Me: Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch?
The Wicked Witch!
Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead!
Lloyd: not more singing….
Me: huh? Why not? Jenova's dead!
Lloyd: that's true…but you don't have to sing.
Me: your no fun….
Lloyd: Geez, you act like a little kid sometimes.
Me: SO! What's wrong with that?!
Lloyd: nothing…I guess.
Me: Exactly so start the story!
Lloyd: (sigh) Jen Rem doesn't own ToS, FF, or Ash.
Tiamatt had finally fallen asleep after having cried most of the night, her head resting on Kratos' shoulder. The Seraph had stayed up all night, comforting the woman in his arms while also keeping watch for any monsters or other creatures that might try to attack them during the night. The world's monster population was much lower then what it once was due to the Lunar Cry that had been triggered a few days before and Kratos was left to watch as storm clouds hovered over Ozette to the north.
"Hm…strange…" He muttered as lightning bounced back and forth between the clouds before several large bolts struck the village. "Mithos…I thought you weren't going to do anything." Kratos growled, waking Tiamatt.
Tiamatt POVKratos was looking towards the north as I sat up and yawned, a confused look on his face.
"Kratos, is something wrong?" I asked, trying to trace his line of vision before he turned to look at me.
"No, it nothing. I'm sorry to have woke you." Kratos replied, shaking his head before he gave me a small-embarrassed smile.
"Don't worry about it. I shouldn't be sleeping all day anyways. After all, it is almost noon isn't it?" I asked, leaning close for a quick kiss before getting to my feet. Kratos, too, got to his feet and watched as I looked at the mounds that marked where Oblivion and Terran now lay. I felt like I was going to cry again but pushed back the tears before looking back at Kratos. "Let's go!"
"Where?" Kratos asked, stopping me as I spread my wings.
"I don't know. Somewhere, other then the mountain and here." I mumbled truthfully. Then an idea came to mind. "You still owe me dinner!"
"I do, don't I?" He smiled, standing beside me as he spread his own wings. "Then why don't we go somewhere special?"
"Special? How?" I asked, now curious as to what Kratos had in mind. There was a hint of mischief in his eyes as he smiled and leapt into the sky. "Kratos! Tell me!"
Kratos stopped and waited as I caught up with him, still hoping that he would tell me. Instead, he grabbed my hand and leaned forward, kissing me before I could ask him again. "If I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise." I blinked in surprise as he continued to smile and pulled me along after him, shocked by his sudden change. I had never seen this side of him after all. "I think you'll like it though."
Now I was really curious. I had to know where he was taking me one way or another, especially as we began to fly over the ocean, east. I noticed that we passed Junon, which still remained on its small island, and growled as I remembered the Underwater Reactor below the ocean's surface. Kratos must have noticed cause he gently squeezed my hand as we passed overhead. Soon, another city came into view but this one was one I didn't recognize. It was obviously a resort town as many people could be seen lounging on the beach. For a moment, I thought we were going to land near the city but instead we flew around the mountain in the middle of the large island to where a small forest was hidden.
"We're almost there." Kratos said as we landed outside the forest.
He smiled as he continued to hold my hand and led me through the forest. I could smell salt in the air from the nearby ocean mingled in with the scents of the forest and sighed as I took in the scents. The forest reminded me of the Sleeping Forest, my home on Earth while the sea air rekindled my love for the ocean that I had gained from my human self. Finally, we reached the edge of the forest and through the few remaining trees, I could see a small, yet wide strip of white sand. Kratos was yanked forward as I raced over the small hill and through the marsh grass that bordered the beach as I ran onto the white sand. The blue waves crashed gently on the small beach that was bordered by mangroves as the sea breeze blew through the sea grass.
"Kratos, this place is amazing!" I shouted spinning around to face him.
"So you like it here?" He asked as I looped my arms around his shoulders.
"Are you kidding me? I love it!" I reassured him, kissing him before breaking away and grabbing his hand once more. "Come on! Let's get in the water!" I tried to pull him towards the waves but the Seraph didn't move. "Kratos?"
"Tia, I'm not much for playing in the waves like you are." He admitted with a sigh. "You have fun though."
"Please Kratos!" I begged but he just shook his head and started to sit down on the sand. "You're no fun!' I pouted, pulling my hand away and turning sharply back towards the ocean. "Humph!" with that, I dropped my gear and I raced at the water, diving into an incoming wave.
"Tia…" the angel sighed as I surfaced and grinned at him, signaling at him to join me but he continued to shake his head. I saw his eyes widened suddenly as I turned only to be caught in a massive wave that rolled me off the sandy bottom.
I felt the water push me towards shore as I continued to spin but as the water receded, I was pulled out and found myself still tumbling as a current caught me. I felt like I should panic but since I was disoriented, I didn't know which direction was up, I tried to remain calm. When I finally decided I should use a transformation, I felt someone pull me from the rip tide and pull me to shore.
"Tiamatt, are you ok?" Kratos asked, now drenched after the rescue.
