Hey guys, Randomblackberry here with my first multi chapter story "Happy Birthday" the name is kind of self explanatory. It will be five chapters long. The rating will be moved up to T when chapter 5 comes around. This won't be updated regularly as the chapters are of decent length and I can never decide what presents should be given to each other. The chapters are set at different points in the game. This is set in chapter 4, before the awakening the earth Crystal. So. Yeah, spoilers up to that point. I think that's it. So please read, review, Favourite and follow!
"When's your birthday, Agnés?" Edea asked.
They were lying in the girls' room on their beds, when the question struck her.
She knew Tiz's birthday was in a month's time and her own in three months, but she had never asked the vestal of wind about it.
"My... Birth... Day?" Agnés asked, sounding confused.
"Yeah. Your birthday." Edea repeated.
Agnés stared at Edea blankly.
"Y'know. The day when you get all these presents from your friends and get to eat lots of cake." Edea said.
"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." Agnés said.
"Your birthday. The anniversary of your day of birth." Edea explained.
"Ah. I'm afraid that seems unfamiliar to me. We never celebrated birthdays in the temple." Agnés said.
"Really? No birthdays? Nobody mentions anything to you? Do you even get cake?" Edea asked, horrified.
Agnés shook her head.
"Well, that just won't do." Edea said, crossly. "Do you know when you were born?"
"The 19th of March." Agnés said.
Well at least she knew that.
"Hey, that's in a week's time!" Edea exclaimed.
"So it is." Agnés said.
"We're going to celebrate your birthday!" Edea said cheerily.
"I'm afraid I don't know what I'm required to do on this day." Agnés admitted.
"Relax, eat cake, have fun, it's your special day, you can do what you want!" Edea was getting increasingly excited with every word. "And we have to give you presents!"
"Oh, this all sounds very nice. But you don't need to go to all the trouble-" Agnés started, but she was cut off by Edea's excitement.
"Of course we do! We're friends, this is what we do!" Edea cheered." I'll go tell the others!"
And she ran out of the room, leaving a very confused Agnés behind.
-/-/-
"It's lady Agnés's birthday next week?" Ringabel asked.
"Yes, Ringabel and you need go get her a present. A proper present." Edea said.
"A proper present? You think the presents I give to my fair angel aren't proper? Edea, I'm hurt." Ringabel pouted.
"What do you think I should give to her?" Tiz asked, looking anxious.
"A gift of passion and love!" Ringabel said. "One that she will hold dear for years and years to come."
"I don't know, Tiz." Edea said, ignoring Ringabel's outburst. "It's your choice."
"Still, where are we supposed to get presents for our fair vestal?" Ringabel asked.
It was a fair question.
"Florem is a good spot." Edea mused.
"Yes, but we've already awakened the Water Crystal. It'll take a few days to reach Florem again and Airy won't like it." Tiz pointed out.
That was very true. Airy was getting more and more impatient with each day that passed. Going back to Florem would eat up several days, especially since they were so close to Eternia and the Earth Crystal.
"That is true. But this is Agnés's birthday. Not Airy's. Although you're right by the time we reach Florem Agnés's birthday will be almost upon us." Ringabel said.
"We also need to prepare, not just gift wise. The Proprietress will have to make some food and her favourite cake. What is Agnés's favourite cake do you know?" Edea asked.
" I don't know. Would Eternia be a good place to get gifts, Edea?" Tiz wondered.
Edea had spent many birthdays in Eternia. Being the Templar's daughter she got expensive gifts, from all over Luxendarc.
"We can try. We might be able to pick up a few things." Edea said.
"Well, looks like we'll have to delay awakening the Crystal for a week. But at least we'll be at Eternia. I shall go pilot." Ringabel then walked off.
"I better go tell Datz, Zatz and the Proprietress the news!" Edea laughed.
Tiz watched them all go.
What on earth was he going to get Agnés?
-/-/-
"Thank goodness. We're finally getting to Eternia and the Earth Crystal." Airy said.
