Author's notes: Hello, and welcome back to this story. I thank you if you are one of the faithful readers of my story, even though it's a self-insert. I appreciate your time spent here.

Lloyd: You do realize that sounded like one of those operators who make you wait on the telephone, don't you?

Me: Sh-shut up. Just do the disclaimer!

Lloyd: Raenef the 6th does not own Tales of Symphonia or any of its characters. Namco does.

Me: On with the show!

"So this kid is the one Yuan wanted to see?"

"Yeah, something about an interrogation or something similar to that. He did a pretty bad job on those Desian scouts we saw. They couldn't touch him for some reason. Then he just simply fell over."

"What a weakling. He must be pathetic if he just fell over like that. I bet I could take him easily."

I'm hearing voices again. Great. And they're not Trill, as far as I can tell. Even better. I start to open my eyes after hearing them, so as to get a clue as to where I am right now.

As I start to move, my body suddenly gives out, and I fall back down flat on my stomach. Ouch. Why does my body hurt so much? I don't remember lifting any weights or getting hit. Hell, I don't even remember getting here, for Pete's sake! I close my eyes and wait for the pain to settle. The voices start talking again.

"Look, he can't even get up. How pathetic. I don't see why Lord Yuan wants to see this kid. I say just kill him and get on with our lives."

Kill me? What the hell did I do?! I don't need to be killed! Just let me go! I'm a kid, why do I need to be killed?!

"Whatever you think doesn't matter. What Lord Yuan or Lord Botta says goes, so deal with it. Come on, let's go. Our shift's up anyway." The voices fade away. Good. Let them leave, so I can be at peace.

Ugh…my head is killing me. Where am I? Last I checked, I was supposed to be in bed, getting ready for summer break with Mithos. Not being thrown in some cold-floored dungeon. Then my memories start to come back.

I was in Symphonia. Well, technically it was Sylvarant. I was with Lloyd and Genis. We were in Triet, and people were looking for us. The Desians, wasn't it? But, why was I here and in pain? Then another memory came along.

I was…fighting them. I was kicking butt at first, and then I suddenly got tired all of a sudden. What happened? I was moving all fast and they were all slow, and then I just fall down flat. Lloyd fell soon afterwards, and then I just fell unconscious. That must have looked weak.

It was strange fighting like that. It was like I was fighting with a power that was not my own, like someone was controlling me. Whatever. Right now, I need to focus on getting up and getting out of here. I don't think I want to stay in jail forever.

I open my eyes again to get a better view of my area. The floor was metal, so that explains the cold. Looking up, I see what I guess somehow constitutes for a jail cell. There was a bed to my left, but it didn't have any covers, only a pillow. On my right, there was a sink with a mirror above it. What probably was the most troubling was the big row of bars holding me here, situated right in front of me and blocking my escape.

Well, this sucks. I can't leave, I've got a killer headache, my whole body hurts, and I'm supposed to be interrogated by Yuan…wait a second.

Yuan is that blue-haired half-elf that's like 4000 years old. And he's the leader of the Renegades. I don't think I can beat him. I could probably fight him for a few seconds, then I'd probably get my butt whooped. I should probably leave before that happens.

Tren, you awake now?

'Hello Trill. Care to explain why the HELL I am in pain right now?'

Well, it was because of that fight earlier. Your body couldn't stand moving that quickly, so it just quit for a little while.

'Okay. Can you maybe explain how I exactly did that?'

Not really. That was something unexpected, so I don't know what caused it. For right now, I'd focus on getting out of there. I don't think you'd want to remain in that cell for very long, now do you?

'I'd think that was obvious.' I try to get up, but my body throbs again, making me lay back down. 'Trill, I can't get up. How long is this supposed to last?'

Hmm…I'm not sure. Try to lie still for a little while, and then try to get up again.

'Okay, so be lazy. That's simple enough, right?' I lie back down on the ground and decide to rest.

