Coda

by D0ubleFelix

A treaty is nothing more than a piece of paper written years ago. Humans hate psychics, and psychics hate humans. As long as there's hate, there's conflict. And as long as there's conflict, there's war. But if Lucas made it through hell itself before, surely, he can do it again. Can the purest of hearts calm something as dark and twisted as hatred between fellow man? (SEQUEL STORY)

2. Claus, Just Claus

"What are they doing here?"

"Goodness, they're all bleeding! What happened?"

"Someone go get the apothecary!"

The moment the small group of people had passed through Onett's portal and stumbled into the hidden town, they were swarmed with onlookers. Even upon being faced with several people all wishing for answers, Claus and his villagers remained silent, looking at the ground below them. Lucas began to try and lead them through the crowd, as did Ness.

"Stand clear, give them room to breathe!" Ness said, "Listen, we need to see Kumatora right away! Where is she?"

"Ness, what is the meaning of all this?" Asked one Onettan; a neighbour Lucas recognized.

"I'll explain everything later, but first, I need Kumatora and any medical help!" Ness repeated. He turned to Claus and leaned in close, "Come along, we'll get you somewhere safe. We'll get your people to a hospital."

"Bless you, Raven." Claus whispered, his voice quivering.

"Ness!" Called another citizen, "I just got word, Kumatora's in the town hall. Better get over there quick; best to bring the leader with you."

"Alright, then we gotta go now. Claus, come with me. We should probably take Lucas too." Ness decided, waving Lucas over. He passed a reluctant Ninten to another villager, "Ninten, we'll be back. Let's get to it, Claus!"

"R-Right, then." Claus bowed his head. He noticed that a few Onettans had begun to approach the Unknown villagers, who were resisting a bit. "Unknown! Please, just go along with it, they do not mean you harm. I'm off to speak with Onett's mayor, so let these people help you."

In response to their leader's order, the tentative villagers reluctantly allowed themselves to be aided. Claus then motioned for Ness to lead the way, which he did. Lucas took his brother's arm and guided him. As they travelled through the streets of Onett, they were met with the whispers of people who'd heard about the ordeal. Ness could only cross his fingers and pray that Kumatora would understand.

---

"I want an explanation, and I want it now."

Lucas, Ness, and Claus stood face to face with a sharply dressed, intimidating woman. She stood with her hands behind her back and her green eyes narrowed. The rouge hue in her hair was enough to match the fire in her gaze. Onett's mayor; Kumatora.

Ness swallowed nervously and nodded.

"U-Um, yes, right away," Ness stammered, "Well, I...seem to have brought a large group of Unknown villagers into Onett."

"I can clearly see that! And you did it without my permission!" Kumatora hissed, "What were you thinking, bringing foreigners into our town at a time like this? With the threat of war breathing down our necks?"

"You know about all that?" Ness asked.

"Of course I do, do you think I'm stupid?" Kumatora replied, leaning over her desk, "That is the most dangerous thing you could do! Onett is hidden for a reason!"

"B-But ma'am-"

"But what?!"

Lucas stepped forwards, "Madam, we had no other choice! We-"

Claus put a hand on Lucas' arm and hastily interrupted, "Lucas, please, if I may," He approached Kumatora and pulled away his hood, exposing his face, "I am Hawkeye; Leader of Unknown. Otherwise, I am Claus, Lucas' brother."

"Yes, I've heard of you." Kumatora nodded.

"And I, you." Claus nodded back, "I understand your frustration, but my people come to you in a time of need. As you said, war is approaching. Unknown...has been ambushed."

Kumatora perked, "...Ambushed? How so?"

"A massive attack of flying machines and weapons beyond our comprehension." Explained Claus, "Most of us were captured and taken, while the rest were all killed. The ones brought into your town today are the sole remainders."

Kumatora went quiet. She kept her eyes sharp, but didn't protest. Claus went on.

"I am willing to sacrifice my pride as a leader if it means my people will be safe." Claus said. With that, he shrugged off his cloak and began to fold it. He stepped to the edge of Kumatora's desk, bowed his head, and presented the offer, "I am giving you my hood; a hood worn by all the previous leaders before me. It is the symbol of my authority. Please, take it."

Claus set the hood on her desk. Lucas and Ness both looked at each other with disbelief. The boy proceeded to drop to his knees and bow to the floor, touching his forehead to the wooden boards.

"Please, allow my remaining villagers to take shelter. We have women and children," Claus begged. His voice was quaky and tearful. "We will not be an intrusion! We will adapt to Onett's way of life, and we are willing to leave behind our own."

Kumatora watched the defeated leader, who stayed on the ground. He was shaking again. She glanced at the hood placed on her desk and ran her hand over its fabric. Her eyes softened. She looked back at Claus in pity.

"You're Lucas' twin," She murmured, "You are only sixteen?"

"Y-Yes, Madam." Claus replied.

"Someone of your age…" Kumatora said, "For you to lead a population and then lose it. My boy, you're so young."

"An Unknown citizen is considered an adult at my age…" Claus said.

Kumatora bit her lip, eyes filled with sadness. "The fact that a child must beg on his knees to me...what a tragic sight." She rounded her desk and approached Claus, bending down to settle a hand on his back, "You mustn't sacrifice your pride. On your feet."

Claus looked up, his red rimmed eyes wide. "Huh?"

Kumatora helped him stand up, before lifting his coat and offering it back, "I can tell this is a highly sacred object. Please, take it back. You need not pay your way into my town."

"B-But…!" Claus clutched the hood to his chest.

"Hush, now. I am standing before a brave young fellow. You are more courageous than most adults." Kumatora said, "You are welcome here, as are your people."

"Truly?" Claus breathed.

"Yes. I can't promise you that we can provide an environment you are used to, but we will provide as best we can. Your culture is an important thing, and you mustn't lose it. Losing that means that they win." Kumatora assured, "I will see to it that your people are safe."

Claus opened his mouth to speak, but the tears building up in his eyes prevented him from doing so. Gripping his coat tighter, he hung his head and quietly began to sob to himself.

"Bless you, Madam…Bless you…" Claus choked, "Such kindness…"

"Kumatora, thank you," Ness said. Kumatora sharply turned to him.

"And you. You're lucky I don't use you as kindle, Ness." She muttered. "All it takes is one disguised human to be brought in here, and Onett's location is revealed. Understood?"

"Yes'm…" Ness quietly replied.

"Good." Kumatora said, "Now, let's get these poor people settled."

And with that, she led the three boys away, Claus still softly crying into his coat.

---

The skies were dark. Claus was asleep; something that took him a while, especially after hearing the news that Ninten had suffered from two seizures since he'd arrived. Lucas had sat with him for nearly an hour, trying to get him calm enough to sleep. Lucas knew that the only person who slept less that Claus was Ness. He prayed that he'd stay within his slumber. When Claus had finally drifted off, Lucas quietly got up and left the room. Down the hall, he saw the flickering of a candle light glowing from the inside of Ness' bedroom. Lucas made his way down and tentatively peered inside, resting a hand on the door frame.

Inside, he saw Ness sitting beside his bed, hiding his face in his hands. Ninten was laying down, arms crossed, taking extra care to look the opposite direction. Lucas gently tapped at the door, getting their attention.

"Hey," Lucas greeted, trying to keep his voice lighthearted, "Ninten? You doing any better?"

"Fine." Ninten muttered.

"Oh, come on, don't be so bitter. I'd expect that attitude used with Ness, but me?" Lucas sighed, walking over and sitting on the bed corner.

"...My bad. It's just…" Ninten rubbed at his eyes, "Nothing. Heed me not."

"He's mad at Claus." Ness filled in the sentence.

"I'm not mad at him!" Ninten insisted, "I'm...slightly disgruntled. Unknown's leader has stopped to low levels."

Lucas, immediately catching on, clicked his teeth, "I get it. He offered up his cape and everything. He doesn't even let me touch it sometimes."

"But he knew Kumatora could be a stern woman. She was already hesitant enough letting Lucas live here when he needed it. He was desperate." Ness reminded.

"Surely he could've been more stern himself. If it were me, I would have demanded she let me into her town." Ninten said.

"Try and be a little bit more sensitive?" Ness said "All that matters is that she said yes. Just be thankful your people are safe."

Ninten eyed him with an irritated glare for a short moment, but didn't seem motivated enough to retort. He simply glanced back down at his hands. Ness could see the darkened lines of his veins through his palms and arms. Whatever this electric weapon had been, it was enough to make an imprint on his skin. He didn't even want to imagine what such a shock would feel like. No wonder Ninten was more irritable than usual.

The sudden rattling of the windows caught their attention. Ness, brow furrowed, walked over to tighten the locks, but found them perfectly in place. The rumbling continued. He looked out, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, just the usual streetlights of Onett and the distant shapes of city buildings. Lucas was about to ask about it, but Ness piped up before he could.

"Aw, Christ…" Ness spat.

"What-?" Lucas asked, leaning over.

Just as he said his last sentence, he saw it; a collection of bright red and green lights passing over Onett in a straight, clean line. The same flying machines from before, he thought. Lucas clutched the bedsheets and stifled a gasp.

"Ah! No! How did they find us?" Lucas breathed.

"Shhh! Hold on a second," Ness whispered.

