Once again, imspired to write!
Done his throughout the day today as I was playing Encore Mode. Took me 7 tries but I finally beat Captain Sexy...erm, Dolce...for the first time. Still gotta beat her another twice. Currently running through Mirror Lament again, just to grind some levels.
Well, chapter two is up!
Incase you forget, this takes place 3 years after the game.
Frederic = 42
Jazz = 30
Polka = 17
Allegretto = 19
Beat, Salsa and March = 11
The others are in the fic but their ages don't really matter.
Thannks to Mandolin77 for leaving me a lovely review! I am honoured to join the JazzxFred club! I heart the two of them and love how, throughout the game, Fred plays mum with the kids! Saw it a few times when Beat and Salsa argue, Fred tries to break them up!
I do hope I have managed to keep everyone in character, Fred especially!
oOoOoOoOo
Chapter 2.
The exhausted male was far too light in Jazz's arms. Carrying him down the ladder into the main bedroom proved to be a very easy task much to the raven haired males worry.
Resting Frederic down on his bed, Jazz stepped back and leaned against the door frame. Once again he took in the skinny form of the composer.
"Ok, first things first. Gotta clean that greasy mess up."
Jazz busied himself with running a warm bath for the slumbering Frederic.
Deep blue eyes finally drifted open. Running water was filling his ears, pulling him from a dreamless sleep. Pulling himself upright, Frederic took in his changed surroundings and noted the broadsword propped against his bedroom wall.
"That's right, Jazz invaded my privacy."
"Damn right I did Fred! What would have happened if you hadn't completed that piece? Just wither away and rot up there until you did? You really are crazy."
Frederic glared at the male standing in his doorway before he finally took stock and made to get up.
"First, get in that bath. How long has it been since you bathed? Then, we will go out and get you something to eat. There is nothing in this house. I have already let Crescendo and Serenade know you have completed the score pieces for their wedding so don't worry about that."
Nodding silently, Frederic slowly shuffled into the small bathroom. He hadn't walked about in a good few days and his legs felt like jelly.
Stopping infront of the mirror, Frederic saw what had Jazz so concerned. Usually, he took great pride in his appearance. His hair was always clean and well groomed, his face washed, finger nails clean. Now, he saw a pale, greasy looking disaster staring back at him. Hesitating no longer, he slammed the door to keep his modesty before stripping off his trousers and proceeding to bathe himself back into the proper gentleman he usually was.
Jazz lounged about atop Frederic's bed while he was in the bath. He counted the cracks on the ceiling, scrutinized everything in the room, stared at his nails for a time before feeling his eyes close over. Perhaps a nap would make the time go faster.
Frederic stepped out of the bathroom swaddled in a thick, fluffy white towel. It swamped his body, almost making him trip as he made his way to the dresser on the other side of his room. He didn't seem to notice Jazz out cold on his bed as he busied himself with fixing his hair and dressing in his usual dark blue trousers and coat. it was only when he sat down on his bed to pull his boots on did Frederic clock on to the sleeping Jazz.
He smiled slightly as he regarded his friend lying sleeping. A part of him wanted to curl up beside Jazz and sleep too, but Jazz was right, he had to get out of the house. If only to prove to people that he hadn't shut himself away and died in the house.
"Well? Are we going out or not Jazz?"
A small grunt was all that came from said male in question.
"Fine, I shall go without you then."
Frederic made it to the door just as he heard the floorboards creaking behind him telling him that Jazz was up and following him.
Grabbing his top hat off of the coat stand near the door and placing it atop his head, Frederic pulled his coat tighter round his body, fastening it all the way down in an effort to block out the impending cold snap. Just as he went to reach for the door handle, he noticed that one, the door was ajar and two, said handle way lying in the snow outside the door.
"Didn't you know that breaking and entering is a crime Jazz? I will have to pay to get that door fixed you know."
"I will fix it if it bothers you so much." Jazz smirked as he gave Frederic a light shove out into the evening.
