Disclaimer: Me no own FF9. Me own Ariana. :)
Author's Note: Okay, I'm back! I took a short vacation from ff.net, but I'm back and ready to update frequently. I started school August 7, so I've been busy. I've also, unfortunately been sick..I don't understand what I'm going through. I can't eat because I have no appetite....yet, I get hungry and when I try to eat, I'll get halfway through something and start feeling like I'm going to gag. I hope I'm not mentally ill. (that's nothing to laugh about) I think I've lost about 5 pounds in the past week, and this isn't normal. Does anyone understand this?! I don't.....
This "sickness" has also given me a chance to allow for some extremely constructive reviews, that I'm sincerely thankful for. Please give me this opportunity to privately acknowledge the people that have spent the time to read my story, and to review it. To someone who's goal in life is to become a writer, this is something that really helps out and is a constant inspiration. Thank you so much. Now, after a long, boring, introduction we can begin the rest of my story!
Another Quick Note: I'm skipping through the rest of the black mage fight..I know!! I'm sorry! I just can't find the words to write this scene. This chapter starts off in Lindblum after the South Gate is destroyed, and they are parking their airship in Lindblum's harbor. - - - - - - When the airship was docked, they disembarked from the airship. Ariana, Vivi, Steiner, Dagger, and Zidane climbed down a ladder onto a plush, crimson carpet. A couple of soldiers began heading towards the group, and when they reached them, they questioned Dagger as to who everyone was, and their reason for being here. Soon Minister Artania was summoned, and Dagger greeted him as her Uncle. However, he seemed to be in a serious mood, and led them further into the Lindblum Grand Castle.
Ariana's thoughts turned to a more personal matter as she walked down the dark hallways of the castle. She wondered what mom and Matt were doing, or if they had even noticed her absence. Matt would be at camp right now playing basketball, or hiking with his friends. Mom was probably at home, drinking coffee and watching the news, the smell of her perfume lingering in the air. Her stomach suddenly ached, and she knew it was because she missed them. How was she ever going to get out of here? An unexpected tear fell from the corner of her eye, but she quickly wiped it away.
She thought of Vivi, and everything they had seen on the airship and in Dali. The little mage seemed to be upset, but didn't want to let his troubles interfere with the rest of the mission. Ariana felt torn between wanting to stay and protect Vivi, and wanting to be at home with her mom. Then her mind stopped wandering, and her eyes came back into focus. They were now being led into an elevator-like contraption. The six of them squeezed inside of it, and she looked over through Steiners arm, to see Zidane stuck between Dagger and the minister. She also came to realize the look of satisfaction on his face, and how close his body was to the Princess's. Zidane looked up and saw that Ariana had been watching him, and he quickly wiped the happy look off his face, and replaced it with a bored expression.
Ariana fought the urge to cry again, but she held her head up. Vivi was standing beside her so she put her hand on his shoulder and he reached up to hold it. Finally, the elevator stopped and the doors opened to a room with a few guards and other people bustling around. The carpet was red, as all the others in the castle were. She still held on to Vivi's gloved hand, as the group followed Artania into a room with a large rectangular table and a massive, empty throne. She looked closer at the throne, and jumped when she noticed that it wasn't empty at all. In fact, a small oglop sat there watching them enter the room. It looked suspiciously like a picture of the Regent she had noticed when walking down the hall. It even had a little white mustache. The most shocking surprise came to her however, when the oglop opened it's mouth, and with a very humane voice said, "Welcome, Princess Garnet and friends. Please sit down, we have much to talk about."
Vivi pulled out a magnificently carved wooden chair for her at the large table, and she sat down beside him. Zidane sat alongside Dagger and Steiner on the opposite side of the table. The Minister then bowed to the oplop, and shut the doors behind him as he left.
"I remember that mustache. Uncle Cid, is it really you?" Dagger inquired of the bug.
"Yes. Greetings, all gwok. I am Cid Fabool, Regent of Lindblum. I knew it was you - I recognized your pendant's description; it's so much like my Falcon Claw. I'm delighted to see you again, Garnet. You have truly gwok become a fine lady. I, on the other hand..." the Regent said.
"Why do you look like an oglop?" Steiner asked him, a repulsive look on his face.
"Allow me to explain," Cid replied, "About six months ago, someone snuck into the castle and attacked me as I was sleeping. The guards, gwokbless them, were too late. I was transformed in to this....body, and my wife, Lady Hildagwok, was abducted." He lowered his head, waiting for them to say something.
"My goodness," said the princess, shaking her head.
Ariana began to get bored, and twitched in her seat. Where am I? she thought. Why am I here? Her eyes were getting heavy, and she felt herself become sleepy. She drooped down into her seat, and drifted off to a weak snooze.
Ariana awoke to find herself drifting slowly along a dark, silent river. She was in a small wooden boat, alone. Nobody was steering the boat, yet it seemed to have a certain path to follow. The sky was black, and the moon cast a silvery glow on the water. Suddenly, the little boat hit something, and she put her hand over the side, to find that she was not in water any more. Her finger scraped against dry earth and grass. Wearily, she stood and stepped out of the boat onto solid ground. Ariana felt weak, and tumbled over, but she did not hit the ground. Instead a pair of arms caught her, and she looked up to see a swirling mass of feathery silver and purple hair, hiding her savior's face. Her eyes fluttered shut again, and she slowly lost consciousness.
