Tales of the Abyss - Tiphereth 3
Part 1, Part 2
By the time their intrepid group finally managed to reach Keterburg proper, Luke was very, very certain that he didn't care one single whit for snow. He'd even go so far as to say that he hated it at the moment, perhaps even to the point of loathing the stupid stuff. His feet were blocks of ice and his pants were soaked clean through nearly up to his knees. In fact, he had a sneaking suspicion that said wet pants themselves were beginning to freeze down there. Snow sucked.
Asch was probably just as cold, if not more so thanks to recent events; though he hid his discomfort a bit better. Still, Luke doubted that those metal boot thingies, whatever they were supposed to be, helped keep the cold out any better than the thick leather of his own boots. Actually, going by his own personal experience, they were probably worse because metal seemed to like being cold. Asch's face, of course, was locked in a perpetual scowl, but no one could really say whether that was his natural state or not. Luke didn't think so, though the "feelings" leaking through their connection were a bit of a mishmash thanks to the ever present lethargy.
/Would you mind not thinking so loud, for once?/
Luke blinked in surprise, focused his gaze back on Asch, and sheepishly realized that the scowl was mostly being directed at him. Oops. /Er, sorry about that. It's just, you know, cold. And wet. And cold./
/Really? I never would have noticed./ Luke winced as the sarcastic irritation came through loud and clear. /Between my own nerve endings and your constant litany about how your feet were going to fall off before we ever reached the town, I don't know how I could possibly come to the conclusion that it is colder than hell out here./
Luke returned Asch's scowl in spades as his walk through Keterburg became more of a stalk thanks his own budding annoyance. /Do you have to bitch about everything?/
/I'd like to see you try and keep your temper when you've got a seven year old permanently stuck in your head./ Asch replied blandly.
Luke almost lost his footing at that particular comment, but thankfully managed to save himself just in time. They were halfway up the stairs past the casino now and he really didn't want to end up in a heap somewhere at the bottom. /Is-is that how you view me?/ He asked hesitantly once they'd finally reached the top and were on safer -and much steadier- ground. At least if he tripped himself up now, he wouldn't fall quite so far.
/You are seven years old./
/Well, yeah, but that's not the point!/
/Are you sure about that?/ Asch gave Luke a bewildered, sideways glance before returning his gaze back to the path before them. /Have you actually stopped and thought things through yet? Have you even considered the ramifications of what you've done and what it will mean for your future, much less my own?/
/I'm not sure I understand.../
/Of course you don't./ Asch sighed mentally and shook his head. /You have tied your well-being to mine, a situation that may indeed last for the entirety of both our lives, and have yet to express a single regret at the very concept. Tell me that doesn't strike you as a bit juvenile in outlook./
/Well, it doesn't./ Luke grumbled halfheartedly, though he was starting to feel a twinge of concern. The blank sensation that had come about thanks to the earlier confrontation with their father was starting to creep up again; and Luke has a sinking feeling that it was how Asch tended to deal with things that truly bothered him: he just shut down. There was no way that could be healthy. People didn't stop feeling just because they wanted to, right?
/And that's exactly my point. You still have the outlook of a child./
Luke grimaced and looked away. He couldn't really argue with that particular point. It was probably true on some level. And it was certainly true that he hadn't thought much beyond Asch being alive and staying alive, but he didn't view that as a bad thing. If that made him into a child, then he was a child. And Asch was still alive. That was more than enough for him. On the other hand, getting something that simple through to Asch was going to be difficult at best, impossible at worst. Still, he had to start somewhere. /I've done a lot of things I regret, but this isn't one of them. If I had done anything differently, you wouldn't be here./
/Some people might not view that as a good thing./ Oh, that was better. There was a bit of sardonic humor present now. It wasn't much, but it was something. Asch hadn't completely closed himself off yet.
Luke smiled cockily and tossed his head. /Some people can kiss my ass./ He counted the small smirk that twitched across Asch's lips in response as something of a victory.
"You know," Anise said quietly, an impish grin plastered on her face as she chanced a glance back at the twin, redheaded terrors in their midst, "I could really go for some popcorn right about now."