An hour later, the two males had just finished a hearty meal and were sitting back in the local tavern, Jazz with whiskey and Frederic with a glass of red wine. The two idly bantered back and forth. Jazz talked about Andantino and the work they were doing in Forte. Frederic about his music and the latest pieces he had written. He then told Jazz about the change in his fighting. On a regular trip into the mountains, Frederic had been overcome by a few of the native beasts as he had headed up to the mountain Inn come shop for supplies. He decided that fighting with a baton, especially alone just wasn't enough any more. So, he had taken up the sword while still incorporating his powerful magic's. Jazz found it difficult to picture the quiet composer wielding a sword like Allegretto did. However, on closer inspection of the midnight haired male, Jazz noticed a sword, very much like Allegretto's strapped to his waist, hidden partially from view by his coat.
"I guess your just full of surprises today Fred?"
"Please, I would appreciate it if you addressed me by my proper name Jazz. Fred just doesn't sound….right."
Jazz watched as Frederic's serious face slowly contorted into a smile which then turned into hearty laughter. Given that the lightweight was on his third glass of wine, Jazz could conclude that Frederic was becoming rather drunk.
After Frederic had finally stopped laughing at himself, the two men sat in comfortable silence just watching the people pass by the window of the tavern. So occupied in people watching, they never noticed a young woman approaching them until she placed a hand on each of their shoulders.
"Surprise!" Said woman shouted, almost scaring the two men through the roof.
"Polka? What a lovely surprise." Frederic smiled as he stood to hug the beautiful young lady.
Jazz too stood up but instead ruffled her hair as a way of a greeting.
Frederic took in the young beauty standing before him. She was a bit taller, her previously thin body had filled out quite a bit more. Her blonde hair was cut quite short, framing her face perfectly. Her cheeks were pink with the cold. She was indeed glowing.
"Mind if I join you two?" Polka asked as she began shedding her thick winter coat.
"By all means, where may I ask is Allegretto?" Frederic questioned as he took her coat.
"Both himself and Beat have taken our bags to the villa. I saw the two of you and told them to meet me in here when they are done."
Polka reached up to fix her hair and in doing so turned side on to Frederic and Jazz, both males gasped at the small but very there protruding bump from under her dress.
Sensing both males scrutiny, Polka blushed as she quickly sat down, hands folded across her knee.
"Umm, I guess I should explain."
"No need Polka. I know how children are made." Frederic smiled as he placed a hand atop hers.
"Well, this is great news Polka. How long until it's born?" Jazz asked somewhat excitedly.
"About another four months yet. We were going to get married as soon as I found out but we have decided to stay in Tenuto until the baby is born then have a ceremony in Agogo Village. That means I can dress my little girl up in a beautiful yellow floral dress I have been making for the occasion."
"A girl? How are you so certain?" Frederic questioned.
"I don't know….I just feel it. There is a little girl inside of me. I know there is."
Frederic watched as Polka smiled to herself as she ran her hands over the bump that made up her stomach.
"Isn't that right my little Emilia?"
A loud gasp from Frederic caused Polka to stop talking to her bump and stare at him, mouth agape. Jazz too, looked up from sipping his drink. The look of utter fear in Frederic's face was itself terrifying.
Opening and closing his mouth a few times, Frederic finally found his voice, "E-Emilia? What….what made you choose that name?"
"Oh Frederic. I'm sorry. I have no right to give your sisters name to my child. I am sorry."
"No, it's not that. I just….it's just a shock Polka. I haven't heard her name in so long."
"I guess, I picked it out as she has been such an influence in our lives….well, yours most of all. Every note you play on your piano brings her to life. She must have been an amazing person to evoke such emotion in your playing. I thought that wherever she is, she would be happy to have someone named after her. If it displeases you, I can change the name."
"No no, my sister would be honoured to have your daughter named after her memory. I am sure of it."
"Well, she will practically be a part of your family as I want you to be her godfather. She needs someone to teach her the piano afterall."
Frederic smiled warmly at the young woman beside him. He felt a burning in his throat and a stinging in his eyes.
"Now I am the one that is honoured Polka."
Jazz smiled at the two as they continued to talk about the baby, the songs Frederic could teach her. He beautiful clothes Polka would make her. The hats Frederic would buy for her.
