The desire of the moth for the star,
Of the night for the morrow,
The devotion to something afar
From the sphere of our sorrow.
--- Shelley
Otherworld: Year Eight
The flickering parade of images and text reflected off the panel and onto Auron's glasses, his forefinger tapping the touchpad, as he progressed through his messages.
Wonderful. Tidus had pulled something during practice and was giving Breese fits, trying to keep him inactive long enough to heal. He had better get over there.
Sending a video reply telling Breese he was on his way, he quickly scrolled to the last message:
Hey Buffed-Buddy,
No chess tomorrow night. Since you've seen fit to beat me three weeks running, I demand compensation. Meet me at the attached coordinates promptly at 7:00pm. Dress is casual. Regrets only.
Isabo
Auron scratched his chin.
This mysterious invitation was a new development, and he wondered what Isabo was up to. Which was one of the things he liked about her... he was never quite certain what she would say or do next, and it kept him on his proverbial toes.
Her friendship had come to mean a great deal to him, more than he cared to admit. He always looked forward to their saturday evening chess games and amusing conversations, that often degenerated into good-natured teasing matches. Her company was a place of solace, however brief, from his loneliness... that most vigilant companion that had become like a second person, outside himself... always following just out of sight, or crouching in the shadows... watching.
But enough of these damnable thoughts, his attention was required elsewhere. The son of Jecht was his foremost concern at the moment, not his recreational needs. As for Isabo's cryptic message, he would solve that little mystery in due time.
************
Turning the street corner, Auron was unable to control the slight widening of his eye, at the sight of the huge machina that floated like a ghost-ship in port... moored to its docking by long cables, suspended from its gleaming, backswept tiers of brightly colored metal.
As he drew nearer, the shape of a way-station preceeding an entrance ramp came into view, long lines of would-be passengers qued-up before it. Then he saw the figure of Isabo, emerging from the milling crowds along the dock, walking quickly to meet him.
"Isn't it exciting? This just opened last month. They fly you all around the city, and I hear there's even a bar and restaurant inside." Isabo explained breathlessly, her large eyes shining in wonder.
Her child-like enthusiasm was quite endearing, and Auron didn't have the heart to dash it, doing his best not to sound as unaffected as he felt.
"It could be... interesting." Auron managed, as Isabo grabbed him by the sleeve of his robe and pulled him toward the ticket booth.
************
"Can you believe all of this?" Isabo asked rhetorically, as they paused at the top of the long ramp that faced the maze of rooms, branching off from a wide central corridor.
The interior of the airship was bursting at the rivets with noisy activity, as they made their way forward... the throngs of people moving from one venue to the next so dense in places, it was necessary to turn sideways to avoid collisions. Lights twinkled and flashed from seemingly every surface, as strains of canned music wafted from unseen speakers... its grossly generic sound, overlayed by the staccato of conversation and laughter from the thick crowds.
They managed to find a little breathing room, off to one side along a stretch of un-interrupted wall, and stopped to get their bearings.
He found this garish, overly-loud place not to his liking, but Auron decided to make the best of it, as he had little choice at this juncture... the ship having already disembarked for its voyage across the sky.
"Look! There's an arcade... let's go in there!" Isabo said excitedly, pointing through a large archway ahead on their left.
"This continuing display of exuberance is quite amusing, in a disturbing sort of way." Auron teased, his right arm extending slightly in a small gesture.
"I'm a big kid and proud of it, mister mega-cool. Are you coming or not?" Isabo retorted, a crease forming across her brow as she turned to stare at him.
"Lead on." Auron baritoned, extending his hand toward the far doorway.
The walls of the large room were lined with booths of varying size and purpose, offering among other things... junk-food, games of chance, and souvenirs... Auron wincing in distaste, as they passed a rack of day-glo keychains, shaped in the likeness of Jecht.
