A Love on the Sidelines - THE LAST CHAPTER
By: 4quintessence
Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.
Pairing: CliffxFayt
Rating: PG-13
Summary: This is it folks (cries). All good things must come to an end. The antidote has been destroyed, Fayt and Cliff are still in the afterlife awaiting Elicooria's decision. Maria, Haru, and company finally have the chance to deal with Arzem and well...they're not alone in their desire to finish him off. Finally, a old incident involving Fayt resurfaces with humourous consequences...
Shout Outs - Zel: Wow, I can't believe it. I think it's just hitting me that my story is actually over. It has been so fun writing it and coming up with the plot and hearing the feedback from my readers. I feel like I put a little bit of myself into this work. Anyways, you mentioned the afterlife reminded you of the Farplane in FFX. Now that I think of it, it is familiar but i actually wasn't thinking of that when i wrote it. LOL i thought you'd like my subliminal messages about humans. haha. wow im so surprised! my story has been compared to lord of the rings and Spectral suggested it should be an anime! Now that i can sit back and read my chapters over again without being analytical and looking for mistakes i can really enjoy it and sometimes i can't believe i wrote that! I had a dream about the scene from Mind Forest of Cliff and Fayt at the lake...or maybe that was a daydream? haha. i really enjoyed your prologue. But thanks so much for continously reviewing cuz without that i dont think i would have been able to keep going :D Spectral: Thanks so much for reviewing my first chapter! It was the spark that got me going.
Chapter 20:
Engulfed in a haze of emotions, Fayt dashed towards Cliff through the swirling cherry blossoms that brushed past his face. This time, I'll never let go. You'll never leave me again, be stolen away from my precious grasp. I'll hold onto you forever. The bluenette was so overjoyed that he didn't watch where he was placing his feet and just before reaching his boyfriend, his foot got caught in a little dip in the ground and he tripped and went ungracefully flying through the air. Strong, muscular arms caught him before he could fall — he had flown right into Cliff.
"Whoa there cowboy, you almost took me out!"
For a second, Fayt just held onto Cliff's waist before slumping to the ground and rolling onto his back. He was so tired. It had just hit him. The days of no sleep mixed with the euphoria of being reacquainted with Cliff had made his legs weak and so he just lay sprawled on the ground, looking up at the blond with helpless but loving eyes.
"I almost killed myself again," he joked, his voice barely audible.
The blond laughed before reaching down to hoist Fayt to his feet. As soon as he was up he latched onto Cliff and wouldn't let go. "I can't believe it, is it really you? I came to get you, don't ever leave me again, I'm so sorry…"
The Klausian interrupted his sweetie's teary-eyed chatter by pressing a finger to his lips. "Shhh, it's okay Fayt, ya don't need to say another word. I know it all already," he said as he pressed his other hand against his heart, "It's all 'ere and it has been since that day ya said ya loved me in Peterny."
The dream isn't over yet
Though I often say I can't forget
I still relive that day
You've been there with me all the way
I still hear you say
"Wait for me I'll write you letters"
I could see how you stared with your eyes to the floor
But still I swore
To hide the pain when I turn back the pages
Anger might have been the answer
What if I'd hung my head and said that I couldn't wait
But now I'm strong enough to know it's not too late
- A Song by Jade, '1000 Words'
"By the way, thanks for the love letter," Cliff whispered into Fayt's ear. The latter looked up from the rock he was mindlessly staring at and smiled as the blond gave him a kiss on the head. "Ya came for me, that's all that matters."
Elicooria cleared her throat behind them and they both turned to face her as their collective anticipation shot through the roof over what she was going to say.
"I've made up my mind," she announced, the lifestream still twirling around her finger. "You can take Cliff back with you. He doesn't belong here anyways, there is another planet where he belongs."
"YEAH!" they both screamed, giving each other high-fives and hugging once again.
"You are an amazing person, Fayt," Elicooria continued, "really our only hope for the future. Giving you back the one you love is the least I can do. With him by your side, I can see you both fulfilling this prophecy like your ancestors never did."
Suddenly she broke her gaze at the couple and jerked her head upwards. "...Hmmm. Looks like your friends have had a little accident," she said softly as Cliff and Fayt painted their faces with worry. "Oh no no, it's nothing I can't fix. They seem to have, ahem, 'lost' the antidote to your poison."
