Oh my. That last chapter had the largest number of reviews to date, including the first. I'm amazed at how many people actually read this. Anyways, this marks the start of a new arc. I'd be interested to hear what you think it's about.

Beginnings
By Neko-chan the Mewse
6/28/12

"We should leave."

Jade's abrupt statement startled everyone. "What? Why?" Anise whimpered. They had a nice, plush house in the middle of nowhere for her to decorate as she pleased. Why on Auldrant would she want to leave it?

Jade adjusted his glasses and they glinted in such a way that they hid his eyes. "Well, we're still being looked for you kn—"

"Bullshit." Surprisingly it was Guy who called him on his bluff. Everyone seemed startled, including himself, but then his expression iced over and he continued, "This house is in the middle of a forest, on top of an icy mountain surrounded by ferocious storms. No one is going to find us unless they trek out on foot, which no one is going to do because these lands are considered inhabitable. Tell us the truth, Jade."

Jade sighed. There were few people he could call 'friend' and even fewer who could call out his lies. The next few centuries would be interesting indeed. Honesty it was, then. "Have you considered what exactly our new 'jobs' entail?" Jade asked harshly.

"I don't understand, aren't we just governing our respective fonons?" Natalia's eyes closed in thought.

"It's more than that, isn't it?" Tear pointed out. "I mean, we were told that it took a special kind of person to become a sentience. Why is that?"

"Fonon sentiences are revered," Ion threw in with a glance at Luke and Asch. "Lorelei is a good example of this. So, wouldn't it make sense for noble people to become sentiences?"

"Explain Jade," Anise and Guy deadpanned at the same time.

"I'm hurt," Jade said in a fake whine as he adjusted his glasses. "Nevertheless, one of the things you have to keep in mind is this: We are no longer human. We cannot think as if we are such nor can we involve ourselves in their affairs."

"…so, why do we have to move?" Anise asked, sounding confused.

"Can you honestly tell me that you wouldn't be tempted to visit your parents at least once more before they pass away? We'll be alive for centuries after they're gone and you'll never see them again. It's better for us to go to the fon belt and remain there until any such temptation has passed." Jade scowled. It seemed that he felt very strongly about the issue and it made everyone else think twice about their rebuttals.

"It's precisely for that reason that I would like to see my father again," Natalia said softly. "Not for his sake, but for mine—I will have to live with knowledge that I ultimately failed as a daughter if I don't give him closure. We don't know how long we'll hold these titles—maybe forever. Forever is a long time to feel like a failure."

"You aren't human anymore, Rem. You don't have a father." Sync spoke up. Ion gave him a surprised look, but said nothing. Sync rarely ever spoke up when they were in a large group and he wasn't about to discourage it, even if he was being unnecessarily cruel.

Natalia's eyes flashed angrily but Guy beat her to the punch. "Whoa, you do not get to say that. Her father played an important part of shaping who she is now and to forget him would be nothing more than blatant disrespect. Even now you still think of Van as someone to follow, do you not?" Sync lowered his head slightly in agreement but didn't apologize. Guy turned on Jade next. "Jade, King Ingobert and Emperor Peony are tearing their lands apart in search of us. If this keeps up, the future of the two countries is in danger. If you're really that against us doing this for personal reasons, at least let us ensure that the humans don't kill one another in search of us."

Jade hesitated and Asch, who had been listening in quietly with Luke, growled, "You can't seriously be considering it. Nothing good will come out of letting anyone know we're alive!" Asch turned on his heel and vanished in a cloud of fonons, seeming to be upset enough to just leave.

All eyes turned to Luke, the only one who could confirm that Asch was either right or wrong in regards to the future. Luke sighed and then slowly nodded. "He's right, it will end badly for some of us if we choose to see the wrong person. I-I'll go get him." Luke spun on his heel and was gone.

There was a moment of silence before Jade sighed and reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I guess we'll just have to pick the right person." Anise chirped. She turned on Jade, giving him a cheerful grin. "We're staying, right?

Looking at all the hopeful faces (or indifferent, in Sync's case), Jade shrugged and said, "Do I have a choice?"

"Hey," Luke said as a sort of greeting, seating himself next to Asch.

"Hey yourself," Asch grumbled back. He was sulking, dammit. The idiot was not allowed to interrupt his sulking time. It was an unspoken agreement.

Luke didn't seem interested in bothering him though. He simply remained quiet and looked out over the city with him. The sunset lit Baticul's rooftops with bright reds and golds that slowly trailed into darker shades as they watched. Asch tilted his head to examine his counterpart from the corner of his eye. They had only been a dual sentience for about a month and it was a trying experience for both of them. Luke was the main aspect of Lorelei, which didn't bother Asch too much except for the fact that, oh yeah, Luke got to boss him around. Asch despised taking orders.

Luke, ever the people pleaser, tried working harder so that he didn't have to ask Asch to do things. Of course, it back fired and just made Asch more irritated because dammit there was nothing more stupid than working yourself to death because you didn't want to ask for help. A lot of yelling, throwing things, sulking, and apologizing later and they were relatively certain they had everything mostly worked out.

"Do you ever think about going down there?" Luke asked, watching the people hurrying about down below. Asch automatically scowled in response even though that was exactly what he usually thought about when he sat in cities.

"It's pointless," Asch replied. "We're not human, so it's not like we really fit in. We leak enough fonons even in these forms that even the most inept human can tell there's something off about us."

"Do you ever think about going to visit the people we knew?" Luke asked as if he hadn't asked the first question.

Asch's frown deepened. "Luke," he said firmly, drawing the other's attention to him. Once he was sure he had his double's attention, he leaned forward. "You'll only hurt yourself by thinking of that sort of stuff. That life is over."

Luke watched him with hurt eyes and Asch wanted to throw something at him if only to get that look off his face. It was like kicking a fucking puppy. Luke lowered his eyes sadly and said, "I know. It's against the rules, right? But…we hurt so many people. And it's not like we were people no one would miss. Even now, King Ingobert doesn't have an heir. Emperor Peony is still tearing his country apart looking for Jade. Couldn't we just…let them know we're alright or something?"

"It'll just hurt them more," Asch said. "Trust me, Luke," he added sharply when Luke opened his mouth. Luke hastily shut it and eyed Asch's depressed demeanor.

"…so, who would you show yourself to?" Asch jerked his head up to meet Luke's mischievous gaze. "Come on, you can't honestly tell me you haven't thought about it."

Asch growled and indulged in something he had always wanted to do—he shoved the dreck off the building. The resounding yelp was wonderful to hear. He sensed Luke dematerialize and reform a little behind him. Guessing what was on the other's mind, he scooted left just in time to miss the foot that would have planted itself on his back. "Watch it, dreck, you're drawing attention." Asch noted a little girl pointing at their roof. Luke noticed it to and hurriedly skittered away from the edge and out of pedestrian eyesight.

Asch didn't really care and stayed where he was, perched on the edge of the building. Who cared if anyone saw him? They'd probably just assume he was suicidal or something. Luke was most likely thinking the same thing since he had grabbed the back of Asch's uniform and pulled him out of sight. "We're leaving." Luke said as the sound of people down below grew slightly louder.

"Have fun," Asch pulled away from Luke and headed back towards the edge.

"Asch, we're leaving." Luke's eyes glinted gold and something inside Asch instinctively quailed and demanded he obey.

He sighed, deciding it best to comply in hopes that Luke wouldn't look into who Asch had decided to visit. Everyone they once knew would be dead soon and that was never pleasant to think about. "Yeah…I…come on, it's best we don't associate with the mortals."

Luke's eyes were sad, but they didn't disagree with him.