Before long, two new faces dropped by and sat down beside the three friends. Allegretto greeted Jazz and Frederic with his usual laid back demeanour as he pulled his chair close to Polka, quickly placing a hand atop her growing stomach. Beat perched next to Frederic and began chatting animatedly about the small business of selling Floral Powder the three of them had been doing.
Frederic noted the many changes in both Beat and Allegretto. Being nineteen, Allegretto was taller, bigger built, wiser, not to mention his hair had grown out of it's original silver spikes. Beat too was taller but was still boyishly skinny. He face was round, his cheeks still like a childs, his auburn hair too had grown significantly. Frederic also noted a much more dangerous looking rifle tucked into the folds of his coat.
After about an hour, Polka felt tired after their trip and, of course, Allegretto and Beat left with her to also turn in for the night. The rest of the group were arriving the next day and had planned to meet Crescendo and Serenade in the Castle for a late lunch.
"You ready to head back Frederic?" Jazz enquired as he finished his seventh drink of the evening.
"Despite the fact I have barely slept in the past fortnight, no I am not ready. I think seeing our friends has excited me. So much so that I feel like I could stay awake for another fortnight."
And so, the two males sat and enjoyed each others company until the owner of the tavern flung everyone out just after midnight.
Both men chatted loudly as they made their way through the streets of Baroque to Frederic's house. Jazz went so far as to steal Frederic's top hat from his head and proudly wear it down the street even though he looked utterly ridiculous in it.
Watching Frederic stumble down the path to his house was, at that moment, the funniest thing Jazz had seen in his life. It was fantastic seeing the usually stoic and quiet composer laughing, joking and having what would be called a carry on with his friends. If only he could be like that all the time.
As the two stumbled into Frederic's small sitting room, said midnight haired composer shed his coat and his crisp white dress shirt before falling with absolutely no grace onto the plush couch. Jazz removed his 'borrowed' coat and perched himself on the edge of the couch, nudging Frederic's booted feet out of the way as he did so.
"I cannot believe Polka is pregnant Jazz. I would have thought that a young woman of her upbringing would have done as society deems fit and waited until she and Allegretto were married."
"Times are changing Fred. I know where you came from, that was the done thing but, here….things are indeed changing. Also, I believe that Polka's naivety led her to believe that she couldn't become pregnant the first time."
"I see her almost like my younger sister and I do not and cannot imagine her doing anything like that. Perhaps I am too over-protective being that I never had any children of my own. I cling to her as if she were the last of my family."
"Like you did with Emilia?"
Frederic just nodded as he rested his hands over his eyes. He could feel the tears burning behind his eye sockets again.
"If you desire children, why not marry one of the many beautiful ladies of Baroque? I have heard you enchant so many with your beautiful music."
"Believe it or not Jazz, I was courting a young woman. She worked in the Castle….one of Serenade's ladies in waiting if I recall correctly. She was a wonderfully intelligent woman and musically gifted. We would talk for hours on end. She made me smile…."
"But?" Jazz questioned as Frederic faltered.
"….but….I just didn't feel it. I couldn't commit myself body and soul into the relationship. I bed her a few times….despite my unwillingness to do so. She knew my heart wasn't in it and of course, the inevitable happened and we parted ways. I still see her from time to time. She still smiles and waves as if the six months we spent together had never happened."
"Hmmm….the way I see it. She obviously wasn't the one for you Fred. She didn't shake you to the core. Make your heart want to burst with excitement. She wasn't the complement to all your small flaws. She wasn't 'the one'."
"Just like Claves wasn't the one for you?"
"Touché. Yes, like she wasn't the one for me."
Both males stared at each other for what felt like centuries before Jazz lightly slapped Frederic's legs as he pulled himself to his feet.
"I had better go. Don't want to be late meeting everyone tomorrow due to lack of sleep. Now, you, get some rest. No more piano."
Frederic too, pulled himself to his feet and walked Jazz over to the door. As he watched him go, he couldn't stop the frantic beating of his heart and the churning of his stomach.
oOoOoOoOo
So Fred? Why is your heart pounding and stomach churning eh?
