Chapter 32: The Bond

"Good work, Mary. I do believe you're getting better at this." I watched as my past self was speaking to Mary yet again. I couldn't stop dreaming about Mary. Ever since Pinnacle Rocks, she was the only person I dreamed about.

During the time I had seen many of the events that took place in that classroom between Mary and me. I had seen one memory were she was sad because her father had been diagnosed with cancer, and I tried to comfort her. I also saw another memory were her mother visited the school to speak with the teacher and she introduced me to her mother. Her mother thanked me for all the help I had given her daughter. "Thanks to you" she said, "Mary is finally passing her math class, and she seems to be more confidante about her work." There were many other events as well, and I wondered which one this was about.

That was when the teacher approached the table. "Michael, this came for you." She handed my past self a letter. He opened it and I walked behind him to see what it was. As soon as I saw the twin roses, I immediately knew what it was.

"What does it say?" Mary asked. My past self read the letter aloud.

"The Senior Class of (blah, blah, blah) requests the pleasure of your company at the Senior Prom on Saturday, the eighth of May Two Thousand and four at eight o' clock in the evening at 'The Outpost.' The address is on the back of the note." My past self stopped reading and looked towards Mary. "May eighth…that's a month from now."

Mary spoke. "Are you gonna go?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know? Maybe."

Mary smiled. "I think you should go. After all, you only get one Senior Prom."

He looked at her. "Would you go to your Senior Prom?"

She shook her head. "I can't. I plan on graduating first semester as soon as I become a senior this year. I won't get to go to my Prom."

I saw the sparkle in my past self's eyes. "Mary…would you go to the prom with me?"

She looked surprised. "Are you serious?" she asked, excitement in her eyes.

He nodded "Yeah, I'll go if you go. If you can't go to your Prom, then I'll take you to mine."

If she was excited before she was ecstatic now. "Of course I'll go with you, Michael."

He smiled "great, I'll pick you up at 7:30 and we'll leave from there." The vision faded.

I woke up feeling warm and fuzzy. "Mary…" I paused. It was then that I noticed that it was still night. If I didn't know any better I would say it was almost midnight. Feeling slightly rested, I decided to go for a walk.

I left my room, entered the hallway, walked down the hallway, walked through the door, entered the dinning room, left the dinning room, and froze in my tracks. There, standing by the cliff looking out at the sea, was Vivi.

"How long have you been up?" I asked.

He turned to look at me; startled that I had disturbed his thoughts. "Oh…hi, Michael. I thought you were asleep."

I walked over to him. "I was…until about a minute ago. Why are you still up?"

He looked saddened. "I can't stop thinking."

I looked down at him. "what are you thinking about, Vivi?" He turned his head away from me.

I knelt down to his level. "Vivi, look at me." Vivi reluctantly turned his head to face me. "I've noticed that ever since we left the Black Mage Village you've been troubled by something. I see it in your movements and in your eyes. Something is frightening you, and I want to know what it is. I'm your teacher, Vivi, more importantly, I'm your friend. If you can't tell me…who can you tell?"

Vivi's body started to shake and I felt his fear mix with sorrow. "I-I don't…I don't…" he had trouble speaking.

"You don't what, Vivi?" I said, remaining calm; even though it was tearing me up to see him like this.

"I-I don't…w-want t-to…s-s-stop."

I stayed calm. "You don't wanna stop what?"

He was shaking at a greater intensity now. "I-I mean I don't wanna s-stop. I don't wanna…" he paused, unable to go on.

I finished the sentence for him. "Die."

He was crying now, but he managed to nod his head. "You're afraid to die?" He nodded his head again, still crying. I couldn't take it anymore. I immediately pulled him into a firm embrace. He continued to cry and I let him.

While I was hugging him I spoke to him. "Vivi, it's not uncommon to fear death. Many people fear death. There are those, however, that claim that they are not afraid to die. Those people are either brave or foolish, but even if they don't fear death; I know that they're not willing to die if death can be avoided."

Vivi seemed to calm down slightly. He continued to cry, but his body wasn't shaking anymore. I continued to speak to him. "Death is a necessary part of life, Vivi. All of us die at some point in our lives. Even I will die some day, though the how, when, and where I don't know, but I do know that I will die someday. Despite this fact however I still think life is worth living."

