Arc Rise Fantasia 2
Gray: "Hello, my beloved fans!" -sends kisses to all of those who voted for him- "As expected, I won the bet!" -helds his arm up high as a symbol of victory-
Emil C.: "Yeah, the worst part is that only one person vote for me!" -starts eating vanilla ice-cream-
Tenebrae: "I feel neglected..." -sighs depressed- "Only one person vote for me..."
Gray: "Oh, c'mon you two!" -pads our heads- "At least you didn't end like Happy did..." -points towards a very perturbed exceed-
Happy: "So you see, Doctor!" -points at Gray as he talks to his imaginary psychologist- "Nobody loves me!"
Tenbrae, Gray and Emil: "Who are you talking to?" -we asked the crying Exceed-
Happy: "Who else?" -he says pointing at his imaginary psychologist again- "Doctor, these are my friends: Emil-kun, Gray-kun and Ten-Ten!" -smiles gently-
Tenebrae: "How dare you call me like that!" -starts hitting the poor Exceed with his tail-
Happy: "See, Doctor?" -points at Tenebrae with fear- "That dog over there is the cause of my hallucinations!"
Gray and Emil: "Happy..." -sweatdrop- "There's nobody there..."
Happy: "You're lying!" -glares daggers at us- "Doctor, Victor Frankenstein is real!"
Gray: "Nope, he's not." -shakes his head- "First of all, Victor Frankenstein is a imaginary character of a book and second, he is not a psychologist he's a scientist!"
Emil: "Sorry, Gray but Victor's not even a doctor he's just a college student with tons of free time" -shakes head vehemently-
Tenebrae: "Just like you, Lord Emil!" -starts laughing deviously-
Emil C.: "Why you little-!" -starts persecuting the Centurion with an ax in hand-
Gray: "Anyways..." -sweatdrops- "Disclaimer time girls!" -takes off his clothes leaving him only with his boxers- "This is my treat for you girls!" -winks at the femenine public- "Emil C. does not own Fairy Tail, Tales of Symphonia nor Arc Rise Fantasia! But he will never be as awesome as me!" - cocky smile-
Happy: "Says the guy who lost the first game of the tournament!" -points at Gray laughing his arteries out-
Gray: "Happy!" -eyes burn with fire- "You're going down!"
The Rise
Children of the Dust
Last night had been quite tedious, to say the least. And so the couple strolled aimlessly through the streets of the metropolis looking for some clues to what exactly had happened last night, what did the creature wanted of Ryfia? The question lingered in the air but none of them would say a word in the open.
"Say, L'Arc?" The young Diva laid her head beside her companion.
"Yes, Ryfia?" The young clad responded turning to find a very uneasy girl looking at him with pleading eyes. "What is it?" He said as he came closer to her with a worried look on his eyes.
"L'Arc…" The girl shyly muttered. "I'm hungry!" She spouted out as her cheeks dusted on a subtle pink hue and as a cue, both young teens stomachs started grumbling. Ryfia wanted to die right in the spot in embarrassment, as she noticed L'Arc pointing with her finger at her trying to hold his laugh.
"It's, Ok Ryfia," L'Arc said taking the girl by her hand, "so tell me, what you want to eat?"
"I would love to eat some pasta!" The girl giggled.
"But why do you want pasta, Ryfia?" His partner inquired.
"Well," Ryfia sighed playing with her hair, "my mother, Ciel, used to make it for me every night after Master Hosea gave me one of Imaginal's precepts," the girl stopped messing with her hair and stiffed a laugh. "I pray say, I was very fortunate to find a hot meal waiting for me when I came home," her eyes wondering through the people's faces as they passed her by, " and well, I miss my mother." She stated looking back to L'Arc stoic frame.
"Pasta it is." The young swordsman said, taking out a map of the city's layout.
Before long, the couple found a small café close to what used to be the second level of the Imperial City they used to know. The place wasn't as big as it seemed from the outside and it was pleasant enough taking on account them and another lady in beautiful blue and green attires were the only clients in that moment.
"I still don't get it Ryfia," the swordsman sighed, "if you didn't know how to read a map," the young man finished drinking his soda, "why did you go out there alone?"
