The Green Leaf
In a forest, the group stopped to camp for the night. Although it was still bright enough to walk, Jade suggested to camp because the monsters would go more berserk. They divided their work. Anise and Luke were to get the wood fire. The others got to set the camp and cooked the food. Anise and Luke separated to ease their search. With that Anise went alone to the forest.
She had got enough wood fire and on the way to the camp. She saw a tree as tall as her. She stopped and put the wood fire to the ground. The leaves' color matched with Ion's hair color. She touched it, and then she smiled, "This tree is just like Ion... Grow to help others..."
Anise then remembered one event at Daath's cathedral. There's a garden far from the entrance. That was one of the gardens in the cathedral. However it was a special one since no one had found it. It was located at the edge of the cathedral where almost no one passed it. Ion found it when he was taking a walk. He heard birds' chirping and searched the source. He was also confused that his surrounding was just walls. Then he noticed a small path between walls and tried to walk through that path.
What he found was a small garden, so small that maybe just one to three people could be there. He found a tree, not too tall and not too short. On top of that, he found a nest with two birds. There were eggs under one bird. The eggs were shaking and hatched one by one. Ion watched them excitedly. For some reasons, the birds weren't afraid of Ion. Ion wanted to play with them but he heard someone was calling him. He was a bit disappointed but he said goodbye to the birds and went outside through the same path. Outside, he met with Anise who was searching for him and went to the meeting room.
On the next day, Ion visited the garden again. Now he brought bread which was given as breakfast with him. He shared half of the bread with the birds. He ate together then played with them. When the bell of the cathedral rang, he went outside. He then went to his room and worked.
Since then, he regularly visited the birds. Every time he did that, Anise always searched for him and every time Anise asked him, he always answered nowhere and asked Anise to accompany him.
One day, Anise was given a bunch of documents, which had to be checked by Fon Master Ion, so she set out to his room in the morning. On the way, she saw a familiar figure with green hair. He stopped for a while, "Is that Ion? ... But he must be in his room... Maybe just my eyes," she said. She started her walk again but slower that before. Wait! Isn't Ion has gone suddenly for days? She thought as she walked slower and slower to a stop. She then looked around to find a victim. She found Reiner, God General Dist the Reaper's attendant. She called him and gave the documents to him, "Reiner, please take care of these, I have something urgent to do, thanks," she said then walked quickly to the other direction. In the middle she stopped, turned her head a bit and said, "Oh, and those are Fon Master Ion's documents. Don't you dare lose them!" after saying that, she rushed to follow 'that-maybe-Ion' person.
Fortunately, she could run after him after those thoughts. She hid behind pillars so that she could follow him secretly. That person was really Ion, but where was he going?
Anise followed him until the end of the corridor and saw him went into a path between walls. "Huh? What is Ion doing here?" She could hear birds' chirping from inside. She decided to go on in whatever the risk.
The first time she saw the garden, it amazed her. Then she looked for Ion. Ion was standing in front of a tree and he was feeding the birds. Anise approached him and tapped his shoulder. Ion was shocked and turned his head to see who it was.
"A- Anise what are you doing here?" he asked.
"That should be my line, Master Ion. What are you doing here?"
"I am just feeding the birds I found," Ion replied.
Anise looked behind him and saw the birds. Anise let out a long sigh before speaking, "Is it? These birds can search their food on their own. Why are you feeding them?"
"I can't just let them. They can't go out either," he pointed at the ceiling. It was closed and there were no other entrance.
Anise looked at it and said, "Well, yeah... You're right. Soo~ how long have you been feeding them?"
"Hmm... About a week or so maybe," Ion replied.
"Then... you were gone all this time because you went here to feed them?" Anise said aloud in anger
"I- I'm sorry, Anise. I just can't let them alone."
"Well, at least you should tell me, your Fon Master Guardian, where you are going. You made everyone worry," Anise said then she continued, "Don't worry; this will be our secret, just the two of us."
"Yes!" Ion said happily.
After that, they went together there a few times. But after the journey started, they hadn't known the present condition of those birds.
"Really, that Ion," she said after remembering that event. Now Anise picked the wood fire and when she was about to walk, she heard someone calling, "Anise, where are you?"
Anise heard that and turned her body to see that someone, Tear was behind him. She then took one leaf, putting it to her pocket and started to walk, "Yes, Master Ion. I'm right here."