This is a new story I'm publishing based on the game Star Ocean: The Second Evolution (Story) :) Really Like this game and hope I've written it well
Disclaimer: Dont own Star Ocean
Chapter 1 - Painful Memories
He said he'd be away for 6 months...then he'd come home...back home to me...
He wouldn't just go and not come back, would he? No of course not...he loved me. We planned our wedding...he wouldn't leave me...he wouldn't.
What if something's happened? What happens if he's hurt or worse? What happens if the teleporter has teleported him elsewhere and he can't get home to me? What happens if it's broken and he's stuck on earth? What happens if I never see him again...?
"Rena?" A familiar voice called
"Rena, you ok?" Another voice called
"Rena, we've made you dinner" The first voice added
"Not hungry" Rena replied weakly lying on a bed, her head buried into softness of the pillow
"You've hardly eaten anything Rena, you've gotta be hungry!" One of the voices cheerfully spoke
"But I'm not" Rena muttered still motionless as she lay on the bed
"Rena, I know that it's hard...especially today of all days...but you gotta keep going" The other voice spoke calmingly to her sitting down beside her stroking her blue hair
"6 months he said...6 months he'd be away from us and when he'd come back...he'd be a dad...and I'd be a mom..." Rena whispered into the pillow
"Rena please, you have to stop this you couldn't off done anything it wasn't your fault" The calming voice spoke again
"Then who's was it? The baby was inside me! Whose fault is it to blame for me loosing it! I couldn't even protect our baby" Rena cried into the pillow while her friend sat beside her continuing to stroke her hair
"You can't blame yourself Rena! Other women have gone through what you have, you miscarried, it wasn't your fault...it's one of those things that you don't know why they happen but they do! You can't blame yourself you did everything right for that baby!" The cheerful voice strongly spoke trying to enforce positiveness into the atmosphere.
"But why me...today I would have had our baby...and we'd be married...instead I miscarried a week after he left and he wasn't back for our wedding... 3 years he's not even made contact with me...he doesn't even know he isn't a dad" Rena cried harder
"Can you take this back down stairs for me Precis, please?" The calmer voice spoke to the cheerful one
"Yup, you can rely on me!" Precis spoke and happily totted off with the dinner tray downstairs. The calm voice stayed with Rena still stroking her hair
"Rena, it has been 3 years, maybe it's time to...to maybe carry on with life. He wouldn't want you like this." She spoke Rena looked up at her friend.
"I can't give up on him, He could still be out there..." Rena disagreed
"Even so, I'm not saying give up on him darling, but leaving the house would be a start and coming and seeing all your friends again. They're all worried about you sweetie."
"I can't face them" Rena looked away from her.
"Yes you can my darling, yes you can. You've done nothing wrong for you to not face them. They need to know your ok. They are so worried about you they haven't heard off you in a long time..."
"I can't-"
"Yes you can."
"Celine ...what happens if he never comes home?" Rena looked back up at her friend who smiled in return brushing the hair out of her deep blue eyes.
"He will my darling, he will" Celine smiled comfortly as Rena leaned against her shoulder trying to believe those words with all her heart that one day he would come home.
Precis did as she was asked and skipped down the stairs and turned to the kitchen putting the tray of Dinner on the side quickly breaking off a piece of bread. She throws it up in the air and catches it in her mouth.
"And she scores, the crowd goes wild! Precis scores! Victory is mine!" She shouts jumping up and down forgetting about the bread that she just threw into her mouth Precis begins to violently cough after she swallowed it all of a sudden.
"Hmm looks like your victory is a hollow one." A strange voice came from near the front door startling young Precis in her coughing fit
*Cough, Cough, Cough* "You? How you?" *Cough, cough, cough* "here?" Precis stammered out her words. The gentlemen walked over to her and gave her a sharp pat on the back unlodging the piece of bread stuck in her throat. Precis quickly swallowed it and gave a sigh of relief "Thanks! But what are you doing here? I thought you were out on an adventure?"
"Adventures end eventually" He replied shortly
"Oh... Well whatcha doing here?" Precis asked again
"Came to see how Rena is...I'm guessing he still hasn't returned?" He turned to the young girl sternly slightly intimidating her
"Nope he hasn't yet, but I'm sure he will soon" She smiled thinking positively trying to spread it as much as she could. However the gentlemen's posture and facial expression remained the same as if it were stone.
