Soujiro Seta SIN
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The Eternal Dream -
Forever You
-- tenken’s recommended listening
- Ending theme (Final Fantasy X) Melodies of Life
(Final Fantasy IX) Again (Vision of Escaflowne OST3)
The tournament was over at last.
Zeal had heard Yume’s final speech, and of her decision to
grant a small favor to each participant for their valiant
effort. Some had already made their wishes and been whisked
away to the multitude of dimensions and star systems that they
represented. Some were becoming emotional and hugging each
other, sad that the bonds of friendship they had made would
not be able to be kept up. After all, even the strongest
caring could not surpass time and dimension, could it?
I suppose I’ll miss some of these good folk
Zeal thought, reminiscing on the tournament as a whole. The
bravery of Commander Driscoll…Rubicant, filled with
honor…Slash the swordsman, ever in search of perfection…Koren
the Crimson Wizard, taking command of his own fate…Lemina
Ausa, who clung tightly to her dream….Chaos, who could not let
go of the darkness….all of them and more had left their
impressions on Zeal’s heart; impressions she would always
remember. Zeal sniffed and rubbed her eyes, hoping no one
noticed.
“It’s difficult to see them all go, isn’t
it?” said a familiar voice from behind. Zeal quickly composed
herself and turned to see Saint standing behind her, once
again having taken the stealth approach. “Yes…life is full of
such, Zeal. Friendships made, no attention paid to parting.
But somewhere in the mind, everyone knows that one day, even
those closest to them will be separated from them. It’s the
sad reality….”
“Yeah…” Zeal’s voice trailed off into
low murmur of the conversations going on around them. “I
didn’t even notice until now what this unlikely group had come
to mean to me. Even if I didn’t know them personally, I could
always recognize them on the battlefield. The yeti, the big
turtle, the ninja; I can’t believe that in only a week’s time,
it became normal for me to see them all. And yet, somewhere
along the line….” She sniffed again, rubbing her eyes with the
hem of her sleeve. Must be those…darn seasonal allergies
again…that’s it! “I never got to apologize to that
green-haired girl for messing up her robot a few days ago,
when the Void was in my mind-“
“Have you decided what
your desire shall be?” Saint took a bite of his soft pretzel
and waited for a reply.
“Well…I don’t know…I mean…”
Zeal hadn’t really thought about it. In and of itself, the
tournament had been its own reward for her.
“You
needn’t rush yourself” Saint replied, dismissing himself once
again to the banquet table. “Thoughtful consideration gives
way to the higher understanding.”
--------------------
Zeal
had waited, and more contestants had left, back to their own
realities. The ones that were still there were not in line to
make requests of Yume, but still enjoying each others’
fellowship for as long as they could. She wished she could
too, but the longer she stayed, the more it seemed to weigh
down her heart. It was the last goodbye for everyone….
Weaving her way through the now-navigable crowd, she
finally caught sight of Yume standing near the table,
finishing a muffin.
“You actually eat food?” Zeal
queried as she approached the young goddess.
“Well, I
don’t need to, but it tastes good, just as you have foods you
like.” Yume seemed to be as calm as she had always been,
unperturbed by the idea that the same group would probably
never be together again. “Have you come seeking the return to
your own time and place?”
“I have.” Zeal stated flatly
as she lead the way to another one of Memoria’s starlit
balconies, away from the larger group. “Even for one such as
I, who has learned to hold emotion inside at times for the
betterment of the people, the fact that this is the end of all
of this saddens me. What do you feel, Lady Yume?”
“I
feel….a bit sad also. But if I truly desired it, I could see
any of them at my whim. And, no doubt, I will be able to see
them in my thoughts. But enough of that…what is it I can do
for you before you leave, Zeal? Certainly one of strong enough
mind to cast out the Void has something small in their hearts
that they desire. For a certainty, you wish your two children
by your side again, yes?”
“I saw them, in my mind…”
Zeal began. “When I did, I was so surprised and shocked, but
it was because of their help and their strength that I was
able to finally overcome the darkness. But also, when they
were there, even in spirit, I could feel that they were
alright. They still live, somewhere…”
“That is true,
Queen” Yume said. “Janus searches layer after layer of time
and space to find his sister. Someday, he may come your way
again. Schala…it is difficult to know for sure. She lies in a
difficult-to-pinpoint area outside of space-time. But they are
alive.”
