Ah yes, here's Part Six--or Chapter Six of To Understand! I hope you like it like the last two chapters.
To Understand: Part Six
An Enemies Love
By Harmony283
Good Reviews: 2
Hiranieas-Hee-hee, I'm glade you think it's interesting. Yes camp does get in the way sometimes…but I also think it's cuz I update quickly. But oh well, thanks for the review and here's Chapter Six—enjoy!
DraNKa-Well, yes, you will be getting to read a new chapter before you go on holidays…so here it is! I hope you like it!
Bad Reviews: NONE
Me: Now Feral, have you cooled down enough to do the disclaimer?
Feral: Yes I have, and yes I'll do the disclaimer. Harmony283 does not, and never will, own Tales of Symphonia or any of its characters. She just owns the plot…and me.
Authors Note: Thank you Feral. Now then…um, this chapter focuses more on what Mithos is going through when he arrives back in Vinheim. Oh yes, and this also shows how Pronyma created those…really strange traps. Hmm, I've always wondered how she did it. Oh yes, and Pronyma does have a 'crush' on Mithos so she's going to be bugging him constantly on where he was and Mithos--who of course doesn't like her--gets annoyed…Now I feel sorry for Kratos (who had to put up with her the entire time Mithos was gone).
Feral: And whose fault was that? You're the writer.
Me: Be quiet. - -;
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Mithos' POV
I sighed, stretching my arms over my head. I had just arrived back in Vinheim about five minutes ago and, for the first time in about four thousand years, I felt like I needed sleep.
Why?
So I could escape reality at least for a little while…so I could at least have one more dream about Genis…even though I knew…I knew I couldn't be near him anymore.
"Genis…" I whispered looking out the window of my room.
"Lord Yggdrasil!"
I flinched. That was Pronyma.
"Lord Yggdrasill! Where were you? I was so worried!"
I sighed and turned around to face the worried looking Pronyma who was standing in my doorway.
"Didn't Kratos tell you?"
"Yes, he did. He said that you had gone out to think…but I don't believe him."
"And what would make you doubt his words?"
"Because…sir…there are plenty enough places to think here!"
"Well I needed fresh air and right now I'm glad I went out. Can you please leave me alone for now?"
"But sir!"
"I need to rest. I know that may seem strange to you, but I need to rest. And rest requires that no one bother me!"
"…Sir…"
I sighed, "Fine, if you're so dead set on doing something then go and get Kratos, I need to speak with him about…something."
"I…yes my lord." Pronyma turned and transported out of the room.
"Feh, Kratos, you really need to sound more convincing…" I muttered to myself before walking over to the huge king sized bed on the other side of the room. I hardly ever used it…so why didn't I just get rid of it?
Well, for one it was excruciatingly expensive--so said Yuan when he bought for me as a peace offering--and I couldn't just throw that much money away.
And two, it was extremely comfortable and nothing would go in that space in this large room anyway.
And that would bug me
Really, really, bug me.
Not that anyone, beside myself, used this room.
"So, how did it go?"
I jumped in surprise, whirling around to face a very amused, and yet somewhat annoyed, looking Kratos.
"How many times have I told you not to sneak up on me!"
"I didn't though. The door was open and I saw you just standing there."
"Wait…I just sent Pronyma to go look for you."
"Hmm, really? Well I'm already here…so…"
"Urgh, if you really wanna know what happened then close the door. I don't want Pronyma overhearing."
"You know, she might already have an idea of where you were last night. She wouldn't believe me when I told her that you had just gone to think." Kratos said, making no move to close the door.
"She told me."
"I see…now answer my question: how did it go?"
"It went…well."
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Kratos' POV
"It went…well."
I could tell, though, that it hadn't gone as smoothly as he would have liked.
"Oh did it? Was he surprised to see you?"
Mithos shifted his eyes downward, as if he were thinking. He…it didn't seem like he wanted to answer that.
