Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World.

"Now, Emil. I'm going to smack you, okay?"

"Wha—?" Emil looked up suddenly. "R-Ratatosk?"

"And when I do," Ratatosk continued, oblivious to Emil's questioning look, "I want you to yell at me, 'get your hands off me, you bastard!' and hit me as hard as you can in the face. Got it?"

"I-I couldn't do that to you!"

"Relax. You're a wimp. There's no way you'll be able to hurt me. Come on."

"I can't!"

Ratatosk heaved a sigh. "Fail. Epic fail."

"S-sorry."

"Quiz time. If someone yells at you, what do you do?"

"Apologize?"

"No! No! No! You're getting this all wrong!" Ratatosk clutched his head. "What am I doing wrong?"

"Ratatosk…it's not your fault…"

"Yes it is. It's all my fault. This is…" he made a frustrated sound. "I can't believe this. What is so hard about slapping someone back?"

Emil didn't say anything, just folded his legs under himself uncomfortably.

"You yell at them back."

"Huh?"

"If someone yells at you. Yell at them back. Tell them you're not going to take any crap from them. Whatsoever."

"But…isn't that rude?"

"Rude? Rude? They started it!"

Emil flinched a little. "But…what if I…did something to deserve it?"

"Even if you did, that doesn't mean you should just take crap and meekly apologize."

"O-oh…sorry."

"Aaaagh! Dammit, Emil, stop apologizing!"

"I'm sorry!"

Ratatosk growled, then took a few seconds to compose himself. "I'm going to say this very slowly, Emil. You got it?"

"Y-yes."

"You need to punch me. Hard. If you don't, you don't even want to think about what I'm going to do to you." He worked hard to push away the thoughts that were intruding. Now was not the time. He didn't want to scare Emil away.

"B…but…"

"It won't hurt. Trust me."

"I do." The sincerity of that comment caught Ratatosk off-guard. "But…um, Ratatosk? If you're getting so mad about me letting people bully me around…why are you bullying me around?"

Ratatosk was stunned speechless for a moment. Emil, mistaking it for cold anger, held his hands up defensively and cried, "I'm sorry!"

"No…no, don't apologize. You're right, Emil."

Emil gawked. "I am?"

"Mmm. Very much so. So…I'm asking you, Emil. Please hit me."

"Wha—you think this is any better?" Emil sounded outraged, and Ratatosk couldn't help but chuckle.

"Come on, Emil. Would you rather I demand and bully or ask?"

"Uh…um…"

"Hit me." Ratatosk closed his eyes and waited for the blow. There was a gentle tap of Ratatosk's jaw.

Ratatosk cracked one red eye open and sighed, looking at the boy. "We have a long way to go."

A/N: …reviews? Please?