Chapter 57: Exchanged Fates
The tell tale glow of the glyphs that had once lit the passage rings so avidly was absent, and without their light, making his way through the once proud structures was proving to be more of a challenge than Asch had expected. The passage rings themselves were as dead as the Sephiroth trees they had once housed and the glow of his torch gave them an almost eerie look. The young monarch pulled his sword from the sheath. Nothing; he cursed under his breath. Damn it all, where the hell had that Jewel gotten off to?
If there was one upside to wandering these Score forsaken places in the dark, it was that if the Sword of Lorelei even so much as thought of glowing, he would notice it. The Sword was supposed to react when the Jewel was nearby, but Asch was starting to run out of places to look, and he'd yet to see any kind of reaction. Maybe Luke really did have it.
But what reason would Luke have to hide it? No, Luke's guilt was real. Even if for some reason it was all smoke and mirrors, with the way Luke had followed him around these past two months, if Luke had it, the Sword would have reacted. Asch let his mind wander as he carefully began back out towards where Ginji had parked the Albiore. He debated the idea of contacting Luke, but that was opening a can of worms he didn't care to deal with right now. Ginji had given him Natalia's message...one more reason he didn't want to go there. After all, he'd left for a reason.
Asch had known he'd have problems with Luke when his little brother caught wind of the things he'd failed to mention, but he didn't honestly expect it to be so soon. What had brought Luke back to Baticul in less than a few weeks? Not that it mattered. He wasn't there, nor did he have any intention of returning home any time soon. Yet somehow the towering city still loomed over his thoughts despite his best attempts to dismiss it. He didn't need that burden right now; he had too much to deal with as it was.
The young noble let out an exasperated sigh. He didn't have the time or the desire to deal with his brother or Natalia. Let them go about and do what they had to; he had far more important things to take care of. With a shake of his head, he banished them, and all the overbearing consequences that came with them from his mind. Where next? That was what mattered: here and now and the things he had to do. There were really only a few places left to look. Then the fun would begin.
A small field of selenias shone under the pale starlight that spread across the night sky, each opening their petals to the world as the final traces of the day vanished from the horizon. Luke smiled at the familiar sight, glad that the silver blossoms hadn't suffered from the sudden change that Yulia City had gone through. This is where everything had truly begun for him. After the hell that had been Akzeriuth, it was here where he'd taken those very first steps on his own. That thought alone brought a warm smile to the young noble's face. If only she were here with him...
Yulia City really was amazing; not that it hadn't been a nice place to begin with, but it had changed so much now that it was no longer surrounded by miasma. Over 2000 years had passed since the City of Watchers had last seen the sky, and as it sat so innocently beneath the stars, Luke could see the beauty that he was sure Yulia had always intended to have shine through.
Too bad it was late; Teodoro hadn't been available to meet with them when they got here so things would have to wait until morning. Noelle had tried her best to hurry, but the time difference was working against them. Still, there was no particular rush, at least not one for which one night would make or break. None-the-less the sooner things could be settled between the countries and the Planet Storm properly dealt with, the better.
And such led to a series of events that found everyone at Tear's house, and Luke standing alone in her garden wishing for the melodist's presence. Here a single lonely monument sat shining in the moonlight at his feet, simple as the blossoms that surrounded it. For Van... Luke wanted nothing more than to ask about it, but to do that they would need to find Tear, a task that was quickly turning out to be more difficult than it initially seemed. She had apparently left Yulia City, or so the person in the street had said, but even he couldn't say where she'd run off to. Hopefully Teodoro could help them on that front. Where could she have gone? Or more importantly, just how was she really faring? Luke sighed sadly knowing the likely answer to that question, even if it wasn't the answer he'd get from Tear herself. If only she'd remained as untouched as her garden.
Luke stood before Van's grave solemnly, surprised by the regret he found fostered within him. Mixed in with his worries about Tear's wellbeing and concern for the current state of world affairs that had been unwillingly dumped on his plate, Luke couldn't really identify what was spurring his racing emotions. Even though in reality the monument before him was futile, it hurt, more than he thought it could. Maybe just because he knew the stone's purpose was nothing more than a symbol of his lies. He would bear that burden if it would spare Tear the pain she had gone through these past months.
He'd do whatever it took to see her smile again.
"Paying your respects to Van?" Jade's voice broke the quiet of the night.
"Tear never told me she'd made him a grave," Luke answered solemnly.
"No matter what atrocities he'd committed, he was still her brother," Jade pointed out.
"Yeah, I know... I can understand those feelings, probably more than I want to," Luke added a bit of bitterness coming through towards the end. Jade grinned.
"Yet, even though Van's gone, things still feel like they're running out of control; though the missing God-Generals may have something to do with it." The Colonel paused for a moment. "You know why Asch is investigating the passage rings, don't you?"
Luke let out a heavy sigh. "When we lowered the Outer Lands, after defeating Master Van, Lorelei contacted us again. He said that he'd send us the key we needed to set him free."
"I figured there was more to your exhaustion than just your hyperresonance," Jade adjusted his glasses and Luke nodded in confirmation. "So Asch is looking for this key then?"
"No, he's looking for the other half of the Key. He's looking for the Jewel of Lorelei. After the Outer Lands had been lowered, Asch got the Sword of Lorelei but..."
"But neither of you received the Jewel," Jade concluded. Interesting... so the legend was more than just fantasy after all.
