Soooo... I have been playing tales of graces... .

The Oxymoron.

By definition, an oxymoron is a word or phrase that contradicts itself, for instance; 'accidently on purpose' or 'an Accurate estimate' or by far her favourite as of late 'Enormously small' this was generally due to the size of the meal portions Fourier had been making her, but if anything, the one Oxymoron that suited this Amarcian the best, had to be 'Stupid genius'

Fourier loved her sister, despite the bitterness; it was true, otherwise why would she have spent all those years caring for her? But it was getting a bit much now, perhaps it was because she had doted on her too much as a child, or because she had let Pascal just run off and do whatever she liked as an adult, that the girl had never grown up, but right now, right now it almost seemed painful to see just how stupid Pascal could be. Even now she was watching her sister working on a project that earlier on that day Pascal had told about, apparently she was trying to make a machine that could make things bigger… or at least that was what Fourier had gathered from it, what had been actually said was.

'I am making a doohicky that will like multiply mass so that there will be like so much stuff that even the Katz wont be able to eat all the fin! But without having to plant it, cause that wasn't really where I was thinking on it, but then I thought that if I could just like find out the parts of the things, like with Sophie and the little queen, cause they were like totally made of the same thing right, but they were not the same, but if I could somehow find a way to make the parts, without having the parts, I could totally make more out of nothing, So I was looking at the mixer and I got a lightbulb in my brainyo, and I was thinking if I could make it like that, but without the walking, all I have to do is do a little donkadonk and clunckaclunck and I could TOTTALLY make this thing'

Now this was not the reason Fourier thought her sister stupid; after all, what she was saying was sound, Mixers used eleth to create items, so long as you had the composition recorded, all Pascal was thinking of, was fine tuning the principles so you could expand the mass of the object, and produce it in a shorter, if not immediate time, all in all, for Pascal, this was a simple job, but about an hour into it, Fourier had been found by her sibling with a weird look on her face, apparently, she had 'like totally lost her mojo' and she wanted her to come and keep her company; company was mainly listening, something Fourier had grown especially talented at, but this time… well this time she was loosing her patience. You see the reason Pascal was distracted, was because she had sent a certain man in Yu Liberte a message, and he hadn't replied yet. This; this very behaviour, was the reason Pascal was a complete Oxymoron!

Fourier closed her eyes to steel her temper, but Pascal had brought him up again, for the fiftieth time in the last hour "I just don't get it yah know, it's not like he ever misses my birds, and it has been like a full hour since I sent it, I mean like, I know he is busy, but he always replies, like always, but this time, it's like, poof, gone kahblooy, like I dunno sis, I mean I get that he is all serious and stuff, and I annoy him like crazy and everything, but he is like my friend and I know he is worried about me making him look bad at his fancy wedding, but I promised him I would bathe…" Pascal's eyes seemed to widen then, and Fourier blinked softly as she processed some of what her sister was saying, but before she caught up to her, Pascal filled her in

"That's right! I am a total scatterbrain, He told me last night that he had to talk to the girl he was supposed to be marrying today, he still says he is going to say no, and I told him that he shouldn't be saying no just because I smell because I would totally make sure I was pretty and stuff, he said I didn't have to try to be pretty, I told him that he shouldn't worry cause I bet his wife would be way prettier and I was looking forward to seeing him in fancy duds and he should go ahead and get married, he didn't reply after that…'

Fourier saw it of course, she saw the change in her sisters smile as soon as the wedding was mentioned, and she also saw the look of confusion that crossed her sisters face as she continued talking, Pascal was so oblivious to her own feelings it was almost painful to watch. It was after Pascal let out a frustrated sigh and threw her hammer to the side while clutching her head claiming 'she gives up' that Fourier gave a sigh of her own "Pascal! Can you really be so stupid as to not know what you are feeling?" her sister gave her a helpless look and then shook her head slightly "hungry?" She had suggested unhelpfully and Fourier just thumped her on the head and sat in front of her.

