Chapter 25: …it Tolls for Thee.
A/N: If I have to explain the chapter title, I will succumb to an untimely end as a result of trauma to the head from several head-wall introductions. And then there's the fight… You guys have been speculating on just how this whole thing with the satchel was going to turn out. And, to be quite honest, so did I. See, I never exactly planned the big throw down that you're about read.
And as for the new OC… well, I had so much fun writing Gary a few chapters back that I figured, "hey, I've screwed this thing up enough already, what's one more?"
And to anyone who hasn't read Deathly Hollows, yet, skip the ending author's notes as they may contain a slight spoiler.
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Surprisingly, I'm not hurting as much as I probably should be. I wasn't knocked out. That probably explains why I'm not conversing with that annoying Cami girl right now. Seriously, what is up with her? I'm tempted to send Fujin after her, but something tells me that psychotic women probably aren't something she has to worry about; especially ones that are overly violent, probable lesbians. Really, what was up with that whole thing between Fujin and Celes, anyway?
Cursing giant insects the world over, I stand up and look around. I was thrown from the cart when it crashed. That would probably explain the lack of injuries, as it is now a big, splintered mess. Vivi is lying beside it, I don't see Zidane, and Dagger is about ten feet away from where I landed. I think she is unconscious, because of that annoyingly peaceful look on her stupid face. How dare she be dreaming of happy things when some disgusting noble person is running around in MY incredibly hot outfit?
I crawl in her direction, my muscles too sore from the crash to allow the strenuous activity that is walking. She groans and opens her eyes. If I didn't want to kill her right now, I might ask if she were okay.
"Rick?" she notices my sluggish movements in her direction. "Are you injured?"
"Nothing I can't handle," I lie. Seriously, sore muscles make for painful movement. She simply shakes her head and holds a hand out in my direction. That healing light envelops me and I feel the fatigue lift from my body. With renewed strength, I stand up and tower over Dagger. How easy it would be to just stomp her into the ground. Instead, I offer her a hand. "Now, are you okay?"
"I think so," she answers as she looks herself over for any damage. "Nothing seems to be broken anyway."
Nodding, I smile. "Good. I wouldn't want people to think I was being unfair."
She looks confused and opens her mouth as if to ask a question. Her inquiry turns into a scream, though, as the MCoDs sink into the soft flesh of her forearm. Unfortunately, the skin isn't broken. Stupid thick flannel sleeves.
"What are you doing?" she shrieks while pushing me off.
"Vendetta!" I cry back as I grab a fistful of hair in one hand and scratch at her face with the other. Three small red scratches appear below her left eye, bringing me more pleasure than I ever thought possible. "You shall pay for your misdeeds, harlot!"
No, I don't care if that was something that Steiner would say.
She doesn't really have enough time to retrieve her rod, so Dagger slaps my face before kneeing me between the legs. Owie.
"You're insane," she tells me as she touches the tender scratch marks on her face. "You would attack me just because I stole your purse?"
"SATCHEL!" Foam flies from my mouth as I grab a handful of dirt and fling it into her face. She gasps and tries to wipe her eyes clean, leaving an opening. I push her to the ground and she falls on her stomach. I sit on her back and grab her hair with both hands. "Eat it, wench. Eat it like I have to all of that money you spent!"
I grind her face into the ground before she elbows me in the jaw. One hand releases her as I rub the sore bone. A mistake on my part, since it gives her enough room to shift and punch me in the gut.
"You little psycho." She tries to put her hair back in place while still lying on the ground with me beside her. "You are aware that I'm princess, aren't you?"
"Yeah," I laugh evilly as I sit up, planning my next attack. "And your mother just tried to kill you. I guess she just wasn't woman enough for the job, so it falls to me."
The MCoDs begin tearing into her with a fury. She screams and starts hitting me with clenched fists, but it does no good.
"Princess! Get off of her!" someone shouts before I find myself being pulled away. Why do se stupid people insist on interrupting me?
