Chapter 31: Escape
"Keep your voices down," Jason whispered. "These walls are thick but you can never be too careful."
"So where are we going?" Renee whispered as they quickly hurried through the hidden passage.
"We're going to go to the stables, grab some chocobos, and get the hell outta here."
"Sounds like a plan…" Chris said. "Oh, Miranda, here's your sword," he whispered as he handed her the sword. "I thought you might need this."
"Thanks." She slid the strap around her shoulders.
They ran on silently, keeping a straight path and not branching off to one of the many secret passages. After what felt like hours, they reached what seemed to be a dead end. Jason placed his ear to the hidden door and after a few minutes nodded and gently pushed the door open a crack. He glanced around then opened it all the way and waved them through, closing it after Chris. They were in the stable office.
"Looks like everyone is at the castle," Renee said quietly.
"They'll be back soon. Just grab a chocobo and don't worry about tacking them up. Just grab their halter and rope and use that as a make-shift bridle."
Sounds like horseback riding, Miranda thought as she went to the nearest chocobo.
They met at the back entrance of the stable leading to the pasture.
"We'll have to jump the fence," Jason informed them. "But these birds should be able to make it."
"Should?" Chris said skeptically.
"There they are!" A guard shouted from a window.
"Looks like we have no choice," Miranda said. "Lets go!" she yelled as she signaled her chocobo to go and the others followed suit.
The chocobos picked up speed as they neared the fence, but Jason quickly reined his chocobo to a skidding halt. "Whoa! Stop guys! There's someone blocking our way!"
Everyone else brought their chocobos to a halt and they could hear the guards coming from the other end. They turned their attention to the black, cloaked figure in front of them.
"You will not go further," the voice said.
Chris reached for the thief sword. "You wanna bet?"
The figure started chanting and suddenly a gigantic black ball of energy hurtled toward them.
Miranda closed her eyes, bracing herself, but after a moment she blinked and looked up gasping. A winged figure surrounded in golden light was shielding them, the spell still trying to push through.
The figure glanced at them. "Quickly! Go now while I can still hold up this shield!" she commanded them.
Renee and Jason nodded and went ahead. Chris turned to go but stopped when he saw Miranda dismounted and the chocobo run off. "Miranda?! We have to go now!"
Miranda stood there staring at her. "Mel…"
She gave her a warm smile. "Thank you for everything you've done for me, Miranda. You were my only friend and you were the only one that truly understood me. This is my gift to you for all of your kindness." A bright flash of light engulfed both the spell and its caster.
"NO!!" Miranda screamed. "Don't do that!!"
"Miranda!" Chris grabbed her and placed her in front of him and rode away a short distance and stopped to look back after a giant explosion.
Miranda looked back and saw something falling. She quickly reached out and caught it then looked down. It was the little bird Melody. "Why…why?!??!!" Miranda cried out holding the little bird close to her.
Chris looked at her silently then kicked the chocobo into a quick run toward Jason and Renee who had been waiting at the gate. He quickly went through and they continued their mad dash through the thick woods after Jason closed the gate. It wasn't until they reached a clearing by a stream did they stop.
"Is everyone okay?" Renee asked.
"I am," Chris said, looking at Miranda who stayed silent.
"Miranda?" Renee walked over to her concerned. "What happened? Who was that?"
"It was…Melody…" she whispered.
"That bird?" Jason asked.
Miranda held out the little bird's still form. "She…she sacrificed her life…for us," she said, tears brimming her eyes.
"I…I can't believe it…" Renee said shocked.
Chris held Miranda from behind, staring at the bird. He blinked and looked at it harder. "Wait a second…Miranda may I hold her?"
Miranda blinked. "Yes…" she said as she handed Melody to him.
He gently placed Melody by his ear and listened for a moment then looked up. "I…I can still hear her breathing!!"
"What?!?" Renee and Jason yelled. Miranda stared at him.
"If we can get her back home, Garnet or Eiko might be able to heal her!"
"Who?" Jason said.
"Friends back in the other world I would guess," Renee said. "But how are we supposed to get there?"
"I can help with you that."
They all turned around to find Serenity floating above the water smiling at them. "I am relieved to find everyone alright."
"Who's that babe?" Jason gawked.
"JASON!" Renee slammed her elbow on his head. She then smiled apologetically to the startled goddess. "I'm sorry for this pervert's actions. You say you can help them return?"
"Why…yes. They just need to join the crystals together and have a strong desire to return back."
"That's simple…ow…" Jason said as he sat up rubbing his head.
"Renee! Renee!!!"
"Huh?" Renee turned around and saw Drake running toward them gasping. "Drake?!
He stopped bent over gasping for breath when he reached them. "OH THANK GOD YOU'RE SAFE!" he said as he embraced her.
"Eh…Drake?" Renee blinked.
