Disclaimer: I don't own anything!
Author's Note: Got this idea from reading Paper Trail by hewhoistomriddle. It's truly a fantastic piece and I strongly encourage anyone interested in Naruto to check it out.
SPOILERS for what is basically the entire backstory of the game.
-/-/-/-
There is one friend in the life of each of us who seems not a separate person, however dear and beloved, but an expansion, an interpretation, of one's self, the very meaning of one's soul. ~Edith Wharton
-/-/-/-
A single, badly wrinkled sheet of paper, stained with mud and water
My name is Yuan.
It's written in the shaky, careful hand of a child who is not yet comfortable with holding a pencil.
Before this point, the boy known as Yuan does not exist.
Admission letter
Kratos S. Aurion.
Age: 12
Height: 5'1
Weight: 104 lbs.
Hair: Dark red
Eyes: Brown
Given his father's status, has been permitted to have a single half-breed slave.
End of Year report
Kratos S. Aurion …1st Year
English: Very intelligent. Too quiet.
Geography: Needs to be more outspoken
Science: Smart, if a bit jumpy. Recommended to go onto more advanced courses. Has promise for Biology
History: Too curious. Says that humans couldn't have been right about everything. Needs to learn that facts are facts.
Arithmetic: Some issues, but passed the class. No future as a mathematician.
Weaponry: Clumsy. Too shy. Needs a lot more work
Public Speaking: A near failure. Needs to work on the stutter and eye contact especially.
Military Strategy: Highest marks in the class. Some wrinkles to be ironed out, but overall, an excellent addition to the class
Additional Remarks: Overall, a hard worker, but nothing special.
The inside of a book of children's tales
Hapy birthda Kratos
-Yuan
Front covers of newspapers
War escalating! Half-breeds on the attack!
General Garret MIA, possible POW. General Aurion to take his place
Half-breeds rebel against human soldiers
Elves refusing to parley with humans
Military draft in the west
Group of humans speaks out against use of 'child soldiers'. General Aurion questioned…
Words on a tree, now fading and nearly gone
Kratos and Yuan
Kings of Sylvarant!
Human Military Files
Kratos Aurion gone rogue.
Sympathizer of the enemy.
In company of half-breed slave of similar age.
If found, kill on sight.
Filed by: General Richard T. Aurion
Half-Elven Military Files
Yuan
Age: Mid-to-late teens
Height: 5'6
Weight: 112 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blue
Came in company of known human soldier Kratos Aurion.
Relation with person in question: Friendship and former slave of
Insists that person in question is here to help our military. Statement still in question.
Medical Report
Name: Kratos Aurion
Injuries: Several broken ribs, lungs punctured, fractured kneecap and several fingers broken
Cause: Torture by way of humans supposedly for information. Patient repeated said that he did not tell them anything
Physical recovery: Five weeks with intensive magical care
Psychological recovery: A good bit longer
Next of kin: Yuan.
-Was informed.
-Spent several hours with patient before having to be asked to leave by Healer.
Left in charge of: Healer Martel Yggdrasill
Sketches
They are simple things, done in pencil in a small leather-bound journal. Interesting feathers or leaves; trees and birds. It is clearly shared, for there are two different handwritings—one careful and precise, the other quick and slightly scribbled.
Kratos—What is this?-
It's clearly a deer.
After it got run over?
That was uncalled for. Besides, it's not like you can talk. What is THAT? ^
There is a sketch of a woman, long hair tied back in a braid, poring over a book. A name is written beside it in the precise handwriting. Martel.
Words on the back of a photograph
Mithos, Martel, Yuan, Kratos
Day of peace treaty signing
We made it
Royal Proclamation
From this day, the twenty-second of May in the year 782, the award of great honor and valor in the face of war is given to the following persons:
Mithos Yggdrasill—Age fourteen
Martel Yggdrasill—Age twenty-three
Yuan—Age twenty-five
Kratos Aurion—Age twenty-six
The mentioned persons are to be known as the Heroes of the Kharlan War for their work in finding a peaceful solution.
Signed: Fiorre Sinclair, King of Half-elven Tethe'alla
Erwyn Melling, King of Sylvarant
Blacksmith order
Pair of rings
Both half of gold, half of steel.
One to look like ivy leaves. The other a plain band with inscription: Y&M
Price: 3,000 gald
Order by: Yuan
Article in half-elven newspaper
Wedding Announcements
Theran and Carol—July 17th at 2:00 PM
Jared and Aliana Sanford—August 1st
Kenneth and Sharon—August 23rd at noon
John and Rachel—September 18th
Martin and Isabella—September 29th
Yuan and Martel Yggdrasill—October 9th
Wedding Toast
I'm not very good at speeches. Seriously, ask Yuan, he can, uh, he can tell you about my, ah, exploits in public speaking.
Scattered laughter and a flash of a grin between best friends.
I've known Yuan for most of my life and as hard-headed, as infuriating and absolutely insane that he is—
A playful glare and a responding smirk. Gentle chuckles.
—I don't think I've ever met a better man. But watch out, Martel. He'll steal your breakfast, I'm serious. Quite honestly, I think you're too good for him, Martel, but maybe there's something you see that I don't—
Unlikely. Nearly impossible because they're Kratos-and-Yuan and they're brilliant and shining, but Martel glows.
—But either way, he's lucky to have you. To the bride and groom.
Elven tomes
Unicorns—pictured at left—have long since been the magical symbol of rebirth and purity. They were created by Undine from sea foam to be caretakers of the world (In counterpart to protozoans, the protectors of the world. For more information on symbiotic relationship, see page 394).