The three boys stayed quiet, fingers crossed as the droning of the planes passed over them, making the ceiling rafters creak. Lucas settled a hand over Ninten's leg, which he felt under the covers. He could see that his hands were balled into fists, as if Ninten was planning to leap into action if anything happened. However, the sound came and went, before disappearing into the distance. Ness watched until the lights disappeared from view, then breathed a sigh of relief.

"They didn't see us. They're past Onett's borders." He assured, walking back to his chair and slumping down.

"What happens the day they find out where we are?" Lucas asked.

"They won't, because everyone in Onett knows to keep our location a secret." Ness said, "Remember when you thought Onett was just a myth? A fictional place? Over 90 percent of the world's population thinks that too. Onett isn't on the map, meaning we aren't involved with this war. We're safe."

"Not forever." Ninten spoke, "What happens when a human soldier wants to off himself, so he jumps off the cliffedge, only to stumble into Onett? We're as good as dead then."

"Onett's portal is only available to people with Psionic auras. If you don't have one, you can't pass through." Lucas said.

"We're fine." Said Ness, "Like I said. Off the map."

Ninten went quiet after that. No one found the will to speak. The only sound seemed to be the fluttering of the set of candles nearby. Lucas looked outside again. When would he see the streets be so peaceful again? He prayed that his father was safe. He even prayed for Lighter. He couldn't help it; he found himself praying for Tazmily. He turned in response to hearing the shuffling of paper. Ness had fished into his pocket and retrieved the booklet Flint had given them. Mouth set in a thin line, Ness scanned over the cover. His eyes flickered with dread.

"...'Queen Mary's Reformatory School for Corrupted Youth.'" He read aloud.

"What?" Both Lucas and Ninten asked at the same time.

"The pamphlet that Flint showed us; it's for some sort of reformatory school." Ness explained, tracing a finger over the printed image of a large school building.

"For problem children, do you think? Is it a military school kind of scenario?" Lucas asked.

"I'm not sure, it's…" Ness trailed off as he squinted to read the fine print. Suddenly, his eyes turned dark, '...Oh, good god. I didn't think these still existed."

"What does?" Piped Ninten.

"It's a Psionic reformatory school. They get little kids who haven't accessed their PSI yet to go there, with the hopes that they can take it away. It's basically a boarding school where Psychics go to have their PSI ripped away from them." Ness said, "It's really fucked up. I thought they were all closed down years ago, but I guess one survived."

"Jesus, those poor girls!" Lucas breathed. "Remember when I wanted to get rid of my PSI? I didn't even know if it was possible or not."

"It is, and it's painful. PSI is based on your mental awareness and concentration, so these people basically work to brainwash you, thus leaving your PSI unusable. They mentally break you. They leave you as an empty shell." Ninten chipped in, "I've heard of these schools. My mother used to threaten to send me to one when I misbehaved as a child."

"Yeah, it's…" Ness didn't finish his sentence, as he'd become too involved reading through the pamphlet. He seemed entranced by every word and picture. Lucas sighed and turned to Ninten.

"...Are you feeling any better? Any more seizures?" Lucas asked, setting a hand on Ninten's leg again.

"I'm not dead." Ninten shrugged.

"What'd it feel like? Did it feel like being struck by PK Thunder? Because that hurts."

"It's strange, I actually don't quite remember." Ninten admitted, "It was like...all of a sudden, my vision went white, and I couldn't feel anything. I don't recall it hurting. Next thing I knew, I was on the ground, and Ness was propped over top of me."

"Yeah, Ness basically saved your life. I hope you said thank you." Lucas said.

"I...may have uttered it." Ninten stammered, looking away.

"Did he really, Ness?" Lucas turned to his friend, who looked up from the booklet and set it to the side.

"If you mean he wrote it on a piece of parchment and stuck it in my pocket," Ness fished out a folded note and revealed a 'thanks' scrawled over it, "Then yes. This isn't even the first time I've saved his life, either."

"That last time happened three months ago, it is irrelevant!" Ninten blatantly clarified.

"Saying 'thanks' isn't that hard, Ninten." Lucas smirked, trying to lift the tension as much as he could. The two boys ignored him.

"Maybe you wouldn't have to thank people if you stopped throwing yourself into danger every time you can." Ness suggested bitterly.

"How dare you, I was protecting my people!" Ninten snarled through his teeth.

"Guys, let's calm down just a notch, I only just got Claus to go to sleep, and I don't want him waking up because you two can't stop acting like a married couple." Lucas sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Too late." Ness mumbled, jerking his head towards the door.

Lucas turned, and exhaled with dread as he spotted the outline of his brother standing in the doorway. Claus looked exhausted, leaning against the threshold for support. Lucas' eyes softened as he stood up and approached him.

"Claus," Lucas murmured, "We didn't mean to wake you, just go back to sleep."

"It wasn't you. I heard the planes overhead." Claus replied weakly. His body was shivering from the cold air, and his bare upper half was covered in goosebumps. Lucas twitched, seeing the pale scars coating his brother's chest and arms; memories of past battles he'd so proudly won. Lucas was quick to shed his jacket and draped it over his shoulders. Claus didn't react, still glaring at the ground. Lucas wished he could see his twin standing with the same humbleness and pride he always had, with his head held high and his shoulders back. But of course, Claus looked just as miserable as he did hours ago.

"Hawkeye, may I begin by clarifying that I am not displeased with you, I'm only-" Ninten quickly began.

"Not here." Claus interrupted.

"...Pardon me, sir?"

"Don't call me such things here. I am no leader where we are. Just forget the formalities, Ninten. We are equals." Claus replied, voice lacking inflection. Ninten stared at him as if he'd grown wings.

"Equals? You and I? B-But sir-!"

"Consider this my final order to you. I am Claus. Just Claus. 'Tis the end of it, understood?"

Ninten wavered, debating his words for a moment, "...Aye, alright. Understood, si-" He paused, "...Claus."

Lucas watched in dismay as Claus slowly walked to the window without another word. He bit his lip, finding each second more painful than the last.

'What've they done to my brother?' He thought, every vein in his body seething with anger. Deciding that sleep was just about impossible at this point, Lucas sighed and spoke aloud, "...What's on your mind?"

Almost immediately, he wanted to take those words back. Both Ninten and Ness faced him, bewildered that he would ask such a thing. Lucas clapped a hand over his forehead. 'Dammit, Lucas, you moron!' He thought, 'What do you think is on his mind, idiot?!'

"I...I'm not sure." Claus unexpectedly expressed, "There's a feeling deep down inside telling me that…"

Ness leaned forward as Claus trailed off, "...Telling you what?"

"That I need to…" Claus hesitated, "...Go back. It's almost uncontrollable. I just need to get back to Unknown. I know it sounds crazy. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if I've lost my mind already. But I feel like...someone's still there."

The other three all shared looks of pity and discomfort. Without speaking, they tried to prompt each other to reply. Claus, meanwhile, paid them no mind. He settled a hand over the window's surface, letting the cold spread through his palm. His eyes trailed to the nearby silhouette of the forest. All he could think about was that the remains of his village, the place he'd called home for nearly six years, were just scattered there. Just one more, he thought. If he could just find one more survivor. There had to still be one, he thought. Unknown had more than a thousand people, and there had to be at least one who took off into the forest before they could be caught. He rested his forehead against the glass, again not caring about the chill.

"Claus…" Lucas began.

"I need to go back." Claus stated, "I can't just stay here when there could be more survivors without anyone to turn to."

"Well, now, that's just a fantastic idea." Ninten challenged, "What are you to do if the enemy returns?"

"So be it." Claus replied.

"And if you're captured? You're not going anywhere without me!" Ninten decided, propping himself up and preparing to slip off the bed.

"Ninten, you protect the leader's role, mind not whoever fills it. I am just a person to you, now." Claus reminded.

Ninten opened his mouth to protest, but settled back down and fell silent, jaw clenched. Lucas stepped forward, concerned.

"Claus, you need the time to recover." Lucas said.

"I bear no wounds." Claus quietly muttered.

"You bear invisible wounds, ones we cannot see." Ninten said, his voice much softer, "Just because we see no blood nor bruise does not mean you are not hurt."

"Ninten's right, Claus. You need to rest." Ness said.

"Stubborn, all of you!" Claus suddenly spat, "My village has been destroyed! My child! I may be no leader, but I follow no instruction, understood? There could be survivors who are alone and frightened!" He quickly caught himself, immediately recoiling back, regretful of his sudden outburst. Claus took a breath and continued, "...I'm...I'm sorry, I meant not to shout. But I rest my case. Before the entrance to Onett closes once more, I will travel to the remains of my home. Even if it means recovering the smallest artifact. I...I fear my own well being inside my head. I'll lose what's left of my mind if I don't check one last time."

"..." Lucas hesitated, "...Then I'll go too."

"Lucas…!" Claus turned to meet him, shaking his head.

"Having an extra pair of eyes and hands could help you, Claus." Lucas interrupted, "If you won't let Ninten help you, at least let me do it."

"And me." Ness added, standing up confidently.

"No." Lucas immediately replied.

"What? Why?" Ness asked, knitting his brows as Lucas pulled him in close by the arm.

"You need to stay here and make sure Commander Batshit-Crazy over there doesn't get up and do something stupid." Lucas whispered, jerking his head towards Ninten.

"Bold of you to assume I can keep him at bay at all." Ness raised a brow. Lucas frowned.

