Time and Tides Archives

Well. Rydia stared, wide-eyed. She wanted to pull her gaze away, but the incredible sight before her sapped all ability to do so. The summoner took a step back, unable to absorb what she was seeing.

"What? No, this can't be right. It couldn't have happened...." Rosa was in love with Cecil and it showed in everything the white mage did. In turn, Cecil was completely devoted to her. It set a high standard for Rydia, who hoped to have a connection like that with someone, one day.

But this...this made no sense.

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Back to that castle of Kain's again. Somehow Eiko wasn't surprised, but she did start at seeing the man wander off to hold the air. She blinked a few times, then looked to Rydia. "What's going on?"

The simple answer would be another memory. Yet Rydia looked pretty surprised and unhappy. It didn't sound like something she'd seen either. That puzzled Eiko quite a bit. You were only supposed to see shared memories.

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Rosa smiled at Kain. Her expression was tender, as she looked at him, and the same affectionate look was mirrored in Kain's face.

"I've come to ask something of you," Kain said, feeling a sense of growing apprehension. Yet why should he be afraid, when she gazed at him so? Her look of anticipation gave him courage, and he continued on.

He dropped to one knee, holding a ring toward her. "Rosa Farrell... I love you, and would be honored to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

Rosa's face was exuberant. "Yes! Oh, yes, of course, yes! I love you, Kain, and I always will. You are everything to me..."

Kain slipped the ring onto Rosa's finger and stood, again taking her in his arms. "As you are to me." Then he drew her closer and kissed her passionately.

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Rydia's cheeks flushed, and she had to look away, at that point. This was far more than she ever wanted to see of anyone's love life, especially in a case involving two dear friends. That one of the dear friends was already engaged to someone else made it even worse.

She lowered her voice, even though she doubted Kain would snap out of it right away. "Eiko...are you sure these visions are always memories? I -really- can't imagine this ever having happened...at all."

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Okay, so Eiko didn't have to ask what was going on or with who. Even with only half of the scenario going on, it was impossible to miss hearing Rosa's name, much less the fact that there was a proposal and kissing going on. She girlishly thought it was very romantic herself and wiggled with delight. "It's so sweet!" she cooed.

And then Rydia's question hit.

"Huh? Sure I'm sure. If it's not yours, it's someone else's. But stuff's been strange this time."

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Kain continued to kiss Rosa, thoughts in mind to move somewhere more private as the vision faded away. He reached out as if he could attempt to draw Rosa back toward him and keep her there... but it was useless to try. She was gone, the whole scene was over. He was left with the bitter feeling of reality.

"...no," he spoke barely above a whisper, but the desperation was evident in his voice. He wondered illogically if there were some way to make it return... some way to remain and never lose that feeling again. He didn't care if it wasn't real.

...and then he recalled that he had an audience. Kain couldn't meet either of their eyes, turning away and folding his arms. He said nothing, although it was probably evident by now that he was no longer experiencing his memory. ...or... not a memory this time. More like his wildest fantasy.

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Eiko's response caused Rydia to frown. She really couldn't imagine that Kain and Rosa's interaction had been real. The summoner was on the verge of saying so when Kain's vision ended.

Rydia couldn't bring herself to meet the dragoon's gaze, so that worked out well enough. Of course the tint to her cheeks might reveal that she saw a little too much. Even so, she was not about to mention it, especially in front of Eiko.

"...let's move on. Quickly."

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The adults were acting strange again. Eiko make a face, then complied and started walking in the same general direction they had been going.

Only to find herself standing in Madain Sari again.

But this time, it was nothing like the ruins she knew so well, or the ones they'd just traversed from. The entire village was whole and filled with people, all of which had summoner's horns on their heads. Having no memory at all of the village before it had been leveled, this copy was the pure fabrication of her heart's desire: the village whole and filled with other summoners. The faces the flourishing tribe wore were those of any number of Gaians and Sky People, being the only individuals in her memory to populate the village and bestow horns to. One of them bore a suspicious likeness to Yuna, and another to Rydia herself.

She only had a moment to register what she was seeing and emit a delighted squeal, before it took hold for her fully. She ran through the streets, dodging the adults and then played jump rope in the square with other summoner children.

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Kain reluctantly followed. He lingered a great distance behind the others this time. Every so often he'd glance back the way they'd come, as if searching for some sign that his own vision might return. Or perhaps there could be a portal back into it, something, anything, that might bring him back to the one thing he'd always desired. Was it too much to ask that he could have just vanished away into that vision?

Facing the others was too difficult. He was pretty sure he'd rather die again than deal with the embarrassment.

The change in the scene gave him something to focus on again, somewhat. Although like before with Eiko's memory, he wasn't able to see anyone she might be interacting with.

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As the landscape changed, Rydia hung back with Kain. She wasn't particularly eager to do it, given what she had seen of his vision, but it was Eiko's turn now. The young girl ought to have this moment to herself, at least as much as was possible.

Rydia peered around at the Madain Sari, only just recognizable enough and certainly in much better condition than she had ever seen it. Though she couldn't see anything else of Eiko's vision, the girl's response made her heart ache. If she was right...then there was little need to see the vision for herself, anyway. A Summoner town, restored or never demolished; the two were very much alike in what they wanted.