"I didn't get the Jewel," Luke corrected him. "All this time I've been trying to figure out why; but more important than that, where it might have gone. This was my mistake, and I want to make things right. I want to fix it but Asch won't let me! He knows that I want -no- that I have to do this! I have to clean up my own mess! Why can't he accept that? Why does Asch treat me like some kind of baby that needs everything done for him?"
"Perhaps he's simply trying to help you," Jade suggested. "Though his methods may not be the most practical, they're irrational enough to be expected of him."
"If he wanted to help, I could accept that. If he wanted to come with me, that would have been fine! But instead he chose to lie and to sneak around behind my back and walk all over me like I was nothing! Now he's going to the other Sephiroth to see if the Jewel ended up there, while I'm here trying to help fix everything else he decided not to tell me about."
"He won't find it at the other passage rings," the Colonel muttered to no one in particular.
"Do you know where it is?" Luke's emerald eyes shined hopefully.
"No," he replied after a moment. "Unfortunately, I don't." And even if he did...
"I just wish..." the young noble trailed off.
"What do you wish?" Jade asked, his red eyes penetrating and Luke almost took a step back under the Colonel's intensity. "Leaving that day in Baticul, had things played out exactly as you wished for, how would they have gone? What would you have done differently? What could you have done differently that would bring you whatever it is you now desire?"
"I wish Asch would have trusted me, that's all. He sat there and smiled as I left, wishing me the best when behind that smile he was about to betray me. How could he smile knowing that?"
"Asch was never one to share his feelings, or his reasoning. Probably the reason he doesn't get along with your father, both of them are far too alike in that regard. Asch may have his reasons for not involving you this time around that he simply couldn't share."
"But Asch should know better than anyone," Luke said, his voice gaining a conviction it had been lacking. "That all I want is to be able to be there for him when he needs me. Not just to help him, but because by watching him and learning from him, I can start to find where it is I belong too. That's why I have to fix my own mistakes and learn to make amends for the things I've done."
"Well if nothing else you've gained some insight over the past couple months," Jade commented. "Unfortunately it seems your stubbornness still predominates."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing I assure you," Jade smiled slyly.
"I know Asch usually hides his feelings," Luke finally admitted. The weight on his shoulders had lifted and he breathed in deeply. "I guess I'm just not used to being the one he's hiding them from." Luke smiled sadly in defeat. "Then again, I guess if you think about it that way it makes sense why the two of you get along so well."
"And where might you have picked up such an exorbitant misconception as that?"
Luke simply smiled, before turning to head back inside. "Thanks Jade."
The Malkuth Colonel sighed, shaking his head as he stood alone in the darkening garden.
"Such troublesome children."
Ion sat patiently in Yulia City's conference room, the morning sun streaming in through the large windows behind them. Jade stood by the window, gazing out on the residents of the city as they began about their day. His behaviour was familiar, something concerned him and that in and of itself was cause for Ion's own concern. It left the topic of his worries somewhat of a mystery, especially given he'd already told them there was no reason for there to be any problems arising from the Planet Storm. The Fon Master almost wished he'd be more forthcoming at times like these: Jade being lost in thought had shown itself to be a poor prognostic factor for any situation.
At the very least, his friends had done an admirable job maintaining the peace between Kimlasca and Malkuth. From the sounds of things neither ruler seemed to be falling for whomever was scheming to antagonize their relations and were planning on talking through matters until said person, most likely Mohs, could be apprehended. Unfortunately, in the meantime it left Asch upon which the blame had been laid.
Ion was in full agreement with all his companions that Asch would never desire such a thing, and even Jade couldn't come up with any logical motivations or benefits Asch could possibly derive from such radical actions. None-the-less, Ion couldn't totally disagree that his behaviour was suspicious to some extent, and could see why the Kimlascan court, given their questionable and personal motives with regards to the matter, had taken up on the opportunity. Why would Asch simply leave without at least leaving word? There was the obvious reason: that he determined that his departure wouldn't be permitted and so had chosen to sneak away instead. It made sense, but it didn't explain why he had continually failed to contact them, or why he was preventing Luke from doing the same. Surely Asch didn't think Luke intended to drag him back home against his will? From Ion's understanding Luke would never do such a thing, and Asch was more than aware that he could trust in his sibling. But perhaps he had been wrong.
Seeing what recent developments had done to his friends, Luke in particular, was difficult, and it pained him to see them so upset. Ion was sure Asch must have his reasons, but he sincerely hoped that this wouldn't drag out much longer. Though he was hiding it rather well, everyone could see just how upset Luke was about Asch's recent endeavours. The fact that he'd gone from being saddened to angry was only a sign of just how betrayed he felt. If this went on much longer, there was a very good chance their relationship wouldn't come out intact, if it survived at all; and for two siblings as close as they were, that was something that couldn't be allowed. Ion doubted either would recover should such a thing come to pass.
The silence in the room was becoming unbearable. While Ion was no stranger to situations in which he required insurmountable amounts of patience, even he was being tried. He certainly hoped that Teodoro wouldn't be much longer.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Yulia City's mayor apologized as he walked in the door, a couple of books and several old scrolls in his hands. The way he hurried told them how busy he must be, and how little time they would have to discuss such important matters. He set his load down on the table before them, taking his seat at its head.
"No, thank you for seeing us on such short notice," Natalia said. "I'm sure things must be rather chaotic around here."
"Indeed, they are," Teodoro nodded. "I was worried about what would happen to this world now that it's strayed from the Score. I wasn't sure if the people of this city could adapt, but we seem to be managing."
"I'm glad to hear that." Ion smiled.
"It's quite the task you've burdened yourself with."