Turning to Cliff, the bluenette quickly explained how he had gotten to the afterlife in the first place. The blond's eyes kept getting bigger and bigger as the tale went on and after hearing what his boyfriend had gone through, his affection points for Fayt soared even higher, if that was at all possible. "Oh snap! How're we gonna get outta here without the antidote?!" he cried.
"...Remember that all poisons are produced by materials of my creation," Elicooria chimed in. "As your friend says: Don't underestimate me, it will be your undoing." She winked at them and her chuckling broke the silence surrounding them. What doesn't she know? Fayt pondered with a grin. With a graceful flick of her wrist, Elicooria sent the lifestream over to Cliff and Fayt and they found themselves inexplicably floating upwards towards the nothingness above them. The energy enveloping them was warm and tingly and reminded the bluenette of when he was lying so dangerously close to the edge of that cliff back in Arias — callous wind gusting past him — after the incident with Clair. The helixes of the twisting lifestream were utterly mesmerizing and within them he saw faces flash by mixed with the far off voices of millions of departed souls.
"Oh I forgot!" Elicooria yelled up to them. "You don't have to worry about Arzem anymore! I'll take care of him for you and bring the balance back between life and death at the same time. Come visit me again soon!"
"I think we'll have to pass on that one!" Cliff bellowed as he felt himself getting sleepy. "...But thanks very much for everything!" Fayt added before she disappeared out of sight.
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Cliff awoke with a long, deep breath. An intoxicating fragrance was seeping into his nose and rousing his sleepy senses. Flowers. A heavenly mélange. A far off memory trickled to the front of his mind of a place only he and Fayt knew of. Suddenly relaxing heat rays were soaking through his exterior and rippling across his skin in blissful waves of pleasure. His skin was drunk on the sun, happy and delirious. It can't be…
The blond's eyes flew open and his pupils quickly dilated in the bright light of the Elicoorian sun. He was lying on the ground, surrounded by tall green grasses and multihued wildflowers. The first thing he noticed was that the eerie burgundy colour of the afterlife was no where in sight. Laying a hand on his chest, he sighed sheer relief into the sweet smelling air. Fayt… Cliff sat up and looked around. Everything around him was moist from the rainstorm that had just passed through and now the sun was shining with all its brilliance onto their meadow.
Up ahead the Klausian could see Fayt standing by a pond and staring down into the sapphire blue water, watching the cottony clouds coast by. Putting one hand on his knee, the blond lifted himself up and walked quietly through the meadow to stand behind his love. The sound of the river spilling into the lake evoked a calm like no other. Cliff wrapped his arms around the bluenette and brushed his cheek against the other's silky and seductive hair.
"Are we alive?" Fayt asked tentatively as he brought his arms up to caress the blond's hands.
The tiny hairs on the back of the bluenette's neck stood on end as Cliff grazed his lips across them and gently kissed the warm skin. "Yes Fayt, we are. Look around us...everything is teeming with life. The plants, the ocean, the trees, the bees…you."
Fayt detached his eyes from the undulating reflection of himself in the pond and turned to what he knew was certain. He lifted a hand and stroked it along the curve of the blond's jaw — a sweep of skin so soft a baby would be jealous. A dark memory flashed through his mind: holding Cliff's chin as he was dying in the jail cell. He pushed the thought aside. Clearly it would take much time for these deep wounds to heal. But right now all was perfect in the world. Everything as it should be.
Their eyes locked in an unbreakable gaze. Two of nature's most cherished colours, green and blue, momentarily fused as Cliff leaned in to meet the other's pouty, puckered lips. It was a fierce, possessive, and intense kiss and for a brief moment the world around them melted away into the embrace they found themselves in. As they pressed against each other, their hearts beat as one, following the rhythm of the pulsing stars that had so reminded Cliff of Fayt's eyes (Chapter 8 reference).
Savouring the lingering taste of the kiss, the couple began to walk towards the nearby beach holding hands. The rain had left the meadow blanketed with drops of water clinging to the shoots of the grasses and flowers. It was as if countless fairies had passed by and meticulously decorated the meadow's plants with sparkling beads of moisture as they slid down the stems and over the soft petals, preparing the place for Fayt and Cliff's arrival. While they strode towards the sea, the shifting angle of the sun on the droplets caused them to shimmer through all the colours of the rainbow, like little moons reflecting the splendorous light from above. This breathtaking effect spread like waves across the meadow as the richness and wonder of simply being alive became as clear as the crystals glittering all around them.
Fayt's communicator beeped its interruption, signaling the Diplo had found them.
