Chapter 21: Reveille

Colony 9 was in fairly good shape - the Telethia did not get a whole lot done before Zanza was defeated - but it still needed a fair chunk of work. Junks had been damaged in the transition to the new world, partly because of how the Fallen Arm was now a vaguely hand-shaped rock formation in the sea as opposed to a mechanical structure. And with Melia last leaving her ship in the Bionis' heart, it had no open sky as needed for self-navigation, and thus would presumably be stuck there until a manual rescue. So it was up to good old legwork to get volunteers from the better-off settlements to help with Colony 9's repairs.

The party helped out for the first couple days, but once Otharon showed up, he told them to basically bugger off and get some rest for a change. Reyn took off immediately to go fishing with Riki and Juju, and Sharla followed. Dunban refused to take a rest, and Otharon didn't have the heart to press him on it. Shulk was initially going to get to the lab and do Shulk lab things, but when he heard what Melia was planning, he changed his mind.

"Did I hear you were planning a conference?"

"You did." Melia turned away from the Ponspectors she had just sent off. "So far we have told Colony 9 only that "we won". No explanation of what or how, and all the other settlements only have bits and rumours of what has happened to the world. It is past time to change that. Therefore, I have sent a summons to each settlement for at minimum three volunteers to witness a conference, at which I will explain everything. They may then take the news back home, thus informing everyone of the truth."

Shulk nodded. "Good idea. I guess you'll need my help. If people have questions about the Monado or Zanza, I'll probably have better answers than you."

Melia nodded. "That is a fair assessment. I had been planning on seeking participation from you and the others regardless."

"So when is this conference?"

"Seven days from today, at one in the afternoon. I would rather do it sooner, but we must allow enough time to ensure all volunteers receive the summons and arrive."

Shulk quickly scribbled a reminder in his notebook. "Do you want me to spread it around, or do you have that handled?"

"All means of publicising it are appreciated."

"Okay." Shulk turned away to head to the lab, thinking about what he was planning on doing and working out what tools he'd need.

Hmm, where's my block plane? I don't remember seeing it in the lab recently. When's the last time I used it?

Oh yeah, it was for...

He slowed and stopped. His train of thought had led him where he didn't want to go.

Melia was writing down further reminders for the conference in her notes, but saw that Shulk had suddenly stopped moving and was looking at his feet.

"Shulk? What's wrong?" She stepped over to him.

It took Shulk a few tries to get it out. "I-It's...it's m- it's the house."

"Ah." Melia understood. Shulk lived in Dickson's house; he had not gone near it since the events in Mechonis' core, and naturally it would still be difficult to return there now. "Do you require aid in...cleaning it?"

"I dunno." Shulk sounded far more sullen than usual. "I almost...I dunno if I even wanna go back there. Any time soon."

"Dunban will not judge you for continuing to sleep in his house until you are ready to return."

"I know, but..." He stared off into the distance for a moment. "Melia, can I ask you to...go and get some of my stuff?"

Melia's initial response was to say that if he wanted help, they should go together. But seeing this very much not-Shulk behaviour from him, trusting his possessions to someone else, she decided this could wait until the next time. If he wasn't ready now, she wouldn't push it.

"What do you need?"

Melia crept up to Dickson's front door as if the place was haunted. Not because it belonged to a dead person - she had no problem with defiling the place to spite its traitorous owner - but because Shulk lived there, and she was somewhat scared of discovering something that would make her think less of him.

Sharla had already been through once. Pretty much immediately upon first returning to Colony 9 after Dickson's treachery was revealed, she had taken Shulk's key, let herself in, and grabbed as many spare clothes for him as she could carry. Shulk had never mentioned it, so it wasn't clear whether he appreciated it at the time, but given his behaviour now he presumably did.

The key was in Melia's hands now. She carefully unlocked the door and pushed it open.

As the official leader of the colony's Defence Force, Dickson had a pretty good house for himself by Homs standards. The ground floor had a hall, living room, kitchen, dining room, and workshop, with stairs leading both up and down. For being home to two weapon builders, it was surprisingly clean and tidy.

