Chereads / Aries / Chapter 58 - Battalion

Chapter 58 - Battalion

Cherry-flavored lipstick and a vibrant assortment of regal blooming corsages were the first notable cosmetic accessories that the Fon Descendents utilized in the fanciest of their formal feasts. The journey to the Grand Hall of the Fon was not a simple task; Sumire dodged through numerous Fon descendent household servants and officers who managed the royal hall wanted to test the peak of their knowledge of cosmetics on Sumire's face, and Sir Vayah utilized his firm commanding vocals to brush them aside. Despite this, Sir Vayah and Senna still sent numerous makeup artists to Sumire's temporary chamber to dress her accordingly for the special feast.

When Sumire entered the regal dressing room specifically made for the Fon's preparations, she could not help but compare the area to the backstage of a theater set where actors and actresses hurriedly dressed in their colorful costumes and pampered in their makeup. Traditional triple candlesticks and rustic lanterns set the lightened atmosphere for the dressing room. Royal vanities made of carved plywood and silver metals decked the area, polished with garnet-colored glaze. The center room was cleared for people to practice their etiquette.

Sumire entered with two Fon descendent servants dressed in puffy clothing holding combs and other cosmetic arrangements. She elevated her arm with the help of Corlean's cloth and was told to sit on one of the wooden seats facing the vanities. With the household servants getting to work on Sumire's hair and makeup, one of the Fon chamberlains entered the dressing room with a book and quill filled with instructions on etiquette.

"First time here, I suppose?" The chamberlain spoke to Sumire with a dreary and heavy tone. "When addressing the leaders of our resistance in our lovely banquet, there are several procedures of etiquette and mannerisms you must learn. First of all-"

The chamberlain's voice drowned amongst all of the household servants pampering Sumire's hair and face with their hastened cosmetic presentation. The household servants whispered and gossiped to each other about their methods of perfecting Sumire's makeup, and it was nearly impossible to hear Chamberlain's explanation.

"-address the lord himself by Sir. Always by Sir. If for any reasons you are unable to say this, whether your food is still inside your mouth-"

"Hey, could you two just slow down for a second?" Sumire asked after the servants continued to lather the makeup on her face. Powders, mascara, eye-liner, and the cherry-flavored lipstick were precisely placed on Sumire's face accordingly. "Hey, stop it! I'm trying to hear what that guy's saying!"

"-and the most important manner is to always avoid the clinging of your utensils. Naught is ruder than this-"

The servants lifted Sumire off of her seat and adorned her top with a royal velvet black and maroon fur coat. One of the servants stripped-down Sumire's shoulder area to reveal the bullet wound and cleansed the area with a healing patch that instantaneously numbed the spot. Silver-glossed slippers and a black-colored long skirt were next for Sumire to wear; the tightness of the skirt and the shoe size was debatable for how imperfect it was. The servants moved Sumire's new spiritual gear that Corlean obtained into a fancy cupboard underneath the vanity.

The final touch on Sumire's appearance was a corsage blended with white and black on the back of Sumire's bun-tied hairstyle. The chamberlain paused to admire Sumire's new and profound style; her appearance was much too special for him to pass down. Sumire's eyes popped out with black crystalline sparkling eyeliner and mascara, along with the reflective cherry lipstick. Her cheeks were powered to perfection until they were crystal white. Eye-shadow and more glitter around Sumire's forehead and eyes were also present.

"My, I had never seen such a more beautiful woman in a while," The chamberlain said, chuckling as he scanned her body from head to toe. "Oh, dear." He said, retrieving a handkerchief from his breast pocket to wipe his forehead drenching in sweat.

"Hey, buddy," Sumire's voice was abruptly aggressive as she placed her hands on her hips. "My eyes are up here. Are we doing this or not?"

"Oh, right," The chamberlain coughed to clear his throat and placed his handkerchief away. "As I was previously stating, the most important mannerism for Sir Vayah and the rest of the resistance is to-"

"Step aside, Adric," Sir Vayah's booming deep voice filled the room with a halting silence right after, startling the chamberlain after his presence was known. "None of this was necessary for our guest, but the healing patch works wonders for her regardless. Adric, was it you that decided to throw our guest behind all of this?"

"Y-yes, Sir Vayah," Chamberlain Adric whimpered, believing that he made a mistake. "I just thought if we were able to make the guest much more presentable for you, then everything would have been lovely for the banquet."

"Are you saying that our guest was not presentable beforehand?" Sir Vayah asked, referencing Sumire's appearance in her spiritual clothing. "I suggest that you reconcile with my words beforehand. This was not all necessary. Our guests are more than welcome in our grand hall without all of this unnecessary pampering."

