The group was walking to Meltokio the next day. Lloyd was walking up at front with Cloud covering the rear. Needless to say this fact didn't make Vyse too comfortable. Half-way there a voice from the back broke the silence. "Vyse, can I speak with you for a moment?" Cloud's voice asked. Vyse silently slowed his pace. The young pirate was nervous but he wouldn't let it show. "Relax, despite what you may believe, I'm not going to bite…" Cloud chuckled.
"What's this all about?" Vyse asked impatiently. "I know you don't trust me…" Cloud told him. "Is it a crime to be careful?" Vyse asked impatiently. "Listen there's no reason to distrust me… I'm looking out for you, Lloyd, Genis, Presea, Fina, and Colette…" Cloud explained. "Why? We can take care of ourselves…" Vyse argued. "Perhaps if you told me why you distrust me so, I can strive to change…" Cloud asked. "Fine, I'll tell you… Remiel claimed Colette was his daughter. We all believed him and trusted him and look what happened!" Vyse yelled. "I am not Remiel though and I do not deny my relation to her. In addition I will never betray her or her friends…" Cloud explained, "I cannot change who I am or what has happened…" Vyse was silent he contemplated his next argument. "What about Kratos?" Vyse asked. Hearing his rival's name made Cloud angry, but at this point Cloud decided to just ignore his swelling temper. "What about him?" Cloud asked. "Kratos claimed to be fighting for us but he betrayed us too…" Vyse responded. "How is it that you could have one extremely foolish son and one extremely wise son, Kratos?" Cloud wondered. He thought a moment more. "I'm not sure why Kratos betrayed us…" Cloud answered. "You're a Cetra!" Vyse yelled. "True, but even I don't have all the answers! You must find some things out for yourself…" Cloud explained, "Catch up with the others your falling behind and I need to keep watch… We'll talk later, if you're still concerned about my loyalties…" Vyse was about to run on ahead when Cloud caught his wrist. "Don't make your brother mad like that again…" Cloud said with a hint of worry in his voice. Vyse ran on ahead.
The group had arrived at nightfall at Meltokio. The group was tired and worse they had to track through a vermin infested sewer. Finally making it through the sewer they were just about out, when escaped convicts ambushed them. Everyone was so tired, so they struggled against their exhaustion and the prisoners as they fought them. The team eventually fought off the prisoners. Zelos had gotten cocky and started towards them carelessly. One final prisoner ambushed them, a large man with blue hair had gotten Zelos easily underfoot, literally.
"Lloyd, Cloud, Vyse, if you guys leave me here I swear I'll come back to haunt you!" Zelos said angrily. "Make one move and the Chosen dies…" the blue-haired stranger exclaimed. "Go ahead and kill him…" Cloud said carelessly. "Oh, you know what? I just had an urge to leave you…" Lloyd replied equally carelessly. "Hey Zelos, were gonna' ditch your scrawny ass, ok?" Vyse said light-heartedly. "You guys are so mean. Please I'm beggin' ya' help me out!" Zelos whined. "You're so pathetic, Zelos…" Sheena sighed, "Oh, well… PYRE SEAL!" Sheena's attack hit home and the convict was sent flying backwards. "Thank you, my beautiful Sheena!" Zelos said jumping into the air. "I immediately regret that decision…" Sheena sighed. "We all do…" Aeris sighed placing a hand on Sheena's shoulder. Presea stepped forward with her axe ready to fight the convict. He seemed to recognize her. "You must be… Damn, retreat for now!" he hollered. With that he ran off followed shortly by the other prisoners.
The group moved through the city quickly and quietly. Genis tripped in front of the main gates and the guards had heard. He was about to cry out in pain when Aeris came, helped him up, covered his mouth, and took him into the lengthening shadows of the dusk sun on the town. "Are you alright?" she whispered. "I-I'm fine…" Genis whined. "Let me help… FIRST AID" she whispered. "Thank you…" Genis was about to whisper, but she covered his mouth again. "They're coming back…" her voice sounded in his head, "Follow me quickly…" The two slipped away from the gates as quickly as possible. The others waited for them at Tethe'alla's Research Institute.
"What happened?" Cloud asked worriedly. "Genis tripped and I helped him…" Aeris replied. "He didn't alert any guards did he?" Zelos asked seriously. "Don't worry, we both kept quiet…" she explained. "Thank you for helping me…" Genis told Aeris. "Don't worry, that's why I'm here…" she told him caringly. She ruffled through his long silver hair and gave him a gentle smile. After the others went inside she knelt down and hugged the young half-elf. She stood up and looked at his surprised and puzzled face. "Hey Genis, are alive out there!" Vyse yelled. "Yes, I'm here!" Genis yelled in irritation. Aeris just let out a light laugh.
As they walked inside Sheena was trying to explain the concept of Elemental Carriers to Lloyd who along with Cloud, Colette, and Vyse looked totally clueless. Raine had that look in her eyes, a look that her comrades had come to fear, the look of pure fascination. "Three…" Cloud started. "Two…" Vyse continued. "One…" Lloyd finished. Just as they had finished the countdown Raine's voice sounded. "Fascinating!" her voice was unusually perky. "Knew it…" Genis replied. "I'll go on ahead of all of you and secure the dock…" a strangely dressed man, whom Sheena identified as Kuchinawa, replied. As he walked passed Zelos there seemed to be some tension between them. The normally calm and careless Zelos was a fury of anger and glared at Kuchinawa as he passed. "I don't like that guy!" Zelos spat. "Perhaps because he is a mannered gentleman that Sheena actually seems to like?" Cloud replied with irony in his voice. Zelos turned his glare towards Cloud, he began to draw his sword, but as soon as Cloud noticed this the tip of his Buster Sword was at Zelos's neck. "I'm tired of you! You're always threatening me and giving me lip!" Zelos shouted. "I don't trust you!" Cloud yelled back. Zelos lowered his blade and said calmly, "We'll stay at my mansion tonight… And no, Cloud I'm not going to try anything, just trust me for one night…"
Zelos turned and walked away. "I think I might have hurt his feelings…" Cloud sighed. "No, he's always like that around Kuchinawa…" Sheena replied. "I'm really tired, guys. Let's go get some rest…" Vyse told the group. "I agree, but you guys go on ahead. I need to talk to Vyse…" Lloyd said.
The others left the two boys to walk about the streets by themselves. "Vyse, I'm really sorry about last night…" Lloyd apologized. "I should be the one to apologize…" Vyse replied, "I hit a sensitive spot with that smart comment… I shouldn't have said that…" "Even still, I had no right to threaten you!" Lloyd explained. "Don't worry, It's my fault… Besides, I should've just trusted your word; after all we are the last of our family. The only we have left is each other… I should know that you will always look out for what's best for me, just as I will for you…" Vyse explained. "I'm glad you feel that way, brother…" Lloyd admitted. The boys then catch up with the others.
Away from the group, a lone figure stood on the walls of Meltokio. It was Kratos, he watched the two boys carefully. "Lloyd, Vyse… Forgive me!" he said on the verge of tears. All of the sudden the magitechnology attached to his ear came to life. "Kratos!" Yggdrasill's voice in his ear sounded. "Yes, Lord Yggdrasill?" Kratos replied trying hard to stow his emotions. "I need your help, hurry back to Welgaia!" the voice told him. "As you wish…" Kratos replied. Kratos sprouted his wings, he turned to leave, but he turned to take one last look at his former companions. This time his sight settled on Cloud, Colette, and Aeris talking in Zelos's garden. "Enjoy your time with your daughter, Cloud Strife. We'll settle our score someday!" Kratos murmured.
