Fantasy Thunder Chapter Twenty-Three: Psi
[Part Two]
By Blue Dragon
Everyone had made it to the final layer that was completely empty. Xu had stayed behind, and Quina was in a state of no immediate recovery, spilling disgusting drool and disgusting everyone who came in contact with her/him.
While most others spent time polishing weapons and reloading ammunition, Jessica would find a quiet place and slowly follow the events unfolding in whatever place the others were, being unable to go by anything other than the life signs of Oren which hadn't been to good until recently.
***
Zidane was more than plenty freaked out.
"What the hell's happenin' to her! I'm not fighting THAT!"
A man came out of the "hut" next door with a small rectangular device.
"Katherine, you must be getting back to school!"
"But--"
"No buts!"
Her eyes returned to normal, her hair unwrapped itself and went back to normal length, and the teeth retracted.
"Yes sir."
The man turned around and Rho pulled her hand across her neck in the universal "death" motion.
She flew off to the large hi-tech building in the distance, and Oren started walking in that direction.
"Oren, where're you going!?" Tidus asked.
"School. You ought to enroll."
"School!? At a time like this?"
"I plan to get her during classes. Remember her name, Katherine Asuka."
Squall started polishing the Lionheart, and Zidane ran up beside Oren.
"What's with the names? They don't sound very alien to me. Like Jessica, Katherine?"
"The translators in my brain automatically shorten long names, a standard Zatach name takes up six syllables. If I know enough, I can tell you the full versions. Jessica is Jhevinessitrica, Oren is actually Matalioniren, Katherine would Kapatratalina."
"Oh."
"Long names are better shortened. Are you following me to school?"
"We all are. When do you graduate?"
"When I'm twenty-one . . . you all really should enroll."
Squall finished polishing Lionheart.
"Isn't Cloud already twenty-one?"
"We can fake him in."
"I'm right here, you know!" he said, brushing back the spikes in his hair and almost cutting himself in the process.
Oren turned abruptly.
"You ALL have spikes in your hair, some really tiny. What's the deal?"
"Hair gel!" they all said at once.
"Do you really think I could keep it like this without it?" Cloud asked, taking out a can of gel and spinning it on his finger.
A large hole opened and everyone fell in, all screaming except Oren, who expected it. They all landed softly in a metal interior, Rho sitting at the waiting room reading a magazine.
Squall immediately drew Lionheart, but Cloud put a hand on his shoulder.
Oren snuck up beside her unknowingly, stealthily took a clump of her hair and slipped a pair of scissors from his pocket.
"Snip snip" he sang.
"Quiet" she ordered, turning the page.
"Snippety snip snip . . . "
She looked annoyed and saw one fifth of her hair in his hand.
"Snip snip snip . . . "
She grabbed his collar and held him high over her head.
"You bastard! I'm going to kill you!"
"Teacher! She's hurting me!"
An official walked by, Rho immediately dropping him.
"Katherine! You know better! Picking on such a fine young man . . ."he walked off, Rho bright red and then purple, Oren laughing like an idiot relaxing on a couch.
Tidus sat by him.
"Yo, I didn't know you had it in you! Snipping was genius!"
"I'm still a child at heart. I'm no grown man!" He started laughing again.
"My boyfriend would kick your ass!" she yelled from across the room.
"Bring him on, you-" Cloud covered his mouth.
"Are you crazy!? This is serious. We gotta nail her before she nails us!"
"I'm sorry . . . bring it on, bitch!" Oren yelled back.
"I saw Athena two days ago with another guy . . . "
Oren leaped up from the couch and landed on her, and they started rolling around, until Oren had gotten on top and pried his hands around her throat until she started turning blue.
"Take it back or I'll break your neck!"
"Oren! You got her! Snap her neck!" Squall cheered.
She kicked him in the stomach and sent him flying back.
"You're not going to make it through the school day alive, Murasaki!" she waved her fist at him and walked off.
Oren stood up abruptly, regained his composure, and then walked through the halls, the other four following him.
"Should you take her threat seriously?" Squall asked.
