The next morning came and went with absolutely no fanfare as the two remained safely in bed until late that day. For Rean it was a simple matter of needing to catch up on his rest after the debacle with Xeno and Leo and his unrewarding night sleeping outside. For Fie... He wasn't actually sure. She had returned from her Legram trip fairly late, but not unexpectedly so, given the distance. When he asked her about it she merely growled out something about traitorous friends and disrespectful brats before shooting him a glare that nearly froze his blood cold. Needless to say he didn't press further as the moody girl stomped straight to bed.
Luckily it seemed that all she needed to calm down was a good night's rest and by the next day she was her usual affectionate self as they cuddled peacefully in bed. No words were needed as the two remained there for quite some time. In a perfect would they could remain like that forever.
Sadly, the world was not perfect. Empty stomachs and full bladders eventually roused them from their peaceful reverie. Not to mention they unfortunately had other obligations that they couldn't blow off lest they arouse more attention from the aggressively nosy family known as Class VII. With great reluctance the two prepared themselves for the day ahead.
Despite their lethargic attitude the work they did didn't suffer at all. A couple short deliveries and one scheduled monster exterminating sweep of the underground area beneath the race tracks and the two were done for the day. The only interesting thing to happen came after that final request, when Fie curiously asked if Crow's tombstone was still at the cemetery. As he had no answer to that interesting thought the two detoured to that exit and found out that yes indeed it was still up. Needless to say she made sure he snapped plenty of pictures of her posing with the marker before sending it to the rest of Class VII, the corpse in question included.
He had assumed that Fie would want to retire to their homes and continue lazing about when they got home, but she apparently had other ideas as she stopped him at the door. "Hey, Rean? Wanna go out for a bit?"
A surprising request, but one that he wasn't against. "Did you have something in mind?"
"Not really. Uh..." She scrunched up her face as she thought about his question. "Oh! I know! Let's go to the river. It's been a while since we just relaxed and fished together."
Well now. As an Angler God there was absolutely no chance he could refuse a request like that, now was there? "Sure, that sounds fun. Let's grab our stuff and head out."
Objective in mind the duo did just that and found themselves at his all-time favorite fishing spot. Without any preamble Fie cast her line into the water and he followed suit not long after. For a few minutes all was still as the two relaxed and waited for the fish to bite.
That was when Rean noticed that she kept shooting furtive glances in his direction, or more specifically at the rod in his hands. Of course. Even though she claimed she just wanted to relax the girl still had a competitive streak a selge long. She did not want to lose to him. He barely managed to hide the grin at that revelation. Feeling generous, he decided to slack off a bit and let her get the first bite. But only the first one. His pride as an angler would not allow any more. It ended up being the right decision when a few minutes later she successfully reeled in a rather large Arowana and beamed at her success. The cocky smirk she sent shortly afterwords was a little less appreciated, but he knew it was inevitable. Now that she had her first catch it was time to show what he was truly capable of.
As the two settled in to their silent battle he couldn't help but allow a pleased grin to form on his face. Standing here fishing as the evening light reflected across the Trista river? Nostalgia at its finest. And having a partner at his side made it even more so. Those days where he fished alongside Kenneth as students and could allow his many worries to fade away briefly...
"Oh, my. If it isn't Rean. And is that Fie I spy alongside him? Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Rean couldn't help but blink owlishly as the man he was just thinking of was standing right there behind him, fishing rod in hand. And beside him...
"Kenneth! Annabelle! What are you doing here?"
Beside him Fie too halted in her angling to look over the newcomers. "Weren't the two of you on your cross-continent fishing honeymoon?"
"We just got back two weeks ago, actually." Annabelle responded. "This is our first time going out since."
Fie sent a sly smirk towards the Lakelord son. "And you chose Trista of all places? Someone must have been feeling a little nostalgic~"
"Not sure you get to tease them when we're right here- Ow." He knew he deserved that light kick to the shins from the miffed bracer.
Kenneth laughed heartily at their byplay. "She has a point. Of all the places in Erebonia I ended up coming back here without a second thought. There's something special about this place..."
"So how was it?" Rean asked once he recovered from her harmless assault. "I bet you must have seen some amazing things?"
