Fic for the day six prompt of Colloyd Week 2023, "Quote Day - "What would I wish for now if I saw a falling star cross the night sky?"".
Fic set during the game where Colette and Sheena do a night watch shift together.
Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia.
"The sky's really pretty tonight isn't it?" Colette asked Sheena as she looked at the stars.
The two of them were taking a watch shift while the others slept. While the area they'd camped out in for the night was relatively safe and the fire should help put off any monsters from getting too close the group found that it was always best to have someone awake and alert for any dangers. Taking shifts in pairs meant having company, which was nice, and also meant that if one started to fall asleep the other could wake them.
"It is, so many stars, and the colour's nice too," Sheena agreed. "Oh, look, is that a small shooting star?"
She pointed to a light that was barely visible that appeared to be moving. Colette looked in that direction, scrunching her eyes up a little to try and see better. The light kept moving around and got a bit bigger.
"No, just a distant firefly," she said after watching it for a while, a slight note of disappointment in her voice. "Fireflies are cool too, but shooting stars are supposed to be magic aren't they?"
"That's a legend we have in Mizuho," Sheena nodded, thinking for a moment. "If you could make a wish on a star, but it had to be something that's just completely fun, nothing to do with the success of our journey or anything like that, something that's perhaps sort of selfish fun, what would you wish for?"
Sheena had asked the question to help take Colette's mind off of all of the difficult things the group had been going though and thought that it might take her friend a while to decide but she was surprised at how quickly she answered.
Colette had thought about it for just a short moment, mainly taking the time to make sure that the immediate wish that had come to mind was, indeed, her choice. It felt so right, and made her heart feel so warm, that she knew it was without having to think too long about it at all though.
"I'd wish to go to Dirk's house, and have lots of delicious food with everyone then relax there for a while," Colette said, a big smile on her face.
"Any wish at all, as long as it's something that's purely fun, and you'd choose something that simple?" Sheena asked, her tone warm and kind.
"Yes," Colette said, her certainty clear in her voice. "Dirk's house is a special place."
"It is pretty cozy," Sheena agreed, nodding.
"And it feels safe, and quiet, away from the town and people, and it smells good," Colette said.
"Smells good?" Sheena asked, a slight hint of amusement in her voice.
"Yeah, there's lots of really good smells that mix to make the 'Dirk's house' smell there," Colette said. Sheena gave her a questioning look so she elaborated.
"There's the smell of the trees and the plants around it, and the wood it's made from, and the smell of the lovely food he cooks, and the fire smell from the cooking and crafting, and some of the other crafting smells, like the sawdust from when he carves, and Lloyd's room smells like Lloyd," Colette explained.
"Smells like Lloyd?" Sheena asked, unable to stop a little chuckle escaping as she spoke this time.
"Mmhmm," Colette said, amused by her friend's amusement rather than offended. "That mix of his clothes and things from the environment around him, the tools and materials he uses, bit of Noishe in there too, and, well, Lloyd."
Colette made a gesture to indicate 'all of that, together' and smiled.
"I suppose you're right," Sheena said. "But wait, how is that wish selfish if everyone gets to enjoy the food and relaxing at Dirk's?"
"Because I want everyone to be there and to be safe," Colette said quietly.
Sheena thought for a moment then nodded.
"It is a good wish, I like it. Maybe I'll keep it in mind if I spot an actual shooting star myself," she said, smiling softly.
Neither of them spotted any shooting stars that night, just a few more fireflies, but perhaps one, or both, of them had on another as after the journey Colette got her wish many times. Sometimes with all of her friends, sometimes just some of them, sometimes only with Lloyd and Noishe, but she treasured every single visit.