Kratos breathed a heavy sigh as he walked down a hallway. He missed the past days that he used to live in. 4000 years ago… His friends and companions, Yuan, Mithos, and Martel. They always celebrated each other's birthdays when it came to it.
Now, all that had changed. Mithos had become trapped in his own Cruxis Crystal, and had been released by Lloyd. Martel had died long ago, and Yuan was still fine, but he couldn't see him because Kratos was now on Derris-Kharlan, drifting away into space. "Lloyd…" Kratos murmured as he halted his steps. 'Lloyd, my son. Are you all right…?'
Kratos thought as he closed his eyes for a brief second, then quickly opened them, and continued to walk down the hallway.
Meanwhile…
"Nyah! You can't get me!" Shouted Lloyd as he seemingly played tag with a Rabbit monster. The little cute, but aggravated monster growled as he jumped into the air and tried to snap at Lloyd. "Ha ha!" Lloyd laughed as he dodged it. "Ever get the feeling that Lloyd will never get smarter at this rate?" Genis asked Sheena. "Nope, not anytime soon at least."
"Aghhh! Get off! Ow!" Lloyd screamed as the Rabbit began to bite the fallen Lloyd as he stood on him. "Lloyd, use your god damn swords!" Genis yelled to him, tired of waiting. "Owww! I can't Genis! I lost them! Ouch! Yeow!" Lloyd continued to scream in pain as the Rabbit then began to bite his ear. "You can be so dumb Lloyd…" Genis murmured as he began to chant. "Aqua Edge!" He yelled, sending three magic water blades at the little monster, which caused it to die.
As Lloyd got up, Genis and Sheena glared at him, tired of his childish fanatics. "What?" Lloyd asked shrugging his shoulders. Genis and Sheena merely sighed.
After the three had found Lloyd's swords, which turned out to be behind Genis in a bush,
the three made their way back to Iselia on the Rheairds; Lloyd noticed something going on at his house. "Uh… I'll see you guys later." He said to Sheena and Genis as he flew his Rheaird down to his bit worn down house.
As Lloyd got off his Rheaird, and put it back in the Wing Pack, he saw someone exiting the doorway to the house that had reddish brown hair. Lloyd gasped. "N-no way…!" Lloyd almost burst into tears. "DAD!" He yelled running towards Kratos. "D-dad, you're here! You're actually here!" Lloyd whispered as he embraced his father. "Lloyd… I've missed you… My son." Tears began to well up in Kratos' eyes. "Aye, he came back for a visit Lloyd." Dirk said coming out of the house. "But how… I don't understand…" Lloyd said trying to figure out how his father had come here. "You don't need to understand, just know that I'm here…." Kratos said as he wiped away the tears.
The two fathers and son then entered the house, had something to eat, and began to talk. "So, dad, how is it on Derris-Kharlan?" Lloyd asked with almost a mouthful of food. "It is not very pleasant. Being alone is…. Lonely." Kratos said finishing off a piece of steak. "Aye, I could imagine that." Dirk said in a small sad tone.
After the meal, they all decided that it was time to hit the sack. Lloyd claimed that Kratos could have his bed, and Lloyd would sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag. As Lloyd began to go to sleep, he heard Kratos mumble. "My birthday is in 2 days…. I wonder if anyone knows…" Then heard him snore. 'A birthday? Oh no! What now! How come I never heard of it before?' Lloyd thought biting his lip. 'I'll see what I can do tomorrow, but now, I think I'll get some sleep…' Thought Lloyd as he began to fall asleep, and snored as loud as Kratos.
Dirk, however, didn't have much ease going to sleep, since all the snoring was very loud. "Like father, like son I suppose…" Dirk mumbled a tad irritated.
The next morning, Lloyd awoke refreshed, and ready to face the world. As he got up, he looked around for his father. "Kratos? Where'd he go?" Lloyd asked himself, a bit worried that he had gone back to Derris-Kharlan. "Lloyd! Breakfast!" A voice called from downstairs. Lloyd immediately got dressed, and hurried downstairs.
"What's for breakfast D-d-d-d-d…ad…" Lloyd stared at who was serving breakfast as he sat down at the table. "Eggs, and bacon." Kratos responded, wearing a cooking apron. "You're…. Still here? What's with the apron?" Lloyd asked, still staring at Kratos. "I'm trying to relive the days I had lost." Kratos answered, flipping a flapjack. "Where's… um… Dad?" Lloyd asked, looking around to make sure he was still here. "Oh, Dirk? He's still sleeping for some reason." Kratos answered as he sat down at the table as well.
