Arsonette
Burmecian that posts a great deal
Posts: 409
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Post by Arsonette on Aug 16, 2008 19:43:07 GMT
For those who don't frequent fanfiction.net this is the story I'm rewriting and posting there and I thought I'd give you a sneak preview when I post new chapters! I'll be adding chapters regualrly so watch this space and all reviews are gratefully received!
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Arsonette
Burmecian that posts a great deal
Posts: 409
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Post by Arsonette on Aug 16, 2008 19:44:34 GMT
Chapter 1.The Dream.
Two red eyes rose out of the darkness, wreathed in black fog.
“You’re finished Eiko, they’re dead. All of your friends are dead and it’s your fault! You’re alone again and this time you’ll stay alone”
“NO! I won’t believe you!”
“You’re alone Eiko, all alone...”
The fog lifted slightly to reveal my friends bodies lying deadly still on the floor that was not there.
“NO!”
I rushed over to where my stricken friends lay. Tears of fury and grief running down my face. I ran first to one body, then the next.
“YOU CAN’T DIE! YOU PROMISED! Don’t leave me...”
Laughter rang through the darkness as the fog came rushing back, and I started to fall…
THUMP
I landed face down on the floor, tears still falling down my face in endless streams. I stood up trying to disentangle myself from the duvet. I walked over to the window, taking in the clean crisp air in large greedy gulps, trying to shake off the waves of emotion that were still washing over me in the aftermath of the dream.
After I had calmed back down I walked over to my wardrobe and opened it, met by a cascade of clothes I had shoved there yesterday when told to tidy my room.
I delved down into towards the floor of the wardrobe, throwing clothes out behind me and lifted out a large wooden shoebox. I settled back unto my bed and opened the lid. In this box I had stored, magpie like, every precious item that I owned. I slowly started to peel away the tissue paper, and lifted out my old wing ornaments. I blew off the dust and lovingly placed them beside myself on the bed. It had been years since I’d last worn them but I’d never get rid of them, ever. I carried on peeling away the tissue paper revealing; my old Lamias flute (too short for magic but normally taken out as force of habit) a few roughly drawn pictures of myself and Mog (I had drawn them myself age 6), some more pictures, even more pictures, and then, my memory earring. I always wore it on special occasions. Well what I classify as special anyway. I pulled on my usual selection of clothes, (tight black trousers and matching top held up with black stringy ribbony stuff, a furry armlet on each wrist and a sheet of copper armour that started at the shoulder and ended by the elbow)
I looked out of the window again at the uniform pearly white sky. My internal clock told me it was about an hour before sunrise. Until then the whole castle was mine to enjoy. I grabbed the thick leather bag that was lying by my bed (not on a table, it had been lost under all the junk on it years ago) and sped out of my room pulling on my boots as I left, tripping over cogs, clothes and everything else that hindered my passage towards the door. I peeked my head out of my doorway to quickly check no one was around and crept towards the industrial district where my latest hobby stood unguarded and unnamed.
Dad had always encouraged me to help him with his own ships and about 2 years ago I’d started my own, accepting only the help from my closest friends (Vivi, Freya and suchlike) Otherwise making her entirely myself, now all she needed where a few adjustments to the figurehead and a name. I puzzled over the name I’d toyed with the idea of “Silver Dragon” but it reminded me too forcibly of Kuga. I just wanted to forget about him.
I decided to leave the name for now and went over to the small carpentry room where I was working on the figurehead; I’d ditched the traditional image of the winged mermaid and was carving something entirely new. It was going to be a surprise for Vivi when he got here this afternoon; all it needed now was sanding and a lick of paint. I was stuck on the eyes I couldn’t get them just right somehow.
The eyes go up more than that at the left.
Oh shut up Madeen!
I’m just trying to help…
I know but this is difficult and I’m trying to concentrate.
You really shouldn’t get up so early Hilde will do her nut!
Ooohhh, who’s suddenly the saintly one, if I remember correctly you used to get me up early just so I could steel you some breakfast, MOG!
The names MADEEN now, or should I start calling you Princess?
Meany, anyway what do you think…finished?
A lick of paint and you could hardly tell it’s just a block of carved wood.
Great, when do you think
CRASH!
Crap someone’s coming I better hide this.
I’d just managed to shove the figurehead out of view when,
“Hi, Eiko need any help?”
“Vivi!”
