------------------Chapter One: Rebuilding a Lost Tribe

The mist covered the figure, hiding its image, only showing its shadow, and the fiery blade it held in its clawed hand. The figure took a step forward, only to stop. Another figure appeared in the mist, this one slightly smaller. It was also only a shadow. The song in the background changed again, this one about death. The larger figure seemed to growl, then tense up. The smaller figure only slouched abit, before it seemed to grow wider, as two new appendages appeared at its side. The larger figure pointed its weapon at the other, and whispered something that could not be heard. Suddenly, a third figure appeared, this one floating above the ground. A brilliant beam of light shot forth, and slammed into the larger figure. The figure-

"-those planks need to be sent down to the sea!"

"When's the next shipment coming in?"

"It should be here today, we need those logs."

"What about the transports? We also need more manpower."

"We have three on the way, and a caravan is coming from the south. The scout spotted it coming from the north though, so they might be a little late."

"Damn feuds. Thank Martel we are this far from them."

Lloyd opened his eyes. Seemed he had dozed off again. He had been doing that for the past week now, but didn't know why. He never dreamed though, but he felt that something important was calling him.

He shrugged of the feeling and stood up to continue his inspection. The general store would need to be increased in size. Maybe a second one would need to be built. The garden would need to be moved. A farm or two, with a few fields, maybe a plantation, would also increase food supplies. A harbor would need to be built if they were going to start fishing. It costed too much to buy it from Izoold, so they needed to start there own. A training camp would also need to be built. Maybe the human ranch could be outfitted for that. For all the suffering it had brought, maybe it could be used for some good now.

Noishe ran past Lloyd to a group of men ahead of them. On his back he carried some building supplies. Since Lloyd's return to the village, Noishe had been allowed to come in as well. He was now a great help, being able to carry heavy burden's to and from the village to the seaside. The men unloaded, and then gave him a pat on the head. Noishe wagged his tail, and then trotted up to Lloyd's side. Lloyd scratched his pet under the chin.

"Well boy, seems were going to have a lot more people around from now on. Think you can handle it?"

Whine.

"Yah, you don't have to worry about me, ill be fine. I'm just worried that this move might attract attention from other towns. Everything before now has been done in secret, and ordering that large shipment from Palmacosta was risky. I don't want anybody to know that the entire village of Mizuho is moving in with us."

Bark. Bark.

Lloyd sighed.

"Yes, I know boy, it will work. And hey, you'll have more people to pet you now."

Whine. . .Bark.

"Good boy." With that Lloyd gave him one last pet on the head, and then continued on his inspection. The town square would need to be enlarged, then the school would as well. Another teacher would also help, but nobody came to mind. He'd have to ask Sheena about that. Maybe she knew somebody that could help.

"Lloyd! Lloyd! Wait up." Yelled somebody from behind him. Lloyd turned around just in time to see Colette come skidding to a halt, before tripping over her own feet. Lloyd just shook his head before helping her up.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going." Apologized Colette, while she dusted herself off.

"Don't worry about it, what's up?"

"Just wanted to know if you wanted lunch. Raine sent me up, saying she wanted us to taste her cooking."

Lloyd's face went white as snow. Raine's cooking was just as bad as the test's she gave, if not worse. If test's were a fate worse then death, then her cooking was a fate worse thenwell, nothing came to mind exactly, but it was worse then her test's, that's for sure.

"Genis will cook wont he?"

"I bet he is. Now come on, we don't want to be late." Colette grabbed his hand and trotted of with Lloyd in tow.

"Hey Raine we ar-"Colette didn't get to finish what she was saying before she tripped over the lower part of the door frame, pulling Lloyd down with her. Sadly, Colette only fell to the ground, Lloyd on the other hand smashed face first into the door itself, which knocked him unconscious.

The larger figure was down on one knee, its fire blade in the ground. The other figure was standing over it, holding an outstretched palm over its head. A small ball of light appeared in its hand. The crouched figure looked up, and then brought its blade up to block the energy ball. The attack threw it a few feet away, to be surrounded by mist again. The larger figure stood up and charged, only to be thrown back by the smaller figure. The song changed again, this time to a song of mourning and sorrow. The larger figure got up yet again, charging, then stopped a few feet in front of the smaller figure. It spun in a circle, and unleashed a wave of energy at the smaller figure. The smaller figure was thrown to the ground, sending the mist away, to reveal-

". . .yd."

". . ."

"Lloyd!"

". . ."

Suddenly, a cold bucket of water was dashed into the boy's face. Lloyd shot up sputtering as his face, hair, and upper body was drenched in water.

"What the hell was that for!"

"Good, he's awake."

"Look's like his thick skull saved him from damage . . . again."

Lloyd looked around his surroundings, to find that he was on a couch in Raine's house. From the look of the sun, he had been out for nearly two hour's.

"What happened? I feel like I was hit by a boar."

"Im sorry, I tripped and you hit your head into the door."

