A/N: No. You are not dreaming. It's me. Hi. So. Six months. I don't think sorry would even begin to describe how I feel. But I'll say it all the same. I'm sorry this took so long. I've probably lost a lot of readers after I stopped writing for this fandom, but the release of bravely second made me jump back. This fic will not be abandoned (: Anyways, once I got down to it, this chapter was sooooo fun to write. It's also the longest one so far, so that's a plus. Set after the third crystal in chapter six but Ringabel is a walking spoiler, so better finish the game first. (Directs gaze to sister who is only on chapter 5) anyway, I'll stop rambling and give you the chapter

One of the many downsides to being an amnesiac was the inability to know when your birthday was.

After some time on their journey, Ringabel had concluded that perhaps it was better in a way that the past remained unknown. He had, after all, awoken in Norende Ravine, covered in blood, with armour hanging off of him in shreds. That didn't exactly convince him that he was a saint in his past life. Perhaps he had been a killer, a ruthless murderer. Perhaps he had been no better than DeRosa or Qada. No, the past was better left behind.

Still, there were somethings that Ringabel yearned to know. His birthday being one of them.

After the bittersweet occasion that was Edea's birthday, the atmosphere within the group had considerably darkened. Everyone was wrecked from fighting the crystal beasts, and poor Agnés was exhausted with awakening crystal after crystal. And then they had gone into the holy pillar and... Nothing. Once again they awoke in another world, the crystals reverted back to their former states. It was...draining to say the least. Discouraging. And it was made worse by what Alternis had said, and what Ringabel had seen.

Ringabel's own face was well known by him. It was a fact that he spent much of his time in front of the mirror. Not because he was vain, more because was curious. He studied his body, fingers tracing every scar, every rib. He stared into his own blue eyes as if they would unlock the box that his memories were contained in.

So when Alternis's helmet had fallen from his face, Ringabel had seen those eyes, and knew that he was no mere relative. There was only one solution, and at the time it had appeared so nonsensical. But after getting access to many of his memories, he knew that Alternis spoke the truth.

He should know. He once spoke the same words as him.

But how to tell the others?

It's not an easy thing to break to somebody. To tell them that the companion that they had been travelling with for almost a year would betray them, and ultimately lead to their demise.

Ringabel had told Tiz, somebody he knew he could trust, and that in return, would trust him. He asked him to tell Agnés. Ringabel himself would never be able to face her and tell the truth. And Edea... It was better, perhaps, to leave his sweet angel in the dark, to not remember the feeling of her limp body in his hands. Leave her thinking about more innocent things, like the kiss he had pressed upon her sweet lips on her birthday. The memory still made him smile. Her lips had tasted of sugar, something she was as sweet as.

The thought of his angel widened the grin that was starting to form on his face at these happy thoughts, and Ringabel made his way down to breakfast.

-/-/-/-/-/-/

Bless her. Although she proclaimed she hated him, she didn't want him to feel left out with this whole birthday thing. That was why, in all of her loudness and gusto, Edea Lee announced that Ringabel was to have a birthday party, two weeks from the current day. The day on which the party would fall on marked the one year anniversary of their journey together.

One year... In truth, Ringabel was onboard instantly. It could take away some of the sadness and sorrow that lingered in the air as after a year they had still failed to rid the world of the great chasm.

Agnés was surprised by the sudden announcement, but quickly agreed. Tiz nodded his head in time with Agnés.

Of course it was not an unanimous decision. One fairy didn't agree with this idea. And she fought.

"This is ridiculous!" Airy fumed.

Naturally everyone had been expecting this, and mentally prepping themselves for the outburst. They were, as a result, well equipped to fight back.

"How so?" Agnés questioned. "The rest of us have had birthday parties. It's only fair."

Airy shook her tiny head. "You don't get it. He doesn't have a birthday!"

Ouch.

"If I may correct you," Ringabel interrupted. "I do in fact have a birthday. I just can't quite recall the date on which that miracle happened."

