Brave Frontier Nonsense

A blog for short stories about the universe of the mobile phone game Brave Frontier

[summonertom]

Opening Up

    Shortly after Aisha and Amy flew off to have a nice lunch date, Arthur took to the Vortex Gate with a hunger for power in his eyes. He entered the halls of the Mecha Gods, and accepted the challenge of the Thunder God. It was a long battle, and arduous, but every time the god knocked all his units down, he brought them back to keep fighting. Finally, the party of Quaid, Ophelia, Rosetta, Lidith, and Elmedia (brought by an allied summoner) felled the Thunder Mecha God and it submitted to Arthur and his stubbornness. With this final piece in place, Arthur had all he needed to bring Eze to his full potential. A Seven-Star evolution, as logged in his S.C.D. Arthur continued to do missions as normal, and he went on several summoning binges in between.

    One day, after a long day of missions, Aisha came to Arthur’s room, armor dematerialized. The summoner often went right to bed after several assignments in a row, and this day was no different. The girl knocked on Arthur’s door, and received a groan in response. Since he was still awake, she took it as a sign to come in, and opened the door. He was lying on his back, still in his day clothes. “Arthur? Do you mind talking for a while?” Aisha’s tone was steady, almost apprehensive. Arthur looked up as best he could, then sat up slowly, moving back some to give Aisha room to sit. “Something up, Aisha?” She came over and sat beside him on the bed, though she didn’t look at him. The girl was quiet for a moment, then nodded. “Yes… I’ve noticed that you’ve been summoning units a lot lately… Sometimes even fusing old allies into new ones if they’re an evolved form… You already have Eze’s final form, what more do you want? Are your friends not strong enough to deal with that shield-toting harlot who harasses you? Am I not strong enough?” “… Aisha, my summoning frequency has nothing to do with Kaitlyn. We’re getting closer to completing our assignment, so…” “So what? You’re trying to get more powerful spirits to finish with a bang? Instead of doing what you’ve been doing these past few months and relying on the ones that have gotten you this far?” The dragoon was glaring at her summoner now, frustration clear in her eyes. “We’re coming across tougher opponents as we reach the end, so I need units with more power to help you and the others… I’m not trying to replace you. I wouldn’t do that.”

    “Arthur, what’s going to happen when we do complete our mission? Will you even need us anymore…?” “I don’t know what happens after, Aisha. There’s still plenty of demons left wandering the world in addition to the Four Fallen Gods… The Demon Slayers haven’t found all of them. As long as they’re still around… And if I can get in… We’ll still be together for a long while.” “And what if you don’t get in? What then? Will you have to retire? Will you not be allowed to use us anymore?” Aisha’s voice cracked a bit, but she cleared her throat to try and play it off as a dry throat or something. “If I can’t get in with the Demon Slayers… I’ll see if I can get a position working with Lin or Noel. I won’t let the hall make me retire.” The young man put a hand on his unit’s shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile. “I feel like you’re just trying to pacify me now…” “What’s exactly gotten into you lately? You’ve been real distant and just generally weird…”

    “I already lost one family to a war with the gods, Arthur!” She finally snapped, unable to contain her feelings any longer. “Do you remember Julep Village, in Amdahl? That was my home… And I was too late to protect it from the initial onslaught… Ever since you summoned me, I’ve strived to use my powers to protect you… This little village you call home became my home, too. I don’t want to see it fall to ruin… But every time you go on one of those Gate binges… I feel like you’re trying to replace me… Like I’m not useful to you anymore. I feel like all you care about is the power a spirit holds, or that this is some sort of collection hobby, or, gods forbid, you just like to ogle the ‘flavor of the month’ from those unofficial reports on new spirits…” As the girl spoke, a small tremor ran through her, and she wrapped her arms around herself to try and keep from flat out breaking down and crying right there. “I know there are others who’ve called my spirit from the gates… And despite the gravity of our situation, these few months with you have been, dare I say, the most fun I think I’ve ever had… The memories are cloudy sometimes, but I don’t remember enjoying myself in life as much as I have been here with you and the other spirits you’ve summoned… Not to mention Amy…

You’ve become like a little brother to me, Arthur… I don’t know what you think of me, but I only hope that I can keep doing what I’ve been doing right up to the end: keeping you safe,” Her voice cracked again, but all she could do now was choke back a sob.  The girl screwed her eyes shut and inclined her head. “Please don’t replace me… I don’t want to be too late to protect my family again…”

    Arthur just looked at his unit silently, amazed that she had bottled this up for so long. He sighed quietly, and pulled Aisha close to him, embracing her like a parent would a child. “Why didn’t you say something before…? If I’d known it bothered you this much, I would have cut back or stopped altogether. I didn’t mean to seem like I was trying to replace you, Aisha… You were the first Summon that I made on my own. All that I’ve done to make you who you are now… All that we’ve been through together…” The boy loosened his hold a bit as he felt Aisha’s arms press against his chest, giving her space to move them. The dragoon simply put her arms around her Summoner, and a small smile came to his face. “I would never dream of replacing you, sis…”

