Disclaimer: I don't own FF9. Squaresoft does. Repeat.
When the cold feeling of sleep faded, Kuja was alone in the room. He dared to open his perfect sky-blue eyes to survey the room. Not a single thing was out of place aside from the royal family's absence. Not a single breeze stirred the red curtains. It seemed like time had stopped dead in it's tracks, and nothing moved except for Kuja wildly racing heart. In an otherwise deathly silent room, something rustled behind him. He turned and saw the blood-red beast staring back at him, tails flicking with amusement.
"Where are they?"
The strange looking thing spoke directly into his mind, 'Elsewhere.'
Before Kuja could demand the others' whereabouts, the scenery changed into that of a garden, brimming with roses. There was a gray cobblestone path ahead of him, leading away from the river surrounding Alexandria Castle and further into the beautiful blossoms. Ahead, at the end of the path, was a type of whirlwind where the petals of the flowers spun dizzily, locked in a passionate embrace with the gale.
As the silver-haired man approached it, the flower storm died away, revealing the netrance to an underground tomb. The names etched on the granite made his heart coil up with mixed feelings of anger and perpetual sadness. "What mockery is this?" he shouted to the clouds who were too absorbed in their lazy drifting to answer him.
'This is a shadow of what's to come. From your heart. From theirs.'
The creature made a dramatic appearance, materializing itself from the new spin of petals. It stood, light on it's feet, awaiting his reaction. Kuja hadn't even turned around. When it realized that it wasn't going to get the desired effect, Chaos continued, 'Allow me to show you my realm, hmm?' And, indeed the scene changed again. Drastically.
What had replaced the comforting vision of roses was scorched land ridden by monsters and humans between which there was no psycological difference. Instead of the sweet smell of spring's blooms, there was the odor of rotting flesh, dried blood. What had been a vision of serenity despite the tomb was now turned into a surreal world of utter chaos. The giant cat turned and gazed over his own handiwork, an appreciative gleam in his eyes.
'This is what will become of Gaia. It is my right. My revenge.' he shifted so that one jet black eye stared back at him, 'Do you understand?'
"What does this have to do with me? With the others?"
'They are the descendants of those who captured me, and those who banished me. You are different. You have touched both sides of your soul, and you can help me.'
"Can. But won't."
Chaos chuckled and the sound reverberated within Kuja's mind. 'We shall see.'
"Kuja?"
Kuja turned his head from the eidolon, looking up at the threatening storm clouds.
"Kuja!"
Zidane was shaking Kuja so hard he thought his head would fall off. He swatted, annoyed, at his brother who took the hint immediately. When his disorientation faded, the older Genome looked at them, bewilderment etched into the fair lines of his face. "You're all here?"
"Well, yeah. Where'd you think we were?"
"It's not important, brother. Where's the-"
"Eidolon?" Garnet cut him off. Everyone stared at her for a moment.
"You're telling me that cat....... was an eidolon?" At his wife's nod, Zidane continued, "It's gonna be a long night."
Back at Madain Sari, two familiar faces were watching the stars peek through the dying oranges and reds and purples of the sunset. Eiko stretched her legs in contentment as she recounted how long ago she and the others had left this place to stop Kuja. Now she had outgrown the gangliness of her youth and fitted into her features. Rumors of her beauty had spread far in Lindblum. She wondered how her "parents" were doing. Next to her, Vivi was silent, watching his children play below them.
The grass rustled under her as she moved uncomfortably. Suddenly confusion and unease contorted her pale face. Vivi seemed to sense her discomfort, for the black mage turned to her.
"What's wrong?"
"The powers of the eidolons are shifting..."
"Shifting?"
"I can't hear them so well anymore."
They lay staring at the moons for a few moments more, as if the answer to their unspoken questions would just appear out of the air. Eiko bit her lip and tried to make out what the eidolons were telling her, but it was no use. She turned worried eyes to Vivi, who studied her with his glowing amber ones.
"Vivi, I'm scared."
Chaos was impressed enough with the foolish nobles' reactions that he left them all with a feeling of doom. In the future, he would make the planet to fit his namesake. It would take much careful planning, but he had all the time in the world.
