Be The Reaper Chapter 1: Blue, a final fantasy ix fanfic

I just want to say two things: firstly, I have disbanded many of my fics. To find out reasons and which ones, go to my profile. Secondly… ::takes deep breath:: … I have finally come to terms with… the death of Vivi :sob: For ages I refused to believe that he'd stopped; it was just too sad… so I ignored it :grin: But in this fic… I have stuck to how the creators of FF9 intended and… :sobs wildly: Vivi… is no more…

On that note, enjoy:grin:

B l u e
'You are destined to live among the stars for all eternity.' - Garland

There was blue. Infinite, depthless, neither here nor there. Nothing was and nothing ever would be. Yet there was silence, and there was blue.

But it was broken.

Something that was once solid, yet now nothing more than an insubstantial presence, stirred, and with that movement a chain reaction of tremendous proportion commenced. The blue began to shiver as the presence sensed a corruption in the Chain Of Things.

The blue shivered again. Others were stirring.

Soundless voices rang out into the blue, all of one mind, all of one language. It was tainted with rage and anxiety. Confusion reigned.

(what… what has happened…)

(the tree)

(dead)

(no)

(then everything is)

(lost)

(no)

(where is the chosen one)

(yes the chosen one)

(will know)

(where)

(have to find)

(have to)

(dead)

(no)

(yes he is dead)

(no)

(wait)

(there is another)

(yes another)

(the creation)

(he will bring us back)

(but he wont)

(he will)

(he must)

(he is our new god)

(he is our kami)

(we must fetch him)

(I can hear)

(can hear him)

(sense him)

(feel him)

(kami)

(I will go)

(Murmur)

(yes Murmur will)

(Murmur will go)

(we must all)

(call to him)

(he must help us)

(he cannot refuse)

(it is preordained)

(his fate)

(destiny)

(he cannot say no)

(he will not)

(go Murmur)

(bring us back)

(bring us back kami)

(kami)

(release us)

(free us)

(help us)

(kami)

(KAMI)

00000

"How did you survive?"

The crowd was still cheering but it was quieter now, the climax had subsided. A few confused souls looked upon the pair on stage in awe, but most were well aware of who the unexpected play-crasher was, and knowing smiles passed between them. For all, it was a pleasant surprise.

"I didn't have a choice. I had to live. I wanted to come home to you."

A handful of familiar faces weaved through the crowd and hoisted themselves onto the Prima Vista's stage. They approached the couple slowly, not wanting to ruin the moment just yet.

"So… I sang your song. Our song."

The couple on stage pulled close into a tight embrace, fresh tears springing into the girl's eyes and tumbling onto the tailed boy's jacket.

Unable to contain herself any longer, a vivacious little girl with a pearly horn crowning her forehead leapt into the lover's vicinity and yelled: "Zidane you stupid, selfish, ungainly, think-you're-so-high-and-mighty, secretive, little meanie! How dare you not tell me!"

The culprit in question tore himself away from his love and grinned down at the little girl. "Sorry, Eiko! I was gonna tell everyone but…" He shrugged. "I thought y'all liked surprises!"

"Zidane Tribal," she pouted. "You should know from now on that I hate surprises!"

"So do I," another voice piqued in. "It wasn't very considerate of you, Zidane."

The thief shifted his gaze to the silver haired dragon knight and his grin widened.

"But," Freya continued, "I guess I'll let you off just this once. It's good to have you back, monkey-tail."

"It's good to see you, too… everyone!" Zidane returned, staring round at the familiar gathering. Suddenly he noticed a missing person and scanned the crowd expectantly. "Hey um… where's -"

But Garnet, still clinging to his vest, had seen this coming and didn't want the mood to end yet, so she quickly intercepted: "Come off the stage! The play does need to have an ending, you know!"

Seeing Garnet's smile drowned any initial worries and he allowed himself to be led off stage by the young queen, thoughts so full of her it left no room for anyone else.

Tantalus resumed the play a little distractedly, while the reunited group split to give Zidane and Garnet a little time alone. The couple weaved down the corridors, hand in hand, until they came to a balcony overlooking Alexandria.

"Aren't you gonna watch the end of the play?" Zidane teased, leaning over the side and taking a lungful of fresh air. "It's a good'un!"

"Oh Zidane!" she cried, melting to him again. "I… I thought you were dead… it's been months… there was no word of your whereabouts and we searched for so long… I thought that… I just…"

"Hey, hey," he said, "everything's fine now. I'm sorry I didn't contact you… it was selfish of me but… I was in a real bad way, Dagger. Boss thought it was best to… to wait it out, you know? I didn't wanna come back and then -"

(kami)

Zidane blinked, words caught in his throat.

Garnet stared up at him. "Hmm?"

"What?"

"Sorry?"

