Too many fight sequences are tiring to write and to read. So this ends earlier in the coliseum event than it otherwise might have.
My goodness, where is all this art coming from~? Two more pictures up on Deviantart. Only one is actually Letha! And urrrgh, the actual pictures both look better than what's online...especially the one of Letha... But there's another piece of fanart, this time from KatherosLibra.
http: / katheros libra. deviantart. com/#/ d3cbc3r (Remove the spaces. If it still won't work, check my favorites in my Devianart account.)
Angelic:
Pairing? Where? I have no idea what you mean. (:P)
Stuff does happen in the coliseum (can anything ever go smoothly when Brave Vesperia's around?) but you're probably thinking of another coliseum related event that happens later. And I have much to smile about with these upcoming chapters.
...
:D
x x x
Chapter 35: Familial Ties
x x x
"Hoo boy... Ho boy, oh boy, oh boooy..."
"You're gonna wear yourself out before the fight even starts if you don't settle down."
"I can't help it! People are going to be watching me!" I tugged on my braid fitfully again as I made another turn in my nervous pacing. Yuri was leaning against a wall, too restless to sit as well, but in his case it was from excitement. He couldn't wait to get out there and challenge the coliseum champion. Whereas I wished I could run the other way.
"Just fight like you normally do and forget about them. All those people, watching you, waiting to see if you have what it takes..."
"You are deliberately not helping!" He smirked at the finger I jabbed in his direction. Huffing, I wrung my hands for a moment before I gave in and resumed both pacing and hair pulling. "I can't forget unless I find something to distract me!" Another yank at my hair, followed by another turn.
Yuri silently watched me pace the length of the waiting room a couple more times. "So," he began, perhaps taking pity on me and trying to come up with a distraction. "What do you think Duke wanted to talk to Belius about?"
When Yuri and I had finished registering and were about to enter the gladiators only section of the building, we'd passed by Belius' room. There'd we'd seen Duke being turned away by the guard at the door.
Earlier:
"I'm sorry, but the Duce is not currently receiving visitors. Please come back later." I looked up at the landing to see who was trying to talk to Belius. I was little more than halfway up the flight of steps so I couldn't make the person out, but Yuri was in the lead and apparently recognized whoever it was.
"Hey, we keep bumping into each other. Must be fate."
"...There is no such thing." My GOD it's the Epicly Deep Voice of Duke! Gives Christopher Lee a run for his money!
"Maybe not. What brings you to a place like this?"
"I have come with tidings for the age old master of this city." Heeey, it's another freebie giveaway of the fact that the city's 'ruler' isn't actually a human.
"Belius?" Yuri asked in surprise. Duke made no sign of confirmation, but there wasn't really anyone else he could have meant. "Are you on business with a guild or something...? ...Probably not, right?"
Duke's forehead crinkled ever so slightly at the thought. "It is nothing so vulgar as that..." he said with distaste.
"Vulgar...?" Yuri laughed slightly, as if Duke had told a poorly executed joke. "All right, so what kind of noble errand are you on?"
"I need not answer that." Having had enough of Yuri's interrogation, Duke swept down the stairs past us, white hair and black coat flaring out dramatically. And none of it done on purpose.
"Don't tell me you're out to save the world or something." Duke paused, his boot making a slight click as it landed on the same step instead of descending to one lower. He gave the younger swordsman a sidelong glance and frowned a bit. Probably because Yuri sounded like he was making a joke out of Duke's overly serious composure. Because Yuri totally was. And Duke probably found very little humor in the world anymore.
Not wanting to dignify Yuri's flippant attitude with a response, Duke silently resumed his descent. When he passed me, he didn't actually slow at all, but he might have frowned a bit again. Then again, I could have imagined that, or it might not have had anything to do with me. It shouldn't have anything to do with me.
"Man, what's with that guy?" Yuri wondered aloud. I couldn't think of anything to tell him that didn't have to do with things I really shouldn't know about.
:End Flashback.
Yank, "I dunno. Maybe he needed to see a man about a giant, talking chicken." Turn.
"A giant...? You think he wanted to ask about Phaeroh?"
Turn, "Why not? It's why we wanted to talk to her anyway."
"Maybe..." Turn and yank. "Still thinking about the audience?"
"YES."
The swordsman closed his eyes and let his head drop back to rest against the stone wall, as if watching me was tiring him out. "Alright then, how about your uncle?"