She flitted over to the small table beside the steering wheel of the ship.
"Ah, yes. Well, about that." Ringabel said, feeling instantly uncomfortable.
"What? What is it? Is something wrong with Agnés?" Airy asked, instantly worried.
"It's her Birthday next week." Ringabel finished.
"Um, ok. So we wish her a happy birthday and then get on with awakening the Crystal?" Airy said.
"We're going to head to Eternia, get her some presents, celebrate, let her relax. The awakening might be delayed by a week or two." Ringabel tried to get his voice to sound casual.
"A week or two? If might already be too late, by then!" Airy yelped.
Ringabel sighed.
"Agnés is completely on board with the idea."
"But..." Airy wailed.
Ringabel hid his smirk.
"But, Airy, fair lady Agnés needs her rest." Ringabel tutted. "She needs some joy in her life."
"Fine." Airy pouted. "But as soon as her birthday ends, we go and awaken the Crystal."
-/-/-
Agnés awoke early on the day of her Birthday.
Edea had told her to sleep in, relax, but Agnés was too used to waking up early to pray to the Crystal. Even on her birthday.
She had heard that word before, but she had never understood it and its meaning.
To Agnés's surprise, Edea couldn't be seen in her bed. Did she go somewhere? Was Agnés late for her own Birthday?
She dressed quickly and rushed out, almost running into Tiz, who was walking the deck, a small parcel in his hand.
"Oh. Happy birthday Agnés. You're up early." Tiz remarked.
"So are you." Agnés pointed out.
"You're supposed to sleep in on your birthday." Tiz explained.
So that was a birthday rule? This whole birthday thing was very confusing.
"Apologies, Tiz." Agnés said.
"You don't need to apologise. We're nearly ready for you, anyways. Come into the tavern." Tiz told her and after a moment of hesitation, took her hand and led her to where her birthday was being celebrated.
"There she is! The birthday girl!" Datz bellowed.
Everyone was in the tavern, laughing merrily. The tables were loaded with sweet treats, most Agnés didn't recognise. A balloon was tied to the ground, the words "Happy Birthday" emblazoned on it.
"Where's Airy?" Agnés asked,realising who was missing.
Ringabel looked uncomfortable.
"She's still sleeping I believe. We told her to get up early to prepare..." His voice trailed off and anger flashed in his eyes.
"Never mind." Agnés said, " This all looks amazing."
Edea, who had been eyeing the food during the whole conversation waved a parcel at Agnés.
"Present time!"
Agnés accepted Edea's present. It was wrapped messily with birthday wrapping paper and sticky tape. Agnés attempted to peel the tape off slowly.
"No, no Agnés you have to rip it!" Edea said.
"Rip it?" Agnés asked.
Edea took the parcel from Agnés and using her nails, ripped a small tear in the side of the present.
"See, you try."
Agnés felt disrespectful ripping the paper, but did as Edea said to reveal a box full of sweet treats.
"They're from Eternia. They don't have them anywhere else in Luxendarc."
Agnés stared at the treats, even more unfamiliar than the ones on the table.
"Try one." Edea said, looking nervous.
Agnés opened the box and picked out a white biscuit like thing, studded with chocolate chips.
"Ooh! Good choice Agnés!" Edea exclaimed.
Agnés took a delicate bite out of it.
It was beautiful, better than anything Agnés had ever tasted in her life. It was crunchy and dry, whereas the chocolate was soft and smooth. Agnés took another bite and it was gone in seconds.
"Thank you, Edea." Agnés said sincerely.
"Your welcome." Edea smiled.
Ringabel was next. He held a medium sized and oddly shaped parcel.
"Ringabel, please don't tell me..." Edea murmured.
Agnés took it, it felt fragile and delicate in her hands.
"You might want to move to the table. It's fragile." Ringabel told her.
She did as he said and ripped open the neatly wrapped present.
Agnés gasped as she saw what was underneath it.
"It's a snow globe." Ringabel said.
A snow globe.
"It's beautiful." Agnés said.
