Chapter 30 "Old Friends"
"The Wall of Shame…" the curious Kevesi read the plaque in the room to the right of the registry office, surprised that the title wasn't just an epithet. "Seems rather brash of them to call it that."
"They mustn't take betrayals lightly," his Agnian counterpart commented beside him, both soldiers beholding the array of portraits on display. "Soldiers, citizens, women, men… it doesn't seem to matter who these people were."
"They all became Moebius," his lamenting eyes studied their faces, "to live forever."
"They controlled our lives," her brows lowered in disdain, begrudgingly. "It's unforgiveable."
"There are so many here," Noah noticed how much of the wall had been covered. "Could they all really have wanted to forsake everything they stood for?"
"Maybe they were desperate," his special mate speculated, hands together over her gem.
"For soldiers with only ten years to live, I can… almost understand that," the ninth-termer tried to sympathize, though uncomfortably.
"How do you figure?" Mio eyed him curiously which caused him to return her stare. "Living forever seems extreme, even for soldiers."
"You know, I've often thought about life in a world without fighting, beyond the bounds of ten years," the pacifist reflected on his still unfulfilled wish. "Yet, I never considered how long people could live in such a world, let alone for eternity."
"Naturally, it's difficult to think about the future, regardless of time." The older soldier returned her focus on the portraits, particularly the ones at the bottom where a familiar face momentarily halted her breathing. "Whoa… it's her…"
"Hmm? It's who?" Noah scoured the wall until Mio tentatively pointed to the fourth from last portrait. Pictured in the thin, metal frame was a middle-aged woman with dirty blonde, shoulder-length hair.
"My consul," her arm retracted slowly.
"Your former consul," he reminded her in hopes of tempering her impending dread.
"Yeah," the zephyr inhaled deeply while Noah activated his Iris to retrieve the deceased villainess' personal details. Seconds later, Mio steeled herself and did the same.
"Lynette Selvato," the ponytailed soldier proceeded to read the provided biographical summary. "Citizen, known to have started as a woodshop laminator before becoming a congresswoman for City development and planning."
"Sounds like… she must've been important during her time," Mio's throat became dry as she scanned the information herself.
"I wonder what made her switch sides, then," Noah tapped out of her profile before moving onto another one. "Say, isn't this the consul that Dermond and his team killed yesterday?"
"I think so," she instantly recognized the next person in question too, "considering he's the latest addition here."
"Georgios Samoga," he perused the blurb for the mauling Moebius who'd nearly crushed them to death. "Citizen, known previously as a City militant who developed his own custom mace for combat."
"That certainly… explains a few things," the cat-eared Agnian recalled their enemy's uncanny ability to merge his oversized fists into the shape of his weapon. "Anyway, I've seen enough of this. Shall we visit something else in the City?"
"Sure," her trusted partner scooted aside to let her exit first. "We probably won't get to everything today."
"That's okay," she seemed to brighten up, no longer facing the portraits. "We're residents now."
"Right, though we should eventually find a place for ourselves," the pacifist brought the task to mind as they stepped outside. "You never know when the barracks might get overcrowded."
"What's the word Caren used for living quarters?" Mio turned to him, thinking back to their first encounter with City folks. "Apartments?"
"I believe so," he scanned the windows in the vicinity for visual clues. "We'll have to ask someone about that."
After walking eastward from the government district to the central one, they soon found themselves in the busiest part of the City. The plaza was filled with residents, from citizens of all sizes to fellow liberated soldiers to carefree Nopon. Although it wasn't the first time that Noah and Mio had seen different kinds of people in one place, they still needed to adjust before they could feel like a part of this eclectic community.
Curious about aging, Noah wondered what the older folks might've accomplished during their comparatively longer time. As for Mio, her fascination lied with the children playing in the park. There was something inexplicably heartening about their innocent joy, a purity only remotely comparable to that of first-termers who'd yet to experience combat. In the same moment, however, the cat-eared Agnian began feeling a peculiar emptiness from within. Instinctively, she palmed her tummy and became acutely aware of how flat it was.
"Hungry?" Noah's voice startled Mio upon noticing her gesture.
