love ALL the TOS EPS! 3

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The reaction was about what one could expect.

"What the hell is he doing here?"

Granted, Lloyd didn't expect to hear that after getting shaken awake by his half-elven best fried, and granted he didn't expect his entire group to be up staring at the spectacle before him.

Yet somehow the thing that shocked him most, was Kratos calmly preparing breakfast in Phaidra's kitchen.

"Uh…" Lloyd blinked groggily, glancing over at his father and then at his tense friends. "…Making…breakfast, I guess?"

He was given a long silent stare as a rebuttal.

Lloyd frowned, hesitating a moment.

"I- I'm sorry, I should've asked you guys if you were okay with him staying with us-"

"Why do you even want him here?" Zelos asked icily, his arms crossed. "I mean this is only the second elaborate lie he's put you through?"

Lloyd hesitated, looking over at Kratos. The Seraph said nothing, but lifted his eyes to meet Lloyd's, the pair exchanging a silent look. The teen thought a moment, unsure of how to go about things as they were now. He frowned, getting to his feet and stretching a bit, looking at his father and then at his friends.

"I should've asked you guys what you thought about it," he said again. "I understand if you're mad at me, but I told- I told Kratos I wanted him to stay. Yuan already confirmed that he really is…well who he says he is-...this time…uh.."

Somehow this had all sounded much more convincing in his head.

"Look." He started again, looking at his friends. "He really is my…father. I know he lied to me, but he didn't lie about the things that really were important- to me. He lied about important stuff, yeah, but he's not going to anymore. Kratos promised he'd tell me everything about Cruxis, including how to cure Colette."

"I don't agree with this," Raine said flatly, nearly giving Lloyd whiplash by her speed in opposing him. "He may be your father, Lloyd, but it's obvious he can't be trusted. Even if he did lie to us in the beginning with the intention of keeping you safe, he obviously didn't go through with that, and-"

"That's why Kratos tried to be with us this last time, then, isn't it?"

He hadn't noticed Colette was there, as quiet as she had been. The blonde Chosen smiled weakly, looking at them and then Lloyd.

"I think Lloyd knows what he's doing, if he trusts Kratos, I will too." She smiled a bit more. "I mean…what Kratos did, it really does sound like something a father would do, doesn't it? He tried to keep Lloyd away from the journey to protect him, and he was really strict teaching him because he was worried about him. Then…then later, when he had…changed, he really was trying to be like a father to Lloyd. So I think that if Lloyd forgives him, then we should try to trust him."

Lloyd stared at her a moment, her words sinking in. He hadn't…thought about that- well, yes, he had thought about that; all the odd behavior, but he hadn't once thought of that as being something that a father would do. Though now that he thought about it, like Colette put it, it did all become more understandable. Maybe not really 'right', but he could understand where Kratos was coming from a little bit more. The dual swordsman looked over at Kratos, whom had remained silent, ignoring them as he prepared the meal until he was finally addressed.

"Well? Are you really going to tell us how to help Colette?" Raine asked, her eyes narrowed despite her more amiable tone of voice.

Kratos set down the spatula he had been using, finally lifting his head to look at them.

"I promised Lloyd I would tell him anything he wanted to know, he need only ask. If that includes the way to cure the Chosen, then I shall tell you all that as well," he said flatly, his expression keeping its usual stoic blank.

"So…so how do we help her?" Lloyd asked.

Kratos was quiet a moment, suddenly very interested in his cooking, but broke from his silence before Raine could push him to speak.

"She has Chronic Angelus Crystallus Inofficium," he stated. "Its cause is the Cruxis Crystal, her body is rejecting it. The crystallization will spread over her body and once her surface is crystallized, it will begin to crystallize her internal organs. If that proceeds unaffected, she will die. There's something called a Rune Crest that, if can be made, will not only stop the process but revert her body to normal. The crest is comprised of a mana leaf herb, a mana fragment, and zircon, they can be found in Heimdall, Welgaia and the Toize mines respectively. As for the process itself, I do not know it, but I know the process for it is recorded in the Royal Archives in Meltokio."

