Ok, I know its been a while since I've updated but I've honestly been busy. Now this chapter is gonna be a little different but I've had this idea in my head for a few days so...hehe!

It's been a few days since Tiamatt, Kratos, Hiro, and Nick returned from Japan to wait till the Oblivion Blade could be reforged and for the most part, they were doing fairly well. At least until Midget decided to play Tales of Symphonia.

Tiamatt and Kratos watched in silent shock and awe as they watched what was supposed to have happened during the Journey of Regeneration fifteen years ago.

"So much is the same but some much is different..." Tiamatt muttered, watching as Robert saved and handed the controller to me so I could play my own file after complaining about wanting to kill Mithos again. Tiamatt, Kratos, Hiro, and Nick gave me weird looks when I said that. "We don't enjoy killing people, Madison."

I sighed, looking away from the tv screen as the intro started up. "I know but in this world, its a game. If it makes you uncomfortable then you don't have to watch."

"I am curious as to what was supposed to happen instead of what did happen in our universe." Kratos admitted, causing Tiamatt to sigh but nod in agreement.

"Ok then." I turned back towards the tv, pressing the start button and scrolling through my several files till I found my favorite file and also, original file.

Pulling up the equipment menu, I checked to make sure Lloyd had his Devil's Arms weapon equipped before checking to make sure I had a few magic lens, plenty of gels, and a few life bottles just in case. Finally, I entered the Tower of Salvation. I noticed Kratos watch sadly as I made my way up to Derris Kharlan and the angel city of Welgaia.

"Are you ok Kratos?" I asked, pausing the game again when I got to the spot where the Derris emblem had been.

Kratos closed his eyes, and took a deep breath before opening his eyes again. "Yes, please continue."

I glanced over at Robert who looked as unconvinced as I felt but I shrugged it off and went back to the game. It took under a minute to kill the dragon that guarded the gate to Yggdrasil's throne and within a couple minutes, Mithos Yggdrasil stood in front of the entire party.

"Home...I'm going home..." Yggdrasil muttered, eyes closed as he floated a few inches off the floor. I could barely repress a laugh at this scene and wished that I could ask him where his ruby slippers were.

"Mithos...listen to me! We don't have to fight!" Genis pleaded. I always admired him for not giving up hope after making friends with Mithos while he was traveling with the group. "Please return the Great Seed to us so that we can reunite the worlds."

"Home...I'm going home..."

"...Something's wrong. He sounds like a puppet..." Lloyd said. I noticed Tiamatt shift uneasily on her feet for a second.

"W-wha?" Colette gasped as a red orb left her crystal and was absorbed into Yggdrasil who opened his eyes.

"...I need to thank you for going through all the trouble to bring me back here. I'm finally myself again."

I sighed as the conversation continued with Yggdrasil denying his sister's death and then doing his normal speech on everyone becoming a lifeless being so that everyone would be the same race and discrimation would end.

Within a couple minutes, the battle with Mithos began but it ended quickly just over a minute before the second round began. I always wondered what that weird machine was that Mithos had encased himself in but the game never revealed it. Instead gamers were left with another mystery...well actually several...

"Mithos is!..." Colette gasped as Mithos' Cruxis crystal projected the lead Seraphim's image.

"Its just like Alicia! Mithos will continue to live as long as the cruxis crystal exist!" Presea explained.

"And eventually...I will be taken over by the crystal."

"Mithos..." Lloyd muttered, as the screen continued to show the see through version of Mithos.

"I'm tired of playing your game of good-and-evil. Hurry up and destroy the crystal. If you don't, Derris Kharlan will continue to drift away."

"Mithos..." Lloyd said, finally taking his hands off the hilt of his swords.

"Do it now! Before I, too, am no longer myself..."

Genis stepped forward, drawing Lloyd's attention. "Lloyd! Please...help him! Let him die while he's still himself!"

"...Alright." Lloyd sighed, turning back toward Mithos, preparing to draw one of his blades.

