a thing; w/ ruinsprofessor & conductingresistance

[simulsimul]

universe list
canon
breached
confessed
dadly
future
grigori
mercenary
MEover
origin
reversal
titans


scenario list
canon: Kratos needs to stop running off
confessed: wing reflex
confessed: actual wingpull
confessed: turning Renegade
confessed: son meets father
dadliness: confrontation
dadliness: awakening
dadliness: illness
dadliness: a fundamental lack of understanding on the word 'abducted'
dadliness: updating parameters
dadliness: assassination assignation
mercenary: hiding in the library
mercenary: aftermath of librarian saviour
reversal: oracle destroyed
titans: storming the tower
titans: safety in the canyon
titans: night horrors


canon
- combo of Kratos and Zelos ending
- Zelos does the stupid thing, but not so far as his death, and is still the eighth member of the party to Derris-Kharlan.

scenarios
scenario one: Yuan tracks Kratos down at Dirk's.


breached
- canon right up until after Botta’s death
- no one uses Yuan’s name around Mithos so Mithos walks right into the Triet base with them
- cue an epic OH SHIT in which Yuan gets a lil bit beat up while covering the evacuation of the rest of the base
- until Kratos appears to intervene and have the Chosen group get Yuan out of there
- Mithos gets Kratos tho and he’s a bit mad cos, yanno, traitor and all
- time to be locked up and punished and need to be rescued
- kind of puts a crimp in the creation of the Eternal Ring plans
- mostly cos Mithos turns Kratos lifeless, with some armour to regulate his mana so he remains a seraph. can't have the seal becoming less powerful, yo
- it does mean he can only obey orders tho
- the first rescue fails miserably but at least no one dies and they know they need to reforge his key-crest
- the second rescue attempt (circumstances of canon-point under percolation) goes a little better, though Yuan almost gets killed by Kratos trying to attach the key-crest
- luckily that and the first telepathy in a while gets through and Kratos manages to break out a la Colette, and heal Yuan enough for Raine to get there
- after which, angreh father-son beatdown on Mithos.

scenarios
None yet.


confessed
- almost successful assassination lands Kratos as an injured stranger in Iselia (1-2 years pre-canon)
- recuperation leads to accidental-on-purpose 'holiday' in Iselia
- doubts result in a request for Dirk to make a key-crest like Kratos' own
- oracle room undergoes some stealth sabotage
- regeneration journey is slightly delayed, prompted by Genis and Lloyd being discovered at the ranch
- Triet is awkward. so very awkward. for the Renegades -- whose side is Kratos even on these days and why was he vanished for two years?
- initial overall journey similar to canon, save that Kratos is a bit less circumspect about advising Colette on how to cope with angel transformations
- there are more overt Dun Wanna Feelings
- then Luin, wherein things happen and the group is in town during the Desian attack. the others naturally want to fight but tis a mite difficult against an army and building-destroying magitech. luckily, angel on their side. unluckily, wingpulls in order to muster the power to cover the townspeoples' retreat
- questions and confessions ensue
- Colette rejects the key crest (for the moment) so there's still hopefully maybe ambiguity about Kratos's position re the last seal
- it wouldn't fit anyway, it's modelled for the hand like Kratos's is because he was a derp and did not specify otherwise, so Lloyd needs to make a thing to make it fit
- slow protective retreat toward Asgard.

scenarios
scenario one: Kratos confesses before Salvation; Raine wants to follow up.
scenario two: Raine's examination of an angel; and also Kratos realises how far he's put his foot in it.
scenario three: Kratos goes to taunt Yuan a little, and also ask for his help.
scenario four: in which Raine makes Kratos tell the children all the things, and Yuan takes too much amusement from it.