Jade arched an eyebrow inquiringly. "Really now? Why's that?"
"Oh come on," Anise rolled her eyes at him, "You, of all people, should know what I mean. They're better than paid entertainment."
"If you say so," Jade murmured sweetly.
"You can't fool me with that innocent act," Anise grumped good-naturedly. "I know you. You'd probably be selling tickets if you thought you could get away with it."
"Now now, Anise dear," Jade said silkily, "Try not to attribute me with your own shortcomings. It's not fair to either of us."
"My shortcomings?" Anise almost snarled as she reached up and poked him in the side none too gently. "You get a hell of a lot more enjoyment out of our sweat, tears and blood than I could ever hope to."
"Yes, but I don't use such occurrences to my advantage," Jade explained cheerfully. "Tickets really are passe, after all."
"You are the worst liar I have ever had the misfortune of meeting," Anise announced stonily as she picked up her pace and began to outdistance him.
"Really Anise," Jade called out at her retreating back, "Every word that passes from my lips is the purest of truths." He smiled benignly at the sound of grinding teeth his comment elicited. It really was far too easy to rile her up at times.
"Must you do that?" Guy asked wearily as he took Anise's vacated spot beside the contrary colonel.
"But of course," Jade answered happily. "Why? Do you find something wrong with my behavior?"
"Do you really want me to answer that?" Guy grumbled irritably as he leveled a glare at their resident insane military officer. Jade answered him with a sickeningly sweet smile that made Guy's skin crawl in apprehension. "You do realize that whenever you set her off, I usually bear the brunt of it. And let me tell you, those bear hugs of hers are absolutely terrifying."
Jade tilted his head to the side in thought for a moment, then smiled charmingly again. "I don't see a problem with that, do you?"
"I hate you," Guy muttered darkly as he gave the colonel his best death glare.
"Then I'm glad that we had this conversation," Jade said breezily, as if he didn't have a care in the world. "It's better for these sort of things to be out in the open, don't you think?"
Guy's only response to that comment was a similar furious grinding of teeth.
---
"Master!"
Asch couldn't help but stare in dumfounded amazement as a blue and cream colored blur rocketed out of the governor's mansion the instant the door was opened and nearly bowled Luke over in its excitement. He could barely recall the creature from his brief stay in Yulia City after Akzeriuth's fall, and something told him that he'd much rather it had stayed that way. There was only so much naive, spontaneous enthusiasm he could stomach at one time.
It was... kind of... cute though. In an annoying sort of way.
"Master master! Please don't leave Mieu behind again! Mieu doesn't want to be eaten!"
Luke blinked down in confusion at the little ball of fluff that was desperately trying to burrow its way into his chest. Oh lord, what now? It was probably something really stupid. And by the sound of it, it was entirely Jade's fault. "Shut up, thing," Luke groused as he grabbed Mieu by the scruff and held the furry monstrosity out at arm's length. Ugh. Those puppy eyes were a lethal weapon. "What's this about being eaten? Nobody's going to eat you. There's probably not even enough meat on your bones to make an appetizer out of."
"But Miss Nephry said that Mieu can never be too sure about whether Master Jade is joking or not," Mieu wibbled. There was no other sane way to describe it. Insane? Yes. Sane? Not so much. And Luke didn't fancy going crazy anytime soon, especially not over a... a... thing. Why, why did he have to notice that Mieu was missing? Why? Wait a minute. Master Jade? What the heck was going on here?
"My my, Nephry," Jade hummed jovially, his tone nothing short of teasing as his sister stared down at him distastefully, "What dastardly things have you been filling this poor creature's mind with?"
"Simply the truth, Jade," Nephry sighed tiredly as she shook her head and crossed her arms. Having a battle of wits with her brother was not something she cared for. It just wasn't safe. "There really is no way to tell whether you are joking or not until well after the fact."
"Your faith in me is staggering," Jade practically beamed up at her.
Nephry shook her head again and grimaced slightly for a moment. "You never change."
