Hey.

So, this is here because school sucks, I needed to write something, and this idea has been brewing in the back of my head for months now, so . . . here it is.

Alps, if any of you reading this has seen my other stories . . . I'm sorry. I'll try to get back on those soon.

I hope you enjoy this, regardless, even if we are starting off a little slow and sad.

Also, before I forget, a word on pairings; I will be hinting towards them, more or less. If you guys get really into this story and want it to extend a little beyond that, then fine. However, they will not be the main focus. More like the sexy side-dish. :)

FlynnXYuri (fff-yes)

ErzaXJellal (*licks lips*)

NatsuXLucy (Mhm)

EstelleXRita (This one's a maybe, but it's still cute)

RavenXAll the single ladies (If you like it, then ya shoulda put a ring on it~)

Okay, and that should cover it! P.S, that last one is a a joke. :3

Obligatory Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Tales of Vesperia. Sadly.

Anniversary Day

The streets were dark and empty when Estelle first stepped out into the open air. Unsurprising, given that the sun had only just broken the horizon and it's rays had yet to even touch the roofs of the buildings. Only the tallest towers of the castle were graced with the soft, amber shafts of sunlight, the turreted points of each one glittering like morning stars against the still-dark sky. The noble houses nearby were all quiet and still, the windows dark and curtains drawn to ward away the dawn for just a few hours more before the city finally woke from it's sleep. They could stay so for a while longer. She wanted this time to be spent in peace, without interference from others. Pausing just at the threshold of the palace gate, bouquet of white lilies pressed close to her chest, Estelle took a deep, calming breath of the night chilled air to steady her shaky nerves.

Today was the day. The day that marked the passing of one whole, entire year since that fateful hour at Zaude.

The passing of an entire year . . . since he'd vanished. Since he'd . . .

Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the carefully cut stems of the flowers she held, feeling a familiar pang of sorrow and grief she'd felt before well up anew, stronger than it had been in a while. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, and she ran a furtive hand over them to wipe the offending drops away. No, no crying. No tears. He wouldn't want that.

She'd already cried enough . . .

Truthfully, it wasn't so surprising for the pain to return the way it did. The whole year after the Adephagos's awakening and subsequent defeat had been spent sorting out the chaos of the new world order they'd imposed and trying to deal with the grief of losing a treasured friend. All year had been a battle of trying to ease an ache that would never quite heal, and though it had been met with some marginal success, today, knowing it had been a whole year since she had last seen his face, had only awakened the pain and rubbed the wound raw.

The sound of approaching footsteps made her lift her head, and she allowed a small, welcoming smile come to her lips when she saw Flynn coming towards her, another bouquet of lilies clenched tight in his hand. He was still garbed in his familiar armor, a sight that had become commonplace for her here in the palace. He almost never went a day without it now. He didn't really have a choice. He gave her a smile in return, though she didn't miss the tired strain around his eyes when he did so.

Flynn . . . out of everyone, Flynn had been hit the hardest by the loss. He'd tried so hard to find him, to find anything in the days and months following his disappearance, and when he'd come back with nothing to show for it, with not even a body to bury, it had crushed him. Being the Commandant, however, he couldn't indulge in his own grief for long. Between commanding the knights, dealing with terrorists who were none too pleased by the loss of blastia, and sorting through the chaos generated by said loss, he'd been on his feet almost everyday since the Adephagos's defeat. And, considering what he must have been going through in his heart, it was a true testament to his character that he hadn't just collapsed from the stress of it all. He'd been a rock, in every sense of the proverbial saying. But Estelle knew better than to judge solely on outward appearances, and knew, for a fact, that however brave a face Flynn maintained in daily life was utterly lost behind closed doors, where he'd still grieve for his lost friend in private. His best friend, and a person whom she knew Flynn felt responsible for the loss of, no matter how misaimed that notion might be and no matter how many times Estelle would tell him he was wrong for thinking that.

A dark shape detached itself from Flynn's shadow, and Repede loped into view. The dog's single eye glanced at her, glowing bright through the dark of the heavily shadowed streets, and his stance was rigid and almost formal in its intensity. His behavior didn't surprise Estelle, not anymore. After all, he was fully aware of what today stood for too. Next to Flynn, Repede had perhaps been the most outwardly affected. After their victory at Tarqaron, the canine had steadily slipped into a state of morose lethargy, keeping to himself most of time despite Estelle's best efforts to get him to open up again and even snapping at strangers when they were foolish enough to stray too close. The only ones who'd had any success in cheering the poor dog up were Flynn and Judith, and even then, it had taken a long time for him to even gain a sliver of his usual self back.

