Disclaimer: OMG some characters besides Zelos and Sheena appear here! And they aren't mine either! Aren't you surprised? Yeah, I guessed it.

Pre-story: Quick one. I don't know if the "Rock-Paper-Scissors" game has a formal name in English. In Japan they play it "Jan-ken-pon!", which, BTW, doesn't mean Rock-Paper-Scissors at all. So given my ignorance, I've left the original name.

Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology

Rodeo Ride Tour

A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer

Track Seven –

Resume

The problem about traveling with just two people was that sooner or later you'd find a crossroad. Now, if there were, say, three people, two would say 'left' and one would say 'right' and due to some sort of democracy the group would go left.

But when there were only two and one said 'left' and the other chose 'right' and none wanted to yield you had a problem.

Luckily for all travelers, there's always a quick and painless solution.

"Jan-ken-pon!"

Scissors vs. scissors.

"One-more-time!"

Stone vs. Stone.

"One-" paper vs. paper, "More-" stone vs. stone again, "Time! Time! Time!"

And finally,

"Ah-HA! I win!"

"Man, no faaaair…"

"Haha, my win!"

"He- just wait a – just now, I think you chea- "

"My win!"

"Eeh, yes, but when faced by a draw, the Janken rules say that you can replay only three- "

"My win!"

"…ugh…"

Sheena crossed her arms and smiled smugly. "Stop whining, now."

"…yes m'am."

She smirked broadly. "Well then…!"

He hadn't thought she'd choose this place. Hadn't she said once she hated it? Then why, oh why had she chosen it? And why had he promised to pay for everything if she won at Janken?

This was the first time he ever regretting visiting Altamira, thought Zelos as the rollercoaster coach approached the fall.

And then they fell. Zelos was probably the only one who didn't scream, but mainly because he had always hated rollercoasters (one of his biggest secrets) and would rather never ride one again in his entire life.

But Sheena seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself. Well, of course: she wasn't being forced to keep her identity a secret, and her hair didn't get all messed up during the rides.

And she wasn't even allowing him to flirt with the bunny girls! Or visit the beach! Man, this sucked.

"Aaaah, that was refreshing!" exclaimed the girl as soon as they stepped out of the rollercoaster, barely stopping to re-arrange her hair before whipping out the Lezareno Amusement Park illustrated map to search for whatever she wanted to ride next. "Last time we were here there weren't so many rides, don't you think? Heh, I guess even amusement parks grow with time! What's this, what? Mmh…?" he was too busy trying to untangle his hair to pay much attention. Not that she was really speaking to him, anyway.

"' The Altamira Amusement Park closes its gates at ten o'clock. We invite all of the couples to enjoy our electric lights and firework parade…'? Aah, did you hear that! Eh…? Whaddaya mean, this is only during summers? No replacement? So it's not showing anymore? Tch! I wanted to see that… eh… Zelos? Zelos!"

He had wandered off to a nearby fountain and was trying to use the water as a mirror.

"Aaah, geez! How can she be so happy with these kids rides! Aah, I never get a chance to enjoy myself!"

A face appeared next to him. "Hello there!"

"Don't hello there me, missy!"

Sheena stared at him for a second and then smiled, "Could it be that you wanted to spend our time off in some posh place where you were taken care of and that?"

"When I finally get to walk with a girl as pretty as me, couldn't you have picket a more peaceful place…?" the red-headed whined dramatically.

The girl looked about to answer when not far from them a voice called: "Sheena?"

The two of them turned around. A tall, strongly-built man with blue hair was making his way towards them. "Sheena! Could it possibly…?" he stopped in front of them and smiled. "Ah, I knew it! It is you!"

Sheena stared in amazement before smiling brightly.

"Well, if it isn't you…!"

Zelos felt left out of a moment. Then he remembered he was wearing glasses and a dorky sun-hat and was actually happy he hadn't been recognized.

He had finally been able to ditch the 'costume' and was truthfully starting to feel better. Who wouldn't, really, after having a nice bath and changing his clothes and being invited to a classy restaurant? He had been handed a cup of wine as soon as he entered and it was good stuff, not that thing his groupies sometimes sent that tasted like prune juice with red dye.