"Huh?" her arm fell to her side. "Oh, now that you mention it…"
"Perhaps we should check out those food stalls over there." The swordfighter observed a trio of miniature, carted kitchens, each one giving off a differently flavored aroma. "One serves noodles and soups, another offers sandwich wraps, and the third has… barbecue? Can't say I'm sure what that is."
"I haven't heard of it either," the moonblades-wielder followed him across the lawn.
"Shall we have a taste, then?" he peered over the shoulders of everyone in line for it.
"I don't know," her own sights were on the first stall. "I'm pretty partial towards soup."
"Guess we'll hop in different lines and reconvene afterwards," the ponytailed soldier suggested as another thought occurred to him. "Feels rather odd to have choices, doesn't it?"
"In a good way, though," Mio agreed before they separated for the next five minutes. Once their respective meals had been acquired, they found an open table in an adjacent outdoor dining area.
Lunchtime was spent in quietude, both soldiers content to be in each other's company and steal a few further glances at their new surroundings. In the distance was an elaborate fountain where a few seniors basked in the calming din of the water, while raucous laughter could be heard from kids on a nearby geometric, climbing frame. The idea of using one's imagination for simple fun seemed foreign in a world normally ravaged by war. Noah and Mio had already known that they'd come to the right place, but this moment alone reinforced the sentiment.
Ready to resume their tour an hour later, the two newcomers roamed northward to the business district. Shops and services comprised this section of the City, including an open market with enough tables to build a maze. Nearly every proprietor was a Nopon whose sales pitch contained the sort of enthusiasm for which their kind was known. Except for one woman's lingering stare on Noah and Mio, all eyes were on the various merchandise on display. Neither soldier was interested in buying anything nonessential today, though a collection of books tempted the cat-eared Agnian on their way out.
By afternoon, Noah and Mio were nearing the City's northern border, with rows of tall apartments to their left and the agricultural district to their right. A few establishments broke up the monotony of this otherwise quiet, modest plaza, notably an open-air property in the rear. The two newcomers were immediately drawn to it, though the sign hanging on an arch gave them pause.
"Homecoming Haven?" Noah read it dubiously before facing Mio.
"What… could this possibly be?" the tenth-termer tentatively covered her mouth, feeling disconcerted.
"Hmm…" he scratched just below his ponytail, "doesn't haven mean refuge?"
"I-I think so," her hand slowly dropped.
"Regardless, it shouldn't be bad if it's in the City," the pacifist reasoned with both brows down. "Do you wish to investigate, Mio?"
"I'm not sure," she stepped closer for a peek.
There was a small, enclosed room housing a table and a couple of sofas. Just outside was the main feature, a sturdy, wooden patio with several floor cushions spread around, plus an arrangement of vines and lights stringed through a pergola above. Everything seemed warm and inviting which gradually eased their apprehensions the more that they took it in.
"Good afternoon," a young man with short, curly hair called from the patio. Along with an equally youthful blonde woman, he stopped tidying and gestured for the two soldiers to approach. "Welcome to Homecoming Haven. How may we assist?"
"Um… well," the quizzical Kevesi looked to his Agnian partner again before addressing the caretakers, "we're curious about this place."
"Ah, you're not from the City," the blonde surmised by their curiosity and military uniforms. "In short, we host homecomings for liberated soldiers like yourselves."
"You host?" the zephyr contorted half her face.
"Indeed," the curly-haired man stood back with his arms extended. "This place provides a safe and friendly environment for those nearing the end."
"Soldiers come here… for their homecomings?" she pointed downward, seeking clarification with bated breath.
"That's correct," the female caretaker recognized her anxiety. "They can bring along friends for the occasion, too. If not, there are always citizens minding the haven who can keep them company in their final moments."
"Huh…" Mio's ears flattened as she recoiled from the woman's phrasing.
"Are you okay?" the younger soldier turned to the older one.
"Y-yeah…" she preemptively wiped her eyes to check for tears. "I just… wasn't expecting to find such a place in the City, or anywhere for that matter."
"I see," he lightly rubbed her shoulder before focusing back on the two City folks. "Could you explain the proceedings to us?"
"Certainly," the male caretaker nodded graciously. "It's as simple as gathering here and sitting or standing together, happily. We cater to whatever the soldier wishes, within our resources."
