Meeting Anna

By Magewriter

Chapter 4: The Happening

Disclaimer: (almost forgot it this time) I don't own anything by Namco Studios.

…So, at this point, I really need to slow down the story. The last chapter was way too fast. It seems that getting mad was effective, and I got a lot of great comments. Thank you, everyone, for the insightful comments! They really helped!

In this chapter, Anna's going to get a baby shower and Kratos is going to be pushed out of the house because the girls are all being social and he isn't. It might get to the point where Anna has Lloyd, it might not. Who knows?

As the chapter title says, a lot happens in this chapter. Be ready for a lot of big stuff.

If you're reading this on fanfiction, you're going to see a line right below this text. If you're on DeviantART, I want you to know that there is, on my Word documents, something separating the comments from the story.

Anna had been feeling better today than she had in recent mornings, and that told her that it was going to be a good day.

Then, there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it," came a voice from the next room.

"Thanks, Kratos!"

She heard the door opening the door, then she heard a familiar voice say, "Hey, Kratos. Where's Anna?"

"Hello. I didn't expect to see any of you for awhile. She's in the kitchen."

She heard Kratos' footfalls as he was pushed aside and running footsteps heading toward her.

"Anna! Why didn't you tell us? Did you think we wouldn't find out?" It was her friends from Hima.

"I knew you'd find out, so there didn't seem to be any reason to tell you."

"Now, that's just stupid! We've come to do girl stuff before you're a mommy!"

"I am a mommy! Just look at me!"

"You're not anyone's mother until the baby's alive! Don't you want to have a fun time with your girlfriends?"

"Of course I do!"

"We brought food. And hair products, and makeup, and all sorts of skin products! We're going to look like teenagers again!"

"But, when you were a teenager, you had acne –"

"Never mind that! We're going to look great today, and we're going to act like girls for the first time in years!"

"Yay!!!"

They ended up pushing Kratos out of the house (what did I tell you?) because he was just leaning against the corner anyway. Then they did all sorts of stuff to each others' faces. They made masks, did scrubs, lotions, cleansers, etc. until their skin was soft, radiant, and beautiful. Then they did each other's hair, which took a few hours, and makeup, which took another half-hour. Then it was time for presents.

"Oh! Wow! You guys brought presents? You really shouldn't have!"

"You're going to be a mother in a couple months. We figured you'd need all the help you could get."

"Heh. Yeah, I guess so."

"Well, open it! I mean, we didn't go to all the trouble of wrapping it for nothing!"

Anna opened the gift. Inside were baby clothes and other cloth items in an assortment of sizes.

"Oh! Wow! These are adorable! I'm sure they'll look great on him." She had already expressed her idea that the baby was going to be male.

"Yeah. Won't they? We've all been working on them. And see the cute little shoes? Aren't they adorable?"

"Absolutely! Thank you all so much!"

"Really, it's nothing! We just want to help out our friend while she's having her first kid!"

"What, how many do you expect me to have?"

"I dunno. However many you want. Who knows? Maybe after you have this one, you'll never want another."

"Hehe… Yeah. He's just going to be so precious…"

Then Kratos came in.

"Am I still not allowed inside my own house? It's starting to get cold outside." Anna knew that Kratos couldn't feel cold and heat the way that normal humans could, but while he was living in the city, he put on the pretense of being a real human.

"Sure, why not? Come see what we made for Anna!"

He walked into the bedroom, which was where all the women were, and saw the assortment of clothes.

"Fine craftsmanship. Nice job."

"That's all you have to say?!"

"Don't be mean to him," Anna said, "He's just not like us. Who knows what goes through his head."

"Heh. Yeah. Men are soooo weird!"

"Heehee… Ow! Sweetness, don't kick me like that! It hurts!" Whenever she referred to "Sweetness," she meant her baby.

Kratos, who wanted the three women out of his house, took this as a cue. "It's getting late. Maybe you should all go back to Hima."

"Oh! Anna! Do you want to come to Hima for the night? You'll be treated like a queen, we promise!"

