...I just lost the data for four of my stories. Darn floppy disks, I know I'm out of date but c'mon! Oh well, at least this wasn't included on
that list...n.n'
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need a candycane. ...Even though I've had two today, but oh well...cough.
Merry Christmas, everyone! :D Maybe I'll write another story next year. n.n
Story About a Star
Kratos woke up in the dead of night, looking across at his sleeping wife. Slowly he moved from the bed so as not to disturb her, kissing her
forehead lightly before wandering into the living room. He looked upon the glowing tree with a slight frown, the light reflecting reds and blues
and golds onto his pale face. Slowly he walked forward and then looked at it some more...beautiful. He had yet to tell Anna, but...this was one
of the first Christmas trees he had had. Aside from the ones they had managed to get before they had Lloyd, when they were on the run,
Kratos had never had a tree for Christmas. In fact, it wasn't even called 'Christmas' back then... The holiday was ancient, even more so than
himself, but the traditions associated with it had changed so much over the years that he had barely recognized it. The Christmas Tree was one
of them, one of the things he didn't understand. When had it started? Two, three, maybe four-hundred years ago? He sighed. ...Oh well, some
things were still the same...
"Daddy?"
Kratos flinched and turned to the side, Lloyd waddling into the dark room.
"Lloyd, what are you doing up?" he scoffed.
"Can't sweep..." the boy mumbled sheepishly.
"..."
"Whatcha doin' up, Daddy...?" Lloyd asked, tilting his head to the side.
Kratos said nothing, looking at his son and then back at the only source of light, the tree.
"...Daddy?"
"Nothing, Lloyd," he sighed, "...now, let's get you back to bed-"
"But Daddy...!" Lloyd whined as his father picked him up. "I'm not twired!"
"...Lloyd, you need to go to sleep, tomorrow's Christmas," he said, "you need your rest."
"I don' wanna..." the boy whimpered, "I'm not sweepy..."
Kratos sighed, holding his son a minute before a thought struck him.
"...I'll make you a deal, I'll tell you a story if you go to be right after, agreed?"
"A stowy-!?" Lloyd's face lit up in a grin.
"Shhh...yes, a story," Kratos smiled softly, "but only if you promise to go to bed afterward."
Lloyd nodded enthusiastically as Kratos seated himself down on a chair, looking up at the star on top of the tree.
"...This is a very old story, Lloyd," he stated, "...not a lot of people know it, anymore."
"Does Mommy?" Lloyd asked.
"...No, not even Mommy,"
Lloyd stared in awe at his father, as if it was the most amazing thing he had ever heard.
"...All right, a long, long long time ago..." Kratos started, "the world was a very different place."
"How?" Lloyd asked.
"...There was a very large desert, and there were large cities, kingdoms, in the desert," Kratos stated, "and in this desert lived many kings, and
this story is centered around a special king."
"Really?"
"A baby king," Kratos said softly, "but he's not what our story is about... You see, in the desert, in a small home surrounded by sheep a Mother
and Father lived with their son-"
"Like us!" Lloyd grinned.
"...Yes," Kratos smiled softly, "..like us."
The surroundings changed and they found themselves in a desert, a small home sat by a small oasis, where herd animals wandered about. A
man and woman stood off a ways and smiled as their son ran toward them.
His name was Aaron, Kratos said.
"Happy Birthday, Aaron," the mother smiled.
It was Aaron's tenth birthday, so his parents made him a gift,
What kinda gift...?
It was a drum, and when Aaron began to play the drum, the animals started to dance.
"My very own drum!" Aaron said, beating it. "I'll treasure it always!"
Then he began to parade around with his drum, and then a camel, a donkey and a lamb began to follow him around, dancing as much as
animals can dance.
Animals can' dance, Daddy!?
It's a story, Lloyd,
Can Noishey dance?
...You'd be surprised what Noishe can do...
Huh?
No, anyway, the boy was very happy with his family until...
The scene froze.
...Until what, Daddy?
"..." Kratos stopped, the world coming back into focus.
"...Daddy?"
"...Until something bad happened," Kratos said, "...something bad happened, and the boy was left all alone..."
He said the sentence slowly, a frown creeping into his face. ...He shouldn't tell this story, he just shouldn't, something....something scared him
to tell this story...not now.
