Title: A Promise of Friendship

Author: Ayame

Disclaimer: Own Chrono Cross? Yeah right! I wish I did. It belongs to SQUARESOFT.

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Hi everyone!! I'm glad that you've returned to read yet another of my stories. I really appreciate that! Well, I hope you enjoy this one as much as the others. And please!! R/R! R/R!!! I haven't gotten many, so I'm hoping this will spark someone's critiquing ideas! Tell me what you think! Good, bad! Either one!!

*I give a special thanks to Starx, for leaving that review that reminded me to rewrite this and add Serge's dream from the beginning of the game. Thanks a million!! hope it's better now!*

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A Promise of Friendship

It was just as she said it would be. Serge shielded his eyes from the sun overhead and stared warily at the grave marker. "R.I.P. Our beloved Serge. Died age 7. No one can take anything away from him. Nor can anyone can give anything to him. What came from the sea, had returned to the sea." Getting to his feet, he tried to mask the chill that swept through his body. What had happened? Why did this stone that should have said "Serge and Leena forever," now speak of his death? How could it be possible that no one in his own village recognized him? Thought he was a visitor? How could Leena not know who he was? He'd told her, but she'd only looked upon him with a slight scorn that came with someone who was angered by a cruel joke. Serge shook his head. He wasn't dead. There was no way…

"Serge… You're name's serge, ain't it?" He looked back over his shoulder at the young girl dressed in red who'd come to his aid against the Arcacia Dragoons. She moved passed him to examine the tombstone. There were so many questions that floated through his mind as he watched the her moves her gloved hand over the epitaph written there. A small crease formed in his brow. There was something about her… something vaguely familiar…

"Yes… I'm Serge." He spoke quietly, as though almost afraid that when he spoke his name, it would have come out as something quite different. He could have just given a simple 'Yes.' but… he just had to be sure that he was who he was… Serge shook his head. His thinking was becoming ridiculous. Of course he was himself. He looked to the young woman who was still studying the make-shift tombstone. "Who are you?" he couldn't help but wonder. She had, after all, appeared out of no where just in the nick of time to help him out.

"Oh, me? My name's…" she seemed to hesitate. Getting to her feet, she brushed off her skirt and turned to face him, her hand resting on the dagger at her belt and she studied him with her glowing blue eyes. The sounds of the gulls flying behind her was peaceful. Their cry hinged on something like that of a sorrowful song, but nonetheless, it was still tranquil. She tilted her head to one side, her blonde braid… if that was what one would call it… danced against the breeze, as did her bangs. Her eyes held a familiarity… he couldn't quite place it, but… he was sure he'd seen her somewhere before… "Call me 'Kid.' Nice to meet ya." She grinned at him and held out her hand. He took it in a firm grip as she continued to speak, as though reading his earlier thoughts and answering them.

"I just couldn't stand by and watch those blokes gang up on you like that they just pissed the bloody hell outta me. I wish I could've beat 'em up some more! But why was that mob after ya?" Releasing her hand, Serge watched her for a moment. She certainly was zealous. From the moment she sprang from that cliff to defend him, a complete stranger, to now, she still gave off that aura of fire. It seemed just as bright as the color of her clothing. Rubbing his chin a bit, he thought about her question. Why had they been after him? He really had no clue. All he was able to understand was that no one in his villiage seemed to recognize him… and those who did seem to recognize him… well, he didn't recognize them. On top of that, they'd called him a "ghost-boy." With a sigh, he shook his head, quite puzzled by the events that had taken place.

"I don't know. I have no idea as to who they were. I've never seen them." He looked toward the girl, who had crossed her arms, waiting patiently for his answer. After receiving it, her jaw dropped a little as a look of utter disbelief crossed her features. Her hands fell to her sides and she leaned forward a bit.

"Whaddaya mean you've never met 'em before? Eh?" She stared at him incredulously. He had to be kidding. No one would just track down some strange kid for no apparent reason at all and then try to beat the poor guy into going with them… would they? It seemed completely ridiculous. She eyed him for a moment, thinking that perhaps he was joking, but the look on his face remained not only confused, but also passive and serious. Kid let out a sigh. "Ahhh, forget it." With a shake of her head, she moved past him toward the entrance to Cape Horn. Serge watched her go. Watched her with a curiosity.

