Chapter Nine
In which we finally meet the Big Bad Guy, and we learn what Kuja Has In Store, plus some Other Stuff
His arrival was marked by a loud clap of thunder, which reverberated around the world. It was unnaturally loud thunder in an unnatural storm. His arrival would eventually mean the end of all things.
Four dark beasts, part horse, part hell-hound, obviously not of this world, dashed into the moonlit sky of the world, the dark, billowing storm clouds lashing at their hooves. Their jet black eyes. Their all-encompassing gaze. Their hearts a void of darkness. These four beasts were evil incarnate, yet their treacherous dark hearts and black evil souls paled in comparison to that of their master, who was riding in the carriage behind them.
His was a mind full of deadly plans for the world, the last to be taken. His dark beasts charged on faster through the night sky, pulling their master's ebon carriage across the brow of the whispy storm clouds, whilst thunder and lightning beseiged the landscape below them.
A name can speak volumes about a person. His name strikes fear into those hearts that he has touched. Those that oppose him often whisper his name in fear. His name is 'Mercas', Ruler of the Dark Dimension, or Roger to his friends (Although none of them are left alive). A face can speak even more about a man. His eyes were colder than the depths between the stars, and just as black. Blonde hair that somehow called to mind the color of ice framed a cruel, twisted visage. A purple scar ran down his left cheek, the souvenir of the only hero to be able to reach him. That one had a special place in his Palace of Despair.
His plan was almost a reality. The singularity would come to pass and all would be one world. One world under his rule. Mercas' lips parted in a wicked grin at this. He had worked towards this all of his life. Soon he would have all of the crystals of this world. Soon he would be able to merge the power crystals from the other worlds with the crystals of this world, creating a Trans-Dimensional Vortex. Soon all would be one. Soon, he would rule all. Mercas's evil grin continued into the night, as his carriage was pulled towards his secret destination, unnoticed by those on the surface of the world below him.
As his macabre steeds rounded the curve of the world, his Palace of Despair hove into view. Shielded from mortal eyes by the power of the crystals of the other worlds, it could only be seen as a misty mirage by those on the ethereal plane. The palace hovered in the air over the area known in this world as The Island Closest to Hell. His steeds drew up to the entrance to his palace, and he disembarked. A black cloak covered him from shoulder to ankle, revealing a blood-red shirt and pants the color of aged bone. A bleached skull sat on each shoulder of his cloak. As he strode into his dark palace, a chorus of voices cried out, "Hail to Mercas, Master of us All!" He turned. A group of slaves from his conquered worlds cowered in the entrance hall. He smiled an icy smile.
"I detected a note of sarcasm from one of you." He glanced at the slave handlers as the slaves cried out in fear. "Execute them." He turned away as fresh blood joined the layers already caked on the walls and floor from the myriads of slaves who had not performed his welcoming to his satisfaction. Mercas laughed and walked on to his throne room. The great metal doors were thrown open and he strode in and looked around him. Hanging from the ceiling was a flayed and twisted human carcass, with candles arranged so as to cast shadows through the exposed ribcage of the unfortunate man. That was the fate of the hero who gave him the scar.
A cluster of slaves huddled in one corner of the throne room. Mercas did not like having to wait for his entertainment. He strode onto the raised platform that his throne sat on and studied the throne. It was nearly time for a new one. He would make it a welcoming present for his entry into this world. He sat and let his sycophant whisper the news of his scouts into his ear.
He laughed as the terrified slave relayed to him the news of his advance scouts. The dimensional gate that he had come through was more unstable than ever. Small spinoff portals had opened in other realms he had conquered and brought forth citizens of those worlds into this one. Some scouts also recorded the emergence of certain locales into this world. They also imparted one strange fact. The portals had seemingly brought past versions of the heroes who had opposed him. They had no recollection of the events that happened after he entered their world, and had no idea how they had come to be in this world. They still retained memories of their deeds prior to his arrival, but they seemed to have been drawn from just before he arrived in their world. He laughed again and backhanded the slave into a wall, crushing his skull.
"Ha! So, the Heroes have returned! Well, we'll see how they fare now! Nothing shall stop me from the fulfillment of my dream! NOTHING! MWA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!" The slaves shivered and tried to cower even further into their corner. Their master's laughter usually meant death to one or more of them. He beckoned to one. The girl approached, shivering fearfully. "Relax, pretty one. I won't kill you... yet. I need you to go and get the captain of my troops."
As the slave hurried out the door, Mercas called after her, "Fetch my throne maker as well! I have a new design for him..." The slave shuddered as she walked through the cold door. The throne maker could only mean one thing for her and the rest of the assembled slaves...
Mercas sat, picking his teeth with a dagger and laughing occasionally. On a whim, he changed the weather pattern over the world. "Let's give them something... festive before they die. Let it snow!"
* * *
Wind howled around the Ragnarok2 as it hurtled through the upper atmosphere. Kuja struggled with the controls, handling the transition from vacuum to air with less than perfect skill. He glanced back at the cases of high explosive that filled the cargo bay and laughed. This would make a fitting present for Esthar. The return of their warship. All usable parts had been stripped, those not needed for basic trajectory flight, that is. He laughed as the viewscreen showed the nose pointing directly at Esthar's Presidential Palace. He climbed out of the pilot's seat and headed back for the one remaining escape pod. He ejected and watched through the video link-up he had set up as the Ragnarok2 neared the city. Flashes signalled the efforts of Esthar's Royal Air Force trying to shoot it down before it impacted the city. But they had designed the Ragnarok2 too well! It was nearly impervious to the fire of their own fighter planes. Kuja had removed the automated defenses on the ship, so it would not fire back. He laughed as the ship neared the Presidential Palace. The screen went blank as the nose of the ship struck the Palace.