A guy dropped from up high and landed behind Oren, grabbing his neck.
"You been messin' with my girl?" he asked, clutching his neck.
"I didn't do anything to your bitch!" he yelled, flipping him over, and materializing his blade to his neck.
"W-where'd you learn to do that!?"
"Uh . . . you didn't see anything."
The guy lay mesmerized, and Oren hurried with the others around the corner.
"Watch your temper" Cloud advised. Then he switched to a less serious tone.
"Aren't we going to get enrolled?"
"I'll have to fake you in. They do blood tests, and they'll find our you aren't Zatach and then a whole bunch of confusion will follow."
Oren held out his arm and the four behind him stopped. A hole opened underneath them and as they fell it was completely dark. In a few seconds bright lights snapped on and Tidus and Zidane were the first to land on a platform, followed by Cloud and Squall, and then Oren. The floating platform contained fifteen seats.
"Just blend in and take a seat" Oren advised.
The platform was "orbiting" a podium in the middle where an instructor stood tapping his foot. Five other platforms partially filled with people also levitated around the podium. In three seconds there was a short beep, and then the instructor cleared his throat.
"Welcome back to class, students. Today we will be educated on the orbital patterns of our planet, and their alternating nature between the two suns."
The class groaned and Oren let out a sigh.
"I hate this subject. They've been teaching it to us for eight years!"
"As I educate you, you will work in pairs."
The class cheered.
"But I will choose the partner."
The class groaned and booed.
Oren whispered back:
"You aren't enrolled, so you four just partner up with each other and not look conspicuous."
"Oren Murasaki!? Are you talking?"
"No sir!"
"Hmm . . . who would like to keep an eye on this trouble maker? Do I have any volunteers?"
A hand went up on the other side of the room.
"Katherine, look after him and be his partner."
With a charging sound Rho suddenly appeared next to him, greeting him with mock happiness.
"How are you today?" she said with a painfully fake smile.
"Just fine. And you?" he asked through an equally fake smile through clenched teeth.
"DANDY!"
Squall listened to the whole presentation for bits of useful information, and didn't really understand anything that was being said. He did notice Rho whisper something to Oren, and then the ground started to shake for a short amount of time.
After what was actually a long time but seemed like a short time, class was "adjourned" as the instructor said. A short fifteen-minute break followed that Oren left the four in the hallway saying that he had business with an old friend.
The four withered ones from different corners for the first time stared each other down. They had never been alone together or made any attempt at conversation.
Zidane and Tidus sat on one bench in a medium-sized "rest area", with Cloud and Squall on the benches opposite. There was an eerie silence between the four.
Tidus eventually broke the ice.
"So Cloud, what'd you do that was so great? Oren said you all did something special."
Cloud wasn't sure he felt like talking about that all, but then again there was nothing else to talk about.
"The planet I was from was dying. Machines called Mako reactors would take Mako energy-in a way the blood of the planet-from the inside. The machines were built by a corporation called Shinra that wanted to achieve control of the world through the powering of these reactors."
"What's so bad about reactors? If they extracted energy it must have been for a good cause." Tidus reasoned.
"The energy was killing the planet-and they knew that. Not only that, but they were using harmful and sometimes lethal methods to achieve power. On top of that, reactors were very dangerous, produced monsters, and there was even a probability of them exploding. It would make grass around it black, animals die, machines would gain violent nature. We later encountered Sephiroth, who tried to ascend to the level of a god by using Mako gatherings from a large injury in the planet that he was to create by summoning a meteor with black materia. To make a long story short, he killed Aeris, we fought him, beat him, and Aeris' prayer stopped meteor"
"I was a student at Balamb Garden and had just become a SeeD-a member of a mercenary squadron. We had to assassinate a sorceress, who had recruited Seifer as a lapdog, and we failed. Galbadian's retaliated and launched missiles at Balamb and Trabia Gardens. We got Balamb to fly to avert the missiles, but others hit Trabia garden. Zell, Quistis, Irvine, Selphie and I found out we were from the same orphanage, and Rinoa felt left out. We also found out that Sorceress Edea was our Matron. Edea made a base at Galbadia garden, and they attacked us in Balamb. Their commander, my rival Seifer. When we infiltrated to get the sorceress, he tried to kill me twice and failed. We defeated Edea, but found out that a sorceress from the future, Ultimecia, had possessed her. We went to Esthar; traveled to the future through the time compression Ultimecia caused, defeated her, and kept her from taking over to the world. That's just a breakdown, though." Squall said, taking a deep breath.
