Lost and loanly

[Hikaru]

He was exhausted...For so long Hikaru had dreamed of coming to this place. Having closed his clinic till he was ready to return to central he had travelled to south by foot....having no clue how to work that plastic card to afford a train ticket. His ration of food had slowly dwindled into nothing. Gone faster then he wish it could of lasted.

Clunk...click....clunk....clink...

The hollow sound of his footsteps on the platform geta's he wore clearly marking him as something other then amestrian. People shied away from him whispering harshly as they took in his Aerugese clothing and complexion. whispers of how they had aided riote to attack flourished around him as he was seen as an enemy not someone who help defend them....who cared for there sick and wounded. But at least they didn't attack him as he stumbled into the large room of flowers. The flame in the centre.... the soft call of the lark caused a small smile to grace pale pink lips. He made it....to the place he had been wanting to see since he heard about it. South's floating gardens... Stepping forward he stumbled on his geta's slopping forward the hat falling from his head revealing long blonde hair. He was so tired..... Maybe...he could rest here...

Finding a bench he kicked off the uncomfortable geta's resting them on the floor with the hat. Curling up on the bench his swords hugged to his chest for protections sake his hair pooling on the ground around him. The soft warmth of the flames spreading over him he couldn't stop his eyes from closing and soon he was sleeping.

[Gotthard]

[i]Nighttime.[i]

Night was a poetic time. It was a time that for such a long time sent the little girl Gott loved so dearly scrambling from her bed into his own, wide-eyed and convinvced that fierce beasts lurked in the dark recesses under her bed and in her closet, and only her big brother held the power to vanquish them. Night was a time that Gotthard was finally allowed to stop practicing, put away his theory books and composition notes, finally allowed to lay in bed and breathe deep the gathering gloom as the lights faded from every room. It was a few hours when the prodigy had peace and time to think, and just be himself. The irony wasn't lost to the ghost; now all he had was time, his years devoted to theory and practicing until his fingers bled only the memories of someone the world had already forgotten.

Night was still Gott's favourite time, though. Everything was closed, but what did he care? He could sneak into places and turn on their computers carefully, emitting tiny pulses to the circuits to cruise the Internet. Sure, it took ages, but considering he didn't have hands to do it any more, he felt rather accomplished. It was a time when he could watch TV in stores after everyone was gone, or play with the keyboards at the music store; read whatever pages of the newspaper were left laying around (though it agitated him that he couldn't usually finish the article); anything he wanted to a point was Gott's to do, and night was a time that everyone was usually asleep and wouldn't question it.

There were a few places the wandering ghost liked to haunt at night to sate his eternal boredom, and since it had been built, there was one place that brought him peace. Classical music was usually playing through the speakers of the Floating Gardens at all times since it was good for the plants. Gotthand drifted into the vast garden, meandering through the spheres one by one and enjoying himself. This was a peacepul place, and he liked that there was one place left in the world that cared and knew that his whole world had vanished. One sphere had so many engraved tiles on the walls, each tile with names of families and people who'd all died when South was wiped off the map. Gotthard had found his own family's tile, high up. His parents, his darling sister, and his own names, all there and compressed onto a tiny, polished square. Melinde's family, too. In the end, that's all they had all amounted to, for all their efforts, hopes, and dreams: carved names in a giant mausoleum. It was a place of peace tinged with heartache. Going in that sphere killed him a little more each time, and yet, Gott went in there every time he came to the garden, if only to say hello to the tomb that held proof that those he loved ever existed. Some night's he'd sit there and scream, venting out the frustration as his fists pounded through the walls and never touched them, crying with no tears as he demanded to know why God had sent him back to earth with no body and doomed to haunt a world that didn't know or care.