"I already told you, L'Arc." The fair Diva raised her eyes to see intently to her partner's unreadable face. "I left the inn," she sighed trying to refrain herself of saying something that would hurt L'Arc, "because you're sleep was so serene and you seemed to be remembering…" She stopped as a grim smile made his way to her companion.
"Adele, perhaps?" L'Arc bluntly retorted crossing his arms over his chest, avoiding Ryfia's intense gaze.
"Such a lovable morning, won't you agree?" The lady beside them put the cup of tea that she was so earnestly drinking of just a couple of seconds ago down. "Oh, excuse me for my impertinence." The young woman muttered cleaning her mouth with her handkerchief, "it just seemed such a pity for two friends to be fighting in a day like this," the woman bowed courtly, "but then again, I shouldn't mess with other people's business."
"Not at all Miss," Ryfia answered first bowing gently to the lady in front, "I'm sorry if we caused you any trouble." Ryfia prayed earnestly.
"I guess we were kind of loud out there." L'Arc chuckled scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "But don't worry, Miss," the chestnut warrior assured taking the check out of the lady's grasp, "we'll pay for the meal."
"Such a gentleman," the blonde girl giggled covering her hand with her handkerchief, "but I can't allow you to pay for my luncheon." The girl waved her head gracefully.
"But, why not?" Ryfia spouted out taking the girl's hand in hers.
"I apologize," the girl took once again the bill from L'Arc's hand, "but my pride demands it," she let out coldly, "besides it wouldn't be right to trouble some tourists with my affairs." She slowly smiled at them.
"Very well then," L'Arc reluctantly replied, "by the way, my name is L'Arc," the teen said stretching up his hand to the lovely lady, "L'Arc Bright Lagoon." The lady sympathetically eyed the young man in front of her shaking his hand with a firm grip.
"And my name is Ryfia!" The girl bolted taking once again the mysterious girl's hand between hers. "It is such a pleasure to find someone as nice as you in a place like this." The girl said, letting out one of her uncontrollable displays of affection take the best of her as she started hugging the young lady out of the blue.
"Oh, Ryfia," the girl gasped a little shocked at the sudden embrace of the Diva, "thank you once again dear." She said as she let loose of Ryfia's grasp. "But I think it would be best for me to leave you to now." The girl said as she walked towards the cash register in order for her to pay her meal.
"Well, then Miss Ryfia," she courtly bow down, "Mr. L'arc," the girl remained in her bend position, "have a marvelous day!" She let a bright smile take over her rosy cheeks as she walked out of the establishment.
"Now that was some fancy way of talking," the young man mused himself, "don't you agree, Ryfia?" The swordsman said as he turned his sight to where the lady was seating just a few minutes before.
"Oh, no!" Ryfia jolted as she quickly took a beautiful handmade fan off the table and turn to see L'Arc. "She forgot her fan!" the Imaginal Diva cried flashing the wondrous accessory she picked from the table.
"Don't worry, Ryfia!" L'Arc playfully winked to his companion. "If we hurry, we can still catch up with her!" The teen said between laughs as he took ahold of his partner's arm and jolted through the streets of the city at full speed towards the fading silhouette of a certain blonde.
"Excuse me!" The couple yelled to the passer byes making their way through the crowd of people. "Miss! Hey Miss!" L'Arc yelled on the top of his lungs causing a very enthralled blonde girl to turn around and face the very tired duo of teens trying to recover their breath.
"Hello again," she said quite surprise to see the tourists she had just met a couple of moments ago facing her again, "did you need anything from me?" she asked.
"Actually, Miss…" L'Arc said trying to remember the girl's name.
"Oh, God!" The girl chimed as she remembered something of great importance. "I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself, "she bowed regally, "my name is Alice."
"Alice, huh?" L'Arc chuckled. "Well Alice," he said taking the fan out of his pocket, "don't you think you're missing something?" He showed the lost item to the blonde in front.
"My fan!" Alice exclaimed in utter joy. "I can't believe I almost lost this!" She started blushing madly at the idea of her coming back to her house without it.
"Your fan is so pretty!" Ryfia remarked, as she took another look to the piece in front of her. "It must be a family heirloom." She declared.
"Well, indeed it is." The young maiden said opening it to its full length. "It was given to me by my grandmother…" She sighed at the memory of her beloved grandma. "She gave it to me before she passed away," a sour light shined in those sky blue eyes of hers, "she gave it to me with the hope that it would keep me safe and healthy." the girl muttered.