"What about him?" Yank.
"For someone who hadn't seen his niece in a few months, he didn't seem all that interested in sticking around for a chat." Pause in my pacing and hair yanking. "You mentioned you're not really related, but he is the one who raised you."
"He...must have had somewhere he needed to be."
"Uh huh..." Yuri was not convinced. He was following dangerous trains of thought and my excuse was severely lacking in convincing capabilities.
Quick! Plan B! "AH!" I cried suddenly, jarring him so that his eyes shot open and he straightened.
"What's wrong?" I clapped my hands together and gave him a look of utter distress.
"I haven't named my dao!" Perfect moment for an anime fall or sweatdrop the size of a golf ball. "I didn't name the last one either, or my daggers!"
"...Are you serious?"
"I know!" I purposefully interpreted his incredulous reaction incorrectly. "Me, of all people, forgetting to name her weapons!" I hung my head as if shamed.
The silence coming from Yuri's wall clearly said, 'What the hell is going through her head right now?'
I unbelted my dao from my waist and held it up solemnly. "I shall now christen thee...Oberon! Yuri, you're witness to this momentous occasion."
"Now you're just messing with me."
"Yes. Yes I am. Still naming the sword Oberon." I strapped the newly dubbed Oberon to my left hip again. "Now what to call my daggers..."
"Can you even tell them apart?" he asked curiously, going along with my eccentricities.
Pulling both smaller blades from their sheathes, I ran a critical eye over edges, handguards, and grips. Before the polish and sharpening they at least had different scratches, but even then... "I don't have a clue. So I'll call them both Gemini! Gemini Left and Gemini Right, depending on which hand it's in!"
This declaration was met with another eloquent silence. "...You're pretty good at changing topics." Craaap!
"Wh-what are you talking about? I'm honestly bothered by this!" I felt the corners of my nervous smile twitching as the all too perceptive man watched me with narrow eyes.
"That's the thing, I don't get why it bothers you," Yuri twisted my words around to hit the nail on the head. "Talking about your uncle, I mean." He shrugged a bit, "No one's going to force you, so why are you getting all jumpy when the subject comes up?"
At a loss for words, I could only stare at Yuri for a moment before my eyes dropped to fix on a point in the stone floor. Even when someone came to fetch my fellow Brave Vesperia guild member for the first fight I barely noticed.
Were all my suspicions just in my head? Was my experience with the fairies and my foreknowledge of the game combining to make me unjustifiably paranoid? Either way, I was doing my friends a major disservice by returning their trust with fear and intentional misdirection. But I can't help it...can I?
It occurred to me in a flash of insight that my conviction that being from a different world was such a deep, dark secret, one that warranted guarding at every turn, was absurdly egotistical of me. So what if I was born in a different world? That really made no difference in the lives of any of the people I'd met here. What was dangerous was my knowledge of the future in the form of a video game, and I was being ridiculously overprotective of that fact as well. I knew these people were real, not fictional in the least, and even the most dangerous ones I could meet wouldn't even know enough to question me about a video game called Tales of Vesperia. Why should they even think I know their future?
And I only know one possible future. Anything can happen, by my doing or anyone else's, that could change everything I think I know.
Feeling very humbled, I sat down on one of the wooden benches provided. I wasn't sure how my personal revelation changed things, or if it even changed anything. But with a fight to prepare for I couldn't be distracted by getting caught up in hypothetical thoughts. I sat with my back straight but not stiff, rested my hands palm up in my lap, and closed my eyes to concentrate on my breathing. It took awhile, but I managed to soothe my heart and mind with the slow rhythm of my own breathes.
"Ma'am?" I looked up and blinked while my eyes tried to adjust to the light again. Someone was standing in front of me, I couldn't clearly make out what he looked like, but from his voice he was male and probably younger than me. "Ma'am, I'm to inform you that your first round will be starting shortly."
"A-ah." How much time had passed? "Could you tell me who won the first fight?"
"Uh," the boy seemed uncomfortable, "I'm really not supposed to tell the other participants..."
"Alright, then don't worry about it," hands on knees, I pushed myself off the bench and onto my feet and followed the boy out of the waiting room. He bowed when we reached a corridor that shone with natural daylight at the other end, gesturing for me to go on alone. I could hear the chaotic rumble of hundreds of voices outside.
I swallowed nervously, discovering that my throat and mouth had gone dry, and stepped out into the arena.