"Good morning, Flynn. Repede," she greeted, nodding to both in turn and wearing a warm smile on her face.

"Good morning, Estelle," Flynn responded, forgoing formality since no one was around and he'd become less of a stickler for such habits throughout the year. It was a small change, but it spoke highly of the leaps and bounds their friendship had made in the lapsing year. It made Estelle happy knowing he felt safe enough to relax around her.

"I apologize for being late," Flynn continued, looking at the flowers in his hand, "Sodia caught me on my way out, and she . . . well, she worries."

Estelle only nodded, "I understand. But it's good that your lieutenant cares about you so much. It means you won't have to worry about someone taking your place when you step out of your office for a little bit."

That wrung a short, quiet laugh from the Commandant, "Implying somebody actually wants this job. The paperwork would kill them before Sodia ever could."

Estelle let out a soft giggle, "I'll bet. It's funny how all the big, fancy jobs are almost nothing like what people expect."

"Indeed," Flynn said. His eyes glanced over her shoulder, and he sighed, "It's getting brighter. We should probably start heading down."

Estelle turned around, feeling surprise when she saw the light encroach even farther down the sides of the buildings. Had it really been so long already?

Nodding, she said, "Yes, we should. Are you both ready?"

"As . . ." taking a moment to square his shoulders and suck in a breath, he continued, "As ready as I'll ever be"

Repede gave a low, soft bark in reply before padding forward, claws clacking sharply against the marbled pavement. Before he passed her, Estelle took a chance and brushed the tips of her fingers over his head right between his perked ears, a small attempt at comforting him. And it seemed she chanced right, for Repede did not growl or shrug it away, merely allowed her hand to pass over his fur as he walked on by without pause. To an outsider's eyes, it would appear to be indifference on Repede's part. But to Estelle, it was a sign of trust, and perhaps even a little gratitude. Smiling to herself, she and Flynn both fell in step behind the dog, and soon they were traversing the eerily quiet streets of Zaphias, with the only sound being their own hushed voices aside from the morning birds and the few people setting up shop.

"I'm glad Ioder's given you the day off today," Estelle commented after a short while of idle chatter, the gossip the only thing keeping her from sinking into her own depressive thoughts.

Flynn nodded, watching as a hummingbird flitted over their heads, it's green feathers glinting like tiny shards of emerald whenever it flew into the light, "I as well. Although, Emperor Ioder has always been of a more . . . empathetic nature, so it's not terribly surprising."

"Even if he wasn't, you've more than earned at least one day off!" Estelle protested, "Especially after all the work you put into helping the people rebuild after the blastia was gone. And I'm sure the knights all understand."

"Maybe . . ." Flynn replied.

When they approached the narrow walkway that would take them to the Lower Quarter, Repede stopped, sniffing the air before lowering his ears and letting out a short growl, tail swishing irritably over the ground. The sharp, armored clank of boots followed soon after, growing louder with every passing moment until three shapes bumbled up the stone walkway, walking in perfect order until they saw the pair standing at the top.

Estelle recognized them fairly quickly. The Schwann Brigade. After her journey, it was hard to forget such . . . animate knights.

Immediately, the trio snapped to attention, Leblanc barking out in time with the clack of his boots, "Good morning, Commandant Flynn, Princess Estellise!"

Flynn nodded as Estellise smiled, though her voice was more subdued from it's usual chirpiness, "Good morning."

"I say, forgive any rudeness on my part, but it's a little odd to see you away from your office, sir! Has something happened?" The short one, Boccus she thought, asked, beady eyes attentive.

"If you require any assistance, just say the word, sir!" the tall one, Adecor, added.

Flynn held up a hand, "No, nothing like that, I'm happy to say. It's just . . ."

The two in back blinked in tandem, waiting for their Commandant's words with almost comical attention. Leblanc, on the other, took one glance at the flowers in Flynn's hand before straightening up into a salute, "Understood, sir, we'll carry on with our patrol! Let's go, men!"

Adecor and Boccus, after a moment of staring in stunned surprised at their leader, snapped into a hasty salute and shouted, "Sir!"

Leblanc nodded as his companions moved away, and he made to follow when, after a short pause, added in a tone just a touch softer than was normal, "And Commandant?"