"We usually hold hands in a circle," the blonde eyed the floor cushions which had been organized in such a pattern. "It may be bittersweet, but everyone involved often finds it therapeutic. The most important thing is comfort for the homecoming soldier."
"That sounds… ideal…" the moonblades-wielder interlaced her fingers, her voice still unsteady.
"Many liberated soldiers had deserted their colonies in search of a place to fade away peacefully," the woman continued to watch her facial reactions. "That's why we created Homecoming Haven."
"Like what we all deserve," Noah whispered to himself something which he'd told Mio when they'd formed their pact.
"Do you… allow anyone to watch?" his special mate inquired of the caretakers.
"Yes, as long as they're respectful," the curly-haired man laid down the rule. "We don't make announcements since we want these to be intimate affairs."
"I understand," she acknowledged, having regained her strength.
"May I ask for your names?" the swordfighter likewise returned from his moment of introspection.
"Why, certainly," the female caretaker smiled at them. "You can call me Steff."
"I'm Mourton," the man beside her presented a bigger grin. "Who might you be?"
"Noah," the calm Kevesi introduced himself next.
"And I'm Mio," his Agnian counterpart went last, no longer wary of the haven's concept. "Thank you… for making something like this available."
"No problem," Mourton's hand rested on his hips as the two soldiers prepared to leave. "It's the least we can do while limits on life persist in this world."
"Our door is always open," Steff bid them farewell with a friendly reminder.
"Right." Mio briefly slowed her steps which prompted Noah to wait for her. "We'll… keep it in mind." Sharing looks of mixed emotions, they resumed their trek now in the southeastward direction towards a sparser neighborhood.
"So, uh…" the ponytailed soldier kept the silence from building, "that was… rather unexpected."
"It almost sounds too good to be true," her eyes were on the ground, "but this day's already been so… enlightening."
"Yeah," Noah's tone emitted similar exhaustion as they strolled alongside a small patch of grass, "that's a good way to put it."
"Life without limits, building families…" the zephyr began listing what appealed to her, "and now a place for proper homecoming ceremonies, ones of our choosing."
"It's inspiring to see people here living the way they want to." The pacifist gazed idly across the public lawn towards a couple of citizens toting folded clothes out of a laundromat. "For those who don't fight, they can still contribute to the betterment of the City."
"The young and old must fall into that category," the cat-eared Agnian presumed, peering into a fenced yard in the opposite direction. "They aren't capable of fighting, yet they look content with their lives."
"The young seem especially happy," he noted after rotating to see what'd caught her attention. Between the yard and a multipurpose building was a table occupied by children engrossed in a group activity. "Quite a few of them here."
"More than ten, and with only one parent," she continued to watch, enthralled. "But the children are all so different…"
"Hursell Orphanage," the ninth-termer read the sign staked by the fence, "another new discovery, perhaps?"
"I'd like to check it out," Mio started walking ahead before glancing over her shoulder to Noah, "if that's alright with you."
"Of course," he assented to her wish, mildly curious himself.
The front room of the building was similar to that of the haven's, only there were colorful drawings hanging on the walls. Upon closer inspection, these art pieces were of a very crude but fun and whimsical variety. In fact, it took Noah and Mio more than a few blinks to discern that the squiggly shapes were meant to depict people, flowers, bunnits, and kapibas.
"Admiring the kids' drawings?" a soft, male voice sounded from down the hall.
"Ah, those… young ones made them?" Noah assumed as he and Mio spun around to find a bald, elderly man entering the room.
"Little artists, they are," the two soldiers' newest acquaintance chuckled before doing a double take at the sight of them. "What in…?"
"Huh?" the concerned Kevesi held out his palms, startled by the sudden mood shift. "Are you okay, sir?"
"Noah? Mio?" The bald senior crept forward with his own hand extended as if they were hazardous.
"How… do you know our names?" the moonblades-wielder suddenly became defensive.
"Am I dreaming? Or is it really…?" With a shake of his head, the old man attempted to recompose himself. "Ahem, my apologies. I… er, Terelda and I are… old friends of yours…"
"Friends?" Mio's confusion was hardly mitigated. "But we've only just met."
