Chapter 40 - Farewell, Friend

His eyes shot open as he felt the entire world shake around him, looking up to see Sora shaking him by the shoulders.

"Sorry for the rude awakening, it's just--you weren't waking up any other way I tried," Sora moved his hands away.

"No...it's fine, thanks for waking me up," Ren slowly sat up on the edge of the bed.

He saw Sora staring intently at him, focusing on something that was clearly on his face. Raising his hand to feel whatever was there, he wiped the cold tears that had stained his cheek.

"Did you have a bad dream or something?"

"Something like that…"

The room fell silent, leaving Ren to his own thoughts before the red-haired man finally spoke up--

"It's, uh, it's time. For that. I didn't think you'd want the others around for this, so I didn't tell them," Sora scratched his head.

"Yeah, I guess we should get it done…" Ren nodded his head slightly before standing up, keeping his gaze low to the ground, "thanks, Sora. I appreciate this."

"Don't sweat it, man. All of us here have lost more than we could handle, but we always get through it--together," Sora bumped his fist against the boy's chest gently.

The nightly air outside was serene, somehow remaining quiet in the depths of such a vibrant valley full of creatures. Sora carried the body to a spot at the back end of the tree, a small opening within the colossal tower of nature containing a bed of flowers. The flowers were an array of beautiful colors, each one seemed to dance against the gentle breeze.

The man gently placed Meinhard's body down in the bed of flowers. It was a gruesome sight still, but he kept his gaze on his friend--not wanting to say goodbye. He watched as the flowers began to faintly glow, illuminating with an emerald shine as the wounds on the boy's lifeless body began to close.

"What's...going on?" Ren asked as his voice left in a tremble.

"We call them "Goodbye Flowers"--they heal the dead, and only the dead," Sora told him, "it's ironic, isn't it? So powerful and full of natural mana that they can restore even the most heinous wounds in seconds...but you have to have already succumbed to them."

"No...they're amazing," Ren smiled as tears once again traveled down his cheeks.

Once again, this one last time--he saw his friend without the scars of Rouge plaguing his sight, he could look at him without remembering the hellish fiend. The two remained silent as they listened to the sounds of nightly nature fill the vacant air, watching as the flowers embraced Meinhard.

"By sunrise, the tree will have brought him within itself. You know, there are stories about this tree. It is said to have stood for over a thousand years, watching over the valley with its old, wise eyes. They call it "Grandfather Gyma"," Sora spoke in a calm tone as he stood tall.

Ren felt somewhat perplexed as to why the man was speaking about trees during a time like this. All he wanted to do was grieve, but here he was--listening to a story about a tree. Looking over at Sora, he quickly realized the nature of the man's talking. Tears were rolling down his cheeks as he looked up to the highest branches, trying to hide his emotion.

--He's a big softy, isn't he? Ren couldn't help but smile slightly as a flood of tears streamed from his eyes.

"I guess I should say something, huh…" Ren smiled slightly as he looked down.

He tried his best to stay quiet to avoid his voice cracking from the tears.

He flinched as Sora gave him a slight push on the back. Looking up--the man gave him a smile and a nod with eyes red from tears. In this moment of melancholy, he found a bit of humor in the fact that Sora was somehow crying harder than him for somebody the man didn't even know.

He slowly stepped over in front of Meinhard, who looked as if he was just peacefully sleeping--somehow, the sight wasn't as sad as he thought. It was relieving to see him like that, with his messy golden locks wet from the light showers that pelted down against the overbearing leaves above.

"...You taught me how to read and write, tools which are invaluable...I'll...I'll never be able to repay you for that. The chance slipped away. However...that isn't the most valuable thing you gave me," Ren tried to maintain his trembling smile as he felt his throat close up.

At this point, his eyes were red and puffy from the seemingly never-ending stream of sorrowful water--but there was no point in trying to hide his emotion.

"I was alone and honestly, scared. I tried to act tough like I was prepared for this world...but I wasn't. Every night I wanted to cry for my parents, and sometimes I did. However...you were always there for me. You worked so hard--you were my complete opposite. Diligent while I was slothful.

Yet--you never complained, you always wanted to hear my stupid whining. I guess what I'm trying to say is--you were there for me when I had nobody else."