"But one I feel is necessary," the Fon Master replied with conviction. "Were you able to look into those matters I inquired about?"
"Yes. With regards to the Planet Storm, there doesn't seem to be any immediate risk."
"We'd deduced as much already," Jade replied. "Is there any visible risk in the future?"
"Not that we can tell, but do remember that our knowledge of Yulia's technologies is quite limited as well," the mayor pointed out.
"What about the cause?" Luke asked. "Can we figure out what's causing it to act up like this?"
"This is where things grow more complex," Teodoro commented. "There has been a recent decline in the overall number of Seventh Fonons. To add to this, there are places in which they are being consumed at astonishing rates."
"Do you know where?" Anise piped up.
"One location is undersea near the Sixth Sephiroth but when we sent an investigation team, we weren't able to find anything. They are in pursuit of the second location now."
"In pursuit? How can you chase a location?" The former Fon Master Guardian asked sceptically.
"For whatever reason, its location continues to change. We've yet to pin it down or discover any pattern to its movements. All we've been able to establish is that it is moving about the oceans."
"Hmmm," Jade pondered the matter. "The only peacetime application of that many fonons would be fomicry. Perhaps our problems are in fact one and the same."
"Yeah, but fomicry machines don't just up and run around!" Anise protested.
"Could it be on some kind of mobile facility or ship?" Guy asked.
"I doubt there are any existing ships of such magnitude," Jade stated.
"Well, if it's that big, we might be able to spot it from the Albiore," Luke suggested. "Not that combing the ocean seems especially productive; I don't know what other options we have right now."
"Given more time, do you think you'd be able to isolate a pattern from its movements?" Ion asked.
"Assuming there is a pattern to be found, then yes, it is possible."
"Could I ask you to do that for me and send word to Daath as soon as you can?"
"Certainly Fon Master," Teodoro nodded.
"In the meantime," Ion interrupted the man before he could stand up. "Do you happen to know where we might find Tear? We heard she left Yulia City but not where she was going or if she's due back soon. There's something quite important I'd like to discuss with her."
"I believe she received a message from an old friend and went to Tataroo Valley to meet with them. She didn't express her intentions following that, so I don't know when she'll return. Now if you'll excuse me, I've another meeting I must attend." Then without another word, Teodoro stood up and promptly left the room.
"I'm sure he must be quite busy," Ion commented. "I've caused quite a bit of trouble for everyone in this city."
"No way Ion! You did what you had to do! There was no way we could let people keep following the Score when it's all wrong anyways!"
"Thank you, Anise."
"Well, what do we do now?" Guy asked. "I'm leaning with Luke on this one, combing the ocean doesn't seem like an especially good idea."
"No," Ion agreed. "I trust that Teodoro should be able to provide us with more information in that regard soon enough. I think for now we should see if we can catch up with Tear, I'm concerned about how her illness might have progressed."
"Will she even still be in Tataroo Valley by the time we get there?" Anise asked.
"Well, even if she went by ferry and then by coach it would still be quite the trip," Guy pondered. "There's a good chance we'll catch up with her somewhere along the way."
"What worries me is, why Tataroo Valley?"
"What's the matter Luke?"
"Well... Tataroo Valley is in the middle of nowhere, why would anyone pick that as a place to meet? Something just seems off about this whole thing."
"Either Tear lied to her grandfather about her destination, or perhaps her acquaintance isn't all they seem," Jade commented.
"Let's go to Tataroo Valley," Luke stated. "If Teodoro hasn't gotten back to us about the moving fomicry facility by then, we can look for it ourselves."
"That sounds fair," Natalia agreed. "I certainly hope Father and Emperor Peony will manage in the meantime."
"I wouldn't worry Princess." Jade pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "Neither ruler wants war, and other than trying to disinherit Asch, neither court seems up to anything questionable either. It's more a matter of political formalities than anything."
"Then let us hope it remains that way."
It was just past midday when Guy and his friends found themselves walking past the trees that marked the entrance to Tataroo Valley. It was just as green as he remembered it being the last time they'd been here, though Guy for one was hoping they wouldn't have the same trouble they'd been given last time. Luke was right, why would anyone want to meet Tear here of all places? Something was suspicious and as much as Ion and Luke wanted to talk to her, the blond honestly hoped it was that she'd lied to Teodoro.
No. That wasn't like Tear, now was it? Asch on the other hand seemed to be abound with lies in the past couple months, and it looked like Luke wasn't the only one affected by it. Natalia's front was more impressive than Luke's was but he knew them both better than that. Then again, he thought he knew Asch better than that too. What could he possibly be thinking? It was anyone's guess, if anyone cared enough to bother guessing. Asch's bridges were burning faster than straw soaked in oil.
At least Luke seemed back to normal, or as normal as one could expect given the mess they were still sorting out. He'd be doing much better if they'd already found Tear, but all things considered, he'd been dealing with everything remarkably well since getting over Asch's little disappearing act. Though they still had way more to deal with than Guy would have liked, it was manageable. It wasn't the mad chaos that lowering the lands and taking Van on had been, he could be thankful for that much.
Everyone walked along in silence, tense perhaps at what might be waiting for them around the next turn. Jade had no reason to complain, and was actually rather amused at just how skilled his companions had become in terms of stealth. It was so much different than the way they had once stomped around the countryside, drawing in every enemy force for miles around. Now, not even the monsters were being disturbed, and with no conscious effort involved either. It had just become habit after sneaking around the God-Generals and the Oracle Knights for so long.
