Act Twenty-Three: Kiss Me Good-Bye

A scant thirty years ago, on the cusp of Baron's explosive growth thanks to airship technology, there was a tiny village that was at the time on the outskirts of Baron proper. Ruled by no kingdom, the village made do for itself – villagers hunted in unclaimed territories and shared their bounty, and very few that were born in the peaceful land ever felt a desire to leave. Children born and raised there would grow up and raise their own families, further strengthening the ties that helped their village thrive.

It was on a stormy spring night that the lanterns in the newest house built along the northern border didn't go out at the same time as all the other homes, when the villagers would normally settle in for sleep. Inside the tiny, one-bedroom shack, a woman was writhing in bed, screaming out against a wet compress in her mouth while in the agony of a sudden and urgent labor. Kneeling at the end of the bed, a man was coaxing the baby out, having finally grasped its shoulders with his fingers. It had been too late and too sudden to call upon the midwife, and since they had only arrived in the village a few days ago, they knew of no one else they could burden.

"One more push…you're almost there!"

"AHHHHH!" The woman screamed; sweat pouring down her forehead and chest. She bit down on the compress and clenched the soaked sheets between her fingers, giving it her all. The baby let out a cry as it released into the man's hands, and the woman collapsed in relief against her pillows, half-laughing and half-crying. The man's face beamed as he cleaned the child with the warm water he had waiting, his hands shaking with excitement. The child wailed relentlessly until the man finally stood up and handed the freshly-swaddled new arrival to its mother.

"Cecilia…You did wonderfully, my love."

Cecilia, whose pale skin was flushed and glowing with sweat, clutched the baby to her chest and opened her eyes, piercing blue orbs that were the very color of the ocean. The man reached up, gently pushing her platinum blonde hair out of her eyes, even as it stuck to the sweat. Never before in his life could he have said he saw something more beautiful than that woman in that moment.

Cecilia gently peered through the swaddle for a moment, smiling. "A healthy little boy…he looks so much like you, Kluya. He has your eyes."

Kluya blushed. It was true – the baby had finally opened its eyes, and a violet, curious gaze had turned upon him. Kluya stroked his midnight blue beard, his shoulder-length hair falling over his face as he leaned in and touched his nose to the baby's. "You are a gift from the gods."

"Theodor…" Cecilia whispered.

"Hmm?" Kluya looked up at her.

"We'll call him Theodor. It's a boy's name that means "gift of the gods"."

Kluya beamed. There was still much he was to learn about the Blue Planet, and he couldn't wait. "Theodor…that's a fine name."

Cecilia shifted, guiding the newly-christened Theodor to her breast and letting out a slight gasp of pain and surprise as he latched right away, closing his eyes. She sighed happily and closed her eyes with him.

"His life will be a blessed one."

Ten years later in that very same village, in the very same house (which had been expanded to fit a second bed), Theodor, with a full mop of chestnut brown hair and sun-kissed skin and freckles, was doing what all normal ten year-old boys did…needling their mothers about bedtime. As he was protesting that he was not tired, a loud yawn escaped his lips.

"Theodor, what is the matter?" Cecilia asked, her hands on her hips.

Theodor was tapping his foot where he was standing next to the bed, impatiently. "Where's Father?"

Cecilia sighed. The inane questions children asked when they were trying to get out of something! "He's still outside, most likely. Come now, back to bed with you!" But instead of listening, Theodor raced out the door. Cecilia let him go, not having the energy to run after him. It had been a very long day at home with him while Kluya was teaching the villagers magic. She wouldn't give it up for anything – but figured she should let Kluya wear down some of Theodor's energy.

Theodor ran around to the backyard, where he saw Kluya standing next to the tiny pond they had dug together just last summer as a gift for Cecilia's birthday. Kluya was gazing up at the sky, as it was the perfect night for stargazing. But his gaze was clearly focused on the two perfect white orbs hanging above. Theodor tugged his father's arm. "You're watching them again, aren't you?"

Kluya was awoken from his daze and looked down at his son. "Oh, Theodor!"

Theodor tilted his head. "You really like them, don't you? The moons."

"Yes, I do," Kluya smiled.

"Why?"

Kluya laughed. A loaded question, to be sure. "I'll explain it someday, when you're old enough to understand."

This did not please Theodor. He gave a little stomp on the ground. "I am old enough! I can even use magic already!"

Kluya crossed his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrows. "Have you mastered Cure?"