I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete
Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
I came across a fallen tree
I felt the branches of it looking at me
Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?
Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when...you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
And if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go, somewhere only we know
Somewhere only we know
- Song by Keane 'Somewhere Only We Know'
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Lord Arzem paced across his room fretting about a great many things. The walls surrounding Granada had been destroyed, his courthouse and the Plaza of Life and Death were in shambles, and his army was recovering from the relentless wrath of a seemingly innocent young boy. But worst of all, the people were becoming restless. They knew something was going on when the sacrifice didn't occur as planned. Nothing had changed as the prophecy had foretold, in fact things may have gotten worse now that Granada was no longer protected from the outside. Whisperings of Arzem's lies were being spread by the resistance and doubt was creeping like a plague throughout the city. What would be his next move?
He didn't have to worry about that as he would be dead in 10 seconds.
His room suddenly darkened and turned a shade of purplish-red. He stood still as the stone floor beneath him became translucent and looked as if it was spinning in a mystifying vortex. Elicooria herself emerged through the floor surrounded by blossoms and lifestream as she twisted and wrapped around Arzem and then grabbed him by his shoulders, digging her nails into his skin. Her ordinarily kind demeanor was replaced by a dark and terrifying look that sucked the colour out of her victim's face. Arzem let out a final gasp for help before he was dragged down and disappeared, no trace left behind.
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You should have heard the noise in the jail when both Fayt and Cliff's bodies vanished before their comrades' eyes. It seemed as if everyone was looking to strangle someone else. This was just too much for them and now it appeared that two of their friends were dead, one by their mistake…
The yelling stopped as soon as Marietta's voice came through the communicator on Maria's wrist.
"Captain! Are you okay? We haven't been able to get in touch with you for days!"
"Some of us are okay," she replied sadly. "The walls around Granada were disrupting our transmissions. But Fayt and Cliff are…"
"Yes, I know, it's really strange. Our scanners are picking up their location at a grassy area outside Aquios. What are they doing all the way over there?"
Everyone began cheering and bursting into celebration, hugging and fist-pumping all around.
"He did it," Braedon declared when it had quieted down again. He touched a hand to the painted lion on his chest and closed his eyes.
"Captain? What was all that noise about? What's going on?"
"It's okay Marietta. Everything is fine. We have some business to deal with here but we'll contact you again within the hour. Transport Cliff and Fayt up and tell them we'll be there shortly. Make sure they get a medical checkup as well.
"Roger."
"So how's the Diplo?"
"Apart from a faulty speaker in the conference room, all systems check out. Talk to you soon."
"Now then," Mirage began, "This would be a good time to finally meet up with that resistance movement of yours, Haru."
"Yes, that Lord Arzem needs to get a checkup as well...from us," Nel stated pointedly.
Haru led the way out of the courthouse and the group picked their way across the plaza — strewn with unconscious soldiers — to the main thoroughfare to the palace. The resistance movement had already gathered itself and a mass of Greetoners were marching through the streets towards the Freedom Square. Haru assumed his position at the front and the rest of the crew intermingled among the throngs of people, chatting with strangers. As the procession passed through the city, more and more people joined it as Haru proclaimed their cause on the loudspeaker and word-of-mouth spread its tendrils to all corners of Granada. The crew watched cheerfully as people played around with magic spells that had previously been completely suppressed by the monarchy (a danger to its existence). Someone summoned an ice spell that swept a cool breeze around the marchers to keep them comfortable on this hot summer day.
"Never again will a select group of privileged, wealthy people oppress the great nation of Greeton," Haru shouted through the speaker. "All of you will have a say in a new government for the people, by the people, and of the people. We're throwing these scumbags out to install a full fledged democracy! Granada will flourish like never before when the Freedom Square lives up to its name!"
Cheers and singing erupted in response. "...WHAT?! Arzem is gone?," Haru suddenly blurted through the loudspeaker as new information was relayed to him by a spy. "Arzem is no more!" An even louder cheer echoed through the streets as the crowd approached the final fork in the road to the palace. Haru turned right.
"YOU IDIOT!" Albel shouted at Haru as he ran up to him. "It's to the left!"
"Oops. Thanks Albel," Haru replied sheepishly.
"We're gonna go now," Maria yelled to him. "Thanks for your help! We'll come back to visit you soon."
Haru waved goodbye to them, the look on his face that of a man who's lifelong dream was coming true. Do not worry, they cannot kill me — I am more than flesh and blood, I am an idea, and ideas never die.
