Disclaimer: See the Epilogue. Nothing belongs to me except for the plot of this story. XP

A/N: Something MAJOR happens to Genis in this chapter. If you don't want to read that part, you may skip over it if you wish.

Tales of Symphonia

The Search for Genis

Chapter 1: Familiar Faces and Genis's Hard Time

Raine came to a few hours after Genis had been carried away by Hexa. She winced in pain and looked at the doctor who was caring for her, "...Doctor, I must go to Iselia..."

The doctor sighed, "Lady, you are in no shape to be going anywhere. You were badly injured and poisoned."

Raine sat up in the bed, wincing a bit, "That may be...but Lloyd Irving, a friend of mine, must be made aware of Genis's situation...I must be the one to tell him, because I'm the only one who knows what happened."

The doctor could tell she wasn't one to be stopped so he muttered, "Fine...but this is against my better judgment. I will go with you to Iselia."

Raine sighed, but nodded her head, "All right, if you feel you must." She got out of the bed and stood up, heading for the door. Though she was still very shaky on her feet, she went outside.

The doctor followed her warily after grabbing his medical bag, "I must. You are my responsibility at the moment and I never abandon my patients."

After walking for the better part of the morning, Raine stopped at the entrance to Asgard, worn out. She yawned and looked at the doctor, "Can we stop and rest here?"

The doctor nodded, "That's a very good idea, Raine Sage. The best one you've had all morning. By the way, my name's Dr. Tara Lian, but you can call me Tara."

Raine blinked, but nodded, "Okay...so we'll go to the inn and you can change my bandages while I rest...and maybe we could find a potion that will get rid of my poisoning."

Tara sighed, "I doubt we will...the poison you have been touched with is unlike anything I've seen before. I don't think that a Panacea Bottle will help you in this case. You will need a Mizuho antidote in order to get rid of it. It is that strong of a poison."

Raine blinked, "Oh..." She walked into the inn and lay down on a bed, "How far has it spread?"

Tara told her, as she followed, "Not that far yet, thankfully...but it will be spread much further by the time we get to Iselia. Don't worry though...it will take a while for the poison to reach your heart."

Raine sighed and crossed her arms, "How long are we talking about?"

Tara replied honestly, "A week or two, possibly more if you don't overexert yourself. You rest now. Let me worry about your condition, okay?"

Raine nodded and shut her eyes, taking a fitful rest.

Tara sighed and took off Raine's slightly bloody bandages. She put on some fresh ones, then gave Raine a Panacea Bottle to try and slow the poison's progress.

About two hours later, Raine woke up again and looked at Tara, "Let's get going. It's not that far to Iselia now. We just need to go to Palmacosta, take a boat across the sea to Izoold, head over the Ossa Trail to Triet, then head north from there."

Tara replied, "Okay...think you can handle all of that today?"

Raine responded, "Well...I can at least make it to Triet. We'll have to spend the night at the inn there. We should be able to reach Iselia by tomorrow afternoon if we leave first thing in the morning from Triet."

Tara sighed, "Okay...you just let me know if you start to get tired. We can stop and take a short break when you need to."

Raine nodded, "All right."

Meanwhile, in Iselia, Lloyd was spending some time with Colette. After the worlds had been reunited, both he and Colette had been more open about their feelings toward each other. He leaned back, sighing as he lay on his back looking at the clouds, "Hey, Colette...think Dad's okay?"

Colette smiled, "I'm sure he's fine. He's a former member of Cruxis, remember?" She planted a light kiss on his cheek.

Lloyd smiled back at her, "Yeah, you're probably right." He rolled over onto his side, looking directly into her blue eyes, "...Colette? Eh...here. I knew it was your birthday soon, and I didn't want to forget your present again, so I made it early. Happy early birthday.." He muttered, pulling a small box out of his pocket and handing it to her.

Colette gasped, "Oh, Lloyd...you're so sweet. Thank you!" She hugged him tightly, then gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

Lloyd blushed, then kissed back.

