Tales of the Abyss: Melodia, Verse 2
Verse 2: Andante
Cornelia finally landed on the plains just before Daath. The groups emerged from their airship. They decided to visit the Cathedral, because as Anise informed, Florian will return today from his mission to discuss this certain matter together with Emperor Peony and King Ingobert. Beside, they had to plan a shelter for the girl they found, Yulia, and talked whether she is indeed the ‘Shinning One’ Canon spoke.
Once they arrived to the staircase that led to the Cathedral, a cheery voice welcomed them. “Anise!”
Anise, heard that her name was called by someone, looked up and smiled when she saw who her caller was. She ran and greeted him. “Florian, you’ve returned!” she replied.
Florian, the last Ion replica alive and the current Fon Master, nodded. “I’m back,” he returned. The boy looked at the group who followed the girl. “Everyone, welcome back. I’m sorry to leave the security of Daath to you.”
“It’s okay, Florian. We’re glad we can be of some help,” stated Natalia.
However, the small Fon Master soon noticed Yulia’s presence, as it was clearly seen that she hugged Luke’s arm since they had emerged from Cornelia. He looked at her with questioning eyes. “Who is that girl?” he asked bluntly.
The female redheaded, noticing that she was being watched by the green haired boy, took a cautious step. Florian smiled kindly, but instead she scurrying behind Luke, hiding. Anise and Natalia giggled to see the naïve response, while the Fon Master lifted an eyebrow, didn’t understand why she had to hide behind the Viscount.
“Uh…well, this is Yulia. Yulia, that boy is Florian. Say hi to him,” Luke commanded.
Doubt, Yulia approached Florian. The boy smiled again and reached out his hands, invited her to shake hand. The girl held out her hand, didn’t comprehend the meaning of ‘formal introduction’. Tear smiled funnily and united both hands, made the redheaded learned what it is to shake hand.
“Hi, I’m Florian.”
“Um… Yulia!”
Both chuckled as they shook hand before they broke the event. “Well, now shall we get into the business? For some reason, I had a feeling that they will knew that this girl is with us, sooner or later,” Jade interrupted.
“That’s right. Florian, we had to talk about Yulia with you, can we?” Luke asked.
“Sure. Let’s go into my chamber. We can talk privately in there,” Florian offered.
Daath’s Cathedral, Fon Master Chamber.
The group arrived in Fon Master Chamber. It was Ion’s before. However, since Florian had inherited the position since two years ago, he was free to use the room as he pleases. The boy seated himself on the chair as Anise stood by his side. The rest of them were simply stood before them, didn’t bothered with the lack of furniture placed in there to let them sat.
They explained about the whole thing. About Canon’s letter that gave them clues about the ‘Shinning One’ and how they found Yulia slept on the defenseless small boat. Florian seemed taking this information seriously. He folded his arms and thinking for a while, while he eyed the baffling girl before him.
“Well,” the boy started. “It is still too early to take any assumptions. Regardless, she maybe just coincidentally floating there and lost her memories because of an unknown accident. We can’t accuse her as the ‘Shinning One’ those group mentioned.”
“But then, what should we do if she really is the one?” Tear asked. “We couldn’t possibly allow them to take her, right? We can’t afford the group became closer to what they wanted.”
“I agree with Tear,” Luke said. “It is better if we place Yulia to a place that unknown by them—A place that only we know its whereabouts.”
“I suppose so. However, what is that place will be?” Florian inquired.
Everyone started busy thinking. Yulia, who remained oblivious to the situation, decided to see the room’s decorations and eventually found the map of Auldrant. She didn’t understand what places they said—Engeve, Grand Chokmah, St. Binah…they all looks like a foreign terms for her. However, her eyes then captivated with a certain location on that map.
“Nam
At that, everyone’s thoughts became one and together, they shouted, “That’s right! Nam Cobanda Island
Florian, didn’t understand what they meant by ‘Island ’ could only frowned. Yulia, who was startled by the sudden yell, threw a curious look at the six.
“How come we didn’t remember about it? We can just hide Yulia in there! None knew that place location neither they know how to get in there except us!” Anise cheered.
“That’s right. The Black Wings had become our allies as well. I’m sure they will allow us to hide Yulia in their base,” Guy added.
