Well.... I told Sage of Spirits I'd do it so...here it is? n.n' This is going to be another one of my shorter ones (hopefully) but I do hope you'll

enjoy it all the same. n.n

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

I just finished 'Growth Spurt', TODAY, and here I go again...-_-'...Sigh...

Colette: That's okay! n.n

Me: You're back? O.o

Colette: ...Is that okay?

Me:...Fine, you're an amusing enough muse.

Colette: That sounded funny! n.n

Me:...I'm using Raine next time...though I think I already did...

"Kratos, I trust you have no objections?"

Kratos attempted to say something, but no words found their way out from his being. Lloyd lay in heap before him, directly before the path of

the magic his boss was about to send hurling at the already gravely injured young male. Objections? Of course he had objections! His only son,

his child, his baby was laying (as he had so ironically put it) at death's door. He couldn't stay quiet, he couldn't just stand here! What was he

doing!? He had to object, he had to protest, he had to beg, threaten...whatever it took. He had to do whatever it took to save his son-

"Farewell,"

Kratos saw the magic leave from Yggdrasill's fingertips.

Heading right for his son.

For his son.

His son.

NO!

Using his mana, Kratos quickly warped right before Lloyd, taking the devastating hit to his back.

"Kratos-!"

The look on Yggdrasill's face was a twisted one, curled in rage and betrayal. How dare he! How dare that foolish human get in his way?! That

was enough to even kill Kratos! If he died...the seal...!

"...Kr...?"

Lloyd's eyes barely fluttered open in time to see Kratos on his knees before him, his breathing harsh and choppy as blood began to seep from

his mouth and ears. The teen gaped in shock as the Seraph's lips slowly curled into a smile while he panted, his eyes glinting.

"You're all right..." he whispered.

Then he collapsed forward onto Lloyd's shoulders.

"K-kratos-!!" Lloyd gaped. "Kratos-!? Why-!? What-!?"

"You STUPID human-!!" Yggdrasill shouted.

Just then several fireballs came hurling at the blond megalomaniac, causing him to leap back. Renegades ran in and grabbed the chosen, her

companions, and headed for the wounded Lloyd. Mithos would have none of that. They had their hands on the Chosen, so be it, but if the

father was gone, or near gone, he WOULD have the son. He warped before the Aurion pair and blasted the oncoming Renegades, giving a

snort before glancing behind him at Lloyd as he tried to get a response from the fallen warrior. Lloyd looked up and locked his brown eyes with

Yggdrasill's cold green ones, feeling as if ice was trickling down his spine.

"You got lucky," Mithos hissed.

There was a flash of light when Lloyd found himself on the cold stone floor of Welgaia, gaping like an idiot at the sight of 'Heaven' and its

soulless inhabitants right before he too lost consciousness.

Yggdrasill snarled as he read the bio-stats, glancing at the screen before glaring back at the unresponsive Kratos that lay in a large machine of

sorts that was covered with a dome, warm green healing light coursing through it and glowing faintly in the room.

"Report!" he snapped at an angel underling.

"Lord Kratos' body is failing, Lord Yggdrasill," it stated, its eyes blank and voice monotone, "Ninety-nine percent chance of his death in the next

few hours."

Mithos swore and resisted the urge to blast something. Damn it all! He needed Kratos alive! If he wasn't then Origin's seal would falter...he

couldn't allow that! But if the finest healing magic and techniques available in EXISTENCE were not going to help, what could he possibly do? He

glanced at the half-dead Kratos again and snarled. No good. If Kratos' mana was released-

Wait.

"...Heh...heheheh..."

A wicked smirk rapidly grew into a grin on the tyrant's face.

"What about the boy Lloyd?" he asked.

"The human is stable and will recover, Lord Yggdrasill,"

If Kratos' MANA was released the seal would break...

