Chapter 2- Reunion
"Hey....." The person said softly. Celes shook her head and rubbed her eyes to make sure this wasn't some sort of illusion.
The person smirked a little and sat down in the seat across from her, causing her to turn and look at them. She opened her mouth to say something, but no sound came out.
The person ran his fingers through his light brown hair and smiled, bringing light into his soft brown eyes. He was wearing a blue denim jacket with it's sleeves rolled up, and that was open, revealing a simple white t- shirt. Most notably was the blue bandana tied around his forehead, not much help in keeping his bangs away from his eyes. Anyone who saw him would instantly swoon to his good looks, but not necessarily to his fashion sense....
"L-L-Locke!" Celes finally stuttered, and turned red.
"Celes!" Locke exclaimed, and smiled. "I was hoping you would say something to me! I mean, I knew it was you, but I was hoping you didn't lose that amazing voice of yours!"
"What are you doing here?" Celes asked.
"Well, actually, just traveling around." Locke said. "You know..."
"....Looking for treasure." Celes finished for him, and smiled.
"Yes....seems I've found something now, eh?" Locke smiled, and Celes looked down in embarassment. He cleared his throat, and blushed a little too.
Celes, I thought we had something...He thought to himself. He remembered the sparks he felt between them from the battles with Kefka. He remembered how he felt when he touched her hand, her face, or any other part of her. Just looking at her made his heart pound so loud he thought the whole world could hear it. And he was feeling that, right now. But Celes wouldn't even look at him. She had been out of his life for a too-long month, and here she was, back again, and she seemed to not care...
Celes' food arrived right then, and she thanked the waiter and began to pick at it, her face and attention directed at her plate. Locke cleared his throat.
"Celes....where have you been?" He asked. "You look great you know."
"Thanks...." Celes murmured. "I...." she didn't finish. Are you really going to reveal where you've been hiding all this time? She thought to herself. Just when you've gotten a new life started...?
...What life?
There is no life without love.
No, she was loved.
By who? Who loved me as a woman, the way that I deserved to be loved by a lovng man?
Locke.
No, that's just what I want.
Why do I deny myself?
Because I.....deserved to be denied? After all that I did while I was with the empire? Do I really deserve to be loved?
Why can't I just talk to him!? Celes screamed on her insides as this battle of contridictions raged in her mind.
"I live in Albrook." Celes suddenly answered, and looked up at him.
Locke looked surprised.
"Albrook?" He asked. "Jeeze....that's...so far from..."
"Kohlingen? Yes, I suppose so. Are you still there Locke?"
"Yeah...I finally have my own place, not just a rent-out." He laughed. "Maybe that was a waste of GP though, cause I'm never home!"
Celes raised an eyebrow.
"Does this mean no one lives with you?" She asked, almost hopefully.
Locke nodded, kind of sadly.
"Yeah....I'm still quite on my own. It's not so bad though! When I do travel around, I always try to look for the others."
"Have....you found...everyone?" Celes asked softly.
"Well, let me think." Locke said and looked up at the ceiling. "Terra is in Mobliz, taking care of those kids. Edgar and Sabin are in Figaro together. Relm and Strago are still in Thamasa, as far as I know, Mog and Umaro are still crawling around in Narshe, although I have not actually seen them. Gau is still at the Veldt, Setzer, I beleive, settled down in Jidoor, so he could try to stalk down Maria..."
Celes laughed at that.
"Oh yeah! Cyan is rebuilding Doma, and the citizens have already declared him as the future ruler! His crowning ceremony still has to be announced. You and I should go together Celes."
"That...would be nice." Was all she said in reply.
"Shadow and Gogo are God knows where." Locke said, and shook his head. I haven't seen them at all."
"Well....that's still alot." Celes said.
"Well, anyway, forget about me, lets talk about you!" Locke said. "Everyone I talked to said you literally disappeared. And to Albrook, it seems! I guess no one thought of looking there, eh? It's such a sleepy little town."
"Yes...but I like the peace." Celes said. "I've been in need of it for quite a while."
"I understand that." Locke said. "But...why did you have to go and leave us all behind without a word?" He leaned in more over the table, so that his face was closer to hers. "When I woke up that morning, and saw you missing....I..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but instead, closed his eyes. "I guess I was...kinda worried."
Celes sighed.
"I'm sorry Locke." She said. "I didn't mean to upset you."