"The whole kingdom knows about this and you two are wanted for kidnapping, preferably dead!!"
"WHAT??!?!" Jason yelled. "I've worked at the palace for years!!"
"You guys have got to get out of here!!"
"Um…I was just telling about that," Serenity said smiling. "Hello…?"
Drake was still going on about Renee's safety. "You have no idea how worried I was about you!!" He spotted Chris and Miranda still on the chocobo. "Oh, you must be Miranda's friend! You two look quite comfortable up there."
"Eh?" They looked at each other then quickly hopped off blushing.
"Hellooo…" Serenity said watching.
Drake hugged Miranda tightly, still not noticing. "Oh I'm glad you're safe, too! Introduce me to your friend! I'm Drake Draconis, you wouldn't want to know my full name."
Chris blinked and shook his hand. "Just call me Chris…nice meeting you…" Weird…
Serenity coughed. "Hello?" Are they paying attention…?
Drake turned to Jason. "Hey there! Another genome? Friends with Renee?"
"Eh?" Jason looked at him surprised as they shook hands. "Er…yeah…I'm Jason…" What's with this dude? "Are you her father or something?"
"FATHER?!??!" Renee and Drake yelled at the same time.
"I'm too young to be a father!" Drake said incredulously. "I'm more like her brother."
"EXCUSE ME!!!!" Serenity yelled as she slammed a boulder on top of Drake. Everyone froze and looked at her shocked. She coughed. "As I was saying…I'll just teleport you all out of here."
"Great!" Renee said as she inspected Drake. "Ouch…"
"Everyone join hands and form a circle." After everyone had formed the circle, Drake being supported by Jason and Chris still unconscious, Serenity started chanting and in a bright flash of light they disappeared.
"It's been too long!" Zidane said pacing. "Where the hell is he??!"
"Calm down, Zidane," Garnet said trying to calm him down. "I'm sure he's fine."
"But where did he go?" Kuja mused.
"That's a good ques…hey, do you guys hear something?" Kristin said after a moment.
Everyone stood still silent and suddenly heard something falling.
"RUN AWAAAAY!!!" Vivi yelled as he ducked under a root.
Everyone scattered as Renee, Jason, and Drake fell screaming to the ground.
"Renee…please…get off…pain…" Jason said.
Renee blinked then quickly jumped off his back. "Hehe…thanks for cushioning my fall!"
Jason grumbled as he stood up. "Where are Chris and Miranda?"
He was soon answered as they floated gently to the ground, their crystals glowing brightly. As soon as they touched the ground the crystals returned to their normal state.
Drake sat up and rubbed his head. "Major headache…" He looked around. "Where the heck are we?"
"CHRIS! MIRANDA!!"
The group turned around and were suddenly surrounded by the rest of the gang.
Kristin hugged Miranda tightly crying. "Miranda!!! I was so worried about you!!!"
Zidane patted Chris on the back hard. "Way to go, Chris! You did it!"
Vivi ran around them all saying 'you're back' repeatedly.
The three Systanians stared at them as they stood up. "Must be her friends," Renee said.
Mikoto blinked and turned to them. "Who are you?"
"Renee, age fourteen!" Renee said bowing.
"And Jason, age fifteen," Jason added bowing.
"I'm Drake Dralacon…you wouldn't want to know my full name," Drake said.
"Whoa! You two are Genomes!" Zidane exclaimed as he noticed Jason's and Renee's tails.
Renee blinked. "So are you…and you…and you!" she exclaimed as she looked from Zidane to Mikoto then to Kuja, starting for a moment.
"That's a guy right…?" Jason whispered to Drake. (XD!!!! I can never stop XD!!!)
"I think so…"
Kuja twitched. "I can hear you just fine…"
"They were my friends back in Systania," Miranda said as Garnet took Melody and started casting a heal spell.
"You were in Systania?!?!?!" Freya exclaimed.
"Were you hurt?" Kristin asked worriedly.
"Lets talk about it later," Kuja said. "I think we need to get out of here."
Everyone turned to look at the Iifa. Black clouds were spiraling around the top and they could feel a faint tremble beneath. They glanced at one another and headed back to the airship. Halfway there, Miranda spotted Rocky struggling between two of the chocobo handlers who worked on the airship. She cried with joy and sprinted toward the excited chocobo.
"Awwwwwwww," everyone said in unison.
"Kweh…" Rocky chirped softly as he nuzzled Miranda's hair.
"He was worse than I was," Chris said patting Rocky's head.
"Happy, yeah, LETS MOVE PEOPLE!" Kuja yelled as he pushed everyone forward and onto the airship as the ground started shaking.
Somewhere deep within the Iifa Tree, something stirred.
It has begun…Author's Note: Blah, everyone's back together, I still have to continue this story somehow @_@ I've been having to reread chapters coz I couldn't remember what I had written before, lol. Well I'll try to update as often as I can!