"Pascal, I am going to ask you some questions, and you are going to answer me okay?" Her sister nodded so Fourier began "I want you to tell me about your friends, each and every one of them, you have to tell me what you like about them, and then you have to tell me how they make you feel, First, tell me about King Richard" Pascal frowned a little bit, thinking; she was not sure why she had to do this, but whatevs "Yokay, Well, let me see, Richard is like, he is tall, and he says fancy stuff, but he is nice and junk, and I think he want's my staff, but he never takes it when I try to give it too him, cause he is not like that yaknow?" Fourier just nodded and said "Now, how does he make you feel?" Pascal thought about it again, even went so far as to close her eyes "I dunno, its like, I feel kinda small? Or something"

Fourier simply continued on then without comment "Now, tell me about Sophie" Pascal's features lit up then and she exploded into talk "Sophie is like my bestest best, like when I saw her first I just KNEW we would be like the best of friends; even if she didn't know it then, but I guess that was cause she was all scared and stuff, but now she is like so smart and she learns and she has that little queen in her and that makes her my height and she seems to know better about me wanting to hug her all the time cause she just makes me feel warm and junk" Fourier nodded "Is that your answer to how she makes you feel? 'warm and junk'" Pascal nodded and got into a more comfortable sitting position, and Fourier could not help but think her sister was treating this like a game or a test; not that it mattered what she thought it was, so long as she got the message through " Now Captain Malik"

"Oh he is like always trying to be serious and stuff, Cause Asbel and Hu look up to him, but I know he is a joker, and he plays pranks on people all the time, I get along with that cause he doesn't mind me being all woopdeewoo, sometimes, but then other times he is all grumpy and leave me alone like, but that's okay too, cause he is all old and junk, so I guess he makes me feel like a kid" Fourier nodded, noting that she was no longer needing to prompt for the feelings part "Okay, now to Cheria"

Pascal placed a finger to her chin as she thought about it "I like Cheria, she is totally nice and all, and she is like me too cause she daydreams a lot, but her daydreams are like WAY different from mine, but that's cool cause her dreams came true, I always feel like I have to be super hyper around her though, cause she worries too much" Fourier noted that one, and moved on, only two more to go through "Now, Asbel"

"Asbel is like super sweet and like really open to trying new things, which I like, and like, he never puts anyone down, which I think is totally the reason why he was able to get Lamba to be all Fwooooosh! Saves the day, and then he was all Swoop, Cheria your like the person for me, and booom, Sophie, you are like super awesome dream container! Or something, but yeah, he makes me feel like I can do anything when I am around him!" Fourier smiled then and said the last name slowly "And… Hubert?"

And just as expected, Pascal faltered

"Hu… well, He is bossy, and, smart… I guess he is protective of the people he cares about, he saved me a few times that's for sure…" a nervous laugh left her sisters lips, but she said nothing; just watching the result of her little experiment "I suppose he is strong too, I thought he was weak before because he like, spins his blades around all swishy like, and fires them from behind and stuff, but that time when he pulled me away from the exploding desk… I could feel how strong he was, and when we went to the beach like, he had muscles and stuff, which I totally didn't expect… and he, he always listens to me, and helps me out with things, even when I sometimes don't ask, and he has this funny smile he sometimes gets, like, its like he wants to smile, but he is stopping himself. He does that a lot too, stops himself from doing things that might be seen as improper… or, that Asbel might think is nice, cause he is super nice, and he really loves his brother, he even tried to cheer me up when you were fighting with me, cause he said he knew what you felt like, and that it wasn't my fault.."

Fourier just listened, but for some reason, she felt now like Pascal was not even talking to her at all "And he doesn't make fun of me like the others doo sometimes, Oh I know he is thinking what I am doing is weird, but it's like… like when I was at the beach, I got all dressed up in a full body suit, cause I don't want to be going out all dressed in like my underwear, but I guess that is what beaches are for, but even though Malik was all like What are you wearing or whatever, Hubert was like, no comment, I think he actually liked it, cause he doesn't like girls showing off skin… I think that makes him a gentleman, but it's like, I can tell he wants to have fun too… I want him to be able to have fun, so I tell him about the stuff I am doing, on the communicator and junk… but, lately, I kinda feel sad that I don't get to see him and stuff… but he, he is going to be married soon, so, I guess I won't see him much at all, cause… I am not fancy, or, like… like the people he lives with so…"

Fourier sighed, her sister was now slumped so much she looked like someone had let the air out of her "Pascal… How did you feel when Asbel told you he was getting married to Cheria?" Her sister looked up at her with a question on her face, but answered anyway "I was totally happy…" Fourier smiled a bit and continued " And when Hubert told you the same thing?" Pascal frowned again, but this time, there seemed to be some dots connecting "I… I was happy for him, cause… he like totally deserves someone nice yaknow… and, when he told me that… that he was going to say no because… because I was in his thoughts all the time, for a minute I was like, a bit embarrassed, but then I thought about you, and how you think of me all the time; you know, because I smell and stuff, so I told him I would wash…" Fourier frowned " That's not answering the question Pascal, you gave me a reason why you should be happy… but not how you really feel."

