Dicslaimer: No, no….I wish I did, But I don't own anything of the Final
Fantasy series, including the characters from FF9.
(This is now rated as PG-13. It has a little, itty bit of blood and a medium amount of moderate profanity. Well, now we're looking at the story from Amarant's POV, but only for a little while. It's kind touching and all, really. Well, here goes. . .)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think I'm dead….
Maybe I am, and I don't even know it.
Then again, if I'm thinking right now, that means I'm alive.
Stupid Eidolons, stupid silver-haired moron.
Damn them all.
I think I'm…..
Lying against something hard.
Probably some kind of rock, considering the position I'm in
So cold….
And painful….
Even the heat of these embers against my cheek, aren't much help, These flames that are building their strength, ever so slowly.
Damn alley. Who said that it could blow up like that?
Am I going to die?
Am I even alive right now?
I have to be, unless these flames, and pain all mean…..
Haha, oh well, it's where I deserve to go.
What?
Oh, another explosion.
Funny, it's not over yet.
Or maybe it is.
Maybe I'm delusional.
Damn theses thoughts.
Wait a second, I think. . .
I can see now.
A little.
The sky is….blue?
What the hell???
So now it's all fine, now everyone can start piecing things back together.
Like ants, when their anthill is destroyed.
I just don't care.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Damn.
Still alive?
Who would've thought….
Here I am, thinking again. So pointless, so….strangely.
Wait, that hurt.
What the hell was that?
Oh, a rock. Another damn rock fell on my shoulder. In fact, the entire pile seems to be shifting.
Pile?
Oh, so that's what I'm trapped under.
Come to think of it, I can't even feel my legs.
Goody.
I'm going to be crushed by four tons of broken stones.
Oh, happy day.
If it's going to fall, then let it fall. Get it over with. Please.
Then again, maybe I don't want to die.
Maybe?
Can't I even answer my own question?
Do I want to die?
No, no, I don't.
That monkey-boy still owes me a rematch.
Besides, all this thinking is beginning to amuse me.
Haha, look at my life.
Haha, I can see Zidane finding me, Dagger crying, them giving me a nice burial.
Haha, see them all running headlong into a showdowm with that Kuja character.
Haha, see them being blown to smithereens.
Ha.
Smithereens? Where the hell did that come from?
What's going on here?
Oh, look, I can see again.
No more embers. It smells….dusty. Like a room full of sand.
Why? Damn me if I knew.
Maybe I should try to get out.
Then again, if I can't feel my legs, that usually means they're broken, or I'm paralyzed.
That would be a fat lot of help.
Who's watching me? Who's going to see me die?
I'm just going to lie here some more. If I can see the sky, the sky can see me.
That's all I'm asking for.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DAMN!
Now that wasn't something I was hoping to wake up to.
If feels like an entire ton's been lifted from my chest.
So why did it hurt like that?
Oh, the pile's moving again.
How wonderful.
Just a second, there's something else….
Something other than just sky.
And there's light now. Lots of it.
Haha, I see.
So if 'm dead, then that light means. . .
No, I have no rights. Besides, who believe in crap like that?
That sky…There's something there.
It's a person?
Great, a rescue team
No, wait, there's two of them.
……….
Kind of small for a rescue team, isn't it?
The first one….no, that's no person.
What?
It's some kind of angel or whatever
All surrounded in light.
But I've never seen an angel with purple hair.
And a horn.
Oh.
Damn.
No, no way. It can't be here. Please don't let it be even some kind of ghost of her. If it's HER, let me die right now. Please.
She's still there.
What's she doing? The pile's about to fall!
Can feel it practically doing backflips just above me.
So she wants to die, just like Zidane.
We'll see about that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"………"
Eiko blinked, and took another step forward.
"……..You."
I watched her, with some satisfaction, as she leapt back again. I carefully lifted my head, and attempted to brace myself with a bleeding arm. All around, I could hear things smoldering, I could smell the carred walls of the houses and street. I could feel the walls of those houses, and the cobblestone of those streets press into me from above. It was adding insult to injury in a way. I was here. I was helpless.
I was angry.
"A-Amarant?"
Over the dull cracking and sounds of shifting rock above me, I heard the black mage's voice. So, he was here too.
So very typical.
"You're….both alive."
That was all I could think of to say. I saw Eiko's face light up with that familiar, offensive expression.