The boy faltered, his face blushing. "Well...not yet, but…"

"Then you've still some things to learn, haven't you? Come, it's late. You should be in bed."

"All right…" Theodor sighed and turned, going back the direction he had raced from to go back inside. When he reached the threshold, a strangled cry escaped from his throat. Cecilia was on the floor, tangled in a pile of blankets from when she had tried to grab hold of the bed. Theodor kneeled to her side and pushed the blankets aside. Her face was flushed, and her breathing shallow.

"Mother!? What's the matter!?" Theodor cried.

"Don't...don't worry. I'll be fine," Cecilia whispered, reaching up to stroke his cheek.

"But your face is so pale!" Theodor wailed. "I should get Father!"

Cecelia shushed him and took his hand. "Do not fear. That's because...I've been working very hard."

"What do you mean?"

"I have to make sure this little one will be all right." Cecilia guided Theodor's hand to her abdomen, where he could just barely feel the swell underneath her dress.

"Who?" Theodor asked, confused.

"Your little brother or sister," Cecilia smiled, and Theodor gasped, his worry suddenly washed away.

"I'm going to have one!?"

"Yes!" Cecilia laughed.

Theodor rubbed the bump excitedly and jumped up, cheering. "Yay! I'm going to be a big brother!"

Cecilia sat up, wiping the sweat off her forehead. "Yes. So you had best go to sleep now, hadn't you? An elder brother needs us to set a good example."

Theodor practically leaped into bed and pulled the covers around him. "All right. Good night!" Cecilia dimmed the lantern next to his bed, and leaned in, kissing his forehead. Moments later, she stepped outside to find Kluya.

Theodor tossed and turned excitedly in bed, muttering in his half-dreaming, half-awake state.

"A little brother...or a sister..."

"KLUYA!"

The scream ripped through the village.

Cecilia collapsed beside her still lover, her heavily pregnant belly making it nearly impossible to breathe in the stifling summer heat. She had heard the scuffle in their back yard, but by the time she lumbered outside with her aching back and swollen legs, it was too late. Kluya had been struck down, blood pooling underneath him from a wound in his forehead, his assailants nowhere to be seen.

Theodor had heard his mother's scream all the way from the village market he had been dutifully retrieving vegetables from for dinner, and had dropped his basket to run back home. As he skidded into the back yard, he saw his mother crying over his father's fallen form.

"Father!"

An older woman and her husband from the house next door ran over, gasping when they saw the scene before them.

The neighbor woman shook her head. "It was the ones who disagreed with his teachings. They...they used magic. I heard it!"

The man lowered his eyes. "Kluya did not even raise an arm in his own defense."

A quiet moan escaped from Kluya's lips. Cecilia gasped, lifting her head, trying to listen to him speak. "Theo...dor…"

Theodor kneeled down next to him and grabbed his hand. "Father! Are...are you all right?"

Kluya's eyes were fluttering and rolling into the back of his head. "Was I...mistaken?"

"Of course not!" Theodor cried. "You can't choose how people use what you teach them!"

Kluya nodded, and closed his eyes. "Thank you...Theodor." His hand went limp underneath his son's.

Theodor shook his head, tears threatening to spill. "Father! Wake up! Please…"

Cecilia stared in horror, her face as white as a sheet. She felt an unbearable, clenching cramp rip through her stomach, and she doubled over, collapsing over Kluya. "No...NOOOOOO!"

The old woman bent down, trying to pull Cecilia up. "Hold yourself together, Cecilia!"

Theodor clutched his already-stiffening father, closing his eyes and trying to summon every ounce of magic in his being. "Cure! Cure!"

Nothing happened. Theodor opened his eyes slowly, and began to wail, beating his fists into the ground.

The old man looked away. "Theodor..."

"No! NO! NOOOOOOOO!"

A few weeks later, during a cloudless, blazing-hot day, Cecilia had collapsed again, crying out for Theodor to get the midwife. Theodor flew a few houses down and banged on the door until someone answered him. The midwife rushed back just in time for the labor, but it had been far more difficult than Cecilia's first birth that stormy spring night and lasted well into the evening. Cecilia had hardly eaten or drank a thing since Kluya's death, only what Theodor would force her to consume during their meals together. She was barely functioning, not rising for the day until sometimes noon or later, and instead of sleeping through the night, she would sit out in the backyard next to the pond, staring at the twin moons' reflections in the water until Theodor would find her the next morning, passed out inches away from the water.

