Chiaro Duscuro, Twili Freedom Fighter

[attr="class","app_header"]Chiaro Duscuro

[attr="class","section"]the basics

[attr="class","section"]the character

"... and here is the dining hall, where we, uh, dine. It is not much to look at but we have enough supplies! Usually."

The shy-looking Twili girl nodded, meekly following the Twili boy who had volunteered to show her around the base camp. Some of the rebels who were around smiled warmly at them as they passed by, though it did not ease the young girl's anxiety. The people around seemed always moving, always having something to do. Most of them bore scars or other marks of battle.

Within the dining hall itself, there was only one other Twili. An adult male, sitting in the corner tuning his lyre, a cold liquor on the table in front of him untouched.

The young girl moved closer to the boy and whispered.

"Who... who is that scary-looking man?"

"Oh, that is Sir Chiaro, our chief strategist and second in command! Saved our asses many times, he has. He is- hey where are you going?!"

And unexpectedly, the shy girl went bravely towards the man. She stood there, unsure, her fingers playing with each other. The Twili noticed her and raised his eyebrow, stopped tuning his lyre.

"Well. How I can help ya, kiddo?" His eyes were red and scary looking, but his tone was surprisingly friendly. The girl lifted her face.

"I am so sorry Sir!" the boy, who had followed the girl quickly apologized, holding his friend's elbow, "She is new to the camp and I was showing her around! We are sorry to have disturbed you!"

But the one called Sir merely waved his hand. He set his lyre aside. "Nah, it's okay. Good ta know new faces too, don't ya agree?" He returned his gaze towards the girl.

"What's yer name, kid?"

"Umm... umm... My name is Cadenza, daughter of Zannarie and Annwnai...."

The man's eyes softened.

"Ah... our brave librarian and our gentle priestess.... Their two of our most valuable, most beloved members...."

With surprising gentleness, her hand went to pat the girl's head.

"My condolences, kid. Yer parents will never be forgotten. That I promise ya."

The girl nodded. "Umm... Sir... Sir Chiaro... Is it true that... that you were a personal knight of... of our last Queen...?"

"That foolish woman of a Queen, yeah," he huffed, leaning back. His expression became slightly darkened. "Ain't too proud of that one.... Guess Zannarie's still telling stories about her, huh?"

Again, the girl meekly nodded. "Y-yes... Sir... I wonder... I have heard so much about her but... but never met someone who is close to her so...."

"Well, can't say I was close. If I was close, ya would think I'd nip her insanity in the bud, eh? " he shrugged, "But yeah, what do you want to know, kid? And dispense of the Sir would ya? Chiaro's alright. Am no longer a Royal Guard nor I care about being a noble. Just someone who'd been here longer than ya."

"Y-yes... Of course Sir... Chiaro," the girl stammered, "I-I just want to know... what was... what was she... like...? What was Our Last Firstborn... like...?"

Chiaro grinned.

"That's an awful broad question you asked, kid." But he dismissed her stuttered apology nonchalantly, "Nah. It's quite alright. What was that woman like, eh? Hmph. She was smart, kid. Really smart. Was obvious from young age. Smart and ambitious and more than a little arrogant. Deadly combination, if ya ask me. So confident of herself and her lofty aspirations, blinded by anything else..."

He tapped his finger on the table, annoyed.

"She wanted what she thought was our people's destiny. Bullshit, I say. To that end she tampered with the forbidden, pried her fingers on things supposed to be left alone, surrounded herself with questionable bastards.... One look at that accursed Raalk and ya'd think something's not right, eh? But The Queen didn't.... Never did, in fact, until it was all too late."

He paused. For a moment his red eyes were burning in anger. But the next moment, the blaze in his eyes died down as quickly as it came. He smiled.

"To this day I still curse at her soul, alongside that Usurper. But yeah. Guess that answers yer question, kiddo?"

The girl looked surprised. "I-"

"Y'HEAR THAT? NO? Don't know what you're listening for? I'll tell you: IT'S THE SOUND OF THE WORLD BEFORE I THROW MY HANDS!"

A loud voice suddenly boomed from somewhere outside the tent, startling the two children. Chiaro smiled warily and stood up, downing his glass in one go.

"Well, guess I am needed outside, eh?" He pointed at the boy, "Yo, kid. Come with me outside."

The boy was wide-eyed with surprise. "E-eh? But I-"

The young girl obediently moved to sit on one of the chairs. "I... I shall wait here then... for a while...."

Chiaro grinned, circling his arms around the boy's shoulders. "Yea that's a good girl. Come with me, kiddo."


"Ya fancy the lass, eh?"

"W-what? Sir I don't-"

But Chiaro merely chuckled and slapped the boy's back. The poor boy choked mid-sentence.

"Hah! I don't get called Farsight for nothing, kiddo!" And the Twili laughed, really laughed, "Now now, yer need no worry. We are a dying race, kid. The more love floats around us, the better I say. Especially with our world as it is now."

The boy, red-faced, didn't answer.

"Just promise me, kid. Since yer her first friend, Promise me yer look after her. Promise me that yer protect her at all cost, that when everything is lost and we all die, yer hand will still lead her to safety, even if it means giving up yer life. That is what a man's does, kiddo. A real man. Yer a man, aren't ya?

Remember this: We are Twili. We take care of each other."

"I... Y-yes, Sir! I promise, Sir! You can count on me!"

Chiaro smiled, patting his head.

"Heh. Us Twili may still have a future indeed."

played by mint, faceclaim is Lacus Welt from OWARI NO SERAPH