Airy pointed a finger at him accusingly. "Exactly. There's no point celebrating it, if it's not even on that day!"

"Just shut up." Edea mumbled.

Although Airy boasted that she had excellent hearing, she somehow managed to miss that tidbit. Or perhaps she was tuning her out.

"But everyone deserves to have a birthday. If he can't remember we have to do what Edea has done and create one for him. It's not about the date, it's about spending time with friends and family, and being happy." Tiz surprised the group by speaking up, and in quite a poignant way as well.

Airy huffed in response, folding her stick thin arms around her body.

"I don't think Ringabel's happiness is nearly as important as awakening the crystals." She groaned.

If she was hoping nobody would hear that, she was horribly wrong.

"Airy!" Agnés gasped. "That's a horrible thing to say!"

An 'it's true!' Was starting to form on the fairy's lips, before she stopped herself.

"I didn't mean anything by it! I'm simply saying the crystals need to be awakened!"

"We know that." Tiz said quietly. "But maybe we need a new plan. There's only the earth crystal left, but Gigas Lich packs a punch. And the crystal monsters only seem to be getting stronger. We've been awakening crystals back to back. I think we need some time to recuperate and think about what we're doing."

Despite himself Ringabel felt a smile grace his lips. Trust Tiz to be the voice of reason. Unfortunately, Airy didn't seem to be willing to listen to reason.

"What we're doing? There is no way to change the plan! There is simply awakening the crystals! We can't do anything different!" Airy argued.

"What if we break them?"

The words were out of Ringabel's lips before he could stop them.

"Huh?"

"The crystals. What would happen if we broke one?"

Airy sighed in exasperation. "We've been over this. The world will never recover from darkness!"

"The world will never recover from darkness at this rate!" Ringabel snapped, fist banging down on the table, upsetting his plate. "We're doing the same thing and it's not working! Tiz's right, we need to change our plan! Breaking a crystal may be risky, but so is every moment we spend failing to cleanse the world from darkness!"

The outburst had the surprisingly satisfying effect of shocking everybody into silence.

Airy laughed uneasily. "Third time's the charm?"

Ringabel shook his head, delving deeper into his thoughts. No, nothing would happen, at least not until that counter on her wings ticked down to 0. Perhaps then she would unleash her true colours to the world. And this time, Ringabel wouldn't fail.

The sudden realisation was funny. The side they had been fighting against had been right all along. The crystals were dangerous, and not to be tampered with.

Alternis was right.

Tiz knew, although his measure of belief was another question. If Tiz's words were correct, Agnés knew as well, although she was probably very doubtful. Breaking it to Edea was the last step. And Ringabel didn't want to do that.

"The sage has left us a note on where he has disappeared to." Agnés broke the silence.

Tiz nodded. "Yes. The once saying he's in the room where the council of six's meetings are held?"

Agnés nodded. "I propose that we meet him and see what he has to say. He's given us lots of helpful information and perhaps we can fight some enemies on the way. We haven't had much time to get stronger with awakening all the crystals. I think a two week break is in order. We can celebrate Ringabel's birthday in the meantime."

Ringabel wanted to burst into applause, but thought the stunned silence did the job better.

"I don't trust that sage. You won't even tell me what he's been telling you and Tiz. I'm afraid he's been spouting lies!" Airy mumbled.

Agnés smiled gently. "Don't worry Airy, I won't take anything he says too close to heart."

Airy nodded. "Good. And don't believe any of that nonsense the Eternians are saying. They don't know the crystals as well as is cryst-fairies. And that goes for anyone else doubting us and the crystals. Don't listen to them!"

At this point her gaze swivelled and locked onto Ringabel, who managed to stop himself from gulping. She was so onto him.

"True. The sage is a bit of an odd one. I'd say he was even worse than Ringabel, but I'd never hear the end of that." Edea didn't avoid Ringabel's gaze, seemingly daring him to say something.

So he did.

"I'd hope I was more attractive than an old man. Although he does have many more years of experience in how to charm a woman..."

