"And you think that's his plan?"
Vogel opened his eyes, turning to face the others in the room at the sound of Emilia's voice; and he nodded, the two Angels exchanging glances.
"To utilise your power to strike down the Prime Evil?" Emilia said, and Vogel nodded again.
"It makes sense. Longinus needs to do something drastic to keep the balance of the team and to kill off the Evil - what better way to do so, other than at the end of this fight? He can pretend I was killed, like I guarantee he has done with the others that we lost - the ones that we didn't clearly see struck down in front of us."
Timor rose from his seat, his arms folded as he began to circle the room; Spero eyeing him warily.
"Then you need to disappear." Spero said softly, her gaze turning to Vogel. "You cannot remain at the end of this fight - you need to leave."
"But we need to help you see this through." Vogel replied, but Timor shook his head.
"No. We cannot allow you to fall here, Red. You have too much back home; and your soul and body is not up for the chopping block. Not while I have anything to say about it."
"So what do we do?"
Timor tapped his foot, once again exchanging glances with Spero, before turning to Vogel.
"Do you trust us, Red?"
"With my life."
"Good." Timor beckoned over Emilia, who rose, curiously eyeing him as she walked over. "Because I cannot tell you the plan - it needs to look real."
Timor wrapped one wing around Emilia, and the two vanished, leaving Vogel and Spero alone.
"Sweetheart, I am so sorry that this is how things have to end." The Angel said, wrapping her wing around the large man, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"It is, quite literally, not your fault." He replied, reaching up to run his hand through her hair. "You have treated me so much better than I deserve, and I only wish I-"
"Sweetheart, you earned my affections, and you earned my loyalty." Spero replied quietly, taking a small step back so she could gaze up at him. "I do wish you would stay with me, but I know why you need to leave." She sighed sadly, reaching up to run one finger gently along his jaw. "But do not delude yourself; you are, quite possibly one of the most wonderful mortals I have ever met. I only wish there was more I could do to aid you."
"You have done enough." He replied, and she laughed, pulling him into a hug, wrapping her wings around him as well.
"I am going to miss you when you go."
"Me, too."
The two remained in each other's embrace for a few moments longer, then Spero pulled back.
"I can feel the want from you - do you wish to hold my sword once more?"
Vogel laughed, and nodded. "You could always see right through me - I would."
Using one of her wings, Spero guided Vogel to one of the chairs, and he sat - and when she presented it to him, he grabbed the hilt of her weapon, his fists tightening as images flashed through his vision, for one final time.
A shattered world, burning around him as a horribly wounded Chara spoke to him; a young blond standing not too far away -
A large, goatlike male, sheepishly looking away from him as he held out a rainbow shaped badge -
In his room in Spero's Palace, staring at the Chara that sat beside him -
And falling to the feet of a woman with dragon wings, his eyes closing as exhaustion overtook him -
The blade tumbled free from his grasp, only for Spero to catch is as the exhaustion from the last vision overwhelmed him, his last feeling that of the Angel's lips on his forehead before he passed out.
"Flank around center; my troope, strike down the middle!"
Frisk barked out, the quick affirmation from her field commanders sounding out as she squeezed the trigger of her rifle, the spray of the troops behind her following.
They had finally broken into this damned fort three hours prior; after a week of sieging it, Frisk had begun to wonder if the trip to her home island was even going to be worth it - and thankfully, it was.
"Move, move!"
The shouts through her earpiece told her what she needed to know; her troops had locked down position on the gunners. Time to do what she did best - so she slung the rifle over her back, drawing her sword and shield.
"Shields, rise and push! The rest of you, to me!"
With a roar, her troops pushed along with her, dead into the center of the fort.
"...and with minimal casualties, too."
The Commander of the British Queen's Guard raised an eyebrow at her, clearly impressed.
"For one so young, you certainly had an impressive siege there."
"Mmm." Frisk grumbled, counting the houses as the car they were in turned the corner. "I am merely going my best, Commander."
"Well, your best is nothing short of amazing." He laughed softly, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Have you considered coming back home? I'd find myself pleased to have you serve in my Guard."
As the car drew to a stop, Frisk shook her head, her lips pursed. "With all due respect, Commander, this country stopped being home when I was sold at ten."
He didn't reply, and Frisk opened her door, stepping out, Freddy following suit from the front seat. "Have a good day."
They both closed their doors, and the car drove away, Frisk exhaling sharply as she kicked the ground in front of her. "Freddy, can you tell me why someone would think that it is a good idea to ask me to move back home when they have full knowledge of why I don't live here anymore?"
Freddy shrugged, his gaze focused on the house in front of him. "It is quite possible that his main article of clothing is a straitjacket."
"Hah! I supposed." Frisk shook her head as she stared at the house, the 'Sale' sign sitting in the front yard.
"Did you want to go in?"
"No. No, not without… him, you know?"
Freddy nodded, and he reached out his hand, Frisk slipping her own into it.
"Have you had more dreams of him lately?"
"Mmmmm." Frisk took a step to her side, leaning her head against Freddy's shoulder. "I think something big is going down - there was talk on him leaving, and a lot of hugging from that Angel."
"You mean the one that Chara would throw a conniption over if she knew about?"
"Yes, since she has the decency of an ape and the common sense of a wet blanket." Frisk snorted. "Imagine that! She criticises Harley for - if we are right - having other partners while away; and yet she has had more partners then I bothered to count."
Freddy snorted, but refrained from remarking further - it wasn't really proper for him to badmouth one of his lieges, after all.
"You know, Freddy?" Frisk said softly, her gaze moving from the house to stare up at him. "Despite the circumstances, I have enjoyed the time I have been spending with you travelling."
"Maybe we should take a trip, then." he turned his head to meet her gaze. "Around the world, you know? After all the fighting is over."
"I would love that."
"Then it's a date."
Frisk chuckled, squeezing Freddy's hand tightly. "We should head back to the troops - I just wanted to see if this place was still standing.
The two of them turned, beginning to slowly walk away from the house, just quietly enjoying the other's company.
A quiet moment in the chaos; time spent well among the one you love.