He spoke so directly that it put many of them off-guard, staring at the man as they let the information soak in. Kratos waited quietly for their reactions, occupying himself with his task once more.

"Then I assume our first stop should be Meltokio," Raine said.

"That's correct, having the required materials will mean nothing if we have no way of processing them into the crest," he replied.

"My company dealt in zircon," Regal spoke up. "That should be the easiest to obtain, what of the other two? Welgaia is Cruxis' base, and Heimdall is restricted unless one has permission from the king."

"Yeah…the king isn't really on our side at the moment," Zelos muttered. "But it seems like we're gonna have to confront him either way, we're not getting into the archives to begin with without him."

"So we're decided, we'll go to Meltokio." Lloyd nodded.

He glanced back at his father, who had returned to seemingly ignoring them. An uneasy silence fell among them once more as the group tried to decide what it is they were supposed to be doing in that moment. Kratos strolled away from the stove finally, placing a plate on the table before walking back to the oven.

"Make certain you eat enough, Lloyd, it's going to be a long trip."

Lloyd twitched just a bit, feeling a mix between a strange feeling of embarrassment and an uncomfortable sensation he couldn't quite place. He felt their eyes on him but managed a nod.

"Uh- yeah, I will, thanks… Dad."

"If any of the rest of you want something, come and get some, I've already made enough for a few people," Kratos said, piling more food onto another plate.

The group exchanged glances but Lloyd moved forward to the table, hoping his seemingly comfortable appearance would ease the others. He seated himself as Colette chipper accepted a plate from Kratos, thanking him. Kratos didn't thank her but acknowledged her with a nod, going back to his task. Lloyd did his best not to fidget, to act as if things were normal. Really, though, what else could he do? Standing on the other side of the room and eying Kratos as if he was a rabid dog wasn't going to get them anywhere, there was no point in it; the only other thing he could do was get Kratos to leave but…

No, he had made his choice. He was going to give him a chance, another chance, that was what he had decided.

He didn't know just how hard this was going to be, though…

"Ugh, I always hate going through here," Zelos complained loudly, pinching his nose.

"Then quicken your pace and we'll be out faster."

Zelos glared at the Seraph's back, the ancient swordsman not bothering to turn or slow his pace. Lloyd fidgeted, watching the swallow-tails of his coat sway back and forth as he walked. It was like back when he just joined them again, walking silently, cold, with no opportunity for one to make small talk with him or even to catch his eye. It was…frustrating, to say the least. It also didn't help that…

Lloyd frowned.

No matter what he did he couldn't stop himself from comparing the man in front of him to the man that had walked beside him for the last few weeks. It didn't make sense to compare them, he knew that, they were the same person, just… As 'Richard', he would walk at a relaxed pace, beside him, making eye contact and nodding now and then as he talked to him; even speaking of himself, of Anna, perhaps uncomfortably but doing so none the less. He would comment and even smile a little now and then.

Then he'd become 'Kratos' again, and he went back to being what his initial image was of Kratos.

He didn't like it.

Why was it so hard for him to just…keep doing that? He already knew he was his father, already knew that he had deceived and betrayed him; he had forgiven him anyway. So why was he shutting him out again? Was it because of all the others being wary of him? Or- or…was it him? Was he shutting Kratos out, making himself seem like he didn't want to talk to him? After all he…he had to admit he got uncomfortable when speaking to the man now- Maybe they just both needed time, maybe that was it? After all it was quite a…rift, to deal with, maybe-

A hand grabbed his upper arm roughly, jerking him to the side. Lloyd let out a sudden shout of surprise in time to see a flash of steel and a dead sewer viper to his side.

"W- what the-?"

"It snuck up on you, they are poisonous," Kratos said flatly, sheathing his sword. "Are you all right?"

"I- y- yeah, I'm fine, sorry I guess I wasn't paying-"

"Attention? No, you were not," the man said sharply, his expression cold as he met his eyes. "You were handling yourself just fine during the ranch infiltration, now as soon as you're in familiar territory you let down your guard. You cannot do that, one wrong move and you could lose your life. I taught you better."

