The Ascension of Brave Vesperia!
This fiction is based after the events of Tales of Vesperia, This fiction is not what you can call serious. The plot isn't saving the world, it's just the normal life of Terca Lumieres' hero Yuri Lowell. However his normal life soon get's slightly distorted as Guild Leader Karol Capel decides to set massive aspirations for Brave Vesperia, to become one of the Five Master Guilds.
To achieve this he sends his two best (and his only willing) subordinates on jobs of all kinds to promote the guild. All the while Yuri finds himself in a harem like situation, if you hadn't guessed, this is far from a normal life.
The Ambition of a Guild Master
The young leader of Brave Vesperia sat perplexed in his office. It had been two years since him and his comrades had helped saved the world from the Adephagos, back then he thought that his guild Brave Vesperia would become extremely famous. He was wrong, instead a single person became famous and that was Yuri Lowell his subordinate.
However that didn't mean that he originally held the desire to lead a massive guild. Originally he was content with leading a small guild with his close friends whom he had journeyed with. Yet that feeling of satisfaction had disappeared, it wasn't because he didn't like being the leader of his friends it was something much different.
"Nan" the love-struck teen mumbled.
Letting out a loud sigh Karol slumped onto the desk. Two years had passed and Karol still wasn't as close to Nan as his young heart wished. These desires to be with her often made him consider stupid things in a desperate attempt to appeal to her.
He remembered her saying she liked strong men when he fought her in the coliseum and ever since then he'd done everything he could to become stronger. He lifted weights to become more prolific at wielding his heavy weapons, he made sure to have a balanced diet and a lot of sleep to grow a tall and strong body. After the roaring contest in Dahngrest he even began to practice shouting louder, none of this in Karol's opinion seemed to impress her.
Karol in his depressed state was very susceptible to suggestions, especially from close friends this was something one particular friend of his exploited quite often.
"What's got you down champ?" a fatherly sounding voice asked in a curious tone.
That voice could only belong to one person.
"Raven when did you get here?" Karol asked in a monotonous voice not even bothering to look up to see if he was right.
The 'old man' and Ex-Imperial Knights Captain grinned and jumped down from the windowsill and into his bosses' office. "Oh I was just admiring the few local beauties who haven't fallen for my charm yet when all of a sudden I spotted young Karol in a sad state so naturally I came to see what was wrong" the shaggy haired man named Raven said in a voice that feigned concern.
Karol just sighed he swore he asked when he arrived not why he had arrived. Either way Karol didn't particularly mind Raven's arrival he would never tell the old man but he considered him to be a father figure.
"Now what's with that sigh? You're gonna make this old man cry" Raven told the teen in mock upset.
Karol sighed once more mulling over his teenager-problems ignoring the old man who really didn't need to know what was getting Karol down, but he had to give the lad the chance to admit it before he started embarrassing him.
Raven's mocking grin turned into a small smile as he walked up to the slumped guild leader and put his hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Son there's a time in every man's life that he must take responsibility for his actions, if you did something to that lil' Nan and didn't take responsibility for it I don't think I could look at you the same way" Raven told the boy in an all-knowing tone.
Everything was silent for a moment before Raven felt the boy's shoulder suddenly shake violently. "What!" Karol screamed in anger diving up into a sitting position, the sudden movement knocking Raven off balance.
"W-w-what are y-you t-t-t-t-t-t-talking about? M-Me and Nan t-that's j-just crazy!" Karol stuttered it in a fit, to Raven it was like a blast from the past.
"Ah young love a bittersweet fleeting memory" Raven said dramatically not meaning a single word he said. Only saying it because he knew it would annoy Karol even more.
"S-Shut up! Me-me and N-Nan a-aren't like that!" Karol screamed at his 'tormentor' getting ready to pick up his Bravior sword in retaliation.
"Well kid you're doing a good job at foolin' me, the way you two love birds look at each other is just the same way all the women look at me" Raven joked before a sword came crashing downwards, missing him by inches.
"Next time I won't miss" Karol said stereotypically staring up at the old man who wasn't even a head taller than him, Karol had really grown the last two and half years but he was nowhere near Yuri's height.
"W-whoa kid calm it calm it, these old bones aren't as good as they used to be, you might really kill me!" Raven told the teen who didn't seem to look fazed by his melodramatic outburst.
Karol whose face was rather flushed was obviously embarrassed by Raven's comments, but one of them made him slightly curious.