With a whirl, I slash at Zidane. He yelps in shock and lets me go. I turn back to Dagger, but this time she has her weapon ready. It's not the rod she had when we parted ways. However, it does still hurt when she cracks me upside the head with it.
"What the heck happened?" I hear the thief ask Dagger before he sits on me and grabs a hold of my hands before the MCoDs can do their job. "I'm gone for all of five minutes, and you two are beating the crap out of each other."
I twist my neck and glare at Dagger as she takes on an innocent persona that is so obviously fake.
"He just attacked me, screaming something about revenge and his purse," she tells him as she begins to heal the various scratch marks along her body. "I think he's losing it."
"Are you still hung up on that?" he laughs as he looks down at me. I snarl and he just sighs before readdressing the evil whore. "Just be glad you didn't get a face full of pudding like me. He was awfully upset about you stealing his purse, after all."
"It is a SATCHEL!" I correct as loudly as I can while trying to shake Zidane off. It doesn't work.
"Whatever, Princess." I don't need to see him to know that he just rolled his eyes. "Dagger, just apologize to the idiot. And you apologize for trying to rip her throat out."
"She goes first."
Dagger and I glare at each other for several moments before she finally mutters an apology so low that I can barely hear it.
"Now it's your turn," she demands.
"Bite me, hag," I spit. Zidane twists my arms and I wince a little. "Fine. I'm sorry you're such an ugly little tramp who feels the need to knock me out and steal all of my stuff."
Dagger appeals to Zidane, and he lets one hand go long enough to rap me on the head. "Do it right. We can sit like this all day, you know. I don't have any plans."
Curses! "I'm sorry, okay? Now get off me. This much exposure to dirt isn't good for my complexion."
He finally climbs off, but makes certain that he's placed himself between us.
"That was entertaining."
I really wish people would make their presence known before speaking. This time it's a woman (surprise, surprise). She has long blue hair and deep green eyes. Her lips are the same shade as her hair, but her skin as pale as porcelain. Clinging to her defined body (the only thing she's lacking in really is the chest area, which makes sense since she looks to be, like, thirteen or so) is a small blue jumper similar to that which Dagger wore when we first began traveling together. The only difference is that the legs are much higher, mid-thigh length, showing off cellulite-free legs and she's not wearing a shirt underneath it. Rather, she just has a blue vest overtop of it that would hide anything Zidane might want to see. And does he want to see it. His tongue is hanging of his mouth like it does every time we're around Minister Croft.
"Who are you?" I ask. She definitely isn't someone I know. So far, I've been able to recognize most of the people that didn't belong here when it was all just a game. Of course, that isn't true anymore, but I can still detect familiar faces. This isn't one, though. This woman with the blue fetish (I swear, she's worse than KOS-MOS) is a complete mystery.
"The name is Rei. You don't see many people out this way. I should know. You're the only people I've seen since I came here to train a month ago."
"Train?" Dagger looks confused. "What kind of training?"
"Oh, you know, trying to learn how to control my Blue Magic and all," the girl responds nonchalantly as she jumps down to the ground with a grace that not even Fujin possesses. Did I mention she was talking to us from a tree? "They tend to frown on that type of thing when you accidentally blow up a classroom or twelve."
"Right…" I nod stupidly. What the heck is she talking about? "How old are you?"
"Fourteen. Why?"
"Nothing," I answer evasively. Why the heck is a fourteen-year-old girl running around on her own? Sure, I've been doing the same thing lately, but I'm three years older and a fugitive. "Are you here by yourself?"
"No," she says, sounding as though she was wishing for the opposite. "Because of some stupid safety rule, students can't go out on their own. Really. I am more than enough to take care of some pathetic monsters. Aren't I?"
She strikes what is supposed to be a seductive pose, tossing her hair back and lifting her leg up behind her. Zidane just continues to be out in space.
"So there are other people here?" I look around but don't see anyone. "Where are they?"
