Response to reviewers:
Firstly, thanks to you all for getting me to fifty reviews, as Quina would say 'I so happy!' Lol.
Iifa the divider of souls - Hehe, most questions will be answer. Lol. I think you're right about Vivi.
Lottirebel - travelling Vivi, huh? Lol. Lollypop!
Saffire Raynius - My thanks. I can relate to him too, when you loose something it feels like it's your fault. Pregnant women are scary!
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Alexandria castle seemed to echo with thunder as autumn's might became more apparent, finger like branches raked against ancient windows and trees cast their suspicious silhouettes upon the floor. The wind howled like a child in tears, it's voice growing louder and quieter as it blew the leaves from their perches. Ellisa shuddered, pulling her robe closer into herself as she made her way towards the castle; some work stopped in the more dangerous weather but she was as ever on call. The winds wraiths tugged at her hair, pulling it in front of her face as if trying to make her stumble; birds flapped desperately against this unstoppable force as others gave up and let themselves be carried.
Her robe was soaked, drenched by the winds tears as she walked; but Ellisa loved autumnal weather, she loved most weather as it was just part of life and nature and she appreciated the need for change. Change was what helped to keep the world going, setting everything in a new order so that the next generation would experience something different to the one before it. She soon reached the castle, there was one last thing she had to do before going to dry her clothing, the one thing she had seen coming for a long time.
A slightly abused Tetra master deck lay spread on the floor as the mage sorted through them, being shut in the castle until the storm passed had left him with little else to do; a tap at the door was shortly followed by Ellisa. Without any invitation she sat on the floor opposite him, "You could start waiting for a reply now," He suggested as he chucked a useless fang card to one side. There was no reply from the white mage, her keen turquoise eyes on the cards before drifting up to Vivi's right wrist; he seemed to have recovered from his injury and whatever had led to it. "What's wrong Ellisa? You've really quiet and your eyes are turquoise again."
"I'm just here to tell you that you've recovered enough that I don't need to see you again,"
He took a little while to take this in, looking towards her to gain a smile and a nod in reply. "I won't take it personally if you throw a big party to celebrate that you don't have to see me again." She assured him with a smile, "I've been an awful nag, a pain in your ass and generally not very nice." He set the cards down and moved to her side, wrapping her in a surprisingly tight hug for one so small. She knew from before that he was a lightweight, made of only mist and magic but for the first time she was truly aware of him. His coat felt course against her cheek and he smelt vaguely of mothballs and lavender; for all the coarseness of his coat, his skin was soft. From checking him over, Ellisa also knew that some of the inky black of his skin had small pox marks, so he was clearly not beyond catching normal childhood illnesses.
He let her go, seemingly very nervous, "Thanks Ellisa," He said softly. "For everything," He said no more then that, clearly uncertain of what to say to her. "I know I wasn't easy to deal with, I guess you're more patient then I am."
Ellisa chuckled, "I bet I'm not," She smiled at him. "About four months ago, Dr. Tot told me that I'd have to care for some pathetic weak creature he was bringing into the castle." She told him, head ducked so that he could not see the silvery hint to her eyes that demonstrated the happiness at the reminiscence. "I wasn't happy, I stomped about a bit but I never told Tot I didn't want to do it because it's my job. If I want to follow in his footsteps then I have to do things that I don't want to."
"I first saw this creature when he was unconscious, he cute a pretty pathetic figure lying in a bed that was far too big for him. Tot showed me what it had done to itself and all I could find it in myself to feel was pity."
Politely, Vivi listened without interrupting; he realised that he had put the people around him through a lot. "I hate pity, it's a sickening thing to feel because it's like you feel superior enough to think you're better then the person you feel it for. It was the only emotion I could find." She shook her head, "However, that went pretty quickly, it's hard to feel pity for a stubborn little bastard like that." This drew his eyes to her bowed head but feeling his eyes on her head she did not look up. "I felt like he was blank but one day he spoke to me and that shadow of a voice reply meant everything to me. Slowly, Vivi spoke more to me and after Sarah's birth he even asked me my name."
She finally looked up, her purple eyes locking with his bright yellow ones. "Then I started to see your real personality and I was really glad to see it after dealing with that broody, disdainful little thing."
"I'm not that little,"
Ellisa chuckled slightly, "Just shorter then average," She teased. "Saying that, you'll have a growth spurt and be a lot taller then me soon enough." She smiled at him, "So, I guess this is see you around rather then see you in three days." She stood and he did so too, "Though I'll be certain to see you about, checking up on you, so to speak." She headed for the door, "All there is now is for me to wish you good luck." In a very formal way, she shook his hand once.
Internally, Vivi battled with the things he really wanted to say to Zidane; he felt comfortable talking to Ellisa as she was removed from the situation. "Can I talk to you about something Ellisa?" He queried, hiding his eyes as he looked to his clasped hands. "I'd understand if you said no, all you've ever seemed to do it listen to me." The door closed and Vivi assumed that she had left; he looked up directly into her face as she stooped to look into his eyes.
"It doesn't hurt me to listen,"
He motioned a seat to her and moved to look out of the window, the rain lashed against it. "I really don't know what to say," He admitted. "I've been getting invitations from people to stay with them and I've been offered a place in Tantalus if I wanted it."
"Go for it,"
This had been the last answer the mage had expected and he looked to Ellisa who smiled. "Vivi, if I'd just gone through what you went through then I'd want to do the same." She told him, "Tantalus are a good bunch, you can't go wrong if you went with them and I think going through their initiation will really help you."
"You think … Zidane will let me?"
Ellisa nodded her head vigorously, "He'll be glad I think, he'll be worried sick but he'll get over that." She stood and moved to his side; he could now see that her robe was soaked, the heavy fabric of her hood flattening her severely wet hair to her head. "They'd send you back if something didn't fit, you deserve to have a little adventure."
"Do you think I'll fit in alright?" He asked her softly, leaning onto the windowsill again. "I don't want to be treated like … I don't know … I don't wanna be wrapped in cotton wool."
If he were any other thirteen year old, she would have ruffled his hair. "They'd have to find a lot of cotton wool, Vivi." She teased, "Tantalus don't seem to be the sort of people to do that. I don't think they'd treat you in any special way." Inside she was vowing to write to Cinna to tell him about this conversation; Cinna and she had been pen pals for a long time and they were very good friends, whenever she had been worried, she told him, and vice-versa.
There was a clap of thunder and Ellisa sneezed explosively. "I'd better go and dry off, I'm sure you've got a letter to write." She grinned at him, heading for the door. "Address it to Baku or he won't get it," This said she left, the mage moved back to his Tetra master deck, looking at the colourful cards for a time before moving to his desk with a quill and sheet of parchment.
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Hey Cinna,
Sorry it's been so long, but I've been kinda busy, I'm not sure if he's sent the letter yet, but Vivi wants to join you guys for a while. I told him that you guys wouldn't treat him in any special way so can you try not to make me a liar? For once. He's a good cook, something I know you guys are lacking but he's still a little shaky with his magic at first. Don't treat him specially, I told him you'd all be okay with everything, which may be slightly unfair for me to claim but you know as well as I do that Vivi's a good person, and that the worst stuff always happens to the best people.
You make sure you write back soon, Ellisa.
SSS
AN: Four years in the future, a meeting of great significance, Vivi finally has his 'Light Restored' in the final chapter of Shattered Soul.
Please note, the next chapter may take me a little while, it doesn't quite seem to want to work.
