I DO NOT own FF9 or Dragon Ball Z. *sobs*

I have practically zero time to write a long header. Yes, the crossover happens....sorta. Just read on my friend and tell me what you think! (sorry I had to finish it in a hurry....)

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"So....what is it?"

Amarant was careful to ignore the note of annoyance in Zidane's voice. Instead of acting scornful him, which was everything his conscience bade him to do, he regarded the genome with an arrogant smirk, "It's some kind of portal, or what not. I don't know. Whatever it is, it's alive, and it won't stop following me."

Zidane blinked, ".....Alive..."

The bandit shrugged, "That's what I said."

"It's alive, it's a portal, and it's following you...." the genome confirmed, repeating Amarant's claims. "Let me gues....we're supposed to use it to go to Terra."

"Probably," said Amarant.

Dagger moved up beside Zidane, and stared, her eyes wide. The 'portal' simply hovered, crackling with bursts of blue energy. Her face was pale, and her lips barely moved when she spoke, "Alive....how do you....know that it's....alive?"

Amarant shrugged again, "It beats me. But this is our splitting point....I'm leaving before I get transported to some other world that I have nothing to do with."

A sigh escaped Zidane, "Right. Well, I never expected you to stay anyway. You should at least see us off, if you have any kind of humane sense inside that thick, red bush."

"Zidane..." Dagger warned through her teeth, finally managing to tear her eyes from the blue light.

Zidane noticed the queen's excessive blinking, and her small shake of her head, "Is there something wrong? You're...crying."

"No..." whispered Dagger, and cleared her throat. "I mean...no, there's nothing wrong. I'm not crying....it's that light. It was like it was....talking to me. It wanted me to reach out, touch it. I think that it really is....alive."

"Um...." said a small voice from behind. Eiko approached all three and lifted her head, plaicng her hands impatiently on her hips, "You're leaving us out of this conversation! So do we go through it or not? I mean....I don't wanna be rude or anything, but you DID pull us away from our homes, interrupt whatever we were doing, and now you're taking us all back to Terra....uh, besides Amarant.....So what do we do?"

"We'll take a vote," said Zidane, simply. "All those in favour-"

YOU WILL COME.

Simutaneously, Dagger, Zidane, and Eiko leapt back in surprise. Amarant stepped away, shielding his face with one arm, as the 'portal' began to expand and flash a threatening, teal colour. A low hum filled the air, and the greenish-blue sphere began to advance on the group. Zidane stumbled and fell onto his backside. Immediatly, he was back up again and retreating with his friends. The portal banked sharply and released a small bolt of....whatever it was made of. It curled, reaching out to seize the queen.

TERRA IS EMPTY. REPOPULATION IS VITAL. COMUNICATION IS UNECCESSARY. GAIAN SOULS WILL FILL TERRA WITH LIFE, AND RESTORE THE PLANET'S CHAIN.

"What?!" Zidane yelled, and took a brave leap forward, to protect Dagger from the blue tentacle. As if startled, the portal hung back, and hovered, humming in uncertainty.

"Well," came Eiko's sharp voice, "At least we know it's alive."

RESISTANCE IS TRIVIAL. REASONS ARE IRRELEVANT. THE GUARDIANS ARE UNFORGOTTEN. TERRA IS BORN UNDER THE MASTER'S WAKE.

"What if we don't want to leave?" demanded the genome, slowly hindering with Dagger one step behind him. "You can't make us come!"

YOU SOUGHT FOR A PORTAL. I AM FOUR. GAIA. EARTH. TERRA. SEALMRA. ONE IS VACANT. EXCESS SUPPLIES WILL BE REQUIRED. TERRA DESIRES SOULS. NINE SOULS FROM EACH PLANET. TWENTY-SEVEN BEINGS. ONE WILL PERISH IF RESISTANCE IS FULFILLED.

"Twenty-seven....Four planets?" said Zidane, freezing in his tracks. "I don't understand."

ENDURE THE LIGHT. OPPOSISTION IS FUTILE.

"What...?" Suddenly, it struck him. Zidane turned his head away, forcing the light form his eyes, "Don't do what it says!" he shouted. "It'll swallow you!"

ONE WILL PERISH. IS THIS WHAT YOU DESIRE?

Then, without further warning, the sphere exploded into a hundred, crystal-like strings of electricity, each attached to a buzzing core too bright to even look at. There was a sudden snapping noise, and one stroke of blue light disappeared. They could hear a muffled exclaimation of surprise from Amarant, who had been, in fact the closest to the sphere. Through the gleaming brightness, the seven comrades could see the flame-haired bandit entwined within a strip of piercing energy, rendered helpless. And still, the portal hovered.

