[Legend of Sun Knight] fic: Bittersweet Sweetness Part 16
Finally, some writing for 2012! My word count meter has been stuck at 0 for many, many days. This is sad progress.
Title: Bittersweet Sweetness Part 16
Fandom: The Legend of Sun Knight
Words: 1,589
Summary: Instead of receiving a brooch that dresses him in an assassin's clothes, Sun receives a trinket that switches his consciousness around with Judgment's. Now, Judgment must find out the mystery behind the Death Knight in Sun's stead. Problem is, imitating Sun's poor swordsmanship is no easy feat, and who knew what Sun was doing with Judgment's body in the meantime? Alternate telling of the end of volume 1 of the novels.
Notes: Suddenly, introspection. As well as some time-hopping, as Sun and Judgment's parts don't completely match up time-wise, so Judgment's part will have some flashbacks to fill in the gaps. We are... nowhere near the end. Oops.
Previous Part
Part 16 - Sun
Lesus was already inside the bathroom. Of course he was already inside. Lesus is never late. The world would sooner end than for that to happen, just like the world would sooner end than for me to become a master swordsman... did I really just think that? Why brain? Why?
It's all Earth's fault, I decided. I hadn't forgotten what he'd said during the meeting this morning. Yes, definitely Earth's fault for making me think of this kind of comparison...
After taking care of Judgment's duties this morning, including turning in paperwork perfectly on time -- I so deserve a reward for this -- I only have one conclusion to make. Lesus' duties are so boring. Interrogation is fine, but paperwork and attending meetings? Ugh. No thank you.
Seated on the stool he'd brought, Lesus handed me a basin of water. He must have had a much more entertaining morning than I had -- darn him for getting all the fun parts -- and I would soon hear about it. The plan was for us to quickly fill in each other about our mornings before we visited Pink. If it weren't because "Judgment" had been tied down by his duties, I would have wanted to join Lesus in intimidating our suspects!
I dunked my hands into the cold water in the basin. As I washed my hands, Lesus watched me carefully.
"What?" I asked while drying my hands.
Was there something on my face? Why was he staring at me like that? Was it really so fascinating to stare at himself? He was staring so intently that I was getting goose bumps! As much as I thought I looked quite handsome, it was still extremely weird getting stared at so intently by "myself". I mean, imagine looking at a mirror and having your reflection move on its own accord, completely different from whatever you're actually doing. That's creepy!
I made a face at him, even going as far as sticking my tongue out.
He twitched before he rubbed the area between his eyebrows and followed that with a sigh. Or well, he exhaled deeply through his mouth. Same difference.
"Lesus!" I exclaimed immediately. "Don't do that! You'll shorten my lifespan by three seconds with every sigh!"
Death by sighing too much did not sound like an elegant death. My teacher would never approve of that!
This made him roll his eyes, marvelously showing off the whites of his eyes. My eyes actually. I do have very pretty and very blue eyes.
"I haven't died yet, have I?" he asked.
"No..." I admitted, and I did make him sigh a lot. Countless times throughout the years we've known each other. Mostly with each favor I asked of him. But hey, I made him laugh just as much!
"Just, stop sighing!"
"I only sighed once."
That was more than enough!
Thankfully, he didn't sigh again, and he also stopped staring.
"You look fine," he said instead, eyes roving up and down before they flicked upwards and settled on my face.
If I had been eating, I might have choked at that, except neither of us had prepared any food, so luckily there was no food for me to choke on. I imagine "Judgment Knight found dead in the bathroom from choking!" would not have been a pretty headline, and while Lesus' teacher wouldn't pull Judgment back from beyond just to kill him again so that he'd die gracefully, Lesus himself would probably never forgive me.
"Lesus, are you...complimenting your own looks?" I asked incredulously. I had little idea what kind of expression I was now displaying. It was hard to imagine what Lesus looked like when he was shocked - at most I could only imagine him paling. He normally had his expressions controlled just as well as I had mine controlled, except he took on disapproving frowns while I displayed forgiving smiles. If everyone on the continent had a contest over who controlled their expressions best, we'd probably come out as victors, only losing to a single person. Want to take a guess at who I'm thinking of? I know, I know, it's no contest. Ice would totally win every single contest.
