First of all, just an FYI, I have written the ending to this fic. I have not written much between this point and the ending, but...

Well, progress is progress.

Second, have you ever seen Brooklyn 99? If you haven't go watch it. It's hilarious and I love it. And no one can tell me that Kratos and Lloyd aren't actually just Captain Holt and Jake Peralta in an elaborate AU.

Happy reading!

"Almost there," as it turned out, was a day's travel on foot.

As they all sat in a secluded part of the library, Sheena outlined the path on the map. "We have to head through the Gaoracchia Forest. It's just northeast of here, but we need to make sure we're ready."

"Gaoracchia is a treacherous area," Kratos said sternly. "The forest is vast and dense. It's easy to get lost."

"Not to mention, there's a ton of monsters in there." Sheena pointed to a spot on the edge of the forest. "This is where Mizuho is. Ozette is right over...here."

"I wonder where Altessa lives." Colette was hovering anxiously over the map. "I hope he's not far…"

"Dwarves tend to live underground," Kratos remarked. "If I had to hazard a guess, Altessa would be outside Ozette, in the bluffs nearby."

"Hmm…" Raine glanced down at the map, frowning. "I'm sure Presea's family is worried for her. We'd best go to Ozette first."

Zelos stretched his arms over his head. "Welp," he yawned, "I say we take the rest of the day to prepare. Get some sleep, do some shopping, hit on some girls…"

"We shouldn't wonder off alone, whatever we do," Raine said suddenly. "I think prudence is needed."

"We can use the Buddy System!" Colette said eagerly. "Everyone pick a buddy!"

"While I don't think that's necessary," Raine said quickly, "I do agree with the sentiment. We should stay together as a group, just in case something happens."

"The Chosen is right," Kratos said. Colette smiled and he immediately felt guilty. "Ah, well, Zelos is right. We shouldn't rush into the forest unprepared. Perhaps it would be best if we took the time to restock supplies and rest."

"Very well. The shops, then the inn." Raine sighed. "I don't want to hold off on helping Presea, but...a dark and confusing forest in the midst of night would pose quite the danger. Let's start our journey tomorrow morning."

One of the many things Kratos had learned over the years was how to be unnoticed.

Anna had always teased him for it. "You'd make a good stalker," she told him once, grinning playfully at him. "Creeping through alleyways, ducking around corners, silent as the grave."

He hadn't really known what to say, so he simply muttered, "Thank you."

"Not a compliment," she'd replied, still grinning at him.

Compliment or not, it had certainly served him well in life. Blending in and sneaking around was incredibly useful. Like now, when he was watching the group shop among Sybak's various stalls, and he glanced behind him towards the Academy.

He needed to gather some more adamantite; he only had the single piece that he'd given Lloyd. He looked over at the group.

Colette and Sheena were cooing over some baby chicks a man was selling, while Zelos was chatting up some female scientist. Genis had found a novel he was flipping though, his eyes alight with joy. Lloyd was browsing swords nearby, testing their weight and examining them with interest. Presea was beside Raine, who was keeping a watchful eye on them all. Kratos sighed.

He'd never make it to the Academy with her watching him like a hawk. He could, he supposed, just argue his way there. Or even simply leave and ignore her when she called him back.

As it turned out, he didn't need to. Raine's eyes caught the junk seller, locking onto a large, battered tome. She moved towards it, enthralled, and started to skim through it. A few seconds later, and she was completely captivated, paying no attention to her surroundings. If it hadn't been working to his advantage, Kratos would have chastised her.

Instead, he simply took a few steps away, then quickly turned around and went towards the Academy.

As was typical, no one seemed to notice him. With Raine distracted and everyone else paying no attention, he was able to slip away down the stone street. He ducked between clusters of scientists, sliding through the crowds without looking back.

There was a series of quick, heavy footsteps behind Kratos. He sighed, not even bothering to turn around.

"Lloyd. I didn't realize you were watching me."

Lloyd jogged up so that he was beside him and grinned broadly. "Yeah, well, I have some experience with sneaking away from the Professor when she's distracted. Did I ever tell you about the time I snuck out the window during one of her lectures?"

"Not that I wouldn't love to hear it," Kratos said dryly, "but I have something I have to do. Go back to the shops, Lloyd, and I'll be back in a few minutes."

Lloyd shook his head. "Nope. The Professor wanted everyone to stay together. Buddy System, remember?"

