(raises hand) Just to let you know… I am seriously screwing with the plot
here. I figure, hey, they are not the same characters from ffx as it is, so
Spazzy is going to have some fun… the plot will right itself before the
end. (aka things may look bad, but they get… nicer.) :D
Chapter 10 Loss
Silence…
A mind is free and yet so caged when it is not aware. In sleep, you can dream anything or be anyone, yet you are unaware of the living world around you.
Auron felt himself rising towards consciousness slowly, as if he was crawling out of freezing water. Awareness came is stages, each slow to dawn upon him. First, he was aware of his exhaustion. The need to slide back to the warmth and comfort of darkness was almost overpowering. But something forced him onward. He was aware of his weight. His body seemed to have tripled in density, sinking deeply into whatever he might be laying on. Movement would be almost impossible once he was awake.
He managed to turn his head, his face sinking into the cool of a pillow. His eyelid was like lead to him, and lifting it seemed an impossible chore. A battle of will versus mind, his russet eye opened slightly to take in the living world. He lay backside atop an Al Bhed mattress, covered by a light sheet. His red coat had been removed, but all else remained, minus his collar and glasses. Everything else was out of range, his vision blurring only a few feet from his face.
Auron was not alone. A mop of blond hair was pressed into his side, a hand gripping his tightly. Rikku? No… The hair was too short. It was Tidus who's head rested gently in the empty space from bedside to Auron's abdomen. Hunched over, the boy sat forward in a metal chair, pulled up beside the bed. The teenager's hand clung to Auron's, and his face was damp with tears. Crying again?
He remembered when the boy would be like this, ten years ago. His hushed and strangled cries would rouse the guardian from sleep. Auron would find the boy in the living room, huddled in front of a photograph of his mother. The moonlight mingled with the city's light, washing over the boy. Tidus would turn, and then hide his face. Many times Auron would kneel, lifting the boy and then settling into the armchair, resting the child in his lap. The boy would cry weakly into his stomach, gripping his arm with small fingers. Auron would usually be awakened the following morning by the airtrain as it passed over Ject's home. The armchair would be reclined, molding itself to Auron's tall form and Tidus would be sound asleep in his arms.
Even now, Tidus clutched Auron's hand as if it was a lifeline. The groggy man could not tell if the teenager was even awake, but gently wiped the tears from Tidus's cheek with his free thumb. Tidus jumped, his eyes flying open. "Auron!!" He cried, dropping his hand and embracing the swordsman's entire upper arm. "Auron! I… I-" He choked, tears exploding out of nowhere.
"Shh, calm down," Hushed Auron weakly as he struggled to sit up. "What happened?" What had happened? Auron realized the last thing he recalled was awaking alone upon that couch, the blanket spread over him. Now… how had he gotten down here?
Tidus's head was bowed, expression unseen. He just shook his head, tear- fueled gasps emitting from the teenager. "I- I'm so sorry, Auron! It's my fault!"
"What was your fault?" questioned the bedded man carefully.
"She was," Tidus gasped, "Injured, you both were and I – I had to choose and Auron, you," His blue eyes glazed, "You're like a dad to me, Auron. I used the only potion to save you and then she-" He collapsed, half leaning on the bed. Tidus's face buried itself into the mattress, his cries muffled. Auron remembered… fighting. Above the clouds, against the powerful serpent… remembered falling… and Rikku's surprisingly strong hold on his coat as she prevented them from sliding off the edge… but then?
"Auron… She's gone."
Auron turned to Cid, Rikku's father. He stood in the doorway, face pale. Gone? What did he mean, gone?
The older Al Bhed broke character, placing a meaty hand on Tidus's shaking form. "We fought the guardian of Bevelle yesterday. We won. You and Rikku… you were both badly wounded. She… " He paused, drawing breath. "Her wounds were bad, she was bleeding internally. The ship… one of the engines blew out, and we all were thrown to the ground. Rikku… she was not conscious, she felt nothing. She… she fell." Auron stared at the man. Fell? As in, to the floor? Certainly not- "She slid off the nearby edge. Rikku is gone."