"Hm?" Flynn questioned, face only containing a hint of curiosity.

"Fair travels."

Flynn only gave a short nod before Leblanc departed, and the Schwann Brigade was quick to vanish behind the buildings that led further into the city, leaving the two alone once again.

With a short sigh, Flynn gestured to the walkway, "We should probably continue, or else we might get held up again. And I don't think it would do to be late today."

Estelle's head lowered, eyes falling to the ground, "Yeah . . ."

Repede let loose a low, rough bark before padding down the walkway, loping at a pace that made it obvious that the canine wanted to hurry it up. They followed, descending down into the lower rungs of Zaphias where those less well-off than others resided. The air was noticeably cooler here, and a mite colder what with the lack of any sunlight present in the block. Estelle unconsciously ran her free hand over the sleeve of her travel attire, feeling the cold even through the fabric of her shirt. The clothes she'd chosen to wear that day were simple; a long-sleeved undershirt of white silk with a sky-blue corset tied over that, a smooth waterfall skirt the color of cerulean with beads of clear crystal sewn into the hem, white tights, white gloves, and travel boots that were scarce of any decoration save for the fancy buckle keeping them on her feet. For traveling and fighting, such clothes wouldn't be suitable. But today wasn't meant for such activities. It was to honor the memory of a dear friend. And she wanted to look . . . at least a little nice for it.

They reached the center of the Lower Quarter far more quickly than she anticipated. On the outside, it didn't truly look any different from how it normally was; houses, a few outdoor shops, vendors, the inn . . . though she was pleased to see that many of them were in much less disrepair than she remembered them being. She'd have to thank Ioder later for taking the time to look after the people of the Lower Quarter. A few trees lined the circular walkway as the stone path she stood on branched out in two separate directions, curving around the center of the Quarter before merging back into one on the other side, vanishing down the canal that led to the outside of the city.

And there, right at the heart, was a tall stone fountain that continuously pumped out waves of sparkling water that splashed into the clear pool around it, the recurrent sound lulling in its consistency. The stone benches lining the pool was only slightly wet, dotted by a few stray beads of water that flew too far from the frothing waves. Irrigation had come a long way in the time since the Adephagos's defeat, and it did Estelle's heart good to know that everyone was benefiting and thriving from these inventions without the help of blastia.

She walked until she stood just in front of it, eyes landing on small bronze plague emblazoned on the stone. A plaque that read thus;

~In Memory of Yuri Lowell~

She'd seen the words before. She'd been here when the people of the Lower Quarter unanimously declared the fountain as a memorial for Yuri in honor of everything he'd done for them, and so he would never be forgotten. It was simple, nothing grandiose, something she knew Yuri would have been fine with. But without fail, every time she saw it, every time she read those five simple words, her eyes would invariably fill with tears. It may not have the aqua blastia Yuri had been resolved to find in the beginning, but its symbolism for all he'd done for the citizens here, and the admiration he'd won from them as a result of it, was as clear as the water that now filled the once dry stone.

Out of all the hardship she'd face last year, all the tribulation and pain, the hardest trial she had ever endured was telling the people here that they had lost they're hero.

Beside her, she heard Repede whine, and she placed a gentle, consoling hand on his head. He didn't flinch away.

An armored hand passed through her field of vision, and she watched as Flynn placed a single white lily atop the stone, the white petals becoming pearled with beads of water kicked up from the fountain. Neither said anything. Neither needed to nor wanted to.

Once they returned from their trip, Estelle had no doubt that this fountain would be covered with candles and flowers of all sorts, with the people of the Lower Quarter all around celebrating not how Yuri had died, but rather how he had lived. But she was unsure if she'd be willing to partake in their version of a memorial service upon her return. Not after they had completed their visit . . .

A flurry of footsteps sounded off from the walkway by the canal, and several shapes emerged into the quiet square. Several familiar, sorely missed faces Estelle felt she hadn't seen in far too long.

"Estelle! Flynn!" Karol shouted, hopping just ahead of the rest of his companions to stand before her. There was a smile on his face and brown eyes were warm, a contrast to the dour black suit he wore. But it couldn't be helped, she supposed.

Smiling in return, she reached down and enveloped the boy in a hug, "Hi Karol. It's so good to see you again!"

He pulled back, a faint tinge of pink coloring his cheeks as he abashedly rubbed his nose, "Y-yeah, it's great to see you too, Estelle!"