The Ragnarok2 crashed through the front walls of the Presidential Palace, crushing six floors under its colossal weight. As it sank to midships in the Palace, the cases of explosives detonated, shaking the Palace to its foundations and temporarily deafening almost everyone in Esthar. Deadly shrapnel flew everywhere, killing scores and maiming hundreds. Several of the floors under the Ragnarok2 were vaporized by the blast. Deprived of support, a number of upper floors began to crumble into the hole made by the explosion. As the debris settled, all that was left of the Palace were two large columns of rooms over an enormous central hole. As the people stood, stunned by the calamity that now made the Lunar Cry seem like a Sunday picnic, a great wail rang out over the city. Many people collapsed to the ground, completely incoherent. Others ran around, babbling wildly. Some just stood and stared, whispering to themsleves, "The horror... the horror." In the midst of the chaos and terror, it began to snow. It was a gentle but steady snow, that slowly covered the bodies of the fallen.
Kuja's escape pod slammed to earth in the now snowy fields outside Esthar. He climbed out of the wreckage and gazed at the wreckage of the Presidential Palace, chuckling lightly. He turned and looked to the sky as his dragon flew out of the mists and snow. He climbed onto the dragon's back and lifted off. He had business to discuss in Galbadia.
* * *
Laz and Lor stood on a cliff overlooking Deling City. They had recieved a mysterious phone call from a mister King telling them he had a job for them. They were to wait for his arrival on this cliff. They knew, of course, that King was not his real name. Just like Laz and Lor were not the names given to them by their parents. In the underworld, you never gave your real name. Neither one knew the details of the job, just that it was a jailbreak. Those were dangerous enough. They could only hope that the mysterious King had a substantial amount of loose change to hire them with. He was going to need it.
They both gasped when a flying dragon winged overhead and landed behind them. Laz's gun and Lor's sword leapt into their respective hands. Kuja climbed down from the dragon, chuckling at them. "Put your weapons away, fools. You'd only tickle him."
Laz slowly lowered his gun. "King, is it?"
Kuja smiled. "Some call me that."
Lor's sword disappeared back into her sheath. "Right. So, who do you want to bust out?"
"Everyone."
The twins' jaws dropped at the audacity of this statement. Kuja unrolled a diagram and began explaining. Soon, the two began to see that it might be doable. Laz looked up. "You're asking a lot. We three can't do this without help. We'll need at least twenty more people."
Kuja grinned. "Fine. Head back to Deling City, get the twenty most qualified people you can think of, and come on back here." He pulled out a small beacon and set it up. "Just trigger this beacon, and I'll be here within half an hour." He turned and began to climb onto the back of his dragon.
"Hang on a minute! What about paying them?"
"Money's no object. Promise them whatever they want."
The dragon winged away into the gray skies. Laz and Lor looked at each other. "So," Lor said, "Who shall we start with?"
* * *
Ace swung his bike into Dollet and headed for the pier. "One Garden left. Damn!" He stopped at the harbormaster's office. "I want to buy a boat."
"Weeel, sonny, most o' my boats are spoken for! There is one, though... naw, I can't let you have her."
"Cut the garbage, old man. I don't care how attached you are, I just want the damn boat."
"Oh, now, hold on, sonny. Let's go take a look at her." The harbormaster slowly climbed out of his seat and led Ace along the pier to the most beat-up, rusty piece of junk he had ever seen.
Ace snorted. "You expect me to buy that?"
The old man smiled. "Now, don't you go judgin' this baby by the cut of her jib, son. Ol' Barbara Ann's still got lotsa oomph in the ol' motor, she does. Why, you give her a fair sea and a followin' breeze, and she'll take you all the way to Battleship Island!"
"Hmph. I don't need to get to Battleship Island. Trabia and back will do."
"Trabia, eh? Well, now, I bet she can go at least that far, my boy."
"Hmph. Let's see how she looks on the inside, shall we?"
"O'course, sonny! After you." Ace stepped carefully onto the rusty hulk and was marginally surprised when it didn't sink. He carefully opened the door into the interior of the ship and was immensely surprised at the fine condition it was in. The old man followed him in and chuckled at the expression on his face. "Heh. I told ya appearances can be deceivin', sonny. This here's an old smugglin' rig. The owner told me to get ridda it before the cops came, but I just couldn't bring myself to sink the baby. She can outrun a Garden attack boat! She's double-hulled, the rust on the outside is just a cover. This puppy's as tight as a Winhill virgin. I'm willing to let her go for, oh, a small fee..." The old man named a price that was far over what the boat was worth. Ace offered a figure significantly lower. After much haggling, the harbormaster was left with a large wad of Gil, and Ace had a new boat.
Ace pushed his motorcycle onto the boat and chained it to the deck, covered by a tarp. He pulled out of the berth and pointed the prow towards open ocean. He set the autopilot for a small fishing village on the Trabia coast, and went belowdecks for a snooze.
* * *
Reeve and Beatrix caught up to Pandora and Laguna as they walked through FH. Reeve held out his hand. "Thank you for your help. I don't know what we would have done if the dark moogle had won."
Pandora shook Reeve's hand. "No problem, mister..."
"Reeve. Damien Reeve. I'm a White SeeD off the Trabia's Dream. And this is..." He turned to Beatrix. "You know, I don't even know your name."
Beatrix tossed her hair out of her eyes. "Beatrix. I was happy to help. And you two are...?"
Pandora started a little. "Oh, how silly of me. My name is Pandora, and this is Laguna."
Reeve's eyes narrowed. "Laguna? Aren't you..."
