Title: In memoria di Stella cadente
(In memory of a shooting star)
Author: arialayla
A/N: This story had been made months ago. I made this to stop my head from bugging me to write this story and to pass it at our school newspaper for the literary section, unfortunately, it is too long according to her (the literary editor) - she accepted my poem though- so, it has not been accepted. Due to boredom I decided to put this on fanfiction… My original A/N is at the bottom, am too lazy to erase it XP.
This story, by the way, is one of my optional sequels of another story (that concentrates on Noctis and Stella), which I keep for private reading, I might revise and put it in here though, if I get inspired. I got an OC here btw, Cattoreya, a.k.a. Catt, one of my close/best friends hates her, I wonder why. Well, actually I got an idea jealousy is jealousy, but, heck! As far as I'm concerned it is Squall that she likes, pffft. Too much of A/N…
Please review after you read and inform me of what you think. Thanks!
Disclaimer: I own nothing, not even myself. So, there.
"Catt, stop the car!"
The wheel screeches to the road because of the sudden halt.
"What's with that?" asks Catt. But, it's too late Stella had gotten out the car, suddenly got oblivious of her companion's presence, and is already running towards a way which no one knows except Stella, of course. "Wait! Oh, gee." The car keys dropped at the dirty canal below her in rush of going after Stella. "Great. Just great", she thought. There she is stuck in a somewhat, ghost town, with no car keys, her car already locked, bag inside, her companion off to something which surely doesn't want to share whatever it is and is around a mile away to their destination. She sighed. She has no choice. She has to follow Stella in that way which seems to be start of a labyrinth.
Stella's still running. It's uncomfortable to run with high heels but something keeps her running. The town seemed to be a familiar place to her. Then she saw flash backs it's her, a younger her running in the same path, and then, approaches the mansion happily. Stella comes back to reality. She's at the front of the mansion, a convent rather, abandoned convent. No, it is more like of a.…. dorm? Stella gazed around, everything is destroyed; it reminds her of what is left in the ancient civilization of Greece. It seems that the place wasn't only abandoned but, had been attempted to destroy. She saw what seem to be marks of flames. Flames. Fire. Fire. Fire was Lightning's fiancée. "Who is Lightning, by the way?" she thought. This might have been what Catt talks about chances her, having a temporary memory loss in some eventful parts of her life. Stella walked and passes through the mansion, her mind wandering. After a few minutes, she stopped. Where was she? She looked back and around. She doesn't see any dorm relics anywhere, but flowers are everywhere. "Good, I got lost." She thought. Stella sat at the flowers, and then memories came back…
It was her first day at Marianne's Villa. Her father was far too busy to find time for her and ordered their family driver to drive her over instead. The driver left her the moment she entered her would be room for years, her father thought it's the best for her to be cultured that way since, her mother just passed away few weeks ago. And nobody would take care of her. After five years her baby sister would follow her there. That's the day she first met Lightning. The speaker, said all throughout the school for the first graders and first years to get to the grounds and find their companion. When she went to the ground, she was scared to death with the vast of people to the ground. Not only the first years and graders are there even those who came from different levels some are the elder sisters of her batch mates, some are mentors of the first years, some are just simply looking to see the new students-first graders. And those people are strangers to her, her mother used to be with her all times and everyone she interact with are people who are known to her since birth. Scared and not used to the new environment she did what would a normal 7-year old kid would do in her shoes, she ran. When she stopped she was already surrounded with flowers. "Looks like you run off from something scary." Stella, still puffing, looked around and saw a teenage girl sitting on a bench. "Come here," the girl tapped the space beside her, "you better get off those flowers before someone from the gardening club saw you." Seeing that she did ruin some flowers where she is, she decided to follow and sat beside the girl. "I'm Lightning, how about you?" "Stella." "Ah, Stella, you must be the one who Marianne talks