Hey guys, in case you don't know, I'm Droory, and I'd really appreciate some feedback after you've read this.
I'd say something about it, but I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just let you get to it.
It's short, so it shouldn't take long.
Enjoy.
Sheba awoke with a long yawn. She hadn't had a bad night's sleep since they completed their quest and returned to Vale, and that was three years ago now. Of course, there was one obvious attributing factor to these easy nights: the young man that lay at her side. He was always awake before her, just watching her sleep. His purple eyes always shone in the early light, watching as her emerald irises slowly returned to the light of the morning.
"Mm, morning." Sheba said softly, snuggling closer to him, "Sleep well?"
Ivan smiled wider, brushing a finger against her cheek. He couldn't talk anymore, not since the fight with the Doom Dragon, but that didn't matter to her. Some might have said that Ivan had lost what had made him: his flamboyant comedic mouth. That wasn't true though, Sheba could still tell what Ivan wanted to convey, she didn't even have to read his mind. They decided they wouldn't do that to each other anymore anyway.
She reached up and held his hand closer to her, just glad to be with him.
"It's three years ago today, you know." Sheba commented, "Can you believe it?"
Ivan smirked and shook his head, pulling his hand back and getting up. Sheba smiled, watching him move around the room the way he did, it was the same as when he used to wander around the common room of Piers' ship. It seemed somewhat random, but in truth he was always doing something… just in an odd order.
Nothing had really changed since back then. Everything was more or less the same, bar the constant stream of monsters intent on killing them. Ivan was certainly the same, he almost refused to change, perhaps the loss of his voice was enough. Still though, Sheba wished that he would allow something to change, everything just reminded her of the past. Not like that was a bad thing, but she wanted different stories of a grown up Ivan, not the same young boy she fell in love with.
She pulled herself out of the bed, fighting her own reluctance to leave the comfort, and decided not to bother changing from her nightclothes yet. It had been three years, so, today she would have to leave the house and have to be dressed up later. She washed herself of course, she wasn't one to like dirt, especially not after spending days on end on that quest being unable to wash.
Three years… had it really been that long? It still seemed like yesterday when… no, no time to dwell. Ivan wasn't one to make breakfast for himself since he could get her to do it instead. Still, three years. That was longer than the quest itself, and she had only been on the latter half of it. How could it still be so fresh after so long? Other things from times after the quest, even up to last week were somewhat hazy. She didn't even have to think of that one moment, it was always just there.
Ivan was waiting downstairs, sitting at the table and reading, or pretending to anyway, a book of some form. It looked like one Sheba had seen on the Lemurian Ship, maybe he had read it before. Sheba laughed slightly as she moved to the kitchen, she wasn't really in the mood to cook anything for breakfast though, so, she simply tossed some fruits into a bowl and laid out anything that could be put in a sandwich.
Taking a seat beside him, watching him eat, she smiled sadly. She missed the jokes, the puns, the glorious hilarity that Ivan spun with his amazing abilities. She had to assume he missed being able to talk, it had been the main noise that permeated through the ship at all times. One could always hear his jokes or his laughter or someone else's response, which had a vast emotional range from ecstatic to furious, and it always made them smile.
Sometimes she wondered if the group would have held together so well without him, he and Garet were the ones who did everything they could to diffuse any tension the group may have faced. Garet was capable of doing it alone, but not to the same level that Ivan pulled off.
There were a few short raps on the door. Sheba bounded up to get it as Ivan finished his meal and went to get changed for later. Sheba smiled to Jenna as the redhead was allowed into the house.
"How you doing?" She asked the blonde.
"Fine, you?" Sheba responded, cleaning up after Ivan.
"I can't really believe it's been so long…" The redhead sniffed.
Sheba hugged her closest friend. They all missed Felix, none of them could believe it really. It may have been the anniversary of their victory, but it was a sad occasion as well. Jenna in particular was always upset at these reunions. Everyone but her brother was there. She might have regained her parents after Mars, but she had become estranged from them. Felix really was the only family that was important to her anymore, and he was gone.
"It's okay, Jenna. You know I'm always here, and you have Isaac too. Everyone else is coming down as well." Sheba said, trying to sound reassuring, but she missed Felix as well.
Jenna smiled to her friend, a single tear having squeezed out, "And I'm here for you." Her smile grew wider, though it brought a sadness with it too.
The fiery redhead then excused herself, going back to her husband to get ready for the reunion. At least Isaac was always there for Jenna as well. She smiled, her eyes still on the door that Jenna had just left through. Ivan returned a moment later, silent as death he really could sneak around, wearing his formal grey tunic.
"Always so handsome." Sheba smiled, batting away some dust from his shoulders, as he tugged at the uncomfortable collar, "You just missed Jenna, she's still broken up over it."
