Writing Kratos' Past (rated pg13)

[Kaimara]

[color=DeepSkyBlue]Ok, if anybody likes Tales of Symphonia...Read this, cuz' well.....I wouldn't say it's awesome, but I don't think it's terribly crappy either...:animeswea
anyways, here it is.....and I hope y'all like it![/color]
:animesmil

[center]Kratos' Past[/center]


Summary: Lloyd, Genis, Colette and Kratos find an injured girl, Katsumi, just after leaving The Village of Oracles, Iselia. Who is she and why does Kratos feel like he knows her?

[i]A/N Ok, I only own Katsumi and her little brother, Kenji. Tales of Symphonia belongs to whoever made it.
Now, on with the Story![/i]
:animesmil

[center]Prologue[/center]

[left]"C?mon, Kenji! If we wanna get to Triet, we gotta get moving!" Katsumi called to her little brother, Kenji as they walked along the pathway.

Katsumi was a tall girl of about twelve and was the eldest child of her family. Her hair was a dirt red colour and it was never tied up, it was always kept down to about shoulder height. Her eyes were blue and had a keen sense of determination to them. Katsumi always seemed to have a smile on her face and tried to remain optimistic, even when Desians attacked her Village.

"I?m coming!" Kenji huffed, "It?s not my fault you walk so fast!"

Although Kenji and Katsumi were supposedly related, they did not look alike at all. Kenji had jet-black hair that was short and spiked up. His eyes were a brown colour and they always seemed to be alive and full of emotion, being only ten, Kenji was naïve and always happy.

"Aw, quit your complaining," Katsumi stated, "The sooner we get there, the better! And besides ?"

Suddenly, Three Desians and one huge Desian with a large heavy mace appeared from the surrounding trees.

"We?re looking for the Chosen," One of them sneered, "Where is she?!?"

"We won?t tell you nothin?!" Kenji drew his sword in an attempt to be brave.

Katsumi turned to her little brother, shaking her head slowly, "Kenji, run. I?ll take care of these guys." She turned to the Desians; "We have no knowledge of where the Chosen is. Let us go free!"

"No, we won?t let you and your brother go anywhere," The Desian stated, "Men, get them!"

The Desians charged at Katsumi and her little brother. One raised his sword high and was about to strike Kenji. A clang of metal was heard Kenji brought his sword up to block the Desian?s assault.

Katsumi was fighting off two Desians unaware of where the Desian with the Mace was, until he struck her right arm with the heavy mace. As a result, the bones in her right arm were shattered.

Katsumi went flying and landed a few feet from where she was stuck. "Damn?" She looked at Kenji, her expression became fearful, "Kenji?" She switched her long sword to her left hand and slowly rose to her feet, "I?m coming, little brother."

Katsumi ran to assist her little brother, but she was too late, Kenji was knocked out and they were carrying him away.

Katsumi charged at the Desians, ready to strike them down, but the one with the Mace stayed behind. "Finish the girl off," He was instructed.

Katsumi skidded to a stop and held her right arm with her sword in hand, her arm was bleeding freely, and was throbbing with pain.

The Desian swung his mace, Katsumi only had a couple of seconds to dodge, and the mace barely missed her. The Desian swung his heavy mace again, this time connecting with Katsumi?s chest. She was flung back several feet and lay face down.

"Heh, heh, heh?" The Desian chuckled, "I guess you weren?t so tough after all?"

Katsumi rose to her knees, and faced the Desian, pure hatred reflected in her eyes, "Let?My brother?go?" And attempted to rise to her feet and succeeded.

"Hmm?Maybe you are stronger than I thought?Humph! Your life will be short lived!" The Desian rose his mace again.

"All I want?Is my brother back," Katsumi weakly pleaded, "Please?"

"If you want your brother back, come and claim him," And the Desian walked off.

Katsumi tried to run but was too weak and collapsed. She lay face down, unconscious.[/left]

-_-; uh....yeah...anyways, honest feedback would be appreciated! :animeswea



A/N: Italics are peoples? thoughts.


Chapter One
Who Are You?!?



"I don?t see why you have to bring children along, Colette," Kratos stated as himself, Genis, Lloyd and Colette walked along the pathway to Triet.

