Chapter two
I... yeah, didn't expect many people to know what Radiata stories was anyway... (sniff) I'm so pathetic but I'd love to do this anyway.
"What... the... hell?!" Zelos exclaimed, seaching for so much as a pathway that seemed to be leading to his house. "Where is it??"
"Well... I assumed that you figured this wasn't Meltokio when we walked acrossed that bridge." Raine sighed.
"B-but..."
"Yeah, Zelos, Meltokio doesn't have a giant bridge over a canyon." Genis smirked.
"It's... where are we?!"
"Why, you're in the kingdom of Radiata, sir." a slightly obstructed voice said from behind them.
Zelos turned to the source of the voice in tears, "Radiata?? Is that in... Sylverant??" he asked the person who had a helmet over his head.
The owner of the voice was very short and round, he had knight's armor on. He had a green rucksack over his back, tied from around his neck.
"Sylverant?" he repeated, "I just said...that this is the kingdom of Radiata." he said. "there's no Sylverant where we live."
"Then... then..." Genis paled, everyone giving a grim stare to the eternal swordsman.
...Silence.
"Lloyd, you idiot!" Zelos roared.
...Everyone else fell silent as it registered.
"It would have been OKAY if we were on Tethe'alla but NOOOO-"
"Zelos!" Raine cut him off sharply, dragging him to his feet by the back of his collar.
Calming down, the failure of a no-longer-needed chosen turned his head sheepishly to the professor.
"Calm down... we don't want to make a scene..." she waited for him to get completely silent. "...Good. Now, everyone, we'll meet back here in an hour, there are clocks everywhere and you shouldn't be late. If you get lost, ask for directions... this place seems to be quite busy..."
Kratos stood silently, as well as everyone else. They waited for her to finish.
"Before we meet, you're all to scout out and find out as much about this place as you can, and if possible, find somewhere to work fr a while until we have an idea of where to search for Lloyd's sword... You'll be in pairs, clear?"
"Yes." they all (except Kratos who just made a small but deep humming noise) simutaneously agreed.
"Genis, you're with Colette."
"Yay!" Colette clapped while Genis smiled at her.
"heh heh..."
"Lloyd, you're with Kratos, Zelos, you're with Sheena, and Presea, you're with me."
Regal shifted, "So I'm alone then?"
"Well, you're to stay here, I want you to make sure that everyone gets here on time."
"...Understood."
The platinum blonde professor, who was equally anxious to get around and look at the place, took off in one direction quickly, leaving them all there.
... A moment later she just appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Presea, dragging the girl with her as everyone started to go in their own directions.
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Genis and Colette
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"Hey!" the blonde pointed, "there's a big church there! Maybe they worship Martel too!" she said.
Genis's eyes moved to the side, watching the girl silently, "well... they may have a church but I doubt that they worship Martel, it's probably some other celestial being."
Giggling, the chosen replied, "yeah, you're proably right." she grinned, "but that's what we're here to find out, right?"
"...Yeah..."
They were just entering into a white-bricked road pathway with green bricks in some places. A spikey haired, blonde boy in a priest's outfit was doing crouches and arm lifts in front of a shop. This shady-looking character stood in front of him, he had short, curly black hair and a narrow face, his cheeks curved inward. His eyes were wide as he watched the boy.
"... That's... weird..." Genis also watched the boy work, an eager expression in his eyes as he stretched from left to right, keeping himself moving.
...Awkward silence.
"...Let's go." Colette put a gentle hand on his shoulder.
Upon reaching the temple, they found that it was a LOT larger, by far, than they had expected.
"Wow..." Colette looked up at it's entrance, two large, tall pedestals held up a high roof over the doorway and the doors were large as well.
"That's... so big..." Genis said, equally mesmerised by it's heght and perimeter.
"Ah... so you're fond of my shrine." a deep, knowing voice seemed to come out of nowhere. The blonde and the plainum blonde jumped slightly, but turned to see the owner of the voice that cast a shadow over them both at the same time.
"A-ah..." Colette blinked, staring at him. He was tall and had a cloth draped over the sides of his head, a preist's head-wear. He had on a long, white and blue robe and he had small glasses, riding at the end of his nose. The man was incredibly tall with light brown hair that was visable from under his head-wear.
"Yeah, it's really big, do you think we could go inside?" Genis spoke up.
"Is you wish to give praise to the Gods... our doors are always open to you..." he spoke again, it felt as if his very voice rattled their bones.
"Thanks!" Colette bounced on her toes, turning to the door.
...tripping before she even started moving.
"Ow..." the girl rubbed her head.
"Colette, are you all right?"
"Here." the tall, kind-looking man stepped in front of her and held out a warm hand to her. Colette stared at it for a moment, then up at his friendly expression, then back.
"Oh, thank you." she said, smiling and taking it. Once she was on her feet again, she apologized about seven times as he lead them in.
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Lloyd and Kratos
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The pair found themselves wandering into a hidden area in the apartments, they found a place called 'Club Vampire' where many shady-looking people were wandering or sitting off to the side.
"Void community..." Kratos repeated.
"Yeah... that's what that guy said anyway..." Lloyd said, shifting. "...Hey, Kratos... should we really get involved with a place like this...? it looks kind of..."
"Scared?" the auburn-haired mercinary eyes his son musingly.
"N-no!" he said in defiance.
"Alright then." he said, starting to proceed furthur down the stairs where this "Club Vampire" supposedly was.
"W-wait, da-ah-Kratos!"
