It was another day for Zeri at Lanseal. Two things were on his mind. First was the humiliation that Class G faced at the hands of Class A during the combat drills from the other day. Second was the dream he had about running through a forest. The former embarrassed him, save for the confidence he had in Avan. It was strange, his classmates were disorganized, and Avan was inexperienced, but he trusted him. The latter bothered him. His mind went back and forth between the two until the dream took over his thoughts. He wanted to go about the rest of his day without being pensive. At least he took comfort in the handful of hours of sleep he got after he woke up in the middle of the night. To take his mind off things, he sat in the courtyard while he watched people going to and from.
"Hey Zeri!" someone said from behind.
He turned around and saw Aliasse. "You look like you're in a good mood today," he remarked.
"Check out this school uniform I'm wearing!" Aliasse twirled around. "Do I look cute in it?" she asked him.
"It looks very good on you," he said.
"Yay! I'm glad you like it!"
Zeri usually didn't think about how cute things were, but even he could admit that she looked cute in the uniform.
"You look like you fit in right with the school."
"I wish I was in your class, so I can be around you, Avan, and Cosette. You're all fun to be around! I wanted to show you first how I looked in this uniform."
He normally didn't consider himself to be fun to be around, but he was glad she thought of him that way. He also wasn't the best around kids, as he thought back to the time he helped the Darcsen child. This time felt different.
"You should keep wearing it, much better than seeing you in that hooded robe you were wandering around in," he told her.
"I agree! I was tired of that thing. Mama told me to wear it, but it's so dull and boring. And I wanted to show you first. I was thinking, you seem a bit hard to talk to, so I hope this school uniform makes me much easier to talk to."
This was his opportunity to bring up the dream without feeling too awkward. "Hey Aliasse, can I tell you about a dream I had last night?"
"Sure!"
"I was walking through a forest by myself, looking for someone. I never found the person, but I found you."
"You know, I had the same kind of dream. Walking through a forest by myself, when I found you too."
"Maybe our dreams happened for a reason."
"I think so too. We're meant to be around each other."
There were coincidences in this world, but this went beyond it. Were their destinies meant to be intertwined? Zeri believed in self-will, but even he recognized forces well beyond his control. Were their destinies meant to be intertwined? Perhaps the shared dreams were a sign. There was something very special about her, and he wanted to know her better. How would he go about it? He was probably thinking too much. "Hey Aliasse," he said somewhat shyly, "do you want to be friends?"
"Of course, Zeri! Let's be friends!" She hugged him. He wasn't used to hugs, but he didn't mind her at all, so he hugged her back. This felt a bit out of character for Zeri, but again, he didn't mind. Who was the last person he even hugged? Maybe it was Magari. She was the only one he could think of.
Maybe there was a way to bring up the dream. "I want to tell you about a dream I had last night."
"Want to tag along with me today?" Zeri asked Aliasse. "I have nothing to do today."
"Sure thing!"
"I can show you around and you can learn more about the school along the way."
"I've wandered around the school a lot, but it's much more fun with friends. I'll even introduce you to some more of my classmates. Let's see who's around. I'll lead the way."
"Okay!"
Zeri looked over at Aliasse as they walked. She felt like a younger sister, and she probably saw him as an older brother figure. Their personalities were so different, yet she was eager to get to know him better. She probably saw him as an older brother figure. If that was the case, he didn't mind the dynamic at all.
"So as you know, Lanseal is a school, so we have classes," he told her. "I can show you where my classroom is."
"I wanna see," she said.
They entered the classroom building and walked through the hallway until Zeri found his classroom. Since it was the weekend, he didn't have to worry about interrupting others. "So right here," he opened the door, "is my homeroom classroom. It's where Avan, Cosette, and I have our classes. Let me show you inside." They went in, where he continued. "These desks are where my classmates and I sit. We have a homeroom teacher, who usually sits or stands up front. Do you know what a homeroom teacher is?"
"Not really."
"A homeroom teacher is our main teacher, who looks after our class and takes care of us. He makes sure that my classmates and I are doing well. He'll tell us about any important announcements. He also teaches one of our classes."
Aliasse was nodding long. "He sounds like a good person."
"Very much so. His name is Hubert Brixham, though I call him Hubert. I don't think he's around today, but I'd like to introduce you to him another time."
"I'd love to get to know him better. Maybe he can be my homeroom teacher someday."
"When nothing is going on, my classmates and I will hang out and talk about different things. It gets very lively, especially with Avan around."
"Wow, it sure sounds like it!"
"Some of us like to keep to ourselves, like Erik. Have you met him?
"I have! He's one of my friends! People may think he's a mean person, but deep down, he's a nice guy."
"Ah, so you know him."
Aliasse was a lot like Avan in that she could befriend many different kinds of people.
"Hey Zeri," she asked, "where do you sit?"
"Right over there," he pointed to a seat over by the window.
