a/n: so far, i'm very happy with the reviews i've been getting. it seems as though i've gone a long way from my very first fic (The Story of an Uchiha Kunoichi-Naruto fic). even if i don't get feedback as much as others, i hope that the reviews i'm receiving is a sure sign that i've improved along the way. anyways, i'm crossing my fingers for luck that i'll get more reviewers in the chapters to come. Read & Review! :D
Disclaimer: Nomura Tetsuya & SquareEnix owns FFVXIII, not rorudesu-chan!
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"Oblivious Fate"
By: rorudesu-chan
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Chapter 3: Afternoon Rendezvous
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It was another morning in Regius University. Just like the regular status quo, royalties-in-training were bustling back and forth in the locker area just fifteen minutes before their respective first periods began. Popular would-be rulers would strike their signature poses which would make the dorky monarchs drop their jaw in ignorance along the corridors. There wasn't really anything unusual about these kinds of daily routine. It was just, 'normal'. But despite the vain wishes of those in the lower food chain to ascend to the top, a certain sovereign did not even give a second look to these trivial things. For him, it would be just a waste of time and effort. After all, why would he need to be naively awed by others? In fact, the moment he becomes king, it would certainly be more than that.
Part of the regular status quo was the chime of the school bell at around eight o'clock in the morning which finally rang and sent the students to their academic thrones. Noctis took to his seat as well as his fellow classmates. Not being the person to usually notice anybody who wasn't around, for Noctis, this was the first time that he actually did. Supposedly, he was to turn to Lacertus who called him from his seat. But when the spiked haired Prince spun around to give attention to his scar faced friend, his eyes instead were caught by the empty seat that was beside Lacertus'. It was Stella's chair. And apparently, there was nobody in it. Before Lacertus could communicate inaudibly to Noctis, their ginger haired teacher came in. The Prince turned around and strangely felt how Stella's absence perked up his curiosity.
"Is anybody absent for today in this class?" Mrs. Mulier's almond eyes scanned the room for any vacant spots. Finally, she spotted the empty armchair that was located beside Lacertus.
"I see Miss Fleuret is absent. Seems like this is the second time she is." The professor took out her class record from her drawer and jotted on the attendance page. Noctis' cobalt eyes flickered at Mrs. Mulier's words. But knowing that he really has no special interest in her, the Prince simply slipped back into his in-class boredom buster. With a hand supporting the weight of his head on the cheek, Noctis' eyes were once again locked into the open field of Regius University.
"Okay for this morning, I would be passing on some reviewers. Physics exam is next Monday, everyone." Groans were filled the air as their red headed teacher walked towards every column and handed out sheets of paper which the students passed to the person seated behind them. "If you wish to pass this semester," Again, the professor shot another glare at Celer whose face clearly implanted a 'Who, me?' look before she continued. "Better not flunk this exam. Or else, you'll be seeing yourselves next year in the same seat, same classroom, learning the same lessons."
With a sedated expression etched on his striking face, Noctis took his copy of the science reviewer and passed the rest to the person behind him. Just as he was scanning the ten page material, Noctis again was unaware that Mrs. Mulier was speaking once more in a stern voice.
"Since Miss Fleuret isn't around to get her copy, would anybody like to volunteer to give it to her when she comes back?" But unlike last time, Mrs. Mulier wasn't looking to pounce on some student whose attention was in total stupor. Instead, she was writing on the chalkboard the time schedule of the Physics exam.
"-cough- Mr. Caelum –cough- would like to-cough- volunteer!"
"Ah, Mr. Caelum!" The almond-eyed teacher with a chalk wedged between her fingers, curtly turned around to face the class. Noctis lifted his head at the resonance of his family name and wore a puzzled look on his face.
"Thank you for volunteering, again." Volunteer? Before Noctis could politely question Mrs. Mulier of something he clearly didn't listen to, the professor interrupted him with further details and walked towards his chair and handed him another copy of the reviewer which he half reluctantly accepted. "Kindly give this to Miss Fleuret when she comes back from her absence."