Vivi had stopped crying and I let him go. He looked up at me and I could still see the sadness in his eyes. I continued to speak. "Remember this, Vivi. Where there is life, there is death, and where there is death, there is the after-life."

Vivi looked puzzled at my last statement. "After-life?"

I smiled. "Do you want me to tell you about it?" Vivi nodded his head. I smiled, and told him what I knew of Heaven and Hell.

When I was finished speaking Vivi looked much better. "Wow…Heaven doesn't sound so bad."

I smiled and nodded my head. "I agree, Vivi. It doesn't sound bad at all."

Vivi still looked worried so I spoke. "Vivi, it won't help you to dwell on this. When death comes, it comes, and there's nothing you can do about it. All you can do is live your life to the fullest and die with no regrets."

Vivi nodded. "Okay, thanks, Michael, but I still feel worried." I placed both my hands on both his shoulders and sang to him.

"Noooo moooooore taaaaaalk of darkness. Forget theeeeese wiiiiide-eyyyyyyed feeeeeeeeears. I'm here…nothing can haaaarm yoooou. My wooooords will waaaaaarm and caaaaalm you."

"Let me beeeeeee your freedom. Let daaaaylight dry your teeeeeears. I'm here, with you, beside you, to guaaaaaaard you and to guiiiiiiiide yoooooooou."

"Let me beeeeee your shelter. Let me beeeeeeee your liiiiiiiiight. You're safe, no one will find yooooou. Your feeeeeears are faaaaaaaaaar behind yooooou." I stopped singing.

I looked at Vivi and he seemed much better. "Thanks, Michael. I'm glad you're here."

I smiled. "I'm glad you're here too, Vivi."

He turned from me and looked back out to the sea. "I want to think about what you told me, okay?"

I nodded. "Mind if I stay here and think, too?"

Vivi shook his head. "No, go right ahead. I don't mind." I stood back up and watched the sea with him.

This gave me some time to think. 'I think Eiko was right about Vivi and me. Our relationship does seem closer than friendship, and it seems to run deeper than student and teacher. I feel deeply for him, but not in that way. I just want to be with him. I want to protect him, guide him, and teach him. I can't seem to describe it. We have a lot in common, even if he isn't aware of that. It was as if we were-' my eyes widened. It finally came to me. I suddenly found what I thought was the perfect word to describe our relationship.

My thoughts were interrupted by Vivi's voice. "You know, Michael. You and the others are the only friends I've ever had. No one else would ever be my friend because of what I am."

Those words angered me slightly, but it wasn't Vivi I was angry with. "That's because the world is filled with prejudice idiots. Because they'd much rather shun what they don't understand rather than try to understand it."

Vivi looked up at me sadly. "I wish I were human."

I was about to tell him the same thing I told him before when an idea occurred to me. "I don't know how to make you human, Vivi, but I think I know a way on how to make you more human."

Vivi looked curious. "You do?"

I nodded "I think so. Here's what we do." I knelt down and whispered instructions into his ear.

After I was finished, I looked him straight in the eye, and gave him a serious look. "Are you sure you want to do this, Vivi? After we do this there's no going back for either of us." I said.

Vivi nodded his head without hesitation. "I want to do it."

I nodded my head. "Alright, then follow me." We walked towards the center of the town. Little did we know that someone was eavesdropping on us.

'Wow, Vivi…I had no idea.' I was sitting in the kitchen and just happened to here Michael and Vivi talking. 'I had no idea that Vivi was thinking about stuff like that. I could see something was wrong, but I never bothered to ask why. Was it because I didn't care' I thought. That thought troubled me; sure I cared, maybe I just didn't care enough.

That's when I heard Michael sing. 'Wow, I never knew Michael could sing. Then again, I never bothered to ask' I thought. I couldn't stop thinking about what Michael told me. "Believe it or not, Eiko, I also care about you. That's why I said what I said back at the mountain path; I didn't want you to get hurt…because I know what it's like to have a broken heart."

'Maybe he does know what it's like, but I think I should still try my chances with Zidane. After all, who else can I try my chances with?' I thought.

That's when I heard Michael speak again. "Alright, then follow me." I got up and walked into the dinning room.

I peeked out the door and saw the two of them walk towards the center of the village. 'I wonder what they're doing.' I thought. I decided to follow them and see what they were doing.

