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 Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 9:38 pm
The setting: A seemingly endless field of white flowers, just before sunset. The entire landscape is beginning to be covered by a wash of orange, but not quite completely yet. There are a couple of trees interspersed here and there among the other vegetation, and not much else.
Yuki is standing in the center of the field of flowers, her captain's cloak flowing out in front of her as the wind blows from behind her, and her head is bent, her hair covering most of her face. It's hard to spot her, the orange of the sunset painting her captain's cloak the same color as the flowers and her fire red hair blends in nicely with the orange around her
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Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 10:00 pm
Gently, a Hell Butterfly came and found the captain of Squad 9, and whispered its message to the man as he sat in a meeting with several shinigami. He had been almost mid-sentence at the time, but rather than continue, he immediately stood up and left the room without a word. He had a more important matter that had just come up; Yuki wanted to speak with him, and she took priority over any business that Fefnir may have been attending to at the time. She was his first captain, the very first ever to train with him after he graduated from the academy, and her fearsome skill and power had rapidly established her as his mentor and inspired intense loyalty. No matter what, her word was law to him, and she had never steered him wrong before.
"Ah..." Fefnir whispered as a breeze washed over him containing the scent of hundreds and thousands of flowers. It was bracing, almost enough to make him stop in his tracks to prolong the feeling, but not quite. Yuki had called him, and he would answer promptly. Fefnir's eyes scanned lightly over the expanse, and on the first pass, he almost completely missed her, but on the second pass, he caught her, eyes toward the ground, and her haori being blown without resistance all around her. With haste, he walked toward her, and saluted, the only physical acknowledgment of her superiority to himself he was willing to give anyone. His words were acceptable, but the tone was his usual: a gentle stated phrase with pointed tone. "You wanted to see me, Yuki?"
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Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 10:11 pm
Yuki had hardly been waiting in the field for five minutes before Fefnir showed up. Good loyal Fefnir, always prompt, always polite and always got things done right. He deserved better than the abusive training and treatment she had been giving him over the years. No matter how much good it had done him. Her pride would never let her say sorry, and she wasn't.... she was more proud of what he had become, what she had helped turn him into, than anything else.
She raised her head as he addressed her.... and actually smiled at him. Yuki couldn't remember the last time she had smiled, the last time she had been at peace. It had to have been years, the last time she saw Nagi perhaps.... Certainly Fefnir had never seen her smile before.
"Hello Fefnir.... Just the man I wanted to see...."
She said, as if she hadn't called him here and this was simply a chance meeting. Slowly walking towards him she pulled her zanpacto from her belt, still in it's shieth, slowly so he wouldn't take it that she needed to pound him into the dirt to relieve her stress as she had done for the past three years. No.... She would never do that again. She held it out, sideways presenting the blade to him, she looked him right in the eye and waited for him to take it, like he knew what was about to happen.
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Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 10:38 pm
At first, Fefnir had thought she was going to strike out at him again, like she had so many times before to relieve the stress of leading and protecting so many shinigami. It was a near daily occurrence over the last three years, so he had every reason to do what he did; Fefnir had dropped back, a hand on his zanpokuto as soon as he'd seen Yuki's hand go to hers, ready to counter her next move. But then, something else...
She was... smiling?
The Captain was very confused. Of course he'd seen her give him the sadistic, 'enough games, time to make you go to sleep now' grin, but this one... this one was different. It was... kind, and gentle, and it held so much emotion that Fefnir had wanted shown to him for so long. It was gratitude, and pride, and happiness, and it was so foreign to her, it seemed like she was another person entirely. It seemed like maybe, just maybe, that wall she'd created to protect herself after Nagi had gone was coming down a little. He straightened up, dropped his hands to his side, and almost was unsure of what to do. So, he walked closer to his captain, and looked the woman straight in the eyes, as if searching them for the experiences they had seen, the advice that she had so often given. "I... I don't understand!" He said, a bit of disbelief in his voice, "Why would you give me Arthion? You need him to help you, to protect you!"
