Disclaimer: NO, I don't own Amarant, Eiko Vivi, or Quina, or Beatrix,
or Freya, or Steiner, or Gaia, or Alexandria, or. . . You get the picture.
Square owns 'em. Hehe.
(What HAPPENED to Amarant? Well I sure as heck am not going to tell you, so you're gonna have to READ! Heehee.)
Eiko began to shiver. She didn't know why -- she couldn't remember what had happened. All she could recall was a giant dragon. . .Bahaumut, and the castle being blown to smithereens. She couldn't even think straight anymore. Her back was against something cold. . .probably stone. She was alive. . .Stupid Eidolon, she thought sourly. And then she immediatly thought of. . .
Mog! Was she all right?
Very slowly, she lifted her head and pulled her legs beneath her to stand up. Suddenly, she almost rolled right over a cliff! No, no. . .her pounding heart slowed down after a few seconds. Not a cliff. . .she was on. . a bed?
Rubbing her sore horn, she sat up in her sheets, looking left, and then right. She was in a very dressy room, with a mirror, and curtains around the bed. It was a beautiful bedroom, compared to what she usually slept in. But. . .
"Eiko? Eiko Carol?"
Eiko blinked and turned right around in bed to see a very pretty, but tough-looking woman sitting in an old-fashioned chair beside a grand window. Her face broke into a kind smile when she saw Eiko awake, "Eiko, how are you feeling?"
"Wh. . .Wha?" the six-year-old inquired, her mouth hanging open, "Are you. . .G-General Bea. . Beatrix? I. . .Is this your bedroom?"
Silently, Beatrix shook her head, and then said, "Yes, I am Beatrix. I believe. . .this is the first time we have met. And no, this is Queen Garnet's bedroom. . .one of the few rooms that wasn't damaged. You were out cold for hours."
"Then. . . " Eiko sniffled. "Then it really. . .happened?
This time, the general nodded, "Dagger, Zidane and yourself all were knocked unconscious when the explosion happened. The rest of us were rescued by Regent Cid and a strange, stolen boat from a nearby harbour."
Eiko wiped her nose with her sleeve, "Where's. . .Where's Dagger? And Zidane, then?"
Beatrix sighed, "Still unconscious, I'm afraid. Neither will wake up, and the regent is preparing for us all to depart for Lindblum shortly, where it's safe."
"So. . ." Eiko looked from the window, which displayed a clear sky now, to the lady general again, "Vivi, Quina. . .Steiner, Freya. . .and, and Amarant? They're all OK? I mean, no one's. . .no one's. . ." She gulped.
Eiko had been expecting Beatrix to smile again, but instead, her face grew solemn. The girl's heart sunk into her stomach. The lady general cast her eyes down, "Steiner. . .Quina, Freya, Vivi. . .they're all OK. They are in town. . .but. . .but I am afraid that man named Amarant is missing."
Eiko leapt out of bed in shock, "Amarant? Really? He's missing? You're sure?"
Beatrix nodded again, sadly, "He hasn't shown up."
Eiko began to chew her bottom lip nervously, "Ah. . .eh, well, I mean, he. . .he could have just, you know, left - - right? I-I mean, he never liked Zidane much, and maybe. . .maybe he just got fed up and left after. . .you know, he escaped?"
Beatrix looked back up at the six-year-old and silently thought to herself. She was fighting her insticts as a women, and her training. She was a knight, and a general, and it was her duty to tell the truth. She had to tell her that that possibility of Amarant being alive wasn't very likely, but she couldn't find herself crushing that spark of hope in the girl's eyes. Instead, she swallowed and forced a smile, "I suppose he could have. I do not know him as I suppose I do not know you."
Eiko closed her eyes for a second, and sat down on the edge of the bed again. Sombrely, but curiously, she said, "Mog?"
Cautiously, the moogle peered out of her place and shuddered, "Kupo. . ." she sighed.
Eiko looked back up at Beatrix and wiped her nose again, "But. . .Amarant would never let himself get killed. . So he probably left. . but. . .but. . . .Where could he be?"
Beatirx felt the girl's sadness touch her heart. "Eiko. . .you're only six years old. But you still fight. . .Tell me why."
The question surprised Eiko. She opened her mouth to reply almost instantaneously, but a second glance at the general's face made her close it. Then she thought again, before replying. "I guess. . ." she said slowly, "I was going to say it was for my grandpa, and the people of Madain Sari. . .but. . ."
Beatrix watched her rub her nose for yet a third time.
"But. . " Eiko continued, ". . .I guess It's because I know how to fight. . .and because I want to be with Zidane, and Dagger, and Vivi, and Freya. . .and even Amarant, I guess. If. . .well. . .without any of them, I'd have to go back to Madain Sari, and I don't wanna. . .It's because, well, I don't want to be alone."
Beatrix nodded, "Of course, and neither does anyone. But. . .think of what Amarant must feel. Instead of not wanting to be alone, he feels completely different.the opposite. So if he did leave, then you should understand."
"But why does he want to be alone?" Eiko cried suddenly, "He just doesn't know how it feels! He thinks that being alone is fun? I know how it feels, and sooner or later, he's not gonna wanna be alone anymore. . "
For a long time, Beatrix didn't say anything. A few minures passed as he gazed out of the bedroom window, at the ruined city she'd tried so hard to protect. No matter the amount of her effort, things got destroyed anyway. Alexandria was her home, and she'd served the royal family for a long time. . .Nothing like this had ever happened before. With Queen Brahne ruling. . .there hadn't been the threat of Alexandria meeting such a fate. . .now. . .
Finally, the general returned her attention to Eiko, "I do not know, Eiko. Anything could have happened to him . .Who knows, maybe he's actually on his way back here after all. He could have been sidetracked. Or maybe he is hurt, and needs help."
Eiko gritted her teeth and nodded her head stiffly, "Yeah. . " she said sourly. "Maybe."
Beatrix stood up, "Perhaps, Eiko-"
"No!"
The general backed away hastily at Eiko's outburst. The girl suddenly jumped off the bed and crossed her arms defiantly, "No! He's a big idiot, but I know that he wouldn't get himself killed! And he may be a big meany, but he wouldn't just leave like that, anyway! He said that before, and he never left! He's not gone! I'm. . ." she swallowed quickly, "I'm going to find him!"
Beatrix stood speechless as she observed Eiko hop from her spot and charge out of the room. At the same time, an exceptionally loud clank of metal echoed throughout the hall on the other side of the door. Then Steiner appeared at the door, looking rather startled, and confused. He looked to his left, apparently at the retreating Eiko, and then back at Beatrix.
The general strode forward and brushed past Steiner haughtily, "Don't bother asking, Steiner."
The Captain stood with mouth agape as he watched both Eiko and Beatrix disappear from his sight. He jerked his head to the left again, and studied the princess's room, before finally closing his jaw, "B-Beatrix?"
Eiko had reached the boat outside of the castle and had already boarded when Beatrix appeared at the castle's entrance, "Eiko, wait!" she called.
The boatman saw his general trotting towards him, and immediatly stopped the boat, holding it steady on top of the water, "Good day, General Beatrix," he greeted.
