Thank you so much for your patience. Here it is, the final installation of Father and Son-the epilogue.
Unfortunately, I'm not going to explain the last title right now and would do so in the end (once you've finished).
Before we begin, I would like to express my utmost gratitude for the tons of support that all of you have given me this entire month. What was supposed to be a one-shot had quickly escalated into something much more and into one of my favorite fanfiction that I've ever written.
So, please take a moment to applaud yourself for going this far and thank you so much for everything!
Now, this epilogue would be quite a surprise for me especially as I managed to write 11,000 words (32-33 pages in total) which happen to be the LONGEST chapter for this fiction to date.
I personally don't want to say goodbye to the characters and to give them an appropriate goodbye, I did whatever I could to make this chapter as long as possible.
Alright, I must be tiring you.
Now, begin and dive in! I'll see you at the end!
It rained the following day.
And shortly after came the next. In the eve of the afternoon, there was the funeral—located inside of the town hall building.
As expected, every single member of the community in the Lower Quarter, member of Brave Vesperia, the Schwann Brigade, and even His Highness Ioder who became closely acquainted with him (as he was Yuri and Flynn's foster father, and Estellise's legitimate father-in-law, the young emperor saw the bearded man as a relative as well)—all showed up to bid one last farewell.
Through Ioder and Flynn, they instructed the Imperial Knights to raise the flag half-mast on behalf of the ceremony (when his nieces and nephew were born, they raised the flag at the highest peak in honor of their birth).
Within the large room, the two brothers sat quietly in the first row, surrounded by their found family, friends, and children who supported and comforted them. In the first few minutes of the ceremony, both remained quiet yet resilient.
Wanting to be their source of comfort, Estelle sat in-between them, her hands placed on top to her husband's left and her close friend's right, which both responded back by squeezing hers back tightly. Repede and his pups remained with the children who were under the supervision of Ted, Karol, and Patty.
As for baby Ann, she was being taken care of by Judith and Marie. Behind them were Ioder and Raven who sat next to LeBlanc, Adecor, and Boccos—their expressions somber and arms crossed as their eyes were directed at the casket displayed before them.
Here they were, gathered together and united as one—to commemorate a dearly beloved old man who laid comfortably, with his hands collected together, his glasses folded beneath them, and donned his trademark orange shirt and brown vest. His wrinkly face was serene and peaceful, with his eyes closed and his lips formed in a straight, thin line. To those who were closest to him, they could've sworn that it was slightly crinkled—almost like a faint smile as if to assure them that all was well.
About twenty to thirty minutes passed before Flynn rose from his seat and strolled over to the wooden podium stationed in front of the coffin.
Upon sighting her father, the young redhead sprang to her feet and hurriedly rushed forward, halting briefly in her steps as she proceeded to climb up the small staircase before heading over to the latter.
Once Flynn stood before the podium, he felt something lightly tugging him on his sleeve. He lowered his gaze, his expression softening when he noticed that his daughter was there with him, her bright blue eyes staring back at him in assurance. Smiling softly, he brought his hand to take hers and fiercely squeezed it.
Motioning his head, he fixated his attention to his audience. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Yuri, who slowly lifted his chin to lock eyes with him. Clearing his throat, Flynn projected his voice as loud as he could, "Thank you all for attending. I'm sure that everyone is here for the same reason, that we are all here to say goodbye to a special person," He paused midway as he swallowed thickly. "A person whose touched every single heart here in this room, a person who's always been such a gentle soul and has bestowed us all with something so rare—a second chance."
"Hanks took on the role as my father not long after my biological parents have passed away, leaving me with not much but the clothes on my back. Hanks and his wife Jiri welcomed me into their home where I met my childhood best friend and brother, Yuri. We've had our rough days, always fighting and whatnot. We've got in trouble, get grounded, get quite an earful lecture from the two of them…" As Flynn said those words, a burst of light chuckles erupted within the audience.
Hearing this, the young Commandant felt at east and became more confident with delivering his eulogy. "But no matter what, Hanks and Jiri would remind us that family is important and how essential it is for me and Yuri, and for all of us to embrace it as we continue on our journey,"
He snuck a glance over to Sarah who looked back at him with a smile on her face. "Family…it's what ties us together, what keeps us together, which is why we are here right now—because of Hanks, we have each other. And it's because of him, that we are closer and stronger than ever. And I can't help but feel thankful for what life has to offer for me. Here I am now, standing before you, a single father dedicated to doing what he can to assist his daughter and guide her to a promising future—the same way that Hanks has done for Yuri and I,"
"Hanks may be gone but he will definitely not be forgotten. He's still here with us," Flynn declared and with his other hand, brought it across the upper left part of his chest, where his heart was located. "He's alive inside and from up above, watching down on us and smiling…probably cackling away as he knows that this is probably a big waste of time,"
Another wave of laughter ensued.
"The pieces of advice, the laughs, the smiles, the struggles, and the many sacrifices that Hanks has done for all of us over the past few years—we must never forget them. Always willing to share what he has and not wanting anything in return, always humble and never conceited, just a happy old man appreciating what life has given him. An excellent role model, a friend, and brother to all, a mentor and a committed mayor in the Lower Quarter, a father to Yuri and I, and a grandfather to Sarah, Genevieve, Owain, and now, with Anneliese…"
Turning around, Flynn faced the open casket and with a bitter smile, muttered the last few words to his speech, "Thank you for everything that you've done for us, Hanks. Rest in peace and we hope that you have a safe journey to the afterlife, where you'll be reunited with Jiri once more…" And just like that, Flynn moved his head to direct his gaze to the crowd and bowed his head with Sarah stepping in and following his example.
There was a brief moment of silence until his ears picked up the sound of applause and cheers.
Grinning, Flynn excused himself from the podium and with Sarah at his side, made his way over to his seat next to the princess and the swordsman. Once he sat down comfortably, he proceeded to take his daughter into his arms, hoisting her up a little before putting her down on his lap which she instinctively laid her head back to the crook of his neck and sighed heavily.
Flynn bit his lower lip, keeping Sarah close to his arms and exhaling in content.
"That was lovely, Flynn," Estelle commented, catching his attention.
Turning to look at the female next to him, the knight nodded along and mustered a soft, "Thank you," Slanting his head to the side, Flynn took notice of the brooding dark-haired man who seemed to be preoccupied with his thoughts. Sensing this right away, he frowned.
Not long after Flynn, Estelle was next—conveying her many thanks to Hanks and recalling the stories that they've shared together during their spare time, all of which were widely appreciated by the general audience.
Then, there was LeBlanc and his subordinates who surprisingly stepped forth to once again, express their gratitude and to reveal to Yuri, Flynn, and Brave Vesperia of their change of hearts and that if it wasn't for Hanks who accepted them wholeheartedly, they wouldn't be standing where they are now.
Afterward, there was Marie, then Ted, a few elders, men, and women…almost the majority of the community of the Lower Quarter came up and evoked their accounts regarding the old man, all except Yuri who sat quietly in his seat, his head lowered and his hands shaped into fists across his lap.