My words earned me another roll of his eyes. "No, I'm not you."
What did that mean? Also, if he really wanted to get technical, he was me at the moment.
He continued on. "You don't look disturbed."
"Of course not. I'm not crazy," I said.
"Now you're purposely playing dumb."
Fine, he had me caught. I crossed my arms and sat down on the second stool Lesus had so kindly brought, much like what I always did for him after his interrogations. I never thought the day would come where he'd be waiting for me after I finished interrogating criminals. Normally, he was the one who brought the food, and he was also the one busy vomiting -- even though he doesn't look it with that stoic look he always has on, Lesus is quite a sensitive guy, don't let him fool you -- so I was always the only one who ate in the bathroom while I watched him empty his stomach. From what Lesus had observed, I was clearly fine and undisturbed, with no need to vomit.
Truthfully, Lesus should be more worried about his Judgment Knight Platoon than me. His vice captain had looked somewhat green in the face when I'd left him.
We must be quite a sight, Lesus and I, two grown men sitting together, side-by-side on dainty little stools in the bathroom. Not just any two grown men either, but the Sun Knight and the Judgment Knight, the two most prestigious holy knights in the kingdom. If given a list of statements and asked to determine which ones were false, ten out of ten people would immediately label "Sun Knight and Judgment Knight regularly meet in the bathroom to have heart-to-heart talks" as completely false without any doubt, yet here we were.
I darted a look at Lesus, who had fallen silent after he'd torn away my nonchalance. Stupid Lesus. Stupid tapeworm. Why'd he have to go and do that? Sometimes, I really detest how he seems to know me even better than I know myself.
Lesus turned blue eyes on me, golden tresses framing his face. I knew he was Lesus, but at the same time, I could not stop my mind from going into overdrive. Lesus was so much more responsible and honorable than me. If not for his utter monopoly on the color black, he would have made a fine Sun Knight without any need of putting up a charade. Now, he even had the looks to back it up.
As for me, if not for my golden hair and blue eyes, why would my teacher have even chosen me? What else did I have going for me? The logical choice back then had been Roland -- even then his sword skills had been phenomenal, and his sense of justice just as phenomenal -- yet my teacher had chosen me, a Sun Knight who cannot keep hold of his sword and who doesn't even bat an eye at flaying a criminal into unconsciousness.
Roland would have been a more righteous Sun Knight than me. Lesus would have been a more benevolent one. Yet the first was dead, wrongly slayed, and the latter tied down by ancient legends, only able to show his kindness to but a select few.
Perhaps, in return, I would have made a fine Judgment Knight. I'm sure I would have been able to uphold the harsh image of the Judgment Knight without any problems. I wouldn't even need to pretend much, and I wouldn't need to hold myself back. Unlike Lesus, I would not have to bend over and heave my guts out after each and every interrogation.
Lesus is a good guy, on par with Leaf's level of kindness -- that ought to tell you just how much of a good guy Lesus is because you'd be hard-pressed to find a kinder guy than Leaf out there -- except Lesus has always had to put up a front and force himself to appear harsh. I've watched him through the years, his mask down in this unused bathroom that belonged only to us. If you were me and were privy to Lesus when he had his mask down, you too would wonder how such a kind person such as Lesus could ever be the terrifying and unforgiving Judgment Knight that everyone feared. I mean, he even had tears in his eyes when his teacher brought him along during his first few interrogations!
I was far from benevolent, yet I was "Sun". Lesus was far from cruel, yet he was "Judgment".
I fingered a strand of dark hair, and wondered.
"Grisia, what are you thinking?" Lesus asked, his voice light, but I could hear the concern in his words. That was my voice he was using. I knew it well.
"Lesus," I started. "What if we never change back?"
What if we were stuck? We did make plans yesterday, yes, but I'd half-expected to wake up as myself. Then, I'd half-expected I would miraculously find myself back in my own body while in the midst of the meeting, or in the midst of interrogating a criminal, rendering our visit to Pink unnecessary, but now morning had passed and we were still not ourselves. Pink had said three hours. This was way more than three hours. I hadn't wanted to consider it, but...something must be wrong.
I swallowed.
Are we stuck? Is the God of Light trying to tell me something?
Did He not want me as his Sun Knight anymore?
