A Chronicle of Discoveries

By Chiharu Tanaka

A/n: I don't know what I was thinking when I titled this story. I don't have any Asbel/Richard ideas right now, but I am working on the Malik/Cheria one...a little slowly since I found out that people who read it expect a lot, which scares me because I mean it to be simple...(and also because pengiechan has influenced me greatly with her Malik/Fourier pairing)

So anyway, this story was initially named 'The New Girl', but that sounds too much like the TV show. ...I talk too much. On with the show!

I already posted this on my tumblr, so yeah.

BTW this is an AU fic, set in our world with fictional cities/countries.

EDIT 14/7/2012 - Plus the chapter title has two parts, one at the top and the other at the bottom of the chapter. Just to give it a little variety. ^^

1. Hubert discovers that she has returned -

Hubert Lhant had a secret.

It was not a secret that was worth killing him for, and it certainly was not a classified military code of any sort. Sure, his secret would mean almost nothing to his older brother Asbel, and probably nothing at all to his younger sister Sophie, but Cheria...oh, Cheria would kill to get that secret of his.

And it all began when he was merely 10 going on 11, a timid young boy with expansive (and growing!) knowledge of the world. He could name flowers and insects by their species, knew the location and capital cities of the vast number of countries in the world, and even business tactics employed by shops in his hometown of Gralesyde.

Back then, Hubert and Asbel were inseparable, together with their neighbour Cheria, Asbel's classmate Richard, and their (adopted) younger sister Sophie. The five would be running through the fields of their father's vast estate, playing with flowers and chasing each other like there was no tomorrow.

And then, she came.

Asbel was struggling with mathematics in school, and although Hubert was willing to teach him, the older brother had too much pride to let him do it. Cheria was not getting along that well either in the subject, thanks to her recurrent attacks of asthma; and Richard was too busy being holed up during his parents' divorce.

Therefore Kerri, the boys' mother, decided to hire a tutor.

She showed up on their doorstep one day during the summer, with a bright smile on her face, dressed in a simple T-shirt and khaki shorts. She introduced herself as Pascal Amercia, and that she was 15 years old.

"So, you must be Asbel," she said, extending a hand out to Asbel. "I'm Pascal, it's nice to meetcha!"

Back then, Asbel was a spoiled brat, and he crossed his arms defiantly, turning to Kerri. "I don't need a tutor! C'mon, Mom, it's summer break!"

Kerri placed her hands on her hips, and glared at her older son. "You are going to pass your Math next term, Asbel. You will take extra classes, unless you want to be grounded for the rest of your summer without your bicycle and your baseball gear."

Asbel glared at her in return, but he knew he couldn't win against his mother (his father was another story altogether). "Ugh...fine," he said through gritted teeth.

Kerri smiled in triumph. "Excellent. Why don't you sit down, Pascal? I'll return with some juice."

"Y'okay," she replied, and turned to Asbel, her hands behind her neck as she shifted her weight from one foot to another. "Darn, your mom's really strict."

"Yeah, I know," Asbel grumbled.

"Don't worry, I promise I'll make it super fun! And I won't be around all day everyday, so you'd totally have time to like...y'know, get out and get some sunshine! I kinda sorta have other part-time jobs to do as well."

"Part-time jobs?" asked Asbel.

"Yeah. I need some cash for the robots I'm making."

"You make robots?" asked Asbel in surprise, his eyes widening.

Pascal then launched into a whole discussion about her building mini-robots for her school's science fair and several competitions, even when Kerri returned and left them alone since they were getting along well. Pascal paused when she noticed Hubert eavesdropping on them from behind a doorway.

"Hey, whozzat?" she asked Asbel.

"Oh, Hubert? He's my little brother. C'mon, Hubert, I wanna introduce you! This is Pascal, and she's gonna be my Maths tutor for the summer. Plus, she makes robots! How cool is that?"

Hubert looked up at her with blue eyes, and Pascal grinned at him. She then proceeded to do what Hubert would hate for the rest of his life - she pinched his cheek. "Kajoink!" she exclaimed, smiling like a cat. "Oh my gosh, you're like, so adorable! Can I call you Lil' Bro?"

