p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Star Ocean: The End of Time/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"0: Prologue - Rest and Realization/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Along a scenic coastline, the cool breeze carries the smell of the ocean throughout the air. The sand felt very natural beneath ones feet, and yet it was virtually perfect. The water was rather cool to get into at first, but not unpleasant like one might normally find it elsewhere. The tides felt alive and very present, but it was doubtful that one be carried out to far unless they really tried. This was not completely natural, but to the modern people of this time period, this was considered normal.../span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"...just another beautiful day on scenic Hyda IV, a vacation world with no planetary activity or disasters... until one day.../span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"A young and beautiful brunette lay floating on her back in the water. Her bright green eyes were hidden closed as she relaxed basking in the mostly natural ocean./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"A pink bikini with small cat paw-prints hugged her skinny yet developed figure. /span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Yes, these eyes of hers were currently closed as she floated on her back peacefully... at least she appeared to be at peace./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"In reality, Sophia Esteed was very flustered. No matter how hard she tried to forget about recent issues and enjoy /spanspan style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"her holiday, she kept trying to make sense of her family friend: Fayt Leingod./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Blue hair aside, he sees like a normal and kind high school graduate from Earth. He and his family invited Sophia yo join them on vacation. So why did it seem like Fayt was avoiding her? It was getting on her nerves../span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Was she annoying? Was she pudgy? Why would someone want to avoid being around her? Could she be too intimidating? Too beautiful? She didn't think of herself as snotty or conceived, but Sophia liked to modestly think so. She was pretty and fun to be around... Wasn't she?/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"During this time, something was slowly trudging through the water, awkward like an exploring child but fairly large... and not very in control./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Despite all of her attempts, no one including her childhood friend Fayt seemed to want to be around her, and poor Sophia just didn't understand why. Perhaps it was just her youthful brain messing with her, but this seventeen year old girl just could't understand why things had to be so difficult. She understood so much advanced technology and magic-like symbology that something more trivial shouldn't be so complex. She /spanspan style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"couldn't understand why she felt so alone.../span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"... then it just hit her. Literally!/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Eech!" she squealed as something bumped into the side of her back. She was in a modern controlled ocean, so there would be no fish or wildlife around her... especially since nothing seemed to want near her! What was happening? She began to panic as she rolled over around the water's surface trying to recover. She reached around and finally found a hand to grab onto. Coughing, she arose to a standing position./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"When the water cleared, brown eyes met hers and a young man around her height with brownish-red hair was standing fairly close to her, making her blush instantly at this sudden close proximity to a boy she barely knew./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Are you ok?" She headed spoken through her water-trudged ears and from the stranger's mouth. He seemed shy... but also familiar./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""*cough* Fayt?" She said along like a question directed a no one in particular./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"This lookalike helped her back up to her feet. She finally got a clearer look at this man, and while there were similarities with him and Fayt, the colors were a dead giveaway that this was somebody else./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Gosh, I am so sorry." he apologized./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Sophia had a hard time getting her bearings back, stumbling until she fell into someone's arms./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"She looked up and saw him holding her. She felt so secure and welcome around him... even though he did kind of start all of this. Who was he?/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Do I..." Sophia struggled a tad to say "...know you?"/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Well, she didn't seem mad exactly to the swimmer, so that was a good sign. Still, she acted like they might have met before. He struggles to remember anything about his woman he had just literally bumped into on the beach during his own family vacation, but he decided that surely if he had seen her before. there would be no forgetting a beautiful face like that./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"He started to get nervous and struggled to calm down and say something. "Err...I don't think so."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Sophia understood the awkwardness of the situation and just politely smiled as she was raised back up in the shallow level of the beach./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""My name is Leon." The boy continued. "Does that ring a bell?"/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""No" Sophia responded with a but of trouble. "But it's nice to meet you. I'm Sophia."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Leon had trouble talking himself. A part of him wanted to just shut up so he wouldn't ruin the moment, while another wanted to say something like "Sophia...what a beautiful name. Are you single?"/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Leon finally decided upon "Nice to meet you too Sophia." Now they felt more like just two normal people who happened to start talking. Guess this was one way to break the ice. Both decided that they should remember that little trick to "test the water."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"(Pun intended.)/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"After some awkward silence, Leon /spanspan style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"tried to clear the air "Sorry, I'm about as bad a talker as I am a swimmer, as you can probably tell." This made his new crush giggle, much to his heart's pleasure./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""It's alright," Sophia replied cheerfully "me too."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Do you want me to leave?" Leon decided to say with nothing else in mind. "I don't want to further ruin your..."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""No, stay, it's fine, really." Sophia insisted, actually holding his wrist before she realizes what she was doing, seeing him blush and pulling back embarrassed. This didn't seem to break him though, so she continued. "Actually, I was getting kind of bored out here by myself."