dadliness
- Kratos retires in Iselia under the name Irving to raise Lloyd after the death of his wife
- no exsphere. ageing occurs! so does a beard and a braid
- teaches Lloyd swordplay, but on the sly, to avoid the other villagers noticing. his daytime job is weaving
- Lloyd finds the box of their exspheres and wants details. after some prodding by Dirk, Kratos explains how exspheres are made and that one is Anna's life. Lloyd is too young yet, but when Lloyd comes of age (~15) Kratos lets him make his own decision re wearing it
- Lloyd chooses not to wear the exsphere
- Genis befriends Marble and Lloyd meets her, as in canon; this happens before the journey begins, with the fallout
- difference being that Colette is still in the village so they can't be too horrible, so they just demand Lloyd be turned over for a flogging
- Kratos stands in his stead because natch. luckily, they're only mooks and don't recognise the bearded weaver as anyone important
- gives Lloyd his guilt complex early tho
- the oracle happens much the same way except Botta doesn't quite recognise the weirdly familiar bearded swordsman
- he does when he's reporting to Yuan tho
      'there was an exceptionally skilled human'
      /brief physical description/
      /did x other faintly recognizable thing/
      and both he and Yuan are aware that Kratos has been awol for a while, so there's a moment of pure silence and dawning 'no, it couldn't be'
- but then obviously one of them has to go make sure
- cue an interruption just out of Triet.

scenarios
scenario one: Yuan feels the need to investigate; this results in Kratos injured and abducted.
scenario two: Yuan realises he can't kill Kratos with his own two hands; Kratos gets mothered.
scenario three: Kratos gets sick on the heels of his recovery. Yuan mothers him some more. Botta disapproves.
scenario four: Kratos recovers and makes an escape attempt. Sort-of.
scenario five: Kratos recovers more and talks to Botta, when not needling Yuan about his lack of preparedness.
scenario six: Sheena's contract takes a slight shift into undercover instead of assassination work.


future
- Aselia is Earth ~10,000 years in the past
- all is peachy-keen except the tree is now underground and the elvens/half-elves/some humans are in hiding in the centre of the planet, hidden thanks to the summon spirits
- Colette is working with humanitarian aid in various impoverished nations
- Zelos is a diplomat in West Asia / Middle East trying to keep the peace
- Yuan is a crotchety lecturer at Cambridge who's also HUGE into environmentalism
- Lloyd and Kratos are having family time in space
- occasionally the trio on Earth meet reincarnations of people they used to know
- but rarely at the same time and almost never in a position where they meet
- but then they start meeting them
- lots of them
- all in the same span of years
- they're starting to think something's hinky
- until the space-elves attack
- and then they know something is hinky.


scenarios
None yet.


grigori
- at some point significantly before canon, Kratos actually calls it quits
- the Church's institution calls him a fallen angel of vengeance
- really he's just going around trying to help people and avoiding being taken back to Cruxis
- assigns himself to the Chosen parties whenever he can, up to Colette
- ????? idk some kind of profit somewhere

scenarios
None yet.


mercenary
- when Yuan visits Kratos at the beach when Lloyd is 3 months old, he does not manage to escape before Anna and Lloyd return
- accidental attachment to this kidlet who likes pulling his hair
- three years later, Yuan can't stand to hold back while Kratos fights Kvar, so he throws caution to the wind to help
- Anna is still killed but they rescue Lloyd and Noishe and both are branded as traitors
- Lloyd is raised as a Renegade with Dad, Uncle Yuan and the extremely reticent Uncle Botta (how dare)
- meanwhile in Tethe'alla Yuan infiltrates the castle as the library archivist
- stays out of sight, mostly, but has a good ear around the politics thanks to recruiting Princess Hilda
- also happens to stumble on Zelos hiding in the library right after his mother's death
- look he's got a 'nephew' he can't just do nothing (even if all he meant was to recommend a book)
- unwittingly accidentally 'adopts' the Tethe'allan Chosen by virtue of being the only one who doesn't treat him like the Chosen
- sometimes Kratos brings Lloyd to visit and basically they're all separate pairs of exasperated bros
- by canon Lloyd and Kratos are wandering mercenaries, helping people on the sly while gathering intel to send back to the Renegades
- Yuan and Zelos are actively building resistance to the Church using inside knowledge
- the ninja are all Renegades
- Colette is escorted by Raine and by the priests
- yes the 'chain up the Chosen and drag her to every seal if necessary' priests
- she meets Lloyd randomly in Triet but Lloyd doesn't know her as the Chosen. they're a bit out of touch on the Journey of Regen timeline
- stuff happens and they keep missing each other up until Palmacosta, which is a warzone between the Desians (and Dorr as their figurehead) and the Renegades (with Neil as their leader)
- Colette wants to help; priests say no
- out come the chains
- Raine objects, but she has no exsphere so what can she do
- btw Genis got caught in the Iselian ranch and tossed in as a traitor to be made a host
- he gets sent to the Palmacosta ranch
- right after Neil manages to take the city, after Colette and Raine leave it, Botta takes the Palmacosta ranch and rescues Genis, among others
- Genis becomes his little shadow and is much preferable to Lloyd, in Botta's opinion
- Lloyd and Kratos are still trying to catch up to Colette to rescue her when they drop by
- Genis hears what they're trying to do and insists on coming along.


