Angel's Tear

Disclaimer: "Tales of Symphonia" and all related characters and names are copyright of Namco.

Asgard, also called "the city of winds and ruins" now had a new attraction due to the events of the past day in which a little group of travelers fought against a monster disguised as the Summon Spirit of wind, defeating the beast proved to be a blessing for the tourism dependent city.

As the sun rose a member of the little group that had come from nowhere walked alone trough the streets of the city letting the wind caress his red hair, wearing a purple suit and matching cape he was easily spotted and the inhabitants of the city that caught a glimpse of him were trying to get his attention trough greetings and the like, after all, he was the talk of the town.

Kratos wasn't paying any attention to the people around him, in his mind he was reliving yesterday's fight against the fake Summon Spirit, to tell the truth, it had gone more smoothly than he had expected; while he and Lloyd were keeping the fight with the monster in a personal matter the two half-elves siblings were in the backside of the battle each one doing what they did best, Genis attacked with magic while his older sister Raine supported them with healing, normally the Chosen One would have joined the fight in the front lines but this time she joined the half-elves giving her newfound angelic powers use, at the thought of how easy the battle had been Kratos smiled, his companions were getting better.

After entering the weapons & armor shop "Typhoon" an old man holding two red scabbards like if they were a baby came to greet the mercenary "Good morning sir, your request from yesterday is ready" with that the old man handed the scabbards to Kratos who proceeded to unsheathe one of the swords, the blade ended in point that seemed well suited for thrusting and the yellow semi-spherical hilt protected his hand, after a few practice swipes Kratos sheathed the sword.

"I named those swords "Sinclaire" I'm sure that they would prove useful for a magnificent warrior like you" The old man smiled as he counted the money that the mercenary gave him.

"These are not meant to me, these are for...--" he wanted to say "...my son" but that's not what escaped his lips at the end "--...my companion." The old man looked at him trying to hide his disappointment "Oh... I see, well, I would be glad if you take a little of your time to look around, I'll give you a discount price"

Seeing no reason to decline the offer Kratos inspected the shelves with little interest, and when he was thinking that he would find nothing of useful his eyes darted toward two pieces of a shining blue metal in a corner.

"You pair of lazy idiots..." the old man scolded two youngsters who were organizing the weapons and armor in display, when he noted the questioning look of the mercenary "...Uh? What is it?" the old man noted the two pieces of metal in the mercenary grasp "Oh that.."

"Where did you found this?" Kratos questioned placing the metal in the counter.

"Well, I dunno..." Kratos frowned, seeing this the old man pointed a thumb to the boys in the shelves "one of those lazy bums told me that they found it in the Hima region a day after the Tower of Salvation appeared"

"I see..." Kratos's look eased, "discount price, right?"

He knew it, he shouldn't have tried to drink coffee like his sister and Lloyd, now he couldn't sleep! Genis squirmed under the sheets trying to find a comfortable position, after failing miserably to be reclaimed by the world of dreams he looked jealously to his long time friend in the bed beside his, Lloyd had been enjoying the bliss of sleep from while ago and now he snored peacefully, giving up on sleeping for the moment Genis raised from his bed, noting that one of the three beds in the room was empty he smiled slightly thinking that at least someone shared his insomnia.

The innkeeper raised his eyes from the book he was reading when he heard a door being opened and closed. "Can't sleep buddy?" The innkeeper said after seeing Genis entering the reception room, Genis nodded slightly, the innkeeper was a fat man with little round glasses in his eyes, he was bald, had a brown mustache and his little brown eyes showed that he was an honest person.

"That reminds me... one of your friends was here a while ago, it seems that you are not the only one who cannot sleep"

"Was it Kratos?" Genis asked, the innkeeper just pointed to a door that leaded to a little basement, a light red and yellow hue coming from the inside "I don't know what his name is, he is the taller one with the purple clothes."

"It's Kratos then." Genis sprinted toward the door until the innkeeper called for him "Just a question kid." the man seemed a little embarrassed "Tell me, it wasn't the mattress, right? Or the sheets? Maybe the pillows?" the little half-elf just waved his hand gently "not at all, they're perfect." after seeing the kid disappear behind the door the man sighed and then resumed his reading.

Genis entered the basement slowly, after going down a few steps the little kid could see a little square room, Kratos was sitting in the floor in the center of the room with a little metal table in front of him, The mercenary seemed to be heating a couple of odd looking metal pieces with magical fire and then hitting them using a smithy hammer.

Almost immediately that Genis entered the room the silent warrior stopped his work and lifted his head to look the face of the half-elf "Uh...umm, hi!" Genis greeted shyly, it was the first time in their journey that Genis would talk with Kratos without someone else around so he didn't know how to approach the mercenary and ask something that had been bothering him since the first time he saw Kratos casting a spell.