In the throes of the past was a memory not recorded in the history books. The human race had hunted for and eventually captured the eidolon for all his mischief that he caused, literally scaring people to death with his impending nightmares. Those of the summoners that had heard of him across the ocean and risked their lives to travel to the Mist continent to stop him sealed him away between the two worlds that consumed each other to form Gaia. Unfortunately for them, eidolons do not die.
He had spent hundreds of years plotting revenge in time that he could have spent reforming. But just the thought of doing something expected of him was enough to turn his mind from recounting the many "evils" he had done the world. Anger had swelled in him most then. Now he was alone while he plotted his next move with finesse. It would have to be something big. After awhile, a big cat-grin spread across the eidolon's face.
"Your majesties, the city is burning!"
Kuja's head snapped up at that response. "A fire?" Zidane voiced his brother's thoughts. The others had had their weapons cradled in their hands since the eidolon left, and it seemed now would be a chance to use them. The two Genomes were the first out the door, Freya and Amarant (who were called away from the city's pub earlier) right behind them. Garnet stayed behind to watch the children, who were plastered to the window watching the flames leap from building to building.
Soon the four were in the street. The glint of their weapons and the reflection of the fire in their eyes made them seem like war embodied to any passersby. Freya's spear was the first to strike, the speed in which she slashed it lifting a gust strong enough to put out the fire from a few select rooftops. She launched herself into the air, following more roofs forward into the rising smoke. Amarant followed her shortly after, his Rune claws looking as formidable as ever.
The two brothers stayed on the ground, eyes scanning shadows and torrents of flame for any sign of the red cat. In the middle of the square they found the eidolon, sitting calmly atop the statue while frightened towspeople fled from their burning homes.
Zidane made the first move, running forth with the Ultima Weapon positioned behind his back and his free hand outstretched for balance. He ducked under the long claws of Chaos and swiped upward blindly. He felt is blade bite into stone instead of flesh and the blonde man was suddenly wrapped in a bubble of suffocating smoke. The Genome had the sensation of being swept of his feet before he crashed into the unforgiving concrete.
Kuja made the next run. His borrowed Orichalon gleamed a dull green as he ran forward toward the enemy. Even as he lashed out, he sent a Flare spell barreling into the eidolon's side. Chaos let out a howl of suprise and leapt high into the air, his claws extending to an even longer length. The Genome braced himself and shut his eyes before hearing a shriek that wasn't his own. Looking up, a vague smile crossed his lips.
"Radali!"
Radali had rammed the eidolon full force when he had dared leap too high. The cat landed with grace but still looked relatively pissed off. When Chaos charged, Kuja was ready, and knocked it off it's feet with a Blizzaga. He followed up with an uppercut to the thing's jawline, and swept out with his foot while the eidolon was back on his hind legs from the previous cut. Chaos growled and diminished the flames. He settled himself down into a crouch and disappeared. Zidane shook his head nearby as if to clear the smoke from his eyes. Kuja sighed in relief, expecting it to be over.
Zidane shouted his denial, maybe too loudly, when Chaos leapt from out of nowhere onto his back and tore at the man's collar, trying to get a piece of neck. uja went to provide assistence when he himself was swept with a powerful gale and landed on top of Amarant, still on the roof and blind from the smoke. Freya jumped down and her spear embedded itself into the beast's back. He jerked and then vanished again.
The group was surrounded by an endless field of black, of nothingness. Aleaxandria was nowhere to be found. It wasn't like the vast reaches of space, which was Zidane's first thought, as it had a uniform "up" and "down" and they were walking on solid ground, though it did feel as though they'd plunge into a pit at any step. It seemed they'd be stuck wandering for awhile. In a tower in Alexandria's palace, Garnet was left alone, guarding the children when she saw that she could no longer see her husband down below.
In Madain Sari, Eiko and Vivi were nowhere to be found. Instead, they were also wandering in the void, joined with Steiner and Beatrix who were each previously roaming the palace's halls.
Author's Note: Major-Major-Major writer's block here, and I bet it shows. Hopefully I'll be more comfortable in the next chapter and maybe KNOW where this is going. Sorry! *ahem* Where have the FF9 crew been transported? Will our heroes be able to defeat this new threat to Gaia? What the hell is going on? Please review!
