Wow...I gotta tell you, it feels GREAT! Coming back to this. The reviews, the updates, the self-loathing, the hatred of internet connections, the excuses for late updates. YUP! Good to back!

But best of all are the reviewers, old and new! My old ones filled me with joyful nostalgia and the ones filled me with desire to keep going! So thank you to:

eragonfanatic92: Always the first to review! I love it! Oh, and see the end note to answer your question.

Maurice A. Nigma: Your support means a tremendous amount to me. I only hope
I don't let you down. Whatever reviews you contribute, I look forward to your constructive criticism and compliments. Enjoy!

emi the cookie monster: IT'S EMI! NUMERO UNO! YAY! Yes, Lloyd doing bad things was quite disheartening, but I think it's the Kratos in him. We'll just have to wait and see. And what you should do is wait til you are older, buy it, and just tell your mom and brother that you are your own person! But that's just my opinion. I hope you enjoy this!

Jenova Remnant AKA Fishie: I didn't do it to Lloyd! It was namco! I just made it worse, lol. Never fear never fear! Have I steered you wrong yet? ... Don't answer that...

Jeanne and Her Alters: At ease soldier! Haha. I did a little dance when you and the chibis and soul consuming muffins appeared again. Life is now better, lol. I can never leave Lloyd either, but since the plot is my own, I just have to mess with EVERYTHING I can. Yay!

mandrakefunnyjuice: I'm sorry I made you wait...and use foul language. Seriously though, IT KILLED ME TO KILL REGAL! I have major love for him and his delicious quotes! And as to Mithos's essence...well...you may be right. But then again you may be wrong. (Cookie if you tell me which character from TOS said that.)

KGS: My favorite three-letter reviewer! I'mglad you like it. I hope you like this too!

Child-of-Darkness-and-Light: Aw! Don't cry! -hands tissue- This chapter will cheer you up. I promise! Enjoy!

Hdshbags: I'm a huge Regal fan too. I love him to death. But sadly no. I assure you he is really dead at Lloyd's hand. But you will see more as to why later and I hope you will agree with my reasonings. Enjoy!

Key of Ra: Yes, I know it was a bit confusing. If it still is after this chapter, I will post a guide on mt profile. And Regal is dead at Lloy's hand, stabbed through with Lloyd's sword. That's all that is known at this point. But, I am glad you enjoyed it! I hope you enjoy this too!

DarkSabor: I'm glad you liked this and Mirror Image! And while this is tecnically not a TOS2 fanfic, more like my own plot, it will incorporate it. I figure if I start now, the idea won't be stolen by weirdos later who write about TOS 2, lol. Enjoy.

Eleven reviews! -happy squeal- Keep the coming, I beg of you.

And because this is a continuation of Mirror Image, I will provide a quote from Mirror Image at the beginning of each chapter, because I'm a dork and because I can. Yay!

Disclaimer: I own all of the OC's. Back off!

Quote: "Anna?" she said. "Ada. Adalais." She hesitated, looking unsure then said, "Kratos, Anna is... dead" She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. Kratos blinked and felt for her mana signature. It was almost indentical to Anna's, but there was something off, as if the signature had multiplied. It wasn't Anna, no matter how much this girl looked like her.

Anna's eyes snapped open and she sat up straight in bed, panting as the sweat clung to her skin. She gasped for breath as she wiped the tears from her cheeks, sniffling and clutching her head.

Fifteen years…it's been fifteen years and still that dream is just as real as ever! She thought to herself. She covered her mouth with her hands and looked out the window to her left, where the small graveyard sat, four tombstones glittering in the moonlight. Looking to her right, she found an empty spot where her husband should have been.

Anna swung her legs out of bed and left the room, heading down the hall for her daughter's room. It was a common routine. After being frightened awake, Anna had to check on Mitsukai, else she would not return to sleep. She didn't know why, but every year, on that bloody anniversary, she was suddenly gripped with the powerful fear that her daughter was in danger, that some great peril would steal her child away and her heart would die completely. Pausing on the landing outside of the topmost room, Anna took a deep breath before she cracked the door and peered inside.