Great. Here we go.
"You don' sound too HAPPY about that, Amarant!" she barked, putting her hands of her hips. I tried to ignore the threatening sounds of breaking stone, but….No noise that announces your pending death is that easy to ignore.
"E-Eiko…" I heard Vivi stammer. Usual, panicky Vivi.
"Amarant, you gotta get outta there!" Eiko cried, clearly ignoring the black mage's remark. "C'mon, get up, get up, get up! The whole thing's gonna fall!"
I stared. It hit me, right there and then about how stupid this girl really was.
"Do you have any idea what will happen if I try to move?"
My question seemed to stump her. Instead of answering it, much to my annoyance, she moved even closer.
"Move back," I growled.
"You're hurt!" she snapped back. "At least let me help you!"
I began to feel infuriated.
She was getting on my nerves.
Again.
"It's not going to matter, brat," I growled again, very slightly shifting so that I could get a clearer view of what was above me. "It….It's falling. Get out of here. If you want to live, then go!"
"No!" the brat yelled, jumping up and down. "Me an' Vivi aren't going to leave without you! Right, Vivi?"
I shifted my placid stare towards the black mage. He didn't say anything, as one could expect. His eyes grew sort of dimmer, which surprised me I guess. I could actually see that he was on the brim of tears. Why? No one should have to cry over me. I kill for a living, and I don't give a damn about what happens to anyone else. They just want to stretch thigns, don't' they?
I opened my mouth, and then closed it. I was speechless.
"The…the pile will come crashing down. I…."
What was I supposed to say? Why did I care if she got killed, too?
She was innocent, maybe? I like things being fair. It's not fair that she dies just trying to save me. Me, of all people she could be looking for.
And then there was Vivi. That kid wasn't as annoying, and I can't ever remember speaking to him directly. I don't know him, so he has even less of a reason to be here. Helping me.
So I improvised. And I lied.
"Leave," I demanded. "I'll live, and then you can help me. I won't complain. Just go."
I lied, because I knew that once all the cobblestone fell, I'd be worse off than dead. I'd be pancaked between two boulders, or have some kind of stone spar shove through my back. I could feel one prodding my shoulder right now, just above me.
I hate the girl. She could practically read minds.
"Nuh uh," she said, adding defeat to the pile of feelings I was experiencing. "Nice try, but I'm not stupid! Are you going to cooperate now, or do we have to stand and talk about it some more?"
Stand? Speak for yourself, you stupid twit
I answered her, but it was drowned out. Even as more gravel fell from the peak of the rock pile, I could feel my spirit drop with it.
I was going to die.
But I couldn't let that be the reason the kids died, too.
Surely they would run when the pile began to fall.
The sharp, stone shard drove even further against my back, as I pushed myself to a kneeling position, using my half-broken arms. To my surprise, I felt a lot stronger that I could expect to be. The spar that should have impaled me, rolled to the side and out of harms way.
It was too late to turn back. I could feel everything around me moving, like an eerie pile of living stone. Even as I began to crawl forward, unsure of why I was headed in that direction, I could hear the noise, and clatter of stone rock against wood, and wood splintering.
And above the noise, I heard Eiko.
"Amarant, NO!"
……………………
……………………
…………..Sorry.
With a final, and un-thought about heave, I practically threw the stones off of my back. Things began to rain down in all directions, and even as I remained motionless, waiting for that one rock to pound my head in, I began to think.
This hurts, the rocks. Everything hurts right now. Sure, I can feel my legs again, and yes, the pain in my pack doesn't seem so serious. But….
Let them live.
Let them go and save the world, or whatever else they feel like doing.
Just. . .
Let them, please, do it without me.
And Zidane. .
I'll see you in another life, maybe.
I still want that rematch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The dust began to clear.
Eiko found herself grasping Vivi's hand, and suddenly drew her hand away, breathing heavily with shock.
He'd saved her. Vivi had pulled her back, when she wouldn't go.
But she couldn't see right now. The pile of derbis was just a shape between dust clouds.
And Amarant was gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Don't worry! The story aint over yet, people! It's not over until the fat lady sings! (literally, lol) Is Amarant alive? Not even I know! I still have to write my little ending to this thing. Don't worry, again, there will be more chapters. ^_^ Please R&R! If you like, please say, if you don't like it, please say. I'm soooo curious!)
