Between a Mother and Son

Summary: Raising a child can be a difficult uncharted road. And its twice as overwhelming when that child has powers that move the world around him.

Characters: Kid!Layle, OCs

Warnings: Bitter Sweet, Fluff

Ties Into: The Crystal Rule. A side story that's not essential to the plot, more or less a look at what it might have been like to grow up being Layle.

In this village, things never change. Since the day it was founded by a handful of farmers and ranchers, it has always been small. No more than forty people had ever lived there at any given time. It was impossible to be a stranger to anyone, it was impossible for anything to change. The buildings, the families, their routines were the same since the day the first group of Clavats arrived on the unoccupied field of dirt they decided to call home.

A home they named Denthe.

In Denthe when the sun rose, the people rose with it. For some, they were up and about before the first rays of light even touched the sky. For others they weren't up until the light was working its way through the windows of their bedrooms. But for the children, they weren't up until the light forced them out of bed.

The sun was just high enough now to force its light through the window, over the floor, and across the bed of one of Denthe's more infamous children. Though everyone knew each other on sight, it had become part of the town's routine to try and not engage this particular child. He was turning five in a few months. And like most little boys he loud, playful, rambunctious, and always in trouble. He was a little ball of energy.

However, the town's problem with him lay in the fact he was a ball of energy. Literally.

When the light hit his face, his reaction was to turn away. He always turned away and tried to push the light out from his eye lids. He covered his face and complained to the sun to leave him alone for just a little bit longer. Nothing could make him get out of bed. Not the sun light, not the promise of breakfast, not the chance to play with the baby Chocobos around the ranch, not the thought of kicking his ball up and down the dirt roads. Nothing could make him get out of bed today.

"Layle!" A voice shouted from outside his room. It was coming from down the hall. The sound of an older woman calling to him. "Layle! I'm going out to the barn to feed the birds! Get up and get dressed so we're not late to see your Aunt and Uncle!" It was his mother; Lyra was her name. Her voice always followed soon after he resisted the sun's beckoning to rise.

Going to visit relatives was not a great motivation to get out of bed either. He saw his Aunt and Uncle every day. He saw everyone every day. There was nothing exciting about Uncle James and Aunt Clementine. Except that his Aunt was expecting a baby.

"…The baby!" He sat up instantly in bed. The memory that there was going to be another kid in the village woke him up. It was exciting to think about. So exciting that his covers and at least one pillow were flung from the bed as he sat up. He didn't even have to throw them off by hand. The sheer force of his exuberance was enough.

He slid off the bed, past the tossed bedding and ran out of his room. His mother was already gone from the hall. Off to finish her morning chores. She had a lot to do, and she did most of it by herself. This left him to finish his own morning routine without her: washing his face, trying to flatten out the fluffed up ends of his blond hair by hand- because he refused to comb it, making faces in the mirror while he brushed his teeth, pretending the towel was a snake monster that had to be vanquished, and launching it up to the ceiling in a burst of blue light as he ran out the bathroom and back down the hall.

Fighting a pretend monster meant stopping by his door and leaning up against the frame to check his height. His mother had told him children only grow while their sleeping. He sometimes felt that was a trick, to keep him from checking every other hour. But she promised him that when he was as tall as her he could help clear out the Blazer Beatles that occasionally rolled through the ranch.

He grabbed the marker he kept next to the door and did his best to mark off where he stood at today. He took a step back and lifted his slate colored eyes to gauge how far he had to go.

"Too far…" He put the marker down and ran back into his room to change. His pajamas landed on the floor next to the bedding, he'd pick them up later, after breakfast and chores, and changed into green overalls, a yellow shirt, and black work boots that were slightly too big. It saved money for him to just grow into his shoes his mother said. He didn't mind though. When it rained they were perfect for stomping in mud puddles and causing the mud to fly ten feet in the air.

It was a great game.

Every day he could find a great game to play around the ranch or around town. To him it was fun. But to his mother and a few of the adults it was exasperating. He was the only one around the village that did such things, sending items flying into the air on a whim. His mother had asked him before to try and not be so hyper, so that maybe things didn't fly as often. And he did try… But it was hard.

It was part of their routine. If he was happy, something floated. If he was mad something broke. If he was sad things usually slid this way and that. It was just how things were. Most of the furniture in the house was nailed down, and renailed down when he tore it up. The villagers learned to hang onto their possessions, and the older kids around town had just learned to not play with him at all.

