Title: excruXiation
Author: trickssi
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I own neither the characters not their scripted antics in Symphonia, Rodeo Ride Tour, and Dawn of the New World.
Description: Coming to terms with oneself is not an easy task, especially with distractions like the Ratatosk upheaval, relationship problems, and friends going berserk. But in order to move forward, Zelos has to destroy an integral part of his past. In this chapter, haters gonna hate.
Warnings: Major spoilers for ToS, the Japanese radio drama Rodeo Ride Tour, and Tos: DotNW.
1. Paranoia Paranoia
"Can We Still Choose the Chosen?
Friedrich Callon of the New World Times
A small street in Meltokio fills with hordes of screaming, young girls. They're launching themselves at the battlements of the House of Wilder, home of the Chosen of Tethe'alla, Zelos Wilder. While this may seem like a shock to those unfamiliar with the city, women's enthusiasm for the Chosen has long been a Meltokio tradition. However, on this particular occasion, the reason they're causing a riot is quite different.
These girls are furious—and no, it's not over his new wardrobe. In the past two years since the Union of the two worlds, Wilder has taken only small steps to improve life for Tethe'allans. These so-called measures include signing a law regarding size of lawn ornaments of the residents of Flanoir, creating more categories for Meltokio's Coliseum, and on top of that, completely ignoring the Papacy's requests for funding which causes the government to turn to the nobles' sums. But more aggravating is his daily absence from the court.
"If you're going to force us under the power of the Chosen, at least make him show his face once in a while," citizen of Lower East Meltokio and regular night guard Seth Grunewald complains as he tries to hold back the crowd.
However, the reason for immediate anger draws from the recent arrival of his half-sister, Seles. Seles Wilder's mother, Celestine Valz, was the cause of controversy approximately two decades ago when she was charged with the murder of Wilder's mother, Mylene, as well as the attempted murder of the Chosen himself. Not only was she in contempt of the position of Chosen, but she was also a half-elf turned to violence. We can only speculate as to her justification for such a vile act. While Celestine was executed, Seles was also punished by being confined to life in an abbey without prolonged leave of absence.
You may be wondering, 'Then how, oh knowledgeable scribe, did she suddenly come to reside in the House of Wilder?' The answer lies in the collapse of the Tethe'allan government after the Union. Somehow, the laws about convicts were "destroyed" and word escaped that the Chosen had pardoned dozens of them, including his own half-sister. Since the crime she pays for involves solely the Chosen's life, the King must have allowed this to go unnoticed for so long.
But no longer! Day after day, women—and more recently men—have come to disturb the residence in hopes of spotting the secretive Seles. Some of them come armed with knives and pitchforks in hopes that they will be able to bring the dishonorable desian-born to justice.
How does the Chosen feel about the ruckus? Obviously, he cares enough to pay for royal guards to surround his residence day after day in hopes of protecting Seles. However, no reporter has been able to spot him. Suspicious? Absolutely, especially considering his recent prolonged absence. (For those of you who don't recall, the Chosen took a private "tour" of the world that lasted upwards of three months just last year.)
As he has not been present to disavow speculation, rumors have begun to fly about the Chosen's current situation. Has he begun to run out of money and started dealing Exspheres? This is a possibility due to his closeness to Sir Lloyd Irving, who is currently questing to find them all and "destroy" them. The influence of half-elves during the Sylvaranti Chosen's journey may have affected the judgment of our very own leader.
Is it possible that the Chosen is conducting international affairs behind the Papacy's back? Or, is it, perhaps, something as embarrassing as eloping with a country girl?
"Last week, I saw the Chosen taking a walk with that [hideous] [floozy], Fujibayashi," claims the Count's daughter, Elena Smithton. "I can't believe he would sink that low! I mean, he should be seeking the attention of girls of the same class. And if he ever marries that [disreputable woman], we will hunt him down!"
Smithton refers to the fact that Ms. Sheena Fujibayashi, of the Journey of Regeneration and the Emissary to the King, is not a noble-born and resides in the hidden village of Mizuho.
Britannia Addams, second-cousin to the Princess Hilda, remarks also, "Lately, it seems like he's not interested in us anymore. How much longer are we supposed to keep praising him if he can't even show the courtesy to flirt with us? It's, like, so annoying!"
Whether or not the Chosen is involved in the former acts is still up in the air. But one thing is for certain: his popularity level has skyrocketed downward in the past year, and it is doubted that he will ever regain his reputation."
Zelos flopped down the newspaper on the edge of his dining table and gave a weighty sigh. "Can you believe the bull-crap they're rambling on about these days?" he asked.
"Absolutely not, Master Zelos," Sebastian replied from the kitchen doorway. He was shining up one of the gold-bordered champagne glasses Zelos had used a few days ago.
