Note: I do not own FF9 but please also know that this is only the intro and this story will be held until further notice. Thank you.
Chapter 2: Training Begins.
Kuja, led by Garland, carried Amanda to a large black room with a bed, mirror, and a nightstand at one side of the room, and a closet, table, two chairs, and a changing curtain on the other. Kuja set her down on the bed. She immediately jumped to her feet and tried to run for the door. Kuja grabbed her arm and threw her back onto the bed before she could take another step. Once again she jumped to her feet but didn't make another move.
"What do you WANT with me?!" she demanded.
"You will be our weapon against my brother and his friends." Kuja told her with a smile, looking her up and down.
"…STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!!!" Amanda shouted.
Kuja just smiled.
"You are destined to be this world's, Queen of the Damned. We have summoned you so we could take advantage of this prophecy. We want you to take care of the following people of Gaia: #1, Queen Garnet. #2 Captain Albert Steiner. #3, Vivi Orunitia. #4, Eiko Coral. #5, Amarant Coral. #6, General Beatrix. #7, Freya Cresant. #8, Quina Quan. And, #9, Zidane Tribal." Garland explained.
Amanda stared for a moment… Then burst out laughing.
"HAHAHAHAHA! You're kidding me, right? Those are names of Video Game characters! HAHAHAHAHA! From Final Fantasy 9!" Amanda laughed.
Kuja looked at Garland, "Video Game?"
Garland shrugged.
"HAHAHAHA! This is rich. You expect me to believe that I've been summoned into a Video Game, and now you two expect me to think that you are the villains of that very video game, and want me to destroy the protagonists of this game, so you can take over the world, and get revenge at the same time?"
"Frankly… Yes."
"… Where do I sign?" Amanda smiled devilishly.
Kuja smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her, "No where to sign my dear, just let us guide you through everything all your destiny will be fulfilled."
"Umm… Kuja?"
"Yes, my dear?"
"Uh, reality check, you're hugging a naked girl covered in goo!"
"…" He blushed and let go, "Yes… Quite."
"I can fix that." Garland smiled as he walked over to the closet and pulled out some folded clothes and handed them to Amanda, "These will be your new clothes."
"Cool! I'll change right now." Amanda walked over to the changing curtain.
Garland walked over to the door and looked toward Kuja.
"Kuja?"
"Yes, Garland?"
"Do you plan on watching?"
"I'm just going to stay here for a while. She has a changing curtain, you know."
Garland let out a laugh and exited the room. Kuja turned to Amanda, but the curtain was already closed. Soon enough she came back out in a black tube top, black leather pants, a long black trench coat and black battle boots. Amanda spun around in her new outfit.
"Ooo! Nice! I like! I like!" She smiled at Kuja and joked, "Beats being naked."
"All to their own." Kuja laughed.
"You got a brush? I need to get the goo out of my hair."
"Right on that makeup table." Kuja pointed to the makeup table with the mirror behind it.
"Okay, thanks."
Amanda walked up to the table, picked up the brush and begun to brush her shoulder length brown hair that was streaked with blonde and caramel. As she brushed her hair, Kuja began to notice a certain shine and a deep wave to it. Once done, she swung around to face Kuja, her wavy hair bouncing against her shoulders.
"Can I ask you a question?" She asked.
"Ask me anything you like." Kuja smiled.
"As I recall at the end of this game, you were horribly injured, laying in the Lifa Tree. Were you not?"
"True."
"Then… Zidane came to save you… Why do you want me to take care of him and his friends?"
"Honestly, I could care less about him. But he has everything I want. Call it jealousy, you can call it down right low… call it anything you wish. But because of him I died and he will not live long enough to hear the end of it."
"Wait! You died?"
"No… I almost did, but to him I am. I was in a coma. He thought I was dead and left me behind. He didn't even check my pulse or breathing. It was careless of him. I was lucky to have survived the grasp of the Lifa Tree's deadly vines. For his carelessness, he will pay."
"I see… Why is Garland alive?"
"So many questions for such a young lady." Kuja smirked.
"Just answer my question." Amanda told him turning away from his gaze.
"To be, once again, honest with you… I do not know myself. I thought he had died when I kicked him off the edge…" Kuja scratched his chin, "It's a mystery wrapped in itself…"
"Hmm…"
"May I ask you a question?"
Amanda turned to him curiously, "What is it?"