Ignoring the guardsman, Beatrix looked frantically from the castle to Eiko, "Eiko, it's very dangerous in town right now, and you should really stay here. Not all of the monsters have been removed from the area yet."
But Eiko crossed her arms stubbornly, "No way!" she objected, "Amarant saved my life once, and I don't care if he didn't mean to. I'm going to save his this time! He might be hurt, just like you said!"
Beatrix thought quickly, "I realize I said that, but do not forget what you said, Eiko. He can take care of himself. He won't let himself get killed, remember?"
Eiko shook her head, "Don't talk to me like I'm a kid! I'm not a kid! Amarant won't let himself get killed, but what if he can't help it, huh? What if he's really, really, really hurt?"
The boatman cleared his throat apologetically, and said, "Excuse me General Beatrix, but you must understand that there are others waiting to cross the channel."
Beatrix glanced back at the castle, and then at Eiko again with a defeated look, "Very well, Eiko. It's clear I cannot stop you. But promise me that if you're in trouble, you run, understand?"
This time, Eiko nodded in agreement, "Thank you Mrs. Beatrix."
"You're welcome," the general said with a sad smile, "And call me Beatrix, please."
Taking this as a word of permission, the boatman pushed off with his steering pole, and began to guide the boat towards town. Eiko watched until Beatrix's form disappear into the castle again, and then sighed. Leaning over the edge of the boat, she studied the water. She could see the bottom. It was littered with derbis from the Eidolon's attack.
Suddenly, to her surprise, she found that there were tears rolling down her cheeks and falling into the water, leaving petit ripples. What? What did she have to cry about?
Why was she even asking herself that? She already knew. It was because of a lot of things. Because of all the people she knew had died because of Bahaumut. Because Bahaumut, a powerful and great Eidolon of the Summoner's tribe had been used for something so evil. Because Zidane wasn't there, and neither was anyone else she knew. . .because Amarant might be dead.
She knew that she shouldn't care, after all. She knew that no one else would probably even notice that Amarant hadn't shown up. They'd be glad to be rid of him, in fact. So there was no point in asking any of them to help her find him. But maybe she was wasting her time? Perhaps. . .perhaps she should just go back? Would Dagger do something like that?
Would Zidane?
No, she told herself firmly. Zidane would never give up looking for anyone, at any time, even if it was Amarant. He went looking for him as Ispen's Castle, didn't he? When they all could have simply left him there, he cared that Amarant could have been hurt. Now, Eiko decided with a determined frown, it was her duty to help him!
With a gentle bump, and a slight rock of the boat, it stopped on the other side of the channel. Immediaetly, the violet-haired girl leapt from her seat and charged off into town without so much as a thank you for the boatman. He, however, greeted his next passengers with a bow and began work all over again.
Her spirits permanantly lifted, Eiko scrambled around the corner and entered the battered, and ruined town square.
And nearly got trampled by Quina.
Quina jumped back in surprise at the same time as the girl, "Eiko!?!"
The girl picked herself up off of the dusty street and shook her head, "Ow, Quina! Where are you going, running like that?"
Quina stared innocently, "Was going to ask same for you."
But Eiko sighed and crossed her arms, "No, really, where is everyone?"
"I no smell them now," Quina admitted, "And I has found everyone but Amarant. Is looking for him now."
The six-year-old blinked in surprise, "What? You're looking for him, too?"
Again, Quina continued to stare, innocently, "Is nothing to eat anymore."
Eiko jumped up and down impatiently, "I can see that, Quina, but why are you looking for Amarant??"
S/he considered this for a moment "Is what Zidane would do, is not?" s/he asked, finally.
Eiko broke into a wide grin and cheered happily, "Yeah! My thoughts exactly! Let's go!"
And Quina simply watched Eiko run across the square with what s/he supposed was a puzzled look. Then s/he sighed, and ran after the girl, "No food. No Amarant. No fun today."
The first place they tried to search was the alley with the theatre. But as soon as they reached the narrow lane, they found to both of their disappointment that a pile of broken cobblestone and house walls was blocking their path. Before Eiko could even utter so much as a word, Quina had turned around and quickly retraced his/her steps. Eiko had no choice but to follow.
Both Eiko and Quina now headed down the main street of Alexandria. They passed the synthenis shop, and then the tavern -- which no longer had a roof. However they searched, there was no sign of a tall, greenish- skinned, red-haired assasin. About fiteen minutes had passed when they encountered Vivi.
The tiny black mage was pacing along the wreckage of a house near the entrance to the great city, pausing every once and a while to peer up at the demolished walls and windows. Then he turned around when he saw the twosome approach. His expression didn't change.
"Hi, Vivi!" Eiko greeted him, as cheerfully as she could muster, "What are you doing here?"
Vivi looked at the ground for a moment, straightened his hat, and the glanced back towards Eiko, "H-hello, Eiko. . .Quina. . .The grandmother of a little girl I know lives here. . .I wonder if she's OK," he said tonelessly.
"Oh..." Eiko cleared her throat before continuing, "Well. . .Is she?"
The mage blinked slowly, and shook his head, "I don't know."
"Oh.. ." The girl repeated, "I guess you don't have time to help us find Amarant, then? I mean, if he's still here. . ."
Again, the black mage shook his head, "Sorry. . " he mumbled, and stared at the ground.
"Oh...Well, 'k then. . .bye." Eiko concluded and both she and Quina sombred awat, towards the town square again.
Just as they were passing the tavern again, Quina stopped and sniffed the air. Eiko looked both defeated and annoyed at the same time, "Oh, no Quina. . .Please, not again. We have to find Amarant, remember?"
Quina however, said nothing, and remained motionless.
Eiko, who had begun to walk again, paused, "Quina?"
"Is not food I smell," Quina explained. ". . .Is something terrible. Is. . .is. . .not anything I smell before."
"Then why whould it concern us? I mean, Quina, if you dond't know what it is, and it's not food, why would you care?" Eiko pressed impatiently and tugged on his/her arm, "Let's go! Amarant might need us!"
But Quina shoke his/her head and sniffed the air again, "Smell is horrible. Not good smell. Is like smell of fear but not."
"Maybe it's just your imagination, Quina!" Eiko insisted and tugged on his/her arm again, "C'mon!"
Finally, Quina seemed to snap out fo it and looked quietly at Eiko. Then, surprisingly without a word, s/he plodded forward again, heading straight for the middle of town. Pausing for only a second to look from the tavern, to Quina's retreating form, Eiko leapt into action and sped after him/her.
"Q-Quina?" she asked slowly, "Uh. . .so, where do we look next?"
Quina looked at Eiko and shook his/her head, "I not know. Maybe Amarant is in castle?"
Eiko sighed and looked down at her shoes, "No. . ." she said sadly, "He would've run farther than that. He might be long gone, or. . ."
"Good morning, Eiko, Quina."
Both turned around to see none other than Freya striding towards them. Eiko instantly realized that the Dragon Knight wasn't walking normally. She definitely had a limp in her left leg, but she appeared to be attempting to hide it. As usual on such sad occasions, Freya was not smiling.
"Hullo, Freya. You're OK?" Eiko said.
The Burmecian was completely silent until she reached the pair and then glanced very shortly at her injured leg, "More or less," she confirmed, "Tell me, why are you two out here? If there is no reason, then you are merely getting in the workers way. Perhaps you should return to the castle."
