********* (I Love You) Interlude VIII: Kyuusaisha (Savior)Follow

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Sorry this took so long. College and whatnot is sapping away at my strength, and as I get further and further in the Chains of Promathia, I slowly develop a couple minor plot ideas that I could include in this story. Next chapter will be up soon tho.

Previous chapters, aki, and Interludes

Part I - Connection (Enishi)

Kasho II - Kodoku (Solitude)

Part III - Reunion (Saikai)

Kasho IV- Suriyoru (Closer)

Part V- Secrets (Hiou)
---
(Chapter XXXVII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=1124889122641444604&num=1

(Aki XXXVIII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=112531765691425700&num=6

(Chapter XXXIX)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=1125492417125977233&num=1

(Aki XL)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=1125587395136231979&num=1

(Chapter XLI)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=112601910239257410&num=0

(Aki XLII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=1126096464286792422&num=0

(Chapter XLIII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=112679356434765491

(Interlude VII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=112723096942476100&num=2
---

Bonus Story: Rainfall Memories


***
Interlude VIII: Kyuusaisha (Savior)
***
I stepped out into empty space, willing the world to end.

Suddenly a hand grabbed the back of my shirt in a clumped bunch just as I started to plummet, and threw me down onto the ground in a heap next to the edge.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?"

I looked up to see a small girl with light purplish hair staring down at me, her hands on her hips and a cross expression on her face. She looked like a normal child, except she had a chain with a fairly large jewel dangling from it draped around her neck and a rather angry expression on her face.

Before I had a chance to reply, the girl then leaned in and slapped me hard across the face, twisting my head in the dirt. I felt the blood rush to my slapped cheek, and felt it start to sting with a slight burning sensation.

"Oww..." I faintly replied as I stumbled to stand back up.

"So, just what the hell were you doing? I asked you a question." The girl said once more, her voice strong and demanding. Once I had stood up finally the mysterious person simply adjusted her gaze upwards to look into my eyes, somehow managing to keep her imtimidation factor intact as she did so.

"You no understand..." I replied in my broken English, as I turned back around to face the sea that I was about to commit myself eternally to just moments before.

"You’re right, I don’t. So do me a favor and enlighten me."

I sighed gently, my breath mixing with the salty sea air. "Where I from...is far away. I came to stop war, and stop death of beastmen. I met man, when I try to stop war...and I fell in love and he fell also.” I paused for breath, the tears I find myself wanting to cry not coming. "But he got told truth about my home, and he changed heart. ‘I hate you Hitomi’ he said."

The girl only snorted, and I heard her give a short laugh. "That’s it? You’re about to throw your life away over a GUY? Lemme tell you something...whoever the hell you are."

With that, she grabbed my arm and threw me back down onto the moss in a messy sprawl. My elbow smacked into a hard rock, but I bit down on my lip to distract the pain away.

"You think that one boy is the end of the world?! Lemme tell you something. There are thousands of men out there, and there is one who is just right for you, if you open your eyes and look for them. Don’t obsess over just one." The look in that small girl’s eyes were incredible, and I could see that a passionate fervor for life burned in her eyes.

She seemed so strong...

I sat up, my arms wrapped around my knees.

"I...feel empty." I finally whispered.

"Empty? Why?" the girl inquired in a soft tone of voice, as she then sat down on the moss and crossed her legs around each other into what looked like an awkward position, but looked comfortable for her.

"Where I came from...I was always alone. All I had was the darkness that existed inside of me...and as the years passed, the emptiness grew bigger and bigger. I taught myself how to fight and survive, and even the dark magic arts. When I met Dimitri...the darkness shirked away from his light. Just a little bit, but it did."

The memories started to float back to me, quicker and quicker, like a projector that’s spinning a split film too fast, threatening to tear itself up in but a heartbeat. Each picture stabbed its way emotionally into me, and I couldn’t help but feel like the darkness was slowly returning to my soul.

The girl only half-nodded, her eyes closing as she did so.

"I see...may I tell you a story about myself?" she then said after a moment. I was a bit taken back by her request, but I nodded my assent.