The midwife let Theodor in once the birthing was over. Theodor gazed at the sweet little baby in the midwife's arms, a peach-complexioned wisp of a thing with a tuft of platinum blonde hair and inquisitive blue eyes.

"Wah wah!" The baby cooed as Theodor held out a finger to gently stroke his arm. The skin felt so soft and smooth under his blistered-from-play finger, he could hardly believe it.

"It's a boy! I have a brother!" Theodor declared in triumph.

Cecilia was plastered to the bed, and to Theodor, it had looked like she instantly lost all of her baby weight and more – she was so small in the bed, he thought he could pick her right up in his arms. Her normally shiny hair was dull and spread over the pillows, the color of shafted wheat, and the light had left her eyes. "Please...Let...let me hold him."

The midwife hesitated as the baby squirmed in her arms. "You mustn't strain yourself, Cecilia. I can help with his initial feedings."

Cecilia's breath rattled in her lungs as she used all of her remaining strength to pull herself up to a sitting position. "Please..."

The midwife sighed and gently deposited the baby in Cecilia's arms, stepping back into the kitchen to give Cecilia room to breathe and to start warming up milk for the baby. Cecilia smiled weakly as she ran a finger down the baby's cheek and gazed into his eyes.

"Thank goodness…" She whispered.

Theodor went to the bed, wanting to see too. Cecilia did not look at him when he approached, and her eyes had closed. Theodor tapped her shoulder and frowned when she did not respond.

"Mother?"

"Mother!"

The midwife was startled at Theodor's cries and accidentally dropped the glass bottle she was holding, shattering it on the floor. She hastily stepped over the broken glass, approaching Cecilia's bed. Theodor was sobbing into her lap, and the baby was still sitting in her arms, looking around with a naïve smile. The midwife first felt Cecilia's forehead, then placed a finger over her lips, right under her nose, and finally felt for a pulse.

The midwife shook her head, murmuring to herself. "She knew the risks of this birth and still she went through with it."

Later that night, the midwife had briefly left Theodor and the baby to fetch some things from her home so she could spend the night with them. Theodor lay on his mother's bed – some kind neighbors had removed her body from the home and promised to help with the burial tomorrow morning – staring at the baby swaddled next to him. The baby was sleeping peacefully, completely unaware that he had been brought into the world an orphan.

The lanterns suddenly blew out in the house. Theodor shot up in bed, alarmed. A hissing sound like a snake tickled his ears, and a low voice whispered to him. "A vile thing, isn't he? That brother of yours..."

"What!?" Theodor cried, looking around. However, the house was empty. The midwife hadn't come back yet.

"He is the root of all you've suffered."

"Wh-who's there!?" Theodor demanded, jumping out of bed and reaching behind it to pull out his father's staff.

"If it weren't for him, your mother and father would both still be alive."

Theodor could feel his knees knocking together as the staff slipped in his sweat-streaked palm. "N-no, you're wrong!"

"And you are a vile little insect birthed from a womb of a dragon's corpse are you!"

Theodor screamed, covering his ears and sinking to his knees. "Stop...stop talking to me!"

The voice let out a peel of laughter and whispered once more. "I name you...Golbez!"

The baby opened his eyes, startled by the sudden darkness, and let out a pitiful wail.

Outside of Castle Baron's gates, two soldiers were waiting for their King to arrive for a survey of the grounds. The King had recently been brought research notes from a young engineer who had said he had spoken with someone from a border village that made him believe it was possible to build something called an "airship". Intrigued, the King had declared he would fund the project and was now trying to determine the best place to allocate a shipyard.

The first soldier was practically falling asleep leaning against the wall – it had been a long night of drinking and women – when he was suddenly jarred awake by a loud cry. "Is that...?"

The other soldier looked around, scratching his head. "It sounds like a baby."

They both briefly abandoned their post and approached the location he cries were emitting from. Underneath an apple tree not more than a few yards away, they found a swaddled child hidden away in some tall grass. By the looks of it, it couldn't have been more than a few days old.

"What is an infant doing in a place like this?" One of the soldiers gasped.

Unbeknownst to them, King Baron had emerged from the castle and had approached from behind.

"What is it?" Baron asked. The two soldiers jumped and whirled around, revealing their find. Baron leaned over, his eyes wide.

