Will whoever turned my hell-puppy into Noir's daughter PLEASE turn her back?! I think I'd rather deal with the hell-puppy that doesn't want me writing AEtT than Fleur who wants me drawing her and her friends right now. Or if you'd rather not, please find and return her younger sister Blanche so I can set her to the task of controlling Fleur. I've already drawn Fleur, her weapon, Doc, and was about to start on his weapon when I realized I should probably get this ready to be uploaded... (I finished with the final edits and proceeded to draw Doc's weapon.)

...I desperately need shot. That said, by the time I actually get to the later arcs of AEtT, where the kids show up (or are at least mentioned), I should have most of them drawn, assuming I can keep this up... Well, I'll have the really important ones drawn, at least.

Okay, on to more relevant things! I decided to upload this chapter by itself. Why? ...Because multiple things happen. Seriously.

So. Onward! ...Poor Jade... –snickers-

"Flick made a comment about liking the new outfit, and now I can't seem to find my wing pack..." –Jade

Chapter 13.1 – End Game
Part 111

I smiled as the Energies all connected up nicely. Jade kept looking back and for the between me and the terminal.

"Amazing... everything she's learned is automatically coding itself into the replica..." He turned toward me again. "You know, if we could figure out a way to shift souls from one body to another without needing you to do it yourself, we could effectively solve the problem of terminal illnesses."

I sighed. "One problem. Some people would want that technology for... less noble purposes. Mohs, for one. He's not a seventh fonist. If he finds out the trick Rhunön's found for adjusting replica data to make the replica a seventh fonist where the original wasn't..."

Jade sighed. "Good point. But... Couldn't we use something like this to help you? I know your body is in bad shape. Wouldn't it be possible to make this sort of a transfer?"

I shrugged. "Who knows? I'm fine for now, though, and given that having my replica data taken the first time literally tore me apart... Well, I think it would be best if we didn't try it again. Which means we'd have to find Rhunön's copy of the data to pull it off."

"Which reminds me... Seth said they fought Mirage and Meryl outside Chesedonia after catching them in their traveling Scorers act."

I nodded, not surprised, and double-checked Fallon. Her Energy Core was stable, and shining brightly. Since I'd been making the transfer as the body formed, there hadn't been a second, newborn soul to contend with.

"He also said that Ryndor said your orange-haired Malkuthian friend knew where this would all end."

I frowned. What? "He was obviously talking about Levi, but..." I trailed off, remembering something he'd sent me almost a month ago now. "The fonstone."

"Fonstone?"

"There's a giant fonstone somewhere in the woods north of Shurrey Hill. Or at least, that's what Levi guessed it was."

Jade gave me an odd look. "It wasn't?"

"It's not listed in the Order of Lorelei's records—I've had Rialle looking for information in the archives for weeks. There's nothing on it, so I don't have a clue what it is," I said. I frowned. "And Alex did say the only reason Levi hadn't gotten closer was because there had been people there and he didn't want to risk them catching him if they were unfriendly."

Jade hummed and nodded, then smiled. "Ah. I see you're awake."

I looked back down at Fallon and couldn't help but smile myself. She smiled back at me, then looked confused, then surprised. "The restrictive programming... it's gone..."

I glanced at Jade, who nodded. "Yes. I thought that was rather cruel, to be honest, so I deleted it. I... I also removed a few other lines of code, though I really should have asked you about it first."

"My battle protocols... they're gone..."

Jade nodded. "Given how dangerous this world can get, I suppose those might have been useful, but—"

"No!" Fallon interrupted, looking up at him with wide eyes. "No... It's alright. I'm glad they're gone. I didn't like the feel of that sword in my hand at all... Not even when it was Kairi's body."

Jade gave me an odd look, and I shrugged. "What? I didn't kill that liger earlier. Didn't you notice the lack of artes?"

Jade sighed and looked the other direction. "I'd wondered, but... Oh well. What's done is done. Can you sit up?"

Fallon did so, and then leaned forward to stretch.

Her long hair fell over her shoulders, and she froze, staring at it. She sat up straight, played around with it for a bit, then looked up at me. "Can I... can I keep it long?"

I smiled and nodded, and the bright grin that took over her expression nearly broke my heart.

Fallon swung her legs out and carefully stood up, then twirled a bit when she realized she was wearing a simple white nightgown instead of the usual gray jumpsuit she'd been wearing before. I had to reach out and adjust the straps on the nightgown though, since she was a bit smaller than me and it was hanging a bit low on her chest.