"Oww!" Hubert yelped as she let go, rubbing his cheek. "Don't do that! It hurts."

Asbel laughed. "Don't listen to him. I do it to him all the time. Hey, you haven't met Sophie yet, right? I'll go look for her."

The redhead left the room, and Hubert looked at Pascal. "So um...what kind of robots do you make?"

She explained once more to him, in exaggerated hand movements. "It depends on what the robots are used for. Like, for example, there was one time we had to make robots to help with the chores, so I stuck a flat mop beneath a remote control mini-truck and BAM! Well, I had to modify it, but it worked!"

"When did you start making them?"

"I dunno...I've been tinkering away with things around the house ever since I could hold a screwdriver. My mom's an electronic engineer, and I hope to be like her someday. What about you, Lil' Bro? What do you wanna be when you grow up?"

"I...don't know. I haven't really thought about it."

Asbel reappeared with an eight year old Sophie, and Pascal's immediate reaction the the pigtailed girl was to run and hug her, but Sophie swiftly dodged her and hid behind her older brother. "Asbel, who is she?"

"This is Pascal, my new tutor. Pascal, this is Sophie, our younger sister."

"Oh my gosh, she's even more adorable! No offence, Lil' Bro."

Hubert remembered how his cheek was pinched. "None taken."

"Can I touch her?"

Asbel looked down at Sophie, and the lilac-haired girl shook her head. "Oh man!" Pascal pouted, stomping her foot playfully. "I'll get you to like me someday. Someday!"

Maybe the hormones were a little early, or maybe Cheria's romantic nonsense was finally getting to him, but he, as a 10 year old, found her to be extremely intriguing.

Their summer flew by like a sweet memory. Pascal came over and taught Asbel mathematics in the most craziest, funkiest way possible, taking him outside for examples using flowers, branches and apples. Hubert and Sophie tagged along since she brought so much sunshine and fun whenever she came. Occasionally, Cheria and Richard would join them as well, and the six would have laughs under an old shady tree at the meadow, surrounded by flowers.

Pascal would bring some of her robot models for Hubert to tinker with, and Asbel would almost crash it with poor controls at the remote. When she knew Asbel was a big fan of baseball and Hubert a big fan of Power Rangers, she brought them gifts in the form of baseball cards and an action figure of Blue Ranger. Even though his favourite ranger was actually Red, he treasured the toy and kept it beside him when he slept.

This was when Hubert discovered that he had feelings for Pascal. Maybe he was too young to be feeling that way, but he knew one thing, she was perfect in his eyes - confident, warm and a prodigy of some sort - all that he wanted to be, all he aspired to be.

Hubert Lhant's secret was that he was deeply in love with Pascal Amarcia.

Their happy days came to an abrupt end, when a phone call came to the Lhant house. Cheria was away at the hospital with a bad case of an asthma attack, and Richard had finally decided to move in with his father at Barona, the capital city of their country Windor.

"Hello, Mrs. Lhant?" It was Pascal on the phone. "I'm sorry I can't come...I probably won't be able to come anymore. I'm really sorry to leave it hanging like this without properly saying goodbye..."

"What's the matter, Pascal? Is there a problem?"

"No...it's nothing big. It's just that...I have some family problems. I'm really sorry. Tell the boys and Sophie that I'm sorry, and it's been really great."

"Don't you want to talk to them?"

"No, it's okay. I'm gonna be late. Thanks a whole bunch, Mrs. Lhant. You guys are the best." She sounded dejected, and the conversation ended with a soft, "Bye," from her.

"Pascal?" Kerri redialled the number, only to find out that it was from a public phone.

When she broke the news to her children, Asbel broke into a fit of anger, running to his room and slamming the door; while Sophie cried in her mother's arms. Hubert, however, walked outside and sat by the tree - their favourite tree. He did not leave until the sun was setting and his mother was calling him to come back inside.

She disappeared. Without warning, without a proper goodbye, or at least an explanation as to what went wrong - she was gone.

Which was why Hubert, now 18 years old and in his first year in college in Barona University, almost fell down when he saw a familiar looking woman with Asbel when they entered the front door of the brothers' shared apartment.

