Challenge of the Heart
By: Yeu
Comment:... I'm trying to write a romance comedy, or I think I am. Never done this genre before, I tend to like making my characters angst and stuff. Italics means thought. I personally don't like Sophia, and is terrified when Peppita ask me to let her join. But I'm not about to bash anyone, okay, maybe Sophia a little. Just a little. Depending on how people react, I may or may not continue it, since it is a trial run thing.
I don't own any part of the Star Ocean series except a copy of the games. So no suing.
Fayt smile sheepishly; even blush a bit as he tells her of his problems. "I would ask Cliff but he seems to be a bit lacking in this area and well... it just seems wrong to ask Sophia."
No kidding, the girl is so obviously in love with you that anyone with eyes and a few working brain cells can tell. Anyone except for you it seems, now I know it's because your eyes are on another. The Crimson Blade thinks to herself.
"I know you and him doesn't get along too well." The young Earthling continued, running his finger through his hair nervously. "But I just don't know who else to go to."
Nel nods in agreement, although it's somewhat of an understatement. "You know Maria actually gets along better with him than me."
"Maria is a bit too... distant and analytical with everything." Fayt replies. "You go to her for numbers and facts, not things like this."
Again, the woman has to agree, but that does not mean she would give in to his request.
"Please, Nel." Fayt continues to beg, his clear green eyes shines with hope. "Just this once. PLEASE?"
"... Fine." Nel mentally kicks herself for giving in. "Now, tell me again what do you want me to do?"
Just talk to him, sure, I might as well talk to a wall, at least I'll know it doesn't listen. That boy sure knows how to look for trouble. The redhead thinks to herself as she slides her fingertips over the smooth surface of her daggers. Albel the Wicked is not someone you should fall for, but love rarely knows reason.
"Why him?" She had asked the youth back then.
The shy but brilliant smile that he answered her with told her all she needs to know.
Despite her numerous doubts about the situation, Nel find herself wishing her blue-haired friend would get his love returned. Fayt has suffered much, it'll do him well to find someone that'll watch out for him and care for him, someone he can lean on. Sadly, those are the qualities that Albel Nox lacks, tremendously. But even if that's the case, what about Sophia? The girl also had some tough times that she had to go through alone, having her heart broken will not be easy for her to handle, especially now.
Why can't he have just answered Sophia's affections? The woman sighs, that'll make everything so much easier.
Nel looks at the empty bed in the inn room she shares with Sophia, the girl had been gone since morning. Probably trying to get Fayt into shopping with her again. Maria and Mirage share a room next to theirs while the boys' rooms are across the inn. She sheaths her daggers and put on her boots, Albel might be in right now, but that's a big maybe.
"Fayt? Are you in?" Nel knocks on the door to Fayt and Albel's room. The blue-haired boy began sharing a room with the Captain of the Black Brigade simply because no one else is willing to. Now she thinks about it, might that have been the first step?
No one answered her knockings.
"Nox, I know you are in there, open the door. I need to talk to you." Nel knocks again when no one answered, but her spy instinct tells her that there is someone in the room. "Albel, open the door, or I'll pick it open."
"What do you want, maggot?" The man answers the door wearing an extremely annoyed expression.
"I told you what I want five minutes ago. If you didn't wait so long to open the door, maybe you would've remembered." The woman told him as she pushes her way into the room before Albel can slam the door in her face.
"If you are looking for fights go somewhere else, fool."The man sounds extremely agitated and exhaustion lines his tone of voice like a heavy curtain. It's also hard to believe that the bloodthirsty Albel would turn down a fight, but then he does look to be quite... ragged.
"Again, I'm not looking for a fight, I just want to talk." The woman chooses the position by the window so she can see the people going in and out of the inn. "Where is Fayt?"
"I'm not that maggot's parasite, how would I know?" The Airglyph Captain lets himself fall into a chair and glances at his unwanted visitor from the corner of his eyes. "Probably doing something pointless with that girl. Leave."
"I didn't know maggots can have parasites, but that's besides the point." The redhead looks at the people passing in the streets before turning back to Albel. "I need to talk to you about the boy."
"I"m not going to kill him. There, we are done. Get out, fool." The man seems to be in an even worse mood than he normally is, yet he is not as aggressive as his usual self. Nel frankly is quite surprised to find the usually arrogant man in such a passive state.
"No, on the contrary, we are not done." The woman crosses her arms, her spy skills on full power, observing her target carefully and files away all information. "Do you dislike the boy that much that you don't even want to talk about him?"
"I hate every last one of you maggots out there." The man answers carelessly. "Happy? Out."
"Not yet." Nel decides to take the direct approach and goes in for the kill. "How do you feel about Fayt, Nox, I want the truth."
