LUCKY NUMBAH SEVEN! n.n SKLEE!
Colette: Um... Freakyanimegal owns nothing?
Me: SCREW THE RULES I HAVE MONEY!
Colette: ...Um...what?
Me: Sorry, I've gotten really into abridged series on youtube..n.n'
Colette:...Okay-?
Me: Shut up, Mokuba!
Colette: Who is Mokuba...?
Me: Me loveth Little Kuriboh...X3 Sklee!
Colette:...Um...right...enjoy...?
Discoveries and Fangirl Attacks
"That's quite 'o story..." Dirk mused, stroking his beard.
"Yeah...but it doesn't really matter," Lloyd said, "...w-well, okay I guess it does, but right now we need to know what's
wrong with Colette, not me...do you know anything about it?"
The dwarf shook his head.
"Even if Cruxis Crystal are an evolved form 'o exspheres, I still don' know the first thing about 'em," he said, "it'd be a
better idea to ask a dwarf o'er in that Tethe'alla place.."
"Oh..." Lloyd trailed.
"I'm sorry I couldn' be 'o more help...why don' ya all stay here for the night? Rest yerselves, it's the least I can do,"
"I most politely decline," Kratos stated.
With that he turned and left.
"H-hey! Wait-!"
Lloyd followed the Seraph outside, the remnants in the room looking between each other nervously...
"Da Kratos fella..." Dirk said, "...'es older than he looks, ain't he?"
"...Well..." Raine trailed.
"E's Lloyd's real father, ain't he?"
Silence fell again.
"...That's the only explanation I could come up with..." Raine admitted.
"W-what?" Genis stammered.
"Lloyd looks jist like 'em now...even 'afore he did," Dirk stated.
No one could seem to think of what to say to that.
"Wait! Kratos!" Lloyd stopped him. "Are you really going back to Cruxis?!"
"I am an angel of Cruxis,"
"Then why didn't you heed Yggdrasill's orders, to leave the tree alone?!"
"...I have my reasons, that's all," Kratos stated.
"...Kratos...I..."
Kratos slowly turned to face Lloyd.
"...We're related, aren't we?"
"..." Kratos fidgeted.
"...I...it's just...we look a lot alike...and you've always been looking out for me..." Lloyd muttered, "...it just...makes sense."
"..."
"...Grr...DAMMIT, Kratos! I'm not THAT stupid! I KNOW we're related! Now stop being an ass and tell me, for the last mana-
forsaken time, who the HELL are you!?" Lloyd roared.
"...If you want to save the chosen look up the records of the Kharlan War,"
"Stop changing the subject-!"
"Remember the Unicorn's words at Lake Ulmacy,"
"Kratos-!!"
Lloyd was cut off when a small object was tossed toward him, the red-clad swordsman snatching it up in his hand. It was
round, made of a rather beautiful bronze-like material, it appeared to be a locket...
"Your answer is in there," he stated.
"..."
Slowly Lloyd looked between the angel and the locket...and then slowly opened it. His brown eyes went wide at the picture
that met his gaze, the picture of a woman that felt familiar but he couldn't remember, Kratos at her side, and the two of
them smiling at a little boy that looked exactly like him.
"...Th...this is..." Lloyd trailed.
"..." Kratos looked away.
"You're my-!?"
The Seraph was gone.
"..." Lloyd choked on his last word.
"...Lloyd?" Colette slowly came outside. "...Are you all right?"
Lloyd looked at her, then back at the locket...then snapped it shut and ran into the woods.
"W-what-?! Lloyd-! Lloyd what's wrong!?"
"KRATOS!" Lloyd shouted. "Where did you go-!? Kratos-!!"
There was only a feather left...a blue feather...
"...Damn...mother fucking...bastard..." Lloyd growled, gritting his teeth together, "that...bastard..."
After a minute of cursing Kratos under his breath, slowly he pocketed the feather and headed back, his eyes never once
leaving the picture inside the locket until he returned to his home.
"Oh Lloyd!" Colette cried. "I was worried when you ran off like that!"
Standing beside the blond was a very, very green looking ninja...
"Th-that's-!? He's-!? You mean-!?"
"I just told you, Sheena! Mr. Lartan was really Lloyd!"