Pascal just lowered her head a bit and took out her communicator "I… I guess I am a disappointed, like, when you handed me to him, I wanted him to keep me, I even made a cute face and all, but… but he dropped me and stuff… like, I know I am not fancy, and I can get a bit distracted, but… I dunno, I guess I just hoped he would like me… or something… but, that's like…" Fourier interrupted her by thumping her fist down on her head again, this got her sister looking up at her in shock, oh it was so infuriating just how idiotic this girl was! "Pascal! Just how foolish are you! It is Obvious that that boy is in love with you! he practically told you! He said he was saying no to that woman because he could only think of you? And what did you do? You told him to get married because you would wash! You…You… YOU IDIOT! He is All Prim and Smart because he has to be! And when I handed you too him, he only dropped you because he was feeling shy! It's hard to be so close to the girl you like when she is making a cute face!"

"And what's WORSE! You are pushing him to get Married! Do you even know how much you are probably hurting him! He wants to be with you, and You! YOU ARE TELLING HIM TO FORGET IT!" She was heaving in angry breaths by the end of it, but Pascal had gone pale "I… I am hurting Hu…" Pascal looked up and Fourier could see that the words seemed to filter into her sisters mind now and realisation dawned on her, "Oh my gosh!" Pascals hands shot up to cover her mouth as she realised what she had done! "But… but it was too late, he was telling her today! He is probably in the meeting right now! I…I have to do something!" Fourier just smiled with satisfaction then as she watched her sister run from the room. That was a complete, success.

The presidents office was cool as always, but Hubert felt hot and tense, he had been putting this off for almost a year now, coming up with one reason or another, he had even resorted to using Malik's excuse of him wanting to continue his career first, but that had only been met with an immediate promotion, so instead, he had found any reason not to be in the city… But today, after his conversation with Pascal the night prior, he decided it was time to give up, after all, he might not ever be able to get the girl to understand how he felt, and if that was the case… he would end up just like Malik, single and pining… and that would do neither of them any good…

Dylan smiled to him from behind his desk, his daughter standing by his side, she seemed pretty enough he supposed, she was quiet though, and wouldn't look at him, her posture was perfect, and he knew she would be a perfect bride… though the term doll came to mind first… she would be the perfect doll, someone who was just there, someone that would make him look good, and he supposed after a while, when they got to know each other, she would grow to resent him, because it was clear she had no choice in this matter herself, why even now, President Dylan was speaking about her like she was not in the room, and what was worse, he was replying in the same manner, like this was a business matter… Something to advance his social status, and for Dylan, this was a good match, as his daughter would be marrying one of the hero's who saved us all…

Yet… he did not feel like a hero… Asbel… he was the proper definition of a hero, he rushed in blindly to situations without care for his own safety, he rescued people without thought… and in the end… he got the girl… No, he was not a hero, he had not been able to do any of those things, he simply stood behind and watched, giving backup and support when it was needed… just like in the old days… he was left behind… the 'little baby Hubert' that was of no real use to anyone, at least here… here he could pretend he was someone… He looked up and adjusted his glasses on his face, it was almost done now, all that was left was for him to shake his hand, it was strange though, how heavy his arm felt as he raised it, but he knew it had to be done.

Just as he was about to clasp Dylan's hand however, the door crashed open; literally, the heavy wood fell with a crash to the floor and Hubert could hear the struggles of the guards outside, he turned and quickly drew his dual blade, but then a voice made him stop "Ah Get off me! I gotta See HU!" his blade clattered to the ground as he got a better look at the commotion, and without a second thought he issued an order "Release that woman!" The guards holding Pascal looked at him, then to the grounded door, and then to him once again "Do NOT make me repeat myself gentlemen!" that was enough for them to release their grip and Pascal; who had still been struggling, and as a result, came crashing through making a loud racket as she did so. With a sigh, Hubert made his way over to the energetic woman, and was about to help her up, but then froze when she looked up at him, she was… crying.

