Xan's back?!

"Sir. It's Icarus. He's back." The redhead sighed from his seat in his office, looking out the window to the snowfields of Briggs. Hmm... Reila would eventually be out to greet the Ishvallan too. So was it so bad that he went out and met with him first? Ah, Dai was sure it'd be nothing... He smiled to himself, and stood up from his desk, making sure that all of his paperwork was lined up, and straightened up his own uniform. He walked out the door and down the corridor, past soldier after soldier, until he reached the front door of Briggs, opening it up into the chilly evening air. He stepped out into the snow, not fazed by the cold, and walked down the path, reaching the man in the black trenchcoat.

Red eyes met red eyes, and Dai narrowed his slightly. He stepped forward one or two more times, and then held out his hand with a smile.

"Welcome back, Xan." His smile was brighter than the sun reflecting off the snow as it sank into the foothills of Briggs. He looked at the man and tilted his head to the side - seeing an old ally like this... It was something to be revered, hell, they needed a feast or something! He laughed, remembering... everything? Yeah, there was a lot of shit they had between them, stuff that needed to be put in the past, and stuff that needed to be simply... forgotten. He laughed softly, and put his automail hand into his pocket.

"So, what's our old Second in Command been doing since he left, huh? Actually, no, don't answer that yet. Come inside. I'll bet you're not used to the Briggs cold anymore. It's still the best, in my opinion." He laughed again, and motioned the man inside, walking up the path to the door, nodding to his guards to lower their weapons.

"Old ally. No need for an escort. Okay?" The men raised their hands in salute, and then returned to their positions.

"C'mon, Xan! I'll bet Reila's just dying to talk to you! No doubt she already knows that you're here!"

Xanthus raised his eyebrows in surprise when the door opened to reveal Daigoro Ito. The other Ishvalan's eyes were narrowed slightly, and he took a few steps forward...and then raised his hand, which Xan shook with a small smile. Now why did it just feel like the weight of the world had just been lifted from his shoulders? Ah, no matter, at least he was back home.

"Welcome back Xan."

"It's good to be back Dai, very good to be back.

Xanthus looked at Dai and nearly laughed out loud. How long had it been since anyone in this fort had actually treated him like an old ally? Ah well, at least he seemed to have redeemed himself over time. That at least, made him feel at great deal better about meeting everyone else inside. If Daigoro could look at him and smile, then maybe some 'other' people could too. Maybe. Was Xan actually feeling nervous? That was definitely a new one!

"So, what's our old Second in Command been doing since he left, huh? Actually, no, don't answer that yet. Come inside. I'll bet you're not used to the Briggs cold anymore. It's still the best, in my opinion."

At this point Xanthus finally registered the fact that Daigoro was speaking Ishvallan, and flipped the mental switch to speak in that language himself as he followed Dai into the eternal fortress that was Briggs.

Ah, thanks for the invitation. As for being used to the cold...that's one resistance that never goes away. Once an Officer of Briggs, always an Officer of Briggs. I could stand outside shirtless and feel as though I were in this trenchcoat. It's all one to me.

Icarus followed Daigoro past a few troops and continued into the depths of Briggs, wondering who would be the next person that he would see inside. Wondering, and feeling slightly nervous about the answer for some reason or another.

Dai walked through the door and smiled softly, leading Xan behind. He wondered what his fellow Ishvallan's opinion would be - he was the first of their long line of Second-in-Commands, and the only one who actually betrayed them without being executed by Reila. He sniggered, that man was truly something. He sighed softly, looked up and down the halls, and... blinked. Nothing. There was nobody there - the place was barren. He blinked again, and pulled his phone out of his pocket, speed-dialing Reila's number. Number 1, of course. He raised the device to his ear, and got the answering machine. With a blink, he spoke in Aerugese.

"Uh... Xan's here. Y'know where I can find you guys? I mean, it's like the place is empty... Seriously... Fine. I'm taking him on a tour. Lemme know when you get this message, okay?" A soft smirk went onto the redhead's face, which was hidden from Xan's prying eyes. He knew why Reila wasn't answering her phone - and he made a damn good actor, if he did say so himself~

He sighed, and shook his head.