"It wouldn't be fair if one of us didn't stay the same," Jade murmured softly, earning himself a scathing glare for his effort.
Meanwhile, Luke suddenly found his hand devoid of a blue fluffy, irritatingly cute thing. Not that he really minded the change all that much, but where exactly had that thing gotten off to now? Surely he didn't really believe that Jade was going to eat him. Jade wouldn't do something like that... right?
"Are you all right, Mieu?" Oh, of course. Tear had to get her "coo at the cute thing" time in somewhere. Shuddering in something akin to horrified disgust, Luke glanced over at Miss Cuteness herself. She could deny it all she liked, but it was pretty obvious to just about everyone that she had a soft spot for cute... things. "You didn't freeze anything off, did you?"
"Mieu is fine!" The little cheagle giggled slightly as Tear diligently checked over every single spot of fur on his body for any conceivable mar or taint. "As long as Mieu isn't eaten, Mieu will be just fine."
"Oh don't worry, Mieu," Tear said comfortingly as she finished up her inspection and hugged the little scrap of fur for all he was worth, "We won't let Jade do anything to you. Will we?" That last question took on a dangerous sounding quality as she gave Luke a pointed glare.
He might be considered stupid by most, but Luke knew a life threatening hazard when it stared him straight in the eye. No way in hell was he going to cross her when she was on a cute rampage, especially not after what had happened to Guy back in Daath. "Of course not!" he yelped, then reached back to scratch nervously at the nape of his neck. "Jade wouldn't eat that thing. There's not enough there to eat."
"Excuse me?" Everyone blinked at the interruption and then focused their attention upon the speaker. Natalia smiled weakly, one hand resting upon Ion's shoulder as she pointed out the obvious. "I hate to break up this delightful get together, but I'm cold and wet, as is Fon Master Ion and Asch." She gifted Jade and Luke both with a very heated glare as she voiced the final individual included in her list of concern.
"Fon Master Ion?" Nephry repeated suspiciously, then turned her attention back to her beloved brother. "Please don't tell me you've added kidnapping to your repertoire."
"Really Nephry, what do you take me for?" Jade chided gently and shrugged as if her accusation didn't bother him in the slightest. "No one is here who does not wish to be."
/Geez, and I thought we argued a lot./ Luke thought grumpily as he slowly edged away from Tear. That was one ticking time bomb he did not want to set off. No ribbons and lace for him, thanks all the same.
/We do. They merely have more of a history behind it than we do./ Asch sent back absently as he watched the tableau acting itself out in front of them. That there was a history between the siblings was obvious, as was the distrust brought about by it, though perhaps said distrust wasn't quite as suspicious as it seemed to an outsider like him. The governor didn't appear to hate her brother, but there was definite unease in her posture. Something bad had happened in their past, and with what he knew of Colonel Jade Curtiss, there was no telling just how bad it must have been.
/So what do you think of the thing?/
Asch blinked blankly for several seconds, his train of thought completely derailed by Luke's off the wall question. /Thing? What thing?/
/The thing Tear is still going gaga over./ Luke replied in an utterly bored tone. He could really go for a hot bath right about now. Anything to get out of the cold.
/The cheagle?/
/Yeah. Mieu. The thing./ Luke explained, just as bored as before. Squinting, he looked up at the clearing sky and scowled. The sun could at least be useful and warm the place up, but no, it was still cold as hell. At this point he wouldn't even care whether any of the snow melted or not, he'd settle for a nice warm breeze. The cold sucked more than the snow.
/Ah. Well. It's... furry?/
/Yeah.../ Luke frowned, craned his head back down and glanced over at Asch curiously. Asch? At a loss for words about the thing? That didn't make sense. What could- Stopping himself in mid thought, Luke poked around at the sensations bleeding over from his irritable God-General and came to an odd realization: Asch was embarrassed about something. That was kinda weird. Why would he- Oh. Oh, that was just too funny. /You think it's cute, don't you?/
Asch took in a sharp breath, straightened up to his full height, crossed his arms indignantly and looked away. /I have no idea what you're talking about./ It was too late of course, Luke had already caught sight of the telltale beginnings of a blush.
