Life after Death

Chapter 3: Water Gem

LLL

Malevalla: Well, here's chapter four! Yay! I was at a convention this week, so I didn't get a chance to update. Don't hate me, please! I still only have the homepage for my website up though. I'm hoping to fix that, soonish.

Loki: Let's just get on with the fic!

Disclaimer: Mel don't own.

LLL

"Damn you, Lilly!" I growled, slapping the ditsy blonde over the head. Both Lilly and Vivi the 2nd leaned over me.

"Ow! What was that for?" Lilly asked, rubbing her head.

"You woke me up from my dream," I said, barely above a whisper. Vivi…if she had just left me alone, I could still be in that world with you…wherever you were…

"L-Loki?" Vivi whispered, standing on his toes, and looking straight into my face. Apparently I was on a bed.

"Yes, Vivi?"

"Did…Dad give you that?" He pointed to my forehead. Wait, my forehead? That had to mean the gem was there, just as Vivi said it would be!

"Yes!" I replied, smiling. I sat up, and lifted the mage up onto the bed. "And everything is going to be okay now! I'm going to save Tam, and I'm going to bring your family back!" I rested my head against Vivi's, who starred at me with yellow eyes.

"Dad said you would!" He whispered to me, his eyes showing me he was happy.

"Your father would never lie," I said, mostly to myself. If that gem was there, and Vivi believed in me, there was nothing I couldn't do!

I had forced Lilly and Vivi to come with me, back to Lindblum. Lilly was one of the people with a gem. She was supposed to help me save Gaia or whatever. I wanted to keep my eye on Vivi. Out of all of his father's children, Tam and Vivi were the strongest. If Kuja had taken advantage of Tam, there was no reason why he wouldn't do the same to Vivi, or worse.

"Loki, don't you have to find that last person?" Vivi asked. The three of us were at the pub. I had spent all day looking through the crowds for anyone with a gem. I wanted a break, and a root beer. Okay, I really wanted a drink, but I was underage. Damn laws, preventing me from getting as drunk as Zidane on a bad day!

"I am, just from the comfort of a chair!" I replied, draining the glass of its contents.

"I don't think-" Vivi was cut off by someone yelling, just outside the door to the pub.

"Let go of me, you dirty old man!" The voice was familiar, even though I couldn't place a face or name to it.

"Eiko!" Vivi piped up, jumping off the chair. Oh, right! Eiko was the one who got Vivi rides to the Black Mage Village! I hadn't seen her since the play.

"Vivi, stay here!" Lilly shouted, getting out of the chair, and running in front of Vivi. "This isn't the sort of things little kids should see!" She turned and left the pub herself, leaving Vivi dumbfounded in his spot.

"Listen to Lilly!" I added, just now registering what Eiko had yelled. I got out and left the place, not nearly as energetic about it as Lilly.

Eiko stood outside, the heel of a dark grey boot implanted in the face of a man, who strongly resembled an oversized ant eater. Her hair had been grown out to shoulder length, but was tied in a messy bun on the top of her head. She wore a white shirt, covered in grease and dirt. A pair of worn overalls covered most of the rest of her body. Assorted tools were shoved into the large pocket in the front. The man in front of her groped the air unsuccessfully.

"Need any help?" I asked, since Eiko still hadn't noticed me or Lilly. She turned her head to look at me and nodded, the slightest bit of a smile appearing on her grease stained face.

Lilly snapped her fingers, a vine erupting from the ground, and grabbing hold of the man, lifting him up into the air. He had to be at least ten feet up. Falling would hurt quite a bit.

I snapped my fingers, and the vine erupted into a lovely flame. It burned through the plant, but didn't touch the man. As the plant turned to ash, the man fell to the ground face first. It looked like it hurt, but the worst I did was brake his nose, which was spurting blood when he stood again, and ran screaming from the three of us.

"That was so cool!" Eiko squeaked, turning to face us fully. "Vivi told me I'd meet up with you two eventually!" She smiled, something on her forehead shining in the lamp light.

"You have the water gem!" Lilly stated, holding a finger up in the air uselessly.

"Thank you for the commentary, Miss Queen of the Obvious!" I growled, elbowing Lilly.

The gem was like mine, except was in the shape of a drop of water. The gem was dark blue, highlighted with light blue.

"I can't believe you're the owner of the fire gem," Eiko announced, suddenly serious.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I growled, ready to beat the Royal brat with the nearest heavy object.

"You're not the type of person to have this sort of destiny. You aren't the type to try and save the world," Eiko answered, turning away from us. "I don't see what Vivi saw in you. He would have been better off loving someone else!"

Maybe he would, but I don't want Vivi to love anyone else. It's selfish, but I wanted so much to improve myself for Vivi. Who else would but down their hatred to love the thing they hate? "So what? It doesn't matter what you think!" I replied, glaring at the child, burning nonexistent fire into her.

"It does too matter!" Eiko shouted, facing me. "If there's anyone Vivi should love, it's me!"

I understood now! Eiko had feelings for Vivi she never got a chance to reveal! "What makes you think that!" My usual, competitive attitude taking control. Eiko was really beginning to bug me.

"It was destiny! All that we've been through together made us perfect for each other! Just like Zidane and Dagger were meant to be together, so were me and Vivi! Then you came along, and ruined everything, with that mind reading crap!" Tears streamed down the blue-haired girl's face. I barely noticed. Hatred was running hot through my body.

"I never asked for Vivi to be so kind to me! Do you think I deserved it! I was selfish and cruel, and didn't give Vivi anything in return for his care but shit! Is it my fault you couldn't tell Vivi how you felt about him BEFORE I came around!"

"If you hadn't come at all, there wouldn't be a problem!" Eiko yelled back, turning and running down the alleyway. Lilly glanced at me, and grimaced. Vivi waddled out, starring concerned at me and Lilly, Eiko already out of sight.

"Now…" Lilly said after a long, painfully awkward silence. "It's going to be a problem if you and Princess Eiko can't get along…." Her voice trailed off, and I strongly resisted the urge to punch her teeth out.

"L-Loki, I think you and Eiko shouldn't fight with each other. I…I don't think Dad would like very much…" Vivi walked to me side, and starred up at me, clinging desperately to my pants.

"Y-you're right, Vivi," I mumbled, tears trickling past my eyes. Damn it, why am I crying? What do I care what Eiko thinks? If it was really destiny for her and Vivi to live happily ever after, then why was it Vivi seemed to love ME?

"I love you Loki…I love Eiko too, but I love you. Don't forget that. Don't give up! All of Say is counting on you, Lilly, and Eiko! I'm counting on you…