"Well, it's just me and a couple of classmates. They normally wouldn't let us leave without a teacher or something, but I can be pretty persuasive when I want to be."
"What are you talking about?" Dagger seems thoroughly confused. It makes perfect sense to me, though. Whoever these people she keeps talking about are, they sent her out on her own in order to get rid of her for a little bit. If you read between the lines, that is.
As if noticing the princess for the first time, Rei takes on a rather lewd grin. She moves to Dagger's side so fast that there's a dusty after-image from where she had just stood. I didn't even see her move!
"And just who might you be?" the blue-haired girl asks the Summoner as she touches her cheek with the back of her hand in a very sensual way. Is this girl coming onto Dagger? How funny. I glance over at Zidane, but he's still out of it. Of course.
"Umm…" the princess takes a moment to remember her name. She's actually caught off guard. "I'm D… Dagger."
Rei nods her head before with playing with Dagger's hair. "I like that name. It makes me think of rough, naughty things. And it also makes me think of a doctor's scalpel," she purrs in the other girl's ear. "How about you and I play doctor? Or we could just do something else that involves one of us getting naked…"
With that, she licks Dagger's face. The princess squeals a little, but Rei cries out in pain.
"Ow! What was that for?" she yells at the sky. Crazy women, I tell you. I'm like a magnet for them or something. "Get your butts down here so that I can kick them. NOW!"
Two people emerge from nearby trees. Well, one does a very cool flip before landing on the ground with his face so low that I can't make it out. The other, a brunette girl with pigtails, falls out of her tree and lands on the ground face-first. I can sympathize.
"Leave the girl alone, Rei," her pig-tailed partner warns. "The last thing we need is for you to freak out someone else. Look at the poor thing. She's trembling already."
Rei looks at Dagger with a frown. Indeed, she does look about ready to freak. Lightweight. If you think that's bad, try fending off Kodachi.
"Fine. I guess I'll just have to play with him then," she pouts before running over to Zidane. Can you believe that she completely passed me over? I feel insulted. Zidane stops drooling to look at Rei as she nuzzles his neck. "You want to play with me, don't yo-OW! Would you stop it?"
"Don't look at me," the pig-tailed girl says. That's when I recognize her. "Oh, hi, Rick. I didn't know that was you. Nice dress."
"Lilka? I haven't seen you in ages. Is Hermione here too?" I ask curiously.
"Nope," she answers with a shake of her head. "It's just me, Miss Horndog, and Mister Gloom over there."
I watch as the third person stands. He has black hair held out of his face by a headband, and on his thigh is what looks like a shuriken dispenser. It isn't… Is it?
"Don't be rude, Sasuke," Rei admonishes with a stomp of her foot, accidentally coming down on Zidane's and bringing him fully back to reality. "Oops… Sorry."
I don't even bother to pay attention to my wailing friend because, well, THIS IS FREAKING SASUKE UCHIHA! So many fanboy daydreams come to mind. Gah…
"Why is that freak staring at me?" he asks Dagger. She, of course, is drooling as well. I haven't met someone this sexy since Michael. Even the way he calls me a freak is hot.
"Why does he always get the cute ones?" Rei whines to Lilka. "It's not he's even that good-looking or anything. I swear. A girl just can't compare to him, no matter how hard she tries."
"I'm still here if you want to play." Zidane's reminder goes ignored, but it does serve to snap me out of Sasuke's spell.
"Idiots," Sasuke insults us all. "What are you three doing out here in the middle of nowhere, anyway? This isn't exactly a tourist destination."
"Four," I correct him. Vivi is still passed out in the wreckage, you know. Maybe somebody should check on him.
"Like I care."
"This is boring. Nobody's talking about me anymore." Again, Rei is whining. Sasuke narrows his lovely eyes but doesn't say anything.
"Do you know where the nearest town is?" I ask to break the ensuing silence. "We aren't exactly equipped for staying out here too long."
