Hello, it's RBL here with chapter 2, again. Looking back I noticed that chapter 1 wasn't my only crap chapter so I have planned to try and clean these old chapters up a little. This got some heavy editing and lost a scene since its first post. Hopefully it's still an enjoyable chapter.

I do not own Tales Of Symphonia in any way nor wish to own it. I cannot claim ownership of anything here except the word arrangement.


Ah. It's so bright. Where are my glasses?

I reach over to where the night stand in my room is, and feel nothing. No book, no glasses, and no nightstand. I open my eyes again. This isn't my room. This looks like the VIP room at Altermia. When did—oh yeah. I came here yesterday, and now I'm stuck in this world. Did I wear glasses when I came here? Is my vision 20/20?

Suddenly Regal's words ring in my head again. 'What about your parents?' I miss my mom, I miss my dad, I miss, my dog, I think I even miss my brothers and sister. Shaking off depression I decide to get up and leave. (Yes that's right. I slept in my potato sack cloths last night. What else is new?) I head downstairs. Regal is at the front desk talking to the receptionist. I think it's time for a little spying. I walk closer and hide behind a plant.

"Well, thank you." Regal says as he turns toward the elevator.

Blast! Why didn't I wake up sooner?

"What are you doing?"

Blimey he saw me. It was at this point that I realized I was crouched behind a plant with Regal staring down at me. The humility.

"Uh, when you saw me yesterday, did I have glasses on?" I stand up.

"Why do you ask? Did you lose them?"

"Just please answer the question."

"No. You weren't."

"Thank you."

"Are you always up this early?"

"I have yet to see a clock, but I do wake up fairly early."

"Well it's about eight o'clock now. Most people your age like to sleep in."

It's eight! Whoa, I slept in by about two hours! (Yes you heard right. I get up from 6-6:30 daily! I'm an early bird.)

"Yeah, but there is only so much time in a day." I head to the door.

"You aren't going to-"

"-Look, I'd love to talk with you all day but there are things that I must attend too." The truth is that I would love talk to Regal all day, but I'm in his world and I need to clear my head on the whole issue.


Alicia, is this what you felt like when you first came to Altermia? Did you feel like you wanted to stay, but still wanted to go home, with out really going home? (Readers welcome to my mind. A realm full of indifferent indifference and paradoxes. Good luck.)

"Here you are."

What. The. Hey. Was some one looking for me? Regal walked over and sat beside me. Holy cow. I have the Duke of Tethe'alla sitting next to me, in the dirt. I must be special.

"Were you looking for me?"

"No one had seen you for a few hours."

A few hours? Arg. It's bad enough that I slept in already, now this!

"How did you find me here?"

"I saw you over here last night."

The pause between us seemed it would last for days, not seconds until…

"So do you know what this monument here is for?" Regal obviously was trying to make conversation between us.

"It's for those who died in the incident that happened here about eight years ago."

"You heard the rumors?"

"Unlike most people I make use of my ears."

"Does your family know your here?"

"My family isn't with me, not in this world."

I did not expect what happened next. What Regal did, not only took me by surprise, but left me breathless and gasping for air. His bound hands flew over my head and grabbed my back, pulling me in close for an embrace. A hug. (You all though he was going to kiss me didn't you? I did too.) Regal was holding me against his body, in a warm, strong hug. I couldn't move. With Regal's hands in shackles I wouldn't be able to pull away. I was trapped. I couldn't get away even if I wanted to. Regal was going to be the one who decide when I could go. The strange thing was that I was in a situation where Regal held all the cards, and normally I flip out when I don't have a handle on things, but here I loved that I was powerless, that I couldn't do anything.

"I'm sorry." Regal then let out of his arms. I just sat there starring up at the guy. My mind had shut down. Regal had given me a hug. Two of my most favorite things in the world had come together. What I did next surprise even me. I ran. I took off towards the exit and didn't look back. I sat down on the sand a ways away from the hotel, the scene still running through my mind. I wanted to go back to that, to be held in Regal's arms one last time.

