Disclaimer: Tail Concerto, Solatorobo, and all related characters belong to Cyber Connect 2.

The Forgotten

1

The first thing he felt was cold, or at least it seemed like what cold should feel like. It was like a sharp winter's wind had pierced his flesh and numbed him to the very core. He instinctively tried to open his eyes but found them too heavy to lift. He tested his arms, followed by his hands and fingers but found that no matter what extremity he tried, they too, were unwilling to yield to his minds commands. He felt like he was trapped in a nightmare that he was unable to wake from.

Panic started to slowly creep in as he tried several more times to get his body to cooperate to no avail. With his mind racing, he tried to recall what happened and how he got here but found that no matter how hard he focused, no answer came. Amidst his increasing fear, a vague face of a woman suddenly flashed before his mind's eye. He couldn't quite place where he had seen her before, but deep down he knew, he knew her. Unable to do much else, he focused on the image of the woman and waited.

He had no way of telling how long he laid there but with each passing moment, he found his body felt less and less distant until he found the strength to open his eyes. It took a few seconds for his mind to register that the dark brown irises that stared back at him were his own and that he was gazing at his own reflection. Besides that, the best he could make out was that he was in a coffin-like machine, the inside of which glowed faintly with a sky-blue light that provided just enough illumination for him to see that he was strapped down from head to toe. He tried his limbs again, finding that even though he could now actually feel them, the thick constraints holding him in place made it impossible to move.

His eyes drifted to one of the thin glass openings on the contraptions surface to the area outside the confines of the pod. All he could see was a vast darkness dotted with countless tiny green-blue lights that looked like stars hanging in the endless void of space.

"Hello? Someone... anyone!?" He tried to shout but found the best he could manage was a hoarse whisper. His mouth was dry and his throat burned.

"Awaking of artifact 78 successful." A monotone female voice said from somewhere overhead as if to answer.

"What?" He choked out before the pod suddenly hummed to life and lunged forward with breakneck speed.

Dozens of tiny lights streaked by as the pod stayed it course for a few seconds before it came to an abrupt stop. A thin strip of piercing white light emerged just outside of the pod, cutting the pitch blackness in two. Once the gap was big enough for the pod to go through, it slowly fit itself into the opening. With a low hiss, the roof of the pod slid away revealing a large open dome-shaped room, moments before the straps holding him in place retracted.

With the freedom to move finally his, he struggled to force his heavy muscles to lift himself out of the pod but found the task difficult. Several more times he strained, his white shirt and pants clung to his body with sweat before he finally tore himself onto the cold metal surface below. As soon as his bare feet touched the ground he crumbled to his knees, gasping in exhaustion. With straight black hair matted and sweat dripping from his clean shaved chin, his vision darkened as a cold numbness washed over him. He fought to stay alert the best he could but found it impossible to deny his bodies cry for rest. His vision slowly started to blur as the silent dark void of unconscious overtook him. Just before his eyes closed, he faintly made out a voice as heavy footfalls rapidly approached:

"Hey Felix, get in here! We've got another one!"

What followed were dreams filled with vague foggy images. People and places rushed by, most of which he couldn't recognize. It was like he was watching moments from a strangers life unfold before him. Among the many blurry faces, he found himself attached to two in particular; one was the same woman he had seen earlier and the other was a little girl. Just like before, he was drawn to the images of these people and knew deep down that somehow he was connected to them.

When he came to, he found himself lying on a bed inside of a small room with blue metal walls. Despite still being exhausted, he tried to lift an arm and was relieved to see that he could actually move. He was taken aback by a thin metal device strapped to one of his wrist that had a tube attached to it. With his eyes, he followed the tube and saw that it was connected to a machine he couldn't recognize on top of a console that ran into the ground. An impressive looking 3D image of some sort projected a readout of what he guessed were his vitals.

He inhaled deeply and grimaced at the unpleasant hospital-like smell of sterile chemicals. His eyes drifted upwards, a small bulb provided enough light for him to see that besides the bed he was laying in and the machine to his left, the room was bare. On the far wall, a metal door led to the only way out of the small room. To his right was a chair with a bald, aging man dressed in a plain white outfit looking directly at him. He smiled, deep creases forming beside his pricing blue eyes.

"Finally up I see." His voice was gruff and steady. The old man spoke with an accent he couldn't quite place. He glanced at the machine's display on the other side of the bed. "Good, your vitals look strong."

