Miffin: Well, it's me again. Thanks so much for reviewing. I see that my first fic is a success!
Axel: Are you sure that they aren't just saying that to be nice?
Miffin: (glares)
Axel: What?
Miffin: (suddenly grins evilly) For that little comment, you get to do the proclaimer.
Axel: Aw, crap…
Axel: Miffin does not own ToS or any characters….yeah
Lloyd, Colette and Genis dashed up to the feet of the stairs that led to the Temple of Martel. "Hey, do you hear that?" Genis asked. "It sounds like there's a battle going on up there," Lloyd cocked his head and listened. He heard the clanging of swords and yells. More specifically, he heard: "My eyes! They burn!", followed by a slightly accented voice yell: "Dammit! You're not supposed to aim for your teammates! Aim for the priests!" and a "Sorry!".
Lloyd sweatdropped and looked over to Colette. She was looking up at the bright lights streaming around the Temple. "Ooo, pretty!" She exclaimed. Lloyd sighed and shook his head. "Colette, you're gonna become the Chosen soon, right?" He asked the clueless soon-to-be Chosen. She nodded. "Well..shouldn't you act more…y'know, 'Chosen-like'?" Colette's face looked blank for a minute, then she smiled and nodded. "Okay! I'll try!"
"Hey, look!" Genis yelled as he pointed towards a person that was stumbling down the stairs, who had just collapsed a few feet from them. The three ran over to the fallen man. They crouched around the man, who was starting to speak. "Cho…sen?" He asked weakly. Colette grasped his hand softly.
"What is it, Pastor?" The man turned to Colette. "D-Desians…fighting…kill..Chosen," He managed to choke out. Lloyd's looked surprised. "Desians! What are they doing here? I thought Iselia had a peace treaty with them!" He asked incredulously. "Why would they attack now?" He turned to Colette, who was still by his side, grasping his hand. "Shhh," She shushed him as he began to speak again. "Lloyd…"
"Huh? What is it?" He bent closer to the dying man. The pastor sputtered for a minute, some blood flecking his lips. "I…(cough)…I want…my…micro (cough) wave back!" Then, his head fell back; he was gone. "No!" Colette cried. Genis bent his head in mourning. Lloyd looked puzzled. "What's a microwave?"
They stayed like that for a while, then Colette got to her feet and started climbing the stairs. "Hey, Colette! Where are you going?" Genis asked curiously.
Colette turned around slightly and said: "I'm going. It's my duty as the Chosen to take the Oracle; Desians or no!" She replied. Genis and Lloyd gawked at her. Is this really Colette? Genis thought to himself. Lloyd voiced his thought. "Okay, who are you and what have you done with Colette?" Colette gave Lloyd a confused look, then started up the stairs—
and tripped. Lloyd and Genis sighed. "Yup, definitely Colette."
Genis turned and looked at Lloyd. "Hey, you're not just going to let her go by herself, are you?" Lloyd crossed his arms and considered it for a while. "Well…" Genis leaned closer to Lloyd. Even Colette had stopped.
"Well?" Lloyd looked like he was concentrating hard on the question. After about 7 minutes of no response, Genis reached up and poked Lloyd in the forehead. He pitched backwards, hitting the ground with a dull thump. He started snoring as soon as he hit the ground. Genis sweatdropped and rolled his eyes. "Great, he fell asleep! Well, we'll see about that.." He took out his kendama. "Fireball!" He yelled. Lloyd's eyes opened slowly. "Eh?" He sat up and looked around blankly. Noticing something suspicious, he sniffed the air. "Hey, I smell something burning…Oh my god! My hair is burning! Aaaaaahhh!" Lloyd sprang to his feet and ran all the way up the stairs, where he ran in circles, around Colette's grandma and those other guys.
Colette and Genis ran up behind the still screaming and burning Lloyd. One of the random Desian-looking people pointed at Colette. "Lord Botta! There she is!" "Whoops!" She tripped on the very top step and pitched forward and landed on top of one of the Desian-looking people, taking off at least 150 damage. Colette stood up and dusted herself off. "Sorry!" She apologized to unconscious person. Botta turned to his remaining henchman. "Well? Get her!" The henchman was, unfortunately for Botta, a newbie. The poor man stood quivering, holding his sword with both hands while looking back and forth frantically. Colette threw a chakram at him, which missed by at least a meter. He yelped and ran away screaming.
Down below, Kratos was ascending the stairs. The newbie ran by screaming his head off. Kratos stuck one leg out, tripping the screaming newbie. "Aaaaaaah!" The henchman screamed. Kratos turned around and started walking up the stairs, whistling innocently.
