Ch 6

Meltokio was bright and busy as always as the three swordsmen walked into the city. Lloyd didn't question Zelos's constant volunteering for night watch, but the fact that he still looked and acted bright and fresh each morning was a bit suspicious. He thought through it carefully, then came to a conclusion. Walking up beside the redhead as they made their way to the third tier of the city, he poked at Zelos in the side.

"I know what you're up to, Zelos. Why you keep staying up each night." he whispered and Zelos stiffened in shock. His mind raced to find out where and when he'd been found out. Did Kratos tell Lloyd anyway? Did he break his promise?

"I can explain, really!" Zelos stammered in fear, "I didn't mean to keep it from you, but I didn't want you to...!"

"I knew it! You've been sneaking dirty books around! Sheena said you'd do that at night!" Lloyd declared, "You look at them and then you just fall asleep on the job!" The redhead blinked and looked relieved.

"Oh, is that all? Eh, yeah, you got me there. I'll get rid of 'em. Promise." he breathed and wiped at his forehead, "Just don't yell stuff like that at me. You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Kratos pushed them both along, muttering at the idea that they would take another whole day to find the house at their rate.

Zelos's mansion had undergone a few changes since they last saw it. The garish pink was replaced with a regal brick red and the hedges were trimmed in neat and proper rows. The former Chosen cocked his head, studied it carefully, then shrugged and smiled. Seles did love to put her mark on things.

"Hey, what happened to your house?" Lloyd asked as they walked up to the door.

"I decided I didn't like the color anymore." Zelos replied smoothly and knocked using the gold-plated ornament decorating the cherry-wood door. A few moments later, the door opened and Sebastian looked out at them. The butler looked momentarily surprised, then quickly regained composure.

"Welcome home, Master Zelos." he greeted professionally. Zelos glared at him coldly and he fidgeted. "Many pardons. Welcome to the Wilder Estate, Lord Zelos."

"Better. Stop slipping up or I'll have Seles dock your pay." the redhead grumbled as he let the others in after him. Sebastian turned and announced their arrival in a loud voice as maids and servants bustled about with fresh cut flowers and new carpeting.

"Big Brother!" Seles's voice exclaimed as she appeared at the top of the stairs. Smiling happily, she ran down the steps, then stopped short at the sight of her older brother's new appearance. "What? Wh-what happened to you?" she cried. Zelos rubbed at his head bashfully.

"I kinda set myself on fire, but hey, I don't look so bad!" he laughed, then looked at her worriedly, "Or do I?" Seles blushed and shook her head.

"No, no, you look good as always, Big Brother. It's just that I've never seen you look, uh... outdoorsy?" she stammered and looked over at Lloyd with a frown, "I thought I told you to look after him! How could you let him go and set himself aflame? You country bumpkin!"

"So that's where Zelos gets it." Lloyd remarked in mild surprise, the insult flowing right off of him. Zelos grinned apologetically and rubbed his sister's head, mussing her short, red hair under the large yellow hat she wore. She smacked his hand away and straightened herself up, then looked up at Kratos. A deep flush spread over her cheeks and she shyly looked away.

"Ah, good afternoon, good sir. I don't believe we've had the good fortune to have been introduced. I am the Lady of this house, Seles Wilder." she murmured and curtsied politely. Kratos raised an eyebrow, then looked up at Zelos, who was now giving him one of the most evil looks he had ever seen, short of Mithos's twisted smiles at him.

Lloyd was fairly sure that this was the first time he had ever seen his father turn white.

"Kratos Aurion, Lloyd's father. Pleased to meet you as well." the seraphim managed to respond steadily, then tried to leave the scene. Lloyd watched him slink away, then looked up at Zelos, who only gave him a cheerful expression.

"So, ready to spend the night in a decent bed?" he asked. Lloyd frowned as he scratched his head.

"I like the beds I made." he muttered as Seles shook her head clear and returned to her brother.

"Oh, Zelos, you have got to do something about all those groupies! They keep coming by and bothering me about your whereabouts!" she complained, "I haven't told them anything, but they keep insisting that they know where you're traveling so they can send messengers after you." Zelos made a face at the news as she looked more sour. "Speaking of messengers, that Sheena witch came by here earlier this week and wanted to know if you would be here soon. She asked that you stay within the city for a day or so."

"Sheena? She wanted to see me?" Zelos asked hopefully. Kratos and Lloyd both decided the conversation wasn't for them and walked off on their own to explore the house.

