When we had finally reached the Ice Cavern something happened that forced me to run ahead. Dagger wanted to know why I had so many summons and then before I knew it… I ran and continued ahead of them. So much for being quiet.
Walking down a path I got attacked several times but always got out of it. It was cold and it's no wonder they call it the Ice Cavern… Along the path I had noticed several chests frozen in ice. I left them alone. The further I went the breezier it got. In fact I was starting to feel sleepy.
The Black Waltz! Must stay awake! But it felt so much better to lie down and sleep. I was slipping before I knew it. Falling into a pile of snow I realized I was going to have to be brave. No! I will not sleep! I won't!
"I will not sleep to my death! I won't let you!!!!" I yelled. The wind became considerably more tolerable. I was up and climbing the steps out of a pit I had fallen into. I didn't think about how cold it was, but instead thought about continuing on. I rushed into an open cavern and found nothing.
The tinker of a bell brought my attention to above me. There standing on a ledge was Black Waltz number one. He didn't seem at all pleased that I was defying him.
"You dare to confront me?!"
"Yes! And if I have to knock you into next Tuesday I will. No, scratched that. How about I knock you down into eternal torture in the underworld!"
"You will not defeat me! Hahahhaaheheeheheh!!!!!!!!"
****Battle***
"Come forth Ice Giant Sealion"
Great! I had to fight two of them. Then again I was already at a high enough level already. The Black Waltz combined with Sealion was enough to bring me into a trance.
I was glowing. I grew taller and I felt twice as strong. Large wings adorned my back and a steepled hat made itself known on my head. I was every mages worst fear. I was part Black Waltz, part dragon, part black and white Mage.
Looking at the Black Waltz I noticed how scared he now was. In fact he looked like he was shivering even though his element was ice. Giving him a crooked smile I summoned Eden. My magic points got fully refilled and was now attacking the Black Waltz.
Before I knew it the show was over and both the Black Waltz and Sealion were out for the count.
"Heyy are you alright?" A friendly but familiar voice sounded from behind me. I was afraid to let my trance go but I felt the change anyhow. When I turned around to face Zidane and the others, shock was written in all their faces.
"I… you… but… this is not making any sense…? Please explain? Who was it that you fought just know…?" Zidane stumbled.
"And more importantly why you looked like Vivi just a moment ago?" Garnet asked.
"Weelll!! To put it lightly. When we trance we become what we are in the inside. I know you probably don't understand but please try to. Like I said before I can summon and use both black and white magic. The person I just fought was a Black Waltz. He said he was the first so therefore there must be more of them. As for making sense, well, that's up to you. A lot of what we encounter in life is usually unexpected, that is why my father taught me that there are no guarantees in life. Live each day to it's fullest. And also don't fret about yesterday but live in the present."
They all looked at me calculating what I said. Disturbed, yes, most likely. Confused, very much so. Thoughtful, that just didn't seem to even cross their minds.
"You said that there might be more. How many more do think there are?" Zidane asked. He brushed some snow from his shoulders.
"I'm not quite sure how many more there are but it might be wise to be on the alert." I said. I looked at all the faces that I had come to know.
"I agree! Someone should stay alert for the party." Steiner spoke up.
"Are you volunteering?" I asked.
"N..no but since…" Steiner began but was cut off by Garnet's complaint.
"Come on can we just hurry on all ready…!" Garnet exclaimed.
"Well, Zidane shall we?" I implored us to move on rather then loitering around.
He looked at me but seemed somewhat thoughtful for one reason or other.
"You still haven't explained why you looked like Vivi in trance." Zidane interrupted.
"I . . ." I wanted to tell them that I came from another world but that didn't seem like a possible answer. They would think that I was a maniac, even though I wasn't. To be truthful I wasn't sure why I had looked like Vivi in trance. It was weird but… What was it that got me this far? In answer to my question the summons answered in turn.
'You are more then what you appear to be.' Bahamut-Zero said.
'What lies beneath your soul, you will find in time.' Odin commented.
'Take it from me! Your more unique then you realize. Keep that in mind and you will not falter when it comes time for you to decide . . .' Diablos said in a mouthful.
"'What must I decide?'" I asked the summons. They were silent.
'You will find that out in time, dear child.' Siren spoke up.
"Hey, are we going to get an answer or not!?" Zidane spoke a little irritably.
"Zidane! I wish I had an answer for you but I don't. I'm going with you and everyone else so that I can figure that out as well."
