#zelo fic

[frayed-symphony]

Since it's launch day for #TalesofSymphonia I can finally share my @talesfanzine art! It's an illustration for @darkhymns-fic 'With Tea, Stew, and Character Creation'. Zine leftover sales will be starting March 15! Read the story here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45115171

[findafight]

Eddie's never met a Jedi. Of course he hasn't. But he's seen a Jedi, way back during the clone wars, when a battalion had helped after seppies had targeted civilian supply lines.

Eddie's pretty sure they were Kel Dor, what with the breathing apparatus. They'd worn tan and woody robes, long and elegant and flowing as they'd weaved between people, helping them stand or tending to wounds.

What had stood out to Eddie, watching this being that was supposedly a fierce warrior of light, was that they...were normal. They laughed and shrugged and cooed at babies, just like anyone else.

That was until the Jedi had raised their hands and lifted a two-tonne shipping crate into the air without so much as touching it. It frightened Eddie, then. Barely twenty and in the middle of a war his planet didn't want a part of. Beings that could lift and toss objects too heavy to move without machinery like they were playthings are not to be unwary of.

Of course. Eddie had spent a lot of the redistribution of rations effort around clones. They'd seemed...fine? While he is no stranger to speaking his mind he had thought well enough ahead that he probably shouldnt ask if they'd wanted to be there. Figured that might get him kicked off the project and he needed the money.

He listened instead. How they called each other things like Spoon and Duck and Trinity and Loopback as though they were names. Maybe they were. Eddie didn't know and didn't want to ask at the time.

But the Clones had been friendly, if formal. They spoke of their general with fondness and respect and a tinge of awe that felt appropriate to seeing what a Jedi was capable of frequently.

Eddie had liked them.

And then Empire Day came, and the Jedi were declared traitors and the galaxy as he knew it fell apart.

It never made much sense, from what Eddie had seen, for the Clones to kill the Jedi. But nobody asked Eddie, so Eddie didn't say. He did get sucked into the Rebellion though, and heard rumours about mind control and sith and a dozen other things.

So no. Eddie had never met a Jedi. But he'd seen one.

Chrissy had spoken about the rumoured Jedi (or-- not-jedi? She said they often refused the title) that stayed in the small Rebel enclave they've been helping. There were two, apparently. She'd met them, even, during a debrief where she'd been discussing how to better use their resources to help her contacts on the Freedom Trail. They'd barrelled in and spoken in such a way that Chrissy would have swore they were of the same mind, had they not been on opposite ends of the room.

"they were polite." Chrissy said, headtail twitching. "For people who interrupted an important meeting." Eddie'd laughed. "One, the Balosar man, he was very insistent that we delay our plans. The other, I think she was human? It's hard to tell, said the force was calling to them and very insistent about it during meditation."

"seriously? And the generals did it?"

"oh no. They argued for another twenty minutes before the not-Jedi threw up their arms and said, in unison Eddie!, 'The shipment will be lost if you go ahead with it. Better late than never, pricks.' and walked out."

So. On an abstract level, Eddie knew that whenever he entered the hangar bay to run maintenance or completely rebuild a ship, there was a chance for him to meet a former? Jedi.

He'd gotten well acquainted with a group of teenagers there, ones who were friends with the younger brother of the heir apparent to the region they were in and liked the make-believe games he ran in his off hours. But he never really thought about the Jedi that supposedly haunted the base until a woman shouted for Dustin, a rodian who was part of his little sheepies and had literal stars in his eyes when Eddie spoke, to come over. Dustin, the betrayer, jumped up and dashed off without even a word of goodbye.

"okay, so the head mechanic needs this-" she gestures to a small smuggling freighter that had seen far better days "hunk of junk out of the way so they can start work on a couple of x-wings. Steve and I figured we could help her out and get you to work on control of larger objects."

Eddie meandered casually over. Just to watch. Just to...see.

Dustin bounced on his feet. "Really? Woah! Where are we putting it?"

She pointed up, to the open vertical entry doors that created the roof of the hanger. "Steve's up there, he'll make sure if your control slips we don't crush the ship or anyone on the floor once you get it high, and he'll get it out and place it where it's supposed to go. I'll be here with you so you don't hurt yourself."

"I'm not gonna hurt myself."

She patted his head "yeah. Cuz I'm right here making sure."

"uhg. Almost wish I never learned you guys used to be Jedi."

"and who would train you then? No one. You and El would be sad little tooka kits all on your lonesome." She raised her voice to yell at the roof, "you ready Stevie?" and it should not have been loud enough to carry, the tone of an after thought, as though she already knew the answer and the question was just for the spectators, but the figure silhouetted waved.

Then, Dustin took a steadying breath, raised his arms, and closed his eyes. Slowly, the ship in front of him groaned and rose up. A crowd had formed, watching a magic thought extinct.

The woman's eyes darted between Dustin and the freighter, one hand loosely outstretched. It occurred to Eddie that neither wore the tunics and robes of Jedi. Dustin ran around in the mismatched pants and shirts of the Rebels' donations, while the woman wore deep greens. There were no dramatic sleeves that swished when they moved, just slightly loose fabric fastened by a belt and holster. He wonders if she ever wore them.

Dustin struggled for a moment, the ship quivering ten feet up, and the woman tensed slightly before he loosened. Eyes open, she deftly moved her arms up with the ship following, an ease in her movements that Dustin lacked. When she dropped her arms as well, the freighter stayed moving upwards, the other not-Jedi, Steve, likely taking over.

"good work for your first go." She said, draping an arm casually over Dustin's shoulders.

"I barely got it off the ground! Don't patronize me, Robin."

Eddie stepped in "considering I wouldn't even be able to move it sideways an inch, I'd say you did pretty well, Dustin."

The kid spun, just as the light comes shining back through as Steve maneuvered the ship out of the hangar. "Eddie! You saw?"

He scoffed "uh. Yes? Why didn't you tell me this is what you did when Im not around"

The woman-Robin, Eddie supposed, tensed. "It's not particularly safe to boast about it. Especially when it's not clear if you're alone."

Ah. Yeah. That did make sense. "Then why practice in a hangar with two dozen people around?"

She shrugged, and looked up. Eddie followed her sightlines and "wait is he gonna-" just as the figure that must be Steve launched himself off the edge of the open roof and towards them. He landed, he's leather jacket flapping behind him, and stood straight, grinning.

Robin laughed. "You'll give someone a heart attack one of these days, Steve."

"eh. No one's died so far."

Dustin smiled too "I'm getting pretty good at my controlled falls too! Oh, Steve, this is Eddie!"

And then Steve turned his gaze on Eddie, and his brain may have melted.

Steve looked like a spacer, windswept from the fall and leather jacket snug around his shoulders, two different holsters visible, his pants deliciously tight. He ran a hand through his hair, his antennapalps bobbing, and stuck it out for a shake.

"so, you're the great Eddie Munson Dustin hasn't shut up about? Good to meet you."

"mmhmm!" He forced his hand out to jerkily shake Steve's. Jeez. It was as though he'd never seen anyone beautiful before. His best friend was a Twilek dancer (and spy) for star's sake. He needed to get it together. Jedi didn't date, Eddie was pretty sure. Something about the force or power or devotion or something. He wasn't sure. He wasn't a Jedi. He wasn't a not-Jedi either.

Steve only smiled and turned back to Dustin. "So. Next time you need to let the Force flow. You're still trying to shove it, which never works. You direct it, like changing the course of a river."

"but not," Robin added seamlessly, and oh, wow, that was weird than you Chrissy "like a dam. Trying to block it won't give you strength. You're more..."

"using a log to ensure the water finds a different path."

"to go where you want it to go, do what you want it to do, without preventing it's natural flow."

"you guys are so annoying." Dustin huffed. "You know that? You can claim it's your Concordance of Fealty all you want but I know your freaky thing is not normal for it." He groaned. "But sometimes I feel when you guys, like, shape it. Change it. What the kark is that about? If I'm not supposed to dam it, how do I change it and use it like you do?"

Both grinned "We're older. Master the basics, we must, before attempting the advanced, young one." The voice Steve used was croaky, an impression.

Dustin pulled a face. "Don't quote Grandmaster Yoda at me!"

Robin and Steve laughed, leaning on each other. Suddenly, Eddie felt as though he was intruding. Though they hadn't told him to leave, they were sharing about...about a relative, Eddie guessed. Someone near to them and their almost-dead culture.

"I can quote him all I want, I drank enough of his atrocious tea to deserve it!"

"he's dead. You're going to sit here and insult your dead great-grandmaster, the last Grandmaster of the Order?"

Steve got Dustin in a headlock "while we mourn their loss, and acknowledge the pain of their untimely and unjust passing, we celebrate their memory. Yoda, the old frog, is one with the Force, and while I can wish for his guidance, I can also make fun of his vile cookies I had to eat at lineage dinners all I want."

"pretty sure they were barely considered edible for near-humans" Robin adds. She caught Eddie's eye, and winked. "Who's up for actually edible tea? Dustin can practice his fine control and pour for us.

Both Dustin and Steve groaned. "The kid is gonna spill all over us for fun, Bobbin."

Concept post Dustin discovers they're jedi

[crush3dmary]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Lloyd Irving/Zelos Wilder Characters: Zelos Wilder, Lloyd Irving Additional Tags: Everyone else is kinda there too, Bad end, Kratos Aurion Route, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Blood and Violence, the zelloyd is mostly onesided but up for interpretation Summary:

The moment he was alone, Zelos carded a hand through his hair and chuckled, softly, though brimming with indifference. Tomorrow, it would all be over. He would die that night.

[kitkatt0430]

Rewatching SG-1 has reminded me of a Tales of Symphonia xOver idea I had that I'd still like to write.

It'd ignore the Tales of Symphonia sequel, so no Dawn of the New World stuff going on here. Instead, a few years post Tales of Symphonia and the reunification of the two world of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla into the single world of Aselia, an archeological dig in Tethe'alla discovers an outpost in the mountains that predates the Kharlan War and the civilizations involved by thousands of years.

It's not ancient Elven technology from their migration to the world from space either and likely predates even that long ago event - and the Elves are related to the Nox, though whether that comes up or not... at least it's world building, right? I considered the Ancients... but I like the Nox better for this. Anywho, the current Elves are an offshoot of the Nox who've lost their history and had somewhat divergent evolution from being on a completely different planet from the other Nox for so long.

It's Ancient technology, but with the Elves having forgotten their history they can't identify it anymore than the human and half-elven historians or archaeologists can. They've even consulted the Summon Spirits, but if they know then they aren't telling. And they do seem to know something.

Seles is fascinated. She's gotten interested in archaeology - Zelos blames Raine, who of course wouldn't see why being interested in old stuff would be so boring to him. But Zelos is trying to be supportive so he's shown up at the dig site.

There's a giant stone circle inside and that Zelos does find interesting. Its made up of a foreign material similar to exspheres, but it's clearly refined the same way exspheres were. While it's still somehow being powered - though they've yet to successfully activate it - it's clear the power source is external and stored in capacitors, not imbued with the power of a human life sacrificed to it's production.

That's when an offworld activation occurs and a Goa'uld and his army shows up. Zelos manages to hide Seles, but then he and two others are 'selected' similar to how Sha're and Skara are in the episode Children of the Gods.

On another world now, Zelos manages to befriend one of the Jaffa guards. Not enough to be snuck out, but enough that Zelos is pretty sure he's not going to get killed by this guy when things inevitably get worse. A selection is going on and, as Mekel explains, the Goa'uld - gods, but not really and isn't that a familiar situation for Zelos to be in? - are selecting new hosts. They're parasites. And that's when Zelos realizes he's in more trouble than he realized.

And so is Mekel and anyone else if Zelos gets 'Chosen'. The Chappa'ai (Stargate) is made of the similar-to-exspheres element. And so is the tech the Jaffa use - and thus the Goa'uld use. And, according to Mekel, the Goa'uld and Jaffa have that element - naquadah - in their blood stream. It's similar enough to exspheres that just being surrounded by so much of it makes Zelos able to feel his now-dormant powers again (dormant ever since he stopped using his angelus crystal) but not enough to actually use those powers.

He's pretty sure if he gets possessed? Those powers will be back and in the control of a wannabe god. Not good.

Mekel is not thrilled to learn this either. He may believe the Goa'uld are false gods, but they're still ridiculously powerful. Giving even one of them more power??? Could only be a bad thing. He's not sure he believes this isn't a ploy on Zelos' part to try and get away safely, but he does like Zelos now so... he decides to help Zelos escape. In doing so they discover a Tok'ra prisoner and after a short explanation about the Tok'ra vs Goa'uld divide, they decide to take him along.

The three of them jump a few planets and Zelos laments that he doesn't know his own world's address to go home. They'd be safe there. Though he's also hoping that they've somehow disabled the gate to prevent further incursions, though he knows Lloyd will be beyond pissed if the King chooses to abandon Zelos and the others to their fate that way.

They realize they didn't get away clean when an Ashrak injures the Tok'ra - Jeren and... I admit I don't have a name for his host in mind yet. They're too badly injured. Jeren could survive in a new host, but it's too late for his current one. Mekel refuses to become a Tok'ra host. If there were a way for him to be free of his symbiote without dying, he'd take it in a heartbeat... except for this. Which Jeren assures Mekel that he understands.

Zelos volunteers. He's come to trust Jeren and he knows the information Jeren seeks to take to the Tok'ra is important. It's just temporary, after all. Until a new host can be found, anyway.

As Zelos suspected, being bonded with Jeren revives his old exsphere/angelus crystal granted powers. He can't bring out his wings, but he's able to call on Judgement and some of his other high-level spells. And when the Ashrak strikes again, the three of them are able to kill the Goa'uld assassin this time.

But even with Zelos' healing powers restored, he never had Raine's gift for Resurrection and so Jeren's previous host is too far gone even for Zelos to heal even now. At least with the Ashrak dead, the man is avenged and they're able to safely seek out the current Tok'ra safe house by contacting another Tok'ra spy who knows where to send them.

The Tok'ra are fascinated by Zelos' powers but also relieved its not something they can replicate. Because if they can't, the Goa'uld can't either. And unfortunately the Tok'ra don't have a way to send Zelos home yet because they don't have the address to his world either.

When a new guy volunteers to become Jeren's host, Zelos decides he likes the partnership and stays Jeren's host after all. Mekel offers his services to the Tok'ra specifically to protect Zelos and Jeren. If the Goa'uld became aware of Zelos' powers, they'd seek to capture him and remove Jeren in order to take his body for themselves.

A few years later, Egeria is discovered and Zelos is brought in to try and use his unusual powers to heal her. He's met SG-1 once or twice before and Mekel and Teal'c have a mutual respect for each other going on. Zelos does manage to heal Egeria enough to stabilize her for travel, but she needs the care of her people going forward - she needs a host. But doing so meant revealing his abilities to SG-1.

Egeria fixes the flaws in Tretonin and Mekel jumps at the chance to try it. And after talking things over with SG-1, Zelos and Jeren tell Mekel they want to request they be assigned as a sort of permanent liaison to the SGC. Mekel likes this idea so they go through with it. Jacob and Selmak think it'll be a great fit.

Admittedly my ideas for this verse skip around a bit. Zelos, Jeren, and Mekel verses an Ori Prior would be very interesting to see happen. At some point they'd make contact with Aselia and Zelos is able to see his sister and friends again. Also... Lloyd and Colette kicking Ori ass with their angel powers, as some of the few still utilizing angelus crystals, would be a great deal of fun.