Eiko was startled at the unusual coldness of Freya's voice, and didn't reply right away. At first, she'd figured the Burmecian was merely joking, but her morose stare and the meaningful posture she held, told the six-year-old otherwise.
Quina leapt up and down twice, "We looking for Amarant."
Freya's placid stare was directed at him/her, "Amarant?"
"Yep!" Eiko quipped, feeling no where as happy as she knew she was making herself sound. If Freya was fooled, then she did not show it.
"Very well, good luck to both of you," she said, and then, without another glance or word to either of them, she continued to walk past them and headed for the castle.
"Hey!" the girl called after her, "Aren't you going to help us?"
Freya stopped and turned her head to say simply, "I have something to attend."
And she was gone.
Eiko was about to open her mouth to protest openly, but Quina suddenly cut her off. Actaully, it was not Quina him/herself that interrupted the six-year-old, but his/her stomach. It rumbled loudly, and Quina looked down, up, to the side, and then at Eiko.
The girl hung her head, "Oh, all right. . ." she sighed, "Go on."
And Quina was gone.
Now all Eiko knew, was that she had next to none if not no chance at all of finding Amarant. Even if he was. . .she gulped. . .alive. And if he was, and if he didn't even need her help, she'd never know anyway. Why did she even bother? What was the reason for her looking for him in the first place?
Zidane! she reminded herself firmly, I have to do what Zidane would do!
But her sudden burst of confidence didn't really add up to her realization that she hadn't a clue what to do next. Where to search?
Then, as if on cue, and not really thinking about it at all, Eiko spotted Vivi running through the thin crowd. He was headed for the alleyway he'd been down when he first met Puck -- the alley that was almost impassible. But the black mage didn't look at all discouraged about it. He disappeared in the shadows.
Feeling a surge of excitement, Eiko cried after him, "Vivi, wait for me!" and then scrambled her way across the sqaure, running into almost every worker and civilian on her way. By the time she reached the alley, Vivi had already scaled the scary-looking heap of derbis. Not bothering to ponder about Vivi's supposed fear of heights, she approached the rubble.
It came so sudden, she didn't even have time to utter anything but a mere gasp. Although she could recall it happening before, it surprised her that something like this could happen in a demoished alleyway. Her horn began to sting viciously, and a voice rose in her ears, whispering something to her. It was too faint to hear, but Eiko already knew what it must be. It was an Eidolon.
The six-year-old fell backwards and landed with her hands bracing for support. And still, her horn throbbed angrily, as the Eidolon's voice grew steadily clearer.
"I trust you can hear me now."
"I am very close."
"Come, little Summoner. We must. . .discuss something."
When the voice and the pain had eventually left her alone, Eiko waveringly got back to her feet, rubbing her sore horn, "Owww. . ." she complained. Then she begun to think. . ."That. . .that wasn't Bahaumut. No. . .but then. . .who?"
"Let me show you. Let me tell you."
Well, it came without the pain, or the slowly ascending, whispery voice. But it certainly came to her. It caused her to fall on her face, and not even notice the cool sensation radiateng from her horn. She wasn't awake. She was. . .watching.
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
"I can't remember how many years I've been waiting for a day when Bahaumut was finally destroyed. The Council decided that I was simply too powerful to be put in any mere Summoner's hands. The Summoners, your people, little one, were as bad as the humans once. When. . .when the power of Eidolons was just born.
"Ultima told us all, even us advanced Eidolons that we could serve any Summoner we wished. We could serve as many as we wished. But only the Eidolons whom he knew were spoiled -- whom he knew that were going to wreak havac, were allowed to leave the Council.
"Four others and myself were left behind, in the Zero world. Zero was filled with nothing, and I had no desire to ineract with any of the others.
"Alexander was one of these all-powerful Eidolons that had to remain behind. But once a human had cracked his riddles and solved his rhymes of the Alexandrian Temple, he was set free into Gaia, and the temple crumbled.
"All the was left was the others and myself. I am now the second to leave my home in the Zero world. I am here to take Bahaumut's place once he was destroyed. Truly, he is not gone, for the Queen that governs over Alexander now controls his powers, as she should have so long ago. The fact remains, however, that his pride and power has been quenced greatly. Now I have broken free.
"There is Alexander, Oenan, whom is Odin's father, and myself. There is also, of course, Necron. It seems however, this Eidolon of Death and Destruction has been humiliated. He will no longer have the power to rise to high in his place again.
"The last of my all-powerful 'friends' is Tepala, but she is gone. She has vanished, stolen straight from this unpenetrateble world. Wherever she may be, or for what use she could possibly be put to, is unknown to us.
"The night in your world, the time in which Bahaumut was defeated by my brother Alexander, was the night Ultima summoned me. He told me of my fate, and I accept it.
"But little Summoner, I speak to only you now, because you are the last true one of your kind. I can no longer speak openly to the Queen, and so now I speak to you. Your restraints are broken. You can freely do what you want with your power, little Summoner. Use it, for whatever you wish.
"As I can.
"Evil. Good. I don't know, nor do I care about the difference. Evil? That is the way my presuccessor had been used. Used....by some evil power that breaks all bounds on summoning laws. This is not how I want to die, little Summoner. If I can help, then I can. If I cannot, then I can only destroy. I am the father of Bahaumut. My name is his name, yet one difference, little last-of-you-kind.
"I live in my world of nothingness. . .
"I am Zero.
"Watch."
Everything was black for a while. She was in a room of pitch darkness.
She caught a glimpse of something. . .something white, or grey move behind the shadows. Eiko tried to squint her eyes, but found that she had none. She was still inside of this fantasy world...this nothingness.
"Look harder, little Summoner."
Eiko didn't want to listen to the voice. But her conscience screamed at her to obey, so she focussed as hard as she could to penetrate the swallowing darkness.
"I am Zero. I am nothing yet. . .but I await my birth as I should my death when I live."
What Eiko expercienced next was very brief. Before the real darkness of unconsciousness set in, she saw. . .she saw an elegant body of a dragon. Bahaumut? What was Bahaumut doing here, in her dreams? No, wait. . .Bahaumut was not a white dragon. This 'Zero' dragon had strange wings, and a handsomer face.
Handsome?
He was beautiful, yet ugly. He was angry, but kind. He was. . . so empty, but so full of spirit.
So this was. . .Zero.
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
Eiko felt as if she were stuck in the eye of a tornado. Everything about her swirled, and was being pulled apart, welded together, and merged with a liquid-like flow. Without knowing it, she observed this phenomon as Time. Or perhaps it was just the after-affects of feinting. Or perhaps. . .it was another world she'd never seen.
It didn't matter. The next thing she knew, she was sitting up in the middle of the alley with a very sore forehead. She'd passed out and dreamed. . . .No, it couldn't have been a dream. No Eidolon contacts a Summoner with a dream. An Eidolon speaks truly, as well. They have no power to lie.
She wanted to know who Zero was. . .She wanted to know what kind of Eidolon could cause a Summoner --even one as young as herself-- to feint. To be rendered. . .unconscious. Bahaumut. . .the same name? Zero. . .Zero Bahaumut.