Isabo suddenly came to a halt in front of one game booth, its display filled with stuffed animals, plastic toys, inflatable Blitzballs, and numerous other trinkets, sitting next to their respective game sensors... their size and position, relevant to the reward.
"The lady would like the knight, to win her a prize." Isabo said with a crooked grin, bringing her hands together and placing them alongside one cheek, in a feigned demureness.
"Would she now. And which of these priceless treasures does the lady desire?" Auron replied, as he brought his arm from his robe and gestured toward the array of objects in the booth.
"Well, there's no point in being subtle about it. I want, of course, the most difficult and costly... that." Isabo said, pointing to the far back of the booth and a small carved box... the target to win it, the size of a half-gil coin.
The man behind the booth smiled to himself. That box had been a stroke of genius. In a very short time, he had lined his pockets nicely with the gil it produced. Another sucker bites the dust, he thought cheerfully. "It's ten gil per chance, how many would you like?"
"One." Auron replied flatly, reaching into his robe then handing the man his fee.
What a cheap-skate the man thought sourly, as he took the gil then handed Auron a miniature blitzball, as he stepped back to watch.
Auron turned and aligned his good eye along his outstretched left arm, then lazily tossed the sphere at the target, a series of bells sounding as it struck home, accompanied by multi-colored lights flashing around the booth as a pre-recorded voice cackled from a speaker: WINNER!!
"Crap in a hat." The man swore under his breath, as he reluctantly procured the prize and handed it across the counter. Oh well, if he had to lose it, it might as well be to this pretty little thing.
Isabo clapped, a large smile illuminating her face as she took the box from the frowning man, and turned it over in her slender hands, admiring its form.
Auron smiled as he pushed his glasses up, pleased that he had made her so happy. He watched as Isabo opened the box, her mouth dropping open in pleasant surprise, as the mechanism inside began to play a wistful tune... its bittersweet melody, one that would come to haunt him.
"Thank you, I love it." Isabo said happily.
"You're welcome m'lady. Would you like me to hold it for you?" Auron offered, pulling the top of his robe open.
"Careful, you might spoil me with all this attention." Isabo said with a snicker, holding up the knickknack.
"You speak as if I had a choice in the matter." Auron replied smirking, as he took it from her and tucked it inside his robe.
"You've got me there." Isabo laughed, turning to look behind her. "Come on, let's go out on the observation deck." She said, walking toward the large doors at the end of the promenade... a strong gust of wind swirling past them, as they walked outside and toward the guardrail.
Rocking back on one heel for a moment as a blast of air met his body, his robe unfurling in a red sail behind him... Auron leaned forward and placed his hands on the top of the rail, looking out on the dizzying view. He had to admit, flying was rather exhilarating. The sense of speed and freedom, and this odd floating sensation.
Auron glanced over at Isabo to see her hair fluttering out in a thick fan at her back, her hands clasped together at her throat, as she smiled at the sight of the city below, sweeping past them in a glowing panorama. Then his brow crease deepened, as he realized she was also profoundly shaking with cold from the wind chill.
Acting without thinking, Auron stepped in close behind her and raised his hands to her shoulders, then rubbed them up and down her arms to warm her.
"Perhaps we should return to the interior, it is too cold for you out here and..." Auron trailed off, as he became fully aware of Isabo's close proximity... her upper-back against his chest, her soft hair spilling down across his hands and the smell of her skin... like wildflowers after a rainstorm.
Squeezing his eye shut, he willed himself away from her... stepping back and pulling his arm inside his robe.
Isabo turned and raised her face to his for a moment, errant strands of hair blowing across her eyes, that held an emotion he could not interpret, then she lowered her head and spoke in a low voice, barely audible above the wind whistling past his ears... "Yes, we'd better go back inside."
************
Isabo crawled under the blankets with a sigh, then rolled to one side and reached out to turn off the light beside the bed, her hand as though against her will, dropping instead to the music box beneath it. Drawing it to her, she lifted the lid and tilted her head to one side, listening, as a single tear tracked down her cheek.
