A one-shot. I like playing Dragon Nest (SEA). I especially like the Main Quests, particularly the Academic MQ. I haven't explored the other characters' MQ or skills, as I mainly use and build my Academic all the time. I know about the Archer MQ and Kali MQ, though I'm not very skilled at playing their styles; I was a bit irritated at how copied they were in the beginning but I liked how it got in the Anu Arendel MQs. Kali's ordeal with her Mother was a sucker punch and I liked it.
After the MQs recent update I remembered how much I liked him. I also have found a greater like to this Tsun-Tsun Kid Geraint.
This takes place between Commelina first meeting Geraint and before Narcilia's death. The dialogues are made up. It's sort of like a non-existent filler of the Main Quest. I'm sorry if Geraint or any others are largely OOC. I call Academic here Commelina because I don't want to invent a name. Also I only called Commelina 'engineer', but by now she could be either Shooting Star or Gear Master.
Also, this isn't set in an absolute game mode of Dragon Nest.
It's somewhat anime-ish, if you will. Like example: If Commelina died in a Nest, or dungeon, then she dies. Geraint in this obviously doesn't go out of his way to get chummy with Xian and Triana. Geraint spends time with Commelina here, because in my twist time passes slower. Like, from the beginning MQ to Anu Arendel, around years frolicking in danger could've passed. In here, you see months have passed since Older Geraint's death, and Kid Geraint had only been resurrected AFTER Xian gave Argenta the Gold Dragon Jewel, which is in Lotus Marsh MQ Arc.
And even then, there is a time-skip Xian would spend gathering ppl to kill Serpentra, finalize matters in the castle (damn Duke Stuart and his political shit), travel to Lotus Marsh (unknownunkown), wander a bit doing a few errands here and there while trying to find Karacule and Argenta. Plus, Argenta would have to take time going to Anu Arendel, meet up with Nerwin, prepare whatever needed to ressurect ritual, the time spent doing the ritual... And so on, so on.
Also. Argenta shoves them together, assigning them errands where they sometimes coincidentally bump into each other. *whistle*
Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Nest.
He was young, barely a few months old and with no memories. Argenta and Anu Arendel, his skills and powers and basic knowledge of his existence was all he had known, his mission to eliminate enemies fresh in his head and the burning obligation to fulfill it throbbing every second.
He still didn't understand why a human. Or why Argenta let her help, for that matter (granted, Argenta called her a slave but still). Humans were weak and greedy, traitors and cowards, petty and so easy to trick. The reason he died last time was because of a group of dumb humans pathetically manipulated by Red Dragon's underling.
Geraint still had trouble believing he died just like that.
(Later he would be dismayed when chasing the corrupted Prophet and the bishop; he had been killed by this pig?
Geraint would look at the cowering bastard disdainfully, no little anger and embarrassment boiling in his blood. If Red Dragon hadn't forced him into chase, Geraint would've eaten him. Next time Geraint would swallow him whole in his dragon form. And maybe the red-haired bitch too - she was an underling of Red Dragon, so she was his enemy. Then again she was the Prophet; Geraint couldn't decide if that was sufficient enough to keep her alive.)
Argenta had told him only a few humans were useful but Geraint couldn't understand how this stupid human could be useful. He was skeptical and disbelieving this human was who he had worked with before and would work with. Again. Granted, Argenta told him this human hadn't been as involved with himself like the other annoying pests had been, but they had been somewhat of acquaintance.
Reluctantly, Argenta had admitted, the girl had been closer to Argenta than Geraint and apparently that was saying a lot.
Though not to the extent of the bond between his weak self and the other humans. This shorty vanished to Altea-knows-where all the time, so duh.
Well. At least she didn't look as annoying as that warrior and his little groupie (the ones he had died for, he scoffed).
But he would find she was by far so stupid.
It was not long before Geraint christened Commelina with the nickname, "Stupid".
Argenta approved. Commelina did not.
Commelina fussed over her companions, whom fortunately were rather unscathed from the trip to Sea of Sand Dust. The engineer was not, on the other hand, with sand all over her hair and clothes and scratches here and there.
Geraint glared and sighed. "Stupid human kid. You couldn't even catch that impertinent bishop when I was generous enough to leave him for you. Though... I guess it can't be helped, given that those idiots were with you."