about." "Huh?" "Nothing. Do you already have your mentor?" The girl saw the confused look in Stella's face and then, explain further. "You know, the one that their doing on the ground? I'm a first year." Stella shook her head. "Then, could I be your mentor?" Stella nodded. "You're so silent. You remind me of my cousin." "Cousin?" "Yeah, he's at the same age as yours and barely talks to anyone." "Not even his mother?" "Not even to his step mother." "He is cold, then." Sehana chuckled. "Yeah, somehow he is." Stella gets uncomfortable, Lightning stopped talking to her, and maybe she got offended with the term she used on her cousin. "Are you hungry?" "Huh?" "Well, I figure when a kid gets silent she's shy, sleepy, or hungry. I don't think so that you're sleepy. And either you are shy or hungry it usually gets off in eating sweets. What do you think?" "Didn't we have school? This is our first day, right?" "Study you mean? No we haven't. School won't start until next week." Lightning said as she is already guiding Stella hand in hand in the way to the ground. "Next week? Then, why are we here?" "For this companionship thing, they want us to get to know and be comfortable with each other before the school starts." "But, aren't we going to different schools of our parent's choice?" "Uh, actually it goes this way, M.S. chooses which schools we could get in every year and then from that it is our parents or guardians would choose from those that M.S. selected." "It seems to be a long process." They already passed by the ground and people on it. Stella had overcome her fear and feels comfortable now, with Lightning. "It is. We are going to meet Marianne at the cafeteria by the way." "Who is she?" "She's my mentor. The one who took care of me for exactly seven years now. She's the one who picked me up in the companionship thing like this years ago." "Is she old?" "Old? No, she's only 21. She's graduating college next school year." Stella freed her hands from Lightning and counts on her fingers while walking. "She took 5 year course?" "Yup"…
After 2 years
"Hey, look!" Stella picked up the beautiful flower that caught her attention, and smiled at it. She spun around to show it to her companions but, the two kept walking and talking with each other, unaware of her acts. "Lightning"
"Huh? Are you saying something?"
Stella shook her head. "But, I'm hungry, let's eat. Is that fine?" looking at Fire.
"It is. Come on; let's go to your favorite ice cream shop."…
4 years passed by
"It seems to be just yesterday, that I picked you up at the opening ceremony now, you're engaged," Marianne whined.
Lightning smiled and looked at M.S. who is also smiling. "Congratulations, Light. Marriage is the field I didn't succeed. The field, that Marianne didn't want to take. I hope you fulfill it."
"Oh! Stop talking that way, M.S.! They just got engaged last night, not going to get married today! Preparations for such events take long, right? One of my batch mates took a year to get prepared. You would need two years to prepare, right?"
"Two years? That long? How come?"
"Because it would take me a year to absorb the fact that you're not a kid anymore and that there is this guy who already taking you away from me. Besides, you haven't told Stella about it yet, have you? Two years is short to be at peace with him" said Marianne.
That made her thinks. It is true. She hasn't told Stella about it yet. Serah, her younger sister didn't know that she got a long-time boyfriend, now fiancé. It is only her beloved cousin who knows about Fire and even took time to meet him. She sighed. She can't just show off to her sister and those who is remaining as her family, getting married out of sudden. She has to introduce Fire to them first, and then talk about their engagement after a long time. Marianne is right. She would need two years before she could put herself in peace with Fire. She sighed. Why did she have a weird origin anyway? If everything is just normal. She sighed again.
"Why is it Lightning?" Stella asked. It has been a month since she last saw Lightning. Marianne and M.S. said she took a vacation. But, she doubted it. Lightning often invite her in vacations as a company or tell her about it. Last month, she vanished in thin air.
"Huh?"
"Lightning is a strange name". She's trying to open up a conversation.
Lightning kept on playing her piano, while Stella keeps on observing, Lightning barely plays that piece. Actually, she barely plays the piano. The piano piece is called oh, well she forgot what it is called Lightning always says it is Aerith's theme. It sounded holy, relaxing, and somehow she interprets it of not losing hope; yet, there is sadness, a sense of loneliness.