Melia started by heading into the kitchen. Shulk hadn't asked for anything from the kitchen, but she could smell something rotting, and felt an obligation to ensure that the next time someone came to the house it wouldn't be full of rancid food. She sent the past-ripe fruits and vegetables to the compost bin, poured all the milk in the refrigerator down the sink, and checked the expiration dates on every package in the cupboards. After ensuring everything left would be stable for a few months, she returned to the hall and checked the list. Shulk's list of things he wanted retrieved wasn't too long, and he had been very thorough in writing down where things were and what they looked like, even including sketches of some of the woodworking tools (he correctly assumed Melia wouldn't recognise everything by name). It would not be hard to find everything.

She decided to get the tools first, and so headed into the basement. It was an unfinished basement mostly full of boxes and crates, each one brimming with supplies and scraps. In the back left corner hung a pair of tarps pretending to be walls with an entrance between them. Within was clearly originally Shulk's playroom, later turned into Shulk's workshop. A closed toybox sat in a far corner, covered in a large stack of scrap wood. A carpet in the middle of the area was badly stained with oil and sawdust but was evidently a playmap of the colony. A workbench to the side of the rug was heavily scuffed and splattered. Several shelves ran down the outer walls, covered in boardgame boxes, books, kit models, and original sculptures.

The tools were easy to find; she placed them into the laundry basket she was using to carry everything back to Shulk. A couple books went in as well. The idea came to her of adding one of the sculptures as a treat, so she selected a small dog whittled out of a medium-coloured wood.

The second half of the list was mostly specific clothes that Sharla hadn't picked up on her visit, plus a couple things that Shulk knew were in his room rather than the basement. However, he didn't specify which room was his, and the doors were closed. Melia had to guess between the near door and the far door, and chose near.

She was wrong, it was Dickson's room. It was surprisingly spartan - a bed, a dresser, a closet, and a desk, all basically featureless and empty. It had all the personality of a hotel room.

I suppose he always knew the world was temporary. He saw no need for keepsakes or trophies. What a shame, there isn't even anything worth destroying for spite.

By comparison, Shulk's room was far more satisfying. Papers and books were stacked everywhere in a way that made it appear messy but was certainly purposeful. The closet door was open, revealing a pile of socks and underwear sitting at the bottom. At least twelve pens and pencils were clustered on the desk.

It took some time to gather the clothes Shulk had requested, mostly because Melia took much care to not disturb anything (and take extreme care to avoid touching the underwear). She packed the other things between the sweaters and pants so they wouldn't rattle around as she carried the basket.

Just one thing was left.

· CHESS SET - ON BEDROOM DESK

The chessboard was stacked under a bunch of papers and thick enough to presumably have the pieces stored inside. Melia cautiously picked up the papers and placed them aside, but the top sheet slipped off anyway, and fell into the basket on the floor. She decided she'd fetch it after checking the set, and opened the lid.

It was evident that Shulk had carved this set himself quite some time ago, before he'd honed his skill. The pieces were fairly rough, with no two alike, but there was a certain charm to their asymmetry and individuality. There was even a little set of headgear for promoted pawns. It was no wonder this was the one thing he wanted retrieved from the house aside from clothes and tools - it was probably his earliest major completed work.

It looks like I should expect to be offered a game in the near future. And with a masterpiece like this at the centre, how could I decline.

With everything accounted for, Melia replaced the chessboard's lid and put it in the laundry basket. She then picked up the loose paper that had fallen so she could return it to the stack. It was impossible to do so without noticing that it appeared to be a list of food types; the first line read "FRUIT: MOSTLY (SOUR)".

This triggered her curiosity. Shulk was okay with most fruit, yes, but he liked the bitter ones most. Whose preferences was he recording? And, given he didn't know how to cook anything, why? She had to read the rest of the list.

Vegetables, "not really". Salad, "yes". Spicy, "no", in boldface and three underlines. Red meat, "meh". White meat, "okay". Seafood..."best".

...oh. This is me. Of course, I don't know why I'm surprised, he did...

Wait. When was this made? Shulk has not been here since...before the core...before Egil...before our last night in Alcamoth...so it must have been before our first date. And that would mean...

