Surprise, I'm alive still.

YUKIKO no Amaya: Yes, and I'm horribly sorry about coming out so late with another;; I'm glad you appreciated it ; w ;

SummoningShadows18: Hehe, just a little bit. And thanks for the concern QHQ

xTimeGoddessKarinx: Ah, I'm glad! I was worried about that. I didn't want to lean too far into one genre.

Amy: I'm glad you like the story.

RenkinMaitai: (ch1) I'm glad you enjoy the story so much! The current poll has Jade and Guy tied at 24 votes each.

I've reset the poll. I'll keep the complete results to myself to compare later. I added….Anise and Luke to the vote since they were two that came up in reviews/pms. I have an idea as to what the pairing will be, but your input is always appreciated.

summary: Artemis Niels is a part-time topographer, gel maker, and merchant, with some medical talents just for kicks. Dressing as a male comes naturally. but she never thought she'd be dragged on a quest to save the world. 'Tales of the Abyss is not my property'

Page 14: Trigger

"Just…what are you to me?"

Artemis was taken aback with his question. She hadn't been expecting Guy to ask that—she'd been expecting something about her previous disappearances or at least something else about the Peacock Eyes—not this. Artemis' eyes lowered.

"What do you mean, Guy?"

There was this look on his face. The poor man was torn up about this whole thing. It seemed like the question had been bothering Guy for some time now.

"Artemis, I think I-" he suddenly turned away and breathed deeply. The golden-haired man brought a hand up to his forehead. His shoulders lifted and sagged with his breathing.

"Sorry, don't worry about it."

He turned back to her with a forced smile, "It's good to have you back."

Artemis didn't know what to say to him.

"…Guy, you shou-"

"Are you okay now?"

The greenette frowned, upset that he'd suddenly changed the topic again, but answered none-the-less.

"In what way am I okay? I should be asking you that," Artemis rubbed her arm, "I've probably been harassing you all horribly with…my condition."

The swordsman flushed. He looked away and swallowed, "It wasn't that horrible—it's okay. It made me realize some things…"

"Guy?"

"It's good that your wounds healed. Must have been that miracle gel of yours, huh?"

"Guy…" Artemis crossed her arms. She didn't like how he was avoiding what he obviously wanted to say to her.

"I was pretty worried about that cut on your leg. It's good that it's all better," he scratched the back of his head, "Uh, well, we should, uh, head back inside. We need to see the Malkuth Consulate in the morning."

He gave her no chance to confront him and made to return to the inn.

Guy sighed heavily before opening the door to his and Luke's room. He walked past the young noble's bed to his own and began shedding his boots. He messed up. What an idiot. He couldn't believe he blew up on Artemis like that. And then he had to cover it up like that? That conversation didn't end how he had intended at all. And then he almost confessed to liking- He stopped himself in the middle of shrugging out of his vest.

He almost confessed to Artemis.

Oh, Lorelei, something was wrong. He collapsed against the mattress and covered his face.

He liked Artemis.

Artemis was awoken to Jade's voice.

"Was your late-night excursion too much for you, Artemis?"

She made a face at him and rolled off the bed onto her feet. Walking past the smirking colonel, she grabbed the new bandages and the clothes she had folded out on the table.

"It's time to wake up."

"I'm not hungry-" she said that too quickly. She cleared her throat and continued, trying to cover up her mistake, "I'm just going to wash up. Go ahead and eat with the others."

Jade stared at her for a few seconds. He suddenly sat down at the end of his bed.

"I need an escort, Artemis. You know with me having no stamina and all."

Artemis turned at him, "You keep bringing that up…Why do you keep bringing that up…I know you can eat just fine on your own…"

In the end, Artemis somehow managed to get Jade to eat breakfast with the others while she washed up and got ready. They were about to speak with the Consulate…she'd ought to look nice as the king's official documenter.

Her eyes narrowed at him, "What do you mean I shouldn't attend the meeting? I'm the one documenting this whole event—I think this is something that needs my attention."

