Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places, etc. from Tales of Berseria. It all belongs to its respectful owners.
Spoilers Warning: For beginning of game and Velvet's backstory!
Barrier
"Tomorrow will be a Scarlet Night…" Velvet turned back towards her younger brother upon hearing the words. It was evident in his tone, as well as the worried gleam that his honey-colored eyes gave off, that this was troubling him.
"Yeah… just like that night that changed our lives." The words slipped out of her mouth without the girl thinking, causing her to glance down at her younger brother.
He's most likely thinking back to what happened 10 years ago… The black-haired teen shook her head slightly, banishing the dark memories that tried to surface once more. Her light footsteps could be heard throughout the quiet house as she walked to her brother's bed, a wide smile on her face.
"Don't worry! Everything will be fine!" Laphicet nodded at her words, a small smile on his face as well. Her hand lightly stroked his head, moving the bangs out of his eyes, causing the young boy's eyes to close slightly at the comforting touch.
Everything will be just fine… Her words repeated in her head, causing the girl to nod as well. She waited a moment more, watching as the blonde looked about to fall asleep. Satisfied that he wouldn't go anywhere without her tonight at least, she began to move away.
First I should see what ingredients we have in case I need to pick up more tomorrow… and then there's the fact of Laphi's medicine… Oh I hope it comes in soon… Her thoughts broke off when she realized that a smaller hand was clutching her own. Turning back around, she saw her brother's half-lidded eyes staring up at her. Despite the tiredness in them, they still seemed quite clear.
"Um… Velvet? May I sleep next to you tonight?" The question that her brother asked caused a small shock to appear in Velvet.
He hasn't done this in a while… Her eyes softened as she stared at her brother, a smile making its way back onto her face at his antics. …and yet, he's still just a kid.
She patted his hand, still clasped firming around hers, bending down slightly to look his in the eyes. Her mind filled with times that she had asked her parents, and after them Celica, the same question night after night.
"Of course."
A wide smile came over the child's face, causing him to let go of her hand in favor of moving over on the bed. Once he was about halfway over, the ten-year old(1) patted the spot beside. A small laugh was heard from the older sibling, with the girl sitting down on the spot, just as the two had done so many times before. When her brother patted the spot again, this time with a small laugh as well, Velvet laid down slowly, so as not to jostle the mattress.
"You sure you don't want me to read you a bedtime story tonight?" The young boy shook his head, honey-colored eyes staring into her own.
"This is plenty." She couldn't stop the small laugh that left her at her brother's choice of phrasing the sentence. Sometimes he could sound so… adult in the way he talked or thought.
"Ok if you say so…" Her hand moved to stroke his hair once more, the black-haired girl knowing that that always seemed to get him to fall asleep. If given the chance, he might try to keep them away and talk like they had done so many years ago. "Don't hesitate to wake me up if you need anything."
Laphicet nodded gently, his eyes closing as his breathing evened out. She continued the motion, knowing that soon enough as soon as he was asleep, she would follow. Closing her own honey-colored eyes, the girl listened to the young boy's breathing, her thoughts once more turning to how much stronger it seemed now that he was on the new medicine.
"Hey Velvet?"
"Hmm…" The humming that came from her mouth caused the boy to open his eyes a fraction to look at his sister, stifling a laugh that she seemed more tired than he did even though the early time of night that it was.
"Thanks…" He quickly closed his eyes so that she wouldn't see them open when hers snapped open at the words. A smile once again made its way onto her face as she glanced at her brother before her eyes closed once more.
"It's no problem. That's what siblings are for, right?" She felt the slight shift of his hair against the pillow as he answered her, although the action was weak. She could hear his breathing even out once more, listening as the boy dropped off to sleep. It took only a moment later for the sixteen year old to drop off to sleep as well, following her brother's example.
The ominous red moon shone down on them, painting the forest red in the dead of night. It was all that the girl could do to stay focused on following the silver-haired figure in front of her.
"Ngh! They're already daemons." The words made their way back to the girl, causing her to glance back towards where they came from in worry. Her hand clasped tighter around the small one in her grasp, with the young boy attached to it struggling to keep up as well.
Their breathing, which had turned into gasps a while ago, echoed one another as they ran. Her feet suddenly collapsed underneath her, their tired weight bringing down the boy as well. Both collapsed a short distance away from each other, causing the man to turn back towards them. Hurried footsteps came towards them, with arms wrapping around the two young kids a moment later, picking them up off the ground. She instinctively clung to the man, her breathing coming out in gasps as she tried to catch her breath. The shadow of a tree suddenly entered her vision, and she felt herself being put down.
"You hide here, Velvet. I'm going back to help Celica."
At the name of her older sister, her vision focused on the man once more, causing a small cry to be heard from the young girl, tears blooming in her eyes a moment later.
"I'm so scared… Arthur, please…" Her cry for help cut off as she broke into tired sobbing. She hadn't even noticed that Arthur's gaze had drawn over to something on the ground.
"You'll be just fine with these." The man pushed a bright red apple into the palm of her hand, a smile on his face despite the dire predicament. "Celica enchanted them herself. They'll give you the courage you need to survive."
Black-hair stopped moving as the girl's crying ceased, her eyes focused on the smiling man in front of her.
"They will?" She watched as he gave one to her younger brother as well, repeating the process that he had done with hers.
"Sure they will. Now have I ever lied to you?" The girl shook her head vehemently at his words, her gaze drawing over to her brother, who was clutching the apple just as tightly as she was. "I'll come back for you once Celica is safe."
At those words, her brother flung himself at Arthur, clutching tightly to the silver-haired man.
"It's scary, but don't give in to fear. Don't despair… no matter what!"
She raised her apple towards him, her young eyes staring at the gleam on the object that he had given her.
"I won't. I promise. After all, I'm Laphi's older sister and your student!" The smile stayed on the man's face as he put her brother, Laphicet back down on the ground and stood up. His gaze turned back towards where the three had come from before running back in the direction of the village.
Honey-colored eyes snapped open as the girl held her breath. She didn't want to wake her brother with any side effects of the nightmare.
It's over… at least you woke up before the pillar of light… Her heartbeat calmed in her chest when she realized that fact, as well as the fact that Laphicet was still fast asleep beside her. He seemed to have turned onto his side at some point, his face towards her.
"He's safe…" The whispered words caused her breathing to ease, as well as a sigh to come from the sixteen year old. It wasn't common that those nightmares appeared anymore, but she didn't like it when they did.
It's because tomorrow's a Scarlet Night… Her vision focused back on her brother, a frown making its way onto her face when she realized that it was wet. Now that she listened closely, his breathing seemed off a bit as well. He's probably dreaming about the same thing I was…
The thought caused the girl to carefully move her arms around her younger brother, pulling him close. As her arms drew his fragile form towards her, she couldn't help but think of this as some kind of barrier, of one more way to protect him.
Mom and Dad, and now Celica… don't worry though, I'll always protect you! The promise was one that she often made in her head when she saw her brother, one that she wasn't planning on breaking anytime soon. Her breathing evened out as her mind played back times of her, Laphi, and Celica walking through the forest. And to think that I once was angry that he was born… how stupid it was of me back then…
(1)- I'm not quite sure what age Laphicet was, as I'm already past this part in the game, but I'm guessing around 10.
Here's my next Berseria one-shot! As soon as I saw the beginning of the game, my emotional attachment to these characters grew! I made it worse knowing what happens later. As I said, this does contain spoilers for the game, and a mention of something that happens in the novel at the end. Hopefully you all enjoyed it, because it was certainly a lot of fun to write! Please let me know your thoughts!
-AnimeWolfGirl16