//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 - Meetings // Story: Tales of Symphonia: Quest for Harmony // by Aleria_Lief //------------------------------// Twilight woke with a massive headache "Ugh, what in the world happened...?" She mumbled siting up slowly and looking around. she was surrounded by white hot sand. It was so hot here she already felt thirsty. "What the...I was in the forest before..." she said loud looking around for her friends but there was no but spike one around. She sighed just her luck she was all alone in the dessert. She grumbled under her breath "Pinkiepie just had the step on the thing...." she stood "Guess I should find shelter." she said then looked down at Spike "Well I guess I could stay here a while longer..." she waited on spike to wake up from his nap. A few hours later spike woke up and stretched "Its nice here!" he said happily. twilight groaned "I disagree...this is awful... I'm going to pass out if we don't find shelter soon." "Come on twilight it's not that bad!" "Spike your a dragon....you enjoy the heat..." "Oh right...So where is every one else?" "I don't know...Lets have a look around they might be near by!" She said lifting him and her saddle bags with great effort. That's odd I have never had trouble lifting Spike..... She thought before starting to walk. Twenty minutes of walking through the hot arid dessert they had not found anyone. Twilight sighed "Still nothing....now what Spike?" "Well you could try magic." "A location spell! Spike your a genius!" She yelled. Spike hopped off her back as she began to try and cast the location spell. At first nothing happened, like she wasn't even trying to cast a spell. She made a face and tried harder. She felt as if the spell was just out of reach and all she had to do was push her self a little more. Just as she thought pushing her self did cause a form of magical reaction; however, it was not the one she was looking for. When she finally grabbed the energy it blew up with intense heat catching her horn on fire. She screamed and called for help. A tall silver haired healer and her younger brother walked through the Triet dessert towards Iselia. They were heading home to meet with Lloyd and Kratos to make a yearly report on the progress they had made. Traveling to convince humans to accept half elves was not an easy job but it had to be done. Much like the task Lloyd and Kratos had taken on. They intended to rid the world of exspheres. It had taken a lot of convincing to get Kratos to stay and help but in the end Kratos stayed to be with Lloyd. Raine sighed, when she looked back, it was hard to believe it was all over. She looked down at her little brother and smiled he had changed so much since then. He accepted humans and strove to have then accept him. Before, he hated all but Lloyd and Colette but they had a big impact on him. It made her proud to be their teacher even if Lloyd never really learned anything. She was knocked out of her thoughts by the cry of a monster. "Genis be on guard!" she yelled pulling out her staff. Then, ran to investigate. "S-sis!" Genis called then ran after her. They found the source of the noise was a strange purple horse like monster with a flaming horn running around madly. "Genis quickly cast a water spell to put out the fire that should stun it long enough for me to study it." "R-right." Genis said casting spread so his sister wouldn't smack him again. "Spread!" he yelled as water enveloped the strange monster and put out the flame. The "monster" sighed "Thank you! I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come along..." Raine gasped "You can talk!" "Ummmm yes...." "What are you?" "I'm a pony of course what are you?" "We're half elves...and are you sure your a pony? Ponies don't talk....." "Of course we do! Now what the hay is a half elve?" "Your not from around here are you?" "Well of course not Genis! This is a new species!" Raine yelled with stars in her eyes "I must learn everything about you!" "Oh well I guess I could answer a few questions..." she said backing up "but I really need to find my friends first...." Genis sighed "We're heading toward Iselia you should come with us. We might run into your friends or our friends might be able to help you look." "Okay..." she said looking at Raine slightly weary of her. Lloyd sighed, it had been a long day, but still he knew what he was doing had to be done. Many people were reluctant to give up their exspheres but he couldn't stop. He had heard every argument as to why they should keep them but the two that hurt the most was "Why should we give ours up while you keep yours?" and "You mean to make the people used to make these exspheres die in vain?" The second one had hurt him so much that Kratos had to step in. He sighed and remember the events of the day. It was his first encounter with the excuse of honoring the dead by keeping their exspheres and he had no defense for it so his father stepped in. "The people used to make those exspheres are still there eternally trapped. Do you intend to keep them there for the rest of time? Forever suffering? What if that was your loved one? Would you not want them set free?" Kratos' words convinced the crowds of people to give up their exspheres and he had set them free just a few moments ago. He