Tales of Symphonia:
Rodeo Ride Tour
Notes: Finally onto the second disk! Now my dear readers, tell me - are you ready for the angst? Yes, WDR, we are ready for the angst!
Ok, so Namco's angst is still nothing compared to most fanfictions out there but from my point of view things get a little more tense from now on.
By the way, Winged Dancer is not responsible for any stomach-aches caused by the first two chapters. Well I got one when I first head the two tracks, but then again I'm completely crazy. This chapter is a little slow; as the other first chapter it serves as an introduction.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Tales of Symphonia license, the Rodeo Ride Tour license, the characters of Zelos Wilder, Sheena Fujibayashi, Orochi or any other that might appear.
Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology
Rodeo Ride Tour – The Latter Part
A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer
Track One –
Proclaim that Name!
Some would say that the air can't become crowded. But there was a small village, just next to the coastline, that proved that it could.
It wasn't very big, but it was thriving and growing by the day. It had been formed just before the Unification, towards the North of Sylvarant, and had been one of the firsts places that started trading with Sylvarant. It was also so small it didn't even attract the authorities, and therefore it was sometimes used by criminals who wanted to leave the continent or smuggle good of various kinds.
That morning the air was crowded.
It smelt of salt and humidity and sea-weed and it was full of sounds and activity. The cry of the seagulls, the constant breaking of the waves against the sand, the voices of many people going about their daily business, living their daily lives: it had become so hot lately, hadn't it? Yes, it had, and have you heard about…? Yes, that was so funny! And the latest trend from Meltokio, but who cares about dresses? I heard that they had a new show at Altamira…
A man dressed in an outfit much too hot for the current weather sat at a improvised counter next to the docks. He looked tired even if it was still the early morning.
"Alright.. next!" he called.
A swarthy, short man stepped forward. Back at Meltokio the young officer would've distrusted him just by that, but after two or three months of working at the harbor he had come to understand that most sailors looked like that.
"Heheh! With pleasure," the sailor in question smiled and handed him a paper.
The officer looked through it. He had been doing that for a while now, it was a tedious job and his uniform was almost smothering him.
"Hmmm… so the ship's the Swordfish, Captain's Ged Blue," he passed to the next page, "The cargo is fish and cooking utensils. It seems there's no problem," he took a seal and stamped it on the front page, handing the papers back to the man. "OK, you are free to go."
The sailor looked surprised for a second; he looked around and then leaned over the table. "Say, whats' goin' on? Seems these days they've tightened the security on every harbor! Did sumthin' happen?
"Ah, well…" the officer sighed, "I don't know very well, but orders came from Meltokio that…" he caught himself and straightened up. "Well, it is not a problem for a sea-trader like you. You are holding the line, hurry up and move."
The man smiled in an altogether not-so-friendly way but moved and started walking back to the town. "Thanks for your efforts, mister!"
"He-hey! You are going back to… are you transporting people as well!"
"Ah – yeah! I've got four of my crew waiting at the inn…!"
Back in town, away from the noisy harbor, one of the inn's windows was open. Giggles could be heard coming from the inside.
"Aaah, what are you saying!"
More giggles.
"But even so… aaah…!" a girl in her late teens sighed theatrically, "I feel so very nervous now!"
"Ooh, 'I feel so very nervous now!'," another girl mocked, laughing a little, "You are sounding like a fairy-tale princess!"
The four girls giggled again.
"But, but!" the 'princess' re-started, "We aren't just plain village-girls anymore!" she took her hands to her face and closed her eyes. "We are going to be the Chosen's… the Great Chosen of Tethe'alla's Ladies in Waiting!"
"Aaaah…!" the four sighed together, and then squealed, in cue: "Master Zelos!"
They weren't exactly the better-looking girls in Sylvarant, but that's not to say they were ugly. They were just four girls dressed in simple peasant attires because that's what they had been for most of their life. Then the worlds had united and they had started hearing rumors about the other world's Chosen: he was a handsome, charitable man, a charming hero straight out of most girls' fantasies.
So each of them had jumped at the chance to become the Great Chosen's servants.
"Ah, but, but!" one of the girls cried, coming out of whatever Zelos-induced daydream she had been in, "Are we gonna be alright with these shabby dresses?"
"Don't worry, don't worry!" the eldest one replied, "I'm sure Master Gifford will have new ones ready for us!"
The door opened and the man in question entered the room. He was tall and good-looking in a mysterious sort of the way.
"I've made you wait, I'm afraid," he said, elegantly brushing his cape aside, "Our ship has finally arrived."
"It's here!"
"Oooh, I'm so nervous!"
Gifford moved aside and a about five or six more men entered the room.
