AN: last second noticed an extra "L" in Palmacosta. At least I'm not calling it Pentecostal.

Chapter 4

Emil stared moodily at the news paper he had purchased, aware of Aster reading it past his elbow. He had only gotten through with the headline when Aster was trying to unfold the bottom of the page. Disheartened, he handed the whole paper over to the younger man.

"I'm sorry," Aster said, "I didn't mean to take it from you."

"I'm not very good at reading," Emil admitted and turned to look out at the ocean. He had gotten enough information from that one headline to know that getting to Palmacosta right now was nearly impossible. Only emergency ships were allowed out of port, all others had been canceled due to large waves emanating from the Meltokio region. The shorelines facing the continent were getting pounded by walls of sea water, sometimes as tall as fifty feet.

Aster rubbed the back of his neck. "This was why Richter and I went out looking for you in the first place."

"I know," Emil said sadly. "We're going to have to wake Solum first. He's the reason why those waves are happening. Tenebrae is going to have to carry us since we can't get over there by ourselves."

Shifting his weight, Aster tapped his toe in thought. "Though, if you're awake, why aren't the Centurions answering your call?"

"Because the Giant World Tree was destroyed," Emil explained, "followed by what Mithos did to the world for the last four thousand years. None of them have had enough mana to function and even now, mana is draining out of the world due to Yggdrasill being too small to sustain everything."

"Then how come Aqua and Tenebrae came?" Aster asked.

Fading in beside the younger man, Tenebrae cleared his throat. "I believe I can answer that. I had merely reverted to a sleeping state, rather than being damaged enough to return to a full un-hatched core. Awakening was not so difficult. I'm sure Aqua did the same." He glanced around curiously.

Emil turned away from the sea in resignation.

"We can't hire anyone to take us out," Richter reported as he strode over to rejoin them. "Unless we head north to Flanoir."

"How does that help us?" Aster asked. "Emil here was saying we needed to handle Solum first anyway. But if no one is going out at all and Tenebrae won't take us..."

"The Balacruf Mausoleum!" Emil slapped his fist into his palm as he turned to look at Richter. "We could take a ship to Izoold and hike through the ruins to Asgard, pick up Glacies and Ventus along the way. That seems like a better plan anyway."

Aster tipped his head. "What about the giant waves then?"

"Increasing Aqua's influence over the water element monsters will help calm the ocean," Tenebrae said.

"Which we can do from the Dynasty Ruins," Emil added and smiled. "Let's go to Flanoir then."

"Did you find out if anyone else remembers things that didn't happen?" Richter asked.

Flushing, Emil shook his head. "Embarrassed myself asking what day it was. I couldn't figure out how to bring up the topic without sounding insane."

Aster laughed softly. "He asked one lady if anyone had attacked Altamira and ran away before she could answer. We decided to try the newsstands. The only thing of interest there is that there's a new group called the Vanguard trying to organize the Sylvaranti people, but its not gaining much steam and just making the Tethe'allans irritated more with them."

"So pretty much just as it was before," Richter said. "So we have the choice of dealing with Solum or going to Flanoir first. I think Solum's core is more dangerous to leave unattended."

"Given what you used it for last time," Tenebrae said with a gesture of the hand on the end of his tail. "I will consent to shifting into a wyvern shape and carrying you." He sighed. "But only this one time."

"Oh this sounds fun," Aster said, folding the newspaper and shoving it into his bag. "We should probably leave town before you do that, though. Wouldn't want anyone panicking. Though can we pick up something to take with us for lunch? I think I saw a shop that sold meat buns earlier."

Richter met Emil's glance and shrugged slightly.

Disheartened that the other two seem to have let him take over their journey, Emil nodded. Aster surprised him by suddenly linking arms with him.

"Sorry about the detour."

"It's not your fault," Emil said, looking down at the slightly shorter and grey-eyed version of himself.

"I'm expressing sympathy. I get that you really want to check on her. Have you had ice cream before? What about chocolate? Ever ridden a roller coaster?"

Emil stared at Aster in confusion, then looked at Richter for help, only to find the half-elf trying to hide laughter by turning his face away and pushing his glasses up with one finger.