"Why did you so deliberately take the task?"
"Heh… To tell you the truth, I had my thoughts at first. But I just want to take as many chances I can get. I've never been evil before… Or good for that matter… I'd just like to experience something that you can only get one chance at in a life time." She smiled, "That… And this is probably just one large dream and I'll wake up any moment. Might as well make the best of it, don't you think?"
"You are a strange one."
"I wouldn't talk if I were you. Especially in THAT getup."
"HAHAHAHA! You got a lot of nerve to make fun of my style."
"That… and maybe because I'm not afraid you." She smirked.
"I'm not afraid of you either…" He cooed, placing a hand on her shoulder.
She blushed slightly, looking down at his warm, soft yet pale hand. He suddenly could not control himself anymore and embraced her quickly before she could respond and merged his lips with hers in a passionate kiss. She quickly pulled away and looked up at him with surprised eyes. Suddenly they changed to an angered glared as she slapped him across the face. He just merely stood there and smiled at her.
"How dare you! What the hell did you think you were doing just now?!" She snapped.
"Doing what I would've done in a dream." He smirked.
"…And you call me strange."
Garland reentered the room and walked up to Amanda.
"Ahh, I see you find those clothes quite comfortable. Are you ready for your first lesson?" Garlanded asked.
"Lesson?" She asked puzzled.
"In magic. If you want to survive you must learn some type of magic."
"Fine. As long as I'm away from THIS freak." She walked out of the room, leaving the two of them alone.
Garland turned to Kuja with angered eyes, "What did you do?"
"Merely expressing myself." Kuja smiled.
"You can't get too close to her, Kuja, or it will be the end of you!"
"And what do you know?"
"I know that you take things too fast in relationships! Stay away from her!"
"Oh? And who gives you the right to say that? It's not like she's your 'daughter' or anything."
"Yes, but I am still her mentor until she achieves her maximum abilities! And as her mentor you are not to touch her, look at her or love her at all!"
"My feelings are my own and I cannot help them."
"You fall in love with anything that walks on two feet and has the beauty of a flower!"
"…"
"I'm taking my leave with the girl, good day, Kuja!"
Garland turned on his heels and walked out the door.
"…B@$%^&*…" Kuja murmured to himself.
Garland led her to an empty room with padded walls and only one window showing the grey clouds below that looked like a field blanketed in snow. Amanda assumed immediately that wherever she was, it was really high above the ground! She turned to Garland who had shut the door behind him. He smiled at her as he walked in her direction, coming to a stop about a foot away from her.
"I am going to teach you the basics of magic." He said proudly.
"Magic? But I can't do magic!" Amanda told him.
"That is exactly why I am about to teach you." He smiled. "Hold out your hand to that padded wall to your right."
"…Ooooooooookaaaaaaaaaaay…" She did as he said.
"Now, clear your mind and focus on your hand until you begin to see a blue aura surround it…Then shout the word: Fire!"
"A-alrighty…" Amanda closed her eyes and stood there clearing her mind…
Garland watched in surprise as an aura quickly surrounded her hand. He had never seen anyone learn so fast! Amanda opened her eyes and gazed in awe at the light of the aura.
"Excellent, Amanda! You're a quick learner! Now… Chant the word: Fire!" Garland told her.
Amanda smiled at him, "…No."
"What?! What did you say?!" Garland shouted.
Amanda smirked, "I said… FIRAGA!!!"
Suddenly out of the aura shot a blazing shot of fire and set the whole wall on fire. Amanda smiled as placed her hand on her waist, looking back at Garland's stupefied look.
"H-H-How…!?" Garland managed.
"I'm… not sure." Amanda smiled scratching her head.
"Let me see that again…"
"…A-Alright…"
Amanda once again focused, letting the blue aura surround her hand. Garland nodded, giving her the signal to chant.
"WATER!!!!" Amanda shouted as a spray of water put out the fire-consumed wall.
Garland let out a chuckle and began to clap. Amanda smiled at him and bowed. He walked up to her, wrapped his arm around her and began to talk to her about more advanced magic.
Later, Kuja was waiting in another room, meditating. Garland and Amanda walked into the room, Garland telling her the basics of magic and abilities. Kuja stood up at the sound of their footsteps.
"Ahh! Garland! Lady Amanda! How nice of you to come for the next lesson." Kuja smiled, kissing Amanda's hand.