Edea wrinkled her nose. "Eww! Ringabel that's disgusting!"

She was glaring at him, but he could sense her relief hat he had said something Ringabeley. As of late, he had been quite quiet, something that Edea had actually pointed out. It was not on purpose of course, but the past few weeks had been... overwhelming to say the least.

"So it's settled then!" Agnés smiled. "Let's go and see the sage!"

Ringabel would drink to that.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Nobody wanted to leave Alternis on the floor, wallowing in his own despair and guilt. But the sage had beckoned them onwards, and the dark knight was near death, the rage that had spiralled him through the battle gone, his wounds reopening. Agnés had left him with a prayer upon his soul, much to Airy's chagrin. Agnés claimed that she respected him for his chivalrous dedication to his cause. Tiz had stood next to her whilst she did that, trying to avoid Alternis's gaze which was screaming at them to go, to leave him to die. Edea had left as soon as the battle was over.

And Ringabel, Ringabel was still staring into the black helmet that obscured his own face and wondering what to do.

"You go on ahead." He decided. "I, ah, I may need a moment."

Agnés and Tiz left solemnly, as if they were leaving a graveyard, and not a young girl's chamber.

"What do you want?" Alternis's voice was choked with tears unable to be seen underneath his helmet.

Ringabel mulled over his response, before ultimately settling on a blunt approach.

"Can you take off your helmet?"

It sounded innocent, like a child asking an adult if they could grow wings and fly. Ringabel could imagine Alternis's face contorting in confusion, his expression similar to ones he himself had made.

"Why? So you can gloat?" the dark knight snapped in response, voice bitter with sadness and hatred.

Ringabel shook his head. "You know I wouldn't do that. We wouldn't do that."

Ringabel had been expecting more of a fight, some anger, but to his surprise Alternis practically threw off his own helmet down at his feet.

Staring into his own face made Ringabel double take, despite him expecting it. The look of pure utter despair on Alternis's face was strangely familiar to Ringabel, perhaps an expression he himself had once wore.

"I'm sorry." Ringabel breathed, looking directly at his own blue eyes.

"Don't be." And Alternis's voice, so harsh and pained without the helmet was rasping, weakening with every word. "Don't be unless you lose her. Don't make the same mistake I did. Don't let her die."

They both knew he was talking about Edea.

Ringabel closed his eyes. "I won't."

When he opened his eyes Alternis was still staring at him expectantly.

Ringabel swallowed. "I promise."

Alternis Dim died peacefully, knowing that the Edea that had defeated him would live on.

Ringabel wished he could have that same confidence.

-/-/-/-/-/

"Ringabel?"

He turned quickly, almost dropping the asterisk he cupped between his hands.

"Oh, umm hello Agnés. To what do I owe the pleasure?" his words faltered in his shock and surprise.

Agnés peered curiously at the asterisk he held.

"What's this one? Oh... Dark Knight." once figuring out which one it was, she fixed Ringabel with a hard expression.

"What?" he protested. "I just wanted to try it out."

Agnés's eyes were distrusting, but she slouched in defeat.

"I guess there's nothing wrong with that. Just be careful Ringabel."

After inserting one of his generic flirts and reassuring her that he would be, Ringabel donned the dark knight asterisk. It fitted like a glove.

Of course, it was made for him.

-/-/-/-/-/

Peaceful sleep was the best.

Ringabel woke up on the day of his 'birthday' with sleeping needs fulfilled. It was the perfect time in the morning too, not too early, the sun was just up, but not late enough to constitute a panic.

Tiz's bed was empty, he had clearly gotten up early to prepare.

A smile formed on Ringabel's face. Despite the doubt and worry eating at him, he was excited for this occasion.

He went down to the tavern, his grin widening when he saw all of his friends scattered around the room sorting things out, freezing when he entered.

"O-Oh! Ringabel!" Agnés let out a surprised noise. "We weren't expecting you to be up so early! We're not quite ready!"

Ringabel made a show of averting his eyes from the room to reassure Agnés.

