Kermit: I have writer's block on my stories
Kermit in a cloak: Post a new one
Kermit: What
Kermit in a cloak: Do it
Who am I to argue with a meme? I own nothing.
"Martel?"
The green haired spirit rose from his spot beside the tree, casting her eyes up to his face. A gentle, soft smile so very much like Colette's touched her lips and she rose, fluidly to her feet, touching her staff to the ground.
"Eternal Swordsman…Lloyd," she spoke softly. "You've grown."
"I- I suppose I have a bit, since we last spoke." He nodded. "Is something wrong? The last time you called me here was when the tree was in danger."
"No, there is no danger now, it has passed." She shook her head, looking over her shoulder at the young tree then back at him. "I have called you for another matter. Do you remember, Lloyd, when the tree was first revived? How you tried to wake the seed, and it would not stir?"
The swordsman frowned a bit, nodding.
"Yes, it was when I grew my wings."
"Do you recall how when you flew to the seed, the shards of Mithos' crystal flew from your exsphere into the seed?"
"Yes." Lloyd nodded. "I always figured…he was helping. I suppose that doesn't make much sense, since he didn't want to tree to revive but-"
"You were correct. In his last moments of consciousness, Mithos did aid in reviving the seed and germinating the tree." She cut him off, her voice still soft and rolling on the gentle breeze. "Despite all he had done, the mercy you all extended to him did impact him, it did sway him at the very last to assist you."
Lloyd thought a moment, looking at the green tree in the dappled meadow as the tiny brooks babbled about it.
"I…I'm glad to hear that. I always…regretted-"
"You regretted having to kill him, despite all that had happened you tried to save him as well as the world, just as you did with Colette and Kratos." Martel tilted her head to the side, the leaves coming out of her head making a gentle rustling sound. "I know what the last thing you said to him was, Lloyd. I was there, I was the seed, I heard your words. 'You could have lived with us'."
"…Yes, but-…"
"He rejected you, you did all you could. You did more than anyone would have expected, perhaps more than people think you should have."
She had turned from him, walking back to the tree and gently placing her hand apon its trunk.
"'There's a part still that remains of him, one that is troubled and lonely. His sister Martel aches for him, for he is not truly at rest…so I have a question to ask of you, Lloyd, Namegiver, Seraph's son, Eternal Swordsman, Unifier…."
Her green eyes flitted to his brown ones from across the meadow.
"Could you bring him peace, Lloyd? If you had the chance, if he had a chance, would you try to save him yet again? Would you have that mercy, that compassion, to give him a second chance at peace?"
The man and the goddess stood across from each other, a patient soft smile on her face.
"It is perhaps too much to ask of anyone, still…his life did sprout this tree, along with so many other lives. Perhaps it is not enough to earn him redemption, after all the sins and travesties he committed. If anyone else, I would not ask, but you are different, Lloyd. You became so wise at such a young age, you praised and valued forgiveness, mercy, love, even to those who do not earn it."
"You're giving me too much credit," he shook his head. "Colette and Genis are more like that than I ever was. I didn't…always extend mercy, I didn't always try to save everyone that got in the way-"
"Not at first, no, but at the end you did. At the end you did, and now you regret having not given the chances before. That is why, Lloyd. You learn, you learn so very quickly, so very clearly."
"I still don't understand, Martel, what is this about?"
"It's a simple question Lloyd, though granted with a difficult answer. Would you?"
He frowned, scanning her face and then the tree.
"Yes, I suppose I would." He eyed her. "Why? I doubt you'd have me come all the way here just to ask me that."
She smiled, a soft chuckle.
"You see, Lloyd? You learn quickly when things are important to you. Yes…there is a reason."
She pulled her hand back from the bark of the tree, shimmering light following her palm like a strain of thread. It slipped into her palm, a mass of sparkling, shimmering lights and she turned to face him fully.
"Do you mean it, Lloyd?"
"…What is that?"
"Mithos," she replied. "What is left of him, emotions, pains, hopes…he could have this chance, Lloyd. He could be born once more, he could live with you, in your world, if you are willing to undertake this. It would not be your choice alone, however…a body would be required."
"What do you mean a body?" Lloyd frowned. "You don't mean like what Cruxis was trying to do to Colette, do you-?"
"No," she shook her head. "No one would be sacrificed, do not fret. A life cannot live with a soul alone, Lloyd…so a body would be required."
"I still don't understand what you're trying to say, Martel." He frowned, eying the light. "You're saying he could be alive again but- why would you need me?"