Now see, here was the funny thing about mana... Mana was the essence of something as well as the constructive bits. For example, if Kratos

did die his bodily mana would be gone, however...this was where a delicious loophole had kicked in. The 'essence' mana would best be

described as someone's...well, essence, the soul if you will. Like an astral body, how Martel still 'lived' in the great seed. She was still aware,

her mind was alive, but her body was dead. If there was nothing he could do to prevent the loss of Kratos' bodily mana, so be it. However...if

the essence mana was still intact, it would be enough to keep the seal intact, though granted it would be weaker. In order to keep the

essence mana...it would need a host, just like his sister did. Unluckily, there was only one other person that could possibly be close enough to

Kratos' bodily mana signature to harbor his essence; Luckily, that person was an unconscious brunette boy resting in another contraption but

feet from him.

"...Execute a mana transfer," he smirked, "now."

"Between who, my Lord?"

"Kratos Aurion to Lloyd Irv-"

He stopped and eyed Lloyd again.

"Lloyd Aurion,"

"As you wish, Lord Yggdrasill,"

The half-elf smirked.

Excellent. Now he just had to hope for the best.

Kratos grimaced, feeling his eyelids twitch. Slowly he managed to open his eyes and look out above him. Blurs of green, blues and purples filled

his vision before they came into focus...a green glow, glass around him, purple outside... Derris-Kharlan. He was in a health resuscitator in

Derris-Kharlan. ...Wait! Where was Lloyd-!?

"Can you hear me, Kratos?"

He directed his attention to the side to see Mithos looking down at him.

"Nod once if you can hear me, Kratos,"

Kratos glared at him a minute before he nodded briskly.

"Do you want to know where your son is?"

His glare intensified before he nodded again.

"...Release him," Mithos smirked.

The green light around him dimmed before the glass slid off to the side, allowing him to sit upright.

"What did you do to Ll-!? ..."

Kratos stopped when he realized something was very wrong. One, his voice didn't usually sound like that, and two...behind Mithos in yet

another machine was...him...self...? Kratos' eyes went wide as he processed the sight. He...was laying over there? But...

"That was foolish of you to take that attack," Mithos snorted, crossing his arms, "look what you've gone and done to your body. You're lucky I

was able to complete that mana transfer..."

Mana transfer...? B-but...wait, if he had done a mana transfer...and his body was over there... That must mean he was in someone else's body.

But if he was in somebody else's body...impossible! The only person he could possibly be compatible with was-

...Lloyd.

"I see you've realized it,"

Kratos quickly looked down at himself. Red. He was wearing all red, his hands were gloved in red, his boots were red, suspenders crossed a

red shirt. Oh no...

Lloyd!

"What did you do!?" Kratos shouted. "Why did you do this?!"

"No need to get upset-"

"What did you do to my son!? Where did you put him if I'm-!?"

"In there with you, I'd imagine," Yggdrasill glared, "we didn't have time to remove his soul, so he should be...sharing. Though I doubt he'll have

any control..."

"You... You-!" Kratos snarled. "I didn't want this! What made you think I would want to take his freedom!?"

"I was afraid you'd react like this," Mithos sighed, "it makes this...difficult."

"I-" Kratos started.

"Listen, you are my Origin seal, I won't allow you to perish," he glared, "this was my only option. You will just have to make due with his body

until yours is healed."

"And what if I refuse to stay in here?" Kratos glared.

"Then I'll put you back in your own body and kill the boy,"

The Seraph jolted.

"You will do as I say, and you will continue to serve me," Yggdrasill hissed, "or I will kill your precious little baby boy, understood? I know you'd

put up a fight, but we all know you wouldn't be able to get out of it without severely injuring Lloyd's body."

Kratos gritted his teeth but remained silent. Mithos would do it, he knew he would. He couldn't risk doing anything that would anger him, or

else Lloyd would be the one to suffer...

"Do we have an understanding?" Mithos smirked.

"...Yes," Kratos said in defeat.

"Good, you can go back to your quarters, I'll have some suitable clothing sent and we'll have to activate the exsphere," the half-elf said as his

eyes went to Lloyd's left hand.

Kratos covered it.

"You want to make him an angel!?" he hissed.

"What other choice do I have?"

"No, I won't allow you to do that to him-"

"Do you have a choice?"

Kratos stopped, unable to summon the words to speak.

"...You will make him an angel, you will use him, or I will kill him," Mithos glared, "understood?"

A long silence reigned.