"They are my friends, Mr. Kratos, and they are skilled fighters," Colette explained, "And they aren?t being a burden. I?m a child too you know!" She giggled and Kratos sighed, not knowing why he came.

"Hey, there?s someone on the road!" Genis exclaimed, "She looks hurt!"

There was, indeed, a girl on the road, she lay face down, a puddle of blood formed beneath her.

"Holy crap! We gotta help her!" Lloyd broke into a run and knelt beside the girl. The others were close behind. "Turn her over, Lloyd!" Colette exclaimed, "We have to see how bad her injuries are!"

Lloyd did as he was told and turned her over, [i]I think I?m gonna be sick![/i]

"What?s wrong, Lloyd," Kratos inquired, "Never seen an injured girl before?"

"I think I?m going to be sick?" Lloyd admitted.

"Then go be sick, we won?t watch you," Colette said quickly while looking over the girl?s injuries, "And before you come back, try to find some water." She turned to Genis, "Genis, can you find some firewood, I have a feeling that we?ll be staying here for a little while."

Genis nodded, "Yeah, sure! I?ll be back soon!" and he ran off.

Colette?s expression became more serious and fearful, "What do you think happened, Mr. Kratos?"

"Hmm?" Kratos thought for a moment, "Colette, do you remember that big Desian, the one with the Mace?"

Colette nodded, "Uh-huh?What does that have to do with her injuries?" [i]What is Mr. Kratos getting at?[/i]

"These injuries seemed to be made from that mace, she must?ve been ambushed by those Desians that attacked you and your friends." Kratos explained.

"I see?" Colette?s expression became even more fearful, "We don?t have any bandages! How can we help her?!?" Then Colette got an idea. She took off her cloak and started ripping it into long thin strips, "We?ll just use what we have," She explained simply, "She needs it more than I do."

Kratos nodded, "I see your point."

Lloyd came back with a bucket of water in hand, "There was a well over there," He explained while pointing to a forest, "How is she?"

Colette sighed, "We?re doing what we can."

Genis came back with the firewood and set it up. He lit the fire with his magic.

Colette took one of the long strips of cloth and folded in half. Then she folded it again, and again until it was about ten centimeters long. "Lloyd, can you hold this?" Colette gave Lloyd the cloth.

"Uh, Ok." Lloyd accepted the cloth, "What?re you gonna do with it?"

Colette didn?t answer, she took off the girl?s cloak, revealing a sleeveless light blue shirt. "Can I have the cloth back, Lloyd?"

Lloyd handed back the cloth wordlessly.

Colette wet the cloth and started to clean the wound on the girl?s right arm. When she was done, she handed the cloth back to Lloyd and took another long strip of cloth, and wrapped it around the wound and tied the ends of the cloth up tight. Then, she turned to Lloyd and Genis, "You two turn around." She said.

"Why?" Genis and Lloyd asked in unison.

"Because we are tending to a girl and you two are boys." Colette explained.

"Yeah, so?" Lloyd stated.

"This girl has a serious injury in her chest. And you know what girls have?" Colette crossed her arms.

"?Aw ew!" Lloyd covered his eyes, "Don?t give me anymore details! I think I?m gonna barf again?" [i]But?It does sound appealing?[/i]

"I agree with Lloyd?Tell us when you?re done!" Genis stood up and was about to walk off, but instead he turned around and asked, "Why does Kratos get to stay?"

"Mr. Kratos is more mature than you and Lloyd." Colette explained, "Mr. Kratos doesn?t look at a women?s?upper area on purpose?"

"Whatever," Genis walked off, Lloyd followed.

Colette turned to Kratos, "Umm?Mr. Kratos, can you help me clean and bandage her wound?"

Kratos nodded, "Of course,"

Together, they quickly cleaned and bandaged the girl?s wound. All they could do was wait.

"You two can come back now!" Colette called to Lloyd and Genis.

"Finally!" Lloyd exclaimed, I think Kratos was taking his sweet, old time!" Lloyd shot a look at Kratos.

"Are you suggesting that I am a pervert?" Kratos inquired.