"This man here," their temporary 'Master' politely waved at one of the men, "Is Captain Gedd and the rest of the crew. "They will be the ones to kindly guide us to our destination."
Captain Gedd stepped forwards and made a clumsy bow, but given how clumsily the girls curtsied back they probably didn't notice. "My dear young ladies, it is a pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure is ours," the girls replied as one.
"I'm sure you are all ready to leave?" asked Gifford, looking around at the room.
"Yes, Master Gifford!"
"Very well, very well!" he moved 'till he was facing the girls "You shall, from now on, helping manage all of the Great Chosen's business. All that you are asked to perform must be done promptly and without complains."
"In a jiffy, sir!" one girl exclaimed, all smiles.
"Well my, my!" Gifford laughed, "It seems that I shall have to lecture you in the language of the high society during the trip."
The girls giggled loudly.
"Very well. Now do gather your bags and we shall be ready to leave."
The girls (still giggling) started running around the room, picking up their many small travel-bags. The 'captain' leaned towards Gifford, eyeing the girls almost greedily.
"I dunno why you got these ones, tho'," he whispered, "There are plenty of better-looing ones, I've seen!" he snickered.
"I prefer to take the ordinary," Gifford was quick to answer, "Although I wonder if we'll be able to sell them…?"
He had barely finished that sentence when the door swung open and a man stamped into the room, anger written all over his face, "Wait!" he walked towards the center of the room, "Give Mia back!"
"Bro…brother…" one of the girls, brown hair picked into a ponytail, dropped her bags to the floor.
"Mia!"
"You! Get a hold of him!" the captain ordered and soon his men were all holding the newcomer back.
"Wa- hey – lemme go – you!"
"Stop it! Please let go of him!" the girl pleaded.
Gifford arched an eyebrow. "You… could you possibly be Miss Mia's family?"
"Yes, I am!" the man answered, still struggling, "I've come to get my sister back!"
"Why, but the way you put it is so rude! It makes it sound, in fact, as if I had kidnapped your sister. Oh, do release him."
"Well, isn't that how it was though!" he rubbed one of his arms, "Taking her out of the village in secret without telling her family… let's go back, Mia!"
The girl stepped back, eyes darting around.
"Mia."
Her answer was barely a whisper: "No…"
"Mia!"
"No, no, I'm not going back!" the girl exploded, glaring at her brother, "To that back-water, stupid village… you think I'd want to go back! Working at the fields morning to night, getting caked with mud… I don't want such a miserable life, brother! I'm going to the city and I'll become the Chosen's attendant… that's a life anyone can be proud of!"
"That's all a bunch of lies!" the man answered, now calmer, "The Chosen left Meltokio suddenly and even now nobody knows where he is! This man is not the 'attendant scout' he claims!"
"Eh…? Is that… true…?" the girls looked at each other, suddenly getting a little afraid.
"Yeah, it seems this was kept a secret outside of Meltokio or something but a traveler explained it to me."
"No… that can't be true…" Mia started shaking her head.
"Now, what foolishness are you saying?" Gifford stepped forward, "If you think about it, that so-called 'secret information'… why would a simple traveler know of this? And even more, can the words of a 'traveler' be trusted? For instance," the man reached into his cape now, "This contract in which the Honorable Chosen's signature can be seen. Now, this is something that you cannot doubt, I'm afraid," he ended, turning towards the girl's brother.
The man, worrying as he was, didn't realized no one in the room had ever seen the Chosen's signature before. "But… but the boy said that it was true, that the –"
"Why don'cha bring that boy here then, uh!" one of the sailors yelled from behind, the rest of them quickly agreeing.
Gifford smiled, putting the document away, "I'm sorry to hurt your feelings, but shouldn't you be thinking about your sister's welfare, now?" dramatically, he opened his arms, "If you truly love your sister, then –"
"Love, you say?"
Everybody turned towards the interruption. A man, covered in an old beige cape, was leaning on the door frame looking straight at Gifford. His red hair had been pulled up in the sloppiest pony-tail possible and his face was stained with coal and Goddess-knew what else; he looked as if he hadn't bathed in at least two weeks. No one had paid him any mind 'till now, taking him to be one of the sailors.
"Hm. Love, mh?" he got up from his position, covering the exit.
"Hey, you… what'ccha think you doing!" one of the men started.
"Love, you know!" the red-haired sailor kept on going, "Means keeping in mind your partner's feelings, and wish for your affection's best. It ain't a word for the likes of you to be using lightly, I think!"
"…Captain," Gifford seethed, tired of the many interruptions so far, "And this man, just who…?"
