.Vanguard Member.

"I didn't join the Vanguard because I cared about these so-called politics between the Tethe'allan's and the Sylvaranti, Alice," Decus said. It was the coldest voice he'd ever used when speaking to her, she noticed. Alice didn't like that at all.

"Then why?" she demanded forcefully, "Why would you join an organization you have no interest in?"

And then he smiled the most charming smile she'd ever seen from him. "I joined to be near you Alice; you who has always been just beyond my reach."

And Alice couldn't deny or contradict that.

.Mail-Order Cologne.

Decus swung his arm around Alice's small shoulders. A very strong odour filled her delicate nostrils as soon as he made his appearance, and was all the more powerful as he clung to her in the middle of the snowy main street in Flanoir. She vainly tried to shrug him off but the older man was much stronger than she, and not easily deterred from his pursuit of her. "Go away, Decus!" she snapped. "You absolutely stink!"

Decus seemed not the least bit perturbed by her forceful demand that he leave her to her own devices and he did not—to her continued irritation—remove his arm from her shoulders. "You don't like it?" he said in dismay, "This Eau d'Intrigue was supposed to make you swoon and declare your everlasting and passionate love for me upon your first inhalation! Do you mean to say it does nothing of the sort?"

"That's exactly what I mean!" Alice cried. She'd had enough of his infernal colognes. First it was Eau d'Amour, then came Eau de Ciel, followed by Eau de Z. Wilder (1) and Eau de Z. Wilder (2). What would be next? She fervently hoped nothing would follow (because even though Eau de Z. Wilder (1) and (2) were half-decent, although not terrific scents, all the others were simply awful). Alice thought that perhaps now, after she once again informed Decus that his taste in cologne was terrible, he would cease to order them. An unscented Decus was surely better than a scented one!

Decus sighed and said (in a much too cheery voice) "Well, the next one should be arriving any day now. Maybe you'll fall for my Eau de Seduction!"

And then again, thought Alice, maybe he wouldn't.

.Masquerade.

"How do I look?" Decus asked, twirling the dual swords in his hands.

Alice looked him up and down with a critical eye. "Like Lloyd," she replied.

"That's the plan," he agreed, "But how do you think I look? Does the outfit suit me? The swordstyle?"

She couldn't say that she liked it because she didn't. She was used to seeing Decus with his longsword and hated the sight of twin blades. Red wasn't his colour (despite the fact he wore Lloyd's form right now). And she certainly couldn't say that she preferred Dumbo-Decus himself to the Lloyd-Decus. She couldn't say that she preferred Decus overall, more than anyone.

"You look like Lloyd."

.Alice's Pet.

Alice found it rather amusing when she overheard her subordinates in the Vanguard talking about the infamous story of her duel with Hawkie. It gave her particular pleasure to hear their descriptions of a battle they had not seen and an event they were unsure had ever taken place. Although, she wondered why the single most interesting thing about the whole ordeal was the words scarred onto Hawkie's back (the words, she thought viciously, that no one was quite sure actually existed). Regardless of whether or not they were indeed etched into his very skin, anyone who bothered to pay attention would know that it was not Hawkie who was truly Alice's pet.

Alice leaned back on her chair with a smirk tugging at her lips. Her pet had the same rank as herself, and often had duties of his own to attend to in his own area. Being in charge did come with some drawbacks. Nevertheless, she saw him at least three times a week (not because she ever sought him out, but because he came seeking her) even though she constantly demanded he leave her alone. Her pet had no words (that she knew of) etched into his skin, and he possessed a single-minded desire to obtain her everlasting affections. He had an addiction to mail-order items and often ended up scammed, yet that somehow never stopped him from ordering more stinking cologne even though she repeatedly told him it was disgusting.

He wore her leash without her ever having to make him. He had taken this role on himself, whereas Hawkie had been demoted to that role. He didn't mind wearing that invisible leash. In fact, he's practically put it on himself. He was the real pet, no matter what the stories said.

There was a rapid knock at her door then, and into the room burst Decus. "Alice, my love! It seems to have been aeons since we last spoke!"

The smirk widened.

Her pet had arrived.

Author's Note: So there we have it! I absolutely adore Decus. And Alice, but Decus is at the top of the list. Personally, I think he was the best new character to appear, with a bunch of others tying for second and third places XD. Anyway, my personal views aside, as an ardent supporter of Decus, Alice and the two of them together, I simply had to write something. So I ended up with a bit of a character study of Decus through the eyes of Alice (and, I suppose, a study of Alice herself).

Also note that just because Alice doesn't think the world of Eau de Z. Wilder (1) or (2), doesn't mean they're bad colognes! It's all up to personal preference (and no, I could not help but add in the reference). As well...there is no real timeline for this, in case you were wondering. They're just isolated stories about Decus as told through Alice's eyes. Thus, some take place before the game and some during.

Hope you enjoyed reading. I hope to write more about Alice and Decus in the future :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.