Rest in Peace, my friend (Finished)

[Miracle]

Sir Solomon
1979 - 2012
Hero, Leader and Friend

The wind blew gently through the hair and priest robes of the High Priestess as she looked down towards the carvings of the headstone she had written for her fallen friend. Jehanne was at her side and the other surviving soldiers of Aircano was there to pay their respects to the man who was like a father to them. Miracle was silent. All she did was stare at the headstone as pain filled up her heart with each breath she took. Redness could be seen around her eyes but no tears fell down her cheeks now that they were here. The High Priestess feared that she may never be able to cry again after the weeping from the previous night.

Solomon, Sir Solomon, General Solomon. He was a man caught in the old ways of the Holy City but he was always there for her, and he always did what was right in the end. His strength, his will, they were strong enough to look upon not one but two Arashis and not be swept away by death. How ironic was it then that an Arashi was the one to take his life. An Arashi long since dead and under her control. It created a guilt deep within the child's soul that may never go away. She may be able to forgive people for the worst of deeds, but she may never be able to forgive herself for being so weak that she needed the Arashi help. Solomon tried to warn her and she didn't listen. Now it was too late. One of her best friends in the world was dead and her city doomed to fall a third time. What she had feared would happen did. Miracle's own sins continued to be their greatest downfall. How many losses did she have to endure before this stopped? How many tears had to be shed? Until it was no longer possible for her to cry? How much longer could any one person endure? If only Amoura was here to answer that. Miracle could think of no one else who'd have that answer.

Miracle slowly turned her head to face Jehanne. One of Solomon greatest students. She was only a knight in training and already she had seen more action and death in her lifetime than many of the holy knights of Aircano's past. A woman who swore on the cost of her own life that she would protect her no matter the cost. Like Solomon before her. He was so proud of how far she came and it was heart breaking that he never got to tell her that himself. Miracle opened her mouth to speak to the trainee but then--

[Jehanne]

"Don't."

Jehanne cut Miracle off before she could begin. The woman had been with the child long enough to know what was going to be said long before the High Priestess could even muster up the strength to say it. Not today. Jehanne remained standing to Miracle's right with her arms at her side and her head bowed, paying tribute to Solomon through silence only broken when the need to do so arose.

"You don't have to be or say anything today."

Miracle had acted like an adult for so long Jehanne feared she forgot how to act like a child. It wasn't right. Someone her age was meant to be enjoying their childhood with others her age. Not being the shinning light of an entire nation that leaned on her shoulder more than she could lean on theirs. Solomon thought the same thing even if he didn't openly say it Jehanne could sense it every time he looked at the High Priestess. And she knew he wouldn't want her acting as such here, nor did she want it on account of her.

"You don't have to be anything except a child who misses her friend."

[Miracle]

"Don't."

Miracle blinked in surprise. She had barely been able to open her mouth before Jehanne was cutting her off. It closed her mouth and moved her lips into a frown as she really wanted to repeat what Solomon had said to her about Jehanne. But the High Priestess could understand the woman's reluctance in light of everything that has happened. Perhaps it was too soon now to relay the message. Little did she know however it wasn't just Jehanne not wanting to talk about it.

"You don't have to be or say anything today. You don't have to be anything except a child who misses her friend."

Those words caused the frown to flip into a weak smile as they were the words she could have imagined Solomon would use if he was in the trainee's place at this hour.

"You truly are like him."

Miracle complimented, her eyes moving away from Jehanne and falling back down on the headstone. It was painful that there was no body to bury but maybe it was better this way. She didn't want to think how much harder this would all be if there was a body present.

"What if I have no more tears to shed?"

[Ayen]

"What if I have no more tears to shed?"

“Then I pity you.”

A bosque of flowers was laid down in front of the tombstone of General Solomon. When Miracle and Jehanne turned they would see the leader of Utopia Luca Valentine herself standing beside them. Jill Valentine and two more guards as an escort as her blue eyes looked over the words Miracle carved into the tombstone and the date. More importantly the dash between the date as that represented the time spent in this life. Was it all worth while? She couldn't say. All she could do was honored the life once lived and carry on.

“For when you are no longer capable of tears you'll know what it means to be a monster.”

[Jehanne]

Before Jehanne could answer she would hear a familiar voice speak in her stead. Turning alongside the other Aircano soldiers, the trainee saw Luca Valentine approach them. A bosque of flowers in hand for General Solomon. The soldiers first gut instinct of course was to reach for their blades and draw them but Jehanne held out her hand to signal for them to halt. Body or no body this was Solomon's burial sight and she wouldn't have a battle happen here if she could help it. The trainee looked over to Miracle to see what she would do in the presence of Utopia's leader.