Tonight, Gotthard was not raging. he was empty and seeking peace, and after pressing a kiss to the tiles that broke the heart that no longer beat, he moved through the spheres, actually humming to himself. It was nice to make a sound and be heard, not caring if the security cameras picked up the sound. What would they do, call the Ghostbusters? The Zen garden was usually where he liked to be, but tonight... Gott felt like checking on the new arrangement of tulips planted. Kept hoping for some of the mountain flowers to make their way into the gardens, but so far no luck. Just as well; he knew that edelweiss had a habit of spreading and taking over, like clover and mint. The tulips were just on the other side of the ever-burning fire, and even though that was another memorial, that one didn't seem to make Gott as sad. There were no names in that fire; just life itself, constantly burning and feeding and living. Gott stopped before he reached the new tulips, though; there was something else new in this part of the garden. Something that didn't belong there. The gardens were closed and locked for the night, and yet, there was a person sleeping on the bench that curled around the great pyre.

Long blonde hair cascaded down, swords clutched tightly to their chest, and very tall geta on the ground beside them. Gott looked closely, not afraid to be caught staring. The person was flat-chested, and as Gott watched them breath, he could see the gentle bobbing of the Adam's Apple in his throat. Ahah, so the person dressed like an Aerugese period reenactor was a man, and sleeping in full costume on a bench in a memorial park. Right. He didn't want to wake the man up and scare him, but sometimes people were more rpone to talking in their sleep if you whispered to them. "Where did you come from," Gott whispered softly, his voice firm but not agitated. "Nobody's supposed to be here right now."

[Hikaru]

His dreams were blissful darkness. Just sleep nothing else as the night chill seeped through the thin clothing making him shiver slightly but nothing would wake him only stir him slightly from the deep slumber. His body desperate to recover from the strain it had gone through.

"Where did you come from," A voice? "Nobody's supposed to be here right now." He stirred slightly opening his eyes a bit. Soft Azure glazed over in sleep stared out into the garden but he could not see a source to the voice. Closing his eyes again he sighed softly. "Forgive me....I must of fallen asleep..." He said softly a smile curling on his lips as he dozed. "So tell me garden spirit...have an angered you with my presence....I sadly do not come bearing an offering like I rightly should of..." The beautiful garden scent of flowers filled his nostrils as he breathed. Ah yes....he wondered what spirit or fairy was speaking to him. They did become more playful at night after all. He rubbed at his face and slowly sat up. His eyes opening again. "All I can offer is a song my dear friend. That or a story?"

[Gotthard]

Usually if you caught people in that state between asleep and awake, they'd answer and soemtimes say whatever starange images their minds were conjuring. Sometimes it was pretty hilarious and strange, and others it just gave Gott a chance to talk to someone ikder than a small child (though it did make him wonder about the merits of being a professional imaginary friend). When he'd asked Hikaru how he'd got into the garden, he didn't know what to expect, really, but something more along the lines of getting locked in by accident would have made sense to him. Gott had done this with a lot of vagrants since the occupation and rebuilding of South City; lots of nights he'd asked a sleeping person their name or where they came from, or if they woke up just told them it was a dream, or said nothing else until they went back to sleep and left them alone. He didn't care much for scaring people needlessly.

But as Hikaru's blue eyes blinked open sleepily, the man in strange clothes just accepting that a disembodied voice was speaking to him with a soft, sleepy smile, Gotthard was more than a little shocked. Forgive me....I must of fallen asleep... So tell me garden spirit...have I angered you with my presence....I sadly do not come bearing an offering like I rightly should of..." Gotthard blinked in surprise. Or at least, he would have if he had eyelids. Garden spirit? Hikaru sat up, not annoyed that he was awake, and not telling himself that he was dreaming. In fact, it was rather obvious that he was speaking to Gotthard specifically. And that was beyond rare. Part of him wanted to remain silent, and just let Hikaru go back to sleep, but at the same time the chance to talk to someone who wasn't afraid would be a nice treat... "All I can offer is a song my dear friend. That or a story?"

A song or a story as an offering? This guy really did mean to talk to Gott, didn't he? This was too rare an occasion to pass up, even if it was just a few minutes, especially since the guy didn't seem like a total nutter. "You're... not afraid to talk to me?" His voice hesitated, Gotthard moving from Hikaru's left to his right, sitting on the stone bench beside him. For another moment Gotthard hesitated, loneliness battling hard against his poor people skills and unique physical constitution. His voice was soft, just loud enough to be heard over the roar of the fire behind them, uncertainty still eating at the ghost."I... I wasn't meaning to wake you; my apologies, I should let you sleep." Gotthard's voice grew more quiet, thinking more and more that he should leave the young man in strange clothes alone for the night to sleep until someone unlocked the garden's doors.

