The days leading up to Frankie's presentation came in a flash. Of all people to have their work cut out for them, it was Pyra who seemed to be the most diligent. Even after hours of work and coaching her little group, she was ever determined to help Frankie get top grade in his class, and it was certainly quite the eye opener for him. Whether it was because she had more expertise in directing now than ever before or how close they had become, she was VERY snippy with him. Looking off to the side too much? One mark. Forgetting his speech and improvising over himself in a feeble effort to correct himself? Another mark. Pausing? Most definitely. She would stare him down expectantly each time he started to speak, which only made him more nervous… then again there'd be A LOT more eyes on him very soon than just Pyra's… it was better to let her work.
Pyra didn't reveal this information to him, but the more Frankie continued to speak on this subject he had been studying for so long, the more things finally started to link together in her mind regarding her past. The people and friends of her time? Still fuzzy, but she certainly remembered inklings of what those bonds felt like, beyond just acknowledging their existence. Obviously Pyra didn't want to focus too much on these feelings, especially so as to not distract Frankie, but a few times she found herself…slipping. Such as when she would trail off on her own imagination as Frankie spoke, wondering just… what happened after she and Mythra went to sleep that final day so long ago? The disturbing thought of all her friends' passing certainly crossed her mind… but she knew such things were inevitable and merely steeled herself through any downtrodden disturbances. She was living completely differently now, and what was most clear of all when Frankie finally finished the whole presentation before her very eyes, was that somehow, someway… she'd become just as human as he was.
She and Mythra also had plans of their own in the midst of all this. Every night after directing Frankie she'd come to Mythra, waiting alone in Pyra's room, nervous and shy beyond belief and only making the slightest bit of eye contact with her as she entered the room. But Pyra remained vigilant and supportive. For their own motives, tenderness was the key, and that's just how Pyra directed her… it would take a lot off their chest once they were ready.
Frankie tucked his hands behind his back and looked away shyly as he finished this last round, ceasing to make eye contact with Pyra as he already imagined the levels of critique she'd unleash upon him. He knew it was silly to expect anything overly harsh from her at all, but then again, with how picky she had become these past few days, what else COULD he do but expect the worst? He cringed harshly as he heard Pyra take her first breath.
"…you're ready."
Frankie sighed somewhat deeply in relief.
They were all ready.
…
The room felt inviting, even with it being all classical and ornate in its decorations. Dim yellow lights illuminated an otherwise dark and dank room, and the heater had been turned off in favor of a gentle breeze from the air conditioner. It was an unusually hot day in December that afternoon.
Ah, Southern California. Frankie knew it all too well… but this cold sweat of his betrayed the air entirely.
He had his flash drive, his notes, pictures, even a pointer at the ready. That feeling of approaching a crowd with something so far removed from what seemed like reality only to be jeered away and forced to sit back down on your lonesome…strangely enough it felt familiar to him. This was more than just the typical 'the game you like sucks', however. His speech was to be one he intended on letting be heard, not just presented. He couldn't shake that far fetched feeling that squeezed his brain the closer he got to the podium. At that point, he didn't know what to worry about more. His grade? Pyra and Mythra's dignity? His own dignity? How his family would react? Even behind the curtain he saw Alejandro and Veronica eagerly whispering to Pyra and Mythra, almost begging to have him be brought up on stage… just how much could he accomplish?
He remembered he had Turters in hand, in his small tank. In its usual carefree manner, the little tortoise looked up at him and blinked just as slowly, wagging his tail excitedly but absentmindedly, a small, mouth-open smile drawn on his face. Frankie chuffed at the reptile in response before looking back over the the crowd once more. He did the sign of the cross on himself quickly before gently shutting his eyes and whispering a prayer.
"Dear lord Jesus… let this go well… guide me… I don't intend to stay silent anymore… listen to my heart… I beg you… take care of us… all of us… in Jesus' name we pray… amen…"
"And now, our final presentation of the day… Frank Guosmán!" Frankie's even more rotund Professor announced heartily, grabbing his attention, suddenly, and stepping away from the podium and allowing her pupil to replace her… no other time than the present, it seemed.
Frankie took a deep, somewhat laboured breath, and stepped forward to the podium. As he did so, a number of thoughts went swimming through his mind, most of them flavored in some form of panic as expected. Frankie looked to the audience, which didn't assist his nerves much at all, with a small part of him having hoped to see no one but Pyra, Mythra, Miko, and Kaito there…maybe a few of their extended friends as well. But in this state, Frankie was reminded of some advice his little brother gave him in regards to delivering speeches, having been in the position himself a number of times. Time seemed to slow for a moment as Frankie recalled his words:
'I know how that silly little brain of yours works, big bro. At the end of the day, it's never going to go perfectly, you're gonna say something not on the script here and there, you're gonna deliver a word awkwardly once or twice. And some people are gonna come away thinking you didn't do an amazing job.'
Obviously, Frankie thought to himself, there was a high chance of him flying too close to the sun with this, how does laying into that help?
'While it's good to be anxious and aware, when you wanna get across a message, it's the whole thing that's most important, not just one or two lines. You're a really detail-oriented person, Frankie, and I respect the hell out of that. But sometimes thinking of the bigger picture, thinking of what it is you want to achieve with your words…that's the thing you should focus on the most.'
Frankie finally arrived at the speech podium after a few seconds that each felt like an eternity. He placed Turturs' tank next to it for his reveal later, and set up his papers on the podium itself, contemplating Kaito's words.
'What he wanted to achieve with his words'…eh?
Frankie looked once again across the crowd, when his eyes finally rested on…them.
Pyra and Mythra both looked at him with great enthusiasm but also great anxiety. Pyra smiled and sat politely through a nervous sweat, with the words "It's okay Frankie you can do ityoucandoityoucandoityoucandoit-" practically etched into her expression. Mythra for her part was crinkling the itinerary into a twisted mess having been handed it out at the door to the auditorium, scrunching her face in a similar fashion.
