Remember this is my first fic, so be nice.
I don't own Tales of Symphonia, but man I wish I did…
4,020 years before the end of Tales of Tales of Symphonia…
Kratos looked about nervously. So far so good. He was almost at the school house and he hadn't run into any bullies yet. Cautiously he walked forward glancing down every alley as if something might appear out of nowhere. When the school was finally in sight, he broke into a run dodging through the people who were going about their daily business. But running was a mistake, just as he neared the school house he tripped and fell flat on his face. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up . The school bully stood above him with one hand out.
" I think you owe me some money, Kratos. I don't want to have to hurt you."
" I'm not carrying any money." Kratos replied, his voice was higher than normal and he felt the corners of his mouth fighting against him as he tried to smile.
" Without money I can't allow you to go to school and, of course if you're lying I may have to beat you up."
And so Kratos got up and walked home despite the large amount of money in his pocket.
Kratos squirmed guiltily in his chair. He had been happy that morning when his father had returned from the Kharlan war. His father was a general and was not able to visit very often. When he did visit, however, it was an amazing event. There were presents, and he always brought back half elf slaves that he had captured during the war. These slaves were used to work on the Aurion's plantation, which along with General Aurion's salary and spoils kept the Aurions well provided for. Kratos' family was the richest in town, and one of the richest in the world. His father was very well known. General Aurion was a large man about fifty years old. Although he was still a powerful fighter, he was already going to seed. He was a tall man with a hairline that was so far back he could have passed for a monk. In his prime his hair had been wildly spiky, like his son's, as if to compensate for its loss he now had a large mustache that covered his lip in a grand fashion. He didn't take much interest in family, except on the nights of his return. General Aurion would spend most of his time back attending to business involving the plantation, and other things that would insure his social advancement in the world. Now, however, Kratos watched nervously as father read his report card.
" Well this isn't too much to worry about." General Aurion said breaking into a grin. " I skipped a fair number of classes in my day. Boys will be boys."
" Tell him why you skipped Kratos." Mrs. Aurion said sternly looking at her son. Mrs. Aurion was a beautiful woman tall and slim and pale with red hair and lips. She spent her time improving upon her good looks and otherwise enjoying to the fullest the large amount of money she had at her disposal. She was almost twenty years younger than her husband and was not very motherly at all. She loved her son but did not know quite what to do with him. She left his care mostly to house slaves, and only gave him attention when he did something wrong or at social occasions. There she would dress him nicely and show him off to others in the same manner she showed off the house and her other possessions.
" Why did you miss class son?"
Kratos avoided his father's eyes and mumbled.
" Louder."
" Bullies sir." Kratos looked at his father nervously. General Aurion looked at his son with slight distaste. He didn't care if his son was acting up, but hearing he was a coward was awful. With a sigh General Aurion suppressed his anger and smiled at his son as best he could.
" I think I have a way to solve this problem. Kratos, I'll wake you up early tomorrow and you'll get your present. Alright?" Confused but happy that he wasn't in trouble Kratos nodded. Little did he know the next day would change the very course of his life.
Kratos was running to keep up with his fathers long strides as they walked across the vast plantation to the houses where the slaves lived down by the edge of the forest. Kratos couldn't figure out what his father had in mind and General Aurion was keeping quite. Kratos slipped a couple times on the dew covered ground and he was becoming quite upset with the way his day was staring off. He preferred to spend his days alone reading or drawing or studying. For he really was rather smart despite his constant absence from school. Kratos didn't like mysteries and he wished his father would just tell him was up. Before he could begin to breakdown however they stopped.
" In here Kratos. Follow me." General Aurion said to his son pointing to little shack. Kratos was hesitant. He was scared of the field slaves who lived down here, they were rough and strong and didn't have manners like the house slaves. Worst of all were the new slaves straight from the battle fields or the towns in the war's path. They didn't understand that humans were better and often wouldn't listen. Kratos followed his father any way clinging to his arm all the while.
Inside the shack it was damp, cramped and reeked of sweat. The floor was earth and the walls were moldy, Kratos clung tighter to his fathers arm and looked around with wide eyes. There were at least fifteen boys in the tiny shack sprawled across hay mats, playing with stolen cards, and fighting with one another. The oldest could not have been more than fifteen and the youngest no younger than five. When the general walked in dragging Kratos along behind him, they all stopped what they were doing and turned to look. The boys looked angry as if the Aurions had no right to be there.