Aliasse walked over and sat at his desk. "You know, this is a nice seat. You get such a nice view from the window."
"It's why I picked this seat. It gives me the time and space to wander off in my own thoughts, to think about things, when I don't feel like talking to other people."
"You look like the kind of person who'd do that."
"What's that supposed to mean, Aliasse?"
"Oh, nothing really," she said in a teasing manner.
"Whatever you say."
"You're funny, Zeri."
He petted her head. "There, there." She looked happy.
"So I'm guessing other people have their own homeroom classrooms?" she asked.
"They do. So basically, we stay in the same classroom, while the teacher for each class visits our room. Hubert teaches one of our classes, then he goes to the other classrooms to teach there. We get out for lunch breaks and go to the cafeteria."
"I wonder what the food is like."
"It's good food. Maybe we'll stop by there and grab a meal when we get hungry."
"Having food with another person sounds nice!"
Zeri felt taken aback by what Aliasse said. Did she have any friends before she was at Lanseal? Clementia, her mother figure, was all she probably knew until she met him, Avan, Cosette, and Erik. Zeri sometimes liked to be alone, but this was different.
"Do you usually eat by yourself?" he asked.
"All the time, really," she said with a somewhat sad tone.
"Are you okay with that?"
"I'm used to it. I do a lot of things by myself when mama doesn't need me for her work..." she trailed off.
In that moment, Zeri realized that Aliasse's existence was a very lonely one. She let her guard down when she probably didn't mean to. He sensed overwhelming sadness, the side of Aliasse that she wished to not show others. The more he'd be around her, the more he'd learn about the girl beneath the cheerful surface. Zeri needed to be an older brother to her, even though he didn't know how to go about it.
He reached his hand out to her. "We're going to change that, starting today."
She realized what she said, then lightened up. "You mean it?"
"I really mean it," he said.
"Yay! I'm glad!" She shrugged off her sadness and returned to her usual cheerful demeanor. "Let's see more of the of the school."
"Ready when you are," he said.
"I'm ready!"
Zeri and Aliasse left the Class G homeroom and continued their walk. Aliasse stopped and pointed to another classroom.
"Is this one of the other homeroom classrooms you were talking about?"
"That's Class A's homeroom." He then muttered to himself, "Of all the rooms, it had to be the one with Juliana."
Aliasse tilted her head. "Who's this Juliana person?"
"Someone I've known for a long time," he sighed.
"Is she a friend?"
He paused. "I don't know."
"Sounds complicated."
"It's very complicated."
"You think we'll run into her?"
"Hopefully not." He then changed the topic. "So there's more to school than just classes," A lot of the students do different activities. Some may focus on art, some may focus on music, and a lot focus on sports. Letsee here, how about we start with the art room?"
"Okay!"
Avan and Cosette would feel more like siblings to Aliasse, but they weren't around today. Zeri felt like he was halfway decent at being one, and she seemed to be fine with him. They walked into the art room, which was filled with various furniture and supplies, and spotted a young woman with red hair in front of a canvas on a stand.
"What's she doing?" Aliasse asked.
"She's painting a picture. We'd ask, but she looks like she wants to be left alone. Let's find another room to visit."
Zeri wondered how sheltered Aliasse was from the outside world. He could think on it later, among other things about her.
They continued their walk, when they went inside the music room. It was a circular room with a dome ceiling. The open space had several chairs spread throughout, and a piano placed at one end the room.
"This is the music room, where people learn and practice with instruments. Usually, it's busy, but nobody is around. Sometimes, you get to see an orchestra practice here, or you might hear someone sing," Zeri said.
He thought about how the nobility took him in 'as one of their own' when they noticed how he carried himself. They shouldn't have had anything to do with a Darcsen, but he was taken in among his aristocratic peers to be 'properly cultured,' as they put it. Appreciation and involvement in the fine arts played a huge role in being well-cultured, which included learning to play music. While Zeri claimed he wasn't a maestro, he could play some instruments well enough. On various occasions, he played the piano to liven up a place. Someday, he'll show off his talents at the school. Maybe another time.
"Howdy, Zeri!" a girl said from behind.
He immediately recognized the voice. "Hey there, Anisette."
"I'm gettin' ready to practice a number or two. Lemme get my guitar ready. Oh it's gonna be good. Who's this young girl with ya?"
"I'm Aliasse!" the young girl said.
"Nice to meet you! I'm a classmate of Zeri's. He's a fun guy to be around. I see you got him to open up a bit."
"Nice to meet you too! And yeah, I sure have!"
"I bet you and I are gonna be good friends, just from looking at ya."
"You know it!" Aliasse said.
"It's been a while since I've seen you perform, Anisette," Zeri said.
