It is 3 years after the events at Nox Obscuris. Lemuris is starting to look more like the Utopia it was prophesised to be, now that the Cardianon are gone. The newly settled Eldarians are also helping things along – though they have all reverted to a more humble lifestyle, they are still an advanced race with a lot of knowledge at their disposal. They have shown the Lemurians how to farm new vegetables and also how to deal with parasite infested crops.
Despite all of this, Lymle does not care or even notice sometimes. Her life now seems so mundane when compared to her adventures years ago. She lives each day in the past – all of the memories, both good and bad, replay in her mind as she tries to remember a time when her life had meaning.
She swings her legs around and off of the bed. There was never any use staying in bed and daydreaming when there were things to be done. As she changes out of her night dress and pulls on her usual attire, she makes a mental list of all the things she was supposed to do that day. She had to teach her class, as she did every day. Today was going to be a class on growth symbols she decided – it was nearing spring and the trees and flowers could use a little help to flourish. She also needed to visit Lutie – she was supposed to be helping her bake cookies for the children today. She reckoned a visit to her grandpa's grave was in order too – she had not visited in quite a while, and she liked talking to him, though normally she only did that while nobody was looking – she didn't want others thinking that she was still immature.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. She was just finishing putting on her boots when she realised that they were on the wrong feet!
"I'll be there in a minute, 'kay?!" she huffed as she yanked them off.
While sitting there on the floor fixing her boots, she realised how dusty & dirty the floor was – maybe it was time for a spring clean too. She hoisted herself back up again and started for the front door.
A small group of children, accompanied by Lutie, came rushing in as she opened the door. Lymle fell square on her bottom from the force, and a puff of dust billowed up around her.
"Can you be more careful, 'kay? I haven't cleaned in a while and I don't like being attacked by dust bunnies!" she coughed through the clearing air.
She stood up and brushed herself off. She was surprised to see all of the children carrying a large plate of cookies between them.
"I'm sorry Lymle – I know that we were supposed to bake the cookies, but it's a special day and we wanted them to be a surprise for you." Lutie smiled at Lymle, ushering the children forward.
They all set the plate on the table next to Lymle.
"But... what kind of special day is it Lutie? Did I forget someone's birthday?" Lymle inquired with a face full of confusion.
"No Lymle, it's nobody's birthday today. Can't you remember?"
"No Lutie – what day is it?"
"It's the day you returned to us from your travels Lym! We wanted to celebrate having you back, after you were gone for so long."
Lymle's face sagged under the weight of such a memory.
"Thanks Lutie... I'll eat them later, 'kay?"
"No problem Lymle. Are you ready for class today?"
"Yeah... I'll be out in a few minutes...Can you wait outside for me?"
"OK then – c'mon everyone!" she smiled at the children, but it fell away when she saw Lymle's face – she was crying.
"Go on children, I will follow you" Lutie said to them as they left.
"What's Wrong Lymle? Don't you like cookies anymore?"
"Yeah, I like cookies... I just miss my friends, 'kay? They never visit anymore and..." She just bursts into tears then and there.
"I'm so sorry Lymle... I just thought it would be nice, you know? I didn't think that..."
Lymle interrupts "No, I understand Lutie. Thank you, 'kay. I just need a few minutes... I'll be out to the class then..."
"Well, if you're sure..." Lutie turned away reluctantly and her eyes never left Lymle until she was out of sight.
Lymle went to the washbasin and splashed some water on her face – she couldn't let the children see her upset. She wasn't a child anymore... She had made a point to start being more mature, since he wasn't there to...
"NO! He is gone, I am NOT allowed to think about him!" she scolds herself out loud.
She storms over to the door and throws it open. "Who is ready for an amazing class, 'kay!?" she boomed as she stomped out towards the children. Their already small faces shrunk as they saw her – she looked crazy, her eyes were wide and she had a deranged smile on her face. She started trudging over towards the fields, signalling for them to follow her with quick hand movements. They obliged, and followed her over the hill.
After perhaps an hour, they had all drawn a symbol each in the grass using paints. "Are they finished yet?" Lymle asked them. "Nearly!" one shouted as the rest nodded in agreement. When the boy's symbol was ready, Lymle braced herself. "Ready, 'kay? ... YAH!" As she swung her wand, the flowers all simultaneously budded and wafted sweet smelling perfume into the air. Lymle smiled at the simplistic joy that was on all the children's faces. She couldn't remember a time when she was happier. "Class is over for today, 'kay? I hope you all liked it." She smiled at the children. They all groaned in disappointment, but Lymle interrupted before there were shouts – "Hey, I have to eat all those cookies you baked for me, 'kay? I will see you tomorrow" With that, she waved goodbye to them and strolled merrily down the hill.