On impulse, he tried to rise.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The old man placed a hand on his chest to keep him from rising all the way up.

"Do what?" He asked, his voice still hoarse. As soon as his head left the pillow the room started to spin as a wave of vertigo hit him, forcing him to lay back down. He cupped a hand over his forehead as a splitting headache assaulted his senses.

"That." The old man chuckled. "Just stay put, and let the drugs wear off."

"Drugs?" He squinted in pain as the pounding in his head continued. "Am I in a hospital?"

"Of sorts..." The man leaned back in his chair, his old bones seemingly creaking as he did so. "I know you'll probably be eager to be up and about but, believe me; the best thing you can do for yourself right now is to just sit back and let your body adjust to being awake again."

"What do you mean? Have I been in a coma?"

The old man shrugged. "I guess you could put it that way."

The younger man's eyes darted back and forth as he tried to recall how he got here but just like before, nothing came to him. "How long was I out?"

"I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. Most likely you've been in that thing for a long, long time."

"Wait! Me waking up in some kind of machine..." His eyes winded as realization started to kick in.

"That... that really happened!?"

He fought another wave of vertigo as he tried sitting up again. The older man quickly got up from his chair and held him down.

"What the hell happened!?" He demanded. "What did you do to me!?" He tried to break the old man's grip but found he was still much too weak.

"Calm down mate." The old man was firm yet soft as he gently took his hands away from the younger man's shoulders. "No one here has done anything. I swear you're among friends. Please, just try and relax. I went through the same thing."

"You... you did?" the younger man asked starting to calm down.

"Yes." The old man slowly nodded. "Everyone here came from one of those pods just like you. My wife and I were among the first."

His mind spun as he took a few moments to process the words. "Who are you?"

"The name's Felix. Ophelia and I help run this place." He extended a wrinkled hand down to him and smiled broadly. "And who might you be?"

"I'm..." A puzzled look overtook the young man's features as he found he had to actually think for a moment to remember his name. "Marcus..." He trailed off.

"Pleasure to meet you." Felix chuckled noticing Marcus puzzled look. "Took a while to recall your name didn't it?"

"Yeah... that's not normal is it?"

" Don't worry, the sleep affects everyone that way. The memory loss isn't permanent. As time passes, things will start to come back to you."

"Oh," Marcus was unsure of how to respond. "You said I wasn't the first? Other people have gone through this?"

"In very much the same way you're going through it now. Although, it's a bit easier nowadays since we've established a routine of sorts. You should've seen the first of us, the first couple of weeks were a real train wreck."

"How long have you been awake?"

"Hmm... That's a good question." Felix massaged his thick salt and peppered beard. "I think around two years or thereabouts, it's hard to tell in a place like this."

"And what kind of place would that be?"

"That's kind of difficult to explain, and something I'll have to answer some other time. For now, you best rest and focus on getting your strength back. We could use another young spunk like yourself to help out with stuff around here."

"What are you talking about I'm fine." Marcus scoffed. To prove his point he sat up. He was only up for a moment before the pain in his head forced his eyes shut. Damn it! he cursed under his breath.

Felix raised an eyebrow. "You can tell yourself that all you want. But it won't change the fact that your body is very much still in need of rest."

"So, what if I feel like shit. You really expect me to just take it easy when I wake up in a weird place like this?"

"Son, believe me. This right here;" He gestured with an open hand around the room. "is just the tip of a very large, very surreal iceberg. I swear to you that when you're stronger, the answers will come."

Marcus was about to protest but found it ultimately pointless given how spent he was. Seeing that he had pretty much no other options, he figured the best course of action was to trust the old man.

"I suppose I can't argue with that." He placed his head back on his pillow. "I'll hold you to that though."

"Excellent!" With a grunt of effort, Felix slowly rose from his seat. "I'll be back in every now and then to check in on you. Rest well my young friend."

With that said, Felix walked out of the small room through the glass doors Marcus had noticed earlier. He was sure it would be impossible to rest given his situation but found that his eyes were quickly becoming heavy. It wasn't much longer before he found himself drifting off into yet another dream-filled sleep.

Marcus found himself in a timeless loop of brief bouts of consciousness and surreal dreams. Every time he drifted off, new pictures; memories he now understood them to be, presented themselves. In almost all of them, he saw the same woman and little girl.

