Who's getting sick of the filler episodes? I AM! But heck, I have to write them in just in case, right? Blech. Persona has a way of doing this to you…
/= [DAY 37] =/
"Charice…"
"GAH!" She blinked. "Oh…Ludwig…hi…there…"
"Um…is your phobia kicking in now?"
"Um…just a little…but hey, the baseball team is practicing over there, so it's not that bad."
"I don't get your phobia at all, Charice."
"Eh?"
"You say that you're scared of Germans…yet can handle me perfectly fine when there are other people in the room…why?"
Charice sighed and mumbled to herself as she knew that Ludwig was looking for an answer. After a few minutes, she sat down on the nearby bench and made no movement as Ludwig sat down next to her. He was extremely tall, the only confirmation that she had at the time.
"It happened around World War II or such, when Kiku invaded me. He invited over some German soldiers who were going to report his condition to your boss." Charice sighed. "They just so happened to find me hiding somewhere, and…well…tried to 'have their way' with me."
Ludwig was speechless.
"Of course, Rizal was there to save me, so they didn't do anything physical, but…they were so tall, they were even able to block out the sunlight that was shining on the trees that day." She rolled her eyes. "And that, my friend, is where my phobia was born."
"…Charice, I…"
"Nah, it wasn't your fault. You didn't give the order, and you weren't one of the soldiers, so what's there to apologize about?" She sighed again. "Then again, now I can't be alone with Germans."
"…are you at least trying?"
"Yeah. The baseball team is practicing over there, so it's not affecting me as much…but I'm still trying my best not to…run screaming." Charice smiled. "Besides, you're a really nice person…as far as Feliciano and Rizal are concerned."
"…Rizal thinks I'm nice?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't he? I think he looks up to you." She laughed. "Congratulations, you have a fan."
"Wait a minute…" He was obviously flustered. "W-what does he look up to me for?"
"…tallness? That might be it." She stared at him. "I dunno, I never really got to ask specifics about it, so I don't know."
"…huh…no one's ever told me that before…" Ludwig leaned back on the bench. "Especially from Rizal."
"Why? He's sixteen, he has to have some idols."
"Yeah, but…from what I heard from both Antonio and Alfred, they're scared of him."
"Did anyone tell you why, though?" Charice blinked. "No one is ever willing to go into specifics about it…he's my brother, I deserve to know!"
"No one told me anything specific either, so I don't know either." Ludwig rubbed his chin. "Though, when I look at him, he does seem to have that look of a man who's been through a lot…"
"Two civil wars. Between Spain and between America. He fought both of them."
"He fought them…? And you?"
"No, he wouldn't let me fight. He said in case he fell in battle, the Philippines would still stand." She shivered. "Though I hate having to think about it."
"…is that why you two don't like wearing each other's colors?" Ludwig turned to her. "You told me before that you were scared of wearing the color blue…and he's scared of wearing red."
"Yeah…that's about it. Filipino tradition dictates that when the Philippines are at war, the flag is flipped upside down. That means that when wartime comes, Rizal and I switch our colors." She answered. "When Rizal wears red, that means he has to go to war…and I get left behind."
"Charice…I'm sorry…"
"It's fine. No one can do anything about the past, can they? All they can do is remember and move on."
"…yeah…remember."
It was then that she saw it again: a strange shadow going over his eyes. It didn't look right…but it fit perfectly well over him. Before she could say anything, her nerves gave out and she threw herself off the chair and behind the tree that was a few feet away. Ludwig blinked before realizing that the baseball team had left the area. He sighed.
"I forgive you, Charice…you can go now."
"Um…a-are you sure?"
"We're about done with lunchtime and we should be heading back to class…"
"Are you sure…?"
"Yeah…I'm sure."
Ludwig stood and walked away, rubbing his forehead, and that's when she knew that something was definitely troubling him. Unfortunately, she didn't have the nerves nor the words to even begin to ask him. Maybe he is having a hard time trying to find his past? Unless he's not…?
/=+=/
"Ne…you're still recruiting for your glee club, aren't you?"
"Yeah…basically." She stared at Ivan's tallness. "Why…you're interested?"
"Just a little bit. Then again, I heard that my sister is in it as well, and I want to pay a visit."
"Oh, you mean Irunya? She's not in it per say, but she's in the music club, where we have a joint alliance or whatever they called it."
"Hm? You know my sister."
"Well, I know her…but she never told me you were related. I did assume it, though…you two looked alike."
"Of course we look the same, da?"
"…da?"
"Of course." He smiled. "I'll be there today."
"Sure…OK."
Ivan smiled as he nodded and walked away to his next class. Charice was about to do the same thing when she felt a strange chill down her spine. She turned her head around and saw a girl standing a few feet away from her, her eyes glaring with jealousy and what looked like kitchen knives in her hands…wait, knives?
"GYAAAAAAAHHH!"
"He's miiiinnneee…"
"OK, OK, I get it! Geez, I didn't even know he was hitting on me!"
"What were you two talking about?" She demanded.
"The…the uh…the glee club meeting later today!" She stated. "Um…it's in the second music hall in the music wing! You'll see a sign that says Glee Club on it, so you can't miss it!"
"…I'll be there."
"OK, OK…w-what's your name? For…for record purposes."
"…Natalya. Natalya Arloyskaya."
"…Natalya…OK…"
She backed up and headed out of the hall toward her next class. Charice wiped her forehead and sighed when she felt paper between her fingers. She stared at the image on it (a heart with the silhouettes of a man and woman) before looking up. Instantly, she saw the figure of a woman with long platinum blonde hair and a seductive dress pulling at a flower.
