"Once upon a time,
There was a boy,
There was a girl.
Hearts that intertwine,
They lived in a different kind of world." -Madonna
The softly setting sun lit up the Vigridian sky with an array of beautiful warm colors ranging from pink and orange, to yellow and red. A soft breeze allowed the lush trees to dance in the wind, as their leaves rustled to create a soft hum through the air.
It was a peaceful evening, like any other, with the birds that sung in their nests and the occasional cat that would make their way across the dusty road, before they plopped unto a warm nearby rock.
The area was quaint and tranquil, and the only sign of human interference with the wildlife, seemed to be a small wooden seating area that lay facing the sea. The wood was dark, aged, and mother earth seemed to be trying to regain the small patch of land that was once her's, as long tufts of grass peaked out from the stubs of the bench's legs.
However, despite its old appearance, it would seem that this was quite the popular spot for young couples to venture to, due to the various names and insignias that were carved into the old wood; a special remembrance for the time they had spent together in this beautiful secluded spot.
Tonight would be no different for this old bench, as several bushes near the back of the forest began to rustle. A nearby black cat drowsily lifted its head up, as it opened its eyes to see whom could have disturbed the peace.
A woman with long, cascading black hair and gray eyes made her way out of the foliage. She sported a dark purple dress, which hid most of her figure, her arms being the only things exposed. A soft smile was on her face, as she slowly walked over to the bench, although she halted when she saw the little cat sunbathing.
The woman trilled her tongue at the tiny creature, and it responded with a happy mewl. The cat walked over to where she sat, and began rubbing against her legs. The woman bent down and easily picked up the cat, before she began stroking its sleek black fur.
The animal purred contently, before its bright yellow eyes focused on the red jewels which hung from the edges of the woman's butterfly mask. Its slitted pupils darted back and forth, as it paid keen attention to the fixtures. The cat was just about to make a move for the shiny objects, before a sudden noise caught its attention; its soft paws landing on the woman's rose-shaped medallion instead.
This time it was a man who pushed through the brush, and as he emerged from the shadows, the cat let out a hiss before it leapt off the woman's lap and scurried off into the woods.
The man let out a sympathetic sigh. "I'm sorry I frightened off your little friend, Rosa." He said, an awkward smile on his face as he made his way over to where she sat.
Rosa offered her pale hand to him, which he took, as he delicately intertwined his gloved fingers with hers. "Oh, it's alright Balder. As far as I'm concerned, I'd rather be in the presence of your company than that a little kitties." She chuckled, as she scooted closer to him once he sat down.
Balder felt his face heat up as Rosa placed her head on his shoulder, her perfume making him dizzy with euphoria as her hair danced in the soft breeze. He really wasn't one to get overwhelmed, especially when it came to something as trivial as emotions, but...
"Oh look, the sun has set!" Rosa said, excitement in her voice, as the suns last rays of sunlight stained the sky with a warm glow, while its cold sister- the moon- peeked down upon her as the sun faded away. The intersection of light and dark: it was truly a beautiful thing.
Balder looked down at Rosa, as her eyes sparkled with delight. She was so happy, so sweet, so...beautiful. As a Sage, Balder never thought that it would be possible for someone of his rank and stature to fall in love with someone like Rosa.
Wait, did he just think "love"?
Balder's fine white eyebrows furrowed together, and caused creases to form on his usually placid face. Love? Was this the feeling that had been brewing within him all this time?
As an Overseer, of course Balder had resumed the role of watching over the people of the city. He had bared witness to several humans falling in love, but really thought nothing of the observations. Most of the other members of his congregation told him not to pay attention to such follies of mankind, and that his time and energy would better be spent on those who had much more use: those with nothing to lose.
However, the more he thought over these words, the most absurd they sounded. All of the humans he had seen in love appeared so happy, so full of light and life. Why were his brothers and sisters so intent on keeping such a seemingly wonderful emotion at bay? He had assumed that it was to stop foolish interference within their missions. Although he believed he understood now.
Working amongst the trinity of realities is a grueling task that both witch and sage know all too well. That is why they must remain as empathetic as possible, so as to not allow any compromising situations to come up in the future. That is why the teachings are so difficult; that is why the training is so labor intensive; that is why there is such a strict code of conduct. Both clans understand that all humans desire, in the end, is chaos. Which is why they've tried to deter themselves from humanity as much as possible. But, what has the cost of this become?
Balder has worked with angels, and realized long-ago how terrifying they are. But, humans are destined to never truly see these heavenly beings, which is why some are prepared to give life and limb in order to be taken under their wings; in order to have a placed saved for them in Paradiso.
Was this truly the way things had to be? Were the actions that Balder approved truly the path to happiness? He began to think that it was not so.
True happiness is something that has to be felt within the soul itself, not something you can attain by mere actions. As Balder sat there with Rosa, under the moons soft gaze, he realized that this was all he needed in life to truly be content: he realized what it meant to truly love someone.
