"What the hell?"
"Good morning sunshine!"
"Ugh. You again? I spared your sorry life, what more do you want from me?"
"You could move over alittle-"
"Sick little freak, get out of my room. Get off my bed!"
"I was kidding. Well, okay, may- No no! Put down the dagger lady. I was seriously kidding."
"What are you doing here?!"
"I…I wanted to ask you if I could…you know…Go with you."
"Go with me?"
"Yeah. Just for alittle while. I have no where else to go, you see, and…"
"And I am the only idiot with a vechial who is leaving town."
"Exactly."
"…Grr…Lemme get dressed."
"Okay."
"…Get out of my room."
"Why?"
"…"
"Okay, I'm going! No need to give me the death glare."
They had managed to set up a rather pathetic looking tent inside the sleeping forest that evening (Needless to say Rif put it up). The following morning, after blade had to beat the fact that she was fine into Rif's skull, Emily led them through the path's after the forest, into the direction of the forgotten Capital.
After about five minutes of fighting little seahorses and mad groundhogs (or, what looked like both this creatures), Rif realized Blade was right. The woman was fine. Her sea of curses and her grin when she gained the chance to help make Emily look like an idiot proved that.
Now they walked along A bizarre stairway, which made the scenery appear as if its under water. Strange trees and odd plant life made Blade wonder if they were in some strange, magical, bubble. One that kept the water away from their bodies. But she didn't see any fish that appeared as if they were flying in their schools of rainbow colors, so she quickly dismissed that idea.
"So this is the Forgotten Capital?" Rif asked, looked nervous. He glanced at Blade. The woman gave him a half hearted smile. She knew why he didn't want to be here.
"Yup. This is it. Pretty, isn't it? They say the last Cetra died here. I don't believe it."
"They also say Holy was here. Don't believe that either?" She asked tartly. Emily nodded her blond hair, silky strands pulling from the untied braids Rif had decorated her head in the last evening.
"Oh, I believe that."
Blade wrinkled her nose. "Alright." She muttered, glancing at her scuffed up boots to determine the drop of the next step.
"This place is disturbing." Rif said quietly. "Its so…eerie…"
"Yeah, it is. Some say that the Cetra's souls rest here. That's what makes this place so special."
'Sorta like home…I wonder if all those souls resting in the materia crystal ever made it here.'
"Blade?" Rif asked, noticing the look on her face. Blade lifter her head, looking at him.
"Hm?"
"you alright?"
"Yeah. Just thinking." She said.
The two followed Emily down to a cross roads, taking the path to the right. As Rif and the braided beauty walked away, Blade paused in front of the path leading inside to the city. A light breeze ruffled the trees. It flew from the city, carrying whispers in its grasp. She took a surprised step back, eyes wide.
"Hey! Come on lady, we aren't going to wait all day!" Emily called back to her. Blade jumped, looking in front of her. Rif was watching her with care, not sure exactly what to think. Emily just looked perturbed. Blade smirked.
"Coming oh illustrious Princess!" She called, grinning cruelly. Emily groaned and continued to trudge on. Rif grinned at Blade and followed the blond. To herself Blade muttered "Princess pain in the ass." She sighed and heaved her bag on her shoulder better, running after them.
As she ran, the sound of her feet pounding on the stone became softer and softer. She didn't even notice it. The wind ruffled her choppy hair, twisting itself around her body. As she reached the top of a rise, gazing down at Rif and Emily as they walked along a blue tinted path in what appeared to once have been a small village, it hit again.
Fingernails on the chalkboard of her mind, the voices came again. Whispers, screams, all of it. She dropped her back and stumbled back, eyes wide. The world swiftly grew darker in her eyes. The sight of Rif and Emily walking bellow faded out of existence. Translucent beings walked in front of her, their body's covered in long, flowing gowns, which created puddles on the ground as they walked. No. Not walked. Floated.
All were bathed in a pale blue or green. All looked so peaceful, but each angry and sad all at once. Suddenly they multiplied, and the worlds went black, save for these beings. They all turned their heads to her. She was backing up more, but couldn't even feel her body more. Couldn't tell if she was even still breathing.
The whispers grew in her ears, and all these things rushed at her. She hears a gasp nearby, perhaps her own voice.
"Are you okay?"
Her eyes snapped open to stare up at Rif, who looked purely worried about her. She looked about franticly, trembling under her clothes.
"W-where did they go?" She asked, feeling her eyes burning.
Rif crouched in front of her, and she realized she was sprawled out on the ground, her chest rising up and down franticly.
Rif closed his eyes, having hung his sunglasses on his shirt. Opening them again, their green glow never looking so sad, he shook his head. "Who, baby?"
"T-Who? There were- Were these-I" She blinked back the tears spilling down her face. Sympathetic with her, Rif brushed away the pain rolling down her face.
"Blade, nothing was here."
"Hurry UP already!" Emily's voice cried from bellow them. Rif growled and turned his head.
"Shut the fuck up, dammit. We're as good as there now and if you don't watch it you'll never make it!"
Blade's eyes widened a little in shock. Rif wasn't usually this cold. The man turned back to Blade, sighing.
"Are you going to be okay?" He asked her, watching as she tried to stop the tears.
The woman shook her head slowly. "I-…I don't know."
The black haired man closed his eyes and stood, holding his hand out to his partner. She slowly gripped his hand and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. Upon reaching a standing position she stumbled and fell into Rif as the world spun. He caught her and sighed, no longer caring if she killed him later or not.
"Don't hide this from me." He whispered in her ear as he held her. "Don't try and be strong. Don't try and fight this. Not alone. We're in this together, remember? You and me. You saved me from hell, and I want to return the favor."
She swallowed and nodded, pushing away. He held her our at arms length. Her heart tugged at the sight of his face. It looked as if he was going to cry.
"I'm…Worried, Blade. I don't know what's wrong with you and I don't know how to help. I don't know when you start to get this way until after its gone. Tell me, promise me you'll let me know. Scream at me, shout, hit me. I don't care. I want to help."
She nodded her head, forcing a smile.
"HEY!" Emily screeched. Rif wrinkled his nose and looked off to his right.
"Let the Planet have mercy on her, for I don't think I will." He muttered. Blade laughed. The sound of her happy made Rif smile as he looked back over at her, letting her go.
"Shall we make her day?" Rif asked. Blade grinned, picking up her bag.
"You know, I think we shall."
Note: Alright. Now that I have gotten over the "voice in your head" thing, you should go and read the stuff by Riene-Strife. Maybe be a bit more sane then this story. Or not. Who cares? He's writing kicks (someone tell me where I picked that word up from, please?) and he deserves more reviews then what he's got. Sadly, Riene, I think you're the only one reading this story right now, so your being lectured to go and read your own stuff. Ah, poor you.