Lloyd stopped still beside the Renegade's Rhieards.

'I don't want to.'

Kratos had jumped onto the Rhieard in front of him and turned back, grimacing.

'You don't want go?' He replied, 'You're going to have to see your friends some time.'

'I know...but...' The teen shuffled his feet, drawing circles in the sand.

'Come on, Lloyd. They won't be angry. I expect they will be a little more than pleased to see you.' Raine added, starting up her Rhieard and hovering a few feet above the ground.

Yuan brought his Rhieard up beside hers and nodded, 'If you don't come, we will tell them anyway.'

Lloyd sighed and clambered atop the Rhieard.

'Stay here.'

Raine motioned for Yuan, Kratos and Lloyd to stay round the back of Raine's house. Lloyd could hear Zelos's voice through the open window, but he wasn't sounding as egotistical as before. He was talking to Sheena about something, but the young swordsman couldn't quite hear what it was. Raine pushed the door open and poked her head through the small space.

'Zelos, Presea and Regal, can I have a word?' She called through the door.

Lloyd saw Sheena's face contort, confused, through the window. The three companions Raine had called stepped out onto the sandy front yard. Lloyd dropped his head and gripped his hands tightly behind his back, he didn't want to make eye contact. Kratos placed a cold hand behind his neck.

'Please don't shout out, Zel-'

'HOLY SHIT!'

Lloyd flinched and squeezed his eyes shut. Raine scolded Zelos loudly and the pink-clad swordsman lowered his voice. Lloyd opened his eyes slowly.

'Dude! What the-? How-?'

'I think an explanation is not needed right now, Chosen.' Kratos butted in, nudging Lloyd forward slightly.

'I agree.' Regal nodded. Presea's face split into a large grin.

'All right, all right.' Zelos said energetically, 'It's awesome to see you, Bud!'

'Ah-!'

Lloyd flinched as Zelos flung his arms around him and squeezed him really tightly.

'You're an idiot, Bud, you know that?' Zelos released him and thumped him hard on the top of the arm. Lloyd rubbed his it gingerly.

'Are we quite finished, Zelos?' Raine asked, causing the Chosen to turn, 'I figured we should tell you three first, before I let the other's know. Are you prepared, Lloyd?'

Lloyd looked up and stopped rubbing his arm. He raised his eyebrows, 'I guess...'

Raine smiled sympathetically and Lloyd heard her ask the other's to come out of the house.

'Genis Sage, you will get out of bed and get out here this instant!' She yelled through the door.

'No!' Came the disgruntled reply.

Raine sighed loudly and held the door open for Sheena and Collette.

'Brace yourself...' She told the girls quietly.

Lloyd looked up hesitantly and caught Collette's eye. The Chosen visibly flinched and grasped her hands in front of her, eyes wide. Sheena brought her hand to her mouth and gaped.

'Collette...Sheena...I- OOF!'

A blur of purple caught Lloyd off guard as Sheena flung herself at him. He tentatively placed his arms around her shoulders as she clung to him. Over her shoulder, he watched Collette smile, she didn't need to say anything in that moment. Yuan leaned his head towards Kratos's ear.

'Which one?' He whispered quietly.

'What?' The Seraph replied.

'Which one will young Lloyd end up with?' Yuan expanded on his question, earning a glare from his friend.

'I don't think...'

'Just pick one, Kratos.' Yuan said, flatly.

'Yuan, I am not speculating about which girl my-'

'Fine,' Yuan said, crossing his arms, 'have it your way, you are no fun. Personally, I think it's Sheena that will be providing you with Grandchildren-'

'GRANDCHILDREN!?'

All those stood in the front yard stopped in their tracks and turned to face the disgruntled Seraph. Kratos was holding his hands in fists beside him and his eyes were wide with shock. Yuan took a tentative step backwards as a twitch of a smile appeared on his face.

'Heh...Kratos, mate. You know he's not a little child any more...'

Yuan trailed off as the rest of the group held their breath, barring Lloyd and Collette, who were still trying to work out what was going on.

Kratos took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak, before lifting his right arm and pointing a confrontational finger at Yuan. He appeared to hold his tongue as he turned away from his life-long friend, placing his hand back onto the handle of his sword.

'You're treading on thin ice, Yuan.'

Lloyd placed his hand tentatively onto the wood of the door. Collette had asked for everyone else to return to her house, leaving Lloyd to deal with Genis. Truth be told, Lloyd had never felt so nervous in his life.

He took a deep breath, and pushed the wooden door open.

The place was a mess, there was stuff everywhere. A pile of discarded weapons lay in the corner and clothes were strewn all over the floor on the part of the party. Lloyd wiped his dirty boots on the mat and took a few steps into the house. At the far end of the house were 2 small, modest beds. One sported light blue covers and lay on top of it was Genis Sage, his back to Lloyd, facing the wall. The young half-elf didn't even flinch when the door opened.

Lloyd bit his lip and stepped over the piles of clothes and bags all over the floor towards the bed. He stopped merely a metre or so away.

'Get lost, Raine,' came a croaky stutter from the bed, 'I don't want to talk to you.'

Lloyd felt a lump rise in the back of his throat, he felt guilty that Genis was in the state he was in. Scratching the back of his head, Lloyd opened his mouth to speak.

'Genis...?'

The body of the half-elf froze as his shoulders twitched. Lloyd took a step towards the bed until he was stood right beside it. He could see Genis was clutching his Kendama to his chest tightly and he had squeezed his eyes shut.

'Genis. Turn round. It's me.' Lloyd decided to be firm with his best friend, although every second he felt like running.

In one swift fluid movement, Genis rolled over onto his other shoulder, swung his right arm out aggressively as he sat up and caught Lloyd on the chin. The twin-swordsman hurlted backwards and staggered a few steps in shock. Genis just rolled back over onto his side.

'Genis?' Lloyd questioned, rubbing his chin gingerly.

'Get out.'

'You need to stop running, you know.'

Lloyd looked up from the small picture he had drawn in the soil at the sound of the voice, although he knew very well who it was. He was sat behind Genis and Raine's house near the outskirts of the town as the sun began to glow orange as it set. He shuffled along the bank he was sat on to allow his father to sit down beside him.

'You are turning into me.'

Lloyd wiped the soil over his picture with his boot and lay back on the bank, staring at the stars that were beginning to appear in the clear sky.

'You never really tend to think about the consequences of your actions if you think aren't coming back,' the swordsman mumbled, placing his hands behind his head, 'You convince yourself that you are doing the right thing, when really you are only hurting people more by leaving them behind.'

'Heh.' Kratos lay back on the bank, 'There is no right or wrong answer Lloyd, you just have to weigh up what is best. You, yourself, are not victimless in this. It's going to take everyone a while to recover, but once they have, it'll have been worth the pain. Besides, we have worlds to reunite, do we not?'

Lloyd closed his eyes and smiled.

'I guess we do.'