Sync was starting to get used to waking up in unfamiliar places, and that annoyed him. At the same time, though, it didn't sink in to him immediately that he was alive. He'd thought for certain that Mohs's spy was about to use his antagonism as an excuse to silence him for good. Not that it mattered if he died or not, but he didn't want to die a pathetic death if he could help it. He grunted as he squeezed his eyes against the light, then cracked them open to see cupboards to one side and the idiot replica Luke leaning over him.

"Oh, good, you're awake," he said, relieved.

"Eugh," Sync grumbled, then shut his eyes again.

"Hey! You can't just pretend to go back to sleep! C'mon!"

"What do you want?" he growled.

"To talk to you," said his voice.

Sync silently counted to five, then sat up and glared at the idiot replica and the soft-hearted fool, now both seated next to him. To his surprise, the door to the room they were in (which, based on the stoves and pantry, looked to be a kitchen) was open, and the three of them were the only ones in the room. Sync was immediately suspicious and refocused on the other replicas.

"I've got nothing to say to either of you," Sync told them.

"Well, we've got something to say to you," said the idiot replica. "And that's... sorry."

Sync waited for a moment. When that seemed to be it, he furrowed his eyebrows. "Sorry?"

"Yeah, you know... For keeping you locked up all that time," said the idiot, rubbing his head. "We all talked about it and we decided... Well, you're still dangerous and we don't want to underestimate you or anything, but we also want you to feel like you can be safe here. So, well, you can walk around now. Just not by yourself. Okay?"

Sync stared at him, bemused. Am I still asleep? he wondered. He dug fingernails in his cheek, and the sting of pain told him no. "This is a trick," he concluded instead. "What're you playing at?"

"It's not a trick, Sync," Ion insisted. "Even Jade agreed to it. As long as you have at least one of us with you, you can go where you please."

Jade... the Necromancer. Sync narrowed his eyes at Ion. Sync had exulted in being able to hurt the Necromancer, but he was certain the Necromancer wouldn't shrug that off. He stood up. "If it's not a trick, then I want to go on a walk," he announced. "Right now."

"Okay," the idiot replied, standing up. "Oh, wait, you want something to eat while we're here? Ion thought you might wake up hungry."

"I'm fine," Sync lied. "Let's go."

To his silent surprise, no one was waiting outside the room. The Albiore wasn't a big place so the "tour" didn't last long, and he'd have preferred literally anyone else's company to the other two replicas save the Necromancer himself, but he was forced to conclude by the end that it wasn't a trick. The idiots really were letting him walk freely.

Well. "Freely." He still had his fon slot-sealing shackle and now he had babysitters too. He'd seen the Necromancer in the cockpit with Princess Natalia and the pilot, and the rest had been near the engine room, so they weren't being completely stupid about it, either. It remained a big change.

In the end, they returned to the kitchen/dining room. Sync picked a chair and sat down.

"There must be limitations," he declared. "You can't supervise me forever."

"Yeah," Luke replied. "You're gonna be in your room -"

"Cell."

"...Right. Your cell. Uh, you'll be in there when it's time to sleep, and when the rest of us have to leave the Albiore."

"We'll pick up books for you, though," Ion added, seating himself opposite him, "and if you've got any other requests, such as something you'd like to eat or something from the store, we can get that for you too. Within reason, of course."

Sync laughed. It was too ironic for him not to. "So in other words, you'll be my servants as long as I agree to stay caged up here like a good boy?"

The idiot replica winced, as Sync had been certain he would. "Look, it's not like that, Sync. Why do you have to be such a jerk? We're just trying to help you."

"Help me? You really are an idiot," Sync sneered. "I never asked you to do this, so don't get mad at me when I don't trip over myself with gratitude. You're only doing this for your own self-satisfaction in the first place. I was supposed to die in the core, remember? If you'd kept your hands to yourself, I wouldn't be here to be a jerk at you." He narrowed his eyes. "So if you've got a problem, you've only got yourself to blame."

"Do you really think you'd be better off dead than here with us?" Ion wondered, clutching his knees.

"Yes," Sync replied without hesitation. "I'd finally be free of this pointless life."

"There isn't any life that's pointless!" Luke insisted. "There can't be!"

"Stay in denial all you want," Sync replied, lifting his chin to look down on him. "But just as a reminder, you were born for no other purpose than to die. Surviving Akzeriuth was an unhappy accident."

Luke went pale. "I..."