"I need you to try. I'll go with Claus, and we'll take a look around." He said, putting a hand on Claus' arm to silence him from protesting any more, "You stay here and take care of Ninten. What happens if he goes into another seizure with no one to turn him over?"

"...Fine. You got me." Ness sighed, "But you gotta promise that you'll hurry, okay? The portal doesn't stay open forever."

"If we get stuck behind, we'll find a way to survive." Lucas assured, "If we're going to make it before the entrance closes, then we need to go now."

"Good luck, I guess." Ness said. He glanced at Ninten, who was looking away. He nudged him, "...Ahem. Ninten, our friends are leaving to go on a dangerous mission."

Ninten shifted his sharp gaze back to Ness, clicked his teeth, and gave a quiet sigh, "...Godspeed." He muttered reluctantly.

Claus nodded, barely even looking at him. Lucas winced, unable to handle the tension anymore. He patted his brother's shoulder and motioned towards the door. As they both exited, Lucas cast a weary, uneasy look back at Ness, who simply bowed his head in another wish of luck. Lucas managed to form some assemblance of a grateful smile, and although it was broken and weak, it was enough to have Ness smile back. With that, Lucas turned around and exited the room.

Almost immediately, he was met with Claus, who held two black bundles in his arms, one of which was tossed to Lucas. He glanced down in confusion, realizing that it was a traditional Unknown hood. By the time he looked back up at Claus, the redhead had already donned the coat. Claus noticed Lucas' look of puzzlement.

"For concealment. It's night; we'll blend in with the shadows nicely." Claus flatly explained.

"You're not wearing your original one." Lucas pointed out as he shrugged the hood over himself and pulled the hood over his face.

"...'Tis a garment I no longer deserve to wear. As I said, I am no leader here." Claus muttered, "Come. We must hurry."

"R-Right." Lucas only nodded, thinking to himself as they hastily made their way downstairs and out of the house, '...God, or whoever's up there, keep us safe. Amen, and all that. Thanks.'

---

Lucas swore he'd turned over the same wooden platform several times. Nearly two hours had gone by, and Claus still wasn't letting up. The poor boy was relentless, insisting that every square inch of land be searched. Lucas figured that it was his own damn fault for getting into this, but if it meant easing Claus' nerves just a bit, than he'd search the entire country. That being said, Lucas still wanted to get back to Onett before trouble arose. On the way back to Unknown's remains, several army planes had passed overhead. Lucas remained calm, knowing that they wouldn't find Onett. Even if they had, Ness would've sent him a telepathic message. But each time one flew by, Lucas felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He could only guess what types of cargo those planes could be carrying. He prayed it wasn't people.

Arriving back in the ruins of what was once a thriving village, Lucas couldn't find the words to describe it. He'd completely forgotten that people had died here, and found himself stumbling over a soft, limp shape every once in a while. Lucas had simply swallowed his uneasiness and went along with the search. And now, almost two hours later, he'd found nothing. Every time he'd search in a pile of debris and spot the familiar shape of a person, his short lived hope of finding a possibly unconscious survivor would be doused when he'd check for a pulse and find nothing. He at least had the relief of knowing that the vast majority of Unknown had been taken instead of killed. As much as he hated to admit it, twenty or thirty deaths was more desirable than hundreds.

Besides, a different kind of dread was hanging around him. A type of dread he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Lucas," Claus suddenly asked from a few paces away, looking up from a pile of crushed bricks, "Did you check the bunkers?"

Lucas nearly drew blood from how hard he was biting his own tongue, stifling a frustrated reply. He took a moment to calm himself down, pushing away the anger he knew he shouldn't have had. Lucas took a deep breath and forced himself to speak in the calmest voice he could manage.

"Yes, Claus. They're empty." Lucas assured. He voice still shook.

Claus had asked the same question nearly thirteen times since they'd arrived.

When he'd repeated himself after the first time, Lucas assumed it was just the shock weighing down on Claus. But as time dragged on, one repetition turned to several. Lucas kept giving the same answer, hoping that it was just his own mind playing tricks on him. But as Claus continued to repeat himself, Lucas' sliver of hope began to die out. This, combined with his brother uncharacteristically lashing out earlier, began to conclude Lucas' fear. Claus' mind was beginning to take the same turn as Flint's did several years back. Every time Lucas turned to look at his twin's face, his eyes had the same, glassy look that Lucas knew so well. He prayed that it was just a phase. Surely, Claus was too young to experience such a mental break. But every time Lucas caught his eye, Claus looked even more confused and lost. For now, all he could do was cross his fingers.

Lucas hoisted himself over a collapsed watchtower, straining his neck to try and get a better look around him. With the foundation of the town completely destroyed, he could barely tell what he was looking at. Nearby, he saw Claus pushing over a small tree. Lucas prepared to hop off the large pile, ready to help his brother, but something caught his eye. Just near his foot; a shadow. Lucas couldn't quite tell what it was at first, for it was too dark. Upon producing a plume of flames in the palm of his hand, he stooped down to investigate. A pang of nausea overcame him as he realized it was just another body. And with how still they were, he wasn't too confident on them being alive. But Lucas stayed where he was, as something else captured his attention. He narrowed his eyes, confused.

'...Those clothes.' He thought, 'Those don't look like Unknown uniforms.'

What was this person doing here? Lucas bent down again to observe further.

'These legs...way too broad and stocky.' He concluded, 'They kinda look like-'

Just as Lucas settled a hand over the calf of the person, he was suddenly greeted by a sharp twitch of movement. Lucas choked on his own gasp, but failed to stifle his scream of fright as he stumbled back. Claus, alerted by his brother's cry, immediately raced over, eyes wide and alarmed.

"What?! Lucas, what is it?" Claus breathed, wasting no time climbing up the destruction and rushing to Lucas' side.

"I-It moved! That person, they're alive!" Lucas stammered, hand clamped over his chest, "They're not from Unknown!"

"Not from…?" Claus' whisper trailed off, and he inched forwards to get a better look.

He looked to Lucas and motioned for him to come over with a jerk of his head. The two brothers carefully settled their grasp on the person's shoulders, and tried to turn them over as gently as possible. Their skin was just barely warm, and a light croaking sound came from the back of their throat. It was a man, they both concluded. His face was too dirty and bloody to recognize anything. He looked like he'd been through a warzone.

"Jesus Christ!" Lucas gasped, "Hold on, we can help you! Can you speak?"

The person replied, but with a barely intelligible mess of words that neither brother could understand. Lucas set to work warming the person up with his PSI, while Claus supported their head. The man was clearly trying to grab at Lucas, weakly raising his hand and nudging Lucas' arms. He continued to try and speak, but his attempts were still impossible to understand.

"I-I can't understand what you're saying, just breathe," Lucas assured, "You're gonna be alright, okay?"

"...The…" The man seemed to get a better grasp on his speech. He coughed a bit in a desperate attempt to clear his throat, "...The...the town…"

"What?"

"...Th-they…" Another wobbly reply, "...C-Claus…"

Claus' eyes widened as he shared a concerned look with Lucas.

"Y-You know my name?" Claus asked. The man blinked, as if to answer. He then glanced towards Lucas.

"...Lucas…" He breathed, "...Me. See me..?"

"How do you know who we are? Where are you…?" Lucas trailed off as he inspected the man further. He looked over the clothing and the matted brown hair. He was about to suggest taking him to Onett as well, but he suddenly realized something key. "...Oh god."

"What is it?" Claus urged.

"Claus…!" Lucas panted, increasing his PK Fire, "Claus, it's Lighter!"

"H-Huh?! Lighter?!" Claus gasped, "What the hell's he doing here?"

Lighter breathed a weak sigh of relief upon being recognized. He struggled to lift his head and made sure to look both boys in the eyes. Lucas, heart racing, immediately began to go through any possible reason as to why Lighter was here. He gingerly helped him into a sitting position, craving for an explanation.

"Lighter," Lucas said, trying not to overwhelm him, "I know you're hurting, but you need to tell us what's going on. Find your strength!"

"T-Tazmily…" Lighter rasped, managing to find his words, "W-We were attacked...same as you…"

"Tazmily's been raided?" Lucas repeated in disbelief, "W-What happened?!"

"Planes...they took away most of us…" Lighter said, each word causing more pain, "...Only a few deaths...I-I escaped...tried to find you…"

"You came all the way from Tazmily to find us?" Claus asked, "Did anyone else escape?"

"Just me…" Lighter confirmed, "...I think just me. I didn't look...i-it went by too fast."

"Where did they take everyone?" Asked Lucas.

"U-Up North, I heard them say…" Said Lighter, pointing in a random direction, "To the Northern cities."

Lighter suddenly began to violently cough. Lucas winced, knowing that each heave must've been putting the poor man through horrible pain. As Lighter struggled to breathe despite the blood building up in his throat, he patted around for something to grab onto for support. Lucas offered his arm, which Lighter gripped with all his remaining strength. Lighter weakly looked him in the eye.

"Lucas," Lighter choked, "Th-They've got your dad."

It took Lucas a few moments to process, before the realization hit him. All in under one second, his heart nearly stopped, and his breath hitched in his throat.

"What?!" Lucas cried, "Is he okay?! Lighter, please tell me he's alright!"

"Lucas, give him space-!" Claus reminded, "Lighter, please…"

"He's alive…" Lighter said, "Your dad's okay. But I dunno what the hell they're gonna do with 'em."