"Daddy?"
"...Lloyd..."
The man hugged his child closely, kissing his forehead. Aaron's parents died, and he was left to wander the desert alone with nothing but
animals for his companions... Alone. Something about the thought of an orphaned boy almost made him near tears with Lloyd in his arms...
"...Daddy?"
"I'm sorry, Lloyd," Kratos forced a smile, "...I'll tell you a different story-"
Lloyd hugged his father.
"..."
"Daddy, it's gonna be okay," he said, "so don't be sad..."
"...I love you," Kratos said softly, hugging him.
The father and son held each other for what was only a few minutes but felt like hours before Kratos coughed and brought his head up. He
said he'd tell Lloyd a story so he had better-...Lloyd was asleep. The Seraph sighed at the child in his arms, smiling softly as he kissed his
forehead. He'd tell him that story when he was older...not when he was still young. If he told him what happened to the boy's parents...it
would scare him. He'd tell him in time, but for now...the child needed to go to bed. Kratos picked up his son and headed for the room, then
stopped. He looked back over his shoulder at the tree, his eyes resting on the top where a star shined brightly.
"..."
"AHAHAHAHHA!"
"Really, Genis! It's not funny!" Lloyd shouted, red in the face. "I- I was just...saying stuff!"
Kratos raised an eyebrow and looked over his shoulder at his son snapping at the laughing half-elf boy, his curiosity enticing him to listen in.
What was so funny? They really had to be getting inside...Flanior was cold, especially during this time of year... He sighed. Part of him couldn't
believe he had been talked into spending Christmas with this group, on the coldest place on either world, of all places, but he was...also glad,
in a sense...
"What are you guys laughing about?" Sheena asked.
"Nothing," Genis grinned, "Lloyd's just making his yearly fool out of himself."
"Hey-!"
"Fool...?" Presea trailed.
"Yeah, get this," Genis grinned, "every year he starts going on and on about the weirdest things!"
"I- I don't know WHY," Lloyd blushed, "I just...do!"
"Lava crocodiles, Lloyd?!" Genis grinned.
Kratos stopped dead in his tracks.
"L-look-"
"And undead laundry? C'mon!" the half-elf laughed.
"Woah, bud," Zelos smirked, "you been drinking too much eggnog or what?"
"S-stop it!" Lloyd blushed.
"And then there's his story about the talking bird and the kind maple trees-"
"Not maple trees! Pine, Fir, and Spruce trees!" Lloyd blushed. "The Maple tree was a jerk!"
Everyone in the group began to laugh or snicker, depending on their level of self-control. Kratos however, merely stared in horror at his
son..though not horror so much as shock.
"I thought it was a very nice story!" Colette said. "How those trees helped the poor little bird..."
"Trees helping a bird?" Regal raised a bemused eyebrow.
"I-it's just a-!" Lloyd stammered, red beyond all reason.
"And don't even get him started on the mouseholes-!"
"I KNOW THEY DON'T LEAD TO CANDYLAND!!"
Everyone stared at Lloyd, all traces of laughter momentarily disappearing.
"...WHAT?" Zelos said.
"...I...um..." Lloyd bit his lip, coughing, "I...when I was little I thought..."
He coughed, looking away.
"...I thought mouseholes lead to candyland," he muttered.
Silence.
"AHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAAHH!"
"Sh-shut up!" Lloyd blurted. "L-let's just go to the inn already!"
With that the poor embarrassed teen stalked off for the inn, everyone else laughing int tow...with the exception of Kratos. The mercenary
stood there in the snow, staring off after his son. ...Lava crocodiles, undead laundry, a bird and evergreens, mouseholes that lead to
'candyland'... How was it possible? How could Lloyd have remembered...? He shook his head and then sighed, following them into the inn.
It was a few hours later when Kratos found himself wandering out into the night, out to the terrace where he had spoken with Lloyd before.
...Everyone was loud, noisy...he knew this was a time for celebration, but it was also a time for peace, was it not? Unless that had changed as
well... He sighed and then looked up at the clear night sky. The stars were shining bright, and one in particular caught his eye. The brightest,
most beautiful star in the dark abyss...
"D- Kratos?"
Kratos turned to see Lloyd walking toward him, bundled in his winter wear.
"...Lloyd, what are you doing out here?" he asked.