This is a fine mess I've gotten myself into. One minute I'm enjoying my time here, kicking a few monsters and peoples butts, and having fun with the characters. The next, I'm in a jail cell waiting to be interrogated by Yuan and I'm in pain.

Just lovely.

Looking back, I think about all the fights I've had before. I've fought against Vidarr, the desians, and all the other creatures in the world, and I've easily beaten them. But this is different now. Yuan is a Seraphim, one of the elite warriors. I don't even want to think of how he could easily beat me.

'Um, Trill? Are…Are you still there?'

Yeah, what's up? Something on your mind?

'You could say that. It's uh… it's kinda hard to explain.

Are you worried about meeting Yuan?

'How'd you know?'

I can read you're thoughts, remember? I can tell you're worried about fighting him. Did you ever think it might not come to that?

'What do you mean?'

What I mean is, is that once you escape, I can try to guide you out of there if you'd prefer.

'That would be nice. But isn't Lloyd supposed to run into Yuan the very first time they meet?'

Hmm, you're right. That complicates things a little. Tell me, are you scared of facing him alone?

'Well, yeah. I mean, the first time I played the game; it took me two tries to beat him. The first time, he nearly massacred my team. The second time, I only won because I knew what to expect from him.'

What happened to your confident side? The Tren I met was sure of himself and ready to fight. Now I'm looking at you and you seem unsure of you're abilities.

'It's not that I'm unsure of my abilities. It's just…' I faded off there. Why was I afraid? It's simple. I was fighting as Lloyd in the game; it wasn't actually me doing the fighting. Now, it's me doing the fighting, and I can't be sure if I can fight him and beat him.

'Look, just forget it for now. Whatever happens will happen. Do you think I can move now?' I wanted to leave the subject now. It was making me feel depressed, and I don't like being depressed.

Go ahead and try. Don't worry. Maybe you won't run into him at all.

I start to stand up and brace myself for any pain. Not feeling any, I silently thank god for there not being any. Standing up to my full height, I notice that I've still got my gauntlets on. Sweet! I was worried I'd have to get these back. Looking at the bars in front of me, I wonder if maybe I can break them with a shell bullet.

'Trill? Can I break the bars with a Shell Bullet?'

Hmm. I think so. If it doesn't the first time, it may take a couple of shots to break it.

'All right, I'll give it a shot.' I take a few steps back to make sure to put some distance between me and the door. If I run at it, the extra momentum should help me to break them down. I cock my fist back and prepare the technique when a thought occurred to me: Wouldn't me punching metal hurt my hand?

'Trill, won't I hurt my hand if I hit the bars?'

Not if you hit it the right way.

'Oh, that helps.' I look closer at the bars. There's no rust on them and no indentions. Crap. That means that there aren't any weak points on the bars. Guess I'll have to aim for the good, old-fashioned center. I cock my right fist back and say quietly "Shell bullet." My fist gets that feeling of air around it again as I'm propelled towards the bars. 2 seconds later my fist connects with the bars and a loud CLANG sound.

It is only after a few seconds that the realization of my fist hitting metal reaches my brain. Hello, pain!

I recoil back and stifle my urge to scream by gritting my teeth together. The last thing I need right now is two renegades seeing me trying to escape. My right hand is throbbing right now, which proves I hit it in the wrong spot. Ouch, ouch, ouch! Damn, that smarts!

A few minutes later, my hand finally cools down. Oh, thank god! I walk back up to the bars to see if any mark was made. Looking closely, I can see an indentation on the bars, but only a small one. This definitely sucks.

'Trill, do you have any better ideas? Cause I don't think this one is going to work that well. Unless you want me to get a broken hand.'

Okay, you might have a point there. Look around the bars, maybe there's a control for the door somewhere.

I walk forward while holding my hand softly, making sure not to put it through more abuse. Looking through the bars and to my right, I can't really see anything that looks relatively like a computer. However, looking to the left, I can see what looks like a small module right beside the bars. Jackpot!

I walk up to it and notice it's operated by a simple lever. Funny, you think the security system for this thing would be more complicated. I try to reach out for it, but my hand falls short. Crap. Curse you puberty, and you're cruelness in making my arms short!