Author's Note: Okay, I'm back! I took a short vacation from ff.net, but I'm back and ready to update frequently. I started school August 7, so I've been busy. I've also, unfortunately been sick..I don't understand what I'm going through. I can't eat because I have no appetite....yet, I get hungry and when I try to eat, I'll get halfway through something and start feeling like I'm going to gag. I hope I'm not mentally ill. (that's nothing to laugh about) I think I've lost about 5 pounds in the past week, and this isn't normal. Does anyone understand this?! I don't.....
This "sickness" has also given me a chance to allow for some extremely constructive reviews, that I'm sincerely thankful for. Please give me this opportunity to privately acknowledge the people that have spent the time to read my story, and to review it. To someone who's goal in life is to become a writer, this is something that really helps out and is a constant inspiration. Thank you so much. Now, after a long, boring, introduction we can begin the rest of my story!
Another Quick Note: I'm skipping through the rest of the black mage fight..I know!! I'm sorry! I just can't find the words to write this scene. This chapter starts off in Lindblum after the South Gate is destroyed, and they are parking their airship in Lindblum's harbor. - - - - - - When the airship was docked, they disembarked from the airship. Ariana, Vivi, Steiner, Dagger, and Zidane climbed down a ladder onto a plush, crimson carpet. A couple of soldiers began heading towards the group, and when they reached them, they questioned Dagger as to who everyone was, and their reason for being here. Soon Minister Artania was summoned, and Dagger greeted him as her Uncle. However, he seemed to be in a serious mood, and led them further into the Lindblum Grand Castle.
Ariana's thoughts turned to a more personal matter as she walked down the dark hallways of the castle. She wondered what mom and Matt were doing, or if they had even noticed her absence. Matt would be at camp right now playing basketball, or hiking with his friends. Mom was probably at home, drinking coffee and watching the news, the smell of her perfume lingering in the air. Her stomach suddenly ached, and she knew it was because she missed them. How was she ever going to get out of here? An unexpected tear fell from the corner of her eye, but she quickly wiped it away.
She thought of Vivi, and everything they had seen on the airship and in Dali. The little mage seemed to be upset, but didn't want to let his troubles interfere with the rest of the mission. Ariana felt torn between wanting to stay and protect Vivi, and wanting to be at home with her mom. Then her mind stopped wandering, and her eyes came back into focus. They were now being led into an elevator-like contraption. The six of them squeezed inside of it, and she looked over through Steiners arm, to see Zidane stuck between Dagger and the minister. She also came to realize the look of satisfaction on his face, and how close his body was to the Princess's. Zidane looked up and saw that Ariana had been watching him, and he quickly wiped the happy look off his face, and replaced it with a bored expression.
Ariana fought the urge to cry again, but she held her head up. Vivi was standing beside her so she put her hand on his shoulder and he reached up to hold it. Finally, the elevator stopped and the doors opened to a room with a few guards and other people bustling around. The carpet was red, as all the others in the castle were. She still held on to Vivi's gloved hand, as the group followed Artania into a room with a large rectangular table and a massive, empty throne. She looked closer at the throne, and jumped when she noticed that it wasn't empty at all. In fact, a small oglop sat there watching them enter the room. It looked suspiciously like a picture of the Regent she had noticed when walking down the hall. It even had a little white mustache. The most shocking surprise came to her however, when the oglop opened it's mouth, and with a very humane voice said, "Welcome, Princess Garnet and friends. Please sit down, we have much to talk about."
Vivi pulled out a magnificently carved wooden chair for her at the large table, and she sat down beside him. Zidane sat alongside Dagger and Steiner on the opposite side of the table. The Minister then bowed to the oplop, and shut the doors behind him as he left.
"I remember that mustache. Uncle Cid, is it really you?" Dagger inquired of the bug.
"Yes. Greetings, all gwok. I am Cid Fabool, Regent of Lindblum. I knew it was you - I recognized your pendant's description; it's so much like my Falcon Claw. I'm delighted to see you again, Garnet. You have truly gwok become a fine lady. I, on the other hand..." the Regent said.
"Why do you look like an oglop?" Steiner asked him, a repulsive look on his face.
"Allow me to explain," Cid replied, "About six months ago, someone snuck into the castle and attacked me as I was sleeping. The guards, gwokbless them, were too late. I was transformed in to this....body, and my wife, Lady Hildagwok, was abducted." He lowered his head, waiting for them to say something.
"My goodness," said the princess, shaking her head.
Ariana began to get bored, and twitched in her seat. Where am I? she thought. Why am I here? Her eyes were getting heavy, and she felt herself become sleepy. She drooped down into her seat, and drifted off to a weak snooze.
Ariana awoke to find herself drifting slowly along a dark, silent river. She was in a small wooden boat, alone. Nobody was steering the boat, yet it seemed to have a certain path to follow. The sky was black, and the moon cast a silvery glow on the water. Suddenly, the little boat hit something, and she put her hand over the side, to find that she was not in water any more. Her finger scraped against dry earth and grass. Wearily, she stood and stepped out of the boat onto solid ground. Ariana felt weak, and tumbled over, but she did not hit the ground. Instead a pair of arms caught her, and she looked up to see a swirling mass of feathery silver and purple hair, hiding her savior's face. Her eyes fluttered shut again, and she slowly lost consciousness.