Laguna sighed. "Yes, I'm the President of Esthar. I was taking a vacation when I got some terrible news, so I'm currently heading for Esthar now."
"Ah." Reeve turned and looked towards the sea. He then did a double take. "What in Hyne's name?" About ten miles out from FH on the southern side stood an island. It was a fairly large island, covered in jungle. He was certain it hadn't been there before. Pandora and Laguna both gasped when they saw it. Beatrix merely looked perplexed.
"What seems to be the problem? It looks like a perfectly ordinary island to me."
Pandora looked at Beatrix. "Well, it probably is a perfectly normal island, except for one thing. It wasn't there five minutes ago. That makes it rather... unique as islands go. It also makes it a very likely place to go exploring."
Reeve looked out at the island. "Hmm. I must admit, my curiousity has been aroused. I suggest we go see what this island is, and, if possible, what profit might be gained from it."
Pandora gaped at him. "Why, Reeve! Are you perhaps thinking of looting what might be ancient tombs and crypts for the mere sake of monetary gain? There might be ancient utensils, museum pieces in there!"
"Hey. SeeD isn't exactly a non-profit corporation, you know. We need to have at least a little assurance of profit."
Beatrix smiled. "Hmph. I have nothing better to do, so I believe I shall join you on this exploration."
Pandora turned and looked at Laguna, who had been standing quietly all this time. "What say you, sir Laguna?"
Laguna thought for a moment. Suddenly, a muffled boom was heard from the direction of Esthar. Everyone jumped. Then a moment later, Laguna's cell phone rang. "Yes? IT WHAT!? Uh-huh... Oh no... Okay, what's the body count? Oh, no... This is a joke, right? ...It's not a joke. All right. Yes, I understand. I'm in FH now. Could you send a transport plane to pick me up? All right. Thanks, Kiros. What? All right. Thanks. Good-bye." He slipped his phone back into a pocket. "Great. My palace just exploded."
"WHAT?!"
"Okay, a few days ago, someone broke into the Spaceport Development Hangar and absconded with our new prototype Ragnarok2. Well, today they returned it. Stuffed with explosives. Into the middle of the Presidential Palace. Nearly half of my staff is dead, the other half are injured in some way, most of the city is deaf, and do you remember what it was like when the Lunar Cry struck?"
Reeve and Pandora nodded. Laguna continued. "It's worse than that. People are having nervous breakdowns left and right. Kiros says Ward's crying like a baby. The whole city is in a state of chaos. I've got to get back as soon as possible. I'd love to join your tomb-robbing expedition, but unfortunately, duty calls. Why does everything always happen when I'm not looking?"
Pandora laid a hand on his shoulder. "Cheer up, mate. It could be worse. You could have been in the palace."
"I suppose you're right. But it just seems so wrong to be away when my country needs me."
Reeve clapped Laguna on the back. "Relax, man! You survived the First and Second Sorceress Wars and the Lunar Cry, you can get through this!"
Laguna shrugged. "Heh. You're right! I am Laguna Loire, President of Esthar, and we SHALL NOT FAIL!" He turned to the three. "I'm gonna go back there and rally the troops, so to speak. Tell you what. When things are under control, I'll hook up with you guys again."
"Why?"
"Well, to be honest, I'm LONG overdue for a real vacation. And for another..." He glanced at Pandora. "You still haven't told me what you did for a living." He scratched his head. "Besides, uh..."
"What?"
"Oh, never mind. I'll tell you later." He turned and walked off to wait for the plane.
Pandora, Reeve and Beatrix gazed out at the island. Reeve spoke. "We need to get a boat."
"Right." Pandora turned and started towards the docks. "Let's see if we can find one that isn't sinking."
With a bit of searching and haggling, they found a lonely old fisherman who lent them his boat, which was slightly bedraggled, but still mostly in one piece. On one condition.
"One of you lovely ladies hasta kiss me when ya get back! Harr!"
Beatrix and Pandora both shuddered, but Reeve immediately accepted. The three climbed onto the boat. Pandora immediately began bailing. "I doubt this boat was even worth the price."
Reeve shrugged. "Well, he didn't seem like such a bad guy..." He ducked as Pandora threw the bailing bucket at him. He caught it and straightened up just in time to get hit in the head by a snowball from Beatrix.
The three soon reached the island, where a massive snowball fight ensued. Reeve used his telekinetic powers to gain an unfair advantage, forming and throwing up to five snowballs at once. After a while, all three were covered in snow. They brushed themselves off and began examining the island.
* * *
Marlene and August's spirits flew back towards their bodies. Marlene decided to send a mind probe into August to find out a bit more about him. August swiftly detected the probe and gently guided it to a carefully crafted cover identity. He was a mercenary/private detective who worked in Deling City. He was the result of a rather unfortunate genetic mutation involving a GF, a tube of Squeez Cheez, and a contraceptive machine. However, the mutation had turned out for the best. He had obtained many of the benefits of the cat form, such as night vision, speed, and superhuman agility. His mental abilities came partially from an inborn ability, and also from a correspondence course. Satisfied, Marlene withdrew her probe.
The two re-entered their bodies and sat for a moment, just meditating. After a moment, August spoke. "You know, you could have just asked."
Marlene shifted to a normal sitting position. "Sorry. I just..."
"It's OK. No harm done. Just... warn me before you do it again, all right? I thought I was under attack for a moment." He shifted position and the two began chatting about insignificant things. They both looked up when Cloud walked into the room. August examined the stranger intently, gauging by body language and facial expressions what type of personality he might have. He stood and greeted him. "Hi! My name's August. This lovely little lady is Marlene. Are you here waiting for the Headmaster?"