Noctis spun around to check the suspect of this trifling 'crime'. His eyes first gazed upon… Salsus? No, not him. Salsus, who sat two chairs before Noctis, was busy answering in advance the practice problems of the reviewer. Nope, certainly cannot be a guy whose idea of a joke is Calculus and Algebra mistakes. Next, Noctis darted his attention towards Lacertus who was laughing and along with his seatmate while sardonically flipping the reviewer pages back and forth. Not this one. Although Lacertus was the type of guy to ride along gag traps for him, the Prince's friend knew when and where to start and stop those kinds of jokes.
Finally, the best of the worst came in last. A well-known dark chortle was heard by the Prince who spun to the direction of the blonde bad boy, Celer. As Noctis gave him a dagger like glare, Celer simply took this as a 'compliment' and gave the spiky haired Prince a smug look and a thumbs up. Celer's corpse filled with bullet holes created by his air soft gun was an image that swiftly portrayed in Noctis' mind. But as much as he wanted to do that to his friend, the Prince threw away the idea and remembered that he had better things to do. After giving Celer a cold roll in his cobalt eyes, Noctis turned around in his chair and stared at the two copies of the Physics reviewer. One was for him, and the other was for the girl whose captivating smile wasn't quite easy to escape from. With a sedated look, he stared into the window once more and thought about their next fated meeting.
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The day seemed to go slow for Noctis. It was finally the subject after lunch and he only had one more to go before dismissal time. But for the Prince, he felt as if he had been sitting in different classrooms for more than a day, just warming up the seats for the next student to come. He usually wasn't like this because even if his cool deportment didn't reflect anything, deep inside, Noctis was quite enthusiastic about challenging himself and being the ace amongst the deck. But today was different for him and he noticed this as he spent scribbling down the lessons that were written on the various chalkboards. It was as if there wasn't anything in the minutes or seconds to come that could catch his interest. Noctis speculated that he must be getting 'too good' for the class lectures.
Finally, a long screeching chime filled the quiet corridors of the school. It gradually grew in noise as the students came out of the classrooms. Some entered directly into their next class while the rest took a short stop at their lockers. Noctis was one of those students who were obliged to stop by his locker to retrieve his last period materials.
"Hey Noct!"
As the Caelum son was about to reach for his Calculus paperback, a familiar arm gave his neck a tight grip. But Noctis unperturbedly smirked and ignored his playful comrade.
"The boys and I are gonna take it out against Vittorio's team. You'd better be in!"
"Ah sure, Celer."
"Alright then! Catch 'ya later!" Celer reclaimed his arm from Noctis' neck as he left the Prince and headed on to his Literature hour.
Noctis' Calculus required quite a lot of things and oddly, it took him a few minutes to stuff them all into his black sling bag. By the time he shut his locker close, almost everyone in the area had disappeared into their classes and the school bell's clang once again infiltrated through the halls. Noctis swiftly carried himself to the classroom where the teacher had arrived a few seconds before he entered. Luckily, the bald Math teacher was busy inscribing the day's seatwork and had his back face the class. Unable to snag his favorite window seat, Noctis silently sat upon the vacant seat near the back door. As the tardy Prince was hurriedly getting his notebook, a whispering voice spoke to him from his left. For a second, he hardly recognized whose undertone it was from so he turned his head sideways and a charming smile greeted him.
"So we're in the same Calculus class, huh."
"So it seems, Stella." Noctis' coyness spun his head around quickly. The ivory skinned Tenebraean jotted down on her notebook while occasionally placing her eyes on Noctis who was copying meticulously as well.
"Long time no see. I just got back from Tenebrae this lunch."
Noctis paid little attention to her small talk and more on the exercises that Mr. Fulgio was continuously scribbling in chalk. Regardless of this, Stella continued to whisper about anything that she might've missed during her absence. Noctis simply replied with a brief 'no' and a nod in the head for a 'yes'. Suddenly, Stella's mentioned of the word 'Physics' reminded Noctis of what he was involuntarily asked to do.
"Mrs. Mulier has something to give to you." Noctis abruptly interrupted Stella with a soft, dark voice.
"Really?" She paused as she tapped on her calculator the answer for the first problem. "Well then, I'll drop by the faculty later and get it from her. Thanks, Noct."
"No, it's with me now." Noctis encircled his answer to the first problem in which he didn't need a calculator to find it. "She asked me to give it to you since you weren't present this morning."
"Alright, thanks."
