This is my first Tales of the Abyss fanfic. It's not that good but I hope you appreciate it.

SOLITUDE

The dark silhouette of the trees covered her crying figure. She was at the Cheagle Woods, crying over the death of her Mommy, the Liger Queen. She hugged her doll tightly as she continued to cry all the pain away.

"I will kill them! For killing Mommy! I won't forgive them!" Arietta the Wild muttered with anger.

Arietta continued to sob. Unbeknownst to her, someone was watching her from up above a tree. That watcher then decided to reveal himself.

"Stop crying, would you?"

Arietta didn't bother to look at the person who just landed beside her. She continued to cry. The person beside her happened to be one of the most sardonic members of the Six God-Generals: Sync the Tempest.

"Crying won't make that beast come back to life!"

This frustrated Arietta. Amidst tears, she faced Sync angrily.

"Why are you here!? Just leave me alone!"

"…I'm here because Legretta told me to search for you. Apparently, we have an assignment."

Arietta stood up angrily.

"That's all you guys care about, stupid assignments!"

"Well, your beloved Ion is involved in this assignment."

Sync thought that this will shut her up and make her obedient but to his surprise, she sat down and cried harder than before. He didn't know what to do. Her cries rattled his brain.

"Shut up, Arietta! Stop crying!"

But Arietta just cried harder.

Sync then started to think, and he concluded that he only had two choices: either he drag Arietta back to the headquarters, or he sit with her and wait for her to calm down. Since Arietta wasn't surrounded by her liger friends, he thought the first option would make everything easier. He was about to do it when suddenly…

"Sync, just leave me alone. You won't be able to understand me. None of you understand me. You all think I'm just a pathetic little girl, crying over a monster everyone's dying to kill. And you think I don't know that? I'm not as dense or naïve as you all deduced me to be."

At that, she continued to cry silently. For some reason, Sync lost all the power to drag her away. So, he had no choice but to perform option number two.

Sync sighed furiously before sitting beside her. Arietta noticed this but she didn't bother to comment on it. She just continued to cry on her doll.

Sync started to talk calmly.

"Do you think crying will change anything?" he calmly asked.

Arietta was a little bit surprised. He hadn't heard Sync talk this way before. The voice sounded so familiar.

"I'm crying because it makes me feel better. I know I cannot do anything to undo what has been done but…crying…takes all the pain away from my system…"

Sync snorted at this. Arietta wiped her tears and peered at him.

"Is that true, huh? I never believed in that crap…"

"Have you ever…cried, Sync?"

"Hell no! Crying is for babies and wimps! I, the feared Tempest, do not cry."

"Have you ever lost someone important to you, Sync?"

"Arietta, I'm not the issue here. Stop asking me. It's you who's crying right now. And I really need you to stop or else, Legretta's going to shoot this body of mine to smithereens." He sounded a bit irritated.

And then there was silence. The lack of conversation made Arietta whimper and cry silently again. Sync sighed heavily. He silently scratched his head, irritated.

What am I going to do with this girl? That's why women irritate me…

"I…I sure wish Ion was here. He would know how to comfort me…"

Arietta was surprised when Sync took his mask off. It was the first time he did in front of her. Sync turned to her, and her eyes widened with shock. Sync looked neutral.

"I-Ion…?" Arietta asked, still surprised.

Sync started to talk, imitating Ion's kind and calm tone.

"Arietta, stop crying. Everything will soon be better."

Arietta knew the one with her was Sync, but, he looked and sounded just like him. Even his face, his expression. It was all Ion's.

"Do you feel better now, Arietta?"

"I-Ion…"

At that, Sync covered his face with his mask. His once calm smile now turned back to his usual cold expression. Arietta was once again startled by the sudden change of persona. Sync stood up, his back facing her. Arietta also stood up, still looking at Sync.

"S-Sync…y-you're…I-Ion?"

"Hell no! I'm not a wimp like that Fon Master! Never ever say that again!"

"B-But…why do you look and sound like him?"

"…You'll find out in due time. For now…". He looked at her questioning face. "We must go back to the headquarters. Are you feeling better already?"

"…Yes…"

"Then come. You don't want Legretta to shoot me to death, do you?"

Sync started to walk away. Arietta managed to form a small smile.

"Sync?"

Sync stopped, but he did not face her.

"…T-Thank you. For making me feel better."

"…Don't get me wrong. I impersonated Ion for you to calm down and go back to the headquarters. It was nothing personal."

"I know. But still…thank you…"

Sync smirked. He then walked away, with Arietta following him from behind.

THE END

I hope you appreciate it. I did my best!