Then it hit him. The dream he'd had before meeting up with Leena on the pier. This young woman had been in his dream… a dream where he'd taken that dagger at her belt and stabbed her with it. And then he'd smiled. A chill crept up his spine. One more chilling than what he'd felt when he saw the tombstone. He didn't know her name at the time… he didn't even know that she'd existed. The dream had been completely forgotten up until know. He glanced down at his hands… hands that had taken her life. The life of a stranger who'd just risked her own to help save him against those who would have taken his. Pressing his lips together, he shook his head. He thought it had just been an odd dream… but… a premonition, perhaps? He glanced back up at her. But she was leaving… so… that couldn't have been it. What did it mean? First that odd dream, then that strange event at Opassa… no one in Arni recognizing him… And now… the young girl from his dream becoming a flesh embodiment. He watched her, wanting to ask her some questions, wanting to know where she'd come from and why she was here. He knew almost everyone in these parts… but this girl… she was just as mysterious as the three soldiers that had shown up. Just as mysterious as that dream. With a sigh, he glanced back at the grave marker.

"Hey, Serge!" Kid's voice sounded from behind him. He looked to her, noting that she'd stopped. She had her hands hooked behind her back, and grinned at him, her blue eyes dancing brightly. "How 'bout you and me team up for a while, eh? That Karsh fella ain't gonna just leave you alone, that's for sure!" She took a step closer to him, clasping her hands in front of her, as she looked him over. "And to tell ya the truth, I'm new to these islands… It's pretty lonely travelin' around here on me own… So, how 'bout it, Serge?" He watched her for a moment. Her voice had seemed to take on a rather shy quality toward the end of that sentence. She looked at him hopefully, as though a bit nervious that he'd say no. "Perhaps it was fate that we would me up like this!" She grinned at him, adding that last part as initiative to get him to say yes after he'd remained silent. He glanced back toward the point of the cliff. What harm would there be in traveling with her? He wondered. The dream might come true…? But why should it? She didn't seem to be a vicious person. And he certainly had no reason to try and kill her. Shaking his head, he gave an exasperated sigh. Why was he even wondering about something that had nothing to do with anything?

"I don't know…" his voice trailed off. He hadn't realized that he'd answered his wondered question aloud until he heard her accented voice once again. She, of course, took the meaning of the phrase quite differently than he'd meant.

"What?! Are you saying you're going to deny the company of a sweet, innocent, vulnerable little girl?" He couldn't help but smile. And he could see that she was grinning as well. After the way she'd fought in that battle, there was no way that she was "innocent" and "vulnerable." But… the sweet part he'd only find out if he did travel with her. He'd only just met her, but she had a way about her that made him want to go with her. He wasn't quite sure what it was… He took his sapphire gaze away from hers and looked toward the ocean. Toward the calm tranquil waves of the ocean… R.I.P. Our beloved Serge. Died age 7. No one can take anything away from him. Nor can anyone can give anything to him. What came from the sea, has returned to the sea. The haunting words etched into the stone at the cape unnerved him. Everyone thought he was dead… Turning back to Kid, he watched her closely. She smiled warmly at him. Her eyes held a sparkle that told him, if he were to team up with her, she'd help him out. She'd looked at the epitaph on the tombstone, and asked him his name. But despite all that, she didn't call him a ghost, and she didn't look at him with eyes that teased and mocked him. She didn't care who he was, in the least. It seemed that she was just as lost as he was right now, and needed someone to understand as much as he did.

He watched her golden blonde hair turn a light shade of pink, due to the setting sun. She watched him patiently awaiting his answer. He got the feeling that if he had said no, she would have just met up with him again, through the hands of fate. What about the dream…? The cry of the gulls behind him still seemed to be singing of sorrow… of a loss that they would never forget. But for some odd reason, Serge didn't really think that the loss would be bad. Smiling at Kid, he gave a nod, pushing his plaguing dream to the back of his mind. "Sure, Kid. I think traveling with you would be great."

The young woman broke into a grin. "Beauty, mate!" The animated quality returned to her voice as she moved to stand beside him. Holding out her hand, he took it. He'd shaken hands with her earlier, when he'd learned her name. But this time, it was more than just the hand shake of acquaintances. It was one that spoke of adventures and friendships to come. He'd leave this place and figure out what was going on. He deciding to challenge whatever the future might hold… to challenge what Fate might have thrown at him… to challenge what his dream had seemed to foretell… to prove that this friendship would grow strong. And he'd do it with Kid, this vivacious, fiery young woman, standing beside him, ready to take on anything for her new-found comrade. As another breeze picked up, carrying the waves of the ocean with it, he held her hand in a firm grasp, and nodded, vowing silently to do the same.