[jubilousday]

On My Way - Fic rough draft

This is a scene of a fic that has lived in my head rent free for the past 2 weeks now and needed to write it out.  PLEASE NOTE: This is a very rough draft, I have not written in YEARS. I was totally NOT drinking whiskey as I needed to write this scene out into existence. I refuse to provide context. Deal with it.  Fandom: Tales Of Symphonia

Characters: Zelos Wilder, Yuan Ka Fai

Summary: Yuan unintentionally meets Zelos right after Mylene’s death and obtains a son that he never asked for.

The sounds of clashing swords rang so loud in Zelos’ ears that it took his mind off how fast his heart was beating. His focus was solely on the blue haired man in front of him. It didn’t even occur to him that his shoulders were starting to give out on him, or how his limbs felt heavier than the sword in his hand. Adrenaline fueled his every move. The people around him were nonexistent, Zelos was out for blood and needed to hit, hit, hit.

The fact that his opponent wasn’t even fighting back and out right refusing to was pissing him off even more.

“You liar!” Zelos yelled as he swung hard. Emotions were never his forte’, but Zelos allowed the cloud to control his movements like a moth to a flame. He didn’t care that his movements weren’t as fluid or well constructed as he normally would.

“I hate you! I hate you! IhateyouIhateyouIhateyou!” He growled as his sword slammed faster, and faster. His moves were getting sloppier, the filter between his brain and mouth becoming more deteriorated with every movement. 

“Dammit, you bastard! Fight me!” Zelos beckoned. His voice didn’t feel like his own, but at the same time he didn’t feel like himself at all. He didn’t feel like a person at all. His entire life was a lie. At this point he was getting so frustrated at the lack of response, he did everything he could to get some kind of reaction.

“Oh what, you’re not gonna say anything?” He paused, almost a chuckle.  “Or is there nothing left to say now that the truth is out?” His brain didn’t know what to do. While his innermost vulnerability was being triggered, his mask was challenged. Zelos had pride, he made it appoint to never be a fool to another’s game at the expense of his own. Yet here he was, a mere pawn since the dawn of time when he was the most vulnerable. How did he not see this coming?

“At least tell me why!” Demon Fang! “Why did you lie to me?” Demon Fang! “Why didn’t you tell me the truth?” Demon Fang!  “You didn’t have to go so far to pretend to want to be my…” He didn’t want to say the word, because now he felt stupid. He didn’t want to admit how he misinterpreted what their relationship was. “My…” 

“Father?” Yuan croaked, his deep voice suddenly vibrating through all sound and movement. To him, the word felt like it had more gravity and meaning than mana itself. Although he was uncomfortable with being this vulnerable, his words were fluid and clear. Zelos merely stopped on instinct. For someone who was baiting on a reaction, he was at an impasse in this moment.

“You have and will always be my son.” Withdrawing his weapon, his gaze remained on Zelos the entire time. He hasn’t felt this level of vulnerability since Martel was alive. Nonetheless, his words rang true no matter how much his brain was telling him to remain guarded.

Yuan’s a soldier at heart and always will be. When he feels emotions arise, he just disregards it and turns it off like a light switch. But because he’s so fact-natured, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything that he thought and felt were untrue. Zelos was his son, whether he wanted to believe it or not.

Zelos suddenly felt very small, like he was a small child all over again. The age when he forgot what his birth name was. The age when people cared more about their beloved Chosen, no matter how their status came to be. He was Chosen before he was a child. A child that never asked to have the fate of the world on their shoulders. A child that had everything taken from them for the very same reason why they were brought there in the first place.

Zelos asked questions that he never got the answers for, yet somehow he knew the answers all along. He tried to speak but all that came out was a coughed sob. When did his face get wet? When did he drop his sword and surrender? The only thing Zelos could feel was an arm on his shoulder in order to be pulled in a tight embrace. The combination was like yin and yang. Where Zelos’ body felt heavy, Yuan stood his ground and was there to support him.

“I’m here, and I’m not leaving.”

[safewarmbubbly]

Writer’s Game: First Sentences

Was not tagged BUT @i-mybrunettelady threw this into gw2 tumblr from another writer so I’m doing it anyway :)

Rules: post the first sentence of your last ten fics. If you haven't written ten fics, share as many first-sentences as you have.

HERE’S THE THING LADS, I have not published a lot of my fics. I just have a million stories that I’ve made just in my notes app and other places. SO I’ll give a working/basic title for each of these and you’ll just have to be content.

LET’S GO WOOOOOO

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 | The Aftermath of the Dragon |

The battle with Soo-Won is won, but at what cost?

2 | Run boy run |

As a child Theseus spent most of his time in his studies

3 | The Trammander Wedding | (exactly as it sounds)

Cynthia toyed with the ribbon around her waist, she was in front of a vanity in her special quarters

4 | A simple song |

Trahearne sat silently on the cliff’s edge, Malchor had taken his leap from this very ledge.

5 | Really? You like looking at me? | (in which Warren is temporarily blinded)

Theseus poured over the papers on his desk

6 | Pact Gala |

“So what you’re saying is, all I have to do is accompany you to your little Pact Gala, and you’ll hand over 50G at the end of the night?”

7 | An Eye for an Eye |

It was the late hours of the night, and Trahearne sat quietly at the table in Caer Aval, the shuffle of papers filled the empty courtyard

8 | You came, you called |

Theseus sat alone in his home, in a single dining chair with only the voices as his company

9 | Orrian Flowers |

Cynthia and Trahearne have been friends ever since Claw Island, they've worked hard together and formed the Pact to defeat Zhaitan, now they have been on Orr for about a month, and Cynthia was starting to miss the smells of life and plants.

10 |  Five times the Commander mourned her Marshal, and the one time she didn’t | 

Airships fell from the sky over the Maguuma Jungle, screams of comrades being dragged by the thorny vines that had shot out from the depths, Captain Thackery, Zojja, and Marshal Trahearne were among the prisoners taken by Mordremoth.

[daebakinc]

Cyborg

Pairing: Zelo x Reader (G) Prompt: Cyborg/Android Word Count: 1.5K

~Admin V

             It had been over a week since you first woke up in the cyborg unit. Once you were stable, you learned that a truck ran a light while you were at the crosswalk. After running you over, your leg got stuck in an axel and you were dragged a bit before the truck stopped. The leg was obliterated. When they brought you to Dr. Choi, he was able to cleanly remove it and replace it with the robotic prosthetic.

             You sat in a wheelchair, looking out the window in the physical therapy room. Your therapist, Jongup, had moved two ballet bars for you to use as railings while you walked along them. You didn’t want to. You didn’t want to do it today, and you hadn’t wanted to do it the last three days. Despite Jongup’s encouragement and cheers, you ignored him and continued looking out the window.

             A sigh of relief escaped when he finally left you alone in the room. It was crazy to you that the doctors wouldn’t give you time to process and grieve your loss. They expected you to try and use your new “leg” right away.

             The reprieve was short lived as Dr. Choi came into the room. He walked toward your chair and knelt down in front of you. “Jongup tells me you won’t do the exercises again.”

             With a non-committal grunt, you continued to look out the window. He called your name but you refused to look at him. “You have to use your leg. You need to walk on it, and bend down with it. All the other things you would normally do before your accident.”

             “That’s just it, isn’t it?” Your glare was icy as you turned to him. “It’s not my leg. I could do all the things you want me to do before the accident. I don’t want to do them now. Why can’t you just leave me alone?”

             The fact that he smiled widely made you angrier. “I’m not gonna just let you wallow in self-pity. You’re absolutely right; what happened to you is unfair and you didn’t deserve to have it happen. But it did happen. I know that’s hard to accept, but it happened and you can’t change that.”

             Turning away from him, looking back out the window was easier than to admit he was right.

           “I know you want to be left alone in your pity party, but unfortunately, your new leg doesn’t have that kind of time.”

             “What makes you think I even want this stupid thing?”

             “So you would like to remain in a wheelchair the rest of your life instead of walking and being mobile on your own?”

             “I want to be fully human!” You gestured at your leg. “This makes me a freak! You don’t think people will just ignore a big robot leg, do you?”

             “It won’t always look like that. Once you complete therapy and it moves in sync with you, we’ll confirm there are no problems and cover it with a very realistic silicon. It will look just like your other leg. Soon you’ll forget it’s even metal.”

             “Like you’d know,” muttered from your lips.

             He stood up then and unbuttoned the collar of his shirt. Looking up at him, he revealed a scar on his neck. Then he removed his lab coat and lifted the back of his shirt. There was a long scar from what you could see going alongside his spinal column. Dr. Choi turned back to you. “You’re not the only one who’s not fully human.”

             Your mouth dropped. There were no words. All you could do was stare.

             His smile this time was sheepish. “Before my accident, I used to be a B-boy.”

             Still in shock, you spoke without thinking. “But you’re so tall.”

             That made him chuckle. “Yeah, it was part of the problem. I tried to do a backflip I wasn’t prepared for and landed wrong. Technically, my neck was broken and my spine was damaged. I would be paralyzed without the robotic parts that I have now.”

             You were still at a loss for words. He bent down to your level again. “You can do this. I know, because I did. Your new leg is attached to your nerve endings. When you move it, it’s going to move just like your other one did. It will build muscle memory and act just like a normal human leg. But right now, by not moving it, it’s building the memory of a statue, and that’s how it will act.”

             His words were understood. The stubborn part of you still didn’t want to give in, but it did seem like this was your shot at having your life as normal as it had always been.

             Seeing your deliberation, Dr. Choi beamed once more. “I’ll make you a deal; you try walking, and I will show you some of my B-boy moves.”

             Your mouth dropped. “You still do them?”

             He wiggled his eyebrows. “I rap, too.”

             “Is Dr. Choi your stage name?”

             Chuckling, he shook his head. “That would be Zelo.”

             “Zelo. Dr. Zelo. I think if I’m doing this, I should get the full show of rapping and B-boying.”

             He rubbed his chin, pretending to consider the bargain. “I don’t know. You haven’t been a very good patient so far. Jongup is the cheeriest person in this place, and you made him frown.”

             “How cheerful were you after your accident? Do you want me to use the leg or not?”

             His smile was back. “Okay then. You walk down the bars; I’ll rap and dance for you. Deal?” His hand stretched out to you.

             You accepted it and shook. “Deal.”

             He was ready to help you to stand, but you motioned for him to stop. “Will it hurt?”

             Zelo knelt down again. “It won’t hurt, but it won’t feel comfortable. The leg is trying to learn how it’s supposed to function, so it’s going to be a little stiff and hard to move at first. Once it receives signals from the nerve endings, and you move it, it will get easier and feel more comfortable.”

             You nodded and mumbled an “okay.”

             His hand rested on top of yours as he looked into your eyes. “You can do this. I’m gonna be here all the way.”

             Nodding again, you allowed Zelo to help you up from the wheelchair and hobble over to the ballet bars. Once you were situated, he moved to the opposite end. “Whenever you’re ready. Take your time.”

             He wasn’t joking when he said it would be uncomfortable. The leg wasn’t any heavier than your human leg was, but because it was new, it felt like dead weight. Your nerve endings tingled as you attempted to move it. You could only move it an inch, and you were sweating from just that much.

             “You’re doing good! Don’t worry about how far it moves. Take as small of a step as you need. You can build up to longer strides.”

             Squeezing the bars for support, you moved your good leg then tried your robotic leg again. A gasp sounded when the nerve endings tingled again. It felt like electricity. It continued like this until you were out of breath and at the end of the bars. Zelo had grabbed your wheel chair and had it ready for you. You were thankful as he helped you into it.

            “That was good! You did really well.”

            Still breathless, you lifted your shirt to wipe sweat of your forehead.

            “So which do you want first, rapping or dancing?”

            Your eyebrow lifted. “You can’t do both at once?”

            A smug smirk appeared. “Oh, I can. But you’re only getting one now. I’ll do the other when you make it back down the bars.”

            “What?” Your mouth dropped.

            “Like I said, time is of the essence, and you didn’t want to use it the first few days. We can’t stop now.” Zelo chuckled as you groaned. “It will be easier this time. Your leg has some input from the nerve endings sending messages to move. It has a better idea of how to function.”

            You did nothing but glare at him. It only made him beam brighter.

            “I’m still here to help you. Us cyborgs gotta stick together.”

            If looks could kill . . . “I’m gonna use my cyborg leg to kick your cyborg ass.”

            His smile never faltered. “That’s the spirit! Gotta walk the row again if that’s ever gonna happen.” When you ignored him, he started shaking his shoulders and shimmying. “What’s it gonna be?”

            It was hard not to smile at this ridiculously tall doctor dancing like a fool before you. Pride still in tow, you gave him a solemn look. “I will walk it again, but I want both the rapping and dancing together when I make it to the end.”

            “Alright!” He raised his hand for a high-five. When you refused to meet him, he lifted your hand and slapped it against his, making you grin again. “Let’s get this robo-show on the road!”

[ryuuseini]

Love it when I tell non fanfic ppl my fanfics and they go like "uh. That wouldnt happen because canon states XYZ" and its VERY obvious that the idea diverges from canon well before canon states XYZ??? Like???

"This character isn't spiteful, he would never say that" I mean, actually if you look at his relationship with his (biological) dad compared to his (adopted) dad... Dude's spiteful just rarely. And is it truly unreasonable to have a character at the lowest point of their life make ONE spiteful quip and then immediately apologize for it??? I'm sorry like ???

[oxymorayuri]

𝐶𝘩𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝟷𝟷

𝐹𝑖𝑔𝘩𝑡! »

𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑔𝑎𝑟 𝐷. 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟

𝐿𝑎𝑤 ✘ ♀ 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟

𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓: Katsumi Ishizuka

Story: The princess of Tanata

(Long Fic)

➽ Click on this link to see all chapters.

Spoiler: none

Warnings: none

slowburn with plot

Wordcount: 2413

Text in italics emphasizes the reader’s thoughts

Bold and italic text emphasizes Law's thoughts *~*

Tagging: @slytherinambitious - @sassyyassi - @norasincubi - @cottoncandyloverrrr - @one-piece-frvr7

A/N: Hello my sweeties ♡ Thalia is an important character in this story�� Even if she's not the main character, I have big plans for her... And to be honest, I've already fallen in love with her character! Stay tuned. I already talked about her appearance in the last chapter, but I wanted to give you a picture of her, or something that matches her aesthetic. I present you; our Thalia!

𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓: left | right

Before you know it, a week has passed.

It's been quite an exciting week and you're amazed at how well everyone has settled in. Some friendships have formed, not only between you and them but also between the pirates and some of the citizens of Tanata.

With a smile, you think back to these days. You are glad that everyone gets along so well.

Law and Chopper told you a lot about modern medicine and you were amazed at how professional they were in their element. Every evening you met for a cup of tea in the royal family library and talked about medicine. Even though it was always a lot of informative stuff, you still go relaxed to bed and sometimes with butterflies in your stomach.. because every time Law leaned over to you, to show you something in a book, you felt the heat building up inside...

With your eyes closed, you enjoyed the memories. You sit on a bench by a large training ground and calmly swing your legs.

You finished your duties a little early and you are apparently the first to arrive at the meeting point.

Ambrosios found a really good friend among the pirates, so it seems. He met Zoro in a pub yesterday and the two of them hit it off right away, or so you think…

Because this morning Ambrosios showed up at Hera's palace full of determination and challenged Zoro to fight. If you know Ambrosios then you know that's a good sign, because he only wants to fight those he respects or puts on the same level as himself.