“Thank you Yume, but were you to bring them
back, especially Schala, the timestream of my world may be
disrupted. I and my children made an indelible impact on
history, or so I heard.”
“So you know….” Yume bowed
her head. “I’m sorry Zeal. Even though I could grant your
wish…you yourself know that both are too intricately tied
within the timestream to be ripped from it as such. If there’s
anything else I can do for you, you have but to ask.”
“Well, actually…” a smile crossed Zeal’s face “I’ve
heard of a mighty spell, the Giga-Graviton….” Yume shot her a
knowing glance.
“And just what would you do with
another spell of mass destruction? Plan to make a habit
of fighting epic battles?” She tapped her foot in a steady
beat, the rhythm betraying a smile in an otherwise solemn
setting.
“I’m just kidding, of course…” Zeal managed a
laugh, even as she could feel the lump in her throat.
“Yume…I never got to tell you this before, but I care
about you. Maybe in some way you remind me of Schala when she
was a young girl; always adroit and precocious, yet with a
soft and gentle manner about her, and a heart that cared about
people. If you didn’t already know, the kingdom of which I was
queen was an advanced civilization who tried to reach great
Enlightenment through dreams, visions, magic, and various
other methods. Maybe that also is what struck a chord with me.
A girl whose name means ‘dream’, yet who has no dream of her
own…if I could have one wish, I want you to have a dream. A
dream grand and wonderful, beyond the confines of yourself. I
think that is why so many cultures, including my own, place so
much importance on dreams. Even if one understands themselves
completely, a dream is a venture into the unknown, the
recesses of their mind or the inspiration of supernatural
forces. A dream is more than our human existence. To
experience the wonder dreams can bring is something I wish for
you, Yume. I want you to have a dream….”
“I…I don’t
know if I can…with the acceptance of my full power…” Yume
grasped for words, surprised that someone would want to use
their wish to give something to her; someone who seemingly had
everything.
“And yet, also, be it my wish or not” Zeal
began again “I wish for your friendship, Yume. I want to see
you grow and learn, to talk with you late into the night about
a great many things, and that we may see each other again,
even after every person here has parted ways!” Zeal’s voice
rose and quavered. She was crying now, and the tears seemed to
roll effortlessly down her cheeks. “I know it’s selfish, to
ask such a thing of a goddess, but the only thing of value to
me in this tourney is the knowledge I have gained…and…and…”
“Zeal…truly, you have discovered a great strength
within yourself” Yume turned to face Zeal and threw her hands
around the Queen’s waist in an embrace. “I’m afraid to say
that I cannot grant your wish for my friendship…” She could
feel the Queen’s figure shaking. “That is because it would be
meaningless to grant a wish which has already been made
manifest.” She could feel Zeal’s arms tighten their embrace.
“Yume….thank you….for everything” Zeal stood, holding
the petite goddess close. “This will be something…I always
remember…” She felt herself fading away; the feeling of waking
up from a dream. Only, she knew it was not a dream she was
phasing out of.
“Then…thank you, Queen. Without
you, even I might have been lost…” Yume whispered. Zeal’s
heart felt alight as she faded away, back to 12,003 B.C. The
days to come would surely seem dull now, in comparison…
Everything became light, and Zeal felt as if she was ascending
toward the sky.
My dream…..will be for you. Never
forget…always remember…
--------------------
--
3 Weeks Later -
“Achoo!” Zeal sneezed into her
handkerchief as she willed her stovetop to heat up. It had
been no small feat, salvaging the Sunstone from the sunken
Zeal, but it had surely been worth it, given all the
applications she and Doreen had already put its energy toward
- such as heating the stove on a cold day to make a hot cup of
tea. And her personal retrieval operation of it only days
after she had returned had given her time to be alone and to
think, and to take her mind off the emptiness in her heart.
She had sometimes wondered if perhaps Mia was teaching a magic
class at that very moment, or whether Driscoll had won his
war. The bottom of the ocean was a cold place, but
fortunately, it was also relatively inaccessible to those
without the magic to breathe water. She had stayed there for
almost two weeks, but at least the glowing white ball was
hers.