"Y-yes, Sir Vayah. I apologize. Please excuse me." Chamberlain Adric embarrassingly stated, exiting out of the dressing room.

Sir Vayah sighed and turned back to Sumire with a pleasant and inviting smile on his face. He was dressed in a long ivory robe decorated with tribal symbols of the flaming Fon. He raised his hand out for Sumire and beckoned her to follow him. "I apologize for all of that unnecessary folly," Sir Vayah said. "Please, the others are waiting for you. You may either change back into your clothing, or you can remain the same."

"I…" Sumire said, examining herself. "I think I'll change back."

"Of course," Sir Vayah accepted. "I'll let Adric know to escort you into the dining hall. Excuse me." He finished, stepping outside of the dressing room.

Now that Sumire was in complete solitude, she removed her silver slippers immediately after being stuck in its aching pain for only a minute. She removed the regal coat and skirt and swiftly changed back into Corlean's spiritual clothing. With the healing patch continuing to numb her bullet wound, Sumire was much more comfortable than wearing overly formal clothing. She sighed, stretched her arms, and wondered if her presence on the Fon's territory would make much of a difference. She wanted to save Lucine, and she was ready to make that happen.

Sumire exited the dressing room and locked eyes with Adric, the nervous chamberlain. He stood still and vowed to keep silent about Sumire's appearance. Sumire grinned, knowing that she had the position of power among Adric in the grand hall. Adric swiped his coat to the left and turned around, leading the way to the grand hall while Sumire followed.

As she stepped inside the red velvet carpet leading into the gigantic symbol-embedded doors that highlighted the Fon's designs, the first feature Sumire noticed was the marvelously massive painted oil on canvas portraits that symbolized the ancestors of Planet Vicious. The one in the center of the grand hall was the fabled old man that was the first civilian that found the civilization of Planet Vicious by recognizing that precious bonds created teeming life.

In his lap was the painted striped tiger that symbolized their first bonds. Sumire couldn't help but remember that Lucine defiled the old man's corpse and used the tiger's head to decorate and power her Melody Dragon. She needed to be stopped and saved immediately before Aries fell.

In the center iron throne, Sir Vayah rested next to his silver claymore and thunder gauntlet placed by his feet. Three silver-crafted branches served as tendrils leading towards the sides of the grand hall, each leading to the three company leaders: Senna Vicio Melodia, Bame Vicio Melodia, and acting representative Halmich vis Grule taking the position of Lucine Vicio Melodia. All three of them bowed and welcomed Sumire inside their establishment as August Ames and new allied guest Maven by his side.

Adric directed the three to their seats, where more triple candlelights decked the long wooden tables. Gourmet chicken, procured cuts of beautiful juicy meat, oil-drizzled mixed vegetables, and potato stew served with a glass of wine were absolutely enchanting to Sumire. As the three seated, Sir Vayah stood up from his throne and saluted everyone in the grand hall in respect.

Sumire was saddened that Corlean could not attend the meeting.

"Welcome all," Sir Vayah began. "I appreciate you all for coming. Please, go ahead and eat. I would like to further explain the purposes of having this meeting with our new guests. Before this, I would like to not stall any longer; the purpose of this meeting is to understand the situations that we must tackle through our efforts to stop the otherworldly invaders. Senna, Bame, Halmich, and I are all here to listen to what you all have to say. So please, let us begin the feast."

Senna's Fon creature leaped onto Sumire's table and blinked at her to express its cuteness and hospitality. Senna also stood up and welcomed Sumire to speak. "If you may, Sumire… we would all love to know what you know about these people, along with Lucine." She said, inviting her."

"Lucine?" Bame yelled, slamming his fists on the table. "Very same Lucine that backstabbed us for her selfish gains?!"

"Calm down, Bame," Halmich said, sipping on his wine. "Could you be any less rude to our guests?"

Sumire didn't touch her food. Senna's Fon creature leaped onto Sumire's shoulder, prompting her to stand up to speak to everyone based on her prior knowledge. Her journey throughout Aries needed to be omitted to only include the specific details that she knew about Lucine and Genesis Laboratories. Everything her brother told her about Genesis, including the human experimentation, the significance of the orange crystal, and their future plans needed to be mentioned. Even Lucine and Sumire's journey with stopping her needed to be said.

