Tales of a Journey

By: Rogue White Dragon (aka Dragoness Rage)

Disclaimer: I don't own TOS, Namco does.

Chapter 3 – back together

After traveling all day, we stopped in a small clearing, and set up camp. It was just like old times. Three of us camped around the fire. It made me realize how much I missed traveling with my friends. Though somber at best right now, it felt the same. I pulled out my twin swords from their sheaths, one from each of my dads, and laid them on the ground carefully beside me. Easy reach should I need them. I had first watch, so Genis and Raine were getting ready for bed.

Getting ready, of course, being the key words. Both half-elves sat on their mats restlessly. Raine kept shooting me half curious, half glaring stares. Genis kept fidgeting with his blanket. It was rather difficult to sit there, silently. Maybe it wasn't like when we first started our adventures

"What is it?"

I finally growled. I could only take so many strange looks from the Professor. She gave me an innocently confused look and said

"What's what, Lloyd?"

I frowned at her, and looked back at Genis. Nope, he'd suddenly decided to sleep, and currently had his back facing me. Turning my attention back to Professor, I found her staring at me again. Growling slightly, I asked, in a vain attempt to be civil

"Why do you keep staring at me?"

She laughed, nervously, and replied solemnly

"You have changed, Lloyd."

What was that supposed to mean? I remained silent, giving her a blank look. She opened and closed her mouth several times, then finally settled with

"Good night."

She lay down, rolled over, with her back facing me as well. What was with those two?

Early that morning, we packed camp back up, and set out again, we were just outside the ruined city of Mizuho, and already we could smell the ash from the fire that had destroyed to secluded village.

"Remind me again why we came back here?"

Genis asked, covering his eyes with one hand as Raine and I surveyed the complete damage done by the fires.

"We're looking for any sort of clue that could tell us where they took Sheena and the others. Foot prints for example."

Raine replied simply. I nodded in agreement, and wondered off.

The entire village was little more than a heap of rock and ash. Half the surrounding forest was like-wise burnt to a crisp. I tensed when I heard Genis and the Professor calling my name urgently. Would those men have returned here? Were we being attacked? I ran back to my two friends, to find a third person there. A man, slightly older than me, stood with the pair, shaking hands with the half-elves. I stopped where I was, and watched the three, completely, totally, confused.

"Lloyd!"

Genis called when he saw me, I stared at the man for a moment, curious. He was wearing black and red from head to toe. Loose fitted black pants, silk black sleeveless shirt, with a long red vest. Red hair that went to his shoulders, tied back at the nape of his neck. A black head band kept loose hair from falling in his face. My jaw dropped when I realized who it was. Zelos. How'd he get here?

Zelos had his usual stupid grin on, and walked towards me

"Hey, Lloyd, buddy, how ya doin?"

Had he gotten taller? I shrugged in response

"Pretty good, and yourself?"

Well, pretty good except the Sheena situation.

"Well, pretty much the same. I'm getting married, you know."

He grimaced at this, and looked suddenly depressed as his eyes scanned the area.

"Anyone I know?"

I asked, Raine and Genis came to stand with us.

"You'll find out when you meet her, Lloyd."

Raine cut in before Zelos could reply. I frowned at her for a moment, and shrugged it off. Finding where Sheena was, was more important right now.

"Hey, I'll get Regal and Presea a second."

Zelos took off, going through the village and called for the two. My jaw dropped, and I quirked an eyebrow at Genis and Raine.

"How'd they know to come here?"

Genis and Raine shrugged, and replied

"Well, Zelos was going to get married here, today."

Genis laughed nervously, and continued

"I thought we told you."

I shook my head, and frowned at him

"You guys aren't telling me something. What is it? You didn't tell me Zelos was getting married, and you keep staring at me all weird. What the heck is going on?"

Brother and sister looked at each other a little uneasily. Before either could reply, Zelos, came running back, with Regal and Presea in tow. The two changed nearly as much as Zelos did in appearances. Presea had grown taller, and matured quite a bit. Her pink hair was pulled back in a single ponytail, and instead of the dress she always used to wear (which of course wouldn't fit her now, she was almost as tall as Genis and I), she wore pink pants, with a black tank-top, and black finger-tip-less gloves that reached her elbows. Glancing at Genis, I almost laughed, he obviously liked her still. He was nearly drooling. Regal no longer had his hands cuffed together, and wore a business suit. Mostly black, with a red tie.

"Lloyd, it is good to see you again. How is Collette?"

Presea asked with a smile. I smiled back and replied

"She's doing good, and what about you?"

"I'm fine."

I looked at Regal, and asked him the same thing

"I've been good, Lloyd. What's happened here?"

Zelos, I noticed, no longer looked happy to see us, but anxious as he looked around at the destroyed buildings of Mizuho.

"Genis?"

He could probably explain better that I could, being how he was here when it happened. He did just that, almost word-for-word how he told me. Raine stepped in to explain how they brought Orochi to my place, and left him there with Collette. Zelos grinned, and asked

"You and Collette, huh?"

"Yeah."

Genis spoke up with a grin

"They've got a kid too, Zelos."

"Oh? Hey Lloyd, didn't you lo-"

Raine interrupted, pointing a finger to the north of where we stood, her eyes wide.

"They came back?"

Genis sounded shocked. I turned my attention to where Raine was pointing, and saw several men walking towards us, in two neat columns, with one man leading them. We drew our weapons, and prepared for an attack.

Whoa, that took me a while to update. I tried to make it longer than the other, and I think I might have moved things a long a little…too…quickly. Well, review, I'd love to see what you guys think of it.