"Oh, it's Lindblum," Lilka declares as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. She points to something off in the distance. "It's right over that mountain. We'll go there with you guys. Someone," her eyes locked onto a suddenly distracted Rei, "went and lost all of our supplies, so we have to get some anyway."
Everyone has a mixed reaction to this: Rei lights up happily, her eyes on Dagger; in response to this, the princess goes rigid and pail; Zidane looks between Rei and Dagger, as if sizing them up for something vulgar and completely unaware of the smug look plastered all over his face; and Sasuke just acts like he doesn't care. He is so cool…
"Honey, would you go wake up Vivi?" I ask. "We need to get going. It looks like nightfall any moment now."
With a resigned sigh, he wanders off to fetch my little buddy. Hefting the unconscious black mage over his shoulder, the six (well, seven if you count Vivi) set off on a rather brisk pace.
Now, I know that things haven't been exactly like they were in the game, but I just can't help but notice some very key plot points have been ignored. Maybe it's because this really isn't the game, but something is very odd. First, we escape without a problem: no Zorn and Thorn (or whoever the heck would've taken their place) catching us in a trap, leaving to be rescued by Marcus and Benero. Second, wasn't Dagger supposed to meet Ramuh and get her "first" eidolon or something? I wish I could remember better. It seems like my memory of what should or shouldn't happen is getting foggier with each passing day. I'll have to ask Lilka if Hermione ever mentioned something like this happening to her or if it's just me being brain dead.
"How've you been?" the sorceress (and no, she's not of the evil FFVIII variety) asks as she falls in step with me. We're both hanging back a little from the group. Rei is hitting on Dagger again while Zidane tries to catch her attention. Sasuke just has his hands in his pockets and his face lowered. But boy does he have a cute butt. Rowr!
"Not so good," I tell her without offering any explanation. She wouldn't understand all of the complexities surrounding everything I'm going through with being a Drifter. And if I talked to her about being in love with Zidane, then she might wonder why I just come out and tell him how I feel. The thing is, I don't know if I answer for that kind of question or not.
"Oh," she mutters with a downcast look. Then she beams up at me. "But you like Sasuke, don't you? I can totally tell."
"What… how?" I stumble around for a response to that sudden, even if accurate, accusation. Plus, I noticed that his ears perked up just a bit. Is it in anticipation or dread, though? A fanboy can only dream.
"Please, I saw you and that Dagger girl both go gaga over him. I must say, though, that I'm surprised. Most girls fall for him in a heartbeat. But you… you always seemed like the type to want an older man," she explains. How does she know what my type would be? When I ask her, she just tells me it was something Hermione got from this television show I'm supposed to be on. Didn't Aerith mention something about me being on a TV show? Of course, I should get my own show.
"So, what's this show called?" I ask proudly.
She shrugs. "I don't know. All I know is that it was about some girl named Raquel Malone and that you were just an occasional guest star or something."
Ra…RAQUEL MALONE? You have got to be kidding me. First, she beats me out for the cheerleading squad, and now I'm relegated to guest star status on a TV show about her? This isn't possible. There must be some mistake. And even if it isn't, it couldn't have lasted more than one season. What could anyone like about that skank?
Oblivious to my seething rage, Lilka continues. "Yeah, she said that before she woke up here, it'd already been running for three or four years."
Somebody shoot me.
Looking for a quick change of subject, I move back to Sasuke. "You said that he's younger than me? How much younger, exactly?"
She pauses and rubs her chin thoughtfully. "Well, he's thirteen and you're probably, what, eighteen? So I'd say a good five years or so."
"Seventeen," I correct. So, he's four years younger than me? While I'm sure that seems like a big deal now, in ten years it'll be nothing. If things don't work out with Zidane, he is definitely my second choice. Sasuke WILL be mine…
"Yeah, it doesn't really matter, though. Sasuke doesn't really like people all that much. I don't even know why he came on this training session. He and Rei can't stand each other, and not in that 'we love each other but put on a show because we're shy about our feelings' way, either. They just hate each other," she informs me. Is anyone else confused? I'm sure a lot was just said, but I didn't quite catch it because, well, Lilka talks fast. I'm talking Gilmore Girls fast, and they're always hyped up on sugar and coffee.
