Disclaimer: I do not own this, sad as the fact may be for me. If I did I'd be rich, not wondering when I'll get my next allowance.
Hi, everyone. I'd smile, but I recently returned from a harrowing experience involving a dentist, a drill, and cavity fillings. Suffice it to say that my mouth is numb (though somehow still in pain) and my tongue is fat. Now I understand how Jar-Jar felt in Star Wars: Episode 1. I've also come to the inescapable conclusion that my dentist is evil… though I'm sure he'd say he doesn't mean to be.
Chapter 5Zelos loved Sybak. His best memories as a child were of this city, not Meltokio, and he always felt like he was coming home when he walked down the main street.
Well, normally he did.
Today, people stared at him and kept their distance. Unlike the people of Altamira who would continue to party for forever and a day, the people of Sybak knew and cared about the fact that Zelos Wilder was an angel who had betrayed Cruxis and that he had helped restore the world to its original form. They didn't know what to expect from the redhead that had once menaced the streets with outlandish pranks and left all fathers worried about the hearts of their daughters.
A cold feeling crept through Zelos as he was hit by the reality of the situation. Almost every human in the city was afraid of him. The half-elves didn't know what to make of him.
Seles looked around nervously and stood closer to her brother. "What's wrong with everyone? I thought… well… everyone was pretty friendly around here when Tokunaga brought me here."
"Really?" Zelos gave Seles a scrutinizing look. "And just what was he doing, escorting my precious little sister around Sybak?"
"He's my friend, you twit," Seles said firmly, whacking her brother's shoulder as hard as she could. "No need to go into over-protective mode."
Sheena snickered softly and Zelos gave her an annoyed look. "And just what is so funny, my Banshee?"
This time, Sheena was the one who hit the ex-Chosen's shoulder. "Remember that joke Raine pulled on you after the whole Coliseum incident?"
Presea smiled as well. "I found that particularly amusing."
"I didn't," Zelos muttered petulantly, but was once again ignored.
"What happened?" Seles demanded, curiosity lighting up her eyes.
Ibis smiled faintly. "I find myself curious as well, Miss Sheena."
"Please, just call me Sheena," the ninja objected for what must've been the third time that hour. Ibis was formal to a fault, extremely nice… just too formal for even someone from Mizuho.
"If you insist, Sheena."
"Yep… now, we were leaving Meltokio, it was right after Seles had challenged Zelos to a fight in the Coliseum and lost. We were giving this idiot," Sheena elbowed Zelos and grinned, "a very hard time. He was insisting, however, that the entire ordeal was unimportant and that you were only his half-sister anyway. So Raine mentioned that it looked like you were following us, Seles, and Zelos whirled around and started lecturing to empty air about how he didn't want to worry about you… he trailed off about a moment or so later. I think it took a moment or so for it to sink in that Raine had not only tricked him, she'd lied as well."
"She wasn't supposed to be the trickster-type," Zelos mumbled, his face slightly flushed.
"Awww, you do care!" Seles said brightly, her eyes twinkling in a way that was typically attributed to her older brother. Then, she hugged him and laughed. "Honestly, though. After I completely embarrassed myself at the Coliseum, why would I follow after you guys when I'd clearly have been a burden? I simply wasn't strong enough to join the gang."
"That is untrue," Presea protested. "You nearly defeated Zelos. He said so himself after he left the arena. Raine was absolutely appalled at how badly exhausted he was, though she had to admit she was impressed he was still standing."
"Make them stop…" Zelos whined, burying his head in his hands in mock sadness. "They're almost making me sound all noble when really I'm just a rich brat that has way too much fun."
"Hear, hear," Seles agreed. Ibis merely laughed.
Then entire time they had been talking, the group had been making it's way to an empty building that Zelos knew had been vacated for years. It was in good shape, it was simply deserted because no one had set up a new shop in Sybak in over ten years.
It's strange, Zelos mused, how clearly I remember these facts. Yuan called it an eidetic memory… hmmm… I wonder if he hates me right now. Ah, well, if he really considered himself my teacher, he'll get over it. "So, Ibis, you ready to play doctor for these lovely citizens of Sybak?"
"Uhh… Of course, Cho… Zelos." Ibis smiled brightly and hefted his small pack over to his opposite shoulder. "Again, I appreciate what you are doing for me."
"It's no problem, seriously."
/o/
"This might be a problem," Yuan muttered.
Colette and Lloyd were already standing in the ruins of the Tower of Salvation and were preparing to activate Origin's powers in order to retrieve Kratos. There was only one major problem for Yuan when it came down to walking over to the duo. The fact was that it was already a trio.
Martel, the avatar of the Giant Tree, stood next to the young couple and observed them curiously. Heart thudding in his chest, Yuan realized that it was one thing to flip out when he hadn't even seen her… it was another thing entirely to be faced with her in the flesh. Or mana, considering what this Martel was.
