Sorry. Meant to get this one out yesterday and then completely spaced out. –is shot-

So, this chapter actually cleans up a line from the game that makes very little sense, honestly. It also clears up Glenn's seeming-hatred of Jade. So, here we go...

Also, beware Dark.

Enjoy!

"Don't bother, Dark. Asch isn't going to listen to you... Which is why I'll deal with you when you wake up." –Sync

Chapter 5.2 – Almost War
Part 49

Selenia's POV

I tapped the last few buttons I needed to and waited a moment. One, two... A slight bump told me we'd come to a stop. I looked up at Jade, who was finishing up the last few things he needed to complete before we could get off.

We hadn't spoken since he realized who Mama was. More than once, Anise and Natalia had attempted to get us to talk to each other.

Sync had usually told them to fuck off. In those words exactly. Which had resulted in Reighn commenting on his language usage, and so on. Although, right now, Sync was asleep, having been on the night shift with Reighn.

"Are you two ever going to talk to each other again?" Anise asked as we all stood and started to make our way out of the bridge. Ion glanced at Sync (happily draped over Twilight's back) then at Reighn, then at Anise, who was going on and on about all the stuff we could talk about. The Fon Master sighed.

"Anise," he interrupted. "I'm only going to say this because Sync is asleep. Whatever happened between them is their business. Fuck off."

Hearing those words coming from innocent Ion's mouth almost made me bust up with giggles. Anise's face upon this sentence, however, was what opened the floodgates. Jade chuckled a bit as well as we stepped out into Port Sheridan. Then it cut off abruptly.

"Selenia... Aren't your grandparents in Sheridan?"

I frowned and crossed my arms, while everyone looked at Jade in shock for finally talking to me of his own will.

"But... Her grandmother should be in Engeve now, and her grandfather is still in St. Binah," Natalia said. I shook my head.

"Those are Papa's parents. Jade's talking about Mama's parents... And... No. Gramps died about a year ago. Granny moved to Baticul after he died. But they used to live here... Maybe I should go visit the graveyard."

Jade took a deep breath. "I see."

"I think Papa buried some of Mama's ashes here too."

Jade refused to look at me, and we continued on to Sheridan. Sync woke up somewhere along the way and switched places with Ion, who was starting to get tired. No one mentioned Ion's use of Sync's language. We had just stepped into town when Natalia frowned and looked down at me. "Who was your mother?" she asked. I frowned. She's pretty perceptive, when she wants to be.

"Maria Andres."

"Second Lieutenant Maria Andres," Jade corrected. Natalia's eyes widened.

"Doesn't Malkuth have military regulations to keep at least one of a married couple off of the battlefield?!"

"Yeah, but that doesn't stop female military officers of either country from simply keeping their original surnames."

Nine pairs of eyes turned toward the young man who had spoken.

"Dark! You're alright!" Natalia cried happily. Probably completely forgetting about my mother in the process.

The former assassin crossed his arms. "I wish I could say the same of Asch and Kairi."

Expressions of elation suddenly fell, Sync stepping away from my side to approach Dark. "What happened? You all were fine a week ago." Dark snorted.

"Van, Zion, and Luke. That's what happened. They took Kairi prisoner, and Mieu must have slipped into her bag, because we can't find him now. Largo left with them. The only reason I'm in as good a shape as I am is because I choose not to chase after them. Sorylle's probably never going to be able to lay eggs now, no thanks to Largo, and they left Asch in critical condition. I couldn't just leave the two of them. Asch is still comatose, though I think he'll be waking up soon," he said.

All of it in something just short of a monotone, and with that dead, steely expression on his face.

I'll admit it. I was scared.

Sync clenched his fists, and I stepped forward to wrap my arms around him. I got knocked on my butt for my efforts.

"Don't take it out on Selenia," Reighn snapped. Sync looked down at me with an expression like a kicked puppy. I just smiled, stood back up, and hugged him again.

"They'll be alright."

Sync pulled in a shaky breath. "This is the second time I've been told that my friends have been hurt by that bastard. I didn't take it well the first time and I'm not taking it well now."

"You heard Dark. Asch'll be okay. And Kairi's good at getting out of tight spots," I said quietly. Sync was quiet for a moment before he started to pull away a bit, and I let him go slowly.

"Thanks, Selenia."

I smiled. "You're welcome. Do you want to come visit Gramps and my uncles with me?"

Sync smirked. "Nah. I think I'd rather go irritate Asch awake."

Dark ran a hand through his hair. "I don't think it works like that, but feel free to try. Room B16 at the inn. Which reminds me... You guys aren't just here to pick us up, are you?"