"Not 'alive again', not the way you are thinking of it. Reborn. A new life, an old soul. That is why I am asking you, and why I say it is not your choice alone. You and a woman would both have to agree to give new life to Mithos Yggdrasill."
Lloyd's eyes widened slightly, realization settling in.
"Wait- you mean-?"
"I am asking you to become Mithos' father, Lloyd," she said, extending the shimmering light out to him. "I am asking you whether you will accept this, whether you and a woman you love will become his parents, whether you will raise him to have a normal life."
He could only stare at her, staring at her outstretched palm, his eyes darting up to hers. She looked down at him, her inhuman height making him feel smaller, the expression she gave like a mother looking upon her child.
"You are no longer young, Lloyd. I know of your impending marriage, I know how you are to wed Colette."
"I-"
"Will you do this?"
"I- I can't just- I have to talk to her about this."
"Then speak with her. If she refuses it will not happen, this essence, this soul will return to the tree. If she accepts, it will stay within you."
"Within me?"
"In your body, until a new body is underway that will become your child."
Lloyd wasn't sure how to respond, staring into the mass of swirling lights.
"He was always so lonely," she whispered, her gaze falling. "Always so afraid, rejected, sad…it was a pity. Such a pity to see one fall so far…yet it was still his fault, his choices, his actions. There is no reason he should be rebirthed, none at all. None except for forgiveness of a pure soul."
He was quiet, his brow furrowed, but his gaze softened.
"So I ask one more time, Lloyd. Will you become his father? Will you accept?"
She was right, there was no reason he should have another chance. No reason he should forgive.
"That's all the more reason to," he muttered to himself.
He took a breath, looking up at her again.
"I accept."
She was bleeding everywhere, staining the green dress as he held her, begging her to stay with them. His mother, but not his mother, dying in his arms and his father was there, but it wasn't his father. The only other person there he recognized was the blue-haired half-elf, the only one who looked the same. But that didn't matter, his mother was dying-
He jerked upright in bed with a shout, panting as his bangs clung to his face, damp from sweat.
"Mom-!"
He cut off, looking around and groaning, rubbing his face. That nightmare again? He hadn't had it for a while, why was it coming back?
"Mithos?"
The boy looked up, flushing a bit when his mother entered the room, his father right behind her, both of them concerned. He blushed and looked away, embarrassed.
"I'm okay, Mom, it was just a bad dream…sorry I woke you up," he mumbled.
"Was it that dream again? Sweetie, if you need to talk about it-"
"I'm fine, Mom!" he blurted, his ears burning red. "I'm not a little kid! I don't need- look, I'm sorry, I didn't meant to….to freak you guys out. I'm okay, you can go back to bed."
The blonde woman frowned, looking to the side at her brunette spouse.
"Let's go, Colette," he said gently. "He's fine, he's not a baby. He'll be okay."
"But Lloyd-"
The man gave her a look, quickly glancing over at the blonde boy then back again. Colette frowned, biting her lip then nodding.
"Okay…try to get some more sleep before school starts, sweetie." She forced a smile.
He didn't answer outside of a small nod, averting his chocolate brown eyes. His mother seemed hesitant to leave but did so. Lloyd lingered just a moment then left as well, closing the door with a small click. The scrawny young teen gave a sigh, plopping back down on his bed on his back, looking up at the ceiling.
That dream was a bad one, he used to have it a lot, as a little kid. He'd have them all the time, at least once a week…over time they had gotten better, he didn't have them as much. It wasn't always the same one, but the one he had just had was the most frequent. The woman who looked like his mother, the man that looked like his father, and then…Yuan, for some reason. Why the hell he'd have nightmares where that jerk was just hanging around didn't make much sense. Sure he didn't really like the guy, but he wasn't scared of him.
Oh well… might as well go back to sleep.
In the other room, Lloyd frowned, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking off into space. Colette sighed, looking over at him.
"Lloyd, go to sleep."
"I thought he outgrew those 'dreams'," Lloyd said, rubbing his face. "He hadn't had them in so long, I thought-…"
"Martel told us it wasn't going to be easy, Lloyd, we knew that," she reached over, grabbing his hand.
"I know, I just worry," Lloyd shook his head sighing. "What if….what if he remembers? Could you imagine? If you just…suddenly remembered being someone else, doing all those things…it'd crush him."
"But he hasn't, and they've gotten less frequent," she smiled gently, attempting to reassure him. "He'll be okay, Lloyd, he has been for all this time."
"Yeah…you're right, I just-"
"You worry, I do too, but it's late and there's nothing to worry about right now." She gave his arm a gentle tug. "Go to sleep, Lloyd, you should rest."