"No, all I?m saying is that ? " Lloyd didn?t finish his sentence.

A slight groan was heard from the girl as she slowly awoke.

"Hey, she woke up!" Genis cheered.

The girl looked at them all with fear in her eyes, which was quickly replaced with confusion, and then rage. "What have you done with my brother!" She hoarsely shouted.

Colette remained calm, "We have done nothing. We don?t even know your brother. Who are you, how did you get injured?"

The girl calmed down slightly, pondering whether she should trust them or not, "My name is Katsumi Yumé. My younger step-brother and I were ambushed by a few of Desians?" Katsumi choked back sobs, and wiped away her tears with the back of her left hand, "They?They took him?The Desians took him?"

"We?ll help you find your brother," Kratos reassured, "Until then, you can travel with us, if you wish."

"?" Katsumi started at Kratos, "D-do I know you?"

"?" Kratos was taken aback at the question, "I?m not sure,"

Katsumi quickly dismissed the thought and found that her wounds have been bandaged. She looked back up at the people infront of her and grinned half-heartedly, "Thank you."

Lloyd grinned, "No problem!"

"May I asked for your names?" Katsumi asked politely.

"Yeah, I?m Lloyd, this is Genis, this is Kratos and this is Colette, the Chosen."

"The?The Chosen?!? Do you know that the Desians attacked us because they were looking for you?!?" Katsumi calmed down after seeing the sadness in Colette?s eyes, "I?m not mad at you, Colette. I?m just scared about my brother."

Colette giggled, "Ok then. How?s your chest and arm?"

"Lemme check," Katsumi tried to shift her weight to her right arm, which collapsed instantly. Katsumi grimaced and then grinned, "I think I broke it." Then, she tried to stand up, her chest was hurting with an excruciating pain, so she sat back down, "Standing ain?t too smart right now, heh, oh well," Katsumi grinned, "It could be worse, I could?ve broken m?sword, and everything else in my body, heh."

Kratos smirked, "Always the optimist?"

"Yeah, I can?t help it, my step-mother said my Mom was like that too, before she died?Then my Dad couldn?t take care of me?She said that I had a brother, but I don?t know where he is, if he?s still alive?" Katsumi smirked, "I?ll find ?em. But ?fore then, I?ll find my step-brother, Kenji." Then she added quietly, "If those Desian bastards lay one finger on him?"

"Don?t worry!" Genis grinned, "We?ll find your brother!"

Colette nodded, "Yep! We?ll help you!"

"Thank you. You guys are so helpful. I will do what I can to help you guys." Katsumi turned to Colette, "Hey, you need to break the seals, right?"

Colette nodded.

"I?ll help you. I know where one or two of ?em are, heh." Katsumi gave the thumbs up.

"But before anything, I think we should all get some rest," Kratos crossed his arms, "I?ll watch out for Desians."

"Thanks, Mr. Kratos!" Colette exclaimed happily.

Everyone settled down and went to sleep, except for Katsumi. Kratos noticed this and inquired, "Why are you still up?"

"Can?t sleep." Katsumi replied, her hands behind her head.

"Why not?"

"I want to know where I remember you from."

"Sleep on it."

"You know where I know you from, don?t you, Kratos?"

"Possibly."

"I bet you do."

"Like I said, possibly."

"Are you a father, Kratos?"

"?"

"What?s that, couldn?t hear ya."

"?yes?"

"Where?re your kids?"

"I?m not sure?Do you remember your family at all?" It was obvious that Kratos was trying to change the subject.

Katsumi sighed, "I don?t remember anything before I turned eleven."

"I see?" Kratos sighed.

"Yeah, oh well?Maybe there?s something I don?t wanna remember?" Katsumi sighed.

"Katsumi?"

"Yeah?"

"I know who your father is," Kratos? voice trailed off.

Katsumi sat up, ignoring the excruciating pain in her chest, "Who?!?"


Chapter Two
A Disturbance?
And Training


"Who?s my father, Kratos?!?" Katsumi repeated, "Please! I must know!"

A rustle in the bushes was heard Kratos glanced up at them, they appeared not to be moving.

"Kratos, it was probably the wind," Katsumi reassured.