"B-but- he- I- so-? He-? I-?" Sheena stammered.
"Uh..." Lloyd trailed.
"...Oh- oh my g-!!"
Sheena turned bright red, then a green tint before she ran over and threw up in the bushes. Zelos, however, found this
entire scenario beyond amusing as he was laughing his rear off.
"AHAHAHAH! Aw, what's wrong, hunny? Did you have a widdle cwushy-wushy on Woydie-Roydie-?"
SMACK!
"OW-! SON OF A-!"
Lloyd, however, was paying almost no attention to this seeing as he had drifted over to his mother's grave, still holding the
locket open in his hand. Kratos was his...? But he couldn't...who was he kidding? Yes he could be, it was obvious, wasn't it?
It was too obvious...
"...I'm a freaking idiot," Lloyd said to the grave in a hushed voice, "...Mom...how did I not get it?"
He shook a bit, his fingers closing tightly over the locket.
"Mom...I..."
His words died in his throat and Lloyd slid onto his knees, clutching the locket tightly as his face went downcast. He was an
idiot...how did he not notice?! How the HELL didn't he get it before now?! His father was right there, the whole time! THE
WHOLE TIME! No wonder he thought his face was nostalgic when he first looked into that mirror in Meltokio! It was Kratos'
face that was nagging at him! Kratos' face-! HIS face-!! Gah! He was such an IDIOT!!
"Lloyd..."
Lloyd turned, anger in his face as he prepared to snap at whoever had approached him... Then stopped when he saw his
adoptive father, Dirk.
"...Didya git yer answer?"
"...Dad..." Lloyd trailed, "..I..."
The dwarf looked at the locket clutched in his hand.
"...Ah, I see..." Dirk said.
"...He's not my father," Lloyd stated.
"...Lloyd, o' course he is, ya look jist-"
"No! He's not my father! You're my father!" Lloyd said. "You're the one who raised me! You're the one who took care of me!
You're the one who loved me! You're my father, not that back-stabbing lying-!"
"Ah, baloney!" Dirk said. "Ya can't honestly believe he don' love ya?!"
"But-!"
Dirk lightly whacked Lloyd upside the head.
"Yar an idiot, boy! He gave ya that locket, didn' he?! The fac' he even kep' it proves he loves ya!"
"...But..."
"...I'm yah father too, o' course, an' I'll always be here ta watch out fer ya sorry hide," he smiled weakly, "but yah can' just
toss yer real Dad outta yer life jist because yer scared to admit what he is."
"..." Lloyd frowned.
Dirk chuckled.
"What? What's so funny?"
"Yer face,"
"...Dad-" Lloyd said blandly.
"No, I mean really!" the dwarf said. "It's weird ta see ya THIKIN' an' all..."
"...Dad..." Lloyd sighed.
"The point is," Dirk said, "...don' shut 'em out of your life jist because yer frustrated, okay?"
"...Okay, Dad..." Lloyd nodded.
Dirk tilted his head to the side.
"...What?"
"Nothin' it's jist...I always imagined whut you'd look like when ya grew up,"
"...Uhm..." Lloyd rubbed the back of his neck.
"Nevermind me, though," he laughed, "...I'll have dinner ready in a bit."
"...D-"
"It'll all work out," the dwarf grinned, "Dwarven Vow Number Ninety-Three?"
"...Everything happens for a reason," Lloyd smiled.
"Good boy!" Dirk laughed.
With that the grinning dwarf walked off back into the house, Lloyd looking after him with a smile on his face. He looked
down at the locket again, his eyes locked on Kratos' smiling face... He had never seen Kratos smile... Slowly his own smile
grew wider. Maybe...if he ever saw Kratos smile, maybe it'd be easier to think of him as his father... After all...from the looks
of it he had gotten his mother's grin, but his smile looked as if it came from someone else...
"...Um...Lloyd?" a voice said.
"Huh? Ah..sorry, Colette, I'm fine," he nodded, "but I'm more worried about you..."
"...Let's rest for the night first, we can think of what to do in the morning...it's been a long day,"
"...All right..." Lloyd nodded.
"...Did...Kratos give you that?" she pointed at the locket.
"...Yeah,"
"...Oh..."
"...Colette, could you do something for me?"