"You've gotten tall," Estelle commented, and indeed, the boy had. After he'd turned thirteen, every time she'd seen him it would seem as if Karol would be just a little bit taller. Already, he was nearing the same height as Rita. It wouldn't be long before he surpassed her.

"Y-you think?" he asked, a touch of pride entering his voice.

"Mhm," she hummed, nodding, "Soon, I bet you'll be taller than Rita!"

"R-really?" he asked, and though he tried to keep it suppressed, she had to smile at the excitement that entered his voice and posture.

"I wouldn't count on it, twerp."

Estelle turned her eyes toward Rita, noting with approval that she'd dressed a little nicer than was usual for her. It was nothing extravagant; just a smooth, button up jacket of burgundy and a long, billowy red skirt that cut off just above her ankles, revealing a pair of nice shoes on her feet. She'd even taken time to brush out her normally unkempt hair and accessorize it with a simple hairpin, a gleaming pearl embedded right at its center. Simple . . . but for Rita, it was all Estelle could ask for.

At sixteen, she'd done some growing herself, both physically and mentally. While she was far from a mellow person and still had a short fuse even in the best of situations, she'd definitely eased out of her reclusive nature and had less of a hard time when it came to being around people. She'd always prefer the solitude of her books and studies, to be sure, but if need be, she could comport herself with some measure of poise in more standoffish company.

Walking over to the girl, Estelle felt her smile widen as she wrapped her arms around her shoulders, "Hey Rita! I'm so happy you could make it!"

Rita was most likely blushing, but she didn't pull away as she once would have done, "Of course. Studying mana is important, but I wouldn't miss today even if I stumbled on a breakthrough."

Pulling back and clasping one of the girl's hands in her own free one, Estelle managed a soft giggle and gave her a pointed look, "Really?"

Rita rolled her eyes, but acquiesced, "Fine . . . I'd just take my equipment with me."

"It's definitely what one would call a miracle, getting Rita away from her toys."

"Hey, shut up," Rita snapped as she turned to Judith, "I'm not that bad!"

The beautiful Krityan only gave her a patient, knowing smile, and Rita's shoulders sagged, "Fine! I'm not that bad anymore, does that work for you?"

Judith laughed softly, rising back to her feet from where she had been petting Repede (who had come to her side as soon as he had seen her), idly running a hand over the top of his head as Estelle came over and embraced her in her turn, "It's good to see you, Judy."

"And you, Estelle. It really has been too long," she replied, returning the hug before pulling back. She was wearing a sleeveless white shirt of silk, the dark blue buttons sticking out acutely against the pale fabric, a pair of white gloves, a snowy skirt accented with lace ribbons of blue, and heeled boots. A tie of white silk was laced around the bun keeping her hair in place, the fur of the antennae typical of her race seeming glossier than normal. Simple, sweet, and accentuating her curvy shape quite nicely, if Estelle was any judge.

Estelle was happy Judy was here. Out of all them, she was perhaps the hardest to get in contact with, what with her penchant for traveling the world with Ba'ul. It was good for the long distance missions her guild received, but not so much for simply enjoying the company of friends. As such, Estelle only got to see her rarely, which was saddening.

But she-along with everyone else-knew that no matter where she as in the world, Judith would have never missed today. Had she been in a position where she'd have been forced to trek over half the globe in order to be here right now, she would have. Of that, Estelle was certain.

"And what am I, chopped liver?"

Smiling, Estelle turned to Raven, the mockingly belligerent expression on his face toned down by the small smile turning the corners of his lips. He'd cleaned up as well, his stubble shaved away and his suit free of the wrinkles that were usually commonplace among his outfits. He held out his arms, fingers twitching imploringly as he grinned, "Well? Come give this old man a hug!"

Estelle took a moment to cross her arms and pretend to consider it, long enough for Raven's face to fall, "Oh, now that just hu-oof!"

The wind flew from his lungs as she barreled into his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist and squeezing. He smelled nice, like mulled spice, a pleasant change from his usual bad habit of going for days unwashed. Raven was all to happy to return it, and his usually wandering hands (what dissuaded Estelle most of the time from giving him hugs of any sort) stayed well where they were supposed to. He wouldn't try something like that today.

Pulling back, she smiled up at him, "Of course, I'm happy to see you too, Raven."

"Well, no need to make it sound so formal!" he responded with an easy grin. Eyes softening just a touch, he added, "But the feelin's the same. You look positively stunning today, my dear!"