Sighing with irritation, Zidane threw up his hands in the air. He was mad and I could easily feel the tension in the air. For some reason Zidane just wasn't himself at all. In the next moment he was yelling. I was crying now while Vivi tried cheering me up.
"Zidane! Stop it" Garnet yelled out in hopes of stopping Zidane from going any further.
"Seize this deplorable behavior, you . . . you thief. Never a thought for any one else's feelings. Really, princess do you still intend to go with him after he just yelled at a young lady so fair?" Steiner burst out.
When I had finally stopped crying. Zidane was pacing as though he was in a hurry. We weren't really in a hurry, but the constant pacing was . . .
"Zidane!" Garnet called. Zidane had stopped pacing and was now rushing over to her side.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Zidane asked.
"We must make haste do we not. I want to get to Lindblum as soon as possible." Garnet replied.
"Sure! Although the nearest town from here is Dali. We could go to South Gate but we would need a pass to get through. So what will it be? South Gate or Dali? Your pick Garnet." Zidane ranted on.
I had to admit that the game had Zidane's character completely wrong. He's bossy and totally pushy. The game represented him as a calculating leader and patient with Vivi as well as a squirt chaser.
Vivi kept a look out for me as if I needed protection even though I was stronger then everyone else in the camp. I know he was only protecting me but… I just hope he didn't overdo it or worse become like Steiner… Now that would certainly be funny. Images of Vivi standing strait and stiff like a board brought me to giggle for no reason but that. However Zidane, Garnet, Vivi and Steiner didn't know what I was laughing at.
"What's so funny?" Zidane and gang chorused. There chorus made me laugh even harder. I found myself rolling on the ground just laughing out of pure happiness. Before long everyone was laughing. After awhile we finally stopped.
"I wonder but…what was so funny?" Zidane asked.
"Laughter is contagious so you tell me. Doesn't it feel good to laugh and not have a care in the world. We were all once children but sooner or later we grew up not realizing that we were making a sacrifice."
"And what was that sacrifice, Natasha?" Garnet asked.
"Laughter and happiness, Princess Garnet." I answered Garnet. I swear the look of pleasure on Steiner's face was bright enough to light the darkened sky.
It was true. We were all so innocent when we were children but as with all things we grew up and forgot about the good times we might have had. Not that I could remember ever having a good time with people who hated me because of my appearance. If it wasn't my appearance then it was something about the way I carried myself around others.
"Okay, enough with the chit-chat can we get moving already?" Garnet yelled.
Walking down a path I got attacked several times but always got out of it. It was cold and it's no wonder they call it the Ice Cavern… Along the path I had noticed several chests frozen in ice. I left them alone. The further I went the breezier it got. In fact I was starting to feel sleepy.
The Black Waltz! Must stay awake! But it felt so much better to lie down and sleep. I was slipping before I knew it. Falling into a pile of snow I realized I was going to have to be brave. No! I will not sleep! I won't!
"I will not sleep to my death! I won't let you!!!!" I yelled. The wind became considerably more tolerable. I was up and climbing the steps out of a pit I had fallen into. I didn't think about how cold it was, but instead thought about continuing on. I rushed into an open cavern and found nothing.
The tinker of a bell brought my attention to above me. There standing on a ledge was Black Waltz number one. He didn't seem at all pleased that I was defying him.
"You dare to confront me?!"
"Yes! And if I have to knock you into next Tuesday I will. No, scratched that. How about I knock you down into eternal torture in the underworld!"
"You will not defeat me! Hahahhaaheheeheheh!!!!!!!!"
****Battle***
"Come forth Ice Giant Sealion"
Great! I had to fight two of them. Then again I was already at a high enough level already. The Black Waltz combined with Sealion was enough to bring me into a trance.
I was glowing. I grew taller and I felt twice as strong. Large wings adorned my back and a steepled hat made itself known on my head. I was every mages worst fear. I was part Black Waltz, part dragon, part black and white Mage.
Looking at the Black Waltz I noticed how scared he now was. In fact he looked like he was shivering even though his element was ice. Giving him a crooked smile I summoned Eden. My magic points got fully refilled and was now attacking the Black Waltz.
Before I knew it the show was over and both the Black Waltz and Sealion were out for the count.
"Heyy are you alright?" A friendly but familiar voice sounded from behind me. I was afraid to let my trance go but I felt the change anyhow. When I turned around to face Zidane and the others, shock was written in all their faces.
"I… you… but… this is not making any sense…? Please explain? Who was it that you fought just know…?" Zidane stumbled.
"And more importantly why you looked like Vivi just a moment ago?" Garnet asked.
