Life after Death
Chapter 1: Irony
LLL
Author's note: Hello all! Here I am with the sequel to Promise me forever. I suggest reading it, for those of you who haven't read it before, because it focuses around an original character named Loki, and Vivi Orunitia, and the friendship that formed between them. (Post-game) There wasn't much of the other FFIX characters in it, but in Life after Death, I plan to have all of the original characters, and give personalities to Vivi's children, since I failed to in PMF.
Loki: She just likes Black Mages!
Malevalla: So what?
Disclaimer: Mel doesn't own FFIX. If she did, you would know, because there would be movies, T shirts, postcards, Orlando Bloom, and Johnny Deep would star in the movies. She doesn't own them either.
LLL
"Loki!" One of the Vivi clones shouted, charging me with enthusiasm. He grabbed onto the hem of the yellow skirt I wore. It was part of the school uniform the students of Lindblum Festival High School. I paraded around in the traditional white blouse and brown jacket, hardly aware of my appearance.
"Yo," I replied, only half-heartedly. I patted the black mage on the brim of his hat, trying my best to smile. I stood at the entrance of the Black Mage Village, here to visit Vivi's six children, and his grave.
"Tam said you weren't coming at all," The little mage said, shaking his head sadly. "We think…he hasn't forgiven you for last time…" He sighed, but looked back up at me, his eyes sparkling again.
Tam was the most irritable of all the Vivi clones. He seemed more depressed than the rest, more aware of their limited life. He was also more aware of broken promises, pain, and the fact that his father wasn't coming back to see them again. I had failed to come to the village last time I said I would. Tam never forgave me for it.
"Well, I'll just have to prove him wrong, no?" I asked, giving the child a lopsided smile. Four more black mages charged towards me, squealing my name in delight. Each struggled for a place around my legs, each wanting to be in me line of sight. Three of them made it to the front, or the side of me, while another stood away from them, crushed that he hadn't gotten himself a spot in the half circle.
"Loki's here, Loki's here!" One clone shouted, jumping up and down in its spot.
"Stop that, Darres! You're annoying her!" The first black mage that got there cut in.
"Sari, it's alright! Darres isn't annoying me!" I interrupted. The young mages were just a couple inches from looking me in the face. I was a bit on the short side myself, and probably wouldn't grow more than three inches in the next five years. I tried my best to smile, failing miserably.
"Loki, can we leave? None of the genomes make us follow the rules dad gave us!" Pete asked. He feared getting into trouble. He tried hard to get all of the other mages to follow him, and obey the rules. He wasn't very brave either. He was the opposite of Sari, who was the most courageous of them all.
"The only one we have to play with is Mikoto. That's okay, but I don't like all the questions I have to answer. It's like the genomes know less than I do!"Alex added in, sighing. He was the smartest of the mages, learning things faster than the others, and more likely to know all the answers. Darres was his opposite. He was the slowest of the clones, taking months to figure out jokes. He stated the obvious a lot, which annoyed the other mages occasionally.
"Vivi, come here!" I commanded gently. The black mage, who was pushed out of the way, was the closest to the original Vivi. He was Vivi's perfect clone in looks and personality. He was quite and caring. He was easily confused, but figured things out on his own, and willing to take advice. Tam was his opposite.
Tam was farthest from his father's personality. He was colder hearted than the others, with little room for forgiveness. He knew that one day, he would stop, along with his brothers, and he would never see his father again. He accepted this fate without question; loathing his own father for putting him in the existence he considered a misery.
Vivi complied, scrabbling over towards the crowd around me. He pushed into a small space in between Sari and Darres, starring up at me with golden eyes.
"Hi Vivi!" I said, smiling full heartedly. This one black mage was the closest thing to the real Vivi I had, and only fully opened up for him.
"H-hi!" He replied, his eyes showing his confusion.
"Okay guys, I need some time alone, okay?" I asked, pulling my skirt from Sari's clutches.
"You only just got here!"Alex protested.
"I know! I need some time to say hi to the Others. It's not often I get to see them you know!" The Others referred to the black mage graves. Everyone in the village had agreed to call them as such.
There were sighs of agreement, and the small herd shuffled off to a nearby hut. I sighed, watching them walk through the door, before looking down at the bouquet of flowers clutched in my hands.
L
"These are my favorite flowers," Vivi said, bending down to examine the red blossoms closely. They were in dozens in the small Lindblum garden, tended by an elderly woman.
"I never knew black mages liked flowers!" Loki replied, completely taken aback.