************
"Get out of the way Ron." Remie said, gently shooing the cat away with his foot as he swept his arms forward, and tried to regain his concentration.
Ron sauntered away, his ears and tail twitching back and forth, as he moved to the bottom of the stairs leading up to Auron's apartment and sat, looking out toward the water over the side of the breezeway.
Remie huffed, then stopped his movements, deciding to start over.
Okay, let's try this again he thought... breathe in, forward, breathe out, turn...
The reminders in Remie's head faded, as his movements and focus intensified. Then the familiar surge began, his mind bending it and pushing it out toward his hands.
Sapphire light bloomed around Remie's head and shoulders, then began to snake down his arms in flaring ribbons, stopping suddenly, as it pulsed into a growing corona and reversed itself back toward his body, enveloping him in a blinding burst of radiance, then dissipating outward in a silent wave.
Remie stood unmoving, his arms still outstretched in front of him for a few moments, then let his arms drop to his sides as he frowned in confusion.
This was just too strange. Why couldn't he control this right? Maybe he'd better talk to Auron about it. He had promised. Although he wasn't exactly concerned, he was curious to know what the heck was going on.
Too absorbed in his thoughts, Remie didn't notice Ron's reaction to his power... the cat's body lowered against the ground, his ears pressed flat against his head, and the hair along his back standing upright in stiff ridges.
************
"It's just the two of us tonight, so I thought I'd just make some sandwiches for supper, sound okay?" Sahna said from the kitchen, as Remie came through the door.
"Sure... where's Gabe?" Remie asked, walking to the refrigerator and extracting a soda.
"He went to the Blitz game, with a couple of his enforcer pals." Sahna replied, thinking... and if they get him drunk again, I swear I'll slap them senseless.
"I went by Auron's, he's not home either." Remie said, then brought the soda can to his lips and drained it, in one continuous guzzle.
Sahna started to scold him about drinking it that way, then decided to let it go. It seemed to be a losing battle. For the life of her, she didn't know how he did that without exploding. "It's saturday Remie."
"So?"
"Auron always goes out on saturday nights, haven't you ever noticed?" Sahna replied with a knowing smile.
"No... where does he go?"
"That's none of our business. If Auron wanted us to know, he would tell us."
"Yeah I guess."
"There's no guessing young man, so don't get any ideas about asking him about it. Clear?"
"As glass mother dear." Remie replied with a smirk, walking to the living room.
"Oh you're gonna get it now." Sahna said laughing, as she came out from behind the counter and grabbed at Remie, intending to give him a good tickling.
Remie effortlessly dodged her and spun away with a laugh. Then he suddenly thought maybe he wasn't being very nice, so he stood his ground, as she advanced on him and grabbed him around the waist... pulling him backwards onto the couch, her hands finding that place on his sides that always made him giggle like a little kid.
"Thanks for letting me catch you." Sahna said, stroking Remie's hair, as they quieted together on the couch.
"I love you mom." Remie said suddenly, hugging her fiercely.
Sahna's eyes teared up. Teenagers weren't often given to open signs of affection toward their parents, and Remie was no exception. It had been awhile since he had expressed it. "I love you too sweetie."
"Mom?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you ever wonder if... I mean... do you think... does Auron love?" Remie asked, his eyes distant, looking off toward an invisible place.
Sahna was quiet for a few moments, as she pondered how best to answer her son's question. "People show love in different ways honey. Auron doesn't show it with physical affection, or with so many words. He shows it in his actions. His devotion and honesty, his help and compassion, all the things he gives to us... he shows his love for us everyday, you just have to know how to recognize it." Sahna finished, putting her hands on Remie's shoulders and holding him away from her, to look into his eyes. "Does that make sense?"
"Yeah, it does. I just never thought of it that way. Thanks mom." Remie replied with a sad-sweet smile.