“Now…where did I put that kettle?” Zeal turned
about to find Doreen holding the kettle full of water. “Ah,
thank you Doreen. Let me just take that there….” She received
the kettle from the mischievous spirit and put it on the plate
to heat up. Today would be her second full day back, and if
there was one thing that she had noticed, it was that the
weather had been nicer than normal as of late. Well, maybe
it just seems like that after I spent two weeks under the
ocean… she thought. Either way, Zeal had an affinity for a
good cup of tea; it seemed to help her unwind like nothing
else, and was especially potent in that respect when combined
with a good book.
Zeal exited the kitchen and perused
her bookshelf, looking for her next reading project. “I think
I’ve had enough of magic and time/space travel for a while”
she sighed as she passed her science and magic section. A book
in the next bookcase caught her eye, however. “’The Epic of
Gilgamesh’….heh…I loved this tale as a girl! A mighty warrior
king, outcast from his kingdom….whaaa! Hyaaa!” She made
sword-slicing motions with her arm, fencing against imaginary
foes. Pulling the book from the shelf, she placed it on the
stand next to her favorite reading chair, then returned to the
kitchen to find her water boiling. “That sunstone sure is
convenient!” Zeal motioned her hand downward, and the plate on
which the steaming kettle rested grew dark once more. “I think
I’ll go with…..special blend seventeen today, ‘Fragrant
Memory’.” She took two teabags and set them each in an
earthenware cup, proceeding to pour the boiling water over
them.
A knock sounded at the door, ever so slightly,
but audible. “Doreen, would you be so kind as to get that
while I finish preparing the tea here?” She motioned in the
general direction of the house’s front door with her head.
Doreen nodded and headed off to the front room to attend to
the door. Zeal looked out of her kitchen window; snow fell
lightly in a slight breeze, causing the flakes to dance and
whirl about. Mmm…this tea smells positively wonderful!
She stirred both cups with a small spoon, listening for
Doreen.
“I think it’s for you” was the reply Zeal
heard from the kitchen.
“Of all the times, right when
I’m about to sit down for a cup of tea and a good book once
again…” She set the spoon down and made her way to the front
of the house. It was well that she hadn’t decided to carry the
tea, for she surely would have dropped it at what she saw.
“Yume!” Zeal ran and threw her arms around the goddess at
her door. She was dressed in a purple coat that looked
somewhat big for her, accessorized by a fluffy pair of
lavender earmuffs.
“Ah..ah…hey there, Queen Zeal!”
Yume grinned broadly. “I was in the area, and I decided to pay
a good friend a visit.”
“What are you just standing
there for? Come inside, come inside! There’s so much to talk
about; I want to hear everything! Oh, Doreen, could you
pour one more cup of tea? Another friend is in our midst, and
we must give hospitability! Oh, can I take your coat for you?”
Zeal received Yume’s purple coat and hung it upon the
robe-rack in the entryway.
“I’m glad I could come…I’d
like to have a ‘conversation late into the night’, like you
talked about. It sounds fun.” Yume slipped off her boots and
stepped into a previously unseen pair of purple slippers.
“That we shall, that we shall!” Zeal had not expected
it at all when she woke up, nor had she for the time she had
been back, but there she was, standing right there in her
house, with fuzzy purple earmuffs and a shy smile on her face.
“Come, I want to hear all about what you’ve been doing…..”
The snow blew outside on August 16, 2003 B.C., just as
it had done every day for countless years and centuries before
it. In one house, however, there seemed a little extra warmth,
for the light of friendship glowed there, testament to the
power of a dream.
--------------------
And so the role of Queen Zeal in the sixth great
Celestial Gathering of Chosen Ones has ended. Sometimes, in
anime, sad endings get to me the most, but in this case, I had
to give it a happy outcome. I hope everyone enjoyed Zeal in
the tourney, and perhaps look at her a bit differently when
you play Chrono Trigger again (I know I will). This is tenken,
and thank you for reading!
---
~the man with the master
plan~
May not be suitable :: for children under
3
Last edited by
Soujiro Seta on 02-11-2002 at 04:24 AM |