Chapter 1: Chapter 1


A/N: Something quick and short, because I felt like it. I'm not exactly sure what inspired me.


Smile


She sits, back hunched over the same ebony surface, the papers lying lazily in muddled stacks. A hand props up her nodding head, and she fights the grasp of sleep, her mind gnawing away with its gears clicking and grinding. Her eyelids flutter, she falls in and out of darkness, but no, she fights for the conscious. Her other hand fiddles with a quill, the nib clogged with dried ink, stays forgotten from her documents. Finally, she straightens her back, and finds the temporary amusement of allowing her main to furl and unfurl, furl and unfurl, and then running her eyes along the spikes that fall in her peripheral vision.

Her figure rises and she discards her quill in the towers of papers, sauntering gracefully to the windows. The lightning strikes and the thunder rumbles, nature lost in its own song. A bang and the delicate footsteps that follow, thrum behind her. Instinct tells her it is him. No one else possessed the same confidence in her presence.

"The storms at our borders are hindering progress, Master Cyclonis." His voice is lurid and impatient. He follows it with an angry low growl and several more steps towards her. Loyalty drives him forward to meet the consequences.

Her shoulders slump briefly from exhaustion and the footsteps stop. Hesitation?

"Master Cyclonis." His voice is softer. "You need to rest."

She turns to face him now, and the omnipresent frown of concern, anger, and suppressed fury stretches upon Dark Ace's features.

"I'm aware. But you need to cheer up."

Cocks his head in confusion, eyebrows raised in surprise; movements so stiff and robotic, she wonders if he ever relaxed. Doubt it. He is strict with his own regime and hers. There is a dark cloud of horror and loyalty that oils him, and keeps him from rusting. Programmable. Let's see if this works.

"Dark Ace. I want you to smile."

"What about-"

"I can't control a storm. Smile."

His frown quivers in resistance. Stops. "Why?"

"I won't rest until you do."

She sees him click, a gear spinning from concern and worry. He tries again, trying to make it genuine and he almost succeeds. Lightning flashes again. The momentary light captures his smile, and the quick glimpse of pearly whites. It fades along with the hum of thunder.

"Hold it for longer."

His face recognises the same movement before and he maintains it now; a pleasant curl of the lip, the creases near the eyes, a soft flicker in the iris. He stops.

"Why don't you do that more often?" she inquires, almost pleading.

"It hurts. Reminds me of what I want to forget," he replies with an uncomfortable anguish.

"Forget." She pushes the buttons. New data entry. "Remember this moment."

She places her hand on his arm. A delicate petal falls, colliding with the rocky land below. Electricity streaks the crimson skies again, the soft thrum of thunder rolling behind. The window frames them, master and soldier, soldier and master; the storm now closes its eye.

"I better rest." Her hand returns to her side.

He nods.

Her presence fades from him. The heart aches for a smile again.