Disclaimer: I don't own starocean

Hmmm... this is interesting.

Karin: 21

wha-? hey! grrr...

Karin: come on, pay up.

here.

Karin: wohoo! keys to the new car! I'm on the next fic!

As though nothing had happened, two reunited family members talked. Never speaking to one another before, yet already, a bond was formed. Mother to daughter. Was this the true strength of a family? No matter what may happen, would they always be together? The pain, the suffering, the years of waiting. Was all of it truely gone? Was all of the years of searching, finally coming to fruitation?

"I never really thought that it would really come true. My whole dream of finding my family."

"It did come true didn't it? So Maria, tell me what it was like being the leader of Quark. Quite an achievement, i might say, though i don't think your father would approve of it, if he was still alive. He strongly believed in the words of the Federation. Quite a patriotic one, he is."

Ryoko smiled. The two held hands closely, talking about whatever they had left off, not knowing each other for years and trying to keep up.

"It was tiring. I really never would have thought that being the leader of a group would be so tough. Some people just make it seem so easy."

Maria seemed to be going off, ranting on. Ryoko just sat there and listened, encouraging her long lost daughter to continue. A true mother to daughter moment. What more can a girl ask for?

"Well, you did quite well, from what i heard. You managed to keep the team together and you survived. That is an achievement that you should be proud of."

"I'm not really sure i can be proud of it, if dad was patriotic to the old Federation."

"Oh, don't bother with him. He had always been a stubborn man. He never knew when to quit."

"Almost like Fayt."

"Yes, like Fayt. In fact, did you know that Fayt refused to tell me whether or not he wet the bed when he was young?"

"He did?"

Maria could almost laugh.

"Yes. If i remember correctly, it was till he was seven. But he never did tell me whether he did or not. It was up to the maid to find out."

"Maids? We have maids?"

"Yes. With all of that work, you didn't think that we would have time to make sure they do their work, would you? Of course, Sophia was always there to make sure Fayt didn't run off or anything. I heard that's where he learnt some cooking skills from."

"I had a taste of Fayt's cooking. Ramen, i think it's called. It's quite good."

"Both of you take after your father then. I don't really enjoy the taste that much, but it seems that all of you like to eat eastern foods."

"Eastern? As in..."

"Oh silly me. Back on Earth, we have the East and the West. It's like an invisible barrier that made distinct differences between the people there. I am what you may call an Eastern women. Japanese origin. We eastern people have a different colour skin from the western people. Western people have fair skin, like yours. It's most likely from your father. He was a western person, though i think he had an eastern ancestor. Anyway, he liked eastern tradition and the food, and he migrated to Japan, where we met."

"How did you meet?"

Maria asked, eager to know more.

"It was like a fairy tale. An odd one, if you might add. I was out shopping for grocceries when i bumped into him. It appears that he was busy going on a food run. He ran from one restraunt to another. It was crazy at that time, but i decided to join in. He had placed a bet with me. If i lost, i would have to treat him another round. If he lost, then he would stop going on mad rounds and help me with my grocceries."

"And you won?"

"Of course! I'm native to those kind of food. It was a simple task for me to completely outeat him. Robert was such a fool. After that, we started to date each other and we went to the same University. In our third year, he proposed to me."

"Wow, it's really like a fairy tale."

"Yes... it was a dream come true."

Ryoko sighed, smiling as she thought of the good old times.

"Too bad he did not change his habits. He presented the ring in a sushi. It looked pretty gross, but it's the thought that counts."

"A sushi?"

"It's like a rice roll. Rice with some other ingredients wrapped in seaweed. You should try it sometime. Anyway, what he gave me as a wedding gift really got me wondering whether i married the right man. He was a sort of joker, but his jokes can be perverted and can go quite far. It first started with some small lingerie, but it later became a trip to a high class hotel. I knew what he was thinking and unluckily for him, i had my period then. You can say he has pretty bad timing."

Ryoko laughed.

"My... i didn't know dad was that perverted. I wonder about Fayt."

"Oh, don't worry, dear, Fayt never was that type. He was always the one trying to get Robert out of his habits and mess. Too bad Fayt took the blame just because he was one the scene."

"Hmm.. Speaking of Fayt, i need to talk to him. I don't think he can take this lightly."

Maria suddenly remembered Fayt. How could she forget?

"No... he won't. He most likely won't forgive me. In fact, i think he hates me more than your dad now."

Ryoko sighed.

"Don't say that. I'm sure Fayt still loves you... He just... needs time, that's all."