"I…! He – he was lounging around the port and he said he wanted a job and… hey, you!" he took one of the redheaded's shoulder, "I – I don't know what kind of treason you tryin' to do but –"
He got no further as the man's elbow connected to his face and fell to the floor, unconscious. The girls squealed, scared, and the rest of the sailors surrounded the man, who simply brushed his hair off his face.
When he spoke it sounded almost as if he was whining. "Well, it's not as if he had a nice face before or anything!"
"You…! Who do you think you are!" Gifford cried and the man turned his face towards him.
"Hm…. Some times, I am the man lounging at the port looking for a job…" he started, dramatically, "Some other times I am Love's Warrior. And yet some other times I am the traveler from Meltokio."
"It's...!" Mia's brother cried as recognition kicked in.
"But!" the redheaded wasn't done, "In truth, I – gaaaaghth!" the door swung open, interrupting the dramatic monologue and pushing the man forward.
A black-haired girl, as grubby-looking as the man, stepped in. "I'm done with the ones inside the boat, Zelos!"
"Aaaah, you ruined it!" the man stamped his feet on the floor, looking about to throw a tantrum.
Gifford, however, didn't look as if he cared about the ruined monologue. "Ze… Zelos – Zelos Wilder!"
"Zelos….?
"Master Zelos…?"
"You mean that's…?"
"There… there's no way!"
Gifford started laughing. "Hahahahahah… you mean to tell us, with that face, that you are the 'charming' Chosen? That's ridiculous!"
"Now, look, look!" the man turned at the girl, pointing at his face, "That's why I told you! If I arrived with my face stained like this, how was I supposed to face them?"
"Whaaat! You were the one having the most fun, weren't you!"
"Shut up!" 'Master' Gifford cried, "If you claim to be the Chosen, show us proof of that! Proof!"
"Fine with me, Mr. Handsome!" he answered, flinging his shawl away and showing, at the base of his neck-line, a glittering jewel. "Only two of these in the world, y'know."
The response was immediate. "Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
"Alright, my hunnies! The Great I is here, so there's nothing to fear now! Feel free to fly to my manly che-"
"Alright, you Mister Gifford!" the black-haired girl interrupted, planting herself in front of the Chosen. "You are accused of forging the Chosen's signature to abduct young girls to sell as servants! And we've got all of it proved, too!" from her pink sash she extracted a few worn papers.
Gifford, however, didn't seem to be listening. "Who would've… that the Chosen, himself, was in such a city… aaah, kill him!"
All of the remaining sailors launched themselves at the Chosen, but they weren't able to even close in before the air around the redheaded flared up and they were enveloped in a spell.
"Judgment… has been placed."
As the men dropped to the floor, the girls' eyes were wide in admiration. "One, two and…"
"Master Zelos!"
"Aah… aaaah!"
"Gyaaaa-h!"
Before anyone could react, Gifford had lunged and grabbed Mia.
"Let me go! Let me go!"
"Damn! You all, step aside!" Sheena cried, placing herself in front of the rest of the girls.
"Shut up!" from his belt Gifford produced a dagger which he placed at the girl's neck, "All of you! Don't even move or I'll kill the girl…"
The Chosen smiled wryly, arms behind his head. "Man, this is quite a pinch, ain't it?" Gifford laughed and Zelos smiled once more. "Er, I wasn't talking about me, really. I meant you."
As if on cue, the girl's brother pounced from the side, knocking the dagger away and bringing the man down to the floor.
"Mia! Get away!"
"Brother!"
"Let – let me go! I'll kill you!" Gifford cried from the floor, but it was pretty clear who had the upper hand now.
"Chosen! Please help my brother!" the girl clung to Zelos' vest, pleading.
The Chosen, however, was too entertained looking at the fight.
"Eh?"
"Chosen, please!"
"It's just that there's no need for me to take part," Zelos shrugged his shoulders.
"…eh?"
The girl looked back at the two men. Her brother was punching with such strength and speed that Gifford wasn't even able to answer the hits.
"See?" Zelos continued, "Working at the fields morning to night, getting caked with mud… I don't see what's so miserable about that. Isn't he being terribly great?"
"You… apologize!" the man was yelling in between punches, "I'm not stopping 'till you do!" but Gifford wasn't moving much by then.
"…stop…" Mia squeaked, "That's enough, brother! He's gonna die! Brother!" Mia hugged her brother from behind in an effort to stop him. She was crying. "I'm sorry, brother… I'm sorry…"
"Step back, don't push!"
"Back, people, back!"
Mia and her brother, whose name he said was Jim, were being accompanied by one of the many harbor cops that had arrived to the town shortly after the Chosen had unveiled himself. The crew of the Swordfish and its captain had been identified as wanted smugglers and were now being taken into provisional confinement.
