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Zidane's hand hurt. Dagger had been holding it since they had walked off stage, and she wasn't showing signs of letting go soon. She just continued to lead Zidane around excitedly pointing out renovations.
He'd been surprised how strong she really was, when she had pounded on his chest back on stage he thought he would fall over from the force. Probably cuz I'm so outta shape, he thought gazing at the wall that Dagger was showing to him.
"Do you know who painted it?" Dagger asked shaking Zidane from his deep thoughts.
"Huh?" Zidane asked not sure what she was asking.
"The mural, do you know who painted it?" Dagger asked again waving her arm at the large wall at the back of the courtyard were they stood. Zidane looked at it for the first time realizing that the wall was covered by a large painting that told a story that Zidane knew only too well.
"It's us…" he whispered gazing in awe at the large mural that vividly told the story of the pain the suffering, the love, and the loss that had consumed they're lives twisting the reality they had known into a bittersweet dream and this new reality…
"It's our story!" Zidane cried turning to Dagger her bright smile greeting him her warm brown eyes catching his own.
"Who painted this?" He asked taking her other hand in his own.
"We all did Me, Eiko, Freya, Amarant, and Vivi…"she trailed off gazing at the far corner of the mural her eyes brimming with tears at the mention of the mage.
"He made that part over there," she said nodding to the corner.
"He wanted to get it done before he..stopped," she said. Zidane dropped her hands and walked over to the part the mage had painted. He looked at it and dropped to his knees it was beautiful. The boy had painted a careful resemblance to Zidane and Dagger. There was a rainbow above the two figures, and above the rainbow was the sweet little mage he seemed to be smiling down on the figures.
"Vivi…," Zidane whispered tearing his gaze from the painting he felt hot tears come rushing to his eyes as he remembered what the mage had said to him before he had died.
"...I've been saving my energy so...I could see you....one last time," Zidane remembered barely a month ago.
Little guy wanted me and Dagger to be together more than we did, Zidane sadly thought the tears rolling slowly down his cheeks. He sat there silently his eyes closed, feeling the sadness he had felt when Vivi had died right before his very eyes.
And he didn't even get to see the reunion he had wanted so badly, Zidane felt Dagger get down behind him and wrap her slender arms around his neck. He took her hands and they just sat there Dagger leaning against Zidane remembering their dearly departed friend.
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The small resident of the clouds gazed down upon the two lovers and smiled.
They're together again I'm so happy, he thought turning back to his canvas and picking up his brush. He carefully stroked the palette and added a long streak of color across the canvas. The little cloud dweller painted away gazing at the scene he was portraying, smiling to himself.
"Vivi," some one called his name the boy looked up from his painting to see Kuja walking towards him.
"Hello," Vivi smiled cheerfully to the brother of Zidane, his hate gone.
"Did you see them?" Kuja asked.
"Yes, I am so glad. I know they will be ok without me. That's why I left," the little mage said putting his paints down and walking to the side of the Genome.
"Yes, but something seems to still be wrong. I can't place what it is though," the Genome said shaking his head.
"Maybe it's just my pessimistic nature," Kuja said turning from the picturesque scene to be greeted by another.
"This place is truly lovely," he said to the mage looking over the scene of soft, fluffy clouds in shades of pink, purple, and white. The towering castles that royalty past dwelt in, and the lovely cottages of the commoners.
"Y-yes," the mage said turning around.
"But Kuja, what were you saying about something out of place is there something the matter with the castle?" The worried boy said his eyes speaking his fright.
"I'm sure it's not something to worry about. Whatever it is I am sure that my brother will protect Garnet. Everything will be fine," The Genome said placing one hand on the mage's shoulder to reassure him.
"Y-yes I guess your right," Vivi said turning to look back at the real world where Zidane and Dagger had just re-joined the rest of his old friends in the dining hall.
"I hope your right."
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Author's note: okay it just occurred that I didn't say this earlier FFIX belongs to squaresoft and I am not making any $ from this I just write for the pure enjoyment of it. Anyway I have like more chapters than this but I feel that I should let a few comments roll my way before I post more.