Shulk must have fancied me for far longer than I ever suspected.

Melia remained still for several minutes trying to process the revelation. She had always assumed that, even if Shulk had an inkling before then, it was the date that pushed him to realise he liked her. This contradicted that notion by demonstrating a significant interest in her for what must have been a couple days before that.

Wait, did...did Fiora not say something about she suspected this? That she could tell Shulk was attracted to me? Even before we fell to the Fallen Arm? My word, how long has it been then? Had we been pining after each other in secret for weeks?!

She violently shook her head and hurriedly replaced the paper on the stack.

The past does not matter. The path we took to reach this point matters far less than the reality of the present.

Melia took the basket full of possessions and left the house. After locking the door on her way out, she dropped the key into the basket as well and started down the street.

Shulk was sitting on a bench about six houses away, angled so he couldn't see the house. He was fidgeting with his sweater.

"I have rescued the requested items." Melia placed the laundry basket on the bench.

Shulk immediately perked up, turned around with a smile, and grabbed one of the tools, rubbing one of the sides with his thumb. "That's great, thanks Melia."

"I hope this does not become a common occurrence." She didn't expect so, but felt the need to spell it out.

"Oh no, it won't. I don't have any idea what else I'd need from there, it's all old or inferior stuff left." He put the tool back in the basket and stood up with it. "I guess I should...go leave the clothes at Dunban's, and then take the tools to the lab."

"I assume you require no extra aid?"

"Yeah I'm fine." He started to leave.

Melia sat on the bench and watched him go. She considered following him, but decided not to; it was probably better for him to fix up his belongings himself. Besides, she still had to make many plans for the conference.

Melia adjusted her mask. It had been quite a while since she'd had to use it; she had almost forgotten just how badly it obscured her vision.

The party was holed up in Dunban's house making final preparations for the conference. A stage and podium had been set up just outside, with the attendees gathering around. Vangarre and Otharon were outside acing as bouncers to ensure nobody crossed onto the carpet that led from the house to the stage.

"Big crowd out there," mumbled Reyn, taking a peek out through the curtains. "Gotta be way over a thousand. I'm spooked, not gonna lie."

The rest of the party was similarly anxious. Sharla was nervously twisting her hair. Dunban was pacing in circles around the kitchen. Riki was practically vibrating in a chair. Shulk was twitchily paging through Melia's script, ensuring it was all in order for the fifth time.

The clock struck one.

"It's time." Melia poked her headdress one last time and grabbed the script.

Shulk hastily made for the door; they had agreed that he would speak first, since he'd be the most recognisable to most of the crowd. The others all followed him outside.

The audience continued to babble as the group walked up to the stage. But as soon as Shulk stepped to the podium, they started clapping.

Stay calm. Stay calm. Stay calm. Shulk was so far out of his comfort zone, with so many people looking right at him, that he had half a mind to just leave. He immediately regretted choosing to not make a script for himself because he thought it wasn't worth writing down just a couple sentences.

He waited as long as he could stand for the clapping to slow down before raising a hand. Everyone stopped quickly, to his relief.

Here goes. "Uh, hi. You, well, I think most of you know me. I'm Shulk. I, uhm, we, we, we called this conference to explain some things about what happened to everything recently. But I'm...well, I'm pretty good at explaining things, but I'm not good at this many people. So I'll handing it over to a friend, who's very good at speaking to a lot of people. Thanks."

He quickly stepped back and sat down, the worst over with. A smattering of polite applause covered him.

Melia allowed herself a small chuckle at Shulk's expense before getting up and stepping forward. Recognising the mask and headdress, all the High Entia went silent immediately, shortly followed by the village Nopon. The Homs, colony Nopon, and Machina took a few moments to follow.

"Good afternoon to you all," she began. "I am glad that this many are in attendance."

She paused for a moment to judge the mood. Some of the audience appeared anxious and skittish, but on the whole they seemed attentive. This was about as good as she hoped for. She noted the position of the camera recording the conference and continued.

