Sephiran's Time Machine

Yeah sure, alright. There really isn't a point to adhere to the only one choice rule, at least not in this topic. So C and B win then! Will have the scenes up sometime today.

Neo I am almost finished with UB II and wow.
An amazing CYOA, especially with osmosis as a ruined future.
Man, feels like I won't be able to live up to such a thing.

Memories of Life

It was early evening when you found her, standing on the bow of the ship, looking over the rail. The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon, bathing the calm waters in rays of orange and gold. You quietly join her, and both of you are silent, at least for a time. "I'm sorry," you breathe at last.

She gives a melancholy, almost resigned smile that breaks your heart. "It's alright Trail. It's not your fault."

Again, the silence stretches on, and it tears at you. You find yourself gripping the railing so tightly your knuckles are blanched. "I want to thank you," Leah says suddenly, and even now, you can't meet her eyes.

"For what?" You ask quietly.

"The memories," she replies, and for a brief moment, her smile widens and you catch a glimpse of the old her. The her from a different life, a different time. "You showed me a whole new world, Trail. A life I never would have seen if we hadn't met."

"If only so much of it hadn't been on the battlefield," you whisper, your voice tinged with regret.

Leah gives a small shrug. "We can't help that Trail. This is the era we were born in. All we can do is make do with what we've got. You taught me that, you know..."

Her hand slowly moves across the railing, to cover yours. You turn to look at her then, and her wistful smile... "But for every memory of death," she continues softly, "I have a memory of life. For every day I spent on the battlefield, for every time I frantically called your name across the din of battle... I remember a day spent in the city, shopping with Kanis. Helping her pick out furniture or groceries. I remember the days spent in the tavern, joking and laughing at Athena, as she drank herself under the table... I remember the first time I helped train new recruits. I remember watching Gawain at work the first time, and I remember watching his games with your son... Don't you see Trail? This is all because of you. It doesn't matter what we face tomorrow. It doesn't matter if we fail, if the stars themselves lose their shine... Because I'll still have yesterday. I'll still have my memories. I'll still have you."

Unbidden, a tear blossoms in your eye. Leah takes her hand away, and for the first time in so very long, you don't know what to do. You let the tear fall unhindered, splashing on the deck below.

"I love you," she whispers softly. "I always have, and I always will. You don't need a letter to tell you that."

Another tear falls, and another, and you don't even try to stop it. You let them flow. "And I you," you whisper back. "I have since the moment I first met you, since that day a crazy thief decided to help herself to Midgard's coffers in the middle of a battle..."

You give a delighted laugh at the memory, finally deciding to wipe your eyes. "Good stars above, it feels like yesterday. How long ago was that?"

"Almost three years now," she replies, smiling, and she too laughs. "In hindsight, it probably wasn't my smartest move... But I'm glad I did it. And I don't need to tell you why."

Leah leans up on her tiptoes and kisses your chin, and you close your eyes. "I'm heading in Trail... Don't stay up too long, alright? We can't have our mighty General catching a cold."

You open your eyes, just in time to see her walk away, and you reach for her. "Wait," you call out weakly, and she stops.

You walk up behind her, removing a small necklace from your pocket. "Do you remember the story I told you before?" You ask softly, clasping the necklace around her neck. "About the boy who fell in love with the moon and tried to steal her? You are my moon Leah, my lunar maiden, and I am your Jax. That will never change. No matter what time it is... My door is always open to you."

Leah rewards you with one last smile, her eyes as watery as yours. "It seems I was never really the thief at all, was I...? All this time I thought I was the greatest thief... I thought I was Jax. But that was never true... You were Jax all along. You were him all along..."

She leans up again, and this time, for the briefest of moments, her lips meet yours. "Goodnight, my sweet prince... I'll wait for you in the sky, as I always have..."

With that, she walks away once more. And all you can do is stand there and watch, as the last vestiges of light and fire vanish from the silent sea. A sea of memories. A sea of ghosts.

Don't worry SM, Leah is happy with her giant. And Idoun has an equally beautiful LM scene. All in all, everyone wins.

I'll second for fun because seconding votes are so rare in my copy cat topic.

No problem whenever you can get to it that's fine. I know I just posted like a bunch of time but I finally can post from the comfy of my own home it has nearly been a week.