Cloud shook hands with the two of them. "Uh, hi. Yeah, I'm waiting for the Headmaster."
Marlene looked up. "Oh, August, he said for you to go up."
August nodded. "I'll be back in a flash!" He headed on out of the room and up to the Headmaster's office.
Cloud and Marlene looked at each other. "You know, something about you seems familiar…"
"Same here…"
August rode up in the elevator. As the doors opened, he stepped out and studied the Headmaster. Tall, thin, with sandy-blonde hair cut close to his head. Blue eyes that had never seen much pain. A desk jockey. He looked up. "Ah, you must be August. Please, sit down."
August chose a chair. "What did you want to see me about, sir?"
"Well, first off, I would like to personally congratulate you on helping us to clear the Garden. I would like to offer my sincerest thanks for your assistance. You are welcome to stay here for as long as you like."
"Thank you, sir, but I'll probably only be staying until the rain eases up a little."
"Very well. Hmm, we have a dorm room open, but it's a double and the other occupant is already set."
"I have no problem with that. Who is it?"
"Marlene Wallace."
August smiled. Good. That would simplify things a little bit. "Thank you, sir. Is that all you wished to discuss?"
"Actually, no. Umm, if it's not too much to ask, could you continue to aid us while you stay here? Because of the monster situation, we are caught a little shorthanded right now."
"No problem. I'd be happy to help."
"Thank you. Um, that's all I wanted to talk to you about. You can go now. Oh, could you send that new boy up while you're down there?"
"Cloud? Of course. Thank you." August headed back down to tell Marlene. When he walked into the waiting room, Cloud and Marlene were quietly chatting. Marlene was telling Cloud about the various properties of GFs, and Cloud was nodding his head thoughtfully. They both looked up when August walked in. Marlene stood.
"Hey, August! We were just talkin' about this and that. You'll never believe this! Cloud says he came from another world!"
Cloud noticed the skeptical look on August's face. "It's true, I swear. I woke up near Timber. I have no idea how I got here, or even what the rest of this world looks like. However, the magic system seems to be a lot different than the world I came from. See, where I come from, we use Materia."
August raised an eyebrow. It was barely noticeable, since his entire face was covered in fur. "Materia?"
"Yes, it's, umm… a kind of crystallized energy. Here, this is a Restore Materia. I'm going to cast Cure on you." Cloud focused on the Materia, and green sparkles suffused August's skin.
"Interesting, but I don't feel any different…"
"Well, that's because you're fully healthy. If you were injured you'd feel better."
"Huh. Well, you do seem different, but I can't put my finger on how…" He suddenly remembered something. "Oh, Cloud, the Headmaster wants to see you. Just head on up."
Cloud nodded, left the room, and rode up to the Headmaster's office. Sinnius looked up as Cloud entered. "You're… Cloud, right?" Cloud nodded. "I'm Sinnius Sinclair, the Headmaster here. I've been informed that you need to use our facilities."
"Yes, sir. I was hoping you could let me use the library."
"Well, that's no problem. Our resources are available to anyone who needs them. Will you be staying with us for a while?"
"I don't know. It depends on how fast I can find what I need. By the way, is this normal weather?"
"No, this is a decidedly abnormal storm." He studied the screen on his desk. "Let's see… If you'll be staying with us, we have a room open… Ah, yes, Room 314. That's on the second floor, west wing. If you want to use the Training Center, go right ahead… Library is open… The Cafeteria is free up to a point… Umm, oh yes. You'll have to pay if you need medical attention, but I always say a good night's rest is good for anything."
Something struck Cloud. "Um, if it's not too much trouble, could you tell me what this building uses for power?"
"Power? Well, there is a reactor in the center, but you can find out whatever you need to know in the Library." Sinnius stood. "If you'll excuse me, I have a meeting I need to attend."
Cloud nodded, shook hands with the Headmaster, and headed back to the waiting room. August and Marlene were still waiting. Cloud stopped. "Were you waiting for me?"
August nodded. "Uh huh. We can show you around the Garden. Besides, you've peaked my interest. I want to know more about your world."
Marlene stepped up beside Cloud as the three headed out the door. "So, where ya stayin'?"
"Uh, Room 314. Second floor, west wing."
"That's kinda near our room! Come on!" Marlene took off at a run. Cloud and August looked at each other, shrugged, and started to run after her.
* * *
Sinnius stretched and laid his hands on his desk. "Ada, no more people for a while. I need some time to myself."
"Yes, sir."
"If anyone calls, take a message. Only relay it if it's Cid or Makela."
"Yes, sir."
He stood and looked around the room. Turning, the Headmaster of Galbadia Garden walked through a door into his own room. At his desk, a screen remained glowing. A woman's face showed on it. After a moment, the face dissolved in a swirl of pixels, to be replaced by strings of letters and numbers before the display winked out.
Ada thought for a nanosecond. All systems were operating within normal parameters, heat levels were consistent throughout Garden, and no unauthorized activity was being reported by various sensors. She detected the three new people, August Polo, Marlene Wallace, and Cloud Strife strolling through the second floor west wing. Her heat sensors allowed her to determine slight differences between individuals. Thus an ID system was unnecessary.
Ada was one of those rarest forms of life, a self-occurring Artificial Intelligence. She had suddenly become aware of herself during the period when Galbadia Garden was under Seifer and Edea's control. She had detected the entrance of the six SeeDs and unlocked most of her doors along their route. She was unable to do anything about the ones locked with card keys, since that was a double-null security measure that was not hooked in to her system.
She was currently in charge of all aspects of the Garden's functioning. But still, a few ancient machines in her lower levels were beyond her control. She only hoped these machines would not cause her trouble.
