Maiden's Promise

Rating : K+

Pairings : SergeLeena (Chrono Cross)

Genre : Romance/Drama

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The battle will be over soon.

The crew stops at Fargo's Ship, S.S. Invicible. The atmosphere could be described as tense. Well, who wouldn't? The final battle is nearing, and that means we will have to say goodbye to...Serge.

It's still kinda funny though she still call him that, well, of course, he is SERGE. The boy that grew up with her in Arni. Well, not his Arni though. In this dimension or timeline, he died and was buried, 10 years ago. The time flew, with or without him, cruel Fate, is it not?

The girl, the maiden from Arni, Leena, stood at the deck of the Infamous El Nido's band of pirates. Looking at the horizon. She knew, it will be a goodbye soon, to the boy that she didn't have a chance to grew up with, after all, this is the 'Another' World, not his Home world.

Suddenly, the said boy came from below the S.S. Invincible's cabin. After he looked around a bit, he set his sights upon the maiden. Immediately, the boy walked until the maiden noticed his presence beside her. He wasn't the type to talk much, but she could tell that he was concerned about her.

"Oh, Hi Serge. What's the matter?" Leena finally broke the silence.

Serge shook his head. Well, he is not the most talkative person around...

"We have gone through a lot, don't we...Serge? Kinda still feel weird calling you that, I meant in this world you...well, let's not talk about that." Leena smiled weakly at him.

"But maybe, even though we defeat the so-called FATE...this is fate too, I meant eventually we will say our goodbyes, right? That would be sad, if I want to be honest."

Serge looked sadly at her. She was right, he will have to say goodbye to many of their comrades, well, not all, but maybe many of them, since – maybe if they defeat this Time-Devourer, there may be no 'Another World' anymore, since it was 'made' due to Frozen Flame's design to ensure the Time Devourer's survival, heck, maybe all of these adventures will never happen at all.

But still, it hurts for Leena, to go back to the reality – if it still exist that a boy name Serge is no more.

"Serge, since this is may be the last time we got to talk freely like this, I just wanna say something..."

"I..I...may have fallen in love with you." A deep blush creeped into the Arni maiden's face.

Serge was taken aback by the sudden confession, his concerned expression was replaced by a mild shock.

"Ironic, isn't it? I kinda liked you once, and having you with me like this...Makes me felt so warm inside. Maybe it's the first time since you held my hand in that beach...When I realized you are really Serge, I felt that I found something really precious that I lost once."

"Yet, I found myself loving you now. I think whether you lived or not, I would end up falling for you anyway. No matter what kind of world we living, I'll end up loving you, that's one thing I'm sure of. I'm sure your Leena felt the same way too."

Now she could feel something wet on her eyes.

"But, fate is cruel thing isn't it? Even though I regain something that I lost once...I will have to lose it again soon. Serge...you have to go home, right? That means you will die again in my world, right? I..."

At that moment, she couldn't hold back, all the feelings she let go 10 years ago seemed to came back again at her. Her faint sobs became a loud cry, letting the tears flow abundantly to her cheeks. Why she had to lose him again, after the things that they have gone through.

She is a strong-willed woman, yet a woman nonetheless, and also as a human, feelings is part of what you are.

What comes after that is Serge holding her thin body, comforting the Arni Maiden.

"S-Serge?" Leena muttered a word between her loud sobs. She didn't expect the normally quiet boy doing something like this.

"I felt the same way." In a rare event, the silent boy muttered a short sentence. Short, yet meaningful to the sad Maiden crying on his arms. "No matter what the world, I always loved you, Leena." He said as his grip around her slender body tightens.

"Serge...thank you." The Arni Maiden smiled as they let go of each other.

Serge only nodded, smiling the same smile as her while wiping the tears off her face.

"Serge, do you remember that promise? The one we made when we were kids?"

Serge nodded again.

"Hehe, strange isn't it? After all this years you died in this world, I remembered it clearly now. "We'll always be together forever, right? You were such a sweetheart back then..."

"I know, it's not fair. We would never be together in this world, but that words you just gave me, I think that is all I need to hear. I'll stay strong, I'll go on my life for you, Serge..."

"And, be sure to fulfill your promise to your Leena, Okay?"

Serge nodded. "Of course." That was all he said, before he pulled her close again, closing the space between their respective faces as their lips met with each other.

.

