"That's why you must come back alive...or rather, I hope you do."
Something didn't seem right and Jade knew it. But after all that happened, he couldn't find the strength to voice his concerns. They wanted it to be him; they had put all of their hope into it though he had advised them not to. Hell, he wanted it to be as real as it seemed because Lorelei knows they're all overdue for a happy ending.
It wasn't the scientist in him that had made him suspicious. When it came to this particular person he knew better than to rely on science. This was his gut telling him that he shouldn't get too excited because he'd only wind up disappointed.
And he didn't appear to be the only skeptical person in the room either. He glanced to the side to notice Mieu had yet to leave the perch he had made out of the colonel's arm which was slightly odd considering how attached the little cheagle had become with his master. Perhaps his heightened senses were picking up something?
"I just can't believe that you made it. Today of all days." Tear whispered leaning in to give him a hug.
"Your voice helped me find my way."
Anise bounced up and down. "I just can't believe you came back! I knew you wouldn't let me down, Luke." She squealed as she hugged his legs tightly.
"If you would have come back yesterday you wouldn't have missed your coming of age ceremony." Guy joked.
Luke smiled sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "Well you know I've always had a poor sense of direction."
"We can all just thank Lorelei that he had the decency to send Luke new clothes instead of returning him to us naked." Jade piped in.
Natalia shook her head. "Colonel, please! Should we head to Baticul? I'm afraid Aunt Suzanne has been rather weak lately, and I'm concerned that today's events might have been too much for her."
"I think it would be wise to let Luke have a medical examination first just to make sure he's alright."
Tear nodded. "I agree with the Colonel. We don't want to return the Duchess' son to her without first checking his condition. He looks a bit tired."
"So I guess that means we're headed for Belkend?"
Jade smiled, pushing up his glasses. "Actually there's no need. With me resuming my fomicry research, the Emperor has invested in a facility in Grand Chokmah. We'll have an easier time sneaking Luke around."
Anise grinned. "Then let's go! Maybe the emperor will reward us with gald for finding Luke!"
"It's pretty late and Noelle is probably exhausted from having to pick all of us up. We should sleep on the Albiore tonight and head out in the morning." Guy said.
"Wait, can we head to the inn at Chesedonia? Not that I have anything against the Albiore..." Luke mumbled.
Jade raised an eyebrow at that as everyone did but he knew now was not the time question it. "Seeing as you just returned from the dead and it's your birthday, I don't see why we can't do you one favor."
"Heh, how thoughtful you are, Colonel."
"I really don't care where we go, I'm just happy we have Luke back! I can't wait to get back to Daath and tell Florian." Anise smiled as she clung to his leg again.
"Now now, Anise. You don't want to break him before we have a chance to examine him." Jade gripped Tokunaga and tugged the small girl off him.
"Booo, you're no fun."
Guy chucked as they headed back to the Albiore. "Sorry we took so long, Noelle."
"It's no problem, guys. I know it's..." She gasped dropping the water bottle she had in her hands. "L-Luke...you're alive?" She ran over wrapping both arms around him. "Oh my god!"
Luke smiled hugging her back. "It's good to see you again too, Noelle."
Jade let out an exaggerated sigh. "My, my Luke. Even as a reincarnation you're still hogging all the women. A man of my mature age doesn't stand a chance."
"Shut up!"
Noelle blushed quickly pulling away. "It's not like that Colonel!"
"You don't waste any time jumping back into the usual teasing do you?" Guy asked.
"He's already had a break for two years. Was that not long enough?"
Tear and Natalia both sighed as they took their seats. The short ride to Chesedonia was silent with the exception of Mieu pointing out the things he saw out the window. When they arrived at the inn, they broke off into groups. The girls and Mieu sharing a room, Guy and Jade sharing a room while Luke got a room by himself.
"Have you noticed Luke's been acting a little weird?" Guy finally asked when they were alone, removing his gloves.
"It was strange that it seemed as if he already had a room here before we arrived. Perhaps he made a stop here before coming to Tataroo Valley?" Jade offered.
"Not just that, he just seems different. Not that I know what he went through and I suppose it wouldn't be impossible for his personality to have changed." He scratched his head.
"Let's save the little mystery for morning." Jade smiled sliding his glasses off.
"Yeah, you're right. Goodnight, Jade."
Whether it was from military training, the multiple assassination attempts on Peony back at the palace or the time he spent listening to Luke's nightmares, Jade had grown accustomed to sleeping as light as a feather. From his bed he could see the shadow that passed back and forth in the hall. It paused a few times in front of the door before it began moving again.
He had no reason to believe it was a threat. Things had been annoyingly calm recently. He stayed in his bed for a few more minutes before his curiosity and annoyance at the soft yet noticeable footsteps coaxed him out of bed.
"Is there something the matter Luke? Or is it Asch? Or would you prefer a new combined name?" Jade asked as he stepped out into the hall.
The redhead stopped his pacing and turned to look at him. "Hmph, I suppose...Asch is the most appropriate. Does that fonic sight really help you see through people that easily?"
