Disclaimer: I have no rights over the original characters, settings, objects, plots (you understand what I'm saying, right?) created by Square Enix. This was only created out of love for Star Ocean.
I never expected any of this. Being here, fighting monsters, and meeting…him. My sister and I, we had no clue. This was all too sudden, too fast. I know she's scared. Every time she talks to that cute little raccoon-boy, I can see she's worried. And on top of that, she likes him. Seeing her worried around the one she likes just kills me. Killing me. That's what I think about at night. It just kills me, knowing one day he could die. It bothers me seeing him up at night, worried. It just… I never expected to like him. I had heard about him, and when he told me who he was… Former captain of Airyglyph's Black Brigade, a skilled swordsman, and then there's his nickname. Albel the Wicked.
"Are you still up?"
"Yeah. Sorry Peppita. Quickly, go back to sleep. The 'watchman' is coming."
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It was a warm, sunny, afternoon. A cloudless blue sky hung overhead. The clearing was a pure, grassy green, with dots of wildflower patches spread out. It was the perfect place. What was also great about it was the small, crystal spring that was settled in the shade of the bordering forest. Besides a few, happy and carefree animals, the only moving objects were two girls. One had a blue-purple color to her hair, and the other had brown hair, braided with wildflowers.
The one running was the youngest. She had the odd-colored hair, with piercing blue eyes. She wore a blue and pink dress with a big pink bow, pink flowers up the side, and tan wooden sandals. She also had the ears and tail of a black cat.
The older sister wore black shorts, a one-size-too-big purple shirt and a white tank top underneath. Pink flowers were braided close together in her long brown hair. Her eyes were the same deep shade.
"Wheee! Yay!" cried the young girl, spinning around and falling into a patch of flowers.
"Keeri, don't go too far. I just need to find some sage, and then we're going home," called her sister, scanning the clearing for a patch of sage.
Keeri just nodded, picking flowers. "Sure, anything you say, Teru."
She dropped to her knees, pulling up the green herb. She placed it into her backpack, and stood. Brushing herself off, she placed one hand over her eyes as a visor. Two people were walking towards them. "Keeri! Get over here," Teru hissed.
Keeri caught sight of the figures, and jumped up. She ran to her sister's side. "Who are they?"
"I'm not sure," she answered. Soon the newcomers were only a yard away. "Is he…? He is! He-he's…wearing a skirt!" She started laughing.
"He's cute," whispered her sister.
"The one in a skirt?"
'No, not the confused guy! The raccoon-boy."
"Oh…" Teru inhaled deeply, calming herself. "Yeah, he is," she agreed. "Talk to him."
"N-no way!"
She sighed, and pushed her sister towards them.
"Oof!' She stumbled, and looked up. "Uh, h-hi," she greeted quietly.
The boy Keeri was talking to looked around her age. He wore a green shirt, and orange overalls. There was an axe strapped to his back. He had a brown raccoon tail, and a pair of raccoon ears stuck out from under his helmet. "Hi! What's a girl like you doing here in the middle of nowhere?" he asked.
"Um, well…" She twitched her ears nervously.
"My name's Roger! What's yours?"
"Keeri. N-nice to meet you, Roger," she said, her voice just above a whisper.
Teru walked up to the other boy. She looked him up and down. "Why are you wearing a skirt?"
'It's not a skirt," he snapped.
"Mmm-hmm. Sure it isn't," she muttered sarcastically.
She was right. He was wearing a long purple skirt and short purple shirt. He had three gold belts, and knee-hi black socks. His hair was black on top and yellow on the bottom, with two long wrapped braids in the back. Around his neck was a shackle and a short chain attached. His left arm was covered in iron.
"Are you someone I'm supposed to know?" she questioned, leaning on one side.
He looked coldly at her. "Sir Albel Nox. Airyglyph's Black Brigade captain. Albel the Wicked, as I'm more commonly known."
"Yu don't look so wicked,' she complained, pulling on the chain.
He slapped her hand. "Don't touch me. And believe me, you don't want to know why I'm called Albel the Wicked,' he growled.
"Cause your name's Albel?"
"Don't be smug."
At that moment, Keeri and Roger walked up to the others. Roger went to Teru. "And who might you be?" he asked.
Keeri answered for her. "She's my sister, Teru. Oh! What are you all doing out here anyway? We've never seen anyone pass through here before."
"Well," started Roger. "We're on a mission! And we have to be quick and get to the mines beyond here." He nodded.
Teru looked away from her staring death match with Albel. "The Cirulian Caves? That's a long way off." She bent down to Roger's eye level. "Why don't you rest up at our house? You look really tired. And wouldn't it be nice to have a decent conversation with someone?" She winked at her sister, who blushed slightly. "The only town is a day or two's trip. I bet it gets boring talking and seeing the same person day in and day out."