"It wasn't just that." Locke said, and smiled. "I promised to never leave your side, and yet, you're the one who left me! I found it ironic."
"I'm a big girl now." Celes said in a bit of a sarcastic tone. "I don't need you burdened with me your entire lifetime Locke Cole."
"Awww, you're no burden." Locke said, and winked. "But are you just saying that now because you have a boyfriend or something?"
"What!?" Celes snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm as single as ever...not that it's any of your business."
Locke laughed and leaned back in his chair.
"That's right!" He teased. "You're a General, not some love-starved twit. Am I correct in saying that?"
Celes turned red. "Ack! who told you I..."
"Edgar told me." Locke said, and laughed. "And I told him I had to disagree...."
"Oh, stop it." Celes snapped, and pushed her plate back, indicating that she was ready to leave.
"Aww, Celes, I'm sorry." Locke said, and stopped laughing. "Please, you can't just leave me here! I've spent so long trying to track you down, and then you fly off again! You're appearence and beauty is like that of the Phoenix itself! Very rare..."
Locke immediately turned as red as a Phoenix when he said that, and Celes looked up at him, jaw dropped.
He's never said anything like that before. Celes thought happily. It's a little corny though. She could feel her face blushing for the millionth time that afternoon.
Oh man oh man oh man. That's really smooth Locke! Scare her to death! Gosh, your one liners are getting old, fast. Locke clenched his eyes closed in thought.
Locke cleared his throat.
"Ahem..." Celes trailed off.
"Well, um, do you really have to leave?" Locke asked.
"Yes." Celes said. "I came up here for a reason. I have to go to the Weapons Shop and pick up an order for Keith..."
"Who's that?" Locke asked. "Sounds like a boy."
"My happily married boss." Celes said, and smirked at his face of relief.
"Well..." Locke trailed off.
"I"ll be seeing you." Celes said. She dug in her pockets and pulled out the money she owed for her meal, dropping it by the plate. She stood up to go, and Locke did too.
"I'll come with you." He said. "I want to talk to you more..."
"If-if you want..." Celes said, and smiled to herself.
Celes and Locke left the inn, and walked to the Weapon Shop together.
"I really did miss you!" Locke said.
"I missed you too." Celes replied. "But I missed everyone."
"Awww, then why did you leave us all so fast?" Locke asked. "I still don't understand it! You never answered me when I asked before."
"I....left because I felt I needed to." Celes said. "It's hard to explain."
Locke blinked. He thought he knew her, but he realized that he would never expect an answer like that out of her. Usually, Celes was very straightforward with things, and did not fumble around with how she felt.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Celes snapped.
"Ummm....!" Locke couldn't answer.
Maybe she left because of me. He thought. Maybe she doesn't like me the way the way I liked her. Or maybe she was mad because of the whole Rachel thing...maybe she thinks she'll get hurt if she stays by me! But that's so stupid.
"Locke, don't be mad just because I have a life on my own now." Celes said. "You can't always babysit me..."
Why is he being so difficult about this?! Does he not think I am a person with feelings? Doesn't he know how hard it was for me to be away from him? Am I making that clear? Or do I seem angry?
"What!?" Locke asked. "How ridiculous. I think....you need to get over yourself! You think that everyone has to like you or something." Locke felt bad for saying that, but he could never resist arguing with Celes. She was known to be as lethal with her words as with a weapon.
Celes turned red with anger.
"No, I don't think everyone has to like me." She snapped. "In fact, I kind of wouldn't mind if some people just left me alone."
"Oh yeah?" Locke asked, and suddenly stopped walking. Celes stopped too, and turned to him.
"Yeah." Celes said.
"Fine." Locke said. "I see how it is. I still can't believe you can't trust me. Or anyone else for that matter. Before, when we fought Kefka, you said you trusted me. Did you just say that to be dramatic? To show off?"
"I..." Celes couldn't speak.
"I think you're still as much of a cold-hearted bitch as ever." Locke sneered. "I don't think anyone can ever change that."
Celes widened her eyes.
"How dare you say that to me!?" She screamed. People on the streets were turning to look at them.
"How could I resist?" Locke asked gleefully.
"I hate you." Celes said, dropping her tone considerably. "You're just a jerk."
"The jerk that saved your butt a year ago." Locke said. "Without me, you'd be 6 feet under."
"I wish I were instead of having my feelings toyed with by you now!" Celes cried, and felt tears come to her eyes.
"Wha...?" Locke asked, but before he could say anymore, Celes took off running.
