Ace sat by the fire watching his family.
Academia had given them reprieve now that the war had finally settled. For the first time in their lives, the Agito cadets of Class 0 were allowed to relax.
They'd changed so much from when they first entered the academy. There were hardly any traces of the people they used to be. What happened to the kids of yesterday, who became the soldiers of tomorrow? Was it really over? Had he finally reached a happy ending?
Maybe it was the smoke collected under the tarp getting to him, but Ace's eyes began to water. He'd been staring at his friends play for too long. It was nice to hear laughter fill the open air. This was the world they'd all dreamt of. One filled with happiness, where they could explore everything life had to offer.
Only in this life there was no Mother. Ace found it sad how he couldn't even recall what she looked like. He only knew that once she existed.
The smile faded from Ace's lips the night grew darker. He sat unmoving. Even if they grew up and grew to be heroes, these dorks in front of him were still the same dorks. They were just kids, as they had always been and would be for a long time. He, on the other hand, wouldn't be in their midst for much longer.
There was always a price for victory.
The Vermillion Bird Crystal had struck deal with Ace.
He'd live long enough, fight to see his family triumph, to see the beginnings of his family's dreams come to fruition, but he wasn't going to experience it.
On this, his last night in the world, he wished to go quietly. He prayed he'd be washed away with the rain threatening to pour from the rain clouds that had begun to block the stars.
"Who's going to go get more fire wood?" King called out as he poked at the flames, leaning into Queen's shoulder to keep Jack from getting close to her, again.
"I'll go," Ace said. "But I think we're going to the need more than one person if we want the fire to last more than one night."
"Great! How about we do teams?" Jack yelled out. Ace would miss his annoying optimism. He was unknowing helping Ace.
"Cater and Eight on one team! And Rem and Ace on the other! Let's see who can bring back the most fire wood first!" Cinque suggested. Machina had begun to protest. He hated the idea of seeing Rem alone with any guy other than him, even if it was just Ace.
"That's hardly fair! Ace and Rem aren't our most physically capable-," Trey began to contest. Deuce placed a hand over his mouth to silence him.
"Yet, Ace handed your ass to you a few days ago," Sice smirked, high fiving a snickering Seven.
"Those are the decided teams. Now be sure to not get lost and follow the trails and take flashlights with you," Queen came over to the two teams with a bag full of outdoor equipment.
"Yes mom," Cater said mockingly, but her expression faltered when she saw Queen recoil. Even if they couldn't remember their Mother, it was almost as if their memories of her were at the tips of their mind. Within reach yet far away.
"Let's get going before it gets too late," Ace took a flashlight from the bag Queen was holding and set out.
It was a silent walk. Only the noises of the camp and the leaves crunching under their feet could be heard. Rem wasn't the most talkative of the bunch, but Ace knew she was being more silent than usual.
"You've been awfully quiet lately," he finally spoke up.
"I could say the same about you," she countered, gazing at him intently with her knowing red eyes.
"I've been rather tired lately," he came up with an excuse, which was not too far from the truth. The look on Rem's face made it clear she wasn't convinced.
Her eyes narrowed further before she opened her mouth again. "You're leaving aren't you?"
He stiffened under her stare, unable to hand over the firewood he'd collected.
"So, it really is true…," she said, her lips angling down further. "Why won't you tell anyone?"
It was a long time before he spoke again. He finally moved to hand her the firewood.
"They changed fate once," he began looking her in the eyes, "They might think they can do it again." He stepped away from her and began walking further into the woods.
"I'm sure they'd understand if you explained to them," Rem pleaded. He could tell she was thinking up ways to head back to the camp, where they could be with the others.
"I'd rather not cause a ruckus," Ace answered, looking behind her towards the camp. "Besides I don't really have a choice." His blue eyes looked into her confused red ones.
"You have no choice?" she repeated. The creases in her brow grew with each syllable.
"In order to see this thing to the end, I promised the Vermillion Bird my life." He'd never thought he'd get the chance to tell anyone what had been weighing in his heart before he passed.
"You stupid, stupid boy," Rem muttered before wrapping her arms around him. He felt her lips, as soft as the cherry blossom petals she viewed everyday brush against his cheek.
"…Thanks, Rem…" He was stunned that she felt so strongly. Perhaps, this was a gesture she showed for all those she cared about.
A wave of heat slammed into Ace, reminding him that the Vermillion Bird was calling.
He gently removed himself from Rem's embrace and took a few steps back. His hands could feel the edge of the barrier. Once he crossed the line, Rem wouldn't be able to see him anymore.
"I don't want to forget you!" she screamed, as his foot crossed the barrier. He knew she wouldn't be able to follow him any further than she already had.
Ace turned to her and smiled. "You won't," he lied, knowing the crystal would erase everyone's memories of him. But Rem's tears fell like a stream of crystal beads.
His whole form crossed the barrier.
He'd felt a lot braver with his family. Now Ace felt like a little boy. Alone and afraid, with no idea what might happen next.
His hands reached for his face where the lingering sensation of Rem's lips had mixed with her tears.
Mother never explained to him why, but he often got visions of another life while he slept. In one of them, he saw Machina's older brother, Izana, die. Now he finally understood what Izana meant when he said he didn't want to die.
Ace wanted more time with his friends…his family…
Come to me.
The air of the temple beckoned him, pulling him towards the steps as it swirled around him. Ace finally reached the steps of the abandoned temple and sat down. The temple's bloodied corners and broken wooden floors reminded him of just how far he'd come from the first time he sat here dying.
Crackling fire filled Ace's ears as hot air hit his back. His end was finally beginning.
Smoke rose to the darkening sky through the hole in the roof. A dark blanket of clouds covered the stars but his world was slowly turning red.
Warm droplets began to fall from the sky as he started to lose sensation. The world melted into a glowing blob as the relentless Vermillion Flame engulfed him.
Was he crying?
Or was it just the rain?