At the head of the group Luke froze, and beside him Natalia did the same. The sound of the river could be heard as it ran just beyond the cover of trees that they were working through, then the sound of footsteps, almost as soft and inconspicuous as their own had been. But what held his interest? Jade followed Luke's gaze and the flash of red hair as it hopped onto a fallen tree to cross the river sent an evil grin spreading across his face. Of course... Tataroo Valley was a passage ring, after all.
Luke quickly hurried forward, not making a sound to alert his unsuspecting sibling who still hadn't noticed their presence. Guy motioned to follow but Natalia quickly raised her hand, almost hitting him in the face in her effort to stop his advance. The Malkuth noble stumbled backwards and the Princess felt bad for using his gynophobia to intercept him, but at least he remained silent. Let Luke do as he pleases. After everything that had happened lately... whatever he was going to do to Asch, Asch had coming.
"I don't get it," Anise whispered. "Can't they sense each other through their CCN?"
"Normally yes," Jade replied, a mischievous gleam in his eye. "But remember, Asch is blocking Luke out. It works both ways."
Luke jumped onto the log, no longer making any effort to disguise his presence. In a flash he drew his sword, bringing it down on his reflection who hastened to block his strike. The younger sibling wasn't put back and unleashed a fury of attacks that forced the other redhead backwards as he struggled to keep his balance under the unexpected assault. Luke swung one last time, staring through narrowed eyes at his sibling and the Sword of Lorelei that had stopped his blade. Asch's determined look quickly widened to one of shock.
"Luke?" Asch's tensed muscles relaxed at the familiar face. Taking full advantage of his dropped guard, Luke threw his weight behind his sword and sent his sibling crashing into the river.
Asch sat up in the shallow river glaring in annoyance at his brother who was still looking down on him from the log. Well if he was going to be wet... Asch took a swing at Luke's legs, but to his dismay, Luke easily leapt over the strike and landed back on the log with flawless balance, his hateful glare never abating.
"Luke!" Asch looked over to see Natalia who was calling to his sibling. Oh great, they had everyone with them. Just what he needed.
"Asch where are you going?" Anise demanded when Asch started wading his way towards the other side of the river. "Do you have any idea the trouble we went through because of you?" Jerk. He was ignoring her!
"Oh don't think we're going to let you go that easily," Jade commented. His arte went off a foot in front of the redhead in question, the recoil of his energy blast sending Asch tumbling back into the river. The process repeated itself four more times, the arte getting progressively closer until the blast went off just in front of his face.
"Damn it old man, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Asch finally demanded when he went flying into the river for the fifth time.
"I've enough energy and there are enough fonons abound to continue at this for at least five days," Jade stated simply. "Either you stay and speak with us or we can continue our little game."
"I don't have the time to be messing around," Asch argued. "I'm busy, I have things I have to take care of, now let me go!"
"Asch fon Fabre you get back here this instant!" Natalia demanded at the top of her lungs. Asch turned around and shot her a dangerous glare, but hers was far scarier. "Don't you dare look at me like that! You are this close to being disinherited for treason and for ordering attacks on Malkuth troops. Luke, Father and I all stuck our necks out for you in court and you have yet to give us a reason why we should have even bothered!"
Asch looked genuinely surprised by Natalia's statement and stopped his attempts to retreat. He pondered for a moment before sighing. "I'm not going to win this, am I?"
"No," Jade stated firmly.
"Fine," Asch accepted Guy's hand out of the river and rang his hair and jacket out. "What do you want from me?"
"What have you been doing all this time?" Natalia asked.
"It's nothing that concerns you," Asch answered curtly.
"Yes it is," Luke intervened.
"No it isn't."
"Then what have you been doing?" Guy asked.
"He's looking for the Jewel," Luke provided.
"Jewel? What jewel?" Anise asked.
"My Jewel."
"What jewel?"
"The Jewel of Lorelei," Jade replied.
"Agh!" Anise yanked on her pigtails. "I'm confused, what jewel are you talking about?"
"If you were going to look for the Jewel, why didn't you let me come along?" Luke demanded, ignoring Anise's protests.
"I didn't need you getting in my way," Asch shot back.
"Then why didn't you say anything? Why did you lie to me? After everything we went through! You spent the last two months hiding everything from me!"
"You wouldn't have taken it quietly."
"Of course I wouldn't have! That's the point! This is my responsibility! Instead you were just stringing me along and took off behind my back!"
"Of course I lied!" Asch yelled back. "All you ever did was follow me around! I had to do something to get rid of you! I don't want you here; I never did, and I never will. The last thing I need is some incompetent idiot following me all over the place and holding me back! I don't care about whatever your crusade is this time. There are more important things going on here then petty politics in Baticul, you should be able to see that. Not that you've ever the first clue about crap going on. You jump in whenever it's convenient, and whenever you don't like it, you just leave it for the rest of us to handle. Must be nice to live on a pedestal like that," the redhead sneered. "I don't need you around, so why don't you just go back to whatever little game it is you were playing and leave this to the grownups."
"Asch!" Natalia intervened in outrage. "After everything Luke's done for you! How could you say such things?"
"The same thing goes for you," Asch shot bitterly. "I don't need your help; you'll just get in my way. Go play your games and leave me alone."
Silence fell over everyone. Asch turned to leave.
"Bullshit!" Luke's voice trembled and his anger even turned Asch's head. Luke walked right up to his brother and stared into his mirrored emerald eyes. Asch was almost taken aback by the sheer unadulterated fury he saw in them.
