Dawn had hit, the sun slowly rising over the horizon casting a golden glow across the forest and gardens before the mansion. Birds chirped happily, flying from their trees. On the lawn many rabbits bounced. Before this as deer moved sat Elise upon the patio, eyes drifting across the gardens. Flowers blossomed with a light dew drifting from the blades of grass.
Her eyes drifted with a slight smile as deer moved at the edge of the forest. As the warm glow of gold struck her face, her eyes lit with a mix of green and yellow, glowing warmly and most certainly bright. Half closed and lost in thought, memories stirring.426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUl3XJaEER
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoudE5SO5W
“Elise, you pathetic pile of vomit!”
“Well well well, if it isn’t the little loser Elise.”
“Loser-lise, loser-lise, loser-lise, hahahaha.”
“You’ll never be good enough.”
“Such a pathetic little girl.”
“You let your comrades down, that ambush should have been avoided daughter. Raka and Denma both died and they were in your care!”
“But Mother it wasn’t my fault, I was just following-”
“You should have been able to do it, even if you felt the orders were wrong.”
“Oh I get it. You’re mad because the only two friends you had died. Such is the way of a warrior though.”
“Are you serious?”
“Enough! My mind is made up. I brandish you both as cowards who retreated and for questioning my authority. As for you, Vulper, I hereby strip you of your rank as an elite of Vulfax. Your performance was legendary for how crap it was.”
“You weren’t even there Father, don’t judge what you did not see-”
“Enough! Be silent before I banish the both of you. And on that note, which of you shall it be that I send away, hmm?”
“With all due respect, Elise is just a human with sword skills and above average strength. How can you say we need to involve her in this? If it comes down to a battle like with Medontei she’ll fall. We can’t ask her to do that.”
“Pft, to Hell with all of them” she muttered, her fist slamming down on the railing of the deck, the wood again cracking beneath, “Yeah I had some good people but they’re getting screwed just as bad.”
Her steps echoed as she drifted back several paces, looking over the garden as the sun’s light swamped the various plants.
“Why? Why did I get mixed in with all this? Why couldn’t my life have just been normal? Tch- Desti, Tom, Sacho. Elen. I am truly sorry. Had I not been, so many others would’ve. What am I supposed to do? Gah, someone please-”
Steps echoed to the left, the wood creaking. Elise’s head shot round quickly, eyes blinking, “L-Lucy?”
Sitting before Elise in a chair was Lucy, one leg folded over the other with hands laid upon her lap. She looked ahead with a slight smile and nod. Elise stumbled round, arms spread from her side, “Lucy?”
“Hello deary. Pardon the intrusion but I could sense your distress from kilometers away,” Lucy replied, raising a small white cup to her lips, “Had to come and see it for myself.”
She took a sip of dark tarnish liquid inside, a lemon wedge sticking out. Following the sip the cup was placed down at the side, next to another cup near identical. Before the second cup’s place sat another chair, to which Lucy beckoned.
“No thanks,” Elise murmured, “I’m too sick to my stomach for tea.”
“So, what’s troubling you?” Lucy asked.
“I-my, my life is all just a big rolling lie of a joke. That’s what my problem is.”
“Hmm, how so?”
Elise approached, stopping short of the table, “I grew up in a clan of jackasses who thought nothing better than to constantly push me around for being a weak woman. I tried to please them by doing chores and taking their blows, and instead they just punished me further. I tried to do good and be what I thought they wanted and they just accused me of messing up despite sending me on suicide missions. Then I come to find out one of my few friends still alive is the one that set me on that path and that my other remaining friend is on her side.”
“Mmm, but let me ask you, were you true to yourself?”
“Huh?”
“Elise, were you true to yourself at all? Your people. Were you reacting to them how you felt you needed to, or how you thought you needed to?”
“I- well how I thought I guess.”
“Mhmm, and tell me were all the memories of your people that bad? I suspect that your fondest will come not from making them happy; but rather from being yourself and especially around your actual friends, right?”
“H-how did you know that?”
“We all wear masks luv,” Lucy spoke taking another sip, placing the cup back down as she continued, “There’s nothing wrong with putting them on to deal with this and that but know that the mask is always hiding the truth underneath. Those who do not master the use of the mask can never find happiness with themselves, once forced to wear it.”
