Disclaimer: As the cast once more grows I insult Namco and cry "The characters and plot of this story don't belong to me!", for if I owned them things would've been different...

Notes: From now on, anything in italics (other then when emphasizing) will be Sheena narrating stuff. Also, a few flashbacks here but I hate writing "Flashback" before the flashback so they are not signaled. Use that artsy head of yours to figure them out.

Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology

Rodeo Ride Tour

A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer

Track Two –

From That Day On

Nights in Sylvarant were usually a bit hotter than in Tethe'alla. Modern scientists argued about the reasons (amazing people at how fast scientists started to argue about new things); some said it was mainly because of the influence of Triet, some that it was because Sylvarant was positioned towards the south of the new world of Symphonia.

Most people didn't really care.

The fact was that even though September was already close the nights were still hot and sticky with humidity, barely starting to cool down. They were still, with no wind to rustle the leaves and almost no sound besides the cry of many crickets.

"A-woooo!" and a dog-like howl.

A young man dressed in red sighed. "Don't you whine like that, Noishe…! I'll get all lonely too."

The creature laying next to him looked up and whined as if to say "I know but I feel sad, what can I do?". The boy smiled for an instant and then sighed, staring into the fire for a few long seconds. That night it was only him and the 'dog'…

"Alright then," he got up, shaking his head, "That's that... lets head back and have some dinner, how about it?"

Noishe eyed the man lazily before its ears twitched. Getting up it started to bark at the darkness that surrounded them.

"Ah? What's wrong, Noishe?"

A voice called from among the trees where two figures were running towards him. "Heeeeeeeey!" it called. It was a female.

"…eh?" he raised an eyebrow. Perhaps there was some traveler in problems?

The second call belonged to a man. "Heeeeey, Llooooyd!"

"Uh? Hey, that voice is…!"

"You look healthy, Lloyd!"

"If you took the health out of me, what would be left anyway?" the two men laughed, Zelos' voice resounding above Lloyd's. Was it her or was he being even louder than usual?

"No mistake about that!"

…nah, it was her.

"So is your journey to search the Expheares over?"

"No, we just decided to come back for a while," the brown-haired man grinned, " 'Sides, I got careless and one of my legs started to hurt…"

"Are you alright now?" Sheena asked, sounding perhaps more worried than she had meant to .

"Yeah! It's doing pretty well now."

From the side of the road a man called at them. "Heeey, Lloyd! How about takin' some carrots with ya!"

"Thanks, mister! I'll go pick 'em up tomorrow!"

"We'll be waitin'!" they kept on walking as Lloyd waved good-bye to the man in the pasture. The lights of the many houses in Iselia shined at the other side of the field.

Zelos sighed a little. "Iselia, mh? All of the damage done by those Desians has been pretty much mended."

"There are new people, new fields, new houses," Lloyd explained, and Sheena noticed that he looked sincerely happy and a smile started to appear on her lips, freezing for an instant when she realized that she was happy because he was happy. So she smiled.

"But, y'know… besides thaaaat…" Lloyd ran a little ahead and turned to face them, shooting the two a devious little grin (or as devious as it could be coming from Lloyd). "Traveling just the two of you, mmmh?"

"…mh?"

"Must be fun, heh!"

…Oooh, the two thought as they caught on. They looked at each other and then shrugged, saying, at the same time and the same tone, "Naah."

"…," said Lloyd.

They glared at the other and said "Naaah!" again at the same time, same voice, same tone.

"Aaah.. er…"

"Aah, besides that, Colette, where's my dear Colette?" Zelos interrupted, his entire being managing to be an uncomfortable smile.

"Eh..? Ah, well, she isn't here right now."

"…she isn't here?" it was the redheaded's turn to look confused.

"Lately she's been visiting the neighboring villages, teaching the kids. You know, in exchange of the Professor, who hasn't returned…"

"Heeeeh!"

"Ah, I see," Zelos exclaimed slyly, with the difference that he managed that look with much more ease than Lloyd would ever, "So that's why you were looking all lonely in front of the village, sighing alone in the dusk?"