'Trill, I can't reach it. What now?' He better have a good answer, or else I'm stuck.

Is there anything in the cell that you can use to lengthen your grip?

I look back around the cell. The only thing that isn't basically bolted down is the pillow.

'There's only the pillow. Do you want me to use that?' He can't be serious.

If that's the only thing, then yep, you have to. Dammit

I pick up the pillow and try to figure out a way to use it to reach the lever. Maybe throw it at the lever? But then if I miss, I can't pick it up again. Maybe take the pillowcase and make it into a makeshift whip?

I'd go with the whip idea.

I sigh, realizing just how pathetic this seems. I'm using a pillowcase to break out of jail. Oh, well. Better that than a broken hand. I take the pillow out of the case and start twisting the case until it looks like a tightly bound rope.

I stick my hand back out of the bars and get a better look at the lever. I guess I could reach it with the makeshift whip. I lash out at it and the pillowcase/whip wraps around it. Success!

Switching hands, I start to pull the lever up from its down position. It moves slowly at first, with jerking motions. Either this thing needs some oil, or I'm weak! Probably the former. It finally reaches the top, and along with it, up goes the bars. Sweet freedom! Now, if only I could find an exit that easily.

I walk out of the jail cell to get a better look at my surroundings. The area around me looks different than the jail cell area Lloyd was put in, as far as I can remember. Lloyd's area was sort of a pale blue coloring to it; mine was red-tinted. There was no security desk by the cells, only a hallway with a door at the end of it. This is certainly new to me.

'Uh, Trill? This is certainly not the renegade base as far as I can tell. Last I checked, Yuan's favorite color was blue, wasn't it?'

You're right. Looks like you got taken to a different area than Lloyd was. I imagine if Lloyd had been the one to put up that fight like you did, it's likely he would have been put here as well. For now, just try to stay out of trouble.

I started walking down the hallway after Trill's little explanation. As I walked, I glimpsed at the other cells as I passed them. Well, I couldn't really see anything. It was completely dark inside of them; I couldn't even make out any shapes. I wonder just who would be placed out here.

Reaching the door, it automatically opened with a SWOOSH sound, revealing two guards standing on the other side. Oh, shit. So much for secrecy.

We stood there a moment, me standing there looking between the two guards, and the two guards both focused on me. Neither of them said anything as they stood there, blocking the path. I didn't move, worried that if I did, they might attack me. A moment later, the one on my left finally said "Going somewhere?"

I thought for a moment. Either reply smartly and get my ass whooped, or don't say anything and get my ass whooped. Decisions, decisions.

"Well, I was planning to leave. If you'd be so kind to move, I'll leave without beating you two up." I said calmly, hoping they couldn't hear my fear. My body was still kind of weak from before, and my right hand wasn't exactly in good shape either. This was a bad situation to be in.

"Humph. If you honestly want to leave, you'll have to get past us. Do you think you can do that kid?" The one on my right said, pulling out a whip. He had a grin on his face, a grin that oozed with evil. This is definitely bad.

I took a step back and considered my options. On one hand, I could try to escape without fighting them, and risk alerting the other guards. I wouldn't get hurt, but it's likely I'd be outnumbered.

On the other, I can beat these two and then escape, which would allow me to sneak without worry of other guards. The only problem is that I risk getting injured by fighting them, and being injured doesn't settle well with me. Guess I'll have to fight.

"All right. If I have to, then I will." I said quietly, and prepared myself as they charged at me. One cracked his whip at me, aiming for my leg. I quickly sidestepped, only to get hit by the other one on my arm. The whip tightened around my bicep, holding me in place. The other desian quickly regained his footing and copied the first's actions, this time on my other arm.

Both held me in place firmly, neither giving in. I stood there a moment, frantically thinking of what to do. Wait a minute, they're just standing there. If they aren't moving, then I can use this to my advantage. I lifted my hands up and gripped the ropes of the whip in my hands. Both desians heads perked at this. Guess they're dumber than they look.

