Disclaimer: As the same with all the other chapters, we don't own anything we didn't come
up with. That belongs to Square. We do this for no profit. Blah, blah, blah.
Chapter 23: Rebirth Flame
Garden had been moved back to the shores of Draconia once the word had been spread of
Dorin's death. Cid greeted the SeeDs sadly when they returned, noticing both Vira and Rinoa's
immensely withdrawn attitudes. Reluctantly, Squall had agreed to completely fill in Cid with
what had happened, but made sure that it would be brief. Rinoa only had nodded a bit, almost
not acknowledging anyone else's presence. She quietly walked off to the first floor halls
while the others went their separate ways. Vira found herself aimlessly wandering like Rinoa,
but eventually finding herself at the Quad's obeservation deck, newly rebuilt and shining
morosely in the fresh moonlight. Quietly she walked over to the railing and stared out over the
horizon, watching the stars twinkle in the night sky. Her thoughts turned to the events that
had just happened, and suddenly drifted back several days...before all the trouble had actually
started. There had only been a bit of problems with her rage, and the nightmares, but Vira was
still not as unstable and injured as she was now. She remembered the night of the SeeD
graduation, her first meeting with Dorin. Everything came rushing back to her, every time she
would try go be by herself and think; he was there. Vira had at first thought it to be annoying.
The simple fact she could have no peace had angered her, but now, finally now, she realized he
had only done it because...
-Hyne, no...he...really cared about me, didn't he? That's why he was always there.-
When there had been no one there as she had tried to take the coward's way out in Esthar,
he was there to stop her, when she had tried to run off to face Xana alone he was there to go
with her. It had become as if almost everywhere she'd went, he was there, trying to look out
for her. He was the only person who ever had done anything like that for Vira before. She never
knew anyone who had been more stubborn and frustrating, but no one who tried to look out for
her as well.
Vira broke, the sorrow becoming too much for her to handle. This had become worse than
everything that had been happening to her. Her mother, her powers, her heritage, having the
entire Galbadian army, Black SeeD and Xana after her, all of that did not compare to this.
There had been someone who cared, and she never even tried to return the sentiment.
-I was so...stupid...why didn't I see it before? Why couldn't I notice?-
First one single tear rolled down Vira's cheek, falling into the sea water below. Soon it
was joined by another, and another. Within seconds she had collapsed onto the railing, sobbing
silently to herself. Alone, again.
After Vira's sobbing had quieted down a bit, she heard someone else nearby. Looking up,
she saw Rinoa standing not too far away, leaning over the railing as Vira had been doing.
"Rinoa?" Vira called, her voice cracking so much it almost didn't sound like her own.
Rinoa looked over at her, her eyes red from crying. She sniffed wiped at her eyes. "Hey.
Looks like you're not in much better shape than I am."
"Heh." Vira walked over and leaned against the railing near Rinoa. "Not really. I'm...
really sorry about your father."
Rinoa nodded and looked at Vira. "Thanks. And I'm sorry about Dorin. We all are."
"You're welcome..." Vira turned to stare over at the horizon, seeing the moon glowing
dully. "Thanks...but, we should probably be apologizing to his father and brother more than me.
It...wasn't like I actually was nice to him..."
"I don't think any of us were," Rinoa said. "He wasn't really social or anything. But we
still should've gotten to know him better." Rinoa stared down into the ocean. "I saw Alexai
before we left. He was...devastated. He was crying his heart out with Lord Vachon."
"That's terrible," Vira said, sighing. "I was just incredibly stupid about all this. He
was always there. Through everything that's been happening the past few days, he was still
there. Even if I told him to leave, he wouldn't. Even if I tried to go off and take on Xana
myself...he'd go with me, even when I would show him nothing but coldness. He was still there.
And I couldn't understand why..."
Rinoa nodded. "I think he understood you. That you needed someone to back you up even if
you didn't want the help."
"No one has ever done that before for me. No one ever stayed next to me, even if I told
him to leave. No one stayed even if I had wanted them to. But...he did. I couldn't get rid of
him and it would just frustrate me to no end...but...he only was trying to help, trying to be
nice or something. And I just stupidly went into my own world of comfortable isolation..."
Angry tears began to weld in Vira's eyes and in frustration, she hit the railing with her right
hand.
Rinoa tentatively placed her hand on Vira's. "You think it might've been...something
else?"
Vira closed her eyes and frowned. "It probably was. But, I have no knowledge of that
kinda stuff...I didn't notice until I started thinking about it...I've been too wrapped up in
dealing with my mother that I couldn't see what was right in front of me and how badly I was
acting..."