Lloyd stared a moment, feeling as if he had been smacked across the face. He had said it so curtly, so devoid of affection, so harshly-

His fingers curled.

"I screwed up, all right? I'm sorry, but insulting me isn't going to fix it! It's done! I'll pay more attention now just- like you're one to criticize me! What the hell is wrong with you!? Why are you being such an asshole ag- all of a sudden?! Huh?!" he snapped, glaring up at the older man.

Kratos merely looked at him, blank-faced, no sign of a response.

"Look, fine, if you don't want to be here, then go!" Lloyd scowled, turning back to the path. "I'm not going to stop you! I thought you wanted to be here, that's why I asked you to come. If you don't want to be here then just leave!"

"Lloyd-"

"What!" the teen half-roared, whirling around to meet Kratos' eyes.

The rage promptly left him as he saw the misted look in Kratos' eyes. He felt oddly deflated as Kratos spoke again, his voice soft.

"I apologize," he said simply. "You're right. You do know better, you do know how to take care of yourself. I simply…"

Lloyd sighed, diverting his eyes.

"I'm sorry too," he mumbled. "I just-…let's talk later, all right? Once we find that method for Colette's cure, okay?"

"Very well."

"Maybe you guys should consider counseling," Zelos cut in. "I mean, not like they'd believe half your story anyway but-"

"Chosen if you continue to speak when it's unwanted I'll see to it you take a sudden swim into the water here," Kratos said flatly.

"Ouch, your daddy's being mean to me, Bud…"

For once, Lloyd and Kratos shared a sigh of exasperation.

They continued on through the sewers without any further interesting events of any kind; it wasn't until the group was nearing the end that Kratos abruptly stopped, Colette just a moment after. Lloyd quickly did the same, looking at them.

"I hear people up ahead," Colette said. "It sounds like…"

"We should hurry," Kratos told Lloyd. "It sounds as if we'll need to apprehend them."

Lloyd nodded and lead the group off again, the voices coming into range as they approached the exit.

"It sure takes a long time…." a voice said.

"Yes I know, but I've been told to make it look like an illness, the poison is slow but he'll die of it for sure."

"Well he better, the princess is beginning to get suspicious about her father's health."

"Don't worry, I gave my word, the Pope will have his throne in no time."

"Wait that sounds like…" Lloyd muttered.

Regal and Presea had already rushed to the edge of the stairs, weapons at the ready.

"Vharley!" Regal snapped.

"You will pay for what you did to my sister!" Presea added, gripping her axe tightly.

The guard the broker had been talking too quickly fled and Vharley himself attempted to do the same before he was cut off by Sheena in one of her signature 'teleportation's.

It was over too quickly for anyone to really react, Presea's axe was bloodied and Regal stood over the body, both of them glaring into the corpse as if they could cause it further pain. There was a brief, tense moment of silence before Raine spoke, deducing the situation from what they had heard.

"So it seems Vharley was working for the pope? That would explain his connections to the Desians, Rodyle at any rate."

From the calculating look in her eyes it was easy to figure what she was thinking, nonetheless, Kratos voiced it for the few members of the group that would not come to the same conclusion, namely Lloyd and Colette.

"So by saving the King's life he'll be indebted to you and allow you access to the archives? I simply could have demanded he do so but given that this will clear your wanted status, it's worth undertaking."

Lloyd frowned a bit at that but Raine's quick agreement stopped him from commenting on it. Maybe they both weren't that cold just…maybe it was some adult thing, in situations like this. Regal could be a little harshly realistic sometimes too and Zelos-…okay well not Zelos but everyone else was like that.

Though…

"Hey, what do you mean you could have 'demanded' it?" he asked, eying his father curiously.

"I have many connections, just as Yuan does, as Seraphim of Cruxis we've implemented that power into the government when necessary," he said. "I've had dealings with the king before and if not for that, I could simply have shown my wings and it would have had the desired effect."

"It would have caused an uproar more like…" Raine said.

"Perhaps, but we would have been gone by then," Kratos answered dismissively.

Lloyd wasn't quite sure he liked that answer.

"Why the hell didn't you do anything? I thought you had all these connections in the castle!"