"He appears to have been abandoned, Your Majesty," the second soldier said.

The King kneeled down, taking the baby into his arms and pulling back the swaddling. "The poor child..." When he removed the swaddling over the baby's face, he let out a gasp.

"What is it, my liege?" the first soldier asked concernedly.

"Cecilia..." Baron whispered.

The soldiers looked at each other. "Your Majesty?"

Baron shook his head, smiling slightly. "Forgive me, I am thinking overmuch - and yet, the resemblance is striking. This child's features...They remind me very much of a person forced from Baron because of my cowardice."

But still, Baron did not move from his spot. As he looked down into the baby's bright blue eyes, his mind was transported to well over ten years ago, when he had suddenly inherited the throne due to an unexpected illness taking his father in the night. Scared, he had stolen away to Baron Village, and sought out his beautiful friend, Cecilia, a village girl he had loved deeply since before he could remember a world without her. When they were but blossoming young adults, he had told Cecilia there was no way they could ever be together – he was the future king, after all – but they had remained good friends and confided in each other often growing up.

But it had been months since he had last seen Cecilia – and he was shocked when they were reunited to find her swollen with child. She happily told him that she had fallen in love with a man – no, not just any man, but a madman that claimed to be from the moon and had wondrous powers – and that they were looking to someday get married and raise their family in Baron.

Baron was outraged – driven by jealousy and the fear of his new, unknown life – he banned Cecilia from ever setting foot in the kingdom again and bade her be gone by his coronation. A month later, he was officially crowned the new King of Baron, and Cecilia had disappeared, never to be seen again.

Baron blinked back tears and stood up. The baby had stopped crying and was staring up at him knowingly, like it already had awareness his shameful secret.

"We will have to survey for the shipyard another day," Baron said. "Find me the finest nursemaid in our kingdom for this child."

A few months later, at his christening within the castle walls, the child was officially announced to the kingdom as the newest citizen of Baron, Cecil Harvey. King Baron had claimed Harvey was an old family name in the very distant ancestry of the royal family, and did not divulge if "Cecil" was another family name or not.

Present Day

"When our father died, I was left behind with our mother, who still bore you within her womb. The other villagers cared for us at first - the people our father had blessed with lunar secrets. But our mother had become too frail, and died shortly after you were born. I blamed you, telling myself our mother would have lived were it not for you. I took you, still an infant, to the forest at the edge of Baron and left you there."

Cecil stared at Golbez incredulously; hearing everything he was spouting, but not quite comprehending it.

"After that, I took to the borderlands, where I could hide from others' eyes. Wracked by guilt...ashamed to show my face. I would not think to ask for your forgiveness now, but I am glad that you survived." His tale finished, he dared to look back to Cecil. Cecil pressed his mouth into a line and stood up, refusing to look at Golbez as he did so. He made sure to grab Excalibur as he rose, and the blade gleamed menacingly, reflecting light in Golbez's eyes and making him shrink back.

Rosa looked between Golbez and Cecil, her hand pressed to her chest. Golbez observed the fear in her eyes and let out a bitter laugh.

"What better a pawn could Zemus have possibly chosen than this?" He threw back his cape and began to walk away. He had told Cecil everything he possibly could; it was time to go.

Fusoya followed him, pointing his staff at Golbez's retreating form. "Where will you go?"

Golbez raised his hand in the air dismissively. "To put an end to all of this."

Rosa, Rydia and Edge looked at each other in shock.

Fusoya nodded. "Zemus is a Lunarian, as am I. I will go with you." Golbez waited for Fusoya to catch up to him, and they turned, facing the others.

"Farewell, Cecil," Golbez said. Cecil still refused to look at him, saying nothing. Fusoya gave the group one last nod. Golbez summoned a portal for them to teleport in, and they disappeared.

As soon as they left, Rosa, Edge and Rydia ran to Cecil's side.

Cecil…is this all right?" Edge asked softly.

Rosa reached for Cecil's hand, squeezing his fingers. His hand was cold – and there was no response. Rosa tried to speak through her tears. "That man – he means to die."

Cecil refused to meet her gaze.

Rydia put her hands on her hips. "Cecil. He's your brother."

Cecil stared off in the distance. "My...brother."

Rydia nodded, slightly encouraged. "Your blood. Your only living family."

Cecil remained silent. Everything they were saying to him…it meant nothing right now. Words had become meaningless, the language they were speaking just a bunch of letters strung together that made up gibberish. He felt like he was watching all of this unfold as a ghost that was floating above, seeing it but not feeling any of it.