"I'm always up early. Sleeping in is Edea's job."

The smile developed into a smirk as he heard Edea's annoyed huff. She would probably hate it if he admitted it, but Ringabel found that noise quite adorable.

A few minutes passed, and the sound of rustling behind him had mostly died down, so Ringabel opted to speak again.

"As much as I enjoy staring at this finely crafted wall, may I ask whether you're ready?"

"Um yeah." that was Tiz's voice. "I think so."

"Sounds confident." Ringabel teased lightly as he turned to view the scene.

The tavern was decorated in a similar way to the style it had been in on Ede's birthday, but the food adorning the tables were savoury rather than sweet. A large coffee cake took the centre. His friends were gathered around the table, staring at him with hopeful eyes. Datz and Zatz were just entering the room, back from checking on the ship. To Ringabel's surprise Airy was also in attendance, resting lazily on Agnés's shoulder. He wasn't sure why she had shown up. Perhaps for more of those fairy cakes.

Upon realising that everyone was waiting for him to say something, Ringabel cracked a warm smile.

"It looks good guys. Thanks."

That seemed to be his companions cue, as they instantly relaxed, settling into conversation and food. A whole year, Ringabel thought to himself. Although he had known them for longer. They had become closer over the last year, a family more than an army. He smiled at the very thought of it.

"Happy birthday, Ringabel." Agnés floated by him, smiling gently,

"You do realise it's not my birthday today." Ringabel pointed out, grinning.

"Well, it would be simply unfair to not give you a birthday just because you don't remember it."

"I do know my birthday. It's January the twenty sixth. I'll turn 24." he blurted impulsively.

He didn't even know why he said that. He didn't even know for sure if that was the actual date.

Agnés paused.

"When did you remember that?"

After double checking that Airy was gone from her shoulder Ringabel answered in a low voice.

"A week ago? Definitely after you announced this whole thing. I'm twenty three. I'm practically middle aged." he put on a trademark smirk to lighten the mood.

It worked, Agnés let out a small giggle."We'll have to treat you with respect then as our elder."

Ringabel did one of his overly dramatic bows. "Treat me any way you like. As long as it's with love."

Agnés blushed as red as a strawberry, and conveniently enough Tiz chose this time to walk over and join the conversation .

"Happy birthday Ringabel."

"Hello there, dear Tiz. I was just asking our fair Agnés to love me with all her heart." there was a dramatic pause, in which Tiz was practising his unamused face, before Ringabel continued. "Platonically of course."

Agnés nodded furiously.

"Besides," Ringabel went on. "I've found my angel. I'm not going to lust after another."

"I seem to recall you doing that quite a lot." Tiz said dryly.

Fair point. "That was then. When my angel seemed practically unattainable. But now things are quite different. Why, whilst we were at dinner at her birthday, I even got her to kiss-"

"I did what now?"

Edea Lee raised one eyebrow, her face fixed in a challenging smirk. Ringabel faltered slightly, before picking himself up again.

"It's not important. " he reassured her, ignoring her questioning glare. "We have better things to get to. Like... Um..."

"Presents?" Tiz suggested weakly.

Ringabel latched onto this suggestion as if it was a lifeline.

"Yes! Yes. I simply must know what wonderful things my brilliant friends got me."

Although Edea could maintain her former line of questioning, she was easily distracted by the prospect of present giving.

"Oh yeah! Who should go first?"

"Well. Ladies first." Ringabel grinned.

Edea immediately passed off the honour of first present to Tiz.

"You'll have to do. "Ringabel teased, ruffling the young man's hair.

Tiz nervously passed the neatly wrapped parcel to Ringabel.

When was the last time Ringabel had gotten a birthday present? It had been so long ago, before Edea had been stationed to the Sky Knights, before he had left Eternia to zig zag across Luxendarc for the Grand Marshal. Years.

Ringabel felt a slight twinge at the back of his head and instantly stopped thinking about his past. He wouldn't have the party ruined by his head acting up.

