Review responses
Hol-y crap! That's a lot of reviews! –Cracks fingers-
TheSari: Thanks for the review, glad you liked it!
Luciado: I'm happy that you found it funny! I'm afraid I don't know who Haruhara Haruko is.
Fan Fan Girl: Don't worry, Milo's not out of the picture yet. And if Raine finds out… well, you'll just have to read and find out how she reacts, won't ya?
Zodiac angel: I'm glad you liked the idea!
Martel: Who knows? I may make a sequel involving Yuan's experiences. But this fic is more of a Kratos-centric. Yuan might be at the VERY end.PreseathePup: Snape: O.O GAH
Me: Pairings? Maybe Raine/Kratos, and minor Lloyd/Colette.
Snape: -is chased again- o>. o you're all worse then ten Potters and a BASILISK!
GameCubeGirl1: Who knows how they'll react, you'll just have to read and see!
KratosIsSoCool: ooh, Finland? Wow… I always wanted to go there. I think you mean 'camping trip'? Your English is really good from what I can tell!
Katandshadow: -is glomped- Once again, this fic is centered on Kratos. If you guys want, I could make a sequel involving Yuan though
Origins89: oh! Colette? Great idea! Colette + disclaimers + Snape FUN
Mary Beth the Chosen: Yuan will be in this story at the END, as a mystery animal –cackles-
Ookami Aya: giggling is good!
ShadowSessMarlfox: Thank you very much! –Bows-
THANK YOU ALL for such amazing reviews! But if you have some constructive criticism please, tell me! It might improve the story!
The disclaimer, with your host Snape, and his special guest…
Colette!
Snape: >>;; Let's get this over with. Shadow doesn't own-- -is whacked with Chakram- OW!
Colette: OH NO! I'm so sorry Mr. Professor Snape, sir! –whimpers-
Snape: O.O;; You're almost as bad as Longbottom!
Colette: -trips and sends chakram at Snape again-
Snape: WORSE THEN LONGBOTTOM! –ducks-
Colette: 3 Shadow doesn't own Tales of Symphonia.
Snape: Or Harry Potter, she just owns this ridiculous plot!
Colette: That wasn't nice…
Snape: Can it, Klutz, I'm in a bad mood!
Chapter Three: My Dad's a CAT?
Kratos woke up slowly, and groggily. This was his fourth day as a cat, unless he was mistaken, and for once, he was prepared to awaken in the body of a feline. He wasn't, however, prepared to wake up in a different place then where he had fallen asleep. He had fallen asleep on Genis' bed, curled into a ball. During the night he must have woken up, and jumped onto Raine's bed, for he was now draped across her feet. He looked up at her, then turned his vision to the window, where a newly risen sun was gleaming brilliantly. 'She's going to be late for her class soon.' Kratos thought.
After a moment of silence, the kitten decided on what he would do. He stood up, stretched, and wandered over to Raine's face, smirking as he took her hair and poked several strands of it up her nose. He then sat back and watched in amusement as the professor spluttered and sat up with a start. Her eyes fell on Kratos who was grinning catishly, showing his two tiny canine feet. "You, Fluffy, are evil." She muttered, guessing it was he who had somehow stuffed hair into her right nostril,she looked out the window, then at the small watch she had gotten into the habit of wearing. "I'm late!" She announced, darting out of bed and pulling on her clothes (Kratos looked away, of course). "Hmm." Raine paused halfway out the door. She turned back to face Kratos, who was still wearing the tutu from the day before. "I think I'll take you with me today, just in case Colette finds any more 'pretty things' for you to wear." She was shocked to find that the kitten seemed to understand, and agree with what she said, for he meowed enthusiastically and leapt onto her shoulder.
Once they reached the schoolhouse, Raine began preparing the day's lesson while Kratos strolled about lazily, finally stretching out on a desk, absorbing sunlight, until…
Bang!
The door flew open and children poured in, immediately taking notice of the cat and making a beeline for him.
"Oh! What a cute kitty!"
"I wanna hold it!"
"It's a ballerina!"
"I'm a ballerina too!"
"Take your seats everyone." Raine called. Kratos looked at the professor and leapt onto her shoulder, snuggling against he face gratefully, he then froze. Ew…he'd just snuggled someone. Gross… disgusting… he was shocked and appalled at himself! He then eyed the class quietly from his perch while Raine explained the situation. "As many of you can probably tell, Colette got hold of this kitten yesterday, so to avoid anymore catastrophes, he'll be staying here with us as a special guest!"