The great green and white protozoan Noishe was curled up at the foot of an empty, but recently slept in bed. Anna opened the door wider and stepped insider, fear closing like a vice around her heart.

"I'm out here mom," called a teenage girl's voice. "Don't freak out."

Anna sighed and crossed the room, heading through the windowed doors out onto the terrace, where he daughter stood. Still, Anna said nothing as she went to her child and looked out over the forest.

Mitsukai Martel Aurion, known to most as Suki, did not turn to look at her mother. Her heart shaped face and red-brown eyes stayed fixed on the view, her very long auburn hair stirring slightly in the breeze. Her white nightgown showed of the curves expected of every seventeen year-old, but it hid the muscle. In fact all of Mitsukai's clothes were loose to hide the muscles she had, but not because she was self-conscious, but because she had earned them fighting. And Mitsukai Aurion was not allowed to fight.

"The dream?" Anna finally asked.

"Yes," Suki sighed. "Is it that obvious?"

Anna patted her daughter on the shoulder. "Tomorrow will be fifteen years since he left…" Anna throat tightened.

"Don't, mom."

Anna closed her eyes at her daughter's refusal to believe what was so plain to everyone else. Still…it was a vain hope that they all shared.

"Are you feeling well, sweetie?" Anna asked. "You've been up late at night a lot lately."

"I'm fine," Suki said.

"Mitsukai…"

Suki turned around and looked at her mother. "I know you and Dad are freaked that I'm suddenly going to turn into an angel, but I'm not. I don't have Angel Toxicosis, I have insomnia, all right?"

Anna's eyes narrowed. "Watch your tone, missy."

"You know the situation," said a new voice, a deep male voice. "We must be careful."

"I know, father," Suki said turning around and standing up straight as Kratos Aurion pierced his youngest child through with his cold gaze. Suki stared as coldly back, her yes identical to her dad's. Kratos held her gaze for a very long moment.

Suki blinked. "Damn it! Why do you always win?"

Anna chuckled as Kratos ruffled Suki's hair. "We're just being careful, Mitsukai." Kratos motioned for her and Anna to go back inside. "There may be complications."

"I know," Mitsukai said heavily, crawling back into bed.

Anna kissed Suki's forehead. "Try to get some sleep, angel. We love you."

"Yeah," Suki said, rolling over and snuggling into her pillow. "I love you too," she yawned, closing her eyes.

Kratos and Anna left the room returning to their own and closing the door. "Do you think she's telling the truth?" Anna asked.

"I would not expect Mitsukai to lie," Kratos replied. "Not when she knows…"

"When she saw…" Anna added.

"But I suspect she is lying after all," Kratos said, stroking Anna's cheek. "Did you check her mana signature?"

"Yes," Anna said. "It's chnaging. It's very similar to...his actually."

"We thought that as long as we keep her from the sword, we'd keep her from his fate," Kratos muttered. "We may have been wrong."

Anna lay back on the bed, pulling Kratos on top of her and stroking his temples. "I hope we weren't, my love."

Kratos kissed her. "We've had similar reports concerning the rest of the children." He sighed before turning his attention solely on his wife. "We will meet tomorrow and discuss it."

Back in her room, Mitsukai stared up at the ceiling. Noishe whined and licked her hand as Suki stroked his fur. Another sleepless night. Suki lifted her wrist to her face and stared at the shining orb flickering there. It's getting clearer…brighter. I wonder how Don and Vikki and the others are…"

Tick…Tick…

Thump!

Cough.

Tick…Tick…

Thump!

Cough!

Tick…Tick…

THUMP!

"Don!" hissed Victoria Adalais Irving-Aurion, looking up from her book. "Stop tossing and turning so loudly!"