He felt the parcel. It was book shaped, that was clear. But what kind of book? Ringabel didn't have himself anytime to muse over this, as he instantly started unwrapping the paper.

A journal.

A journal, a fancy R imprinted on the front, almost identical to the journal he had on him when he was found.

"I know it's a small thing, but you seem to be writing an awful lot in your current one, and I was just thinking that if you run out of space you could use this instead." Tiz's voice trailed off. "This was stupid, wasn't it?"

Ringabel leaped to comfort the boy he thought of as his little brother.

"No, Tiz! I love it. More personal, closer to the heart. I shall treasure your gift like it is a blessing from the crystals." Ringabel smiled.

Tiz returned the grin. "Well, I'm glad you liked it."

Ringabel traced his fingers around the journal's spine, marvelling at how familiar it was to his current journal. He had an incredible urge to ask Tiz where he had gotten it, but he figured he already knew the answer.

Tiz fidgeted, awkwardly, staring at the ground.

Ringabel suddenly enveloped the younger boy into a gentle hug, startling him.

"Uh... Ringabel?"

"Hush Tiz. Lady Agnés will survive without you for just a few moments."

Ringabel grinned at the red seeping up Agnès's cheeks, and released Tiz.

"Now, he is yours."

Some form of awkward laughter drifted from the pair's mouths.

"Um. Actually, there's something we'd like to share." Tiz glanced at Agnés, who nodded.

Ringabel raised an eyebrow at their serious expressions.

"Is this a declaration of love?"

And then his eyes fell upon their hands, intertwined, fingers curling around each other. And he understood.

For all the times he had joked and teased about Tiz and Agnés, now that it was actually happening, he wasn't sure how to react.

"Agnés and I," Tiz began. "We're-"

"Together." Agnés blurted, and then, once making sure Airy was out of earshot, continued. "Tiz declared his love for me by presenting me with a flower. A magnolia. And I... Well. I know I declared chastity when I became a vestal, but I know Tiz will not distract me from my duty, he will only harden my resolve and passion."

"She's a ray of hope to me." Tiz added. "I wouldn't leave her for the world."

Edea let out a small cheer. "Woohoo! I told you that he would ask you eventually, Agnés!"

Ringabel grinned, a genuine smile of happiness. "And I told you, Tiz, that all you had to do was ask."

Edea whooped again, and this time Agnés grimaced slightly. From her place at the other end of the room, Airy looked over.

"I'm sorry Edea, but could you please be a bit quieter we-" Agnés began.

Realisation hit Ringabel like a ton of bricks.

"Airy doesn't know."

Agnés bit her lip, worry clouding her eyes. "It's not that we don't trust her. It's just..."

"We haven't got the chance to tell her yet." Tiz interrupted. "And we might leave it until after this whole crystal business is done, We think it's stressing her out."

"Correction. It's stressing us all out." Ringabel muttered.

Still, he definitely understood the logic. He didn't even want to think about how Airy would react to the news that Agnés and Tiz were getting all buddy buddy.

Tiz nodded in agreement. "Well, enough about us. It's your birthday. Agnés, Edea... Presents."

Agnés snapped to attention, nodding furiously. "Of course!"

She fumbled with some sort of package, before presenting it to Ringabel sheepishly.

"I wasn't sure what exactly to get you... So I um went to a blacksmith and asked them to create a weapon."

Ringabel freed the weapon from its paper. It was a spear. And suddenly Ringabel realised the significance. He had met the group with a spear by his side, an old rusty thing that they now kept in the storage room for nostalgia's sake. This spears were nearly identical,but Ringabel knew instantly that it was far more powerful than his old one. Ringabel naturally wanted to try out a few practice swings but decided to spare the cakes and snacks on the tables. Spears... Best with valkyrie, naturally, a class he had not really touched. The way his face was obscured by a mask never set well with him. A beautiful face like should never be hidden underneath an uglier facade. He had said something like that once they had gained the valkyrie asterisk. The irony was almost unbearable. Before he had lost his memory Ringabel had rarely ever taken the dark knight's helm off.