"I mean, be honest with me, man. It's obvious that I'm not in hiding. I just can't go outside because all of those ridiculous people trying to get in. And besides," he mused, picking up a piece of toast, "the King's the one who sent those guards, not me."
"Certainly, it seems that the press has nefarious intentions for your name if they would go to such lengths to obfuscate the truth."
"Well, they got Elena and Britannia down just right. That's the thing—they write so correctly about one thing, and then boom! Suddenly I'm an Exsphere dealer! I'm helping convicts! And don't even get me started on what they said about Seles…"
Zelos stuffed a few bits of the toast into his mouth and tried to appreciate the flavor—that is, toast made from not-moldy, not-stale bread: Not-Travel Toast. Although, it was sort of hard to stomach anything this morning. He'd been up most of the night trying to draft another proposal for the fair treatments of half-elves and the re-establishment of the city of Exire, and at every moment his thoughts wandered to Seles's condition. Either that, or he thought about why Cruxis had been developed, or how he hated that he seemed like a hypocrite, or how he wished that Sheena hadn't been so willing to break up with him again.
"Sir, you cannot expect them to know about Seles if you don't inform them yourself," Sebastian advised. He set the shining glass back inside its display cabinet.
"I know." Zelos brushed some crumbs from his vest. "I… know, but there's no telling these people anything. I'd say the walls have ears, but clearly they don't. Otherwise, people would already know about her breathing problem," he said.
In all solemnity, he had developed a concern over Seles's health that overrode any care he had for his own life. The girl could die any day, as far as he knew. The Exsphere—and for a portion of Seles's life, his own Cruxis Crystal—used to keep her in a decent enough condition to fight off diseases that would harm her. But recently, the government recalled Exspheres because of their origin in human ranches. It would have been too risky to let the half-sister of the Chosen keep hers when so many others had to surrender theirs. Plus, it would have been against Lloyd's plan of obtaining all rogue Exspheres. The only catch was that Seles's health was beginning to decline rather rapidly. Zelos supposed that the government, like so many other times, had not thought of the consequences of what it was doing by revoking what was essentially life support. There had to be something he could do; maybe work in a new treatise? Commission the Elemental Lab and waste millions of gald researching Seles to cure her? He just needed more time.
"If only she hadn't given up her Exsphere so early. I feel like they woulda let me prolong those laws…"
Sebastian, seeing that all-too-familiar look of thinking on the Chosen's face, quickly interjected, "Master Zelos, why don't you write a letter to Miss Fujibayashi? Perhaps her teachings have given her experience in alternative treatments."
"Ahhhh, Sebs, y' old bastard, you're killing me. I know you're just trying to help, but I don't need to be thinking about her right now," Zelos sighed. Under his breath, he continued, "Last thing I need is to be thinking about her."
"Do I sense some regret in your tone, perhaps?"
Zelos sat straight up from his slumped position in the chair and glared at his butler. "Listen. We both know why it happened the way it did. Let's just let bygones be bygones. It was… probably supposed to happen, anyway."
The silence that followed was thick and cautious. Sebastian decided that he ought to distract himself by cleaning up the remnants of Zelos's breakfast. As he leaned to retrieve the plate (which, he noted, still had a fair amount of untouched scrambled egg on it), he paused before picking up the newspaper as well.
"Master Zelos, do you wish for me to keep this one with the others on file?"
"Sure. Why not? It adds to the collection. In fact, you could frame it and put it in the foyer, and then throw a party for all of my fans where they could throw a dart at it for ten gald," he responded. When Sebastian's face contorted in a confused but compliant manner, Zelos interjected, "It's a joke—please don't actually do that. Man, haven't you learned not to take me seriously?"
He expected more of an understanding reaction, but Sebastian turned to him and said gravely, "I have learned over the years that doing the exact opposite is the more prudent decision."
Well, okay, sometimes that applied, Zelos figured. "I understand that it's in your best interest to indulge me, but really. Darts, Sebby? Ahh, come on, I'm not going that crazy. Unless you actually thought—"
"No, no, sir! All in jest. We need more smiles in the House of Wilder," Sebastian concluded. He offered a smile of his own to Zelos before heading to the kitchen's double doors. "I'll see to it that this article is documented."
"Thanks," Zelos said before Sebastian was out of sight.
He meant it, too; Sebastian had been helping more and more lately in ways that did not match the job description. It began when the magitechnologically powered screen systems were shut down and gutted of Exspheres. Many residents of Tethe'alla languished without the ease of their machinated lives. However, Sebastian, who had never been one in favor of such screens, was able to continue his work without a transition back to paper. It was much to his joy when Sylvarant innovated a primitive printing press based on the old screens' function.