"And here we have another newcomer, also from the guild Brave Vesperia!" the announcer was introducing me to the screaming crowd in the stands. "Will this sweet looking young lady prove as formidable as her guildmate? Everyone please welcome Letha Vitae!" I waved a bit timidly at the crowd, squinting a bit to see if I could pick out my friends. 'Sweet looking'? Oh well, at least with an introduction like that I can guess that Yuri must have made a good impression. So he must have won.
You had to win three rounds in order to reach the champion, Flynn, without losing. Meaning it was a simple layout starting with eight competitors. After the first round of fights, there'd be four left. After the second, two would be left. Then after one more fight they'd call Flynn out. What made it challenging for the fighters was we didn't know who our opponents would be.
Since Yuri and I had registered together in the name of Brave Vesperia, the organizers hadn't seen a point in separating us before, but everyone else was kept in their own private waiting room. That way we wouldn't know anything about the opponent or their fighting style.
We weren't allowed to watch the other fights either, but I figured if Yuri meant what he'd said about wanting to see how I'd fare with aikido, he'd find a way.
A pink and white spot waving at me, combined with a satchel bag being spun around in the air, helped me locate the others easily. I smiled and waved as Rita smacked Karol in the head and made him put his bag back down.
"Today her first opponent is the magic sword master with the reputation of being a lady killer," Eh? Doesn't that sound familiar? "Parris Corvin! Will he be her last opponent as well?" Well I'm not sure what I was expecting from that, but certainly not what stepped through the other entrance of the arena.
He...what's the best way to describe him? He reminded me of Maximillian Pegasus from YuGiOh. But revamped for a fantasy game. Long silver hair that did not look natural (it didn't match his brown eyebrows...), overly decorated armor, and a rose in one hand. Those women must have laughed to death at the sight of him.
"Come now, my sweet lady!" Why are they calling me that? These guys really don't know me at all, "Such a delicate young thing shouldn't be playing around in such a dangerous place! Give up now, and we can put this behind us as we explore our new love!" All the while he flourished the rose around, gesticulating so much a petal flew off and fluttered to the ground.
"...I suddenly have a very strong urge to punch you in the face," I told him.
"Who will win? The feisty young woman," I'm 'feisty' now? I guess he heard me... "or the balanced fighter? Begin!"
Parris drew his sword, a surprisingly simple looking blade of dull gray. Unlike his armor, its only decoration was a red jewel set into its pommel. In response I drew Oberon and Gemini Left. ...Haa, maybe I shouldn't have named these? Too late now! The dao should help me stay on even terms with his sword's reach, but once I got in close enough the dagger would have an advantage over the other blades. Settling into my ready stance, more like aikido's homni than the fencing en guard, I waited for Parris to make the first move.
The man moved abruptly, lunging forward to drive his sword at me, light flashing of its red jewel. He was so quick I reacted only out of surprised reflex, batting his sword aside with Oberon. My dao smacked against his blade more strongly than it needed to for a deflection, so I couldn't bring it back in to guard in time when his sword was suddenly driving towards me again.
I moved my back foot so that my body turned enough for the sword to slip past me. I was still vulnerable, so before he could reverse the sword's momentum I slipped around behind him. If one of my hands had been free instead of holding something...
The thought was interrupted when the gray sword came around from the other side faster than I'd expected, Parris practically spinning in place like a top. This time I jumped away to the side to avoid it, putting more distance between us. Parris was wobbling a bit on his feet, as if the spin had made him dizzy, but his sword arm remained steady as it pointed the blade in my direction.
Instead of trying to close the distance again he cut his blade through the air from side to side, jewel flashing in the light again. From its tip appeared a blue line of water that whipped out towards me. Efff, there's the magic part of his fighting! There wasn't time to dodge to the side, dodging backwards wouldn't help, so instead I went down. Curling my back foot under me I fell easily into an intentional back fall like I had so many times during practice. Lying on my back, I saw the water flash by above me and felt a few drops splash across my face.
Even as I watched the water pass by I was moving again, swinging my legs up into the air as my spine curved. My feet swung through the air, I smiled wickedly as I felt one boot connect with something soft and solid that grunted at the impact, and I used the momentum from my own kick to roll backwards. I was back on my feet, rising up from a crouch, and grinning again as I saw Parris doubled over with one arm wrapped around his stomach.
