Yay! Done with chapter 9! Almost done with Chapter 10 as well. Hoorah!

This chapter is brought to you by: On A Roll - Might as well call me butter. (muff muff muff ;0p) Because when inspiration hits, why not take advantage of it?Heh heh!

I do not own Tales of Symphonia... if I did, then there would most definitely be a prequel (I think I may have said that already but it would be awesome sooo...yeah.)

Rated T for violence and language... Contains spoilers.

CHAPTER 9: Closed Doors

It was just the two of them. Both remained silent, their arms folded. The room was darker than usual, the only light coming from the strange glowing flower-like seed. Yuan stared intently at the woman inside. Kratos kept his eyes on the floor.

"Well?" Yuan asked.

"Well what?" his auburn haired companion replied.

"What do you think of Mithos' plan."

Kratos remained silent. His eyes quickly stealing a glimpse at the woman inside the seed. What did he think? It was ludicrous. As probable as it was absurd. Kratos had gone along with Mithos, averting his eyes from so much out of guilt… but now he would stop it.

But could he tell Yuan that?

Probably not.

Silence remained. Yuan closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. Kratos could hear the sense of longing in it.

"I suppose you won't say."

"Hmph."

"Oh stop it." Yuan seethed bitterly, "That is the most irratating thing you do. That and simply breathing. Now answer the question. Mithos' plan. What do you think."

Kratos glanced at him from underneath his shaggy hair. He chose his words carefully.

"My only concern is to rectify the travesty that we have created. I will do what I must in order to achieve that."

It was Yuan's turn to remain silent. There was a way to achieve it; Yuan was forming a plan. He already had the Renegades…. But now, now after what he had learned of Mithos' new plan, it was even more vital to achieve his goals. Once he found a way, he would act against Mithos. He thought this plan was ridiculous. The result of a twisted perception of Martel's last wish. Martel! Sweet, good, perfect Martel's words were being perverted to fulfill the will of a distorted child. He would have to stop it.

But could he tell Kratos that?

Probably not.

"I see... I feel... the same way." Yuan stated carefully.

There was once again a stiff silence that descended over the two companions. Both were lost in their thoughts; had they only opened their mouths, had they only trusted each other like they used to perhaps… perhaps everything would have been completely different.

But they didn't trust each other. Too many years of seeing what the other would do... watching each other as they averted their eyes to the atrocities committed by Yggdrasil… each blaming the other for not stopping him. They had stopped coming together to talk of their pains; they had stopped laughing together; they had stopped counseling each other; they had stopped communicating. Theirs was a strained bond, held together by a few fine lines of frayed friendship that would always keep them connected.

Kratos closed his yes. Yes, they would always be connected. There would always be this strange bond, a mutual respect, a mutual platonic love, that no matter how strained it was, would bond them forever.

A bond like that does not dissipate no matter how many millennia pass away. Not after all they went through together.

But the trust for each other had eroded away as they watched each other's characters corrode away. They had seen each other's core. Bare, stripped, minimal core.

But could they trust each other?

Definitely not.

So they remained silent. Each a closed door.

They knew exactly what to say to make the other hurt; what injuries to bring up; what memories to harrow; they knew where to stick the knife, and they would church it… it was their way of justifying their own sins. If they blamed it on the other, their own mistakes and neglections did not seem as prominent. But though they could inflict such pain on each other, they could, on very rare occasions, bring comfort too.

This was not one of those times.

They remained in silence, the darkness seemed to become thicker, the light from the giant seed seemed to be waning almost as the two comrades stood in the still quiet. It was almost as though Martel was disapproving - they each ignored the premonition.

"I must return." Kratos said finally, unfolding his arms and making his way to the door, "Yggdrasil has a mission for me."

"Has he? Well, then, good luck." His old friend replied smoothly. Kratos gave him a small nod and reached for the door.

"Kratos…" Yuan called, Kratos stopped… there was something in Yuan's voice, a sort of pleading; Kratos recognized it though he had not heard it for hundreds of years… it was when Yuan wanted to make an impossible request. The last he had heard it was when he had asked him to attempt to heal Martel…. But at that time, Kratos had been unable to fulfill the request. Perhaps that was the start of their deteriorating trust. What could Yuan want now? Kratos turned slowly.

"Yes?" He asked.

Yuan stared at him a for a moment before his eyes narrowed, "Nothing," he said sharply, turning from Kratos and fixing his gaze on the woman once more, "It's nothing."