scenarios
scenario one: in which Yuan accidentally adopts a Chosen instead of a book from a library.
scenario two: in which Yuan is accidentally-deliberately adopted by the Meltokio Castle Knights.


MEover
- Mass Effect crossover someplace in the realm of 15,000 years after TOS canon
- except started before then, cos elves are really from Feros, planet of the cranky telepathic plant
- got decimated by the protheans trying to assimilate them into their empire
- elves objected, got killed a lot, fled Feros and got stuck in Aselia's orbit
- kinda forgot a few things but planted a seed from the Ferosian mother plant on Aselia
- Origin hasn't forgotten tho, kinda has a grudge against grumblegrumbleprotheansgrumble
- the entirety of TOS happened, and then some
- Kratos, Yuan, Lloyd, Colette and Zelos are the only ones left, but tis okay, they have each other
- somethingsomething natural space disaster, Aselia is destroyed but they manage to move Yggdrasill onto Derris-Kharlan and do a quarian by becoming a roaming ship
- mana is a variant of eezo lbr
- Derris-Kharlan's too big to use the mass relays, but c'mon it generates its own mass effect field so they develop tech to do hops on their own
- they're in no hurry tho, i mean lbr primarily angelic, elf and half-elf population
- so they're just bumming around their local clusters doing thorough investigations on all the things
- so much eezo on their ship
- so much
- suddenly the Normandy running from a reapers comes along to hide behind them
- reapers start shooting
- everyone on Derris-Kharlan objects
- JUDGEMENT IN SPACE
- so much profit and judging of reapers.


scenarios
None yet.


origin
- Kratos tells Lloyd the dad thing in Triet
- dad and son feelings ensue
- they culminate at the Tower of Salvation in Kratos stabbing Yggdrasill in the back
- unfortunately he does not quite die but impales Kratos against a wall and goes berserk on the Chosen party to the point of Yuan stepping in to help
- that is, by threatening to stab Kratos in the back while he's vulnerable (with Kratos's permission)
- Yggdrasill calls his bluff and fails, and Yuan does the thing
- while Yggdrasill is distracted the Chosen's group nail him but good and he retreats
- luckily while heart-stabbing happened, Kratos's cruxis crystal is still intact, and between Raine's healing and Yuan's mana transfusion he survives long enough to be taken to the Triet base and a refresher
- stuff happens in some fashion or other up until opening Origin's seal
- as it turns out, the mana tranfusion has fused the lock, so to speak, and Kratos can't unlock the seal even voluntarily
- only way to get Origin out at this point is to let him fuse with Kratos, so Kratos becomes Origin
- stipulation of this: Kratos refuses to let go of his humanity
- luckily Yuan already has a literal bond with him thanks to the mana transfusion, so with him as his summoner Kratos can keep his humanity, and only use Origin's powers when Yuan summons them
- commitment like woah for a literal eternity
- but hey, they messed up but good and it's the only way they can reunite the worlds.

scenarios
none yet.


