Title: New Heights
Day/Theme: July 25 - take my hand, hold your breath
Series: Tales of Symphonia
Character/Pairing: Sheena, Zelos
Rating: PG
Note: It's kinda weird, sorry. Spoilers for the end of the game, by the way.


How they had gotten up on that ledge, Sheena wasn't sure. Why she had decided to chase after the flickering forms of Lloyd and Colette in the distance as they flew after the Great Seed, she didn't know. She had just felt this giant urge to hurry after them, and had acted on impulse. What she was surprised with was that Zelos had apparently followed that same impulse, running just a little bit of ahead of her most of the way. Where the others had gone or what they had done, she had forgotten as soon as she had started to run. But, there Zelos was, rushing towards those two fading specks on the horizon just as fast as she was.

They had scrambled up the ledge that led to where the Great Tree was residing, where they could see the specks of two figures - hopefully Lloyd and Colette. Problem was, she had no idea how she had gotten up that ledge. Being up on top of that preposterous edge suddenly made her heart sink halfway down into her stomach. Going down it didn't not seem as ironically simple has it had been getting up it. And, getting down to Lloyd and Colette was a sharp, over 100 foot drop. It was terrifying.

Zelos was looking at the ledge with a similar look, flittering between his feet, obviously thinking over something. Sheena was about to punch him for his constant fidgeting, which was making her horribly nervous, before he turned back to her, his face set. She opened her mouth to ask him what was going on, but he hushed her.

Now, Sheena had seen his wings once before. When she had fallen into that pit in the Tower, making sure that Lloyd could save Colette, he had saved her with those wings. She really had been quite blown away by them - all orange and yellow, seeming to flicker in any light. She hadn't even noticed it was him coming to save her at first, she had been too surprised by those wings. She had stifled her questions about how he had gotten them, what he had done to himself to get them, and other such worries and questions. Instead, she had punched him full on in the face as payback for that betrayal of his.

Still, seeing his wings was probably always going to be a bit of a shock. It was just a reminder to her - to both of them - just what and who he was. He didn't seem to like them, nor care to show them off, but it was still a shocker. Not to mention they were horribly beautiful, and she never wanted to admit it to him.

Zelos leaned towards her, his hand outstretched for her to take it. She knew what he was planning, and she wasn't liking the idea. "Now, hold my hand," Zelos had smiled, a mischievous sort of glint in his eyes. Oh, she knew that glint. She knew he was going to do something to scare the hell out of her. She did not trust him. She did not trust him one bit. But, she took his hand, giving him a look to let him know just how much she did not trust that "reassuring" look of his.

She should've followed her instincts.

Dear god, it was a plunge. Once he had her hand secure, he had scooped her up, making sure she was pressed up against him snugly and just cleaned jumped off of it. Now, the jump wasn't want had scared her out of her wits. No, he had let them fall half of the way, laughing wildly in her ears before he let them start to coast and catch in the wind. She had to hold her breath; she was out of her wits as he let them plummet. She would've slapped him silly if she wasn't so terrified of him dropping her.

But, Sheena wasn't as scared as she was uncomfortable. She was in his arms, and he was holding her tight against him. It was embarrassing and humiliating all at once. She knew he was going to be cracking jokes about her chest later and how they had pressed up against him just so or some other nonsense. She had felt this way the last time he had shown his wings in front of her - he had held her very similarly then, all wrapped up tight against him, as he if he was afraid she was going to break. Not to mention he was still holding her hand. It was the tenderness she felt in his hold that scared her more than the ground fifty feet below her. She often tried to ignore that fluttering in her chest when he was gentle with her; it complicated things more than it should.

Still, it was a rush. She had secretly wanted to fly, ever since she had seen Colette's - and now Zelos and Lloyd's - wings. To see the ground, racing along below her, was amazing. Despite feeling so uncomfortable about her situation, she couldn't help but marvel at the sky and the land all around her, and the way things blurred as they flew past. He had only flown her up the hole in the Tower before, so to actually fly like this was amazing. She almost couldn't understand why he wouldn't want to have this all the time - minus what price he had probably paid.

The flight seemed over far too quickly, and before they rushed over to the waiting Lloyd and Colette - and the strangely disappearing Great Tree - Sheena stopped Zelos. He seemed to be readying himself for a smack, and had a grimace on his face. Oh, she knew he probably deserved one - after making her feel all weird and then dropping fifty feet to scare her - but she didn't smack him.

"Th-thanks," she mumbled, feeling the heat creep up into her face. It was always an embarrassment to thank him. He always twisted it around and threw it in her face, after all.

But, he just blinked, then grinned at her. "No prob, babe. I'll fly you around anytime," he said, laughing. "Especially if I get to hold you like that."

She nearly smacked him then, but he laughed and ducked, running over to Lloyd and Colette along with her. They had a new world to explore, after all.