Rinoa nodded. "Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own ideals and goals that we forget
those around us. I was so focused on righting the wrongs of Deling that it changed my outlook
with my father...and look what it got me." Rinoa's voice wavered, the tears welling up in her
eyes.
"At least you were able to tell him that before he died...a lot of people don't even get
the chance to apologize before it's too late. He was able to hear you and could die happier
knowing that," Vira said quietly.
"True. But there's still three years of bad feelings and harsh words I still feel guilty
for."
"I understand, Rinoa..." Vira turned and looked at her, both girls' eyes looking equally
red. "I feel like a lot of this was my fault and...I guess it's just something we're going to
have to get through..."
Rinoa nodded. "Yeah...life goes on, whether we like it or not," she said, albeit a
little bitterly.
"Yes..." Vira shook her head slowly, now looking up at the sky. "I swear, I'm not gonna
let her do this to anyone else."
Rinoa looked at her. "I think she's done something to all of us to make us want her dead.
I think we've all lost something to her."
"I don't care if she is my mother. She does nothing but hate me and everyone else.
Nothing but cold hatred and lust for destruction. She can't keep doing this to people. And...
I'm gonna find that bastard that made Dorin go into the Rage...I'm gonna find him..." Vira
clenched her fists tightly, her face now becoming set in hurt determination.
"And we'll be there to back you up, you know," Rinoa said, her expression mirroring
Vira's.
"Yeah...thanks, Rinoa..." she answered. Her face then relaxed a bit, her now unclenched
fist finding its way into her pocket and pulling out her necklace. "I want to go back..."
"Back? Where?" Rinoa asked, confused.
"The Cathedral...I think I should see Dorin again...before..." Vira trailed off, hoping
she didn't need to finish the sentence.
Rinoa nodded, understanding. "I'll go with you, then."
Vira nodded back. "All right, let's go."
The two women set off through the darkened Garden, Vira noting that it looked the same
way when she had met Dorin. After a quiet trip, they entered Sturmgrad and entered the Cathedral
quietly.
Vira felt as if she should whisper while she was in there. She leaned over to Rinoa and
asked, "Where are the priests?"
"I think they stay in another part of the cathedral," she replied, whispering as well.
"I think they took him into an altar room."
Vira looked around the immense room and then turned to Rinoa. "Which way is that?"
Rinoa pointed to one of the entrances. "That one."
They set off and entered the room. Two lighted candles illuminated the chapel, pews
lining the hall, up to an ornate altar-
-that was empty.
Vira ran up to the altar and looked around it frantically, seeing nothing. She turned to
Rinoa, panic noticable in her eyes. "Where is he?! What happened?!"
"I-I don't know!" she stammered. "I know they took him here!"
"Maybe they took him somewhere else. They had to of," Vira said, exiting the chapel and
walking back to the main hall, Rinoa following behind.
"That's probably it, no one would've had a reason to steal his body," Rinoa said.
A peal of high pitched laughter echoed around the room, raising the hair on the back of
the women's necks.
"What the hell is that?" Vira demanded, looking around the room.
Rinoa shrugged, her face covered with confusion. "I-I-I don't know...but it sounded
familiar..."
"So, the ladies are lost without their men to save them, eh?" The voice was mocking,
cultured, and incredibly familiar.
"Yuri," Vira said, cold hatred gripping her heart.
The familiar man in black stepped out of the shadows, his blade drawn. "Smart one, aren't
you? So you're Dorin's tart, eh? This will be interesting."
Vira drew her kamagunblades from her belt, holding them up menacingly. "I've never needed
anyone to fight for me, you bastard. Where the hell is he?!"
Yuri put on a surprised expression, mocking her. "Me? Well, why would I know where he is?
Oh, I remember now! He's dead!" He laughed again, eyeing Vira maliciously. "I'll have to hand
it to Dorin, he did know how to pick them. All the right measurements too."
"SHUT UP!" Vira screamed at him. She could feel hot, stinging, angry tears welling up at
the corners of her eyes. That made her hate Yuri even more; he was making her show emotion in
battle. Something she had never wanted to do and if she did, it was unconciously done. Give your
opponent an edge when you show them your emotions. Vira's anger bubbled and boiled inside her,
turning into hate and bitterness at this one man who had taken the only person who had ever cared
from her. "You're going to pay for what you did to him! You and my mother!"
"Oooooh yes, Xana's daughter. My, you just get all the shit, don't you?" Yuri looked at
Rinoa. "Too bad your father wasn't nearly as fun. Heheheh, one stab and that was it from what I
heard. Not much entertainment, a real pity. I was hoping for more."