reversal
~ 2000 years in, Kratos and Yuan conspire to kill Mithos and succeed, sorta
- he's stuck inside his exsphere, possessing people
- but he manages to survive and while Kratos and Yuan claim Derris-Kharlan for their base, he takes most of the angels as 'fallen', as well as the Eternal Sword
- most of his bases are hidden behind dimensional slips created by the sword - Iselia included
- Origin refuses to trust either Kratos or Yuan with the job, anyhow, and they don't have a summoner
- instead they're forced to fight Cruxis, embroiling the worlds in an angelic war between Cruxis and the new organisation of Chayim
- the Chosen bloodlines are more important to Cruxis than Chayim, but Mithos seals the seals so only the Chosen bloodline can flip the mana switch. Kratos and Yuan need someone to do that until they can reunite them, so the Journey remains an institution, just without compulsory death at the end
- there is angelification tho, if only so Chayim gets more soldiers and so the Chosen can defend themselves against Cruxis
- Kratos sends Anna and Lloyd to Iselia, because even though enemy territory, it's the safest place there is for them
- Anna get word to Kratos that the Desians are using Iselia as a long-term cruxis crystal cultivation location, and that the sword is held there
- her spy succeeds but is intercepted, and Mithos locks down the dimensional slip to prevent exit and access by angels for ~15 years
- Lloyd grows up in a town with a heavy half-elf population and believing he's training to help the good guys
- he has his own cruxis crystal as a host, but doesn't tell his mother due to the faith-based propaganda encouraging hosts not to bring it up or risk the powers not taking
- he wants to help though, so he steals a key-crest to ensure he can fight
- Yuan and Kratos plan to assault the town and shrine but Mithos uses the sword to interrupt travel between worlds, keeping Yuan in Tethe'alla and forcing Kratos to attack Iselia alone.

scenarios
scenario one: Iselia is attacked by Chayim to claim the sword, with the sword already gone


titans
- Yggdrasill captures Kratos before Kvar finds Anna and Lloyd, but after Kratos makes an Eternal Ring
- Yuan figures hell no and raises the Renegades to try and take Derris-Kharlan, rescue Kratos and solve the split-world problem
- the attack fails. a lot.
- Renegades are wiped out, Kratos is still in Cruxis's hands, but Yuan manages to escape with the Eternal Ring
- Cruxis follows him to Triet base, which gets destroyed and the few remaining Renegades scatter
- Botta is still around tho, helping out how he can
- mostly Yuan just goes searching for Lloyd and Anna
- doesn't manage to find them before Kvar does tho, and Kratos hears from Yggdrasill that they're dead
- this is slightly inaccurate, cos Lloyd still winds up rescued by Dirk in Iselia
- where Yuan eventually finds him, not knowing that he's 'supposed' to be dead
- so Yuan settles in Iselia for a bit to watch Lloyd and the Chosen
- cuts and dyes his hair, the whole shebang
- learns how to carpentry, invents a new use of magic lightning and light can totally become a laserbeam amirite
- winds up being Genis's role model just because scholar and magic-user and half-elf who can pass but also takes no shit from people
- is one of Colette's companions on the Journey when it starts
- he's been challenging their understanding of the Church's institution this whole time lbr
- Sheena is still a thing because the ninja have taken over the Tethe'allan base, which has survived, somewhat
- a grilling ensues
- sometime just after the Asgard Ranch Yuan does have to drop the bombshell
- about how the Journey is just a front, he and his bestie are angels, btw his bestie is Lloyd's dad
- how they're out to topple the institution of religion
- forget sacrificing Colette for the Regeneration, when they get to the seal they can do that without anyone dying
- and then move straight on to rescuing Kratos in Derris-Kharlan
- then they get to the Tower and realise Yggdrasill has Kratos under a Prometheusesque punishment a la 'impaled on the Eternal Sword to suffer the Seed's pain and watch the Chosen get murdered'
- luckily this does not happen, as they manage to rescue him and escape Yggdrasill instead, barely
- retreat to Botta's hiding-place in Asgard so Kratos can recover
- and also find out that Lloyd is actually alive
- the Chosen group goes around to make as many pacts as they can while in Sylvarant
- they get up to Aska when Yggdrasill sends his angels to attack Asgard
- cue Yuan and Kratos being unstoppable battle gods together


scenarios
scenario one: in which Yuan leads the Chosen's party to the Tower of Salvation to dismantle all the traditions ever, and find Kratos waiting for them in serious need of a rescue.
scenario two: in which being in safety reveals that Kratos is not precisely unscathed, but he's doing his best.
scenario three: in which Kratos is emphatically not okay, but with Yuan's help, could be.