"Looks like I'm giving you the personal tour for now. Can't seem to raise Reila." He shrugged, and started walking down the hall to the left. Where to first... Maybe he could show Xan his project! Yeah, that'd be a sight.

"To the armory!" He smiled, and led him at a nice pace. Nothing too brisk, but not so slow that it seemed like he was stalling for time... because he wasn't. Alright? He wasn't!

Xan followed Dai deeper into the fortress, keeping several paces behind him and looking around as though he had not been back to Briggs in years. If one had asked for his thoughts in fact, he would have replied that it did feel like it had been years since he last walked down the entrance hall. Suddenly, Dai tried to call Reila to no success as it seemed. The red haired Ishvalan's back was turned and his face was hidden so that Xan could not see it, though even if he could have seen it, he most likely would not have thought much of Dai's smirking.

"Looks like I'm giving you the personal tour for now. Can't seem to raise Reila." He shrugged, and started walking down the hall to the left. Icarus quickly resumed following him, still keeping several paces between them.

"To the armory!"

Suddenly Xanthus was curious. He knew of Daigoro's weapon tech, there were rumors and stories about some of his inventions even down in Central. This would probably be worth the walk down to the armory to see! Which reminded Xanthus that a very special tool of his would most likely need delivery to this base sooner or later. A small smile lit upon the Ishvalans' face as he thought of his last creation, his Ambition, as he called it.

The halls were long and confusing, to those who weren't Briggs. Luckily, both Dai and Xan were good at what they did, and weren't too easily lost. And so they eventually reached the Armory. Dai opened the door, and the pair walked into a room filled with... Guns. There was nothing special in there by the looks of things, and that would've made most people stop and wonder. Dai was looking for his special project, after all. He smiled softly, and walked over to a rack of dusty pistols, pulling out a seemingly random handgun with a grin. He raised it up to the wall behind the rack, and fired.

There was no gunshot sound, nothing. It was silent. Until... the wall around the rack crackled, and began to rise. It slowly raised into the roof, while the rack itself lowered into the ground. This revealed a dark room behind the door, and Dai felt around the wall until he found a light switch. This turned on the spotlights, and it was revealed.

At first glance, it appeared to be a 40-foot long tube. On closer inspection, you could see that one of the two ends was strangely-shaped, almost flat. The design of the tube itself was ornate and complex on the outside, looking rather rustic as well. On a table next to the large tube was a large hand-cannon and an eyepatch. He walked over to the table, and picked up the hand-cannon, inspecting it closely. He turned back to Xan and smiled.

"What's your biggest problem with a cannon? Accuracy. It's such a brute-force weapon, there's really nothing useful about it in terms of accuracy. But that's what I've changed." He grinned and replaced the hand-cannon, just for now. "I present to you... the Gae Bolg - my Alchemic Cannon. You're the first to see this, even Reila only knows conceptual mumbo-jumbo about it. The weapon is designed to be used in conjunction with my Alchemy, meaning that with this smaller cannon, the Kellendros, I am able to physically guide the projectile with my magnetism." He grinned, and patted what he thought of as one of his greatest inventions.

It took a certain kind of person to appreciate weaponry that was similar to the invention of Daigoro Ito. It was destructive, clever, and totally unexpected. It used the powers and principles of alchemy to enhance warfare and give the Briggs Brigade an advantage in any fight. In short, it was one of the single most destructive weapons that the world had ever seen, or at least it would become so.

Naturally, Xanthus Icarus loved it.

"What's your biggest problem with a cannon? Accuracy. It's such a brute-force weapon, there's really nothing useful about it in terms of accuracy. But that's what I've changed."

Xan's left eyebrow raised up in curiosity. He somehow knew that this was probably going to get even more interesting soon enough.

"I present to you... the Gae Bolg - my Alchemic Cannon. You're the first to see this, even Reila only knows conceptual mumbo-jumbo about it. The weapon is designed to be used in conjunction with my Alchemy, meaning that with this smaller cannon, the Kellendros, I am able to physically guide the projectile with my magnetism."