"Tell me about it! They keep us busy, but now I'm here. Singing can't be the only thing I'm good at. Gotta show them all I can strum the guitar! Might be a while, gotta fine tune the thing. Y'know, Zeri, I'd love to hear you play on the piano again. Who knows, maybe we can make a performance together."
"I haven't played the piano since I started at this school. Been meaning to, now that you mention it. Last time I played was when we were with the nobility."
"They really taught you good over there. And hey, you gotta try singing again, you have a good voice!"
"I'm well out of practice, much longer than I have with the piano."
"No better time to shake off the rust like the present."
"At least I'm a much better singer than Juliana." Zeri couldn't resist the opportunity. While Juliana was talented at many things, singing was not one of them. It was a source of embarrassment for her.
"It's a shame, yeah, for someone so beautiful. Now lemme tell ya what, I gotta bring her under my wing. That is, if she ever agrees to it. I can teach her real good, she could learn a thing or two from yours truly. Just imagine, when she gets good, she's gonna be more popular than ever."
"And you're going to tell me that Juliana and I should sing together."
"You know it! Oh ho ho!" Anisette laughed. "You two got amazing chemistry. Remember when they made you ballroom dancing partners? You and her brought out the best in each other."
"I wanna see!" Aliasse exclaimed.
"Just a matter of getting them together again," Anisette told Aliasse, then looked over to Zeri. "As amusing as it is to see you two go at each other, I'd love to see you and her put your differences aside."
"If only it were possible. Honestly," Zeri said.
"Someday!" Anisette winked.
"You sure know lots of people, Zeri!" Aliasse exclaimed.
"He sure does!" Anisette said. "I bet you're learning a lot from being around him."
"I sure am!"
Anisette then looked over to Zeri. "You should take Aliasse some more! I don't wanna hold you two back, you've seen enough of this room for one day."
"Let's go, Zeri! Aliasse exclaimed.
"Until next time, Anisette," Zeri said.
With that, they left the music room.
"I bet you really like this Juliana person, but you're shy."
"Now you're teasing me, Aliasse."
"I don't know anything about relationships, but I've seen people hold hands with each other and stuff like that."
"I'd never go out with her. She's not my type." Why was Zeri telling this young girl about her? Juliana always had a way of being brought up in conversation.
"If you say so," she nudged him.
"Anyway, we're at the next place," Zeri said, glad to change the topic.
"What's this room?" she asked.
"This is the radio room," Zeri explained. "Our school has a radio station, and this is where it's played from. The school channel hosts a lot of different things. Students have their own shows where they play different kinds of music. Any important announcements are made here. And one of my classmates, Coleen, runs a talk show, which is very popular on campus."
"I wish I had a radio," Aliasse said.
This mother figure really doesn't care much for her daughter, Zeri thought. Aliasse was missing out on so much. "We can fix that. Maybe we'll find a time and place where you can listen," he said.
"Yeah! Say Zeri, I've never really listened to music before."
"We should find what you like," a pink short-haired girl said from behind. "What may your name be?"
"The name's Aliasse!" the girl exclaimed.
"I'm Coleen, nice to meet you!" she shook her hand. "I heard about a young girl wandering around campus, but you look cute in the uniform, you know that?"
"Thanks! I hope nobody minded that I borrowed it from the locker room."
"I don't think they'll mind. And I bet you have a lot to talk about. You gotta tell me what it's like being around Zeri. He's one of my classmates, so I'm around him a lot, but I want to hear from you. I bet you have some fun stories," Coleen said.
"Yeah!" Aliasse said.
"Coleen is the classroom chatterbox. If you want to know more about any of my classmates, feel free to talk to her. She's always up for a conversation," Zeri said.
"I'm going to get ready for my radio show," Coleen said. "Zeri, I'd love to have you on my show as a guest. You're one of the most requested I get from my listeners, you have such a nice voice."
"Maybe when I have the time," Zeri said.
"That's Mr. Popular for you, my dudes!" Lotte said as she entered the room. "Nice to see you Zeri. And hey there Aliasse, glad to finally meet you. My name's Lotte."
"Nice to meet you too, Lotte!" Aliasse said.
"Wait," Zeri paused, "how do you know her?"
"I get around. I'm a reporter after all, dude."
Reporting on various rumors was one thing, but getting involved with the young girl was another thing. He took into consideration how elusive Clementia was with Aliasse. This meant Lotte knew way more than she let on.
The more Zeri was around Aliasse, the more he realized how little he knew about her. He had an idea. "Say, Aliasse, do you know how to read?"
"Not really! Mama never bothered to teach me," Aliasse answered.
What exactly was Clementia doing with Aliasse? She clearly wasn't a mother figure. He followed up with another question, expecting to know her answer. "Have you ever been to a library?"
"Nope!"
He leaned over to Lotte. "We need to talk when we have the time. I have a lot of questions, and things best discussed in private."
"With time, Zeri, whenever we're off campus," she responded.