"I met Lucine a few weeks ago," Sumire began. "She told me of her story on how she lived on Planet Vicious and the people of Aries coming to the planet to drain every last source of it. I didn't know there would be survivors like yourselves. But I knew she was thirsty for revenge and she made quick work of it. Right now, she's assembled the Melody Dragon, a giant weapon that can absorb the technology of her enemies, including ours. She was also talking about this particle accelerator that she's planning to use to bring all of Aries back to your planet to make them suffer."

"That's absurd," Bame intervened. "Lucine has completely lost her mind!"

"Which is why I need all of your help to stop her and Genesis from taking over this place. I don't know who exactly leads Genesis, but once we find out that information, we can determine what we can do to stop all of this and save Lucine," Sumire placed her hand on her chest. "I know Lucine hasn't lost herself just yet, and I'm sure she remembers all of you as her closest friends. We have to do something about this."

"I see," Sir Vayah said. "Thank you, Sumire. Halmich, I know you had a concern about Lucine's weapons? I believe your expeditionary group determined the notable location of her lacking power source."

"That's correct," Halmich said, looking at Sumire after placing his wine back down. "You see, this 'particle accelerator' that you speak of… it was one of Lucine's blueprints that she had stolen from the archives of the Genesis organization. Yet she forgets that it lacks one crucial ingredient for her devastation; the Glacial Crystal, one of the most unique sources of our power that can only be found on Planet Vicious."

"Glacial… Crystal?" August asked. "What's that?"

"You see, pure crystal ore is already a challenge to obtain in a land where bonds fill the planet with resources," Halmich continued. "But one of the rarest sources of energy that the first elder managed to establish throughout his expedition across the planet was the Glacial Crystal. If you are all familiar with his tale, then you should remember that his specialized power was to turn everything he had touched into ice. Once he had combined that touch with one of the pure crystal ores, it established a quintessence of heavenly energy that we call the Glacial Crystal. This crystal is responsible for keeping our city-state intact by running its power source throughout our lands through a system of quintessential energy that flows through the air. The crystal is all that she requires, but Lucine seemingly has forgotten that this power source exists."

"But the crystal only existed on our planet," Senna explained. "Now that the Genesis invaders have taken the crystals, we need to know where they stored them."

"We need to destroy this particle weapon, then," Bame said. "The only way of doing this is to perhaps use the Glacial Crystal to destroy that behemoth the young girl was talking about. The Melody Dragon… how could she sanctify our house name with such a revolting invention?"

Sir Vayah raised his hand forward to halt all conversation. "So it must be well-established that our goals remain the same. Let me remind the guests that there are several Genesis organization bases across Sagittarius that we must fight against if we are able to locate the Glacial Crystal. With the crystal, we can use its energy to create a weapon capable of stopping this Melody Dragon."

"If the Melody Dragon can absorb all the technology that Aries has established, then surely we can overload it with the crystal, can't we?" Senna asked.

"Forgive me for interrupting…" The pink-haired warrior spoke with a British accent, standing up from her seat. "But I was a part of Lucine's squad for quite a while now. That dragon is too powerful to be overloaded. I've seen it with my own eyes."

"Captain Charlotte," Sir Vayah called. "What do you suggest we do then?"

"Well, I'd say exactly what Halmich said earlier," The pirate pretender known as Aubrie de Charlotte spoke. "It's a long shot, but we need to find that Glacial Crystal."

"So, does anyone know where to find it?" August asked.

"Settle down. I have a solution," Sir Vayah said. "There are ways we can locate the Glacial Crystal. Our expeditionary groups outside of the city-state has not yet reported back to our general circumference. It has come to my attention that some of them may be in danger from the Genesis invaders. One of the expedition groups was sheltered in a hideout in Yendo. If we touch base with them, we may be able to acquire more information about the glacial crystal's whereabouts."

"Very well, Sir Vayah," Bame accepted. "I'll be getting the soldiers of our company to search for Yendo's people."

"One moment, but I do not believe this should be held by our people," Sir Vayah interjected. "This one will not be held by any of our company leaders and soldiers. I demand that our guests form a miniature battalion led by Captain Charlotte to Yendo. Sumire, August, and Maven; search for the expeditionary group in Yendo and seek out their information on the whereabouts of the Glacial Crystal. If any of those invaders know where the crystal is, then we shall acquire them beforehand. We have the advantage of Sumire and Captain Charlotte on the team."

"But Sir Vayah, we could go ourselves and search for it! There's no need for these reckless amateurs to take our place!" Bame yelled.

"Watch your tongue in front of our guests," Halmich said. "If you have something to say to them, then do not cower behind your hopes. Have you forgotten that our city-state needs defense as well? If you leave, then who shall defend our outskirts?"

