Me: Chapter three! Sorry last chapter wasn't that long either… -.-U I've got to make them longer. Like, ASAP. Things get a little closer to… Ah, shouldn't say. It'd be a spoiler. To tell the truth, I have no idea if that's going to happen in this chapter or the next… I'll see what I can do.
En: You scared all the muses off.
Me: Aww… Now we have no one to torment T.T
En: …Hm… What to do…
Me: …Hrm… We did DDR to our full extent… I'm bored. How 'bout you?
En: Definitely.
Me: Ok… We have to entertain the viewers, right?
En: Yeah, but-
Rayman: DOOPLISS!!!!!!! GIVE ME BACK MY SCARF!!!
Me: Ooooh, this will be fun to watch!
Doopliss: Haha! I can't believe you let your guard down!
Rayman: GRRRRRRR!!! YOU WAIT UNTIL I CATCH UP!!! I'LL KILL YOU IN WAYS YOU'VE NEVER DREAMED OF!!! (Chases Doopliss in circles)
Me and En: (Sharing popcorn)
Kratos: Would you two mind?! My son is ill! Goddess sakes!
Doopliss and Rayman: (Freeze in place) Sorry, Kratos!
Kratos: That's more like it…
Lloyd: (Cough, chough)
Kratos: …Myraku, are you actually writing one of your stories?
Me: …(Cough)
Kratos: …Don't tell me… it's a new plot?!
Me: T.T I'm sorry! I would have stopped, but it's in high demand!
En: Really. She got four reviews on the first chapter that said it was wonderful.
Kratos: …That's a record… Well… fine. Just try to finish at least one story sometime.
Me: O.O …That's it? You're not going to kill me?
Kratos: No. In fact, I'm rather impressed. I'll let you live… this time.
Me: Hrmph! Well, that's encouraging.
En: Let's just get it started. Myra owns nothing, except for all the muses on SSBM. And you, too.
-Chapter Three: Lost in Something Bigger-
Kratos ran his fingers through the hair of the sleeping child. He really is quite handsome… Kratos thought. If only his mother could see him now… The boy grunted in his sleep, disturbed by something. Kratos watched as his hand slid over his face while he turned over on his other side. The boy shivered and shook in a cold sweat as he bit his lip. Suddenly, his eyes burst wide open and he quickly pulled himself into a sitting position.
"Are you alright?" Kratos asked, a little surprised by the sudden movement.
"Ah… I- I'm fine…" The boy replied, shaking slightly. "I'll just… um… go back to sleep…" It was very late at night, as one could tell from the dimmed lights. Kratos had been doing nothing but stroking the boy's hair comfortingly all through the night. He didn't need to sleep until the week before the Oracle, since he needed to get rest once every month. And for some strange reason beyond all knowledge, that day he did sleep was always the thirteenth. But whatever the matter, the boy dropped back onto the mattress and turned on his other side to get a little more comfortable.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned. (Ever wonder when it's gonna end? XD)
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
Finally, he sat up and looked over his shoulder at Kratos. "I can't sleep…" He muttered.
"Did you have a nightmare?" Kratos asked.
"Yeah…" The boy nodded.
"…Care to tell me what it was about?" Kratos asked.
"Ok…" The boy muttered. "Well… Everything started out ok. I was looking at this huge black-ish blue thing with all of these lights on them. It was strange… yet… for some reason, I couldn't take my eyes off it. And there was this person next to me… He was much larger than I was. He pointed at the lights and told me that when they came together in a certain shape, they were called 'constellations' or something." He must be remembering the time we went star gazing together… Kratos thought. "But then… something weird happened." The boy's uncomfortable expression turned into a frown. "Someone picked me up and started running. It went on like that for a long time until who ever it was stopped. I fell out of their arms, and then I looked over at the person… Oh, now I remember! It was a woman!" The boy clasped his hands together. "Ok… So she was being held by her wrists, and then this huge green and white thing was standing over me…" Kratos really didn't need to hear this. He had the whole scene memorized, from every living creature on the ground where his wife died. "…And then he pulled something out of her chest." Unknowingly, Kratos had dozed off a little, and quickly brought his full attention back to the story. "It was round… I have no idea what it was. But anyways, she turned into a green monster-like creature, and some guy dressed in purple killed her… Wait…" The boy's eyes widened as he glanced at Kratos. The room fell into an eerie silence as he tried to comprehend what was happening. "You're…! You're that guy! And that woman… Was she…?"