"Connections to be used if need be, yes, but you seemed to have it all well in hand, Chosen. What with your using Spiritua's legend and then talking the king into assisting us, there was no need for me to step in."

"It could have been easier if you did," Zelos pouted, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Perhaps," the seraph answered flatly.

"Lazy old bastard just didn't want to have to do anything, your joints hurting?"

"All right already, Zelos just knock it off, we get it, he's old and you don't like him, it's getting annoying now!" Genis groaned, rubbing his face.

Zelos' eyes narrowed but he just shrugged, seemingly ambivalent to the entire scenario. The group walked in silence a moment as they headed for the archives before Raine spoke up.

"By the way, Kratos, I assume you actually know what happened with the real Spiritua? I find it interesting how both worlds apparently had the same Chosen."

"She's fake."

The group stopped, Kratos stopping as well so as not to walk into their midst as they all turned to look back at him, staring.

"…What?"

"…She's fake," he said again. "Spiritiua was invented by Cruxis as a means of setting down 'rules', for the Chosen's journey. The book of Spiritiua in Sylvarant is basically a handbook in order to make sure the Chosen finds the seals and the legends regarding attempted harm to the Chosen and the perpetrators being punished by an 'angel of death' are likewise…well that last one was more a warning, I suppose. The stories were made to guide and protect the Chosen, nothing more."

He frowned when they continued to stare. Then again, Anna had reacted much the same way. He supposed false or not, growing up all one's life with stories about some hero were going to be cherished…and painful when found out they were false. Perhaps he had been too blunt? He hadn't thought that, given all they had learned, that it would affect them much.

When he had told her, she had stared at him a long moment, then quickly blinked to bat away building tears. He had been quite perplexed about that. He had told her the truth about the worlds, about Cruxis, about angels, Martel, him, Mithos…why was it that a silly myth was the thing that seemed to have the most affect on her? He had told her as much….

"I don't know, I guess it's pretty silly but I-…when I was little I guess I just always grew up with those stories about her, you know? Stories about some brave person who saved the world, who saved others, who managed to come out on top despite everything. I guess I just-…I know they aren't real but I guess that one just…meant a lot to me. I always tried to be like her, y'know? I know that's silly…but I just…wanted to believe people could really be like that, I guess, that maybe I could be too."

"Like that? Like what?"

"That I could …'be the hero', I guess; save people, be a better person…You must think that's silly, huh?"

He had been quiet a moment.

"…No, not at all."

"I suppose it's not really that surprising, is it?" Raine sighed a bit, breaking Kratos from his memories as she turned her eyes back to the library. "After all Cruxis managed to make the worlds believe a lot of things."

"It's not that important anyway," Lloyd said so casually that Kratos couldn't help but frown.

"Why do you say that? Obviously it seems upsetting to at least some of your companions, your mother was a bit upset about it as well, when I told her."

The teen seemed to consider that a moment, shifting his weight as he bit his lip, that familiar expression he and Anna both made when they were deep in thought.

"I guess it's not important if it's fake because…well, it meant something, right?" Lloyd said, looking back at his father. "It doesn't matter if it's 'real' or not I guess, because it taught people stuff, you know? I mean…I guess I always found stories like that to be inspiring when I was little. I know they're not real, but they never stopped me from trying to be a better person because of them, right? I mean I guess…obviously fake things can be bad."

He frowned again, considering.

"The whole thing about the regeneration journey…about Martel and the Chosen…they're all fake, and people get hurt because of it. So it's important to know whether something is real or not, I guess, so you can know for sure if it's hurting someone or not. Cruxis' lies are hurting people, so it's important to know they're fake, but with stuff like that…with stories like that, I don't think it matters if it's 'fake' if it still made people want to…be a better person, I guess. You know?"

Kratos looked at him a moment, a ghost of a smile reaching his lips.

"You really need to learn how to convey your thoughts better, Lloyd, that was confusing and pretty silly," Genis half-teased.

Kratos shook his head.

"Not at all…"

FINALLY! *plops in exhaustion*

Ugh finally updated something…review?