Yeah…that's right.
Frankie remembered that he was doing this for them…while at the same time doing it for himself. He saw his family, at least ten members, up in the seats. Frieda, Alain, Veronica, his Nino and Nina, the rest of his aunts, and Amora and Kiara… being distant from them for so long and seeing them all coming together for his presentation… it touched him. He hadn't felt quite this nostalgic in a long, long time. Even his parents, up above… they were watching… he felt their presence all too well. This was to be a massive step forward for both him and these ladies who had so promptly stepped into his life and changed just about everything in it. Even with their shared fear, he knew there was no need for him to worry. Because he knew exactly what he wanted to do.
After clearing his throat and giving the basic introductions, Frankie gave his opening statement.
"Have you ever wondered about a world that existed before our own?"
A strong hook. Vague and easy to buy into, but clear in its message.
"In the field of archaeology, observation of the past is obviously the key theme that connects it all together. But as we look upon that past, we're often doing so with blurred and sometimes obscured vision, leading us to make assumptions that…may not always be entirely true." Frankie paused for a moment as he subtly shifted his notes.
"Why did I just know he'd go in this direction…?" Alain quietly whispered to Veronica while the crowd murmured curiously amongst themselves.
"Remember Legoland? He lost his marbles when we got to the dinosaur part~" Veronica whispered back, keeping her eyes on the stage.
"Only to not get on the roller coaster with us…"
The two cousins chuckled mischievously at each other while Pyra and Mythra stayed just as silent as ever, waiting for him to continue.
"I heard everything."
"I know."
"How much did you get to see?"
"Not too much. Even on his last attempt, he was still getting his inflictions down pact… but I think I saw enough…"
"And you're okay with that…?"
"We've been at a crossroads for far too long, Mythra… I think it's time the band-aid came off…"
"… Frankie… don't forget about us, please…"
Pyra and Mythra held a telepathic conversation as Frankie motioned for the crowd to settle down, their eyebrows and mouths moving up and down to match their anxious heartbeat, just as Frankie's own heart tried to stall him… something he was determined to push past now, of course.
Frieda had taken a seat a few down the row from Pyra and Mythra. She looked at them as much as she did Frankie, her brow furrowed in curiosity as she tried to piece together what was to happen next… on or off stage. Kiara was about to shout a hearty greeting over to Frankie, but Isla settled her down quietly and redirected her attention back onto the stage, urging her to remain as focused as Alain and Veronica were out of respect.
Frankie then continued from where he left off.
"One of these assumptions is the idea that the world before our own was more primitive, less technologically advanced, less realized than what we see today. However…I have found evidence that puts that to question-"
As questioning whispers and murmurs grew and spread across the crowd, Frankie crouched down to extract Turturs from his tank to present him.
"This is Turters, a Pygmy Tardigrade Tortoise, a delightful little friend who my… colleagues discovered in a set of ruins during a visit to Mexico. Does his introduction sound made up? Far from it, I'm not claiming to have discovered a new species, rather, presenting him as a smoking gun to the evidence of the existence of an old world!"
Presenting the reptile with a bit of spinach, Turters was more than happy to stay in place on top of the podium as Frankie projected microscopic images of the creases of his carapace for all to see, taking his pointer and making special note of rusted particles strewn across.
"Now, on first glance, these bits and pieces of rust don't seem very out of the ordinary for a creature such as this- but look a bit closer…" He circled the incredibly tiny but very noticeable detailing of the architecture that could be made out from the rust, "The elements of this metal denote very steampunk-esque levels of intricacy. The spiraling and the ornate style of it all are a dead giveaway. Take note of these sparks as well- glistening underneath this light- this turtle here isn't a survivor of a lightning strike- no, look at the shimmer and twinkle they give off- this is PURE CRYSTAL."
As Frankie placed such emphasis on the point, Pyra and Mythra could practically feel the sense of intrigue in the room spike, more specifically amongst the more knowledgeable archaeologists seated. Clearly those who knew most about this topic were already picking up hints of what Frankie was getting at, and it excited them.
Frankie continued, "Now, it isn't out of the ordinary for animals to be exposed to crystalline substances. After all, the Cayman Islands' bats are well known for this very reason… of which I can proudly say I've seen with my own eyes~"
Frankie stopped briefly to boast aloud before clearing his throat and getting right back on track. Pyra lightly chuckled and Mythra sighed with a smile, no matter how confident or scientific Frankie was in his manner of speech, he was still their dork at the end of the day.
"But said crystals are never of THIS quality! These are the kinds of jewels and gems you'd find buried far, far below the surface of the earth, within bedrock- of which animals of this genus and specifications are incapable of! What does this mean? As I alluded to, they are a signs of a world before us, a world above a sea of clouds, structured so very much like our own. One was home to phenomena unlike any of us have ever seen as previously stated. Further evidence?"
As he flipped to the next slide, Frankie whacked his pointer audibly towards indentations of… well, what the audience hesitated to call fingerprints, as they weren't humanoid at all. They were long and feathery, something more akin to a bird.
These were what Frankie and Miko had learned were called the Tirkin, feathery beasts capable of using tools and weapons.
Frankie, able to tell exactly what the audience was wondering at this moment, proceeded onward.
"Birds are fascinating creatures, aren't they? The only known dinosaurs to survive the KT Extinction 66 million years ago, some of the only animals to be able to fully support themselves bipedally; barring the pangolin and us, of course. Further still is their ability to grab ahold of things with their talons. Yes, talons."
The feathered prints earned themselves yet another smack of Frankie's pointer. "But these aren't talons, as you can see- the way these appendages curve and contract aren't similar to what we're familiar with seeing with our avian friends at all! In fact, they have much more in common with the limbs and hands we see on our ancestors. NOW-!" Frankie assertively rotated the pointer into his other hand. "As humans, we're aware that we've existed for a very long time on this earth, diverging from Australopithecus into Homo Erectus, Peking Man, Homo Floresiensis, and the all too familiar image of the Neanderthal co-existing with us Homo Sapiens-"
It was at this point that Mythra struggled to keep up. Not to say she wasn't interested in the topic, not at all. But all the big words Frankie was using in rapid succession started to spin her head. However, it didn't take too long for her to piece together the gist, and she imagined it was a much simpler thought exercise for those in the audience more on top of these subjects.