[Hikaru]

(Sorry >< posting now )

"You're... not afraid to talk to me?" The voice moved from left to right and Hikaru's eyes followed the voice as if he could see the person's face. Making a rough estimate of hight from the sound of the spirits voice and the soft vibrations Hikaru could make out to keep an almost eye contact. He softly smiled to the spirit. "Why would I be? You seem kind enough with no intent to hurt me?" He shifted to give the spirit space to sit down brushing some of his own blonde hair back behind his ear.

"I... I wasn't meaning to wake you; my apologies, I should let you sleep." He smiled softly the warm glow of fire creating beautiful shadows on the ground and highlighted his features in a strange fashion. Shaking his head softly he licked his lower lip to moisten the skin. "It's all right...I have rested enough for now." Looking to the spirit and around the garden he smiled. "You have picked a lovely place to roam...." Extending a hand in a polite greeting he smiled once more. "My name is Tanaka Hikaru it's a pleasure to meet you."

[Gotthard]

The way Hikaru's eyes followed Gotthard made him feel strange, an odd mix of a sort of happiness and an empty hope mingling like bittersweet notes played to clash intentionally and so subtly that you might not notice it. It was rather nice, though, that Hikaru was sincerely unafraid and speaking so casually, and strange that he seemed to be able to follow his movements so well. "Why would I be? You seem kind enough with no intent to hurt me?" There was something akin to warmth Gott felt from that, almost comforted to know not everyone feared what they couldn't explain. He had no intention to hurt anything; he couldn't even if he wanted to. Gott sat beside Hikaru, quiet for a moment, and then looking at Hikaru again.

Hikaru really did seem out of place in Amestris judging by his outfit; it made him look more like something from a story or a theatre, but he'd left the costume on. The way the gold of the firelight bounced off his golden hair gave it bright white and soft red hues. "It's all right...I have rested enough for now. You have picked a lovely place to roam.... My name is Tanaka Hikaru it's a pleasure to meet you." Aha, so he was Aerugese. Just the blonde hair seemed so out of place. Gotthard looked to the extended hand, puzzled almost. Yes, he knew it was to shake hands, but he didn't have hands to shake. Thinking about it for a moment, Gott tried to focus himself the way he did when he messed with electric circuits, the part of his mind that still felt like he had limbs moving to where Hikaru's hand was. Heh, phantom limbs, literally.

"It's nice to meet you," Gott said, his Aerugese slow from a real lack of application. "This is one of my favourite places to come. It's peaceful here." Gott forced another pulse as best he could, even though he rather doubted anything came of it, before retracting himself. "My name is Gotthard." His voice was still quiet and thoughtful, and then an idea came to him. That lingering hope he guarded so well since it would always be dashed... but so far, of all the people who had ever responded to him (except little kids, they never minded Gott), Hikaru wasn't afraid and actually almost looking at him. "This is a strange question, but Hikaru.... Can you see me?"

[Hikaru]

He was sure he could almost feel something. A chill but still a presence. "It's nice to meet you," He smiled softly leaning closer to the voice The Aerugese was slow but it warmed him to know that the spirit had tried to make him feel at ease. "This is one of my favourite places to come. It's peaceful here." Then the chill was gone. Hikaru felt his pulse reach out to his new spiritual friend. He nodded and looked out to the flowers. "I've been wanting to visit here for along time but my clinic kept me busy...."

"My name is Gotthard." Gotthard....he sounded so timid and almost scared. Hikaru smiled softly the warm light of the face giving normally pale skin a golden glow s soft pink lips curved with the words. "Gott...hard...." Before a soft laugh escaped him. " Gotti...it's nice to meet you."