Lloyd rubbed his head. He was going to have a major bruise there in the morning.

"Sorry about lunch, but Raine. . .burnt it. . .again." Genis said smugly, which got a smack up the side of his head.

"I did not burn it. I calculated that if I put it in long enough, it's taste would be more. . .mature. It's not my fault that the food wont cooperate with me."

Lloyd only chuckled, and then headed for the door to get some fresh air. The room had become unbearably stuffy for his liking. He had just grabbed the door handle when it came smashing in on his face, sending him into the far wall. This time though, he didn't loose consciousness, just sat there dazed.

"O, I am so sorry Master Lloyd, I was just told to tell you that the caravan has arrived at the front gate's. A young woman is asking for you."

Genis was at Lloyd's side, helping him up, along with Colette. Raine took the list from the man, thanked him, and sent him on his way.

"Seem's we got more supply's and manpower then we expected. That's good in one since, for now we can get this done faster, but bad in another, for we don't have the housing for most of them up yet. We are going to have to bunk couple's at other's houses for a few days."

With that Raine left the house, to meet the new visitor's. The other three followed. As they headed for the front gate, they noticed that most of the village was bustling about, taking food here, or carrying water there. None got in there way though.

When they reached the gate's, a small man walked forward to meet the group.

"Hello, I am Malroy, head of this caravan. It is good to finally reach this place and not have to worry about the feuds any longer."

Raine stepped forward and took the man's hand, shaking it warmly.

"Its good to have you aswell. We had feared that you had gotten caught up in a battle and wouldn't make it. I'm glad to have been proven wrong."

"As am I. And your name would be?"

"O, excuse me, I'm Raine. This is Genis, my brother, Colette, a family friend, and Lloyd, also a family friend."

The man's eye's bulged.

"Y-you mean, you four are part of t-the group that s-saved the world?"

"No duh. We are just the massager's for the mayor. Of course we are part of that group. We visited your village a few times, didn't you see us?"

This outburst from Genis got him a hard smack upside the head.

"Please excuse my brother, he isn't feeling very well lately."

The man shook his head profusely.

"N-no, its my fault. I'm sorry; I'm part of the information network that we have set up. While you stayed at the village, I was out on assignment, so I missed your stays."

Lloyd stepped forward.

"It's alright, we didn't stay long ourselves. Its nice to meet you."

"Now, if you will, I'm sure the mayor would like to meet you and discuss the move in further detail."

Malroy nodded again, then waved for the caravan forward. Raine and Genis took the front to lead them through the village, while Colette stayed near the animals to help the trainers keep them on course. Lloyd to the rear to help with the shipment of supplies. All was going fine, except for the dirt that was being thrown back by the beast of burden, when a familiar voice made itself heard.

"Damn it, now that rock just HAD to be there didn't it. Jeez"

Lloyd turned around quickly to notice Sheena, on the ground, trying to carry a heavy basket full of building supplies. From the looks of it, she had tripped over a small rock, no surprise there. Lloyd walk dup to her, though she didn't notice.

"Still the same clumsy ninja you've always been ehh Sheena?"

Sheena stood up quickly, stubbing her toes on the basket, where she winced in mild pain and annoyance.

"Long time no see Lloyd." Sheena the hugged Lloyd warmly, who hugged her back tightly. They held onto eachother for a few moments before the bellowing of the animals reached there ears. They let go quickly. Sheena bent down to pick up the basket, with Lloyd watching her every move.

"You could help me with this you know."

Lloyd chuckled, and then bent down and picked up the basket. It really was heavy, even for him, so that made him wonder how she could carry it.

"Good to see you as well. Its been awhile."

Sheena smiled softly.

"Too long. How is everybody?"

"Ill tell you when I get this basket out of my hands. Better yet, you can see a few of them when we get to the mayors house, I'm sure that's were we are all going to meet."

Sheena nodded at this.

"Its really good to see you Lloyd."

Lloyd smiled at this.

"You too Sheena, you too."

JPElles: Thanks, im trying to reach a new standard in my writing, so I will keep writing.

Hellblood's Hammer: You think so? I thought it was abit short.

RLnaruhina: Im sorry if the weights seem off, but I got the bios from the main website for Symphonia. I just increase the weight of each of them abit to give them more . . .depth. If you want, I could give you the site, so you can look it over for yourself.

Draco Blade: Yes, I have made my mighty return to the land of the mortals of this realm. You will have to wait for an update from Eternal Power, because iv got a lot of ideas for it, but I also want to bring them over here. I was thinking of deleting it, then redoing it with better spelling/grammar, and more. . .depth to it as a whole. Not sure yet. But I will continue with this one, don't fear.

Well, my trusting reader, you have read yet another chapter in this tale. I do ask that you don't jump to conclusions about 'certain' parts of the chapters, but I will welcome guess's on your parts. I would like to see who gets who right. Until the next update, stay tuned.