The girl couldn't help but surpess a smile as she picked herself up. No Eidolon she'd ever heard of had the name Zero Bahaumut. Bahaumut was the King of Dragons, and one of the most powerful Eidolons ever known to human and Summoner alike. No Qu, or no creature alive had seen anything more powerful than Alexander.
So she must have dreamed it, then. She simply must have been thinking of too much at the same time. Wait. . .what had she been thinking about? What was she trying to do?
Suddenly, her memory flashed inside of her head. Vivi!
Not wasting another precious moment, she scrambled back to her senses and practially leapt on the giant pile of wreckage. After climbing over pieces and pieces of conrete and stone, she finally made it to the top of the heap. What she saw beyond the ruined wall, however, made her jaw drop in disbeleif.
It was true, that almost every building still stood. But it was also apparent that there was no longer a full wall or a grey stone to be seen. Nearly everything was charred black, or thrown in a heap. But the cobblestone beneath her feet, and so much of the wreckage was. . .soot. Ashes.
Blinking stupidly, Eiko twisted to her left, and then right, "V- Vivi?" she stammered.
At first, there was no answer. But then, from behind another -but smaller- pile of derbis, came Vivi's unmistakable voice, "Over here. . ."
Eiko slowly, made her way around the rubble and spotted Vivi, standing in front of a rather doomed house. It's porch was blackened beyond recognition and the house was hollow and vacant insdie. But the black mage looked at it insistantly, as if he still expected someone to come through the scortched door.
"Vivi..." Eiko said sympathetically, and advanced on him.
Vivi looked up, and the six-year-old noticed that his eyes didn't glow just the right way, as they always seemed to do. They kind of shone sadly, reflecting his exact mood. "Eiko. . ." he said. "This is where that little. . .that little girl I was talking about lived. I don't know. . .if she's OK. . ."
Eiko blinked, uncertain what to say. After a few seconds of awkward silence, she sighed, "Vivi, most of the townspeople fled. She's probably just somewhere else in town, right? I bet she's at the castle. . .That's where most of the women and kids are!"
She hadn't really expected this to cheer Vivi up, but it did get her out of an awkward position. She really hated to see the older boy's long face and drooped shoulders. If only she could make him feel better somehow. . .If only he'd look on the brighter side!
"First. . .the black mages. . .Then P. . .Puck, and now this. . ." Vivi was muttering.
"Vivi!" Eiko cried so suddenly, it made the little mage jump, "I'm ashamed of you! You don't even know if she's still alive or not, and you're giving up? If I were like that, then I wouldn't-"
Her throat stuck.
"Oh YEAHHH!" she exclaimed, "I forgot all about Amarant! I still gotta find him, Vivi! C'mon, I know he's mean and all, but can you at least help me look for him? Cause, well-"
"Yeah. . ." Vivi interrupted softly, "Let's find him. . ."
Well, Eiko both didn't know where to start. It seemed, for hundreds of meters all around, that there was nothing left of the street or dock but cinders and burnt walls. And there were simply too many piles of rubbish, and only one place that Amarant could possibly be.
Eiko couldn't help but think, Amarant's an escape artist. And if he's escaped, then he's long gone. . .But. . .if that was true, then why did she have a strange feeling? Did it have anything to do with that weird dream at all? If so, why?
Vivi seemed to be thinking the same thing, except for the part about the dream. All he could picture when he thought of Amarant, was a man with flame-red hair that was mroe than twice his height. When he thought of how he acted, the black mage had to shudder. His attitude was so. . .uncaring.
And so they searched. They didn't exactly move anything around. . .they'd both agreed silently that it would be too awkward, lifting things about to look for someone. An hour passed of this. . .and then two. It was then that Vivi nearly got flattened by a sudden fall of a stone three times his size.
It was the last straw for Eiko. All of her little-girl patience had worn out and now she was simply too stressed to continue, "Vivi," she said stalwartly, "If he's this hard to find, then he's obviously not here. . .You know, if he's gone, he's gone. . .If he's," she gulped, and faltered for only a moment, "well, if he's. . .you know. . .then that's that. . .He'd never do something like this for us, right? I mean. . "
Vivi looked a little shocked, "But, Eiko-"
His words were cut short by a sudden shower of gravel as a very intimadating-looking slab of broken wall began to break loose on top of a nearby pile. Slowly, both sets of eyes travelled upwards to stare at it, just before it snapped, and began to roll down the heap of stone.
Vivi didn't think twice, he just acted. With a frightened yell, he threw himself into Eiko and they both went sprawling onto the charred ground. The sliding chunk of rock flew right past them, missing by inches, and crashed into a nearby building. It did a half-flip and landed with a solid thunk.
Eiko was trembling with both disbelief and anger, as she stood up, staring at the stones that had just tried to kill them both. Her fists clenched, "OK, that's it! It's official! We are SO outta here, NOW, Vivi!"
Not bothering to even thank him, the six-year-old seized Vivi's arm and started to drag him hastily towards the end of the alley again. It was that moment that both froze in terror. A low creak, and the terrible sound of bursting rock sounded behind their backs.
There was no hesitation this time. Both children whirled around to face the deadly heap of cobblestone. True, it was breaking and beginning to collapse. And that was not all, unfourtunately. For if Eiko hadn't of glanced down at the base of the stones, then she would have fled as fast as her feet could carry her.
She heard the black mage gulp with fear beside her, and turn to run again. But Eiko grabbed a handful of his coat and pulled him back, "No. . ." she managed to whisper over the groaning and threatening noises of the rubble pile, "Look, Vivi. . .at the bottom of the pile."
And she felt him stiffen, too, when he saw what she saw.
It was all too conspicuous. For under all of the gravel, and grit, and boulders. . .through at least one or two layers of rocks themselves, was a great mass of red hair. Slowly, ever slowly, the two children leaned to the side to peer more closesly. And yes, hidden by that hair was the grim face of Amarant.
He was crushed.
But alive.
He was bleeding exceedingly, at least, as much as they could see. From his stomach down, rocks of all shapes and sizes had pinned him down. But his arms were in front of him, he was on his side, and his head rest on a flat, overturned cobblestone. Just above him, was what had apparently saved him from being entirely crushed. Another stone, similar to the one he rest on, had one end propped on a rather smaller boulder, but the other end was pinning him to the ground. He was either unconscious, or very weak. Eiko couldn't see his eyes. . .she coudln't tell.
But he was alive.
A sudden impulse and emotion of pity and relief overwhelmed her. Immedialtly, that feeling was swallowed by confusion, and fear. Amarant alive. . .but. . .
Something wooden splintered near the top of the pile, and more pebbles rained down on the two children.
. . .Not for long.
(Ah, what can I say. I love Zero Bahaumut and Neo Bahaumut from Final Fantasy VII. They are SO cool! And they don't even exist in Final Fantasy VIII or IX (dunno about X)! That's just wrong, right? Eheh, he, heeeee....Anyway, yes, Amarant is alive. But also, yes, he is trapped. Yes, he is very wounded, and no, he's not going to like Eiko's help, is he? Or WILL he? *suspenseful music* Ah, well, you can all guess why I'm throwing Vivi into this *wink* Eiko and Vivi -- the perfect couple (for when they're old, of course) Who give's a dang (this is PG, remember) if Vivi's a black mage? Created? Pblhahh! So, until next time. . )
(What HAPPENED to Amarant? Well I sure as heck am not going to tell you, so you're gonna have to READ! Heehee.)
