Sanctuary

by Mauled2Death

Pushing onwards to see his fate through, TJ's journey continues in book two of Frequency: Sanctuary. In order to gather his remaining memories he and his companions strive to defeat some of the greatest Agasuras Jienda has ever seen to collect the pages of a magical tome named Memorius Sanctum. Yggdrasil finds itself in a race against time to complete the book or die trying.

3. Dasein

As I had mentioned before, the chapters would be given a new name and here's the first of them, which is the Harmonies. The Harmonies are the main story, so more or less what you guys are already familiar with. Just as with the prologue, there'll be a quote by one of the characters at the beginning of every chapter. Once the other ones make their appearance, I'll likely give you a heads up prior to the chapters, but I won't spoil them.

---

First Harmony: Dasein

"The words of my friends in the past and present, and the faith they put in me will be my strength through this journey. I'm not the most capable, but I'll do what it takes to bring them victory." (TJ)

"That asshole…" She muttered. A girl with long snow white hair, adorned in a beautiful white outfit with golden seams stood before him. "You think he's done and then he pulls some shit like this." She turned to her companion and her shining sapphire eyes glared at him. "TJ, you're gonna use Aegis. If we both use it at once you'll burn up all of your and Peorth's mana in one shot. I don't have the time or patience for that shit." She grinned, but the look in her eyes did not seem as confident. "I'll find a way around this." Behind her a mass of dark energy swirled and gathered, seemingly enveloping the surrounding area as it grew.

Her partner TJ frowned. "You want me to protect myself and let you face off with him alone? Absurd." He replied.

"Just do it." She turned back to it and cracked her knuckles. "Even if you don't do anything I can handle him. This is why I'm here; this is my big moment. I'm gonna slaughter this bastard and get my vengeance for everyone who was killed in his name!"

He sighed. "It is just as Vanir had said. A Cerebian can defeat an Agasura, but they cannot kill them. Only another Agasura could." A hand beneath a sleeve matching the outfit his companion wore reached out to her back, and the hand suddenly was coated in a dark shroud. "This is not what fate had dictated for you." He chuckled.

"What are you tal-" She groaned as she slightly lost her balance and a small trickle of blood ran down her face from the inside of her mouth. He had plunged his hand inside of her, and despite the fact she grinned. "You bastard…you dirty, dirty bastard." She laughed weakly. "We finally get to the finish line and you stab me in the back…gotta h-hand it to ya'. You g-got me r-real good." The white from her hair changed to blonde as the colour from her face drained. Her eyes dimmed and her body began to lose its balance.

He pulled his hand out from her back and with it came a small white sphere surrounded by a blue flame. "It is not your time. I still have plans for you." He released the sphere and it shot down the corridor to the exit, as her body collapsed to the floor and slowly began to disappear from the head to the feet, like sand blowing in the wind. He grinned wolfishly. "Now then, shall we proceed? Asmodeus?"

TJ woke to a horrible ringing noise within his mind and he immediately sat up in his bed, gripping his left eye as he took long deep breaths. The sound he had heard was nothing new to him, nor was the searing pain in his eye. The 'Sound of Frequency' and the loss of sight he had suffered from a certain dream were painful reminders of who he was, but they did not provide any answers to the reason behind their occurrences. He took a quick couple of glimpses around his surrounding area and had deemed himself to be in a hospital room. Next to him was a small bedside table, his corala guitar resting against it, the locket hanging from it and a series of items resting upon the table itself; a familiar scene. He reached out to a small mirror sitting on the table and grabbed hold of it, holding it to his face as he looked at his reflection.

He lifted the bangs of his ridiculously long pink hair to get a glimpse of his own face. His blank expression stared back at him in the mirror through worn out, heterochromatic eyes; one chestnut and the other golden, the latter featuring a familiar unusual seal upon the iris. Despite his dark skin tone, he could tell he looked rather pale, and the amount of sweat he had produced from his nightmare only made him more uneasy. He gently patted his chest, and the familiar sensation of touching the massive gem embedded in it made him feel slightly more secure. His vision soon returned to him as the pain in his eye subsided, as did the effect, in turn returning to match the colour of his right eye.

He took a deep breath. How long had he been unconscious? What had changed in the span of his fall at Kimara Research Laboratory and his awakening in the present? He set down the mirror and looked to the other side of his bed, finding the IV drip connected to his arm. He considered the possibility of taking it out himself, but he was unsure of what kind of impact it would have if he did, so he refrained from it for the time being. Despite everything seemingly being in order, regardless of his physical weaknesses, he still remained restless. The reason being, his companion was nowhere to be seen or heard. He could not even feel her presence in the gem within him, the place where she once resided. The possibility that what happened in the dream was connected to her disappearance worried him greatly.

TJ had to take action; he knew that sulking would do him no good. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He took a deep breath and tried once more, but only a barely audible squeak emerged from him. Mustering even more energy into his third attempt he managed to release a faint, timid voice that called out for his companion, "Su? Su…where are…you?" He felt slightly more confident in himself from his success, but the celebration was short lived as he received no response. He considered the possibility that she was somewhere else inside the hospital. The two had never actually separated, so the occurrence was also new to him, and he began to understand that her presence meant more to him than he could have imagined.

He turned towards the left side of his bed and placed his feet on the ground, preparing himself mentally and physically to go and search for her. As he rose to his feet, the world surrounding him seemed to distort and he collapsed to the ground. He lifted himself to his knees and attempted to stand again, his legs vigorously shaking as he did nearly throwing him off balance again. He grabbed hold of the IV pole and proved successful in remaining on his feet. Taking small steps he exited his room and walked down the corridor quietly calling out to his missing companion.

After a brief period he began to lose strength in his body and he collapsed to the floor a second time. Someone turned a nearby corner and gasped as they caught a glimpse of him incapacitated.

"TJ?!" The voice belonged to his guild mate Kooh. She wore a sky blue t-shirt that was tied at the chest with matching bell bottom pants and slip-on shoes just as he had remembered. "This is no place to sleep you know." She helped him to his feet. "What're you doing all the way out here anyway?"

"Su…I need to find Su…" He quietly responded.

"Su? She's not miss-oh!" She nodded sagely as she walked him back to his room. "The reason you can't hear here or sense her presence is because your mana is sealed right now." He looked at her with a puzzled expression. "The little princess temporarily did it so you didn't lose control of yourself while you were out cold. Everyone is at their most vulnerable when they're unconscious, especially to 'possession' magic. The Agasura within you would have tried to use the opportunity to take over your body." She paused for a moment. "Hang on a sec', that's not right. Peorth removed the seals yesterday, but because it was sealed for such a long period the flow of it was weakened, and your body tricked itself into believing that it's still sealed. Which is why I'm here!" He seemed slightly disappointed after her explanation. "Why the long face?"

"She came…I missed her…"

Kooh placed her hands to her cheeks and her face flushed. "I love you two! You're both adorable!" The two entered his room and she helped him to his bed. "You'll see her again soon TJ, so until then, work hard to get yourself back in shape! I'm here today to help you with just that! We'll be doing some meditation exercises to get your mana flowing, and in no time you'll be back in full fighting force. Gimme a minute, I'm gonna go grab you a wheelchair." With that said she turned to the door and disappeared.

She soon returned and hauled him into the chair without any warning. He looked alarmed and puzzled as she rapidly wheeled him out of the room towards an elevator that took them to the top floor. They passed by a couple of nurses and a doctor that all greeted the two as they passed, each of them bowing as they did.

"Everyone…so respectful…" TJ said.

"Believe it or not, all those doctors and nurses we just met are Cerebians." Kooh smiled. "Most of the Cerebians across Jienda had heard of our venture to Kimara and have been cheering us on since. Everyone is coming to recognize you as the Abellan, and they're actively joining in the fight against the Agasura. It's absolutely wonderful."

He smiled meekly. "No pressure…huh?"

She laughed. "All eyes are on you kiddo."

Kooh stopped the wheelchair before a flight of stairs that led to the rooftop and helped him up, the two eventually arriving at the last step followed by them exiting the inside of the hospital.

"You might wanna wear this," She said handing him a coat, "it's still pretty chilly out." She rolled out a small mat and the two took a seat, sitting parallel to each other. "How are you feeling TJ? Is it too cold? Will you be alright?"

He nodded. "I…I'm ready."

"That's the spirit." She placed her hands together and closed her eyes. "You've done these exercises with Su right? It's the same thing. Just relax…let your thoughts and worries go away and your mind be free."

He followed as she had told him and little by little the various thoughts in his mind seemed to fade away along with the sound of the breeze passing by the two. Shortly after he began to feel much less aware of himself and more of his presence alone; it was small, but it certainly was there, and he could tell that it was not the capacity of it.

"Remember that we're one with the world around us. Mana is a part of us and everything else; it's what binds us to the elements, to nature and to every living thing in our world. Take it in, let it out, become one with it."

