Me: This is a short thing I had stuck in my head after listening to Fireflies by Owl City. It also something so show I'm alive! I'm just having writer's block on my other stories but they shall be updated someday! Enjoy.
"Are you sure about this?"
"If I wasn't. Do you think I would be able to talk to you know as it is?" The angel replayed to the half elf on the screen. He smiled and Kratos folded his arms.
"I never expected to see you again so soon Kratos Aurion. I figured we'd meet again in Neifliem." Yuan said to the projection that broad casted from the closely approaching Derris-Karlon. Kratos had spent some time away from the planet he once knew as home. The planet where his son was, that his son had saved with his friends. He wasn't sure why the giant mass of mana found it's way back here, gravity? The pull of the sun? It didn't matter much. He left his son, thinking they said their good-byes long ago, but found himself missing his kin's company more over the years.
"How are things now? Is it ok to transfer down there?" Yuan nodded.
"It was raining earlier, but the storms have passed. I would advice coming straight here to the World Tree. The forest around her is the best source of mana and it would make it the safest jump." Kratos glanced over at the old warp pad that used to take the seraphim from Welgeia to the Tower of Salvation. It hadn't been in use for years. He fixed the glove on his purple iconic mercenary uniform as he stepped onto the pad and found himself overcomed by a familiar 'whoosh' feeling as his vision turned green and cleared into a forest scenery.
"Kratos. You haven't changed a bit." The man turned to see an old companion sitting beside a tall tree sapling.
"And you have." He said and sat down beside him. The Yuan he knew was sorta a stiff and professional kind of man. He appeared to have relaxed over the years; his clothes were simply black and slightly loose and comfertable. He still appeared, like Kratos, to have his Crsuix Crystal.
"Does anyone else know?" Kratos wondered and Yuan stood up taking in a deep breath.
"No. I figured you would want to just show up and surprise them like your usual self." He said sarcastically and the human angel stood up as well, putting his hand on the half elf's shoulder.
"I missed your sarcasm." Yuan folded his arms and put on hand on his chin.
"Lloyd is in Iselia if your wondering. I would assume you'd go to see him right away." Kratos nodded and Yuan chuckled.
"I missed your easy to predict mind." Kratos wanted to teleport there, not wanting to be from his family any longer, but because of the new arrangement of the planet from over 4000 years ago, he took awhile to remember where everything was located before Crusix. He closed his eyes to concentrate and got distracted by a crawling feeling on his arm. His wine-eye opened to see a firefly resting on his gloved arm. He glanced around the forest to see several fireflies.
"Ah. Yggdrasil's summon spirit seems to be glad that you have returned safely as well. It only does that when it's really happy." Yuan pointed out and watched the man vanish before his eyes. He laughed silently to himself and turned to the tree.
"Martel. He didn't even bother to ask about Lloyd or how long it's been. He's going to have quiet the surprise isn't he?" After landing in several places, Kratos finally made it to the Temple of Martel, which he remembered to be just outside Iselia. It was a place of many feelings to him now. The place where he had lost his son, and reunited with his son. Now, Yuan had told him that Lloyd didn't live in Iselia anymore, but visited Dirk often, so Kratos headed over there. He found the place empty, but a warm fire going, indicating that someone was there a short time ago. His eyes drifted over to the grave of his wife and he walked over, kneeling down. He was surprised to see a glass casing with Flamberge in cased in it. The place was well kept up.
"Mommy? Where did you go? Grampa?" Kratos stood up quickly, hearing the young voice call and he saw a small girl, no older then 3 come from the house.
"He is not here again." The girl's gaze trailed over to Kratos and she smiled running over, but then paused and stopped. Kratos could tell that the girl had for a second recognize him, although they had never met before.
"Have you seen Grampa?" she asked. Kratos looked around. Dirk didn't seem the man to take in another child, so the girl must have wondered in from the village.
"No. You shouldn't be here by yourself." Her short and slightly spiky hair shook with her head.
"I not. I was with Daddy. Daddy?" She yelled, getting no response.
"We are looking for Mommy. Silly Daddy. I lost him agian." She turned back to look at Kratos. She put her hands on his face and he tensed up.
"You look like Daddy." His eyes narrowed slightly and he gently took her hand from his face. Her tiny hands felt familiar like how his small son used to do the same.
"She has your eyes." A voice said and Kratos's gaze shot up quickly.
"Daddy. I founds you!" The girl ran over and grabbed onto the man's black pants. Kratos rose slowly, taking in the man in front of him. He swore he was looking into a reflection, but the brunette hair on this man was slightly spiky and his skin definitely saw more sun.
"L Lloyd?" He asked bluntly and the man came forward and threw his arms around Kratos.
