Hellooo again guys! I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for being M.I.A. for like... forever, but I'm back (and honestly Idk how long I'll be back). And with a sequel to my one shot called, "When You Appeared." Its part of a series of exchanged stories between me and my friend in the Fire Emblem Fates universe.
We created our own characters and implemented them into the series for the heck of it, but now its become a huge thing between us.
Anyway, I'll have a few more of these with a couple of other characters including Kaden and Scarlet (who are both underrated units in my opinion, and personal favorites). There is also a possibility that I'll make story interactions with other characters too. But Niles, Kaden, and Scarlet are considered my "focal love interest" characters. There's quite a bit to it, but I'll explain more as we continue.
"What kind of performer were you thinking I'd parade around as?" Yendys questioned eyeing the bikini-like top that Niles handed to her with a disgusted expression. Shrugging, the thief just smirked and crossed his arms, "I thought you would look good in it~"
The girl's eyebrows furrowed, "You really are just a pervert aren't you?"
"Ha! Perhaps I am... But maybe I just so happen to be interested in you." He cooed blowing her a kiss. She rolled her eyes in response, "Yes, I'm sure that's exactly where your feelings lie, anyway, there's no way on Naga's name that I'm going to wear this." Throwing the article back to the younger man (and hoping she hit him in the face) she rubbed her temples with the tips of her fingers. 'I can already feel a migrane coming along.'
Sighing, she turned to walk away, "Hey, where are you going?"
"Anywhere else that isn't around you or your vulgar sarcasm. If you want to be serious, then you may come and find me."
"Oh come onnnn, I'm just teasing you. I'm not some sexual deviant, I can be civil."
Yendys stalled for a moment, taking a glimpse behind her. From what she could tell, nothing about his expression changed, other than the fact that his arms were uncrossed and the article of skimpy clothing was gone.
"Is that so? Then will you finally take this seriously?"
He grinned cheekily, "As you wish, your highness."
She scoffed. "So what happens now? Are you going to hand me another piece of undergarments?"
"Tempting, but no. First we have to find a place for you to house in until your sister is found. That is, if you still want to waste your time in trying to look for her. Then, we'll start building your reputation. To do that, you'll need to change out of those tattered clothes with something a little more... eye-catching. So I suggest you stop being picky 'oh dragon goddess' and drop your pride... Hanging onto something like that down here will only get you killed."
The girl grit her teeth. If only he knew how little pride she actually had in herself. But then again, if the thief was aware of something like that, then she would never live it down. Still, she couldn't believe that he was fifteen... Almost two years older than what she had initially thought. Not that it made much of a difference. He still acted like a child...
"The look on your face right now isn't too bad. A perfect expression for someone living in the underground. Keep it up and you'll fit right in." He gleamed.
"Ha! You say that as if I have a choice. You and I both know that this 'agreement' we have is far more beneficial to you than it is to me. This is your turf, the place you were born and raised, so please 'oh wise and righteous one,' tell me what to wear, what to do, and how to act." She spat back.
He chuckled. "That's my girl. Now, shall we be on our way?"
'Seriously, I'm going to kill him. Perhaps I should transform when no one's around and bite his head off?'
Once the arguement simmered down, it was a few hours later that Niles had shown Yendys around the underbelly of the Nohrian kingdom. They visited several places ranging from flourishing markets with various trinkets and wares available for sale, to the dark slums that ran in between the small towns. While the boy explained everything to her in full detail... There was something almost familiar about the place. Seeing all of the sights the kingdom had to offer was like a refresher to her memory.
Perhaps, this was one of the many places that she and her older brother lived when they were still traveling the continents after their parents died...
She sighed. Now was not the time to be thinking about trivial matters. Though Apparently, the thief heard her slight outer turmoil and turned his head back in her direction.
"What's wrong? Feeling queasy?" He teased.
"Yes, it must be from looking at your face."
"Oho~ So the mere sight of me makes you lovesick, how cute~"
"Don't flatter yourself. Who would be attracted to a prepubescent child?" She replied tauntingly.