"That's what you said 2 months after he was supposed to return wasn't it, when I spotted you briefly in Linga? 3 years on and your still saying it? I think you need to find a new motto as that one isn't working for you" He coldly replied and began to walk away. "Rena upstairs?" He walked towards the stairway when he was intercepted by Precis
"If you think I'm gonna let you go up to Rena with that attitude then your mistaken! Yeah I might have said he'd be back a few times before but you know what I believe he will be back, he wouldn't just leave Rena! He wouldn't leave all of us without a reason! He will be back! Celine and I are trying to get Rena to face the world again after everything that has happened unlike you who just wondered off on another adventure when things got rough here. You think I'm gonna let you go up to her and even chance you making her worse then you're wrong!" Precis shouted at him, He stood unphased by her attempts
"Move" He responded to her outburst
"No!" Precis protested
"I said move"
"What you gonna do make me!"
"If I have to, yes" He replied to the girl putting his hand on his top of his sword, Precis looked and began to feel rather scared.
"I might be scared of you. You might be a better warrior than me but I learnt that you never turn your back on the people you love most. And if that means I get hurt then fine fight me! You aren't hurting Rena! If Claude isn't here to defend her then I will!" Precis shouted going into a fighting stance. The gentleman gave a smug snort. "What!" she bellowed
"You're planning on fighting me when you haven't got your weapon on you?" He asked, Precis quickly looked and saw her machine fist was not attached to her back, gulping loudly Precis quickly looked around but couldn't spot it anywhere she then looked into his dark eyes. She felt that nervous she had to stop her body from shaking.
"Well If I have to then yeah! Claude taught me you don't turn your back on your friends I'm not turning my back on Rena like you did!" Precis reacted stepping back into a fighting stance "Even if it means I get thrown into the wall" The gentlemen stood still and watched the young girl.
"I admire you effort, however" He quickly moved gently pushing her out of his way. "It's pointless to try and stop me, you're not strong enough. Will power is nothing unless you have the power to win with it." He responded, he began to climb up the stairs but only 2 steps up he gets hit with a fireball from above and sends him back down to the room below.
"Yeah!" Precis screeched happily
"But power alone is not enough to win a fight either. You should have learnt that from Claude after the last battle with him. His sure love of his friends and skill was what won that fight between you two. You only seem to have the power to back you up now, and that isn't enough to win any fight." Celine spoke strongly from the landing. The gentleman got himself up from the floor and stood in a strong position.
"Power is all I need to win." He responded quickly pulling out his sword he went to charge at her when Celine unleashed wind blade flying him into the wall.
"If it's all you need to win, then why are my basic magic attacks crushing you already? Dias?" Celine questioned walking down the stairs
"You may be able to defeat me but you have no chance against the great Celine!" Precis chanted, making Celine smile flicking her hair gracefully.
"Well" Celine giggled "I wouldn't say I'm the great. Precis, will you go check on Rena from me she fell back to sleep bless her." Precis nodded her head and quickly ran upstairs to be at the side of her friend. Celine turned back to the man who was knelt on the floor before her, walking up to him she knelt down to his level.
"Don't pity me" He responded angrily
"I don't pity you at all. I want to know what's happened for you to become like this." Celine asked concerned "First you run off when Rena needs you then you come back like this! That girl has got enough to deal with, without you turning up out of the blue like this." Dias looked up at her
"He leaves her, leaves her when she's pregnant then doesn't come back, He's a dad of what a 2/3 year old and he's left her to deal with it. It's pathetic." Dias snarled standing up walking away from Celine.
"Oh and you're the bigger man walking away right after he did when she needed you here? Rena needed you when Claude had to go but you just walked straight out the door! He went because of his work, you went because you're a selfish git who couldn't deal with the fact she only thinks of you as a brother and not the way she feels about Claude!" Celine barked back at him making him stop in his tracks
" Shut your mouth" Dias growled at her turning to face the women standing up to him
"You couldn't face it that she was going to marry him and have his child. You couldn't face seeing her having a family and being with him could you? No, so you walked away!"
"I said Shut your mouth!"
"So why have you come back now Dias? Hmm? Because Claude still hasn't returned and you think you have a chance?" What? Why now!"
"Like I need to explain myself to you. Why would I wanna raise his kid" Dias responded beginning to walk away again
"You can tell you walked away just after Claude left. Rena miscarried, she lost the baby" Celine revealed to the truth, Dias turned around finally showing some concern
"She miscarried?"
