Disclaimer: Even if I managed to create a clone of Eve, Saya, Sven, and Train, they'd just capture me and turn me in to the authorities for stealing property and breaking the law and that wouldn't be a pleasant experience. Kudos to all the scanslators who spent much of their time translating and cleaning up this wonderful series. It's coming out in the states now, too!
Angel's Pure Heart – Side Black
It's been five years. Five years since I started my new life in freedom. Five years since you were taken away.
Lil' princess and Sven, they're doing fine. Me? You know me. I'm no longer that moody cat that you met so long ago. I'm living my life by your words now. Chronos' pet cat is long gone, replaced by a carefree one.
Na, it's not that bad. Life's good. The bounties are there. Trouble's been nothing we can't handle. We're almost debt-free! Ah, that's all thanks to Eve and Sven.
Speaking of trouble, Creed's getting married. Can ya believe it? To that actress, Echidna Paras. He really changed. All thanks to you.
It sure surprised the hell out of me. Out of the blue, Echidna warp gates into Professor Tearju's house, personally hands out 4 invitations, and then poof! Gone, just like that. She's really taken good care of the guy.
Ah! I almost forgot! Sven proposed to Professor Tearju the very next day. She almost hit floor were it not for Eve. She's gotten pretty good with her transform abilities. I suppose all those burnt "pancakes" Tearju served up finally got through to the old man.
Eve's taking it in stride. Her guardian and her self-proclaimed older sister—I still don't understand how that works—are fretting over her, nonetheless. Things will be very strange in Elsida soon, I'm guessing. I have no idea what she thinks of all this. She's been unusually quiet about it, not even talking to Sven about it.
Me? I'm still single. Carefree cat, right? ... Don't give me that. You know most people get really intimidated when they learn about me. Or get over excited. Only women I regularly see would be Annette, Rins, and Eve. Oh, can't forget soon-to-be Mrs. Vollfied.
She hasn't changed much. Rinslet Walker, I mean. Still the impulsive, beautiful, thief-for-hire. She's been hitting it off with Jenos last I heard from the thief. Although, I also heard Sephiria was somehow interfering, sending Jenos all over the place, despite her self-imposed early retirement. Now that's something I wouldn't have guessed at. … Sephiria liking Janus? I doubt it's true.
Annette's almost about to retire herself, for good from the sweeper information business, or so she says. I don't blame her too much; it's a tough job to stay on top. Good, I'm sure you've bumped into her once or twice. Nah, she'll be back. It's in her blood, afterall.
Hn? Na, Eve's still single. She and Leon went out a few times, but they always denied it as nothing more than friendship. She trusts him, so I don't mind. Of course, I'll have to knock him around if he so much as makes her cry. …Aa. That's true. She could do it, too. And I know how much she likes her independence these days.
She's been working on archery lately, for "range reasons", or so she says. She has a really good eye, and she hasn't even start wearing glasses, unlike Professor Tiayou. Can shoot one of her arrows through a bullet hole, even. Not as fast, sure, but stops people well enough.
... you want me to stop dodging the subject? What do I think of Eve? ... yes, she's the last one on the list. You were never this interested in my relationships before… Okay, okay! She's really smart, strong… not as strong as me though! Yes, I know. Humble and meek... Heh. She's spirited, creative, already cooks better than her older sister, though that's not really saying much.
Yeah, I like the food. Milk's great, though. Lots of her food goes really well with milk. I'm sure you would like it, too. ...I'll get back to it.
Eve's been looking at my way a lot more lately, staring at me when she thinks I won't notice. A little strange. She's growing up, though, definitely starting to look more like Professor Tearju every passing day, just with short hair. Cute as a button, it's not hard to underestimate her. Catches me by surprise more and more as time goes by. Training. In Training! Still, I wonder... what could she be looking at?
Uhh... no. How could anyone? She's practically Sven's daughter. I remember when he was absolutely adamant against Eve having a boyfriend. Pretty sure he hasn't changed his mind in the last 2 years. I still don't think it is right, though. Eve should be able to live like a normal girl.
I stopped calling her lil' princess? Nah. She's not so little anymore, afterall. Still our lil' princess, though. She asked me to stop calling her that, for some reason. But habits...
"Train...?"
Uh?
"Train, wake up."
Heh, speak of the devil...
I opened my eyes to see Eve standing a respectable distance away, her knee-length white skirt fluttering in the cool breeze. The sun was setting, painting the hill and surrounding area in reds and golds. I sat up straight and stretched. "Mmmmh!"
"We're about to leave, " she informed me. Eve had an unreadable look on her face again. 3 years, and I still can't crack her poker face. She offered a hand and I took it. After pulling me up, she gestured to the stone I was leaning—sleeping?—against. In cleanly carved letters, it read Minatsuki Saya.'
"Is she there? Saya-san." She smiled and handed me a bottle of milk. Woot, it is ice cold. I nodded.
"Aa. Body and spirit," I replied as I opened the bottle and poured it over the stone marker. At her raised eyebrow, I grinned broadly. "Saya never liked sake. Always said a glass of cold milk after a long day was the best! Can't say I disagree..."
"I thought you were going to drink it..." I looked her over. Are my eyes deceiving me? Oh, how cute, she's pouting.
"Not in front of her when she hasn't had any to drink for years. C'mon lil' princess!" She grumbled and I laughed. "Let's go."
"Un."
Author's Notes/Rant:
This one wasn't quite from left-field, but it surprised me just how quickly it came to me. Inspriration came from the most unusual place. Then I just looked at my 1/8 Eve figurine. Then it clicked. Definitely different than what I had in mind. (Train, you're dense! DENSE, I TELL YOU!) Although, the solution to that will hopefully be there in time.
Thanks as usual to xDianaMoonx for proofing me fic. This one's dedicated to all those recent college graduates out there, working with our generation's "High School Diploma". I'm there with ya!
Last(?) part coming soon. As soon as I rewrite it (the difficult part, heh!). Hopefully...
Oh, and... not quite as inspired as the one I had planned, but here's something cute...
Eni Li'Nave -- July 27, 2006
Omake:
Saya's Grave, Lunafort City… 7:30 PM—
I opened my eyes to see Eve standing just a foot away, looking down at me. I looked up at her, and the edges of her mouth suddenly curled up into an impish smile. Even her eyes seemed to be twinkling in barely suppressed mirth.
"Lil' Princess?"
I leapt onto my feet as she suddenly fell to my knees, her arms clutching at her stomach, wheezing. Then I heard it. It was faint, but it was there. She was laughing.
"Lil' princess… what's wrong with you? What's so funny?" I glared at her, but every time she looked up at me, she doubled over once again. A few minutes later, she managed to squeeze out "Oh…! look at… yourself…!" before dissolving into a fresh set of giggles.
Huh? I just glared at her. "As if I could!" Eve slowly sat up and regained a bit of her composure, and pulled out her compact and handed it to me, stifling more giggles.
I opened it and couldn't help but gawk. A black moustache, goatee, and a black eye looked back at me. Then I looked at my forehead. A dotted line, then…. "…insert brayn here?"
Eve stood up and giggled. "Isn't it true?"
I just stared at her before my eye caught another object coming out of her coat pocket. A black… I started advancing on her, and she danced out of reach.
"Eve….!" Another rare, beautiful laugh and she was off, running down the hill. Damn it! I gave chase.
"This had better come off! Ya hear me! Eve!"