There was a low roar, and the floor beneath them began to shake violently.

Edge nearly tripped and fell on his face. "Uh-oh! This isn't good!"

Cecil was still leaning against the wall, not phased. Rosa shook his shoulders. "Cecil!"He closed his eyes.

Edge sighed, looking around worriedly. "We need to get out of here!"

"But...how!?" Rydia cried. They appeared to be totally trapped – there was no way out unless they went back from where they came!

"Over here!"

A voice called to them from above. Looking up, Rydia saw a figure in emerald green dragon armor leaping down from a ledge in the wall.

"Kain!" Rosa cried. Edge smirked and ran straight for Kain, drawing his blade.

"We've fallen for enough of your tricks…!"

"Edge, no!" Rosa shrieked, abandoning Cecil and throwing herself in front of Kain. Edge stopped short and growled.

"Get out of the way, Rosa!" Edge hissed. Kain gently pushed Rosa aside and unflinchingly stepped up to Edge's outstretched blade.

"We can talk later! But if you want to live, you'd best follow me now!"

Edge exhaled deeply and looked from Kain to Rosa. Rosa's eyes were wide and begging. He sighed and sheathed his blade, gesturing for Rydia to come over. Rydia grabbed Cecil's hand and had to drag him over to the others. Cecil hadn't even registered Kain's appearance.

"Quickly!" Rosa cried.

One at a time, Kain would leap up to the ledge to drop someone off. He brought Rosa up first, and when she crawled through the vent in the ledge, she could see the sky outside – they were almost there! She emerged on what appeared to be a plate of metal sticking out of the giant's back, and could see the Lunar Whale just below them. She didn't understand how it knew where to find them, but took a leap of faith and crash-landed onto the observation deck.

A few moments later, she was joined by Rydia, Edge, Cecil and finally Kain himself. Edge raced down to the navigation room and pulled the ship away so fast that Cecil, Rosa, Rydia and Kain tumbled down the observation deck and crashed into a wall. Behind them, they could hear the Giant of Babil exploding, and the distant cheers of the airship fleets that were still hovering above.

Edge flew the Lunar Whale across the sea and to the coastline of Agart, allowing her to make a slow and steady landing next to the village. Cecil, Rosa, Rydia and Kain came down the stairs to the navigation room in silence, their hair and clothes askew from the rough flight.

Safely parked, Edge retrieved his dagger and tossed it up in the air casually, catching it and pointing it in Kain's direction. "Shall we pick up where we left off, then?"

Kain looked down, and didn't make a move for his weapon. "My mind…it is my own again. I cannot expect forgiveness…"

"Forgiveness!?" Edge laughed meanly. "It's your fault the giant appeared in the first place!" Kain winced and clenched his fists at his sides. Rosa took a deep breath and screamed at the top of her lungs.

"STOP IT!"

Startled, Edge dropped his dagger. Cecil, Kain and Rydia turned to stare at Rosa. She was breathing hard now, tears streaming down her face.

"Rosa…" Kain began, but she cut him off.

"Golbez broke free as well! That is why you are free. None of this was your fault!"

Kain shook his head. "I don't understand what you are talking about. What do you mean?"

Rosa looked at Cecil. He was staring at her, but still hadn't said a word. She sighed.

"Golbez is…Cecil's older brother. A Lunarian named Zemus was making use of Golbez's Lunarian blood as a means to control him." Kain looked at Cecil, and then back to Rosa.

"And Cecil is…a Lunarian too, then?"

She nodded.

"Golbez and Fusoya went to the moon to put an end to Zemus," Rydia added. Kain shook his head.

"Golbez was Cecil's brother…? Well, in any case, it would seem I've a debt to repay Zemus, too."

"Ha!" Edge smirked. "And when he takes over your mind – again – what then?" Kain bent down and picked up Edge's knife, tossing it back to him. Edge caught it with a look of surprise.

"If that should happen, kill me without a second thought."

Rosa swallowed the lump in her throat and rested her hand on Kain's back. She knew that there was no way he was being facetious with that remark.

"Heh! Then count me in too!" Edge put away his knife. "I've a couple of blades with Zemus's name on them. No use in wasting them on you now."

"Edge…" Kain crossed his arms. He supposed that was as close as he was going to get to a temporary peace agreement.