"I'm not a kid! I told you many times already!" Commelina protested. Geraint hummed; he knew that. Still, it's not like he would do as she said. "Why do I feel like you really don't like Xian and the others?" she wondered. "You won't ever let that go, right. I could've caught the Bishop but I missed my chance. Xian and the others tried even when they were caught off guard. It was my fault."
Geraint's face soured and opened his mouth to supposedly make some more snarky comments, when Argenta cut him off.
"She is a brat, but she has her uses." Argenta said. Geraint deflated and Commelina beamed; then Argenta continued, "Slow. Not very good. She lacks finesse and is pretty stupid in a way, too. Someday her little play things will blow up in her face. No, I'm sure they already have. We have no option though; I can't let the Tree be unguarded, you have your own errands, the elves are too busy with the Conclave. So she has to do."
It was Geraint's turn to smirk.
"Somehow that didn't feel like a compliment at all." Commelina said. She frowned at Geraint. "Stop looking at my companions like that," she scolded him.
Geraint tore his gaze from her bizzare group and harrumped at her, lifting his chin as if saying 'who're you to try and order me, stupid Commelina.'
Then he went back to eye the things waddling after the stupid shorty. He'd seen her use vicious assortments of bombs, chemicals, and some bizzare technology, but her rather sentient companions were what caught his attention. The hulking machine passing off as a butler, he knew was weak and slow but somewhat durable, but only a little. The smaller ones... He wasn't exactly know what they were. The idiot warrior called them hellspawns. Stupid Commelina said they were ducks. He didn't really believe any of them.
The small things were small and black, with white beady eyes, sharp teeth and a red cylinder attached to their head, their bodies stamped with white numbers and they were glaring at him again.
There was no lost love between the Mecha Ducks and Geraint.
He narrowed his eyes and made a face. They are still as ugly as ever, he thought unimpressed, of course to himself. He had once made the mistake of saying that aloud once, and had upset the engineer in return. She had cried then, accompanied by numerous throws of bombs that smelled of the strange chemicals only she could make, so Geraint didn't voice his opinion on her beloved ducks again.
He hated seeing her cry, not because he cared or anything (how stupid), but because if she started crying then she was weaker. Then she would get killed. And then he would have to take over her work, instead of sniffing out Red Dragon or doing important stuff as he should be.
Yeah. He didn't care. It's just that if she cried it would make everything more irritating. Stupid.
Still, Geraint's thoughts must have been pretty obvious to the trio of ducks, because they glared harder and squawked angrily, beady button eyes blaring red.
"W-What?" Commelina looked at her ducks, worried, "What's the matther? Are there any threats near?" Her mecha companions had a sort of aggressive radar installed, made to react and zone-in whatever bore ill will to them. It was specially useful when they met those Invisible mobs. The ducks were flailing right now, eyes red and hostile, but their alarms weren't blaring. She looked at Alfredo and he shook his head. That... or they just didn't like someone. Sure Geraint was sometimes childish and petty, but still... She peeked at her young dragon friend from under thick bangs.
The young dragon grinned gloatingly at her poor babies. Commelina sweatdropped.
Commelina rapidly scooped up Mecha Duck #1 (affectionately named Ichigou) as it tried to throw itself at Geraint and scolded it quietly, aware of Argenta who'd been glowering at them for a while. Her eyes widened when Mecha Duck #2 and #3's (respectively Nigou and Sangou) bomb countdown shrilled in the air. "Alfredo!" she called and the butler machine snatched them up and held the two angry mechas firmly, shuffling closer to his master in response to her one-word plead, knowing as well as his fellow machines that they would not dare explode with their master in such close quarters. Grudgingly, the countdown halted, but those beady eyes were still shooting daggers at the young dragon.
Geraint jeered at the small machines, and they literally fumed.
A vein popped. "Enough!" Argenta shouted. Geraint looked away and Commelina deflated when she gave both of them the stink eye. The silver-haired swordswoman felt a massive headache with the two in close quarters. Kids, she groused without real heat, outwardly she scowled and turned to Commelina with an order, "Go kill the monsters in Bronze Crescent Forest in Master Mode. It should be easy enough even for someone like you."