But his sword arm was still steady, the point still homing in directly towards me. Before he'd even finished recovering from my kick his arm was diving towards me again. This...this is definitely familiar. But not in the way I first thought. I used Oberon and Gemini to block and deflect his attacks while further observing the pattern.
Sure there's the magic wielding swordsman that everyone expects to show up in a fantasy story sooner or later. But there's also the lesser used, and usually exists mainly for comedy relief, swordsman who uses a magic sword. Usually, as I'd noted, it was the sword that knew how to fight, and the person using it was a novice only following the sword's lead. How important this archetype was to the story usually depended on whether the sword was sentient or not.
Parris fought with the same hallmarks as the phony sword masters with swords that had no personal will. Even though his blade was constantly pressing me back with a barrage of attacks that didn't leave an opening for a counter, his form was sloppy. His footwork was all over the place and there were many holes in his guard. His sword was just moving fast enough that I hadn't had an opportunity to take advantage of that. If he'd had a faster opponent than me, Parris probably would have lost already.
Well, he's gonna lose now anyway, I fell back again as he whipped water magic at me again. He didn't run into my back fall's follow up kick again, but instead shot a series of fireballs at me from his sword's tip. Each time the red jewel flashed.
The first scorched the ground where I'd just been. "Pfft! Those aren't anywhere near as good as Rita's!" I taunted while throwing myself to the side to dodge the rest. At the same time, I tucked first my dagger and then dao back into their respective sheathes.
"Letha has put away her weapons! Could this mean she's giving up?" I heard the announcer, who'd presumably been talking the whole time but I'd somehow managed to ignore.
"No! Don't let that third rate mage wannabe beat you!" I heard a cry shrill with anger from the audience. "I'll roast your ass if you lose!"
"As if," I growled while darting in towards Parris again. He looked surprised, but his sword automatically moved to throw something like Stone Blast at me. I was too close to dodge properly, so was hit straight on by the barrage. But none hit my face, my body was turned to present less of a target, in homni, and none of the rocks were bigger than my fist. So I gritted my teeth and ignored the rocks battering my chest and arms.
Seeing as the attack didn't have the desired effect (...can that sword even see or register anything?) it stopped the magical attack and tried stabbing at me before I could use my proximity to follow through on my threat to punch Parris in the face. Which was happily what I wanted. I can't throw a punch worth crap. And aikido demands your opponent be the one who attacks first.
Just like at the start of the fight, I adjusted my footing so that the sword slipped past me. This time I had both hands free to use kotegaeshi, with which I grabbed and manipulated his wrist in a way that he found himself falling to his knees as an involuntarily reaction and releasing his grip on the magic sword. Now I was the one holding the sword, and I spared no time in stabbing it point first into the ground as deep as I could. It vibrated and the jewel flashed several times, but otherwise could do nothing.
"Eep!" Parris squeaked as I still happened to have a grip on him with one hand. And as he foolishly hadn't used my momentary preoccupation with the sword to try and pull away, I returned my full attention to the sickening 'ladies' man'.
One hand on his wrist, another at his elbow (very considerately holding it in a way that minimized any chance of permanently hurting him) I turned and stepped forward in the familiar technique that had him stretched out on the ground with a mouthful of dirt. And to keep him from getting back up, I dropped down to kneel next to him with one knee placed firmly up against his ribs. It's amazing how effective this is at keeping someone down if you're doing it right. And even more amazing is the next part, which I hadn't gotten the hang of yet.
"You should probably relax," I told him cheerfully while slightly adjusting my grip on his wrist and arm, "I'm still not sure how this part is supposed to go, and if you fight back I might end up dislocating your arm." I began moving his arm in a circular motion, and felt pretty sure that I was, in fact, doing it wrong.
He cried out in fear and pain, "St-stop! Let me go!"
"Are you sure? This is actually supposed to be very good for blood circulation. When it's done right..." Another circular motion.
"Ow-ow-oww! I give up! You win! Just please stop!" I grinned and let him go. I grinned even more when he scrambled to his feet, and I saw his long silver hair was askew, revealing it was a wig. He ran off, not even stopping to retrieve his magic sword.
"Well, I'm not entirely sure what happened, but it seems to be victory for Letha Vitae!"
There was wild cheering, and I felt nearly blown away as I finally fully registered the noise level in the coliseum. How did I manage to block it out before? Awkward with self consciousness, I nervously smoothed my hair back in place and made some sort of bobbing motion that might have been interpreted as a small bow or an overenthusiastic nod. Then as quickly as I could without breaking into a full out run I exited the arena.
