~~~ Happy Birthday Iniphineas! ~~~
Daydreaming (of Miniskirts)
The large table was littered with books and free pieces of paper, all covered with the unusual symbols that composed of the Lemurisian language. Many of the books sat in piles, looking as though their dusty old jackets had not been disturbed in many years. The spines were faded and the text on them was almost illegible; nevertheless, it was the valuable information inside that was important.
Every single book shared similar topics; the majority of them were on Lemurisian language, though there were a few mixed up in them that focused on the culture and history of the society. Although their history was rather intriguing for how underdeveloped the lifestyle was, he had made it a point not to touch the history book until he was further along with the language.
Faize Sheifa Beleth yawned and placed his pen down on the table inwardly thinking that so many hours of studying, it was almost impossible for even him to stay focused. Lymle had gone out with the children of Woodley to give them a symbology lesson; though he liked to accompany them, especially when they were traveling far away from the village, he knew that it bothered her if she thought he was treating her like a child. Even if that wasn't his intention, she was too stubborn in her own adorable little way to argue with.
Plus, she has Cerberus with her all the time…even if there were enemies, she could summon him to burn them to a crisp…
It was already late afternoon, but he remained studying. As the light coming in through the windows began to dwindle, he had lit a few of the candles resting upon the table. The faint fires flickered peacefully, the rate at which they consumed the wax very slow. According to what he had read, Lemurisian candles were enchanted with symbology to burn much slower and thus last longer than standard candles. Despite their lack of technological development, it was interested to see how much they had come to rely on symbology.
Not even Eldar was so reliant on it…we focused on advancing our technology ever forward. Non-combat symbology definitely took a backseat over the years, since we just didn't need it.
There was also the rather peculiar matter that despite being derived from the Eldarians, none of the Lemurisian men in the settlements that Triom and Woodley were connected to were able to use symbology. Though that had created some rather awkward questions when he first arrived, with his very foreign appearances and ability to use symbology, there were at least only a few children who still obliviously called him "Miss Faize."
Lymle's best pupil still calls me that…I can't imagine how that little girl can be such a good symbologist if she can't listen to reason…
He had been able to collect many different books on the Lemurisian, or rather Lemurian, language, and was determined to learn the entirety of the language by the end of the year. He had a good portion of the spoken language memorized, but the written language was much more difficult to learn. His understanding of it wasn't vast enough for him to be able to put his translators aside permanently, but he knew that he would by the spring. He wanted to be able to converse with both Lymle and the rest of the Lemurisians without translators, but there was also the fact that if the Eldarians in their distant settlement learned he was still using their old technology, they wouldn't be at all pleased.
I heard that they were exiling the people who didn't cooperate with Commander Gaghan's decision to abandon all of our technology…
Stressful thoughts aside, he leaned his head against his hand and let his mind wander. He had been studying since morning with only a few breaks, finding it more difficult to concentrate with each page he flipped. The pages of plain paper he had been practicing the characters of the Lemurisian language on had become sloppier as the afternoon wore on.
I've read far too much today…
The most unusual thing he had read that day was a printed Earthling comic book mixed up amongst the dusty old, hand written hard covers books on the shelves. He hadn't gotten the chance to ask Lymle about it, but there was a note card inside wishing her a happy sixteenth birthday from Reimi. He had only flipped through its pages, reading an author's note that explained that it was not just a "comic book" but a "manga" but as he had never heard of either, he didn't pay much attention to the terminology.
Hm, that book was stranger than anything Lemurisian…
It was written in Earthling Japanese, making it difficult for him to read more than just a few basic things. He had learned several different Earthlings languages when traveling aboard the Calnus, though he hadn't gotten very far with Japanese kanji before losing the chance. He couldn't help but think of his final days with the group, up until he abandoned them and was replaced by Arumat. No matter how it was said differently, he knew that was what truly happened.
What am I thinking?
It's been too long for me to dwell on all of that…
He shook his head to dismiss the darker line of thoughts. Returning his mind to the book, he had found the art to look very meticulously presented, though the story was a perfect reflection of how peculiar Earthling culture could be. Young girls dressed up in sailor suits with miniskirts fighting off crime and evil with almost no weaponry or common sense was something that only Earthlings could produce. He had only flipped through the pages, but the theme of the story was easily gathered in just a few minutes.
