A/N: Okay, I know I haven't been able to update, but my sister keeps losing the script, there was an assassination attempt on me during gym ((dodgeball…that's all you need to know…)) as well as me getting grounded from the computer. But I have snuck on it anyways, just to give you your fanfics! That's how much I love thee! And now for the reviews!
Sargent Snarky: Heh, yeah; I think I might have gotten his last name mixed up with hers…again…Anyways, I thought portraying Yuan like that would be too funny…and yeah, it was supposed to be a surprise, but like any attentive reader, you hath realized that Yuan would end up playing the Ghost of Christmas Future. Ah well…but that doesn't mean Kratos has to know that too…
StrawberryEggs: Yay! You've read this story too! Heh, with the TOS cast starring; the production might not go as planned…oops! Keep that semi-spoiler to yourself!
And now for the disclaimer!
Diana: Hmm…come to think of it, who should do the disclaimer…?
Collette: Ooh! Let me do it!
Diana: Okay!
Collette: Neither does Diana OR Ana own Tales of Symphonia OR A Christmas Carol. Even though Diana can never remember that it's Charles Dickens, not Dickenson-
Diana: Okay! That's all ya need to say/nudges Collette to the Flanoir Cathedral/ Ya might want to go there…
Collette: But I didn't tell them about how you-
Diana: CAMERA PEOPLE! START THE STORY FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT WORSHIPS ICE CREAM!
A/N: THIS IS IMPORTANT! /cough/ Anyways, just to let you know, I don't know EXACTLY how Martel died, so I made it up. Please understand that it might not be the real thing, and that I acknowledge it! Thank you, and enjoy the show!
It was about a week after the casting, and dress rehearsal was beginning. There was a table set up backstage with hot chocolate, coffee, pound cake ((since Lloyd and Diana could not stand Fruit Cake)), candy canes, and random assortments of chocolate covered…stuff.
Mostly everyone was ready, except for Kratos…
He glared at Ana, "No! This has gone far enough! I will NOT wear this costume!"
Ana glared back, "Wear the costume…"
Diana could be heard in the background, "Dress rehearsal starts in five minutes!"
Kratos shook his head, "I will simply perform as I am now."
Ana continued to glare blankly at him, "Wear it…or else…"
Anna ((the OTHER one…sigh Why did they have to share names…!)) was passing by, already in costume, "Kratos, could you please wear it; for the sake of the play?"
It seemed that she had changed his mind, "All right then." He went into his dressing room, which had previously been a priest's office with a piece of notebook paper taped on the door with Kratos written on it in BAD handwriting.
"…thank you…Anna…"
Anna smiled, "It's no trouble at all! Anything for another Anna!"
Meanwhile, Regal and Lloyd were sitting on the stage, coffee mugs in hand and already in costume.
"So…how'd you like your role so far?"
"It's interesting enough. Apparently I am a character as well as the narrator."
"Really…?" Lloyd nodded slowly, thinking of his roles, "Well…I'm important."
"I'm sure you are…"
"Two minutes! Get into your places peoples!"
They got up from the stage to make way for the others who were placing props in their respective positions. Because Diana was so short on people, the cast had to help out when they weren't performing.
"Hey, where's Kratos!"
Yuan was nearby, so he obliged by knocking on his door, "Kratos! They're gonna start! You better hurry up!"
"I'm not going out there…"
Yuan raised an eyebrow; it couldn't be that bad. Besides, they were all in costume, so it wasn't like he would be making a fool of himself.
"Come on Kratos! The rehearsal's in less than two minutes!"
"Fine, but you better not laugh…"
The door opened, and Yuan, true to Kratos's word, nearly died of laughter.
The costume itself was pretty normal, or at least would be in the norm if they were in 19th Century England. It was the hair that was hilarious.
"They made you put on a wig! And it's white! Haha, Kratos is oooooolllllllddddd!"
Kratos glared, "This is for Anna, not anyone else."
Yuan stopped laughing long enough to grin, "Which one! Mind you, that Ana is kinda freaky, but if you want to be a two-timer-"
This time, Kratos smacked Yuan across the face, "Don't you ever joke about that again."
Yuan lost the grin, "Okay. Sorry."
He sighed as he watched Kratos get onto the stage and sit at the desk, Poor guy. I really did hit a nerve there…
By now, the rehearsal had started. Raine was helping out with the lighting effects while Genis was running the music. There was a ghostly theme playing while Raine put on the greenish lights. As the curtain pulled back, Regal was revealed with a rarely-seen maniacal look on his face.
"Hello everyone…I hope you had a safe journey here…"
Diana sighed out of relief, So far so good…
"…I am here to tell you the story about a miser named…Scrooge…"
Raine placed a spotlight on Kratos, who was working at his desk. Regal (Marley) went on to explain his own and Scrooge's past. As the play went on, Diana smiled to herself; this play would be perfect…
((A/N: Sorry, can't give away too much about the story, so you'll have to wait until the actual performance to find out how the play actually goes. In the meantime, let's peak into the actors' private lives…))
Genis caught sight of Presea leaving the cathedral, and before he could think rationally about it, turned to his sister, "Hey Raine? Can I go on ahead of you?"
