A/N: Gasps! I haven't written anything in almost a week! How weird...

Just a few things before getting to the actual story…

This is in-game, Dawn of the New World/Knight of Ratatosk (second one sounds cooler) Zelloyd-y goodness. Because (a), I love that pairing and (b), Zelos was the only person who actually really trusted Lloyd throughout the whole thing. Don't like it? Don't read it! Simple rule of thumb, right?

A few things are changed. Like, first the main pairing in the story. No, it is not Emil/Marta. Because Lloyd and Zelos are so much cooler than Emil and Marta. And second, Lloyd is less…smart in this story than he was in DotNW. I tried to make him more like he was in the first game, which had him being totally awesome rather than all "Hi, I'm serious and actually kind of smart now. Surprise!" Yeah, that kind of annoyed me. Can you tell?

I DO NOT own any of these cool characters. Or the game. (I just lost the Game now, by the way. In case anyone cares.) Other than how it's, you know, in my Wii.

I guess that's all. Enjoy!

Every fact out there pointed towards Lloyd's guilt. Any normal person would have decided quickly that Lloyd had indeed attacked Palmacosta—and, indeed, most people, normal or not, had. However, despite the fact that Zelos liked to believe that he was normal (at least to a certain extent) he certainly didn't believe the rumors about Lloyd.

It was true that Lloyd had gone off awhile back after talking something over with Yuan. Zelos still had no idea what the two had talked about, but Lloyd had seemed unhappy and frustrated about the fact that he had to put the Exsphere Quest on hold. He'd promised to meet Zelos in Meltokio when all this was done, though he'd warned it could be awhile.

And now, with the reports of Lloyd Irving having attacked Palmacosta in the famous Blood Purge?

Zelos refused to believe that Lloyd would do that. Sure, it would be easy enough for anyone else. But those people didn't know Lloyd, and even if they did…

He pressed the rolled-up newspaper against his forehead, forcing himself to remember. To remember what Lloyd had said, what he had done…

It had been early in their Exsphere Quest. Things had been going well. Lloyd hadn't gotten driven too crazy by Zelos, or at least he hadn't thrown Zelos out the window in frustration. That was something at least.

Lloyd had been studying Zelos with that unrecognizable look on his face. One Zelos had seen often before, but never directed at him. That explained why it was so difficult to place. It was such a…strange look. One Zelos didn't recognize.

"What?" Zelos had snapped after a time.

"You're thinking about something," Lloyd had said finally, resting his chin on his gloved hands.

"Is that so strange?"

There was a ghost of a smile on Lloyd's lips. "Don't change the subject. What're you thinking about?"

"Hmph." Lloyd thought he could read Zelos so easily. Well, okay, maybe he could, but still.

"Come on, Zelos. A piece of gald for your thoughts."

"My thoughts are more expensive than that."

Lloyd fixed him with that stare again, and Zelos sighed inwardly. "You're strange, Lloyd."

"Strange?" Lloyd had seemed indignant. "I am not! If anyone's strange, it's you!"

Zelos swallowed back the urge to snicker. "I'm not strange."

"You are too."

"No, I'm—"

"Are too. Are too. Are too."

Lloyd could be surprisingly annoying at times.

"I was just wondering how you could have possibly still trusted me after I betrayed you!" Zelos finally snapped.

There was a widening of Lloyd's grin. "Gotcha."

"Dammit, Lloyd."

Lloyd's expression turned serious and thoughtful. It happened every so often. They'd have these serious, even deep conversations. They just seemed to come out of nowhere. "But, regarding your question…I guess I just remembered the times we'd had together."

It was Zelos's turn to stare at Lloyd. "Wait, what?"

"I mean, after I stopped being pissed off about Colette getting kidnapped—again—I guess I just remembered everything we'd done together. I mean…" Lloyd shrugged, a little uncomfortable now. "I don't know. It's just that you can't spend that much time with someone and just throw it all away. At least that's what I think."

"Huh." Zelos sat back to consider that one for a moment. He finally settled for turning on his side, facing away from Lloyd, yanking the covers over his shoulders. "You really are strange, Lloyd."

"I'm talking, here!"

"Hush. It's bedtime, Lloyd. I'm asleep, see?"

In the darkness, Zelos could only hear Lloyd's soft puff of exasperation.

It had been one day in many. Nothing made it stand out from any other day…except maybe for that conversation.

It's just that you can't spend that much time with someone and just throw it all away…

Yes, Zelos mused now, perhaps he was right.

Remember everything Lloyd had done, said, and stood for…

"Lloyd did not destroy Palmacosta," Zelos said aloud to himself. No, of course not. While all facts might point to that…

Whoever had destroyed Palmacosta could not have been Lloyd.

That, perhaps, was the most profound and important fact of all.

A/N: Ehhh…sort of short…it's more of a prologue sort of thing…anyway, reviews are nice. Very nice. (nod, nod) So, uh, I guess you know what happens next, right? (It has to do with the review button….right…there! See it? See it?)