Well now you've hurt his feelings, seeing as you ran away the second he let go. Why am I so scared of getting closeto Regal? Hmm. He's 20 years older then you. He's massive and compared to him you're a mouse, and you don't belong to this world. They only way things could get worse if Zelos came up and started hitting on you again. I need to go home. Back to my world. Who could help me? Yuan maybe? Maybe...Martel! I took off on Lloyd's Rheaird towards the Tower of Salvation.


When I got there I found I was alone. There was no sign of Martel. It was just me, some rubble and a sapling. "Hello baby tree…" I greeted. I couldn't believe Martel wasn't there…I guess I would have to find some other way home…

But did I really want to go home? Even if I went back, it would still be the same as before. I would be hated and bullied and no one would care about me…

"I'm different from you little Tree…" I looked at it fondly. "You have Lloyd and Colette and Martel to take care of you and love you…Everyone hates me back home…" I looked at all the ruin surrounding the tree. It was able to still grow even though it was surrounded by hardship. Maybe I could do the same?

"What are you doing here?"

No. Not him. Any one but him. Not Zelos! I don't want to be alone, with Zelos, without the Rheaird in reaching distance. I'm so toast. God help me.

"Why do I have to have a stalker?" I grumbled.

"What? Some creep is bothering you? Never fear, I, the great Zelos, am here to protect you.

"Great, he has long red hair and responds to the name Zelos."

"You're soooo funny."

"Listen, will you just leave me alone? I'm sick of you bugging me. I don't even like you. You're as old as my older brother, and going out with you would just be sick. Not to mention I'll be sick. So just back off!"

"So I'll take that as a maybe." Zelos flashed one of his cheesy grins.

"Aaaaah! MEN ARE SO ARROGANT!" I storm off to get get the Rheaird and to get away from Zelos who, thankfully, didn't follow me.


I had been flying for awhile when I saw something. It was an old wolf lying in the middle of the road, looking like road kill. But wait, this world doesn't have any cars, so how could it be road kill? I land the Rheaird and approach it carefully because this is still a wolf.

"Can you help me?"

Holy cow a talking wolf!" Who are you? And how can you talk?"

"I...am Alto. I *cough* a guardian spirit of *huff* the new moon."

"What do you need?"

"Mana. The mana of another being."

"I can't give you my mana. I'll die without it."

"If we *cough* pact then we both can...share your mana."

"What will happen if we pact?"

"You'll gain strength, and power. *cough cough* Please help me."

"Okay. What do I do?"

"Make a vow, and live by it."

"Right. I swear that as long as I have the will to live and a fear of death, I'll share my mana with you."

"Accepted." A blinding light then began to shine from Alto. When I could see there was a pendent with a wolf silhouette in front of a full moon sitting on the ground where Alto once was. It reminded me of how Sheena's pacts with the Summon Spirits worked. Picking up the necklace in pull it on feeling an intense power surge from it. Is this what its like to have power? Maybe now I won't need an exsphere. Now what? The Temple of Darkness is nearby. Let's check it out!


Wow this place is dark. Good thing I'm not afraid of the dark, anymore.

"Who goes there?"

Great. The jerk king, Zelos is here.

"Answer me! No one is allowed in here."

I don't have to deal with this.

"Alright, you asked for it! Don't run! Grave!" The attack missed me but now the exit is sealed off. Way to go Zelos. "Hah!" I jump back just in time to miss his sword.

Blimey he's going to kill me here. And I can't fight him if he's got that dumb sword of his!

"Burn baby! Eruption!"

Putting my hands into the classic ninja hand sign (The Ram hand sign) I call out. "Flying arte! Fly!" I don't know why I called that out, it just felt like the thing to say. But now two large feathery wings were branching out of my back with me looking down at the 'eruption' that I narrowly missed. "That was close."

"What are you? Some sort of angle?" I'm guessing Zelos can't see my face still. But then why could I see? Maybe the mana in this world will affect us Earthens in more ways than one? Or maybe it has to do with the pact? Eitherway, I have night vision! Whoooot!

