Author comments: This is a fanfic; I do not own any rights to the Star Ocean Officials or anything of that nature. Nor do I own any of the characters. I'm just crazed Albel fans who decided to ruin his reputation by creating a Fanfic about him and Nel.
Hahahahahaha! So Enjoy. Please be nice with it it's new to me. Play nicely with your comments, I'm trying my hardest to try and make it literal.

It had been two years since Nel had joined with Cliff and Fayt on their adventure to which in turn saved the universe from utter chaos. In those short days she learned about her fellow party members. Such as Fayt a good kid at heart but a little stubborn. She had noticed that he had taken a liking to the other female from Earth Sophia. Sophia was quiet she never spoke, and if she did it was too Fayt. Nel tried talking to the girl but she was always dreaming and having her head in the clouds. Along with the two earthlings Nel also met Cliff Fitter who was a strong warrior, but no brain power, his accomplice Maria on the other hand seemed to know a great deal of information. She also met a circus run away and a kid who was out to prove he was as strong as a man even though he was half a man's size. But the one person who stuck out in her mind threw the whole entire journey, the one person who annoyed her to now end,…Albel Nox. He was once the captain of the Black Brigade before he had entered into Fayt and Cliff's affaires but after they had defeated Luther together it was like he just vanished out of existence. Of course there were rumors that he had been training him self to death. For the first few weeks after her and Albel had returned she was so bent on finding him to ask him something, what that was she had no idea but she figured when she found him it would all be come clear to her.

Nel laughed that was then, she could careless to what happed to him now. The top thing in the news was the engagement between her majesty and the King of Aryglph everyone was talking about it except for Nel. Nel was just happy to see a smile a crossed her majesty's lips, one that she hadn't seen in a long time. She ((Nel)) remained loyal to her queen and she was often sent as a messenger back and forth between the two countries. Every time that Nel was sent out she had hoped to see the skinny black haired warrior with a claw like arm calling behind her "MAGGOT". She laughed again shaking her head to rid her self of the memories for that's all they were was memories. Sighing loudly she got up from her desk, which was cluttered with papers and written reports. A soft knock woke Nel from her thoughts.

"Yes who is it?" Nel called to the unknown individual who had knocked on her door.

"It's me Elennea. I was told to escort you to the audience hall."

"Another mission?" Nel sighed getting up and opening the door for Elennea.

"Yes, but it's a little more intense then the ones you have been assigned to."

"Oh,……Is her Majesty-" Nel replied worriedly

"She's fine,… it has to do with your out world friend Fayt. His blond haired companion stopped by." Elennea replied bowing gracefully

"Cliff,…hm I see. Very well" Nel nodded her head

She fallowed Elennea as the walked past the many guest rooms and up the flight of stairs. Aquaria was known for it s glorious halls and marble stairs but right now Nel wished she had one of those 'teleporters' that Fayt and the others had used. Then she remembered Mirage telling her how it exactly worked by turning you into a billion specs of energy then sending you ((well the billion specs of you)) from one point to another. Nel shuddered at the thought of not coming back in one piece or not even coming back at all. Shaking her head Nel tried clearing her mind before entering the audience chamber it wasn't proper to have ones head else where when the queen was talking.

"Hey" came a familiar manly tone.

"Cliff, good to see your…well." Nel found her self saying.

"As good as it can get with those Federation freaks on my a-." Cliff started but ended with his infamous "Scar-ee." When Nel shot him a glare for cursing in the presences of her Majesty

"So what has Fayt got himself into this time!" Nel's tone was half serious and half as a joke.

Cliff was taken back when Nel had immediately asked about Fayt, when he hadn't told her anything about his ordeal with Greenton. It had seemed that one of the teleporters on the Diplo hadn't been working and Maria had told Fayt to look into it. He did so and ended up finding that the teleporter could teleport you to one area but you couldn't teleport back. The link was to that of a small town on Elicoor II, the town was near Greenton and was a small trading center.

"Lady Elena briefed me on the situation before we came down. But I am willing to her any additional information that is present at this time. Nel replied bowing as the King and Queen of the new Empire sat before them. The queen to the seat to the right of the King and the King wore a slight smile which soon dissipated as he wished to hear the news.

"Yet again Nel you cleaver intellect surprises even me. We have received information that Greenton has captured Fayt and one of those teleport devices that you out worlds cherish." The King replied in his mono tone.

"What are there demands?" Nel replied as if almost on cue.

"Well that's the oddest thing they haven't made any as of yet. But they seem to be making secret plans to use Fayt and the teleports to make a stand against us. War might be closer then we think. Even with our nations combined both sides have suffered greatly due to the celestial ship's attack. We would not be able to win against an army of walking robotic men. There was once a great war that was fought between both our sides, neither one giving in. Till at last Greenton gave in due to the starvation of our blockades and went to live in solitude. We haven't heard a word from them until now." The King replied obviously rambling.

