...oh god, zidane...
Calling out his companion’s name, Squall’s head jerked up when he heard nothing answer him back. Gritting his teeth, he ran back toward the small area they had chosen for rest. He ignored the pain in his legs, the agony that electrified his nerves with each step he made. His shoulders strained against the stiffness, the sharp edge of crystallized skin slicing into soft human flesh. He could feel the blood cascading down his back, his shirt becoming damp.
Despite it all, he only cared about the person he left behind. The last friend he still had in this terrible world. Zidane was all he had left. He couldn’t lose him. Squall refused to let him go. He watched the others succumbed; the others fall and become nothing more than mere puppets. He couldn’t handle it if Zidane left him too.
Approaching the small wooded clearing they found in the Void, Squall found the blond laying face first against the dirt. The light of the sun glared into the SeeD’s eyes, reflecting off the indigo crystal that was now Zidane’s body.
Growling low, Squall rushed forward, falling to his knees to turn the blond. “Zidane,” he urged, looking up and down the thief’s body before letting his eyes rest on his friend’s face, the only part of him that was still human, that was still real.
A tired chuckle reached the brunette’s ears, the blond opening his eyes slowly before grimacing. Crystal covered most of the blond’s face, leaving only the other’s eyes, nose and mouth free. Squall could see it still move, see it crawl, ready to cover Zidane’s face completely. “Didn’t exactly… want you to see me like this, Squall.”
“Idiot,” Squall scowled, moving Zidane carefully until the blond was sitting up against a tree. “I’m not heartless.”
“Course not. You came back,” Zidane laughed, an empty sound that made Squall hurt in a way his own infliction didn’t cause. “Wish you didn’t. Wouldn’t want… you to see this.”
“Like I would leave you alone in the end? You and Bartz never stopped bothering during the Conflict. I’ve been returning the favor.” Squall’s eyes softened as he brushed a few of crystalline strands of hair away from Zidane’s face. “No one… should be alone in the end.”
The thief nodded slowly, head falling forward, too tired to stop the motion. “But you’ll be alone. The rest of us… The rest of us are gone.”
“You’re not gone yet, Zidane.” I refuse to let you go. Even if he knew deep down that there was nothing he could do to stop it. They tried everything, fighting the enemy, trying to defeat Chaos completely only to have that fail. They were weakening, the infliction sapping their strength. It was a miracle that the Warriors of Chaos rather watch them become monsters, than play mind games.
“Will be soon,” Zidane sighed, lifting a hand to grab Squall’s. The grip was weak but Squall turned his hand, tightening his own hand around Zidane’s. “Don’t think I can last much longer… Getting too tired, ya know? Wonder if… Bartz felt like this when he succumbed.”
Squall’s lips twitched at the memory, “He fought to the very end. He refused to give in and don’t you dare, by Hyne, give up on me, Zidane. You’re a fighter. A damn good fighter. Thought you said you lived to steal victory. Don’t let them steal victory from you.” Don’t leave me, please. The SeeD’s hand tightened.
“Think I’ve haven’t been trying, Squall? Been wracking this clever brain of mine for a way to fight it but I’m coming up empty,” Zidane laughed again before wincing, painfully moving his head up to stare at Squall, “You gotta save yourself, Squall. You gotta stop it from taking over you too. You gotta get out of here. Maybe that’s the only way to stop it.
“You’re the resilient one. You gotta live. Gotta survive this. Just because I ain’t got anything left, means you gotta give up, too. You’re the last one, Squall. Maybe it’s Cosmos’s will or something, I don’t know but you gotta save yourself.
“Just… wish I’ve could’ve… seen my girl again.” Zidane’s head fell back, hitting against the wood of the tree as he stared at the sky above, eyes closed before the crystal covered his face completely.
Finally, the thief’s body slumped to the side, falling back to the ground. Squall held onto the hand, unable to let go as he stared at the now-soulless body before him, the manikin just waiting to wake up. Closing his eyes tightly, he forced back the tears before reaching out with his free hand to grab ZIdane’s daggers.
Just as he was about to, the manikin’s eyes snapped open, all hint of human life and intelligence. Squall grabbed the daggers, letting go of the hand he held and jumped back. Scowling low, he forced himself to feel the anger of losing one of his best friends to fuel his rage, the power behind his attacks as he darted forward, ready to eliminate the Manikin that was once his friend.