"Yeah, a week after you both left. Don't be too happy about it, She's still devastated about losing both the baby and Claude"
"You think I'm that heartless I'd be happy about that" Dias angrily responded
"I don't know. You were that heartless to cast her away the moment Claude left, it's hard to even imagine you have a heart." Celine snarled "If you've come here to try and win her over or hurt her in the slightest I'd suggest you'd leave now. Cause if you cause even one tiny tear to fall down that girls cheek I swear I will kill you instantly. She has has enough to contend with, without you flicking in and out of her live when you please." Celine finished leaving Dias standing silent glaring at her. "Now get out" Dias stormed out the house slamming the door behind him. Celine gave a sigh of relief, walking back upstairs to the young girls. Precis was sat beside Rena holding her hand as she slept through the tears her eyes cried out.
"Precis" Celine spoke softly gaining the now 19 year olds attention "Come on, leave her to rest." Precis let go of her dear friends hand gently kissing her on her forehead Precis followed Celine's advice leaving her to dream. Celine and Precis walked down the stairs and sat down at the dinning room table.
"Where's Westa? Isnt she back yet?" Precis asked Celine who had walked over the kitchen area of the room
"She's in the Kingdom of Kross with Mayor Regis remember? They're trying to get the permission needed to get materials for Lacour's scientist team to create some sort of transporter to be able to reach Claude's world called Earth" Celine explained pouring hot water into to cups creating herbal tea. She bought it over to the table passing one to Precis.
" So no news then?" Precis asked holding up the cup to her lips
"No, not yet." Celine replied sipping at her tea. Precis copied pulling a strong unimpressed face after only one sip and coughing drastically after.
"Yuck! Where's the sugar!" Precis leapt out of her chair running over to the kitchen searching frantically for the sugar pot. Celine giggled slightly sipping her tea.
"Some things never change." She smiled to herself sipping again her tea.
"It was really nice of Westa to let us stay here" Precis spoke still looking for the sugar
"I think she didn't want Rena to be left alone more than anything." Celine replied "It's next to the tea pot" Precis turned and looked.
"Yup, your right!" She enthusiastically commented picking up the pot and a spoon she ran back to the table placing the pot down and taking her seat she began to add sugar to her tea.
"Precis, I think that's enough."
"But it tastes really sour! Needs sweetening!"
"You've added 6! Anymore and you'll be needing new teeth!" Celine picked up the pot of sugar taking it away and back to the kitchen. Precis stirred her tea and took another sip smiling and giving a short nod of the head after.
"Yup that's better!" Precis chirped happily as Celine walked to join her when suddenly the door swung open and in storms in a visitor "Hey this isn't your home treat it with respect!"
"I can't believe it!" He shouted storming around pacing the room one end to the other
"Hey I'm speaking to you!" Precis shouted standing up from her chair "Hey, Leon! Listen to me!"
"They said it was impossible!" Leon shouted "impossible! Pah! I could create that transporter faster than they could conger up an army!"
"Leon! Stop pacing you'll get mud over Westa's carpet!" Precis shouted again grabbing the boy by his arms
"Let me go Precis! I am not in the mood!" Leon shouts struggling
"I can see that, but your gonna track mud everywhere from your boots!" Precis shouts back
"Who cares about a carpet, we didn't get the permission!" Leon shouts managing to release himself from Precis grip he storms to the dining table slamming down onto a chair.
"What do you mean you didn't get the permission" Celine turned to him, Leon put his head in his hands and didn't respond. "Leon answer me!" Celine ordered pushing him on his shoulder.
"They said it was impossible and a waste of money and resources! A waste! After everything Claude did for us and it's a waste to try and get him back!" Leon shouted shooting up from his chair storming back off Precis watched as she felt her heart drop
"They've declined it! How can they do that! What gives them the right too!" Precis shouts feeling the anger build up "This is our only chance...our only chance to get him back, why should they stop us!"
"My point exactly" Leon chipped in looking over at her
"Leon?" Precis begins to question his statement
"If we can get the materials we need to, a location where we can get a frequency that can connect to other worlds then they don't need to know what we're doing." Leon begins to plan
"Leon I know you want Claude back, we all do. But if the King says-" Celine began to speak
"If we do it in a different continent the King of Kross's word means nothing" Leon stated "Remember when Claude got sapped back to earth? That frequency was able to locate him and able to transport him back through a communicator transmission, if they can do that then we should be able to locate his planet and make a connection with the invention I have in plan." Leon stood strong, Celine walked over to him putting her hand on the young boys shoulder
"Leon-" Celine started
"If we go to Eluria Tower and build the invention in the precise place Claude was sapped back then were not in the King of Kross's Kingdom, he can't dictate what we can or can't do then." Leon interrupted; Precis walked over and held Leon's hand shocking the boy making him slightly blush. Precis smiled at him and looked at Celine
"If Leon says that his invention can work there I'm behind him. I'll do the mechanics for it. I'm with ya Leon" Precis encourages him Leon smiles at her and turns to Celine.