There wasn't much anyone could do about it. It was just the way he was. The way he was born.

Thinking about not trying to make things fly made him poke at his cheek. Specifically his right one. There was an unusual birthmark there. A tiny crystal that was slowly growing as he got older. His mother professed it was growing faster than he was once. It was the reason things flew about when he was around.

The little Clavat stopped at the end of the hallway. He was up on the second floor of their house. Before him the stairs stretched out and ended in the main hallway. If he could choose, the only thing that would fly would be him. He turned around and walked to the far end of the hall before turning back. With a deep breath he ran forward, doing his best to get up as much speed as he could. When he reached the end of the hall again he jumped as hard as he could. His heart was racing, and he laughed the whole time. He did feel himself fly, if only for a moment. Right at the end when he jumped, he felt the crystal in his face surge and his whole body was flung from the ground.

He spread his arms out wide as he sailed over the steps, but when he started to fall he pulled his hands forward. The tot usually kept them pointed out, but like that he always landed with a thud and knocked something over. The other day he watched a Coeurl jump up and land. It pulled its legs inward to catch itself, he wondered if pulling his arms in would help.

Today he landed at the end of the stairs and didn't fall over. He cleared them in one jump and broke nothing for the first time.

"Yes!" He threw his hands up in the air excitedly. A bright blue light burst forth from his open palms and bounced around the hall. It tilted the pictures hanging on the wall, and shook the little side tables decorating the area. On top of one, a potted plant trembled and fell off its stand. The boy lowered his hands and covered his mouth. He ran over to the plant and started to pick up the pieces just as the front door at the end of the hall opened.

"Alright, Layle, I hope you're-" The speaker stopped. The Clavat woman in the doorway shook her head. Her dark brown bangs moving slightly as she did. Her hair was tied up in scarf to protect it from getting too dirty while she worked. Like her son's overalls, her dress was green and her apron yellow. Her face a few wrinkles in it, mostly from shouting or laughing too hard. She did look a bit tired, but not from anything she took regret in. "You jumped again didn't you?"

"No!" He shook his head at her.

"Layle…"

He pointed at the stairs, "I landed. The pot broke after, Mom."

She sighed, "So you did jump." She walked into the house and crouched down to help him clean up the mess. "Layle I told you no more jumping the stairs…"

"I made it today!" He completely ignored her weariness with his game. "I didn't fall. Do you want to see?"

"Maybe later… We need to eat so we can go see your Uncle." She stood holding the broken bits of the plant in her apron. "Did you comb your hair this morning?"

"Yes!" He didn't look at her as he answered. It was her way to try and read his expression and recognize if he was lying or not.

"Hmmn… Well now that you've made it, no more jumping from the stairs."

Her son stood up whipping the dirt from his hands onto his clothes. "I'm going to jump from the top floor of the barn next."

"No you are not." The brunette Clavat shook her head. She rolled her green eyes and made her way to the kitchen. "You'll break your leg. Or worse, bust your head open."

After breakfast, Layle followed his mother back out to the barn. It was just the two of them on her ranch. Though in the afternoon some of the older kids from the village would come by to help with the work. Layle's mother raised Chocobos. She raised them for the farmers, for the Pilgrims up in the mountains, and every now and again, when there was a rare gem of a bird, she'd sell it to the kingdom. She was proud to say she was one of the best Chocobo ranchers in Alfitaria. She had buyers come from all over to look over her birds. She knew quite a bit about raising Chocobos.

Lyra knew quite a bit about a lot of things. Raising birds, repairing appliances, fighting monsters, it was raising a child she was shaky at. She loved Layle, but sometimes he got out of hand. She often wondered how much trouble he was going to be once he was older. The three teenage boys that lived in town were always in trouble. She could only imagine what trouble Layle was going to cause once he was that age.

She could only hope that by then he'd learned to keep his magic in check.

"Alright, Layle," Lyra stood in the middle of the barn. She had her hands on her hips and was watching her son glance around the place. He was clearly thinking about how and where he was going to jump. "Layle, listen."

"Yes, Mom!" He looked back at her smiling. She wanted to tell him not to jump again but she just smiled back.

"The birds are calm now that they've eaten. I'm going to collect the eggs and hand them to you over the door, okay?"

"And then I put them in the incubator!"

"That's right," she nodded. He was bright. He only started helping her around the ranch three months ago. But he quickly took to what little task she'd give him. "And walk them over this time. Don't throw them, okay?"