(This is now rated as PG-13. It has a little, itty bit of blood and a medium amount of moderate profanity. Well, now we're looking at the story from Amarant's POV, but only for a little while. It's kind touching and all, really. Well, here goes. . .)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think I'm dead….
Maybe I am, and I don't even know it.
Then again, if I'm thinking right now, that means I'm alive.
Stupid Eidolons, stupid silver-haired moron.
Damn them all.
I think I'm…..
Lying against something hard.
Probably some kind of rock, considering the position I'm in
So cold….
And painful….
Even the heat of these embers against my cheek, aren't much help, These flames that are building their strength, ever so slowly.
Damn alley. Who said that it could blow up like that?
Am I going to die?
Am I even alive right now?
I have to be, unless these flames, and pain all mean…..
Haha, oh well, it's where I deserve to go.
What?
Oh, another explosion.
Funny, it's not over yet.
Or maybe it is.
Maybe I'm delusional.
Damn theses thoughts.
Wait a second, I think. . .
I can see now.
A little.
The sky is….blue?
What the hell???
So now it's all fine, now everyone can start piecing things back together.
Like ants, when their anthill is destroyed.
I just don't care.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Damn.
Still alive?
Who would've thought….
Here I am, thinking again. So pointless, so….strangely.
Wait, that hurt.
What the hell was that?
Oh, a rock. Another damn rock fell on my shoulder. In fact, the entire pile seems to be shifting.
Pile?
Oh, so that's what I'm trapped under.
Come to think of it, I can't even feel my legs.
Goody.
I'm going to be crushed by four tons of broken stones.
Oh, happy day.
If it's going to fall, then let it fall. Get it over with. Please.
Then again, maybe I don't want to die.
Maybe?
Can't I even answer my own question?
Do I want to die?
No, no, I don't.
That monkey-boy still owes me a rematch.
Besides, all this thinking is beginning to amuse me.
Haha, look at my life.
Haha, I can see Zidane finding me, Dagger crying, them giving me a nice burial.
Haha, see them all running headlong into a showdowm with that Kuja character.
Haha, see them being blown to smithereens.
Ha.
Smithereens? Where the hell did that come from?
What's going on here?
Oh, look, I can see again.
No more embers. It smells….dusty. Like a room full of sand.
Why? Damn me if I knew.
Maybe I should try to get out.
Then again, if I can't feel my legs, that usually means they're broken, or I'm paralyzed.
That would be a fat lot of help.
Who's watching me? Who's going to see me die?
I'm just going to lie here some more. If I can see the sky, the sky can see me.
That's all I'm asking for.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DAMN!
Now that wasn't something I was hoping to wake up to.
If feels like an entire ton's been lifted from my chest.
So why did it hurt like that?
Oh, the pile's moving again.
How wonderful.
Just a second, there's something else….
Something other than just sky.
And there's light now. Lots of it.
Haha, I see.
So if 'm dead, then that light means. . .
No, I have no rights. Besides, who believe in crap like that?
That sky…There's something there.
It's a person?
Great, a rescue team
No, wait, there's two of them.
……….
Kind of small for a rescue team, isn't it?
The first one….no, that's no person.
What?
It's some kind of angel or whatever
All surrounded in light.
But I've never seen an angel with purple hair.
And a horn.
Oh.
Damn.
No, no way. It can't be here. Please don't let it be even some kind of ghost of her. If it's HER, let me die right now. Please.
She's still there.
What's she doing? The pile's about to fall!
Can feel it practically doing backflips just above me.
So she wants to die, just like Zidane.
We'll see about that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"………"
Eiko blinked, and took another step forward.
"……..You."
I watched her, with some satisfaction, as she leapt back again. I carefully lifted my head, and attempted to brace myself with a bleeding arm. All around, I could hear things smoldering, I could smell the carred walls of the houses and street. I could feel the walls of those houses, and the cobblestone of those streets press into me from above. It was adding insult to injury in a way. I was here. I was helpless.
I was angry.
"A-Amarant?"
Over the dull cracking and sounds of shifting rock above me, I heard the black mage's voice. So, he was here too.
So very typical.
"You're….both alive."
That was all I could think of to say. I saw Eiko's face light up with that familiar, offensive expression.
Great. Here we go.