Both her and Pyra looked on at the genuine yet speedy manner Frankie spoke in. For her part, Pyra had made note of the possibility of Frankie getting a bit ahead of himself in delivering his ideas. Once he lost the shackles of his stage fright, he was almost in his own world going off about something that gave him great passion, which obviously had the risk of leaving his listeners somewhat in the dust. She had decided not to really bother telling him to avoid this though, as while it wasn't the easiest form of speech to follow, Frankie still clearly took enough of her and Kaito's advice in regards to his emphasis and proper enunciating the words he needed people to hear the most. And more to the point, the sheer excitement and investment he contained poured through everything he said and did in a way that would surely captivate people regardless of how well they captured every individual sentence.
One glance at the expressions of those in the audience would prove her to be correct, as everyone, even the younger members of Frankie's family, were all watching with undivided attention.
"As you can see, these feathery indentations are far from the only prints left on this little one's shell, one that looks like it's from an ordinary human man or woman… and another set that seems a bit… concealed, if you will. Diversity and evolution has been present in our very DNA since the first signs of life on this planet, and that includes this other world… So allow me, friends, to introduce you to… the Gormotti… and the Nopon!"
Switching from Turter's shell, he now presented an image of a lanky young man with feline features, claws on his nails, cat ears, and even what seemed to be patches of fur adorning parts of his body. Right alongside that image was one of the round and stout figure of a Nopon. It stood with one of its head growths extended out while the other lay tucked against its body, its tiny arms rested to its side and a small smile plastered on its face right under a pair of big round eyes.
This drew by far the biggest reaction from the crowd yet, a wave of gasps and awe at the images before them, and Frankie could feel some anxiety creeping into his mind about how he led up to this. There were a lot of things in this speech that would rub against people's suspension of disbelief, but this was arguably the first big hurdle. The concept of different but still familiar variations of animals like that of the Tirkin were a much easier sell than the furry Nopon, which were near alien in appearance by comparison. Further still was the idea of the Gormotti, very human-adjacent beings that adorned cat-like qualities. It all must seem utterly fantastical, literally the work of fantasy by this point.
But the people in the audience with enough archeological background to pick up on Frankie's analysis calmed their expressions and looked with more curiosity than doubt. All of the clues trailing to this point, from the shards on Turters's shell to the imprints of those Tirkin appendages really stood to strengthen what would otherwise be a ludicrous jump in believability.
As baffling as it seemed from the outset, there was definitely enough research and solid evidence to back up Frankie's assertion of such a world's existence, even one as seemingly fictitious as this. Now…whether that meant these beings -the Gormotti and Nopon- were even remotely believable by themselves, that was yet to be seen. But in any case it appeared Frankie had earned the chance to at least try and support such assertions.
This type of reaction was anticipated, perhaps better than expected, but nothing out of the ordinary enough to slow Frankie down as he pushed onward with his explanation.
However, as he did so, Pyra and Mythra felt a…strange twinge in the back of their skulls. Not enough to have them react just yet, they weren't even sure why they felt it. They had prior seen all the materials Frankie had prepared for this after all.
But seeing him point to all these factoids and info and so confidently making his claims…where this time they were no longer focused so much on helping him perform but rather just…sitting and listening for themselves…
…the faint air of their lost memories seemed to start leaking into their minds like a flowing gas.
But this feeling was, at least for the moment, contained and subtle enough to be mostly ignored…for now.
Frankie had proceeded from some contextual banter and was moving on to directly addressing these fantastical subjects of note. "A brief summary of these two, if you will, as their existence will shed further light onto these discoveries. BUT- observe the winged forelimbs of the Nopon, better adapted to picking up and tinkering with things than their stubby little limbs would imply, say… a turtle? The indentations certainly match- these and the Tirkin could very well be the Dinosauroids Dale A Russel hypothesized way back in 1982." He hid a sweat drop as best he could. He felt himself choke up over his own made up hypothesis- one with little credence to it… still, that's all it was, a hypothesis. A calming wave of air suddenly rushed over him, getting him his second wind to continue. "Perhaps creationism has a bit of truth in it after all…but AH-! We've still only scratched the surface!"
Again, Frankie was moving along at his own tempo, and one would imagine the seemingly ludicrous things he was saying alongside the speed at which he was saying them would lose the audience rather quickly. But at this point, the people watching his speech were so into it that their minds practically DESIRED more information at the pace Frankie was going. He had successfully sucked them into his world.
"What of his feline companion? Where did these fluffy features come from? Well, this world I've been speaking of was much, MUCH harsher than the one we exist in now, albeit with different areas of vastly different climates for reasons we will momentarily get into."
This was Frankie foreshadowing the eventual unveiling of the Titans of Alrest, and with them entering his mind, yet another seed of worry entered Frankie's mind as the existence of the Titans was easily one of the -both figuratively and literally- BIGGEST walls in making his entire screed here not seem more like a ridiculous film pitch than a scientific speech. Though…a moment's thought made him realize it wasn't truly that strange. The Titans were, in essence, just more ancient animals that just so happened to be massive in size, most weren't much larger than the average whale.
No, Frankie knew what was truly going to be the hardest sell...But he pressed on regardless, not letting that seed of worry slow down his momentum.