"Okay…" then I start jogging a little to catch up with the others. Pushing back the part of me that really wants to pull Sasuke aside and jump his bones, I throw an arm around Zidane's shoulder. Somehow or other Dagger ended up carrying Vivi. "So, Honey, what exactly were you guys up to while I was away?"
"Mostly fighting and stuff," he says proudly. "We made it all the way to Burmecia in two days. Of course, we were exhausted when we got there, but I know that we would've beaten that Celes woman if we weren't all so tired."
"Whatever you say," I laugh.
Rei is still trying to get into Dagger's pants, but getting more and more frustrated with every blunt refusal. Why won't the younger girl just give up?
"Fine!" she finally shouts as she throws her hands into the air dramatically. "Geez, you try to be nice and everyone treats you like crap for it."
Her eyes meet mine before drifting over to the guy next to me.
"So, do you still want to play?" she asks as she walks to us and all but throws herself into Zidane's arms. "Because, believe me, I know all kinds of games and the different ways to score."
"So do I," he brags, causing me to recoil my arm from around him. Do I know anyone with any tastes? "Want me to teach you?"
"I bet you could," she growls seductively.
Sasuke stops rather suddenly, his face looking rather dark. "Something's happening." The various activities of our group are interrupted as we look at the ninja. Heck, Rei even stopped groping Zidane's butt.
There are bats everywhere. And the squeaky little buggers are headed in the direction we're traveling. In fact, without my knowing, we've already managed to climb the mountain (which was more of a hill, really) and I can actually see Lindblum. It's all lit up for another industrious night. Unless they're still celebrating the Festival of the Hunt. But it's already like a week since we left. There's no way that could still be going on.
Why do I feel like I'm forgetting something rather important?
"Did it just get darker?" Dagger asks. Um… yeah? It tends to get dark at night.
Ignoring Dagger for what I believe to be the first time since the two met, Rei shrieks excitedly and points at Lindblum. "That is so cool!"
The bats all come together, merging and becoming a large black ball. While I don't remember ANYTHING like this from the game, it seems so familiar that it should come naturally to me what is going on despite the fact that it isn't.
Something begins to descend from the ball. It's skin is red and black, and it has rather sharp looking claws and black wings. Diablos. Rather than Atomos, Brahne is going to use Diablos to destroy Lindblum. That is not good, especially seeing as how the demon is currently three hundred times larger than the one that used to appear on my TV screen.
Diablos reaches up into the ball, electricity crackling round his fingers as he does so. Runes written in a language that I can't understand encircle the ground around the city. There's a sinister, but not evil, laugh from the demon before he launches the ectoplasmic ball down on the metropolis below. When it collides, there's a large flash of light before it implodes in on itself like a scene out of Akira or something. Then Diablos curls up and vanishes into thousands upon thousands of bats.
"That was…" Zidane starts before being interrupted.
"That was awesome!" Rei shouts. "I wonder how long it'll take for me to be strong enough to destroy a city like that."
Everyone looks at her. Did she really just say that?
"What?" the blue-haired girl asks. Clueless. "What is something I said?"
"Kind of," Dagger answers before realizing her mistake. Once again aware of the false redhead, Rei jumps right to her side.
"Would somebody please get this freak off me?" Sasuke requests. It's then that I notice I have my arms wrapped around him. Oops…
We begin the descent in slightly dampened spirits. Except for Rei, which I'm beginning to think may be a liability if we spend too much time together. Dagger has rebuffed her yet again, so now she's draped all over Zidane. And he's liking it. I should probably throw something at him, but I'm not in the mood. Watching an entire city be destroyed tends to do that to you.