"Oh Jeezus, I don't wanna go out there again!" I wailed once safely inside.
x x x
Feisty
Yuri: Hey, nice job! You seemed a bit unsure at first, but then really pulled through.
Letha: Ugh. You were watching after all...
Yuri: Now that you've won your first fight, the rest should be a snap.
Letha: Dammit, I should have lost! Then I'd be done already!
Yuri: ...Oh come on. You don't need to pretend.
Letha: Huh?
Yuri: You say you don't want to fight, but once you get out there you'll be the "feisty young woman" again and make the poor guy cry.
Letha: ...Next time I'll go kick that announcer's ass.
Yuri: That's more like it!
x x x
"I fought with some weirdo with an ax who kept yelling his own name."
"Really? How did he fight?"
"I dunno, I beat him before he could do anything else."
"Ah ha ha... Somehow I don't doubt it..." I'd been escorted back to my waiting room, which was still empty. Some time later the deviant swordsman snuck back in on his own. Which had me wondering how Yuri'd managed to give his own escort (he must have had one too) the slip in the first place. Taking a seat on the other side of the room, he lost no time in filling me in on how the other fights had gone.
"And then the fight after mine and before yours had some weirdo who kept talking about starfish and this really pompous guy. The pompous one was the winner, so he'll be the one I fight next."
"Think you'll be alright against him?"
"Heh, he hardly looked like anything more than a warm up."
"Awfully sure of yourself, aren't we mister Lowell?" I teased. "Be careful you don't get too cocky and let some nobody beat you. You'll hurt LeBlanc and the Schwann Brigade's feelings!"
"And then they'd have to chase some other poor sap all over the place." We laughed, and the joking around helped relieve the prefight tension that I'd been struggling with again. It wasn't as bad as before, but I was still plenty nervous. Whoever I fought next would have already managed to win one fight, which meant he wouldn't be a poor excuse for a fighter like Parris had.
Feeling like I was cheating, but figuring it was too late to be worrying about that, I asked, "So, who do I fight next? You stuck around long enough to watch the last fight, right?"
The laughter dissolved from Yuri's expression, replaced by concern. "Actually...I wasn't sure I should tell you this, but you'll find out soon enough. It's probably better if you have time to get over it now."
"You're making me nervous..." Goddammit, don't tell me it's Birdman or someone else who's apparently out for my blood. The list couldn't be very long, certainly not as long as the one Yuri had, but it would be such a pain...
"The winner of the last fight was your uncle."
It took a moment for what he'd said to really sink in, and then it felt like I'd forgotten how to breathe. Then I started to laugh, a little wheezily thanks to the deficient air in my lungs. "You're...you're kidding...right?"
"Nope. ...Are you okay?"
"..."
"...Hey! Wake up!" Yuri had crossed the room and was waving his hand in front of my face. It startled me enough to snap me out of my daze. "Jeez, fighting him can't be that bad, can it?"
"You mean other than the fact that I'm guaranteed to lose?" I deadpanned.
He leaned against the wall my bench was pushed up against. "As long as you try your best then it doesn't matter if you win or lose-"
"-It's pretty damned weird to hear you saying that-"
"-And maybe you'll even beat him," he plowed on, ignoring me. "You won't know if you just give up."
"...You're right. I know all that too. But..." My head sank as I ended up staring down at my feet again.
"Well, I guess I can't really say I understand how you feel," Yuri said, his voice taking on its casual 'I'm trying to get rid of this uncomfortable feeling in the air' tone. "I don't remember my own parents, after all, so I don't know what it's like to have to fight a family member."
"O-oh, I'm sorry... I didn't know," I said a bit lamely. I was trying to think of what I'd say if I hadn't already known Yuri grew up without a family, and realized it sounded weak and compulsory. So I tried again with, "But...there must have been someone you cared about...like family." ...Ludwig isn't my real family either, but...I really feel indebted to him, and look up to him. Like he were always my uncle, and I'd only just finally met him.
"Well yeah, there's all the people from the Lower Quarter who worked together to raise me. I was probably more trouble than it was worth."
"I'm sure that's not how they see it," I smiled, remembering the scene near the beginning of the game when a whole crowd of people helped cover Yuri and Estelle's escape from Zaphias.