You are really looking forward to the fight, which is about to begin, and a few others want to watch it too.

You can hear Thalia and Nami shouting in the distance.

You get up from the bench and wave cheerfully to the women.

"And y/n, who do you think is going to win today?" With an arm around you, she pulls you close to her. She's a little shorter and you have to bend a little, but you return the hug by wrapping an arm around her too.

You think about it for a moment.

"Uhmmm, so I've known Ambrosios my whole life… He's almost as strong as Zelos and I know that through experience." Even though you were a princess, Ambrosios never treated you gently when you fought together. You were a worthy opponent to him, more like a rival.

"But when I run into Zoro, it's either that he's training or drinking. They're quite similar in that aspect, so I'm really curious… It's 50-50." You can't quite make up your mind and remain neutral.

"I'm sure Zoro will be the winner!" Nami says proudly, with her hand on her chest. Together you burst out into a laughter.

Together you take a seat on a picnic blanket that Thalia had brought with her and Nami surprised you with a basket full of tasty treats from Sanji.

Your eyes lit up at the sight of the sweets. Sanji even included a little note: "Bon appetit, ladies." he wrote in a fancy handwriting. That gentleman.

Your eyes go over to Thalia, who is delighted with the dessert. Sanji had actually prepared her favorite dessert…

The two of them have started a 'little romance' over the days...

"Tell me, Thalia.. you and Sanji? How close are you guys?" You lean over to her. Your mischievous grin crosses your face. The blonde is startled, blushing in a deep red and is about to tumble backwards, but Nami reacts quickly and catches her.

"Well, it's the same as before…" She runs her fingers through her fine blonde hair a little insecurely.

The backstory to this: This 'little romance' the two of them are having, is truly a love drama...

They write poetic letters to each other, sometimes several times a day! And when the two of them met by chance in the city or when she is with you, they would talk as if they were in their own world. From the outside, they seem like soulmates.

Totally cheesy, but it suits your best friend.

Over time, more of the pirates and friends came to the fighting ground. Bepo came running up and happily called your name. Behind him you can see Law, Shachi, Penguin and Ikkaku following.

You girls give the new arrivals a friendly wave. They joined you on the meadow. Ikkaku took a seat on the blanket and took something out of her bag.

"I've brought us something really delicious!" she happily presents the bottle of wine. Yaaaaay!

You women cheer and pour yourselves some of the wine. You talk cheerfully like teenagers while you wait for the fighters.

Ambrosios was the first to enter the square. He proudly presented himself to you ladies in his golden armor.

"Greetings, beautiful ones. Greetings, my princess." he greeted you separately and kissed your hand. You roll your eyes at him. That Casanova.

"Where is the swordsman?" He asks energetically, spreading his arms. His muscles flex at the slightest movement.

"He's probably lost again." Nami makes a remark as she calmly drinks from her glass.

Your gaze wanders across the sky. The sun flashes through the trees, creating a beautiful play of light and shadow.

"Ahh, there he is!" Ambrosio's battle ready voice brings you out of your thoughts.

Zoro and Robin come walking up. Zoro and Ambrosios greet each other with a firm handshake, their looks are serious but eager to fight. They grin at each other.

"Hey Robin! There you are! Good thing you brought Zoro, we've been waiting for ageeeees." complains a slightly drunk Thalia. She has barely finished a glass and is already tipsy but she's a lightweight when it comes to alcohol anyway. Robin laughs a little at her as she settles down and closes the gap between you and Thalia.

"Yeah, I met him on my way here. He seemed a little disoriented." - "HAH! I told you so!" sneered Nami.

While the men warmed up briefly, people chatted amongst themselves. Some placed bets on their favorite and talked about why they were betting on the person in question.

You listen intently as Penguin and Shachi argue about the possible winner and Law sits between them... The back and forth between the two and the way the captain tries to get out of their argument, brings a giggle from you.

From the side, you hear the clink of swords being unsheathed. All eyes are now on the men, as they stand opposite each other in a fighting stance. All conversations came to an end and everyone waited eagerly for the one making the first move.

You never really noticed until now, but Zoro seems to be fighting with three swords. One in each hand and the third between his teeth. Ambrosios draws his sword and holds it firmly in both hands. The huge blade reflecting in the light.

He has taken the family heirloom out of the cabinet for this fight. Remarkable. It is a sword that has been passed down in their family for generations.

Ambrosios was the first to make a move. He dashed straight at the green haired man with insane speed, his blade pointed directly at him.

Zoro continued to stand in place, his posture firm. Just before Ambrosios could swing his sword, Zoro leapt into the air and spun around to make his first move.

"Oni Giri!" Zoro tried to charge a strike from the air but Ambrosios was able to deflect it with ease. The broad blade of his sword makes it easy to dodge attacks.

With quick movements, their swords clashed constantly. It was hard to keep up, even for you. It almost seemed as if their energy was limitless and you can see the passion burning in their eyes.

They both give their all.

You can see that they both find it downright thrilling to fight with each other. Those madmen. You think.

The fight has been going on for a while now and it looks like that both are on the same level.

"Oiii ZORO! COME ON! GO, GIVE HIM ALL YOU GOT!" Luffy shouts as he jumps excitedly into the air.

The crowd cheered for their favorite every time he landed a good hit or blocked a heavy blow. The fight is even and in your eyes you're just waiting for someone to make a mistake.

You know that Ambrosios is a man of perfection, but you realize that Zoro is also an attentive opponent.

Even when the two seemed visibly out of breath, it didn't change their fighting spirit. Their pride is too great for them to back down.

After countless blows, however, the unpredictable happened.

Ambrosios fended off a strong attack and began to falter. He lost his balance and fell to the ground. Completely out of breath, Zoro stood over him. His grin almost wider than his face. With one of his swords pointed at Ambrosios, it's clear who the winner is.

"I'd say the match is over." Satisfied, he puts his swords away and gives him his arm so that Ambrosios can pull himself up. As they both stood in front of each other, the Tanata warrior placed a hand on Zoro's shoulder.

"You are an excellent swordsman, my friend." Zoro holds him firmly by the arm, returning his words.

"I can only repeat that." The two come walking arm in arm towards the cheering group. This was never about who was the strongest. It was about the passion to fight.

The two have forged a noticeable bond through the fight and both toast to their fighting with a mug of beer.

"Now that I've warmed up, I want to fight your strongest man!" Zoro announces, as if the hour of fighting just now, was a piece of cake.

Ambrosio's laughter was very hearty at first, but towards the end his laughter had a sinister edge to it...

"Zoro you are insatiable." Ambrosios lies down on the grass, his gaze directed upwards.

"If you want to fight the strongest, I'll have to disappoint you. Zelos is currently on a mission and therefore not in the city."

Zelos is still in the process of building a line of defense, in the forests of Tanata. The strange ship still seems to be circling the island and from what the king says, it is now certain that they are not trying to get out of the storm…

Zoro groans unhappily. He looks like he still has so much energy he wants to get rid of.

"But there's one more person." Your eyes go over to Ambrosio's without moving your body.

Don't you dare, Ambrosios.

He looks at you without anyone noticing. His grin widens as you shake your head slightly.

"Is it the king?" Nami asks. Ambrosios bursts out laughing loud and heartily. The young woman looks over at you, confused. You shrug your shoulders a little warily and smile gently at her. You hope that Zoro will lose interest, but unfortunately you don't know him well.

"Come on Ambrosios, spit it out, who is it?" He shakes his battle partner and looks at him expectantly. Ambrosios sits up.

"No, it's not the king. The king is strong but he's the fourth strongest in my opinion." He answers Nami's question.

The people around you are very curious and no one makes a sound.

"Zelos is the strongest man, but there is one woman who is stronger than all the others." Zelos eyes are on you and quickly you realize that everyone is looking at you.

Zoro's broad grin disappears.

"And who is this woman?" Zoro didn't seem to get the message.

Luffy joins the confusion and applies some pressure.

"That's right! Tell us, who is it!" Excited, Luffy gets very close to Ambrosios. Without any problems, he pushes the boy away from him with his hand in his face.

Annoyed, Nami groans and pulls Zoro towards her by the ears.

"THAT'S OBVIOUS, YOU IDIOT!" She scolds him. You can literally see the gears moving in Zoro's head… but there is no sign of realization. Frustrated, she lets go of him, she just can't take any more.

"It's y/n!!!" She yells at him.

In a flash, Luffy and Zoro's eyes are now on you too. Luffy looks at you with a sparkle in his eyes while Zoro's combative grin returns.

"Uhhhh hehe, well now it's out." you admit in defeat "Surprise!" you add a little uncertainly.

You feel quite uncomfortable that all the attention is on you. Of course you're excellent with a sword, but you're pretty overpowered thanks to your devil fruit.

You know how hard the others train and even think it's unfair that they call you the strongest… Of course you have trained a lot and even if your fighting technique is excellent, you think that someone else could certainly be stronger with the devil fruit.

Zoro ignores the uncertainty in your voice and stands up, only to kneel in front of you.

"Princess, please do me the honor of fighting you!" he lowers his head.

"I can't Zoro. I don't fight for pleasure." you reply softly as you cross your arms in front of you. Hastily, he looks into your eyes with a serious look.

"This is not about pleasure. It's about honor and respect. I respect you my princess, so please do me the honor and let me fight you!" His hand tightens on the hilt of his sword. His eyes flash at you with a steely determination and to your disadvantage, the people cheer in unison 'Go princess!, go princess!'.

You admit your defeat and sigh. Your eyes meet his again. You can't shake the feeling that if you don't fight him, he will annoy you until you part ways.

…Until you part ways…

"You know what, Zoro?" Who knows, maybe one day you'll regret it.

Maybe one day you'll regret not showing the pirates Tanata's strength. The ambition, courage and technique.

"LET'S FIGHT!"

You jump up and some of the people cheer and follow suit.

See you next time, kiss kiss ♡

➽ Next chapter

[theamazingmaddyas]

Okay, so for my own fanfictions, most of which take place post-TOA and therefore post-Percy "claim your children" Jackson and Jason "honor minor gods" Grace, I made myself a spreadsheet of all the cabins I believe could plausibly be at Camp Half-Blood, and ended up with a whopping 270, and there's probably more dieties whom I couldn't find any information on, and some dieties whom I don't believe would have a cabin (ex. Kronos) (if you think I should add someone comment) and decided to paste it here, since I don't feel comfortable sharing my original spreadsheet. I did add the water dieties, even though their kids could also plausibly go to the underwater camp, but I've decided to give them the option of what camp they want. I also didn't copy their domains, but I have the list from my research, so you can ask if you'd like, I'll be glad to explain! Most of my research was from Theoi Project - Greek Mythology, and Brittanica, and probably some others I've since forgotten, so if you know any good Greek Mythology resourses and books, please share!

Here's some symbols before we begin:

* - virgin goddess. I added them because Athena and Artemis already have cabins (and Athena kids by magical means)

" - Dieties whom have faded in the series. Their cabins are more memorials to them.

Additionally there are 2 dieties named Thalia, (1) Thalia refers to the muse, the goddess of comedies, and (2) Thalia refers to the goddess of festivities and banquet

Zeus

Hera

Poseidon

Demeter

Ares

Athena*

Apollo

Artemis*

Hephestus

Aphrodite

Hermes

Dionysus

Hades

Iris

Hypnos

Nemesis

Nike

Hebe

Tyche

Hecate

Rhea

Hestia*

Calliope

Clio

Urania

(1) Thalia

Melpomene

Polyhymnia

Erato

Euterpe

Terpsichore

Musica

Persephone

Despoina

Morpheus

Epiales

Thanatos

Aristaeus

Asclepius

Epione

Hygeia

Panaceia

Aegle

Iaso

Aceso

Telesphorus

Eris

Phobos

Deimos

Peitharchia

Alastor

Alce

Hybris

Ioke

Lyssa

Palioxis

Phrice

Phyge

Polemus

Proioxis

Alala

Homodos

Cydoimus

Democracia

Dicaiosyne

Dike

Nomus

Eunomia

Pradaxide

Arete

Homonoia

Adicia

Horcus

Neicea

Poena

Bia

Kratos

Zelos

Phthonus

Agon

Anaideia

Ate

Cacia

Coalemus

Corus

Dolus

Dysnomia

Dyssebia

Oizys

Prophasis

Ptocheia

Thrasus

Soteria

Soter

Paregoros

Sophrosyne

Porus

Ponus

Plutus

Euthenia

Aedos

Aeschyne

Aletheia

Anance

Angelia

Caerus

Calocagathia

Eirene

Ececheiria

Elpis

Epiphron

Eucleia

Eudaemonia

Gelus

Eupheme

Euphrosyne

Eupraxia

Eusebia

Euthymia

Eutychia

Ctesius

Hesychia

Sophia

Techne

Eleus

Penia

Pistis

Phthisis

Pheme

Ossa

Penthus

Ania

Morus

Momus

Apate

Limus

Achos

Aergia

Adephagia

Amechania

Aporia

Geres

Eros

Aglaea

Anteros

Calleis

Charis

Harmonia

Hedone

Himerous

Philia

Philopharosyne

Philotes

Pothussexual

Hedylogus

Peitho

Amphitrite

Triton

Kymopoleia

Rhode

Benthesikyme

Aegaeus

Argyra

Calliste

Capheira

Keto

Kharybdis

Delphin

Proteus

Eidothea

Electra

Thaumas

Eurybia

Glaucus

Helle

Leucothea

Palaemon

Phorcys

Thallasa

Thoosa

Triteia

Tritonis

Tethys

Nereus

Doris

Thetis

Psamathe

Galateia

Eudora

Aeolus

Boreas

Zephryos

Notos

Euros

Khione

Oreithyia

Hesperus

EosphorusVenus

Phainon

Phaethon

Pyroeis

Stilbon

Aether

Arce

Astraeus

Asteria

Eos

Hemera

Nyx

Herse

Helios"

Selene"

Pan"

Aix"

Ganymede

Britomartis*

Oupis*

Loxo*

Hekaerge*

Ariadne

Comus

Thysa

Thyone(formally Semele)

Telete

(2) Thalia

Pompe

Epidotes

Pherespondos

Lykos

Pronomos

Pyrrhichus

Priapus

Phales

Oxylus

Nesi

Methe

Melisseus

Kortymbos

Autonoe

Eileithyia

Carmanor

Carme

Chrysothemus

Daeira

Eleusis

Macaria

Melinoe

Charon

Lethe

Acheron

Gorgyra

Cocyrys

Pyriphlegethon

Styx

Leto

Anchiale

Anytus

Dione

Epimetheus

Eurynome

Aura

Lelantos

Mnemosyne

Melete

Aiode

Perses

Phoebe

Prometheus

Theia

Themes

So that's my list. I don't really have a rhyme or reason for why each number is each, but I did clump together gods with similar domains because that's where they were easiest to find in my research... I honestly think kids of minor gods are very underused in TOA fics, and even in PJO and HOO to an extent. Jillie, my nine year old daughter of Gelus with a contageous laugh? One of my fave OCs.

As for Roman gods and goddess, I'm not as knowledgable, but hopefully I'll make a spreadsheet for plausable godly parents, though unlike CHB it doesn't need to be organized as there's just Cohorts. I don't write Camp Jupiter fics all that often, but it'll be a good resource to have if I choose to.