The bottom of the snow globe was covered with paper white snow whilst more fell from the top of the snow globe. There was a little house in the globe and little plastic children played in the snow. But what took Agnés's breath away was the two sparkling Crystal like objects that stood on either side of the house. They glowed softly, a cold blue, green light.
"Where did you get it?" Edea asked, also transfixed.
"If I told you, what would be the fun in it?" Ringabel asked. "You said you had never seen snow before Agnés so I gave you this."
"Thank you, Ringabel." Agnés said.
She was close to tears, she was so happy. She could understand why people celebrated birthdays now. She had never felt like this in her whole life.
"Your welcome." Ringabel replied and executed a small bow.
Tiz looked embarrassed.
"Oh crystals, this is never going to live up to you guys' presents to Agnés."
But all the same, he handed Agnés the tiny package.
Agnés opened it, revealing the bracelet.
It was silver and seemed ordinary and unadorned when Agnés picked it up, but when she turned it around in her hands, she saw the big gem, that stuck out. It looked like...
Agnés touched the pendant around her neck.
"I wanted it to be sort of like the pendant. It's kind of stupid, isn't it? I'm sorry I didn't get you a better present." Tiz blushed.
"No, Tiz, it's perfect. Thank you. Thanks all of you." Agnés said, the tears welling up in her eyes.
But no, that wasn't the end of the presents, Datz gifted her a comb and Zatz a hair band. Despite the fact that the Proprietress had already made all the food for Agnés's birthday she still gave her a gift, a little porcelain fairy.
They sat down and ate to their heart's content. Ringabel simply watched them, fending off Edea's requests that he try an "Amazingly scrumptious dream of a parfait" and instead downed a cup of black coffee.
"Why don't you like cake, Ringabel?" Edea moaned. "I suppose it's more for me."
"You know I'm not fond of sweet things, my angel." Ringabel said.
"Yes. I know. And instead you like coffee. And you like it black! I mean I like coffee too and all but how you can drink it-"
"You put so much sugar into it, it's more sugar than coffee!" Ringabel protested.
"That's the good part about it!" Edea whined.
"No it's not, it's just a soggy mess at the bottom." Ringabel said, sounding actually annoyed.
Edea glared at him and something passed over her face, a look of deep thought.
"Are you all right, my angel?" Ringabel asked.
"When you stop calling me your angel I will be." Edea growled.
Ringabel pouted at that, but the others laughed nervously, except for Datz, who laughed wholeheartedly at their bickering.
When the feast was finally demolished, they stood up.
"So are we going to continue to awaken the crystals?" Agnés asked.
She was sad that her Birthday was over but at least they could get back to their adventure.
"What? Agnés it's only 11am! It's still your birthday! What'd you want to do for the rest of the day?" Edea asked.
Tiz took her hand.
"Happy birthday Agnés." He whispered into her ear.
Agnés smiled. It was still her birthday. And she was spending it with the people that she loved the most in the world.
She didn't even question Airy's absence.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
"So, what do you wanna do Agnés?" Edea asked, a grin plastered on her face.
"Um. I don't know. Why don't you guys decide?" Agnés said.
She was extremely uncomfortable with the idea of choosing what to do. What if they didn't like what she chose?
"No, Agnés, you have to choose, it's your birthday!" Edea said.
Agnés looked to Tiz for help, but he seemed to be nodding along with Edea's words.
"Umm, well..." Agnés walked out onto the deck, trying to get some ideas.
She could see the mountains of Eternia, covered in white snow. It was snowing, lightly and Agnés shivered. It was cold.
"Could we... Could we go out in the snow?" Agnés asked awkwardly. "I-I've never seen snow before and I've heard that it is-"
"It's really fun!" Edea butted in. "That's a great choice Agnés. Playing in the snow is awesome."
A smile broke out on Agnés's face.
"So, um. How must we prepare?" Agnés asked, unsure of what she had to do.
"We need coats and boots and clothes!" Edea yelped. "Just give me a minute whilst I rush down to Eternia..."