The Calculus professor, Mr. Fulgio, finished writing the practice problems as he turned around and scanned the room for an eligible student. "Okay! So, who's got the answer for number one?" He squint his eyes and anticipated that the raised hand he saw was his A-student.
"Ah, Mr. Caelum! Please show us your solution on the board."
The spiky haired Prince stood up and approached the blackboard. After writing his answers in chalk, he went back to his seat, expecting that his answer would be, as always, correct. Mr. Fulgio held his chin and traced his eyes on Noctis' solution before turning around with an unusual look on his forty-year old face.
"Mr. Caelum's final answer is correct. However," He briefly stopped and pointed at the last part of Noctis' solution. "This part here is wrong. Would anyone like to show to the class the accurate solution?"
Noctis was secretly bewildered at the fact that his answer, unlike before, was wrong. With a calm, expressionless face, he checked the error in his solution, again and again. But unfortunately, Noctis found none and was beginning to doubt his mathematical credibility.
"Mr. Fulgio, I'd like to try my solution, please."
"Ah yes, Miss Fleuret. Stand up and show us your answer."
The blonde student stood up with a confident façade and wrote her answer upon the chalkboard. By the time she was done, Stella went back to her seat while Mr. Fulgio examined her answer which was written more legibly than Noctis'. Shortly, he turned around with a brightened face.
"Miss Fleuret's solution is correct. She properly demonstrated the fundamental theorem of Calculus." The bald headed Calculus teacher grinned at the students before he continued. "Seems like we have an interesting pair this afternoon..." The class exchanged glances at the Prince and his seatmate. Some smiled in awe while others whimpered at the difficulty that Calculus had cursed upon them.
Noctis smirked coolly as he glanced at his encircled answer that was the same with Stella's, but for some reason was wrong because of the last equation. For the first time, someone actually stood against his mathematical solution. The gorgeous Tenebraean humbly smiled behind Noctis and secretly showed him that he isn't the only A-student around. The Prince thought that this was the first of the many more small competitions between them that were yet to come. He chuckled silently at the ludicrousness he just thought of.
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Dismissal time finally came with the strike of the school bell. After Noctis shoved his things into his sling bag, he walked out of the classroom and headed towards his locker. While on his way, the bashful heir felt the presence of someone following him. He turned around and a pair of glimmering azure irises greeted him. Noctis ambled ahead as he earnestly spoke to his follower.
"You're following me."
"You have something to give to me, remember?" The cheerful Ambassador laughed at Noctis' forgetfulness.
"Ah, yeah. That."
The bustling noise of the different royals was heard as Stella quietly followed the Prince to his locker. As they arrived there, Noctis returned his paperbacks while his companion watched with her dainty arms wrapped around a history book. He calmly searched for Stella's copy of the Physics reviewer as it seemed that there was only one found in his locker—his.
"Is everything alright in there?" Stella, with a skeptic look, questioned Noctis who was starting to act frantically in his own laidback manner.
"It seemed to have misplaced itself." Not wanting to be the blame himself for the loss, Noctis ridiculously placed the fault on the reviewer. He could've sworn he attached the copy together with his own when he placed it in the locker during lunch break.
Stella's pearly whites glistened as she laughed at what she heard. "How could it lose itself?"
Noctis didn't make any remark as he continued looking for Stella's 'lost' reviewer. He sighed as he felt failure in the search.
"Well, you might've misplaced it or dropped it somewhere. Wait, what it are we talking about anyway?"
"The Physics Reviewer… Mrs. Mulier handed out copies since there will be an exam next week."
"An exam??" Stella gasped calmly as Noctis glimpsed at the blonde girl's sudden reaction.
"There's really nothing to worry about. You love Physics, right? If so, then it won't be hard for you." Noctis continued to uncover the papers that were stocked in his locker with hopes that he might find the reviewer.
"I did say that. But that doesn't mean I don't have to study for it. I still have to, Noct."
The Prince felt a sudden surge of conscience rush within him. Somehow, he felt responsible for the failing grade that Stella might receive if she didn't get her copy. Noctis thought fast and handed her a ten page reviewer.
"Here."
"What?" Stella stared at the front page and noticed a full name jotted upon the paper's upper right hand corner. "But this is your copy, Noct."