"Yeah, I think so." I coughed, my mouth tasting of salt water. "Thank you. Maybe I'll stay out of the water for a while."
"That may be for the best." Kratos laughed, pushing a clump of wet hair out of his eyes before sitting back down beside me. "I was scared when you didn't surface after you were hit by that wave."
"Kratos, I've survived Hojo, Meteor, Jenova, Ultimecia, Adel, Edea, Time Compression, and hell, even Mako Poisoning. I'm not going to die in a drowning incident." I laughed, leaning against his shoulder. 'Still, thanks for bringing me here." Kratos smiled, shifting his an arm so that I could lean against him more comfortably as we dried out in the afternoon sun…
"Tia…wake up." Kratos said softly, gently shaking my shoulder. "Tia."
"…What is it?" I mumbled, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. I gasped as I looked across the ocean. The sun had just hit the horizon, reflecting on the clear surface of the ocean causing a double sun illusion as the sky turned pink and orange. "It's beautiful…"
"Not as beautiful as you." Kratos whispered into my ear as he wrapped his arms around me.
I blushed at his comment and continued to watch the sun sink beneath the waves as the sky began to darken. I couldn't help but wonder what had come over the angel, who was usually calm and collected, not whispering into my ear like he was now. It reminded me of the old days, when Sephiroth was still alive. He would usually be serious and maintain the image of the hero he was said to be but when we were alone, he was an entirely different person. Still, I liked this change in Kratos and enjoyed the closeness we shared. None the less, what he said next seemed to stop the world and I could feel his nervousness as we continued to look out over the ocean and he took my hands in his.
"Tiamatt…will you marry me?" the words seemed more like part of his breath then an actually question but his nervousness was obvious as my heart seemed to stop. I couldn't believe he had asked me…to marry him…Kratos Aurion had… "Tia?"
"Y-yes!" I stuttered, finally able to answer after my mouth was open for so long. "Of course I'll marry you." I said this quietly as I turned around to face the Seraph whose auburn eyes shone brightly with love and happiness. "I love you with all my heart."
Kratos' smile brightened and all his nervousness disappeared into the night air as he pulled me close and slipped a small diamond ring on my finger. "Thank you." His lips closed gently over mine before he pulled away. "I love you too Tiamatt."
The rest of the night seemed to blur past after Kratos' proposal. We eventually went to the resort town that I learned was Altamira for a quick dinner, neither one of us eating much in our excitement though Kratos didn't have to eat in the first place. Afterwards, we returned to the beach, sitting for hours in each other's arms as we listened to the waves and the wind. What happened after that was something I knew I had longed for but not expected so soon. Which of us had initiated it was a mystery as Kratos' lips moved from my lips and down the side of my neck, triggering a feeling I couldn't ignore.
When I woke up in the morning, I could feel Kratos' body pressed against mine, his head buried in my hair as our hand were intertwined over my chest as a thin blanket protected us from the early morning chill. I watched the sun rise silently, enjoying the moment and reflecting on the events of last night where our relationship was taken further then ever before. I thanked Holy that Hojo was now dead after what had caused me to walk up in Kratos' arms on a blanket on the beach where he had proposed to me. At least now, we were safe.
"Good morning." Kratos whispered as he opened his eyes and leaned over me, kissing my cheek. I felt myself blush as I scrambled from his grasp and reached for my clothes, which had been tossed carelessly into the sand. Kratos laughed, as he saw me glance at him and blush once more as I dressed before he reached for his own clothes. "I'm sorry if that was too soon for you."
"No no. I was ready…I guess. I just well, you have to remember my mind is the combination of a human teenager and a millennia old Cetra." I muttered, dusting the sand off of my clothes, trying to hide my true embarrassment. Kratos chuckled as he clipped his cape before helping me fold the blankets, which definitely needed to be cleaned. "Everything from last night seems like a dream." I sighed finally, standing beside the angel as I looked at the ring he had given to me only last night.
"I know what you mean." Kratos admitted, sliding an arm around my waist as he looked at me with the same loved filled eyes that had watched me almost since day one. "But it's real and I want you as my wife."
'Kratos." I smiled, kissing him lightly. "I want you to promise me that you'll tell Lloyd the truth though before we get married."
"I will. I promise." Kratos nodded, looking nervous at the though of tell Lloyd that he was his father. "But what if he doesn't accept me? What if he reject me?"
"Kratos, don't worry. If that happens then I'll talk to Lloyd." I reassured my new fiancée. "And even if he is mad at you at first, if you keep working with him, you will eventually gain his acceptance."
"Thank you." He sighed, seeming relieved to have my support in the matter.
"Kratos, why don't we go back to Altamira?" I asked, "I'd like to see more of the city."
"Alright." Kratos nodded, gathering our gear before we both spread our wings. I gave a small laugh as he tried to regain his former image but after last night, I expect that was now hard for him to do.