Comments

[choiced]

[Nethan stares at Yuan.] Your nephew...?

[It's not that he hasn't considered half-elves having families before, but how does the boy know the Chosen? Why is he human? ... How did he just wriggle out of Nethan's grip like a tiny, slippery fish?

Zelos, meanwhile, gets to his feet, shaking his head.] Oh, sure. Nothing to be worried about, tackling the great Chosen One right in the middle of a whole bunch of guards. [Many of whom are paying very close attention to what's going on right now.] You're lucky Nethan's the one who caught you. Where's -- Kratos!

[Nethan looks both lost and suspicious at once. For now, Zelos is ignoring that.]

Hey, Kratos, did you know you just missed your son nearly dying?

[conductingresistance]

[It is not the best excuse Yuan has come up with; but he's called Kratos his brother on this side before, and now it's too late to change his mind. Even if a half-elf with a human half-brother of his age is mathematically impossible.]

[Perhaps no one will question it.]

[Yuan sighs, and almost reluctantly wraps his arms briefly around Lloyd in return. He's used to hugs from Lloyd being a thing that happens to him.]

Tackling someone others are meant to protect isn't polite when they don't know you.

[This is what has become of him. Lecturing Kratos's son on manners.]

[When Lloyd lets him go he turns just enough so he can nod a greeting to Kratos.]

[simulsimul]

Why? It's not like we're in danger; we're in a castle full of guards!

[This is directed at both Yuan and Zelos as Lloyd peels away from Yuan, still smiling. He goes to steal a proper hug from Zelos, now that he isn't being yanked away. Kratos, meanwhile, only chuckles as he gets closer, nodding back to Yuan and stopping in the circle, entirely relaxed despite the attention of a courtyard full of armed guards.]

If you're telling me neither of you would have been fast enough to stop that from happening, then I'll have to call your training into question.

[choiced]

[Does it count as stealing a proper hug when Zelos gives it away?]

I said nearly dying. [This with the minor grumble of someone whose skill was just called into question, never mind that it was called rightly into question -- Zelos isn't nearly as fast as Yuan is.] How did you bring him all the way here without telling him anything?

[Like how tackling the Chosen is a bad idea.]

Chosen. [Nethan's lost the de-thaw he acquired in recent years where Yuan is concerned.] What is this?

They're family. Lloyd's a little... [Zelos lifts one hand off Lloyd and points to his head.] He doesn't really understand how things work here. Don't worry, I'll teach him.

[conductingresistance]

[Yuan hopes Kratos appreciates the position they're in. It would have been nice to know you were coming. He could have defended Lloyd, certainly, but Nethan isn't a genuine threat. He gives Yuan leeway. Or did, Yuan considers, eying Nethan's changed demeanor. The guard seems somewhat less pleased. Perhaps he's been pushed a little too far.]

I wasn't expecting a visit.

[This to Nethan, in addition to the previous not-quite-apology, as a sort of explanation.]

Lloyd, the guards don't know you. For all they know, you might be a threat.

[How else can he make Lloyd understand? Kratos's son seems singularly unconcerned. Yuan wishes he could be surprised by that.]

[simulsimul]

[Lloyd wanted it to be a surprise. And where Lloyd is concerned, Kratos has shown himself willing to be impractical, especially when it means seeing that beaming smile even more regularly than usual. Kratos isn't worried, not even about this guard he's heard so much about.

[Lloyd looks up in time to see Zelos's motion, and pulls back indignantly.]

Hey! I am not! I --

[He blinks at Yuan, his objection handily cut off by this revolutionary piece of advice.]

What, a threat to Zelos? That's dumb. Zelos is amazing; who'd want to be a threat to him? Why would anyone even think it?

