@Alavon: I was in French immersion for 9 years, and am taking French classes in uni. If you need help with bits of it, send me a PM. Then again, you might be a native speaker, I don't know.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tempest Dynasty
Oh snap. Jet Stream Attack.
And I picture the tri bats from FFXI one-shotting a NIN tank right now. Thanks.
@Kaijo: I actually dated someone with Asperger's syndrome so at this moment I felt insulted as soon as you placed a link that explains about Asperger's. I usually keep my mouth shut and just stay neutral but not at this moment. I accepted your opinion about Archaeology even though I have a lot more experience than you on that particular field. But with my past communications with you, nothing as this has ever come up so don't throw "I have Asperger syndrome" excuse at us. It was an opinion you stated AS A FACT that got you in this predicament. I'm tired of this so I'm going to drop it now.
Not quite, how one views sex and love isn't too far from how one views other matters but that's not the real issue. My point is you can't just force your own views on a character, that's using a character as a mouth piece, if it feels natural that's all good but if it doesn't, which it doesn't apparently from what everyone has said, then something needs to change.
I'm somewhat having trouble believing that one can guess a person's stand on sex AND cohabitation (note that I always used those two terms together when referring to this particular discussion) from their other actions, especially CC's who've yet to show what their sexual inclinations are.
And isn't forcing one's views what we're doing to the characters by suggesting things like
Quote:
Originally Posted by RadiantBeam
Asking her to move in before the sex scene makes little to no sense, even with the reasons Yuuno gives.
? (@RadiantBeam: Apologies for using your words )
I mean, in a lot of fiction most people force their own views on the characters because let's face it, only the original creators can actually determine how a character would react to a certain situation at any one time. This is also because we as fans don't actually know everything about a character unless it's laid out before us, and so we use assumptions and guesses from our own experience and interpretations of the character's actions to fill in the gaps in their characterization.
... although my responses have really gone way off track, when I was just ranting about the "wrongness" of not having sex before moving in, so perhaps I should drop this discussion.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaijo
I've mentioned in other places, but I don't think here, about Asperger's. It means my mind is wired differently than normal people. It's still not a really socially understood condition. Someone will notice a blind person, or a deaf person, and immediately understand and adjust their behavior to compensate for what the other person lacks. Asperger's is essentially social blindness. True, with some work, someone can function at some level in society. But it's never easy, never perfect, and it can be damn frustrating with people who don't want to understand it, when it's damn easier to just condemn.
I myself am also diagnosed with autism, and in fact I've been hampered alot by my condition. But I'm not going to use that as an excuse to justify being wrong or insensitive in a discussion. People simply don't like that "holier than thou" mentality that your words seem to convey, whether you intended it or not, like the generalization of male - female relationships a few pages back.
It's not about having autism or Aspergers, it's about what you're actually saying and doing.
__________________
Against all the evil that hell can conjure, all wickedness that mankind can produce... We will send unto them, only you.
And I picture the tri bats from FFXI one-shotting a NIN tank right now.
wat
He said Jet Stream Attack, what does that have to do with Final Fantasy?
Edit: Kid, half the people I know - including myself - have been diagnosed with Asperger's or some other form of autism, and they're/we're perfectly normal people. Just because some quack of a doctor said you "don't think like 'normal' people" doesn't mean you should believe him, much less use it as an excuse to escape an argument.
@thread: I'd like to re-mention that I am willing to beta stuff for people. I'm still working out kinks with my personal works.
@Gafgar: Bat Trios in FFXI have a move called Jet Stream, which has a habit of one-shotting ninja tanks. If you need more info, PM me.
...Can't we call it a form of tribute? EVERYONE wants a piece of Jet Stream Attack involving a trio of stuff destroying stuff.
But such thoughts inevitably lead to wondering what a Three Aces Jet Stream Attack would look like, and it's best to not think of such things. The villains in MGLN have it bad enough already.
More OCs, but there's CCs too! Though I probably butchered them all in characterization.
Oh well. I did it in a day with no editing. Hooah.
Spoiler for Interview:
“A research project?” Noland asked as he leaned against the doorway. Once again he had taken
up the mantle of babysitter, but tonight would not be as hectic as before. Rather, Vivio and Syn
had to spend their time with their heads buried in textbooks and papers. After hours of exhaustive
search, the girls found a much-appreciated break in the form of their guardian for the night, coming just to check up on them.
“Yep! We need to do a report on some famous person or group in Ancient Belka,” Syn answered
without looking up.
“There is some irony in you having to complete this project,” Noland smirked at the thought, his
words directed at the blonde girl.
“Yeah, tell me about it,” Vivio spared the knight a look and a wry grin. “I feel like it’s almost
expected of me to research Ingwalde or Olivie.”
“What are you thinking of researching, then?”
“That’s the annoying part! We have this gigantic pile of papers of potential topics, but nothing
interests me at all!” Syn thumped a notebook with dozens of colored tabs sticking out of the top
and side. “Corona and Lio are doing something about the evolution of Belkan economics
“Why not ask lady Kaon? She knows, and remembers, far more than I can ever hope to.”
“That would be the easy way out, but…”
“She’s boring as hell. She can put our teacher to sleep,” the blue-haired girl shook her head. “No
way. She’s nice an’ all, but I would rather read a book.”
“Lady Kaon is not that bad…”
She shrugged. “I mean, unless she could tell us something about, like, the Knights of the Round
or something like that…”
Vivio suddenly brightened up at those words. “Wait, that’s a great idea!”
“What, talking to Inspector Kaon?”
“No! I mean, she’d be nice, but the Knights of the Round!”
“Um… Not that I disagree, but where would we get the primary and secondary sources for that?
There really isn’t much literature about those guys.”
“We have one right here!” Vivio pointed at Noland.
“…You lost me. I know he’s a knight, but…”
“No! He’s a Knight of the Round!”
What in the world has gotten into her friend…? “You’ve gone crazy, Viv. He has to be at least
four hundred years old if he was one, and he doesn’t even look forty!”
“Err…”
Noland’s interruption drew the two girls to look at him, the knight scratching the back of his head
as he continued on.
“It is a secret to most people, similar to lady Vivio’s stance as the clone of the Saint Kaiser Olivie.
However, since she seems willing to share, I suppose I can follow. She speaks the truth: I am the
Knight of Two from the Round.”
“No way! You’re messing with me. I mean, you got the look down, but you can’t be from that
age,” Syn grinned widely. “That was pretty good though! If I hadn’t known better, you would’ve
totally fooled me, heh.”
She looked to her friend and the knight and saw neither of them sharing her humor. Rather, Vivio
looked somewhat guilty, while Noland looked… detached?
“Oh come on. You can’t expect me to believe that, would you?”
“We have no reason to lie to you, but if you wish to see proof, then I can try. May I have a blank
piece of paper and a pen?”
Supplied with the aforementioned, Noland began to sketch out an insignia of sorts. A shield, a
winged sword, strange supernatural creatures that seemed to guard it; the emblem became
progressively more and more complicated as the seconds ticked by.
“I have been blind for some time, however I can never forget that which is burned into my soul.
As a Knight of the Round, this was our heraldry. As the Knight of two, this was mine.”
The insignia then changed, becoming more reflective of the man that drew it. Watching the knight
draw, both Vivio and Syn could see the minute details that symbolized him and his service. In
spite of his lack of sight, Noland had completed his personal Knight’s Crest with unbelievable
detail. He presented it to Syn, her eyes wide in disbelief.
“This is all I can offer you. Whether or not you believe it is up to you.”
The blue-haired girl stared at the paper, then at Noland, her mouth open in a small o.
“You… you’re the real deal, aren’t you?”
“I am what I am. Nothing can change that.”
