Sad truth up here. Sad, sad truth.

Here's a not so sad truth: 100 CHAPTERS! Whoo! (Of course, I kinda felt like this already when I hit 39, 'cause that, plus the 61 from Re:ARitA make a total of a hundred. I'm going for a total of 300, methinks, since the outline for AEtT isn't even a fourth of the way done and it's already at 24 Parts...

"That's the original Abyss group. They haven't traveled as one group since... Um. Ever." –Kairi

Chapter 12.3 – Out of Time
Part 100

Anise's betrayal blew over a lot more calmly this time, especially since Ion didn't die. On the other hand...

"Wait... Largo is Natalia's father?!"

Natalia, Largo, Asch, Sync, and I sighed.

"Yes. And the next idiot to ask that question is going to get a frying pan upside the head," I grumbled.

Naturally, they finally stopped asking that question.

"Now what? King Ingobert sent us to inquire about the increasing activity regarding the Planet Storm," Dark said. I crossed my arms.

"Well, there's a few different things we need to do. To be honest, I'd like any plans to start with us all piling into the Albiore, going to Sheridan, getting the other Albiore, and splitting up. We've got way too many things to deal with to not split up," I said.

Selenia nodded. "I think it's safe to assume that the replica army that attacked you guys in Northern Chesedonia was created and then sent by Mohs. He is still looking for a war, after all," she said.

Sync scowled. "Him and his damn Score..."

"I'm more concerned about the Yulia City power generators. They've been hacked before—if they're being used now to power a large number of fomicry projects, that would be a drain on the Planet Storm that I can get rid of," I added.

"And you'd have to go there, since none of us have a clue what we're doing with that stuff," Luke noted.

"What about the Order of Lorelei? We can't all just leave..." Reighn said. I sighed.

"That's what Largo, Cantabile, Rialle, and Aerith are for." The four in question nodded their agreement.

"We also need to look into a rather concerning rumor," Asch said. "While you were in Northern Chesedonia, I was talking to Father in Belkend. We overheard something about a pair of traveling Scorers."

Ion frowned. "The Order of Lorelei has put a halt to all Score readings," he said. Sync grimaced.

"Urk... I'll go with whatever group isn't looking into that."

I rolled my eyes. "Brat."

Natalia stepped forward, and I noted that she was back in her original white and blue outfit. "I actually had another reason for coming to Daath. Father—King Ingobert—and I have discussed this... We haven't come up with any true solution for how to handle the Score. Yes, the Order of Lorelei has ordered all readings to cease, however..."

"It's not stopping individuals like the aforementioned traveling Scorers," I said, seeing where she was going with this. She nodded.

"I'd like to suggest holding a summit on this matter, since this is a problem facing all our countries, Daath especially."

Jade sighed. "I'm sure Emperor Peony will agree, but we had best bring this up with him anyway, just to be official."

Ion nodded. "I certainly agree with it. Since Teodoro is acting Grand Maestro until we can vote on the next official Grand Maestro, we should speak to him as well."

"I'll have Sync do that while I'm poking around in the underbelly of Yulia City," I said.

"What about the miasma? With the Planet Storm increasing in intensity, we've got less than your projected three weeks before the dividing line breaks," Asch said. I bit my lip.

"That isn't something we can solve right away," I said softly. Then I shook my head. "We should prioritize that summit on the Score, the traveling Scorers, and the replication facilities responsible for the increased Planet Storm activity."

I paused and looked around, then licked my lips.

"Kairi?"

"If it becomes absolutely necessary to completely neutralize the miasma, or if something else happens regarding the Planet Storm... I'd like to be able to discuss the methods of resolving those problems with King Ingobert and Emperor Peony as well," I said. Asch looked like he was regretting prompting me to speak.

Largo tapped his arm a couple more times before standing up straight. "Zion mentioned something about Eldrant to Mohs after he was evicted from Baticul. I believe Kairi's decision to go to Yulia City may help to delay its progress, if not stop it altogether."

I looked over at him instantly. Interesting... I hadn't asked for information about these plans. In fact, I'd explicitly told him he didn't need to tell us anything about it if he didn't want to. So for him to do so... "Then I was right. Eldrant itself is a replica."

Largo nodded. "Of Hod. The sheer number of seventh fonons needed to replicate a landmass of that size would force the Planet Storm to over-compensate, especially with Lorelei still trapped in the core."

"So we should add freeing Lorelei to our list of things we really better do sooner rather than later?" Luke asked. I crossed my arms.

