[Tales of Destiny] Persistence : Prolouge
Title: Persistence
Fandom: Tales of Destiny
Rating: T->T+
Characters/Pairings: In this chapter, just Stahn and mentions of Johnny. In the future, Leon/OC and Stahn/Rutee with appearances by most of the Destiny cast
Summary: They liked to think of it as a fresh start. It was a new area, new workplace, and even a new school, after all. They just didn't think that this fresh start would end up so complicated.
Author's Notes: Tentative title, shitty summary. MAJOR AU. Also, OC warning. Originally for NaNoWriMo a few years ago. I plan to finish this someday. Whenever that day is, I don't know. But I have a whole binder full of handwritten scenes dedicated to this baby so I'm definitely going to connect the plot threads and finish it.
BLANKET DISCLAIMER: I don't own Tales of Destiny (or Leon would have lived in ONE incarnation of the games/manga/drama CDs); I only own my OCs. Also, I've never been to Japan (though I want to) so I'm telling you now that this story is going to be wholly inaccurate. I'm researching as I go along, but I'm also just twisting/leaving out things as I see fit. Don't take it too seriously.
Living along the coastline, the harsh saltwater constantly beats against the buildings that people have chosen to make their homes. The corrosive salt tears at the sturdy outer layers of the houses, weakening and eventually warping the wood. This is where the carpenters come in. They make a living fixing what the water rubs away on the shoreline; it is the primary job for one living on the beaches of California. And there was hardly a better-known carpenter than one young man in particular.
“Reporting for duty!” with a small ring of a bell, the door to the small diner opened. In the doorway stood a young man in mid twenties, a wide smile on his face. He was dressed in a simple dark blue tank top and dirty white cargo pants, while a pair of sturdy black boots replaced the more commonly seen flip-flops on his feet. His long mess of blond hair was pulled into a low ponytail to keep it from his face. The only clue to his profession was a large tool belt strapped to his waist and an even larger toolbox in one gloved hand. His bright blue eyes scanned the vicinity for the owner but he only found a few customers scattered about the counter and tables. “Eh?”
“Oh, Stahn!” from behind the counter, a middle-aged woman straightened up, spoon in hand. “You’re early. The shop hasn’t even closed for the morning, yet.”
“Heh…well, I haven’t eaten anything for breakfast yet, actually.” He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “And since you were closing early, well I thought-”
“Sure, sure!” she brightened, waving the spoon around. “You’re going to be fixing the place up and all, so why not? Here, sit down!” she smacked the empty section of the counter with her palm. “The usual, right?”
“Yeah.” Stahn smiled back, setting down his toolbox and taking a seat. He was quiet for a moment while the owner busied herself with his abnormally large plate, eyes glancing down at his reflection in the glossy surface of the counter. “Hey…what’s the date?”
“Hm?” she turned around from the stove where she was already frying three eggs to look at him. “The 30th. Why?”
“Ah…Nothing, really. Just…a friend’s birthday is coming up, that’s all.” He chuckled softly, scratching his cheek lightly with his index finger.
“Really? You planning to do something for them?”
“I’d like to but…” he trailed off. “He…doesn’t exactly live here.”
“Oh, your friend in Santa Rosa? You know, that’s only a thirty minute drive and he comes over all the time.” She placed her hands on her hips and frowned, causing Stahn to laugh.
“No, not Johnny. One of our other friends.” He elaborated somewhat quietly, looking down again.
“Oh, one of your back-home friends then.” She turned back around to toss four sausages on the skillet to cook. It was quiet throughout the diner for a long while except for the loud sizzle and popping from the cooking food before she spoke again. “You know, you never told me that story.”
“What story?” Stahn looked up from the napkin he was fiddling with.
“You know, from before you moved here. Anyone can tell you have a story to tell. It’s been what, four years since you and your friend moved here, yeah?”
“…It’s a really long story.” He chuckled softly, brushing some of his unruly blond bangs from his face.
“We have time.” The woman placed a heaping plate of food in front of him. “The diner doesn’t close for over an hour. You came really early.”