Zeri had never left campus, so it must have been serious, and considering how busy he'd been, the meeting might not be for a while.
For the time being, he wished that Avan and Cosette were around to help introduce Aliasse to the outside world, since they were more outgoing than he was. He had an idea, though. "Aliasse and I will go to the library next."
"Lotte and I are going to set up for our radio show, so we'll let you two go on your way."
"Seeya!" Aliasse said as she waved.
A library was Zeri's sanctuary, where he could find solace among the stacks of books. He could spend an entire day with any given book from the shelves and read in peace. That's how it always was for him. He recalled the countless times growing up when he'd go to the library in town. While he wasn't always safe because of the way people treated him for who he was, nobody bothered him there. Wherever there was a library, he went out of his way to go to one. He was always impressed with the Everhart library, since the library of an aristocratic family had a different feel to it. For him, it was what dreams were made of. If he ever became successful enough in life, he'd love to have a library in that style. Becoming a hero was his goal in life. Owning an impressive library was his secondary goal, though he rarely brought it up in conversation.
"We're at the library, Aliasse. It's a place where people come to read and study, so you don't want to be too loud. That should be easy for you, yeah?"
Aliasse nodded.
"Let's go in."
Zeri picked a good day to visit the library, since barely anyone was inside. He soon spotted Magari, who was napping with her head on the tabletop, next to an open book. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she was adorable when she dozed off like that. She looked so calm and peaceful. He almost felt bad for bothering her sleep, so he went over and gently patted her on the back.
Magari woke out of her slumber and beamed up upon seeing Zeri.
"Hey Zeri, glad to see you. It was getting quiet and I was wondering where you were, but I was so tired, I wanted to take a nap."
"If that was the case, then I would've carried you back to your dorm room."
"Zeri, you're making me blush, though, it'd feel nice."
"You're cute, you know that?"
"Now you're teasing me, I know it," she pouted.
"You got me there, haha." Zeri couldn't help himself around Magari, but then he realized that Aliasse was around, and the reason why he brought her here. "Oh right, I'm showing this girl around the school. Thought I'd take her to the library. Aliasse, meet Magari, she's my best friend."
Magari was normally a shy girl, but she always felt comfortable around Zeri. Aliasse looked like she got along with him, so Magari had no reason to be shy around the young girl. "Nice to meet you, Aliasse."
"You as well," Aliasse said.
Zeri looked at Aliasse. If he didn't know any better, he would've thought Aliasse was a new student to Class G. Putting her age aside, she was nearly the same height as Magari, save for a few centimeters. He then realized something. Aliasse most likely borrowed one of Magari's school uniforms. This girl was a mystery, he wondered, but he could think on things when he was by himself.
"This is Aliasse's first time in a library. She doesn't know how to read, so one of these days, we need to find some books that she'd like reading. I'm not exactly the best with this sort of thing, with the type of books I read, so you're probably better at recommending some."
Magari became enthusiastic. "I'd be more than happy to help! When I'm not so sleepy, and Aliasse has time, we need to look around. I think there's a children's section in the school library. There's probably not a lot there, but there's the town nearby, they most likely have a larger section."
Off in the distance, at another table, Zeri noticed Mischlitt reading a book by herself. He thought about how Mischlitt and Aliasse were total opposites in personalities. Mischlitt was the most emotionally distant and detached of his classmates. Meanwhile, Aliasse was the most outgoing person he knew. How he'd introduce Aliasse to Mischlitt presented a challenge. Mischlitt looked aside from her book at the group, then went back to reading.
Aliasse noticed her and asked Zeri and Magari, "Is she another one of your friends?"
"She's Mischlitt, a very good friend of ours," Magari said. "She's not very talkative today, hope you don't mind."
"We all joke that this library is our home away from home since we all hang out here so often.
"Having a home anywhere is nice. It looks way more interesting than where I stay," Aliasse said.
There was so much Aliasse wanted to do and wished for, but was never given the opportunity, Zeri thought. He needed all the help from his classmates to make Aliasse feel more at home within the school.
"We need to bring Aliasse into our reading club. That would be fun," Magari suggested.
"I'd love to join in," Aliasse said, "I want to learn and have fun with all of you."
"Zeri has probably shown you around the school a good amount," Magari said to Aliasse.
"Mmmhmm," she nodded.
"There are one or two more places I still need to show her," Zeri said.
"I'll let you two go on your way. In the meantime, I'm taking another nap," Magari said, as she got herself comfortable.
"Rest well," Zeri said.
With that, Zeri and Aliasse went on their way.
"The courtyard needs no introduction, we're well familiar with it by now," Zeri said.
"You know it!" Aliasse exclaimed. "And hey, we're not strangers anymore! Hard to believe I wanted to stay away from all of you."
"Avan couldn't be scary to save his life."
"Now that I couldn't imagine." Aliasse laughed. "I don't know what got into me back then. Getting used to people is easier than I thought."
