Learn How to Love You

Celeste lowered her hands, the marble block settling down on the pedestal with a scrape and thud.

“Thank you, Celeste,” Koharu said, folding her arms. “Whatever happened to Miraveth having the best marble sculptors?”

The woman scratched the back of her head, her royal medallion dangling over her chest from the end of a white and red scarf.

“My apologies,” the woman said. “We will have it done in time for the memorial, though, my Ladies, I can assure you.”

Celeste walked to Koharu’s side, waving a hand. “Don’t worry about it, long as you have it done on time it’s cool.”

The woman blinked. “Cool, my Lady?”

Celeste sighed. “It is sufficient.”

Koharu chuckled, shaking her head as they turned to leave.

“We’ll come pick it up in a few days,” Koharu said.

The streets of Miraveth were bustling with people. Strings had been hung across buildings with red flags hanging from them, golden flame insignias stitched on each one; a flame with three tongues curving to the left, a spark in the centre resembling a star.

The new symbol for the Ignis Force.

Koharu’s shoulders lifted as she sighed, her hands behind her back. She thought of where Ezequiel was, her smile faltering as she remembered. Again. It happened so many times each day. She thought she’d be used to it after a week. But there was no escaping it.

“Are you alright, Koharu?” Celeste asked.

The girl’s eyes were narrowed, her hair plaited and full of gold, pearls and whatever gem stones Lady Shidare could braid into it.

“I’m fine, Celeste,” she said, forcing a smile. “What do you think of the decorations?”

Celeste looked around, smiling widely. “I like them. I think we should put more effort into the statue, though.”

Koharu glanced at the giant marble figure decorating the centre of the plaza they walked into. Ignacio, his hair that spiky mess it always was, stood with a defiant glare towards the gates of Miraveth. The outfit he’d worn on the first day of the battle had been carved onto the statue, the collar and sleeves of his jacket as sharp and curved as axes, the flaps that were stitched into the sides and back of his pants raised as if he were landing from a jump.

“I made that outfit,” an old lady said from beside them, running her tongue over her front teeth. She pointed to a large pin skewering her bun of hair. “It took me fifty years, but I did it. I designed for a hero.”

Koharu and Celeste exchanged a glance, stifling their laughter.

Celeste took a deep breath, tears filling her eyes as she stared up at the statue.

“He did it, Koharu,” she said, folding her arms. “He beat Cypher Corp… for me.”

Koharu smiled, scratching beneath her dark blue eyepatch. “I’ve never seen that kind of love and dedication before, Celeste,” she said, squeezing the girl’s shoulder.

Celeste wiped her cheek with the bell sleeve of her yellow and black dress. “Did he really absorb ten Aspects at once?”

“I don’t know the exact number,” Koharu said. “But by the end, he was so powerful that he scared away two Titan Aspects and three Dragon Aspects just by looking at them.”

A commotion broke out to their left, the people cheering and clapping as Lady Shidare rode into the plaza atop a Pegasus adorned in plates of white, gold and red armour. Its hooves clapped across the scale road, and behind her came in Kaito with Malena close behind, the two riding Pegasus of their own; one with black freckles, the other with red tips on its feathers.

Koharu smiled. She wanted to raise a fist and cheer for them. But there was still a splinter of resentment left in her mind. A splinter that had only been pushed deeper now that Ezequiel was gone.

Celeste chuckled. The three rode up to them, their mounts braying with voices like steel scraping together. Lady Shidare gave a slight bow to Celeste, who returned it.

“Empress,” Koharu said, raising an eyebrow at her.

“Koharu,” Lady Shadire replied, giving her a nod.

“How are the preparations for the memorial coming along?” Celeste asked.

“Everything will be done in time for tonight,” Malena said, her beautiful dragonfly wings flat against her back. “We are arranging for the fires in the Colossi Temple to burn all night. Resources have been gathered to ensure it is done, and the parades are starting to fill the streets as we speak.”

Shidare nodded, glancing at Celeste. “Is that satisfactory, Lady Ignis?”

Celeste groaned, rubbing her eye with a hand. “I hate that name.”