Cecil took a step forward. The fog that had been plaguing him since Golbez's arrival had begun to clear from his mind. He wasn't sure if he could forgive Golbez, and he wasn't sure if he could forgive Kain, either. But the one thing he was absolutely sure about was that their job wasn't finished. He couldn't let Fusoya and Golbez bear the burden of eliminating Zemus. It was his family that had been destroyed and used as bait to put the wheels of this horrific series of events into motion. There was no way he could sit idly by and let Kain and Edge go to the moon without him.

He looked over at Rosa, seeing clearly for the first time how unnerved she was from the day's events. He could see how badly her hand was shaking on Kain's armor and her swollen eyes from crying. It had been so easy for her to forgive Kain again, so he knew she would eventually forgive him for what he was about to do next. He wasn't going to let anything Zemus had planned hurt the one person in the entirety of his life that had never betrayed him, who had been his family throughout the entire ordeal.

"Let's go to the moon," Cecil said. "This battle is as much ours as anyone else's. But Rosa…" He paused for a moment. No, he couldn't put either of them in danger. "…and Rydia… stay behind."

"What?!" Rosa and Rydia shrieked at the same time. Rosa dropped her hand from Kain's back and Rydia crossed her arms over her chest. Edge and Kain looked at each other, but said nothing.

"This time, there may be no homecoming," Cecil said firmly.

"Cecil!" Rosa protested. "Be reasonable!"

"You can't mean it," Rydia said softly.

Edge couldn't bear to see Rydia mad…but it would have been a hundredfold worse to see her hurt.

"This is work for grownups," Edge added. "You just wait for us back here."

Rydia whirled around to Edge and got right in his face. For a moment, he was afraid she was going to slap him. But instead, she gritted her teeth and shook her head, practically spitting her parting words in his face. "FINE!"

She stomped away, and Cecil heard the door to the Lunar Whale open and shut.

Cecil crossed his arms. "Rosa…get off the Lunar Whale."

Rosa stared at him, and said nothing. Finally, she turned and ran away, following Rydia out the door. They heard the door open and shut once more.

"Heh…" Edge felt like he was going to pass out. He had never in his life had a woman look at him like that, not even after a bad breakup. If Rydia had glared at him a moment longer, he would have surely lit aflame.

"Cecil…" Kain began, but Cecil shook his head.

"Don't argue, Kain."

And that was the final word about that.

Cecil walked over to the crystal of flight, and woke it up. Edge and Kain stood on opposite sides, and the three men met each others' eyes through the crystal.

"This is it," Cecil said, and gave the order to lift off.

Once they landed on the moon, Cecil quickly briefed Kain on where they were heading next.

"We'll need to cross the Lunar Path to reach the Crystal Palace. I'm positive Fusoya and Golbez headed there. There's got to be a path somewhere in there we haven't seen yet – there's nothing else here. We can make camp after we've picked up on their trail."

"Sounds good," Kain said. "Am I going to be disturbed when I see what the surface of the moon looks like?"

"Yeah, it's kind of disturbing," Edge replied. "And we haven't even gotten to fight any moon monsters yet."

"Come on, you two," Cecil said, and hit the button to open the exit. As the door lifted open, Rosa marched through defiantly. Cecil stopped, startled, and Kain and Edge nearly ran into him.

"R…Rosa!" Kain blinked.

Cecil exhaled, trying to keep his tone in check. "Step aside, Rosa."

"I'm not going anywhere," Rosa said. Her tone was not in check.

Cecil shook his head. "Why are you doing this?"

Rosa took a few steps forward. "Without me along…who will heal you when you're hurt?" Cecil couldn't bring himself to look into her eyes. He knew she was right, but…

"Rosa…" He looked down. What the hell was he going to do? Of course he wanted her by his side. One look from her and he would lose any resolve he thought he had.

"You can't win this one, Cecil," Kain said gently.

Edge sighed. "No use arguing with a woman…"

Rosa bent down a little, trying to catch Cecil's gaze. Their eyes locked, and he knew it was over, simple as that.

"I'll argue no more," he said softly. "Your…help is welcome."

Rosa smiled slightly and stepped back, her hand resting over her chest. The door opened again, and Rydia popped in, snickering.

"Just as we planned!" She jumped up in the air. Edge nearly fell over in shock.

"Y-You're here too!"

"This battle's ours as much as yours. Cecil said so himself," said Rosa.