****************
The world was quiet. A lone figure swam onward, salty water eroding the blood from her body. Even against the waves, all was silent as she raced to the shores beyond.
****************
Tidus was curled up beside Auron again, sound sleep in his chair. His hand not only clung, but also held the hand of his charge. Auron stared wordlessly at the ceiling of the airship. Lulu, Wakka, and Kimahri kept close watch in the corridor beyond.
Auron's heart was dead weight. Damn it. He knew, he just knew this was his curse. Care for someone, watch them die. Better to stay alone than to feel this searing pain in his soul. He could have gone then, to the farplane. Fears be damned. Had it not been for the promises he'd made and the poor teenager next to him and so help him, he would have left Spira forever. And Yuna…
The quiet crew of the airship had informed the guardians that Yuna was to be wed to Seymour tomorrow. They had to save her. So tomorrow… they would invade Bevelle. Save Yuna, continue the pilgrimage. So it would be, regardless of the agonizing hole in his heart.
Auron wanted so desperately to blame someone, anyone for this. Yes, he blamed himself. But he needed something tangible, so he could slice that fiend to pieces and let his rage be known. Thoughts like these floated through his mind in silence, his face stone. Tidus's head burrowed into his arm, his dreams taking him far away from the airship, no doubt. To Yuna? Auron wondered if he would dream of Rikku. A temporary comfort, perhaps. But it was not… real. Not like what the swordsman had felt earlier. That was real. Regardless of how much he denied it, he had loved that girl.
Tidus moaned in his sleep, unseen tears leaking to Auron's arm. The boy had so much to cry for. As did Auron, though he kept those feelings to himself.
Auron grasped the hunched form of Tidus gently around his shoulders. Tidus calmed. Auron kept his arm around the boy as he closed his eyes. The teenager looked to Auron for comfort. Auron was looking for that as well… but his only source of comfort was gone.
**********************
Night fell upon Spira. Bevelle was located on an isthmus, between two bodies of water. Far above the airship hovered as a shadow in the night raced across the terrain to Bevelle.
***Do you hate me now? :D You won't next chapter.
-Spazkit
Chapter 10 Loss
Silence…
A mind is free and yet so caged when it is not aware. In sleep, you can dream anything or be anyone, yet you are unaware of the living world around you.
Auron felt himself rising towards consciousness slowly, as if he was crawling out of freezing water. Awareness came is stages, each slow to dawn upon him. First, he was aware of his exhaustion. The need to slide back to the warmth and comfort of darkness was almost overpowering. But something forced him onward. He was aware of his weight. His body seemed to have tripled in density, sinking deeply into whatever he might be laying on. Movement would be almost impossible once he was awake.
He managed to turn his head, his face sinking into the cool of a pillow. His eyelid was like lead to him, and lifting it seemed an impossible chore. A battle of will versus mind, his russet eye opened slightly to take in the living world. He lay backside atop an Al Bhed mattress, covered by a light sheet. His red coat had been removed, but all else remained, minus his collar and glasses. Everything else was out of range, his vision blurring only a few feet from his face.
Auron was not alone. A mop of blond hair was pressed into his side, a hand gripping his tightly. Rikku? No… The hair was too short. It was Tidus who's head rested gently in the empty space from bedside to Auron's abdomen. Hunched over, the boy sat forward in a metal chair, pulled up beside the bed. The teenager's hand clung to Auron's, and his face was damp with tears. Crying again?
He remembered when the boy would be like this, ten years ago. His hushed and strangled cries would rouse the guardian from sleep. Auron would find the boy in the living room, huddled in front of a photograph of his mother. The moonlight mingled with the city's light, washing over the boy. Tidus would turn, and then hide his face. Many times Auron would kneel, lifting the boy and then settling into the armchair, resting the child in his lap. The boy would cry weakly into his stomach, gripping his arm with small fingers. Auron would usually be awakened the following morning by the airtrain as it passed over Ject's home. The armchair would be reclined, molding itself to Auron's tall form and Tidus would be sound asleep in his arms.