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Your not out here with anyone?" Leon asked, surprised she would be at the hotel on her own. Then again, /spanspan style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"he was uncool and still with his folks at 19. Sophia seems so amazingly normal that she could just be here with friends on break even though she looked rather young./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Oh, no." Sophia answered "I got invited to come down with a family friend on vacation./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Oh, cool. That's nice." Leon replied to her sincerely. "So she's not out here with you?"/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""It's a he actually" Sophia replied, noticing the slight change in Leon's stance. It looked more like disappointment rather than being denied. So far he seemed very interested in what she had to say rather than trying to show off like all the other normal boys would try to do at her school. She liked that about him./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""He's actually still in the hotel, probably playing video games." She replied a little upset. Her anger returned from being reminded of why she was out here alone in the first place. "His parents are on the shore."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""He's playing video games on a tropical vacation?" Leon was stunned and puzzled at this logic. At the same time, id didn't really surprise him what some guys with all of the luck do and still get girls like this one. "He can do that anywhere though, on any planet. There really aren't that many more planets out there in the galaxy as natural and relaxing as this one."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"This seemed to connect with Sophia very much. They really seemed to be on the same page when she replied "yeah."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"He knew he shouldn't. He figured he couldn't, but something inside Leon told him to go for it after looking out into the distance./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""It's such a shame someone wouldn't want to be enjoying something so beautiful."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"He expected a slap or at least a gasp and a fleeing woman, but Sophia just seemed to smile... passionately. She had a good head on her shoulders and seemed to get the double meaning./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Wanna hang out with me for a while instead?" Sophia asked, with an ever so slight flirty tone in her voice./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Sure." Leon enthusiastically decided "I'd love to!" They both smiled./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);".../span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"They seemed to talk for hours about things together as they swam and treaded in the water. At first it was just small talk about where they were from, but then when Sophia got into talking about her interested field of study in symbology like Fayt was going for. Sophia realized that she found someone whom is actually genuinely interested in her and what she was all about. True, he didn't seem to know much about things in the detail that she did, but he never seemed totally lost and could follow her explanations when she talked to him and whenever he got an answer to a question. Some where pretty difficult to comprehend for him, but Sophia never seemed to mind, and when it just couldn't be made sense of, she'd just laughed along with him about it./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"As they later lay on the beach after a surprise foot race started by Sophia, they could pick things out in the environment and just start talking about them, going on a long train of thoughts afterwards based in the subject before. Neither one of them had such an easy time talking with other people. Leon even let out a bit and mentioned his own interest in more classic styles video games and arcades rather than the more physical battle simulators Fayt seemed to be interested in. Leon said he was rather out of shape, but Sophia insisted that he looked fine, making a hand motion to his stomach that seemed to make him shake. Sophia apologized, but they realized that neither one seemed to mind at all./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Hey," Sophia brought up "I have some files on a project I was doing for classes. Would you wan to come up and take a look with me?"/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Now, Leon didn't want to seem too interested in getting into a room with a girl, but every fiber in his ring wanted to blurt out yes. He bit his lip trying not to burst and say something right./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"However, all of those nerves vanished far away when Sophia held his arm an said "C'mon. You can tell all the guys that you got in a room with a girl." Leon had a real hearty, albiet nervkhs laugh. This was something he hadn't had in a very long time./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Well," he replied, pretending to ponder it jokingly. He was so much like Sophia "since you put it that way, how can I say no? Especially to a face like that." He made a jesture to her face like he would hold it, but began to pull away. However, Sophia caught his hand. Looking around nervously with a blush, she held it against her cheek, making Leon blush as red as his hair. She couldn't help giggling, been though she was just as embarrassed./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;""Okay," she got up excitedly "let's go!" as Sophia dragged Leon by the arm back to the hotel teleporters./p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Blade of Fury 2/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Fire Bolt 3/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Healing 4/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Antidote 5/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Silence 6/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Ice Needles 8/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Charge 10/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Acid Rain 12/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Lightning Blast 14/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Side Kick 15/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Protection 17/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Earth Glave 19/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Titan Fist 20/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Power Up 21/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Cure Condition 22/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Restoration 23/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Shotgun Blast 25/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Ifrit 26/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Crush 28/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Chaos Tide 30/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Thunder Flare 31/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Fairy Light 33/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Arial 35/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Deep Freeze 36/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Reflection 37/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Dark Sphere 39/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Air Raid 40/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Southern Cross 42/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Stone Rain 44/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Sea Gate 45/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Gravitation 47/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Explosion 49/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Dimension Door 50/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Laser Beams 54/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Angel Feathers 57/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Lighting Strike 60/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Scirocco/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Ethereal