A/N: If you read carefully, you WILL find how ironic and foreshadowing this short story is to a certain book in our favorite series… For extra effect, I recommend listening to Chantal Kreviazuk's "Waiting on the Sun" while reading this. I was listening to it while writing the fic. Hope you enjoy!
Dedicated to MsTria for underestimating the power of the rivalry between the Vissers.
"Dependance"
"You don't know what you've got till it's gone." – Author unknown.
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It would be a mad world the day Edriss Five-Six-Two and Esplin Nine-Four-Double-Six would be separated forever more, Edriss thought.
The hate between the two would forever remain, she knew, even a thousand years from now when they would both be resting in their graves. But Edriss mused on the strength of this despise for her fellow Visser, and realized that without him, there would really be no sense continuing anything. Without this magnificent rival, flawed as he may be, all the fire in Edriss's life would vanish, just like that. And without fire in your eyes, without passion to keep you going… there really wasn't much sense living, was there?
Edriss, intelligent as she was, suddenly realized the depth of her bond with Visser Three. It was a rivalry, but a rivalry they both depended on to keep them running for the finish line. She hated Esplin with all her heart, mind, soul… but despite that, he was the one holding her up, bringing her to further achievements – all despite himself.
And she accepted, grudgingly, that she did the same for him. Without this rivalry, how boring their lives would be! Where would she be without Esplin egging her on, keeping her going? He was the gasoline in her engine. No sense living without it.
She knew Esplin probably thought these same things, although he was too stubborn to admit, even too himself, that he needed her as much as she needed him, and for the same purpose. To fight this war. To win this war. To live their lives. To love their lives.
Maybe, if he ever admitted it to himself, if he could ever bring to his thoughts the possibility that maybe, maybe he needed her to stick around, just a bit longer… just a bit longer… Maybe he'd regret some of the decisions he'd made.
The only way to kill each other and not suffer the repercussions on their lives – and on the war, Edriss knew, was for both of them to die at each other's hands. Oh, what a perfect death that would be, she mused.
With all her intelligence, the intelligence her enemy lacked, Edriss saw deeper than what was visible to the eye. They were hateful enemies, ardent rivals, fighting each other to the end. But what people didn't see was what was deeper. Deep down, they depended on each other.
It would be a sad, sad world the day they would be forced to be independent.
" Well, Visser Three, nice try," Edriss said as she stood facing her arch rival, her necessary rival, in the Council's appointed trial room. " I thought you had me there, for a while. I thought at long last you had me."
( Oh, but I did, Visser One, ) Esplin responded, equally jovial, as it was uncharacteristic for them to be. ( It was the Andalite bandits who saved you. If they hadn't attacked… ) he smiled his elusive Andalite smile. ( One more reason to exterminate them. )
Edriss couldn't help but let a small smile trace itself along her lips. Here they were in the trial room, conversing after a long mental battle to the death. They had both received death sentences – but suspended, for now.
And even after that, it was like nothing had changed between them. It was like nothing had ever happened. They were still able to have a jovial conversation… even though they had both condemned each other to die.
Was that a small trace of affection she saw in his smile?
Yes, he definitely needed her. Needed her to hold him up and keep him going.
Maybe we'll die together, she thought in a fleeting hope.
" Yes. Well, about those Andalite bandits, since we're past all this unpleasantness between us, I guess I could tell you…" She grinned.
( What could you tell me? ) Esplin asked.
Edriss smiled with the ever-present fire still burning in her eyes, and the fire she saw still burning in his.
" Oh nothing," she said. " Nothing at all, Visser. Not a thing."
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Cue the awww. (: Anyway, this was inspired by a topic on my forum. In it, we were arguing whether the rivalry and hate between the Vissers could turn into love. This just observes my point, which is that the Vissers' rivalry created a very strong bond between them and that their need for one another to keep each other fighting with passion dictates the strange kind of love they have.
Hope everyone enjoyed. (: Till next time!