“Well then, should we go?” Luke asked, followed by simple nods from everyone else. “Alright then, it’s decided! Let’s go to the Nam Cobanda Island
Inside the Cornelia.
Everyone rode on the Cornelia again, left Daath as soon as they made the agreement. They worried if they were to stay longer than that, the group will soon come with the possibility that they had knew that the group had took the girl away with them. The six seemed excited. This way, they could delay the SRO’s plans to fruition, even it was just a matter of time until they knew her location.
Yulia, who didn’t fully comprehend, decided to ask Luke. “Uhm…where we’re going to?”
“To Nam Cobanda Island
“Staying…there?”
“Yup.”
“…With Luke?”
Tear’s ears caught the words and quickly turned her head toward the redheads; feeling rather irritated by the way how that girl attached very much to her lover. Luke himself felt rather confused why she loves to stay with him, despite the fact that they were just recently meet and knew nothing about each other but name. On the other side, Anise and Natalia, who thought that this would be another amusing scene, took their time watching from their front seats.
“Uh no…not with me,” the Viscount said finally.
However, Yulia’s expression became lugubrious that it startled Luke. “…Yulia will be…alone?” she queried.
“No, of course not. There will be lot of people there staying with you. There are Kowz, Ant Lion Men, and lot others!”
The girl shook her head and hugged Luke’s arm, caused everyone—now even Jade and Guy too, through the rearview mirror—to gasp in surprise. “Yulia…do not like! Yulia wants with Luke!” she said.
“H-hey let me go!” Luke said, desperately trying to break free from her grasp, worried if Tear would catch her action and became misunderstand the situation he was in. “Yulia, let go of me!”
“Yulia wants with Luke!”
“I said, LET GO OF ME!”
The shout was more than enough to make Yulia startled and pulled aback from the male’s arm. She stared at those emerald eyes whose resemblance hers. It was filled with anger, annoyance, and irritation. Seeing the obvious expression that reflected in his eyes, she started felt sad. Tears started to well up in her eyes and fell miserably, broke into a woeful cry, made everyone became rather panic.
“Yulia!” Anise was the first to approach the girl, because her seat was closest to her. “Yulia, are you alright? Please don’t cry!”
“Yulia…Yulia wants with Luke, but…but Luke does not want with Yulia…” Yulia said between her sobs and sniffs. “Luke does not like Yulia. It makes Yulia doldrums!”
“Come here, sweetie. Don’t cry like that,” Natalia took the redheaded’s head into her embrace, petted the soft threads gently. “It’s alright. Luke likes Yulia too…I know he is.”
But Yulia was still crying it made Luke felt guilty. Tear also approached the girl and joined the effort to comfort her, but as far with no avail. Jade, didn’t pay much care for the girls’ business, stayed still on his seat, with his ears listening to all solaces they said. Guy actually wanted to help too, but he had to drive Cornelia so they can arrive to Nam Cobanda Island
Seeing her crying still like that, Luke had no choice but to approach her as well. With a subtle gesture, he asked Anise and Natalia to give him some space so he could be by her side as well. He grabbed her hands whose trembling because all the sobs and sniffs.
“Yulia…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that,” he said softly. “I just…don’t like it too much when you hold my arm like that. It makes me feel uneasy.”
Yulia glanced at Luke; eyes still welled up with tears. She watched as he continued. “It’s not like I don’t like you or I don’t want to stay with you. It’s just that…I can’t, for now. I have to go tend another business, but you can’t come along with us. So you have a place to say, and that is Nam Cobanda Island
“Why Yulia can not come?”
“Because…uh…it’s dangerous. And we don’t want you to get hurt, so…”
“…Will Luke stay with Yulia after that?”
Luke smiled warmly and nodded, confirming his words: “Sure.”
A happy smile was blooming on her lips. She let go of Natalia’s embrace and hugged Luke. “Thank you!” she cheered.
“Uh…okay, I appreciate it, but can you let go of me now?”
“Sure…” Yulia stopped hugging the male and smiled cutely, made everyone felt better. Tear, who was having a jealous feeling and dislikes her presence up until now, felt rather guilty to hate such fragile girl as she is.
Guy smirked, grateful that everything had settled down. At the same time, they had finally arrived to their destination. “Okay guys. Here we are, Nam Cobanda Island
Yulia’s eyes were widened in surprise.