Blast/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"0: Prologue - Rest and Realization/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Along a scenic coastline, the cool breeze carries the smell of the ocean throughout the air. The sand felt very natural beneath ones feet, and yet it was virtually perfect. The water was rather cool to get into at first, but not unpleasant like one might normally find it elsewhere. The tides felt alive and very present, but it was doubtful that one be carried out to far unless they really tried. This was not completely natural, but to the modern people of this time period, this was considered normal.../span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"...just another beautiful day on scenic Hyda IV, a vacation world with no planetary activity or disasters... until one day.../span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"A young and beautiful brunette lay floating on her back in the water. Her bright green eyes were hidden closed as she relaxed basking in the mostly natural ocean./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"A pink bikini with small cat paw-prints hugged her skinny yet developed figure. /span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Yes, these eyes of hers were currently closed as she floated on her back peacefully... at least she appeared to be at peace./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"In reality, Sophia Esteed was very flustered. No matter how hard she tried to forget about recent issues and enjoy /spanspan style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"her holiday, she kept trying to make sense of her family friend: Fayt Leingod./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Blue hair aside, he sees like a normal and kind high school graduate from Earth. He and his family invited Sophia yo join them on vacation. So why did it seem like Fayt was avoiding her? It was getting on her nerves../span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Was she annoying? Was she pudgy? Why would someone want to avoid being around her? Could she be too intimidating? Too beautiful? She didn't think of herself as snotty or conceived, but Sophia liked to modestly think so. She was pretty and fun to be around... Wasn't she?/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"During this time, something was slowly trudging through the water, awkward like an exploring child but fairly large... and not very in control./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Despite all of her attempts, no one including her childhood friend Fayt seemed to want to be around her, and poor Sophia just didn't understand why. Perhaps it was just her youthful brain messing with her, but this seventeen year old girl just could't understand why things had to be so difficult. She understood so much advanced technology and magic-like symbology that something more trivial shouldn't be so complex. She /spanspan style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"couldn't understand why she felt so alone.../span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"... then it just hit her. Literally!/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Eech!" she squealed as something bumped into the side of her back. She was in a modern controlled ocean, so there would be no fish or wildlife around her... especially since nothing seemed to want near her! What was happening? She began to panic as she rolled over around the water's surface trying to recover. She reached around and finally found a hand to grab onto. Coughing, she arose to a standing position./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"When the water cleared, brown eyes met hers and a young man around her height with brownish-red hair was standing fairly close to her, making her blush instantly at this sudden close proximity to a boy she barely knew./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Are you ok?" She headed spoken through her water-trudged ears and from the stranger's mouth. He seemed shy... but also familiar./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""*cough* Fayt?" She said along like a question directed a no one in particular./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"This lookalike helped her back up to her feet. She finally got a clearer look at this man, and while there were similarities with him and Fayt, the colors were a dead giveaway that this was somebody else./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Gosh, I am so sorry." he apologized./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Sophia had a hard time getting her bearings back, stumbling until she fell into someone's arms./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"She looked up and saw him holding her. She felt so secure and welcome around him... even though he did kind of start all of this. Who was he?/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Do I..." Sophia struggled a tad to say "...know you?"/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Well, she didn't seem mad exactly to the swimmer, so that was a good sign. Still, she acted like they might have met before. He struggles to remember anything about his woman he had just literally bumped into on the beach during his own family vacation, but he decided that surely if he had seen her before. there would be no forgetting a beautiful face like that./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"He started to get nervous and struggled to calm down and say something. "Err...I don't think so."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Sophia understood the awkwardness of the situation and just politely smiled as she was raised back up in the shallow level of the beach./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""My name is Leon." The boy continued. "Does that ring a bell?"/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""No" Sophia responded with a but of trouble. "But it's nice to meet you. I'm Sophia."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Leon had trouble talking himself. A part of him wanted to just shut up so he wouldn't ruin the moment, while another wanted to say something like "Sophia...what a beautiful name. Are you single?"/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Leon finally decided upon "Nice to meet you too Sophia." Now they felt more like just two normal people who happened to start talking. Guess this was one way to break the ice. Both decided that they should remember that little trick to "test the water."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"(Pun intended.)/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"After some awkward silence, Leon /spanspan style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"tried to clear the air "Sorry, I'm about as bad a talker as I am a swimmer, as you can probably tell." This made his new crush giggle, much to his heart's pleasure./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""It's alright," Sophia replied cheerfully "me too."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Do you want me to leave?" Leon decided to say with nothing else in mind. "I don't want to further ruin your..."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""No, stay, it's fine, really." Sophia insisted, actually holding his wrist before she realizes what she was doing, seeing him blush and pulling back embarrassed. This didn't seem to break him though, so she continued. "Actually, I was getting kind of bored out here by myself."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Your not out here with anyone?" Leon asked, surprised she would be at the hotel on her own. Then again, /spanspan style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"he was uncool and still with his folks at 19. Sophia seems so amazingly normal that she could just be here with friends on break even though she looked rather young./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Oh, no." Sophia answered "I got invited to come down with a family friend on vacation./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Oh, cool. That's nice." Leon replied to her sincerely. "So she's not out here with you?"