Two of A Kind
. o .
"So this is Altamira," Seles said, adjusting her hat. "I thought you said it was bigger," she added, addressing her absent brother.
Casting a look backwards – half-worried but just as defiant – Seles parked the Rheiard and walked through the entrance of the town. Narrowing her eyes with disgust at the tall girl clothed in little more than a bodysuit and bunny ears, she shook her head. Ridiculous, she thought. It's a small wonder that my dear brother speaks so very highly of this place. But before Seles could elaborate on her disgruntled thoughts, they were decimated by a shrill "Seles!" and a flying hug from behind.
She had shaken off her assailant and slipped halfway into a spell-casting stance before recognizing the blonde who had hugged her. Long, pretty blonde hair, bright blue eyes… "Chosen," Seles greeted, backing away slightly.
Colette laughed, waving off the formal address. "Not anymore, Seles. Um, call me Colette instead, okay?"
Seles raised an eyebrow at the girl's ebullience. "I can try." Turning to the newest member of their gathering, she looked up at the brunet who had approached and fumblingly entwined his hand with Colette's – who was, Seles noted with a trace of nausea, blushing the colour of her companion's shirt. "My brother wasn't kidding when he said you all were meeting up."
"Hi, Seles," Lloyd grinned. "Zelos never said you were going to come, too. Was it a last minute decision?"
Seles couldn't help the fact that her smile became one that was familiar to any canary-eating cat. "You could say that."
Colette wouldn't swear on it, but she knew she'd seen that same smile somewhere before. She was about to tell Seles that, but someone else spoke up first.
Lloyd barrelled on. "So, where's Zelos then, Seles?" At her glare, Lloyd chuckled nervously. "I owe him one, that's why. He got me good at the spinning teacups last time, but I've been practising, and he's gonna wish he stayed on the other side of the continent instead of showing his face today, and I thought we saw his Rheiard flying in, so…"
Seles' expression changed from glee to disgust. "You two were spinning teacups? I hardly see how that is worthy of an afternoon of amusement."
It was Lloyd's turn to look puzzled, but Colette stepped in. "They're not small teacups, Seles, like the ones you drink out of. These ones are massive, and you sit in them as part of a ride. There's a wheel that you can turn to spin them around inside, you see. Zelos spun it a little too fast for Professor Raine and Lloyd the last time we were here, and they weren't too happy with him."
"I'm sure that's an understatement," Seles smirked.
"Uh, yeah..." Lloyd grinned. "But it's his turn this time."
"It still strikes me as a terrible waste of time," she replied.
"That's half of the idea of an amusement park," Lloyd answered, refusing to be swayed. "It's also a lot of fun, which is the other half. C'mon, we'll show you around, and then when Zelos wanders in, we can both show him up at the teacup ride."
Seles nodded sharply. "And here I thought that your friend – the short one – was the smart one."
Colette giggled, and Lloyd's expression was blank for half a second. "…Hey!" he frowned.
"Don't take it personally," Seles said. "So," pausing, she looked at the two mischievously. "Are we going or not?"
"Now that's more like it!" Lloyd shouted, his bruised ego forgotten. Squeezing Colette's hand, he offered Seles his other arm at his girlfriend's none-too-subtle nudge.
Seles looked at Lloyd's arm like it was covered in sea slime, but after a pause, put her hand gingerly on his elbow. Before she could be dragged off by the two teens, however, a flash of silver and blue ran up to them.
"Hi, everyone," Genis shouted, dashing into the square. Raine followed more sedately, but a smile ghosted at her lips as she caught sight of the group. As Genis' gaze landed on Seles, his eyes narrowed. "Hi – it's Seles, right?" At her nod, he continued. "Where's your brother? Off at the beach, and blinding the collective population of Altamira with his version of sunbathing?"
Seles blinked. "I'm afraid I don't want to know."
Lloyd laughed. "Nah, it's not so bad. The last time we were here, we spent some time at the beach. Your brother has interesting taste in swimming trunks, that's all."
Colette was hiding her blush behind her free hand, and Genis was shuddering. "I hope you have better taste, Seles. You practically have to, considering the clothing monstrosities that the jerk thinks are fashionable. It was purple. And skimpy. It's just not right for guys to wear stuff like that," the half-elf managed. Seles had just enough time to drop her head into one of her hands before Raine reached their group; the elder Sage's smile had faded considerably at the last set of comments and though Genis' reflexes were good, Raine's were better. "…Ow, Raine, that hurt." Glaring petulantly, Genis rubbed his ear. "You know I'm right," he muttered.