Amanda blushed immensely as she quickly pulled back her hand. Garland glared at Kuja with narrow eyes. Kuja merely ignored him and led Amanda to the wall lined with different kinds of weapons.
"Choose one and it shall be yours." Kuja told her with a smile.
Amanda looked at him with wide eyes, "For me?"
Kuja nodded, "Of course."
"Oh my god! Are you serious?!"
"Ha ha ha! Yes I am."
Amanda gave him a large grin and began studying the weapons to make her choice. Kuja merely ignored the harsh look he received from Garland as he watched her ice blue eyes wander across the wall. She clapped her hands together as a sign that she had made her choice. She unhooked a long rod with a semicircle blade… a scythe. Garland and Kuja looked at each other with grins on their faces. They watched as she swung the blade with delicate ease.
"I see you've used one of these before." Kuja spoke up.
Amanda turned to him, "Actually, I've never used one of these in my life. It seems to come… almost… natural to me…"
Garland smiled, "Let's see how you do against an opponent…"
He nodded to Kuja who took a dagger from the wall. Kuja smiled and began to advance on her.
"Whoa! What the heck do you think you're doing?!" Amanda exclaimed as Kuja took a swipe at her.
Amanda jumped back and blocked the swipe with the rod of the scythe. She pushed him away and attacked him with a mighty swipe of her own. Kuja blocked it and countered. Amanda wasn't fast enough and received a stab in her side. She fell backwards holding her side in pain. Kuja stood over her. Enraged, Amanda kicked his legs, making him fall to the ground. She quickly jumped to her feet stood over him, pressing the cold steel of her scythe against his neck and placing her foot on his chest, preventing him to get up. Her eyes were full of insane rage and pain. Kuja looked up at her with widen eyes. She rose her scythe in the air about to strike down but…
"Enough! Amanda, yield." Garland shouted.
Amanda stood there for a second, then withdrew, "…I'm sorry…" she realized what she was just about to do.
"Ha ha ha ha! You fight dirty." Kuja smiled, rubbing his neck, "I like that."
Garland clapped, "Very impressive. But it still needs work. We will continue later. For now, you may rest."
Amanda nodded and exited the room with her blade… followed close behind by Kuja.
Chapter 2: Training Begins.
Kuja, led by Garland, carried Amanda to a large black room with a bed, mirror, and a nightstand at one side of the room, and a closet, table, two chairs, and a changing curtain on the other. Kuja set her down on the bed. She immediately jumped to her feet and tried to run for the door. Kuja grabbed her arm and threw her back onto the bed before she could take another step. Once again she jumped to her feet but didn't make another move.
"What do you WANT with me?!" she demanded.
"You will be our weapon against my brother and his friends." Kuja told her with a smile, looking her up and down.
"…STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!!!" Amanda shouted.
Kuja just smiled.
"You are destined to be this world's, Queen of the Damned. We have summoned you so we could take advantage of this prophecy. We want you to take care of the following people of Gaia: #1, Queen Garnet. #2 Captain Albert Steiner. #3, Vivi Orunitia. #4, Eiko Coral. #5, Amarant Coral. #6, General Beatrix. #7, Freya Cresant. #8, Quina Quan. And, #9, Zidane Tribal." Garland explained.
Amanda stared for a moment… Then burst out laughing.
"HAHAHAHAHA! You're kidding me, right? Those are names of Video Game characters! HAHAHAHAHA! From Final Fantasy 9!" Amanda laughed.
Kuja looked at Garland, "Video Game?"
Garland shrugged.
"HAHAHAHA! This is rich. You expect me to believe that I've been summoned into a Video Game, and now you two expect me to think that you are the villains of that very video game, and want me to destroy the protagonists of this game, so you can take over the world, and get revenge at the same time?"
"Frankly… Yes."
"… Where do I sign?" Amanda smiled devilishly.
Kuja smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her, "No where to sign my dear, just let us guide you through everything all your destiny will be fulfilled."
"Umm… Kuja?"
"Yes, my dear?"
"Uh, reality check, you're hugging a naked girl covered in goo!"
"…" He blushed and let go, "Yes… Quite."
"I can fix that." Garland smiled as he walked over to the closet and pulled out some folded clothes and handed them to Amanda, "These will be your new clothes."
"Cool! I'll change right now." Amanda walked over to the changing curtain.
