No Good Deed

I stood on the dock at Port Windurst, unsure why I was even venturing to Jeuno.
To get out of my house..?  I had been there far too long.  Sarima was becoming angry with my perpetual state of melancholy. 
Everything there reminded me of him.  The twinkling trees from Starlight.  The animated eggs from the egg hunt.  Bonbori with their usually calming glow and beautiful Sprig of Bamboo...  Festival dolls.  Each item told a tale of an adventure we had had together.
The wind blew my hair from my face and kept tears from gathering.  I looked down at where I gripped the edge of the airship.  Even these Warlock's gloves...  The Moldavite and Astral earrings...
Did I have NOTHING that I did not obtain without him?
I could only collapse to my knees.  My stomach twisted in knots.  At least if I retched, it would seem that I had air-sickness.
The hustle and bustle of Jeuno would simply be too much.  What a stupid idea... What if I ran into his brother.
The anger that thought brought on gave me the strength to hobble to the covered area of the ship.
I simply waited there until it made for Windurst once again.

Kup-oh.. Kiamo?  Back so soon..?

I couldn't do it, Sarima...

She sighed and floated to the floor.

Kiamo, it's Summerfest.  Why not try... some events?

I shook my head.
I did want to do the summerfest events.  Whenever I went outside, I saw smiling couples in their new attire.  But, shouldn't I be playing those games and scooping goldfish with him?  I swallowed hard.

Sa.. Sarrrima.  Those are things I would have done with--

Kiamo stop.  Kup-ou are depressing ME!

Well if it wasn't forrr YOU he and I would neverrr have gone out for Valentone's--

So what?!  That spark was there!  You two had fun! KUPOHHHH-- Kiamo!  Don't blame me for falling in love with him!! 

WHAT?!  I did not fall in love with him!  You pushed us together, Sarrrima... I would have been just fine if---

Then why do you insist on moping around like a broken hearted lover.  All his other friends are off adventuring!

Because...  because...

Suddenly there was a knot in my throat so big I could neither finish my thought, nor swallow.  I blinked and fat tears rolled down my cheeks.  If I had been with him that day...  He would still be here.  It would have been me that---

There is nothing you can do.  Kiki…  Just cherish the time you did have.  Not everyone is so blessed to have had someone like him in their lives.

I nodded.  But it was remembering those times that only served to bring about more grief.

He...  He was my best frrriend, Sarrrima.

She nodded.

And nobody can take that away from you.

With that she twirled into a warp and was gone.

Maybe gold fish scooping would get my mind off... things.
I curled up on the cool stone floor, gazing at the glowing egg inside the egg buffet.  Gold shafts of light reached out, like Altana's arms come to embrace me.  Gentle and warm...   Every now and then a tiny prismatic bubble would float out toward me.  Just when I thought it was within reach, it would disappear.













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