Strangely enough, it was that last thought that gave the blue-haired man the courage to walk up to Lloyd and Colette… and Martel. Because, you see, it wasn't truly his Martel, even if she looked like his love. His heart knew that now that he'd seen her.
Unfrozen and feeling calmer than he had in weeks, Yuan walked up the broken steps of a building he'd once constructed so carefully and caring-ly. Broken, like his past, the Tower of Salvation was proof that too many errors would destroy even the firmest of foundations.
Strangely, the whole concept and setting was comforting.
/o/
Light flared about Kratos and for a moment he could see Derris-Kharlan and the ruins of the once-mighty Tower, one layered on top of the other. Disconcerted by the feeling of being in two places at once, Kratos stumbled slightly as he materialized mere nanometers above the surface of the portal.
"You okay?" Lloyd asked curiously, grabbing his father's shoulder.
Steadied, the angel nodded. "Origin's power makes the portal device act… uniquely. That is all."
"He saw two places at once and it threw off his balance," Yuan drawled, walking up towards the burgundy-haired man. "So, my friend, you've returned to Symphonia. Quite honestly, I don't know whether to be happy or to hit you."
"I vote for the former," Kratos replied easily. "Though you've always been more violent than reserved. Aren't you supposed to cause mishap and mayhem everywhere, or is this some other half-elven acquaintence I' recalling?"
A ghost of a smile flickered across Yuan's face. "Hmmm… Why, yes. I do recall saying that a lot. Then we met Isis… I really couldn't stand her."
"Yes you could." Martel's melodious voice cut through everything. "She ended up showing you part of where your loyalties truly lie. If not for her, the Renegades might never have been. She did show you up with those Horus Guards of hers, after all."
Yuan looked slightly uncomfortable. "Well… uh…"
Colette and Lloyd looked somewhat lost, but mostly amused. Chuckling, Kratos smirked. It wasn't everyday that one saw Yuan at a loss for words.
"I must leave now," Martel said softly. Then she vanished, only a mana trail left behind her.
Lloyd was the first one to react after that interesting display. Separating the Eternal Sword into its two pieces, he sheathed the Material Blades and gave the two Seraphim a smile. "You two are really weird, you know that?" Yuan and Kratos shrugged as one. "Anyway, what brings you here, Yuan? Somehow I doubt you came all this way to say 'hi' to Kratos."
"Of course I didn't," Yuan glanced at Kratos and then gave the brunette swordsman his full attention. "Your lovely New World is in danger again."
"What!" Colette exclaimed.
"What do you mean?" Lloyd added cautiously.
"A group of people, allegiances and goals unknown, are attempting to locate an ancient device of Cruxis. The Firelight Mirror, to be exact." Yuan yawned and shrugged. "I don't know what it does, but Kratos does."
The purple-clad angel rolled his eyes. "You know perfectly well what that device does, Yuan." Kratos turned around and found a stable looking piece of rubble to sit on. "What it does is create monsters. Mithos was looking for a way to circumvent the entire process required to make angels and the mirror was the first of those attempts. It was also the last."
/o/
"We have to go through the forest!" Seles demanded, peering fearfully at the Gaorrachia forest.
"We have a tendency to lose our sense of direction when flying over it," Presea explained. "Only Lloyd could accurately direct anything or anyone over it."
"But we didn't have to go through the forest to reach Mizuho," she protested again.
Zelos smirked and walked onto the path through the forest. "We went over the water to get there that time. This time our aim is the Tower of Salvation. There is a clearing not to far in where we simply fly over the mountains and we're there. So don't tell me that you're chickening out."
Sheena had to stifle a snicker as the strawberry-blonde youth marched past Zelos and demanded that everyone hurry up.
/o/
"Monsters… like basilisks?" Colette inquired.
"Yes, that is one kind of monster it created. It wasn't supposed to be able to do that and, at first, it couldn't." Kratos pondered for a moment, wondering how much he should tell them. "At first it made people into angels. Remiel was the first test-subject. I don't know the specifics of all the trials, though. I was assigned the project when things started going wrong. It started with a power surge that left one of the program's experts with an altered personality. The device also gained some… er… quirks as well. It started making people into all sorts of creatures and there was no way to reverse the process."
"An empath of considerable talent was working on the project at that time…" Yuan added.
"They were all empaths, Yuan. All eight of them." The burgundy haired angel pursed his lips and shook his head, "I never saw the purpose of that, though I'm sure Mithos had his reasons. Anyway, the most talented of the empaths discovered that the device was salvageable through direct mental links. She started what was nicknamed Project Morphia and everything seemed to be fine. I was then yanked away from Derris-Kharlan…"
"He wasn't having enough fun. I decided it was high time that Isis and I attempted to get him to loosen up," Yuan interrupted.