-/-/-
"Where on earth are you guys going in that get up?"
"Airy!" Agnés exclaimed.
Airy had come. She hadn't forgotten Agnés's birthday after all. Tiz let out a sigh of relief.
"Good morning Agnés. But I'm very confused. Where are you guys going?"
"Outside, Airy!" Edea said, looking excited.
"Outside? But it's cold out there! Airy whinged.
As if if go illustrate her point she wrapped her arms around her body and shivered.
"That's why we're all dressed up." Edea explained.
They were swaddled in coats and jumpers so they could be barely walk.
It was boiling hot, as Tiz and the others kept pointing out, but Edea had assured them that the moment they got out they would be glad to wearing so many layers.
"By, outside, do you mean to Eternia?" Airy asked, still dreadfully confused.
"No Airy." Edea said, a hint of annoyance touching her voice. "We're going outside to play in the snow."
"But why?" Airy wailed.
"Because on this very special occasion, we have decided to take our fair Agnés out to see the beauty of the snow." Ringabel said, before Edea lost her temper.
"Very special occasion?" Airy asked.
"Airy... You know." Tiz said.
He was trying to discreetly drop hints without actually telling Airy outright. Tiz hoped that Airy was messing with them and she did actually remember. They had told her. She had made a huge fuss.
"No, I don't. Somebody better tell me what's going on." Airy said crossly.
"I apologise, if the awakening of the Crystal is being delayed, on my behalf. We can... Do not worry Airy, we'll go and prepare to awaken the Crystal now."
Agnés said, sadness clear in her voice.
"Good." Airy said.
Tiz, Edea and Ringabel all opened their mouth to say something, but Edea was the loudest.
"Excuse me Airy. Who gives you the right to do that!" Edea scolded.
"I just want to awaken the Crystal and rid the world of darkness! I don't understand what is going on!" Airy moaned.
"Well you should. We gave you enough warning." Ringabel said, his voice strangely harsh.
"Nobody told me this was going to happen! Why is everyone ganging up on me all of a sudden!" Airy snarled.
"Because today is... Well it's a special day for Agnés." Tiz said.
As soon as Airy heard it had something to do with Agnés she got rid of some of her anger.
"Oh. What special day is it today Agnés?" Airy asked, looking slightly panicked.
"It's my Birthday." Agnés said quietly.
"Happy Birthday Agnés!" Airy chirped. "Of course I wouldn't have forgotten your Birthday!"
Tiz let out a sigh of relief, probably too loud.
"What, you guys thought I did, didn't you?" Airy said crossly.
"Of course not, Airy." Agnés reassured her.
"Well now that's settled, may I find out what you're doing?" Airy asked, in her cute little way.
"We told you!" Edea said, crossing her arms and stamping her foot.
"We're going outside to play in the snow Airy." Agnés quickly said. "Care to join us?"
There was a nerve wracking minute when Airy didn't answer, but then a smile broke out on her face.
"Of course! Let's go!"
Edea wrinkled her nose.
"Airy are you sure you're going to be okay, dressed like... That?"
Airy was of course, wearing her usual costume, however Tiz, despite never having been openly in the snow, from his limited experience in Eternia knew it would be freezing in Airy's outfit.
"You're right, it's nippy out there." She agreed.
"We can get you clothes..." Edea said, "Oh please let us get you clothes!"
"I think I will decline." Airy huffed and fluttered down to lie in Agnés's hood.
"This okay with you Agnés?" Airy asked.
"Yes Airy." Agnés agreed.
"Let's go!" Edea said and jumped in the air, fist pumping the sky.
"I'll prepare some hot cocoa for when you get back," The Propertiess said, a grin on her face.
"That would be lovely, thank you." Agnés said.
"Have fun out there!" Datz bellowed, from his place on the deck a little away.
"Thank you!" Edea called back. "Now. Race you outside!"
She shot off, Ringabel at her heels.
Tiz smiled at Agnés and the vestal smiled back.
Tiz found Agnés's hand and her fingers closed around it.