I walked to the fountain in the town square; Vivi followed close behind. I stopped when I reached the fountain. I turned around and looked at Vivi. "Last chance for second thoughts, Vivi. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Vivi nodded his head. "Yes."

I nodded. "Very well, remove your right glove."

Vivi did as I instructed. As soon as he removed his glove, I unsheathed my normal sword with my left hand. I walked over to Vivi and knelt down to his level. "Open your hand and hold it out, Vivi." Vivi did so. I placed my sword blade in his open right hand. I sighed and looked at Vivi again. He nodded his head, signaling me to do it.

I quickly slid my sword blade across the palm of Vivi's right hand. I drew blood and he gasped in pain, but the pain quickly passed. After I cut his hand, I opened my right hand and slid my blade along the palm of my right hand as well. My blade cut deep and drew blood.

After that was done I looked at Vivi. "Keep your hand open Vivi. This is the last step." He nodded and I grabbed his cut right hand with my cut right hand. I could feel our blood mingle and mix together, finally becoming one.

I looked at Vivi. "Human blood now runs through your veins, Vivi, as Black Mage blood runs through mine. We are now bound by our blood. We are now blood brothers. From now on, I shall be known as…Michael Ornitier; older blood brother of Vivi Ornitier." Though Vivi didn't say anything, I could tell he was happy.

We stayed there for five minutes, still holding each others hands, our blood still mixing. After a few seconds, I let go of Vivi's hand. "We better wash up and get to bed, Vivi." Vivi nodded his head, and I walked over to the fountain. I dipped my right hand into the water, and washed away the blood that was on the palm of my hand. After that, I took my hand out of the water and wrapped a clean cloth around it.

After that, I looked down towards Vivi. "Your turn." He walked up to the fountain. He dipped his right hand into the water as well, and washed the blood away. After that, I wrapped a clean cloth around his hand. After that, he put his glove back on.

After this was done, I yawned and looked down at him. "Let's get some sleep, Vivi. We've each had a long night." Vivi nodded and we both walked off towards the dinning room, again. Little did we know that someone was spying on us.

'Whoa, that was…strange, but it makes sense now. Brothers…those two are brothers now. Of course, that sounds like the word I was looking for, but geez….I never thought…' I didn't finish the thought. I shook my head. 'Alright, I'm gonna go with Zidane and the others. My mind's made up. I hope you can forgive me grandpa' I thought. I quietly snuck back to my room; making sure to be far away from Michael and Vivi. I didn't want them to know that I had seen them.

We entered the hallway and I decided to find a room for Vivi. The rooms on my right and left were occupied and so was the middle room on my right. My room was the one at the end of the hallway on the left side, and Eiko's room was opposite of mine. That left Vivi with the left side room in the middle of the hall.

I walked Vivi into the room and helped him into bed. I said my goodnight's and turned to leave. I had reached the door when he stopped me.

"Michael, wait." I turned to look back at him. "C-could you…stay here with me. I-I don't…wanna be alone."

I smiled and nodded. "Sure, Vivi, move over." Vivi did so and gave me the right half of the bed. Thankfully, these beds could easily fit two people.

I slipped under the covers next to Vivi. I turned my head and looked at him. "Feel any better now?"

Vivi nodded. "Yeah, thanks for staying, Michael."

I smiled. "Hey, what are brothers for." I could see the smile in Vivi's eyes. "Goodnight, Vivi." I turned away from him and looked at the ceiling.

"Goodnight…brother." He said

My eyebrows rose slightly at those words. I turned my head to look at him, but saw that he had already closed his eyes. I smiled to myself. 'Brothers…why didn't I see it before? I've never had a brother. I wonder if this was how my father felt when I was afraid of the dark and slept in his bed when I was too nervous or afraid' I entertained that thought for a moment.

That's when I felt something brush against my left side. I looked over and saw that Vivi had moved closer to me. I smiled. 'The road ahead of us will be filled with perils, but I know we can face them together, my brother. That's all I really need to know' I thought. After that thought, it wasn't until I heard Vivi's light snoring that I too fell asleep.

Don't send me anything about blood transmitted diseases because I'm well aware of the risk. Vivi and I have no blood diseases. Also What I sang are three verses from the song "All I Ask of You" from the Phantom of the Opera. The lyrics just seemed to fit the mood.