Chapter Two

Let's not be Zelphish!


(NOTE…… This is only the title because I can't think of any other play on Nel's name……… And now the tale commences.)

(SECOND NOTE… This is an imaginary star ocean world. The vocabulary level of the game made my poor brain implode, so I paid little attention to what really happens at the end of the game. (Too much yappin' anyways. -shot-) To me, Luther is defeated. And that means all the world is happeh, happeh, HAPPEH; with a few nicks and bad seeds here and there. It's still a gay world. (XD) So, mm hm, not all the information in this fanfic fits well into the game. Sor-ree.)

(THIRD NOTE: This is a bad chapter. This bad chapter is not funny because I'm horrible like that. I was in a funky mood when I wrote this. :D;; )


Nel ran a hand through her hair in frustration. That Welch… The one time Nel Zelpher wanted to play with the Paracelsus's Table, Welch Vineyard was not at the craftsmen guild! The Guild Master had kindly informed her that Welch was off recruiting carpenters. Nel bought that, but why did Welch have to be gone now?

Things were laid back these days, she had nothing to do… not even work. Often times, she would have to distract herself with thinking. She did a lot of thinking these days, yes. If she did not distract herself with thinking, she may very well have to strangle a bystander to keep herself occupied.

…No matter what anyone says, this is the fault of Magistrate Lasselle. Convincing the queen to make this Nel Zelpher take a so-called 'day' off from work. Hah!

She was supposed to have come here to enjoy the Peterny Festival, but how could she? The Festival hasn't even started yet, and… she hated dancing. Abhorred it.

Nevertheless, at least she was able to accompany Tynave and Farleen to Peterny. They were assigned the mission she had previously wanted to take on; the mission to do with a certain group of ambitious, wealthy merchants in the locale.

And they were accompanied by a third individual…

Nel smiled a little as she exited the craftsmen's guild. It was not a friendly, open smile; it was an amused, contemplating-evil-thoughts type of smile. Ah yes, the third individual. After such numerous complaints of boredom, he was sent from his turf to reside amongst old rivals (plainly against his free will). He was forbidden to set foot in Airyglyph.

Albel Nox is now a temporary member of the Crimson Blade.

He was not to interfere too much with Farleen and Tynaves' mission, but he was allowed to take a limited amount of action should things get out of hand. Perhaps it was meant to be repentance for the 'beatings' he granted them before. Nevertheless, Airyglyph XIII, unexpectedly, had quite the ironic sense of humor…

Albel saves the world, and comes home to join the 'Women Brigade' as some Glyphian soldiers once called them. These Glyphian soldiers, many from the Black Brigade, have since stopped calling them so. After all, should their Captain decide to be enraged by the using of the name whilst he was within the ranks of this certain brigade…

Ah, but Airyglyph aside, Nel was worried about Tynave and Farleen. She wasn't sure they if they could manage on their own, what with Tynave's temper and Farleen's tendency to squeak… Farleen's squeaking wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it just seemed to make everyone (besides other Crimson Blade members and few other individuals) twitch and bring a hand to their left ear.

Speaking of these few other individuals… Nel wondered how they were doing. She did think of them often, and she thought of them fondly. All those old times… fighting alongside one another, traveling together, engaging in conversation that had nothing to do with politics or training or……

She faced the brilliant sun, and found herself shielding her eyes. This was why she much preferred facing the firmament in the night… When she could gaze upon the stars.

She rather wished that those old times could return; that she could be with her companions again. Especially…

Nel blinked. She heard a commotion not too far away. It sounded like it was coming from the plaza… People are cheering…? And what was that other sound--


A lot of simps won't like this song
'Cause them punks like to hit it and quit it
And I'd rather stay and play
'Cause I'm long, and I'm strong
And I'm down to get the friction on

--That voice sounds awfully familiar--

So, ladies! (Yeah!) Ladies! (Yeah!)
If you wanna role in my Mercedes (Yeah!)
Then turn around! Stick it out!
Even white boys got to shout
Baby got back!