Natalia shook her head. "No. How did you...?"

"Seth and Guy."

"Oh..."

I giggled at Natalia before sobering up. "Guy said the engineers here were working on flight experiments. We came to see if we could borrow it to save the rest of the citizens. Papa and Grandpa and a bunch of others are still stuck in St. Binah, and it's started to sink. We can't reach them."

"There are too many people left for Tear to handle alone," Jade added. Dark nodded.

"You'll want to find Iemon then. Or Tamara and Aster. Those two might be safer. Either way, I suggest the town hall." Dark turned and started to walk off.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Natalia asked. Dark glanced back and frowned.

"I'm going to go get Sorylle." He continued to walk away without another word.

"Something else is wrong. I don't think I've ever seen Dark act like that before," Natalia said. "Do you think maybe something else is wrong with Asch?"

I rolled my eyes. Jeez. Asch or Dark, pick a boy, girl!

"I doubt it. We'll likely find out later, at any rate. Why don't we go speak with the engineers? Selenia... do you want to come with us, or...?" he trailed off. I shrugged.

"I'll come. I want to know how long it's gonna take us to get back to St. Binah. Visiting Gramps and my uncles can wait."

Natalia looked over at me again. "Your uncles... Your mother's brothers?" she guessed. I nodded. "Were they in the military too?"

I took a deep breath. "Uncle Albert, Uncle Fletcher, and Uncle Kenny were in the Kimlascan military. Uncle Emmett, Uncle George, Uncle Hugh, and Mama were in the Malkuth military. Uncle Emmett's the only one that's still alive."

"And Jade knew your mother?"

"He was her commanding officer. Mama was the fourth born. Albert, Kenny, George, Mama, Hugh, Emmett, and Fletcher. That's the order they were born in," I said. I crossed my arms and looked away from her, refusing to cry. I hoped she would get the point already.

"Private Fletcher Andres was captured, and I... I ordered Maria to execute him, not even considering for a moment that they could be siblings. We didn't have the resources we needed to take prisoners, so I thought I had made an extremely logical choice. And it wasn't like it was the first time I had asked the Lieutenant to perform that duty."

Natalia gasped. "Don't tell me she actually—"

"No. She returned to the command tent that night, handed over her weapons, and knelt right there on the ground in front of me before stating quite plainly that she would not kill or harm that young man in any way. Insubordination during wartime is punishable by death. And again, we didn't have the time or resources to send her to Grand Chokmah for trial." Jade cut off here, once again refusing to meet my eyes.

Hazel eyes looked up at him with horror. Then Natalia looked at me. Then back up at Jade. "You..."

Jade closed his eyes. "I did what was expected of me as her superior officer. She knew what refusing to kill her little brother would mean for her and she did it regardless," he said. He paused here. "I've been in the military for almost twenty years now. I've seen so much death and destruction it doesn't even faze me. What happened with Maria Andres has always left a sour taste in my mouth. It's even worse now, knowing I left an eight-year-old girl motherless. But there's nothing I can do to change the past."

I bit my lip, not even noticing when Sync wrapped an arm around me again. Mama...

"That's what you meant."

I looked up when Tear spoke. We stepped into the town hall quietly. "What do you mean?" Jade asked.

Tear frowned. "When we arrived in Baticul. You told Brigadier General Cecille that she taught you a painful lesson during your battle in Northern Chesedonia, even though she claimed her forces were virtually wiped out. You were referring to Lieutenant Andres."

Jade nodded. "Yes."

"Oh my. What's going on here?"

We looked up, and I couldn't help but blink a few times. "Aunt Tammy?"

The familiar woman looked down at me and smiled. "Ah, Selenia. What's my favorite grand-niece doing in Sheridan? My sister's in Baticul now, you know."

I grinned and raced up the steps, running right into her arms. Well, arm. She had to drop her ruler first. "I'd forgotten you were Class M..."

Aunt Tammy laughed. "Ah, sounds like this wasn't a social visit."

I pulled away and shook my head. "No. St. Binah's sinking. We need to borrow whatever you're using for the flight experiments."

"Blunt as a brick wall," Sync muttered. I giggled, and Aunt Tammy laughed with me, though hers was a bit strained.

"I'd love to help, Selenia, you know I would, but..."

"But?" Jade asked.

Iemon (at least, I think it was Iemon) crossed his arms. "The Albiore crashed in the Meggiora Highlands, and with the winds blowing the way they are, it could fall at any minute. We've only started up one of the two hoverdrives. We can't even get the Albiore II in the air the way things are now."