[Miracle]

The High Priestess didn't even move when she heard Luca's voice. She thought it was just a dream or her ears playing tricks with her. Why would Luca Valentine be here of all places? She knew Kari was close to Utopia thanks to having the tower right in their backyard, and she knew Utopia has decided to lend a hand to Kari to help repel the demon invasion but even then why would Luca visit the tomb of an enemy? It didn't make sense.

Surely enough however the moment Miracle turned her head she saw the woman as plain as day. With a bosque of flowers to leave near the tomb. Was this some kind of a sick joke? Was there no lengths Luca or Mari would sink to just to torment them? This was meant to be a day of mourning not a day of fending off taunts from a being that may very well be unkillable. To this day Miracle still didn't understand the connection between Luca Valentine and Maricul but she knew as long as one existed the other one would never cease to be. So why were they here then?

"I don't understand."

She of course was referring to Luca being here at all. Miracle knew all too well what she meant about no longer being able to cry and monsters. It was something she feared. That her tear ducts would one day dry up from all the crying and she would no longer feel anything anymore.

[Ayen]

As the Aircano Soldiers reached for their weapons Jill and the two guards did the same, however Luca would extend the same courtesy Jehanne did and held up her hand to the others signaling for them to stand down. Addressing the High Priestess' statement while never once turning away from the tomb.

"I don't understand."

“There are no enemies in death. Once your body returns to the ground we're all the same. It's in that moment we have attained true equality and freedom.”

After explaining herself she would disturb them no longer and turned around to begin taking her leave.

“Until we meet again, Lady Miracle.”

[Miracle]

“There are no enemies in death. Once your body returns to the ground we're all the same. It's in that moment we have attained true equality and freedom.”

Miracle was left unable to say anything in response. How is it someone so evil could be capable of such beauty like that? The High Priestess couldn't find anything to disagree there and was glad Luca wasn't here to rub salt on the opened wounds left behind by so much death and destruction. It was a wonder she hasn't crashed down and shut herself completely off yet. Where was Yahweh? He was in the city and yet he wasn't here to attend Solomon's funeral? If they can make time for him then why couldn't he?

“Until we meet again, Lady Miracle.”

"Wait!"

Miracle turned to face Luca in the direction she started off in, not ready to let her leave just yet. If Amoura couldn't be here to answer her earlier question then Luca Valentine was as good as it was going to get.

"How do you do it? How do you endure after your whole world just falls apart!?"

She needed to know how. Amoura and Maricul were the only others Miracle knew that could understand the pain she was going through. Losing her home three times, gaining her god in the flesh only to start questioning him more now than ever, losing her best friend. How could any sane mind endure this? How could any heart endure this?

[Jehanne]

Jehanne listened to Luca's explanation and found herself agreeing as her eyes went back to the tombstone of General Solomon. Her mind remembering all of the good times she had with the General which seemed only just like yesterday. She still couldn't believe he was gone. Turning back in Miracle's direction she watched as the child demanded to know how they endured after so much personal trauma. Honestly Jehanne felt like she was the one who should be asking Miracle that. After everything the High Priestess had endured in the past year how was it possible she was still standing after it all with her sanity still in tact? Jehanne said nothing however and instead waited for Luca's reply.

[Ayen]

"Wait! How do you do it? How do you endure after your whole world just falls apart!?"

Luca came to a stop and turned her head to face the High Priestess once more.

“You grieve. Then you move on.”

That was it. Luca said no more than that as she turned back around and continued her walk back towards her car.

[Miracle]

“You grieve. Then you move on.”

"Th-that's it?"

Miracle was expecting more, much more than that. She honestly felt cheated at that response as she fell down to her knees and started to cry. What kind of answer was that? Grieve and move on. She's been grieving. She's been grieving for as long as she could remember. How was she supposed to move on? How!? The High Priestess wanted to scream out towards Luca but instead she merely placed her hands on her face and continued to cry, robbed of the explanation she felt she was entitled to. Even if she didn't fully understand what that explanation was.

[Jehanne]

Jehanne was quick to join Miracle on the ground and offer her comfort by wrapping her arms around the High Priestess and holding her close while she wept, sparing only a moment's glance in Luca Valentine's direction as she walked away and back into her car as Miracle made her dissatisfaction of her answer quite known. The other soldiers there to witness the display was uncomfortable and didn't know what to do seeing their leader in such a state. It'd seem that they too have forgotten Miracle was a child at the end of the day almost as much as Miracle herself has. It irritated Jehanne but she did her best to conceal it as she allowed Miracle to cry for as long as she needed to.

[Miracle]

The High Priestess felt the arms wrap around her, lowering the hands from her face to see Jehanne holding her in an attempt to comfort her. Without saying a word Miracle showed her appreciation by embracing her and crying tears into her shoulder. Just this once Solomon and Jehanne was going to get their wish. Just this once.