(Before you read-
That poat traumatic stress thing? Yeah, it was inpired by a fic I read. A very good one, at that. :3
No, I didn't copy off of it, my version is very much different. D: Thanks and enjoy.)
"Nightmares are our mind's way of saying it's okay to be afraid."
Zelos is scared...
He is... He is...
He is terrified. He keeps smashing himself against the wall of the tank, screaming as the water gets higher...
It's over his head by now.
Raine and Genis are yelling at him to calm down, to hold still and stop screaming...
Lloyd is hacking away at the tank, but not even a scratch is there.
He had gotten Collette out of the one she was trapped in. Regal is tending to her, stopping every now and again to offer advice or shout something...
Presea just joined Lloyd in his attempt to break down the wall of the tank.
But I... But I...
But I can't do anything but cry. I was the only person who knew there was something wrong with Zelos. I could've said something, but when I confronted him about it, he begged and pleaded that I not say anything. He made me promise to keep our conversation a secret.
I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry...
"Sheena..."
He had turned to me, his trademark smile was gone. He was on his knees, huffing and puffing, his face drawn. Suddenly, he had whipped his head to the side and vomited.
Again...
I saw out of the corner of my eye a decent-sized pile of puke and cringed.
"Zelos... You're sick. Let me get Raine, we'll fix you up, okay?"
But he just shook his head and threw up again, this time not missing his clothes.
"Goddammit!" He swore, coughing a bit and wiping his mouth. He then stood up and turned to me. He stumbled a little and swallowed.
"Sheena... promise me, promise me. You won't tell anyone you saw me... saw me throwing up... okay?"
I shook my head.
"Zelos! No! You're ill! I have to..."
"Sheena... I... I..."
He dropped to his knees and clenched his stomach, doubling over to throw up some more. He sobbed some. I shook my head and turned to go get help, but he grabbed my sleeve with his clean hand. He looked up at me like a lost child. I had never seen Zelos like that- so pathetic and weak, covered in vomit and bile, shaking slightly, his hair strewn all over... I didn't know what to think.
And I promised not to tell.
"But... in exchange... you have to tell me what is wrong... where does it hurt?"
"My stomach."
"Er...Well, dumb question, then. How?"
"It feels like... It feels like my insides are on fire."
"What did you eat?"
"... Uh... What everyone else did."
"If you can't tell me what we ate, then you didn't eat at all."
At this moment, I slapped him. I knew he hadn't been eating! I knew it! I saw him dump his food, or mush it around to look like he ate it...
I looked at him again.
He looked so sick, he was pale and looked like he had lost weight. He once again stood up and walked back to camp, and I followed, surprised at myself for making that promise and then slapping the poor guy. When everyone asked why he was covered in puke, he simply said he ate too fast, changed, and left it at that.
He only got worse from there.
He soon started freaking out over the smallest things, he faltered greatly in battle, and he even snapped at Collette and Regal a few times.
He almost punched Presea in the face twice.
Raine established that perhaps it was because of that time in Flanoir, and that Zelos was experiencing "Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome", as she called it, from that incident.
Presea had tripped and gotten a bloody nose, and some of it had dripped onto the snow, spreading around and turning the snow crimson. Zelos freaked when he saw it. He had hit the ground on his hands and knees, screaming 'Mommy I'm sorry!' and 'I didn't mean to! I'll go away! I'll go away!'- He was crying and apologizing, acting like a scolded child. Lloyd put his hand on Zelos' shoulder and the Chosen spun around and clung to him, screaming apologies at the sky. Raine was the one to eventually bring him to his senses by slapping him several times.
Zelos went back to normal for a day or two before he began acting strange again. Everyone noticed for a little while, but still assumed it was just the PTSS. I couldn't help but probe deeper.
And that's when I had found him barfing.
Soon after that incident, we ran into Kratos and some angel soldiers. They quickly overpowered and outnumbered us, kidnapping both Collette and the disoriented and sickly Zelos. Kratos was the last to leave.
When we had finally made it to Welgaia, we were surprised to see both Collette and Zelos in rapidly filling tanks of water, wings spread, eyes closed, air tubes in their mouths. Their Cruxis Crystals were missing and it seemed as though both of them had Angelus Crystallization on their arms and necks.
That's funny, cause I could've sworn Zelos never actually equipped his crystal.
As soon as we stepped forward to release them, the air tubes were yanked out and their eyes snapped open. Lloyd was able to pry open Collette's tank by sticking his sword through a small pre-existing crack. Zelos's tank had only filled up half-way, but the water was coming in faster and faster, and Zelos was freaking out again.
And... That's where we are now...
Except...
Oh my Goddess, the tank is fucking filled.
I can't... I can't...
I can't save you Zelos. I'm so...
I don't even have my cards. I left them at camp by accident.
Zelos...
Please, don't die. I...
I'm sorry I gave up. I'm sorry.
I-
"Sheena!"
"Huh?!"
I sat up, my eyes open, and looked around. Everyone is staring down at me, but who is in my face...? Oh. It's just Zelos.
Wait...
"Zelos! You're alive!?"
"Well, yeah, hun. What makes you think anything could cause the death of the great Zelos James Wilder?"
"I... I..."
Oh. It was just dream... I feel so stupid, but my chest is still clenched up. I still feel sad.
"I had a dream... and... you died."
He's making a face, like he's worried that I know something I shouldn't. He's grinning now. What is he going to pull...?
"Aww! My favorite hunny is dreaming about me! Thanks, Sheena!"
Why that-
I just-
I mean I-
ARGH!
I'm going to just go away now, 'cause I can't deal with his idiotic antics. I'm just going to keep walking...
I thought I lost you... and you laughed.
Zelos... do you know...?
More importantly... do you care?!
I look back for a split second as I'm walking, and he looks like he's fighting with himself. Zelos...
You're your own worst enemy.
You're going to kill yourself, and you won't even notice it happening.
Zelos, can I convince you to stay...
...alive?
Ending on a note-
AHAHAHA! CUT YOU OFF! SPOILERSPOILERSPOILERijustpulledasymphoniaendingonyouSPOILERSPOILER
Nice, eh? I liked this one. :3 I did. I shouldn't have, since I love my Zelos, but I did.
Ah, well, not much to report here. Just... Well, yeah, here. Uh...?
Never mind.
ON THE NEXT TALES OF FOUR SEASONS-
Someone is messing with Zelos' mind. When the Salvation army gets trapped inside their own
worse nightmares, can Zelos come to his senses and rescue them?
This one is a song-fic! YAY!
Update next week.
[Rapture