Aster shot something reminiscent of a glare at the other man. "Iemon! That's your grandson Ginji up there! If the Albiore falls, there's no way he'll survive!"

"It's not like we can send out a rescue team! All of the soldiers are preparing for war!"

I sighed and looked up at Aunt Tammy, who seemed to be about as exasperated as I was. Then I crossed my arms.

"Most of these guys have got military experience," I said loudly, catching the attention of the two arguing men. "Would you trust us to go get Ginji and the hoverdrive?"

Aunt Tammy picked her ruler back up. "Even if you did, all of the parts we need to finish the Albiore II are being used for landship production."

Jade stepped forward. "We came here on a landship. If you'll allow us to take the Albiore II, then you're welcome to strip down the Tartarus for anything you need."

I looked up at Aunt Tammy, who nodded. "Alright."

Iemon turned and headed into a back room, coming back with a pair of... um... "Use these launchers to get the Albiore down safely. You'll have to hit it from both sides at the same time."

Reighn walked over and examined them before nodding. "Alright. Shouldn't be too hard. Jade, do you know how to use one of these, or am I going to have to walk you through it?"

Jade adjusted his glasses. "I'm familiar enough with them. Let's get going. Ion? Why don't you stay here and lead them to the Tartarus while we get the hoverdrive and the Albiore's pilot?"

Ion nodded. "Alright. Good luck."

We followed Jade as he left the hall and headed for the exit to town.

"You shouldn't be up and moving around."

"Kairi shouldn't be in that bastard's hands again."

"You're not going to do her any good chasing after Zion like that."

"Don't bother, Dark. Asch isn't going to listen to you," Sync said.

"Damn right I'm not." Sync slammed his palm into Asch's neck.

"Which is why I'll deal with you when you wake up," he continued, barely catching the redhead before he hit the ground. He looked up at Dark, who was smirking.

"I'll take him back to the inn real quick. Where are you guys going?"

"Meggiora Highlands. It looks like their flying machine crashed," Anise said.

"And you're going to borrow it?"

"You know, when you put it like that..." Anise muttered. I giggled.

"It was probably just the Meggiora wind patterns. You can ask Arietta. Her monsters hate flying in there because the winds are so erratic," Dark said, completely contradicting his previous assessment of the flying craft.

Jade sighed. "Are you an optimist or a pessimist?"

Dark shrugged. "Neither.

I giggled. "Well, you can't say you didn't look at every angle. Meet us outside the city?"

Dark nodded, Asch now slung over his back again. A young liger who was just starting to take on a sea-green hue growled, and Dark growled something back at her.

Twilight padded over the other liger and growled quietly, only to be snapped at by the girl. The silvery liger sounded dejected. The smaller let her head hang.

"Sorylle?" Natalia asked. The liger looked up at her, and Natalia opened her mouth, before closing it again and kneeling, holding her arms out.

Sorylle looked at her in surprise before running into the princess' arms. Natalia growled something softly as she pulled away... Only for Sorylle to make a face and growl something similar.

Natalia's face turned red and she started mimicking the liger's growl, the two repeating it back and forth until Sorylle nodded smartly. Natalia looked embarrassed by the time she was done. They'd been at it long enough for Dark to return.

"Still standing around?"

Jade sighed. "Natalia was attempting to talk to Sorylle and must have messed something up, because the two of them just spent the last three minutes growling the same thing over and over again. Or at least, that's what it sounded like to my ears."

Twilight growled the exact same thing they'd been doing, then continued along. Dark blinked a few times before chuckling.

"Yeah... That's a tricky verb."

Natalia sighed. "We should be going. Five minutes ago."

I grinned and turned, racing to the exit. "Well? Anybody else coming?"

The others exchanged looks, Dark and Natalia being the first to follow me, then Sync. Of course, then Jade made the mistake of speaking.

"Aw. Look at the cute couples."

Sync, Dark, and I exchanged wicked grins before turning to Jade.

"Jade and Cantabile, sittin' in a tree!"

Fun Fact: I am personally quite proud of Natalia for being the only one in that group of four mature enough to NOT start singing that at Jade. Keep an eye out for this, by the way. There are only three times in this story when someone other than Dark instigates the rhyme, and each one is something of a marker. The first time is coming up in the next chapter, and although it isn't explicitly stated, it is heavily implied (and an utter failure). The second shows up around the end of the TotA Game Events as they go in Re:AST. The last one pops up in the very last chapter. (Anybody want to guess who the three people who do it are? I bet you'll never guess the last one.)