    She couldn’t hold it in anymore. Aisha tensed up slightly at hearing Arthur’s words, and she buried her face in his shoulder, using his robe to muffle her break down of tears and wails. The cloth sizzled slightly as her tears came into contact with it, but was unlikely to burst into flames, or even bear scorch marks. Arthur let her get it all out, though, gently stroking her hair to gradually coax her into calming down. The two sat there on his bed for some time, working through her episode without speaking. Once her bawling had been reduced to sniffles and the occasional hiccup, Arthur finally spoke. “Better…?” Aisha lifted her head from his shoulder, streaks of pink cutting down her flushed face from her eyes. “Yes… I… I think so…” She let go of Arthur and began to wipe away her tears. “Alright. Go and get some rest now, okay? We’ll go into the capital tomorrow and visit Ralis and Amy.” The girl nodded, getting up from Arthur’s bed. “Okay… Good night, Arthur,” She exited his room, and looked back as she stood in the doorway. “And… Thank you for listening…” She gave him a small smile before stepping out into the hall and closing his door behind her.

    Once Aisha had left, Arthur settled back down onto his back, looking up at the ceiling. “Hope mom and dad saw that from wherever they are…  Maybe they won’t have to worry about me so much now…” he muttered, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.

END

[summonertom]

lordhideakit did the art thing again. He is amazing. *^*

[vayreceane]

Shera~ for twitter’s one hour challenge!

[summonertom]

This is some bad-ass work right here.

[summonertom]

Character Notes- Arthur

BASICS Full Name: Arthur Thompson Irevaan Gender: Male Age: 19 Birthday: June 7th Orientation: [Unknown] Occupation: Summoner in the Akras Summoner Army

PHYSICAL NOTES Hair Color: Raven Black Hair Style: Short and unkempt Eye Color: Brown Skin: Caucasian Build: Slim Scars/Marks: A deep, gash-like scar along the right side of his neck Height: 5′11″ Weight: 135 lbs. Outfit: An open-front red and silver robe with a cloud pattern over a white shirt, black slacks, brown boots, steel bracers on his forearms, and a dark green scarf to cover up his scar.

COMBAT Combat Style: Caster (Primary element is Water, secondary is Earth) Weapon(s): A staff with blade attachments.

UNITS BY APPEARANCE 1. Drake Angel Aisha- Max level, Lord Type (was Drake Chief Aisha in first appearance) 2. Ice Angel Sergio- Max Level, Guardian Type (was Sergio in first appearance) 3. Lily- No longer in the army, fused to Sergio. 4. Commander Weiss- Max Level, Anima Type (was Strategist Weiss in first appearance) 5. Claris- No longer in the army, fused to Sergio. 6. Sea King Mega- Level 99, Oracle Type. 7. Unflinching Themis- Max Level, Anima Type 8. Sky Emperor Grafl- Max Level, Guardian Type 9. Gun God Douglas- Level 12, Breaker Type (was Gun King Douglas in first appearance) 10. Jewel Floret Rosetta- Level 42, Guardian Type (was Floret Petal Rosetta in first appearance) 11. Ruin Goddess Zellha- Max Level, Guardian Type 12. Gemini Kagamine Rin- Level 71, Anima Type 13. Clavier Kagamine Len- Max Level, Anima Type 14. Hot Chef Lancia- Max Level, Breaker Type 15. Goddess Hatsune Miku- Max Level, Guardian Type 16. Aquamancer Kuhla- Max Level, Anima Type

VISUALS

Art shown here was not done by me, but a friend, who is also Ralis’s creator. You can find him at http://lordhideakit.tumblr.com/.

[summonertom]

Brave Frontier Shenanigans: Penny for your thoughts? A BFN Short

It had quickly become customary for Arthur to invite Ralis and his units over to the village so that Amy and Aisha had a chance to hang out and do what girlfriends did. It also gave Ralis and Arthur time to catch up, as well as opportunities for Ralis to help Arthur with his life dream. What that dream exactly was, Aisha had no clue. Whatever it was, it required intense physical training. She’d have to ask Arthur about it later, after Ralis and Amy had gone home. Beyond that, however, there were other concerns on the dragoon’s mind. Her mind began to wander, and she was only snapped back into reality after a harmless little shock from Amy. “Penny for your thoughts, dear?” Amy asked, having brought Aisha back into focus. Aisha sighed quietly, and laid back on the grassy plain she had brought Amy to. “Sorry, Amy. My mind was elsewhere.” Amy laid next to her on her side, looking at the girl curiously. “Is something the matter?” Aisha nodded and put one arm around Amy, causing the other girl to scoot closer. “I wouldn’t say there’s something wrong, exactly… But I do have some concerns.” “Tell me.”