/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""It's a he actually" Sophia replied, noticing the slight change in Leon's stance. It looked more like disappointment rather than being denied. So far he seemed very interested in what she had to say rather than trying to show off like all the other normal boys would try to do at her school. She liked that about him./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""He's actually still in the hotel, probably playing video games." She replied a little upset. Her anger returned from being reminded of why she was out here alone in the first place. "His parents are on the shore."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""He's playing video games on a tropical vacation?" Leon was stunned and puzzled at this logic. At the same time, id didn't really surprise him what some guys with all of the luck do and still get girls like this one. "He can do that anywhere though, on any planet. There really aren't that many more planets out there in the galaxy as natural and relaxing as this one."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"This seemed to connect with Sophia very much. They really seemed to be on the same page when she replied "yeah."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"He knew he shouldn't. He figured he couldn't, but something inside Leon told him to go for it after looking out into the distance./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""It's such a shame someone wouldn't want to be enjoying something so beautiful."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"He expected a slap or at least a gasp and a fleeing woman, but Sophia just seemed to smile... passionately. She had a good head on her shoulders and seemed to get the double meaning./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Wanna hang out with me for a while instead?" Sophia asked, with an ever so slight flirty tone in her voice./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Sure." Leon enthusiastically decided "I'd love to!" They both smiled./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);".../span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"They seemed to talk for hours about things together as they swam and treaded in the water. At first it was just small talk about where they were from, but then when Sophia got into talking about her interested field of study in symbology like Fayt was going for. Sophia realized that she found someone whom is actually genuinely interested in her and what she was all about. True, he didn't seem to know much about things in the detail that she did, but he never seemed totally lost and could follow her explanations when she talked to him and whenever he got an answer to a question. Some where pretty difficult to comprehend for him, but Sophia never seemed to mind, and when it just couldn't be made sense of, she'd just laughed along with him about it./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"As they later lay on the beach after a surprise foot race started by Sophia, they could pick things out in the environment and just start talking about them, going on a long train of thoughts afterwards based in the subject before. Neither one of them had such an easy time talking with other people. Leon even let out a bit and mentioned his own interest in more classic styles video games and arcades rather than the more physical battle simulators Fayt seemed to be interested in. Leon said he was rather out of shape, but Sophia insisted that he looked fine, making a hand motion to his stomach that seemed to make him shake. Sophia apologized, but they realized that neither one seemed to mind at all./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Hey," Sophia brought up "I have some files on a project I was doing for classes. Would you wan to come up and take a look with me?"/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Now, Leon didn't want to seem too interested in getting into a room with a girl, but every fiber in his ring wanted to blurt out yes. He bit his lip trying not to burst and say something right./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"However, all of those nerves vanished far away when Sophia held his arm an said "C'mon. You can tell all the guys that you got in a room with a girl." Leon had a real hearty, albiet nervkhs laugh. This was something he hadn't had in a very long time./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Well," he replied, pretending to ponder it jokingly. He was so much like Sophia "since you put it that way, how can I say no? Especially to a face like that." He made a jesture to her face like he would hold it, but began to pull away. However, Sophia caught his hand. Looking around nervously with a blush, she held it against her cheek, making Leon blush as red as his hair. She couldn't help giggling, been though she was just as embarrassed./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;""Okay," she got up excitedly "let's go!" as Sophia dragged Leon by the arm back to the hotel teleporters./p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Blade of Fury 2/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Fire Bolt 3/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Healing 4/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Antidote 5/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Silence 6/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Ice Needles 8/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Charge 10/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Acid Rain 12/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Lightning Blast 14/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Side Kick 15/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Protection 17/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Earth Glave 19/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Titan Fist 20/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Power Up 21/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Cure Condition 22/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Restoration 23/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Shotgun Blast 25/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Ifrit 26/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Crush 28/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Chaos Tide 30/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Thunder Flare 31/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Fairy Light 33/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Arial 35/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Deep Freeze 36/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Reflection 37/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Dark Sphere 39/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Air Raid 40/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Southern Cross 42/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Stone Rain 44/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Sea Gate 45/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Gravitation 47/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Explosion 49/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Dimension Door 50/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Laser Beams 54/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Angel Feathers 57/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Lighting Strike 60/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Scirocco/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; max-height: 999999px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Ethereal Blast/span/p
