Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem.
Forgotten Memories
Things were not the same anymore. Their childhood memories of frolicking in the snow or playing a simple game of archery seemed so distant. It became such a blurry reminiscence that he wasn't even sure if it had really existed. Especially now, matters were only going to go downhill. As if situations couldn't get any worse, a new recruit had shown up a few months ago. He wasn't just a new soldier, but also someone that stole his friend away. His beloved childhood friend…
Wil sat atop a lofty tree with an unreadable expression on his face. His coffee brown eyes were cast down, unable to face the pain of the world. The girl that he thought was his best friend for life was being taken away from him. She had made a promise, a promise that they would remain best friends until the end of their days.
"Wil!" giggled a girl with emerald braids. "I made this bracelet for you. Merry Christmas!"
A boy with messy russet hair dashed up the small snow hill to retrieve his newest present. Carelessly, he tripped over a hidden log and landed face down on the ground. The girl gasped and skipped over to help him up, then extended her hand and offered him her gift. As little Wil shakily took his present, he saw her smile and pull up her sleeve to reveal a matching wristlet with a fancy letter "R" on it. After Wil slipped on the bangle, he cheerfully gave his best friend a hug.
Rebecca returned the childish embrace and whispered, "We will be friends forever."
Beaming, Wil nodded in total agreement.
There was nothing he could do now. It was just much too late. Her mind was consumed with only thoughts of the hero. What made Raven so much better than him? Was it his dashing good looks? Wil didn't see anything too striking about that angry scowl that was always implanted on his face. And his eyes…they usually were squinted into a bone chilling glare. He could not see why he was such a loveable figure to Rebecca. From what Wil saw, Raven was never a compassionate person. Once when he walked by the storage tent, he caught a glimpse of Raven yelling at the monk, Lucius, about "poking his head into other people's affairs".
Another time Bartre, the friendly fighter, was sharing his family tree with Raven when the hero roughly brushed the paper aside and muttered, "Come back when your writing is more legible."
Wil shook his head in disbelief. What did Rebecca see in him? Then the thought that Raven was a hero revolved in his mind. Perhaps Rebecca thought close ranged combat was more impressive than long ranged battles. It took more courage to approach an opponent and go face to face with only a sword and a shield. So she thought he was a coward! His mind glowed with anger as he thought of how hard he had worked to gain his rank as a qualified sniper. He had no proof that it was truly what Rebecca felt, but he was burning mad and so discouraged he accepted it as the truth.
The sniper hopped off the tree in a hurry, and heatedly stormed to his tent that he was sharing with Heath, the wyvern rider. Wil rarely got infuriated, but this time it was uncontrollable. He had had enough of his nonsense. The sniper snatched his trusty bow and arrows and advanced to the place he knew that Rebecca and Raven would be at. He frowned when he saw them happily talking, and remembering his grief, he swung up his arrow and forcefully pulled it back. Aiming carefully, he tilted his bow so that when the projectile releases, it would fly straight between the two people. He was sure that the arrow wouldn't harm anyone; just fly fast enough to scare them both. He hoped that it would also show Rebecca that he was not a weakling, and that he could be just as strong and powerful as Raven.
Out of nowhere, Wil felt a vigorous sensation in his arms, and before he realized what he was doing, he spun the arrow in a circle and released it at full speed. The rate of the arrow was much faster than his usual performance, and it was dead accurate. Rebecca's green eyes doubled in size as she jumped in surprise. Raven was also alarmed by the sudden assault and already had his hand on the hilt of his broadsword.
"You." The hero stated firmly.
The way Raven addressed him suddenly made him feel like a meek sparrow cowering under the shadow of a starved hawk.
"Wil? What happened?" Rebecca inquired, clearly confused. "Why did you-"
"What was that for?" Raven interrupted, his fingers already drawing out his sword. "Trying to pick a fight?"
"N-No sir." Wil stammered. Why am I faltering?
"…Or are you trying to kill someone?" came Raven's deadly whisper.
Before anything else could happen, Raven grabbed his broadsword and lunged towards Wil. The hero was undoubtedly aggravated, and Wil knew that nothing could calm him down. With no choice, Wil stepped back just in time to dodge the attack, then launched a projectile straight at Raven. The hero ducked and performed a somersault to reach his trusty shield that was lying a few feet away. As Wil prepared his next attack, he couldn't help but glance at a fear struck Rebecca standing near a pine tree. She was hugging the trunk of the tree as if it were the only thing that would comfort her. Weaponless and wide eyed, the sniper held onto the branches as she watched the fight proceed.
Raven did not seem to notice Rebecca's current state. His flaming anger entirely consumed him. With each strike, he saw Wil as a traitor, someone who would dare to hurt a fellow comrade. What provoked him the most was that Wil would have the courage to attack Rebecca, a person whom he cared about.
This man asked for it! Raven thought.
The hero raised his broadsword high above his head, ready to strike at the archer below him. He did not intend to kill him, just to hurt him enough to teach him a lesson. As swift as the sword came down, Wil rolled over just in time to avoid the blow. He fired an arrow that skimmed the surface of Raven's left sleeve. Raven leapt and knocked over Wil's bow with his shield. The sniper gasped as his weapon was ripped away from his hands. He performed a front flip and barely reached it when Raven kicked it away. The hero smirked and ran after the sliding bow. Wil clenched his teeth together and got up, brushing off the grass from his pants.
"What are you going to do? You're weaponless." Raven taunted while waving the bow.
Wil dashed up to the hero and tried to snatch the bow away. He was unsuccessful as Raven pointed the tip of his sword at Wil's neck.
"Don't you dare try hurting your comrades again." He whispered threateningly.
Raven looked as if he was about to choke Wil when Rebecca ran over, sobbing.
"Let him go!" she demanded as she swatted the sword away. "What is the matter with both of you?"
Unable to control himself, Wil blurted out, "H-He's the only one you care about now! You completely forgot about your childhood friend!"
"Wil…I didn't-" Rebecca started to protest but was interrupted by Wil rolling up his sleeves to reveal a worn out bracelet.
He angrily ripped it off and threw it a few feet away from him. The sight of the bracelet immediately quieted down Rebecca. Finally after a long moment of silence, she spoke, so inaudible that both soldiers had to lean in to hear her.
"I…didn't know…you still kept that…" the female sniper murmured.
"Well now I don't have it." Wil muttered coldly as he began to walk away, dragging his bow. "A symbol of friendship eh…?"
Rebecca and Raven watched as the figure of Wil slowly retreated back into camp. Then she glanced at the hero with a worried expression and dashed off in the same direction as Wil. The green haired sniper wandered around camp looking for Wil when at last she spotted him sitting between the boughs of a giant tree.
"Wil come down here." She said softly.
When she did not receive a reply, Rebecca climbed up the tree with ease and seated herself next to the sulking boy.
"I think you've misunderstood me…" she began to say.
Still, Wil did not give an answer.
"We'll still be friends forever…just like that time I promised you many winters ago on Christmas Day. I…I'll admit that I no longer have my wristlet, but you don't need a bracelet to keep friendship. I'm sure you know…" she trailed off.
Slowly, Wil faced her with a blank look. His expression grew serious as his coffee brown eyes locked with her emerald orbs. Then unexpectedly, his frown turned into a small grin.
"You are right." He exclaimed. "I was so stupid to go around hurting people. I'm guessing that Raven must hate me for my immature behavior."
"We'll deal with him later," Rebecca suggested. "But right now I have to spend some time with my best friend!"
Beaming, Wil couldn't have agreed more.
--
Notes: What a cheesy ending...