"Yuri,"
The swordsman turned to the direction of the voice and was met face-to-face with his foster brother. He quirked his eyebrow with interest.
"Your turn," Flynn said softly.
All Yuri could do was stare at him apathetically, causing the latter to deepen his frown. With the shake of his head, Flynn proceeded to stand up from his seat and declared to everyone in the room, "Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings. Let's head now for the burial site—where Jiri awaits,"
The trek to the cemetery grounds was simple and short.
And yet, for Yuri and the others, the road to get there felt extensive and agonizing. Together, the men carried the coffin out of the town hall building and into the open space of the public square. Yuri and Flynn were at the front, their arms carefully supporting the box while Karol and Ted were situated in the middle and LeBlanc and Raven at the end to back them up.
Estelle, Rita, and Ioder followed suit with the children, Repede and his pups trailing after him. Next came Judith, Patty, and Marie who joined the march with Adecor and Boccos assisting the elderly as usual.
For Yuri and Flynn, such a moment sparked a feeling of nostalgia—of the pain in their backs and the grim looks they were forced to put on as they boldly advanced forward. The situation they were in reminded them of a certain Captain of theirs when they used to be rookie knights, and though they didn't spend as much time with him compared to their foster father, there was no doubt that he grew on them.
A few minutes passed and they finally reached their destination—the graveyard site beyond the walls of the city and into the flat grasslands of the outside world.
Fortunately, there wasn't any monster in sight as they continued to wander through the field.
When Yuri and Flynn recognized the two tombstones overhead, they slowed down their pace. Once they were in close proximity to the large rectangular shaped hole, they abruptly stopped. Seconds later, so did the entire crowd.
Ever so carefully, the brothers and their friends lowered their arms, wary to not exert too much pressure as the casket descended deeper into the hole. Once that was finished, everyone came over with flowers in their hands and one by one, began showering the surface of the large box with a beautiful array of white cut flowers—white roses, orchids, and irises.
Once that was over, the next step was to scatter the dirt and properly bury the casket. The able men and women came to finish the job, and after a few more minutes, the deed was done.
Everyone stood there, their heads bowed and their hands collected together as they silently prayed to the spirits for the dearly departed a safe journey in the afterlife.
About an hour or so passed and the crowd eventually diminished in numbers with Ioder and the Schwann Brigade being one of the first to leave as they needed to tend to their royal and knightly duties.
Some of the community, including Marie and Ted, came next—excusing themselves to leave the trio and the dog alone. As for the members of Brave Vesperia, they stayed for a good long while before leaving with the children as some of them complained about being hungry and sleepy throughout the memorial service.
Another hour passed and Flynn left to go and help the Lower Quarter who were currently in mourning—leaving Estelle to comfort her husband and Repede who remained with his owner.
Two hours flew by and the pink-haired woman had no choice but to leave as she needed to make sure that their children and the others were alright. As she pecked her husband on the forehead and assured him that she'll come back shortly, she was surprised to find Repede tagging along with her. With a faint smile, she headed ahead, though paused briefly in her steps to stop and peer over her shoulder, her gaze on her husband who sat across the tombstone of her father-in-law.
Overwhelmed with emotions, Estelle inhaled another deep breath and pressed forward. Taking sight of her distress, Repede silently followed after her.
Now alone, Yuri released the breath that he'd been holding in. Raising his chin, he gazed his eyes intently at the tombstone before him.
There, on the surface of the granite surface were the words:
IN LOVING MEMORY OF HANKS
A FATHER, A TEACHER, AND ABOVE ALL—A SPECIAL PERSON WITH THE GIFT TO TOUCH PEOPLE'S HEARTS AND SOULS
R.I.P
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
The message engraved on the tombstone, albeit a bit over the top, was originally a gift commissioned by His Highness Ioder and Flynn who insisted that they should be the ones to help fund the entire memorial service.
To their surprise, the members of the Lower Quarter refused their offer and proclaimed that they wanted to pitch in as well. For the very first time—the emperor, the Commandant, and the folks of the Lower Quarter collaborated and together, were able to get the tombstone and the particular location of where the burial was being prepared beforehand.
Recalling the memory of Flynn telling him such news made Yuri unconsciously grin.
"…You know that I'm not good with public speaking," He began, his voice soft. "And even if I did, I don't think I'd have the courage to say what I'm about to tell you in front of anyone." Taking a deep breath, Yuri finally initiated his speech. "You've seen me when I was vulnerable, you've been there when I needed guidance and you were always there, always supporting me in the sidelines or when I felt lost and unsure about what to do next. You were there, always smiling and encouraging and at times, a bit strict but in a good way…"
"I've always been a troublemaker, causing fights and making a scene. I've always been reckless, not caring about anyone's opinions and would rather do things my own way. I've always been comparing myself to Flynn—anything I can do; he can do it twice as better than I would."
Furrowing his eyebrows, Yuri shook his head. "As much as I kept refusing to admit it, deep down, I was pretty jealous of him, always getting the compliments by everyone else while I was overlooked and overshadowed by his heroic deeds and exploits. A troubled kid with a bad reputation and a long ass record of felonies…nobody wanted me and I knew that."
A memory resurfaced from the back of his mind and upon remembering a certain bearded man, Yuri couldn't help but smile. "But you? You accepted me even when I revealed to you about everything—how tainted my hands were of blood, how I didn't seem to care about the monster that I was slowly becoming…knowing that what I did was the right thing satisfied me and before I knew it, I was pointing my sword to the innocent, even Estelle…"
"I didn't know what to do or what I should do…but I knew that no matter what, I needed—no, I wanted to save her. And I did and it was thanks to your words that I managed to overcome my fears. And because of that, I went on to save more people…when the Adephagos came, my first thought was of you and the community and I knew that I had to do whatever I can in my power to protect all of you, even if I had to commit more sins again…"
Taking a moment to collect himself, Yuri continued with, "But we did it—we saved the world. And the dawn of a new age without blastia began. My journey for self-discovery began when you gave me the push to leave the Lower Quarter. It was difficult at first but over time, I managed to find people who would accept me for who I was regardless of my background, the crimes that I've made, and the rumors spreading about me. And now, I've made friends and found a family, a home to call my own—connections that would last a lifetime. Yet, I kept going, kept pursuing with no knowledge of what might happen next and before I knew it, I fell in love."
"Estelle and I bonded as we fought against our fears, struggled when hope was lost, relied and encouraged each other to find our respective places in this world—the three-year journey that we had together, even after the Adephagos opened a new door for us and from there, we embarked on another adventure—an adventure that you held all the knowledge of—Parenthood."
As Yuri took a moment to breathe in, he closed his eyes and pressed further with, "Eve was the greatest thing that ever happened to us. And it wasn't until I realized that I was a dad that I was beginning to receive the same struggles and feelings that you've had and endured these past years. But you were always so patient, always willing to listen and to assist when we had trouble with our little brat during the first few months. You were there, watching us from a distance, with that dumb smile on your face…"
"Once we got a hang of Eve, Estelle and I talked it over and agreed that we wanted a bigger family. Owain came next and this time, we got a hang of balancing two of our brats." He let out a forced laughter. "But of course, more problems came up, problems that we still weren't familiar of and as always, you'd be there to come over and guide us, showed us what to do and what not to do—how to properly be a good parent. And that's when I realized…when you and Jiri took me in, the two of you never had anyone to show you the ropes. You probably had more trouble with me compared to what Estelle and I have been through. But look what came out of it and…look at where I am."