Lucas stared down at the ground, breathing heavily, "...They took dad...C-Claus, they took dad! What're we gonna do?!"

"Lucas, calm down! Freaking out isn't going to solve anything!" Claus urged.

"B-But dad's sick! His mind doesn't work properly! What happens if he forgets, and…?!"

"God dammit, shut your trap, child!" Lighter interrupted, coughing again, "Flint's one of the toughest guys I know. But if there's one thing I know damn well, it's that his kid is tougher. Both of 'em are."

"But I-"

"I said hush, for Pete's sake!" Lighter spat, "Ain't you Hinawa's boy? The answer on what to do is clear, then! Get your keister outta here and go get your dad back!"

"Go after him?" Lucas repeated in disbelief, "Lighter, he's been taken by what I can only guess is a crazy powerful army! What's one kid gonna do? Especially a kid who just got how to use his powers?"

"You didn't know shit about how to use 'em when you took off to Onett, that's for sure." Lighter growled, "And yet, look at you, you made it anyways. I can wish the devil on Psychics all I want, but you bunch are powerful, I tell you what."

"...L-Lighter…"

"Don't 'Lighter' me! Lucas, if this army's taking people hostage from both sides, that means this ain't just a war between the two. It's the monarchy against the people." Lighter suddenly spoke with more strength, though his eyes were growing darker, "If I'm gonna die here, I wanna hear you promise that you'll do all it takes to get Flint back."

"You're not going to die, Lighter." Lucas assured, though very unsure himself.

"Don't be an idiot, I got shot, like, ten times." Lighter sighed, "Listen, I'm sorry for all the shit that happened. I'm sorry we chased you out of Tazmily. I'm sorry for hurting that Ness kid. There's no other word I can say except for sorry. But your dad is still alive out there, and you're the only ones who can go get him. Promise me, Lucas. Promise me now."

"I-I…" Lucas stammered. Lighter was right; he wasn't going to last long. He glanced up to Claus, who had desperate eyes. He once again bore the look of a grieving leader. Claus bit his lip, as if stifling his own plea.

"Lucas." Claus murmured, "He's our father. He's the only family we have left. A-And my people, Lucas. I can't just do nothing."

"..." Lucas' voice failed him. He grit his teeth, unable to tear away from Claus' stare. All he wanted was to get off of the pedestal he'd been placed upon. The angel and demon sitting upon his shoulders each whispered to him with their seductive words. Lucas sighed and glanced back down at Lighter, "L-Lighter, I-"

He stopped. Below him, Lighter had gone still. The man's eyes had gently closed, leaving his previously troubled face now peaceful. Lucas' heart was tugged with dread. He stared down at the motionless Tazmilian, now coming to a conclusion that he didn't want to say out loud. Claus leaned over as he realized what had happened. While Claus raised a shocked hand to his mouth, Lucas stayed still and quiet, his dark eyes cast down at Lighter. An overwhelming pit of guilt began to grow inside of him. He gently lowered him back onto the platform they sat upon.

"...He's dead." Lucas murmured, "Lighter's dead."

"Oh god, Lighter…" Claus breathed, "L-Lucas, what now?"

Lucas let his head fall back as he looked up into the sky. He murmured a quick, silent prayer for Lighter's life, but stayed looking up at the stars. He stayed there for what seemed like hours, just mindlessly gazing up. The rims of his eyes felt hot, but no tears came out. He tensed up, trying to force them out, but they refused. Lucas drew in his lip and lowered his head again. A stressed exhale left his lips. In the corner of his vision, he could see Lighter's hand. He noticed the dried blood staining the palm. He noticed the dirtied, callused fingertips, shaped from years of village work. He remembered his father's weak hands. Flint wasn't even that old, and he was already beginning to grow frail. Lucas could already see him, alone and afraid somewhere, keeping the brim of his hat lowered in order to cover his distressed eyes.

Lucas turned to meet Claus' gaze.

"First, we go back to Onett." He decided.

Claus opened his mouth to protest, but Lucas put a hand on his arm to stop him.

"And then," Lucas interrupted with a stern voice, "We go get dad back."

Claus blinked, surprised. Once he processed what Lucas had said, he narrowed his eyes.

"And we rescue my people." He added.

"Right."

Giving Lucas an assertive look, praying to god he was serious, Claus bowed his head and motioned for Lucas to help him with Lighter. The brothers each fastened their hands under the poor man's body and lifted. Lighter was surprisingly easy to pick up, despite his size. He fell completely limp in their arms. How unnatural, Lucas thought. Lighter was supposed to be full of energy.

'God dammit, Lighter.' Lucas thought to himself as he and Claus took him into the deeper trees, 'I'm not supposed to miss you. I'm supposed to hate you.'

They decided not to bury him. Some animal would find him eventually if they did. So, the two proceeded to find a clear enough space, covered the body with wooden remains, and set it ablaze. With luck, the grave would settle by daylight. After watching the flames for a while and making sure nothing in the surrounding area would catch fire, Lucas and Claus walked away without a single exchanged word. Lucas' movements were almost machine-like as he left behind Lighter's body. He couldn't think of a single word he describe how he felt. Perhaps it was an emotion that hadn't been discovered yet, and he was the first to experience it. His heart hung heavy, but still beat with the same determination as always. His skin was flared with goosebumps, but the adrenaline coursing through him was enough to combat them. While Lucas wanted to despise Lighter with all his being, he couldn't help but forgive his apology. Somehow, deep down, he knew the man meant it. A strange emotion, Lucas thought to himself.

'The Lucas Effect'. He decided. 'That's what I'll call it, named after me. An emotion I can't describe.'

His thoughts were interrupted as Claus suddenly halted. Lucas faced him, one brow raised. In the distance, he could still see the glow of the fire. Claus was glaring at the ground, eyes narrowed in what looked like confusion. Lucas tipped his head to the side.

"...Claus?" He murmured.

Claus twitched, as if breaking out of his trance, then looked up to lock eyes. His face was slightly alarmed.

"L-Lucas, wait," He held up a hand, "Did you check the bunkers?"

After a few moments of stunned silence, Lucas' previously dry eyes welled up with tears. Ignoring Claus' question, he simply walked over, took Claus' hand, and began to lead him back into the direction they'd been going in. Claus was puzzled by his brother's odd behaviour, but kept his mouth shut.

He would check the bunkers next time.

---

When Ness heard the sounds of shuffling in the downstairs area of his home, he didn't expect to see Lucas packing a bag of all things. Confusion written clearly on his face, Ness hastily made his way down the main hall and to the staircase. Along the way, he brushed past Claus, who said nothing as he hurried past Ness without even a wave. Ness watched him rush into the room where Ninten was still resting, before he once again returned his attention to Lucas. As Ness ran down the stairs as fast as he could without tripping, he saw that Lucas had his travel bag out and set on the table. The blond was rushing here and there, rummaging through drawers and retrieving things he apparently needed. Lucas' face was blank. Ness stood at the bottom of the stairs, dumbfounded.

'...Oh no.' Ness thought, fighting back the urge to clap a hand over his forehead, "Lucas, what's going on?"

"I'm gonna try to fit as much into a few minutes as possible. Ready?" Lucas prepared.

"...I'm guessing I have to be." Ness sighed.

On cue, Lucas unleashed everything that had happened back in Unknown's deserted territory. He explained how Lighter begged him to rescue Flint, and how the man had died minutes later. Ness listened, jaw slightly ajar and eyebrows raised. He took everything in at once, not taking his time to process what was being said to him. As Lucas continued to rush, frantically packing anything he could into his satchel, Ness stood completely frozen at his spot. At one point, Lucas had clearly run out of things to pack, as he eventually just began pacing back and forth, delivering his tale at a rapid fire speed.

"And that is why I need to prepare as quickly as possible, because who knows how long I'm gonna be gone?! And seeing how many times I almost died the last time I made a desperate flee into the forest, I need to pre plan!" Lucas insisted, jamming his fist into his other palm.

"A-And you're doing this alone…?" Ness sputtered, suddenly finding his voice.

"Well, no, Claus is with me." Lucas said, grabbing his bag off the counter and shrugging it on.

"So am I! Lucas, for Christ's sake, at least give me a second to get my jacket!" Ness rushed to the front door, where the coat rack was. Lucas followed, sharply moving in front of him to block his path.

"Whoa, hey. You're not going." Lucas said. Ness blinked, and tried to detour around him. No matter where he went, the much taller Lucas kept him from advancing.

"I'm not going? The guy who knows how to survive in the forest? Oh, yeah. Okay. Sure. Let me go get my jacket, Lucas." Ness muttered.

"I already have someone with me who knows how to survive in the forest, and he's been doing it for six years of his life." Lucas argued, "Don't forget that you have a job to do."

With his last comment, Lucas jerked his head back upstairs. Ness rolled his eyes.

"He'll be fine in a day or two, and he's not helpless! If anything, I think he'd prefer it if I left!"

"He's also idiotically impulsive, and he'll do anything to protect Claus, alright? We're going farther than just the forest. With luck, we'll find ourselves at the northern borders of the Nowhere Islands. I need you to stay here and keep Ninten on a leash, got it?"

"You're my best friend, Lucas! I don't want you to get hurt out there!" Ness argued, grabbing Lucas' arm, "When your mom spoke to me in that dream, I promised her that I would keep you safe. That promise hasn't ended just because I got you here."