For a moment, Syn spoke nothing, instead staring at Noland with wide eyes. The knight felt a
twinge of nervousness at the silence, while Vivio grew slightly worried. She was just about to tap
her friend on the shoulder when the blue-haired girl suddenly leapt out of her seat.
“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~!”
Vivio recoiled from the squeal, just as Noland stepped back in surprise. Their shock doubled
when Syn abruptly and literally flew out of her chain and capturing the knight in a great bone-
creaking glomp.
“Omigodomigodomigodomigodomigooood~!”
“Forgive me if I do not understand your excitement, lady Syn.”
“Heee~! You called me lady! It’s doubly-awesome now! And are you kidding me?! You’re
only like one of the most popular fairy tales known in Cranagan! Oh jeez, mom is going to flip if
she hears about this… Wait, do Lio and Corona know?!”
“No…”
“Oh maaan~!” releasing Noland, Syn then whirled around to confront her friend. “What the hell,
Vivio!? You had the real life Knight of Tragedy as your friend?!”
Vivio looked at Syn, then at Noland, then back to Syn. “What?”
“Oh tragic knight, betrayed by your allies and abandoned by your king. You struggled and
fought your former friends, even sacrificing your sanity for the power to break the Kaiser free
from her bloodline’s eternal cycle of war,” Syn clasped her hands together, as if reciting lines
from a play. “Oh, terrible knight, to slay your king with your own hands and bring a dying nation
to its end. Alas, your forbidden love was not to be…”
“W-wow, Syn, I never figured you to be a romantic…” Vivio stared at the girl.
“Hey! I’m a girl too, you know! I grew up on that!”
“You grew into a total ham.”
“Hey!”
Noland coughed politely into his hand, “That… is quite the embellishment, but we can discuss
that later. I will help however I can, should you need it.”
“Hmmm,” Syn smirked a knowing smirk. “This gives me an idea…”
--
The girls were rather excited over this idea, to have an “interview” with an “authentic” knight of
the time. They could easily just make Noland to be a performer reenacting the role of, well,
Noland Reiniger the Knight of Two. This way, they could do the work by just asking questions,
then hunt down the references later. Easy, simple, but far more interesting than typing up the
paper then forcing themselves up to the front of the class and presenting.
Vivio’s room was rapidly converted into a make-shift interviewing room, with black drapes in the
background (a length of fabric that Fate had left in the house) and some lamps to create the
atmosphere. The finished product was a little slapdash, but it work.
Turning on the camera, the girls situated themselves outside of the camera’s picture, with Noland
sitting in full knight’s uniform (not that he looked any different than usual).
“Good day. This is Vivio Takamachi—”
“—And Syn Virage.”
“We will be interviewing a member of Belkan society during the time before the civilization’s
collapse. With us here is a knight under the direct command of the Saint Kaiser, a formidable
warrior whose skills elevated him into the Knights of the Round. Good evening, Sir Knight.
Could you introduce yourself?”
“I greet you, lady Vivio Takamachi, lady Syn Virage. I am Noland Reiniger, Knight of Two,
serving under the Saint Kaiser Olivie. Please pardon the bandages. I was injured, and I am still
healing.”
“Very well, sir. Could you tell us about the Knights of the Round?”
“The Knights of the Round is a group of knights selected by the Kaiser to serve directly. A
Knight of the Round does not answer to anyone but the Kaiser, however they do not possess
any command rights unless granted. In short, we are the Kaiser’s Knights. Our missions would
vary, depending on the duty required and demanded of us from the Kaiser, but they always
pertained to matters that needed a strong but careful hand. We were the elite of the elite, the best
knights of Belka.”
“Could you tell us about the command structure? Or your fellow members?”
“There were thirteen chairs of the Round, to which the lower the number the higher the Knight.
Seat number thirteen was usually the newest member of the Round, whilst seat number one was
the highest and most veteran. The seat numbers were not ranks, however. We stood as equals,
though we also respected each other’s strengths. More important that status were our skills and
abilities, the very reasons we were chosen. Everyone had a specialization, a unique skill.
Unfortunately, I cannot divulge sensitive information pertaining to my fellow knights. Understand
that we were a very diverse group, however.
“We have some art here; could you tell us about that?”
“I apologize. The nature of my injury robs me of sight for the moment. If you could describe the
image for me, I may recognize it.”
“Of course. For the viewers, here is the image in question.”
Spoiler for Image 01:
Vivio’s voice described the image as best she could, and with Noland’s nod, he continued.
“It seems you managed to recover Knight of Nine Chidori’s drawings, a rare find indeed,” a light
smile formed on his face. “She loved to draw when off-duty, though very little of it was ever seen
by the public eye. Only her partner would see them. In the image, the one on the right is the
Knight of One, before conflict stole away one of his eyes. Below him is the Knight of Twelve,
though her hair eventually grew much longer. The one on the left is me. We had finished a parade,
and we were resting whilst the rest continued on. The flag had little meaning.”
“And this one?”
Spoiler for Image 02:
Another description followed, inciting a quiet chuckle from Noland.
“Another one from Chidori. The left knight is me again, and the one on the right, Chidori’s
partner and fellow Knight of Nine.”
“I thought you said Chidori was the Knight of Nine?”
“She is, but so is her partner. They were lovers, you see, and together they possessed a synergy
that no single knight could replicate. One their own, they were formidable, but together, incredible.
As I said earlier, skill and ability were the most important attributes of a Knight of the Round. As
such, sharing a seat is not uncommon. The Knight of Eleven is a similar case.”
“I see. And about the picture…”
“We were observing an exercise conducted by the regular army. In particular, we were the
opposing force that held the castle, while the regular army practiced siege warfare and attack.”
“And lastly…”
Spoiler for Image 03:
As Vivio described the image, Noland seemed surprised. A moment passed without any response
from the blind knight, his visage one of deep thought.
“Sir?”
The knight snapped back to attention. “Oh, my apologies. I had not expected for Lady Alistina’s
image to be found.”
“Lady Alistina?” both Syn and Vivio voiced their question.
“Yes. Lady Alistina Carter. A noble and a knight, she was actually our superior. Whereas we
knights served under the Kaiser, Lady Alistina served at the Kaiser’s side. The difference there
is immense. While she did not have any true authority over us, we followed her orders out of
respect. She was the Guardian Knight of the Saint Kaiser, her personal bodyguard. No one was
closer than she.”
“Could you tell us about Lady Alistina?
“Lady Alistina… was an amazing person. She was the knight that all knights stove to be. When I
first met her, I was a mere infantry soldier in the Saint Kaiser’s army. She was awe inspiring,
almost as famous as Kaiser Olivie herself. An amazing soldier, master of a thousand devices and
armors, and a kind noble who refused to see us as mere tools; a combination that endeared her
to all her troops. We did not serve because of her rank, but because of her. And through her, we
served the Saint Kaiser.
“When I became what I was… what I am, a knight of Belka, Lady Alistina was there to
congratulate me. She did not seem all that surprised either, when I was inducted into the Knights
of the Round.
“Wouldn’t Lady Carter be the more appropriate address?”
“It is, by court standards. However among us, her friends, she requested a more casual address.
It took us some time to get used to her, but her presence was never unwelcomed.
“She was maelstrom of righteousness on the battlefield, her hundred swords flashing in the sun
and the moon. Magic and spears bounced harmlessly off her armor, and right next to her the
mighty Kaiser herself lead the holy army to victory.
“Any secrets you could indulge about her?”
“Madams, that would be incredibly rude of me,” Noland frowned at first, though it quickly turned
into a smile. “Though I suppose some harmless secrets would not hurt. She loves parties, and she
loves to dance. A master of war and the dance floor, I still remember the dizzying steps she put
me through to learn the Belkan Waltz, and I remember how beautiful she was in those dresses.”
“You had to be taught?”
“Ahaha, I was quite ignorant of courtly behaviors, to be honest. I came from a rustic
background, so the finer aspects of noble society had to be taught to me as I became a knight.