[And this is why Kratos isn't worried. With a smile he puts his hand on Lloyd's hair to pull him back against him gently, and puts his son's bag back in his hands. Then he bows toward Nethan, deep enough to be of genuine respect without admitting anything about his own rank.]

Knight-Sergeant; I've heard a lot about you from Yuan. He's even, for the most part, been complimentary. Lloyd, please apologise to the knight-sergeant.

[Lloyd rubs his head, an edge of a pout around his mouth, but he doesn't argue. Dad's the one person he doesn't argue with.]

I still don't get why, but -- I'm sorry? I guess.

[choiced]

[It's been two years since Zelos last saw Lloyd, so he's a bit delayed by surprise before turning a bright grin on Nethan.] See? He already knows I'm amazing. He's learning so fast.

[Kratos's demure respect, along with Yuan and Lloyd's apologies -- half-assed though they are -- definitely help. But the thing that makes Nethan slide back into neutrality is the knowledge that if he tries to pursue it, he'll alienate the Chosen. That's bad for a number of practical reasons, but it'll also probably end these weekly sessions of theirs. Nethan's enjoying them too much to let that happen. A well-meaning child can't do too much damage, right?

He looks down at Lloyd, then bows his head.] It's okay. No harm done.

Hey! [Zelos initially let Lloyd go so Kratos could usurp him, but now he's pulling Lloyd back toward him again. They can share.] You hear that? You're safe! Now you can tackle me whenever you want.

What? I didn't --

You wouldn't be able to stop him anyway. He has really weird ideas about how the world's supposed to work.

[conductingresistance]

[This has so far escaped Yuan's control it isn't even funny. Why couldn't Botta have come to visit? Botta wouldn't tackle the Chosen in the middle of a ring full of guards. That said, Botta would also not attempt to use Yuan's cape for a hat, which Yuan will admit inside the privacy of his own mind was one of Lloyd's more endearing habits.]

[He will also make the private admission that is something of a relief to see the easing in Nethan. It isn't that Yuan likes him, really. It's just that his good regard is useful. Even valuable, right now.]

[As such, the look he gives Nethan approaches longsuffering. Perhaps commiserating. Even if he will not be apologizing again.]

My brother.

[This with a nod to Kratos. Having already mentioned Lloyd as his nephew there is no way around this, despite the fact that he and Kratos do not look much alike.]

[simulsimul]

[Kratos gives Lloyd a little hair-ruffle as Lloyd assents to Zelos's possessiveness, dropping his bag again and skipping over to him and looping Zelos's arm across his shoulders, beaming.]

That's great! And with a castle this big, there's gotta be a ton of places to hide! N'if anyone thinks they're gonna hurt Zelos, they have to get through me first!

[Lloyd may be nine years old, but he's straight-backed and chin held high and radiates pure determination, especially with his jaw set and eyes blazing under the cowlicks across his face. It's hard not to laugh; it's impossible to actually do so. Kratos hasn't for a long time; instead he only nods toward the training rings.]

Please don't let us interrupt your training. Lloyd hasn't done his this morning, either. He can't forget that, if he wants to become Zelos's bodyguard.

[This, faintly teasing and with a side-long glance at his son. Lloyd's face flushes, but it's with anticipation, not embarrassment.]

Yeah!

[choiced]

[Nethan almost doesn't hear what Kratos says; he's still stuck on my brother. A human nephew's nearly unheard of, but it's at least possible, and even makes a weird kind of sense where Yuan's concerned -- the man flies in the face of so many truths already. But a human brother?]

Hm? [Right. Yes. He's still in charge. (The mercenary isn't correcting Yuan).] It's not a place for a child.

Come on, Nethan. [This from Zelos, who's already pulling Lloyd over to the training equipment.] I've been coming here since I was six. He'll be fine.

You're different, Master Zelo --

Why, 'cause I'm the Chosen? I'm saying it's fine. He has a long way to go if you're gonna approve him as a bodyguard.

[At which point trying to say anything more is pointless, because Zelos has stopped listening. Nethan exhales slowly, gathers his considerable patience, and looks at Yuan.]

This is your fault.