Back at the top, the fire burning Lloyd's hair had finally gone out. Exhausted by running around for so long, he was sitting on the ground.
Botta shook his head. This just wasn't his day. "Okay, Vidarr. Get them!" He ordered. A great, lumbering giant dressed in a green shirt and carrying several weapons appeared. "Uh-oh…" Genis muttered nervously. Lloyd jumped to his feet and dashed towards Vidarr. Lloyd swung his swords wildly at him, but that wasn't really doing much. All the giant felt was a constant, irritating whacking on his side. Sighing, he swung his mace and swung at Lloyd. Just at that moment, Lloyd noticed something shiny on the ground. "Ooo, Gald!" He exclaimed as he bent down to retreive the money. The mace passed by harmlessly over top of Lloyd's head. Bemused, Vidarr tried again. This time he drew back and kicked, hitting Lloyd in the stomach. "Oof!" Lloyd flew through the air, landing with a thud on the ground. Colette rushed over to Lloyd. He groaned. Colette cocked her head, then smiled as an idea struck her. Running over to the side, she grabbed a stick. Dashing over back to Lloyd, she started poking him with the stick, taking off 1 HP each time. Genis shook his head, then yelped as Vidarr's sword slammed into the earth in front of him. "Aaaaaaahhhhhh!" Genis ran for his dear life as Vidarr started to chase him, whirling his mace the whole while.
Kratos ascended the last step, to see a very bizarre scene. A brown-haired boy wearing red being poked by Colette (Who had by now done at least 10 points of damage to Lloyd), the second-in-command of the Renegades hitting his head against the wall, an old woman who was watching with a calm smile and a half-elven boy running around screaming his head off while being chased by a really big guy whirling a mace. "Well, it looks like you don't need my help," Kratos said nonchalantly. "Later." He started down the stairs again. Genis screeched to a halt. "Nooooo! Don't go! Help!" He yelled frantically.
Lloyd sat up a little bit. "Ow, what happened?" He looked around. "Hey! Get away from Genis!" He sprang to his feet and ran to defend his friend—only to be knocked back a minute later.
Kratos sighed. Can't those kids do anything without me? Sheesh…He jumped in front of Genis. "Stay out of my way," He said coldly, then proceeded to beat the crap out of Vidarr.
Genis gawked in amazement. "Wow, this guy is strong!" He said while jumping up and down in happiness. Lloyd, who had gotten up, again, scowled. "Y-yeah, I guess…" Kratos turned around and inspected the three children—well, to be more specific, the kid and the two teenagers. (But wouldn't Lloyd and Colette be considered children too, mentally?) "Hmmm, looks like no one's hurt." He stated plainly. Colette raised her hand. Kratos raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"
"Um, I think I'm going to be sick. Can I?" Kratos sweatdropped and nodded. Colette dashed over the side and…well..hurled. Lloyd ran over to Colette and patted her back comfortingly. "Are you okay, Colette?" He asked in concern. Colette nodded slowly. "What did you eat this morning?" Lloyd asked curiously. Colette cocked her head to the side and thought for a while. "Uh…well, I tried some of Professor Raine's muffins. They were a funny green colour," Colette eventually replied. Lloyd and Genis nodded in understanding. Colette stood up. "She made meatloaf too! It was blue, and it had fangs and growled at me!"
Colette's grandma cleared her throat. "I owe you my thanks,…?"
"My name is Kratos, I am a mercenary, " Kratos introduced himself. Lloyd snickered. Kratos glared at him. "What is so funny?" Lloyd gave him an innocent look. "Nothing…"
Colette started to walk into the Temple. "Where are you going, Colette?" Lloyd asked curiously. Colette turned around. "I'm going to accept the Oracle," she stated simply. "So, you are the Chosen?" Kratos asked. "I will accompany the Chosen…for a price of course," Phairdra nodded. "I have little choice under these circumstances. Please be of service," Kratos nodded.
"Hey!" Lloyd yelled. "I'm going too!" Kratos turned slightly and glared at Lloyd. "Children should stay home," He said coldly.
"Um, excuse me. Mr. Kratos?" Colette asked timidly. "I want Lloyd to come too." Kratos looked surprised. "Lloyd? Is that you're name?" He turned to the brown-haired boy. "Tell me you're name, and I'll tell you mine!" He said smugly. Kratos rolled his eyes, starting to walk into the Temple with Colette, Lloyd and Genis running behind to catch up.