"There. That's better than nothing, and we can get you some proper clothes in Chesedonia," I said. I watched her as she moved around, familiarizing herself with a body that didn't know how to move, even though she did.

She frowned. "I don't think I like dresses."

I laughed. "Then we'll find you some pants you like. Come on; we shouldn't spend too much longer here."

A loud chorus of liger roars accented this, and I frowned. That sounded like...

"Hm. Was that good or bad?" Jade asked. Fallon looked confused.

"What do you mean?"

I shrugged. "Well, the monsters here usually attack us. So, was that roar a large group of attacking monsters, or did Dark, Sorylle, and Twilight finally decide to do something about the ligers?" I paused. "I'm worried about Ion now, though."

Jade nodded. "Yes, he's not exactly mobile. Let's go."

I ran out in front, with Fallon behind me and Jade right behind her.

When we stepped out, I spotted Ion sitting right where we'd left him—sitting on the steps that led into the building housing the fomicry machinery. He looked up at me, then pointed to the mass of ligers.

Twilight and Sorylle stood in the middle of it, and Dark knelt off to one side, petting the head of a smaller liger. He looked over at me and smiled. "You know, a week ago, these guys were still just trying to figure out what the hell was going on. They started forming into proper packs a few days ago," he said. I walked over rather more sedately than I'd left the building and crouched. Another liger came over and sniffed at me, and I waited until it started rubbing up against my leg before I ran a hand down its back.

"I'm guessing they've been fighting among themselves."

Dark hummed. "Yeah. They've also been a bit... well. Lost. There aren't any alphas on the island. Sorylle and Twilight are the first Alphas they've come in contact with since Arietta's friends left."

I frowned and reached out toward Twilight, who looked distinctly uncomfortable in the midst of the crowd. *Hey...*

He recoiled, then tentatively pushed something toward me, and I sighed, a small smile on my lips. I pushed back acceptance, and a little encouragement, and Twilight nuzzled Sorylle. I thought I heard him growl something softly, but Dark didn't react, and I wasn't so deeply connected that I could understand it.

Sorylle padded through the crowd to join us, pressed her nose against my forehead, and growled a soft 'thank you.' Dark gave her a confused look, then looked at me.

Before I could say anything, Twilight let out the loudest yowl I'd ever heard him let loose.

The entire group of ligers in the area immediately around him replied in kind, and as I stood up out of my crouch, I realized that the other ligers on the island were picking it up. Dark's eyes were wide, and he turned to me.

"Kairi... You realize..."

I nodded, clenching my teeth and holding back the tears threatening to spill. Twilight didn't belong in Daath, anyway. "They need him one hell of a lot more than I do."

Twilight looked around, and then looked up at me. He prodded something along the still-open channel, and I smiled a bit and pushed it back at him before letting it break. Twilight turned, yowled again, and then took off running, every liger but Sorylle following him.

I bit my lip, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath.

He wasn't dead.

And I could live with that.

Even so, once we were onboard the Albiore, I tucked myself away in a cabin with Sorylle and cried, eventually falling asleep.

I woke to find Jade bent over me, trying to lightly detach my hair from my face where my tears had glued my bangs to my cheeks. I sniffed, then waved a bit distractedly at Jade's hand to get him to move it.

Sorylle whined a bit as I moved, and I hugged her neck before getting up and pulling a bottle of water out of my wing pack.

"I'm sorry."

I shook my head. "They needed an Alpha. It was Sorylle or Twilight, and... Dark needs a liger by his side. Losing Koran, who was literally born with him... He needs Sorylle."

I stood up and walked out of the cabin, heading up to the cockpit. We were nearing Chesedonia, so... "Ginji? Can you drop me off in Tataroo Valley? I could use some time to relax before we have to deal with Eldrant."

The young man looked back at me then nodded and looked ahead again. "Yeah."

"Hey, look at the ships!"

I glanced down at the ships Fallon was talking about, and smiled. "Looks like our reinforcements are on their way. Guess we're not going to get a lot of down time."

Jade adjust his glasses. "Which means I need to find my uniform again..."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Find?"

He shuffled uncomfortably. "Flick made a comment about liking the new outfit, and now I can't seem to find my wing pack..."

I snickered at his misfortune.

"Wait... if you're getting out early, then..."

I turned to look at Fallon. "Flick and Selenia should be in Chesedonia. Don't worry, they'll help you find some clothes. I just... need a little time to myself."

