Oh, by the way, I know I haven't really paid much attention to Colette yet other than the fact that she basically agrees with everything Lloyd says (which is true in the game), but I'm getting to it, so don't worry! :D
Oh, and I know the Palmacosta scene is a bit different in the game but I'm changing it around here, so there.
Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia. Namco does.
"In the end, we will not remember the worlds of our enemies, but rather the silence of our friends." – Martin Luther King Jr.
"Everybody, run! It's the Desians!!"
Sara nearly held her breath as she watched her companions dash down the stairs before her and gather in the foyer upon hearing this cry. When she realized that she was the only person occupying the steps, she quickly made her way down as well and stood beside Genis and Lloyd. Although they weren't standing in front of a window, she watched out of the corner of her eye through a window off to the side of the people outside in Palma Square scrambling for their children and possessions before taking off towards their homes. The scent of fear was certainly in the air, if not for their livelihoods and offspring then rather for themselves.
"Kratos!" Raine called out, filled with desperation.
"I know." He answered back very calmly, clutching his hand against the hilt of his blade. "They're probably holding a public demonstration of some sort. Nevertheless, get the Chosen somewhere safe! If they discover that she's in the city, we'll all be in grave danger."
"A public demonstration? But doesn't Palmacosta have an army?" Genis inquired.
"It's not uncommon to see a few Desians here and there, roaming the city streets, but if they've come on such a grand scale as it seems, then the army may be out for training exercises." Kratos replied informatively.
Meaning that they waited for the opportune moment to slip by…
"Well we can't just let them do whatever the hell the want! We've got to do something or more people are going to get hurt!" Lloyd added as all eyes fell on him.
"Wow Lloyd, you actually understood what we were talking about?" Genis piped obnoxiously, earning a swift glare from the brunette swordsman.
"Out of the question!" Raine interfered, rather quickly. "Are you forgetting what happened in Iselia, Lloyd? You may jeopardize everyone in this city if you interfere! It'll be the same thing all over again, on an even grander scale!"
"No, it's not the same!" Lloyd retorted. "Palmacosta doesn't have a non-aggression treaty with the Desians! This isn't right!"
"Lloyd's right! I can't just sit back and watch these innocent people take the fall, especially if they've come because of me." Colette finally stepped in.
"Colette…" Raine answered breathlessly.
"How can we possibly go on a journey to regenerate the world if we can't even save the people right in front of us?" Lloyd added.
"…"
Sara honestly had no idea what to think as she stood by idly. She also hadn't heard a word from her father about Lloyd's suggestion, which seemed strange to her considering how dire the consequences would be for him if this Chosen was killed as well.
"Please, Professor?" Colette pleaded.
"Well, if I've learned anything from the two of you these past few years it's that Lloyd would dive in head first even without my permission and we would all wind up following him anyway." Raine sighed to herself, noticing grins forming on her student's faces as she reluctantly began to cave in. "So I suppose there's no escaping your fixed resolve and I'd be worried about the two of you if I let you step in by yourselves."
"Enough talk, let's just go! They need us!" Lloyd announced, holding the front door of the Academy open as he ushered everyone outside.
Upon exiting the Academy, Colette and the others skidded to a stop as they watched an overbearing, muscular man kicking around a helpless child.
"That's Magnius, one of the Five Grand Cardinals… What's he doing here?" Kratos murmured to himself, although everyone seemed to pick up on it.
"Stop right there!" Lloyd bellowed, raising his sword as he performed a Demon Fangthat headed straight for Magnius. It turned out to be a direct hit as Magnius stumbled to the ground from the unexpected injury, allowing the kid a chance to make a run for it.
"Lloyd, wait!" Genis cried out.
"Lord Magnius!" Several of his underlings cried out, running towards him to form a protective barrier around him.
"You s-stupid vermin! K-kill him!" Magnius stuttered, pointing his finger directly at Lloyd.