Luke grinned in amusement. He just couldn't help it, it was just too funny for Asch the Bloody to be embarrassed over thinking that the blue, furry thing of doom was cute. /You can hold him if you'd like. I'm sure he'd appreciate it. Though it might be a little difficult prying him away from Tear right now. She's kinda scary when it comes to cute things./
/Go die./
/Oh, come on. There's nothing wrong with thinking it's cute. Okay, maybe it's a little disgusting, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with it./
/I'll kill you myself if you'd prefer./ Asch shot back acidly as he deigned to gift Luke with a venomous glare.
/Really, there's nothing wrong with thinking it's cute. Well, there might be something wrong with Tear and her cute obsession, but you're not Tear. Are you sure you don't want to hold him?/
/I'm going to gut you where you stand./
"Now children," Jade called back cheerfully to the pair, though there was a hint of steel in his voice, "There's no fighting allowed in Keterburg. Anyone foolish enough to do so gets roasted and eaten by the town's ever so charming governor."
"Jade!"
"It runs in the family," Jade explained serenely, his ever present smile front and center.
Nephry reached up and rubbed two fingers against her temple, as if to ward off a headache. "I don't see how they manage to put up with you."
"They've fallen under the sway of my dashing good looks," Jade shot back pleasantly.
Guy snorted in disbelief, but before anyone could get a word in edgewise a beastly roar echoed out across the town.
Nephry started in shock and then glanced out across the snow covered rooftop. "What in the world-"
"Did-," Ion began in uncertainty, his index finger pressed tightly against his bottom lip in mounting worry, "Did that happen to sound like a liger to any of you?"
"Gloomietta!" Anise snarled savagely before whirling around and taking off at a dead run back the way they had come.
Jade shook his head and shrugged once again. "That does put a damper on things. If you'll excuse us, Nephry," he spared his sister an apologetic glance before heading off after Anise, "I'm afraid it appears that we have a God-General to deal with."
---
By the time their intrepid group finally managed to reach Keterburg proper, Luke was very, very certain that he didn't care one single whit for snow. He'd even go so far as to say that he hated it at the moment, perhaps even to the point of loathing the stupid stuff. His feet were blocks of ice and his pants were soaked clean through nearly up to his knees. In fact, he had a sneaking suspicion that said wet pants themselves were beginning to freeze down there. Snow sucked.
Asch was probably just as cold, if not more so thanks to recent events; though he hid his discomfort a bit better. Still, Luke doubted that those metal boot thingies, whatever they were supposed to be, helped keep the cold out any better than the thick leather of his own boots. Actually, going by his own personal experience, they were probably worse because metal seemed to like being cold. Asch's face, of course, was locked in a perpetual scowl, but no one could really say whether that was his natural state or not. Luke didn't think so, though the "feelings" leaking through their connection were a bit of a mishmash thanks to the ever present lethargy.
/Would you mind not thinking so loud, for once?/
Luke blinked in surprise, focused his gaze back on Asch, and sheepishly realized that the scowl was mostly being directed at him. Oops. /Er, sorry about that. It's just, you know, cold. And wet. And cold./
/Really? I never would have noticed./ Luke winced as the sarcastic irritation came through loud and clear. /Between my own nerve endings and your constant litany about how your feet were going to fall off before we ever reached the town, I don't know how I could possibly come to the conclusion that it is colder than hell out here./
Luke returned Asch's scowl in spades as his walk through Keterburg became more of a stalk thanks his own budding annoyance. /Do you have to bitch about everything?/
/I'd like to see you try and keep your temper when you've got a seven year old permanently stuck in your head./ Asch replied blandly.
Luke almost lost his footing at that particular comment, but thankfully managed to save himself just in time. They were halfway up the stairs past the casino now and he really didn't want to end up in a heap somewhere at the bottom. /Is-is that how you view me?/ He asked hesitantly once they'd finally reached the top and were on safer -and much steadier- ground. At least if he tripped himself up now, he wouldn't fall quite so far.