“I…suppose it wouldn’t hurt.” His lips curved into a tiny smile, turning sheepish when he noticed a few of the other customers moving to closer seats. “Ah, well…um, let’s see…” Stahn scratched his head and was quiet for a moment as he dug through his memory. “It started my sophomore year of college. I was living with my best friend, Johnny while his little sister-adopted technically, but it doesn’t matter-lived in the apartment next door…
Fandom: Tales of Destiny
Rating: T->T+
Characters/Pairings: In this chapter, just Stahn and mentions of Johnny. In the future, Leon/OC and Stahn/Rutee with appearances by most of the Destiny cast
Summary: They liked to think of it as a fresh start. It was a new area, new workplace, and even a new school, after all. They just didn't think that this fresh start would end up so complicated.
Author's Notes: Tentative title, shitty summary. MAJOR AU. Also, OC warning. Originally for NaNoWriMo a few years ago. I plan to finish this someday. Whenever that day is, I don't know. But I have a whole binder full of handwritten scenes dedicated to this baby so I'm definitely going to connect the plot threads and finish it.
BLANKET DISCLAIMER: I don't own Tales of Destiny (or Leon would have lived in ONE incarnation of the games/manga/drama CDs); I only own my OCs. Also, I've never been to Japan (though I want to) so I'm telling you now that this story is going to be wholly inaccurate. I'm researching as I go along, but I'm also just twisting/leaving out things as I see fit. Don't take it too seriously.
Living along the coastline, the harsh saltwater constantly beats against the buildings that people have chosen to make their homes. The corrosive salt tears at the sturdy outer layers of the houses, weakening and eventually warping the wood. This is where the carpenters come in. They make a living fixing what the water rubs away on the shoreline; it is the primary job for one living on the beaches of California. And there was hardly a better-known carpenter than one young man in particular.
“Reporting for duty!” with a small ring of a bell, the door to the small diner opened. In the doorway stood a young man in mid twenties, a wide smile on his face. He was dressed in a simple dark blue tank top and dirty white cargo pants, while a pair of sturdy black boots replaced the more commonly seen flip-flops on his feet. His long mess of blond hair was pulled into a low ponytail to keep it from his face. The only clue to his profession was a large tool belt strapped to his waist and an even larger toolbox in one gloved hand. His bright blue eyes scanned the vicinity for the owner but he only found a few customers scattered about the counter and tables. “Eh?”
“Oh, Stahn!” from behind the counter, a middle-aged woman straightened up, spoon in hand. “You’re early. The shop hasn’t even closed for the morning, yet.”
“Heh…well, I haven’t eaten anything for breakfast yet, actually.” He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “And since you were closing early, well I thought-”
“Sure, sure!” she brightened, waving the spoon around. “You’re going to be fixing the place up and all, so why not? Here, sit down!” she smacked the empty section of the counter with her palm. “The usual, right?”
“Yeah.” Stahn smiled back, setting down his toolbox and taking a seat. He was quiet for a moment while the owner busied herself with his abnormally large plate, eyes glancing down at his reflection in the glossy surface of the counter. “Hey…what’s the date?”
“Hm?” she turned around from the stove where she was already frying three eggs to look at him. “The 30th. Why?”
“Ah…Nothing, really. Just…a friend’s birthday is coming up, that’s all.” He chuckled softly, scratching his cheek lightly with his index finger.
“Really? You planning to do something for them?”
“I’d like to but…” he trailed off. “He…doesn’t exactly live here.”
“Oh, your friend in Santa Rosa? You know, that’s only a thirty minute drive and he comes over all the time.” She placed her hands on her hips and frowned, causing Stahn to laugh.
“No, not Johnny. One of our other friends.” He elaborated somewhat quietly, looking down again.
“Oh, one of your back-home friends then.” She turned back around to toss four sausages on the skillet to cook. It was quiet throughout the diner for a long while except for the loud sizzle and popping from the cooking food before she spoke again. “You know, you never told me that story.”
“What story?” Stahn looked up from the napkin he was fiddling with.
“You know, from before you moved here. Anyone can tell you have a story to tell. It’s been what, four years since you and your friend moved here, yeah?”
“…It’s a really long story.” He chuckled softly, brushing some of his unruly blond bangs from his face.
“We have time.” The woman placed a heaping plate of food in front of him. “The diner doesn’t close for over an hour. You came really early.”
“I…suppose it wouldn’t hurt.” His lips curved into a tiny smile, turning sheepish when he noticed a few of the other customers moving to closer seats. “Ah, well…um, let’s see…” Stahn scratched his head and was quiet for a moment as he dug through his memory. “It started my sophomore year of college. I was living with my best friend, Johnny while his little sister-adopted technically, but it doesn’t matter-lived in the apartment next door…