"Wait a minute… isn't that wanted criminal #0074, Lloyd Irving!?" One of the soldiers called out before anyone could act.
"Mom!!" A voice called out from the crowd of people at the edge of the square, diverting everyone's attention towards it for a moment or two. A girl ran out of the crowd, and as Sara and the others watched her draw closer and closer towards them, they instantly realized who it was.
"Chocolat!" Colette called out. "Don't come over here! It's not safe!"
"Halt, woman!" A purple-garbed Desian soldier stepped before her, blocking Chocolat's path forward with his spear. "If you interfere, we'll make you suffer in ways that will leave you begging for death!"
"Well, well, if it isn't Chocolat." One of the soldiers off on the sidelines acknowledged, drawing away the crowd's attention. "You have some nerve to be showing yourself here. If you had been a good little girl like your mother told you to be, we wouldn't be forced to take such drastic measures..."
"I won't let you hurt my Mom!" She cried out, almost as if she herself was in pain. "You don't scare me!!"
Sara stood by idly, wondering why Chocolat would even think of interfering after what had happened last night, until she caught a glimpse of the girl's mother Cacao bound and tied by a noose atop a wooden platform out of the corner of her eye. She instantly tugged on the clothing on Colette's arm and pointed to the unfolding scene off to the side, quickly capturing everyone else's attention as well.
"Oh no!"
"Do you Desians honestly think that Dorr will let you get away with this!?" Chocolat added.
"Dorr? Hah! Don't get your hopes up, woman!" Magnius answered for her, warily rising to his feet as his guards dispersed. "Now, enough of this! Get them, you fools! And make sure you get the boy's Exsphere! I'll take care of the woman!"
After Magnius staggered his way over towards the hanging platform, five Desians began to charge toward the Regeneration group. Kratos instantly took a defensive stance in front of Colette, followed by Lloyd and Sara on either side of him. Genis stood behind, preparing his most devastating spells, while Raine and Colette stood armed and ready just in case their offense couldn't hold out.
Meanwhile, Magnius began to laugh maniacally as he quickly threw the switch, releasing the trap door beneath Cacao's feet. Thankfully she didn't break her neck instantly, though she would inevitably be killed if she stayed suspended in that position much longer. Colette noticed this happening from the sidelines and quickly threw one of her chakrams, snapping the rope that bound Cacao's neck. Chocolat took this opportunity to effortlessly slip past the Desians blocking her way, sliding on her hands and knees to her mother's side as she helped to untie her binds.
"What the—!?" Magnius replied, dumbfounded.
Kratos, Lloyd, Sara and Genis effortlessly took out the soldiers that came their way as they lead the party forward towards Magnius. Along the way, more and more soldiers came at them; though at the same time fell simultaneously.
Lloyd and Kratos used Demon Fang repeatedly to knock them off their feet before they could advance any closer while Genis casted Spread, washing away three approaching soldiers heading straight for Colette. Sara, defeating her enemies with close-range combat, was busy defending herself from frontal and attacks that came from behind. She quickly jabbed a soldier approaching her line of vision with a Spark Uppercut followed by a Spin Kick towards two approaching soldiers from behind. Raine casted a Barrier around their offense to try and hold out as long as they could while Colette unleashed her vibrant, magenta-colored wings, preparing to cast Angel Feathers.
"Wings!?" One of the Desian soldiers stationed at Magnius' side proclaimed, watching Colette cast a devastating blow to their outer defensive line. "Then that must be…"
"An angel?" Someone from the crowd inquired aloud.
"It's the Chosen!" Another answered. "The Chosen of Mana and her companions have come to our aid!"
"Thank Martel!"
"We have to help them!" Chocolat added towards the people who were idly watching on the sidelines.
"But what can we do? We aren't soldiers or warriors!" A man from the crowd replied, receiving several nods and acknowledgements.
"But they're fighting for us! We can't just leave them to defend us by themselves!" She replied, picking up a nearby rock and tossing it into the air before it landed back in her palm. "We gotta do what we can!"
