Chapter Text
Arb Reborn — In Human Form 1
(Centred on the Medal Trio. No pairings.)
(1)
"So, the little prince's rose has finally transformed into a lovely gem-sister?"
The warrior clad in silver-and-blue segmented armour studied the alien girl before him — her hair ornaments of water-blue, her whole being glistening and luminous — and the words slipped out before he could stop them.
The black, fiendish mask seemed to curl its split mouth into a smirk, and its two猩红色宝石 "eyes" threw back a terrifying, glacial gleam — yet the voice of the youth beneath the mask held a note of curiosity.
When he'd received Hikari's urgent message — "Arb is emitting an abnormal light. Come quickly." — this friend from the Andromeda Nebula had been on the verge of wrapping up a small-scale battle. He and his unit had cleaned up the fight in a few swift moves, and he'd sped off alone towards this planet that so occupied Hikari's heart — the planet where pale-blue crystals shimmered and danced.
"I must not only protect myself. I must also protect Hikari."
The alien girl recalled the vow she had just spoken to Hikari, and, summoning her courage, took a step forward.
"Don't be afraid. I'm Hikari's friend — Melos."
The other removed his helmet and mask, disengaged his armour, and looked around. "Seeing is a hundred times better than hearing. Arb truly possesses a beauty that heals the heart."
A world apart from the black face and red-eyed, grinning mask, the youth of the people of light beneath it bore three streaks of deep red across his forehead. He stood tall and straight, his features striking and handsome, even bearing a touch of delicacy.
"Hello, Arb." He inclined his body slightly in an elegant bow, and extended his hand towards her.
The alien girl, who had only just taken this form and was still unpractised in its use, let her translucent, slender fingertips hover uncertainly in the air. She hesitated. Her lips parted lightly. "...Melos. Hello."
From one side, the blue-tribe youth's voice cut in, tinged with indignation: "Hold it right there! Spare me the idol-drama theatrics. Explain yourself! What's all this about 'the little prince and his rose'?"
(2)
"I have only one rose, but I have a deep and devoted love for her."
"That rose — her petals are like the first glimmer of light at dawn, delicate and soft. The little prince cannot help but lower his head and breathe in deeply. That fragrance — it is like a breeze in midsummer, fresh and sweet."
"The rose draws the little prince with her beauty and her fragrance, and the little prince repays this one, irreplaceable rose with his love."
"Thinking of you two, it's rather like a fairy tale. The little blue-tribe prince, wholly absorbed in his scientific research, often comes to visit his gem-rose." The red-tribe youth's pale-gold, almond-shaped eyes were brimming with a smile. "And then, one day, a miracle happened. Beneath the loving attention of the little prince, the gem-rose took on human form — and transformed into a gem-spirit." He turned his gaze towards Arb's soft, bright eyes, and asked, gently, "Arb — before this, was Hikari the only person of the people of light you knew?"
The alien girl nodded.
Now, in the girl's eyes — clear as topaz — two people of the people of light were reflected.
But it was as though something had been deliberately omitted from the middle of this beautiful story... a truth far more brutal than any pretty fairy tale. In the girl's eyes, there flickered once more the events of the recent past — tearing, shattering, destruction, deathly stillness, and rancour. Even the blue youth before her — so gentle, so warm as a poem — who had never been meant for battle, covered in wounds and blood, swinging his sword and hacking towards Bogarl —
"One's own life must be protected by oneself."
"To force Hikari — who had nothing to do with any of this — into mortal danger, even to the point of losing his life, for my sake..."
"Then what does that make me, who did such a thing?"
(3)
"It wasn't entirely a bad thing," the blue-tribe youth said, also deep in memory. "Because of what happened with you, I came to know Mebius, gained a great deal of practical combat experience, and was later 'promoted' into the Garrison by Zoffy." He turned his head and smiled at the alien girl beside him, who was still weighted with remorse and guilt. "Now I'm not only a research scientist — I'm a genuine soldier of the Garrison."
Beside him, the red-tribe warrior doubled over in laughter. "'Promoted'?! Hahahaha — did Zoffy really put it that way? That guy..."
The atmosphere lightened into cheerfulness once more.
"He probably felt my combat ability hadn't yet reached the threshold for the Garrison — which is why he used the word 'promoted'." Hikari speculated.
"Then we'll be your sparring partners." Melos gave his shoulder-plate a light pat.
"Is Zoffy also a soldier of the Garrison?" the alien girl asked.
"Mm. He's the Captain of the Land of Light's Garrison." The red-tribe warrior pulled out his pad and opened a holographic projection, calling up a photograph of Zoffy. With a gesture of one hand, he invited everyone to sit down on the ground. "That's him, here. Look at his smooth, unadorned forehead — clean and crisp. A classic handsome man of the Land of Light. The slight fullness in his jawline gives him a touch of warmth and approachability. The double-line design of his markings is elegant without being flashy. He's very popular. He's also an extremely practical person — never overbearing, never servile, with anyone. He gets straight to the point, no wasted words. Practically the perfect working machine."
The blue-tribe youth covered his handsome face and stifled a laugh.
The red-tribe man thought for a moment, then turned to Arb for her opinion. "Shall we take a look at the other soldiers of the Garrison?"
(4)
"Broadly speaking, the Garrison soldiers can be divided into three types by colour. Those with more red are the Red Tribe. Those with more silver are the Silver Tribe. Those with more blue are the Blue Tribe. And nowadays, there are a lot of red-blue hybrids among the new generation — Aura calls them the Candy-Coloured Tribe."
"Candy-Coloured Tribe..." Hikari's shoulders shook with suppressed laughter.