"I know." Noctis closed his locker as Stella looked at him with wondering eyes. "It lost itself, maybe because of me. So this is your reviewer now, Stella." The Prince shyly handed the Tenebraean his copy before dashing ahead of her. Stella reluctantly held in her hands Noctis' reviewer so she stopped him before he vanished within the crowd of students.
"I won't take this, Noct."
"You have to, or you'll have nothing else to study for." He continued to walk ahead but was stopped again by Stella's sudden stern voice.
"Is there a good photocopying store around here?"
Noctis paused and turned around with a cynic look in his face. "I thought you could handle yourself pretty well."
"Well, in some inexplicable way, my reviewer got lost." Stella sarcastically crooned her way to Noctis while flicking the pages of his copy. "So can you please take me to the photocopying store? In that way, we can both study for the test and ace it and maybe even secretly compete with each other's score."
The Prince felt the corners of his mouth roughly transform into a smile. He couldn't believe at how persuasive Stella got at him. Normally, when somebody would refuse what he strongly insisted in, he'd simply ignore him or her and walk away, leaving that person no other option. But this girl, Stella, Noctis found quite impossible to disregard or leave. And this annoyed the Caelum royalty for the first time.
"Are we going yet or not?" The vivacious student asked as Noctis simply shook his head and leered at Stella which gave her the sign to follow his trail. The two walked out of the campus' main entrance, the timid one being a step ahead of the other. Stella hugged her history book in one arm while the other, held onto the reviewer. She glanced at Noctis who strode before her and asked him a question which didn't even make the Prince turn around.
"So where is this photocopying store?"
"It's on the other side of the university."
Other side? Stella gazed at the school's building that towered over them. She realized that what her eyes measured was quite incorrect. There was another side. It would be a long walk for the two of them. While Stella surreptitiously whined at the distance, Noctis sadistically grinned on purpose. He knew there was a shortcut towards the photocopying store but he felt compelled not to tell. After all, Stella annoyed him by not insisting on what he wanted. Therefore, she had to be in a way, 'punished'.
The pair gaited on the side of the vast field of greenery, making sure not to walk through a football session of the varsity. The sunset shadowed their figures, slanting in one parallel direction. Stella optimistically stared at their lengthening silhouettes while trying to muse herself over the fact that her feet were getting slightly weary. This was because she had been walking all morning inside Tenebrae's castle, greeting the noble guests of their kingdom's conference. But as Stella tried her best not to look worn-out in front or rather, at the back of the Prince, Noctis lucidly saw through this whenever he would take a quick peer at her to check if she was still following. He felt pangs of guilt taunting him and sensed that he had to do something so he could covertly pay back whatever he did to the Ambassador. Noctis cleared the hoarseness of his throat before he spoke to Stella whom he hoped was still vigorous enough to listen.
"How was the visit to Tenebrae?"
"Hm?" Stella thought of what to respond at the Prince's unexpected inquiry. "Well, there was a bit of misunderstanding between the other countries, but we've managed to calm them down with a steady amendment."
"Tenebrae encounters political problems as well?"
"Of course we do. It's not true when they said that we were always a peaceful kingdom, because we're not. We deal with certain issues regarding economy, business and the Cry—" Stella abruptly cut out the rest, not wanting to have any conversations about 'it'. "Well, those kinds of things. But we manage pretty well actually."
Noctis could've sworn he heard something that was somehow relevant to him. But he faltered it away and continued to make his short worded remarks. "Ah, I see."
"As an ambassador, I'm obliged to be there in meetings and help make agreements that will stabilize issues. It may seem hard but this has been a regular thing for me ever since I was given that position at a very young age. You do understand me, right?"
"I do, but we're quite different. It has always been a normal task for me since I was born a Prince."
"Oh yeah…"
"But it's not a burden, if that's what you're thinking. My kingdom means a lot to me. I will do anything for it and the people living within its walls. I hope you understand even if both of us aren't in the exact situation." Noctis glanced at the girl behind him who was looking at the setting sun with a carefree smile.
"I understand perfectly." The Prince thought that he had made Stella feel a little lighter than before so he stopped talking and paced ahead of her.
Stella turned her eyes on Noctis who was suddenly hushed. "Have you ever been to Tenebrae, Noct?"
"No, I haven't."
"Really? That's too bad. You'd love it there, especially during this kind of season."
"And how is it different from here?"
