Polerman- Um…for a few reasons why this took a long time to get up was mainly School related and I sort of messed my characters up(Stupid) Patrick and Fredrick were rearranged suddenly in the last chapter but hopefully I get that changed. So hope you like the newest installment to the series and if you don't try and tell me and I'll see what I can do about it.

Disclaimer-I don't and probably never will own Tales of Symphonia

Born a Knight

Chapter four: Welcome back

Cid woke in an unknown place and tried to rise but was quickly brought down when all his muscles ached like hell. 'Must be from the previous fight.' Cid thought as he looked around the unfamiliar house. 'More of a hut than house.' Cid thought. But Cid had lived in a hut for a few years when he was away in Mizuho. So he wasn't bothered with being imprisoned in a hut.

It wasn't that bad actually. Rectangular like, comfy beds in the far left from the door, a huge cooking pot and fire in the centre, and low dinning tables nearby. Cid managed to his back the wall and somewhat sit up, but it was a painful struggle just to stay like that. He sat there in that painful position for what felt like an hour and thought of trying to stand.

Heavily using the wall as his support he managed to get up slightly but was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion. Cid took one step away from the wall and quickly noted it wasn't going to happen. An hour of failed attempts to stand up Cid decided to drag himself to the nearest chair and then try his luck at standing.

He managed to make it to the chair and to get into it but his pain was overwhelming and stopped him from doing anything else so he just sat there waiting till the pain stopped. After three minutes of sitting Cid just couldn't handle it anymore and he pushed himself off the chair and quickly fell back into it. 'Another failed attempt by Cid Moore to get his ass out of the chair.' Cid thought humorous as he tried once more to get out.

On this attempt he actually stood for three seconds and quickly reached for the wall for support. Cid stood wobbly like a baby attempting his first step in front of his eager parents. He took his first step without falling, then his second, then his third, and then he could stand once again.

Cid stood there happy about his accomplishment and smiled slightly. Now that he could walk and stand he thought he might as well and try to find a way out of his comfy prison. He reached the door of his prison and who would've guessed it was locked. He knew he wasn't strong enough yet to bash open a door so he just decided to wait it out for as long as it took.

Hours had passed without any sign of anyone and it was now dark outside because the small traces of natural light were no gone. Cid was extremely pissed off now. 'You capture a guy and you forget all about him. What the hell.' Cid thought as walked back to the door and found it locked again. This time though Cid thought of actually trying to get the door to open by force.

Cid backed away slightly before taking a few deep breaths and running full force at the door with his shoulder. He slammed the door with his shoulder and bounced back a few feet and slammed into it again and again and again in till his shoulder felt like it wasn't even a part of his arm. He finally stopped for a few seconds breathing heavily from pure exhaustion. Click. Cid looked at the door as it silently opened.

"It's about time someone came to greet me." Cid said enthusiastic as he greeted the dark figure.

The figure took no time to say anything back and quickly shot his right fist at Cid's head and at the same time he used his left hand to aim at his gut to stun him. Cid allowed the fist to hit him to the face but in return he stopped the stunning blow and pushed the dark figure back and kicked him between the legs. The figure doubled over groaning. Cid brushed his fist across his jaw catching a few specks of blood. 'Not a bad punch kid.' Cid thought a bit humorous as he walked over the downed ninja.

He made his way out into the dark. He surveyed his new surroundings with much caution. The new area was surrounded by forest and just a narrow pathway that led down to a small village of lights and a few people wandering around. Cid made his way to the village easily without trouble and when he reached the small area it was kind of deserted. Just a small collection of huts kept somewhat evenly apart and no one around.

Cid kept to the better safe then sorry rule and snuck hut from hut to his objective and his objective being the vice chiefs house. Cid and the vice chief Tiga were old buddies. So if Cid could get to him then he could get on good terms with everyone around here.

Cid found Tigas' house and quickly entered without knocking. He was quickly greeted by the man he sought to find. "I thought you'd make it…Cid."

Cid turned to him and bowed at the vice-chief. "It's great to see you again Tiga." Cid said as he took a seat at the nearby table with his old friend.

Tiga looked him up and down. "Well I guess you are somewhat immune to our drugs." Tiga stated as he took a sip of tea from a small cup.

Cid stood there blank for a few seconds then thought deeply. "Hmm…" Cid groaned as he continued deep in thought and looked back to his helpless state back at the hut and put two and two together. "So that's why I was so weak back in that frick'n hut."