"…Okay…" He kicked his leg and bit of hay flew up into the air, a little too high for it to have been a regular kick of his feet. Last time he'd tried tossing the eggs into the incubator and missed one. Lyra was very upset about the Chocobo she lost, but she continued to let Layle help. He was after all, more upset than she was mad.

The little boy followed her up to the first stall and waited outside while she entered and handed him an egg. He took it and carried it across the barn to place in a large machine. There was a row of hay, and a spot for about ten eggs under a row of large heating lamps. His mother told him it helped the chicks hatch faster than their mothers sitting on them for days on end. He ran back to get the next egg and carefully walked it over.

However by the forth egg, he was running with it in his arms. He didn't mind helping his mother, but sometimes it was boring. He couldn't help it if he wanted to speed up the process a bit. Plus, the longer they were in here, the longer it would take to hear about the baby. And that's what he really wanted to do today. He was the youngest kid in the village; the fact that there would be someone close to his age to play with was exciting.

Last year one of the village families, the Marshalls, had had a baby, but they never brought him home. They had to stay in Alfitaria, though no one would explain to him why. He hoped that would not be the case with his future cousin.

"You're getting faster at this," Lyra handed him the second to last egg.

"I want to see Uncle James and Aunt Clem!" He took the egg from her and beamed.

"Alright, there's just one more, and then we'll go." His mother turned around and started to dig out the next egg. Layle started to run back to the incubator to deposit the unhatched bird. About halfway across the room he stopped and looked over his shoulder.

He had only missed one out of eight last time…

The young Clavat took a deep breath and ran again. This time he flung his arms forward, letting his magic burst wilding form his fingertips. The egg flew across the barn and sailed right at the incubator. He smiled as it went; it was going to make it. But it wasn't slowing down; it was going to make it a little too hard.

"Oh no," he reached out, but couldn't do anything to stop the egg from slamming into the back of the machine. The loud noise it made startled all the birds and made Lyra stick her head out from over the stall.

"Layle…"

"I-I-" he ran over to the machine and looked at the egg. It was cracked. "I'm sorry…"

Lyra walked out of the stall holding the last egg. "Layle, why did you throw it?"

"I-I just wanted to get done faster…" The little boy was stroking the side of the egg. He didn't look up at her. "I wanted to go to town and see Uncle James and Aunt Clem…" From the sound of his voice she could tell he was going to cry. The woman set the last egg down and put her hand on Layle's head. There was no point in yelling at him.

"It's alright. It's just one egg. There will be others."

"…I killed it…"

"Layle," His mother got down on her knees and wrapped an arm around him, "It wasn't even alive yet, it's oka-"Lyra stopped talking when the egg shuddered. Layle looked up at the shaking shell. They both watched as it continued to crack. The egg trembled back and forth until pieces of it fell away to reveal small Chocobo who's feathers shined like gold.

"Well," Lyra stared look at that. The little bird started crying and squirming. It flapped its tiny wings; the fluff on its body was sticky from the inside of its egg. "I guess it was ready to hatch."

"It's gold!" Layle leaned forward and poked at it. "Look! Look at him! He's shiny!"

"So he is…" Lyra stood up. "That's a rare bird…" she looked down at Layle, "Good work."

"Huh?" Her son looked up at her confused. "Me?"

"Yes you!" The woman laughed. "These birds are had to come by… I'm sure it was your magic that made him gold."

"…Really!?"

"Yes!" Lyra clapped her hands together, "His mother is black. So it had to be you. He's unique. Just like you are."

Layle looked up at her shaking his head, "But then… But then won't the other birds avoid him?"

Lyra stopped smiling. She looked down at Layle wide eyed. Truth be told, she had never heard him acknowledge that most of the villagers tried to steer clear of him. He always seemed content to play by himself, or play with her, or his Uncle and Aunt. The woman looked down at the bird. What was she going to say? That the animal wouldn't have that problem? That it was just something he'd face on his own.

"…Why don't you two play together then?" Lyra rubbed the back of her neck.

"Together?"

"Yes. It will be your responsibility to take care of him, until he's ready to be sold. That way, he's always got someone, okay?" Lyra stopped rubbing the back of her neck. "Would you like that?"

"I would!" Layle pulled away the rest of the bird's shell and helped it out of the incubator. "Can I name him?"