His smile vanished in the blink of an eye, replaced with a scowl. "Coming from the old hag. What are you pushing now anyway? Four hundred?"
He realized she'd ceased movement and mumbled something underneath her breath. He stopped and stared at her with eyes narrowed curiously. He noticed that she averted her gaze down towards her feet, almost as if she was purposefully trying to avoid his judgement. For whatever reason, he didn't know or particularly care. Still, he hadn't heard what she said.
"What was that?"
She sighed loudly, almost in an obnoxious fashion.
"I said that I'm twenty years old. No older and no younger than that. If I could describe it in terms that even you could understa-" Hesitating, the girl held her tongue. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to keep lashing out at him at any chance given... She cleared her throat before continuing, "Basically, in a humans' life, twenty years is about one fourth of their lifespan, right? But for most types of dragons however, it would be the equivalent to a newborn baby."
Deciding not to look up was probably the best decision she'd made, because she suddenly heard him break out into laughter.
"Hahaha! So what you're saying is, that compared to me, you're nothing more than an infant trying to play the mature and mysterious woman? Amusing, ahahaha!"
The sound of his snickering had her body tensing up in anger... but unfortunately, instead, it manifested itself in the physical form of her cheeks turning bright red.
"Well well. Is the famous vixen embarrased? You seem to be more easily flustered than you let on. If that's the case, you should have left that little tidbit of revealing your age to yourself. Another mistake that you've made in a short amount of time."
She ground her teeth together. "I would very much appreciate it if you shut your mouth."
"Pffft, your face is absolutely priceless!" At this point he was clutching his stomach and crouching on the ground, unable to contain himself.
'That's it. I've had it.'
Furiously she stormed off in the opposite direction.
Not caring which way or even where she went, she just knew that she couldn't stay with that... that child any longer. The further she went, the better she started to feel, away from the mockery that was that boys' warped personality. After a few seconds of brisk walking, she started breaking out into a slow jog; running faster with every step until it turned into a full sprint.
She didn't care if the people around her were staring. If there was something she was used to, it was people gawking at her.
As her speed picked up, Yendys made sure to duck behind a few obscure buildings in order to make sure Niles would not find her while she continued her escape. To be extra careful she dove into the crowd and hid herself amongst the people roaming around, grateful that there were so many in this part of town.
Although, now that she thought about it, she didn't have anything to obscure her face.
She didn't exactly blend in with the citizens of this kingdom... wearing a full body suit with a gaping hole in the back, and one that was obviously created by a weapon, wasn't common in the slightest.
The girl stopped in the middle of her tracks. Looking downwards, she took a good hard look at the state of her clothing. There were more than just a few splits and rips torn into the areas around her legs and arms, there were even a few around her chest. Good gods, she looked like a mad woman wandering aimlessly. No wonder people were staring at her. At this rate, Niles would surely find her faster than she could blink.
"Let's see... Do I even have any money?" Feeling around her oufit for anything she might find, she eventually came to the realization that all of the money she had was either with her sister somewhere, or lost entirely in the forest where she was ambushed.
Gods damn it all.
"This just isn't my day. Dearest sister, why is it that I'm always the one who has to talk to people even though I don't want to?" She groaned to herself smacking her palm to her forehead.
"U-Um, excuse me, Miss? Do you have a moment?" A shy voice called out to her.
"Mm?" She hummed turning around.
What she saw was a younger woman, maybe about the same age as her, or perhaps a couple years older; most definitely human. She had pretty looking features such as bright green eyes, short light brown hair, and a multitude of freckles covering her cheeks and nose. Her physical appearance was lithe and refined for someone who lived in the Nohrian slums. But her demeanor revealed that she was no push over, and that she more than likely knew all of the tricks and the trade in this city.
But what reason did she have to call out to her?
"Do you mean me?"
"Yes, pleased to meet your acquaintance. My name is Vani. Would you happen to be interested in buying something new to wear?" The woman asked batting her eyelashes sweetly.