Of the night for the morrow,
The devotion to something afar
From the sphere of our sorrow.
--- Shelley
Otherworld: Year Eight
The flickering parade of images and text reflected off the panel and onto Auron's glasses, his forefinger tapping the touchpad, as he progressed through his messages.
Wonderful. Tidus had pulled something during practice and was giving Breese fits, trying to keep him inactive long enough to heal. He had better get over there.
Sending a video reply telling Breese he was on his way, he quickly scrolled to the last message:
Hey Buffed-Buddy,
No chess tomorrow night. Since you've seen fit to beat me three weeks running, I demand compensation. Meet me at the attached coordinates promptly at 7:00pm. Dress is casual. Regrets only.
Isabo
Auron scratched his chin.
This mysterious invitation was a new development, and he wondered what Isabo was up to. Which was one of the things he liked about her... he was never quite certain what she would say or do next, and it kept him on his proverbial toes.
Her friendship had come to mean a great deal to him, more than he cared to admit. He always looked forward to their saturday evening chess games and amusing conversations, that often degenerated into good-natured teasing matches. Her company was a place of solace, however brief, from his loneliness... that most vigilant companion that had become like a second person, outside himself... always following just out of sight, or crouching in the shadows... watching.
But enough of these damnable thoughts, his attention was required elsewhere. The son of Jecht was his foremost concern at the moment, not his recreational needs. As for Isabo's cryptic message, he would solve that little mystery in due time.
************
Turning the street corner, Auron was unable to control the slight widening of his eye, at the sight of the huge machina that floated like a ghost-ship in port... moored to its docking by long cables, suspended from its gleaming, backswept tiers of brightly colored metal.
As he drew nearer, the shape of a way-station preceeding an entrance ramp came into view, long lines of would-be passengers qued-up before it. Then he saw the figure of Isabo, emerging from the milling crowds along the dock, walking quickly to meet him.
"Isn't it exciting? This just opened last month. They fly you all around the city, and I hear there's even a bar and restaurant inside." Isabo explained breathlessly, her large eyes shining in wonder.
Her child-like enthusiasm was quite endearing, and Auron didn't have the heart to dash it, doing his best not to sound as unaffected as he felt.
"It could be... interesting." Auron managed, as Isabo grabbed him by the sleeve of his robe and pulled him toward the ticket booth.
************
"Can you believe all of this?" Isabo asked rhetorically, as they paused at the top of the long ramp that faced the maze of rooms, branching off from a wide central corridor.
The interior of the airship was bursting at the rivets with noisy activity, as they made their way forward... the throngs of people moving from one venue to the next so dense in places, it was necessary to turn sideways to avoid collisions. Lights twinkled and flashed from seemingly every surface, as strains of canned music wafted from unseen speakers... its grossly generic sound, overlayed by the staccato of conversation and laughter from the thick crowds.
They managed to find a little breathing room, off to one side along a stretch of un-interrupted wall, and stopped to get their bearings.
He found this garish, overly-loud place not to his liking, but Auron decided to make the best of it, as he had little choice at this juncture... the ship having already disembarked for its voyage across the sky.
"Look! There's an arcade... let's go in there!" Isabo said excitedly, pointing through a large archway ahead on their left.
"This continuing display of exuberance is quite amusing, in a disturbing sort of way." Auron teased, his right arm extending slightly in a small gesture.
"I'm a big kid and proud of it, mister mega-cool. Are you coming or not?" Isabo retorted, a crease forming across her brow as she turned to stare at him.
"Lead on." Auron baritoned, extending his hand toward the far doorway.
The walls of the large room were lined with booths of varying size and purpose, offering among other things... junk-food, games of chance, and souvenirs... Auron wincing in distaste, as they passed a rack of day-glo keychains, shaped in the likeness of Jecht.