The girl’s hands went to the mysterious amulet around her neck, and I saw her fingers trace their way around the jewel that was inlaid. "Once...a long time ago…there was a hume. He had bright hazel eyes, and a smile that could light up the world. He was the top of his class, of course, and had the world at his feet and could have any girl he chose. I never gave him really much thought, just dismissing him as probably another high class jerk."

She spoke haltingly, as if she was unused to talking about matters such as this. I could sort of see where this was going, even if I or anyone I had known was not allowed to experience these emotions.

"One day...I found a love letter that someone had slipped into one of my books, asking me to please meet then at Leremieu Lagoon after school that day. Naturally, I was quite curious who it was, and I was hoping to meet them so I could laugh at their faces once they confessed to me. You know Leremieu Lagoon by chance?" The kid asked of me suddenly, not bothering to either look up at me or stop fiddling with her amulet as she did so. I only shook my head in a couple swift jerks.

"Well...traditionally, its where the princess gets married here, right on the water. It’s also a place of great beauty, but because of its royal significance, hardly anyone dares to go there without being on official business. Anyways...where was I?"

I gently prompted her. "You said boy meet you there."

She smiled faintly, and I could see that her face was struggling to hold the look in place for longer than a few seconds. It was almost as if she never smiled, and those muscles were never used to being exercised.

"Ah yes...anyways...I got there...and waited beneath one of the trees by the waterfront. After a short time...that perfect boy from school appeared out of nowhere. I was quite surprised, and I felt my face flush up a tiny bit when I saw him. After a moment, he saw me and waved over at me before coming over and sitting down. ‘What are you doing here?’ he asked me, his voice quite calm and cool. I refused to look at him, and hastily replied ‘I was wondering that myself.’ He chuckled a tiny bit, before dipping his fingers into the water and flicking a few stray droplets onto my face. ‘Silly’, he said, ‘I come here sometimes...to admire the way that the Goddess created the world, and how She blessed us all to experience it.’ We sat like that for a bit, but eventually he got back up, and with a cool twist of his head said ‘I’ve got to go...please forgive me.’ I only nodded without caring, and watched him walk off."

The girl finally stopped playing with her necklace, and rocked back slightly with laughter that sounded somewhat musical. "Of course, two minutes later, some annoying little nerd comes up all greasy and sweaty, bumbling out ‘I love you’. I took pleasure in instantly shooting him down. He was quite pathetic, if you ask me, like most guys." The girl then wiped her eyes, trying to hide them, but I could see that she was trying her hardest to not cry.

"It was when I realized that the supposedly perfect guy really was that perfect...and I fell in love with him. He was my first and only crush, and also my first and only heartbreak. I stopped loving after that point, trusting the Goddess to bring me happiness and peace when its my time. But until then..."

With that, she sighed gently and stood up.

"At any rate, I gotta go back home." The girl then rubbed her hand against her chin, and appeared to be looking me up and down. "Hey...miss...how would you like a job as a mercenary? I can feel the magic flowing out of your every pore even from right here, so I know you must be a powerful mage. The Marquisate could always use another master of the dark arts in the local defense forces. Your food and living expenses will be taken care of , and all you gotta do is protect the land if war comes. We need warm bodies to defend us, and at this point of the war, anyone will do."

She could detect my magical strength?

Just who is this girl?

The girl started to tap her foot impatiently, ripping me out of my thoughts.

"Um okay...I join up." I simply said, as I knew that there was no other real option for me of a place to stay or anything like that.

"Okay then, I’ll hook you up! I know the head of state personally, and I can get you a position quickly." The girl turned around and started to tear across the grassy fields towards a town that I could see in the distance. It was only when she had gone a short distance that she turned around and waved at me.

"Oh yeah! "she shouted, "By the way, if you never been here before, this place is called Tavnazia, and my name is Prishe! Pleasure to meetcha!"

I rolled my eyes and gave chase after the strange little girl, the grass feeling warm between my toes.

-fin Interlude VIII: Kyuusaisha (Savior)


Edited, Wed Sep 28 05:26:21 2005 by Nightsintdreams

Edited, Wed Sep 28 05:34:52 2005 by Nightsintdreams