"She's right! We're not going to let Palmacosta become the next Iselia, are we?" A rather heavyset woman from the crowd emerged in front of everyone, holding a large rolling pin in her grasp.
"No way!"
"Let's do it!"
After rallying enough support and sending them on their way, Chocolat turned towards the battlefield unfolding before her, noticing that the Chosen and her companions were growing weary as several reinforcements had come to the Desians aid. Her attention quickly drew away from grander scale perspective of the battle and towards Sara, who had previously saved her from the Desians the night before, struggling to keep up her defense, especially within her 'blind spots.'
Chocolat quickly recoiled her arm before projecting the large rock in her hands toward a soldier who was about to sneak up on one of Sara's blind spots, knocking him out instantaneously as it collided with his helmet. Sara noticed him mysteriously fall to the ground after taking out a soldier from within her line of vision and turned towards Chocolat, who waved excitedly towards her former rescuer.
"I owed you one, didn't I?" She called out with a huge grin plastered on her face.
Sara smirked back at her and held up her index and middle finger simultaneously towards the brown-haired shopkeeper's daughter.
You owed me twice, actually! Was what she would have said.
Chocolat merely responded to this by hurtling another rock through the air that narrowly missed Sara's cranium towards another Desian that was about to sneak up on the Seraph's daughter from behind. Sara alertly turned her attention back towards the ensuing battle as Chocolat called out to her one last time, "We're even now!"
Sara merely smirked at this comment as she jabbed her fist through another soldier's stomach, too involved in the battle itself to thank Chocolat properly and vice versa.
Before long, Magnius came face to face with Kratos Aurion, who he instantly recognized as Lord Yggdrasill's right-hand man.
"…Let us respect the wishes of the Chosen!" The Seraph proclaimed; his eyes darkly fixated upon his 'underling.'
"Damn it! Retreat for now!" Magnius bellowed toward the remaining survivors.
"Retreat!" Another soldier proclaimed as he and his comrades attempted to weave their way out of the protesting crowds of people who greatly outnumbered them. Most of the retreating survivors managed to flee the city, including Magnius.
"So that girl really is the Chosen…" Someone from the dispersed crowd replied, responding to Kratos' previous comment.
Shortly afterwards, Colette and the others gathered in the Chocolat's room on the second floor above their shop. Cacao was there as well, who graciously bowed before Colette and her companions in thanks.
"Chosen One, thank you so much for saving my mom!" Chocolat added. "I don't know what I would have done if they had murdered her as well…"
"As well?" Genis asked.
"My husband volunteered in Governor-General Dorr's army, and was killed in a battle against the Desians. And my mother… was taken to the ranch." Cacao admitted painfully.
"It was Grandma who had originally founded this shop. We have to protect it, not just for ourselves but for Grandma as well, for when she returns!" Chocolat added with a fierce look of determination in her eyes. Sara, who was sitting at the edge of Chocolat's bed, instantly noticed the girl's gaze meet her own as she continued, "And you… I know we're even and all, but thanks again for last night."
Sara flushed a bit, though shook it off as if it were nothing with a smile. That is, until Kratos intervened.
"What exactly happened last night?" He asked out of 'pure curiosity.' Sara's gut suddenly fell upon hearing these words as she nervously turned to meet her father's hardened gaze.
"Nothing important." Chocolat added casually. "Anyway, I better be off to work! It's almost time for the next Asgard Pilgrimage!"
"Asgard Pilgrimage?" Lloyd asked aloud.
"Yeah! I work as a tour guide at the Church of Martel Travel Agency, but it's not like I actually believe in Martel or anything…" She murmured uncomfortably, noticing Cacao's hardened gaze fall upon her daughter.
"Chocolat! How can you say such a thing!"
"I know, I know… I'm grateful to have the Chosen, but Martel didn't protect Dad or Grandma! Even this time, it wasn't Martel, but the Chosen and her companions that saved Mom. How can anyone believe in a goddess that sleeps while we suffer?" Chocolat questioned aloud, as if expecting a sign of some sort from the Goddess herself.