Lucas opened his mouth, ready to fire back a response. But upon meeting Ness' sincere eyes, he slowly let it close. He let his tense body relax a bit, as he let out a frustrated, but composed sigh.

"...I remember that look, Ness. You gave me that look all the time when we met." Lucas muttered, "I don't want you getting killed just because of something Claus and I decided to do. I'm grateful, Ness. I really am. You know that if the circumstances were different, I'd say absolutely. Remember that we are psychics in a human country, Ness."

"Your point being?"

"This isn't an insult, but...I think you and I can both agree that you're really...proud of who you are. And you really aren't afraid of showing it. Ness, I grew up in a human village, where we were taught to slaughter any psychic on sight, no mercy." Lucas grabbed his friend's shoulders, "I care about you too much to watch you get killed by some angry mob."

"I care about you too much to let you do this without me!" Ness insisted.

"No. That's my last answer." Lucas lowered his voice down to a whisper, "Don't tell Ninten I said this. But...I think you're the only one he'll really listen to. You know Ninten; he doesn't listen to anyone. Except for Claus, duh, but he listens to Claus because it's his duty. He listens to you because...well, I dunno why. But he does. Which is why I need you to stay here and make sure he stays put."

"Do you not realize how much bitching I'll have to put up with? How about this, I take your place, and you stay here with Ninten. He hates me. And lord knows, that kid can easily kick my ass whether he's medically stable or not." Ness said.

Lucas tried to glare at him, but he couldn't muster the strength to convey any sort of agitation. He clenched his jaw, debating on what other arguments he could bring up. Eventually, Lucas gave up on speaking. He leaned down to match Ness' height and pulled his friend into the gentlest hug he could. Ness tensed up, but tentatively settled his arms around Lucas as well. Still relatively irritated, he rested his chin over Lucas' shoulder and sighed.

"How about you just...don't go? You just got settled." Ness mumbled, voice breaking, "Not even four months, Lucas. Only just now are you starting to feel at home, and suddenly you're deciding to take off into another life threatening scenario."

"That was all before there was a war approaching, Ness." Lucas replied soundlessly, "You're right; I love it here. I've never felt more at home in my life. But Ness, my dad is alive somewhere. He's alive with a damaged mind. When he gets stressed, it gets worse. He forgets. He can't function. Claus has over a hundred people who depended on him for their safety. Those people are alive right now, fearing for what comes next. I can't be still. I have to do something."

"And I have to stay here to make sure Ninten doesn't accidentally kill himself." Ness replied.

Lucas squeezed him, "Exactly."

Ness didn't answer at first. Lucas felt him let out a long exhale. He never liked making his friend frustrated, but he knew the ends eventually justified the means. Ness clicked his teeth and pulled away, eyeing Lucas with an askew brow.

"I am not happy with you in the slightest." Ness muttered.

"I know."

"I'm, like, the opposite of happy with you."

"I know."

"And the last thing I want to let you do is go off past the portal's entry time so that you can try to rescue nearly a hundred and fifty people. Especially when me going with you would be a pretty good decision."

"Ness…" Lucas prepared to revive his arguments from before.

"But." Ness held up a hand to silence him, "If you're really that insistent on me staying here, then maybe I should just sit down, shut up, and do as I'm told."

Lucas' face brightened, and he smiled, "You mean it? Really?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure. I'll stay here and keep an eye on Ninten."

With a sigh of relief, Lucas brought Ness back into another hug, this time, tighter.

"Thank you, Ness. That's all I needed to hear."

"Well, you knew that you could get me to give in if you batted those pretty little eyes enough. I'm easy to sway." Ness replied.

The two were cut off by the distant sounds of shouting from upstairs. Ness groaned.

"...Ninten, however…" He trailed off.

A few thumps, the sound of a door flying open, and a scramble of frantic footsteps against the wooden floorboards. First, Ninten appeared, sprinting down the top hallway as if his injuries had never happened. Close behind was Claus, who wasted no time trying to grab the rogue patient.

"For the last time, no!" Claus yelled, "This is for Lucas and I to do alone! Cease this, for heaven's sake, you'll only make your wounds worse!"

"Nay!" Ninten shouted back, whirling back to face Claus, who stood at the top of the steps, "If I don't recall, you yourself claimed that you are no longer a leader! That being said, I follow the guidance of no one! I can do as I please."

"Storm, so help me, get back into that room and rest yourself, or-!" Claus bit down on the rest of the sentence. Ninten narrowed his eyes.

"Or what, Hawkeye? Or should I say, 'Just Claus'?" Ninten replied sharply.

"Or I hereby strip you of your position as Vice Leader!" Claus decided.

Ninten's eyes widened for just a moment, before he returned back to his defiant demeanor.

"Your words are without threat! They are bare! I repeat, you stripped yourself of your authority! In a way, you've retired your leadership, yes? Therefor, that makes me Leader Storm! And as Unknown's newfound Leader, I declare that I will join you on this conquest!"

"What?!" Claus cried. He stammered out a few words, angrily trying to form a coherent sentence that wouldn't bite him in the ass later, "Fine! I see what you're doing! I hereby retract my previous claims and take back my position as Leader Hawkeye! In the guidelines of Unknown authority, a retired leader is capable of doing so!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, but something's missing." Ninten snarled, voice brimming with spite.

Claus groaned, rolled his eyes, and angrily trudged to the coat rack. From it, he retrieved his original, golden embroidered coat. He carelessly tossed it over himself and crossed his arms, "There. Happy?! I am the leader again! Disobey me once more, and then you shall be stripped of your title."

"I want to come with you, sir." Ninten said sternly.

"I'm not letting you cross the country and get put in possible danger with an injury. If you were in good health, I would let you come, but right now, you need to rest. It's called 'calming down', and you should try it!"

"But-!"

"No! Need I repeat myself? I am the leader of Unknown, and your job is to obey my orders. You will stay here and heal. Ness will join you, and he will make sure you don't elope."

Ninten's jaw dropped, as he turned to face Ness with utter betrayal plastered over his face. Ness crossed his arms and nodded, cementing Claus' decision. Ninten narrowed his eyes and advanced on him.

"You are not under his authority! You can disobey!" Ninten hissed.

"Claus? Easily. But this one has me by the throat." Ness cocked his head towards Lucas, "They're both right, Ninten. You're not even in the right shape to stand up right now. Look at you, you're shaking. Let the twins handle it."

"B-But…!" Ninten stammered. He stared back at Ness, then turned to Lucas, then to Claus. His attention shifted from person to person, but he eventually realized that he was entirely alone. Outnumbered and defeated, Ninten clenched his jaw and crossed his arms, averting his eyes to the floor. Noticing that Ninten's shoulders were trembling slightly, Ness approached him, concerned. Was he feeling ill, he thought?

"...Ninten, come on," Ness murmured, before recoiling slightly, "...Are you crying?"

"No, I am not-!" Ninten spat, cupping a hand over his face. Ness noticed the visible glisten under his eyes, but said nothing. Ninten let out a stressed sigh through his teeth, "Th-They're my people too."

Claus' previously sharp eyes then softened. Instantly regretting his rough words, he approached his second in command and bent his knees a bit to meet his height. Keeping Ninten's comfort in mind, he refrained from touching him, but hovered a supportive hand nearby just in case. Ninten saw him approach, and ducked away even farther. A light sniffle escaped from him.

"Storm-" Claus began, but quickly rephrased himself, "...Ninten, I know you're used to doing things by my side."

"'Tis my job, sir! This is what you appointed me for!" Ninten straightened back up, now exposing his slightly red rimmed eyes, "Our town is gone, and I failed to stop it! I want to redeem myself, no matter what the cost!"

"Even if it costs you your life, Ninten? Even so?" Claus replied, the harsh edge returning to his tone, "I appointed you because you are the most hardworking, devoted combatant Unknown has to offer. I know that if I am lost, you will rise as an even better leader than I! Do you really want to strip your people of such a future?"

Ninten hesitated, "...S-Sir?"

"No matter how good a leader they say I am, you and I both know damn well that the village will flourish under your ruling. The only reason I haven't stepped down already if because of your devotion. Unknown cannot lose you, Ninten. The people cannot lose you." Claus' voice wavered, as his eyes trailed to the ground, "...I-I can't lose you."

The room went quiet. Ninten stared down Claus with the wrath of a thousand gods, but couldn't hide the compassion behind his gaze. He looked as if he were dying to speak, but something was stopping him. Seeing as the gates had not yet been broken down, Ninten crossed his arms again. Claus grit his teeth, giving a sigh resembling that of a parent dealing with a young child.

"...Fine. I suppose I have no other choice. Subordinate General Storm." Claus began, "You will stay here, let your wounds heal, and listen to whatever Master Professor Raven tells you without complaints."

Ninten snapped back up, eyes wide, "...You wouldn't dare."

"I would, and I will." Claus tilted his chin up defiantly, returning to his normal height.

"Don't say it." Ninten said.

"That's. An. Order." Claus declared, straightening his cape and pining the two front buttons into place. For a moment, it looked as if he'd returned to his normal, eloquent demeanor. Despite the bags under his eyes and the remaining haunt in his stare, Claus resembled the leader he once was.

