It was almost melancholy watching the day come winding to an end. In his younger days time was of the essence, a natural occurring thing. Being with his teammates for so long since the day the Akademia unified the four year olds-some old as six year old children. Chosen with the purpose of dying over and over again. An endless cycle and perhaps a fate chosen by time. But like all things that come and pass something or maybe…just maybe someone broke the cycle. With immortality not being a passive trait Ace learned how precious life was. It was bittersweet, to know that until their final moments they all finally bonded. Speaking with such eagerness of words that perhaps were kept piled up in each others minds. Never bothering to make small talk or care enough to notice each other, so long as a mission was present.
Now they were done fighting. Now they had a chance to bond not just as a team, but as friends.
If only they had more time…
If only they weren't minutes from death…
Ace still remembered being hunched over Queen. All of the team hurdled in a bunch in a calm bliss. Cater was the first to go.
"She's probably just tired," he thought as the soft breaths of class zero lessened by one. Ace continued to hum his song that managed to calm the shakiness of the group, but that didn't stop the next two people from dying.
"Jack I'm sorry for making fun of your optimism," Ace heard Seven say. The coffee blonde haired boy didn't respond back. He couldn't anymore.
"I second that. Actually I was always happy you spoke first in every mission briefings, it felt nice knowing there was hope in every path of danger," said Queen who was beside Ace.
"Queen…you always had the highest grades. I didn't know you could be uncertain of anything," said Sice. Queen didn't respond and Ace could feel her warmth fading from her falling head. Ace laid it carefully on his left shoulder as a knot was pressing down his throat.
"Dammit it all," He cursed in his head. If only they had another chance. To start again, to be reborn with by each others side. Was this how it was going to really end?
They all made the choice to not become L'Cie. They had to die as mortals, but it just wasn't fair! Ace felt his own breath slowing. He did his best to calm his mind, he had to think of something. He wasn't going to die like this, that was for sure.
Then his heartbeat faded and his eyes couldn't resist closing. Ace felt a soft streak flowing down his face. Tears, real tears that tasted like salt in water.
"Etro if your watching over us…please guide us all together."
The next thing that happened was surreal. Ace felt himself get lifted like a weightless object. He could see the sky that he was levitating over. When he tried looking back down he didn't see his feet or his lower body for that matter. What was he now? Turning his vision to the side he noticed thirteen other orbs of light following his path. Was that what he looked like too?
Ace tried talking but didn't feel a physical weight of anything like a jaw or mouth. All Ace could do was watch. But as the other orbs danced around each other he couldn't help but feel a sense of joy through his non psychical self. They were all together. The sky turned to a higher setting. That of a universe among stars and planets. When they all reached a certain height they stopped in their tracks. Ace wasn't sure what happened, but as they waited he heard a loud humming noise.
As if out of nowhere this group of similar orbs flowed past them. Ace counted ten orbs in total, and after they moved Ace and his group followed behind.
Ace wasn't sure what was going on but whatever was happening didn't matter so long as his friends were with him. After going a bit further in distance all twenty four orbs of light reached a spot over a planet. It was beautiful, a place similar to Orience from the textbooks in school. This planet couldn't have been that old the oceans seemed pure enough. And as they all moved down towards the planet Ace felt relieved. They were going to be together again, Etro be blessed they were going to decide their own fates for the first time.
Then the group scattered away and Ace cried out spiritually as the lights of his friends danced around the planet.
Next thing he knew Ace was in a country field with his eyes wide open. He was laying on his back in the tall grass, looking over his same school uniform Ace moved around quickly. He had his feet, arms, a head, everything checked out.
Without warning he yelled in relief as he moved around freely hoping to see the sight of his class. When Ace realized he was alone he sighed slowly.
"Its okay. I saw them land in different spots. As long as we have a chance to be together, I'll walk a little further," Ace thought resting his arms over his head.
Lights of hope scattered around. They had arrived.
"Hope I think I found something," Ace said looking at his monitor. They had been going at it for hours now, he doubted looking through his work would solve anything. Apparently he was wrong.
