Veronica laid asleep in the tent, Serena watching her as Rab and Jade stayed outside to keep an eye out.

Sylvando and Hendrik had left with Erik and Axel.

Lance and Serena spoke to simply pass time.

"How do you know Veronica?" She asked, "I don't recall meeting you before.."

Lance itches his nose, "Well. When we met, we were actually enemies. I was after Axel at the time, when I was a Bounty Hunter. It was the only way to put food on the table, so I pursued him with the intention of bringing him back alive to King Carnelian of Heliodor."

He leans back, continuing his little story while the green clad Keeper listens, "You all went to sleep, after having the Great Sylvando join your cause. I was creeping up on your campsite before she appeared out of nowhere...She got my attention, asking me what I was doing with that loud voice full of sass and irritation."

Serena frowns, "What happened next? Why didn't we hear the commotion?"

Lance rubs the back of his head, "I refuse to explain, we bickered, then we fought. It was away from the campsite, so you couldn't of heard it, but it was drawn out long enough... What had surprised me, was that she lasted longer than anyone I fought. Eventually she overpowered me and sent me flying to Hotto. Imagine the embarrassment. A man defeated by a small girl."

Serena looks to Veronica... A smile appeared on her lips, "Then..." Lance continues, "I followed you all to Arboria, where I watched you all ascend to Yggdrasil, followed by Sir Jasper, then Sir Hendrik and King Carnelian himself. But things got slightly hazy here... I remembered...dying. from the Yggdrasil exploding in an explosion of dark energy... But then I snap back to reality, and I see the same thing happen again, except there was no explosion."

Serena connects the dots, "Axel had rewound time..."

She now knew what that feeling of déjà vu was...

"I see Carnelian and Hendrik walking away, then I see you guys zoom to Helidor. It's here that I saw Erdwin's Star fall from the sky, and here I am."

Serena grew a little confused slightly, but after a minute of silence, she clicks in. "So...where do you come from?"

Lance grew silent. "I don't know...I assume I came from Heliodor. But... I can't really remember much about my life."

Serena frowns, "Amnesia?" Lance shrugs.

Veronica stirs, "Nngh...I feel hungover..." She utters, getting up. She shook her head. Her eyes spot Lance and she gasps and Lance raises his hands,

"Wait. You've suffered from Soul Shock. Your soul is waking up, you'll feel better in a few minutes. Just stay still for a while."

Veronica suddenly perks up, "It can't be!?" She points at Lance, "What are YOU doing here again?! Want a round 2!? I'll give you on-"

She's suddenly patted on the head. "I said stay still." He said. "I do not wish to f-"

She knocks her hand off, "You Dunderhead! You think I care!? I'll burn you to cinders this ti-... This ti..."

She shudders, and Lance helps her stabilise. "I said, stay still... you've not yet shook it off completely. But at least you've got your speech and basic motor functions back..."

Veronica groans in irritation, "Stop touchin' me... I can stand by myself..." She carefully and wobbly walked to Serena. "W-where's Erik and the rest?"

Serena looks to her little-big sister, "Sniflheim, to help Erik with his Soul Shock."

Veronica stares. "What?"

Lance sits beside Serena and Veronica shoots a violent glare. "Basically, there are multiple forms of Soul Shock. Much like how theirs multiple variants of poison, disease and cancers. Your Soul Shock was basically your Soul suffering from whiplash from being yanked quickly from the afterli-"

Veronica stares blankingly, "Veronica bored now. Please simplify it."

Lance sighed. "Your soul was plucked too quickly from the void, imagine going at breakneck speed suddenly and stopping suddenly, you'll suffer whiplash. This type of Soul Shock is basically Whiplash to your soul."

Veronica tries to process it. "I rushed the Zing spell and brought your soul back too quickly, causing it to be groggy." Serena explains.

Veronica clicks, "Ah! I get it."

Lance breaks his cool-headedness, "SERIOUSLY, YOU GOT IT FROM THAT!?"

Veronica folds her arms, gives a wink, and hops into her sassy pose, complete with the smirk, "I seem to shut off when talking to nerds."

Lance began to babble, "Why you little rascal...!"

Veronica gives a cackle as Serena looks to the sky... A look of worry washed over her face and she looked like she was gonna cry any minute.