"P-please wait here while I get my wife," he begged and soon retreated down the hall. Noah and Mio stood in utter bewilderment while they complied with the impromptu request. A minute later, the old man returned with someone in tow.
"Wha…?" This second individual was a woman of similar age, her hair a fine shade of silver and styled in a bun. "They're here… both of them. So, I wasn't seeing things at the marketplace."
"I'm afraid we're rather in the dark here," the swordfighter put it mildly, though he recognized the woman's stare from earlier.
"Again, my, er, our sincerest apologies. Let us start this over, if you will permit it." The old man briefly faced the person to whom he'd indicated as his partner, sharing a nod with her like how Noah and Mio had done multiple times themselves. "My name is Finn Hursell, and this is my wife Terelda."
"Finn… and Terelda…" the ponytailed soldier repeated quietly to himself, their names not sounding completely foreign to him.
"Noah, Mio… how familiar are you with the City's teachings?" the person now known as Finn picked his phrasing delicately.
"We, er, completed orientation this morning," his younger guest tried to make sense of the specific query.
"Right," the bald senior spotted both soldiers' term marks with ease, "so then, you're privy to the cycle… of rebirth, yes?"
"We are…" wariness colored Noah's tone.
"Then hopefully you won't find this too hard to believe," Finn appeared relieved to not need to explain the concept. "We've all met before, when your previous selves arrived to the City many years ago."
"We have?" the tenth-termer was doubtful indeed.
"Previous selves…" her trusted partner glanced at her before returning to their hosts. "Mio and I came to the City together in the past?"
"You did, and here you are again," Terelda confirmed, though with astonishment. "Remarkable… it must be fate."
"But… there're so many of us, fighting out there," Mio wasn't quite so quick to buy this story. "How can we…?"
"I suppose it wouldn't be the first instance I've heard of the same soldiers finding each other after being reborn," the old man rubbed his chin contemplatively. "Though I never would've expected it to happen to you two."
"It's a… most wonderful surprise," a smile began forming on the silver-haired senior's face. "Finn and I never thought we'd see you again."
"I'm sorry, but… I-I don't know what to say to that," the zephyr remained frowning, her eyes darting around the room.
"No worries, Mio," Terelda spoke the Agnian soldier's name which only compounded her discomfort. "It's surreal for us, too."
"Can we trust you?" the pacifist posed a simple but pertinent question.
"I would hope so," Finn likewise firmed himself up. "We don't stand to gain anything by duping you."
"Very well," Noah crossed his arms, pausing long enough for the children's voices to be heard from outside. "So, you know about our… past lives?"
"We know you from your time in the City," the bald senior clasped his hands behind his back and leaned his head slightly forward. "Anything else that happened to you is lost to history."
"Well, you did tell us how you two met," the old woman amended his second statement, "your previous selves, that is."
"How I met Mio…?" the younger soldier slowly faced the older one beside him.
"It was quite the tale you told," Terelda proclaimed as she recalled the details, "hard to forget."
"Is that so?" he watched her expression brighten. Noah could hardly fathom there being another version of himself, let alone one who'd allegedly met these people standing before him and Mio now. However, his curiosity to learn more kept his mind open. "Would you mind retelling it to us, then?"
"Shall we have a seat first?" Finn's hand extended towards some chairs and a table in the waiting area. "We want you to be as comfortable as possible."
"It is appreciated," the ponytailed soldier spoke for Mio and himself as they accepted the modest token of hospitality. Furthermore, Terelda left momentarily to provide everyone with tea which had been prepared prior to this impromptu meeting.
"So…" the old man resumed their conversation after the first sip, "according to, er, you, it was a battle in Fornis that brought you and Mio together."
"I think you said both of your colonies had come from afar," the silver-haired senior sat back with her teacup held over her plate, "searching for new territory."
"Ah yes, a canyon of some sort," Finn's memory was already jogged, "near where Colony 30 holes itself up today."
"Hmm…" With this in mind, the investigative Kevesi briefly checked the appropriate map via his Iris. "Could it be… Terra Wastelands?"
"Perhaps," the bald senior bobbed his head in consideration. "Wherever it was, you two found each other amid the chaos."