The man paused, turning slowly, a dark look in his eyes beyond the reddish streaks over them.
Lloyd froze at the sight, "s...sorry..." he mumbled, "I ah... I think I should go too." he said, walking down the staircase until he came behind the man who continued again.
They heard faint pulsings of a steady beat, and once they opened the door, the music played a little louder. It sounded like the old tavern music... heck, it looked like a tavern.
There was a counter where a woman stood by herself, she wore very heavy, dark, depressing make-up. Long, wavy raven-colored hair. Her outfit was dark as well, a whip at her side.
Lloyd jumped when she noticed him staring and glared at him.
The boy swallowed, "Ah... Kratos, I don't really think that it's very safe here..."
"If you don't like it, go back and wait at the door." he said, "or if you want, you could wait with Regal." he told him darkly.
"N-no...!" Lloyd protested.
"Then there shouldn't be a problem." he said, "We all have to find jobs don't we? None of us are going anywhere any time soon."
Lloyd shivered at his tone.
He knew that this was his fault, but how could he control it? How?
"Hmm..." Lloyd let Kratos walk ahead. The boy looked around the room in uncertainty. "Not that this place doesn't suit him..." he said.
"...Oh well." he shrugged, walking near the door and leaning against the wall. It was about five minutes and nobody, thankfully, said anything to him.
"...Hey, hey you." A woman's voice coed, "hey... kid..."
Lloyd hesitated, turning his head to the source of the voice.
"Yeah, you."
"Oh shit..." Lloyd cursed, watching as the dark-haired woman approached him. "Ahh-hah...haha" Lloyd laughed nervously.
"...Yeah?"
"That man you were with earlier." She said, stopping in front of him.
"Oh..." Lloyd sighed, relieved. "Yeah? what about him?"
"...Haven't seen him around before... I know there are a lot of shady characters around here, but he's definately not registered in this guild." she stated. "...What business does he have with Ortoroz?"
"...What's it to you?" Lloyd asked, raising an eyebrow.
A creepy smile spread acrossed her face, "I think that he should consult with me for a while... if you know what I mean."
It took a moment to register, "Ah" he paused "...oh..." Lloyd flinched, inching away from the woman who was still smirking, a glint of hopefullness in her eyes.
"Yeah, where is he, anyway?" Another girl walked up to Lloyd. She had brown hair tied up in a bun and she was polishing a cup with a rag, her eyes a bit squinty. "I'd like to meetthis newcomer as well."
"I um..." Lloyd hesitated, watching the doorway where his father dissapeared off to desperately. "I'm not..."
"He had a nice ass..." another girl said bluntly.
"Hey, now that I think about it..." The bartender girl said, "he kind of looks like that guy."
"He does..." the other girl added.
"Hmm... this must be his son..." The dark-haired woman with the whip said, her eyes a little brighter with something else now.
...Silence.
"Lets take him for ransome!" The other girl suggested.
"Yeah..." the waitress girl said.
"I'm all for that, but you guys will have to step down." Iris, the whip-holder said, starting to chuckle evilly, "Hmhmhm... he's mine... MINE!!" she grinned.
"H-hey!" Lloyd found himself backed up against a wall, "stop, stop!" he ordered, as they started to grab him. "leave me alone!"
"No, not until we have that sexy father of yours in our clutches..."
"NOOO!!"
"Lloyd?" A deep, smooth-sounding voice rose up from behind them.
"K-Kratos!" the boy broke free of them and fell to the mercinary's side, a bit disshelved.
THe tall man took one look at his son who was breathing heavily, collapsed to his knees.
...Silence.
Kratos took one look at the three, his grim expression gluing them to their positions.
"Hahah..." The waitress blinked, wide-eyed at his look of death.
"..." The look intensifyed, his eyes narrowed and his lips put into a firm frown. He looked down at them with eyes that seemed to be tinted a a blood-red color.
...Silence, they all stared eachother down... It took a moment.
"..."
"EEEEEEEEEEEE!!" the waitress and the other girl squealed, crying while hugging their knees, rocking back and forth in a corner.
Iris had hearts in her eyes, a small smile gracing her expression. "Ohh... so Kratos is your name... I've never really fallen in love before..." she sighed. "like I have now..."
"...Lets go, Llyod." The man grabbed his son's arm and dragged him out.
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"You WHAT?!"
"I got a job as an asassin." Kratos repeated, trying to look interested in the display of swords. They had entered a shop that was near the area of exiting and entering the entire city, where another bridge stood in front of the open gate.
"But dad--I...I mean..." Lloyd paused, not daring to look his father in the eyes.
Wait...
Did he just call him...
...his father?
Kratos felt his lips part, he was actually struck a little speechless for a bit.
"...Er... anyway..." Lloyd continued, averting his eyes, "I think that... you should work somewhere else..." he said sheepishly.
"...So you were afraid of that place... yet you're not frightened by places like Derri-Kharlan... or Ozette... Forests of death or Human ranches where people are tortured and-"
"I get it!" Lloyd outburst. "I... I know... sorry." he paused. "it's just that..."
...Silence... again.
"...Nevermind, you can continue." Lloyd still kept from looking directly at the mercinary standing beside him.
"... I have been accepted in the void community, and they seem to be paying decently, depending on the job given." he said, "... you should find a place to work as well." he said.
"Y...yeah..."
Well I guess that's it for now... though I should probably add in Jack sooner or later.
Hee... I'm so glad that I can fit every character in somewhere perfectly! It's so cool!
Review!