"...Understood,"

"Good, now get going, I'll send for you later,"

Kratos closed his eyes in defeat and slid off of the table, walking toward the door while trying not to clench Lloyd's fists. That slimy, conniving,

TWISTED little half-elf! What could he possibly be thinking!? This was nothing but another problem...a big one. He looked at Lloyd's hand as he

headed through Welgaia. Lloyd...he wanted to save him, not enslave him-

Wha...?

Kratos stopped, having heard the word inside his mind.

"..."

What the...? Why can't I...?

The Seraph paled and then braced himself, knowing what was coming.

Wh-what?! Why can't I move-!? Where am I!? What's going on!?

"Lloyd..." Kratos said slowly.

WHAT THE HELL!? Did-?! Who the hell are you!? How are you controlling me!?

"..." Kratos choked, "I..."

What's going on!? Who are you?! Where am I!? WHAT THE HELL IS-!?

"Calm down and I'll explain-"

You expect me to CALM DOWN!? What's your problem-!?

"This is Kratos, we're on Derris-Kharlan, Yggdrasill put me in your body,"

Silence.

Say WHAT?!

"After the tower of salvation-"

You MOTHER-FUCKER!!!

Kratos visibly flinched as the world around him faded away and he found himself facing Lloyd...as....Lloyd. The surroundings weren't

exactly..actually, they were hard to describe. It was...nothing. Not black or white, it was...nothing. Then suddenly Welgaia sprang up around

them...but nothing was moving. The already usually soulless beings were motionless, the ramps and half-opened doors stopping in their

positions. Lloyd gasped.

"What the hell just-?!"

Kratos stared at him and quickly looked down at himself...and looked just like Lloyd.

"I...you!" Lloyd pointed at him. "What's going on-!? Why-!?"

"As of what's going on this second, I would say I'm not quite sure," Kratos stated, "as for the rest of it...as I said, after the Tower of Salvation

Yggdrasill put me in your body."

Lloyd gaped at him.

"The...the tower... Wait! Where are my friends?! Where's Colette?!"

"I don't know," Kratos admitted.

"You don't-!? YOU DON'T KNOW!?"

Lloyd grabbed...'himself' by the collar.

"You know where they are, don't lie to me! You back-stabbing two-faced-!!"

He stopped abruptly, seeing as a thought had just struck him.

"...You...saved me..." he whispered slowly, not blinking.

"..." Kratos stared back at him.

"...In the Tower you...you saved me..."

Lloyd's expression slowly turned into one of frustration and anger, his grip tightening.

"Why did you-!? Why did you save me!?"

"...I..."

And then, just as suddenly as it had happened, the world blacked out...before it sprang back to life. ...Or, what was 'life' for Welgaia. Kratos

was alone again and he looked around, shocked. The world was going on about its business again...but where had-?

Woah, okay, now that was weird.

Kratos gave a brief sigh of relief.

Why did you just sigh like that?

"I didn't," Kratos said.

Yes you did! Because I did! I felt it! It's my body!

"...You can still feel?"

Yeah-...wait...okay, move your arm- my arm- the arm!

Slowly Kratos moved 'his' arm up and to the side.

Woah...I can feel it. It...it feels like I'm moving but...but I'm not. It's not listening to me, but when you moved I can feel it... It feels like I'm doing it,

but I'm not...it's...so weird...

"...We'll talk more in a minute,"

Kratos headed straight for his quarters, ignoring Lloyd's rapid questions, accusations and protests all the while. Once he entered the building

which served as his 'home' he closed the door and let out a loud, exasperated sigh. Still ignoring Lloyd's voice he made a beeline for his room,

laying down onto the mattress with yet another sigh.

What is this place? Do you live here?

Kratos nodded.

...Why is everyone-?

"Angels? Why are they all angels? ...It's Welgaia, the capital of Derris-Kharlan...Cruxis' main base."

Those are angels? ...But they're all...so...dead.

He nodded again.

...Why am I your new body again?

"...Mine was damaged and Yggdrasill apparently thought it would be a good idea to put me in you," he muttered.

Why the hell would he use me, then?!

"..."

