Chapter 27 - The Long Awaited Paths Crossed

(Uranohoshi Girls High - Piano Room)

(Leon POV)

Riko and I made in I was sitting beside her as Leonidas hop on my shoulders watching "Umm, so any song requests you had in mind? As long it's something I can play" Riko said "You can play anything you want. It doesn't have to be a song. Just anything you had in mind" I said smiled "Ooh" Leonidas said looking at the keyboard "What do you mean???" Riko asked "Hit a single key, anything or if you crazy slammed your hands on the keyboard," I said, "LEON NO!" Riko yelled "Okay I was kidding just a single key would be fine anything," I said nervously "*Sighed* Anything eh...?" Riko said "Of course, play something with a melody if you want. A real song of just Improvisation. Just let me hear you play freely without, any restraint" I said slowly smiled "Freely..." Riko said eyes closed

(Riko Sakarauchi - Yume no Tobria Full Solo)

(...Now this definitely sounds familiar...) I thought as slowly my watch was glowing which I didn't notice since it wasn't bright enough... ("Promise me you'll come back and we will continue creating music!" ??? yelled "Ah...You bet I will get strong real fast and come back to visit!!" I yelled while Dad and Mom smiled looking down at us "Pinky promise" ??? said "What??" I asked shocked "You know that thing you did with Scotty! Come on!!" ??? yelled, "Alright let's go!!" I yelled both pinky promise "Also uh I kinda wanna give you this hairclip I found it while doing my normal flight" I said smiled "W-Wow..." ??? said "Here I knew you would be busy so I created you new gloves" ??? said smiled "...YOO THEY LOOK SO BRAND NEW!!" I yelled, "Wow they feel comfortable!" I yelled, "It took me a while but I'm glad I got them done!" ??? yelled) I thought of reforming of an old distant memory looked at my gloves dirty but still, look good as new...

(...Riko?) I thought turned stared at her still playing the piano her hairclip glowed in my view... ( In a different room I was smaller legs crossed listening to Riko...playing the piano with twintails singing "You sound amazing Riko-chan!!" I yelled, "Leon-Kun you say the same thing every time we are in here!" Riko yelled "But it's true I enjoyed listening," I said chuckling "Ugh still gotta keep practicing..." Riko said bored "Well I luckily got done with my training practices!" I yelled, "You missed like 42 out of 120 swings Leon!" Leonidas yelled "Urgh!" I yelled flinched "Jeez...no wonder Frederick yells at you," Riko said to move her head aside, "OH YEAH SAY IT TO MRS.EMI FACE!" I yelled, "TCH THAT'S IT!!" Riko yelled tackled me...) I shook my head a little "Whew..." Riko said eyes closed smiled "That was amazing Riko!" I yelled "ENCOREEEE" Leonidas yelled as I sweatdrop so did Riko...

(Music Stops)

"Y-You think so? I honestly just played whatever comes to my mind. It felt good though, my heart is more clear. I can't believe I actually just let my hands play without thinking. It was like...back when I first started playing..." Riko said nervously "What you played wasn't a song right?" I asked confused "Yeah. I tried to improvise, but it all came from garbled, Sorry" Riko said sweatdrop "Garbled??? I think it's pretty coordinated to me, it felt like it took me into the journey...a quest to find something that is revealed to be in right in front of me the entire time" I said nervously chuckled "Whoa that's a lot of emotions for just a song..." Riko said stunned "It..feels like it was perfect for Aqours," I said smiling "What?!" Riko yelled shocked "You said yourself that the music you write isn't just for yourself. It felt like you were kind of sad saying that. You might have thought something only you can't enjoy wouldn't be enough, it's like cutting yourself out of the picture. I think it's important to know the members who sing your song and about the place everyone lives but..." I said, "But?" Riko asked "But you're are apart of Aqours too. You lived in Uchuira too, I think you can put your own feelings into the music" I said slowly smiled "...You might be right, I been keeping myself out of this because I didn't have many memories here. I feel like an outsider that's why I had to understand the place and everyone here too so thoroughly. I had too..." Riko said "But even if you been here in a short amount of time, a few hundred years couldn't dampen those feelings," I said "I was also an outsider when I first came here for a bit looking for something...it may be crazy for me. I'm just really glad I was able to meet you and the others helped me remember who I was meant to be and help Leonidas here get his strength once lost back into reality..." I said smiled eyes closed "Leon..." Riko said slowly overlap her hand over mine "...Heh kinda weird don't you think coming from someone like me" I said nervously grinning "It's not weird! I lov-..." Riko said "Lov???" I asked "Oh wait Lovid?? That's what weird way to call someone that though" I said (LEON I WILL KICK YOUR ASSSS!!) Leonidas thought (WHAT DID I DO?!) I thought shocked expression "...You're right about my teacher and I will figure out the song now!" Riko yelled (...Leon she doesn't look happy) Leonidas thought (Huh?) I thought confused (OPEN YOUR EYES DUMBASS!!) Leonidas yelled "Open...my eyes??" I asked saw a hint of teardrops but she still smiled "I uh also remembered and wonder if you want to know" Riko said "I remembered on what you told me about a girl in pigtails, she was nervous at first but be able to play through the strong will of confidence" Riko said smiled "Right. I had the motivation to keep trying on what I wanted to do well become someone that can protect people by joining the Rescuers Program" I said confused "That was the Junior Virtuoso Contest in Suntory Hall. 10 years ago right?" Riko asked "...WHAT?!" I yelled shocked "Yes...the winner of the contest and the girl you saw then met and become friends with...was me," Riko said (...Is that why she's crying??) I thought (...I felt a huge amount of sadness and agony when we first met her...but now it seems all gone except for one tiny emotion hidden well) Leonidas thought "...All those years...and up till now" I said stunned as Riko stared at me for a bit... "It...took me a while to figure out who you really are...but I had to wait and talk a bit more to understand..." Riko said (...But the one she's talking about...didn't I die at one point...?) I thought eyes closed (...How you know that?) Leonidas thought (...I felt something in my chest sudden scar on me) I thought "...Yes you did die during the battle with Gravitas but Kari brought you back to life and everyone was so weak because they lend you their energy in the end...each one of them perishes except for you) Leonidas thought (...You may not be the Leon before the incident but you're still him with memories that were not born yet...) Leonidas thought "That lone soul then..." I muttered "Yes...that's the soul who Riko knew Leon as but since...you're here...) Leonidas thought "It's...been a long time Leon..." Riko said stared right at me slowly smiled "...I know Riko...What a small world we lived in don't we" I said smiled "...Yeah" Riko said (Too small of a world...)

To be Continued...