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Months have passed since Vira became one with Luminera. While everyone was concerned for a while, life has returned normal for everyone on the Grandcypher. Well, everyone except Vira.
"Again... today..."
Vira wakes up apathetically. After the event she stopped having nightmares, but instead her nights were plagued by a strange dream, a memory she keeps reliving.
"You don't need to bottle up your feelings for the sake of others anymore," Captain whispered.
"We love you for who you are, Vira. And that's all you need to be."
"Why did they have to be the one to say those words... Why, for someone like me."
Getting out of bed, the normally firm crew-mate finds herself dragging her feet across the floor and stumbling out to the deck where the cheery girl in blue greets her daily.
"Good morning Vira!" she excitedly states, like she hadn't seen her in months
"G-Good morning Lyria."
"Are you doing okay? You've really looked awful the past week. Do you want something to eat?"
"Again Lyria, I'm well enough that I don't need a kid to worry about me. I only need my wonderful Katalina to cheer me up. Ha....ha"
Her laugh that used to make the others ears ring is drowsy and weak. Lyria knows that she hasn't been feeling well since Gran left almost 2 weeks ago, but decides not to pry as Vira continues to walk on.
Today the ship is docked at Zinkenstill as request of Vira, stating that if she spends time at the Azure Sky Passage that she and Luminera will get stronger. However, she just really wanted the time to stroll away from everyone else. She doesn't want to be a burden and really wants to get along with others as equals, so her plan is to clear her head and then return to the rest of the crew before night falls.
Standing at the Azure gate, Vira lifts her right arm up and creates a pathway to deeper into the stars until she reaches a small grassy plain. After reaching it, she sighs and sits on the edge, gazing as the clouds surround her legs and the stars are replaced by a bright sunny sky. To her, the clouds seem grey and the skies even dimmer.
"Ah, if only my beautiful Katalina was here" she sighed
"And what good would that do you?"
As if the world had heard her cries, Vira swiftly turns around and notices the beautiful soldier in armor behind her, one hand on her hip.
"A-ah Katalina! Why are you here? Actually, that doesn't matter, I'm glad you're here to enjoy this beautiful view with me!"
Katalina responds with a sigh. "If it's so beautiful, then why would you have a need to sigh."
Vira is shocked at how perceptive her "sister" who used to only think about life as a soldier has become.
"Yes, well... in all honesty I haven't been myself recently. Ah! It's nothing you should worry about, I just... need to talk with the person most important to me in the world. Lucky me, she's right here in front of me! Won't you have a sit and spend time with me Katalina?"
After giving her such an honest approach, Vira waits expectantly for Katalina to come over, but she doesn't budge and crosses her arms.
"Seriously, that may have worked if I didn't know much about you or hadn't learned so much about the world, but you should give me more credit than that. Look Vira, you spent so much time opening up to the others and finally you even accepted others on the crew as your equal and spend time with them, but now you just look pathetic. Why are you trying so hard to bottle it all up again and become the old you? Are you afraid of changing that much?"
"I have no idea what you're saying Katalina, even though I acknowledge everyone on the crew, you're still the one I love the most!"
"Sorry, but you're not getting out of this one. Just look at the sky and see what your heart truly feels."
Confused, Vira turns around and gazes up the sky, and almost gasps at the shock that caused her body to tingle. The sky looks the exact same as it did since she got here, dim and unhappy.
"It's still the same... but it always used to be better with you around..."
"Have you realized it yet? I'm sure you have, but your mind refuses to accept it. I can't stand to see you do this to yourself after coming this far, I don't want you to rob yourself of happiness. Now come on Vira, you came to Zinkenstill for a reason. Come and tell me who you really want to talk to right here, right now!"
"I-I...I"
Of course, she didn't even need to think about it. The one she wanted to see all this time was...
"I wish Gran was here!!!"
...
After screaming those words out with a thunderous voice, Katalina smiles at Vira for the first time today.
"See, it's much better to be honest with yourself. Well, I'm heading out for now, but you should really grant a young woman's request if she starts to tear up just asking it, Captain"
As she walks away on the star bridge back to the Grandcypher, she looks back to the stone wall Katalina was standing in front of, and from behind it Gran walks out, just enough so they can see each other.
