The Irony of Life
Alright… I know this isn't a hot topic, or even a main or popular character for that matter. I took the other ideas that you guys gave me, but none of them struck me like the other thing I wrote about did. I have started a Zell fic, a Seifer fic, and even a Quistis fic. Your ideas are still welcome, and I am extremely thankful for them. I expect to get a lot of flames for this one, mainly because of the main character. Oh well… this one goes out to Jen-Jen for inspiring me. The usual disclaimers apply.
A single tear glides down my cheek.
The irony of my life makes me want to cry, laugh, and then cry again one million times over. At a simple glance, it seems almost normal- I grew up, met a beautiful woman, got married, and started my own job. The irony of this would only show up when you looked deeper, and asked some serious questions. I grew up, yes, in the household of a military leader. I met a beautiful woman, yes, but there was more there than meets the eye. We got married, yes, but that marriage meant nothing to those whom wanted her for themselves. I started my own job, yes, but its purpose was not to make money, nor to gain power.
It was to kill the one I love.
Edea walked out of the children's room with a downcast look on her face. I stopped reading my book and walked to her, sensing that something was wrong. I placed my arm on her shoulder, and let her rest her head on my chest. She broke into tears, and said something to me that I will never forget. 'Cid… love… I have something to tell you. I'm… not what you think. I'm… a sorceress.'
A wave crashes up onto the beach in front of me, soaking my feet. Right now, Edea's children, the ones who she loved with her life, would be moving in to kill her. At this exact moment. More tears stream down my face. Do they know that she was… is… their Matron? Irvine knew… but would he have the guts… the heart, even… to tell them?
Another wave crashes over me, soaking my body.
Edea broke into more sobs, and I held her close. Some of the children had woken from the sound of her crying, and looked worried. When she opened her eyes and saw her children looking on, she hushed them all back to bed. When she came out again, I made her sit down. Even though no words were spoken, it was the most meaningful night of my life.
A seagull lands farther down on the beach, and waddles to the water's edge. As soon as another wave crashes onto the shore, it flies away. I wish that my life could be like that; that I could just jump up and fly away when any small thing to my disliking happened. But, for now, my wings are clipped. I have to sit here on a beach on this warm summer's day, wishing everything in my life could be different. A famous man once said to me that you must take what you have and find the good in it. The good in my life? The only thing good is that I can realize how much she meant to me, and how much I miss her.
Love can be ironic sometimes.
The next morning came to quickly. As the children awoke, Edea made the breakfast, and told them stories. She told them all that she would light off some fireworks later. To the children, it seemed like their Matron was in an extremely kind mood, and was happy. But I could see past her mask, and see her eyes, sadder then ever. When they were all outside, she told me why she was doing this. She told me that it was their last day here, and she wanted to make it memorable for them. She did not wish to risk them with the powers of a sorceress.
Another tear falls onto my already soaked shirt. Another wave crashes over me. It seems like there is nothing more to do then lay here until one of them returns. Lay here in the soft sand, with the gentle waves crashing at regular intervals, and my heart in shambles. A single flower petal rides into my hand, and I stare at it. It was like it carried a message.
Was the battle over?
A younger version of Squall raced out of the house. Edea looked after him, and sighed. She walked out after him in slow footsteps, but bumped into a young man. The young man was talking to her, and he looked quite… familiar. I went to the door, but was called back by a tugging on my pant leg. Seifer, little Seifer was begging for attention. While I was bending over to pick him up, I heard a yell. Quickly, I turned and ran to the window. Outside was Edea, shaking like the great Hyne had just appeared. Even though I had not seen it, I knew what had happened.
Edea had gotten her powers.
I watched while the boy and she talked, and she finally came in with Squall. The boy had just disappeared, like a ghost. Later that night, while I was shooting of the fireworks, Edea told me what happened, even though I knew. I drew her close, and reassured her. She looked up at me, and I knew that nothing would ever be the same again. A single flower petal floated between our lips, and we kissed. For the last time.
I look at the pale pink flower petal, and realize that the flowers in our fields shouldn't be in bloom for another few months. I stand, and turn to face the flower fields, to see what is wrong. My eyes must have been the size of anything when I saw that the whole field was in bloom. I walk to the field, with the single petal enclosed in my hand, and I see… the garden. Balamb Garden. I small sigh escapes my lips, and I turn to go back down to the water's edge. To wallow in self pity.
The SeeD had won.
She said one last thing to me before she left that fateful night. 'Cid… this is the irony of life.'
'Cid, this is the irony of life.' Those words, her last words to me, the last words that I will hear here from her now that she is dead, echo in my mind. The irony… what irony? Was there a deeper meaning hidden in there somewhere? That would be like her. Another tear falls down my face, and that leads to more. The ocean before me seems so large now… I hear footsteps in the field. It must be Xu or someone to tell me the 'good' news. They stop right behind me, and I wait for them to speak. I shake my head and turn around after at least five minutes of waiting. I begin to condemn whoever it was, until I got a good glimpse of her face.
It was Edea; the sorceress, the leader, but mostly, my wife.
She whipes away my tear, and tells me that it is really her. Until that moment, I didn't realize it. We hug one another, and our tears mix. She said one thing to me that day.
"This is what I meant when I said 'this is the irony of life', my love."