Snippets of Time

A (possible) series of one-shot Tales of Phantasia stories dealing with the aftermath of the game.

Namco owns all characters, names and the game, of course. I only claim the insane stories that ran though my head a night plaguing me to type all of this down.

The Tales of Phantasia: The Animation and the game are both drawn upon for this.

Rebuilding and Oversleeping Don't Mix

The ruins of Toltus stood silent, signs of rebuilding non-existent expect one building. The Albane School. Signs of the frame being repaired, siding restored, and the debris swept away. Habitable, but a long way from finished. Which is what was upsetting Mint at this very moment.

He had promised it wouldn't take long to clean up the school. He promised it wouldn't look like a ruin long. He... He was going to pay a bit for making her wait this long just to have one clutter and debris free area of the town. Just one!

Marching though the hallway, up the stairs, Mint stopped at Cress's door. Even that was still in tatters.

With a loud, long, and hard rap on the door, it fell in. "CRESS ALBANE! WAKE UP!" She shouted along with the crash of the door.

With a jolt, and lucky for Mint his sword was put away in the training room, Cress took a defensive position, which considering it took him long enough to realize that only an angry Mint was the only other living thing in the room, was probably for the best.

"Cress. Do you have any idea what time it is." She huffed, hands on her hips, scaring the swordsman. A half dressed hero, scared of a healer shorter than him.

"... No?" Blinking, Cress's only word wasn't the most intelligent at the moment, but his brain hadn't kicked on yet. "I overslept I take it?" 'And I oversleep all the time... whats she so mad...'

"YES. AGAIN. You promised you'd have this place cleaned up and habitable in a month! Its been three!"

Cress relaxed, and dropped his guard. "... Sorry Mint. Its taking longer than I though with only me and whenever Chester is here." He rubbed the back of his neck. "He goes to see Arche often enough and brings back the supplies, which were out of now. I can't do much without the nails and stuff..."

"How did you use that whole supply of..." Mint started 'Chester came back the other day with a wagon FULL of...'

Her thoughts came to a halt when Cress put his hands on her shoulders and spun her around. "What are you..." Cutting her speech off this time, "Just walk will you."

Marching her down the hall, he pulled aside a curtain that to her knowledge covered where the floor was missing. Keyword, WAS missing. Going further down he stopped her at his parent old room, and with a swift twist of the knob on the new door...

"... Cress, YOU did this?" She gasped out walking in. Walls, no holes in the floor, no burned out portions. Two beds, a working fireplace, dressers, a mirror...

"Do I get a pass for working on this while your asleep and oversleeping myself?" He said with a sheepish grin on his face, a tired grin but a grin.

Mint stopped her tour of the room, and tilted her head. "... For today I suppose." Plopping down on one of the beds. "I'm shocked you managed to get this room so... Cozy."

Laughing, "I had Chester ask Arche for advice. SHE suggested we get one bed to share warmth or something. Don't know why we have a perfectly working fireplace."

Mine smiled and shook her head. "I'll have to thank Arche later for that suggestion." 'Thank goodness Cress is a little...'

"Then again, I did make the beds interlocking for later on." Cless turned walking out, hands on his head. "Gets cold around here, like up north, during the winter... So uh... Is breakfast ready?" She couldn't see it, but he was wearing a smirk a mile wide and a cayon deep as he walked out.

Mint however just shook her head. He still surprised her sometimes... "Its BEEN ready silly."

Rebuilding and oversleeping didn't mix, but making a room to get away to, well that remained to be seen.