"Sure, we'll tell you. But first..." Annabelle cast a knowing glance towards the river. Understanding her message, Rean and Fie scooted off to the side so the married couple could join them at the waterfront. Once again the air was filled with the sounds of bait being cast into water as the two pairs began fishing in earnest.
While this was going on the travelers regaled the bracers with their tale. Unsurprisingly, the two spent most of their trip focused on fishing and their story reflected it. From the coasts of Calvard to the hardy northern fish of Remiferia. The diverse species that can only be found in places like Ored and Leman State. They had even crossed into eastern Zemuria and tried their hands at the collapsing ecosystems present there. From how they explained it, what little fish they reeled in in those dangerous places was tainted and unnatural, another sign at just how bad things were getting in those faraway places.
But while the bulk of their tale involved fishing, they had other things to talk about too. Annabelle especially had taken a shine to some of the eastern-style fish cuisines that they had discovered. As someone who also had something of an eastern upbringing Rean couldn't help but find interest in that topic and the noblewoman promised to send him some of the recipes she picked up on their journey.
Fie, too, listened with interest to the tale, even if she didn't ask much about it. He knew she wasn't a total fishing nerd like the rest of this group, but she couldn't deny having some interest in the topic. And he knew that she especially liked traveling to new places, even if their present circumstances meant that would be unlikely for quite some time. Still, he couldn't help but think there should be enough time after the wedding where they could get away with a trip before she was too pregnant for that to be possible...
"Haha. This brings back memories." Standing here at the river with Kenneth and Annabelle. The last time that had happened was years ago.
"It does, doesn't it?" Kenneth too let out a chuckle. "The last time we were all here was when we teamed up for that fishing duel against my brother. Good times."
The one who hadn't been present blinked in confusion. "Fishing... duel?" She seemed both curious and amused by the concept.
"Indeed." Annabelle nodded sagely. "A great battle between anglers. Kenneth and Rean teamed up three years ago to defeat his brother and lieutenant, thus freeing me from my engagement. It was a battle for the ages." She smiled widely at the memory.
"Think of it like a relay competition..." It was up to Rean to explain the rules to his partner, who listened with rapt interest.
"Huh. Interesting."
What next came out of the Lakelord's mouth was almost inevitable. "Well, how about it? There's four of us here, so why not having a friendly bout right now? Couple verses couple."
Fie shrugged. "I'm game." Although she tried to sound nonchalant about it, he could easily tell that her competitive spirit had been roused and she was eager to give it a shot.
"That sounds like fun, but I have no intention of going easy on either of you!" Annabelle too looked ready for the fight.
And Rean couldn't deny that he too was excited for it. Kenneth was one of the best anglers in Erebonia and would make for a worthy opponent. "Well, there you have it. Same fish as last time?"
"Indeed. A Noble Carp for the vice captains, and a Giant Swordtail for the captains. The two most elusive fish in this river."
With the parameters of the battle decided the two teams split up to prepare for the battle ahead. "A Noble Carp... Got any advice for me?" It seemed that the desire for victory outweighed her pride as his lover sought out his advice. Naturally he gave it freely. The best bait to use, the places that carps tended to make home, and the best ways to quickly reel them in. She listened patiently as he explained each and every detail he could.
With the meetings adjourned Fie and Annabelle, as vice captains for their teams, took their spots on the river. It was Kenneth who did the final countdown and in unison both women cast their lines at the same time.
"You sure this is alright?" Kenneth whispered to him as they watched their partners reel in fish after fish while searching for the target. "From what I've heard, Fie's gotten to be a pretty good angler, but do you really think she can keep up with Annabelle?"
He knew his friend well enough to know that it was a well-intentioned worry and not an actual slight against Fie, so he didn't let it bother him any. "She'll be fine. She might not be as skilled or experienced as Annabelle, but if there's one thing I know about her, it's that she hates losing. If I had to make a guess? Annabelle will reel one in first, but Fie won't be far behind. Maybe two minutes tops. Close enough for me to beat you."
The former captain of the fishing club accepted the challenge in stride. "Seems we'll be getting to put that to the test soon enough. Look!" Rean followed his friend's finger to see that the first part of his prediction had seemingly already come true, as Annabelle was now wrestling with something fierce at the end of her line. Both observers knew of only a few fish in the river that fought like that, and their target was one of them.
