During the secondary group's imprisonment on the Invincible (Disk 3).
Canon Note: this part of the game varies depending on who you have in your party. However, given that Kuja tells Zidane that magic types are going to be pretty useless on the Forgotten Continent, I never have Dagger, Eiko, or Vivi in my party (Steiner and Freya are variable). If any lovers of the FFIX game DO use these characters in this part of the game, please bear with me.
Analysis
He had never been a brave man. While his strategizing mind was certainly an asset in any campaign, his contribution to sabotage and espionage had always been from the safety of a guarded room with maps and reports sprawled across a large table.
Even during the recent coup in Lindblum, adrenaline had stopped him from considering the full implications of leading a charge against Alexandria's troops. Now alone, Cid did not feel the same bravado. Perhaps the transformation really was to blame. As a human, he had observed how oglops gained a certain daring when in groups, as if nothing could kill them, be it summons or a very large shoe. When confronted alone, however, oglops had a tendency to quickly burrow under the nearest rock.
Cid sprang back as a pair of black mages marched past his hiding place. Thankfully, everything on this strange vessel was so gaudy that the black mages didn't notice a miniature red cape flapping behind an ornate vase. Shaking slightly, Cid peeked around the vase before hopping madly for the next imperfect cover. He just hoped that the others were faring better than he.
The cell was too small for any serious pacing. He had tried walking the perimeter of his cell, but walking in such tight circles had made him dizzy in short order. Should an opportunity arise to escape, he would be of no use to the princess if he could not tell the ceiling from the floor. Next, he had examined the room for any possible hatch or crevice to pry open. His first and most obvious target had been the door. Unfortunately, that exit was sealed too tightly for even a knight of Alexandria to challenge with brute strength alone. The only alternative had been a pinpoint hole in the metal floor.
Using his sword—which he was both glad and insulted had not been stripped from his person upon imprisonment—he managed to widen the hole to an eye's width before the metal plates snapped resolutely shut. That small victory had been enough though to convince Steiner that no escape lay below. From his brief glimpse, he had gathered that something akin to molten metal was floating beneath his cell.
"Are you enjoying youself?" Kuja's voice sounded from the ceiling.
Frustrated, Steiner pointed his finger where he thought the voice was coming from. "I demand that you release me at once!"
"Hehehe…HAHAHAHAHA! I should have imprisoned you lot earlier. You're all very entertaining." The voice paused and sighed dramatically. "Unfortunately, it seems that Zidane will be returning soon, and then it will be 'farewell,' my loveable morons!"
Steiner blanched. He wasn't concerned for his own life, but he knew for a fact that the princess was being held in a cell similar to his own. "You coward!" he bellowed, shaking his fist at the walls. "Let me out and face me like a man!"
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
Red looked at his 'companions' with something close to disdain. The more he was around then the less he understood why Zidane insisted on their company. Freya, while possessing the poise and skill of a warrior, was almost constantly melancholy. In the other extreme, Quina chased mindlessly after anything that he/she deemed possibly edible. This left Zidane with the role of constantly cracking jokes in a futile attempt to keep the party's spirits from plummeting and shouting a sharp word to Quina when he/she tried to chase retreating cactaurs into the sunset.
Red just watched the chaos. He didn't understand why Zidane didn't ditch the group. Leading them was obviously taking a physical toll on the monkey, but he seemed bent trekking across the Forgotten Continent on the shaky deal that a madman would let the rest of the nuisances go.
He suppressed an impatient sigh as he passed the now-quarreling Zidane and Freya. They had been arguing about the likelihood of Kuja keeping his end of the bargain off-and-on for the last two days. He didn't need these people.
As if to prove his point, Quina ran ahead and jumped belly-first on a stray frog. "Quina, don't wander too far," called Zidane.
How was I defeated by this weakling?
The blue light pulsed briefly, simulating a brighter glow that Mikoto had yet to observe but for which Garland insisted Mikoto would one day need a tolerance. Perhaps an hour passed in front of the blue light before she—Garland had always called Mikoto a 'she'— returned to her duties.
Younger, less adjusted Genomes were required to stare into the blue light for much of their waking cycle. These stood at scattered intervals throughout Terra and had no or few other responsibilities. While all Genomes were created with complete language skills, few were inclined toward conversation. Response was inherent, but expansion was uncharacteristic. Mikoto was uncharacteristic.
Some of the Genomes who studied the surface of Gaia occasionally made unsolicited remarks. Such departures from the norm were welcomed by Garland. A fresh spring in his step, he would complete a counterclockwise circle around his telescope at least once before looking at Mikoto and saying, "It won't be long now. Perhaps some of the others will reach your level of development before your brother returns. You are almost ready to take a soul, Mikoto."
She never fully understood why Garland was so adamant about souls, Genomes' preparation for souls, or why she needed one. When she had asked Garland, he had looked at her strangely before answering, "You do not yet have the capacity to understand." Mikoto had accepted that truth and classified the subject as outside of her developmental level. Still, her unanswered questions created an internal discomfort that seemed nonphysical. The phenomenon was unexpected, but Mikoto did not bother Garland with the condition as she was certain that the explanation would rest firmly outside of her developmental level.
While not as bright indoors, blue light pervaded the observation room. Five Genomes surrounded the projection of Gaia. Most were staring at the projection without true comprehension. They could recite facts about Gaia and its inhabitants but did not understand that Gaia was another world. Their eyes were empty. Mikoto paused long enough to speak into her recorder, "Genomes 113, 423, 464, 521, and 890: Gaia structure: Stagnant. Information intake: Standard."
Returning outside, she observed the Genome starring at the blue light in front of the Item Shop. "Genome 238: Meeting area. Pupil dilation: Decreased by 0.0005. Estimated time to developmental progression: Eighty-two cycles."
Clicking off the recorder, Mikoto entered the Item Shop. The Genome behind the counter immediately locked eyes on her. "Do you have any items?" she asked the standard question.
"Please, take a look around," came the standard reply. Mikoto was about to walk away when the Genome continued, "What are items for, anyway?" The faintest of frowns touched the Genome's features.
Mikoto regarded the Genome a moment before exiting the Item Shop. "Genome 774: Item Shop. Greeting: Absent. Facial expressions: —" Mikoto paused. Garland would be pleased with Genome 774's furthered development. But he would also classify Genome 774's query as outside the developmental level. If informed of this fact, Genome 774 would cease to ask the question, and further development might stagnate. Decided, Mikoto continued, "—Absent. Interaction: Standard."
Switching off her recorder, Mikoto continued to her next post.