Eiko began to shiver. She didn't know why -- she couldn't remember what had happened. All she could recall was a giant dragon. . .Bahaumut, and the castle being blown to smithereens. She couldn't even think straight anymore. Her back was against something cold. . .probably stone. She was alive. . .Stupid Eidolon, she thought sourly. And then she immediatly thought of. . .
Mog! Was she all right?
Very slowly, she lifted her head and pulled her legs beneath her to stand up. Suddenly, she almost rolled right over a cliff! No, no. . .her pounding heart slowed down after a few seconds. Not a cliff. . .she was on. . a bed?
Rubbing her sore horn, she sat up in her sheets, looking left, and then right. She was in a very dressy room, with a mirror, and curtains around the bed. It was a beautiful bedroom, compared to what she usually slept in. But. . .
"Eiko? Eiko Carol?"
Eiko blinked and turned right around in bed to see a very pretty, but tough-looking woman sitting in an old-fashioned chair beside a grand window. Her face broke into a kind smile when she saw Eiko awake, "Eiko, how are you feeling?"
"Wh. . .Wha?" the six-year-old inquired, her mouth hanging open, "Are you. . .G-General Bea. . Beatrix? I. . .Is this your bedroom?"
Silently, Beatrix shook her head, and then said, "Yes, I am Beatrix. I believe. . .this is the first time we have met. And no, this is Queen Garnet's bedroom. . .one of the few rooms that wasn't damaged. You were out cold for hours."
"Then. . . " Eiko sniffled. "Then it really. . .happened?
This time, the general nodded, "Dagger, Zidane and yourself all were knocked unconscious when the explosion happened. The rest of us were rescued by Regent Cid and a strange, stolen boat from a nearby harbour."
Eiko wiped her nose with her sleeve, "Where's. . .Where's Dagger? And Zidane, then?"
Beatrix sighed, "Still unconscious, I'm afraid. Neither will wake up, and the regent is preparing for us all to depart for Lindblum shortly, where it's safe."
"So. . ." Eiko looked from the window, which displayed a clear sky now, to the lady general again, "Vivi, Quina. . .Steiner, Freya. . .and, and Amarant? They're all OK? I mean, no one's. . .no one's. . ." She gulped.
Eiko had been expecting Beatrix to smile again, but instead, her face grew solemn. The girl's heart sunk into her stomach. The lady general cast her eyes down, "Steiner. . .Quina, Freya, Vivi. . .they're all OK. They are in town. . .but. . .but I am afraid that man named Amarant is missing."
Eiko leapt out of bed in shock, "Amarant? Really? He's missing? You're sure?"
Beatrix nodded again, sadly, "He hasn't shown up."
Eiko began to chew her bottom lip nervously, "Ah. . .eh, well, I mean, he. . .he could have just, you know, left - - right? I-I mean, he never liked Zidane much, and maybe. . .maybe he just got fed up and left after. . .you know, he escaped?"
Beatrix looked back up at the six-year-old and silently thought to herself. She was fighting her insticts as a women, and her training. She was a knight, and a general, and it was her duty to tell the truth. She had to tell her that that possibility of Amarant being alive wasn't very likely, but she couldn't find herself crushing that spark of hope in the girl's eyes. Instead, she swallowed and forced a smile, "I suppose he could have. I do not know him as I suppose I do not know you."
Eiko closed her eyes for a second, and sat down on the edge of the bed again. Sombrely, but curiously, she said, "Mog?"
Cautiously, the moogle peered out of her place and shuddered, "Kupo. . ." she sighed.
Eiko looked back up at Beatrix and wiped her nose again, "But. . .Amarant would never let himself get killed. . So he probably left. . but. . .but. . . .Where could he be?"
Beatirx felt the girl's sadness touch her heart. "Eiko. . .you're only six years old. But you still fight. . .Tell me why."
The question surprised Eiko. She opened her mouth to reply almost instantaneously, but a second glance at the general's face made her close it. Then she thought again, before replying. "I guess. . ." she said slowly, "I was going to say it was for my grandpa, and the people of Madain Sari. . .but. . ."
Beatrix watched her rub her nose for yet a third time.
"But. . " Eiko continued, ". . .I guess It's because I know how to fight. . .and because I want to be with Zidane, and Dagger, and Vivi, and Freya. . .and even Amarant, I guess. If. . .well. . .without any of them, I'd have to go back to Madain Sari, and I don't wanna. . .It's because, well, I don't want to be alone."
Beatrix nodded, "Of course, and neither does anyone. But. . .think of what Amarant must feel. Instead of not wanting to be alone, he feels completely different.the opposite. So if he did leave, then you should understand."
"But why does he want to be alone?" Eiko cried suddenly, "He just doesn't know how it feels! He thinks that being alone is fun? I know how it feels, and sooner or later, he's not gonna wanna be alone anymore. . "
For a long time, Beatrix didn't say anything. A few minures passed as he gazed out of the bedroom window, at the ruined city she'd tried so hard to protect. No matter the amount of her effort, things got destroyed anyway. Alexandria was her home, and she'd served the royal family for a long time. . .Nothing like this had ever happened before. With Queen Brahne ruling. . .there hadn't been the threat of Alexandria meeting such a fate. . .now. . .
Finally, the general returned her attention to Eiko, "I do not know, Eiko. Anything could have happened to him . .Who knows, maybe he's actually on his way back here after all. He could have been sidetracked. Or maybe he is hurt, and needs help."
Eiko gritted her teeth and nodded her head stiffly, "Yeah. . " she said sourly. "Maybe."
Beatrix stood up, "Perhaps, Eiko-"
"No!"
The general backed away hastily at Eiko's outburst. The girl suddenly jumped off the bed and crossed her arms defiantly, "No! He's a big idiot, but I know that he wouldn't get himself killed! And he may be a big meany, but he wouldn't just leave like that, anyway! He said that before, and he never left! He's not gone! I'm. . ." she swallowed quickly, "I'm going to find him!"
Beatrix stood speechless as she observed Eiko hop from her spot and charge out of the room. At the same time, an exceptionally loud clank of metal echoed throughout the hall on the other side of the door. Then Steiner appeared at the door, looking rather startled, and confused. He looked to his left, apparently at the retreating Eiko, and then back at Beatrix.
The general strode forward and brushed past Steiner haughtily, "Don't bother asking, Steiner."
The Captain stood with mouth agape as he watched both Eiko and Beatrix disappear from his sight. He jerked his head to the left again, and studied the princess's room, before finally closing his jaw, "B-Beatrix?"
Eiko had reached the boat outside of the castle and had already boarded when Beatrix appeared at the castle's entrance, "Eiko, wait!" she called.
The boatman saw his general trotting towards him, and immediatly stopped the boat, holding it steady on top of the water, "Good day, General Beatrix," he greeted.
Ignoring the guardsman, Beatrix looked frantically from the castle to Eiko, "Eiko, it's very dangerous in town right now, and you should really stay here. Not all of the monsters have been removed from the area yet."