"Hey, Dad, has Zelos been acting weird to you? He doesn't seem like his usual self lately." Lloyd suddenly remarked once they were beyond earshot. Kratos glanced back, saw the redhead lift his gaze up at them in concern, then returned to chatting with his sister.

"No, nothing particularly strange strikes me. Except perhaps that day he decided my shoulders could support his weight." Kratos grimaced briefly at the memory, "Gah, I thought I was going to be crushed. What gave him the idea that he was lighter than you?" The younger boy laughed and shook his head.

"Wish I had seen that, but I was probably sneaking food from the kitchen at the time. I mean, he doesn't join us for dinner anymore, or for breakfast and lunch either." he pointed out and looked worried, "Zelos shouldn't be trying to ration things yet. We have plenty to eat."

"I'm sure he has his reasons. Why don't you go and find a bath? We're all in need of one after that venture with those... beasts." Kratos shuddered at the thought of riding horses back to the bridge, "I vote we find new transport back to the ship. Like the Rheairds." Lloyd cocked his head and looked up at him.

"Oh, that's right. You can't fly yet. How long will it take for your wings to recover? Zelos, too?" he asked. His father looked back as the deep blue wings spread from his back, flapping a few times to shake off the dust.

"Not too long for me. I should have flight capability in another day or so. Zelos may take longer, he was pulling feathers out long before I was conscious." Kratos answered and rapped on his head, "Bath, Lloyd. Now."

"Okay, okay! I'm going! Sheesh! You're no fun!" the boy cried as he ran down the hall.

"I'm your father! I'm not supposed to be fun!" Kratos yelled after him and sighed, "I hate lying to you again. Zelos, you owe me for this."

Guest rooms were provided for the trio and Sebastian led them to the new bath that Seles had installed in the house. Zelos whooped and raced for the low lying stone tub that mimicked the Kharlan hot springs, misty steam and all. Lloyd peered at the water, clutching his towel tightly around him, and tested the temperature.

"Huh, it really is like the hot spring. Nice idea, Zelos." he remarked in surprise. The redhead was already planted in the center of the pool, grinning hugely.

"What? Oh, yeah." he remarked in momentary confusion, "Thanks." Then, just to be sure he could still act like his old self, "Though the view of a couple of other guys here isn't all that sexy. We need to invite a few hunnies in to share the steam! I'm pretty sure I could spare a couple for you and Daddykins." A wadded up towel sailed through the air and smacked him in the head as Kratos stepped into the pool.

"Lloyd, make a note of that word. I don't want it to be referring to me. Ever." he grumbled and sat in what looked like embarrassment. Lloyd sighed and sat back, thinking through the journey.

"Why didn't Sheena tell me that she was coming here too? I would have liked to at least said 'Hi' in person." he wondered aloud. Zelos pulled the towel from his face and threw it back at Kratos, then blinked.

"Oh, that. Seles said that she would be by later again with a couple of others. I guess bratty Genis and the cool beauty Raine will be by for a visit, too." he threw in and shook his fist at Kratos, "Stop throwing the spare towels at me!"

"You want me to throw the one I'm wearing?"

"No, but you could stop throwing crap at me altogether, Pappy!"

Smack!

Lloyd watched in amusement as his father climbed out of the pool, loaded his arms with towels and returned to the hot tub, calmly wadding one up to join the first towel that resumed its position around Zelos's head. He shouldn't have worried, Zelos was still good old Zelos, perverted and trouble-making. Lloyd wouldn't have him any other way.

"How about Papa?"

Smack!

"Da-Da?"

Smack!

"Your aim's getting a bit too good, old man."

Smack!

"Lloyd, call the butler back. I'm running out of ammunition." Kratos muttered with a grin, wadding another towel in his hands. The boy merely laughed and shook his head. His family was perfect just the way it was.

Night in Meltokio was no less calm than the day, but it was just as beautiful as ever. Seles had retired to her bedroom after spending the remainder of the day catching up with her brother, acting fidgety around Kratos and hounding Lloyd about failing to keep Zelos in one piece. Lloyd himself was feeling sleepy, more so after he had the bath and exhausted himself laughing at the antics of the two angels in the pool.