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Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 10:51 pm
Yuki almost laughed at Fefnir's comment, her need for Arthion to protect herself had long since passed. Her blade hadn't served that purpose in so long she couldn't even remember. All she had done with it for years now was protect others, and lead them through the power he so obviously had, and the wisdom he granted her. She all but pushed the blade into his hands.
"He hasn't needed to do that in years.... and where I am going, I won't need him."
As she passed on the blade, she suddenly felt vary alone. The dragon spirit's warm comforting pulse of riatsu that always flowed through her like a river suddenly ceased. He knew where she was going, and he knew better than to have the long sad goodbye that neither of them needed nor wanted. 'take care of Fefnir', 'take care of yourself' With those last words to one another as soon as her hand left the shieth for the last time, he cut off contact.
She looked down at her feet for a moment, the feeling of being the only one inside her head an odd one after having Arthion with her for so many years. She looked back up at Fefnir again, a smile still painted across her face.
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Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 11:25 pm
As Fefnir had the blade pushed into his hands, his heart was racing, and his head was reeling. To be given anything by Yuki was extraordinary, but a piece of herself that she treasured like Arthion was just unbelievable. He felt so privileged, so cared for, like everything he had ever worked for was being rewarded beyond anything he could have asked, and at the same time, he was incredibly sad. She had given him the blade a bit sooner than she might have expected, and he heard their farewell, and their connection became his own for just that brief flash. Years of joy and pain, a friendship and partnership forged in the fires of battle that no amount of distance could stretch, and no force could break. Even if Arthion belonged to Fefnir now, he would always be Yuki's, and he would always be a reminder of what Yuki was to him. She was a mentor, a role model, a teacher, a friend, an ally...
She was his hero, and she always would be. Time could never change that, nor distance, not death, and most certainly not separation. As long as he had Arthion, he would always remember Yuki, and all that she did for him.
Even with that revelation, he couldn't just let her go. No, he wanted to prolong the goodbye for as long as possible. He wanted to remember every sight and sound around him forever and ever, until the day he died. It seemed like everything had gone into slow motion suddenly. He looked into her eyes, and he saw security and sureness for the first time in a long time. He knew that nothing would stop her departure. The first few tears began to fall lightly from his eyes, tinged red, just like everything else on the crimson shinigami, and he said with a broken voice, "Take me with you, Captain..." It was unintentional, but he'd never truly stopped thinking of her as his captain. He'd slipped back into the habit of his lieutenant days in Squad 2, and called her captain. How fitting it was that he acknowledged her position over him again, and once he realized what he'd done, his heart was torn. On the spur of the moment, he suddenly stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her close to himself, needing to have this one moment where he could actually show what he was feeling. "Captain... I've always loved you more than anyone else... Please, don't leave me alone... First Amie was gone, and then you... I don't want to be alone anymore...!" At the mention of his fiance who had disappeared, a pain shot through his chest, and then a second as he thought about what he was saying. He didn't care anymore, though; this was his last chance to say it, and he knew it, so he held her close to him, his fiery temperature gently embracing her as well.
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Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 11:48 pm
Yuki hated long goodbyes for this exact reason. She never handled tears well, and her face always puffed up in the ugliest way. She was not one of those girls who could start balling their eyes out and break the hearts of millions, she was one of the few who looked just pathetic when crying. But when Fefnir wrapped his arms around her, like Nagi used to, his heated body a strong contrast to that of her lover's almost frozen one, she wrapped hers around his too. Burying her face in his haiori she took a deep breath of his ash and smoke smell for the last time, and let a single tear roll down her face. She turned her head to wipe it away on his haiori before speaking, carefully keeping the sadness from touching her voice as she silently vowed not to let him know she was crying.
"You where never alone. I was always there, and you know that... and now you never will be."
------------
Gruffly Arthion chose this opportune time and spoke up, now inside Fefnir's mind, a new environment... a rare thing for a zanpacto. He felt awkward inside his new host, but he would get used to it.
"I will always be with you now."
------------
Yuki didn't hear the Dragon's remark, and showed no reaction to it. But gently, oh so gently let Fefnir go. She looked back up at his face, her eyes closed so he wouldn't see her eyes puff up with redness as she held back tears, and smiling. She pulled off her captain's cloak, to reveal her street cloths. The ones she had died in, and the ones she arrived to the soul society in, and she gently folded it up and held that out for Fefnir to take as well.