Estelle pressed a hand to her cheek, "Thank you."

Glancing up over her head, Raven held up a hand and made a beckoning motion, "Hey Flynn, stop bein' a stranger and come on over already!"

Estelle turned around and saw Flynn step forward, bowing his head apologetically, "I'm sorry. I just didn't want to interrupt."

"Interrupt what?" Judith asked, "You're just as much a part of this circle as Estelle is. You shouldn't feel so awkward around us, especially by now."

"Yeah, relax a little, Commandant," Rita said, a very small, teasing smile on her face.

"We're friends, after all! Besides, it's not like there's anyone around to tell you to stop talking to us commoners!" Karol added, hands laced behind his head. Aside from growing physically, Karol had also grown a bit of a tongue. But that would happen eventually when you interacted with people like Judith and Raven all the time.

"You're hardly commoners, Karol," Flynn said, and it was an obvious reference to Brave Vesperia's popularity as a guild and it's near celebrity status to the common people. Karol had done good work as it's boss, going above and beyond what a normal thirteen year-old boy could do and making it thrive. He had lots of help, to be sure, and that wasn't to say he didn't entirely stop acting like a kid at times, but for what he'd done at so young an age, it wasn't any surprise that people even from Zaphias had heard of him and the guild.

I had a great teacher, he had said to her once, And I'm going to do my best to make him proud, no matter what!

The memory brought a familiar, painful pang to her heart.

"Well, is everyone ready?" Judith asked after a moment of silence, "It's about time we started heading out."

Everyone shared a nod of agreement, a sobering feeling washing over the gathered group as they began to make there way to the canals. Karol and Raven took the lead while Repede stayed close to Flynn and Judith, both of whom shared a few a words to themselves as Estelle fell in step beside Rita.

At first, conversation was just between the two of them, an exchange of what had happened in their lives since they'd last seen each other, how much progress Rita had made on her mana research, to just simply chatting about this, that, and the other. Soon, the others began to chip in with their own two-cents on certain matters, until the whole group was able to talk freely and without the awkward restraints of their different standings. Such it remained even as they boarded Ba'ul again and set sail for the open sky, watching the land below fly by in strips of gold and green as the sun continued to rise.

Estelle was happy with the conversation. She was happy with the simple banter she'd missed since their journey's end. She knew the others were pleased by it too, because it kept them all from thinking about where they were going . . . and it helped detract from the painful absence of their one missing member that continually pressed in on them like a fog.

The sky was clear and blue when they arrived at their destination, the sun high in the sky and the waves below sparkling with sapphire radiance. A beautiful day, by most people's standards. But for her . . . for all of them, the day's beauty was diminished as soon as their destination came into sight, and the entire group fell silent as a sad, dismal cloud descended upon them.

Zaude.

The old ruin had undergone much change in the passing year, as an untold number of scholars and researchers from around the world came to investigate the ruins. Some parts of the ancient building had even been restored, glimmering whole and new against the remaining ruin that still dotted the once impressive city. Most were here to learn about it's history, while others like Rita herself came to try and unravel the mystery of mana. Spikes of the new world energy had cropped many times here, for reasons Rita suspected had to do with it's close relation to the Adephagos, but unfortunately no one had been able to pinpoint exactly why it did so. Not that it would trouble them today. Not today.

As Ba'ul aligned himself beside the ancient tower, Estelle couldn't stop the quickening of her heart as she beheld the enormous visage of the former blastia that had held the Adephgos in check. Without it's core it was little more than an inert rock, harmless despite it's size, but even then, she couldn't help but remember all the pain it had caused them. Not just it, but this entire place. And to stand here again, in the same place where they'd lost him, made her want to turn around and flee.

But she persevered, because despite her feelings, it was right to be here. After all, it was the only place that she could call a grave. It was the only place that she could speak and feel that she was heard.

Everyone filed off the ship and onto the wide, flat space of the tower, shuffling over to the where the giant crystal lay still and silent. A soft wind blew across the platform, bringing with it the smell of salt water and the sound of distantly crashing waves. When at last she stood before the giant body that had once been Zaude's heart, she gently placed the bouquet of lilies down before it, a sad smile on her face. Repede came to sit beside her, head held high and back as straight as an arrow, perfectly poised and dignified in his vigil to his former master despite the sadness that lingered in his eye.