"Hey....." The person said softly. Celes shook her head and rubbed her eyes to make sure this wasn't some sort of illusion.
The person smirked a little and sat down in the seat across from her, causing her to turn and look at them. She opened her mouth to say something, but no sound came out.
The person ran his fingers through his light brown hair and smiled, bringing light into his soft brown eyes. He was wearing a blue denim jacket with it's sleeves rolled up, and that was open, revealing a simple white t- shirt. Most notably was the blue bandana tied around his forehead, not much help in keeping his bangs away from his eyes. Anyone who saw him would instantly swoon to his good looks, but not necessarily to his fashion sense....
"L-L-Locke!" Celes finally stuttered, and turned red.
"Celes!" Locke exclaimed, and smiled. "I was hoping you would say something to me! I mean, I knew it was you, but I was hoping you didn't lose that amazing voice of yours!"
"What are you doing here?" Celes asked.
"Well, actually, just traveling around." Locke said. "You know..."
"....Looking for treasure." Celes finished for him, and smiled.
"Yes....seems I've found something now, eh?" Locke smiled, and Celes looked down in embarassment. He cleared his throat, and blushed a little too.
Celes, I thought we had something...He thought to himself. He remembered the sparks he felt between them from the battles with Kefka. He remembered how he felt when he touched her hand, her face, or any other part of her. Just looking at her made his heart pound so loud he thought the whole world could hear it. And he was feeling that, right now. But Celes wouldn't even look at him. She had been out of his life for a too-long month, and here she was, back again, and she seemed to not care...
Celes' food arrived right then, and she thanked the waiter and began to pick at it, her face and attention directed at her plate. Locke cleared his throat.
"Celes....where have you been?" He asked. "You look great you know."
"Thanks...." Celes murmured. "I...." she didn't finish. Are you really going to reveal where you've been hiding all this time? She thought to herself. Just when you've gotten a new life started...?
...What life?
There is no life without love.
No, she was loved.
By who? Who loved me as a woman, the way that I deserved to be loved by a lovng man?
Locke.
No, that's just what I want.
Why do I deny myself?
Because I.....deserved to be denied? After all that I did while I was with the empire? Do I really deserve to be loved?
Why can't I just talk to him!? Celes screamed on her insides as this battle of contridictions raged in her mind.
"I live in Albrook." Celes suddenly answered, and looked up at him.
Locke looked surprised.
"Albrook?" He asked. "Jeeze....that's...so far from..."
"Kohlingen? Yes, I suppose so. Are you still there Locke?"
"Yeah...I finally have my own place, not just a rent-out." He laughed. "Maybe that was a waste of GP though, cause I'm never home!"
Celes raised an eyebrow.
"Does this mean no one lives with you?" She asked, almost hopefully.
Locke nodded, kind of sadly.
"Yeah....I'm still quite on my own. It's not so bad though! When I do travel around, I always try to look for the others."
"Have....you found...everyone?" Celes asked softly.
"Well, let me think." Locke said and looked up at the ceiling. "Terra is in Mobliz, taking care of those kids. Edgar and Sabin are in Figaro together. Relm and Strago are still in Thamasa, as far as I know, Mog and Umaro are still crawling around in Narshe, although I have not actually seen them. Gau is still at the Veldt, Setzer, I beleive, settled down in Jidoor, so he could try to stalk down Maria..."
Celes laughed at that.
"Oh yeah! Cyan is rebuilding Doma, and the citizens have already declared him as the future ruler! His crowning ceremony still has to be announced. You and I should go together Celes."
"That...would be nice." Was all she said in reply.
"Shadow and Gogo are God knows where." Locke said, and shook his head. I haven't seen them at all."
"Well....that's still alot." Celes said.
"Well, anyway, forget about me, lets talk about you!" Locke said. "Everyone I talked to said you literally disappeared. And to Albrook, it seems! I guess no one thought of looking there, eh? It's such a sleepy little town."
"Yes...but I like the peace." Celes said. "I've been in need of it for quite a while."
"I understand that." Locke said. "But...why did you have to go and leave us all behind without a word?" He leaned in more over the table, so that his face was closer to hers. "When I woke up that morning, and saw you missing....I..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but instead, closed his eyes. "I guess I was...kinda worried."
Celes sighed.
"I'm sorry Locke." She said. "I didn't mean to upset you."
"It wasn't just that." Locke said, and smiled. "I promised to never leave your side, and yet, you're the one who left me! I found it ironic."