"I –I only agreed to carry the luggage! I'm not guilty, I'm tellin' you I –"
"Y-yeah, me too! We – we were tricked by that man!" the sailors kept trying to defend themselves.
"Shut up! We've got plenty of proof! Quite your yapping and move… you all, escort them all!" the chief inspector ordered before turning towards Jim and Mia, who among the other girls was the only one who had managed to stop crying.
"You alright, Mia?"
"Yes… say, bro…?"
"Yes?"
"…thanks."
He smiled at her, a little tired but happy all the same. "Yes."
The chief smiled at him. "Ah! So it's you we have to thank, right? Well, there are some things I'd like to hear from you, of course…"
"Ah, no… I mean, I don't think I did anything worth mentioning, sir," the young man interrupted, "It was all the Chosen's…"
The man arched an eyebrow in disbelief. "The Chosen?"
"Yes, he's over…oh…" where previously the Chosen and his black-haired companion had been standing there was nothing but a few seagulls picking at the remains of an old fish.
The chief grinned and patted his shoulder. "What are you saying, young man?"
"Ah, well, it was… it was nothing, sir."
Mia looked down and smiled. "Thanks… Master Zelos."
Relatively far from the town a hay-filled wooden cart moved slowly. Its owner and driver, an old man whose face was shadowed by an old straw hat, was singing in a broken voice:
"The destination, I don't know… hi-ho… hi-ho… But I've mounted my steed… hi-ho… hi-ho…I don't know the ends of the world, but… even then, tomorrow will still come…"
"…aww, c'mon, mister! Cut us some slack with that song already, will ya!" from the back of the cart, almost hidden amongst the hay, a red-haired young man tried to stand on top of the cargo.
The man laughed. "I'm letting ya ride for free, so bear with it! ...The destination, I don't know… hi-ho… hi-ho…"
The redheaded failed in his attempt to stand and fell down onto the hay, spitting at random and trying to clean his face with his even dirtier hands. "Pft, gah, it's gotten even into my mouth - !"
"You couldn't be expecting luxury, heh," next to him, reclining onto the hay was a black-haired girl. "This way we can reach the next city before the day ends," she stretched her arms towards the sky, "Aah, we worked quite some today!"
"Heh! Didn't we?"
A few moments passed in silence as the two travelers stared up at the slowly-darkening sky.
"It was really nice, wasn't it?" the girl broke the silence after a few seconds.
"Wha?"
"Those two…"
He shrugged his shoulders. "Ah well… but I took all of the nice moments, though."
"To have people who care that much about you…" she ignored him, "It must be so nice to have siblings…!"
"Hah! Don't even say that… there are some, like my sister for instance, who are completely and absolutely not cute at all."
"There you go again with that!"
"Ah! I know!" he turned to face her with a goofy grin pasted on his face, "From today on, you may call me 'Great Darling Brother'."
Immediately enough she snorted and started laughing. "Pfft, you idiot!"
…the way we are, right now… why don't we just escape to some other place…?
"I open my eyes and see the roof I'm used to seeing… Mizuho's everyday morning… I do that and I know that that trip is over.
Why is it…?
I hold onto my heart that hurts just a little and I think… that travel… what was it for me…?"
Tales of Symphonia… Rodeo Ride Tour
Notes: …this ain't my favorite Track, by far. It… wastes precious Zeroshii time with some guys I don't care about and… uh, yeah. Both this one and the next one left me with a… bad after-taste, if you can understand that.
Aaaanyway, so that's the first track from the second CD. As I said before, it serves to set the tone that the whole thing will carry… this CDs theme is quite clear up there, or at least it's clear to me who had heard the whole thing already, heh. You must have noticed, too, that we have again that last bit – it's exactly the same as in the first disk and no, you aren't supposed to understand it yet. Just a whee more!
Before I forget, it seems the Japanese side of the fandom will be holding a party in honor of our favorite Chosen – Colette! No, actually, it's Zelos. The party is called "Ore-sama no Ai da", or "It's My Love!" in English… it's dated around September and needless to say I'm completely pissed I'm not gone be there…
I'd like to say something here – I've gotten busy all of sudden with college (lots of readings to do) so I don't think I'll have time to grammar-check these things thoroughly. I think my spelling's fine but I'm aware my grammar has its ups and downs… and I just don't have time anymore to check that, so sorry about any weird sentences you might find here or from now on… on the bright side I'm, for the first time in my life, learning English grammar! Those things called "nouns", for instance? And prounouns and clauses and stuff? Never heard of them and now I'll be learning their correct use… never thought I'd say I'm happy to be learning grammar.
That being said, hope you liked, even if it's just an introduction,
WDR
Ano Hi Kara
"Mattaku... ima sara... sou, sonna no ima sara no hanashi da..."