"This is a strange question, but Hikaru.... Can you see me?" Hikaru hummed for a moment. "In a way...." He brushed back the hair behind his ear like a curtain of gold. "In a way.... I'm using the dragon pulse to sense your general frame...I can kinder sense your outline....." He looked down feeling bad he couldn't see more of Gotthard. Clearly it had been what the spirit had hoped for.

[Gotthard]

There was a certain amount of amusement that tended to come with the territory of Gott's full name; older adults would just nod because they knew it was a very old Amestrian name that was less common today, and that given his classic upbringing, seemed befitting. With younger people, however, even if they were Amestrian and knew that it meant "God's Strength," there was still something funny about his name as it sounded. Sometimes Gott wondered why he didn't just bother changing his name or simply going by his first name. After all, he was dead; who was to care if he used his real name anymore or not? Well, other than him. His name was one of the only things he had left that linked him to the shadows of his life, and denying that name really would be giving up on all that he was. "Gotti...it's nice to meet you." ....Gotti? The ghost went quiet for a moment, sure that he'd be torn somewhere between going pale and blushing hard. Gotti. He'd just earned a nickname from a stranger, and oddly enough the same nickname his darling Kessie and Melinde used to call him.

It was a bittersweet feeling, somewhere between being happy and sad, though it muted down quickly enough as Gott let himself relax a little to enjoy the fact that at the moment he had some company in a place he liked. ]"It's nice to meet you, too." And of all the times in his life Gotthard had said those trivial words, he was finding more and more that in his afterlife he was treasuring them every time and meaning them more. Gott watched as Hikaru brushed the golden hair behind his ear, pale skin glowing softly in the light of the fire, Hikaru humming softly as he thought about if he could see Gott or not.

Gotthard knew that being seen was too much to hope for; if he could be seen even a little, surely by now someone would have. Even if he was just a light or a shape. Soemthing to connect him in this world as existing. "In a way.... I'm using the dragon pulse to sense your general frame...I can kinder sense your outline....." So, Hikaru was an alkahestrist. At least it validated that Hikaru definitely wasn't a nutter and just always accepted random conversations with disembodied voices. If the Dragon's Pulse was letting Hikaru sense at least Gott's size and shape, that would explain why he was able to follow him as he moved. But there was a feeling, a happiness as soft as a butterfly's wing, just in knowing he really was real to some extent.

"That's more than anyone else has seen of me... Thank you." Gott didn't notice it himself, but his tone was warming up, now wanting to stay more to talk to this boy who could almost sort of see him. "I don't really know anything about the Dragon's Pulse... Alchemy and alkahestry were never really my passion. I was a musician. But how is it letting you see my outline?" Alchemy was a powerful thing, Gott knew, and in Amestris it was usually used for destructive means. Even when he was alive and spending time with Dieter and Todd, they used their alchemy to amplify Gott's sound and make brick walls crumble. Alkahestry was medical and traditionally used in Aerugo and Xing, and that... was all Gott knew about it.

[Shula Brighton]

{BUMP}

[Hikaru]

"That's more than anyone else has seen of me... Thank you." The warmth of tone made Hikaru smile softly. He was happy the spirit was relaxing round him. "I don't really know anything about the Dragon's Pulse... Alchemy and alkahestry were never really my passion. I was a musician. But how is it letting you see my outline?" He completely forgot the other half of the question as he lent forward. "Your musician??" He asked eyes wide and bright. "I'd love to hear you play..." Softly spoken Hikaru turned his eyes to the flame once more.

He looked out across the garden taking in the beauty of colours warmed by the flames. "I don't know much about alkhestry sorry...I was taught enough to keep myself from bleeding to death....It was the only way I could convince my father to let me free from the cage he had put me in...well metaphorical cage..." He added before the spirit got the wrong idea. "I trained in the art of swordsmanship to prove i was able to keep myself safe to venture out here....I want to learn more though...I want to be able to heal people...help those who need it and aren't being given it..." He sighed softly. "I know it sounds like a hopeless dream doesn't it..."