"Very well." Kratos replied finally exiting the door.

He paused a moment and considered returning. But Kratos knew that Yuan would not talk to him. Not now.

He would be alone.

But he desperately needed… his friend.

But that door had closed a long time ago.

Anna sat alone in her room. It was brighter than the other rooms in Welgaia. Anna had collected as many candles as she could from her travels in Sylverant and Tethe'alla. Her room gave off a warm glow – Anna felt it was the only warm place in Welgaia. It was her sanctuary. She sat on her bed, her legs crossed, her arms tightly encircled around her small pillow. She had let her wings out; they glimmered and shimmered in the soft glow of the candle. The translucent feathers caught the light and reflected it against the walls is speckles of strange colours. She did not move her wings; there were to many fresh painful cuts on her back from Kvar's whip. She closed her eyes, Forcystus' words echoed through her mind from the other day.

Her? Attempt to be a Grand Cardinal?

It was impossible.

She clutched her pillow tighter. The scratches on her bad let out a small cry of pain in protest as the skin stretched. She ignored the pain. It was a familiar sting, so it was easy to do so. She let out a sigh.

"I couldn't…." she began to say, "A human as a Grand Cardinal… and even if I asked to be considered… Yggdrasil would laugh in my face… Kvar most certainly would. And what would Kratos think… it would be overstepping my boundaries…"

She suddenly straightened, relaxing her grip slightly on the poor pillow.

"But… if they did accept me… I could do whatever I wanted. It would be a sign that Yggdrasil really trusted me…. I would be punished for asking if I didn't succeed, but at least I would have tried."

Anna gritted her teeth and rose, standing on her bed, holding the pillow in her hand.

"Yes! I should try!" She finally declared.

Just then Anna was startled by a very strange scratching noise that shook her entire door. Anna jumped in surprise with a shriek; loosing her balance and falling, her wings quickly dissipating into the air from sock, and she landed on the bed beneath her; Anna once again grasped her pillow tightly to her chest.

Her scream stopped but the scratching noise didn't. Anna stopped, and rolled warily on her bed, staring at the door. It continued to shake at the scratching. Very slowly, Anna slipped from her bed, grabbing her two swords silently from where they lay against the wall. She tiptoed stealthily towards the door, the scratching had become more frantic. Finally Anna reached the door. Gripping the handle, breathing heavily, Anna suddenly pulled the door open with all her might, pointing the sword at the perpetrator who was defiling her door.

Her battle cry stopped mid yell as she stared at the strange creature who, moments before, had been vandalizing her door.

It was…a dog?

Two black eyes stared curiously at Anna. Two, long furry green and white ears tilted to the side as the strange animal cocked it's head at Anna. Anna stared back in astonishment as the bizarre beast before her, her own head mirrored the creature's tilted head.

"What the…." She started, her voice trailing.

The animal must have taken this as a greeting, for it barked excitedly and then jumped on Anna. Anna let out a cry as she felt her swords were knocked out of her hands and she spilled backwards on the hard floor beneath her. A warm, rough tongue began to repeatedly despoil her face. Anna cringed as the heated sickly slobber clung to her face. She reached both her hands up, gripping the creature's fur.

"Gah! No! Stop!" She ordered, but the animal persisted. Anna's protests quickly changed into laughs as she realized her predicament.

"I've been bested by a dog." She told herself playfully reprovingly. She then looked at the dog, "All right, you, enough!"

She gave one last mighty shove and the beast finally got from off of top of her. Anna sat up and looked at the animal before her. . It's tongue hung from it's mouth as it panted heavily. He howled happily as Anna smiled at.. Anna looked at it. Tail, fur, ears, howl. Obviously it could onlybe one thing!

"You are the strangest looking dog I have ever seen." Anna finally deduced.

The creature barked. Anna reached out her hand and began to scratch between one of the dog's massive ears.

"Where did you come from?" She asked.

The animal seemed to have understood. It barked once more and began to trot out of Anna's room.

"Hey! Wait!" Anna called as she scrambled up from the floor and tore after the furry green and white animal. She closed her door behind her and glanced down the hall – it was there, waiting for her at the end, Once it saw her, it tore down to the next hall. Anna ran after it, shouting as she did. Welgaia was empty; she didn't have to worry about Kvar hearing her – he had left hours ago. Her bare feet smacked against the smooth white floors of the halls. Anna would only catch glimpses of green and white fur as the animal flew the through the winding halls of Welgaia. Sometimes, the creature would wait for her. Anna would finally catch up with it, placing her hands on her knees, panting, and then the animal would take off again!