"I'm serious, they probably all had a party after I left." He punched me lightly in the arm when I snickered at the image of a 'Hooray! He's Gone!' banner put up over the fountain. "There was an officer in the Knights that I looked up to... I suppose he was the closest thing to a father figure I ever had. Never had to fight him though, so that's no help here..." ...Oh. Maybe he's talking about that older knight in First Strike. His name was...Nyren, or something along those lines. I was touched that Yuri was even remembering painful memories like that in an attempt to understand how I felt.
"What about Flynn? He's your best friend, right? And you've fought with him before...knowing you two," I hastily added. Just in case I wasn't actually around for any conversations about them fighting or something... It was a bit hard to remember sometimes.
"Yeah, we've fought tons of times since we were kids. And he always won. He's like the annoying brother you hate to lose to, because you look up to him." He shot me a look, "Don't tell him I said that."
"My lips are sealed," I promised, miming a zipping motion across my grinning mouth. "Though my silence is gonna cost you."
"Extortionist."
"I wonder if Flynn would consider you his hopeless big brother, or maybe his cute little brother..."
"Dammit, you fight dirty."
"Come to think of it, I swore vengeance on you for the seduction incident back in Heliord..."
"Fine, fine..."
"I expect payment in the form of chocolate in the near future." Goddamn I missed chocolate. It was a luxury I hadn't been able to afford for a long time. "And I'm still going to get even for Heliord."
"Just what did Ludwig teach you?" the last word had barely left Yuri's mouth when the door opened and a young Palestralle boy stuck his head in.
"The next round of fights is about to begin. Mister Lowell needs to come with me for the first fight..."
"Well, looks like it's my turn again," Yuri pushed off from the wall and strode towards the door. "Don't go getting yourself all worked up again," he called back over his shoulder before going out the door. I noted with a wry smile that behind the boy were two burlier Palestralle guards that had apparently been added to Yuri's escort. They must not like having him wandering off to spy on the other fights like that.
My amusement at the reactions to Yuri's antics didn't last for long once I was alone. I began fidgeting in my seat, playing with the end of my braid and bouncing my left knee restlessly. "Need a distraction, now," I mumbled and started pawing through my bag. I'd brought it to the coliseum, though had left it in the waiting room during my fight. I wasn't allowed to bring it in the arena, use of items actually weren't allowed during the fights, but I wanted to make sure it was nearby...
From the hidden inner pocket I fished out my mp3 player. I untangled the cord and stuck the ear buds in my ears, then threaded the cord under my turtleneck top. With the player hidden under my shirt, no one who came in unexpectedly should notice anything as long as I kept my hands over my ears. With elbows planted on knees to make that look more natural, I pressed the power button and hit the skip forward button a few times looking for a more fast paced song.
"Who's there knocking at my window?
The owl and the Dead Boy
This night whispers my name
All the dying children"
Ah, "Escapist" by Nightwish. One of the songs they released after they needed to replace their old singer. Epic band, love them both before and after the singer change.
"Virgin snow beneath my feet
Painting the world in white
I tread the way and lose myself into a tale
"Come hell or high water
My search will go on
Clayborn Voyage without an end
"A nightingale in a golden cage
That's me locked inside reality's maze
Come someone make my heavy heart light
Come undone, bring me back to life
"A nightingale in a golden cage
That's me locked inside reality's maze
Come someone make my heavy heart light
It all starts with a lullaby
"Journey homeward bound
A sound of a dolphin calling
Tearing off the mask of man
The tower, my sole guide
"This is who I am
Escapist, paradise seeker
Farewell, now time to fly
Out of sight, out of time, away from all lies
"(A nightingale in a golden cage
That's me locked inside reality's maze)
"A nightingale in a golden cage
That's me locked inside reality's maze
Come someone make my heavy heart light
Come undone, bring me back to life
"A nightingale in a golden cage
That's me locked inside reality's maze
Come someone make my heavy heart light
It all starts with a lullaby
" A nightingale in a golden cage
That's me locked inside reality's maze
Come someone make my heavy heart light
Come undone, bring me back to life"
As the singer drew out "Nightingale" one last time I regretfully started to power down my player again. I rarely had a chance to listen to my music anymore, it was agonizing to suddenly cut myself off. Dang, I'm a music addict suffering from withdrawal. And who knows how long I can make the batteries for this thing last.