"I understand what you're saying Chocolat, but I still think Martel exists." Colette intervened.
Of course she would, after all she is the Chosen. Sara thought silently to herself. If only she knew how much of a lie all of it was… I'm sure Father is probably thinking the same thing right about now.
Her gaze instantly shifted towards her father, who was predictably hidden behind his cold, stoic disposition, making his thoughts nearly impossible for her to read. Unfortunately, Sara was the exact opposite of him, as everything she felt was written on her face for everyone to read.
"You think?"
"Yes. She exists inside you and me."
"Well… if the Chosen says so, then I guess it must be true." Chocolat admitted, rather reluctantly.
"By the way, are there really people who want to go on a trip after what just happened?" Lloyd abruptly changed the subject.
"It's after events like these that those with and without faith feel the need to go on a journey in search of salvation." Kratos added rather softly, which Sara took note of.
Come to think of it, I haven't really been monitoring father's attitude towards Lloyd at all. What he said just now sounded almost uncharacteristically gentle of him. Then again, he's often been that way around me, too… right?
Sara began to shift uncomfortably, hesitantly glancing at Lloyd who stared up at their father, fascinated by and interested in what he had to say. It was almost as if Kratos spoke a language only he could understand. Then she glanced over at her father, who was too cautious to forsake his stoic façade for a precious moment with his long-lost son; yet only Sara and Lloyd could really see the gentleness in his eyes and the warm, underlying tone of his voice. It was a side of him that was only meant for the two of them to see, even if one of them didn't realize it right away. And right now, that side of him was exclusively being shown to Lloyd. Had he always been like this around her brother? Was she always just too busy to notice? Was she… well, a little jealous?
Of course not! No. How could that thought even cross my mind? Father just saw Lloyd for the first time two weeks ago, of course he'd act this way! I'm happy for them. I want them to spend time together… So why does it still hurt so much?
Sara broke her hardened gaze that had been directed towards her father and brother and absently began to stare down at the floor, tuning out the rest of the world for a bit. Maybe she really did feel this way…
Well, maybe. J-just a little…
"Well, that pretty much sums it up. Thanks again, you guys!" Chocolat cheered happily before leaving for work, followed by Cacao who went back downstairs to resume a normal day's worth of work.
"We should get going, ourselves." Kratos directed towards the rest of the group.
"It's finally time to go to Hakonesia Peak! I can't wait!" Lloyd announced excitedly, leading the group down to the first floor of Marble's and out of the store. Kratos followed closely behind his son.
"We only stayed for one night, Lloyd! Don't tell me you're bored of Palmacosta already!" Genis added humorously.
"Well…" The brunette swordsman began, absently scratching the back of his head.
"Some things never change." The Professor added with a chuckle.
Genis and Colette followed Raine out of the store and Sara brought up the rear, trailing behind as she often did; but this time it wasn't to explore the world around her and get into trouble. Instead, she kept her lowered gaze frozen on Kratos and Lloyd.
She carefully took note of everything that went on between the two of them—anything they said, any sort of physical contact, even any facial expressions that would so much as give a hint of affection. She stayed this way even as they left the city, even when Colette asked her if she was alright and whether or not she wanted to walk beside her and Genis. She would simply smile and nod, the way she always hid her true feelings from Mithos, and go along with whatever it is that they asked of her while clandestinely keeping a watchful eye on the two swordsmen.
Mwahahaha. ;) Oh, I went there. I'm eeeeeeeeevil. Or maybe it's just the Halloween Oreo's I've been eating. :O They have orange filling instead of white! AMAZING, NO? Ahh, the wonders of food coloring...
Errr... My bad. XD I don't know why I went there just now. Anyways, I'm actually going to skip over a small frame of time in the next one, just so you know. It's necessary though.
EDITTED: 9/24/08 for minor grammatical errors.