"Can't sleep?" the mercenary questioned "Uh?... Oh! Yeah, you know, I guess coffee isn't my thing" Genis smirked while scratching the back of his head "Hey! What are you doing?" the little kid sprinted besides Kratos who opened his mouth as if to talk but was interrupted by the kid "Whoa! Not only you know a lot of stuff, are an incredible swordsman who can use magic and heal but also you are pretty good when it comes to cooking and now I found that you are a blacksmith too, is there something you can't do?"

"...Indeed" It was the first time after a very long time that someone complimented him in that way and it made him feel nostalgia, "What are you forging Kratos?" Kratos's reply came without too much thinking "Swords" Genis stood silent for a bit while Kratos resumed his work.

Raising his head to meet the mercenary's the kid spoke "Are you making swords for Lloyd?" Kratos nodded "Why?" Kratos stopped, now that he pondered it the desire of giving Lloyd some kind of present have appeared from nowhere. Kratos was lost in thought until he noticed the inquisitive eyes of the half-elf.

"Someday Lloyd will have to fight on his own, I just want to make sure that he has a decent weapon" he half-lied hoping that the kid would believe him, Genis smiled to Kratos "Oh...okay" Kratos resumed his activity just to be interrupted again by the little one "Where did you learn to be a blacksmith" glad that the kid have changed the subject Kratos responded easily "My father taught me".

"Oh. So your father was a blacksmith?" Genis was now full of curiosity, it was strange for Kratos to be so talkative and he didn't want to lose a chance to know a bit more about his silent companion.

"No, my father had a school where he instructed the people in the way of the sword." Kratos then reheated both pieces of metal with his magic, Genis stood silent as if hypnotized by the dancing magical fire in front of him"his knowledge as a blacksmith was somehow limited but, notwithstanding, he taught me the basics."

"Kratos..." when the kid didn't continue his sentence Kratos looked at him "What is it?" Genis talked without letting his eyes leave the sight of the fire "you can use magic, right?" the mercenary was surprised, Why was the kid asking such an obvious question? Despite that he just nodded "Yes."

"But you are a human..." having now an idea of where the kid wanted to go Kratos responded "Indeed, there should be some elves and half-elves somewhere in my family tree" he lied, even so that lie was more credible that telling the truth, "I drank a melted rock called Aionis while adding some fruit juice to hide the foul flavor of the concoction"

"Then you can sense the mana of the people around you" Genis lowered his chin to his chest "so you can tell the difference between elves and half-elves" Kratos solemnly spoke "Yes, I can tell..." Genis's eyes were filled with tears as he imagined what Kratos, a person he had learned to respect, would do with him now that the truth about what kind of species was Genis wasn't needed to hide anymore.

Feeling the mercenary's hand in his shoulder he heard Kratos's voice "So, what of it?" raising his full of tears eyes in disbelief to meet with Kratos's he tried to understand what exactly was happening.

"Once that you see what I have seen..." Kratos continued while whipping away the tears in the little kid's face "...and live what I have lived you come to understand that the race is something irrelevant..." then with his other hand Kratos touched gently Genis's chest "...Is your heart, the who you are instead of the what you are, what is of importance."

Without advice Genis threw himself at Kratos's lap feeling nothing more than an infinite gratitude for the older man, being taken by surprise by the sudden movement of the kid, Kratos stared at the little one while gently putting one hand on the silver-haired head, in that moment the fact that he was one of the four, that he would soon betray those that trusted him with their lives and that he would take something loved for all of them felt insignificant, just bringing comfort to one innocent soul was everything that mattered.

With his last sobs and burying his head on Kratos's chest Genis's voice was heard "Will Lloyd understand that?" Grabbing the kid by his shoulder and slowly pulling him away for Kratos to see his face he spoke "I'm sure of it, he is likely to not use his head when thinking but he instead will use his hearth, I'm sure that he will accept you no matter what your are, because you are his friend."

"Thanks Kratos" Genis said while rubbing the back of his arm in his face to clear away the last of his tears, after some last sobs Genis spoke again "Do you mind if I lend you a hand heating that thing?" Kratos looked at the boy ready to send him to his room but thought again, moving a bit to the side he spoke "Be my guest".

"Before we go in our way to the Balacruf Mausoleum, I will go to buy some medicine and supplies, Genis and Colette are coming with me" said the half-elf woman while holding his two students by the hand "We'll see you here in 3 hours".

"That's fine with me, I'm going to do some training for a while, Lloyd is coming with me" Kratos replied, at the sound of his name Lloyd raised his head from his breakfast "What? Training? Me? Now?"