After breakfast, Lloyd went to Iselia on his rheaird. Upon reaching the school, he landed, and went inside the building. He found only Raine. "Professor, where is everybody else?" Lloyd asked curiously, looking around the room. "Lloyd? I thought you would've known. Today is Saturday." Raine said turning around, a frown on her face, which turned into an almost evil grin.
"Professor? Why are you looking at me that way?" Lloyd asked, frightened by this sudden change in Raine. "Lloyd... It's time I taught you some real lessons." Raine said almost laughing. Her chance had finally come... There was no escape. She could finally teach him without any distractions around.
"No... Nooooo!" Lloyd yelled as he made his way to the door. "Oh no you don't! Not this time!" Raine said as she grabbed Lloyd by the ankles, and dragged him back to the only learning room of the school.
After 3 hours of learning, Lloyd's mind was ready to burst. "Have a nice day Lloyd!" Raine said cheerfully with a huge smile across her face as Lloyd left the school premises.
Lloyd's left eye twitched like crazy all the way to Colette's house. "B-brain hurts... so much..." Lloyd whimpered as he made his way inside. He immediatly fell down on the floor, flailing around like a fish out of water. "Lloyd!" Colette screamed as soon as she came into the room. She then immediatly fell on her knees, head in hands. "Why, Lloyd! Why not me?" Colette bawled.
Later on, after Colette called Kratos (Don't ask how.), Kratos came rushing in Colette's house, a panic stricken look on his face. "Where is he! Where is my son!" He said very panicky-like. "Um... You're standing on him." Colette said calmly for some very strange reason. "What?" Kratos looked down at the fallen Lloyd. "Oh..." Kratos merely said. He stepped off Lloyd, then bent down to get a better look at him. "Egad!" He yelled backing away from the now very still body of Lloyd. "What? What!" Colette almost burst into tears. "WHAT THE HELL IS IT GOD DAMMIT!" Colette yelled as she grabbed Kratos by the collar. "Well..I...can't tell...you...if...you're...choking me." Kratos gasped for air as Colette released her grip. "I'm sorry!" Colette breathed as she tried to calm down. "Hey, what's all the commotion about?" Lloyd asked as he slowly sat up. "LLOYD!" Colette screamed as she ran to hug him. "Thank Martel..." Kratos said wiping his forehead. "Lloyd! You're all right!" Colette screamed in pure joy. "Something happened? What was it?" Lloyd asked raising an eyebrow. "Your brain overloaded." Kratos said merely closing his eyes trying to concentrate. "Thats it?" Colette asked with a confused face. "Who cares! I'm hungry!" Lloyd said as he stood up.
Colette came out of the kitchen with three plates of Pork Cutlets with 'Quiche. "Eat up!" Colette said cheerfully. Lloyd began to eat so fast, that he had a stomach ache. Kratos started with the 'Quiche, sipping it from the cup. Colette ate a bit faster than Kratos, but not fast enough to get a stomach ache.
After the meal was over, Lloyd laid on the couch, trying to recover from the huge stomach ache he had recieved. Kratos picked his teeth with a toothpick, and Colette was washing the dishes in the kitchen sink. "Ohhh... My poor stomach is in so much pain..." Lloyd whined as he rubbed his belly. "Must you always eat so fast?" Kratos asked from the dining table. "I'm just so hungry when food comes around." Lloyd said from the nearby couch, raising a hand to indicate he was still there. "I will be heading back to the house. I'll see you there." Kratos said as he headed out the door. Lloyd looked to make sure he was gone, then quickly got up. Colette had just come out of the kitchen. "Lloyd, what's-" Colette began to ask. "Colette, my Dad's birthday is coming up, and I'm so freaked out!" Lloyd began to panic. "Dirk?" Colette cocked her head to one side. "No! My REAL Dad's birthday!" Lloyd said still freaked out. "Kratos?" Colette cocked her head to the other side. "Yeah! I need help to make him a birthday party!" Lloyd said as he sat down on the couch, head in hands. "Why don't we call the others up?" Colette asked sitting next to Lloyd. "Hey, yeah! That'll work!" Lloyd said as he lifted his head from his hands. "We'll make Kratos the best birthday party ever!" Colette stood up, punching her right hand into the air. "Yeah!" Lloyd also stood up, throwing his left hand into the air.
LI: Agh... My hands. Colette: Here:Hands LI a cloth with cold water: LI: Thanks Colette. Yuan: No! It's a trap! LI: What the hell are you talking about Yuan? Yuan: What? Oh, I'm playing Tales of Symphonia. LI: ... Colette: R and R please!