*coughs* Ahem...! Aha... So... hope everybody has a great Easter!

Poor little Elsword shifted uncomfortably in his seat. After years of separation, his older sister was finally appearing before him again. One would expect him to have been a little more ecstatic to see her, but, since this is a story, he was greatly startled. Questions flooded in his mind as he sat silently and alone while Elesis poured some coffee into a mug for him. The others had, upon request, gone out to give the two siblings some much needed space.

Once both cups were filled to the brim with the dark beverage, Elesis took her place across from Elsword at the table and snapped her fingers, leaning back against her seat. "Okay, shoot your questions."

Even though he knew his sister like the back of his hand, he was shocked. She wasn't the least bit surprised to have him before her? Not even a question as to his presence? But his mouth and mind were on completely different terms, and he began to speak. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm working here," was her simple answer to the question.

"Yeah, but why? This place is so..." He almost wanted to say dull, but that seemed like it might get him slapped, "simple."

"Well..." Elesis sipped the warm coffee, it slithering down her throat. "Because I've discovered a lot about myself. And also this place."

Elsword blowed a bang of hair from his head. "You sound crazy."

"It's true though. This place has welcoming people here. While I stayed, I learned how busy I've been; how I've always been far too hot-tempered. Little tiny things became evident to me."

He countered in the different details of her words carefully. So far, it all sounded rather reasonable. Sorta. The big question was way past due to be asked though; he had to know the answer to it. "Elesis, for the past seven years of my life, a thought has been haunting me. If I don't ask you now, I might not ever survive the trip back home."

"I never said you couldn't ask it, so there's no need to be dramatic lil' bro." She remarked with a smirk. "Shoot."

Elsword breathed in deeply. "When you were at the top of your game and this close to getting the title of Town Engineer," he measured a tiny space with his fingers to represent how close she was, "you quit. Why? Why did you give up everything that you could have had and leave town? You were so close!" He leaned forward in his chair anxiously. "But more importantly, why would you want me to follow your steps? You always told me to never give up!"

"Ha, that's an easy question." Noticing her brother not drinking coffee, she poured some of his into her now-empty cup, remaining completely calm towards his actions. "I gave it up because becoming Town Engineer was who I was. It my was single passion in life."

Speaking with vague meaning was something she hadn't done when they were little. She was always, or had always, been a straightforward and blunt person back then. But what if she was doing this on purpose? Even if it had been forever since they last met, he knew she couldn't just talk without hitting a main point... Could she? She couldn't really be saying that she gave up because she was amazing at what she did! That.. that would be unreasonable! Insane! And it still didn't properly answer all his questions!

"That makes no sense," her brother responded.

Elesis sighed. "Elsword, do you know what the name of this town is to people from outside?"

How was that relevant? "No, what?"

"The Revelation Village. They say anybody who visits here will know the truth."

Elsword furrowed his eyebrows. "Okay, and what's your point?"

Elesis leaned forward with her elbows on the table, intertwining her fingers and laying her head atop them. "You remember the day I left town, correct?"

"Yeah... You promised to return, but you never did." His mind was a bit blurry on details, but what was important stuck in his head. That day, when she turned twelve, she had announced her departure from their little town, vowing to him and his best friend to return home in little to no time. It hadn't occurred to him that she would leave for so long. "You lied to Aisha and I."

"I don't believe you understand, or know for that matter, what happened." She half-smiled at her brother. "I never intended to move out of town."

Never intended? How did a person just not intend to move out?! Elsword was sure now that, if there was a point here, Elesis was walking circles around him to get there.

Before Elsword could say a thing, his sister stood from her spot and headed to a work desk that appeared handcrafted. She pulled open the drawer, and a clutter of papers became visible. She pulled a single, beige paper that had noticeably been folded, worn out by age, and closed the desk drawer. "Read this," the sister said, tossing it at him.

Elsword caught it and unfolded the old paper gently as if it might crumble any second. Inside, ink letters had been printed neatly— probably by a typewriter, he concluded.

To Elesis,

Before I begin, I'd like to congratulate you on your success as the next Town Engineer! After many years, we will finally have the honor of bestowing this title upon a new, bright mind! As you well know, your ceremony will be held in five days for the townsfolk to see. Until then, I suggest you make mends with your rivals and diligently prepare yourself. The competition is, after all, over, isn't it?