[Gotthard]

The late night was snuggled around the massive floating garden, the warm glow of the giant, ever-burning fire casting bright and lively shadows on the flowers and trees of the biggest sphere. If he could, this would have been a place he would have brought his violin perhaps. Something gentle and sweet, not too dramatic, dark, or energetic to offset the calming grace of the place and what it was meant for. It might have seemed out of place, but thinking about it, they both were out of place; a young man from Aerugo dressed out of time and away from home, sitting with one whose body was lost to the ravages of humanity and trapped by the unknown. So perhaps a little night music would have tied things together and made it all feel more right.

Hikaru's eyes were bright and enthusiastic. "You're a musician?? I'd love to hear you play." There was something in Hikaru's tone that spoke of a fondness for music that went beyond simply turning on the stereo casually. In his life many people had asked him to play or sighed and said they'd love to hear, but many of them knew Gotthard and his reputation and those who didn't simply assumed that his talent must have been nice, and making the comment was only polite with no depth or sincerity to it. Hikaru looked away again, glancing at the fire, seeming to sift his thoughts. "I don't know much about alkhestry sorry...I was taught enough to keep myself from bleeding to death....It was the only way I could convince my father to let me free from the cage he had put me in...well metaphorical cage..."

Gotthard looked at Hikaru quizically for a moment, though he didn't know the man would be able to see the gesture. To keep himself from bleeding to death..... Ah, so was he.... Oh, what was it the little Romanov boy had. Hemophelia! That was it. But that alkahestry would be helpful, and let him to leave home. "I trained in the art of swordsmanship to prove i was able to keep myself safe to venture out here....I want to learn more though...I want to be able to heal people...help those who need it and aren't being given it... "I know it sounds like a hopeless dream doesn't it..." He paused for a moment in thought. Gothard could honestly relate so well, spending all his life performing like a trained dog who had to sneak for freedom and even death brought a new kind of leash. He didn't know if Hikaru would feel it or not, but slowly he reached out to place what would have been his hand on Hikaru's shoulder.

"It doesn't sound hopeless at all," Gotthard said, his hand remaining on the blonde's shoulder. "That's actually quite a noble goal in life. Mine... were very selfish. I wasn't allowed to leave my family or do anything other than what I was told, really, but all my life I only ever thought of my happiness and getting away so I could do as I pleased. But... maybe that's why I'm still here." His voice became heavy and sad, soft against the fire's crackle almost to the point of being lost under it. It was true. All his life he only wanted his freedom, his happiness. It was only in death that Gotthard had really started reaching out to try and do what he could for the living, though that was very limited. Like the ghosts on Christmas Eve that were condemned to roam through the poverty and suffering humanity they'd lost the ability to help, Gotthard felt himself damned in the same way. Taking in a breath (or he would have, anyway), the musician swallowed it down. Hikaru wasn't here to hear the sad story of a selfish boy who cared too little too late, especially not when someone alive and talking to him was opening up about such pure intentions. "I don't have any resources, but I would help you, Hikaru. I've learned that there's satisfaction in trying to be of some use to people in the hospitals and hospices.." He pulled his hand away from Hikaru, almost forgetting about it until it came to mind again. "I don't know what I could do for you, though."

[Hikaru]

He couldn't help but shiver as he felt a cold yet warm sensation on his shoulder. Gotti was reaching out to him. Gently he reached up placing his hand on where Gotti's was. A strange connection between them.

"It doesn't sound hopeless at all," He looked up trying to feel for where the other's eyes would be. Wondering if his fatigue was getting the better of him as the lump in his throat swelled. "That's actually quite a noble goal in life. Mine... were very selfish. I wasn't allowed to leave my family or do anything other than what I was told, really, but all my life I only ever thought of my happiness and getting away so I could do as I pleased. But... maybe that's why I'm still here." There was nothing Hikaru wished for more right now then to be able to hold the other close. he could tell as Gotti spoke more and more he was remembering painful history. Running his thumb over invisible skin Hikaru smiled softly to him. trying to think of some way to cheer the other up.

