Title: Anamnesis
Author: Sargent Snarky
Summary: Cecil sometimes dreams of a family, an early childhood and a later, orphaned one he only dimly remembers. Every now and again, though, something triggers a memory so strong Cecil wonders how he ever forgot.
A/N Disclaiming, first. I don't own the characters or places or the world in which this fic takes places. Instead, it's Squaresoft, I believe. Lucky ducks.
Oh! And 'anamnesis' means reminiscence, in case you were wondering about the title.
Anyway, I shall now shut up and move onto the story proper. I thank you in advance for reading, and would very much appreciate any comments you might leave, be they good or bad or just neutral. Criticism (especially of the constructive kind) is preferential to all other comments, by the way. So, if you've some tip for me, please leave it. Whether I'll follow it remains to be seen, but at least it'll give me something to consider and perhaps improve upon.
Thanks!
And now, please enjoy the story…
Prologue
"Hey Kain?" asked Rosa, suddenly.
"Yeah?" he turned his head to look over at her. So, too, did Cecil.
The three children were lying on their backs in the grass, gazing up at the afternoon sky and the clouds, which lazily drifted by, propelled by a soft, warm breeze.
"If you could have any wish in the entire world granted, what would it be?" Rosa asked, her brown eyes sparkling in the sun.
Kain blinked, slightly taken aback; of all the random questions, this was not one he might have expected. "Um," he began, articulately. "I… I'd want to be a great dragoon, like my father," he said at length, his eyes going distant with thought. A sad smile curved his lips; his father had died when Kain had been very little, but the boy preferred to think on his father with pride and a hope to live up to the man's name rather than with sorrow. "Soaring through the air, propelled by your own strength… I'd like that very much. Either that or being able to fly… like a bird." He returned his focus to Rosa. "What about you?"
"Me? Hmm…" Rosa was silent for a few moments in thought. "I'd wish that the war would stop, so that my father could come home. Mother and I really miss him."
They were all silent for a moment, pondering the ongoing war with Elban. None of them was quite sure of the war's origins – none of the adults seemed willing to explain politics and foreign policy with seven, eight and nine year olds. However, despite their lack of understanding, the children still knew of the war's existence and that many of the men of Baron were busy defending against and attacking the ninja clans, and that some of the men never made it back. The three children shared in the mutual hope, though, that Rosa's father would not be one of them. So far, he hadn't, so there wasn't any reason to give up that hope, yet.
"What about you, Cecil?" asked Rosa once the period of silence had gone on long enough. "What would you wish for?"
Cecil's lavender eyes (a most peculiar shade for eyes, in Rosa's opinion – not that she didn't like it, of course; she just found it odd) turned to the clouds overhead, going unfocused as his thought turned inward. The boy was silent for much longer than either Rosa or Kain had been, considering his answer.
At last, however, he spoke, softly: "I think… I'd wish to know my family, meet them… remember them…"
End of Prologue
A/N:
Well, what do you think? I won't have time until this weekend or even next week, perhaps, to edit and upload the first chapter (which I have completed, though it needs a bit of editing), so… don't expect it any time soon.
Anyway, this is mostly an exercise of mine to try and flesh out Cecil's past, and, through him, Rosa's and Kain's, as well. It always annoyed me that we never found out much of their childhoods beyond that Cecil and Kain, after each being orphaned, were taken under the care of the King of Baron, who acted much as a father and mentor to them for a while, and that Rosa's father, a knight in the service of Baron, died, leaving her and her white mage mother alone. Oh, and that Kain's father was a dragoon, whom Kain desires to emulate. And… other stuff like that. But those are just dry facts. They aren't the story. This, therefore, is my attempt to write that story.
Keep in mind that I may take a few liberties with the characters and events, so I hope you shall not take too much umbrage to that. Also, I'm not going to be writing out the whole game here. Just… the parts that are relevant. You'll see what I mean.
Please leave me a review, if you can! Thanks!
Love, Snarky