Not only did Sebastian notice the fortune in this new invention through its accessibility, but he also knew that it would be the best way to gather information from around the world in a relatively quick amount of time. Any knowledge of activity would better protect the Chosen. Since the first editions of the New World Times and several other Sylvaranti publications, Sebastian had begun to collect every issue on the chance that it could help him. And if not, the crossword was entertaining enough.
Although the prospect of prose on paper seemed trifling to a domain as prosperous as Tethe'alla, the newspaper system began to slowly unite Sylvarant. The King remained ignorant of this, however. Certainly, it would have been his prerogative to find out; and one day he sent a request to the Chosen to correspond with the Emissary over the presses. Well, regardless of the fact that Zelos took this in a more casual fashion (where "correspond with" meant something of a slightly devious nature, and at the time he and Sheena were on good terms), Sebastian took it upon himself to collect the papers and selectively inform the King. This way, neither Zelos would have to worry himself with the articles nor would the King know of details that would harm Zelos's life.
It seemed clear, though, that the Sylvaranti people were growing impatient and angry with their state of being and that they needed a whipping boy. Sebastian read articles of how the crops in the Izoold region failed to take root in the spring; how Triet's temperatures were decreasing low enough to wipe out much of the flora and fauna; how Altamira became a pesky intersection where nationalist racism halted trade temporarily. In true fashion of a declining world, they pointed fingers at Colette Brunel, their own Chosen of Mana.
In fact, a legion of dissatisfied people calling themselves at first the Sylvaranti Liberation Front (and later the Vanguard) began to publish their own columns in the New World Times. They singled out regional leaders, the most notable of which was the ever increasingly-popular widowed father, Brute Lualdi. It was Sebastian's duty, of course, to inform the King that the Sylvaranti Liberation Front was taking hold and trying to justify terroristic attacks by revenge.
However, the King was just a figurehead, just a pretty bead on the necklace of information. The true names, dates, and places were wired through the Tethe'alla Mizuho Information Network on the recommendation of Sebastian, after he'd read all of the articles with serious attention.
Zelos was fortunate to have such a dedicated caretaker, especially in the recent times. So many people from both Sylvarant and Tethe'alla wanted him dead. On at least three separate occasions in the past month, there had been projectiles aimed in the direction of his window as well as Seles's. The article in the Times didn't even begin to describe the restless, bloodthirsty crowds that haunted the streets of Meltokio in recent days.
But what was he supposed to do? There were ways he could hide, ways he could stay on the lam, but he'd tried them all and ended up being targeted anyway. Eventually, he thought, they would find someone else to be mad at and leave him the hell alone.
For now, Zelos dragged himself about his boring daily routine. Up the servants' stairs and to the third door on the right was Seles's room, and he thought it wise to pay her a visit considering the headlines.
"Seles?" he called, though the door was slightly ajar.
"Come in," she replied faintly. It bothered him how airy her voice sounded these days. Nevertheless, he entered and left the door still half-open behind him—a gesture which saddened him, for it meant that the house potentially could come under attack and they would need to hear how far away intruders were.
"Well, Big Brother? Don't just stand there; you'll remind me of Tokunaga. Sit down or something!"
"Geez, for someone claiming to be sick, you're still as bossy as ever," Zelos retorted. He sat on the edge of the bed as she sat up against the headboard.
"I was never bossy."
"Okay, well, if you don't want me around—"
"Zelos, stay," Seles said. "You don't look well."
"That's a fine thing for you to be saying. Although, maybe I do feel a little less beautiful than normal," he said, accenting the sarcasm. Seles cracked a smile. If there was one thing she could count on, it was that her brother was going to be a goofball. She'd managed to get over the way he spoke of himself, as it was clearly his defense reflex and mostly a joke. Zelos did, however, look a little more tense than usual. "I suppose I'm a little harried at what I found in the paper this morning."
Seles's features turned grim. "Another terrorist attack?" she asked. It was possible that an attack could have injured one of Zelos's friends, or worse.
"Well, you could say that. Or, you could look outside and see for yourself. They're still there. And not only that, but they wrote an article about us. It's under the guise of Chosen nonsense, but it's really about how they're mad that you're here," Zelos summarized.
Seles sighed deeply. "I kept hoping those sounds were just riots at the castle, but I suppose I shouldn't close my eyes to these facts anymore."
"I just—I can't believe how much they misunderstand, you know?" Zelos stared at the ornate wallpaper behind the dresser and made a mental note to have Tokunaga check it for mold. "They don't know how bad it's gotten."
"It hasn't gotten that bad," Seles said, frowning. "Besides, it's better that I'm here than at the Abbey. We needed to make those renovations sometime and I'd rather be under your guard—I mean, I'd rather have this household take care of me…"
Zelos grinned. "What's that, my dear sister? You like that I'm taking care of you?"
"Stop teasing me, that's not fair!"
