Grazing The Sky

"So how'd you get put in there?"

"Well, before Kazuo was a caregiver, he was a medic. He was one of the first people to test the system out. I'm not sure how deep he got into the combat side of it besides doing what he had to do for his training, but he's well-known enough to ask for some pretty big favors. We didn't have anywhere else to go, so he got us in a few months after this." He gestured to the table—the scene—around them. 

Lance looked to Zooka, more than a little concerned. His attention went back to Zidane. "You guys were what, ten?"

"Eleven," Zidane corrected with a grin. "And we didn't start the actual training until we were around fourteen. Everything before that was going through a general education program with a bit of an introduction into our fields."

"Can't really imagine her being there," Lance said, speaking a little more to himself as he looked to Zooka again.

"I know." With his elbows still on the table, Zidane pushed his hands through his hair; his ears were exposed for a moment, the odd shape of the rounded tear-drop point putting a twist in Lance's stomach. Zidane's hands passed and the hair fell back into place as he continued speaking.

"She instantly went to the medical field. Wasn't sure what she wanted to do but she knew she wanted to save lives instead of take them." He reached one hand out, and it was then Lance noticed there was a flower sitting in a vase. Oddly enough, the flower hadn't bloomed, its petals shut tightly into a small bud. The back of Zidane's finger brushed along the flower, his skin barely making contact before the petals windmilled out, exposing a soft-looking center that was surrounded by the large wings of petals.

Zidane's hand rested below, resting on the table. "I went into SWAT. My trainer introduced me to it, said I'd be a good match." He drew back his hand, straightening his slumped posture and looking down. He gave a weak shrug. "I was fine with it. All of it's just a convenient way to blend in. Pretty long training period, too, so it's a good way to kill time."

"What's after the training?"

A sad smile came to Zidane.

"That's something I'm still working on."

He faded away, both him and Zooka reappearing on opposite sides of the kitchen table. Zooka leaned forward, having to stand up in her chair for her fork to reach Zidane's plate. She stabbed into his eggs, earning a smile and a playful fight with forks. A sudden thud hit the window.

As the scene faded, voices came to Lance. Zooka, her's a light w.h.i.n.e.

"It's gone, Kazuo... Can we fix it?"

Through the darkness, Lance saw silhouettes standing outside a tall apartment complex. The tallest figure shook its head.

"I'm afraid not, my dear."

The second-shortest figure looked up, Zidane's voice appeared out of a white mouth. "Can we bury it?"

The tallest figure nodded, placing a hand on Zidane's head. "That, we can do."

The street and its occupants faded, a small fully-colored yard coming into view. Lance walked forward, stopping a few feet away from the makeshift grave. Zidane stepped forward, placing the bird's limp body into the hole as Zooka turned in towards Kazuo's leg, sobbing into the denim.

"Death touches all of us differently," Zidane told Lance. "Kazuo told me that after the burial."

Lance nodded solemnly, watching the grave as he saw Kazuo turn to Zidane.

"Would you like to say a few words?"

The crossbreed simply shook his head, eyes dimming significantly. For a moment, the jawline, the nose, the eyelashes—everything reminded Lance of Kyrene. A sick twist wrung his stomach, and he swallowed it all down.

Kazuo bowed his head, leading the two in a Buddhist prayer. Lance found himself listening along, head bowing and eyes eventually closing.

"May Buddha take this life and transform it," Kazuo finished.

Lance's eyes opened, mind only seeing Kyrene's bloodied face. Her limp body. This wasn't fair...

Another memory came back to him. Zidane's voice, his words.

"Trust me when I say my life gets better. I need you to remember that, okay?"

When? Lance returned, the word almost slipping from his lips.

An energy began to drift into Lance's realm of feeling. A force that gently pulled his stare up, directed it at Zooka.

"It's always been her. She's my beacon of light, no matter what happens; no matter how dark it gets. She's the light that keep shining."

A tension curled Lance's stomach, but he did his best to ignore it. He just simply nodded, and the scene changed yet again.

He stood at the front of the house this time, turning around to see the door was wide open, the three standing at the entranceway. Kazuo looked especially sad, and Lance barely had to look in Zooka's direction to know she was softly crying.

Zidane stood beside both of them, eyes cast down to the porch beneath his feet. His sneakers shifted, baggy pants swaying at the holed knees, and his hands slipped into the pocket of his sky-blue hoodie.

Lance's stare shifted, going to Kazuo as he bent down, hugging Zooka. He saw Zidane's gaze flick to somewhere behind Lance, and upon turning the human noticed a black SUV pulled up to the curve, a man clad in sunglasses standing beside it.

Zidane was next to hug Kazuo, and the caregiver's voice drifted to Lance, amplified by the mind he was in.

"Never forget your strength."

Zidane's eyes dimmed, cheek pressed against Kazuo's shoulder. A blink, and Lance nearly expected tears to float to the surface of navy eyes.

They pulled apart, small hands dropping from weary shoulders, and with a muted groan, Kazuo stood once again.

"Take care of each other."

The children nodded, Zooka keeping her hand by her mouth. A mouth, Lance noticed, that was set in a shaking frown. His heart tore, and he muted a sigh from his nose, shifting his weight to one side. Nothing he could do, he told himself.

Zidane's foot stepped back, body and face turning towards the parked SUV. Lance turned with him, seeing the bodyguard in front of it shift a little, clearing his throat.

It was time to go.

Zidane looked up to Kazuo, and the caregiver only offered him a smile in return. Putting a hand on his hair affectionately.

"You'll do well," he said, already convinced of this fact. "You both will."

Zidane simply nodded, the motion slight, his eyes downcast.

Zidane and Zooka both stepped out, descending down the steps. In his older voice, Zidane spoke to Lance.

"Kazuo passed away a few years ago, when Zoo and I were about fifteen." Sadness edged his words, a choking grief that rode underneath his voice. They started down the walkway, and with a heavier emotion, Zidane added, "She's still taking it pretty hard."

At the thought of wanting to get nearer, Lance was moved past the steps and began walking towards them.

"Was it sudden?"

"Yeah, a little bit." Zidane's voice grew hoarse; he cleared his throat. Lance waited for him to continue on, but only the sounds of his and Zooka's footsteps came.

There's way too much pain...

Lance stopped walking. He looked away, feeling the air against his skin, trying to come up with any other thought besides that one. When he spoke, his words were quieter than wind; light, unable to truly be much use against anything.

"I'm sorry..."

Zidane and Zooka stood at the end of the walkway, their feet at the start of the sidewalk. The memory continued on. Lance was teleported to a better angle, standing off to the side of the car. He could see Zooka's face, the worry etching lines between her brows. She looked back, and though Kazuo gave a kind smile, Lance could see his worry as well. Zidane straightened his posture, glancing at her hand before he took it in his.

"It's okay."

Zooka's hand responded automatically; her five fingers taking hold of his as well. She looked to him, the worry barely fading from her face. Despite the blue in Zidane's eyes fading, and despite the slight smile on his face, he leaned over and reached out his other hand, wiping the lines between her brows with a thumb as though it were a smudge on her face. Zooka laughed, using one hand to cover her mouth. Zidane's eyes brightened, his hand giving hers a light, reassuring squeeze.