I find it hard to believe it's just a children's story…with risqué attires like that, it must draw in a whole rainbow of perverts…
He found his concentration drifting away faster than that of two teenage girls' at midnight, even without the distraction of the no longer functioning internet. His closed his eyes as he felt himself nodding off, a small smile pulling at his lips at the hazy image forming in his mind.
Faize glanced around what looked to be a twenty-first century Earthling city. He looked down at himself, surprised to see that he was wearing a tuxedo, complete with cape, hat, cane with a razor blade at the bottom, and…a rose? What the heck…? he wondered, not having the faintest idea what a flower was going to accomplish. He stood on a vacant street surrounded by tall gray skyscrapers on either side of the road. The sidewalks were empty, the stories were vacant, and there was almost no sign of human life.
However…there was certainly a sign of Lemurian and Eldarian life.
Pointing at him in an overly dramatic fashion and carrying out a rather lengthy (and pointless…at least in his opinion) series of hand gestures, Lymle stood before him. The eighteen-year-old was dressed in a tight, pink sailor suit with an incredibly short miniskirt, which was also pink. It was far more risqué (not that he was complaining) than anything he had seen her wear, since Lemurisian attire was made for cold weather and thus revealed very little skin. He found his gaze straying to all the wrong place, inwardly cursing what too much studying did to his mind.
Wow…Sailor Lemuria, eh? She looks adorable!
Apparently, she had noticed.
"You've been a bad boy, Tuxedo Faize!" she said with her hands on her hips. "In the name of Lemuria, I'll punish you!"
Before he had the chance to respond, another person who he prayed with all his heart would turn out to be female jumped down from some random direction and landed on the sidewalk beside her. This person had silver hair and was much taller than the pretty young Lemurian in a sailor suit. The unquestionably male figure straightened and also carried out the unusual pattern of hand gestures while pointing at Faize.
Oh God…this is not a dream…
Faize's expression changed from a slight smile to one of horror. Only one word could describe the mortifying sight before him: traumatic. It was impossible not to recognize Arumat P. Thanatos, fallen captain of the Thirteenth Independent Armored Division of the Eldarian military beneath the sailor suit, miniskirt, and makeup. His trademark scar was still visible beneath the tiara. Ironically…his sailor suit was completely pink as well. It was far too tight and revealed more of his scarred arms and legs than even his most obsessed fangirl from the research division would want to see.
This is a nightmare!
"You've been a bad boy, Tuxedo Faize! In the name of Eldar, I'll punish you!"
Faize staggered back, looking horrified beyond words. Before he had to face his young fiancée and her drag queen sidekick, the world around him shattered. He felt himself falling, but hurriedly closed his eyes before he got a view of Arumat in a miniskirt he did not want to see…
"Faize! Hey, Faize!" Lymle said, placing her hand on his shoulder and shaking him slightly. "Wake up!"
Faize jolted awake suddenly, his eyes wide with horror. "Sailor Trauma!" he exclaimed, glancing around the room frantically.
Lymle blinked once and tilted her head at him curiously. "Are you okay, Faize? It's not like you to fall asleep while studying, 'kay?"
"Sailor Lemuria?" he asked lamely when his gaze settled upon her.
She reached out and placed a hand on his forehead to see if he was feverish, frowning slightly. "Just what have you been reading?"
Their eyes met for a moment as his head returned to reality. He was no longer in the twenty-first century Japanese, Earth city; he was back home, on Lemuria, and no longer toting roses for no apparent reason. Unfortunately, Lymle was back in her normal attire of a long dress, but there was no crossdressing soldier to be found. He shook his head slightly and started to laugh.
"I had a very strange dream…or maybe it was a nightmare," he said with a chuckle. "I'm not entirely sure which it was."
"Are you sure you're feeling alright?" she questioned again, expression only looking more concerned.
As alright as someone will be after witnessing Sailor Trauma…
He closed the textbook before him and replaced it in one of the piles as he stood up. "Yes, I'm fine, you don't have to worry."
"I think you've studied enough for one day, 'kay?"
"Indeed…do you want to make some cookies for dessert tonight, Lymle? We have all the supplies on hand."
"Sure," she said with a smile and a nod. "I'll help you clean these books up."
"Thanks," he said as he gathered up the loose pages, expression still bemused.
…No wonder the Thirteenth Independent Armored Division has such a bad reputation…
Author's Note: I don't own anything from Star Ocean: The Last Hope, nor do I own anything from Sailor Moon. I would say more, but I must escape before Arumat finds me and kills me! XD