His current predicament worried him but Felix assured him during the small periods he was conscious that it was all part of the process and that it was best to let the drugs run their course. In time, Marcus found himself once again staring up at the same dark blue ceiling, but this time he felt different, like the weight that had been bearing down on him was decisively lighter.

He cautiously rose from bed, expecting nausea to wash over him, but found the feeling never came. Being mindful of the small machine attached to his wrist he stretched, hearing his well-toned muscles pop, and savored the relief the range of motion provided. Curious, he glanced down at a palm and tried his fingers, smiling to himself as they flexed on command.

A low hiss caused Marcus to look up just in time to see that Felix step inside the small room. "Feeling better?" He asked.

"Well I can sit up without the room spinning, so... I guess that's a start."

"Good! How about we get you out of this tiny box and into more suitable accommodations?"

"I would like that," Marcus smiled. "Hospitals and I don't get along very well."

"I don't think anyone likes the idea of being stuck in a tiny room like this one for very long. Before we go I'll warn you that a lot of things you'll experience we don't fully understand. I fancy myself to be a pretty good judge of character and it seems to me that you have a good head on your shoulders so I think you can handle what I'm about to show you. Fair enough?"

"Uh... yeah. Lay it on me I guess."

"Very well." Felix stepped aside letting a young woman into the room.

An astonished look crossed Marcus's face as he took in her peculiar features. Her complexion was extremely fair, to the point that her skin appeared almost snow white, while long strands of silver-white hair flowed down past the small of her back. By far her most striking trait was her vibrant pink eyes which met his with a soft friendliness. Much like Felix and himself, she wore a simple plain white shirt over pants of the same color.

"This young lady is a newcomer just like yourself." He turned to her. "This is Marcus; the 'new guy'. Would you be so kind and introduce yourself... in the way, you're most accustomed to?"

She thought for a moment before she nodded and turned towards Marcus.

"My name is Yoko." She smiled and bowed deeply. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Marcus did a double take. He understood what she said that was for sure, but he wasn't sure how he understood her.

"I'm sorry but can you say that again?" Marcus asked with a blank stare.

"Now I know what I looked like when I first spoke to you." Yoko giggled glancing at Felix.

"That's not English... right?" Marcus asked.

"No, it wasn't. It's Japanese." She responded. The same odd feeling was there. Even though to his recollection he shouldn't have, he understood her plain as day. He was like his subconscious was translating her words as she spoke them when he knew it shouldn't, making the fact that he could understand her to feel both somehow natural and alien at the same time.

"You know what I said about that iceberg being surreal?" Felix offered. "Well, Yoko here is giving you the first taste of that."

"But...but I don't speak Japanese!" Marcus sat dumbfounded. "At least not that I can remember."

"I'm an Aussie so neither did I. Yet, I can understand what she said as if I had spoken it since I was a boy. As a matter of fact, everyone here has found themselves with an impressive knowledge of all kinds of languages they all claim they never spoke and in some cases even heard of. The same applies to you."

Marcus laughed in spite of himself. "Let me get this straight. You're telling me I can not only understand, but also freely speak languages that I don't ever remember knowing in the first place?

"Correct." Felix nodded. "The trick is not to think about it too much."

"As if," Marcus said flatly but gave it a half halfhearted try just to humor the old man. "That sounds a bit far-fetched for that to just happen, don't you think?"

Felix smirked. "Actually, it just did. You said that last bit in Japanese."

"What are you talking about..." Marcus stopped when he realized that he had in fact, just spoken in fluid Japanese without even thinking about it. "Holy shit." He muttered. "I just did, didn't I?"

"I grew up only speaking Japanese," Yoko offered with a wide smile, switching to pitch-perfect English. "I was just as baffled as you are now when I first spoke with Felix."

Marcus sat in thought for a moment. "If everyone has been affected this way, does it have something to do with waking up in that pod thing?"

"It appears that way," Felix affirmed. "While there seems to be a strong correlation between the pods and our new found linguistic knowledge, we aren't exactly sure how they are linked or why we were given such skills."

"I don't know if I speak only for myself, but I find that kind of, I don't know..."

"Weird?" Yoko offered.

"I was going to say creepy, but yeah, that too. I can't explain it, but it almost feels like someone put the knowledge in my head. Like, I can somehow remember not being able to speak it but now somehow I can."

"Well try not to dwell on it too much, it'll just end up making your brain hurt," Felix said. "In any case, now that we've got that bit of curiousness out of the way, it's time we got you out of here."