They are rumored to be able to use powerful magic of both the aquatic and light varieties, though this has not been proven.
Their horns contain powerful healing magics known to be able to cure any disease—
The last line is circled and the page is kept with a sheet of paper. There are several titles written hastily at the top, along with several theories and ideas, some with lines connecting them, others with arrows.
The paper is crumpled, as though the person had clenched his fist while holding it before attempting to smooth it back out.
Receipt of sale
Bottle of champagne
Four glasses
Pitcher of ale
Orders:
Go to human capital to negotiate freeing of slaves and the negation of any slave laws.
Date issued: February 3, 786
Coroner's report
Martel Yggdrasill
Age: Mid-twenties
Race: Half-elf
Cause of death: Multiple stab wounds
Subject is a slim woman of elven descent. Several different blades suggest several different killers. Wounds were not self-inflicted.
Killers not found.
Date: February 7, 786
Notes spread out over centuries
Kratos—things aren't getting better.
Come for a walk with me. It's raining.
I don't know the world anymore. I've been down there. What happened?
Explore it with me. It's not like we have much else to do anyway.
Bring Noishe along. He looks like he needs to get out.
So do you.
You ever think about moving on?
Sometimes. Then I think it's impossible.
Ever the optimist.
One of us has to be.
Tried to end it. Didn't think I could take it anymore. I'm tired, Kratos. So tired.
Be glad you failed. Otherwise, I would have been obligated, as your best friend, to bring back your dead body and kill you myself for doing something so stupid.
That goes for you too.
…Can't blame you for trying.
Kratos—we've got to do something. He's going too far with this.
Any suggestions?
Come fly with me and I'll tell you.
Turncoats. The Rebellion. The Flaming Sword.
That sounds like a bad villain in a classic film.
If you have any ideas, please, share.
Deserters. Desert Thunder.
Sounds like a gun.
If you don't have anything nice to write, don't write it at all.
Renegades.
…I like that one.
Thought you would.
Blueprints
The drawings are precise, with nothing left unlabeled or unmeasured. The building is several stories tall and built like a small labyrinth.
On the very top of each page, in clear lettering, is written Renegade Base—Sylvarant.
Desian Report
Prisoner escape:
#'s Q331, T712, J095. A012
Suspected traitor to organization.
Location: Asgard Ranch
Letters
Kratos,
Found a second in command. Seems a decent sort. Still trying to get enough troops and supplies. Say hi to Anna for me.
Yuan
Yuan,
I think Kvar's onto us. Anything you can do to get him off our trail?
Problem solved. I do way too much for you. You owe me a favor. Again.
No I don't. You still owed me for what happened in Altamira. By the way, Anna's making some kind of rabbit and bean stew. Said you'd want to try it.
Next time she makes that stuff, you have to save me some. You two eat like you've been starving.
Maybe you should show up on time.—Anna
Your handwriting is terrible.
…I'm going to be a father.
Tell me this is a joke in really bad taste. Please tell me.
I could tell you that if it really makes you feel better, but I'd be lying. By the way, you're godfather.
You're an ass, Kratos.
When is she due?
In nine months.
No shit.
You asked.
Got names?
Would Kid or Hey, You work?
(Kratos can feel the familiar, warm laughter on the page) I think Anna would kill you.
Wedding Invitation
Come to the Church in Luin at sunset next Tuesday. You're the best man.
("Aren't you doing this a little backwards?" Yuan asks when he arrives. "I thought the baby was supposed to come after the wedding.")
Orders from Cruxis, sent to one Kvar, Grand Cardinal of the Desians
Take back the Angelus Project. A012's survival not necessary.
Location: Iselia Forest
A note and a photograph slipped underneath a door
I don't care if you're in the dredges of depression and despair and…a lot more D words than I can come up with right now. I don't care if you go out and get yourself outrageously drunk—if that's still possible.
I do care if you decide to be stupid and kill yourself. Remember, it goes for you too.
There is no signature. Not that it matters. Even if Kratos hadn't recognized the handwriting the second he set eyes on it, even if he hadn't known it from millennia of interaction, he would have known the words, would have heard Yuan's voice in his mind saying precisely the same thing.
The photo is the only one of the three of them. His arm is around Anna's shoulder, her arms cradling Lloyd swathed in blankets. Yuan had been the one behind the camera, thus the reason for the angle being slightly tilted.
(He doesn't mean it. Not that last part. Mostly because a lot of things have changed in the centuries that have passed since that admission of being life-tired. And he knows what Kratos feels—it's having your heart ripped out because everything you love has just been torn from you and she's dead dead and gone and nothing can make it better. Not even Time.—and he can't blame him for being life-tired like he'd been so long ago. It's selfishness that has him protesting the option of suicide. He doesn't want to keep going without his best friend)
A file hidden in a drawer of the Sylvarant Renegade Base
Name: Lloyd A. Irving
Height: 5'10
Weight: 153 lbs.
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Additional notes: Kratos not in good enough psychological condition to know.
Kratos has gone back to Yggdrasill
Traitor? Or desperation?
Lloyd will be good possible leverage in future.
A letter never sent
Kratos,
I couldn't take care of him. Not the way you wanted me to. He's safe. He's got a roof over his head, clean clothes, a warm bed. Noishe is with him.
Before you start yelling at me, I had to leave him alone. I made my choice and Cruxis has to be stopped. Even if it means leaving Lloyd an orphan.
-Yuan