Zeri liked being around Aliasse. Whatever awkwardness he may originally felt was gone by now. "I feel the same way, as weird as it is to say."
"Nothing wrong with that, we learn from each other." She had a way of being profound. They were different, yes, but he already felt chemistry with her. He patted her on the head, his way of showing that he cared about her. She closed her eyes, hummed, and nuzzled against him.
Both felt a chill breeze and then stopped to look around. "Say, do you have the feeling that someone is watching us?" Zeri asked Aliasse.
She tilted her head. "I don't know, but I feel strange."
"So I'm not the only one."
"I'll protect you, no matter what!"
He was reminded that this girl was a Valkyria, but at the same time, he wondered how she'd hold herself without her powers. Considering how some people already wanted to go after him, like that group who attacked him a while ago, he'd find out eventually.
"I didn't know you were on babysitting duty," someone said, then tapped his shoulder. When he turned around, he saw Juliana, up close and in his face.
Great, her again. "First of all, I prefer if you took a step or two away, out of breathing on me distance. Second, I'm not a babysitter. Third of all, how would you like it if I tapped you on the shoulder from behind?"
Juliana looked on with disdain at the sight of the two of them. "I'm not budging, not after you got in my face the last time I was in your homeroom. I can't pin you against a wall, so this will do. Also, you know better than to lay a finger on me. You're asking to be slapped across the face."
"You've slapped me more times than I can remember, thank you very much. I'm used to the palm of your hand across my face."
"Please. That was back when you didn't know how to talk to a noblewoman."
"You miss doing it. Besides, you don't have anyone else to go to. At least your manners have improved."
"Were I not a woman of high class, I'd slap you right now for getting on my nerves."
"Preferably not in front of the girl."
Juliana was so caught up with having at Zeri, she only recognized her presence when she mentioned her. "What is this child doing here, anyway?" she said as she pointed at her.
The girl stood in front of Zeri. "My name is Aliasse, and I don't appreciate you treating Zeri like this!"
There was no shame in a thirteen-year old girl standing up for him, he thought, because he wasn't alone in dealing with Juliana. "You made a poor first impression on Aliasse. Maybe if you put aside your ego for a moment, you'd learn how to be good to a child."
Aliasse interjected, "Zeri has a point, you know!" then stuck her tongue out to taunt her.
He really wanted to see Juliana respond with a similarly childlike gesture, for the opportunity to remark about how she was a spoiled brat. Zeri had another idea, though, for talking down to Juliana.
"Why don't you introduce yourself to Aliasse? Please show good manners."
She glared like she wanted to slap him for real, but he got her right where he wanted. She gulped and went along with him, while trying to maintain her pomp. "My name is Juliana Everhart, the daughter of one of the most prominent aristocratic families in this country. I am the heir to the family name. To put it simply, I'm a very important person. You will get to know me very well, Aliasse."
He then looked at the girl. "Now it's your turn."
Compared to Juliana, she gladly listened and nodded. "I'm Aliasse. I may not be as important as you are, and I'm not a student, but I wish I was. I hope I get to know you better, maybe you have a nice side I'm not seeing. Let me shake your hand."
She went over to the young woman, held her hand with hers, and shook it. Juliana stood there and did nothing, not used to this kind of familiarity.
Zeri didn't expect Aliasse to respond this way. The girl sincerely wanted to get over the rough start and get along with her. Juliana didn't look ready, though, because she then interlocked her hands and fidgeted with her fingers. To be fair, she wasn't the best at being close to others.
"I hope to know you better, too," Juliana said awkwardly. "Maybe another time?"
"I'd like to spend time with you, just like I'm doing with Zeri," Aliasse responded.
"I should go, things to do, you know," Juliana said, then began walking away, "again, nice meeting you."
"Seeya!" Aliasse waved.
With that, Juliana was gone.
This encounter was the first time Zeri saw Juliana off-balance with another person in a long time. Was Juliana too shy to be around Aliasse? Maybe. He wished he could find the words, because their conversation went in unexpected directions. Zeri wasn't the best with children, but neither was Juliana. Maybe she was the key to the two of them putting aside their differences, Zeri thought? Now that would be a strange turn of fate.
"Hey Zeri," Aliasse said, taking Zeri out of his thoughts, "it sure sounds like you and Juliana have something going on. You say you don't know if you're friends with her, but it also sounds like you don't hate her? I think I understand what you said earlier."
Zeri and Juliana's complicated relationship wasn't lost on her. "I told you it was complicated," he said.
"I wanna help out," she said.
"Maybe," he paused, "you'll help me get along with her better?"
She nodded, "I'd love to. I shouldn't like her, but I felt like she doesn't know how to be honest with you. Hey, Zeri, thank you for getting her to be nice."
He didn't expect Aliasse to be this level-headed. For such a young girl who had a childlike demeanor, she had some innate maturity. "I appreciate it." He looked off into the distance. "She could learn a lot from you."