"I'm guessing you haven't," Aster patted Emil's arm. "Don't worry, we'll introduce you to all of that stuff."

"I - uhm. I have had ice cream and chocolate before. I didn't like them. Marta kept trying to find sweets I did like. She finally learned how to make peanut butter cookies for me, just so she could feed me them." He smiled in memory of that.

Aster's eyes lit. "Really? You like peanut butter cookies? Those are my favorite too!" He guided Emil down the street, Richter walking at Aster's other side.

Embarrassed by Aster's continued devoted attention, Emil merely nodded in silence. Marta had tried so hard for days before finally presenting him with her first successful batch and cried when he had told her they were good, accusing him of lying just to make her feel better. He proceeded to eat all of them to reassure her.

Unaffected, Aster continued, "So you can't read very well. Would you like me to teach you?"

"I don't really find reading fun..." Emil trailed off when he saw Aster's stricken expression.

"But there's so much information that books have!" Aster shook his head and pulled Emil up the steps into a cafe. "I'll find something that you like about this world and the people in it," he promised as he let go of Emil's arm and went to order food.

Dumbfounded and confused, Emil stared after him. "But..." he looked at Richter. "Is this how he always is?"

"Yes," Richter said with a slight smile.

"Why is he so interested in impressing me?"

"He doesn't want Ratatosk to change his mind again."

Brows lifting, Emil drew in a breath to speak, but Aster had already returned by that point with a fairly hefty bag. "I wouldn't let him change his mind," Emil said, looking down at Aster. "I like the world. I think that even if there are problems and people can be mean and hurtful, there are also good people in the world, willing to help those in need. They're not always successful at it either, but they try."

Aster shot a look at Richter then turned back to Emil. "Even if Marta doesn't remember you?" he asked bluntly.

Emil sighed softly. "That's been on my mind. But I love her enough to try to get her back anyway. I'm her knight."

"And Ratatosk won't override your wishes?" Aster asked.

"I've beaten him and locked him away before, I can do it again. He and I are part of the same being, and even if we don't always have the same opinion about things, he knows that I'm not weak and I won't just disappear if I become inconvenient." He watched as Aster sagged in visible relief. He placed a hand on the young man's shoulder and smiled. "I like you too. So I'll do my best to keep you alive."

Aster grinned up at him. "Is there anything I can do for you in return?"

"Be my friend?" Emil asked. "I know it's a little awkward that I was made to look like you, but..."

"Psht!" Aster flipped his hand. "I was over that in the first ten minutes! You honestly look more like an older brother or something. Say, can I call you that?"

Emil flushed in surprise. "I - I would be honored..."

"Then I hereby dub you Emil Laker!" Aster said enthusiastically and clapped Emil's arm in return. "Let's go grab Solum's core, big brother!" He jogged ahead, leaving the cafe and Emil standing in silent surprise.

"There," Ratatosk muttered. "You have new family to replace that rotten aunt and uncle."

"They weren't rotten, they just didn't understand..." He inwardly sighed and followed Richter out to the street. Emil didn't feel like having that argument with Ratatosk again, so he let it drop this time. Though he did feel like giving a parting shot and added, "So you like Aster?" He smiled when he felt the Summon Spirit's begrudging agreement and mild embarrassment. Richter had caught up with Aster and managed to slow him down before he ran off in his excitement. Emil strode quickly to join them, then poked Aster's forehead. "Tag," he said and jogged away.

"Uwahh!" Aster yelped in surprise and shoved the bag of meat buns at Richter before taking chase.

...

Stepping into the school room, Marta glanced around briefly before she found a familiar face, though she couldn't remember the woman's name. She stood awkwardly in the doorway for a moment before clearing her throat. "Excuse me..."

The woman lifted her head, having been writing in a book as she read from another. "Yes Marta?"

"I'm going to be taking a trip for a week and need to take all of next week's tests before I go."

"I haven't taught the materials yet," the teacher said. "I doubt you would be able to pass the tests given how you did on the last one."

Marta shook her head. "Can I retake the last test then too? I really want to go on this trip and Daddy won't let me if I have class work that needs doing."

Putting down her pen, the woman frowned at her. "So only when you're sufficiently motivated will you actually try to study?"

