Disclaimer: I don't claim ownership over the Rodeo Ride Tour license and its characters, so there.
Notes: Again, a few flashbacks here. Be alert to them. Sheena still narrates. Also, there's this word "tanto", which is basically a short sword used by the ninja.
Tales of Symphonia; Drama CD Anthology
Rodeo Ride Tour
A fanfiction adaptation by Winged Dancer
Track Four –
The End of the Journey
Zelos stared at the fire burning in front of him. Even though it was at most four o'clock in the morning he was wide awake. It wasn't that it was his turn to keep watch: they had stopped doing watched a few weeks after the start of their travel… he just couldn't sleep.
In fact, his insomnia had started a week ago already, a few days after they left Lloyd's house. He just was too anxious to sleep – the terrorists hadn't moved for far too long. They could be planning on another bomb-attack, or they could be planning on attacking the two of them again… and if they brought more people this time, would he be able to protect her…?
He moved his gaze from the fire to the figure resting across it. Sheena slept soundly, not disturbed by the cracking of the fire nor by whatever things could loom in the darkness.
…talking about that…
"Oi, the one over there!" he called softly but firmly, not moving from his place but quickly calculating in how many seconds he would be able to get his sword, wake Sheena and start fighting, "If you don't show yourself any time soon, just don't blame me if you suddenly get hit by magic."
From the bushes near the Chosen's feet the figure of a man rose.
"It is me," it said, and Zelos grinned at him.
"Hey! It's been a while, Orochi."
"As expected of you, Chosen One," the ninja, bowed slightly, hand over his chest, "You were able to discern my presence immediately. In comparison, my village's Chief is…"
Sheena moved slightly, sighed contently and settled back to sleep. Orochi shook his head but Zelos was sure the ninja was smiling at least a little… just like he was.
"My, my, really."
The redheaded laughed a little and got up, sitting on top of his sleeping bag. "C'mon, sit over here. 's warmer."
The ninja nodded and sat, cross-legged, next to the fire. The Chosen took an old, blackened branch and moved the logs a little before throwing one more into the flames. Orochi stared first at him and then at the fire, his eyes more serious that he would've liked.
But he'd be damned if he showed the ninja how worried he was.
So he chuckled, throwing the branch aside, and sighed, "Seems you have some bad news for me."
The wind picked up and Orochi's eyes met his for a few tense seconds before going back to the flames.
"…that's right."
"Well, actually I did notice, but you know, I thought 'Well it's just a friend, so there's no need to wake up', see? Because… well, we can meet even with me asleep, you see!"
Zelos laughed loudly, not letting go of the frying pan he was holding over the fire.
"Whaaaaat?"
"There's some good news from Meltokio!" he explained, carefully moving the bacon that was sizzling on the saucepan. "Almost done… anyway, he wanted to let us now as quickly as possible, so he came looking for us at the middle of the night. Always kind, eh Orochi? Alright, all done now! Sheena, the plates!"
With her mouth half-full of bread, Sheena nodded and quickly got three worn dishes from the Chosen's pack.
"So what's this news anyway? Did you find any information on the terrorists?"
Orochi nodded. It had taken a bit of effort convincing him to have breakfast with the two of them but he had ended up accepting. "We have exterminated them."
Zelos grinned, clearly happy, as he handed her her share. "Two birds, one stone!"
"Two birds…?"
And so, it became clear that the end of the journey had finally arrived…
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The forces of the Mizuho warriors aided by a few regiments from the Royal army had stormed the terrorists' base one night. Luck had been on their side and the criminals had not realized the danger they were in until it was all too late.
"Don't let even one escape!" Orochi, leader of the operation, had called, "The people from Mizuho shall never forgive these terrorists who threaten the stability of the world! Exterminate them all!"
"Yeeaaaaaargh!" a man charged at him, sword in hand. It seemed he was the leader, but that didn't mean he was any good at handling weapons.
"Too slow!" Orochi had easily parried the attack with his own short tanto, quickly countering with a few swift blows and forcing the man to back down.
"We… we are no terrorists!" he had cried, struggling to keep the ninja away, "We shall kill the Chosen and build a new, golden era!"
Orochi's eyes narrowed and he put some more pressure onto the sword, "A new age is already in the works. However, an age created like this…!" he shoved the man aside and with a quick thrust his sword was impaled into the terrorist's stomach.
"…it is not one that would last long."
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Advancing amidst the cries of the battlefield, Orochi and his forces swept through the terrorists' man base, killing or taking prisoner every single of their enemies.
As we had thought they were a group founded upon religious fanaticism, and at the back of it all there was the lingering scent of jealousy, old rancor along with the shadow of several low-class nobles.
The investigation was well-carried, and yet…
"Two birds, one stone!"
Yes, two birds were killed with the same hit.
And so, it became clear that the end of the journey had finally arrived…
The Chosen was crouching by a nearby lake, humming happily to himself that silly old song they had first heard when leaving the ports. His usual long-gloves had been discarded and left on the ground next to him as he washed the dishes and utensils they had used for preparing breakfast.