"-But to stick to the topic at hand, perhaps we can refer to these features of the Gormotti as adaptations. I theorize that, despite their feliform characteristics, they are indeed a subspecies of human, one that needed to adopt more fast-twitch muscle fibers, shaggier body hair, quicker reflexes, and their own set of biological tools to be able to survive. But ah- that leads back to my initial discovery within my friend Turters himself-" Frankie turned back to Turters, who happily was still munching on his spinach, "-Did this ancient world exist purely to test the limits of its inhabitants? Not necessarily, though said inhabitants did often need…assistance in traversing through it… leading back to the remnants of crystal, and onto…"
He took a deep breath and stared directly at Pyra and Mythra, who, while anxious, gave him a small but confident nod each to go forward… and so he did.
"Blades."
With his diagram out of the way, Frankie replaced it with Addam's own book and opened its contents to reveal, no, to ASSURE everyone he wasn't speaking nonsense.
"This…is the autobiography of a warrior king from a time long past named Addam Origo. As you may know, his existence has been well documented, but anything else about him, his travels, his companions, has historically been either lost to time or assumed to be mere assumption and fantasy. Tomes such as this-" He tapped the book lightly, as Turters glanced happily in its direction, "-that claim to host such details have been tucked away, likely because the contents of them didn't fit within our understanding of our world's history. But then again…"
Frankie glanced back at his slides, to the illustrations of these races, this world, that seemed to exist beyond current understandings of the world.
"...I think you might know where I'm going with this." Frankie stated as he took a moment of pause to carefully open the book to the pages of interest he planned to read from.
Sure enough, the implication was clear as day to his audience, who by now was just about ready for anything. Or at least that's what Frankie desperately hoped, as he flipped through and described the life of Addam Origo.
The first portion of the story was something nearly everyone in the room had heard of in some form before that point, Origo's feats had been documented in stories before… but never in this light, never outside of what were once fairy tales, never so matter-of-factly.
In order to ease into the greater discoveries the late warrior king had made, Frankie spent a moment painting a picture of the type of man he was, which was one of the only things people of the current day had a strong impression of.
"One fact about Origo that certainly tracks with what was known but is not commonly mentioned in textbooks is his keeping of a journal, recording his day to day travels," Frankie gestured once more to the page he had landed on. "This tome, while not in full, contains a number of translated entries he made."
He began to read from the book itself.
"I made the rounds as I usually did, or I would have, that is to say, if I hadn't made such a habit of shirking my kingly responsibilities in my youth." Frankie subconsciously gave a boisterous and cheerful yet bassy tone as he read Addam's words.
"Truthfully I was making my way through Torigoth's markets, I knew a frugal Nopon merchant who had temporarily set up shop who owed me a favor. He wasn't native to Torigoth, of course, those Gormotti are fuzzy but not that fuzzy. In truth he and a number of Nopon merchants like him were responsible for establishing trade routes and were even in the midst of setting up a mobile base to operate their services from, a trade guild in a sense. Thing is, there was word they'd be using a small flying Titan to carry the thing…always crafty, these little critters were. I'd have never thought of such a thing, though I imagine with them being the light balls of fluff they were, the prospect of operating out of a flying crate was far less of a pipe dream. In any case, as I said, this Nopon owed me a favor. And with his help, I'd have secured safe passage to the Archipelago in a private bunker so that I or my red-headed companion wouldn't attract attention. Last thing we needed on our trek across the Cloud Sea was the potential prying eye of fanaticals or, worse yet, bounty hunters-"
Frankie could feel part of his mind pause at those two sentences, as he always did during practice. No matter how many times he read it, a small tinge of concern for Pyra's wellbeing, even far, far in retrospect, echoed in his mind.
That echo didn't come across in his speech however, as Frankie read through the passage without any mistakes.
Notably, at no point did Addam ever directly describe the Nopon or Gormotti directly, but the casual off-hand mentions of things like the latter's fur or the former's small fuzz-ball like stature quickly bled into the minds of the audience. Again, it felt like the way a fantasy novel would aim to naturally integrate the reader into its distinctive world. But with the context of Frankie's research and undeniable evidence, it all rang with a stronger air of truth.
But that would pale in comparison to what was next…
"Ah, it begails me to realize this now, but I don't believe I've properly introduced my companion in this writing yet. I know, I know, for a supposed King I must seem rather scatterbrained…to be honest, the times have indeed been getting to me as of late…but enough on that for now. It feels strange to write about her as she rests carefully across from myself, but…poor thing's been through far too much to ask her to wake up and be interviewed. So, allow me the honor to present her, a Blade unlike most any other, the Aegis. But more aptly by her proper name…
…Pyra."
"..."
Alain and Veronica were the first to turn towards the two of them. Pyra tightly shut her eyes, feeling the weight of the few stares she was getting at full force. She might as well have been stamped on by a hippo. Mythra tried her very best to pay no heed to the two of Frankie's cousin, but her blood ran cold and her heart sank considerably as she stared straight ahead, her brow instinctively furrowing as she searched Frankie's person for… anything. Frieda was just as shocked as Alain and Veronica were, but instead of looking directly at them, she gave them a glaring side eye. It was far from venomous or even judgemental… but her curiosity was certainly piqued. Would she have to keep a closer eye on these two than she thought? Before they could really notice her, she leaned over in her chair in an attempt to draw herself closer to the stage. Isla and Tino's own hearts skipped a beat as they stared straight ahead, keeping a firm lock on the children they were watching… they didn't want to stare at Pyra and Mythra too much, but…
"You don't think…" Veronica whispered to Alain.
"I do, Roni, I do…" Alain answered with a suck of his teeth, unsure of what to really say. "I dunno exactly what Frank's trying to say up there with that, but…he's certainly got my attention, anyway…"
"The speech isn't over yet, cuz. We'll have plenty of time to ask after he's done…"
"Yeah… hopefully." Alain, again, glanced toward Pyra and Mythra as he sunk back in his seat.
The confusion from the rest of Frankie's aunts were the only welcoming thing in that little circle, as far as Pyra and Mythra were concerned.
The silence in the room as Frankie kept going was palpable. Once he finished the excerpt, he explained it all. About Blades, Drivers, Titans, everything he had been told and figured out about them since Pyra first washed ashore that fateful day.