After all, once they were turned. They were lost. Gone.
Squall was the only one left.
(to be continued...)
Despite it all, he only cared about the person he left behind. The last friend he still had in this terrible world. Zidane was all he had left. He couldn’t lose him. Squall refused to let him go. He watched the others succumbed; the others fall and become nothing more than mere puppets. He couldn’t handle it if Zidane left him too.
Approaching the small wooded clearing they found in the Void, Squall found the blond laying face first against the dirt. The light of the sun glared into the SeeD’s eyes, reflecting off the indigo crystal that was now Zidane’s body.
Growling low, Squall rushed forward, falling to his knees to turn the blond. “Zidane,” he urged, looking up and down the thief’s body before letting his eyes rest on his friend’s face, the only part of him that was still human, that was still real.
A tired chuckle reached the brunette’s ears, the blond opening his eyes slowly before grimacing. Crystal covered most of the blond’s face, leaving only the other’s eyes, nose and mouth free. Squall could see it still move, see it crawl, ready to cover Zidane’s face completely. “Didn’t exactly… want you to see me like this, Squall.”
“Idiot,” Squall scowled, moving Zidane carefully until the blond was sitting up against a tree. “I’m not heartless.”
“Course not. You came back,” Zidane laughed, an empty sound that made Squall hurt in a way his own infliction didn’t cause. “Wish you didn’t. Wouldn’t want… you to see this.”
“Like I would leave you alone in the end? You and Bartz never stopped bothering during the Conflict. I’ve been returning the favor.” Squall’s eyes softened as he brushed a few of crystalline strands of hair away from Zidane’s face. “No one… should be alone in the end.”
The thief nodded slowly, head falling forward, too tired to stop the motion. “But you’ll be alone. The rest of us… The rest of us are gone.”
“You’re not gone yet, Zidane.” I refuse to let you go. Even if he knew deep down that there was nothing he could do to stop it. They tried everything, fighting the enemy, trying to defeat Chaos completely only to have that fail. They were weakening, the infliction sapping their strength. It was a miracle that the Warriors of Chaos rather watch them become monsters, than play mind games.
“Will be soon,” Zidane sighed, lifting a hand to grab Squall’s. The grip was weak but Squall turned his hand, tightening his own hand around Zidane’s. “Don’t think I can last much longer… Getting too tired, ya know? Wonder if… Bartz felt like this when he succumbed.”
Squall’s lips twitched at the memory, “He fought to the very end. He refused to give in and don’t you dare, by Hyne, give up on me, Zidane. You’re a fighter. A damn good fighter. Thought you said you lived to steal victory. Don’t let them steal victory from you.” Don’t leave me, please. The SeeD’s hand tightened.
“Think I’ve haven’t been trying, Squall? Been wracking this clever brain of mine for a way to fight it but I’m coming up empty,” Zidane laughed again before wincing, painfully moving his head up to stare at Squall, “You gotta save yourself, Squall. You gotta stop it from taking over you too. You gotta get out of here. Maybe that’s the only way to stop it.
“You’re the resilient one. You gotta live. Gotta survive this. Just because I ain’t got anything left, means you gotta give up, too. You’re the last one, Squall. Maybe it’s Cosmos’s will or something, I don’t know but you gotta save yourself.
“Just… wish I’ve could’ve… seen my girl again.” Zidane’s head fell back, hitting against the wood of the tree as he stared at the sky above, eyes closed before the crystal covered his face completely.
Finally, the thief’s body slumped to the side, falling back to the ground. Squall held onto the hand, unable to let go as he stared at the now-soulless body before him, the manikin just waiting to wake up. Closing his eyes tightly, he forced back the tears before reaching out with his free hand to grab ZIdane’s daggers.
Just as he was about to, the manikin’s eyes snapped open, all hint of human life and intelligence. Squall grabbed the daggers, letting go of the hand he held and jumped back. Scowling low, he forced himself to feel the anger of losing one of his best friends to fuel his rage, the power behind his attacks as he darted forward, ready to eliminate the Manikin that was once his friend.
After all, once they were turned. They were lost. Gone.
Squall was the only one left.
(to be continued...)