Rinoa's eyes began to weld with angry tears and she frowned at Yuri. "Don't think you can
just treat people like this! It always come back to haunt you."
Yuri laughed. "Oh save it for someone who has a conscience, bitch. This is the most fun
I've had in years. But enough of this. Let's dance, ladies."
He attacked Vira, her blades fending off his first blow. Rinoa dodged and aimed her
Angel Wing at Yuri and fired. Yuri saw it and in one deft stroke, cleaved the thing in two.
Rinoa gawked at it, now realizing she had no weapon. As an alternative, she raised on
hand in the air and called out, "Fira!"
A medium sized fireball formed, launching itself towards Yuri. He noticed it easliy, and
stepped out of the way. Vira saw this and threw one of her kamagunblades to Rinoa, knowing that
she's need a weapon. "Rinoa, catch! Just cut and pull the trigger when you want to fire!"
Rinoa handled it, albeit clumsily, and took a stance. Yuri just shook his head and
grinned. "This is almost too easy." He attacked again, this time focusing on Rinoa and landed
a flurry of blows on her, Rinoa desperately parrying them and backing up. Vira attacked Yuri,
but he saw it and easily parried while pausing to attack Rinoa.
Then in one graceful leap, he jumped and landed a kick on Rinoa, sending her sprawling,
then lept off of her and spun and kicked Vira, catching her in the side of the head and nearly
knocked her out as she dropped to the floor, her remaining kamagunblade sliding out of reach.
As she tried to get up, she felt the cold metal of Yuri's blade against her throat. She knew
she was caught.
She struggled a bit, trying to find a way out, but her strength was still only at half
level. Vira grimaced at Yuri. But there was no way out. It was over. He had her pinned, and
unless Rinoa got there in time, Vira was about to find out what came after death. "Why don't you
just get it over with you son of a bitch?"
Yuri grinned maliciously. "Thank you for the suggestion; think I will."
Rinoa screamed her name and Vira braced herself as Yuri drew back for the killing blow.
"Say hello to Dorin for me, bitch," he said before he swung his blade down, Vira closing
her eyes.
-Dorin...I'm coming...-
TING!!!
Vira's eyes flew open and she saw Yuri stare in surprise, his blade caught on another,
slender and slightly curved blade.
"Why don't you tell me in person, Yuri?" a familiar voice said.
Vira looked up and saw the man holding the sword.
-Impossible! Oh Hyne, please say this isn't a dream.-
"Dorin!" Vira exclaimed, not fully believing it. Dorin shoved Yuri off, Yuri looking as
surprised as Vira felt.
"Y-y-you're dead," Yuri said, pointing a finger at Dorin. "I saw it all. You were killed,
you bastard, WHY AREN'T YOU DEAD?!?!?"
Dorin smiled. "I didn't feel like it."
Vira stayed stock still, her mouth gaping open. One moment she was about to die, and the
next someone had come back from the dead. There was a strange feeling about it that made Vira
feel like she was dreaming, but she still sat there, staring up at Dorin in disbelief. Yuri had
the same expression as Vira, except his was laced with hatred and frustration. He yelled and
attacked at Dorin.
Dorin parried Yuri's crazed attacks easily. He pressed forward, warding off Yuri's
attacks and landing a few of his own. There was something a little...different about him. He
moved a little quicker, handling his sword with one hand and yet still batting away powerful
blows.
He knocked Yuri off balance and kicked him in the stomach, Yuri staggering back a few
steps. Then, something strange happened. What looked like a spirit of a dragon came out of
Dorin and materialized into fire, then descended onto his blade. Dorin brandished it, ran
forward and lept into the air, bringing his sword around in a mighty slash. Yuri tried to
fend off the attack, bring his blade up, but to no avail. Dorin cleaved through Yuri's sword
and through flesh and bone. Dorin landed, staying in position for a moment, while Yuri's head
dropped to the floor, his face frozen in an expression of surprise and shock before his body
joined it a second later. Dorin stood up as the fire on his blade dissipated and turned to
Vira.
Vira was still sitting on the ground, now staring at Yuri's body, then up at Dorin. She
shook her head a little, confused.
-How can he be alive? He died, I saw it. It happened it...what the hell is going on? He's
here...alive...isn't he?-
She shook her head again, pushing the thoughts out of her head.
-Don't think just act for once, dammit.-
To the surprise of Rinoa and Dorin, Vira did something she had never done before. She
rose to her feet as quickly as she could, running up to Dorin and actually hugging him.
Dorin returned it, chuckling quietly. "Good evening to you too."
"I'm sorry..." she whispered, almost crying again.
"Don't be," he murmured back, stroking her hair.