[moondal514]

It’s been a while since I made a fic rec list so have a list of some of my fave Nie Huaisang-centric fics cuz I’ve been thinking about him lately

Bird On a Spit by Moondal (yours truly)

The truth, the damning truth: you care more about destroying Jin Guangyao than letting your brother rest in peace.

Little self-promo to get us started

Bird on the Wire by villainousfriend

“If you died,” Huaisang started, not knowing quite where he was going with this. “I mean, you did die, da-ge, but if someone had killed you… what would you want to happen next?”

-

In the wake of Nie Mingjue’s death, Nie Huaisang realises how much he’s been left in ignorance. How could the artsy little brother be left to run their ancestral asteroid-mining clan? What other secrets are hidden in his san-ge’s past? And how should he get revenge?

Maybe having da-ge’s personality backed up on a server was supposed to help with all this. Maybe.

Super cool fic with a sci-fi spin on Nie Huaisang’s revenge

the Final Cut by Wildehack/ @wildehacked

A boy is going to die.

The only question is: what is Huaisang going to do about it?

Absolutely devastating fic that left me emotionally wrecked

I’m Dead to You but You’re at the Wake by Zelos/ @overzelos

Never mind what he had wanted. This, here, was what he had. No, correction: this, here, was what he had made, bled and fought and paid for, sold everything to the roots of his teeth.

-

Nie Huaisang, and winning.

Nie Huaisang after he fulfills his revenge

I know when I've been beat; I'm coming home by raisedbyhyenas

Several years after her brother's suicide, Nie Huaisang discovers Jin Guangyao's role in it and takes her revenge.

The wlw SangYao Gone Girl au I didn’t know I needed in my life

The Sunset, Like Survival by hansbekhart/ @hansbekhart

Who is to say when you first understood what really happened? At times it felt like a painting you’d looked at too closely, tracing your eyes over the delicate brushwork until you could no longer see trees and stones - so close that you could see where the ink feathered at the edge of the stroke, the way it soaked tiny claws into each individual fiber that made up the page. And then abruptly you’d blinked and there it was, as it always had been: the mountain. The waterfall. The arc of his intentions.

Nie Huaisang as a character suits 2nd person very well and this is the fic that made me realize that

destroy, die, decay by eggalbumin/ @polyclonally

In the dream, he has been walking for what feels like decades when the moonlight finally spills through the clouds. He stops walking then and finds that he does not know who he is or where he has gone. There is a decayed skeleton on the forest floor, a mess of mangled bones, bloodless and whole, and Nie Huaisang recognizes him the way the butcher recalls the carcass of the body he has slaughtered. This is his brother and they are both animals and Nie Huaisang does not know how to love him without one of them being dead.

-

Nie Huaisang, and the years after his brother's death.

Nie Huaisang character study of all time

[featherquillpen]

Animorphs Early Series Fic Recs

Some folks on the podfic Discord server are reading the series for the first time, and they want to dip their toes into fic without spoilers. So I'm helping them out by putting together these fics, which have no spoilers beyond the first ten books.

The Yeerk and the Gedd: A Natural History by Nate the Ape

Some speculative xenobiology about how Yeerks evolved. Very interesting to think about.

Home for Dinner and Weekends by HotPinkCoffee

Pre-canon fic about Marco's mom and how she became infested. It's devastating, and a wonderful POV from one of my favorite minor characters.

The Class by FreakApple

In which Chapman teaches the Animorphs sex ed. Yes, the Animorphs learn about STIs and condoms from a Yeerk, and they don't handle it well. It's very funny.

Break Time by Desdemon

A modern AU, in which Ax learns how to use an iPhone. Light 'n' fluffy.

One Hour by Derin

Devastating fic focused on an original character: a voluntary Controller who's started to have some regrets about his choices.

All the Light We Cannot See by Zelos

Cassie and Jake go on a date, and Jake helps Cassie with some of her insecurities. Cute 'n' fluffy.

Millennimorphs by dragonmorph

An AU in which the events of Animorphs take place later, when the kids are 30. Covers the first two books in the series. Really interesting updates to include surveillance capitalism, etc.

Five of Your Seconds by dragonmorph

A fun awkward Ax/Marco fic set in book 6 while Jake is suffering The Agonies in the shed.

And if I may rec a few of my own fics that fit the theme:

Home(work)

In which Tobias tries to reclaim a sense of normality in his weird hawk life by helping Jake with his homework.

Five Things That Never Happened to Marco (and one that did)

A short AU that asks, "What if Marco's dad got so depressed after his wife's 'death' that he committed suicide?" Big CWs. Bring tissues.

Five Things That Never Happened to Melissa (and one that did)

A short AU that asks, "What if Melissa Chapman had been at the construction site?"

Sancho Panza

An AU that asks, "What if Marco were already a Controller at the time he went to the construction site?"

[umbry-fic]

A Survey from the Goddess

Summary:

Congratulations!

You have been chosen to partake in a survey from the Goddess.

For seven days starting from tomorrow, an angel shall accompany you, asking you a question per day.

Please think carefully about your answers - there is much the Goddess does not know.

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia

Characters: Lloyd Irving, Colette Brunel

Relationships: Colette Brunel/Lloyd Irving

Rating: G

Word Count: 9018

Mirror Link: AO3

Original Post Date: 14/06/2024

Notes:

A modern AU which started as a crack fic and gained a plot by the end :) Original concept from A Survey From God by rerulili!

~~~

DAY 0

"What in the...?" Lloyd stared at the card that had been slotted between two mundane letters. It was surprisingly fancy, the material sturdy and staying firm beneath his fingers as his thumb swiped across its texture. There was a golden seal stamped on the front, tickling at a long-buried memory at the back of his mind. Were those wings?

“How in the world did Zelos get into my mail?” he muttered, furrowing his brow as he flipped it over and found that the other side spouted nonsense. This had to be a prank. There was no other explanation, but this was a lot of effort to go to for a simple prank.

Tossing the card onto a corner of the tiny dining table in his dim dorm room, he pushed it out of his mind, opting to return to his bedroom and catch up on some assignments before the start of summer proper.

DAY 1

Massaging his temples as he stepped out of the dingy lift that groaned behind him, he headed towards the door to his room. It was late enough that he was the only one shambling down the corridor, though most of the doors he passed still had light spilling out from beneath them, revealing that most of his dorm mates were still up, burning the midnight oil in this city that never slept.

Hopefully he could stave off the pending headache. Zelos had been a pain for the entire evening, refusing to admit any part he had to play in breaking into the dorm’s mailbox and claiming that was impossible. Then he proceeded to get drunker and drunker, leaving Lloyd to deal with his increasingly insane antics while Sheena laughed at his expense and didn’t lift a finger to help. Tonight's only saving grace was Sheena being the one to take Zelos home. If he’d had to do it he might have murdered his friend on the way, fed up with his laments on the woes of love. Knowing his luck, he'd have been haunted by Zelos' annoying ghost for the rest of his life, nothing able to shut him up.

Fumbling with his keys and being very grateful that he’d decided to stop drinking once Zelos had started clinging to him like a particularly depressed koala, he swung open the front door.

And froze with one foot in the room, eyes widening as he stared at the tiny attached balcony. Most nights it was empty, not a soul occupying it. On other nights, when he failed to find the solace of sleep, he might spend an hour or two sitting there, shoulders hunched as he stared out at the city skyline, hoping the chilly night air would clear his head. Tonight, however, there was someone already there, another soul encroaching in his residence.

“Oh, you’re here!” A girl with hair like spun gold clapped her hands together, blue eyes sparkling. “We can finally get started!”

Slam.

At some point, he’d managed to get his whole body into the room and closed the door behind him, but even the deafening banging sound didn’t dispel the image before him. There was still a girl that he had never met before in his life standing on his balcony, her unearthly beauty illuminated by the countless lights of this sleepless city.

Neither was it making the wings that extended from her back, covered in feathers that ruffled in the slight breeze and bathed in soft shadows, vanish from sight.

Darkness was beginning to creep into the corner of his vision as he continued to stare, unable to tear his gaze away.

Alright. So maybe he’d had more to drink than he’d thought. Maybe both he and Zelos were passed out cold and Sheena would kill them tomorrow morning after giving them a rude awakening.

“Here’s the first question: do you like animals?” she asked cheerfully, oblivious to the thoughts that were rattling around in his head at top speed and crashing uselessly into each other.

“Yes,” he answered faintly, before crumpling to the floor.

DAY 2

Consciousness came to him slowly, in bits and pieces, his surroundings constructing themselves around him as his senses came back to life. A familiar melody floated through the air, hummed softly by a gentle voice that tugged at the strings of his heart. His head rested against a comfortable surface, and there was a hand running through his hair, soothing his anxious heart as the faint scent of spring embraced him.

He didn’t feel like waking up, not while he rested so peacefully, the nightmare that was last night having passed. But a persistent feeling that something was wrong hounded him. Sheena wouldn't let him sleep in - she'd have murdered him if he didn't wake up to help her with breakfast, most likely with a pillow to the head with all of her strength funnelled into her arms. And she certainly never hummed.

He opened his eyes.

Periwinkle blue eyes blinked innocently down at him, a hand stilling in his hair. “Good morning,” the girl from yesterday whispered, her golden hair falling around his face, almost close enough to tickle his skin, forming a veil that shielded him from the first rays of the morning sun.

He would forever deny the screech that left his throat at that moment as he scrambled out of her lap, moving so abruptly that he slammed his head against the wall. Slumping with a groan, he rubbed the patch of skin that would most certainly bruise in a few hours, squinting at the intruder.

Did alcoholic delusions last till the next morning? Or had he finally snapped, losing the battle against the many stresses of university?

“Are you alright?”

“W - who are you?” he croaked in a wholly unflattering voice, his throat terribly dry as he tried to inch further away. It would've been a relief to declare her wings nothing more than a tacky Halloween prop, but one glance at them was enough to dispel that notion - they shifted together with her in a way that couldn't be described as anything but alive, flapping anxiously and causing feathers to peel off and flutter through the air in a shower of white.

“Did you not get the letter? I’m your assigned messenger from the Goddess, here to give you the survey!” Her wings drooped, lips drawing into a disappointed pout.

“A… a letter?” And a survey? This was one of the most absurd things he had ever heard! (Why did it ring a bell? And why did she seem so strangely familiar?)

“Wait. This thing?” he yelped, grabbing the forgotten card still balancing on the edge of the dining table. Its vibrant colours had not faded over the span of two days, still giving off the same sense of grand decorum.

“Yes!” She perked up again, nodding enthusiastically. “I’m glad to see it reached you. This is my first time doing this, and I already arrived late yesterday, so I thought I might have forgotten to send it.”

“You mean Zelos really wasn’t lying?” he whispered in mounting horror, rising in his throat. That meant all of this was real, somehow. Which meant that angels were real, which would mean -

He pushed himself to his feet abruptly, refusing to let that train of thought run any further, knowing it would only result in a cataclysmic crash. “It’s too early in the morning to deal with this. I’m going to make some breakfast.”

~~~

“Oh, you didn’t have to. I don’t need to eat!” The girl protested as he slid a plate of toast in front of her, even as she stared at the food with the expression of someone who had been starved for days, eyes sparkling like she was looking at the world's greatest delicacy.

“Just take it,” he grumbled, settling down with his own plate of charred toast, the black bits flaking off. It had been his standard breakfast fare ever since he'd started living here in this dorm alone. Not particularly appetizing, but good enough to propel him through the day.

“Thank you so much!” She proceeded to scarf it down like she was a famished wolf, and he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

“So, you're really a…” He gave her a once-over, taking in her attire. At first glance, one might mistake her for a schoolgirl. She was dressed the part in an outfit reminiscent of a girl’s school uniform, a messenger’s bag slung over her shoulder and pressing against her hip. Her long golden hair was neat, a tiny braid dangling next to her right cheek, secured with a blue ribbon.

That illusion could only hold if one ignored her wings, which in the light of the sun were even more breathtaking than they had been yesterday, covered to the brim in downy white feathers that he couldn't help but yearn to touch. They were tucked behind her now, giving a little shiver with each bite of toast she took, but if she were to stretch them out to their full length, they could likely fill the entire corridor.

“Angel?” She pushed her now emptied plate towards him, bowing her head in gratitude. “Yes, I am an angel! I will be with you for the following six days, and every day I will ask you a question, as mandated by the Goddess. Thank you so much for the food. It was delicious.”

He marvelled at the fact that she could utter those words with a straight face. She probably didn't even realise that her very presence had torn his world down to its foundations and was now reshaping it, piece by jagged piece.

“It's just burned toast…” he mumbled in confusion. “How did you even get in here?” Unless he had forgotten to lock his door on his way out yesterday afternoon, which was highly unlikely, there had been no way in apart from somehow passing through solid wall. At this point, he wouldn't even be surprised.

“I flew up to your balcony!"

Choking on his next bite, he barely managed to catch the spew of crumbs with his hand. Flew up to his balcony? Wouldn't that mean everyone had seen -

“Don't worry! You're the only one who can see me!”

His shoulders sagged and he buried his face in his hands, groaning in agony. Scratch the morning, he'd never be ready to deal with any of this. But if she was going to be sticking around for a whole week, which seemed likely given she was still not disappearing no matter how hard he blinked, then he'd just have to find some way to handle all of this. Might as well humour her and complete this strange survey and hope that would have the promised effect of getting her out of his life.

“Alright. What’s your name?”

“I don’t have one!”

“Uh…” He scrambled for something else to say, slightly afraid that if he offended her, she'd smite him with lightning or something equally ridiculous. But she didn’t appear upset, her smile just as serene as before, her hands remaining calmly in her lap. “What… What’s today’s question?” He gathered their plates and practically ran to the sink in a bid to escape the awkward cloud hovering over them that it seemed only he could sense. Only to be met with the stack of dishes from yesterday that he had yet to deal with, a tiny tower wobbling precariously that threatened to topple and leave him with a pile of shattered porcelain at any time. With a sigh, he readied the soap, continuing to keep an eye on his “guest”.

“Hm…” She bit her lip, rummaging through her bag and pulling out a roll of parchment that she slowly began to unroll - only for it to keep going and going, until the end of it nearly hit his feet. How had that even fit in her tiny bag? Why was he even bothering to think about this? “Day 2, day 2, day 2… Ah! Here it is. Are you sleeping well at night?”

Nearly dropping the plate in hand and introducing his feet to the sharp bite of porcelain, he turned to fully face her, incredulous, soap suds sliding off his hand. “That’s a random question.” He was expecting something more along the lines of ‘What are your personal beliefs on reincarnation’. Then again, she'd asked him about animals last night, hadn't she? What was even the goal of this survey?

“There is much the Goddess doesn’t know and that she wishes to learn." The angel beamed, once more clapping her hands together. "Take as much time as you need to answer!”

Returning to running the plate under the sink, he pondered the question for a moment. He still didn’t get it. Why would some hypothetical Goddess, sitting on her grand throne up in the untouchable sky, want to know about something as mundane as sleeping patterns? “I’m just like most people. There are some nights when I can’t sleep, but for the most part, I do just fine.”

Some nights he lay flat on his bed and blearily stared at the ceiling, thoughts running tired laps in his mind and refusing to dissipate. Thoughts about the choices he had made to find his way to this very point in time, about the dreams he was trying to chase, about the many encounters and farewells he had experienced. The refuge of sleep would evade him, even as exhaustion blurred his vision.

