Disclaimer: Final Fantasy belongs to Square, not Sekugi….sigh. I wish I owned Kuja-sama…
A/N: sigh…so few reviews…Oh Well! Must keep PEPPY! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Just remember: I'd be happy to be told what I'm doing wrong. That way, you don't have to suffer through reading my little mistakes. See? It's also for your benefit!
I've been really excited about writing this chapter for a while…Mwahahaha! (read to find out why…MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!)
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Kioku shuddered and stepped back from the apparition. Aji pulled out his own sword and stepped in front of Kioku.
Kakiko just smiled, "A meaningless effort."
She swooped forward and slashed Aji's face, knocking him to the side…and leaving Kioku wide open. Kioku quickly pulled out her staff.
"Protect!" she yelled as she cast the spell.
Though the magic barrier protected her, she was flung back into the stone wall.
Aji ran at Kakiko, his face bleeding profusely from the gash over his right eye. He swung his blade at her, only to watch it go straight through her chest.
Kaki laughed, "Aji, you know you can't kill the dead. There is no escaping this fate!"
"Damn…" he muttered as he blocked an attack, "How the hell am I supposed to beat her…?"
He turned to Kioku, "Kiki! Get back to the Ryu NOW!"
Kioku looked at him, unable to move. Could she leave him to die at the hands of this…this ghost?
"Aji! You know I can't just-"
"Hurry! Remember? She said 'either she dies or you both die together!' That means, if you leave-" he turned back to the fight as Kaki attempted to get closer to Kioku.
Kioku stared at him for moment. If she stayed, she would be risking, not only her life, but Aji's as well…but…if she could get out…they might be able to…
She blinked away tears as she turned to the doorway.
Kaki just laughed, "Oh well, I guess they figured it out. I suppose it's time to stop playing around."
She shot straight through Aji and came face to face with Kioku.
Kaki smiled, "Now fade into memory…as I have."
With that she thrust her sword through Kioku into the wall behind her.
Kaki turned to Aji who watched on in horror, "It was nice seeing you again, Aji. I'll be waiting for those flowers."
With that Kaki dissipated, leaving only Aji and Kioku, who was pinned upright against the wall.
Kioku just stared blankly ahead of her, unable to fully comprehend what had just happened. Aji ran to her.
She looked up as Aji reached her, "A..ji…I-It h-hurts so…m-much."
Aji did his best to put on a smile, "I know, but bear it a little longer, okay? W-We'll just get ya down now, alright?"
She just stared at him and coughed as he took the hilt into his hands.
He looked up at Kioku, "Just hang on, okay? This will hurt…"
He turned away and yanked back on the sword free. Kioku screamed in pain as she fell forward into Aji's arms. Aji sat down and cradled Kioku in his lap.
Kioku looked up at Aji, "N-No! I s-still haven't m-met…Ku...ja"
Aji winced, "Y-You will…We'll see him together, right?"
Kioku turned away without response. She could feel herself fading, and she nearly succumbed to the oncoming darkness, but she realized that she couldn't…not yet!
How could she leave without Aji knowing that the past few days had been the best in her life…that in that small amount of time she had…How could she sum up her feelings? How could she explain the sorrow she had felt when she even thought of parting with him?
She smiled weakly at Aji, reached up, and healed the wound on his face, leaving only a deep scar.
"A…ji…" she whispered, "I-Isn't it…beautiful….?"
Aji's eyes widened as he felt her go limp. He began trembling.
"Kiki!" he yelled as he shook her body, "Kiki! K-Kioku!"
Her empty eyes merely stared peacefully into space. Aji, still trembling, held her face to his as tears ran down his face, her final words ringing in his ears.
Kioku…Kiki…I'll love you…forever…
Yes, Aji…Forever…and beyond…
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A/N: And there you have it! That's all for this story! What's that? Not enough for you? Don't worry! Just keep an eye out for the upcoming sequel: Within the Realms of Eternity! 'Til then, this is Sephy-kun's girl signing out! Jaa ne!