A.N: This is an AU story where only one character remembers the former world and takes place not long after L&L, and strives to find a way to fix it.

Asunder

Ch. 1 - Things Betwixt

The sunshone on a glorious day in Yu Liberte, peering out of the glorious silk blue curtains pouring into a grand room fit for a noblemen, a statesmen, a lieutenant. Yu Liberte was always beautiful when the sun shone some would wager if the cryas worked or not, the grand capital of Stratha would retain its splendour and honour.

Honour was something it would always have thanks to the group whom, not once but, twice saved the world from ultimate destruction; all of its members retaining extremely high places in society ranging from military to humanitarian to scientist to royality; riches and suitors would've been offered if the people involved considered it a matter, at least to Hubert Oswell, formerly Lhant, he only had one woman on his mind.

His morning routine was simple: send a message to his beloved Amarcian, quickly exercise and go for a job around the city, train with his weapons, and then have breakfast. Any interruptions in his routine were caused by the sight of a bird enter his communicator.

Silently anxious, he waited on the communicator's message, salvaging the feeling of knowing she answered him back. They had been doing this ritually for weeks; one message turned to two, turned to twenty, turned to a hundred.

Hubert's Secret Habit #1: Pascal's nickname ''Hu'' makes him immediately blush.

When they're together, whether they're having dinner or spending time on how to regulate the valkines or working on how to make Strathan lives easier, the communicator is never touched.

No bird's whisper had to tell each other their propaganda despite Pascal's density.

Whenever they left each other's side, the communicator was attached at each other's hip, never leaving for a solid minute. Hubert kept it for what were obvious reasons to just about everyone, including the President who, like a telepath, read Hubert's mind before he could reject the proposal with a wave of his finger, as if to say, ''It's fine.'' Hubert thought nothing of it and simply bowed to his President, and went on his way.

He had spent many days and thoughts the more he wondered on if Pascal felt the same way. Did she keep the communicator because it would be rude to ignore his messages or did she really feel something for him? A question where he only was given implied answers and riddles, the best coming from Pascal's sister, Fourier who demanded Hubert to just propose to her so she would have a reason to take a bath.

A sense of warmth came from his cheeks whenever he thought about that day, pondering if it were a joke or a serious demand. ''Fourier never jokes.'' Hubert's first thought of the day. He looked at the small box aloft his dresser in nerves of steel shaking during a tremor. Wandering toward it, he opened the small box allowing it's luminating shine to nearly blind his eyes, for to him it was shinier than the sun, but only half the beauty of the girl who must be wearing it. He was right to have let Marian shine the jewel.

''Am I crazy? Asbel's lunacy must be rubbing off on me.'' He alluded to his brother's marriage to his lifelong friend, Cheria not long before. He began to snicker to himself about the irony of his situation; he told the Captain about how he was disgusted by marriage and it's inevitable economic downfall, but here he was contemplating marriage to the craziest girl he's ever met. ''Once a Lhant, always a Lhant, I suppose.''

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He finished his morning routine and got dressed for the day, tucking the ring box inside the pocket of his trousers. ''Come on, Hubert, get a grip. You've fought humanoids, ventured into different planets, and commanded armies; this is preposterous. All I have to do is kneel before her, open this box, and ask that age old question. How difficult is that?'' Hubert argued with himself over what should be the littlest thing but he knew exactly what he was getting into: With marriage, he's entrusting his life with Pascal. It'll mean they'll share a life together, he'll never be able to mingle with other women without being dishonest, and he'll likely father her children, assuming she's willing to have any. The second part wasn't much trouble, Hubert never bothered with courting, not due to lack of trying but lack of caring & lack of time; he was sure Pascal was the same way.

He strengthed himself up and looked into his mirror, standing straight and proper, he elegantly said with a sigh, ''It's now or never. Asbel, in all his density, could do it. I know I can.'' He grabbed his equipment and the communicator, writing a message to her:

''Pascal,

Meet me in front of the Presidential Palace. It is urgent and I need you for this operation.

Hu,''

He wandered out of his personal manor and waited urgently before the palace for his crazy beloved to come see him. Knowing Pascal, she would come at a heartbeat for any of her friends, Hubert & Sophie faster than others. This thought grazzed Hubert's mind and caused him to blush, curiously wondering if she wanted to grope him as well. He knew once he gave her the rock, the message would be clear; it'd have to be. It was also clear to him he would need to see a doctor about the crushed back caused by Pascal's hugging.

However something was off this day. The amount of time it would take for Pascal to respond back to one of Hubert's messages would be between 1-15 minutes according to Hubert's estimations, maximum 15 if she was working on some device or doing a government project or Fourier was giving her a bath. It had been 30 minutes since he left his manor, crossing his arm and playing with the box in his trousers, he eagerly waited impatiently for her to arrive.

''This isn't like Pascal to be late. She would respond to my messages if she was busy with something.'' Hubert silently said to himself, hiding his disappointment from the Strathan soldier's watching him. Hubert gave them a glance, forcing them to disperse away from him.

