READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE--IMPORTANT: This is kind of like an "extended one-shot." Meaning it will only have two chapters. I've written the first one, as you see, but not the second one. I'm not sure when I'll get around to writing the second part, mainly because I don't know how it ends. Well, this is meant to be the Good Ending of Tales of Symphonia 2 so I know how it "ends"... but what I mean is that I don't know how it will end in the emotional sense. I can't quite put myself in Marta's position when she finally reunites with Emil. I don't want to force things--I want to write what's natural. So the reason why there isn't much characterization in this is because there is a second part to this. But I hope you enjoy what's here. :)

The Distance

She walked toward the distant darkness of the long hall of the Ginnungagap, quickly pacing, yet hesitating all at the same time. Her heart fluttered quickly as the feeling in her fingers went away, leaving a strange numbness at their tips. But then, she suddenly stopped, lowering her head and with her body turned to her side all at once. Her gaze was facing toward him now, whose back was turned to her, shoulders raised and tense. She didn't bother to observe the rest of the hall—it seemed to be blurred and only he was vivid in her eyes. Softly she spoke, attempting to muster all her feelings into her words—trying not to lose any worth.

"Emil...I'll always love you."

The door to began to rumble—growing louder and louder. He finally turned, this time his beautiful bright, emerald gaze returning every hidden feeling behind her spoken words and every unspoken one. This was the Emil she'd always known—that smile, that face...that voice... The door was closing.

"And I'll always love you, too...Marta..."

All at once—Marta's heart skipped a beat and tears flooded her eyes, and the door had finally closed. Then there was darkness... She was separated from him...her Ratatosk...her Emil—not just for a short while, but forever. Marta had told herself numerous times that she could endure, that she could somehow bare the emptiness awaiting her. However, at that moment, a strange emptiness spread from her chest and seemed to engulf her body. Strange realization struck her, and the tears began to flow freely now.

How could it be this painful?

Marta fell to her knees and gently set her hand on the door. She knew he couldn't hear her and she knew that his warm arms would never be able to embrace her again. Oh, she would have given anything—everything for just another moment, or even a small glance. Trembling, her hands reached for her eyes and felt the wetness that flowed from them. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled shaky breaths. Only one word carried clearly into the air...

"Emil..."

Oh, what awful silence.

It was then when a hand had gently touched her shoulder. Trembling, Marta turned back to see who it was. She knew her countenance must have looked awful by now with sadness' strike. It was Lloyd and behind him was Colette. In his eyes she could see a deep sympathy, she could tell that he really did understand her pain merely from his expression—but nothing, she told herself, could ever truly explain the pain that she felt at that very moment. A strange aching in her chest that she had never felt before, an emptiness lingering in her soul, yet still feelings of love pouring from every part of her body.

It was then that Colette stepped forward beside Lloyd as he removed his hand from Marta's shoulder. Gently, with one hand, Colette had taken Marta's, and with the other gently placed it on her side to help her up. She entwined her fingers with Marta's and embraced her, hoping that would be enough to soothe even the smallest portion of the sudden loneliness Marta felt. Colette was silent, though, knowing that words of reassurance would only be lies. Marta's pace was slow and her breathing was heavy—everything was heavy about her; like the weight of despair and sorrow suddenly crashing down on her.

Slowly, it seemed her spirit had grown unconscious, and Marta had become some pitiful puppet, whose strings were only its thin will. Her sobbing and wailing had gradually stopped, though her eyes were full of tears. Colette let go, and for a moment Lloyd held his hand to her back as if to keep her balanced.

It was then that Marta, Lloyd, and Colette had met with the others. Marta didn't dare to look up at their faces to see their expressions of pity. She only saw the slowness of their feet as some turned toward her and some turned away. Marta felt a sudden sting in her eyes as she held back more tears. No one said anything—they all knew of Marta's deep affection. And even though Marta was surrounded by her dear friends, she had never felt more alone. There was supposed to be another set of feet—standing next to her...and a hand holding hers, fingers entwining and sharing warmth.

The group slowly began to move and Marta followed. Colette and Lloyd both stayed by either side—and she appreciated it very much, but the emptiness in her heart lingered on.

