".....hm." Ashley mumbled.

"That's a good question." he said.

"Let's see who we're dealing with, here." he suggested, as they got so close, they were right up against an outside wall, just below a broken window.

"If I can get in and get her without causing any ruckus, then I'll do that." he told her.

"Otherwise, we may need to interv-" he said further, before they heard whistling inside, and he immediately shut up.

"Nice, very nice." the voice said.

"Just one or two more days." they said further, before pausing, as they heard light sloshing of a liquid.

"...though I wonder... should I make her drink this? It will make it SO much more painful... but she'll die within a few minutes." he sighed.

"Decisions, decisions." he added with a laugh, as Ashley gnashed his teeth.

'Damn it!' Ashley cursed internally.

He then stepped away from the window, and crept around quickly to see if he could find his aunt. After checking a couple of windows, he found her, and she did NOT look good. At all.

"Guess I need to wait for..." he started to say, before he heard the door be forcibly opened, and the one that was in there rush to check it out.

Ashley then sighed, and busted down what was left of the window, before hopping through.

"Aunt Racquel!" he whisper-exclaimed, as he rushed over.

"....ah, hell." Ashley muttered.

"Great... just great." he said, picking the woman up in his arms, being as careful as he could.

"Hey!" he then called out, hearing the signs of a fight... or, rather, the screams of pain and agony from the one that had taken Racquel.

"I got her!" he yelled.

"Taking her back to you-know-where!" he said further, figuring Demitra would know what he was talking about, and ambiguity out loud would be the best course of action here.

"We'll get you healthy in no time." he then told Racquel, as he made his way to the window again, and hopped out of it.

Ashley looked back at the house, and sighed.

"...I'd wish her luck, but it's that guy that needs it now." he mumbled.

The two of them then disappeared in a burst of black fire, appearing at the entrance of the guild, Candentus Lux.

"Damn lockout mana." he growled, kicking on the door.

The slot opened, and the one that was there immediately looked concerned, from their eyes, anyway.

Ashley said what was needed, and the door was opened. He started to quickly carry his aunt down to the medical wing, with the occasional passerby looking at Racquel with great concern.

"...and odds are Emma's waiting for us." he muttered, stepping through the doors to the medical wing.

Ashley took a few steps back, and remained silent as Emma did her work. He crossed his arms over his chest, and looked away slightly, looking around nervously, before shaking his head and sighing.

"...she'll be all right, yeah?" he asked.

"We... we got to her in time, right?" he asked further.

She could hear the concern and worry in his tone. It was evident that he did NOT want to lose his aunt.

"..." Ashley was silent as Emma mentioned Demitra, and where she might go.

".....hm." he mumbled.

"Well, I'll go to the front door here first." he said.

"Wait for her there. If I don't see her sometime soon, I'll check where we went." he continued.

"If she's not there, I'll check..." he went on, before pausing.

"Wait, right, they DID relocate to Germany." he remembered. "How... how did...?" he started to ask her, before sighing.

"It's you. Of COURSE you know."

"Yeah... yeah, sure." Ashley replied.

"I'm just glad she'll be all right." he said.

He then sighed and shook his head.

"I'm going to man the front door for a bit." he informed her.

"See if she comes here right after." he continued.

"...and hopefully Dani won't blow her stack on her..."

Ashley was silent for a moment, before reaching out and accepting the orb.

"....right." he said.

"Yeah, that's a good point, too. Maybe she won't come back here." he muttered.

"Well, all I can do is check the place where we found my aunt." he then mumbled.

"If Vitra's not there... I think I remember where their Germany place is..." he went on.

"I'll find it." he then said.

"Thanks, Emma." he continued. "You're a godsend."

Ashley just smiled.

"I know." he replied.

"And... I can ask for help, yes." he then said.

"....by that, I assume you mean, ask YOU?" he then asked.

"Because I vaguely recall that location in Germany, and I don't think anyone else really knows of it." he continued.

"...which is what they wanted, I'm pretty sure." he added at the end.

"...that is fair." Ashley responded.

"...asking Dani would probably be better." he then said.

"I mean, I can always check the files myself, but... well... Dani needs to know that I'm back, and how Aunt Racquel is doing." he reasoned.

"...maybe I can calm her down a little." he continued.

"Maybe." he stressed.

"BIG maybe." he murmured.

"Anyway, I'll get out of your hair now, Emma." he told her.

"Thanks again, for... well... everything."