Sheena smiled a little. Finally, after months on the road, they could go back to their normal lives without having to worry about endangering anyone. Even at the middle of the forest Zelos looked truly relaxed; bent over the small lagoon washing a bowl, his hair fallingdown the sides of his face.
"…Zelos," she called. For some reason she couldn't exactly pin-point she was feeling rather… hesitant.
But Zelos' answer was quick, "Heeey! Just wait a second, will ya? Almost done with this."
Yes, she repeated to herself. He was bound to be happy, and so was she suppossed to feel, too… but somehow, the idea of the trip ending was starting to sound unnatural.
"O-key, we are done," she pushed that though aside as Zelos shook the bowl a little and then placed it onto the grass next to the others.
She grinned at him, "You've gotten really used to washing the dishes, haven't you?"
He chuckled, "It may be, you know, that I've ended up liking this."
"What, doing the dishes?"
"Cooking, laundry, the dishes, sleeping in the open."
"Why, quite the homely little Chosen we have!"
Again he laughed and pushed his hair back. Some of it stuck to his still-wet hands and he crossed his legs, staring a little at the lake before turning to face her, his smile intact.
"So what's up?"
"Well, nothing really."
"Heh," it sounded as if he was sighing instead of laughing, "Well, siddown," he patted the ground next to him and looked again ahead to the lake. As she took the place he had indicated she couldn't help but to notice his face had turned pensive, it was easy to see he wasn't looking at the lake but at something much farther away.
Feeling again slightly melancholic Sheena hugged her legs and gazed at the morning sun reflecting off the lake. A nice, comforting silence was formed between the two, and yet she could feel an apprehension within her chest.
"This time…" Zelos finally spoke, eyes still looking ahead.
"Mh?" she turned her head.
He, too, turned around, smiling sheepishly, "I got you into some trouble, didn't I?"
She smiled, shaking her head. "Nah…"
Once more Zelos looked at the water. "I was thinking of going alone… but once I was setting out, well, it's not to say I suddenly felt lonely or sad or…"
The Chosen stopped, his smile fading as well. He looked as if he was struggling to say something, but Sheena was too afraid to talk. She'd say the wrong thing. She'd make him feel bad about this unusual moment, he'd stop…
So instead she only muttered an almost inaudible "…mhm?"
"And then…" Zelos rested his head on his knee, smiling at her, "Your face appeared in my mind."
"A-aah…"
"Yeah, I…" he forced a chuckle, "I didn't thank you, did I?"
The ninja snorted, "You didn't."
"You want me to?" the Chosen's voice went back to his usual sultry tones.
"Heh, what for!"
"Heh, I see… heheheh."
The two laughed a little before going back to stare at the lake.
"There's… there's no need to sleep outdoors and sneak around anymore, right?" she asked.
"Yeah."
"We don't need to cook neither, right?"
"Yeah."
"And the dishes?"
He took one of the spoons and hit a bowl with it, "All done."
In spite of herself, she smiled and stretched her arms. "Mmmmh! Finally able to go back to my usual, scheduled life! I kept thinking that the Chief's work would be completely tiresome but after leaving on a journey this long, I look back at it and it's almost inviting."
Zelos made a weak attempt at a smile.
"You must be like that, too," she continued, but this time he didn't even try. "…say something, you."
The Chosen waved a hand vaguely before letting it drop, to his side and averted his eyes. "I'm sorry."
In the morning the lake was silent and shining with reflections.
I can, even now, clearly remember the quietness that surrounded us and the light reflecting off the lake.
And… at that time, what we were thinking… that inexplicable feeling, that melancholy that was deep inside our breast, I can remember that as well.
"The Chief of Mizuho… The Chosen of Tethe'alla, mh?" Zelos mumbled, and laughed quietly, " 'twas a trip of big shots alone, it seems."
"…I know."
"Say, Sheena…"
"Mh?"
"…the way we are, right now… why don't we just escape to some other place…?
Those words seemed to float for ever in between the two of us. I think… those words were really unreal, sentimental, words that wouldn't do any good for anyone…
...but at that time, if I had just reached out my hand, I could've taken a hold of them…
"…Orochi is waiting for us. Shall we go…?"
"…yeah."
We got up… and started walking away.
Notes: I did say the ending was coming soon… the next chapter is basically a wrap up and then there's an enormous free talk (split into two or three) which I'm not going to translate because the only important thing in there is Sheena's actress saying "I'd pick Zelos over Lloyd any day of the week".
So I like this chapter. It's… romantic, and sentimental, which means "silly emotional being" in Japanese (or so I've been led to think), what with Zelos saying its bad news that Orochi is there ('cause that means the journey is over and whatnot) and that scene by the lake… :sigh-ness:
As you can see the mystery of the repeating bit at the end of the two 'Track 1's is starting to unveil, too. Also, if you go and re-read the Free Talk in chapter 8, you can see that Onosaka Masaya had clearly read the script for this second part already… it was full of clues.
Oh, and I'm not sure whether this chapter is titled "The End of the Journey" or "The Journey Doesn't End". So am I a liar or not? You decide!
Hope you all enjoyed, and see you next week for the conclusion! I'll be laughing like a maniac while waiting for reviews.
WDR