Also, I have one more thing. Before the date of your ceremony I would like you to take a trip out of town. There is a small town a couple hours away that you should visit before you take on a new responsibility. It may strike you as strange for me to be requesting this of you, but I believe it must be done. The details for the trip are attached to this letter.

Once again, congratulations on your achievement! All of the community is so proud to have had a girl like you living here for so long. I look forward to bestowing the Title of Town Engineer to you.

From,

The Mayor

At the top right corner of the letter was a printed date, years in the past.

"And so," Elesis' voice broke through the silence birthed from Elsword's reading, "the moment I turned twelve, I had successfully achieved the title of Town Engineer. And not long later, I received that letter."

"A letter to recommend a trip?"

"Mhmm. A trip to the Revelation Village. The plans were to leave and return home the day before the ceremony."

Her tone let an incomplete feel; as soon as Elsword caught on, he finished her words."...But you didn't."

The red-haired girl nodded. "I got held back by stuff while I visited."

"Like?"

"Like, the truth. Which goes back to that crazy mumbo-jumbo we were talking about before." She waved her hand somewhat dismissively. Elsword frowned. Even though there was a slight answer in it, he couldn't help but feel something was actually missing. It might have been because she never gave legit answers to all the questions— not clear ones, anyways.

A tricky smile worked its way onto Elesis' face. "What, thought that was all I'd tell you?" With a tiny laugh, she continued. "Of course, I can't leave you with such little understanding. What kind of sister would I be, leaving such a vague thought in your undeveloped brain?"

And there was the sister he knew and loved.

... And did she just call his brain undeveloped?

"Alright..." Getting up to make more coffee, mostly because she'd drunk both their portions, she took her letter with her and dropped it back in the desk. "So I had arrived here in the Revelation Village. Small town didn't appear like much," While the water boiled, she retook her seat, "but man, was I in for a surprise!

"My very first day, when I arrived, I was offered this place by the mayor to stay for my trip. A nice big space, but, honestly, an absolute mess! Dusty and dirty, broken and destroyed; it would've been better if the place hadn't existed in the first place! I immediately stormed out and asked for a cleaner place. Instead, the mayor offered to pay me to clean it myself. Now, I probably wouldn't have agreed to his offer had the payment not been a real hefty amount. That kind of money could start growing the business back home, so I took the money and began my work.

"Actually cleaning took me my whole trip, but during my work the townsfolk would visit me. Most often they came to help out with little things that needed care. Every single one of them chatted with me; it was irritating to say the least, but eye-opening. Funniest thing was that every single person pointed something out about myself that I never noticed before. I was very persistent; always quick to challenge others. And even as they pointed it out, they weren't mean about it or anything. In fact, it was as if they were meant to point out the little secrets I was keeping from myself. Definitely irritating, but I was somehow amazed by the conversations.

"I think though... The most interesting thing I discovered was my supposed last day here. The last little touches were done on the place. One guy had come to help out, the last who'd visit me for my trip. We'd been sitting on the porch of this place, having a drink to cool off.

"'Why are you cleaning the house?' He asked.

"Of course, I shamelessly told him it was because I'd been offered money to do so, and along with that I let him in on my plans for that amount of money. He was the rudest to me out of all the people I talked to, laughing when I announced the details.

"'Aren't you on a trip here? Did you really just let yourself get tricked and bribed into working?' He said in a mocking kind of way.

"And like that, it hit me. I'd been bribed into all of the cleaning! But then, I realized something else. The business seemed to be the only thing I thought about. In the days I was gone, I hadn't thought about the rent for the very room I was cleaning; or the actual reason I was sent to the town, which wasn't to clean a house; or about what my "rivals" were up to at the moment; or even my brother's own well being. All my thoughts were directed towards the business and being Town Engineer. That was it. And suddenly, the title that meant so much to me faded into the background. I was being selfish and ignorant towards my surroundings because of some stupid title.

"And so, the day I was meant to leave the Revelation Village, I packed my stuff and collected my payment from the mayor. The townspeople came to see me off safely with warm and loving smiles. But as I began to leave the borders of this place, I stopped. Not one foot could cross the edges of this town. I couldn't move, or rather, couldn't bring myself to move. Stepping over was, strangely, like going back to my old self; I couldn't return to my old self, who cared about only that title and being the best. I would turn back if I returned.

"And to be honest, Elsword, I wasn't at all guilty for what did. I took a full 180 degree turn and headed back to the townspeople. I decided to use the money I received to start up a business here, where I planned to do more with my talent than just being the best.