Upon becoming a Knight of the Round, you also became a minor noble, with all the benefits and
bonuses that entail: Land, prestige, access to elite schools, wealth, a greater range of rights; it
could elevate a man from pauper to prince, though not that literally. I managed to give my parents
and sisters an education, and a life they deserved.”
“From your words, you hold Lady Carter in high regards.”
“Indeed, I do. While my loyalty is completely dedicated to Kaiser Olivie, I would have great
respect for Lady Alistina. She had a light about her, a shining gem amidst the darkness. Any
soldier would have given their lives for either of them, myself included.”
The interview continued on for a while longer, the topic returning to the Knights of the Round and
their role in the Belkan military, the Court, and in the public. By the time they had finished, the
girls had more than enough to work with.
--
One week later, an ecstatic cluster of guys and girls burst out from the St. Hilde Academy of
Magic, elementary and middle school building. Free at last! Especially for students who just got
out of history class. The time spent in there a few days was a nightmarish stream of presentations
and lectures that drained the soul… well, except for one presentation. Those girls, Vivio and Syn,
had made an awesome video that pretty much did all the work for them, and with a simple sheet
of paper of collected resources, their grade was an A to be sure.
So interesting, in fact, that the “actor” was summoned to the school and asked to repeat the
interview, but to the questions of the teacher and students. Throughout it all, Vivio and Syn hid
gleeful smiles.
As such, the form of Noland Reiniger in his Knight’s Coat was an additional sight as he escaped
the school along with the kids. His throat ached from speaking and his head was still a little dizzy
from all the questions, but overall he was pleased to have contributed to the children’s education.
With Vivio and Syn dashing off to meet their friends, Noland had nothing else to do but head home…
At the academy’s gates, he gave the institution a final “look.”
“What would you do, Lady, if you were here instead of me? If you were to see Olivie live once
more, but liberated from the shackles of the Cradle?” he sighed and shook his head. “No… she
is not Olivie. She is Vivio, a bright, cheery, wonderful girl. And she is free, Lady Alistina. You
can see her, right…?”
A question he knew he would not get an answer, but, somehow he knew it already.
“Haha. Of course, I am a fool. You would be the same as I; her knight; her confidant; her friend.
But, perhaps, if you could be reborn like she, you could be her friend, and only that. You would
not need to be Vivio’s sword or her shield, but the unshakable foundation upon which she stands.
Let me take your place, Lady. You have worked hard enough.”
Spoiler for Bonus Omake Ending:
“Haha. Of course, I am a fool. You would be the same as I; her knight; her confidant; her friend.
But, perhaps, if you could be reborn like she, you could be her friend, and only that. You would
not need to be Vivio’s sword or her shield, but the unshakable foundation upon which she stands.
Let me take your place, Lady. You have worked hard enough.”
He turned around to take a step, only to stop and halt his leg. Just barely centimeters away from
kicking a young girl in front of him, Noland managed to avoid hurting her. Taking a step back, he
bowed in apology.
“I am terribly sorry, young lady. I nearly knocked you over. Are you unharmed?”
Startled but uninjured, she gave him a nod he could not see and answered him shyly, “Yes, I’m
okay.”
A familiar voice.
“That is good. I would feel guilty if I had harmed a student of this place.”
“Um… I’m not a student, yet. I just moved here. But, um, I’ll be coming here soon!”
“Is that so? Then allow me to welcome you, Miss…?”
“Allie.”
Allie. Somehow… Somehow he imagined her to have red hair. Scarlet.
“Nice to meet you, Allie. I am Noland Reiniger, a presenter here. What do you hope to study here?”
“I want to learn magic,” she sounded much more confident, suddenly. “I want to be a hero!”
She was there, no taller than his waist, yet she had a presence that he had not felt in many years.
Even in the darkness of his mind, he thought he could see a light right in front of him. Impossible!
But…
She wanted to be a hero. Such a childish dream, yet by the tone of her voice, Noland could feel
the conviction behind it. But… to be a hero, she would have to sacrifice. And the greatest heroes
would give the greatest sacrifice. Like the Lady…
“No. You need not be a hero,” Noland shook his head slowly, but still gave the girl a smile.
“You just need to grow, learn, live, and be happy.”
Was he hallucinating? Or was he just hoping for something that did not exist? Perhaps he truly
was becoming insane, or maybe in his blindness he could see more than he thought possible. The
World works in mysterious ways. Be in coincidence or providence…
Let them find happiness again.
“There is a student I know that attends that school. She is about your age. Would you like to be
her friend?.”
“R-really?”
“Yes. She would be happy to meet you. Her name is Vivio, and she is an amazing girl…”
__________________
Last edited by Tempy; 2009-12-08 at 20:51.
Reason: Correcting mistakes :3
More OCs, but there's CCs too! Though I probably butchered them all in characterization.
Oh well. I did it in a day with no editing. Hooah.
Spoiler for Interview:
“A research project?” Noland asked as he leaned against the doorway. Once again he had taken
up the mantle of babysitter, but tonight would not be as hectic as before. Rather, Vivio and Syn
had to spend their time with their heads buried in textbooks and papers. After hours of exhaustive
search, the girls found a much-appreciated break in the form of their guardian for the night, coming just to check up on them.
“Yep! We need to do a report on some famous person or group in Ancient Belka,” Syn answered
without looking up.
“There is some irony in you having to complete this project,” Noland smirked at the thought, his
words directed at the blonde girl.
“Yeah, tell me about it,” Vivio spared the knight a look and a wry grin. “I feel like it’s almost
expected of me to research Ingwalde or Olivie.”
“What are you thinking of researching, then?”
“That’s the annoying part! We have this gigantic pile of papers of potential topics, but nothing
interests me at all!” Syn thumped a notebook with dozens of colored tabs sticking out of the top
and side. “Corona and Lio are doing something about the evolution of Belkan economics
“Why not ask lady Kaon? She knows, and remembers, far more than I can ever hope to.”
“That would be the easy way out, but…”
“She’s boring as hell. She can put our teacher to sleep,” the blue-haired girl shook her head. “No
way. She’s nice an’ all, but I would rather read a book.”
“Lady Kaon is not that bad…”
She shrugged. “I mean, unless she could tell us something about, like, the Knights of the Round
or something like that…”
Vivio suddenly brightened up at those words. “Wait, that’s a great idea!”
“What, talking to Inspector Kaon?”
“No! I mean, she’d be nice, but the Knights of the Round!”
“Um… Not that I disagree, but where would we get the primary and secondary sources for that?
There really isn’t much literature about those guys.”
“We have one right here!” Vivio pointed at Noland.
“…You lost me. I know he’s a knight, but…”
“No! He’s a Knight of the Round!”
What in the world has gotten into her friend…? “You’ve gone crazy, Viv. He has to be at least
four hundred years old if he was one, and he doesn’t even look forty!”
“Err…”
Noland’s interruption drew the two girls to look at him, the knight scratching the back of his head
as he continued on.
“It is a secret to most people, similar to lady Vivio’s stance as the clone of the Saint Kaiser Olivie.
However, since she seems willing to share, I suppose I can follow. She speaks the truth: I am the
Knight of Two from the Round.”
“No way! You’re messing with me. I mean, you got the look down, but you can’t be from that
age,” Syn grinned widely. “That was pretty good though! If I hadn’t known better, you would’ve
totally fooled me, heh.”
She looked to her friend and the knight and saw neither of them sharing her humor. Rather, Vivio
looked somewhat guilty, while Noland looked… detached?
“Oh come on. You can’t expect me to believe that, would you?”
“We have no reason to lie to you, but if you wish to see proof, then I can try. May I have a black
piece of paper and a pen?”