Isabo suddenly came to a halt in front of one game booth, its display filled with stuffed animals, plastic toys, inflatable Blitzballs, and numerous other trinkets, sitting next to their respective game sensors... their size and position, relevant to the reward.
"The lady would like the knight, to win her a prize." Isabo said with a crooked grin, bringing her hands together and placing them alongside one cheek, in a feigned demureness.
"Would she now. And which of these priceless treasures does the lady desire?" Auron replied, as he brought his arm from his robe and gestured toward the array of objects in the booth.
"Well, there's no point in being subtle about it. I want, of course, the most difficult and costly... that." Isabo said, pointing to the far back of the booth and a small carved box... the target to win it, the size of a half-gil coin.
The man behind the booth smiled to himself. That box had been a stroke of genius. In a very short time, he had lined his pockets nicely with the gil it produced. Another sucker bites the dust, he thought cheerfully. "It's ten gil per chance, how many would you like?"
"One." Auron replied flatly, reaching into his robe then handing the man his fee.
What a cheap-skate the man thought sourly, as he took the gil then handed Auron a miniature blitzball, as he stepped back to watch.
Auron turned and aligned his good eye along his outstretched left arm, then lazily tossed the sphere at the target, a series of bells sounding as it struck home, accompanied by multi-colored lights flashing around the booth as a pre-recorded voice cackled from a speaker: WINNER!!
"Crap in a hat." The man swore under his breath, as he reluctantly procured the prize and handed it across the counter. Oh well, if he had to lose it, it might as well be to this pretty little thing.
Isabo clapped, a large smile illuminating her face as she took the box from the frowning man, and turned it over in her slender hands, admiring its form.
Auron smiled as he pushed his glasses up, pleased that he had made her so happy. He watched as Isabo opened the box, her mouth dropping open in pleasant surprise, as the mechanism inside began to play a wistful tune... its bittersweet melody, one that would come to haunt him.
"Thank you, I love it." Isabo said happily.
"You're welcome m'lady. Would you like me to hold it for you?" Auron offered, pulling the top of his robe open.
"Careful, you might spoil me with all this attention." Isabo said with a snicker, holding up the knickknack.
"You speak as if I had a choice in the matter." Auron replied smirking, as he took it from her and tucked it inside his robe.
"You've got me there." Isabo laughed, turning to look behind her. "Come on, let's go out on the observation deck." She said, walking toward the large doors at the end of the promenade... a strong gust of wind swirling past them, as they walked outside and toward the guardrail.
Rocking back on one heel for a moment as a blast of air met his body, his robe unfurling in a red sail behind him... Auron leaned forward and placed his hands on the top of the rail, looking out on the dizzying view. He had to admit, flying was rather exhilarating. The sense of speed and freedom, and this odd floating sensation.
Auron glanced over at Isabo to see her hair fluttering out in a thick fan at her back, her hands clasped together at her throat, as she smiled at the sight of the city below, sweeping past them in a glowing panorama. Then his brow crease deepened, as he realized she was also profoundly shaking with cold from the wind chill.
Acting without thinking, Auron stepped in close behind her and raised his hands to her shoulders, then rubbed them up and down her arms to warm her.
"Perhaps we should return to the interior, it is too cold for you out here and..." Auron trailed off, as he became fully aware of Isabo's close proximity... her upper-back against his chest, her soft hair spilling down across his hands and the smell of her skin... like wildflowers after a rainstorm.
Squeezing his eye shut, he willed himself away from her... stepping back and pulling his arm inside his robe.
Isabo turned and raised her face to his for a moment, errant strands of hair blowing across her eyes, that held an emotion he could not interpret, then she lowered her head and spoke in a low voice, barely audible above the wind whistling past his ears... "Yes, we'd better go back inside."
************
Isabo crawled under the blankets with a sigh, then rolled to one side and reached out to turn off the light beside the bed, her hand as though against her will, dropping instead to the music box beneath it. Drawing it to her, she lifted the lid and tilted her head to one side, listening, as a single tear tracked down her cheek.
