Amekoryuu: Next chapter is ready to go. This time Yuan will be doing the disclaimer, though he hasn't appeared in the story yet.
Yuan:: -annoyed- Why am I here again?
Ame:: So you can say the disclaimer and get this story started.
Lark:: The sooner you say it the sooner you get out of here.
Yuan:: Fine. Amekoryuu does not own Tales of Symphonia, only her OCs and the plot.
Ame:: This chapter you finally find out more about Draon. Chapter 4
Draon sighed as she watched Lloyd doing his chores for Dirk. He was gathering the lumber that Dirk had cut earlier, that morning. Her eyes followed the boy as he dragged one piece, almost as large as himself, to the store room and walked back to the pile. "Are you sure you don't want me to help?"
He paused, teetering back and forth trying to balance the load. Big chestnut brown eyes looked at her as he grinned. "I can do it." He swayed as he balanced himself again, "And, if you help dad will get mad."
She smiled slightly at him, He's right Dirk would get mad if I helped him with his chores… Slumping back down, she leaned on the wooden fence. She wasn't allowed to do anything strenuous for the next couple of days, as ordered by the dwarf.
"Alright I'm done!" She looked up at him at his outburst. He patted the dirt off him as he put the last piece down. "This means I can go visit Collette and Genis!"
Draon raised an eyebrow, "Who are they?"
Lloyd smiled again. "Collette is a blonde girl who lives in the village, Isalia with her father and grandma, and Genis is an elf boy with silver hair, who lives there with his sister Raine, and he's supper smart!" He was practically glowing as he spoke of his friends.
She couldn't help but smile at his description of his friends; the smiled faded as she looked at him solemnly. "Lloyd?" He looked up noticing her expression. "Can I ask you something very important?"
He paused realizing that this was serious. "Yes Draon."
She lowered herself so they were eye to eye, "Lloyd I need you to promises not to tell anyone about how I look right now." The boy looked at her, his confusion plainly on his face, she smiled sadly. "I don't think people would react to well if they heard a cat bird woman was living with you…"
The boy closed his eyes in thought. "Like they don't like Noishe even though he's a dog?" Autumn brown orbs reopened and looked at her amber ones again.
Draon felt her eyes widened, Dog? Shaking herself mentally, she nodded "Just like that."
His eyes widened, slightly as understanding dawned on him. "Okay, I won't tell them. I promise." The little brunette said with conviction, causing her to smile.
"Alright, it's a promise." Ruffling his spiky hair, she stood up a smirk playing on her features. "Well you better hurry if you want to go visit your friends."
His eyes widened, as he shot into the house grabbing the charm his dad made, "I'm going to the village I'll be back later!"
"Got that Charm boy?" Dirk yelled back from the smithy.
"Yes Dad!" He yelled as he ran over the bridge, "See you later Draon!"
A chuckle escaped her lips, Lloyd is a good kid.
"Yeah he is."
Looking over her shoulder she spotted Noishe, lying next to the bushes watching Lloyd's retreating figure.
"So… he thinks you're a dog?" She asked, turning to face him, her back resting against the fence. It could make sense why they thought he was a dog. He kinda did look like a dog… a white dog with green fur on his huge ears, tail, and paws. Don't forget that he was the size of a small riding dragon.
He shrugged, "It's not as if I can tell him he's wrong." Looking her in the eye he mentally sighed. "We need to talk."
"I had a feeling you would want to." She made herself comfortable, who knows how long she might have to sit here. "Would you like to start?"
"Yes, I'm surprised that one of your kind is here." He looked at her his head tilted to the side. "I thought Vritarans didn't interact with the other races."
She gazed distantly, "Normally we don't at least not in this form, but..."
"But…?" She heard the genuine concern in his voice; he really wanted to know what had happened.
Gazing at the pale blue sky above them she sighed, "We were found… the Retunhs. Everyone had to run; they came out of nowhere... no one was prepared."
"Retunh's aren't they that group that hunt your kind?"