"Farewell my shadow. You who stand at the end of the path I not to follow. I wanted a world of my own so I don't regret my choice. I would make the same choice all over again." The image of Mithos closed his eyes as Lloyd approached the crystal. "I will continue to choose this path!"

In one slash, the crystal shattered before the shards surrounded Lloyd and were absorbed into his exe-sphere. The Eternal Swordsman looked down at the blue crystal sadly. "You could have...you could have lived with us in our world! Damn it..."

"That's Lloyd for you. Always able to see the good in others even if they ignore it." I sighed as the game went to another cut scene. I looked back at Tiamatt and Kratos to see the Seraph had a sort of dazed and spacey look. "You ok, Kratos?"

"He was my student and I failed him..." Kratos muttered quietly, clenching his fist. "I should have been able to keep Mithos from twisting Martel's dream but I failed..."

"Kratos..." Tiamatt said softly, trying to comfort her husband. "It wasn't your fault. Things happen. Thats just the way the world is. Besides, its not like we have to worry about Mithos anymore. He's gone."

"You're right." Kratos admitted looking at Tiamatt. "Thank you."

Tiamatt smiled back at him before returning her attention towards the tv and watching the final scene when the worlds were reunited and the mana tree reborn. "I still find it strange that Lloyd named the tree Yggdrasil but...its fitting..."

"Yeah, but its not finished. There's more after the credits though...I'm not quite sure you'll like them..." I agreed before trailing off. I received odd looks from the otherworlders.

The credits seemed to drag on forever but soon enough, the true final scenes of the game began to play.

The first scene showed Colette standing amongst the villagers of Iselia, her grandmother and father included.

"Grandmother, I'm home."

"Ohhh! Chosen One!"

"No Grandmother, I'm not a Chosen anymore."

"Oh yes..Colette, you made us all proud."

"...Welcome home, Colette."

"It's good to be home, Father."

The scene switched, this time to Raine and Genis at Altessa's.

"I see, so Kratos will travel with Derris Kharlan where ever it may go." Kratos, Tiamatt, Hiro, and Nick's eyes all widened in shock but remained silent. "What are you going to do? Go back to Iselia?"

"No, we're going out to visit new lands." Raine explained.

"We're going around the world to try and make it easier for half-elves to be accepted."

"It sounds like you have a difficult journey ahead of you."

"We can return to Iselia when we're tired." Raine added.

"We will always have a home there." Genis agreed.

Once more, the scene changed. This time to the village of Mizuho.

"Hi everyone! I'm back!" Sheena announced happily.

"Sheena! I'm so glad you're safe!" One of the shinobi said in relief.

"Congratulations Sheena!"

"Don't congratulate me yet! A whole new world lies before us now." Sheena said, turning away slightly.

"We have to inform everyone about the revival of the Igaguri style."

"Yes." Orichi agreed. "And for when Kuchinawa returns as well."

"Yeah! Come on everyone. Let's work as hard as we can! We're gonna make the village of Mizuho a ninja clan to be proud of!"

The scene switched again, this time to Zelos in the Tethe'ella palace.

"See, look what happened! Its all because the Pope opened up his big mouth and tried to banish me and stuff. The whole world got messed up."

"Well then Chosen One, what would you have me do?" the King asked.

"We'll send an emissary of peace to Iselia."

"Emissary? Who do you plan to send?"

"How bout Sheena from Mizuho? She's already involved."

"So the emissary of death becomes the emissary of peace..."

"I won't let you say no. Until you do something about the Church of Martel, I still have the rights of the Chosen, remember?"

The scene now switched to the top of the Lorenzo Company in Altamira where Alicia's headstone was, Presea standing in front of it.

"Alicia...I'm finally myself again. Time is finally starting to flow again from that night sixteen years ago. You know what? I'm twenty-eight years old now. Can you believe that?"

"Were you...talking with Alicia?" Regal asked from behind Presea.

"Yes..."

"I just got back from seeing the destruction of part of the mine. Now that thats done...we can rest assured that no new exe spheres will be excavated."