"Your back Dad..Welcome home." Kratos arms hesitated and found themselves resting aginst his back.
"How long?"
"Huh?" Kratos pushed Lloyd back slightly, taking in the view of his now grown son. He did look like Kratos, but his hair and smile still was claimed by Anna. His clothing choice had defiantly changed, to slightly Kratos's relief. Granted, it was still red, but the multiple buttons were gone and his gloves no longer had fingers to them. He out grew the silly overalls as well and had a cloak that was similar to Kratos's.
"Oh about 10 years Dad. How long have you been back?" He asked, if slightly worried that Kratos had been there and he had totally missed him.
"Only about half an hour ago." Lloyd felt a tugging on his pants and he knelt down and rubbed the girl's head.
"Daddy? Why does he look like you?" Lloyd grinned and Kratos found it heart warming. He had made up for his past sins by taking care of Crusix's crystals. he was long ago forgiven by his son and, he returned to be the father he should have been. He was proud of Lloyd. His own son, was a father now himself. Then Kratos registered something that somehow missed his normally sharp mind.
"This is my other Daddy. He's your other Grampa." The girl walked over from Lloyd's hand and stared up at the man. The men changed positions, as Lloyd stood back up and Kratos knelt down. She put her hands on his face again and smiled brightly.
"Grampa! I have two Daddy's like Daddy does." She made a noise of consent as she leaned against his body, hugging her new family member. Kratos didn't pick up on what she mumbled his his chest of his pounding heart. This was all coming so fast.
"Why are you not old like Grampa?" she asked, pulling on his auburn locks. Lloyd laughed and folded his arms.
"Grampa Kratos is very special...special indeed." He added and the hit himself in the forehead.
"Anna. Did you find Mommy? I forgot about looking." The girl pulled back from Kratos and flailed her arms.
"I lost Mommy again." Lloyd sighed.
"I'm sure Mommy's around here somewhere. Couldn't have wondered to far.." The girl ran off with the determination to find her other family member.
"Her name..?" Kratos slightly chocked and Lloyd smiled, glancing over at the grave.
"Is that ok?" Lloyd asked, suddenly wondering if naming his daughter after his dead Mom offended Kratos. The seraphim smiled and stood up.
"I think. Your Mom is proud and honored. It is perfect." Lloyd walked over to the casing and ran his hand along the glass.
"Do you want this back?" He slightly chuckled and Kratos glanced at the sword at his side already.
"No. It can stay with her." He said, releasing a sigh of satisfaction. Lloyd sat down on the stony area and tapped the ground beside him, indicating Kratos to come sit as well. The ex-mercenary did.
"How old is Anna?"
"She turned three a few months ago." Lloyd noticed his father laugh, causing his head to tilt and eyebrow to rise.
"What's so funny?"
"Not funny. Ironic. Here I was thinking I did everything wrong with your life. That I could have been a better father and here you are, a man yourself with your own child to take care off...and now I'm a grandfather." He put his hand on his head.
"Anna probley finds this slightly funny herself."
"You think?" Lloyd glanced at the grave and then lowered his eyelids, a serious expression taking his face as his hand set on Kratos's shoulder firmly.
"You weren't there for some of my life. But you didn't do it wrong. You were a great father the time I did know you and I want to be as good a father to Anna as you were to me ok? Jeeze stop living in the past. It's over now. You can looks to the future again. To me, and Anna. To being a family." Kratos turned and pulled his son into an embrace. Boy, Lloyd had become less dull witted and more wise over the years. Wisdom that made his 4000 year old ears begging to hear Lloyd smiled and hugged his father back and they broke from each other to start talking again.
"The chosen?"
"Huh?"
"You used to have a crush on the chosen. Is she the mother?" Lloyd rubbed his neck nervously and glanced to the sky that had begun to grow dark with clouds as the sun set.
"Me and Colette had a thing for a while but it just didn't work out. Actually, Sheena is technically the mother." Kratos was slightly confused.
"There is no technically in it. How can she be the mother and technically not be?"
"Well. Dad I.."
"Daddy! I can not find Mommy." The girl started crying and ran over into her father's arms.
"I'm sure that.."
"Yo. Sorry I'm late. Me an Anna were racing up here and I somehow ended up in the woods." Kratos's mind registered that voice was defiantly not a woman's. Lloyd stood up as Anna ran over and glomped the man.
"Mommy. I saw scared that I losts you."
"But now you found me." He lifted the girl and set her on his hip. Lloyd stood up and walked over.
"You were right about the chosen. Just the wrong one." He chuckled and then grabbed the red ponytail.
"You idiot. How many times are you going to scare me like that before you stop getting lost." Zelos put on his pathetic puppy dog face.