But Eiko crossed her arms stubbornly, "No way!" she objected, "Amarant saved my life once, and I don't care if he didn't mean to. I'm going to save his this time! He might be hurt, just like you said!"
Beatrix thought quickly, "I realize I said that, but do not forget what you said, Eiko. He can take care of himself. He won't let himself get killed, remember?"
Eiko shook her head, "Don't talk to me like I'm a kid! I'm not a kid! Amarant won't let himself get killed, but what if he can't help it, huh? What if he's really, really, really hurt?"
The boatman cleared his throat apologetically, and said, "Excuse me General Beatrix, but you must understand that there are others waiting to cross the channel."
Beatrix glanced back at the castle, and then at Eiko again with a defeated look, "Very well, Eiko. It's clear I cannot stop you. But promise me that if you're in trouble, you run, understand?"
This time, Eiko nodded in agreement, "Thank you Mrs. Beatrix."
"You're welcome," the general said with a sad smile, "And call me Beatrix, please."
Taking this as a word of permission, the boatman pushed off with his steering pole, and began to guide the boat towards town. Eiko watched until Beatrix's form disappear into the castle again, and then sighed. Leaning over the edge of the boat, she studied the water. She could see the bottom. It was littered with derbis from the Eidolon's attack.
Suddenly, to her surprise, she found that there were tears rolling down her cheeks and falling into the water, leaving petit ripples. What? What did she have to cry about?
Why was she even asking herself that? She already knew. It was because of a lot of things. Because of all the people she knew had died because of Bahaumut. Because Bahaumut, a powerful and great Eidolon of the Summoner's tribe had been used for something so evil. Because Zidane wasn't there, and neither was anyone else she knew. . .because Amarant might be dead.
She knew that she shouldn't care, after all. She knew that no one else would probably even notice that Amarant hadn't shown up. They'd be glad to be rid of him, in fact. So there was no point in asking any of them to help her find him. But maybe she was wasting her time? Perhaps. . .perhaps she should just go back? Would Dagger do something like that?
Would Zidane?
No, she told herself firmly. Zidane would never give up looking for anyone, at any time, even if it was Amarant. He went looking for him as Ispen's Castle, didn't he? When they all could have simply left him there, he cared that Amarant could have been hurt. Now, Eiko decided with a determined frown, it was her duty to help him!
With a gentle bump, and a slight rock of the boat, it stopped on the other side of the channel. Immediaetly, the violet-haired girl leapt from her seat and charged off into town without so much as a thank you for the boatman. He, however, greeted his next passengers with a bow and began work all over again.
Her spirits permanantly lifted, Eiko scrambled around the corner and entered the battered, and ruined town square.
And nearly got trampled by Quina.
Quina jumped back in surprise at the same time as the girl, "Eiko!?!"
The girl picked herself up off of the dusty street and shook her head, "Ow, Quina! Where are you going, running like that?"
Quina stared innocently, "Was going to ask same for you."
But Eiko sighed and crossed her arms, "No, really, where is everyone?"
"I no smell them now," Quina admitted, "And I has found everyone but Amarant. Is looking for him now."
The six-year-old blinked in surprise, "What? You're looking for him, too?"
Again, Quina continued to stare, innocently, "Is nothing to eat anymore."
Eiko jumped up and down impatiently, "I can see that, Quina, but why are you looking for Amarant??"
S/he considered this for a moment "Is what Zidane would do, is not?" s/he asked, finally.
Eiko broke into a wide grin and cheered happily, "Yeah! My thoughts exactly! Let's go!"
And Quina simply watched Eiko run across the square with what s/he supposed was a puzzled look. Then s/he sighed, and ran after the girl, "No food. No Amarant. No fun today."
The first place they tried to search was the alley with the theatre. But as soon as they reached the narrow lane, they found to both of their disappointment that a pile of broken cobblestone and house walls was blocking their path. Before Eiko could even utter so much as a word, Quina had turned around and quickly retraced his/her steps. Eiko had no choice but to follow.
Both Eiko and Quina now headed down the main street of Alexandria. They passed the synthenis shop, and then the tavern -- which no longer had a roof. However they searched, there was no sign of a tall, greenish- skinned, red-haired assasin. About fiteen minutes had passed when they encountered Vivi.
The tiny black mage was pacing along the wreckage of a house near the entrance to the great city, pausing every once and a while to peer up at the demolished walls and windows. Then he turned around when he saw the twosome approach. His expression didn't change.
"Hi, Vivi!" Eiko greeted him, as cheerfully as she could muster, "What are you doing here?"
Vivi looked at the ground for a moment, straightened his hat, and the glanced back towards Eiko, "H-hello, Eiko. . .Quina. . .The grandmother of a little girl I know lives here. . .I wonder if she's OK," he said tonelessly.
"Oh..." Eiko cleared her throat before continuing, "Well. . .Is she?"
The mage blinked slowly, and shook his head, "I don't know."
"Oh.. ." The girl repeated, "I guess you don't have time to help us find Amarant, then? I mean, if he's still here. . ."
Again, the black mage shook his head, "Sorry. . " he mumbled, and stared at the ground.
"Oh...Well, 'k then. . .bye." Eiko concluded and both she and Quina sombred awat, towards the town square again.
Just as they were passing the tavern again, Quina stopped and sniffed the air. Eiko looked both defeated and annoyed at the same time, "Oh, no Quina. . .Please, not again. We have to find Amarant, remember?"
Quina however, said nothing, and remained motionless.
Eiko, who had begun to walk again, paused, "Quina?"
"Is not food I smell," Quina explained. ". . .Is something terrible. Is. . .is. . .not anything I smell before."
"Then why whould it concern us? I mean, Quina, if you dond't know what it is, and it's not food, why would you care?" Eiko pressed impatiently and tugged on his/her arm, "Let's go! Amarant might need us!"
But Quina shoke his/her head and sniffed the air again, "Smell is horrible. Not good smell. Is like smell of fear but not."
"Maybe it's just your imagination, Quina!" Eiko insisted and tugged on his/her arm again, "C'mon!"
Finally, Quina seemed to snap out fo it and looked quietly at Eiko. Then, surprisingly without a word, s/he plodded forward again, heading straight for the middle of town. Pausing for only a second to look from the tavern, to Quina's retreating form, Eiko leapt into action and sped after him/her.
"Q-Quina?" she asked slowly, "Uh. . .so, where do we look next?"
Quina looked at Eiko and shook his/her head, "I not know. Maybe Amarant is in castle?"
Eiko sighed and looked down at her shoes, "No. . ." she said sadly, "He would've run farther than that. He might be long gone, or. . ."
"Good morning, Eiko, Quina."
Both turned around to see none other than Freya striding towards them. Eiko instantly realized that the Dragon Knight wasn't walking normally. She definitely had a limp in her left leg, but she appeared to be attempting to hide it. As usual on such sad occasions, Freya was not smiling.
"Hullo, Freya. You're OK?" Eiko said.
The Burmecian was completely silent until she reached the pair and then glanced very shortly at her injured leg, "More or less," she confirmed, "Tell me, why are you two out here? If there is no reason, then you are merely getting in the workers way. Perhaps you should return to the castle."