When she arrived at her house she remembered her promise to visit her grandpa's grave that day. She continued on past her house until she came to his grave. She had always thought it slightly ironic that he ended up being his own tombstone. She felt sad that he could not be here with her now though – she missed him more than anyone else.
"Grandpa... I'm sorry I haven't been able to come very often, 'kay?" She raised her head to look at the stone now – he deserved more respect than that. "I'm doing good, don't worry. Lutie is teaching me a lot, and I even have lots of students myself. So, you know... I'm really not lonely at all... 'kay?"
With those last words, she started crying – she'd lied to her grandpa, she was lying to herself too – she WAS lonely. She missed everyone – grandpa, Edgie, Reirei and even that dummy, Faize... She missed him so much that she hated it, and hated herself for it – he was only ever a big mean dummy!
The wind was picking up now, and flower petals danced around her – the smell was heavenly! Then she felt something slide through her hair and across her scalp until it rested. She turned around to see who had put it there. She was forced to look up however, as for once it was someone taller than her. Then she saw it – the silhouette that would change her life forever. Her eyes welled up with tears again in recognition of who was standing in front of her with outstretched arms. She smiled slightly – he no longer wore the cloak that she had so long jeered him for. He still wore the same white uniform though, with those kinda silly looking Gogo boots and the boxy shoulder things – she'd always thought that he tried too hard to look bigger and tougher than he really was.
She snapped out of her thoughts as she realised she'd been standing there gawking at him with his hand hanging there. She shook the dreaminess from her head and really smiled at him this time – her eyes glowed and her grin was so wide it made her look, and feel, like a child again.
"Lymle? Are you alright? I don't believe I've ever seen you that happy to see me!" Faize chuckled before going to take up her hand in his, since she hadn't offered it herself. Lymle had different ideas in mind however, as she launched herself at him with her arms wide open, and they tumbled to the ground together.
"You're REALLY real Faize! I mean, you really came back, 'kay!?" she squealed in excitement.
"Yes Lymle, I AM really real. I am ALSO in really real pain right now – the ground is not made of wool and marshmallows!" he pretended to scold her, but couldn't help but smile too.
Lymle jumped up momentarily as he lifted himself off the ground. A crowd had started to gather now – they had made quite a ruckus. Not a lot of faces seemed happy either – they were looking at Faize as though he were a wolf sent to eat their children. Some of the Eldarians in the crowd were even hurling abusive comments at him. Faize looked deeply upset and lowered his head to hide the shame of being emotional in public.
"Doggie, tell those people that it's rude to call other people names." Lymle spoke as she raised her wand and a glimmering door opened in mid-air. Cerberus leapt through and roared at the crowd – which dispersed quickly. Cerberus then began to growl at Faize. "No Doggie – he's our friend, 'kay? You're not to be mean to him ANYMORE." She whispered to Cerberus – she didn't want Faize to hear her calling him a friend. Cerberus skulked back through the door before it disappeared. Lymle's attention then returned to Faize, who was now sobbing on the ground.
"Faize? What's wrong Faize? I sent those mean people away – you don't need to cry now, 'kay?" Faize raised his head to look at her. His face was red and blotchy. His violet eyes were shimmering in the afternoon light – tears were streaming down his face ceaselessly.
"I DO need to cry Lymle! And I am sorry... that you have to see it..." he spoke through choking sobs. Lymle just stood there and watched him cry – she didn't know what to do, and was also stunned by Faize's sudden show of emotion. She had never seen him cry before – not even before he disappeared, when he had so much more of a reason to cry. She wanted to comfort him, but didn't know how – and she didn't want him to know she cared either.
He stood up and composed himself – he couldn't let her see him cry. He wasn't supposed to let anyone see him cry...
"I am very sorry Lymle – you should not have seen that."
"You big dummy, Faize! Why are you still a dummy for? I thought you'd be smarter by now, 'kay?"
"How am I a dummy Lymle? I am VERYsmart, and you know that."
"No, Faize is not smart – everybody cries sometimes, so you don't have to be sorry – big dummy!" Lymle folded her arms and pouted up at him.
"Well Lymle, Eldarians make it a point not to cry in front of people – it's rude and impolite, not to mention a sign of... weakness..." with that, his eyes began to well up with tears again.
"Can you not tell me what's wrong? I'm good at listening, 'kay?" she took his hand in hers and lifted it up to her face. She held it with both hands then, and stared up at him expectantly. He could not believe it – Lymle cared about him.
"Isn't there somewhere we could go? I don't want to be seen crying outside anymore. And I don't think my fellow Eldarians want to see me either..." Lymle then nodded and brought him back to her house. They didn't get there unscathed though – jeers erupted from neighbouring windows when they started walking, and someone even threw a stone at him.