"I'm so sorry…" Kratos muttered as he stared at the ground. "I didn't want to… I didn't want to kill… your mother…"
"N- No…!" The boy's eyes widened and he fell from his kneeling position to a sitting one. "You… No… You can't be serious…"
"I'm so sorry…" Kratos muttered. "She tried to kill you… She begged me to kill her, saying there was no other way."
"B- But… But why…?" The boy's eyes filled with tears. "Why couldn't you just find a way to change her back?"
"There was no way…" Kratos frowned. "If there was, I would have saved her."
"But why… Why did you do it?" He asked again. "Why did you kill her? I… Why…?"
"It's because…" Kratos gritted his teeth. He couldn't take it anymore. "IT'S BECAUSE I LOVED HER!!!" The room fell silent once again. It seemed that the only thing moving was Kratos, since he was shaking uncontrollably. Finally, the boy spoke up after long minutes of astonishment.
"You're… my Dad…?" He asked, eying the man with an unreadable expression. It looked somewhat pained, yet shocked and confused. After a while, his expression melted into a smile and he jumped out and threw his arms around the older man. "I... I can't believe you're alive! After all these years...!"
"...You're not... mad at me...?" Kratos blinked.
"Mad...?" He smiled as a joyous tear ran down his cheek. "I'm not in the least bit 'mad'... Why would I be...?"
"Because I killed her..." Kratos mumbled as he painfully put an arm on his back, as if it were sin. "I killed the one dearest to me... I thought you were dead when I saw no sign of you... I thought I was too late..."
"Don't 'thought'..." The child smiled slightly as another hot tear dripped down his face. "...'Think'. That's the past... this is now. I don't care anymore... No matter how many people you kill, no matter what kind of terrible sins you commit, you'll always be my Dad... the only person I have left..." And with that, the boy finally drifted off into a deep, peaceful slumber. Satisfied that his son was at peace, Kratos gently kissed his son's forehead. He wasn't mad at him... Everything was right again. Suddenly, he felt he didn't long for that age past by, the one which the three spent happily together... He could re-live it differently now, with no fears and no regrets. After a moment of enjoying the blissful moment that befell the two, Kratos couldn't help but snort as he heard what Noishe had to say.
Finally opening up, eh? The Protozoan attempted to raise a canine eyebrow.
"Noishe... I was wondering when you'd stop playing dumb." Kratos frowned.
That boy is a threat. Noishe growled. You shouldn't cling to him, of all people.
"Don't you dare speak another word about my son!" Kratos snapped.
I'm not doing this to try and hurt you two. Noishe frowned. I'm trying to help you. The child you hold in your arms is dangerous! Just look at his Mana, goddess sakes! Kratos observed his son's Mana, and Noishe was right about one thing; his Mana was extremely powerful and thrashed out of control.
"His Mana is unstable, I must admit." Kratos frowned. "But that is only because of the Exsphere! You do remember how Anna's Mana was as well, correct?"
She was a WOMAN, Kratos. Noishe growled. Women tend to have more Mana in them than men. And if I remember correctly, Lloyd's Mana now is tenfold what Anna's was when she FINISHED.
"You will not speak my son's name with foul intention!" Kratos roared. He'd had enough of the Protozoan.
I'll speak his name however I want. Noishe growled in reply. Then, the Protozoan's impish side got the better of him. Mmmmm... I wonder how LLOYD would taste, cooked medium rare on a nice biscuit or two...