"No matter what kind of world you live in... I'll end up falling in love with you. No matter what time we cross, our feelings will remain the same...isn't that right? Serge?"

"Thank you...for everything. Have fun with the other me! And also...remember to keep your promise, okay?

"Good Bye...Serge. I'll always have a room for you inside my heart..."

.

"Serge..."

"Serge!"

"Hey, Serge!"

Serge opened his eyes to see a worried Leena, the Home World Leena, or maybe just Leena, since the dimension has been restored. Still processing what just happened, the boy didn't manage to say another word.

Serge finally realized where is he now, that Beach where everything started. How did he get here? Why did he suddenly have this memory of long-time adventure with many others?

"Are you alright? What's the matter?" Leena said concernedly. Was that just a dream? But it felt...so real. This Leena is indeed the old Leena he grew up with. "Don't scare me like that! You just passed out of the sudden! What happened?" Yes, this is LEENA, no doubt.

Serge nodded. "Leena, how about the Terra Tower? FATE?"

"Hm? What? Terra Tower...? FATE?"

"What are you talking about? We just got here, You got some Komodo Dragon Scales for me, remember?"

Now this is weird. Didn't she remember anything?

Leena looked concerned. "Serge you look confused, do you have a bad dream or something?"

Serge raised his shoulders. "You didn't remember anything? How about meeting another you?"

Leena eyed Serge suspiciously for a second before putting her hand on his forehead.

"Serge, what's with your crazy talk? Another me? Do you have a fever or something? There is only one ME. Do you imagine there's a parallel world where you died and I cried about you leaving me? Pu-lease!"

Yep, this is definitely Leena.

Serge tried to hold a small laugh because of that irony. Him, dying? That fits perfectly with what happened in that dream, isn't it? It maybe meant since Time Devourer is no more, the FATE's plan, and Time Devourer's purpose to use Serge as a trigger never happened in the first place. So it may meant there is no Dragon or anything anymore...

"Serge...you're confused aren't you? Look, let's just go back. I think you might have had a dream. C'mon, let's go." Leena held the blue haired boy's hand and began to pull it slowly. At that time, Serge remembered that last time – the things he done with the Another Leena, the things he promised...

And he remembered that Leena was trying to tell him something...

"Wait, Leena..."

"Hm? What is it now?"

"Before I passed out, you were saying about something you wanna tell me, right?"

Serge's words apparently caught the girl's attention, as if something important has been left out by her.

"Right...i guess this maybe the time I could spoke about it." Leena sat down again on the beach's sandy land with Serge following her.

"Serge...you said you remember that promise right? You know...at the Cape Howl when we used to snuck out and play? You said—"

"Serge and Leena...Forever. Yes I remembered." Serge said softly.

"Right. You know, we're growing up, like I said, soon maybe we'll grow up, married, and have kids as our own...If we do that...what would be of that promise, I wonder? Will we still remember our times like this?" Leena asked.

"You know, that if we married, we can't...be like this anymore, right? What will that meant for us?"

Serge just sat there, in a silence. He could be sure that she is correct, though. When they marry, they may fully forget this day.

"Serge...i..." Leena stuttered, quite an unusual thing for the strong-willed Arni Maiden which Serge knew all the years he grew up with her.

"I...I don't want to forget that time, Serge. I always want to cherish these moments with you." The Arni Maiden blushed after finishing her sentence. Serge still sat there, focusing his attention on his friend.

"Serge...I like you. A lot. No, I might have already loved you by now."

At that time, without any words spoken, Serge instantly closes the distance between their faces, Their lips met briefly. Yet for the two of them, that brief moment seemed like an eternity...

"I feel the same way, Leena. I will never forget this day...I told you that before, right?" Serge spoke softly as he gently caress Leena's hair.

"Tee-hee...Serge, I never expect you'd be this bold. Guess you're already grown up, huh?" Leena chuckled before looking deeply at the blue-haired boy, a deep blush also could be seen on her face.

"But it's strange, right? I actually didn't feel shocked when you kissed me just like that...It's almost we have been through a lot together, right? Serge?" Leena said with a sweet smile on her face.

"Well, it's getting late, shall we go back, Serge?"

"Yes. Let's go back..."Serge nodded

The pair held on each others' hand as they walked out of the beach. It will be still a long journey for them. But they could say it's a good start from now on.

After all, they had promised before.

Serge and Leena – Forever.