Chapter 34: New World Answers

After dinner and the boys getting their own bath, the group took a moment to set things out for the night. Ange and Naomi had found sets of robes in the onsen's service desk, letting them get out of their gear for a while and at least be a bit more comfortable for when they bedded down. Vivian had long found another room to crash in, her snores echoing from down the hall.

"It's starting to come down out there." From the window of the bedroom they had gathered in, Alain whistled at the every growing amount of snow blanketing the ruins outside. "Wonder if that Ragnarok war messed with this world's seasons. It was still summer in our world."

"That or we just happened to arrive when this world is in winter." Naomi suggested.

"Let's hope it doesn't stay cold for long. It'll make repairing the Para-mails harder." Tusk said from where he sat on the floor fiddling with a hair dryer.

"Well, if we're going to be here a while, at least we have shelter." Ange sighed. "By the way, there's something I've been meaning to ask you two."

"Go ahead." Alain answered.

"That Embryo guy. Just who is he?" Alain and Tusk glanced at each other before Tusk answered.

"To put it simply, he's the man who sits at the top of the world and pulls humanity's strings from the shadows."

"And if this world is parallel to our own and Embryo is that kind of paracausal entity…" Alain added, "it really could be this is where the Ragna-mail originated from. But that just raises even more questions. For now, let's just get a good night's sleep. Naomi and I will take the room across the hall."

"Try to keep it down so we can sleep." Ange bit, Alain snickering as Naomi held in a giggle. When the two were outside of the room, they stopped rather than cross over and lay flat against the wall.

"So we're totally eavesdropping on them, right?" Alain suggested.

"Why would we not?" Naomi snickered.

Mischievous smiles on the two's faces, they knelt against the wall and pressed their ears to the door, listening intently for Ange and Tusk to resume talking. "Thanks, Tusk." It was Ange they heard first. "For everything. You know a lot of things, and you're always rational and kind. I can rely on you."

"C'mon, be more honest like I said." Naomi grumbled.

"Same advice, eh?" Alain mused.

"It's no big deal." Tusk assured her.

"You're wrong." They heard Ange say. "I'm no good. I get emotional right away. And I'm stubborn. And I panic."

"I can't blame you." Tusk replied. "After all, you were a princess, and then you were a Norma, and then a soldier fighting DRAGONs in a legendary weapon. Now you're suddenly in another world."

"You're right. So much has happened. But it's not all bad." Alain heard the creaking of old spring, guessing that Ange must have sat down on the bed. "I got to meet you and Vivian. And I guess the girls in Garm aren't so bad. Alain has his good points I suppose... I also learned a lot of things I didn't know. Even though some people… I couldn't understand until the end."

"Your brother, right?" Tusk let out a long sigh. "We've come so far. Yet we still need to get back, somehow."

"Then it's a good thing we're alive. As long as that's true, we'll manage."

"You're strong, Ange."

"Are you mocking me?"

"I'm complimenting you."

"Well I think we should get away." Alain chuckled as he pulled back from the door, Naomi nodding and following him as he ducked into the room opposite Ange and Tusk's. The layout was the same as the one across it, being furnished simply but rather finely. A double bed, a sofa and chairs along with a dinette set, some dressers and even a TV.

"Wonder how well some of this furniture will hold up." Naomi hummed, pressing down on the bed, not being assured by how the wood creaked. "It should be fine, right?"

"Hopefully it'll hold." Alain carefully laid on the bed, letting out a hum as he heard more creaking. "Yeah it should be fine. So you think Ange and Tusk'll manage sleeping in the same room?"

"I'm sure something might actually happen." Naomi rolled onto the bed and nuzzled into Alain's side, smiling as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Hey… it might sound a bit weird to ask now, but… if we get back, and Libertus works out, what do you think you'll do?"

"I… I haven't actually thought that far ahead yet." Alain admitted. "I guess part of me wasn't sure we'd ever get another chance. And now that we do, I can't even plan that far ahead. I've never been good at the whole long term plan thing. Salia's good at that one."