"NOISHE!!! STOP!!!" Kratos cried as he held the child (who could apparently sleep through a lot) tighter to his chest, his heart beating fast with frustration and anger. The Protozoan merely smirked as he walked over to the boy and licked his bare ankles.
Mmmm... That tastes so good... Noishe smiled as he licked his lips.
"Please, stop!" Kratos pleaded. "I... I can't take it! NOISHE, STOP!!!"
Noishe smiled with the pleasure of Kratos' pleading urging him to do something a little more drastic. He leaned forward and gently nibbled on Lloyd's ankle, just enough to slightly penetrate the skin, nothing more. He gently lapped up the blood with his tongue, and Lloyd grimaced as if he were awake. Mmm... His blood is so... delicious... A type, I trust? The Protozoan smirked cockily. Kratos drew his sword at the Protozoan's throat, lips trembling as he spoke.
"Don't you... Don't you dare to think about doing that again." Kratos whimpered as he began to shake. Noishe looked up at him to see the blade shaking and a tear sliding down his face. Smirking at the reward of finally breaking the barrier that no one could even touch before that very day, he pressed his paw on Kratos' wrist, thus lowering the sword to the ground. And that was when he knew he had Kratos under his complete control. He decided to toy with more suggestive themes.
How about we make a deal? Noishe smirked. You can have the parts he needs to live, and I get the limbs...
"NO!!!" Kratos cried, vainly attempting to do something. To run away with Lloyd, to at least raise the sword back to Noishe's throat, at least something. Instead, he merely succeeded in pleasing Noishe even more with a second tear.
Oh, did I hurt you? Noishe asked with fake worry. I'm sure when Lloyd wakes up, he'd be more than willing to kiss it better...
"I SAID ENOUGH!!!" Kratos shouted. This time, he lost all control and fell victim to an all-out sob attack.
That is, if he still loves you... Kratos gasped. Oh, how he wished he could stop listening to that awful Protozoan... You know, he could have changed his mind by the time he wakes up... I'm sure if he did, he got his cold personality from his fa-
"That's enough." Kratos said with a stern, cold voice. The Protozoan had forgotten about the sword and had been circling the poor man, so naturally the sword was back against his throat. "When you tease me about eating him is one thing, but teasing me about his love for me is going too far."
I speak the truth. Noishe frowned. Eventually, he'll do something that will break your heart... even if it's something he didn't do himself.
"Just shut up and leave us alone..." Kratos mumbled as he held Lloyd close.
Oh, but I'm not done yet... Noishe smirked. That was just the beginning. I'm only half way through.
"No, Noishe." Kratos frowned as another tear threatened to pour from his eyes. "You've had your fun. Now leave us be."
I'm not leaving until you listen to what I have to say and get RID of that wretched child! Noishe growled.
"Never!" Kratos cried as he buried his face into Lloyd's shoulder.
Hmm... Then maybe I'll just eat him in his sleep, make it less painful... Noishe smirked.
"No! Don't!" Kratos cried as the tears yet again poured from his eyes. "Please... Please stop... It hurts so much... You have no idea... A parent's worst fear is having their child eaten by something... Did you know that...? It just... It hurts so much... Please stop..." Kratos begged over and over again, the pleadings making Noishe feel guilty with each sob that followed. He was merely playing a game... He didn't mean for it to hurt this much...
...Alright... Noishe mumbled. But I'm just going to let you know now, you're just getting yourself lost in something bigger. And with that, the Protozoan lay down at the foot of the bed, both of them feeling utter despair after the conversation that had finally ripped the heartless mercenary's barriers apart.
Me: ...(Sniff)... I hadn't expected to do that... (Sniffle) If you didn't cry when Noishe was being mean, or at least have your eyes water, or feel bad, or something, you're a heartless person!
En: (Sniffles and blows on tissue) You're such a page stretcher! (Cries)
Me: Well... No one else is awake, I'm just here to say I'M NOT DEAD!!! Doopliss just stole my memory stick XD I'll update the other stories ASAP... (Blows nose)
Me & En: WAAAAAAAAAH!!!! REVIEW!!!