"Thats good to hear. What are you're plans now?"

"I'm going to devote the full resources of my company to revitalization projects in order to build a new and better world"

"I'll help too. I'm sure Alicia and Daddy would have wanted me to."

It finally changed to the scene where Kratos and Lloyd stood outside the destroyed Tower of Salvation.

"Are you really going to Derris Kharlan?" Lloyd asked.

"If a half-elf of cruxis remains here, the other half-elves will have no place to live. As a surviving member of Cruxis, I must bear the responsibility for what has happened."

"I'm going to collect all the exe spheres remaining in this land."

"...And I will discard all of Cruxis' exe spheres into space." Kratos agreed before sighing. "I've dragged you into this until the very end."

"It's ok..."

"It's time for me to go. Please use that sword to send us to Derris Kharlan."

"...Goodbye...Dad!"

"..." the scene switched slightly again, this time the screen panning out from the ground and through the clouds. "...Don't die before I do, Lloyd...my son..."

Tiamatt turned suddenly, glaring at her husband. "If you had tried that with me I would've flown up there and brought you back myself."

Kratos blinked in surprise before kissing her. "I never even thought of it. Not with my family to take care of." Tiamatt's gaze softened and she gave a grateful smile.

"Guys, its not done yet!" I said, getting their attention back on the tv where it was now at Dirk's house where Lloyd stood in front of Anna's grave.

"Mom, Dad...left. That was ok, wasn't it? For me to let him go...it was ok, right?"

"...Lloyd." Dirk called from behind Lloyd. "You wanted to go with him, didn't you?"

"No, I have my own path to follow. And Dad has his...And besides, I have a dad here already!"

"I see. Then I won't say anymore."

"...Mom, I'll leave Dad's sword here beside you." Lloyd said, turning back towards the stone and laying the Flamberge in front of it before turning back towards Dirk. "Well..I'm off!"

With that, the game finally ended, leaving the otherworlders slightly shocked.

"Thats it?" Hiro asked slowly as I turned the gamecube off and set down the controller.

"Yep. At least till Knights of the Ratatosk is released." I answered, causing Kratos to look at me in disbelief. "I guess you're familiar with Ratatosk?"

"Yes, that is the name of the mana tree during the Kharlan War." Kratos nodded. "Why is it being brought up again?"

"Chill Kratos. Its the sequel to the Tales of Symphonia. Its supposed to be two years after the reunion of the worlds into Symphonia or Aselia as it referred to." I explained before sighing and looking down. "I still have a hard time believing Lloyd led a massacre on Palmacosta..."

"WHAT?!" the shout came from all four otherworlders.

I blinked in shock while Midget continued to stay silent. "Hey thats just what is shown in the trailer. Oh and by the way, it isn't clear if you ever return Kratos. Though...there's a guy who looks like he's your replacement..."

"..."

"Oh! They also made the game into an anime though they changed some things." I added, receiving more '...'. "I still can't believe that Yggdrasil looks more like a girl in the anime then he did in the game!"

Hiro and Nick started laughing as Tiamatt giggled. Kratos, on the other hand continued with his normal '...'.

"Hey Madison," Robert spoke up. I turned to him as the others tried to recompose themselves. "It's getting late. Pat is probably gonna kick us out soon."

I sighed but nodded. "Yeah, I'm just glad Joe's dad let me bring everyone with me." Robert nodded as he stood up and stretched. "Let's go ahead and get you guys back to the hotel. I got school in the morning anyways. I'll pick you guys up afterwards since your hotel is just a couple blocks from DMACC."

"Alright." Tiamatt agreed, stretching slightly also before moving towards the door. "I would like to see what other thing there are that have to do with our world."

I nodded as I followed her outside, the others close behind. "Can do. I'll see what I can find."

"Thank you."

Told you it'd be different. I'll do a more "normal" chapter later but I been toying with the idea of some of the Tales characters finding out what was supposed to happen and learning about Ratatosk. hope you liked it.