A brief and uncomfortable silence swept over the vice-chiefs' household. "Well you didn't come to my house for tea…so what is your business?" Tiga said as he put his tea cup down.

Cid wasn't too surprised by Tigas' attitude towards him, because he was an uninvited house guest. "Well you see Tiga the whole village is sort of after me and that kind of…how you say, nervous." Cid said strongly emphasizing the word nervous.

"And what should I do?" Tiga said with a grin.

"Well you could get me audience with the chief…that's if he's still around and kicking." Cid said as he thought back to the chief and remembered how much he talked about retiring and allowing his adopted granddaughter to take over.

"Well he…he's dead Cid…he's been dead for a few months. He wanted you here when he died…just to see you once more before he died…but." Tiga stopped for a second to catch his breath but saw Cid didn't need to hear anymore of his babbling.

Cid looked out the window to his right and saw the blackness of the nighttime atmosphere. It intensified Cid's thoughts on how he failed a trusted friend and a great person who had accepted Cid into the village, and those types of people were few.

Tiga looked deeply at Cid and spoke. "Cid, did you hear what I said?" Tiga waited for a response but knew that if there was one it wouldn't be a good one.

"Yeah I heard ya." Cid said plainly as he still store blankly out into the painful atmosphere of the shadow less night.

Tiga and Cid didn't speak for a while; they just had a small silence for a fallen friend and leader. Cid then stood up with his head down. "Tiga, can you still get me an audience with the chief?"

Tiga nodded his head and stood up. "Yes. Yes I can Cid." He then walked over to his friend and put a hand on his shoulder. "The chief was…" Tiga began but stopped.

"Yeah I knew what he was." Cid finished and walked to the door.

Cid opened the door and just stood there looking one way then the other. He began to walk the one way, which was right. Cid was trailing back in his head to the time when he was a citizen of Mizuho and when he use to visit the chiefs house.

Cid walked quietly along as Tiga followed behind towards the chiefs house in hoping of getting Cid sometime in Mizuho without all the hostilities, because he needed some time to check their information logs and maybe get some more information on what's really going on around this world, because Cid had a bad feeling like something bad was coming but couldn't decipher what it really was and where it may strike and if his superiors thought it was here in the Mizuho information logs then Cid was either going to prove them wrong or. Or. Cid didn't really want to think that they were right, even if it was his father who thought it was.

The two men reached the chiefs house which was located up on a small hill with a narrow marble staircase at the rear of the village for safety reasons. The approached the door silently. "Cid you best let me go in first." Tiga said as he approached the door and reached for the door knob.

"Why? So you can warn the troops." Cid said jokingly but soon realized by Tigas face that he wasn't catching the joke.

Tiga entered without another word leaving Cid outside by himself. Cid sat there on the marble staircase bored for an hour. He just gazed up at the stars and felt his neck getting stiff and got off the staircase and went to a small patch of soft grass. Flopping dead tired onto the small patch and putting his hands behind his head giving himself some cushioning. Looking intently up at the stars and all there wonders and secrets, he couldn't help but think of, her, her and the fight.

'Taki she was on a whole nether level in that fight. She use to never be that good. I use to be able to beat her with medium to no difficulty.' Cid thought as he continued to star gaze without a worry. 'Wonder what's taking so long with Tiga and the chief? Probably deciding on how to kill me, or are just trying to figure out what my intentions are, ah hell it could be anything so don't even bother.'

Cid tried not to think about anything else but failed easily. 'I guess Taki has done some training while I was gone. Hell I didn't even train during that time so of course she would have improved greatly. You know training compared to no training.' Cid thought as he started to name off a few star consolations he knew in his head. 'There's Volt, there's Shadow, there's Celsius, and uh I think that's Eferit.' Cid had trouble deciphering most of them but he knew most of the constellations' more than most.

Cid was about to go through the list again but he sensed something, something friendly but strong. He continued to keep up the charade that he was star gazing still and waited for the person to revile themselves. Cid kept his eyes staring towards the stars, his field of view was all stars. It was quickly changed to a beautiful face which belonged to his old friend, Taki.

"Hi thought you could use a friend to keep you company." Taki said as she laid down next to him.

"Sure I guess I could use one…think you could go and get Tiga for me." Cid said to her and she quickly punched him playfully. "But truthfully I think I could use one…" Cid began as he turned his head to look at her and she did the same. "…Thanks."