Supplied with the aforementioned, Noland began to sketch out an insignia of sorts. A shield, a
winged sword, strange supernatural creatures that seemed to guard it; the emblem became
progressively more and more complicated as the seconds ticked by.
“I have been blind for some time, however I can never forget that which is burned into my soul.
As a Knight of the Round, this was our heraldry. As the Knight of two, this was mine.”
The insignia then changed, becoming more reflective of the man that drew it. Watching the knight
draw, both Vivio and Syn could see the minute details that symbolized him and his service. In
spite of his lack of sight, Noland had completed his personal Knight’s Crest with unbelievable
detail. He presented it to Syn, her eyes wide in disbelief.
“This is all I can offer you. Whether or not you believe it is up to you.”
The blue-haired girl stared at the paper, then at Noland, her mouth open in a small o.
“You… you’re the real deal, aren’t you?”
“I am what I am. Nothing can change that.”
For a moment, Syn spoke nothing, instead staring at Noland with wide eyes. The knight felt a
twinge of nervousness at the silence, while Vivio grew slightly worried. She was just about to tap
her friend on the shoulder when the blue-haired girl suddenly leapt out of her seat.
“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~!”
Vivio recoiled from the squeal, just as Noland stepped back in surprise. Their shock doubled
when Syn abruptly and literally flew out of her chain and capturing the knight in a great bone-
creaking glomp.
“Omigodomigodomigodomigodomigooood~!”
“Forgive me if I do not understand your excitement, lady Syn.”
“Heee~! You called me lady! It’s doubly-awesome now! And are you kidding me?! You’re
only like one of the most popular fairy tales known in Cranagan! Oh jeez, mom is going to flip if
she hears about this… Wait, do Lio and Corona know?!”
“No…”
“Oh maaan~!” releasing Noland, Syn then whirled around to confront her friend. “What the hell,
Vivio!? You had the real life Knight of Tragedy as your friend?!”
Vivio looked at Syn, then at Noland, then back to Syn. “What?”
“Oh tragic knight, betrayed by your allies and abandoned by your king. You struggled and
fought your former friends, even sacrificing your sanity for the power to break the Kaiser free
from her bloodline’s eternal cycle of war,” Syn clasped her hands together, as if reciting lines
from a play. “Oh, terrible knight, to slay your king with your own hands and bring a dying nation
to its end. Alas, your forbidden love was not to be…”
“W-wow, Syn, I never figured you to be a romantic…” Vivio stared at the girl.
“Hey! I’m a girl too, you know! I grew up on that!”
“You grew into a total ham.”
“Hey!”
Noland coughed politely into his hand, “That… is quite the embellishment, but we can discuss
that later. I will help however I can, should you need it.”
“Hmmm,” Syn smirked a knowing smirk. “This gives me an idea…”
--
The girls were rather excited over this idea, to have an “interview” with an “authentic” knight of
the time. They could easily just make Noland to be a performer reenacting the role of, well,
Noland Reiniger the Knight of Two. This way, they could do the work by just asking questions,
then hunt down the references later. Easy, simple, but far more interesting than typing up the
paper then forcing themselves up to the front of the class and presenting.
Vivio’s room was rapidly converted into a make-shift interviewing room, with black drapes in the
background (a length of fabric that Fate had left in the house) and some lamps to create the
atmosphere. The finished product was a little slapdash, but it work.
Turning on the camera, the girls situated themselves outside of the camera’s picture, with Noland
sitting in full knight’s uniform (not that he looked any different than usual).
“Good day. This is Vivio Takamachi—”
“—And Syn Virage.”
“We will be interviewing a member of Belkan society during the time before the civilization’s
collapse. With us here is a knight under the direct command of the Saint Kaiser, a formidable
warrior whose skills elevated him into the Knights of the Round. Good evening, Sir Knight.
Could you introduce yourself?”
“I greet you, lady Vivio Takamachi, lady Syn Virage. I am Noland Reiniger, Knight of Two,
serving under the Saint Kaiser Olivie. Please pardon the bandages. I was injured, and I am still
healing.”
“Very well, sir. Could you tell us about the Knights of the Round?”
“The Knights of the Round is a group of knights selected by the Kaiser to serve directly. A
Knight of the Round does not answer to anyone but the Kaiser, however they do not possess
any command rights unless granted. In short, we are the Kaiser’s Knights. Our missions would
vary, depending on the duty required and demanded of us from the Kaiser, but they always
pertained to matters that needed a strong but careful hand. We were the elite of the elite, the best
knights of Belka.”
“Could you tell us about the command structure? Or your fellow members?”
“There were thirteen chairs of the Round, to which the lower the number the higher the Knight.
Seat number thirteen was usually the newest member of the Round, whilst seat number one was
the highest and most veteran. The seat numbers were not ranks, however. We stood as equals,
though we also respected each other’s strengths. More important that status were our skills and
abilities, the very reasons we were chosen. Everyone had a specialization, a unique skill.
Unfortunately, I cannot divulge sensitive information pertaining to my fellow knights. Understand
that we were a very diverse group, however.
“We have some art here; could you tell us about that?”
“I apologize. The nature of my injury robs me of sight for the moment. If you could describe the
image for me, I may recognize it.”
“Of course. For the viewers, here is the image in question.”
Spoiler for Image 01:
Vivio’s voice described the image as best she could, and with Noland’s nod, he continued.
“It seems you managed to recover Knight of Nine Chidori’s drawings, a rare find indeed,” a light
smile formed on his face. “She loved to draw when off-duty, though very little of it was ever seen
by the public eye. Only her partner would see them. In the image, the one on the right is the
Knight of One, before conflict stole away one of his eyes. Below him is the Knight of Twelve,
though her hair eventually grew much longer. The one on the left is me. We had finished a parade,
and we were resting whilst the rest continued on. The flag had little meaning.”
“And this one?”
Spoiler for Image 02:
Another description followed, inciting a quiet chuckle from Noland.
“Another one from Chidori. The left knight is me again, and the one on the right, Chidori’s
partner and fellow Knight of Nine.”
“I thought you said Chidori was the Knight of Nine?”
“She is, but so is her partner. They were lovers, you see, and together they possessed a synergy
that no single knight could replicate. One their own, they were formidable, but together, incredible.
As I said earlier, skill and ability were the most important attributes of a Knight of the Round. As
such, sharing a seat is not uncommon. The Knight of Eleven is a similar case.”
“I see. And about the picture…”
“We were observing an exercise conducted by the regular army. In particular, we were the
opposing force that held the castle, while the regular army practiced siege warfare and attack.”
“And lastly…”
Spoiler for Image 03:
As Vivio described the image, Noland seemed surprised. A moment passed without any response
from the blind knight, his visage one of deep thought.
“Sir?”
The knight snapped back to attention. “Oh, my apologies. I had not expected for Lady Alistina’s
image to be found.”
“Lady Alistina?” both Syn and Vivio voiced their question.
“Yes. Lady Alistina Carter. A noble and a knight, she was actually our superior. Whereas we
knights served under the Kaiser, Lady Alistina served at the Kaiser’s side. The difference there
is immense. While she did not have any true authority over us, we followed her orders out of
respect. She was the Guardian Knight of the Saint Kaiser, her personal bodyguard. No one was
closer than she.”
“Could you tell us about Lady Alistina?
“Lady Alistina… was an amazing person. She was the knight that all knights stove to be. When I
first met her, I was a mere infantry soldier in the Saint Kaiser’s army. She was awe inspiring,
almost as famous as Kaiser Olivie herself. An amazing soldier, master of a thousand devices and
armors, and a kind noble who refused to see us as mere tools; a combination that endeared her
to all her troops. We did not serve because of her rank, but because of her. And through her, we
served the Saint Kaiser.
“When I became what I was… what I am, a knight of Belka, Lady Alistina was there to
congratulate me. She did not seem all that surprised either, when I was inducted into the Knights
of the Round.