A long whistle escaped Xan's lips. He had to admit it, he was quite impressed. No wonder Dai was so infamous; the man was a genius weapon inventor.

Well my friend, it looks like you've really out done yourself this time; this is the most impressive piece of equipment that I've ever seen. I feel bad for whoever happens to be on the receiving end of the Gae Bolg payload. Keep this up and some big wigs in Central might come knocking!

"Cheh. If Central comes knocking, you can be sure that I'll give'em the flick. My tech is my tech. Nobody else's. If push comes to shove, I'll be sure to take this armory to the ground, so those who would rather use my tech can't get their greedy hands on it. It may seem unfair and selfish - but I have my reasons." He grinned, and started back out the door into the normal Armory, waited for Xan to come back, and pulled the trigger of another seemingly-random weapon, this time, and assault rifle. The door slowly closed behind the pair, and Dai smiled briefly at his old friend.

"C'mon. I have more to show. Well, no, actually, I don't. But I've gotta give you the tour still, right?" He smiled brightly, and led Xanthus out of the room and into the corridor once more, looking around to see where they'd go next... His hand was constantly on his phone, awaiting that call from Reila for when everything was all clear.

Hurry up, will ya? I need to get this guy there ASAP... His hand went to his chin, and he grinned.

"To the training grounds!" Yep, he was stalling. Big time.

Xanthus kept staring at the Gae Bolg, thinking of what uses such a powerful weapon could be put to. Dai's method of using it reminded him of his brother, Lyte. He could probably use the powerful cannon too, only in perhaps a different method than Daigoro, and perhaps with slightly different results if he wasn't careful. With a slight smile he remembered that no one really knew that he even had a brother! Ah well, perhaps he'd mention it sometime or just bring him here. Reila would probably have a heart attack to know that there was another of him running around! Dai's voice brought Xan back out of his daydreaming and back to reality.

"Cheh. If Central comes knocking, you can be sure that I'll give'em the flick. My tech is my tech. Nobody else's. If push comes to shove, I'll be sure to take this armory to the ground, so those who would rather use my tech can't get their greedy hands on it. It may seem unfair and selfish - but I have my reasons."

As Dai led him out of the chamber of secret weapons, Xan thought to himself that there were very few people who would (or even could) have said that and meant it as much as Daigoro Ito. It was one of the reasons that Xanthus respected the man so much, along with a few others, but that one was one of the main ones.

At the mention of going to the training grounds, Xanthus became ever so slightly suspicious, though it only registered in his mind for a few seconds that there might have been a bit of stalling going on. However, he quickly dismissed this thought. After all, why would Daigoro have been stalling for time anyway?

Brrrring, Brrriiiing, Brrrrrriiiiing~

His phone was going off. Dai blinked, and pulled it out of his pocket, holding it up to his left ear.

"It's me. Yeah, he's here. You ready too see him now? Fine by me." The redhead flicked off his phone, and slipped it into his pocket with a small smile. He turned to Xan, and smiled briefly.

"Looks like we're gonna have to cut this trip short. Reila now wants to see you." He tilted his head to the side, and started to walk out of the room, into the halls. To the cafeteria, they were going. To the surprise, they would head.

Dai sighed softly, and pushed his way through several doors, and into the hall that lead to the cafeteria with a smile. He turned back to Xan and motioned for him to follow, all the while unable to shake off this feeling of foreboding about the man he called his ally. Ah, well. He shook it off, and opened the doors of the now-dark cafeteria, waiting for it to happen.

Xanthus followed Daigoro until the other Ishvalan's phone began to ring and he stopped to answer it. Dai began to speak in Aerugese; perhaps he thought that Xan did not know that language? Ah well, perhaps it was just a coincidence, after all what could he possibly have to hide from one of his own? The words that were said intrigued Xan; Reila wanted to see him now? Hmm...things were getting very suspicious. And of course that only made Xanthus curious.