"We still don't have a clue how. We have the means, but not the method. We'll put a proverbial star by that one, but it would be best to leave it be until we've filled in the holes. In the meantime... Eldrant is definitely not something we want going through. We've already got an army of replicas on the loose, traveling Scorers... Oh, hell."

"What?"

Something I'd forgotten, that's what.

"How are Mohs, Dist, and Rhunön getting their replica data for the replica army?"

A lot of confused looks went around, until Sync's eyes went wide. "The Scorers..."

Asch's eyes widened as well. "One of the men I overheard talking about the traveling Scorers in Belkend collapsed not long after mentioning it... There's... what, a fifty percent chance of having your replica data taken being fatal?"

"That would also explain why nothing the healers were doing for Ari was helping. From what I've seen, seventh fonons only aggravate the problem. Kairi's Energies might have helped... had the rest of us not immediately undone her work with our artes," Jade said. "Though it's actually closer to a thirty percent chance of fatality within two weeks. Then there's a thirty percent chance of some other serious and rather obvious problem cropping up within four weeks, and another thirty percent chance of a more minor problem that will appear within that same time frame. You actually got quite lucky."

I crossed my arms, rather upset now with what Jade had just brought up. "You're right. I was able to heal Natalia after her replica data was taken."

"You also healed yourself," Natalia said. I grimaced.

"Um, Natalia... That... I'm sorry, but I have to throw myself in that incident into an entirely different category. Anyway!"

"Wait, Natalia was replicated?" Cantabile asked. Largo looked concerned as well, and I sighed.

"Yeah. Meryl's running around with Mirage... Hey, Asch?"

He looked like he'd caught my trail of thought. "Two Scorers... You think it might be them?"

"Zion did say he had those two working on a different project," I said. "So, I think it's safe to say that the Scorers need to take high priority. Both groups will have to look for them, in addition to setting up that summit."

"Who's gonna go where?" Selenia asked. "I'd like to go with you and Sync, since you already mentioned Sync's gonna be going with you to talk to Teodoro."

I sighed. "Well, for now, we need to get to the Albiore II. If we're splitting up, we'll need them both. Luke and Asch need to be separated, of course. They're our point of communication," I added.

"I'm going with you and Sync. It's been far too long since I've been able to travel in a group with you both," Asch said quickly. Jade sighed.

"Alright. We'll figure out the rest on the Albiore. I take this to mean you five have things handled here?" he asked, looking over at the group he was addressing—Cantabile, Aerith, Rialle, Florian, and Largo.

With the exceptions of Aerith and Florian, who were glaring at each other over something, they nodded.

"Right. Let's go," Dark prompted.

Once we were on the Albiore, arguments started about who was going to go where. I finally got fed up with the fighting and brought out the frying pan.

"Luke, Tear, Jade, Anise, Guy, Natalia, and Ion. You seven will take Sorylle and Mieu with you. Asch, Sync, Dark, Reighn, Selenia, and I will go the other way, and we're taking Twilight. Everyone done arguing?"

A lot of glances got passed around.

"Fairly balanced, but damn you rattled those names out quickly," Guy noted. I smirked and glanced at Asch, who rolled his eyes.

"Um, I have an argument..."

I groaned and gave Natalia the stink eye.

"Sorylle should go with Dark and Twilight. I'll be fine with the rest of the group I'm in."

I glanced at Dark, then at Sorylle. "Your call, Sorylle."

She sat up from where she'd been lounging around and looked back and forth between Dark and Natalia for a few minutes. Then, after a long bout of consideration, she stood up and padded over to Dark, growling something and sitting down practically on his foot. She looked over her shoulder at Natalia with what was clearly an apologetic look, but the blonde smiled.

"It's alright. You two could use some time to travel together."

Matter apparently settled, Sorylle laid down again, and I sighed. "Any other problems?"

A lot of shaking heads met my question, and I breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Then I had to smile to myself. I honestly don't think the original Tales of the Abyss group has had a chance to travel together... ever... without at least one other character barging in on it. I mean, originally, Dark was with them, then me and Dark on the Tartarus, then back to just Dark until Kaitzur, when I jumped in again, and... Well, yeah. Dark was with them up until Sync and Reighn joined, and then I think they may have had a couple days where the extras were gone before they joined up again.

So, yeah. Especially since Luke got taken away at Akzeriuth. I was glad to see that group of seven back together finally, even if Ion was a fighter instead of just tagging along rather uselessly.