"Hmm," Kratos did not seem convinced.

A rustle in the bushes was heard again; Kratos drew his sword, "There is something in there," He warned.

"Pfft, Yeah, whatever Kratos," Katsumi laughed, "There ain't anything in the bushes!"

The rustle was heard once again, Kratos did not take his eyes off the bush as he prepared for an attack.

"Kratos?Kratos, you?re startin? to scare me?" Katsumi did her best not to look scared.

The rustle in the bushes was heard again. Kratos rose his sword in preparation to strike, but?

"Arf arf!"

The rustle in the bushes, was just Noishe, all this time. Kratos was startled and he fell on his butt.

"It?s just you Noishe," Kratos let out a sigh of relief.

"Jeez, and you thought it was a Desian, pfft?" Katsumi laughed.

"Humph, it could have been a Desian for all you know," Kratos retorted.

"Oh please," Katsumi giggled, "But still, Noishe scared the livin? piss outta ya!"

Then, Lloyd and Colette came running over, "Hey, what happened?" Colette inquired.

"Noishe scared Kratos?" Katsumi answered, still giggling, "He fell on his ass,"

"Awww, we missed it!" Lloyd complained.

"It could have been a Desian?" Kratos grumbled.

"It could?ve, might?ve?Wasn?t." Was all Katsumi said.

Colette giggled, "So true, Katsumi?So true?"

~~

As the days progressed, so did Katsumi?s condition. Two weeks after the ambush, she was able to train once more, although her right arm wasn?t healed up yet.

"?Ok, Kratos! Teach me all ya know!" Katsumi stated, her sword drawn and in her left hand.

"?Aren?t you right-handed?" Kratos asked confused.

"If I train with my left hand until my right arm heals, I?ll be able to defend myself. Plus, if I break either arm again, I?ll know how to use the other in combat. It?s simple!" Katsumi quickly explained with a smirk on her face, "Jeez, you sure are slow!"

"?" Kratos was silent for a moment, then drew his own long sword, "Ok, do you know how to do the Demon Fang?"

"?The Demon Fang??" Katsumi asked, "What?s that?"

"It?s a technique," Kratos quickly explained, "?Here, I?ll show you,"

He preformed the Demon Fang, and Katsumi suddenly remembered something.

"Hey! I know how to do that!" She cheered.

"?You just asked me what it was?" Kratos stated, confused.

"Well?yeah?But that was cuz? I didn?t remember it?Now I do! Ok, you see, when I was 8, this Mercenary came to our Village, and Kenji and I went to see him everyday, so he taught us techniques! Demon Fang was one o?them?and I?m SO happy! I remembered something!" She ran up to Kratos and hugged him tight, "Thank you!" She cheered.

She let go of Kratos and backed up a few steps, "Ok?" She focused and preformed the Demon Fang technique.

"Hmm, not bad?" Kratos stated, "But it will do."

"And I can do the Sonic Thrust thingie too!" Katsumi added. She preformed the Sonic Thrust and cheered, "Yay!"

"Hmm?Do you know any other techniques?" Kratos asked.

Katsumi shook her head; "I remember a bit of Magic from what I read in a book!"

"?" Kratos sweat-dropped.

"Ok?Um?" Katsumi thought for a moment, "Oh yeah! Here?s how it goes!"

She concentrated for a moment or so, "Fire Ball!" And a few fireballs were sent flying out in the distance.

"Yay!" Katsumi cheered again.

"?Ok?I?ll be right back," Krato left for a moment and Katsumi was left to practice for a few moments.

A few moments later, Kratos returned back with Genis and Lloyd.

"Hey guys!" Katsumi greeted.

"Ok, Kratos asked us to teach you some techniques," Genis stated.

"Yeah, it?s gonna be fun!" Lloyd cheered.

Katsumi nodded, "Yeah! Ok, so what?s first?"

"Whadda ya know?" Lloyd asked.

"I can do Demon Fang, Sonic Thrust, and Fire Ball," Katsumi counted on her fingers.

"You can do magic?" Genis asked, suddenly very excited.

"That?s the only Magic Technique I know," Katsumi confessed.

"Still?" Genis smiled, "Maybe we could teach Lloyd how to do Magic!" Genis cheered.

