Author's Note: The characters in this story belong to Enix and Tri-Ace, not me.
Chapter Two.
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Rena woke up to a delicious looking breakfast of eggs and sausages. Though Rena woke early, Ashton was still up before her and preparing breakfast. She asked him why he always seemed to be ready before her, and he shrugged it off replying with "I'm an early riser. Actually he was just so surprised his chronic bad luck hadn't struck him yet, and he wanted to make the most out of it.
They left the hotel to walk into the center of a sleeping city. It was still very early. An orange horizon broken only by the tall towers of the castle lay before.
"It's so beautiful, like a fairly tale." Rena said quietly, enjoying the moment.
"It really is beautiful." Ashton said aloud, to nobody in general., but answered by a voice he wasn't expecting.
"It's called a sunrise, it happens every day. Now tell me what you folk are doing out at this hour?" He said in an angry tone. He was a tall, large man. He had a short dark beard and was clad in a dark grey armour. A large sword hung by his side. Not their finest fan Ashton assumed.
"We're very sorry sir, we're on our way to Lacour for a combat tournament. We wanted to leave early so as to get there earlier. Forgive us." Rena explained to the guard.
"Well get out of my town and on your way." He grunted and walked away.
"Not the nicest man I've ever met." Ashton said, his happy mood slowly fading.
"He ruined the moment." Rena added, looking back to see the sun almost over the mountains.
They began their walk, the only sound to be heard was that of footsteps. They were both in thought, preparing for the tournament.
As they walked, Ashton was thinking about how Rena was a really great person. He was thinking that perhaps he was starting to like her a lot, though he couldn't be sure. He dismissed it for the moment, and broke the long silence, commenting on the weather.
"It's a beautiful day, I'm amazed my lucks' holding as it is. It'll give out soon, and when it does, I apologize." Ashton said, only half joking.
Rena laughed and reassured him. "If, and I do mean if, anything happens, don't worry. I won't blame you." Then she looked up at him and smiled from under her cloak.
"I'd hate to say it, as I'm afraid of breaking my luck, but it's nice that now after the destruction of the sorcery glove that you can walk freely, not in fear of your life. The monsters have pretty well receded." Ashton spoke in a tone that reflected his happy mood.
"Yes, those were scary times, people were doing strange things. I remember the fear in their eyes..." Rena paused.
"Cheer up, those times are past, lets enjoy what we have now." He reassured her.
"Yes, you are right. The people are happy again."
Ashton sighed with a smile on his face and changed the subject. "Still quite a ways to walk before we can stop at Herlie for the night."
Rena replied sighing, "Yeah, a lot of walking."
"You're a good person to travel with though, it makes things go much faster." Ashton told her, smiling.
A few hours later, they decided to stop for a meal. They had been talking and laughing the entire way, and the weather was steal beautiful.
"How do sandwiches sound?" Ashton asked Rena.
"Wonderful. You're a really great cook." She replied and smiled.
"Thanks, it's not often I get to cook for other people."
She looked at him and replied, "You should more often" She smiled brightly.
Ashton quickly unpacked the items necessary for making the food, and began. Within minutes it was finished and looking good.
They quickly ate the food and packed everything so they could continue their journey. As they continued, they felt rejuvenated and ready for the long walk ahead of them.
As they continued walking, Ashton begun thinking about Rena. They had been getting along so well, and she was such a wonderful person, he thought that he was starting to get a crush on her. They were always laughing together, and he felt very comfortable with her. And he felt that he could just stare into her eyes forever. He was right, he was starting to like her. A lot.
"It's too bad Celine won't be in Mars when we go through there." Rena said to him, bringing him out of thought.
"Hmm..? Oh, yes, it is. It's been a while since I've talked to her." Ashton replied.
"Are you ok? You seem slightly sidetracked." She asked him, look up at him from under her cloak. He felt her blue eyes could pierce his soul and reveal his thoughts.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just, uh, thinking about the tournament." He lied.
"If you say so." She said, not believing him.
A couple hours passed and they arrived at Mars, the sun shining brightly above them.
"It's fairly busy here today." Ashton commented.
"Yes it is. How about we find a coffee shop to rest and get a drink at?" Rena suggested while removing the hood of her cloak. Her blue hair shone brightly with the suns light, her hairpin was nearly glowing.
They found a nice little coffee shop near the town center. Walking in, Rena quickly found somewhere to sit, and Ashton ordered some drinks.
Ashton grabbed the drinks and sat down across from Rena. Sun streamed in through the large window beside their table, illuminating everything. Ashton started sipping his drink and asked, "So, how are you holding up?"
"About as well as can be expected I suppose." Rena replied, smiling. Her blue eyes staring straight into his eyes, almost mesmerizing him.
Ashton snapped out of it and replied sarcastically, "Well *that* tells me a lot." He smiled back at her.
Rena looked at Ashton, and realized he was much cheerier this trip than he usually is. She wondered why. "You look like you're doing great, it's not just the trip is it?"
"No, I'm just glad my luck is holding for once." He replied with a light laugh.
Rena laughed for a moment, the stared out the window, smiling. Ashton looked at her once, then looked out the window. He looked at her again. She was still gazing out the window. Her hair sat lightly on her shoulders, her hairpin shimmering in the sun. He gazed at her face, her eyes, so deeply blue. At that moment, he knew. He loved her.
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Ummm...Yeah, there it is. I'm not too sure what to say, so I wont ^_^.
