Tales of Symphonia: Aftershock (Part 1- Darkness Returns)

[Kurosaki]

"I wouldn't mind sleeping under the stars actually," I commented as my answer to Jeremy, instead of directly saying no. "If always wanted to do that, and I can save money that way, so I guess I'll just crash outside the inn if thats okay." Of course, sleeping in the sand probably wouldn't be fun, but meh.

 

[Raichu Master]

OOC: Oddly enough...this is the first RP I've been in where the girls out number the guys... XD

IC: Jeremy snorted angerly, he was trying to be nice. "Well just make sure you don't have a scimitar through your ribs when you wake up!" Jeremy snapped, and then stood up, squaring his shoulders and sizing David up for the first time, ready for a fight.

OOC: Down Jeremy down! XD

 

[Miyu-chan]

Yoshiko glanced on, clearly horrified.

"Err..." she started. "Maybe you two can have seperate rooms - and then we girls can cram alittle."

"Just... calm down..." she said, a hint of pleading in her tone, her eyes watering.

 

[Kurosaki]

"If I had a scimitar through my ribs chances are I wouldn't wake up." I muttered, as I began to walk towards the exit. "And don't worry about it, I don't mind sleeping outside, and I don't want you girls feel crammed." I calld back to Yoshiko.

OOC: Well if you wanna be the only guy RM I can gender flip David. :P

 

[Raichu Master]

"You can have my room," Jeremy growled at Yoshiko as he whipped out his scimitar and stocked off after David, leaving Yoshiko with his room number.

"What!" Jeremy yelled after David as he exited the Inn right after David. "Afraid to fight like the would-be hero you should be? Or are you just a freakin' loser whose living a lie, someone like me!" Jeremy continued, his voice quivering with a hint of disdain towards himself and the raging anger that was dwelled up in him. Jeremy spun his scimitar with the flick of his wrist as a warning and continued after David.

OOC: *closes eyes* This isn't going to be good...

 

[Kurosaki]

"A 'would-be hero' as you call it, wouldn't fight his own comrades, nor am I going to. I have no intention, nor do I want to fight. Also, don't try to get me to fight by making fun of me like you are, I'm no that weak, but I can't be too sure about you." After saying my full, I continued to walk away from the building even farther.

 

[Raichu Master]

"I'm the freakin' loser whose living a lie!" Jeremy said, his tears streaming down his face, he couldn't hold it in any longer. "I was calling you as weak as me!" Jeremy said before he through his scimitar, tip first, into the ground and stocked off in the opposite direction of David, and away from the inn.

Jeremy wiped the tears that stung his eyes when he made it to Triet's Northern edge. Laying down, propped up beside the back of a building, Jeremy slowly sniffled himself to sleep, not knowing what to do now.

 

[Kurosaki]

OOC: What is this? "Tales of Symphonia: The Drama?" XD

IC: As he left the area, I didn't feel a drop of sympathy for him. He had it coming, if he hadn't attacked me like that, I wouldn't have defended myself. I knew the whole time, however, that if I was to fight him, I would've been screwed, since a bow isn't effective at all at close range. I needed time to think though, about what I was going to do, so I re-entered the inn, and went up to the roof, where I could think in peace.

 

[Shadowfaith]

?Awesome? Rei yelled as she came across a small charm bracelet than enhanced her strength. For the past half hour she had been roaming through the desert city trying these abnormal things out before placing them back on the shelf. She just couldn?t believe the things they were selling in this world?she had never seen such interesting objects.

She rounded a corner and almost collided with a small dog, its head tilted to the side as it glanced at her and Rei could not help but stood down low and run her hand through its glossy (though sandy) fur.

It pressed into her palm and she could have sworn she heard it whimper as she pulled away to walk on. She chuckled lightly and walked onwards toward the opposite end of the city. She was surprised to see it follow her.

She glanced over her shoulder and found the dog had not left her side, its tongue was now dangling out of its mouth as it padded along behind her?its tail, she noted was also wagging back and forth in excitement.

She grinned and stooped down once again to scratch it behind the ears. ?Guess your not going to be leaving me alone anytime soon are you??

It barked happily and bounded up to lick at her face; she giggled and pushed it off gently. ?Well you might as well come and keep my company? She announced, she didn?t expect the dog to answer her or even understand her, but it seemed content on following her none the less.

Upon reaching the far end of the city, the sound of weeping caught her attention and her curiosity got the better of her as she wound around the corner of a near by building. She was surprised to say the least, there with his back against the building was Jeremy, crying into the sleeve of his ragged shirt.

Rei looked around at first to check if there had been any signs of an attack, but there was none. She slowly approached, the dog not far behind her and came to a stop in front of the weeping teen ?Hey Jeremy, what?s wrong?you?re the last person I would expect to be crying? she muttered, unsure of what exactly to say ?What happened??