I ran over and slung my arms round him in an overwhelming hug. Everyone expected us to go out together but I mean eeww, he was my best friend.
It had been almost 10 years since we’d fought Kuga together and Vivi had changed beyond recognition; he was now almost as tall as Zidane was back then with long gangly arms and legs, and a completely different fashion sense. He still had the hat though, and the same round black face with their glowing gold eyes.
“Hey Vivi…”
“Yes”
“Got your hat!”
“Hey that’s unfair!”
“I know but your such an easy target”
“Easier than Zidane?”
I paused halfway up to the trams, giving Vivi ample time to wrestle his hat back off me.
“Zidane’s here?” I said slowly letting an evil grin glide slowly onto my face.
“Ah huh, that’s how I got here so early, I caught a lift with him, in fact I was sent down by your parents to fetch you for breakfast.”
“Cool, wait here though I’ve left my tools over on my ship. She’s almost finished. Hey you can have the first ride on her if you want”
Overhead a rope started to unravel…
“Cool”
I started to run over towards my ship, I was halfway there when a resounding CRASH echoed round the hall. I looked up. A huge ship brought in for repairs had started to fall down from her post.
I opened my mouth to scream when a black and blue blur barrelled into my chest throwing me away from the falling ships path. I turned back just in time to see Vivi being consumed by the debris, his golden eyes burning into my soul.
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Arsonette
Burmecian that posts a great deal
Posts: 409
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Post by Arsonette on Aug 16, 2008 19:57:00 GMT
Chapter 2.Depth of Grief.
My grandfather once told me that as summoners can talk to animals, and as we can talk to them in their languages, we can also scream in their languages as well. I thought it was, quite frankly, bullshit at the time. I take away that comment now.
I was running, to where Vivi lay buried, even before the debris had finished falling. Engineers all around me had fallen to the ground in pain clutching at their ears as I ran past, screaming in every language I knew at the same time.
“Vivi!”
I fell to my knees pulling away at the debris half blinded by my tears, though I couldn’t remember starting to cry. I found the top of his hat and immediately started to work down making a space of debris free area around him. By the time I had finished I could hear my parents, and Zidane and Garnet thundering down the stairs towards me, obviously attracted to the racket.
“Eiko what’s wrong we heard…”
When they saw Vivi, they stopped. I ignored them and bent closer to Vivi.
“Vivi, please don’t leave… please, my ship’s almost finished, you were going to have the first ride remember? And…and I need you to help me think of a name.” I was choking back my sobs trying to convince myself as well as Vivi. Even though I knew deep down in my heart of hearts that he was to far gone.
Vivi coughed, a sliver of greeny blue blood trickling out of the side of his mouth.
“Don’t cry Eiko, please I mean you will see me again… eventually”
Vivi was wheezing heavily now, every word an effort. Five minutes ago he had been trying to wrestle his hat back off me.
“Don’t talk like that, you’re not going anywhere, I...I demand it”
“Funny thing to demand”
I dropped my voice to a whisper, tears still rolling down my cheeks. “Please…”
“Why don’t you call your ship the Orientier spirit…to remember me by”
“I don’t need to remember you, because you’re not going anywhere”
“I’m sorry Eiko”
He pulled something out of his pocket and passed it towards me, every movement causing him to wince with the pain and effort. “For you Eiko…goodbye”
I took the parcel out of his hands, as soon as I touched it; Vivi seemed to fall away his body turning to mist.
I clutched the parcel to my chest tears still running down my face as the mist surrounded me, then it was blown away by a breeze leaving Vivi’s last whispered “Goodbye” echoing in my ears.
Garnet is suddenly beside me drawing me into a hug as I cry. All I can hear is the voice of my nightmares reverberating in my head “One down Eiko, the others are next”
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Arsonette
Burmecian that posts a great deal
Posts: 409
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Post by Arsonette on Aug 16, 2008 19:58:15 GMT
Chapter 3. Uncontrollable.
After my initial outburst in the industrial district docks I felt like a zombie, completely devoid of feeling. Garnet led me away by the arm, past the other engineers, many of which seemed to be heading towards the healing hut where a white mage was waiting to heal them. They all seemed to be supporting bleeding eardrums and their eyes where crossed.
When we got to my room Garnet left me in there telling me to
“Stay put while I find out what happened.”