"Well then I guess it was a good thing we came here to deliver it to its rightful owner, "L'Arc smiled to the girl in front of him, "right, Ryfia?" He said nudging her with his elbow.
"But of course," she quickly answered, "nobody's memories should be forgotten!" she stared in to the girls eyes with a comprehensive grin on her face.
"Then I'll say it again," Alice glanced at her saviors, "you Mr. L'Arc…" but the girl was interrupted by a shaking hand in front of her.
"Skip the formalities," the young swordsman replied, "just call me L'Arc!" he stated boldly gaining him an unexpected look of amusement from the lady with the fan.
"Very well, then L'Arc." The golden haired girl emphasized the last word, "like I was saying, you're really a gentleman," gaining her a light blush from the chestnut haired teen.
"Let me repay you two you kindness," Alice said looking at both of them with mischief, "by taking you in a special tour through this marvelous city!" Her eyes shined with joy.
"Well, we do need to find some clues to what's going in this city," L'Arc muttered under his breath, "and we sure don't know this place anymore." L'Arc pondered over and over again on the matter, placing his hand on his chin. "So what do you think, Ryfia?"
"Of course!" Ryfia jolted as she swung her arms over Alice's neck. "We are friends now, after all!" She stated giggling as a small child that's just been given their first gift.
"Then, it's settled!" Alice answered, taking the lead of the small group showing them every cranny and crack of the huge metropolis.
"Alice, would you mind telling us something about these funny looking robots in the town?" Ryfia said pointing to a small elliptical sphere picking up a couple of worn out soda cans.
"So, you've noticed?" She said, taking a serious stance as she turned from one side to the other. "Well, it is not a secret that the city developments have in greatly part come from a new company called 'Re-Genesis'." Alice told them, turning around to find a couple of clueless teenagers staring at her with a blank expression in their faces.
"You do know about The Company, right?" She looked sternly at the two in front of her.
"Sorry, we're kind of new to this environment!" L'Arc said rubbing the back of his head with his hand as Ryfia shyly hid behind his companion.
"Oh, there's nothing to be ashamed!" The girl laughed with all her heart making her cough. "I'm sorry for that," she said covering her hand with her fan, "it's just that it is not an everyday event for someone like me," the girl muttered fixing her dress, "to be in the presence of the 'Heroes of Fulheim'."
"The 'Heroes of Fullheim'?" Ryfia repeated the last statement. "Who are they, Alice?" The young Diva asked with interest.
"Well, isn't it obvious?" Alice responded. "Ryfia, the 'Last Imaginal Diva' who fought not only for the Divine Race but the Common Race as well…" The girl looked to the floor, "and of course the 'Last Child of Eessa'," she looked to L'Arc in the eyes, "the one who never gave up," L'Arc just blushed at such praises from the girl in front, "and the king 'Alfonse Meridia the Third' best friend." She came closer to him. "You are none other than 'L'Arc Bright Lagoon', am I correct?" She inquired with a sweet smile.
"How do you know of us?" Ryfia was the first to ask. "If it seems that everyone here has already forgot about everything…" The young Diva sighed sullenly.
"Not all of us," Alice retorted ever so fast, "I for instance, know more about this city and the story of Fullheim than anyone else in this town!" She winked at the Diva with a glint of naughtiness in her sky blue eyes.
"About that," L'Arc curiously said, "how do you know about all this things?"
"Well," she coughed quietly under her handkerchief, "my father doesn't let me go out of my house very often," she groaned heavily, "and he always makes me recite Meridia's code of conduct…" The girl trailed of as she looked to the distance. "So, in my spare time back home," she deviously smiled, "I sneaked to my house's library and read to my heart's content!"
"I get, what you mean," Ryfia replied extending her hand to the young girl beside her, "living in a life full of care and luxuries and not even being able to live…"
"A real life to its fullest…" Alice ended, with a dull look on her eyes.
The three just stayed in silence for no longer than a couple of seconds before a perky voice started yelling to their direction. "Oi! Lady Alice!" A man with raven black hair came running towards them.
"Philip," Alice muttered faking a smile, "what are you doing here?" She inquired with a cold and spiteful tone on her voice.
