Chris; Yeah, this is a fic for Empress Dotdotdot's fic challenge. I have a feeling this is going to suck because I can't really write romance. Wait, I've never written romance. Eh, oh well.
Mia: Chris doesn't own Golden Sun.
He sat on a cliff overlooking Vale, seeing the snow fall around him. He smiled bitterly, as he remembered events that happened in the far past. He was remembering one person. An old friend from ages past, when the lighthouses were still not lit. 'Well, not really a friend now.' he thought as he gazed at the snow again. 'But doesn't she understand that I did everything for her? I loved her. But, as everyone says, 'Power corrupts.' and I guess I tried for too much.'
He closed his eyes and mumbled a few words. He was transported to the ground that was overlooked by the cliff. He brushed snow out of his light- blue hair and looked at where it had fallen. He thought about a person whom he had termed, "Angel of Fallen Snow". He remembered a day just like this, in his old village of Imil.
------------------------------------------------------
"But Alex! I must protest! What about Mia? She'll be heartbroken!" An old man with gray-blue hair said. He was talking to Alex, trying to make him understand. He was pointing to a small house that was near the entrance to Imil. "She loves you, Alex! You know that going on this journey will destroy her! You must think this over!"
He looked at the house sadly. He shook his head turned away. "I need to do this. It's for my sake and hers. Tell her...I'm sorry. I'm sorry for having to leave her even though I promised to be with her forever. Hopefully, she'll understand and she maybe she'll even forgive me. But this quest is for my own reasons. I'll be back in a year or two." With those parting words, he hefted a sack that he slung over his shoulder, and departed from the snowy town of Imil. The old man sighed and looked at his retreating figure.
"I wish you luck, old friend. May you return to see Mia healthy and waiting." He shook his head and walked inside the house. The snow fell harder and soon Alex's footprints were erased from the ground.
------------------------------------------------------
Alex shook his head, trying to clear his head of such memories. The fact that it was snowing in Vale only increased his longing for things to return to the way they were before. He was going to be Mia's husband and they would have lived happily. 'But I ruined all that. With my foolish actions and words, I ruined a future that I would have loved. But fate moves in a circle, and maybe one day we can be together again.'
He started walking down the snow-covered paths in Vale, trying to move inconspicuously. He didn't want to have anyone notice him and cause a racket. He heard the sound of laughing in the air, and he quickly hid. Walking past his hiding spot were Mia, Ivan, and Garet. Garet was acting out a scene with his hands and Mia was laughing. Ivan, however, was looking embarrassed. Alex clenched his fist and silently shook it at Garet. Ever since he had escaped from the fall of Mt. Aleph, he had begun to despise the Mars Adept. Whereas his leaving had created a barrier of ice around Mia's heart, the cheery nature of the Mars Adept was slowly melting it away and Alex had noticed it. He strained to hear what they were talking about.
"So then Ivan was going to use Whirlwind to blow away the leaves. However, the moment he was going to cast it, he tripped and cast Whirlwind on himself! You should have seen him! He was flying through the air! Luckily Isaac was able to use Catch on him." Garet was acting out the movements of Ivan as he was telling Mia the story.
"I think one of you used Move on me. How could I trip if I was standing still!?" Ivan argued with a red face.
"Bad luck?" Garet said with a smirk on his face.
"Hmph...I'm not turning my back on you two again. You try another trick like that, and I'll use Tornado on you. And then you'll see how it feels like to fly in the air!" Ivan said as he stalked off.
"Ivan!" Mia turned to Garet and started to scold him. "Garet! You shouldn't have teased him like that! I'm ashamed of you!" She started to poke him in the chest.
Alex started to smile. He remembered all of Mia's qualities, the good and the bad. He remembered her teal-blue hair, her innocent smile, and her laughing eyes. He remembered her stubbornness. He remembered how she would always take a long time choosing what she would want, but then stick to her decision. He thought about her temper, when flared, would burn with a white-hot intensity. He remembered all the times that they would play in the snow. Once, they were happy together. Once.
"Aw, Mia! It was just a little fun! I didn't think he would get so mad!" Garet protested.
"That's no excuse! Go apologize to him! You two are friends!" Mia commanded.
"Fine..." Garet ran off in the direction that Ivan had gone, shaking his head. "I can't believe she got so angry...It was just a little fun." He mumbled as he passed out of sight.
Alex stepped out of his hiding spot and gazed at Mia. She looked just like he remembered her at the Jupiter Lighthouse. The long teal-blue hair, the light-blue eyes, her white, purple, and blue dress. Everything seemed to be the same as it was two years ago in the village of Imil. "Mia? Is that you?"
She turned around, trying to find who was speaking to her. She focused on Alex and her gaze hardened. "Oh, it's you, Alex. What do you want?"