"You with us Celine?" Leon questions, Celine looks at him then at Precis
"Eluria-" Celine started
"Did you get the permission?" Rena asked walking down the stairs
"Rena! Are you ok?" Leon looked shocked seeing her, taking a few steps towards her
"The permission? Did the King say yes?" Rena asked again, Leon dropped his head.
"He rejected it...he said it was impossible." Leon spoke beginning to feel his anger inside. Rena dropped her head.
"I see" Rena turned beginning to walk up the stairs.
"Rena!" Leon shouted, gaining the women's attention she turned and looked at him.
"Yes Leon?"
"I have a plan" He spoke confidently
"Leon you cant-" Celine tried to speak again
"Were gonna build his invention in Eluria Tower" Precis chirped
"Eluria Tower? The king rejected the permission how can you-" Rena queried
"If we build it in another continent then we dont need his permission. Eluria Tower is perfect, Claude was able to get transported from there via his communicater before. With my brains and Precis helping me build it, we'll be able to get it working easy." Leon filled Rena in on his plan
"But Eluria...It's a growing nation now. Eluria Tower is forbidden. They could have shut all the mechanics down and electrics and such, they'll be no way for you to transmit or be able to teleport from there." Rena informed them Precis looked at Leon who had begun to look confused.
"I was just trying to explain to them about it." Celine confessed to her
"Since when have they begun all that!" Precis scoffed unpleased by the news
"Since we came back from saving the place from ravage monsters" Celine commented
"Oh" Precis responded "Well if we explain to their new King our plans-"
"He'll defiantly reject. Going into a forbidden area where the Socery Globe may still be. Creating an invention that has no promises to work in the way we design it too. All in his new land. He'll decline it as soon as we mention about it." Leon spoke disheartendly
"But what happens if we say it's for Claude and say that it's to get him home?" Precis tried again
"Won't make a different. We tried saying this with the King of Kross...he didn't even bat an eye lid, it still was no" Leon responded again
"We'll think of something Leon" Celine placing her hand on the boys shoulder, quickly he shugged it off and walked away
"That settles it" Leon snarled
"Leon?"Precis walked a couple steps closer to him
"If we want Claude back, then were gonna have to do it ourselves." He announced
"You mean-" Precis started
"We'll go against every King in Expel if we have to. We'll gather the materials take them over to Eluria and break into Eluria tower if we need to and build it. I'm not giving up on Claude." Leon dictated, Rena walked down to the now 15 year old placing both her hands on his shoulders he looked up at her.
"You miss Claude don't you?" She asked
"...He's like the big brother I always wanted...And I'll get him back" Leon spoke powerfully
"But going against the King's decision is...it's-"
"Preposterous!" An older gentleman howled "You cannot go against a King's decision once it has been made! Regardless of the situation" Walking into the room smacking his walking stick against the floor in disagreement
"Mayor Regis please listen" Rena begged walking up to him
"Rena" Westa sympathised with her daughter
"Listen to Leon's plan before you dismiss it" Rena asked
"If it goes against our King's word I'll hear nothing. It shall not be done!" Mayor Regis expressed his displeasure
"If we build my invention in another continent then your King's word doesn't count as it isn't done on his land!" Leon told Mayor Regis facing him
"...That maybe true, yes. But our King has given his word on the matter." Mayor Regis walked up to the boy putting his hand on his shoulder "I have no doubt in your ability to build that machine to get our Claude home. But If a King gives his word on a decision you respect and honour it."
"I can build that machine and get Claude home before they could notice a thing." Leon boasted, Mayor Regis laughed
"I'm sure you could my boy. But we just need to hold out on hope that Claude will come back to us."
"Hope" Rena snarled "Hold out for hope?"
"Rena" Westa tried to comfort pulling her daughter towards her.
"What hope is there? 3 years I have held on to hope that he would come back, 3 years of hoping that a machine could be built to find him and permission granted. 3 years and I still have to rely on hope!" Rena shouted
"Rena I know you're upset with this decision but you must think for our planet-" Mayor Regis started
"Our planet wouldn't be here without Claude, We'd all be dead! I have waited and I have hoped and it has gotten me nowhere. If I have to go against everyone in Expel to get Claude back I'll do it. I won't rely on just hope anymore" Rena screamed running out of the house
"Rena!" Celine, Westa, Leon and Precis shouted after her. Precis and Leon both ran forward but Mayor Regis put his hand out.