"What else, my beloved?" The man answered encircling arms in to Alice's waist. "So tell, me…" he eyed suspiciously to the couple in front, "who are this two runts you're with, honey?" The man venomously spouted.
"I won't allow," the blonde girl yelped slapping the new comer with her fan, "you to refer to my friends with such a language, Philip!" The calm and serene blue eyes turned dark and fiercely.
"And I would advise you," she glared at him sternly, "not to touch me like that ever again!"
"My, a feisty one, aren't you?" The man said as he slowly made his way to the blonde in front of him. "I've never said 'no' to a challenge before," his eyes glowed with a licentious smirk in his face, "and surely I won't start today." The man scoffed as he took a hold of the girl's hand.
"Unhand me," Alice yelped, "you fiend!" The girl screamed as she swung her fan around in a beautiful dance of acute cuts to the man's wrist.
"Why should I…?" The man whispered to the girl's ear.
But the man wasn't able to say anymore, as a sword came plunging from over his head making him jump out of the way of the glaive's path. Instinctively, the other man took out a lance out of nowhere and launched himself towards his attacker.
"I think the lady said," L'Arc snarled to the man in front of him, "that she didn't want you to be touching her, you slime!" the chestnut haired teen declared as the two of them clashed their swords in the heat of battle.
"And as I told my Alice before," he smirked in a cocky way, "I've never said 'no' to a challenge before," the man let out a deadly combination of thrusts and kicks to the swordsman before him, "and I won't be losing to a kid like you!"
"Well let's see," L'Arc said as he unleashed one of his most devastating artes on his adversary, "shall we?" The brunette swordsman gasped holding his sword up high. "Sword of Redemption, incinerate them all!" The man cast the spell igniting his sword on ravaging flames that flow straight to the raven haired lancer.
"I command thee, carrier of the gods!" The man's eyes went pale green as he kept on chanting and with all his might, he threw his lance right through the flames. "Apollo Shoot!"
"Dance of the northern wind," Alice opened up her fan in a defiant way, "appease those who shall defy me!" Sudden gusts of wind surrounded the girl's fan as she stared at the form the lance flying towards L'Arc. "Arcs Nova!"
Ryfia just stared in disbelief as both men felt of his tracks when a sudden cold wind came thrashing both of them rendering them unconscious.
"That is enough, Philip." The blonde girl said as she approached the man laying on the floor. "Tell Father, that I'll be there in a moment!" She stated out cold. "Tell him I'll accept my punishment whatever it might be," she groaned in defeat, "but let me just say 'good bye' to my friends."
"I'll do as you say, Alice." He smiled not with the same dark intentions he showed before, but more of an understanding smile. "Just come quickly, alright?" He said as he walked to L'Arc's side where he also rested.
"Good job indeed, kid!" The lancer laughed extending his hand to L'Arc. "But don't get too cocky with this victory," he smirked, "it wasn't you who defeated me," he pulled L'Arc up on his feet, "but the lady over there." The man pointed to a very embarrassed Alice that diverted herself of looking to either man in the eye.
"Well," he said stretching up his arms, "I'll be leaving now!" The man walked away not even looking back. "Just remember, to come back soon Alice!" the man yelled out loud getting lost again in the towering crowd of people that formed around the fight.
"L'Arc," Ryfia ran towards her beloved one, "are you alright?" She asked with tears on her eyes.
"Yeah," L'Arc mumbled under his breath, "I'm fine, Ryfia!" The young clad reassured the troubled Diva.
"I must apologize," Alice earnestly bowed to L'arc and Ryfia, "it was my fault that you got injured." she said covering her falling tears with her hand.
"Then again," Ryfia surprisingly said, "if it weren't for your prompt reaction," the girl held the Alice's hand, "I don't know what would've happen."
"Thank you," the girls sighed relieved, "thank you so much for not hating me!"
"What are you talking about, Alice?" The brunette retorted. "You were the one who was attacked by that perv!" L'Arc growled at the memory of the raven haired lancer.
"I guess you're right…" Alice whispered calmly. "Very well then," she gracefully bowed again and turned to the other side, "I hope to see each other soon!" The lady said smiling full-heartedly to her new friends and rushed to the crowd of people in the city.