--It is as the wise men say, "Be careful what you wish for." Nel now found herself utterly stunned, and would soon have been on the verge of shrieking had she not caught herself and regained some of her composure. Cliff Fittir… was there on the stage, holding his communicator to his lips, making the strangest of noises, expertly shaking his booty, and… has the top portion of his clothing removed--

So your girlfriend rolls a Honda, playin' workout tapes by Fonda
But Fonda ain't got a motor in the back of her Honda
My anaconda don't want none unless you've got buns, hun!

--All right, she wasn't sure what that last part was supposed to mean, but she was certain it wasn't good. Nel stormed onto the stage just as one of three nuns was poised to toss up a pair of panties--

You can do side bends or sit-ups,
But please don't lose that butt
Some brothers wanna play that--OWOWOW!!

Stormed up the stage she did, and yanked him off the stage by his left ear she did as well. Nel had half-expected to hear a loud booing erupt from behind them, but instead, everyone went back to their daily lives. A certain nun ogled the undergarment in her hands in appalled bewilderment. ("Oh--Oh my--") She swooned soon after.

"What did you think you were doing!?" Nel demanded from the Klausian snappily.

Cliff was rubbing his naked hand over his sore ear. "What did you think you were……" He stopped to get a good look at her. "Nel? Nel… is that really you?"

Nel had been palming her face and muttering under her breath about Cliff's lack of pride. When he spoke, she simply replied: "Yes, it's me. But how could you have--"

"Nel!!"

"IWOQRUINMCZAS!"

It was roughly the equivalent of 'OMGWTFBBQ!?!!1oneone' in the language of the Earthlings. Why Cliff's communicator did not properly translate that, nobody ever found out. Cliff pulled Nel into the ultimate rib-crushing bear hug, naked torso and all. "Nel, it's been so long! How are you? How is everyone else on Elicoor doing??"

"Cliff," Nel managed through clenched teeth, "I can't breathe…" That, and she was highly embarrassed, what with being grabbed and embraced in public by a hefty, half-naked male.

"Oh, whoops. Sorry 'bout that." Cliff released her and allowed her to take several quick gasps of air before grinning at his old friend (blissful to the fact that he had almost suffocated her.) "It's just great seein' you again, ya know?"

Before Cliff could say or do anymore, Nel used her adept Aquarian ninja skills to nab Cliff's strewn about clothes from the dissipating crowd in a matter of seconds. (Yoink, yoink, yoink!)

"Ya know, Nel, it's kinda hot today, and--thanks and all, but--I think I'd rather keep my shirt off for a little…"

"Put your clothes back on now, Fittir."

Her words were corrosive, and made him yelp, startled; but he did as commanded.


Fastening his gauntlets back on to his arms was the last thing he needed to do (before would Nel stop leering at him through narrowed eyelids.) "Look, I'm sorry, okay…?"

Nel still had her eyes narrowed… however, it didn't last much longer. She sighed and massaged her forehead. It was hard to stay mad at Cliff when he wore that… that childish, blue-eyed visage. "I'm sorry, too. I've been having a rough time lately and I suppose I could have taken it out on you a little…"

Cliff smiled forgivingly, and may have hugged her again, if Nel's ninja hands had not made for the hilts of her daggers.

Nel vaguely wondered why Cliff was being so… extra friendly. It's been quite a while since they've seen one another, sure, but nevertheless… Did he miss her?

"So, didja miss me?"

Nel practically jumped out of her shoes. The question was asked in an impish, suggestive tone of voice. Could Klausians possibly be psychic? "Ah… uh…" She stuttered, and was blushing for some reason.

She was interrupted in the midst of answering by an aggravated hiss from behind one of the stalls that surrounded the stage:

"I said SILENCE, maggots!"


A/N: I think Nel is OOC, don't you. :P Although, she did blush a lot in the manga when Cliff says certain things, no?

And no, this is not an AlbelxNel fic… Their 'relationship' is purely on… 'friendly' grounds… or something like that. They still have their 'friendly' disputes here and there, I think. Sorry, it's not that I dislike it or anything, I just don't like the pairing enough to write a fic about it. :D;;; -flees-

I said what I needed to say about comments in the first chapter. -nod-

Ah, and I edited the first chapter a tad… n-n;

-coughcough- "Bear Hug" is the name of an attack in Romancing SaGa………

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Next Chapter: The Other Homicidal Nut Job in Pigtails