"Looks like they'll be just fine," Maria told the crew. "We're no longer needed here."
As they prepared for transport, they watched the mammoth Freedom Square fill to the brim with people while thousands of Greetoners converged on the scene by air, their red, orange, and yellow wings creating the illusion of an ominous firestorm approaching the palace.
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After a joyous reunion on the Diplo where many stories were exchanged, Fayt decided it was time to finally get back to Aquios and use Crosell to defend against the Vendeeni. As everyone made their preparations, Fayt went with Cliff to the meeting room since there was something bothering him that he had to get off his chest. Mr. Albel Nox sauntered into the room a few minutes later.
"Albel there's something I have to confess to you…" the bluenette began, leaning a hand on the table and accidentally activating the ship-wide communication system.
"Ahh, umm...did you ever wonder where we got the orichalcum from when we were in Airyglyph?" he continued as the entire crew of the Diplo now paused what they were doing and listened in interest. Of course Fayt didn't know his voice was being broadcasted since the speaker in the meeting room was broken.
Albel was leaning against the wall and his eyes narrowed infinitesimally as he listened to what the bluenette was saying. "No, I assumed you made it at the workshop…what did you do this time, worm?"
Cliff was also wondering the exact same thing and he stood with his arms crossed. Fayt had never told him about the incident with Albel during the cross-dressing adventure. "I gotta hunch this is gonna end with that katana stuck in either me or Fayt," the blond mumbled to himself. "Probably me."
Fayt ran his free hand through his hair, just above his right ear. It's a good thing I brought Cliff to protect me from Albel. I don't think this is gonna go over well, he mused. "Well, huh, you see we had to infiltrate some rich guy's mansion to steal it…I think you know him...he's a big fan of female escorts."
"What? Korneo? Yes, I know him, maggot. Get to the point! What is this all about?"
"Yeah, uhhh, Clifford here…" at this the bluenette gave the blond the evil eye, "...made me sneak into the house as an escort…"
"WAIT A SECOND," Albel interjected. "How could you get away with that unless you…" All of a sudden his eyes expanded like hot air balloons and blazed vermeil with understanding.
"Yes, I dressed up as a girl — a belly dancer — and, oh god, that was me that you were coming onto! I was the prostitute that came into your room, clumsily danced for you, and then stunned you silly so I could find the orichalcum!"
Albel's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, but nothing came out. The people listening to the gripping drama unfold over the comm. system inhaled with disbelief, many a hand covering gaping mouths. On the bridge it was dead silent, except for the intermittent beeping of the computer terminals.
Seeing Albel start to surreptitiously eye his katana, Fayt finally took his hand off the console that was transmitting their conversation and ducked behind Cliff, holding the Klausian in front of him like a shield. "Yo, kid! I should be the one giving you a beating for not telling me what happened in there!" the blond roared, reaching around and grabbing Fayt by the arms.
"But you already do," the bluenette whispered mischievously, "...everyday in bed! I can't wait for my 'beating' tonight, sexy buns."
Cliff smacked a palm to his forehead and then burst out laughing as Fayt stuck a hand down his lover's pants and squeezed his firm buttocks. Albel suddenly felt sick and decided to delay killing Fayt until later on. He walked towards the door with his head held high and it swished open before him. There, crowding around outside the door, practically the entire crew had assembled and they began tossing jokes and laughing, not just at Albel but at Fayt as well. They both turned white as ghosts.
"WHAT!? You heard us? How? Over the comm. system? Uh oh," Fayt yelped, nervously tightening his hold on Cliff (who was having quite the laugh at the whole situation).
Just at that moment, Adray came prancing by in the belly dancing outfit that he had found in the bluenette's room and consequently scorched everyone's eyes out: It was way too tight for him and all the hair showing through was rather nasty. "OH ALBEL," he teased. "Touch me, hold me, have your way with me!"
Both Albel and Fayt were intense cherry red by now and the former was reaching the pinnacle of his anger, you could practically see the steam emanating from his ears.
"We are never gonna let you forget this," Maria shouted over the racket before stunning Adray, Albel, and Fayt and ordering them to be carried off to their separate rooms for a time out.