"Yeah! That?d be awesome!" Katsumi matched Genis? enthusiasm.

"Magic?s boring?" Lloyd complained, "It?s too complicated."

"Eh? No it ain?t! Maybe you?re just stupid," Katsumi giggled.

"Hey! I am NOT stupid!" Lloyd argued.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah?That?s what they all say?" Katsumi teased.

Kratos just stood there and watched, unsure what to make of it all?

~~

"Damn! That was fun!" Katsumi exclaimed as she flopped down on the grass after a hard day?s work of training.

"Yeah, you?re pretty good," Genis complemented.

"Nah, not really, you?re better," Katsumi replied.

"Maybe?" Genis looked up at the sky, "When do you think we?ll reach Triet, Kratos?"

"Hmm?In a day or so," Kratos crossed his arms, and sat down.

"Triet?" Katsumi let out a sigh.

"Are you from Triet, Katsumi?" Colette asked.

Katsumi shook her head, "Nah, I?m not from Triet, I was goin' there to see a friend, Kenji came with me because he hates it when I go alone for some reason?Can?t remember why though..."

"Whoa?Tight family?Where?re you from?" Lloyd asked.

"I?m from Palmacosta," Katsumi answered, "My Auntie, whom I live with, owns and runs a shop. The shop was originally owned by my grandmother, but when she was sent away to the Iselia Human Ranch, Auntie had to run it. My cousin, doesn?t work there, she works at the Martel Travel Agency."

"You live with your Aunt?" Kratos asked.

Katsumi nodded, "Yup. My step-mother died when I was little, and my step-father went away a couple of years after. That?s what my Auntie told me?"

"The Iselia Human Ranch?!?" Lloyd stood up immediately, "What was her name? Your Grandmother?s I mean,"

Katsumi looked up, "Her name?s Marble, Lloyd. Do you know her?"

Lloyd bit his lip and Genis looked shocked, "Marble?!? Umm, Katsumi?"

Katsumi stood up, "Did something happen to my Grandmother, Genis? If something did, you can tell me. It?s not like you murdered her or anything."

Lloyd glanced down at the ground, "Actually?I-I?I did?I-I-I killed Marble, Katsumi?I?m sorry?"

"Lloyd?why?" Katsumi wiped fallen tears.

"The leader of the Iselia Human Ranch turned Marble into a monster, and she was ordered to kill us," Genis explained. He bit his lip and continued, "We didn?t even know it was Marble until?after she died?" Genis glanced at the ground, then back at Katsumi, "I have this Ex-Sphere to remember her by?But that?s it?" Genis sighed.

Katsumi sighed, "I should?ve expected that those Desian bastards pulled somethin? like that?" She looked up at the sky, "Now I have to find Kenji, and my step-dad?"

"We?ll help you," Colette exclaimed, hugging her friend, "I promise I?ll do whatever I can to reunite you with your family!"

Katsumi smiled, "You don?t have to, I could try to find them."

"But I want to!" Colette pleaded, "Please, let me help!"

"?Alright?And in return, I?ll help you break the seals along the way. But when I find my step-father and brother, I?m going to leave, I don?t want to be a burden. By the way, I know where the Seal of Fire is?If that?s where you gotta go,"

"Yeah! That?s the first seal!" Lloyd exclaimed, "Where is it?"

"Near Triet," Katsumi answered, "But we should stop in Triet before we go to the Seal, to stock up on supplies I mean. I still need to see my friend also, but that won?t take long."

"Ok! Let?s go!" Genis cheered.

"I know a Short-Cut, we can get there during night-fall!" Katsumi exclaimed.

"Let?s go then," Kratos suggested.

"Follow me!" Katsumi started walking?


Chapter Three
Separation


"Hey Katsumi," Lloyd asked, "Are we almost outta the forest yet?"

Katsumi glanced at Lloyd and grinned, "Yeah, relax! We?re just about out," She said, "See?" She pointed ahead of her and sand could be seen, "Told ya," She added with a smirk.

Lloyd glanced around, "Hey Genis,"

Genis glanced at Lloyd, "Yeah?"

"Where?s Raine?"