"It has been a while!" their host started, a cup equaling Zelos' in his hand, "One year? No, a little more…"

Sheena grinned at the man. "You look healthy, Regal!"

The man had finally ditched the hand-cuffs and the whole convict-like appearance and was now wearing a brown business-like suit. His hair, too, had been trimmed.

"I've hear the rumors regarding the conflicts at Meltokio… it seems that the random terrorist attacks have stopped."

Years of court-training helped Zelos not spit all of his wine. He felt lucky Sheena wasn't drinking anything, because she showed her anxiety as soon as Regal had stopped talking.

"Eh? Aaaaaah, that, that, yeah, that! A-haha… yeah, they've stooooped, right, right…"

Regal arched an eyebrow and Zelos suddenly had the girl's elbow deep inside his ribs. "So we'd better keep secret that you are the one targeted, uh?"

"Indeed," he whispered back. That was one of the reasons he hadn't wanted to visit Altamira, too: too many people, too big of a risk of being attacked, too many innocent lives at stake.

"…is there a problem?" Regal asked, half-leaning across the table.

"Oooh, no, no no problem at all! And that suit, by the way – it just fits you perfectly!"

The man smirked, but shook his head. "It's just an old one."

"Oh, don't be modest," she insisted, and Zelos laughed in his mind, "That's not something the president of the growing Lezareno company should say, isn't it? You look like a high-rank noble… I feel the two of us are kinda out of place, what with our travel-worn clothes, and this is such a -"

"That's a terrible piece of junk, Regal!" the Chosen interrupted, loudly. As he liked to be.

Sheena immediately turned to him, frowning. "Hah?"

"The sleeves and shoulder lines are about to fall apart," he continued, moving his wine cup in slow circles, "There's no softness in the neck and your tie doesn't swell."

"Hey, wait a - "

"It's not fitting for a man of your level, don't you think?"

Sheena slapped his arm in a way that would've passed off as playful if it wasn't because it was so very painful.

"That's too rude, you!"

But Regal almost laughed. "Well, well. It seems that I cannot fool you eyes."

"…eh?"

Zelos grinned, resting his cup on the table. His win. It wasn't that Regal's suit was that terrible, in fact he hadn't been expecting Sheena to notice anything (and she hadn't); but after growing up surrounded by mostly vapid nobles whose talks consisted mostly of insulting other people's attires you just learned to notice those small details.

"You have a keen eyes."

"Well, unlike Miss Someone, I had a good upbringing!" He crossed his arms behind his head, laughing.

Sheena looked positively confused. This explained why she hadn't slapped him silly yet. "Uh… what are you talking about?"

"Lately, Lezareno Company has been going through… times of austerity."

"…austerity?" repeated Sheena. She wasn't very acquainted with a nobleman's words for saying 'me needs money', Zelos thought.

"We're being forced to economize and cut down expenses. To demonstrate so and make common cause even the president must use suits like this one," Regal looked at Sheena's shocked face. "What? Compared to the prisoner's clothes I used to wear, this is almost heaven-sent."

"Ah…" the girl nodded, still looking as though she didn't really get it.

The Chosen stretched, "Buuuut, you know… for the great Lezareno Company to be economizing, what happened, anyway?"

"Mhm," Regal looked aside. Through the windows they could see the amusement park still active, even though the sun had set long before. "So you haven't noticed that? The Altamira Amusement Park entrances have been suffering."

"Mmmh… it didn't really look like that…"

"No," Sheena interceded, "Now that I think of it, didn't we get to ride the rollercoaster without having to line up?

The blue-haired man nodded, solemn. "There is an uneasy atmosphere surrounding this place. 'It's dangerous to be in crowded places', or at least that's what people believe. The terrorist bombing attempt from before decided it: most people believe the amusement park is unsafe and there's little we can do to change their minds," he sighed, "The visitors decrease, and we cannot increase the security any more. Right now, the Altamira Amusement Park is Lezareno's biggest burden."

Zelos cocked his head, "So can't you, like, build a new ride or make the old ones better?"