"Mio was the one fighting," Terelda stared at the wall to picture the scene, "while Noah was… trying to talk her out of it."
"Wha…? Are you certain?" The swordfighter straightened up, dumbfounded at the uncanny parallels. "That's how Mio and I met… in this, er, life."
"My word," the old woman blinked thrice, slowly lowering her teacup. "I swear, it's fate."
"Have Mio and I been finding each other time and time again?" he wondered aloud, mouth agape. "In the same way, no less?"
"I suppose it's not impossible," Finn attempted to provide some form of an answer.
"It's all so bizarre," Mio spoke after having fallen silent, finally picking up her tea. "If there really were other versions of me, then… I can only imagine what they, er, I had to go through."
"I guess this is what's called an out-of-body experience," the ninth-termer sighed in resignation. With his eyes closed, Noah began to imagine this alleged meeting of their previous selves. It was surprisingly easy to piece everything together, as if they'd been part of his memories all along. A mere minute had passed, but the cogitative Kevesi felt like he'd been daydreaming for hours when he returned to the present and faced Finn again. "Ahem… sorry about that. Is there anything else you can tell us about our previous selves?"
"You lived next-door to us," the old man informed him, matter-of-factly. "That's how we know you."
"In an… apartment?" his younger guest correctly assumed.
"An older building not too far away," Finn described vaguely after another sip. "Terelda and I live here now where we oversee this orphanage, though we still use our old place and yours for storage."
"Speaking of which," the moonblades-wielder raised her free hand, "what exactly is an orphanage?"
"It's a home for children who've lost their parents," Terelda explained, her eyes drifting towards the displayed art. "We built it shortly after your final mission against Moebius which in turn raided the City."
"Final mission, you say?" This sounded rather ominous to Noah who'd paused midway in reaching for his now lukewarm tea.
"You two and four friends of yours had acquired the Ouroboros Stone and thus set off for Origin," she recalled in a subdued tone. "However, you never returned, and that's when Moebi-"
"We're back!" The side door suddenly burst open with an aproned woman and the aforementioned artistic children entering in boisterous disarray. "Okay, everyone, remember to leave your shoes in your cubbies!"
"Yes, Miss Maye!" some of her charges shouted not quite in unison. Though they obeyed her order, a couple of them couldn't help but become distracted by the two soldiers.
"Is it time to prepare supper already?" the silver-haired senior asked the caregiver over her shoulder.
"Yes, ma'am," the lady now known as Maye confirmed while she gently nudged the straggling kids. "Come on, you guys! Let's not bother them, yeah?"
"Who's that?" a little blonde girl with rosy cheeks pointed at the female soldier.
"Oh, I-I'm Mio!" the tenth-termer quickly set down her tea and swiveled in her seat. "Nice to meet you!"
"She has ears like me!" a boy beside the inquisitive girl stared at Mio. Indeed, his own head was crowned with a pair of catlike ears, only they were brown per the color of his uncombed hair. Both orphans stared with innocent wonderment, their slightly smudged faces endearing themselves to the equally enchanted Agnian.
"Guess we'd better haul ourselves to the kitchen," the bald senior stood with a nearly inaudible grunt. "Noah, Mio, I'm afraid we must part company for now."
"But please do come back sometime," Terelda smiled hopefully at them, all four now on their feet. "Strange though it was for you, Finn and I would be happy to rekindle our friendship."
"Uh… I don't see why not," the swordfighter straightened out his uniform. "You and everyone else we've met today have been most helpful."
"Yeah, we… found it interesting," Mio threw some words together while she watched the orphans leave. "I-I think I'd like to visit again."
Before departing themselves, the two visitors registered Irises with their hosts who were only too glad to do so. Back outside, the streetlamps were switching on while the sun tucked itself behind the City walls. Having seen enough for their first day as residents, Noah and Mio made no further stops on their way back to the soldiers' barracks. Their minds were weighted enough by everything that they'd learned and experienced since being liberated.
Side note:
A flashback to the previous life of Noah and Mio is also available to read in the third chapter of "A Past Life of Noah and Mio: Extras," rated M. This is completely optional, so you won't miss anything important by skipping it. If you are interested and need help finding it, visit my profile! Thank you!