************
"Get out of the way Ron." Remie said, gently shooing the cat away with his foot as he swept his arms forward, and tried to regain his concentration.
Ron sauntered away, his ears and tail twitching back and forth, as he moved to the bottom of the stairs leading up to Auron's apartment and sat, looking out toward the water over the side of the breezeway.
Remie huffed, then stopped his movements, deciding to start over.
Okay, let's try this again he thought... breathe in, forward, breathe out, turn...
The reminders in Remie's head faded, as his movements and focus intensified. Then the familiar surge began, his mind bending it and pushing it out toward his hands.
Sapphire light bloomed around Remie's head and shoulders, then began to snake down his arms in flaring ribbons, stopping suddenly, as it pulsed into a growing corona and reversed itself back toward his body, enveloping him in a blinding burst of radiance, then dissipating outward in a silent wave.
Remie stood unmoving, his arms still outstretched in front of him for a few moments, then let his arms drop to his sides as he frowned in confusion.
This was just too strange. Why couldn't he control this right? Maybe he'd better talk to Auron about it. He had promised. Although he wasn't exactly concerned, he was curious to know what the heck was going on.
Too absorbed in his thoughts, Remie didn't notice Ron's reaction to his power... the cat's body lowered against the ground, his ears pressed flat against his head, and the hair along his back standing upright in stiff ridges.
************
"It's just the two of us tonight, so I thought I'd just make some sandwiches for supper, sound okay?" Sahna said from the kitchen, as Remie came through the door.
"Sure... where's Gabe?" Remie asked, walking to the refrigerator and extracting a soda.
"He went to the Blitz game, with a couple of his enforcer pals." Sahna replied, thinking... and if they get him drunk again, I swear I'll slap them senseless.
"I went by Auron's, he's not home either." Remie said, then brought the soda can to his lips and drained it, in one continuous guzzle.
Sahna started to scold him about drinking it that way, then decided to let it go. It seemed to be a losing battle. For the life of her, she didn't know how he did that without exploding. "It's saturday Remie."
"So?"
"Auron always goes out on saturday nights, haven't you ever noticed?" Sahna replied with a knowing smile.
"No... where does he go?"
"That's none of our business. If Auron wanted us to know, he would tell us."
"Yeah I guess."
"There's no guessing young man, so don't get any ideas about asking him about it. Clear?"
"As glass mother dear." Remie replied with a smirk, walking to the living room.
"Oh you're gonna get it now." Sahna said laughing, as she came out from behind the counter and grabbed at Remie, intending to give him a good tickling.
Remie effortlessly dodged her and spun away with a laugh. Then he suddenly thought maybe he wasn't being very nice, so he stood his ground, as she advanced on him and grabbed him around the waist... pulling him backwards onto the couch, her hands finding that place on his sides that always made him giggle like a little kid.
"Thanks for letting me catch you." Sahna said, stroking Remie's hair, as they quieted together on the couch.
"I love you mom." Remie said suddenly, hugging her fiercely.
Sahna's eyes teared up. Teenagers weren't often given to open signs of affection toward their parents, and Remie was no exception. It had been awhile since he had expressed it. "I love you too sweetie."
"Mom?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you ever wonder if... I mean... do you think... does Auron love?" Remie asked, his eyes distant, looking off toward an invisible place.
Sahna was quiet for a few moments, as she pondered how best to answer her son's question. "People show love in different ways honey. Auron doesn't show it with physical affection, or with so many words. He shows it in his actions. His devotion and honesty, his help and compassion, all the things he gives to us... he shows his love for us everyday, you just have to know how to recognize it." Sahna finished, putting her hands on Remie's shoulders and holding him away from her, to look into his eyes. "Does that make sense?"
"Yeah, it does. I just never thought of it that way. Thanks mom." Remie replied with a sad-sweet smile.
