A Very Riviera Christmas

DISCLAIMER: Don't own, nopes. If I did own, Ein would have had a wish during the scene at the very end of the game... but needless to say, I don't. Which sucks.

WARNING: Rose ending spoilers. Shonen-ai. And have I mentioned that I've made one minor story tweak...?

In the small town of Elendia, home to many peaceful Sprites and fairies, autumn had drawn to a close and winter had at last set in. It was December, and the snows were due any day now, with Christmas and then the remembrance feasts for the gods closing in. But the ground was still cold and dry, with dead leaves strewn haphazardly around the many trees that lined (and in some cases, were) the villagers' homes.

In front of one such house--a large, venerable hollowed-out oak--a young woman was attempting to do something about that problem.

She meandered absently over the path directly before her home, sweeping leaves out of her way with a worn, twiggy broom. She was dressed conservatively in a long blouse and dress, with a modest ladies' jacket laced tightly over her torso. Her frill-edged skirts were the same pale green as her hair; the sleeves of her blouse, which puffed softly at her shoulders, were pristine white. She also had on long gray stockings and sensible, leather shoes with three-inch heels. Her hair, long and straight, fell almost to her knees; it was fastened in the back with a large, black bow made from a scrap of silken ribbon. Her large, liquid dark green eyes were half-closed, and she had a not-quite-there look on her face, evidently daydreaming.

"Hmmm..." she said quietly to herself as she worked. "I wonder what Ein's doing right now..."

"Fia!" a girl's voice called from further down the road. "Fiiiiiiaaa!"

Fia, still sweeping and now softly humming, took no notice.

"FIIIIIIAAAA!"

A younger girl came charging down the way, her bright orange double ponytails bouncing with every bounding step she took. She wore a bright yellow tunic over a tighter black underdress, with a red bandanna tied around her neck. The tunic's sleeves had been removed and adapted by Fia to serve as separate garments, in the style of the newly popular "armwarmers" that Riviera's young women had been wearing recently. She, too, had on black stockings, and small, more childishly styled leather shoes. Her ponytails were fastened with black bows much like the one Fia was wearing, and her black headband was made from similar material. Her features were honest and open, her light brown eyes wide and happy, and her cheeks flushed and ruddy with activity. Squealing with joy, she tackled the eighteen-year-old Fia, throwing her arms around the older girl's waist.

Fia squeaked and dropped her broom, stepping backwards in an attempt to balance herself. She just barely succeeded, putting her hands on the thirteen-year-old who'd attacked her's shoulders. "Eeek! L...Lina! What are you so excited about all of a sudden?"

Lina bounced happily up and down, still hugging Fia. "There are people coming down the road! Lina saw them! We're gonna have guests for Christmas! Yaaaay!"

"Calm down," Fia begged uselessly, although she was smiling as well. "Visitors? That's certainly a welcome change. I'll have to let Grandfather know soon."

"We gotta go tell the others first!" Lina squealed, not yet done bouncing. "C'mon, Fia! C'mon, let's go! Let's go!"

"Tell us what?" a rough voice from behind them asked.

Lina launched herself at the newcomer, giving Fia a well-needed break. "Serene! There are people coming to Elendia for the holidays! Isn't that so cool?"

Serene caught Lina easily and endured the little girl's happy fidgeting with a patient smile. She had short, dark blue hair and eyes of a darker violet, and wore a black cap adorned with kitty ears and white ribbons, along with a long white jacket and black leotard that had slits for her black, batlike wings. She also had on black, socklike shoes and layers of bandaging over her arms and calves. There were rows of calluses on her palms from her long years of training with the scythe, and her cheerful countenance allowed no hint of the tragedies in her past. She was the very last of the race of Sprites known as Arcs, and had lived with Lina and Fia since the destruction of her home two years ago.

"Yeah, I guess," the blue-haired girl said with a shrug. "I hope they are staying. We haven't gotten any real visitors for a while now."

"Wouldn't that be wonderful?" Fia said with a sigh.

"Mmmyeah," Serene replied, scrunching up her face. "I hope Cierra doesn't end up chasing them out of town like she usually does. That woman's a walking disaster area." One year older than Fia, Serene didn't exactly share the other girl's sense of romanticism.

"I heard that," Cierra the Scarlet Witch said flatly from the doorframe, her arms folded firmly and a pout on her face. The eldest of the four women who shared the house, she had red hair even longer than Fia's, and wore a close-fitting, red-and-black shoulderless dress with artfully torn skirts, long red gloves, and thigh-length red fabric boots that had five-inch heels. Her eyes were a dark brown that was nearly carmine, and her face was usually open and pleasant. Twenty-three years old, she was a journeyman-class witch who had settled in Elendia to work with the Magic Guild there and get further into her studies. Although her battle spells were extremely powerful, she sometimes had trouble with the support charms that most witches made use of throughout their daily lives. Cierra's little blunders had taught everyone in Elendia that their fire safety plans had been a very good idea.

"Well, you generally do," Serene said dryly. "It's not like you ever mean it, but you do."