"Fine," Luke declared, the rage brimming in his voice. "You don't want me around anymore, fine; then go. You can go rot in hell for all I care. But stop running away from me and say it to my face! I don't want any more of your crap excuses. Tell me! Tell me why Master Van's logic was right after all. Tell me why you think I'm no more than some disposable commodity and that you can throw me aside when you're done with me! Look me in the eye and say it! Then you can go."
Asch held his gaze for only a second before he broke in front of Luke's intensity and turned his head, staring at the ground in search of answers he wasn't going to find.
"Well then Asch," Jade spoke up, breaking the tense silence. "Since you aren't able to provide a valid reason for your solo ventures, I'm afraid we're going to have you come with us. It will be easier to sort out the problems between Malkuth and Kimlasca if you're present."
Asch didn't offer any further protests. Luke forcefully brushed past him and continued up the valley without so much as looking him in the eye. Natalia wasn't far behind him. Asch watched them smothering the inkling of regret he found within himself. They were hurt, he knew they would be, but he hadn't thought... Still, they were better off hurt than dead.
Jade had no idea what he was doing.
Anise stretched, suppressing a yawn as she continued to walk alongside Ion, leading everyone else up the valley. Well, not really leading, Luke was the one who really knew where they were going, but for now there was only one trail and she was walking faster than them, so she was in the lead.
In the end they had decided to make their way up the northern side of the river, a path Luke apparently knew from the very first time he and Tear had been here. There wasn't any real reason to think Tear would be meeting her so-called "friend" on this side over the southern side where the passage ring was. But then there was the fact that it was the southern side that Asch wanted to get to so bad, and well, no one was in the mood to please him. Besides, it would be harder for him to slip off if he had to backtrack... not that he was getting by the Colonel anyways.
And serves him right! Man! Sure she remembered Asch being a bit spiky at times, but nothing like this! She couldn't believe the things he'd said to Luke and Natalia, and after they'd been so worried about him! What an ass! Poor Natalia was still reeling from their earlier encounter from the looks of things. Then there was Luke, he had really caught Anise off guard. She'd expected him to do what he always did, to get all quiet and sulky and such, but he went and stood up and put Asch in his place! It was so satisfying to see! Someone had to cut down that oversized ego of Asch's!
"Hey," Luke spoke up, gently touching Natalia's arm and drawing her from whatever thoughts had consumed her. "Weren't you the one that said it was unbecoming for a noble to sulk like that?"
"That wasn't quite what I said," Natalia chuckled, wiping the beginnings of tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry. I just don't understand how Asch could be so unconscionable. Yes he has been irrational and reckless, but I never thought he could be so cruel."
"Don't take it so hard," Luke said comfortingly. "He doesn't really mean those things. Not that it makes it any less his fault for saying them and knowing the effect they'll have."
"What do you mean?"
"He has some kind of reason for acting the way he did just now."
"But you were so angry with him..."
"I am mad," Luke answered simply. "Reason or not doesn't excuse him of the way he's treated either of us. I refuse to believe that there's any cause that left him with no other option than to take our feelings and walk all over them like that. I'm just saying he has a reason, I'm not saying that makes him right, or that I'm going to forgive him for it."
Natalia giggled. "You logic is rather familiar."
"Well two can play that game," Luke teased and Natalia smiled gratefully. She was appreciative of his attempts to cheer her up, and was impressed at his ability to make jokes about something that had so clearly cut him very deeply. They were both that way... the smile of another came before any amount of personal pain.
Natalia's smile widened and she said something to Luke that made him laugh in return. Guy added a comment of his own and before long all five of them were happily chatting as Asch watched on. Stupid old man, if Jade hadn't been taking up the rear he could have slipped away ages ago! They weren't even paying attention to him, not that they ever did, but he was still trapped for the time being. So he watched them, hating every second of it. It wasn't like any of them actually needed him anyways. What an unbelievable waste of time.
"If you're feeling remorseful, you ought to apologize," Jade said, completely out of the blue.
"And what would give you a ridiculous idea like that?"
"The way you're enviously watching them; you're hating yourself for the things you said earlier."
"Shut up."
"There's nothing to be ashamed of about feeling regret."
"Why would I be regretful? Nothing's changed." Asch looked up at everyone walking, their conversation, their wide smiles... it was the same as it has always been, even when he was out of the picture. "Things are exactly the same as always."
"Jade!" Luke called as he jogged back, passing Asch without any manner of acknowledgement that the other noble even existed. "Ion's tired; is it okay if we stop in this next clearing?"
"Certainly, I've no problems." Jade shrugged and Luke hurried back up to the front of the group relaying the Colonel's agreement to the brief reprieve.
"Luke's not as weak as he once was," Jade commented once said young noble was out of an earshot, noticing the way Asch's eyes followed his brother all the way back up to their other companions. "He won't make the first move. This mess is yours to clean up."
"I told you to shut up!" Asch shot back.
"Don't get snarky with me young man," Jade scolded tauntingly.
"Stop acting like my father!"
"From what I've heard you wouldn't know even if I did."
"Why you good for nothing-!"
"The two of you mind keeping it down?" Guy commented. "We're stopping for a break, not to have your yelling attract every monster in the valley."
Jade simply shrugged leaving a fuming Asch to angrily plop himself down on a nearby rock. But sending death glares at Jade got old really fast and the older redhead quickly found his mind wandering onto other things, the words Luke had said to him emblazoned at the forefront of those thoughts. Had that one ever backfired. Since when was Luke that confident... or bold for that matter? Then again, how much attention had he even really paid to his brother in the past couple months? Had Luke really changed that much?
