City

Author: Seth

"They call it 'your city' because they choose to, not because they are forced to, and that makes all the difference in the world.".

Flowers blooming as far as the eye could see. Haru rested against the railing of Argenfluo's Southern Bridge, watching the multi-coloured blossoms dance in the breeze. This spring had been the most robust he'd seen in a while.

"Admiring your handiwork?"

"I wish this was my doing." The Commander of the Militia smiled slightly, turning to acknowledge the newcomer. "If I could, I'd have the flowers blooming like this every spring."

"I was talking about your city, dork." Shion snickered, giving his back a hefty slap.

Haru pitched forward under the force of his subordinate's blow. Did the girl not know the meaning of 'holding back'?

Masking his wince under a weak chuckle, the blonde looked up and considered the city. Argenfluo had been blossoming just as vibrantly as the flowers that surrounded it, and Haru would be lying if he said that he didn't take a certain measure of pride from knowing that he'd played no small role in its rising prosperity.

"It's not my city." Haru sighed in slight annoyance. "How many times do I have to repeat myself? Argenfluo is everyone's city." The young soldier leaned back against the bridge's rail, eying the city with a certain fondness. "I don't know about you, but I didn't spend eight odd years of my life tearing this place from the Talos simply to stick it back under another tyrannical rule."

"Talk all you want, the only way they'd ever stop calling this 'your city' is if we somehow created a time machine so we could go back and stop your conception." Shion joked. "You've poured more of your soul into this place than anyone else and you know it." She pried Haru off the barrier and started shunting him into the city. "C'mon, stop waxing philosophical about your city and start hauling your ass back to base. The guys back refuse to start the anniversary without you; you're holding up the party."