I heard her whisper to a passing guard telling him to stand outside and make sure I don’t leave while she’s gone.
Like I’ll let that stop me…
Eiko…
Phoenix?
I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything…I tried…but…I’m sorry
It’s o.k.
But
JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! I’M FINE!
If you say so Eiko…
I walked over to my window; smoke was rising from the industrial district in great billowing sheets.
I hope a fire hasn’t started.
“Eiko?”
“Hiya Adie,”
Adie (pronounced Add-ee) was a newbie guard, and the youngest one enrolled ever. He was mainly enrolled for me, an agony aunt cross bodyguard person. He was nearly always the one who helped me sneak out and cover for me.
“What’s wrong Eiko?”
He’d come just inside the door, his hazel eyes round with concern
“Vivi’s gone…”
I didn’t feel anything as I said these words just an empty sort of hollow feeling.
“Well it was about time he buggered off”
“What!”
My head snapped round to stare at Adie, his face was twisted in an uncharacteristic sneer and his eyes seemed red in the light coming from my open window.
“You heard me Eiko, he should’ve stopped years ago he doesn’t deserve to share the same air as other normal beings after what his kind did to us back in the eidolon war.”
I sat there to shocked to speak, or even move. Letting the words sink in. I suddenly jumped up and grabbed Adie by the throat, pinning him to the wall. His feet where dangling above the floor and his face was turning slowly purple.
“Say that again.”
My voice was challenging, it sounded more like a snarl to how I usually talked.
Adie yelled, his eyes loosing their red glint and his voice returning to normal.
“Eiko...Eiko!..I can’t…b…breathe!”
I blinked shocked at myself.
I abruptly let go, Adie sinking to the floor clutching his throat a wracking couth shaking his whole body. I had almost strangled Adie… I turned and fled, legging it down the corridor as fast as I could.
Eiko! Slow down! No ones chasing you!
I almost strangled Adie…
Eiko…
I WANTED TO KILL HIM!
The hollow feeling from before had evaporated leaving behind it an all consuming anger that hurt my soul more and more it was penned up inside my body. I quickly dodging the main passage as some of the guards would be starting their rounds now and darted behind a tapestry into a cold passageway. Breathing heavily.
Madeen?
I’m here Eiko
I’m sorry I didn’t mean to loose my temper...I…What did I just do?
You almost strangled Adie
I need to get out of here…
Look on the bright side not many 16year olds could pin a grown man to a wall
That’s not funny Madeen…WHY DO I FEEL SO ANGRY ALL OF A SUDEN? I almost killed Adie because of it…
Eiko it’s not your fault.
YES IT IS! Vivi...Adie everything it’s all my fault!
EIKO!
DO NOT SHOUT AT ME! IT WAS NOT YOUR FAULT!
Madeen’s angry voice burst into my horn the force of it pinning me cowering to the wall, as if she was standing in front of me.
If it wasn’t my fault who’s was it then? If I had just confronted my nightmare…fought it...found out what it wanted I could have stopped Vivi’s death…and no matter what you say it was no ones but my fault in strangling Adie….
It’s called grief Eiko…
…What?
The anger the sadness the anger the hollow feeling, the feeling of deep loneliness, it’s all because of grief. It happens when you loose someone so close…
…
Someone loved…
Madeen what should I do? If that happens again I won’t be able to control it…
Listen to Garnet…Take her advice
Stay in my room?
No the other advice…
#Garnet’s POV#
I was talking to Uncle Cid and Zidane in the drawing room when a guard burst his head through the door,
“Regent Cid, Queen Garnet, Lord Zidane,” he bobbed his head,
“It’s Adie.”
I could feel the colour in my face draining…Eiko.
“What’s happened?” I snapped…or more to the point why did you only mention Adie when he was supposed to be guarding Eiko!
“We don’t know, he was half strangled and won’t tell us who is responsible...”
I pushed him out of the way striding towards Eiko’s room, followed closely by Zidane and Uncle Cid. Uncle Cid’s face was taught and worried, he had hired Adie to help protect Eiko, if someone had almost strangled Adie, who had the strongest (and youngest) of all the guards what then what had happened to Eiko? Especially when she could hardly speak after…what had just happened.
“Adie,”
It was Uncle Cid, he was kneeling next to Adie and using his most controlling voice,
“Adie what happened? Who did this?”