Anise watched the older twin from a distance, a bit of an evil smirk on her face. She knew she shouldn't be enjoying the fact that Asch obviously wanted to talk to Luke, and that Luke was more than happily ignoring him while in conversation with Ion, but it served him right! Judging by the growing look of supreme frustration on Asch's face, she'd even venture to say Luke had figured out how to keep their CCN closed. Irony was such a beautiful thing.
"So are we going to be like this for the rest of this trip?" Asch finally asked aloud, apparently conceding to the fact that they weren't going to be able to talk privately.
"What do you think?"
"Oh grow up," Asch shot.
"Why do you care? You didn't want me around, why should that change now? After all, you're just fine without me." Luke shot back.
"Hey, I'm here now, aren't I?"
Luke's head turned, looking Asch in the eye for the first time since their previous argument. His intensity hadn't subsided in the least. "So what do you want? You think you can just say 'oh hey sorry' and everything will just go back to normal? I'm not a punching bag you can throw around when you're mad or for whatever twisted purpose you come up with. I get hurt too; maybe you just don't realize that. But guess what? I'm past the point where I need your support or approval for the things I do. So yeah, you're here," Luke stated angrily. "But you're only here because you're forced to be... and that doesn't mean a damn thing."
The younger sibling stood up and walked away, announcing the end of their break and was followed unquestioningly by his companions. Asch remained frozen to the spot for a moment, before being ushered ahead by Jade. Whatever other thoughts had been sifting through the young monarch's mind were completely swept away by the sheer vehemence of what he'd just seen. Asch had learnt to take a lot from Luke over the almost eight years they'd been siblings, but not once had he ever seen genuine hatred. Asch had known when he'd chosen this path that they would fight, he had known Luke would be angry... but he had never dreamed it would go this far.
Well then fine. If Luke wanted to be like that, he was more than happy to let his replica have his way. Let him have his stupid little temper tantrum, see if he cared. Luke didn't want him around anymore... well two could play it that way. He didn't need his little brother's constant badgering and whining anyways. After everything that he had done for Luke... and he had still tried to make amends but had been shot down where he stood.
If that was how things were going to be between them, so be it.
The sun was high in the sky, the gentle breeze tossing the selenias side to side, their soft white petals closed to the world around them as they waited for the cover of night. The green grass that grew among them danced in the wind overlooking the ocean as it sparkled in the afternoon light. Two figures stood alone among the sleeping flowers, each as silent as the other but only one of them had the air of uncertainty that begged the reason why the two found themselves here in this time and place.
"Tear," the blonde woman greeted her guest who stood defensively before her.
"Major Legretta," the God-General's student replied, the hesitation skilfully hidden in her voice but obvious to the woman that had trained her.
"I'm impressed you came, I didn't think you would."
"I came because whatever it is you want to discuss must be important if you made up such an extravagant lie, to say my brother is still alive, just to get me here," Tear answered. Legretta smirked; the hesitation was gone. Good.
Tear stared down the God-General unsure of what to make of her. Legretta's message had come so completely out of the blue, and Tear would be lying to say it hadn't messed with her head. How could her mentor make such a claim? There was no way Van was still alive... she'd watched him die. Watched him as he fell hopelessly, surrendering his life for the shadow of a dream. What did Legretta hope to gain from her now? The passage rings were dead, so they didn't need her on that front... surely they didn't intend to continue her brother's madness. Even if they did, how did she play into all of this? Perhaps it was those questions that led her here; even when every instinct in her body told her this was a trap.
"And what if I told you it wasn't a lie?" Legretta continued, baiting her former student. Tear fought against the shock and doubt she knew must have swept over her face. It was impossible... Clearly satisfied with Tear's reaction, the God-General continued. "Your brother is still very much alive, as are his dreams. Do you honestly think that such a world as this can last?"
"Of course! Everyone is working their hardest towards building a new world that's free of the Score. It's what my brother wanted!"
"People are unable to live without the Score; it will only be a little while before things break down. Things are fine in times of peace, but how long will it be before war or other disasters descend upon the world? Humans are weak; they'll turn back to the Score."
"No, I believe that people can change," Tear said with conviction.
"Why? Because that worthless replica you love pretended to change? No one changes, not him, not the people of this world, not this planet's future. Pretending the Score isn't there doesn't make it go away; the end will come just the same."
"You're wrong!" Tear shook her head in denial. Things could change, people could change! Why... why did Major Legretta cling to her brother's twisted dreams? And to use his death to further those means? She had already lost her brother, the last of her family, and still she was going to have to face her mentor the same way! She didn't want to go through this again... she didn't know if she had it in her to repeat the trials she'd faced just two short months ago. Nor did she think she had the time.
"I am not wrong, neither is Van. He once believed the things you did, but he saw it himself. The future cannot be changed; it will not deviate from the path it is on. We will give the world a future, even if it is one the planet itself rejects. Come Tear, come join us. Van wants to see you; he wants your happiness more than anything."
"You're wrong, he's not alive! You're lying!"
"Why are you so upset? You should be happy your only brother is alive."
"It's a lie!"
"Tear!"
"Luke, everyone!" Tear looked in shock at her friends who were now standing all around her. What were they doing here? What- How did they know she'd be here?
"Quite cruel of you to hide the truth from one you call your friend, wouldn't you say so, replica?"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Luke yelled back. "What are you trying to accomplish? What are you doing to the Planet Storm?"
"You both know as well as I do," Legretta replied, this time her gaze falling on Asch. "Nothing has changed, our goals are no different than they once were. We desire the future for this world." Legretta drew her guns and everyone immediately took a defensive stance.