“Wouldn’t Lady Carter be the more appropriate address?”
“It is, by court standards. However among us, her friends, she requested a more casual address.
It took us some time to get used to her, but her presence was never unwelcomed.
“She was maelstrom of righteousness on the battlefield, her hundred swords flashing in the sun
and the moon. Magic and spears bounced harmlessly off her armor, and right next to her the
mighty Kaiser herself lead the holy army to victory.
“Any secrets you could indulge about her?”
“Madams, that would be incredibly rude of me,” Noland frowned at first, though it quickly turned
into a smile. “Though I suppose some harmless secrets would not hurt. She loves parties, and she
loves to dance. A master of war and the dance floor, I still remember the dizzying steps she put
me through to learn the Belkan Waltz, and I remember how beautiful she was in those dresses.”
“You had to be taught?”
“Ahaha, I was quite ignorant of courtly behaviors, to be honest. I came from a rustic
background, so the finer aspects of noble society had to be taught to me as I became a knight.
Upon becoming a Knight of the Round, you also became a minor noble, with all the benefits and
bonuses that entail: Land, prestige, access to elite schools, wealth, a greater range of rights; it
could elevate a man from pauper to prince, though not that literally. I managed to give my parents
and sisters an education, and a life they deserved.”
“From your words, you hold Lady Carter in high regards.”
“Indeed, I do. While my loyalty is completely dedicated to Kaiser Olivie, I would have great
respect for Lady Alistina. She had a light about her, a shining gem amidst the darkness. Any
soldier would have given their lives for either of them, myself included.”
The interview continued on for a while longer, the topic returning to the Knights of the Round and
their role in the Belkan military, the Court, and in the public. By the time they had finished, the
girls had more than enough to work with.
--
One week later, an ecstatic cluster of guys and girls burst out from the St. Hilde Academy of
Magic, elementary and middle school building. Free at last! Especially for students who just got
out of history class. The time spent in there a few days was a nightmarish stream of presentations
and lectures that drained the soul… well, except for one presentation. Those girls, Vivio and Syn,
had made an awesome video that pretty much did all the work for them, and with a simple sheet
of paper of collected resources, their grade was an A to be sure.
So interesting, in fact, that the “actor” was summoned to the school and asked to repeat the
interview, but to the questions of the teacher and students. Throughout it all, Vivio and Syn hid
gleeful smiles.
As such, the form of Noland Reiniger in his Knight’s Coat was an additional sight as he escaped
the school along with the kids. His throat ached from speaking and his head was still a little dizzy
from all the questions, but overall he was pleased to have contributed to the children’s education.
With Vivio and Syn dashing off to meet their friends, Noland had nothing else to do but head home…
At the academy’s gates, he gave the institution a final “look.”
“What would you do, Lady, if you were here instead of me? If you were to see Olivie live once
more, but liberated from the shackles of the Cradle?” he sighed and shook his head. “No… she
is not Olivie. She is Vivio, a bright, cheery, wonderful girl. And she is free, Lady Alistina. You
can see her, right…?”
A question he knew he would not get an answer, but, somehow he knew it already.
“Haha. Of course, I am a fool. You would be the same as I; her knight; her confidant; her friend.
But, perhaps, if you could be reborn like she, you could be her friend, and only that. You would
not need to be Vivio’s sword or her shield, but the unshakable foundation upon which she stands.
Let me take your place, Lady. You have worked hard enough.”
Spoiler for Bonus Omake Ending:
“Haha. Of course, I am a fool. You would be the same as I; her knight; her confidant; her friend.
But, perhaps, if you could be reborn like she, you could be her friend, and only that. You would
not need to be Vivio’s sword or her shield, but the unshakable foundation upon which she stands.
Let me take your place, Lady. You have worked hard enough.”
He turned around to take a step, only to stop and halt his leg. Just barely centimeters away from
kicking a young girl in front of him, Noland managed to avoid hurting her. Taking a step back, he
bowed in apology.
“I am terribly sorry, young lady. I nearly knocked you over. Are you unharmed?”
Startled but uninjured, she gave him a nod he could not see and answered him shyly, “Yes, I’m
okay.”
A familiar voice.
“That is good. I would feel guilty if I had harmed a student of this place.”
“Um… I’m not a student, yet. I just moved here. But, um, I’ll be coming here soon!”
“Is that so? Then allow me to welcome you, Miss…?”
“Allie.”
Allie. Somehow… Somehow he imagined her to have red hair. Scarlet.
“Nice to meet you, Allie. I am Noland Reiniger, a presenter here. What do you hope to study here?”
“I want to learn magic,” she sounded much more confident, suddenly. “I want to be a hero!”
She was there, no taller than his waist, yet she had a presence that he had not felt in many years.
Even in the darkness of his mind, he thought he could see a light right in front of him. Impossible!
But…
She wanted to be a hero. Such a childish dream, yet by the tone of her voice, Noland could feel
the conviction behind it. But… to be a hero, she would have to sacrifice. And the greatest heroes
would give the greatest sacrifice. Like the Lady…
“No. You need not be a hero,” Noland shook his head slowly, but still gave the girl a smile.
“You just need to grow, learn, live, and be happy.”
Was he hallucinating? Or was he just hoping for something that did not exist? Perhaps he truly
was becoming insane, or maybe in his blindness he could see more than he thought possible. The
World works in mysterious ways. Be in coincidence or providence…
Let them find happiness again.
“There is a student I know that attends that school. She is about your age. Would you like to be
her friend?.”
“R-really?”
“Yes. She would be happy to meet you. Her name is Vivio, and she is an amazing girl…”
and the Short was awesome, the best part, besides yummy Noland background, was the fact that Vivio and Syn sounded like kids their age would, they're so rarely allowed to be childish in fanfiction that it was a breath of fresh air.
I feel sorry for Noland because he keeps bumping into people who suspiciously look like people he knows well at least people he assumes look suspiciously like people he knows.
And the part about Kaon being a bore when she lectures is dead on >:3
More OCs, but there's CCs too! Though I probably butchered them all in characterization.
Oh well. I did it in a day with no editing. Hooah.
Spoiler for Interview:
“A research project?” Noland asked as he leaned against the doorway. Once again he had taken
up the mantle of babysitter, but tonight would not be as hectic as before. Rather, Vivio and Syn
had to spend their time with their heads buried in textbooks and papers. After hours of exhaustive
search, the girls found a much-appreciated break in the form of their guardian for the night, coming just to check up on them.
“Yep! We need to do a report on some famous person or group in Ancient Belka,” Syn answered
without looking up.
“There is some irony in you having to complete this project,” Noland smirked at the thought, his
words directed at the blonde girl.
“Yeah, tell me about it,” Vivio spared the knight a look and a wry grin. “I feel like it’s almost
expected of me to research Ingwalde or Olivie.”
“What are you thinking of researching, then?”
“That’s the annoying part! We have this gigantic pile of papers of potential topics, but nothing
interests me at all!” Syn thumped a notebook with dozens of colored tabs sticking out of the top
and side. “Corona and Lio are doing something about the evolution of Belkan economics
“Why not ask lady Kaon? She knows, and remembers, far more than I can ever hope to.”
“That would be the easy way out, but…”
“She’s boring as hell. She can put our teacher to sleep,” the blue-haired girl shook her head. “No
way. She’s nice an’ all, but I would rather read a book.”
“Lady Kaon is not that bad…”
She shrugged. “I mean, unless she could tell us something about, like, the Knights of the Round
or something like that…”
Vivio suddenly brightened up at those words. “Wait, that’s a great idea!”
“What, talking to Inspector Kaon?”
“No! I mean, she’d be nice, but the Knights of the Round!”
“Um… Not that I disagree, but where would we get the primary and secondary sources for that?
There really isn’t much literature about those guys.”