Lloyd instantly turned so red it was obvious even in the darkness. " Wha – no! I – you!" he turned around, scoffing a little. "Well, we are almost there anyway! Actually, we're here! My dad's gone for a few days, too, so we have the place to ourselves!"

As Lloyd headed into the house with loud steps, Zelos leaned over towards his usual companion.

"Bet you're feeling that old ember burn anew, ain't ya?" he whispered.

Sheena was sincerely taken by surprise. "Eh?"

"You – and – Lloyd."

Her response was immediate. "Pft, are you stupid?"

The Chosen laughed louder than she hadn't hear him do in a long while and walked into the house. "Comin', comin'…! Aaah, what's with this bear rug anyways! Heey, Lloyd, what's the idea…?"

"It's cool, ain't it!"

"Er – erm – ah, well, I guess that kinda, in a sense…"

But Sheena didn't really hear that exchange, her eyes staring at the floor but looking much, much farther.

Really… right now… yes, what's the point of bringing that up?

"Wait!"

"…what's that?"

"Is she one of your friends, Lloyd?"

"Dunno."

"Is there anyone called the Chosen of Mana in here?"

"Ah! That would be me!"

"I'll have your life then!"

That day… from the day I met him for the first time Lloyd was always with Colette.

"You know… it's just that I have always begrudged my ability to make pacts with the spirits… it was because my own lack of skills that many people in the village were killed… Orochi and Kuchinawa's parents died, too… and the Chief fell into a sleep from which he can't wake up… and my first friend ever, Corrine…"

"Heh, cheer up you! It's because you are gathering the spirits for us that we have been able to defeat the Cardinals!"

"But all that happened now, too, it's because of my doing pacts with the spirits!"

"That's… well, that's the Renegades!"

"…eh!"

"That's what the Renegades would say, so don't listen to them!"

"…heh…heheh…hahahahahahaha!"

"…he-hey, what's with that!"

...Lloyd was always kind.

"You… if you had never been born, everyone would be able to lead a peaceful, happy life. Yes… you are the plague that murdered my people!"

And she tried to run, away from the hole and... "I… I!"

"Poor thing. So unfit to be the Chosen and yet you were the one that become so."

And next to her he, too, was running towards… "I… I am…"

Kuchinawa had smiled "You were born by mistake…"

"That's not true! The two of them have a value just because they are alive! And even if you say they don't, then I've decided that they do! They are my friends and therefore they have a value!"

And with that kindness, Lloyd pulled me out of that self-destructing past… but…

"Lloyd!"

"This is my last wish! Eternal Sword! Please awaken the Great Tree!"

"Please!"

"Come back! Derris-Kharlan!"

At the very last second the one who was next to Lloyd was Colette. I was a little sad but this is what I thought: "…that's fine. They suit each other. And if I say it it's because it's true." So that's why… that's why, right now…?

"…hi-ho, hi-ho! I don't know the ends of the world, but-! Even then, tomorrow will still come! It'll come straight to my home! So let's get going, hi-ho, hi-ho! I'm ready on the saddle, hi-ho, hi-ho!"

The three dropped to the ground, laughing. "Cheeeeeeeeeers!"

"Aaaah… can't eat more… no more, no more!" so said a rather drunk Zelos, letting himself fall down onto the coach. Soon (as in seconds-soon) the sound of the Chosen's light snores announced his friends that he had fallen asleep.

She was standing at Dirk's sink. Zelos and Lloyd had started talking about subjects she didn't care much about (mainly swords) so she had decided to wash the dishes they had used for dinner. Zelos, it seemed, had kept on drinking while carrying the conversation.

At the small table behind her, Lloyd grinned. "This is the first time I see Zelos this drunk."

She smiled in response, looking over her shoulder to see him clearly. "An idiot is an idiot even on the road. You'll have to forgive him though," Zelos didn't get as many chances to relax as he was used to, she guessed.

Lloyd stared at the fire burning at the chimney. "Is this… some sort of 'friendly' trip?" again, he eyed her slyly, as if privately celebrating something.

