A/N: Sorry for not having updated in about a month (Shame on me, the Genis/Lloyd fanboy, I haven't written Genis/Lloyd in a while now!). Anyway, I began to think about this fic and I realised something. I honestly don't know where to end it. Which means that I'm probably going to end this off really suddenly. And though it's been a long wait, you guys are probably going to like this. The Angsty feel is going to make a bit of a comeback, but... well, this fic's about to take a very sharp turn, perhaps for the worst (as far as the character's luck is concerned)...
By the way, I wish to apologise for any 'Kratos bashing' in this fic. I'm really sorry! I do like Kratos. Seriously! But he's just the fall guy in this fic, since Zelos isn't around. Though I like him too!
Anyway, yeah. Sorry for the long wait! But it's a good thing I waited so long, because I got the most sadistic, greatest idea ever...
Genis Irving
--5: The Seal--As Genis and Lloyd approached the campfire, they could already hear the sounds of combat. Quickly, their pace quickened, despite their injuries, and soon the small clearing came into view. As they reached the edge of the woods and emerged, there was a sharp female cry.
"Mirage Seal! Life Seal! Pyre Seal!"
The sounds of a harsh slap reached the ears of the two boys, and a large figure flew towards them and crashed into the tree beside them. As both the younger mage and the older swordsman watched, Kratos slumped to the ground, a bit of blood staining his face and his features, and apparently unconscious.
"...Some mercenary he turned out to be..." Lloyd sighed, then looked around and surveyed the scene.
Colette was panting against a tree, trying to catch her breath. Her clothes were torn in a couple places, one chakram lay broken at her feet, and the other was barely being held onto. Bruises coated her body, and her wings kept flickering on and off, as if she could barely keep them there.
Raine was in no better shape, apparently. Though she had the strength to stand defiantly in front of Colette, and she was shaking, with her staff held defensively between her hands, she didn't look like she could take much more. Her eyes kept shutting for just a moment or two then reopening, as she fought unconsciousness.
"Hey! You! Stop!" Lloyd shouted, reaching for his swords and drawing them, jumping out of Genis' help and stumbling a couple times as he tried to run towards the assassin, who was standing proudly, two cards floating in mid-air in front of her and twirling about mischievously.
"L... Lloyd?" Raine blinked, swaying on the spot.
"Lloyd, you did come for us..." Colette smiled.
The woman turned and shook her head. "So you two survived? Wow. But you're too weak to take me on like this... Pyre Seal!" she gave a shout as Lloyd reached her, and the two cards flew out forward and struck Lloyd's bare chest at once, erupting in flame. An explosion racked the boy's body, and he flew backwards, just as Kratos had.
Genis flailed about for half a second before he caught Lloyd, the force still pushing both of them back into a tree. Then they both crashed down onto the ground. The young mage felt a couple wounds having been opened up on his back, and had to catch his breath from Lloyd's impact. Beside them, Lloyd's shirt fluttered onto the ground, having fallen out of Genis' arms.
"G-Genis, are you okay?" Lloyd finally coughed out, once he had his own breath back and had sat up, and he looked at the young mage who was still trying to recover. Gently, he pulled the other boy up and let him lean on him.
"Well, isn't that just a cute little show of camaraderie?" the assassin woman smirked, having approached them the entire time while they were recovering. "Inspiring, isn't it?"
"Don't do a thing to my little brother!" Raine tried to shout.
"Oh, be quiet" the assassin rounded on Raine for an instant, and in that moment Lloyd dashed forward and thrust out with a Supersonic Thrust.
The sword struck the assassin's side, and she gasped in surprise, before pulling herself off of the wound. She let a hand fall, inspecting the blood that was flowing out, and a look of annoyance crossed her face. "Hmph. Well... that about does it!"
She charged suddenly, grabbing her cards from mid-air as she did, and driving them both into Lloyd at once, with a cry of "Serpent Seal!"
Lloyd's body stiffened for a moment and he fell back, suddenly feeling strength disappear from his arms, and one of his swords fell at his side. "Wh... What the...?"
"Lloyd!" Genis cried out from beside him, going to catch him, but the assassin advanced again, slamming her cards into Lloyd again. "Mirage Seal!"
Lloyd's mind spun, and his eyes felt dizzy. He swore suddenly that there were more than just one assassin coming after him – there were two. No, four... he tried to convince himself that it was only just one, but all four in his vision were moving towards him again.
One more attack, with a cry of "Power Seal!" and Lloyd crashed backwards, panting heavily, falling into Genis' arms, who struggled a bit to keep Lloyd up and to brace himself against the weight of the older boy, but he managed somehow.
"Lloyd! Lloyd, comeon, we have to fight!"
"G-Genis... I can't... see straight... can't... can't..." Lloyd panted out, before half passing-out in his love's arms.
Genis held onto Lloyd, gently shaking him. "Lloyd? Lloyd, come on, wake up!"
"Genis, you have to fight!" Raine tried to command him, but that only succeeding in getting the attacker's attention.
