Lyn: Thank you for reviewing we love reviews!
Lea: Oh, honestly, I hate how the game handled this part of the story, so I'm going off of the OVA instead of the game for this chapter and the next. Actually, come to think of it, I thought the Palmacosta Ranch was pointless and took it out completely. That's just so you know.
Yuan: Same with my ranch.
Lea: No, I just kinda mentioned it and… whatever! Kratos, here, help!
Kratos: Why?
Lea: I need comic relief and I overused Mithos.
Kratos: Ok… -pulls out sword- This is what I think of your comic relief!
Lea: Ok, fine! I apologies for threatening you to do the Party Boy last chapter. Just do the disclaimer before this becomes longer then the real story
Kratos: -sigh- Lea Andrews dose not own Tales of Symphonia, but she dose own Lyn/ Mira. There you go. –walks off-
Lea: Thank you Kratos! Now on with the show before all of the Tales of Symphonia characters get mad and tackle me!
Lyn woke up the next morning with a slight headache, but everyone one else was staring at her with shock, but she was too tired to notice.
"Hay? Collette, do you have some of that basil? My head hurts."
"Sure." She said, sweating, and handing her the basil. Lyn ate it and felt instantly better.
"Kratos is still keeping watch, right. So… Is something wrong Collette?" Lyn asked. Collette shook her head no. "Are you sure?" She asked, then realized everyone was following suit. Lyn was starting to sweat of embarrassment, even though she didn't know what was wrong. Her clothes did fit a little funny, but nothing out of the ordinary.
"What's wrong? What did I do? What's with the faces." She asked, but the group said nothing. To her relief, Kratos came riding in on Noishe. He stopped as he saw her and froze up.
"Not you to. Can you please tell me what's going on?" She begged. He sighed and took out his sword and placed it in the ground.
"Look at your reflection." Was all he said. "I knew it was odd how you're hair suddenly got longer all of the sudden." She took a look. Her body had changed! Her hair was the same color, though a lot longer, and she was the same height. But she seemed longer, a lot skinner, thinner boned, and had hips and a chest (like Sheena except a little skinnier), unlike the close to flat Collette-like figure she had. On top of that, her eyes were narrower and her face looked more mature, instead of the kid like face she had before. She could easily be mistaken for being Raine's age or maybe slightly older.
"What happened to me? This is too weird. No wonder my clothes felt odd." She said. She looked her body over. "Where did my stomach go? I look like a toothpick doll with toothpick legs and arms and since when do I have a great figure?" She said, panicking.
"Calm down, Lyn. It's alright." Raine said. "This could be natural."
"What?" She asked.
"You had amnesia, right? It is caused by your mana overreacting. Most people have amnesia after their bodies mature so they don't change. You've had if for a long time, right."
"Well, yeah. I could only remember the orphanage and…" She stopped.
"How long ago?" Raine asked.
"13 years, I think… I was ten" Lyn replied.
"13 years?" Genis said in shock.
"You're 23 years old?" Lloyd said wide eyed.
"I see. You couldn't remember your age so you assumed you were 16 because of your looks. I suppose your looks didn't change at all, you just got bigger." Raine said. Lyn nodded yes. "Your body and mana remembered when you did, so it just made you your correct age instead of looking like a big 10 year old. It's just part of growing up."
"I understand." She muttered, looking at her hands.
"Just be lucky you still acted like a normal person and not like a robot, otherwise this would never happen. In fact, you would look younger then Genis. Your body would just pick up where it left off."
"Well, when you put it like that, it's no big deal! Anyway, we should be heading up to Luin. I used to live there, so I can show you a shortcut." Lyn said.
"Alright, to Luin!" Genis said, the group headed there and made it there in by that afternoon with great surprise. Lyn knew the road like the back of her hand. Everyone was still trying to get used to the surprise, including Lyn herself. Taking monsters down was easier, and she found herself lighter, faster, and more flexible. Her magic skills even were better then before, but she still couldn't beat Kratos. They finally arrived at Luin, and it was the same as Lyn had remembered it, yet in her eyes, Lloyd noticed a sadness that she was hiding.
"Hay Lyn, are you ok?" He asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She lied.
"You sure? You seem like you're avoiding something." He said as a little girl ran up to Lyn from behind.