"Still, we should tell Grandfather right away, shouldn't we?" Fia interrupted hastily, not wanting her friends to start quarreling. "He'll be so happy."

"Y-yeah, you're probably right," Serene agreed, shaking her head briefly, as if to clear it.

"Yay! Lina likes visitors!" Lina was still cheering.

The four of them headed towards the Elder's house, their discussion now focused on who the mysterious guests might be.

---

"It's been so long, hasn't it?" Looking around, he shook his head ruefully. "I can't believe two years have already gone by so quickly. Do you think they'll be angry that I didn't come back until now?"

"I think they probably knew you weren't going to show up for a while," the girl beside him said helpfully. "They'll most likely just be so happy to see us back that they won't mind at all."

"And if it weren't for me, we would have been back sooner," the man on his other side added quietly, his gaze lost along the paths that led into town. "I apologize."

"Hey, don't start," the small group's leader said, concern in his voice. "They're my friends, but so are you. And thanks to all the time we've spent away from here, we were finally able to help you! Would you rather be going around like you were two years ago?"

"... ..." The man did not reply, giving his younger friend a slight but warm smile instead.

"Come on, you two, let's go," the leader told them both, slinging his arms around his companions' shoulders. "It'll be the seven of us again, just like old times! It's so good, isn't it...? Coming home again, after being gone so long...?"

---

Walking with her friends, Fia sighed and fell a few steps behind, her mind drifting to the past again. Almost every day, her wishes and worries went out to those of their number who were not present.

She and Lina and met Serene and Cierra in the company of their mutual friend Ein, who they'd run into two years ago. When Lina had been walking in the forest one day, Ein had fallen into the path from somewhere above the trees. Amazingly, he'd been mostly unhurt, but when he'd awakened in their care, he'd had amnesia. Shortly after they'd met Serene, Ein's identity had been revealed, and Fia couldn't have been more amazed and horrified--he was actually a Grim Angel from the heavenly city of Asgard, sent to activate a so-called "Retribution" that would destroy all life on Riviera!

However, Ein's time with his friends had changed his mind about his duties--he instead sought another way to save Riviera from the demons that threatened to engulf it. He and the four girls, along with his magical cat familiar Rose, had traveled to seal the four Accursed beings who had summoned the demons from the dark planes of Niflheim.

Unfortunately, their troubles hadn't ended there. Ursula, Riviera's guardian, had called upon Ein, Fia, and the others once more shortly after the last Accursed's sealing. One of the seven Magi who protected the world in the gods' stead, Hector--the very person who had sent Ein to activate the Retribution in the first place--was still attempting to destroy Riviera's life by summoning Ursula's nemesis, Seth--the Sprite of death and destruction. Even worse, Hector had sent Ein's former best friend, a fellow Grim Angel named Ledah, to weaken Ursula's defenses so that the Retribution could be used.

Ein, Fia, and their friends had no choice but to try to protect the tree of life where Ursula dwelled, Yggdrasil, and so they'd headed out to try to stop Ledah from destroying the Aquarium jewels that kept Ursula safe. The two angels had been forced into a terrible battle; at its end, Ledah had asked to be killed, but Ein had refused, insisting that he didn't want to hurt the man who'd been his dearest friend.

Yet another Grim Angel in Hector's employ, a woman named Malice who had actually been behind the murders of Serene's people, had appeared and tried to grant Ledah's request. She'd then gone off to fulfill his incomplete task. The badly injured Ledah had insisted that Ein and the others go on and stop Malice before she destroyed the last of the three Aquariums.

Ein, supported by Fia and his other friends, had caught up with Malice and fought her, soundly defeating her in battle. Shocked at her loss, Malice had struck out at Ein, who should've been killed--instead, Ledah appeared, throwing himself between the two angels and taking the blow meant for his former companion.

Malice had gone back to Hector; Ein, Fia, Lina, Serene, and Cierra were left with Ledah and Ursula. If not for Ursula's transporting them all back to Elendia, Ledah would've died; because of her interference, they were able to give him medical treatment that just barely saved his life. Once Ledah's health was restored, he had insisted on accompanying them to Hector's castle.

Once the seven of them had reached the traitorious Magus, they'd confronted him about his wrongdoings and pursued him to the very heart of the Maze of Shadows. There, Hector had forced Malice to capture Ledah, and sacrificed the souls of both Grim Angels to resurrect Seth. He'd then revealed a secret that not even Malice knew--she'd actually failed the test to become a true Grim Angel, and Hector had cruelly manipulated her into becoming his servant by lying and telling her she'd succeeded.

Hector had combined his body with Seth's, and attempted to begin the Retribution; the devastated Ein had managed to destroy him in combat. Ursula pulled Ein and his remaining companions out of the Maze before it collapsed, and miraculously retrieved Ledah's soul from Valhalla, resurrecting him as a last gift to Ein and his friends.

The seven of them had settled in to a peaceful life in Elendia, but a few months after Hector's defeat, Ein had announced that he would be going on another quest.