Chapter Two.
-----------------------------------
Rena woke up to a delicious looking breakfast of eggs and sausages. Though Rena woke early, Ashton was still up before her and preparing breakfast. She asked him why he always seemed to be ready before her, and he shrugged it off replying with "I'm an early riser. Actually he was just so surprised his chronic bad luck hadn't struck him yet, and he wanted to make the most out of it.
They left the hotel to walk into the center of a sleeping city. It was still very early. An orange horizon broken only by the tall towers of the castle lay before.
"It's so beautiful, like a fairly tale." Rena said quietly, enjoying the moment.
"It really is beautiful." Ashton said aloud, to nobody in general., but answered by a voice he wasn't expecting.
"It's called a sunrise, it happens every day. Now tell me what you folk are doing out at this hour?" He said in an angry tone. He was a tall, large man. He had a short dark beard and was clad in a dark grey armour. A large sword hung by his side. Not their finest fan Ashton assumed.
"We're very sorry sir, we're on our way to Lacour for a combat tournament. We wanted to leave early so as to get there earlier. Forgive us." Rena explained to the guard.
"Well get out of my town and on your way." He grunted and walked away.
"Not the nicest man I've ever met." Ashton said, his happy mood slowly fading.
"He ruined the moment." Rena added, looking back to see the sun almost over the mountains.
They began their walk, the only sound to be heard was that of footsteps. They were both in thought, preparing for the tournament.
As they walked, Ashton was thinking about how Rena was a really great person. He was thinking that perhaps he was starting to like her a lot, though he couldn't be sure. He dismissed it for the moment, and broke the long silence, commenting on the weather.
"It's a beautiful day, I'm amazed my lucks' holding as it is. It'll give out soon, and when it does, I apologize." Ashton said, only half joking.
Rena laughed and reassured him. "If, and I do mean if, anything happens, don't worry. I won't blame you." Then she looked up at him and smiled from under her cloak.
"I'd hate to say it, as I'm afraid of breaking my luck, but it's nice that now after the destruction of the sorcery glove that you can walk freely, not in fear of your life. The monsters have pretty well receded." Ashton spoke in a tone that reflected his happy mood.
"Yes, those were scary times, people were doing strange things. I remember the fear in their eyes..." Rena paused.
"Cheer up, those times are past, lets enjoy what we have now." He reassured her.
"Yes, you are right. The people are happy again."
Ashton sighed with a smile on his face and changed the subject. "Still quite a ways to walk before we can stop at Herlie for the night."
Rena replied sighing, "Yeah, a lot of walking."
"You're a good person to travel with though, it makes things go much faster." Ashton told her, smiling.
A few hours later, they decided to stop for a meal. They had been talking and laughing the entire way, and the weather was steal beautiful.
"How do sandwiches sound?" Ashton asked Rena.
"Wonderful. You're a really great cook." She replied and smiled.
"Thanks, it's not often I get to cook for other people."
She looked at him and replied, "You should more often" She smiled brightly.
Ashton quickly unpacked the items necessary for making the food, and began. Within minutes it was finished and looking good.
They quickly ate the food and packed everything so they could continue their journey. As they continued, they felt rejuvenated and ready for the long walk ahead of them.
As they continued walking, Ashton begun thinking about Rena. They had been getting along so well, and she was such a wonderful person, he thought that he was starting to get a crush on her. They were always laughing together, and he felt very comfortable with her. And he felt that he could just stare into her eyes forever. He was right, he was starting to like her. A lot.
"It's too bad Celine won't be in Mars when we go through there." Rena said to him, bringing him out of thought.
"Hmm..? Oh, yes, it is. It's been a while since I've talked to her." Ashton replied.
"Are you ok? You seem slightly sidetracked." She asked him, look up at him from under her cloak. He felt her blue eyes could pierce his soul and reveal his thoughts.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just, uh, thinking about the tournament." He lied.
"If you say so." She said, not believing him.
A couple hours passed and they arrived at Mars, the sun shining brightly above them.
"It's fairly busy here today." Ashton commented.
"Yes it is. How about we find a coffee shop to rest and get a drink at?" Rena suggested while removing the hood of her cloak. Her blue hair shone brightly with the suns light, her hairpin was nearly glowing.
They found a nice little coffee shop near the town center. Walking in, Rena quickly found somewhere to sit, and Ashton ordered some drinks.
Ashton grabbed the drinks and sat down across from Rena. Sun streamed in through the large window beside their table, illuminating everything. Ashton started sipping his drink and asked, "So, how are you holding up?"
"About as well as can be expected I suppose." Rena replied, smiling. Her blue eyes staring straight into his eyes, almost mesmerizing him.
Ashton snapped out of it and replied sarcastically, "Well *that* tells me a lot." He smiled back at her.
Rena looked at Ashton, and realized he was much cheerier this trip than he usually is. She wondered why. "You look like you're doing great, it's not just the trip is it?"
"No, I'm just glad my luck is holding for once." He replied with a light laugh.
Rena laughed for a moment, the stared out the window, smiling. Ashton looked at her once, then looked out the window. He looked at her again. She was still gazing out the window. Her hair sat lightly on her shoulders, her hairpin shimmering in the sun. He gazed at her face, her eyes, so deeply blue. At that moment, he knew. He loved her.
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Ummm...Yeah, there it is. I'm not too sure what to say, so I wont ^_^.