Aisha was quiet for a moment, collecting her thoughts. “Well, our army has grown quickly as of late, both in power and size. I’ve been given a break from the front lines, but I don’t know how well this Quaid fellow is fairing, not to mention Rin.” “Uh-huh…” “Ophelia and Rosetta recently achieved their final forms, and Arthur’s been working with them to increase their power. I don’t know what Arthur’s planning, but whatever it is requires powerful Earth units.” “Perhaps he’s building up a suitable force to take on the Mecha Gods? You did tell me you went through once and that you were wrecked rather fast.” Aisha nodded again, and rubbed Amy’s back a moment. “That could be it… Though there’s one other thing that bothers me.” “What is it?” “Arthur has been summoning new units with alarming frequency… In the past two days or so, we’ve gone from forty-nine to fifty-seven strong, not counting the bulbs and mimics Arthur’s holding on to.”

“You did mention a Demon Slayer before… One that ignores you and whoever else is with him. Maybe he’s trying to build power to defeat them? That would explain the summoning binge, and… whatever he and Ralis do.” “Perhaps…” Aisha closed her eyes and relaxed in the field, the arm around Amy going a bit slack. “It’s all just rather concerning.” Amy’s brow furrowed for a moment, and she moved into Aisha’s lap, sitting up and looking down at her. She kept herself balanced by placing her hands on the other girl’s stomach. “You’re worrying too much, Aisha. It’s uncharacteristic of you.” Aisha opened her eyes, and a tinge of color came to her cheeks as she looked up at Amy. “And you seem a bit bolder than usual…” “Well your spirits seem to be down, so one of us has to be gung-ho and adventurous. Now how about we hitch a ride on your dragon and get something to eat in the capital? We can check out that new seafood place that opened up.”

“I…” Aisha paused, then shook her head. “No, you’re right. I need to get myself out of this emotional funk I’ve worked myself into.” The dragoon sat up swiftly, gathering Amy up in her arms before leaping to her feet, to which the other girl squeaked in surprise at. She set Amy back down on her own feet, then gave her a quick kiss on the lips before whistling for her dragon. Amy stood there stunned for a moment after the kiss, and a smile soon came to her face. ‘There we go… That’s my girl.’ She thought, even as she was pulled onto the large lizard by the hand. END

[summonertom]