"As you all know, we have endured many great and terrible events over the past days, weeks, months, and even years. We have all suffered in some fashion or other, whether it be fighting against one's enemy, or worrying for those who are. We have lost much and gained only compensation. But now I can truly say that our constant warfare against a greater foe, our struggle for survival versus the pressures of a foreign army, is well and truly over."

Someone in the crowd started a cheer, which spread into a decent amount of applause. Melia allowed it to continue for a few moments before waving it down.

"It has now been some days since our final victory against the forces that opposed us. We have had some rest, while also beginning the healing of our homes and hearts. So with our new lives underway, I believe it is time for us all to know the truth. The truth of who our ultimate enemy was, why he gave us such grief, and how we managed to defeat him."

"But first. Many of you, not being native to the upper regions of the Bionis, will not know who I am or why I am afforded any authority on the matters I am about to explain. Thus, I introduce myself: I am Melia Antiqua, Empress of the High Entia. I do not seek power over any other factions, and you may ask any High Entia to confirm I am no tyrant."

Some chatter had developed in the audience, mostly High Entia being surprised and relieved that someone of the imperial family had survived. Melia motioned to get it to stop before continuing.

"This mask I wear is a symbol of my status. Its purpose is to protect princesses and empresses from the gaze of greedy men until she has already married the First Consort of her choice. Similarly, the headdress shields those of half Homs blood from some of the extra ridicule such people tend to accumulate."

"I have decided that these measures are no longer necessary."

With what she hoped looked like reckless abandon, Melia flung the mask off her face and allowed it to clatter to the ground behind her. She then removed the rest of the headdress and carelessly dropped it beside herself. There were gasps and shocked shouts from the audience, not just because they now knew what their empress looked like (and for some, that they had unknowingly met her already), but from the blatant disregard of tradition.

"I am not going to conform to every little thing that the ancient rules and laws of the imperial family have mandated since time unknown. They are for a world that no longer exists. I may be a ruler, but I am also one of Shulk's friends and companions, and it will soon become too much of a hassle to pretend these are two different people."

Melia gave the hubbub a chance to die off by itself before she cut it off once more.

"It is now time for you to hear the truth. I am going to start at the beginning of the beginning, and proceed until the present. For many of you, there will be much repeating of what you have already heard, whereas for others, you will not understand at first why what I am saying holds any relevance. But it is important to guarantee that no one has missed anything, in addition to ensuring that any and all guesses and rumours can be put to rest. There will inevitably be questions, but I ask that they wait until the end, as it is possible for your question to be answered later on in the explanation."

"So. Long ago..."

And so she began with that the two titans were not gods unto themselves, but simply the physical forms of the two gods who made the world. She explained the mentalities of Meyneth and Zanza, how one accepted a future end while the other was obsessed with an unchanging cycle. She outlined the cycle of Zanza and how it had proceeded in the known world. She spoke of Arglas and Egil, and how the latter believed he was doing the right thing by trying to thin the population of Bionis. She filled in all the holes about the mysteries of the Monado, the Mechon and Machina, the High Entia, and the Giants. She elaborated on what happened that fateful day when the Mechonis was destroyed and the Telethia began to attack. She went on at length about what the High Entia imperial family had known of what was to come, what they had tried to do about it, and the nature of Telethia in general. And finally, she relayed what had happened in the final confrontation and after, including all that Alvis had told them about the nature of this new world.

Then came the questions. It was no surprise that there was a huge amount of them, mostly looking for clarifications or elaborations on lesser details. Melia called on Shulk for some of them that he would have better answers for, primarily about the Monado and his visions (he was a bit more at ease when answering direct questions). A half-dozen questions were specifically directed at other members of the party. A few people seemed very upset about seeing the Bionis collapsed out to sea, and tried to monopolise the session with questions on how to revive or repopulate it, but they were shortly ushered out by soldiers once they started getting irate with the answers received.

The session lasted for over an hour, and the only people that left early were some misbehaving children and their parents. Melia gave one last half-minute for any further raised hands, and saw none.

"If there are any further questions that come to mind in the future, we shall attempt to be open to answer them, but of course we are people and have our own lives outside doing so. I look forward to the dissemination and acceptance of the information we have provided here today. I thank you all for your attention and patience. I wish to you all a good day."