[Just so they're clear on that. It's not an accusation, though -- more of a longsuffering resignation, like what might be shared between friends. And with that, Nethan follows after to make sure Yuan's human nephew doesn't hurt himself.]

[conductingresistance]

[Yuan watches the boys go with some fondness leaking out into the observable spectrum.]

[The way Nethan addresses him draws Yuan's attention back from Zelos and Lloyd to the adults among them-- but it's more positive than somehow he'd expected, and something that perhaps only Kratos will see relaxes.]

I'm aware.

[That's dry. And in the next breath, he's turned to Kratos.]

To be clear, this is your fault.

[Yuan's just making sure the responsibility goes where it appropriately should. He does appreciate that Nethan hasn't called him on the impossibility of Kratos being even his half-brother by blood, as well.]

[simulsimul]

As you say.

[This is said with comfortable amusement, as Kratos bends to pick up Lloyd's bag and trail the other three toward the training area. Lloyd already has his wooden swords out, gleefully showing Zelos his new patterns with a fluid determination. Despite his age, it's already clear just how long he's been holding a sword of some description.]

There's more I didn't mention. The people I escorted here recommended me to the festival caravan going to collect sacred wood from Ozette. We'll be leaving in the morning.

[Yggdrasill keeps an eye on Ozette; sneaking in under the festival flag, as a mercenary, might be their best chance to get sacred wood before they're pressed for time. Especially if Kratos can get some seedlings, to plant them in Sylvarant and away from Yggdrasill's control. Kratos would not ordinarily feel the need to point out that this means Lloyd can't come with -- but they're not, after all, alone.]

Obviously, it's too dangerous for Lloyd to come with; but I don't believe I can pass up the opportunity.

[choiced]

[Well, Lloyd certainly acts like a mercenary's son. Those swords in his hands aren't the swords of a novice, despite there being two of them. Nethan catches himself wondering how easy the boy would be to teach alongside the Chosen -- ]

What?

[ -- and stops to stare at Yuan's brother. That was not, he informs Martel silently, a challenge.

Barely seconds later, he remembers his place, and bows his head.] I'm sorry. Please feel free to ignore that. [It's not as though he'd be the one looking after Lloyd, and if Zelos wants someone around, there's very little anyone can do.]

[conductingresistance]

[Yuan quirks the very faintest of smiles. Mostly, it must be said, for people running afoul of Kratos and Lloyd.]

I understand. I can look after Lloyd for a little while.

[A little while. He's going to be very put out if Kratos leaves him entirely responsible for Lloyd by virtue of doing something stupid and getting caught.]

It will be up to Nethan if he's willing to allow Lloyd to practice alongside the others, but I'm sure I can manage if not.

[simulsimul]

[Nethan's reaction is not unexpected, but could be for several different reasons. He may not be prepared to train another child. He may be concerned for the security risk. Lloyd will need the training regardless, though, and if Yuan's prepared for that, so much the better.

[He directs his next words to both of them.]

Thank you. I'll make sure he knows not to come to training without permission.

[A corner of Kratos's mouth turns up, that very nearly mischievous smile he's been showing more in the last decade than four thousand years before; and this time, the words are for Yuan.]

He's been missing you, you know. And your cape. And playing hide-and-seek. You always have been his favourite, for that.

[choiced]

[Oh, for Goddess's sake. They're running an Imperial Guard, not a daycare. Nethan hides that immediate reaction, however, and watches Zelos and Lloyd practice without answering right away.

Kratos is a polite mercenary, at the very least. Nethan's met many who weren't.

-- and they're now swerving into more personal territory, which is Nethan's cue to leave, so he gently interrupts.] As long as he does what he's told, I don't see why he can't join whenever the Chosen does. If you'll both excuse me...

[... what sort of child bent Yuan into playing hide-and-seek with his cape? Did Zelos ever do that, or was he too old by then?]

[conductingresistance]

[Lloyd and Zelos do work well together, even if it's been some time since they've seen each other.]

[Yuan's sure Kratos, at least, can impress upon Lloyd the importance of following directions. He nods to Nethan, a courteous inclination of his head, and then turns raised eyebrows on Kratos.]

I thought he had grown past the need to hide himself in my cape.

