Prescript: Hey everyone! I finally got around to typing up the true sequel to Fidelity, instead of just killing you slowly with fluffy little one-shots. Anyway, from the moment I started writing this, I fell in love with it. I really like how it's going, and I hope you all think so too!

Setting: Three years after Fidelity.

Inspiration: All you people who read the first one!

Warnings: Um . . . fluff, depression, and people getting beat up? Dunno. X3;

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia. But I do own Taro, Mina, Jennai, and Sera.

Transcendent; Chapter One: Monday Morning

All I could feel was cold air blowing in my face. I was hurtling toward the ground so fast that every speck of dust was a blur. When I hit the ground, I choked, gasping for breath. There was pressure on my throat, a low hum in my ears, and it was totally dark. "Ahh! Help! Someone please help me!" My voice echoed into the darkness; a hopeless plea. Where was Zelos when I needed him?

Very abruptly, there came a sharp pain in the back of my head. My breath caught in my lungs, the blood drained my face, and everything slowly faded to black . . .

XOXOXOXO

"Mom, wake up, we're gonna be late!"

As I groggily opened my eyes, I figured out soon enough that I was in my own bedroom again. It was cold and had that lonely feeling — Zelos was gone. But my daughter, Mina, was there, and she kept yelling at me with such urgency in her voice, I was beginning to think the house was on fire. "What is it, sweetheart?"

"It's eight o'clock, mom. I'm going to be late for school," she answered dutifully. She loved school — don't most gung-ho nine-year-olds? — and did a better job of waking me up than any alarm clock ever could.

Mentally smacking myself for ever thinking her father would take her to school for once, I rolled out of bed and pulled a robe on. "Have you eaten?"

"Yup. Bacon, eggs, toast, and milk."

"Save any for me?"

"As always." We both smiled; this was our daily routine, aside from the whole late start thing. Mina would wake up, get ready for school, make enough breakfast for her and me, then eat and come wake me up so I could walk with her to school.

What peeved me the most was how Zelos never showed up in the morning. Sure, he payed her tuition, and other financial problems, but when it came to taking care of family affairs, he was just no good. He and I still lived in separate houses, taking turns caring for Mina every week; once, he had suggested I move in with him, but I would have none of it. Mina was to go to school in Mizuho and learn of the ancient Igaguri customs like a normal child from the village.

"How come daddy never takes me to school?" Mina asked, tilting her chin up to look at me. Even when Mina stayed with her father, he still sent her to my place early in the morning so he wouldn't have to take her to school himself.

Nervously smiling, I gave her the most non-offensive answer I could: "Because . . . he's very busy, you see? He has lots of work to do."

Hah, I thought bitterly, Work indeed. Three years ago, when Sera Cetra vanished from the center of Mizuho, Zelos' longtime friend Taro Nagisaki had reportedly gone all to pieces. I was told the fallen priest had known all along what was to happen to Sera, but still, he lost his cool and broke down one day.

Ever since then, Zelos had been staying with the guy in Flanoir, for days on end, perhaps. That would have been fine, except for two tiny details — first, he always left without saying anything, and second, he had a daughter to take care of.

"Is it because of uncle Taro?" Mina really larked Taro. He spoiled her rotten and took her places all the time . . . or used to. Lately he hadn't even called to say hello.

Man, was I relieved to see the school up ahead. "You'd best hurry," I prompted, "Otherwise you'll be marked tardy." It wasn't that I didn't want to talk with my own daughter, because I really did, it was just that . . . well, I didn't want to tell her that Yes, Taro was a big portion of Zelos' not being around much. It probably would have upset her.

"Okay, see you later!" She smiled and waved as she ran ahead, and I waved back. There were times when I'd stand and watch her go into the school, and want so badly to chase after her and keep her near me always. I got so scared that I would lose her.

But, like Colette, she would just smile over her shoulder and go on her way.

