#aishaxadd

     Even for just a moment.

     Even for just a second.

     Even for...

     ERROR

     An alarm went off.

     ERROR

     A second went off.

     ERROR

     A third, a fourth and a fifth. It was an endless array of messages, mocking him, pushing him, breaking him, until it was all… Red. He slowly opened his eyes and quietly stood up. His eyes only stared at one of his many holograms, his mind halting, processing what was going on, but then it hit him.

     He grinned. “Aha… ha..” He placed both of his hands over his eyes. A pang of emotions ran through his veins. “Ahaha… hahah..” His back curled up almost immediately and before he knew it—CRASH. Throwing everything on his table to the floor, swiping them away left and right, slamming the desk, making some of the books topple over. A maniacal laugh seeped through his throat, dominating over the sounds of alarms ringing through his ears. Nothing matters, He thought, throwing out everything in front of him, unable to bear the thought of failure.

     He was growing weak, he was tired, restless, exhausted, but most of all... He was sick of every single one of his attempts being nothing but failure. Just as soon as he was about to give in, the door slammed opened. Light seeped into his room and there stood a clear silhouette.

     “Add, what the hell is wrong with you!?” A voice echoed through him. He turned his head slowly and there she was—long purple hair, lively indigo eyes, and an irritated expression. It all blurred out right before him, his eyes began closing until his sight was no longer there.

     Regret was a feeling Add had become accustomed to. Resentment, anger, frustration, bitterness, agony - he never showed them; not ever had he showed them. His maniacal laugh only hinted at a man whose thoughts had been distorted, but as soon as silence caught up with him, a revelation would draw out of his tired mind and it all became audible in his silence. He found himself staring at a dead end, the path had already been faded, the floor and everything around him shattered into glass pieces. He felt weightless. Drowning into a never ending abyss suddenly felt more like a gift than a punishment.

     And then, there was nothing, empty, white. It blinded him, but a part of him felt… Safe. Peaceful. At ease.

     He slowly opened his eyes. Around him was an endless field of small blue flowers  scattered everywhere. He noticed he was under the shade of a tree, he could hear its soft rustles as the graceful wind passed by him. Small blue petals danced around the endless field as the soft blue sky greeted him with a friendly gleam of light.

     He felt light and refreshed, his head against a comfortable surface, and a soft and calm melody accompanied by a sweet and familiar voice.

     “Oh.” The humming pauses momentarily, a chuckle followed right after. “You’re up sooner than I expected.” The voice spoke, caressing his head gently.

     It seemed like a dream, or perhaps a memory of more simpler times. A record of sorts, replaying events of his younger years.

     Her gentle hand continued to stroke his hair, resuming the soothing melody that he had just heard, mixed with the rustling of flowers, swishing louder than the wind allowed them to, then followed by weak footsteps, cushioned by the thick layer of petals and dirt.

     “Edward!” A distant voice called out to him. The voice was childlike and high pitched, it had a tone of excitement and curiosity in it, and a small part of Add couldn’t help but feel relieved. The name had become unfamiliar to him, but hearing it once more gave him a sense of nostalgia.

     “Edwaaard!”

     ...

     “Edwa…”

     …?

     “Edw...dd!”

     …

     “Add!”

     The voice suddenly became louder and closer, but it didn’t sound like the one in the whatever kind of sleep-deprived dream he just had. Unfortunately, even though he had come back to his senses, he was being shaken by someone, making his head spin even more than it already was.

     His eyes tried to open as fast as they could, but everything still seems to be blurred. He could only make out a tinge of purple and nothing more. Right then and there he figured out who it was, but a part of him remained unsure.

     “Get…” He grunted, placing his palms on his forehead. “Out...” His whole body felt numb, and he couldn’t think straight. He was stressed and lacked the sufficient amount of sleep to even function.

     The girl’s facial expression went from worried to irritated.

     “What--!? After I--” She paused, trying to calm herself down. “I give up, you nocturnal rodent…” She sighed, letting this one pass by her.

     Add’s vision had finally begun to clear up, slowly regaining his composure. He sat up and curled back as the usual heavy headache kicked in. His… other kind of headache, the one that seemed like one big purple blur, took shape. That familiar high-pitched voice, those ridiculously strong arms, that bratty, determined tone and…

     “That despicable, bright purple hair…”

     “...That. Is not the worst thing you’ve called me.” She said in a slightly irritated tone, keeping an eye on him. “I guess I could tolerate that.” Aisha gently placed her hand over Add’s forehead, using her frost magic to simulate an ice pack.