Blades were beings designed to help and guide humans in a broken and lost world, each one being assigned to a Driver they would accompany on whatever journey their life took them. After being awakened from a Core Crystal by one such Driver, the Blade would live alongside them for the duration of that Driver's life. And once that Driver had passed, their Blade would return to the form of their Core Crystal, with all the memories they spent with that Driver being lost to them.
Having decided earlier with the rest of the group, Frankie opted to leave the explanation of Aegis's role of storing of Blade memories, and thus the explanation of Klaus's experiment, for a different time. Everything else he was delivering was enough of a bombshell as is, relaying that to this audience all at once would be too much for his own heart to take, nevermind that of this crowd. Especially when this side of the story was still somewhat a mystery to him as well, given the lack of physical evidence like that he had previously.
Of course…it was difficult to imagine what greater physical evidence of the Aegis there could be than Pyra and Mythra, who sat before him at this very moment. But as Frankie was all too aware at this point, their memories were incomplete, so what little they did know was fragmented…at least, it had been.
Then, of course, there was the matter of the Amalthus corporation having a stranglehold on the information about the old world. Kaito and Miko in particular were already weary of how this organization would respond to Frankie's speech as is, it was best not to try and tread those waters just quite yet.
Telling people about the old world of Alrest, the creatures that lived in it, the existence of Blades and Titans, that was more than enough for now. And if they even had the chance to deliver more information, they'd do so slowly at a later time.
As for Pyra and Mythra themselves, who were so worried and concerned at first…they melted into his words. The figures he presented to the audience were shocking, surprising, and intriguing… but to them… it was one part of a larger picture. One that grew bigger and bigger the further he delved into them. For once, their flooding memories didn't come with unease or worry… they just… flowed into their minds. Like a drawing in a scrapbook, or a puzzle for a child, the world that Frankie spoke of formed line by line in their brains, nearly coming to life right then and there.
The Cloud Sea, in all its mystic glory, gave rise to one of the mighty Titans, Gormott, breaching like a majestic humpback, bellowing proudly as it wandered far away into the distance. And on its back, creatures great and small, beast and bird, from the lanky yet ferocious Volff, the curious and ravenous Bunnit, the gentle giant Alfonso, the smoking metallic structures and flying machines off in the distance… it was all coming together. While it was a bit upsetting to be reminded it was all… in the past, the idea that it just might be remembered a bit more fondly… even investigated… made them happy…
And then…
"If you two don't take care of yerselves in the coming eons, I'm comin' for you, and that's a promise!"
"Don't let the erosion hit ya on the way out! HA! Just kidding! Be careful out there!"
"Wait! Wait! Turters didn't get to say goodbye!"
"A-AaaHhhHH! YOU'RE RIGHT! WAIT DON'T GO TOO FAR! WAAAAAAAIIIIIT-!"
"Mythra… if you come across anyone who's actually willing to put up with your nonsense… keep them close!"
"Meh-meh! Tora remind you world has many amazing places in it over and over again! Don't forget Tora!"
"Poppi give one last mega bye bye as well! BYE BYEEEE!"
"Keep your chins up! We'll all be watching you!"
"Oi! No matter what happens out there, ye better not take any of us for granted! I certainly haven't! So you better return the favor whenever we meet again!"
"And don't forget… ENJOY YOURSELVES! Do it for me, ya hear?!"
Pyra and Mythra heard them. Voices, cheers of support for them. They felt so…familiar…no, not just that…they knew full well who was speaking to them. The names were still just echoes, but the mannerisms of speech, what they were saying…it was all clicking to them.
For his part, Frankie held his expression to make sure all of this information really set in. At this point, the best thing he could do to make everyone believe all of this was simply carry himself confidently as everything wrapped up.
Of course…there was one person who's very presence would make such a reveal seem more plausible. A person Frankie found himself unable to stop thinking about as he gave his closing remarks and heard the applause begin to ring out.
Pneuma.
Even as his presentation had appeared to be an overall success story, even as he had stuck the landing he'd been so anxious about…Frankie's mind was still elsewhere. Wondering.
…
As the crowds flooded out, yammering amongst themselves, some even seemed to throw shade at Frankie, which made him cringe harshly over himself. In retrospect, this whole bit did sound a bit like one big diss track- him claiming that everyone was wrong but he was right. What kind of message did that send…
"You have to tell us more! Like what are you and why are you here, exactly? I don't want-" The unmistakable authoritative bravado of Frieda caught Frankie's attention as a welcome distraction, forcing him to wander in its direction… where he saw Pyra and Mythra standing tall and… strangely confident?
"I understand your concern entirely, Frieda- but we are being honest when we say that if a lot of our past isn't just as up in the air for us as it is for you, then it's personal. You can agree that not everything needs to be shared, at least not all at once, right?" Pyra cut her off suddenly, still maintaining a level head, even with Frankie's family circling the two of them. Mythra found herself only slightly put off by Kiara's sudden clinginess. Nevertheless, she pushed her aside gently and with a light chuff as Frieda answered.
"Of course not! How do we know if-"
"Frankie." Mythra began, "Is not in any danger- I can absolutely promise you that. And if you don't wanna take our word for it, or the time we spent with him, you don't have to. We've had this song and dance already, Frieda. But I'll tell you what we'll do. Once we're good and ready, you'll be the first we enlighten, yeah? You deserve it as much for being so worried for him. Not that I don't understand why, but he loves you all too, he wouldn't have called you out to tell you all this if he didn't."
"Yeah… yeah." Mena suddenly said. "I'm still a bit lost on what this whole… 'Aegis' and 'Alrest' stuff means… but your dad sounds like a good man- a faithful one too, if I bless you, I'll be more than happy to bless him as well." She smiled at the two ladies with a warm nod. Pyra and Mythra did wonder somewhat about the assertion that Addam from the book was their father…it wasn't so far off the mark, actually. And it made more sense to let that be the prevailing notion at this point.
The two ladies delivered just the same response.