Adie looked up and I almost recoiled at the sight that met my eyes, the blood vessels around his eyes had burst leaving his normally caring hazel eyes swimming on a completely red surface. And his throat had turned into a mass of black and dark purple bruises.
“Eiko…”he said raspingly and then fainted. Uncle Cid recoiled and some white mages immediately sprinted him off to be treated. Uncle Cid looked at me wide eyed and shocked. He opened his mouth to say something to me when an echoing
BOOM
reached my eyes echoing off the walls and drowning out whatever he had been about to say.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2008 20:19:05 GMT
I remembers this! wonderful as always ^^
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Arsonette
Burmecian that posts a great deal
Posts: 409
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Post by Arsonette on Aug 16, 2008 20:19:07 GMT
Chapter 4. Escape plan.
#Garnets POV#
I legged it down the corridor after Zidane my hands over my ears. The original BANG we had heard had been followed by more consecutively, leaving my ears throbbing.
“ZIDANE! WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS?” I had drawn level with Zidane now and was yelling to try and get myself heard over the racket.
“I DON’T KNOW BUT IT’S COMING FROM THE PRACTISE ROOMS!”
The practise rooms where a new addition to the castle, created soon after we returned from beating Kuja and the repair work on Lindblum had been finished they were exclusively for the practise and mastery of all combative arts. And now we were getting closer we could hear screaming…
“Come on! That cannot be all you’ve got!” Eiko’s scream ripped through the air as her panting body came into view, wielding the largest double handed sword she could physically lift the castle guards where charging her in their armour as she slashed and pounded them away, dripping in sweat but roaring in rage it took a while before I even noticed the tears pouring down her face.
Oh Eiko can’t you see that you loved him? Even now?
She is but a child Dagger
I know Bahamut my wise friend but….my poor child…
#Eiko’s POV#
I didn’t notice father, Zidane and Dagger until oI tripped over the sword as it feel from my grasp, sweat pouring down my face to mingle with my tears, there’s only so much your body and soul can take and now my soul was broken it seemed my body was too. I looked up and saw them standing there shock plastered over their faces.
“You always said to express what you felt Dagger, this is what I feel.”
“Oh…” Dagger strode over and walloped me on the side of my head, “Eiko if you ever do something like that ever again I will personally chuck you off the top of the telescope tower!” The anger drained out of her face, “We where really worried Eiko, I mean after we found Adie…”
“Oh!” my hands flew to my mouth, I’d forgotten all about Adie, “Is he alright? Is he badly hurt?”
Father stepped forward, “He will be but we need to find out who did that to him, they must have had a really strong grip, he almost died…”
I hung my head, tears once again rising involuntarily, “I’m sorry. Father…I didn’t mean to hurt him…”
#Zidane’s POV#
“What do you mean you are sorry you couldn’t have done anything.” Eiko raised her head; her face was streaked with tears.
“I shouldn’t have done anything to him in the first place.” She spoke slowly and deliberately, and my head spun.
“Y...you did that to Adie? But he’s your friend and you’re only 16! The person who did that burst all the blood vessels in his eyes they were so strong.”
Eiko hung her head again, “I said I was sorry I can’t do anything more than that…I can’t justify my actions either except say that I was...too upset by what he said to control my actions.”
“Eiko,” Cid marched over to Eiko and held her head up so he could see right into her eyes. He stood like that for almost a minute before dropping her head and turning round. “She’s telling the truth” he sounded incredulous.
“But she’s only 16 years old?”
“Zidane, I know when my daughter is lying to me and…she isn’t lying. Garnet please go and help the white mages with Adie you are the strongest white mage we have, and if you can’t heal him…then, we’ll deal with that later. Zidane help me over here.” Garnet immediately strode out of the room heading towards the infirmary. I walked over to Cid he had Eiko by the elbow. “Eiko?”
She raised her head and stared at me. When we came into the room, she had been belting out her anger in pure violence and strength, positively radiating fury and anger, and now here she was completely devoid of any feeling whatsoever. “Eiko, we’re going to take you over to the dining room, o.k.? We’ve contacted the rest of the world heroes…they’re on their way, we want you to wait there until at least Freya arrives o.k.?”
Eiko nodded sullenly and we carefully directed her to the dining room, locking the door as we left.
#Eiko’s POV#
Are they gone?
Yes...why?
We’re getting out of here.
EIKO! You were told to stay here!