"Ah so that's your game. Sorry to say that I don't have anything to give you in return. I would try asking someone who looks less poor next time around." She shrugged her off and turned away to leave once again.
"W-Wait! That's not exactly what I meant when I said 'buy.' There's actually another thing that I'd like to offer you in return for a new outfit... If you'd be interested?" When Vani spoke to her, Yendys could see a certain desperation in her bright orbs as she stared at her with great intensity.
This girl must've been looking for someone like Yendys for quite some time... At least that's what she gathered.
Curiosity overtook her sense of reason (or maybe perhaps it was her lack of upstanding appearance) as she turned back towards the mysterious girl.
"Alright, I'll listen to what you have to say, but the new attire is needed upfront, is that acceptable?"
Nodding vigorously, Vani grinned. "Yes, of course! Absolutely!"
And with that, she quickly pulled Yendys into the large tent behind her.
'Why am I just now getting the feeling that I'm either going to love, or regret this?'
~oOo~
Niles had been following after the girl for quite some time now.
Although, he had to admit that he was rather impressed with her speed and evasive skills as she was maneuvering her way through the slums of the city. Not to mention her ability to recognize landmarks and passageways that he'd only shown her once each time as he was giving her a tour of the area.
That in itself was a first rate escape, one that even he, the elusive thief, had acknowledged. However, that still wasn't enough to shake him entirely. The one mistake that she made, was stopping right in the middle of a crowd whose styles of clothing were vastly different. It wasn't everyday that a woman wore a black body suit.
Of course her pretty looks stood out too. That light olive skin and thick dark brown hair stood out amongst most crowds. Having an exotic look was both a blessing and a curse, one that she clearly was either super self-aware of, or completely dense to.
Either way, once he saw her figure from a building rooftop, he picked her out immediately.
What he didn't expect, was to find the little dragon girl talking to one of the most famous dancers in all of Nohrian underground.
More than that, she was actually entering the tent as he observed her from his little perch.
"Hope you have fun while you're in there~" He whispered.
It wasn't long after they entered the dwelling that Yendys immediately regretted her decision.
Suddenly she was grabbed by several other women dressed in scantily clad garbs. For some reason they each had a type of see through attachments to certain areas of their outfits, possibly silk...? Each of them was adorned with the richest of bright colored fabrics that looked like they were made from the highest quality; which seemed odd considering the girl thought she was within the poorest part of the city.
She was pulled away from her inner thoughts due to the fact that the women who kidnapped her were now trying to tear away her suit. "Excuse me but... WHO SAID THAT YOU COULD TOUCH ME?!" She snarled tearing away from their grip and crossing her arms protectively.
Shrieking, the bunch of them took a few steps back shaking like fragile leaves. Only one of them was brave enough to step up and explain their sudden attack. "We were told by Vani that she wanted us to get you out of those clothes as soon as possible, Miss..."
"Well you could have told me that before bombarding me. I have an issue with being forcibly touched and grabbed in anyway, am I clear?" She grumbled dropping her guard a bit.
They all nodded in unison, looking relieved.
"Yes, we apologize Miss. This way then, if you please?" They directed her into a room that was surrounded with several mirrors and the strong smell of perfume wafting in the air. The color-scheme included various shades of pink and bright lavender... so it felt a tad overdramatic when it came to the overall design; but was surprisingly comforting.
They then guided her to a huge wooden wardrobe that stood in the back left corner of the room. "From here, you can choose whatever suits your tastes. Anything you'd like is all yours."
Yendys eyed the women with an eyebrow quirked. "Anything?" She reiterated.
"Yes, that's correct."
Stunned, she looked back at the wardrobe and opened the doors. Inside there were several arrays of contrasting garments. There must have been at least fifty different hues of pink clothing alone and various others thrown within. It was clear that they were uniforms tailored for women who performed on stage. Whether it be singing or dancing, it didn't really matter. Whatever was in this wardrobe was already a million times more impressive than what the thief had tried to force upon her earlier today...