To become a Grim Angel, one had to give up a part of oneself--Ein had sacrificed his wings, and Malice had been tricked into thinking she'd lost her future. Ledah had given up his emotions; somehow, he'd regained very limited feelings since he'd met Ein, but he remained in a mostly apathic state. Ein would be going on a quest with Ledah and Rose to see if there wasn't any way for Ledah's condition to be remedied.

And just like that, he'd left.

Fia had always liked Ein--she hadn't been able to say anything while they traveled together, but her feelings for him had been and still were very strong. Even though he'd been gone for so long, she still worried for his safety and for his friends' every day. She felt as though she'd never be whole until he returned to Elendia, whenever that would be...

"Hey, Fia, what is it?" Serene called. Blinking, the green-haired girl looked up--her friends had gotten far ahead of her while she'd been lost in thought.

"Oh--I'm sorry," she managed, flustered. "I was just... remembering... that's all." Gathering her skirts slightly, she took a few hasty steps forward as the others paused to wait for her.

When she'd almost reached them, she froze.

"Wow, look at this place. It hasn't changed a bit!"

She knew that voice.

Slowly, her hands on her skirts beginning to tremble, she turned towards the path that led into Elendia, not even daring to hope.

There--heading into the village were three people, and the one in the lead...

Dropping her skirts, Fia clapped both hands to her mouth, feeling tears beginning to come into her eyes. There was a brief moment of silence as the girl next to him put a hand on his shoulder and pointed; he turned and took a step towards them, speaking hesitantly. "Fia...?"

Lina shrieked, darting forward and tackling him ecstatically. "EIN! You came back!"

Serene and Cierra also ran to the travelers happily, leaving Fia to stagger slowly in their wake. She almost felt as though she was going to suddenly snap awake in her bed, she'd dreamed about this moment for so long.

Ein had finally, finally come home.

He looked the same as ever--short, messy bluish-brown hair, big dark blue eyes, travel-worn blue jacket, white shirt, and dark shorts. His Diviner sword, Einherjar, was sheathed at his back as usual, and he was laughing as Lina finally released him and he exchanged happy hugs with Serene and Cierra. His face was open and cheerful as ever, face flushed in the chilly air, as he spoke to the other girls. As Fia finally reached him, he turned and gave her the smile that she felt was reserved just for her, and said...

"It's so good to be back!"

"Who's this?" Cierra asked, her witch's curiosity threaded through her voice. She was looking at the girl at Ein's side, who was giggling along with him. She had nearly-black hair that was divided into four little horsetails, two of which framed her face, kitty ears, green eyes, a cat's tail, a black dress with an olive-green sash, black gloves, and a green ribbon pinned to the dress' collar.

Ein laughed; Fia's heart melted. "Oh. You know her--this is Rose!"

Everyone stared; both Ein and Rose laughed again.

They explained. Before Ein had left, Cierra had given him a special magical potion that, when sprayed on someone, would grant their heart's desire. Since neither Ein nor Ledah had anything they wanted that badly, they'd let Rose use the potion--it had made her human. Apparently, she was much happier this way--she was even writing the story of their quest to save Riviera.

Fia allowed herself a quick inner sigh of relief. For a few moments, she'd worried that Ein might've picked up a girlfriend along his journey--she was glad she still had a chance with him.

Lina squeaked; Fia turned to her questioningly. Happily, the little carrot-top pointed to Ledah, who was standing slightly behind the still-laughing Ein and shaking his head, a small smile on his face.

Fia couldn't deny the fact that while Ein just looked like any ordinary Sprite, Ledah seemed to perfectly fit the part of a Grim Angel. He was tall, with pale skin, dark red eyes, and somewhat unevenly cut blonde hair. He always wore a bright crimson cloak; beneath that, priestlike robes of a red so dark it seemed almost black. The silver cross hanging from his angel's rosary was visible just below the white ruff at his collar, a constant reminder of his occupation. And like all the angels but Ein, he had his huge wings, glossy black and beautiful as they sat folded at his back. But the smile, even such a slight one, had been an alien expression to his usually calm face two years ago...

"He's smiling! Mister Ledah's really smiling! Ein did it! Yayy!" So saying, Lina launched forward for the millionth time that day, tackle-glomping the taciturn angel.

Flaring his wings for balance, Ledah looked awkwardly down at the little girl whose arms were fastened firmly around his waist, quite obviously not sure what he was supposed to do.

And Ein burst out laughing again, followed by everybody else.

Once the giggles had subsided and Lina had let go of poor Ledah, Ein began to steer everyone back to Fia and Lina's place.

"I'm really sorry we were away so long, but it was just so hard to find someone who could help," he was saying, looking between Rose and Ledah helplessly. "So few people knew anything about Grim Angels... we can tell you about it later. But what matters now is, we're all home."

Yes. Yes, that was what mattered. Fia smiled at him.

Ein was home in time for Christmas. Life could finally go on.

---

NEXT TIME: Snowball fights and fluffiness. Not to mention blizzards--and who would have guessed that Ledah has mad skillz besides wielding Lorelei:) Come back for the ownage.