Somewhat more warily than before, Colonel Icarus followed Dai until at last they had reached a pitch black cafeteria, where they both stopped. Why did Xanthus suddenly get the feeling that something was about to happen? Nah, he was just being paranoid. But then again, why were they in the entrance of a pitch black cafeteria?!

"Dai, what are we doing here exactly?"

It was just like Reila's battle tactics to throw in a decoy! That's right; the pitch black cafeteria was pitch black for one single reason!: it was closed. Right, no food was being made and thus why not preserve electricity by turning down the lights, ne? And it was this genius idea that sparked another in Reila's imaginary mind. Suddenly--rather suddenly, the floor made a loud croaking sound. Mechanical noises perked up, making the floor beneath the two men quake. Then...the floor dropped out from them, walls of glass sliding down from the ceiling from every side of them. Down, down they flew like a runaway elevator without brakes!! What would happen?! Would they crash?! Was Briggs' secret escape route malfunctioning...or...?!

The secret glass elevator smacked against the ground with a clank, jolting through the two men slightly. The glass walls sunk into slots in the floor and the platform remained under their feet. The recess of the strangely warm basement was also pitch black, but... suddenly the entire area lit up with flames. It was clearly an alchemist's doing. The light flickered like a haunted hayride, threatening the two to shiver from surprise and more hopefully...fear. But no monsters lurked in the flame's shadows, but a girl! Long arrays of strawberry blond hair spiraled behind her. Golden eyes lit up by the flames, shimmered with excitement. "Xan~~" She exclaimed and threw her arms around his neck with an all-too-bright smile. Who cared if he had been a rebel before, who cared if he had almost turned against Briggs. He hadn't. And he was still a part of them. Reila knew this clearly and that was why...

The lights burst on, lightning up tables of amazing food and nearly all of the Briggs Brigade was there, waiting like predators to devour the amazing food. "Surprise."

As expected, Reila did nothing in halves. The redhead felt his stomach drop, and the pair went down what appeared to be an elevator at a high rate of speed. He turned to Xan with a knowing grin, and the pair hit the ground, groundshock spreading through his body. He groaned, and stepped forwards a couple of steps, and shouted out.

"Next... time... CAN YOU NOT MAKE IT SO FAST!?" He stumbled forwards slightly, and stepped back as the air around them ignited. He sighed, and looked over at the food-laden table.

"Gods be praised..." The redheaded Alchemist could all but stare, as Reila stepped forwards from the darkness. Dai's smile brightened.

"You really don't do things in halves, hun." He laughed softly, and stepped off the platform with a grin, turning back to Xan, watching the Ishvallan out of the corner of his eye.

"Welcome back to Briggs, Xanthus Icarus. We've been waiting." He laughed, and took his place by his Ice Queen, the Metal King staring at Xan, waiting for his next move.

Xanthus Icarus had felt the floor beneath him drop down, and before he could even think to wonder where the secret elevator was taking him, he felt a slightly jarring crash as it landed. After the landing, fires along the wall revealed the presence of a very pleased looking Reila Tsukino, who placed her arms around the neck of a surprised Ishvalan. Before Xan could even register the fact that Reila was genuinely happy to see him, the lights burst on and she said 'surprise.'

And he was definitely surprised. Food lined the tables and the entirety of the Briggs Brigade was present, appearing for all the world to have been there for quite a while; predatory faces watched the food, and quite a few had suddenly looked in his direction. Xan's mouth dropped about an inch, then he regained some sense of composure, though when he looked at Reila and Dai, there might have been the slightest hint of a tear appearing in one eye. Suddenly, a huge smile lit his face. For a moment he was at a loss for words.

"Oh my...I don't know what to say...how did...when did...I had no idea...ah, I give up. Thank you Reila and Dai, and thank you all of Briggs for the warmest welcome possible in these ironically coldest climates!"

Walking forward, Xan caught both Dai and Reila in a great hug, and facing the general vicinity of the soldiers of Briggs, he gave the first 'order' that he had given in a very long time:

"By my command...Briggs...LET'S EAT!!!!!!!"