Jade looked concerned. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "The monsters in Tataroo Valley are weaker than most. I'll be fine. And I'll watch the skies. The operation won't start until the day after Luke and the others get back; that's more than enough time for me to walk back to Chesedonia."

Jade sighed. "Alright."

"I'm about to land," Ginji announced. I thanked him and turned walking out of the cockpit. Sorylle had her head on Dark's lap, and I knew, in the way he was bent over her, that Twilight's absence hurt him too.

I was off the Albiore quickly, and walked out front of it so Ginji could see I was off. I didn't really want to feel anyone right now.

The Albiore lifted off again, the wind buffeting me and the grasses around me. I sighed and looked around.

This was the place where it all started. This was the place where it all ended.

In a video game on a different world, at least. Things were so much different here, so much more real, so much more painful.

I sat down with a sigh and started singing softly.

"I wish I was on yonder hill. 'Tis there I'd sit and cry my fill, till ev'ry tear would turn a mill~" A pause as I stood up. Well, there was no one around... "I'll sell my rod, I'll sell my reel, I'll sell my only spinning wheel, to buy my love a sword of steel~" I continued singing, dancing in time with the words.

A soft whinny from behind me as I finished Suilil a Run made me turn around and stare. Huh. So that's where the uniceros disappeared to.

It neighed again and took a few steps, almost like it was dancing, and I smiled and started singing again.

It left after a time, though, and I smiled as I watched it go before finding a boulder in the field of selenias and sitting down. I'd been there a few hours by that point, so the sun was starting to set.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and felt myself relax fully for the first time in... well, since before Danté had kidnapped me.

It was plenty calm, so I heard the soft whisper of clothes against the grasses and flowers. I didn't bother to turn around to look, nor did I really tense up. There was only one person, and I could deal with a single person easily.

"Jade told me I'd find you here."

If I had to deal with him at all, that was.

"I needed some time to think."

Asch stood next to me, and I felt him take one of my hands with a level of care that I knew only a few people realized he could display. I opened my eyes and smiled at him, silently grateful for the support. We were there like that for a while, me sitting, Asch standing, hands entwined and watching the sunset.

"Kairi... I don't think I've ever actually thanked you."

I looked up at him and smiled. "You never had to, and I don't really want one now."

He chuckled. "Maybe not... But I'm grateful anyway. You showed me what I was missing, and brought me further away from the worst parts of my life than I thought would be possible. Thank you."

I held his hand tight. "I owe you a lot too, Asch. But... Mostly for Baticul. That very first time."

Asch stepped a bit closer and wrapped his arm around me, grabbing the hand he'd just dropped with the other one. I leaned into him, and noted with mild amusement that he was playing around with my hair.

"You know... I've never seen someone with hair quite like yours. Reminds me of a fire."

I looked up at him, and noted the absentminded look on his face. "Warmth, and light... But you're not exactly gentle." He sat down next to me, and I borrowed his shoulder for a pillow as the light faded and the stars started to show.

"Remember what I told Natalia, about how we should change Kimlasca?"

I hummed and nodded.

"I've realized since then... War makes peace all the sweeter. The poor, who have no money, love each other all the more because each other is all they have." Asch paused. "War will happen. Poverty will strike people regardless of what we can accomplish in our lives."

"It doesn't mean we can't do anything to help."

Asch chuckled. "True... Sometimes, what a forest really needs is a fire. Something to clear out the underbrush, everything that's trying to choke out the life on the forest floor." He paused, and I felt him slip something into my hand. "I lost the will to burn a long time ago, and my flame's gone out. But yours burns more brightly than any I've seen before."

I felt my heart jump a bit and glanced down at my hand, still with Asch's wrapped around it. His shifted, and I turned mine palm-up to look at the silver ring that sat in the middle of it.

"It's only a promise ring," Asch said softly. "But I've had it on order for a few weeks now..."

I smiled and shifted it, spotting the blue stone in the simple silver band.

Then I saw the glint off an inscription, and smiled when I recognized my runes.

Two worlds. One love.

Fun Fact: Whelp. There you go. Asch is a bit of a sap. Don't worry, though, he'll be back to his usual grumpy, over-protective self in just a couple days... Well, sort of. He'll be too busy laughing at people 'in a couple days' to be grumpy, but you get the point.

On that note, I've now used Suilil a Run twice. Once back in Part 30 when Sync and Kairi were goofing off a little, and again here. Proof that I write what I listen to, and I like to listen to that song while writing.