Slowly she let go and stared at him, even still not fully believing it. "What happened?"
She asked.
Rinoa nodded. "Yeah, we saw you...umm...die."
Dorin paused for a second. "There's an old legend that states that if a man is killed
under the Rage, there's a chance that the patron will enter his body and resurrect him and
he'll become his incarnation." Dorin shook his head. "Even I don't really understand it, but I
know that Vulkan is inside me, I have all his memories as well as mine. It's...interesting..."
"Must be...very odd having his memories as well as yours," Rinoa said.
Dorin chuckled. "You have no idea. But everything else about me is the same."
"I think we should go back to Garden and tell everyone what happened," Rinoa suggested.
"This is...an unusual thing."
Dorin nodded. "Yes, I still have to tell Father and Alexai. But you go on ahead, we'll
catch up."
After Rinoa had left, Dorin turned to Vira. "So you did miss me," he said, giving her a
crooked grin.
Vira crossed her arms across her chest, wincing a little. "Yeah, I guess I did." It was
evident she was trying to make up for her sudden uncharacteristic action. However, she wasn't
doing a very good job.
Dorin smiled and pulled her close. "I remember looking back up at you and father before
I died. I wanted to say so much, but I couldn't."
"Yeah..." Vira replied. "I noticed."
"Yeah. But I guess it's kind of different now."
"Uh-huh. You don't seem to be dying right now, are you?" Vira glanced around the room,
looking for where both of her kamagunblades had dropped.
Dorin laughed. "Can't phase you worth anything, can I?"
Vira bent down, picking up one of her kamagunblades. "I guess not. I'm-" Vira paused for
a moment, taking a deep breath in. This would be the first time she actually meant what she said,
speaking to him when he could actually hear her. "-just really sorry about everything. I've been
very stupid about a lot of things." She'd never had to admit her faults on such a level before,
and the feeling was very strange.
Dorin shrugged. "I wouldn't say that."
"And why not?" Vira asked, slowly walking over to the second fallen kamagunblade. She
couldn't help but be a bit annoyed at everything. At the world. Even at Hyne. She was greatful
for this second chance, she truly was. But that she had to go through such pain first to
understand it bothered her immensely.
"Because you've still come out alright through everything. You're still in control of
yourself and you haven't changed for anyone."
As Vira got up, she winced again, muttering, "Once this is over I'm taking a week off...
I don't feel the same. Seems like I have changed. A lot." Inside, Vira laughed. Dorin thinking
that she hadn't changed for anyone was so absurd a statement. Here she was, apologizing for her
faults, meaning it in all sincerity and actually trying to show some emotion. How is that not
change? How has she not become someone different?
Dorin frowned as he helped her up. "What happened?"
Chuckling lightly, Vira pulled the bandages off her stomach, revealing a large scar
across her stomach. "You sure you wanna know?" She paused. "I'm actually getting used to cheating
death. Although, every time I do I seem to get another scar or two."
Dorin looked at it, wincing. "How did...no, nevermind, I can probably guess." He sighed.
"Did I get anyone else?" he said quietly.
"Seifer," Vira answered, slowly walking around the cathedral. "Gash across his shoulder.
His arm's gonna be in a sling for a little while. Maybe another day or so. Can't really say."
Dorin sighed heavily. "Probably should've killed me before," he said, looking stricken.
"We couldn't...at least I couldn't," Vira said quietly. "Too bad my Stop spell missed."
"Wouldn't have had an effect anyway. It ignores all status attacks." Dorin turned back to
Vira. "Why couldn't you?"
"Oh, I wish I'd known that beforehand..." Vira stared back at him. "Because I knew there
had to be some way to get you out of it." Or, at least that's what Vira had hoped against hope
then. There was something in her that had kept her going, kept her trying to help him. She had
felt responsible for him, for what had happened. It wouldn't have been right for her to just
leave him. There was the new aspects of her personality coming out. Vira knew that if this had
been months ago, she would never had given Dorin a second thought. She would've brushed the
whole thing off and blame him. She really had changed.
"How did you know?"
Vira shrugged. "I don't know. I guess...I just felt you'd be strong enough to get out of
it. Sorry about what I did back at Garden wasn't enough. Almost had it there for a moment..."
Dorin smiled. "It's okay. It was actually worth it to see you again for that brief
second." Dorin walked up to her and looked her in the eye. "I'm just happy that you didn't
give up on me. Even after what I did to you."
"I couldn't be angry about it," Vira replied. "It wasn't your fault." She began to
chuckle a little, nervously. "I hope you don't mind I borrowed your music box to help. I
couldn't really think of anything else."