"You can't defeat us all on your own," Jade said simply.
"I don't need to defeat you to get what I want," Legretta replied snidely before almost vanishing. Next anyone knew Asch had raised his sword in defence and fending off the speedy God-General.
Guy and Anise joined in the fray but no matter how many times they distracted her she returned to Asch. What was going on? Jade's mind raced amidst the battle as he tried to make sense of it all. Legretta was a ranged fighter; her weapons best suited her to attacks from a distance and disadvantaged her in the middle of the fray. Why then was she so eager to go hand to hand with Asch? Even if he was her target then why not attack him from a distance that he couldn't retaliate. Unless... unless Asch wasn't her target.
Legretta jumped back dodging Natalia's arrows as well as both Luke and Jade's artes. A smug grin spread across her face as she looked down on the eldest sibling who was trying to hide his laboured breath. "How long do you think you'll be able to keep defending it before someone you love gets hurt?"
Legretta's bullets bounced off Luke's sword. The younger sibling managed to deflect them harmlessly into the ground but his heart was racing at just how lucky he'd been that he'd reacted in time. Legretta jumped back away from Jade's arte preventing a second assault.
"You win for today," Legretta conceded. "But we will be taking that sword. Even if everything you've ever cared for has to die before we get it." Asch shot the God-General a deadly glare. "Tear! Don't believe that Van is alive? Ask your boyfriend over there about what he's not telling you. You just may be surprised. No one changes." Without another word, she vanished.
"Tear, are you alright?" Luke hurried to her side.
"What were you thinking coming to the middle of nowhere to meet Legretta all by yourself?" Anise demanded.
"I doubt she had any reason to believe that Legretta would be hostile," Ion provided. "She's an important person to you, am I right?"
"I'm sorry, I realized it was probably a trap, but she told me that my brother was still alive. I had to know for sure."
"And what did you discover?" Ion asked.
"Luke." Tear turned to the young noble. "She said you could tell me. What did she mean?"
"Luke, do you know anything of this?" Jade demanded sternly.
"Yeah, we knew."
"Wait, Asch you know too?" Anise turned to the older sibling.
"What do you know?" Guy asked.
"We knew Master Van was still alive, Lorelei told us," Luke confessed, looking intently at the ground. "He's most likely in the core; at least, that's our best guess."
"And you felt this wasn't important enough to mention?" Jade stared at them both disapprovingly.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! If the Commandant is still alive, why didn't you do anything about it?" Anise demanded.
"He's in the core," Asch shot back. "What did you want us to do? Jump in after him?"
"I'll tell you where to jump right now," Anise muttered.
"Well it's slightly more rational than what you did decide to do," Jade stated, earning him a harsh glare from the older sibling. "Never-the less, Luke, what exactly did Lorelei say to the two of you? I want it word for word."
"'Luke, Asch, I will send you the key, use it to set me free'," Luke quoted. "'The one who would seize glory is trying to capture me.' And that's all I heard. I've been trying to figure out exactly what Lorelei meant since then and... well..."
"And find the other half of the key," Jade provided. Luke nodded in conformation. "Asch, how long have they been threatening you like that?" The redhead simply scoffed and turned his head.
"How long?" Jade demanded in one of the harshest tones they'd ever heard him use.
"Nine weeks."
Nine weeks? Natalia listened in disbelief. Asch had... he had been fighting off the God-Generals all this time? But that was impossible! Surely someone would have noticed! The Kimlascan Princess felt a tendril of guilt curl up in her stomach. She had been the first one to see it, the first one to realize he hadn't been himself, that he'd been bothered and distracted; but she had been so quick to pin it on his duties and dismissed it without even asking him.
Luke had known earlier; he had said Asch had a reason for his harsh words and seemingly cruel actions. Yet neither she nor her younger cousin had noticed the problem for what it was. Perhaps they did somewhat deserve the contempt with which Asch had approached them. Legretta had said it herself, that she would come after those Asch cared for. He had gone through so much to protect them and they hadn't once bothered themselves enough to ask him why he was so weary.
"So almost right after you returned to Baticul," Jade pondered. "Have you considered the possibility that the God-Generals may have the Jewel?" Jade asked. "They clearly have some sort of interest in or purpose for the Key to make that sort of effort and they've two months head start looking for it."
"I didn't," Luke admitted. "I didn't have any reason to."
"Asch, why didn't you ever say anything?" Natalia asked. "Surely there was something we could have done to help."
"I didn't want you involved." Asch dismissed her.
"You still could have told us," Luke protested, clearly still upset. "We could have kept our guard up, helped keep them away, anything. You didn't want Legretta attacking us, but you thought it would be better for us to be abandoned and then to have you trample all over us?"
"Better hurt than dead."
"Make that decision for yourself," Luke spat.
The Colonel sighed. "Any and all bitter feelings aside for the moment, I wish you would have said something about this earlier; this changes everything."
"How so Jade?" Ion asked. "Yes Van is alive, and there's a chance he may try to resurrect his plan, but I don't see how it affects what we're currently doing. There really isn't any reason for the topic to have come up."
"Unfortunately, whether Luke realized it or not, the fact that Van is alive is still of vital importance. If Van were to actually succeed in capturing or sealing Lorelei, then there would be a tremendous drop in the number of Seventh Fonons available. In attempts to maintain the balance, the Planet Storm will try to compensate by increasing in velocity. It will eventually reach the point that the Tartarus can't neutralize the vibrations anymore and the mantle will liquefy. With the Sephiroth no longer active, the Outer Lands will sink."