When the cold feeling of sleep faded, Kuja was alone in the room. He dared to open his perfect sky-blue eyes to survey the room. Not a single thing was out of place aside from the royal family's absence. Not a single breeze stirred the red curtains. It seemed like time had stopped dead in it's tracks, and nothing moved except for Kuja wildly racing heart. In an otherwise deathly silent room, something rustled behind him. He turned and saw the blood-red beast staring back at him, tails flicking with amusement.
"Where are they?"
The strange looking thing spoke directly into his mind, 'Elsewhere.'
Before Kuja could demand the others' whereabouts, the scenery changed into that of a garden, brimming with roses. There was a gray cobblestone path ahead of him, leading away from the river surrounding Alexandria Castle and further into the beautiful blossoms. Ahead, at the end of the path, was a type of whirlwind where the petals of the flowers spun dizzily, locked in a passionate embrace with the gale.
As the silver-haired man approached it, the flower storm died away, revealing the netrance to an underground tomb. The names etched on the granite made his heart coil up with mixed feelings of anger and perpetual sadness. "What mockery is this?" he shouted to the clouds who were too absorbed in their lazy drifting to answer him.
'This is a shadow of what's to come. From your heart. From theirs.'
The creature made a dramatic appearance, materializing itself from the new spin of petals. It stood, light on it's feet, awaiting his reaction. Kuja hadn't even turned around. When it realized that it wasn't going to get the desired effect, Chaos continued, 'Allow me to show you my realm, hmm?' And, indeed the scene changed again. Drastically.
What had replaced the comforting vision of roses was scorched land ridden by monsters and humans between which there was no psycological difference. Instead of the sweet smell of spring's blooms, there was the odor of rotting flesh, dried blood. What had been a vision of serenity despite the tomb was now turned into a surreal world of utter chaos. The giant cat turned and gazed over his own handiwork, an appreciative gleam in his eyes.
'This is what will become of Gaia. It is my right. My revenge.' he shifted so that one jet black eye stared back at him, 'Do you understand?'
"What does this have to do with me? With the others?"
'They are the descendants of those who captured me, and those who banished me. You are different. You have touched both sides of your soul, and you can help me.'
"Can. But won't."
Chaos chuckled and the sound reverberated within Kuja's mind. 'We shall see.'
"Kuja?"
Kuja turned his head from the eidolon, looking up at the threatening storm clouds.
"Kuja!"
Zidane was shaking Kuja so hard he thought his head would fall off. He swatted, annoyed, at his brother who took the hint immediately. When his disorientation faded, the older Genome looked at them, bewilderment etched into the fair lines of his face. "You're all here?"
"Well, yeah. Where'd you think we were?"
"It's not important, brother. Where's the-"
"Eidolon?" Garnet cut him off. Everyone stared at her for a moment.
"You're telling me that cat....... was an eidolon?" At his wife's nod, Zidane continued, "It's gonna be a long night."
Back at Madain Sari, two familiar faces were watching the stars peek through the dying oranges and reds and purples of the sunset. Eiko stretched her legs in contentment as she recounted how long ago she and the others had left this place to stop Kuja. Now she had outgrown the gangliness of her youth and fitted into her features. Rumors of her beauty had spread far in Lindblum. She wondered how her "parents" were doing. Next to her, Vivi was silent, watching his children play below them.
The grass rustled under her as she moved uncomfortably. Suddenly confusion and unease contorted her pale face. Vivi seemed to sense her discomfort, for the black mage turned to her.
"What's wrong?"
"The powers of the eidolons are shifting..."
"Shifting?"
"I can't hear them so well anymore."
They lay staring at the moons for a few moments more, as if the answer to their unspoken questions would just appear out of the air. Eiko bit her lip and tried to make out what the eidolons were telling her, but it was no use. She turned worried eyes to Vivi, who studied her with his glowing amber ones.
"Vivi, I'm scared."
Chaos was impressed enough with the foolish nobles' reactions that he left them all with a feeling of doom. In the future, he would make the planet to fit his namesake. It would take much careful planning, but he had all the time in the world.