Asch dragged me into the back after a few minutes, and I noted that no one followed us. I crossed my arms once we were alone. "Yes...?"

"You did that on purpose."

I shrugged. "That's the original Abyss group. They haven't traveled as one group since... Um. Ever." I paused. "Besides, you brought up a good point. It hasn't been you, me, and Sync since your birthday. Selenia's tagging along because she's another girl and she's Sync's girlfriend. Dark's coming along because I haven't gotten to travel with him a lot, aside from the rescue mission, and... I'm sorry. I like Dark, he's my friend, but he kinda tends to gravitate completely toward Natalia when he's in the same group as her."

Asch nodded in concession to this point.

"And Reighn... Actually, that one was just a matter of deciding that if I was sending the two main healers with Luke, I wanted another extra healer with us. You've got a few healing artes, Dark has Halo and Sacrifice, now that he knows how to put a limit on it, and Reighn has Meditation and... Something else. I know he's got another one, I just can't name it off the top of my head," I said. Asch chuckled.

"Neither can I. Well, regardless, I don't really mind. I was actually wanting to talk to Reighn, myself. But.." he paused and kinda rocked back and forth on his feet. "Kairi... I know you're pretty confident about being able to survive the miasma, but... I want to leave you in Yulia City."

"No."

"And I knew you were going to say that, so I'm not going to force it. Besides, we'll be sitting ducks if we need to poke anything more complex than a basic computer. Even Jade doesn't really understand Dawn Age technology the way you do. So just... Promise you'll be careful about filtering the miasma out when the dividing line does break? Because I'm not optimistic enough to think it'll hold," he said.

I kinda slumped a bit. "Alright. I'll be careful. But in exchange... No being reckless when we have to neutralize the miasma. You and Luke can do it if you're careful and work together, I think. We'd have to look into it a bit more."

Asch frowned. "If you succeed in halting the rise of Eldrant, then..."

"At this point, it's most likely Eldrant will take to the sky whether I want it to or not. All I can do for now is prepare myself for it." I paused and smirked. "Besides, we have to get to the Isle of Feres. The Sword Dancer's waiting, after all."

Asch cursed rather creatively at that, and I laughed. "Why are you so damn obsessed with that thing?!"

I shrugged. "I'm not obsessed, Asch. Especially not after Tataroo Valley. But... I do want you to have Ultimatus. Besides, a couple other people still don't have weapons from it, Reighn being one of them."

Asch frowned. "Me. Reighn. Who else?"

"Seth and Flick."

"Are we going to be picking them up at some point?"

"Probably. Seth's my little brother, and Flick likes us, so I wouldn't be surprised if they jump in," I admitted.

"So... There's someone else. I know there is."

"Um, yeah. Jade."

"So who's going to help you fight it?"

I frowned and thought about it. "Well... You. And... Neh, I'll pick from the other three who'll probably be getting weapons when that time comes. I intend for all of us to be on the Isle of Feres."

Asch nodded once.

"What are you two lovebirds doing back here?"

I flipped Sync the bird, and he snickered. "No thanks, I'll leave that for Asch to do."

That he immediately fled told me that he did know his life was forfeit for that comment. "So... I'll catch him, you'll kill him?"

"Sounds like a plan to me."

Asch and I spent the next hour Sync-hunting. I finally caught him, only for Noelle's voice to come over the intercom and announce that we were about to land. So Sync got away with just a frying pan to the head and orders to never make that sort of a comment again or else it would be getting back to Cantabile.

That shut him up pretty quickly.

"Do I want to know why Sync appears to be nursing a bump on his head?" Selenia asked. I gave her a look.

"If he ever makes that sort of a comment around you, you are welcome, encouraged even, to drop him like a hot poker."

She made a face, while Reighn leveled a disapproving look on Sync, who was now a bright shade of red. Dark just looked baffled.

"Jade said to let him know when we're off. They're heading straight to Grand Chokmah to talk to Emperor Peony," Dark said after a moment. I nodded and reached out telepathically as we left the Albiore.

*All clear.*

Jade sighed. *Alright... And Kairi? Please, be careful...*

Fun Fact: ...You know Asch's 'Damn impressionable replicas' line? You wanna know where Sync picked up the line that got him a knock upside the head? Kairi. So Kairi's being a bit of a hypocrite here.

Then again, Sync is still pretty young. It may just be a matter of trying to keep him mostly innocent.