Donovan Lloyd Irving-Aurion sat up from his rumpled bed sheets and glared at his twin sister. "Shut it Vikki!" he whispered grumpily. "I'm trying to sleep."

"Well you know as well as I that we aren't going to get to sleep!" Vikki whispered back hotly.

"Dwarven Vow #16 You can do anything if you try!" Don muttered. He lay back down in a huff and rolled over. Unfortunately for Don, there was no bed where he rolled so he crashed to the floor, knocking his nightstand over as well.

"Haha-AUGH!" Vikki leaned over the edge of her own bed, pointing and laughing at her brother…that is, until her supporting arm fell and she crashed face first into the floor, her legs still held up by the bed.

The door swung open, revealing Colette Brunel, rubbing sleep from her very suspicious eyes, which rested on the two guilty looking fifteen-year-olds. "What is going on here?"

"Don had a nightmare and fell out of bed again," Vikki said at once, her blue eyes widening innocently as she righted herself on the mattress and shook her brown hair out of her face.

"Vikki leaned over to see if I was ok," Don added, flopping back on his bed and running his hand through his messy brown hair, his blue eyes mimicking Vikki's innocent expression. "Then she fell out of bed too."

Colette raised an eyebrow.

"It's true!" said her children at once.

Colette sighed. "I'm not buying it, but as it is three a.m., I won't discuss it now. Go back to sleep," she turned and walked out of the room closing the door behind her. There, she waited.

"It's getting clearer."

"I know, Vikki. But we can't tell them. They will freak out! Especially grandma. We have to see this through. Maybe when they realize it...they'll let us fight."

"Yeah right."

Colette sighed and slipped away from the door, back into her empty room. The vestiges of her dream, more a memory than dream, were fading from her now conscious mind, as was the fear that her children were in danger. After raising them alone for fifteen years, it was natural that Colette be overprotective. But it was always more than that. It was the same fear that gripped Anna, once every year on the bloody anniversary. Colette looked out of her window and sighed, stroking the picture frame beside her bed where he husband grinned out at her.

The streets of Mizuho were as silent as the grave. Not a creature stirred, not a breath of wind rustled the trees. The moonlit paths were quiet under the starry sky.

Suddenly, a large puff of smoke appeared in the center of the town square, revealing three figures as it cleared. The two tall, indigo haired boys looked around as the third, smaller red-head withdrew a slim dagger from his sleeve. One of the older boys, with long, slightly curly purple hair slipped down a side path into a small grave of trees and motioned the other two to follow.

A seventeen year old girl with long blue hair and emerald green eyes stepped out of the shadows of the trees as the boys approached. A rustling overhead forewarned the appearance of a fifth figure. The boy straightened, leaves tangled in his blue and silver messy hair, and waved at the approaching group.

Akira Virginia Ka-Fei rolled her eyes and shook back her sleeve as the three boys approached. "It's flickering," she said. "Less than desirable."

"Mine too," added her fourteen-year-old brother, Hoshiko Botta Sage. "It actually feels like there is something below the surface."

"Ours are farther along too," said Xander Regal Wilder, brushing his long purple hair out of his face. "What the heck does this mean?"

"Obviously, it means that we were born with Cruxis Crystals imbedded in our bodies," said Akira decidedly. "Similarly to Aunt Anna when she returned to Symphonia after her death. But that was because the Angelus Project had grown it with in her." Akira shook her head. "We are not asking 'why?' in this situation Not primarily."

"It's more of a 'how?' at the moment." said Jonathan Reid Wilder, examining the orb flickering under his skin. "By everything we've learned, this shouldn't be happening. It's a physical impossibility."

"Perhaps it is reacting to our bodies as we grow with age and our mana signatures develop," Hoshi said thoughtfully. "But mana signatures develop at about 13. We are all older, except Senshi."

"Senshi's is as far along as ours as well." Akira asked, pointing to the small red head.

Senshi Tsubasa Wilder shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it's the mana coming from the Yggdrasill tree."