He took slow deep breaths. With every breath the knotted feeling in his chest slowly began to give way and he could feel energy trickling throughout his body from the original source.

"You're a quick learner. I know you haven't forgotten the basics of casting magic so I won't drill you on it. If you plan on practicing though, be sure to do it where nobody is, so they don't get hurt and so you don't reveal yourself." She grinned. "You're a Cerebian celebrity now."

He nodded with a flushed face. "Okay."

She carefully examined him for a couple of moments and nodded. "Your mana seems to be flowing a bit more naturally now. Good! Let's skip the small stuff and take a step up." She held her hand out and a trio of icy targets arose from the ground at the far end of the rooftop. TJ tilted his head with a puzzled expression as she nodded proudly. "Not bad at all. Alright TJ, see those targets over there?" He nodded. "Target practice! Hit 'em with arrows of light if you can."

He nodded once more and turned to the targets. He held out both his hands and three spheres of light appeared around him, each acting rather abnormal. The three seemed to be out of shape and fizzling slightly, and shortly after burst and dispersed, alarming the caster. He fell to the ground looking rather nonplussed.

"You alright? Guess I should have expected something like that to happen after you just got back into it." She helped him to his feet and he thanked her. "Let's try starting with one at a time. The Divine Arts is a big enough step in itself." She smiled wryly. "I considered starting out with the normal Wizard skills, but I don't think you can hit something that far with bubble bubble."

He prepared another spell, this time only a singular arrow while Kooh shouted 'You can do it TJ!' With all the force he could muster he fired it, and after travelling a few feet it fizzled out. He began to look rather dejected and Kooh gave him a pat on the back. "This…needs practice." He said.

Later that day TJ was doubled over, sweating profusely and heaving as Kooh laughed lightly.

"It's a work in progress, but you'll get there." The guild badge pinned to her pants lit up and she shifted her gaze to it. "Hang on a sec' TJ." She turned away and tapped it twice. "Gotta run TJ, apparently Axle got held prisoner by the warrior bees over by the Longest Tree. You better practice up while I'm away! If you're not out of here by the next time I'm free we'll have another practice session, so I'll be expecting you to put in the work mister!" He smiled and nodded meekly as she spread her wings and prepared to take off. "Kooh, away!" She took off and shot off out of Elias towards the fields. He solemnly watched her fly off as he thought of how she may have forgotten that their identity was to be kept secret.

A few days later TJ was sitting outside of the hospital, basking in the sunlight and warm weather when he caught a glimpse of another of his companions exiting it. Wearing his usual black coat and matching gloves and shoes, and the plated headband around his head he turned to his guild mate upon hearing his call.

"Axle? Is that you?" He asked.

Axle ran over to him and slowed down as he approached. "TJ! It's been a while bud! How you been? You sound better already too." Axle replied.

After he neared TJ could see the various bandages across his body. "That looks like it hurts…what happened?"

Axle chuckled. "This is what happens when you get stung by warrior bees. As if their stingers weren't enough, they were sure to stab me a few times with their spears. Though I was hospitalized for a few days I'm in top shape now." He scratched his cheek. "On that note, the big boss asked me to help you get back into shape too, but since I had to be hospitalized for a while I didn't." He shrugged. "I'm here now, so how about you and I get to training you?"

TJ nodded. "Sure. Is it more magic practice or meditation?"

"Magic? Pfft heck no! You and I are gonna do some good ol' regular exercise." He reached into his pocket and drew a small piece of folded paper. He began to unfold it and spread it out across the bench TJ sat on, and then pointed to a spot on the map. "Check this out; I made a map of the whole hospital and then I made a route for the run we would do after I got released. So we're right here. First we'd run around here to the back, then through the gardens and then around this wing, to the next wing over here, then we'd circle around to the front for a second lap. It's gonna feel great to get out there and stretch these old bones again."

His companion laughed uneasily. "H-hey…doesn't this seem like a bit…much? It might be enough for a blader like you, but I'm just a bard! My stamina isn't that good!"

Axle slapped him a couple times on the back and laughed heartily. "TJ, if you're looking to get in my good books you're on the right track! Now suit up soldier! The Agasuras don't wait for slowpokes!"

The two began their run, Axle leading while TJ followed in his wake. As they ran TJ could not help but notice that his friend did not have his blades on him as he usually would; though they let him bring his guitar into the hospital, the matter was not likely as lenient with sharp weapons. Despite the fact, it did not seem to bother Axle in the slightest, while he felt a great deal more vulnerable without his weapon on his back.

"You holding up alright back there? Your ribs aren't gonna snap on us now right?" Axle asked glancing back at him.

He held his ribs and cringed slightly as he remembered Choen Palm stabbing him with a crossbow bolt. "Yeah…I'm alright. After being hospitalized for so long I think my body should be functioning pretty normally."

"Good. I heard what had happened from the Chief. Saw the aftermath too." He shuddered. "I didn't even think it was possible for someone's body to twist like that. Let alone for bones to stick out thro-"

"A-Axle! No more! Thanks…"

He chuckled. "Sorry. It's just one of those things that once you see it you can't un-see it. Hard to forget, but let's leave that there. You've been out cold for a while so you probably don't know what you missed out on. Got any questions?"

TJ thought about it for a couple seconds as the two continued their run. "Well…I do, but it's just general stuff. What kind of things happened while I was unconscious?"

"Let's see…the boss has been pretty busy making preparations for the war…"

"War?!"

Axle gestured for him to calm down. "Not that kind of war. Well, it technically is that kind of war but it's not gonna be happening any time soon. Before the Cerebians can put a stop to the Agasura there's a ton of things we have to do. Lately we've only been recruiting more people for the cause and trying to get the attention of any Cerebians across Jienda to the matter. We also started looking into getting to the God's Governor's shrines. So far we've opened the path to one of them, so there's three others we have to find, and then we just have to get the other God's Governors."

"I know we have Su, so we need to find the other three right?" He asked curiously.

"Actually we already have two of them on our side." Axle laughed and TJ knit his eyebrows. "You don't know who it is? Sorry bud but I ain't telling. Anyway enough of that. Big Boss said we can't really do anything until you wake up. Now that you're back the real fun is gonna start. Apparently there's been some new Agasuras cropping up across the continent, and the boss was all like, 'defeating the Seven Sinners will be paramount to our progress towards besting the Agasura' or something like that." He said it in a monotone attempting to imitate Peorth.

He chuckled. "That impression was awful! But she would say something like that, wouldn't she?" He attempted to regulate his breathing so he could talk while he ran. "Say, Axle, are you scared of the Agasuras at all? I mean…I am. Fighting Choen Palm was one of the hardest things for me. I tried really hard to be strong for everyone 'cause they were counting on me, but knowing I have to face her again worries me."

Axle snorted. "You don't plan on throwing in the towel now do you?" TJ shook his head. "If you ever feel afraid then put your confidence in me. I'll carry all of Yggdrasil to victory on my broad back!" His partner snickered. "By the time we cross swords with Choen Palm I'll be so strong she'll be quivering in her boots. I tell ya', just gotta give her two in the kisser and she'll be down for the count, you know?"

He began to laugh. "You're certainly a force to be reckoned with. Do you wanna take my place?"

The trainer shook his head in response. "The last thing I need is to have that gem stuck in my chest! Besides, magic just isn't my strong suit. I'll stick to my dual blades thanks."

"We're all good at something right? I'm glad that Yggdrasil is so diverse."

"You said it bud, but just 'cause we're a huge guild doesn't mean you get to slack off when training! Now lemme' see you kick it into high gear!"

Axle sped up and TJ trailed behind, heaving as he tried to match his trainer's pace.

At the end of the run TJ was lying face down against the bench while Axle exited the hospital carrying two cups.

"Here you go. You really worked up a sweat so it's time to get some water back in your body." Axle said handing his companion a cup and receiving his thanks in turn. "It's alright to have your fears TJ, and you can show 'em too. We're not all as strong as we might seem. But just like you, we know there are people that look up to us and get courage from seeing us being totally badass, so we do whatever we have to do to uphold that image. I know as well as everyone else that you're a badass in the making; just need to tap into your inner awesomeness and work on your spells some more. You'll get there someday, trust me on this one. Until you get there we're gonna be with you every step of the way." He scratched the back of his neck. "I dunno the finer details when it comes to regaining your memories and the spells you lost with them, but if there's someone or something that needs an ass kicking, you can count on me to get the job done."

TJ beamed. "Thanks a lot Axle. Especially for coming to help me get stronger. I'll work extra hard to show you how powerful I can become."

Axle grinned in turn. "That's what I like to hear. When you can beat me I'll deem you an official badass. Better work your ass off and make me proud."

"You bet."

