So, since apparently I have the attention span of a crack-addled weasel, I've been writing short stuff like this instead of working on Grace like I should. These are random, have no allegiance to any one game, and have no set formats. All characters and suchlike are Konami's, you know the drill.
First up are fics which I technically first wrote in Japanese because my teacher wanted us to write every day. They have been translated and cleaned up, but you still might find some awkward structures. This is my fault of translating too literally. Or maybe I just suck at writing. Anyway, first I jumped ahead in Grace. Enjoy the preview, as you'll probably never get to see it in the real fic.
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Annette had been waiting. She said she would, and so that was all she did, for one whole year. For all of that year, she kept her hope alive, not daring to believe that Richter was gone, that he would come back, no matter where he had gone. Richter would come home. Surely.
Then, one day, her little sister came home. Maria had been out looking for Richter even since he had dissappered that cold night, certain she could find him again. So when Annette saw Maria coming up the road, she thought "She'll have brought him home. Waiting was right."
But Maria's face was sad, and her voice far away when she said "Richter...I'm sorry. Really, I'm sorry, sister."
Maria had done her best. Perhaps Richter just couldn't be saved. Absolutely couldn't be saved. And maybe, maybe...it was better that way.
A few days later, Maria had set out again. All she had said was "I want the truth.", and Annette couldn't stop her.
"Why?" Annette had asked her sister, not wanting to see her lost for no reason and sense as well. "You might also not come back. Please, don't go." But Maria had gone anyway. She was like that, running off to dangerous places like it was game, a game she had to win. Annette was different. Maria could go out to fight and defeat the darkness, and Annette would wait at home and pray. This...this was all she could do.
And she would do it as best she could.
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# Pound signs mean comments. Death speaks all in caps because I read too much Terry Pratchett, and it's an easy way to never mistake him for anyone else.
Mathias didn't like the Grim Reaper, and both of them knew that. He hated God, but still the Reaper had been the hand that had taken away Elizabeta, even if he had not given the order. That was a fact.
But the Grim Reaper was all Mathias had left, and they both knew that as well. This was also a fact. Leon, Rinaldo, and Sara...everyone had been thrown away. The Church still wanted him back, but it would be a cold day in hell before Mathias ever walked into a Chapel again willingly, and he would know when hell went cold. So then, Death was the only one left. So, knowing this, Mathias began to teach Death chess, in an attempt to while away the long nights of immortality.
ONE MORE TIME. HOW DO THE KNIGHTS MOVE?
"Ah...like this. Jump and across...see?"
I SEE. I SHALL TRY TO REMEMBER NOW.
"Good." And for a moment, there was almost a smile.
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"He's...a big guy.", Mina thought. "A little scary too." Soma and Arikado both had told her that Hammer was not a bad guy, and he wouldn't hurt her. But still...
"Oi, lady!"
"Ye...yes?" Oh, she had sounded too scared! Now he knew she was frightened of him, now what?
"Hey, hey, I'm not that scary, am I? I just wanted to know your name, not eat you all up." Hammer almost sounded friendly, but would it be too dangerous to tell him her real name?
"Mina. Hakuba Mina." Well, too late for it now. Habit had taken over before she could give it more of a cursory thought. She comforted herself with the knowlage that if Hammer was going to attack her or something, that he knew her name would make no difference. It was scarcely comforting in the least.
"That's a pretty name. So, Miss Hakuba, how'd you get yourself in a place like this?"
"Ah, Mina is fine." Maybe a bit too friendly, but he didn't seem like he was going to try anything, and maybe being friendly would help keep him that way. "Soma, you've met him, and I were at the Shrine when the eclipse happened, and then we were here. That's all I know."
"That's all /anyone/ knows. That was me too...doesn't seem fair, you know? Wish someone was around to help us out. Sure would be convenient, yeah?"
"Well, maybe Mr. Arikado and Miss Yoko..."