Once the kiss was broken, Lloyd took a breath then told her, "You're welcome." He smiled, taking her hand and gently squeezing it.

Colette opened the small box. Inside of it was a beautiful diamond necklace that she knew he couldn't have made on his own, "Oh, Lloyd...thank you. It's gorgeous.." She hugged him tightly, then asked, "...Just curious, how did you get it?"

Lloyd shrugged, "I asked Dad to help me make it. I made the chain though..." He muttered.

Colette smiled, "It's perfect Lloyd. I couldn't ask for a better present." She kissed his cheek.

Lloyd blushed at the praise, "...Ahh, you're welcome..."

Meanwhile, Raine and Tara were now approaching the Ossa Trail. They would make it to Triet before the sun would set, assuming Raine didn't take a sudden turn for the worse.

Raine told Tara, "Not far now..." She was a little tired, but not enough to stop and take a break yet.

Tara nodded, "Maybe we should take a little break. Don't think I didn't notice how you seem to be a little tired. I may seem to be worrying a little much, but I can't have you pushing yourself too hard. Especially since it may cause your wounds to re-open."

Raine sighed, "All right. We'll stop for half-an-hour...but no longer than that. I really want to make it to Triet before the sun sets."

Tara replied, "Okay...let me see your wounds."

Raine obliged, taking off her orange robe, leaving on only the white blouse she wore under it.

Tara examined the stab wound on Raine's stomach, then the one on her back where the sword had gone all the way through. The wounds were healing, but all too slowly for her liking, "I think that the poison is causing problems. Your wounds are healing slower than normal for a half-elf such as yourself." She raised Raine's shirt slightly, taking off the dirty bandages and replacing them with clean ones.

Raine sighed, "Then...we have to hurry even more. If the poison's spreading fast enough to have already infected my wounds...who knows how long it will be until it...spreads to my heart?"

Tara told her, "You've still got a few more days before it becomes too much of a problem and the poison enters your bloodstream. Don't give up on me now. You were the one who wanted to travel to Iselia."

Raine nodded, "Right, and we'll make it there by tomorrow afternoon, if we leave Triet early in the morning."

Tara smiled, "Thank you. Now then, are we ready to get moving again? Or do you need longer?"
Raine responded, "I might need a few more minutes."

Meanwhile, Genis woke up in Hexa's hideout, which was near the ruins of the old Iselia Ranch. He rubbed his throbbing neck, "Owwww...where am I?"

Hexa replied, "Ahh, good. You're finally awake. Now I can begin the process of breaking you, pitiful half-elf."

Genis gulped, instinctively trying to step back, but found himself bound to the ground, "What...are you going to do?" He asked, very much afraid of what this half-elf despiser had planned for him.

Hexa laughed, "Oh...more than you can even dream of, half-elf..." She grabbed a spiky whip from the wall, which Genis noticed also had many other weapons on it. She then grabbed the back of Genis's blue shirt, ripping it off of him. She tore it to shreds, then removed the black shirt thing he had on under it, exposing his bare skin.

Genis shivered slightly for a moment, then was okay once he had adjusted to the slight chilly breeze that bit at his skin. He asked again, very much afraid now, "What are you going to do?"

Hexa gave a cold, steely response, "This." She lashed the whip on Genis's bare back, tearing his flesh with the spikes and creating a red welt and line of blood where it had hit him, "Until you've told me what has happened to those who are friends with half-elves, Lloyd Irving and his like."

Genis couldn't fight back the cry of agony that escaped his lips. He looked at her, finally managing to collect himself enough to glare back at her and reply, "Stop! I'm not telling you anything."

Hexa laughed cruelly, "No...your suffering is my enjoyment. I won't stop until you've passed out, died, or told me what I want to know. Whichever one comes first." She lashed the whip again, tearing more of the half-elf's delicate skin from his back and creating another mean red welt and an even deeper line of blood.

Genis gave another cry of agony. He collected himself again, "Stop it! I won't tell you anything!"