"I was a bandit of Tantalus, and we were going to kidnap Princess Garnet, Dagger, because she had requested it of Regent Cid, who had asked us. Our ship was shot down into an evil forest, and I met Rusty, Steiner, a knight trying to protect her. I also had Vivi along, a black mage who had ended up with me by twist of fate. We escaped and eventually took a ship back to Lindblum, where we found the Regent was an oglop! Due to a request, we headed to Gizamaluke's Grotto, but I ended up put to sleep by Dagger and Steiner, who went off on their own to a gate to get back to Alexandria. I found my old friend Freya, and we found a weird character, Quina, in a marsh. The four of us went through the grotto and then to Burmecia, where we fought General Beatrix-one tough woman-and found that a shifty character- Kuja-was using the Queen to instigate war. We went to Cleyra to speak with the king, fought Beatrix again, and escaped just as Cleyra was destroyed due to resistance against Alexandria. We went to Alexandria, converted Beatrix to the good fight, and Steiner and Freya stayed behind with her to fight. Vivi, Dagger and I escaped (Quina had stayed behind near Cleyra) to get to Treno, but ended up in Lindblum, which ended up destroyed by black mages Kuja had created! So from there we headed to Qu's marsh where we found Quina, took an underground path to get to a new continent so we could kill Kuja and stop the madness, fought a bounty hunter Lani, and made it to the Conde Petite, and then to a Black Mage Village where we found mages with souls. After which we returned to the Conde Petite, where we found a summoner named Eiko, and later a hunter named Amarant that I defeated. They all followed us, we went to the Iifa tree, left, came back, saw Kuja, left, went back to Alexandria after the old Queen died Dagger was crowned and I went to Treno to fight a card tournament where I won, and then went back to Alexandria which was under attack by Bahamut!"
"The aeon?" asked Tidus.
"The GF?" asked Squall.
"The summon?" asked Cloud.
Zidane looked around.
"You're all crazy! The eidolon you nitwits! Anyway, Alexander saved them, then we went to Lindblum where Dagger lost her voice, so we could take a ship to get to the Black Mage village, the mages told us where Kuja's hideout was, we went there, he kidnapped us, forced me, Freya, Quina, and Amarant to go to Oeilvert to get a stone for Kuja, we returned, escaped with Cid's wife, followed Kuja through a door in Esto Gaza, went to various locations to find stones to open a portal to Terra, where I found out I was a Genome from there. Kuja instigated revolution to disturb enough souls so our planet could be absorbed. I went back to Gaia with everyone, went into the Iifa tree to confront Kuja, defeated him and another being called Necron, rescued Kuja, and returned to Alexandria"
"I lived in a place called Zanarkand, and was taken 1000 years into the future where an entity called Sin went around destroying technology on random occasions as punishment for sins long ago. Summoners would summon aeons, acquiring them throughout a journey to eventually defeat Sin , after which he'd be gone for ten years, after which he would return. I wanted to get back to Zanarkand, not caring if it was destroyed 1000 years ago. I was separated for my "parent" Auron. By the way, I always hated my real father who had experienced the same fate as I. I met Wakka, who introduced me to Lulu and Kimahri, guardians for Yuna. We went around obtaining aeons, fighting Sin along the way. Seymour, a maester who was greatly respected, was actually a bastard and tried to kill us, but we killed him and were seen as traitors, except he didn't really die and remained unsent, and Yuna kept trying to "send" him, or guide him to the farplane. We found Rikku and Auron much earlier, and with them we went to the Al Bhed home, where I found out that Yuna would die fighting Sin. She turned up missing after the home was attacked, we found her with Seymour, rescued her, escaped, she continued her pilgrimage, we went to Zanarkand, and it was still gone!" Tidus caught his breath.