She looked at him and smiled. "Your welcome." The stared at each other for a while but their eyes seemed not to meet once. Cid's eyes met once and she automatically looked away.

"What's wrong?" Cid asked as he stilled had his playful smile on.

"Nothings wrong." She said plainly looking up at the stars.

Cid didn't look at further into it and looked up at them also. "So you know where the North Star is? Miss grand tracker." Cid said playfully.

"Yeah it's right there." Taki said as she pointed to a star.

"Is that your final answer?"

"Yes. Yes it is Mister Cid the idiot." Taki said as she turned her head to see what his reaction would be.

"Well…" Cid began as he looked over at her. Cid quickly rolled on top of her and pinned her arms and legs and looked down on her with a playful look. "…that's not it."

Taki managed to roll him over and get on top of him. "Yes it is." She said demandingly funny.

Cid looked up at her and smiled. "No it isn't."

"Yes it is infinity."

"That's so unfair you can't start using infinity till the third rotation of yes it is and no it isn't." Cid said as he playfully pushed her off.

They both got up and began to fix the creases out of their clothing, brush off dust, and then fix up their hair. "Thanks…Taki I needed that." Cid said as he looked at her.

"Anytime…Cid, you know I would do anything to keep you happy…because I know you would do the same for me." Taki said oblivious to some secondary meanings her words could have meant to Cid.

Cid stood there blank for a few seconds thinking about secondary meanings and other things. Cid thought of a few things he could say but decided against it and just stood there beside her. "So why are you really here?" Cid questioned.

"Well I could ask you the same thing." Taki said with a smile openly displayed across her face.

"No seriously Taki. Why?" Cid asked more concerned.

"Well I'm here to…" She looked away and turned back to him. "…Cid I came here to." She began.

"Cid, its time." Tiga said from nearby. Cid looked at Taki for a second more before he left. "Taki you best come to." Tiga said and she did as ordered. The three people entered into the chief's house, just like any other hut that made up Mizuho but with an extended part of the house for special occasions like council meetings and there was also a Zen garden in the back. Cid only knew this because him and Taki us to go back there during late nights.

The chief was at the back area currently having a cup of tea. "Well Tiga has told me a lot about you, Cid Moore." Cid and the others had just entered when they heard a gentle and somewhat demanding voice of the new chief, Chief Sheena Fujibayashi. The threesome of visitors went to the back area and took a seat down on the padded floor in front of a long table with the chief at the opposite end.

Cid studied her like he did with most new faces he might have to remember or see again. She currently sat poise on her knees; eyes closed, in a brown ninja outfit, and then took another sip of tea.

"So Cid you come looking for something, something that the Mizuho intelligence doesn't even know about." She then opened her eyes looking straight at Cid in the process. "And a lot of people, mainly my people are wondering what. What would bring back someone like you?"

Cid saw this as a cue to start talking and explaining. "Well frankly I'm sort of at a stand still at why I am really here. There's answer one I'm here because of orders and there's answer two I'm here because of…of." Cid then directed his eye contact rightward, then back to Sheena and then back rightward indicating someone to his right.

Cid looked at Sheena and saw that she understood. "So that's what I'm stuck on. But truthfully my orders are just to ask you nicely what you know about the King's marriage proposal."

Sheena sat there quiet for a few seconds before answering. "We have known this for a while but what else do you mean by what we know, all we know is that he plans on marrying a woman from this side of the world."

"You mean to say you don't even know who he's marrying?" Cid said astonished.

"No we don't know anything about who are why he would do something like this."

"And you mean you don't want it to happen either."

"Well not exactly. You see there are not many people on this side of the world who you'd consider royal blood except maybe the chosen of mana and of course you can see she's a little preoccupied with something else and with the chosen out of the picture that would leave mayor's daughters, Governor General's daughters, or…" Sheena paused for another sip of tea. "…or there rival Mizuho." Sheena said plainly.

"What do mean by rival?"

"Please…don't tell me you don't know."

"Know what?" Cid said baffled.

"You mean you're serious."

"Serious about what?" Cid said impatiently.

"Well if you don't know…let me educate you." She paused once again and took another sip of tea before continuing. "In the beginning of civilization, Mizuho always had their spies. Getting information and assassinating head figures, but you could say recently Meltokio started their own organization called the Dune Society. The Dune Society and Mizuho have been fighting a war that publicly doesn't exist and most people who fought and are still fighting it call it. The War of Shadows." She stopped talking and broke eye contact to allow Cid to digest all the information.

