Chapter 40

"Andrew! Melia's finally awake!"

I looked back at Shulk. "Woo. Enthusiasm."

He tilted his head. "Are you feeling tired?"

"Yeah." I yawned. "That's a part of it, anyway."

"And Riki, too! Soon, we'll be able to go off and get to Valek Mountain!" declared Shulk.

"Indeed," spoke Dunban. "You have been talking with Alvis for quite a while, yes?"

"Yeah," responded the blonde. "He says he'll come with us to Valek Mountain."

"Good to have a guide," mused the older swordsman.

"Alright... pretty soon, all of us will be able to go to Valek Mountain!" declared Shulk.

He must be really excited since he keeps mentioning it... "And..." Mumkhar's gonna be there, too...

"Hm? What was that, Andrew?"

"Ah... nothing," I replied.

His eyes narrowed. "Hey... mind coming with me before we see Melia and Riki?"

"Okay," I groaned, rising from where I sat.

We walked a bit through Alcamoth. When he finally spoke I almost missed it.

"So let's clear some things up a little more. You're an Outsider, a ...human, right?"

"Yeah."

"And your Talent Art lets you slow down time?"

"Correct," I replied, cracking a few fingers.

"And that strange other form... what is that?"

"The Soul Trigger," I responded. "It boosts my attack power, speed, and pain tolerance."

He nodded. "I see."

"What's the point of asking me?"

"I just... that... Soul Trigger... is very useful for taking out Mechon," he mused. "It lets you destroy Mechon even without the power of the Monado! That's incredible."

Yeah, and it's still not enough to beat this game. "That's all good and all... so why ask me now?"

"Just some stuff I'd been curious about but always forgot to ask whenever we weren't in a fight or something."

I looked at him. "Hmph."

"Where are you from, again?"

"Earth," I replied.

"What's that?"

I paused. "A... planet. Probably very far from here."

"Then how did you get on Bionis?"

That's like me asking how you got in Smash Bros., you know. "I don't know."

He let out a heavy sigh. "Alright."

"So this is where you two are."

I turned at the voice of Alvis. "Hi."

He nodded. "Shulk. Are you ready?"

He let out a breath. "If everybody else is, I'm ready."

"Well, then we should see if your party is indeed ready, hm?"

He and Shulk moved away, and I followed.

...

"Melia! Riki!' Shulk ran forward. "It's good to see the two of you awake!"

"Thank you for your concern, Shulk," replied the princess. "H... how long has it been?"

"Over a week," came my auto response.

She sighed. "It has been quite a while, then."

"Riki tired," mumbled the Nopon. "Riki want to..." He yawned. "Unmh."

"Forgive me," spoke a nameless Imperial Guard who may just be dead in a few hours.

I don't know what'll happen to him.

"His Highness Kalian summons you," he continued.

"You... think something has happened?" murmured Shulk.

"We won't know until we get there," replied Dunban. "So let us be off.

"Melia, Riki. Do you think we are well enough to come with us?"

"It's my brother. I wish to see what he wishes to speak about," replied Melia.

"Riki want to see Bird Man again!" declared the Heropon.

"Alright. Then let's go," spoke Dunban, and we all went off once more, Alvis included.

...

"I apologize for summoning you on such short notice," spoke the prince.

"It's fine," the blonde hastily reassured the High Entian. "Is there something wrong?"

Kalian bowed his head as his eyes closed. "I must apologize to you all," he spoke, voice loud and clear. "Please forgive our hubris."

He would be a good leader, maybe, I thought suddenly. Knowing when he's right and wrong...

Too bad he dies.

Melia, perhaps despite her will, had a slight gasp tear out of her.

A line of slight strain grew on the face of the prince.

"We High Entia were arrogant enough to sit behind our defences, safe in the knowledge that Mechonis lays a great distance from our land.

"And we were wrong."

That last part was very sudden, I thought.

"Our decision... to ignore the Mechon assault on your land... was wrong," he continued.

"Your Highness... does this mean..." breathed Shulk.

"Yes, Shulk." The prince opened his eyes clearly to gaze upon us all. "We will face the dangers that lie ahead... together."

Melia stared at Kalian. "Brother..."

"Which leads me to my request. After setting eyes on a group consisting of Homs, Nopon and High Entia alike, I have realized that to survive against everything that may lie ahead... an allied army must be formed."

He took a long breath. "I ask that you act as ambassadors of this force."

Shulk turned his head away, closing his eyes.

Every party member looked at the wielder of the Monado.

"Tell me your thoughts, Shulk," spoke Kalian, in a somewhat gentle fashion.

"I... need some time before I make a decision," he finally responded.

He then walked away, out of the palace.

Kalian walked over to his much younger (i human and Homs years) sister.

"Does Shulk not wish to aid us in our mission?" he questioned.

How would she know?

"I do not believe that to be true," she replied, turning to face her brother.

"Then why?" he wondered.

She looked away. "Shulk... Shulk has other people to consider, as well."

We then all began to slowly trail after the blonde. I paused once I noticed Kalian gestured for Melia to stop.

"Melia..." Kalian breathed out after the word. "We must have a ceremony detailing when you become Crown Princess. If you are up to it, then I wish to get it out of the way now."

"Alright, brother," she replied, nodding. "Hm..." She saw me. "Andrew..."

"Ah... Andrew. Excuse me please, Melia." Kalian walked over to me.

"Hello," I spoke as he neared.

"Andrew... a Homs, correct?"

"Uh... kinda," I replied. "Human, if you want the truth."

"You seem trustworthy, so I ask of you a simple task," he told me.

I nodded.

"I know that Melia still wishes to venture with Shulk and your group. So I have a plan so that she is able to do so."

Kagebunshin No Justu! Oh wait, wrong game or anime or whatever...

"I have a request I wish to ask of you, and... in reality, just you, out of the whole group."

I stared at him. "Why me out of Shulk or Dunban or... uh, Riki? All of them are more charismatic in every way."

"It is not a matter of charisma," he replied."It is... regarding her safety.

"During your journey, I wish for you to promise me she will make it out alive and well."

"And why me compared to Shulk again? He seems to be better suited to this," I responded.

"Well... if I were to be honest... I do not wish for Melia to be too close to any of you."

Is this guy trying to secretly ship Melia with someone else? I wondered. No way! You should totally be shipping Melia and Dunban! Wait... CURSE YOU, FANFICTION! IT'S YOUR FAULT I'M LIKE THIS! MAKING ME STAY UP UNTIL 12 ON SCHOOL NIGHTS!

ESPECIALLY YOU, LEMON FANFICTION!

Or maybe I should curse the fanfiction writers for writing such good works... SOMETHING!

"Uh... for what reason to you... wish that for?" I asked.

He sighed. "When your journey ends, Melia will return to Alcamoth as the leader of all the High Entia. That point onward, it will be very difficult for her to have any free time, or time spent managing to visit your group, her friends."

I let out a sigh. "Alright, fine. I will, to the best of my power, try to keep Melia alive."

"Alright, good," replied Kalian. "My thanks."

"Yeah...?" I walked out, letting out a grunt.

Is she going to die, like Reyn?

"Well... not if I can help it, I suppose," I mumbled, before taking off.

Next time, we will finally get out of Alcamoth... it only took four chapters (I believe) after the battle with Metal Face.

Thank you all for reading!

Note: If Andrew were to be in some other game after XenoBlade is over, what game would you suggest he get in? (As well, please consider that Andrew will be stupid powerful by that point, though if Andrew does get in another game, I do know how to power him down...)