But that was neither here nor there, tiny moments that would go unnoticed, buried by the rapid flow of time in this city that stopped for no one, charging onwards forevermore like a runaway train. By the morning, he would not be refreshed, but he would keep trudging onwards, for that was all he could do to avoid being left behind.

Pulling out a slip of paper, she procured a feather pen out of thin air to rapidly scribble on it before throwing it into the air. It vanished in a bright explosion of light, leaving blue sparks to fizz out.

He barely flinched, his limit for absurdity having well and truly been met and overtaken. Rushing off to his room, he shot her one final glance over his shoulder. “I’ll be in my room. You can just… stay here, I suppose.”

Closing the door on her face as the smile dropped from it, he heaved a sigh of relief when he was met with the normalcy of his messy bedroom. Stationery and papers were scattered everywhere, his bed pushed into a corner, and his laptop buried under a sweater that had been haphazardly thrown over it. There were no signs at all of magically-appearing angels.

Perhaps if he kept his contact with her to a minimum, he could pretend that everything was the same as it’d always been, forcing down the strange traces of recognition that flashed through his mind whenever she smiled at him that made his heart clench painfully in his chest.

Each time he passed the living room to grab a drink, he spotted her on the balcony - leaning against the railing with her hair caught in the wind, sitting cross-legged with her head resting against the wall, padding across the floor as she ran her fingers across the narrowly-spaced grills. It appeared she had found her retreat, staring down at the streets below and the people passing by with undisguised longing on her face.

In the fragile quiet, he was no longer able to ignore that there was something familiar about her, an invisible thread tied securely around his heart that found its other end around her wrist, relentlessly tugging him towards her. An itch came alive under his skin whenever he gazed upon her visage, an echo of something that was no longer within his reach.

That night, sleep claimed him after hours of fitful tossing and turning, plunging him into dreams that were nothing more than quick dashes of colour against a canvas, lacking details. A girl, face blurry as she held her hand out to grasp the moon, her shining eyes the colour of the lazy summer sky they had become friends under, her brown hair pooling around her head where she lay on the grass. Beneath the weight of that muggy summer night, they had talked of dreams, the words flowing out of him as easy as breathing. He had shifted closer as the moon rose higher, drawn in by the shy, sweet smile on her face as his hand had found hers, their fingers tangling together.

He awoke to rays of sunlight falling gently on his face, tears stinging in his eyes as he reached blindly for things he had lost long ago.

DAY 3

When he stumbled into the living room, she was already seated on the sofa, once more reading diligently from that long roll of parchment. In his sleep-addled state, it took him a few scans of the room to discover what had mysteriously changed overnight. The separate piles of mail scattered around had congregated into a single neat one, the floor entirely bereft of feathers and every surface spotless, devoid of dust.

“Did you clean all of this up?” he asked, attempting to rub the sleep from his eyes, thoroughly impressed. “You didn’t have to.”

“I had nothing better to do,” she answered, blue eyes raising to meet his. “I don’t need to sleep.”

Guilt slammed heavily into him, shame burning in his stomach for having ignored her for a whole day and for his plans to continue doing so for the rest of their time together. From what she’d said, it’s not like she’d asked to be assigned this job either, and anyone with eyes could tell she was lonely. The least he could do was not shut her out and make this any harder than it needed to be.

“I need to go grocery shopping.”

“Oh.” It was almost impossible to catch the flicker of disappointment across her face that was quickly covered up, but her drooping wings betrayed her true emotions. Faced with such a sight, how could he possibly refuse reaching out a hand to her to answer her silent plea? Besides, it would give him an opportunity to try and confirm his suspicions.

Scratching the back of his neck, he sighed, averting his gaze to the practically sparkling floor. “Do you… want to come with me?”

In an instant, she had shot right next to him in a blur of feathers. Jumping on the balls of her feet in infectious enthusiasm, her wings flared, nearly knocking him to the floor. “Can I? Can I really?” Her face was pushed dangerously close to his - at this distance, he could count every fleck of darker blue scattered among her eyes, strikingly familiar.

“Yes!” he blurted out, taking a hurried step back to put some much-needed space between them, heat flooding his cheeks. “Come on.”

~~~

It appeared that she had spoken nothing but the truth - nobody could see her. Even in the middle of the day, the streets were still fairly packed, passersby ranging from cheerfully chattering students to working adults rushing to their destinations. Regardless of who they were, they parted around her like a river would part around a boulder, not even sparing her a second glance. Not even when she exclaimed at the top of her lungs, her gaze flitting from location to location a hundred miles a minute. Even the most mundane of sights like a simple traffic light captured her full attention, and he didn’t have the heart to drag her away, simply watching in amusement as she ran in circles around the pole, eyes glimmering in wonder.

She was also incredibly clumsy, constantly tripping over uneven parts of the pavement, stray cans, or empty air, instantly shattering the image of the graceful angel she had been trying very hard to maintain this whole time. He constantly had to catch her before she thudded face-first into hard concrete, her thanks spilling out of her as her wings twitched in embarrassment, trying their very best to hide her flushed face.

From observation, her wings seemed like an extension of her. They flapped erratically whenever her heart soared with happiness, drooped when sadness weighed on her shoulders, tucked into small shapes behind her when pale red dusted her cheeks. To be honest, it was rather… cute.

“Here.” He sat down on a wooden bench, patting the spot next to him until she took it, giving her wings a little shake. The trees in the park were starting to show the first signs of autumn, orange and browns beginning to overtake fresh green as a faint chill began to fill the air. “Have this.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to!” she parroted her words from yesterday as she accepted a little paper bag containing a piping hot potato croquette, steam still rising from it. From experience, he knew it was delectable, and the tempting scent wafting off it was enough to make his mouth water.

“It’s better than burned toast,” he muttered, rolling his eyes. But he couldn’t help but break out into a smile as she took a big bite and then let out a squeak of “Hot!”, blowing on her tongue. Adorable.

“So what’s today’s question?” he asked into the silence that had fallen, watching the wind rip leaves from branches, depositing them on the dirt, which was rapidly being smothered by layers upon layers of trampled leaves.

“Hm… Do you get along well with your family?” she asked between tiny nibbles, peering at him.

“Uh…” His fingers curled in his lap, his tongue suddenly stiff in his mouth. Where was he even supposed to begin with that question? There was so much to say, but his feelings regarding this matter had always been a complicated tangle that he’d never really been able to make heads-or-tails of, not for lack of trying. “I… guess? It’s just been me and my dad for a long time. Honestly, I don’t know how to describe our relationship. We’re not the closest, and there are a lot of times when we don’t see eye-to-eye.”

There was an awkward distance between them, a chasm that had seemed to widen over the year since he had come to this city. Whenever they met, his father never seemed to know what to say, leaving nothing but empty silence broken by stilted conversation as they struggled to understand each other, leaving him drained by the end. It had been that way for as long as he could remember, ever since illness had taken his mother when he was young, leaving his father to take care of him alone even as he travelled from place to place for work. Their circumstances had resulted in more than one heated argument stemming from the desperate anger that welled up within him as he continually uprooted himself from every life he ended up building for himself, even if he’d known deep down that it had never been his father’s fault. Perhaps grief had forced them both to withdraw, and when they were ready to emerge from the protective fortress they had built for themselves, they’d forgotten how to connect with each other.

But at the end of the day, he knew his father did care, even if his ways of doing so were sometimes hard to pick up on. He had always done his very best to provide for him and give him a good life. Even still…

“At this point, I’m not sure we can patch it up,” he admitted with a heavy heart. It seemed such a hopeless prospect, not with the yawning abyss that would need to be bridged.

“Well…” She chewed on her nail, having devoured the croquette, disregarding the way it burned her tongue. “You still have a long life ahead of you, don’t you? That’s all the time in the world to get to know each other better. It won’t be easy, and sometimes it’ll feel like pulling teeth, but it’s possible. So you don’t have to give up now.”

“That’s… surprisingly good advice.” He squinted at her, slightly confused that those words of wisdom, delivered with such an encouraging tone that he was beginning to sway towards the notion that it truly was possible, had emerged from someone who gave off the impression that she had never experienced human nature before.

“That’s just how I feel. If it helps you, then I’m glad.” Shrugging, she flashed him a sheepish smile, laying a hand on his shoulder.

“Maybe,” he answered, picking at his jeans, the warmth of her hand sinking into his body and gradually finding its way to his heart, wrapping it in a soft blanket. “Maybe I can try.” All the walls between him and his father were daunting, but perhaps with the memory of her words, he might find the strength to overcome them someday.

“So, um… Is it alright if I give you a name?” He broached the subject carefully, unsure if it was some kind of taboo for angels. For all he knew, it could be.

“Why?”

“I’d feel bad to keep referring to you with no name,” he mumbled, face aflame. Especially when she kept helping him, intentionally or not. It was the least he could do to repay her boundless kindness, fitting of a benevolent angel.

“Sure.” She shrugged nonchalantly, blue eyes curious as she waited with bated breath.

“Uh, well…” He took a deep breath, remembering another girl from a lifetime ago that he’d thought he would never see again, not after her untimely departure. She’d been much the same as the angel before him now - always cheerful, reaching out a helping hand without a second thought, endlessly dedicated to her faith. Perhaps he was barking up the wrong tree, attempting in vain to keep the candle flame of hope alive that he should have snuffed out ages ago, unable to muster up the strength to abandon the promise they’d made together. But there were so many similarities that it was starting to drive him mad trying to keep his thoughts from running wild, even if he could no longer remember her face well enough to match it to the one across from him now. Familiarity pooled in his heart, so much of it that it threatened to force its way through its walls and spill out onto his trembling hands. It was like the ghost that had haunted him for much of his life from the corners of his vision - the sway of her hair, the sound of her carefree laughter that had long since rusted in his memory - had been given a flesh-and-blood form once more.

He could recall her name, written in a child’s messy scrawl on a crumpled piece of paper he still possessed, holding the final remnants of a heartfelt dream he was still incapable of giving up. “How about Colette?”

When she wrapped her arms around him, her wings reaching to embrace him as well, the breath left him in a slow exhale, the tension leaking from his shoulders. The two of them fit together perfectly, and he relaxed into the hold that his very soul recognised, the imprint of it having never faded.

“I love that name,” she whispered as his cheek pressed against her shoulder, her hand coming to rest comfortingly on the back of his head. “Thank you.”

DAY 4

“Do you need any help with that?” he asked over his cup of warm milk, perfect to relax his mind before turning in.

“Hm?” Colette’s reply was delayed, distracted as she was, attempting to contort her arm to pluck a feather that was frustratingly out of reach. She’d been grooming her wings for the past thirty minutes and growing increasingly more frustrated as she failed to reach some out-of-the-way spots, the frown on her face becoming more and more pronounced as her wings lashed out, liable to break something. “Uh, sure.”

“Tell me if I’m pulling too hard, alright?” He sat down next to her as she turned to give him unfettered access to her wings, stretching them out as wide as they would go. Suppressing his awed gasp at the full length of them, he was finally able to see exactly how they could support her weight. The sight of her soaring through the skies must be something indeed, and he yearned to see it - would her clumsiness carry even into the Heavens, or would she be the very picture of elegance?

“Thanks,” she mumbled as he got to work, something bright blooming in his heart knowing that she trusted him with what was clearly a vulnerable part of her. Running his hands over her wings, he could feel the hard bones that lay beneath as he tugged gently at old, grey feathers to pull them out, adding them to the growing pile by the sofa, and smoothing out feathers that were out of alignment. “I usually have someone help me.”

“I can imagine.” Her feathers were soft, his fingers getting lost within their endless sea of white - he almost wanted to never leave. She was practically melting beneath his touch, once more humming that same tune she had when he had first woken up with his head resting in her lap. It almost seemed like she’d fall asleep, for even if she didn’t need to, surely she still needed to rest. “What’s today’s question?”

“Are you doing the things you want to do?”

He froze mid-way through pulling out a feather, a tremor racking his hand. Swallowing, he completed the motion, slowly backing away from her. It felt like ice had grown over his heart, brittle and about to crack.

“I… I think so. Honestly, I… I don’t know.” He smiled a little bitterly, worrying at the feather in hand, avoiding her curious gaze. “Sorry that I don’t have the definitive answer.”

He was here, in this massive city which he had once called home with his mother, unable to recover the easy joy he had once felt in faded memories that he could barely dredge up, back when things used to be much simpler. Working himself to the bone for the sake of a dream that may not grant him a future, chasing the stars like a child that had yet to grow up, reaching desperately for those glinting, inhuman lights. Surrounded by throngs of people that didn’t know his name, feeling nothing but tiny and insignificant.

Some days, he felt like a fool chasing nothing more than a mirage, the ashes of his dream falling between his fingers as he questioned whether any of this would be worth it. But there were spots of bright happiness, moments when he reaffirmed his determination, deciding that he couldn’t give up. He would make his dream come true, for the sake of the friend that had been left behind in happy summer days.

“That’s alright,” she answered gently, turning to face him and placing a hand on his cheek. He couldn’t help but lean into her touch, taking a shuddering breath as her voice washed over him, soothing his weary heart. There was no judgement, only a kind understanding that thawed the ice, chasing away the chill. “Nobody holds the answer to everything, even about themselves. There are no right or wrong answers. It’s like I said before - you’ll have the time to figure it out. I’m certain that you will, whether it be tomorrow or a year from now.”

Blinking away the tears that were suddenly pricking at the corners of his eyes, the words of thanks he wished to express stuck in his throat, he hid his face in his arm as her hand found its way to his back, giving it a comforting rub. Her appearance had granted him a miracle, one that he clung to with utmost gratitude, her encouraging words a shining beacon of light in a sea of uncertainty, saving him from drowning.

She said nothing more, only squeezed his hand, keeping him company.

DAY 5

“Lloyd! Wow, it’s been a while since I last saw you.” Sheena waved, peeling from a group of students and bounding over with a cheerful stride. She completely ignored Colette, who stared at her with wide eyes. “Did Zelos piss you off that badly? If he actually did cross a line, just tell me and I’ll take care of him for you.” The wicked grin on her face and the cracking of her knuckles sent a shiver down his back, and he quickly sent Zelos his prayers.

“No, it’s fine! All that wasn’t his fault.” Frantically, he waved his hands in denial. Hopefully, that would be enough to deter Sheena from murder. He would not be held responsible for that.

“If you say so. So, what brings you to campus today? Summer classes as well?” Sheena returned his nod in commiseration. “Hey, are you free next week to come over to my place? Zelos will be joining. We can compare assignments on our common mods and play a few rounds of Smash.”

Next week… He mentally checked his schedule, counting through the days. “I should be free, so sure.”

“Great.” She grinned, patting him on the shoulder. “I’ll send you more details later, I’d better get going. The professor for my next class will skin me alive if I’m late. See you later!”

And just like that, she was off, blending into the crowd of students headed into the school building before he could even blink. Sometimes, he couldn’t help but compare her to a whirlwind, never stopping and always on the move.

“Let’s go, shall we?” he told Colette, moving off towards his own destination. She followed behind him, a small smile on her face.

~~~

Colette kicked her feet back and forth, her face pressed against the library’s wide window. It afforded a wonderful view of the university courtyard, which even in autumn was filled to the brim with a myriad of flowers, painting colour into the drab environment.

Staring hard at the mathematical equations he was supposed to be deciphering, he found that the various symbols were starting to get mixed up in his head. “Ugh, that’s it, I need a break,” he groaned, massaging his temples and tossing down his pencil, which rolled until it was hanging dangerously over the side of the table. Joining Colette by the window, he pressed his shoulder against hers, her right wing giving him a friendly nudge. “How about you ask me your question now?”