Looking upon the boy's pale voice devoid of life, he still prayed that by some miracle his eyes would open. Behind him, he could hear the muffled sniffling of Sora.

--You know...I think I get what might be making him this way. I thought maybe he was just extremely emotional--which I still believe he is...but he probably feels somewhat responsible for this, doesn't he?

"Sora," Ren said, turning back towards him.

"Yeah?' The man replied, wiping the snot away from his nose.

He was a sniveling mess, his face reddened from his prolonged tears, the bustling image of a hot-headed knight was brought down to this. Even so, Ren found it endearing.

"I'm glad you came to rescue me," Ren gave him a slight smile.

The tears finally stopped flowing from Sora's eyes--Ren assumed maybe he somehow dried out his tear ducts from his continuous sobbing. He stood there agape, just looking at Ren as if seeing a ghost.

"You know...I was just angry before. If it wasn't for you, I'd be...well, I'd be right where Meinhard is right now," Ren tried to lighten the mood, causing a stream of tears to escape his eyes as he smiled.

Before he could react, Sora picked him up--giving him a complete bearhug. Being this close to the man, he noticed a scent that resembled pinewood coming from him. His first instinct was to try and fervently reject the sudden embrace as it was in his NEET nature to deny skinship, but--it was just what he needed.

"Call me--"Bro"--you got that, tiny bro?" Sora said as his voice choked, squeezing Ren tighter into the embrace.

"Y-yeah, I got that So- I mean, bro," Ren shut one eye, still not used to the prospect of being this close to someone, "hey, can I have some time alone...with him?"

Sora set him back down and nodded his head before leaving back inside of the house. It seemed he left Ren a gift in the form of staining his tunic with tears and drool.

"That oaf," Ren smiled with a slight look of disgust as he inspected his tunic.

Now it was truly lonely, just the wind carrying the past howls of the night to fill his ears. He lost track of time as he stayed beside Meinhard, watching the pearlescent stars that presided alongside the heavens.

"In an odd way, it feels like I have to see you leave me all over again. It's stupid, I know. Laugh at me all you like from heaven, dork. It's just...after tonight, you'll really be gone. I won't ever be able to see you again--I'll just have to rely on the ol' memory, huh…" Ren let out a sigh through his pained smile.

--It seems maybe, just maybe--this might work out, Meinhard. Just promise me you'll always watch over me, okay? In return, I'll promise to always keep you in my heart. Always.

After expending his treasury of tears, enough to make his reddened eyes sensitive from the constant exposure to liquid, it was time to call it a night.

"It seems your affinity is water."

As soon as he walked through the front door, not expecting to meet anyone—he was greeted by the poorly timed, stoically delivered joke.

"That was pretty harsh, Donatien."

"Even for a four-eyed bastard like you, that was cold."

Tristan, Sora, and of course, the unlikely joker—Donatien were waiting for him inside the house.

"...I was merely attempting to lighten the mood, it seems I had a lapse in judgment."

The slender man adjusted his glasses as a soft pink filled in his pale cheeks. It was hard to stay in a state of sulking with this trio around.

"I know I said I didn't want to involve anyone else...but I just want you to know you aren't alone!" Sora assured him.

The man brought his large hand down on his shoulder, his palm easily fitting his shoulder in it.

"There he goes again…" Donatien clicked his tongue at the sight, "he's not wrong—for once. I want you to know you can count on us, Ren. We've all experienced the same feelings of confusion and distrust you have in this world—that pain is not yours to hold alone."

"You guys…" Ren had to battle the urge to unleash waterworks again.

The snowy-haired man stepped forward, looking directly at the young man as if preparing to part him with words of his own.

"So are we popping open that bottle of booze, or what?"

—Of course.

Being assured not being of age to drink meant nothing in this world--Ren indulged himself in the splendors of true alcohol, alongside the grown men who likely weren't setting the best example. The boisterous four men, in their drunken celebrations, somehow managed to wake none of the others present in the quiet house.

A stomach warm with booze, cheeks flushed over, Ren found himself clinging to his bed that night as if it was his long-lost lover. A night of that was supposed to be of mourning, turned into one devoid of worries--and one he wouldn't remember past that first sip of the strong, spicy amber potion.