Chapter 2: Reunion

IMPAVIDUS

POV: Albtraum

June, 1916

Albtraum stood among the bustling tavern, leaning out of the way as someone stumbled past him, laughing boisterously. For how quiet the streets had been, he was surprised to see so many here - though he supposed perhaps the packed tavern had something to do with the small town's empty state at present.

He easily spotted Mianna as she made her way over to the bar counter. There were no free tables at present, so she was inquiring as to the wait - he hoped it would not be terribly long, because they had been traveling for days now, and he was exhausted. They'd gone from train to train with often only minutes between, Mianna's pace never slowing enough that they could afford a proper chance to rest or eat. He imagined that perhaps before the accident that he might have been much better at matching her frantic pace, but as it was…

He pressed the heel of his hand to his brow. His head ached terribly, and had intermittently ever since they had left Xenotime. Mianna had theorized that perhaps this was some lingering effect of his injuries, remaining calm as he suffered through them - though there had been a panic in her eyes that made him feel compelled to conceal the extent of his pain.

The pain began to settle as he watched Mianna speak with the bartender, her expression brightening - good news, no doubt. It was strange, he had no memory of her - there were flickers from time to time, but they always slipped away before he could grasp them, like trying to catch a blade of grass under flowing water. Yet her presence still calmed him, there was still a sense of familiarity about her, even if there was nothing specific he could recall.

"Albtraum?"

An unfamiliar voice addressed him, drawing his attention away from Mianna as she began to make her way back over. It was a light, high voice like a clear bell - his eyes met nothing as he turned, bringing his gaze downward, where he finally found a small, plump woman in a wheelchair, gazing up at him with a wide smile.

She wheeled herself forward, dark curls of hair bouncing at her shoulders as she did. "Oh, my - it is you, just as I thought! My, but you have grown so tall! " She laughed, lifting herself from the wheelchair with the help of a cane and reaching out to clasp his hand in hers. "But what ever has brought you here?"

"Ah…" Albtraum felt his posture stiffen, but he did not pull away - clearly, this woman knew him somehow. "I… I'm terribly sorry, but I am afraid I don't… remember you, miss."

"You do not…?" Her eyes widened, and she pulled away, her expression crumpling - guilt roiled through his mind as it seemed she might cry. "Well, that– I suppose…"

He took a breath to speak again - but Mianna's voice interrupted him. "Albtraum, who is your new friend?" Her voice was light, friendly… yet he could hear the protective edge in it.

"Well, you might say we are in fact old friends," the woman murmured with a frown, her gaze downcast. "Yet it seems…"

"Oh, well," Mianna sighed, taking Albtraum's hand. "You'll have to forgive his memory, I'm afraid he's forgotten most everything in his life since he was involved in an accident."

"An acc– Oh!" A wave of relief overtook the sorrow in the woman's expression - yet it was quick to return. "Wait, was it the mine collapse I recently heard of in Xenotime…? How terrible…"

Mianna's grip on his hand tightened. "Yes," she said, her voice almost too low to be heard over the din of the tavern. "Fortunately, he… survived, but he has forgotten… everything. Even me."

Albtraum's guilt only deepened at the way her voice wavered. He cleared his throat. "Yes, I… can't remember anything at all, I'm afraid. This is my wife, Mianna. And you are…?"

"Ah, my name is Suzette," she said, reaching out to give Mianna a gentle handshake. "Suzette Wakahisa, though I was still a Lebrun when we knew each other. Albtraum… Albtraum and I were friends as children. My brother, Florence, was an apprentice to Albtraum's father, Joaquin… and we often spent time together with Albtraum and Brunhart after Joaquin succumbed to that dreadful illness."

Albtraum was surprised to hear the familiar names of his fathers - who he did not remember, but whom Mianna had told him about, recollections of stories he'd once told her himself.

"Florence's illness was such that we moved away from Xenotime when I was a young woman… Albtraum, you were only a teenager then. Your last letter to me was to inform me that Brunhart had passed on as well. I wrote to you after that, many times, but I never received a reply…"

Mianna frowned, giving a slight shake of her head. "Yes… Albtraum was forced to live on the streets after Brunhart's death. It's doubtful your letters ever found him."

"How dreadful an ordeal that must have been," Suzette murmured. "Yet… I am gladdened to see you seem to have found your way through it all. You have married a lovely woman, and the two of you are traveling now…"

Albtraum nodded. "Yes. After the accident… Mianna, too, was involved in an incident in which she lost a leg. Things have been… difficult lately."

Mianna slightly lifted the leg of her trousers, showing off the metal limb underneath - Suzette's eyes widened, her dainty hands slowly rising to cover her mouth in her surprise.

"Goodness," Suzette breathed. "How positively dreadful… I am so sorry for you both."

Mianna nodded her acknowledgement. "After everything we've endured, I believe it would be best for us to live elsewhere… so we have been searching for a place far from Xenotime. And possibly somewhere I can ply my trade as an alchemist."

"Well," Suzette said, a smile returning to her face as she "You have certainly found it! Wickerworth is about as far away as you can get, while still remaining on the map… And the only alchemist in town is my husband, so another will certainly be a welcome addition. Ah… Forgive me if this is too forward, but do the two of you have a place to stay while you are here?"

Albtraum looked to Mianna - she shook her head. "No, we planned to have a meal here, and then hopefully find lodgings somewhere…"

Suzette clasped her hands together. "My daughter is away at school for a while, so her bedroom is sitting empty at present… I shall go and ask my husband if the two of you might stay with us for a while, if you would like!"

The road had worn terribly on Albtraum, and he answered without thinking. He could practically feel his exhaustion dragging through his voice. "Yes, please," he murmured. "That would be lovely."

"Wonderful!" Suzette exclaimed, returning to her wheelchair and making her way to the exit. "I shall return soon with good news!"

As she vanished beyond the doorway of the tavern, Mianna guided Albtraum to the table that had just been cleaned and set for them, picking up her trunk to place it nearby.

"I'm sorry," Albtraum muttered with a grimace as they sat down. "I didn't mean to answer for you, it's only… It has been a long journey…"

Mianna sighed as they sat, looking to him with a tight smile. "It's alright, darling," she replied softly. "I suppose I have been running you rather ragged, after all…"

A moment later, a serving girl brought them each a cup of tea - and they waited at the table for Suzette's return.