DEATH IS THE TOLL FOR IGNORANCE. YOUR COMRADE WILL FACE THIS TOLL IF YOU REFUSE. IS THIS WHAT YOU DESIRE?

Somewhere close behind, Zidane could hear Steiner shout his curses, and then, "I knew that planet had nothing but evil to show for it's deeds!"

EVIL IS IRRELVANT. GOODNESS IS IRRELVANT. DEATH IS THE TOLL, UNLESS YOU DECIDE.

"You'll take us to Terra?" cried Zidane, still blocking the extensive glare form his eyes.

NINE GAIAN SOULS WILL BE REQUIRED IN ORDER--

"Screw that!"

The voice was unfamiliar. Abruptly, a glinting blade of what appeared to be mythril punctured the stem of electricty that imprissoned the cursing Amarant. It vanished. The moment Amarant hit the ground, he leapt back and -- to everyone's shock -- grabbed his rescuer by the collar. They heard his voice though the loud commotion, and it didn't sound very grateful.

"Dammit, Corroc, if you WEREN'T my student, I'd cut your throat!"

ASSAULT IS IRRELEVANT. HAVE YOU DECIDED? THE LAST SUMMONED HAS ENTERED THE PERIMETERS. NINE SOULS. NINE GAIANS.

Zidane, still somewhat shaken about what had happened, turned to face Dagger. The queen, clearly trembling, but not hesitating, nodded her head. The genome was unsure of whether he'd imagined it or not, but something else told him that taking any longer could end in tragedy.

"We'll go, but--"

The last thing he saw was the light. And then it was gone.


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"What IS that?"

Gohan nearly lost his concentration and dropped several meters, before he regained his balance. Nearly. Straight ahead of him, Vegeta had stopped, to float directly above something that drove a sickening, evil, unquenchable fear into Gohan's heart. The flat yard, which had once been quite empty, was now completely engulfed in a blue sea of light, wich flowed, snapped, and shrunk back again. It looked like a giant snake, searching for something, and spitting it's frusteration at it's failure

"It's probably the portal Vegeta was talking about," said Goten, directly to Gohan's left. He hovered, staring wide-eyed at the squirming mass of energy. "It makes my tummy hurt."

"That's where we must go," said Vegeta, as calmly as if he were talking about a trip to the beach. "It demanded nine souls. We are six. Kakkarot. Bulma. Trunks. That is the quota, I believe."

Gohan narrowed his eyes, "Since when do you take orders from anyone?"

"I never obeyed an order!" snapped the saiya-jin prince. "If you do not want to see your fool-headed father, then we can always go back."

"No," said Gohan, sounding all too much like Goku. "I'm going. I'll tell Mom not to go near it....yet."

Goten watched with an open mouth, as his big brother dove towards the ground, heading for the tiny, almost undetectable dot that was ChiChi's car. Then he looked back up at Vegeta. But before the seven-year-old had a chance to talk, he felt Krillin's hand on his shoulder.

"Don't get angry at him," said Goku's friend. "He's already had it bad, I suppose. I only wish Eighteen could have come..."

"She would not count as a soul," said Piccolo, on Krillin's right. "I suppose that's the only reason I am here."

Vegeta, though he knew the comment was directed at him, was completely silent.

"No, we could use your strength, too," said Krillin, smirking. "Hey, I wonder is Goku will really be there?"

"Ooooh!" cried Goten. "Daddy! I wanna see him, too!"

Krillin laughed, "I'm sure you will, Goten. I can't wait!"

FOUR HAS COMPLETED THE TASK. YOU HAVE MINUTES. ONE TWENTY SECONDS UNTIL THE DECISION IS NO LONGER YOURS.

Had their feet be planted on solid ground, Piccolo, Krillin, and Goten alike would have jumped at the booming, toneless voice.

"That's quite all right," came Vegeta's cool reply. "Gohan is returning now. We're ready."

"Ready?" inquired Krillin. "For what?"

"Be quiet..." growled the saiya-jin prince. "I'll explain this to you later."

"But what about ChiChi?" said Krillin, moving closer, almost accusingly.

"She will follow."

ONE HUNDRED SECONDS.

"Vegeta!" Gohan rose into the spot he'd been floating before, and glared angrily at the saiya-jin. "That....that THING already took Mom! How could it-"

"Silence," said Vegeta, a familiar smirk crossing his face. "It will be soon..."

EIGHTY SECONDS.

"What?" demanded Gohan, turning in a complete circle. "Who was that?"