"So what do we do about it?" Anise asked. "We obviously can't let that happen, it would be the same as if the Outer Lands had fallen in the first place!"
"Ideally freeing Lorelei would solve the problem of the fonon balance and the Planet Storm would return to normal. Likewise dealing with the increased Seventh Fonon consumption would at least slow the process and give us more time."
"So we're still looking into the mystery of the replicas and the moving facility," Guy provided.
"Until we've a better idea of what the Commandant is up to, yes."
"I can't believe this," Tear managed. "I can't believe my brother is still alive."
"Tear..." Luke motioned comfortingly towards the melodist but was cut off by her sharp look.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" She demanded. "You knew this whole time, why hadn't you ever said anything?"
"I'm sorry, but I knew we were eventually going to have to deal with him, and I didn't want you to go through what you had last time. I didn't want you do get hurt if you didn't have to be."
"You had no right to make that decision for me. He is my brother and his actions are just as much my responsibility as they are yours!"
"But..."
"She's right Luke," Guy pointed out. "You did the exact same thing you've accused Asch of doing to you."
Luke's eyes widened, realizing the truth of what Guy had said. "I'm sorry Tear," the redhead finally managed. The melodist opened her mouth to say something, but instead erupted into a fit of coughing.
"Tear, are you alright?" Natalia hurried to her side, but Tear smiled weakly and dismissed her support.
"It's fine, I just ran out of my medication. I was planning to go pick up some more once I was done here, but the trip took longer than I had expected."
"Well I guess that's why we're here," Anise piped up.
"Why is everyone here?" Tear asked.
"Ion says he found a Daathic Fonic arte that can cure your illness, so we came to find you. We were all really worried, especially lover boy over here," Anise added with a sly look at the now reddening younger noble.
"But Daathic Fonic artes aren't good for your health," the melodist protested. "With my medication, I'm doing just fine; you don't have to strain yourself. Especially now that I'm not exposed to the miasma anymore..."
"No, really Tear, it's alright." Ion smiled. "Besides, your medications can't suppress your illness forever, and it will eventually progress. You've sacrificed a great deal for the benefit of this world and all the people in it; let someone do something for you. I'm not certain if it will work, but I would at least like to try."
"But-" Tear tried again to protest but Ion had already taken her hand in his own. Before anyone could say anything more on the subject, both Fon Master and melodist we enveloped in light that swam around them like the fonons drawn in by the arte.
Tear closed her eyes, losing herself in the feeling of warmth that washed over her. It felt like the first breath of fresh air taken after being cooped up in a small space for a long time. She hadn't realized just how affected she had actually become, the extent to which the taint had suppressed her senses and her feelings. It was the most wonderful feeling, the feeling of life that had returned to her.
"Ion, are you alright?" Tear opened her eyes to see the light had faded and the fonons dispersed. Ion looked up at her and smiled, but was clearly much paler.
"I'm fine," Ion stumbled backwards and was caught by Luke. "I'm just... a little... tired."
"Ion!" Anise cried out but lowered her outstretched hand when Luke sent her a reassuring look. "Honestly, you think he could have at least waited until we were somewhere he could rest properly. Do you need me to carry him on Tokunaga?"
"No, it's alright," Luke answered his voice surprisingly solemn as he moved the Fon Master onto his back. "He's not that heavy."
"How are you feeling Tear?" Anise asked.
"Much better," she admitted. "Better than I have in quite awhile."
"That's good to hear," Natalia smiled. "Hopefully that'll be the last we'll see of that dreadful illness."
"Agreed; but in the meantime, let's get going. The sooner we get moving, the sooner we can get Ion someplace he can rest," Guy suggested. "Tear if there's somewhere you want us to drop you off, we can."
"If you don't mind, I'd like to come with you. If you're dealing with things concerning my brother, I'd like to be involved."
"Of course you're welcome to come along," the young Malkuth noble replied.
"Thank you."
"You know," Anise commented with a chuckle once they had started working their way back down. "This is pretty familiar. It seems every time we come here Luke is carrying someone back down."
"Yeah," Guy agreed with a playful elbow at his best friend. "But at least this time no one is damaged beyond repair, right?"
Luke managed a weak smile.
'Are you alright?'
'I'm still mad at you.' Luke answered, but his tone lacked the edge it had before.
'I know,' Asch replied. 'But that doesn't mean I have to stop giving a damn when you're upset.'
'I'm fine.'
'Look, I know I handled things-'
'I know, but that doesn't mean that there's something the matter with me,' Luke shot back, clearly not ready to make any sort of amends. He'd made the same mistake, but apparently that still didn't make either of them right in their actions.
'If you say so.'
Luke sighed, the short lived distraction doing nothing to lift the weight that was crushing his chest. Why did Asch have to be so damned perceptive all the time? Leave it to him to sit there and wait for a chance to sneak across their connection like that... Luke shook his head. He could take his frustration out on his sibling all he wanted but he knew that wasn't the problem.
The problem was that Anise was right, this was entirely too familiar. The weak breathing, the way Ion was so light and fragile that Luke felt he might break him... and the feeling of the tainted Seventh Fonons as they travelled through the young Fon Master. An icy cold hand tightened its grip around Luke's throat as he realized the truth. Ion hadn't cured Tear; he had made the decision to shoulder her disease himself.
He had taken her death sentence.
'Are you sure you're alright?' Asch asked. Luke picked up his pace so no one would see the tears that threatened to overflow.
'I'm fine.'