So, I’m just gonna start off by saying that this was not at all what I had initially intended to write. XD You were going to get a Tales of Vesperia Western (yes, you read that right), and then I thought of doing a Tales of the Three Musketeers, but scratched that idea, too. At least for the time being, I’m so writing both of those, someday. This time, though, you’re getting something well and truly Tales of Symphonia. =D Complete with a healthy serving of angst.

I hope everyone enjoys!

Warning: SPOILERS FOR THE ENTIRE GAME. You have been warned.

~*~

Loyalty

~*~


“No, Anna! I cannot!”

“Please, Kratty. Please...”

Screaming Desians cut out the rest of the words exchanged between his partner and his partner’s mate. The next thing he heard was a wailing shriek, the ‘shing’ of a sword, and then...silence. It did not last, however, as Lloyd’s piercing cry took up the call. Then even that faded, suddenly, as the clanging of Desians’ armour took over a moment later. The cacophony was almost more than could be followed.

The disgruntled protozoan fought to figure out what was happening. He could not pick out individual scents, though; the stench of blood was far too overpowering.

Picking himself up from the bottom of the cliff, where he had been thrown by that...monster, Noishe tried to regain his bearings. Stabilising himself on shaky paws, he took a tentative step forward, one paw slipping in the slick, hot substance that was coating the grass.

Blood.

With a determined growl, the green and white creature moved to lunge forward, only to slip heavily in the red liquid with a force that sent him crashing to the ground. His own blood was adding to the mess staining the grass.

That thing that had hit him...it had been Anna. Why? Why would she attack her own son like that? Her family? It did not make sense, and nonsense terrified him.

The smell permeating the air was making him want to vomit; the air was thick and heavy, the scent of the dead and dying Desians overpowering every other sense. Even his ears felt clogged and stuffy. Lloyd’s cries were gone.

Lloyd... Lloyd!

Bounding back to his feet, Noishe moved to attempt walking again, only to yelp softly in pain. Glancing down at his paw, he realised he must have hurt it when he fell. Staggering forward with his right forepaw tucked under him, he made it several steps before his left paw landed on something cold and hard. Whining a bit, he glanced down.

At Anna’s exsphere...

Anna! Why had she done that? Had...this thing had something to do with that? It had fallen out when she hit him, had it not? That was...that was when her voice had returned, pleading with Kratos.

He knew what it was, he just did not want to accept it.

Picking up the exsphere in his mouth, Noishe grimaced a bit as the sharp taste of iron stung his tongue, yet he set off anyway, purple paws slapping hard against the sticky grass as he limped ahead.

He wandered for awhile. How long it actually was, he did not know, yet eventually he came across an abnormally large bloodstain. Several Desian corpses lay scattered around the area, though most were already being ravaged by monsters, yet that did not bother him. What did bother him was that, just for an instant, he caught a whiff of Lloyd. It was barely discernable over the sent of death, but it was undeniably Lloyd.

It was hard not to fear the worst.

Sitting back on his haunches, the protozoan tilted his head toward the partially-clouded moon and howled. Oh how he howled, his heart crying out in anguish. He had no idea how long he stayed like that; it could have been minutes, or hours, he really did not care.

Eventually, Noishe climbed back to his paws and set off, limping slowly. As he gained distance from the carnage, his nose twitched, picking up the subtle, but welcome, scent of Lloyd. The boy was alive! Well, at least he had moved. The distinct lack of a body fuelled the protozoan’s hope, though. Lloyd had been here, but had then moved. It was more than enough to press the animal-like creature to search for him. Lloyd had to be found.

Determination set in, and so Noishe set off at a staggering lope, nose frantically twitching as he searched. Kratos had always asked him to watch out for the boy; Noishe did not mean to break his partner’s trust, now. Especially not now.

As he travelled, the air freshened, leaving Lloyd’s scent clearer and easier to follow. Of course, that also led him to an unfamiliar odour. There was someone or something with Lloyd, and he meant to find out who or what. It was almost as the thought crossed his mind that the first sound reached his oversized ears.

Freezing, he listened, ears upright and alert to every sound the trees had to offer, be they the normal noises of prosperous woodland, or the unfamiliar ones he was looking for.

There it was again! It was some voice he had never heard before. Wait, now that he was not moving, he picked up a second voice...Anna!