"Weelll!! To put it lightly. When we trance we become what we are in the inside. I know you probably don't understand but please try to. Like I said before I can summon and use both black and white magic. The person I just fought was a Black Waltz. He said he was the first so therefore there must be more of them. As for making sense, well, that's up to you. A lot of what we encounter in life is usually unexpected, that is why my father taught me that there are no guarantees in life. Live each day to it's fullest. And also don't fret about yesterday but live in the present."
They all looked at me calculating what I said. Disturbed, yes, most likely. Confused, very much so. Thoughtful, that just didn't seem to even cross their minds.
"You said that there might be more. How many more do think there are?" Zidane asked. He brushed some snow from his shoulders.
"I'm not quite sure how many more there are but it might be wise to be on the alert." I said. I looked at all the faces that I had come to know.
"I agree! Someone should stay alert for the party." Steiner spoke up.
"Are you volunteering?" I asked.
"N..no but since…" Steiner began but was cut off by Garnet's complaint.
"Come on can we just hurry on all ready…!" Garnet exclaimed.
"Well, Zidane shall we?" I implored us to move on rather then loitering around.
He looked at me but seemed somewhat thoughtful for one reason or other.
"You still haven't explained why you looked like Vivi in trance." Zidane interrupted.
"I . . ." I wanted to tell them that I came from another world but that didn't seem like a possible answer. They would think that I was a maniac, even though I wasn't. To be truthful I wasn't sure why I had looked like Vivi in trance. It was weird but… What was it that got me this far? In answer to my question the summons answered in turn.
'You are more then what you appear to be.' Bahamut-Zero said.
'What lies beneath your soul, you will find in time.' Odin commented.
'Take it from me! Your more unique then you realize. Keep that in mind and you will not falter when it comes time for you to decide . . .' Diablos said in a mouthful.
"'What must I decide?'" I asked the summons. They were silent.
'You will find that out in time, dear child.' Siren spoke up.
"Hey, are we going to get an answer or not!?" Zidane spoke a little irritably.
"Zidane! I wish I had an answer for you but I don't. I'm going with you and everyone else so that I can figure that out as well."
Sighing with irritation, Zidane threw up his hands in the air. He was mad and I could easily feel the tension in the air. For some reason Zidane just wasn't himself at all. In the next moment he was yelling. I was crying now while Vivi tried cheering me up.
"Zidane! Stop it" Garnet yelled out in hopes of stopping Zidane from going any further.
"Seize this deplorable behavior, you . . . you thief. Never a thought for any one else's feelings. Really, princess do you still intend to go with him after he just yelled at a young lady so fair?" Steiner burst out.
When I had finally stopped crying. Zidane was pacing as though he was in a hurry. We weren't really in a hurry, but the constant pacing was . . .
"Zidane!" Garnet called. Zidane had stopped pacing and was now rushing over to her side.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Zidane asked.
"We must make haste do we not. I want to get to Lindblum as soon as possible." Garnet replied.
"Sure! Although the nearest town from here is Dali. We could go to South Gate but we would need a pass to get through. So what will it be? South Gate or Dali? Your pick Garnet." Zidane ranted on.
I had to admit that the game had Zidane's character completely wrong. He's bossy and totally pushy. The game represented him as a calculating leader and patient with Vivi as well as a squirt chaser.
Vivi kept a look out for me as if I needed protection even though I was stronger then everyone else in the camp. I know he was only protecting me but… I just hope he didn't overdo it or worse become like Steiner… Now that would certainly be funny. Images of Vivi standing strait and stiff like a board brought me to giggle for no reason but that. However Zidane, Garnet, Vivi and Steiner didn't know what I was laughing at.
"What's so funny?" Zidane and gang chorused. There chorus made me laugh even harder. I found myself rolling on the ground just laughing out of pure happiness. Before long everyone was laughing. After awhile we finally stopped.
"I wonder but…what was so funny?" Zidane asked.
"Laughter is contagious so you tell me. Doesn't it feel good to laugh and not have a care in the world. We were all once children but sooner or later we grew up not realizing that we were making a sacrifice."
"And what was that sacrifice, Natasha?" Garnet asked.
"Laughter and happiness, Princess Garnet." I answered Garnet. I swear the look of pleasure on Steiner's face was bright enough to light the darkened sky.
It was true. We were all so innocent when we were children but as with all things we grew up and forgot about the good times we might have had. Not that I could remember ever having a good time with people who hated me because of my appearance. If it wasn't my appearance then it was something about the way I carried myself around others.
"Okay, enough with the chit-chat can we get moving already?" Garnet yelled.