"Grass arte! Leaf blade!" Two swords appear in my hands and have the shape of the 'wooden blade' Lloyd uses in the game's beginning. "Swords? I get it. I can use these as swords. Here I come!"

"Looks like you're going to fight me after all." Running in at full speed I think back to the similar attack strategy I used in ToS.

"Check it! Star sweeper!" My arms swing in the motions one would use to draw a five point star, (you know that one where you don't lift your pen from the page.) and finish with a two sword stab into the chest. Cool I can use techs! And I'm not copying anyone. I'll come up with my own. Before Zelos could recover and counter I continued my melee of strikes. "Whirlwind blade!" This time my right arm swing, then my left arm, I do a full 360 and using the kinetic energy I swing my right arm one last time and sent Zelos flying. Note to self, make continued variations of this tech. (you know like demon fang, double demon fang, and demonic circle.) "Time to go."

"Hey, get back here!"

Yeah, right. Dashing up to the exit I prepare an attack. "Fighting arte! Brick break!" My fist is pulled back and ready for impact. Using all my strength the 'Grave' spell is smashed to pieces. "Later loser."


It was getting late now and I knew I should head back to Altermia, and apologize to Regal.

"So where have you been all day?" He asked when I found him.

Come on you idiot, say something! You have a brain, or else I couldn't be talking to you! Now say something!

"I thought that Zelos kiddnapped you." He jokes, putting a hand (the best he can) on my head and ruffes my hair. T_T Dude if I was not in to you, you'd so be getting it.No one, guys mainly, are allowed to mess with a girl's hair!

"I've just been around. Getting my lay of the land."

"So you still haven't returned Lloyd's Rheaird?" Regal the crouches down to meet me at eye level.

Am I really that short?

"So what do you have planned for tomorrow?"

If you're asking me on a date, I will never tell my praents about it. Never."Nothing." Other than trying to get home.

"Then perhaps could you spend the day with me?"

Wait, this sounds like an offer to baby sit me. Bloody heck! I've baby sat before. I don't need a baby sitter. Time for the old prying trick.A smirk appears on my face as my lips form the word. "Why?"

"You're too young to be off on your own."

Ouch, right in the stomache. Time for retaliation. "Last I checked you have no authority power over me as far as the hotel room is conserened. I don't have to listen to what you say. Anything you have to say, I can regard as a suggestion. So-"

"So you still need someone to look after you. As of right now, I'm making it my job to protect you." He said looking me right in the eye.

Just like how you protected Alicia. No, that's a low blow Stacy. Don't say that. I try to walk back into the hotel to my solitude but Regal reached out and grabbed my wrist like Zelos. But unlike Zelos, I'm not scared. Is it because I trust Regal?

I sigh and begin my explanation. "Listen, I'm still trying to get my head around all that's happened lately. I'm not going anywhere anythime soon. I'm just going to get some rest now."

"You need someone to keep you safe."

I turn to look Regal in the eyes."Regal, you are a kind person, but you still need to learn to listen. I said that I was going to get some rest. So just-" The sound of my stomach growling cut me off. "I...uh..." Oh come on brain, think! You were just carrying out a conversation with Regal a second ago. Great, I've gone from having his attention, to being a child again. Joy.

"Maybe visiting the restaurant will be your first course of action?"

"I'll...be at the resteruant. Bye!" I dash off before anything else can happen.


Once finally back in my room with a full gut, lying back on the bed, I start thinking about everything that's happened. I wonder what would happen if I did take Regal up on his offer? Then it hits me I forgot to apologize to him for this morning. I'll have to do that later.

Why does he treat my like a little kid. I'm a year older then Genis, so why? Looking up at the stairs I wish that I at least knew which one was Earth, if I was visible that is. Rolling over I take my last deep breath and try to sleep.


Man…I really forgot how bad my writing skills were back then…It is kind'a painful to just look at it, never mind the editing…

If you haven't reviewed then please do so, I would love to hear your thoughts, both good and bad, on my work.

I know I didn't change too much…I really didn't want to have to rewrite the whole chapter like what I did with Ch. 1