     “Stop... That…” Add protested, too weakened to move a muscle. “Don’t rub your useless magic on me, I can do this myself.” He managed to wobble a little, regaining balance right before slipping back onto the floor.

     “Without my magic you wouldn’t have been able to fix up this huge mess you made.” She said, trying to suppress her anger. “Don’t go around calling it useless when you can’t even fix your personal space with your cheap machinery.” She abruptly answered, pressing her hand harder against Add’s forehead.

     Add quickly grabbed Aisha’s hand, brushing it away as he stood up.

     “You did what?!” He stomped and raised his voice. One thing he couldn’t stand - besides Aisha’s bratty attitude - was the invasion of his privacy. “You touched MY workspace, with your FILTHY magic?!”

     “Hey!” She stood up as quickly as he did, startled. “You should be grateful I actually cleaned up this cave of yours!” She puffed her cheeks. “Jeez, all you do is complain about how busy you are, but you’re just a shut-in!”

     “I’d be able to advance with my research if she stopped messing with my head… If she stopped showing up every time I close my eyes…! If she...” He slammed the desk, dropping the half-broken mug Aisha had picked up, shattering it into tiny pieces, making the now concerned mage take a short and quiet step away from the angered young man. The loud sound made Add’s ears ring, worsening the headache Aisha had just started to relieve.

     He held his head in pain with increasingly louder grunting, forcing him to sit back down until his ears stopped ringing. “I-If she…” His arms felt weak, and he felt lightheaded. The pain was gone, but he could barely stay still. Aisha held his forehead once again, this time emitting a bright pink light.

     “Would you stop wasting the little energy you have left on being a big baby?” She pouted, easily overpowering what little strength Add had remaining.

     “Big... Baby?” He looked at the magician confused, nobody tested his patience as much as the girl that stood before him. He was beyond irritated, but he was too tired to retaliate.

     “Say, Add…” She lifted her hand away from his forehead, allowing him to lean against the wall as he let out weak and quiet grunts. “I practically just babysitted you, the least you can do is tell me what is wrong with you. This isn’t the first time I hear you having a madman party so early in the morning.”

     He slowly brought his hands to his face, leaving a small gap so he could stare at the ceiling. “Will you… Leave me alone to work if I actually tell you?”

     “That would depend on your answer, obviously.” She sat in front of him, crossing her arms as she looked right at him. With her increasingly overwhelming, intense stare, Add was forced to return it.

     Add sighed, unable to bear the feeling of defeat. “... T-Tsk… Fine, then.” He sat down, his back hunched over, and his arms resting on his knees, reluctantly making eye contact with the curious magician. “It is… About my m-” He pauses, contemplating whether or not he should give the girl an honest answer.

     “About..?” Aisha prolonged the question, trying to keep Add’s attention on her.

     Add closed his eyes momentarily, looking for an excuse. He couldn’t simply tell her everything, but he knew Aisha well. He knew she wouldn’t leave him alone even if situations asked for it. “It was a childhood friend of mine. Yes.” He said, covering up the legitimate reason for his worries.

     There was a long pause, both parties shared a blank stare with each other.

     “I see…” Aisha replied, she tried to hold her laughter back, but a small snicker went past her mouth. “So even someone like you could be so normal.” She was shaking slightly, trying to respect Add’s situation and not break the mood.

     “Excuse me, what was that?” Add’s eyebrows furrowed, noticing the girl’s sudden change of mood.

     “N-Nothing, nothing!” She answered quickly, trying to avert Add’s menacing gaze, she then clears her throat. “Ah-hem!” Her expression reverting back to that of a serious one. “As for your for your problem…” She closed her eyes, placing a finger on her chin, thinking of an answer.

     “Oh!” Aisha exclaimed, hopping up and immediately sitting beside Add. “I have an idea!” She looked at Add with starry eyes and confidence, seemingly excited for another mundane thought.

     Add cringed at the sight of the magician scooting closer and closer towards the little bubble he wouldn’t tolerate anyone getting too close to.

     “Hey, grapehead, you’re getting uncomfortably close--” He retaliated, attempting to slither away from the excited girl.

     “Okay, okay, whatever! Just hear me out, will you?” She firmly grasped Add’s shoulders, staring right into his eyes, widened by the magician’s sudden actions. “Let’s make a deal.”

     “A deal?” Add questioned her intentions, he knew Aisha was a headstrong person, but to even suggest something as ridiculous as a deal with him made him wonder how far the magician would go.