That thought left a bitter taste in my mouth.
-----
to be continued
Next Part
Title: Bittersweet Sweetness Part 16
Fandom: The Legend of Sun Knight
Words: 1,589
Summary: Instead of receiving a brooch that dresses him in an assassin's clothes, Sun receives a trinket that switches his consciousness around with Judgment's. Now, Judgment must find out the mystery behind the Death Knight in Sun's stead. Problem is, imitating Sun's poor swordsmanship is no easy feat, and who knew what Sun was doing with Judgment's body in the meantime? Alternate telling of the end of volume 1 of the novels.
Notes: Suddenly, introspection. As well as some time-hopping, as Sun and Judgment's parts don't completely match up time-wise, so Judgment's part will have some flashbacks to fill in the gaps. We are... nowhere near the end. Oops.
Previous Part
Part 16 - Sun
Lesus was already inside the bathroom. Of course he was already inside. Lesus is never late. The world would sooner end than for that to happen, just like the world would sooner end than for me to become a master swordsman... did I really just think that? Why brain? Why?
It's all Earth's fault, I decided. I hadn't forgotten what he'd said during the meeting this morning. Yes, definitely Earth's fault for making me think of this kind of comparison...
After taking care of Judgment's duties this morning, including turning in paperwork perfectly on time -- I so deserve a reward for this -- I only have one conclusion to make. Lesus' duties are so boring. Interrogation is fine, but paperwork and attending meetings? Ugh. No thank you.
Seated on the stool he'd brought, Lesus handed me a basin of water. He must have had a much more entertaining morning than I had -- darn him for getting all the fun parts -- and I would soon hear about it. The plan was for us to quickly fill in each other about our mornings before we visited Pink. If it weren't because "Judgment" had been tied down by his duties, I would have wanted to join Lesus in intimidating our suspects!
I dunked my hands into the cold water in the basin. As I washed my hands, Lesus watched me carefully.
"What?" I asked while drying my hands.
Was there something on my face? Why was he staring at me like that? Was it really so fascinating to stare at himself? He was staring so intently that I was getting goose bumps! As much as I thought I looked quite handsome, it was still extremely weird getting stared at so intently by "myself". I mean, imagine looking at a mirror and having your reflection move on its own accord, completely different from whatever you're actually doing. That's creepy!
I made a face at him, even going as far as sticking my tongue out.
He twitched before he rubbed the area between his eyebrows and followed that with a sigh. Or well, he exhaled deeply through his mouth. Same difference.
"Lesus!" I exclaimed immediately. "Don't do that! You'll shorten my lifespan by three seconds with every sigh!"
Death by sighing too much did not sound like an elegant death. My teacher would never approve of that!
This made him roll his eyes, marvelously showing off the whites of his eyes. My eyes actually. I do have very pretty and very blue eyes.
"I haven't died yet, have I?" he asked.
"No..." I admitted, and I did make him sigh a lot. Countless times throughout the years we've known each other. Mostly with each favor I asked of him. But hey, I made him laugh just as much!
"Just, stop sighing!"
"I only sighed once."
That was more than enough!
Thankfully, he didn't sigh again, and he also stopped staring.
"You look fine," he said instead, eyes roving up and down before they flicked upwards and settled on my face.
If I had been eating, I might have choked at that, except neither of us had prepared any food, so luckily there was no food for me to choke on. I imagine "Judgment Knight found dead in the bathroom from choking!" would not have been a pretty headline, and while Lesus' teacher wouldn't pull Judgment back from beyond just to kill him again so that he'd die gracefully, Lesus himself would probably never forgive me.
"Lesus, are you...complimenting your own looks?" I asked incredulously. I had little idea what kind of expression I was now displaying. It was hard to imagine what Lesus looked like when he was shocked - at most I could only imagine him paling. He normally had his expressions controlled just as well as I had mine controlled, except he took on disapproving frowns while I displayed forgiving smiles. If everyone on the continent had a contest over who controlled their expressions best, we'd probably come out as victors, only losing to a single person. Want to take a guess at who I'm thinking of? I know, I know, it's no contest. Ice would totally win every single contest.
My words earned me another roll of his eyes. "No, I'm not you."
