Chapter 4: Onion Knight

The Onion Knight slowly trudged through the Cornelia Plains, exasperated by the sever lack of REAL enemies he could fight.

"Fakes, fakes, fakes, every one of those manikins! Lemme fight a REAL Chaos goon! I'll show 'em who's boss," he thought as he walked along a tall outcropping of rock.

"Well, ok, maybe not that big, black-armored man," he finally decided. "The mage. I'd fight anyone but that large, voice-like-I-just-gargled-marbles-"

His thoughts were interrupted by a manikin of none other than Golbez, prowling ahead. The Knight kept to the shadows of the rock, and waited until the manikin passed.

-scary, faceless guy," he finished, once the manikin floated off. " . . . Not even a warrior of Cosmos that I can talk to."

Just then, a rustling and footsteps were heard behind him. He spun quickly, and summoned his sword.

"Who's there?!" he yelled. No response. "Ha! They're probably too scared of me! They should be! I'd put them in their place-" More rustling. "You want a piece of this? Come on!" He slashed his sword at the open air. Still, silence answered.

"I know! I'll outsmart him with my sharp wit and keen mind!"

He started walking again, listening for the footsteps, which were quicker behind him. When he was sure they were ten feet away, he spun and dove on his pursuer. He pressed the tip of his sword to the assailant's throat.

"AHA! NOW I got you, . . . Zidane?" he asked as he looked upon the face of his follower. "Oh. It's just you."

"Don't look so happy to see me!" Zidane gently pushed the Onion Knight's sword aside, away from his throat.

"What are you doing?" he asked, climbing off Zidane.

"Oh, y'know, thieving, conniving, being great; the usual for a stud such as myself. And yourself?"

"No, I mean why are you following me like a creep?"

"I was in the neighborhood. Saw you walking around. Saw your unprotected Gil purse. Saw an opportunity-"

"Go away."

"Awww, don't say that! I was just kidding," Zidane put his arm around Onion Knight's shoulders. "Besides, what would your 'big brother' say if I left you all alone and unprotected-"

"He's not my brother! And I can handle myself!" He stepped out from under Zidane's arm.

"Ha! NOW you're excited! Anyway, I gotta go to Ulty's castle. Wanna come?" Zidane asked, using the term the Cosmos warriors came up with to verbally abuse Ultimecia.

Ultimecia. She was another the Onion Knight avoided if he could. What if she showed up?

"No thanks. I'm fine here." Besides, he could take care of himself.

"Alright. See ya later!" Zidane took off, his tail bouncing with his step behind him. Quickly, the Knight checked for his Gil purse. Still fastened to his side where he left it. He clenched his fists.

"One of these days, that tail's getting cut off. Time to keep moving."

He made it to the entrance to the Elven Snowfields, but hesitated when he heard another sound behind him.

"Zidane! I thought I told you to-" Kain landed his Jump, planting his feet into the small of the Knight's back, and slamming him face-down into the ground. Onion lay there, gasping and sputtering to regain the breath that was knocked out of him. He looked up into the face of the purple dragon that stared down at him.

"K-KAIN?!" he said between gasps of breath. Kain stared down at the Knight with an emotionless gaze; the dragon on his helm glared down with the same cold apathy.

"Forgive me."

The Knight tried to roll from underneath Kain, but he pressed his foot firmly into the boy's back, holding him in place. Onion stared out of the corner of his eye at the lance as it Kain lifted it and slammed it down. He wriggled at the last second, avoiding Kain's strike. He desperately tried to free himself from under Kain's foot, his attempts growing more and more frenzied with each passing second. He felt Kain tense for another attack.

The Knight rarely ever screamed for help. Screaming was a sign of fear, of defeat. But feeling so vulnerable, so defenseless . . . he cried out with desperation the first name that came to him.

"VAAN-"

His cry was cut short by a sharp, searing pain across the back of his neck. His vision went immediately black. The cry echoed across the open fields, not to be heard.

This one, I think, is the best one I've written. Anyway, leave a review if you have the time.