energy that seems like mana well, from what I can sense. Good... Another servant, literally dropped in front me. It's done. Another angel for my liking. And a loyal one that won't betray me, either.' The man walked over to the other blond, who was well on his way to death. The other would have none of that and touched the strange garbed male's head before snapping his fingers.

He was teleported away in that instant. Grinning madly, the other followed suit.