"Whatever it is," Jon said with a sigh, "It isn't good. Our parents will flip."

Akira looked around suddenly, her pointed ears twitching. "Damn. Someone's coming. We have to go." She glared at Jon. "And I don't care if they flip. Maybe we can do something for a damn change."

"Doubt it, Aki!" Xander yawned.

"Bite me, Wilder." Akira spat ducking through the trees.

"Such a lovely sweet tempered girl," Jon muttered.

"Such a sweet ass too!" Xander added.

Wham!

Senshi and Hoshiko ducked as a large log flew over their heads and collided with the seventeen-year-old twins' heads. They fell in a heap on the ground, moaning and twitching.

Hoshiko shook his head. "It must be insane living with them."

"You've no idea," Senshi muttered.

Raine Sage stood at the front of the classroom, surveying her students. Her son, Hoshiko was sitting at his desk in the front row, copying down the homework from the board. Next to him, his sister Akira stared out the window, already having done the homework in the time Raine gave the class to write it down. In the second row was Senshi Wilder, whispering something to Raine's nephew Bryant Kloitz Sage. Whatever it was, it caused the silver-haired eleven year-old to laugh quietly, earning the disapproving glare of his thirteen-year-old sister in front of him. Alicia Dara Sage shushed her brother before turning her attention back to the board, her hair glowing fuchsia in the sunlight. Behind them, Xander had his feet propped on the desk, his hands behind his head. Raine resisted the urge to throw erasers at the boy as he grinned and winked at Jon, gesturing towards one of the older schoolgirls who were clad in a tightly fitting skirt. Jon grinned back, but kept copying his homework. Vikki and Don next to them were taking turns trying to shoot rubber bands at the lone standing figure in the back of the room. Suki glared at her niece and nephew and shook the buckets she was holding threateningly.

Raine sighed and wondered for the millionth time why the entire group just had to send all of their children to the school in Iselia. "All right class let's begin. Today we shall be discussing the journey of Reunification, having discussed the Regeneration last week. Who can tell me where we left off? Bryant?"

Bryant got to his feet. "Yes ma'am," he said his voice quiet, just like his mother, Presea's. "We had just discussed the appearance of the Fallen Hero Yggdrasill at the last seal in the Tower of Salvation."

"Very good," Raine said. "And what other significant event took place there. Yes, Alicia?"

"The betrayal of the Chosen by Kratos Aurion," said Alicia, also standing. "He was revealed to have angel wings."

"Though they weren't quite as girly as the rainbow appendages on Mithos the Femboy's back," Jon called out, making everyone laugh.

"Very good, Alicia," said Raine as the classroom quieted. "Mind your tongue. Jonathan. Now let's see…" her blue eyes panned the room, the eraser in hand, urging her onward.

Vikki nudged Don and pointed to Suki. Don snorted at seeing his Aunt 'asleep' holding the buckets. Before the recent plight, it was something Suki had inherited from her brother: they could sleep anywhere and to feign normalcy, Mitsukai pretended to go about this usual routine.

Don grinned as Raine's eyes seemed to expand, the blue fading to red as she began to breathe heavier. "Mitsukai. This next one is for you. Why is Mithos the Fallen hero?"

Suki didn't move, but continued to feign sleep.

"Three…" Don said, beginning to count.

"Mitsukai Aurion, wake up!"

"Two…"

"Mitsukai!"

"One!"

WHAM!

The eraser collided dead on with the girl's forehead. Losing her balance, she fell backward towards the wall, crashing into it and swearing. Mitsukai rubbed her forehead and looked up into the eyes of a very irate Professor Raine.

"Heheheh," she giggled nervously. "Hi Professor Raine. Is class over yet?"

Raine raised an eyebrow.

"Guess not," Mitsukai got to her feet brushing herself off. Sighing, she began to recite the answer to the question that Raine had asked of her. "The worlds were split by Mithos Yggdrasill, with aid from his companions Yuan, and Kratos."

