Hey there guys, I am back again, well it's time to get that store going, so first things first…

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia, all related characters are copyrighted by Namco.

A week in Iselia

- Well dad, I'm off! Said Lloyd right after finishing his breakfast

- Very well, take care lad! Said dirk as he finished his bowl of food

With that said, Lloyd started walking towards Iselia alongside Noishe, for some reason, he didn't want to use his rheard to get there, so he decided to walk to Iselia just as he used to before his journey.

- 'He he, this sure brings back memories' Lloyd thought, 'I remember the last time I took this path in the morning, I was running late to school, of course, class had already started when I got there so…' (Lloyd shivered a little when he was remembering this) 'next thing I did was holding buckets with water for the entire lesson… the professor is really scary when she gets mad!'

As Lloyd kept walking through the forest, he soon noticed a fork in the road, in the right side of the path, he could read a warning sign for keeping the inhabitants of the area from getting close… yeah he remembered pretty easily, the path to the Iselia human ranch…

Lloyd hesitated for a while… but finally decided to go and take a look around the ranch, he didn't know why he wanted to go back to such a place when he planned to relax before his journey with Sheena, besides he had to go back latter to ensure that there were no more expheres left there… he just couldn't explain it.

He was still looking around when he heard some footsteps and voices behind him…

- Who would come here besides me… no one in the village would want to come here anyway… Could it be…DESIANS? –

He quickly hid himself behind the bushes near the entrance, his plan was simple but effective, he would hid himself behind the bushes until the desians came close to him, then he would jump out and capture them.

He waited, the people had already stopped talking… just walking… Lloyd closed his eyes attempting to concentrate… the steps sounded a bit far… and waited… the steps becoming clearer as they approached… no one talking… they had to be soldiers… then he heard it… the steps were really close to him now… he grabbed the tilt of his blades… 3… 2… 1… the steps were heard almost behind the bush…NOW!

And with a swift movement he drew his blades and jumped into the soldiers when he felt a blazing sensation near his face… he could not dodge… his face was suddenly "smacked" with a fireball! And the laughter of a young kid before him.

- "That's what you get for messing with me"- said the little boy with a grin of both arrogance and pride… well, with a bit of amusement too

- Genis, Chocolat! What are you guys doing here! – Lloyd asked out of surprise.

- Well what are YOU doing here Lloyd? And why were you waiting in an ambush like manner? – Replied Genis in a bit of a bratty tone.

- Well I was just passing by and.. well… uh – Lloyd couldn't reply a good answer though, he even thought that it was strange of him being there in the first place, and Genis fireball left him a bit dumbstruck but finally just replied with a bit of embarrassment in his voice.

- I… just thought I could do a little thinking along the way to Iselia that's all –

- Thinking eh...? That's so unlike you Lloyd – Genis answered in a coldly, yet amused expression on his face…

- Shut up Genis! – Lloyd answered in a quick yet… involuntary response, he was used to that kind of attitude from Genis, but he never felt it right the way he said it, especially in front of someone else… in this case Chocolat.

- Well guys now it's your turn to tell me why you are here – asked Lloyd quickly attempting to move the subject as fast as he could now.

- It's because of me Lloyd – Replied Chocolat in a low tone. - I wanted to see this place before I left to Palmacosta to search for mom… so I asked Genis to escort me here because there are still a few monsters around the forest. -

- Anyway, I just came to say good-bye to this place, and grandma… so I better get this thing done anyway, can you wait here for a while? – asked Chocolat.

- Sure – Lloyd and Genis answered in unison in a gloomy tone as they saw Chocolat walk away into the now unusable human ranch. As both of them waited for Chocolat's return they walked in circles for a while until finally Lloyd spoke.

- So you are leaving on a journey too right? –

- Yeah, me and Raine are going into a journey to fight discrimination against half-elves, even though… I don't think we are going to end it up completely… its not something we can gain just from fighting, we need the people to change their way of thinking… and… -

- You don't think that's possible right? – Completed Lloyd in a concerned mood. – Don't worry about that, you just need to do your best to open the minds and hearts of the people, I am sure that the professor believes just like me that given the time, people can change Genis –

Genis looked impressed at Lloyds words and felt a bit more respectful towards him… even though he knew that he was way beyond him in both knowledge and brainpower he knew that Lloyd's determination was way greater than his… and that sometimes, only sometimes Lloyd showed signs of wisdom and even proved him wrong.