Kneeling down, she placed her hands over her heart and, hoping that he could hear her, began to softly speak, "Hey. It's . . . been a while, hasn't it? Your probably upset that we haven't been by to visit more often. I'm sorry for that, truly, but we've all just been so busy! So much has changed in the world since you last saw it, but they're good changes! Sometimes things are a little hard, and everyone still getting used to life without blastia, but I think you don't have to worry. Ioder's done a great job of getting the Empire back on it's feet, and Flynn's become such a wonderful Commandant. But I guess you would have figured that would happen anyway, huh? Rita's research on mana has really helped when it comes to developing new ways to harness energy, and Karol, Judith, and Raven have all done such amazing work at keeping people safe and making sure that Brave Vesperia's ideals are never lost. Karol's done such a wonderful job of leading it, I know you'd be proud."

Behind her, she heard Karol sniff, breaking the silence that had fallen over the group the moment she had started talking. Until that point, she'd done admirably in holding back her own tears, never once losing the smile she wore despite the pain blooming in her chest. But when she heard that one, lone sound, that smile faltered and her voice began to hitch with barely restrained sobs, "I know . . . that you'd be proud of everyone . . . Yuri."

The moment his name left her lips was the moment the dam finally broke. It was as if with name came the return of every memory she'd ever shared with him, both good and bad, happy and sad. A whole year had passed since her acceptance that he was gone . . . and yet now, remembering all those times and knowing, truly knowing, that they'd never happen again was soul crushing. And so, despite her best efforts not to cry, to not shed anymore tears, they came unbidden and unrestrained. Her vision blurred as she vainly ran a hand over her face, wet blotches appearing in the fabric as they soaked in the tears, breathing hitched and quick as she made one last attempt to fight down the sobs that were desperate to come.

Two hands appeared on her shoulders, and she looked up to see that Judith had kneeled next to her. Outwardly, her face was composed and almost serene, but being this up close to her, Estelle could just see the cloud of sorrow that fell over her eyes like a shadow, dimming their normally vibrant color.

Sniffing, still trying to wipe the tears away, she choked out, "I-I'm s-sorry-"

Judith pressed a finger to her lips and shook her head. Eyes soft, she gently said, "There's no shame in crying here, Estelle."

Closing her eyes, Estelle covered her mouth with a hand and finally, finally, allowed the tears to fall. Dimly, she was aware of Flynn gently placing the bouquet he himself had carried before moving away, and in the back of her mind, she felt the urge to go to him and offer a comforting word or shoulder. But as she was now, that thought was crushed by the sheer weight of her own deep grief.

At the same time, Repede let loose a long, mournful howl, a sound that pierced through the air like a pealing bell, amplified by the genuine sorrow the canine was no doubt feeling. It only served to twist the knife in her heart a little deeper.

Such it remained for what felt like years to Estelle, when in truth it must have only been a few minutes. But eventually, the quick, shallow sobs that racked her body slowly petered out to little more than soft hiccups, tears running still as the deep, inner pain she felt finally eased. Releasing the emotions that had been building up for the past few days was . . . relieving, she decided. And utterly exhausting. All she wanted to do now was curl up in a bed somewhere and fall into a deep, dreamless sleep. But she couldn't do that right now, as much as she desired it. There were still things to do.

Sitting upright and dabbing away the beads of water that still clung to her lashes, she finally looked towards the group. Judith was still sitting beside her, hands till braced against her shoulders, and at some point she had been joined by Rita, who even now continued to watch Estelle with a vigilant stare. Concern lingered there, a concern underscored by sadness, and Estelle felt terrible for making her worry. Raven and Karol both stood side by side a little ways off, faces morose and, in Karol's case, a little teary-eyed. At some point, Karol had fisted his hand into the hem of Raven's shirt, though it was debatable if he was aware of his action or not. But if Raven cared, he gave no outward sign of it.

Giving them a wan smile, she said, "I'm sorry. You probably didn't want to see that."

Again, Judith pressed a finger to her lips, this time with a gentle look of admonishment in her eyes, "Now, what did I say, Estelle? There's no shame here."

Looking down, Estelle gave her a weak nod.

A hesitant hand gently pressed against her upper arm, and Rita questioned, "Are, um . . . are you feeling a little better now, Estelle?"

"A little," she responded truthfully, placing her hand on top of Rita's own in a grateful motion, "Thank you for asking."

Repede let out a short whine before falling silent, but his eye was trained away from them all and fixed on something in the distance. Following his gaze, Estelle frowned when she saw the armor-clad figure of Flynn standing close to the platform's edge, back turned to them as he stared out over the seemingly endless tides of water.