"I was going to ask you that," Lloyd said, "why'd you just wander off?"
"..."
Kratos looked up at the sky again, ignoring his son. A few seconds later the soft crunching of snow alerted him to Lloyd's coming. The teen
stopped beside his father and then looked up at the sky.
"...Pretty," he said simply.
"Indeed,"
"...I used to look up at the stars with you," Lloyd stated, "...remember, I told you about that?"
Kratos nodded.
"...I remember now...that..." Lloyd trailed, "...my father, which..you know, you...you told me when I was little that there was a story about a
star..."
Kratos jerked and then looked over at Lloyd, who was till gazing up at the sky.
"...But I could never remember it," he said simply.
"...You didn't forget it," Kratos said slowly, "...I...never told you."
"You didn't?" Lloyd asked, turning to look at his father.
"...No," Kratos admitted.
"....Could you... That is, do you think you could...?" Lloyd trailed, flushing somewhat.
"...Do you think I could what?"
"...Tell me now?" Lloyd finished, blushing.
The two stared at each other a moment before a soft smile came across Kratos' lips, startling his son.
"...Very well," Kratos said, "...a long time ago, even back before I was born, the world was different."
The surroundings changed to a desert-
"W-woah!!" Lloyd yelped, clinging to Kratos. "H-how did you do that?!"
"Do what?" Kratos asked.
"Th-the- we were just in Flanior! Where-!?" Lloyd panicked.
Kratos chuckled.
"Oh yes...you don't remember," he smiled softly.
"R-remember what?!" Lloyd cried.
"Your mother and I used to tell you stories all the time," Kratos said gently, "...odd things usually happened when we told them, but eventually
we just stopped questioning it."
Lloyd stared at him.
"Anna said it was 'our imagination'..." Kratos trailed, "...I'll never understand it, but..."
"...WAIT!" Lloyd shouted suddenly. "Y-you-! So those stories about the bird-"
"I told you that one,"
"A-and the lava crocodiles and the undead laundry and the mouseholes-?!"
"Those were your mother," Kratos said with a slight chuckle.
"You mean it all actually happened?!"
"Yes,"
Silence.
"...HAH! I'm NOT crazy!" Lloyd grinned. "Hah hah, I'll make Genis eat his words later..."
Lloyd gloated to himself a minute before he looked at his father and blushed.
"Er...sorry, keep going,"
"...As I was saying..."
Once again he told of Aaron and his drum, but this time he came to the part where he had last left off.
"...Then one day, bandits attacked the family," Kratos said simply.
The desert home went up in flames in the dead of night, the livestock in a frenzy as Lloyd watched the father get struck down, the mother
screaming as they came toward her.
W-wait-! Lloyd said That's-!
That's how the story goes, Lloyd, don't worry....
But-! ...Hey, why are our voices all echoey?
...I told you I didn't understand it, yes?
Well...yeah but-...nevermind.
...At any rate, from that day on Aaron began to roam the desert with his animals.
The boy and his furry friends made their way through the desert, occasionally Aaron would play his drum and the animals would dance to it.
Until one day, a greedy man that ran performances saw him,
"Look at that! I simply must have them for my show caravan!" he said. "Quickly, the rope!"
Then two of his lackeys appeared next to him.
They descended on Aaron, and though he put up a fight he ultimately lost.
"Join my caravan, boy!" he said. "We will be rich, rich!"
"No!" Aaron shouted. "I hate people, all people! Why do I care about entertaining them!?'
Aaron hated mankind, people of any sort, because of what had happened to his family.
...What? But-
He was all alone, Lloyd, all alone with no one to bother to care about him
That's horrible...
...Yes,
"Listen, boy, you're coming with us whether you like it or not!"
So Aaron and his friends were dragged through the desert toward the city, into the night before they came across something that interested them.
"Look! A caravan! Of...of kings!" the show-master said. "One...two...three! Three kings!"
Three kings were overseeing their men packing away the camp, fretting about like bees.
For above them, a miraculous sight glistened. A star, brighter than any ever seen, with a tail like a kite, hovered over them.
A star with a tail? You mean it was long?
Yes.
In the sky appeared said star, glinting and shimmering with unearthly beauty.
Wow...it's... Is this what you were talking about? The Star?
