[b][i]Ashton Andrews and Flame Brooks[/i][/b]

Two resets; this was getting bad. As the latest repeat made itself apparent, Ashton walked over alongside Kimura, registering the growing sense of panic and annoyance from everyone, including the small Japanese boy. He took a set of deep breaths, forcing himself to think of home, of Pidgey II. Then he added his voice to Kimura's, saying, "Guys, I think that either we should do what Yuuki says, or failing that, we should look at the three available paths open to us and ensure that we at least have some people on each one. And by that, either we all go with Aer to Mono, or we split our merry band between all three options we have. Those are our two main options; who will chose?"

Flame looked at his boyfriend, "I think that we should all go with Aer, but if we [i]must[/i] repeat past... Risks, I volunteer to go with Doctor Donovan." He had accompanied Ashton and Yuuki as they went to the huddle where Aerith and the others were. "But I will be honest, going with Aer, then fanning out from the Guard Barracks in order to seek out Fritzi and Donovan would be the best idea." 

He looked around to see if Aer was listening, and continued, this time in a whisper, "I do not think that the 'gift' we've been given is free; it [i]must[/i] carry a curse if it came from L.T. So we should keep ourselves from using it as much as possible."

Ashton nodded at that, then added his own piece, "We should also keep each other in the loop, even the ones among this group that don't like me or Flame. Like it or not, we're all in this together, and no one should be denied the right to contribute to the fortunes of this group. We've wasted enough time already in futile, isolated, flailing."

And with that, the brown-haired boy went over to where Chieko was, unafraid of her 'mean looks'. Noticing that Aki was with her, he phrased his words carefully so as not to activate the 'geas' that bound what he was allowed to say. "Someone wants to kill your friends - Aerith and Hiro."

He faced the mean-spirited Japanese chunni girl, and continued in a barely audible whisper, "Someone wants to kill Aerith and Hiro and Alistair where they're going, but we don't have proof beyond our memories. Furthermore, any attempt to get them medical attention..." He gave the briefest of side glances to where Donovan was still waiting, "Will just seal their fate. And you and Yuuki both know what place is safe. So, I have to ask, can you convince your friends to pick the safe choice?" 

A pause as Ashton took a chance, "One of the people here is the 'Arc Villian' of this particular chapter of our group's story. They're the one who masterminded the plan to kill Aerith and Hiro. You can guess who."

A slight bow, "By the way, I know you don't like us, but you have drive and I recognize that. That's why I came to you, because despite what you feel towards me and Flame, I trust you."

And with that, he walked off, back to where Flame and the others were, saying, "All right, everyone; the choices are to pick the safest choice or split ourselves as evenly as possible. The way I see it, our options are limited and our main asset might be cursed in the long run. And if we pick the safest choice, we can always come back later. Point is, though... We need to choose now and there is no shame in the safest choice if we can pick other choices after that."