She looked away and concentrated on scrubbing the plate in her hands. This wasn't the first time anyone had implied that kind of thing – she had been asked whether she was on her honeymoon a few times already, for instance. But of all the people in the world…

Lloyd laughed a little. "Sorry, sorry! I've made my guest cook and topped it off by making you wash…"

"Don't worry about that," she answered quickly, as she really didn't mind. "It's not something I hate, really. See? I'm done now," wiping her hands on a dirty cloth she sat down again.

"By the way, your apron is falling apart," she smiled, "You should ask Colette to sew it up for you."

"Colette, you say…? Er…"

"Your apron needs stitching?" Colette smiled, "That's easy enough! I'll take care of it."

Needle and thread in hand, "Chi-ku, Chi-ku, Chi-ku…" the young ex-Chosen startes, "Chi-ku. Chi-ku, Chi-ku… Chi-ku. Chi-ku, Chi-ku… Ah…! I think I over-did it a little here…"

Now, taking out a pair of scissors, "Cho-ki cho-ki… ah, good! Chi-ku, Chi-ku, Chi-ku… ah ! "

"Ah!" Lloyd mimicked.

"It's fine, it's fine…"

"Is it…?"

"Chi-ku, chi-ku, chi-kuuuu… alright, it's done ! "

"…say, Colette…?"

"Mh?"

"And… what's that?"

The girl looked at her creation. "An apron… I think?"

"An apron?"

"…probably."

"…and it'd probably come out like that."

She laughed loudly, stopping a little when she remembered Zelos was sleeping. "Give me some thread and a needle later. I'll patch it up in no time."

"Thanks," Lloyd smiled, "Sheena, you are really feminine, aren't you?"

"Wh – hah!"

"Your cooking's good, and are good with delicate stuff…!"

"I – I am Mizuho's Chief! It's not fitting for me to be called… girly!" she answered, flustered in pretended anger. She was, actually, not sure whether she should feel happy or not.

"Oh, I see! Heh, sorry, sorry! So the Chief, eh?"

"Heh, that's what they say," the Igaguri style dictated modesty was to be used at all times. It was somehow tiring. "I don't think I'm a very reliable leader though!"

"That's not true at all!" of course, Lloyd wouldn't realize that kind of obligated modesty, "I've always thought you'd make a great leader, you know?"

"Aw, c'mon…"

"I'm not just flattering you! How to explain it… well, you are very human! You are kind, so people can feel good when you are around. And that's a great thing when you are a leader, isn't it?"

"Ah, cut that out, you are embarrassing me!"

"Because it's true, right?" both of the laughed softly, not wanting to wake their friend.

After a few instants of silence, Sheena faced the chimney and then sneaked a peek at the man next to her. "Say, Lloyd…"

"Uh?"

"…no, it's nothing. I think I'll just go get some fresh air outside."

And so she got up and walked out, stopping not far from the small river that passed near the swordsman's house. The wind was cold and almost cutting in comparison to the cozy warmth she had left behind… to think that just a few hours ago the night was looking to be hot…

She hugged herself, feeling so confused she could feel her stomach swirling.

Or perhaps that was the wine, but she still felt very confused. Because on one hand, she had grown used to him so much that… but on the other, Lloyd had…

Right now… what am I supposed to do now?

Notes: The last of the "#$€& ARGH" chapters, at least for me. I don't like this track, at all, to the point in which it was hard for me to sit down and translate… but next track is better as are the rest. Now, if Love Triangles are your thing, you may have liked this Track. Me, I hate them.

I don't know ho wmany of you knew, but there's a Tales of Symphonia manga running in Japan. I've ordered the first volume (should arrive in a few weeks) and from what I've seen it has great, great art. The fact that there's a running manga makes me hope for an animated version: if they had released a few volumes and be done with it then it wouldn't have much appeal, but if it's a weekly/monthly series… let us cross our fingers.

I'm completely uninspired today so I'll cut it short with the promise that next chapter will be 1)Better, 2)Re-assuring. Look forward to it, and I hope you enjoyed reading this more than I did.

WDR

Yuugure no Naka de

…sonna atashi no chotto mae ni… Zelos wa utainagara aruita… zutto… zutto… utainagara atashi no chotto mae wo arukitsutzuketa.