Sumire watched the three debate amongst each other about the acquiring of the Glacial Crystal. As mythical as it sounded to her, it seemed like only mythics could stop the Melody Dragon, a perceived mythical monster as it seems already. She began munching down on her gourmet chicken and meat as the other company leaders continued to debate amongst themselves about the Glacial Crystal.

"Hey, Sumire," August whispered. "What do you think about this entire battalion thing? I'm not really a fighter, nor do I have anything against fighting, but I don't know what kind of weaponry they have unless it's involving explosives. When I ran into that one soldier, I was so worried that I might die. My heart was pounding and I was so nervous."

Sumire swallowed her piece of steak when she was confused about one particular detail that August was leaving out. "What were you doing there anyway? Why didn't you stay inside the city-state?" She asked.

"One of the civilians ran outside," August replied. "I couldn't let her go there alone."

"A civilian?" Sumire said. "I think the civilians know better than to stay outside from danger."

"So you wouldn't save them?" August asked.

Sumire had no answer. She couldn't understand why he was dodging the question based on his poor explanation.

"There will be no more arguments," Sir Vayah started with a firm voice. "This will be our fifth battalion. Captain Charlotte, Sumire, August, and Maven. Are there any objections?"

Senna interrupted. "If I may, I believe they need a charter. They require an individual experienced in recording information. Our guests do not seem to have that background. I believe they should recruit one person with this background." She said, looking at Sumire deeply with the intent for her to select someone that they both knew.

Sumire caught onto Senna's hint as soon as she covertly winked at her. Before she could volunteer to speak, August interrupted.

"I have an agent that I believe that could be perfect for the-" August began.

Sumire slammed her palm on the table, standing up to interject. "Corlean!" She shouted. "Corleancia. I choose Corleancia."

"Corleancia? Our ruthless cousin?" Bame expressed concern for Sumire's request. "How can you volunteer for her? She doesn't have the experience of this! She's not built for warfare!"

"I agree," Halmich said. "Certainly there's someone more experienced for the task."

Sir Vayah rejected their concerns. "Then she will learn under the supervision of Captain Charlotte and the rest of our guests. Do not worry. I believe Corleancia is perfect for their battalion. I believe Sumire and Corleancia are already well acquainted so far, so surely this will make it much easier for the both of them."

August sluggishly moved his head to face Sumire with a neutral faceless expression. He had nothing to say in response to her interruption and suggestion. But Sumire could tell that he was dismayed by her interruption. Maven, who was one of August's allies, shook his head, in the same manner, believing that the two harbored something against her. Sumire noticed this but chose to ignore it.

Sumire arose from her seat and bowed in respect. Senna's Fon spirit leaped onto her hair and waved at Sir Vayah and the other three company leaders. "Thank you so much," She said. "With us five, we're sure to find that Glacial Crystal."

"Excellent," Sir Vayah appreciated Sumire's resolve and respect. "Thank you for being our guests today," He looked at Charlotte to express approval. "Captain Charlotte, I leave them to you. Please locate our remaining expedition groups in Yendo."

"Yes, Sir Vayah!" Charlotte shouted with an unyielding salute of respect.

Minutes later, the company leaders began to join the guests in their small feast. Senna approached Sumire with an inviting smile and offered to separate them from the other guests to speak to her privately. Senna's Fon spirit reattached to her shoulder and waved at Sumire in delight.

"You certainly are the brave type," Senna complimented, referring to Sumire's request for wanting Corlean in the battalion. "Speaking to the other company leaders, especially Sir Vayah, has always been something quite difficult for the guests because of his noble presence. But you are different. You do not seem afraid."

"I'm not," Sumire said. "Sir Vayah seems like a nice guy. I know he wants the best for all of you. He seems to think I'm pretty experienced too. I'm glad he also sees Corlean's potential. To be honest, I just wanted to take her out of the whole experience of her being that messenger. I think she needs some time outdoors."

"Hmm, I appreciate your response," Senna accepted. "Corleancia is one of our more rebellious cousins. Ever since she was a little girl on Vicious, she would distance herself from our other cousins because she never appreciated Bame's unnecessary banter and annoyance. She always found it quite inflating, as her personality never truly matched with our other bombastic cousins or friends. But I'm pleased that you're well-acquainted with her."

Sumire thought so as well. The fact that she noticed many similarities between her and Lucine was true already; she was a keen observer. She felt like a bystander to Corlean's efforts to collect rations and believed that she deserved a bigger role as a member of the Sagittarius Fon. She knew Corlean was patriotic and wanted to play a part in the liberation of their home. After the downfall of Planet Vicious, Sumire knew she was only acting in the name of justice.