"There IS going to be more surprises in the future, Frieda. I'm telling you this now because I don't want you to overexert yourself… we care about you just as much as he does." Pyra reminded her gently.
"Well, whatever's true and whatever's not, you have us to fall back on, please don't forget." Isla reassured them. She courteously performed the sign on the cross on their foreheads, each bowing politely at her touch, while Frieda was still busy mulling over the words of both Pyra and Mythra.
Whispers befell the group as Frankie watched them all with a tired smile, and that was exactly when Alain and Veronica approached him.
"Alright, cuz. Somehow I don't think you brought us all the way out here just to tell us your girls are named in honor of this lost civilization." Veronica's tone was harsh and suspicious, but teasing and strangely welcoming in her delivery.
"Yeah… you had us on the edge of our seat the whole time- don't keep us waiting any longer!" Alain added with a laugh.
"I know, I know it's hard to swallow… but you guys know me! I'm not a liar!" He lightly pleaded. "I'm not just doing this to get on their good side- there's a lot of things in this world that really DO fascinate me! And… you know… they're still struggling with things themselves… I wanna make it easier on them…"
Veronica and Alain nodded understandingly and stood up tall.
"Well, hey, if that's what you want, we won't stop ya! Just- forgive me if I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this stuff." The hairier man chuckled.
"Ah, you've always been a bit of a meathead, Al, don't worry too much about it!" Veronica laughed in jest while the taller man shrugged it off, almost agreeing with her.
"O-okay… I will! And I promise things'll all make sense soon!"
"We don't doubt they will. Just don't keep too much else from us for too much longer~" Alain elbowed his cousin playfully. Pneuma's identity still fluttered in his head as he did so… now she would DEFINITELY be a surprise… the question was how to bring her up.
"We got a Bible study before Christmas?"
When Alain and Veronica were about to answer, Frankie's family came up to him happily, Pyra and Mythra in the middle of it all. Their twinkling eyes and wide smiles eased his concerns, and in this lighting they just looked… beautiful. He smiled dorkily back at them.
"Mijo, that was wonderful. Nino and I have been praying for you this whole time, and we're very proud of you." Isla said with a gentle smile.
"Mm. Thank you, Nina…" Frankie politely bowed.
"Brother would be proud of you too, Frankie, you know that." Frieda assured him with a hug of her own, before placing a $20 bill in his shirt pocket to his surprise. "That's from me-" She whispered.
"And me an Nina got you a little something too!" Tino proudly announced, shoving his way through the crowd, offering Frankie a seafood restaurant gift card. He excitedly thanked his Nino as well as the rest of his aunts and cousins as they rolled on in, asking much of the same questions they had for Pyra and Mythra, as well as those Veronica and Alain had for him. And Pyra and Mythra themselves stood back, taking in the sight lovingly.
"That's a family… huh, Pyra…?" Mythra asked as she tilted her head, focusing her gaze on Frankie's captivating smile, the one she found captivating at least, making her heart squirm and dance inside her chest like never before.
"Yup. I'd say so, Mythra…" Pyra put her hand to her chest and breathed. "And I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot more from them soon enough…"
A few more moments of stilled silence later, Frankie's family parted ways, with Frieda and her sisters still whispering to each other about Pyra and Mythra's beings. They frowned at the murmurs, but they took it on the chin and focused back on Frankie, who was finishing up a conversation with Veronica and Alain.
"We'll keep you updated on the Bible study, Frank. Can't keep doing this you know!" Alain laughed as he started to walk away.
"Oh, and… good luck with them~" Veronica added, getting a slight rise out of Frankie, who watched her leave and return his focus to Pyra and Mythra. It was an awkward confrontation at first, but they remained as proud and serene as ever, praising him quietly with their toothy grins. Frankie smiled back at them, choosing not to press them for questions. For Pyra's part, she felt relieved, she still had an eerie feeling in her stomach even with the speech over. Mythra however, couldn't stay quiet.
"You did great, Dummy… it was perfect… everything we could've hoped for… and more… nobody else could've delivered this all but you… the biggest Dummy I know." Mythra grinned cheekily at him, getting him to laugh in turn.
"You know it's a pleasure, Mimi-"
"Well!" Pyra jumped in to change the subject. "Now that we've finally got all this done and over with… who's hungry?!"
A delicious seafood buffet near the coast did sound wonderful after everything…
…
After dropping Turters off at home, they were beach bound! Unsurprisingly, the beach was near empty. However warm it might have been that day, it was still Winter. No sense in setting up in the sand early should that night prove to be VERY nippy. But it was all the more perfect for Frankie, Pyra, and Mythra. True, they had to put on their jackets now, but the openness of… well… everything on the dock made for a very pleasant walk. Mythra found herself getting entirely too distracted at all the shops adorning the area. Whether they be puppet shops, jewelry, little knick knacks for the car- she had almost entirely forgotten how hungry she was. Powerless to stop her, Pyra joined in on her little festivities, playing with the puppets with her every so often before putting them away and moving on to the next shop to look at the glimmering rings and necklaces, sparkling happily in the light of the great orange sun. Frankie almost made fun of them…. Then he saw a fossil shop not too far away at all. Their bemused and tired faces were worth the embarrassment. It WAS a nice raptor claw necklace, after all.
Finally, what seemed to be just before sunset did they finally eat. A piping hot plate of crab artichoke dip served with chips to share around the table, a host of fried seafood treats like calamari, clams, shrimp, and even hush puppies for Pyra- a veritable heart stopper she knew she'd be feeling later, but nothing gained, nothing earned- a big bowl of salmon Alfredo topped with mushrooms and clams for Mythra- who was busy wiping off and stopping a torrential downpour already creeping up from her mouth- and a delectable plate of surf and turf- Rare Ribeye steak and grilled lobster tails with a side of cheesy couscous- for Frankie, a meal fit for a king… one priced for a king as well. But with the whole final presentation behind him at last, the bill was the last thing on his mind.