Even now, Tidus clutched Auron's hand as if it was a lifeline. The groggy man could not tell if the teenager was even awake, but gently wiped the tears from Tidus's cheek with his free thumb. Tidus jumped, his eyes flying open. "Auron!!" He cried, dropping his hand and embracing the swordsman's entire upper arm. "Auron! I… I-" He choked, tears exploding out of nowhere.
"Shh, calm down," Hushed Auron weakly as he struggled to sit up. "What happened?" What had happened? Auron realized the last thing he recalled was awaking alone upon that couch, the blanket spread over him. Now… how had he gotten down here?
Tidus's head was bowed, expression unseen. He just shook his head, tear- fueled gasps emitting from the teenager. "I- I'm so sorry, Auron! It's my fault!"
"What was your fault?" questioned the bedded man carefully.
"She was," Tidus gasped, "Injured, you both were and I – I had to choose and Auron, you," His blue eyes glazed, "You're like a dad to me, Auron. I used the only potion to save you and then she-" He collapsed, half leaning on the bed. Tidus's face buried itself into the mattress, his cries muffled. Auron remembered… fighting. Above the clouds, against the powerful serpent… remembered falling… and Rikku's surprisingly strong hold on his coat as she prevented them from sliding off the edge… but then?
"Auron… She's gone."
Auron turned to Cid, Rikku's father. He stood in the doorway, face pale. Gone? What did he mean, gone?
The older Al Bhed broke character, placing a meaty hand on Tidus's shaking form. "We fought the guardian of Bevelle yesterday. We won. You and Rikku… you were both badly wounded. She… " He paused, drawing breath. "Her wounds were bad, she was bleeding internally. The ship… one of the engines blew out, and we all were thrown to the ground. Rikku… she was not conscious, she felt nothing. She… she fell." Auron stared at the man. Fell? As in, to the floor? Certainly not- "She slid off the nearby edge. Rikku is gone."
****************
The world was quiet. A lone figure swam onward, salty water eroding the blood from her body. Even against the waves, all was silent as she raced to the shores beyond.
****************
Tidus was curled up beside Auron again, sound sleep in his chair. His hand not only clung, but also held the hand of his charge. Auron stared wordlessly at the ceiling of the airship. Lulu, Wakka, and Kimahri kept close watch in the corridor beyond.
Auron's heart was dead weight. Damn it. He knew, he just knew this was his curse. Care for someone, watch them die. Better to stay alone than to feel this searing pain in his soul. He could have gone then, to the farplane. Fears be damned. Had it not been for the promises he'd made and the poor teenager next to him and so help him, he would have left Spira forever. And Yuna…
The quiet crew of the airship had informed the guardians that Yuna was to be wed to Seymour tomorrow. They had to save her. So tomorrow… they would invade Bevelle. Save Yuna, continue the pilgrimage. So it would be, regardless of the agonizing hole in his heart.
Auron wanted so desperately to blame someone, anyone for this. Yes, he blamed himself. But he needed something tangible, so he could slice that fiend to pieces and let his rage be known. Thoughts like these floated through his mind in silence, his face stone. Tidus's head burrowed into his arm, his dreams taking him far away from the airship, no doubt. To Yuna? Auron wondered if he would dream of Rikku. A temporary comfort, perhaps. But it was not… real. Not like what the swordsman had felt earlier. That was real. Regardless of how much he denied it, he had loved that girl.
Tidus moaned in his sleep, unseen tears leaking to Auron's arm. The boy had so much to cry for. As did Auron, though he kept those feelings to himself.
Auron grasped the hunched form of Tidus gently around his shoulders. Tidus calmed. Auron kept his arm around the boy as he closed his eyes. The teenager looked to Auron for comfort. Auron was looking for that as well… but his only source of comfort was gone.
**********************
Night fell upon Spira. Bevelle was located on an isthmus, between two bodies of water. Far above the airship hovered as a shadow in the night raced across the terrain to Bevelle.
***Do you hate me now? :D You won't next chapter.
-Spazkit