"How does she do that?" whispered Xander to Jon. "She didn't even hear the question."

"I study, Wilder." Mitsukai said sarcastically. "The true question is, how do you survive being such an idiot?"

"Quiet!" Raine barked as she massaged her temples and tried to control her temper. "You may sit back down Mitsukai."

"Thank you Professor!" Suki chirped striding back to her seat and exchanging a high five with Don.

"Xander Wilder!" Raine barked. "Since you've so many questions you like to ask, perhaps you could broaden your horizons and answer one of mine! Why did the Giant Tree run amok and destroy the city of Palmacosta?"

Xander stood nervously. "Because…um…er…well…IT WAS BLUEY'S FAULT!"

"Hey shut up about my dad!" shouted Akira, jumping to her feet.

"Sit down, Akira!" Raine snapped.

"Yes mom…" Akira mumbled, still seething as she sat down slowly.

A hand rose slowly in the air.

"Yes, Bryant?" Raine said as he stood again.

"Yuan…leader of the renegades," he added, "miscalculated. The mana links protecting Martel also cage the great seed, preventing it from growing and reacting to the wacky system of the mana cycle. The seed over absorbed Sylvarant's mana and went out of control."

"See! Bluey's fault…" Xander muttered.

"Quiet!" Raine barked.

"For the love of Origin," muttered the room at large.

"That is correct," Raine said. "The Renegade leader had overlooked the dual purpose that the mana links provided. In order to set the situation to rights, what had to be done?"

"Mana from Tethe'alla's summon spirits had to be fired, through use of the mana cannon," called out Senshi.

"Hand please, Senshi!" Raine snapped.

"Yeah, ask me what the wonderful Yuan did to fix that?" Xander muttered.

"Xander…" said Vikki warningly. Akira had already turned around and was glaring daggers at Xander. "Be nice please. Yuan did great things to—"

"Wasting your breath, Vikki," Suki interrupted. "You know his dad has been a bad influence on him."

"I'll tell you what he did…" Xander continued, ignoring his friends.

"Pst! Hoshi!" whispered Alicia to her cousin. "Fifteen gald says Aunt Raine uses Prism Sword!"

"He sat in his office—"

"You sure about that, Alicia?" Hoshi asked, raising his eyebrows. "I'm certain that Mom will use Ray."

"And did what he does best—"

"Do we have an accord?"

"Which is what he always does—"

Hoshi looked at his fuming mother and equally enraged sister beside him as Xander stood, his chest puffed up, gesturing emphatically. Hoshi grinned. "You're on!"

"THE LAZY BUTTERFLY SAT ON HIS BUTT AND LEFT THE REAL WORK TO EVERYONE ELSE!" Xander shouted

"THAT'S IT!" Akira shrieked, launching herself out of her desk and diving at Xander. Xander yelped and blocked as she proceeded to beat him with her fists.

"Break it up!" Raine shouted, running forward and trying to tug her daughter off of Xander. Xander gave Akira a great shove and jumped to his feet, setting into a ninja pose.

"Bring it on, Aki!" he challenged beckoning her forward.

Suki sighed. "Ready, Jon?" she called.

"Ready!" Jon said, inching back from the fight beside him.

"THAT DOES IT!" Raine roared. "RAY!"

"Guardian!" Mitsukai shouted, casting a barrier around Xander and Akira, though it would do little to stop the attack.

"Guardian Seal!" shouted Jon shouted, guardians zipping through the air and attaching themselves firmly to the other students. He muttered a word and protective forcefields erupted from the papers around the rest of the class as light exploded through the roof.

When it cleared, Akira and Xander were on the ground unconscious.

Raine growled and looked up at the gaping hole in the roof above. "Class dismissed for the day. Those of the younger class will write a five-paragraph essay on the healing involved in curing Angelus Crystallus Inofficium. The older class will submit to me five pages on the events in the Tower of Salvation and how they effected the Journey of Reunification. Due on Monday."