Strangely enough, the entire trio was silent throughout their whole meal. Pyra had almost expected Frankie to further let out his nerve wracking frustrations the whole speech had given him. The little bit at the campus itself was nowhere near enough… but even if they didn't know or want to admit it, they were all thinking the same thing… they had been mentally preparing for it in addition to the presentation since that morning.
It was time.
…
After their meal, Frankie, Pyra, and Mythra treated themselves to a walk on the beach, where the sun was at last beginning to set. They had remained quiet then too, and pleasured themselves in the breeze of that strangely hot day. Not unpleasant in the least, just very noticeable. Pyra wrung her hands uncomfortably as she looked down to the ground, her heart feeling fuzzier than it ever had up to that point, and even a quick glance at Frankie's profile being colored in the grays and purples of the young sunset set it ablaze and forced her to turn back to the ground, entirely unsure what to say.
For his part, Frankie couldn't even look at them. Even in their heftier clothing, they looked ravishing. Pyra's fiery red eyes and Mythra's bright golden eyes complimenting the air around them, both donning nothing but sheer welcome and comfort all the way out here and all the way back home. He kept his hands in his pockets cooly as he tried to look ahead.
For as nervous as Mythra was, she was also… excited. So excited, in fact, that she had secretly been getting upset over the dead silence the group had been displaying up to this point. With a groan and mumble, she broke it up herself with an over exaggerated stretch.
"Come… ON, you two! We've been walking along this stupid path for who knows how long and not a single one of you has had ANYTHING to say! It's boring!" She exclaimed.
"W-well… I'm… still digesting, Mythra…" Pyra excused herself meekly, looking between her and Frankie rapidly.
"And… y-you know how long it takes me to… settle into things…" Frankie responded back.
"I KNOW, Dummy. You think I've been ignoring you the past four months? Don't be so stupid. You're not stupid, Dummy, we all heard you up on stage."
"Mythra, that was like six hours ago!" He protested.
"So? What, are you afraid of compliments now or something?"
Frankie chuffed immaturely and turned away. Mythra leaned forward and smiled cheekily at him.
"He-llooooooo? Earth to Dummy? Don't ignore me just cuz I'm right!"
"M-Mythra, really, now isn't the time to be… so…"
Pyra trailed off as soon as she saw a crab scuttle by, following its trail towards what seemed to be a nest. A baby sea turtle had just come out of its egg, and made a mad dash for the open current. Frankie instinctively followed Pyra's gaze, and Mythra did the same, watching as reptile and crustacean raced vigorously together- a hunter vs hunted showdown at its finest. However far the turtle was able to get with one step, the crab seemed to close the distance in at least ten more. The turtle didn't even look like it noticed the crab, the only thing driving it forward were its instincts. No seagulls overhead, but the turtle was still in danger. It stopped momentarily as it got its first taste of ocean water from the shore, giving the crab optimal time to catch up. The distance was horrendously close now, and for a moment, it looked like the turtle would be unable to make it… but with one final push, the baby sea turtle finally reached the ocean and swam off into the distance… with the crab still following close behind.
"Oh… now we'll never know how it ends…" Pyra bemoaned with a pout.
"Either the ocean gets one more sea turtle in the world, or the crab walks away with a good meal and full tummy… it's whatever the circle of life allots…" Frankie spoke. He still felt Pyra's discontent and placed a hand on her head reassuringly. The gesture caused her to jump and really look at him now. Bright brown eyes and all. She was stunned for a good few seconds as an awkward smile came across her face. "But we can still say the turtle got away, okay, Pyra?"
"U-uh huh… okay, Papa…"
"Hey! Quit hogging the head pats! I want some too!" Mythra hollered as she jumped at Frankie's other side, forcing him to pet her all the same.
"Oh, Mimi, of course not, I couldn't ever forget you…"
The three were in one big happy, laughing circle, their worries disappearing in their little moment entirely, just… enjoying life…
And then… bubbles?
Fluttering in the ocean breeze, playfully encompassing the stretch of land, the tiny watery balloons caught the trio's attention near instantly. Their focus was completely locked on the strange, dreamlike show unfolding before their eyes. Far, far away in the distance, the beat of a steel drum, accompanied by a clarinet, chimed in romantically, which, combined with the splashing waves whispering onto the land and then back out to sea, with the sun slowly but surely setting, Frankie, Pyra, and Mythra remained hypnotized by the sights befolding them. Their eyes watered dreamily the longer they stood in amazed silence, their hearts seemed near synchronized with each other with each passing second, completely lost in themselves as the horizon provided the perfect backdrop to appreciate… it all.
His heart churned and he felt himself get choked up. Frankie looked to the sun and took long, heaving breaths… he was done playing. He was so focused on his own emotions that he had failed to notice Mythra's own confident serenity, and Pyra's tension.
"Pyra… Mythra-"
"It was supposed to be Kaito..." Pyra suddenly interrupted.
Both Frankie and Mythra whipped their heads toward the redhead, who held herself tightly and shielded her eyes from the two of them. She was holding back tears so much, she let out a tiny laugh.
"It was in or around this very beach he found our core crystal at…"
"Pyra- what are you DOING?" Mythra asked through gritted teeth, tensing up harshly. Pyra paid her nearly no heed.
"What a cruel joke, huh…? Going out of his way to find something special and coming across us instead- and what did I do? Stay shut up in my little box because I didn't WANT to come out yet… That's… that's so wonderful, isn't it?! Acting like a spoiled child… how romantic!" Pyra was in hysterics now. Frankie inched closer to her, offering a hand in comfort, but Pyra reeled back and turned away from the both of them.
"W-where's this coming from, Pyra?"