“We have one right here!” Vivio pointed at Noland.
“…You lost me. I know he’s a knight, but…”
“No! He’s a Knight of the Round!”
What in the world has gotten into her friend…? “You’ve gone crazy, Viv. He has to be at least
four hundred years old if he was one, and he doesn’t even look forty!”
“Err…”
Noland’s interruption drew the two girls to look at him, the knight scratching the back of his head
as he continued on.
“It is a secret to most people, similar to lady Vivio’s stance as the clone of the Saint Kaiser Olivie.
However, since she seems willing to share, I suppose I can follow. She speaks the truth: I am the
Knight of Two from the Round.”
“No way! You’re messing with me. I mean, you got the look down, but you can’t be from that
age,” Syn grinned widely. “That was pretty good though! If I hadn’t known better, you would’ve
totally fooled me, heh.”
She looked to her friend and the knight and saw neither of them sharing her humor. Rather, Vivio
looked somewhat guilty, while Noland looked… detached?
“Oh come on. You can’t expect me to believe that, would you?”
“We have no reason to lie to you, but if you wish to see proof, then I can try. May I have a black
piece of paper and a pen?”
Supplied with the aforementioned, Noland began to sketch out an insignia of sorts. A shield, a
winged sword, strange supernatural creatures that seemed to guard it; the emblem became
progressively more and more complicated as the seconds ticked by.
“I have been blind for some time, however I can never forget that which is burned into my soul.
As a Knight of the Round, this was our heraldry. As the Knight of two, this was mine.”
The insignia then changed, becoming more reflective of the man that drew it. Watching the knight
draw, both Vivio and Syn could see the minute details that symbolized him and his service. In
spite of his lack of sight, Noland had completed his personal Knight’s Crest with unbelievable
detail. He presented it to Syn, her eyes wide in disbelief.
“This is all I can offer you. Whether or not you believe it is up to you.”
The blue-haired girl stared at the paper, then at Noland, her mouth open in a small o.
“You… you’re the real deal, aren’t you?”
“I am what I am. Nothing can change that.”
For a moment, Syn spoke nothing, instead staring at Noland with wide eyes. The knight felt a
twinge of nervousness at the silence, while Vivio grew slightly worried. She was just about to tap
her friend on the shoulder when the blue-haired girl suddenly leapt out of her seat.
“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~!”
Vivio recoiled from the squeal, just as Noland stepped back in surprise. Their shock doubled
when Syn abruptly and literally flew out of her chain and capturing the knight in a great bone-
creaking glomp.
“Omigodomigodomigodomigodomigooood~!”
“Forgive me if I do not understand your excitement, lady Syn.”
“Heee~! You called me lady! It’s doubly-awesome now! And are you kidding me?! You’re
only like one of the most popular fairy tales known in Cranagan! Oh jeez, mom is going to flip if
she hears about this… Wait, do Lio and Corona know?!”
“No…”
“Oh maaan~!” releasing Noland, Syn then whirled around to confront her friend. “What the hell,
Vivio!? You had the real life Knight of Tragedy as your friend?!”
Vivio looked at Syn, then at Noland, then back to Syn. “What?”
“Oh tragic knight, betrayed by your allies and abandoned by your king. You struggled and
fought your former friends, even sacrificing your sanity for the power to break the Kaiser free
from her bloodline’s eternal cycle of war,” Syn clasped her hands together, as if reciting lines
from a play. “Oh, terrible knight, to slay your king with your own hands and bring a dying nation
to its end. Alas, your forbidden love was not to be…”
“W-wow, Syn, I never figured you to be a romantic…” Vivio stared at the girl.
“Hey! I’m a girl too, you know! I grew up on that!”
“You grew into a total ham.”
“Hey!”
Noland coughed politely into his hand, “That… is quite the embellishment, but we can discuss
that later. I will help however I can, should you need it.”
“Hmmm,” Syn smirked a knowing smirk. “This gives me an idea…”
--
The girls were rather excited over this idea, to have an “interview” with an “authentic” knight of
the time. They could easily just make Noland to be a performer reenacting the role of, well,
Noland Reiniger the Knight of Two. This way, they could do the work by just asking questions,
then hunt down the references later. Easy, simple, but far more interesting than typing up the
paper then forcing themselves up to the front of the class and presenting.
Vivio’s room was rapidly converted into a make-shift interviewing room, with black drapes in the
background (a length of fabric that Fate had left in the house) and some lamps to create the
atmosphere. The finished product was a little slapdash, but it work.
Turning on the camera, the girls situated themselves outside of the camera’s picture, with Noland
sitting in full knight’s uniform (not that he looked any different than usual).
“Good day. This is Vivio Takamachi—”
“—And Syn Virage.”
“We will be interviewing a member of Belkan society during the time before the civilization’s
collapse. With us here is a knight under the direct command of the Saint Kaiser, a formidable
warrior whose skills elevated him into the Knights of the Round. Good evening, Sir Knight.
Could you introduce yourself?”
“I greet you, lady Vivio Takamachi, lady Syn Virage. I am Noland Reiniger, Knight of Two,
serving under the Saint Kaiser Olivie. Please pardon the bandages. I was injured, and I am still
healing.”
“Very well, sir. Could you tell us about the Knights of the Round?”
“The Knights of the Round is a group of knights selected by the Kaiser to serve directly. A
Knight of the Round does not answer to anyone but the Kaiser, however they do not possess
any command rights unless granted. In short, we are the Kaiser’s Knights. Our missions would
vary, depending on the duty required and demanded of us from the Kaiser, but they always
pertained to matters that needed a strong but careful hand. We were the elite of the elite, the best
knights of Belka.”
“Could you tell us about the command structure? Or your fellow members?”
“There were thirteen chairs of the Round, to which the lower the number the higher the Knight.
Seat number thirteen was usually the newest member of the Round, whilst seat number one was
the highest and most veteran. The seat numbers were not ranks, however. We stood as equals,
though we also respected each other’s strengths. More important that status were our skills and
abilities, the very reasons we were chosen. Everyone had a specialization, a unique skill.
Unfortunately, I cannot divulge sensitive information pertaining to my fellow knights. Understand
that we were a very diverse group, however.
“We have some art here; could you tell us about that?”
“I apologize. The nature of my injury robs me of sight for the moment. If you could describe the
image for me, I may recognize it.”
“Of course. For the viewers, here is the image in question.”
Spoiler for Image 01:
Vivio’s voice described the image as best she could, and with Noland’s nod, he continued.
“It seems you managed to recover Knight of Nine Chidori’s drawings, a rare find indeed,” a light
smile formed on his face. “She loved to draw when off-duty, though very little of it was ever seen
by the public eye. Only her partner would see them. In the image, the one on the right is the
Knight of One, before conflict stole away one of his eyes. Below him is the Knight of Twelve,
though her hair eventually grew much longer. The one on the left is me. We had finished a parade,
and we were resting whilst the rest continued on. The flag had little meaning.”
“And this one?”
Spoiler for Image 02:
Another description followed, inciting a quiet chuckle from Noland.
“Another one from Chidori. The left knight is me again, and the one on the right, Chidori’s
partner and fellow Knight of Nine.”
“I thought you said Chidori was the Knight of Nine?”
“She is, but so is her partner. They were lovers, you see, and together they possessed a synergy
that no single knight could replicate. One their own, they were formidable, but together, incredible.
As I said earlier, skill and ability were the most important attributes of a Knight of the Round. As
such, sharing a seat is not uncommon. The Knight of Eleven is a similar case.”
“I see. And about the picture…”
“We were observing an exercise conducted by the regular army. In particular, we were the
opposing force that held the castle, while the regular army practiced siege warfare and attack.”
“And lastly…”
Spoiler for Image 03:
As Vivio described the image, Noland seemed surprised. A moment passed without any response
from the blind knight, his visage one of deep thought.