"Do you say the most hurtful things possible just because you can?" Ion asked unhappily.

"So what if I do? It's still the truth."

"Yeah... You're right," Luke said thickly. "The only reason I survived was because Tear was there, and Master Van didn't want her to be. I really was... just sent there to die." He forced himself to face Ion's worried frown and Sync's faint, humorless smirk. "B-but that's why I have to do everything I can to stop him. I have to, to make up for all the people I killed. Sync, you said yourself Van sent you on a suicide mission. What could you possibly owe him now?"

Sync's expression drained away. He wasn't ungrateful for his training and the opportunity Van gave him to take revenge on the world, but- "Nothing. I don't owe him a thing."

Luke and Ion both stared in surprise. "Wait, what?"

"Everything Van did 'for' me, he did to make me into something he could use. In return, I lived as his tool, and I would've died as his tool if you hadn't stopped me. So I don't owe him anything any more than he owes me."

As the two replicas gaped at him, someone said from the doorway, "I'd say he owes you a damn apology."

All three turned to see an angry-looking Anise. Sync tensed as she marched in and got up in his face, but he didn't back down.

"Just tell me one thing, Sync!" she demanded. "If you don't owe him anything, why're you still supporting him?"

"Yeah!" Luke chimed in. "You don't have to do what he says!"

"There's still something I want him to do," Sync replied, not bothering to hide his disdain, "and everything you're doing interferes with it. In case that didn't penetrate your thick skulls, let me bottom-line it for you: we're never going to be allies."

"Let me guess. You're not gonna tell us what that something is," Luke said.

Sync sneered. "So the idiot can learn."

"That's rich, coming from you," Anise said.

He shot her a glare. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean if you think the Commandant's going to do anything for you when he doesn't even respect you, you're the real idiot," she shot back.

Sync almost laughed. He smirked instead. "Lucky for me, what I want him to do is something he was going to do anyway." The smirk faded. "I know perfectly well no one would ever do anything for my sake."

"Gee, with your charming personality? I can't imagine why not."

Ion held up a placating gesture. "Anise, don't you think you're going a little too far?"

"She can say what she wants," Sync said, resting one hand on his hip. "It might as well be rappig grunts for all it bothers me." He flashed her a smile full of nothing but teeth. "Though I guess there's not much difference."

"Whaaaat?!" Anise squawked. "Are you seriously comparing my adorable voice to a rappig's?! You need your ears cleaned, Sync! You can get your dumb trash-talking mouth cleaned out at the same time, too!"

"Hey, is it my fault you're naturally annoying? But you're right. You're not a rappig. You're more like a mosquito: tiny, bloodsucking, and constantly whining," Sync shot back.

"Awww, are you just saying that 'cuz I get under your skin?" Anise trilled, twirling her fingers into her cheeks.

Sync rolled his eyes. "If you got under my skin, I'd have to get a set of rabies shots."

"Too bad! It'd do you some good to get infected by my cuteness," she quipped back, undaunted. "You need something to counteract being a gigantic asshole."

In spite of himself, he smirked. "What? And lose my edge? No thanks. I'd rather keep on crushing your pathetic hopes and dreams."

"Ooh, sounds like someone needs a hug!"

Sync opened his mouth to return the volley, but was distracted when he caught the looks on his fellow replicas's faces. "What're you two smirking about?"

Luke, who was more grimacing that smirking, shook his head. "Oh, nothing."

"I'm just so glad to see you two finally getting along," Ion replied, actually smiling his usual dopey smile.

Sync squinted at him. "What about this looks like 'getting along' to you?"

"All of it," he replied serenely. "If Anise were actually mad at you, you'd know it."

I see intelligence wasn't a necessary trait in making the Fon Master's replacement.

The words were on Sync's tongue, but it occurred to the God-General that he did know it. She had plenty of bite to her, but there was a world of difference compared to her violent aggression before he got put to sleep. There wasn't any... ill will, if he had to define it. Thinking matters over further, he realized his tension had seeped away after swapping jabs with her. Trading venom had made him feel oddly... better. Sync threw her a wary glance. She smirked back.

"Now that we've calmed down," Ion continued, "there's something I'd like to ask you, Sync. Well, it's more of a request, really."

This ought to be good. "What do you want?"

"When Anise said it, it was a joke, I think, but I just thought, well... And I apologize if this is too forward, but - may I please give you a hug?"

"Woah! That is forward," Luke uttered.

"I understand if you'd rather not," Ion added hastily.

