A/N: Hello, all! ^_^
Well, back to the grindstone! I head out for my first year of college on the 19th, so I'll try my best to finish my fic by then...although I never know how the plot may develop in the future!
Allen! C'mon down!
Allen: *wakes up groggily, rubbing his head* Ugh...why does my head hurt so bad? And why does my mouth feel like someone rinsed it with turpentine? And...
*He freezes at the sight of Shion passed out on the floor*
Me: Well, that's what you get for hangin' out with "Party Girl" over there. You two must've drunk a whole case of this weird bubbly stuff before movin' on to the engine degreaser.
Allen: Eeep! o_o
Me: That's right! You should avoid that Sprite Remix like the awful fruity plague it is!! It does nasty things to your sense of judgement. *shakes head* Anyways, kick that hangover into high gear and get on with my disclaimer, sugar! ^_~
Allen: Ugh...not again...~_~ Ahem, I repeat as in the previous chapters, midnightoasis does NOT own Xenosaga or any of its constituents. And in this case, she doesn't own Sprite, or *shudder* Sprite Remix.
Wow. That actually sounded kinda professional. You should drink that stuff more often! ^_^
*Allen gags, clasps a hand over his mouth, and dashes off.*
?_? Was it something I said?
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The Glass is Half Empty: The Life of Allen Ridgeley
Chapter 3: Listen to me
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You came down as if from heaven
Laid a soft hand on me
I kept on walking and thinking
Where my life's gone I should weep
Well I don't know where I've been going
I've never known the reason why
So listen to me
I'm scared to cry
The angel sat down at my table
I told her all my doubts and pain
She said there always is a time for love
That it will come to me again
But I don't know where I've been going
I've never known the reason why
So listen to me
I'm scared to cry
~Texas, "Listen to Me"
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He was in the dark, but it wasn't cold anymore. Allen could hear the steady beat of his heart and the whir of the machines around him in the hospital room. He could hear his granddad snoring from the chair in the corner...but he didn't want to open his eyes just yet.
He didn't want to face the reality that his parents, his own family had...had...
"Allen. Al-len..."
"ALLEN!!"
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Allen Ridgeley sat up with a jolt. His heart was racing, and his breath was coming in little gasps. Funny how real those memories could be in the dark, in his head.
He looked to the small hand on his shoulder, and his gaze followed up the connecting arm to the owner, whose brows were slightly furrowed in concern.
"U-uh, hey, Chief," he mumbled groggily.
"Allen, are you alright? I was looking for you to help me find my glasses again, and I heard you in here groaning and talking in your sleep." Shion Uzuki drew her hand back and put it in her lap.
He sighed. "Just some very persistent memories..."
"Want to talk about it? I can't really do much at the moment anyway. Not without my glasses."
"Sure, Chief. I could go for a drink now anyway." After a moment of looking at her, something clicked in Allen's brain and he smiled slightly.
"And Chief? Your glasses are up on your head."
She reached up with one hand and felt the offending optics. Shion pulled them down and colored slightly out of embarrassment and annoyance as Allen chuckled at her absentmindedness.
"Yeah, yeah. Let's just go get that drink."
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Sitting across from each other in one of the dining area's booths, Shion and Allen cupped their steaming mugs of tea. She met him with a frank emerald gaze.
"So, spill."
He took a sip and sighed, staring down into the translucent amber liquid in front of him. "I had sort of an off day earlier, so I went back to the quarters to just cool off for a while. I must've dozed off at some point when I started having all of these flashbacks..."
"Wow, so the elusive Allen Ridgeley has a past!" Her eyes twinkled in a grin. "And here everyone in R&D thought you'd stay a reclusive mystery forever!"
Allen looked up at her and frowned. "Ha, ha. Very funny, Chief. I thought you had some questions, but I'm glad to see that I could provide you with your daily amusement." He stared at his tea again, but looked up when she reached to put a hand over his.
"Come on, Allen. I didn't mean anything by it, so don't be so touchy...Those memories must be pretty intense, huh?" She withdrew and leaned back in her seat. "I remember when I met you at that seminar at Bormeo. You called me Shion back then," she added with a smirk. "We hadn't quite gotten to the formalities of working at Vector. Come to think of it, when did you ever stop calling me by my name?"
When I found out about you and Kevin. "I don't really remember. I just got into the habit since you were the chief engineer of the project and all." He reached a hand up and scratched the back of his head. "Huh. I haven't thought about Bormeo in...well, in a long time."
"You know, Allen, we've never talked much on a friendly basis, so I hope you don't mind me asking...but why did you wait so long before attending Bormeo? I mean, they usually revoke acceptance after a year or two. So why take the risk?"
"I guess it had to do with my grandfather's death."
"So you were grieving. But still, why such a long wait?"
Allen adjusted himself in the cushioned seat. "If you want me to explain that, I should probably just give you the whole story. It goes a lot further back than the University, so maybe we should get some more tea first."
As he and Shion went into the kitchen, two heads popped up from a nearby booth. Jr. grinned at the girl beside him. "Hey, MOMO. This looks like it could get pretty interesting."
The little Realian frowned. "But shouldn't we give them some privacy?"
"Aw, come on! He'll probably never say this stuff again, and I for one wanna know why he's always been such an oddball!" He settled down in the booth again with an even larger grin dimpling his features. "You know you're curious, too!"
MOMO signed a little resignedly and sat back down. She did want to know about the new friend that never seemed to open up, but she felt a small pang of guilt at the eavesdropping. She knew all too well how it felt to have someone intrude on your memories...
Her eyes widened and she ducked down further as her sensors indicated Shion and Allen's return. She turned to Jr. and whispered, "They're coming!"
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Well, I'm sorry that it was a much shorter chapter, but I didn't want to interrupt Allen when he gets going on his recollections.
Allen: *blinks* Wow. Somebody respects me for once!! For that, I won't complain about the ending comments for this chapter! ^_^
Me: That's my boy! *sniff*
Allen: Thank you to all of my loyal fans who are reading this!! And thanks even to the people that don't really like me but are still giving me a chance by reading the fic!!
Shion: *groans, rubs head* unnh...bubbles, too much Sprite and fruitiness gone horribly *BELCH* horribly wrong...
Allen: Aww, Chief...*helps her off the, erm, stage?*
As always, I'm just puttin' this out for people's enjoyment. Reviews are just the icing on my cake! ^_^
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