Raine's glare was equally potent. "As true as that may be, Genis, it doesn't mean I want to be reminded. Particularly of that memory." Shaking her head, Raine gestured towards the hotel, checking a letter in her hand. "We had better get checked in, everyone. Regal mentioned here that dinner is set up two hours from now." Looking at the wistful looks that three out of the four youths were sending towards the amusement park, she sighed. "Would it make a difference in the speed of your movement if I told you that Regal left passes for the park in your hotel rooms and that you can go play until dinner?"
As she expected, it did.
To Raine's surprise, however, the fourth teenager remained. Seles scuffed her toe. "Are they always so…"
"Loud?" Raine offered, watching the trio scramble through the glass doors.
"I was going for lively, but I like your word better."
"Essentially, yes," Raine replied. "You won't believe me, but it does grow on you." Chuckling at Seles' expression, Raine nodded. "I didn't believe it, either. But to see them smile and joke like that after everything they have experienced is worth the extra noise." She started to walk towards the hotel, but paused when she realized that Seles wasn't following her. "Have you checked in already?"
"I don't have a room," Seles replied carefully.
"Aren't you sharing with Zelos? I'm sure that we can get Regal to roll an extra cot into the room - for Zelos, of course."
Seles smiled.
Too broadly, it seemed, as the Professor fixed her with a speculative gaze. "I didn't want to say this in front of the others, but he hasn't showed up yet. Your brother's got a knack for spectacularly late entrances, but to be this late just isn't like him. Zelos didn't fall off a cliff or get beat up by some jealous fiancé in the last couple of months, did he?"
"Why, Miss Sage," Seles deadpanned, "you sound almost hopeful."
"Professor Sage, actually."
"And?" Seles prompted.
"And?" Raine echoed. "Ah. I am not hopeful, merely curious."
Oblivious of the fact that Raine was immune to innocent facades, the younger girl replied confidently, keeping her expression carefully neutral. "No, Zelos is not terribly maimed, dead, or both - at least not when I last left his presence. In fact, I do not think it is a stretch to say that he is presently in the safest place he's ever been."
Rubbing her temples, Raine managed a "very well." There was obviously more to it than Seles was letting on, if only for the bitterness in her last words. Zelos was a grown man, however. It was high time he learned to take care of himself, so she let his sister's answer go by without debate. Reaching the reception desk of the hotel, she slowed her actions once she realized she still had an audience. Poor girl, Raine thought absently. What else has she missed in life?
As Seles stepped up, repeating Raine's responses to the clerk as closely as possible, Raine concealed her impressed smile with Regal's letter. Quick studies ran in the Wilder family, it seemed. Talented quick studies, she amended as the drowsy clerk handed over a silver key to Seles, who looked at it with pride.
Waving Seles over, Raine headed for the elevator. She'd have to speak to Regal about his employees, but she'd leave that for another time.
Seles couldn't help but bristle a little at the older woman's already protective manner; she could feel herself gawking like some backwards country bumpkin, but she couldn't help it. Between Altamira's massive scale and the outgoing nature of her new companions, Seles was overwhelmed. Fortunately, Raine's attention was on the note in her hands as Seles joined her in the elevator, so the ride up was uneventful.
Nodding a polite farewell as Raine entered the third door, Seles continued down the hall. Two doors further displayed the same number as her key; slipping the key inside, she slipped off her shoes and collapsed on the bed. She had to wait a couple of moments to catch her breath; all this excitement wasn't good for her heart, although her training over the last couple of years had helped build up her strength. Still, Zelos was going to be mad when she returned to the Abbey and let him out of that spare closet.
She'd have to give Christine a huge bonus on her next paycheque; the maid had certainly proven her worth over the last handful of hours.
It really served her pesky brother right, coming on a visit for the first time in months, and cutting it short because he had to go gallivanting with his friends instead.
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts, and before she could move to open it, Lloyd and Colette dashed through, followed closely by Genis. "Are you ready, you two?" Lloyd asked, looking around the room for the other Wilder sibling. "Huh. He's still sunbathing, hey?"
"Not exactly," Seles replied, avoiding the question. "He's… presently indisposed."
"I don't want to know, then." Genis shook his head, circumventing the question Lloyd was about to ask. "It means he's busy, Lloyd." Holding up the amusement park pass on Seles' nightstand, Genis continued. "You can borrow your brother's pass, Seles. I'm sure he won't mind."
"You, um, might not want to wear your hat, though," Colette added. "Some of the rides go fast, and it might fly off."
At the emphatic nods from the two boys, Seles shrugged. She had sensitive skin, but maybe for one afternoon it wouldn't make that much of a difference.
