Disclaimer: I do not own Star Ocean nor the characters, established planets, and races from The Last Hope. I own the OC families of the Schmidts and Delacroixs and original worlds the SO4 crew will encounter.
Warning: This story is in the alternative universe category, in that, for the sake of the story, I've rewritten how SO4 ends.
Trigger Warnings: I tend to have a really, really, REALLY dark streak that can run for miles and miles when the right mood hits. I'll try to be sure to post on the appropriate chapters where things get exceptionally dark, but, for this part, it's a family dealing with grief due to old age and illness. You'll see the main cast in chapter one.
Prologue – Grandma's Story Hour
"Mom, can't we please call Grandma Schmidt?" ten-year-old Stephen inquired. It was bedtime, and he just didn't want to go. Not yet, anyway. Not without at least one more goodnight, one more story from one of his most favorite people in the world . . . or one more "I love you" to her.
Today had been a horrible day for his family. His Grandpa Thor Stephenson had passed away a few days ago, and today had been the memorial service. Uncle Tiffan and Grandpa Ryan had stayed incredibly close to Grandma Schmidt throughout the last few days as had his aunts and mother. It was the first time in the last several weeks – Grandpa Thor had been really sick, though no one told Stephen what had made him sick – they'd been home from the family homestead.
"Stephen," his mother murmured. "I don't know if it's a good idea . . ."
"Please, Mom, please?" Tears were welling up in his eyes. Of all his grandparents, the one he never got to meet was Grandpa Lukas, who had left when his mother and sisters were in their teens, and no one knew where he'd disappeared to. Losing an actual grandparent like he had shocked Stephen to his core. He hadn't thought they could die. "I don't . . . I don't want to go to bed without one more phone call to her . . . Please?"
"Let him call her, Freya," his stepfather said in a gentle voice as he approached them. "It might do your mom some good, too. Gods only know she's been through a lot with your stepdad passing away."
"I know she has been," his mother murmured. "It's why I want her to have a slight break, too. She needs a moment to herself to process. She . . . she doesn't break in front of others. I rarely saw her cry when my Grandpa Schmidt passed away, and I know his death devastated her."
"But she does need an I love you from one of her grandkids," came the reminder. "If nothing else."
Stephen stared pleadingly at his mother. While he did want a story, he wanted more than anything to tell his grandmother he loved her. It was the strongest feeling in the world in his little heart.
"Okay," his mother conceded after a moment. "But if your grandma doesn't want to talk for long, please do not try to draw it out, okay, Stephen?"
"Okay," he said, nodding his head furiously. "I promise."
His mother took his hand, and they walked to the family study. It's where they placed all of their electronic devices for the evening. Calls like the one Stephen wanted to do were done on the family computer. That way they could see each other and laugh a little bit louder, if they were so inclined to do so. His stepdad said something else to his mother – Stephen didn't quite catch what it was – but she nodded, and he went in the opposite direction.
In the family study, his mother went about placing the video call. Stephen stood close by her, still trying his best to not cry, despite the number of times he'd been told it was okay for him to do so. He leaned his head on her shoulder.
"Freya?" his grandmother's face appeared on the screen shortly after the computer started ringing. Concern and worry etched an already lined and careworn face. "What's going on, baby? Is everything all right?"
"Everything's fine, Mom," she said. "It's Stephen's bedtime, and he's refusing to go. He wants to talk to you before he does"
"Well, it has been a nightly tradition since he was born, hasn't it?"
"Indeed, it has been, Mom."
Though tears welled in those brown eyes, his Grandma Schmidt smiled at him. "How are you doing, little one?"
"I'm fine, Grandma," he said. "I just miss you and Grandpa Thor and . . . everyone. I love you."
"I love you, too, sweetling. Is your dad making some hot chocolate for you guys right now?"
"How'd you guess, Mom?"
"Because he always does." More wrinkles appeared around the old woman's eyes – crone, Stephen recalled idly; she's a crone – as she smiled even wider and bigger. The ache in Stephen's heart eased a little despite his grief. "That's how I guessed. . ." She paused and tilted her head a little. "You know, little one, it's okay to cry. Grandma's been doing a lot of crying herself, too. You know what's going to help me feel better?"
"What's that?" Stephen asked. His stepdad entered the room with three mugs and a plate of cookies at that moment.
"To tell you one of the stories your Grandpa Thor loved!" she exclaimed. "Did you know he helped your grandma with some of her Maepyria stories?"
"No." Stephen's eyes were wide. "I didn't know."
"Oh yes," his grandma confirmed, nodding her head. "He was the inspiration for one of the knights who swore to protect the twin prince and princess from those who would try to harm them, even the prince of ice. Do you have your hot chocolate now?"
"And some of your homemade cookies, Victorea," his stepdad said. They moved the laptop around so they were now curled up on the couch in front of the fireplace. "We're ready for your story whenever you want to start telling it."
"Then I'll tell you about the Knight of, well, Night," she said, laughing at what had to be an unintended pun.
"Mom, that's horrible."
"I've always said I could tell the worst dad jokes with the best of them," the old woman cackled.
"Tell your story, Mom." His mother was losing the fight to not laugh.
"I shall, my sweet. So, the story of our heroic knight begins in a small village named Tulupa . . ."
Author's Notes: I kind of broke the one rule I had going for all of 2019 and 2020, which was no new projects. Last year saw me breaking that rule with a small number, including this lovely little story right here. Part of the reason for why I broke the rule with this story is, well, since I've kind of commandeered Commander Kenny's background, I thought I'd start connecting the dots with some of my original creations with my love of fandom, specifically the Star Ocean fandom. If you've ever read The Power of Fayt (incomplete, older story), you'll be a bit familiar with Maepyria. However, because it is way older and I've expanded on the Ryan/Victorea angle for my original stories, The Power of Fayt is a completely separate and outside story. I love playing in Maepyria with my own characters and in fanfiction. If you'd like to know where you can read more about Maepyria outside of the Star Ocean Universe I've established, please send me a DM!
The Power of Fayt is currently on hiatus. It isn't in my rotation for completion, but it will be soon. If you're following Destinies Intertwined by Fate, I have the next chapter or two ready to go. I'm just debating on when I'll be updating it again. Halloween and Christmas stories will hopefully be updated in October and December respectively.
That's it for now! Happy reading!
