Final Fantasy Spiral
Disclaimer: All characters, places, scenes belong to their respectful owners!
Chapter 4: Stayin' Frosty
-8-0-8-
The Thunder Plains were utter hell… We managed to get through safely though. I was on the verge of hurling every time Kiako mentioned 'love' and crap like that. Basically she and Heihachi are full of togetherness; it made me sick. Upon reaching Macalania Forest, we, as in my group of morons, decided on the right path of the woods (after losing at rock-paper-scissors for the first time… dammit!).
We all came upon the lake that Tidus and Yuna were swimming in for 5 minutes and not drowning. I spotted white-blob-man at the shore. "Ciel?"
"Diablos! I thought I told you not to pop up out of nowhere!" I scolded. Train pulled out his Hades gun and aimed it at Ciel.
"Train, what the hell are you--" Before Sven could finish, he had already shot. I saw a shiney cape-like thing wave through the air revealing a different person and then he vanished.
"Who was that?" asked Eve.
"Someone from the Chronos."
"Was there really a need to shoot him though?" asked Leon.
"He might have been searching for Creed and came here to use us. He has the ability to mask himself as whomever he chooses," explained Train.
"Wow, when you're not obsessed with food, you're actually quite knowledgeable," I said sarcastically.
"Ehh! What is that supposed mean?" Train retorted. I suddenly collapsed. "Kuro!"
"Sorry, for whatever reason my strength just won't hold up like it used to. …Can we rest here for a little while?"
"Hm, alright then," said Hao. "There are no problems with everyone else?"
"Fine then. It's alright with me," said Leon. Wow and he's usually the impatient one. The others also agreed for the sake of my health. Diablos' power within me must have been the cause. Or my lack of sleep.
-8-0-8-
Camp was set up nearby the lake. The Black Cat gang went off to hunt for something to eat since Train had already eaten all of our rations that would've lasted us TEN DAYS!
"I haven't seen the stars in such a long time…" said Hao. I had already dozed off, but I was still conscious. It wasn't like I was eavesdropping or anything… Leon was off nearby the lake away from camp mumbling to Chaltier, his old Swordian pal.
"Yeah, pretty aren't they?" said Diablos staring up as well. He gave a deep sigh. "After that whole incident with Ixion, it seems Kuro's spirit has been weakened."
"Of course. She feels bad for making a stupid mistake and nearly costing her life," replied Hao.
"Well, it's not like she would've known that Ixion was right at the door waiting for her…"
"That's not what she's upset about."
"It seems like it…
"Being worried over… our leader can't accept such a thing."
"That's right…" I whispered. "I've seen enough people leave me…"
"What a weird girl. We all just care for her," said Diablos.
"You care?" said Hao a bit surprised.
I spoke out loud this time. "Stupid. If I rely on people's help all the time, I won't be able to do anything myself. You're all being over protective; it's weighing me down."
"Ah, you were listening?" said Diablos a bit nervous.
"It'd do some good for my self-esteem if you could stop worrying a while. I'll be sure to rest when I need to. I'm really getting sick of traveling."
I heard a voice suddenly behind me. "Dinner's ready!" I instantly went into kill mode.
Then another, "Ya!" But I thought it was the same person so…
"WAKKA! DIE!" I screamed picking up a log from the campfire and chucked it at the first person I saw.
"NO! MY HAT! It's burning! AHH!"
Leon walked over and wondered what the hell was going on. "Did I… miss something here?"
"Ahem… False alarm…" I said shrugging.
After rest time was over, we set off again. Not soon later, I heard a gunshot. It wasn't Train's, his had a unique sound to its fire… "AHH!" I knew that corny scream anywhere… Fayt was somewhere nearby. Rushing over to the scene, we spotted two scientist looking dudes.
"You can't hide Vincent Valentine!" said one of them, Hojo.
"Ho, it looks like some new subjects appeared…" said the other, Doctor from Black Cat who pointed a gun at me. I was too stunned to react.
"KURO!" Train jumped in the way to block the bullet. Kiako's team had arrived soon after.
'Protected again…'
-8-0-8-
The walk to the agency at the end before reaching Macalania temple was tiresome, but we made it. All of us. Due to that bullet, Lucifer or whatever it was called, the nano-machines within them changed Train's form into that of a kid's. Well, at least he'll eat less thank goodness. Hao made a quick remark about his reincarnation abilities (darn his immortality…). It was hard to tell the difference between Hao's and Chibi-Train's voice; they sounded nearly identical. If I recalled, since Train was able to use the Rail Gun, he already turned into a kid once before with the Lucifer Bullet. What were the chances that he became one again?
Soon later, I showed Heihachi how to fly since he got hit with Lucifer as well and sprouted some wings. Unlike Sephiroth from KH, he actually had two wings. That samurai/woodchuck seemed to have some difficulty and I was getting impatient. I peered to the ground to see someone laughing. 'Laugh at me will ya?' I stirred up some Blizzard magic and formed it into a snowball then chucked it at him. I grinned evilly as I created a giant snowball and tossed it at the unfortunate victim. The snow war was declared by shoving the snowballed Kiako off the hill. It was on!
"AHAHAHAHA! Take this! METEOR SWARM: FLAMING TURKEY VERSION!"
The battle that took place became known as the War of Falling Flaming Frozen Turkeys! Not. Shortly after that little display, that Chronos guy who appeared in the forest earlier showed himself before us. It seemed like he wanted to join us. I didn't care anymore. If he wanted to use us to fight Creed, then I would use him the same way. My thought trail was rudely interrupted by Train jumping off the roof trying to fly for whatever reason and Cliff who broke another window because he didn't know how to use the door.