The director side stepped the table of coffee and donuts beside him and licked his fingers urgently. "Please tell me its good news Roger." Wordlessly Ace stepped back from his seat as Hope hunched over the monitor to check the data. Watching Hope's eyes analyze everything line by line, mostly skipping the work that seemed important. Before his emerald eyes stopped in their tracks, clearly something caught his interest.
"Roger, your a genius!" Exclaimed the platinum haired man beaming with relief. Ace wasn't sure how old Hope Estheim was, seemed around twenty four or more, but there were moments he displayed childlike expressions. It was rare, but they always surprised Ace when he saw them.
"Thanks, but technically I made errors in my calculations. The amount of BTU's in the meter was 406.62 not like the predicted 408.33. It seems like there is a limit cap where the energy transforms to useless matter," Ace replied rubbing his eyes closed. When it got this busy his eyes would strain, but his mind would be on autopilot. Much like his colleagues.
Still, his director pat his back quietly. "I've made more mistakes than I could solve, but this good news is going to help us out big time." Hope said nodding his head at him before turning to the desk beside him.
"Alyssa ready to try a different number?" Hope asked walking back to his own desk. The short blonde woman gave him a thumbs up before moving towards the generator.
Ace removed his glasses to clean them again, before noticing the time of his wrist watch. It was a quarter pass twelve. "Where is Machina and Rem?"
They had left for lunch together a while back ago. They were missing out, this may be the breakthrough they've all hoped for. Inspecting his glasses one last time, he put them on before looking through them as Alyssa started tweaking the machinery.
"All set Director Hope," Alyssa responded moving back a few steps. Hope moved to the other side of the room and turned off the lights, assuring all power sources weren't drained. "Keep the monitors turned off for now guys, if this doesn't goes well we may short circuit the top floors."
"Again?" Asked Alyssa looking at Ace with annoyance. Ace shrugged back at her, "Hey, I had to walk up there and apologized last time. If this happens again its going to be your turn."
Alyssa raised an eyebrow at him, "Alright Roger, tell you what if this doesn't work I'll go straight to Cathy herself in HR and apologize. But if this does work you'll have to buy me lunch for a whole week."
"I don't do bets," Ace responded.
"Alright you two, lets get started," interrupted Hope clearing the path to the energy transmitter. In a glass tube was the crystal like orb that in theory could power countless buildings, hospitals, and communication systems. With a limitless supply...theoretically.
"Ready?"
3...
2...
1...
"I knew we shouldn't have gone through that corridor, some shortcut," Replied Machina heading up the stairs. Giggling lightly Rem followed him. "You know we're only ten minutes late?"
"I know Rem, but you know how uptight Ace is, I love the guy but sometimes I swear he has a stick shoved up his-" Machina was interrupted by a tap to the back of his head. Rem motioned him with a finger, "Hey now, Ace just worries about us. He's always been that way."
Machina sighed apologetically as they made their way to the door of the laboratory floor. "Your right, I'm sorry. He's the reason I was able to find you after all," he said casually opening the door for her. Rem shook her head at him, " Yeah that's true. You hopeless romantic you." As they entered their lab they noticed Ace and Alyssa lazily resting in their chairs. Ace with his head down.
"Miss anything?" Machina asked putting his lab coat on. Alyssa perked her head from her monitor, smiled at Rem then gave Machina the usual unimpressed look before going back to her screen.
Ace was still resting his head on his desk, but he was moving. Machina heard Ace rolling his head to the side, "Just the future success of humanity's first real renewable source of energy."
Rem moved towards him clapping her hands in glee, "Seriously! We actually did it?! Machina, thats-"
Looking at her Machina shook his head quickly warningly. "Oh um G-Gale that's great news isn't?" Rem corrected herself before a small red blush flushed her face. Machina beamed at her.
"Its fantastic Remy. But Roger...where's Hope?" Machina asked looking around at there absent director. That's when Aylssa moved her head at him again. "Oh Director Hope stepped outside to call his girlfriend again." Machina shuddered at the thought. One time he tried flirting for fun before Claire Farron destroyed whatever sense of manhood he had in him. How Hope put up with her he didn't know.
Looking at his old friend Ace still resting his head, Machina took advantage of the opportunity of patting his head. "Good job Ace."
"Don't call me that, jerk."