Eiko was startled at the unusual coldness of Freya's voice, and didn't reply right away. At first, she'd figured the Burmecian was merely joking, but her morose stare and the meaningful posture she held, told the six-year-old otherwise.
Quina leapt up and down twice, "We looking for Amarant."
Freya's placid stare was directed at him/her, "Amarant?"
"Yep!" Eiko quipped, feeling no where as happy as she knew she was making herself sound. If Freya was fooled, then she did not show it.
"Very well, good luck to both of you," she said, and then, without another glance or word to either of them, she continued to walk past them and headed for the castle.
"Hey!" the girl called after her, "Aren't you going to help us?"
Freya stopped and turned her head to say simply, "I have something to attend."
And she was gone.
Eiko was about to open her mouth to protest openly, but Quina suddenly cut her off. Actaully, it was not Quina him/herself that interrupted the six-year-old, but his/her stomach. It rumbled loudly, and Quina looked down, up, to the side, and then at Eiko.
The girl hung her head, "Oh, all right. . ." she sighed, "Go on."
And Quina was gone.
Now all Eiko knew, was that she had next to none if not no chance at all of finding Amarant. Even if he was. . .she gulped. . .alive. And if he was, and if he didn't even need her help, she'd never know anyway. Why did she even bother? What was the reason for her looking for him in the first place?
Zidane! she reminded herself firmly, I have to do what Zidane would do!
But her sudden burst of confidence didn't really add up to her realization that she hadn't a clue what to do next. Where to search?
Then, as if on cue, and not really thinking about it at all, Eiko spotted Vivi running through the thin crowd. He was headed for the alleyway he'd been down when he first met Puck -- the alley that was almost impassible. But the black mage didn't look at all discouraged about it. He disappeared in the shadows.
Feeling a surge of excitement, Eiko cried after him, "Vivi, wait for me!" and then scrambled her way across the sqaure, running into almost every worker and civilian on her way. By the time she reached the alley, Vivi had already scaled the scary-looking heap of derbis. Not bothering to ponder about Vivi's supposed fear of heights, she approached the rubble.
It came so sudden, she didn't even have time to utter anything but a mere gasp. Although she could recall it happening before, it surprised her that something like this could happen in a demoished alleyway. Her horn began to sting viciously, and a voice rose in her ears, whispering something to her. It was too faint to hear, but Eiko already knew what it must be. It was an Eidolon.
The six-year-old fell backwards and landed with her hands bracing for support. And still, her horn throbbed angrily, as the Eidolon's voice grew steadily clearer.
"I trust you can hear me now."
"I am very close."
"Come, little Summoner. We must. . .discuss something."
When the voice and the pain had eventually left her alone, Eiko waveringly got back to her feet, rubbing her sore horn, "Owww. . ." she complained. Then she begun to think. . ."That. . .that wasn't Bahaumut. No. . .but then. . .who?"
"Let me show you. Let me tell you."
Well, it came without the pain, or the slowly ascending, whispery voice. But it certainly came to her. It caused her to fall on her face, and not even notice the cool sensation radiateng from her horn. She wasn't awake. She was. . .watching.
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
"I can't remember how many years I've been waiting for a day when Bahaumut was finally destroyed. The Council decided that I was simply too powerful to be put in any mere Summoner's hands. The Summoners, your people, little one, were as bad as the humans once. When. . .when the power of Eidolons was just born.
"Ultima told us all, even us advanced Eidolons that we could serve any Summoner we wished. We could serve as many as we wished. But only the Eidolons whom he knew were spoiled -- whom he knew that were going to wreak havac, were allowed to leave the Council.
"Four others and myself were left behind, in the Zero world. Zero was filled with nothing, and I had no desire to ineract with any of the others.
"Alexander was one of these all-powerful Eidolons that had to remain behind. But once a human had cracked his riddles and solved his rhymes of the Alexandrian Temple, he was set free into Gaia, and the temple crumbled.
"All the was left was the others and myself. I am now the second to leave my home in the Zero world. I am here to take Bahaumut's place once he was destroyed. Truly, he is not gone, for the Queen that governs over Alexander now controls his powers, as she should have so long ago. The fact remains, however, that his pride and power has been quenced greatly. Now I have broken free.
"There is Alexander, Oenan, whom is Odin's father, and myself. There is also, of course, Necron. It seems however, this Eidolon of Death and Destruction has been humiliated. He will no longer have the power to rise to high in his place again.
"The last of my all-powerful 'friends' is Tepala, but she is gone. She has vanished, stolen straight from this unpenetrateble world. Wherever she may be, or for what use she could possibly be put to, is unknown to us.
"The night in your world, the time in which Bahaumut was defeated by my brother Alexander, was the night Ultima summoned me. He told me of my fate, and I accept it.
"But little Summoner, I speak to only you now, because you are the last true one of your kind. I can no longer speak openly to the Queen, and so now I speak to you. Your restraints are broken. You can freely do what you want with your power, little Summoner. Use it, for whatever you wish.
"As I can.
"Evil. Good. I don't know, nor do I care about the difference. Evil? That is the way my presuccessor had been used. Used....by some evil power that breaks all bounds on summoning laws. This is not how I want to die, little Summoner. If I can help, then I can. If I cannot, then I can only destroy. I am the father of Bahaumut. My name is his name, yet one difference, little last-of-you-kind.
"I live in my world of nothingness. . .
"I am Zero.
"Watch."
Everything was black for a while. She was in a room of pitch darkness.
She caught a glimpse of something. . .something white, or grey move behind the shadows. Eiko tried to squint her eyes, but found that she had none. She was still inside of this fantasy world...this nothingness.
"Look harder, little Summoner."
Eiko didn't want to listen to the voice. But her conscience screamed at her to obey, so she focussed as hard as she could to penetrate the swallowing darkness.
"I am Zero. I am nothing yet. . .but I await my birth as I should my death when I live."
What Eiko expercienced next was very brief. Before the real darkness of unconsciousness set in, she saw. . .she saw an elegant body of a dragon. Bahaumut? What was Bahaumut doing here, in her dreams? No, wait. . .Bahaumut was not a white dragon. This 'Zero' dragon had strange wings, and a handsomer face.
Handsome?
He was beautiful, yet ugly. He was angry, but kind. He was. . . so empty, but so full of spirit.
So this was. . .Zero.
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
Eiko felt as if she were stuck in the eye of a tornado. Everything about her swirled, and was being pulled apart, welded together, and merged with a liquid-like flow. Without knowing it, she observed this phenomon as Time. Or perhaps it was just the after-affects of feinting. Or perhaps. . .it was another world she'd never seen.
It didn't matter. The next thing she knew, she was sitting up in the middle of the alley with a very sore forehead. She'd passed out and dreamed. . . .No, it couldn't have been a dream. No Eidolon contacts a Summoner with a dream. An Eidolon speaks truly, as well. They have no power to lie.
She wanted to know who Zero was. . .She wanted to know what kind of Eidolon could cause a Summoner --even one as young as herself-- to feint. To be rendered. . .unconscious. Bahaumut. . .the same name? Zero. . .Zero Bahaumut.