"I don't have any resources, but I would help you, Hikaru. I've learned that there's satisfaction in trying to be of some use to people in the hospitals and hospices.." The feeling vanished and for a split moment Hikaru wanted to snatch it back. But he controlled himself lowering his hand back down. "I don't know what I could do for you, though." A soft blink before he had an idea. "You understand that... technical stuff right?" He asked beaming slightly. "I seem to only break them...it would be nice to have someone teach me how to do the basics..." He clasped his hands to a chest in a pray bowing his head. "Please stay with me and help me in the confusing world..." He begged the spirit not wanting to lose his friend.

[Gotthard]

It was strange, having Hikaru here and talking to him like this. Gotthard couldn't recall the last person who had so willingly opened and talked to him not like he was some ghost haunting the area, but as a person who were really sitting there next to them. Most people, if they were brave enough to talk to him, usually wanted to know who he was and how he died and what happened after you died... Things he couldn't really answer easily or well. Gotthard couldn't answer because he didn't know, and even years later still hoped that the taunting, faceless person he'd spoken to really wasn't God. Usually the only ones who didn't care were the little kids who just thought it was fun to sing songs and play with a ghost they couldn't see, or those lying alone in their hospice beds as they waited to die and likened the bodiless musician to a guardian angel of some kind.

Hikaru was very different from the other people Gott had talked to since he died. The feeling of Hikaru actually being able to sense him enough to almost see him, almost meeting his eyes and putting his own flesh hand over one that only felt like hot and cold prickles... It was akin to a feeling of acceptance. Hikaru wasn't questioning who or what the young man was or had been, simply that he was here now, and that was fine. And that itself made all the difference. Maybe Hiarku wouldn't mind the ghost tagging along to keep him company here and there? It would be nice to have a friend again. But there still wasn't much he'd be able to do to help with Hikaru's dream. "You understand that... technical stuff right?" Hm?

Gotthard quirked slightly. "Technical stuff," the ghost repeated. "Like, computers?" There was gentle, beaming smile like first morning's sunlight. Ah, so Hikaru didn't speak much geek?

"I seem to only break them...it would be nice to have someone teach me how to do the basics..." The basics of what? Computers? Or... Hikaru pressed his hands together. "Please stay with me and help me in the confusing world..." ....Well... Gotthard had certainly never been asked that before. He was quiet for a moment, still a bit stunned. But... how could he say no? Besides, if he said no he'd pass up the only friend he'd been offered in ages. Reaching out, Gotthard pressed and extended his hands around the clasped hands of Hikaru, not wanting Hikaru to think he'd vanished.

"I wasn't an IT specialist, but I'm pretty sure I can answer most things, or help you get the answers for what I don't know." Gott left his hands over Hikaru's, wondering what it felt like to the person he was touching. "I can't really touch or move things, but I can turn things off and on and I can try to talk you through anything you get stuck on." He'd never been the supergeek between his friends in life; Melinde was better at computers than he was, but he wasn't totally brain-dead about using them at least. Finally he let go of Hikaru's hands, instead pushing himself sideways to lean against the blonde's side and shoulder, his voice warmer and much happier. He wondered if he would be smiling if he could. It was a feeling he missed. "I'll hang out with you and teach you and help with anything you need, if you keep me company? The hopeful, upward lilt to his voice underlined it. Even in death he was still a bit selfish, but that seemed to just be what he was. But maybe helping Hikaru would earn him good Karma or brownie points with the universe or something and help him to either pass on, or reincarnate, or whatever it was that spirits did. And until then, at least he wouldn't be lonely.

[Hikaru]

The feeling wrapped round his hands and Hikaru couldn't help but smile more to the other. "I wasn't an IT specialist, but I'm pretty sure I can answer most things, or help you get the answers for what I don't know. I can't really touch or move things, but I can turn things off and on and I can try to talk you through anything you get stuck on." He smiled softly. "Thank you...it's more then what i can do..." Heck he still had the bank card his father gave him he still had no clue how to use. First time he tried he pressed the wrong button and the machine just spat the plastic back at him.

