Athena (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
everlastingsoul) wrote2008-06-06 05:04 pm
everlastingsoul) wrote2008-06-06 05:04 pm
Entry tags:
Tales of Legendia AU - Goodbyes
She reached out to touch the gossamer wing, watching it flicker in and out of existence before remaining solid under her fingers. It felt like reaching out and touching the surface of a tranquil pond; she half-expected her fingertips to be wet as she pulled them away.
“So what does it feel like?” she inquired, tilting her head up to look at her friend. The others were talking with the Ferines council, giving them a somewhat-rare moment alone.
“Like having a new arm attached after having one cut off… Except with both arms,” Walter replied dryly, still holding his hand aloft to show his friend the butterfly. “I’m going to have to get used to it.”
“Well, it’s yours now. And, personally, I think it looks prettier.”
“Of course you think so; my teriques was black, and you never think black is pretty.”
Norma felt better just hearing Walter being annoyed; he hadn’t been this talkative since the war had ended, and for awhile she thought something had changed irreversibly inside him—besides his teriques, of course.
“Well, now you’ve got a pretty teriques—and it’s blue. It matches your uniform, you see?”
Walter rolled his eyes, the butterfly vanishing in an azure wisp as he lowered his hand. “Black would have looked good, too.” Just a glance would have reminded Norma that his uniform had almost as much the black as blue and white.
Norma pouted, stepping back so she could get a better look at Walter in the Ferines uniform. She didn’t think she would ever get used to seeing him in the getup; it was bizarre to think of her Wally as an officer, let alone a potential leader among the Ferines.
But that was the card he’d been dealt; the role he’d been forced to undertake.
It made her sober up just thinking about it.
“It’s not a big deal, Norma.” Walter had quickly picked up on her silence and was now giving her slight frown. Whether he was reading her mind or referring to the previous subject, she didn’t know, but it was such a Wally thing to say.
“So,” she managed, trying to drag herself out of her moodiness, “they’re really gonna make you change your name? To Felques?”
“I don’t exactly have black wings anymore, so.” He shrugged and turned away, trying to downplay how important this name change was for him. “It’s also a move to comfort the Ferines that are migrating here.”
“They’re officially naming you the Merines.”
Walter visibly grimaced. “I am not the Merines. The Merines is dead.”
“They’re gonna see those wings of yours, Wally. The entire world saw them. Like it or not, they’re gonna think you’re the Merines whether you are or not.”
“Norma… What are you talking about?” Walter turned towards her now, brows knitted together in confusion. Norma was usually passionate, but not like that.
The brunette had her chin scrunched up and was biting down on her lower lip. It was obvious she was trying not to cry. “You’re going to stay here and be their leader.”
“Norma…” The confusion transformed into utter bewilderment. “Are you going to cry?”
“You jerk,” Norma muttered, stamping her foot and spinning around to face away from him. “You were my apprentice first, and now you’re going off and doing your own thing. You never even graduated.”
“Graduated?” The blond blinked hard.
Norma flailed her arms emotionally, continuing to ramble. “Who’s gonna carry on all my treasure-hunting techniques? Who’s gonna carry all the treasure I’ve hunted? Who’s gonna trigger all those pitfall traps so I don’t fall in them? There’re still so many things to do, Wally, and you were supposed to be there with me!”
The dumbfounded Walter was silent, even as Norma again spun on her heels.
Her tears flowed down her flushed face as she thrust a finger in his face. “You’re not allowed to stay here, Wally! You’re gonna come with me and we’re gonna hunt treasure until there’s nothing left to hunt! That’s an order from your master!”
It would have been funny if Norma hadn’t looked so serious. So heartbroken.
Walter sighed, lifting a hand to gently push Norma’s finger away from his face. “Is that all?”
Norma flared her nostrils in an attempt to choke down a sob. It looked a little ridiculous.
…But really, what could he do?
Walter bridged the small gap between them, wrapping his arms around Norma even as she began to beat against his chest with closed fists. She all but bawled into his shoulder, her punches shifting into a clinging hold as she lost her misguided resolve. He closed his eyes and put his cheek to her hair, silent the entire time.