"It doesn't matter," said Vegeta, folding his arms. "Be patient."

SIXTY SECONDS. HAVE YOU DECIDED?

"Of course," spat the saiya-jin prince. "Take me to Kakkarot."

"Vegeta-"

Nothing but flash and a horrible, pitched noise was heard, cutting Gohan off. He could remember nothing but a surprised cry from Krillin, and then nothingness....

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"Ouch....."

"....Uh...huh?"

"Curses...."

Moans of both pain, and annoyance rang in Amarant's ears. Sneering, he found himself face-down, lying on something cool, and flat, and felt famliarly like stone. Grunting his irritance, he lifted his head and pulled himself to her feet, blinking at the scene around him. Had it been his imagination, or had he been swallowed in light for minutes? The tall bandit shook his head. He couldn't remember. What had happened? And where the hell was he?

Suddenly, anger seized his thoughts.

Terra.

"This can't be happening...." he muttered, turning around to face the source of the voices. "I didn't want to come here....Zidane's gonna pay for-"

Zidane, Dagger, Eiko, and the rest were undoubtedly the ones that Amarant saw, when his gaze landed on the happening behind him. The group was stirring, and Freya was the next to stand up, and look wearily around at her surroundings. But this was no what surprised him. Amarant crossed his arms. There were no longer eight people, as he'd assumed there to be. There was nearly twice that number. Six, unrecognizable figures lay sprawled across the crystal-like ground. Four of them stirred, while the other two remained quite unconscious. And one was a child....strange-looking, but a child nonetheless.

"Amarant?" Freya inquired, seeming to spot him. They were standing on some strange, stone plate. Everything around them seemed to be charred ruins of what had once been crystals. "Amarant....are were....on Terra? Who are these people?"

"Don't ask me..." growled the bandit, slowly unfolding his arms. "Ask your monkey friend."

"Ask me what?" came Zidane's voice. He was already getting up, by the time both Amarant and Freya turned around. His eyes seemed to focus, and he spotted the strangers, in which two were already half-way on their feet. "Oh. Who are they?"

The nearest stranger was on his feet now. He shook his thick, black hair, and muttered something in an unfamliar language. Abruptly, hearing the voices behind him, the man (for that's what he obviously was now) spun around to face them. Amarant stared in surprise, when his gaze locked threateningly on his own. The stranger had a very unfriendly face, and he glared directly, it appeared, at Amarant. But slowly, lingeringly, his eyes moved to the next person. Then his gaze fell on Zidane, and froze.

By this time, the second stranger had gotten up. His hair, too, was black, but he almost towered over the first man. Plus, his hair was shorter, and his face much kinder. His eyes widened in surprise at the very sight of Zidane and the others.

And finally, the first one spoke, his tone harsh, and rather demanding, "You have a tail!"

Zidane opened his mouth, and then closed it, reconsidering his words, "Yes...What does that matter? Who are you -- some kind of alien?"

To all of their surprise, the stranger chuckled and turned his head away, "Not quite. You have a tail, and therefor you must have saiya-jin blood. Give me your name."

"I must have WHAT blood?" said Zidane, taking a step backwards. "Excuse me?"

"Then you're not saiya-jin?" said the stranger. He looked almost disappointed. "A pity. Then who are you?"

Amarant couldn't take much more of this, "We asked you first."

The man's eyes snapped towards the bandit, wide with shock, "And you..."

"Vegeta...." Now the second stranger spoke. His voice was younger, and his tone softer. He shook his head, "Don't be so rude to them. They might be able to help us find Bulma and Trunks. Do you guys live here? Could you tell us where we are?"

"Uh...huh?" Suddenly, it seemed as if every other fallen being, human, or whatever other specie alike, began to get up. Eiko straightened herself, and looked around, evidently unimpressed, "Huh...? Who are they...?"

"Hold it, hold it," said Zidane, suddenly. He scratched the back of his neck. "Let's clear this up. We're on Terra, faced with a handful of strangers, whom might I add aren't being so polite....We know THEY'RE not from Terra, because Terra was destroyed. Could they be....from Earth?"

"What do you know of that planet?" demanded the first stranger, the one called 'Vegeta'.

"Huh? Gohan? Where are we?"

Apparently, the smaller of the three black-haired beings had awoken. He appeared, clutching the second stranger, Gohan's pantleg. He blinked up wonderingly at Amarant, and then at Freya. "Who are THEY?"

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(Confusion, confusion....so sad that I should cry. Or scream. THERE, I DID THE CROSSOVER! Well, nearly, lol. I'll finished it tomorrow, as I seem to have run out of time...again. *grin* =0) x 100000)