XOXOXOXO

When I got back to my house, I was thoroughly surprised to find Zelos there, eating what I guessed was my portion of Mina's breakfast. "Hello, hunny!" he purred, beaming at me cheerily. "Mina at school now?"

"Yes, no thanks to you," I snapped, taking the plate of bacon and eggs from him before he could eat it all. "What are you doing here so early?"

"Took a Rheaird from Flanoir just to see ya, and this is what I get?" He sipped at my milk and winked.

I was not what you'd call "pleased" with his sudden entrance. "Oh, you came to visit! My, how thoughtful. Goddess forbid you come home to stay with your family, or does your babysitter deserve more attention than we do?"

I could see I'd broken through his happy facade to the more serious interior. He frowned and shook his head as he paced the room. "Look. I'm sorry, Sheena. It's just . . . Taro really needs me around. If I'm not there, he gets totally plastered and harasses the nuns . . . it's a real hell trying to care of him and Mina."

"Why am I not surprised? ..."

"What?" He turned to look at me.

"Can't you just bring Taro back to your house and look out for him there?" This was a concept I'd been thinking of for a while — hoping it would work. Something needed to change, and soon. Otherwise, I would cut him out of the picture altogether.

"Don't you think I've tried? He's just as stubborn about leaving the temple as you are about leaving Mizuho!" Our voices were steadily raising an active higher with each thing we said; an argument was just bound to spring up.

I wasn't about to let that happen, though; instead, I released my anger with a sigh and sat down at the kitchen table. "Zelos . . . please. We have to think of something. I don't want Mina to live a split life, and I know you don't, either."

"You're right." He sat down also. "Maybe whatever it is Taro wants to tell you will help."

Oh, no, I thought, Taro wants to talk. "What . . . ?"

"He asked me to tell you that he wants to talk to you in Flanoir as soon as you can possibly get there," Zelos explained. "And also, you're supposed to bring Jennai."

Rubbing at my temples, I felt a headache coming on. Jennai Cetra is my neighbor and Sera's older sister. Not unlike Taro, she flipped her lid after Sera disappeared, and not much of anyone had seen her outside her house since then. "What is this about?" I groaned.

Zelos shrugged. "He didn't say."

"Damn . . . " This was turning out to be a hell of a day. And it was going to get worse, since I had to venture out to Jennai's house and persuade her into coming with me.

XOXOXOXO

"Jennai, please! It won't take long — just to Flanoir and back!" I pleaded, holding the front door of her house open with my shoulder.

My neighbor was in total hysterics. "No! I'm not going anywhere near that sacrilegious creep! Never!"

"Please! If he wants you to come, then it must be about Sera!" This begging thing was not a concept I was used to (I get what I want, if you catch my drift), and I sure as hell didn't want to do it all the time. It was . . . degrading. "C'mon, Jennai. Trust me."

"How could I trust you? You betrayed the whole village — several times, I might add!" she shot back.

Maybe it was the summer heat, and maybe it was my temper colliding with my migraine, but before I could stop myself, I was whaling on her — punching, scratching, biting, pulling hair. "You are going with me to see Taro in Flanoir and THAT IS FINAL!" I yelled in her ear.

Several people ventured out to see what was going on, but there wasn't much to see — I dragged Jennai outside and had the Rheaird high in the sky before a word was said.

She grumbled and growled unhappily all the way there, and when we came to the Flanoirian Martel Temple, I honestly thought she would pass out. "Sheena please don't make me go in there, I don't want to see him and whatever he has to say, I don't want to hear it, ohh Sheena please . . . " she sobbed, taking hold of my arm and trying to pull me away from the large double doors.

I guess I did feel sorry for her, even if she was just being pathetic. "Jennai . . . don't you want to know what happened to your sister?"

"Well yes, but I . . . "

"Then come on." I warmed my arm out of her grasp and pulled her inside, up the stairs and knocked on the door of Taro's room, entering only after we heard the tortured voice inside call, Come in.