Ivan tilted his head slightly, saying that he thought that much was pretty much obvious. No one expected Jenna to get over this.
"I'll be right back, okay?" She beamed, having to stretch up a little to kiss him. He had grown a little more than she had in the past few years. They weren't the same height anymore, that was for sure. Sometimes she thought he'd sprout to 6 feet tall like Garet.
The boy smiled at her, still tugging at some of the tighter parts of his tunic. He had never been one for getting dressed up, even at parties he'd prefer to just be himself. This was an important occasion though, and he didn't protest in any meaningful way.
Sheba looked out the window as she began changing into her simple black dress. It was raining outside, not unusual for the time of year. Somehow it always made the day seem worse than it was, it should have been a time to celebrate, but a lot had been sacrificed to accomplish it, so it made sense.
That's why the darker pallets of greys and blacks had been chosen for the reunion. Even though they had won, a lot of people had died to make that so, a lot of them Proxians. Others died from the natural disasters the Lighthouses had caused upon their awakening, scores of dead filled the graveyards of some towns, especially after the tidal wave Venus had caused.
She smiled to herself in the mirror when she was finished changing, admiring how she had grown since the quest. Then with a final smirk to herself she raced downstairs. Dragging Ivan with her, she made her way to the meeting point. This way she could see all the others coming before anything else.
Jenna and Isaac were the first, but Sheba saw them every day. Not that she was tired of seeing them, no, she was just excited to see Piers, Garet, and Mia again. It had been a whole year since she last saw them. Isaac and Jenna were mostly quiet as they stood waiting, saying nothing more than a greeting and some brief questions about how they were.
Mia was next, coming from the north. Her Psynergy was active as she directed all the rain away from her, leaving her within this circle of dry air. She beamed to the group at the meeting place, pulling them all into hugs. Short conversations were had as she said the same as Isaac and Jenna, then asked if anything interesting had happened.
After Mia, came the rest. Piers led the group, which consisted of Garet, Kraden, Master Hama, and himself. And just as with Mia, the group all exchanged the same conversations. The air was abuzz with the sound of the past as they all caught up and reminisced and chatted like the old days.
The group all had tears in their eyes, though it was hard to tell with the rain. It was no surprise, they all missed Felix. He had been their leader and now he was gone. Of course everyone was sad, even if they were all together again. Master Hama was crying too.
They all began laughing as they shared stories with each other of the old days, from the quest. One wouldn't think they had ever been going to save the world, the way they told it always made it seem they did nothing more than sail around the world and laugh together. It had been the best times of all their lives, of course there was difficulty, but what was the point in remembering that when you could remember the good and laugh?
Sheba smiled a small one to Ivan. He couldn't exactly reminisce anymore, nor could he laugh. He could animate himself to make it seem as though he was. It wasn't the same though. Ivan was always the best storyteller and his laugh was always the most infectious. If he laughed, unless you were truly in the worst mood of your life, you laughed too. He had even made Felix laugh on several occasions. Those had been good times.
Before long, the sun began to set, the group having spent all day together enjoying each other's company. It was time to leave though, they were all going back to Jenna and Isaac's house to continue this, have some food and lodge for the night.
"Hey," Jenna tugged on Sheba's sleeve a little, a tear of mirth falling from her eye, "you coming back?"
"Give us a minute, okay?" Sheba responded, smiling a little, "I just want to spend a bit more time here."
"Don't keep us waiting." Jenna smiled, walking back with the group towards her house.
Sheba's smile faded slightly as she turned to the grave stone. She plopped down onto the soaked earth, not caring about what mud or dirt stained into her dress. This was more important than some silly dress. Ivan kneeled next to her.
"I still can't believe it." Her voice cracked a little as she stared at the grave, "It just doesn't seem real."
Ivan's arm went around the girl, squeezing it slightly. Tears began to fall from her eyes. She shook her head, still refusing to believe. It had been so long now, and it still didn't seem possible to her. How could it have happened?
She reached out and pressed her fingers along the cold stone. Ivan massaged her arm as she did so. Her fingers found their way into the carved letters, moving along them. To think, this was as close as she could get. He was underneath her now, buried and dead for years.
She closed her eyes, not able to look at the name on the grave anymore. She stood up, Ivan helping her all the way and turned from it. She began her walk toward Jenna's house, wiping away whatever tears had formed.
Stealing one last glance at the grave she uttered the same four words she said every day since Alchemy's return. This place may have been a yearly ritual for the others, but for her it was an everyday thing, and Ivan was with her every step of the way.
"I love you, Ivan."
Turning away from the Jupiter Adept's grave, she went to remember the young boy as he was with all of their friends. And as always, Ivan was with her every step of the way, always helping her get through each and every day.
Well, what did you think?
I know it's short and could probably be fleshed out a little more.
Do let me know if I should in a review and leave your opinions.
Bye folks,
Droory