A loud shout filled the secret chamber with sound, then all hell broke loose as the men and women began to chow down. Before he let go of Dai and Reila however, Xan talked to them again in a low voice.

"So this is what you guys were planning? Wow, you really don't do things in halves do you? Come on, let's go get some food your highnesses!"

Reila burst out laughing at Xan's reaction and she even had to cover her mouth from laughing too loud. It was just too amusing to see the usually calm and controlled Ishballan at a loss for words. She too did not know how to respond other than with her joyful laughter. But, you know, she didn't need to respond with words, for she felt arms from all sides envelope her in warmth. This is how things should be. Well, that was just how she felt. If only it could stay this way...?

That was her goal.

Reila threw up her arms with everyone else when the order was given to eat. And she quickly swiped a chocolate croissant off the pile and took a bite. Through her chewing, she smirked at Xan's next comment. "'Course not. What did you expect??" And then...well, she almost died, and had to dive for the punch as she half-choked, half-laughed. "You..." she tried, laughing still, "just called Dai a girl!!" Reila had to hold onto the table, disoriented from the overload of humor.

"But he deserves it because he keeps speaking secretly to you in Ishballan." Golden eyes shot over to him in an amused pout. This was going to be fun.

Dai tilted his head. How was he called a girl? A couple of seconds of processing later and... oh. The redhead blinked, and looked over at Xan, eyes slightly narrowed.

"Girl, huh?" He blinked again, and then turned to Reila, taking in her Aerugese speech at the same time.

"Well, it's not like he understands Aerugese... does he?" Dai blinked at the man, not really knowing what he knew. He sighed softly, and walked over to the food, almost floating in defeat. He picked up a randomly placed bun, and stuffed it into his mouth, before floating over to a nearby chair and slumping in it.

Gi-Gi- Called me a gi- gi- He was just saying that, over and over again in his head. He was really not processing much else. He just sat there, taking it all in one ear, and letting it flow out the other. All he could do was that... Otherwise he'd suddenly shout. Dai sighed softly, and floated off his chair, over to the food again, picking up a meat pie... (YES, THEY EXIST IN AMESTRIS) and taking a bite out of the handheld pastry and mince and cheese treat. So good...

He was suddenly shook out of this stupor by the flavour, and upon finishing his food, walked calmly back over to Reila and Xan, a mischievous grin on his face. He was back to his old self...

"So, who feels like catching up on old times? I think me and my new arm here have got some explainin' to do." He laughed softly, not being able to think of much else to do, as his writer wasn't currently thinking straight.

{Fourth Wall breaking FTW! I promise that I'll only do it this once! Okay?!}

Xanthus Icarus smiled happily as all of Briggs obeyed his 'order' and began to chow down. Men began to dig in to all sorts of entrées, appetizers, and desserts with such abandon that could only be achieved by one who has lived in Briggs. Naturally, as former second in command, Xan could trump virtually all of them. In fact, he felt his stomach growl rebelliously as he started to imagine the different spices used to prepare the dishes, and his mouth watered staring at the cakes and pies.

However, in his hungry musing he heard Reila speaking to him and promptly fell into a fit of laughter. He hadn't meant to call Dai a girl. Even if he did use two bottles of shampoo. Daily.

"Sorry Dai, I didn't mean that, I swear! And come on Reila, as if you and Dai don't secretly speak in Aerugese all the time. Oh, and for the record, I do speak this language quite fluently.

Then Xan quickly descended upon a meat pie and told it...

"Now...GET IN MA BELLY!"

As the meat pit did as it was told bit by enormous bit (Xan could keep up with the best of them), Xan turned to face Daigoro again.

"Sure, catching up seems like...A good idea."

The sudden language change was due to the fact that Reila couldn't speak Ishvalan, and she apparently preferred people to speak in languages that she understood. With good reason of course; it's not like she got to have the Horseman training that prepared one for speaking with anyone at anytime.

"So, what are we talking about?"

