3:10 to yuma drabble

There was an ocean of silence as they paused to reloaded; in the hollow quiet, Ben heard a rough whisper of instructions - They were splitting up, trying to surround him. Fools, he thought gratefully. Be easy to pick them off one by one, now, 'stead of trying to just break their wall of flesh.

The lanterns that had been spilling ineffective whiteness into the smoky storeroom swung and then disappeared as the posse separated. He counted five running east, three west; Big Jacob still stood in the door, a goddamn Goliath. Probably another one or two circling their boss, even if Ben couldn't see them. He lowered himself carefully down the mountain of boxes he'd been using as a perch, moving his boots carefully down the wood-dusty slope until he'd reach Dan's side.

"Now's our chance," he grabbed Dan under the arms and hoisted him to his feet, not bothering to explain or inquire. The rancher grunted and his sharp fingers dug into Ben's arm, staining his coat rusty red. Once Dan had propped himself up, Ben searched around his waist, took Dan's revolver. "Promise I'll give it back."

Dan shoved away Ben's hands and leaned heavily on his rifle. "Won't need it. We can get out - Here, boards are rotted. Don't even need to break 'em, just push 'em. Quietly."

He couldn't see, but Ben dropped to his knees and ran his hands over the wood wall, feeling for weakness. Two against three - at least - were odds he didn't trust, not with Dan re-painting the damn room with his blood. A test proved Dan right - The boards crackled and splinted an dropped away. They could snake through, bellies to the dust, and he could back 'round, shoot that fucker Jacob right in his cowardly back.

"Gotta hurry," he said over his shoulder. "They split up to search. Gotta get out before they reach back here."

Dan's hand clasped Ben's shoulder hard as he lowered himself to the ground. He grunted again and there was a sound of splattering, but he hurried, pushing Ben aside as he wiggled between the panels. Ben followed, sliding on the blood out onto the dirt.

Yay for Jecht!

OH FUCK YEAH. Looks like I have to save up for a PSP: Jecht's a playable character in Dissidia. And holy crap he looks awesome.

Seriously, Jecht is the ultimate in awesome. It started with a typical fangirl appreciation, but when I started role-playing as him at ff_crisis, I began to have a greater respect for his character, particularly his transformation during Braska's pilgrimage.

My take of Jecht:

After a unprecedented successful and god-like fame and recognition, Jecht has to learn to live on a small scale; a wife takes the place of thousands of fans, a son takes the place of a team. Tidus naturally resents Jecht's power - classic case of Oedipus syndrome - and Jecht can't get out from his own shadow.

And maybe he doesn't want to. Why exchange thousands of adoring fans for one weak, little wife? How is one whining, cry-baby of a son better than a grateful team? I don't think Jecht tries to be cruel, but at this point in his life, he's too self-centered, too blinded by his own ego to see, really see, what should be important. In my own version of Jecht's history, his wife takes an even smaller role (my reasoning is this: Jecht doesn't even mention her name once during FFX, so how important to him can see be? Tidus is who he thinks of, Tidus is who he's trying to get back home to), and actually only feeds his selfishness. Maybe he married her after she became pregnant and not because he loved her. Maybe other than their child, they have no bond to share. Maybe she loves him like his fans love him: a shallow admiration of purely external traits. Maybe that's why he continues on being obnoxious and narcissistic, because he doesn't have any reason to change his ways. I'm not blaming here, not at all - I'm just proposing a theory that Jecht is allowed - even encouraged - to be egotistical by a society that rationalizes - even rewards - typical celebrity behavior.

Anyway, when he touches Sin, sin touches back. He's marked - marred even - permanently that day. When he arrives in Spira, he's a broken man. And being shunned, being ostracized is a shattering experience for him. He drinks, which worsens the problems. Sin haunts him, so he drinks; in a stupor he's protected from Sin's nightmares.

Ooh Jecht. So totally awesome.