Looking towards the floor Karol began to talk. "Y-you said the way m-me and N-Nan look at each other was like h-how women look at you, w-what did you mean?" Karol asked, his face still burning, Karol was what you would call a 'late bloomer' in regards to romance.
Raven who had regained his composure rather fast after having that giant sword nearly cleave him in half began to speak with a teasing grin on his face. "Well aint that obvious, the two of ya find each other irresistible. It aint just you kid whose doing the lookin'" Raven informed the young man.
At this statement Karol transcended the realm of colour and created an entire new shade of crimson. "R-really?" Karol asked the old man hopefully his previous animosity towards the man diminished and in its place was a goofy childish grin.
"Why the surprise I thought the two of ya were already an item" Raven asked in genuine confusion he thought the two had already gotten together after the events two years ago.
"What! No! I-I m-mean I don't see a-anything w-wrong with that it's j-just, w-we aren't like that" Karol stuttered in embarrassment. He wasn't embarrassed about his feelings for Nan as he was a few years back as he'd already confessed his love for her in front of everyone in the shouting contest. What he was embarrassed about was the fact that he was talking about this stuff with Raven.
"Ohhhhhh" Raven said at the revelation. He wouldn't tell anyone but he felt a little guilty for teasing the hormone driven teen now.
After a long silence with a loud whistling wind added in just for dramatic effect (including tumbleweed) Raven broke the silence. "Why don't you just ask the girl out?" Raven asked the most straightforward question.
Instead of becoming embarrassed Karol seemed to be able to compose himself when answering. "She'd just say no, I mean I'm not strong like Clint and nor am I as brave, I'd stand no chance against him, Nan likes strong men, Clint is one of the strongest I know if I can't beat him, what chance do I have?" Karol confessed,
Raven felt like slamming his head on the wall at the boy's ignorance. Nan had already told him in a discreet manner of course that she had feelings for him but the boy could never capitalise on that. Instead of telling the boy straight out he decided on a different approach.
"Hmm you have a point there" Raven replied rubbing his hand on his stubble. "However Clint may be strong and brave but that isn't all that can be considered strong traits. The ability to lead a big guild shows strength as well, I'm sure Nan would be impressed, even awed by the strength you'd show" Raven told the boy who looked up at him with hopeful eyes, Raven knew his plan was working.
"If you just elevate this guild to its maximum potential, no not just that, far beyond it right to the top of the union on par with Altosk and Fortunes Market you would undoubtedly gain the inner and outer strength to show Nan how strong you are!" Raven told the boy is a dramatic, enthusiastic tone to draw him in, after all Raven was naturally charismatic.
"S-so if we make B-Brave Vesperia one of the five master guilds you think Nan will like me?" Karol asked the man, a flicker of childlike innocence in his eyes.
"She already likes you" Raven thought but he didn't voice it as it would fall on deaf ears, besides he also wanted to see Brave Vesperia become an elite guild, as it would increase his already extreme popularity with the women of Dahngrest.
"I'd truly be irresistible" Raven thought, however despite these horrible sounding motives Raven really was hoping it would help out Karol and Nan's relationship. "If it just gives him the confidence to ask the girl again then it'll be worth it" the old man thought with a small smile on his face.
"Of course you can trust Old Raven on this one" Raven told the young guild leader who seemed very appreciative towards him.
"Wait" Karol said quietly "how exactly does a guild become a master guild?" he asked the old man curiously who just smiled back at him all knowingly.
"Leave that to me my boy" Raven told the young guild leader with a massive grin. That effectively finished the conversation, so without wasting a moment's time Raven decided to return to what he was intending on doing which was teasing Karol.
"So I guess you're old enough for THE TALK" Raven said in a very amused voice as he watched Karol's eyes widen in fear.
(End Chapter)
Ok no Yuri in this one nor his 'harem' which will consist of more than just the main females trust me I have a few other characters in mind, by the way I think I should warn you, some Shoujo-Ai (Yuri/Lesbian) and maybe even some Shounen-Ai (Yaoi) may appear in this fiction.
There is going to be a lot of potential pairings, but if you want to vote for the pairing you are going to support please do it may impact where this story goes!
Decided Pairings so far!
Karol x Nan (Obviously)
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I would appreciate reviews from those who enjoyed it and there will be more very soon, maybe even a little later on today (17th June 2011)
-Aquilon