"I don't feel like talking to fools right now. And how many times must I repeat myself? Get the hell out of here."
Avoiding the question or just doesn't like to talk? Probably both. "I'm surprised Nox, you have yet to threaten to kill me or do anything permanent damage to me. You must be losing your touch." Nel know she's treading on a fine line, but there is no other way to deal with the maniac.
"That can be remedied." The man picks up his katana from the table next to him and slowly stands up.
"Fayt won't be happy about that." It was just for a second, but Nel is sure that he hesitated at the name. Well Fayt, count your lucky stars; you might not be the only one after all. "So you do like the boy."
The notorious Albel the Wicked almost stutters at the question, almost. "What?"
Catching a glimpse of a pair of moving figures from the corner of her eye, Nel sighs. Why can't they have better timing? She pushes herself up from the windowsill, and make her way across the room. "We'll talk another time Nox, unless you want to do something about that, and I don't mean murdering me."
Albel watch her leave through glaring eyes, it has probably been a while since anyone talked to him like that. But the man still made no move to go on the offense, why the change? Once back to the comfort of her room, the female spy let out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding the whole time. She still cannot believe that the red-eyed man hasn't come after her with his sword yet, but it only helps her theory. Now if only she can get him to admit it.
A gentle knock on the door. "Nel, it's Sophia, I'm back."
"Come in."
The young Earthling girl opens the door and comes in with almost a prance in her steps. She drops the packages she has been holding on her bed and hums a foreign tone as she unpacks each.
"Quite a hull, did Fayt got you all that?"
Sophia smiles brightly as she nods, the happiness and radiance of the smile send Nel into a spiral of guilt. I'm helping this girl lose her crush, yet she is smiling at me without any guards.
"Sophia, can I ask you a question?" The young girl nods. "Do... you like Fayt?" Nel asks tentatively.
Sophia blushes deeply at the question and nods again. "Is it that obvious?"
More than you know. "Not really, does he know?" Of course he doesn't know, he's been blinded by another.
"I haven't told him yet." Sophia whispers. "But I think and hope he feels the same."
Alarms starts to go off in Nel's mind, this cannot be good. "Really. What make you think that?"
"Well, Fayt's always there for me and he's always the first one who notices anything wrong with me." Sophia sits on her bed and kicks her legs as she speaks. "We always spend time together and you know... just how he acts. I know he cares about me, a lot."
Maybe not in that way. "Well then, maybe you should tell him?"
The girl blushes even deeper. "I think... maybe after everything settles down. After we beat the Creator and the 4D beings."
Oh boy. "Do you think there might be another possibility that he likes someone else?"
"You noticed too?" Sophia appears in front of Nel quicker than a blink of an eye. "When I first saw Maria I didn't know how to act. I mean, she is so much prettier and smarter and oh... what if when I wasn't around..."
Nel tune out for the rest of the rant, mentally drawing charts in her mind to better understand the situation like she's been taught to do. Sophia likes Fayt and thinks vice versa. Sophia thinks Fayt also like Maria. Maria probably cares less about everything. Fayt actually likes Albel. Albel likes to be left alone... or does he?
"... and Maria is a much better fighter than I am. She also has that aura of grown woman that you also have. Did you notice Fayt agrees to everything she says? What happens if she also likes Fayt?!..."
Apparently Nel needs to blank out for a bit longer, Sophia is going off like a young girl who has finally found someone to talk to, which in a way, is true. Then suddenly Sophia turns to Nel with a gleam in her eyes, a gleam that Nel has a bad feeling about.
"Nel, you have been with Fayt longer right?" Sophia asks Nel. "What do you think? Does Fayt like me?"
"Well, he does talk about you." Sometimes, here and there, little details you probably happier not knowing. "And he does worry about you when he knew you were captured."
"Then Nel, can you talk to Fayt for me?" The young girl asks earnestly. "Just to be sure?"
As much as Nel anticipated the question and prepares to reject it outright, she found herself speechless at Sophia's sincerity and puppy-eyes. And for the second time in as many days, the woman finds herself mentally kicking her own ass as she nods in agreement.
"Thank you so much!" Sophia beams at her and quickly runs to open the door when she hears a knock. "Hey Fayt!"
"I'm just here to tell you guys that dinner is ready." The boy that is soon becoming the source of all Nel's headache says politely.
"You guys go ahead, I'll be right down." The Crimson Blade waves the young pair on.
"You okay?" Fayt asks.
"Yes, I'll be down soon. Tell Cliff not to eat my share."
She watch the Earthlings leave and let out a long sigh. What a mess she's gotten herself into? Nel shakes her head clear; she has yet to find a challenge she can't overcome and Apris forbid if this one is going to ruin her record. Nel tries to ignore the feeling of incoming doom as she finally leaves the room and salvage what's left of dinner.