Final Fantasy [Begins]

[Shadow Wolf]

Jin

The thought of thousands of people dying was not a pleasant thought for Jin to ponder about. Of course he would say "No" to such a statement. But when he heard such blunt words from the representative of Alexandria, he found it difficult to hide his emotions. He wasn't sure if he was noticed, but he was clearly angry at Kara for such a cold statement. It was the truth, he had to admit, but it left people surprised. It even left Alex in tears, something that Jin had trouble dealing with -seeing women cry-. But this wasn't the time for irrelevant thoughts. Apparently, there was someone who could help the group with this... focus.

If there's a chance for hope, then I'll take it. But...

As he composed the final words of a letter he was writing, his thoughts wandered through the events which lead to the fate that he must face. Sarcifice or destruction... either way, he'd lose. But before living his life on the edge of a knife called hope, there was something he felt like he had to do. "There's something I need to take care of." His words made Eden frown, but at this moment, he didn't care about it.

"If you're late, I'll kill you."

As usual, straight to the point. Yet Jin was already walking away as her words reached him. For now, no threats would affect him whatsoever.

WIth a cloak to cover his identity, he swiftly moved through the streets of the city. His eyes fixed at the direction of his destination as his hand gripped the words that he would never speak. It didn't took long to find the place he was looking for.

A stare at the second floor...

a stare at the door...

and a moment of silence...

all within seconds as he removed the neck of the cloak to see this place once more. Kneeling to slide the letter just under the door, he couldn't help but feel something tightening in his chest. Yet the only time he had left was to leave.

Making his way through the small steps, he looked back once more. Just one more glance would be enough. But what his eyes caught were not something he would enjoy...

"Hey you, hold it right there!"

He would normally cooperate... normally... but getting caught and being taken for questioning would take too much time and his teammates would not be very happy for him clumsy move. His legs began to move faster as his adrenaline was ordering him to lose the guards. He was a bit scared, but he has seen scarier things, so his determination to run from this one made his excitement brush off the fear of getting caught.

"Don't let that thief get away!"

It was a bad time to be confused for a thief, but he was not willing to let himself be caught by guards. His pulse was rising as his feet drove him through the alleys of the big city. Tumbling between the corners, his eyes didn't dare to look back as he was still hearing the voices of the guards pursuing him. The pressure was not tough, but he knew he had to think fast. If not, more guards would appear and this would definitely guarantee his capture.

Faster... if I could go faster His lungs were pumping the air in an out as his feet kept the pace. Trying to remember what he felt during his fight, he tried to channel his power once more. Jumping over a small ledge, he felt something covering his body... like some sort of protective barrier.

Crap... he didn't felt any change in his speed.

The pressure of the chase being prolonged was beginning to take effect. Jin was feeling like he was was running out of options; his breathing was getting heavy and his legs were beginning to give in to exhaustion. The voices he thought he had stopped hearing for a while made echo in his ears again. If they were drawing closer, it could only mean that his body was slowly but surely succumbing to tiredness. He looked back... big mistake...

"Quick, now's our chance!"

*pant, pant* persintent, aren't they...

He was about to look forward again, when, after taking a corner...

"Wh-mmph, mmph"

His arm signalled a bit of a strain as he felt himself being pulled along and stopped in his tracks. The mix of exhaustion and confusion drew his mind to a daze as his lungs were now gasping for air. His mouth tried to inhale that much needed dose of oxygen, yet was unable to, as his mind finaly recollected the fact that he was being held against a wall and his mouth covered by a hand.

___


"Damn... where did he go? Keep looking for him. Don't let him get away!" Looking between the people around, the guards seemed to have lost sight of the man they were chasing.

What!? So if the guards lost him, then who caught him off guard? Jin was still confused about what was going on. And yet, the confusion began to dissipate when he heard a familiar voice...

"Markus told me that you weren't the type to get into trouble." It was actually Yuki who was standing in front of him. Of all the people he could think of, he would never guess that Yuki might be the one to get him out of that tough spot. Picking up some much needed air, he was finally able to whisper an exhausted "thanks".

"But you know... with the way you're dressed, even I would think you're a thief."
Dropping on the floor while recovering his air, his voice, although tired, expressed his intentions: "I guess... but... I didn't want to be seen."

"Seen?" It was clear that the least he owed was an explanation. After all, she saved him.

"My parents."

"Oh?" He could sense her curiosity with that single expression.

"...They kicked me out, but... they're still my parents."

"Ah, so the letter was for them, right?"

She noticed... wow, she's sharp. And as he got lost again, a poke in his forehead snapped him back to reality. "Hey, don't get lost in your thoughts."

"Sorry. Just thought you were sharp to notice the letter."

"Oh..." She shrugged. Jin could've sworn that he saw a light blush, but maybe it was just his imagination. "Anyway, there isn't much time to waste. We have 15 minutes to catch a train. Let's go!" He was up and running again as he thought of what awaited him later. She was probably the one who sent Yuki after me He would probably find more than a punch in his face from Eden... but that's better than ending up in jail.