"Didn't you…?" Zidane scratched the back of his head and laughed. "Nevermind. I'm hearing things. What I was going to say was, I didn't wanna come back and then die. I couldn't do that to you."

Garnet smiled, stroked his cheek. "I understand. But I'm still angry at you for putting me through all that worry, you scumbag!"

He laughed again, pulling her into his arms. They looked out at the newly rebuilt Alexandria, a maze of higgledy rooftops and crooked chimneys, sprawled amidst a sea of cobblestones. The sun was a solitary ball of flame in the blue sky.

Zidane looked below and spotted his old travel companions sitting on benches in the castle Gardens. Just seeing them again sent tingles of joy and gratitude throughout his being and yet something was nagging him but he couldn't quite…

"Vivi!" he said suddenly. "Where's Vivi?"

Garnet stared down at the group, up at the sky, at the floor, anywhere but him. She had so wanted to leave the still raw subject well alone, bathe in a happiness she had not experienced for so long. But she could not lie… could not -

"Dagger…" His voice was wary now, almost accusing. "Where's Vivi? I thought I saw him in the crowd. Is he by the stage?"

She sighed, fussed over her dress in an attempt to postpone the tears that were likely to fall. There was no use in trying to hold them back.

"Zidane," she tried, but still couldn't look at him. "I'm sorry but Vivi… Vivi stopped."

To her surprise, the tailed boy laughed. "No, I'm pretty sure I saw him in the crowd. It was definitely him. He was wearing that crooked, old hat and -"

"That wasn't him."

"Yes it was. It was-"

"Zidane." Her voice was hard, fierce. Her gaze pierced him and a bubble of sorrow eased up his throat. "I'm sorry, but Vivi has stopped. He stopped three months ago… and h-he…" Her voice broke. "He made sons… he figured out how to control the Mist and m-make more… w-wanted to do it b-before he…"

The world froze and the bubble popped. Tears pricked his eyes like hot pokers, the feeling of loss was the heaviest burden he'd ever carried. Garnet's mouth worked silently. All he could hear in his head was a sentence that buzzed louder and louder until he near screamed it: "But I didn't even get to say goodbye."

Garnet gave him a startled, sympathetic look and touched his arm. "No one did," she whispered. "He didn't tell anyone."

"But I… I d-didn't even g-get to say goodbye…"

It killed her to see him so heartbroken. She wished she could wash it away, remembering how she felt when the news had reached her. Those long, dark, lonely months of mourning. Mourning for Vivi, mourning for Zidane.

The blonde sank to his knees. "He was so young…"

"I know. I'm…we're all so sorry. But… he left you a letter, Zidane. He always… had so much faith and hope. He always believed you were alive… even when I… I gave up. That's why he wrote you the letter…"

"I should've been there."

"Don't blame yourself. It wont solve anything, and you know Vivi wouldn't want that."

Zidane wiped his eyes and nodded.

Garnet dropped to her knees beside him and pressed a hand to his cheek, sticky with tears. "I know it wont be the same," she whispered. "But we're together now, and that's all that matters. We can finally get on with our lives. Start again."

Zidane offered her a watery smile beneath watery eyes, feeling a small butterfly of anticipation and hope fluttering in his chest.

"Come on," she said, standing. "let's go find the others. We'll talk about this later."

Sobered now, the pair joined the group hand in hand, who were waiting in the castle gardens. They observed Zidane's hollow stare with sympathetic, knowing looks anda few words were exchanged of Vivi, but the wounds were still too fresh and the subject was respectfully changed.

"What d'ya think you'll do now?" Eiko perked.

"Well I…" Zidane paused. "I haven't thought about it. Guess I'll stay here for the time being to give things a proper think over. If that's alright with everyone?" He was directing the question at Steiner and Beatrix.

Beatrix smiled warmly but Steiner's smile was that of mild distrust and concern. "If you are to stay at the castle you must heed the rules and entertain none of you scandalous antics -"

"Steiner!" Garnet barked disapprovingly.

"S-sorry. But he really… he can't… " Steiner hung his head in defeat and Zidane laughed amiably.

"S'alright! I understand! I'll be a good boy!"

"I've heard that one before," Freya muttered under her breath.

"Aw, honestly, I'm not that ba-"

And suddenly it hit in a wave so forceful he thought for a minute his mind would implode.

(kami)

(help us)

(help us kami)

(free us)

(save us)

(bring us)

(bring us back)

(kami)

(KAMI)

Zidane clutched his head and cried out as the voices exploded his senses, pushing any sane thought away. He felt hands on him and fought against them, eyes squeezed shut. He screamed but the voices drowned out even that.

(KAMI)

Then everything melted into blissful darkness.

Don't worry Vivi's death wont be brushed over so suddenly. It's too big of a deal. If you don't know what 'kami' means then you'll find it on wikipedia… or just google it. PLEASE REVIEW!!!