It had been fifteen long years since the Purge of blood and much had changed.

Raine had married Yuan and returned to teaching in Iselia. Yuan's spy network with the Renegades partnered with Mizuho. In conjunction with both organizations, the rehumanized angels of Cruxis, and Zelos, he had worked to reform the Church of Martel and bring peace between Tethe'alla and Sylvarant.

Raine's journey with Genis had been postponed since she discovered three months after their first ever Christmas that she was three months pregnant. Zelos had hastened to point out that it wasn't just Anna and Kratos who were getting busy at that time. Of course, Sheena found out the next day that she, too, was pregnant. That shut Zelos up for a while. The two lived in Mizuho, where Sheena had taken her place as chief of Mizuho barely a month before the Purge of blood.

Genis had married Presea when he was seventeen and they had their oldest child a year later, two years after that fateful night. The two lived in Ozette, which they had rebuilt and it was a place of refuge for half-elves, though the world had become overall kinder to the race. This was because Presea had taken over the Lezareno Company, which Regal had apparently left to her, and used it to push for laws to reform the harsh treatment of half-elves.

Kratos and Anna returned to Iselia, to Dirk's house, after the Purge of Blood. Both of them stayed at home mostly, though they were, to their disgust, paid consultants of the church, the Lezareno Company, and The Renegade-Mizuho spy network. Kratos frequently trained Renegades and Anna helped Sheena train the people of Mizuho.

Colette took over as the head priestess of the tiny church in Iselia, living in her old house while raising her twin children on her own, with support from Anna and Kratos. She had become a little less carefree since the Purge of Blood, but still retained her pure heart and loving nature.

It had been a long fifteen years…without Lloyd

Dear Diary,

It's been fifteen years…or it will be exactly that many tomorrow. That's a decade and a half I spent going over everything in my mind. But after all of this time, still nothing makes sense.

He promised his sister that he'd return…but those graves aren't there for looks. Yet my girl still waits. His friends still hope. His family still mourns. Our children want so badly to fight, to save this world for him, for everyone. But they can not live like we did…for only death can come of heroics.

"Anna?"

Anna Adalais Aurion looked up from her diary into the most beautiful pair of red-brown eyes that she had ever seen. In the 17 years since her return, she wondered daily how her soul could have ever survived one minute without him.

"Mitsukai is at Lake Umacy with the Donovan, Victoria, Alicia, Hoshiko, and Jonathan," Kratos said, sitting at the kitchen table across from her.

"Not Xander and Akira?" Anna asked.

"It appears Xander and Akira got in a fight again," Kratos sighed.

"I see," Anna said. "Did Raine set the place on fire again?"

"Hole in the roof. Ray."

"Aw man," Anna said, her head thumping on the table. "Why don't we just use brick to fix it this time?"

Kratos smiled. Although tragedy had swept through the former Seraphs life time and time again, with his love back and his daughter and grandchildren, he wasn't so afraid to love anymore. "At any rate, Yuan, Zelos, and I are going to go fix the school."

"All right," Anna said heavily. "You're bringing them back with you right?"

"Of course," Kratos said. "Raine and Sheena are already on their way and Colette will be along by the time we are done. Genis and Presea should be here shortly as well."

"Wonderful," Anna muttered. "Do you really think they are…becoming angels?"

Kratos took her hand in his. "I received word from Raine that there are faint flickers of abnormalities in the mana signatures of them all."

"Even Alicia and Bryant?" Anna asked.

"Which is the perplexing part," Kratos replied. "Their parents aren't angels and yet...they are changing too."

Anna sighed for a moment. "Did we do the right thing? Keeping them from fighting in hopes that it wouldn't be allowed to trigger this sort of thing."

"It appears to be happening despite that," Kratos said heavily. "If that's the case, then we have done a grievous wrong."

"I was afraid of that," she sighed. Anna slowly got to her feet. Crossing the room she wrapped her arms around Kratos. "I love you," she said, resting her forehead against his.