-8-0-8-
Upon reaching the temple's frigid entranceway, Seymour up and came outta nowhere and started attacking with a machina army. I was directed to go and send Shiva; Kiako sent along with me Kyouko and Train. That moron, of all the people to give me to fight with…
"Hey Kuro…" asked Train, "do we have to do another one of those trials?"
"Of course. There's one at every temple," I replied.
"Trial?" Kyouko was utterly confused. "Is it like a game?"
"Not quite. Kyouko, Train, please wait here and make sure no machina enter the temple while I go do the trial."
"Eeehh? No! Kuro! Don't leave me with her! I won't have anyone to hide behind!"
"Roger that!" saluted Kyouko. "As long as I'm with Kuro-sama, no matter what size he is, I still love him!"
"Ughm. Sure…" I said backing away slowly into the next door.
"KURO!"
"KURO-SAMA♥"
"AHH!" The door closed silently behind me.
I peered into the fogged up room. It was so white I couldn't see a thing. I took a step only to hear a cracking noise. 'The ice seems too unstable… I gotta find a way to remove this fog…' Taking out my weapon, I casted a light Aero spell to push the fog away so that I could see ahead a bit. However, the fog in the entire area just faded away. I figured Shiva knew I was here. "Diablos."
"Yes ma'am," he said from behind me.
"Can you still Oversoul with me even if your powers are gone?" I asked without turning around.
"I'm still a spirit aren't I? Though, since YOU have my powers I dunno how useful it'll be…"
"Oversoul!" The wings were all I needed. I leapt into the emptiness above and dove straight down shattering the thin ice. Down in the icy hell, I found… more emptiness. I heard a crackling noise high up at the ceiling when a large icicle seared through the air towards me. There wasn't enough time for me to dodge until something shoved me out of the way. I slipped across the ice and bashed my head against the wall, face first… My entire body was practically numb from the cold. I felt my forehead only to find redness dripping all over my left hand. I keeled over soon after.
-8-0-8-
I awoke to see a pair of bright yellow eyes staring back at me within a mass of darkness. Still in delusion, I said, "Ehhh, wassup doc?" Something moved my hand and smacked my head (which was already healed for some odd reason); I snapped together. "W-what…" I peered around the crowd of yellow dots.
"Sh-Shadow…?"
"We ArE… wHaT cReAtE sHaDoW… MeMoRiEs… LoSt…"
Their words… they weren't being spoken… I can hear them, but not their voices… It was really nerve racking… "…Why did you save me?" I asked; my voice was, strangely, hesitant.
"YoU oNcE bOrE oUr NaMe… ShAdoWhEaRtLeSs…"
"That doesn't explain anything," I sighed.
"Since when did you ever need explaining?" A pair of crimson eyes appeared. "Seems like my dark power and your summoning capabilities brought forth a new skill."
As I stood up, the darkness receded revealing the ice pit I fell into where the giant icicle nearly skewered my guts. "Shadowheartless huh? Haven't used that name in a long time… How nostalgic."
"Let's figure out this trial. I have a feeling that… it won't be easy…" said Diablos.
"Oh, what gave you that idea?" I said sarcastically crossing my arms and peering around the vast number of cavern entrances across the walls.
"Alright, here we go!" He headed to one of the crystalline entrances and instantly crashed into an invisible barrier.
I slapped my forehead in dismay. "I'm doomed…"
After blasting my way through the illusionary walls, I arrived at YET another empty room. "DAMMIT WHERE THE HELL IS SHIVA?" I screamed; my voice echoing throughout.
"Kuro, if you yell that loud you might cause an avalanche…" whispered Diablos.
"We're not in the mountains you fool! Did my stealing away of your dark powers also take a chunk outta your intelligence?"
"This is close enough!" He grabbed my head and twisted it towards the endless ceiling. Something was diving down fast followed by giant blizzard. It slammed into the ice making a crater in the ground. As the fog cleared, I could see two people; Shiva who lay lifeless with a circular blade on a stick jammed into her, the other was…
"Tch, kill-stealer…" I mumbled.
"Miss Black Mage, if you would be so kind to send this Aeon…" said Ciel removing his weapon. I gave no reply and quickly muttered the hymn of the fayth. Shiva fled the area as pyreflies.
I gave a deep sigh. "Let's go, Diablos."
"Hold on--"
"I have to hurry and help Kiako fight the stupid machina sent by that girly man Seymour. I'll go on ahead; you can go chat as much as you want with your old pal over there."
"I am not old…" He gave a bow, "Nireciele Arailes, 19 years old, white wizard. It is a pleasure to meet--"
"Kuro Suzaku, 15 years old, black mage. GOTTA-GO-NOW-BYE!"
If it was one thing I learned from past experiences, it was that gentlemen talk too much.
"Be sure to thank her for me, Deufelisci," I heard Ciel say as I was making my way out the frozen maze.
"I told you to stop calling me by that name." It was Diablos… He had another name? "I'm Diablos."
"I, too, have assimilated a summon spirit shortly after my death; Fenrir had offered the choice to me."
"Hm… Fenrir suits you well. You always were a loner."
"Wolves work in packs, coyotes are the loners. And I thought you were the one who always worked alone."
"Geez, your intelligence probably matches Kuro's…"
"And your impudence also matches hers." Impudent?! "Regardless…"
Their voices were then lost within the sounds of revving machina outside.
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A/N: Exactly who are Diablos and Ciel? Even I'm not quite sure…