Author's Note:
Hi, and thanks. I enjoy writing this, and do like the happiness it gives me to do my first fiction on the site. Thanks for the review, and to answer it, yes he will, in this chapter, and afterward. He is actually kinda important, in some ways. Anyway, I don't own Tales or the characters.
Chapter 2:
The warm Triet sun was just setting when Collette woke fiercely from a mid-day nap. She looked at the light curtains hanging in front of the tightly shut window. At least it used to be tightly shut, but now it was opened, letting in a cool breeze that shook the curtains. Colette rose from her spot on the bed and went to the window. She took the curtains in both hands and shoved them open, prepared for the brightest sunshine she could imagine. Instead, she got a slight shock from the darkness that glowed with new radiance.
Before shoving the window down, Colette peeked at the ground two floors below. At first she didn't notice anything odd, but then she continued to stare. There was a black shadow on the dark sand. She continued to stare at it until it moved. The shadowy figure quickly flew up to the window.
Colette stifled a scream and was thrown back by the great shadow. It was a hooded, tall man-like shape, and it frightened her. Colette crawled backward and nearly under the bed before the thing spoke in a slightly pre-matured voice.
"Colette. It's great to see you again," it said, the hood covering its face and shrouding it in darkness. "Has it really been a year? I can't really imagine that."
Colette dropped her hand that had been covering her mouth and said, with tear-stained words, "Lloyd? Is it really you?"
The figure nodded. "Yes."
Colette jumped up from the floor and ran to give Lloyd a hug. "Oh, Lloyd! Let me see your face!"
The figure backed away before Colette's hungry arms could take it in. "You can't see me, Colette. I don't know what will happen, but it would not be good," he said. He floated back in front of the saddened girl.
"Why? Why can't I see your face?" she asked, frightened by his seriousness. She backed away, falling onto the bed again, sitting very tall. "Lloyd, what happened to you?"
Lloyd stood up taller, the shadows surrounding his body heaving lightly as if they were breathing. "Well, nothing happened to me. I'm fine."
Colette began to tear again. "You're dead, Lloyd. You're dead!" she screamed, the tears spilling out of her eyes and down her cheeks. Her weeping caused the shadows to move slightly, but got no closer.
"Colette, don't cry. Please." Lloyd began to back away slowly, toward the window. "I've come to tell you something important. Please, listen to me."
With large, sparkling eyes, Colette sat up, drying her eyes with a sleeve. "Yes, Lloyd?"
"You must go help the world again, Colette," he said. The shadows began to shake, as if shuddering from cold. The room had gotten quite stuffy, though, since the arrival of the shadows. "Go out into the world, and stop...the evil."
"What? What does that mean? And why can't you touch me?"
"Colette," he said, "I want to touch you, hold you. But I can't. The laws don't allow it. Please, just listen."
Tears once again began to brim Colette's eyes. "This isn't the same, Lloyd. I needed to see you, and now it isn't right. Lloyd, this is wrong! You need to be alive!" With that, the tears poured out, refreshing the dried streams with fresh tears.
Lloyd stared at the water running from her eyes and spoke softly, "Just go and save the world, Colette. Save it for me." He began to vanish.
"Lloyd!" she yelled, the tears making her choke. "Lloyd! Don't go! I need you, Lloyd!" The shadows were now translucent.
Colette reached out, almost grabbing the deep shadows now evaporating into nothingness. Lloyd gave her one more speech, "Do this for me, Colette. Remember me." He was gone.
Colette wailed, more tears sliding down her face. She kept spouting Lloyd's name, and every time, she grew stronger in her heart. After a while, she cried herself to sleep, dreaming of Lloyd alive, being a regular boy. She wept in her sleep.
Raine had wet eyes as she listened to the occurrence through the door. She had come by to check on Colette, and stopped when she heard another voice. The voice was Lloyd's. Now she listened as Colette slept, hearing small gasps at intervals of soft breathing.
She whispered to herself, "You'll be fine, Colette. You're strong enough. You always have been."
Walking slowly back to her room, Raine started to hum to herself. An old tune her mother had once sang to her when she was still a baby. It was a beautiful song, and Raine was surprised she remembered it.
It was getting late, and Raine decided to take a walk, letting the cool air give her an amazing experience of human feelings. She loved the warmth that cold breezes gave, letting its icy fingers caress until the sensation gives warmth. It was hard to explain, but it happened to Raine.
Grabbing a jacket, then forsaking it, Raine left her room, practically running for the door of the inn. When she opened it, she stood in the doorway, basking in the radiant moonlight. With one step, she closed the doors behind her and entered the night.
"What is going on?" Genis asked himself, standing up from the floor. He had been playing with his kentama when he heard the wail of Colette. Then he noticed Raine's sudden departure, but he never moved, for fear of what was actually happening. Raine usually acted like this when something major would occur, and Genis wasn't sure if he was ready for anything like that.
He brushed himself off, now a nervous habit, and threw on his coat. He wanted to follow his sister. Opening the door slightly, checking for activity, Genis recalled his day of boredom. This was the most excitement he had had in over a week, ever since returning to Triet.
The melodramatic way of sneaking out of the inn added to his excitement. He and Lloyd used to sneak around, frightening the party members to cool their nerves. It was fun, but now he was alone, and a slight sadness overtook him. With a sigh, Genis opened the door, walking briskly down the stairs and out the front double doors, into the cold.
The brisk breeze clouded his mind for a moment, letting him fully immerse himself in the air getting colder with each passing minute. Genis looked at the vacant town square. Everything was dark, looming. He felt an eerie sense of death looking at the empty store fronts and large, inactive circle. The stables where Noishe used to be kept was also sad to see alone.
Noishe had died soon after Lloyd. The dog-beast was perfectly healthy when Lloyd was on his quest, and after, but it grew sluggish and never tried to move from its broken heart. It died of sheer pain. Genis feared the same for Colette. She wasn't the only one to lose a best friend.
Genis saw the calm waters ahead, and he gave a brisk gait toward them, but was stopped by a hand in his face. "What are you doing out so late?" an intellectual voice said right in his ear.
"Aw, Raine," Genis said, "don't I have the right to walk of my own will? You seem to be able to."
"I am older," his sister said, removing her hand from his eyes. "Besides, it is pat midnight, and we have quite the journey ahead of us."
Genis perked at that word. "Journey? We're finally leaving this town?"
Raine nodded. "If Colette is ready, that is. And I feel she will be."
"Yes!" Genis yelled, yet remaining quiet. "I am thirteen, you know. I think I can walk by myself."
Raine sighed. "Go back inside. I'm going too, don't worry. You don't get special rules, just because you're youngest."
Genis smiled, snuggling in his coat. "I'm so glad we're leaving. It's gotten so congested staying in one place so long. Where are we going?"
"That I do not know, Genis," Raine said. She looked out in front of her, but more into the distance. As if she saw something she knew, but couldn't remember. She began to hum.
When they had entered the inn, Genis was compelled to ask of the song. Raine answered, "Our mother used to sing it to us. You weren't even born, but she did sing it to you when you were young."
"It's beautiful."
"Yes, it is. Goodnight, Genis." She gave the boy a squeeze on the arm.
"Okay. Night, Raine." Genis entered his room, closing the door behind him, while throwing his coat to the floor. He slipped into the bed, suddenly exhausted. His eyes slowly cramped shut, and he fell asleep with the haunting melody of Raine's childhood song drifting through his head.