" All right Kratos pick one slave. He'll help you all the time. He'll carry you're things to school, help get you ready in the morning, and even protect you from mean bullies. You may have any one you like." Kratos stared up at his father than around at the group of boys. They all looked scary and Kratos moved to hide himself behind his father's legs.
" How about one near your own age, maybe even a little younger. Than he can wear you're old clothes." Kratos looked again at the boys looking for one his own age a docile one.
" How about that one." Kratos followed his father's outstretched finger to a boy sitting in the corner with two other boys in the middle of a game of cards. The boy stared back. He was a little taller than Kratos with green eyes and long hair. The color of his hair was unclear for it was and tangled, although it looked to be a sort of blue. He didn't look too scary and he was about Kratos' age.
" Yes, sir. I like that one."
Yuan didn't know what to think as he followed the general and his son up to the mansion that stood out over the flat land of the plantation like a ship on the ocean. He supposed he should be happy. In the short day he'd been at the plantation he had learned a good deal. One of those things was that slaves living in the house were better fed, better dressed, and had much better shelter. But he had been enjoying himself down in the shack. Sure, he hadn't had to do any work yet, but how bad could it be? He liked the other boys they were loud, fun and strong. He had felt right at home with them. But this Aurion boy looked to be the exact opposite. He was doing his best to avoid looking at Yuan and when he did his eyes grew so big they looked as if they might pop. Not only that but he was clinging onto his father for dear life. Suddenly a thought struck Yuan. Maybe this could fun. He didn't look hard to scare, perhaps he could be taken advantage of.
Yuan looked around the house with awe in spite of himself. He didn't want to be impressed, but everything was so clean and so grand. It looked as if were he to touch anything it would fall to pieces. Before he had been allowed in the house he had been shown his new quarters, given a bath, and a change of clothes. His quarters had seemed so nice, a lot like his house back home, but now both homes paled in comparison. Yuan turned around when he heard footsteps on the stair way near him.
" Um, follow me," The little boy from before was standing on the staircase shuffling nervously from one foot to the other. The boy had dark red hair that had been wetted in an attempt to get it to lie flat, even now it was drying and beginning to stick up at odd angles. He was dressed like a little gentleman, in a plum waist coat and green trousers, complete with waist band and little shiny black buckle shoes. His brown eyes showed a look of great concern, as if he were eternally lost. Yuan followed him up the stairs.
The upstairs was a maze of hallways which the boy followed expertly. Eventually he stopped and opened a door and stepped inside. Yuan followed and felt his jaw drop. The room was huge about three times the size of the little shack. There were toys everywhere, game boards, stuffed animals, and even some fancy video toys that must have used magi technology. Against one wall was a fish tank with a huge green and white fish which was swimming about happily. There was a king sized bed with lots of pillows and blankets. There were two open doors which Yuan went and checked out. One was a large bathroom, with a hot tub, a shower, fluffy towels, a toilet and more than one sink. Yuan had never seen some of these inventions before. He had always cleaned in a wooden tub filled with water from the spring near his house. The other room was a study with lot's of bookshelves, paper, pens, pencils and every art supply imaginable. Yuan noticed unlike the rest of the rooms which were pristine and orderly, this room was a mess.
"So. Um what's you're uh, name?" In his wonder Yuan had forgotten the boy was there.
" Is all this yours!" Yuan asked in amazement.
" Well, yes but what is your name." The boy said looking increasingly frightened at Yuan's amazement.
" My name is Yuan . I haven't got a last name. And I'm not taking yours just cause you're my master, I'm just Yuan."
" Oh, um, okay. My name is Kratos Aurion. I am eight years old." Kratos said formally in a way that sounded rehearsed.
" I'm around eight too… I think. I don't know my parents are long gone. You got any stupid rich friends I'm gonna have to deal with?"
" My only friend is right here" The boy grinned and pointed proudly to the fish tank.
" Your best friend is a fish?" Yuan asked in confusion.
' It's not a fish it's a protozoan and this is just one of it's forms. Noishe will be a bird in a couple of years. And the bird forms short after that he'll be like a dog and that will last a long time probably till thousands of years after I die. I can't wait!"
" You can't wait till you die?"
" No until he's like a dog! My dad got him for me a few years ago from the wars. Isn't he pretty!" Yuan could only stare. Pushing this kid over would be too easy. What sort of loser could only passionately talk about a fish…
So there is my introduction. Pretty short but I just wanted to get started. Please Review but, if you have a negative don't flame, say it nicely and have a suggestion on how to fix it. Please.