"She?s meeting us at Triet,"

"Oh,"

Colette giggled, "You didn?t know that, Lloyd?"

Lloyd scratched his head, "Nah, not really?"

Kratos sighed, "Indeed,"

Katsumi rolled her eyes and broke into a run. She glanced back at the others and said, "C?mon! The sooner we get there, the better!"

Lloyd grinned, "Race ya,"

Katsumi smirked, "You?re on,"

"Hey! I wanna race too!" Genis exclaimed.

"Me too!" Colette added.

"Fine, first one to Triet wins," Katsumi stated grinning, "Ready?Set?Go!" And broke into a run.

To make a long story short, Colette won, Katsumi came in second, Lloyd came in third and Genis came in last, and Kratos just walked and everyone was waiting for him, Noishe following closely behind.

Katsumi rolled her eyes, "Sometime this century Kratos!" She exclaimed.

When Kratos finally arrived, he sighed and crossed her arms, "Is that how you are going to start a battle? By just rushing in without analyzing the situation?"

Lloyd shook his head, "Kratos, it was just a race,"

Katsumi nodded her head in agreement, "Yeah, it?s not like we race eachother into battle?" Then she started snickering.

Genis nodded, "Yeah, they?re right,"

Colette smiled, "We were just having some fun Mr. Kratos!"

Kratos sighed, "Let?s just go into the city,"

Katsumi smiled, "Now you?re talkin?!"

They all walked into the city and immediately hid around Noishe. There were 3 Desians crowding around a few posters, a boy with spiky black hair was slung over one of their shoulders'. Katsumi glared at them all, and drew her sword.

Lloyd glanced at Katsumi, "Katsumi, what?s wrong?" He asked.

"That?s my brother they got," Katsumi explained angrily, "I gotta go get ?em back!"

She was just about to stand, when Colette pulled her down.

"Lemme go Colette!" Katsumi exclaimed.

Colette shook her head, "No," She said simply, "You could get hurt! And plus, look who?s on the posters!"

There were five posters. One was of Lloyd, another was of Katsumi, and another was Genis, and another was Kratos. The last one was Colette.

"Ok, so they have our pictures," Katsumi stated, struggling to get free, "I'll go alone."

Lloyd shook his head, "Not a good idea," he said, "What if they capture you too?"

Katsumi shrugged, "Then I guess they capture me." she glanced at the others and grinned, "Relax, if they DO capture me, I'll make sure to bust outta wherever they're holdin' me, and kick all their asses, a'ight?"

Genis nodded slowly, "Ok...Just be careful!"

Katsumi nodded, "I will," and stood up.

She sheathed her sword and walked up to the Desians with a fake smile plastered on her face.

"Nice day for a walk, eh?" she asked.

One Desian glared at her, "You're one of the people on the poster!"

Katsumi glanced at the poster, and then back at the Desians, "Oh no! I'm on the poster! What am I gonna do?" her expression was so mocking, that the Desian that was holding the boy, dropped him on the ground, and drew his whip, "You're comin' with us," he stated.

Katsumi crossed her arms, "And if I don't?" she asked mockingly.

"Oh, you will." Another Desian sneered, "We'll make sure of that." and drew his crossbow.

Katsumi rolled her eyes and drew her sword, "If y'all want me, y'all have t' come and get me!" and casted a fireball spell at the Desian with the whip.

The Desian with the whip cried out in pain, and collapsed, and was apparently unconscious.

The Desian with the crossbow crouched down to help his friend, and the third Desian drew a sword, "Shall we fight?" he asked.

Katsumi smirked, "Oh we shall, and I'm gonna win!"

(A/N: The Desian with the Whip is called Fred. The Desian with the Crossbow is called George. And the Desian with the sword is called Jonny. Ok? Good!)

The Desian known as Jonny tried to horizontally slash Katsumi, but she dodged and elbowed him in the gut. Jonny shook it off and tried to vertically slash her, and he was lucky, for he managed to strike her right shoulder.

"Damn!" Katsumi exclaimed, "And I thought breakin' it was bad enough!" she glanced at "Jonny" and cast another spell. This time though, it was an Aqua Edge spell....