Lloyd launched into an excited monologue about the amusement park which continued on the elevator and as they crossed the main plaza, but Seles politely ignored him in favour of surveying the Altamiran scenery. So this was the world that her brother and the Church wanted to protect her from. It may be loud, she thought, and it may be immoral - do those bunny girls grow on trees here? - but I don't understand how that justifies locking me in some desolate abbey. Realizing that the short one, Genis, was looking at her with curiosity, Seles matched his gaze. "Is something the matter?"
"You were just a million miles away there, weren't you?"
"And if I was?"
Genis smiled, rubbing a hand through his messy hair. "I know what it's like, Seles; Altamira is a pretty unusual place. Especially growing up in Iselia, where nothing is taller than a couple of stories and is certainly not made of glass…"
"This isn't that different from Meltokio," Seles huffed, crossing her arms defensively. Honestly, just because she had been trapped in the Abbey didn't mean that she was a complete ignoramus.
His eyes cooler, Genis shrugged. "Sure."
As the half-elf hastened his pace to match that of the young couple, Seles frowned. That had not ended as she'd intended it to. By the time that she reached the small railcar, the only seat remaining was beside Genis, who cast a quick, carefully neutral look at her.
It was then that Seles realized something decidedly odd. Even after a couple of hours in their company, the presence of silence felt uncomfortable. "Is it someone's birthday?" she asked the group.
"Pardon me?" Genis replied.
"It sounds like this is a big event, that's all," Seles explained.
"Actually," Colette answered, "it's the Altamiran amusement park's anniversary this weekend, and Regal invited us all as his guests. It was really kind of him."
"As his mascots, you mean," Genis sniped.
"You know that's not true, Genis," Lloyd interrupted. "It's just because the park hasn't been doing as well since the worlds merged. So Regal asked us if we wanted to come, 'cause he thinks that if people think we'll go, then they will, too. I think it's kind of silly, but he loves this place, and if we can help him keep it going, why not? And hey, free rides, right? It works for everyone."
Genis mumbled something that could have been "ever the idealist," but in the screech of brakes as the railcar reached the station, Seles wasn't sure. The half-elven boy was smiling at his friends once more, though, and they were smiling back, which she envied, feeling like a trespasser for the first time.
Sensing the other girl's discomfort, Colette disengaged Lloyd's hand from around her waist, and lagged back to walk with Seles, blissfully disregarding the suspicious looks that the little redhead shot her. Genis and Lloyd only shrugged and headed off towards a gaudily decorated midway table. Colette pointed at a metal structure to their right, turning Seles' attention from the two young men. "This is the ride that Lloyd was talking about, Seles. I thought that we'd get a head start, if you want."
Her first impression was correct, Seles decided. It looked ridiculous; brightly painted teacups sitting on a large metal plate – it couldn't be safe, and Zelos would likely shout her silly if he was here if she so much as thought of going within ten feet of it. But he isn't, Seles remembered. "Oh, all right," she conceded. At least it looked like the people already spinning around were having fun.
As the ride slowed to a stop, and the people inside the teacups staggered to their feet, Colette grinned. "I'm so glad! It's lots of fun." Showing her pass to the attendant and encouraging Seles to do the same, Colette dashed towards a bright pink and blue teacup, opening a small door in its side to get into the bowl, and closing it after Seles stepped through. Her hands on a circular device in the middle of the teacup, the blonde sat on one of the bench seats around the rim. "I'll spin this for the first while, but if you want to try, just yell."
As the ride clanked to life with a whirring of gears, Seles was about to retort that she hardly needed to yell, but the mechanical sounds drowned out her voice as she felt herself almost glued to the back of the teacup as the ride spun them around.
Carefully peeking one eye open after a couple of seconds, Seles forced herself to relax her hands from where they had fisted on the seat to either side of her. The scenery outside the teacup was a blur of colour, and Colette – Colette was laughing, turning the wheel with a maniac's grin. To her surprise, Seles could feel a smile curving her lips as the world blurred even more. Lloyd may have had a point about this being an amusing waste of time, after all, she thought. Not that she'd ever admit it.
"Take the wheel!" Colette encouraged. "Come on, it's fun!"
Seles managed a sharp nod, not trusting her voice. To her surprise, as she reached for the metal wheel, their movement slowed enough to see that Lloyd and Genis had made it onto the ride as well, and were whirling around in a red and silver cup. If they could do it, so could she.
So she did, even though her arms were tired by the end of the ride. The redhead's smirk lasted until she stepped down from the teacup, when the world decided to slip from under her feet. As she grudgingly accepted Colette's side to lean on, Seles' ego was boosted by the fact that Genis seemed to be having similar troubles, and his commiserating expression brought a chuckle to her lips.
Surprisingly steady on her feet, Colette giggled as Lloyd caught up to them, ruffled both girls' hair and avoided Seles' half-hearted swat with a grace that spoke of practise.
