Alive
SDMaxwell 10/22/01
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Author's note: doo doo doo dooo dee doo . . . This songfic came from listening to my Mum's Kenny Logins CD. Every time I got to the song about the unicorn, I could only think this . . . the problem being that I could distinctly imagine it in both the Gundam Wing universe and the FF7 one. It took me five months but I figured out that both apply. At the moment, I don't really care how the songfic came out; I just like the song.
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Red fire burned the sky and the ground shook. The sound of china rattling in the cupboards grew more intense. A lone little girl stared out the window of her room. She stared over the roofs of her new home, out over the fields of rolling green grass bathed in the fiery glow. A burning rock of immense size filled her vision as it crept towards the earth.
Lightening crackled in the night sky and the wind picked up speed, tearing at her hair even this far away.
Marlene gripped the sill in a tight hold, tears filling her eyes as she watched. Young as she was, she fully understood what was happening. This was the end she was watching and she was scared.
Elmyra, her caretaker for the time being, entered the room silently and came to stand beside her at the window. The rumbling underfoot grew more intense. "Are you alright?"
It was a silly question, even to a little girl. Marlene looked askance at her guardian. Eventually, her gaze was drawn back to Meteor. "I want my Daddy."
"I understand. It would be nice to feel safe right now."
Marlene shook her head. That wasn't it. Her Daddy had gone to stop that big rock from ever coming but . . . "He's not coming back, is he? The evil man . . . he took him away like Mommy."
The older woman let her shoulders slump in weariness, "I don't know, Marlene. I hope not, for your sake as well as everyone else's." Her eyes were infinitely sad as she too watched the angry red rock.
They both watched as silvery white light burst forth and held back Meteor . . . for a time. Then it failed also and the attack became for fierce. Even in Kalm, the wind raged and the ground shook violently.
Marlene cried out as the shaking knocked her down on the wood floor. Her caretaker wrapped her in a comforting embrace, trying to keep her safe. The sound of china shattering ripped the air, chairs fell over, and the shutters banged loudly.
The little girl sobbed and clung to Elmyra tightly. "I'm afraid . . ."
"So am I." Was the soft answer.
The boy in the window bit his lip, worried. No matter how hard he tried not to, he could still clearly hear the anguished cries outside. Millions of people cried the same haunting song.
He pressed his hands to the cold pane of glass, wishing it was just a dark and morbid picture he was looking at. He knew it wasn't, of course. There was still the crying.
People were dying a shameful, silly death. There was a disease among the poor—one that had a cure. But a cure that no one wanted to waste on penniless nobodies. They'd rather the people of the slums died out and ceased to exist.
Young as he was, death was something he knew very well. It was something he saw everyday of his life.
Turning, he gave his bare hideaway a blank stare. This was what he was reduced to: An empty room waiting for him to die. A nobody who would leave this world penniless and unknown, like all the rest.
Defeated by his own lack of hope, Duo slid down the wall to huddle in a little ball.
The morning outside was impossible to block out, fueling his depression. Without Solo, he was nothing. He had no family, no real friends. He was simply nothing. This world wanted nothing of him and his kind. They'd rather watch millions die in agonizing torture than feed a few extra mouths.
Duo raised his head a bit, scrubbing at dry cheeks and burning eyes. Many around him had died. It didn't make him feel any better that he was still alive.
Instead, he watched the shadows, listening to the people mourn, and . . . waited for death.
"When the last eagle flies
Over the last crumbling mountain
And the last lion roars
At the last dusty fountain
In the shadows of the forest
Though she may be old and worn
They will stare unbelieving
At the Last Unicorn . . ."
Marlene stopped trembling and stared up at Elmyra. The older woman smiled gently, still singing the soft lullaby. The soothing notes comforted the girl and dried her tears as she scooted closer to catch the words better.
"When the first breath of winter
Through the flowers is icing
And you look to the north
And a pale moon is rising
And it seems like all is dying
And would leave the world to mourn
In the distance hear her laughter
It's the Last Unicorn
I'm alive . . . I'm alive . . ."
Violet eyes cracked open slowly, ears perked to the soft song outside his window. The voice was full of warmth and yet sad also. he climbed to his feet and dared a look out the dirty window. A woman sat beside his hideaway, singing her song softly to herself, a smile on her weary face.
Careful not to interrupt her, Duo cracked the window open so he could hear her song.
"When the last moon is cast
Over the last star of morning
And the future is past
Without even a last desperate warning
Look into the sky where through
The clouds a path is formed
Look and see her how she shimmers
It's the Last Unicorn
I'm alive . . . I'm alive . . . I'm alive . . ."
Elmyra finished the lullaby in a whisper. Her little charge looked towards the window, her breath rushing out.
Bright green light filled the sky with life. Both ran to the window. To their amazement, the light fought Meteor . . . and won. Marlene hopped up and down laughing as the rumbling and the wind died down. She grabbed the older woman's hand and started tugging her towards the door, "The unicorn's right, I'm alive!"
Giving in, Elmyra laughed and followed the child.
Duo grinned and stepped back from the window. The song was correct: People may be dying and a lot may be dead, but some were still living.
That was enough hope to keep even death at bay.
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Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or Final Fantasy VII or any of their characters. I don't even own the song that I used. Other people do. On the other hand, I'm honored to be able to use them for entertainment purposes since they're all so great. ;
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