Yes. The Star was important, you see, the three kings- or the wisemen, as they were called, were following the star.
Huh? Lloyd wondered. How can you follow a star?
They were attempting to get to the area directly under the star, where they believed they would find something wonderful.
Like what?
Let's not get ahead, Lloyd, be patient.
Oh all right...
"Wait, wait!" the show-master said. "Please, your highnesses, allow us to perform for you!"
"We have no time for making merry," one king said, "we have much traveling to do."
"W-what? With all due respect, no one travels the desert by night," he said.
"We do," said the second king, "for we follow the star."
"Yes well...just a short performance-?"
What? He didn't see the star?
He saw it, he just disregarded it. It didn't mean anything to him.
...But...it's beautiful...
...Yes, it is.
"No, we must hurry-"
It was then that one of the camels being loaded for the trip stumbled onto the ground, unable to travel.
What? Did it hurt itself?
Stop interrupting, Lloyd,
Oh, sorry...heh heh...
It's all right...ahem, seeing his chance, the show master spoke up.
"Ah...your highnesses, I have a camel I could sell you!"
"What? No you don't," Aaron said.
"No, but you do," the show-master smirked.
"Why you-!"
But in the end, the show master made his profit off of Aaron's camel-
Um, sorry to interrupt again but uh...what's a camel?
The desert disappeared and Kratos found himself staring at his son on the terrace above Flanior.
"...Pardon?" Kratos asked.
"...What's a camel?" Lloyd asked sheepishly.
"...Ah yes, they've been extinct for quite a while..." Kratos smiled softly, "...they're large animals that live in hot environments, they were used
for transportation."
"Oh..." Lloyd trailed.
"...Why didn't you ask about them before?" Kratos asked.
"I didn't want to interrupt,"
"..."
"What?"
Kratos shook his head.
"Let's continue..."
The desert reformed itself.
And so Aaron was subdued and his camel was taken by the wiseman.
"Look at all this money, ahah!" the show-master crowed. "I'm done with you, boy! I got enough from your camel!"
Aaron said a few very rude things to the man before walking off in the direction the kings had left in.
"Stupid showman..." he muttered, "I'd like to juggle HIM around..."
The sheep and donkey following him nodded enthusiastically.
...I don't recall them talking like that...
Huh? What are you talking about?
...Nothing.
Aaron and the animals looked around.
"Where did they go?"
It was then that he remembered that the kings said they followed the star.
"So if I follow the star...we'll find him," Aaron said, "let's do it."
And so they began to follow the star a town came into sight, and Aaron found that many other people, shepherds, mostly, had been following the
same star to the town gates.
Why?
"They're all following the same star...?" Aaron trailed. "...Well, it's none of my concern, I need to find the kings."
Aaron walked into the town until he found where everyone else was going.
Then, across the road he saw what appeared to be a manger- a barn of sorts.
Oh.
The star was shining down on the manger, and many people had gathered around it, including the kings.
"There they are!" Aaron said. "And there's our friend!"
Aaron pointed toward the line of camels that had come with the kings, singling out his companion.
Aaron was so overjoyed to see his friend he dashed across the road, but did not look where he was going.
A wagon of sorts pulled by horses careened down the street.
"WOAH!"
Aaron managed to get out of the way, as did his donkey, but his sheep...wasn't that lucky.
The lamb died?! Well that sucks...this is kind of a sad story.
I'm not done yet, Lloyd,
But-
Just be patient, Lloyd.
Mmmeeeeephh....
...Aaron picked up his friend and wept, then a thought struck him.
"The kings...the kings are wise, they'll know how to save him!"
The boy made his way through the crowd towards the kings.
"Please, please! I need help!"
"What is it that ails you, boy?" one king asked.
"Please, your highness, my lamb..."
The king examined the creature.
"He is gravely wounded, I do no think there is anything I can do,"
"But...you're a king!"
"Yes, a mortal king," he said, ".,..but there may be a king that can help you."
They looked into the manger, where a woman was holding a baby beside her spouse.
"...The babe?" Aaron stared. "But how-?"
"Present him with a gift, and I am sure he will heed your plea,"
...The baby...?
...I suppose this story did die out, then...
Huh?
Kratos looked at his son as the brunette stared questioningly at him.
