AUTHOR´S NOTES:
FFVI Characters are an exclusive creation of Square-Enix (Squaresoft) and Yoshitaka Amano
Story told in third person
Rated K+ (In general)
FanFic (ONESHOT) FFVI Toy Soldier
* General Leo VII *
Letting himself Flop down on the soft white surface, a groan of exhaustion came from his lips, head on the pillow and half face burried in it. Nurses usually coming in and out of the room laughed covering their mouth with a delicate hand watching the dark young man. He had never felt this tired in his life, even after a hard workout on the quad. The only consolation was provided to the perceive of similar sounds of tiredness and frustration of his comrades, merciless teased by the ladies covered in long outifits of inmaculate color with the symbol of The Empire as only detail with different color sewn into their coifts of same fabric the dresses and in one small side of their chest. Hearing their lovely and cheerful voices Leo felt like trying to laugh too but he had no strength even to that. Closing his beautiful eyes of a wild brown hue with some strokes of green close the pupil, this tired soldier sweetly fell prey to the subtle feeling that filled his whole body, needed so badly to rest mind and body. Leaving the giggles and clever comments as distant and incomprehensible ones.
Thinking about it carefully, the reason was pretty obvious. The lack of proper sleep hindered and increased their fatigue mixed with a state of unnoticeable alert. The screams and cries of the nurses in fear followed by the acute and repetitive ring of a tinker bell calling them every now and then. Overall, an experience that was beating them and counting the days since they accepted to take part so naively it had not even been a full year. estimated time to finish their service.
But the worse happened at night. Sat down after the experience Leo wished more than one time it were hallucinations caused by the lack of sleep but every time he looked at the yellowish white bandages covering his arms or his chest he was convinced everything was real. The natural ointments helped softening the pain and calmed down the burned skin but the body never forgot. However to inform was harder than act and bear the consequences, the young soldier never knew how to express the succesion of images and sounds retained in his head. Commenting and discussing it back their room was easier, driven by a forceful torrent of emotions and states.
In spite of the dim light coming from an old lamp of medium size made of copper, it was hard to see clearly the person grabbing it. The same one who had slapped his face, Leo was sure when the soldier spoke again,
"Wake up, Christope! We have work to do." The boy repeated, a click was emitted at the sign of the slow reaction of the black soldier still lying in bed.
The rest of partners were already awake so everybody was waiting for him with folded arms and half closed eyes after every blink, only unfolding their arms to dissimulate furious yawns. They agreed in choosing two of them depending the result of a coin after being throw up in the air every time so it was necessary the whole group of young men were awake and ready. As soon as Leo got fully open his eyes, he had to jump out of bed to put on his pants and rushed to participate with the rest. Circling a table of small size, all the soldiers held their breath focusing their attention in every golden and flat gil thrown following its trajectory until the shining gil fell on the table´s surface. peering the figure graven on it in silence, the owner could sigh relieved or let a growl go out. Admiration from the rest, Leo simply shrugged whatever the outcome was. His face proving more tiredness than other thing lighted by the lamp in the middle of the small table, marking his features.
Leo was no better than them but after a lot of interventions with unfavorable results, he discovered the way to tackle the problem with less risk of finishing burned alive. Like used to happen in the baths.
It never was toilsome finding the room adjucted to Kefka. The fire flowing from his little and flimsy body illuminated making it distinctive from afar, a blaze seeping through the space the half-open door showed. on earlier occasions, the scandal coming from the inside attracted bigger number of worried personnel but that night there was the nurse who reclaimed their presence.
"A nightmare?" Leo asked her. Brow frowned as one hand placed on one of her trembling shoulders. A gasp escaped from her lips, staring eyes closed immediatly but it was quickly silenced by one hand.
"Relax, we are here to help." The other young man said, trying to calm her down. She ducked her head, clearly embarrassed, the extended fingers above her lips twisting until the hand was closed. "Well, who enter in and who goes for the bucket of water?" That question went to the soldier of dark skin examinating the young lady. Thanks The Goddesses no burned skin seemed to be seen when she rolled up her white sleeves. Neither was visible seared fabric.
Leo sighed relieved and focused his look toward his partner, one thick eyebrow bending. His pale skin wouldn´t resist it so one more time, he took the initiative before the other could even protest.
Holding his breath, the soldier crossed the room, eyes fixed in one direction, narrowing and blinking a few times containing the pain caused by the exposed light some steps further in the same space. One foot after the previous one sheltered simply by his heavy boots, Leo approached toward the big point of light. A knot formed in his throat recognizing the figure wrapped in flames following with same violence the spams the curled body produced out of control. Wrinkling his forehead, Leo started kneeling by his side. Saliva heavy like solidified inside forcing to clear his throat with great effort.
"Kefka… " The first word was his name in a vain attempt to draw his attention, hand resting on his bent kneel. "Kefka…" The name resounded as it did in his head after a new and sore swallow. "It isn´t real, Kefka, It´s just a nightmare…"
Clear eyes tightly shut seemed to react although his eyelids still covered them. Pursed lips drawing a grimace of sorrow also seemed to respond weakening. Colorless tears melted with sweat. Leo contemplated careful every little sign hopeful however the fire consuming him from inside was persistant but at least the severe voice ringing in his ears, ruling completely the darkness surrounding his naked body was turning into a less horrifying one. His own voice was jagged as a consequence of many nights screaming in despair and incomprehension, achieving merely tiredness and that unpleasant timbre. Fortunately when the jolts decreased, the flames belittled too but only the bucket full of water eliminated them. So cold and unexpected, his eyes opened and a grievous shriek got away, non-stop shivering. it was when the blond man used to find himself in an unknown place observed by people he was sure he saw before but didn´t know. Thin layers of greyish smoke made him cough seeping through his nostrils, the scent of burned abb got stronger in the room demanding to move Kefka outside. Unable to stay standing by himself like a dummy owner of limply limbs, both soldiers took him. His uncovereds skin was afire despite of the fresh water still wetting it.
Once finished their work, They were free to return to their beds but overburden by the scene and the older soldier´s actitude, the brown boy couldn´t close his eyes, wide open and slightly reddish in the corners so leaving its comfort, barefoot, he managed to spend the rest of time writing accompanied by the discret gleam of the candle out the artefact that was the lamp. For Leo it would become an habit.
MARYXULA
I wrote this and although I lost the will or interest in writing the continuation of the oneshot I really liked this scene n_nU
We could say all the period of time involving Kefka being subjected to the Experiment with Magitek was quite hard and dark... So when I found this again, I found it perfect for sharing something traumatic with Leo (we know for Kefka the worst experience of his life would be the magitek infusions)