"More like you two were using me as an excuse to throw her a birthday bash at one of Altamira's bars," Kratos muttered, glaring at the blue-haired half-elf. "I don't think I've ever heard anyone worse than her at Karioke and you..."
"Back on task," the half-elf hissed. "The rest of the story isn't worth hearing…"
"Really, El Pollo?"
"And people wonder why I tried to kill you…"
/o/
"AHHHHHHHH!" Seles leapt backwards, tumbling into her brother. The two redheads landed sprawled on the ground in a heap and two distinct voices could be heard mumbling the word "ow."
Zelos clambered to his feet first and helped his sister back up. "What was it?"
"What was what?" Seles asked innocently, looking incredibly embarrassed.
"What made you scream?"
"It… uh… it looked like a…" Seles stammered and Zelos attempted not to look exasperated.
"Living or dead?"
"Dead. Like a giant skeleton with a bunch of weaponry…"
"A Skull Dancer?" Sheena spoke up.
Zelos shook his head slowly; "it couldn't be, though. We killed that thing in the third battle we had with it just outside of Iselia."
"Perhaps it is a new one," Presea suggested.
"Martel help us if it is. The one we battled was pretty powerful." Sheena shuddered.
"The only way we'll know is if we go take a look," Zelos said evenly.
"No way," Seles shook her head emphatically. "This forest is dangerous enough when you stay on the pathways. I'm not leaving the trail." She crossed her arms and glared, daring anyone to dissuade her.
"Fine, fine… Presea, would you stay here with her?" Zelos asked, waiting for the pink haired girl to nod before turning to Sheena. "Shall we go see what it was?"
"Okay," Sheena agreed. "However, oh perverted one, if you try anything…"
"Moi?" Zelos gave her an offended look. "I would never attempt such nonsense against a violent Banshee," he paused and added cheekily, "not even to my violent Banshee."
The following slap, Zelos decided, was well worth it.
/o/
"Well," Lloyd mumbled, more to himself than anyone else, "I guess that explains Hima." Then, with a speculative look, he asked, "what's with the 'El Pollo' nickname?"
"Kratos, if you answer that question, I swear…" Yuan was cut off in mid-threat.
"Whatever, Yuan. It is a story for another time, anyway. It simply isn't as interesting if Isis isn't there to elaborate, after all." Kratos' smirk widened slightly as Yuan groaned and glared at him. "Oh come on, Yuan. Isis isn't that bad. You used to describe her as a riot, remember?"
"Yeah, I also used to say, and still do, that she lives to make my life hell."
"I thought that was my job. I could've sworn that when I signed the contract that there was a clause somewhere in there…" Kratos said as seriously as possible, his voice trailing off.
"Uh, I know you're having a lot of fun, Kratos, but could you annoy Yuan later? I was getting really interested in the story about the Firelight Mirror," Colette asked softly, her head resting against Lloyd's shoulder. At some point, during the bickering of the two friends, they sat down.
"Fun?" Kratos shook his head slowly. "I don't do 'fun.' I do 'mental-torture.'"
/o/
Zelos stared over the edge of the abrupt cliff, his eyes full of the beautiful vista before him. "If nothing else, it was worth heading off the path to see this," he announced.
"I agree, this is lovely." Sheena's voice was tinged with awe.
It really was gorgeous, the way the cliff encircled a valley full of a lighter, bright forest below. A river traced its way through the center of the valley and both the viewer's wondered what was down there, waiting for explorers. Neither were exactly paying attention to their footing, so, when the overhang that Sheena stood on gave way, they never knew what hit them.
"Sheena!" Zelos exclaimed, diving to his side and managing to grab her wrist with his right hand. He landed hard on his chest, the air getting knocked out of him in the process. Pain lanced up his arm and he reached desperately for her other hand with his left. "Come on, Sheena! Grab my hand!"
"I'm trying!" Sheena snapped, her right hand reaching for him. "Almost got you…" she swung herself and grabbed his hand.
It was all he could do not to drop her left wrist. She had jolted his right arm badly and Zelos' arm was starting to go numb from the pain. He ignored it all, though, and began to pull her up as Sheena used her feet to lever herself back onto ground.
They tumbled away from the cliff edge and sat there, just holding each other, for a long time indeed.
A/N Ah, summer. Time to volunteer at the library. )
I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews they were wonderful and extremely complimentary. I've always thought I was an average author, but you guys are going to give me a major ego. (Grins.)
I've done my best to edit this, but, alas, I still lack a beta-reader. Hopefully, my screw-ups will remain minor grammar problems.
Oh, and if anyone is wondering about the 'El Pollo' joke, I'll only tell you a little. It involved a bet and a chicken suit.