"I-I-I don't know…maybe…hearing about the past again just…reminded me of… …I don't care how many times people tell us that we're allowed to choose our own lives, how ARE we supposed to choose if we never GOT to choose?! Even a sudden realization of it all… it's just a fleeting bit of hope that'll fly away just as quickly as it hit, and I'm right back to square one, worrying myself sick over if what I did was the right thing-"
"Of course it was the right thing!" Mythra suddenly shrieked. Her face lowered noticeably as she brought her and Frankie closer together. "Pyra. Look at him… look at US. Look inside yourself… what do you feel?"
Pyra still averted her gaze from Frankie, instinctively catching his eyes with a quick flick of her own.
Frankie knew, even back when they first met, just by looking at her. Pyra was always the type of person to keep things bottled up when she wasn't feeling right, always nervous to speak up about them. Frankly, if he wasn't so mentally occupied by the work for the presentation, he likely would've noticed this sooner.
"Pyra… it's okay…" Frankie cooed as he cupped her cheek in his hand. Pyra leaned into it sadly and held his arm tightly. She looked over to Mythra, still staring at her with great concern and proceeded to take a deep breath.
"…I feel… I feel something I have never felt before in my life…" She sniffed.
"You feel like… you belong here…?" Mythra offered.
"…is that wrong to feel, Frankie…? That we belong here…? With… mm…" Pyra choked on her own words, flinching away from Frankie's gaze once more. His kindly brown eyes were doing a number on her in this very moment.
"No… it isn't, Pyra…" Frankie said as he pulled Mythra in for a gentle group hug. "I don't… know what it really means to 'belong' in a wider spectrum but… I know I'm happy with my friends… my family… this… new opportunity coming my way… do you feel that way…?"
Pyra and Mythra each took turns looking up at Frankie, taking each question into consideration. For so long they looked at the people around them and felt a myriad of emotions for one reason or another. Jealous of their freedom and knowing of their role. Nervous they'd hurt them somehow. Upset over the realization that… none of it would last.
With Frankie though? Just being here in general? At last, they no longer felt those things. It didn't seem real… but their hearts simply felt comfortable… and protected. Perhaps Pyra's anxieties were a result of a pessimistic fear that…all of these good things would soon be taken from them as well. But over time she'd realized…
"…Frankie…" Pyra started, pulling away and wringing her hands together. Mythra came up to her and rested a cheek up against hers, both women standing in somber stillness. "I'm not used to any of… whatever it is I'm feeling now…"
"Neither of us are… so… forgive us if we're a bit… snappy… both of us were and… still are a bit scared…" Mythra admitted.
"Girls… that's okay… I don't need you to be perfect… I'm just happy you're here at all… you should know that by now… I've told you as such."
"Y-yeah? Well the same goes to you, Dummy! Worrying day in and day out how we really feel about you! Have you forgotten what we are?! Because we can feel exactly what you feel and that's why we haven't-!"
"W-w-what? Mythra, what're you talking about? Why you haven't-" Frankie paused suddenly, his chest heaving in nervous anticipation. Their shared shocked expressions told both of them what they were about to say.
It was never that they weren't aware.
Shivering, Pyra looked over to the horizon one last time and closed her eyes gently, placing her fist over her chest, and calmed herself down, lightly opening her eyes to look at Frankie.
"…well… I think it'd be best if we… explain it in a language we know you'd appreciate…" Pyra looked to Mythra and nodded gently. She blushed madly and looked between her and Frankie with a rapid heart. Deep down, she knew they were all right. Enough was enough… and all these past nights would finally bear fruit.
Mythra pulled out her phone, and with a few quick taps… a gentle piano sounded over the three of them. Frankie's heart stopped. His eyes widened, and he was frozen stiff. He recognized the tune completely…why did they choose this song of all things…?
No…he knew why…he knew what was coming. Pyra was the first to step up, her eyes still shut as she sang.
"Here comes trouble
No mistaking
I'd know you anywhere
I could sail to the ends of the ocean and
Find you waiting there
I've been searching and searching
Near and far
Searching and searching
And there you are
Our wishes share a star"
With heavy breaths, and tears welling up in his eyes, Frankie could do nothing but watch and listen to Pyra's melody, even if she hardly looked at him. She was nervous, even with all the preparation. Her eyes opened gently, but they still didn't look at Frankie… but a small smile did grow more and more obvious across her face the more she continued, until she finally had the courage to look up at him honestly.
"I choose you
I choose you
What else can I do?
We're just too good together to part
What we've shared from the start
Feels like one beating heart
I choose you
I choose you"
With a bow, she stepped backward. Frankie followed her as quietly as ever, and watched as Mythra took her spot. With a deep breath, she only kept her eyes closed for a moment or two before staring directly at him, a smile on her face the whole way… when did she get this confident…?
"Hello, stranger
Don't I know you?
Nice to see you my friend
Did we just scale the top of a mountain, and
Fly back home again?
I've been looking and looking
High and low
Looking and looking
And...what'd'ya know?
Just like long ago
I choose you
I choose you
What else can I do?
We're just too good together to part
What we've shared from the start
Feels like one beating heart
I choose you
I choose you"
Her voice was like a chime… he remembered it so vividly from their performance. Even when hardened with all the police work, she never missed a beat. The few times she did close her eyes, it wasn't to avert her gaze, she was only adding to the show. She was genuinely singing her heart out. Pyra looked on proudly, and Frankie's mouth hung agape as he felt his heart near ready to burst out of his chest. Despite that, he stared on in wonder. In the darkening sunlight, they were the most precious things he had ever seen. He was in love…
Then, Pyra and Mythra's core crystals glowed bright. Frankie jumped back in alarm and looked between them and their crystals. Pyra and Mythra looked on lowly at them as well but only smiled gently when they met his gaze. With one last teary shut of their eyes… with the wind catching their hair, the light enveloping their whole persons…
…she appeared.
"I choose you
I choose you
On to journeys anew
With the wonderful friends that I've found
As the planet spins around
We're eternally bound
I choose you…"
They locked eyes. Frankie's were wide with surprise and trembling with emotion.
Hers, pleased, relieved, and longing… all at the same time..
"I choose you…"
It was Pneuma.