Buddy System. Kratos quickened his pace as they met a group of giggling female scientists. "Fine, then. Don't dawdle, I have things to do."

"What kind of things?" Lloyd locked step with Kratos, his hand on his sword. "Ah, never mind. You won't tell me."

The older man bristled. "Astute of you," he muttered. "I have no doubt I'll be forced to tell you at some point, but I'd rather keep it to myself for now."

Lloyd shrugged. "Fine, whatever."

Kratos gave him a curious look. "You're not going to push it? That seems...unlike you."

"I wish I knew what you were up to," Lloyd grumbled. "But, it's like Dwarven Vow #89 says: 'If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.'"

Kratos snorted. "Indeed. Life would be easier if you could wish for what you wanted."

They'd reached the Academy. At first, Kratos considered going down to the basement, but he needed to be up on the first floor anyway. He hesitated, then said, "Keep quiet."

He glanced around, looking for guards. He had to hand it to Lloyd; the boy did as he asked, staying completely silent as Kratos hoisted himself up onto the stone wall that surrounded the courtyard. He vaulted over the top and landed softly in the grass. He glanced around, nervous, but no one had seen him. Behind him, Lloyd landed with a much heavier thump.

"Shh." Kratos motioned for him to follow past the main courtyard and to the side of the building. "We need to get inside. We're heading for the room where you worked on the Chosen's Key Crest."

Lloyd nodded, keeping silent as they crept along the foliage of the courtyard. Finally, Kratos nodded at the window above them.

"It's through this hall," he told Lloyd. "Wait here. Do not try to follow me." He looked around carefully. "If you see any guards, run. Do not try to warn me or follow me in. Do you understand?"

Lloyd gave him a sour look, but nodded. Kratos leaned up and began to fiddle with the window latch. After a few seconds, Lloyd's hand knocked his away.

"It needs leverage," Lloyd whispered. "Hang on...I've got it."

Seconds later, the latch opened with a ping! Kratos nodded his thanks to Lloyd and quickly climbed into the window.

The hall was empty, but Kratos was cautious anyway. He could hear lectures through the doors of the various rooms, as well as several scientists having what sounded like a heated discussion. Behind him, not that he was surprised, he heard Lloyd clamber in after him.

"I thought you said you understood," Kratos whispered.

Lloyd shrugged. "I did," he challenged. Before Kratos could say anything else, the boy put a finger to his lips. Kratos kept moving, annoyed, but didn't bother to argue.

The room they were looking for was locked. Kratos grimaced as he jiggled the knob and glanced at Lloyd. His son's smug grin only made him grimace more. "...Get on with it."

"That doesn't sound like thank you," Lloyd taunted quietly. Kratos rolled his eyes. The boy grinned and, a few seconds later, the lock sprung open. "You're welcome."

Kratos was careful as he opened the door and looked around. The room was piled high with just as much junk as before; no one was in it. Kratos went immediately to the machine he'd fixed.

"Alright, we need to make this quick. I have a few old diamonds here." He set them into the machine and pressed the button. "It should only take a moment."

"You went through all that for adamantite." Lloyd frowned, then said, "But I already have some!"

"If I have the ability to make more," Kratos explained, "I'd rather do so now. Better to be prepared than to be caught flat-footed."

Lloyd looked annoyed, but Kratos didn't pay any attention. The machine spat out two sparkling pieces of adamantite and Kratos swiped them up. "Alright, let's go." Before he could stop him, Lloyd went for the door. "Wait, Lloyd, listen for—!"

The door swung open, smacking into someone on the other side. Lloyd's eyes widened as he realized his mistake. "Uh…"

"Gah! W-who's there?! No one should be in there!" Lloyd slammed the door shut quickly. The scientist on the other side could be heard shouting for security. Kratos sighed and put his head in his hands.

"Uh...haha, I think they know we're here," Lloyd said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Any ideas?"

"Only one." Kratos gripped the door knob and tensed. "Get ready, Lloyd. We're going to run."

"Um, Professor? Have you seen Lloyd and Kratos?"

Raine looked up from the book she'd been reading. It was a fascinating one, about the intricate church structures and how they helped to promote unity in the current geopolitical climate of Tethe'alla. She set it aside and looked at Colette.
"Have you checked over at the weapons shop?" she asked.

Colette nodded. "Yes, but I can't find either of them. Do you think something happened to them?"