"To obtain the final aeon, one of us had to die, but we wouldn't have that. We found an alternate way, went inside Sin, who was actually my father who had had to die long ago, defeated him, defeated Sin, and beat Yu Yevon, a "god" who had put Sin on Spira. Because doing this stilled the fayth, I disappeared, but a few months later was taken back by that same fayth . . . that's actually pretty rough and a LOT more happened than what I just said, but that was to make a long story short . . . "
Though the stories were summarized, hard to keep up with, and vague as hell, the four managed to get a grasp of what the others had done.
Around went stories of reactors, corporations, energy, the planet, sorceresses, rivals, gardens, time compression, castles, wars, Genomes, crystals, temples, summoners, Yevon, and Sin. The long stories and combinations of their elements summoned a freaky kind of harmony.
In a few minutes, Oren came rushing back with a wide grin on his face, abruptly taking a seat next to Cloud and pulling up his sleeves.
"You all, I found some valuable information from my friend. Of course, because this place is simulated life has gone on, but to everyone else I have always been here. You all know I have been gone for five years, so that means there are certain things I don't know. I found out that when I was fifteen, Katherine had feelings for me that grew . . . and they remain even now, and is jealous of Athena."
"She seems to hate you, actually" Tidus said, leaning back.
"Besides, she's been gone for five years too."
"I am aware, but Tidus, the things they say are things that would have happened had she stayed. If she would have loved me in school, then why not when chasing me across the cosmos?"
"Good point" Squall said, sitting more erect. "But how does that help us?"
"I'm glad you asked. You probably know of a Zatach's antisocial instincts, but they're basically incapable of killing one they love, or even like. If she has any feelings for me whatsoever, I can't lose!"
The four of him gave him a disgusted look.
"What?"
"You'd kill her, and use feelings to your advantage? That'd be using her, man!" Zidane explained.
" . . . "
"You shouldn't play with love or one's feelings" Cloud added, looking down.
" . . . You don't seem to understand that this is the fate of the universe, and she's tried to kill me more than once. Did you know that she bullied me mercilessly back at Pyros' ship? She-"
The four just stared at him.
"Think what you want! But I shall do what I must! This is war! Are you all in or out?" Oren stood up and walked through the doors leading to the outside. School was out for the hour, and the others followed him as he strode down the wide field where a lone figure stood with four masked figures.
"Her other friends have returned" Oren whispered into the cool air. Dawn was beginning to set, casting an eerie glow on everything and making the mood seem fitting. The others un in the background was partially set, giving everything two shadows and making the sky turn colors that would have been impossible on a single-sunned planet.
"You all stay prepared. I'll try to handle Rho alone this time."
The dots gradually became more distinguishable, and Squall was the first one to draw a weapon.
There was a sound like distant thunder, and then the scene began to shift. The ground became cold, snow began to fall, and only the nine fighters remained. In a few seconds, bitter cold enveloped, crowds disappeared, and the suns were hidden behind dark clouds.
Rho immediately began closing the gap by walking forward through the deep snow along with the masked figure next to her. Her shape showed a feminine appearance.
"Eta would be embarrassed. She should have come with us, it would have been a great help" Oren said, not drawing a weapon of any kind.
"She and those other two are alive?" Squall asked.
"Alive? Of course! They've been alive this whole time, what made you think they were dead?"
"I thought they shot themselves."
"You think they're crazy? Gungrave seppuku is a fast way to get yourself to a certain area of the supplier ship, in this case Allen's. They're in the ether chambers."
Oren could practically feel the blank looks.
"They can't be reached in the ether chambers, and in the process a certain few people use their power . . . ?"
"So if they come out we're back to normal?" Tidus asked nervously.
"Yep. Eta wasn't tough enough, her energy only supplied one of you. Mu and Theta were tough enough to supply two people each"
"That's five people, and there're only four of us that couldn't do that stuff before" Squall pointed out.
Oren stopped in his tracks.