A Day in the Life of a Summoner

Arthur woke up face-down in bed, with an unnatural weight on him. He turned his head slightly, and saw the Kagamine twins sprawled out on his bed. And on top of him. They must have snuck in some time in the night because one of his dark units was terrorizing them. He sighed, and wriggled around under his covers. His movements swiftly brought the two blonde-haired units to a state of barely waking delirium, and they got off after waking up. The two gave him a ‘Morning, Summoner’ in tired, unified voices. Len yawned and shuffled out of the room, Rin following behind. The summoner followed suit, heading for his bathroom instead of out of the room. The first thing that greeted him was his reflection in the mirror. His short, black hair was sticking up on one side, and he noticed a bit of crust in the corner of his eyes. Arthur rubbed it out quickly and blinked, his vision clearing up. There was a scar along the right side of his neck, which he remembered getting from his trips to get Xenon. The young man yawned, then shambled off to his shower. After his morning wake-up, Arthur threw on his usual attire- a white shirt, black slacks, brown boots, and an open-front red robe with a silver trim. Feeling more alert now, he headed out of his room to face the day. His first stop was the kitchen, where he found Lancia (cooking as normal), Mega (passed out drunk), and Miku. “Oh! Good morning, Summoner!” Miku exclaimed, giving him a little wave. Arthur returned the wave and smiled, then turned to Lancia. Miku never called Arthur by his name, always Summoner. It didn’t bother him much, but it was kind of odd when everyone else called him Arthur or Tom. “Lancia, what’s for breakfast?” “Orc. Mega found a couple of them wandering near the village this morning. Why let it go to waste?” Lancia replied, gesturing to the alcoholic pirate king. “Yum, fried p’orc…” Arthur muttered, taking a seat. “Did you sleep alright, Summoner?” “Kind of. Rin and Len snuck into my room last night and I woke up to them sprawled on top of me this morning.” “Ah, I see. Well, I’m sure they didn’t mean to give you much discomfort.” Arthur nodded, and Lancia brought over two plates of orc steak for the summoner and Diva. “Mm. Yeah, they mean well.” “So what are you doing today, Summoner?” Miku asked, digging right in to her meal. I’m heading into the capital to visit Ralis and pick up a Jewel Gate key. I wanna build up our reserves of cash.” Arthur replied, starting to eat as well. “Sounds fun. Why not take the twins with you? It would be a good idea to spend some time with them, what with that… new woman showing up.” Lancia chimed in. She must have been referring to Lily Matah, a more recent summon of Arthur. She wasn’t the friendliest of people, and was probably the reason that the twins showed up in his room. “Probably wouldn’t be a bad idea… I’ll adjust squad one while I’m thinking about it.” Arthur retrieved his S.C.D. (Summoner Communication Device) and began fiddling with it as he ate, making changes to his main squad. A faint ding rang through the air, and Lancia got a sudden glow around her. “Wait, you’re taking me with you?” Lancia asked, surprised. Arthur shrugged, and put the S.C.D. away. “And Douglas, the twins, and Kuhla. You’re one of the few units I have that can heal. We may run into some trouble while we’re out. I’m taking precautions. Miku, make sure Aisha stays out of trouble while I’m gone, okay?” Arthur said, getting up from the table and straightening his robe. Miku nodded, giving him a salute. “Yes, sir!” “Good girl. See you later.” Arthur left the kitchen, and Lancia followed behind. The two went off to gather the others, and Mega snapped awake a minute after they left. “Eh? Sumthin’ haben…?” Mega asked in a drunken slur. “Nothing important, Mega-san.” Miku replied, patting the pirate’s back. “Mm…” Mega simply nodded and put his head back down on the table. “Arthur, Arthur, can we go shopping while we’re in the capital? I saw this really pretty dress on the network the other day!” Rin was hovering alongside Arthur as the summoner and the rest of his squad walked through the streets, and she was practically zipping around in excitement. “No, Rin, we’re tight on money right now. We’re only here to visit Ralis and get a Jewel Key from the Administration office.” Arthur replied, looking around a bit. It had been a while since he was in the capital, so he wanted to make sure he didn’t get lost. “Can we go shopping after we use the key, then? I get hungry after a mission…” Len said, beside Arthur with his arms behind his head. “My cooking is much better than anything in the capital! And free, too!” Lancia exclaimed from behind Arthur. “Calm down, Lan. He’s a kid, so he’s going to think fast food over a home cooked meal.” Douglas added, putting a hand on the chef’s shoulder should she decide to take off after the boy.  Lancia grumbled and brushed Douglas’s hand off her shoulder. “Tell you what Rin, Len. If we make a lot of money at the Jewel Parade, I’ll take you guys to the arcade after. Alright?” Arthur had to offer some kind of compromise. He figured the arcade was something that would appeal to both of them. “Okay!” They said in unison. Arthur always thought it was weird how they could do that so flawlessly. Either way, it seemed his proposal was acceptable. After a few minutes of backtracking, Arthur finally found Ralis’s apartment. He knocked on the door, but no answer came. A minute passed, and he knocked again. This time, the door opened, and Ophelia was standing there. “Oh. Hello, Arthur. We weren’t expecting you today.” “Just thought I’d stop by while I was in the capital. Is Ralis home?” “He’s in the bath. I’ll tell him you stopped by, though.” “Alright. Thanks, Ophelia.” Arthur waved to the green haired unit and began walking away. Ophelia waved back and closed the door after Arthur started to leave. Ralis emerged from elsewhere in the apartment soon after, in nothing but a bathrobe and drying his hair. “Who was at the door, Ophelia?” Ralis asked, glancing at the woman past the towel. “Your boyfriend. I told him you were cleaning up, so he left. My guess is he’ll come by later.” Ophelia replied, smirking. “But I don’t have a… Oh you cheeky wench.” Ralis glared at his unit, and all she did was cackle. Arthur heard the cackle down the hall, but he didn’t think on it for long. Once Arthur and his squad exited Ralis’s apartment building, they made their way to the administration office, and Arthur picked up the newly delivered Jewel key. From the office, Arthur called up the Vortex Gate and stepped through, activating the key as he entered. He quickly checked his inventory through his S.C.D., selected an unknown Summoner’s Grahdens as the assist, and entered the Jewel Parade with his squad. Rin and Len were the most excited of the six units there, plowing through the Jewel Ghosts and Kings with reckless abandon. Every time a Jewel creature was captured, it was almost like Christmas. Soon they came to the fifth battle of the parade, the Grand Finale, and at the end was a Jewel God. Arthur used an Ares Flute before letting the units go to make sure there was plenty of Brave Crystals. Then he had Grahdens use his Brave Burst, followed in quick succession by Douglas, Kuhla, Rin, and Len. None of the units were heavily damaged, so he had Lancia attack normally. That vicious combo wasn’t quite enough to beat the God in one turn, but it was nearly down. The secondary effect of Kuhla’s burst in combination with the Ares Flute yielded enough buildup in the Brave Gauges of Rin and Len that they could use their Bursts again. Since they were the most eager fighters this mission, Arthur had them both use their bursts to finish the God off. With a loud groan, the large slime fell and burst into a shower of light, leaving behind a soul that soon flew into Arthur’s S.C.D.  Rin and Len were jumping around in joy as the parade ground faded away, and the other units were congratulating each other’s work. Grahdens returned to his summoner without a word, and soon enough, they were back in the Summoner’s Hall Administration Office.