Rising to her feet, she glanced at the others, a note of worry entering her voice, "Is Flynn okay?"

"I'd say . . ." Raven said after a moment of thoughtful silence, "He's as well as he can be given where we are."

"But he's been over there for a while now . . ." Karol added, giving one quick glance at the knight before looking back to Estelle.

"Is it . . . is it alright if I go talk to him?" she asked.

"Estelle, you hardly need our permission to do what you want," Judith reminded her, "But if you really want my opinion . . . I'm sure he could use someone to talk to right now."

With a grateful, albeit small, smile, she gave Rita's hand a squeeze before pulling away from the group and picking her way over to the still man until she stood next to him, her eyes turned pointedly to the sea to give him a modicum of privacy as she waited patiently for him to speak.

And, with a tired sigh, speak he eventually did, "Are you feeling alright, Estelle?"

She nodded, "Better. If I'm honest, it was probably bad to try and bottle everything up like that. But right now, it's not me I'm worried about," placing her hands in front of her, she asked, "Are you feeling alright, Flynn?"

". . . I could be better. It's just . . . hard to handle all the memories while I'm here," he responded truthfully, although his voice sounded tight. After a shaky exhalation of air, he continued, "I can't help but wonder that if I'd done something differently . . . would he still be here? Would it have even mattered?"

"What happened wasn't your fault, Flynn. It was nobodies fault," Estelle said softly, "And Yuri wouldn't have wanted you to blame yourself."

He didn't confirm or deny her statement, which made her wonder what the answer might have been. Silence fell between them, though it wasn't an uncomfortable one, and Estelle was fine with letting it lie.

After more than a minute of quiet calm, Flynn finally continued, "You know, the last real conversation the two of us had was a fight."

"Oh?" Estelle asked, keeping an air of reserved curiosity. In reality, she already knew what fight he was referring too.

"Yeah. What with all the chaos caused by Alexei and the unstable aer, we never really got the chance to . . . to talk, or make amends," a sad, melancholic note entered his voice, his words becoming noticeably strained, "It's the one thing I wish I'd been able to do before he'd . . ."

Silently, Estelle reached over and took hold of his hand, the armor cool through the fabric of her glove, "I know. But . . . but I believe that even if you didn't make up the way you'd wanted, Yuri never stopped counting you as a friend. Never. And . . ." staring up into the blue, blue sky that seemed to stretch on into eternity, she continued, "I believe that, wherever he is now, he still does."

Flynn's hand tightened around her own, perhaps involuntarily, and he inhaled sharply through his teeth as if he were in pain. Out of the corner of her eye, Estelle caught sight of a single, pearlescent bead of water as it refracted the light through it's wavering surface, the droplet glinting like a tiny gem before breaking against the carven stone of the tower. No others joined it.

Then, after a moment more, Flynn relaxed and released her hand, "Thank you, Estelle. For listening."

"Of course," she replied gently, "We're friends, Flynn. I'll listen whenever you need me too, whether it's here as just Flynn and Estelle, or back at the palace as Commandant Flynn Scifo and Princess Estellise. All you have to do is ask."

This time, she allowed herself to look at him, and was pleased to see that a grateful smile had graced his features. Pain creased the corners of his eyes and clouded the normally bright blue of them, making him seem older than his age of twenty-two, but that smile, though small, was real.

But that single, pure moment of quiet understanding was not to last, for that was when a sudden, fierce explosion boomed loudly over there heads. Like a crashing peal of thunder, the powerful force reverberated through Estelle's very bones, making her heart leap into her throat as she spun around in wild confusion. The others were already running to them, she saw, and Flynn's hand had reflexively gone to his sword, eyes focused solely on the sky that was free of any storm clouds.

"What was that?" she asked in shock, heart pounding. A faint quiver ran through her frame, nerves coming to life as adrenaline poured into her being. Something about that crash . . . had been . . .

"I don't know," Flynn responded, wary eyes never leaving the sky.

"Are you two okay?" she heard Karol shout.

"Obviously, genius! The real question is just what the hell that was sound?!" Rita said, eyes burning with a curiosity Estelle had seen before, and perhaps even a tint of rage over the thought of something, even a natural phenomenon, being so impertinent as to interrupt their important vigil.

Repede was growling, his fur standing upright and stance lowered into one ready for a fight. But what fight? No one was here, except for themselves. What was-?