Right as Artemis had been leaving the room to join the others eating breakfast, Jade and Ion had caught her on the stairs and approached her. This was not the morning conversation she had expected.

"Perhaps, you do not recall, Artemis, but you snuck into my room last night with some nasty wounds," Jade adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose, "You may seem better now, but I'd think it better if you just stayed put."

Ion nodded his head, "I would also feel safer at mind if you rested just a little longer, Artemis."

"…You're concerned I might have another…outburst."

Ion's head snapped up, "No, Artemis, it's not that at all! I'm not scared of you either!"

Artemis stared at him, while Jade looked equally interested.

"I admit, I was alarmed at first, but I know it wasn't you," he grabbed both of Artemis' gloved hands, "I…" he paused and looked up at her, "I know you are a good person, Artemis. I trust you. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Jade looked at Artemis, awaiting her response. Artemis sighed and her shoulders sagged heavily.

"I understand, Ion."

A wave of relief passed Ion's face and he hugged Artemis' middle. Artemis tensed and Jade's eyes widened in amusement. Ion suddenly backed off.

The Fon Master flushed, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

Artemis gave him a small smile and patted him on the head before turning to return to her room.

"Colonel, Luke, we've been waiting for you." Everyone in the party, besides Artemis, was present in the room as the woman began to speak, "We received word via carrier pigeon from Dorian General Grants."

Luke's eyes lightened at the mention of his master.

"He plans to proceed to Akzeriuth with a vanguard unit."

"Whaaat?" Luke exclaimed, unintentionally shouting into Guy's ear, "He's too early!"

Ion turned to Luke with a nod, "We should hurry, too."

Everyone agreed and started to make their way to leave when Guy suddenly collapsed onto one knee in pain. He was gripping hi upper arm tightly.

Alarmed for his friend Luke walked over to his friend.

"Guy?" He reached out for Guy's shoulder only to be forcefully pushed away.

The red-haired noble fell to the ground unceremoniously, Mieu ran to his side in concern.

"Oww! Guy, don't tell me Ash is controlling you, now?"

"I don't think so…" Guy breathed while clenching his teeth and squeezing his arm again, "I don't hear any voices, anyway…"

Jade bent down to Guy's level and carefully looked at his arm. Guy shakily pulled his hand away to show Jade.

"Hmm, your arm's been scarred. This symbol…" his eyes narrowed, "It looks like a curse slot."

Luke looked at him confused, "'Curse slot'?"

Ion turned to Luke, "It's a Daathic fonic arte applied to a person's fon slots."

Luke got on his feet again

"It reads information from the brain, using the person's memories to control him."

The official stepped forward in concern, "Shall I call a doctor or a healer?"

Guy gritted his teeth, "I'm fine. Let's get on that ship and hurry after Van."

"…Isn't it dangerous, though?" he stared at his friend in pain.

"The curse slot's power varies depending on the proximity of the user," Ion explained, "The user is probably nearby. We should get away from Chesedonia."

The official woman nodded her head and motioned to the door, "Right this way."

They had to get out of Chesedonia now.

Jade stopped at the door when he realized something. Guy had probably gotten that scar from Sync the first time they'd all been in Chesedonia. If he wasn't mistaken, that's when they'd met Artemis at first also. And if that was the case…

"Colonel?"

"Tear, come with me for a moment."

"Jade?" Anise questioned.

"Tear and I will go get Artemis, for now everyone quickly to the ship."

"Just as I'd expected," Jade said.

"Artemis!" Tear exclaimed running around Jade. Artemis was paralyzed on her back, seals all aglow. Various herbs and some broken glass littered around her.

"This is the most trouble I've had in a long time," Artemis said dryly.

'She must have been working on potions while they were gone', Jade surmised.

He bent down and carefully looked into her eyes.

"Colonel?"

"It didn't trigger your Peacock Eyes?"

She stared at him blankly for stating the obvious.

"Tear if you would; cast first aid please," he said standing up.

"Oh, would that work again?"
"Well, I don't see why it shouldn't," he turned to Tear, "It's not like we have any other way to manage this."