On TJ's last day in the hospital he caught a glimpse of a small note written in beautiful handwriting with a coupon attached. He grabbed it from his bed and read it. It said:

Dear TJ:

Your hair is a very important part of your body. I understand that it would be difficult to maintain while unconscious for nearly three months so I took the liberty of doing so. I hope you do not mind. Your hair has grown a fair bit over the past few months so I strongly recommend a haircut. In battles, hair can be both fashionable and functional. I have attached a hair coupon to this note so feel free to go see the hairdresser. I shall be located in the guild room as usual.

PS: If you do not wish to be considered the king of the jungle, I would recommend that you tame your mane first.

Love, Peorth

His face flushed as he placed the paper down. The realization that Peorth had been handling his hair care during his stay in the hospital completely caught him off guard and left him confused. Though he had felt that way initially, he held the note to his chest and smiled. The kindness of the members of Yggdrasil was something he held dearly, and would not forget so soon.

"She certainly wasn't kidding…my hair has grown out a bit. Seeing her make a pun that bad is a first, but I'm glad she's lightening up a bit even in times like these…though it's at my hair's expense." He said under his breath.

"With hair like yours people will start to realize how feminine you really are." A familiar mocking tone said from within his crystal.

He looked alarmed, then absolutely enthused. "Su? Is it you?! Like the real deal?"

"Duh. Who the hell else lives inside of that goddamn rock of yours?" Su remarked.

Tears began to form in his eyes and he quickly wiped them away with his fingers. "Thank goodness! I didn't know what I'd do if you were gone for good…"

The crystal embedded within TJ's chest emanated a bright light and from it she emerged. A girl close to his height turned to him and brushed the blonde strands from her face revealing her bright emerald eyes. She had two golden hoops on each ear and a bandage on her right cheek. She was clad in a crimson t-shirt and black jeans, with a black newsboy cap; she also wore silver sneakers. As she stretched he noticed an unusual looking book hanging from her waist, which he deduced to be a sorcerer's book. Just like him, it had seemed her hair had grown exponentially over the span of the time he was unconscious.

She sighed and wiped the remnants of his tears away with a handkerchief. "You're such a baby! 'S not like crying is gonna kill that bitch. If you plan on beating her you're gonna need to man up already."

He laughed quietly. "Someday I'll be stronger, but until then gimme some time to grow up a little more. I'm not ready to carry the fate of the world on my shoulders just yet, but I'll get there."

She frowned. "Your optimism makes me gag."

He laughed again. "Hey…Su…"

"What?"

"What happened at Kimara…when you stopped me from sealing away Choen Palm. You said something before I fell unconscious but I didn't really catch all of it. Can you explain what you were saying and what it meant?"

Her expression turned hard as she solemnly stared into his eyes. "I…"

He broke away from her gaze and shot a glance to the door as he whispered, "Someone's coming! Hide, quickly!" She immediately returned to his crystal as Kooh and one of the nurses entered the room.

"TJ, I'm here to pick you up! You all ready to go?" Kooh said cheerfully.

"J-just about." He replied grabbing his things. She handed him a set of clothes and explained it was just like his old pair, just not bloody and torn from the battle with Choen Palm; as for his armour, he'd need to see Peorth to receive it. "Thanks for this." After he got changed he checked out and the two returned to the Elias' market. He decided to set his questions about the Kimara Research incident aside for the time being. "I'm gonna head over to the salon to get a haircut Kooh. I don't wanna meet the guild looking like this."

His companion seemed slightly disappointed by his decision. "Really? That's too bad. I think it looks cute on you. You're like a life-sized doll."

His face flushed and he averted his gaze from beneath his own hair. "That's not what I want people to think of me! I'd sooner make the Agasuras laugh then I would strike any fear into them like this! If I could even see them…that is."

She laughed. "You raise a good point TJ. I'll go on ahead then. See you soon!" She waved as she walked towards the castle courtyard, and he headed further down the street. His crystal began to glow and he took refuge in a nearby alleyway allowing his companion to exit from the crystal once more.

She stumbled slightly and placed her hand against the wall as she doubled over. "Ugh…I really shouldn't do that so much in such a short time. It's been way too long."

He gave her a puzzled look. "To come out so suddenly…did something happen?"

She glared at him. "Obviously not. If I wanted to sit inside of that crystal all the damn time I would have stayed in it. Not like I wanna see your stupid face either, but we've all gotta make sacrifices." She walked past him. "I was thinking of getting a trim anyway."

He smiled. "Ah…I see."

The two entered the hair salon and TJ inspected it like a child in a candy store.

"I haven't seen this much pink since…you." Su remarked.

"Sh-shut it!" He retorted and followed with a grimace. "It's n-not like I wanted all this pink! Marin did this..."

The hairstylist seemed to be gazing at the two with a mix of surprise and pure excitement, which quickly turned to pure joy as she rushed over to the two and hugged them shouting, "Customers! Boy am I glad to see you girls!" She brought them over to a chair as TJ sighed. "My name's Bonnie and I'll be giving you two some really cute styles today! So which of you will be first?" The hairstylist was a young girl that seemed to be no older than him. She was short with long blonde hair tied in two circle braids on each side of her head. She wore a white blouse that was also a polka dot green tank top. She also wore a pink skirt with a heart pattern, a pair of rainbow stockings and red slip-ons.

"Go ahead TJ. I don't care." Su said nonchalantly with a shrug.

The black cat ears on her head perked up along with a matching tail as Su gestured for TJ to go first and Bonnie hurried him into the seat, excitedly handing him a catalogue afterwards. As he flipped through the various styles available his facial expressions matched them depending on how unusual they were in his opinion, especially those in the 'expert' list.

"There's so many I really can't decide." He chuckled. "Su are you sure you don't wanna go first? I'm not too sure what I want yet."

She frowned. "I'm not changing my mind. If you can't decide, let the hairdresser do it idiot."

He shifted his gaze to stylist reluctantly who was sizing up his hair and she smiled. "You don't mind if I ask that of you do you Bonnie?"

"I know just the hairstyle for you missy!" He handed her the coupon he had received and she smiled approvingly.

"I'm not a girl." He muttered.

She was surprised by his response. "Really?!" He nodded. "So you're just a really cute guy?"

"What?! No…I mean…it's not…what am I supposed to say to that?"

She laughed as she took a pair of scissors and began to cut his hair. "You know, I have some guy friends that would eat you up! You're just their type." He stole a puzzled glance to Su with hopes she'd explain Bonnie's comment, but she only smiled impishly in turn. "If you're on the market then I'd be glad to get you together with one of them."

He knit his eyebrows. "Well I'm not exactly for sale. Is it normal to sell people?!"

Bonnie laughed. "You have quite the sense of humour TJ, and quite the unusual taste in hair too. A guy who isn't afraid to experiment with his look is a great guy in my books."

"Thanks."

"So what does TJ stand for anyway, if you don't mind me asking? A lot of my customers have their initials as nicknames because they're not fond of their names, but they're usually really nice."

He knit his eyebrows once more. "I know as much as you do. Whoever gave me this name must have had a pretty good reason to do it. I'm thankful I have one at all, so I'm not really one to complain." He chuckled.

Bonnie stopped in the midst of straightening his hair with a mystified gaze. "So you never knew your parents? I've seen a lot of adventurers who have been through that too, but don't feel down about it." He stared blankly as she spoke. "Knowing that only made them stronger, and they went off to do all sorts of great things. I think adventurers can take a page from your book too."

"You think so?" Though unsure of exactly what the stylist spoke of he felt that he somewhat understood what her point was.

"Totally! A lot of my customers are girls, and the few boys that come in here all take the same styles. Sometimes you just have to take a plunge to be fun and different from the norm. It'd be nice if some boys would just take some time off to have a spa day or get their hair done or something. It's not like al adventurers have to be rough and rugged twenty four-seven." Bonnie beamed. "I like you TJ. You're a boy who isn't afraid to get in touch with his feminine side. It's not like you can't be an adventurer and look good while you do it!"

"Trying to maintain an image and be an adventurer at the same time sounds really hard…at the end of most of my battles I wind up with torn clothes and cuts and all sorts of other…messy things." He replied.

She frowned slightly. "Imagine what a girl has to go through then." She shrugged. "To each his own I guess. Some boys prefer working out and turning into beefcakes while others like to look good. Feels different for everyone huh?"

He seemed to be reflecting on the matter. "Is there an in between? Like being strong and looking good!" He gestured it was not what he meant. "I mean…well, the reason I'm getting my hair cut is because it's too long! It'll just get in the way when I fight. Though being strong isn't really…my strong point." He gripped his arm. "If I was strong on the outside I'd be…well, strong. But if I wasn't strong on the inside then people wouldn't be able to count on me." He furrowed his eyebrows as he found himself at a loss for the point he was attempting to get across. "I don't want everyone to see me just as I am on the outside. Sometimes I need to rely on someone else to get through the tough times." He stole a glance at Su who immediately shifted her gaze away from the two upon noticing this, but he still caught a glimpse of the tiny smile on her face. "Those that can do that are the people I really like."