We are attacked along the way, but seeing as how we're all exhausted and stuff, my friends and I leave the fighting up to the new guys. They prove why they're allowed to be on their own. Sasuke throws a handful of shuriken at a monster while Lilka distracts it with a Confuse spell. Rei overwhelms the rest with the utter force of her magical prowess. She opens rises her hands and a large wall of flames shoot up from the ground before falling on the opposition.
"Smoking," she brags before licking a finger and running it up the inside of her thigh, her tongue very visibly touching her front teeth.
Everyone (except for Zidane) actively ignores her. He just hoots, which elicits a blown kiss that he jumps to catch. What is wrong with the people of Gaia?
When we reach the front gate to Lindblum, it looks to be on the verge of crumbling, and there are Alexandrian guards posted on either side of it. For fear of being recognized, we manage to convince Rei to act as a distraction while we sneak in. She more than readily agrees. In fact, she takes on the job so fast that I could have sworn it was her own idea.
"Hello ladies," the girl shouts as she jumps into their line of view. They both look at her suspiciously. Probably wondering what a fourteen-year-old girl is doing out in the Mist by herself. "Have you missed me?"
"We don't know you," one the guards informs her. "And there is no entry allowed."
"Really?" Rei pouts with her right index finger resting on her quivering lower lip. Then she slides the digit in to the second knuckle and sucks on it briefly before pulling it out slowly, so that even I can see the skin scraping against her teeth. "And here I was hoping I had made an impression. Maybe this time you'll remember me."
Then she gives the signal and Sasuke launches a flurry of shuriken. As the women try to fend off the barrage, he leaps to the ground and takes one out with a swift elbow to the back of the head while Rei uses a more subtle approach by pummelling the woman into a bloody mess.
"That was a bit extreme," Sasuke tells his classmate as the rest of us come out of hiding. "Now we're going to be on the run, too, you realize."
"What do you mean, too?" Dagger questions curiously. "What makes you think we're on the run from somebody?"
"Aside from the ridiculous disguises and the fear of two lone Alexandrian soldiers?" he points out, look at Dagger and myself specifically. I would point out that my outfit was selected for escape from Ascantha, as opposed to Alexandria, but just shrug nonchalantly.
"Can we go inside now?" Rei complains now that the attention of everyone isn't focused on her. "This idiot is boring."
"Shut up," Sasuke orders, but she just responds by sticking her tongue out.
We leave Lilka and Vivi behind (my suggestion, what with Black Mage tolerance probably being pretty low in Lindblum) and walk inside. Everyone looks round in awe. I've seen Cleyra blow up (well, not really), I've seen people die in battlefields, and I've seen my Earth brother's room. Not a one of the three compares to this. This is destruction and chaos on every level possible.
We pass by Rinoa's, and it's completely in shambles. My heart dies a little to think of all those gorgeous clothes ruined. There could have been so many outfits that I would've looked good in…
"I guess she's going to have to go back to playing piano full-time now," Zidane comments out of the blue.
"Huh?" I'm confused. Since when does Rinoa play the piano? "What are you talking about?"
He grins slightly, as if embarrassed to admit he knows the information that he's about to impart. "Rinoa's mother was a piano prodigy. She played at every royal gathering. Her daughter was raised with the music, so it was only natural that she took up the trade until she had enough money to buy her own store. In fact, she actually played at the ball as a special request for the Regent."
Nobody says much of anything after that, so we just continue wandering until we reach the square by Alice's Item Shop, which I also note has been completely destroyed. Not that I'm surprised, seeing as how it was in the game.
Speaking of the game, Minister Croft is standing in the very place that Artania was when it was all just a game.
"Aunty Lara!" Dagger cries as she runs to Croft. They embrace, joyful at their reunion. "I'm so glad to see you safe!"
With a chuckle, Lara returns the tidings. Then she looks upon my group as well. "It's good to see you all well. Although it appears you've picked up some new friends. Hello."
Sasuke nods curtly, but Rei is drooling just as hard as Zidane.