"Wait!" Anna cried once more in frustration, "Where are you going you weird dog!"

Anna was so absorbed in following the dog, that she hadn't realized that she had never been to this part of Welgaia before… well, at least not that she remembered. Finally the dog stopped in front of a door and howled triumphantly. He looked jubilantly at Anna, wagging his tail and bounding in place. She approached him slowly, eyeing him warily.

"Are you going to run off again as soon as I get there?" she questioned the big beast. The animal simply let out another howl. Anna reached her target and the animal did not run away. Anna turned to the door, examining it.

"Where have you taken me?" She asked looking at the closed door. It had strange intricate carvings all over it of a large tree. Anna put her hands on the door feeling the strange texture of the engravings.

"This looks… so familiar." She mumbled to herself. Then it came to her. Anna gasped and took a step back.

This closed door….

This was...

"You stupid dog! This is Kratos' room!" Anna barked at the animal. The creature returned her with one of his own howls. Anna stared at the door again.

She hadn't been there since… since her first night in Welgaia. That night when Kratos looked after her all those many years ago.

She let out another surprised gust of air.

"Kratos' door!" She cried again, pointing at it, she then frowned, "I am...sharing my excitement with a dog." she muttered chidingly to herself.

The animal barked, and suddenly rammed its big head into the back of Anna's knees. Anna let out a cry as she was pushed forward and rammed into the door. The door, however, was not locked, and swung open at the sudden weight. Anna fell, crashing, once more, onto the cold floor beneath her. She grumbled as she felt the weight of the dog on her back.

"Get off!" She growled. The dog obeyed. Anna slowly lifted herself on her hands and knees before looking up at the room around her. There was a strange warm glow that fell upon her – Anna recognized it as candle light. She looked up – sure enough, there were candles that stretched out around the entire room - just like hers... There was something strange, however.

The room was empty.

Anna pushed herself off the floor completely. She looked back at the dog and peered at him angrily.

"You're lucky he wasn't here." Anna stated, "He probably would have killed me."

Anna turned once more to gaze at the room around her. Her eyes landed on the familiar bed that remembered when she was a child. The color of the bedspread had changed. Before it had been white and purple, like the rest of Welgaia. Now, however it was green. She took a step closer, but then stopped herself.

"I should not be here!" she told herself, turning towards the door again. But she stopped as her eye caught something out of place on Kratos' desk among the straightened sheets of paper and shining, laid out blades. She stared at it; the item looked strangely familiar….

Overcome with curiosity, glancing quickly around her to makes sure no one was there, Anna drew closer to the desk. There, lying on the desk, was a familiar trinket from Anna's past.

It was her old doll. Lloyd.

Anna tenderly picked up the old cloth doll. It was frayed, and the fabric had lost much of its color. Anna raised her eyebrows at the doll as she recalled it's strange name.

Lloyd? Where had she come up with that. The doll was clearly a girl.

She rolled her eyes and turned over the doll. There was a strange fold in the cloth there. That's when Anna remembered. Her mother's locket – she had hidden it inside! She wondered if it was still there. Before she realized what her own fingers were doing, Anna unfolded part of the cloth; but it was empty – the locket was gone. She frowned.

"Odd…" she started. She flipped the doll over one more time, giving it one last look. She sighed at it and then began to place it down again on the desk.

"What are you doing?" a sudden voice came from behind her. Anna shrieked, whipping herself round towards the noise. As she did the doll flew from her grasp and soared in the air. Anna watched as the doll arched, dropped, and landed at the other side of the room, right in front of two white feet.

Anna's eyes flew from the feet, to the knees, to the waist, to the shoulders of the man before her. Her eyes finally landed on his face. Two strange brown eyes peered at her from think, unruly red brown hair.

Anna swallowed.

It was Kratos.

Gwaah! I love Kratos! Even if I can't do his character justice! So, next up, LOTS of Kratos and Anna fluff. I am almost done with the chapter and will post it up as soon as it is finished. It's a bit of a lull in the plot... but my inner fangirl raged a revolution and for the time being, this story has been taken over by the Kranna Forever Federation of Fanfiction. So... bear with me. More action soon to come... stay tuned!

Also thanks for the comments! I REALLY appreciate them! ^.^ Thanks for keeping up with the story. Means a lot. I will continue to try to post chapters quickly.