Ah, it's been awhile. School's almost over.

Beginnings
By Neko-chan the Mewse
5/12/11

"Shit," Anise scowled and glanced at the flames surrounding her. She had to get back. She had promised she'd come back! The fire disagreed with her and flickered forward hungrily, ready to consume her. She stepped back to avoid them and felt her back press against the rock wall. Anger became fear and fear became grief. Anise sniffled. "I'm sorry, Guy. I guess I'm gonna have to break my promise."

"It's really nice of you to let me stay here," Anise smiled at Guy.

The servant turned noble smiled back with troubled eyes. "I couldn't turn you down. Besides, we're safer if we stick together, right?"

"Right," Anise agreed sadly. They were the last two of their group of friends and scared witless. The note Natalia had left behind saying that everything was alright didn't really soothe their nerves much. Anise's hands twitched towards Guy, the small teen wanting a reassuring hug. She stopped herself, remembering that Guy still had trouble with touching girls. It was okay as long as you moved slowly enough for him to move away if he needed it but Anise knew he simply preferred not to be touched.

Guy noticed the aborted movement and sighed, stepping forward and kneeling down to give her a loose and gentle hug. "It's okay if you're feeling lonely," he said.

Anise sniffled and buried her head in his shoulder, quietly ignoring the way he slightly tensed. "I miss them," she confessed, "and I'm scared. Please don't leave me too, Guy."

"Only if you promise not to go disappearing on me," Guy responded. "Now come on, cheer up and let me give you a tour of my mansion." He began walking down a hallway and Anise hurried to follow.

"That's right!" Anise immediately perked up. "You're rich now too!" She let out a happy little sigh. It was nice having rich friends even if they didn't want to marry her. If she made sad eyes, would he give her money? Well, she wouldn't do that to him, she thought as she watched Guy's back. The most he'd probably do is give her a trembling hug, which was both really sad and very meaningful.

It was touching to know that Guy would fight his phobia to try and comfort her.

"I don't really feel rich," Guy laughed nervously. "Emperor Peony has me walk his rappigs for him. It's almost as if I never left the Fabre mansion."

"Well, you've got your own mansion now." Anise pointed out. "That's got to count for something!"

"It's a little too big for just me," Guy said mournfully. "And I'm not about to employ a whole bunch of servants. I have a maid and a butler and that's about it."

"I guess it wouldn't be too bad for me to stay then, huh," Anise speculated. "Alright then, I'm gonna spruce up your mansion!" Guy glanced at her skeptically but didn't comment.

He found out over the next few days that Anise hadn't been joking.

"Anise, please come down from there, the ribbons are fine, you don't have to adjust them!" Guy wrung his hands hysterically, his whole stance screaming 'nervous wreck'. That was only to be expected though when his companion was currently clambering about on the chandelier.

Anise cackled and swung over to the next part of the chandelier to tie a bow in the ribbon. "I'm fine," she reassured Guy as she hung upside down with only her legs to anchor her. "I'm not gonna fall." Unnoticed to her, but not to Guy, the chandelier began to tremble as it fought to support her weight and remain attached to the ceiling.

"Anise, look out! The chandelier's going to—"

Crr-ack.

Anise glanced up in time to see the ceiling crack as the chandelier finally shuddered and gave up on supporting her. She fell with a shriek, suddenly realizing exactly how high up she was and just how much it'd hurt when she hit the floor. She landed with a thump and a lot less pain than she had anticipated. Tentatively she opened one eye, then the other and quickly scrambled off of Guy. "Guy, oh my gosh, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Guy said with a wince as he sat up. "I'll be even better if you promise not to climb around my ceiling anymore."

"Totally promise. I won't do it again." Anise swore solemnly and then paused before adding in a mischievous tone, "Does that mean the roof's not off limits?"

"Yes," Guy responded before realizing there was a 'not' in the sentence. "I mean no! No, no, no!"

"That's too bad," Anise teased. Before she could continue with her jab, the butler appeared.

"Pardon my intrusion but there's someone here for the Fon Master," the butler bowed and a puffing messenger entered the room.

"F-fon Master," the messenger bowed hastily and straightened when Anise waved an impatient hand at him. "There have been some reports of strange activity in Mount Zaleho."

"Let me guess, 'it would ease the mind of the people if you were to inspect it' comes next in the message." Anise frowned before sighing. She didn't actually need the messenger to confirm it. "I guess that means my mini-vacation's over."

She stood up off the ground and gingerly brushed imaginary dust off her dress. She offered her hand to Guy but he simply smiled at her and stood on his own. "I'm sure it won't take long," Guy assured her. "And then you can come right back here."

"Yeah," Anise nodded. Her stuff was all packed—a habit left over from their days of traveling—so it was really just a matter of picking it up and walking out. The butler already had her pack in hand, actually, so she really just needed to take it and walk out. She didn't want to leave Guy alone though and she herself didn't want to be alone either. "Do you wanna come with me?" she hesitantly asked.

Guy smiled at her sadly. "Unfortunately I can't. Emperor Peony requested I walk his rappigs for him while he went off for a bit."

Anise bit her lip. "Okay. That's too bad." She shook off her melancholy, not wanting her parting with Guy to be tainted with sadness. "Anyways, I'm off then! I'll be back in a week or so."

A hand around her wrist halted her before she could make it very far. "You'll be careful, right?" Anise glanced back to find Guy staring back with worried eyes.

Normally she would have brushed his concern off with extra cheer but she couldn't do that to him this time, not with all their other companions missing. Instead, she removed his hand from her wrist and held it with her own, staring back intently. "I promise I'll come back safe and sound," Anise grinned. "Don't worry."

Guy held her gaze for a moment longer and then pulled his hand away. "You better hurry then. You have a deadline to meet."

"Bye Guy," she chirped before turning to leave. She wasn't too worried. One way or another she'd see him again.