Mr.Who2123: Hi! So sorry for the short chapter, my sister needed to go on, so I had to wrap up ASAP. I'll try to make up for it with a long chapter…Now it's disclaimer time! (P.S. The innkeepers are all named Hunter on behalf of my brother. He wanted to be a part of the story…)
Kratos: ahhhh…still drunk…last chapter!
Sheena: ahhhhhh…
Mr.Who2123: Anyways…I want Yggdrasil!
Yggdrasil: Wretched being! (Gets on all four, and tackles Mr.Who2123)
Mr.Who2123: Ahhh! Rabid dog…half elf guy!
Kratos: Come here, boy!
Yggdrasil: (growls then sits next to Kratos)
Sheena & Mr.Who2123: o.O
Mr.Who2123: Yggdrasil! Do the disclaimers!
Yggdrasil: Grrr! Wretched…wretched, wretched human! Wretched human!
Mr.Who2123: Translation: Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia, but if she did, Yggdrasil would have better clothes than that disco suit…thingy. (Sorry to those Yggdrasil fans)
Kratos: humph…We're starting now…
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Anna watched Kratos leave. At first he was walking, but soon there was a flash of light and he had wings.
"Oh my!" Anna whispered as Kratos flew off towards the Tower of Salvation.
Anna watched Kratos until he was out of sight, then trudged back to the inn. The inn keeper, named Hunter, pat her on the back.
"He'll be back soon, I know it," he said as he looked at her with kind eyes.
"I hope you're right," Anna replied more to herself than to Hunter. "I'll be in my room," she said as she ran up the stairs. Anna sat at the window of her room, and made circles out of the dust on the window pane as she watched.
Two years later, with the help of all the villagers, Anna had built her own small house, and had a job of fishing. Every morning, she would wake up early and get onto her own small fishing boat and catch fish to sell.
Anna loved fish, and sometimes saved the best for herself, but she sold most of them to the shop, and then would have free time to do whatever she wanted for the rest of the day. Anna would usual sit by the beach, and play with the little kids around her. Everyone loved Anna, but she wasn't content. She had missed one person in those two years.
"Kratos, where are you?" she asked herself as she gazed at the ocean horizon. Anna had also missed Noishe. She had never seen a weirder dog, but she loved his big black eyes and sleek fur.
"Anna? Are you alright?" a young man asked. He had short, black hair, and deep green eyes. He had like Anna since the day she came, and tried to get her love.
"Yeah, just thinking, Aaron," she replied as she returned her gaze to the sea.
"Mind if I join?" Aaron asked as he didn't wait for an answer and sat down anyways. There were a few minutes of silence, and then Anna sighed.
"Aaron, I've been thinking about something ever since I came here," she began, her voice soft. Aaron listened intently. Was she going to admit her love to him?
"You've liked me since I came here, but," Aaron cast his eyes down. The "but" meant she didn't like him. "There's another guy out there, and I miss him, so until he comes back, I will not marry," she finished. Aaron brightened. There was still hope for him.
"Does that mean-"
"No, I do not love you, but I like you as a friend," she smiled, although she knew it wouldn't cheer him up.
"Alright, so friends?" he tried to assure himself.
"Friends," Anna replied, and the two did a high five.
"Let's go back I'm freezing," Anna muttered as she wrapped her arms around herself. The sky was darkening, and the first few stars were visible.
"Alright," he replied as they parted ways.
The next morning was a rude awakening for Anna.
"Anna. Anna! Wake up! Someone wants to see you!" an older man, Aaron's father urged.
"Huh? Who?" she asked as she yawned and sat up.
"Says he's an old friend," the man replied, and then left Anna's house. Anna got dressed as quickly as possible. It was Kratos, it had to be. He kept her waiting long enough. Anna ran outside, and saw a familiar figure tackle her.
"Noishe!" Anna squealed as Noishe licked her face relentlessly, and finally got off when he was satisfied she had her greetings.
"Hey, Anna," said yet another familiar voice. Kratos was standing with Noishe at his side, looking the same with his messed up hair and his mercenary outfit.
"Kratos!" she yelled with delight as she gave him a friendly hug. Kratos smiled, and returned the hug.
"I came to visit," he said as she finally let go.
"Really? Come see my house then!" she grabbed his arm and pulled him towards her house, it was all too familiar with Kratos. Things never change, he thought as he went inside the small house.
Kratos looked at the house in amazement. Anna had progressed quickly, and the house was small, but it was very well made, and it gave Kratos a warm feeling.
"So, how is your quest to find that whatchamacallit ring?" Anna asked as she led him to a couch, and Kratos sat down.
"First of all, it's a pact ring, and I figured out how to make it," he replied with a smile. He was in Triet, and about to head for the Tower of Salvation, and then decided to make a detour to visit Anna.