"Yes the groups name is Retunh, but they aren't just one race, elf, human, half breeds, they all are slave traders." She shuddered, recalling the terror she had felt when they were near. "They have this… frightening aura about them; it is as if their very essence is twisted."
He shifted to his feet, "Did they follow you here?" White and green fur rose as he tensed, showing his irritation.
Sadly she shook her head, "No, I lost them when I fell into the ocean. She looked at her hands the far way gaze still in her eyes. "That was almost a month ago…"Mirthless laughter, choked out of her throat. "It feels like it happened yesterday… That it's all some horrible dream and I'll wake up back home…" She let out a breathy sigh, "But it's not." Leaving that train of thought she looked back at him, "Noishe… why are you, a protozoan, here?"
He looked down the path that Lloyd had followed, "I'm looking after him, he is part of my family." As he spoke he seemed to fade into his memories, reminding her of how she felt about her family just moments before.
A melancholy smile flittered over her features, "Seems like your doing a good job."
"Hn" With that he closed his eyes, ending the conversation. Draon smiled slightly and closed her eyes as well. It seems that, there is something more to Lloyd than I thought, but I guess that doesn't matter in the end. She sighed, relaxing, as the two of them waited for Lloyd to return.
-----------------------------------------------------------
The forest path was simply a trail of packed dirt, made from travelers going to and from the village of Isalia from the woods. Lloyd following those foots steps jogged along, glad that he would get to visit his friends today. The charm his dad made bouncing against his side.
The charm was carved into holy wood, soaked in holy water for five weeks gaining its ability to repel monsters. Letting Lloyd be able to do chores for his dad or go visit his friends by himself. Today, he was going to Genis's to plan for Collette's birthday coming up. She's going to be so surprised.
Looking up he realized that he was almost at the town gate.
The gate wasn't very impressive being only made from wood and a bit of metal. Standing in front of it were two guards, both holding spears, err pitch forks. It seemed that they were talking but as Lloyd approached them they stopped.
The one on the left spoke first, "Hey there Lloyd,"
Lloyd smiled as he walked by the two, "Hi Ruben, hi Marven."
The other man, Marven, nodded in greeting. "Good afternoon Lloyd."
The two guards were used to him coming to visit now so they didn't bother to question him.
Isalia the Village of Oracles, true to its name the village was quaint in its structures. Not boasting a wealthy commerce, it showed more of a rural tranquility. The houses were wooden made; only two of them had a second floor the Inn and High Priestess Phidra's, Collette's grandma, house. The road was packed dirt, neat and tidy from the town people walking, from the entrance it split into three paths.
Taking the left path Lloyd headed for his friends house, passing the inn on his way. Up a head he saw a rise of earth where a small house sat, a fish pond in the front yard.
Speeding up he as climbed the wooden steps, which led to the house. When he reached the top, he paused catching his breath. After a moment he reached out and knocked on the door. "Genis! Are you home!?"
Before he could knock again, the door was opened from the inside. A boy, who was younger then Lloyd, stuck his head out. He had silvery spiky hair, looking at Lloyd he sighed, "Do you have to yell?" He opened the door wider so Lloyd could come in, "If you do, it's going to be harder to keep this a secret."
As he came in Lloyd had the grace to blush, "Sorry Genis." He grinned at his friend, "Don't worry about me spoiling the surprise."
The boy looked at his friend for a moment before shaking his head, "Alright. What do we need to do still?"
"Well, her birthday is next week." Lloyd replied, "We need the cake, other snacks, and drinks."
Genis nodded, "I can make those."
Lloyd smiled, "And I can work on her gift."
The silver haired boy grinned, "You won't forget it right?"
"Nope there's no way I'd forget it!" He said confidently, determined to remember it. The two friends lowered their voices to whispers as they continued to plan through out the day.
Ame:: Chapter four is done, this is the longest one yet.
Yuan:: Why am I still here?
Ame:: Cause, until we find a new lackey your saying our disclaimer!
Yuan:: What! You-! is knocked out by Lark.
Lark:: Anyway, we would love to hear any suggestions, on how to make this better.
Ame:: Or even any questions that you have.
Lark and Ame:: Thank you very much!