...You like not telling me anything, don't you? Figures, traitor wouldn't bother with it...

Kratos winced, feeling as if he had been stabbed.

...I...I'm sorry.

The Seraph's eyes widened.

"Excuse me?"

...You...you felt really hurt by that just now, didn't you? ...You...felt REALLY bad...

"...Don't pay any attention to it,"

...Kratos, what's...? Why did you save me?

"..."

Okay, fine, don't tell me.

"...Lloyd, I'm afraid I'm going to have to use you for a while," Kratos sighed, "I-"

And what about after that? What if you go back to your own body?

Kratos stopped. Oh no...he hadn't thought about that... Yggdrasill wouldn't kill him, right? No, he wouldn't let him...but then what would he do

to him? He felt a distinct sinking feeling as he realized what had happened: Lloyd was trapped. Even if he got his own body back, Mithos would

never leave him alone after that...

He had gotten his son trapped in Cruxis.

...Hey, are you okay?

Okay? No, of course he wasn't okay...

There was a knock on the door.

"...Come in," Kratos said using Lloyd's voice.

An angel drone floated in, a bundle of some sort in its arms.

"Lord Yggdrasill ordered I deliver these," it said, placed it on a shelf, then left.

...Okay, now that was just freaking creepy.

Kratos sighed again.

...What is it?

Kratos walked over and picked up the bundle of...clothing?

"...This must be what he meant,"

Clothes?

"Yggdrasill wouldn't approve if I served him wearing what you do," Kratos explained.

Huh-? Wait- EW! No! No way! You are not changing me! That is sick! Sick!

"Believe me, I'm rather uncomfortable with this situation as well..." he spat, face dark.

No! NO NO NO! You are not taking my clothes off! And your certainly not making me wear- wear whatever that is! ...What is it anyway? Some kind of

Cruxis uniform or something...?

The white material resembled a style in Meltokio known as 'Nobleman', if Kratos' memory served correctly, though there were some minor

alterations in the form of gold insignia works up and down the sleeves and pantlegs, and the addition of one or two more belts. Not nearly as

many as Kratos' usual Cruxis-garb, but enough to see a relation.

...Spiffy, Lloyd said.

"Hmph, well...unless we want to anger Yggdrasill-"

You are NOT going to-!

"Think about it, how long will that work? Your body is going to have to relieve itself eventually, and then of course there is the matter of

bathing..." Kratos grimaced.

EW-!

"It won't work, look...I'm about as happy as this as you are," he sighed, "but if it makes you feel any better I will do any such actions as quickly

as possible so as not to bother you."

...I hate you.

He sighed for the fiftieth time that minute.

"I'll be quick..."

So after a rapid change of clothes (and more grumbles of discontent remarks from Lloyd) Kratos turned to the full length mirror to see how

Lloyd looked in such apparel.

"..."

Surprisingly, the clothing seemed to suit him very well... Strange.

...This sucks, I don't want to wear some damn Cruxis thing...

"...You look good in it though,"

Well yeah, I do, but- Hey!

"It was a compliment,"

Yeah yeah, whatever, just don't be going flirting with people in my body!

"Trust me, that isn't likely to happen,"

It was then that the door opened and Yggdrasill strutted in with two angel underlings.

"Hm, I see they fit, good," he said.

Kratos glared at his former student, doing is best not to snap out a curse of some sort.

That's the guy who-! The BASTARD! I want to-! But I...DAMMIT!

"Is he giving you any resistance?" Yggdrasill asked.

"...Lord Yggdrasill, when I'm returned to my own body, what-?"

"What will we do with Lloyd? Not kill him, if that's what you're worried about," Mithos shrugged nonchalantly, "depending on circumstances, we

may just lock him up here..."

"But-" Kratos started.

"I see where this is going, fine then..." Mithos frowned, "I'll make you a deal, as long as you do not give me any difficulty through out this whole

thing, I'll release Lloyd as soon as you're returned to your own body, are we at an understanding?"

"...You promise you'll let him go?" Kratos said.

"I'll give him the freedom to go anywhere he wants," Yggdrasill said.

"...All right then," Kratos said slowly.