She turned to look at him, blinking. “Alright. When you need someone to talk to, is anyone there for you?”

An invisible grip loosened from around his heart. He’d been anticipating a question on the same level as the previous two days, but this wouldn’t require the same level of soul-searching that had left him wrung out and emotionally exhausted, her presence the only thing grounding him.

His first instinct would have been to answer no, but looking even a little bit deeper instantly told him that this wasn’t true. While he’d never revealed most of the thoughts that simmered under the surface to his two friends, the time spent with them - playing video games, lamenting over homework and occasionally getting drunk together never failed to cheer him up. The two of them had been the ones to approach him and invite him to hang out with them, again and again and again, refusing to give up until they'd successfully battered down the walls he had erected. They picked up when he was feeling down and always tried their best to make him feel better - acting as anchors, keeping him from getting lost in the rapids.

“Yeah, I do.”

It was a simple answer, but it was the comforting truth.

She smiled silently, and returned to peering out the window.

DAY 6

“I win!” Colette cheered as she dropped the controller into the cushion resting in her lap, her wings flaring wide and smacking him in the head.

Rubbing the side of his head, he congratulated her once more, having long since lost count of how many times she’d claimed victory over the past thirty minutes. He’d suggested playing a few rounds of Smash to introduce her to video games, and tied a wager into the game - the loser would have to reveal something about themselves.

At first, he’d learned much about her, doing his best to quietly gather information. She’d been born nine years ago without any recollections of her past life like every other angel, and had finally been deemed ready by her mentor, a grumpy senior angel who held no love for humans, to take on her first assignment. Every word that fell from her lips only further confirmed his suspicions - the timeline matched up perfectly. Still, he found that the truth was too difficult to say aloud, getting lodged in his throat. To do so would be to open himself up to the possibility that he truly was delusional, desperately clutching onto a mirage that threatened to dissipate at any moment, unable to face the painful truth. For now, he was content to keep it close to his chest, the knowledge like a ball of warm light filling the void of grief he’d been carrying around for almost a decade.

He'd laughed out loud when she’d picked Pit to play, but she’d gotten terrifyingly good at the character and was now solidly beating him in every match. So he’d told her, detail by detail, about the friend he’d once made who had meant everything to him. The day they’d met by the river that ran behind the sleepy countryside town that she called home, an unflinchingly kind girl saying hello to a boy who had closed off his heart, not wanting to be hurt again. The nights they’d spent together as he taught her the names of the stars painted across the canvas of the night, and they confided in each other about their dreams, finding in each other the strength to make them come true one day. The promise she’d made to meet him again on the day he’d moved away, holding strong to the belief that it would happen regardless of the years that would pass and the distance that spanned between them, and the letters they’d exchanged until it had all come to a tragic end.

She absorbed it all with a thoughtful expression, her face betraying nothing of what she thought no matter how closely he watched it. It was infuriating, but he bit down on his tongue to stop himself from blurting out something stupid.

Searching for another fact to give out, he was interrupted by her clapping her hand over his mouth. Sputtering in shock, he did his best not to blush to the tips of his ears.

“How about you answer today’s question instead?” She smiled sweetly, removing her hand.

“Sure thing…” He eyed her suspiciously - did today’s question warrant such an action?

Her smile didn’t waver at all as she asked the next question, the words she uttered growing wings and crashing straight into his heart. “How do you define love?”

“Wh - what? T - that’s…” Words fell clumsily from his lips as he turned into a stuttering mess, tearing his gaze away from her, his previous efforts for naught as he felt his whole face grow hot. Surely he was red as a beet by now, embarrassment settling firmly in his chest. Had she purposely lowered his guard just to spring this question?

“It’s… something warm and encouraging,” he mumbled, the words coming to him easily with those halcyon days fresh on his mind, even if those memories were a decade old and faded at the corners. Regardless, she still shined bright no matter how many details about her got smudged, a light that never dimmed in a world that wouldn’t have hesitated to put it out. “It pushes you to be a better person. It carries you through your worst days, and makes your best ones all the better. But…”

Acrid doubt pooled on his tongue. “I was so young back then that I wouldn’t have known what it was, and it was only a year, so maybe -”

A firm finger on his lips forced him into silence, her wings forming a secure cocoon that enclosed them. Slicing a space out of the universe just for the two of them, and narrowing his world to just her.

“If you believe it to have been love, then that’s the most important thing, isn’t it?” she whispered, so close that he could feel the brush of her breath against his cheek. His heart racing, he could do nothing but stare into her vibrant blue eyes, drawing him in, her beauty otherwordly and stealing the breath from him. If he wanted to, he could reach out and run his fingers through her golden hair, he could press the palms of their hands together, he could lean his forehead against hers. There were so many things he could do, that his soul cried out for him to do, to press closer until there was no space between them at all.

He was acutely aware that tomorrow would be her final day on this earth before she returned to whence she came from, her assignment complete. It would be like saying goodbye, all over again, not knowing if he would ever see her again, for what reason would she have to descend again? That knowledge, cold and sharply piercing the vulnerable walls of his heart, held him back from all that he yearned to do. But even then…

Grabbing her wrist before she could pull it fully back, determination burning in his veins and driving him forward, he extended an invitation to the angel before him, who had guided him with a gentle touch, re-alighting the embers of hope in his heart.

“Would you like to go somewhere with me tomorrow?”

DAY 7

“Two tickets for the Ferris wheel, please.”

The bored attendant searched behind Lloyd, trying to find the mysterious second person, before shrugging and handing the tickets over, clearly deciding this puzzle wasn’t one worth solving.

Struggling to keep a straight face over the mistake he’d made, Lloyd made his way to the end of the queue. Colette wasn’t even trying to stifle her giggles, making his ears flush red as he scowled. Joining him, she hugged the plush puppy he’d won from the ringtoss close to her chest, hiding a smile behind its brown fur as a wing brushed against his back.

They had spent the entire day at the amusement park that this city boasted, exploring the attractions it had to offer. They had played the games, his eyebrows raising higher and higher as Colette had somehow managed to win every single one, even though he swore they were rigged. They had gone on the thrill rides, Colette giggling maniacally while he’d done his best not to throw up afterwards. They had even gone to the haunted house, which she’d found hilarious, managing between bouts of laughter to mention that demons did not look this cute and sending his thoughts into another panicked spiral about the logistics of hell.

They had laughed and yelled in unison over games won and lost, the looming deadline that crept closer with every second that ticked by conveniently forgotten. And now here they were, standing before the Ferris wheel, lit up in dozens of purple and blue LED lights, flashing in patterns that cast the ground around it in the same colours. The sun had dipped below the horizon, leaving a few stars to twinkle in the sky, high above, ready to act as witnesses to the ending that was soon to come.

He could vaguely remember riding the Ferris wheel once with his mother, who had picked him up by the waist to show him the sights when they’d reached the apex, her warm laughter as his tiny fists had swung through the air sticking with him through the years.

It was a place he’d once promised to bring another girl if they were to ever reunite, sealing their vow by wrapping their pinkies together. Her eyes had lit up when he'd described his blurry recollections of the park, blown away by what was, to her, a technological marvel that she'd never had the chance to set her eyes on before.

The angel by his side stared up at the Ferris wheel with wide eyes, tracking its circular motion.

The queue cleared in no time, and before he knew it, they were seated in the carriage, rising at a leisurely pace. The people below them gradually disappeared into colourful dots, the entire city spreading out before them - a veritable maze of buildings with lights that burned bright throughout the night.

Colette was staring out of the window with an unreadable expression on her face, her fingers tracing nonsensical shapes in the mist her breath left behind. Her wings were tucked close, so much so that she seemed smaller than she usually was, the dog plush lying forgotten beside her.

In the silence that had fallen, he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his hands, his stomach twisted into knots. There was so much he wanted to say, needed to say, even, but as always, he found himself hesitating, terrified of what letting the truth slip could do. What if she didn't believe him? Or worse, what if the truth hurt her? He didn't want to burden her with something that might chain her to the ground with its immense weight. She had no responsibility to carry it - being born without memories had freed her from beneath its shadow, even if he owed her the truth of who he was.

Of course, she beat him to it. She’d always been much braver than him, her courage the force that pushed him to be better.

“You know, I think the odds of me getting assigned to you was one in a million,” she mused, her words sending an electric jolt straight to his heart.

He could scarcely believe his ears as she put to rest all of his fears, easily speaking the truth like it was no big deal.

“I've always dreamed of a boy, even if the dreams fade once I awaken.” Her smile was sad, her eyes downcast and melancholy as her wings wrapped around herself, her voice carrying with it the years she had grieved for something she hadn't even known was missing, cradling her bruised heart and unable to find the source of the never-ending ache. "The melody of your heart called out to mine, and it wasn't hard to put your face to the boy in my dreams. I’m... really sorry for breaking our promise.”

“Don’t be,” he snapped automatically, finding his way through the feathers that formed a shield around her to place his hand in hers, hoping the tender emotions he held in his heart could reach her and take away at least some of the pain. He had never blamed her, not once, not even when he'd curled into a tiny ball in the sterile room in the new location he had moved to, tasting salt on his tongue as his heart shattered. “It wasn’t your fault. And you’re here now, aren’t you?”

It was cruel fate that had stolen her away and forced them apart, and yet she had found her way back, against all odds. He would carry all those years of grief with him for the rest of his life, feeling their weight pressing on his shoulders forever. But he wouldn’t give up the chance to have met her, nor the miraculous way she had re-entered his life, keeping their promise in her own, wondrous way. She had always encouraged him to continue believing, no matter what, the memory of the curve of her warm smile enough to keep him going even during his bleakest days.

“I… suppose I am.” She stood, leaning over him with the plush resting in the crook of her arm, her wings catching the silver light of the moon as they arced over him, blocking his view of the sky. All at once, he could truly see the angel in her in its full glory - not just the steadfast guardian but also the holy avenger, something fierce burning in her eyes and keeping him pinned in place, unable to move even a single muscle. “Hey, Lloyd. Tell me. Do you… believe in the Goddess?”

He understood, that this was the final question. And thus, he owed her the truth, and nothing but the truth, just as he'd hesitantly told her his views on faith so many years ago. It mattered not if it was painful - it was still what he owed her.

“You’d think I would say yes with you standing in front of me, but… No. I would like to think I have the strength to achieve my dreams.” With the help of those around him who cared for him, tangible and real, he would keep moving forward towards his own goals regardless of the obstacles that he would have to overcome. It would never feel right to put his faith in a deity who lived up in the sky, even if she did exist, completely disconnected from the lives people led on the ground.

“Good.” Her expression softened, the tears shimmering in her eyes making his heart clench painfully in his chest. He yearned to reach out and grab hold of her, draw her close and never let go, but he forced himself to remain still, knowing it would be selfish of him to do so, to make their inevitable parting all the more difficult. “Hold onto that strength, and I’m sure you’ll be alright. I… I really am sorry.”

I’m sorry that I have to leave you again.

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry.” It was his turn now, to reassure her with the faith he would grasp onto and never let go of, as she once had, pouring all of his heart into his words as he ran a comforting hand down a wing, shivering beneath his touch. “Besides, I believe that…”

“No matter how far you go…” There were tears swimming in her blue eyes, but she didn’t shed them, her round cheeks puffed up as she clenched her fists, her brown hair swaying with the force of her determined motions. “So long as we believe it’ll happen, then surely…”

“...someday, we’ll meet again.”

A small smile spread across her face, her expression doing its best not to crumple. “Thank you for everything,” she whispered, her voice wobbling as she pressed her lips to his cheek. Tying her heart to his with a thread that would never come undone, even as she vanished into stardust that scattered into nothing, marking the end of a transient, most beautiful dream.

Leaving him with a single soft feather lying on the metal floor of the carriage that he retrieved with trembling hands, the imprint of her warmth against his skin, and the tears streaming down his cheeks that he’d finally let free.

DAY 8

“You free next week for some bar hopping?” Sheena asked off-handedly as she trounced both him and Zelos in Smash, letting Zelos’ increasingly annoyed complaints at always being the first one to get booted off the platforms go in one ear and leave out the other.

“Can’t,” he mumbled, not tearing his gaze off the screen as he did his best to avoid getting caught in Sheena’s wrath. “I’m meeting my father.”

That earned him both of his friends’ attention, their gazes contemplative. “You know, I think that’s the first time you’ve said that with no dread. And the first time you haven’t tried to weasel out of it,” Zelos commented.

“Ha!” he cheered as he took advantage of the distraction to take another stock off him.

“Hey! Why me again?”

“You know, Lloyd,” Sheena said as she flopped onto her stomach, her fingers rapidly punching inputs into her controller, once more contributing to Zelos’ demise as he wailed. “You seem different.”

“Do I?” he answered, nearly dropping his controller in shock, surprised that she picked up on it. He certainly felt different after the week he'd had, that he still wasn't certain was anything more than a particularly vivid hallucination brought on by stress. But the feather on his bedside table said otherwise, and he’d clutched it close to his chest that very morning, smiling at the warmth it evoked.

“Yeah. Happier, maybe?”

His heart felt lighter, like the shackles fettering it that he hadn't even known had been there had been broken. “I guess I met someone.”

Zelos perked up instantly, a smirk crossing his face. “Woah, Lloyd met someone? Is she pretty?”

“Shut up,” he groaned, smacking Zelos in the head with a pillow before the three of them burst into collective laughter, helping to chase away the persistent cloud of melancholy that still hung over his head.

He carried a new sadness with him, tucked into a corner of his heart reserved just for it, the events of the past week weaved into the tapestry of his life. But he was also freer than he'd ever been, ready to try and soar with the wings she had gifted him, gathering strength every day. There would be bad days when his determination would wane and grief would grip his heart once more, and there would be good days when he could laugh out loud with his friends and grin and feel like he was at the top of the world. And every day, he would do his best to work towards making the many dreams he held come true, whether his progress be a mile or an inch, trying his utmost to be a better person as he cradled the memory of her close.

Just as he’d promised her he would, waiting patiently until the day they would meet again.

[otherworldlygate]

When planning and writing a story that takes [x] years into the post-game, the biggest challenge for me is honestly something I would call character placement: where the characters have ended up.

Now, character placement certainly isn’t unique to post-game fics; it’s something that has to be considered regardless of where in the timeline a story takes place. But for pre- or mid-canon stories, you do have canon there to act as a guideline.

Post-game, however, does not have this advantage—and the deeper into the post-game you go, the less tame and understood the landscape is. For Tales of Symphonia, I really like jumping at least a few years into the future. The way the game ended (with scenes for everyone that explain what their future plans are) lends itself toward wanting to check in and see where those characters are after some time has passed. Being able to jump into the middle of Lloyd’s exsphere hunt, for example, gives you a ton of flexibility in terms of what you present in the story, and it lets you skip the tedium of starting at the beginning of that journey (or figuring out the logistics of it).

Certainly, any of us could take the time to write out the entirety of his exsphere journey. We may instead choose to cover Raine and Genis’s attempts to stop racism and make the lives of half-elves better. What about Sheena’s position as Mizuho’s chief and the Tethe’alla + Sylvarant relationship? There’s certainly a story too, surrounding Regal as he takes over his family’s estate and company again after spending the last eight years of his life in prison.