Colette bounced on the balls of her feet. Over at the other stalls, Raine could see Genis, Presea, Sheena, and Zelos. She waved them over.

"So, we're missing the old man and his shadow, huh?" Zelos shrugged. "We'll find them."

Raine exhaled nervously. "It concerns me. Yggdrasill isolated the two of them from before; it isn't a stretch to assume he might do so again."

"Maybe we should search for them," Sheena suggested. "I'll bet they just got carried away checking out swords or something."

"Or maybe they went to the inn," Genis added. "Come on, Raine, it's probably fine."

Raine didn't look convinced. Zelos suddenly craned his neck to look past her shoulder and raised an eyebrow. "Or maybe they did something stupid and are about to get arrested."

They all turned to look where Zelos was. Behind Raine, they could see Kratos and Lloyd running away from the Academy. Perhaps a hundred feet behind them were some Papal Knights, chasing them down. Raine let out a weary groan.

"So, can we head for the inn?" Zelos suggested conversationally. "I mean, they'll eventually lose track of the Papal Knights. Or get arrested. Either way, we should be somewhere else right now."

Raine watched as Kratos forcibly grabbed Lloyd by his suspenders and yanked him into an alleyway. The guards lost track of the pair and continued running towards the town square. Raine could see Kratos and Lloyd climbing up the side of a building, towards the rooftop, out of the eyeline of the guards. She could vaguely make out what seemed to be Kratos, lecturing Lloyd about something, while the boy looked down at his shoes.

At the very least, Kratos wouldn't let anything happen to Lloyd. Raine was sure of that.

"They'll be fine," she said with a sigh. "Let's get going. Perhaps, by the time they're out of trouble, they'll have learned something."

It took a few extra Gald, but the group managed to convince the owner of the inn to look the other way and take down their wanted posters. It also helped that he was, evidently, very devout.

"Oh, Chosen." He made a gesture of respect and flushed. "I would never go against the will of the Goddess. Please, take the room down the hall. It's private, so no one will bother you."

"Thank you, er…" Zelos blinked and read his name tag. "...Ike. I'll make sure to say a prayer of thanks in your name."

So they all settled down in their room, deciding who should share and setting up makeshift beds on the floor. It was agreed that Kratos and Lloyd would take the floor.

The pair returned around dinnertime, both of them looking like they'd just run a marathon. They quickly shut and locked the door behind them.

"Well," Raine said coldly, "look who's back. I hope the Papal Knights aren't behind you."

Lloyd grinned childishly at her. "Um...we can explain?"

"Everything is fine," Kratos said. "We lost the Papal Knights. So long as no one will tell them we're here, we're safe."

"We gotcha covered," Zelos said with a thumbs up. "Ike out there is our buddy, so long as I keep pretending to pray for him."

"Well, good, keep doing that." Kratos folded his arms. "We should be safe now, so long as we don't do anything foolish."

"Oh, really?" Raine narrowed her eyes. "Like you two did?"

Lloyd hunched his shoulders. "Okay, so we might have...broke into the Imperial Research Academy."

"What?!" Raine turned her glare to Kratos. "Would you care to explain why?"

"I required materials," Kratos replied. "I intended to go alone, but…" He gestured to Lloyd. "Well, as you can see."

"Hey, don't sell me out," Lloyd complained. "Professor, it's fine. We got rid of the guards and we're safe! No big deal."

"This sort of behavior is something I expect from Lloyd," Raine lectured. "But from you, Kratos? You're the adult!"

"Again," Kratos insisted, "it was imperative that I get what I needed. I did not intend for Lloyd to come along. I never would have suggested it."

Lloyd shifted on his feet. "He's right, Professor. He kept telling me to go back."

She sighed. "Well, it's not the first time you've disobeyed me."

The two swordsmen glanced at each other. Kratos hesitated, then said, "Which one of us are you talking to?"

"Both." Raine rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you two are bad influences on each other."

Lloyd winced at her tone. "So, are we in trouble?"

"You," she said sternly, "are going to be writing an essay on what it means to be a responsible citizen and why we have laws and rules to guide society. Five hundred words, legible and with the correct header. "And you," she turned her finger to Kratos. "You are going to be making us dinner. Tomato bisque and grilled cheese is what we decided on."

Neither of the swordsmen looked particularly enthused about their respective punishments, but Genis was the most sour. He waited until Raine had turned around and started walking away.