"Sumire," Senna continued. "I know you are curious about your arrival here. We need to speak about this matter, but keep in mind that his remains confidential between us and only us."

"Oh," Sumire said. "Okay. I won't say a word to the others."

"Good," Senna thanked. "The person who brought you here was under Lucine's control as well," She explained. "We were acquainted long ago in secret after our people moved to Sagittarius. His name is Zack."

"Zack…" Sumire whispered, attempting to recall anyone with that name by sight. "I don't think I've ever met him before. But… why did he bring me here?"

"Apparently, to my best knowledge, you were in an accident that almost resulted in your death. The bullet wound in your shoulder could have been much worse if he hadn't rescued you. After Zack brought you here, he shared a few details with me that I believe you should know."

Sumire stared at her bullet wound. She couldn't believe that a complete stranger saved her from danger. The last memory she had of her brother was in Bellastraza where they were returning home. "I… I want to know why. I should have been back home, but he brought me here. Tell me." She said.

"Do you recall why you chose Corleancia to uphold the position in the fifth battalion that we created?" Senna asked, wanting Sumire to dwell into her emotions. "In times such as this, when much of hope has been lost, we seek alternative ways to solving our problems; even if the way is to consult the enemy, which Zack stated he viewed you as. But as time passed, he explained to me, much like your reasons for choosing Corleancia, he sees the potential within you for saving our people and Lucine. That is why he chose you. The truth is, he never had a chance to see the real version of Lucine. He had only known her for the short time on her quest for vengeance. He is just as passionate about seeing her true side, much like we all want to revert her to normal."

"He chose… me?" Sumire said, looking down at her lap in uncertainty. "But I've never seen him before. How could he have chosen me if he never knew me?"

"He only understands a small portion of you. Your generosity for Lucine, your brave statements, your powerful resolve… he knows all of it." Senna explained.

"But, I don't…" Sumire had so many questions about Zack, but she knew it was not the perfect time. She at least hoped that she could have thanked him for saving her from certain death. It was clear that this unknown savior wanted nothing but to restore Lucine back to normal, and coincided with the Sagittarius Fon. She inhaled deeply before looking at Senna. "I hope that I'll meet him soon. I want to thank him for saving me."

"I'm sure he will return soon," Senna inquired. "Thank you for helping us, Sumire. Speak to Captain Charlotte soon. She shall debrief you on the journey to Yendo."

Sumire nodded in understanding. Senna's Fon waved her goodbye, and she returned to speak to the other guests. Sumire sighed and placed both of her elbows on the table, wrapping her head around with her arms. She believed that the trip to Yendo and the search for the Glacial Crystal would be much more difficult with people that she had never met before. She thought about Ryo, Naoto, Jinni, and the others back in Sunlight headquarters. She thought about Claude and how his reaction to her disappearance was. Most importantly, she thought about her mother and how she would handle the situation of her vanishing.

August approached Sumire and sat by her side with a worried expression. "Hey, sorry about earlier," He apologized. "I didn't mean to sound weird by questioning you. I was just scared. I hope you understand."

"It's okay," Sumire said. "If I were you, I would have been scared too. Saving someone's life was what I would have done too."

"Thanks," August said. "I'm glad to be part of your squad. I'll see you soon." He pleasantly grinned before leaving to join Maven and Captain Charlotte.

"Sumire," Sir Vayah called, approaching her holding a miniature clothing cupboard. "I couldn't help but notice you seem down."

"I am, but I'll get over it," Sumire said.

"Hmm. Perhaps this will calm you down. I believe this belongs to you," Sir Vayah said, opening the clothing cupboard for her. "It was recovered earlier by the one who brought you here. Please situate yourself with it before your departure." He set the cupboard next to her table, moving back to speak to the other guests and company leaders.

Sumire peeked inside; her fiery red and black nanosuit from Sunlight HQ was perfectly nestled with her energy blade wrist weapon attachment. "Holy..." Sumire gasped, leaning forward to examine her belongings. "Did Zack... bring this...?" She whispered to herself. "But how?"

Sumire pressed on the center area of the nanosuit, activating its nanomachines into a smaller compact attachment. She placed it on her chest and activated it again to seep it into her spiritual clothing. With her nanosuit, liberating the Sagittarius Fon and obtaining the Glacial Crystal was much more than just a pipe dream. Searching for it would prove to be much easier now that she was more mobile.

The time to save Lucine had just begun.