[But that's quietly fond, not prickly as he often is.]

...it has been a while, hasn't it.

[simulsimul]

[Kratos, also, inclines his head toward Nethan, but doesn't stop the man from leaving; and his attention turns back to Yuan with an amused lift of his mouth.]

He has fond memories of that cape. I don't think you're going to be able to avoid him using it, no matter how old he grows -- even if all he does is pretend he's Uncle Yuan.

[The smile changes, softens with fondness but becomes clearer at once.]

It has. I've been starting to think you've put down roots, here. Of course, you've probably gotten fat and slow, with all this lazing about.

[His eyes gleam amusement.]

[conductingresistance]

[Yuan sighs, though it isn't with as much aggrieved feeling as he might usually.]

Perhaps I'll just leave it for him. There's less extreme weather at the moment.

[And Yuan can just... ignore temperatures. He'll miss some of the concealment, but there are other capes. Not as good, but others.]

[And then Kratos gets a supremely arrogant raised eyebrow.]

Roots, perhaps. If you'd like to test how slow I've gotten...

[He knows that's what Kratos was angling for. He doesn't mind playing into this particular trap.]

[simulsimul]

Then you'll wind up with a nine-year-old running around the castle in your cape, pretending to be you.

[This is entirely a venture Kratos would like to see, but Yuan may or may not appreciate in a place where he's trying to be taken seriously.

[Kratos's smile becomes tighter, more intense with amusement.]

I would, yes. But it hardly counts if you're going to be using one of the weapons provided.

[He's leaving that choice up to Yuan, however; he'll know better than Kratos how safe it is to use the Swallow.]

[conductingresistance]

[...no, that doesn't sound like a good alternative either. Yuan will have to think on it. For the moment:]

No; there's something which comes easier to my hand.

[He goes thoughtful after a moment there, though, considering the dynamics of the situation. Finally he looks up again.]

If there's to be anything other than a sword, I should warn Nethan. We may get... precipitous reactions otherwise.

[He should have caught Nethan earlier. With a brief nod to Kratos, Yuan heads after him.]

[simulsimul]

[Kratos nods back and meanwhile moves to stow his and Lloyd's bags somewhere they won't get in the way, and find a clear spot to stretch. He isn't using Flamberge, himself; it's far too conspicuous. But he's better with a longsword and shield than is Yuan -- it wouldn't be a fair fight.

[Naturally, Lloyd's sharp eyes catch Kratos's movements and he beams, lowering his wooden swords.]

Dad! Are you and Uncle Yuan fighting?

[Kratos nods the affirmative.]

As soon as he's warned the Knight-Sergeant.

[choiced]

[It's Lloyd's question that alerts Nethan to Yuan's approach, and he looks back and forth between the young boy and the castle archivist, remembering all too clearly the skill with which Yuan handled a blade.]

What, that you're fighting?

[He looks around. There are some other duels going on, but most are low-energy, either warm-up or cool-down. If they attract onlookers, and they probably will, it shouldn't interfere with scheduled training.]

I don't see why not.

[conductingresistance]

That, and--

[Yuan pauses, re-thinking his phrasing. He is not secure enough here yet to simply warn the Knight-Sergeant, and he should have thought of that more than a few breaths ago.]

I had wanted to use a different weapon from those provided here, the blade with which I'm familiar. I wouldn't want to... frighten anyone.

[He's still around the edges of asking permission.]

It's your training-ground, after all. I'll abide by your judgment if you'd prefer I not.

[choiced]

[Nethan looks at Yuan, first with surprise, then with consideration. It didn't occur to him until now just how much he'd grown used to the half-elf holding his own. Yuan's deference, his near uncertainty, is very uncharacteristic of him, and it draws both Nethan's curiosity and suspicion.]

Well, that depends. I'd need to see the blade first.

[Behind Nethan and out of his view, Zelos is giving Yuan an are-you-sure-about-this look. Not because he thinks Nethan would arrest Yuan -- they're way past that now -- but because throwing caution to the winds has a tendency to leave Yuan incredibly grumpy afterwards and that's no fun for anyone.]