Ninten balled his hands into fists, attempting to challenge his superior at first. Lucas and Ness watched with pale faces, holding onto each other in fear that the vice leader may do something in repercussion. Wondering whether Ninten would choose between protecting his leader or following his leader's orders was up in the air at this point. But before either boy could take a guess at the coin toss, Ninten faltered. Lacking the obedient enthusiasm he used to have, he stepped both heels together and raised his arm in a tired salute.

"A-Affirmative, Leader Hawkeye, sir." Ninten mumbled, "I wish you luck on your journey. May past leaders look upon you with guidance, and assure your safety."

With that, he backed away, still glaring at the floor. He settled his hands behind his back. Ness promptly joined his side. He could see Ninten's fingers hastily fidgeting. Whether it'd been out of anger, anticipation, or anxiety, Ness couldn't tell. He bit his lip and offered a comforting hand upon his shoulder, but was naturally shrugged off. Ness clicked his teeth and turned back to the brothers. A shiver went down his spine as he was confronted with the near identical faces, with near identical expressions. He gave a bow of his head, to further Ninten's prayer of luck.

"You should get going. Quickly." Ness murmured, "Lucas, I know you're not too good with telepathy, but...we have a Psionic bond. Maybe now would be a good time to use it."

Lucas couldn't help but give a tired laugh.

"...Yeah, I'll try." He assured, "We'll try to keep in contact in any way we can."

"'Kay." Ness nodded. He look as if he wanted to say something else, but he closed his mouth, lip trembling. He took in a deep breath, before finally breaking down and rushing over to hug Lucas again. Lucas let him lean into his shoulder, and burrowed his face into Ness' hair. He recalled the musty pine scent, praying that it wouldn't become unfamiliar anytime soon. After giving Ness' arm an affection squeeze, assuring his eventual return, Lucas pulled away. He cupped the side of his face and brushed his thumb over Ness' now teary eye, before retracting to hoist up the straps of his bag.

"Off we go, I guess." Lucas said.

"Right." Ness replied. He gave a weak smile, "Hey, Lucas. Don't be so freaked out. I know you are. But...you'll do it. You'll get your dad back. You too, Claus. You'll save them all, I'm sure of it."

Both twins returned a grateful smile back, but Claus' faltered slightly.

"...Let's not get our hopes up just yet." He murmured, "Come, Lucas. We must be off. Ness, please keep Ninten looked after. Assure that he recovers."

"I will." Ness bowed his head. Claus nodded back, before facing Ninten.

"And Ninten…" He began.

"I know, I know, stay put. Aye, sir. I shall." Ninten spat, still refusing to make eye contact. Claus winced at his stone cold voice, but shook it off begrudgingly.

"Alright, then. Good." Claus replied with the same bitterness. He then swiftly turned around and headed for the door, "Lucas, we leave now."

"O-Oh, um...okay-!" Lucas took off after him, looking over his shoulder to face Ness again. Ness waved, glanced at Ninten sparingly, and gave Lucas an exasperated look. Lucas only shrugged. "B-Bye, Ness. I'll see you again soon. And you, Ninten. Bye."

"Bye, Luke. Good luck, kid." Ness called back, nudging Ninten, who glared at him in agitation. Ness tipped his head towards Lucas, who hung around the doorway. Ninten squinted, but eventually looked up to meet Lucas' eyes.

"May you return safe and soon." Ninten said. Lucas sensed no disdain in his words, rather, Ninten seemed genuine. Lucas prepared to answer, but was cut off quickly.

"Lucas, I'm not slowing down for you!" Claus called from outside, clearly wasting no time to leave.

"Right, coming!" Lucas replied. He gave one last wave, before disappearing from the threshold and letting the door slowly come to a close.

Upon exiting into the cold night air, Lucas took a quick moment to plant his hand over his arm and whispered a fire incantation, spreading the warmth through his entire body at a steady rate. He searched for the familiar shape of his brother, before speeding up to avoid being left behind. Claus' previously calm nature was now replaced with quick strides and tight fists. Lucas joined his side, deciding to take Claus' mind off of Ninten for a while.

"I-I packed as much as I could." Lucas said, "Enough food to last a few days, at least, if we use it sparingly. A few changes of clothes; you should be able to fit in mine. I have at least two spare maps."

"Good. We can restock when we reach any nearby villages." Claus replied. Lucas nodded, before noticing Claus' overcoat. He hesitated.

"...You're...still wearing your hood, Claus. Are you sure you don't want to take it back to the house?" Lucas asked.

Claus snapped out of his determined trance, his pace seeming to slow a bit. But just as quickly as he did so, he went right back into his quick pace, this time going even faster.

"...N-No." He decided, "I... am Hawkeye, Leader of Unknown. As such, I don this garment."

Lucas paused, surprised, before smiling, "As I thought." He said, "We need to retrace our steps. We need to be able to find evidence on where these soldiers may have gone."

"Well, we've already searched Unknown, both above and below ground. There's not even a footprint there that hasn't been scraped over." Claus said.

"...Then I think we may need to search new ground." Lucas tentatively replied.

Claus was silent for a few seconds as he processed what Lucas meant. He turned to his brother, brows knitted.

"You mean…?" He trailed off.

"I...I think so." Lucas said, "It may be our only chance."

Claus bit his lip, but sighed and turned forwards again.

"...So be it." He decided, "To Tazmily?"

"To Tazmily."

Or at least, Lucas thought, what's left of it.

---

Ness wasn't sure what to do at first when Lucas left, shrouding the room in dim light. He watched the door for a moment, halfway wishing the twins would turn back around and enter again. When they didn't, he felt a pang of distress, having not realized before what had just happened. Barely able to comprehend that he may never see his best friend again, Ness forced himself to keep his head up and broke away from Ninten's side. Ninten still stood where he was. Ness saw the clearly visible tears welling up in his eyes, but again chose not to say anything.

"...I guess you oughta get up there, then. You being up on your feet can't be helping too much." Ness muttered, leaning against the wall.

To his surprise, Ninten looked up at him with supposed shock.

"Wait, you're actually going through with this?" Ninten asked.

"What? Well, yeah, of course I am. I made a promise to the twins to keep an eye on you." Ness responded.

"Seriously? Ness, do you not realize what you're allowing to happen?" Ninten approached him, "Isn't Lucas your best friend? You just let him go off into who knows where!"

'He's still on this?' Ness thought, "Yes, I did, because I trust that he can take care of himself. Something you don't seem to be doing with Claus."

"You dare imply I don't trust my leader?" Ninten hissed, taking a step forward. Ness shrugged.

"Yeah." He said. Ninten's eyes widened.

"I…!" He stammered, "I do, though! B-But-"

"If you trust him, then respect the order he gave you and chill." Ness sternly told him, "For Christ's sake, give it up, Ninten!"

Ninten recoiled, still shocked at Ness' dismissal. He looked him up and down, before scowling and turning away. He pace for a bit, lost in his own thoughts. Ness watched him from the corner of his eye. Ninten looked like he needed a whole hell of a lot of steam to blow off, because his rapid fire steps were neverending. When it finally looked as if Ninten was going to break something, the vice leader approached a wall wooden frame.

"God dammit!" He snarled. Without warning, he rammed the toe of his boot into the frame, putting an impressively sized divot into the wood. Ness shrunk back at the outburst, before rushing over to him.

"Jesus, Ninten-! Do you need to find a sandbag, or…? I know you're mad about this, but..." Ness asked, holding an arm out, ready to catch a now dizzy looking Ninten.

"No! That's not it!" Ninten slammed both hands against the wall, staring it down. With the wavering in his voice and the shaking of his arms, Ness knew that he was now crying and not bothering to hide it. He searched for something to say, wondering what words would set him off or not. With how hotheaded Ninten was, Ness figured that he was treading on a minefield at this point. But before he could say anything, Ninten spoke again, this time much quieter, "...Ness...what if….what if the last thing Claus and I did is fight?"

Ness paused, not expecting such a statement. Now understanding the source of Ninten's outrage, his body relaxed. He slowly approached him. Figuring that it was a risk worth taking, Ness raised his hand again and hovered it over Ninten's back. Finally, he tentatively set his palm down. Ninten twitched, his first instinct being to swat him away. But to Ness' surprise and relief, he didn't move. Ninten simply hung his head. Ness gave him a few pats, before hesitantly opening his mouth to speak.

"...Like I said, Ninten." Ness murmured, "...We have to trust him. Claus is powerful, and he has Lucas with him. He'll return. It may take weeks, or even months. But Claus will come back."

"I didn't even look at him. I didn't even see him leave." Ninten breathed, voice gritty with tears.

"It's…" Ness paused, "I-It's okay, Ninten. It'll all be okay, I'm sure. I know a lot is going on, but...can you do me a favour?"

Ninten was silent for a moment. Then, he hastily brought a hand up to wipe his eyes, before facing Ness.

"...Of what sort?" He asked.

"Well, first, I need you to go upstairs and take off your armor." Ness said, "Then, I need you to lay down, close your eyes, and go to sleep. If not for me, then for Claus. And if not for him, then for yourself. Please, Ninten. You never ever have to listen to me again; just this once. Please go sleep."

The desperation in Ness' tone clearly affected Ninten, as he groaned and reluctantly nodded his head.

"...Aye. If it's so damn important, then I guess I can lay down." Ninten said, turning around and making his way to the staircase. "I'm not doing this because I like you. I'm doing this for me."