...
...
...
They spend a while just staring at each other, and while Vira is shocked, Gran scratches their head and tries their best to think of what to say.
...
"Y-yo Vira"
Taken aback by their words, Vira snaps to attention and finally starts to speak, albeit somewhat stiffly.
"Ah Captain, what brings you here?"
"Don't you remember? I came here because there might've been a clue about the Astrals in the Azure Sky Sanctuary"
Vira had completely forgotten
"Oh right, yes I remembered clearly. Anyways, the Grandcypher is docked at the village, so you can go say hello to everyone. I'll stay around here for a little."
Saying nothing more, Vira turns around and puts on an awkward expression as she sits down on the edge of the island and looks off at the sky again. She hears Gran moving in the grass, but instead of leaving they move to the right of her and sit down. Vira stares at them, wondering what's wrong.
"Eh, Captain? Why are you not leaving?"
"Didn't you want to talk?"
Vira panics, knowing that Gran heard her say something so embarassing
"I-It's not polite to eavesdrop on a conversation you know! And besides, we already talked enough. I'm doing fine now, so please just go back."
"Mmm, I don't buy it. I already told you Vira, It's okay for you to trust us, because I care for you"
(How could he say something like that so seriously?)
Vira blushes a little, and recalls the ever reoccurring dream.
"You don't need to bottle up your feelings for the sake of others anymore," Captain whispered.
"We love you for who you are, Vira. And that's all you need to be."
(No, if this keeps up any further then...)
Scared, Vira opens her moth to retort
"And you think that you know me?! Ever since we met I only told you one thing, Katalina is the only one for me, because Katalina is the only one who can understand what I've been through! Every day was boring, nobody wanted to acknowledge me outside of saying I was a genius. Every day of my life has been a living hell, and I thought without Katalina that I would die. And yet you accept all of that like it's nothing! Why did it have to be you holding my hand when I woke up! Why do you always have to try so hard for my sake! Why... *sob*"
(Ah, I hate myself)
"Why.. do you even care about someone as worthless as me?"
Tears in her eyes, Vira cries out after laying her heart out bare. After sitting for awhile, Gran finally speaks.
"Vira..."
They stand up and turn to her.
"...Fight me"
(Eh?!)
"What foolishness do you think you're pulling?"
"Just fight me already."
Vira looks into Gran's eyes, and notices they're completely serious. Confused, she rises to her feet and draws her sword.
///BATTLE COMMENCING. SWITCH TO FIRST PERSON WRITING STYLE (Vira's Perspective)\\\
Staring at the one across from me, I draw my blade and take a deep breath. Before we start, they say one last thing
"The rules of this duel are simple. There will be 2 rounds, first is sword combat with the goal of disarming the opponent, second is a fistfight until one gives up. You aren't allowed to use Luminera's power, and I won't use any summons."
I nod to the captain, and we both take 3 steps forward, about 10 feet away from each other now.
"Begin!"
As soon as they finish shouting it, I'm already in a defensive stance. Our captain uses every type of weapon, meaning they aren't as skilled in the sword as I a-
*clang*
"Huh?"
I look back down at my hand and see my sword has already fallen, Gran takes his blade and tosses it to the side as well.
"That's round 1 done. You say that you finally view others as equals, but right now your actions contradicted that. You thought I was inferior to you in sword combat and so you let your grip loosen up, allowing me to lunge forward and knock it out instantly. Jeez, for being a genius you sure are an idiot. Gonna try and take me seriously this round?"
Are they trying to provoke me? Well it worked, I'm totally pissed off and ready to knock em out. How dare they talk down to the great commander Vira, pretending to know me.
"Round 2... Begin!" This time I'm the one to start the duel, and I use the momentum to my advantage. Trying to end it instantly, I take aim for their gut and go for an uppercut in an attempt to wind them, but I'm blocked. Gran counters with a punch towards my unguarded left arm, but I hop back and make some distance. Damn, this is so infuriating.