Kratos kissed her gently. "I love you too."

Anna watched Kratos leave and sighed. She looked around the big house and could practically feel the emptiness pressing down upon her. It was always like this. The quiet times were the worst. The memories would assault her mercilessly. She sighed, resignation in the exhalation and went outside to the graveyard.

It was tiny. Small. Unoriginal. Insignificant. But no graveyard had ever held as much sorrow as did the ground below her feet. She sat down before the four tombstones and stared blankly at the names.

Anna.

Anna closed her eyes at she stared at her grave. It was disconcerting to think that her body lay molding beneath the soil when she was alive and well above. She thought back to the time when her soul existed on an alternate plane as Adalais Orion. She had always felt so lost and confused, until that fateful day when she was called back by the souls of her husband and son, breaking even Origin's barriers. Good old Origin…wonder what he's up to these days…

Dirk Irving.

Lloyd's foster father had died shortly after the reunification. It saddened them all, Lloyd particularly. His grief consumed a part of him and it never went away. Dirk had been the only father he had known until he was 17, when Kratos returned. But Anna couldn't help but smile. She knew on another plane, Dirk existed, alive and content, reciting dwarven vows to poetry students. Of all subjects.

Anna's throat tightened as she stared at the next grave. When she had lived in an alternate world as Adalais Orion, she had adored the game knows as Tales of Symphonia, her soul unaware that it was about her world, her family, and now she herself. She could quote every line, and often had to everyone's surprise when they were on their journey. But there was no question as to who she quoted most, who she admired fiercely, who had believed in everyone, until his end.

Regal Bryant.

Why did Regal do it? Was it what he said before Genis, Presea, and Kratos ran into the building? Was it because he wanted to be with Alicia? What was it… Anna closed her eyes and conjured up the memory, trying to understand as she had been doing so for the last fifteen years.

They had just arrived in the screaming inferno that had been the newly rebuilt Palmacosta, taking the better part of three years. The rumors had summoned everyone there, particularly The Aurions, Ka-Feis, and Wilders, whose children were in the school/daycare there. The culprit's name had been whispered on the wind…but they couldn't believe it.

"There's no sign of him…" Anna bit her lip. "Kratos…it can't be true…"

"If they are seeking Colette's life," Kratos said gently, "It is plausible. You know how protective he is of her."

"I don't believe it," Regal said, coming up to them, running his now unbound hands through his hair nervously. "Lloyd would never cause such madness. Never."

"Unless the rumors are true," Yuan muttered, joining them.

"Of Ratatosk?" Regal asked. "Lloyd's heart is too strong for that. I know him. We all do."

"But his weakness is Colette," muttered Anna. "Such powers prey on that very thing."

Regal drew himself up to his full height. "Whatever his reasons, I will never think he has done this maliciously, in cold blood."

"NO!" someone screamed. "THE SCHOOL!"

Anna, Kratos, and Yuan spun around. The school was in flames.

"Mitsukai!" Anna screamed as Yuan shouted "Akira!"

"Yuan, stop!" Genis shouted, grabbing Yuan to prevent him from running in. Presea was heading back inside "We have Akira. She, Xander and Jon are with Sheena and Zelos. But Mitsukai is still inside. Presea—"

"Anna, wait here. Regal, find Lloyd," Kratos said, taking off into the inferno. Genis swore and followed.

And he did find him. As soon as Kratos ran off, Regal disappeared into the smoke. And the next thing they knew…he was dead and so was Commander Castagnier of the Vanguard. Lloyd had stabbed his friend in the back.

The tears ran freely as she turned to the last grave, the one with no bodym, the one put in place years ago when a pair of swords and a locket were recovered from the ruins of the Tower of Salvation. She raised a hand to her neck where that same gold locket rested in the hollow of her throat, a scratch on its surface. Her wounded heart traitorously continued to beat as her eyes watered, the crossed swords embedded in the ground turning to blue and red blurs, the letters smearing and bleeding through the tears in her eyes.