The quartet reeled away from the ride and into the small midway, sampling icy lemonade and getting their teeth stuck in candied apples. Seles didn't admit that she liked the mix of the sweet, sticky candy and the tart flavour of the apple – she certainly wasn't allowed to eat anything like this at the Abbey – but she was pretty sure that by this point, the look in her eyes was giving her away. Later, Seles couldn't help but laugh as Colette conned her way into winning the largest plush toy from a shocked carney – remembering too late that the delicate-looking blonde harboured an angel's strength.
Before long, they had reached the base of a massive structure. Thin metal pillars and support beams wove together to create a beautiful, treacherous maze which teetered meters above where they stood.
"Are you coming?" Genis asked quietly, tapping her on her shoulder.
"I – I –" Seles stuttered, uncertain. The teacups were one thing. This was another.
" - definitely are not, sister mine." The shout came from behind them, and the four teenagers spun around to discover…
"Zelos?" Colette asked, confused. "Your clothes!"
"Your hair," Genis snickered. "You look like you walked through a tornado. Which isn't a bad idea, come to think of it."
"Don't, Genis," Lloyd warned. "Um, Zelos, your face…?"
Seles could only shake her head. No way.
Running a hand through his hair – the kid was probably right about its appearance – Zelos sighed. "I flew here, thus my clothes are tattered. Normal clothes just aren't engineered for an angel transformation, thank-you-very-much. And I was moving fast, which is why my hair looks like this. Any more quips, brat, and you'll regret it." Turning his attention to his sister, Zelos stalked up to where she stood and lowered his voice. "That's right, I flew. Not on a Rheiard, either. Do you know how much it hurts to pull my wings out after punching through that broom closet which your hussy of a maid trapped me in?"
Genis, Lloyd, and Colette didn't even pretend not to eavesdrop. Aware of this, Seles warmed to her audience. "You shouldn't have fallen for it, Zelos."
"Did you see how short that girl's skirt was? And how long her legs were?" Realizing too late that his sister was unimpressed by his choice of argument, Zelos cursed.
Seles' smirk grew. "I rest my case. Besides, what sort of brother tells his sister all about the 'great things you can see and do in Altamira' and then ditches her without so much as asking if she just might want to come along? I thought I should turn the tables."
"By getting your maid to tease me into a corner and lock me into a closet, and then by stealing my Rheiard? You never warned me that your newest bruiser was her boyfriend, either." The ticking vein in Zelos' forehead revealed that he was aware that Genis and Lloyd were leaning on Colette as they howled in laughter, but he held his ground and tried another approach. "You can't go, Seles. Your heart…"
"My heart, brother dear, is better than it's been in years. Which you'd know if you actually bothered to listenduring your visits. Besides," Seles added, "the rollercoaster is the only ride I haven't been on so far."
Looking at the other three, who nodded to back up Seles' statement, Zelos cast a worried look at his sister. "Fine, fine," he sighed, looking down. Once he looked up, however, his smile matched his sister's. "Just don't think that you can leave me behind."
"The same goes for you," Seles replied, refusing to let him look away.
"I guess I deserve that," Zelos answered.
Genis' tone was bored as he yelled over to the siblings. "Okay, okay. Now that that's established, are we going on the rollercoaster sometime today?" To his credit, the younger Sage only quailed a little when Zelos and Seles levelled their most disgusted look at him.
Lloyd turned around once the Wilder siblings had caught up to them in line, and looked from one to the other. "I get it now," he said.
"Huh?" Zelos asked.
"How you two are related," Lloyd said as he hopped into the front car of the rollercoaster. His laughter blended with Colette's as he watched Seles climb in beside Genis. As she did, the younger boy grinned devilishly.
Zelos looked from his sister to the silver-haired boy and punched his palm in warning, glaring as he took the back car. It appeared he'd have to have a good, long talk with the brat once they got off of this deathtrap…
Catching his breath, Lloyd shouted the rest of his answer as the rollercoaster clacked to life, the car starting to roll forwards. "It never made sense before, because you two seemed so different."
Both Seles and Zelos nodded, exchanging impatient glances.
Lloyd finished, unfazed. "You're not all that different, really. Y'see, you both smile the same."
. o .
…finis…
. o .
Disclaimer: The characters herein belong to Namco, and appropriate affiliates. Conversely, the summary is based on a quip of Capuu's, whose request in the LJ community "tosmas" prompted the telling of this tale and became her early Christmas gift.
Sabe's Scribbles: Seles is a terribly, terribly fun little girl to walk in the shoes of, and when everyone else decided to tag along, who was I to argue with that? That said, cheers, starry nights, and thanks for reading!