He checked the communicator and found no answer. Hubert immediately feared the worst and prepared to hire a Turtlez Transport to head to the Amarcian Enclave to find out where Pascal was. He would have done this, if a Presidential Guard didn't stop him.

''Captain Oswell, you are to be in attendence of the President.''

'Can it wait, Madame Guardsmen?'' He answered sternly, not turning his gaze at her.

''It's urgent, Captain.''

Hubert was promoted to Captain for his contributions with the rest of the party for saving the planet more than once. Hubert's meetings with the President only lasted at most 30 minutes, if Pascal arrived she would tell him and he would do what he came to do. The President could also send him on a mission to which he crossed his fingers, praying it's a mission to the Enclave or at least Fendel in general.

Being there was closer than being where he was.

''Indeed, lead me to him.''

Upon entering the Presidential Manor, he started noticing small but subtle changes. The guards male outfit were changed for the hats to be more circular with masks covering their faces while the girls wore full blue pants instead of the original lower ensemble they had worn. Hubert glanced at the looks that the guards gave him, one of admiration with an edge; telling him to 'watch where he stands.'

Another question for the President once he arrived.

''His Honour is this way.''

''Thank-you, Madame Guardsmen.'' Hubert bowed before her before entering the office, looking around noticing not much had changed except the chalkboard had strange markings similar to a globe with large white 'X's on key specific points in certain areas. Has he grew closer to the desk, he grew closer to the drawn globe that had different markings as well with 'O's on them as well with a code in a small square on the lower left that drew his curiousity.

''Shouldn't you address your President before approaching his desk?'' The stern demanding voice bellowed from the chair not like President Paradine, the former President had it seemed.

''F-Father?''

''That's President Oswell to you, son!'' He turned around to reveal Hubert's Foster Father, who had appeared to have gained some girth in the time past, not that Hubert could remember or imagine.

''No you're not, Paradine is the President of Stratha. Where is he?''

Oswell looked at him queerly before continuing his speech of supremacy. ''How dare you speak of the traitorous Paradine in my space. You know very well where he is and what happened to him.''

''What are you talking about, Fath-''

Oswell slammed his fist. ''President Oswell! I will not repeat myself!''

''You're not the President!'' Hubert knew well that his Father had tried to usurp the seat from its democratic roots a long while ago, but were stopped by him and the group before he could commit his coup. Hubert didn't know what to do because if his Father was now the President, he had committed treason where there was one response: execution.

''I will not tolerate heresy from you or anyone, guards!'' Before the guards could enter the office, Hubert unleashed his pistols and fired flare shots at the walls, producing smoke to conceal his body and distract the guards from attacking him.

Hubert was already dexterious and fast, so outrunning a few guards outside the city limits wasn't a hard accomplishment. If only they started where he did; this was no foot race.

''Stop him!'' A Guardsmen yelled out, instructing the confused yet alert guards patrolling the front gates to attack the esteemed Captain, who was running past the three at the front gates.

Most guards were armed with rapiers and a pistol that fired cryas artes, if they were well trained and put the effort into the training. Two of the guards attempted to open fire at his feet as he ran, missing each shot with quick reflexes on his side. Months of travelling with his friends, his brother, his niece, and his unrequited lover had made his constitution levels higher than the guards, but out running cryas bullets were a different story.

Besides his dualblades, the communicator, the ringbox, and a few gels, he had no items on hand to mix or use to keep the guards at bay, nor did he wish to kill his country men, especially under the orders of the man he now called Garrett. He wished his capture, and likely his execution; father wasn't the term for him anymore. The sand didn't slow him down. It did happen to slow down the gunsmen however, leaving two men behind on his trail, one of which he knew to be a marathon man.

He needed to distract them somehow in a way that it wouldn't harm them, but keep them off his trail for a matter of time, but what? They weren't stupid enough to fall for Pascal's Gel Plan and it took him forever to pay for the gem that sat within the box. He was nearly stopped by a small monster horde approaching him to his left. He grunted silently. He didn't have time for this...but the guards did.

He quickly shot the smaller of the bunch with his bullets; a weakly aimed Aqua Bullet, blinding the monster and running past them. He hoped that when the monster regained it's vision, it would see the guards and attack them. They were nothing; Strahtan Military had to kill these monsters for training. It wouldn't be hard, it would take time.

He turned back after a moment in the sunlight to see no Bluecoats chasing him; a quaint smirk presiding on his worried face knowing he was right.

He took solace in a small cottage between Yu Liberte and the Northern Port to Warrior's Roost. He had so many thoughts transpire in his mind like what was going on, why was Garrett Oswell the President and not Paradine, or where was Pascal, upon noticing his communicator never got an answer. He became horrified upon remembering the chalkboard inside Oswell's office and started reminiscing about the little bits of it that he brought together in his mind:

The map-like drawing, the large landmasses, Xs & Os in specific patterns not like Tic-Tac-Toe, and darkened areas symbolizing...He needed to prepare for a new mission: Warn King Richard & Chancellor Eigen.

He knew an invasion strategy when he saw one.

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