"Sure." She nodded to the toddler. Eventually the Chocobo would start playing with the other birds. She'd have to explain that. And someday she'd have to explain why he was the only one in the village with a crystal. The rancher took a deep breath. She knew a lot about raising birds. It was all routine to her, but she found herself fumbling along with her son.

Once the new born bird was washed up, Lyra and Layle set off for the village. The Clavat woman's home was up on a hill, removed from the rest of the town. They were the last house on the road. In a way it was fitting for them. Lyra herself was a bit unusual as far as ranchers went. She worked by herself, lived without a husband, and cleared the monsters off her land all on her own. The other villagers used to tell her she was trouble growing up. She was a know it all and a bit hasty in her decisions. But she never regretted any of that. It was hasty decision making that filled her past with fond memories and exciting tales. And it was hasty decision making that now filled her life with Layle and the ranch.

"What about Won?"

"Won?" Lyra looked down at the top of Layle's head as they walked. "Why 'Won'?"

"Cause its short for 'Wonder'. Because he's a wonderful bird. And because he's going to win lots of races!" Layle looked up at her slightly tilting his head, "You are going to sell him to the racers aren't you? He's too special to be a Pilgrim bird. I bet when he wins all those races, the other birds will like him."

"Ah," Lyra chuckled. She had no idea how a child's train of thought worked. She could tell what her birds were thinking from the way they scratched the ground. But when it came to Layle and his ideas… "Won is a good name for him."

Layle nodded to her as they entered the town. Her older brother, Layle's Uncle, ran the villages General Store. The shop keeper was expecting his first child next month. In all honesty, between the two of them, they never expected Lyra to have a child first, or ever. But here she was, bringing her son to see off his Aunt and his future cousin.

The brunette opened the door to the General Store and smiled, "Hello!"

"Lyra! Layle!" A Clavat woman behind the counter greeted them. She had long black hair pulled back in a braid. Her eyes were a dark brown, and her face slightly freckled. "Oh my, what's that in Layle's arms?"

"It's Won!" The little boy set the bird down and let it walk around the shop. "I'm taking care of him so he's not lonely."

"You are?" The woman looked to Lyra.

"They're both… Different." She approached the counter, "How are you, Clem?"

"Exhausted!" She shook her head. "Can't wait to leave. James is bringing the wagon around. The shop will be closed while we're gone."

"This is the last check up before your delivery… Are you excited?" The other woman shrugged just as the door to the shop opened again. A man entered, like Lyra he had dark brown hair and green eyes. He greeted them all with a shout.

"Here we are! All my favorite people!" He stopped walking and looked down at Layle and his bird, "What's that? A monster you're slaying?"

"It's Won! I'm taking care of him so he doesn't get lonely!"

"They're both different." Clementine explained. She nodded to her sister in law.

"Well, I guess we made it just in time to see you all off. I hope the checkup goes well."

Layle stood up and poked James in the leg to get his attention, "Aren't you bringing the baby back this time?"

"Not yet, Layle, but soon."

"How much longer?"

"Layle…" Lyra shook her head at him.

"Aunt Clem, are you bringing home a boy or a girl?" Lyra's son stood up and started asking questions. The baby Chocobo continued to wonder aimlessly around the shop. "Can it be a boy?"

The black haired woman shrugged, "It's not up to me Layle. Your Uncle James decides what we bring home." Lyra turned to her sister-in-law laughing. What she said was technically true.

"Uncle James!" Layle turned to the man. James crossed his arms. He wasn't sure how this had been passed off to him.

"…Sorry, Layle. I uh, already decided on a girl." The man watched his nephew let out a very animated sigh. "Perhaps next time, aright?"

"I'll be too old to play with them then…" Layle looked over at his bird. It was trying to jump up as grab a few rainbow grapes from one of the stands. "Can she at least have a crystal?" He looked back up at his uncle. "Can she?"

"I-I-" The man looked up from the boy to the two women. His wife looked to Lyra who was tapping her fingers on the counter. She knew they wanted her to answer. But she didn't know what to say. It was one of those things she never knew what to say. "Well, you see, Layle-"

"Crystals are a surprise!" Lyra blurted out. The woman looked around at her family. That wasn't a lie. The doctors still hadn't developed away to determine if someone was going to be born a bearer or not. "No one can pick but the Crystal. So… We won't know until she's born."