Kratos finished tucking the blanket around his son, ruffled his hair once, then left the room, walking towards the balcony on the second floor. He knew Zelos had retreated there after wishing Lloyd a good night. The comforts of home didn't seem to reach him and the seraphim's curiousity drove him to find out what exactly was amiss with the Wilder Estate.

"You haven't been acting normally since we arrived." Kratos remarked simply as way of greeting. Zelos leaned forward against the banister, looking out at the stars, mouth moving silently. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"You made me lose count, Dad." he answered and looked back at him. "And what do you mean by that? Other than the angel thing, I'm the same old me."

"The house renovations weren't your idea, were they?" the seraphim responded with another question, joining him at the star-gazing. He glanced aside at the thoughtful redhead, then resumed his watch. "And you didn't seem that pleased to know your 'hunnies' were out to find you."

"Not interested. They were an escape from life, and a bad one at that." Zelos muttered about the women, "And I never actually did anything with them. I kinda induced the idea of what happened hypnotically. It was one of my healing methods, but I used it on myself and on them to fool us both."

"So then, you're still..."

"Don't breath a word of it! It's embarrassing to think of it! I have an image and reputation here, everywhere!" Zelos snapped back, "That's the only reason why I haven't gotten hitched, y'know! As long as people think the worst of me, no one will take the chance to love me. Saves them and me some pain."

"Would that be why you're interested in Sheena's whereabouts?" Kratos pointed out with a sly smile, counting stars out in his own mind.

"That obvious, huh? I should have seen that coming." the younger man chuckled, "She hates my guts, like everyone else should. But she was the one woman I didn't want fooled by the act. But that constant harping, 'idiot Chosen' this, 'stupid Chosen' that; it made me want to turn my back on them all even more."

"I know. You told me that before, in the Tower. Your hatred of the title turning into hatred of yourself, when it seems that the title is all people see of you." Kratos murmured and frowned, "Now I've lost count." Zelos snickered and leaned back against the metal banister, the ornate curls pressing into him.

"Got you back. But you're right. I wanted to be different from the title. I wanted to be seen as Zelos Wilder, not Chosen. Stupid dream. The institution of the Chosen may be falling, but I'm still known as the Chosen. I'll always be the Chosen, even after I die." He lifted his hand, studied the glove, then let it drop. "Even after I lose my soul. As for this place, it belongs to Seles. I gave her everything, the rank of Chosen, the mansion, the titles and coffers... everything." he laughed, "I'm broke! Can you believe that? The Great Zelos, a poor man!" Kratos reached out and gently smacked him in the back of the head.

"Let me tell you a story I once told Lloyd." he murmured and looked heavenward, "Countless stars light up the night sky, shining down on us. Each star belongs to someone, one star for every person in the world. When someone passes on, their star falls as snow to bring comfort and water to us still living. Snow is a gift from the people long gone and the sky begins to fill with stars again." He heard a soft sob and looked aside in concern. "Zelos? You all right?"

"Goddess, I hate snow." the redhead hissed between sobs, "It's a beautiful story, really, and I'm touched, but I can't stand snow. Snow isn't a gift for me, it's a reminder of the coldness of my life, the emptiness, the desolation, the sheer fact that I shouldn't be standing here."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything then." Kratos murmured and resumed star-gazing, "If it helps, you can try singing. I can't seem to get that damned song out of my head." Zelos laughed forcefully and rubbed his head.

"The one you were humming in the Temple of Darkness, huh? I'm actually in the middle of altering the words, so it's not going to be pretty to hear right now." he admitted and looked out at the lights and music of the city. "Though I think I have another one that works as well." Kratos stopped counting and gazed at him from the corners of his eyes, waiting. The redhead seemed to grip the banister tightly as he took a deep breath.

"Look at this city
Through my empty eyes;
The heartache I suffer
Through each of my lies.

Sleep on, so peaceful,
Your land will stay green
Through the shattering heart
Of my childhood dream.

Lay me down broken
In the public view.
Cheer with the voices as
Their wishes come true.

This city's salvation
Granted as I die,
Watching my world
With empty eyes."

Zelos pushed away from the banister at the end and looked back at Meltokio as the echo of his own voice murmured back to him. Kratos had his head bowed, almost trembling as the final notes died on the wind.

"Go rest, Father, while you can." Zelos whispered, "I'll keep watch over the city. I always have."

Empty forever,
My life is decreed.
Dying for others,
My only good deed

Losing my body,
Losing my mind,
Losing my soul;
Death's so unkind.