 

[Raichu Master]

Jeremy dried his eyes, and made a feeble attempt to look like he had never was crying, but sniffles broke the semi-even expression. "Disgusted at who I've become," Jeremy said, after a moment over trying to calm himself. "I thought since I was with a group of supposedly 'good people' that it might rub off on me. I was wrong. I pick pocketed a man as he walked by me, knowing that I'd need money for a room at the Inn. I stole a loaf of bread another street rat in Triet, so I could eat without starving. I got into a fight with David, no surpise there, but it showed me how disgusting a person I really am," Jeremy added flatly, he was shocked by how straight forward he was being with Rei. He had promised himself that he would keep his problems his problems and not burden anybody.

Jeremy got to his feet, too lightheaded from his sobbing, and leaned against the building wall for support. He gave a helpless chuckle, it all seemed ironic to him. Here he was, the street rat, regretting to be a street rat, and opening up to someone he barely knew, and that's the last thing anyone with common sense would do.

 

[Shadowfaith]

Rei sighed at the story she had been told?a street rat? She had guessed this before of course, the teen?s sense of dress was a clean give away to what he was. But why was it his fault of what he was? This is how he made a living was it not? He had to live someway.

But granted, his personality could change somewhat to what it was now?all the group had shown him was understanding and sympathy and he had practically thrown it back in their faces.

Her eyes followed Jeremy has he pushed himself to his feet and lent against the building once again, his form was hunched and he looked?broken. Rei ran a hand through her hair and aloud a breath to pass by her lips, up to this moment, she hadn?t been sure of what to say to the pouting teen.

?You can?t change who you are, Jeremy. You can act it, but you can?t change it just like that, it takes time?and we have?what...? She made a scene of counting her fingers ??known you for about a day at the most?give us a chance and we will give you a chance? She grinned ?I think that?s a fair trade, don?t you??

She patted him on the shoulder and gave him a genuine smile ?As for this thief stuff?you never know when it can come in handy on this trip, you have your uses, Jeremy and I?m sure that you don?t WANT to be who you are?of course you don?t?you wouldn?t have tried to change otherwise! You have to make a living, dontchia...not exactly gonna live long if you don?t eat?

She turned her gaze towards the ground where the dog was not rubbing his fuzzy cheek on her clothed leg, she smiled ?Look at what I found?he won?t leave me alone?not that I?m complaining or anything?Mom wasn?t exactly keen on letting me have a dog?aint he cute??

 

[Lil' Schu]

The seventeen-year-old shook the sand off herself and headed to the inn. Lauren noticed that Rei and Jeremy were in a corner outside the inn and that they seemed to be talking quietly. She shook off the feeling of being left out and headed to the inn. David was sitting outside, deep in his own thoughts.

She pushed open the creaky door and let herself bask in the cold, refreshing air. The only person she could see in there was Yoshiko. Lauren willed herslef to walk over to her, not knowing what was going on, or knowing if she wanted to know. The curious side of the blonde got the best of her though, and she asked Yoshiko, "Um...D'you happen to know what's going on here? Something doesn't seem right..."

Even out loud, it sounded stupid.

 

[Raichu Master]

Jeremy couldn't help but chuckle as he nodded slowly. "I suppose your right," Jeremy muttered half heartedly. The truth was...he did choose to live like he had, he was lazy, and didn't want to work to live, he wanted the easy way out. That was until...he met this group of people, and his whole perspective did a 180 all of a sudden.

Jeremy then smiled at her comment, not a forced or sarcastic smile, but for the first time, genuine. He decided, if he was going to change, he couldn't just sit around waiting for it to happen, that's how he became a street rat, waiting for his life to suddenly become better. He would have to try, work to better himself, like everyone else. "The finest pup, I ever seen," Jeremy smiled, "Which isn't saying much, since the only dogs I ever see are street dogs, who eat out of garbage cans. Feisty little things. Got into a dog fight with acouple of them over a few slices of pizza, stupid huh?"

 

[Kurosaki]

I was still atop the roof, partially admiring the sunset in the distance, partially thinking to myself. It had been a long day, and I didn't want to repeat the mistakes I had made. I was thinking of leaving them, as I would soon become a brden to them, which was something I now didn't want. What I really wanted, was someone to talk to.

 

[Lil' Schu]

For once in her life, Lauren was too impatient to find out an answer. She was going to take matters into her own hands, and the only way she was going to do that was going to talk to David or Jeremy. Seeing as Jeremy had Rei, Lauren went outside to talk to David. She climbed up to the roof.

"Hey. You alright?" She knew he wasn't, but it seemed like a good opener.

 

[Miyu-chan]

((OOC: You didn't wait for me... ;-; ))

IC: Yoshiko stared dumbly at Lauren, trying to catch ahold of her brimming tears. She just stared at her retreating backside for a few seconds, for Lauren was getting nothing from her. Feeling guilty for not replying to her question, Yoshiko followed her - to see that she went to David's side.

"Hey, you alright?" the blonde asked. Yoshiko smiled, in dispite of herself. Underneath her impatentness, she was a kind person after all.

Yoshiko nodded behind her. "Yeah, I was so worried... I was afraid..." she trailed off, not wanting to say - or even think the rest of the sentence.