"Let's go, Agnés."
Tiz started running, practically dragging Agnés behind. She shrieked with laughter, something unusual for her and then quickened her pace so she caught up with Tiz and the two of them were running side by side.
They jumped out into the snow and were greeted with cold bitter air and a lump of snow to the face.
Edea stood, hand poised in a throwing stance.
"Whoops." She laughed.
Agnés allowed herself a small giggle.
Tiz shivered. He was glad for all the layers, but, being used to the relatively sunny Caldisla, the burning hot Eisenburg, the neutral Florem and the scorching hot sun of Anchiem didn't prepare him for the cold, layers or not.
Agnés was also shivering, but Edea wasn't, probably since growing up in Eternia, she would be used to the cold. Ringabel also didn't seem too bothered, but he never seemed to be swayed by the different climate changes of Luxendarc.
"What are you doing?" Tiz asked, pointing at Edea, who was moulding something in her hands.
He realised as soon as the words left his mouth.
He barely had time to duck before the snowball passed over his head. He got up and grinned. He bent over and tried to make his own snowball but didn't do very well. Edea came over and gave both Tiz and Agnés pointers. Once everyone was well educated in the art of snowball making, Edea divided everyone into teams, Tiz and Agnés (And Airy!) and Edea and Ringabel.
They built little snow forts with their new skills.
"All, right." Edea said after almost an hour of preparation. "We"re ready to start."
"Start what?" Agnés asked, confused.
Before Tiz could warn her, a skilfully thrown snowball hit her in the chest. Agnés stared at it and then she grinned.
"This." Edea said.
Agnés made the next move, making a snowball and throwing it in the general direction of Ringabel and Edea. It missed them and hit their sturdy snow fort.
"We need a plan of action!" Airy said, who seemed to be enjoying herself as much as them.
"Our fort is pretty weak." Tiz admitted as a snowball hit their fort and made a small hole.
"We must focus on making it stronger." Agnés said, "Let us patch it up."
They started to rebuild their fort with snow, packing it together and making it stronger.
"All right." Airy said. "I think we're ready!"
Tiz poked his head around their snow barrier.
He narrowly missed a well aimed snowball from Ringabel.
Tiz looked at Agnés. The two of them started making snowballs as Ringabel and Edea rained snow on them, from their fort.
"Ready?" Tiz asked.
Agnés nodded. Her cheeks were rosy and her hair was littered with snowflakes. There was an unfamiliar sparkle in her eyes.
The two of them grabbed their snowballs and started throwing them full force at the opposite team, who countered it with more. Ringabel and Edea stepped out of cover and laughed as snowball after snowball hit them.
Agnés and Tiz left their fort so they could get better aim.
Snowballs were hitting them, everywhere and more were missing their targets and pattering on the ground.
Suddenly Ringabel and Edea dived into their fort.
Agnés and Tiz followed suit. Tiz couldn't hear anything from their side, not even the sound of snowballs being made.
Agnés and Tiz glanced at each other before creeping out to look at what was going on.
They were pelted with snowballs from all directions and Tiz only had time to see Ringabel's snow filled pompadour and Edea's hand before Tiz and Agnés were knocked down, screaming and laughing.
When the onslaught finally stopped, Tiz brushed the snow off of his body and accepted Ringabel's hand to help him up.
Airy, who was sitting on Agnés's shoulder had her eyes squeezed shut.
"Is it over? Can I look now?" She asked.
"Don't worry Airy, it's over." Edea giggled.
Airy opened her eyes and shivered.
"That was dangerous! Agnés could have been harmed!"
"I'm fine." Agnés said calmly. "Thank you for your concern."
"Are we going in now? It's cold." Airy whined.
"Soon, Airy. There's just something else I want to show Agnés." Edea explained.
Airy huffed, but didn't argue.
Edea started making another snowball, whilst the others watched on. She seemed to be making an awfully big one.
"Umm. Edea? Are you going to be throwing that at us?" Tiz asked, once it had reached the size of a beach ball.