Altamira reminded me of Costa De Sol and of Key West, the way tourist from all over seemed to flock to the tropical retreat. When I learned of the amusement park, I began to wonder if Kratos might enjoy that with me but after yesterday I wasn't sure. At least we both enjoyed simply being in each other's company.
"Tiamatt! Kratos!" Both of us turned as Lloyd and the others spotted us and tried to catch up. "You guys are alright!"
"For the most part." I nodded, scanning the group and noticing a new face with a familiar scent. I held back a growl of anger as Kratos also noticed the blonde haired boy that was now in the group. "And who are you?" The boy looked at me nervously, watching me with unease.
"This is Mithos!" Genis chirped happily. Mithos nodded, still uneasy.
"It's good to meet you Mithos." I smiled, not wanting to start a scene in the middle of the city. "I'm Tiamatt and this is my fiancée, Kratos." This sure caught the group off guard as I continued to smile and flashed the ring on my finger. Colette was the first to recover from the shock as she quickly asked for a closer look at my ring.
"It's so pretty!" The Chosen chirped happily as Lloyd looked at me in disbelief. I hoped that he didn't think that I would betray them. "I knew you two would were good for each other."
Kratos gave a slight small, glancing at me before Zelos came up beside him and punched him in the arm.
"Looks like you hit the jackpot oldman!" Zelos smirked, hanging an arm off of the Seraph's shoulder. Kratos sighed, shaking his head at the womanizer's actions and remarks. Zelos quickly backed away though as he heard a growl and looked at me. "I-I meant it was compliment!"
"Whatever Zelos!" I growled, inwardly laughing as he continued to back away.
"Where are Eria, Rith, Oblivion, and Terran?" Presea asked. I became silent, looking down at the ground as my father and Oblivion were mentioned.
"Eria returned to her own time with Rith. Oblivion and Terran…" Kratos started, pausing as I started to shake and I felt tears well up in the corners of my eyes.
"Oblivion was killed when Jenova attempted to recreate the battle in which he was originally killed and Dad…" I felt myself start to choke up. "Terran died when his soul was absorbed in Ryukinogami along with Jenova."
'Ryu what?" Lloyd asked, never having heard of the diamond sword before.
"Ryukinogami, it absorbs the soul of the enemy into the blade and then takes the wielder's soul as payment." Kratos explained as I tried to calm down.
'It sounds really powerful." Mithos muttered, sounding fairly amazed. I smiled and nodded.
"Surprisingly enough, it's because of Yggdrasil that Jenova is gone. If he hadn't reversed Time Compression and distracted Jenova, Dad would never have been able to use Ryu." I sighed. "That's one thing I must thank him for." I noticed Mithos smile slightly and nod.
"So Yggdrasil was there too?" Lloyd asked, a serious tone in his voice as he glared at me for an answer to which I only nodded before I jumped in shock as a ringing came from my pack. "What is that?"
I tore open my pack, digging for my GS that had fallen to the bottom of the bag, the ringing continuing till I finally found it. A small projection hovered over the small computer as I pulled it out. "Incoming communication? In this world?" I asked, flipping the device open to have the face of Marth Silver projected before me. Behind him I could see Nightfire trying to push Jo out of the way so he could see the screen.
"Tiamatt!" Marth yelled happily through the device as I blinked in surprise and the group behind me attempted to see what showed on my screen. "Kayla was right! You are alive!"
"What? Kayla's there?" I asked, shocked by the news that my sister had managed to find "the three stooges".
"Hey Imoto! Where are you? I thought you were going to meet us at that forest you told us about?" Kayla whined.
"Oh yeah that, well…I'm not exactly on Sylvarant anymore…." I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "So…uh yeah…I'm on Theth'Ella now."
"Where is that?" She asked, cocking her head to the side.
"It's another world, one parallel to Sylvarant. Um…" I missed my sister but knowing her, she was probably going to ask some rather…personal questions. "I gotta go. We have to go make pacts with all the summon spirits!"
Kayla frowned but nodded. "Ok. Well I hope you can come back soon so we can talk. Love ya Sis!" with that, Kayla waved good bye and the communication link was closed.
"I hate to do that to her but…" I sighed, putting the GS away. "Kayla is almost like a female version of Zelos…"
"And what is so wrong about that?" Zelos huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. I raised an eyebrow and shook my head. "I feel so unloved."
"We need to go to the Otherworldly Gate to see if Raine went there." Genis piped, drawing everyone's attention.
"Yeah," Lloyd nodded before looking at Kratos and me. "Do you want to come? I mean, Raine is your friend as well and she has Bahamut."
I looked at Kratos who nodded before giving my answer. "Sure." I noticed Mithos look at us, looking a little uncertain as we walked out of Altamira and met back up with Regal. I would have to remember to keep a close eye on him especially since he would be more suspecting of me now that I was engaged to his second in command…
Me: that was odd to write…Lloyd: I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that Kratos proposed to Tiamatt?!
Me: NO! You think! Anyways, Please read and review…