Reila face palmed rather abruptly, sighing. What was with Briggs and it's heptolingualness?! Her brain was going to self-destruct; learning two was her limit, and she had learned Aerugese up until she was five so it didn't count. With a wave of long, glistening hair, Reila clicked over to the drink table. She poured herself a glass a wine, then Xan, and then Dai as well. She looked behind her and shot them a I-can't-carry-all-three-glasses-over-there-so-you're-going-to-have-to-come-over-here look. Golden eyes held overwhelming amusement as she put the cork back in the slender glass bottle. This was warm wine made in North City itself. It was of the highest and finest quality.

During times of peace, it was best to always be ready for war no matter what. Someone could attack now, would they be ready? Reila's tachi at her side glinted at her in the firelight. Of course, however, this was also a part of war. What would they be fighting for if not for this? She smiled sweetly to herself and turn to the two men, holding up her glass. "Kizuna."

Dai laughed softly at Xan's quick language change. He only knew two languages fluently. The third was the occasional word here or there, and hell, that was only used for moments he felt necessary. Watching Reila walk over to the wine glasses, he smiled softly.

"She sure is something, you know?" A casual, rhetorical, question, nonchalantly directed towards Xan. She really was something. That's when they got it. The I-can't-carry-all-three-glasses-over-there-so-you're-going-to-have-to-come-over-here look. Dai really couldn't fathom the length of this look, so he went over and smiled softly, taking one of the glasses off of the table. His smile was small. but proud. Hearing the Aerugese come from Reila's mouth, he knew it was time to sprinkle in that little language.

"Whanau." As the word for family left his lips, he smiled, and clinked his glass against the glasses of the other two.

"Cheers." He smiled softly, and took a small sip of the wine, letting the grape-flavour just flow down his throat, and stretching. "To the prosperity of peace."

Xan watched Reila go to acquire a glass of wine, then looked to at Dai just in time to hear his rhetorical question. Well, he decided to answer that rhetorical question with one of his own. A small smile lit his features as he nudged Daigoro with his elbow. Naturally, the small smile had a slight glint of mischievousness to it.

"You sure are a lucky king, you know?"

Icarus looked back at Reila just in time to catch the I-can't-carry-all-three-glasses-over-there-so-you're-going-to-have-to-come-over-here look. With a slight shrug, he stepped over to where she and now Dai were currently waiting for him. Picking up his glass with a smile, one filled more happiness than amusement though both were present, the Ishvalan clinked his glass against theirs lightly.

"Cheers, to Truth finally returning me here, to the place where it all began...it's good to be back home."

With that, Xan drank of his glass, savoring the flavor of the finest wine on this side of the country; it's flavor made all the sweeter by the presence of his closest friends. With a slight shrug, he realized that it was the truth; Dai and Reila were his closest friends. And speaking of...

"You know, I get the feeling that there's something that you're dying to ask me Reila. Go ahead, it's about that time."

Though he only registered it vaguely in the back of his mind, it seemed that Briggs' was beginning to get a little bit quieter, and even the lights seemingly were shifting to display more prominently this scene playing out between Xan, Reila, and Dai.

Very unlike Reila, she seemed a bit surprised at the lighting display her men were now putting on. As they dimmed and a larger one flickered to life, the rather spotlight-shy girl cowered in embarrassment. They all were going to watch her ask him!? Well, what if he said no?! Reila had wanted to give him that option, but now...she knew Xan wouldn't really have a choice; he was in front of a lot of people for god's sake! She sighed and twirled strands of her hair to distract herself.

Then Xan noticed and turned to her, inquiring before she could even breach the subject. Her mind was in a sort of girlie chaos as she faced her fears of rejection. Inside there, she probed for the right words until she finally found a good way to put it. "It's cursed, you see. You said it yourself... Briggs is doomed." She lowered her head in shame, strawberry blond rivers swirling to just above the floor. "At this point, I have to tell you what I have been thinking from day one." She raised her head, strong tears glazing the color of her eyes and making them sparkle like gold. "You are the only one suited for the role of being my second in command, Xanthus Icarus. In the past, I was shocked into commanding something inhuman out of anger and spite. This alone should be enough to demonstrate how I feel. Betrayal...I admit is my worst fear. I don't know what you were trying to do even up until this day, but...but, I mean...isn't this where you belong? I...I well, I think that you should stay...here with us." Reila's soft voice faded back into the confines of herself, and she lowered her head again, blinking furiously beneath her bangs which hid her face from all onlookers. Was this truly the ice Queen?