The applause began. Melia let it run for about a minute before she turned away and directed the others to follow her back into Dunban's house. Not wanting to be left behind, they did so.

Reyn was last in and closed the door quickly. "Fffwooooaaaahhhhh. If I never do that again it'll be too soon."

"Yeah." Shulk collapsed into a chair but immediately forced himself back up. "I'm having a nap." He disappeared upstairs.

"How do you do it, Melia?" Sharla blurted out. "All that talking to a huge crowd without missing a beat or having a panic attack?"

"Experience," she replied. "Public speaking is a mandatory aspect of imperial education."

"Shall I make us some tea?" Dunban went to the kettle.

Riki shook his head. "No no."

Melia nodded. "Yes."

Reyn went to take a pop from the fridge. "Nope."

Sharla raised a finger. "Strong."

Dunban put the kettle on, and everyone sat in silence for a few moments to decompress.

Riki couldn't keep it up for long, and nudged Melia. "Riki picked up Melly's things that she forgot." He held up the discarded headdress and mask.

"Thank you, Riki." She took them and placed them on the table. She supposed she should probably keep them, as historical artefacts if nothing else.

"Why did you do that?" asked Sharla. "The reveal, I mean. I thought you really liked being a secret."

Melia nodded slightly. "Yes. Anonymity is a powerful tool. But I mean what I said. My adventuring persona was amassing a fame of her own that eroded the main purpose of having an alternate self; I am in no way certain of my ability to maintain two famous fronts. I already regret doing so, but I feel I had no choice."

Reyn cracked a smile. "Don't worry, we're all used to being only one person, we can teach you."

Dunban handed out teacups to himself (weak), Melia (medium), and Sharla (the bag still in it).

Melia swirled her teacup to cool it faster. She hadn't yet formed a solid opinion of the Homs' Earl Brown tea, but she was leaning towards it being more palatable than the Yorukushi varieties the palace staff served. She still preferred fruit juice, but one could not escape learning to accept tea when born royal.

There was a knock at the door, accompanied by a couple muffled but clearly angry shouts.

Reyn groaned. "Someone get rid of whoever that is."

"Riki will handle this." Riki rolled off his chair and quickly leaped out the window.

Everyone sat and sipped their drinks as the sounds of a comedic scuffle played outside.

Dunban cleared his throat. "So what will you do now, Melia? I imagine you will be dealing with a lot of fans and hopefuls over the next few days."

Melia took a long sip to consider it. "I will continue to direct the colony rebuild. Changing nothing about my routine will help teach people they should not interact with me any differently just because of who I have revealed myself to be."

"But then what?" Dunban responded. "The oversight needed for the colony rebuild shrinks every day. It won't be long before you run out of things to do."

"Well...this is rather ambitious, but..." Melia took a deep breath. "I do have a desire to rebuild Alcamoth. Or perhaps better-stated, build a New Alcamoth, of a size more proportional to the current population. It would take a great many years, but I believe the remaining High Entia will greatly appreciate the familiarity of living in the sky."

"That is ambitious," said Sharla. "But if anyone can do it, it's you. And I imagine a lot of us Homs would help once we're done our own things."

Reyn took a chug of his pop. "I'd definitely help out. Help everyone get where they belong."

The door opened and closed as Riki re-entered. "Riki handled them."

Melia frowned. "Who was it, and what did they want?"

"Riki recognise them as some of people who complain about Bionis, who want Bionis to stand back up so can go live there again. They say very nasty things about Shulk and Melly and other friends. Riki deterred them from staying any longer."

Dunban shook his head. "There will always be those who resist change. We can only hope they accept it sooner rather than later."

More disappointed head shakes travelled around the table.

Melia began to wonder. So, to build a New Alcamoth...It would be smaller, certainly. Perhaps only a single dome to begin with, only adding further domes as necessary. I imagine it may be difficult to find any Hover Stone without excavating the Bionis' remains, as we have very little knowledge of this world's resources at present, so if we wished to begin immediately it would have to be artificially created. How much of the original Alcamoth was natural versus artificial Hover Stone? There must be some surviving history experts somewhere...