"Yeah, we do. There are hundreds of them in the Village!" Vivi answered happily, standing up and brushing off his knees.
"Oh wow! It must be really pretty in the spring!" Loki said dreamily, imagining the flowers, hundreds of them, in full bloom. The covered every corner and space, vines covered with them crawled up the wooden huts.
"I…wouldn't know. I've only been there a few times!" Vivi replied, imagining the scene himself.
"Oh. Well, I'm sure you'll get to see them! It's nothing to worry about, right?"
L
He told me that day about the black mages' limited life span. A phrase they should use more often is-Ignorance is Bliss. There are so many times in my life that…it would have been better not knowing.
There were more graves in the cemetery than I liked. Every black mage was dead, except for the handful of children Vivi created before he stopped. Their time couldn't be much longer.
The crosses were covered with black mage hats, coats, and scarves, anything that was of value to them. Vivi's was the simplest of all the graves. It held his floppy steeple hat, and his first staff. The things he held for value were his friends. Not much mattered to him after that.
A black mage sat in front of Vivi's grave, glaring at it with hatred I had never seen in a black mage. He had traded out the floppy hat the rest wore for one that stood straight up, though the brim was slightly tattered at the end. Instead of the bright blue jacket, he wore a black one, ankle length, and held around his frame by leather straps, buckles attached to them. He wore black pants, tucked into black leather boots carelessly. He had matching leather gloves, the baggy sleeves of his coat already nearly covering his hands. He was taller than the other black mages. Heck, he was taller than me!
"What are you doing here, Loki?" The black mage growled, turning his head to glare at me.
"I came here to visit you, and the Others. I can do what I want to, you know!" I replied, walking over and sitting down next to the mage. I stared at the flowers, toying around with one of the small blossoms. I set the bouquet down in front of the cross, and denied tears the right to form in my eyes.
"Why do you even bother with that? Father will never know of what you have done. It is a pointless task!" He turned away and glared at the ragged staff leaning against the cross.
"It's a sign of respect!" I spat back, glaring at the mage. "It isn't pointless if it sets my mind at ease!"
"Loki, you truly are selfish!"
"You shouldn't talk, Tam. You are just as bad! ...How can a black mage be so cold hearted, even after awakening? It doesn't make sense!"
Tam glared at me, and seemed to be growling. "How can a black mage be so cruel? I think the question should be how a black mage can be just like you!" He turned away, glaring at one of the black mage hats.
"That's enough!" Giving Tam commands and yelling at him wasn't going to help. So why was I doing just that anyway?
"What will you do if I continue!" Tam replied, slamming his palms down into the ground. He clenched his hands into fists, pulling up handfuls of dirt.
I was silent for a time, not sure what I would do. "Nothing!" I replied truthfully, lying down in the dirt, and sparse grass.
"As I thought! And what would you do if I went over there, picked up father's staff, and proceeded to beat you with it?" Tam asked, chuckling to himself.
"Oh, now that's easy! I'd find a large stick, and poke you with it until you dropped the staff. After that, I'd reach out, strangle you, and burn you dead form!" I replied, giving Tam a satisfied look of pure evil.
Tam said nothing, but growled. He sighed, looking at the ground he sat on. "We are far too much alike!" He said finally, pulling himself to his feet. "The world should only have to suffer through one of us!" He clenched his fists and glared at me, electricity zapping about his form.
"You wouldn't be able to beat me, Tam." I replied. I was only hoping that. The only weapon I had was a large hammer Cinna had given me. It would be useless against Tam's black magic.
"Loki, do not attempt to fool yourself! You could not stand up to me! There is no one here willing to side with either of us. There is nothing you can do to win!" He lifted up his hands, energy forming in them.
I stood up, unhooking the hammer from the belt around my hips. It was the only chance I had against Tam. He shot the energy at me, striking my hands perfectly. I yelped, letting go of the hammer. Well…there goes my one chance.
"You shall die, Loki! Right in front of Father's grave! But, then again, didn't you always want to die by his side!" Energy formed in his palms, burning red and hot. A large ball of fire formed, a magical aura surrounding him.
"Oh crap!" I groaned, rolling my eyes. "I'm going to be killed by a rebellious black mage!"
Pure, bloody irony, if anyone were to ask me.
LLL
Mel: Yes…ironic.
Loki: You are so mean…first you kill Vivi, turn one of his children evil, and then try to kill me off!
Mel: Well, even though it's called Life after Death you never actually die…
Loki: That…doesn't make much sense, ya know?