/You are seven years old./
/Well, yeah, but that's not the point!/
/Are you sure about that?/ Asch gave Luke a bewildered, sideways glance before returning his gaze back to the path before them. /Have you actually stopped and thought things through yet? Have you even considered the ramifications of what you've done and what it will mean for your future, much less my own?/
/I'm not sure I understand.../
/Of course you don't./ Asch sighed mentally and shook his head. /You have tied your well-being to mine, a situation that may indeed last for the entirety of both our lives, and have yet to express a single regret at the very concept. Tell me that doesn't strike you as a bit juvenile in outlook./
/Well, it doesn't./ Luke grumbled halfheartedly, though he was starting to feel a twinge of concern. The blank sensation that had come about thanks to the earlier confrontation with their father was starting to creep up again; and Luke has a sinking feeling that it was how Asch tended to deal with things that truly bothered him: he just shut down. There was no way that could be healthy. People didn't stop feeling just because they wanted to, right?
/And that's exactly my point. You still have the outlook of a child./
Luke grimaced and looked away. He couldn't really argue with that particular point. It was probably true on some level. And it was certainly true that he hadn't thought much beyond Asch being alive and staying alive, but he didn't view that as a bad thing. If that made him into a child, then he was a child. And Asch was still alive. That was more than enough for him. On the other hand, getting something that simple through to Asch was going to be difficult at best, impossible at worst. Still, he had to start somewhere. /I've done a lot of things I regret, but this isn't one of them. If I had done anything differently, you wouldn't be here./
/Some people might not view that as a good thing./ Oh, that was better. There was a bit of sardonic humor present now. It wasn't much, but it was something. Asch hadn't completely closed himself off yet.
Luke smiled cockily and tossed his head. /Some people can kiss my ass./ He counted the small smirk that twitched across Asch's lips in response as something of a victory.
"You know," Anise said quietly, an impish grin plastered on her face as she chanced a glance back at the twin, redheaded terrors in their midst, "I could really go for some popcorn right about now."
Jade arched an eyebrow inquiringly. "Really now? Why's that?"
"Oh come on," Anise rolled her eyes at him, "You, of all people, should know what I mean. They're better than paid entertainment."
"If you say so," Jade murmured sweetly.
"You can't fool me with that innocent act," Anise grumped good-naturedly. "I know you. You'd probably be selling tickets if you thought you could get away with it."
"Now now, Anise dear," Jade said silkily, "Try not to attribute me with your own shortcomings. It's not fair to either of us."
"My shortcomings?" Anise almost snarled as she reached up and poked him in the side none too gently. "You get a hell of a lot more enjoyment out of our sweat, tears and blood than I could ever hope to."
"Yes, but I don't use such occurrences to my advantage," Jade explained cheerfully. "Tickets really are passe, after all."
"You are the worst liar I have ever had the misfortune of meeting," Anise announced stonily as she picked up her pace and began to outdistance him.
"Really Anise," Jade called out at her retreating back, "Every word that passes from my lips is the purest of truths." He smiled benignly at the sound of grinding teeth his comment elicited. It really was far too easy to rile her up at times.
"Must you do that?" Guy asked wearily as he took Anise's vacated spot beside the contrary colonel.
"But of course," Jade answered happily. "Why? Do you find something wrong with my behavior?"
"Do you really want me to answer that?" Guy grumbled irritably as he leveled a glare at their resident insane military officer. Jade answered him with a sickeningly sweet smile that made Guy's skin crawl in apprehension. "You do realize that whenever you set her off, I usually bear the brunt of it. And let me tell you, those bear hugs of hers are absolutely terrifying."
Jade tilted his head to the side in thought for a moment, then smiled charmingly again. "I don't see a problem with that, do you?"
"I hate you," Guy muttered darkly as he gave the colonel his best death glare.
"Then I'm glad that we had this conversation," Jade said breezily, as if he didn't have a care in the world. "It's better for these sort of things to be out in the open, don't you think?"