"Big sister! Nee-san, Lyn!" She yelled. Lyn turned around and picked her up.
"Hannah! It's been a while. How are you?" Lyn asked.
"Good, Lyn! You look different. You look more like Ellen now!" She smiled.
"El… Ellen?" Lyn stuttered.
"Yep, but your nicer, big sister. Another sister came yesterday night. Sister Sheena. She's at the big fountain playing 'hide and seek' with Peter and Mark and Mary and Joel! You should come to!" Hannah smiled.
"Sheena? What an odd name." Genis said.
"Who is this?" Hannah asked.
"Oh, these are my friends. I'm working for them." Lyn smiled.
"But big sister, why didn't you send any money home?" Hannah asked.
"Were having financial problems?" Lyn said confused.
"Yes, cause Ellen's a big stinking poop face! I like you much better." Hannah said.
"Hannah!" Lyn snapped, setting her back down on the ground.
"She doesn't scare me, and you still didn't answer me." Hannah said sticking her chin up.
"Oh, you mean names? Well, this is Genis, Collette, Raine, Lloyd, and Kratos." Lyn smiled, pointing each one out.
"Wah!! Kratos is scary!" Hannah said.
"Hannah!" Lyn said embarrassed. Everyone laughed except for Kratos who just stared. "Kratos may be scary, but he's nice. You shouldn't say things like that. Now go and apologies." Lyn calmly said, still a little red.
"Ok." She said, slowly walking up to him and looking at the ground. "Mr. Kratos, I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted." Kratos said, ruffling her hair. She smiled and started laughing, then ran off saying,
"Bye Lyn! Bye Mr. Kratos!" Hannah smiled and left.
"Who was that?" Raine asked.
"Hannah. She's an orphan who lives at the same orphanage I went to. Ellen owns the place, and we used to be friends. Then she went sour after an accident she blamed me for. I wish I could have done something, but when I remember it, there was no way I could have done anything. I was weak. Ever since… I'd rather not talk about it." Lyn sighed.
"Yuan told me you bumped into him with directions to a brothel. He said you were also oblivious and embarrassed when he told you. She was trying to sell you behind your back for money, wasn't she?" Kratos said. Lyn covered her ears as he was talking and turned her face away. She dropped her arms and looked at her feet.
"Ellen and I were looking for jobs to help pay the finances, and we went to a nearby town. A group of bandits raided it and I escaped with her, but I left my diamond sword. I went back to get it, and told her not to leave the forest. Well, they took it, and I decided it wasn't worth the risk of dying over. I didn't know it, but Ellen followed me. They caught her, and barely caught the end of them torturing her.
Then they locked her in a room and burned the town down. I was barely able to get her out, but luckily she didn't get burned with everyone else. I did get burned though… I was scared…" Lyn admitted. Everyone looked at her with a little shock, except Collette and Lloyd who had no clue what Lyn was talking about.
"She said it was my fault she was hurt and she started beating the girls for it." Lyn continued, "I told her it wasn't right to hurt them, just because something bad happened to her. So she spent all the money we had to live off of on herself. She told me that it was my fault the money was gone because I wasn't there to help her. She told me she would get married and leave me and the orphans to rot.
We had a fight, and I left for a week. I hated what she was doing, but I couldn't let the kids starve because of it. So I returned and agreed to find work to pay off the debt. I did off jobs for about a month, like fixing things and finding herbs, but it wasn't enough, and Ellen would spend it on herself and new boyfriends. She complained that she was starving, and I told her there were no more jobs. So… she sent me to Triet and Palmacosta with a job offers. She tried to pull the brothel trick twice, and I considered actually doing it… Then I met Yuan. After that, Kratos hired me as a guide…"
"So she was…" Genis started.
"I don't get it. What's a brothel." Lloyd said.
"We'll tell you when you're older!" Raine snapped.
"Anyway, it shouldn't matter. It's my problem. I'll resolve it somehow." Lyn said with a smile. "Anyway, it's getting dark we better turn it." She sighed. The group nodded in agreement. As they walked toward the inn, Lyn heard Lloyd whispering to Collette to ask what a brothel was, but Collette shook her head saying she had no idea.
