Disclaimer: Lenne and Shuyin are both properties of Square-Enix, and
whoever else owns them. Once again, GIO IS MINE (back off.no mooching). And
Kaiyla's is Alex's. Don't steal.
Authors Note: Thanks to everyone that responded so quickly to our first chapter.I'm glad to see our work paid off (take that 4th grade English teacher.I CAN WRITE). I hope you guys can wait patiently till chapter 3.that's when it gets REALLY good! Enjoy!
Alex note: umm yea, I hope you like this chapter as much as the first, and sorry if it's a little bit shorter.ok I'm done.
1000 Words- Shuyin's Story
Chapter 2- Tidings of War
It was almost dawn when I began to make my way to Gio's. The sun's golden ray's had just begun to touch the sky, creating a soft, grey color. After my father died, I gradually started spending more time with Gio; within two years, he had become the brother I never had. My mother died during childbirth, leaving my dad to raise me on his own... until two years ago. He was captured and killed by Bevelle's forces. My hatred of Bevelle grew with each passing day; the fighting would never stop.
It took a long time to walk back to Gio's place; he had forgotten about me and taken the hover. Nothing could bother me, though...not tonight. I enjoyed walking through the crowded streets of Zanarkand. The city was full of energy and color. People ran by laughing, merchants were still busy selling the newest fads, and everyone seemed to be happy; a day was never dull in Zanarkand. Halfway through my walk it began to rain lightly; I looked towards the grey sky and let the cool raindrops hit my face. It was a relief from the steamy weather. The sound of rain hitting against the streets of Zanarkand created a sweet symphony, and I was once again lost in my thoughts. The streets seemed completely deserted as I fantasized about Lenne.
My walk ended as I reached Gio's apartment, the only one in the building still lit up. I stumbled in to find Gio asleep in his room and I quietly slipped into the bed opposite his. I turned back and forth, struggling to fall asleep, but I couldn't. I laid awake for the remainder of the night reliving the moment we kissed. How her soft, white cheeks brushed against mine, how her long brown hair flowed in the wind... the warmth of her body pressing against me, the passion that was building up inside. the sweet taste of her... "Wake up!!"
"Wake up!", Gio was struggling to get me out of bed, "FIRE!!". I shot up faster than a chocobo hyped up on Moon Juice, "Fire!? Where?". Gio started laughing, "Well, SOMETHING finally worked... I've spent the last half hour trying to get you out of bed...". He looked a little suspicious, "Whose this 'Lenne' you were moaning about? She must've been really good". He rustled my dirty blonde hair and sat up on the bed intent on hearing about my night. I turned red...a color I should have been used to, "huh?". Gio smiled, "Ah, your story can wait ...wait until you hear what I did last night". I shrugged and continued to listen, "...what did you do?". "Ha" he said, "more like WHO did I do". He flashed one of his trademark smiles, " I met two dancers from the concert last night..."
He never ceased to amaze me. "Two? In one night?". Gio laughed, "I know, I know. Calm down... it IS me we're talking about". How could my story even compare to his? He'd just laugh... I hoped that maybe he had forgotten the whole situation, but like I had feared, He asked about my night, "so...'Lenne'?" He began to mock me and make kissing noises, "Oh, Lenne! I want you!!" He fell on the bed in a fit of laughter. Sometimes he could be a real ass, "but seriously...did ya get lucky?? You must have done something exciting to skip out on Kaiyla like that". Kaiyla! The perfect distraction, " Oh, Kaiyla!!" I tried to sound less excited, "...Did you end up meeting her?" "Sorta", he answered, "She came in almost crying. She was looking for some girl and just left. Guess it was her loss."
I thought about the singer's argument with Lenne, and what could have made Kaiyla so upset. Gio quickly interrupted my thoughts, "So what did you do?" There was no way out of it. Gio had cornered me... I reluctantly told him about the cute dancer I had seen, and how I "humped-ah bumped" into her backstage. I told him the wonderful night we had... how she could sing and dance. I also told him about the fights she had with her sister and how Kaiyla came to break us up. I became so wrapped up in my emotions that I didn't even realize Gio's boredom, "So you didn't get ANY action?"
Why was everything about sex to him?? "She's NOT like that!" I yelled. He lazily snapped back, "Oh come on. Why don't you grow up? Stop acting like a child". His words were like a slap in the face. How could he say that? I'd grown up most of my life without parents, and he tells me to grow up? Shock turned to anger, "You think that just because your 'hot stuff', you can tell me what's right?? Well I'm not a kid damn it! I had to grow up with the same kind of problems you did-" I stopped as I watched him sink back into the bed, his head between his hands. "No, you didn't," He continued to talk to himself as if I wasn't there, "you don't have to fight for a place you want to erase from your memory. You're not being FORCED to stand up for a place you want to put down. You're life's not like mine... be thankful." I was extremely confused, "What are you talking- ". He turned his face from me, wiped his eyes, and stormed out of the apartment. That was the first and last time I saw Gio cry.
I thought about a lot of things that afternoon. Why was my world falling apart in front of me? People who didn't deserve pain were getting more than their share. Lenne, Gio, my Father, Spira. Why?? Why is there so much hatred? Drained by my troubles, I drifted off into an uneasy and dreamless sleep.
"They've attacked!" Gio's words hadn't quite hit me yet.I was still recovering from my sudden awakening, ".what?" "Bevelle!!" he yelled. I noticed his knees were shaking, "What??" I asked nervously, "what happened!?"
I was in shock as he lead me to the disaster area.a small school yard had been the target. Children littered the floor, and weeping mothers swept the blood soaked grounds in search of their loved ones. I felt tears of rage trickle down my face; the carnage was too much. My fists were clenched in anger and I wondered, "Why?? Why here!?" My eyes were turned to the crimson sky, littered with death and smoke. War was at Zanarkands doorstep.