"What?!" Commelina gaped, Ichigou trying to strain out of her arms rather unsuccessfully. "But Master mode is—"
"I will eat you," Argenta threatened.
The engineer straightened. "Y-Yes, ma'am!" The litte girl squeaked an affirmative fearfully.
Geraint peeked to see her scrambling to one of the Elf Guides of Anu Arendel, Alfredo lumbering like a snail behind her with the two ducks in his arms still glaring back at him.
Commelina turned her head and noticed him subtly glancing at her. She smiled, strained but cheerful, and waved weakly. Geraint fully met her eyes and raised an eyebrow, brushing gold hair from his eyes as he jerked his chin in the direction of the poisoned forest with a small smirk tugging at his lips.
She looked like she swallowed something sour, turning to the forest with a dread-filled, gloomy expression, breathing deeply and marching on as if she were walking to her doom.
Geraint snorted.
(He looked away when he saw the little seed skipping after her.)
Not very different from when they met. Well, actually, Commelina looked as if she'd seen a Hobgoblin tap-dancing in a frilly dress the first time she saw him. Their meeting had been wrong, as Geraint had been irritated by the numerious of human adventurers that tried to talk with him; Argenta said they were the ones Past Geraint considered comrades and friends.
Second meeting without Argenta present and Geraint had insulted her, somehow, when he had stated clearly what he thought of her stature. He gloated about it too, a little, just a little. She had thrown a stink bomb in his face (why did she have that, was something he still wondered). It was a little refreshing, given how the other humans acted, as if they knew him, as if he was their friends. (He wasn't.)
Commelina clearly had known his past self, yet she was different.
Commelina had apologized for torturing his sensitive nose, of course, and had continued apologizing repetitively when he, fuming and trying to not let it show how much it stung, had chased her around the large and mysterious structure of Disappearing Half Moon Desert until Argenta put her foot down.
(Quiet literally. Geraint still remembered that heel mark on his back he had for days and he was sure Commelina had one, too.)
Geraint cracked his neck and walked in the direction of where his and Argenta's campfire was located, near the Tree for protection but far enough to give the elves privacy to arrange their Conclave. She was ridiculous and, as he said many times, stupid. Anyone could floor that place. He would give her some time to clear it before Argenta got angry. He hoped it didn't come to that because then he would be the one who had to go and scrap her off the floor. After killing whatever asshole had done her in.
Then, after all done and so, he would snark on about how stupid and weak she was. It was always gratifying and a little satisfying to see Stupid Commelina puff her cheeks in indignation and anger. It didn't happen a lot (and that was good, he supposed). But he didn't like it when she somehow managed to crowd with Xian's flock (ok, not somehow, as Xian and his party were also assisting in mob purging in Anu Arendel on behalf of Saint Haven, but the stupid girl was pushing it; weren't solo quests solo for a reason?) whenever she was sent out by Argenta or the Elder or other people.
Commelina had once asked him, after he plainly ignored Warrior Xian's mere precense when they were sent off to Disappearing Half Moon Desert (Argenta warned them of blowing up or destroying or collapsing artifacts, structures, runes and the like. Again. Or else), why he was so mean to Xian and Triana.
"Hmph. What. Did you think I would be chummy with them?" he scoffed, dragging her through another passage they haven't gone through before. "I don't know them. I'm not the weakling they know." The small bitterness broke into what was supposed to be a contemptuous voice.
The engineer stilled, an unreadable emotion flickering through her eyes for a second. "...No. I didn't expect you to be chummy but, you could be nice sometimes so..." Commelina trailed off and looked at him up and down, then retracted her words, "Actually, never mind."
"What's that look for?" he snapped, crossing his arms.
She raised her hands defensively, "It's true! You're petty by nature, too!"
And that was pleasant to hear, because Geraint always heard humans and elves saying it wasn't like him to act like this, like himself.
Argenta had irritatedly explained the rebirth and ressurection of the Gold Dragon to them, but Geraint knew what she felt (what many felt). They all were thinking of before, of when he had been that weakling that died when fighting a fragment as weak as Serpentra. He didn't remember what he had been like before (other than being weak), but he realized they were different (he was stronger). He knew they wanted to see his past self. He knew.