Fie too was quick to notice and let a scowl mar her features as she once again cast her line into the water. For nearly a minute the situation remained the same as Annabelle wrestled with her target and Fie hurried to catch up.
It was just as Annabelle was putting the finishing touches on her battle that the bracer's line went taut, signaling that she too was now engaged in a tense battle. A few seconds later Annabelle successfully pulled her line out of the water revealing the Noble Carp at the end. She looked proud of her accomplishment as the timer began to tick.
It was obvious that Fie was hurrying to reel in her fish as soon as possible, and Rean was briefly concerned that she might let it get away in her haste. Thankfully that fear was unfounded as a decade of hard fighting had instilled enough patience and discipline into the younger girl that she didn't let the moment get to her. With quick hands and far more power than any girl her size should possess she deftly dueled the large fish on the end of her line.
In the end she was successful, and in less time than what her opponent had taken to bring it in. Rean glanced towards Kenneth, who had been keeping track of the time. "There's a fifty-four second difference." He announced.
For Rean, that news was better than he had expected. He had guessed two minutes, so her having finished under a minute behind was absolutely perfect. As Kenneth took his position to begin fishing with his slim lead the swordsman approached the scowling girl. "Nice job."
"I didn't win." She complained bitterly, brushing his compliment off as if it were nothing.
Wanting to cheer her up he shook his head. "Annabelle's been fishing since our first year at Thors and we all know just how obsessed she's been with it. You didn't start until after graduating, and that was only as a hobby. Despite that, you managed to keep it so close. Look." He pointed towards the water to where the Lakelord was working. "Time's almost up and he hasn't found it yet."
She perked up. "Fine. Next time I'll win. For now? It's your turn." He nodded his head and was just about to take his position when she stopped him by grabbing onto his hand. Turning back to her he was only somewhat surprised when the smaller girl stood on her tippy toes and captured his lips in a heated kiss that lasted the rest of the duration. She grinned bashfully as she pulled away from him. "For luck."
"H-Hey! That's no fair!"
"Haha. You're just jealous that you didn't think of it first."
"T-That's not true at all! These duels are sacred! They aren't for you to fool around!"
"Sounds like the complaints of a sore loser. You might have reeled in the fish faster, but that just left me with fifty-four extra seconds to have some fun. Thanks for that."
"Grr..."
Rean couldn't help but let out a quick chuckle as he listened to their byplay as he cast his line. That was about all the attention he was willing to spare, however, as once his bait landed in the water the duel truly began. Kenneth might have had a head start, but as he hadn't already won they were now on an equal footing. Kenneth Lakelord might have been a great friend who helped make Rean into the angler he now was, but that did not mean he was willing to lose. For someone who has caught multiple Guardians, anything less than total victory would not suffice.
The Giant Swordtail was the biggest and rarest fish in the waters of Trista, but that wasn't something that would stop either of them. During his tenure at Trista, both as a student and as a resident, Rean could only claim to have caught a handful of the fish. That being said, he never focused solely on that fish and those he caught were usually by happenstance. It was time to make full use of all his training, as an angler, a swordsman, and an awakener, all for the sole purpose of catching a big fish before the guy a few arge down the river did.
Even Fie, normally so irreverent in situations like this, was watching the spectacle unfold in complete silence. For the next ten or so minutes there was absolutely no sound save for the occasional splash as he and Kenneth took turns reeling in lesser fish. Something had to give.
And that something happened as Rean felt a heavy tug on his line that threatened to pull his custom rod right out of his hands. There was only one fish in this river that had that kind of strength. With a victorious grin he began the decisive battle. Just a few more minutes and his victory would be secure-
That train of thought was interrupted as Kenneth too began to struggle with a fish of his own. Did he snag one also? Although Rean had a few seconds of an advantage, it seemed that his rival hadn't cast his line quite as far. If he had to hazard a guess he would say that they had pretty similar distances to go. Thus began the final battle.
Normally the smart decision when reeling in a whopper was to play it slow and let the fish wear itself out with its initial confused frenzy before slowly but surely reeling it in while resisting its later attempts to dart away. With the stakes this high? Playing it smart was not an option. It was time to fight strength with strength.
