Challenge: [300] Entry
Jan. 23rd, 2013 11:26 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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kh_drabbleTitle: Anyone Can be a Darkness
Challenge: [300] End of the World...or Not
Word Count: 618
Notes: Head-canon ahoy! Also, thanks again to Keri for the beta!
Yuffie’s feet dangle over the edge of the bailey’s wall. She kicks them back and forth, back and forth, knocking her heels against the stone for the sheer enjoyment of feeling the shock reverberate through her shins. The not-stranger is seated to her right. He sits stiffly, almost formally, one leg crossed at the knee and his arms hidden inside his billowing cloak.
They are careful not to look at each other.
Yuffie regards the wreckage laid out below her. Here in Radiant Garden, here in her home, there’s still so much to do; so many lives to mend and hearts to patch. She licks at her ice-cream bar. It’s already sweating in the heat and she’s not paying it as much mind as she should, ignorant of the sticky dampness accumulating on her fingers and palm.
“How did I die?”
The not-stranger does his not-a-sigh and for a moment, Yuffie almost smiles at the sheer familiarity of it. “C’mon, Vinnie. You can’t surprise a girl in her reincarnation by just popping up like this."
“She was not you,” Vincent says into the collar of his cloak. “Just because you share similarities does not make you the same person.”
Yuffie drags her tongue over the ice-cream bar. “But it’s more than just that, ya know? I have memories.” She swallows her sweet treat and the words we all do because nothing will help Aerith with her nightmares. “So she is me. Or I am her, or however you want to slice it.”
There is a beat of silence, but that’s okay. Yuffie’s spent enough of both lifetimes around quiet people to know which ones just need a moment to gather thoughts.
“Old age.”
She barks out a laugh, almost falling backwards in the process. Vincent shoots out a hand to steady her and she leans into the touch just a little.
“Was I loved?”
“Of course.”
“And the others?”
He withdraws into himself. “Most passed before you. But the children, Marlene and Denzel stayed in touch until the end.”
She hums, considering. “Was I queen of Wutai?”
“Yuffie.”
She says, “Answer the question, Vinnie.” She does not say, you owe me for crashing into this place, into this home where we could pretend they were just dreams and nightmares and things going bump in the night. she doesn’t say nothing will be the same now and that’s your fault and you owe me for it.
Vincent makes a noise, it might be a huff. “When Godo passed, you renounced the throne and said Wutai should be ruled by the people.”
“Ugh. I would.” She chews thoughtfully on the bare Popsicle stick, regards her filmy hands as she mulls over her next words. “Did I have any kids?”
“No.”
She feels weirdly sad at that. Vincent moves, nothing more than a rustle of his ridiculous cloak. Yuffie resumes swinging her legs, leans forward now so it’s only her grip on the stone beneath her that keeps her seated. “Did you stay?”
“Of course.”
“For how long?”
“Until you passed.”
“What did you do then?”
It’s his turn to look away. “I did nothing. I stagnated and then, some millennium later, the Planet finally lost its battle.”
She settles back into her seat, crosses her legs beneath her and addresses the sky. “Now what?”
“Now, I suppose I try to find a new home.”
“You could stay here,” she says. “With me and Aerith and Cid.”
There is something flickering in his eyes, a mirth she recognizes from another life. “Your family is full, I believe.” Vincent leans forward, presses his forehead against hers and just breathes for a moment. “And as I’ve said. Similarities aside, you are not her.”
Challenge: [300] End of the World...or Not
Word Count: 618
Notes: Head-canon ahoy! Also, thanks again to Keri for the beta!
Yuffie’s feet dangle over the edge of the bailey’s wall. She kicks them back and forth, back and forth, knocking her heels against the stone for the sheer enjoyment of feeling the shock reverberate through her shins. The not-stranger is seated to her right. He sits stiffly, almost formally, one leg crossed at the knee and his arms hidden inside his billowing cloak.
They are careful not to look at each other.
Yuffie regards the wreckage laid out below her. Here in Radiant Garden, here in her home, there’s still so much to do; so many lives to mend and hearts to patch. She licks at her ice-cream bar. It’s already sweating in the heat and she’s not paying it as much mind as she should, ignorant of the sticky dampness accumulating on her fingers and palm.
“How did I die?”
The not-stranger does his not-a-sigh and for a moment, Yuffie almost smiles at the sheer familiarity of it. “C’mon, Vinnie. You can’t surprise a girl in her reincarnation by just popping up like this."
“She was not you,” Vincent says into the collar of his cloak. “Just because you share similarities does not make you the same person.”
Yuffie drags her tongue over the ice-cream bar. “But it’s more than just that, ya know? I have memories.” She swallows her sweet treat and the words we all do because nothing will help Aerith with her nightmares. “So she is me. Or I am her, or however you want to slice it.”
There is a beat of silence, but that’s okay. Yuffie’s spent enough of both lifetimes around quiet people to know which ones just need a moment to gather thoughts.
“Old age.”
She barks out a laugh, almost falling backwards in the process. Vincent shoots out a hand to steady her and she leans into the touch just a little.
“Was I loved?”
“Of course.”
“And the others?”
He withdraws into himself. “Most passed before you. But the children, Marlene and Denzel stayed in touch until the end.”
She hums, considering. “Was I queen of Wutai?”
“Yuffie.”
She says, “Answer the question, Vinnie.” She does not say, you owe me for crashing into this place, into this home where we could pretend they were just dreams and nightmares and things going bump in the night. she doesn’t say nothing will be the same now and that’s your fault and you owe me for it.
Vincent makes a noise, it might be a huff. “When Godo passed, you renounced the throne and said Wutai should be ruled by the people.”
“Ugh. I would.” She chews thoughtfully on the bare Popsicle stick, regards her filmy hands as she mulls over her next words. “Did I have any kids?”
“No.”
She feels weirdly sad at that. Vincent moves, nothing more than a rustle of his ridiculous cloak. Yuffie resumes swinging her legs, leans forward now so it’s only her grip on the stone beneath her that keeps her seated. “Did you stay?”
“Of course.”
“For how long?”
“Until you passed.”
“What did you do then?”
It’s his turn to look away. “I did nothing. I stagnated and then, some millennium later, the Planet finally lost its battle.”
She settles back into her seat, crosses her legs beneath her and addresses the sky. “Now what?”
“Now, I suppose I try to find a new home.”
“You could stay here,” she says. “With me and Aerith and Cid.”
There is something flickering in his eyes, a mirth she recognizes from another life. “Your family is full, I believe.” Vincent leans forward, presses his forehead against hers and just breathes for a moment. “And as I’ve said. Similarities aside, you are not her.”
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