"And where are Raijin, Fujin, and Freya?" she asks. I note that she left out Steiner. I wonder if that was intentional.
"The last time I saw Fujin and Freya, they were covering for us while we escaped Alexandria with Dagger," I inform the Minister. "But Raijin… he died at the hands of Seifer Almasy."
Dagger gasps and her eyes widen. Oh, right, she didn't know.
"And young Vivi?"
That's when I hear the Lindblum troops call out to Minister Croft. "We've caught another one trying to sneak in!"
Vivi and Lilka are both struggling against the might of the soldiers, but don't use their magic for fear of starting a riot or something. Surprisingly, it's Vivi who speaks. "I didn't hurt anyone. Honest!"
"The boy speaks the truth. Let them go," Minister Croft orders. They drop both captives the ground immediately. After she stands back up, Lilka rubs her backside from where she landed on it.
The soldiers nod to Lara before leaving.
Before anyone can anything, the shortest among us walks to Zidane, snapping my stupid monkey out of his Croft-induced stupor. "Zidane… I want to stay in Lindblum."
"Well, we do need to rest up a bit," the thief smiles down at my little buddy. "It's been a long day."
Vivi shakes his head, grabbing his hand and adjusting it before it slips off his head. "No. My friends at the castle… their mother said that I could live with them since I don't have anybody."
"But of course you have somebody! You have us!" Zidane responds rather loudly and incredulously. "Why would you want to leave?"
Dagger approaches Zidane before I can even move, so all I do is shuffle my feet awkwardly and stay quiet. "Zidane, he's just a little kid. He shouldn't have to risk his life for me."
"But…"
She shakes her head. Zidane looks at Vivi and nods.
"I'll go with him. To make sure he's safe." Lilka looks me in the eyes before walking off with him.
That wasn't supposed to happen. But it's not like I could've stopped him. It probably is better off this way. Now he'll never have to go the Black Mage Village and learn about stopping or see the other mages manipulated by Kuja. Or Kefka. Or whatever. Whoever the villain of choice happens to be, that is.
"Perhaps we had best get you hidden before the guards recognize you, Princess," Lara whispers.
We all prepare to leave the square when I notice some activity coming from Alice's. I stop and look, but someone grabs me by the shoulder and gives a little tug.
"Now is not the best time for sight-seeing, Rick," Minister Croft says in a flushed voice, the first time I've ever heard her use one. What doesn't she want me to see?
Is it people looting? Please. I planned on raiding Rinoa's later to see if I could salvage anything from the clothing store. Who cares if some nitwit is stealing a potion or two?
"She's right, Princess." Zidane's tone is a little worrying. It's like he's figured out something I haven't. "let's get out of here before Dagger gets discovered."
I start to ask why, but then I see it. My mouth goes dry and my knees erupt in pain as my ability to stand falters. The people, because there's two of them, aren't removing merchandise. They're removing a body. I body I had slept next to just last week. One I had planned on never touching again because of realization of love for Zidane.
God, even with an arm missing and his neck in that unnatural angle… he's beautiful…
"Rick." Dagger kneels next to me. I can't speak. It's like someone just removed my vocals cords. I open my mouth, but the only sounds I can hear myself make it a croaking noise. The princess puts what is supposed to be a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I can't even remember why I hated her.
There are several long moments of silence as my friends think of something comforting to say to me. Then someone speaks, and it could only have been Rei to say it. "So who's the stiff? He was pretty hot."
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A/N: And there you have Chapter 25. A lot led up to this chappy, and a lot happened in it. Now you know who left Rick. And who the elusive first OC is. (Rei, those who haven't figured it out :P) This was a definitely a milestone chapter will that will have many, many repercussions to come.
Now for the (tiny) HP spoiler: was I the only one weirded out by the whole "Hermione having a magically enhanced bag in which she could put anything" bit? Because it is EXACTLY the same concept as Rick's satchel! I wonder if I can sue J.K. Rowling for stealing my idea…