"What do you mean?"
"Even I don't know yet."
"Hey there, kiddo, who's this adorable young girl with you?" Lavinia asked the two as they entered the R&D building.
The girl ran up to the engineer and introduced herself. "I'm Aliasse, and Zeri is my friend! It's nice to meet you!"
"I'm Lavinia, and I work on all sorts of stuff here. I already like you a lot. Zeri is my friend, and you're my friend too!"
"Yay!" she said and hugged Lavinia.
"I'm like a big sister to Zeri, I look out for him whenever I can," Lavinia told Aliasse.
"And I'm like a little sister to him!" she responded. "He looks after me and he gives me such nice head pats."
"Then that means I can be your older sister!"
"Yeah!"
Lavinia then turned over to Zeri. "Looks like you're now the middle brother!"
"I've never really had siblings," he said. "I mean, you're like an older sister to me, and I guess she's like a little sister to me, now that she mentioned it."
"Which means we're family!" Lavinia responded.
"You know it!" Aliasse said.
"C'mon over, Zeri!" Lavinia motioned to him.
When Zeri got close to Lavinia, she put her arm around him and ruffled his hair.
Zeri felt like a child again, but being around the two, he didn't mind. He was glad to be in the company of Aliasse and Lavinia.
"Can I call you Ali?" Lavinia asked the girl.
"Sure!" she responded.
"It's a cute name," Zeri said, "I want to use it too."
"You're cute too, you know!" Lavinia said.
"Am not," he pouted.
"There you go!" Lavinia then turned to Aliasse. "Zeri likes to act all cool and serious, but he's a big cutie. You should've seen him the first time he came here."
"Lavinia," he said bashfully.
"It's true!" she said.
"Hey big sis," Aliasse said, "can you show me around this place like you did with him? I wandered into here a few times, but didn't know what all these things were."
"I'd love to, Ali! I'm happy to have you and kiddo."
"You mean you don't mind me hanging out here whenever?"
"Nah, not at all! Zeri likes to hang out here too!"
"I showed Ali around campus today, and wanted to save this place for last," he said.
"You're a good brother to our little sister, kiddo."
"Glad to be back," he said.
"Welcome home," she said.
Zeri and Erik sat within an encampment located within the outskirts of a village. They were out on a defend mission, to hold onto the camp until the Gallian Army arrived and took over from the cadets. They were told during the briefing that the rebels shouldn't give them too much trouble, though they needed to be on the lookout.
The reality was that there was a lot of waiting around and doing nothing. They made their rounds around the camp, looked out in the distance, then sat by some sandbags. This was how the night was going.
Eventually, Erik broke the silence. "Y'know, Zeri, I'm curious about you. I sense all the crap you deal with, and I got to ask, how do you keep your cool?"
"It's who I am. You should know this by now." Zeri was used to these kinds of questions. He wondered when he'd get tired of explaining himself to others, but for Erik to ask him was different. "Why do you ask?"
Erik looked at his hands, then looked at Zeri. "I feel like I need to speak with my fists if I need to get by. Haven't you been bullied a lot, being a Darcsen and all?"
"I'm no stranger to being bullied, though I try to not respond with violence when possible."
"Emphasis on the 'try' part. You sound like you nearly went there."
Zeri thought back to long ago in his childhood, when several older boys ganged up and beat him for dear life. He was used to insults and the occasional object thrown at his direction, but this was different. The older boys voiced their jealousy at how well he did at just about everything. Zeri relied on his wit to get himself out of these situations, but they wouldn't let him go. The blows hit harder and harder until he was busted open. Blood from one of the cuts flowed into his mouth. Then there was the moment in which he snapped. He wished to not contemplate further.
"Nobody is perfect," Zeri said.
"Think about it. We walk alone, not being held back by the type of people we are. I may not know what it was like for you growing up, since I'm not a Darcsen, but I can relate from growing up on the streets. I didn't have much in the way of family, and the only way to survive was prove myself. People knew the meaning of my words. I earned respect among the group I tagged along with."
This was the first time Zeri heard about Erik's past. "So that's why you have that kind of reputation around campus. You usually don't talk about yourself much."
"Yeah, nobody bothers to listen to me. You're the type to understand. So anyway, I had gotten in trouble with the law and was about to go to jail, when someone from Lanseal showed up and spoke on my behalf. I was given a choice, either attend the school or get locked up."
"Let me guess, that person was Hubert."
"Yeah. He has an eye for talent and he took a chance on me. When I told my crew, they were glad for me and told me to move onto much better things. It hasn't been easy, but I've found my place at Lanseal."