A warm had slipped into Reila's, and Dai stood next to her, holding his head up high in Pride. He smiled at the woman, and then turned to Xan, thinking back to all of the times they had shared. RIOTE, the Armory, The Attack on Father... His memories would never change. And neither would his wish for Xan to be a part of their team. His smile was as wise as any smile could be.

"I think what Reila's trying to say is... Xan. Xanthus Icarus. Pride. Homunculus. WHATEVER you want to be called, I don't care. What I know, and what I care about, is Briggs, and the safety of those," his gaze turned onto Reila, and then back to Xan, "who inhabit it. And you're the best bet for that to continue, and you're always a part of this family. Mate, you're the Duke. There's no doubt about it." At that last joke, he poked his tongue out slightly, and tilted his head to the side.

Oh, he already expected Xan to say yes. Unless the man didn't care, or had other plans, he'd say yes. That was good in itself. Xan was their rock, even through all of this. Dai may have been able to help Reila keep her emotions contained, but he could only do so much, as could she. They were only human, after all. And for the other members, they needed someone for when the pair were too taken up by their own minds. That was Xan. Even he was human still, mostly.

Xan stood calmly as Reila and Daigoro spoke, his eyes betraying no emotion, not happiness, sadness, apprehension, nor anything else. No one would have been able to tell what he was thinking for all of the world and more and after they had both finished speaking, he stood stock still for a moment. After about five seconds had passed however, he sipped his wine again, then set his glass on the table. He then took Dai and Reila's glasses and set them next to his.

He then looked at his shoes for a moment...and when he looked up, a single tear had fallen from the corner of one eye. That was about all of the warning that either of them got before being gripped in an enormous glomp-hug by the Ishvalan. After a few moments had passed, he released them both, but kept one hand each upon them as he looked into their eyes and addressed them separately yet at the same time.

"Reila, let's just forget what happened between us in the past; we both made mistakes, and now the time for apologies and paying back for them is done. If you made a mistake that made the position cursed, then I made the one that brought on a curse to myself as well; The position was not the only one cursed you know: My end of it was being unable to return to my home and see my friends, my true friends, who are like second family to me. It was virtually unbearable. Why do you think that I came here first when I learned Father's true identity? I just wanted to have an excuse to be here again.

Daigoro, if you can stand to live in the same place as a Homunculus and have him as an ally, then I'd gladly return, and I'll take that name that you've given me too! Hmm...the Shadow Duke of Briggs, I like that name; has a nice ring to it.

Look, I guess that what I'm trying to say is...I accept your offer, and will gladly return as the 2nd in Command of Briggs. I'll be one of your subordinates from this day forward."

Xan was wondering if Reila and Daigoro would remember the last sentence as the exact one that he had used when he had first met them both upon being assigned to Briggs for the first time many months ago. The very utterance of those words actually had the effect of making him stand at attention and salute them both, and yes both of them, for even though Dai was of a lower rank technically, he was the King and of course, Xan was now becoming the Duke. It had been a long time coming, and the day had finally arrived. He was back...

So...much...was...happening...all...at...the...same...time. Reila blinked and it was all over: the tear sliding down Xan's cheek, the erasing of their past, the implication that he was a homunculus, the affirmation that he was now back home for--for good was it? Reila took a deep breath and the next moment had already passed in silence. Inner turmoil flooded her mind, sticking to the innards of her brain. She breathed out, and it was already gone. It didn't matter. Xan was Xan regardless of whether he was human or not. He had tried to betray them once, but then why had he returned so many times? This was a question that the Head of Fort Briggs had already answered to herself countless times. It was obvious. This was where Xan belonged. He second in command position was cursed because, well, it belonged to Xan and only Xan. This was his place and, well...

"Xan," she smiled, golden eyes lit up even through the dim flicker of flames. "Welcome home."