"And now to answer your question," she snapped her fingers, something she had a habit of doing, "I gave up being our Town Engineer because it was my everything, but became nothing. And if you don't get that... No, I know you do."

Elsword, for the very first time in his life, sipped some of the new coffee from his cup.

...Ugh, what a disgusting flavor! How did his sister drink the stuff? "Bleh! Gross." But in all seriousness, "So you gave it all up because you recognized its place in your life?"

"Yep. That's it."

"So then..." Elsword gave a funny look, complete with a weird, arched eyebrow and one half-closed eye, "you want me to give up Town Engineer, since that would be following in your steps?"

Elesis laughed. "Man, you must've been really little to have taken me seriously when I said that, Elsword. That was more of a fun kink in being the older sibling."

"Oh..." So then, it was alright to get the title.

"But... If you really do want to follow in my steps..." She pondered the thought, drinking more of her hot drink, "you could follow in my steps by paying attention. After all, had I not learned to pay attention, I'd have let all the events happening around me pass me by." Elesis scratched her cheek. "That work for you?"

Not let the events around him pass him by... Could his case be the same as his sister's? Was he too involved with achieving Town Engineer? As he thought about it, that title didn't seem like a lot anymore. It was... a minuscule matter, actually. And thinking some more, there was a lot he'd passed up. He often missed the town festivals to work on gadgets in the mechanic's shop. And Chung, he didn't actually have a whole lot of time to talk with the blonde like when they were younger, did he?

And Aisha... She definitely was a strange little case lately. She'd been so... so irritable lately. But being so involved in the title, he was actually ignoring her a little, wasn't he? He figured being with her would just get in the way of the title, but had he actually ever considered her feelings?

Wait... Did he ever consider his own feelings for her?

As Elsword rapidly worked up a random cold sweat, Elesis stood and went to her work bench. "Well, I think we're done here." Her brother was clearly having thoughts run through his head from her little talk, evident by him watching the table blankly. "And that is why the outside tourists call this town the Revelation Village. People always discover the truth here."

It was... It was light— no wait, scratch that.

It was dark out. The dark sky was lit by the twinkling stars littered all around. Aisha, Rena, and Raven were all sitting on the porch outside of Elesis' place with glasses of water in their hands when Elsword stepped out. Amazingly, they were enjoying themselves, laughing and smiling. Even Raven had the corners of his mouth turned up a bit. It was if the rivalry between them had flown way above their heads and dispersed into the sky as the beautiful stars themselves.

"Hey guys."

A silence broke between the three as soon as he spoke. Alas, the rivalry was not above and beyond them.

"Nice to see you Elsword." Rena spoke up first. "How was your chat with Elesis?"

"Fine, thanks for asking."

Elsword looked at his best friend. She looked off into the sky, frowning. It was clear to him that she was still bothered about Frank's death and his actions towards Miss Ara's escape— not that she was wrong to think that. He was only thinking about himself those times. As he watched her some more, she glanced in his direction, uncomfortably turning away when he caught her.

Rena stood up from the edge of the porch and wiped her tush of the dirt. "So, the competition continues." Raven joined her on his feet. "As we agreed, we are no longer working together from this point on. Therefore, you are free to treat us as your rivals. And just so you know," she pointed a finger at Elsword, "Titanium Welder will win."

As Aisha quietly moved to Elsword's side, Rena bid a cheery goodbye and headed back to their plane. Raven didn't move an inch.

"Not going Raven?" Aisha inquired as quietly as she had moved.

A lingering silence remained between them. Soon enough though, Raven turned to the duo. "Elsword, Aisha, you two are both familiar with the next town, correct?"

"The Minister mentioned it to be a cursed town," The redhead replied. "Why? Is there something we need to know?"Raven shook his head.

"Just... Be careful." His face was dark, filled with traces worry. "You have no idea what could possibly happen while you're there..."

Chirping of crickets filled the space around the three. A hush from the wind against the grass gave a peaceful feel to the town as they awkwardly stood there. What did Raven mean by that? It was like time had stopped for them, but the world was still living on.

Aisha quickly piped up. "You know what? Thanks a lot Raven!" She began to dig through her pocket. "I'm really glad you're concerned for our well being! Here, have this!"

From her pockets, she produced a small, green, velvet box, opening it eagerly to show Raven. Inside were the two rings she received from Frank towns ago.

Wait... when did Elsword hand those to her?