“Sir?”
The knight snapped back to attention. “Oh, my apologies. I had not expected for Lady Alistina’s
image to be found.”
“Lady Alistina?” both Syn and Vivio voiced their question.
“Yes. Lady Alistina Carter. A noble and a knight, she was actually our superior. Whereas we
knights served under the Kaiser, Lady Alistina served at the Kaiser’s side. The difference there
is immense. While she did not have any true authority over us, we followed her orders out of
respect. She was the Guardian Knight of the Saint Kaiser, her personal bodyguard. No one was
closer than she.”
“Could you tell us about Lady Alistina?
“Lady Alistina… was an amazing person. She was the knight that all knights stove to be. When I
first met her, I was a mere infantry soldier in the Saint Kaiser’s army. She was awe inspiring,
almost as famous as Kaiser Olivie herself. An amazing soldier, master of a thousand devices and
armors, and a kind noble who refused to see us as mere tools; a combination that endeared her
to all her troops. We did not serve because of her rank, but because of her. And through her, we
served the Saint Kaiser.
“When I became what I was… what I am, a knight of Belka, Lady Alistina was there to
congratulate me. She did not seem all that surprised either, when I was inducted into the Knights
of the Round.
“Wouldn’t Lady Carter be the more appropriate address?”
“It is, by court standards. However among us, her friends, she requested a more casual address.
It took us some time to get used to her, but her presence was never unwelcomed.
“She was maelstrom of righteousness on the battlefield, her hundred swords flashing in the sun
and the moon. Magic and spears bounced harmlessly off her armor, and right next to her the
mighty Kaiser herself lead the holy army to victory.
“Any secrets you could indulge about her?”
“Madams, that would be incredibly rude of me,” Noland frowned at first, though it quickly turned
into a smile. “Though I suppose some harmless secrets would not hurt. She loves parties, and she
loves to dance. A master of war and the dance floor, I still remember the dizzying steps she put
me through to learn the Belkan Waltz, and I remember how beautiful she was in those dresses.”
“You had to be taught?”
“Ahaha, I was quite ignorant of courtly behaviors, to be honest. I came from a rustic
background, so the finer aspects of noble society had to be taught to me as I became a knight.
Upon becoming a Knight of the Round, you also became a minor noble, with all the benefits and
bonuses that entail: Land, prestige, access to elite schools, wealth, a greater range of rights; it
could elevate a man from pauper to prince, though not that literally. I managed to give my parents
and sisters an education, and a life they deserved.”
“From your words, you hold Lady Carter in high regards.”
“Indeed, I do. While my loyalty is completely dedicated to Kaiser Olivie, I would have great
respect for Lady Alistina. She had a light about her, a shining gem amidst the darkness. Any
soldier would have given their lives for either of them, myself included.”
The interview continued on for a while longer, the topic returning to the Knights of the Round and
their role in the Belkan military, the Court, and in the public. By the time they had finished, the
girls had more than enough to work with.
--
One week later, an ecstatic cluster of guys and girls burst out from the St. Hilde Academy of
Magic, elementary and middle school building. Free at last! Especially for students who just got
out of history class. The time spent in there a few days was a nightmarish stream of presentations
and lectures that drained the soul… well, except for one presentation. Those girls, Vivio and Syn,
had made an awesome video that pretty much did all the work for them, and with a simple sheet
of paper of collected resources, their grade was an A to be sure.
So interesting, in fact, that the “actor” was summoned to the school and asked to repeat the
interview, but to the questions of the teacher and students. Throughout it all, Vivio and Syn hid
gleeful smiles.
As such, the form of Noland Reiniger in his Knight’s Coat was an additional sight as he escaped
the school along with the kids. His throat ached from speaking and his head was still a little dizzy
from all the questions, but overall he was pleased to have contributed to the children’s education.
With Vivio and Syn dashing off to meet their friends, Noland had nothing else to do but head home…
At the academy’s gates, he gave the institution a final “look.”
“What would you do, Lady, if you were here instead of me? If you were to see Olivie live once
more, but liberated from the shackles of the Cradle?” he sighed and shook his head. “No… she
is not Olivie. She is Vivio, a bright, cheery, wonderful girl. And she is free, Lady Alistina. You
can see her, right…?”
A question he knew he would not get an answer, but, somehow he knew it already.
“Haha. Of course, I am a fool. You would be the same as I; her knight; her confidant; her friend.
But, perhaps, if you could be reborn like she, you could be her friend, and only that. You would
not need to be Vivio’s sword or her shield, but the unshakable foundation upon which she stands.
Let me take your place, Lady. You have worked hard enough.”
Spoiler for Bonus Omake Ending:
“Haha. Of course, I am a fool. You would be the same as I; her knight; her confidant; her friend.
But, perhaps, if you could be reborn like she, you could be her friend, and only that. You would
not need to be Vivio’s sword or her shield, but the unshakable foundation upon which she stands.
Let me take your place, Lady. You have worked hard enough.”
He turned around to take a step, only to stop and halt his leg. Just barely centimeters away from
kicking a young girl in front of him, Noland managed to avoid hurting her. Taking a step back, he
bowed in apology.
“I am terribly sorry, young lady. I nearly knocked you over. Are you unharmed?”
Startled but uninjured, she gave him a nod he could not see and answered him shyly, “Yes, I’m
okay.”
A familiar voice.
“That is good. I would feel guilty if I had harmed a student of this place.”
“Um… I’m not a student, yet. I just moved here. But, um, I’ll be coming here soon!”
“Is that so? Then allow me to welcome you, Miss…?”
“Allie.”
Allie. Somehow… Somehow he imagined her to have red hair. Scarlet.
“Nice to meet you, Allie. I am Noland Reiniger, a presenter here. What do you hope to study here?”
“I want to learn magic,” she sounded much more confident, suddenly. “I want to be a hero!”
She was there, no taller than his waist, yet she had a presence that he had not felt in many years.
Even in the darkness of his mind, he thought he could see a light right in front of him. Impossible!
But…
She wanted to be a hero. Such a childish dream, yet by the tone of her voice, Noland could feel
the conviction behind it. But… to be a hero, she would have to sacrifice. And the greatest heroes
would give the greatest sacrifice. Like the Lady…
“No. You need not be a hero,” Noland shook his head slowly, but still gave the girl a smile.
“You just need to grow, learn, live, and be happy.”
Was he hallucinating? Or was he just hoping for something that did not exist? Perhaps he truly
was becoming insane, or maybe in his blindness he could see more than he thought possible. The
World works in mysterious ways. Be in coincidence or providence…
Let them find happiness again.
“There is a student I know that attends that school. She is about your age. Would you like to be
her friend?.”
“R-really?”
“Yes. She would be happy to meet you. Her name is Vivio, and she is an amazing girl…”
Motivation to write Belkan material +5000
Whoa, Noland has a lot of respect for Alistina, doesn't he? And I can't help but agree with Shiny, it was probably one of the greatest bits to see Vivio and Syn acting like little kids, especially when Syn went totally 'OMG I ish total romantic story fangirl meeting greatest idol!' squeelish.
Blame/thank Satashi for this. It's her fault. Syn, of course, belongs to Keroko.
Spoiler for *clears throat*:
Spoiler for Teaser:
“Did you turn off the hallway light?”
“After you passed right by it?” Syn replied dryly before shutting their door in the long hallway of the fifth floor of the apartment complex, “Yeah, I got it.”
“Oh, I do believe somebody is nervous!” Vivio laughed at the sulking woman with blue hair.
“I’m not nervous!” Syn blushed and nearly dropped her duffel bag as it slipped from her shoulder.
Vivio smiled in triumph as the wheels of her suitcase rumbled lowly against the tiled hallway floor. They stopped in front of the elevator doors and waited as the lively blond gazed at the cheap garland drooping from staples above the steel and the other woman stared at her beat-up pair of blue Converse All Stars.