“Arthur, Arthur, we did it! We beat the parade! There was so much money!” Rin exclaimed. Len fistpumped, grinning. “Arcade, here we come!” “Settle down, guys, settle down. I still have to deal with the Jewel blobs,” Arthur said, fiddling with his S.C.D. more. After a moment, the young summoner had sold off all the Jewel units, netting even more money. “There we go. Now we can go. Lancia, Douglas, Kuhla. You can go home if you want.” “Right. See you when you get back, Arthur.” Lancia said, vanishing in a blink of red light. Douglas followed her in a flash of green, and Kuhla in a flash of blue. Now alone with Arthur, the twins started pulling him towards the arcade. “Come on! Before the close!” “Hurry, hurry!” Hours passed, and the twins got their fill of fun. They exited the arcade with Arthur, and he called up a gate to home for the sake of convenience. Rin and Len ran through, carrying bags of goodies they won, and Arthur followed them slowly, yawning. The gate closed behind the summoner, and he made his way to his house, just wanting to lay down. Aisha came up beside him as he walked, and tapped his arm. “Arthur, may I borrow your communication device?” She asked, armor dematerialized. Arthur passed it to her without a word. She probably wanted to call Amy or something. He didn’t mind. The young man entered his home and shuffled through its hallways, giving tired waves to units as he passed them. Finally, he reached his room. Slipping in, he closed the door behind him as he entered it, and made straight for the bed, flopping down onto it. Arthur passed out soon after his head hit the pillow, the sign of a long day. Sometime in the late hours of the night, Rin and Len slipped into their summoner’s room. He was sprawled out in the middle of his bed, sleeping peacefully. Quietly, the twins snuck into bed on either side of him and curled up, soon falling asleep next to him. END

[summonertom]

Tea Time

It had once again been a while since the last notably strange thing occurred with Tom’s Army. Today, Tom had invited Ralis and his main squad over to his ‘base’ for drinks and snacks. This little visit would also allow Aisha and Amy to spend some time together, as they hadn’t done so much since Valentine’s Day. The cyan haired young man came up to the little village Tom called home on horseback, and hopped off, tying his ride to a fence post and entering the place. Tom was standing near the gate, ready to greet his friend. “Thanks again for inviting me and my squad over, Arthur! It’s not often we get to relax like this.” Ralis said, taking Tom’s hand for a handshake. “Not a problem, Ralis. I figured the both of us could use a break. With the crazy stuff we have to deal with, it’s nice to sit back once in a while.” Tom replied, shaking Ralis’ hand, letting go shortly after and guiding him further into the village. “True, true! Ah, let me call my units real quick.” Ralis stopped suddenly, clearing his throat and muttering an incantation while making small gestures with his arms. A giant golden door materialized above him, and his main squad came spilling out as soon as the door opened. First came Amy, then Heidt, Falma, Ophelia, and lastly Eve. Unlike Ralis, who probably didn’t have much room on his base, Tom had his army summoned at all times, most staying back in the village while Tom takes whatever squad out on a mission. When all Ralis’ units were out, the door vanished.           

“Well, now that the gang’s all here, let’s go get some food. I had Lancia whip some stuff up earlier today.” Tom led Ralis over to a pavilion-like area while the units were allowed to wander off. Falma just milled about aimlessly, until he spotted a familiar face. “GRAFL!” The Sky Emperor turned his head at the sound of his name being called, and his eyes lit up when he saw who it was. “FALMA!” The two men ran at each other like lightning bolts crashing together, which is what they did. They slammed into each other and fell over like a couple of idiots, but they were laughing. Heidt walked by the Sky Homos with a sort of ‘Why Me’ look on his face as he passed, but the gunner soon came upon Douglas. Happy to see another gunner, he began speaking with Douglas about the wondrous devices. Ophelia had chosen to occupy herself by talking with Rosetta, a new addition to Tom’s team. Eve, meanwhile, had engaged Mega in a drinking contest. This left Amy with nobody to talk to. She didn’t know many of Tom’s units, and Aisha was nowhere to be seen. At least, Amy couldn’t find the other girl. She didn’t notice Aisha sneaking up behind her until it was too late. The Drake Angel leapt at Amy from behind, wrapping her arms around the other girl in a hug as they toppled over. Amy was only able to give a surprised yelp as the two fell down. “Hello, Amy! It is good to see you again!” Aisha said, a large smile on her face. “Hello Aisha… You seem excited.” Amy replied, giving the dragoon a sheepish smile in return. “I am indeed!” Aisha released Amy and got off her, then helped her up off the ground. “We have not seen each other for some time, so why would I not be excited to see you again?” “Ah… Yes, that’s true. So, is there anything you’d like to do?” Amy brushed some dirt off her armor as she spoke, then spotted a blade of grass in Aisha’s hair. She plucked the offending foliage out of the other girl’s crimson locks without saying anything, and Aisha didn’t react to this odd little act. “Hmm… Well, there is a waterfall near the mountains over there,” Aisha said, pointing out the mass of rocks and the waterfall. “Why don’t we get some food and have a little picnic over there?”       