And that's when he became absolutely certain with what he had to do next. The Sage reached into one of his pockets with his free hand, and pulled out a golden tube of lipstick. He kept a firm grip on the gift as he placed it behind his back, and he began to fiddle with the cap as he grew slightly nervous.
"Rosa, there is something that I've been meaning to talk to you about," He began, and licked his lips. He could feel his face flare up in embarrassment as she lifted her head to meet his gaze.
"What is it, Balder?" She asked, and repositioned herself so that she faced him.
Balder's heart began to race like mad, but he took a shaky breath to calm himself. "Rosa. I-I'm not very good at expressing my emotions, but please listen to me. Ever since we first met, I've had this strange, wonderful feeling brewing inside me, and up until now, I have had absolutely no idea as to what it could possibly be. But now I understand, that that feeling...was love."
Rosa felt her breath hitch in her throat, and her cheeks were tinted a soft red. She had admitted to herself that she had fallen in love with Balder so long ago, but it was always a fear in the back of her mind that he did not share these feelings. Rosa had told no one about her sudden friendship with the Sage, so she was always left alone to think and wonder.
In the beginning, she thought that it was just some rouse for the Sages to push the Umbra back somehow; using Balder as some kind of "mediator" before he would pull back and violate her trust after the Sages got what they wanted. Then she believed that he was just desperate and took to a seemingly naive witch to satisfy himself. It wasn't until a couple weeks ago that she allowed her mind to come to terms with her heart on the subject of Balder.
The two of them had been walking through a seemingly empty Vigrid street before a small group of adolescents had come upon them and began harassing and mocking Rosa. The kids immediately recognized the Umbran Watch on her chest, and started the bullying by calling her foul names like "she-devil" and "Satan's little harlot".
Balder had tolerated the name-calling, but it wasn't until they threatened to take her watch that he stepped in; knocking a few backwards with the but of his sword, while the others scampered off in fear when he released several balls of fire in their direction.
He had apologized profusely for their behavior, but Rosa could hardly even hear his mutterings as she was too busy hugging him and exclaiming her gratitude. It was actually after that whole ordeal that the two shared their first kiss: under the colorful glow of the evening, as the sun sank behind the mountains and the moon began to shine in the sky.
She had always been worried about Balder's feelings for her, but that night had helped in alleviating most of her worries. Now, she felt all those thoughts of doubt disappear as the man she loved poured his heart out in front of her.
Balder seemed to have stopped talking after he said it, fearful as to what Rosa's reaction might be. However, he took her glimmering eyes and blushing face as a sign that she was content with his confession. So, he continued:
"We as Overseers had always been taught to disregard humans and their naivety. But, I believe this is where we lack in understanding. Humans are rather complex beings when it comes to emotion, but no matter how much of a weakness this might be, it is also an asset. Most of my congregation lack what is needed to feel empathy, and I did as well...until I met you.
Up until then, I had not believed that I could be feeling such warmth, such happiness, from just the mere sight of someone else. I could not imagine a life without you Rosa. A life where you toy with my hair, where you make me stutter and slur my speech from embarrassment, where you make me as red as the sun from a mere hug, where you make my heart soar with happiness and peace.
Rosa..." Balder gasped, as he gently placed his gift into her hands. "You are all I long for, all I worship, and adore. Would you then, allow me to become the happiest man in Vigrid, as you accept my offer for-"
"Marriage..?" Rosa finished, as her shaking hands clasped firmly around what Balder had given her. She looked down, a smile erupting on her face, as she lifted the tube of lipstick up to her. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she pressed the gift to her chest, to her heart.
Balder felt his anxiety growing as Rosa remained quiet, suddenly feeling panic when she still had not answered. "Please..." He muttered, his voice soft, and his tone tinged with sadness.
Rosa immediately looked up, and placed her hands on either side of his face. "Of course, Balder. I love you." She managed to choke out, just before tears of happiness began to stream down her pale face.
Elation. Rejuvenation. Jubilation. Yes, this is what true happiness- no, what true paradise must be.
A wide smile lit up Balder's face, and he quickly closed the gap between the two; the dancing trees, softly tweeting birds, piercing gaze of the moon being the audience for this unification of light and dark.
Author's Note: I've been meaning to write something for the Bayonetta series for quite some time, but only now have I found the time to do it. I'm planning on writing more of these little one-shots, and the only recurring motif will be that they all take place in the past. So here's the first one that I've done, with Balder and Rosa. These two have seriously become my OTP for this series. I wanted to make this story romantic, and somehow it ended up far more philosophical than I had originally planned. murp. I think it still works though. Shimazaki (the character designer for both games) wrote that she intended for the lipstick to be a wedding present Balder gave Rosa. So that's where I got the idea for this story. Anyway, I hope that there are still some fans looking for stories so that I can make a few people happy with my little stories. Expect more of these from me soon! Make sure you favorite, review, all of that good stuff. Thank you~x