"This sure has been quite the day!" L'Arc yawned as he walked beside his companion once again. "It seems that since we came to this city there's been nothing but trouble stored for us…" The young man heavily sighed.
"Yes, you might be right," Ryfia grab L'Arc from his arm, "but if we hadn't come to this place we would never had met Alice or Roland!" She retorted with a smile on her face.
"True, true!" The young man dismissed his partner's antics waving his arm back and forward.
"Besides," Ryfia giggled stopping right in front of a small cleaning robot, "we now know where this cute little things come from…" She started laughing as the robot tried desperately to escape from the young Diva's grasp.
"Re-Genesis…" L'Arc whispered under his breath. Something didn't sound right about that company and L'Arc wanted to know what it was…
"You said something, L'Arc?" The girl looked up to her companion with tenderness and joy in her amber eyes as she let go of the small robot in her arms.
"N-No, nothing at all!" L'Arc shrugged her feeling off. "I guess for now, it is fine to relax and take it easy". The young Child of Eessa said to himself.
The next morning came faster than L'Arc would've wanted it to come and even more perilous than he would've chosen to, as Ryfia jumped over L'Arc's bed and startled him off.
"Good morning, L'Arc" The radiant Diva smiled as she jumped up and down in L'Arc's bed.
"Ryfia, could you please let me sleep for a while longer," the young clad said burring himself under the pillows, "I feel tired and sore…" L'Arc complained.
"Sorry, L'Arc," Ryfia said taking L'Arc's pllow out of his face, "but today we're going to see some friends!" The Imaginal Diva declared pulling L'Arc out of the bed and in to the shower.
"And don't come out until you're bright and clean, OK?" Ryfia yelled from outside of the bathroom waiting for L'Arc to get ready.
"Damn with this girl," the young teen said as he let the water of the shower fall on him, "what exactly does she plan to take me today?" He sighed in defeat. I can't believe Ryfia actually made me get clean to see a couple of friends… Hold on a second, we don't have any friends here!
"Ryfia," the young man walked out of the bathroom, "are you sure we'll be seeing any friends in this city?" L'Arc asked carefully, trying to make her companion realize what she just said.
"Of course we will!" Ryfia appeared behind him with a smile on her face.
"Ryfia!" The young man gasped after noticing her companion wearing her late mother's dress. "Why are you dressed like that?" L'Arc inquired.
"Isn't it obvious?" Ryfia said throwing Weiss's royal outfit on L'Arc's face. "We can't go and see our friends in our casual clothes." The young maiden said fixing her hair with a pin to her back.
"Ryfia…" L'Arc stared incredulously to his partner, "surely you don't mean to go to…"
"The graveyard," Ryfia nodded with her head, "while you were fighting Philip," Ryfia took out of her bag the map of the city, "Alice showed me were some of our friends' graves were placed." The girl said handing over the map to L'Arc.
"Who knows?" The young Diva said with a grim expression. "We might even be able to see your…" The Imaginal Diva looked at his partner's eyes to find L'Arc glaring deeply in thought the outfit laid by her to use.
"Mother," L'Arc mumbled in silence, "I never told you the truth, did I?" The chestnut haired swordsman sighed as he put on his brother's clothes one more time. "Lord Weiss," L'Arc touched the fabrics in the cape, "no, brother…" He looked at himself in the mirror as he fixed his hair one last time before leaving his room. "Are you proud of me?" he said locking up his room.
"Of course they are!" Ryfia said taking hold of the young swordsman's arm pulling him closer to her side.
"Thank you, Ryfia!" She said hugging her ever so tightly. "I don't know what I would've done without you…" He said cleaning one single tear that escaped from his eye.
"Well, then let's go!" She chirped nonchalantly as her gorgeous gown flew freely in her body.
So they walked in a regal, yet excited pace thru the streets of the town. The walk in question was far longer than a couple of hours as they passed once again through the "Statue of Valor", as it was now known. The time seemed to pass far too quickly for the couple that traced along the pier getting closer step by step to their destination.
When Ryfia and L'Arc arrived to the place, they were amazed at how well taken cared was the place where their friends laid to rest. The first thing that caught the teens' attention was that at the very end of the graveyard was a small silver polished gate, containing the inscriptions:
"May our dreams and hopes caught up to you whenever and wherever you maybe,
May the gentle breeze of the past blow to you even on this day,
And the dust of the past be your guidance in the future,
The bonds of one's past are forever."