Of course that still didn't mean he fought it like an idiot. A fish this powerful would snap the line instantly if he put too much tension on it, so he did still have to give a little. But where normally he would let it thrash around for a few minutes he now began reeling in between each and every spurt. It was extremely risky and more than once he thought he pushed too far and was about to lose everything, but all that mira he spent on keeping his rod up to date with the latest and greatest fishing tech was really paying dividends as the line gamely held on.
Another glance over showed that Kenneth appeared to be in the same boat as he too was closing in on the catch. Rean cursed to himself as a particularly spirited movement by his prey put a brief halt to his momentum. There was little time to waste! As soon as the fish relented he went into overdrive, reeling as quickly as he could while simultaneously pulling the rod back to save as much time as possible.
With one final tug the battle ended in a splash as he pulled the fish from the water. Any chance for celebration was halted as he realized that a second splash had occurred almost simultaneously. He turned and saw that his opponent was also holding a nearly identical fish, while looking equally bewildered by the turn of events. "So... Who won?"
"Honestly, I have no idea." The Lakelord responded. "I thought I had it when I pulled my catch out of the water, but I turned and saw you holding one as well." He turned his gaze to the two spectators. "What did you see?"
Fie let out a shrug. "You guys pulled 'em out at the exact same time. It was kinda creepy, actually."
"I've never seen anything like that..." Annabelle muttered in awe. "The two of you were completely in sync."
"Huh..." Rean muttered aloud. "So I guess it's a tie?" A bit of a letdown, all things considered, but the unique way it ended made up for the less than ideal result.
Surprisingly, Kenneth shook his head. "I think you take this one, Rean." The swordsman opened his mouth to protest that decision, but the fisherman held up a hand to forestall it. "Nobody ever considered this outcome, but if they did the most obvious tiebreaker would be size. And look..."
Approaching Rean he held his catch alongside the opposite. It was hard to tell as both Swordtails were still thrashing about violently, but it soon became obvious that Rean's fish was the larger of the two, even if it was only by a couple rege in length. "The fact you managed to catch a larger fish in even less time goes to show that your living up to your title as Angler God. I am sure grandfather will be pleased when he hears of this."
"Haha..." Although fishing was serious business, Rean still felt a little embarrassed by all the praise. "In that case, I suppose I have no choice but to accept the victory. It was a great duel, though."
"Yay. We won." Fie cheered in complete deadpan. "Hip, hip, hurraaay."
"Two Giant Swordtails and two Noble Carp..." All eyes turned to Annabelle as she looked upon their combined catches with awe. And... was that drool? "Such delectable looking fish. And so large... I am going to eat like a queen tonight!" Yes, yes it was.
All three sweatdropped at the honestly expected reaction. "You, uh, don't mind if we take the catches, do you?"
"Take em." Fie answered quickly. "I don't know what I want for dinner tonight, but it's definitely not that much fish." Her tone left no room for argument, not that Rean thought about it. They did not have room for that much fish in their house and given how late it was getting he had no real desire to do anything with them tonight.
"Thank you ever so much!" Annabelle wasted no time in wrapping her arms around both Giant Swordtails despite them being nearly as tall as she was. "C'mon, Kenneth! We need to get back home if we want to cook these babies up nice and good!"
The man in question nodded his agreement. "Indeed. We have a long train ride ahead of myself." He turned to the two bracers. "I had a lot of fun. We should do this again sometime. If we don't see you again in the next couple months you can rest assure that we're looking forward to your wedding."
Naturally the two anglers had been invited, as they had invited Rean and by extension Fie to their own. "Sure. Challenge me whenever you feel like it. I'll always be ready." He couldn't help being a little cocky. Fishing was his thing! "It was good to see the two of you again."
"Bye." Fie gave a wave as the two departed. Once they were safely out of sight she turned her attention back to Rean. "...Are they really gonna drag all those fish onto a busy train?"
He sweatdropped a little as he conjured that image in his head. "Yeah... Let's just... not think about it, alright?" She nodded emphatically seeing the wisdom in his words. "I suppose we should be getting back home ourselves."
"You know..." She looked upon him with judgmental eyes. As they walked down the streets of Trista "I suggested fishing cause I thought it would be quiet and relaxing. I was not expecting... that."
"...Says the first one to agree to the fishing duel."
Her only defense was to shrug. "Oh please. We both know you were gonna agree. I just beat you to the punch."