I’ll die if I have to stay here until Freya arrives, I know for a fact she’s in an important meeting with Puck until evening, and by the time she gets the message she won’t be able to get here until about midnight.
But he locked the door.
Have you forgotten how we snuck out last time?
Eiko you know I don’t like you crawling down the sides of buildings. It’s dangerous.
While Madeen had been talking to me I’d edged over to the window and was now sitting on the edge of the windowsill.
Have you forgotten these?
I walloped the two matching emeralds on the front of my boots. Two identical blades slid out of the soles of my boots with quiet schnik sounds. The blades were like the ones you get on ice skating shoes but were stronger, and protruded more at the front and back. I slung myself over the window ledge and hammered my feet into the wall outside.
Don’t worry Madeen, I’ll be fine, and back before anyway notices I’m gone.
You better be, because Adie isn’t waiting outside the door to cover for you this time…
….Please, I don’t need reminding
Fine just concentrate on what you are doing.
Course what else would I “AHHHHHHHHHHHH!” I screamed….I was falling, and no one was going to catch me…
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Arsonette
Burmecian that posts a great deal
Posts: 409
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Post by Arsonette on Aug 18, 2008 20:36:10 GMT
Chapter 5. Falling
#Eiko’s POV#
I screamed as I fell the castle walls rushing past me. There was a sharp jerk at my wrist almost pulling it out of its socket. I gasped in pain, tears automatically welling in the corners of my eyes.
EIKO!
Madeen!
Eiko?
Shut up for a moment!
I looked up to see what had stopped my descent, pain still shooting through my wrist. A flag pole had caught on the moogle bracelet around my wrist. I’d got the bracelet from Vivi on my 14th birthday. I ignored the pain still ricocheting down my arm and sighed with relief, anything was better than becoming a splat mark on the ground below. I sighed with relief. I stretched forward to plunge the blades on my shoes into the wall.
Oh crap.
What?
Not only am I too far away from the wall to climb back up but…I raised my right boot, the sole facing upwards slightly.
Shit.
Language Madeen! But…I quite agree.
The blade had snapped off completely leaving me with only no way to climb up or down, unless let myself fall again.
Double shit.
What?
Look up.
Crap!
I lunged upwards as with a slight ping my bracelet snapped the small gold moogles and beads tumbling into the darkness, leaving only the string they had been threaded on, swaying slightly in the breeze.
Thanks Madeen! You totally saved my butt.
That wasn’t what I was talking about. Look at where the pole joins the wall.
Typical, absolutely typical.
Creak.
Well it’s been nice knowing you Madeen. Goodbye.
And with a final creak the pole snapped, sending me once more tumbling into the darkness. But instead of the choking panic I’d felt before I felt a strange calmness.
Vivi I’m coming…
No your not!
I felt my arm move through the air; I was still holding the pole in my hand.
I opened my mouth to scream but instead my lips formed a different word, “FENRIR!”
And suddenly I wasn’t falling, fur tickled my nose, I opened my eyes though I wasn’t sure when I had closed them. Once more my lips formed the words Fenrir but this time of their own accord and in joy, rather than desperation.
Fenrir gently landed on the ground and turned round to face me.
What did you say about goodbye? I slid off his back and threw my arms round his neck.
“Thank you my darling, darling Fenrir.”
I buried my head into the thick ruff of fur around his neck and breathed in his wolfy, faintly musty smell.
Good job you held onto that pole. I may be the most brilliant eidolon in the world but even I need a summoner and a staff, to be summoned, albeit a home made staff.
Fenrir smiled his wolfy smile at me, chuckling slightly and licked my face once before vanishing. Just as all my eidolons did as soon as they had finished what they where summoned for.
I sunk to my knees the elation at not finding myself dead vanishing as soon as it had appeared.
I looked up at the window where I first started climbing.
Well that’s one way of getting down faster. I joked
How can you be joking at a time like this? YOU ALMOST DIED!
Because that’s the sort of thing I would do.
Eiko? What do you mean?
I opened my mouth and before I could stop it everything came tumbling out in one great wave.
I felt if I acted like everything was okay, that maybe it would be you know?
My words slurred slightly as tears once again started to fall down my face.
I…I thought if…if I tried hard enough to pretend to be okay I would be okay. I thought it would work that…that I would be okay. That every…everyone would think I was okay, and pretend to be okay as well. And then everyone would be okay as well. And it...it would be as though this never happened!