"What? What is it?" she blinked.
Slowly Lloyd showed her the picture, the blond went wide-eyed a bit and then slowly smiled.
"Oh..." she started.
"Who do I smile more like?" Lloyd asked.
"What? Um..." she frowned, looking at the picture, "...wow..."
"Him, huh?" Lloyd sighed.
"W-well-!!" she stammered.
"It's okay," Lloyd smiled, "thanks."
"...Heheheh..." she gigled.
"Well, here we are..."
"You think Altessa will know what's going on with Colette?" Lloyd asked.
"Well, he's our only shot, right?" Zelos asked.
Lloyd nodded, looking toward the wooden door in the side of the mountain that lead to the dwarf's abode. He sincerely
hoped that he would be able to help Colette, yet he dreaded walking inside. The swordsman had had enough awkward
introductions or re-introductions already... Luckily for him, his friends took notice of this, seeing as they hadn't stopped
staring at him since word got out about the locket Lloyd now hung around his neck. Raine was of course satisfied that she
had been correct in her suspicions, though she worried for her student's emotional state... Sheena, however, wasn't happy
in the least about either revelation, seeing as Zelos kept bringing up the crush she had on 'Lartan' and making jokes about
her ending up as Kratos' daughter-in-law. He, of course, was the only one who found it funny.
"...Hey, you can wait out here if you want," Genis looked up at him.
"Indeed, you've been through enough as it is," Regal nodded.
"...Are you sure that's okay?" Lloyd asked.
"Of course it is," Colette smiled, "we'll be okay, okay?"
"...All right..." he nodded.
His friends nodded and walked inside, leaving the age-confused male to himself. Lloyd sighed and found himself popping
open the locket again, looking at what was once his family... He found himself fidgeting with his hair again, it was bothering
him how it wouldn't get back to its original position, leaving him still resembling his angelic father to some extent. ...He did
look a lot like Kratos now...if he ever got to age normally again, would he still end up looking like this? Lloyd groaned and
rubbed his forehead. He had been trying not to think about his age, but seriously...how could he not? Then again...if he
could turn back anyway...would he really want to-? He flinched. Woah, where had that come from!?
"..." he bit his lip.
Then again...as much as he hated to admit it he was exceptionally stronger like this... He was almost on even terms with
Kratos, wouldn't that help a lot for taking down Cruxis? Yeah...it would... Okay, so maybe this was a good thing for now,
right? Afterward he could change back, once Cruxis had been stopped...provided he found a way to change back at all.
...Wait, what if he couldn't? What would he do after all this if he couldn't? ...He...well, after this he wanted to find and
destroy all the exspheres, so...okay, that'd be fine. It was just after that...his friends...even if they knew it was him now
they still were a little...uncomfortable with it. Hell, he was, but... The swordsman sighed and rubbed his forehead, he could
think about this later...
"Hey, Lloyd!"
He closed the locket and turned his attention to Genis, who had exited the home with the rest of his friends...and a blond
half-elf by the name of Mithos. Lloyd fidgeted, uncomfortable with having to have another awkward re-introduction. Raine
noted this and spoke.
"It's all right," she said, "Mithos said he may be able to help us, we already explained."
"O-oh..." Lloyd laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.
"That's really Lloyd?" Mithos asked.
Of course, he knew it, the dual swordsman looked too much like his spiky-haired father to mistake them. The Cruxis
leader's eyes narrowed on the man before him, this could be a problem...
"Altessa believes Colette has something called Chronic Angelus Crystallus Inofficium,"
Lloyd twitched a bit as his teacher made the statement.
"Mithos thinks there should be some stuff in Sybak," Genis stated, "so he's coming along."
"Oh, okay then," Lloyd smiled.
No one seemed to notice the blond's eyes locked on him. ...And what was with that locket? He didn't think Lloyd was the
type for jewelry...well, no matter, it was none of his business about that. The more important matter was making sure the
all too prevalent problem was fixed before he suffered any losses...
So it was about an hour later in Sybak, the group had decided they needed to see the Royal Archives in order to find the
cure for Colette. Nobody mentioned Kratos, seeing as Lloyd had told them he had said to look up the Ancient War in the
first place, but everyone was still rather wary to mention the Seraph's name around Lloyd. Mithos picked up on the tension
though. The manipulator spoke up.