He pushed his mind away from the past, and instead smiled broadly at Agnés.

"Thank you very much. I will try it out as soon as I am able."

Agnés smiled shyly. "I know it isn't much, but I-"

"It's a very thoughtful gift, Agnés. Both yours and Tiz's. You two are quite good at invoking feelings of nostalgia." Ringabel grinned.

Tiz and Agnés both sighed in relief, hands still linked. Ringabel thought it was adorable.

Edea seemed eager to get the attention on her. Ringabel smiled, turning his gaze on her.

"Yes, my angel?"

"Your present isn't in here. C'mon. It's in the training room."

"You mean the room where you dug a hole in the wall with a spear?" Ringabel questioned, chuckling lightly.

Edea huffed, walking off in the direction of said room.

Ringabel followed her, each step lightening the heavy burden of his thoughts.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"I don't... I don't understand."

And it was back, a headache snapping and snarling at him, the past coming back to him in waves.

For this helmet Edea had just handed him was a dark knight's helm. And not the normal asterisk helm. This smelled old, worn.

This was Alternis's, of this world.

Ringabel was holding his dead counterparts armour in his gloved hands.

Edea was looking at him, slightly nervous, unsure of what he would say.

"Edea. This. This is Alternis's."

Edea nodded. "He wanted-"

Ringabel held up his hand in protest, which strangely enough, managed to silence her. "To hell with what he wanted! Edea! You took this off his dead body. That's disrespectful! That's-"

"What he wanted." Edea repeated, and then, dubiously, out of seemingly nowhere, she produced Alternis's blade.

"Edea..." Ringabel's expression was one of disapproval, of badly hidden anger.

Edea didn't falter, releasing Ise-No-Kami from its place by her side.

"Fight me, Alternis?"

The request shocked the older boy, and then, as the words sunk in, disgusted him.

"You just want to be able to fight him one more time." he accused, but his words had lost their commanding tone and oomph.

"And you just want to find yourself again." Edea retorted, smiling softly, and then repeating her request. "Fight me, Alternis?"

It was his name, but he hadn't quite got used to it being used to address him. It was unfamiliar, but yet... He didn't mind.

"Edea. I don't wish to hurt you."

The girl who had captivated the stoic dark knight's heart only grinned.

"You won't even get a chance."

-/-/-/-/-/-/

Edea had been taught by one of the finest swordsman in all of Luxendarc. Nobanstu Kamiizumi had taught her many things, and many skills. She was no ordinary fighter.

But Ringabel had gotten lessons under the fabled sword master as well, along with personal lessons with Braev. He was fearsome with a blade, and despite how strange holding Alternis's sword felt, Ringabel couldn't shake the irritating thought from his head that this was meant to be.

The dark knight helmet fit snugly over his head. It had settled back there with a familiar click. The armour easily fitted him. It seemed he had not changed. He looked up and readied himself.

Edea, as always made the first move. She liked to start with a violent tackle, Ringabel recalled from the back of his mind, his memory dredging up past training sessions and fights he had had with Edea back when he was Alternis Dim. It was funny, and a little ironic, about how now he had his memory back, his memory seemed extremely sound.

Well. There still was a lot of holes.

Ringabel dodged Edea's attack easily, and then half heartedly sent in his own attack. Edea blocked it, and then glared at him, sensing that he was holding back.

"You don't need to hold back. Give it all you've got!"

"Understood." Ringabel would've said more, spun an eloquent tale with words, but hearing his own voice, distorted by the helmet shocked him too much to follow up.

He attacked, with a bit more strength in his swing this time. Perhaps shocked by his sudden change of heart, Edea nearly missed it, holding up her blade to block it. It was a sloppy block, but Ringabel allowed her some time to recover from it. She struck again, a fast blow that nearly caught him off guard, but not quite.

He lunged forwards, forcing her to roll backwards, widening the space between them.

Edea ran forward, her katana held firmly by her side.

