Author's Notes: I'm not sure where I'm going with this one. Ideas are welcome, otherwise this may become a crossover fanfic. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem. If I did, Ashnard would win.
Gone. He'd heard it in every corner of the camp, and knew he'd hear it again all over Tellius.
"Where's Ike? Ike! Has anyone seen Ike?"
Soren had been the first to find out, but the worry in Mist's voice, hearing all the emotions he, too, wanted to express, still hit him like a Thoron bolt. Gone. Followed by the logical missing, then the terrible- dead.
Titania worried who would take over the company. Shinon thanked Ashera (he would) and Mist sobbed for days, insisted he couldn't leave without a goodbye, that he owed it to them. Through all this he said nothing. He accepted the fact, no matter how much it stung. And he packed.
Ports were logical destinations. New continents could've arisen. Ike would be there, Soren hoped. Volke might know about it- though that would take a bribe, a bribe he couldn't afford, of course. It didn't matter- he had to find Ike. A note to Mist was left on the eve of his absence, instructions on where they would return, if ever, and why. Then he was gone. No one spoke of that, he felt assured.
Taking up his old habits of avoiding the main streets, he weaved through the ports, asking about every ship, any peculiar faces. The last ship he checked was about to leave in less than an hour- he couldn't find out the destination. He came aboard and stole his way into the cabin, finding a familiar headband on one of the doorknobs. He knocked, as calm and poised as ever. The door creaked open.
"Soren?"
Ike stared at his staff officer with a mixture of fear and gratitude. Same blue hair, same eyes, cape…
"I'm sorry I'm late," he replied sarcastically, forcing his way inside. "You really should have thought ahead and cleared things up with Mist-"
Ike closed the door, baffled. "Erm… what?"
"This expedition."
His hero nodded. "I'm going alone."
Soren smiled lightly as he sat in a nearby chair. "Really? Where?"
"You're just humoring me-"
"I'm wondering why you told me if I was not invited. My statement of intent was quite clear, commander." He stared up at the man he'd devoted his life to. "You need supplies. You have none. You need a way back. Do you have one secured?"
"No…" The ship began to rumble as it left the port.
"Well, than neither do I."