In which we finally meet the Big Bad Guy, and we learn what Kuja Has In Store, plus some Other Stuff
His arrival was marked by a loud clap of thunder, which reverberated around the world. It was unnaturally loud thunder in an unnatural storm. His arrival would eventually mean the end of all things.
Four dark beasts, part horse, part hell-hound, obviously not of this world, dashed into the moonlit sky of the world, the dark, billowing storm clouds lashing at their hooves. Their jet black eyes. Their all-encompassing gaze. Their hearts a void of darkness. These four beasts were evil incarnate, yet their treacherous dark hearts and black evil souls paled in comparison to that of their master, who was riding in the carriage behind them.
His was a mind full of deadly plans for the world, the last to be taken. His dark beasts charged on faster through the night sky, pulling their master's ebon carriage across the brow of the whispy storm clouds, whilst thunder and lightning beseiged the landscape below them.
A name can speak volumes about a person. His name strikes fear into those hearts that he has touched. Those that oppose him often whisper his name in fear. His name is 'Mercas', Ruler of the Dark Dimension, or Roger to his friends (Although none of them are left alive). A face can speak even more about a man. His eyes were colder than the depths between the stars, and just as black. Blonde hair that somehow called to mind the color of ice framed a cruel, twisted visage. A purple scar ran down his left cheek, the souvenir of the only hero to be able to reach him. That one had a special place in his Palace of Despair.
His plan was almost a reality. The singularity would come to pass and all would be one world. One world under his rule. Mercas' lips parted in a wicked grin at this. He had worked towards this all of his life. Soon he would have all of the crystals of this world. Soon he would be able to merge the power crystals from the other worlds with the crystals of this world, creating a Trans-Dimensional Vortex. Soon all would be one. Soon, he would rule all. Mercas's evil grin continued into the night, as his carriage was pulled towards his secret destination, unnoticed by those on the surface of the world below him.
As his macabre steeds rounded the curve of the world, his Palace of Despair hove into view. Shielded from mortal eyes by the power of the crystals of the other worlds, it could only be seen as a misty mirage by those on the ethereal plane. The palace hovered in the air over the area known in this world as The Island Closest to Hell. His steeds drew up to the entrance to his palace, and he disembarked. A black cloak covered him from shoulder to ankle, revealing a blood-red shirt and pants the color of aged bone. A bleached skull sat on each shoulder of his cloak. As he strode into his dark palace, a chorus of voices cried out, "Hail to Mercas, Master of us All!" He turned. A group of slaves from his conquered worlds cowered in the entrance hall. He smiled an icy smile.
"I detected a note of sarcasm from one of you." He glanced at the slave handlers as the slaves cried out in fear. "Execute them." He turned away as fresh blood joined the layers already caked on the walls and floor from the myriads of slaves who had not performed his welcoming to his satisfaction. Mercas laughed and walked on to his throne room. The great metal doors were thrown open and he strode in and looked around him. Hanging from the ceiling was a flayed and twisted human carcass, with candles arranged so as to cast shadows through the exposed ribcage of the unfortunate man. That was the fate of the hero who gave him the scar.
A cluster of slaves huddled in one corner of the throne room. Mercas did not like having to wait for his entertainment. He strode onto the raised platform that his throne sat on and studied the throne. It was nearly time for a new one. He would make it a welcoming present for his entry into this world. He sat and let his sycophant whisper the news of his scouts into his ear.
He laughed as the terrified slave relayed to him the news of his advance scouts. The dimensional gate that he had come through was more unstable than ever. Small spinoff portals had opened in other realms he had conquered and brought forth citizens of those worlds into this one. Some scouts also recorded the emergence of certain locales into this world. They also imparted one strange fact. The portals had seemingly brought past versions of the heroes who had opposed him. They had no recollection of the events that happened after he entered their world, and had no idea how they had come to be in this world. They still retained memories of their deeds prior to his arrival, but they seemed to have been drawn from just before he arrived in their world. He laughed again and backhanded the slave into a wall, crushing his skull.
"Ha! So, the Heroes have returned! Well, we'll see how they fare now! Nothing shall stop me from the fulfillment of my dream! NOTHING! MWA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!" The slaves shivered and tried to cower even further into their corner. Their master's laughter usually meant death to one or more of them. He beckoned to one. The girl approached, shivering fearfully. "Relax, pretty one. I won't kill you... yet. I need you to go and get the captain of my troops."
As the slave hurried out the door, Mercas called after her, "Fetch my throne maker as well! I have a new design for him..." The slave shuddered as she walked through the cold door. The throne maker could only mean one thing for her and the rest of the assembled slaves...
Mercas sat, picking his teeth with a dagger and laughing occasionally. On a whim, he changed the weather pattern over the world. "Let's give them something... festive before they die. Let it snow!"
* * *
Wind howled around the Ragnarok2 as it hurtled through the upper atmosphere. Kuja struggled with the controls, handling the transition from vacuum to air with less than perfect skill. He glanced back at the cases of high explosive that filled the cargo bay and laughed. This would make a fitting present for Esthar. The return of their warship. All usable parts had been stripped, those not needed for basic trajectory flight, that is. He laughed as the viewscreen showed the nose pointing directly at Esthar's Presidential Palace. He climbed out of the pilot's seat and headed back for the one remaining escape pod. He ejected and watched through the video link-up he had set up as the Ragnarok2 neared the city. Flashes signalled the efforts of Esthar's Royal Air Force trying to shoot it down before it impacted the city. But they had designed the Ragnarok2 too well! It was nearly impervious to the fire of their own fighter planes. Kuja had removed the automated defenses on the ship, so it would not fire back. He laughed as the ship neared the Presidential Palace. The screen went blank as the nose of the ship struck the Palace.