Authors Note: Thanks to everyone that responded so quickly to our first chapter.I'm glad to see our work paid off (take that 4th grade English teacher.I CAN WRITE). I hope you guys can wait patiently till chapter 3.that's when it gets REALLY good! Enjoy!
Alex note: umm yea, I hope you like this chapter as much as the first, and sorry if it's a little bit shorter.ok I'm done.
1000 Words- Shuyin's Story
Chapter 2- Tidings of War
It was almost dawn when I began to make my way to Gio's. The sun's golden ray's had just begun to touch the sky, creating a soft, grey color. After my father died, I gradually started spending more time with Gio; within two years, he had become the brother I never had. My mother died during childbirth, leaving my dad to raise me on his own... until two years ago. He was captured and killed by Bevelle's forces. My hatred of Bevelle grew with each passing day; the fighting would never stop.
It took a long time to walk back to Gio's place; he had forgotten about me and taken the hover. Nothing could bother me, though...not tonight. I enjoyed walking through the crowded streets of Zanarkand. The city was full of energy and color. People ran by laughing, merchants were still busy selling the newest fads, and everyone seemed to be happy; a day was never dull in Zanarkand. Halfway through my walk it began to rain lightly; I looked towards the grey sky and let the cool raindrops hit my face. It was a relief from the steamy weather. The sound of rain hitting against the streets of Zanarkand created a sweet symphony, and I was once again lost in my thoughts. The streets seemed completely deserted as I fantasized about Lenne.
My walk ended as I reached Gio's apartment, the only one in the building still lit up. I stumbled in to find Gio asleep in his room and I quietly slipped into the bed opposite his. I turned back and forth, struggling to fall asleep, but I couldn't. I laid awake for the remainder of the night reliving the moment we kissed. How her soft, white cheeks brushed against mine, how her long brown hair flowed in the wind... the warmth of her body pressing against me, the passion that was building up inside. the sweet taste of her... "Wake up!!"
"Wake up!", Gio was struggling to get me out of bed, "FIRE!!". I shot up faster than a chocobo hyped up on Moon Juice, "Fire!? Where?". Gio started laughing, "Well, SOMETHING finally worked... I've spent the last half hour trying to get you out of bed...". He looked a little suspicious, "Whose this 'Lenne' you were moaning about? She must've been really good". He rustled my dirty blonde hair and sat up on the bed intent on hearing about my night. I turned red...a color I should have been used to, "huh?". Gio smiled, "Ah, your story can wait ...wait until you hear what I did last night". I shrugged and continued to listen, "...what did you do?". "Ha" he said, "more like WHO did I do". He flashed one of his trademark smiles, " I met two dancers from the concert last night..."
He never ceased to amaze me. "Two? In one night?". Gio laughed, "I know, I know. Calm down... it IS me we're talking about". How could my story even compare to his? He'd just laugh... I hoped that maybe he had forgotten the whole situation, but like I had feared, He asked about my night, "so...'Lenne'?" He began to mock me and make kissing noises, "Oh, Lenne! I want you!!" He fell on the bed in a fit of laughter. Sometimes he could be a real ass, "but seriously...did ya get lucky?? You must have done something exciting to skip out on Kaiyla like that". Kaiyla! The perfect distraction, " Oh, Kaiyla!!" I tried to sound less excited, "...Did you end up meeting her?" "Sorta", he answered, "She came in almost crying. She was looking for some girl and just left. Guess it was her loss."
I thought about the singer's argument with Lenne, and what could have made Kaiyla so upset. Gio quickly interrupted my thoughts, "So what did you do?" There was no way out of it. Gio had cornered me... I reluctantly told him about the cute dancer I had seen, and how I "humped-ah bumped" into her backstage. I told him the wonderful night we had... how she could sing and dance. I also told him about the fights she had with her sister and how Kaiyla came to break us up. I became so wrapped up in my emotions that I didn't even realize Gio's boredom, "So you didn't get ANY action?"
Why was everything about sex to him?? "She's NOT like that!" I yelled. He lazily snapped back, "Oh come on. Why don't you grow up? Stop acting like a child". His words were like a slap in the face. How could he say that? I'd grown up most of my life without parents, and he tells me to grow up? Shock turned to anger, "You think that just because your 'hot stuff', you can tell me what's right?? Well I'm not a kid damn it! I had to grow up with the same kind of problems you did-" I stopped as I watched him sink back into the bed, his head between his hands. "No, you didn't," He continued to talk to himself as if I wasn't there, "you don't have to fight for a place you want to erase from your memory. You're not being FORCED to stand up for a place you want to put down. You're life's not like mine... be thankful." I was extremely confused, "What are you talking- ". He turned his face from me, wiped his eyes, and stormed out of the apartment. That was the first and last time I saw Gio cry.
I thought about a lot of things that afternoon. Why was my world falling apart in front of me? People who didn't deserve pain were getting more than their share. Lenne, Gio, my Father, Spira. Why?? Why is there so much hatred? Drained by my troubles, I drifted off into an uneasy and dreamless sleep.
"They've attacked!" Gio's words hadn't quite hit me yet.I was still recovering from my sudden awakening, ".what?" "Bevelle!!" he yelled. I noticed his knees were shaking, "What??" I asked nervously, "what happened!?"
I was in shock as he lead me to the disaster area.a small school yard had been the target. Children littered the floor, and weeping mothers swept the blood soaked grounds in search of their loved ones. I felt tears of rage trickle down my face; the carnage was too much. My fists were clenched in anger and I wondered, "Why?? Why here!?" My eyes were turned to the crimson sky, littered with death and smoke. War was at Zanarkands doorstep.