Balan Wonderworld 2: Broken Balance

Chapter 1: Childhood memories.

The snow fell as winter unfolded and Christmas spirit was in the air. Two friends, or lovers rather, walked through the snowy city while everyone was enjoying themselves on this merry night. The man, a spikey haired fellow, and the woman, wearing an adorable pony tail, talked on and on as the night droned on. The male pulled the female under a street light, holding both of her hands in his as he looked her right in the eyes. "We've been friends ever since we were kids." He began. "I don't exactly remember how it happened, but that day we woke up beside each other in that park was the greatest day of my life. The moment we locked eyes with each other that same Christmas Eve four years ago today was the moment I knew you were the one for me." He knelt down on one knee and pulled out a velvet red box. The woman covered her mouth as tears stung the corner of her eyes. "L-Leo..." The box opened and there sat a beautiful silver ring with emeralds on either side of a shimmering sapphire. "Emma Cole..." His breath was caught in his throat. "W-Will... You marry me?" He asked his partner. Emma cried tears of joy as she took the ring and slipped it on her finger. "Yes! I will!" Emma exclaimed. Leo stood up and embraced his new fiancé, sharing a loving kiss with her as the snow continued to fall and the bells rang out. 

10 months later...

"Emma? Are you okay?" Leo entered the greenhouse of his and Emma's new house, seeing his beloved crying beside the spider lillies. "Tell me what's wrong. How can I help?" Emma looked up at him, her eyes glossy and crystallized by the tears. "Oh, you know... I'm... Totally not extremely nervous about our wedding day..." She said, slight sarcasm in her broken voice. "Emma, sweetheart, believe me, I am just as terrified. Especially after what happened with that ex friend of yours nearly trying to... Um... Nevermind. You probably don't want to talk about it." He looked away, his eyes settling on the yellow buttercups. Something in his head was fading through, like an old memory he doesn't remember having since his teen years. Emma looked at him and smiled again, giving him a small peck on the cheek as she got up and playfully ran off. Leo, knowing full well what she was doing, chuckled and ran after her. He was too far behind her, however, as she was suddenly nowhere to be found. Then, the phone rang. "I'll get it!" His beloved called to him from inside the house. Just when things started lighting up, Emma had told him that the chapel had caught fire about an hour ago. The wedding was only a week away and the other chapels in the area were already booked. To make matters worse, Emma's mother had phoned a day later saying that her and Emma's father couldn't make their flight because it was cancled due to a tornado warning. "Please tell me this can't get any worse..." Leo thought, rubbing his temples as he felt a headache coming on. As if the devil himself had destroyed his very wishes, a blizzard had happened in the exact state his best friends were passing through.

He was so frustrated, he kicked one of Emma's favorite plants and cracked the pot. He didn't mean to, really. But, can anyone really blame him? "Leo?" Emma had called to him from the kitchen. Leo froze, realizing what he had just done and mentally punched himself in the face. "Y-Yeah?" He answered back, hoping he didn't have to die today. "What was that noise? Are you okay?" He was internally panicking, not knowing what to do, so he did the only thing he could. He had to lie to her. "Oh! I accidentally tripped over one of the potted plants! I got distracted and didn't see it! I'm sorry, hun!" He answered, crossing his fingers. "Oh, that's okay! Did the pot break?" "No, but it's got a big crack in it!" "Can you repot it? I don't want it to shatter and hurt you!" "Yeah! No problem!" Truth was, he already repotted the plant and threw out the broken pot as they were talking so he didn't have to die today. That was the first time he had ever lied to Emma and it was about a plant. "Sorry, bud." He also couldn't believe that he was apologizing to a plant, but Emma did tell him months ago that plants have feelings too, so he wanted to be conciderate of hers while being conciderate of theirs.

He went back inside the house and washed the soil off of his hands. "What distracted you?" She asked. "Oh. My pals got stuck in a snowstorm. They have to stay at a motel until it passes, but they're looking at about thirteen inches of snow. Maybe even sixteen." He explained, drying his hands off. "Bad luck even before our own wedding, huh...? Things just keep getting worse and worse..." Emma almost looked like she was about to cry. Leo saw his lovers eyes crystallize as a tear streamed down her cheek. He said nothing as he stood up and pulled her into a gentle hug, turning on the record player they had and playing traditional waltz music. Emma smiled as they danced around their livingroom, laughing and bringing positivety into their home once again. The song ended and they looked each other in the eyes. "We'll figure something out, Emma. I believe we can. We're in this together." The spikey haired male said, caressing his dear fiances cheek. "You might be right about that one, Pheonix Wright." She teased, giggling and running off again. "Wha- Pheonix Wright!?" He retorted, almost bursting out laughing. "Yup! Hahaha!" She ran upstairs to their bedroom as Leo chased her. "Oh, now you're gonna get it, Miku!" He laughed as he caught her at last, the both of them tumbling onto the bed. "Miku? Hey, my pigtails are not that long and that was only once that I dyed my hair blue." Leo kissed her lightly. "You still looked like Miku." She poked his cheek, smiling.

"Okay, maybe I did, but you still look like Pheonix Wright." She giggled again. "Okay, that was only once that I dyed my hair black." He poked hers back. "Alright, fair enough." She got up, walking back downstairs and putting her boots on. He followed, doing the same. "Walk?" He asked. "Perfect weather. Let's go do a bit of exploring." Said Emma as they both left their house and went for a nice walk together, only for Emma to be harrassed by an older male who was thankfully scrawny enough for Leo to go full on alpha mode and push him onto his rear. One more thing that happened that day; A woman argued with them for being all lovey dovey in public. Their whole week was the worst week of their lives. Walking home that night, Emma made a wish upon a shooting star that Leo didn't even notice because he was on the phone with his mother. She wished for someone to help them. Anyone. She wanted their wedding day to be perfect, but it couldn't happen since bad things kept happening to them. "Our wedding is the day after tomorrow... Please... I just want someone to help us..." She whispered, hoping Leo didn't hear her. He did, but pretended he didn't for her sake.

Emma was about to cry again, but then noticed that Leo had stopped. "Emma? Do you see what I see?" He pointed to the little fluffy creature in front of them. "I... I do." They both followed it through an alley way and into what looked like an abandoned theater. Slowly, the memories started reverting back to them. "Leo, sweetie, is it just me, or is this place giving me this weird feeling of deja vu?" She asked him, thinking she'd be met with silence. "I don't blame you, Em. It is weird. It's almost like we've been here before." The couple continued on as the doors shut behind them. They jaunted on, holding each other close until they came across a room that felt so familiar to them. Sitting at a small table all alone was a funny looking man in a hat, holding a yellow teardrop shaped gem. "Oh?" He turned and looked at the couple, smiling his signature smile. "Why hello there." He snickered, rising from his chair and standing up to his full height. With a fast and sudden movement, he was right in front of them, bowing and smiling wide. "And welcome!" He gazed at them, taking in their appearances. "Say, you two look familiar. Do I know you?" Then, in that moment of silence, it all caught up with Emma. "You do! We do too! You're Balan!" She exclaimed as Balan suddenly grew confused. "Well, yes of course. But, how do you know my name, madam?" He felt the memories lingering, but forcing themselves away from him, as if they're too faded to remember. "Balan, it's me! Emma! Emma Cole!" Leo gasped, adding onto the conversation. "Come on, Balan, you know me! Leo!" The meastro thought for a moment, then gasped as it all caught up to him. "Emma? Leo? Is that really you?"