I've been focusing on starting Prove It (a Harry Potter fanfic), since I seem to have a lot more time than usual. This has been difficult to write ever since my Gamecube called it quits last year.

I don't own Tales of Symphonia.

For someone who could remember very little of her personal life, I am finding myself just knowing that I have never met someone who's attention span was as short as Lloyd's. It's been almost a week on the road, and I've held off on telling them too much until we actually catch up to the Chosen's group.

My little rag tag group of myself, Whiny, and Tiny is in desperate need of an actual adult the more I think about it.

"Why is it so hot...?" Lloyd groans for the umpteenth time.

Maybe that Kratos fellow can get Lloyd to just...stop.

I finally snap, "Because Efreet is a fire summon spirit. Fire is hot. Deserts are hot because this is where Efreet is located. I can see Triet from here, so stop with the whining."

I wipe my forehead with a spare bandana I found in my pack, wishing I could jump back into the bath back at the Tower of Salvation where I was clean and fresh...and where my hair was drenched with water and not sweat and heat.

"Scorpions!" Tiny- I mean, Genis, yells.

A small group of three scorpions are scuttling across the dune from our right.

I whip out my dagger, first taking out the poisonous tail of the nearest scorpion. Lloyd takes action from example and does the same, but takes his second sword to its head. Nice.

Genis, whom I lent my second dagger to, throws his weapon at the scorpion almost hopping at his face. It impales the monster, but it doesn't stop it from stinging him with its tail as it goes forward to its death.

I don't think I ever mentioned that we've been out of poison cures for over a day now.

"Genis, don't move too much. We're out of antidotes for poison, so just hold on, Lloyd, get Noishe over here!"

I quickly try to estimate how long Genis has until it gets too bad. He's only ninety-ish pounds, Triet is at least two hours away. Scorpion poison takes three hours to take a fully grown human man down, Genis is a half elf and...screw it. Get there as fast as possible.

"Fenn, Noishe can't hold all three of us..." Lloyd says.

I don't even hesitate to say, "Go with him, if he starts passing out, go faster and buy a panacea bottle and gels. This should be enough to get a room for the night as well."

I toss my pouch of Gald to Lloyd and the two are off like the wind.

I recover my second dagger from the scorpion that poisoned Genis and clean it off as I lightly jog through the dunes to Triet. This is going to be a pain in the ass...

By the time I get to Triet, it's been four hours since Lloyd and Genis arrived here before me. I want to drink the entire oasis at this point, take a nice long bath, and then sleep.

It's only late afternoon, but still. I am going towards the inn when I see a splash of red on a wanted poster.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me."

I tear the poster down and crumple it up in my hands while I walk into the inn, tossing it into a bin.

"Hello, have you seen two boys, one wearing a lot of red and the other one is short with white hair?" I ask, giving height references with my hands.

The young woman at the counter shakes her head, "They didn't come in here, but there was a woman with the Chosen's group with white hair like the boy you mentioned. They booked two rooms for tonight."

"Awesome, but you said they didn't come in here. What happened to them?"

"The Desians...they fought with them near the entrance after they went to the traveler's stall. The white haired boy drank something, he did look ill, but the Desians took them away."

I slam my head on the desk, "How long ago was this?"

"About an hour ago when I was on break."

I slam my head on the desk again and swallow a melange gel.

Whoever is up there ruining my life is not kidding and I will kick their asses for it.

I just want a break for once.