"No, it's alright. I understand. It's just..." Dorin shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not
sure what it is."
Vira fastened her kamagunblades back onto her belt and looked up at Dorin. "What do you
mean?"
There was an awkward pause between the two, the entire world seeming to stop at that
moment. Vira stared into Dorin's icy blue eyes, trying to read his emotions. But they came out
all muddled and confused, his expression matching his eyes. Although, there was a trace of
apprehension and worry in his face. Finally, the endless moment was finished and time moved once
again.
"I...think I love you..." Dorin said, shifting uncomfortably. He seemed almost afraid to
say it, not knowing what the reaction would be.
Vira smiled a bit sheepishly. Somehow, after spending all that time thinking about his
actions, it wasn't a surprise to her. He now admitted it to her fully, and it was that moment
that Vira had to decide how she felt. There was that strange sensation she had never felt before
the one that she had every time Dorin stared at her deeply, or the time in Draconia when he had
apologized and complimented her and the others. It was that feeling that you didn't have to tell
someone, they just knew what it was. And Vira wasn't going to be as emotionally ignorant as
she had been and everyone thought she was. She knew it. And though it was embarrassing, she had
to say something in return. "Heh, yeah..." She nervously shoved her hands into her coat
pockets and looked down to the polished floor. "I...might be feeling something like that too...
it's kinda hard since...well, I've never felt even friendship feelings towards anyone...it's a
shame it takes someone to die to open your eyes to how you'd been acting towards them..."
Dorin smiled slightly. "It's alright. I've never had anything like that either. And some
people never do realize it, even after something like this."
"Well, sorry I was such a bitch," Vira replied, looking down at her pocket, pulling out
her necklace. "Hmm...guess I won't be able to do what I was gonna do with this..."
Dorin raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What was that?"
She lightly moved the symbol through her fingers, smiling a little. "I was...gonna give
it to you before...they...y'know."
Dorin turned red and smiled. "Ah, I see." He looked at her. "I can still wear it if you
want me to."
Vira couldn't help but laugh at little, as she handed the necklace to him. "Well, if you
want to, be my guest."
Dorin put it on and looked at it. "Well, how's it look?" he asked.
Vira laughed, shaking her head. It was a real laugh, and made Vira realize why people
loved to laugh so much. It was such a release, such a feeling of lightness. Yes, she had chuckled
before and even laughed, but it had never been whole heartedly as this was. The sight of her
necklace, the one she had worn her entire life, on Dorin, was just humorous. "It looks fine.
Just...different than it did when I wore it."
Dorin chuckled himself and looked into her eyes. "You're pretty when you smile, you
know?"
Vira laughed again, looking embarrassed. She looked down to the floor again, letting
her dark brown and golden hair fall in the way of her face, which was oddly starting to feel a
bit warm. "Heheh, well, I wouldn't know. Never done it that much."
"You should do it more." Dorin then pulled Vira close to him and hugged her. "I'm glad
I was able to tell you how I feel."
"Yeah..." Vira closed her eyes and sighed a little. "Just never do something like that
again or I'll kick your ass."
Dorin chuckled softly. "Deal."
Vira smiled back. "It's still going to take a while for me to get used to this whole
being friendly like. But...there's more important things to get done with first. We should get
going."
Dorin nodded. "Yeah. Let's go." They walked out of the cathedral, the sun beginning to
rise in the east. Its golden rays peeking through the horizon, delicately bathing the city in
its warming light. It was going to be a wonderful April day, a spring day when the flowers would
bloom, and the sun would be shining brightly and warmly. There was still a chill in the air from
the night before, a reminder of the dark time for them both. But, the day was fast approaching
A new day was coming, and it all would start now. The dawn of a new day. And a new life.
Author's comments: Okay, we are done with the "Rage" arc and are now moving (sadly) into
the final stretch of this story. As you can see, Vira's major revelation has left her with new
feelings to sort out and learning how to cope with this new found ability. The next chapter will
be a prelude of sorts to the final battle. Back at Garden, Cid will contact Galbadia Garden and
the White SeeDs to come in to help. The final battle will between all SeeDs from Garden and Xana's
Black SeeDs. Seifer still has his score to settle with Kravis, who killed Caraway and tried to
kill both him and Quistis and Vira must at long last, fight with Xana alone. It will be the true
test of Vira's growth through this ordeal, putting her to the ultimate test. Yeah, I know that
sounds corny. I'm not sure whether it'll take one, two, or three more chapters to accomplish this
but I can guarantee that it'll be a bit before it's all done with. So, don't expect a new chapter
up tomorrow or anything. ;) And, as always *please* R&R to let us know what you think! :D