"Oh…" Layle looked back down at the bird. It was still struggling to eat. Without hesitation the boy lifted his hand and willed some of the grapes to fall. It was just a few at first, but unfortunately he hadn't picked for any grapes on top to fall. He had pulled from the bottom, and so while the Chocobo pecked at the few that fell more came tumbling down onto his head. Layle laughed about it but his relatives were less than amused.

"Layle, why don't you take Won outside?" Lyra walked over and dug the bird out from the spilled grapes. "We'll be out shortly… So don't go far."

Her son took the bird back into his arms. He glanced from his mother to the woman behind the counter before nodding slowly. "Sorry about the grapes…" He turned and started to walk out of the store, taking one last look at Lyra. She just smiled and waved at him. Even as the shop door closed. Layle walked down the stairs of the general store before looking back up at the door. "Won, I will let you in on a secret okay?" He set the bird down and walked around the side of the shop. "Don't tell Mom…"

The boy and the bird moved around the side of the General Store. The floor of the building was raised so that when it rained, no mud or water would seep through the wooden floor. However this meant that there was a gap under the building just big enough from small animals to crawl under. The area was actually closed off with a grate that went all the way around the building. But over time, Layle had pried part of it loose. He pulled it back now and pushed the bird under before crawling under the store himself.

The bird let out a cry and Layle put his hand over its beak. "Shh, Won. Mom will hear you…" He continued to crawl. "This is my secret." He had originally just pulled the grate away because he wanted a hiding place around town where no one would look for him. It had been an accident that he found it was a good place to listen to his Mom and Uncle and Aunt. Three months ago, he overheard them talking about a gift for him for the Crystal Festival. And just last week Lyra and James were talking about what to do for his birthday. Now whenever she shooed him out he crawled under hear to listen.

"-So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know, Lyra. It's a big question. Even for us." Layle could hear the muffled voice of his Aunt through the floor.

"You are going to keep her aren't you? You can't leave her to be sent to the monastery. James…" There was a moment of silence. "James!"

"It's a lot, Lyra. You have to admit, it's a lot. Even you can barely handle it…"

"If you do that, what am I going to tell Layle? It was bad enough last year with the Marshall's little boy. How do you expect me to explain if you don't come home with his cousin?"

"Maybe you should have thought about that when you came back with him-"

"Clementine."

"I'm sorry… It's just. Lyra you have to talk to him about eventually. It took him a whole month to stop asking about the last kid."

Layle looked up at the underside of the floor and then to his bird. "…Won… I think my cousin's not coming home…" He lowered his head and watched the Chocobo dig in the dirt under the store. "Why can't she come home?"

"Look, Lyra… Clem's right. Layle's a smart kid. You keep saying that yourself. Either you're going to tell him, or it's going to don on him one day. What are you going to do then?"

"You two aren't serious… He's a kid. It- he- it's not something you tell kids. Okay?"

"Kids are smart, Lyra."

"Can't you just, let it go? Can't you just bring her home if she has a crystal?" There was silence again. "James…"

"Lyra, you know, if things were different around here- if it wasn't like it was now. Maybe."

"Not all kids are like Layle! Even the doctor said he was different. Most don't start cast until they're much, much older."

"Layle was flipping people from before he could walk. From before he could sit up on his own!" His aunt shouted. "Lyra you can barely handle it. Everyone in the village watches you and him and we- and they-"

"You said we," his mother cut her off. "Are you two afraid too?"

"We're not afraid of Layle, Lyra." James spoke up. "But- But I don't know, what we'll do."

"Fine! Be like the Marshalls. Just because your kid has a crystal, just leave them behind! Leave them in Alfitaria!"

Layle turned his head back up to the floor. Had his mother said the Marshall's baby had a Crystal? He didn't know that. "Won…There's another Crystal Bearer from Denthe." He started to crawl forward. His mother had told him the baby was sick, and he had to be left at the hospital. He'd asked just about every day for a month last year when they were coming back. He asked Lyra, James, Clementine, and the Marshall's oldest son again and again. But no one ever answered him. He crawled out through the grate and called to his bird. "Come on, Won!" Layle waited for the bird to follow him out before turning his attention up the road and running off.

He knew just where to find the Marshall's oldest child and ask them about the baby.

Up the road from the General Store a group of kids were playing a game of Kickerbaul. The youngest of the group was ten, making them twice Layle's age. He never played with the other kids. Partly because the older, teenage boys were always doing their own thing, never wanting the younger kids to tag along. And anyone even close to Layle's age said he couldn't play with them because of his magic. Whenever he was around the group of kids something always seemed to go wrong. He'd flip a person, or the ball would go flying too far for anyone to find. Eventually they all gave up on playing with him.