Another thunderous crash echoed out over the ocean, sounding as if it had taken place right over their heads. And this time, Estelle was certain she saw a flash of brilliant silver light tear apart the sky before disappearing just a quickly. Another pulse traveled through her body, making her freeze in surprise and alarm.

"W-what was-?" she started to ask, when Ba'ul let loose a low, booming cry that echoed out over the tower.

Judith placed a hand to the side of her head, focus intense before turning to the rest, "Ba'ul says we need to leave. Now."

"What? Why?" Karol asked, looking surprised.

"I'm not sure, but those crashes should give us a pretty good indication that something's not right," Judith explained hastily.

A half a second later, another crashed followed, and this time the entire platform was bathed in a brilliant sheen of silver that left Estelle blinking away stars. Once more, that same thrilling pulse ran through her from head to foot, and much to her disbelief, it felt as if something had physically tried to pull her up of the floor. Ba'ul let loose another wail, and alarm truly began to bleed into everyone's eyes.

"I think it's time to go!" Raven shouted.

"Of all the days for things to go wrong . . ." Estelle heard Rita mumble angrily. Silently, Estelle agreed with her.

Another crash, another flash of silver, and this time everyone began to run towards the plank that led to the ship tied to Ba'ul, pace frantic with the urge to escape an enemy they couldn't see. Of all the days, why today?!

Ba'ul was already up in the sky, thick ropes straining against his body as he prepared to take off the moment everyone was safely aboard the ship. Estelle had only just placed her foot on the gangplank, however, when another thunderous boom ripped over Zaude, and this time, all Estelle saw was white. Pure white, as if the world around her had suddenly ceased to exist and had left her walking in a blank canvas.

But she did feel.

She felt her body rise up from where she knew the floor had been, desperately flailing as all sense of where she resided spatially vanished, leaving her in a blank, featureless world. She blinked, then blinked again, feeling a pressure suddenly build up from within her being as something passed through her entire body, a force so powerful she could only go rigid until it passed.

That was when the pain started. Pain-pure, white-hot, and all encompassing-glancing throughout her being from nerve to nerve, like a fire would from branch to branch, scoring her from within and leaving only bare ash behind. And the worst part was she couldn't even scream. Her body, if indeed her body was what her consciousness floated in, refused to act, leaving her utterly helpless before this force that had suddenly seen fit to pluck her from her home. It pressed on, searching through her heart, her mind, her very soul. It was as if this otherworldly energy was peeling apart her very being, leaving her bare and peering within with an intense, studious eye before piecing her back together again, leaving her shaken and unduly terrified. And even then, it did little to quell the questions burning within her mind; what was happening? Where was she? Was everyone else okay?

And then, suddenly, the force released her, and the pain mercifully ended. Darkness pressed in from the corners of her mind, what vision she retained going black, and she was only dimly aware of the fact that she was falling before both time and memory ceased.

The sky was pure and clear that night, the moon full and round with thousands of stars glimmering as far as the eye could see, some dim, others bright. A shooting star broke the spell of stillness over the sky, flying across the black canvas and leaving a trail of iridescent fire in it's wake before fading into nothing. All was silent, and the night was peaceful.

Until a thundering crash echoed throughout the heavens themselves, shattering its tranquility and jolting most of the residents of Maplewood from their beds. Those who awoke that night looked to the sky in confusion and terror, all watching as brilliant rings of light rolled across the sky like ripples upon water, growing larger as they spread out. The central point, where the rings emerged, flashed again, and a large ball of flaming light descended upon the world, leaving a trail of smoldering sparks behind before crashing into the surface below, far from the town which it's radiance had disturbed.

All at once, the light faded and the rings dissolved, the sky returning to normal as if nothing had ever happened. But the people below remained alert, uneasy over what had just transpired, wondering if some terrible omen forewarning misfortune had just occurred that seemingly normal night.

Except for one young man who stood amongst the crowd of gawking spectators, whose eyes were turned towards the sky with such a focused intensity that he didn't even turn his head when he heard his companions come stand beside him. Curiosity and wonder battled for dominance within him, emotions that were a far cry from the disinterested state those who knew him knew he normally defaulted to.

And just beneath that, flickering like a candle flame amongst a torrential wind . . . was hope. Hope that an answer was what had just descended from the sky that night on the burnt wings of a fallen star.

Now all he had to do was find it.

Oh nelly. Now there's a start.

. . . I should really go to bed. :P

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