A/N: I'm just going say it. I totally forgot about this, and every other story I've been working on, and I have been very busy. Please be patient. :D

Thank you everyone for your interest in this story. However I am about to disappoint you all with a very short and boring chapter. DX

Templeton's Escape and Riou's Revenge

Templeton's P.O.V

In an instant, they all disappeared into the slowly setting sun. The sky, fueled with elegance and a cool vibrancy glow that shot colors of orange and blue at the world. But, it still looked dead to me. All at once everything I had been working towards, was now gone in perhaps five minutes. Maybe there was still a bit of a chance I can save them, although I am no muscle, I have knowledge, at least some. Pilika whimpered behind me, it wasn't until then had I realized she was saved from the blackout as well as me.

I tried to think about what to do next. I fully understood that it would be a dead mission to go don to Harmonia to save Riou and the others by myself and a little girl. But, what else could be done? I mean, it's not as simple as someone would think. We can't just barge right in to a place where we don't even know where they could be. Maybe we should go find someone who could do the job. But who would that be? Shu is outted, he was too hard to recruit for Apple.. Why would he listen to me...

After a very long deliberation with myself, I decided that it would be best to head down to the fort and find Viktor, hopefully, he would know what to do. However, what if he didn't know Riou, our beloved savior and lord? It's worth a shot, and I'm already so close, I can taste the pines surrounding the small wooden building, home to so many. I arose out of the tiny bush that held us all and glanced around to see if anyone was still around, however it was a clear coast and I began to sprint as fast as I could south towards the Mercenary Fortress, with little Pilika in my arms, holding and clenching for life. She must have been scared.

Only when the speck of the building came into my peripherals did I slow down. With the sun now gone from the sky we were in a lot more danger than before, we had to hurry. I huffed and panted as the speck grew and grew. Before I knew it, I was standing in the small dirt pathway that took me straight to where I wanted to go. I was half surprised that I arrived there without any conflict.

"Halt!" A man, I guessed he and his friend were guards, dressed in green and blue stopped us from going any further. "What business do you two have here, if any. This is not a time to be visiting the fortress."

"I am Templeton, friend to Lord Riou of Northwindow, and this is Pilika, also a friend" The guard glanced at me, as if I was crazy and looked to his friend.

"Let them in." He said swiftly.

The two moved out of the way, and an escort walked us through the building. There was Leona, she smiled at me, a familiar smile and winked subtly, as if she knew me and what was going on.

We reached the stairs. "Up the stairs, middle door is the room you will find him." The escort said, as if he were a small sentence in a world of riddles.

I walked up the stairs and into the large room. Viktor and Flik were talking, and maybe about something important but they stopped as soon as I arrived. "What is the word of Lord Riou?" Viktor asked. Straight to the point I see. No how are ya?

I set Pilika down gently and she ran to Flik. Had she remembered him as well? Hopefully everything was coming back to her about the small time she had spent with us. "Do you know of what happened?" I asked first, cautiously, still panting slightly from the run. Rarely do I get out and run.

What if they were working for the Klaus? I can't just hand out secrets as if they were newspapers. I had to make sure.

"If so, how." That, was more of a statement. I could feel some courage welling up with me. I mean, I was just a kid standing here with two of the most influential men of North Window and I was almost being a brat. Going back to my roots I see.

They looked at each other. "It was if… for days I was living in a dream…" Flik began first, before Viktor had a chance to even say anything. "We were doing things as we did in the past, re-living things that had already happened… Doing things that I don't think I could have done anymore after we had joined the war." He continued as if he didn't even know himself anymore. "However, it was Richmond who came here, telling us of what had happened in Kuskus. Viki transported everyone into the past. Am I correct?"

I knew he was telling the truth, as many sneaky things that Richmond happens to be he obviously isn't a liar. After all, he was there when it all happened, everything with Riou and Viki.

"Bishop Sassari took them as we were nearing Ryube. Klaus tricked us… It wasn't only Viki, Klaus knew her powers were unstable as she turned from child into adult." I said realizing how fooled we all were, me and everyone, we all put our trust into him. But something he said had bothered me, something he said to Sassari, "Don't act like I wanted this to happen" Was he blackmailed?

"What do you mean, 'Klaus tricked us'? And Viki, a child?" Viktor shouted, the man was as loud as a bear.

"I mean he got Viki and used her magic for Sassari's benefit. When she appeared to us, she was only but a child perhaps round eight or nine. It was Riou who figured it out, however we all had our assumptions when she said she was Viki from Harmonia. Weirdly she followed us, even though she had no recollection of who we were."

"Sassari, you mean Luc's brother?" Flik asked inquisitively and I nodded slightly.

"I see. Then, they must be in Harmonia. If that's where Viki came from and I know that's where Sassari is from then it's pretty possible." He finished.

I guess, Harmonia it is then. All of these adventures and all I am is a mere mapper, what do I even know? Yeah, I have been on my share of adventures but not nearly as many as Kasumi or Riou, or even the archer Kinnison. They were all the real heroes.

"Then, I will prepare us a-"

"No need. I've been there and back, many, many, many times." Viktor stated.

A thought shot to me, like lighting hit a pole during a thunderstorm. "Do we need Luc?"

Riou's P.O.V

The 'sleep' was almost unbearable, as well as my pounding headache and heart. I awoke. and the first thing I did was scan my eyes around for my friends. Everyone was next to me, except Templeton and Pilika. I hope they made it out okay.

Shiro, Kinnison, Kasumi, Eilie, and… Another face. It was Jowy's. Up he sat, facing the wall.

"I see you're awake… Riou." He said softly, his voice barely audible in the small, damp room. As much as I figured we were in Harmonia, wouldn't they have nicer places to put us?

I stood up and walked over to him. "I am." I almost gritted through my teeth.

I was almost glad everyone was still sleeping, all of the pent up anger I had felt, and am now feeling. They shouldn't have to see it, see me like this. "All this time..." I hissed. "All this time, I thought you were the bad guy. You should have stopped this while you were ahead. What were you trying to accomplish by waging a war with me of all people, for so long... Is that what you wanted?" I could tell he sensed my anger. How could he not? We've known each other since we were kids, he is bound to know a few things about me.

"I was never the bad guy. All I wanted was for you and Nanami to get away from this war. So Highland can be at peace." His voice still soft.

"Did that happen, Jowy? Do you honestly think I was just going to stand by and let everything happen for you? Did you only do it for the wife you received? I'm not sure, but you left her in the end too." I was pretty angry with him. People died because he just couldn't give up. People believed in me, though. Is that why he did it? Or had he only wanted to be on top? I couldn't tell why he was my best friend anymore. I sighed.

"No. I didn't." He stopped and looked at me. "But I'm here now."

I stood up and sat back where I was when I awoke. He just didn't understand.

A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger, and the long wait.