So Layle either played with his family, or by himself. Or if he was tired of that he'd watch the other kids play. Lots of times they'd all go way up the road to the next town over, a place called Nevul, and play with the kids from there. That village was three times the size of theirs. Lyra had told Layle he was too little to make that trip by himself, though. So if everyone went to Nevul, he often was left in the village alone, without anyone to even watch play.

But today he was going to make that trip. He knew the kids would be talking up the road. And the Marshall's son was twelve, still too young to tag along with the teenagers, but old enough to lead the rest of the kids of Denthe in their games.

He walked, past the houses of the towns people, past their farm houses out in the distance and up towards edge of the village.

Layle was in a bit of luck, the kids hadn't left yet. A group of four boys and one girl stood talking and giggling excitedly about what they were going to do for the afternoon. They all seemed rather excited. Their energy soon petered out as they realized Layle was standing a few feet away watching them. The kids slowly turned to look at him, ready to tell him he couldn't come with them up the road to the next village.

Finally the boy he wanted to talk to stepped forward. The Marshall's son held a kickerbaul in his hands and glared down at the blond Clavat. "What do you want, Layle?"

"…" He looked at the kids past the older boy and then up to him. Like everyone else in the village, the kids had an assortment of brown or black hair and green or brown eyes. Even in his appearance Layle was different from everyone else. "How come your parents didn't bring home your baby brother?"

All the other kids started to whisper and laugh under their breath at the question.

"What?" The older boy shook his head. "Layle, go away."

"…Did he really have a crystal like me?"

The older boy took a deep breath and again and shouted at Layle, "I said to go away, okay! Just go back to your Mom!"

"…What kind of crystal was it?" He wasn't going to stop. "Why did they leave him behind? Why didn't they tell anyone?"

"Layle! Are you stupid!?" He shouted at him. "They told everyone, okay! They told everyone and they left him because he had that stupid crystal! Now go away!" The twelve year-old was clearly agitated. He was actually quite upset that he would never know his brother. But it had been a year; it was something no one talked about. Ever.

"…Why?" Layle twisted his lips. "Don't they miss him?"

"You're an idiot!" The boy continued to shout at him. "No one misses him! No one can! Just go away, Layle!"

The bird at Layle's side fluffed up from all the shouting. It started to let out a series of peeps. Layle watched as the older boy turned away and reached down to pet the bird, "I- I don't understand… Because of his crystal?"

The older boy stopped and turned around. "No one likes Crystal Bearers, you idiot. No one likes you. No one wants to have a Crystal Bearer for a kid."

"That's not true," Layle stopped trying to calm his bird.

"Yes it is. That's why they all go to the monastery. No one wants them."

"You're lying! They do not!"

"That's where my brother is! And if James' girl is a Crystal Bearer that's where she'll go too! Maybe you can go with her!"

"No!" Layle shook his head and glared at him, "That's not true. He wants her. And my Mom wants me!" The older boy laughed at what he said. But Layle continued to glare at him. "Stop it! Stop lying!"

"You're the one lying, Layle!" the twelve year old pointed at him. "You're Mom does not want you."

"Shut up!"

"She doesn't!"

"Shut up! You're lying to me! You're just- you're just a stupid liar! Lyra does so want me! I'm right here!"

"Lyra is not your mother!" The kid screamed back at him and took a step forward. "Look at you! Look at Lyra! Look at your family! You're just as unwanted as every stupid Crystal Bearer!"

"Quit saying that!" Layle took a deep breath and screamed at him. "Stop it!"

"Lyra just brought you here one day! Like a wild Chocobo! You're real Mom doesn't want you because she knows! Everyone knows! No one wants a Crystal Bearer! No one! Not even me! I don't want one for a brother! And I don't want you in this village! And James doesn't want one for a nephew or a daughter!" The boy raised the ball in his hands and threw it at Layle. "So just leave already!"

"SHUT! UP!" The Crystal Bearer screamed back at him and leaned forward. He had his fist clenched at his sides and his shut tight. The ball stopped a few inches form his face and seemed to hover there for a moment until he shouted again. "You're the one that's unwanted!" The ball flung forward, in the blink of an eye it smashed into the older boy's face. The sound that followed when the ball connected with his nose was like to rocks grinding together. He let out a scream and fell backward. Collectively all the other kids screamed and went running.