"Oh, no, I couldn't. I don't really like traveling right now… Maybe after I've had my baby. Promise you'll all come when he's born, okay?"

"We promise!" Then, because they realized that it was getting late, they started to pack up their stuff, which was strewn all around the bathroom, bedroom, and the house in general. Kratos let them take Noishe home since it wasn't particularly safe for three unarmed women to travel at night.

Then he and Anna went to sleep.

.-..-..-.

Two months later, Anna began to get worried. Her baby hadn't come yet, even though it was past her due date, and she was in a bad mood all morning anyway, so she began to get a little depressed, no matter what Kratos said to her.

Then, two and a half weeks after he was due, her baby decided to come out.

Kratos left to get the healer.

"Okay, Anna! It's okay! Don't worry! You're going to be fine. It might take awhile, but it's going to be okay." The healer continued to talk like that for most of the time that Anna was in labor, with a relatively soft voice and kind words, while Kratos held Anna's hand. It was the only time in their entire relationship that Anna had ever said mean things to him. After about an hour, the baby (it was a boy) was completely outside of Anna. The healer quickly washed it, then Kratos gave her a blanket to wrap it in, one of the things that the girls from Hima had given them. Then it was given to Anna to hold, and she coddled it like no one else in the world could.

"Kratos, look at him. He's so sweet. Do you want to hold him?"

"Of course." Kratos was happy. He was completely satisfied with his life exactly the way it was. Something in the very back of his mind told him that this kind of happiness could only lead to despair, but he was able to completely ignore it.

"Let's name him Lloyd."

"What? You just had him. You don't even know what he's like!"

"I've had him inside of me for over nine months! I know his personality!"

"Well, I need to get to know him. Let's wait a few days. Then we'll name him."

"I know you'll agree with me. He's a Lloyd."

"I know you'll get mad at me if I argue with you. I have no doubt that the name will be fine for his personality, but I don't want to commit to a name before I know my son."

"Okay. Oh! Healer-san, (I know there must be a Japanese word that is one level below "doctor," and this is what Anna would have called the healer) what do we owe you for helping us today?"

"Eh. I'll figure it out later. Whatever you see fit. I know you well enough that I trust you."

"Thank you so much for helping me today!"

"It was nothing. He's soooooooo cute!" Kratos then handed his child back to Anna so that the women could flirt with him. "Hello, luvvy! Aren't you adorable!"

Then the baby started to cry.

"Oh! Anna! I think he's hungry."

"Okay. Um, Kratos, would you turn around for a minute? The whole mothering thing is new to me."

"Of course."

So Anna fed her baby, then the women went into the next room and Anna changed into a loose shirt and a skirt, which worked better for that sort of thing.

If Kratos were a social person, he would have sent Noishe to Hima to tell the women there that Anna had delivered her son and both were perfectly healthy. But Kratos was not a social person and he didn't want women to take over his house for the second time in three months. Plus, he could tell that Anna was tired.

"Oh! Look at you! You're so adorable, yes you are! Yes you are! Aw, look! He's blowing spit bubbles!"

Kratos hoped, from the deepest chamber of his metaphorical heart, that his life would always be this simple, with his wife and their child and their friends.

And for the first time in two thousand years, he felt human.

"Kratos! Have you sent Noishe out?"

"No."

"But I promised my friends I'd tell them when I had my baby!"

"Are you really sure you want all that excitement?"

"You'd be amazed how the mood changes when there's a baby in the room. In two seconds, they'll be in here fawning over him. As long as you stay out of their way, they shouldn't kick you out of the house again."

"Shouldn't?"

"As in, I'll yell at them if they try to."

So, it turned out that Anna forced Kratos to send a message to the Hima women, and when they came into the room they managed to completely ignore Kratos even though he was sitting right next to Anna.

Then Anna said her arm was tired and passed her son to Kratos.

"Oh! Hey! Kratos is here! Hi, Kratos!"

"I've been here this entire time."

"Yeah, but we're all focused on the cute little newborn."

"…"

"Isn't he adorable???"