"Ange asked me about it when we were in the bath." Naomi said. "I thought that working in a mechanic shop would be fun. I could try my hand at more than Para-mails. Maybe I could get Mei and the other Armorers to join me for something like that."

"I see you've been taking business lessons from Jasmine." Alain snickered. He rolled over to be face to face with Naomi, their noses brushing each other. "As for me… hmm… I guess aside from figuring things out with you and the others… maybe I could go exploring? Well… depends on how it ends up I guess." A sudden cry of alarm along the sound of something collapsing drew the two's attention. Naomi chuckled while Alain let out a sigh.

"You think he tried to get on the couch?" Naomi snickered.

"Might've fallen out from under him." Alain mused. "Now he's got no excuse not to share the bed with Ange… but now I also realize these walls are kinda thin, aren't they?"

"Maybe we're too used to the stone walls in Arzenal." Naomi said. "So, bets on something happening?"

"I think Tusk is still a little too awkward for that." Alain's amused look turned somber as he thought back to the earlier topic. "In any case, I think I can save planning for the future till after I'm sure we actually have one. No use in making plans too early. Getting back is the first priority. And then me probably getting punched by Hilda for us suddenly vanishing."

"You two are definitely a lot closer after what happened on the mainland, huh?" Naomi mused, Alain giving a chuckle. "I always knew she'd warm up to you eventually. Guess our odd little family got a little bit bigger."

"Family, huh?" Alain paused at the thought that word brought to mind. "It's not really a bad idea…"

"What isn't?"

"Well, maybe when this is all done, we could…"

Before Alain could finish the thought, Wyvern's terminal lit up with a blare. "Alain, I just picked up an incoming ND Particle signature."

"What?!" No sooner had Alain shot up in shock that he heard Vivian screeching from out in the hall before the entire building was suddenly rocked by the impact of something big landing outside. Alain and Naomi rushed out into the hall, nearly running into Vivian as all three froze at what they saw. Gazing at them through a gap it had torn in the wall, its eyes blazing, was a purple scaled Brig. And hovering alongside it was the same grey and orange machine Alain had encountered during the DRAGON assault on Arzenal. Atop its head, something moved and two women stood up from between its horns. One of them had long red streaked black hair dressed in a blue tunic, while the other had red-brown hair and was dressed in green.

"Well, this is surprising." From where it floated in mid air, the Para-mail opened its cockpit and the same horned young man from before rose into view. From behind Alain, Vivian cowered and whimpered in confusion. "I suppose now we know who sent that distress signal."

"Captain, what should we do with them?" The girl in blue asked. What Alain also now noticed were the tails shifting about from the girl's waists as well as the small wings sprouting from their backs. Like the horns on the boy's head, it brought out a number of questions about just what they even were.

"We're taking them in for questioning." The boy said. "Their machines must also be nearby. We'll take those as well."

"Yes sir!" Both girls responded curtly.

"Mind telling us who the hell you even are?!" Alain snapped. The horned boy turned to Alain, a smirk on his face.

"We are the people of the True Earth. Welcome, false citizens."

After that surprise run in, the group now found themselves – thankfully allowed to dress back into their clothes but stripped of any weapons – locked up into a container. One that wasn't that roomy with Vivian taking up most of the interior. Just as they were shoved inside, three more Brigs arrived which the two women instructed to the three machines. From what little he had been able to overhear from the captors, Alain had gathered the two women were the pilots of the blue and green machines that had been present at the attack on Arzenal.

"Gotta love it when answers only give you even more questions." Alain grumbled, his leg bouncing in annoyance.

"Where are they even taking us?" Tusk wondered. A sudden lurch of the container made them all stumble, Ange falling back onto Vivian.

"Sorry." She apologized, Vivian shaking her head.

"Could you take it easy?!" Tusk snapped. "We're packed in pretty tight here! Ange, don't worry."

"Huh?"

"No matter what this world is like, I'll protect you."

"I would say get a room, but that isn't exactly an option right now." Alain sighed.

"Shut it." Ange bit. "But there are problems. They spoke our language. If we can speak with them, than we can actually learn something about this world."