But Sync only frowned. "What is a hug, anyway?"

He regretted asking the instant all three of them went dead silent, expressions twisting into a mixture of horror and pity.

"You don't even know what a hug is?" the idiot redhead whispered.

Sync answered frostily, "Just answer the question."

Ion swallowed hard and straightened his shoulders. "A hug is when you wrap your arms around someone and just... hold them gently. Usually the person being hugged does the same in return, but not always."

Sync sneered. "Sounds stupid."

The seventh lowered his eyes. "I thought you might say that. I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable, Sync."

"You didn't make me uncomfortable," he lied. "I said it sounds stupid because it does. Who'd waste their time with garbage like that?"

For some reason, both Ion and Luke looked over at Anise. She'd already launched herself forward, though, and before anyone could properly react, she'd wrapped her arms around Sync's torso.

"WOAH! What the hell're you doing!?" he bellowed, jerking back to no avail. "Get off! Get off, dammit!"

"I'm giving you a hug, you stupid jerk! Now shut up and accept it!"

Ion looked stricken and held his hands out ineffectually, while Luke palmed his face in secondhand embarrassment. Sync noticed, and it made him angrier. He shoved at Anise as best he could, but she clung tight and his left arm was trapped under her chest.

"I said get off! GET THE HELL OFF!"

He yanked one of her pigtails as he twisted his trapped arm. She yelped and kicked him in the shin in response. When he gritted his teeth but didn't let go, she stumbled a half-step and pushed her weight against him. While she didn't weigh much, it was enough to put him off-balance. He tried to right his footing, but his ankle caught on something, and a couple seconds later, Anise and the floor sandwiched the air out of him.

Luke and Ion hurried over as Anise sat up, but Sync heard two too many sets of footsteps. A second later, the reasons why rushed through the doorway.

"What's the matter?!" Tear called, voice crisp and sharp.

"Luke! Is everyone okay!?" Guy chimed in after her, a few steps behind.

They both fell silent when they saw Anise straddling a very angry Sync.

"Uhh... Haha... Hi, guys," she squeaked.

"Noooot really," Luke said, grimacing.

"Did we... interrupt something?" Guy asked, eyebrows going up.

"Things just got a little out of hand," Ion murmured. "I asked Sync if I could hug him. He said no, and Anise, well..."

"It turns out Sync isn't a very huggy person. Teehee?" Anise finished, trying to laugh it off.

Sync shoved her again. "Get. OFF!"

Tear scowled, marched the rest of the way inside, planted her hands on her hips, and leaned over her teammate. "Anise, get off him this instant."

She scrambled to her feet and backed away. The God-General spun to his feet and dropped into a combat stance. Ion held his breath, but Tear didn't even bat an eyelash. Instead, she glared at her companion.

"Anise, I'm ashamed of you," she said, voice sharp. "You should know better than to assault an unarmed boy."

"I-I wasn't assaulting him, I was giving him a hug!" she protested, but she cringed as she did.

"A hug someone tells you repeatedly they don't want is no different from assault." Tear faced the Tempest, now calm. "I'm sorry that happened to you, Sync. Will you be all right?"

Of all the things he could have anticipated, an apology wasn't one of them. He eyed Tear, who held his glare without blinking. Then he straightened, settling a hand on his hip.

"There's no point in you apologizing. You had nothing to do with it."

She shut her eyes. "Even so."

"Um. Sorry, Sync," Anise murmured, fidgeting. "I was just -"

"Apology not accepted. Get out of my sight," Sync snapped.

She winced, then scowled. "Hey, you don't give me orders! And don't act so self-righteous! Not after what you did this morning!"

An intense desire to reveal Anise as the true traitor seized Sync. He throttled it and instead bared his teeth at her in a rictor mortis grin. "Sorry I'm too much of a failure to give you orders, Fon Master Guardian."

She flinched at that. Then she shook her head like a dog and grabbed the seventh Ion by the wrist. "I've had enough of you today. C'mon, Ion, let's get out of here."

"Anise, I -"

But there was no resisting the angry girl, and she stomped out with Ion in tow.

"Iiiii'd better go after her," Luke said. "Guy, Tear, can you two take over?" When they nodded assent, he hurried out without looking at Sync.

Guy watched him go, but Tear kept her eyes on the God-General. Guy looked back and scratched his head.

"So why in the world did she decide to hug you anyway?" he asked.