Shuffling through all of the delicate material, Yendys went through several colors and types, trying to decipher what would look best on her and whether or not she could find something that felt right during her future performances... whenever those might be.
It took her less than a few minutes to discover that nothing really stuck out to her specifically.
She frowned, frustrated with the idea that she was too difficult to please; especially due to the fact that Vani was gracious enough to offer the young girl anything she wanted without ever putting up a fight.
Just as she was about to turn to the other performers, something hanging on one of the tall mirrors caught her eye.
"Wait, what is that one right there?" She questioned briskly walking over to the beautifully sewn blouse.
Stepping forward she went to grab it, but was stopped when Vani came into the room and explained, "That one is off limits I'm afraid. I'm selling this one to someone who has been a huge contributer for the past few years. They're an important clientelle, so I apologize if it tickled your fancy."
'Ah, damn.' Yendys thought bitterly before gazing at the beautiful piece once again.
It was unlike anything she'd ever seen before... The garment was an off the shoulder blouse with a deep dark maroon color. The top consisted of an additional loose-wavy layer that provided extra coverage and ended just above the pectoral section. The under layer stopped at the midriff in the form of a cropped top and had long-sleeves made entirely out of lace, designed with an intricated swirled pattern. And at the ends of the sleeves were two individual thumb loops to secure them from snatching or hiking up when performing.
Of course it was only the top half that was displayed, so even if she were allowed to take it... There was no way she could leave this place half naked...
Sighing, she was about to turn back to pick something at random, that is until a familiar voice rang throughout the room.
"Well isn't that a shame~"
Halting, the young girl knew that voice.
Reluctantly, she looked over her shoulder, coming eye to eye with the one person that she didn't want to see. "Gods, how the hell did you find me?" She groaned.
"Haha! What a great welcome, I'm touched. Now... Why don't you tell me what you're doing here, little dragon?" Niles smirked.
"As if I have to answer to that. You were belittling me, so I decided to run away from you. Did you expect I'd stay after all of the insults you threw my way?"
"Yes, yes, well... That's still no reason to flee. If you can't handle something like that, then you'll find great difficulty in-"
"Once again you're repeating the same material over and over. I don't see any changes, just a boy hell bent on demoralizing me in anyway possible. So, unless you're here to apologize and stop that nonsense, then I don't want to listen." She frowned.
"U-Um... Sir Niles, if I may interrupt..." Vani chimed in, grabbing the blouse Yendys was eyeing before walking over to him. "Here, your order is ready. Although it is really odd that you would ask for such an expensive and well made request. Could it be that this is for someone special to you?" She asked reluctantly.
Grinning, he responded by pulling the shirt from her hand and then kissing the back of her palm.
The sudden sweet gesture made both Vani's and Yendys' eyes widen in shock.
"Hmm, I guess you could say that... In fact, this little beauty is actually a gift for the startlingly headstrong and attractive woman standing behind you; that is, if she'd be so gracious as to accept my little peace offering."
"Huh? You mean this woman?" She asked pointing to the still stunned dragon girl.
"Indeed. But like I said, only if she's willing to take it~"
'What is this boy's game?'
Unfortunately, Niles didn't give her a second more to think about his uncanny behavior as he casually slipped close to her and wrapped his hand around hers, tugging her away from the other startled ladies. "We'll talk more later my dear Vani, until then, keep up the good work~"
He then led her out of the tent and back into the crowds within the slums. There were at least several minutes of silence and evading of people coming from opposite directions before either party spoke. Yendys struggled to catch her footing as his pace picked up to a near sprint. It was like his feet walked on air...
In no time at all, they found themselves back in the area where they left off, and she finally had the chance to speak up.
"That's enough, you can let go."
The thief only gripped her hand tighter and scoffed. "Sure, just so you can storm off again like a stubborn child? I think I'll pass."
She grumbled something about how he was one to talk, but couldn't deny that he had some truth to his words. In all honesty, she had been acting like a spoiled kid. But considering most of it was an act in order to protect herself from unkown assailants and this new area; she had every right to be cautious.