Lloyd Kratos Irving-Aurion.

The students dashed off into the early spring sunshine. Suki stepped out of the class room and stretched, letting the sun warm her face. Nice day…even if it is nearly fifteen years since…

Suki shook her head and strolled across the schoolyard, looking around at her fellow students. She sighed and plopped down by the large tree behind the school humming quietly. She had leaned her head back, letting the sun warm her face when a rustling noise above reached her ears.

"Jonathan," she remarked simply.

Jon dropped from the trees and grinned at Suki, the double of his flirtatious father, but for the spiky purple hair. "You wanna go, my ultra cool babe?" he asked, holding up a handful of Guardian seals.

"Not now," Mitsukai sighed yawning. "And you better put those away before anyone sees you took them. You're lucky the Professor didn't notice."

"Aw!" Jon crowed. "My babe is worried about me. How about a kiss to ease your worries?"

Suki glared and repressed her blush. "How about you drop dead? I thought we were all going to Lake Umacy today?"

"If mom still lets Xander…" Jonathan muttered. "She already poofed over." Jon shook his head and dropped his voice too. "How much longer do you think we can keep up with the whole 'We're going swimming but we're actually secretly training' routine?"

"They won't see what they do not wish to see," Suki said firmly. "Better we get caught and are able to defend ourselves then follow the rules and end up dead."

"AUNTY SUKI!"

Suki sighed and rolled away as Vikki and Don dove at her. Don crashed into the tree face first while Vikki slid across the grass on her stomach. They had inherited their mother's clumsiness, along with her eyes, but both resembled their father in every other way.

"That's what y'all get for calling me Aunty," Suki snapped.

"But it's such fun!" Don said, jumping up "Akira and Xander aren't coming." Everyone rolled his or her eyes.

"They're in for it again," Vikki said. "Grandpa, Uncle Yuan, and Uncle Zelos should be here soon to fix the hole. I'd prefer to be gone when they get here."

"I as well," Suki said, keeping her voice low. "We're just waiting for Hoshi and Alicia to bring the wingpack and we'll be off."

"So let's be off!" Hoshi chirped as he and Alicia came over, Alicia carrying a green backpack.

"They won't let Bryant and Senshi come," Alicia added as Jon opened his mouth to speak. Bryant, Alicia's younger brother, and Senshi were both eleven and still weren't allowed to leave the village without their parents. "We'll take them out tonight when they are all asleep."

Jon stretched lazily. "I guess. I still don't see why we bother. Less training we do, the less likely it is we'll fight, and therefore, less work."

Everyone took an involuntary step back as Suki got to her feet and placed herself in front of Jonathan, her eyes snapping with cold fury. Everyone agreed that Suki looked just like her dad, but that her face was clearly Anna's. It was something of a shock to see Kratos's meanest glare on Anna's face, coupled with Anna's fiery temper. She was the undisputed ring-leader of their group and had no tolerance for foolishness.

"Let me tell you something, Wilder," she said frostily. "I have a promise to uphold, not just to my brother, but to the world that he loved so much. Our parents pretend everything is fine, but we all feel the discord. And when that discord resurfaces, I plan to kill it. I won't lose anyone else. That is why we train." She turned to the others. "Any more objections? No? Then let's go." With that she stormed off, the others trailing in her wake.

REVIEW PLEASE! PRETTY PLEASE!

And, from a question by Eragon Fantic, here are the meanings of the names of the children and the non-TOS related middle names:

Mitsukai-Angel
Donovan-Dark Warrior
Victoria-Victory Adalais-Nobel
Jonathan-God-Gives Reid- reed (the plant. also means red-haired, like his father, lol)
Xander-Protector of Man
Akira-Anchor
Hoshiko-Star
Alicia-Truth Dara-Oak Tree
Bryant-Strong
Senshi-Warrior Tsubasa-Wing