     “A deal.” She nodded. “What would you say if we… Jog your memories?”

     “What…?” He questioned her even more, his eyes locked on hers, hoping he could get a clear answer.

     “Jog your memories! Trust me, Add, it works!” She answered instantly. “That way, you’ll stop causing such a scandal every now and then; I’ll be able to sleep peacefully, and you can continue with your research safely! It’s a win-win situation!” She proclaimed, standing up and placing both her hands on her waist.

     The immediate answer was “no”, but Add had an epiphany. “I might consider it.” He grinned lightly. “But under one condition.” He added, just before the magician could celebrate.

     The girl tilted her head. “And that condition would be?” She hurriedly sat back down, crossing her legs and arms, ready to listen to his request.

     “You will NOT use your magic to manipulate me in any way possible, understood?” He looked at her, waiting for a proper answer.

     “Hah! Do you think I depend only on magic?” Aisha gave a confident smile. “Obviously, It’s a very simple task, y’know!~” She said flipping her hair. “We’ve just got to re-enact everything you remember from that childhood friend of yours. No magic whatsoever!” She stood proudly. “Ooohohohoho~!”

     “You’re getting ahead of yourself.” He grunted, yet he kept his mischievous smile hidden, thinking menacingly. If it’s easier to mess around with you that way. I’m betting that, at one point, you will be forced to use your little cheat sheet.

     “Alright, grapehead… A deal it is, then.” He reluctantly stretched his hand towards her, leading to a handshake as they both kept their eyes on each other.

     “Roger, nerd!” She squeezed his hand tightly, nearly making him flinch, both wearing intimidating stares, letting go of each other soon after. Add stared at her walking out his door, her purple hair swaying left and right. She turned and took one last look at him once more and closed his door shut.

     “Rise and shine, nerd!”

     Aisha barged in, slamming the door open and startling the restless man. He flailed his hands in surprise, causing the coffee cup to spill over a pile of blank papers. Add quickly turned and glared with eyes wide open, his vision fixed on the excited magician.

     “What?!” He yelled, standing up from his chair as soon as he could.

     Aisha walked towards him, slowly making her way through his room. “Our deal, remember? We’re starting today!” She smiled, adding further irritation to the restless young man.

     “We’re actually going to do this?” He questioned her, looking at her with a face of disbelief.

     “A deal is a deal, Add.” The girl gave him a concerned look. “ Otherwise, you’ll just keep having those panic attacks of yours.”

     Add let out an exhausted sigh, crossing his arms firmly. “Alright then, genius. What do you suggest we do?” He said, massaging both of his tired eyes.

     “Let’s go outside to refresh your memory!” She jumped excitedly, clasping her hands together.

     “No way.” The response was instantaneous.

     “Excuse me?!” Aisha protested, puffing her cheeks.

     “Listen here, you shut-in!” She quickly grabbed his arm, but stopped as soon as she felt a short shock surge through her body.

     “Hm..?” Add looked at her, confused. “What’s wro--”

     She started squishing his arm repeatedly, inspecting it, making sure her senses weren’t failing her.

     “Y-Your arm…” Aisha mumbled, her hand trembling lighty as she grabbed his arm with both her hands to get a better understanding of the current situation.

     He squinted, staring at her in confusion.

     “What… About my arm…?” Add frowned, unable to comprehend any move the magician would make next.

     A small tear formed on her eyes. Aisha sniffled, her voice cracking with each passing second.

     “Y-You’re so thin--!” Suddenly, a burst of tears sprouted from her eyes, unable to fathom Add’s physical health. “Have you eaten anything!? How long has it been since you actually ate something? No wait-- DO YOU EVEN EAT ANYTHING BESIDES COFFEE AND CHOCOLATE?”

     “Ah.” Add’s eyes widened, glancing left and right, instantly realizing he hasn’t eaten anything proper for quite some time.

     “Hm.. It’s been awhile, but I don’t think that’s something you’re supposed to worry about. I have work to do and this is completely unnecessary.”

     “Add,” She paused, taking a closer look at him. “Are you dense?”

     “What?” Add was dumbfounded. Of all people Add had met in his entire life, the mage was the only one who was straightforward enough to tell him his flaws without even the slightest feeling of dread.

     “Any genius should know that lack of food, is complete lack of knowledge.” Aisha proclaimed, placing both her hands on her hips.

     “And where did you hear that?” Add said with one eyebrow raised.

     “Common sense, genius.”

     She held his face, squishing his cheeks and stretching them. “No food means lack of energy, lack of energy means, you’ll be unable to think straight, and being unable to think straight would lead to faulty results, unmoderated research and unjustified reasoning.”