The unnamed female growled, and pointed her fingers at Raine. The two cards flew her way, a trail of wind stirring up behind them. Then there was a cry of "Cyclone Seal!" as both cards attached to Raine's shoulders, and she was launched high up in the air, just to crash right beside Colette.
The angel girl shook with fear. "R-Raine! Professor! Come on, professor, wake up!"
For a moment, the assassin felt a very strong urge to show them mercy, to let her pity for the kind girl took over, but then as she looked at Colette's wings, she was reminded just what she was here for. She advanced upon Colette.
"...Pl-please... don't... why are you doing this?" Colette pleaded.
"I have to" the assassin explained. "Let's just say... that your quest isn't going to save everyone."
Colette was about to voice her confusion, but already the assassin was in front of her. The two cards slammed into Colette's chest, and she was knocked sharp against the tree just behind her, and she fell unconscious. A bit of blood leaked over her forehead, and her angel wings flickered out behind her.
The assassin smiled, contented with her work.
I'm so scared... please, all of you, don't die on me! I... I don't want you all to die! This isn't supposed to end up like this... please, I need strength... please...
The female assailant approached Colette, noticing the girl was still barely breathing. "...Still alive... well..."
"Burn! ERUPTION!"
The ground split apart just behind the assassin, and she was caught in a sudden gush of flame that leapt up from the ground, burning her steadily, and then the spell was over.
Genis held onto his Kendama, an angry, but fearful, look on his face. The look of a cornered animal who knew there was no choice left but to fight.
"...I knew I should have taken care of you first, kid," the assassin did a U-turn, rounding on Genis, and advancing menacingly.
Knowing there was no time, Genis tried to focus on his next spell. Come on... Spread, spread, spread, spread...
His nerves kicked in as he saw just how close his opponent was coming, and the kendama fell loose at his side. The boy simply froze up. The female loomed over him menacingly. Beside them, Lloyd began to stir again, weakly.
"Spirit Seal!" came a cry from the woman, and one card smashed into Genis' chest. The boy felt something pulled from him, and realised almost instantly what it was – his mana. The sudden change in the natural force threw him off, and he stumbled backwards, weakened.
"G-Genis..." Lloyd's whisper didn't even make a sound above the footsteps of the assassin, who was approaching his younger love.
"Force Seal!" Sheena growled, and one card flew out and began to circle Genis quickly. The boy looked at it dizzily, then tried to step backwards, away from Sheena. The card zapped into him from behind, giving his body a sharp jolt and thrusting it back into its former position. Even after that, it kept circling, daring Genis to move.
I'm scared... help me...
The assassin smiled. "You're a good kid, but you understand, don't you? I need to do my job..."
"Let... Genis... Go..." Lloyd huffed out, but he could barely move, and his words only faintly reached the younger boy's ears.
Lloyd, please... please, don't let me die...
"Time..." the assassin pulled back, the card erupting in a ball of flame, and Genis shut his eyes.
"DON'T HURT HIM!" Lloyd's voice shouted.
"SEAL!" the assassin's voice screamed.
The two words were shouted at once. Genis threw his arms up in front of his head, to block the attack that never came.
Then, finally, the boy opened his eyes, slowly at first, then he realised just what had happened.
Lloyd's silhouette was standing in front of him, glowing a dark light that hid his features. In truth, the older male was trying to scream against the pain that he was in, his body held in place by the attack.
The assassin was amazed. "How... where did you get the strength to move so suddenly like that??" she demanded, seriously startled by the sudden movement by somebody she had thought was right out of it. The card that had been surrounding Genis zoomed back to her side.
Lloyd... you... saved me...
Then, suddenly, the light was gone, and Lloyd fell backwards into Genis' arms, and Genis noticed that Lloyd suddenly had become seemingly a bit lighter, or something. Either way, he couldn't see straight enough to figure out just what had changed – all he knew was that something was a bit different.
Lloyd was breathing in his arms, and Genis diverted his gaze from his love up to their attacker. She seemed... confused. "Why... how...? ...Perhaps... there's something more to you guys than I expected..."
Then, without any further explanation, she took off and disappeared into the forest.
Genis held onto Lloyd for a few moments, wondering if the woman really was gone. Then his energy gave out and he collapsed, falling right beside Lloyd.
As Genis awoke, slowly pushing off of the ground, he had to think a million things about just why his body was in such pain. A million questions ran through his mind – staring off with "Am I dead" and "Am I okay?" and then quickly moving on to "Where's Lloyd? Is he okay?"
Genis reached up and rubbed his eyes, clearing them out and trying to calm down. Lazily, he looked around, confused beyond belief, and somewhat scared too. It took a moment for his settings to register, at which point, he jumped back a couple inches. "Wah! Raine! Don't scare me like that!" Genis shouted, because Raine had been staring him right in the face.
Raine smiled, before pulling Genis close and embracing him in a sudden, desperate hug. Genis flushed a little red and squirmed. "Wh-What...?"
"I'm... glad you're okay, Genis," Raine whispered, apparently trying to fight back tears. "...When I blacked out, I was so worried... you didn't wake up for so long... I thought she might have..."