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The jump rope match turned into a contest. The person with the most jumps one a card, and in no time at all, Eiko had outshone all the other kids who groaned in disappointment. Showing all the maturity of her whole nine years of life, Eiko started jumping up and down gloating over winning.

Yet just as she reached to claim her prize, it and all the others were gone. The landscape remained, but the inhabitants did not. Disappointment this time tasted far more bitter than before, and she plunked herself down on the ground, pulling her knees up to her chest. Silent and empty again. It wasn't fair. And it scared her too. It reminded her too much of that year after Grandpa's death when she was the last living summoner in a desolate village, being consumed with loneliness.

This was beyond cruel. She was ready for more memories. Knowing what this place would do mitigated her sadness over her first memory. But this? This was the one thing she wanted more than anything else. To have it wrenched away from her was unspeakable.

And this time, she really did start crying.

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It seemed that the vision had been something that was similarly as impossible for Eiko to achieve as his own had been. Such a cruel thing to go through, seeing what one most desired and having it pulled away so suddenly.

Kain winced and felt otherwise very awkward as she began crying. Still keeping his distance, and feeling he had nothing worth saying, he looked away to give her space and see if there were any obvious escape.

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As Kain kept his distance, Rydia moved forward. She once again hugged Eiko warmly, though this time she didn't say anything to move them along. The girl needed a moment to cry, and she would have it. The older summoner's eyes were a little too bright, though managed to hold back her own.

But Rydia's heart sank as she kept her arms around her friend. If she was right, her vision would be next...and like Kain's and Eiko's, full of impossible dreams. She didn't want to have that joy, only for the damned realm to yank it away from her. It was too cruel.

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Eiko miserably rubbed her eyes on her sleeve and sucked in unsteady gulps of air. "I hate this place..." she mumbled. She finally looked around, managing a pitiful sniffle or two, while leaning against Rydia. At least her friend understood better than anyone else why this was so hard on her.

Rather than wanting to linger in the restored village, she just wanted to leave. Looking around was more painful than cathartic. She wanted this, oh how she wanted it, daydreamed about it, doodled it instead of copying spelling words. But she wanted it when it was lasting and real. "Can we leave? Please?"

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With a sigh, Kain nodded. Anything was better than this. What he wouldn't give for some solitude right now so that he could dwell upon his gloomy thoughts... To add to it, Eiko seemed very shaken by leaving her village behind. Even without seeing much, Kain could almost guess just how close it came to Rydia's own situation. That made him feel more guilt over the matter.

As foolish as it was to hope that he could return to his own fantasy and never leave... the desire still lingered deep in the back of Kain's mind. Perhaps continuing might bring some means to achieve that. He waited for the others to be ready, once again following slowly behind them.

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"Oh, yes." Rydia stood but stayed near Eiko as they headed forward, hoping that she was wrong about what was to come next.

Unfortunately, she wasn't.

Mist once again appeared before them, unspoiled. However, when Rydia crossed the threshold, she did not revert to a child in Kain's eyes. The buildings where in pristine condition, no signs of reconstruction about, since they were unnecessary. People went about their business, and to Rydia's eyes -and Kain's- many were indeed the same people who had perished in the burning of Mist. Young summoner children were gathered by the pond, being taught of their heritage by an elder, learning of the heritage that they would one day pass on to their own children. Far from being a people on the verge of collapse, the town was flourishing...and all because two soldiers from Baron had never arrived.

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The village looked much the same to Eiko as they had before, but she had a rather unhappy idea of what it was she was seeing. Just like she had. She reached for Rydia's hand, a show of support, as had been given to her, and she glanced over her shoulder at Kain. There had to be a way to stop this and get out faster. Rydia didn't deserve this.

"It's not really like this, is it?" she asked him quietly.

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Kain did indeed recognize the setting, and from the unspoiled look of it and the people wandering around, he could guess what this meant. Of course. It had to be something which only made his own guilt all the worse, considering his own role in its downfall...

"It was destroyed," Kain said, not daring to elaborate. He crossed his arms and looked for a moment, thinking it might take his mind off of his problems, but it only made him feel more miserable to see what Mist could have been like, how happy Rydia may have been with her people.

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Caught up in the vision, Rydia headed forward. She smiled and waved to the people she passed, calling out their names and weaving her way around the giggling children that ran past her. As with last time, she headed toward her house. Her mother was waiting in the doorway, waving with a smile. Of course, she was older than last time, the result of over a decade in which she had raised her child in peace.

Rydia quickened her steps, ready to great her mother with a hug and tell her all about her day. Just as she reached out to do so, the image vanished. The summoner abruptly paused and turned away, tears forming as she was jolted back to reality.

Edited Date: 2010-02-05 07:20 am (UTC)

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Eiko raced up to Rydia and threw her arms around the older summoner's waist. There was no need to ask what had happened. She knew. And it was cruel. "I'm so sorry, Rydia..." she whispered, trying to be the big sister summoner in this case like she often was with Garnet. Something about being forced to grow up too young caused that.

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Kain looked down. "I'm the one who should be sorry," he finally managed in a solemn tone. But he again wasn't going to elaborate in front of Eiko, figuring that Rydia would know well enough what he'd meant by that. True, it wasn't him alone who had annihilated the town, but he'd still had enough of a role in it... and he'd come very close to killing Rydia- killing a child...

Unable to allow himself to interrupt the two in their moment, Kain paced away from them, crossing his arms yet again and waiting for a signal that they were ready to move on.

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