     She then pat his cheeks. “The great minds of the world didn’t just lock themselves up in a room waiting for a miracle, they knew how to take care of themselves. Had they not done so, they would have died before their hard work and effort could have seen the light of day.” She stopped petting his cheek and left her statement off with one final pat on his head.

     Add frowned. Aisha did have a point, and that’s what bothered him most. For him, the thoughts of what he did always come to mind, but they didn’t affect him as much as they had recently.

     “You talk too much for an airhead…” He mumbled. She had won the argument, and Add hated nothing more than losing.

     She sighed.

     “Now!” She grabbed his arm again. “Let’s get you some food and we’ll start talking about that friend of yours!”

     The worried magician began dragging him out of his office, having Add pull and complain along the way. He tried to escape her grasp, but she held him tightly, calmly walking towards the main door.

     “I said it’s unnecessary! Gods, you’re such a brute!”

     “Hah! Yeah, a brute saving a very scrawny little prince, locking himself up in the tower instead of trying to escape!” She replied mockingly, quickly opening the entrance door as light flooded the hall and filled Add’s irritated eyes.

     “Aggh!”

     He whined and hissed, putting his hand over his eyes,.

     “Huh…?” Aisha halted in her tracks “Add… Tell me exactly, how long has it been since you’ve even felt the sun?”

     “Why would you need to know that?”

     “Because it’s already afternoon and you’re somehow blinded by something everyone sees everyday.” Aisha retorted, crossing her arms and sighing. “Whatever, let’s just go eat.” She grabbed his arm and dragged him across the village, looking for a place to have lunch.

     The two eventually found a small restaurant. Aisha let go of Add as soon as they reached its front doors. The restaurant was small, but there was enough space for the both of them. Above the door was wooden sign that had the word “Serendipity” carved nicely on it.

     “Hm. Small place, seems nice though. So what do you think?” She smiled, looking back at Add.

     “I don’t particularly care.”

     “Figures.” Aisha looked at him, irritated. “Do you even care about what goes through your system? I could take you to a shady looking restaurant and I doubt you’d care.”

     “If it’s sufficient enough for me to stay up and do my research, then yes, you are correct. I would not care.” Add crossed his arms and made a small grin.

     “You’re such a masterpiece sometimes aren’t you?” She sighed. “Well whatever, let’s just get inside shall we?” Aisha grabbed Add by his sleeve as she entered with him by her side.

     Why does she care…? Add looked at her from the back. Why did she always care..? His thoughts raced, his memories recalling times where the magician would pester him about his daily activities while the rest of the party did their own work.

     The restaurant was nearly full, only a few tables were left. After asking for one, Aisha walked towards it - Add in tow - and they both took a seat. While Aisha was already checking out the menu card, Add was staring blankly at the place. He needed to continue his research, and for that he needed to be able to endure a “stable” turn in his life, as told by Aisha. Even though she’s the one that’s been keeping me from continuing my research… Add thought. As much as I hate to admit it, she does have a point. So, for my sake… He closed his eyes, thinking of his mother. No.. For her sake, I’ll tolerate this a bit longer.

     “Hey, Add!” Aisha waved her hand in front of his blank face, startling him. She placed the menu card on his side of the table, smiling lightly. “What do you want to eat?” She asked, patiently waiting for an answer.

     “I’ll just take whatever you order.” He sighed, sliding the menu card back to her as he rested his arms and head on the table.

     Aisha pouted, looking at Add with a displeased expression.

     “Alright then, blueberry risotto it is.” She took the menu, called for a waiter and ordered their food.

     “So tell me about this friend of yours.” Aisha asked, resting her head on both her hands.

     “Hm?” Add was dozing off. I didn’t think this through… Will I have to do this everyday now? He thought, realizing an error in his plans.

     “Your friend.” Aisha repeated herself, hoping it would get his attention.

     Add sighed and reluctantly sat back up.

     “Where do you want me to start?”

     “Do you remember what she looked like?”

     “No.”

     “Her voice?”

     “Irritating.”

     Aisha squinted her eyes.

     “Are you sure you two were friends?”

     “Hmm…” Add gave it a thought, trying to recall his memory.

     Edwaard! Her voice echoed through his head, remembering the sounds of small footsteps running towards him and a bouquet of flowers being held together by small hands.

     “...” Add sat in silence. When did that happen? He pondered. No.. Did that ever happen? He began doubting his memories, but a part of him began feeling lighter. The words unconsciously left his mouth: “In... a way.”