“Well… I suppose that-”
“Tell me, were you ever happy playing the role of servant or warrior to just, make your people happy?”
Elise looked to the garden again, off at a dwelling pond, “No, I guess I wasn’t. I thought I was but-”
“And were you happiest when with those friends of yours, as a reader, as a person with a brain, as one who helped others without true cause?”
“Yeah.”
“How can you say you hated Vulfax when your friends made you you while they were alive?”
“How do-”
“I know of Vulfax? I have my means,” Lucy chuckled, “Elise, I’ll just put it out there. No way in heck would you be as strong as you are now under Holly or a normal life.”
“Strong? How do you mean?”
“You’ve pushed forward,” she spoke standing up from the chair, approaching Elise as her head turned back round, “By dealing with such hardships and overcoming them, you’re stronger than any person with abilities. Power is not of the body but rather of the mind. Those who truly embrace themselves and what they have faced will always triumph over those who wish to tear them down. Holly may have thrown you down a path that seemed bleak but think for a moment about the others you so blatantly ranted about earlier. And to top it off there’s that power of friendship nonsense and what not, right? I know that’s part of your deal.”
Elise tilted her head, eyes open in full with a blank expression.
“Given a normal life, you would not have anything to overcome other than moving from A to B. Despite how simple it sounds, that’s not really living. Living is overcoming obstacles before you that make your life hell, triumphing with a genuine smile as you pass task after task. Given a normal life, you would not have met those who have become so dear to you. You would not have the experiences you currently have. Cruel as it was, Holly made you a fine individual with a goal in mind, your true calling that is one for the better.”
“My calling?”
“What is it you want the most Elise? To make yourself happy or your people happy? To end war? To end sorrow?”
Elise turned way, body facing the pond once more. Geese splashed around, wading across the surface with ripples moving around. Her eyes locked to the pond, closing part way, her body’s stiffness easing. Air left her, a nod given as the fire of her eyes died back, “I did feel something. To help protect people who can not protect themselves. To help my friends.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. I first felt it really pull at me when I helped out Holly’s squad mates fend off Medontei’s team of jerk wagons. It… it felt so, me? Yeah I guess. After what happened with my friend Elen, I just- and then Desti and Thomas, I don’t want anyone to have to go through that again.”
“I’d call that an enlightening goal that stands above any other, wouldn’t you? It really is true to your aura because it is you as a person.”
“Yeah.”
“And if not for Holly and Vulfax-”
“I never would have thought about it. In fact, I guess- well, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to help people; and it’s an opportunity they offered me that I snapped at them for.”
“Now you’re getting the picture,” Lucy chuckled walking passed Elise, “Destiny has given you a chance to do some real good for the world. Who knows, you could be one of the big change makers in the near future. Either way you look at it, the Tribe needs more fighters for what is to come, and so far you seem perfect for the job.”
“I guess. I don’t like what either did but you’re right, it really is what built me at this point.”
“Glad I could help.”
“Mmm,” Elise sighed, closing her eyes for a moment.
Slowly she turned with her eyes opening again, turning to the direction Lucy had gone in, “Say Lucy I- huh?”
Upon turning there was no Lucy, there was no one, “She’s gone?”
Zero stepped out the door, his head turning away from Elise and then a quick turn around to face her, “You talking to someone Elise?” he questioned.
“No, just myself,” she replied.
“Ah. Well, I’ll let you get back to what your rage I guess-”
“Zero, hold on please.”
“Eh?”
“I. I’ve thought about what Holly offered. And I accept.”
“What?”
“I want to join the Tribe and battle the Hive.”
“Y-you do?”
“Yeah. I thought about it. I can’t just let people suffer when they can’t do anything to help themselves. If this war threatens the world, then as a warrior-in-training, it’s my duty to help fight off any and all evil.”
“Never thought I’d hear that. Heh, Alright then, let’s go tell Holly and get you ready to start training with the Celestial River shall we?”
“Right,” Elise chirped, following Zero as he shot back inside.426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2s5MKnYJPO