Bringing my hands together and across and throwing my weight into it, both desians end up lifted off the ground and into each other, crashing into each other and landing in a pile on the ground. Both whips fell to the ground as I put my arms to my side, slightly exhausted by the effort. Those whips hurt my arm a little when they made contact, and throwing them took quite a lot of energy. I should probably leave before they get up.

Jumping over them, I quickly went out the door and started running as I heard the door shut behind me. I need to find my way out of here, NOW.

'Trill, you better know where you're going. I don't think I can keep this up much longer. I'm getting tired pretty quickly, and I don't want to fight anymore.'

All right, I'll try to guide you out. I'll warn you now, there's no map of this place, so I can't guarantee you'll get out immediately. I'll try my best though.

I soon came across a four-way intersection, meaning I only had a one out of three chance of getting out of here properly, and a two out of three chance of going the wrong way. Gotta love that luck, it comes right back to bite you.

All right, turn right here.

I turned right and kept running, only stopping once I reached the doors and letting them open, then resuming my escape. As far as I could tell, I wasn't getting anywhere. The hallways were still red, meaning this place was bigger than I first thought, or I've gone the wrong way. I really, really hope it's the former.

After running for so long, I finally had to slow to a walk. My lungs felt like they were on fire, I could hardly breathe. My legs were getting sore too; I couldn't even jog now, let alone run. I finally went through the next door, and to my sweet relief, the hallway had changed colors. It was now the pale blue I was familiar with, meaning I had gone the right way. Thank you God.

I noticed it was also cooler in here than back there. Maybe they try to use the heat to exhaust the prisoners, perhaps? Maybe that's why I had that headache earlier; it seems to be gone now. My body however, was still feeling some fatigue. I need to see Raine when this is over, maybe she'll know what to do.

I resumed my walk, taking it easy so that my body might have a chance to rest. I wonder how Lloyd's doing right now. I wonder if he's gotten out of his cell yet and was trying to escape as well. He probably has a better chance than me. I hope Genis is alright, too. Last I saw, he was scared for his life back in Triet.

Tren, I'm afraid we've got a problem. A big one.

Oh great, more good news. 'What is it?'

You're mana level is very low. That thing you did earlier, moving so fast. It's what drained you. That's why you're body is in so much pain, it doesn't have hardly any energy supporting it. You've got to rest soon or else you might fall unconscious from mana exhaustion.

'Great. So I basically can't even use my techniques anymore now?'

You can use the Shell Bullet, but I estimate it to be only twice. After the second time, it's likely you'll fall unconscious right afterwards.

Bloody wonderful. Now I can't even fight as well as I used to. It's just one thing after another today. 'Alright, got it. Don't fight unless necessary?'

That's probably best for now.

'Alright. I'll keep that in mind.' I trudged onwards, only it felt even slower now, like I've gotten all fast again like before. I really need to see Raine soon. My thoughts are interrupted again as I hear two guards ahead of me. Is someone honestly trying to get me killed today or something?

I look around quickly, trying to find a door to escape through. Seeing one on my left, I quickly rush through it before anyone can see me. I hear the two guards pass by the door. I slump to my knees in exhaustion. Today is just too much!

"And just who the hell are you supposed to be?" a voice said behind me. A very familiar voice, one that made me curse myself for not looking to see who was in here before just rushing in. I turn behind me slowly, praying that God just listen to me once in my life and let it not be who I think it is. Unfortunately, as we all know, God doesn't exactly just up and listen every time we complain about something. (No offense to Christians whatsoever, since I am one myself.)

Behind me stood a figure with aqua-blue hair, clothed in a dark blue-black armor with red trimmings, which was hid underneath a cloak. Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome Yuan, the leader of the Renegades.

"I uh…I was just uh…" I stammered, unable to think of words. I was in fear for my life right now. I was in no condition to fight at all, or even defend myself, and I go and just waltz right into Yuan's office. I am officially screwed over now folks.