Raven's eyes widened at the sight. "Engagement rings?" As Aisha nodded happily, the dark-haired man reached out to accept the rings. "Thanks... I think."

"So, I guess I will be seeing you two..." He mumbled before walking off in the direction his green-haired partner went. Our main duo watched him walk off, that annoying silence filling between them once again.

"Felt like giving stuff away, didn't ya'?" Elsword asked with a teasing tone. She could be a bit compulsive with her kindness, that was for sure.

Not quite understanding the tone Elsword was using, Aisha scowled at him. "Shut up. Let's... Let's just get going!"

And so, the little plane was amongst the skies and stars once again. After saving Miss Ara from a blood-thirsty tyrant and having a long talk with the lost Elesis, the competition was finally back on.

"Hey..."

Upon hearing his friend's voice come out quiet and faint, Elsword flipped a switch and turned in his seat, completely releasing his control on the plane. "What's up?" He noticed they were mere inches apart when he pulled his goggles up.

A downcast look filled her face. "Do you... really not have the time for me?"

... Oh. That was sudden. "Why would you think that?" Elsword sent a funny look her way.

"It's just..." Aisha twiddled her fingers, " well, I thought about it. You've only ever rejected me... And lately, you've been so engrossed into getting Town Engineer that you... Didn't help others. So I figured maybe if I got out of your way, stopped pushing about dating and such, everything would be easier for you."

So that's how she felt. Rejected? Had his answers and actions really caused such a feeling? She was really volunteering to step back. The Aisha he knew wasn't like that— she was a pursuer. She wouldn't let it get to her... Right?

Elsword blandly blinked. "For a smart girl, you can be an idiot sometimes."

This caught his friend's attention. "E-Excuse me?"

"You don't seriously think that, do you?"

Without answering, Aisha looked up at her best friend and met his eyes. She really did feel like she was a distraction for him now. As a friend— his best friend— it was her responsibility to support his choices, no matter how stupid. "Yes, I do think that."

"Yeesh, Aisha," Elsword pretended to scowl at her, running his hands through his hair "now is not the time to start being selfless!"

In response, his best friend crossed her arms. "Start?!"

He flashed her a grin. It was a simple answer in his eyes— the original question, not the one about being selfless. "Aish', I have all the time in the world for you. I don't always acknowledge it, but... but I know you know what exists between us." In truth, it'd taken his whole life for him to come to a conclusion that these feelings were actually living and cultivating in him. He just kinda wished it had come to him sooner.

"Then... Then why did you always say no to me?!" She spoke with clear confusion and frustration in her voice. If he had so much open space, why was he not filling it?!

Elsword looked up in a relaxed manner. The clouds were rolling by calmly with not a care in the world. "I dunno... The business and title were already a lot for me. Maybe I wasn't ready to juggle such an important and fragile relationship. " He wasn't one-hundred percent sure what crazy things were running through his head at the time, so his response came out as more of a question. "I guess I was scared that if I began dating you, I'd lose something extremely important while doing so. Like the business, or you." He awkwardly scratched his cheek as the last words came out. It was true enough, but man was that something embarrassing to admit! After all, it wasn't everyday he told Aisha she was important to him.

"So then, you'll never go out with me?" Aisha asked, heartbroken. Even though he said he had all the time in the world for her, becoming Town Engineer meant a lot to him. She knew that. And if her presence would make things hard for him, then—

"What? No! Of course I'm going out with you!"

That little piece of news dropped on her like a boulder. "... You are?! Really?!" She straightened up quickly.

Hold on, maybe Elsword was kidding with her?!

Elsword touched one of her shoulders. "Well, yeah! If I don't grab you now, some other weirdo will try and get you, like Chu—" he stopped and smiled, pretending to think while tapping his chin, "actually, no. He likes The Minister."

His best friend laughed into her hand. "So then, it's a date? Right when we get back?"

He flashed her a toothy smile and gave a thumbs-up. "You got it, Aish'!" It sure was great to see her magnificent smile again. Turning around, he pulled his goggles back over his eyes and held his hand over the switch.

He didn't flip the switch— a perfect thought came to him. "Hey Aisha?"

"Yes Elsword?"

Elsword turned once more and gave her a gentle peck on the cheek. She tinted a tomato-red shade, and her eyes widened with surprise.

"Thanks for dealing with me, cutie."

"J-Jerk...!"

Elsword flipped the switch on the plane with a smirk on his face and returned his control on the wheel. He finally had his hold of the plane, and his life, back again.