"And maybe we can find a way back to our." Naomi added. "Considering they opened a Singular right on top of Arzenal, maybe we can convince them to send us back home."

"Th-That's true…" Tusk's stammering revealed he hadn't considered that option.

"What?" Ange questioned.

"It's just, you're being your usual self." Alain and Naomi leaned in a bit, suddenly curious to what Tusk could possibly mean by that.

"Huh? Are you frustrated because you didn't get any? They did stop us right when things were heating up." Ange said. Alain and Naomi both hung their heads and gave groaning sighs. Ange looked at them with a raised brow. "Why are you two suddenly annoyed?"

"Told you so." Alain muttered.

"Somehow I feel like you two took two steps forward… and now three back." Naomi grumbled. Another sudden gust of turbulence lurched the container so hard they all tumbled about. And to the surprise of Alain and Naomi, they caught it as Tusk and Ange suddenly tumbled about with his face somehow planting right between her legs.

"Why does this always happen with you?!" Ange yelled.

"Well now I suddenly get there's a joke here." Alain muttered.

When the container finally settled, the doors opened with creaking groans as light rushed in. As their eyes adjusted, Alain and the others saw that they had been taken from the colder mountains to lowlands. They were now in a deep valley cut open by two massive waterfalls. A small city stretched out across the plateau that formed out of it and stretching high above them was a massive staircase rising out of a temple towards a massive black structure.

"We're here, so get out." The girl in blue ordered, twin curved swords drawn and aimed at the group as they exited the container. Next to her girl in green held a polearm topped with a glaive. And around them were a number of other young woman dressed in white tunics at the same style, looking at the group with both curiosity and caution.

"I would say sorry for the rough treatment, but I don't think it matters much." The horned young man approached from his machine, one hand resting on the hilt of a sword. He looked to the girls watching the group, giving a sigh. "The rest of you, please leave and go about your business. These people are here to be questioned by the high priestesses."

"Question us about what?" As Alain took a step forward, he heard a sudden pop and screech. Together the group turned around just in time to see Vivian collapse, a needle dart stuck in her neck as three others in lab coats hurried over to her.

"What the hell did you do to her?!" Ange demanded. Before she could charge, the two girls held their weapons out, the horned youth beckoning them to stop.

"The daughter of Sylphis is no longer your concern. We will see to her care. Though I'm curious as to how she even wound up with you. For now, follow me. Naga, Kaname, keep your weapons on them."

"Sir!"

"So what do we do now?" Naomi asked.

"We don't have a choice." Alain grumbled. "We'll play along for now. But keep your eyes peeled in case we need to make a break for it." They were then ushered up the staircase and into a large, terraced room with a carpeted foyer stretching before it. On each level of the platforms that rose up before them, silken veils obscured the figures of women who sat behind them. At the highest level, a bamboo screen shrouded a single, smaller individual. As they stood before the terrace, Naga and Kaname stood aside, while the horned boy took a knee before the platforms.

"We've brought the ones we located in the city." He said.

"Women and men from another world…" The one in the center spoke. To the surprise of the group, she sounded rather young. "State your names."

"You should introduce yourselves before you demand someone's name." Ange countered. The outburst from her sent waves through the crowd, and the girl in blue looked particularly furious as her hands went to her swords.

"How dare you disrespect the High Priestess?!" She drew the weapons but was stopped when the horned young man glared at her.

"Naga, calm yourself." His order made the girl at least drop her swords back into their sheathes, but she wasn't relaxed at all.

"We haven't opened a singularity." The high priestess said. "How did you come here?"

"We ended up here because of the Villkiss." Alain answered. Ange looked at him in surprise, and Naomi put an arm out to stop her before she could say anything. 'Answering their questions is the better route.' Alain concluded. "The girl here is its pilot, and she can make use of its abilities. We ended up here because she activated one of them when our home was under attack. It's little more than an accident."

"How did she ride such a machine?"

"Why do you also possess the Missing Machine?"

"Are you two actually real men?"

"Why was that daughter of Sylphis with you?"