The monsters were all vanished now since the door was closed—the door that Emil guarded—the door he would be bound to, forever existing, but far from Marta's side.

She tried not to think about it.

Yet everything reminded her of him. Everything seemed to carry an essence of his soul that seemed to call out to Marta, creating a cruel illusion. She placed a hand on her chest when it had started to ache. Marta did not keep track of the ever pressing-forward time as the group traveled through the path of the Ginnungagap. Before she knew it, her and everyone else's feet stood on the ground of the Otherworldy Gate.

Everyone, but one—they had left him behind.

Words were exchanged between the fellow travelers. Their journey was over, and it was time to part ways. As each of them announced where they would be going, Marta quietly listened until all eyes were turned to her. She announced that she would return to Palmacosta, where her father wanted her to be. Colette offered to accompany her as a gesture of great kindness. However Marta felt that even if she was surrounded with company, nothing could quell this strange, insatiable loneliness—so she had politely refused and told her to go on with Lloyd.

Just as it was time to part, Marta's companions wished each other farewell. They had been particularly kind to Marta, and from some she received hugs with amounts of pity. She said goodbye to them all as well...unlike Emil—who she believed would stay with her heart forever. The words she had spoken to him trickled into her mind like rain,

"Then I'm not saying goodbye either...because...no matter what—my heart will always be with yours, Emil."

But they were so far, so separate...she could no longer see his face, or see the sky reflected in his eyes. It was like a ghost image, an afterthought left in her memory.

Marta's senses were so numb, that the Rheiard she flew on didn't even bother her. How she longed to be able to soar the clouds like she once did with Emil by her side. How she longed to fly and soar the way her heart felt when he returned her gaze.

Palmacosta had just barely come into view just beyond the mountains Marta was flying over. Some part of her was relieved, but the rest of her body seemed to be indifferent—didn't care. When she was landing, a strange lurching feeling came over her, as if she was about to throw up. Once she had ceased the power, she crawled off and laid on the ground for a short while—staring up at the sky. It was rather clear today, and perfect white clouds rolled along it. The longer Marta stared, the more blurred the clouds became—and when she lifted her hand to her eyes, a cold wetness touched it. She rolled over and slowly stood up, her body barely supporting her.

She wondered if the old house her and her father had abandoned when they had begun journeying was still standing. It didn't matter to her whether it stood or not. At that moment, it was just a form of shelter to her. It remained on the outskirts of Palmacosta, just beyond the city limits. Marta slowly traveled there, on a path she had taken so many times as a young girl, skipping and giggling to her mother and father's arms who waited at the door. Yet now, the road seemed less inviting and seemed to lead to nowhere. Marta, however, was slightly relieved when she did find it standing—it meant that she didn't have to sleep out on the streets and expose her tears to anyone else. It seemed no one had taken the time to tear it down. It had a spectacular view of the ocean, and on one side was a wall of trees that often whispered stories when the wind blew.

Marta merely walked up the steps to the front door, taking no heed to her surroundings, and pressed her hand against the splintered wood. A hush fell when the door opened, and the empty interior of the house was exposed to her. There was nothing left in there—it must have been robbed completely. It was to be expected though, Marta thought, and she merely straightened out her clothes and stepped into the dark, dusty air. She did manage to find that all the beds were there, however. Even though they were completely stripped of their sheets and pillows and what only remained was a dusty mattress on a bed frame. She unfastened the brown bag on her back and tossed it on the bed she recognized as her own when her and her family used to live together, then made her way to the window that overlooked the ocean.

It seemed so distant, somehow. More lonely.

Marta turned away from the window, once again receding into the shadows and threw herself onto her bed. She sat there a moment...and then the efforts her mind had made to block out the thought of Emil were completely exhausted. It seemed a lock to a safe had been unlocked and opened wide. All the kind words he had said to her, the loving embraces, the image of his gentle smiles, things that she would never see again—all of it came rushing into her. Marta burst out in a wail as her body and mind finally collapsed. She wept bitterly, her face twisting with sorrow and her heart turning in grief. She cried and cried, never longing more than ever before, as certain words she would never hear again constantly echoed in her mind:

"And I'll always love you, too... Marta..."