This one is an old thing I found on my HD a while ago dated back from December 2000. Since Final Wish has stalled, I figured it wouldn't hurt to try and finish this one up...
Synopsis: When the party makes its first visit to Lindblum, Vivi meets a new friend. I think this one has some potential to continue on for a few chapters, but I dunno... We'll see what the reviews say. n_n;
And for the curious, the PG13 rating is for some swearing... One strong word in particular, but other than that... tame. Also, if ye dun like Mary Sue-ish fics, then you might not want to read... o_o;;;; And this is sorta modified from the events in the game, obviously; I left out parts, changed others... Too lazy to stick to what really happened. o_O; Oh, well.
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Lindblum was a nice place, I guess. A big place, probably a bit bigger than I felt comfortable with, but it was still nice. There were tons of shops I could go to, tons of people I could talk to, and lots of places to wander and get lost. I think that's what I was trying to do. I was looking for someplace to be alone, at least.
I had gone through the business district a few times, but I found my way all the way to the outer ends of the theatre district. I guess I was just wandering around with my thoughts, not paying much attention to where I was going... It was like.. sleepwalking. I kinda knew I was moving but I didn't really know where. But I sorta woke up and found myself staring at this fountain. It was huge, bigger than the ones I saw in Gizamaluke's Grotto. On the top there was some kind of Dragon looking thing with water coming out from its mouth. A few birds sat along its neck and flippers.
There was a girl sitting on the edge of the fountain, staring up at the Dragon and trailing her fingers through the water. I stopped for a second, thinking if I should keep going or turn back the way I came. After all, I didn't want to bug her.
She sighed, turned her head towards me, and smiled.
... Even though Zidane kinda pressed me about it, I still never thought much about girls. I mean, why should I? Chasing after girls probably won't teach me anything about myself or the Black Mages. Or why life is the way it is. Or what I'm doing here, or have been doing anywhere else.
Besides... girls are kinda... gross.
But this girl... She wasn't like the others I've seen. Like in Dali... That little girl there ran away when she saw me, along with those boys. In Alexandria, kids generally didn't really... pay any attention. Avoiding me, I guess.
This one was smiling at me. And she stood up. I guess she was sorta... pretty. Her hair was long and a shiny brown, kept in a little pony tail. She wore a simple white blouse and black skirt and little brown sandals. I couldn't really tell but I think she had green eyes. She sorta reminded me of Dagger.
I remember freezing right where I was when she smiled at me. I couldn't move and my mind went blank. I was scared for that moment, I couldn't breathe... but when she spoke...
"Hi there," she had said. Her voice was calm and soft, like she was used to talking to people she didn't know.
"H-hi..." That's all I could say. I don't like that... I can't say what I want, because I stutter. And I sound... stupid. I hate it.
She was looking at me weird, like all the other people. There was something different with her, though. She didn't look at me with angry eyes, or even fear. She was curious, I think. Maybe as to who I was, or what I am...
"... you're new around here, right?" she asked.
"Um... yeah... H-how'd you know?"
The girl giggled. "You just look lost.... And I don't think I've seen anyone like you around here before."
That made me a little bit sad. I think she saw it, too. All I could say was, "Oh."
She patted the stone edge of the fountain beside her with one of her hands and said, "Why don't you come here and sit with me? We can look at the fountain."
A fountain. I don't like those as much as windmills, but still... This girl was being nice so I didn't want to say no. I walked and sat beside her, trying my hardest not to trip on the way or fall into the water. It was hard because I was really nervous for some reason.
"See, that's not so bad?" she said. "The fountain is my favorite place in the whole city. It's not as busy as the other places so I can think here." She turned her head up to look at the Dragon coiled on the fountain. "What do you think?"
"I... guess it's kinda neat."
"Yeah, it is. Say, what's your name?"
I blinked. Why did she want to know my name? Was she going to tell someone about me? That there was another Black Mage loose in Lindblum?
"It's ok, I'm just curious," she added. I guess she could tell that I didn't know if I should tell her. "My name's Debbie. It's nice to meet you...? Well, I kind of can't say it if I don't know who you are, huh?"
"N-no... I guess not..." She smiled again and poked at my shoulder. Trying to prod an answer from me, I guess... So I told her.
"My name's Vivi."
"Vivi... heh. Cute name."
"Cute?" No one had ever said that, not even Puck. He just said it was a weird name...
"Yeah! I've never heard it before. It sounds cute!"
"Uh... t-thanks, I guess..."
"You're very much welcome." Debbie was one of those girls that got along well with strangers, from what I could tell. She didn't look scared or anything. Just cheerful. She looked at my face again.
"So... Are you here in Lindblum all by yourself, Vivi?"
"N-no... My friends are at the castle."
Her eyes widened. "At the castle? Are they friends with the regent?"
Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned the castle... "Um... I-I don't know..."
"Oh. Well, still. They must be important if they're at the castle."
"Y-yeah, sorta..."
We were quiet for a little while, both of us watching the water spout, curve, and fall into the pool of the fountain. Debbie had turned her head to watch the stone Dragon again, running her fingers through the clear waters... and I found myself watching her. When I noticed, I looked away right then. She saw. Her cheeks turned a light pink color.
... blushing?
"Uhmm, so..." she started after clearing her throat and glancing at something. "Are you and your friends here for the festival?"
The festival. I forgot about that... "I don't think so, but I wanna go see it."
Her eyes widened and she looked at me like she was surprised. "You do?"
"Y-yeah. I wanna see the animals."
Debbie didn't say anything for a second. Her mouth opened like she was gonna talk when someone running up from one of the alleys behind her called out, "Hey, Debs! There 'ya are!"
She turned around slowly and smiled weakly at the boy that had appeared. He was... big. His clothes were mostly brown and looked tight on him. He was wearing a hat with a long bill but I could tell that he had dark brown eyes.
"Who's this little... kid?" the boy asked, snorting in my direction. I could feel myself shrink back from him slightly before Debbie put her hand on mine... to keep me from running, I guess. I was getting a bad feeling...
"This is Vivi, my new friend."
Friend...? She was already gonna call me her friend?
"Hnph. What is he?"
"Whaddaya mean, what is he?" Her voice was rising.
"I mean just that. He dun look human... What is he? Some weird little frea--"
... why can't people accept me? I'm not a freak... I'm just... different.
Debbie was up right then before he could say what we knew he was going to say. "Don't call him that! He's my friend!" When the boy started to laugh, she stepped closer to him and gave him a hard shove. "Don't be an asshole, Dirk. Go away."
"Ooh, Deb's trying to sound grown-up," Dirk snickered. He then looked at me. "Heh! Looks like I made your friend upset... Little freak's crying."
I was. I couldn't help it. Debbie looked back at me, frowning. Did I make her mad? Dirk started to laugh even harder. I let the tears fall...
"Poor little baby, gettin' all--"
I heard a loud smack, then some really bad word. Dirk fell back onto the ground with his hand to his nose, and there were streaks of red leaking from between his fingers.
"Shut up and go home!" I could hear the edge that Debbie's voice had gained, and judging by the way she had her fists clenched and the way she stomped her foot on the ground in front of Dirk, she was mad. Really mad.
I could barely see Dirk's face because Debbie was standing in the way, but I could see that his hat wasn't on his head anymore and there was something like fear in his eyes. He made a growling noise as he stood himself back up, glared at me, then glared at her. "Fine." His voice was tinny because he was holding his noise. "But I'm gonna tell your mom about this."
"Go ahead, dip-wad. I got reasons." The girl crossed her arms and snorted at Dirk as the plump boy fetched his hat from the ground and waddled off towards a residential area. As soon as he was out of sight, she rushed to my side. She didn't look angry anymore.
"Oh my God, Vivi, are you ok? I'm sorry about that jack-ass... He's the most stuck up piece of shit I've ever seen." Her fingers were flying around my face (probably trying to wipe tears off my cheeks). I could see spots of red on her knuckles.
I pulled away from her, sniffling and running a sleeve across by eyes. "I-it's.. ok..."
Debbie was quiet as she watched me get myself back together. Did she know how much it hurts? How hard it is? Being different isn't easy, especially when you're the only one who isn't like everyone else... It took me a while to stop crying, but I did it. Debbie was quietly waiting beside me, glancing from the ground to my face and back down again.
"Did you... hit that boy?" I managed to ask.
"Yeah. The lousy jerk deserved it."
"... you didn't have to do that..."
She raised her eyebrows at me. "No, I probably didn't. But you weren't defending yourself..." Her shoulders rose in a shrug and she sighed. "Besides; I'm not gonna let that boy pick on my friends. Not when I'm here watching."
... I wasn't defending myself. How do I do that? The only way I can is with my magic... but I don't want to hurt anyone...
A smile crossed her lips and she patted me on the shoulder. "See, y'gotta be tough when people are picking on you. Don't just stand there and take it; fight back! Then they'll know that you're not one to be messed with." She paused, dipping her face a bit closer to mine and asked, "You can defend yourself, right?"
"Um... I can... use magic, but..."
"But..?"
".. it's not something I l-like to use... against people..."
"That's why you don't use it against people."
I blinked at her.
"You use it at people. Kinda toss a few sparks at their feet, maybe, and send them running! Simple stuff like that, no harm done."
... it sounds so easy. But it isn't.
"Breaking down when they're saying stuff about you isn't gonna help you, either... Gonna make it look like you're weak--"
"I can't help it," I said suddenly. "I can't help it if it hurts. Or if I can't handle it." I wanted to cry some more... My eyes were still burning. "It just hurts so much..."