"Um…well, yeah, he kinda was…"
" 'Kinda'? You don't seem…too happy about it though."
"I-It's nothing! He just, um, said something that he didn't mean…but he didn't know I was there so…"
"What did he say?"
"He said…that he…"
"That he…?"
"Hated me."
"But does he?"
Mithos smiled, yet again catching me off guard. How could Genis…how could a twelve year old boy have that much effect on him?
"No he doesn't!"
"…So he…"
"Returned my feelings…yeah." He sighed and looked out the window, his face showing concern but also happiness at the same time. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little happy for him. Who wouldn't be? He's been alone for four thousand years and to top it all off, Yuan just made it know that he was a traitor…and I am, as well.
Not that he knows that.
But he might suspect it.
"Mithos?"
"Hmm? Ah, sorry…I was just thinking about what you said earlier…this really is going to play a part in…what will happen from here on out, isn't it?"
"Yes it is."
Then the thought struck me. If Genis did return his feelings, then did that mean Mithos asked him to join him?
Or had the boy already joined?
Even if I were to ask…Mithos would probably not tell me. Either that or he'd lie.
"What's wrong, Kratos? Your face is paler than normal."
"Oh…hmm, I was just wondering…" this was harder than I thought.
"Wondering about what? You initiated this conversation and yet you won't go through with it."
"Didn't you say yourself that you sent Pronyma to find me?"
"Well yes. But something seems to be bothering you now. Why don't I return the favor and listen to you now."
"Well, yes something is bothering me. Something I just noticed a few seconds ago, actually."
"And that would be?" Mithos didn't seem to be catching on to what I was hinting at…maybe Genis really didn't join. Or maybe I was just thinking too far ahead.
"I was thinking…if Genis returned your…feelings…then wouldn't you want him to be on the same side as you…?"
"Lloyd is your son, isn't he? And yet you do not want him joining our side. Why?"
I blinked, what did that have to do with anything?
"Well?"
"I…I don't believe it's the right course of action for him. I'm afraid that…he could get hurt, or worse."
"Parental Love…that's why."
"I…yes, that…yes…but what does that have to do with…?" then I got it.
"You…love him…that much?" It seemed almost too hard to believe. Mithos could actually find enough love in that corrupted heart of his to love another person.
Mithos' face turned a deep shade of crimson and his eyes widened as he turned to look at me.
"I-I—you don't have to sound so surprised!"
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Mithos' POV
"I-I—you don't have to act so surprised!"
But he still was staring at me like that, eyes slightly wide, his face showing shock that he wasn't even trying to hide.
"Kratos, can you at least stop staring at me?"
"L-Lord Yggdrasill, I couldn't find—oh, Kratos…ah, I see you're already here."
"Pronyma, get out!"
I really didn't mean to yell…I honestly didn't. But if I didn't get my point across for Pronyma to leave then she wouldn't.
"Mithos…this is nothing to get so worked up about."
"I'm not the one who's getting worked up over it. Lest I remember it was you who was giving me that bewildered look a few minutes ago. And Pronyma…"
"Y-Yes Lord Yggdrasill?"
"Just…leave. I don't want to yell at you even more than I have to…"
"But Lord Yggdrasill—"
"I don't care what you do, just as long as you leave."
Pronyma visibly flinched before teleporting, once more, out of the room.
"You…"
"I what? Didn't need to yell at her? Now why is this so amusing the fact that I--"
I couldn't say it. I couldn't…say that I…loved him…no, I couldn't. Not when I was this angry. It felt like I was hurting him, which was the last thing I wanted to do.
"Mithos…you…really love him…don't you?"
"You…how can you keep asking that? Shouldn't you already know?"
"Then why can't you say it now?"
"Because--" I faltered…if I told him why, would he believe me? Would he believe that you could love someone so much?
"Because…?"
"I…don't want…him to be hurt."
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Kratos' POV
"Him to be hurt?" Now I was confused. How would him saying he loved him hurt him?