The group had entered the town, and they could see the happiness on the redheaded’s face. She seemed joyful to see all the merriness in there. There were Katz, Kowz, Ant Lion Men, and other people wearing costumes. There were also games and funny traps that had been set for entertainment for the visitors and inhabitants. It was obvious that the girl now feel tempted to explore the place.
“See? I told you there’s lot of people here who will stay with you,” Luke said.
Yulia nodded. “Yulia likes!” she smiled happily.
“Yulia, c’mon! I’ll show you around!” Anise invited, grabbed the girl’s hand, and dragged her away, followed by Natalia.
“I’ll go find Noir and ask her to let Yulia stay,” Guy said, left the group together with Jade who will help him persuade the leader of the Black Dreams troupe.
That’s left Luke and Tear stood still on the entrance. They could see Anise turned on a trap and caused she stuck in a barrel, which made Yulia and Natalia laughed merrily. The redheaded male grinned, relieved that it seemed the girl had forgotten the incident on Cornelia. The brunette also smiled, though still felt rather guilty as she watched the naïve girl playing with the others, amused.
“She’s really like a sheltered kid who never set out to the outer world,” the Melodist commented. She chuckled when she noticed that her lover threw an annoyed glance at her. “I don’t mean to offense you.”
“Huh,” Luke folded his arms. However, his annoyance evaporated as they continued watching the three fooling around with the tricks and traps that was spread all over the town. “But yeah…she looks really excited. I guess we make the right choice to let her stay here. There’s lot of things that will keep her entertained…and lot of people who will keep watch on her.”
“Agreed.”
“Luke!” the female redheaded called out cheerily. She dragged a Katz all the way to the couple’s direction. “A cat!”
At that, Tear quickly blushed and forgotten everything. She always loves cute things, and the Katz was so cute in their costume. Her cheeks blushed and she knelt down, intending to pet the Katz’s head. Yulia giggled and followed the suit, and both girls went to their fantasy world where they could admire the cuteness to no end. Luke shook his head, sighed heavily as Anise and Natalia laughed from behind.
“My, my. It seems you’re captivated easily to Katz, eh?”
The group turned their head and saw a redheaded woman, garbed in red and black suits that revealed most of her appealing parts. Tailed behind her were Guy and Jade, and two older men wearing pirate-like costumes. They approached Luke and others, where the Viscount greeted her warmly.
“Long time no see, Noir.”
Noir giggled. “My, how the boy has grown. He seems to learn mannerism toward ladies, eh? Interesting…should we have a dinner tonight, hon?”
“Noir!” the two pirates behind the hussy chided, made the woman laughed.
“I’m just kidding. I know I will be killed if I do that, right Miss Melodist?”
Tear blushed slightly but her cold tone made her looks stronger. “I won’t possibly do anything like that unless you really have the intention. And my name is Tear, for your information.”
“Well, that’s not quite a matter,” the redheaded woman said. “So, I’ve heard the story from that handsome blondie over there. Because you have protected us and hired our services sometimes, I suppose we can’t refuse the request. We will take care of the girl for you.”
“Thank you so much,” Luke grinned. He tilted his head slightly to look at Yulia, who was obliviously didn’t comprehend the conversation. “Yulia, this woman is Noir. And that two behind her are York and Urushi. They’re in charge here. Go introduce yourself.”
The girl nodded obediently. She stepped forward and held out her hand, intending to do a shake hand as she did with Florian. “Yulia!” she said.
Though confused at first, Noir finally accepted the welcoming hand and both do a shake hand. “Just call me Noir.”
“Now that the problem solved, we should heading back to Daath. Who knows what will happen if we leave too long and the group had marched to the Cathedral once again?” Jade suggested, followed by everyone’s nods.
The group was heading out of the town to Cornelia. The Black Wings and Yulia escorted them, intending to say good byes. Guy, Natalia, Jade, and Anise went inside first; leaving Luke and Tear who now had to confront the redheaded girl and made sure she won’t cause any troubles in the Island .
“If you want anything, you can ask York or Urushi to help you. Understand?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t wander off without companions. Understand?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll be back, so make sure you follow everything that I said just now. Understand?”
“Yes.”
Tear chuckled. “Don’t worry too much, Luke. She’s a good girl, you don’t have to warn her like that,” she commented.