"I'm guessing you want us to go into Greenton, kick some a-, I mean save the kid and gather any additional information" Cliff replied finally voicing his opinion. While avoiding glares from Nel.

"Precisely" the Queen replied in her normal calm voice.

"But I wish to send a warrior from Airyglph, one of the finest. Romeria and I have discussed this." The king replied.

Nel immediately knew who which warrior he was talking about but she silently prayed to Apris that she was wrong. But upon hearing the sound of clomping boots hitting the marble floors causing it to echo off the stone halls of the audience chamber told her she was right. She stood up from her knelt position and glared at the man she most despised, Albel Nox.

He stood tall, but sort of ridged. He was very slender almost unhealthily he hadn't been eating again Nel figured. His blackish hair tipped with blond hung in front of his face covering his blood red eyes which sent a cold glare to meet Nel's. Albel wore his usually clothes a 'skirt' type of bottoms and a small shirt, if you could call it that. His let arm had been replaced, after he had lost it, by a claw like gauntlet which he now flexed out of sheer boredom. She could tell he would rather be doing other things them to go on a wild goose chase. Nel had deep down really been glad to see him again even if he could have cared less. It had been an odd two years as she hadn't seen or heard anything from the Captain of the Black brigade. She had meant to go to Pentry but she figured he could have cared less. He must have seen her gawking at him because he shifted in his strong stance and glared at her.

"Do you have a problem wench?" He replied in a low growl.

"As a matter a fact..." Nel started but was interrupted by the clearing of the Kings throat. Nel bowed her head slightly and turned back to the King and Queen.

"Albel will be accompanying you so that we know the job will get done." The king replied curtly.

"Hey these maggots will only slow me down." Albel sneered glaring over his shoulder.

"Watch your tongue Nox!" Nel hissed threw her gritted teeth.

"My my my quite the temper Zelpher, you sure haven't changed." Albel replied with a small devilish grin on his cold face.

"Neither have you Nox!" She replied glaring at him as he came beside her.

Nel immediately tensed up as she felt him brush up against her. He didn't notice this but she soon felt her face get flustered. Why did she feel this way when he was around her? She looked to Cliff for some help only to receive eyes of confusion.

"Nel are you alright? … You look a little bit red." The queen replied getting worried

"I'm fine your majesty. We shall not fail you."

"I don't know the word." Albel growled. "Are we done I'm growing bored!" Albel sneered

"Yes you're excused." The king excused them with the wave of his hand.

"May the grace of Apris be with you all." The Queen replied in her calm and unwavering voice.

Nel bowed as well as Cliff. But when Nel stood up she realized that Albel was gone. She left the audience chamber and noticed Albel's skinny figure a few feet away. Fallowing behind him she kept her distance making sure that she had a few feet in between the both of them.

"The king can't seriously want him to come with us? Does he?" Cliff whispered

"Yes he does Cliff; unfortunately he's coming with us!" Nel sighed.

"Hey spiky wana slow it down a bit!" Cliff called to the ex Captain of the Black Brigade.

Albel stopped in mid step and turned on his heels facing Cliff. He quickly strode over to where the two stood and glared at Cliff who returned his stares.

"What did you just call me maggot!" He growled

"I called you spiky, got a problem with that?" Cliff replied as they both looked as if they were going to draw weapons there and then.

"Oh for Apris sake will the both of you just calm down!" Nel replied getting annoyed by this.

"Calm down…Calm down! I am calm it's this fool that happens to think he can spill out filth words unto me." Albel replied as he turned away from Cliff

"Let's just find Clair and be done with this!" Nel replied leaving the two to argue amongst them self's bickering like two year olds.

The sun felt good as they left the Castle and stood out side. It warmed Nel's face as she looked up to the sky. The day was cloudless and the sun beat down upon them, not in a scorching way but more of a calm and gentle feel. While in the background the waters surrounding the majestic city seemed to lick at the grounds to which the city was on. Aquaria was know for its majestic surroundings and large waterfalls, the feel and the surroundings were something anyone could lose them self's in if they took the time to actually take in its surroundings. Nel loved the beautiful city; it was where she grew up. She had almost gotten lost in the moment until she felt a bony body collide with hers and quickly stiffen upon contact.

"Move maggot!" Albel growled in annoyance.

Nel's body shuffled aside and glared at Albel's back as he was already a few paces ahead of them. Shaking her head she fallowed suit and soon found Clair leaning on the gates that lead outside of the city.

"I assume this is our transportation" Albel rolled his eyes.

"Nel, I'm so glad to see you." Clair replied as she ran at Nel and embraced her.

"Remember why we're here" Albel sneered at Nel's display of affection.