That’s why you sneaked out in the first place wasn’t it? Eiko your best friend died in your arms a few hours ago! No one expects you to be fine…
I turned my head to the stars and howled to the stars. Trying to vent out some of my grief.
I let my head flop back down and gulped for air.
I just want Vivi, Madeen I want him here! I want him to come walking around that corner now laughing and saying it was just a silly prank, that it will be all okay, because…because he isn’t really dead!
But it won’t happen will it Eiko? He won’t really come back. And you are not okay. No matter how hard you try to prove to yourself and everyone else that you are.
I know. But…but I wish it was different.
I shuffled closer to the wall, behind a pile of trash. Unless someone either looked straight down from one of the windows above me or walked through the trash, you wouldn’t have known I was there.
Something glinted next to me; it was the small silver blade from my boot. I picked it up gingerly.
Vivi helped me make this Madeen. Last summer. He did most of it really. All I did was give him the raw materials.
I closed my hand around the blade and squeezed hard. The blade sliced into my flesh, causing ruby red droplets of blood to cascade down my hand, and to then shatter as they hit the ground.
All night I sat there tears cascading down my face with my life blood slowly draining away from my hand. Rocking gently. Giving myself up to my grief.
I must have fallen asleep at one point though because that it is how Ruby found me the next morning, curled up behind the rubbish. Dried blood all over my hand and on the ground around me. Dried tears on my face.
“Well wotcha doin here darling? You’ve caused quite a kafuffle I can tell ya.” She stooped down and shook me by the shoulders. “Come on darlin, wake up now. Their all out lookin for ya you know?”
I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and gingerly tried to stand up, collapsing almost immediately, as I’d forgotten to retract the blade on my left boot. And as you all know it’s kind of impossible to walk on ice-skates on normal ground.
As I fell my hand opened sending the blade that was still clutched in my hand flying. Opening the cut and causing the blood to flow again.
I gasped and retracted the blade on my left boot and then tried to stand again, this time using the wall as a support. I almost collapsed again, but Ruby ducked quickly under my arm to help hold me up. The world seemed to spin and my legs felt like jelly. A creeping darkness was starting to cloud my vision. I looked down at my hand. All around the cut it was swollen and green.
Ruby looked down too, her eyes widening as she saw what had happened to my hand..
“Damn darling how did you do that?”
I didn’t even have enough energy to nod. But before the darkness completely overtook me I heard a faint whispered thought in the back of my head.
Looks like you might join Vivi after all Eiko.
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Arsonette
Burmecian that posts a great deal
Posts: 409
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Post by Arsonette on Aug 18, 2008 20:46:44 GMT
Chapter 6.Unconscious.
#Eiko’s POV#
I could hear all my friends talking even though I was unconscious. By listening to them I knew that a virus had gotten into my system from the gash on my hand. They all thought I was going to die for some strange reason. Apparently I should have become conscious ages ago.
I slowly started to turn away from the voices of my friends. I knew I should be conscious the only thing stopping me was myself. I didn’t want to come back.
If I came back I’d have to tell everyone…how it was my entire fault, if Vivi hadn’t pushed me out of the way he’d be alive. They’d hate me when I told them…I couldn’t cope with that. I couldn’t cope without them. As long as I was unconscious I didn’t have to face that…I didn’t have to face anything. If I went back I’d have to tell Vivi’s sons as well. I’d have to go to Vivi’s funeral and know that it was my entire fault…I couldn’t do that.
I slowly turned away from the comforting voices of my friends, and started to sink into myself. Into my memories and my heart.
Flashback
It was the first time we had been to the Tantalus hideout since Zidane had come back. Dagger and Zidane where looking after me and Vivi while my parents went about filling out all the official adoption papers, they had asked me to become their official daughter that afternoon. I didn’t need that much convincing I already felt as if they where my family.
“Zidane I’m HUNGRY!” guess who.
“Sshh, can’t you see I’m talking to the Boss?” obviously Zidane.
“But y-you’re not part of Tantalus any more Zidane so w-why do you still call him boss?” It was Vivi I almost cried when I saw him. I wanted to fling my arms around him and never let go…but instead I just settled down to watch.
“Blank!” I t was Baku, he had a six year old nephew and niece, so he probably knew I’d go into major annoyance mode unless he got someone to keep me occupied.