"Hey, Hubert, guess who I found! It's Pascal! Remember her?" Asbel said happily, before the woman turned to look at the younger Lhant.

Pascal had not changed that much from when she was younger - her white hair with a red tinge at the ends was still short and messy, but her golden eyes were unmistakable, and she was now shorter than him, with a more fuller body than she was in her teens.

"Is that really you, Lil' Bro?" she exclaimed, scurrying to look at him from head to toe. Although his blue hair was still short, he had grown to wear spectacles as he grew up, and stood a good seven inches above her.

How was he supposed to react? The girl he had loved in his childhood, whom he remembered with such fondness (and bitterness when he remembered how she left so abruptly) suddenly returned to his hectic life of his first year of Law school.

How exactly am I supposed to react? His mind screamed.

"I'd appreciate it if you would cease to call me that awfully derogatory nickname," he said, although butterflies were gnawing in stomach, pushing up his glasses and breathing slowly.

Keep calm, Hubert. You've done speeches, debates, in front of hundreds of people. One woman should not make you weak in the knees.

"Aww, why not? But boy, have you grown! I mean, Asbel's all grown up too. See, he's talking all polite now, and you're using even more fancy words than before!"

"Seven years is a long time, Pascal," said Asbel as he closed the door.

"Seven years, huh..." Pascal mumbled.

"Anyway, Hubert," said Asbel, catching Hubert's attention as he slowly stepped away from her. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"What is it?"

"Well...you see...you know how we have a spare room for when Mom or Dad or Sophie come to stay over?"

He did not like where this conversation was going as he crossed his arms. "Go on."

"I uh...agreed to let Pascal stay in our house."

"You WHAT?"

"It's only for a month!" Pascal suddenly said, coming between them. "Please, pretty please? With bananas on top? You won't be seeing much of me anyway, I'll be in my lab most of the time! I just need a place to crash...I mean, a bed to sleep on! Pleeeaaase?"

Hubert's eyes twitched. "Asbel, how could you have not discussed this with me beforehand? This is our apartment, therefore all decisions must be made unanimously with agreement of both parties."

"Oh, c'mon, Hubert, it's not like she's a stranger."

She may very well be, after leaving us like that. But I suppose I am over this whole ordeal. I am, I positively am. I cannot let this...unexpected turn of events to sway me from my purpose here.

Hubert sighed. There was no way he was going to win. Absolutely no way - not with her gorgeous, gorgeous amber eyes staring up at him. To make things worse, Asbel was giving him puppy dog eyes as well. A different kind of bullying, but bullying all the same. "Fine," he finally said, uncrossing his arms.

"Yay!" Pascal exclaimed, twirling around with her hands in the air.

"However, there are some house rules I need to brief you on. You may be a guest - temporarily - in this house, and while you live in this house, you live by our rules. Understand?"

Asbel scoffed, one hand on his hip. "It's mostly his rules," he mumbled.

"Y'okay! Oh my gosh, I can't believe my luck! And to meet you guys again! This is totally awesome!"

"I suppose Asbel and I must help you with your things now," said Hubert.

"What things?"

"Don't play dumb - your belongings! Your clothes, books or whatnot."

"Oh, you mean those? This is all the clothes I have right here," she said, turning around to show him a medium-sized backpack.

Hubert pushed up his glasses. "She's like the opposite of Cheria," Asbel rambles on good-naturedly, before the younger Lhant cleared his throat.

"Anyway, as I was saying, there are rules that you need to adhere to. Asbel, take a piece of paper and a pen. She might need to write these down."

Asbel rolled his eyes. "Oh boy."

"That many rules, huh?" said Pascal, watching the older Lhant look through drawers.

Hubert crossed his arms again - a stance of defence more than anything - watching her as she surveyed the apartment, swinging from side to side as she did so. She behaved just like she did when she was a teenager, only now her swaying had a little more effect on Hubert than seven years ago.

I will not lose to her again. This is just a temporary setback.

- and she's still the same old Pascal.

To be continued

A lot of short chapters will follow this one. Tell me what you think!

P.S. For obvious reasons, the boys' hometown has to be somewhere other than Lhant.