Disclaimer: I don't own starocean
Karin: Yuck, the hell i'm doing that again.
Kiran: what did he taste like?
Karin: ... like your mother.
Kiran: WHAT! That Fing SOB! I'LL KILL HIM!
Can't take a joke, i see...
Karin: yeah...
The new giant flag ship, the 'Eternal Vengence', or E.V for short, shook more violently than before. Fayt hurried out of the viewing lounge to the next console. Kanai's face appeared, stressed and quite shakened.
"Kanai, what is happening?"
"We're under attack, sir. Point of origin, unknown."
"Damage report."
"We've lost two engines, port side. All weapons on the port side have been damaged. Fires from section F7 to K4."
"Take care of it. I have to do something important right."
"But admiral! This is an emergency!"
Fayt knew he had already decided. There was no way he was going to let Maria go. She had to understand what happened. The question that Maria asked. Karin told Fayt what it was, and Fayt must admit, he was pretty surprised at what Maria meant.
Fayt had to choose, between the lives of his crew, or the eternal relationship with Maria. Which would he choose. It was obvious, that the latter was more important to Fayt. There was no denying it. But if he didn't do anything about the ship as well, then he would be placing everyone's lives at jepordy.
"Kanai, please, take care of this problem. Aim all weapons to the starboard side and fire two rounds, it matters not whether there is something there or not. After that, aim to the port side and fire all remaining weapons. Now can you take care of this?"
"But admir-"
"Can, or can you not take care of this?"
Fayt looked at Kanai with a stern look. Kanai looked like she wanted to speak, but caught back her words.
"Yes sir."
"Good. I'll be up as soon as i'm done."
Fayt turned off the console and took out his small communicator. It located Maria, somewhere near section G9. That area was dangerous as it was close to the fires.
"Dammit, Maria."
Fayt ran off to find Maria, not caring of anything else anymore.
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Running onwards, heart racing, not looking back, not facing forward. Tears rolling down her cheeks. Heart broken. Mind torn. Shattered soul. Body in pain. There was no place to go, no aim, not thinking. The world seemed to shriek away from her. Everything looked so meaningless. She ran into a room. Any room. Anything would do. Nothing matters. Locking the room, she ran to a corner.
She cried. Releasing her pain into the room. But nothing would help. No one would care. Screaming, shouting, banging her fist against the wall. No one would listen. No one would care. Was this how it was to end? What was all of this worth? What did he mean to her? Why? Was this pain too much to bear? When he was so close to her, within her grasps, to be taken away by another? Were they not meant to be?
"Why... why Fayt? Why..."
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Braving the flames of the inferno, Fayt fought forward. Did Maria know of the fire? He prayed for her safety. Why doesn't she understand what happened? Was she too shocked to even think of what she saw?
"Dammit!"
Fayt ran into the next section, slamming on the door console, letting the door seal itself shut. At least this section was safe. Breaking into a run, Fayt hurried off to find Maria. There were definately certain issues to be dealt with. He stopped at a cross section and checked his communicator. She was close. Supply room five. Turning right, he ran towards the direction where Maria was at.
Why was he always running after her? Why was it that he had to be the one to find her, to comfort her? Sure, he did not mind, after all he did love her, but he could never understand why she had to be the one who needs to be comforted the most. Fayt knew of her past, but he too knew that she was a strong girl. Her will, her character, her personality.
He knew that she did not like to be treated special, or to be neglacted either. She was a normal girl with a strong mind and heart. What changed? Where did it all go wrong? What happened to the girl who would not stand by and watch her universe disappear? What happened to the girl who could command men and women under her banner?
What happened to the girl that Fayt fell in love with? What did happen?
"Maria... would you... would you tell me the answer? Or... would you leave me, forever?"
Fayt could not bear that thought. He would make it work, or at least try. No, he will make it work. There was no other way. Fayt stopped right outside the door to the supply room. He tried the door console, but it would not budge. Maria had locked it from the inside.
"Dammit. Maria! I know you're in there! Answer me!"
Fayt banged his fist onto the door, trying to get it to open.
"Maria! Answer me! Maria!"
Fayt was shouting at the top of his lungs. He did not care about anything anymore, but her. He needed to get to her.
"Maria! Listen, i know you're in there, so just hear me out!"
Fayt slammed his fist against the door. He wanted it to open. He wanted it to show the face of her once more.
"'Fayt... why?'"
A voice came from within.
"Maria! Open this door! At least hea-"
"'Why, Fayt? Do you enjoy seeing me suffer? Do you like to see me cry in pain?'"
"Maria, what are you talking about? I course i wouldn't want to! I would never do-"
"'Such a thing? Then what was it that i saw? Did you just decided that i was not good enough for you? Is that it?'"