“Yes, Yulia is a good girl!” Yulia smiled.
“Well, okay then…good bye for now,” Luke grinned, left the redheaded female with the Black Wings, heading toward the Cornelia together with his lover.
The four looked the airship departed from the Island toward somewhere else, probably Daath. Yulia looked at the vehicle, which image getting smaller and smaller as it getting farther and farther from their current location. Noir shrugged and patted the girl’s shoulder, motioning for her to go inside with the rest of them.
Yulia strolled down on the town’s stages. She smiled funnily to see lots of Katz and Kowz wandering around, and she always tried everything that she could find there. Some inhabitants of the town helped her when she almost stuck in a trap. She really likes it here, though she felt rather lonely without Luke around.
Luke fon Fabre. She wondered why she liked his presence very much. It wasn’t love feelings. It was a strange feeling. She cared about him not like a special guy, but rather an important person…like a brother or sole relative. She was very grateful that he named her ‘Yulia’. She loved that name, for unknown reason. Despite the fact that she recalled nothing about herself, she appreciated the present she was through right now.
The redheaded then decided to take a rest. She was satisfied exploring the whole town and enjoying its merriness. There were lot of kind people, and she didn’t feel too lonely as well. It was then when she saw a green haired boy, wearing similar attire with the rest of the townspeople, approached her. Yulia looked up to her as he bent down, and their eyes met.
“Hello there. Are you new here?” he asked kindly.
She nodded. “Yes. Luke has to tend a business, and Yulia have to stay here because it is dangerous,” she explained like a naïve child.
“I see…Luke is your friend?”
“No…Luke is important. Yulia likes Luke.”
“Hmm…” the boy straightened his back and folded his arms, seemed deep in his thoughts. Then, a warmhearted smile curved on his lips as he said, “I think I know where Luke go. I can bring you to that place.”
“Really?” her emerald eyes shined at the mere offer.
“Yes, of course.”
Yulia stopped for thinking about it. Luke had warned her not to wander off without companion, and this boy had offered to accompany her. So it would be okay, right? “Thank you! Shall we?” she agreed constantly.
The boy nodded. He grabbed her hand and walked beside her. Both came out of the town, and wandered further off to the wilderness. There were monsters that roamed free on the island, but for unknown reason they didn’t try to attack those two. He finally led her to a big airship that was hidden behind a cliff. Some people garbed in white guarded the place. Once they saw them approached the location, they saluted and opened a path for them.
“What is this?” Yulia asked.
“This is my airship. We will use it to go to Luke’s place,” the boy explained.
They climbed onto the airship through the opened hatchet. Once they were inside, they were greeted by three people that wore black coats and white masks to conceal their identity. Those three, like the men outside, bowed a polite salutation for them.
“Welcome back, Master Canon,” the one who had a notable silvery hair greeted them.
“I’ve returned, Rhett. And I have capture the ‘Shinning One’ with me,” the called Canon said, glanced over at the girl next to him.
The three subordinates gazed over at the clueless redheaded. “Is she? She didn’t seem anything similar to Lady Yulia,” the person in the middle, who seemed to be a woman, turned her attention at the newly coming girl and continued with cynical tone, “Instead, she resembles that folly Fabre.”
“You can’t judge a book by its cover, Amelia. She maybe not resembles Yulia Jue, but she is her reincarnation, and she holds the very essence of Lorelei, so you have to be careful for your words. She is a precious treasure for us, the key to resurrect the Score. We have to protect her at any cost. Never more, they shall take her so they can hinder us. Understand?”
“Yes, sir!” the three replied almost immediately.
“Uhm…what are you talking about?” Yulia asked.
Canon smiled gently at her. “Worry not, Dear Yulia. We will bring you to Luke. Now, if you please follow Amasius? He will lead you to your chamber, where you can rest until we arrive to our destination.”
The mentioned Amasius, who was the one with few strands of golden hair hung over his mask, stepped up and inclined his head slightly to show his respect at her. “I shall be your guide for the time being. Shall we move to your chamber now, Lady Yulia?”
“Hmm…” she nodded hesitantly. She trusted the boy, but for a second there, she sensed something dangerous haunted her. She didn’t know what, but if she is to meet Luke, she has nothing to object.
Comments
Post a Comment