Tear made a face, but nodded. She closed her eyes and a ring of fonons began to glow beneath her.

"O healing power…" That reminded him. He still needed to ask Artemis how it was that she could use fonons.

"First Aid."

"It's a trigger, but it doesn't always trigger Peacock Eyes," Artemis said as they ran to the ship.

"So what about casting fonic artes on you?" Tear asked.

The three of them turned a corner.

"It disrupts the flow of fonons," Artemis replied as they ran down the ramp to the docks.

"In a way," the green haired man waved his hands in the air once, "it resets the random and rampant flow of fonons to the seals."

They made it onto the ship and Jade told them to set off. The three of them stayed there to catch their breaths. Tear stared at Artemis.

"It's good to know you're not a walking time bomb now, Artemis," Jade said with a smirk.

"…I hope you won't try making me go off," he replied dryly.

Tear was slightly confused though-

"So why so talkative about it now?" Jade inquired what she was meaning to ask.

Artemis sighed and straightened his back, something Jade and Tear did also, "I've given you all enough trouble as it is. I can tell you what you need to know."

"…Are your seals active all the time?" Tear asked tentatively. She didn't want to offend their documenter.

He stared at her and sighed before sitting on a crate nearby. He pointed at his thighs.

"No, they aren't let me explain a little—this seal," he concentrated a bit and the seals on the man's thighs glowed and floated above his skin again, "gives me speed and endurance, but it's not activated all the time."

"I can activate one or two of the seals on my own in a battle if I need to," he said, and Tear thought back to the first time they'd fought of one of Dist's machines, "but they aren't activated all the time. I can do it for a short time and it'll give me a little relief, but I can't maintain that activation unless I'm under the influence of the Peacock Eyes or…" the man trailed off.

"For some reason, they've been activating much more frequently," Artemis slapped his legs and pushed off the crate, the seals disappeared again, "I have my suspicions as to why."

"I imagine these were all active at one point," Artemis and Tear turned to Jade.

"When your guardian seal was still active."

Tear watched as the man brought a hand up to the back of his neck.

"They were."

"Can we suspect that your host is still alive then?" Jade asked.

"He's dead!" Artemis snapped at Jade, shocking Tear at his outburst. He cleared his throat and apologized to them both.

"It's alright. I imagine this is a rather touchy subject for you," Jade said, "Though it would explain why your seals are acting up…and why you can't eat anymore."

Tear's attention snapped back to Artemis. "You can't eat anymore?"

Artemis sighed and brought his hands up, "I have no appetite anymore-"

"You tell breakfast was ready before I even spoke about it," Jade said sternly, "I believe there is no harm in you telling us the truth, Artemis."

"…If anything we can help," Tear said softly.

"…Alright," Artemis breathed deeply, "I think-"

"Tear!" the three of them looked up to see Luke from the upper deck, "There you are—come up here would you!"

"I-"

Jade interrupted her and waved her off.

"It'll be alright Tear, you go on ahead."

The two of them watched as Tear ran off to the upper deck. Jade turned to Artemis.

"So what are your suspicions then?"

"…What do you think of Fomicry, Jade?"

His eyes narrowed.

"You think your host has a replica."

"I'm sure of it," she stared at him evenly, "I've met two of them already."

Jade closed his eyes for a brief moment, "You think your Guardian seal is acting up again because of this?"

"That's the only thing I can think of," she clenched her fists, "I haven't felt pain or hunger for a few days, my hearing has heightened and all of this started after meeting with everyone."

The colonel watched her walk away before she stopped.

"It's either that…or one other person…"

Jade's jaw unconsciously tightened, "your 'extremist'."

I really appreciate anyone and everyone who has stayed with me for so long considering I've been MIA for nearly a year now. The Akzeriuth chapter is coming up. As a side note...YOU GUYS THOUGHT THEY'D KISS DIDN'T YOU. No, just kidding, I'm sorry. /Runs away

I feel like I'd be rushing it if I had added it in now u m u