Hexa glared, "You're certainly stubborn...and you've got quite a spirit about you." She smirked, after lashing the whip on him a few more times. This caused more cries from Genis and then she said, "I know the perfect way to break you. Shanna, come here! Hurry up, slut!"

Shanna made her way to Hexa and Genis, and asked her, "What is it, mistress?" She asked, frowning as her eyes fell on Genis.

Hexa replied, "Take the boy to my room. Do whatever you want to with him. Rape him, starve him, do whatever you want. Just make him suffer."

Shanna gulped, "But...mistress...I don't share the-" She was cut off when Hexa grabbed her by her brown hair, which was up in a ponytail.

Hexa told her, "I don't care if you share my hatred of half-elves or not! You'll do as I say or I'll tell your whole family that you've been selling yourself, and that one of your clients, Zelos Wilder, got you pregnant."

Shanna whimpered,but nodded, "Y-yes, ma'am." She picked up the injured Genis, "But...could I clean him up first?"

Hexa glared, "No, you may not. You will take him like he is, got it?"

Shanna responded, "O-okay, ma'am." She picked up the badly injured Genis and headed for Hexa's room, "I'm sorry." She whispered to the half-elf. She wasn't a bad person, not really. She had just gotten mixed up with the wrong person.

Genis didn't say anything. He didn't even look at Shanna. He was in too much pain at the moment to care as she carried him to the room where he would lose his innocence, purity, and virginity.

Meanwhile, Raine and Tara had finally made it to Triet, and were at the inn reserving a room for themselves.

Raine smiled, "I'm glad we made it." She sighed a bit, "I hope my brother's okay...wherever he is."

Tara told her, "Don't worry so much. From what you've told me about your brother, I'm sure he's fine." She was trying to keep Raine's spirits up.

Raine nodded, "I'm sure you're right...but I can't help it. I'm his older sister. It's my job to look after him. Has been for a very long time."

Tara smiled, "And that's how it should be." She yawned, "Come on, let's go to bed. We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

Raine replied, also yawning, "Yeah...you're right." She went to the room she had reserved for them and flopped onto the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

Tara turned the now sleeping Raine onto her side, so that she wasn't lying on her wounds. That certainly wouldn't help them heal.

Meanwhile, in Iselia, Lloyd was sitting in Dirk's House, writing a letter to Kratos. He had recently had a disturbing dream about Raine and Genis. He hoped that his dream wasn't an omen.

Dear Dad,

Sorry I haven't had much time to write you. Things have been great between Colette and me. I just gave her a diamond necklace as a birthday present and she seemed to really like it, but I was sorely tempted to ask her to marry me right then and there. I love her that much, and she tells me everyday that she loves me a lot too. Was this how you felt about Mom? I know it's prying, but I've got to know...anyway, that's not why I'm writing you.

I recently had a very disturbing dream of Genis and Raine. Raine was all bloodied up and sick. Genis was...well, he just wasn't the same. He seemed so broken, so fragile...it was almost as if someone had taken a hammer to his spirit and shattered it into a thousand pieces.

I was thinking that it might be an omen...but I hope not. I don't want anything bad to have happened to them. I can appreciate the cause they're fighting for though. Oh well, I'd better go. Colette wants to go to dinner and I promised I would take her somewhere, so I'll hopefully see you later.

Miss you Dad,

Lloyd

Colette sighed, "Lloyd, come on! Hurry up! I'm hungry..."

Lloyd laughed, "All right, I'm coming." He put his letter into an envelope, then tossed it into the billowing wind, hoping that chance would be on his side and let Kratos receive his letter, all the way in Dherris-Kharlan. He then ran out of the house. He met up with Colette and asked her, "Still hungry?"

Colette smiled and nodded, "Yeah, I am. What were you doing anyway?"

Lloyd replied, "Just writing to Dad...I really miss him and thought that writing a letter might help." He shrugged and sighed, "Do you think we'll ever see him again?"

Colette told him, "Yeah, I'm sure we will. Kratos cares about you too much to stay away forever. He might even come back after discarding all of Cruxis's Exspheres from Dherris-Kharlan."