"And having some Eidolons along can't hurt, can it?" Rydia winked. Edge shook his head.

"Rydia…how did you guys manage it?"

"We just went into the hold," Rydia shrugged. "You took forever to lift off, so it was really easy."

Cecil, Kain and Edge exchanged looks.

"Should we just camp on the Lunar Whale tonight?" Edge asked. "It may not be a good idea to traverse the moon while we're exhausted…the monsters Fusoya put to sleep may be wide awake again by now."

Cecil nodded. With more of them to keep track of now, it would be safer to just stay in the Lunar Whale.

"Well, it's a good thing we came back, since we had all the food," Rydia giggled, pulling off the satchel from around her waist. "Let's go upstairs and eat!"

The five of them gathered in the common room, each taking a silicone ball and sinking into it. It was awkward at first, but more comfortable than they had expected. As Rydia passed around the food, the conversation slowly began to build. Cecil told Kain about how they had come to meet Fusoya and discovered that he was Cecil's uncle. Rydia told him about waking up Yang in the Sylph Cave, and about how everyone had come out to fight the Giant of Babil. Kain mostly listened and said little. He had no memory of his time away, and preferred that it stay that way – but hearing his friends try to talk to him like everything was normal made him happier than he thought he ever could be again. Cecil was even smiling a little as they conversed.

Edge had started falling asleep in his chair, and just watching him made Rosa tired. Hiding in the hold hadn't exactly been as easy as Rydia made it out to be – it was exhausting trying to be quiet and quell her rage. She quietly stood up while Cecil, Kain and Rydia were theorizing over what other tails the small person in Agart could have possibly still wanted to collect, and slipped into a private room.

Eventually, Rydia wanted to sleep as well, and dragged Edge along to shove him into a room of his own once he started to snore. Cecil and Kain were the only ones remaining, and without Rydia as a buffer, the silence became painful very fast.

Kain leaned back, and Cecil looked up at the ceiling.

"Kain?"

"Yeah?"

"I…I spoke to the spirit under the castle again. The one I told you about the last time we were in Baron?"

"I remember," Kain looked over at him. "Was it…?"

"It really was His Highness," Cecil sighed. "He wanted me to visit the Feymarch because he had become an Eidolon, and wanted to test Rydia's strength." Kain could not contain his surprise.

"You won, of course?"

"Yes, Rydia was brilliant. But it was what he said after…he said that Baron was in good hands. He sounded hopeful, even after being usurped by Cagnazzo. What do you think is going to become of Baron after we get back?"

Kain leaned in. "Cecil…I think you know what will happen when you get back. Baron can't go on long with a power vacuum. The people are going to need someone to put the kingdom back together again after…all of this. Who do you think they're going to turn to?"

Cecil frowned. "But…surely the king had some living relative…somewhere." Kain shook his head.

"King Baron has never married and never sired an heir. He was an only child, and if he did have any family left, they are long-gone by now. They would have surely made an appearance when Baron became a bastion of industry and wealth. My father actually used to complain about it a lot, and I would overhear him…he hated it when the king insisted on going on missions with the Dragoons because if he was killed, the kingdom would be in a huge mess, with no one suitable to take over. After my father died…it kind of put the fear of the gods in Baron, I suppose. He stopped going on missions after that."

"Kain…I can't do what I think you're saying I should do."

"You can," Kain insisted. "Cecil…you have always been loved by everyone, even when you were a dark knight. And while it sometimes annoyed the hell out of me, I can also tell you there is a good reason for it. Your sense of justice and your courage will carry you far. You just have to let it. It doesn't matter what you know you are now or who you are related to. You've always been Cecil."

Cecil looked down at his feet. Hearing this from Kain of all people was…overwhelming.

"Thank you… But…no matter what happens…we'll do it together, right? Promise me that, at least, as my best friend."

Kain nodded. "…I promise."

Cecil left Kain after that, who said he wasn't quite ready to turn in. His heart felt lighter after their talk, and he realized that in that respect, nothing between them had changed – it was the same way Kain made him feel after a pep talk when he would lose a fight as a kid, or when he would despair about his training with the dark sword, or when he got fired as Captain of the Red Wings – which felt so long ago now.

Cecil opened the door of the first room he came across, and reached over to turn on the light. When it flipped on, he was surprised to see Rosa in the bed, her back to him. He was about to back out quietly and turn the light off, when she stirred and turned her head.

