Etrian Odyssey series (c) Atlus
I own nothing.
She Wasn't Supposed to Be Here
She charged into the battlefield with drive blade in hand, blonde hair splaying all over the place as she bore down on the enemy guilds. She used to be in a guild, once. But that was a long time ago and her adventuring days were over, ended when she couldn't handle all the new information she learned back in Etria and Lagaard. It was really too bad, leaving her guild members like that, but they could easily go on without her. She was a lousy Protector, anyhow.
The whirr of the blades and the screams of people intermingled into a melody of hate as she struck down guild members left and right. It was for the best; if the prince wanted to spread their influences to other regions, then the Imperials will follow him to the ends of the earth. Even if it meant sacrificing innocents for the greater good. Even if it meant striking down someone she used to call "friend." Luckily for her, that hadn't happened yet-
She stopped her assault after clearing her area and balked when she noticed a flash of red hair whiz by. No way, that couldn't be…? She rushed over to where she last saw the red and gazed upon the scene before her. A young woman was fighting her Imperial brethren singlehandedly, the Fortress' comrades having long since fallen. That wasn't what caught her attention though. No, what she eyed was the way the girl raised her shield in a Protector's stance- her shield- and the way she swung her sword- her sword. Fear coursed through her veins, but it wasn't because of her fellow soldiers. What was she doing here, of all places? She should be back in Lagaard tending to the wounded, not here!
The last of the Imperials the Fortress fought succumbed to her attacks and she turned around, locking eyes with the blonde-haired woman. Blue and hazel eyes widened in surprise and for a moment she wished it wasn't true, heart stopping before plummeting into the depths of despair.
"Teacher? Is that you?" the girl asked, eyes starting to shine and a grin showing up on her face. She maintained her composure as she spoke coldly to her former student.
"I don't know who you are, but I suggest you surrender now in the name of the Empire," she said, hefting her drive blade up. Her smile faltered.
"Come on, Teacher, don't you remember me?" she asked, taking small steps forward with a hand outstretched, "I can't possibly be mistaken; you are my teacher, aren't you?" She sighed.
"You shouldn't be here. Leave while you can, Medigirl-" Her blade dropped like a stone and she quickly covered her mouth in horror, but it was too late to take back her words. The redhead's smile returned at the familiar nickname.
"So it is you!" she exclaimed, now running towards her mentor, "Oh Teacher I missed you so mu-!"
"Get back!" she screeched, shoving the blade point close to her former charge and causing her to stumble back.
"Teacher, what's wrong?"
"I told you to get out of here!" she exclaimed, "Don't you realize what the Empire will do to you if you stay?" Her smile mellowed down into an understanding look.
"Kill me? Maybe even use me for one of their schemes?" she answered, "Of course I do, I'm not like back then; I've grown up." The Imperial gave a bitter smile.
"That you did," she murmured, lowering her blade ever so slightly. She gestured to her form. "And as you can see, I have changed too." The former medic cocked her head to one side.
"Aren't you just donning that armor so that you can sneak into enemy lines and bring them down from there?" she asked innocently. Her expression became that of shock when her teacher shook her head. "…You-You actually…" She took a deep breath, glaring hard at the older woman. "I can't believe," she said, a hint of a playful tone to her voice, "That you turned into a damned elitist." Before she knew it, she was leaning onto her drive blade for support while she laughed at their inside joke. It was eventually joined in by another, and their laughter drowned out the sounds of battle going on beyond the tree line.
"I missed you," the Imperial admitted, finally smiling at the Fortress.
"Me too." She sighed, hazel eyes downcast. "Why'd you leave?" she asked, "We were all sad when you left, which was why we all went out to search for you. They're in Tharsis right now-"
"Did you say Tharsis?!"
"Um, yeah. We formed a guild here and everything." She grinned. "With the same name you came up for us, in fact." Her mentor made a frustrated noise.