"So that's what happened to Seifer. And FT should be taking us to a beach . . . "
The scene shifted into that of a beach.
" . . . How did you know that would happen?" Squall asked slowly.
"I'll tell you later"
"What about those Galbadian military ranks on your coat?"
" . . . "
"And how'd you know about the planned attack a few days ago?"
" . . . "
"You gonna talk?" Zidane asked.
"There's no time for this!"
The five were now only a few yards in front of Rho and her accomplice.
"Let's finish this." Oren said, floating upwards following Rho up into the air.
The accomplice pulled off a mask, a woman in her early thirties with short blonde hair, and two others appeared beside her.
"We have determined that you cannot be defeated by normal means. It will quite possibly take our combined force"
The other two remained masked and then disappeared again.
"Hold your breath!" Oren yelled loudly from above.
They complied, and Cloud felt himself being grabbed by the collar. He looked right into the purple eyes of the unmasked woman, who had grabbed Squall as well.
"Take his suggestion" she said with no emotion as she flew up and speeds that made the Cloud and Squall's lips press back and soon enough, their inside felt as if they were turning into mush.
The continent became visible, and for brief seconds they were plunging through a burning fire, and then they felt their bodies put on a sort of defensive mechanism that was unplacable.
"What is that?" Cloud tried to ask. His voice, however, couldn't be heard. He opened his eyes, and found that he was in the middle of space, Squall floating by him, and the blonde woman in front. His body must have retained quite a bit of Zatach power, he could hold his breath for hours and he wasn't materializing.
Welcome to space. Your future oblivion, she said telepathically. It didn't sound like a person, however, it sounded like someone being controlled.
Cloud tried directing his thoughts to Squall, and somehow it worked.
One of the Pi's mentioned that most of the others, probably excluding Rho, are under complete control of Allen. Do you think that that means she's being controlled with most of the others?
Squall only nodded.
***
Rho's standing accomplice paced around, waiting for Rho to begin, ignoring Zidane and Tidus. Her other two accomplices that were sitting remained seated.
"Ready?" Rho asked Oren as they both hovered around a few hundred feet up.
Oren nodded, still not drawing a weapon.
She held out her hand in a straight fashion and sent it straight at his throat, stopping just at just a few centimeters. He didn't flinch, but instead just looked at her.
An angry look spread on her face and she took out a small dagger, swinging it at his neck and each time stopping at a few inches.
"Why won't you fight!?"
She thrust the knife forward and stopped again just in front of his face, and she let out an agitated growl as the cold winds blew her hair through her face.
Finally Oren grabbed the knife, twisted her arm around her back, and whispered into her ear.
"You have lost. I know you won't harm me."
She gasped as he launched her down into the ground, and then flew down after her.
"Now surrender!" he said, landing atop a snowy pile, the wind and snow subsiding.
She slowly stood up.
"Athena wasn't the one you needed."
"You are not the judge of that!"
"You know where she is! Because of her, I never even had a chance!"
"You already have a-"
"You know that sometimes the parings are wrong, Oren! Yo know it! You should have been with me!"
" . . . "
"Upsilon! Kill them!"
The seated figure stood up quickly, one removing the mask to reveal a head of white hair, and a face that made him appear in his late teens. His eyes turned white and he stared at Rho, then began talking in Allen's ghostly voice.
"I never needed to control YOU, Rho, you are loyal to the end!"
"Zidane! Tidus! A few weeks ago I injured Upsilon when we were still in space! He shouldn't be able to fight if you find some way to release their possession!" Oren yelled. He then shifted his attention to Rho.
"I will have to knock you out."
"You will do no such thing! You'll talk to me!"
"We have nothing to discuss."
"How can you be so cold!?"
For a second, Oren had a wicked smile that soon disappeared. For that second, he didn't look like himself.
"Rho, please stand down."
"You know Athena is one of us."
Oren charged up.
"I made sure she suffered on her stay."
Oren's eyes flared and he lurched forward, knocking her into a snowy pile, and pinning her with force that knocked the wind form her lungs and rendered her unconscious. He put up his hand to strike the finishing blow, before he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw one of the masked figures.