The girl couldn't help but surpess a smile as she picked herself up. No Eidolon she'd ever heard of had the name Zero Bahaumut. Bahaumut was the King of Dragons, and one of the most powerful Eidolons ever known to human and Summoner alike. No Qu, or no creature alive had seen anything more powerful than Alexander.
So she must have dreamed it, then. She simply must have been thinking of too much at the same time. Wait. . .what had she been thinking about? What was she trying to do?
Suddenly, her memory flashed inside of her head. Vivi!
Not wasting another precious moment, she scrambled back to her senses and practially leapt on the giant pile of wreckage. After climbing over pieces and pieces of conrete and stone, she finally made it to the top of the heap. What she saw beyond the ruined wall, however, made her jaw drop in disbeleif.
It was true, that almost every building still stood. But it was also apparent that there was no longer a full wall or a grey stone to be seen. Nearly everything was charred black, or thrown in a heap. But the cobblestone beneath her feet, and so much of the wreckage was. . .soot. Ashes.
Blinking stupidly, Eiko twisted to her left, and then right, "V- Vivi?" she stammered.
At first, there was no answer. But then, from behind another -but smaller- pile of derbis, came Vivi's unmistakable voice, "Over here. . ."
Eiko slowly, made her way around the rubble and spotted Vivi, standing in front of a rather doomed house. It's porch was blackened beyond recognition and the house was hollow and vacant insdie. But the black mage looked at it insistantly, as if he still expected someone to come through the scortched door.
"Vivi..." Eiko said sympathetically, and advanced on him.
Vivi looked up, and the six-year-old noticed that his eyes didn't glow just the right way, as they always seemed to do. They kind of shone sadly, reflecting his exact mood. "Eiko. . ." he said. "This is where that little. . .that little girl I was talking about lived. I don't know. . .if she's OK. . ."
Eiko blinked, uncertain what to say. After a few seconds of awkward silence, she sighed, "Vivi, most of the townspeople fled. She's probably just somewhere else in town, right? I bet she's at the castle. . .That's where most of the women and kids are!"
She hadn't really expected this to cheer Vivi up, but it did get her out of an awkward position. She really hated to see the older boy's long face and drooped shoulders. If only she could make him feel better somehow. . .If only he'd look on the brighter side!
"First. . .the black mages. . .Then P. . .Puck, and now this. . ." Vivi was muttering.
"Vivi!" Eiko cried so suddenly, it made the little mage jump, "I'm ashamed of you! You don't even know if she's still alive or not, and you're giving up? If I were like that, then I wouldn't-"
Her throat stuck.
"Oh YEAHHH!" she exclaimed, "I forgot all about Amarant! I still gotta find him, Vivi! C'mon, I know he's mean and all, but can you at least help me look for him? Cause, well-"
"Yeah. . ." Vivi interrupted softly, "Let's find him. . ."
Well, Eiko both didn't know where to start. It seemed, for hundreds of meters all around, that there was nothing left of the street or dock but cinders and burnt walls. And there were simply too many piles of rubbish, and only one place that Amarant could possibly be.
Eiko couldn't help but think, Amarant's an escape artist. And if he's escaped, then he's long gone. . .But. . .if that was true, then why did she have a strange feeling? Did it have anything to do with that weird dream at all? If so, why?
Vivi seemed to be thinking the same thing, except for the part about the dream. All he could picture when he thought of Amarant, was a man with flame-red hair that was mroe than twice his height. When he thought of how he acted, the black mage had to shudder. His attitude was so. . .uncaring.
And so they searched. They didn't exactly move anything around. . .they'd both agreed silently that it would be too awkward, lifting things about to look for someone. An hour passed of this. . .and then two. It was then that Vivi nearly got flattened by a sudden fall of a stone three times his size.
It was the last straw for Eiko. All of her little-girl patience had worn out and now she was simply too stressed to continue, "Vivi," she said stalwartly, "If he's this hard to find, then he's obviously not here. . .You know, if he's gone, he's gone. . .If he's," she gulped, and faltered for only a moment, "well, if he's. . .you know. . .then that's that. . .He'd never do something like this for us, right? I mean. . "
Vivi looked a little shocked, "But, Eiko-"
His words were cut short by a sudden shower of gravel as a very intimadating-looking slab of broken wall began to break loose on top of a nearby pile. Slowly, both sets of eyes travelled upwards to stare at it, just before it snapped, and began to roll down the heap of stone.
Vivi didn't think twice, he just acted. With a frightened yell, he threw himself into Eiko and they both went sprawling onto the charred ground. The sliding chunk of rock flew right past them, missing by inches, and crashed into a nearby building. It did a half-flip and landed with a solid thunk.
Eiko was trembling with both disbelief and anger, as she stood up, staring at the stones that had just tried to kill them both. Her fists clenched, "OK, that's it! It's official! We are SO outta here, NOW, Vivi!"
Not bothering to even thank him, the six-year-old seized Vivi's arm and started to drag him hastily towards the end of the alley again. It was that moment that both froze in terror. A low creak, and the terrible sound of bursting rock sounded behind their backs.
There was no hesitation this time. Both children whirled around to face the deadly heap of cobblestone. True, it was breaking and beginning to collapse. And that was not all, unfourtunately. For if Eiko hadn't of glanced down at the base of the stones, then she would have fled as fast as her feet could carry her.
She heard the black mage gulp with fear beside her, and turn to run again. But Eiko grabbed a handful of his coat and pulled him back, "No. . ." she managed to whisper over the groaning and threatening noises of the rubble pile, "Look, Vivi. . .at the bottom of the pile."
And she felt him stiffen, too, when he saw what she saw.
It was all too conspicuous. For under all of the gravel, and grit, and boulders. . .through at least one or two layers of rocks themselves, was a great mass of red hair. Slowly, ever slowly, the two children leaned to the side to peer more closesly. And yes, hidden by that hair was the grim face of Amarant.
He was crushed.
But alive.
He was bleeding exceedingly, at least, as much as they could see. From his stomach down, rocks of all shapes and sizes had pinned him down. But his arms were in front of him, he was on his side, and his head rest on a flat, overturned cobblestone. Just above him, was what had apparently saved him from being entirely crushed. Another stone, similar to the one he rest on, had one end propped on a rather smaller boulder, but the other end was pinning him to the ground. He was either unconscious, or very weak. Eiko couldn't see his eyes. . .she coudln't tell.
But he was alive.
A sudden impulse and emotion of pity and relief overwhelmed her. Immedialtly, that feeling was swallowed by confusion, and fear. Amarant alive. . .but. . .
Something wooden splintered near the top of the pile, and more pebbles rained down on the two children.
. . .Not for long.
(Ah, what can I say. I love Zero Bahaumut and Neo Bahaumut from Final Fantasy VII. They are SO cool! And they don't even exist in Final Fantasy VIII or IX (dunno about X)! That's just wrong, right? Eheh, he, heeeee....Anyway, yes, Amarant is alive. But also, yes, he is trapped. Yes, he is very wounded, and no, he's not going to like Eiko's help, is he? Or WILL he? *suspenseful music* Ah, well, you can all guess why I'm throwing Vivi into this *wink* Eiko and Vivi -- the perfect couple (for when they're old, of course) Who give's a dang (this is PG, remember) if Vivi's a black mage? Created? Pblhahh! So, until next time. . )