“That sounds like a lovely idea.” Amy took Aisha by the hand and walked over to the pavillion with her. Lancia doubled as the army’s chef, so whenever she cooked, there was enough to feed at least two armies and then some.  As they approached, they overheard Ralis and Tom speaking, but quickly tuned them out as they gathered some food, plates, and napkins. They grabbed mostly finger foods to avoid using up the silverware, and were gone before the two boys really noticed they were there. As the two walked, Amy was rather quiet. “… Is something the matter, Amy?” Aisha asked, turning back to look at the other girl. “I was just wondering… Well, I overheard Ralis calling your summoner Arthur… I thought his name was Tom?” “His middle name is Thomas, yes. His first name is Arthur. He doesn’t mind going by either, but most often than not we just call him Tom or Summoner.” “Ah… Alright then. Clears that up, I suppose.” Amy nodded, and the two eventually reached the riverside by the waterfall. The two dematerialized their armor, Amy being in a grey jacket over an orange dress with black boots, and Aisha being in a simple black tee with jeans and sneakers.   

“Oh, that looks adorable on you, Amy!” Amy smiled and a tinge of color came to her cheeks. “Thank you, Aisha. You look very charming, yourself.” The two girls went back and forth, talking and complimenting each other, enjoying a nice meal by the water. However, Aisha noticed a sandwich crumb on Amy’s cheek. Instead of pointing it out or removing it with a napkin like a normal person, she decided to be flirty. “Amy, you have something on your face.” “I do?” The Palmynan girl brought a hand up to remove the offending ‘something’. “Where is it?” “I’ll get it, just stay still,” Aisha moved closer to Amy, causing her to lean back slightly in confusion. As quick as a sword stroke, the Drake Angel placed a little kiss on the other girl’s cheek, in doing so removing the crumb. Aisha sat back with a smile and the faintest blush, soon returning to her food. “Got it.” Amy, meanwhile, was stunned, and visibly flustered. She took a deep breath, waiting for Aisha to finish chewing, before enacting a response. “Um… Aisha… You have a… a thing on your lip.” “Mm?” Aisha, like Amy did before, rose a hand to get the thing. Amy just shook her head and scooted closer to Aisha. The Ahmdal girl smiled and lowered her hand, awaiting Amy’s corrective action. Unlike Aisha, Amy took a little time with the ‘removal’, but worked up the nerve to place a kiss on Aisha’s lips. It was at this moment, another unit decided to be a douche. Zellha, who was lurking in the bushes and spying on the two girls, saw this intimate moment as a perfect time to strike. The Ruin Goddess leapt from the bushes, and, in a very cliche manner, shouted “BOO!” behind Aisha. It was a known fact that Aisha was very jumpy if you caught her by surprise. Today was no exception. Aisha did indeed jump, but she was still kissing Amy at the moment. The two toppled over into the water, and Amy released a static discharge in surprise. Again, while they were still kissing. This elicited a rather unexpected response from Aisha, thankfully muffled by the kiss the two girls were seemingly locked in, and loud, raucous laughter from Zellha. The Drake Angel found the resolve to break away from her moment of bliss, and rose from the water. She re-materialized her armor and gave a sharp whistle. This soon caused Aisha’s dragon to swoop down from the mountains, who then spirited Zellha away mid-hyena laugh. The armor was once again de-materialized, and her clothes were still wet. “Um… You said Arthur has a Homusubi in his army, right?” Amy asked, after climbing out of the water with Aisha. “Yes… Yes, I did. Why do you ask?” Aisha seemed a little annoyed now, and rightfully so. “Well, maybe we could convince it to dry us off? Perhaps in the mountains where that goddess can’t get to us?” Amy suggested, smiling at Aisha. Aisha smiled back, and nodded. “That sounds ideal. Come on, I’ll show you where the grump usually stays.” END

[summonertom]

Star-Crossed Hearts (Or, why there should be a rule about telling your units of certain traditions you hold)