When they were safe inside, Lymle ran and got a cloth and some ointment – Faize had a nasty cut on his cheek, just under his eye, from where the stone had landed. She sat him on the couch next to her, and began cleaning the cut up.
"Lymle? Why are you being nice to me? I thought that you didn't like me."
"Well, you got hurt Faize, and I need to fix it, 'kay? You're a guest here." She said this as she was finishing up with the cut.
"Now – why are you sad Faize? Aren't you happy to see me?" she looked a little upset while saying this.
"No Lymle, I am very happy to see you. Nobody is happy to see me though. I did so many unspeakable things Lymle... I tried to kill everyone..." he then turned away from her. "I even tried to kill you, Edge and all of my friends... I've spent these years trying to forgive myself, but I've realised that I cannot – not until my friends can forgive me too. I came here to ask you can YOU forgive me... Can you forgive me, Lymle?"
Then came something he wasn't expecting – Lymle raised her hand and slapped him on the face.
"You big... DUMMY!" she stood up so she was taller than him, and glared at him, her face drained and her eyes bulging in their sockets.
"You're so SELFISH, 'kay! Everybody missed you – I missed you! ..." with that she turned beet red and stopped talking.
"You missed me, Lymle?" Faize muttered in shock - slack-jawed and feeling rather hot.
"NO! That was not... It was not... I did NOT miss dummy Faize!" she raced out the front door and into a heavy rainstorm that had started while they were talking. She didn't care – she was not supposed to miss Faize, or like him, or want him, or need him – like she right did now. She cried her heart out, her tears masked by raindrops. The rain became heavier as she cried more deeply, her powers inadvertently strengthening the storm.
Faize stepped out after her, worried that she would run away or do something silly... But he was not prepared for the sight before him – she was just standing there, face to the skies, but... the wind whipped her hair and clothes about her, which were soaked through now. The wet clothes hugged her in the torrent, and he could now see that she was no longer a girl – she was a woman. His heart ached to touch her, to hold her, to smell her sweet fragrance and feel her pulse racing – he wanted her. It wasn't the innocent want that he'd had years ago either – it was something more now, something that tore him apart and rendered him senseless. And he could have her – she was right there, her beauty unmasked by the rains that buffeted her. But he couldn't – she did not want him... she had just screamed at him! But he couldn't just let her go...
He rushed as fast as he could to her side, falling several times on the way in the muddy puddles. When he reached her she was shaking from the cold, but also from the sobs that racked her entire body. She turned on him then
"What do you want Faize!? I need to cry now, and I'm not sorry, 'kay!? I don't like you, now go away you big mean horrible dummy!" She went to throw her fist at him, and he let her. He fell to the ground again, this time getting mud all up his left side. He got back up and noticed his cut – mud had gotten into it and it was now stinging fiercely.
What did I just do? I hit Faize and he... he let me... He came back to see me and I punch him! Well... he's a dummy, he let me hit him... and he's so selfish! But...
"I'm sorry Faize... are you alri-" Before she could finish, he wraps an arm around her waist whilst cupping her face with his other hand, and kisses her.
The sentence is lost in his lips as they gently caress hers. She falls weak in his arms, and he holds her up – he can't let her fall away from him, not when he needs this so much. Though his eyes are closed, he can feel everything – the rain and wind are still pelting him, but he doesn't care. He can feel her soft lips yielding to his, he can feel her pulse racing beneath his hand as it slides down her neck, he can feel her body shaking in his arms and now he can feel her arms reaching around to return his embrace.
What am I doing? I don't like Faize! I can't like Faize... Lymle releases him and steps back
"I can't like you Faize..."
You can see in his face that his heart is breaking
"But... why Lymle? I need you..."
"'Cause Faize... I LOVE YOU... 'kay?"
She's now shuffling her feet in the mud, and her face is extra red from both crying and embarrassment. Faize collapses to his knees and sighs in relief.
"You just nearly broke my heart Lymle..."
He pulls her to him and buries his head into her chest, weeping silently.
"I love you too, Lymle... can you forgive me?"
"Well, can you forgive me for hitting you?" He looks up at her as if to say 'are you serious!?'
"Of course I can – don't be silly!"
She pushes him off and lowers herself to his level "Exactly Faize, you big dummy – of course I can!"
Faize jumps at her and they both end up in the mud. He's hugging her tightly and a beaming smile lights up his face.
"But if you do that again, Doggie won't be happy, 'kay?"
"Well, you were the one who decided to play in the rain, not me." He's now smiling at her, tears of joy staining his cheeks this time.
"OK then, it's my fault – but stop crying 'kay? And can we get up now? I have to clean my house, and I have some cookies too... But you can't have any unless you help me clean – mneh!" She sticks her tongue out and pushes him off her before running back home.
"Lymle... Thank you for not changing." He strolls after her and locks the door behind him.
The End?