Sighing, Marta shifted from foot to foot. "Please, let me at least attempt the test I failed first. If I do well on that one will you let me take the others?"

"Fine." The woman pulled out a stack of papers from a drawer and a pen and placed them on the first desk in front of hers.

Marta took a breath and let it out slowly. 'If I wasn't tutored by Genis and taught by Raine, then it will show here.' Sitting down, she looked at the teacher.

"You may begin."

Turning her papers over, Marta read the first question and smiled. She knew that. Quickly writing the answer, she moved on to the next question. She wasn't so sure on what year it had been when that had happened, but made her best guess and moved on. Finishing the test quickly, she set her pen down and turned the paper over.

"Well, that didn't take long," the teacher said derisively and took the paper. Her brows knit as she read over the answers, then moved her gaze to meet Marta's. "If I hadn't watched you, I'd think you cheated somehow."

"So I did well?" Marta asked.

"This was the final exam," the teacher said. "You got everything right."

Marta stared at the woman for a moment before smiling. "So am I free to go?"

"I suppose that this is proof that you can achieve anything when you're sufficiently motivated." The woman shook her head. "I'll expect you to keep up this level of excellence now that I know you're capable of it."

Shrugging, Marta said, "If I have to." She stood. "Thank you." She left the classroom and headed for Marble's Items for a shopping spree of everything she would need for a solo trip to the Tower of Mana. Counting out what little gald she had, Marta opted to go heavy on items and light on any equipment she could possibly afford.

Arriving home, she set her bag on her bedroom floor and proceeded to look through her closet and drawers for what else she would need, finding things that had been destroyed by the Blood Purge and setting them aside for later.

"Marta?" Brute called.

She started in surprise and headed out to see why he was home so early. Standing beside him in the main room was a blond man she didn't recognize, but gripped firmly by the shoulder was none other than Emil Castagnier, the original. Putting on a smile, Marta looked at her father. "Something wrong, Daddy?"

"Not at all," Brute said. "Marta, this is Reysol Castagnier and his son Emil. Emil will be going with you to Luin."

Her stomach sank. "That's a long trip to walk, Daddy."

"Who said anything about walking? I've hired a carriage for you."

She pressed a hand to her stomach in memory of the last time she had ridden in a carriage. "That... wasn't necessary... I like walking..." she said in a small voice.

"Marta, there are monsters on the road. I just want to make sure you get there in one piece. Emil is going to visit his aunt and uncle in Luin. You and Hawk will be staying at the inn. I'd hoped the two of you might become friends along the way."

Gaze shifting to the green-eyed boy, Marta felt very little hope on that score as he gave her a disgusted look. Pinning a smile on her mouth, she looked her father in the eyes and said, "I'll give it my best shot." Though she wondered what she could possibly have in common with a fourteen year old boy. She had no intentions of falling in love with him, that was certain. Not unless she could prove without a doubt that her Emil didn't exist except in her head.

"Are you packed yet?"

"Almost," Marta said.

"Good, the carriage leaves first thing in the morning," Brute said with a smile before turning towards Reysol. "Hawk will make sure they're both safe the whole time and escort them home in a few days. Nothing to worry about."

"I appreciate you letting me send him along."

Marta turned and headed back into her room to finish packing her extra clothes and spinner before returning to the main room to find that Reysol and Brute were talking about relief efforts to help the people of Luin whose livelihoods were being threatened by the drying of Lake Sinoa. The boy was sitting in one of the lounge chairs, brooding at the floor, cheek pressed to one fist and elbow propping them both on the arm of the chair. Heading over to the kitchen, Marta put together some basic foods that could be turned into a meal without the use of heat, since the carriage would be on the road past supper time. She deliberately picked bland things, though, hoping she would have the stomach for it later.

"Marta," Brute called. "Do you have your spinner? Just in case?"

"Yes Daddy." She glanced at the boy. "Does he know how to fight?"

Reysol shook his head. "Emil never showed any interest in that kind of thing."

"Maybe Hawk could teach him some sword work?" Marta suggested and saw the boy perk up slightly, then try to look like he hadn't. She smiled, knowing she had her perfect distraction for them both to let her escape to the Tower of Mana for at least a few hours. It was small consolation when compared to the carriage ride ahead.