Disclaimer: I do not own tales of Symphonia.

Chapter Twenty-One: Zelos's Thoughts

By the time the group got outside, night had fallen over the quiet mountains. Hina took them back through the tunnel and into the safe house.

"Thank you again, Hina," Raine said once they were all back inside.

"No problem," she grinned. "I was happy to do so. After all, you are Sheena's friends too."

Sheena smiled a bit shyly from behind Raine.

Hina proceeded to help them settle in for the night. She showed Genis where the food was kept, and his eyes twinkled at the amount of good ingredients they had stored. He quickly began to make use of them as well as the hearth and chopping block that was also there. Sheena and Lloyd helped him prepare dinner. Raine began a few more conversations about old tradition with Hina, who had become fast friends with the elder sage.

Regal, despite being a prisoner of the group, was invited into the conversation as well by Hina. He soon was talking with both of them, about old styles of tradition, and different aspects of Teth'alla. Raine didn't seem to mind his company at all. In fact she looked relived to have another adult in the group, although she was still wary of his possibly being an enemy.

Presea remained silent as always. She sat in a corner of the room, alone, slowing cleaning off her axe. Once she finished, she took out a stone and began sharpening the blade. After a few minutes, she cleaned it again. At one point, Colette tried to start a conversation with her, but was brushed off by silence. The blonde didn't take it personally, however. She simply felt rather sorry that they hadn't returned her to normal yet.

Zelos meanwhile was busy annoying everybody with his lighter than air attitude. When it got to the point that an unsavory comment towards Sheena earned him a red hand-print he grew tired and sat down beside the lounge chair.

While all of this went on in the one room safe house, Crystal stayed asleep. She twitched, or moaned quietly once in a while, but never stirred.

Zelos stood up and looked at Crystal for a moment. He had the feeling that, besides Regal, and Presea, he knew the least about the brunette. Whenever he joked to Sheena or Lloyd about her being silent because of a broken heart, they both would get extremely defensive and call him a number of names in an effort to shut him up on the subject. Everyone that had known Crystal before he met her was very protective of her. He wasn't the type to pry into someone else's business but he couldn't help wondering what it was that made her so quiet. He could tell by the way she acted once in a while that she wasn't always the way she is now. Cold and silent, never speaking unless absolutely necessary.

"Hey guys, dinner is almost ready," Genis called out, shaking Zelos out of his thoughts.

He glanced at her once more. Well, it doesn't matter to me.

"Ohhh, hunnnnny!" He called out to Sheena.

"Shut up, Casanova!" She replied angrily.

"Aw…"

Zelos sighed and walked over to Genis to get some dinner.

A while later, everyone set up futons and sleeping bags on the floor and the whole group was fast asleep. All was quiet in the now dark room, except for one thing. A strange whispering that could only be heard by one.

"…Crystal…"