- Yeah! I suppose you are right Lloyd! so… what are you planning to do before YOUR journey? –

- Well… I suppose it wouldn't hurt to relax a little while waiting for Sheena, so I guess I can go and have some fun around the village –

- That's a good idea Lloyd (Genis was more cheerful now) so how about we play just as we used to before leaving the village! –

- Yeah that sounds great Genis! And this time we can even bring Collete with us, she is not the chosen anymore! –

- Sounds good to me Lloyd – Genis said in agreement just when Chocolat began emerging from the human ranch.

- Sorry to keep you waiting guys, so lets go back to the village Okay? – Asked Chocolat in a better mood, she looked like some heavy weight was lifted from her back.

- Yeah! – they replied in such a good mood that even Chocolat felt better now, the three of them headed to the village with a smile on their faces.

Quick jump – Iselia –

Iselia village was a lot more lively since the last time Lloyd has visited, all the villagers where at their morning chores, some of them were tending the fields, others were tending to their shops while many others began rebuilding and constructing new houses, it seems that many survivors of the last ranch incident were planning on staying, all of this while the kids were still at school.

Lloyd and the rest of the group arrived to the village a little bit before midday, so when they left Chocolat at her temporary house, they headed straight to Collette's, when they got there, they knocked on the door and a voice answered.

- Coming! – Yelled a kind girly voice behind the door, when suddenly…

THUD !

They heard a loud (and dry) slamming sound and saw the door before them bump a little towards them, but after all this was nothing they hadn't experience from all the years they had been friends with Collette, and found it usual (and funny) when Collette finally opened the door and greeted their friends.

- Hello guys! – Collette greeted their friends as she smiled (with a big mark where she had slammed the door).

- Hey there Collette! We were planning on going out to play outside the village for a while, do you want to come! – Asked Genis just as Lloyd nodded in agreement.

- Sure! This is the first time I've ever left the village to play with you guys! Do you want me to bring some food? My grandmother is preparing super right now! –

- That would be great Collette! I've always liked Phaidra cooking! – Lloyd responded in a merry way as Collette rushed to the kitchen, Genis just looked at him with a criticizing look for Lloyds affection to eat anything he was offered and thought to himself that someday he would offer him some of his sister's cooking.

- All right guys I'm ready! – Said Collette as the three of them left Iselia on Noishe back and headed to their non-planned picnic, and they played and had fun as they had done before leaving Iselia for the first time until night rose, with no more energy left they returned to Iselia, they first left Colette at home and realized that Frank had stayed up to wait for his daughter, then they proceeded to Genis and Raine's house, and finally Lloyd returned alongside Noishe trough the forest.

Lloyd got to his house to find that Dirk was still up, he was having a cup of chocolate before he went to bed, and offered some to Lloyd.

- Did ye have fun lad? – Dirk asked out of the blue.

- Yeah, Genis Collette and I had lots of fun today; it had been a while since I played that long –

- I'm glad to hear that lad, so I've got a thing to tell you –

- Hmm? What is it dad? –

-Well you see, today a man came offering me a job, he wanted me to repair or in the worst case, make a copy of a statue he owns –

-Oh yeah? And why didn't he bring the statue with him dad? –

- He said something about the statue being too big and costly to move, so he asked me to go to his family house to have the job done, but either way, the pay was good and I took the job so… I will be absent from home for a few days all right? –

-Sure thing dad, but… -

-Ah… not to worry lad, I'll be right back here to send you off, you can count on that, I just thought you wanted to know that's all –

-Sure thing dad, then… I'll see you in seven days right? –

- That's right lad, well I'm leaving early tomorrow so I'm getting some sleep, you do the same Lloyd -

- Very well dad –

And with that Lloyd and Dirk went to sleep, as Lloyd was falling asleep he couldn't help to think about what was Sheena doing in her village, and if she was having fun and finding hard to leave her village for such a great deal of time… but he couldn't think about it too much… he fell asleep and he began to dream… of the world he and his friends were building together and he liked the idea of his journey even more.

Phew… well that's it for this chapter, did you like it, hate it? Please send me a review on this, tips praises and even flames will be acepted (of course make a point on what you are flaming me for please) and I'll see you all soon.

By the way, I'm having a bit of trouble when trying to make Dirk's lines, I want him to "sound" more dwarvish like… but I don't think I get it… so please guys help me out.

Thanks to Achika-chanthat reviewed my first chapter, also its my first review EVER .

Thank you very much D - JKaitz -