Bonnie beamed. "You're a really honest person you know? This hairstyle definitely suits you the best. Here, have a look!" Bonnie held the mirror to his face revealing his new hairstyle; the long pink strands of hair now cut much shorter only reaching his upper back, greased and tied back in a thin ponytail.

He looked into the mirror with his mouth agape. The look in his eyes was lifeless and his tone of voice lacked any sort of emotion as he said, "Thank you Bonnie. I shall take my leave now." He arose from the chair and lifelessly exited the shop.

"Bye!" Bonnie shouted and waved as he left.

"I think he likes it." Su said crossing her arms with a nod.

"Me too." The stylist said with a grin.

Shortly after TJ's departure Su exited the hair salon and found him leaning against the shop's wall looking dejected.

He turned to her with his lifeless expression and said, "Looks good."

Su now had her hair cut shorter too, but still much longer than TJ's. She had it in a single long braid. After he finished speaking she glowered at him and replied, "You know, if I didn't know how much of an idiot you were already I would have punched you in the face. Twice." She sighed. "Anyway let's get going. We've kept the boss waiting long enough as it is."

She began to walk towards Elias Castle's Courtyard and he reluctantly followed in her wake.

"I don't want the Chief to see me like this. I look ridiculous. Even more ridiculous than I did with that 'shaggy prince cut' Marin gave me." He muttered.

"What are you complaining about? You always look ridiculous."

"I know that's not a compliment but I'll take it as one. I can't keep the Chief waiting any longer because of a haircut." He sighed. "I'm hoping for the best here."

Before they found themselves in the courtyard, Su returned to the crystal and he approached one of the six maids that waited outside the castle who waved to him as he approached. She along with the other maids all wore a distinct uniform and each greeted TJ with waves and greetings. The courtyard itself was at its most colourful because of the nearing spring, the gardens boasting budding flowers and others already in bloom.

"Hello everyone! It's great to see you all again, but I can't hang out and talk right now!" TJ replied with a wave.

"Are you looking for access to the guild room TJ? Guild Master Peorth is currently within." Nan said to them with the bright smile she usually wore.

"Please." He responded with a gentle smile in turn. He closed his eyes and he could feel her fingertips touch his forehead as she whispered a couple of words. Before he knew it he felt the familiar sensation of his body soaring through the unknown and coming to an inevitable stop in the guild room.

The guild room was a beautiful place with tall rock formations far off into the distance under the slightly cloudy blue sky. Long vines wrapped themselves around the snow white pillars connecting the arches around the back of the room with small trees surrounding them, and a fountain in the center of it all. Before the fountain stood Guild master Shabur, a tall masked man with a mysterious magical demeanor who had the ability to levitate. TJ still wondered whether he had feet at all as he silently stared.

On the roots of a large tree rested the proper guild master, Peorth. She had short icy blue hair, a blue star on her cheek and ivory skin with a pair of yellow frameless glasses alike to TJ's. Her sapphire blue eyes quickly moved back and forth as she occasionally flipped the pages of an odd and rather musty book. She wore a white silk top that was black around the chest and wrist area, but white around the neck, stomach, and shoulders. It had golden rings around the higher and lower sections of the shoulders that ended where the colours differed. She wore a skirt that was white with a black ring around the bottom, an actual golden hoop around the waist and small wing-like pieces of fabric hanging from the side, and tall white boots with black around the heels and a gold design embroidered on the side. She also wore a pair of earrings, one short and gold while the other long and red, and a large pair of winged hairpins.

He awkwardly approached and waved to her as she shifted her gaze form the book she read to him. Before he could open his mouth to speak he let out a surprised cry as she suddenly rose from where she sat to tightly embrace him.

"TJ you really have awoken! After I had put such a strain on you in order to combat Choen Palm and put all of our lives at risk I thought you would not forgive me bu-" She suddenly began to speak quickly and quietly, but came to a grinding halt as he tapped her arm.

"Chief you're…choking…me." He uttered.

She let him go and averted her eyes as her face flushed. "F-forgive me." He laughed and gestured that it was alright. Seeing her in such a state was a rare occurrence, and he considered it more of a treat than a punishment. "After suffering a concussion to such a degree, atop the other injuries you had faced I had worried how severe the effects would be after your awakening. To my surprise, it seems that you have made a full recovery. I have heard good things from Axle and Kooh about your training sessions and it pleases me greatly." She paused for a moment as a hint of realization dawned on her expression. "In case you have suffered memory loss from the event, I am Peorth Emeria Ásvaŕtlim, the reigning guild master of Yggdrasil and leader of the Cerebians. Welcome to the Yggdrasil guild room, a place where gods and mortals may speak." She curtsied. "I am in your care once again TJ."

He smiled and stifled a laugh as she looked at him with a puzzled expression. "It's good to see you again too Chief, and there's no way I could forget you. Let alone your name…though I don't use it, if I do forget I just have to remind myself that it spells 'pea' with your initials. But you don't have to be so formal with me!" He waved his hands in an attempt to drive the home fact with his gestures, but did not succeed in accomplishing the goal. "You've been looking after me all this time so things are kinda the other way around huh? Ah! Thanks for the hair coupon too! My hair grew awfully long over the time I was unconscious so it was a big help." She stole a glance at his new hair beneath his beret and chuckled quietly. "I-it looks ridiculous doesn't it? I thought so too."

"Not at all. I believe that it suits you very well. Pink really is your colour, is it not?"

"Alright, alright break it up you two. Enough with the dramatic reunion. You're making me sick to my stomach with this. There's big stuff going on that TJ should know about." Su said as she emerged between the two. She shifted her gaze to the guild master. "What were you reading there Peorth?"

She raised the book so the two could get a better look at it. It was a worn-out looking journal with handwriting in various different styles within. "These are some of the notes that we had claimed from Kimara Research Laboratory after our mission. Though Choen Palm had escaped, we had accomplished all of our objectives so I do not consider it a failure. Though what happened to TJ is truly unfortunate, you must forgive me for my inability to protect you."

"It's no big deal, really! I know what I signed up for so…I'm in no place to complain about the outcome." TJ replied.

"Did you find anything useful in the journals?" Su asked.

Peorth nodded. "Indeed. I am as of yet to find a way to reverse the effects of the gene manipulation, but I believe that somewhere within Hyun-Shik's and his descendants notes, we will find the answer. Currently their notes only insist that they were close to locating a way to making the effect irreversible, so it is not a permanent transformation. We have one of the creatures, a Corala, sealed so that it will be harmless over the time frame that we will be performing the experiments. We have tried various methods to remove the effects of the gene manipulation to no avail, but we shall not give up so easily. Too many people have been captured and transformed into these creatures, at times I wonder if their minds are still intact. Thankfully, those that only have slight disfigurations are able to be cured by using the water from Sellistar's spa. Currently I have Curt and RoboCurt investigating the matter at their laboratory in the City of Iron. I believe they returned upon hearing that you have awakened."

"Sellistar? Who's Sellistar?" TJ asked with a puzzled expression.

"Ah…I have not introduced you all yet. How rude of me." Peorth cleared her throat and held her hands out to the tree that stood behind her and said, "TJ, Suuba, I would like you to meet Order Sellistar. Sellistar, these two are Powers TJ and Suuba."

TJ stared blankly at the tree's trunk while Su seemed to be examining it cautiously as a whole. As he glanced higher towards the crown, he began to see the true shape behind it. Where they stood was only where the roots resided, and higher up they began to see the shape of a lady from the legs to the body. She had a long thorned wooden tail with vines that rose up from the roots, and despite her body still being that of a tree it had a human's shape. She had long arms that rested beneath her chest and thin hands with long fingers almost that of claws. The branches from behind her stretched out and sprouted leaves and formed the shape of two massive wings. Her face that of a person's and the branches of her crown budded leaves like hair that rested upon each side of her face. The entirety of Sellistar was surrounded by a series of tiny spheres of light, while she too emitted a magical aura.

"You mean that…" TJ uttered as he and Su looked at the spectacle mystified.

Sellistar shifted slightly and opened her eyes to gaze upon the two as she said, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Children of the Sun."

"How did I not notice this?! How did I not notice her before?! And she talks too! That's awesome!" He laughed excitedly. "What is Sellistar Chief?"

"Sellistar is Yggdrasil's guild crop. There is a fair bit of history behind them." She responded.

"Could you tell me about them? The guild crops? That is, if you have time."