Still, it didn't make sense to put on airs. It wasn't like she trusted him, so why was it that she'd been pretending to be someone else? All she had to do was make sure she didn't reveal what she was thinking and then she wouldn't have to worry. So in that regard, maybe she could be a little more open. At least towards the person who saved her life... No matter how daft he could be.
"Listen, I won't run again; It wouldn't do me any good. I'll even listen to you more carefully if you can at least promise to stop teasing me about my age. Besides... I am still technically your senior~"
Niles whipped his head around in surprise.
'That tone of hers just now... It almost sounded like mine.'
His eyes narrowed. Looking at her now, it was almost as if Yendys' demeanor did a complete 180. He took notice of the playful smirk tugging at her lips, and the slightly relaxed stance. She wasn't even resisting anymore as he still curently held her hand.
"Hmpf, are we suddenly being obedient?" He sneered.
"I suppose you can say that, yes." She replied shrugging.
"And why the change of heart? Have you finally fallen for my charms?"
Suddenly, he felt her hand tighten around his harshly. "Ouch, ouch. Okay, okay... I take it back, so please release the death grip."
She giggled softly. "Humans are so fragile. Are you sure you're a man?"
The thief chuckled in response. "Well technically a young man, but yes. Though, I can shoot an arrow unlike anything you've ever seen. But before pain must come pleasure, so... Shall we finally continue to your new humble abode?"
"Ha! No funny ideas. Just because I've dropped the act, doesn't mean I trust you. In fact, I'll keep my guard up even more from this point onward, so be prepared."
"Oh I look forward to it, little dragon~"
"And one more thing..."
"Hm?"
"Let. Go. Of. My. Hand."
"Ah, right, right."
His arm slipped away, returning to his side. But just as he was about to lead the way, she stopped him by gripping his cape. Surprised, he noticed that she was closer than before... Which was rather unusual.
"Also... Um..." She began, but drifted off until Niles couldn't hear what she had to say.
He cocked an eyebrow quizzically. "Mind repeating that? All I heard was muffled nonsense."
She averted her gaze and silently pointed her finger to the item in his hand. "I wanted to give you my thanks... For that blouse I mean. Its beautifully made and I apologize for mocking your tastes earlier. I'm assuming the previous one you offered was nothing more than a joke?"
"Oh that? No, I was serious." He replied matter-of-factly.
"... Hold on a moment! You actually expected me to wear that crass, see-through, skimpy... THING?!" She yelled, a small blush prominent on her cheeks.
She was met with howling laughter, a highly irriating sound that made her see red.
"I promised I'd bite that mindless head of yours clean off, and I'm thinking now is the right time to act on that..."
"Ahaha-oh, er, wait a moment. Let's not be rash-"
"Better clench your teeth, YOU LECH!"
From that point, several hours would pass before they finally reached their destination...
Four And a Half Years Later...
"Miss... Its time."
Vani stood behind the famous performer reknowned for her unparalleled grace and allure. A woman who built up quite the reputation in an impressive short amount of time. Yet somehow, even after years of hearing those words from her senior dancer, they still filled her with a mix of dread and anticipation.
"Yes, of course." The woman responded without expression.
Vani gave her a smile and a curt nod before exiting the private dressing room.
Once again, it was time to please the masses and enthrall them... In more ways than one.
Looking at the mirror in front of her, she saw that her lipstick was slightly smudged and got to work on fixing it before she left to take the stage. If there was one thing she made sure was perfect... Was the color and appliance of her favorite type of make-up.
One of the things she admired about lipstick was the amount of expression it could convey, especially onstage. Colors and shades to her represented different feelings. Vibrant colors like red or pink expressed times of passion or joy, where the performer shined their brightest. Darker, more bleak shades like navy blue and dark brown represented anxiety or days where the person was feeling depressed.
On Yendys herself however... The color that she wore meant nothing.
Instead, she applied the same handful of hues every single time; her two favorites including metallic gray and volcanic red. More than anything, she liked to keep things simple. But somehow in the irony, the fact that she constantly wore the same ensemble every time, also proved to extend her reputation further than she ever thought possible.