Oh…god…
["I AM THOU…AND THOU ART I."]
["AS THE FAIRY SEEKING LOVE FOREVER, I AM AT YOUR COMMAND."]
The card sank into her body as she cursed out her luck. She had to figure out her problem? Fan-bloody-tastic.
/=+=/
"So…welcome to the second glee club meeting!" Charice stated. "We have some newcomers, just in case no one noticed, but…today I was informed that we're going to perform for the Halloween show."
"There's a Halloween show? That's awesome, da ze!" Yong Soo chirped and stood up. "We're in it?"
"Main show. Some other clubs are doing stuff, but we're the main performance." She stated. "So anyone have any clues on what they want to do?"
"I, like, totally stand by what I want." Feliks chirped.
"And…what is that?" Yao Wang asked.
"Duh! Everyone, like, cross-dresses! Total drag!"
…
"I'm up for it."
"DAMMIT Charice I am not cross-dressing for this!"
"We'll do a majority vote then." Charice grinned.
"Hold up, hold up!" Etana lifted her hand. "What song are we doing?"
"Hm…yeah, we have to figure that out…"
"Hey, I got a song! It's dubbed on Glee too, so we can do it!" Alfred grinned. "Valerie by Amy Winehouse!"
"…we can totally, like, do drag for that song."
"Oh, yeah, totally."
"That sounds like fun, brother."
"Don't tell me you're into it too, Erika…"
"Ve~~~can we do this, fratello?"
"Hell to the FUCKING NO!"
"I am so interested in doing drag, da ze!"
"I guess that means I'm wearing pants!" The girl named Seyel chirped.
"Actually, I just got a theme for this!" Alfred stood up. "1920s flappers!"
"Why the hell are we doing American history for this?"
"Because the women were flappers!"
"Yeah, and I think the dresses were longer. So all the men can keep their innocence while dressing up!"
"This is sounding so cool!"
"Elizabeta's going insane again…"
"This is getting so weird, aru…I have to wear a dress…"
"Eh? But you're a girl, Yao! You'd be wearing a suit, right?"
…
"Uh…o-oh yeah…yeah, I'd totally wear a suit!"
"DAMMIT YOU CHINK YOU ARE NOT GETTING AWAY WITH THIS!"
"Eh?"
"Does that mean that big brother gets to be in a dress…?"
"Uh…t-that's not necessary, Natalya…"
"We're going to have to, like, figure out his size."
"W-wha…? Does that mean I have to be in a bloody dress?"
"Aw, come on, Arthur! Don't you dress up for Alfred?"
"I-in suits, dammit!"
"It's a lie, Elizabeta…totally a lie."
"DAMMIT Alfred!"
"Wait a minute…what kind of suits are the women dressing up into?"
"Well, the mafia was prominent in the 1920s…so mafia suits?"
"Ve~~~me and fratello can help out there!"
"No…I am NOT participating in this!"
"Ve~~~why not…?"
"Hey, Charice! Does the music club have to dress in drag?"
"Hm…if you're hiding in the pit then no…though I would really like to see Roderich in drag~"
"Please, no…"
"Aw…"
"So no drag for the music club? That's totally unawesome!"
"But you're going to be in a dress!"
"Which will make me the most womanly man on the glee club!"
"Hell no, I'm going to be a lot more womanly than you are!"
"Bring it, burger boy!"
"Guys, guys! We all know who the most womanly one of us is." Elizabeta grinned. "It's Feli!"
"Ve~?"
"Oh yeah, he's totally womanly!"
"But he's so ADOWABLE!"
"OK, are we ever going to even sing in this glee club?"
"We will, Etana. I just wanted to give that out of the way." Charice smiled. "So does anyone want to start?"
"Actually, I want to try something!" Elizabeta stated. "I'm having a bet with Húdié Mei that I can't make Feli sexy!"
"WHY THE HELL would you even bring that up? This isn't a fashion show!"
"Yeah! Besides, Feli-chan is just too adowable to make sexy~!"
"Ve~~~you're squeezing me too hard, Charice…"
"Hey, I have it I have it!" Alfred lifted his hand. "Pick me, pick me!"
"OK, what is it Al?"
"We get Feliciano to sing a Britney Spears song!"
…
"This club is getting messed up."
"But it's fun, da?"
"I'm, like, totally up for that!"
"Ve~~~what song am I singing?"
"Please tell me that it's nothing too slutty…"
"Stronger. From her old albums."
"Oh…that's good."
"Ve~~~I know that song…"
"OK, stop stop stop. Someone please tell me how in the world this is going to make him sexy."
"Um…if I may…"
Charice blinked as Erika stood up and whispered something in Feliciano's ear. He nodded in acceptance for a few minutes before she allowed the music to start and he started singing. The only thing going through everyone's minds is god, he has no shame… before he continued to sing. He wasn't…bad. But towards the end, his eyes suddenly flashed open, golden hazels shining toward the group. And with that cute smile of his…
Cute-Obsession Mode GO!
/=+=/
Leanan Sidhe is a fairy / beautiful woman that takes human lovers. They offer inspiration to artist in exchange for fame and glory…however, the artist usually goes mad and suffers premature death. The only problem is that if the man refuses his love, she ends up being his slave. Sucks, really. [Natalya Arloyskaya - Lovers]
And I end with a Persona 4 Comic Dub~ :D