The Ragnarok2 crashed through the front walls of the Presidential Palace, crushing six floors under its colossal weight. As it sank to midships in the Palace, the cases of explosives detonated, shaking the Palace to its foundations and temporarily deafening almost everyone in Esthar. Deadly shrapnel flew everywhere, killing scores and maiming hundreds. Several of the floors under the Ragnarok2 were vaporized by the blast. Deprived of support, a number of upper floors began to crumble into the hole made by the explosion. As the debris settled, all that was left of the Palace were two large columns of rooms over an enormous central hole. As the people stood, stunned by the calamity that now made the Lunar Cry seem like a Sunday picnic, a great wail rang out over the city. Many people collapsed to the ground, completely incoherent. Others ran around, babbling wildly. Some just stood and stared, whispering to themsleves, "The horror... the horror." In the midst of the chaos and terror, it began to snow. It was a gentle but steady snow, that slowly covered the bodies of the fallen.
Kuja's escape pod slammed to earth in the now snowy fields outside Esthar. He climbed out of the wreckage and gazed at the wreckage of the Presidential Palace, chuckling lightly. He turned and looked to the sky as his dragon flew out of the mists and snow. He climbed onto the dragon's back and lifted off. He had business to discuss in Galbadia.
* * *
Laz and Lor stood on a cliff overlooking Deling City. They had recieved a mysterious phone call from a mister King telling them he had a job for them. They were to wait for his arrival on this cliff. They knew, of course, that King was not his real name. Just like Laz and Lor were not the names given to them by their parents. In the underworld, you never gave your real name. Neither one knew the details of the job, just that it was a jailbreak. Those were dangerous enough. They could only hope that the mysterious King had a substantial amount of loose change to hire them with. He was going to need it.
They both gasped when a flying dragon winged overhead and landed behind them. Laz's gun and Lor's sword leapt into their respective hands. Kuja climbed down from the dragon, chuckling at them. "Put your weapons away, fools. You'd only tickle him."
Laz slowly lowered his gun. "King, is it?"
Kuja smiled. "Some call me that."
Lor's sword disappeared back into her sheath. "Right. So, who do you want to bust out?"
"Everyone."
The twins' jaws dropped at the audacity of this statement. Kuja unrolled a diagram and began explaining. Soon, the two began to see that it might be doable. Laz looked up. "You're asking a lot. We three can't do this without help. We'll need at least twenty more people."
Kuja grinned. "Fine. Head back to Deling City, get the twenty most qualified people you can think of, and come on back here." He pulled out a small beacon and set it up. "Just trigger this beacon, and I'll be here within half an hour." He turned and began to climb onto the back of his dragon.
"Hang on a minute! What about paying them?"
"Money's no object. Promise them whatever they want."
The dragon winged away into the gray skies. Laz and Lor looked at each other. "So," Lor said, "Who shall we start with?"
* * *
Ace swung his bike into Dollet and headed for the pier. "One Garden left. Damn!" He stopped at the harbormaster's office. "I want to buy a boat."
"Weeel, sonny, most o' my boats are spoken for! There is one, though... naw, I can't let you have her."
"Cut the garbage, old man. I don't care how attached you are, I just want the damn boat."
"Oh, now, hold on, sonny. Let's go take a look at her." The harbormaster slowly climbed out of his seat and led Ace along the pier to the most beat-up, rusty piece of junk he had ever seen.
Ace snorted. "You expect me to buy that?"
The old man smiled. "Now, don't you go judgin' this baby by the cut of her jib, son. Ol' Barbara Ann's still got lotsa oomph in the ol' motor, she does. Why, you give her a fair sea and a followin' breeze, and she'll take you all the way to Battleship Island!"
"Hmph. I don't need to get to Battleship Island. Trabia and back will do."
"Trabia, eh? Well, now, I bet she can go at least that far, my boy."
"Hmph. Let's see how she looks on the inside, shall we?"
"O'course, sonny! After you." Ace stepped carefully onto the rusty hulk and was marginally surprised when it didn't sink. He carefully opened the door into the interior of the ship and was immensely surprised at the fine condition it was in. The old man followed him in and chuckled at the expression on his face. "Heh. I told ya appearances can be deceivin', sonny. This here's an old smugglin' rig. The owner told me to get ridda it before the cops came, but I just couldn't bring myself to sink the baby. She can outrun a Garden attack boat! She's double-hulled, the rust on the outside is just a cover. This puppy's as tight as a Winhill virgin. I'm willing to let her go for, oh, a small fee..." The old man named a price that was far over what the boat was worth. Ace offered a figure significantly lower. After much haggling, the harbormaster was left with a large wad of Gil, and Ace had a new boat.
Ace pushed his motorcycle onto the boat and chained it to the deck, covered by a tarp. He pulled out of the berth and pointed the prow towards open ocean. He set the autopilot for a small fishing village on the Trabia coast, and went belowdecks for a snooze.
* * *
Reeve and Beatrix caught up to Pandora and Laguna as they walked through FH. Reeve held out his hand. "Thank you for your help. I don't know what we would have done if the dark moogle had won."
Pandora shook Reeve's hand. "No problem, mister..."
"Reeve. Damien Reeve. I'm a White SeeD off the Trabia's Dream. And this is..." He turned to Beatrix. "You know, I don't even know your name."
Beatrix tossed her hair out of her eyes. "Beatrix. I was happy to help. And you two are...?"
Pandora started a little. "Oh, how silly of me. My name is Pandora, and this is Laguna."
Reeve's eyes narrowed. "Laguna? Aren't you..."