"'Stop teasing me!' Not now that I can call you out on your game!" Zelos mocked. "Ya know, you used to be so sensitive about…"
"Zelos!" Seles shouted. She threw a nearby pillow at his head, which caused him to mutter something along the lines of, "Not the face—!" before being thwacked squarely in the jaw.
"And you know what?" she added, victorious. "You like taking care of me." She emphasized her point by taking the pillow from under her back and clocking him again. "You need to take care of me! You're such a needy person, Zo-Zo!" Zelos made a grand display of being wounded from the pillows and played dead over the edge of the bed. He figured he might as well, since it was rare to see her so jovial about anything.
But Seles wasn't finished. As long as she had him vulnerable, she figured she might as well see how much information she could get out of him. She was bedridden, after all.
"You need someone to take care of since that hag dumped you when—"
Immediately, Zelos sprang back to life and threw the pillows off himself. Because he still had the strength of the Exsphere, they slammed into the wall and startled his sister with the sound. The shadows crept along his face as he stood above the bed, and his playful tone dropped to menacing.
"Don't you dare… don't you ever call her that again. Do you hear me?" he said.
Trying to keep herself composed, Seles replied coolly, "Yes, Big Brother, I understand. I was just joking."
Meanwhile, a thunder of footsteps resounded from the hallway. The door swung open to reveal an expectant Tokunaga. Seles made a small gasp and began to cough herself into a fit.
"Yo, you got news or something? Kind of in the middle of something important," he barked over her coughs. He turned to his sister. "Are you okay?"
Seles struggled to sit up straight, but nodded to him. Shortly thereafter, the coughs subsided. Zelos stood up from a crouch near her—it bothered him that he didn't remember getting into that position.
"Master Zelos, I was informed that there was a rumpus upstairs. It is my duty to protect the Lady Seles," the servant replied. After the initial panic, he observed the room. Zelos hoped the man wouldn't notice the pillows that had been thrown across the room, but that was a given since Seles's room was normally well-kept. He winced as Tokunaga paused to say, "What are those pillows doing on the other side of the room?"
"Tokunaga, please," Seles began weakly, "don't worry. Zelos and I were just playing around."
"Certainly, my Lady Seles. However, Chosen One, as this moment has demonstrated, you may not be fully accommodating to Seles's condition. I understand your penchant for flippancy, but I advise you to take your laissez-faire attitude more literally. Please do not roughhouse the Lady Seles." There was a polite sneer forming on Tokunaga's lips as he chastised Zelos.
Nothing much to do, Zelos knew. There would always be a push-pull atmosphere when it came to Seles's being in the house. Give her attention, leave her alone to rest. Do as you wish, do as your father indicated that he wished for you. Man, aristocracy was difficult. Still, he replied, "Gotcha. Sorry. Won't happen again." Terse, curt; but with that civil air behind it.
"All the same, I would ask you to leave."
"What? But it's only 9:30, and I'm allowed to visit until ten!" he protested.
"Yes, until the Lady fell ill. Please leave her in peace."
Seles locked eyes with Zelos, sending the message that she was not ill enough to be left alone and that she thought Tokunaga was being harsh.
"—Fine, fine. I'll go for now, but I'm coming back later with that article," he said, directing his last words at the patient girl in the bed. "Seles—I—Feel better, okay?"
Zelos turned for the door without looking back, for he was unsure of what Seles's reaction would be. He could hear Tokunaga closing the door a little after he left.
He never did return to her room with that article.
Instead, Zelos ordered that Sebastian obtain another copy, upon which he doodled a single word to Seles in plain black ink: "Sorry." Took him a good hour to figure out exactly what he wanted to write, too. He sighed. To fill up some more time during the boring morning hours, he filled in the Suu-Dou-Kuu math puzzle on her copy as well, if only since he knew she loved them and he wanted to make her laugh in frustration.
Later that afternoon, as he sat on the couch and cast a fireball into the hearth for comfort, he thought of the stark idiocy of his correspondence. Of course he had to write only one word—that was becoming his style, wasn't it? He remembered when he was on his little adventure with Sheena. They had come to the end of their journey, and all he did was complain about finding paper. He meant to write her a long letter, of course, full of metaphors and compliments and his particular brand of upper-class lust. It ended up just being a single word, which he had delivered to her after their parting.
"Thanks."
He was certain Sheena would twist her eyebrows in knots as she thought about what that meant. But to be honest, he wasn't sure what it meant, either. It seemed like the most appropriate response for her companionship as he evaded danger. Thanks for coming with me in the first place. Thanks for spending time with me while we were both on this world. For choosing me…
In the moments before he fell into a feline nap, Zelos wondered if Sheena would ever be able to choose him again. Funny, wasn't it; ironic that the newspapers could say something so wrong on the surface, but so very on target for the thoughts he dreaded to think.