Kratos smiled. Not an Anna smile that was open and showed every feeling she had, even ones that she wasn't currently processing, but a Kratos-type half-smile that showed agreement and some happiness.

"I swear, Anna! I don't know what you see in him! He doesn't process emotions the way people are supposed to! He produced one heckuva cute kid, though."

"Heh… I don't know, either. It's more just… We get along in a certain way. It's not something I can quite place. Do you know why you love me, Kratos?"

Kratos slung his arm around her shoulder and smiled again, which basically meant that they weren't going to get a word out of him. He got a round of giggles from the Hima women and a bright, happy smile (complete with hug) from Anna.

The women from Hima had to leave within the hour, which made Kratos very happy, then Anna fell asleep with Lloyd in her arms.

Then, reality came crashing back into Kratos' mind.

He thought it a shame that they would have to become travelers within the year. If things got too bad, Kratos might even end up taking Anna to Tethe'alla. There were no Desians in Tethe'alla and they would be able to live relatively peaceful lives if they went to live in a big city like Meltokio or… Well, Meltokio. That was where he'd feel safest.

He was going to wake up Anna to tell her, but somehow, he couldn't bring himself to do it. She looked so… peaceful. And she was holding his son.

And Kratos realized at once the gravity of the situation, the seriousness of being in love.

If Anna were killed because of him, he would never be able to forgive himself.

And he was becoming human.

.-..-..-.

Anna didn't wake up until the morning. She slept like a log, so Kratos had taken care of Lloyd the entire night.

He now knew that the name Lloyd really did work.

"Lloyd! Oh, Kratos, give him to me. I'll bet he's hungry."

"Most likely." He handed Lloyd to Anna, who positioned him under her shirt.

"Yeah, sweetness… Mommy's here. No need to worry, luvvy…"

Kratos realized that Anna would be a wonderful mother. She was sweet, flexible, and yet she had times when she could be threatening.

"Anna, there's something that I think we should talk about."

"What? What's wrong?"

"Well, having a child changes everything."

"I know! We'll have to completely rearrange our lives!"

"…No. It isn't just that. It's also… Well, Anna, you know that, as one of the Four Seraphim, I can't technically be married. We had a ceremony and everything, but you remember the rites Yuan came up with, don't you?"

"Hehe… yeah."

"Well, there's also the issue of Mithos. Mithos is determined. He doesn't know that we're living together. For all he knows, I'm living in the mountains of Tethe'alla herding sheep. If he were to find out, it would be dangerous for all three of us. The only real option is to either move to Meltokio in Tethe'alla or become travelers permanently."

"Tethe'… Tethe'alla?! You mean, leave all my friends behind and go to live in the other world?!"

"Yes."

"I would wander Sylvarant for the rest of my life with you. But I can't leave here! I know people in this world! Tethe'alla is… From what you've told me, it's advanced beyond belief… I wouldn't fit in there!"

"Neither would I. But, we would be safe in Meltokio."

"You don't fit in anywhere, anyway. But, what will we do about Lloyd? He's still an infant!"

"We have approximately a year before Mithos learns of this. When he does, we have to be ready. There will be a raid on Luin and all of the cities by the Desians the day Mithos learns of us. We have to be out of the city by the time they come here."

"How will we know?"

"I'll talk to Yuan. We have access to Tethe'allan magitechnology. He'll tell me and we can be outside the city by the time the Desians come into view."

"What about everyone else?"

"They probably wouldn't believe us. People seldom believe what is correct. Instead, they believe what they want to believe. They'll think we're crazy."

"We should at least give them the opportunity!"

"No. We can't let Mithos find out."

"Where would we go, though?"

"I know where. I can't tell you now, but I can tell you that Yuan runs it and it's entirely safe."

"Then why can't we stay there?"

"I owe Yuan a lot. There's a certain bond between all of the Seraphim."

"Wait… I think I've figured out who you all are. There's you, Mithos, and Yuan… But then who's the fourth?"

"That should be easy to figure out."

"Martel… But Martel's dead!"

