If Only I am the one…
A Star Ocean -- Till The End of Time Fan-fiction
By: climax

Disclaimer: None of SO3 is mine. Except the game save I am playing.

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Phase 02: Evacuation
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::Fayt's POV::

Sophia was in a very bad mood. Well, I couldn't blame her. I know the fear of losing parents. She has been trying to not to meet my face. And she succeeded. We have assigned to room number 506. Luckily, Peppita met her troupe and staid at the same room of her troupe. So I have some time to talk with Sophia personally and privately.

"Sophia," I began. She was on her bed, back-faced me. She turned to face me. Her expression was almost blank except a slightly annoyed expression. Maybe it was wrong to try making conversation at this kind of time. But in the current situation I'm not sure if I could meet Sophia again or the worse, never. This was now or never.

"What is it, Fayt?" she asked in a plain tone. It made me felt that I were a stranger that separate her forcefully from her parents.

"Well, uhm… I want to apologize to you…" I tried to say it as serious as possible. But Sophia only stared me in confusion.

"Apologize? About what? If you mean about the case where you flirting the girl named Peppita, I have forget it," said Sophia as if nothing was happened.

"That's not it, Sophia! I want to apologize about I forced you to enter the transporter without--!" I tried to explain but she cut me before I could finish my sentence.

"No, Fayt. That's okay. That's not your fault. You were only fulfilling my parents' request, that's all. The one I should blame are my parents. But I can't bring myself to blame them," she said it all as it was a mere case. But actually, it was not. Then I came to a conclusion that she didn't want to be bothered. Maybe she needed some time alone. A little good timing, I had to collect information anyway.

"Umm… Sophia, I'm going to ask people around. So you wait here, okay?"

Sophia didn't answer. Fayt quickly noted her message and left the room. Before he left, he added: "I'll be right back soon…"

And the door closed, leaving Sophia alone to cry in the room. Somehow, I felt guilty to leave her alone when she needed someone to comfort her. But, I had never been a good comforter. Even for myself…

(--.--.--.--.--.--)

::Normal POV::

Fayt walked across the corridor. His eyes traced the doors. Sometimes he peeked some of the doors to find Peppita or someone he recognized. After some doors he found what he looked.

Peppita was together with her circus team. When Fayt entered she looked to him and hopping to him cheerfully.

"Hey, Fayt! What are you doing here?" she asked cheerfully. Tough it was obviously out of place to be cheerful here. But it was better than depressed.

"Uhm, nothing. Just walking around. I thought I could find some information about the situation…" Fayt answered with the most acceptable reason. In truth, he was taking strode to clear his mind. Peppita looked amused.

"If you want information why don't you ask the officers? There are more than enough officers that are roaming over here to be asked…" said Peppita amusedly. Maybe she thought that Fayt was so confused and didn't notice that fact.

Fayt quickly search for reason and found it as soon as he thought it. He shook his head. "No. I thought I could get more information if I ask people around. The officers often don't give clear information because they afraid that the evacuees will panic. By the way, by asking people around means we lightened those officers' job, right?"

Peppita looked thoughtful for a moment and then she nodded. "You are right. But since you're already here, why don't you meet my father?"

Fayt looked around and found an old-looking man in red. "The old man in red you mean?"

Peppita nodded. "Yup! He is my father and the circus master all at once. His name is Piccolotto Rosetti. Oh, and he is a beast master, too!"

Fayt smiled. "You seem so proud about him. Then, who is the one in clown attire and the lady with the brown hair?"

"The green clown is Gonella. His job may clown, but sometimes his mouth is out of control. But sadly, sometimes he is right. Don't mind him if he speaks something that an ache in heart. He just doesn't know how to choose the right phrase. And the lady is my mother. Her name is—"

"Dulcinea Rosetti. Who is this young man, Peppita?" asked Dulcinea.

"He is my first fan, mom!" chirped Peppita happily. Having a fan was something that she could be proud of. That means that she was acknowledged as a circus artist.

"Accidental first fan, actually…" Fayt mumbled so softly so only he that could hear and know what it means.

Dulcinea raised her eyebrows. "Hmm? How could that be? You haven't started any show yet."

"Erm… it is… uhh…"

She was saved by her father. "Why do you mind, Dulcinea? I have a first fan before I started a show back then. Remember, that?"

Piccolotto must be hit a 'romantic spot'. Dulcinea was blushing furiously after heard that. "I don't get what you mean…" she said, pretended to not have a clue on anything. But her blush showed everything.