"Well, well. The prisoner who escaped the high-security jail area. I must give you some credit for making it this far. However, it was a foolish mistake to come into here. Very foolish, indeed." He said with a murderous undertone. He was smirking at me. I guess he knew that I was exhausted.

"What do you want with me?" I asked shakily, trying to scoot my way against the wall so as to put some distance between me and him. What did I do to deserve this? Sure I wasn't the most religious guy or the nicest guy in the world, but that doesn't mean I deserve to get killed!

"Simple. You're exsphere is what I want. If you give it to me, I just might consider not killing you. " Yuan replied, not moving from his spot, but still staring at me with his cold eyes. Those eyes are what scare me the most. They're so unemotional. I bet he could easily kill me and not even care.

"What do you want with my exsphere? What's so special about it?" I asked quietly, feeling a little bit of my strength starting to return. That's right, Tren. Just keep him talking.

"You're exsphere is most peculiar to me. It radiates a strange aura, one that I am not familiar with. I need to investigate it to see if I can use it. Especially that one ability you used back in Triet." Yuan answered.

Is he referring to that speed I used earlier? How did he know about that? "How did you know about that?" I whispered hoarsely, scooting back again, feeling myself bump against the wall. Okay, I guess I can't move anymore. I'm feeling a little stronger now, but only a little bit. I could probably only fight for a few seconds, and then I'd be out again.

"I know about it because I've been watching you. I've been watching you and you're little group ever since you ran into Botta back in Iselia. I watched you fight Vidarr, my soldiers, as well as the soldiers in Triet you fought earlier today. And you know what I noticed?" Yuan said menacingly, taking a step forward. I gulped, trying to force back the lump forming in my throat.

He kneeled down so his eyes were on level with mine. "You're weak." He said simply. What? What is he talking about? I'm not weak! If I was at my full strength, I bet I could at least give Lloyd a run for his money!

"What do you mean?" I asked quietly, my anger burning at his words.

"It's simple. When you fought Vidarr, it wasn't you who struck the killing blow, it was Kratos. When you fought against my soldiers in Triet, you only won because of the power of your exsphere, which seems to come with a heavy price, judging by how weak you are now." He stopped as if waiting for me to say something.

My head was reeling. He couldn't be right, could he? Could I really be weak like he says I am? No, he can't be right. Even if I didn't strike down Vidarr like Kratos did, I could still be considered strong. When I used that power that made me go so fast wasn't I strong then too?

"No, you're wrong." I said, a small smile gracing my face. I started to stand up as I spoke. "I'm not weak like you say. I managed to get this far, and that has to stand for something." I finally reached my full height, stopping an inch or two short of Yuan. His face was different now, with his smirk instead replaced with a tout line. This made me smile a little more. "And if you get in my way, I will fight you." I finished, taking a stance to back up what I said. I could care less who he was now. Nobody tells me I'm weak, not even someone like Yuan.

Yuan just shrugged his shoulders as if it didn't matter to him. "Suit yourself." He said, throwing off his cloak as he spoke and drawing his blade from behind his back. "If I need to beat you to get that exsphere, then so be it." He finished with a smirk again. He suddenly vanished out of sight, leaving me to wonder where he went.

A split-second later, I was answered with a strong blow against my back, making me roll forward from the impact. I gained control of the roll and landed back on my feet to see him vanish again. Not knowing where he would come from, I held my breath to try to hear his steps.

The hairs on the back of my neck suddenly jumped up, telling me something was about to happen, in a paranoid way. Since he attacked last time from behind, I instinctively ducked, which turned out to be a smart move on my part.

Yuan swung his blade forward, trying to hit where I was using the blunt side of his blade. Thinking fast, I cocked my left hand back and shouted "Shell Bullet!" I lurched forward and was thrown right at Yuan. I thought I had him, but he was quicker than I imagined.

He stuck his blade forward and caught my fist on the blunt side of it. I heard something crack and at first thought I might have somehow damaged his weapon. But when he pulled back, I suddenly felt pain shoot throughout my hand. Lifting it up, I tried to flex it and realized my wrist was shot. Trying to move it only made my hand pulse, sending waves of pain through my body.