A girl, possible five, raised her hand tentatively. "What's his name?" She asked.
Raine looked at Kratos, then the girl. "Fluffy." She said, smiling as the kitten hissed quietly at the name.
"I don't think he likes that name, Professor!" A boy to the far left announced loudly.
"Yeah!" the rest yelled.
Raine sighed, defeated. "Well, our first lesson was art, so I suppose we could think up a better name for him instead."
The children shouted in delight and Kratos grinned, baring his tiny teeth happily, he then froze, and, for the second time in the morning, scolded himself. Being a kitten physically, was morphing his mind into that of a kitten as well.
"Okay. Now, suggestions." Raine grabbed some chalk and began listing the names she could make out from the kids.
Kitty
Bowser
Mr. Meow
Puss 'n boots
Shiloh
The cat
Fuzzy
MC (Mr. Cat)
TJ
Cooter
Raine stopped writing and observed the choices, and the class fell silent as they contemplated which name would best suit their new friend. Kratos nearly banged his head against the wall. "If they call me Mr. Meow… I will slowly strangle them all to death someday!" He threatened.
After several more minutes of quiet, Kratos had a stroke of brilliance. The children wrote using miniature chalkboards, correct? If he could get one…
Aha! Kratos took a giant leap and landed on the nearest boy's desk, to the child's amazement he began to write one word, that would hopefully explain everything.
The boy stared at what the kitten was writing and he grinned. "I know what the kitty wants to be called, Professor Sage!" He called excitedly.
Raine looked up from the test papers she was marking. "Yes, what do you think, Zachary?" She eyed the kitten that looked surprisingly proud of itself.
"He wants to be named after Lloyd's real dad!" The boy paused, "I don't blame him, Kratos was really cool!" Several other kids nodded in response and Kratos felt a prickle of irritation, for some of the children in this class, were the same ones that had made points of annoying him several years ago.
Flashback!
It was several days after Mithos had been defeated, and Kratos had been staying with Lloyd, however, his days were spent in Iselia, since there was little to do at Dirk's except lounge about. At least in the village he could talk to some other people.
So here he was, completely human, sitting on the steps of the school, chatting with five little boys.
"Are you really an angel?" One of them asked in awe, stretching around to observe the swordsman's back.
"Yes." Kratos responded calmly.
"Prove it!" Another demanded.
Kratos eyed the kids suspiciously. They weren't exactly friendly, were they? "Fine." He stood up grudgingly and was surrounded by light; feather swirled around until he emerged, flapping his blue wings quietly. "There, now you can tell I'm an angel." He frowned as one of them patted his right wing, which quivered in response. "WOW! It's so cool!" He gestured for his friends to join in the poking.
Kratos was quite tempted to take his wings out of their grubby little fingers reach, but then sighed, he had nothing better to do, and besides, having five kids poke your wings wasn't too bad.
Ten minutes later
Kratos was beginning to twitch; the group of children had progressed from poking him, to begging for the angel to cast magic.
"Puh-leeeeaase?" They begged.
"No." Kratos said flatly.
"Yes!" they all chorused.
"No." he said calmly.
"Yes."
"No."
"No."
"Yes… DAMMIT!" Kratos cursed colorfully and quickly cast fireball.
"Aw, Genis can do that! Do something fancy!" They all pleaded, giving him the dreaded puppy eyes.
Just as Kratos was about to snap Raine walked over. "Having fun?" She asked mockingly.
"Oh, yes! How do I manage to keep from singing a happiness song?" Kratos replied sarcastically.
"You aren't normally sarcastic."
"I normally don't let four-year-olds tug on my wings either, do I?" He retorted, then responded to the children's pleas. "Fine! Now, look over that way!" He turned each kid around so they face the field outside of Iselia. "Watch." He concentrated. "Sacred Powers, cast your purifying light upon these corrupt souls! Rest in peace, sinners! Judgement!" He looked up with satisfaction as the lights rained down, leaving large craters in the grassy fields.
"WOW!" the kids cheered.
There was a moment of silence.
"Can we poke your wings again?"
End flashback!
Yes…children were evil; maybe they were children before they were adults to prepare parents for middle-age crisises?