He had prepared a speech for this moment, but he couldn't remember it! He searched his mind to find some remnant of his speech, but he couldn't find it. He sighed and decided to just say what he felt in his heart. "I...I just wanted to talk."
"We have nothing to talk about! Whatever might have existed in our childhood doesn't exist now! But I'll listen to what you have to say. Now, hurry up and speak your piece. I don't have much time. Besides, someone might see you and get suspicious." She said as she folded her arms.
"Then...Why don't you come with me? I know a place where we might be able to speak in private."
"No! I don't trust you! Ever since that day when you abandoned me! You promised!"
"I'm sorry for that! I know I shouldn't have done it! But please, just trust me now. I need to talk to you privately."
She looked at his pleading gaze and nodded. "Fine. But if you try any tricks, I'm not going to be happy." Alex smiled and led her to a cave that was nestled in a cliff. He beckoned her inside and brought out a torch that was in his pocket. He lit it and placed it into a little niche that was in the wall. The light brightened the surrounding and Mia could see that there were some basic rudiments of life inside.
"Thank you Mia. As you can see, this is where I've been living for a while. Here we can speak privately."
"Good. But first, I've got a question to ask you. Why aren't you dead? We all saw you at Mt. Aleph."
Alex looked pained as he looked at her. She seemed almost sad that he wasn't dead. However, he shook this off and started his explanation. "Yes, I was at Mt. Aleph when it collapsed. However, I had an ounce of my power left. I managed to teleport off the mountain and managed to make it into this cave. I've been living here since."
She looked at him and nodded. "Thank you. What did you want to talk about? Maybe you can be trusted...for now."
Alex smiled. "You can trust me. Anyway...I came to tell you that I'm sorry."
"Sorry?!" Mia exclaimed in surprise. "You've abandoned me, tried to light all four of the Elemental Lighthouses in an attempt to get absolute power, and almost caused all of our deaths! And all you can say is sorry?!" She was almost becoming hysterical with anger.
"Please! Hear me out first. When I left you, I said I was going off on a quest. You said that you wanted to come with me. However, I left you and abandoned you." He winced when he said abandoned. "While this is true, I did it for your own good. When I left, I was beginning to become intoxicated with power. A week before that fateful day, I became the Great Healer of Imil. The sweet taste of power soon coursed through my body. I was revered throughout the village. I wanted more."
"And you decided to try to gain the power of the Golden Sun!" Mia yelled at him.
"Yes...I had read about it in one of the books that was carried in the Sanctum. I heard that it would grant absolute power. But first, to do this task, I would need help. My first thought was of you, of how I promised to take you with me on my next adventure."
"Then why didn't you?"
"Because I knew that the journey would corrupt you too. I didn't want you to become as power hungry as I had become. I still had love for you and I knew that even though my decision would hurt you, it would help you in the long run. Listen Mia, everything I've done during my journey I have done for you! I loved you Mia, and that still hasn't changed! But I see that you have changed. You are not the little girl that tagged along with me anymore. Now, I see a strong woman who has found another love." Alex's eyes blazed and he clenched his fist.
"What? What are you talking about?" Mia asked in surprise.
"That Mars Adept, Garet! Every time I see you, he is at your side! I see you laughing, making jokes, playing around, just like we used to do when we were together! How I've come to despise him! I know it's not logical or smart! But rage courses through my body every time I see him with you!" Alex paced around the cave, venting out his hatred. "I always think to myself, 'He is stealing the girl that I love!'"
"You think I'm in love with Garet? Hahahahahahaha!" Mia started to laugh but quickly brought it under control. "Of course not! Sure, I have some feelings for him. But he's nothing more than a friend! I like his company. He's funny and he always has a smile on his face. In a way, he sort of reminded me of you." Mia turned to Alex and kissed him on the cheek. "Don't worry, Alex. I've forgiven you. I still remember your parting words. The words spoken to me by my grandfather. I've thought about it and I've forgiven you. But that still doesn't mean we're engaged or something. I might have forgiven you but the world has not. You need to atone for your crimes. And I still don't know if I can love again after that day..." She shook her head and stared at the ground. "But we'll see. I have to go now, Alex. Maybe I can convince the others and maybe you can come live in Vale as a true citizen! I'll see you later!" She ran out of the cave and into the snowy paths of Vale. As he watched her run off, he remembered why he called her his "Angel of Fallen Snow", and vowed to capture her heart again.
Chris: Phew...Finished. Anyway, I usually never support the Alex x Mia pairing. First of all, she doesn't like him. But enough about that. I'd rather see Garet x Mia. I like that pairing a lot more. Isaac x Mia is fine too...But not Alex x Mia.
Mia: Umm...right. Me and Alex. In your dreams! Anyway, R & R!