Roger thought for a minute. "Sure, sound's good. Food and bed…great. Right, Albel?"
He looked at him. "We don't have time. This is pointless. We leave now."
Keeri looked off sadly. She sighed, and walked off. "Later, then."
Teru narrowed her eyes. "Oh no you didn't! We're coming with you!"
"No. We don't need your help." Albel walked away.
"Too bad! We're helping anyway!" she snapped. "And you're gonna stay with us cause I'm not gonna let him," she pointed to Roger, "go on weak! These fields practically belong to us, and you're all trespassing! So, my land, my orders!" She began to pant from yelling so much.
Albel turned. "Persistent, aren't you?" He walked back over. "Well, too bad. We don't need you scum, do we?"
"SCUM?! That is IT!" She launched herself at him, catching him off guard. "You ungrateful, cold-hearted fool! How DARE you call me that! Oh, you have some nerve!" She had him pinned down by his wrists. "I swear, you should feel lucky I don't have anything to fight with right now." She stood up, and put one foot on his stomach. "Very lucky." She turned to Roger, smiling. "Well? Are you going to stay?"
"Um…why not? After that, Albel here's gonna need rest." He smiled. "So, let's go!"
Keeri nodded, and smiled. "Ok. Um, I'll take you. Follow me." She walked off, followed by Roger.
Teru took her foot off him, and sighed. She put her hand out. "Here," she mumbled.
"I don't need your help" he sneered, standing up. He stormed off after Roger and Teru's sister.
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"So, where are your parents?" Roger asked, sitting at the pine table.
Teru looked up from her stove. "Trading in the next town over. They're almost never home," she answered sadly.
"It's usually just us. Or sometimes it's just me. But it's ok." Keeri smiled slightly. "We manage. Dad used to be an engineer from Greeton, so we have good technological tools. And Mom was a great cook, so we know some great recipes."
Roger looked down, and kicked the air under him. "Wow. You two are usually alone. No wonder they wanted us to come." He looked at Albel.
"Hmph." He looked away. He was standing in the doorframe.
Teru placed a bowl of soup in front of her sister and her friend. She set one at an empty space for herself, and another for Albel. "If you decide to eat, it's here," she informed, stirring her own soup with a spoon. A few minutes later, she looked up. The soldier was still standing in the doorframe. She sighed, dropping her spoon in her bowl.
Keeri looked up. "Something wrong?" she asked.
Her sister shook her head. "N-no, nothing." She got up. "I'm gonna go outside." She walked to the door, and stopped in front of Albel. She walked past, and outside.
She climbed onto the roof, and looked at the darkening sky. She sighed again. "Hmm…" she moaned, closing her eyes.
"Um."
She nearly fell off the roof when she heard the voice. She straightened herself, and tried to look calm. She nearly fell off a second time when she saw who it was. "A-Albel?! What are you doing up here?"
"Why do you want to know?" he asked coldly.
Teru shifted so that she was lying on her side. She looked down. "Cause I'm up here. And you hate me."
"Oh, yeah. Then I'll leave." He began to climb down.
"Mmm…wait!" She leaned over the edge, and lost her balance. She screamed and fell on top of Albel. Their faces were less than an inch apart. "Uh…" mumbled Teru. There was a long pause.
"Get off me!" said Albel finally. He pushed her off. He scrambled up quickly, and brushed himself off.
She blushed, and pulled the sleeve of her shirt up. "Er…sorry," she said quickly before running off.
She threw her back against a tree, and stood there. She sighed. "Why did I do that? But that was…ooh, bad thoughts!" She shook her head.
"Hi there!" A girl hung down from a branch. "What'cha doing?" She had long brown hair and brown eyes. Her ears were long and pointed. She was wearing a black button up shirt and was open on the bottom, and black pants. She jumped down to stand in front of Teru. "Hi! I'm Rhonda! Who're you?"
Teru blinked. "I'm…Teru. Nice to meet you. What are you doing out so late?" she asked.
Rhonda shrugged. "Not sure. I'm traveling to a trading town, so I guess I'm not there yet." She laughed.
Teru smiled. "Well, I guess you can stay at my house over night. It's just down there." She pointed to her right. "It's already pretty packed, but there's always room."
Rhonda nodded. "Ok, thanks!" She skipped towards the house, humming as she went.
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I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. The next day, we were off already. Rhonda was skipping ahead, followed by Roger and Keeri. I stayed in the back, near Albel. I don't know why, but I didn't hate him so much anymore. I think I was actually starting… to like him.