The voice of the teacher was heard "Yes, or you prefer coming with us Lloyd?" weighing his options Lloyd quickly decided "No, it's fine, I'm going training it's just that I was taken by surprise" Raine simply nodded at the comment meanwhile Colette gave both males one of her trademark smiles "Have fun!"

In their way to the training ground Lloyd was glad that Kratos have talked about training, getting his body full of bruises and cuts was, by far, a lot better that feeling his mind numb as a result of one of the Professor speeches about the importance of the development of gels during the Kharlan War.

------o------

The mercenary offered his hand for the boy to get up; accepting the offer Lloyd got to his feet and dusted himself up, seeing that Kratos was sheathing his silver colored sword and securing his gray and red shield in his belt Lloyd knew that the training was over "I'm not getting good very fast"

"The blame could partially lie in my teaching methods; I do not use two swords" Lloyd looked at Kratos with a smirk in his face "Not at all, thanks to you I have learned the importance of the basics and a bunch of other stuff... besides I'm just happy" the last phrase caught Kratos by surprise "Happy?"

"Yeah, you know I'm an only son so I always wanted a big brother who would practice with me and teach me all the cool battle techs he knows, just like you do" Kratos's heart filled with joy as his mind cursed his fate.

"...I see" Lloyd smiled mischievously "But, you know, you're kind of old to be my brother" his smile growing wider.

"I see" was the reply in a more serious tone, reaching for a little pack in the floor the older man spoke "Here, I have something for you"

"What? A present? For me?" Lloyd chirped getting hold of the two red scabbards that Kratos threw at him, Unsheathing one of the swords Lloyd inspected the blade "How are they called?" he asked looking at Kratos who was still removing something from his pack "I don't know and I don't care, If you are so earnest to know go ask the old one in the weapons shop"

"All right, I'll do just that" after that Lloyd resumed inspecting the blade, just to look at Kratos again with a shocked expression "Wait, the first day that we were here I checked the shop and there wasn't something like this"

"You're right, I made a request in the shop for them to forge that" Kratos said pulling a blanket from the sack.

"Then, you went for all that trouble just to get a nice present for me?" Lloyd sheathed the sword with his eyes glowing "You are the best big brother I've ever had!" his smile was interrupted as something covered in a blanket hit him full in the face, catching the package in mid air the boy looked at the one in front of him "What is this?" Kratos motioned toward the new gift with one hand "Open it"

Putting the small package in the floor Lloyd unwrapped the blanket founding in the inside two new swords, the swords were glinting with a light blue hue, the hilts were of the same blue, the blade itself was oddly shaped being wider and curved at the end, Lloyd stared in awe at the magnificent weapons in front of him.

Not even daring to touch the hilts of the swords Lloyd listened Kratos's voice "Lloyd, promise me that you are going to use that swords in just one battle" Lloyd reluctantly raised his head "What? Why?"

"Just promise me" seeing the look in Kratos's face Lloyd didn't dared to question more and just nodded "I promise" even knowing that the boy will keep his promise Kratos needed to be sure, he propelled himself, his hand in the hilt of his sword, the hit was parried by the Sinclaire duo in the grasp of a startled Lloyd.

Sheathing his sword again Kratos spoke "All right, I believe you" after muttering under his breath something about dying of a heart attack Lloyd asked "In which battle I have to use them?"

"When the time comes you will know, don't be hasty Lloyd" sheathing his own two swords Lloyd proceeded to wrap the blanket around the two light blue swords like if they were the most sacred things in the world. "How are they called?" he asked by the second time that morning.

"Whatever you want" Finishing the wrapping the youngster sighed then got to his feet "Thanks Kratos, they're awesome!" Kratos could now get a glimpse of the look on the boy eyes; they were filled with adoration, and in his head ran thoughts about how he was the most blessed father and at the same time the most cursed soldier.

"I don't really know how to thank you" Lloyd was thinking hard about what to do to compensate the great gift that Kratos had given to him "If you want to thank me in some way... grow strong Lloyd."

Lloyd showed a big grin "All right, I'll do that but also this..." then he stretched his both arms as if they were wings "A big Bro-to-Bro hug, how about it?"

Both of them could hear the birds singing and the wind blowing through the surrounding trees, Kratos frowned showing one of his most cold glares.

"Come on! Say something!" Lloyd chirped with a smile on his face, never intimidated by his brother's assassin glare.

"You are insane"

"Oh! Don't be such a waterboy, little brother isn't going to be happy until he repays in some way all the cool things that big brother has done for him"

The battle was lost, Kratos knew that if he refused, the boy will keep pestering him with the same thing over and over, his best option was gave in to the boy demands before anyone could see them, sighing heavily Kratos stretched his arms in the same fashion that Lloyd has his and rolled his eyes.

"All right, I'm ready"