AN: A Lotte and Luc story, my second attempt, I removed a completely different version as I disliked it in the end hopefully this will be worthy of achievement. On a disclaimer issue, I do not own suikoden characters, konami etc. And this story is for Nash, despite the fact I've been hostile at him at times he has been a supportive friend who deserves a decent Lotte story as I've promised him long enough that I would deliver one. And don't worry this won't be a 'I always loved you Lotte/female character story as we all know Luc goes for Sera and so he should. My view of Lotte and luc is that in some ways they were best pals given their strength, where they based and magic unit their in.
And Lotte in present time only 28 and not 33 as since she's a mage she can slow down her ageing slightly. (My excuse anyway)
Anyway enjoy.
By Koriandr Star
Summer always brought the best to the quiet valleys of hills in the Toran. A strong sun that shone proudly in the naked oceanic sky, raining down nothing but a invisible feel of heat slightly swayed by a gentle breezful push of air, the sight and feel always took many by yearly surprise every year but there was one lady who wasn't taken in by the brilliance of the day. The woman who wore a light brown sleeveless shirt that exposed her broad shoulders more; her trousers were of similar design that with ends that tucked into her heavy boots. Faring pale, her skin suffered a loss of glorious warmth of her own character as she looked around with shallow enthusiasm over the joyous life that summer had produced. Normally she would be joyed but now she didn't know what to do. After learning of the incident several days ago she packed up her gear and decided to leave Gregminister her once home with nothing more than a large backpack and a staff with a star emerald embedded on top, her reddish hair was cut short for some time now as it settled in neatly. It was to be her 28th birthday next month but she had no care for that, not anymore.
Why did he had to- Why did he do it even? Why at all??
She couldn't accept or even bring up the those few simple words that summed up actions of what her once colleague did yet everyone did, everyone in the city and across the lands even denounced her once friend in the now Three M's. 'Monstrosity, Murderer, Monster'. Yet she couldn't, despite what others thought she was still loyal. Almost. Because a thought countered her evidence for him, in that if what was true about his intent than he would have killed her as well, everyone. Nothing more than a number on a grave. How could she forgive him for that? It ached her head painfully, a conflict over loyalty and anger as she kept walking on till for some reason she decided to head her path to a large rocky hill, a last but perhaps in the end futile act to perhaps see the once side of him she always knew.
"Why luc why? She said in question, she knew there would be no answer but she did it anyway as Lotte walked on her altered path that led her down memory lane…
18yrs ago…
"Come on keep it up, we haven't begun the walk yet!" Beamed the 15yr old Lotte, her and Luc just decided to go for a walk a day after the victory over the empire and Windy's apparent death or in Luc's case it was Lotte that dragged him to what he viewed as nothing more than a pointless waste of his energy observing an environment that did absolutely nothing. In fact the only thing he liked was that the area was teeming with green. They took several more steps when luc stopped.
"Wait" He gasped "I need a rest" His friend eyed him weirdly.
"But we barely just got onto the sloped"
"You think I can't tell that? Why else would I be resting now unless I like to exaust my remaining breath trekking on an even harder obstacle?"
"Tsk, weakling" Unsurprisingly Luc gathered energy to stop resting and reply to that.
"Excuse me but who was it that dealt the finishing blow to Neclord?"
"And who was it that helped you in the finishing blow?"
Dam she remembered
Luc grudgingly accepted that before Lotte collapsed with the remaining squad she drew her unite with Luc generating a sphere of rock before he tore it with his rune delivering the final blow on the creature despite the fact Victor quickly got up just as quick boasting on his epic duel with the vampire and Tenggar worshipping Hix despite the again the small minor that he fell first out of the team. Not exactly the best way to treat a hero he thought idoly to himself yet he hoped that Lotte would had forgotten her involvement in the struggle, apparently she didn't. He wouldn't answer Lotte's little satisfaction so avoided the question as best as possible.
"So what was the point of this walk again?" Lotte can't remember if it was now or one more time after he said that would she scream to herself over the amount of times Luc had repeated himself.
"Because I want you to see the view that I saw when I went trekking yesterday after the victory celebrations"
"Oh in that case, wind rune-"
"No! at least try not to, come on walk with me" Pleaded Lotte gently, her words seem to get around luc's original decision as the apprentice of Leknaat submitted to the plea.
"Fine" He said toyingly almost as if he wanted that kind response to wind up the female mage.
"Good" She said cheerfully as they started their long walk on a dried surface of dirt and rock. "Believe me you'll enjoy it"
"I do enjoy things usually" Lotte almost slipped in response to that while walking upwards and faced him not knowing if he was joking or not.
"Since when?" Luc shrugged as he caught up lotte taking large striding steps to pull himself up the slope as it started to turn inwards in its ascent.
"I enjoy Victor's company"
"Really?"
"Of course" Luc announced honestly before geeing out a typical smirk of his. "I mean somebody has to statistically" For some reason Lotte knew that was coming as their ascent slowly took pace walking and seeing the blue heaven of the sky above them but Luc decided that he for a change should question his companion knowing he would get an amusing remark in the end, though he viewed it as funny wherever Lotte was would be a different matter as usual.
"So what's your reason up here?"
"Do we have to go through that again?" She sighed while coming to a stop whilst going to tell him for perhaps the hundredth time.
"Not that reason, the other reason"
"Other reason?" Lotte played innocent mainly because she was genuinely caught out by her would be 'I'm your better' but luc seem to know very well making her finally realise what he was about.
"Come on, you surely didn't go on a walk for health sake did you?"
"..Well Luikan did say I needed a break from all the fighting."
"And?" Lotte cursed luc mentally he knew by bringing it up she would start fretting over them as she answered with closed eyes hoping to cover the worried personality of hers whenever somebody asked her about it or even when she thought about it even. Her words cane out slowly before both lip and tongue hasten the rush in her words.
".To..to..and to stop worrying about Mina, oh you!" Words could not express it as she was caught between annoyance and determination to stop getting over worried over her pet cat. "You know how much I get worried when someone brings up Mina, I mean you'll get me worried whenever I fed her not; wait where is she?"
"She's at Luikan's remember, you put her there"
"Oh that's right" Lotte felt relief at last, slightly lowering her overreacted stress. "You think she'll be ok though, I mean I surely must had fed hr or not-" Self realisation came in finally as she realised at last how quickly she fell for it, her reply was not too courteous with an annoyed facial expression from her red eyes. Luc's amusing grin shortly faded realising he gained enough fun from his companion for now and yet unlike others he usually hanged around with just to annoy them he didn't really mind Lotte's company almost compared to others.
"Let's get going shall we?" The two set off together at levelled pace focusing now on the journey.
Present Time
Lotte smiled almost over her memories they were good fun, they say memories were one of the greatest treasures to the human mind, now no longer naïve nor a pet owner she felt wiser than she once was and wondered while tracing her way up that same hill she did many years ago would she see wisdom and understanding from her once friend and hoped there was any scraps of hints, if any hopefully that would echo out from her past and give her some light to her troubled mind…
To be continued…