"By the way, sorry about earlier." Jin spoke as if he was trying to make a topic to talk about. "Hmm?" Yuki was wondering why the quiet guy was apologizing for.

"I kinda asked too many questions. In fact, I don't even know why I asked you about Kyte. I just... felt like I needed to ask."

"Oh! No worries." Yuki's expression made Jin be at ease.

"I'm still thinking about what Markus said, though." He was still wondering what he meant when he said "...Especially if he knows what’s good for him...


"Oh, that's because I usually defeated him when we trained together."

Jin was astonished. In his time with the Defence Core, he was never able to defeat Markus during his sparring sessions. That's probably why he was finding it hard to believe that someone as attractive as Yuki could actually defeat him.

"I know what you're thinking." Yuki didn't hesitate to prove Jin she was right. Before he could even blink, he was grabbed and smashed right down into the floor. Not only her attack was swift, but silent and effective. Barely any people from the crowd actually noticed that Jin was pinned down on the floor. "Whoa" It was the only thing that came out of Jin as he realized what just happened.

Yuki resumed the walk as Jin pulled himself together again. His vision Yuki definitely changed after what just happened and now, he knew that he would have a valuable teammate. Increasing his pace a bit, he managed to catch up to Yuki shortly after.

"Oh, yeah" Yuki turned around as they continued their march to the station. "You'll look more like a 'normal person' if you take that off." She was pointing at the cloak.

"Hmm... yeah" Oblivious to the light tone of the conversation, he took the cape off as they walked together. And as the two blended into the crowd, Jin's face showed a complete contrast to Yuki's smile while thinking one last time about his family, hoping that he never lays a hand on them nor to anyone.


________

I have to admit that this hasn't been a creative post on my part. I haven't felt too motivated to do anything... and I mean "anything" lately, not even play LoL nor Gran Turismo 4 nor Final Fantasy VIII (which I recently bought a copy of it). Handling Jin had also become tougher than I expected and at some point, I even considered killing him. Overall, I pretty much like a living zombie at the moment. Not an excuse, but thought I should let you guys know.

PS: Tag Yuki and since everyone will porbably meet at the train station, tag everyone in the process.

[Samchu]