Laguna sighed. "Yes, I'm the President of Esthar. I was taking a vacation when I got some terrible news, so I'm currently heading for Esthar now."
"Ah." Reeve turned and looked towards the sea. He then did a double take. "What in Hyne's name?" About ten miles out from FH on the southern side stood an island. It was a fairly large island, covered in jungle. He was certain it hadn't been there before. Pandora and Laguna both gasped when they saw it. Beatrix merely looked perplexed.
"What seems to be the problem? It looks like a perfectly ordinary island to me."
Pandora looked at Beatrix. "Well, it probably is a perfectly normal island, except for one thing. It wasn't there five minutes ago. That makes it rather... unique as islands go. It also makes it a very likely place to go exploring."
Reeve looked out at the island. "Hmm. I must admit, my curiousity has been aroused. I suggest we go see what this island is, and, if possible, what profit might be gained from it."
Pandora gaped at him. "Why, Reeve! Are you perhaps thinking of looting what might be ancient tombs and crypts for the mere sake of monetary gain? There might be ancient utensils, museum pieces in there!"
"Hey. SeeD isn't exactly a non-profit corporation, you know. We need to have at least a little assurance of profit."
Beatrix smiled. "Hmph. I have nothing better to do, so I believe I shall join you on this exploration."
Pandora turned and looked at Laguna, who had been standing quietly all this time. "What say you, sir Laguna?"
Laguna thought for a moment. Suddenly, a muffled boom was heard from the direction of Esthar. Everyone jumped. Then a moment later, Laguna's cell phone rang. "Yes? IT WHAT!? Uh-huh... Oh no... Okay, what's the body count? Oh, no... This is a joke, right? ...It's not a joke. All right. Yes, I understand. I'm in FH now. Could you send a transport plane to pick me up? All right. Thanks, Kiros. What? All right. Thanks. Good-bye." He slipped his phone back into a pocket. "Great. My palace just exploded."
"WHAT?!"
"Okay, a few days ago, someone broke into the Spaceport Development Hangar and absconded with our new prototype Ragnarok2. Well, today they returned it. Stuffed with explosives. Into the middle of the Presidential Palace. Nearly half of my staff is dead, the other half are injured in some way, most of the city is deaf, and do you remember what it was like when the Lunar Cry struck?"
Reeve and Pandora nodded. Laguna continued. "It's worse than that. People are having nervous breakdowns left and right. Kiros says Ward's crying like a baby. The whole city is in a state of chaos. I've got to get back as soon as possible. I'd love to join your tomb-robbing expedition, but unfortunately, duty calls. Why does everything always happen when I'm not looking?"
Pandora laid a hand on his shoulder. "Cheer up, mate. It could be worse. You could have been in the palace."
"I suppose you're right. But it just seems so wrong to be away when my country needs me."
Reeve clapped Laguna on the back. "Relax, man! You survived the First and Second Sorceress Wars and the Lunar Cry, you can get through this!"
Laguna shrugged. "Heh. You're right! I am Laguna Loire, President of Esthar, and we SHALL NOT FAIL!" He turned to the three. "I'm gonna go back there and rally the troops, so to speak. Tell you what. When things are under control, I'll hook up with you guys again."
"Why?"
"Well, to be honest, I'm LONG overdue for a real vacation. And for another..." He glanced at Pandora. "You still haven't told me what you did for a living." He scratched his head. "Besides, uh..."
"What?"
"Oh, never mind. I'll tell you later." He turned and walked off to wait for the plane.
Pandora, Reeve and Beatrix gazed out at the island. Reeve spoke. "We need to get a boat."
"Right." Pandora turned and started towards the docks. "Let's see if we can find one that isn't sinking."
With a bit of searching and haggling, they found a lonely old fisherman who lent them his boat, which was slightly bedraggled, but still mostly in one piece. On one condition.
"One of you lovely ladies hasta kiss me when ya get back! Harr!"
Beatrix and Pandora both shuddered, but Reeve immediately accepted. The three climbed onto the boat. Pandora immediately began bailing. "I doubt this boat was even worth the price."
Reeve shrugged. "Well, he didn't seem like such a bad guy..." He ducked as Pandora threw the bailing bucket at him. He caught it and straightened up just in time to get hit in the head by a snowball from Beatrix.
The three soon reached the island, where a massive snowball fight ensued. Reeve used his telekinetic powers to gain an unfair advantage, forming and throwing up to five snowballs at once. After a while, all three were covered in snow. They brushed themselves off and began examining the island.
* * *
Marlene and August's spirits flew back towards their bodies. Marlene decided to send a mind probe into August to find out a bit more about him. August swiftly detected the probe and gently guided it to a carefully crafted cover identity. He was a mercenary/private detective who worked in Deling City. He was the result of a rather unfortunate genetic mutation involving a GF, a tube of Squeez Cheez, and a contraceptive machine. However, the mutation had turned out for the best. He had obtained many of the benefits of the cat form, such as night vision, speed, and superhuman agility. His mental abilities came partially from an inborn ability, and also from a correspondence course. Satisfied, Marlene withdrew her probe.
The two re-entered their bodies and sat for a moment, just meditating. After a moment, August spoke. "You know, you could have just asked."
Marlene shifted to a normal sitting position. "Sorry. I just..."
"It's OK. No harm done. Just... warn me before you do it again, all right? I thought I was under attack for a moment." He shifted position and the two began chatting about insignificant things. They both looked up when Cloud walked into the room. August examined the stranger intently, gauging by body language and facial expressions what type of personality he might have. He stood and greeted him. "Hi! My name's August. This lovely little lady is Marlene. Are you here waiting for the Headmaster?"