"Cecil…?"

"Sorry…I didn't know you were in here. I'll go somewhere else."

"No…wait." She pushed herself up. "I was trying to wait up for you, but I guess I fell asleep. I want to talk."

Cecil knew that if he could see his face right now, it would be of a man walking to his death sentence. Regardless, he hit the button to close the door behind him and tried to summon some of that courage Kain had just claimed he had.

Rosa folded her legs underneath her and sat up on the bed. "Cecil…you really hurt me before."

"I'm sorry," Cecil said. And he truly meant it – but the way she was looking at him made him want to crawl under the bed and die. "Rosa…I just wanted to protect you. After everything…I realized I have no control over what's coming up next. And I thought the best way to keep my promise to you would be to keep you as far away as possible from Zemus."

Rosa sighed and shook her head. "When have I heard that before? The night you got back from Mysidia and then disappeared the next day? The day you revived me with the sand pearl and told me to go home? How many times do I have to tell you…? I want to be with you. I don't care what happens…as long as I am with you."

Cecil sat down next to her, resting his elbows on his knees and cradling his head in his hands. "Rosa…it has been my desire this entire time to protect you with my life. But I realized that this time…that may not be enough. I'm…scared. I've never heard of a Lunarian until a day ago, and apparently they are capable of destroying entire planets. And…I'm only half of one, so I don't know if that's going to be enough to stop him. With Kain Edge and Rydia's help…we have a chance. But I think it's still a slim one."

Rosa exhaled sharply. "You're scared? What about me? How do you think I felt when you told me to go away?" She yanked on his hand so that he was forced to look at her. "You had this look on your face…like you were about to go off and die. All of a sudden, my heart went into overdrive. I realized that this could be the last time I ever saw you. I was struggling to recall the last time we had touched, the last time we looked over at each other on a perfect morning, or said good-night. The last time you kissed me! All of those times, I had banked on there being more – and you were transforming those moments into my final memories of you by sending me away."

Cecil shook his head. "Those were all things that went through my mind too…I was just doing what I thought was best. I couldn't even hear the words coming out of my mouth. I was trying to memorize every last detail of you I could before you walked out the door."

Rosa brushed her fingers over Cecil's and lifted his hand, placing it on her cheek. He looked up at her, and she offered a small smile.

"Here…memorize me now."

Slowly, Cecil caressed his thumb over the contour of her cheek, where a blush had gradually started to bloom. As his finger traveled over the slope of her nose down to her bow-shaped lips, she arched her back slightly to press into his hand, her eyes sliding shut. He smiled in response and kept trailing his fingers south, running them over the curve of her neck and shoulders and tracing downward over her collarbone – resting just above the fabric of her bustier.

Rosa opened her eyes and reached up, pushing a stray lock of his hair behind his ear and stroking her finger along the curve of the lobe, lightly tapping his earring before dropping her hand in her lap. "Did that work?"

"It helped, yes," Cecil blushed. Rosa uncurled her legs out from under her and stood up, blushing deeper.

"I'm glad we talked," she said, and bent down to kiss his forehead. Cecil closed his eyes as her lips pressed against him, and after what felt like hours, she stepped away and turned toward the door. "Good-night, Cecil."

Cecil watched her go, digging his now restless fingers into the sheets stretched over the bed. His gaze fell over the tumbling locks down her back and the barely-noticeable swell of her hip hidden underneath her sheer cape. As she reached up to open the door, his voice spoke before he could stop himself.

"Rosa."

She looked back at him over her shoulder, still smiling. For a moment, Cecil had the irrational fear that if she walked out the door, she would disappear forever. He wondered if this was how he had made Rosa feel in the past every time he had left her behind, and felt a twinge of shame clench in his stomach.

Cecil stood up from the bed, crossing the few steps between them, and pulled Rosa against him. Sliding his hands down her back and sinking his fingers into her bare skin, he pressed his lips to hers, moaning her name into her mouth. Rosa's eyes widened in surprise, but she fervently reciprocated, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her body to his.

When they broke apart for air, Cecil gently pushed her against the wall, moving his hand further along the curve of her back and pressing his thumb into the crease of her hip and leg. Rosa let her hands drift down from his neck to his chest, tracing her finger over the pattern on his breastplate.

"Stay with me tonight," Cecil exhaled, pressing his forehead to hers.

She replied by reaching back and pressing her hand against the light control, plunging them into darkness.