Guy's only response to that comment was a similar furious grinding of teeth.
---
"Master!"
Asch couldn't help but stare in dumfounded amazement as a blue and cream colored blur rocketed out of the governor's mansion the instant the door was opened and nearly bowled Luke over in its excitement. He could barely recall the creature from his brief stay in Yulia City after Akzeriuth's fall, and something told him that he'd much rather it had stayed that way. There was only so much naive, spontaneous enthusiasm he could stomach at one time.
It was... kind of... cute though. In an annoying sort of way.
"Master master! Please don't leave Mieu behind again! Mieu doesn't want to be eaten!"
Luke blinked down in confusion at the little ball of fluff that was desperately trying to burrow its way into his chest. Oh lord, what now? It was probably something really stupid. And by the sound of it, it was entirely Jade's fault. "Shut up, thing," Luke groused as he grabbed Mieu by the scruff and held the furry monstrosity out at arm's length. Ugh. Those puppy eyes were a lethal weapon. "What's this about being eaten? Nobody's going to eat you. There's probably not even enough meat on your bones to make an appetizer out of."
"But Miss Nephry said that Mieu can never be too sure about whether Master Jade is joking or not," Mieu wibbled. There was no other sane way to describe it. Insane? Yes. Sane? Not so much. And Luke didn't fancy going crazy anytime soon, especially not over a... a... thing. Why, why did he have to notice that Mieu was missing? Why? Wait a minute. Master Jade? What the heck was going on here?
"My my, Nephry," Jade hummed jovially, his tone nothing short of teasing as his sister stared down at him distastefully, "What dastardly things have you been filling this poor creature's mind with?"
"Simply the truth, Jade," Nephry sighed tiredly as she shook her head and crossed her arms. Having a battle of wits with her brother was not something she cared for. It just wasn't safe. "There really is no way to tell whether you are joking or not until well after the fact."
"Your faith in me is staggering," Jade practically beamed up at her.
Nephry shook her head again and grimaced slightly for a moment. "You never change."
"It wouldn't be fair if one of us didn't stay the same," Jade murmured softly, earning himself a scathing glare for his effort.
Meanwhile, Luke suddenly found his hand devoid of a blue fluffy, irritatingly cute thing. Not that he really minded the change all that much, but where exactly had that thing gotten off to now? Surely he didn't really believe that Jade was going to eat him. Jade wouldn't do something like that... right?
"Are you all right, Mieu?" Oh, of course. Tear had to get her "coo at the cute thing" time in somewhere. Shuddering in something akin to horrified disgust, Luke glanced over at Miss Cuteness herself. She could deny it all she liked, but it was pretty obvious to just about everyone that she had a soft spot for cute... things. "You didn't freeze anything off, did you?"
"Mieu is fine!" The little cheagle giggled slightly as Tear diligently checked over every single spot of fur on his body for any conceivable mar or taint. "As long as Mieu isn't eaten, Mieu will be just fine."
"Oh don't worry, Mieu," Tear said comfortingly as she finished up her inspection and hugged the little scrap of fur for all he was worth, "We won't let Jade do anything to you. Will we?" That last question took on a dangerous sounding quality as she gave Luke a pointed glare.
He might be considered stupid by most, but Luke knew a life threatening hazard when it stared him straight in the eye. No way in hell was he going to cross her when she was on a cute rampage, especially not after what had happened to Guy back in Daath. "Of course not!" he yelped, then reached back to scratch nervously at the nape of his neck. "Jade wouldn't eat that thing. There's not enough there to eat."
"Excuse me?" Everyone blinked at the interruption and then focused their attention upon the speaker. Natalia smiled weakly, one hand resting upon Ion's shoulder as she pointed out the obvious. "I hate to break up this delightful get together, but I'm cold and wet, as is Fon Master Ion and Asch." She gifted Jade and Luke both with a very heated glare as she voiced the final individual included in her list of concern.
"Fon Master Ion?" Nephry repeated suspiciously, then turned her attention back to her beloved brother. "Please don't tell me you've added kidnapping to your repertoire."