Markus
~~~~~

Kara's decision came of no surprise to Markus. He wasn't foolish enough to think that she would cast aside the responsibilities of her station because it was her siblings who were caught up in the mess. In truth, Eden and Nova's involvement in this was probably the only reason they would walk out of that place - and the city - alive. Kara trusted her sister. Trusted her to ensure that everyone of them got out of Eden, got away from the very people they were a danger too. He doubted anyone else would have been granted the luxury of choice. There would be no chance of banishment. Perhaps there would be some probing, some investigations into the l'cie curse, but the end would ultimately be the same; a swift and untimely execution for the preservation of the people.

He was surprised at the opportunity they were given to collect their thoughts. He would never had expected Kara to allow them the time or the freedom to grasp her judgement. That they weren't already being shipped onto a train sat at odds to his perceptions of her. So much so that he didn't realise Eden had drawn close to him until she spoke.

“Aren’t you from the edge of the barrier?”

Markus nodded. “My village is a few hours from the train’s final stop…I think it’s near those ruins actually.”

“How close?”

He grimaced a bit. “Alright, ‘near’ wasn’t the greatest word to choose, but it’s the closest mark of civilization to them. I don’t recall hearing about any scholar livin’ there though.”

“You think I’ve heard of him?”

“You talked to Kara alone.”

Eden shook her head. “I don’t know anything about this scholar, but Kara is rarely wrong about these things.”

"I hope you're right," Markus replied, more to himself than to Eden.

She left him then, as he had become accustomed to her doing. However, her absence was soon filled his old sparring partner, Yuki, and the unfortunately out-of-place Jin. He couldn't help but laugh at the young man's worry regarding his "if he knows what's good for him" comment. He clapped Jin on the shoulder. "You haven't got to worry about Yuki." He paused to examine the young man's face. "We've not long left here, Jin. If there's something you need to do, best to get it done."

Jin nodded and left, leaving Markus to his own thoughts.

If we ride all the way out there Odin knows we'll need a place to sleep, one last respite before those ruins, before reality crushes that last flicker of hope from us. I guess we could put everyone up in the Creaky Shack - if it's still open - or maybe Handel's place. Either way I'll have to go see them. I can't not. By Odin I'm in for a beating. How many years has it been since I left? And it's not like I could've written them a letter. I meant to visit - honestly. I just...I never got around to it. Heh. She'll never accept that. She'll beat me senseless before she lets an excuse like that wash over her. Not that I don't deserve it. I probably deserve worse for waiting so long. But even so. To go there knowing that it'll be the last time. Should I tell them? Would it be worse to lie, to pretend everything is fine? Better to die as a son than as a monster.

He realised then how selfish he had been. He had been so sure of his decision to sacrifice himself but he had never once thought of the family still waiting for him to come home. Had Kara not been sending them into the wilds - not forcing them to face his family - he never would have told them. He would have died, barely a shred of humanity left in him, and they would have still been waiting for him to tell them that he lived.

He jumped as something touched his arm and looked to find Eden at his side. "Come on, we're leaving for the station."

Markus looked around to find that he was in a place he didn't recognise; a small, secluded garden on one of the upper levels. The light had faded considerably. How long was I trapped in my own thoughts? Have I been wandering aimlessly all this time or did I just accidentally find myself here and wait? He nodded to Eden. "Alright, I'm coming."

She lead him to the entrance of the building where the others were waiting. All except for...

"Where's your inquisitive friend?" asked Yuki.

"He had some personal business he wanted to attend to before we left. Even so..." he looked up, trying to gauge the time using what remained of the light, "he should be back by now."

"Is he the type to find trouble?"

"No. More the type that attracts it likes moths to an inferno." He sighed. "I should go after him."

"I'll go," Yuki cut in. "Just tell me where he'll be."

Markus told her where he expected she would find Jin and watched her go. A small part of him was glad she had volunteered to oversee his return. He had to prepare himself to face his own past. He couldn't muster the strength to try carrying Jin right now.

They had agreed to regroup at the station so Markus and the others began moving towards their destination. He found himself lingering towards the back, wrestling between keeping his mind in reality and letting it retreat into itself. It was Eden who noticed it first.

"You're not here."

He looked over at her. For a moment he forgot how good she was at masking her emotions and felt a flutter of awe at her ability to make it look like they were engaging in some manner of standard conversation.

"I'm sorry. I've been...distracted."

"Because of Kara's decision?"

"No. I expected that much from her. No I...I haven't been to my village for a long time. I haven't seen my family since I left home."

"Not even a letter?"

"They can't read. Few in the village can."

"But you can."

He half-smiled. "I had to have private lessons once I started training with the Corps. Still not particularly good at it."

"I always thought you were-"

"Stupid?"

"I was going to say slow but I can use stupid if you prefer."

"Slow would be more accurate."

Now it was her turn to grin. "Yes, it would."

They arrived at the station without incident. The lack of tension between Kite and Nova left a strange emptiness in Markus' mind. It had become something of a distant yet constant presence in the air - sort of akin to a week-long wound. Not that a truce between the two was unwelcome, it just made things feel different. Like how he couldn't look at Eden for too long without remembering what she looked like naked.

And now he was doing it again.

"I hope Yuki found Jin okay," he said aloud, in the hopes of distracting himself more than anything.

[classy_cat18]

Kite Rowe

We were a couple short on our trip to the station but were told that they would meet us there. I walked in the back of the group, looking around for signs of Yuki for some reason. Nova and I looked at each other occasionally, both of us still remembering what he had said to me. There would be some kind of retaliation, but I wanted to catch him off-guard.

But right now, Yuki was the main one inhabiting my thoughts. Waiting for her to come by after school, making up games that the two of us could play, sharing candy with her, watching her do her homework if she had decided to do it at my house instead of hers…

The last day I saw her before today wasn’t pretty. She was standing around awkwardly before she blurted out her plans of returning to Alexandria and becoming Ultima’s Representative’s personal guard. I had dropped whatever I was doing at the time (I think it was a video game that one of the younger scrapyard workers let me borrow) and stared at her for the longest time.

And then the yelling started.

I was the only one yelling, now that I thought about it. She kept getting interrupted by me.

“You’re not responsible for something that happened before you were even born! Live for yourself, dammit!”

“This is something I want to do, Kite. At least be happy for me.”

I was more scared than angry. After all, who would want to return to Ramblum after getting the opportunity to live in Alexandria? And she’d change. She wouldn’t be the Yuki I felt so comfortable around despite both of us being in those awkward teenage years.

I wanted to beg her to stay. Instead I flung something at her I couldn’t take back.

“Go then. Die for someone who won’t give a fuck about you. After all, honor is so much more important than some stupid friendship!”

She ran out of the room, and all I did was look out the window as she ran for home. My heart was breaking, the pieces of it hardening. I stood at that window for two hours waiting for her to come back, then curled up in a corner of my room and cried myself to sleep. When Cid came home I simply told him that I wasn’t talking to her anymore. It took him a week to find out about her moving, and that was from Yuki herself when she met him during one of his errands.

Did I regret driving her away? Hell yes. But I was too angry to admit I was wrong. Even as I walked down to the train station I wondered why she couldn’t even send me a few lines about how she was doing. It wasn’t like I wanted her to spy on Kara for me! Just…how the weather was, if the food was as good as I had heard, things like that. That confidentiality bullshit wasn’t cutting it.

But if I wanted my last days alive to be anywhere close to pleasant, some reconciliation had to be made. I walked into a little store that was close to the boarding platforms, interested in a jar full of wrapped candy. It was my favorite kind, chocolates filled with milky crème. I put a few bills on the counter. “I’ll take as many as that can buy.”

Yuki and Jin were with the group when I walked out with a paper bag full of sweets. Yuki noticed me before I had a chance to blend in with the crowd. I stood next to her, and as the train was approaching, said:

“You want one?” I held up the bag.