She smiled slightly. "Of course." She cleared her throat. "Hundreds of years ago when the Cerebians first began to make connections with humanity, they had brought seeds from Asgard to plant trees upon Midgard. These trees would not only increase the mana regeneration and circulation on Midgard, but also enrich the plant life and further the circle of life's cycle. In doing so, it would also ease the difficulty of travelling between the two worlds and allow for us to move further across the world in a shorter time frame; the increased mana would also have helped humanity in mastering utilizing mana. The campaign had proved to be successful so the Cerebians had proceeded with it, but eventually was delayed when the humans began to cut down the trees. They used them for various purposes, but more than anything they oft created weapons with enhanced power from the crop's origins to empower themselves against the Agasura.

The Cerebians were not pleased with this, and many tried to stop it through peaceful means, but to no avail. The humans were slowly destroying their own home and there was precious little our kind could do without resorting to violence; if they were to, it would completely go against their beliefs. Evidently, the mana on Midgard had decreased greatly and in turn the guild crops that were planted after the incident would simply wither despite the best efforts of our people. Because of this the campaign came to a halt until the Cerebians could find a way to muster enough mana for the crops to properly reach their full potential. Our kind had decided that the best way to do it would be to have humanity partake in the campaign also, because our efforts alone would not be enough. With that in mind, they had brought the 'guild system' to Midgard and created Instance Dungeons that housed enough mana to allow the full growth of the crop, while also having the humans contribute to our cause."

For a moment she smiled devilishly and he looked alarmed.

"As you may know, the Instance Dungeons are very similar to very small dimensions or even worlds one might say that are connected to a complete world known as the host. In this case, Midgard is the host to hundreds of various different Instance Dungeons. Through this method, we have been able to grow crops on Midgard without having to risk losing them as we did in the past. In turn for the humans raising the crop, they are given access to a special Instance Dungeon that will assist them in their battles against the Agasura.

Now moving on to the present, with the Cerebians' escape from Asgard, we carried all that we could here with hopes that with the mana we acquire from the growth of the crops, we will be able to rebuild the Bifrost and someday return to our home. Though the mana that we gather is not only for this purpose; it is one of the only ways that we can still collect mana on Midgard. Since the choices from ages past have become limited, by participating in guild matters we can extend the size of our guild itself, and the amount of the substance the room can contain allowing us to have a larger mana pool, therefore offering us more energy.

"So having a crop like Sellistar helps the growth of the world itself, and also offers us more mana in battle?" TJ asked for confirmation. "And Midgard is this world as a whole, while Jienda is just a continent on it."

The guild master nodded. "Both are correct. Midgard was the name given to this world long ago, but it is seldom used. There is a city on Jienda called Midgard which is a crucial stepping stone in our journey; it has excellent communications with the sunken city Atlantis, and as one would expect, is even more advanced than its underwater counterpart. It is also the place closest to Asgard, and despite the concurrent Bifrost…" She paused. "It is the current location of the Bifrost. That matter aside, it is one of the last cities that still believe in the existence of our people and God Ah's family. Some believe that they are searching for a way to rebuild the Bifrost, but it is only a rumour."

"So Midgard houses humans too?"

"It does have some, and other races from the other worlds."

"There's more than two?!"

"Indeed. You need not worry for them though TJ. Just as they have in the past, I strongly believe they will keep to their own and leave us to our battles. Nevertheless, in order to turn the tides of battle in our favour we too have a guild crop. By defeating Order Sellistar in battle we will be rewarded with a type of Instance Dungeon as the other guilds would. At times it will be a battle against the three guild crops to test our mettle as a guild and open the opportunity for us to discover new spells and stances we did not know prior. Other times it will give us access to the guild mine, where we could gather various rare minerals and ores that could not be found in the Forest or Crystal Mines; this would be most crucial to forging legendary armours and weapons. Lastly, we would get the possibility of gaining access to the Guild Spa, a place where we could refresh our bodies and minds, emerging stronger and more resilient than we previously had for a period.

"Hard to imagine that we have to fight her…she looks strong. But what would happen to her after we beat her?"

"She will return to a seed which can be planted once more. Throughout her lifespan and at the end of it, mana is accumulated, and in repeating the process the amount is increased. Someday the efforts of both humanity and the Cerebians will bear fruition, and when that day comes I believe that we will be able to save this world." Peorth stood by Sellistar and gently slid her hand across the trunk. "Until that day comes, it will be a pleasure to have her by our side."

Sellistar opened her eyes again and gently placed a hand on Peorth's shoulder as she said, "Thank you for all your hospitality your highness. I would be naught but a seed if not for your kindness." She smiled.

"Think nothing of it Sellistar. You are an important member of Asgard as all of its inhabitants." Peorth replied. The crop returned to her original position and closed her eyes once more.

"She really admires you Chief." TJ said grinning.

"You may say that. Now enough of my lecture, we are still yet to celebrate your awakening. I shall make preparations for this immediately; I am positive the guild will be absolutely thrilled to see you." She tapped the guild badge pinned to her top and began to mutter something to the guild as a whole as she cleaned up the books surrounding Sellistar.

TJ sat on a small piece of land on the outskirts of Elias Fields and stared blankly into the distance. Adventurers fought the silk worm Agasura within his field of view and the tall white windmills quietly turned just out of it. A gentle wind blew and he brushed his bangs from his face while watching the sky turn a gentle orange and the sun drifting over the horizon.

He placed a hand under his chin and sighed quietly. He was not exactly bored, but he was a tad disappointed knowing that his reunion with his companions was so short. He had only seen three of them, and each was for a brief period. The guild master had told him she would get in contact with him once the preparations were ready, and despite the fact it had only been a few hours, it felt like an eternity to him. After spending so much of his time either travelling, training or battling, having little to nothing to do for even a short time was a painful experience. The hospital visit was nearly unbearable, and though he was released it felt like his stay had been extended an extra day.

He sighed again and received a scoff from Su in turn. "What are you moping about? It's not like you ever really do anything anyway. Ain't nothing new for you." She muttered from within the crystal.

He looked alarmed for a moment, but quickly regained his composure; despite experiencing the occurrence many times before, he was not used to it, nor the lack of foreboding it provided. "Usually I have someone to do it with so it's not boring. Or at least a few people like Curt and Robo. The Chief said they came back from the City of Iron, but I'm still yet to see them, let alone hear from them. Everyone's all hush-hush in the guild chat too, so there's no point in using the badge." TJ responded in a sullen tone.

"I heard those idiots went to Captain Bong's land too. If they've got time to screw around they could find the time to make use of themselves some more. Still, Peorth didn't tell us shit! I dunno why she's holding back like that."

"Maybe she forgot?" He uneasily scratched his cheek. "She seemed really excited today though; from what I remember, she rarely got excited ever. Heck, she rarely showed much emotion."

"Meh."

He chuckled. "I think it's a good thing though. Well…a good chance for everyone really, to you know, take a chance to kick back and stuff. If there's been a lot happening while I was out then all the more reason to take a break. The Chief too, was always working hard, even before I got knocked out. You should enjoy yourself a little tonight too. It won't kill you right?"

"You say that like I'm not fun. You looking for a fight?"

"You're taking it the wrong way." He answered with a grin. He took his odd blue guitar from his back and strummed it gently a couple of times. "I'm feeling a little excited myself. Feels like my stomach is doing backflips. Not in the bad way though! You know, just…I'm just really excited. It'll be good to see everyone again."

"If I wasn't stuck with you in this body I'd punch you in the face. No, I'd kill you. No, I'd do both."

"I always knew you cared."

The sound of footsteps rapidly approaching caught TJ's attention for a brief period, but he immediately wrote it off assuming it was someone he did not know, and therefore it was not his business. Moments afterwards he found himself falling towards the ground after the weight of another person pushing their body against him forced him from his seat. He fell face-first into the grass and let out a garbled groan with a mix of dismay, immediately raising his face from the earth and spitting out dirt.

"Who the-why did you…Curt?"

Curt lifted himself from TJ's back and started groping the grass seemingly at random. "TJ? That you dude? I knew it had to be!" He was squinting to the point the reason for his actions were painfully obvious. "I dropped my glasses when I crashed into you. Wanna help me find them?" Though he was now on his knees, it was still evident that he was taller than TJ by quite a few inches. He had short black hair brushed to one side and sharp crimson eyes. He wore a green camouflage top with a black t-shirt beneath it, and his black leather pants were stained slightly green and brown from the grass and dirt. "Ah ha! Found 'em." After a brief period he picked up a pair of glasses alike to TJ's and placed them on his face, crossing his arms and nodding approvingly. TJ caught a glimpse of the red piece of cloth tied around his right arm.

Su appeared from within the crystal and glowered at the two. "You're both morons. I just thought you should know." She said.

"Some things never change huh?" Curt replied with a grin. He pulled TJ into a one-armed hug. "So how's the hospital life been treating you? Think you're ready for more awesome adventures?"