"I…don't understand."
"You don't?"
"No I don't. Should I?"
"No, but, no…I can't say it. He'll be hurt…" his bangs fell in front of his face, and he keeled over. I never saw him look that…helpless…since Martel had died.
"Mithos?"
"…if I say it like that. If I say it like that…he'll be hurt…I don't want…to hurt him."
"Mithos snap out of it! I know you love the boy but how can saying that now, when he isn't even here, hurt him?"
"…I…want to be alone, okay?"
"Mithos."
"I said I wanted to be alone!"
I had never heard such sadness in his voice. Right now, more than ever, he couldn't be left alone!
"Okay then," I said, crouching down so that I was eye level with him, "why would it hurt if you said it like that?"
"I-I…I'm angry right now and if I say it now, when I'm angry it feels like I'm angry at him. And I'm not! I don't think I could ever be!" Mithos was now looking at me, pain apparent in his face.
"I…see…but you aren't mad at this very moment are you?"
"N-No…why?"
"Then can you say it now?"
"Y-yes, I-I can…I love Genis…that's why I didn't want him to join our side. I couldn't bear it pulling him away from his friends…from the people he cared about. He'd obviously be upset with me too."
I just nodded my head, "Okay then. I will leave you alone now, Mithos. I'm sure if you really want to you can fall asleep. It looks like you need it now."
I stood up and walked out of the room, closing the doors behind me.
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Mithos' POV
Good, he was gone now. I…can't believe I just told him that. But does feel kinda nice to get that off my chest. Besides, Genis won't be mad at me for saying that will he?
I sighed once more, looking at my reflection in the glass of one of the many windows in my room. The eerie purple glow from the sky didn't seem as comforting as it had before. I wondered faintly why...
'Maybe it's because now, more than ever, I want to create a world for Martel…but for Genis as well. That boy…he might not say it but there's definitely something he's hiding and it hurts him.'
I sighed again and crawled on top of the bed, jerking off the covers and slipping under them. I blinked and looked up at the dome ceiling of my room, trying my best to think of comforting things…such as my sister and all those fun times we had together. I even counted the times that Yuan had come along.
Wow, I was really getting somewhere wasn't I?
…But those weren't the only memories that plagued my thoughts.
Not that I expected them to be.
Most of them were of Genis and of the times that we spent together. Even though it was only for a short while, it still made me feel better that he had trusted me. Not one of my closes friends, not even Kratos, could say that they trusted me. But then again, I didn't trust them either.
And it wasn't entirely my fault either. I mean, who goes and betrays their friend of four thousand years?
And why on earth did they say my view was corrupted.
Well, okay, they didn't out right say it, but Yuan is the head of the Renegades, whose soul purpose is to defeat Cruxis. I think that's screaming it out loud enough.
And then of course, Kratos found out his son was alive. That changed his loyalties immediately.
And even Genis said…
'Your sister died, you want her back…what if we…brought her back in a different way?'
"I've been doing this for four thousand years—"
'And it's never worked once.'
I shook away the memory of the spiteful look on Genis—my boyfriends—face. I felt the blood immediately rush to my cheeks as I called him that…my boyfriend.
Heh, it felt so weird calling him that. But I guess, now that he's returned my feelings, that's the correct term to use now.
"Genis…at times like this I really wish you were here…" I murmured, hugging the extra pillow on my bed and falling into the sleep that I had taught myself to stay away from all those years ago…
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Me: Ah-ha-ha-ha! I've gotten another chapter done in record time, go me!
Feral: Yes and you're almost done with Part Seven as well.
Me: Yup! And since I got two reviews—and since one is going away on Wednesday, I shall update…um…I dunno, when she gets back? Or sooner?
Feral: It just depends on how much editing you do.
Me: Yeah I guess so. Now then please leave a review! I love hearing from people—though for some reason my computer isn't…showing the new reviews…wah! Stupid computer!