Layle was gasping for breath as he open his eyes. The older boy was on the ground groaning and crying. But so was the Crystal Bearer. The other kids were running back to the village calling for their parents and help and shouting Layle had gone wild.

The older boy rolled over holding his face sobbing. "Look what you did- Lo-look what you did! –you- you stupid- stupid- abomination!"

"Layle!" The Crystal Bearer turned around to see a group of adults from the village coming up the road. He shook his head as they started to run forward trying to grab him. He picked up his bird and ran off the road. The mothers and fathers shouting at him, shouting for Lyra to come get him.

He ran down the road and through the grass. He could see his mother and James making their way up the road in the hurry. For a moment the Chocobo rancher stopped and looked over to see her son. Layle stopped running and stared at her. Before Lyra could call out to him to come over to her another villager shouted her name. She turned her head and told them to wait, but when she looked back to where Layle was standing he was gone.

The Clavat woman sighed. She really had no idea what to do with that child.

Several hours and apologies later Lyra was back at the General Store. Her brother and his wife were preparing to leave, though now they'd miss their checkup. They would have to stay overnight in the capitol city and try to get in to her doctor tomorrow.

"I'm really sorry; you all didn't have to stay…"

"Lyra…" James put his hand on his sister's shoulders. "You know I wasn't going to leave you with that angry mob by yourself."

"…I don't believe that boy. Layle just wouldn't attack someone without reason."

"How do you know that, Lyra?" Clementine spoke up. "We weren't there. And who knows what Layle's thinking. He's always watching those kids."

"He's not violent."

"His magic is."

"No… He just, doesn't know what to do with it." The woman sighed. "Go on, leave. I hope the baby is well." She took a step back from her brother and his wagon.

"…Lyra, if she's got a crystal, I promise, I'll at least bring her by so Layle can meet her." The woman nodded and watched as her brother and his wife started to pull away from the store. She knew it was too much to ask them to keep their daughter if she was born with a crystal. The village could barely handle Layle. She could barely handle him.

She made her way back up the road to her house to find her son.

She searched their entire two story home, but Layle wasn't there. She looked out in the gardens, and out in the fields, but Layle wasn't anywhere. She even checked the barn calling to him and Won, but got no response. Finally she made her way back into town and even looked under the General Store. She knew he'd play under there sometimes, but still nothing.

Lyra spent the rest of the day light hours looking for her son, but he never turned up.

Finally, when the stars were out and the sky was darkening, she resolved to head home and wait for him. Hopefully a hungry stomach would bring him out of wherever he'd hidden himself. It wasn't unusual for Layle to hide if there was a mess in town, but she wasn't used to him not coming when called. It actually worried her a great deal.

Where was her son?

Lyra made her way up the dirt path to their house. Her head down and sighing. She'd have to pay the medical bill and for the train ticket for the Marshalls to keep them happy. Some of the villagers said they wanted her to send Layle away. But that wasn't going to happen, not without a fight. She'd already kept him from going to the orphanage once when he was a infant. She had no intentions of ever sending him there. The woman looked up at their house and stopped a few feet out from the door. The lights were all off. There's no way Layle would sit in a dark house.

She let out another sigh.

Out the corner of her eye she could see the Chocobo barn, and a dim light shining from the window of the upper loft. The woman peered at it and slowly walked toward the barn. Lyra pushed open the door and called out softly, "Layle?" There was no response.

The Clavat woman made her way over to a ladder and started to climb. Inside her birds were all asleep. But she could hear something rustling around overhead in the hay storage. Lyra reached the top of the ladder and saw Won digging about in the straw. The little bird let out a cry and ran away. She pulled herself up to the loft and followed it.

The little golden bird led her over to the back wall where she found her son lying on the hay. He was on his side with his knees pulled up to his chest and his back to her. There was an oil lamp at his side, lit to keep the darkness away.

"Layle…" The woman stood over him. "Layle, are you awake?"

"…yes…"

Lyra frowned. "Didn't you hear me calling you?"

"…yes…"

She hesitated for a moment. She was used to him being upset when the village was mad with him. But he never dragged it out like this. He would come when she called and they would cheer up together. "Layle, don't be sad about the Marshall's son. His nose will be alright. His whole face will, I promise."

The boy didn't respond to her.

"…Come on, dear. We need to go in for dinner."