"So if they, Meltokio decided to marry you or another person in the village of noble linage that may equal a strong relation between the two kingdoms and between Mizuho and Meltokio." Cid stopped just to think about what was said.

'Well didn't expect this to happen but I must continue my investigation. I could see what else they know but the problem is if I find out will I be walking out of here alive. Or. Or I could stay here for a bit and sneak into the information archive later tonight.' Cid thought but kept a straight face on so he wouldn't give his newly developed plan away. 'Yeah that's what I'll do; I'll sneak into the archive at night. Because they always keep records on what they find and the kings marriage proposal seems like something they would archive.'

Cid knew then he had to close this meeting and then lay low for a bit and then begin operation Sneak into the Archive without getting caught. "And you guys wouldn't happen to know who tried to end the king's life last night? Would you?" Cid mused.

Sheena sat silent for a few seconds and smiled and reestablished eye contact. "No. we don't know who tried to kill the king."

With that said Cid felt that this meeting was over. "Not to be rude or nothing but…I was given a serious beat down and then was drugged so if you don't mind Chief Fujibayashi I really need to rest."

The room was silent for a second and Cid the whole time was hoping that his lie may actually work. "Alright Sir Moore, you may leave. But tomorrow we shall talk more on this situation…" She looked at Cid more sternly. "…is that in anyway unclear?"

"No chief, I understand entirely." Cid said with a bow of his head and sat up and began his way outside of the chief's residence.

A short walk to the front door and he silently slide it closed behind him. Cid silently made sure he was alone, and then sighed deeply, slouched forward slightly, and mentally patted his back for a job well done on fooling the chief of Mizuho.

Cid continued his small victory party by going back to the small bed of grass that he had previously lounged in. Cid went to the side of the house and then fell into the small bed of grass to further celebrate his small victory.

'Well what now Cid, they most likely kicked up security so getting into the archive is sort of impossible at the moment? So what do you do now?" Cid's thoughts raced as he tried to come up with a solution to his new predicament. 'Free time in your old town Cid…duh you frick'n idiot, vacation.' Cid gave himself another mental pat on the back and thought one last thing before he fell asleep. 'Taki I hope you can forgive me…'

Cid may have been having the time of his life but back at H.Q. a very scary revelation was being made.

"I don't like it Fredrick, working behind the kings back like this, it's just full of bad vibes man." Patrick Xander said to the chief of this operation Fredrick Moore.

"I don't like as much as you do but it's necessary." Fredrick said calmly to his team.

"So you mean to say you didn't even tell the king about this small operation?" Marcus broke in.

"Hey don't put all the blame on him…I sort of knew." Emily said shyly and quickly went back to writing up paper work and tracer watch.

Fredrick sighed deeply and rubbed his forehead roughly. "Bruce, you need to say anything?" Fredrick questioned the quiet man who had his head buried into his desk snoring. "Well I don't expect any of you to like this whole thing but I just ask you guys to stay with me on this." He said as he turned towards Patrick who was fixing up a bandage on his wrist.

"You haven't got me killed yet man…so I'm with ya." Patrick then forced a smile.

Fredrick then turned to Marcus who was just leaning against a wall glumly while smoking his pipe intently. "Ah hell, I knew you were crazy from the first battle I fought next to ya but this is exceeding it…sigh…I'm in."

Emily's face turned slightly crimson when Fredrick turned to her. "Uh I…I, sigh, I'm with ya Freddy." She said with her signature smile.

"Snore…grumble cakes…" Bruce grumbled sleepily as he got up.

"Thank you, all of you." Fredrick said as he walked over and quickly hugged everyone.

Emily turned eve redder when this happened, Pat winced at the pain, Marcus and Fredrick just shook hands, and Bruce punched him to the face and they all started to laugh.

"Alright people, Emily your on first shift, Marcus you next, Pat you third, and Bruce…uh Bruce." Fredrick began as Bruce's head slammed on the desk and the snoring began again.

Polerman Well people another chapter done and yet I somewhat feel as though this took longer than it should have but hey Christmas and New Years and School can do this kind of thing to ya. You people know the drill leave a few words or don't I still like just the fact that someone read the damn thing.