The hands left his and for a moment Hikaru worried the other was going, finding him a hopeless case. But then he felt the same sensation along his side. The shiver ran down his spine but he did not faulter. He only smiled softly to the other. "I'll hang out with you and teach you and help with anything you need, if you keep me company?" He nodded softly s the peeks of sun light cast an orange hue on the lower regions of the sky. Reaching into his sleeve he pulled out the small pipe licking his lower lip before lifting the object to them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RJFPFuzuhY (First 2:30 of this but only the flute bits)
He closed his eyes and played softly to the waking world around them. Wondering how long before he and Gotti could go out and explore the south.

[Gotthard]

The spirit and the blonde from Aerugo. Something about it reminded Gotthard of old episodes of The Odd Couple his mother used to watch, though he never cared for it himself. Maybe this was Karma. giving the eternal teenager a more proactive way to spend his damnation. Gotthard had tried on his own. Watching South be rebuilt, he'd tried to reach out and help, but it seemed the furthest he could stretch his abilities was tampering with electronic circuits and talking, and unless he ever learned a way to physically move objects that would be it. He'd sat with the elderly left alone by their families, stayed in the ER with people who were ditched by the staff in the late hours when there was nothing left but to wait. Gotthard had stayed with them, a tingling presence and a disembodied voice, speaking and praying with them, holding their hands while he sang them to sleep. Gotthard was with them when they were alone, and cried for them because nobody else would. And in those moments, he'd even been a little jealous, wondering if as they surrendered into the dark if they passed on and where they went that he couldn't go.

But here was Hikaru, his dream of helping others something just out of reach, but something that could be attained. It wouldn't just be assisting the dying as they left the world and only served to remind Gotthard that he was stuck; it would be helping the living. The sky around the glass dome of the giant sphere caught the warping colours as dark blues and blacks shifted to light purples and finally, gold as the first rays of the sun kissed the morning. Hikaru seemed happy, and though the ghost couldn't really describe his own feelings, if he had to pick a word he'd mark it somewhere around content, which came far less often than one might think. Silently Hikaru reached into his sleeve and pulled out a long flute. Gotthard watched as his posture changed to what was correct, lips pursing over the mouth hole and executing a flawless C, the high note singing into the silence of the garden and welcoming the dawn. Quietly he listened, the notes spinning into the air like larks, making the ghost wish for nohting more than to touch his piano once more, or the violin that he seemed to be born with. To play alongside Hikaru... music was a means of healing, after all.

Gotthard's hands moved together, silently and invisibly clapping. "You play beautifull, Hikaru. If I find a way, I'd love to play for you as well. But... I can still sing." Normally so shy, normally so afraid to be heard and upset the balance of the world that he was no longer a part of, Gottart moved in front of Hikaru and back a few feet, his invisible body shifting to a proper posture. The mocking smile of Truth burned in his mind, God taunting as he'd told him he'd never have to play again but mercifully left Gotthard his voice, and that had been a voice that was on his way to being quite famous for range. But for Hikaru, something fitting. No aria from Cerisian opera, no Amestrian vaudeville. Something Aerugese. Something old. Something he'd learned while Aerugo occupied the area.

"Haru koro no hana no en
Meguru sakazuki kagesashite
Chiyo no matsu ga e wakeideshi
Mukashi no hikari Ima izuko..."

Gotthard's soft tenor rose up to a surprisingly feminine-ranged soprano, the Aerugese song rolling with him. Of the songs he'd heard, he liked this one best, singing of the ruined castle in the flowers.

"Aki jinei no shimo no iro
Nakiyuku kari no kazu misete
Uuru tsurugi ni terisoishi
Mukashi no hikari ima izuko

"Ima kojo no yowa no tsuki
Kawaranu hikari ta ga tame zo
Kaki ni nokoru wa tada kazura
Matsu ni uto wa tada arashi

"Tenjokage wa kawaranedo
Eiko wa utsuru yo no sugata
Utsusan toteka ima mo nao
Ah! Kojo no yowa no tsuki"

He paused, letting the feeling linger. How long had it been since he'd sung for anyone and really meant it? Since he felt good about singing and being heard, and thought of using it not to express his despair... but to help heal. "For you, Hikaru." Together they would greet the morning of South and start something new and beautiful.

[Csilla Angelis]

{BUMP}

[Sponsored content]