He pulled the door closed behind him, sliding on his glasses. "It would be quite the useful superpower, but no. Actually, I surprised myself this time as well. It wasn't until I watched you that I realized how well I knew Luke. Do you remember what happened?"
Asch slid his back up against the wall, crossing his arms. "I remember contacting Luke right before...my death. I think he preserved my fonons inside of him, instead of just combining with them. After Eldrant began to fall, the Dreck...caught my body and we lowered down into the planet's core together."
Jade pushed his glasses up on his nose. "So you believe he transferred your fonons back into your body while he was holding you?"
"Seems like something he would do doesn't it? No matter what I did he wouldn't forget about me. Even if those Oracle Knights hadn't skewered me on those swords, I was going to die anyway."
"You were suffering the same condition as Luke."
Asch laughed softly as he shook his head, pushing the red hair out of his face. "He was a real pain. I don't know if I imagined it but I thought I heard him whispering to me as we descended. Maybe he did it through our connection."
Luke smiled softly and brushed the stray strands away from Asch's face. "You broke your promise. You were supposed to stay alive. At least you can't run away from me this time and I didn't have to grieve you for very long. Wherever I'm going, you're coming with me brother." He closed his eyes, hugging the lifeless body closer to him.
"By what you spoke at Tataroo Valley, it must have been the big bang and you absorbed Luke's memories. Why not correct everyone in their assumption?"
His eyes narrowed. "Everyone was waiting so dutifully for his return and you expect me tell them that I'm more Asch than their precious Luke. As if I mattered to any of you people besides Natalia."
Jade walked over to him. "Do not be mistaken. While Natalia and Luke were the only ones who had a true connection with you, we were all devastated by the news of your death and eternally grateful for your sacrifice."
He blinked before turning away. "W-well...I wasn't trying to sacrifice myself on purpose. There's something else I want to show you." He pushed himself off the wall and headed towards his room with Jade following.
Not being able to let the opportunity for teasing pass him by, he spoke first. "It has to be in private? I hope you're not planning to kill me because you think I know too much. Or is it because you've become an adult recently and you want to experiment? I'm afraid my body doesn't bend the way it used to."
Asch rolled his eyes as he opened the door and walked inside. "You're a twisted old man, four eyes."
Jade chuckled in response as he shut the door but immediately froze in silence when his eyes met with the bed in the room. The blankets had been bundled up around a tiny figure, obviously a child but what caught his attention was the familiar, messy mop of red hair that was poking out. "It can't be..."
Asch walked over to the bed carefully pulling the sheets back to reveal a sleeping child. "The reason why I'm more dominant even in our combined form is because this is Luke. And yes, I'm positive it's him. This is how I-we looked when we were younger."
"This...was unexpected. Do you have any idea how this happened?"
"Don't look at me! Last time I saw that dreck he still looked like himself. Then I wake up in the ruins of Eldrant two days ago and this kid was there. He only had on a cloak, so I brought him here to get him some clothes. I wanted to go back to the ruins to see if anything else was there, so I told him to stay here at the inn and wait for me to come back. Then I remembered my...Luke's promise to Tear and it led me to Tataroo Valley."
"And that's why you insisted we come back here." Jade crossed over to the bed to closely examine the sleeping child. "And you don't remember Lorelei mentioning anything?"
"No I don't. It's hard to remember anything. My memories and Luke's are all jumbled together like a whirlpool and it's getting harder to keep things separate."
"Did you speak to him? Can he speak?"
"Some childhood memories still seem intact. He knows his name is Luke and he can remember some things about living in the manor, so he's not a complete blank slate like he was before. I have all of Luke's recent memories but from what I can tell, I don't have any of his childhood ones."
Jade straightened and turned to Asch. "I see. And is this why you were pacing back and forth in front of my door? You believe I can help you with this?"
Asch glared at him. "It's not like I wanted to, it was just instinct for some reason."
He smiled sliding his hands in his pockets. "I believe that's from the part of Luke you inherited. He believed I was capable of fixing anything."
"Well you always seem to figure things out before everyone else. Do you have a theory for this as well?"
"I don't believe this is any result of fomicry but has more to do with the fact that you were connected to Lorelei. Perhaps Lorelei tried to restore both you and Luke but encountered some difficulties from your concurrent dissipations. He used as many of Luke's fonons as he could to restore your body while preserving his basic form. After all, his body was nothing but a shell he received from you. On the inside he was very different. Though I could always be wrong."
Asch scratched the back of his head. "Sounds somewhat logical at least. Just make sure you give him a medical exam when we reach Grand Chokmah."
"Indeed. I will give you both a very thorough examination for your benefit and the benefit of my own research of course. By the way, how did you explain to him why you both look so much alike?"
He turned away and mumbled. "I told him...I was his brother."
A devious smirk crossed Jade's lips as he took another look at the bed. "Did you now? Just when I believed this situation couldn't get more fascinating. I do hope little Luke here doesn't sleep for too much longer."