Lunging forward, he burst into a small clearing to an interesting scene. There was a dwarf crouched over the still form of...what had been Anna. In the dwarf’s arms was an unconscious Lloyd. At the sight of him, the dwarf said something, yet it went over Noishe’s head as his entire being was focused on Lloyd. Walking over slowly, the huge creature lowered his head and nuzzled the messy mop of brunet hair on the top of Lloyd’s head. For an instant, the dwarf tensed. It was only when Noishe made it apparent that he was in no way shape or form a threat to the boy that he relaxed.

“Ah can’t say Ah’ve ever seen a dog like ya afore.”

Letting out a soft whine, Noishe turned his eyes to the still form of what was once Anna. Walking over, he nuzzled her head gently before raising his snout to the sky and letting a long, rumbling howl break free of his throat.

~*~



The following morning, Noishe was awakened by loud wails. He had spent the night outside the village, a small town where the dwarf had taken Lloyd for the night, yet his massive ears still had no difficulty picking up Lloyd’s cries.

Bounding to his feet, the clumsy animal took off at an awkward gallop, intent on getting to the mayor’s house, where they were bedding down, as quickly as he could. He was stopped at the door, however, as the overweight man streamed outside, muttering about annoying, loud babies. The mutters quickly turned into a stream of curses when he caught sight of the huge protozoan.

“Get out of here! Get! Filthy animal...”

Whining, Noishe stepped back a bit, but he did not leave. As long as Lloyd was crying, he would be nearby. Kratos would have nothing less.

Eventually, the dwarf appeared, carrying with him a sniffling brunet toddler. At the sight of Noishe, however, the young boy immediately perked up.

“Noishy!”

Letting out a soft, happy bark, the dog-like animal thrust his head forward so the child could stroke his soft fur.

Yes. He would stay by Lloyd. Kratos would come back...he had to.

~*~



It was decided that the dwarf, Dirk, would be living in the area. While Dirk set out building himself and the toddler living quarters, Lloyd lived at the home of the mayor, much to the elder’s chagrin. With the help of the townsfolk, it was amazing how quickly the cozy house went up. Barely a week after Noishe’s and Lloyd’s arrival, the building was done, allowing the newly-formed family of three to move in.

Lloyd settled in quickly. It was barely a day before the little boy was out, exploring the yard under the careful supervision of his guardians, both human and not.

Dirk was a carpenter, and the furnishings he was working on for the small house were beautiful. It would be awhile before everything was completed, but, for the time being, they were comfortable.

At least, Dirk and Lloyd were. Yet the way the little boy sometimes cried out for his parents when he was hurt or sleeping...that really bothered the protozoan.

About two weeks after the incident that had cost Anna her life, Noishe could no longer stand the whole ‘sitting and waiting’ deal. In his current form, communicating with humans verbally was impossible, so he could not tell the dwarf that Kratos was still out there. Noishe knew he was; he had to be. His partner would not let this stop him. Not while his son was still alive. So one morning, when it dawned overcast and drizzling, the protozoan left.

Paws hitting the damp earth in a steady one-two tempo, Noishe trotted back to the hilltop, the same place that he had last seen Kratos. Sniffing around, he did not manage to pick up any familiar scents. Even the bodies of the Desians were gone, along with all visible traces of blood.

He did not give up, however. Sensitive nose twitching, he combed the area. Eventually, the skies opened up, soaking him right through his thick coat and drawing shivers out of the odd creature. The wet grass bent under his weight, his paws splashing through the rapidly-forming puddles. Yet even the mud that was browning his snowy coat was not enough to stop him. He needed a sign, any sign, that Kratos was okay and would come back for them.

~*~

The day passed, with Sol slowly drifting down toward the horizon, even as the dark clouds hid it away. The rain had not stopped, though it had died down to a dreary drizzle by this point, yet still Noishe searched on.

Darkness was beginning to settle over the land by the time the protozoan made it to the top of the cliff from whence Anna had fallen. Seating himself on his haunches, Noishe looked around the area. His fur was plastered to his skin by this point, yet he was not quite ready to head for the dwarf’s home, yet. No, he had not found his partner, and no, he had not even found any sign that the seraph was still alive. He knew, though, that Kratos was. Kratos had to be alive still. He just did.

Tilting his nose to the sky, he howled. Somewhere up there, beneath the thick cloud cover, was Luna, and if anyone could hear his cry, she could. She would carry it to Kratos...right?

One way or another, Kratos would be back. He was sure of it.