Garland walked over to the door and looked toward Kuja.
"Kuja?"
"Yes, Garland?"
"Do you plan on watching?"
"I'm just going to stay here for a while. She has a changing curtain, you know."
Garland let out a laugh and exited the room. Kuja turned to Amanda, but the curtain was already closed. Soon enough she came back out in a black tube top, black leather pants, a long black trench coat and black battle boots. Amanda spun around in her new outfit.
"Ooo! Nice! I like! I like!" She smiled at Kuja and joked, "Beats being naked."
"All to their own." Kuja laughed.
"You got a brush? I need to get the goo out of my hair."
"Right on that makeup table." Kuja pointed to the makeup table with the mirror behind it.
"Okay, thanks."
Amanda walked up to the table, picked up the brush and begun to brush her shoulder length brown hair that was streaked with blonde and caramel. As she brushed her hair, Kuja began to notice a certain shine and a deep wave to it. Once done, she swung around to face Kuja, her wavy hair bouncing against her shoulders.
"Can I ask you a question?" She asked.
"Ask me anything you like." Kuja smiled.
"As I recall at the end of this game, you were horribly injured, laying in the Lifa Tree. Were you not?"
"True."
"Then… Zidane came to save you… Why do you want me to take care of him and his friends?"
"Honestly, I could care less about him. But he has everything I want. Call it jealousy, you can call it down right low… call it anything you wish. But because of him I died and he will not live long enough to hear the end of it."
"Wait! You died?"
"No… I almost did, but to him I am. I was in a coma. He thought I was dead and left me behind. He didn't even check my pulse or breathing. It was careless of him. I was lucky to have survived the grasp of the Lifa Tree's deadly vines. For his carelessness, he will pay."
"I see… Why is Garland alive?"
"So many questions for such a young lady." Kuja smirked.
"Just answer my question." Amanda told him turning away from his gaze.
"To be, once again, honest with you… I do not know myself. I thought he had died when I kicked him off the edge…" Kuja scratched his chin, "It's a mystery wrapped in itself…"
"Hmm…"
"May I ask you a question?"
Amanda turned to him curiously, "What is it?"
"Why did you so deliberately take the task?"
"Heh… To tell you the truth, I had my thoughts at first. But I just want to take as many chances I can get. I've never been evil before… Or good for that matter… I'd just like to experience something that you can only get one chance at in a life time." She smiled, "That… And this is probably just one large dream and I'll wake up any moment. Might as well make the best of it, don't you think?"
"You are a strange one."
"I wouldn't talk if I were you. Especially in THAT getup."
"HAHAHAHA! You got a lot of nerve to make fun of my style."
"That… and maybe because I'm not afraid you." She smirked.
"I'm not afraid of you either…" He cooed, placing a hand on her shoulder.
She blushed slightly, looking down at his warm, soft yet pale hand. He suddenly could not control himself anymore and embraced her quickly before she could respond and merged his lips with hers in a passionate kiss. She quickly pulled away and looked up at him with surprised eyes. Suddenly they changed to an angered glared as she slapped him across the face. He just merely stood there and smiled at her.
"How dare you! What the hell did you think you were doing just now?!" She snapped.
"Doing what I would've done in a dream." He smirked.
"…And you call me strange."
Garland reentered the room and walked up to Amanda.
"Ahh, I see you find those clothes quite comfortable. Are you ready for your first lesson?" Garlanded asked.
"Lesson?" She asked puzzled.
"In magic. If you want to survive you must learn some type of magic."
"Fine. As long as I'm away from THIS freak." She walked out of the room, leaving the two of them alone.
Garland turned to Kuja with angered eyes, "What did you do?"
"Merely expressing myself." Kuja smiled.
"You can't get too close to her, Kuja, or it will be the end of you!"
"And what do you know?"
"I know that you take things too fast in relationships! Stay away from her!"
"Oh? And who gives you the right to say that? It's not like she's your 'daughter' or anything."
"Yes, but I am still her mentor until she achieves her maximum abilities! And as her mentor you are not to touch her, look at her or love her at all!"
"My feelings are my own and I cannot help them."
"You fall in love with anything that walks on two feet and has the beauty of a flower!"
"…"
"I'm taking my leave with the girl, good day, Kuja!"
Garland turned on his heels and walked out the door.
"…B@$%^&*…" Kuja murmured to himself.