Just great, now I can't use one of my hands. I'm screwed for sure.

I stood there a moment, trying to get my bearings, when Yuan disappeared again. I tried to move, but I was too slow again. He struck me again, this time with greater force. I was launched forward and rammed into the wall. I fell back to the ground in pain and landed on my back. I tried to get back up, but I immediately felt dizzy. Suddenly, where there was one Yuan was suddenly two. Wait, there aren't two Yuans. That's impossible.

As I lay back on the ground, I could feel my consciousness ebbing away. I tried to get my body to move, to try to escape, but it was no good. My hand was now throbbing, and the pain from it was clouding my mind.

'Trill, please…help me… please…' I pleaded silently to the spirit, my last hope for my life. My last sight was Yuan approaching forward before I once again gave way to darkness. As my sight faded, I could faintly hear the door opening and someone's voice. It…sounded familiar. Lloyd? Then, nothing…

I awakened to the sound of a door shutting. I still had my eyes shut, not wanting to see the last image before I fell unconscious. I was afraid to open my eyes and see Yuan standing there, ready to strike the final blow. I started to shiver when a hand was placed upon my own.

"It's all right now. You're safe." A voice said, belonging to a woman. It sounded familiar too. Someone from Iselia that I met before. Who was it? I opened my eyes to see Professor Raine standing in front of me, with one of her hands over my shaking ones. I was surprised to see my hands moving again. My left had been bandaged up, giving it a stiff feeling. I tried to flex it, but it barely moved before pain pulsed again.

I looked around slowly, trying to figure out where I was. I was lying on top of a bed, a soft one at that. It was certainly more comfortable than Lloyd's. I see a window showing outside, which was now shrouded in night. Stars were lighting the sky, giving it a peaceful glow. The room I was in seemed to be constructed similar to that of the buildings in Triet. Am I in Triet again?

"Professor, what happened? How did I get here? Last I remember, I was fighting Yuan, and then nothing." I asked quickly, trying to figure out what had happened while I was out. Was Lloyd alright? Did he escape?

"It's all right, you can calm down. We're in Triet now, not the desian base." She answered calmly, noticing that I was using both of my hands as well as I had. "How is your hand now?" she asked quietly, checking the one that was bandaged up.

I flexed my left hand again. Just like before, pain flashed through me and faded when I stopped. "It still hurts. Not as much as before though." I replied, holding back the grimace the pain had made me want to show.

"Good. When we came across you, you're body was in a seriously bad state. You're mana was almost gone, and you're left wrist had been broken. I suggest you be careful with that hand, seeing as how you won't be using it for a little while. Also-" she was interrupted by the door opening, revealing Genis and Lloyd. They walked in, trailed behind by Colette. They looked at me with smiles on their faces.

"Tren, you're okay! I'm glad to see you're up!" Lloyd said happily.

Genis nodded his head and added "Yeah, we were worried when we found you in that room."

I smiled at this, glad to see my friends again. "What happened back there? I was fighting, and then I got knocked out." I asked, trying to sound calm to them. Inside, I felt like they should just leave. I didn't want them to see me like this, in this broken state.

"When I found you, you were lying on the floor, and that blue-haired guy was standing a few feet away from you. When he saw me, he put up his blade and fled. I thought he would have at least tried to fight me, but I guess he had other plans." Lloyd said, taking a seat in one of the chairs by the bed.

Genis picked up after Lloyd stopped. "I found Lloyd in there a few minutes later, fending off that Botta guy again. You know, the one who attacked the Martel Temple back in Iselia? Anyway, we fought him off and he fled too. Afterwards, we checked on you and we found you unconscious."

Colette then spoke, saying "When we saw you, we were worried that you were hurt. The professor healed your hand and Kratos and Lloyd carried you out of there to here. This then led up to you waking up now."