“I will take that as a yes,” Shidare said, pulling the reins of her ornate Pegasus to the side. Her robe flowed down the animal’s sides, the elaborate gold and red patterns stitched to a fine black material. “Come to the Record Hall if you need me.”

Her Pegasus spread its wings as it galloped away, and took to the sky.

Kaito rode past her, his cape black with a golden Ignis insignia shining on it. He tilted his head.

“You alright, Kay?” he asked.

She nodded. “Just admiring the statue.”

She wasn’t about to tell him, anyway. He gave a nod, thrashing the tassel-lined reins of his Pegasus as he rode off. Malena gave her a slight bow as she passed, and Koharu waved her goodbye.

Something landed on the floor with a thump behind them, and they turned to find Dario standing there, his flaming skull staring blankly.

“And I just wanna say,” he said, placing his hand on his chest. “That even though I may have lost my head, I will never blow my top with either of you.”

Koharu laughed and Celeste rolled her eyes. He leaped over the statue, bounding over buildings and waving them goodbye as he followed Kaito and Malena.

Celeste clasped her hands, her eyes moving to the flags again. “Koharu?”

“Yeah?”

“Why did you ask that we put a star in the Ignis insignia?”

Koharu lowered her head, blushing. “Because… he made a promise to me.”

“About what?”

She paused. “Once, I asked him if he’d ever seen stars. And, without having to tell him a thing,” she smiled, “he promised he’d show them to me, one day. After we saved you.”

Celeste smiled. “That sounds like Ignacio, alright.”

People flooded the plaza now, carrying baskets of white, red and yellow powders, some clutching white peacocks in their arms to take to the Colossi Temple.

“Did he do it?” Celeste asked.

Koharu blinked. “What?”

“Did Ignacio show you the stars?”

Koharu swallowed a lump in her throat, shaking her head.

Celeste stepped up to her. “May I?”

Koharu frowned. “Do what?”

Celeste smiled. “Show you the stars, for him?” she said, her voice breaking.

Koharu paused. She blinked as a tear fell from her eye, dripping to the back of Celeste’s hand. She bit her lip, squeezing her eyes shut.

“If you think that’s what he would want,” she whispered.

Celeste's fingertips pressed against her temples. And a warm breeze brushed against her skin, swaying her hair to the side.

She opened her eyes with a gentle gasp. She stood in the middle of a forest clearing, the sun slipping behind the horizon, setting the ocean ablaze. She placed a hand against her chest, watching the shifting waters sparkle. The rush of waves against the shore blended with the rustling of the trees around her, and she closed her eyes as another warm breeze rolled against her neck.

It was… perfect. Like Celeste had sent her to a place she’d always wanted to find, but never could.

She lifted her chin, eyes fluttering open. And her hands covered her mouth. The sky was a shade of ancient blue she didn’t even know existed. And stars filled it like those sparkles of sunlight on the ocean. Some glared brighter than others, some closer and some further. Like she was staring into a lake of dark water with diamonds glowing on the floor.

Tears ran down her cheeks as she lowered her hands, her smile so wide it made her face ache. She opened her arms, twirling around in the grass as she laughed, the stars spinning around her. She fell to the soft grass, laying on her back with her arms out at her sides. She laughed again, tears streaming down the sides of her face, running down her neck.

“Thank you, Ignacio,” she whispered, taking a deep breath.

Something lowered beside her on the grass. She turned, her eyes moving up the dark shadow of a man who sat there, staring at the sky.

He lowered his chin to look at her with a pair of flaming orange eyes, his hair pointing in more directions she could name.

“I told you, I’d help you find them all,” he said, those fiery eyes narrowing.

She swallowed, reaching for him. Her throat ached as she tried to speak; trying to call his name.

Her fingers brushed against his hand, and his form flickered like a shadow cast by candlelight. She blinked. And the Remnant was gone.

She clutched her hand against her chest. The grass around her rustled as a breeze swept by and the final ray of sunlight vanished, leaving her to bask in the cold light of the stars.

She stared, raising her hand so it looked giant against them. And a shooting star streaked between her fingers.

“I wish we had more time,” she whispered. “I just… wanted to learn how to love you.”