"That's wonderful! I won't be surprised if the world turns to one on a random day," she said. Kratos smirked, and pushed his fingers through his auburn hair.
"I can only stay for a day, though," he sighed. Anna was not discouraged by this, though. She nodded, and then went to her stove.
"I'm going to cook us something special, Kratos" she exclaimed as she grabbed various ingredients from a box. "Why don't you help, Kratos? I need a hand!" she said as she turned on the stove. Kratos got up and helped her get some ingredients.
"You sure are the same Anna that loves fish," he muttered when he saw half of the cooking materials were some sort of fish. Anna beamed, and then went to work on gutting the fish.
With her years of practice, Anna was able to get the best parts of meat from the fishes, although Kratos was having a little trouble. He sometimes cut bone in with the meat when he sliced too far, and Anna only laughed at his work.
"No, silly. Hold the knife like that," she said as she rearranged his fingers until they were on the side of the knife, and able to skin quickly.
"Thanks," he muttered as he cut the fish with new easiness. It was much simpler to cut the fish the way Anna had shown, and he finished much quicker thanks to Anna.
"Alright, let's add some spices!" she said to herself as she poured some pepper, and other ingredients that made Noishe's nose twitch.
"Whine!" he moaned as he tried to get the peeper from out of his nose.
"Noishe, stay away from the spices," he ordered, and the protozoan padded away and onto a couch.
"Poor Noishe," she giggled as she watched Noishe's pained expression.
"He's fine, he just wants the food," he replied in an irritated voice. Noishe's ears perked at the word food, and then noticed that the two hadn't finished making dinner yet, and laid his head back down on the couch.
"Time for some cheese and tomatoes-," she began, and then burst out laughing when she saw Kratos' face when she said tomato.
"No, tomatoes, then" she stifled a laugh, and Kratos relaxed a bit. "Kratos, cut the cheese," she said as she threw him a large round and yellow ball of cheese. Kratos grabbed the cutting knife, and cut the dairy product with his inhuman strength and speed within seconds.
"Hey, Kratos are you-," she widened her eyes at the cut up cheese.
"I guess you are," she replied to herself, and poured some of the cheese over the fish. Kratos smiled and shook his head, and Anna grinned as well.
"You are really fast," she said to him, and Kratos made a scowl.
"I've had experience as a swordsman, and refined my skills for 4,000 years, I should be that fast, if not, faster," he replied calmly.
"Oh," she said for the second time this day. Kratos strode next to Noishe and scratched his ears.
"Noishe, let's go for a walk while Anna cooks," he said softly as Noishe jumped off the couch and wagged his thick tail. "We'll be back, Anna."
Anna finished making the food as soon as should could, and then looked for Kratos. She spotted him on the beach with Noishe sitting next to him. She was about to approach, but then he suddenly started talking to Noishe.
"She's pretty happy, huh Noishe," he said, and Noishe whined in response. "I'm happy she's finally settled in. "I missed her a lot, right Noishe?" he asked in a slight playful tone, and the protozoan licked Kratos' cheek.
"She wouldn't think that…," he stopped as he looked down. "She makes me feel again, Noishe. I experienced all my feelings when I was with her for those couple of weeks. I laughed, Noishe, laughed…and even cried," he said, sadness hinting in his deep voice. "I loved those feelings, but they all left when I left Anna. I just want to be with her. She makes me…happy, Noishe. Happy! When have I been happy?" he asked, furious at something, and he pounded the ground. Noishe whined, and then Kratos' glare softened.
"I'm sorry, Noishe. Let's go back to Anna's house," he moaned as he slowly got up. Anna ran back to her house, and pretended to be cooking when Kratos walked in a few minutes later!
"I was wondering where you were," Anna said in a mock tone. Kratos tried to smile, but failed miserably. "Food's ready!" she exclaimed in a cheerful voice as she filled three bowls with seafood delicacies.
Anna chatted with Kratos, and he started acting normal, even though he was saddened. Anna couldn't believe he couldn't feel.
"When are you leaving tomorrow?" she asked casually as she shoved a forkful of food in her mouth.
"Probably at noon, and I might not come back until years later," he replied in an especially agonized voice, even for Kratos.
"Are you alright?" she asked, pretending not to know what he just said when he didn't know she was listening.
"Anna, I-," he began. "Will you come with me? I want you to come," he stated, his cheeks reddening in only the slightest. Anna squealed with delight.
"Sure! I'm bored enough here anyways!"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Mr.Who2123: Yes! I tried to make it longer, but it isn't that much longer. I guess that doesn't count as an apology.
Kratos: No one really cares, Mr.Who…
Yggdrasil: Wretched Human! (Yeah, you wretched human!)
Mr.Who2123: Hey! Kratos is a wretched human and you don't say things like that to him.
Kratos: cough (blackmail) cough
Mr.Who2123: I see…
Yggdrasil: Wretched Human! (Review you wretched human!)