A soft “ding” broke the silence between the two as the doors slid open. Syn waited for Vivio to move into the small elevator first before following the long blond ponytail.
“You’ll be fine,” Vivio giggled as the elevator started its slow descent to the lobby, “They already like you.”
Syn pursed her lips in irritation, “You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do, because they said so,” Vivio smiled as the doors opened again, “They said that I have a wonderful girlfriend.”
“You’re confusing what they say with what you tell them,” Syn answered while giving the switch on the side door a good thump with her fist which unlocked the entrance to the old concrete parking garage. “They haven’t even met me.”
“That doesn’t mean that they don’t know you at all!” Vivio protested with her voice echoing in the spacious parking structure.
“How am I supposed to live up to what you tell them?” Syn asked warmly with a smirk. She jammed her key into the trunk of the old sedan and popped the lid.
“By treating me like a princess for a week,” Vivio grinned and kissed the tip of Syn’s cold nose while hoisting her green suitcase into the trunk, “And you can start by cranking the heat!”
A light blush appeared on Syn’s cold face as she came to her senses and hurriedly threw her duffel bag on top of the green suitcase and slammed the lid down. She opened the driver’s side door and pulled off her black coat and hat and tossed them in the backseat before sliding down into the frozen leather seat and shutting the door.
“If you aren’t going to turn the heat on in the next three seconds, I’m driving,” Vivio threatened and shivered.
“Ok! Ok! Give the old girl a second!” Syn blew into her folded hands and rubbed them together before turning the ignition. The old car coughed and sputtered till the steady purr of the engine clunked as Syn shifted the gears into reverse.
“Heat!”
“Fine!” She quickly twisted the red knob on the dashboard and endured the burnt-hair smelling wind bombarding her eyes. She squinted over at the blond in the seat next to her rubbing her arms.
“Warm up, warm up, warm up,” Vivio encouraged the car heater as she turned all the vents toward her seat.
“Hey! I want some too!”
“You’re naturally warm,” Vivio shivered as she watched Syn tie her hair into a high ponytail at the red light, “Some of us didn’t get that in the genetics dealing.”
“I’d say you got a good deal more out of that ‘genetics dealing’ than I did,” Syn grumbled and pulled her ponytail through the back of her baseball cap while catching a glimpse of Vivio’s generous bust out of the corner of her eye.
“I hit the genetic jackpot,” Vivio said gently as the heat finally began to blow, “I just had to wait a while till I found her.”
Syn didn’t hide her blush as she felt slender fingers lace her own on top of the stick shift.
“My parents will see that too when you meet them,” the blond comforted, “This will be the best Christmas ever!”
“Vi?" the driver asked nervously, "What did they say when you told them that I moved in last month?”
“Well…I…ummm...”
“Huh? What?!” Syn gasped, "I thought you told them weeks ago!”
“It’s never really come up-“ Vivio’s voice trailed as she leaned back in her seat and stared at the snow piled high alongside the road.
Syn felt her teeth clench, and her fists squeezed the steering wheel in nervous agitation.
'This is going to be the worst Christmas ever.'
Spoiler for Author's Thoughts Before Proceeding:
I'm still torn on whether or not to go with the magical angle of this story. Personally, I'd like to keep everyone's powers in the background and play with personalities, but 'tis the season...to blow shit up.
Depending on your point of view, Noland has some of the best luck in the world, the worst luck in the world, or the strangest luck in the world. There is no middle ground for that man, it seems.
Blame/thank Satashi for this. It's her fault. Syn, of course, belongs to Keroko.
Spoiler for *clears throat*:
Spoiler for Teaser:
“Did you turn off the hallway light?”
“After you passed right by it?” Syn replied dryly before shutting their door in the long hallway of the fifth floor of the apartment complex, “Yeah, I got it.”
“Oh, I do believe somebody is nervous!” Vivio laughed at the sulking woman with blue hair.
“I’m not nervous!” Syn blushed and nearly dropped her duffel bag as it slipped from her shoulder.
Vivio smiled in triumph as the wheels of her suitcase rumbled lowly against the tiled hallway floor. They stopped in front of the elevator doors and waited as the lively blond gazed at the cheap garland drooping from staples above the steel and the other woman stared at her beat-up pair of blue Converse All Stars.
A soft “ding” broke the silence between the two as the doors slid open. Syn waited for Vivio to move into the small elevator first before following the long blond ponytail.
“You’ll be fine,” Vivio giggled as the elevator started its slow descent to the lobby, “They already like you.”
Syn pursed her lips in irritation, “You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do, because they said so,” Vivio smiled as the doors opened again, “They said that I have a wonderful girlfriend.”
“You’re confusing what they say with what you tell them,” Syn answered while giving the switch on the side door a good thump with her fist which unlocked the entrance to the old concrete parking garage. “They haven’t even met me.”
“That doesn’t mean that they don’t know you at all!” Vivio protested with her voice echoing in the spacious parking structure.
“How am I supposed to live up to what you tell them?” Syn asked warmly with a smirk. She jammed her key into the trunk of the old sedan and popped the lid.
“By treating me like a princess for a week,” Vivio grinned and kissed the tip of Syn’s cold nose while hoisting her green suitcase into the trunk, “And you can start by cranking the heat!”
A light blush appeared on Syn’s cold face as she came to her senses and hurriedly threw her duffel bag on top of the green suitcase and slammed the lid down. She opened the driver’s side door and pulled off her black coat and hat and tossed them in the backseat before sliding down into the frozen leather seat and shutting the door.
“If you aren’t going to turn the heat on in the next three seconds, I’m driving,” Vivio threatened and shivered.
“Ok! Ok! Give the old girl a second!” Syn blew into her folded hands and rubbed them together before turning the ignition. The old car coughed and sputtered till the steady purr of the engine clunked as Syn shifted the gears into reverse.
“Heat!”
“Fine!” She quickly twisted the red knob on the dashboard and endured the burnt-hair smelling wind bombarding her eyes. She squinted over at the blond in the seat next to her rubbing her arms.
“Warm up, warm up, warm up,” Vivio encouraged the car heater as she turned all the vents toward her seat.
“Hey! I want some too!”
“You’re naturally warm,” Vivio shivered as she watched Syn tie her hair into a high ponytail at the red light, “Some of us didn’t get that in the genetics dealing.”
“I’d say you got a good deal more out of that ‘genetics dealing’ than I did,” Syn grumbled and pulled her ponytail through the back of her baseball cap while catching a glimpse of Vivio’s generous bust out of the corner of her eye.
“I hit the genetic jackpot,” Vivio said gently as the heat finally began to blow, “I just had to wait a while till I found her.”
Syn didn’t hide her blush as she felt slender fingers lace her own on top of the stick shift.
“My parents will see that too when you meet them,” the blond comforted, “This will be the best Christmas ever!”
“Vi?" the driver asked nervously, "What did they say when you told them that I moved in last month?”
“Well…I…ummm...”
“Huh? What?!” Syn gasped, "I thought you told them weeks ago!”
“It’s never really come up-“ Vivio’s voice trailed as she leaned back in her seat and stared at the snow piled high alongside the road.
Syn felt her teeth clench, and her fists squeezed the steering wheel in nervous agitation.
'This is going to be the worst Christmas ever.'
Spoiler for Author's Thoughts Before Proceeding:
I'm still torn on whether or not to go with the magical angle of this story. Personally, I'd like to keep everyone's powers in the background and play with personalities, but 'tis the season...to blow shit up.
you cna be happy and jolly WHILE blowing stuff up!
Syn:*screaming from background*
Vivio:*sipping hot cocoa in front of fireplace*
2009-12-08, 00:20
Then again, you might be a native speaker, I don't know. 
Graphic Designer
)