What did that mean? Also, if he really wanted to get technical, he was me at the moment.
He continued on. "You don't look disturbed."
"Of course not. I'm not crazy," I said.
"Now you're purposely playing dumb."
Fine, he had me caught. I crossed my arms and sat down on the second stool Lesus had so kindly brought, much like what I always did for him after his interrogations. I never thought the day would come where he'd be waiting for me after I finished interrogating criminals. Normally, he was the one who brought the food, and he was also the one busy vomiting -- even though he doesn't look it with that stoic look he always has on, Lesus is quite a sensitive guy, don't let him fool you -- so I was always the only one who ate in the bathroom while I watched him empty his stomach. From what Lesus had observed, I was clearly fine and undisturbed, with no need to vomit.
Truthfully, Lesus should be more worried about his Judgment Knight Platoon than me. His vice captain had looked somewhat green in the face when I'd left him.
We must be quite a sight, Lesus and I, two grown men sitting together, side-by-side on dainty little stools in the bathroom. Not just any two grown men either, but the Sun Knight and the Judgment Knight, the two most prestigious holy knights in the kingdom. If given a list of statements and asked to determine which ones were false, ten out of ten people would immediately label "Sun Knight and Judgment Knight regularly meet in the bathroom to have heart-to-heart talks" as completely false without any doubt, yet here we were.
I darted a look at Lesus, who had fallen silent after he'd torn away my nonchalance. Stupid Lesus. Stupid tapeworm. Why'd he have to go and do that? Sometimes, I really detest how he seems to know me even better than I know myself.
Lesus turned blue eyes on me, golden tresses framing his face. I knew he was Lesus, but at the same time, I could not stop my mind from going into overdrive. Lesus was so much more responsible and honorable than me. If not for his utter monopoly on the color black, he would have made a fine Sun Knight without any need of putting up a charade. Now, he even had the looks to back it up.
As for me, if not for my golden hair and blue eyes, why would my teacher have even chosen me? What else did I have going for me? The logical choice back then had been Roland -- even then his sword skills had been phenomenal, and his sense of justice just as phenomenal -- yet my teacher had chosen me, a Sun Knight who cannot keep hold of his sword and who doesn't even bat an eye at flaying a criminal into unconsciousness.
Roland would have been a more righteous Sun Knight than me. Lesus would have been a more benevolent one. Yet the first was dead, wrongly slayed, and the latter tied down by ancient legends, only able to show his kindness to but a select few.
Perhaps, in return, I would have made a fine Judgment Knight. I'm sure I would have been able to uphold the harsh image of the Judgment Knight without any problems. I wouldn't even need to pretend much, and I wouldn't need to hold myself back. Unlike Lesus, I would not have to bend over and heave my guts out after each and every interrogation.
Lesus is a good guy, on par with Leaf's level of kindness -- that ought to tell you just how much of a good guy Lesus is because you'd be hard-pressed to find a kinder guy than Leaf out there -- except Lesus has always had to put up a front and force himself to appear harsh. I've watched him through the years, his mask down in this unused bathroom that belonged only to us. If you were me and were privy to Lesus when he had his mask down, you too would wonder how such a kind person such as Lesus could ever be the terrifying and unforgiving Judgment Knight that everyone feared. I mean, he even had tears in his eyes when his teacher brought him along during his first few interrogations!
I was far from benevolent, yet I was "Sun". Lesus was far from cruel, yet he was "Judgment".
I fingered a strand of dark hair, and wondered.
"Grisia, what are you thinking?" Lesus asked, his voice light, but I could hear the concern in his words. That was my voice he was using. I knew it well.
"Lesus," I started. "What if we never change back?"
What if we were stuck? We did make plans yesterday, yes, but I'd half-expected to wake up as myself. Then, I'd half-expected I would miraculously find myself back in my own body while in the midst of the meeting, or in the midst of interrogating a criminal, rendering our visit to Pink unnecessary, but now morning had passed and we were still not ourselves. Pink had said three hours. This was way more than three hours. I hadn't wanted to consider it, but...something must be wrong.
I swallowed.
Are we stuck? Is the God of Light trying to tell me something?
Did He not want me as his Sun Knight anymore?
That thought left a bitter taste in my mouth.
-----
to be continued
Next Part