Debbie was quiet again. Then slowly, she sat down beside me, wrapped one of her arms around me, and just held me close. "I'm sorry, Vivi. I know how you feel..."
... did she?
"I've been through stuff like that plenty of times before... yeah, it hurts. You gotta stick, though. Gotta be strong..."
"... it's hard...."
She gave my shoulder a squeeze and sighed. "Yeah, it is. Life is hard..."
... it is. She and I were silent for a long while, staring at the ground. I was calming down slowly, and she was just there.. holding me. I liked hugs, especially when I got them from Dagger... This didn't feel all that different. Just a little bit weird, but not that much different. I guess I liked it.
"I oughta go now... My mom's gonna have a hell of a time trying to set me straight," Debbie giggled.
"Oh... I'm sorry."
"Nah, nah. Not your fault." She pulled away from the little hug and looked me square in the eye. "I coulda done worse to that fat bugger. It's my own action that gets the consequence, I guess... Hehe."
I didn't think it was all that funny. I didn't want her to get in trouble... because she wanted to protect me.
Debbie got up, stretching, and patted my shoulders again. "I'll be watching for you at the festival, Vivi. Do good, ok? Try not to get hurt now!"
"Ok... Bye, Debbie. I'll try and find you, too."
We waved to each other as she walked away, disappearing into the same alley that Dirk had run through. It was quiet again, except for the chirpings of the birds that perched on the Dragon, and for the patter of water pouring into the fountain. I stayed there for a while longer before I decided to get back to the castle and see Zidane and the others.
I made it all the way to the air-car station when I thought of something. Debbie had said, "Do good, ok? Try not to get hurt now!"
.... get hurt? From watching animals? ... She doesn't think I'm that weak or anything, does she?
.... nah.
Zidane signed me up for the Festival of the Hunt.
... monsters. I don't want to chase monsters. They'll end up chasing me, and then I'll get scared and run...
... and people will laugh. And point. And tell me that I'm a chicken or a wuss or something. I could already hear it. "There goes that little Black Mage freak, afraid to use his dark magic! Look at him run!"
They started me off in the business district. It was quiet enough when the timer started, but then these Fangs and Mus and Trick Sparrows started to flood the place. I was scared. This wasn't what I wanted to do, not even for a date with Dagger or some cards.
Somewhere in the distance, I could hear Steiner and Dagger cheering for me. Something like... Look out?
There was a loud sound behind me and I spun around to come face to face with a big Fang. It hissed and snapped and clawed at the ground, staring at me with its red eyes.
... was I supposed to kill it? But... why?
The Fang moved backwards onto its haunches; a sign that it was going to pounce, even more obvious than the grating snarls that boiled from its deep throat.
I... I didn't know what to do. I could stand there like I normally would, frozen in panic. Or I could cry, like whenever I got really scared and there was no one to help me. Or I could fight....
.... Or I could run. That sounded much better because I turned right back around and ran as fast as I could. The Fang howled and started to chase after me. I could hear its paws thud on the cobbled streets, its claws scratching and scraping...
"Viiiviiii~!"
... huh?
"Viiiiiiiviiiiii~! Don't run~!"
I forgot about the Fang for a moment while I looked around, scanning the blur of the crowd gathered on rooftops for the one calling my name. Sitting all by herself on one of the shorter rooftops was Debbie, smiling and waving and shouting.
"Show that critter who's boss!!"
"De--ACK!"
... I had to trip. I just had to, like usual. The Fang stopped running to snarl and hiss while I scrambled to get back up. I managed to flip onto my back and scoot away from the monster when I noticed... If I didn't know any better, I'd have thought the Fang was mocking me.
"Poor little Black Mage, too clumsy to stand, too frightened to fight!"
"Viiiiiiviiiii! Don't just sit there~! Get it~!"
... I will. She knows I can, but...
It's black lips pulled back over its fangs, and I could see them like daggers dripping with slobber. This thing was gonna eat me if I didn't fight back... But do I want to... kill it?
"What are you waaaaaiting for~?"
... nothing, Debbie. Nothing at all...
The Fang reared its head back and roared at the sky, then plunged its head towards me. I had a strong grip on my staff in my right hand, so I brought that up to whack the monster in the head while raising my left hand to shoot a plume of Fire at it. As soon as the tiny flame made contact with the Fang's sensitive nose, it pulled back away from me a good few feed, shaking its head and snapping its jaws. I took a moment to stand and get into a battle stance.
For you. You who befriended the freak, stood up for me, and pushed me on even though you barely know me. I'll fight for you.
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... hnn, yep. This definetly calls for continuation... We'll see, though. Maybe if I get enough R&R cooperation... o_O;; That means you! *pokes*