In the throes of the past was a memory not recorded in the history books. The human race had hunted for and eventually captured the eidolon for all his mischief that he caused, literally scaring people to death with his impending nightmares. Those of the summoners that had heard of him across the ocean and risked their lives to travel to the Mist continent to stop him sealed him away between the two worlds that consumed each other to form Gaia. Unfortunately for them, eidolons do not die.
He had spent hundreds of years plotting revenge in time that he could have spent reforming. But just the thought of doing something expected of him was enough to turn his mind from recounting the many "evils" he had done the world. Anger had swelled in him most then. Now he was alone while he plotted his next move with finesse. It would have to be something big. After awhile, a big cat-grin spread across the eidolon's face.
"Your majesties, the city is burning!"
Kuja's head snapped up at that response. "A fire?" Zidane voiced his brother's thoughts. The others had had their weapons cradled in their hands since the eidolon left, and it seemed now would be a chance to use them. The two Genomes were the first out the door, Freya and Amarant (who were called away from the city's pub earlier) right behind them. Garnet stayed behind to watch the children, who were plastered to the window watching the flames leap from building to building.
Soon the four were in the street. The glint of their weapons and the reflection of the fire in their eyes made them seem like war embodied to any passersby. Freya's spear was the first to strike, the speed in which she slashed it lifting a gust strong enough to put out the fire from a few select rooftops. She launched herself into the air, following more roofs forward into the rising smoke. Amarant followed her shortly after, his Rune claws looking as formidable as ever.
The two brothers stayed on the ground, eyes scanning shadows and torrents of flame for any sign of the red cat. In the middle of the square they found the eidolon, sitting calmly atop the statue while frightened towspeople fled from their burning homes.
Zidane made the first move, running forth with the Ultima Weapon positioned behind his back and his free hand outstretched for balance. He ducked under the long claws of Chaos and swiped upward blindly. He felt is blade bite into stone instead of flesh and the blonde man was suddenly wrapped in a bubble of suffocating smoke. The Genome had the sensation of being swept of his feet before he crashed into the unforgiving concrete.
Kuja made the next run. His borrowed Orichalon gleamed a dull green as he ran forward toward the enemy. Even as he lashed out, he sent a Flare spell barreling into the eidolon's side. Chaos let out a howl of suprise and leapt high into the air, his claws extending to an even longer length. The Genome braced himself and shut his eyes before hearing a shriek that wasn't his own. Looking up, a vague smile crossed his lips.
"Radali!"
Radali had rammed the eidolon full force when he had dared leap too high. The cat landed with grace but still looked relatively pissed off. When Chaos charged, Kuja was ready, and knocked it off it's feet with a Blizzaga. He followed up with an uppercut to the thing's jawline, and swept out with his foot while the eidolon was back on his hind legs from the previous cut. Chaos growled and diminished the flames. He settled himself down into a crouch and disappeared. Zidane shook his head nearby as if to clear the smoke from his eyes. Kuja sighed in relief, expecting it to be over.
Zidane shouted his denial, maybe too loudly, when Chaos leapt from out of nowhere onto his back and tore at the man's collar, trying to get a piece of neck. uja went to provide assistence when he himself was swept with a powerful gale and landed on top of Amarant, still on the roof and blind from the smoke. Freya jumped down and her spear embedded itself into the beast's back. He jerked and then vanished again.
The group was surrounded by an endless field of black, of nothingness. Aleaxandria was nowhere to be found. It wasn't like the vast reaches of space, which was Zidane's first thought, as it had a uniform "up" and "down" and they were walking on solid ground, though it did feel as though they'd plunge into a pit at any step. It seemed they'd be stuck wandering for awhile. In a tower in Alexandria's palace, Garnet was left alone, guarding the children when she saw that she could no longer see her husband down below.
In Madain Sari, Eiko and Vivi were nowhere to be found. Instead, they were also wandering in the void, joined with Steiner and Beatrix who were each previously roaming the palace's halls.
Author's Note: Major-Major-Major writer's block here, and I bet it shows. Hopefully I'll be more comfortable in the next chapter and maybe KNOW where this is going. Sorry! *ahem* Where have the FF9 crew been transported? Will our heroes be able to defeat this new threat to Gaia? What the hell is going on? Please review!