Rei: ARG. I had this done a long time ago, but I forgot to post it... -- Sorry about that!

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia… v.v

Dedicated to- My reviewers who liked the fic and thanks for the grammar suggestions so I can get better at it! And to ToS in general because I just adore it so much.

Note: This drabble is rather sad, and contains SPOILERS! So if you're wary about that sort of thing, you might not want to read. And also, it takes place some time after the end of the game.

The Healer and the Chosen- drabble Two: Red is the Color

"Speech"

'Thought'

Zelos' Mansion-

Normal POV

It had just been a tiring day, but Genis knew better. Here he was, sitting next to his older sister on the edge of the spread of the elegant bed. She was wrapped in expensive silk sheets the color of an apple gel, and red was the color that so stained her cheeks.

Raine Sage had never been as sick in the time since the journey of Regeneration as she was now, and he knew that she could heal herself, if she truly wanted to. But the staff she used to use so much was lying in a closet, and their store of herbs and gels lay untouched by her pale hands. It had started a while back, before the worlds were reunited- but nobody really noticed until a bit afterwards, when they started to go their separate ways.

Genis had decided to go to school in Sybak while they were rebuilding Palmacosta, and learn from the professors at their illustrious academy. However, after learning that Raine had not gone back to Iselia to teach (word got to him from Phaidra), he grew very worried. He ended up searching all over for his sister- and never did he expect that she would be found at Zelos's mansion, of all places. She'd been there for some time, according to Sebastian, and he didn't mind having company, with his master gone.

Genis never would have thought that his sister, his SISTER, the Professor, the Gladiator Queen, his mother-of-sorts… would have fallen for that philanderer. Maybe she was in love, or maybe she wasn't, as he himself didn't have much experience with this- but she definitely couldn't let go of the man who betrayed him, who had been their dear friend. He didn't know what to do, but took one look at his hurting mother figure and decided to make some soup. The last thing he needed was his sister to get worse- and he promised himself that after seeing what happened to Mithos and Martel, that he'd never let his sister die, at least not if he could help it.

He turned to his sister, and squeezed her hand briefly. "I'll be right back sis, I'm gonna make you something to eat to make you feel better, okay?" She didn't answer, but he knew she appreciated it. Genis exited the room and went downstairs, leaving his sister alone in one of Zelos' bedrooms.

The moment he closed the door, Raine took out the object she had been hiding underneath the sheets and sighed. It was a silver hairbrush, with gleaming red silk strands of hair caught in the bristles. Staring at the strands, she held the brush close to her heart and sighed.

Red was the color of these beautiful strands that were stuck in the hair brush. Red was also known as scarlet… crimson… and many other names. Red was supposed to be the color of passion, sometimes the color of anger, love…

And blood.

Red was the color that stained the pink clothing the Tethe'allan Chosen wore. It had soaked into his hair, his clothing, his lips, and her screams. As he had lied on the ground, bleeding to death, it was something she couldn't stand to watch. Yelling out every healing spell she knew, it didn't work; as he was already too close to death and she had run out of energy to cast the spells. She had to be dragged away, while kicking and screaming, while someone took the body away and buried him.

She had failed.

It had always been her worst nightmare- that someone she cared about was hurt so badly that she couldn't save them. And it had happened- the one person she truly cared about in a romantic way was dead. He had died at the friends he had wronged.

And she had helped.

That was the most horrible thing ever. To see his face torn up in surprise as her rage-filled form struck him, shouting obscenities and curses at the one who had stolen her heart and rationality. She was supposed to be the cool one, the knowledge-savvy professor who knew all and cured all. But it was all to no avail.

Red was the color of her pain.

End of drabble two

Rei: oh my gosh, that was a bit sulky… but I started it a while ago, so yeah… It's short. Just so you know, the date drabble will be coming next. :D So look alive! If you have any suggestions or ideas for me, feel free to share them. Thank you for reading and please review!