"I won't be needing this either..... If I ever return I hope I find you using it."
The squad one symbol showed on top of the fold proudly as she presented the cloak to Fefnir.
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Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 12:58 am
As Yuki released him, Fefnir almost stumbled a step or two backward as the words hit him. "You where never alone. I was always there, and you know that... and now you never will be." He knew she was right, but there was only sadness there, not relief. She was still going... and he was still staying. He almost pleaded once more for him to be taken with her, but stopped himself. She would have taken him if he were needed. She had to do this herself, or it wouldn't mean a thing. He could only guess her motive and destination, but knew that this wasn't a decision she made lightly. As much as it hurt him, he knew he was powerless against this foe; determination. He was...
He wasn't alone. The dragon he'd admired for so long had now become a part of him, just like he was once a part of Yuki. Though he seemed uncomfortable, he too reassured Fefnir, mirroring the sentiments of his master. His voice was deep, and Fefnir could tell he was sincere. Even Kaji, who hated both of them, was hard pressed to say anything against Arthion. Fefnir would always have Arthion, and that was just like having Yuki with him, helping him, guiding him, teaching him to be a better man. It was what Yuki wanted, so it was what Fefnir wanted. It had awakened in him a terrifying resolve; he would learn to use Arthion alongside Kaji. He would master the blades, and he would do Yuki justice with his moves. He would become so skilled with them that he would be indistinguishable from her in combat prowess. He would fight until he was victorious, he would strike with unequaled precision, he would carry the mantle of the fastest, the strongest, the protector, the master... the hero.
He reached out without hesitation, his hands shaking slightly and tears still running down his face, and took from her the cloak she was holding. It held her scent, like a combination of spices and that same fire that he had. It was familiar, but at the same time so distinct. The haori was tattered on the bottom, and that was visible even though she'd folded it up, but he didn't care. It was something that made it that much more personal. Since she'd given it to him, he was by all technicality the captain of both Squads one and nine at the same time, but he wasn't thinking about that. He was going to fulfill her hope. He would take the helm of Squad 1. And he would do it for her.
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Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 1:40 am
As Fefnir took the cloak and held it she looked up at him one last time, not caring if he saw her eyes starting to water from the prolonged goodbye. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, like any good friend deserved, as if she could tell him through that little contact that she would miss him. That he was like her little brother, no matter how much she abused him in the past it was because it was tough love and that she knew how good he would become.
"I'm so proud of you Fefnir... Be good."
And with that final statement she turned around and finally blinked letting the tears roll down her face, no longer smiling, as she walked into the sunset.
A hero's departure.
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Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 2:06 am
She went... The flowers seemed to bow to her very presence, and in the rippling wake behind her, there was color starting to burn brightly in the last bits of the day. What was once white was becoming the crimson the two shinigami shared. They were connected, and this was the proof; their reiatsu was still interlaced, and as it spread, it dyed the petals of each plant. It was so beautiful to Fefnir, that where his tears had begun to dry, they again flowed freely. All he could do was stand, and watch, and hope.
Then, suddenly, he remembered something. "Yuki!" He called, as loudly as he could. Then, his hand shot to it's position, his arm horizontal with his fist over his heart, his traditional salute. "LONG LIVE THE CAPTAIN-COMMANDER!" he yelled, putting all of his heart, all of his soul, all of his might into it. And mighty it was, worthy of her.
A hero's departure.
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Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 2:14 am
Yuki was almost to the trees, the edge of the field of flowers as she heard Fefnir call out to her one last time, she shook her head thinking he was going to run after her and kept her slow march forward.
"long live the captain-commander!"
She couldn't help but look back over her shoulder at that one, a small smile crept across her face as she saw Fefnir in his all too familiar salute. The one he had been giving her since the day they met. All the good memories from her time as second squad captain washed over her and her tears flowed anew. She walked into the forest, remembering all the good times, and how much she would miss this place.
And just like that, she was gone.
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