Speaking of which, she could hear the cheers and whoops of the patrons. And from the sound of it, they were getting antsier than usual.
It was most likely due to the fact that there were foreign visitors from other kingdoms, all with impressive reputations attending alongside the regulars tonight.
"Wow~ Sounds like quite the crowd. Are you sure you can handle them?"
Yendys smiled when she heard a familiar man's voice. She stood up to turn around and came face to face with the usual white hair, black eyepatch, and impish expression.
It was an usual tradition where her old friend would drop by right before her shows started. And it was hard to believe that their relationship began in such an unorthadox way... Back then they were constantly at each other's throats.
Which still happened of course, but far less than before.
"Well what a surprise. Somehow the thief makes an appearance even after all that talk about how you said you weren't going to show up." She teased.
"It isn't my problem if you believe everything I say. Anyway, you look good... I suppose." He smirked.
"Oh wow, what a compliment. And here I thought you'd actually wish me luck. That's too bad, I might've given you a thank you present... After all, you were the one who gave me these ornate clothes."
"Oho! That's a pretty bold statement coming from the queen of virginity. Tell me, have you ever even kissed a man yet?"
Her body tensed, and he could easily tell he made her uncomfortable. In the few years he'd known her, the man was finally able to pick up on her amusing social cues.
'Perhaps I took it a tad too far...' He thought.
"Apologies. Ignore what I said. Truthfully, I came here because I guess I was worried about you?"
His response made her snicker, instantly forgetting any embarrassment she had. The gesture would have been a tad more endearing if Niles hadn't framed it in the form of a question.
A couple years ago, she discovered that he wasn't devoid of emotion per say, but that once she learned how to handle him she found that he was rather easy-going as a partner... and a bit clingy as a friend.
But there were still times that he shook the girl's nerves and adored testing her limits when it came to anything sexual.
Lost in thought, she hadn't payed attention to him as he made his way over to her. And in an instant he was only a foot away, looking down at her with that devious grin of his as per usual... Only this time he did something that made her mind reel.
Cupping the side of her right cheek with his calloused fingers, he tilted her head up and rubbed the soft outline of her jaw in what she could only assume was an affectionate manner. Stunned into silence, she eyed him questioningly. His bright greenish-gray eye observed her carefully, checking for any form of discomfort.
Smirking, he leaned down, making the girl step back into the desk behind her, practically slamming into the sturdy object.
Her hazel orbs were narrow as she looked back at him.
Niles stood silently and reached out to her once again, this time cornering her between his frame and the desk.
Unable to wrap her brain around his actions her body fidgited, until his hand came into contact with her hair. "What do you think you're-" She fell silent at the sound of something jingling where his palm rested.
Once he removed himself, the thief took a step back to admire his work. "Now, why don't you take a look?" He cooed and threw up his arms in mock defense.
She blinked quizzically, but did as she was told and looked into the mirror.
Placed into her dark brown locks was a brand new headband. The simplicity of the wavy metal frame and multiple gemstone design was beautiful; and the two silk ribbons that fell on each side of her face were positively lovely.
'Its wonderful.' She thought.
Once again, Niles had bestowed a gift to her. And for whatever reason, she didn't know... But these were the times that she felt he was at his most mysterious. More often than not she questioned his intentions, especially recently with how friendly he had been treating her.
Getting a read on him was near impossible... just what was this man thinking?
On the other hand, he found himself laughing at her conflicted expression.
Yendys was truly one of his favorite targets... And the only person other than his new princely savior whom he could possibly refer to as a friend...
The cheers from the crowd were getting louder; but it felt as if they were drowned out by the current atmosphere.
Right before he sent her off to the stage and turned to leave, the thief then handed her a single ash colored alstroemeria with a sly grin.
"Good luck little dragon~"
Fun Fact, giving someone an Alstroemeria (which is my favorite type of lily) represents friendship and devotion~
And there's my Ted Talk.
Goodbye, lol.