It was a bright day in Windia, and Lucy was out in the Windian High park reading one of her books. A light breeze filtered through the area, causing the pages of her story to ruffle just lightly as she held them down with a firm but gentle hand. She was seated on a park bench just under a large tree in the shade, reading a novel called 'Wings of Freedom,' just one of the many romance novels that Lucy would often spend her time reading. The windian glanced up from the pages briefly to scan the park around her, admiring the beautiful day.

There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the air was soft and gentle as it stroked her face lightly, brushing aside strands of hair like the gentle touch of a lover. Lucy sighed to herself. She was in one of those moods again. One of those moods where the day could be dreary and rainy but it would still strike her as mystical and fantasy. This was something that didn't happen to the windian often. Most of the time Lucy seemed to fancy herself as a realist, and down to earth. Many people seemed to veiw her as a pessimist because of her realistic views. Life was a disappointment. Everyone loses in the end. All posessions must fade away. Truth is a myth. But every so often Lucy couldn't help but feel a part of her mind drift away from these thoughts and immerse itself in a world where dreams were true and love conquered all. Lucy used to fight days like this when the mood would suddenly over take her, calling herself silly and childish, but lately she had learned to live with them. It was on days like this that she would often grab a good book and head out to the park and read.

Another breeze floated by, and Lucy heard a melodious chirp and glanced up to see a small blue bird flutter down onto the bench she was sitting on. The bird cocked its head, gazing at her with its swirling black eyes and let out another light chirp. Lucy set her book down in her lap and watched the bird as it made its way from the perch on the back of her bench to the seat next to her. With another chirp it fluttered its wings and floated down to the ground before the windian and began pecking around. Lucy leaned forward and watched it peacefully.

*SHUNK*

*Sqwak!*

Lucy jumped in her seat as the glowing green rapier landed, wedging itself into the ground right next to the bird and sending the creature flapping away in a mad fury of feathers. Lucy rolled her eyes and grumbled as the weapon's owner come up to retrieve the blade.

"Sorry Lucy." Frank offered her an apologetic lopsided smile as he pulled his blade from the ground. "Didn't mean to startle you."

"Oh that's alright." The windian rolled her eyes and picked her book up with a mutter. "Just be more careful."

Frank nodded as he headed back over to where Brandon was waiting for him, wings flexing impatiently as the windian guard watched the Persona User approach once more.

"You're really getting better." Brandon nodded as he lifted his rapier and motioned to Frank with it. "You need to watch yourself with your grip though. Moves like that can really catch a person off guard and disarm them easily."

"Yea, I noticed." The Persona User chuckled as he readied himself for another sparring round. "Alright then, bet you can't do that to me again!"

Lucy rolled her eyes at the two fencers and went back to her book. Ever since the two had first sparred out in the park the day that Lucy and Brandon had walked in on Frank practicing, her brother and the Persona User spent quite a few days sparring together in Windian Park. Lucy didn't really mind it. She found it nice that her brother was finally getting a bit more social. He's always been so quiet and secluded because of that job of his. Outside of our family, the only other people Brandon ever really talks to are other Windian Guards. Well, there was the WINGS too, but like Lucy, Brandon didn't seem to take much interest in the group itself. Lucy's only real commitment to the WINGS was Janet, and Brandon was only in the group because of Lucy. The only other WINGS members the windian guard had really seemed to strike up a friendship with was Justin, because those two could often spar together, and Jason, because the red haired windian would often wander into the auditorium sometime while Lucy and Brandon were there and Jason would then proceed into pulling Brandon into a quick musical session with him.

But Frank is different. Lucy thought to herself. The members of the WINGS were only people that Brandon would use to pass the time with if the opportunity came up. Frank was someone that Brandon actually seemed to take interest enough in to hunt him out some days and request a chance to spar. Aside from Lucy, Frank was quickly becoming one of Brandon's closest friends.

Lucy buried her face in her book once more and read quietly to herself, allowing her mind to once again be lost in the details and the romance of the fantasy world in her hands.

*SHUNK*

Once again Lucy was suddenly startled from her thoughts as Frank's glowing green blade wedged itself in the ground in front of her. Frank hurried up to retrieve his weapon, apologizing to Lucy rather sheepishly before turning and calling back to Brandon.

"Alright, so you did it again, but I bet you can't do it a third time!"

The windian guard had a huge grin on his face and he pulled his weapon up to meet Frank's charge, the two blades clashing together with a metallic clang. Lucy watched in momentary interest as once again Brandon preformed a moved that knocked the Persona User's weapon away, leaving Frank standing unarmed and in wonder.

"Okay... show me how you did it that time?" Frank stared over at where his weapon had landed for the third time. Brandon laughed, his wings flapping lightly, and nodded.

"Fine, I'll show you." He motioned to the glowing green rapier. "Just get your weapon and get back here."

Lucy sighed and turned back to her book. It was a nice day out.