"Well, there are more trees and the weather is very nice."
"That's it?"
"Of course not! It's really a beautiful place but you'll just have to see it for yourself to know how it really looks like."
Before Noctis could reply, their long walk finally ended as the pair stood before a small kiosk with a huge sign above the roof: "Photocopying". Stella positioned herself beside Noctis whose cobalt irises looked around their dusk atmosphere.
"Is it okay if you wait for me?"
"You have my reviewer."
"I know. Don't worry, I'll be quick in photocopying this." Stella pushed the door open and headed directly to the woman behind the machine. After several light flashes from the store's equipment, Stella threw in some change and hurriedly went outside. She approached Noctis who stood while holding his phone in his hand.
"Good, now we both have copies." Stella handed him his reviewer and smiled at Noctis who took in the ten page material in his other hand. "Thanks for accompanying me. I'm actually surprised that you had the time to bring me here."
Noctis kept his lips sealed as the thought about being late for an air soft game between his team and their classmate, Vittorio, occurred to him. The blonde Tenebraean had a puzzled look at the Prince who made no comment. Her eyes darted to the silver clamshell that Noctis held in his other hand.
"Wait, don't tell me that you actually had an appointment before this?" Stella's apprehensive eyes stared at the Prince as he gave silence as an unfortunate answer. "Noct, why didn't you tell me then?"
"I didn't think you'd want me to."
"What? That doesn't make any sense." Stella bit her lower lip and felt bad for pursuing Noctis to go with her. "I'm sorry, Noct."
"Don't worry about it, Stella." Noctis spun around and shoved his cellphone into his right pocket. "I have to go now. Good luck in the exam."
"Wait!" Again, Stella's persuasiveness pierced through the Prince's stubbornness and he stopped in his tracks, waiting for what the girl behind him had to say. "I'll have to make it up to you somehow."
"I told you, don't worry about it. It's fine."
"Well for you it is, but for me, it's not."
"Then what do you propose?"
"Hm…" Stella's mind browsed for any possible options that she could do to make for her petty mistake against Noctis. "I'm going back to Tenebrae this weekend and since you haven't been there, I'm inviting you to come with me so I can show you around."
Noctis turned around with a blank face that made Stella lay down one more from her persuasion cards. "It's only for a day. So will the Prince be coming or what?"
The Caelum son thought about his duty as a student to study for the Physics exam. He had to study because at the back of his mind, he knew that he wasn't like those people whose love for the subject gave them, in a way, the answers to the test. But the charcoal haired Prince also thought about his duty as the soon-to-be king to his country. It was a golden opportunity that Noctis didn't even realize was smacking upon his face, until now. To stroll within the secured walls of Tenebrae, naïve to all that a plan of domination would be on the brink of unleashing was something Noctis shouldn't miss. For the sake of his land and for his deceased father-king that died to protect their family's Crystal.
"It's an opportunity I wouldn't miss, Stella."
"Great, I'll see you then."
Noctis nodded as he spun around and left Stella standing under the light of a nearby street lamp. The layered hair Ambassador watched as the figure of the Prince faded within the darkness of the university's campus. With her copy of the reviewer inserted into the pages of her history book, Stella left the spot and went back to her dormitory wherein she had to temporarily stay in.
While walking, she almost felt the bittersweet taste of her duty's success coming nearer and nearer. Bitter, because her affiliation with her kingdom's enemy seemed to be slowly developing into a forbidden camaraderie and sweet, because in return for her hard work, Tenebrae will hand her the favor of a lifetime. Stella has weighed the consequences of this mission from the very start. She knew there might be some hurt or doubts that could exist along the way, but the Ambassador has already convinced herself that it will all be worth it. For a person who didn't wish to know who he or she really is, is a coward and believes in nothing but sheer foolishness.
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a/n: it's that time again wherein you tell me what you think of this chapter! Review! Feedbacks are welcomed with open arms as flames are hated but still heard (?) as they could be reviews disguised as harsh critiques! :D
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does anybody know the Noctis' real eye and hair color? O___o I'm confused. I saw a Japanese magazine scan (the one wherein he was beside Stella and kyaa! ehem, topless-ish) and his hair was like dark brown of some sort. But in the FFVXIII trailer, his hair is set between grey and black... hmm... am i wondering just as you guys are?? :)