"I'm a big girl now." Celes said in a bit of a sarcastic tone. "I don't need you burdened with me your entire lifetime Locke Cole."
"Awww, you're no burden." Locke said, and winked. "But are you just saying that now because you have a boyfriend or something?"
"What!?" Celes snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm as single as ever...not that it's any of your business."
Locke laughed and leaned back in his chair.
"That's right!" He teased. "You're a General, not some love-starved twit. Am I correct in saying that?"
Celes turned red. "Ack! who told you I..."
"Edgar told me." Locke said, and laughed. "And I told him I had to disagree...."
"Oh, stop it." Celes snapped, and pushed her plate back, indicating that she was ready to leave.
"Aww, Celes, I'm sorry." Locke said, and stopped laughing. "Please, you can't just leave me here! I've spent so long trying to track you down, and then you fly off again! You're appearence and beauty is like that of the Phoenix itself! Very rare..."
Locke immediately turned as red as a Phoenix when he said that, and Celes looked up at him, jaw dropped.
He's never said anything like that before. Celes thought happily. It's a little corny though. She could feel her face blushing for the millionth time that afternoon.
Oh man oh man oh man. That's really smooth Locke! Scare her to death! Gosh, your one liners are getting old, fast. Locke clenched his eyes closed in thought.
Locke cleared his throat.
"Ahem..." Celes trailed off.
"Well, um, do you really have to leave?" Locke asked.
"Yes." Celes said. "I came up here for a reason. I have to go to the Weapons Shop and pick up an order for Keith..."
"Who's that?" Locke asked. "Sounds like a boy."
"My happily married boss." Celes said, and smirked at his face of relief.
"Well..." Locke trailed off.
"I"ll be seeing you." Celes said. She dug in her pockets and pulled out the money she owed for her meal, dropping it by the plate. She stood up to go, and Locke did too.
"I'll come with you." He said. "I want to talk to you more..."
"If-if you want..." Celes said, and smiled to herself.
Celes and Locke left the inn, and walked to the Weapon Shop together.
"I really did miss you!" Locke said.
"I missed you too." Celes replied. "But I missed everyone."
"Awww, then why did you leave us all so fast?" Locke asked. "I still don't understand it! You never answered me when I asked before."
"I....left because I felt I needed to." Celes said. "It's hard to explain."
Locke blinked. He thought he knew her, but he realized that he would never expect an answer like that out of her. Usually, Celes was very straightforward with things, and did not fumble around with how she felt.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Celes snapped.
"Ummm....!" Locke couldn't answer.
Maybe she left because of me. He thought. Maybe she doesn't like me the way the way I liked her. Or maybe she was mad because of the whole Rachel thing...maybe she thinks she'll get hurt if she stays by me! But that's so stupid.
"Locke, don't be mad just because I have a life on my own now." Celes said. "You can't always babysit me..."
Why is he being so difficult about this?! Does he not think I am a person with feelings? Doesn't he know how hard it was for me to be away from him? Am I making that clear? Or do I seem angry?
"What!?" Locke asked. "How ridiculous. I think....you need to get over yourself! You think that everyone has to like you or something." Locke felt bad for saying that, but he could never resist arguing with Celes. She was known to be as lethal with her words as with a weapon.
Celes turned red with anger.
"No, I don't think everyone has to like me." She snapped. "In fact, I kind of wouldn't mind if some people just left me alone."
"Oh yeah?" Locke asked, and suddenly stopped walking. Celes stopped too, and turned to him.
"Yeah." Celes said.
"Fine." Locke said. "I see how it is. I still can't believe you can't trust me. Or anyone else for that matter. Before, when we fought Kefka, you said you trusted me. Did you just say that to be dramatic? To show off?"
"I..." Celes couldn't speak.
"I think you're still as much of a cold-hearted bitch as ever." Locke sneered. "I don't think anyone can ever change that."
Celes widened her eyes.
"How dare you say that to me!?" She screamed. People on the streets were turning to look at them.
"How could I resist?" Locke asked gleefully.
"I hate you." Celes said, dropping her tone considerably. "You're just a jerk."
"The jerk that saved your butt a year ago." Locke said. "Without me, you'd be 6 feet under."
"I wish I were instead of having my feelings toyed with by you now!" Celes cried, and felt tears come to her eyes.
"Wha...?" Locke asked, but before he could say anymore, Celes took off running.