"You really have touched so many lives…and inspired a lot of us in a positive light. I mean, take Flynn for example. He adopted Sarah on the spot—claiming that he did it because you did the same to him and I. And that's crazy to think, how something like raising a child could bring so many wonders. Flynn and Estelle, even some of our friends have noticed that I'm becoming more relaxed compared to a few years ago—back then, I was lost and wasn't sure about what I wanted to do."
Leaning back, Yuri sighed. "But now, I know. And I'm glad that I came this far to finally see the fruition of it," Reopening his eyes, he lowered his chin to face the tombstone once more. "I…don't feel as lost as I used to be. Now that I have my friends and my family, I feel like I can do anything."
Followed by those words, Yuri inserted his hand into the pocket of his hands before pulling it out to reveal a small knife. Unsheathing the small blade, he took a fistful of his long, dark mane and stared back at the tombstone. With a smile, he proceeded to slash the blade in one swift motion.
He allowed the silence to settle in, his eyes fixed on the abundance of his ink, black hair that he gripped tightly with his left. And on his right, was the small knife. A sudden gale passed through, coming over and causing the swordsman to shiver in place.
The cold wind tickling behind his now exposed neck felt refreshing to him, widening his grin.
Pocketing the knife inside, Yuri stood up on his feet and with his hand still gripping on the long strands of hair, he slowly uncoiled his fist—allowing the strays of his hair to fly away, as one with the wind. Feeling satisfied with what he'd done, Yuri looked over his shoulder.
Setting his hand on his hip and producing an impish grin, he said, "New hairdo, new me, right?"
With a final wave, the dark-haired man walked away, feeling rejuvenated and ready to reunite with his friends and family.
The minute Yuri entered the Lower Quarter, all eyes widened and all mouths dropped. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. This person before them, it couldn't be—
"Yuri?" The tall and youthful leader of their guild cried as he cautiously approached the latter. "Is that you?"
Hearing this, Yuri gave him a weird look. "Course, it's me," He confirmed, quirking his eyebrow. "Why, you don't recognize me anymore?"
Karol opened his mouth to protest, only to get beaten by another voice.
"Yuri!" Another exclaimed, this time belonging to the young pirate woman who joined in. Her long braids were no more as she allowed her golden locks to cascade beautifully down her back. "Your hair! What in spirits name happened to you?"
Yuri rolled his eyes. "Come on guys," He drawled out, waving his hand dismissively. "So you can have a haircut and I don't?"
Both Karol and Patty exchanged worrisome looks.
It was true—about a couple of months ago, most of the members of Brave Vesperia, excluding Yuri and Repede was beginning to change a few their appearances, beginning with their hair.
Now at the age of twenty-five, Rita grew taller though not as much as she would've wanted in comparison to Karol's large growth spurt when he turned sixteen. With her hair reaching down to her middle portion of her back, she thought it'd be best to start using a hair clip to reinforce it—an effective yet simplistic way for her to use while experimenting her inventions in the laboratory.
As for Judith, it happened when she went a bit too far with one of her missions. To protect Seliph who happened to be there to accompany her, she had no choice but to sacrifice a large portion of her hair. When her friends found out about it, Estelle was the first to suggest a proper trim to which the female lancer agreed and was left with a pixie cut—a hairstyle that she personally claimed quite suited her taste, accentuating her antennae very well and heightening her enticing appearance.
Patty and Estelle both grew out their hair and allowed it to grow naturally on their backs.
For Karol, he used his hair gel to let the large tuft of his brown hair get swept back, which allowed him to get a few heads to turn, including a certain brown-haired companion of his.
And then there was Raven, who went ahead and decided to remove his ponytail, and after a few cuts, managed to get a proper trimming of a style that suited him—a combination of a style that he used to have during his youth and of what Schwann was renowned for.
Surprisingly, there was even Flynn who was beginning to grow his hair as evident to sporting a short low ponytail recently.
"No, it's a good thing…" Karol trailed off, furrowing his eyebrows as he tried to choose the proper words to say next. "But, well, it's just…"
"We've always seen you with long hair," Patty pointed out, "And now…you look so average,"
Shaking his head, Yuri smiled. "Well, I like it. It's a good change," He admitted, bringing his hand behind and letting his fingers touch the ends of the hair. "I get to start all over again, you know?" Despite not having a mirror, he could tell that he cut most of the lower portion, which meant that it was up to at least his neck—almost similar to the hairstyle that his wife was renowned for during her youth.
"Yuri?"
Yuri smiled and turned around.
On cue, there she was—the princess maneuvering her way through the crowd and her eyes slightly widening at the sight of her husband's new look. As she closed the distance between them, she reached out to brush her hand over his cheek. "Yuri, what happened?" She asked in a soft, gentle tone.
The swordsman said nothing and tipped his head to relish her warmth, bringing his hand to place it over hers before leaning forward to peck her on the temple. "There's nothing to worry about," He assured her and with his other hand, began to stroke her long pink hair from behind. "But hey, least we match now, huh?" And grinned widely.
Registering his words, Estelle caught on and giggled. Going on her tip-toes, she narrowed her eyes as she went on to take a good look at his hair. "Hmm…"
"What's wrong?"
"Some of the ends look a bit uneven," She replied as she lowered her hand back to her side. And then a thought occurred to her and she smiled. "Patty!" Estelle addressed the pirate woman who looked back at her with curiosity. "Can you ask Marie for a pair of scissors?"
Beaming, Patty exclaimed with a loud, "Aye!" And then ran to the direction of the public inn.
"Where's Eve and the kids?" Yuri brought up, causing his wife and Karol to glance at him.
"She's at the inn with the others eating lunch," Estelle answered for him. "Would you like to join them?"
Ruminating through his thoughts, the dark-haired man nodded and smiled. "That'll be nice,"
Estelle flashed a grin in return. Taking his hand with hers, they began to head over to the public inn. About a few steps in and they stopped as they found Karol chasing after them.
"Wait, Yuri!" Karol exclaimed, stopping abruptly as he was about a few meters away from the married couple. When he saw their questionable looks, he took the opportunity to speak up. "I just wanna let you know that we won't have guild duties for about a week. That way, we'll spend some time with everyone. Sound good?"
Yuri nodded. "I like the sound of it," He agreed, cracking a smirk. "Nice one, boss,"
Karol sheepishly grinned. "Well, it's the least I can do," He replied back, bringing his hand over his head and scratching it. "Anyway, let's go! I wanna see the look on Raven and Rita's face when they see you!" And off he ran toward the direction of the inn.
Yuri and Estelle snuck glances at each other and shared a light-hearted laugh.
Unbeknownst to them, the people around them fondly watched them as they joined their hyperactive friend to the inn. Their mayor and dear member of their community of the Lower Quarter may be no longer with them but his legacy would live on—in their hearts and in the presence of his two sons: Yuri and Flynn.
Unsurprisingly, dramatic gasps and high-pitched squeals arose the second Yuri entered the interior of the inn. Rolling his eyes, he ignored the many eyes on him and focused his attention on his children who stared back at him with growing interest.
It didn't take long before the tense atmosphere eventually subsided and everyone was at peace.
Though it was strange to see the swordsman, who was easily recognizable for his long, dark mane to suddenly change his appearance in the blink of an eye—for some reason, it felt somewhat right. And they knew that the reason behind it was connected with his own way of coping with Hanks's passing. It was symbolic—for one to cut their hair as it was a universal sign to mourn for another.
From there, they knew that that must've been Yuri's intentions all along. With that in mind, they couldn't help but admire his bravery for sacrificing a piece of himself to get through something as difficult as this.
To his relief, Marie, Ted, his friends, and his found family were welcoming of his transformation—and though it was subtle, it was a change that they were more than happy to accept. Even Flynn, who shortly came back after finishing with what he had to do, was surprised yet didn't question about it as he was quick to understand the reasoning behind it.
Shortly after lunch and with a light trimming of hair by Estelle, Yuri and the others took it upon themselves to clean up the materialistic possessions that Hanks kept in his rundown house. Right away, everyone was given a specific role.
Judith and Rita were in charge of the living room while Patty was with Ted in the kitchen and dining room.
Raven and Karol held responsibility with the cabinets and leftover clothing.
Estelle and the children were in cleanup duty, along with Repede and his pups—together, and equipped with cleaning supplies, they dusted and brushed away the spider webs on the ceiling and the staircase.
Marie was given a pass as she nursed baby Ann from the sidelines, though would often come over and assist the others as much as she could.
Finally, there was Yuri and Flynn who took up the responsibility of their foster father's bedroom. And from there, they were hit with a treasure trove of memories from the past.
While rearranging the pillows, the knight was surprised to find a large pile of folded papers tucked inside one of the pillowcases. Looking through them, he realized that it was a collection of the letters that he'd written, beginning when he and Yuri were first admitted as rookie knights to the latest one, where he addressed his personal concerns of being a father for the very first time.
They were old and a bit worn-out but the inscribed writing was still intact. And that's when Flynn realized that Hanks, whenever he was alone or was worried for him and Yuri, that he would often take the time rereading the letters over and over until he was satisfied.
Such a thought was enough to make him feel warm inside.
"After all this time…" He whispered to himself, gathering the letters together and bringing them close to his chest. "You were looking out for us…"
As Flynn was immersed with his letters, Yuri was on the other side removing the heaps of boxes under the bed. Sliding one of them out, his eyes slightly widened as he caught sight of tiny square-shaped prints neatly arranged together.
Curiosity got the better of him as the swordsman extended his arm out to grab a few of them. Settling himself on the ground with one leg crossed and the other raised, Yuri lowered his gaze to study the photos.
The first one was of him and Flynn with Hanks and Jiri—all huddled together to take a picture. Slowly, a memory resurfaced from the back of his mind and before he knew it, Yuri found himself diving back into reminiscing on that particular day of the photo shoot.
It was about a few weeks when Flynn was welcomed into the family and much to Yuri's dismay, Jiri and Hanks insisted that they needed to commemorate the occasion by taking a picture.
"Do we really have to?"
"If you wanna be a part of this family, then yes," Hanks asserted, followed by a light chuckle. When he caught sight of the young boy crossing his arms and making a pouty look, all he could do was shake his head. "Whether ya like it or not, Yuri, we gotta have to take the picture,"
Before Yuri could protest, Jiri called them over.
"The cameraman is here!" She cried, waving them to come forth. "Hurry, he doesn't have a lot of time!" Next to her was Flynn who seemed troubled as he stared at the large man with a brown hat walking over to them with a strange-looking small box equipped in his hands.
Taking note of the excitement laced in his wife's words, a pleased smile graced along the bearded man's lips. "That's us," He began, gaining the latter's attention. Turning around, he stretched his hand outward and in a soft tone, he said, "Come on, Yuri, let's go!"
The boy veered his gaze at the hand being offered to him. He then snuck a glance over to his foster mother, then at his foster brother, until finally landing his fixation on his foster father who looked back at him with a twinkle in his eye.
After much consideration, Yuri heaved a sigh. "Fine…." And jumping from the large crate, took hold of the latter's wrinkly hand and gripped it.
Hanks smiled. "That's my boy,"
Twisting his heel, he strolled onward—together, hand-in-hand.
With the shake of his head, Yuri tucked the photo behind the small pile and not long after, fixed his attention to the next one displayed before him.
This time, it was of him and Flynn holding the sword—the very first one that they bought together with their allowance. He remembered how heavy it was to carry it even with both hands and so, after much negotiation, he and his childhood friend agreed to carry the weapon—with Flynn gripping the right side of the handle with two of his hands with Yuri mimicking the same gesture on the corresponding right.
Despite their awkward battle poses—from the way how their feet were placed on the ground as a result of their internal struggle to keep the sword high above their heads, it was the valiant expressions that they wore: furrowed eyebrows, their eyes directed in on the silver blade which held their reflections and large, confident smiles that they wore that made the picture worth it.
Another memory resurfaced, and with it, came the assuring voice of a certain bearded man.
"What's that you got there?"
Both boys turned to look at each other, grinned brightly, before facing their foster father once more.
"It's a sword!" Yuri declared quite proudly.
"We got it from a traveling merchant!" Flynn explained, his voice equally excited as the latter, "He said that if we bought it, we're going to be knights!"
Hanks chuckled, followed by the shake of his head. "You don't say?" Collecting his hands together and bringing them behind his back, he continued. "Are ya planning to share it?"
As soon as he said those words, Yuri and Flynn looked at each other with widened eyes. The sudden tension between the two was expected, though Hanks couldn't help but sigh when he realized that he must've accidentally triggered them to start lashing out at each other.
"I'm going to use it first!" Flynn cried all of a sudden.
Yuri clenched his teeth. "No, it's me!"
Heaving a deep breath, Hanks called out their names. Once he got their attention, he cleared his throat and said, "There's no need to fight. What did I tell you about sharing, eh?"
"That sharing is…caring?" Yuri spoke up, sounding uncertain.
"It's a good concept of being humble?" Flynn joined in, stepping in.
Hanks pursed his lips before nodding. "Well, that's sort of the gist of it…but really," Crouching down to their level, he brought his hands and planted them on top of their heads. "You must always remember—that we all must make a living by what we get and that we make a life by what we give. To live in this world and survive, it takes both sides to build a bridge and it begins with an act of kindness,"
Smiling, he proceeded to ruffle their hairs affectionately. "Never forget—that you are brothers, a team. The two of you are gonna be supporting each other from then on. If one strays away from the path they've chosen, then the other must be the one to remind them and guide them back. Even if it means having to do so behind the scenes, you must always have one another's backs. Ya got that?"
"To share means to give and to give, well…there's a chance that you may or may not receive something in return," As Hanks continued, his eyes softened. "Even if that happens, always keep your head high and do what you can to continue giving."
Yuri crinkled his nose. "Even if they don't accept us?"
Hanks nodded. "That's right," He affirmed, "But you should know, that no matter what, I'm always here to accept you both,"
The two boys turned to glance at each other, smiled again before dropping the sword to tackle the bearded man. Surprised by this, Hanks found himself falling to the ground and though his back ached, he couldn't help but let out a burst of laughter.
Seconds later, Yuri and Flynn joined in.
Yuri sighed as he allowed that particular memory to sink back inside and once he managed to compose himself, reverted his attention back to the photos laid before him on his lap.
Next was a series of birthdays—starting with his as he was surrounded by Flynn, Hanks, Jiri, and a younger version of Marie the innkeeper and some of the elder folks, men, and women in the background. As usual, there was strawberry shortcake present. Following after came Flynn's—though unlike Yuri's, this one had the trio as well as those who were present for the party, to be coated with icings and splotches of vanilla bean cake. At the center was Yuri and Flynn, their arms snaked on one another's exposed necks and behind them were the loving gazes of their foster parents.
One after another, more pictures of their birthdays, of them, regularly sparring in the public square (often times with sticks and stones), of them attending the public elementary school with backpacks in tow, of their first yet brief family vacation which consisted of roaming the Public Quarter with ice creams and conversing with one another, of Yuri proudly showing off his first batches of pancakes and then the next being Flynn doing the same though with the latter was in the background wearing a displeased expression on his face.
After two more photos, Yuri reached the time when he and Flynn were teenagers—both wielding the same sword that they first bought when they were little, this time with confident as they showed the weapon off as they supported it with one hand each gripping their respective side, him on the left and Flynn on the right. There were a few more delightful photos of him, Flynn, and their foster parents together…and then the picture of Jiri's funeral showed up.
Yuri's eyes narrowed as he silently gazed at the rather dull photo—of him, Flynn, and Hanks standing in front of the casket of their deceased foster mother, their expressions grave and with no hints of emotions. Standing in-between the two teenagers and holding Jiri's portrait was none other than Hanks, who couldn't seem to look at the camera as he hung his head in mourning.
Yuri remembered that day as it happened to be a few days after he turned seventeen. She had a stroke and with no doctors around, they were left with no choice but to depend on the limited medical supplies that they had in their possessions. The entire community banded together as one, hoping to help the poor woman but in the end…
He inhaled a sharp breath as he took the photo and slipped it behind the collection, refusing to allow the memory of him bawling by himself, behind the large crates shortly after they were dismissed from the room that kept his foster mother's dead corpse. And as expected, Hanks was there who saw him in such a state and to his surprise, the bearded man embraced him as tightly as he could and allowed him to cry his heart out as he, too crumbled down and eventually succumbed to his defeat.
Luckily, Flynn wasn't there to see it though it was later revealed by Marie, who had seen him run off to the outskirts of the city to slash some of the nearby monsters in a fit of anger, only to return back shortly after, sinking to his knees midway in his tracks and sobbed aloud. If it weren't for Marie who had been there to support him, the blonde man could've slept on the staircase and would've gotten sick as the following day heavily rained—as if, the heavens knew of the pain and grieve that the foster father and sons were currently experiencing.
Unlike the other pictures, this one was framed—it had of Yuri and Flynn wearing their Imperial Knights uniforms, their expressions serious and concentrated as they prepared themselves for the photoshoot. Yuri remembered how stiff and uncomfortable he felt about the whole ordeal.
After that, there was a series of him caring for Repede when he was only a mere pup—holding him as he fell asleep, the same way that he would carry his newborn children with one arm over the form of the small bundle while the other protectively behind their head.
Following a major time skip in regards to him and his two-year-old journey, the one that he held in his hands was of him, Estelle, Repede, Hanks, Ted, Marie, and the children posing behind the public well and the manual pump that were recently installed—a symbol of new changes for what was to come in the future.
Yuri unconsciously smiled as more of the pictures were gradually transitioning into that of the present time—there was one of Estelle, Hanks, Marie, Ted, and the children gathered together with wide smiles on their faces as they each possessed the same purple book—Tales of Vesperia, the acclaimed novel which the princess had written and become a global sensation.
Next came Flynn donning his new Commandant suit and like the previous photo, was huddled together with the members of the community and as always, Hanks was there at the center, grinning proudly.
What followed after was of Hanks cradling their first child, Eve who appeared to be trying to stuff her tiny fingers inside his nostrils. At the sight of the picture, Yuri inwardly chuckled as he suddenly recalled Ted getting a hold of a camera that he managed to save up on and insisted that he should be the one to take pictures for then on.
And for the next consecutive photos, the majority of it consisted of the happy couple—of them posing in front of their house in Halure, of Hanks and the community surrounding Estelle, Yuri, and Brave Vesperia as they congratulated them upon hearing of her pregnancy, of Yuri and Estelle sleeping on the couch during one of their breaks from their wedding plans, of Little Eve engaging herself with the others, of Repede and his pups waddling around as they chased after the crawling baby who was attempting to get out of the house, and of course, the promising day of Yuri and Estelle's wedding.
The gorgeous wedding venue, of Yuri and Estelle holding hands as they recited their wedding vows, the brawl that involved the Councilmen, guilds from Palestrae and Hunting Blades, and even to Brave Vesperia. Yuri laughed as one of the pictures managed to get a shot of him punching the living daylights out of a Councilman with Flynn doing the same thing afterward, with the rest of their found family scattered around and to their amazement, Kaufman, Natz, the Schwann Brigade and even Rich from the King of Adventure entered the fray moments later to join in the chaos.
Later that night, there was the banquet—and of course, there was a picture of the newly-wedded couple—now dressed in another set of clothes, Yuri wearing his True Knight outfit and Estelle in her beautiful blue dress, with their newborn, surrounded by friends, family, and Hanks at the center with another one of the dumbest smiles on his face.
Yuri closed his eyes, resisting the urge to laugh right then and there as he was caught by another wave of nostalgia—remembering how minutes after the picture was taken, there was a—
"Heads up!"
All eyes and ears were on high-alert as they watched the young leader of Brave Vesperia take a huge chunk of the lemon glazed wedding (there were two—the other one being strawberry shortcake) and threw it at a random person. Unknowingly, he had directed it toward the short mage who immediately got triggered.
"OH, THAT IS IT!" Rita cried at the top of her lungs, and quickly looking around, took a plate filled with chicken and rice and tossed it back at the younger boy who screamed in a high-pitch wail and scurried off. As the short brunette chased after him, everyone else turned to each other bearing mischievous looks.
Covering her hands over her mouth, the little pirate girl bounced up and down as she exclaimed, "FOOD FIGHT!"
And just like that—another brawl initiated.
Back and forth, every single person present in the banquet hall began tossing any available plates and beverages—all contributing to the catastrophe site. Yuri couldn't feel guilty as he was one of the first ones to get involved with Estelle and the members of their guild, including Flynn and Hanks banding together to go against Ted and Marie who were supported by the Schwann Brigade, Ioder, and even Kaufman.
As for the rest who kept to the sidelines like Teagle and his family, Karen and the castle staff, they remained far away from the chaos and watched, taking up the duty to take care of Little Eve while her eccentric parents, baby sitter, Uncles and Aunts were occupied with exploiting their shenanigans.
By the end of the night, everything was a mess—including the bride, the groom, and their guests, splattered and coated with cake, croquettes, salad dressing, vichyssoise, salisbury steak, pork stew, red and white wine and other alcoholic drinks.
And here it was—the picture that commemorated the disaster which showed Yuri, Estelle, Flynn, their family and friends, and Hanks standing around with his arms wrapped their chest as they released a burst of laughter, some throwing their head back and the others poking at each other and chasing around.
It was a night that was bound to be remembered to those who participated and for many years to come.
Following that came more photos, this time centering on the children.
There was Little Eve together with Sarah who recently became welcomed into their family—with Eve smiling brightly and Sarah frowning as she was rather uncomfortable with the attention. Holding them were their respective fathers, Yuri, and Flynn with Estelle and Hanks in-between them, grinning.
Another was of Owain who, this time, was held by Hanks. The two appeared to be wearing yellow and pink flower crowns which Eve and Sarah made specifically for them.
And then another—Owain, now two-years-old, together with the other children and his older sister—Eve, Sarah, and Seliph coming together and trying to make funny faces in front of the camera. Below their feet were Repede's pups—Lambert, Zephyr, and Lamia playfully accompanying them.
Yuri instantly recognized this as he remembered seeing a copy of it in their garrison at Dahngrest, assembled together by Karol who claimed that as their official base, it was also home to them and wanted to get a hold of the many pictures of his friends, family, his nieces and nephews to show them off to those who would enter their domain.
Looking through all of these, the swordsman was impressed by the dozens of pictures that Ted had done. It was no surprise that about a few weeks later after his sixteenth birthday, the green-haired teenager claimed that he wanted to pursue the path of a traveling photographer as he enjoyed having to capture the many smiles and laughter of everyone that he's met and knew. Smiling, he put the first pile of pictures inside the box before diving back in with another pile in his hands.
Unlike the other one which chronicled mostly of him, Flynn, Estelle, and the rest—this one, in particular, focused on their children.
The first one had Eve interacting with Ba'ul and her Aunt Judith as they soared through the skies.
Next came Owain looking at Raven in awe as he showed off his signature bow weapon and another of the boy being bestowed with a blue handkerchief by Karol which he now dons around his tiny neck.
And then one by one, the waves of happy memories erupted—with Seliph and Judith training in the grounds and the others cheering them on, Sarah practicing her salute with her father, the four children animatedly interacting with the Four Great Spirits, the four of them trying to bake a cake together with Yuri, listening and smiling as Estelle read them a story in the front yard of the house, of Karol lecturing them of monsters and how weapons work, of Rita babysitting them and being a surprisingly good aunt (making sure that they took their naps and would teach them how to dance), Patty teaching Seliph to steer the wheel of the Fiertia, Ioder giving them a tour of the whole Palace with Master Drake Dropwart and Sodia in tow…
And then finally, there was the final picture—of the four children happily being embraced by Hanks and encircling around them were the recognizable figures of Yuri, Estelle, Flynn, the members of Brave Vesperia, Ioder, Sodia, Witcher, Marie, and the Schwann Brigade.
Rubbing his eyes from exhaustion, Yuri let out a loud yawn. He then turned to look at the clock located on the nearby wall. He blinked, surprised to find out that he had been looking through the pictures for only fifteen minutes.
Shaking his head, he carefully put the heap of photos back into the box of memories. Taking the cover, he proceeded to put it on top of it—only to stop halfway. His eyes widened as he found something sticking out on the far corner of the box. Curious, he reached out to take a hold of it.
Upon acquiring it, Yuri's eyes slowly widened.
It was two pictures stuck together.
The first one in front of him was…
"Mom," Yuri softly muttered under his breath, completely stunned.
Indeed, it was—a woman with beautiful long, black hair with a rather large pregnancy bump, standing in-between the space of a younger version of Jiri and Hanks and behind them was the old fountain with the aque blastia, their faces filled with blissful content. Compared to the other pictures, this one, in particular, lacked color and instead, was filled with a brown filter.
Swallowing his saliva thickly, Yuri slowly flipped the other side of the picture.
The second he laid eyes on the other picture, his mouth slightly parted.
And there, displayed on the photo was of Hanks sprawled on the bed, holding tight of a baby boy…
Slowly, it dawned to him.
The baby that his foster father held…was that him?
As he veered his eyes downwards, Yuri noticed smears of black writing along the frame, which read—
Father and Son
And under that message was a heart shape and the name of his foster mother, Jiri's signature accompanied after.
Suddenly, Yuri's ears picked up the sound of scrambling feet across the wooden flooring. Alarmed, he lowered the photo and peered upwards, beaming as he caught sight of his two children—Eve and Owain running toward him.
"Daddy!" Eve cried, approaching him with her arms open wide.
"Sis!" Owain chimed in, nearly tripping as he attempted to go after his sister. "W-wait up, please!"
Yuri grinned, opening his arms to welcome the two toddlers waddling over to him, bringing them in and inhaling their natural flowery scent.
Seconds later, Sarah and Seliph appeared.
"Eve!" Sarah cried, walking over to her Uncle and her cousins as she shot them a glare. "Come on, we need to get back! Auntie Estellise said that we're not finished cleaning yet!" At the sight of the swordsman, the young redhead blushed. "Oh, Uncle Yuri!"
Yuri gave her a wink. "Hey, Sare,"
Nodding and smiling, Sarah resorted to averting her gaze at her female cousin who continued to bury her face deeper into her father's tunic.
"Eve!"
Hearing her name, the short haired girl turned around and stuck out her tongue.
Sighing, the young Kriyan stepped up. "Eve, if you keep this up, you're gonna get us in trouble…" He expressed his concern, his eyebrows furrowed. "And you should know better—Aunt Estelle is passive-aggressive when it comes to scolding us."
"What's going on here?" Flynn spoke up, catching their attention.
"Oh, Flynn," Yuri addressed his foster brother as he rose up from the ground as he carried both of his children with him. "You finished with your section?"
The knight nodded. "You?"
Yuri half-shrugged. "You could say that,"
Processing his words, Flynn rolled his eyes. He then set his attention to his daughter who seemed to be cowering away and was hiding behind the male Kriyan. Concerned, he squatted to his knees and asked, "Sarah, what's wrong?"
The redhead mumbled a few words to herself, which caused his father to deepen his frown. "Sarah…"
While father and daughter (and with the help of Seliph) were engaged in their own private conversation, Yuri turned to face his two children in his arms who looked back at him with the same childlike wonder. He crinkled his lips to an assuring grin as they seemed to be having a strange fascination with his new hairstyle.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah, Eve?"
"Why did you have to cut your hair?" His little girl asked, sounding concerned. "Did something go wrong?"
Before Yuri could say something, Owain spoke up. "Are you okay?" He frowned as he shared the same worried look like his sister. "Do you want to talk about it, Daddy?"
Yuri was caught off-guard by their words. For some reason, they sounded like a certain old man.
"No, it's nothing…" He assured them, followed by a grin. Sitting down on the edge of the mattress, he released them from his hold and ushered them to lean in to which they silently obliged. "Look at this," And showed them the picture he held with one hand.
Eve blinked, tipping her head to the side. "Who's that with Grandpa?" She wondered aloud, pointing her tiny finger to who she was referring to.
"Is that sis?" Owain asked, nuzzling his cheek against his father's shoulder as he leaned in as well to speculate the photo.
Yuri simply smiled. "Actually, that's me,"
Both children froze and looked up to face their father.
"But you looked so small!" Eve expressed, which caused the latter to laugh. "You know, like our new sister!"
"How did you get so big, Daddy?" Owain voiced out his concern yet at the same time, interested. "Did you drink one of Auntie Rita's fixer elixirs?"
Again, Yuri laughed. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Flynn glancing at him with a sympathetic smile as he held Sarah in his arms and with Seliph standing next to him. He then turned to the open doorway where he noticed his wife poking her head out with a bright smile on her face and behind her, where the rest of the members of their found family and Marie carrying his third child.
"You could say that," Yuri commented, ignoring the short mage who was about to enter the room, ready to kick him in the ass only to get held back by her best friend and the female lancer.
"Daddy?"
This time, Yuri faced his son. "What's up, Owain?"
"When do we get to see Grandpa again?"
There was a moment of silence.
"…Daddy?" Owain repeated, his voice softer.
"We'll see him again," Yuri assured him, ruffling his hair affectionately and his eyes softening. "Right now, he's away on a journey…"
Grinning, Eve took this opportunity to speak her mind. "Can we visit him?"
To her dismay, her father shook his head.
"How come?"
"The place that he's going to, it's somewhere very far," Estelle began, catching their attention as she walked inside the room. Squatting to her knees, she held each of her children's tiny hands before peering up to face her husband. "But there are two ways to see him again if you wish for it,"
"Really?" Eve wondered, her eyes widening. "What is it, Mommy?"
"One—if you fall asleep and you dream and you wish for him, Grandpa will appear," Estelle went on, carefully weaving her fairytale for her children, husband, and those around them to hear. "And two—look up at the stars and he'll be there,"
Owain frowned. "The stars?"
Estelle nodded along. "That's right," She affirmed, "Grandpa's journey is only the beginning. And right now, he's up in space and is using the stars to guide him to the place where he'll be going."
"But isn't it too dark for him to see?" Eve asked, creasing her eyebrows as tugged onto her father's sleeve. "Doesn't he need help?"
"You can help him," Flynn joined in, causing the others to turn their heads and eyes to focus in on him. Standing before the small family, the knight turned to face his daughter and pecked her on the forehead. He then glanced down at the male Kriytan and patted him on the head. "The four of you must work together to help him get there…"
"Should we use Ba'ul?" Seliph chipped in.
Something warm snaked around his shoulders, causing him to freeze in place. Moving his head, the young Krityan was surprised to find his foster mother and mentor look at him with loving eyes. "I'm afraid Ba'ul won't be able to help him get there. He's still too young, you know and the wind turbulence up there might hurt him,"
"Yeah, and the Fiertia would get destroyed in smithereens!" Patty exclaimed, coming over with Repede and sat down across from Yuri with her gaze fixed intently on the younger male. "You wouldn't want yer home to get blown up, would ya?"
When she saw Seliph gulped and quickly shake his head, she bitterly smiled. "Exactly, nobody wants their home gone,"
Repede barked in agreement, followed by Lambert and Zephyr who immediately went to their respective young owners except for Lamia, who was sleeping and was supported on his back. Ever so carefully, he sprawled down on the open space within the group, though tried not to emit a sound.
"Magic won't help either," Rita tagged along, joining the small circle and sitting down next to her best friend. "I've tried multiple times but it doesn't work."
"What about Uncle Ioder and the Knights?" Sarah suggested, hoping that her answer could be the solution.
"I'm afraid that's not a good option, darlin'," Raven stepped in, approaching the knight and the young redhead and giving her a smile. "Your granddad's journey is meant for him and him only,"
Bursting with confidence, Karol stepped forward. "All we can do is wish for him to be safe," He added in, his voice full of vigor. "Your grandma Jiri is there waiting for him and I'm sure that she'll be happy to see him after so long,"
"It's going to be lonely here without him," Marie said softly, maneuvering her way through the small group and bestowing the princess the small bundle in her arms. "But we're together and that's all that matters,"
"It's what Hanks would want," Ted replied, taking part as well with his satchel which contained his trusty camera and the equipment needed. "And he wouldn't want any of you to look so sad,"
"So then…" Owain trailed off, getting the group's attention. "What should we do to let Grandpa know that we'll be okay?"
Yuri, Estelle, Flynn and the others exchanged knowing looks and smiled.
"Remember him," Yuri spoke up, "And if you can do that, Grandpa would be happy,"
Eve and Owain turned to look at each other, then they looked over to their honorable cousins who gazed back at them with smiles.
"Okay!" Eve cried, being the speaker of her little band of misfits and with a bright, impish smirk plastered on her face, she added, "We'll do that!"
The adults smiled, rest-assured that everything and everyone was going to be alright.
As the sky gradually dwindled to reflect the arrival of twilight, it was time for Yuri, Estelle, and the members of Brave Vesperia to head on home.
"We'll be sure to visit you soon," Marie told the married couple as they were about to embark on the large ship.
"I'll probably do the same and take more pictures," Ted explained as he jerked his chin to the camera in his possession.
Yuri nodded in agreement. "And be sure to bring that girlfriend of yours from the noble quarter," He pointed out, which caused the latter to stiffen and blush furiously. "Maybe show her how much of an expert you are with that contraption of yours,"
Ted clenched his teeth, ignoring the burning sensation on his cheeks as he called out his big brother figure.
"Come on, Yuri," Estelle came in, smiling sweetly. "Don't bully him,"
Listening to her words, the green-haired teenager sighed in relief. "Thanks, Miss Estelle…"
"You should wait until he comes with her and show her the baby photos you have of him," The princess added in, prompting the teenager to widen his eyes.
"Miss Estelle…" Ted exclaimed as he buried his tomato red face into his hands. "No, not you too!"
Yuri, Estelle, and Marie laughed as the teenager excused himself as he ran off to bid farewell to the children who were with Repede and the others.
"Guess this is goodbye, for now, Marie," Estelle expressed, stepping forward and politely bowing her head. "Thank you so much for your hospitality,"
"It's no trouble at all," The innkeeper replied back, "You and your friends are now members of our community in the Lower Quarter." Collecting her hands together on top of her white apron, she smiled and said, "As Hanks would've said, 'a family that stays together, sticks together',"
Yuri and Estelle nodded.
"Ioder would come over sometime to help out with the next election of the mayor," The princess went on as she gently took a hold of her husband's hand with her own. "And the Schwann Brigade would be here willing to assist,"
Marie nodded. "Good, good!" She agreed with another nod and a smile. "I'll be looking forward to that. Well, off you go then!" Hugging the princess and patting the swordsman on the shoulder, she dismissed them off to the Fiertia.
The pair smiled, strolling hand-in-hand as they entered the Fiertia where their found family and children awaited their presence.
"Seliph," Judith called her student over.
Catching on to her words, the young Krityan nodded and proceeded to take out the golden horn from inside his pocket. Inhaling a deep breath, he blew into it—in response, the large flying Entelexeia flapped its large, feathery wings and began to make it ascend into the heavenly skies.
Everyone on board waved at Marie, Ted, and the folks of the Lower Quarter and as Ba'ul rotated around and grew close to the Palace, they sighted the young Emperor with Sodia, Witcher and Master Drake standing out the open balcony who waved back at them as well.
Releasing a sonic wail, the gentle giant flew further into the skies until the Capital City of Zaphias was no more. The children, who were huddled together, squealed with joy as a gust of wind abruptly blew in. Meanwhile, the adults laughed harmoniously before turning their attention to the starry night skies from up above.
"Everyone, look!" Estelle exclaimed, directing her finger high as she supported her newborn with her other arm. "It's Brave Vesperia!"
On cue, all eyes turned to the brightest star in the night sky.
"Woah, what's that?" Eve suddenly cried, as she too pointed at the star as well.
Everyone on board narrowed their eyes, concentrating their efforts on the strange speck of light that was surprisingly close to the legendary star.
Confused, Rita turned to look at her best friend and asked, "Estelle, do you know which star that is?"
The princess frowned. "…I don't know,"
"It seems new," Karol came in, frowning as he angled his head the other way to get a better look at the tiny star. "And it seems to be on the right…"
"Stars don't usually just spawn out of nowhere, right?" Raven wondered, rubbing on his stubble as he thought it over.
Judith folded her arms over her chest as she veered her sights at the particular star. "Now that you mention it, I'm not sure either."
"Of all my years sailing the seven seas and using stars as a map to guide my way," Patty went on, as she steered the wheel of the ship, "All I can say is that that thing yer seeing is new!"
Yuri arched an eyebrow. "Are you saying that that star was born just now?"
"Could be," Flynn muttered, bringing a hand under his chin as he tried to think of a good solution to the strange predicament they were in. "I'll have to investigate once I go back to Aurnion. The scholars there might know something,"
"I'll join you," Rita chimed in, already getting into gear. "Something as extraordinary as this can't be left unnoticed!"
As the adults continued to ponder on the identity of the new star, Yuri noticed the children appearing giddy and awestruck. "Hey," He began, walking over to them and offering him an encouraging grin. "What's up with those smiles?"
Eve, Owain, Sarah, and even Seliph returned the same look that he wore.
"Can't you tell, Daddy?" Eve was the first to speak up, laughing joyfully. "That star up there! We know who it is!"
Hearing this, the adults moved their heads to look at the children with dumbfounded expressions.
"Wait, what?" Rita cried, stunned. "You know? All of you?"
Sarah nodded, smiling.
Seliph shrugged as he said, "I mean, it's obvious…"
Not understanding the meaning of his words, Yuri turned to face his children and asked, "Can you tell us what that star is?"
"Uh-huh!" Owain replied, bobbing his head as he cried with excitement etched in his voice, "IT'S GRANDPA!"
Everything turned quiet.
"Are you saying that…" Raven trailed off, his eyes widening upon realization. "That star up there is…"
"Hanks?" Flynn finished for him with his mouth dropped open.
It took a while for the information to settle in and through the encouragement of the children, the adults turned their heads to face one another with knowing looks.
Another gust of wind blew in, letting his hair to flow freely behind his back. Peering up, Yuri smirked.
A new day, a new year, a fresh start for him, his friends, family, and children.
On the stroke of midnight—the dawn of a new year arrived, one filled with promise and more opportunities ahead.
A new year without him…
Even so, Yuri knew that the old man would want him to keep going.
Once lost and wayward as a child, troubled and indecisive as a teenager, still uncertain and conflicted even as an adult—but now, here he was, standing as a thirty-one-year-old—he no longer felt those negative feelings. For the first time, he knew where he belonged and knew exactly what he wanted.
And as he ventured through the skies, together with the ones he loved and his future grasped tightly in his hands, Yuri Lowell couldn't help but eagerly anticipate for what's to come.
"I'm not alone anymore," He whispered to himself, grinning widely as a hint of electricity flickered in his eyes. "Thanks for all that you've done, Dad. Rest easy now. We'll take it from here."
AND THAT'S IT! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT! FINALLY, THE FANFICTION IS COMPLETE!
NOW, FOR THE MEANING OF THE TITLE. The SECOND STAR IS THE NAME OF YURI'S SIGNATURE BLADE AND IT WAS GIVEN TO HIM BY JIRI-TO ME, THE SECOND STAR EMBODIES JIRI AND THE 'TO THE RIGHT' AND THE DESCRIPTION FOR THE WEAPON, 'THE FIRST ONE IS FOR HIM...' SPEAKS OF HANKS. AND SO-SECOND STAR (JIRI) TO THE RIGHT (HANKS) IS HOW THE TITLE IS COMMEMORATED.
ALSO, I WAS LISTENING TO PETER PAN 2: the SECOND STAR TO THE RIGHT AND MAKE A WISH FROM POKEMON FOR THIS FANFIC SO FEEL FREE TO WEEP AS YOU LISTEN IF YOU CAN!
THE GREATEST THING THAT I'VE EVER DONE WAS CUTTING YURI'S HAIR-I KEPT PONDERING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IF I SHOULD DO IT BUT IN THE END, I KNEW IT HAD TO BE DONE AS IT IS VERY SYMBOLIC TO THE NEW CHANGES THAT WOULD AWAIT HIM AND THE OTHERS.
NOW, FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENTS-
IM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT THERE WILL BE A SPINOFF IN THE WORKS. AND THE PROMPT IS THE KICKER-IT'S UP TO YOU, READERS! (Hanks may have passed and gone, but I believe the adventure is not yet over for the rest of the cast and their children)
AND FOR MY OTHER FANFICTION, Start of Something New will begin its production again in the second week of March (that's my spring break) and afterward, checkmate will be next (same week).
For Valentine's day one-shot-I would leave the prompt up to you all and of the best one, I will pick them, dedicate the fiction to them and give them a shoutout.
Once more, thank you all for your encouraging words of comments (and kudos in the A03 community).
If you have any prompts for me regarding yustelle, any questions or whatnot, click on this link and it would lead you to my curious cat account:
/Kroissant
If not, feel free to submit a comment below here and I'll be more than happy to use that as an alternative! I'm looking forward to your submissions!
Once again, thank you so much!
Once more, I'm open to your opinions and criticisms!
That's all for now!
THANK YOU AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU GUYS SOON!