I've never written a Mother fic before... But I've always wanted to... It may not be good, but I've always been touched by the brotherly love between Lucas and Claus... SO this is how I would have imagined Claus leaving to be...

Um... I was kinda inspired by the song 'Sayounara Sweet Days', haha... That explains the title. And then the song 'I'm Here'... That works too! In a way... It really fits!

Disclaimer: I don't even HAVE the game... Do you REALLY think I own Mother 3 and its characters? Earthbound ain't mine either... Urgh... The credit goes to... Whoever owns them... Their name escapes me...

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Goodbye Sweet Days

Lucas watched silently as his brother opened the door, stepping out into the bright sunny world.

"C-Claus... Are you going somewhere?" he asked in a shaky voice, knowing the answer.

"Yes..."

"You should wait until Dad's back." Lucas suggested weakly, taking a few steps closer to Claus. His older twin said nothing.

"Claus..."

Claus stepped outside, Lucas following behind, feeling more and more worried by the second.

After a while, the two of them stopped, time seeming to tick by even faster than usual.

"Lucas, don't follow me." Claus whispered quietly, looking into his younger twin's shimmering blue eyes. Lucas looked down for a few minutes, sniffling.

About a week ago, everything was normal. Sweet... He could still recall Claus' old eagerness, his mother with a warm smile, his father smiling as well, Boney barking for whatever reason...

Now, Hinawa was dead, Flint was in jail for the way he reacted, and Claus...

Well...

His only twin brother was about to leave him for good.

The younger twin smuggled a sob, closing his eyes tightly. Claus blinked, immediately concerned for his little brother's sake.

"Lucas?"

"P-Please Claus... Don't go..."

Claus bit his lip, his hand gripping tighter around the rusted knife in his hand, something he tried feebly to hide from Lucas. He still knew, but...

"I have to go, Lucas. That thing killed Mom..." he whispered quietly.

"At least... let me come with you..." his brother begged, desperate to not be left alone. "I p-promise I won't cry and run away like I usually do... Just... Just don't go without me!"

The older twin's emerald green eyes went wide at once. It was frightening enough leaving his cowardly, younger baby brother to fend for himself... But taking him along?! Claus would never forgave himself if something happened to Lucas...

"You can't Lucas." He tried his best to sound brave and confident, not to mention convincing enough to spare Lucas. "It's not right for you."

"It's not right for you, either!!" Lucas argued helplessly. "Big brother, Mom always said we were meant to stick together... That's why she guarded us! It's not fair she d-d-d..." he decided against saying the word. "I mean.... I don't want you gone, too!"

"That's not gonna happen..." Claus huffed, now irritated. "I'm much stronger than that... And if not, I could always take special training..."

Typical Claus, he had a backup plan.

Lucas continued trying.

"Did you see the size of that thing, Claus?! It'll ripe you apart!!"

"You're just being a crybaby, Lucas." he stated coldly, looking away. "As usual."

Lucas stopped on a dime, his eyes widening. It took a while before he found his voice.

"So... So what? I'm worried, Claus!"

Claus shook his head silently.

"R-Remember the times before what happened to Mom?" Lucas asked quietly, looking down so Claus couldn't see the tears forming in his eyes. "You always loved going on new adventures..."

"This is a mission, not an adventure." Claus corrected, a bit warily. "Exactly why I can't bring you along..."

"B-But... back then... I was so happy... Even if there were so many terrifying things in the world... I didn't think it would matter... Because I still had everything... and everyone..." The blond paused, shaking his head.

"Please Claus..." he tried again. "Please don't go."

Claus flinched, and tightened. It took all his energy to make his voice sound convincing.

"It won't take long, Lucas. I'll be back before you know it."

"L-Liar..." Lucas whispered, tears falling from his eyes like droplets.

"No..." Claus reached out, ruffling his twin's hair. "I promise, I'll be back."

"Promise not to leave in the first place!!" Lucas exclaimed, his voice cracked with tears as he desperately tried to futilely wipe them away.

"I can't do that..." Claus smiled softly at his little brother, heart aching. "I gotta do this, Lucas. For Mom."

"But... But... But..." Lucas began sobbing. "I won't let you go, Claus..."

"Oh brother..." he muttered, shaking his head. "Come on Lucas... Toughen up."

His brother just continued sobbing pitifully.

Claus just watched, torn.

"Lucas...."

Still nothing.

"I said I'll be back..."

Lucas blinked, tears running down his face. "But..."

Claus gave him a quick hug. Lucas' eyes widened, and he began crying again, his fingers locked tightly in his older twin's shirt.

In that last moment, he remembered the wonderful days before all this.

"Claus..."

Claus pushed him back and began walking ahead, past the borders of Tazumilli.

"Lucas... I'll be back, soon!" he exclaimed, waving one last time to his little brother, on his knees and still in tears.

Lucas responded by crying even harder. Claus just sighed and continued on his way.

Lucas... I'm sorry.

He looked back at Lucas for a split second before he began running, fast enough so his conscience and love for his brother wouldn't catch up.

And for some reason, Claus had a sinking feeling that it was the last time he would see his little brother.

"Don't you remember, Claus?" Lucas' timid voice asked in his mind.

Yes... Yes I remember.

To Lucas, to Dad, too... To all those sweet days...

Goodbye.