And those are good stories…but there’s just something easy and satisfying about diving into the middle of those experiences. You can still cover the start of it in hindsight; the awkwardness of going back to Altamira and the royal court when everyone knows you’ve been in prison for murder is too juicy to pass up, and how does one even begin to gather all the exspheres? How do you convince people to stop being racist? How do you deal with the diplomacies between two worlds that haven’t seen one another (and, in fact, in general did not even know about one another) for four thousand years? These are all things that would stick with the characters, and would influence where they eventually end up, but which we as writers (or even as readers) might not want to see covered in full detail.

Anyway, the reason character placement is a challenge is because there are so many options and they are all happening at once with the cast. People can fail at their goals. They can change their minds. They can be bad at something we as an audience were led to believe they’d be good at. Their original goal might shift; their original plan might lead to them finding something better—or worse. They could stumble into hardships or find wild success.

The truly interesting thing about Tales of Symphonia when it comes to writing post-game material is that everyone is out there doing their own thing, and to get any of these characters back together requires a certain…effort, shall we say. But in doing this, you also have to consider the characters well beyond their own goals. In writing something five years into the post-game, you have to think about everyone’s ages and their relationships with one another. Did they stay in touch with all of their friends? Just a few of them? Who? Everyone but Regal and possibly Presea would be traveling often. This leaves Regal and Presea as the two people easiest to get letters to…and everyone else having to make a real effort to communicate about how to reach one another. Luckily, Sheena, Zelos, Lloyd, and Colette all have permanent addresses where mail can be sent (so at least letters to them won’t be returned, even if they aren’t received in a timely manner). Age matters in terms of people entering different periods in their lives, too. Presea aging is super meaningful to her. Genis will grow up. Regal lost eight years of his life to prison, so turning 40 will probably be hard for him.

It’s possible some of these characters will eventually lose touch with one another, or that they’ll just never stay in touch consistently to begin with, but it’s important to think about that sort of thing before it sneaks up on you. I don’t think I could write a story about Raine without considering her relationship with literally every other character. If she and Genis are trying to stop racism, they’ll need to stay in touch with Zelos, Sheena, and Regal at a bare minimum. They’re also likely to stay in contact with Lloyd and Colette to some degree. And while I don’t think Raine would know what to say to Presea exactly, Genis wouldn’t want her to feel left out (and maybe he can be more normal in a letter hahaha).

But then right alongside this comes other questions: what experiences have Raine and Genis had while they’ve been doing all this work? What triumphs? What failures? And how has this affected Genis as he’s continued to grow up? Did the work get too dangerous or too traumatizing? Did he get to go to school like he wanted? Did Raine finally learn to confide in him? What about in her friends? Have Genis and Lloyd grown closer or further apart?

Trying to determine who the character is after [x] years have passed is always a delightful exercise, but when it’s for a long-form story, it’s also a challenge (because it’s relevant and matters for longer). I’m currently working in a “10 years post-game” situation and figuring out who everyone is and where they are in their lives is difficult, but the hardest part is the world our characters have been trying to make better. Ten years is a very long time for things to change for better or worse, and I have to consider very seriously what, out of all possible options, would best serve my story.

It's a lot to think about.

[likes-words-and-shrimp]

my brain after writing that Seles and Colette fic now wants to write about Mithos threatening Zelos with his sister's life. Sabotage the Chosen group even more, or kill one of the party members to do so, or Seles will die. Maybe Mithos says for him to kill that ninja from Mizuho, and Zelos tries to resist. But also, his sister's life is on the line.

Tragic sheelos fic?? Maybe Sheena finds out and Zelos is finally put to the test to get rid of her? But then....he can't.

Throwing ideas at the wall but it's been a long time since I wrote any sheelos...

[darkhymns-fic]

A Show of Strength

When Seles challenges one of her brother's companions in the coliseum, she only has one goal in mind: To achieve victory and earn Zelos' respect.

But Colette, the current Champion of the coliseum, has a put a little dent in her plans. Why offer kindness during a fight?

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Characters: Seles Wilder, Tokunaga, Colette Brunel, Zelos Wilder (mentioned) Rating: G Word Count: 5866 Mirror: AO3 Notes: Finished up a fic I started last year for @unsungtalesweek! Initially came up with the idea because I did the Seles fight with Colette and it made me think of their unexplored dynamic.

--

Seles was already out of breath.

The lobbies were oddly cramped here, she noticed. Despite its size to house several waiting fighters for their chance at glory, there were too many of them, along with the weapons that took up spaces in the corners, and the beds on the right wall to hold the injured as they waited to be healed. The smell of polished metal and leather, the unsettling way the floor seemed to wobble at her feet, and the shouts of the crowd just outside those walls—it was…

Overwhelming.

“Ma’am? Are you well?”

Still, Seles felt the age-old frustration. She resented the pity she saw in the nurse’s eyes. Her gaze flicked to the blood-soaked bandages the woman held. “I think you should have more pressing matters to attend to. I’m perfectly fine.”

“I just wanted to check if you needed any aid—”

“I said ,” Seles spoke again, knowing how petulant she must have sounded. “Leave me alone.”

“It’s quite alright.” Tokunaga appeared from the side of the room, as if from thin air. He shooed away the nurse with a gloved hand. “I will see to her, thank you.”

Seles perhaps was a little ashamed at the relief she felt, like a child grateful that their parent intervened. Tokunaga wasted little time, already pulling out a chair from a hidden corner, brushing away dust and whatever debris that had been left over the years.

She took the opportunity to seat herself, keeping her gratitude silent. Tokunaga would know how she felt regardless. “Where have you been?” she asked instead.

“Perusing who’s fighting for the Champion title,” Tokunaga explained. He provided a handkerchief succinctly, Seles taking it to wipe away the cold sweat at her brow. “The last match is currently underway. It is one of the Chosen’s companions.”

She made sure to keep her face expressionless, though she knew such a thing to be useless. Tokunaga could read her like a beloved novel, perhaps already knowing how she went through all the faces of those companions in her head. From that witch from Mizuho, to that loud boy in red, to even the president of the Lezareno Company. Her brother had such an odd array of attendants helping him on the journey.

“So this all depends if they win.” She fiddled with the handle of her bag. “If only I had challenged my brother when he had been competing.”

But of course, she had been too fatigued, barely making it in time to watch his matches. And even then, she had been content to simply see him there, fighting skillfully with sword and shield. Of course he may have ruined the imagery of him being a skilled warrior whenever he opened his mouth to brag after every fight, she still wanted to see all that he did.

All that she had missed by being shut away in the Abbey.

But for these matches, she ensured she would arrive earlier, no matter who was taking place in the row of battles. I won’t let my weakness take over again.

“This will still be a good opportunity. Zelos will have no choice but to accept you, I am sure of it.” Tokunaga tried to appear complacent, but she could hear the tremble in his voice. “And if he somehow doesn’t, I will make him see reason.”

“Please don’t trouble yourself, Tokunaga. This is up to me now.” Still, she felt touched. Tokunaga had been one of the very few to not let her wallow alone in her feelings.

He had been the one to come up with this plan, after all.

Soon, the cheering within the coliseum got even louder, so much that it pierced through the stone walls of the lobby. It seemed that perhaps the battle was close to its end.

Her legs were no longer shaking, and she found it easier to breathe. She felt the Exsphere press against her cuff, its luster hidden away underneath her clothes. Its effects were finally working again…or maybe it was simply the chair that provided her a brief respite.

“I want to see it,” she said, making the effort to stand. Her footing was firm. “Show me.”

“Of course. Right this way.” Tokunaga knew how to be efficient when necessary. He lent her the crook of his elbow, and she took hold without comment. To others, it would look just as a lady holding onto the arm of a polite gentleman—and not the stability that she relied on just in case her health once again gave out.

Even so, she couldn’t afford that now.

Tokunaga led her to an alcove, a hidden door near to the side that was meant for the coliseum employees. Over here, there was also a small open window, showcasing the very center of the structure, along with a section of the crowd, their faces numerous and their waving arms like that of a multi-legged creature. It was only then she could finally understand their excitement.

The first thing Seles noticed was the brilliant light that flashed inside the coliseum. At first, she thought it belonged to the enemy, and it was a great thing indeed—a fierce dragon warrior that had been tamed just enough to battle inside Meltokio's walls, and to, maybe, halt its own killing blow. But anyone could very well trip into the end of its axe by mistake and split open their head.

It almost seemed like that girl might very well do so.

Seles had only met Colette once. Sylvarant's very own Chosen. She had said very little then, seeming to sink into the background as Zelos, in his constant smile, asked for his crystal. There wasn't much she could glean from that one meeting alone. Just another one of big brother's attendants, she had thought. Then, with even more ire, Or is she just one of his stupid floozies?

The girl hadn't shown off her wings, but now they were on display, uplifting her away from the swing of that weapon. And even when it seemed she would trip again in the very air, it seemed to be done in safety. A flash of pink, followed by white, and it seemed the very wrath of heaven rained down from above.

Quick, yet awe-inspiring. The great dragon fell on its backs, its own wings outstretched uselessly. Axe and shield dropped from its claws, while the girl—Colette—held onto her chakrams with a worried expression.

"Oh whoops! Did I hurt it too much?"

Seles thought she could hear the girl's name being shouted. The crowd? No. To the side of her somewhere within the lobby, she could see one boy in that garish red waving his arms from another window, cheering her on. All while Colette dusted away her dress, giving that same boy a cheerful wave back.

The air still hummed from the angelic arte. Seles could feel it on her skin, even in here, electric and terrifying. "So, this is the true power of the Chosen…" she heard Tokunaga whisper beside her. Perhaps he was reconsidering their mission. She gripped the handle of her bag tightly in both hands.

"Let's go. They'll be done congratulating her soon."

That seemed to shock some life back in her servant. His lips pressed into a thin line, then he gave a nod. He held out his hand. "I will lead you then."

But already, she reached for the door handle. The sunlight beamed down at her as she opened it to a wave of incredible sound and heat. “You told me before. I need to issue her the challenge myself.”

And if big brother will ever respect me, I need to finally prove myself to him.

--

Seles had always been so small, even as a child. The kind of smallness where even adults would have trouble seeing her until she was already at their feet. No matter her bright red hair, or even when she cried. Once, she had collapsed onto the stone stairs, breaking her nose, and it had taken nearly an hour for someone to find her.

In the Abbey, she was seen even less. The Papal Knights avoided staring at her when they could, their helmets turned to the side whenever she passed them. Other church members would barely speak with her, ensuring only that she would have food and clothing. For much of her days, Seles would simply sit outside to watch the ocean lap at the shore, a book in her hands to read through. She had re-read her books several times over, enough that their bindings began to fall apart.

It was why Zelos’ visits had meant so much to her. For at least, for a very brief time, someone was seeing her. Acknowledging her. Speaking to her. Only him and Tokunaga, and even those attendants of his, who gawked at her like she was up on display. But it was better than being flat-out ignored. Better than being forgotten completely.

Her boots trampled along the dirt of the coliseum, eyes set on her goal. The girl’s wings were like a beacon almost, beckoning her to move forward despite the rapid beating of her heart and her shortened breath from exertion.

“And for her victory, let’s give a big congratulations to Super Girl!” yelled the announcer, though his voice petered out once he saw Seles marching forward.

Out there, in the middle of the coliseum pit, Seles suddenly got the complete reaction that she had been wanting for all her life. All eyes were now on her, noticing her as she made her way to the center. All eyes saw her exist.

And that included the strange Chosen from Sylvarant, who turned to her with bright, confused eyes.

Suddenly, Seles was struck and forgot all that she had been about to say. So once again, Tokunaga had to go to her rescue.

“Wait just a moment!” Her butler, her one confidant in all that she wanted and feared for, stepped forward with a steady voice. She envied that, noting how he didn’t sound at all weakened. “Your next opponent is…Seles!”

The announcer was looking at a piece of paper that he pulled from his pocket. “Uh, isn’t the surprise team for next week…?”

“Oh! Seles!” Colette fluttered her wings, moving slightly closer. Though her hair was just a bit tangled from her fights, and there was a bit of dirt on her clothes, she rarely looked worse for wear. She hardly seemed tired out at all. “Are you here to see Zelos?”

And at the mention of her brother’s name, it was as if something clicked. If he was here, he would be watching the fight. He would see her. She straightened, taking a step past Tokunaga, ignoring the cheers from the crowd, the hundreds of mouths hungry for another fight.

“You’re the Chosen of the declining world, correct? A Chosen like my brother. And since you serve him, you must have confidence in your skill.”

The girl blinked at the observation, as if she had no idea she had just been fighting teams of warriors and monsters, including a giant dragon. “Ah, I am! A Chosen, I mean. I don’t know about serving…”

A small shout from the side, cutting through all the cheering. The voice was incredibly loud to be heard past the multitudes of others. “We’re not his servants! Stop calling us that!”

Seles narrowed her eyes. She had her resolve. Maybe it was the cheers of the crowd, urging her on. So different from the secret training sessions she had endured, where all she heard was the clang of steel and her own labored breaths. 

“As Tokunaga already stated, I’m your next opponent.” Then, with demand in her voice, “Now, fight me!”

Another great cheer, and even the announcer decided to go along with it, raising up his hand to gesture to Seles. “So, we have Seles fighting against our Super Girl champion! An unexpected turn of events!”

Colette's hands didn't seem to know where to go at first. They fidgeted with each other, then clasped tightly as the Chosen, savior of the dying world of Sylvarant, stuttered. "Ah, um-um, do…do we really have to fight?"

Seles felt a sharp stinging in her head at that, a shortness of breath in her lungs. Was this a strategy of the other girl's? To make her weak?

Or was what happened with the dragon had just been a fluke?

"..Silence!" Seles shouted back. She gritted her teeth, already frustrated beyond belief. "I’ll prove that I’m stronger than you!"

If such a girl like this can be a Chosen, then so could she!

The announcer took that as his cue to officially start the fight, cutting his arm in between the two girls and then effectively leaping back to avoid any flying sharp objects. “Begin!”

“Ah, wait!” Colette still hadn’t taken out her weapons, which Seles knew she still held somewhere on her person. “If you wanted to just talk with your brother, we could—”

“That is not what I asked of you!” How stubborn was this girl? Seles gripped the handle of her bag tightly, recalling to her mind an arte. If this girl refused to fight, then she would just have to force her.

And she knew how few would expect her to know any of the skills she had tirelessly learned over the years.

For a moment, it looked like Colette would protest again. But Seles raised her hand, a shining flare hovering just above the girl’s head. 

Light magic had been one of the first things she learned, ever since she was a child. It was her mother who had taught her the Ray arte specifically.

She had hoped that the glaring light would prompt Colette to move, to accidentally rush right into a beam of magic that circled around her spot. But the girl, still with her wings out, remained still, watching the magic take place, and then raised her arms above her head.

The light hit something transparent that surrounded her for a moment, glittering with a green tint before fading away completely. Colette then raised her head. Her weapons, rings of metals that were as brilliant as her golden hair, were already clutched in her hands.

“If…if you want to fight, then okay! But just so you know, I’m going to try really, really hard!”

Seles wavered just then. She was befuddled, looking towards Colette who just had her eyebrows slightly lowered, her mouth barely in a frown. Was this girl making fun of her?

For a moment, it felt like the gleeful shouts of the crowd around her turned to jeers. 

“Argh, then just fight me already!” 

Not a spell this time, but she reached into her bag. The item was another gift from her mother, it’s magical properties giving her the ability to house what she needed, and to summon them at will. The star-stitched pattern on it glowed as it gave her what she seeked. 

