Prologue: Stupid Hat

Disclaimer: Hah, ha! First RF2 fic I'm writing. What's there to say? I don't own the original RF2's original characters ^^.

Dear Mom:

I'm gone. We'll see if I can do something with my life!

-Ali

That's all she had written. Except for a brief description of what she had planned.

Alicia was 'running' away. She was planning on moving to Kardia, the place she'd heard so much about from Cecilia. She felt that she had no place in Alvarna. Not even as a fortune teller. Everyone knew everyone else and didn't need her location readings and there had been a device that Yue got that could predict the weather. She felt useless being the only bachelorette still in that town. Yes, only, as Yue had met someone on one of her trails and everyone had gotten married shortly after Kyle and Mana did.

The buffalo pulled carriage she was on stopped suddenly. "Okay miss," the person who was steering smiled back at Alicia, "From here you just go over to the docks and onto one of the boats. It'll take you to Kardia."

"Thank –you," Alicia smiled warmly at the man. As she got off she added, "Tell your wife I said hi!" The man looked back puzzled.

"I don't have a wife!" he called back.

"You will soon!" Alicia turned her back to him and began walking only to be partially run over by a bunch of children. Her bag spilt open and all its innards gushed forth. Amongst them were a hoe and some other farming tools from Mana and Kyle, some seeds from Douglas, some types of medicine from Ray, an emery flower from Rosalind, two bronze short swords from Tanya as well as a sewing kit and petting glove from Cecilia. She gathered up her stuff quickly and heard a few little laughs. "Go help the witch," said one of the children.

'The Witch' she'd heard that nickname a million times from other cities she went to with her family. Tears unknowingly slid down her cheeks. "Don't call her witch," Alicia brushed the forming tears from her eyes as she took her last remaining objects from the ground. Darn, where'd it go, she thought bitterly as she looked for her purple hat. "Here," the same voice from before handed her the hat, "You wouldn't want to lose that in this heat. The voice came from a middle sized young man, about Alicia's age, with weird green –blue hair and red eyes.

"Come on!" the little child pulled on his leg to move.

"Well, bye!" he waved as he was being pulled by the child. Alicia watched them go on their way before running to catch her boat.

"You just made it ma'am," a plump man in a blue uniform ushered her in. Once on she pulled off her hat and looked at her assigned room. It was a pinkish purple. Just to her liking. She still had four days till she reached her destination. She might as well laze about. Once she got there she'd do nothing more than hard work.

"And of course have some fun," she added to herself. She looked through her stuff. She doubted she would ever use the pet glove or the short swords but it didn't matter. She could use the hoe and farming tools to farm as a hobby or something after she'd finished work. She packed up quickly, put on her new purple- red cloak and went on the deck to eat.

Two days into the trip Alicia had almost succumbed to the feeling of home sickness. The only thing driving her on was to feel accomplished. "Once I get there…," Alicia whispered to her while hugging her knees, "I'll write a letter to mom," she smiled sadly, "But for now, I need some fresh air."

She wasn't sure what had possessed her to bring her bag along but she did. The Island was clear in view but there was an unsettling mist coming about.

"Don't worry miss. We'll be there on time. Just be careful on the rails. The boat may turn a bit and we don't want any lost passengers," the plump usher smiled and walked away.

Alicia looked at the sun, she remembered Rosalind "I make it a habit to bathe in the sun rays. You should try it Alicia!" Was she ever right. It was calming and the sun warmed up every part of her body. In a few minutes the fog reached the boat. Everyone cleared into the main part of the boat. The wind picked up suddenly and pulled away Alicia's hat.

"My hat!" she cried as she ran after it. Within minutes she had it in her grasp. "Got ya," she was unaware that she was near a rail that had broken. The boat jerked suddenly causing her to slip on a puddle of water that had been made by one of the waves and bang her head against the boards. A bigger wave came up and crashed on the boat, it quickly receded, taking Alicia with it.

"Miss!" was all she heard before the water covered her. She saw her friends flash before her eyes. The good times. She saw her family too. All the things they had done together. "Bye, Bye," she thought as she waved at the images that seemed to float as she sank.

Cecilia paced rapidly outside the inn. The time it was taking was starting to wear on her.

"Ceci," she turned to see her husband Jake looking at her with a disapproving glint in his eyes, "You know you're pregnant, you should be inside resting." Cecilia put a hand on her stomach.

"I'm sorry Jake. Alicia was supposed to have arrived two days ago and Egan sent someone to give us word as soon as she reached."

"Ah," Jake sighed, "Your human friend."

Mana burst into the room, behind her Cecilia could hear a mixture of Kyle and Douglas's voices telling her to slow down because she was pregnant. "Ceci," her face was tinted red, "Come quick, the news. Came."

After assembling in the Cherry Blossom Square with the rest of the town folk Cecilia waited on the word from Egner, the man they had asked to watch out for Alicia on her trip. In the distance a figure hobbled up towards them. In his hands was a purple witch's hat.

"I'm sorry," was all he could say. "So very sorry…"

The funeral was short. Gordon preached and everyone wore black. It was a sad sight. Natalie hadn't even known she was going away. She'd thought she was with Yue. Later that same night Cecilia trudged up to the inn. She saw Egan sitting down looking at the moon. Jake looked at his father then back at Cecilia. He nodded at his father and kissed Cecilia bye before walking off towards the bath.

"Ceci, I have something to tell you," Cecilia looked upwards. Egan was smiling, not a full smile but enough to make her wonder why.

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And 'tis the end of the first chapter of the first RF2 story I've written. This is in memory of my DS. ='(

Hope you liked it ^^.

And yes, this is AU. Because one, Alicia doesn't ever leave Alvarna, two, I doubt Natalie wouldn't know where she was gone to or notice that they were giving her stuff as she left and three I doubt Yue would ever have an actual Boyfriend. ^^.

Also I may need help with OC's. Thankies!