Decided to drop the matter, Piccolotto turned to Peppita. "Besides, I don't mind if our troupe member increased…"

Despite his teen age of nineteen, Fayt was numb. "Huh?"

"FATHER! I don't have any attention to insert Fayt to our troupe…" Peppita yelled. That earned her some glares from the other people that in the same room and tried to get some sweet dreams. But she paid no care.

"That's not what I mean…" Piccolotto said.

"By the way Fayt, where's that brunette sister?" asked Peppita.

"Oh, you mean Sophia? I think she missed her parents and needs some time alone so I left her," said the blue haired boy.

"Well, you shouldn't do that," Dulcinea stepped into the conversation. "When someone is sad or feels lonely, his or her friend(s) have to comfort the said person. So he or she feels that there is still anyone that loves him or her…" then she turned her head to her daughter. "Just like Peppita back then…" she mumbled.

"Huh?"

"Ah, never mind. Just do what I said, okay?" asked Dulcinea.

Fayt nodded. He got it very well. When he knew he would never see his parents again he felt so lonely. He thought that there would be nobody else would care and love him. But his theory proved to be wrong when Sophia and her parents threw a surprise party for him on his birthday not long after his parents' death announcement.

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Meanwhile, somewhere at the Hyda IV's land surface…

"WHERE THE HELL IS THAT GIRL??" yelled a very frustrated blonde. He is a man in black with blonde hair. I guess I don't need to mention who he is.

/She is at the Grand Tear Hotel according to our information net./ a woman's voice sounded from his communication device that attached with his gauntlet.

"Mirage, I went around this hotel five times already and found nothing but rubbles!! Do humans live in rubbles?" asked the blonde. Mirage never found him so frustrated like this except when she beat him in Klaus III. The rubbles must be very annoying.

/Unless humans are genetically engineered to a moss, I think they don't./

"Then where's our target??"

/What are you doing when you are in a town and attacked by a band of foreign soldiers, Cliff?/ asked Mirage calmly.

"Of course I fight them. What else we Klausian will do?" asked Cliff simply.

Fighting the urge to sweat-dropped, Mirage calmly straightened his misunderstand. /What if you are a weakling?/

"I will…" then it hit him. "GO TO THE EVACUATION FACILITY!!" he shouted in realization.

Mirage sighed. /Glad you are not that dumb…/

"But…"

/What now?/

"How will I get into the facility? I'm more than sure that they set many transport jammers and inactivated all those transporters that on the way to that facility!"

Well, he got a good goddamn point.

/I guess we should wait for the transport ship to bring her back to earth…/ guessed Mirage. And then she added, /if the said ship doesn't attacked by our rival./

"Who knows? We can only pray."

/You are right. Oh—/

Cliff raised his eyebrows. "What's the matter? Our boss calling? Tell her to be patient."

/No. But what we got here is not as good./

"What is it?"

/It seems that the Rezerb planet has 'joined forces' with those Vendeeni…/

Cliff seemed ready to stop forever from shock. "What? It's not like we aren't one of those anti-Pangalactic Federation, but if those mutated sharks cooperated with that fount-of-negative-terrorist planet, the end of the story has began."

/Especially when they got their hands on Sophia Esteed./

"I know, I know! I must hurry, am I?"

/Then what are you waiting for? Go!/

"Roger, ma'am!"

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End: Phase 02

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I'm so sooorrrryyyy!!! I got a writer block syndrome/lack of idea illness and the school final test had been bugging me!! I promised I will update regularly after this! Because after some researching for Star Ocean information, I got a brand new idea!! This chapter really made me stuck. Thanks to my habit that not allow my mind to write the same story line/plot twice. If I do that, my idea will stop bursting. And this is the result: long update. So don't ask me to make this story as similar as the original. But if you want to ask why I make something go this or that way, I'll happily answered as long as that question's answer doesn't contain spoiler of my future plot.

Oh yeah, there will be no 4D space in my story—the creator and game crap is really bugging me. But don't worry! Our beloved enemy boss Luther; along with our best friend Blair are still exist! By the way, I always wonder. Who is the older one of those two Lansfeld? I guess it is Blair but I'm not sure enough.

Answer for review:

IndigoBloodshed I'll let you know in later chapters. Your question's answer contains spoiler of my chapters.

PS: thanks for those who review, and do not stop reviewing!