Raine turned from Mithos, with whom she was in deep discussion about ruins from his time, "Alright Genis, but don't stray too far!"
He eagerly bounded outside, but forgot to put on at least his coat.
"Hey Presea! Wait up!"
Presea turned around from the balcony where she was sitting, "Genis? What are you doing out here without a coat?"
Genis turned red at this, probably both from embarrassment and the cold. Presea smiled at this, however, and took her coat off.
"You can wear it if you want."
Genis shook his head, "Uh…no thank you Presea. I don't want you to get cold because of me."
Presea tilted her head to the side and smiled again, "Genis…you're nice."
Genis turned red…again, this time from blushing, "Uh…th-th-thank you Presea…"
They stood there in silence for some time until Genis dug up the courage to talk again, "Uh…you want to go and get some hot chocolate?"
"Okay."
All this time, a certain half-elf's sister was standing at the window, grinning at this scene, "When will you ever learn just how obvious you are…?"
Yuan finished putting his mittens on and turned to Kratos, "You sure you don't want to come?"
Kratos nodded, "I have spent far too little time with my family. Go on ahead, Yuan."
Yuan shrugged as he left the cathedral and walked out to the cold. The snowflakes that never seemed to cease falling here only made Yuan flinch a bit. Most people would smile at the sight, and think of the beautiful memories that came along with it. This was true for Yuan to some extent; the memories were beautiful, but they only hurt him more as time went on.
He caught sight of Presea and Genis walking over to the inn and sighed, Young love…how innocent and pure it is…
…like the snow…
Yuan shook his head as though to clear it, No! Reminiscing about her will not help you! Think about something else for a change!
"Excuse me sir, but did you drop this?"
Yuan turned to find a girl in her late teens handing him a ring. Recognizing it, he took the ring and placed it back on his hand, "Yes it is. Thank you."
The girl smiled knowingly, "You miss her, don't you?"
This took Yuan by surprise, "Wha-what did you mean!"
She smiled again, "You were watching those two and sighing. You also don't like the snow, do you?"
Yuan's eye twitched slightly, "Who are you and how come you are stalking me!"
She laughed, which made Yuan smile. He didn't know why, and why it even made him smile, but that laugh was so familiar to him…
"Come and sit down." She gestured to a bench, "I bet you'll feel better once you've gotten it off your chest."
He obliged and before he could restrain himself, was spilling everything that had been on his mind to this stranger.
"Her name was…ah, let's just call her Mary for now!"
"Okay."
"She was a great girl…we had a lot of fun together…but then…"
"Yes?"
"She died."
"Oh no…"
"Her brother went ballistic, and was pretty much on his way to the nuthouse, but then he died too."
"Sounds pretty bad…"
"But lots of guys end up getting over it, don't they? They meet some other girl and pretty soon it's a thing of the past. But when an acquaintance of my friend tried getting me to meet more girls, her face would pop up at me, and I just couldn't bear to go with someone else. And then there's the snow…"
"What about the snow?"
Yuan sighed and relayed to her the memory that had been haunting him:
"Yuan! Come look at the snow!"
"Not now! I have to finish this-"
Before he could finish his sentence, she grabbed his shoulders and turned him to face the window.
"Beautiful, isn't it! Get your coat on, we're going outside!"
"But-"
Forgetting to get him his coat too, she dragged him out and laughed as the snow fell on her head, "Yuan! It's snow!"
He dusted the snow off his arms, "Yes, I know its snow. Now may I please go back inside?"
"Not before we build a snowman!"
Yuan, truthfully, had never built a snowman before, so she did most of the work while Yuan 'helped'. After sticking a carrot from inside where its nose would be, she smiled, "Look Yuan! Isn't it perfect!"
He smiled at that even more perfect smile, and once again, not being able to control his impulsive self, he seized her in his arms and kissed her.
The snow continued to fall gently, adding to the mood, until he felt her lay her head on his shoulder, "I love you Yuan…"
He felt like the happiest man on earth, "I love you too…Martel…"
Too bad it couldn't last.
"So then what happened?"
Yuan looked at his knees, "Half-elf haters had recognized us. We fought them, of course, but…she didn't survive."
The girl sighed, "I'm sorry, Yuan-san. If there's anything-"
Yuan shook his head, "It's alright. I…can live through it…"
He got up from the bench, and the girl followed suit. She reached out and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Hey, if it makes you feel any better; I lost the one man I love that way too. Just to let you know you're not alone."
She made to leave but Yuan stopped her, "Wait a minute! So you're a half-elf too?"
She nodded, "Yes. I am."
Yuan then also realized that in all the time he had been speaking to her, he never once learned her name, "What's your name?"
She smiled a very familiar smile, "Don't you remember? I'm Martel."
Smiling at his astonishment, she waved at him as she faded into the cold night air.
A/N: Okay, sorry if this one wasn't all that funny; but it WILL get better! Trust me, I'm not one to wallow in any sort of sorrow, and that will remain true for my fanfics! The only thing I'm not certain of is when I'll next be able to update, but I'll try to do so as soon as possible!