TJ laughed. "I can't remember much of my stay, but after waking up the doctors and nurses treated me really well." He replied earnestly. "I met Kooh and Axle while I was there too, and they helped me brush up a bit. Anyway, how have you been Curt? Is your hand alright?"

Curt inhaled deeply and all in one breath said, "Been doing pretty good, my hand's healed up pretty quickly and Robo had saved at a stone in Scrap Valley so he couldn't return to the Ancient Forest like I did so he's kinda stuck in Elfa until he could find an adventurer that has Elias capsules."

TJ stared at him blankly for a couple of moments and finally said, "Oh! I see now! So you weren't carrying any capsules huh?"

"Oh I was." Curt replied with a grin. It disappeared as quickly as it came. "I just forgot."

"You're terrible!" TJ replied with a laugh while Su face-palmed.

Curt joined in the laughter. "He's a big boy, he'll figure it out. But man…you've been out cold for way too long. So much stuff happened while you were gone! Captain Bong's Land and Midgard have been discovered, and C.B.L is pretty sweet. Literally! Everything's made of junk food, including the people over in Cookie Garden. There's even more of them inside the castle. Though Robo and I didn't really get to check out Midgard yet; apparently it's on the other side of the Aquarium just on the outskirts of the Abyss Ruins."

"Midgard? As in the Midgard?"

"That's the one! It sounds awesome! It's like the Atlantis of land, but it's even more high-tech. Must be like looking into the future."

"The Chief told me a bit about it too. I'd like to see it for myself one day, but it sounds pretty intimidating."

"We should go sometime. Gotta wait for Robo to get back before that happens though. Hopefully he'll be coming back sometime today."

"Next time try not to forget him, dumbass." Su muttered.

"I guarantee nothing!" Curt declared.

TJ's crystal began to glow and he looked at it nervously. "Su…what are you doing?" He asked eying her afterwards.

She crossed her arms and glared at him. "What am I doing? What does it look like I'm doing?"

"I dunno! Can you do something to this thing without doing anything…you know, physically? 'Cause it's doing something!"

After a few moments the crystal's glow dimmed and a voice rang out through it within the confines of TJ's mind. "TJ? TJ can you hear me?"

He looked rather bewildered after hearing the guild master's voice. "Chief? Is that you?"

"Yes it is I." Peorth responded. "I am pleased to know that the Heart of Yggdrasil is reacting properly to my fragment. That aside, I would like to invite you and those that may be with you to the gathering we will be participating in at Elias' main restaurant. If you see any more of our members along the way, would you so kindly invite them for me?"

"Sure Chief. I'll be there soon."

"Thank you for your time." The crystal completely lost its glow and he turned to the two.

"You guys ready to have some fun?"

"Party time baby!" Curt shouted excitedly with a fist pump.

"Your brain is made of nothing but fun Curt. It's all rainbows and unicorns in there, which doesn't leave room for much else." She shrugged. "Let's get a move on. No point in wasting time when we could be doing something exciting for once."

The three immediately set back out the way they had come into the city.

As they walked the evening sun set and the sky steadily darkened marking the start of a celebratory night. The three eventually made their way through the market to the familiar restaurant and stopped as they had reached the doors.

"I've been really looking forward to this." TJ said beaming.

"We've been waiting even longer than you have." Curt chuckled nudging TJ. "Past few months have been crazy, but I'll tell you all about that junk later. Right now we're gonna party like we've never partied before!"

Curt grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside with Su following behind the two casually. As they stormed the restaurant they found themselves at a loss because of the immense amount of darkness within.

"It…it's pretty dark in here." TJ stated.

The moment he finished his sentence the restaurant had lit up entirely revealing a vast majority of Yggdrasil's members and the owners of the restaurant gathered around in a circle. The entirety of the store was decorated with streamers, confetti and balloons with all sorts of other party goods.

"SURPRISE!" They all shouted in unison causing their guest of honour to nearly jump off of his feet.

For the first few moments he looked downright bewildered, and then he suddenly laughed it off and brushed the stray hairs from his eyes. "My goodness…even though I knew about this I wasn't expecting this many people to show up for it. Truthfully, I kinda expected a small dinner with the usual gang. And to have prepared it under such short notice too…you guys really are something else."

A cool and collected waiter with chestnut hair and hazel eyes approached TJ and held out a hand to greet his guest. The familiar tuxedo and the award-winning smile he gave him were minor reminders to who the man was. "Ah Mr. TJ, you never cease to amaze me with your actions and reactions." He gently chuckled. "Your guild master had been waiting and had planned this out for you many months ago. It was an offer I certainly could not refuse. Though you may have forgotten, I had promised you prior to your venture to Kimara Research that we would host a feast upon your return."

"Verun…" He whispered under his breath.

"It pleases me greatly that you have not forgotten me. It truly is a pleasure to make your acquaintance once more Mr. TJ. Now now, there is no time for dilly-dallying. You have many guests that have come a long way to meet you, you know!" The waiter held out a hand and stepped aside and within moments TJ was swarmed by Yggdrasil's members, many of them shaking his hands and greeting him as they did.

A young man with a headpiece similar to that of the Sphinx's, a traditional Belos jacket, jeans and a coat walked over to him first and shook his hand. "It's good to see you back TJ! Thanks for the save back at the Laboratory. Name's Deva, nice to meet you. Formally, that is." He laughed and stepped aside for another person.

The next to greet him was a man who wore a leopard print hat over his wind-swept icy blue hair. He had deep brown eyes and a tanned complexion. He wore a blue jacket, leather pants and blue sneakers with black fingerless gloves. "Hey good to see you again TJ. Ken here." He said. "We also met back in Kimara. I was the guy who was resting after he got his ass kicked by giants." He laughed with a slightly embarrassed smile.

The next person to introduce themselves was a tall young man who wore tight black armour with matching horns, leaving TJ slightly surprised. He had spiky blonde hair and sharp crimson eyes. "Welcome back TJ. The support you guys provided back at Kimara Research isn't something that we'll easily forget." He held out a hand and he took it, the two shaking with a distinct level of conviction. "Call me Thee. It's a pleasure to know we'll be fighting alongside the Abellan."

Following Thee a young girl with pale skin, frilly pink hair and small brown eyes took the opportunity to greet him. She wore a bride's veil, a striped tank top, and pink shorts that revealed her completely bandaged legs. She wore panda gloves and bear slippers. She grabbed TJ's hands and vigorously shook them as she said, "Thanks a ton TJ! Thanks to you guys we're here right now! And I'm glad to see you're alive and kicking! N-not that I thought you were dead or anything!" She nervously waved her hands as a gesture to emphasize her point. "My name's Amarylys."

Peorth was the last person to approach and she took both of his hands in hers. "TJ, it is truly a pleasure to have you back, and even more so to have you here among the Cerebians once more. In these difficult times, finding even the slightest ray of hope amidst the darkness had proved to be a great challenge in itself, but since having you among our ranks the morale of Yggdrasil has increase greatly, and I feel that our victory grows nearer by the day. With you on our side it is only a matter of time before the day comes where we can return to Asgard, victorious."

He smiled sincerely. "You speak too highly of me Chief." He said with a chuckle. He glanced at Verun and Marin then uneasily turned his gaze back to the guild master. "I appreciate the compliments, but is it really alright to talk about the Cerebians and Asgard right in front of Verun and Marin? This is the stuff we should keep secret from those that aren't involved in it, right?"

Peorth shook her head and replied, "The Cerebian history and current information is nothing new to them. Verun's family have been comrades to our kin since my mother was but a young girl."

"Wait they know about us?!"

"Indeed." She nodded. "Though I do not know all the details, my mother had been quite the troublemaker when she was a child. She often visited Midgard without a proper escort or permission, and travelled across Jienda creating much trouble for my grandfather. During one of her adventures she had stumbled across this store in its earlier stages, and was treated to a meal by the store's past owner."

"And the fine chef at the time was my very own grandfather." Verun added.

Peorth nodded once more. "Yes…he was very kind to my mother. On every one of her adventures to Midgard from that day forth she would visit him and enjoy meals with him while telling him all about the Cerebians."

"That's really sweet." TJ said beaming.

"It was in the eyes of the child, but little did she know what she had done wrong. She was brought back to Asgard and was not permitted to return or converse with the store owner again. Soon after though, my father, who was but a boy at the time located and brought my mother from Asgard to Midgard once more, if at least to say her goodbyes. Knowing that he would be punished even if he was a child, he still saw the endeavour through despite my mother's protests. They had successfully arrived and when they had found themselves in Elias to their surprise the entirety of the restaurant was warded to prevent the humans from approaching and discovering them. The two children found the owner being arrested by the Cerebians, and they protested with all that they were in order to stop this from happening, leaving the guard in a state of confusion." Peorth smiled slightly. "Despite my mother being only a child, she still held on to her authority as a princess."