Felix stepped over to the machine by Marcus bed and pushed a couple of buttons on the machine's virtual display before the strange looking device attached to Marcus's arm unclasped itself and retracted into a slot at the base of the console. With his hand now free, Marcus flexed his arm, surprised that he felt no pain from where the machine had been attached.

"What's up with that thing?" He asked.

"Think of it as a combination of a heart monitor and I.V. Why do you ask?"

"Well, that fancy looking 3D image thing it's got going on makes it look like it came from out of Twilight Zone or something."

"Its functions aren't anything out of the ordinary for crystal technology." Felix took a quick, worried glance at Yoko.

"Do you know what crystals are?" Yoko asked.

"Uh..." Marcus shrugged. "Fancy looking rocks that come out of the ground?"

"What about the Juno system or the Futuz Tower?" Felix asked. "Do those mean anything to you?"

"No, no they do not. Should they?"

"Considering how much they changed the world, yes they should." Felix looked strangely concerned. "I can't say for certain but it sounds like you've been asleep for longer than we originally thought."

"Uh... is that bad?"

"Not necessarily, but that could complicate things. I'll do my best to explain on our way to getting you to your private room."

"I get my own room?"

"Yes, the faculty here is set up in such a way that everyone comes paired with a room that only they can open."

"Fair enough... if a little cryptic." Marcus tore the blankets away from his legs and tenderly placed his bare feet on the cold metal floor.

"Easy now," Felix grabbed one of Marcus's arms as Yoko came around to grab the other. For a moment Marcus expected his legs to give out from under him as soon as he put his full weight on them but found his muscles to be surprisingly strong despite not being used in a long time.

"Well, that went better than I expected," Marcus smiled as they stepped aside. He took a couple of paces beside the bed to make sure his legs were in proper working order. Satisfied, he turned towards his new companions. "Everything seems good, what's next?"

"Follow us." Felix motioned towards the door before he disconnected a flat screened device from the console in the room. "If it's really true that you're not familiar with crystal technology, you should know that some of the things you'll see here might come as to somewhat of a surprise to you."

With a wordless nod, Marcus fell in line behind them as they made their way through a series of maze-like corridors. Patterns of flowing sky blue light zigzagged throughout the walls and floor of the facility like the living veins of an organism.

"You weren't kidding, this place is a trip," Marcus placed a hand on a cold metal wall, his eyes scanning the lights and strange looking machines that dotted the hallways in awe. "It's like I've stepped straight into some kind of science fiction movie."

"To someone who's never heard of the Juno system before, I suppose all of this would seem like science fiction." Felix chuckled. "The lights you'll see flowing throughout the facility are Crystals, a clean and easily renewable power source. They power pretty much everything and are the basis for much of the technology here."

"I see..." Marcus said, his eyes awestruck. "So this whole place is part of this 'Juno' system I take it?"

"No, although it's safe to assume that it was built using the same technology. Think of the Juno system as a group of A.I.'s with varying degrees of complexity. They are collectively apart of a system that holds a massive database of information."

"Built by who?"

"That's the thing, no one knows. Shortly after the first of the technology was found deep underground in the Australian outback, scientists from all over the world came together and studied the system. Within a few years, four more sights were dug up allowing them to reverse-engineer a lot of technology once thought impossible."

"Okay, so if this 'Juno system' had such an impact on the world, then why didn't I hear about it? You'd think that the media would have had a field day with such a monumental discovery."

"Believe me, they did. You couldn't go anywhere or talk to anyone without hearing about it. It's all anyone ever talked about for the first few months after it was first discovered."

"What about you?" Marcus asked, turning to Yoko. "This whole Juno thing come to a surprise to you?"

"Not really." Yoko shook her head. "By the time I was born Crystal technology was pretty commonplace in most parts of the world.

"Tell me, to your recollection; what year is it?" After seeing the best answer Marcus could come up with was a shrug Felix continued. "Okay, let me put it this way; what's the last big thing you remember happening in the world before you found yourself here."

"Um, "Let's see..." Marcus strained in thought. "I remember hearing something about a thing called Watergate... I think?"

"Interesting." Felix cupped a hand over his chin. "That's a specific event that happened in a country known as the United States. Considering your accent, and your recalling of such an event, it's probable you might hail from there. The name ring any bells?"