"Hey...why are you all so quiet?" he asked.
"Nothing," Lloyd said, "...it's just someone told us to look up the Ancient War so.."
"...Ah,"
That's it. It had to be Kratos. Wait, no...he couldn't be sure yet, he had to wait until Pronyma caught him in the act, then he
could...exert some energy.
"Well, let's go," Lloyd said, "we're gonna have to go to Meltokio, right?"
"We're outlaws," Raine stated, "we're going to have to find a way in..."
"I'm sure we'll manage something," Zelos said.
"Yeah, okay then...we'll drop Mithos off at Altessa's-"
"No, I can go back on my own,"
"Huh? Are you sure?" Genis asked.
"I'll be fine," Mithos smiled, "take care, I'll see you later."
With that he left. After all...he had business to take care of regarding Lloyd...
"Well...right, let's go!" Lloyd said.
Everyone stopped and looked at him.
"...What?" he asked.
Genis smiled, "Nothing...it's just been a while since you've done that, you know?"
"...Heh heh..." he rubbed the back of his neck, "yeah...I'm sorry."
"That's okay, we understand," Colette smiled.
"...Thanks," Lloyd smiled softly.
Sheena blushed brightly and then groaned. Lloyd, of all people...oh man...
"So off to Meltokio my hunnies!"
Everyone ignored him and walked off.
"Hey!"
"Wait," Raine said as they neared the gates.
"Huh? What is it?" Lloyd asked.
"Lloyd, you got in here before right?" she asked. "Through the front gates, I assume?"
"Well...yeah," he nodded, "...They didn't recognize me."
"Hm...I see..." Regal stated.
"What? See what?" Lloyd blinked.
"Would you mind going ahead to wait for us at the sewer exit? It wouldn't hurt to have someone keeping an eye out for
guards at the other end," Raine stated, "we didn't have that luxury before."
"I agree, it would be a wise decision," Regal nodded.
"Huh-? Are you sure-?" Lloyd started.
"Oh, what, you think we can't last without you?" Zelos rolled his eyes.
"We'll be okay, Lloyd," Colette smiled.
"...All right," Lloyd nodded, "I'll meet you inside."
The swordsman walked up to the gates and the guards greeted him as he walked by, though he was once again lost in
thought. That had been another thing on his mind, though he had been putting it off seeing as discovering the identity of
his father and Colette's new illness took priority. However...he looked at his exsphere. It was some kind of Cruxis Crystal?
That explained the wings and all...though...why didn't it do the other stuff? Didn't angels have better hearing and stuff? He
didn't think his senses had gotten much better... Then again, with his body changing like it had, maybe it did while he was
sleeping and he didn't notice it? Wait, no, that didn't make sense...did it? Oh well, he had to get to the sewer exit. He
found it relatively quickly and sat on a bench a few feet away from the drains to look around the area with his brown
eyes... There didn't seem to be much anyone around...good. Now all he had to do was wait for the others to get here...
"..." Lloyd sighed, "what a week..."
Unfortunately, he had forgotten one important fact...
He was a celebrity.
"OH! LOOK! LOOK! IT'S LARTAN ALBANE!"
Lloyd dismissed it for a moment before he realized that had been his alias.
"Uh-oh-" he jolted to his feet, looking in the direction it had come from.
"SKYA!"
The brunette would forever wonder how it was that that many women could appear from nowhere and completely
surround a warrior who had survived and defeat many ambusher with the intent to kill. However, intent to kill had nothing
on 'intent to kiss'...or several other things of that nature he was unaware of. The point was, his fanclub was on him.
"Lartaaaaaannn!"
"M-ma'am, I-" he stammered, attempting to back away from one.
"Can I have your autograph!?" another one cried.
"N-no-" Lloyd stammered.
"Can I have a lock of your hair?!"
"What-?!" he stared.
"Hey look! He's got a locket!"
"Ooooh! How sweet! He IS the sensitive type!"
"L-ladies-!" he blushed, attempting to get away.
"Will you go out with me?!"
"I-"
"Can you sign my hat?!"
"Can you sign my-"
"WOAH!" Lloyd shook his head, jolting away. "No! Please-!"