"I know. I believe you, Maria, i do. I just don't know how to apologize to him and you."

"There's no need to apologize to anyone. You did it in our best interest at heart. You tried your best. I'll go talk to Fayt myself."

"Thank you, Maria. Jessie raised you to be a beautiful and caring girl. That much i am grateful to Jessie for."

Maria nodded.

"Oh, and mom. Is it really okay for me and Fayt to..."

"Of course, Maria. I've said that i would support your relationship. It doesn't matter that you are blood related. If you two feel deeply in your hearts that you two were meant for each other, then why not? There isn't a law against it, from the last time i checked. It did not come as a surprise to me as to how it ended like this."

"It didn't?"

"No, not at all. I knew, from the bottom of my heart that you two would have a special relationship. I knew that your bond would grow much more than being twins. That, and the fact that you two have been seperated from birth, which would makes sense if you were to meet as total strangers. I have no qualms about this. Go for it, if you wish it to be."

Ryoko smiled.

"Thank you, mom."

Maria embraced Ryoko once more and left the room in search for Fayt. Her twin, her brother, her friend, her first love and her heart's true identity.

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The sun shone brightly down upon the ground, the clouds were spread out wide and thin, so much that you could not see much of them. The song birds chirped and flew about. It was these kinds of weather that Fayt had learned to dispise the most. Under this same sky, did many die. He found pain and suffering under this same sky.

It was also with this same weather did he lose his parents on Hyda. That was when it all started to go disarray. With this same weather, he had seen death, lost friends, learn of his own self and what he truely was. Yes, under this sky he learned that he was nothing more than a weapon for war. Sometimes he wondered, did his parents really love him? Love their own children?

His own mother seperated him and Maria from young. His parents implanted their research into them and made them weapons. Why? Did the outcome outweigh the price? Was defeating the creator worth the suffering? Was being free worth the pain? The pain of knowledge, the suffering of freedom. What was it all worth?

"Pointless."

Fayt muttered, kicking a stone into the lake. His hand reached into his pocket and felt the small box in it. Was it the right thing to do? What was the right thing, in the first place? Was anything about him right?

Was making him a super weapon the right choice for his parents? What right did they have? Even as his parents, to make choices as large as those without his consent. What right did they have sending Maria off.

They had no right, they held no right over their lives. Sure, they had some responsibility over them, but such a huge decision should be made by Fayt and Maria themselves.

"But i did act like a jerk back there."

Fayt said, contradicting whatever he was thinking about.

"You're not a jerk, just voicing what you thought was right."

A voice spoke from behind him. Turning around, he saw Maria smiling at him.

"Maria, i-"

"You don't need to say anything. I know that it was hard on you and hard on me, but you must not forget that it was hard on mom too."

"I know, but-... wait, did you just call her mom?"

"Sure, she is my mother too, why not?"

Maria asked.

"B-but, don't you hate her for what she did? She shouldn't have done what she did! She had no-"

"But if she didn't, would we be like this right now?"

Maria wrapped her arms around his, holding him close. Fayt was speechless. Why didn't she hate their mother for what she did? Why not hate their parents for the lies and deceit that they caused? Why? Why did she accept them so quickly?

"Why, why Maria?"

"Huh? Why what?"

"Why do you accept it easily? Why? I don't understand!"

"Don't be silly, Fayt. You, out of everyone i know, should know why. The yearning for a family. I did not care on the specifics. I knew that whoever was my real parent, gave me up for a reason. After i hear the reason, i knew, that it was the right choice. I love my moms, both Ryoko and Jessie. I love them both, and i love you too."

"As a brother?"

"Yes, and more. Come on, didn't we promise to be together? No matter what happens? That nothing can break us apart?"

"...True."

Fayt hung his head low. Was he such a fool?

"Then let's go."

Maria said, pulling his arm.

"Huh? Where to?"

"Where to? To go see mom, that's where. And on the way, you can buy a nice wedding ring for me."

She smiled happily. At that moment, Fayt thought it could really work. He believed in Maria, thinking that it could all work out fine. Within himself, he really wanted it to.

"Alright, but i'm not going to forgive her."

"That's fine, but you still have to see her, and talk to her again."

"Fine."

AN: ok ok... i know that this fic is already quite messed up, i admit it. Because no planning was made, i can't really do much changes. I know that Maria should be old enough when she got seperated from Jessie to know about Earth, but let's JUST SAY... when i was young, i thought Korea was part of Japan, see? So i'm just taking into account that children do not remember stuff too well. Yes, Fayt is in denial, who can blame him?