Gently L'Arc opened the door to find seven graves placed one beside the other, staring to the graves of one of the only people in the world who he considered to be not his friends but their family. Ryfia was in no lighter mood as she stared with great grief at the grave of a man who gave up his life for the city they were enjoying today. L'Arc and Ryfia took hold of each other and let the tears of despair flow freely after five hundred years of silence…
"Ryfia," the young man said beside his partner staring at Niko Bennex's grave, "did I ever tell you how I met Niko?" L'Arc asked as he seated in a small bench close to his friend… No, his brother Niko.
"No," the girl shook her head vehemently, "but I heard from Niko that you saved his life the first time you met him" She looked at L'Arc with curiosity and excitement in her eyes.
"Well," L'Arc said holding his laughter as hard as he could, "but Niko would've never admitted to anyone if I've ever done anything wrong to him…" The young man looked in to the sky as he let Ryfia and him be entangled by a memory of the past.
Flashback
"Stupid recruits' morning training," a younger looking L'Arc mumbled under his breath as he passed swiftly through the obstacles in the circuit, "why can't I just go to a mission and get over with this…?" He sighed out of frustration as he finished her third lap of the day.
"I know, right?" A guy at least three years older than him laughed at L'Arc's commentary.
"Oh, great," the boy glared coldly at the redheaded guy beside him, "what do you want?"
"Sorry," the guy said scratching the back of his head as he smiled embarrassedly, "I didn't know you were talking to yourself…" He looked at L'Arc with a goofy imitation of some puppy eyes.
"Aren't you a little bit old," L'Arc scoffed trying to get rid of the guy who just came to him, "to be training as a recruit?" He said with a twisted evil smile plastered on his face.
"Nope," he brightly smiled back to him, "I'm Niko, Niko Bennex!" the guy beamed with joy as he stretched his hand to the reluctant brunette kid beside him.
"The name's L'Arc, L'Arc Bright Logoon," he glared coldly to Niko, "and don't over use, got it?"
"Sure won't, L'Arc…" The redheaded stopped in his tracks as he came to a realization. "Wait a minute; are you Master Samuel's protégée?" The guy couldn't hold still when he saw the kid in front of him blushing madly at his question.
"Wow, you really are awesome!" The guy said as he grasped his arm on the other kid's arm. "From now on, I'll always hang out with you, buddy!" The guy hugged the kid between his arms.
"Ok, that's it!" L'Arc burst in anger as he punched Niko right in the groin. "Don't you ever touch me like that again, understood?" He viciously glared and the crumbling figure of the guy on the floor.
"My, groin!" The poor Niko yelled as his eyes started to fill up with tears.
"Oh, c'mon!" L'Arc stopped his pace turning to see Niko exactly in the same place still crying his heart out. "I didn't punch him that hard, did I?" The boy said to himself as a feeling of guilt took over him.
"Ok, fine!" He finally sputtered as he took the other boy's hand and help him get back on his feet. "I'm sorry; I'm just not a morning person…" L'Arc finally declared.
"It's fine, L'Arc…" The redheaded sighed getting off of L'Arc's grip. "It isn't the first time," Niko admitted walking to the infirmary, "nor the last time that somebody treated me like crap." The boy moved ever so slowly as he went inside a white building.
"Niko…" L'Arc whispered.
A couple of days later…
"Yo! New guy!" Two towering soldiers stood between a frightful Niko and his locker.
"He-Hello guys!" The redheaded said nonchalantly trying to make his way to his locker.
"So tell us something, loser." One of the tallest one said with a cocky attitude. "How come someone your age is still a recruit?" Both of them started laughing at that remark.
"We-Well," Niko started fidgeting with his fingers, "it's just that I'm not very physically fit…" he said as his face turned as red as his hair.
"We got that right!" The other one pointed a finger at Niko. "But what we really are asking for," he said as he leaned his body over Niko's head, "is, what is someone like you still doing here?"
"Funny of you to ask!" A familiar voice said behind the towering soldiers. "I was about to ask you the same question!" The mysterious voice mocked the two soldiers making them to turn and face him upfront.