Veronica noticed this and nudges Serena slightly with her shoulder, "What's wrong, Serena? Normally, you never shut up!"

Serena frowns, "Erik..."

Veronica frowns lightly, "Oh..." Lance looks up at the sky as well. "They're fine. They know what they are doing."

In the Vikings' hideout, Axel was surprised that they weren't jumped. "Hey, ain't that-?"

"It's Erik! Where's he been?" A few Vikings exchanged conversation about the sight. But a female Viking seen the state he was in, and glares at them, shutting them up.

Erik recognises the area... He lowers his head, "A-Axel... Axel, I...need to tell you something..."

Axel stops as the group is before the door. "Behind... Behind this door is someone I hold dear to me...a treasure more valuable than anything, even my life..."

Axel pats Erik on the back as he enters for him.

A golden statue is before them...Mia. his little sister.

Axel didn't take any delay. He raises the sword and within seconds, Mia's golden skin turned soft once again and her expression of shock and fear soon turned to one of surprise and awkwardness.

Why were four guys in her house?

The click happens within seconds, Erik was one of the guys, "Erik?"

Suddenly, as if he was given an Omniheal, Erik feels much, much better...if not a little tired. "Mia!?" He perks up Instantly upon seeing Mia, immediately embracing her tightly.

Mia gave a light "Eh!?" As this happens.

Erik then recollects himself before giving a look to Axel. A look that said he would do anything Axel asked for. A look you shoot your brother at.

Axel smiles, nodding in return.

Mia groaned, "Why not? I can handle myself in a scrap!"

Erik sighed, "I just got you back. I don't want to lose you again, Mia."

Mia folds her arms, "What CAN I do then? Just twiddle my thumbs while you possibly die to this... Calasmos guy?!"

Erik turns to Axel, "It's your call, pal."

Axel folds his arms, "While Mia would be safer with the Vikings rather than us... I wouldn't want her whittling away in idleness."

Mia smiles as she looks to Erik, he sighs again, "Fine, you win...you can come with us."

Sylvando strikes a pose, "Then what are we waiting for, darlings? Let's get back to the others and get the World Trip started!"

"WORLD TRIP!" Axel calls out in the background.

Lance glanced at Veronica, while she looked away... She looked familiar... Why did her face, the way she sits, acts, reminds him of someone?

He looks away, his thoughts digging in deep. Now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember his past... Clearly. He remembered fragments.

But why did seeing Veronica set off a few 'She reminds you of someone.' alarms?

He sighs, as he does, Veronica looks to him, "What are you sighing about?"

Lance looks to the sky, "I don't know...lost in thought..."

Night had fallen, and Serena had retired for the night, as did Jade and Rab. The location was surprisingly passive, with no dangerous monsters catching sight of the camp site.

Veronica looks to Lance, "Why did you come back?"

He returns the look, "...Well, out of everyone and everything I faced. You were the only one to actually best me in battle. You...also reminded me of someone. Seeing you near death, I had to do something."

Veronica shakes her head, "What about Erik?"

"He was a friend of the Luminary. I saw helping him was the same as atoning for what I tried to do. Besides, You have a whole future ahead of you, little one."

Veronica gave a 'Really?' look. "I'm 21. Not 11."

Lance stares at nothing. "I...-" silence. "What?"

That's the end of chapter 5. Chapter 6 is right around the corner! Here's a bonus scene to make up for my 'hiatus' :'3

Axel was reading a book, he was sitting leaning forward, mouth slightly open, blush on his face as he reads on.

Veronica sees him, "Hey, Axel, what are you rea-"

"AAH!" Axel yelps as he hides the book. "NOTHING."

Veronica caught a glimpse of the title, 'Good looks and...'

Suddenly, The book was in her hands with a loud 'WHOOSH!' "Wait Veronica!" Axel cries out but it was too late!

Veronica was already reading the rather smutty literature about two familiar Keepers. She didn't even need to put 2 2 together to figure out that this was about them 'exploring' one another. They had the same name, apparently same description...

Veronica creaks her head towards Axel, the book burning until it was Ash.

"Ulp...!" Axel utters as Veronica's eyes were pure white. "Axel...YOU ARE DEAD!"

SFX: *explosion*