Author's note: Hello everyone! It took me a while to decide what should happen to Trau. Otherwise I just would have included it in the last chapter. But, I thought it over, and here's what happens! Enjoy.
Chapter 5 - Left Alone
I sensed a slight whiff of the sea breeze mussing my hair, but it didn't seem like half enough for me to be falling. So I opened my eyes, and looked straight down at the water far below. I saw the crimson droplets of blood glistening in the morning sunlight as they fell into the vast expanse of the ocean. Something was wrong. I looked up behind me to where I had jumped off, and saw hands around my ankles, and then recognized Joatha's long blonde hair waving in the wind.
"What are you doing? Let go!" I shouted up to her.
"No! I can't! What about Yuna and the others? And what about me? You can't abandon me now!" she yelled, and I saw silvery tears floating down with the rain of red droplets. I crunched so my hands could reach my feet, and began to unlace my boots. One by one the taped ends came through the shining grommets, and my left foot fell out of my boot. But her right hand now free, she fought my hands as they reached for the other boot. My vision was turning red, and I though it was because I was blacking out, but blood was running down my face, and getting in my eyes. I tried to use one hand to wipe it away, but it was a losing battle. Blood was flowing down my arms from Joatha's nails. She was really fighting hard to make sure I didn't fall. I almost stopped to ponder about it, but decided I could have all the time in the world on the Farplane to think. I wiggled and squirmed my foot out of the constraints of my footwear, and the wonderful sensation of total release came to me once again. All my cares and worries trailed behind me, and I felt my mind sink into a pool of pleasure as I hit the water.
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POV change: Joatha
------
His fall into the murky blue seemed to me to take an eternity. I thought it would be just like my life without him. The world as I knew at it ground to a complete standstill. My hair fell limp, and the waves relentless crashing against the rocky shoreline stopped. I couldn't even hear my own desperate screaming. Even the splash when he hit the water seemed to freeze a moment after he disappeared into the depths. Suddenly, the world came crashing down on me. The wind felt like black ice as it resumed whipping my hair about my face and waving my cloak in the motions of the sea below. The waves sounded even louder, and I imagined that they were dashing his body to shreds against the rocks below. I pulled myself back up to the top of the cliff, and just leaned over the edge, searching in silence. The whole event seemed so surrealistic, I hoped that soon I would wake, and he would be with me again. I didn't even notice the soft hand on my shoulder until Yuna bent down and put her face in front of mine. I turned away, afraid that she would see that I was drowning, just like he had. Drowning in an ocean of sorrows even blacker than the deepest sea of Spira. I was afraid that she would ask, afraid to tell. I leaped up to my feet, and with my face scrunched up like a crumpled napkin, yelled,
"Just leave me alone! Leave me alone to rot!"
Before Yuna or anyone else could reply, for they were all there, miraculously out of the Bevelle dungeons, I ran away, just like he had done. But I was running from something tangible. I was running from myself. A trail of tears followed me back to the path to Macalania. Maybe I could catch up to my friends, pretend all this never happened, and get on with my life. About midway to the path, my legs gave out, and I crumbled to the ground like a piece of granite detonated by explosive. I opened my eyes, and glanced back, sure that the group was following, but they were gone. And so, with them, went my hopes of continuing on Yuna's pilgrimage. The pilgrimage, the door to a happy future, the door that he had opened up for me slammed shut, and the deadbolt clicked. The tears were uncontrollable, and they formed rivers on my face. I lay prone on the ground when I heard a deep growl. Reluctant to look up, my head raised slowly, and there I saw a skoll, its teeth bared and eyes glowing with hunger.
"Oh no, not now." I muttered at it lunged. I shut my eyes and braced for the pain. I thought there was at least one good thing about dying. I would be with him again. But I heard a yelp, and upon cracking an eyelid, a blue sword lay buried in the monster's gut. And for the second time in minutes, I felt a hand on my shoulder. But this time, the hand wasn't Yuna's. It was wet, cold, and shivering. I dared not hope, and when I looked up to the owner, I stared straight into Tidus' face.
"I didn't find him." he said slowly.
"What do you mean?" I choked out between sobs.
"I jumped in and looked for him. I didn't see anything." he said, with his head hung low.
"Why? I thought you two didn't get along at all." I said, still not able to look him in the eye.
"Maybe it looked that way, but, he really...well, he wasn't that bad of a guy. I just...I just was a little jealous, I guess. He was always grabbing everyone's attention. I just like to always be the center. I know, it's a little childish." he said, sounding a little hesitant, as if it was some big secret.
"Thanks, I guess." I said, finally meeting his gaze.
"I'm sorry." he replied. I saw a sad, caring look in his eyes for the first time.
Tidus' stare strode elsewhere, and I saw his muscles freeze. His eyelids were open wide. It was probably just another fiend, so I didn't look right away. But when I finally did, the last thing I expected to see stood before us.