"She always goes easy on you," he muttered to Lloyd. "You know, if I did that, she'd knock me into next week."

"Yeah, well," Lloyd said bitterly, starting to dig paper out of his pack, "I guess I'm just lucky like that."

After (a rather disgusting) dinner, Kratos took the opportunity to head for the common room of the inn, sitting beside the fire with his books piled beside him. It was quiet, reminding him of the studious feeling that he'd got in Palmacosta. Not that he should be surprised.

He quickly pulled out the few pieces of sparkling adamantite, freshly made from the machine he'd fixed. They glinted in the light, shimmering as he slowly moved his hand to get a better look.

Behind him, Kratos heard heavy footsteps. He sighed and simply said, "Lloyd. I hope you finished that essay for your teacher."

"Why do you need adamantite?"

Kratos had expected the question. The answer he'd come up with rolled from his lips easily, just as all the other lies before. "I simply needed it for my weapons," Kratos replied evenly. "Adamantite is incredibly useful for sharpening swords."

Lloyd's brow furrowed as he sat beside Kratos. "You're lying."

Kratos looked taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"My dad's a dwarf, remember?" Lloyd frowned and folded his arms. "Adamantite should never be used on weapons. It can chip the blade, since most weapons are made of steel. But anvils and tools are made of cast iron, so they won't scratch and chip as easily."

Kratos blinked. "...You know, it's a shame you don't put that kind of thought into your academics."

"I'm not interested in academics." Lloyd shrugged. "But I know a lot about the things I'm interested in. And I know that you're avoiding answering me."

"Hmph." Kratos gave him a small smile. "It never hurts to be prepared. You've already had to fix one Key Crest, and it's looking as if we'll need to fix another one. Crafting tools can't hurt to have around."

Lloyd tilted his head and gave him a look that said he didn't quite believe Kratos' excuse. The older man averted his own eyes, not quite ready to face his son's distrustful eyes.

There was a tense silence before Lloyd abruptly said, "Kratos. Can I trust you?"

Kratos hesitated. "...I…Lloyd…"

"If I ask you something," Lloyd said seriously, "do you promise to answer me honestly?"

"...Lloyd."

"Promise me," Lloyd insisted. "Please."

Kratos sighed. "Very well. I will...do my best to answer honestly."

Lloyd leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "I was just wondering about something. I didn't think about it before, but when we were talking to Kate…" Lloyd frowned at Kratos. "Um...my Exsphere...my mom's Exsphere...it was supposed to go to Yggdrasill, right? He was in charge of the Angelus Project."

Of course. Kratos should've been more careful; in his curiosity, he had slipped up. Now Lloyd was prying even deeper into the well of secrets.

"Yggdrasill's interest in the Angelus Project was only the end result. The project itself—the victims, the procedures—those were...Yggdrasill didn't care about how it came about, so long as he got the Cruxis Crystal."

Lloyd clenched his fist against his leg. "So...you did know what Kvar was doing."

"I wasn't involved in carrying it out," Kratos said cautiously. "But, yes, I did know the mechanics of it."

Lloyd bit his lip. "Why did you-?"

Kratos cut him off. "Lloyd. I could justify my dealings with Cruxis for you all day. I could tell you the reasoning behind my choices and mistakes. And, yes, I could tell you why I continued to support Yggdrasill, even knowing the horrific things he ordered." He sighed softly. "But none of it matters. None of it changes the past. All I can do is try to atone for my sins."

Lloyd didn't look satisfied. "You said you'd left Cruxis before, right? And then you went back."

"...Yes," Krato admitted. "I defected, but I returned after the loss of my wife."

"How come you went back?" Lloyd questioned. "If Cruxis killed your wife…"

Kratos shifted uncomfortably. "I had nowhere else to go. I had no home. Not without her."

"You didn't have anybody else?" Lloyd blinked at him. "But what about Yuan? Or any other family—?!"

"My family," Kratos cut in, "died that day. Yggdrasill had spent decades hunting me down, following me across worlds to take me back to Cruxis." Kratos closed his eyes and tilted his head down. "I became tired of fighting back. Everything...everything was meaningless."

He didn't want to talk about this. Not with Lloyd, not now, and yet it was...almost cathartic. As though by saying it out loud, his justifications made sense.

"...So what changed?" Lloyd asked suddenly. Kratos cocked his head. "Why'd you betray Yggdrasill for us?"