Great, just great. That must have looked really pathetic. Falling unconscious right before the first mini-boss fight, and in front of everyone no less! Dammit! I did my best not to show my fury with myself. "I'm sorry for worrying you. I thought I could take him, but my body was too weak at the time."

The professor nodded her head and said "That wasn't too smart on your part. If you risk yourself like that again, it's likely you're injuries will be more severe. You must be more careful when it comes to your mana, understand?"

I nodded my head and lay back on the bed. I was exhausted, both mentally and physically. How could I have been so foolish? Taking on Yuan alone like that? I could have been killed! KILLED! What the hell was I thinking?!

I closed my eyes and said quietly "If you guys don't mind, I'd like to get some sleep. It's been along day for me, and I'd like to rest." The group nodded their head and filed out. Genis was the last to go, and said "Good night" before shutting the door.

Once they left, I almost immediately broke down right there. Yuan was right. I was weak. No questions asked. How could I have been so…stupid?! I pounded my hands on the bed and lay there in silence. After all this, I almost feel like going home. Forget Symphonia, forget these people, I just want to go home!

But…if I go back, then what will happen? Trill said he erased my existence from Earth; he didn't say he could undo it, which meant if I went back now, I'd only cause more trouble for myself and Trill. I'd have no family or friends to turn to, and I'd be more alone than I am here. So I have to stay here.

But what good will it be if I can't even defend myself? When I fought against Yuan, I was lucky enough to escape with the injuries I had. If I had stayed…no, I won't think about that. It didn't happen, so I won't worry about it now. I need to get stronger than I am now. But how?

I pulled my legs toward me and placed my head atop my knees, my eyes blurred by tears of sadness. I want to prove that I'm strong. I have to do it. Otherwise, I'd never forgive myself. Lloyd and the others, they can easily grow strong. They're the main characters, people who've been here since the beginning. They've each had training at least at some point in their lives. Me, all I've got are a couple of hotshot moves and an ego to match. And right now, that ego is as bruised as I am.

The only question now is, how can I become strong as well? I'm not about to ask Kratos for help. As far as he's concerned, he just thinks of me as a little kid tagging along, trying to act like he's tough, when in fact he's not strong enough to even use his common sense!

I stopped my thoughts here, feeling something slide down my cheek. I stroke a bandaged finger across it, and my finger becomes slightly dampened. It was my tear, evidence of my sorrow and pain. I just sat there, and let it out. I didn't bawl out like a baby, but I sure cried like one. I couldn't help it, I was so depressed.

A few minutes later, I was done crying. I still sniffled occasionally, but now my eyes felt dried out due to their leakage of tears. I sat there, trying to get my thoughts together, when an idea struck my mind. 'Why don't I just…leave?'

Leave? Where would I go? I don't know where I could go from here. Lloyd and the others are going to the fire seal tomorrow, they're bound to. It's also likely that they'd leave me behind seeing as how I'm injured. But if I left…

I picked my head up slightly at this, my head forming a plan against my will. I could leave without them knowing I had, either before they leave for the seal, or afterwards. Before would probably be better, that way I could have an earlier start than they did. But the question remained, where would I go?

If you chose to leave, you could go to the Ossa Trail. That'd be where I would go to first.

I looked to my side to see something that was truly a sight for sore eyes. Trill was sitting in one of the various seats in the room next to the bed. He was dressed in the same clothes as I saw him before, and he was smiling at me, though I could tell it was a bitter smile.

"Hey," I said groggily, due to a lack of use of my voice. I cleared my throat and continued. "It's good to see you, Trill."

He smiled a little more and said "It's good to see you too. I was worried about you when you were inside the base. I just wanted to say that…I'm sorry."

I peered over curiously at Trill, who now had his head down low on his chest, his hair covering his eyes. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"I'm sorry for all that's happened to you. I was being too careless inside the base; I should have made sure you got out. And because I didn't, you almost got killed." He said solemnly, keeping his head down.

"Hey, it's not your fault, Trill. Don't blame yourself like that. I put myself in that situation, not you. I should have known to run instead of fight, so don't worry about it." I consoled him quietly, wanting the old Trill back, the one that was happy.