"Whatever you need to tell yourself, as long as you get some god forsaken rest. Even just thirty minutes, I don't care. Just because I'm a shitty insomniac doesn't mean you get to be one." Ness called up to him as Ninten made his way back to the end bedroom.

Ninten didn't reply; he only sent Ness an irritated glance, before promptly closing the door behind him. Ness listened for a moment, and the creaking of floorboards told him that Ninten had indeed gotten into bed. He sighed, relieved. He looked back at the crack in the wall frame. Jesus, he thought. He'd never seen Ninten so fragile in all the time he'd known him. Even when thinking back to the days when Ninten would catch him trespassing in Unknown territory, stealing one thing or another, he'd never been that ferocious. The fire and bloodthirst in Ninten's eyes back then didn't even compare to the raw guilt and despair that plagued the poor boy now. Ness considered going back to the room as well to make sure Ninten didn't go anywhere, but something deep down told him that Ninten would adhere to his request. He wasn't sure what it was, but it was there. That was enough.

Ness, his mind blank, made his way to the living area, where he then plopped down onto one of the stiff armchairs. His body screamed for rest. Everything felt tired. But, despite how exhausted he was, his mind was wide awake. Ness was used to this; countless nights of just sitting alone in the dark, as sleep wasn't entirely an option for him sometimes. No matter how tired he got, no matter how much his eyes stung and his body ached, his brain demanded to stay awake. This was nice sometimes, as Ness didn't mind the time alone to reflect and unwind. But at the same time, he just wanted to go the fuck to sleep.

However, there was no way he could drift off with recent events in mind. He reached to the side, using PK Fire to ignite a set of candles. Ness leaned into the chair, letting his head fall back. He stared up at the wooden ceiling and followed the patterns with his gaze. Something about tonight felt different. It was quiet. While Ness was used to it being mostly silent, the thin walls allowed for him to often hear Lucas's steady breathing or his frequent sleeptalking. He smirked. Lucas said the darndest things when he talked in his sleep. Ness recalled the time when Lucas spoke to someone about the inner workings of a furnace with education that he didn't seem to remember upon waking up. There were, of course, the nights when Lucas would mutter something absolutely terrifying, enough to make Ness light a few more candles. Like the time Lucas claimed that the dead were currently rising from their graves and approaching the house. The certainly made Ness' skin crawl. Funny, Ness thought. What would he give to hear one of Lucas' ramblings, even the frightening ones, just to escape the unbearable silence. Just to be sure that his best friend was safe up in his room.

Ness' face twitched when he noticed an uncomfortable jab in his thigh. He shifted, feeling something poke into him. Ness looked down and patted his leg, before reaching into his pocket. He then fished out something he forgot he had; the paper pamphlet that Flint had given Lucas. Ness frowned upon seeing the cover again, fighting back the urge to tear in into pieces.

'Fuckin' psychopaths.' Ness thought.

Mindlessly, he overturned it and looked inside. Previously, he'd been unable to make out some of the finer details because of the dim light. But because of the candles beside him, he got a better view. The three sections detailed the usual things he expected to see. Images of the inside of the school, explaining the wonderful living conditions and top notch schooling. Included was an interview with who he presumed was the headmaster, who explained just how much their school had saved the lives of hundreds of corrupted youth. Ness sneered at the overly confident language.

'For years, Queen Mary's Boarding Prep has been changing the lives of families everywhere. This world renowned school allows troubled, tainted children to start anew. Our advanced schooling helps these poor young people enter society as a new, better person.'

Ness scoffed, 'What a load of bullshit. I wonder how many kids blew their brains out. Lord knows they won't mention that.'

He eyed the third section. He saw a row of portraits each accompanied by a wall of text in quotations. He guessed that this must've been a few statements from students. He bit his lip, instantly saddened by it. Those poor girls, he thought. He couldn't imagine how much pain they must've been in. Upon looking into the eyes of the first girl, a young lady who couldn't have been older than seven, he clicked his teeth in pity. Her smile looked perfectly normal, but Ness could see the suffering she must've been going through. He came to the same conclusion with the second girl, and the third. So sad, he thought. It filled him with nothing but disgust. Ness prepared to close the pamphlet and hold it to the candle's flame, getting rid of it forever.

But then, he caught sight of the fourth girl in the list.

He'd almost glazed past her at first. The first thought he had was dismissing it, but he had a quick double take. She didn't look that different from the others, he thought. Same pristine white uniform, same perfectly brushed hair and clearly fake smile. But Ness was shot with an arrow of familiarity. He squinted and leaned in closer. What was it about her, he thought? Needing a better view, he held it closer to the candles. The page was illuminated better, but the flickering and changing motion of the flames made it difficult to keep focus. Ness held up a hand, and on command, the collection of fires froze, now moving incredibly slowly. With a clear view, Ness inspected the page once more.

For some reason, he couldn't tear his eyes away from that girl. Something about her made his stomach drop, and he couldn't put a finger on what it was. Ness felt oddly nauseous. It wasn't that different, was it? All he could see was a young girl, school aged, fair skinned, blond hair tied back in…

"...Pigtails." Ness found himself whispering.

He had the motion of tying pigtails in his muscle memory. He could tie a pair of them in seconds. He'd been able to do it since he was a little kid. Every morning, he would wake up and go downstairs. His mother would already be in the kitchen, dressed in her work uniform and prepared to leave at any second. Ness would take over making breakfast from that point, and he'd receive a quick hug and a 'goodbye', before his mother would leave the house quickly. And for just a few minutes, Ness would be alone downstairs, before the sound of footsteps would alert him.

Ness loudly gasped.

He leapt from the chair and scrambled to his feet. Taking the booklet with him, he sprinted to the far back room of the lower floor. He threw open the door to the mostly empty room, save for one outstanding piece of furniture; a single shelf on the wall. Upon the large shelf was a collection of candles, a string of flowers that Ness watered daily, and most of all, a portrait.

The framed, watercolour portrait of his little sister.

Ness' palm ignited with a bright flame. He brought it up to the picture and was immediately hit with the wave of sadness and grief it always brought. He wished he could remember Tracy's face in real life. In those perfect mornings, he'd hear her rush downstairs. He'd finish making whatever type of breakfast his mother had started. While Tracy was seated in her spot, sitting on top of several cookbooks so that she could reach the table, Ness would be standing right behind her with a pair of hairbands in one hand. In less than fifteen seconds, Ness would tie his sister's blond hair into two neat pigtails.

His breath caught in his throat. Ness gazed into her painted blue eyes, wishing to see their sparkle again. He gripped the pamphlet, knowing what he wanted to do, but not having the strength to. His heart raced with anticipation as he continued to stare down her picture. Slowly, he began to raise the booklet.

'Stop, Ness. You'll only miss her more.' He thought, desperately trying to stop himself, 'Ness, it's impossible, put the booklet down. Go back and burn the stupid thing. Enough is already happening, Ness. Stop it!'

But of course, his body moved on its own accord. Against his own wishes, Ness positioned the booklet next to Tracy's memorial. For what seemed like several minutes, his eyes shifted from one picture to the other. He grit his teeth. They're the same, he thought. They're the goddamn same. Both girls had the same round face, the same blue eyes, the same shade of honey coloured hair. Ness' panicked breathing grew heavier as he began to come to a realization. If he ever had any remaining skepticism, it disappeared when he noticed the finishing blow.

The notch in the eyebrow, he thought. The same small gap in the left eyebrow, when Tracy had run right into a tree and scraped up her face. The scar had never faded. Ness' lungs failed to function as he realized that both girls had the exact same scar. The darkness around him became a cloud of smoke that slowly choked him. Ness stumbled back, his wide, unblinking eyes staring at the ground beneath him. The last time he'd felt like this, he'd been facing Lighter with a knife in his chest. Ness took in another heaving breath.

At an instant, he snapped out of it. Stuffing the booklet into his pocket, Ness sprinted out of the room and nearly tripped as he raced back through the house. He glanced back upstairs, assuring himself that Ninten was asleep. Then again, that didn't matter now.

He had a visit to make.

---

When Nancy Wyman groggily approached her door after having to put up with nearly five minutes of insistant knocking, she was just about ready to sock whoever this visitor was in the face. Straightening her housecoat, the irritated woman unlocked her door and threw it open, prepared to chew out the insensitive bastard. However, her anger was quickly replaced with a mix of delight and concern once she saw who it was.

"My Ness!" She happily breathed, voice still quiet from her sleepiness, "My, my, I am happy to see you, darling, but must you visit your poor mother at such a late hour?"

Ness anxiously rushed up to her and settled his hands on her shoulders. His mother wavered a bit, thrown off by his clearly distressed face. Ness got straight to the point.

"Mom, I need to talk to you, now. Right now." He demanded, letting himself into the small house. She detected a hint of anger in his voice.

"Oh, dear me, is this something serious?" She asked, as she watched her son wander around the living room to ignite every candle and lantern he saw. He then lit the furnace, which engulfed the entire room in a decent light. Ness faced her, his face dark.

"This is more than just serious. Sit, please." He asked, as if restraining himself from losing control.