"Maybe?" Marcus shrugged. "I'm not too sure, to be honest."

"In any case, Watergate was a rather big United States cover-up that happened in early 1973. The Juno system wasn't made public until the following year so that makes sense why you wouldn't be familiar any of this. But, that brings to light a somewhat troublesome issue."

"Meaning?"

"Well, the last year I remember it being is 2004, and I'm 62..." Felix let the last bit sink in.

"But, that would mean." Marcus's eyes went wide after doing the math in his head.

"That's not possible! I couldn't have been put under for that long. If that were true, I would look like well... you. No offense."

Felix demised him with a wave. "While such a feat would be impossible with the level of technology you're familiar with, the emergence of the Juno system gave the majority of the world an unprecedented technological boost in a very small span of time. Achieving such a state of suspended animation would be well within the Juno's abilities."

The streaking lights cast a dark shadow over Marcus's features as a cold realization struck. "If that's the case, doesn't that mean everyone who I once knew, my friends and family, would have all passed away by now?"

"It could." Felix looked somber as he picked his next words carefully. "However, my wife and I were not only put under around the same time but were awoken within a few hours of each other. There's a distinct possibility that some of your friends and family were brought here and put under as well."

What are the odds that happening? Marcus couldn't help but think but kept it to himself. "I'm sorry but that doesn't sound all that reassuring."

Yoko placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's something we all had to come to terms with, and a chance we all pray for."

"You said brought here, as in abducted? By whom?" He asked.

"Unfortunately we don't have an answer to that either."

Marcus scoffed. "Are you guys seriously saying that not only do you have no idea how we all got here, but we're all basically at the mercy of some glorified supercomputer?"

"Unfortunately, yes. While my time here has allowed me to come to a basic understanding of how some of the systems works, I've yet to be able to manipulate any part of it. Until we're able to figure out a way to override the facilities security protocols our life here is determined by what the system allows."

"I see." Marcus looked at the ground. "If that's the case why can't we just leave?"

"I'm afraid our current resources and the environment outside makes that nigh impossible."

"It's not so bad." Yoko smiled hopefully. "We've got everything we need to survive here and everyone is really nice. You'll get used to it... after a while."

"I somehow doubt that." He said under his breath just loud enough for them to hear.

"Look, I know what I'm telling you no one wants to hear, but Yoko's right." Felix sighed. "It's a reality we all have to deal with. For now, we can't change the situation no matter how much we want to so all we can do is make the best of it."

"It's been a few weeks since I've been up, and I still have a hard time accepting that we're all stuck here. But everyone has done their best to help me adjust. Please... just give them a chance."

"I'll try." Marcus couldn't help but noticed they had been walking past hallway after identical hallway for a while now. Everyone single one of them were lined with numbered metal doors. "How much further?"

"We've actually just arrived," Felix glanced down at his flat screened device as they all stopped in front of one of one of the doors. The number 78 was engraved on its surface in bold black print.

"According to this, these are your quarters. If you'll put your hand on the panel next to the door you can go inside."

"I'm the only one who can open this?"

"Correct. Each room is linked to the specific D.N.A. of a person from a pod."

"Feels like grade school all over again." Marcus placed his palm on the hand scanner." Kind of weird but then again this whole damn place has got an eerie vibe to it."

The door slid to the side revealing the room to be not much larger than the one they just came from having only a tiny bed, and a sink. A prison cell, he thought. On the far side of the room, a large screen took up nearly the whole wall, while underneath it was an odd metal box. Curious, Marcus walked over and opened it, a low hiss escaped the box's airtight lid as it slid open. He frowned with confusion upon seeing the box's contents.

"What's this stuff?" He turned to look at Felix and Yoko who stood in the doorway.

"Your things, from before you were put to sleep."

"Why in the hell would a computer feel the need keep our things?"

"The best we've guessed is that it's to assist in recovering lost memories. The contents of that box are meant to remind you of the life you lived before you found yourself here."

"Well isn't that considerate of it," Marcus said flatly.

"Yes." Felix agreed. "It is rather odd, but it has been effective in assisting others to remember who they once were. On that note, we'll leave you to your own devices. Feel free to contact us using the touch screen on the wall if you need anything."

"Look..." Marcus stood up and rubbed the back of his neck. "The two of you have been nothing but welcoming. I'm sorry if I've come off as a bit of an ass. It's just that... well you know, all this is new to me. I just wanted to say thanks."