Then Raine just broke right down on her younger brother's shoulder, and Genis held onto her. He had to admit, he was scared for his sister, too – but he had hardly thought about her at all when he had woken up. All of his thoughts had been about Lloyd. His mind wondered if that made him a selfish, evil person.
But even as he was thinking it, Genis' mind wandered back to the subject of Lloyd's welfare. The last he had seen, Lloyd had taken a serious hit for him, when he was already barely able to move. Which again brought up the question the assassin had asked: how did Lloyd do it? The boy seemed to become superhuman when the moment was right. He had saved Genis at the last moment from falling off of the cliff, even though there had been several meters between them. So how...?
"Raine, where's Lloyd? Please, tell me he's okay" Genis asked quietly, as Raine calmed down. As she heard the question, she pushed off of Genis, and couldn't quite meet the boy's gaze.
"...Raine, tell me Lloyd's okay! Please!" Genis whimpered, shaking a bit. "Please, please tell me he's okay!!"
Raine tried to say something, but she couldn't get any sounds out. The boy tried to read her lips, but the movement was so small he couldn't make anything out. He was becoming nervous quite quickly, and he felt his hand starting to shake at his side. He didn't even want to start to think about what could be so horrible that Raine wouldn't be able to tell him. Normally, she didn't have too bad of a problem delivering bad news or putting the realistic pessimism back in the group.
That's what scared Genis the most.
"Raine! Please!"
"...I don't know if he's okay... you... have to see for yourself..." Raine couldn't meet her brother's eyes as she lifted him onto his feet, and carted him across. Along the way, Noishe began to follow them. At the same time, Kratos was busy casting first aid spells repeatedly on Colette's many wounds. The girl smiled at Genis as he walked by, but when the boy didn't respond, she didn't make any further movements.
Finally, they turned towards a sheltered area, where they had spread out a tarp overhead to protect what was underneath. In there lay a small pile of blankets and the rest of the group's materials.
"...Where is he, Raine?" Genis asked, concerned.
"..." Raine looked away again, and just pointed down, towards the sheets. Cautiously, Genis approached them.
There was no sign that Lloyd was under them, except for the slight rising and falling, as the boy breathed underneath. Genis wondered just why they had covered up Lloyd like this (it seemed more like they were trying to smother him). Beside the pile of sheets was Lloyd's shirt and his overalls, his two swords and his long white scarf. Genis gulped, and listened, trying to find Lloyd's head.
Then, slowly, he leaned down and rolled back some of the sheets.
As he revealed Lloyd's upper body, he saw that the boy was uncovered, and stopped, inspecting it. At first, Lloyd seemed okay. He was only a bit bruised up, with a couple cuts on his body. There were a couple blood stains in his hair and around his wounds, but that was only to be expected. He seemed quite peaceful, and his chest was rising and falling softly as he slept.
Genis gently smiled and admired the form below him, looking over the beautiful form beneath him. He remarked how youthful it seemed, even with all those bruises... how much the body reminded him of his own in some ways...
That's where the thought processes stopped, and it all clued in. There was something wrong with Lloyd...
Genis gasped and stepped back as he realised just what it was.
Lloyd's hair was fallen and unkempt, and short. His body wasn't developed, his limbs were thinner and more youthful...
"H-How... he... doesn't look any older than I do!" Genis shook a bit, shocked. "Raine, what happened?"
"I think it's one of the spells that the assassin put on him," Raine hypothesised. "I remember seeing him this young once before in Iselia... before we all knew each other. I'm guessing... he's gone back to being about 11."
"11? Then... he's younger than I am..." Genis shook his head, looking at the boy below him, then finally crouching down at Lloyd's side and putting a hand on that of the now-younger boy. Footsteps walking away told him Raine had left them alone for the moment.
There were barely any sounds for a couple minutes, and then, suddenly, Lloyd stirred just a bit. Genis' heart leapt into his throat. He doubted Lloyd would take becoming a kid again very easily, but he was there to help him. Nervously, he looked down at Lloyd, as the boy slowly opened his eyes, blinking cluelessly and innocently, then looking around and spotting Genis.
"Lloyd, you're awake!" Genis smiled, looking down at the youthful form below him, happy he was there.
Slowly, Lloyd sat up, and pushed the covers off. Genis didn't want to look right away, but eventually his eyes strayed – and found Lloyd was wearing a pair of (Genis') shorts. Genis reddened just a bit but kept from saying anything, and forced his eyes to look back up at Lloyd.
"...Huh? Where am I? What happened?" Lloyd shook his head, a clueless look on his face as he voiced his questions. He seemed very, very confused about something.
"Don't worry, Lloyd, you're okay, you're safe..."
Lloyd turned and looked at Genis, who lifted Lloyd's hand up and held it with both his.
"You..." Lloyd began, but Genis cut him off.
"You don't need to say a thing, Lloyd. You're okay," Genis smiled, gently.
What next came out of Lloyd's mouth was not expected by the mage.
"...Who are you?"