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Epilogue
The Star Ocean 3 crew continued their journey to Moonbase, Styx, Arkives, Gemity, Firewall, and the Spiral Tower. Along the way Cliff loved and supported Fayt through the tough battles they faced, some of the worst being internal ones. Many a time the Klausian would find Fayt curled up in a dark corner, the dim light of his eyes telling a tale of quiet desperation and torment. The death of his father and the destruction of Earth were impossible pills to swallow and they left painful scars in his psyche. But considering what they had already been through, together they could conquer anything. Whenever Cliff found him like this he would gather Fayt into his arms and squeeze him close, numbing the hurt with gentle kisses and kind words. Likewise, Fayt's devotion for Cliff gave him the inspiration and drive he needed in his bid to lead the reorganization of the chaotic politics of the galaxy after the Luther debacle. Yes, they fought once in a while like all couples do, but more than anything they needed each other and they understood each other (having both lost their dads, for example) which gave purpose and meaning to their lives.
Before defeating Luther, Fayt destroyed the Sphere Company's headquarters in 4-D space with his power, thereby completing the prophecy in its entirety. After it was all over, their meadow on Elicoor kept calling to them so they made a pit stop there on their way to Klaus.
In the peaceful genesis of the evening, the couple made passionate love on the beach, finally carrying out what they had intended to do that night the dragon interrupted their plans. While they were relaxing in the grass and flowers under the stars, the spirits of Cliff and Fayt's ancestors appeared before them and thanked them for setting them free so they could travel to the afterlife together (Fulfilling the prophecy rescued the ancestors from their state of limbo after the botched transport from 4-D space to the Eternal Sphere; Chapter 14, 15 if you need a refresher of the 1000 year prophecy). The two ghosts then walked off and vanished into the night. As soon as they were gone, two shooting stars streaked across the sky above a smiling Fayt and Cliff, falling from the cosmos into Elicooria's welcoming embrace (Reference to Cliff's remarks about shooting stars in Chapter 8).
Oh a thousand words
Have never been spoken
They'll fly to you
They'll carry you home and back into my arms
Suspended on silver wings
And a thousand words
Call out through the ages
They'll cradle you
Making all of the pain you feel seem far away
They'll hold you forever
They returned to their ship and made their way to Cliff's home on Klaus. Only now it wasn't just Cliff's home, it was Fayt's as well. And it truly felt like home. Fayt's dreams were no longer about silly revenges against his dad that involved turning his hair the same cerulean blue, now they were calm, serene, being held in Cliff's warm, angelic embrace till the end of time.
THE END
Just a little reflection...I read in National Geographic that the iron in our bodies actually comes from exploding supernovas, so in a way we are made of the stars.
(A/N: So what did you think? If there's anyone out there who has been following my story and hasn't reviewed yet now's your chance to take the whole thing into consideration and give me feedback! Reviews to a story are like Mc to Donalds! lol. but i seriously want to thank those who stayed with my story and I've already mentioned some of you in my shoutouts. im so sad its over...
anywho here's something interesting for ya. In chapter 11 I made a subtle suggestion that Clair was depressed and i was actually going to continue that story line and have her commit suicide near the end of the story (i would if i had Adray as a dad)! maybe Fayt would find her in the afterlife and be like WHAT THE HELL? but i figured that was taking too much liberty with the original SO3 story cuz obviously she is there in the game after my story ends. by the way, i intended my story to take place on the sidelines starting from the first visit to Peterny up to the Vendeeni being destroyed by that weird energy pulse. basically, i add to the already rich SO3 story by including a prophecy that kinda meshes in with what's already in the game.
I was also going to do a scene with Cliff working out in a gym with Fayt but that never came about. You might see that in my next story.
Speaking of next story...It's gonna take place right after the Cliff and Fayt ending in the game. It will be a bit of a sequel to this story in some ways. I want to go through the whole falling/realizing they are in love all over again so my next story will start with Cliff and Fayt just being friends and going from there. But things that have happened in this story will spill over into the next one. Like Cliff's abusive father and his death, gaia theory, and other things I've added to the characters. Anywho, so they are in their ship heading to help form the new pangalactic congress and Fayt has an accident with his power and it destabilizes the laws of the universe...and the Star Ocean and Star Wars universes combine into one. I just watched the original 3 star wars movies again and noticed the slashiness between Luke and Han. They are very similar to Fayt and Cliff and I wouldn't be surprised if Tri-Ace & Square based them on Luke and Han. I will focus on Star Ocean obviously as my story will be posted in that section of the site.
You may want to read A Love on the Sidelines all the way through again to notice the links between chapters. There is alot of underlying meaning available for interpretation. OH YA! Chapter 1 has been rewritten and expanded with a new scene! Check it out!)