"Let her go" He spoke calmly "She needs time"
Rena ran through her old village under the stars that shone down on her and the full moon above her reflecting in the river under the bridge she sprinted over. Running all the way to the Sacred Forest, running towards the top left hand corner where stood a giant tree, she slammed to her knees and bawled. Tears upon tears sprung from her blue eyes as if it was a waterfall, wrapping her arms around her waist as her head bowed down letting her slightly longer blue hair subside just over her shoulders covering her face.
Hours went by but yet the young women remained where she was, eventually she lifted her head and looked up at the giant tree in front of her. Looking back down to the base her eyes became fixated there; still the tears fell from her eyes down her cheek.
"I won't give up...I'll never give up on you Claude...You promised me you'd come back...I won't give up on that promise." She spoke to herself, Leon Precis and Celine all stood behind her gently easing themselves down to the ground trying not to startle Rena with their presence.
"We won't give up either Rena. If there is any way to get him back we'll do it" Precis supported her holding onto her hand Rena smiled at her.
"Rena, were all here for you." Celine assured her holding her other hand, Rena smiled back at her placing her head on her shoulder.
"I'll do whatever it takes to get Claude back to you and to the rest of us Rena...Whatever it takes" Leon pledged to her
"Thank you" Rena replied
"Guess it's back to the drawing board if we can't enter Eluria" Leon scratched the top of his head
"It doesn't hurt to ask their new King if we can use Eluria Tower, you never know could be a great guy!" Precis cheerfully spoke looking at Leon, He smiled at her.
"I guess not. How about it Rena, all of us travelling to Eluria?" He turned and asked. Rena looked slightly worried and lifted her head to look at Celine, who smiled at her stroking her hair from her eyes.
"It couldn't hurt to have ago." Celine responded, Rena looked down briefly then gazed back over to Leon nodding her head
"We can try" Rena responded giving a small smile. Precis screamed in pleasure whilst Celine and Leon both smiled.
"Yay! Were going on an adventure! Lalalalala, Were going on an adventure! All of us together!" Precis shot up and began to sing skipping around Rena and Celine laughed as Leon just watched smiling to himself.
"You've grown up alot since the last time I saw you Leon." Rena smiled gaining the young boys attention. "But I'm guessing you still haven't told her how you feel yet?" Rena asked, Leon's face dropped.
"How did you-"
"Celine told me about your crush" Rena smiled "I think it's cute, you two do make a...different match, but a good one I think"
"She wouldn't be interested in me, she sees me as a kid still" Leon doubted
"Well then, you'll just have to show her how much of a man you actually are" Celine responded giving a little wink to him. Making him feel even more uncomfortable than he was before.
"I'm going to go tell Westa were alright." Leon stood up as he walked away Precis grabbed his hand pulling him into a jumping frenzy, making them both laugh. Celine and Rena smiled at each other.
"He maybe younger than her but she certainly acts like the youngest of the two" Rena commented smiling at them
"And he defiantly acts like the eldest, match made in heaven. Just like You and Claude" Celine responded smiling at them.
"Precis! I need to go and let Westa know were alright!" Leon tried to break away
"Oh! Well you should have said that before!" Precis shouted she then quickly began to run pulling Leon behind her. Leaving Rena and Celine in the Sacred forest, Celine stood up holding her hand out to Rena.
"Come on, we best head back." Celine told her. Rena held onto Celine's hand and pulled herself up, Rena looked at the tree again and looked at Celine. "I can remember when Claude proposed to you here, he was so nervous he couldn't stay still for a second bless him" Rena laughed
"He could never stay still even when he wasn't nervous" Rena laughed again
"I dunno I think he was always that bit nervous around you." Celine said giving a wink, Rena giggled and smiled remembering the memories her and Claude built together, slowly her smile began to fade. Celine noticed, gently placing her hand on Rena's chin she encouraged the women to look up at her "Well future Mrs Kenni, we best get back to the village, we have a long trip ahead" Celine told her Rena couldn't help be grin at being called Mrs Kenni.
They both walked hand in hand out of The Sacred Forest towards the town unaware they were being watched the entire time where the watcher slowly emerged from out of the bushes when they were safely out of sight from the two women.
First Chapter Completed! Woo Woo! Hope you found it a good read, please review like to hear what people think :)
Hope to update soon with this and my other stories till then bubyeee! xxxx