"What is your connection with that man?"

Alain felt his brow crick at the sudden onslaught of questions from the crowd. "If you're going to ask us questions at least do it one at a time, will you?!" His own outburst brought Naga and Kaname to ready their weapons, but a gesture from the horned boy bid them hold.

"We've got our own questions too!" Ange snapped. "What is this place? When are we? What are you people?!"

"Can you two calm down?!" Tusk snapped.

"Not quite how I'd do it, but yeah." Alain agreed. "If you're going to pick our brains then we want answers too."

"My, you're both so lively." An amused chuckle drew the two's eyes to one of the veils beneath the High Priestess. The one behind it stood and walked out, revealing her to be the girl who had piloted the red machine.

"It's you!" Ange gasped.

"Yet again, one thing answered, more questions." Alain grumbled.

"I am the direct descendant of progenitor Aura, and princess of the Freyja family, Lieutenant Guardian Salamandinay." The girl introduced herself. "Welcome to the True Earth, people of the false world." Ange's brow cricked from the condescending tone the girl carried in her voice.

"You know of them?" The High Priestess asked.

"Yes. These two are the ones who fought Ikuchi and I to a standstill. The woman pilots the Villkiss, and the man the Wyvern."

"The pilots of Villkiss and Wyvern?" The High Priestess repeated.

"Then they're dangerous!" One of the others shouted. "We cannot allow them to live!"

"Dispose of them! Now!" Another ordered.

"Mighty keen to jump to conclusions, aren't you?" Alain bit.

"Please calm down, all of you." Salamandinay said, stepping down to the foyer. "These two can operate the Villkiss and Wyvern. Plus, the man bears an odd aura about him. I believe the best strategy would be to allow them to live until we learn the secrets of their machines."

"Highness, I highly recommend we don't." The young man urged, rising to his feet. "You're letting your curiosity get the better of you."

"Ikuchi, were you not the one agonizing over just how this young man possessed the brother machine to your Seiryugo?" Salamandinay's statement made Ikuchi flinch, his face tightening up as his tail swished about. "Please, leave their lives in my hands. I will see to it that they are watched and do not cause any problems." Another round of whispers followed, attention turning back to the High Priestess.

"Very well. I entrust them to you, Salamandinay."

"Thank you, your holiness." Salamandinay took a bow, then turned to the four. "If you would accompany us, I will show you to where you'll be staying."

"Great, another dungeon." Ange grumbled.

Like Ange, Alain had expected them to be put under lock and key the moment it was decided they'd be allowed to stick around. Instead, the four of them were guided to surprisingly lavish quarters. The rooms they were shown were sparsely decorated, giving an open but not barren feel. The only real furnishings were a large futon set on the hardwood floor, while near it was a set of bamboo mats and a paper wall set around paper lanterns, likely some kind of traditional arrangement.

"Ange and Tusk, was it?" Salamandinay said. "This will be your room. Alain and Naomi, yes? Your room will be the one across from here. Naga, Kaname, you may take your leave."

"But…" Naga went silent as Salamandinay's look shifted. She and Kaname looked at Ikuchi, who nodded to them. The two girls bowed their heads and left the room.

"Pretty cozy for a prison cell." Ange bit. Alain had to agree. This wasn't exactly the accommodations one would give to wartime enemies being held as prisoners.

"I don't intend to treat you all as prisoners." Salamandinay replied. "Also, you will be allowed to meet with the daughter of Sylphis once she has been treated."

"Vivian." Alain bit. "Her name's Vivian."

"The name your kind gave her, you mean." Ikuchi growled.

"Ikuchi, steady." Salamandinay warned. "You also still have not introduced yourself."

"Hmph." The young man huffed, but turned to the lot. "I'm the Captain Guardian and son of the house of Freyr, Ikuchi. And to make it clear, I'm against Salamandinay's desire to keep you four here."

"Yeah I guessed that one." Alain snarked.

"We'll also be having our technicians repair your machines." Salamandinay said, turning to Alain. "Yours especially. The damage done to your Wyvern is quite extensive. I'm afraid it may need a complete rework. Would you mind if you visited them so we could talk over what to do with it?"