"That would be my decision. But there are many in the company that oppose. Even worse, there are some who believe the best we can do is close up," it was clear in Regal's somber expression that he, at least, did not desire that in the very least: "But… I don't think like that. The Altamira Amusement Park is not just another facility. It should be considered as… a symbol of… for instance…!"

Seeing Regal couldn't find whatever words he was searching for, Sheena contributed "Peace and prosperity?"

The older man's face lit up. "Yes! Peace… and prosperity!"

Without much ceremony Zelos flung the bedroom's door open, looking around before allowing Sheena to enter, mainly to piss her off.

"Heeeeeeh! 'I'm afraid I'll have to as you to make do with a king-size bed', " the redheaded mocked Regal's serious voice, "Hah! And here I was thinking we'd get some sort of shabby old thing!" he proceeded to let himself fall face down onto the bed, snuggling into the pillow. "Mmmh…! It's all comfy! Aaaah…" the Chosen sighed, contently, "It feels like ages since I've slept on a nice, soft bed… civilization is so great!"

"Your attention pleaaaaase!" he was startled by his companion's voice and turned around.

"Ah?"

"This line," Sheena started, marking an imaginary streak around the middle of the bed, "This line, see? Following this pattern here, the black one, if I find even one finger across it, I'll kill you! Got it?"

"Wh… c'mon, as if I was a stranger or something!"

"Oh, a stranger you are!"

Zelos bit his lower lip and batted his eyes. " 'But it's so nice to share a room with the great Zelos!', weren't you the one who said that?"

"I said I was fine with it, not that it was nice!" the girl crossed her arms, "Regal allowed to stay here for free even though he's all economizing, so don't you get it wrong!"

The Chosen got up from the bed and positioned himself next to the window, all in one flowing, elegant motion. He turned towards the girl and spoke in his smoothest voice, "But look, Sheena…" he pulled the curtains open, "Isn't the night-sky wonderful?"

Her eyes opened as she saw that, indeed, there was no more sunlight. "Aaaaaah! Where has my day gone to?"

Zelos laughed. "Hah! Calm down, will ya? Most unfortunately, tonight I don't have any free time to play with you, miss."

"…uh?" Sheena looked surprised. He would've liked to say she also looked dejected, but nope, pure confusion there.

He ignored this and walked towards the desk, bending down to lift a big pile of papers and placing them on the desk. "Up… ok, set…" he opened one of the drawers and got a few pencils out, "Good, good!"

"…what are you doing?" from the bed, Sheena asked.

"As you can see I have copies of various manuscripts and white sheets. Now, what do you think I'll do?" he settled onto the chair.

"…you writing something?"

"Pin-pon!"

Notes: Er, Zelos' last Pin-pon was as in "Yep, just that!". Now, you must all be like "what can be so important that he won't even harass Sheena?" Well, you'll have to wait some days to see what he is writing… you might be surprised. And you'll be amused. I laughed a lot at it.

I had to take… liberties with the dialogue in this chapter. It was difficult 'cause Regal speaks about difficult things and because on the whole it has a lot of "Japanese words and/or grammatical particles that can't be translated at all", for instance Sheena and Zelos' 'discussion' about the bed and the room, almost all of it was based on that… but I think (hope) there aren't many mistakes, though.

Second fic idea here! Sheena said she wanted to see the Lights and Fireworks Parade, but it's only done in summer. wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

Anyway, we're nearing the end of the first disk. Just this and one more track to go… and then there's the free talk, which is basically Onosaka Masaya and Okamura Kimie (Zelos and Sheena's voice actors, respectively) talking about what they think of the CDs and the characters and STUFF. I don't know if I'll write it down, though… depends on whether I feel like it or not, or if people actually ask for it, too.

And then we'll start the Second and last disc.

Thanks to all reviewers, I've felt reassured knowing I'm not the only one that jumps around the room, squeals/screams and figuratively bounces on the walls when I'm exited. And for me there's no bigger happiness than people reading what I write, so yeah, I love all of you so much, you know!

Thanks for reading,

WDR

Eiyuu, Futatabi

"Uh, uh…ahhh… eeh… Altamira no shokun! Kono koto dake wa… oboite-oitekure tamae… SEIGI WA…. KATSU!"

"…yare yare…"