It had been many months after the fire sneeze incident, as some in Tom’s army now called it. Since then, the army had grown in size, and power. Some members were gone, and they are missed, but the army pressed on. Aisha was now fully evolved, her full name according to the unit guide being Drake Angel Aisha. She was much fierier than her previous forms, and Tom found this amusing. Especially since she and Mega, who was now also fully evolved, would have regular spars/adventures in down-time. The two had just gotten back from annihilating a small horde of Gloomies that were threatening to eat some crop, and they were relaxing. Idle banter, mostly, but as Tom passed the two, likely on his way to check on Themis or Zellha, Mega stopped him. “Oi! Summoner, what ye be doin’ for the swiftly approachin’ Day of Hearts? I’ve never seen ye with a lass, so it’s got me curious!” “Day of Hearts…? Oh, you mean Valentine’s Day. I don’t really do anything, it’s just another day for me.” Tom replied. The sudden question struck him as odd, but Mega was kind of weird to begin with so he thought nothing more of it. “I see! A shame, for I’m sure that ye could get a lass or two on yer arm if ye tried.” “Yeah, well, we have work to do, Mega, so I’m not too concerned with it.” “Understandable. As ye were, matey!” Tom nodded and went on his way, leaving Aisha and Mega alone again.       

“What is this Day of Hearts, Mega? Is it a holiday of some kind?” Aisha asked, now curious of things herself. “Aye, lass! A holiday of romance! Accordin’ to our fine Summoner, the Day of Hearts, or Valentine’s Day as it’s called in his world, is a day opportune fer wooing those you fancy, usually with red flowers or chocolates fer the common folk, and larger things fer those with plenty of booty.” “Hm… I see! I wish to try this!” Mega laughed a bit, finding no possible downside to this situation. “Very well! With me as yer first mate, Aisha, nobody will be able to resist yer courtin’! Now, uh… Who be it that the Drake Angel has her crimson eyes locked on?” “Well, you know of Amy, yes? From Ralis’s army?” “Blonde girl what with the giant pole-arm?” “Yes, that’s her.” “Huh. I figured ye were one fer those of a more shockin’ inclination, but I never took ye for one who enjoyed the finer things in life. No offense, o’course.” Aisha shook her head. “None taken. If you will excuse me, I’m off to go buy some chocolates and other things!” With that, Aisha hopped upon her dragon and flew off for the Imperial Capital.       

Upon the fated day, Tom had secured a visit to the Jewel Parade, because money had suddenly become a little tight. As a test, he sent only Aisha and Mega in with Themis as a support, and Amy, courtesy of Ralis. Most of the fights breezed by, but things dragged a little in the last fight. The group had already done away with the Jewel God, all that were left were three Jewel Ghosts. “If ye don’t act now, ye won’t get another chance. Ralis changes his first mate on a dime, so next time we work with him, we might get Heidt or Ophelia or somebody. Go, now!” Mega urged, cleaving through a Jewel Ghost. “Right!” Aisha jabbed another ghost through the cap, and moved back to ally lines. “Are you doing alright, Aisha? You seem distracted…” Amy asked, standing behind her and her dragon. Aisha jumped a bit in her seat, but turned around to look at the Palmynan girl. “Ah, yes, I’m fine! And how are you this fine day?” “Alright, I suppose… It’s not often I get to work with your group as a representative from Ralis. He can be so indecisive at times…” Amy said, sighing quietly. Seemed she wasn’t too pleased about not being a Leader often. “I see, I see… Well, I think I have something to cheer you up!” Aisha said. As she and Amy were talking, Themis had been slimed by a ghost, and Mega had to murder it so Themis didn’t accidentally waste her Burst in her flustered state. Meanwhile, Tom was just watching the whole ordeal, confused. Amy looked up at Aisha, watching as she grabbed a bag from the back of her dragon then hopped off, now eye level with the others.       

“You… have something? For me?” Amy asked, now confused. “Yes!” Aisha opened up the bag, presenting a large box of chocolates and a card to the other girl. “Since it is the Day of Hearts, or Valentine’s Day as the Summoners know it, I picked these chocolates up for you in the Imperial Capital the other day. The shopkeep assured me they were made with an old Amdahl recipe, so they will be undoubtedly wonderful, much like yourself!” Tom fought back a snicker at this display, greatly amused by the affair. A smile came to Amy’s face, and she took the chocolates with a gracious nod. “Thank you, Aisha… I regret not having anything to give you in return, but I am truly grateful for this gift!” Aisha gave a small dismissive wave. “No need to trouble yourself, Amy. Your smile is plenty.” “Awww…” Themis reflexively blurted out. Mega gave her a light thwack on the shoulder as a gesture to hush up. Tom was still trying to contain his laughter. Amy’s smile grew wider, and a faint blush came to her cheeks. “Since we seem to be done… Would you mind sharing a few of these with me before I have to go back to Ralis?” Aisha smiled now, and nodded. “It would be my pleasure, Amy.”                                                               

END

[summonertom]

Aisha gets a cold (Or, how Weiss learned to go Digital)

“AH-CHOO!” Tom looked over at the Drake Chief, and raised an eyebrow at her. “Uh… You gonna be okay there, Aisha?” he asked. The young summoner and his squad had been walking through the ruins for some time now, accompanied by Heidt, courtesy of Ralis.