"Well, if it isn't L'Arc-y!" One of the guys said placing a hand on L'Arc's shoulder.
"Sorry, guys to disappoint you," L'Arc took the guy's hand by the wrist turning it upside-down making the soldier scream in pain, "but I'm not as easy to 'bend' as my friend Niko there!"
"Mr. L'Arc!" The teen chimed gleefully at the display of strength L'Arc showed as he trashed down the soldiers that were bullying him.
"Are you alright, Niko?" L'Arc asked as he clasped his hands together cleaning of the dust of his hands.
"Thank you, big bro!" The redheaded teen said as he jumped over his friend with full strength.
"Get, off me!" L'Arc growled trying to free himself of his friend's grasp. "And by the way, who do you think you are to call me, 'big bro'?" He let a chuckle out of his mouth.
"But what's wrong with me calling you, big bro?" Niko questioned his savior in disappointment.
"Well for starters," L'Arc said loosing up from Niko's tight grip, "you're older than me!" the chestnut haired swordsman sarcastically retorted.
"Very well then," Niko smirked, "I'll just call you Mr. L'Arc!" He extended his hand to the young boy.
"You know what Niko?" L'Arc chuckled under his breath. "You're pretty annoying sometimes!" The boy sympathetically glanced to the redheaded before him shaking his hand with great force.
"And so," L'Arc sighed with grief, "from that they on Niko and I became friends…"
"But, L'Arc…" Ryfia gazed into the clouds. "If you knew Niko that well," she said nonchalantly, "how didn't you notice how lonely he really felt?" She gasped realizing what she just said.
"L'Arc, I'm sorry," the young Diva turned to face a gloomy looking teen, "I didn't mean to…"
"Nah, it's alright!" L'Arc said absent minded. "If I've had spent more time with him," he forced his hand into a fist, "maybe, he would've," his voice cracked into a pitiful groan, "if only I've let him call me," the swordsman muttered under his breath, " brother..." L'Arc violently turned hiding his face in shame from Ryfia's piercing gleam. "That's all he ever asked of me, why couldn't I open up to him?"
"Heh…Hehe… I guess I'm just a coward." A brokenhearted Niko looked down from the screen. "Mr. L'Arc… I'm sorry that all I ever did was cause you trouble, even in the very end."
"Niko…" Ryfia cried in silence. "We missed you so much…" The young Diva stood facing her friend's grave and started singing on his honor.
"Mother," L'Arc solemnly watched the flowers on her grave, "do you think I did wrong?" He knelt in front of his mother's tomb.
"Miss Ryfia?" An unfamiliar voice gasped in astonishment. "What are you doing here?" The young man asked approaching one of the graves with a bouquet of flowers in his hands.
"Roland!" Ryfia stopped singing turning to face the new guest.
"Good day, ma'am." The chestnut haired swordsman said vowing in front of the Diva.
"So, this is the famous Roland Ryfia's been talking about!" L'Arc smiled extending his hand to the new comer.
Both of them turned to face each other clearly as the silence of realization filled the graveyard. They couldn't leave their sigh out of each other as they found themselves looking at perfect mirrors of each other.
"Wow!" Ryfia gasped. "You're strikingly alike!" The astonished Diva declared.
Emil C.: "Say, Gray..." turn to see him-
Gray: "Hmmmm..." -looks at me nonchalantly-
Emil C.: "Don't you think we over did it this time?" -points at the unconscious bodies of Tenebrae and Happy-
Gray: "Nah!" -shakes his head- "Kicking somebody else's body is therapeutic!" -winks at me deviously-
Emil C.: "Well, let's just hope that brought back Happy to his senses..." -scratchs the back of the head-
Happy: "Hello, guys!" -happy suddenly wakes- "Isn't this a lovely morning?" -smiles at both of them-
Emil C.: "Happy, do you see any doctors in this room?"
Happy: "Not at all" -stares at me- "Are you alright, Emil?" -puts small paw in my forehead- "You don't seem to be catching any cold..."
Gray: "Told you so..." -smiles at me- "As good as new!"
Tenebrae: "Good morning thy young men!" -winks at us shapeshifting into a gorgeous woman- "Would any of you be as kind as to help me put on my garments on?"
Emil C.: "You were saying?" -glares daggers to Gray-