Final Fantasy [Begins]

[classy_cat18]

Kite Rowe

My plan for the Festival of Lights was usually to stay out of the way of everyone and watch the fireworks display somewhere high and out of reach. There was always a problem with pickpockets because of the noise and large crowds. I stayed out of the way, because I wanted to keep what little money I had with me.

But Nova had somehow found a way to get out of house arrest early (which was probably not allowed) and told us that he’d meet me and the others at the beach to watch the fireworks. It had been two weeks since he had escaped from the dome. I remembered watching a girl run through that same crack, and him collapsing only a minute after they got back inside.

“It’s what he deserves for running out there like a fool,” I had commented which earned me a punch in the arm from our boss. The bruise was present the two weeks I waited for Nova to get out. During that time I had contemplated getting him a… get-well present.

Nova ran away in a panic (not something I was used to seeing from him), leaving me with Cid. “Now what crawled up his pants?” the drunken man slurred while looking in his empty bottle.

I shrugged. There were many things about Nova I didn’t know about. “I’ll take my leave now,” I informed Cid.

“What happened to us celebrating together?” the man complained.

“I have no intention of getting drunk with you. I’ll wake up with a hangover and a black eye.”

“You always were a wet blanket.” I rolled my eyes. “You’re gonna chase after him again, aintcha?”

I stiffened at his smirk. “No.”

“You seemed too eager to get here tonight.”

“Please be quiet.” I escaped into the crowd before he could say another word.

I fingered the little present I had chosen for Nova, a wind-up metal Chocobo that walked around. I had found it at the scrapyard, and I spent two weeks fixing it up. I can’t give it to him. But it’s such a small, childish trinket. He won’t think much about it. He might just laugh at it.

“That a gift for your sweetie?” and old female voice said near my ear. I turned my head to her jewelry stand. “You should get something much prettier than that for her on this precious night.”

I scoffed, even though I noticed a pretty blue jewel orb hanging over my head. It sparkled prettily like a starry sky. “Jewelry isn’t really… her style,” I sneered, not believing I had to pause to make sure I had the correct pronoun in.

What if it is?

“My love life and preference in gifts is none of your business anyway,” I added before rushing away.

Maybe next year I could afford something like that. I laughed at myself. Nothing but a lovesick puppy. I needed a distraction—

“Fruit tarts,” I mumbled with a grin as I caught the scent.

Time to pig out.