"Maybe." He couldn't exactly refute her words. "But that doesn't change the fact that you're a being of a pure chaos sent to drive me insane."
"You say that, but I know the truth." Fie stopped him before moving a little closer and lowering her voice. "You might act like a calm and orderly leader, but deep down you like a little chaos in your life." Once again she moved a little closer to the point where their faces were almost touching. He could see the amusement clear in her eyes. "You live for the thrill and the excitement. It's why you're with me right now."
Again she closed the distance and now there was maybe a rege separating them. Were they about to get hot and heavy in the middle of town? Desperate eyes darted about and saw that while the town wasn't especially busy at this hour, there were more than a few people around and all were watching the young couple's actions. They really shouldn't be doing this, and yet...
Damn it all, she had him pegged perfectly. She brought out the absolute worst in him and he loved it. The fact that she wasn't closing that final gap meant it was up to him and so he lowered his face to make that final connection... Only she wasn't there anymore. With speed that only she possessed she successfully evaded his attempts, pulling back at the very last second. The smirk on her face grew even wider as she beheld the lust and confusion on his face. "Knew it. You're just a wild beast."
"...And you're an absolute tease." Damnit. She got him good. Good thing they were almost home so he could calm down and escape the judging stares directed towards them, as he seemed to be the only one of the two to notice.
"Actually..." Oh no. "It's already so late and I feel like being lazy. Let's eat out tonight." It was almost like she could read his mind and knew just how to mess with him. Who was he kidding? She absolutely was reading his mind and intentionally messing with him.
He let out a long-suffering sigh. "You're incorrigible, you know that?" Naturally she preened at his words, taking it as high praise indeed. He considered correcting her, but had a suspicion that that was what she wanted him to do. Instead he elected to keep his mouth shut as the two made their way to Kirsches.
Dinner was a tense affair, at least for him, as he remained guarded at all times lest she try to mess with him again. Fie meanwhile was content to happily eat everything placed in front of her without a care in the world. He soon realized that by not doing anything she had managed to keep him suspicious the entire time, and the victorious grin she shot him at meal's conclusion informed him that she knew it too.
"You are the most exhausting girl I have ever met." He lamented as they returned home a few minutes later.
"And you're still the funnest boy to tease." She shot back immediately, causing him to roll his eyes, although he couldn't quite keep the amusement off his face.
"I suppose there are worse things in life than to have you teasing me."
She might have commented further, but was stopped as a yawn escaped from her instead. "Geez. Fishing isn't supposed to be this exhausting." Without hesitation she beelined for their couch, resting her body on the piece of furniture. At least she was considerate enough to lift her head and gesture for him to take that open spot, which he did, before she once again lowered herself onto him.
Time passed as the two remained like that, with him gently stroking her hair while she began to doze off. Just when he thought she had fallen asleep she opened her eyes and turned a sleepy but curious gaze toward him. "Tell me, oh wise and mighty Divine Angler God Whatever..." Could she butcher his titles any worse? "...what would you say has been your greatest catch?"
What a curious question. His greatest catch? The answer to that one was obvious, but how to phrase it... "It was a mysterious fish that I had never seen before. It was really quick, and shined the most brilliant silver. The first time I saw it was here in Trista, actually, but it got away with almost stupid ease. I kept at it, though, and even though it took me a couple years I eventually reeled it in."
She looked rather interested by this tale. "Really? How come I've never seen it?"
"Well, it's hard to see yourself without looking in a mirror, but you are and will always be my greatest catch, Fie."
"...Oh." Eyes widened in realization. Hastily she tried to look away to hide the embarrassed hue of her cheeks, but given her spot on his lap it was nigh on impossible.
So naturally he had to go and ruin it. "Although it was pretty tiny, all things considered. Maybe the Grand Lakelord would be the more impressive catch?"
"You jerk!" He managed to keep laughing despite her best efforts to headbutt his chest. She might be the master of teasing, but one doesn't hang around her as long as he has without picking up a thing or two. "...And here I was thinking that you were a good boy who deserved a reward."
"Well, that's a shame." Rewards were always fun. "Does that mean you're going to punish me, instead?"
Fie cocked an eyebrow at that as she sat up and gazed upon his confident smirk with a curious one of her own. Eventually she settled into an easy grin. "You are a bold bold man, Rean Schwarzer."
