Happy birthday, Trystle!...

The Baticul port was as dreary as Asch's mood. Grey wind-scarred clouds threw themselves across the blazing sunset. Normally, Asch would have enjoyed the scene: early sundown on an overcast day, the unruly waves below bobbing over their troughs. The city, too, was a majestic sight, the golden framework glinting radiantly and accenting the scarlet standards that wove through every level of the grand structure. Until seven years ago, he had practically worshiped the sight that was so beautiful to his eyes: home.

So the replica wanted him. Asch sighed, frustrated, and reluctantly started down the barren alley to the aircar that would take him to the city gates. It had been a long day, and this was just the thing he needed to top it all off—that stupid dreck just had to go and make him do this.

The guard nodded to him as he passed. Asch gave him a rather impatient glance before boarding. The fontech machine hefted itself onto its track and creaked away to the main level.

How he missed Natalia. Asch found himself thinking of the princess as he stepped onto the embossed stone patterns that spread through the town square. She had loved so much to mingle with the commoners just to how they lived and understand their needs.

Asch snorted. That replica better not have Natalia with him. Though he knew she was no longer his right, it still pained him to see the other boy with her. Even if neither was interested, it still felt so wrong for them to do this to him. That, too, may have been unintentional. Good intentions were meaningless unless carried out.

There were less and less civilians about as he progressed to the middle level. A good number of the clerics may have lived here, but they worked with the lower class. They wouldn't be back for a few more hours yet, and Asch hoped that he was not spotted and recognized during rush hour on his way back.

The final elevator clanked into place. He could do nothing for a moment, suddenly hit by the rush of memories from when he had lived there. The burgundy castle towered above the few mansions before it. One of them was his. No, not anymore—it was the replica's.

Finally gathering his courage, Asch stepped from the steel platform and onto the herring-bone brick path. He didn't go far, however, as he paused at the fountain at the center of the plaza.

Asch sighed again, not even bothering to read the plaque that embellished the fonstone memorial. As a child, he and Natalia had made it a point to memorize the text engraved there so that they could uphold it when they were wedded:

"In memory of the Island of Hod, this Royal City of Light, Baticul, vows to henceforth protect its citizens, the citizens of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, and the citizens of the world from war, famine, and plague, to provide a solid and fair government, and to safeguard its royal families so that their blood will live on, in the name of the holy Score of Yulia Jue."

If it hadn't been an outright laughable paradox, Asch would still have wanted to follow it with Natalia by his side. He almost wished he could have remained oblivious to the truth.

"...Asch?"

Asch stiffened at the hesitant voice that came from behind him. Not here, not now, not her!

"What...What are you doing here?" She placed a cautious hand on his shoulder, brushing aside his silken hair.

"I...Natalia..." Asch turned, his previous anger gone.

"Asch, it's so good to see you again!"

"Natalia, I don't have time for..." He expected her to cut him off, so the rest of his sentence remained unformed. An uneasy silence fell between them.

Natalia let her arm drop after a moment. "I see."

"No! I didn't mean it like that!" Asch sputtered, digging deeper into an all ready tricky situation. His hand flung out, grabbing hers.

"Asch?..." Natalia took a step closer, puzzled by his gesture. "Why did you come here?"

"I-I have to go." Asch pushed her away again, turning to his original destination.

"Wait!" Natalia protested. "Why are you leaving so soon? Aren't you going to come--"

"Shut up," he growled quietly. "You and I both know it's impossible for me to live here now. Stop living in the past, Natalia. I'm not 'Luke fon Fabre' anymore."

"That doesn't matter, Asch! We care for you. Why can't you--"

"I said shut up!"

"Asch!" Natalia seized his wrists and brought her face close to his. Her eyes welled slightly as she whispered. "Do...Do you really want to forget your life in Baticul? Forget me?"

Asch cringed, but he quickly regained his hard expression, hoping she hadn't noticed. "You don't deserve me, Natalia."

"Asch..."

He gave her one last penetrating glare, then he spun on his heel. This was the last thing he needed. It killed him inside to be so harsh with Natalia, but returning her affection would only make it hurt that much more when he died. If what the doctors in Belkend said was true, he didn't have long. All of his pain was that replica's fault! Asch focused his rage into heavy footfalls, and he ignored the stunned look the guard gave him as he barged into his—no, his replica's—manor.

He wanted to scream when he saw his own face as he opened the door, looking back at him like the naive boy he was. The other greeted him, but all Asch could wonder was if he really appeared this stupid as well. In the end, they were all foolish in one way or another. He snarled something in response to whatever it was the replica had asked. His anger only grew when he found he couldn't quite bring himself to hate the moron as much as he wanted to.

In the end, both of them were idiots, without a shadow of doubt. Affable idiots, perhaps, but still idiots. Asch smirked at the thought. He would take it. It was only the honest truth...