The Grand Narrative: Aftermath

The Light Coliseum

"this is so cool! Even better than in daytime- when I wasn't at the verge of dying"

Sterneedle flinched a little but kept their composure, Clark notices their reaction and realized.

"I'm sorry Sterneedle- I didn't mean to say that, at least I'm alive, right?"

"Right."

Clark looks around nervously, trying to find something else to say.

"Uhm- uh- Sterneedle do you do sword training for others?"

Sterneedle's symbol flickered in surprise. "Well I do, but no one really comes to me for training. Last time I have trained someone, it was Ver- Nick, but he cancelled the training at some point, when he discovered he was the second star saviour and that everyone hid it from him."

Anshine and Stratosfear look away, Clark looks at them and at Sterneedle.

"That's rough for him then, may things go for the better for him now"

"I hope for that"

"Anyway, I want to ask, if I could train with you. I never really used swords that much, nor owned one until Clerical gifted me one of his swords"

"Of course you can train with me! I'm pretty much free most of the time, except when I host events or do my own training to keep myself in shape"

Clark smiled, filled with excitement and relief. Stratosfear couldn't help but to smile at it a little, he was glad that he decided to take him there, that's all that mattered in the moment as he watches the two talk. Anshine nudged Stratosfear, catching his attention.

"You wanna leave the two to discuss about training, and explore more of the coliseum with me?"

"Now what about me-"

"Oh yeah, you can come with us, I almost forgot about you, my apologies"

"Hah, it's alright"

"Hm, okay we shall go now, come on!"

Stratosfear lead the two around the coliseum, it was huge and bright, not a blinding bright but enough to make the place look as amazing as Clark saw it as. The three ended up talking together, not minding the time passing and the other points in the Coliseum. Hours had passed and they settled to sit somewhere, continuing their conversation.

"-and when I set foot in the clocktower, a lot has happened, the clocktower had this ability to send me back and forth in time!"

"How? And what happened? Where did it take you?"

"Thirty years before and thirty years passed from that time, in the past Anshine almost died."

"What-"

"But I caught him when he fell off the unfinished clocktower, he was climbing to see how high he can climb"

"Oh, does Anshine used to do dangerously stupid things when you guys were kids"

Stratosfear grins at Yawgate, Anshine's symbol flickered, feeling like he's seen what would happen next. Stratosfear from out of nowhere takes out a list, he stretches it out, it was a long list, he began citing everything written on it. Anshine felt a sense of embarrassment, and covered Stratosfear's mouth with his hand.

"No. Don't continue any further"

Stratosfear moves his hand away, grinning smugly.

"Nah, also you have swam in the fountain"

"ewww, I heard the Maytown's fountain water is nowhere near being safe at all, I don't want to know how disgusting it was and for him to swim in it-"

"Stop! Please, I don't really remember this right now but I don't want it to be said out loud... Please"

"I... Okay, I'm sorry, I'll put away the list now" he does what he says, after that came silence. No one dared to speak until Clark ran over to them happily, unaware of the tension in between the three.

"I'm going to start training tomorrow!"

"Oh, that's great, I'm sure you'll be great at it soon" Stratosfear smiled.

"Yeah!"

"Alright Clark, if that's the case we can set up schedules when I take you here"

"Uh, shall we go home now? It's nighttime now, I'm sure we've gotten tired with this time we've spent here, it'll surely be a busy day tomorrow"

"Well yes, that's right, let's go back to the yawrail now"

The three got up and began walking back, getting into the yawrail to go back home. Stratosfear remained silent in this trip up, until they arrived back at the sanctuary then went to bed. Anshine couldn't help but to look at Stratosfear in concern, he knew how much stress his friend felt over the past few days. He sighed, and went to look at old photos from the archives.

"Why can't I seem to remember this? Why can't I just be like Arrolin and Ploque, that I remembered quickly who I was... I can't see Stratosfear like this, I want him to be happy.."

Since then, for the next few weeks, Anshine would spend nights when Stratosfear sleep looking at everything that potentially could make him remember. He is not successful, not yet, Stratosfear seemed unaware of Anshine's doings, continues to try and be as positive as he can. The points seemed fine, though some still struggle to remember their past, it remains peaceful. Almost.