“Yes Boss?”
“Show Eiko where the food is, Vivi there’s some books over their that you’d probably like it would take too long to explain why Zidane still calls me boss but I’ll tell you in a minute. Now where were we?” Baku turned back to his conversation with Dagger and Zidane While Blank showed me where all the food was kept.
“Where’s all the grub?”
“That IS all the grub.”
“Some mouldy pieces of fruit and a cucumber?”
“A cucumber’s a fruit.”
“No it’s not it’s a vegetable!”
“Fruit.”
“Vegetable”
“FRUIT!”
“VEGETABLE!”
“WILL YOU TWO JUST SHUT UP!”
“Okay boss!”
“Still say it’s a vegetable.”
“Oh shut up and just put it in the blender or something.”
“Okay.”
“NO I DIDN’T MEAN IT!”
“To late” I stuffed the cucumber into the blender. BBBBBBBBBBZZZZZZZSCHCHKABLETHTHWAKASCHLOP. For future reference you should NEVER put a cucumber in a blender. It makes a sound like you’ve poured metal into it and then the lid is thrown off and EVERYTHING in the vicinity becomes covered in cucumber slop.
There was a long pause from the other room and then…”BLANK!” from Baku and “EIKO!” from Zidane
“WE DIDN’T DO IT!”
“IT WAS HIM/HER!”
They came running in to find us now covered in head to toe with cucumber slop and pointing accusingly at each other.
Baku eventually saw the funny side of it…emphasis on EVENTUALLY. Ever since there’s been a sign on the kitchen door in the Tantalus hideout that says
Knowledge is knowing that a cucumber is a vegetable.
Wisdom is knowing NOT TO PUT IT IN A BLENDER!
END OF FLASHBACK
I settled down to watch the next flashback. I didn’t need to go back, I could stay here forever and just watch my memories for the rest of my days….I was so busy trying to cover my guilt at my choice of not waking up that I didn’t see the tell tale wisps of smoke at the edge of my vision.
“Hello again Eiko….” I almost screamed. I spun round and feel backwards. It was the nightmare…but different. The red eyes where still there, still wreathed in the familiar black fog but….
“You killed him Eiko, you know you did and it’s ALL YOUR FAULT!”
“NO I WON’T BELIEVE YOU!”
I saw Vivi. I saw his body lying in front of me the debris of the ship lying smashed around him. I stood up meaning to run to him. To make him wake up to live. But I couldn’t move, the black fog had started to wind itself around my legs.
“LET ME GO!”
“Give it too me Eiko and your other friends won’t mean the same fate.”
“WHAT DO YOU WANT? I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING! WHY ARE YOU
DOING THIS?” I choked on my tears as they coursed down my face.
“You know why Eiko. GIVE IT TO ME!”
“I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT! JUST LEAVE MY FRIENDS ALONE! THEY DON’T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS!”
“Of course they do Eiko, the longer you deny me the key, the more they and yourself are going to be hurt. As long as you have them near and as long as you have the key, the worse it’s going to be...”
“WHAT KEY! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?”
“Vivi died because you didn’t give it too me, you’re other friends will be next…”
“LEAVE ME ALONE! LEAVE THEM ALONE! MADEEN HELP ME!”
“Nothing can help you Eiko…not even your eidolons, give it too me and your friends will be spared...”
“I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT OR WHO YOU ARE BUT JUST LEAVE THEM ALONE!” I felt the tendrils of fog...or whatever it was loosening slightly. I immediately jumped, and ran, but instead of running away from the…the thing I ran towards it.
I felt the fog grasp at me and then there was a painful burning sensation. I screamed as long and as loud as I could and then…I was awake, conscious still screaming, sitting bolt upright, Dagger’s arms around me as she tried to calm me down.
Madeen?
I am here Eiko. What is wrong? What has scared you so much that makes you scream and cry so?
I couldn’t answer. The initial relief at being away from the creature of my nightmares was gone and replaced with a feeling of pure dread…. “As long as you have them near” Madeen?
Yes?
I know what to do...I finally know what to do.
I let myself be comforted and cooed over by my parents and Dagger for I now knew what to do to protect them.
“There’s no need to worry anymore…I know what to do.”
Dagger hugged me again almost crushing my lungs. “And we’ll help you Eiko, we’ll all help you.”
More than you’ll ever know Dagger more than you’ll ever know…
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