"As for the shape of the eyes, there are broadly two categories. Apart from the curved type, like Hikari's and mine, there's also the angular type — like Seven, Zero, Leo, and Taro." The red-tribe youth swiped through the photographs of the Garrison's famous handsome men, one by one.
"Is Aura an Ultra warrior too?" Arb still had no concept of food. What was 'candy', anyway?
"Mm. Sometimes she's like a wilful daughter, but other times, she's just like a darling little sister." The red-tribe warrior answered offhandedly.
"You mustn't let her hear that." Hikari adopted Aura's tone, holding up an index finger for emphasis: "'Melos, you're so annoying and long-winded — I am not a child — please vanish from my sight this very instant!'"
"Hey!" The red-tribe youth glared at the blue-tribe youth, and swiped to a photograph of his own adopted daughter — a delicate, lovely girl of the people of light, pale-lavender in colour, with a luminous blue gem set at the centre of her forehead.
"There are female soldiers in the Garrison?" Arb asked in wonder.
"You mustn't let her hear that," It was the red-tribe youth's turn to tense up with conditioned reflex. "There are some women in the ranks, yes, but very, very few whose combat power surpasses that of men." His mind flashed to an image of his own daughter, roaring "How dare you underestimate me!" — and unleashing her ultimate move, "Ten Thousand Arrows Unleashed", the enemy shrieking in agony as they were skewered into hedgehogs... A cold sweat broke out just thinking about it. "Her main talent lies in her exceptional beam abilities. Arb, perhaps, also has some very special innate gifts waiting to be discovered."
"Innate gifts?" The alien girl tilted her head in puzzlement.
"It means the talents and abilities you're born with." The red-tribe youth was also choosing his words, trying to think how best to explain it clearly.
"Arb has now completed her transformation from idealism to materialism," the blue-tribe youth said, deep in serious thought. "The most important thing now is to help Arb acquire the ability to protect herself."
"Don't be in too much of a rush. What's even more important right now is to understand yourself, and to understand the world."
(5)
Two "comets", spotting the three in conversation from a great distance, slowly descended and touched down near them. Their glow gradually faded.
"Mebius is very worried about you and Arb." Zoffy strode directly towards Hikari. Behind him, Mebius followed quickly. He glanced at the alien girl, his eyes holding no trace of surprise — as though he were looking upon an old friend he had not seen in years. He waved in greeting. "Hello, Arb! I've heard all about you from Hikari. I'm so glad you've now gained your own independent will, and a body that can move about freely."
"Hello, Captain Zoffy." Arb recalled the description the red-tribe warrior had given her not long before, and thought to herself that the features largely matched.
Arb's gaze moved past the silver-tribe youth with the smooth, bare head, and came to rest, curiously, on the red-tribe youth behind him — was he still just a boy? His face was still touched with the softness of youth, his eyes clear as the deepest water — a kind of warmth and loveliness that was hard to put into words.
Within less than a second, the young red-tribe warrior had bounded over. "Hikari! Arb!"
"This is wonderful! We were so worried on the way here! Thank goodness Branch Captain Melos was already here!" He greeted each of them warmly in turn, and at last came before the alien girl. He extended his hand. "Arb — you really are so beautiful! A pleasure to meet you for the first time!" The girl's cool, slender hand gently clasped the hand of the warm, friendly youth of the people of light before her. This time, Hikari did not stop it.
But the atmosphere had turned a little peculiar.
The silver-tribe youth turned to face Arb, and with great solemnity, pulled out his pad and opened a holographic projection. Displayed on it, side by side, were photographs of Mebius, Xenon, and Melos — alongside several pictures of Earth cats. His voice was perfectly level.
"Arb — allow me to provide a supplementary introduction. These are the Garrison's renowned Cat-Head Trio. That is to say, the shape of their heads resembles the felines of Earth, particularly in the shape of their eyes, and the lines of their ears and brows."
"This is one of the Garrison's most capable officers — the warm and friendly Mebius." He drew the young Mebius forward.
"This is the steady, reliable, and dependable Xenon." He pointed to the photograph.
A faint, gentle smile curved the alien girl's lips. All three of them were very beautiful, each possessing his own distinct aura.
The silver-tribe warrior continued his commentary.
"If one were to say that Mebius looks like a soft, adorable, still-ungrown kitten, and Xenon is a quiet, beautiful cat of keen perception — then Melos would be a large, dangerous cat, claws brandished, eyes gleaming with ill intent, ready to deal you a swipe at any moment of provocation. Isn't that right, Captain of the Andromeda Nebula?" The silver-tribe warrior's voice had suddenly taken on a grinding edge.
The red-tribe youth turned his head away with a dignified huff. "Cease and desist from linking me in any way to those mewling Earth creatures!"
Mebius blinked. "But cats are very cute..."
"And I am not a working machine either..." The silver-tribe youth muttered, a little wronged.
Hikari was already laughing too hard to straighten up.
(6)
The alien girl, her hair ornaments of water-blue, her whole being glistening and luminous, pressed on with her questions.
"What is Earth?"
Earth — located in the Solar System's third planetary orbit — is a blue planet of myriad landscapes. There are high mountains, vast oceans, scorching deserts and sweeping plains. It is home to countless animals and plants, and to every kind of climate. And most importantly of all — it is home to the human beings of Earth.
To journey to Earth and see it with your own eyes — you would gain so much, and be so deeply inspired.
At any rate — congratulations, Arb.
We are all so truly, deeply happy for you. 😊
Go. Learn about the world. Discover who you are.
Arb, who now possesses her own free will and a body that can carry her wherever she wishes — is no longer merely a beautiful rose.