And she flew.

Sorry, jumped was the correct word. But the way she lifted herself into the air and did a single somersault in the air, directly over his head, it was something only a being with wings could do. A smile tugged at Ringabel's lips. He always knew she was an angel.

Edea landing and lunging forward brought him back to the present, and his quick reflexes parried the blow.

They exchanged other attacks, not exchanging any words, allowing their blades to speak for them.

Finally, just when Ringabel could feel sweat pouring down his face in buckets, Edea decided to end it.

"Besides," she said, wrinkling her nose. "We don't what you being all sweaty and gross for your birthday."

Ringabel started taking off his armour. He didn't even want to think about how he smelled.

"You're still as good as I remember." Edea murmured, catching his eye.

Ringabel grinned. "And you even better."

Edea rolled her eyes, but she was grinning wildly. "Ringabel." she said, and then corrected herself. "Or would you rather I call you Alternis?"

"Ringabel." he said firmly.

Alternis was who he used to be, the man behind the dark knight's helm. Ringabel was Alternis, all the horrifying experiences he had weathered, and more.

Alternis was then, Ringabel was now.

"Ringabel it is then."

-/-/-/-/-/-/

Tiz entered the bedroom he shared with Ringabel cautiously, smiling when he saw the person he was looking for. Ringabel was staring out the bedroom window, at the sparkling lights of Florem. Tiz couldn't place his stance, or his stern expression, but he came to his side all the same.

"Do you want to go there?" Tiz asked doubtfully.

Ringabel replied with a firm shake of the head. "No. I can't look upon it with anything more than contempt now."

Tiz gave him the best reassuring smile he could muster, and then, faltering slightly, he joined his friend, and in a way he supposed, his brother, in staring out at the bright beautiful city that held more corruption that any outsider could ever imagine.

Tiz was unsure how long they stood there, in comfortable silence, but it must have been a long time, because when Edea burst open the door, and pointed at the clock at the wall, he realised at least an hour had passed.

"They've got the cake ready." Edea said, a hint of disgust in her voice. "Coffee cake. Ew. I was all ready to eat some of the proprietress' super chocolate cake today, but all you have is savoury things."

Tiz shot her a warning look, but Ringabel only chuckled.

"Not everyone can ingest so much sugar, my dear."

Edea murmured something, and then walked out.

Ringabel smiled at Tiz, and jerked a thumb towards the door. "Shall we?"

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

The singing was off kilter, a mush of voices ranging from high to low. But to Ringabel's ears it was the sweetest music he had ever heard. He couldn't remember the last time he had a birthday like this. In fact he wasn't sure if he had even celebrated his birthday when he was Alternis Dim.

First Birthday then, first proper birthday that he would remember for all his years. He looked around him, at the people he loved so much, and then at Airy, perched innocently on Agnés's shoulder, the number three firmly imprinted on her wings. She stared at him, and then abruptly looked away.

Just two more worlds. And then the timer would click to 0.

Then Ringabel would protect them with his life.

He leant forward, closed his eyes, and blew.

A/N: ...Okay it wasn't great, but it was far superior to the last chapter, right? I hope people are still reading after all this time and that bravely second will bring some people back to this fandom. Also since Tiznes is now SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS CANON SPOILERS END SPOILERS END, I felt that it was necessary to conclude if. Lol, nearly forgot guest reviews. Here guys have your five month late replies!

End Layer: I think I let you down... Lol. Thanks but somebody posting a chapter a day is probably better than my disastrous updating scheduled. You can marry it sure. But you'll have to marry the whole story. Including the characters. INCLUDING AIRY. So. Um. Think about that. And yes there is plot, very flimsy plot, and yes Airy is a word that I can't put down lest I want to move this rating to teen.

Pokemonluver151: Thank you! This chapter has less Ringedea (no kissing) but it's still very apparent. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Heh. Bet you thought this was the last chapter. But there's one left. Airy's birthday. Oh boy. This should be fun.

Please review, reviews mean the world to me (: