Chapter 8: The Strength to Disobey
"Magnolia, I'm sure everything will turn out okay."
"I know, Yu, but I still can't help it."
"He will understand. Trust me."
"I hope so. I mean...he took it as if I killed someone important to him."
"It will be alright, Magnolia. I'll be here with you."
"Okay...thank you."
"Happy to be of service."
Standing outside of the inn in the simple city of Caldisla, Yu and Magnolia awaited the arrival of Jean and Nikolah. Right now, Magnolia was trying hard to stay calm, but it was proven futile after a few minutes. Yu patted her shoulder in an attempt to ease her nerves.
"Oh, I think I see them," called out Yu.
Her back straightened. She started fidgeting left and right, staring at the ground with a newfound interest. Jean looked at the girl, a lump of regret lumping in his throat.
"Yu, Magnolia. Why did you call us here?" Jean started questioning. Nikolah crossed his arms, entering his thinking process. "Yes, I'm afraid I do not know the reason for this meeting, but I do know there are issues to address." The last bit was directed to Jean, and the fencer subtly nodded.
"Listen, Magnolia. About what happened-" he was cut off by Magnolia's sudden bow.
"It's okay. I remember everything."
The two older men staggered back. "W-what?! But how?" Jean sputtered out. Yu took advantage of their shock to explain.
"I was the one who brought her memories back. I didn't know why two of my closest allies were fighting, so I went to Agnès for help. She told me that you were trying to find out why your memories were erased. And after exchanging information, she gave me her hourglass and told me to restore what was lost. Back then, I wasn't sure what she meant, but now…"
Still holding his mouth open, Nikolah ventured further. "So then, all this time, Magnolia was as clueless as us." This time, Magnolia spoke up. "That's right. Although, now that my memories have returned…" She mumbled something to herself. The others looked at her skeptically.
"Does having your memories restored...have some sort of consequence to them?" inquired Nikolah.
She stood silently for several minutes. How can she explain the rapidly expanding pressure of dread in her stomach? The feeling jabbed her forcefully, and she discreetly let her hands clutch her stomach.
"I...do not think so, but I'm going to be on my guard for a while. After all, there is a reason why I also forgot everything." Magnolia didn't look like she wanted to expand anymore. Jean and Nikolah relaxed in resignation.
"Well, I should apologize for my actions. I was being rash and forceful, and that put a strain on our friendship," Jean insisted, wincing when his gaze shifted to her broken flower.
"I forgive you, Jean. What matters is that you are finally able to trust me," Magnolia replied with a gentle smile. Yu looked back and forth between them, and, after seeing Magnolia and Jean come back to friendly terms, let out a silly laugh.
"It's good to see everyone getting along," sighed out Yu.
"Indeed. Quite a wonderful sight," Nikolah said.
While they all shared a laugh, Tiz came running up to them.
"I swear...people are leaving me out of things lately," Tiz grumbled.
Party Chat: What a Coincidence
Yu: Magnolia, can I ask you something?
Magnolia: Oh sure, Yu. Anything you want.
Yu: When we first met, you introduced yourself as Magnolia. Yet, when we met again in Eternia, you also named yourself Magnolia. Isn't that a bit of a…
Jean: Now that I think about it, how did Magnolia come up with that name again?
Tiz: Magnolia told me she named herself after the flower Yu gave her.
Magnolia: Actually, I don't know why I called myself Magnolia back then. All I know is that when Yu gave me that flower, I felt a connection to it, almost like deja vu. Also, I was strained on time to choose a name, so I went with the first thing I knew.
Jean: You know, I just realized that this event just went into a full circle.
Tiz: What do you mean?
Nikolah: He means that when Magnolia first came here, she gave Yu her flower as a way for him to remember her. And now, after coming back to Luxendarc, Yu gives her the same flower as a way to help her, and in turn, it sort of gave Magnolia a reason to follow him. It's like they gave each other a drive to keep moving.
Tiz: Is that so…?
Yu: I guess. But it feels more coincidental than intentional.
Nikolah: Yu, you know what they say. There is no such thing as coincidences in this world. I'm sure Tiz is well versed in this.
Tiz: Way to bring up an old scar, Nikolah.
…
It turned out that the guys wanted to hold a party for Tiz that night. Renting out the hot springs airship, Yu went all out, inviting everyone he has met on his journey for this one celebration. Tiz was embarrassed beyond belief, but he was also glad that over the last three years, he had the chance to meet, fight, and get to understand so many people. He felt like he has grown so much, and he knew that at the top of that growth...was his love, Agnès.
They spent the time soaking in the hot springs, offering Tiz advice on various things related to marriage (some of which he vowed never to take to heart). Sakura recently discovered a new brand of wine imported from Florem and wanted to share it to them. The result was an overly drunk Jean, whose slurred language added to the massive dizziness Yu gained from one sip of the sweet drink.
Nonetheless, the party was largely successful, and as Nikolah and Tiz drag a half-awake Jean to a guest room, Yu sat quietly in the spring, recovering from the pounding sensation in his head.
"So, Yu, how are things going with Magnolia?" Denny casually started, taking another sip out of his sake.
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"I was asking about Magnolia's injuries. Surely, they've healed by now."
"Yes, they did. Umm...Nii-san, why are you looking at me like that?" Yu frowned when his brother suddenly flashed a knowing grin. Denny chuckled at his younger brother, downing the rest of his drink.
"Yu, when are you going to ask her?"
At first, the younger brother tilted his head in confusion, but in a moment's notice, his cheeks brightened to the color of his barely touched drink. He choked on air, and he struggled to recover from his embarrassment.
"T-t-t-that's not...I-I-I mean...why do you ask?" he managed to spit out.
"Yu, she's someone precious to you. The way you defend her, the way you two have grown in your journey, the way you always get shy around her…"
"Nii-san!" Yu retorted.
His older brother chuckled. "It's only natural that you would tie the knot with her soon, at least, that's what I think. To think my little brother would grow up so fast…" Denny took a glance at his brother's face, now a glowing red color.
"Actually, I-I was thinking about it, too."
The older sibling raised an eyebrow. When he clearly saw Yu's face, he was taken back at what he saw. A shy look, maybe even a bit terrified, but determined nonetheless. "A lot has happened over the past few weeks. I realized how precious she is, even more so than when I was faced with the possibility of her leaving. How to explain this...I may know her feelings for me, but it's still nerve wracking to ask her."
"I see. But even so, it looks like you're stalling. Almost like you're anticipating something."
Yu shifted uncomfortably. Just when he was about to open his mouth to explain, Magnolia's voice echoed from above.
"What are you two talking about? I heard my name."
He turned around to find Magnolia leaning over the bamboo fence, her hair wrapped in a neat bun. She waved hello to Yu's brother and then focused her attention onto Yu's beet red cheeks.
"N-nothing! You heard nothing! Right, Nii-san?" Yu chuckled nervously, prompting Denny to also laugh at his younger brother's embarrassment. "A-anyway, why are you here?!" he stutters out. Magnolia took a peek at the moon, now entering its waning phase.
"I needed to clear my head for a bit. Are you sure you weren't talking about me?"
"We were just talking about old memories regarding flowers. Nothing related to you personally," Denny assured. Magnolia let out a grin that made Yu's face even redder. He sank his body further into the water, incoherently grumbling his discomfort. The bath was soon filled with laughter, and the night sky absorbed the sound with little difficulty...
Until a piercing scream sliced through the happiness like butter.
"What is that?! A-a-a m-monster!"
"Run for it!"
Magnolia suddenly flinched. Her face turned pale, and she started to shake. Both brothers noticed her state, and Yu immediately said, "Magnolia, calm down! Let's go see what it is!"
"R-right!"
…
Once the both of them were dressed, Yu and Magnolia hurried outside. They found Nikolah and Tiz helping people evacuate the building. Jean was the last one to stumble out, already sober enough to fight.
"What happened? I heard screaming and footsteps," Jean growled out, his hands already on his rapier. Nikolah pointed up to the sky, and Magnolia gasped.
"No...It can't be…" A sudden blue light on her hand lit up, and she answered it with tears pouring out of her eyes.
"Magnolia, I'm sorry. I tried to stop him, but he found out. He found out that you regained your memories. You have to defend yourself! The president's planning on killing you and your friends!"
The four men stared at the Ba'al Buster. Her eyes lacked the playful luster, and she was struggling to keep it together. "What have I done? Why does this have to happen?! Must I always drag my friends down with me?!" Her cry attracted the object in the sky, and another screech, this time from the object, rang out to the night.
Magnolia fell to her knees. She could feel the wind blasting her face, but she didn't respond to the sensation. She could hear screaming, distorted cries of her name, but she didn't move. Before she felt impact, a metallic clanking noise registered into her mind.
Jean stood in front of her, his sword blocking what looked to be a test tube, filled with a mysterious crimson liquid. The fencer gritted his teeth as he absorbed the sight, flicking his sword to swat the object away. Magnolia still had her head down.
"Magnolia, are you alright?!" Yu called out. She did not reply back. Her tears soaked the dirt ground, and her hands clutched each other. She wanted to say something, but her throat dried up. She couldn't even lift her head up…
"What are you doing, Magnolia?! Stand up and fight!"
The Ba'al Buster finally gained the strength to raise her head to Jean's voice. The Three Orthodox Knights stood in front of her, glaring at the nightmarish monster with open determination.
"That's right! Our bonds will not be easily beaten! For your future...for your freedom, you must break through!" Nikolah bellowed. Yu calmly stepped forward.
"Magnolia, thank you. I'm truly grateful that we've met. The memories the four of us had are ones we will keep close. I want to continue making them with everyone. That's why…!" Yu drew his own rapier.
"Magnolia, find the courage in you to disobey!"
She gasped at their encouragement. "That's right...I can't abandon what I have. My friends, my home…" she equipped her lance. "Luxendarc is where I want to be! With Tiz, Edea, Agnès, Jean, Nikolah, Yu...I want to be with everyone I treasure! If anyone threatens to take that away from me…"
The creature stepped forth from the darkness. A large sulfur-colored mask peered down at them, reminiscent of the Empire scientists she fought when rescuing Tiz. The fingers of the creature were test tubes, giant test tubes that flowed with crimson liquid. Its feet had larger versions of these containers, staining the desert floor with its content. Random drawings of hydrocarbons, benzenes, and carbon groups spawned in and out of the body, and Magnolia recognized some of the compounds as common organic substances on Luxendarc. Tubes from its back made it more intimidating, almost suggesting that it had unlimited energy.
She pointed the spear at the Ba'al, her tears still blurring her vision.
"Then prepare to die! I'll show you what a Ba'al Buster can really do!"
The creature screeched; the sound activated a power that teleported the four warriors to a dimension of pitch black. Magnolia nearly had a panic attack if Yu haven't held her hand.
"We're with you, Magnolia. Stay calm." She nodded at his quiet reminder.
The Ba'al flew down to approachable levels, waiting for the heroes to strike. Magnolia closed her eyes, steadying her breath for the upcoming battle. "How could I forget such wonderful memories…? Times I smiled, laughed, cried...I forgot it all. It may have only been a week, but…" The three men listened to her mumbling. When she finished, Yu picked up from where she left off.
"That's right...memories are to be treasured. No one should have the right to erase them, not now, not ever! Sometimes, memories are the driving force behind our actions, and that might be the most precious thing we may ever possess!"
Instead of utilizing his rapier, Yu pulled out a sleek lightly-colored bow.
"Let's give it all we got!"
The arrow notched on the bow illuminated the black surrounding with a lilac purple. He shot four arrows at the creature, and they passed through it with little difficulty. Yu prepared another four arrows, charged them up a bit, and sent them flying at the Ba'al. Jean stepped forward now, flicking his sword to gather attention to him.
"Just like Yu said! Take responsibility for your memories and break through!" Jean bellowed. His sword emitted a golden light, and he swung it several times before pressing it into the ground. Orange light erupted from below to envelop the party. After successfully performing his special move, he gestured to Nikolah with his head.
"Yes, exactly that. Never give up on living! We'll support you, Magnolia, until the very end!" Nikolah then carved a magic circle below him. The light he produced gathered into his staff, allowing him to charge it up even further. Once complete, he released five beams of energy that coated the team. A Reflect was also casted on top of the buff.
The Ba'al retaliated by throwing a light-imbued arrow at Magnolia. The sheer power of the attack caused her to drop to her knees, and she let out a shaky gasp.
"I...can't give up...yet!"
As she lifted herself back on her feet using her lance, Magnolia pulled out a scarlet katana, similar to Alternis' blade. Gritting her teeth, she glared back at the Ba'al.
"I'll show you my resolve. I will live. I will stop you from controlling my home, my life. Take the full extent of my determination!" An object, from the corner of her eye, was tossed to her, and when she caught it, she was once again left speechless.
The Three Orthodox Knights all gave smiles of encouragement. "Magnolia, finish it with one blow! Show them how our bonds have strengthened with this!" The Ba'al Buster looked at her comrades one by one, feeling ready to burst into tears by their kindness. Yes...she will not have any regrets or doubts. The famed hourglass was raised and the four of them called on the power of SP.
"Bravely Second!"
Magnolia did not see the color drain away from the already darkened landscape. Rather, she saw the memories of her journeys through Istantal and Luxendarc. Memories passed through her mind in light-speed, reminding her that everything she had been through is worth denying the president's orders.
Cherry blossom petals began to swirl around Magnolia. Her katana pulsed with pink energy, and she slowly watched the petals twirl in a slow, free-falling dance. She swung her blade with the rhythm of the flowers. One slash, another slice. On the fourth swing, Magnolia delicately ran her hand against the warm steel of her katana.
"Resonate...and bring an end to this madness!"
She unleashed the beam of energy in her sword, which circled the frozen Ba'al in a pillar of pink light. She turned away from the demon, and breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Goodbye."