Lloyd nodded, giving a small smile, "Yeah...that'd be wonderful." He said, taking Colette's hand in his and squeezing it. She was the reason he hadn't fallen into a deep depression in the months following Kratos's departure from the new world. She had come by to check on him every day since then, and as a result, their feelings had also escalated.

Meanwhile, at Hexa's hideout, Shanna had tied Genis to Hexa's bed, and was removing what remained of his clothing.

Genis whispered, tears in his eyes, "Please...don't..."

Shanna sighed, "I'm sorry...but I have to follow my mistress's commands. Don't try to fight me...that will only make your injuries from the whip hurt worse." She really didn't want to hurt such an innocent and pure boy, regardless of the fact that he was a half-elf.

Genis whimpered, "...But, you don't agree with her beliefs...why have you stayed, anyway?"

Shanna replied, "Because she's the only one who knows what I really am, what I've done with other men...she has threatened to tell my family of this, which would surely bring them to shame me and throw me out of the house. I would have nowhere to go if that were to happen...now, stop trying to stall me. I know this is going to hurt you...and I don't want to do it, but if I don't, my family will suffer for it and shame their only daughter." She took off her scant clothes, which had consisted of nothing more than a strapless black leather tube top, brown leather leggings, and white boots.

She crawled onto the bed with Genis, whispering into his ear, "I'm sorry." She then got on top of him and rubbed her hand up and down the shaft of his penis, to arouse the innocent 12-year-old, and steal his virginity.

Genis muttered, "Stop...please..." He begged, trying to crawl away from her.

Shanna grabbed a handful of his silver hair and pulled him down again, into a better position, "I said don't fight me." She said simply, as she began to move against him, "It will make it much easier on you if you don't."

Genis began crying as she said this, tears streaming down his face, "Stop! Please!" He pleaded, wincing as she stole his virginity from him. Blood from the wounds on his back covered the bed behind him, as well as some underneath his bare backside.

Shanna saw him crying, and several dozen tears made their way down her face too, "No...really, I'm sorry...but I can't do anything..." Her mind was racing now with a million different questions. Why had she taken such an innocent child? She didn't care that he was a half-elf, and had hoped they could be friends, but Hexa...Hexa had forced her to torture him in such a way, due to this. Why did it have to be now, when she was so close to being free of the girl? She stopped now, getting up and putting her clothes back on, "Genis...I am so sorry. I really didn't want to do this to you...but..."

Genis said not a word now, lying face down in the bed and crying relentlessly. He eventually cried himself to sleep.

Shanna bit her lip and picked up Genis, placing his blue shorts back on him and carrying him out of the room, unshed tears still in her eyes. She saw Hexa walking by as she made her way back to the main part of the hideout and told her, "I won't have anything to do with your campaign against half-elves any longer! I'm taking Genis to a doctor."

Hexa glared, "You will do no such thing! Give me the boy now and I might not kill you."

Shanna took a step back, "No! You'll torture him again! He needs a doctor...he's lost way too much blood! Especially since I had to...steal his virginity from him..."

Hexa laughed, "I will torture him? What you did to him will be with him for much longer than any physical pain I inflict. Physical wounds will heal...emotional wounds will as well, but those take much longer. Now, give him to me!" She demanded, "Unless you want your family and Wilder's family to know that you are carrying the child of Tethe'alla's Chosen."

((A/N: Nice little twist, eh? Zelos is going to have a kid he never knew about... >))

Shanna gulped, tears forming in her eyes as she had heard that Zelos was dead, "Okay...fine...take him."

Hexa took the sleeping half-elf child from Shanna and took him back to the main room of her hideout, tying him to a statue.

Meanwhile, Lloyd and Colette were eating dinner at Palmacosta, at a nice restaurant.

Lloyd still had the outfit that Regal had given him for the dinner party at Meltokio, and was wearing it. It was a nice suit, with a black tie and a red handkerchief tucked into the left pocket, "So, Colette, are you liking this?" He asked her, hoping she didn't think this was too fancy.