Who knew? Either way, the children now knew that he wanted to be called Kratos. That was a plus.
"And how, exactly, do you 'know' he wants to be called Kratos?" Raine asked hesitantly, walking over.
"He wrote it, professor!" Zachary announced, showing her his little chalkboards that did indeed have the name 'Kratos' smudged into the chalkdust. Raine looked at the kitten in shock, and then it did something completely unexpected. It nodded.
Kratos could have died of happiness. She knew it was him! No more gross cat food! No more tutus! No more—
His thoughts were interrupted with Raine looked up at the class. "I'm sorry everyone, but there will be no more class today." She said quickly, grabbing Kratos roughly around the middle and leaving the building.
"How did you manage to get turned into a cat?" She hissed. "And why didn't you say something before."
Kratos growled quietly. How could he have 'said something'? he was a feline!
After a minute of walking in silence they came upon Raine and Genis' house. Raine eyed her bed, which had not been made due to her haste in leaving. As the half-elf fixed the bundle of blankets, something struck her like a hammer. Fluffy, nor, Kratos, had woken her up, meaning…
"You slept in my bed!" Raine shrieked.
Kratos backed away. "Uhoh… busted." He mewed pitifully as he was scooped up by his loose neck fur. He tried desperately to get away, but only succeeded in hurting his neck.
Raine smirked, but it did nothing to make her look happier, in fact, she looked much more like a storm cloud.
'An evil, grinning, sadistic cloud' Kratos thought as he stopped struggling and merely glared daggers at her.
"I guess your glares aren't as effective as a kitten, hmm?" Raine's smirk widened and she giggled. "I have just the 'punishment' for you." She said, and with that, she wrapped him tightly in the blankets, and walked out of his line of vision.
"This is punishment?" Kratos thought, twisting around, but was unable to escape. "This isn't so bad, I guess Raine is going soft." He chuckled, but any amusement vanished when the teacher returned, with a massive, red, squishy tomato. "Oh…no… she wouldn't."
She would. Raine cackled quietly and cut out a small piece of the vegetable. "Hungry, Kratos?" She sneered; gently grabbing his jaw and prying it open, pushing the disgusting plant into his mouth.
It was absolutely horrible. Kratos tried spitting it out but Raine was holding his mouth closed. He felt it go up his nose and he sneezed.
When Kratos next opened his eyes, Raine's arms where covered in tomato juice, and she was almost collapsing in laughter.
Kratos… the emotionless angel, Lloyd's own father, had sneezed tomato juice. Her laughter was stopped however, when the kitten in the blankets began letting out the worst wails she'd ever heard. She opened her eyes to find Kratos, with his eyes scrunched shut, crying out loudly. "Kratos! Stop it!" She exclaimed.
The angel-gone-kitten couldn't stop it! He was trying desperately to stop making so much noise, but his human will seemed to have been locked up in a miniature jail in his mind, all he wanted to do now was alert everyone in the vicinity that Raine was being mean.
Raine Sage began to panic. She hadn't meant to hurt him! What was going on? "Kratos!" She picked him up out of the blankets and did the first thing she could. To her own disgust she scratched behind his ears.
Kratos froze, and his wailing died down into contented purring. He closed his eyes, and then his human will regained control. Embarrassment filled him and he looked up at Raine, who was eyeing him angrily. Kratos felt a pang of utter disappointment. Now she'd never like him!
He froze, and shook his head. What did he care? She hadn't liked him before; this was just fueling the fire! Before he could begin arguing with himself, Raine picked him up. "Well, you're staying at Lloyd's from now on!" She announced, walking outside and marching out of the village.
Ten minutes later they were inside Lloyd and Dirk's house, and Lloyd was positively howling with laughter. "A cat! My dad… The most serious person you'll ever meet… Is a kitten!"
Kratos sighed and tried to leap into Raine's lap, but she shoved him off, he tried the same with everyone else, but the results were the same. In the end he scuttled under a chair and moped. They were so mean!
After several minutes of silence, interrupted at times by Kratos's mews, Lloyd looked up and grinned. "This is so cool!"
End chapter 3
I apologize for any mistakes in this chapter! I was a bit rushed since my camping trip went on for longer then expected. I also apologize for lack of funniness in this! –sniffles-
Kratos: You're sniffling? What about ME? Everyone's trying to make my life a living hell!