"But hunnie. You know a city man like me doesn't do well out in these boondocks." Kratos stood up. His eyes moved from his son to Zelos, who hadn't changed much. He looks older sure, but his presence and personality seemed the same. He had relaxed like Yuan, as in his clothing choice. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail high on his head. He still wore his white pants and black top, but his pink coat had gotten sleeves and his gloves appeared all black now. Then the angel saw the matching rings on their fingers. His son was married to the chosen, just not the one he thought. Zelos noticed Kratos behind his lover and grinned.
"Look who's back. Even I'll admit, it's good to see you." Kratos came over and crossed his arms.
"You haven't changed." Zelos grinned and nuzzled his nose against Anna's.
"Will you forgive me for getting lost?" The girl folded her arms and turned her head.
"No." Kratos blinked and he noticed Lloyd laughing so it must not be serious. Kratos was beginning to wonder if Zelos was a bad 'Mom'. Anna was set on the ground and Zelos leaned down her her heigth.
"Please Anna?" She turned her back.
"No. You scared me." Zelos got on his knees and held his hands to the air.
"Oh goddess Martel. My own daughter won't forgive this stupid and foolish man. How am I ever going to be fit to being a good Mommy." He yelled dramatically in the air. Kratos was slightly weired out, and he had seen alot of strange stuff in his long lifetime. The toddler didn't react. and Zelos lowered his head.
"If my own daughter can't forgive me. Then I must not be worthy to live. I shall remain lost forever. Good bye Anna Aurion-Irving Wilder." The girl turned suddenly and ran into her Mom's arms.
"No Mommy. I forgive you. I not let you get lost anymore." Zelos faked rubbed his eyes, like he had been crying.
"You promise to keep me safe? Protect me from monsters."
"Yes!" Zelos spun her around and squeezed her.
"Thank you Anna." Lloyd held his stomach, trying so hard not to laugh for Anna wouldn't have givin in.
"That's a beautiful name." Kratos finally said and Lloyd glanced at him.
"She's your beautiful granddaughter." Zelos pointed out and Kratos rubbed the girl's head.
"And Sheena's the mother?" He asked and Zelos handed his girl over to Lloyd.
"Sheena was our saragant mother. She wanted to experience being pregnant without having to worry about kids. Of course, we paid her for her..cravings." Lloyd and Zelos chuckled at the memory.
"And Lloyd is the father. Colette can do what she wants but I wanted to end the chosen lineage. My mother married just for that and I'm going to make sure nothing like that ever happens to Anna." The redhead said. Kratos thought that was actually very smart for Zelos to do.
"So she took his surname instead. I didn't mind." Lloyd said and the girl frowned.
"Daddy. I can't see the stars." As if by instinct, Kratos glanced up at the sky, seeing the sun had almost set and it was cloudy tonight. She buried her head into his chest.
"I wanted to count stars with Grampa." She cried and Kratos glanced around and smiled.
"Anna." She turned to his voice and he rubbed her head and pointed off closer to the woods.
"You can't see the stars but, you can have something like them." They turned to see fireflies starting to come out. She squealed in delight and scrambled down from her Daddy's grip and ran over to the small lights.
"Daddy! Light bugs."
"Their lightning bugs hunnie." Zelos said and Lloyd folded his arms.
"Their fireflies." him and Kratos said at the same time and glanced at each other, smiling. She tripped over a rock, stood up and started crying agian. Lloyd stood back slightly and gave his Dad a slight push.
"Huh?" His son nodded his head, indicating Kratos to go and the seraphim sighed and walked over, kneeling down to her level.
"Your ok. It's just a cut." He rubbed the small scrape and she grabbed his hand.
"Grampa. Will you count the fireflies with me?" He stood up and looked over at the parents, who were watching fro ma distance. Zelos's arm found it's way around his son's and leaned against his shoulder, Lloyd being the taller one, having reached Kratos's heigth and Zelos hadn't grown any. Lloyd lifted their entwined fingers and kissed the man's hand and Kratos glanced back down at the girl. He saw for the first time since meeting her, not his little Lloyd, but his little Anna. It was a new start for his life.
"Alright Anna." He knelt down and picked her up, setting the toddler on his shoulders.
"You can count them from up here. They will be easier to see." She grabbed gently onto his hair for support and they started counting. After a while she yawned and leaned her head aginst his.
"There is like a gazzilion of them.
"Are there now?" Kratos asked and she nodded.
"I love you Grampa." The man smiled. He was once Kratos Aurion, a hero of the Karlon war, an angel of Crusix, a mercenary, a teacher. He didn't care about that angel anymore. Sure, he'd never forget it but here was something new now.
He was a Dad..and now, he was Grampa. Grampa Kratos Aurion.
Me: Yay fluffliness! Thanks for reading and please review xD