 

[Shadowfaith]

Was that a smile she had gotten out of him? Rei couldn?t help but give a wide knowing grin when the smile crossed his features. ?Ahah! Finally a smile, I knew I could get one out of you yet!? She yelled triumphantly, crossing her arms in proud smugness of the moment. She loved winning, but she also loved helping others.

She knelt down to ruffle the dog?s neat fur and giggled as it balanced on her knee and took a sweeping lick at her nose. She cast her amber gaze up at Jeremy and nodded to the dog ?Finest Pup, huh? Well?I think it?s safe to say this is not your typical street dog?it probably belongs to someone, I mean?it?s not exactly scruffy?

She could see no dog collar and the dog wasn?t exactly near any place in particular when she had found it. She shrugged ?May as well take it with me if no one claims it from me before we leave tomorrow?

?Got into a dog fight with a couple of them over a few slices of pizza, stupid huh?" Jeremy had said, letting a small laugh escape his lips, Rei giggled and nodded ?yeah?pretty stupid?but then its survival of the fittest when you?re out on the streets, eh?? She stood up and ran a hand through her hair ?Wanna head back to the Inn?its getting pretty late and we wanna be at our fittest tomorrow when we cross that desert again?

?They had to cross that blasted thing again?she sighed? ?Actually, I think Ill sleep outside with the dog?make sure it doesn?t get itself into trouble?don?t think the Inn would accept a dog inside?do you??

 

[Raichu Master]

"I think..." but before Jeremy could finish his sentence, Rei pressed on as she said she'd sleep outside with the dog.

"I don't think that the inn would allow dogs in their rooms, or even in their building," Jeremy agreed. With a sigh, Jeremy just sat back down on the sandy floor and looked over to Rei. "The desert is really comfortable at night, even though it's chilly for some. Living on the streets, you have to get used to steep changes in temperature. I'll be sleeping outside. I caused enough contraversy tonight. Best to start anew in the morning."

Jeremy then proceeded to lay on his back, putting his hands between the back of his head and the ground. "I always liked the stars...even though that light pollution stuff drowns out most of it where I come from, their still a pretty sight. Out here, no light pollution, and splendidly clear night...who could ask for more?" Jeremy said as much to himself as to anyone else. There is indeed more compassion in this boy than meets the eye.

 

[Shadowfaith]

Rei titled her head, this boy was really something, and he had multiple personalities and could apparently be a very genuine guy if he felt like it. Rei smiled down at him as he had now lowered himself to the floor and was lying on his back looking up at the stars. He was now muttering things about liking the stars, but not being able to see them from where he came from. She gave him an understanding smile this time and she to took to looking at the stars.

?I know what you mean?I think there is something about them?almost something magical.? She giggled ?Sounds weird huh? But it?s what I have always thought.? She too lowered herself onto the surprisingly comfy sand and found that the dog mimicked her movements and sprawled itself across her legs. She grinned?it was like the dog was her counterpart or something.

She snorted a laugh and lastly lowered her head so that she way lying beside Jeremy in the exact same position. ?Me and my dad use to look at the stars before he died, it was one of the many things that we would always do, but even when he died I still looked at the stars, every night?where I lived there was hardly no pollution, we lived in the country?you could always see the stars?as long as there weren?t any clouds or anything?y?know?

She sighed and looked at Jeremy, who still had his eyes focussed on the stars above. She smiled and she fell silent after that. This was a strange night, here she was in a foreign land?terribly foreign and furthermore?she was in some sort of desert with some of the most interesting people she had met in her life. She couldn?t help the grin that spread across her slightly tanned features.

 

[Raichu Master]

Jeremy chuckled at the pup's antics and listened carefully, more carefully than Rei might have known, to every word she spoke. There was definitely something about this girl that made him feel comfortable.

There was much more to Jeremy than met the eye, at first glance, one might think him a hoodlum, but once he opened up to someone, he revealed what he had crammed into his brain for his whole life.

"Most definitely something magical about them," Jeremy agreed as he examined them a bit further. "If I didn't know better...I'd say that it was the exact same sky..." Jeremy recognized several constalliations that he had known from going into libraries and spending time studying star maps. Stargazing was the only hobby he could truthfully say he had. "Seems weird don't it? Or maybe it doesn't if you think about it. This world is tied in directly with our world. So it would only make sense that this world is earth and that the rest of the heavens, no matter what name they give them, are the same as well," Jeremy said.

He loved philosophy too, and was a bit embarrassed by his often riddling and random questions about life. Although he couldn't read, so he couldn't read philosophies, he came up with his own, using the common sense obtained by living where he did.

"I never really knew my parents..." Jeremy said, this time in a soft voice, intended for only him to hear, but Rei was close enough to him that she could probably easily hear him. Rei mentioning her father, sent him searching for any recollection of his own heritage. "...they both died when I was an infant..." Jeremy continued, trying to keep his thoughts in his head, but they found their way out of his mouth.