"Upon asking my mother's father what should be done, he had decided that they would let the man continue to run his business and allow the children to visit freely, so long as they brought an escort with them. He also believed that rather than trying to keep those who knew of our existence quiet-that is, in unconventional means, he would make the owner a Cerebian Confidant." At the last word TJ gave her a puzzled look and she proceeded to explain it as if almost expecting his reaction. "A Confidant is a trusted person among humans, one that we share our secrets, knowledge, news and ventures with. They keep this information secret and assist us in our journey. At times, just as with my mother's case, they provide incredible hospitality for our kind, as many of us have become refugees. On your journey you may meet others, so whenever possible I highly recommend familiarizing yourself with them and their locations. Nevertheless, through this the interactions between Mankind and the Cerebians increased and the distance between us closed ever more. As for my mother, she had expected a punishment from her father for disobeying him and returning to Midgard, which came as a surprise when in truth he was proud of her; she had stood for what she believed in and fought to protect it, holding on to the ties that we hold with humanity. In that he saw himself and took pride in what his daughter had chosen to do. As for the store, it is as you can see now; it prospered greatly with Cerebian men and women coming from all over Jienda to meet the new Confidant and try the food recommended by the king and princess of Asgard."

The chatter of the guild broke the serene silence that fell among them once Peorth had begun her story, and for the brief period after.

"Ah…that story always brings a tear to my eye." Verun said wiping his tears away with a handkerchief from his suit's pocket. "It reminds me of the days when my father owned the store and the young Ms. Peorth would come to visit with her mother."

TJ remained silent for a couple of moments after Verun finished speaking and smiled. "Your mother must have been a truly wonderful person. Just from this I can imagine what she'd be like, and it feels like you had inherited quite a bit from her."

"Thank you TJ." She replied. "It is truly an honour for me to be her daughter. But let us not dawdle any longer. We are here to celebrate the present, not only to reminisce about what once was. Everyone, feel free to help yourselves to refreshments and mingle among your peers. Among everything else, please enjoy yourselves to the fullest!"

As Peorth had suggested the guild broke off into smaller groups, mingling amongst each other and some gathering around Verun and his wife to hear the details of their relationship with the current queen.

"Hope you'll tell me more about yourself and your family another time Chief. There's so much about the Cerebians I'm yet to learn, but I hope through my memories and what you can tell me I can piece it all together." He said dreamily.

She brushed her hair aside and seemingly set her gaze off into the distance as she replied in a gentle voice, "In good time TJ, all will be revealed. Both my memories and yours." At that moment she turned away and disappeared into the crowd.

He watched her walk away and knit his eyebrows. "She's as confusing as ever. Guess that's one thing that certainly hasn't changed."

Su stood next to him and muttered, "You really don't know how to read the mood do you?"

He snorted. "Whatever you say Su. More importantly, let's go get something to eat. I'm starved."

"Hear hear!" Curt said following in his wake to one of the tables where refreshments were laid out.

As the party carried on a person in a large Magnerg came stumbling into the store and into a sudden halt catching the crowd's attention. The Magnerg itself was grey with a round pot like belly with the face placed on it, a mouth like vents and bright beady yellow eyes. It also had short stubbly legs, large round arms with an unusual orange design on both, exhaust pipes at the back and lights at the top. From it climbed a man with bright spiky blue hair, wearing sunglasses covering his crimson eyes and sporting a bright blue t-shirt decorated with yellow flowers. He looked worn out and annoyed, which lead to him immediately approaching Curt, shouting at and lecturing him for nearly fifteen minutes. TJ and Su found the event rather amusing but Curt was not pleased, though it was his fault to begin with.

After he had finished lecturing his companion he shifted his sunglasses to his hair line and flashed TJ a smile as he approached. "Good evening TJ! It's been quite some time since I last saw you!"

He waved back and seemingly examined the Magnerg from head to toe. "Wow Robo…you sure have changed! New MG and everything. You even got a makeover." He said.

"Looks like I wasn't the only one. You and Su both changed your hairstyles and Su got a new ensemble." He smiled. "Though I guess overall I changed the most." From within his MG he bowed. "The new and improved RoboCurt is at your service!"

"Can you get anymore lame? And stop checking me out ass-clown." Su grumbled.

"I can taste that venom and it wasn't even directed at me." Curt sneered.

TJ circled around the MG and seemingly sized it up. "Can't wait to see what this can do. It has different attacks from your last MG right? It can't do the same things as the old one since it doesn't have any wheels."

"It's got a whole onslaught of new attacks. It's much stronger in comparison to my prototype too. This baby cleans up Agasuras with ease. Took a lot of effort and saving up to build it though."

"So what happened to the old one?"

He shrugged. "Sold it. Now that toolboxes are being mass produced in the City of Iron, the people of Jienda are studying to become Engineers, and the master Engineers can become Meisters like me. MGs are being mass produced for when that time comes also. You should have seen it TJ; the moment word got out that the Engineer was a possible class to study, there was a multitude of planes taking off for the City of Iron and back here was a massive Engineer boom. It was so big in fact that the Game Master Association decided to host an event where all the new Engineers would gather in Belos to take pictures. Soon after they held another where everyone could go to Ves and catch a glimpse of the Valkyrie Magnergs. It was the sexiest MG I've ever seen, and it should have been me in one of them instead of Ignate or Iris."

At first TJ chuckled because with Robo's somewhat old-fashioned way of speaking, hearing him describe an MG as sexy sounded unrealistic; the moment he mentioned Iris his face lit up with bewilderment and disbelief. "Wait did you just say Iris was there?!"

Robo gestured for him to calm down. "Sorry, not that Iris TJ. It's just another one of those girls they dressed up as Iris. She looks a lot like her, but she really wasn't. If you had been awake for the GMA's Christmas event, you would have seen the Iris Santa they had. She was even worse." He rubbed his temples with both hands. "Not only did she look nothing like Iris, she wore glasses and had a mole…and she was dressed like Santa. To add insult to injury, they had Sir Levi dress up as a reindeer. It was…awkward, to say the least."

"There…there's something wrong with those GMA guys…" He muttered in disbelief.

"It gets worse. Still, it's been quite hectic around here but I'm glad to see you back. Things will probably stabilize now that you're around. As for the GMA, I don't know what they'll have planned next but maybe it's better that we don't know. For the time being, let's just enjoy ourselves."

Later that evening Verun and some of his crew brought out alcoholic beverages ('beverages fit for the higher class', as he called them) in which they prepared across glasses on nearby tables most of them consisting of champagne. They called everyone over and insisted that Peorth take the first glass, the rest following afterwards.

She looked to Verun for answers on what to do next, and those that caught her short innocent gaze quietly chuckled under their breaths. After he whispered something in her ear, she held the glass up and said, "To TJ's awakening, and to our success at Kimara!"

Everyone raised their glasses and acknowledged her toast in unison followed by the sound of glasses gently clashing.

TJ distorted his facial expression slightly as he said, "That's some funny tasting stuff. What is it?"

"Champagne." Curt quickly answered after he drained his second glass. "The nectar of the rich people!"

"Curt, you know that's politically incorrect…" Robo scolded him.

Curt gazed at his companion over his glasses. "Who cares? It tastes good so why not let me enjoy it a little more?"

"If I dressed you in caveman's clothing and gave you a club, you'd certainly feel right at home wouldn't you?" Su remarked with an impish grin.

"Yeah and if you dressed me in a monocle and suit I'd be such a gentleman your mother would be head over heels for me." He retorted.

Her face lit up a bright red and contorted with anger. "Say it again! I dare you! Say it again you son of a bi-" Before Su could grab the hem of his shirt TJ got between the two and stopped them.

"Whoa, guys, whoa! Let's not do that okay? We're here to have a good time, not to duke it out! Let's all have some sham-…shampagnee…sham…shampaan…what was it again?" He asked.

"Champagne TJ." Robo corrected. "He is right though. That was in bad taste and you know it Curt. I highly recommend that you apologize."

He furrowed his brow. "If she wasn't throwing insults all the time she wouldn't deserve that."

"Now now, we're all friends here. You should just knock your glasses together over more of the champagne. Hey! Verun over here!" He brought the bottle and TJ held out his glass as he requested more for the group.

"I truly am sorry Mr. TJ, but I'm going to have to cut you off." He knit his eyebrows at Verun's comment. "You're much too young to be drinking to such a degree. Once you have seen the world I believe that you will be ready to drink."

"Too young? This is nothing! And I've seen the world and I know it like the back of my hand by now." He protested.

"You have seen the world, haven't you Mr. TJ? But you are still yet to see the adult world. In that regard, you are very young."

"I don't follow. I'm basically the same age as Curt. What's wrong with me drinking anyway?"

Curt stopped in the midst of drinking his third glass and turned to his companion. "I'm older than I look bro."

"It's the alcoholic content Mr. TJ. Large amounts are not meant to be taken in by minors." Verun continued.