Clair Lasbard was an only child and she had been Nel's closest friend as far back as their childhood. Her father had always pitted her against Nel in everything. But Nel eventually won. Seeing Clair cry and punch walls in defeat Nel often times let Clair win to improve her self esteem. Nel had traveled with her father Audray Lasbard; when she went with Cliff and Fayt on there adventure.

"I suggest that if you want a ride you should hold your tongue Lord Nox. Another comment like that may have you walking." Clair replied curtly.

"How dare you Aquarian wench even dare speak up again-." Albel stared but was cut off by Cliff.

"Why don't we just leave him under a rock where he crawled out of !" Cliff replied as he was already helping load the wagon with Taynave and Farlene's help.

"Silence worms!" He shouted getting angry.

"Albel getting angry won't solve anything. Now are you ready to be a bit more civilized so we may proceed."

"Bah. What makes you so sure I want to be civilized?" He sneered throwing Nel a sardonic grin before entering the wagon.

Nel sighed and shook her head. She made sure they had all the provisions they would need for there trip when everything was accountable for she entered the wagon and gave Tynave the signal to go. She then took the only available seat next to Albel who had already glared at Cliff who was talking eagerly with Farleen about males in greenton.

"Most of the older ones are let's just say they have there days. But it's the young males who make greenton what it is today."

"The last time I was in greenton I don't recall seeing young males" Albel growled from the corner and brushed away his locks of hair that hung over his blood red eyes.

"I have the map here….be careful it might get a bit bumpy and expect some fiends." Clair replied in her "Miss Commando" voice, as Cliff would call it.

"Good I'm growing bored." Albel replied glaring at Clair.

"Will take you as far as Aria, from there head to Pentry, and there on to Kirsal, threw Airyglyph, then towards greenton." Clair replied lightly tracing the set path with her one of her daggers.

"Bah, what a waste of time. We will take Pentry threw Irsal Fields, to Ursal Caverns which if fallowed correctly will slip us into Greenton territory!" Albel replied as he pointed his set path on the map.

"No we will fallow my plan, It's too far for the horses to travel an-," Clair started.

"Who said anything about horses wench, we'll pick up dragons in Pentry." Albel argued.

"Out of the question, you don't think we haven't tried that. They expect a brigade of dragons; they have great fear for Vox." Clair replied as she was thoroughly getting annoyed

"Well I don't know if you haven't already noticed but Vox is dead, serves that fool right. He became food for the maggots."

"The Greentonites don't know that! Besides most of our dragons returned rider less" Clair argued.

"A few more minuets to Aria" Tynave reported to try and ease the tension.

"Very well Tynave, Nel I'll entrust the map with you, and when we reach Aria I will provide you all with the necessary items you will need." She reported turning to face Nel who had been quiet silent the whole trip.

"Clair, we have trouble big trouble!" Tynave called in a shaky voice.

"What is it Tynave?" Nel replied speaking up as she looked at the shaky female.

"Fiends"

"Good I was growing bored" Muttered Albel.

"Quickly get back inside the wagon. I'll handle them, Clair take Cliff and Albel to-," Nel started to say while making her way out the wagon when a claw arm grabbed her shoulder digging into her shoulder a little not enough to hurt her just enough to make his point well seen.

"Oh no Zelpher you're not leaving me here with these maggots."

"And I'm not going to leave you alone with him" Cliff replied pointing over his shoulder at Albel.

Fiends indeed they looked to be normal fiends but Nel sensed something else was wrong.

"Bah waste of my time." Albel cursed under his breath as he charged into the swarm of fiends mostly comprised of a swarm of birds, and two large scorpions.

Nel took off as well as Cliff, jumping lightly into the air Nel sliced two birds in half and turned just in time to see Albel take down on of the larger beasts.

"Watch where you're going Maggot!" came Albel's response.

"Hey heads up!" Cliff warned after he had just destroyed two of the birds.

Nel immediately jumped to the side while Albel on the other hand sheathed his Katana and jumped into the air slicing the fiend in half with his claw like appendage.

"It's not the great who are strong, but the strong who are great." Albel replied to him self as if to taunt Nel for her coward like actions to flee.

"You know what Spiky, I am really getting si-," Cliff started.

"Guys, … we got company." Nel interrupted Cliff to draw there attention to the new figure that stood before them.

His cloak covered most of the figures face and body, but Nel could tell by the broad shoulders the figure was a male. He seemed to be quiet unaware of what had just happened with the party's resent victory over the fiends and of the current surroundings. Nel soon took notice of a black mist swirling around his feet. This guy was bad news.

End of Chapter One

Previews

Nel is confused by what our mysterious friend says to her. Albel get wounded, so the journey to Greenton is put on hold. Cliff tries desperately to contact the Diplo. A familiar Face reappears.