"I think that's a bit too accommodating." Ikuchi muttered.

"This is a chance for us to learn just what the Wyvern has been through." Salamandinay said. "It's AI is much more advanced than the one aboard Seiryugo, not to mention it carries the quantum computer. We all wish to learn what it knows. Am I not wrong, D.E.M?"

"I would rather you refer to me by the name of my platform." Wyvern stated. Alain put a cautious hand near the terminal. "I will also only comply with your wishes if Alain allows it. I am under strict protocols to prevent any but my pilot and permitted personnel access to my systems."

"Then I do hope we will be granted such permission, considering we happen to have access to the original blueprints of your model." Salamandinay grinned when Alain and Naomi immediately perked up.

"Now you're definitely being too accommodating." Ikuchi growled. "You're talking about giving them access to the original form of the Wyvern?"

"If you got a problem, we can go outside and handle that right now." Alain growled, stepping over to get right in Ikuchi's face. "I think we've both got a bone to pick with each other, right?"

"Don't presume I'm against that." Ikuchi bared fangs as he let out a snarl. A quick tap on his arm from Salamandinay's sheathed sword made him go quiet.

"Alain, come on." Naomi grabbed Alain by the arm and pulled him back.

"Ikuchi, please don't let yourself be antagonized." Salamandinay said. "Now, please sit with me. I merely wish to talk." As she led them to the bamboo mats, Ikuchi didn't look pleased as he sat down beside Salamandinay who took an at hand tea seat. As she brewed, a considerable tension in the air remaining from Alain and Ikuchi's glaring at one another.

"What's the point of this?" Ange muttered as Salamandinay finished and set four coups of tea before them.

"Trying to butter us up or something?" Naomi asked.

"I'm just thinking you all must be exhausted from your journey." Salamandinay said. "Please, relax. I promise you will not come under harm."

"Yeah well you can forgive me if our history leads me to think otherwise." Alain bit, Ikuchi's eyes narrowing at him.

"I would ask you forgive my cousin." Salamandinay said. "Ikuchi is only acting this way because he has his own frustrations with our predicaments. We unfortunately have never had the chance to speak with any of your kind, and I would hate to waste the opportunity."

"My name's tusk. I'm Ange's knight." Tusk spoke. "Can I ask you something, Ms. Salamandinay?"

"Ask me anything, Sir Tusk."

"Is this really Earth?"

"Yes."

"Then… who are you?"

"We are humans." Salamandinay stated.

"How?" Naomi asked. "I mean… we already decided this must be a parallel world to our own but…"

"You're obviously not typical humans." Alain interrupted.

"Says the mutant." Ikuchi huffed. Alain started to rise, Naomi grabbing his arm to make him stop.

"The hell does that mean huh?" Alain demanded.

"Ikuchi, please." Salamandinay held up a hand, Ikuchi letting out a scoff. "He only says that based on an… assumption we have made. Sir Alain, as the Wyvern's pilot it means you have been exposed to it's ND Particle emissions for a long time, yes?"

"Pretty much my entire life." Alain said.

"I see. Perhaps we really will need to run DNA tests to see how you compare to use…" Salamandinay put a hand to her chin. "Excuse me. I would also say your assumption of this Earth being parallel to your own is certainly true. This Earth does indeed exist in another universe. It is the world left behind by the people who migrated to the Earth of your universe. We are the descendants of the people who were left behind."

"Why would people abandon Earth?" Tusk asked.

"The Ragnarok War, right?" Alain asked. "The VI at that shelter explained it to us. That this world was ruined when those Dracunium Reactors went critical because of the Ragna-mails. They left this world because they could no longer inhabit it."

"But that doesn't explain why it's habitable now, aside from time." Naomi added. "Or why it is, despite claiming to be human, you have those traits. Or the DRAGONs."

"So that's how it is." Ange drained the tea from her cup. "You're here, and there's two Earths, meaning…" As Ange went to throw the cup against the wall, Naomi reached out and grabbed her by the arm. "Hey!"