"Aw! He's so cute when he's embarrassed!" a girl clung to his arm.
"H-hey-! Let go-"
"I want to hug Master Lartan too!" another girl took his other arm.
"M-master Lar-?!" he stammered.
"But Master Lartaaaaaaaan!" the women all said in unison, puppy-eying. "We love yooooouuuuu!"
Lloyd's eye twitched.
"Look, I'm sorry but-"
"Lloyd-?!"
Lloyd looked up, seeing his friends had just climbed out of the ground.
"Lloyd?" one woman turned to them. "Who's 'Lloyd'?"
"Um...I mean..." Genis trailed.
Everyone was in a bit of a daze, Colette looked as if she was in her soulless state again, Presea tilted her head to the side
in mild amusement, Regal had an eyebrow raised whereas Sheena scoffed, Raine shook her head and Genis look to be
traumatized. Zelos, of course, was an entirely different matter considering...
"HEY! Woah woah woah!" he said. "Time out! What's the meaning of this?!"
"Oh! It's Master Zelos!" half the women cried.
"It is, but Master Lartan's right here!" one said.
"Master LARTAN!?" Zelos roared, red in the face.
"Uh...Heh...heh...?" Lloyd laughed nervously.
"WHY YOU-!"
"They came to me! Honest!" Lloyd cried. "I didn't-!"
"Shush, Master Lartan! It's all right! We won't let him try to take us from you!"
"But I-!!" Lloyd cried.
"My hunnies!" Zelos cried dramatically. "Don't you LOVE me?!"
There was some silence.
"...Well?!"
"You're hot and all, Master Zelos, but...you're wanted," one woman said.
"Yeah! That and Master Lartan is so much manlier than you!"
Apparently, that did it.
"WHAT?! LLOY-! LARTAN! I'M GOING TO GUT YOU ALIVE!!"
"Zelos I-!!" Lloyd stammered.
"We won't let you hurt Master Lartan!"
"Yeah!"
"But-" Zelos started.
"GET HIM!"
It was then that the group was left alone staring as Zelos ran for his life from a hoard of angered groupies. The rest of
their merry band stood there stunned as the sight went down...before Lloyd snapped to his senses and ran off with the
others in tow, to lose the groupies.
"Shouldn't we be trying to help Zelos?" Colette asked.
"He'll catch up!" Genis said from beside her.
"I hate this city!" Lloyd cried.
So after much running they found themselves in the upper plaza, most of them out of breath.
"...So..." Lloyd coughed, "..um-"
"Lloyd! I can't believe you would do something like that!" Raine huffed.
"But I didn't, honestly! They started after me on their own! Last time I was here they were chasing me through the whole
damn city- ...what?" he stopped, blinking.
See, most of them were glaring at him now.
"..." Sheena twitched, "you're...just as bad as Zelos, aren't you?"
"Huh-?! Hey! It's not my fault!" Lloyd cried.
"It has to be," Raine stated, "Kratos looks a lot like you but we don't see women chasing him."
"That's because he'd kill them," Genis said.
"...He's got a point," Sheena admitted.
"Uh...Guys?" Colette pointed.
Lloyd had gotten depressed at his father's name.
"Uh...a-anyway, we should tell you what happened in the sewers," Colette smiled.
"We avenged Alicia," Presea stated.
"You did?" Lloyd smiled. "That's great!"
"We also found out why the King's been sick," Raine stated, "he's been poisoned by the Pope."
Lloyd gasped.
"The-? How'd I know it had something to do with him?: The scuzball.." he growled.
"We're going to-"
"Hey, look, it's Zelos," Genis said.
They all turned as a beaten and battered red-head crawled up to them, inching his way along as a result of the multitude
of wounds muttering stuff about 'crazed chicks' and 'barely escaping with his life'. Strangely enough, everyone just stood
and watched until he got close to them, managed to lift up his head and glared death at Lloyd.
"I...hate...you..." he choked before plopping his head back on the concrete.
Sheena wouldn't stop laughing.
XD! ...Really, I like Zelos, honestly.
Colette: That was mean! :'(
Me: Get used to it, Colette, this is how I roll. XD And yes, I actually do like Zelos, but God forgive me it's too much fun
to torture him...
Colette: Um...review?