Face of a Friend

Troi sighs deeply as he walks through the concrete path leading back to his dorm.

He let out a grunt due to a certain brown-haired man that caused his cheeks to become slightly red.

'Damn you, Bernard....' 

A sigh left his mouth as he thought about what transpired in the cafeteria.

'I couldn't even finish my food.....'

His stomach slightly rumbles as he has not yet been fully satiated.

But he marches forth, 

Away from the stares he did not want to feel anymore.

The afternoon glare seeps through the leaves of the trees beside the path. 

Setting upon his body as his mind drifts to a person he did not expect to see.

A freckled dame with beauty akin to flame appears in his mind. 

He instinctively scratched his head as he thought of her. 

He knew the longer Cassandra and Reynold do not meet and become friends. 

The fewer chances she would join his party in the future. 

'I cannot let that happen,' 

Troi knew that this story would come to an end sooner or later if that was the case. 

'Should I do it tonight?' 

'But what if it doesn't work?' 

The young man donned in blue cloth with a single star on his shoulder was slowly getting irritated. 

He had thought of a plan on how to make them meet. 

But the problem was he was not sure if it would succeed. 

So he wanted more time, 

To think, 

To make a better plan. 

But Troi remembered the sight of the two lovers back in the place where he had left his food. 

On how deeply interlocked their eyes were, 

On how mesmerized Cassandra was as she looked at Jonssen.

On how deeply in love they were.

'Cassandra still does not know that the Craw family was the perpetrator,' 

'This might be bad,'

He then thought back to the novel, 

After the death of Duke Greyfold, 

The entire house of Coldfeather was in disarray, 

Having lost their patriarch and the only successor not in the right state of mind. 

It was clear it was going to be the end of them. 

Until Reynold convinced President Braum to help them. 

Since he did the Academy of Tyresia a favor by subjugating a demon hidden amidst their noses they agreed to help.

A grand investigation was done, 

The Craw family stood no chance. 

Their actions were uncovered and soon they were undone. 

By the hand of President Braum, the Coldfeathers survived. 

That was how Reynold and Cassandra met each other fates. 

'Maybe I should've just told them back at the party, but I had no evidence,' 

'Damn, I have no idea what to do,'

As Troi was about to let out a sigh, his body soon came to a stop.

He felt a bust of light air brush past him.

It was warm and soothing,

Cooling him down as he closed his eyes.

The sounds of the fluttering leaves caressed his ears. 

A small smile left his face as he let some of his stress be carried by the breeze.

For a moment, 

There was not a single ounce of worry in his mind. 

For a spell, 

He was at peace.

But as quickly as it went, was how quickly it had left.

Troi soon opened his eyes. 

The concrete path littered with now-still trees appeared before him. 

With students mostly his classmates who had already fought in the combat practice just like him were chatting and talking with each other as they walked.

Troi simply stood,

With his brown eyes, he observed the teenagers.

Worrying about how to get a passing grade. 

Some encouraging their friends to ask out the girl they like. 

While others were planning to go out to ease the bitter defeat they had felt.

A myriad of memories flashed through his mind. 

On the days when that was all he had to worry about too. 

Worrying about passing his exams, his friend Kurt begging him to ask out that one girl, and the nights where they got drunk after failing those exams. 

Troi let out a small chuckle.

Then he turned his head towards the leaves now still.

The cheeks on his face meet the afternoon light that seeps through.

Slowly, names from a time long past left his mouth.

"Kurt,"

With each word, 

"Layla," 

  A face of a friend appeared before his mind.

"Jean," 

And beneath the warm light, a somber sound could be heard.

"I hope we could have one more drink together," 

At that moment Troi wanted to feel that same breeze once again, 

Yet it did not come.

What did appear was a voice. 

[Human, are you okay?]

The young man let out a chuckle.

He had forgotten that the God of Hope was inside him.

[If you're feeling lost, my child,]

[Seek strength and the rest will follow,]

[Thanks, Theos, but don't worry,]

[I will turn my hope into reality,] 

Troi soon moved his legs, 

With his mind now clear.

He finally decided on what to do.

'I should go to the coldfeathers tonight,'

But among the benches near a fountain. 

A girl with hair as the color of the night, and eyes the same hue of the young man. 

Looks at Troi from a distance, 

She wanted to pass the afternoon break by reading a book she had borrowed in the library.

Although she had felt a little sad that a blonde-haired fellow could not join her today because they were having a combat practice. 

She still went to the same place where she had been bullied, and where she had been saved. 

But this time a chatter of students broke her out of concentration. 

As she turned her head, 

Students walked by from a distance. 

'Wow, they're Reynold's classmates,'

As she gazes at the students a young man caught her attention. 

She did not know why but as she looked at his face. 

It was clear he was troubled by something. 

His eyebrows were furrowed and occasionally he would scratch his head. 

Millia was about to go back to continue reading her book but then a gust of wind flew by her. 

It was fleeting and soon left. 

But in that moment. 

The young man stood still, 

Completely engrossed in the breeze.

The young girl clutched her tail. 

For when the man opened his eyes. 

He stared at the trees. 

And a face that Millia was familiar with appeared before her eyes. 

A face of longing, 

The same face she had used to make.

When she was alone.

The young girl could not look away. 

She debated to stand up and meet him.

But, 

Before she could do so. 

The young man let out a small chuckle she could not hear. 

All she could see was a brief smile.

Before he started to walk among the students.