Goodbye

---

Well, this is my first piece of fanfiction for Tales of Symphonia. Great game it is, indeed.

I had this idea, after I read a fanfic in which Mithos was able to appear briefly due to the fact that his Cruxis Crystal merged with Lloyd's exsphere, and I also thought that it was a shame Mithos and Genis didn't really get a chance to say goodbye to each other in the end.

So, this fanfic was born.

Warnings: Platonic Mithos/Genis, no shonen-ai though, and spoilers for the end of the game.

---

Lloyd Irving slept peacefully in his bed, a muffled snore occasionally erupting from his body. A gentle breeze of wind floated in through the window, ruffling Lloyd's dark brown hair. He did not hear the quiet footsteps sounding on the terrace just outside his room.

Genis Sage crept quietly across the wooden terrace, reaching to grasp the doorknob. He could tell that Lloyd was asleep thanks to his occasional snoring. He didn't wish to wake Lloyd up. He wasn't even supposed to be here, he was supposed to be in Iselia, but for some reason, he had to come.

Noishe let out a small whine and Genis froze, looking down at the white and green arshis. However, Noishe did not make another sound and simply stared back at Genis with round, friendly eyes, his bushy tail wagging slowly behind him. Genis let out a quiet sigh of relief. Noishe knew who he was, he posed no threat.

Genis pulled the door open and stepped inside, closing it carefully behind him. He walked slowly over to the bed. Lloyd let out a muffled murmur and rolled over, his left hand moving over the bedsheet and almost slipping off the edge of the bed. Genis looked down, seeing the exsphere firmly embedded in Lloyd's hand, a memento of his mother.

Genis breathed in sharply, recalling the events that had taken place at Derris-Kharlan.

The defeat of Mithos.

Mithos's Cruxis Crystal remaining, a threat that would keep his life intact and eventually take over his spirit, trapping him in this world forever.

Lloyd running forwards, striking the Cruxis Crystal with one of his twin swords. Either the Vorpal Blade, the sword of Ice from Dirk, or the Flamberge, the sword of fire from Kratos.

Mithos's Cruxis Crystal shattering into many tiny pieces.

The pieces swirling around Lloyd and disappearing into his own Exsphere.

Genis reached out and placed his fingers upon the shining red jewel. It was warm to the touch and felt soothing to his bare skin. It was like warm blood pulsing underneath the clear glass. It was a life. Or two lives now. One was the life of Lloyd's mother, Anna Aurion, and the other was that of his own half-elf friend, Mithos Yggdrasill.

"Mithos," Genis whispered. His eyes were beginning to sting. "Are you there?"

Lloyd's Exsphere appeared to pulse repeatedly and Genis took two steps back, keeping his gaze on the centre. Something was happening to it. An explosion of sparkles burst forth from the jewel and swirled around in the air next to Lloyd's bed. Genis's jaw dropped as the sparkles took on the shape of a boy, his own age. Then there was colour and definition, and he was there.

Mithos, smiling. His bright blue eyes filled with sadness. They had always appeared sad, even when Mithos had smiled, laughed and played with Genis. Even now, Genis didn't know if the laughter and the smiles had ever been real.

"Genis," Mithos spoke softly. "To appear... to speak... it is hard. But... you wanted to see me again."

"Mithos," Genis stepped forwards, barely remembering to keep quiet so that he would not awaken Lloyd. He was so excited to see Mithos again, his heart was pounding. "Why did you have to die? Why couldn't you have..."

"I believed in the path I chose," Mithos stated, casting his eyes downwards. "I wanted to stick to that path, no matter what. But then you, you all ruined it. Then I just wished to be with my sister, and I couldn't have that either. I just wanted my sister back, and a world where those filthy humans wouldn't hurt us. I wanted a place for people like us."

"So do I," Genis protested. "I want that world too. But not the Age of Lifeless Beings..."

"Genis," Mithos cut the silver-haired half-elf off, looking straight into his eyes. "I wish we could have met differently. Perhaps if you had been born four thousand years earlier, perhaps if my sister had not died and we had all lived on together, then you would have known me. My self, before I lost my sister, Martel."

"I wish so too," Genis's heart ached at the idea of it being true. However, it was not possible. "Mithos... when we met you in Ozette... before we returned you to Altessa's... those times when we were together, and when getting the healing plant for Raine too, when we were just able to talk alone and play together... and we were friends... we were friends, weren't we? Was it really you?"

"That person I was," Mithos paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "Yes, that was who I was once. It may have just been an act, but back then, you did know the true me. But... it wasn't real, Genis. It was just an act."

"Then, weren't we friends?" Genis asked desperately. He was clinging onto the frail hope that he and Mithos really had been friends. He couldn't bear to lose it now, but he just had to know.

"We could have been," Mithos said simply. "I wanted us to be friends. Genis... remember me as your friend. Not as the leader of Cruxis, but as your friend."

"I will," Genis promised.

In an instant, Mithos had pulled Genis towards him and wrapped his arms around his body tightly. Genis immediately put his own arms around Mithos and buried his head on his shoulder, feeling the strands of golden hair tickle his face, soft as gossamer. He clung onto the warmth of Mithos's body, the feel of his hair, the weight of his body against Genis's own. Genis didn't want to let go. He wanted Mithos to stay, to remain alive, as his friend.

"Farewell, Genis," Mithos whispered.

"Goodbye, Mithos," Genis choked out, as Mithos faded away. He almost fell as Mithos disappeared, but caught his balance in time, watching the spiral of sparkles disappear back into Lloyd's exsphere. "Goodbye."

Mithos was gone. Genis sighed and sat down next to the bed, pained at the fact that once again, Mithos had left him behind. But at least, he had got a chance to say goodbye. He would always remember Mithos as his friend.

Genis blinked sleepily and shifted himself into a more comfortable position. He didn't feel like taking the walk back through the Iselia Forest, and besides, he was safe here with Lloyd. Genis closed his eyes and drifted off into sleep, dreaming of the good times with Mithos, when they had been friends, before he had been forced to say goodbye.