"We've known each other for years and I believe we keep no secret with each other." She said, hinting that whatever it is spill; so, that I'll know.
"Do you know who Aerith is?"
"No, but the one you are playing is her theme, right?"
"This theme is made by a friend years after her death".
"That friend might be attached to her, so much".
"That person really is".
"You're changing the topic".
"You see, my name is not really Lightning, it is Éclair." She heard Stella gasp, "In French it means Lightning. Marianne is interested in different languages even as a child. When we met and I told her my name she already called me Light. A shortcut for Lightning," Lightning stopped playing the piano, "Stella, I and Fire…,"she took a deep breath; she must tell the news straight or she'll broke up again; "the wedding is off".
"EH?! But, why? You love each other so much didn't you? You've gone through the years of thick and thin. I'm one of the witnesses of it. You are in love with each other so much".
"Love is not enough for people to stick together. Sometimes, no, most of the times, you have to let go. Stay away and be rational".
"I don't see anything irrational with your relationship with him. And I strongly disagree on what you are saying. What's the sense of falling in love when you have it and you would ignore it?"
"Let's put it this way then," Lightning is could feel her eyes filling with tears, it is still too painful for her, good thing Stella's facing her back, Stella wouldn't notice her emotions about it, "True love never fades. When it fades then it is not true. Feeling the sense of security, accompaniment, attraction and contentment is not what real love is. It is much deeper. When you love you wouldn't think of how you would feel when you're with another, just that person alone, no one else."
"So, it is a third party".
"No, it is not. It is just the two of us no one else. It is our decision".
"If the decision comes from the both of you, then I would ask no more. That's your life, not mine, no one have the right to take control for it. Whatever happens, we would be here. M.S. and Marianne already knew about it, right?"
Lightning faces Stella and smiled. "They do. Sorry to tell you about it late."
Marianne's figure flashed at the frame of the door. "You girls finished talking? Light, somebody wants to talk to you. I sent him at the patio."
Light gave Stella a look then preceded at the patio. Stella gave Marianne a strange look.
"Don't look at me like that. Even I have no idea what happened." Marianne entered the music room and seat at the sofa there near the piano where Stella is standing.
"She didn't take a vacation, did she?"
"Loving is too short, forgetting would be too long. I read it somewhere; though I'm not sure I stated the right words." Marianne glanced at Stella then, stare at the window, as much as she would like to tell Lightning prevented her from telling anything at all. In her mind flashbacks of what had happen appeared. She reached out for a music book beside her and flipped it to a page where it is blank, she then began writing what she wants to tell to Stella, not that she would give it to the girl, but just for the sake of letting it out of her.
"A month ago she went back here soaking. It is raining outside, and the squall is strong, but she seemed not to bother. When I opened the door, she raise her head, which have been looking at the floor, and smiled at me saying that the two of them had come to the best decision they could ever make, it is off. I don't get it at first; I am worried she'll get sick if she stays in that condition, I hurriedly shove her to bath room. When, I already prepared her clothing and food, I realize what she had said to me and noticed that she's taking too long at the bath room. Thinking that she might have done something, I rushed in. I find her there at the bath tub; water overflowing since, the faucet is still open. It's the first time in my life, I saw her like that. She's there, sitting inside it. Tears are falling from her eyes but, she seemed to be envelope in a deep state, she didn't notice it, not the overflowing water, not my sudden entrance," Marianne sighed, she already had stopped scribbling the piece of her memory that had been haunting her for a month now "the rest should be forgotten, even if I know not the whole rest of it" she said.
"Why?" Stella, used at her acts, scribbling something then saying something strange aloud as if to continue what she is writing, whatever it is, nobody knows not even Lightning, Marianne makes sure of it that no one would be able to read or even take a peek on her scribbles, simply asked.
