Arle's father still hasn't been found. She's searched for so many years, but with nothing to show for it, she's ready to surrender to the darkest possibility. Amitie and Ringo, however, won't allow such an ending to exist. Requested by a tumblr anon!

Decade Lost

Her father had gone missing when she was merely four years old. He simply vanished with the wind, gone without a trace. Other magicians searched far and wide for him, but his existence was like that of a fleeting ghost, present for a second and gone when one turned to gaze upon him.

Arle remembered how her mother wept. Curled up in her bed, the blankets covering her entire thin, shuddering frame, it was a sight that still haunted her lonesome dreams. She only remembered snippets of her father, but it was that sight of her mother, so frail and morbid, that stayed with her as she pondered just what had happened.

She recalled cruel rumors growing up that her mother was responsible, but her grandparents silenced them. They insisted that their dear daughter had not harmed a single hair on his head, and with their influence, those rumors became the gossip between families at their dinner tables. When Arle gathered the courage to ask her mother if she knew anything at the vibrant age of ten, her mother relented.

"Your father battled a necromancer. They were classmates, old friends who attended the same magic school as you, but they drifted apart. Your father chose heroism while his friend sank deeper into villainy." The way her mother's shoulders had sagged twinged Arle's heart. "Your father wanted to protect him, so he asked me to keep the duel a secret. It was a brilliant battle, but when the smoke cleared, both of them were gone. I couldn't find him no matter how hard I tried. I'm sorry, Arle, I'm so sorry."

She knew her father was a powerful sorcerer. He could conjure fire and ice with a simple snap of his fingers. He didn't even need to chant or shout a spell's name. If he willed it, then magic happened. In the currents of her murky dreams, she immersed herself in his kindness, the gentle, quivering baritone of his voice, and the way his arms held her as he consoled her when pixies played pranks on her in the woods.

So, she had started her own long journey. Finding him wouldn't be easy. Not even her mother knew if he was alive. Without any clues, without any current witnesses, she felt like she was digging herself into an endless pit.

"Hey, Arle?"

Her head snapped up, her brow relaxing. Fixing her bangs, she managed to quirk her lips into a grin as Amitie and Ringo looked back at her. Before them was a simple monster blocking their path in the forest, one she could dispatch effortlessly much like her father.

"We asked if you wanted to take care of it," Ringo said, the dog-like jelly beast growling at Carbuncle.

"Oh, sure! Fire!" Arle shot out her hand, the spell shooting the monster into the sky.

"Are you okay?" Amitie asked, tilting her head and leaning towards her. "You haven't said much during our walk."

"I haven't? Sorry." She itched her neck, Carbuncle scurrying back onto her shoulder.

"Well, judging by the complex expression crossing your face…" Ringo nodded. "...the safe conclusion is that you're lost in thought."

"Oh, good deduction as always, Ringo!" Amitie beamed, missing the way Arle gnawed on her lower lip.

She glanced at Carbuncle, finding her dear companion's ears lowering. He hadn't spoken either, his chirping silenced with her contemplation. She must have worried him as she pondered where to search while her friends chattered on about activities happening in Primp Town.

"To be honest-" She sucked down a breath. "-I was thinking about my dad."

"I didn't know you had parents!" Amitie blurted, eyes widening, her hands shooting to her chin.

A wary chuckle wobbled inside her mouth. "Yeah, I don't really talk about them, do I?"

Ringo hummed, crossing her arms. Arle's posture was tense, shoulders rising and knees locking. She wasn't sure if pressing the issue was appropriate, but Amitie continued, asking if they could meet him.

The way her eyes jerked open and how she took a step backwards told Ringo everything she needed to know.

"My dad...isn't around," Arle admitted, and Ringo's analytical expression softened, sympathy quickly replacing it.

"I'm sorry, Arle. I didn't mean to hit a nerve," she said, gently touching her forearm.

"No, no, I'm...glad you picked up on it." She patted Ringo's hand. "My dad has been missing since I was a little girl."

Amitie's voice lowered, the severity of her words pinching her heart. "He-he has?"

"I thought if I could become a great sorceress, than I could find him one day." She closed her eyes, the feeling of her father's large, warm hand rubbing her head. "He...just vanished after a battle, and I've always wanted to find him. If I could become as masterful as him, than I just thought…"

Trailing off, she wondered if he would ever return. Over a decade had passed since her mother had last seen him bravely battling his former friend. All of the evidence suggested his demise, but without a body, she didn't want to believe it.

Saying what had happened, however, caused her to inch away from that path. She was forced to face the potential futility of her journey. Despite all of her efforts, she hadn't gained anything. She had nothing to show for trying to find him, and he hadn't made any attempts to contact her. Knowing what little she understood about her father, Arle gulped, her fingers clenching into tight fists.

"We'll help you!" Amitie proclaimed, snatching her other arm. "Yeah, that's right! We won't give up at all!"

"Amitie?" She blinked, the confidence in her voice overpowering her hesitation.

"Yes, that's a good assertion." Ringo smiled, steadying her grip on Arle's arm. "Consider this possibility. Since we can travel to other worlds, isn't it possible your father can as well?"

"That...makes sense." Arle gasped. "He might be on another planet or even another dimension. I've only looked in my world."

"Which means we can totally find him!" Amitie pumped her fists into the air. "You and me will become super strong magicians and travel to other places to look for him!"

"And perhaps if he's in Suzuran, Maguro, Risukuma, and I can keep an eye out for him." Ringo winked. "You know, since everyone's pretty much been teleporting to my front door these past couple of months."

Her heart swelled, relief and joy spreading throughout her entire body. She couldn't remember the last time she felt such genuine hope. Her cause was finally starting to brighten, and she could see a light at the end of the tunnel. It was distant, small, like the size of a coin, but it existed, and that hope shone through her.

"Thank you!" Arle threw her arms around them, a laugh escaping her, and she felt Carbuncle embrace her neck, his smile pressing into the back of her head.

She nearly dragged them to the ground, but Amitie and Ringo steadied her, their own laughter mingling with hers. Finally, she had true faith that she would find him again, and now, she could truly believe that he was also looking for her.