"No! I wouldn't want to trade you for anything else."
"'Then why! Why, Fayt? Why!'"
"Open this door and i will tell you, come on, Maria."
"'And what, let you see me suffer?'"
"Maria! Stop being unreasonable!"
"'Unreasonable? Ha! I wonder who is unreasonable-"
"Stop this! This isn't the Maria i know. This isn't the Maria i saw... and this isn't the Maria i fell in love with."
Fayt hung his head low. It was true. Who was being unreasonable. Was he asking too much?
"'Then who do you think you are talking to now?'"
"I am talking to Maria Traydor, no one else."
"'... Fayt, what am i to you?'"
"What are you to me? What sort of question is that?"
"'The same one that i would ask over and over again.'"
"Well, then i would have to answer that, won't i?"
"'Yes.'"
Fayt sighed. He was ready. He was determined to get her back.
"Maria.. to me, you are the air that i breathe, the water that flows through around me. You are the essence that i live for. You are my life, and i want to hold onto you forever. I would not want to trade you for anything else, why can't you understand that?"
"'Because... women can be... complicated.'"
Maria answered, rather silently.
"And Maria... you... you are the person i would want to marry."
Fayt held his breath. He did want to marry her, that was certain. He wanted to spend of his days with her. Till the end of time. Silence issued after him. Neither spoke another word. Then, the door slid open. Maria stood there, her head hung low, covering her face with her hair. Fayt wanted to wrap his arms around her at that moment, but managed to reframe himself.
"Fayt... are... are you certain? Are you sure that you want to spend the rest of your life with me?"
"Are you stupid? I already told you. There is no where else i'd rather be, than by your side."
Maria gave a slight laugh, but it sounded drowned in her throat. Looking up, Fayt saw tears rolling down her cheeks, just as before, but this time, with a smile on her face.
"But i warn you, i can be quite demanding."
"I wouldn't have it anyway else."
Fayt wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and tight.
"Don't you ever do something this stupid again. What you saw was an accident. I thought you knew better than this."
"I didn't know what came over me. I guess i was being selfish."
"Well, that doesn't matter now."
Fayt smiled and they kissed deeply, much deeper than before. A promise worth a lifetime made. The pact was sealed. Their lives would be entwined together within the hand of fate.
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They ran. As fast as their legs could carry them. Hand in hand. The flames getting closer with each passing step they take. It seemed impossible to outrun the fire. They turned at a corner, shutting the door behind them. They were still in the middle of the fire area. Was there no way out? Panting, out of breath, yet unwilling to give up, the two continued to run.
"Why didn't you notice the fires?"
"I didn't see them!"
The two ran on, pass section F, where the fires had started. Strangely, it did not seem like the the fire was stronger at its origin point. Still, there were flames that burned dangerouly at them. They were trapped. Fayt sealed the door, but that meant that they would be trapping themselves in a box. But another worry was more pressing to Fayt.
"The doors. I don't think they can withstand the heat."
He pointed to the doors and true enough, the surface seemed to be melting away.
"I think i can do something."
Maria said. She let go of Fayt's hand and walked up to the door. Facing her palm towards it, she took in a deep breath and focused. Blood racing, heart pulsing. The symbols formed and encircled her outstretched arm. Maria forced more energy into the symbol. She grew up with this symbol. She knows it better than anyone else. It was as if it had a life on its own, like an animal and she was its master. No, she was more like its friend.
"Please... Lend me the power."
She breathed and the symbols flared in response. The door glowed light blue. The glow started to brighten and just as it was about blinding point, the light disappeared. Fayt inspected the door carefully, and it looked like it had stopped melting. Maria turned around and did the same for the other door. For now, they were safe from the flames, but they could die from suffocation.
"What now?"
Maria asked.
"Hold on. I'm checking."
Fayt took out his communicator and searched for any possible connections out of the section they were in.
"Got one. It's risky though."
"Well, it's better than staying in here."
"Yeah, i guess. We have to go through the air ventilation ducts to the next section. After that, we must go through the waste shoots to the garbage facility. From there, we can locate an exit to the bottom deck hallways."
"Garbage? Is that dangerous?"
Maria raised an eyebrow.
"Not really, just the way there."
Fayt's face turned slightly red, though Maria would most likely not find out until much later.
"We'll have to give it a shot."
Maria said, looking for an air ventilation shaft.
"Yeah... I just hope i don't get killed."
Fayt replied quietly.
"What was that?"
"Nothing! Look, it's over there!"
Fayt pointed to the ducts that sat above a bench.
"How convenient."
Maria sighed.
"Okay, let's go."
AN: That was settled pretty fast, wasn't it? But this was not the twist i was talking about. Really, if you think you know the twist, keep it to yourself.