"Because there are things better not to be told. For truth directs the entire human race in two: not to believe on it and find truth in lies or to accept it and find truth beyond truths.
Stella said nothing. Marianne had always been that strange, nothing's new. She went out of the room and wander through corridors aimlessly, and then heard voices.
"I guess, when you're with someone whom you love, and you know you are loved back, you just take things for granted and never consider that things, which could lead us both in a better us, have been sacrificed".
"Maybe, maybe someday we'll meet again, and if that time comes?"
"We will be friends".
"I fell, and I dragged you with me-"
"You did not. You just did what is right, you act according to your nature, and humans are like that. Even if you did fall, you surely learned a lot of things from it, no matter what."
"Why?"
The man smiled at the lady he's talking to and tapped her cheeks, "Even I cannot comprehend it," and started walking towards the door, away from her.
"Stella," Cattoreya called out, tapping at Stella's shoulder, "I finally found you".
That brought her back to reality. She'd been there. Spent years of her life there. The faces are blurred, but the voices and surroundings are clear.
"Stella," Catt called out again in an irritated voice, "could I borrow your phone mine is locked with the car, I'll call Noct.
"Uh, sorry," Stella said as she handed out her phone.
Cattoreya called for help since they're stuck. The two wander around the villa and saw a monument made of crystal of a female seraph holding a rose without stem. They hang around it for a while and saw what seems to be a key hole at the platform where the angel had been standing. When they studied the seraph they noticed that there is a message engraved on it. It says, "To my only Light." Both of them fell silent upon reading the text.
"There they are," a female voice said.
They're attention had been diverted to the new comers; there is Noctis together with a lady years older than him.
"Éclair, this is my girl Catt, and a friend of ours, Stella".
"Girls, this is my cousin, Éclair".
It made her kind of amazed. Noctis usually don't bother to introduce people around; he's too still for that. His cousin must have been special to him. Éclair smiled at them. Pleasantries have been made and they're going out of the villa. The lovers are leading the way while Stella and Éclair walk in almost the same pace. Éclair stopped on her tracks, while Stella kept walking. The face of Éclair's cousin seemed to be familiar with her; she just can't comprehend where she had seen her.
Éclair who stopped her tracks, looked back at the monument, memories are flooding through her, "the past should stay in memories where they belong, didn't they?" she muttered.
Apparently, Stella heard her. As if by chance, thoughts came back to her. "You see….my real name is…." "You're so silent…My cousin" "To my only Light" Out of sudden it's all clear on her now. "Éclair"
Éclair faced Stella.
"I understand it now, maybe not the same situation as yours," Stella looked at the couple who didn't seem to notice them, "just like back then when I'm with her and Fire" she thought. "But, being rational is better".
END
A/N: I rushed to finish this, so whoever read this sorry for the poor construction of sentences and wrong choice of words. I cut out a lot to this story, ugh. BTW, to those who have read my project in Filipino way back first quarter, this is its sequel and I revised that story, btw. I changed a lot of the names of the characterME: why? Why do I have to? to avoid fan girls XD. So sorry to myself, it is sooo short, and I cut a lot of my original scenes that had been hangin' on my mind for months. Ugh, I guess, I went too far from my objective and my main thought had been diverted because Of me, cutting the scenes. I'm not that confident with this story so, have pity on me criticisms are welcome, insults are not. I know I'm not good, okay? I'm just doing what I could…The shooting star scene is gone by the way…
Another A/N: Above is my original A/N, of course I brought back the original names for the story already but, if there is any naming mistakes please bear with me. And I'm feeling bad Noctis got too little scene but, oh well, it is the plot where I concentrated this time not the exposure of characters and again I cut it short, so, maybe if I got enough motivation and inspiration again, I would rewrite this by chapter and put all the scenes I got in mind.
Again, please review!!!Thanks!