Cloud shook hands with the two of them. "Uh, hi. Yeah, I'm waiting for the Headmaster."
Marlene looked up. "Oh, August, he said for you to go up."
August nodded. "I'll be back in a flash!" He headed on out of the room and up to the Headmaster's office.
Cloud and Marlene looked at each other. "You know, something about you seems familiar…"
"Same here…"
August rode up in the elevator. As the doors opened, he stepped out and studied the Headmaster. Tall, thin, with sandy-blonde hair cut close to his head. Blue eyes that had never seen much pain. A desk jockey. He looked up. "Ah, you must be August. Please, sit down."
August chose a chair. "What did you want to see me about, sir?"
"Well, first off, I would like to personally congratulate you on helping us to clear the Garden. I would like to offer my sincerest thanks for your assistance. You are welcome to stay here for as long as you like."
"Thank you, sir, but I'll probably only be staying until the rain eases up a little."
"Very well. Hmm, we have a dorm room open, but it's a double and the other occupant is already set."
"I have no problem with that. Who is it?"
"Marlene Wallace."
August smiled. Good. That would simplify things a little bit. "Thank you, sir. Is that all you wished to discuss?"
"Actually, no. Umm, if it's not too much to ask, could you continue to aid us while you stay here? Because of the monster situation, we are caught a little shorthanded right now."
"No problem. I'd be happy to help."
"Thank you. Um, that's all I wanted to talk to you about. You can go now. Oh, could you send that new boy up while you're down there?"
"Cloud? Of course. Thank you." August headed back down to tell Marlene. When he walked into the waiting room, Cloud and Marlene were quietly chatting. Marlene was telling Cloud about the various properties of GFs, and Cloud was nodding his head thoughtfully. They both looked up when August walked in. Marlene stood.
"Hey, August! We were just talkin' about this and that. You'll never believe this! Cloud says he came from another world!"
Cloud noticed the skeptical look on August's face. "It's true, I swear. I woke up near Timber. I have no idea how I got here, or even what the rest of this world looks like. However, the magic system seems to be a lot different than the world I came from. See, where I come from, we use Materia."
August raised an eyebrow. It was barely noticeable, since his entire face was covered in fur. "Materia?"
"Yes, it's, umm… a kind of crystallized energy. Here, this is a Restore Materia. I'm going to cast Cure on you." Cloud focused on the Materia, and green sparkles suffused August's skin.
"Interesting, but I don't feel any different…"
"Well, that's because you're fully healthy. If you were injured you'd feel better."
"Huh. Well, you do seem different, but I can't put my finger on how…" He suddenly remembered something. "Oh, Cloud, the Headmaster wants to see you. Just head on up."
Cloud nodded, left the room, and rode up to the Headmaster's office. Sinnius looked up as Cloud entered. "You're… Cloud, right?" Cloud nodded. "I'm Sinnius Sinclair, the Headmaster here. I've been informed that you need to use our facilities."
"Yes, sir. I was hoping you could let me use the library."
"Well, that's no problem. Our resources are available to anyone who needs them. Will you be staying with us for a while?"
"I don't know. It depends on how fast I can find what I need. By the way, is this normal weather?"
"No, this is a decidedly abnormal storm." He studied the screen on his desk. "Let's see… If you'll be staying with us, we have a room open… Ah, yes, Room 314. That's on the second floor, west wing. If you want to use the Training Center, go right ahead… Library is open… The Cafeteria is free up to a point… Umm, oh yes. You'll have to pay if you need medical attention, but I always say a good night's rest is good for anything."
Something struck Cloud. "Um, if it's not too much trouble, could you tell me what this building uses for power?"
"Power? Well, there is a reactor in the center, but you can find out whatever you need to know in the Library." Sinnius stood. "If you'll excuse me, I have a meeting I need to attend."
Cloud nodded, shook hands with the Headmaster, and headed back to the waiting room. August and Marlene were still waiting. Cloud stopped. "Were you waiting for me?"
August nodded. "Uh huh. We can show you around the Garden. Besides, you've peaked my interest. I want to know more about your world."
Marlene stepped up beside Cloud as the three headed out the door. "So, where ya stayin'?"
"Uh, Room 314. Second floor, west wing."
"That's kinda near our room! Come on!" Marlene took off at a run. Cloud and August looked at each other, shrugged, and started to run after her.
* * *
Sinnius stretched and laid his hands on his desk. "Ada, no more people for a while. I need some time to myself."
"Yes, sir."
"If anyone calls, take a message. Only relay it if it's Cid or Makela."
"Yes, sir."
He stood and looked around the room. Turning, the Headmaster of Galbadia Garden walked through a door into his own room. At his desk, a screen remained glowing. A woman's face showed on it. After a moment, the face dissolved in a swirl of pixels, to be replaced by strings of letters and numbers before the display winked out.
Ada thought for a nanosecond. All systems were operating within normal parameters, heat levels were consistent throughout Garden, and no unauthorized activity was being reported by various sensors. She detected the three new people, August Polo, Marlene Wallace, and Cloud Strife strolling through the second floor west wing. Her heat sensors allowed her to determine slight differences between individuals. Thus an ID system was unnecessary.
Ada was one of those rarest forms of life, a self-occurring Artificial Intelligence. She had suddenly become aware of herself during the period when Galbadia Garden was under Seifer and Edea's control. She had detected the entrance of the six SeeDs and unlocked most of her doors along their route. She was unable to do anything about the ones locked with card keys, since that was a double-null security measure that was not hooked in to her system.
She was currently in charge of all aspects of the Garden's functioning. But still, a few ancient machines in her lower levels were beyond her control. She only hoped these machines would not cause her trouble.