"Don't you know the Empire will do everything in its power to make you defect to their side?" she hissed, "Or worse, kill you?" Her expression morphed into disbelief when her former student nodded. "And you're still fighting?! Why?!"
"Because the people we've met…" the Fortress muttered before speaking up, "If your prince really is set on summoning the Heavenbringer, it'll wipe out two entire races. I don't want that. I don't want what happened to the forest folk to happen to them too…" There was an awkward silence as the girls remembered the fallen they've met on their adventures.
"…Teacher, why do you stay?" the redhead finally asked, "Because of what Prince Baldur's doing- I-I saw some of you were falling under the Titan's Curse. And none of the medics can heal it, so…" She sighed despairingly. "At least, I tried. I'm worried that you'll fall under it too at this rate so why?"
"Because, Medigirl," she said, "It's…" Pause. "Er, how do I say it?"
"Not that simple?" she butted in with a small smile. It was quickly returned.
"Something like that, yeah. I think it's more…Ah! I got it! It's more like peer pressure."
"Peer pressure?"
"It's like this, none of us are defecting no matter how badly we want to because we see other Imperials not doing it. We're all loyal to the prince, and to go against his will…It's unthinkable." Silence.
"Does…that mean we have to fight?" the former Medic murmured hesitantly. She swallowed thickly when the former Protector nodded. "I-I see…" She raised her sword and pointed it at the blonde soldier. "I warn you, I-I've been practicing your moves! I know how to fight now!" she cried, charging at her senior. With a flick of her wrist, the Imperial parried the attack and sent the sword- her sword- flying and pointed her blade at the knocked over girl.
"Stupid," she muttered. The redhead took in a shaky breath and looked into familiar blue eyes. "You're stance was all wrong."
"…H-Huh?"
"And the way you charge too," the former Protector added before launching into a tirade, "When you fight, spread your legs apart so you're low to the ground and keep your knees at the same level as your feet. You won't be knocked over so easily. And! Don't go charging into battle willy nilly when you know your opponent is stronger than you."
"Especially when that person's your teacher, right?" she quipped, her usual smile returning. The soldier nodded approvingly.
"Exactly," she said, helping her junior by eight years up. She really was the same 15 year old Medic from long ago, just all grown up now. "I'm really proud of you, you know?"
"Heh heh, I live to hear those words," the Fortress chirped, walking over and picking up her sword. She looked up to say more, but only saw her mentor's retreating figure. "H-Hey! Where are you going?"
"Away," she answered flatly, "My orders were to kill you and any other guild members belonging to Tharsis. I don't want them to know that I disobeyed that order because of old sentiments."
"You can come with us," the young woman offered, "We still have room for one more, you know." She stopped, turning around to give a sad smile.
"My duty is to the Empire," she said, "I'm sorry, Medigirl, but I have to refuse." She continued her walk, trying to drown out the girl's yells.
"I- Well if you ever want to go adventuring with us again, you know where to find us! We'll be waiting for you, Teacher! Always!" Her smile quickly became grim as she charged back into the heat of battle.
First story in this particular category. Hoo boy, I hope I did well. Especially since I want to put more stories up here, but considering the ones I have in mind are multichapter stuff and I suck at sticking with them...:'D What started this was basically me hearing about how one of the girl Imperials looked like the Protector from the first and second games, along with how there were several other characters from the past that returned as well. I know the girl redheaded Fortress looks nothing like the little girl Medic, but this is where artistic liberties go so...yeah. |D Same artistic liberties went to the tension between Tharsis and the Empire because I don't have the game, so I have no idea what the heck happens other than spoiling myself with the general plot. Whoops. :'D As for how the two address each other, it's based on the official comics created for the earlier two games, with the 15 year old Medic (Apparently. She does not look 15 to me -.-;) being known as Medi-ko or Medigirl and the 23 year old Protector being known as Shisho or Teacher. I guess the comics also helped influence this piece, since I wanted to see how the two reacted if Medigirl ever met Imperial Teacher. Anyway, hope you enjoy!