"Don't ask me. You're wasting your time."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He folded his arms and smiled, unruffled. "You hungry, Sync? I was heading here to fix myself a snack anyway."

He was starving, but he was also in no mood to be honest about it. "Do whatever you want."

Guy and Tear shared a glance. Then Guy walked over to the pantries while Tear took up a post at the doorway where she could watch the entire room. No one spoke further. Privately welcoming the change in guards, Sync chose a seat where he could watch them both in turn. When later he was escorted to his cell and locked in for the night, he was almost grateful for it.

It didn't last.

It was sometime past midnight, at Sync's best guess, when the outer door unlocked. He'd lost himself in the rhythm of a set of sit-ups, but the sound sliced through his consciousness and put him on high alert. He wasn't surprised to see an Anise-sized shadow slip inside the door. All the same, he was on his feet in an instant, well aware that he had no escape routes or any real way of defending himself if she truly wanted to kill him. The lights flicked on, and...

"Oh, it's you," he said, feigning a lack of concern. "What do you want?"

Anise blinked. "Wow, you're up. And here I was worried about how to wake you."

"I only need four or five hours of sleep a night. What do you want?"

"Whaaaaat? Seriously?! No wonder you're so mean and nasty all the time!"

Sync rolled his eyes. "What do you want?"

"Oh, right." Anise frowned and planted her fists on her hips. "I wanted to talk to you about what you were saying earlier today. About the traitor."

He raised an eyebrow and waited for her to continue.

It took her a few seconds, but she didn't disappoint. She sucked in a deep breath, then quietly demanded, "Why didn't you just say who it was?"

He let the other eyebrow rise in affected disdain. "Why should I tell you that?"

Her fists tightened. "There wasn't any reason for you to jerk everyone around like that!"

He smirked toothily. "You say that like you think I know who it is."

She opened her mouth, got halfway through a word before her brain caught up to her, paused, shut her mouth, and stared at him for a moment. "Why wouldn't you know? You're Chief of Staff!"

"So?"

She hesitated, then peered at him. He maintained his poker face. She settled on her heels.

"You really don't know?"

"Interesting. You believe me?"

She averted her eyes for a split-second. Then she glared back at him. "I gotta keep Ion safe. I can't afford to just assume you're lying about a traitor like the others did!"

Nice save, Anise, Sync though, smirk widening. Then he let it fade and shrugged. "I've never received information from them directly, nor has the intermediary who passes along the information ever told me who they are. But one of you is definitely a spy."

"Just one?"

Sync cackled. He couldn't help it, even if he'd wanted to. It felt too good to twist Anise around. "What, you're that worried? So much for friendship, huh?" He bared his teeth in another malicious grin. "There's just one... that I know of, in your immediate group. Who knows who else among your acquaintances might be leaking information on your precious Fon Master?"

She puffed out a sigh, eyebrows knit upwards. "Oh."

The lack of reaction was unexpected. Sync waited a moment. "Was that all you wanted?"

"No." She took another deep breath and squared her shoulders. "I wanted to apologize again for hugging you earlier. I'm sorry, Sync. I won't do it again, okay?"

A slow frown dripped down his lips. He studied her for a few seconds. "So you're sorry about the 'hug,' but you're not sorry about threatening to kill me?"

"I didn't say that!" Anise paused, frowning. "But actually, no, I'm not sorry about that part, you trash-talking jerk."

Sync smirked. How refreshingly honest. "Good, because I'm not sorry for talking trash."

"Good! Then we're even!"

He shook his head. "Did the Fon Master order you to come here?"

"No! Well, he didn't order me..."

Sync laughed faintly and without humor. "But you're still here because he wanted you to say something."

"Maybe he did, but I really am sorry for the surprise hug." She shrugged. "Sure, you're an insufferable toolbag with his head stuck up his ass, but... I still shouldn't have grabbed you."

"Gee, with a heartfelt apology like that, how could I not forgive you?"

"Heehee. So... are we okay?"

"No, we're not okay, idiot. We're enemies! And don't you know sarcasm when you hear it?"

Anise rolled her eyes. "No, I had my sense of sarcasm surgically removed at birth. Jeez, Sync, you think I couldn't tell? And here I thought you were maybe a little fun."

Fun? "You're unbelievable."

"Whatever. G'night, you insomniac."

"Good riddance."

Anise stuck out her tongue and left, turning off the lights behind her. Sync remained still for a moment to consider the conversation and how, despite everything, it too had left him feeling slightly better. He shook his head, then resumed his exercise.