"None is needed," Felix said. "Just take everything in stride and we'll help you the best we can."

"I'll look forward to seeing you later." Yoko waved and bowed deeply.

"Sounds good." Marcus returned her wave.

Felix turned to go but stopped just before he stepped out of the room. "Just a word of warning. Most people tend to have a rather strong reaction to the memories triggered by what the system has set aside for them."

"I'll keep that in mind," Marcus said, turning serious. Felix and Yoko stepped aside, letting the door slide closed behind them before Marcus turned his attention towards the inside of the container.

With a deep breath, Marcus got to his knees and started to rummage through the contents of the box. A puzzled (and somewhat disappointed) look crossed his features once he saw what was inside: a pair of dark blue jeans, a deep crimson red shirt, and a black leather jacket. Ever since he had awoken, tiny glimpses of his life gradually seeped into his subconscious, moving him ever so slightly closer to understanding who he was. Knowing he should consider himself "lucky' that his amnesia would, from the sound of it, likely be short-lived; the idea that he was still struggling to grasp his own identity troubled him.

He picked up each article of clothing and examined them with deep contemplation, hoping they would help jog his memory. He first glanced at the shirt; noting that nothing seemed out of the ordinary about it; he moved on to the jacket. He dug into each of its pockets before his hand felt a cool metal object. Digging it out, the letters "ICPO" inscribed on its surface, triggered something in the back of his mind: I was a Cop. He thought running his fingers across the silver-plated surface, trying to recall the full significance of the badge.

A memory of a deep black chasm that went down father than his eyes could see, flashed before his eyes before a split-second glimpse of a strange looking blue-harried woman appeared in his head. Who the hell was that? Like pretty much all of the memories that came before it, anything concrete seemed just out of his grasp in the muddiness of it all.

The Jeans were next. As he picked them up, a small leather wallet fell out a back pocket. He picked it up and opened it, a small card with a headshot of himself was the first thing he saw staring back at him. Recalling that it was his driver license, he quickly scanned the I.D; recognizing Vesques as his last name and San Diego, California as his hometown, confirming that he likely hailed from the country Felix had mentioned earlier. More hazy pictures started to come together but nothing stuck. Frustrated, Marcus was about to give up when a picture tucked away in a clear plastic sleeve tugged at something deep inside of him.

It's them. he thought wide-eyed. The picture depicted him, the woman and the little girl he had seen in his dreams posing happily for the camera. He cupped his palms over his head as the wallet dropped to the floor. The memory of his past and the sight of the photograph blended together to create a crystal clear picture as a rush of images invaded his mind:

Long coiling strands of vibrant orange-red hair hung down past the woman's shoulders, framing her fair freckled face. A smirk lit up her features while her deep green eyes seemed to gaze directly into his soul, filling him with a contentment he couldn't quite explain. Looking into the eyes of the child between the women and himself, he couldn't help but grin at the three-year-old had a cheesy, tooth-filled smile. A mess of auburn colored curls sprung forth from the little girls head at what seemed to be impossible angles as she held tightly to his hand.

He leaned against the wall, letting his arms dangle to his side and sat there staring blankly, trying to make sense of everything. Who exactly were they? Friends? Family? Either one seemed likely. Marcus's brow furrowed; as strong of a connection he felt to the women and the little girl in the picture, he still couldn't put names to their faces.

If they weren't put to sleep alongside him then it would mean he wasn't likely to see them again, and he may never know what they truly meant to him. Don't think like that! He scolded himself. He had to have hope that wouldn't be the case. Hope, as Yoko put it was all any of them could really do. The picture and the badge were the only real leads had on who he truly was.

With his neck starting to ache, Marcus adjusted his position and felt his hand brush against something tiny and cold. At first, he thought it was the police badge from before, but soon realized it was far too small. He pinched the tiny metal object between his finger and thumb and brought it up to examine it. One way or the other, I'll find out who I was and how I'm connected to those two. With his resolve deepening Marcus gazed at the tiny wedding band in his grasp and wondered just how deep down Felix's iceberg really went.

AN: If you're big fans of CC2's Tail Concerto and Solatorobo (why wouldn't you be?) and are wondering where some of the more obscure details about the Juno system and human history came from then feel free to head on over to the Little Tale Bronx Discord server. There is a lot of lore that never made it out of Japan that has been translated to English thanks to the small but great community there.