When they made it there, Raine said, "Kratos, we're running low on supplies. My staff cracked pretty badly to. How about you and Lyn get the room while we get some things from the market."
"That would probably be a good idea. If you can, get me a new broadsword. My sword's blade is starting to get dull." Kratos replied. Raine nodded and left, talking Lloyd, Collette, and Genis. Kratos and Lyn walked in and ordered a room. After that, Kratos and Lyn decided to go in the room and wait for the others. They both threw down their swords on the chair.
"Lyn." Kratos started, "How much do you know. What do you remember?" He asked.
"You were once human, right? The Prince of the Silver Plains. Mithos has taken over and made the world this way. Collette is going on this world regeneration, and will die at the Tower of Salvation. But then again, this isn't a world regeneration. He somehow split this world. I know this because the silver plains aren't here. They were near Triet and Izoold. The mana has been switching back and forth between the two parts, right. And switched back and forth by the regeneration process. What I can't remember is how he did it and why. I feel as if the answer is simple, yet I'm missing something. Why sacrifice Collette? Why are you and Yuan slaves in his eyes? And what the hell is Martel doing?
"Martel is dead." Kratos said, but realized he shouldn't have.
"Martel is… wait. So is Mithos trying to bring her back? That is possible and easy. But then again, Martel can't die of sickness or old age. Murder then. Then she can't come back. She doesn't have a body."
"Lyn!" Kratos said, grabbing her shoulder, trying to stop her thinking process. She pulled away from him.
"Then why go through that entire process for sacrifices? I know you know Kratos! Stress relief? Just because Martel is dead doesn't mean Collette should…" She stopped in mid sentence. Everything fell together. "No!"
"Lyn." He said. Lyn jumped away from him and started to laugh. "LYN!!" he yelled.
"This is just too funny!" She said, still laughing. "This world, the regeneration, everyone's hope is made because that brat wants his sister back!"
"Are you going to tell them?" Kratos asked.
"Why not?" Lyn asked. "Because it will ruin Mithos's plans?"
"Because if you do, I will have to kill you." He corrected, pulling out a dagger. Lyn glanced at her diamond blade across the room.
"We'll I'm not good at hiding things. I have nothing to hide. I guess you'll have to kill me. But before you do, just answer me something. Since when do you listen to Mithos?" She asked.
"I don't have to tell you." He snapped.
"Is that so? That's right. You don't have to tell me. I was just curious." Lyn said, raising her arms.
"Will you yield only at death?" He asked.
"Yes." She said smiling.
"Have it your way." He smiled evilly, "I've been wanting to do this for a long time." Now Lyn was starting to get scared. His eyes narrowed as he placed the dagger between his fingers. She started to back away from him, into the wall, looking into his eyes.
"You're not serious." She said as her heart started racing.
"Do you really think I'm joking?" He asked, voice booming, with his dark eyes looking like blood. He really did want her dead.
"What about us being friends?" She asked.
"I don't need friends." He said, walking closely up to her pressing her shoulder into the wall and putting the dagger at her neck. "Are you prepared?" He asked. "I'll make it quick."
"No!" She said, pushing his arm away. She tried to run, but twisted her foot and fell onto the ground. She started to back away, but Kratos walked over and pinned her down, one hand on her throat and the other in the air with the dagger. She grabbed the hand the dagger and pushed him on the ground to her right, taking the dagger and pinning him down. He did not struggle. He just sat there, looking with his bright red eyes.
"Are you… Going to kill me?" He asked with no expression in his face or voice." The scene of Yuan conversing with Kratos and Yuan stopping Kratos from killing himself came back to the two of them.
"I… I… no." She said, tossing the dagger into the wall to her left as Yuan had done in the flashback. She took her hand off of his throat and he started to sit up.
"If you don't want me dead, then what do you want of me?" He asked, still with no expression. She still felt her heart beating, faster and faster. She was more scared then she was before. Something felt wrong. She started to crawl off of him, but he hit her leg with one foot and sat up all the way. Her head was on his lap, and she sat up to face him. "Answer me." He said, sliding one hand on her shoulder and down her back, wrapping one of his legs around one of hers, and playing with her hair hanging down on his chest. "Well?" He smiled mischievously, pressing his forehead against hers and noses toughing.