"You can't marry her Hu, cause I am a Total idiot! And I won't have a bath cause you will have a fancy wedding or any of that junk, I mean I will have a bath, but not because you are getting married, well, if you are getting married I will have to have a bath, but not because you are marrying someone that I pushed you to marry cause that would be like soo sad, and I would feel like super bad because I didn't like know what was going on until Fourier made me talk about Asbel and junk, but when I did she was like and what about Hubert and then she hit me and I was all like, Woochaaa, cause I saw what she was saying and she told me I was hurting you which is totally true and I didn't mean it Hu cause you are like super nice too me all the time, except the times you weren't but I know why because I feel like that too, except, I get didn't know it till now, and I suppose if I had I would have been all like Cheria and mad at you all the time, or not, cause you didn't do anything for me to be mad at you for, but I dunno, I am not really good at figuring all this out so I guess that makes you Cheria in this cause you are the one getting mad, and I was the one not knowing, so I guess I am Asbel right?"

She was ranting, but it didn't matter, he knew she had a tendency to do that when she was excited about something, and if he was picking up on this correctly… but no, he needed to be certain; he placed his hands on her shoulders and knelt down to face her, this effectively silencing her "Pascal… are you… do you…" his cheeks began to burn, and he became acutely aware of his audience, but this seemed not to bother the girl in front of him one bit "Hu, You know like… you said your thoughts were like consumed by me? Well… I can't create without you soo… it's like, I need you and stuff, cause, I feel…" his eyes widened as he watched the blush spread over her cheeks, and his chest grew tight as she repeated his words and added her own, but as soon as her eyes met his, the other people in the room seemed not to matter and as she moved in closer to him he tried not to back away in pure shyness "I feel fancy when I am with you, and I feel safe, even though my heart is going thumpadeethump at a mile a minute… I feel like, it doesn't matter where I am, without you, I am never in the right place or something… but… I guess, most importantly, You make me feel special, and I wanna be the one to make you feel that way too"

He smiled that half smile he sometimes produced when he was trying not to smile at all, yet inside he felt as though he was going to explode from happiness, he stood up, and extended a hand down to Pascal; before turning to look at Dylan "I am sure you can understand Sir, what this means to our prior discussion" The older man seemed to understand perfectly clear, even though he did not look too happy about it " Well… there is always Raymond…" Hubert just gave a slight nod to this, but he looked at the presidents daughter for the first time now "My apologies, but, I fear I shall not be able to see through our engagement" The woman just shook her head slightly in understanding, and she gave him a warm smile "That is alright Hubert, after all… how could I compete with the Genius Amarcian Pascal?"

He turned to see Pascal pointing to herself, and then giving a victory twirl as she was want to doo after a battle, this time he did smile and he took her by the hand "Pascal, it would be an honour, if you would do me-"

"Do you?"

A deep voice interrupted him, and he went as red as a tomato "Hubert, isn't it a bit public to be saying things like that?" he whirled to see Malik standing there with his cocky grin in place, but not just Malik, Asbel and Cheria, Richard, and even Sophie; which explained the broken door, were all watching the scene, Hubert felt his frustration rising, and before he got a chance to respond, he felt his face turned and lips placed upon his own, and his eyes widened as she pulled back "Aww Hu, I would do you anytime! But we got to get married first Yokay?" the resulting coughs and sputters from Malik were enough to make the embarrassing situation worth it, and he smiled back to Pascal "if you will have me…" and she replied to him in the very way that made him love her to begin with "Like totally! With My brains and your looks, we will have like the best kids ever! And we have to have lot's of them, cause I don't want Sophie to be lonely or anything, and besides… your like, the best guy I have ever known… I would be like a stupid not to want you!"

Fourier, who was standing at the back of the group just smiled then… maybe her sister was not such and oxymoron after all.

Reviews are always appreciated, thanks in advance

This is a one shot, so obviously I won't be able to reply to any reviews in the next chapter... but... if I ever write another story, i will be sure to make a mention