"All right. I'll try to forget it for now. But I still need to make it up to you, okay?" He said with a new smile on his face.

I stretched out on the bed and relaxed a little more. Then I remembered what he had said before he appeared. "What were you talking about earlier, about the Ossa Trail?"

He also seemed to relax a little and replied "I was saying that if you want to leave, you should try to head to the Ossa Trail first. That way, you can stay ahead of the group and have some time to train."

"And how do you propose I would train? No offense, but you don't seem like a gym instructor to me or anything like that." I asked curiously.

"Well, let's just say that I have a plan for you. It'd be your choice if you want to take it up, so if you don't want to, that's fine by me. But if you want me to help, then I will." He replied.

I thought about it for a moment. It seemed like a good idea to me. I would get the training I need, and I would be able to keep an eye on the group. But, something was still nagging me in the back of my mind. "Trill? Do you think I should leave?" I asked meekly.

Trill closed his eyes and exhaled loudly, as if he was expecting this. "To be honest with you, it doesn't seem to be the best idea right now. To leave the group means risking being on your own, and that can be pretty dangerous." He stopped and his features softened. "But I know that you want to become stronger, and it's highly possible that you could if you chose to go with it. It's all up to you whether or not you want to do it."

I smiled; glad to have someone like Trill backing me up. Knowing he's helping me makes it better, and besides, if I become strong enough, I can rejoin back with the group and continue the journey.

"Right. Well, that settles it. I'm going to go the Ossa Trail and become stronger. I know I will, because I've got you to help me, so I won't necessarily be alone. When do we leave?" I said; ready to leave right then and now. If I'm going to train, I need to get started.

"I suggest if you're going to leave, that you leave now. It'd be better to get a head start on getting there, so that way you can have a good start on your training by the time the others catch up to where you are." Trill said, standing up and getting up out of his chair. He walked over to the window and stood there, gazing outside.

I nodded my head to myself and picked up my knapsack that was on the table across from the bed. I heaved it over my shoulder and walked over to the window. Fortunately, we were on the first floor, so I didn't have to worry about not making a jump. To be honest, I would prefer to get some sleep, but I can sleep later. Right now, I need to focus on getting to where I need to go.

I straddled myself over the window ledge and took one last look into the hotel, towards the door that lead to where my friends were sleeping. I was going to miss them. But hey, I'll see them soon enough. If they live that long without me around, that is. "See ya around, guys. Take care." I said quietly to myself. Then I leapt out of the room and onto the ground.

I started to walk to the exit of the town, taking in the quiet sights as I walked. The stores were closed down, and they had large cloths draped over them to signify it. Any camels that were still corralled were still tethered to their post. The sky was brightly lit with the stars, giving me a peaceful, seemingly content feeling. It surprised me that I could feel such a thing here, after all that had happened to me today.

As I was about to leave, I heard a whining noise behind me. Turning around, I saw it was Noishe. He must have seen me leaving.

"Hey, Noishe. What are you doing up so late? Get back to sleep now." I whispered quietly. The dog just sat there, as if to protest my words. I walked over to him and petted his head, trying to get him to soften up.

"Come on, now. You don't need to worry about me. I'll be fine. You should focus on watching over Lloyd and the others, okay?" I quietly pleaded with the dog. He looked up at me with those beady little eyes of his and licked my face before I could react.

"Oof! Hey! Come on, now!" I said laughing, as he continued to lick my face. Finally, he stopped and went back to his corral. I watched him go and then resumed my walk. I've got a lot of walking to do, so I might as well get started.

Author's notes: Okay, that came out different than I wanted it to. If you're wondering why I did the whole depression thing, I had to fix a mistake with my character.

Tren was acting like a Gary-Stu, with the whole super-strong thing going. To fix that, I had him get beat up by Yuan so his ego would be taken down a peg. That way, he could realize he needed to train to become truly strong without acting like a Gary-Stu.

Other than that, all you need to do now is leave a review. See Ya!