Disclaimer: I don't own anything!

Author's Note: Been at Disney a lot these past few days. Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, actually. I hadn't been to the latter in something like ten years—since A Bug's Life came out—and Hollywood Studios is always fun to go to when you love movies like I do.

Have to make up my Algebra 2 grade with an online class. Whoopee. It's even harder the second time around.

I finally beat Arkham Asylum. What an outstanding game. I'm actually considering replaying it, but I'm trying to be responsible and getting my schoolwork out of the way first. Keyword 'trying'.

-/-/-/-

I know not what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.

~Author Unknown

-/-/-/-

"Aurion!"

Kratos turned, and Yuan half-did automatically, but remembered himself quickly enough to make it look like a nervous twitch. They were in the halls, Yuan carrying Kratos' textbooks—and they were heavy. Who knew knowledge weighed that much?—and it was nearly the end of the school day as well as the end of spring.

"Yes?" Yuan wondered if Kratos would ever lose those manners of his.

"Did you hear the news?" Abernac asked. "Your old man's supposed to be coming."

"My father?" Kratos repeated blankly.

"Yeah. They say he has an announcement to make on Friday at dinner." Abernac glanced around before lowering his voice. "Rumor is that they've succeeded in breaking the half-breeds' borders. Maybe they've even caught a general or something!"

Kratos tried to smile, but he was sure it came out more as a grimace. "Yeah, wouldn't that be awesome?"

"Seriously!" A bell rang shrilly. "I need to go. Literature class. As if I'm ever going to need that."

Kratos and Yuan glanced at each other, not daring to say anything with the halls still swarming with students trying to race to get to their next class. This couldn't bode well.

-/-/-/-

"Why would my father be here?"

"Maybe it's like Abernac said." Yuan watched Kratos pace the practice field, late in the night. They'd sparred a little, but had quickly given up because they were both too distracted. They hadn't seen the old man in nearly a month. "It's probably something to do with the war."

"But if it is—and they have captured a general of yours or something—how…" Kratos didn't finish—or couldn't. Yuan wasn't sure—but Yuan got the message.

How, after all these years, would Kratos face what he had always instinctively known, but refused to accept, about his father? About the war?

"It could be something else too. Something to have to do with the school." Yuan suggested a little half-heartedly.

Kratos gave him a look of disbelief and Yuan hated it. If this was being thirteen—all of this uncertainty and change and growing up—he wanted no part of it. He liked being twelve and seven and every year in between.

-/-/-/-

Sandor Aurion was no less imposing as the last time that Yuan had seen him. He was standing far in the back of the dining hall, Kratos at the nearest table, both of them focused on him.

"I'm sure you all have heard about our success on the borderlands." Sandor began. He wasn't yelling, but his voice resonated just the same. "The half-breeds are being pushed back even as we speak."

There were cheers around the room and Kratos felt sick.

Sandor quieted the room with a raised hand. "But the half-breeds are many and they know their home terrain. We've lost many men to them."

"But we're still winning, right?" Someone called out.

"Naturally. The half-breeds don't stand a chance. They never did." Kratos could hear Yuan gritting his teeth from where he sat, could imagine the clenched fists and bright sparks of fury in his eyes. "But nonetheless, they are putting up quite the fight. Which is why I come here to tell you that, as of next Thursday, drafts are being issued."

"But weren't they already issued?" Someone asked.

"Yes, they were. But these drafts are for schools." Kratos' churning insides froze. "School-age children—fifteen and older—are going to be drafted. Don't be surprised if some of your classmates are sent for. This school is one of the greatest assets our military has. You all are the future. You all determine on who wins this war. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!" Everyone chorused.

"Excellent. You're dismissed."

Kratos turned sickly back to Yuan. Under the cover of the pressing bodies of the other students as they all hurried to get to their rooms, they could have voiced their worries to each other. Could have said that they suddenly felt terrible and that they wanted to get far far away from this place and these people.

But sometimes, words simply weren't needed.