Chapter 5 - Left Alone
I sensed a slight whiff of the sea breeze mussing my hair, but it didn't seem like half enough for me to be falling. So I opened my eyes, and looked straight down at the water far below. I saw the crimson droplets of blood glistening in the morning sunlight as they fell into the vast expanse of the ocean. Something was wrong. I looked up behind me to where I had jumped off, and saw hands around my ankles, and then recognized Joatha's long blonde hair waving in the wind.
"What are you doing? Let go!" I shouted up to her.
"No! I can't! What about Yuna and the others? And what about me? You can't abandon me now!" she yelled, and I saw silvery tears floating down with the rain of red droplets. I crunched so my hands could reach my feet, and began to unlace my boots. One by one the taped ends came through the shining grommets, and my left foot fell out of my boot. But her right hand now free, she fought my hands as they reached for the other boot. My vision was turning red, and I though it was because I was blacking out, but blood was running down my face, and getting in my eyes. I tried to use one hand to wipe it away, but it was a losing battle. Blood was flowing down my arms from Joatha's nails. She was really fighting hard to make sure I didn't fall. I almost stopped to ponder about it, but decided I could have all the time in the world on the Farplane to think. I wiggled and squirmed my foot out of the constraints of my footwear, and the wonderful sensation of total release came to me once again. All my cares and worries trailed behind me, and I felt my mind sink into a pool of pleasure as I hit the water.
------
POV change: Joatha
------
His fall into the murky blue seemed to me to take an eternity. I thought it would be just like my life without him. The world as I knew at it ground to a complete standstill. My hair fell limp, and the waves relentless crashing against the rocky shoreline stopped. I couldn't even hear my own desperate screaming. Even the splash when he hit the water seemed to freeze a moment after he disappeared into the depths. Suddenly, the world came crashing down on me. The wind felt like black ice as it resumed whipping my hair about my face and waving my cloak in the motions of the sea below. The waves sounded even louder, and I imagined that they were dashing his body to shreds against the rocks below. I pulled myself back up to the top of the cliff, and just leaned over the edge, searching in silence. The whole event seemed so surrealistic, I hoped that soon I would wake, and he would be with me again. I didn't even notice the soft hand on my shoulder until Yuna bent down and put her face in front of mine. I turned away, afraid that she would see that I was drowning, just like he had. Drowning in an ocean of sorrows even blacker than the deepest sea of Spira. I was afraid that she would ask, afraid to tell. I leaped up to my feet, and with my face scrunched up like a crumpled napkin, yelled,
"Just leave me alone! Leave me alone to rot!"
Before Yuna or anyone else could reply, for they were all there, miraculously out of the Bevelle dungeons, I ran away, just like he had done. But I was running from something tangible. I was running from myself. A trail of tears followed me back to the path to Macalania. Maybe I could catch up to my friends, pretend all this never happened, and get on with my life. About midway to the path, my legs gave out, and I crumbled to the ground like a piece of granite detonated by explosive. I opened my eyes, and glanced back, sure that the group was following, but they were gone. And so, with them, went my hopes of continuing on Yuna's pilgrimage. The pilgrimage, the door to a happy future, the door that he had opened up for me slammed shut, and the deadbolt clicked. The tears were uncontrollable, and they formed rivers on my face. I lay prone on the ground when I heard a deep growl. Reluctant to look up, my head raised slowly, and there I saw a skoll, its teeth bared and eyes glowing with hunger.
"Oh no, not now." I muttered at it lunged. I shut my eyes and braced for the pain. I thought there was at least one good thing about dying. I would be with him again. But I heard a yelp, and upon cracking an eyelid, a blue sword lay buried in the monster's gut. And for the second time in minutes, I felt a hand on my shoulder. But this time, the hand wasn't Yuna's. It was wet, cold, and shivering. I dared not hope, and when I looked up to the owner, I stared straight into Tidus' face.
"I didn't find him." he said slowly.
"What do you mean?" I choked out between sobs.
"I jumped in and looked for him. I didn't see anything." he said, with his head hung low.
"Why? I thought you two didn't get along at all." I said, still not able to look him in the eye.
"Maybe it looked that way, but, he really...well, he wasn't that bad of a guy. I just...I just was a little jealous, I guess. He was always grabbing everyone's attention. I just like to always be the center. I know, it's a little childish." he said, sounding a little hesitant, as if it was some big secret.
"Thanks, I guess." I said, finally meeting his gaze.
"I'm sorry." he replied. I saw a sad, caring look in his eyes for the first time.
Tidus' stare strode elsewhere, and I saw his muscles freeze. His eyelids were open wide. It was probably just another fiend, so I didn't look right away. But when I finally did, the last thing I expected to see stood before us.