"Ange, don't do anything rash." Naomi gestured with her head to Ikuchi, who already had a hand on his sword. "I doubt those other two actually left either."

"You're not wrong." Ikuchi confirmed. "Do anything rash and we'll be quick to execute you as the priestesses wished."

"Why bother keeping us then?" Ange demanded. "If our worlds are parallel then there's a way back, right? Why not just kick us out and back to our world?"

"If we do send you back, much less with machines in the states yours are in, what awaits you?" Salamandinay asked. "A life of continuing to fight for the false people and killing our brethren? Do you truly miss it? A false Earth, false people, and false battles."

"Oh cut it with the high and mighty shit." Alain growled. "If you were so eager to talk to us then why not huh?! How many people from both of our sides died because your side didn't bother to try and talk to us? You made the decision that we were enemies long before any of us learned the truth!"

"And why would we have had reason to?" Ikuchi snapped. "You fight to defend the false people. Why would we waste time talking with you?"

"And you think we did it by choice?" Alain said. "The only one who did was me. And I chose to fight because I had people to protect. Both our sides have blood on their hands, so don't talk down to use like you're better. I've seen how your people fight."

"So you acknowledge that your stained in the blood of my people." Ikuchi rose, he and Alain getting face to face. "How many have you killed? How many of my brothers and sisters fell by your hands?"

"Five hundred and eighty-seven." Alain said. "I've taken the lives of almost six hundred other humans defending the people I care about. And yours have killed even more of mine. Plus, your side is the one killing kids." Ikuchi's hand gripped his sword tightly. Alain felt a bit vindicated knowing he'd struck a nerve. "That's right. Your side has been the one killing little girls. Is that something you're proud of? Would you like to know some of their names? You can add them to your scoreboard if it makes you feel better." With a growl, Ikuchi prepared to dray when Salamandinay again hit him with her sheathed sword, while Naomi and Tusk pulled Alain back.

"Alright, we get it, you two don't like each other." Tusk said. "Let's cool it before something breaks out, will we?"

"I quite agree with Sir Tusk." Salamandinay said. "Ikuchi, please calm yourself. Starting a fight now won't accomplish anything. Sir Alain also has a point. It is exactly why I wish to take the chance to engage in dialogue with one another."

"You'd still want to even after he's admitted to the blood on his hands?"

"As he said, our kind isn't exactly free of guilt either." Salamandinay gave Ikuchi, the young man clicking his tongue as he turned away. But the lashing of his tail and twitch of his wings betrayed his frustration. "But I do truly want to know why you'd want to go back."

"At least in my case, it's because I have people to get back to." Alain said. "People who, thanks to that bastard Embryo, are god knows where in our world and likely having to fight even harder than before."

"We have friends and family there." Naomi said. "Like hell we'd leave them behind. If we turned our backs on them all because you want to act like us fighting to live meant nothing, then we really would amount to nothing."

"I agree with them." Ange said. "Now that I know they have to be alive, I can't just not go back."

"I see. I suppose I really will have to show you then." Salamandinay stood, picking up her sword. "Ange, Alain, would you come with me? Ikuchi, I'd like you to come with us as well. Kaname and Naga will explain it to you two while we're out."

"Explain what?" Tusk asked.

"The truth about how our world came to be. And just what it is your false war has been fought for." Salamandinay said. "Perhaps learning just why you have apparently been forced into this will offer you a new perspective."

"I'd like to see that happen." Alain snarked. "But fine. We'll hear just what it is you have to say. Besides, some of us have been wondering just why we've had to do this for a long time."

"We'll see just how you take it." Ikuchi said. "Naga, Kaname!" At his call, the two girls reentered the room as he and Salamandinay led Ange and Alain out. "We're taking these two to the Tower of Aura. Inform these two while we're out. You're also free to take them to visit the Sylphis child if she's woken up afterwards."

"You two better not try anything smart with us." Ange growled. Salamandinay looked back at the blonde with an amused grin.

"That all depends on you two. Now come. Allow us to answer whatever questions may remain for you."