"What are you do… You're playing with me." She stuttered. Then he whispered into her ear,
"If you don't answer me, I will answer for you." He chuckled, starting to kiss her neck. She tried to get away again, and he quickly grabbed her tunic. "Wait. Do you smell smoke?" He asked. The two looked at each other, then out the window, where they saw the gray clouds. They jumped up and grabbed their swords and bags, running out the door, to the city. Desians were coming in fast and throwing torches all around. Hannah was running away screaming, and then latched onto Lyn.
"Stay here!" She told Hannah. Kratos and Lyn drew their swords. They took out the desians as best they could and with great speed, but they threw their torches to the roof tops, putting the place in smoke. Lyn then stopped attacking to put out flames, leaving Kratos to fend alone. Finally, the desians retreated. The two nearly fell over in exhaustion.
"We have to leave!" Kratos yelled to her. "It's getting to dangerous!"
"What about the others?!" Lyn yelled back. "The mana says they're still in there!"
"Well, lets go!" he said. The two headed deeper into the city. They traveled across a bridge and found the group in the middle of a design fight and completely surrounded.
"Mira, I'll heal you. There aren't many. Take um out!" Kratos said.
"What about you. You don't have the strength." Lyn replied, "You can't use you're angelic powers here!"
"This isn't the time! Just do it!" He yelled, casting a powerful healing spell on him, then nearly falling over. Lyn was going to help him, but he yelled, "Go!" She nodded and pulled out her sword, taking out the desians out in large amounts. Lloyd and the others were also warn out from the fight. Lyn fended them off as long as she could, and yelled to Raine,
"Get Kratos. He's by that post!" Raine nodded and ran to him. Lyn cast a small healing spell on Lloyd, and they took out another company of them. In the mist, Hannah ran towards Lyn, latching onto her.
"Lyn! I'm scared!" She yelled.
"Hannah! What are you doing here! You could…" At that, She was hit in the head with a sword hilt and knocked to the ground. The desian was about to stab her when suddenly, a beat up black haired assassin came and knocked him off or her, then summoned a guardian to take out another company. Lyn got up slowly and Hannah yelled, "Sister Sheena!"
"You're name's Sheena?" Lyn asked.
"Go! RUN!!" She said, heading for the desians, despite her condition. Lyn was worn out. She had no power left and felt useless. Suddenly, the fire called out to her, and the water beneath the city, and the dancing wind. It was the mana of Sylverant! It formed around her and gave her power. She picked up her sword again and charged right behind Sheena. The two of them chased out the remainder of the desians. However, Sheena was extremely beaten up and collapsed. Lyn would have passed out if she didn't quickly heal herself before the blue, red, and green mana flowed out of her like mist.
It was too late to save Luin. Even with the desians gone, the place was in shambles. Most of the people were taken to the ranch, the rest dead. Lyn and the group walked over to Sheena.
"Are you alright, Sheena?" Lyn asked her.
"Yeah. I'll be fine. They came and attacked us without warning. And there was nothing I could…" She said, grunting and holding her bleeding side, then passing out.
"Why?" Lloyd asked. "Why did they do this?!"
"Why indeed..." Raine said. "We have to do something, but let's find shelter first. It looks like rain, and the sun has almost set."
"Yes." Lyn said with a sad nod. Lyn picked up Sheena and handed her to Lloyd, and than searched around town. There were no survivors left in Luin from the massacre and no buildings were standing either. Lyn returned and just shook her head no.
"This is bad. We need to find a place to stay." Raine said.
"Well, there is a place. Not to far from here. I'm sure it's still standing." Lyn suggested.
"Really? What?! Where?!" Lloyd asked.
"The orphanage. It's not far. A two minute walk away. It's big enough, and there's healing supplies and food there." Everyone nodded. Lyn took Sheena from Lloyd and cast a small healing spell on her to help stop the bleeding. The group found Lyn the orphanage with haste. Finally they arrived at an old stone mansion covered in vines. Lyn opened the door, and a group of kids were there to meet them.
"Sister Lyn!" one yelled, but Lyn put a finger over her mouth and said.
"Whisper. Is Ellen here?"
"Yeah." One whispered. "She locked herself in her room again. She hasn't come out since dinner."