Garland led her to an empty room with padded walls and only one window showing the grey clouds below that looked like a field blanketed in snow. Amanda assumed immediately that wherever she was, it was really high above the ground! She turned to Garland who had shut the door behind him. He smiled at her as he walked in her direction, coming to a stop about a foot away from her.
"I am going to teach you the basics of magic." He said proudly.
"Magic? But I can't do magic!" Amanda told him.
"That is exactly why I am about to teach you." He smiled. "Hold out your hand to that padded wall to your right."
"…Ooooooooookaaaaaaaaaaay…" She did as he said.
"Now, clear your mind and focus on your hand until you begin to see a blue aura surround it…Then shout the word: Fire!"
"A-alrighty…" Amanda closed her eyes and stood there clearing her mind…
Garland watched in surprise as an aura quickly surrounded her hand. He had never seen anyone learn so fast! Amanda opened her eyes and gazed in awe at the light of the aura.
"Excellent, Amanda! You're a quick learner! Now… Chant the word: Fire!" Garland told her.
Amanda smiled at him, "…No."
"What?! What did you say?!" Garland shouted.
Amanda smirked, "I said… FIRAGA!!!"
Suddenly out of the aura shot a blazing shot of fire and set the whole wall on fire. Amanda smiled as placed her hand on her waist, looking back at Garland's stupefied look.
"H-H-How…!?" Garland managed.
"I'm… not sure." Amanda smiled scratching her head.
"Let me see that again…"
"…A-Alright…"
Amanda once again focused, letting the blue aura surround her hand. Garland nodded, giving her the signal to chant.
"WATER!!!!" Amanda shouted as a spray of water put out the fire-consumed wall.
Garland let out a chuckle and began to clap. Amanda smiled at him and bowed. He walked up to her, wrapped his arm around her and began to talk to her about more advanced magic.
Later, Kuja was waiting in another room, meditating. Garland and Amanda walked into the room, Garland telling her the basics of magic and abilities. Kuja stood up at the sound of their footsteps.
"Ahh! Garland! Lady Amanda! How nice of you to come for the next lesson." Kuja smiled, kissing Amanda's hand.
Amanda blushed immensely as she quickly pulled back her hand. Garland glared at Kuja with narrow eyes. Kuja merely ignored him and led Amanda to the wall lined with different kinds of weapons.
"Choose one and it shall be yours." Kuja told her with a smile.
Amanda looked at him with wide eyes, "For me?"
Kuja nodded, "Of course."
"Oh my god! Are you serious?!"
"Ha ha ha! Yes I am."
Amanda gave him a large grin and began studying the weapons to make her choice. Kuja merely ignored the harsh look he received from Garland as he watched her ice blue eyes wander across the wall. She clapped her hands together as a sign that she had made her choice. She unhooked a long rod with a semicircle blade… a scythe. Garland and Kuja looked at each other with grins on their faces. They watched as she swung the blade with delicate ease.
"I see you've used one of these before." Kuja spoke up.
Amanda turned to him, "Actually, I've never used one of these in my life. It seems to come… almost… natural to me…"
Garland smiled, "Let's see how you do against an opponent…"
He nodded to Kuja who took a dagger from the wall. Kuja smiled and began to advance on her.
"Whoa! What the heck do you think you're doing?!" Amanda exclaimed as Kuja took a swipe at her.
Amanda jumped back and blocked the swipe with the rod of the scythe. She pushed him away and attacked him with a mighty swipe of her own. Kuja blocked it and countered. Amanda wasn't fast enough and received a stab in her side. She fell backwards holding her side in pain. Kuja stood over her. Enraged, Amanda kicked his legs, making him fall to the ground. She quickly jumped to her feet stood over him, pressing the cold steel of her scythe against his neck and placing her foot on his chest, preventing him to get up. Her eyes were full of insane rage and pain. Kuja looked up at her with widen eyes. She rose her scythe in the air about to strike down but…
"Enough! Amanda, yield." Garland shouted.
Amanda stood there for a second, then withdrew, "…I'm sorry…" she realized what she was just about to do.
"Ha ha ha ha! You fight dirty." Kuja smiled, rubbing his neck, "I like that."
Garland clapped, "Very impressive. But it still needs work. We will continue later. For now, you may rest."
Amanda nodded and exited the room with her blade… followed close behind by Kuja.