"...This story was around thousands of years before I was born," he said, "a very common religion back then hailed that a baby was born from
a young woman that would be the savior. They called him the son of God."
"They worshiped a god instead of a goddess?" Lloyd stared.
Kratos smirked slightly.
"Yes, I imagine it seems strange to you..."
"Well...not really, our 'goddess' wasn't real anyway," Lloyd said, "hey wait a minute...did you guys get the whole cover story about the
'Chosen' from this story?"
"...You could say that..." Kratos admitted.
"You cheated," Lloyd said.
"Not 'cheated'...more like copied," he shrugged.
"Right...wait, so the baby in this story is the uh...'savior'?" Lloyd raised an eyebrow.
Kratos nodded.
"Keep that in mind and you'll understand the rest of the story,"
"Okay..."
And so Aaron slowly approached the family and looked upon the babe.
"..."
He took out his drum and began to play.
And since he had no gift to give, he gave of himself the only thing he had, his own talent.
Aaron played his drum for the family and everyone there, human and animal, began to move softly to the beat.
Aaron put all of his heart into his performance as a gift, all of his love for his lamb driving the music. When he finally finished he looked upon the
smiling babe and found himself staring in awe.
"...It's the most beautiful sight I've ever seen..." he whispered.
"Well done, lad," the king from before said, "you gave the most precious thing anyone can give, a gift of themselves. And look..."
Aaron gasped before grinning in joy, his lamb running to him, healthy.
The boy hugged his animal, and his donkey and camel ran over to him as well.
So it ended all right?
Yes, Lloyd
...A gift of themselves...
"And she brought forth her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, placing him in a manger," Kratos recited, "and he shall be
called 'Immanuel', God with us."
"...That's a really old story," Lloyd smiled.
"...Perhaps,"
"...The best gift...is something you give up from yourself?" Lloyd bit his lip.
"Yes, that's what it's saying," Kratos nodded, "and that's what I have come to believe. ...According to the scriptures, God gave his only son to
the world as a sign of his love. So yes, in essence the story is trying to say that that is the best gift. A gift of love."
Lloyd remained silent for a minute before he laughed, grinning.
"...What is it?" Kratos asked.
"You just gave me a great gift, then," he smiled at his father.
"Hm?"
"You told me a story, you took some of your time and effort to do something for me," Lloyd said, "so...thank you."
"..."
Lloyd looked up at the sky, examining the stars in the clear night.
"...Though that story wasn't a lot about a star," he said sheepishly.
"...Perhaps not," Kratos said, "...but they say that the star can still be seen, at this night every year."
"Really? Have you ever seen it?" Lloyd asked.
"...I'm not sure," Kratos stated, "...but...there always seems to be one star that stands out on this night..."
"Like that one?"
Both males looked up into the sky and Kratos blinked a bit, looking at the star Lloyd had pointed at. A star not much larger than all the others,
but...alluring, in a way, shone down on the world. It was just a bit brighter, just a bit...more oddly shaped, with a long 'tail', but...looking at it
wouldn't allow them to look away easily. It was...entrancing, simple, but...beautiful. In fact, it was the same star that had caught his eye
before...
"..." Kratos nodded slowly, "like that one."
"...Um...D- Kratos? I've got a confession to make,"
"Hm?" Kratos looked at him.
"...I...didn't get you a present," Lloyd blushed, glancing away, "...I wanted to, but I couldn't think of anything that you would like...so...I didn't
get you anything, I'm sorry."
Kratos smiled softly.
"It's quite all right, I-"
"But I've got something for you now," Lloyd said, smiling as he blushed.
"...What?"
"...If the best gift is a gift of yourself...then..."
The teen slowly walked closer to his father, looking up at him and locking eyes for a moment. Kratos remained motionless before Lloyd hugged
him, startling the Seraph.
"...Merry Christmas, Dad," Lloyd said, holding him tightly.
"..."
Kratos hugged his child back and as the star shined down on the world, the angel was certain he could never want anything else.
n.n A gift of yourself...this is kinda what this is for all of you, right? I'm giving you all a gift of myself...so I hope you all like it, and all
have a Merry Christmas with your loved ones. Or...you know, you're allowed to say 'Happy Hanukkah' or whatever else you want right
back at me. :D Merry Christmas!!
Hope you liked it, baby sister. n.n Love you.