"My family wasn't dirt poor, and while we didn't have much in the way of things, my parents had enough to make sure we all lived comfortably within Randgriz. While I appreciated being around my kind, I wanted to be accepted by other people. I was rejected time and time again, sometimes with violence. I wanted to stick to my ideals, to prove myself, that I didn't need to retaliate. Like you, I wanted people to know the meaning behind my words, although through a different way."
"And yet you tried to please the nobility. Why did you kiss their ass?" Erik didn't mince words. He knew about that part of Zeri's past.
"I wanted to learn from them. I was fascinated. Their interests, their intellectual pursuits, I wanted to incorporate them into my life, to be a well-cultured individual."
"Never cared for that stuff," Erik huffed. "Never needed them for what I'm passionate about."
"Now I'm curious," Zeri said, wanting to know more.
"Animals. I like caring for animals. Dogs, cats, rabbits, deer, chickens. I could watch and interact with them all day. They're nice to be around. I wanted to be a veterinarian when I grew up, yet the dream always escaped me," Erik said, as he looked up to the night sky.
"Can't say I'm familiar too familiar with animals," Zeri admitted.
"One of these days, I'd like to show you around the small farm that we outside the school. Not much in the way of things, but I like being there. Maybe the silver-haired girl can tag along."
"I know exactly who you are talking about."
"Oh, so you've met her. She's a strange girl. Cheerful and happy-go-lucky, yet there's more to her. The loneliness with which we're so familiar. Still though, she's pleasant to be around. She doesn't know much about the outside world and wanted to know someone who felt the same way."
"Have you seen her wearing the school uniform?"
"Nah, I haven't yet. Looks like she finally got rid of that hooded robe."
"Thank goodness. But yeah, she looks like she'd fit right in our class. I showed her around the school the other day. She was happy to have me around. Didn't see you hanging out in your usual spot, though."
"Yeah, I was out on the farm. Still, glad she's making friends," Erik said.
"She's getting me to open up in ways I would've never imagined. She sees me as an older brother, and honestly, I don't mind at all. You know, Erik, you aren't that bad of a person."
"I wish more people saw me that way," Erik sighed, then regained his composure. "And you know, Zeri, you aren't so cold a person. Aliasse is a magical girl. She has her Valkyria powers, but she also has the power to connect people with each other."
The radio turned on. "Zeri and Erik, a group of rebel units are coming your way." Avan said.
"Roger that," Zeri replied.
"Wish I was fighting with you, bro. Don't worry about me, we'll get through. Over and out."
Zeri and Erik nodded at each other. Finally, some action. They checked to make sure their weapons were fully loaded, then got into position. The rebels looked better equipped than the ones they fought back in Arlem, but they didn't let that intimidate them. Several enemy scouts appeared and fired. Both Zeri and Erik took cover behind the sandbags until the firing stopped. Erik took the opportunity to fire back at a scout, taking him down with ease. Zeri vaulted over the sandbags to intercept another scout and took him down as well. The two took turns looking for additional enemy units until the wave died down.
Zeri returned his starting position. "Camp is still intact, and we're still here."
"I wonder how many more we'll deal with," Erik said. "Hopefully, the regular army comes in soon, so we can fall back. I don't know about you, but I've had my fill of action for tonight."
"Agreed," Zeri said as he nodded. "Let's stay on alert for a possible next wave."
The two kept their weapons locked and loaded.
"I got a question about you that keeps bothering me," Erik said.
"Fire away, Erik," replied Zeri.
"How do you put up with Juliana? There's the nobility and trying to win them over. I get that. But then there's her."
For Juliana to be brought up in a conversation was only a matter of time. "Why do you mention her?"
"You're the closest to her."
"I want to prove that I can be on the same level as her."
Erik wasn't content with his response. "There's far more beyond it. You want her to accept you, more than anyone else. You've gotten the nobility to accept you. They probably wished you were born their kind. But Juliana? She's never truly accepted you. She refuses to. You're pursuing someone far out of your reach. Juliana is the only one who you haven't been able to fully sway. You say that you're rivals, but do you even know yourself? What does she mean to you?"
Zeri felt uneasy with how close to the truth Erik was in talking about Juliana, but he needed to come up with some answer that was honest about himself. "That I'm still trying to figure out. But someone has to stand up to her."
"But you need an outlet for your emotions. I'm no stranger to expressing how I feel. Sure, nobody believes me or takes me seriously, sure, but you gotta let the anger out somehow. Zeri, you keep that anger in. It's going to consume you. How far are your ideals going to take you? When will you snap?"
There was no way Zeri could avoid Erik's questions without sounding insincere, but he let the words out anyway. "I have a good grasp on myself." Zeri then paused, knowing this wasn't actually true. He needed to throw in a nugget of truth. "I got this far in life for a reason, despite myself."
Erik was convinced that Zeri was becoming a lost cause. "Forget what I said. I was rambling, nothing more."
"Sorry," was all Zeri said.
