I Walk Alone
"So free," Casey Loka sang. "For the moment. Lost somewhere between the Earth and the sky. So free for the moment. Lost because I wanna be lost. Don't try to find me."
Casey or rather Quistis Trepe sang to herself that Friday morning as she cleaned her small yet hospitable hut in Shumi Village. For three weeks now she had been living the life of Casey Loka; a wanderer from Winhill. No physical trace remained of Quistis. Her long golden locks had been reduced to a short spiky copper style and her blue eyes were now a shade of green; changed by an act of sorcery.
She didn't really know why she had run from Garden but she knew that she could not live with her former friends anymore.
Including him;
"Seifer I'm sorry."
She thought about him a lot but she knew it was too late for them. "He probably hates me. Well if he does then I deserve it."
After cleaning, she took a quick shower and dressed in a brown tunic and woven pants. She ran some wax through her hair and spiked it up at the back. Today she would help the Shumi known as Musician with his latest work. She slipped on some sandals and headed out the door.
"Good morning Casey Loka." Musician greeted her. "Are you ready to start?"
"Yes Musician." Casey replied. She sat down on the stool next to his work area. "What part are we working on today?"
Rinoa Heartlily sat beside Selphie Tilmitt in the Ragnarok as they flew around the world.
"How many spots do we have left on the list?" Rinoa asked.
Selphie didn't look up from the controls. "We only have one on list but that's just on the list that Seifer complied. We haven't searched the everywhere yet. Next is the orphanage."
"Poor Seifer. He hasn't talked to anyone all week. He thinks that it's his fault that she left." Rinoa looked at her feet. "I wish there was something I could do."
"I guess there's not much you can do when the love of your life just takes off without a word." Selphie replied. The last three weeks she had not been her normal cheery self. It was so exhausting for her to keep up the energy she needed to maintain the façade so she had just let it go."
"Rin where's Squall today?"
"He's back at Garden trying to summon the Guardians. He wants to talk to them about that thing Quistis summoned."
"I wonder if they know where she is."
"You want to contact the Guardian Forces?" Edea asked him as Squall Leonhart entered her room.
"Yes Matron but I don't know how."
Edea gestured for him to come forward. "Squall take my hand."
As he did, she said, "Hold on dear."
The sorceress moved her hand in an arc shape. As she did, energy appeared where she had motioned.
"We are going into another dimension Squall. It's very dangerous in there so be prepared."
"Yes Matron."
The world faded into black. Squall felt a gust of wind around him ruffling his hair. He suddenly felt very cold all over and into his soul; as if he would never be warm again.
Then there was light.
"SQUALL LEONHART!" A voice boomed. "What do you want?"
Squall looked up. In a circle around him and Edea were all the guardian beasts: Ifrit, Shiva, Quezacotle, Diablos, The Brothers, Doomtrain, Alexander, Carbuncle, Eden, Siren and Bahamut.
"Guardian Forces I come here asking for your help. It's about Quistis. He looked at Siren. "I know you were junctioned to her when she became a sorceress. Can you please tell about the Guardian she summoned when she killed Stefan Deling?"
The scantily dressed blonde guardian looked at him. "The thing she summoned is called the Reaper. But he is no guardian. He is a pure demon, just as Ifrit was before he became a guardian."
"You see my child," Shiva said. "When you become a guardian you give up all traces of demonic energy within you while maintaining your powers to serve and protect those who you are junctioned to. The Reaper is a bringer of death. He is pure evil. He is what you summon when you wish to kill with malice and anger."
"Can he be killed?" Edea asked.
"Hard to say." Carbuncle answered as the turquoise guardian jumped around in his seat. "No one has ever tried it before but then again he is no god he is only a demon and demons can be slayed."
"I see."
"Is there anything else you would like to ask?" Shiva asked.
"Siren can you help me find Quistis?" Squall asked.
Siren shook her head. "She unjunctioned me before she left. I can't trace her and neither can any of us. I am afraid you're on your own."
Squall bowed. "Thank you for your time. The light disappeared and he was in the dark again.
"Squall open your eyes now dear. Squall blinked. He was back in Garden. Edea slowly made her way to her bed with exhaustion.
"Matron are you alright?"
"I'm just tired dear. I am not as young as I used to be and opening portals to different dimensions takes a lot of energy." She closed her eyes. "I will sleep now Squall. Go find Seifer and help him."
"Yes Matron."
Seifer was in the training area fighting a T-Rexaur. With one mighty strike, he brought down the beast and watched as its carcass disappeared.
"Seifer," Squall called. Seifer sighed. "What do you want Leonhart?"
"Edea asked that I keep an eye on you. She's worried.
"I'm fine."
"No you're not." Squall sat down on one of the huge boulders. "I remember when Rinoa made the decision to be captive in the sorceress memorial. I had a moment when I realized that she would be gone forever. It nearly goddamned killed me. Trust me when I say you're not fine."
"You're right I'm not." Seifer turned to face him. "It's taking a helluva lot of strength for me not to lose it completely and to be honest I don't have a lot of strength left. Every minute I can't see her smile or hear her laugh I feel like I'm going to go mental." He too sat down. "How's the search going?"
"Well we've almost finished searching all of the spots on your list and so far nothing but there's also a lot of places we haven't looked yet."
Seifer managed a smile. "Well at least I know that she's good at hiding herself. I don't have to worry whether or not she's safe." He looked at the ground. "Why did she leave? I know she's a sorceress now but I can accept that. It's not like I would reject her or anything."
"I don't know if it's that." Squall said. "We both saw what she did to Stefan. It was brutal, bloody and almost sadistic. Maybe she hates herself for that or she's afraid that she'll lose control and kill us. I don't what's going on in her head and neither do you. I guess we won't know until we find her."
"How did it go with the guardians?"
"Well they can't find her. She unjunctioned Siren before she left so there's no way for them to track her.
"What about that thing she summoned?"
"It's not a guardian. Apparently it's some sort of demon that brings death."
"I thought that most of the guardians were demons."
"So did I but any demon who becomes a guardian can no longer be a demon."
Seifer scratched his head. "Hey Squall we may not have ever been friends to start with but I always respected you. And I'm glad that we're buddies now."
"Me too Seifer."
"Casey Loka." Musician called to her. "I've finished the song. Would you like to help me perform it for the first time?"
"Of course Musician." Casey stood up off the bench she was sitting on. "What's it called?"
"I haven't decided yet. Maybe once you sing it I will know."
The music started slow. Casey waited for her cue to sing.
I walk a lonely road
The only that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone
I walk this empty street
On the boulevard of broken dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk alone
I walk alone I walk alone I walk alone I walk alone.
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone
I'm walking down the line
That divides me somewhere in my mind
On the borderline of the edge
And where I walk alone
Read between the lines of what's
Fucked up and everything's alright
Check my vital signs to know I'm still alive
And I walk alone
I walk alone I walk alone I walk alone I walk alone.
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone
I walk alone I walk alone
I walk this empty street
On the boulevard of broken dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk alone
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone
"That was beautiful Casey Loka." Musician said. "Oh look at the time. I'll see you tomorrow."
Quistis dawdled back to her hut and closed the door behind her. She sank to the floor and huddled herself into a little ball and shivered.
"I walk alone." She whispered.
Author's note: Hope you liked that one. The song is of course 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' by none other than Green Day. If like me you can easily understand the story contained within the lyrics then you can also understand why I chose this song for Quistis.
The next story will feature a new person coming into Shumi Village. Also, the SeeDs begin to narrow down where Quistis could be. Stay tuned.
P.S Merry Christmas to everyone on fanfic net and a happy new year.