"I aim to plea-" That was as far as he got before she pounced, pinning him beneath her. No further words were needed.
'Linde' let out a yawn as she made her way through the familiar confines of Roer early in the morning. The nurse was not a morning person, but occasionally sacrifices were needed for the greater good. And this matter definitely counted as being for the greater good.
A city like Roer never truly slept, so it wasn't a surprise that there were plenty of people out and about as the morning shifts prepared for the day. A few greeted the young nurse and she responded with a kind smile before continuing on her business. She truly was blessed to have so many friends and acquaintances in the city.
A few minutes later and the pink-haired girl arrived at her destination: The small clinic that she worked at. Stepping in she was delighted to see the place was quiet that morning, as accidents at the factory or mine were not uncommon and some days could be very hectic for the medical workers there.
"Oh, Linde? What are you doing here?" The receptionist asked curiously as she noticed the arrival of her co-worker. "Weren't you supposed to be in the capital by now?"
"I was." The nurse admitted. "But there was a change of plans and I'm now meeting up with Gai – the person I am supposed to meet – here, instead." 'Linde' couldn't help but flush a little, hoping the slip-up went unnoticed.
Naturally, it did not. "Ah, young love." The older woman teased, causing her to blush further in embarrassment. "You don't need to be so shy about it, you know? There's nothing wrong with it."
"...That's what I keep saying." 'Linde' muttered, quietly enough that the receptionist couldn't hear. Raising her voice once again she replied. "I know that! It's just..." She looked away awkwardly as she trailed off.
The receptionist giggled in amusement. "Same old Linde. So what are you doing here, anyway?"
The nurse let out a sigh of relief, happy to change the subject. "There are actually a couple things I left in my office. Since I'm already in Roer I thought to stop by and pick them up. I won't be around long."
"Well, in that case, don't let me keep you from your totally not a romantic vacation with that guy that you aren't dating."
'Linde' opened her mouth to once again argue the statement, but closed it as she decided that discretion was the better part of valor. With a red face the young nurse beat a hasty retreat towards her office, leaving an amused receptionist in her wake.
But contrary to what she had said, she didn't actually go to her office. Instead, as soon as she was out of sight she took a turn and instead entered the medical records room. Unlike many of the wealthier medical institutions, this one had not yet gone digital with their documentation, but she knew it was only a matter of time. That would be a pain for her, as she didn't actually know her own login credentials.
But for now, everything was still on paper and organized nice and neatly, sorted alphabetically into many different cabinets. This made it rather easy for her to find her target: A single sheet of paper detailing a recent medical visit by one Fie Claussell.
Despite totally being a nurse, most of the medical jargon went over her head. That was fine, however, as the gist of the document was plain for her to see. There was one line in particular that stood out above all the rest and answered every question she had.
It was a line detailing the pregnancy test that had been taken and the positive result.
It took everything that 'Linde' had to not let out a squeal of excitement, lest she draw unwanted attention to herself. This was amazing news! Both for what it meant to Erebonia's favorite couple and what it meant for her in particular.
Not wanting to be guilty of any more crimes than what she already was, she didn't take the paper. Instead she used her civilian orbment to snap a few pictures, making sure to capture everything in crystal clarity. Once finished she returned it to its rightful place and made her exit, waving cheerily at the receptionist as she departed.
Once outside 'Linde' let out a very uncharacteristic laugh. Mission accomplished. Now it was time for the next step.
She pondered what to do with this information. A part of her wanted to dominate the gossip column (and probably the front page) once again by reporting this directly to her boss, but decided against it. Not only would it expose her crimes, but she had only just begun earning Fie's forgiveness for the first time she did that. She had a feeling that her former club mate wouldn't be so merciful a second time.
But that was fine. A new idea was forming in her head. She couldn't reveal the news to the world, but she knew who could. A collection of very powerful and influential people that she knew on a personal level. Despite their high standing, she knew without a shadow of a doubt that they would pay dearly for the knowledge that she now possessed.
Far away in peaceful Trista a pair of bracers slept peacefully after a wild night, completely unaware of the storm clouds that were gathering. Because while Vivi wasn't the first person to discover the news, she was the first one who was more than willing to share it. It was time for Class VII to get the news.