"You don' sound too HAPPY about that, Amarant!" she barked, putting her hands of her hips. I tried to ignore the threatening sounds of breaking stone, but….No noise that announces your pending death is that easy to ignore.
"E-Eiko…" I heard Vivi stammer. Usual, panicky Vivi.
"Amarant, you gotta get outta there!" Eiko cried, clearly ignoring the black mage's remark. "C'mon, get up, get up, get up! The whole thing's gonna fall!"
I stared. It hit me, right there and then about how stupid this girl really was.
"Do you have any idea what will happen if I try to move?"
My question seemed to stump her. Instead of answering it, much to my annoyance, she moved even closer.
"Move back," I growled.
"You're hurt!" she snapped back. "At least let me help you!"
I began to feel infuriated.
She was getting on my nerves.
Again.
"It's not going to matter, brat," I growled again, very slightly shifting so that I could get a clearer view of what was above me. "It….It's falling. Get out of here. If you want to live, then go!"
"No!" the brat yelled, jumping up and down. "Me an' Vivi aren't going to leave without you! Right, Vivi?"
I shifted my placid stare towards the black mage. He didn't say anything, as one could expect. His eyes grew sort of dimmer, which surprised me I guess. I could actually see that he was on the brim of tears. Why? No one should have to cry over me. I kill for a living, and I don't give a damn about what happens to anyone else. They just want to stretch thigns, don't' they?
I opened my mouth, and then closed it. I was speechless.
"The…the pile will come crashing down. I…."
What was I supposed to say? Why did I care if she got killed, too?
She was innocent, maybe? I like things being fair. It's not fair that she dies just trying to save me. Me, of all people she could be looking for.
And then there was Vivi. That kid wasn't as annoying, and I can't ever remember speaking to him directly. I don't know him, so he has even less of a reason to be here. Helping me.
So I improvised. And I lied.
"Leave," I demanded. "I'll live, and then you can help me. I won't complain. Just go."
I lied, because I knew that once all the cobblestone fell, I'd be worse off than dead. I'd be pancaked between two boulders, or have some kind of stone spar shove through my back. I could feel one prodding my shoulder right now, just above me.
I hate the girl. She could practically read minds.
"Nuh uh," she said, adding defeat to the pile of feelings I was experiencing. "Nice try, but I'm not stupid! Are you going to cooperate now, or do we have to stand and talk about it some more?"
Stand? Speak for yourself, you stupid twit
I answered her, but it was drowned out. Even as more gravel fell from the peak of the rock pile, I could feel my spirit drop with it.
I was going to die.
But I couldn't let that be the reason the kids died, too.
Surely they would run when the pile began to fall.
The sharp, stone shard drove even further against my back, as I pushed myself to a kneeling position, using my half-broken arms. To my surprise, I felt a lot stronger that I could expect to be. The spar that should have impaled me, rolled to the side and out of harms way.
It was too late to turn back. I could feel everything around me moving, like an eerie pile of living stone. Even as I began to crawl forward, unsure of why I was headed in that direction, I could hear the noise, and clatter of stone rock against wood, and wood splintering.
And above the noise, I heard Eiko.
"Amarant, NO!"
……………………
……………………
…………..Sorry.
With a final, and un-thought about heave, I practically threw the stones off of my back. Things began to rain down in all directions, and even as I remained motionless, waiting for that one rock to pound my head in, I began to think.
This hurts, the rocks. Everything hurts right now. Sure, I can feel my legs again, and yes, the pain in my pack doesn't seem so serious. But….
Let them live.
Let them go and save the world, or whatever else they feel like doing.
Just. . .
Let them, please, do it without me.
And Zidane. .
I'll see you in another life, maybe.
I still want that rematch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The dust began to clear.
Eiko found herself grasping Vivi's hand, and suddenly drew her hand away, breathing heavily with shock.
He'd saved her. Vivi had pulled her back, when she wouldn't go.
But she couldn't see right now. The pile of derbis was just a shape between dust clouds.
And Amarant was gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Don't worry! The story aint over yet, people! It's not over until the fat lady sings! (literally, lol) Is Amarant alive? Not even I know! I still have to write my little ending to this thing. Don't worry, again, there will be more chapters. ^_^ Please R&R! If you like, please say, if you don't like it, please say. I'm soooo curious!)