Kratos clasped his hands together and leaned forward on his knees. "...You," he answered honestly. "I watched you fight against Cruxis, watched you save countless lives. Even when you were faced with the most insurmountable obstacles, you still fought like hell."

Lloyd looked taken aback. "It wasn't just me. Everyone is fighting Cruxis."

"Correct, but you are the one who's always encouraging your friends to continue their fight." Kratos felt his lips twitch into a smile. "You are a force to be reckoned with, Lloyd. Your determination and headstrong attitude, as frustrating as it is at times, is why they haven't given up. You encourage them to continue, no matter what they face."

Lloyd's face turned pink and he rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh...thanks, I guess. I don't really think I'm all that encouraging, but okay."

"Hmm..." Kratos sighed. "Perhaps not intentionally, but you are. People are drawn to you, Lloyd. Haven't you noticed that even your enemies seem to want you on their side?"

"Heh…" Lloyd grinned good naturedly. "I guess I never thought of it that way. I just kind of...do whatever seems right, you know?"

"Indeed. A...good way to live." Kratos nodded back at the rooms behind them. "So, have you finished that essay for Professor Sage yet?"

Lloyd grimaced. "Aw, man...do I have to? It can wait until tomorrow, can't it?"

"Get it done now," Kratos said sternly. "Then you won't have to worry about it tomorrow." At Lloyd's annoyed face, he added, "Isn't there a Dwarven Vow somewhere about procrastinating?"

Lloyd sighed. "'What may be done at any time will be done at no time.' Number 64." He stood up and put his hands on his hips. "And you still haven't distracted me, you know. I wanna know why you really wanted adamantite so bad."

"Hmph." Kratos folded his arms and gave him a small smile. "I expected no less from you. Lloyd, if you truly do trust me, please. Believe me when I say that...it's best no one knows of my plans just yet."

"..." Lloyd shrugged. "Whatever. Like I said, I'll figure it out eventually. I'm pretty good at telling when people are lying to me."

For a moment, just a moment, their eyes met. Kratos felt his breath hitch and had the sudden, irrational thought that Lloyd knew. Just as Anna had always been able to see through people and sense their falsehoods, Lloyd knew that Kratos was lying.

The moment passed as Raine called for Lloyd from the other room. He hunched his shoulders and said, "Aw, crap, I better go finish that!"

He left Kratos still sitting there, heart pounding with anxiety. No, he thought, there was no way that Lloyd could possibly know the truth. He had no reason to suspect that Kratos was his father; at the very least, he had his age to protect him. It was biologically impossible that a 28 year old could have a 17 year old child.

Still, something nagged at the back of his mind. Lloyd clearly suspected...something, rightfully so.

He needed to focus. He had a job to do, things to collect, people to protect. Kratos slid the adamantite out of his pocket and went back to examining it.

One down. Two more to go.

"Lloyd Irving, that essay better be done and in my hands by 7 am tomorrow." Raine glared at her pupil as he came back into the room, glancing over his shoulder. "And no excuses."

"Um...yeah, Professor, I'm on it." He was still looking behind him at where Kratos sat. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course. Is it about your essay?"

Lloyd shook his head. "No, it's...about Kratos." He hesitated, then plowed forward. "Professor, did Kratos ever tell you anything about his family?"

She looked surprised. "At the beginning of this journey, when it was just Colette and I with him, he told us that he didn't have any family." She frowned. "Why are you asking?"

Lloyd considered telling her about Kratos' wife, but banished the thought immediately. He remembered hearing the way Kratos' voice changed when he spoke about her. It became soft and gentle, more human, almost. Clearly, Kratos had loved his wife more than anything else in the world.

No, if Kratos trusted Lloyd with that secret, Lloyd would keep it.

"I just thought...I kind of feel bad for him." Lloyd met her eyes. "I think we're the only people he has."

"Hmph. Don't feel too bad for him," she said. "Even if he's on our side now, Kratos could easily return to Yggdrasill's side in an instant."

Lloyd turned around to where he'd come from. Kratos was sitting in the lobby, the adamantite in his hand, staring down at the shiny fragments. He looked almost...sad, Lloyd thought. Or maybe it was just his imagination.

"Remember, he also has his...friends from Cruxis." The way she said the word was distasteful and mocking.

"I know," Lloyd finally replied. He clenched his fist, but didn't look away from Kratos.

"That's why I feel bad for him."