...I don't like this...

"Good, now..." he took a small object from an angel, "let's get on with this, shall we?"

Get on with this? Get on with what? What is that thing?

"Remove the key crest," Yggdrasill pointed at the exsphere on Lloyd's hand.

"What-? But-" Kratos started.

"Are you going back on your word already, Kratos? I may not be able to guarantee Lloyd's freedom if this keeps up..."

"..."

Kratos hastily removed the key crest, Yggdrasill taking it and attaching the object to the exsphere. The object was in fact, another key crest,

but a rather unusual looking one.

"Now re-attach it to your hand," he hissed, handing it back.

Kratos flinched and Lloyd scowled in spirit as the Seraph took the crystal back, looking at the strange key-crest that was serving as the mount.

It had a intricate, almost insignia-like pattern to it with some parts stretching out from the center, giving it a shape similar to Colette's Cruxis

crystal.

...Wait, what are you doing? What is that going to do? What's going on?

Kratos swallowed in an attempt not sigh in defeat, holding the exsphere over the bare back of Lloyd's hand. It hovered there, centimeters

above the skin while Kratos desperately tried to think of a way out of this. He couldn't take Lloyd's humanity, he couldn't condemn him to the so

called 'life' of an angel...but...

But it was either that, or any chance of a life at all would be taken from him.

What are you-!?

Kratos placed the crystal on his hand.

What the-?! AAAAARRRGGGHHH!

Kratos did his best not to shout long with Lloyd as he fell onto the ground, his heart beating frantically withing his chest. His head was

pounding, his heart was thumping, his eardrums were beating against the outside of his skull and his back...His back-!

"GAH!" Kratos finally let out a sound of pain.

He hit the cold stone floor and Yggdrasill smirked in satisfaction.

"That will do," he nodded, "you can rest for the rest of the day. I'll expect you tomorrow."

With that, the Cruxis leader and his minions simply left the Aurion to stagger back onto his feet, panting. He glanced over his shoulder and his

eyes widened.

What the HELL did you do to me?!

The wings were beautiful. Bird-like, almost, like an eagle, but still bearing the mana-sculpted structure as Kratos' own wings glimmering with a

beautiful emerald and sapphire hue. Rather large, actually, now that he thought about it. Small enough where they wouldn't be a hindrance in

battle, but large enough to look imposing and dare he say it...divine.

W-wings-?! How did you-!? Huh-!?

"Your exsphere was called the 'angelus' project for a reason," Kratos said.

Say WHAT-!? You mean I- my exsphere would've made me grow wings?!

Kratos nodded.

"Eventually, yes," he admitted, "this just sped up the process..."

I...Wait. If you...what are you going to be doing, using me?

"..."

...Dammit, answer me!

"I don't know,"

Wha-!? W-well fine then, then tell me why you saved me, at least.

"..."

...Tell me, you've already- there's nothing else you can take from me, so-

"I didn't want you to die," Kratos answered simply.

...But why? That doesn't...why would you care?

"...I have my reasons," he said softly.

You're hiding something.

"Yes, but I also hid the fact I was a Cruxis Seraph, and you never figured it out so I don't have need to worry."

I hate you.

"...I know," Kratos said slowly.

And with the things Yggdrasill was likely to order him to do, Lloyd was bound to hate him even more. ...Though...he couldn't be cruel enough to

do something...like that, would he?

...Are you okay? You feel...scared

Oh dear mother of mana...yes, he was cruel enough to do that.

He was.

...Kratos...?

Back in Mithos' 'throne room' of sorts, he cackled as he thought out his plan. Maybe this was a good thing, if it all played in his favor not only

would he have Kratos under his thumb, but the boy as well. Oh, he would give Lloyd a choice like he said he would...but once he had 'Lloyd'

break the hearts of his friends, there was little chance the boy would have the heart to go back.

Perfect.

Evil? What makes you think I'm evil? D:

Colette:...T.T...

Me: ...Merry Christmas? Now, I need a candycane-

Colette: But you just had-

Me: CANDYCANE! NOW! (Runs off to get candycane)

Colette: (Sigh)...Merry Christmas, and please review! n.n'