Colette smiled, "Yeah, I really am, Lloyd. Thank you for bringing me here. How did you find out about this place anyway?" She was wearing a nice pink dress with frilly sleeves.

Lloyd replied, sighing, "How else? Zelos told me before he died. He has a hand in everything, I think." Bringing up the redheaded Chosen still hurt a little, for it had only been eight or nine months since he had died at Lloyd's own hand.

Colette placed a hand on his shoulder, "Oh, okay. I'm sorry Lloyd...I know it still hurts for you to mention him..." She hugged him, trying to comfort him.

Lloyd returned the embrace, "It's okay, Colette. You didn't know. Anyway, I'm fine. Let's just focus on having a nice evening, okay?"

Colette smiled, "Okay, Lloyd." She took his hand and looked up, hearing something, "...Someone's coming, Lloyd."

Lloyd blinked, "Who is it?"

Colette told him, "It sounds like Yuan...but what would he be doing here? I thought he went with Kratos."

Lloyd shrugged, "Maybe my dad got my letter and he's here to deliver a reply."

Colette asked, "That quickly?"

Lloyd told her, "Can you think of any other reason why he'd be here?"

Colette shook her head.

Yuan then walked up to the couple, wearing his usual cape and red, black, and gold outfit, "Lloyd, your father received your letter. He's written a reply too. He...wanted me to drop off his letter, saying something about not wanting to interfere with you two." He quirked an eyebrow in interest as he eyed the two, "What did he mean by that?"
Slightly flustered, Colette blushed and answered, "Eh...nothing..."

Lloyd crossed his arms, blushing a light pink, "That's none of your business, Yuan. Just give us the letter and go."

Yuan sighed, "Fine...some thanks I get, taking all the trouble of flying here from Dherris-Kharlan...anyway, I'll see you later Lloyd." He set the letter on the table and began to walk towards the exit, but stopped, "Oh, and Lloyd...I've heard that Genis is missing."

Lloyd nodded, "See you, Yuan, oh, and thanks for the letter. Wait...missing? That can't be good...I hope...he's okay."

Yuan left the restaurant.

Lloyd opened Kratos's letter, to take his mind off Genis, and began to read:

Lloyd,

I am happy to hear that you are happy and well. Yes, I would say the feelings you have for Colette are just like the ones I had for your mother. It's okay, I don't mind talking about that with you since you are my son. As for the dream...well, I am not certain, but it does seem to be an omen. People suffer a lot in dream-omens, and the way you described it made it sound like Raine and Genis were really suffering horribly. I share your concern for them...in fact, I was thinking of coming to Symphonia anyway, to visit you if for no other reason. What can I say, other than that I've missed you too? I would like nothing more than to help with Genis and Raine if there is anyway I can. Yuan told me, as I was writing this, that some of his Renegades had been in contact with him and told him that your friend is missing and that Raine is in Triet. I don't know what's going on, but I don't like the sound of it. See you soon, Lloyd. Meet me at Luin tomorrow at noon and we can catch up. Feel free to bring Colette with you if you want to.

Love,

Dad

Colette smiled, having been looking over Lloyd's shoulder, "See? He's missed you too, and he's even told you where and when to meet him! Isn't it great, Lloyd? You got your wish." She hugged him.

Lloyd smiled, "Yeah...but he's not coming back just to see me. He's come to help us look for Genis. He even mentioned that you could come along."

Colette nodded, "With his angelic senses, he should be a lot of help. Hmm,that was sweet of him...let's finish dinner, then go back to Iselia. Okay, Lloyd?"

Lloyd replied, "Sounds like a plan to me." He finished his food, then stood up.

Colette quickly finished her food as well and stood up next to Lloyd, holding his hand.

The couple left the restaurant and went back to Iselia.

A/N: I tried my best to make this chapter end on a happy note. Poor Genis! I REALLY didn't want to do that to him, but it will make him a stronger character in the end. Shrugs Anyway, Chapter 2 will be up soon. Later!