"No!" Edea said, sounding annoyed. "I'm building a snowman!"
She was greeted with blank faces.
"A snowman?" Agnés asked.
"Yeah! Don't you know what a snowman is? I guess it never snows in Anchiem. What about you, Tiz? It snows in Norende doesn't it?" Edea pressed.
"Yeah. But me and my brother spent most of the time in the barns with our animals." Tiz replied.
A pang went through him as he remembered the times he spent with Til.
When it got cold and started to snow, the two of them herded the sheep back into their barn, where they had tended to the sheep and talked to each other. It had always been something Tiz enjoyed and always looked forward to the times that he could talk with his friend and brother.
But now... He would never get the chance to talk to Til again. Tiz had lived his whole life with Til, but still there was so much they had to talk about. So much that Tiz would never hear about.
Due to the others' suddenly solemn expressions Tiz guessed that they knew what he was thinking.
"Well I guess I'll have to teach you!" Edea said, breaking the tension.
Agnés and Tiz exchanged glances.
"Umm, ok. What is there to learn?" Agnés asked innocently.
"You pack it together like a snowball and when it gets big, you start to roll it to make it bigger." Edea looked very proud of herself and her lesson.
Edea started to demonstrate and then finished with a chirpy "Ta da!"
"I don't want to interrupt my fair angel but, if I might interject, may I suggest that the snowman resembles a huge ball and not a person?" Ringabel asked, as he shook snow from his pompadour.
"That's because we're not finished yet! You're so impatient Ringabel!" Edea growled.
Edea started making another snowball, but it turned out smaller than the other. She placed it on top of the big one.
"Now, we need to make a head!" Edea cheered, making yet another snowball.
She placed the last snowball, which was even smaller on top of the other two.
"Tada!" She cried.
"Umm..." Agnés murmured.
"Edea..." Tiz continued.
"How..." Ringabel went on.
"Does this resemble a person?" Airy finished.
Edea scowled.
"Well you-"
"It's falling from the sky!" Agnés suddenly said, craning her neck upwards.
Everyone soon saw what she was looking at. Snowflakes were falling from the sky, dancing and twirling on the way down.
"It's beautiful." Agnés breathed.
"I've never seen anything like it before." Tiz said in awe.
"It certainly is a sight to behold." Ringabel admitted.
"It's just stupid snow!" Airy pouted.
"Welcome to the beauty of Eternia!" Edea exclaimed, ignoring Airy's comment.
The snowfall picked up and was coming down hard and fast.
"We should probably head back. Is that okay with you Agnés?" Tiz asked.
Agnés nodded. The snow was pattering relentlessly against her jacket and the wind was making it difficult to walk. They trudged back to Grandship and were met with steaming cups of hot chocolate.
As the four of them (Plus Airy) finished drinking their beverage the clock ticked five, They had been having so much fun, they hadn't realised how much time had passed.
"Now for birthday cake!" Edea cheered.
"Birthday cake?" Agnés echoed.
"Yeah! I'll be back in two seconds! Lemme just go and fetch everyone!" Edea said, somehow the unofficial organiser of the whole 'party'
Everyone was the five of them, Datz, Zatz and the Proprietress.
Agnés wished Olivia could have been here for this moment and felt sadness that the vestal had gone to her death never experiencing this kind of friendship.
"Hey, Agnés!"
Agnés snapped out of her trance to see Edea holding up a big sponge cake, full of whipped cream and dotted with tiny strawberries.
"Oh... My!" Agnés said. "I've never seen such a big cake!"
Edea grinned at her and then placed candles on the cake, one for every year of her life. She proceeded to light the candles.
"Alright guys. You know what to do!" Edea said.
Agnés was about to protest that she didn't, when the others started singing.
"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Agnés! Happy birthday to you!"
Agnés was flabbergasted.
"Now you blow out the candles." Edea pointed out helpfully.
Agnés looked at Tiz who nodded.
"Make a wish Agnés."
Agnés leant forward, made a wish and blew.