The staff of the wand was nearly as large as her body, and the star atop it kept growing and growing, until it seemed impossible for someone such as her to wield it.

But her Exsphere made so many things possible for her. It gave her strength when she needed it, it let her breathe in the air more easily, and it let her move her legs when before, on her worse days, she’d have to rest on her knees.

Even if the Exsphere could not cure her, it gave her the appearance of someone who could hold her own. She had to make such a thing real.

She swung the wand right in front of her, stars falling all around her in a terrific storm, until it engulfed the girl in front of her. Just a flash of her violet wings, the shine of her weapons against the light of Seles’ wand. The stars were just a distraction, and her wand grazed Colette’s arm, prompting a surprised shout from her.

She took a quick glance. There was a tear in Colette’s sleeve, but no sign of a full injury. Seles huffed in frustration, putting the wand away back in her bag.

Colette watched the motion, somehow completely forgetting about the near scuffle from before. “Oh wow! That’s amazing! How does it fit in there?”

“Wh—That’s none of your business!” Why did this girl keep asking so many stupid questions!?

Seles needed to fight better, be more aggressive, lean more into what she had been training for. That was all there was to it.

She could hear the crowd’s shouts growing louder when she reached back into her bag. There was clear excitement in the air, the people already catching onto her abilities. Even Colette seemed to stare, which did instill a bit of nervousness within Seles. It doesn’t matter! I just have to beat her! The weapon she pulled out emitted a metallic sound, the blade scraping against its magical hold. 

Her sword’s hilt had been specially designed to fit her own hands—one of the few benefits of being part of the Mana Lineage, even for one who was banished to an island in the southern seas. She only lingered for a moment, getting used to the weight of the blade.

With a lunge, Seles aimed her strike at Colette, and yet, the girl already seemed to block it so easily? The chakrams may have been weapons, but they paled in comparison to the giant sword Seles wielded. They looked as frail as gold foil, and should have bent underneath her strength.

Because Seles knew she was strong—from her Exsphere, from her training, from her own will. Even the swordsmen Tokunaga had hired to train her had trouble deflecting her blows when she sparred with them. But instead, Colette knocked aside her attack, nearly upending her balance. It was those wings, bright and distracting, filling the air with trails of stardust in their wake.

“I’m so sorry,” Colette was saying. She still held fast to her chakrams, arms up in defense. “Are you hurt?”

Incredible words from her, when she had just been fighting a dragon, when her overcoat was still slightly frayed from Seles’ earlier attacks. But otherwise, this seemed to be a walk in the park for her.

Seles felt a strange wave of jealousy run through her, directed at this girl who probably didn’t feel her lungs burn. With a quick sheathe of the sword, Seles commanded the mana to store within her hands again. “Don’t you dare go easy on me!”

Pillars of ice erupted from where Colette stood. Sharp and tall, refracting the sunlight to blind the eyes. Seles felt the chill within her throat, controlling herself from coughing. For a moment, wings flickered away from existence.

But it was only because Colette tripped away from the spell.

This has to be a joke, Seles thought with disbelief.

Yet instead, the girl quickly got to her feet, brushing away the dirt from her dress. As if she had just fallen over a bend in the road instead of fighting for her life in battle.

She wasn’t taking Seles seriously!

“That was so quick!” Colette was now complimenting—complimenting!!—on her spellwork, still not using her chakrams to actually take the offense. “How did you—?”

“No! That’s enough!” Seles shouted, already calling forth another arte. “Stop asking me questions during our fight! You didn’t do this for anyone else!”

Colette paused. She still hovered above the ground, wings fluttering before her. The unforgiving sunlight made her golden hair burn.

“If you truly don’t want to fight me, then forfeit right now, instead of trying to so clearly stall it.” Seles clutched her bag handle so tightly that it hurt, that it made her palm ache so much. “Don’t treat my challenge as something so trivial.”

Her whole existence has been both trivial and troublesome to many. In the coliseum, it shouldn’t have no longer mattered. The only importance was knowing who was stronger, and that was it.

Even with the crowd still cheering, some of them chanting for Colette, the other for Seles, (though some must have not known who Seles truly was, or they would never cheer for her in the first place) both girls stood their ground, facing the other. The arte was ready on Seles’ tongue, her right hand held up to the sky, waiting.

Then, after an eternity, Colette nodded. “Okay. I’m sorry.” She held out her weapons, and in that moment, there was something different in her eyes, a resolve that didn’t feel unfamiliar. “I’ll fight you if it’s the only way.”

Seles didn’t answer her. She already had the chant for Prism Sword, circling over and over in her mind. The arte descended onto Colette almost immediately, but she had seen the Sylvaranti Chosen endure much more than that. 

She still needed to win.

--

But soon, Seles understood what it meant to fight against true angelic strength. 

It was what the dragon had faced before with Colette, and now Seles had taken the dragon’s place. The forceful barrage of chakram thrusts, and the occasional spell of light that rained down from the sky kept Seles on her toes, kept her rushing across the field of the coliseum, dirt staining her dress, her hair already matted with sweat beneath her hat.

The Sylvaranti Chosen still said the occasional ‘Oops!’ and ‘Uh oh’ throughout their battle, but fought with more precision now. She was relentless, her wings framing her as she met Seles’ sword strikes with her circular blades. Seles noticed how the girl’s arms didn’t tremble, even as blood leaked from her palms from where the chakrams bit at her skin.

Occasionally, Seles would switch to her other weapons; her wand, her giant hammer, the shape of a planet as its head, but her sword was the most reliable. She met Colette’s strikes, and quickly put it away when she would revert to her spellcasting. 

But the problem was that Seles’ endurance, even with her Exsphere, had never been that strong. She was getting exhausted.

“Looks like Super Girl has her opponent on the ropes!” The announcer’s voice was unexpected, surprising Seles out of her stance and aiming her Freeze Lancer to the wrong side. She groaned in frustration and restarted her spell.

The noise was getting to be too much, and that annoying host was not helping at all!

Just keep going. Another arte…then I can catch her off guard!  

Then, she heard someone call out to her.

“...eles! Seles!!”

What? Seles couldn’t help but turn to the right, to the seats that faced them and the people waving, eager to see the pandemonium that was occurring. On one of those seats, she saw a familiar face, the figure wearing an awful red coat, his brown hair unkempt as he was watching the scene and cheering. Was that not one of her brother’s attendants? He must have left the lobby to get a better view of the fight. But then who was—

“Hey! Seles!”

Another quick glance to the right, near the bottom of the circular row of seats, and she saw Zelos. He was gripping the edge of the coliseum wall, his red hair tumbling past his face. “What are you doing?!”

He looked worried. He looked frightened for her. Seeing him in the crowd, that look froze her in place, made her forget the words to her arte.

Zelos looked at her as if she would break apart at any moment. 

“Judgment!”

The call for the spell was the only thing that brought Seles back to the battlefield, even if for a second too late. As beams of light rained down, she quickly pulled out another item from her bag; a giant shield with a star engraved in the center, and wings fanning out at the sides. It was as large as her entire body, and she lifted the metal over her head to withstand the magic attacks that rained down from the skies, like the wrath of heaven. The force of it was intense, enough to blow away the hat off her head and flutter off in an unseen direction.

And then, before the spell was even finished, she saw Colette fly towards her to attack.

Seles was going to lose.

Still, with shaking arms, she placed the shield back in front of her to block the girl’s chakram blows. They felt as heavy as iron sledges against her shield, and she saw how the weapons glowed with angelic power. This really is the power of the Chosen, she thought to herself in both awe and fear. I can’t fight against it.

And with that thought, the ache in her arms became nigh overwhelming. Another attack from Colette, a thrust from her chakram to leave a cut against the star design of her shield, and Seles crumpled to the ground. She let go of both the shield and bag, the latter spilling out her sword up to middle part of the blade from its opening. The bag’s insides were full of dazzling colors, the magic still trying to work but with no wielder to guide it. 

“No! Not…not yet, I…” Seles could only lift herself to her knees, but couldn’t push herself further. Colette was still a bit of distance away, her weapons held before her, and her wings still shining so brilliantly.

Seles shut her eyes to the sight and her ears to the crowd. She didn’t want to hear the referee announce her defeat, and simply knelt there to wait. It’s over. I didn’t win. She pressed her hands to her knees, crumpling the dress in her fingers. Zelos won’t ever accept me now.

“Seles?” Another call for her name, but this was time, it was calm. It was sincere. A mixture of shadow and light fell over her. “Are you okay?”

A hand reached out to her, the palms slightly callused, with a sharp cut drawn across. The red was almost blinding.

“No! Just…leave me alone. You won.” You’re stronger than me…better than me. It was no wonder then that this girl was the Chosen in her own right.

Seles’ hands were hurting. They ached, and they stung. Her palms felt raw, as if the skin would break at any moment. Except… Colette’s hands are already bleeding.

“Seles! This…this must be some kind of mistake.” Tokuaga was already by her side, kneeling in the dirt with her. A hand gently pressed on her shoulder.

The man had so much faith in her that she could not live up to. For a moment, she couldn’t even look at him. “I wasn’t strong enough. That’s all.” With shaking knees, Seles got to her feet, making sure to grab both her bag, all items pushed inside it, and her hat. She was already out of breath. The crowd around her was too much now, making her want to hide.

Colette was still looking at her, the hand she had offered now lowered. But she didn’t move away.

“Maybe… we can talk now? Since we’re done fighting?” Colette quickly sheathed her chakrams, both her hands already empty though they must have ached terribly.

Seles tried to steady her voice even as her lungs struggled. That and the crowd’s constant yelling was giving her a headache. “I don’t want to talk! You’ve gotten your victory. Is that not enough?” 

She was further weakening herself this way, so she rushed back to the walls of the coliseum. She didn’t hear Tokunaga go after her. Perhaps he realized this plan was foolish now that she couldn’t fulfill her part no matter what.

“Please, understand Seles’ feelings…”

Already she was through the door, rushing past some badgering guards, past the nurse who had been looking at her like she would fall apart at the seams. But at some point, she must have stopped to catch her breath, placing a hand over her chest and waiting for her body to finally calm down. 

Instead, it only worsened, her body shaking from the strain of all the fighting. She had pushed herself beyond what she was used to, and even her Exsphere wasn’t enough to keep her from feeling the effects. If just one fight was enough to get her this winded, then how could she think she would be able to travel with her brother?

“Seles?”

It wasn’t Tokunaga’s voice that called out to her, like she expected. It wasn’t even Zelos’ voice, even though he had called out to her in the coliseum. 

She turned to see Colette rushing up to her. Her wings had vanished, leaving just a girl in her white overcoat, and her hair a little frayed from the fight.

Apparently, challenging this girl had been her poorest decision yet.

“Why are you… Go away!” Seles snapped before Colette could even reach her. She felt so sick and lightheaded. She needed to close her eyes. “What more do you want? Can’t you see I can barely even stand now?”

Just a weak girl that everyone just wanted to shut away in the Abbey. Out of sight, out of mind.

When someone clasped her hand, she flinched, but she didn’t pull away. The hand had a roughness to it, and she felt the fresh cut over her own palm. Opening her eyes, Colette was holding her hand with a smile on her face.

“There was a time, not long ago, that I was barely able to walk on my own. I felt like I was letting everyone down.” Colette’s voice was gentle, held with patience that Seles had trouble understanding just why. “I’m sorry you’re feeling the same… But, in our fight, you were strong. And I think a lot of people can see that.”

The way the Chosen drove to the core of Seles’ fears unnerved her. But she no longer felt as sick as before, though her head still occasionally pounded. She didn’t even feel in danger of falling anymore, somehow more calm than what she felt just minutes before.

“Tokunaga told me why you’re here. And that you wanted to join Zelos on our journey. I think that would be amazing if you could!” Colette gripped her hand warmly, and the grin she had on her face didn’t seem to be false.

“But…why would you care about that? You barely know me.” 

Colette blinked, but she seemed to consider her answer, going by the soft ‘um’ sound she uttered. “Well, it’s fun to make new friends. And I’ve made so many on this journey. Maybe you can, too.”

Seles had no idea what Colette meant by all this. She wondered then what Zelos really thought about this girl.

She shook her head. “I doubt big brother would want me to join…especially after I lost.” The plan was for me to win, so he would have to accept me. But since Colette beat me, there’s no way that—

“I can ask him if you can join!”

Seles raised her head. “What?”

“I can ask him!” Colette nodded. “And maybe Lloyd can, too. And Genis, and everyone else! I’m sure Zelos is just worried about your health, but if we all look out for each other like we always do, then it should be okay.”

“Do you really think it would be that easy?” Seles asked pointedly. She didn’t want false hope, after a life of denial. “If there’s one thing I know about my big brother, it’s that he’s stubborn.”

“Hm, but he might change his mind on something if a girl asks him to? At least, that’s what he’s said before!”

“...He said that?” Seles seethed inwardly. So she IS a floozie!

“Yes! Or he might have been joking. It’s hard to tell with him sometimes.” Colette still hadn’t let go of her hand, seemingly so insistent on staying connected.

“I don’t… I’m not sure.” But she was feeling better, somehow. Just talking about this seemed to lift away the weight from her chest. A question soon nagged at her, demanding an answer. “How did you get better? If you were also weak?”

“It took…a while,” Colette answered. The color in her eyes seemed muted then, at the mention of a past Seles didn’t know of. “And, not everything has been fixed, if that’s what you mean. The noises of the crowds here are actually a lot for me still. And I still get ill sometimes whenever I push myself. It’s…a balancing act, almost.”

Something about that made Seles a little saddened. Maybe this weakness was not something one could fully escape from.

“But that’s why I think I can convince Zelos to let you come along! He knows I get this way too, and that I’m still trying my best. He’ll understand that you’re doing the same!”

“Are you sure?” Seles had to ask once more, but the hope was strong. “I shouldn’t let others talk for me. I need to ask him myself.”

“Would it still be okay if I was with you when you ask him?” 

Colette was looking at her like some eager puppy, with her constant questions and encouragement. Seles was not used to such a thing. “I…I suppose so! Also, you can let go of my hand now.”

“Ah, I’m sorry.” Colette immediately let go with a nervous giggle. “I didn’t realize I was doing that.”

“...How did you not—Never mind.” Seles flexed the hand Colette had been holding. She couldn’t recall the last time someone had held her hand for such a time, except for when she was a child. 

“I don’t understand why you’re being so kind to me,” she said without meaning to. Instantly, she regretted it. The words made her sound so petulant and young.

But Colette answered her with sincerity, still.

“I think it’s important to be kind. More than anything.” Colette turned slightly to her left, down back to the lobby where Seles had initially waited. “I think I heard Zelos and Lloyd just now. They’re looking for you.”

Seles noted how Colette didn’t mention how they were searching for the both of them. It would make sense they would seek out their companion. But for Seles?

Maybe she could do this.

“Okay, let’s go talk to them before I change my mind about this,” she said with quickness. “And… I would appreciate if you were there with me.”

“Of course! I’m so glad we’re friends now.”

Seles didn’t exactly admit to that, but she couldn’t deny that the idea was a bit tempting. She never had another friend her age…

Before she knew it, Colette linked her arm with Seles, and with a strength that belied her appearance, she guided the other girl back to the lobby. “Let’s go then!”

“I… Is this what friends do?!” she asked, already being dragged away.

But she didn’t pull out of the hold, or refuse Colette’s help when she felt her own steps begin to falter. 

Perhaps asking for aid wasn’t as much of a weakness as she once feared.