He pouted. "Fine…have it your way."

TJ walked off and rested against a wall, drinking orange juice and watching his guild mates mingle until someone had suddenly approached. They had long ruffled pink hair, bright blue eyes, and a black and gold sleeveless one-piece. Upon their feet were rat shoes and their hands matching rat gloves.

He looked at them for a couple of moments in silence, followed the realization dawning on him. "A-Amu…" He whispered with a grave expression.

Just as he had said it was Amu, now looking oddly gaunt and run down. Her eyes seemingly dimmed and lost their glossy colour, large bags were beneath them. Her hair was bushier, rather unkempt and graying slightly, her expression almost devoid of life. "TJ…it's been some time since I last saw you…or rather, you saw me." She laughed weakly. "Since the battle at Kimara Research a lot has happened. Some of the members of Yggdrasil decided to leave because they lost faith in you and Peorth, or Yggdrasil as a whole. Alicia left saying that it was your fault that Trini was murdered and she believed you deserved what had happened in the Laboratory…Lady Rai-"

She was cut off as Curt and Robo suddenly stormed her flanks and Robo said, "Amu have you tried the punch yet? It is absolutely divine." The two escorted her away and Curt stole an uneasy glance at TJ.

He remained where he was looking absolutely shocked that he could have forgotten such an important matter. The people who had fought and died for him in the past, including Su who still stood by his side now. Just because he continued to fight to fix what had happened, it did not change the fact that they were still dead, and it would forever remain that way. Those that cared for them would have to live suffering the memories they had of watching their loved ones go away for the last time, and Amu was no exception to this fact. Defeating Choen Palm would not rebuild the bonds that had to be broken upon Trinidell's sudden death, nor Moran or Su's.

Su emerged from the crystal and sighed as she shook her head, watching Robo lead her as far away from the two as he could. "Trini's death hit her the hardest." She muttered. "When we met her at Elfa on our way to the Laboratory, it was clear as damn day she was keeping up a façade. Didn't want us to know how much she was suffering from it. Somewhere between her keeping the 'Agasuras at bay' and trying to hold onto that mask, I think she broke. Sucks to be her." Su shrugged. "At least she can take a break from her duties."

"This…this is my fault…isn't it...?" He covered a portion of his face with one hand as he shook his head.

"You know, it really, really is." She crossed her arms. "No use crying over spilt milk, or it just makes you a crybaby. What's done is done. You can't do jack shit to change it now, so suck it up and deal with it. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust, or whatever. Point is, if you wanna make a change the only thing you can do now is not let shit like that happen again. You don't suck as much ass as you did before, so protect the people you care about and it'll be fine."

"That's something that's easier said than done." He muttered glaring at his shoes. "I can't save a life. I live just to fight…not to protect. These powers of mind have scarcely done any good for anyone! Trini, Yuta, Moran, Straw Hat, you and now Amu too…this…I can't even…" He tightly closed his eyes and clenched his fist. "I'm gonna go get some air."

TJ stepped out into the somber night and looked up to the sky. The moon gently rested high in the starless sky amidst the dark clouds that passed over it, still shining its light through the darkness. He sighed and buried his face in his hands, slowly removing them to react to the approaching footsteps. From the doors of the shop Curt emerged and steadily approached him.

"Guess seeing Amu like that hit you pretty hard huh?" He asked.

"Seeing that was like a brick to the face with, 'welcome back to reality asshole' written across it." TJ uttered quietly.

"Yeah that's the reality of the matter. We're all hurting pretty bad, but we're all really busting our butts to be strong through it all. It isn't easy for any of us, and Amu carries a burden that the rest of us couldn't dream of. The fact that she held out this long, and still kinda is, both scares me and impresses me." He shifted his gaze to the moon. "It's all really hard to face. Makes you wanna just get away from it all doesn't it?"

"If only…" TJ muttered.

Curt's expression turned hard. "Look TJ. Sometimes life sucks. That's just how it is. Sometimes you just won't be able to save all the people you wanna save. Shit happens, and you've just gotta say that and take a step forward. You can't afford to keep getting down in the dumps like this." He placed his hands on both of his companion's shoulders. "Things change, people change and sometimes it's for better or worse. You've just gotta accept it and move on, and choose to continue as you have or change with the times."

"But how can I just accept this and move on?! Amu she…she's constantly suffering…she's not the same. How can I just play it off like nothing happened and move on with my life when she has to suffer for my mistakes?! How could I just say 'shit happens' and pretend it's not my problem? I was the one who killed him!"

Curt frowned. "What else can you do?! Tell me that! If you can't get over how Amu is feeling how can you move on knowing that they're gone for good? The root of the problem lies in the deaths of your comrades! But it's something that can't be undone! People have died, more of them are likely to die, and it's going to continue to happen! You have to remember that his blood isn't on your hands! The one who took his life was Choen Palm, you know that! But that doesn't change the fact they're gone and you're gonna have to live with it whether you like it or not, so stop being so scared of the past and move on already!"

TJ stared down at his feet solemnly and his bangs gently covered his eyes.

Curt took a deep breath and exhaled. "I'm sorry for yelling. That wasn't necessary. I know I'm not really one to talk; I didn't know Trinidell like you did, I only heard the story from Peorth." He locked eyes with his friend. "Listen closely alright? Mourning the death of someone is alright; we all do it. But you can't dwell on it all your life. You can keep them in your memory, and someday you may forget them, but even if you do it isn't going to be the end of the world. The loss of a loved one doesn't need to be held sacred for your entire life. They know as well as you do that someday you'll have to let go and move on, and I'm positive that's what they would want. If I was in that situation, I would want that too." His gaze shifted to the store where Amu and Robo were drinking punch. "Give Amu some time. She'll be alright; I know she will. As for you, you need to keep your chin up. Don't be miserable just because you feel you made someone else feel that way. Your smile will brighten the days of other people, so stop sulking. Remember that to the Cerebians you're not just some ordinary guy: you're the Abellan. That means Absolute. If that's not important I dunno what is. Now let's go in and enjoy that party. Someone did this so they could bring a smile to your face you know."

The two returned to the restaurant and joined the others within, chatting and reminiscing about all of the things that happened from when TJ joined Yggdrasil and even before that, swapping stories and adventures alike and telling of what they saw during them. Curt went on an incredible rant about TJ becoming the Tyrant of the Maelstrom in the City of Iron and the Messenger of Light in the Laboratory, and many of Yggdrasil's members threw in their own knowledge about the two forms and the legends they heard about them. All sorts of discussions about good triumphing over evil and the defeat of all sorts of Agasuras by the hands of the many Cerebians heroes of the past followed.

Further into the night the members began to take their leave and return to their homes or those of others, if they had lived in other cities. As they made their exit TJ waited outside to say his goodbyes as the guests departed, and to thank them for coming. As the final members left, a handful of people consisting of Peorth, Robo, Su, Curt and Verun with a couple members of his crew remained. TJ now stood outside looking to the sky and sighing gently.

Curt was right…I have to accept the past and move on with my life. What lies ahead…I'm sure will be more dangerous than anything we've faced yet. Choen Palm's still at large and there are still tons of places infested with Agasuras. With this power…I can defeat them…right? This is where I should truly shine; I have to be ready for whatever might come. Peorth, Su, Curt…all of Yggdrasil, and even the other Cerebians outside of it are counting on me. He clenched his fist. Still…the past is real, more so than I want it to be, and it's hard to accept but I'm going to have to learn how. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. I vaguely remember someone that said, 'Revere the past, embrace the future'. I have to remember that these moments are real; each and every one of them. Everyone here is real, and knowing about all that's happened, and the outcome of these events I don't have any doubts in my heart that a moment of this could be a dream. This is reality…my reality, and I'll shape it into one that will rekindle the flames of hope that were lost. Little by little, until the day we won't have to fight anymore…He placed a hand to his chest and smiled. When that day comes, I'll have saved this world, and that which I hold dear. My precious friends.

---

Took some time but that's all for the First Harmony. Next time we'll be seeing a new main-side character and his companion, and the main story will be picking up with some interesting new stuff! Though I must admit, that's nearly all I have for pre-written content so it may be longer between chapter releases, but the new content will prove to be worth the wait. Look forward to it guys! Somewhere between the span of the second and third harmonies I'll be drafting and writing for Innocent, because I'd like to complete it before Sanc's third chapter. Some of the characters introduced in the following chapters are introduced in both, so I don't want to neglect it any further than I have. I'll keep you guys up to date on my progress on both works.

As for Project H/H news, the Prologue is completely and just needs a bit more revising before I can release it. Currently I'm drafting new storyboards for Chapter 1 which I think should be the last time it needs to be rewritten, so you'll be seeing that real soon, most likely on the blog. You know where to go for updates. Need to start drafting storyboards for the second harmony, so with that said, until next time!