I'd slipped the piece of Earth technology back into my bag just before the door was flung open. I jumped a bit in my seat and looked up, startled at the energy used since all the coliseum employees had been more reserved.
"Y-you!" I jumped up, my bench rocking violently. It would have fallen over if not for being caught between me and the wall.
"Me!" agreed Alastor with a broad smile. He was still wearing the weird blue-purple coat, but his wings were gone and the glasses were back. Were they part of his human disguise or something? "I do hope you'll forgive me for interrupting your preparations for your fight, I promise to be on my way in just a moment."
"Just a moment my foot, you're not leaving until I say you can!" I drew both Gemini and rushed him. Damn fairy man would probably disappear on me again if I gave him the chance.
I struck with Gemini Right, not trying for anything lethal, but trying to aim for his shoulder. He simply leaned back to avoid the strike, but I didn't care much. I took the chance to hook a foot behind his ankles and kicked back while my hands each went up to shoulder height to push forward. Having already put himself off balance, my attack was enough to encourage his body to continue its motion and fall hard to the floor. He landed hard and I could hear the rush of air suddenly expelled from his lungs.
Quickly, I dropped down to kneel over Alastor and hold Gemini Right to his throat. He coughed as he found his breath again, and then the cough turned into a laugh. "Come now, my dear, this isn't nearly as threatening as you seem to think," he smirked up at me. "A darling little Earthling like you hasn't the heart to kill a helpless man."
"Shut up. And don't call me that!"
"Oh? Does it bother you?" Alastor's smile had a sharp look, but his face had been getting pale. His hairline was even slightly damp with sweat, making the red dark as blood. In short, he didn't look very healthy.
Dammit. He was right. As much as I'd love to, I couldn't do anything to him without hating myself afterwards. Reluctantly I lifted my blade away from his neck.
"My, how gracious of you."
"Don't push your luck."
"I'm afraid I must. Unless you don't mind how this would look to anyone who happened to come in right about now, hmm?" I jumped off of him as fast as if I'd suddenly discovered he was made of burning coals. "I'm deeply wounded, truly, by the vehemence of your response..."
"Oh shut it," I snapped, "and tell me what you're here for this time."
"Just in the neighborhood, decided to drop by," sitting up he brushed off his coat and ran a hand through his hair, making the haphazard locks even more tangled looking. "Wanted to know if you'd run into any old friends."
"Why should you care?" I asked in confusion. "The only person we both know is Nevi..."
Alastor gave a surprised snort, "Nevi? Is that what you call him?" He chuckled to himself while repeating 'Nevi' to himself. I also caught something about someone never being able to live down a nickname.
I got fed up with letting things follow the red headed fairy's pace. "Will you cut it out and get to the point?"
"That really is all," he said in a light voice. "If the only one you can think of me referring to is 'Nevi' than it seems there was nothing to worry about at all..."
"...Who else could you mean?" I asked suspiciously. "The way you say that, it's as if there's someone else I should immediately be connecting you too."
Alastore blinked a bit owlishly and seemed at a loss for a moment, "Er..."
"...There's another one, isn't there."
"Why, whatever do you mean? Oh, would you look at the time, I must be going now!" With a sharp snap of his fingers he vanished.
"Wait! Dammit, why won't you guys stop doing that?"
"Ma'am? Is something wrong?" The door opened and my young escort looked in at me with concern.
"No, nothing's wrong," I sighed. Nothing except fairies who won't give me a straight answer, hints that there's someone else I should be worried about, and the fact that now I have to fight my adoptive uncle. Just a wonderful day like any other.
x x x
:D
It just keeps getting better, doesn't it?
Come now, didn't anyone guess that Ludwig is the ace up my sleeve for the coliseum? I know you're all excited about the possibility that Letha could fight Yuri or Flynn, but you all know by now that I aim for the unexpected.
Though this wasn't the way I most wanted Letha to find out she'd be fighting her 'uncle'...but writing takes on a life of its own!
Umm, oh yeah. Homni (not sure I'm spelling it right) is the basic stance in aikido. Hmm, so basic, yet I feel like it isn't easy to describe. Mostly, you have one foot forward and the other back, a natural feeling distance with a natural bend to your knees, so you're ready and in control of your movements and area. Hands up, the one corresponding to your front foot forward, and the other back closer to your chest... Agh, I feel like even though it's simple I'm making it harder to understand! If you must, think of it as being similar to En Garde.