Geraint knew, because the Elf Queen looked at him like that (regretpainsadnesssolemnfriend), because that group of useless humans looked at him like that (guiltpainloathinglongingcomrade). Because Argenta looked at him like that (angerpainanguishbrother) sometimes as they cleaned out the infestation of monsters or talked or anything.
(Stop that stop it don't look at me like that I don't remember I'm not that weakling so stop comparing me with him—)
Now this girl came here and looked at him like that.
Geraint would rather blast himself with fire than admit that he liked her eyes. Her eyes were largely different from many, even Argenta's. He was not talking about how doe-like they were, or how wide they were compared with the more mature females. It's just...
Commelina's eyes saw Geraint, she saw him, and that grounded Geraint more than he would ever admit.
"Stupid Commelina," he mumbled none too quietly, shoving a book in her hands and stalking off.
"Hey!" Commelina huffed at the pretty normal 'nickname', and looked down at the book; it was old and dusty, the letters muddled by dirt and grime. A quick skim in the insides showed it wasn't any better. "What's this?"
"Don't know. Found it over there while you zoned out." Geraint replied, losing interest in the grotesque stone statue of a gargoyle.
"I didn't zone out! It was you—"
"Just read it, stupid. Maybe it will have something on what the Red Dragon's lackeys plan to do next."
She glared at his back, grumbling a few words under her breath as she dusted off the grime and dust from the book gently.
As he walked, Geraint frowned and lightly scratched his chest. He grumbled.
Commelina looked up from reading the note, concerned, "Are you okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine."
Commelina frowned but nodded hesitantly, glancing at the open book again. "It is a bit old so some words can't be seen, but it's like this..."
Geraint pursed his lips and deepened his frown in confusion at the warmth bubbling in his jewel as he watched Commelina, briefly sniffing himself to see if a curse had been cast on him. Finding none added to his confusion, but all that was washed away as he quietly listened to Commelina read the book, her voice soothing away any bitterness and anger and loathing.
Geraint knew many didn't like how he called Commelina stupid, often adding it before her name in a sorts of honorary title when it was anything but. Actually, she had been as annoyed and indignant as the others at first too, but she slowly came to accept that (only from Geraint though; anyone else she would blow up because it was impossible to dissuade Geraint in the first point), and that's because as days and weeks and months passed in the company of the young Gold Dragon, she knew he didn't mean anything derogatory.
Commelina knew Geraint knew she wasn't stupid.
To say Academic Commelina was stupid in that sense would be atrocious. Commelina could find what was wrong with a flying ship when its own shipwright couldn't, she could dismantle and re-make technology of the future, she had made Alfredo and her Mecha Ducks with enough depth to make them semi-senient, and had improved their data and skills to devastating levels. Her bombs were either explosive or filled with chemicals that burned or froze you like a trigger-happy Elemental Lord.
Geraint, of all creatures, knew that. Ever since she came to Anu Arendel when Argenta practically made her their gopher and after numerous times they got stuck together in situations. Geraint wasn't weak, but Argenta had sometimes prohibited Geraint from destroying things (especially just after his birth when he was too weak and too much power would comatose him or kill him), so it had fallen to Commelina to do something to get them out of triggered traps, runes, magic runes, curses, ghost haunts, and the like.
It's like, example, when people commented on an Assassin and his rather vibrant costume and how he was so skilled in blending in the darkness despite that. In a way, they had praised that Assassin, but at the same time had also called him flamboyant, too. See? Double meanings, even when they had meant to flatter him.
It was in reverse here.
When Geraint called her stupid, it wasn't because he thought she truly one. And honestly Commelina didn't know why he called her that, as first it was midget (though certain chemicals might have discouraged him) but then it was stupid.
The reason was something Geraint would never willingly disclose. Because she was Commelina, because she was exactly that kind of stupid, would never see it his way.
Geraint called her stupid, both expressing fondness and exasperation and dread, because she was a special kind of stupid - the one that made you want to bash their heads in and cry and just bundle them up and tuck them away in a tower where no one would find them.
It was this kind of stupid.