He still didn't say anything.

"…Layle?"

"Lyra," the toddler didn't move, "Are you my Mother?"

The Clavat opened her mouth and took a deep breath. She smiled and shook her head, "Layle, what- what kind of silly question is that?"

"…The kids said, you're not." Lyra watched him raise his hand to pet Won. "They said no one wants a Crystal Bearer for a son."

"…" Lyra sat down in the hay next to Layle. She watched him pet Won a bit more before speaking up. "…Do you think I don't want you, Layle? I that why you're up here?" He still didn't say thing to her. "…Yes." Lyra finally answered him. The toddler looked over his shoulder at her. She could see his face and eyes were red. "Yes, I am. I'm not the woman that had you. But I am your Mother."

"How?" Layle shook his head. He blinked continuously like he was going to cry. "You didn't have me- why are you lying?"

"I'm not lying." Lyra leaned forward. "I'm your Mom." She smiled softly at him. "I take care of you. I play with you. I treat you when you are sick. I celebrate with you when you are happy, I cry with you when you are sad… I give you gifts, and tell you stories, and take you with me everywhere I go-"

"-But she didn't want me?" Layle was still hung up on the fact Lyra wasn't his mother. "She- she didn't? It's true… So James will not want his daughter…and the Marshalls don't want their son- and-"

"Layle!" Lyra let her hand rest on his head. "Layle… Yes, that is true… Someone- some didn't want you. Because they didn't understand. Just like the village, they just- They don't understand when something is different." She watched the toddler rub his eyes. "And I- I can't say I always understand you, or your magic, but Layle, haven't I shown you that I want you? You're here with me aren't you?" He didn't say anything.

Lyra watched him. She had no idea how to cheer him up. She was worried about what to do next. She never wanted to have this conversation. At least not until he was much, much older. "…Layle… What are you thinking about?"

"…My Mom…and what she's like…and why she didn't want me."

"You've been thinking about that this whole time?" He nodded to her. "Well, tell me. Tell me about it."

"…Because of my crystal, and because I hurt people." He rubbed the right side of his face, "So she doesn't want me. She's probably…nice. And pretty. …Maybe she cooks? I wonder if she celebrates my birthday… If I have other uncles and brothers and sisters…and…" He looked up at Lyra. The woman was watching him. She had a slight smile on her face. Occasionally she closed her eyes for a second before opening them again. They had a slightly glossy look to them. "…Are you…sad, Lyra?"

"…A little. Because you are. No mother wants their child to be sad."

"…" Layle stared at her for a long time. She wasn't sure what he was thinking. She couldn't read his thoughts through his actions like she could her birds. But slowly a smile spread across the blonde's face. "But, you do want me, right, Lyra?"

"…Of course. That's why I brought you here. I want you to be here with me. You're my son."

Layle leaned over and wrapped his arms around her as much as he could and the woman wrapped and arm around his back. "I'm sorry; I made you sad, Mom. I want to be here, with you."

The woman chuckled. "It's not your fault, Layle. I should have told you… I have lots I should tell you." Lyra ruffled his hair. "Let's go inside, okay?" She slowly stood up and pulled Layle up to stand with her. When she reached the end of the loft she started to climb down first telling Layle to follow her. About halfway down the ladder she noticed he wasn't coming.

"Layle?" The woman called up to the toddler. Suddenly she heard the sound of footsteps banging against the wood and before she knew it she saw her son jumping from the top of the loft with the little Chocobo chick in his arms. "Layle!" she watched him land in a pile of hay on the floor and Lyra scrambled down the ladder. "Layle! Layle!" The rancher dug through the hay to find her son laughing to himself with the bird struggling to get free of him.

Lyra sighed and pulled him out of the hay. The little bird jumped to the floor and ran about squawking.

"I made it!"

"…Yes…Yes you did…" Lyra held him up in her arms and picked the hay out of his hair. "Tell you what, Layle, before dinner, why don't you show me your jump down the stairs?"

"Really! I can!?"

"Yes, you can…" Lyra started walking towards the exit of the barn. She felt Layle wrap his arms tight around her next.

"I don't care about her. That lady that didn't want me," he spoke up.

"Oh?"

"Yes. She's not my Mom. I have you."

Lyra smiled to herself as she continued to walk. Maybe she didn't understand children or magic as well as she did her Chocobos. It wasn't a set routine or easy pattern to understand…

But loving someone is never routine.