"It's fine. No hard feelings." Considering the two were in the middle of a mission, and wanting to avoid an awkward mood, Erik continued. "I, uh, don't have a lot of people to talk with, or who actually listen to me, so, uh, thanks."
"No problem," Zeri said, glad to know things were still good between them. "You know, I wonder where Aliasse is?"
"Hiii!" they heard a voice say cheerfully from behind.
The two turned around to see Aliasse. She looked different. Instead of the hooded robe she got rid of, or the school uniform Zeri saw her in last, she wore combat gear, armed with a shield and whip. Both felt dissonance between her appearance and usual demeanor.
"Hey Erik and Zeri! Nice to see you here!" Aliasse put down her weapons to weapons to hug them both.
"Hey there," Erik said.
"Nice to see you again," Zeri said.
"Whatcha doin' out here?" Aliasse asked.
"Oh, we're out defending a camp against some rebels with my friend Zeri," Erik said.
"Yeah, we've gotten to know each other tonight," Zeri said.
"I'm glad!" Aliasse exclaimed.
"On your way to fight tonight?" Erik asked.
"Yeah! Mama sent me here to show off my powers," she replied.
"So that's why I saw you the other time, in Arlem," Zeri said, as he recalled their encounter from a while ago, before they actually got to know each other.
"Oh yeah, with the tank!"
"You went in, shot the thing, and left. It all happened so quickly," Zeri said.
"I wish I stopped to say hi to you and Avan, but I think my mama wanted me back as soon as possible. But that's in the past, and you're here with Erik," she said. "I should get going, I see some enemy units out in the distance. Looks like a big one. I'll take care of them for you. Seeya!" Aliasse waved and ran off.
Before Zeri and Erik could look at each other and talk about what just happened, they looked ahead of Aliasse and spotted a large group of enemy troops appearing over the horizon. From where Zeri and Erik sat, they saw the young girl stop for a moment and began to glow blue. She brandished her weapon into a whip and charged into the enemy, where she weaved her way through her targets. Flashes of blue light accompanied her attacks.
The rebels realized who they were up against and soon were in retreat.
Aliasse's blue glow disappeared and she put away her whip and shield.
How a single girl could take on this many people amazed them.
"Can you believe this is the same girl we were talking to?" Erik asked Zeri.
"I could ask the same thing."
The radio came on. "Whoa, man, did you see that?" Avan said.
"Yeah, I sure did," Zeri replied.
"Looks like she's heading your way. I'll meet up with you and Erik so I can say hi to her. Don't be a stranger, okay?"
"No need to tell me. Aliasse and I are really good friends by now."
"Glad you two are getting along so well. Makes me happy for you. Anyway, see you soon. Over and out."
Zeri wondered about Aliasse. She was so cheerful, yet when she was out in the battlefield, she became a different person. Why was someone this young being sent out to fight? He recognized the irony in the statement. He and his classmates were not much older than her, yet they were being sent out into battle as well.
When Aliasse would come back, she'd return to her cheerful demeanor and childlike nature that made her so endearing. The dissonance in personality only made him more suspicious of her alleged mother figure. He wanted to ask Clementia about Aliasse and the way she treated her, but Clementia would tell him to mind his own business.
He was slowly putting together Aliasse's background. She was cheerful, but she would do anything to avoid being lonely. There was her comment about being used to doing things by herself. Then there was her wishful thinking about so many things, such as having a radio to listen to. She sought the approval of others. Zeri could relate to her, with how he wanted other people to accept him for who he was. Acknowledgment from Juliana proved elusive, however. Meanwhile, Aliasse wanted the approval of Clementia, but she also wanted the approval of others. Whatever approval the alleged mother figure had of the girl was probably insincere. That had to be the case, based on Zeri's first impression of Clementia.
There was something very important he couldn't ignore.
The loneliness of Aliasse.
Aliasse wanted to fit in, to feel like she belonged somewhere for once. Why would she go out of her way to borrow someone's school uniform? And why did she go to Zeri first? He was used to walking alone in life, but it was a choice he made. Aliasse had none. He wished he could help her more than he already had, but she greatly appreciated him being there for her.
They might have lived very different lives before, but they crossed paths for a reason.
School life. Classmates. Juliana.
These were some of the ties that bonded Zeri and Aliasse.
He knew he needed to depend on her, just like how she depended on him.
Where would fate take them?
Zeri told himself, "I will walk with Aliasse."
Note:
What I thought would be a fairly unimportant chapter became a very important one when I edited the rough draft. For the first time since I started this fic probably, I added way more stuff than I cut out.
I'm looking forward to fleshing out Aliasse as a character.
And now for an unrelated thought. I'm convinced that writing for any other fandom will be easier than writing this fic. The amount of work involved, how much I'm deviating from the original story, and the way I'm redoing things. I haven't even gotten to the huge plot divergence, as loosely as I'm following the game for now.
That means actually writing more for other fandoms, but I'll get around to it.