"Good. Don't tell her we're here and be extremely quiet. If you do, I'll let you help me out." Lyn said. The children looked at each other, smiled and nodded.
"Lyn, I'm going back to search for survivors." Kratos said, heading back for Luin.
"Alright. Everyone else, please follow me." Lyn said, leading them in with Sheena still in her arms. She opened a door where there were three couches and a lit fireplace. Lyn put Sheena down on a couch, and nearly passed out. Raine healed Lyn. Lyn got up and examined Sheena.
"Raine, can you heal her? You're better then I am."
"Yes, Raine, please do!" Collette said.
"But she could be deceiving us." Raine said.
"Professer." Lloyd started, "Maybe so, but I think she has a good reason for trying to kill Collette. After all, she did help fight against the desians."
Raine was reluctant to heal Sheena, but did anyway. Sheena started to awaken.
"Why did you help me?" Sheena asked, starting to wake up.
"Ask them." Raine said, walking off.
"Hannah trusts you, you told us the truth, and you helped us fight. I'm sure you have your reasons for trying to kill Collette." Lyn said.
"Yeah. But don't you know…" Sheena started, but Lyn shook her head 'no' as Kratos entered the room looking at the two of them. Sheena caught on, "I mean, I thought you would hate me for almost killing Collette."
"No hard feelings, right." Lyn asked.
"Yeah. No hard feelings. But I did notice. You look different." Sheena stated.
"Um… long story." Lyn said, sweating.
"I see." Sheena replied, then falling asleep.
"Do you know each other?" Lloyd asked.
"I saw her in Balacruf Mausoleum. She thought I was Collette again, and we talked for a little bit. That was all." Lyn sighed. "Did you find anyone?" Lyn asked Kratos. He shook his head no. Tossing Hannah's ripped teddy bare on the ground in front of them. Lyn sighed and stared at it, then noticed a bunch of the kids watching from the doorway.
Lyn walked over to Genis and whispered in his ear, "Why don't you go cook with them for me. I'm sure they would like it. We really don't need them finding out about Hannah or Luin for that matter."
"I see. That sounds good anyway. It helps me relax."
"Hay guys, Genis is going to teach you guys how to cook!" Lyn said. They cheered with joy and led Genis away. All left except for one girl who looked about 14.
"Hay Lyn. Things have gotten worse with you gone. Ellen's still upstairs. She'll be mad if she finds you." The girl said.
"Rose!... That's why I'm hoping she dosen't. It's raining isn't it." Lyn sighed.
"Yeah." Rose replied.
"What are the chances that she's coming down?" Lyn asked.
"A high probability. Her windows are broken and she hates storms." Rose stated.
"I guessed as much. Lock all the doors to get in here except the one leading to the kitchen. Have someone watch for Ellen. I think we'll be fine." Lyn said.
"Yeah. Just don't leave any tracks that men are here. Trust me. Oh, by the way, are you married now?" Rose asked.
"Why would you think that?" Lyn stuttered, starting to turn red.
"Well, um, your ring." She said. Lyn looked at the diamond ring Kratos gave her a long time ago. She had nearly forgotten about it.
"Wrong finger. But it's ok. You better go." Lyn said. Rose locked all of the doors except the one leading to the kitchen and left. Genis came in with a lot of food and all of the little ones. They really seemed to like him. Everyone ate together, except Collette who talked the whole time, Sheena who was still sleeping, and Kratos who sat on the far couch and watched with his same vacant expression. Afterwards, the group went to sleep.
Lea: Wow… this is longer then usuall.
Kratos: 8 pages. Usually, your's are 6-7
Lea: Unfortunately, we'll have to stop, but the next one is coming fairly soon. I actually wrote 12 pages when I stopped, so you will have to wait for the next 2.
Mithos: But why do we care?
Lyn: Because in a few more chapters is the Tower of Salvations where I hope Lea will let me give you a wedgy!
Lea: Um, Lyn, you can't do that, he's wearing a spandex jump suit. You have to wait until he's kid Mithos.
Mithos: Ha! Ha! I win! –Lyn shoots Mithos with another Mana blast-
Lyn: Want to say that again?
Mithos: I hate you, Mira!