The pillar exploded, sending razor-sharp blossom petals into the ambiguous exterior. As she opened her eyes, she saw spots of white flying towards the demon. Her hand instinctively reached for her magnolia...only to discover that it had disappeared. She, without thinking, thrusted her arm out to grasp the petals, but they flew out of her range, choosing instead to lie on top on the Ba'al.
She couldn't hear a single piece of struggle from her opponent, but when she turned around, the Ba'al started to drift upwards, folding its hands over its chest. Then, its mask lay limp, and the demon dissipated.
Magnolia finally fell to her knees. It was over, all over. She burst into tears, and when the party was transported back to Sakura's hot springs, everyone present embraced the Ba'al Buster. Her mouth kept repeating, "Thank you," over and over again.
It was over at last.
…
"Everyone, I don't know what to say...I can't possibly express my gratitude," Magnolia choked out, sniffing the last of her tears away. While everyone pulled away from the group embrace, Yu held on and stroked her hair.
"It's fine. I'm just glad that you're alright."
Jean flashed a dorky grin. "This feels way too familiar, don't you think, Nikolah?" The bishop only chuckled at the wolf. "Get used to it, Jean. They're not separating for a long time."
Magnolia laughed at the former Empire members, while Yu pulled away, stuttering incoherent assurances to his comrades.
"So Magnolia…" Tiz called in a quiet voice. He was cut off by a distinct blue light on Magnolia's hand, which she answered promptly.
"Magnolia...you defeated it right?! You're still alive, yes?!" exclaimed Vice President Blackberry.
"Yes, it's gone now. What happened, Blackberry?"
"There's a lot going on Moonfort, but in short, we've arrested the president. He will be facing charges for corruption and attempted murder. Do not worry, Magnolia. You're finally free."
The tears were back, and Magnolia did not bother to wipe them away. "T-thank you, Blackberry. I-I knew I can count on you." The commander let out a shaky laugh, probably rubbing his head in embarrassment.
"Also, another thing. Since you are no longer bounded to Moonfort, I can arrange for you to stay in Luxendarc permanently without any interference." Everyone stumbles back in shock. "R-really?! Can I really stay here? But, what about my duties?"
"Well, I'm assuming that you won't sit there and let a Ba'al just run free. However, you technically don't need to follow orders from anyone anymore. As for how to bring Moonfort under control, I will deal with it myself."
"Enjoy the rest of your life, Magnolia."
A sudden bright light engulfed the field. As Magnolia shielded her eyes from the brightness, she felt pressure on her finger. Then, when the light disappeared, the sound of metal pierced her ears, and she quickly looked down at her hand.
Her ring was gone.
Yu looked over her shoulder to stare at her finger. "So this means…" Magnolia finished for him, "Looks like I'll be here for the rest of my life."
Everyone's mouths were open, and Magnolia turned her eyes to the ground, uncomfortable by the attention she was attracting. Jean broke the silence by stating, "Well, whenever you're ready, Magnolia. I want the full story."
"Yes, I suppose that's only fair."
She turned one last time to her friends, the people she had chosen over her home. Closing her eyes, she began her story.
"Three years ago, our homeland was attacked by multiple Ba'als. One of them escaped to Luxendarc, and the newly-appointed president asked me to cover the situation under the condition that I do not involve anyone in my mission. I have never really trusted the president, but it was not my place to express my concerns. However, it was my first time in Luxendarc, and well...I wasn't familiar with your world. I had to seek help. And so, I landed myself in Istantal, where I met Yu and the Orthodox Knights. Even though our first meeting was a bit shaky, I had a wonderful time fighting alongside them. And to be honest, I didn't want to leave…"
"The president sensed my involvement with the people of your world and ordered me back as soon as the Ba'al was defeated. I was prepared to do so when Yu came by, asking me about my troubles. I tried to leave with a smile, but seeing Yu's desperate face made me hesitate."
"So I left Yu my flower. Looking back at it, it must have been my way of rebelling against the president. When I got back...I was instantly assaulted. The president's guards captured me, and I was strapped down to a machine. And then...I could only remember intense pain. It felt like something was tearing apart my head, savagely ripping it piece by piece. I never found out what exactly that machine did, other than removing memories."
Once Magnolia finished her explanation, Yu placed a hand on her shoulder, hesitating a bit before fully embracing her again.
"You did well, Magnolia," whispered Yu. His two comrades also held the former moon resident in their arms, looking at each other briefly with a silly grin on their faces. Edea was straight up bawling, while Agnès and Tiz listened to the Eternian's rambling about injustice and the power of love.
Yu subconsciously rubbed Magnolia's finger that once held her communication ring. His lover noticed his glare and only tilted her head in confusion.
On the side, Denny Zeneolsia observed the scene with calculating eyes.
"What is bothering my brother so much?"