"No, not really. Her original body is dead, but her spirit still exists. Didn't I tell you? Mithos preserved her exsphere in a selfish attempt to save his sister. Martel's spirit has taken a semi-physical form inside of the Tower of Salvation."

"Oh… That's… weird."

"Yes, but that's how it is. If you would like to question any of that, you can talk to Yuan."

"But… How do we do that? We have a baby now, Kratos! We can't just pack up and leave everything behind!"

"We may have to. It isn't really an option."

"Oh, Kratos… Could you try to feel like I do? Please? Just for me? I've just met the love of my life, and now I have a child and everything is wonderful, and now you're telling me that we're all in mortal danger! Not just me, but you and Lloyd!" Her voice was beginning to gain that stony edge that meant she was going to be stubborn an a little bit cross.

"I can assure you that, if we play our cards right, Mithos will never catch us. If things become too drastic, you can live in Yuan's Tethe'allan base and I'll tell Mithos that you're dead. If he asks me about Lloyd, I'll tell him that I gave him to a family in Palmacosta or somewhere. We'll still be able to see each other sometimes and Mithos' suspicions will end."

"But I don't want that! Can't you see? I want to live out my days in my own house, with my friends nearby, with you and Lloyd and everyone who's made my life so wonderful! And I want to stay in the Church of Martel because now I believe even more in Martel's love that I did before Yuan read me the book! But most of all, I want to see my son grow up in a peaceful house where he can be a little kid and won't have to run away his whole life!"

"Anna, we may not be able to afford that."

"Why not? Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"Anna… You have to understand. I'm very confused right now. I'm beginning to feel things that… Well, I haven't felt these things in two thousand years… I think. I might sound like I know what's going to happen, but… I don't, Anna. I have no idea what's going to happen to us. I've been so closed off from the rest of the world for so long… and now the emotions are all coming back to me…"

"Kratos… I'm so sorry. I didn't realize… Now that I think about it, I guess you have. I've seen you smiling and worrying the same way I would. And I'm willing to help you get through this. But, Kratos, Lloyd is my son. He means the world to me. And, I think that you feel the same way. So, don't get sad or angry or confused… Be grateful for the time that we have together, living a normal life. And if anything happens and Mithos finds out about us, we can deal with that when it happens. Part of being human is not thinking everything out. You never know when something is going to come into your life and change everything. So, don't think a year ahead if it's just going to make you more confused; try to think about now. We have a beautiful house in Luin, a steady income, a beautiful child, and we have each other."

"Anna, I know that you're trying to cheer me up. It isn't going to work. Whatever you say… Whatever you do… I'm not human. I can never be human. I'm an Angel of Cruxis; nothing can change that."

"…But you were human once. And it's happening again. It may sound selfish, but I think I did it. You started to be human again when you realized you were in love with me. And, I'm sure that in your mind, love is a weakness. But, if you act human, it isn't. Mortality means that you have to live in the moment or drown in what you think the future will be like. So start living now, Kratos. Don't live in the future. Give everything up into a single moment and just let things happen."

He stood up. "You don't understand. You can never understand. You're too human." And he walked into the next room.

There was a line above this part, too, in case you're reading this on DeviantART.

So, now we come to the ultimate conflict: mortality versus immortality. Kratos' lack of emotion, I think, comes not only from having lived for two thousand years, but also from being able to see things that are happening in the present from the point of view of the future. For example, if right now he's in love, he only sees how much he's going to lose later. But Anna is living so sincerely in the present that she can't see beyond what's happening now. So, it's basically the two extremes.

Some people might think of that last part as an argument. But I don't. Neither party is mad, they're just trying to make the other understand their perspective. When Kratos goes into the other room, he isn't doing it because he's angry, and although he may sound cold, I think he's frustrated with himself for being so weak. It's like, he's been strong before, he ought to be now. But, it's different now, because he's in love. Love is one of the strongest emotions, and no one quite knows if it's positive or negative because, although it feels positive, it makes the bearer more open to sadness.

This is all starting to sound really philosophical, so I want my readers to know: I don't plan this. This is the stuff that I type out spontaneously with only a general idea of where it's going.

Wow, this is a lot of comments.