Justice Funk

There was little time to idle, as far as they were all concerned - Lucia was being held somewhere within the depths of Pentagulia, and Hiro shuddered to think of what Ghaleon and that false Althena could be putting her through at this very moment. Vivid scenarios flashed through his head, dredging up tense memories that made his stomach twist.

"Hey, chief - I know how you're feeling." Ronfar's drawl - calm and collected, despite the pain his own heart must've been in at that moment - jolted Hiro back to his senses. "But we're gonna find Lucia, whoop a couple'a pasty Pentagulian asses, and get outta here in one piece, you'll see!"

"I'm getting mega-pumped to vaporize them," Lemina agreed, giving her staff a few expert twirls. "So, let's figure out where we go next, Hiro, c'mon!"

With a grateful smile, Hiro nodded to his friends - and their costumed tagalong, keeping lookout at the end of the bridge for any brigands or interlopers. "Yeah, you're right - it took a lot to get Lucia to trust us, and I don't want her to think it was in vain! Hey," he added over his shoulder, his smile growing a bit cheeky now. "Le-uhhh, Mystere!" he corrected with an amused chuckle, seeing 'Mystere's' ears twitch in recognition. Ronfar had to have some good stories to tell about this guy. "All clear now?"

The masked beastman looked back over his own shoulder to the group, arms folded and a cocky smirk on his face. "The Red Tower is secure - all obstructions to the path of justice have been felled by our might!"

"Thatta boy," Jean chuckled, rolling her eyes good-naturedly at her friends and shaking her head, as though amused by the antics of an energetic child. "Couldn't have done it without you, buddy!"

"Our combined power and zest for truth and honor crushes all who may dare visit evil unto this world!"

"We gotcha, we gotcha!" Ruby agreed, lowering her voice and flapping close to Hiro's ear with a mutter: "Sheesh, laying it on kinda thick with the whole truth-and-justice deal, isn't he, Hiro? I wanna put him in a miniskirt!"

"Hey," Hiro whispered back, turning away and half-covering his mouth so Mystere couldn't read his lips, "you've gotta admit, it's kinda fun seeing Leo loosen up like this, right?"

"It's kinda something, all right..."

"Now," Mystere spoke once more, recapturing everyone's attention, "I must take my leave - I shall attempt to secure the area ahead! Cutting through the brambly thicket of lies attempting to choke the pathway to truth!"

Ronfar sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and shaking his head. Leo had always had his little eccentricities, and a penchant for dramatic speeches, but this was almost vomit-inducing. "Well, old friend... guess it can't be helped. Thank you for your services! Hope we meet again!"

Lemina giggled and nodded. "Seriously, you are totally nuts, but it was mega-fun! I'd ask if you do parties, but I, uhhh, IIIIII don't think I wanna know what your rates are!"

"He kind of is the party, isn't he?" Jean chimed in, waving their temporary companion goodbye as he bowed deeply, turning to depart with a dramatic swish of his cape. "Heh, the caravan would love that guy!"

"I wish you well, companions! Remember my name: Myst-oof!"

"Ow!"

An awkward silence fell over the prison chamber of the Red Tower in the wake of the collision, the five heroes still standing on the platform that had imprisoned Ronfar until recently.

Those voices...

"...Uhh," Hiro began uncertainly, screwing a pinky around in his ear and flinching. "Did you guys, uhh, did you guys he-"

He found himself suddenly stopping at the sight before him, jaw dropping to match those of his other friends.

"My apologies, civilian. Are you hurt?"

"Think nothing of it, my good man. A mere mishap."

Accepting Mystere's hand gratefully, White Knight Leo clambered to his feet, rubbing his posterior and wincing a little. Dusting off a cape that was the same length and shade of red as Mystere's, he bowed to the masked beastman who looked exactly like him - who, by all means, really should have been him.

Across the bridge, five faces scrunched up in utter, slack-jawed confusion.

"I was simply blinded by my burning passion for my eternal pursuit of justice!" Mystere explained with a rougish grin, earning a respectful nod from... from...

"What," Jean uttered flatly.

"Spoken like a true man!" Leo agreed, letting loose a hearty laugh that was promptly echoed in disturbing stereo, bouncing off the walls of the chamber.

They even crossed their arms and tossed their heads back the exact same way, Ronfar noticed, shaking his head rapidly and blinking hard. First that nasty business with Mauri, and now this. Not when he was sober, damn it!

"Well, safe travels, stranger!"

"Farewell! Shall we ever prevail in our pursuit of truth!" The cape was tossed out again, his booted footfalls fading away with his parting request: "Remember my name: Mystere!"

Leo nodded in agreement, looking to the would-be prisoners clustered together on the far side of the bridge.

Tension draped over the room like a heavy, suffocating blanket.

"Good evening," Leo began courteously, getting an assortment of half-hearted waves, blank stares, and a weak "Uhhhh, yo" thrown in somewhere. "I was seeking out my sister. Has she been by?"

No answer. He sighed, ears twitching and brow furrowed in deep thought. "I see."

"Uhhh." Ronfar spoke up now, catching his friend's attention, finger jabbing downwards. "Uhh... you, uhh... tried the bottom floor... chief?"

"Ahhh, of course! That must be it!" Gloved fist smacking into gloved palm, Leo nodded in satisfaction. "Very good. You have my gratitude."

"...Don't mention it."

With a perfectly identical flourish of his cape, Leo spun around to retreat, nodding over his shoulder. "Take care, travelers! Bottom floor... why didn't I think to check...?" they could hear him muttering as he departed, vanishing into the gloom beyond.

An awkward silence once again settled over the five flummoxed friends, bottom lips worried between teeth, eyebrows raised, jaws dropped helplessly.

"...What the hell was that?!" Ruby finally sputtered, coming to rest on Hiro's shoulder. She was too tired. It was way too late in the evening for this shit. Not after the day they'd had.

"...I suddenly feel so mega-stupid," Lemina murmured blankly. "And... faint. I... I think I need to lie down."

"I - just - uhh." Jean was at a loss for words. "Err... let's just... uhh, Lucia. Yeah? Let's... wow."

"Ummm, Ronfar?" Hiro started up slowly, scratching his cheek. The man gave no indication that he'd heard, still gaping blankly. Still, Hiro pressed on, holding his fingers up. "Uhh, so... have - have there always been two of him?"

No response.

"I... think he's gone catatonic," Ruby reported, flapping over to Ronfar and waving a paw in his face. "Hey, you old fart! Wakey-wakey!"

He didn't blink. No movement. Nada. They couldn't exactly blame him.

Jean sighed, being the first one to move forward. She grabbed Ronfar's left arm, nodding to Hiro - who quickly took the right, still looking as bewildered as she felt. "Let's just... keep this here, got it? I - I don't even wanna think about it anymore."

Nodding in agreement, Hiro pressed the heel of his free hand to his temple, attempting to rub out the sudden ache there. "You and me both... besides, Lucia's still waiting for us... I, uh, I think." Frankly, at this point, he wholeheartedly expected to find two Lucias holding a third Lucia hostage, because why not?

Wordlessly, they all they dragged Ronfar out of the Red Tower, shivers running down their spines.

And somewhere deep in the still-functioning, licentious recesses of Ronfar's cracked mind, he couldn't help but hope that there were two Mauris, as well.

Author's Notes: I haven't written for Lunar (or anything that isn't Harvest Moon) in a long time. I haven't written for Lunar 2, period. Which surprises me, since I love that game, and there really isn't enough fanfic for it. But, I recently got the urge to replay the Complete remakes of both games, so this is what happened. JUSTICE!

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