"You're still doing it. Listen, in an actual battle nobody cares who you are or where you came from, all it boils down to is a contest of strength. You need to let go of that pedestal you put yourself on and put yourself on the same level as me, or you have no chance at winning"
Yes... they're completely right. My base of every move I've made both rounds has been underestimating Gran's abilities thinking there's no way they can compare to mine without the power of bahamut or the primals on his side. How foolish of me. As a sign of respect, I straighten out my posture and declare my next move to my sparring partner.
"Captain, I'm going to give everything I have in this next punch. Not my status as a commander, not the talent of a genius, just plain ol Vira and nothing else."
Gran smirks and looks at me with a look that screams "Ok, bring it". After a deep breath, I charge towards them as fast as I can, my right arm held back ready to swing, and they run at me planning to do the same. I won't back down now, whoever has the stronger fist will be the winner.
40 feet
20 feet
10 feet
"Hyaaaaaaa!"
"Grrraaahh!"
We scream with all of our beings, raising our fists, and then the second my fist connects with their face, I can feel theirs hit mine, and I fall to the ground.
...
///END BATTLE. RETURNING TO NORMAL DIALOGUE\\\
At the end of their fight, Vira and the Captain are both laying with their backs on the ground and faces sore. Both hits sent each other flying. After a few minutes of panting and laying down, Gran begins to speak.
"You aren't the only one who has suffered due to being different. Every day people would laugh at me for trying to get to the land of the Astrals, saying things like 'Oh you still believe in that fairy tale' or to give up. I already died once, and now I'm like a corpse with the power of beings way above me that I can summon like it's nothing, and I was so scared every time a crew member saw it that they would hate me or call me a monster. It hurt like hell, and there were so many times I felt like crying, but in the end that would solve nothing. I'm the captain of the crew, so I have to stay strong and keep going for my crew. I may not be human anymore, but when I see your smiling face and everyone else at the crew, it's all worth it."
Vira had no idea the captain felt so much pain, and never considered that the others could feel the same.
(The captain really opened my eyes today, but even so...)
"Captain, I'm... scared. I'm scared of what might happen if I leave the old me behind. I had my vision obscured by only thinking of Katalina that when you started becoming more precious to me than her, I thought I might be betraying myself. I never wanted to admit it because I was afraid that I would lose my happy days with you and the crew because I had spent so much time raving about her that there would be no chance with us. I just... damn... I'm such an idiot huh?"
Vira started to cry again, but this time it's nothing but her 100% genuine feelings. In response to hearing this, Gran gets up and sits down next to her, holding her hand with theirs.
(It's so warm...) Vira felt comforted by the familiar feeling that saved her before
"You aren't an idiot. I started this adventure because of a father that I don't even know is out there, or if he even cares about me. I spent a long time focusing on Lyria as my most important person because she saved my life, but after a year of having you on this crew things changed for me too. I finally got to see who you really are, and that's someone who had to use someone else to live as a reason to live like I did. But right now, none of that matters. It's just us two here, nobody else and nothing to worry about, yet we're still alive."
The tears streaming down Vira's face finally end, and with her recovered strength she begins to sit up and look around. The sky and clouds that looked so dim are now beginning to shine brighter than anything she had ever seen before, and the sight makes her unbelievably happy. She begins to stand up, and Gran does as well.
(I'm really no match for them) Vira thinks with a smile on her face. Awkwardly, she reaches and holds the captains hand with hers.
"Hey Captain, even though you've seen me at my worst while obsessing over someone else, will you still accept me?"
"What a strange question to ask someone who's holding your hand. Of course I will."
"Captain... no, Gran. I love you."
"I love you too, Vira."
The warm feelings the two feel in this moment comfort each other, and as the sun sets, the stars and an even deeper blue sky greet them, brighter than anything either had ever seen. After they reaffirm their feelings towards each other and start to walk away, the primals of the Azure sky look down on the Girl in red and the singularity, all bearing witness to the greatest change these skies have ever had, even if it doesn't seem like it affected anything. The bond from these two have set the sands of time in motion towards the end of the journey to the Astrals, and now they will never be separated. Hand in hand they stroll through the stars, living forever in this moment as long as they can, because right now there is nothing except each other.
The Light in my Darkness: End.