smiled happy his father had decided not to leave him. Kratos walked over to Lloyd and placed his hand on his shoulder "Are you all right?" "Y-yeah...why would you ask?" Lloyd answered him. "What that man in the village said seemed to have upset you." "I'm fine I just wasn't expecting that...thanks dad..." He smiled at being called that name "When your done gathering the other exspheres do you intend to give up your exsphere as well?" "Yes of course" Lloyd said "You will give yours up too right?" The smile on his face disappeared "Yes I will....When the time comes I'll give up my Cruxis Crystal..." he said looking sad. "Everything alright Dad?" "Yes" he said going back to his famous one word responses and walking off. "Well....that was nice while it lasted....I'm going to bed..." Lloyd said walking over to his sleeping bag and dosing off. The next morning Lloyd woke to the smell of food meaning Kratos had cooked him breakfast again. "You know I can cook too." "I was already up keeping watch so I cooked." he said as if cooking was an after thought. "I can keep watch too." "You need rest." "So do you." "Lloyd I'm an angel I don't require sleep." "Yeah until you run your self into the ground...." he grumbled. Pinkiepie hopped through the forest humming and looking for everyone else "I looooove hid and sneak!" She giggled "Twilight? where are yoooooou?" Then she smelled food and he stomach growled "Ooooh I guess we should eat good Idea guys!" she hopped towards the smell stopping when she saw it wasn't her friends "Ummm oops you guys aren't my friends..." she looked a little sad "Can I join you? That food smells soooo good and I'm super hungry!" Lloyd smiled "Sure! Dad always makes too much anyway." Kratos stood staring at her with his hand on his sword. A pony? Does she know about this....? Pinkiepie sat down and began eating unfazed by Kratos' somewhat hostel posture. Kratos sighed and sat down as well but kept his eyes on her. Pinkiepie ate happily. "THIS IS GOOD!" she said. Kratos sighed and ate a small bit of food I will have to speak with her...perhaps she can shed some light on things.... "Sooo what are you two doing?" Pinkie asked "Heading to Iselia to meet our friends. Want to come?" "I would....but I need to find my friends...." "We'll help you! And maybe on our way to Iselia we'll find some of them! You should come with us." "Okay!" Pinkie said happily. Kratos sighed This is probably for the best...I'll need to keep an eye on her... Pinkie Pie frowned and popped up in front of Kratos "You should really smile more!" Kratos sighed and turned away from her "Hmpt!" Lloyd laughed "Aww come on dad smile a little." She popped in front of him again " I haven't met a pony I couldn't make smile yet!" "I'm not a pony." his words were final and he stood and walked away. She popped in front of him again blocking his path. "You don't have to be a pony to smile." He drew his sword "Move." She put on a half hearted frown "Awww somepony's cranky." She put on a smile and hopped to the side "Okie Dokie Lokie!" He put away his sword and walked away quietly. "Don't worry about it he is always like that. So um I forgot to ask what is your name?" "I'm Pinkie Pie!" "Lloyd Irving or um Aurion...I guess..." "Huh?" "It's a long story..." he said scratching the back of his head. Applejack woke in the middle of a field with a pounding headache. "Ugh what the hay did Pinkiepie get us into....?" She groaned standing. She looked around her friends were no were to be seen. She sighed "Well I guess I'll have a look around then..." Thirty minutes later she hadn't found anything but questions like "where was she?" "Why did she feel so week?" and "What happened to her friends?" she had began to feel discouraged. When she heard foot steps. "Who's there?" Regal and Presea were on their way back to Altamira after talking with the leaders of Sylvarant. He and Presea had become ambassadors for Tethe'alla. They attempted to sooth the hatred between the two countries, however this was not easy and Regal did still had a business to run. Regal looked at Presea "That went better then I expected...." "Yes..." was the only thing she said. He looked down ever since the journey of world regeneration he had taken on the response ability of watching over Presea. He regretted not being able to protect her or her sister from that experiment. Looking down he continued on his path to his office. They were almost there they heard a yell "Who's there?" Presea was was on guard as soon as they heard it "Somethings up ahead." Regal nodded "Lets go see." they arrived there and found a strange talking horse. "Ummm Hi....Who are you?" "Presea...." The pink haired girl answered "Regal....A talking horse...." The man said curiously. "My name is Applejack. I'm a pony, and just what the hay are you?" Apple corrected then asked him. "Human..." he said. Applejack sighed "I don't suppose you've seen my friends then...." "Your the only talking animal we've seen..." "I thought so...." Applejack sighed. "You can come with us I'm checking in with my office then we'll be off to Sylvarant. Perhaps we'll run into them." "Alright then I'll go with you..." "Probability people will be terrified of Applejack ninety-eight present." "Hmmm Your right Presea...Applejack you'll have to wait here until we return..."