Aisha nodded, sniffling a bit. “Yes, I will be fine. It is just allergies.” She said, sounding more nasally than normal. Tom looked at her for a moment longer, then shrugged. He seemed to be okay with this answer, and Aisha was relieved somewhat. Truth be told, all those runs to recruit Stya had netted Aisha a cold, and she’d been off her game since. Hopefully it would pass soon. She had always had a strong immune system, but when she did get sick, she got really sick.

Heidt tapped Sergio on the shoulder to get his attention. “’Ey, snowglobe. What’s up with Joan of Arc?” He asked in a southern drawl. Sergio simply shrugged. “I don’t know. A cold, I think? We were going through an ice zone quite a bit before hitting the ruins. I always thought Fire-types couldn’t get colds.” “Shessh. Hope a lil’ bug don’t throw ‘er off ‘er A-Game. Know what I mean?” “Yeah. She should be fine though. Aisha’s one of our better fighters. Doesn’t go down easy.” Aisha perked up some, hearing Heidt and Sergio talking. “It’s not a cold!” she called. Sergio waved dismissively, as if he was saying ‘Whatever you say’. Aisha scowled a bit, but then she felt a hand patting her shoulder. She looked over and saw Lily floating lazily alongside her.

“Relax a little, darling. Let the boys blather on. If you say it’s just allergies getting you more stuffed than Liza’s bra, then its allergies. I’ll admit, it is quite dusty in these ruins.” The Magician gave Aisha a small smile, and Aisha nodded in return. “Thank you, Lily. At least somebody on this team sees reason. Fire-types can’t get colds. That’s just ridiculous.” She nodded more, certain of her statement. Lily chuckled quietly and floated on ahead. Meanwhile, Tom was up in the front, with Weiss beside him and Claris on his back. “We should probably stop soon to discuss strategy. It’s important to have a plan before heading into battle.” “That it is, Weiss. Why don’t we stop now?” Tom suggested. Weiss thought a moment, then nodded. “Yes. That seems like a good idea.”

Tom held up a fist, arm making a 90 degree angle.  At that moment, everyone came to a halt. He turned around to face the rest of the squad. “Alright, we’re making camp here for a bit to talk shop. Weiss has the floor, as our general tactician.” Tom took a step away, and Claris hopped off his back as Weiss stepped forward. “Lily, a table, please,” Weiss said, pulling rolls of paper out of his sleeve. Lily nodded and waved her hand, a table appearing to the side. Weiss nodded in thanks and walked over to it, laying out maps and such on the table. “Right, everyone, gather around. This shouldn’t take too long,” he waved everyone over, and they circled up around the table. “Okay, so, based on the creatures that have appeared earlier on in the ruins, we should be prepared for primarily Light, Fire, and Water types. Namely Angels, Orthos, and Ramia. There might be the occasional Pegasus or something, but mild deviation from the pattern shouldn’t be a problem.”

As Weiss continued to talk, Aisha felt a tickle in her nose. She scrunched it, and covered her mouth, trying to fake a yawn. “Ah…” Claris looked over at Aisha. “You okay, Ai?” Aisha nodded, keeping her mouth covered. The tickle wasn’t going away. “Just- Ah… - little tired.” Claris nodded and turned her attention back to Weiss. He was going off about possible end-mission encounters, and that damn tickle wasn’t going away. And now there was heat at the back of her throat. ‘Wait. Heat? Oh no. No no no. Please no.’ she thought. Her eyes widened. Now Weiss looked over at her. “Drake Chief? Is something wrong?” “Ah… CHOO!!!” Aisha sneezed loudly and harshly, and with it came a spout of fire that struck the table. She staggered a bit from the force, and the papers were incinerated. Everyone else looked at the stumbling warrior, surprised at what happened. Sergio, Lily, Claris, and Heidt all burst into raucous laughter.

Weiss looked at the ashes on the table and flopped forward, head hitting the table and piles of burned dust with a soft thunk, groaning into the remnants of his work. Tom looked at everyone and chuckled, patting Weiss on the back. “Tom. When this mission is over, I want to go to the Imperial City.” Weiss said, speaking in a somewhat quiet voice. “Why’s that, Weiss?” “I want a tablet device where I can store all my tactical data. If this happened again, I don’t know what I’d do with myself.” The tactician said, now just sounding defeated. Tom laughed and ruffled Weiss’s hair. “Alright. We can get you a tablet for strategy stuff.” He said. The young summoner was about to walk away, but he felt a tapping on his shoulder. Tom turned, to see Aisha standing there, looking down and rather timid, which was odd. “I… I think I might have a cold.” She said, glancing up at him with a sniffle.

END