     “For you to admit something like that?” Aisha let out a small chuckle. “Must have been close, huh?” She sat right back up, noticing their order coming their way. “Ah thank you.” She thanked the waiter, picking up the spoon.

     Add was staring off into space, seemingly unaware of his surroundings.

     Aisha was about to take in a spoonful of her food, but then she stopped, looking at Add dozing off.

     “Hey, mister shut in!”

     “What?” He looked at her, then his food. “Right.” Add dug in, staring blankly at the spoon before taking a small bite of the risotto. The moment he tasted it, Add’s eyes widened, giving the dish a quick glance before digging faster into his food.

     Aisha paused, amazed at the sight of Add, who’s only “delish delicacies” were bars of chocolate - occasionally bread - , and coffee.

     “D-Do you…” She let out a quiet giggle. “... Like it?” Her eyes sparkled as she rested her arms on the table, leaned her chin on her hand, and stared at Add with delight. Her smile grew bigger each second, as she swayed happily from side to side. “I knew you’d like it. I have such good taste!”

     Add noticed the satisfied magician clapping her hands in joy, realizing that he had lost his composure. Ashamed, he dug the spoon back into what was left of the blueberry risotto, and straightened himself, staring at Aisha nervously.

     “What is it?” He protested, raising his voice a little.

     “See? Wasn’t so hard, right? Ohohoho!~”

     …

     Huh…? What’s.. His vision blurred, his surroundings dimmed out, leaving him and the magician under a single spotlight. Everything began to dim around them; bit by bit, everything was being engulfed in darkness. Aisha’s laughter faded until he could no longer hear her. The little light they had left suddenly shut close. Not a sound was left.

     Add looked behind him. The scenery had changed. It was… His home. Everything beyond his space was fading into small bubbles of light, slowly dissipating to the empty space.

     “I knew you’d like it, Edward!” A child’s voice squealed. Add turned his line of sight back to where it originally was, only to find a young girl sitting in front of him, excitedly clapping her hands. He couldn’t make out her image - everything around him was faint and unclear, including the young girl in front of him.

     “Uhm... Yes.” He nodded. “Mm...” He looked down, his hands were smaller, his height was shorter, and his voice was higher.

     What Aisha said…

     “Say, Edward…” The girl stopped laughing, but kept a gentle smile as she held her hands together. “Are you...”

     “OKAY!?”

     His sight shifted back to normal. Aisha was quickly waving her hand in front of Add’s face, waiting for any kind of response.

     It’s actually working?

     “Add!” Aisha called out again, noticing his eyes were finally begin to focus.

     “Ah… Sorry.” He mumbled. The mage stopped - her eyes wide open and her mouth half open in disbelief.

     “Y-You… Apologized...?”

     “We should… Go now.” Add quickly answered, brushing off Aisha’s comment. “I’ll wait for you to finish your food… We’ll leave right after.”

     “Ah.” Aisha straightened herself, darting her eyes away. “Right...”

     They paid the bill and left the restaurant, Add walking briskly as Aisha tried to keep up with him.

     “Hey, Add.” She looked up at him, concerned. “What happened back there? Are you alright?”

     He didn’t answer. Instead, he increased his pace, leaving Aisha farther behind with each step.

     “A-Add, wait up!”

     She tried to catch up to him, her worries growing bigger. “What about the deal--”

     Add paused his steps, but he didn’t look back.

     “Aisha.” His tone was lower than usual. “Is it okay if we… Leave this for tomorrow?” He resumed - walking even faster than before - without waiting for a response.

     She was perplexed, standing still as she watched him disappear into the crowd. She hunched her back forward and sighed.

     “When I said you should call me by my name I didn’t mean it like that.” Aisha followed his direction, walking back to base.

     A small memory played out, one from not too long ago.

     “Idiot! Why won’t you just leave me alone!?” Add tried to turn his back, one of his eyes was already covered by an eye patch, but the other.. Was being covered by a newly trained battle magician, standing behind him.

     “Hmm?~” Aisha mused. “How about calling me by my name instead of ‘idiot’ like you always do? Have a little respect will ya?” She let out a short snicker, mocking the time tracer.

     Add pushed her away, making her step back.

     “Leave me alone, you’re just a nuisance.”

     His voice was sharp and his anger was clear. Aisha remained silent, unable to grasp the situation.

     “It’s--” She puffs her chest. “Aisha! A-I-S-H-A!” She yelled, hoping he’d listen to her plea.