"With ya there...those two, they know more than they're telling. But they never tell the rest of us folks anything. Annoying, isn't it?"
"I don't know. I'm sure they have good reasons." After all, what other reason could there be? Though to be honest, it seemed like neither of them had ever really told her what they were doing at the Shrine...
"Hahahahah! You're a good little girl, looking out for your friends like that!"
Mina couldn't think of a thing to say to a weird thing like that. It sounded like some sort of bizarre compliment, though a little...old fashioned. She hadn't been called a "little girl" in /years, and she wasn't quite sure how to react. She was eighteen, after all. It didn't seem like Hammer had needed a reply, though, or maybe she had just waited too long, because after a few minutes he had turned around again and gone back to what he called a little shop. "But maybe..." she thought "Hammer isn't such a bad guy after all. He acted friendly enough, at least." And after that, the two waited in slightly more comfortable silence.
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"Lydie."
The voice woke Lydie up from a deep sleep, blinking in confusion. It sounded like Maxim was outside. But Maxim had left two years before on a long trip. Was he really back?
"Is that really you, Maxim?"
"Yes, Lydie, it's really me. Look." Lydie ran over to the window and looked out. Just outside, in the garden, was what looked like Maxim, if he was a few years older.
"Maxim! I'm so glad to see you again. You left so long ago...why are you back? Are you hurt? Or did you just get lonely?" She asked while yawning. It was the middle of the night.
"No, no. I'm fine. I found what I was looking for so...I came back." He laughed and held out his hands, showing the simplicity of it all.
"Oh, really? That's good...but it's the middle of the night. Couldn't this wait until morning?" Lydie didn't really want to admit it, but she was a little worried. Maxim did like the night, and Lydie was well used to being woken up to go off on some adventure. Always Maxim was dragging Juste and her along off to some weird place, but it was usually fun. This...seemed off.
"Now, Lydie. I want to show you what I've found. Come on."
"Maxim? This isn't like you. Maybe...we should go get Juste as well, and we'll all go together? How's that?" Juste would know how to deal with this.
"Juste...maybe later. I want you be to the first too see this. Won't you come?"
Lydie thought. Maxim /looked/ all right, but he also seemed a little strange. Something not quite right she just couldn't put her finger on. Besides the sudden insistence that she come with him without Juste...usually they did everything together. But on the other hand, maybe Maxim just didn't want Juste coming along and showing off like he usually had done. Maxim had gone away for two years looking for whatever it was, after all. He had no way of knowing how much they had both grown. Lydie shook her head to clear it. It was only Maxim. They had been friends since childhood, why was she suddenly being so suspicious? Of course she would come along, and then they could run back and get Juste. "All right. I'll go get dressed, so give me a little time."
She didn't notice Maxim's odd smile in the darkness...
---
Hugh sat at the top of the tower waiting for Nathan. Just a little bit longer, and it would all be over, but waiting was so hard. He desperately wanted to just go and rescue his father and save him from that demon. But he knew, Nathan would arrive just in time to mess things up. Nathan had been doing that throughout the castle, always trying to be the better one. And his father had gone along with it, all throughout the training! He had always liked Nathan more. But Hugh was the better one, he always had been. Nathan had never been in the same league as him, always losing and falling behind, so they'd have to go over the same things over and over again... And even then, his father had given Nathan the whip and the succession, not him! Not his own son! Nathan wasn't a bad person...but it would be Hugh to get them out of this devil's castle, it would be Hugh who rescued his father, it would be Hugh who was the hero. And then...everything would be all right. He didn't want to kill Nathan, but if he insisted on being the way, well...hopefully that wouldn't happen. Sometimes people needed waking up, though. Heh. Nathan wouldn't be doing much waking if he kept on his path. And his father would understand. After Hugh was the hero who rescued all the world, it would all be all right, even without Nathan. His father would look at him. He would be noticed.
He would be praised.