"Ness, you know I get scared when you act like this…!" His mother hastily rushed to sit down at one of the kitchen chairs. Ness wasted no time sitting across from her. "Ness, please explain yourself. Today has already been eventful enough, and-"

She immediately went dead silent as Ness slammed his hand over the table. Under his palm was a crinkled pamphlet. She recognized the front cover almost instantly and went white in the face. Shuddering, she then slowly looked up at meet Ness' eyes, which were blazing. Her jaw agape, the older woman struggled to come up with anything she could use to detour the conversation. However, Ness clearly had other plans.

"Why is Tracy's picture in this booklet?" Ness asked, flipping it open and jamming a finger into the third page.

His mother continued to be silent. Her previously concerned eyes were now wide and still. Lower lip shaking, she switched her gaze from Ness to the pamphlet. Ness kept looking directly at her, gritting his teeth. She took in a shaky breath, as if bracing herself for what was to come.

"...Wh...Where…" She began, "...Where did you get that, Nesley?"

"A friend of mine found it in Twoson. Don't ignore my question." Ness pleaded, trying to keep his voice soft enough, so as not to frighten his mother, "Why is Tracy's picture in this booklet?"

"You were never supposed to see that..." His mother replied.

"Damn right I wasn't, mom!" Ness suddenly raised his voice, "Six years ago, my little sister ran off in the middle of a storm. And the very next day, you came to me in tears, explaining that the fishermen had found her body. There is something you're not telling me, and I'm going to find out."

"N-Nesley…"

"I mean it, mom! Tell me now! Where is my sister? Did she or did she not drown in that river?!" Ness cried, standing up in his chair.

His mom shrunk back, frightened by her son's sudden rage. Ness took notice and quickly returned to his seat, softening his gaze and holding a hand out to her.

"M-Mom, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you…" He assured, "Please, mom. I'm begging you. Please tell me. Is Tracy alive, or not?"

A long period of silence. His mother stared blankly at the pamphlet on the table, at the girl with the pigtails. She tried to calm herself with steady breathing, but each attempt failed. The years of inner guilt came rushing back up. As her eyes grew hot, she put her hands over her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Y-Your sister…" She croaked, "...Your sister is alive, Ness."

"She's…?" Ness breathed, feeling as if he'd just stepped from a blistering desert into a serene field. The sensation that spread through his body was unlike anything he'd ever experienced before. He wasn't sure if it was joy, relief, or a mix of both. But the words leaving his mother's mouth were more powerful than even his own PSI. "...Tracy's alive?"

"Yes. My darling, I'm sorry, I…" His mother stuttered, "...I made up the story. I got others to play along, we told you she was gone, so you didn't get hurt."

"Mom, I've been hurt! In my eyes, my little sister was dead, all while she was under my care! Did you not consider that maybe it would fuck me up a little?!"

"Young man, watch your language! It was all I could think of! Lord knows you'd start to ask about where she'd gone! Perhaps it wasn't the best way to get around it, but I wasn't in my right mind!"

"Where is she?" Ness' voice dropped to a near growl. He glanced at the pamphlet, eyes widened in horror, "...I-Is she…? Mom, don't tell me you…?"

His mother bit her lip. The tears in her eyes finally spilled as she broke down, hanging her head and emitting long sobs. Shamefully, she nodded her head.

"Yes!" She admitted, "Yes, I-I sent Tracy to the school."

"Mom!" Ness nearly shrieked, "It's a school that practically tortures its students! Are you saying you'd rather want Tracy to be brainwashed than Psionic?!"

"It was all I could think to do! She...wasn't a normal Psychic, Ness!" His mother shot back, "Tracy took directly after your father in Psionic power!"

"...W-What do you mean?" Ness asked, "Not a 'normal' Psychic?"

His mother sighed, "...I-I know you never really got to know your father." She began, "I met him in Twoson. We were both there to study Nowherian history. One thing led to another, and...you were born. We decided that he would work out of state to support you and I."

"And?"

"Something you don't know about him is that your father came from...a rather secluded area." His mother hesitated, "...Ness, I want you to recall the refugees you brought into Onett today."

Ness tried to piece together what she was talking about. It only took him about ten seconds before his eyes lit up and his jaw dropped.

"W-Wait...my dad was…?" Ness trailed off, "My dad was from...Unknown?"

"...Yes." His mother nodded, "Yes, your father came from Unknown. He left the village to pursue his own path as a historian. Nonetheless, you have Anti-Psionic blood in your veins."

Ness' body went cold. It all made sense, he thought. No wonder he'd been so keen to learn about Anti-PSI. All those nights he spent reading page after page of those books he'd stolen from Unknown's library, all those nights he spent practicing and practicing. Now he knew why he possessed such a power in the first place. Ness had barely known his father; he'd never been home, and he died while travelling not long after Tracy was born. Ness finally placed the last gear into the contraption, as he realized why his mother had told him this.

"Tracy…" He began, "...Wasn't a normal Psychic at all, wasn't she? Tracy was an Anti-Psychic?"

"Very good." His mother nodded, "Times were different back then, Ness. This was before Anti-PSI was more widely accepted. Many viewed it as a type of dark magic rather than actual PSI. You were lucky enough to inherit my PSI rather than your father's. But...when your sister's aura appeared, and I realized she possessed the same dark energy as your dad, well...I enrolled her in the academy. If she remained in Onett with such powers, she would face a life of taunting and misery. I figured...I'd rather have a child live amoung humans safely than amoung her own kind in constant suffering. I knew that you and my fellow villagers would only view me with disgust at my decision, so I bribed a few fishermen and faked her death. Nowadays, she remains at the school. When she turns eighteen, she will be allowed into society as her own woman. Never to return to Onett, but to live in human civilization."

Ness stared at his parent in utter disbelief. Words couldn't describe the emotion he felt.

"Mom, do you not understand what you've done?" Ness whispered, "Tracy's mind is being broken as we speak! It may already be gone!"

"As I said, Nesley! Had she stayed here, she would have been rejected! How was I to know that Anti-PSI would eventually become accepted when Madame Kumatora was elected? I can't just take her out of the school!"

Ness stood up, nearly knocking over the chair.

"You right. You can't just take her out of there." He snarled, before advancing to the doorway, "But she's got a big brother who would do just about anything to do just that."

"N-Ness, darling-!" His mother shot up and followed him. Ness threw the door open and faced her. She continued, "I-I'm sorry I never told you, I never thought you'd find out…!"

"Yeah, well, I did. And I don't know about you, but I care about Tracy!" Ness exclaimed, "I don't care what it takes. I don't care if you try and stop me. I'm getting my little sister."

He began to walk away.

"Ness!" His mother called. Ness sharply turned, prepared to shut down any argument she had on stopping him. However, she paused for just a moment. Her hands trembling, she gripped the collar of her housecoat. She sniffled. "...B-Be careful."

Ness went still. He hadn't been expecting that. Shocked at her response, he pretended to brush it off casually. He hastily nodded. Without another word, he yanked back his sleeves and turned around again, taking off into the night. He didn't spare his mother another glance.

Tracy was alive, Ness thought over and over again. Everything he'd come to know was a lie. Tracy was alive. She was alive somewhere. Perhaps she was suffering, perhaps her young brain was being twisted and manipulated. But somewhere, Tracy Wyman was alive and breathing. Ness couldn't help the overflow of tears that came streaming down his face as he ran back to his house. His sister was okay, he thought. She'd never drowned. She'd never been found in a lake. He couldn't wait any longer.

'I'm sorry, Lucas.' Ness thought as he spotted his house. 'I have to be a bad friend at the moment.'

Ness burst through the door of his house and raced up the stairs. He knew exactly what he needed to do. He turned a sharp corner, ran down the hallway, and didn't even bother knocking when he opened the door to the room Ninten was in. Ness had already made his way towards the bed, ready to shake his friend awake. But the first thing he saw was an empty space and the odd lack of any sheets. Then, he saw the shape near the window.

He and Ninten instantly made eye contact. Ninten was crouched near the window, gripping something white in his hands. It was an escape rope made of several sheets tied together at the ends, which he'd tossed over the window sill. Ninten immediately froze up, realizing he'd been caught in the act. He let go of the sheet and scrambled away from the window.

"I-I…!" Ninten began, "...I called for you, and you weren't home! S-So, I...I disobeyed."

Ninten confidently raised his head with a defiant look in his eye. He continued.

"I won't just stand by and do nothing! My leader is out there, putting himself in danger! I don't care if he gave me an order, I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect him! And you cannot stop me! My apologies, but I am going to go after my leader!" Ninten declared.

"You don't need the window to do that, the front door is right down there. Also, wait for me to get my coat on, at least." Ness replied.

"Just as I thought! Well, I'm not listening to you! Try all you wish, but-" Ninten went silent, furrowing his brow, "...Wait, what?"

"Get dressed. Get your things together, then, meet me downstairs." Ness said.

Ninten blinked, unsure of what exactly to say. Ness shook his head.

"I'll explain later," Ness said, "Just hurry up. We leave tonight."

The shocked look on Ninten's face morphed into a delighted grin. Ninten bowed his head, "Alright. Give me ten minutes max."

"Five."

"Excited, are we?"

"Four."

"Alright, alright, four minutes. Why the sudden change of heart?"

Ness stopped as he turned to face the door. He smirked and looked back over his shoulder.

"I'll explain everything later. I guess we all have someone to save." Ness replied, "Now, hurry up. What Claus doesn't know won't hurt him. I guess I wouldn't mind going on another little adventure."