His uniform turned out to be a mixed blessing, accumulating her tears like dewdrops on the fabric.
Unlike Norma’s sorrows, they would be easy to brush away.
“So what does it feel like?” she inquired, tilting her head up to look at her friend. The others were talking with the Ferines council, giving them a somewhat-rare moment alone.
“Like having a new arm attached after having one cut off… Except with both arms,” Walter replied dryly, still holding his hand aloft to show his friend the butterfly. “I’m going to have to get used to it.”
“Well, it’s yours now. And, personally, I think it looks prettier.”
“Of course you think so; my teriques was black, and you never think black is pretty.”
Norma felt better just hearing Walter being annoyed; he hadn’t been this talkative since the war had ended, and for awhile she thought something had changed irreversibly inside him—besides his teriques, of course.
“Well, now you’ve got a pretty teriques—and it’s blue. It matches your uniform, you see?”
Walter rolled his eyes, the butterfly vanishing in an azure wisp as he lowered his hand. “Black would have looked good, too.” Just a glance would have reminded Norma that his uniform had almost as much the black as blue and white.
Norma pouted, stepping back so she could get a better look at Walter in the Ferines uniform. She didn’t think she would ever get used to seeing him in the getup; it was bizarre to think of her Wally as an officer, let alone a potential leader among the Ferines.
But that was the card he’d been dealt; the role he’d been forced to undertake.
It made her sober up just thinking about it.
“It’s not a big deal, Norma.” Walter had quickly picked up on her silence and was now giving her slight frown. Whether he was reading her mind or referring to the previous subject, she didn’t know, but it was such a Wally thing to say.
“So,” she managed, trying to drag herself out of her moodiness, “they’re really gonna make you change your name? To Felques?”
“I don’t exactly have black wings anymore, so.” He shrugged and turned away, trying to downplay how important this name change was for him. “It’s also a move to comfort the Ferines that are migrating here.”
“They’re officially naming you the Merines.”
Walter visibly grimaced. “I am not the Merines. The Merines is dead.”
“They’re gonna see those wings of yours, Wally. The entire world saw them. Like it or not, they’re gonna think you’re the Merines whether you are or not.”
“Norma… What are you talking about?” Walter turned towards her now, brows knitted together in confusion. Norma was usually passionate, but not like that.
The brunette had her chin scrunched up and was biting down on her lower lip. It was obvious she was trying not to cry. “You’re going to stay here and be their leader.”
“Norma…” The confusion transformed into utter bewilderment. “Are you going to cry?”
“You jerk,” Norma muttered, stamping her foot and spinning around to face away from him. “You were my apprentice first, and now you’re going off and doing your own thing. You never even graduated.”
“Graduated?” The blond blinked hard.
Norma flailed her arms emotionally, continuing to ramble. “Who’s gonna carry on all my treasure-hunting techniques? Who’s gonna carry all the treasure I’ve hunted? Who’s gonna trigger all those pitfall traps so I don’t fall in them? There’re still so many things to do, Wally, and you were supposed to be there with me!”
The dumbfounded Walter was silent, even as Norma again spun on her heels.
Her tears flowed down her flushed face as she thrust a finger in his face. “You’re not allowed to stay here, Wally! You’re gonna come with me and we’re gonna hunt treasure until there’s nothing left to hunt! That’s an order from your master!”
It would have been funny if Norma hadn’t looked so serious. So heartbroken.
Walter sighed, lifting a hand to gently push Norma’s finger away from his face. “Is that all?”
Norma flared her nostrils in an attempt to choke down a sob. It looked a little ridiculous.
…But really, what could he do?
Walter bridged the small gap between them, wrapping his arms around Norma even as she began to beat against his chest with closed fists. She all but bawled into his shoulder, her punches shifting into a clinging hold as she lost her misguided resolve. He closed his eyes and put his cheek to her hair, silent the entire time.
His uniform turned out to be a mixed blessing, accumulating her tears like dewdrops on the fabric.
Unlike Norma’s sorrows, they would be easy to brush away.