Stupid, as in hey-let's-ignore-how-dangerous-this-is-to-my-life-because-it's-for-the-sake-of-people-who-don't-know-I-exist.
Stupid, as in how she sincerely risked her life for them even when they didn't wish to.
Stupid, as in how she was so, so very human, and thus could break and fall apart at any time, could close her eyes and decide to never wake up again, could no longer scream or puff out her cheeks or smile or cry or laugh if something went wrong in this tug war.
It was all for the sake of life, for humans and elves and everything to survive. The risk on her life meant nothing to her when she could save them.
Geraint had come a long way from when he opened his eyes after his rebirth. He knew interaction and holding his temper and tongue was important, but he was still rash, still young, still hotheaded and wild in a way Older Geraint hadn't been. He knew humans weren't like Commelina. He knew she was special. And in this dangerous excursion of theirs which she would in no way back out from, gave him more than enough reason to call her such.
It is a nickname. It is a title. It is a symbol of a dragon's affection, anger, fear, and pride.
The Gold Dragon Geraint calls Commelina stupid, because he thinks it's foolhardy to try and endanger herself when he was there, because she's small and tiny and still fighting what elves and hundreds soldiers can't even attempt to fight, because she's human and thus doesn't have to be as determined as a dragon trying to fulfill a mission.
But then, that's what made her Commelina. That's what made her Geraint's stupid Commelina, and as much as she infuriated him at times, he wouldn't change it. Ever.
Not that he would ever admit that. He'd rather swallow a thousand poison needles.
YES IT'S SOMEWHAT OF COMMELINAxGERAINT PAIR. In the early Arcs, Older Geraint is kind but firm in his warning that he would kill Commelina if she pursued the Monolith (her mission when she didn't know Jasmine or her true nature and mission), and since Jasmine sent her around, and with Velskud here and there, Commelina is at most acquaintances with Geraint, not comrades or good friends as Old Geraint and Xian, Triana, Edan and ect would be.
Here is how this goes: The others are stuck with their image of Old Geraint VS. rash, young, impulsive Kid Geraint. The others were CLOSE TO GERAINT. And his death still made them grieve. So now they compare and see Old Geraint in KidGeraint and it... 'irritates' him. Of course with time they would come to accept Geraint, but now they are on pretty strained terms.
Commelina sees Kid Geraint as himself. It'd be a little troubling if she didn't, because it would somewhat mean she was the same as her Clone Sisters, that she was them and they her, that she had no identity of her own as Jasmine told her. Because, as I see it, the Clone Sisters and Commelina ALL share the same thing. It's said in info. Same name, same appareance, same powers, even the same jewel (pieces of a whole, but still); the only difference is their will and what they do and how they do things.
In Game-plot-MQ, Argenta had sheltered Geraint. Here it is the opposite as there's more time, and you can't expect to coop Kid Geraint in one place for months, so the baby chick flies off the nest under Mama Bird Argenta's watchful eye. Oh, and Commelina.
Did you know Geraint and Iona are about the same height? So, he's not much taller than Commelina, but still tall. The argument about age is also moot, as while Kid Geraint is like a, well, a kid - No one knows Commelina's Actual Age. Her memories, remember. The real ones she can count on are the ones made from the crash-land in Mana Ridge forward, so everything else could be false. So, Commelina could've been but like a week old XD-Model with memories of older years implanted by Jasmine when she was sent to the past. I doubt Jasmine could raise like 30 Clones with the same envireorment without people noticing, so memories implanted it is. (It also means no one, Grandpa Kevin and ect, knows there are clones and since Commelina has the implanted memories, only Jasmine would've known.) Also, Commelina is XD-26.
TWENTY-SIX. That's 25 other clones sent to the past before, or something like that.
So. Age is moot, because Commelina could be like at most a year or so older than Geraint. This is this fic's cannon.
Geraint still doesn't know Commelina's a dragon - somewhat of a dragon.
(Still I'm sorry if I in any way offend any players of the game by tweaking things.)
I'm itching to write a RUbinart fic. MeriendelxRubinart is cute and lovely but I wondered about RubinartxFemHarry with my own tweaks mixed in... Because I'm a trash for FemHarry.
Hope you enjoyed.
~~~TenraiTsukiyomi