"Really Nephry, what do you take me for?" Jade chided gently and shrugged as if her accusation didn't bother him in the slightest. "No one is here who does not wish to be."
/Geez, and I thought we argued a lot./ Luke thought grumpily as he slowly edged away from Tear. That was one ticking time bomb he did not want to set off. No ribbons and lace for him, thanks all the same.
/We do. They merely have more of a history behind it than we do./ Asch sent back absently as he watched the tableau acting itself out in front of them. That there was a history between the siblings was obvious, as was the distrust brought about by it, though perhaps said distrust wasn't quite as suspicious as it seemed to an outsider like him. The governor didn't appear to hate her brother, but there was definite unease in her posture. Something bad had happened in their past, and with what he knew of Colonel Jade Curtiss, there was no telling just how bad it must have been.
/So what do you think of the thing?/
Asch blinked blankly for several seconds, his train of thought completely derailed by Luke's off the wall question. /Thing? What thing?/
/The thing Tear is still going gaga over./ Luke replied in an utterly bored tone. He could really go for a hot bath right about now. Anything to get out of the cold.
/The cheagle?/
/Yeah. Mieu. The thing./ Luke explained, just as bored as before. Squinting, he looked up at the clearing sky and scowled. The sun could at least be useful and warm the place up, but no, it was still cold as hell. At this point he wouldn't even care whether any of the snow melted or not, he'd settle for a nice warm breeze. The cold sucked more than the snow.
/Ah. Well. It's... furry?/
/Yeah.../ Luke frowned, craned his head back down and glanced over at Asch curiously. Asch? At a loss for words about the thing? That didn't make sense. What could- Stopping himself in mid thought, Luke poked around at the sensations bleeding over from his irritable God-General and came to an odd realization: Asch was embarrassed about something. That was kinda weird. Why would he- Oh. Oh, that was just too funny. /You think it's cute, don't you?/
Asch took in a sharp breath, straightened up to his full height, crossed his arms indignantly and looked away. /I have no idea what you're talking about./ It was too late of course, Luke had already caught sight of the telltale beginnings of a blush.
Luke grinned in amusement. He just couldn't help it, it was just too funny for Asch the Bloody to be embarrassed over thinking that the blue, furry thing of doom was cute. /You can hold him if you'd like. I'm sure he'd appreciate it. Though it might be a little difficult prying him away from Tear right now. She's kinda scary when it comes to cute things./
/Go die./
/Oh, come on. There's nothing wrong with thinking it's cute. Okay, maybe it's a little disgusting, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with it./
/I'll kill you myself if you'd prefer./ Asch shot back acidly as he deigned to gift Luke with a venomous glare.
/Really, there's nothing wrong with thinking it's cute. Well, there might be something wrong with Tear and her cute obsession, but you're not Tear. Are you sure you don't want to hold him?/
/I'm going to gut you where you stand./
"Now children," Jade called back cheerfully to the pair, though there was a hint of steel in his voice, "There's no fighting allowed in Keterburg. Anyone foolish enough to do so gets roasted and eaten by the town's ever so charming governor."
"Jade!"
"It runs in the family," Jade explained serenely, his ever present smile front and center.
Nephry reached up and rubbed two fingers against her temple, as if to ward off a headache. "I don't see how they manage to put up with you."
"They've fallen under the sway of my dashing good looks," Jade shot back pleasantly.
Guy snorted in disbelief, but before anyone could get a word in edgewise a beastly roar echoed out across the town.
Nephry started in shock and then glanced out across the snow covered rooftop. "What in the world-"
"Did-," Ion began in uncertainty, his index finger pressed tightly against his bottom lip in mounting worry, "Did that happen to sound like a liger to any of you?"
"Gloomietta!" Anise snarled savagely before whirling around and taking off at a dead run back the way they had come.
Jade shook his head and shrugged once again. "That does put a damper on things. If you'll excuse us, Nephry," he spared his sister an apologetic glance before heading off after Anise, "I'm afraid it appears that we have a God-General to deal with."
---