There was a room in the castle. It was rather strange, since no one was allowed in, not even most of the castle guards. I had stumbled upon it once by accident, while I was returning from giving my report to Carmine, who had been staying in the castle at the time. The room was fairly big and had a large monitor at the far end, and numerous keyboards underneath it. Wires of all sorts where scattered among the floor. There was a large orb of some sort sitting on the monitor. I couldn't tell what it was, but I quickly hurried along, knowing fully that I did not belong there.
I don't know why I choose to remember now. Perhaps it was because the soldier led me past it on our way to the throne room. Well, I suppose it didn't matter now.
Emperor Claudio grinned at me when I entered the throne room.
"Good to see you, Vincent!"
"You wanted to see me about something?"
Claudio nodded. "But first, let me ask…how are things going on in the military? I've heard you've really earned yourself quite the reputation."
I nodded. "Things are going great. General Carmine thinks that the entire continent may soon be under our grasp as soon as the Gerudas are gone."
A smile spread across Claudio's face. "Good, good. And, I can see you're getting along well with everyone else, namely Victoria."
"Well, yeah, I mean Travis her and I have been together for a while now," I said, scratching my chin.
Just why was he asking me all these questions?
All of a sudden a strange look came into Claudio's eyes. It was hard to describe…they almost gave the sense that he knew something that I didn't…
"So, I can presume that you like it here in the Rhythm Kingdom?" he asked solemnly.
"Yeah, sure." I smiled.
I was living a good, carefree life.
Claudio nodded. "Well, Vincent, you're probably now really itching to know why I called you here today."
Well, yeah…what could it possibly be?
"It's those note stones."
"Note stones?" I asked.
"It seems that people have been getting slight reactions to them as of late. You've been collecting them, right?"
I nodded. Well, it wasn't necessarily true. Travis had been collecting them.
No matter how many times Victoria told him otherwise, he still believed that he may earn money for them someday. Could it be that his waiting had finally paid off…?
"Well, do you think you could go bring them to me? I could send a soldier to come help you"-
I shook my head. "It's okay, I can go quickly rush back to the house and get them."
Claudio grinned. "Okay, I'll wait here then."
I stepped into Travis room. Man, it sure was a mess.
The bed sheets were scattered about and so were his clothes. There were several magazines I did not need to open to know what they were.
I had let Travis have my bedroom after finding that I felt a lot more comfortable on the couch in Victoria's living room. I didn't know why, but the bed gave mea feeling of discomfort.
I found a huge pile of the note stones on the floor. There were dozens of them littering the floor.
I stepped down to pick one up. Wow, it had certainly been a long time since I had held one of these. I was always so afraid of touching them, since I had collapsed the last time.
Baticul…that's right, that was the word that had appeared in my mind when I held one last. By now, I treated the word as gibberish. Just what the hell was Baticul, anyway?
I leaned down and began scooping the stones off of the floor and into a bag.
But then…
My head felt like it was splitting again…after such a long time…I hadn't had a headache like this ever since I had been at that chasm…
Ahhh! No! This wasn't like the other ones!
The pain this time was a million-no, billion times worse. I fell forwards, my head feeling like it had been smashed opened with a hammer. How could this be happening now?!
Images…
Argh, not again!
That castle Baticul appeared…
Damnit…
Me running around…a younger version of me, running around with that golden-haired boy…laughing, joyful….
I was happy now…so why…
More images appeared….a man and a woman, with…with me?
Father…? Mother…?
Damnit! Stop!
Their faces showing happiness, they were laughing with their son…they were happy with their son….
No.…why…
Then there was a girl…wrapping her arms around me…we were both young…the girl was smiling, her cheeks rosy red…
I could see a man behind her, a man with a crown on…. a king…?
But then there was someone else…a man…a man holding a wooden sword, sparring with…sparring with me…?
He was teaching me how to wield a blade, a grin on his face.
And then, there was a song…a melody…and then a girl with a frown on her face…
That girl…the one with the soft brown hair, and the clear blue eyes…
The both of us walking in some nighttime valley, me with an annoyed expression on my face, and her with an equally annoyed one…
Then there was a boy in white clothing, a boy with a smile on his face, bowing in front of me…
A creature…a tiny blue…thing…
Then a man and a girl appeared. The man had red, weary eyes and spectacles…the girl had black hair and was smiling at the boy dressed in white…
These people…
The boy with the golden hair and the girl who had been hugging me then appeared. They were older, more mature.
The boy and I both had smiles on our faces…the girl had a bow in her hand and was laughing with us…
These…!
A town collapsing…
My headache got worse…I was fighting a boy with my face…he yelled at me…
The girl with brown hair watched with a look of discontent on her face…
And then a field…a field of flowers, with that girl and me…
She…
I lifted a dagger and cut back my hair…she looked shocked at first, but then she smiled.
She smiled…
And then words appeared…words…names…
'Luke, I'll teach you to use fonic artes, just pay close attention.'
'Thanks, Master Van…'
That man…the one teaching me how to wield a sword…Van…?
And then we were in a place…a strange place…
Fonic…Seal?
'Foolish Replica Luke', the man was saying. And then, a bright light…
Then that boy appeared again, the one with the golden hair. 'I don't care if you're a replica.' He smiled. 'You're the Luke I've grown up knowing. I can't just abandon you.'
I nodded. 'Thanks a lot, Guy.'
Guy…
'Mieu! Good job, Master!' It was that thing, that blue creature…
'S-Shut up! I'm not your master!'
Mieu…
And then that boy in the white clothing. 'You're really kind, Luke.'
Ion…
Then…that girl with the bow…
'Let's work together to change the world, Asch.' Her name…Natalia…?
'I've got to protect Ion!' It was that girl with the black hair… She smiled. 'That's my job!'
'You sure are annoying, Anise…'
Anise…
Then the man with the glasses...
'I just prefer to keep this a secret, understand?'
I nodded. 'Sure Jade.'
Jade…
And then that boy with my face. 'Ok, prove it to me, replica. Who's better, the original or the copy?'
Asch…
And then there was that girl again, the one with the soft brown hair…
'Okay, I'll watch you. But I can't make any promises, I might quit at any time.'
I smiled and nodded. 'Thanks, ----'
That valley again….
'Boy, you sure are annoying,' I said.
She frowned. 'Speak for yourself, I have to deal with a child…'
I groaned. 'Shut up…'
And then we were at a cave exit, facing that man with the glasses…
'Luke, gaining back trust after you've lost it isn't easy…'
'I know that…'
Her standing before that thing that called me 'Master'….
'It's so cute…'
My eyes widened. 'Are you kidding me?'
Me burying my face in my hands…
'If I could die for the people of Akzeriuth, well, I'd be scared, but I'd do it…'
She frowned. 'You really are an idiot…'
We were standing in a town now. 'But I'm only a replica! I deserve to die, Asch should live!' I was saying.
'Don't say that! You're living, here, now! You should make the most of it…'
'Please, Luke, I don't want anyone to see me like this…'
We were now in a clinic.
'Fine, then I'll just turn around…'
Now an airship…the moon glowing vibrant in the sky…
'I don't know why, but I feel really happy right now…'
She closed her eyes…
Come home!
Home….?
Come home, I'll be waiting, always…
Always…
I will, I promise…
I promised…
Tear….