"Let's not make another Iota." Said a feminine voice.
***
Only a few decided to remain at the chamber where Cloud, Squall, Zidane, and Tidus had mysteriously disappeared along with Oren. Near the entrance to the chamber Tifa, Rinoa, Dagger, and Yuna were scattered around one hundred square meters thinking to themselves about those lost.
Pi number one and two were standing on the right wall, and Jessica continued concentrating on finding Oren, Seifer with her. Seifer looked up as two doors behind him closed, and then more across the chamber until it was completely closed off. Only the two Pi's, Jessica and Seifer remained inside the vast expanse. Two flashes of light appeared and the room became even brighter.
Two women in their late twenties came of the bright lights, one with long black hair and the other with short black hair, wearing easily recognizable garments.
"They are under Allen's complete control! Do not hesitate if you wish to live!" Pi number two yelled, taking out a silver sword and flying forward. Pi number one unsheathed a black sword and followed.
"Phi" the long-haired one said in a strange voice, disappearing.
"Chi" the short-haired one said in a similarly strange voice, disappearing as well.
Pi number one turned around and stabbed just in time to nearly shish-kebab Phi, and Pi number two let out a battle cry as she descended upon the reappearing Chi.
"I'll go after Phi!" Seifer yelled, withdrawing the Hyperion and launching over to assist Pi number two, Jessica preparing to use her own fists to help deal with Chi.
***
The masked figure staring at Oren removed the mask, revealing the face that almost made Oren cry.
"Athena . . . ?"
"Not anymore." She whispered into his ear. "They call me Sigma, now."
She looked into the sky.
"In a few seconds, your two friends will have finished the battle with Tau, the others will have finished Upsilon, and four of your other friends shouldn't have much trouble with Chi and Phi. But will you fight me?"
"What are you talking about? Athena, I never knew!"
She shook her head.
"There are many things more important. And for your sake, there is something very important that I will not tell you. Now show no mercy if you wish to live!"
The next seconds she was gone, and then the next she reappeared behind Oren preparing to strike. Oren nervously sidestepped.
"Athena, stop! Allen is controlling you!"
She shook her head.
"I am doing this of my own free will" she took out a knife and started thrusting. Oren dodged every blow and gradually floated up into the harsh winds as the snow gradually began to fall again.
"Are you going to fight back!?"
"Never!"
"Kill me if you wish to live, Murasaki!"
She thrust herself towards him, spinning on the blade, then swung it like a propeller. Oren was becoming exhausted with the dodging.
"Soon you will tire! Your life is important! Kill me if you wish to live!"
"Why do you want to die so badly?" He asked, dodging with fatigue.
"For your sake, you must not know!"
"I meet you for the first time in years, never seeing you on Allen's ship in the short time I spent there, and now that I meet you all you want to do is kill me!?"
"Shut up and kill me!"
"I won't!"
***
Jessica braced herself as Chi's eyes turned red, she reared her head back, and slammed it forward, the beam engulfing her and then Jessica, slowly tearing her to bits.
Seifer immediately put himself in the way and absorbed another half.
Pi number one shifted her attention closer to Phi as Seifer had taken her place.
"Seifer! Don't do that!" Jessica commanded as she flew around him and began an ineffective assault on Chi.
"I won't let anything happen to you!"
"I won't let anything happen to YOU!" she countered, as Seifer doubled up the power, launching slashes at the head and neck of Chi who dodged and at the same time seemed to slowly move her head to do so, as if she could predict the blows.
Chi somersaulted literally through Jessica, appeared behind her, and grabbed her throat with a crack. Jessica in retaliation began drilling her legs into her stomach, causing her to ease up a bit.
"Let her go!" Seifer roared, smashing the Hyperion down on Chi's arm, causing her to grab it in pain.
She materialized a drill on her left arm and stabbed at Seifer's head, and he grabbed it with both hands just in time, burning his gloves almost right off in the process.
"Hold her off!" Jessica said as she began assembling a spare gun that appeared highly lethal even to someone like Chi.
***
Oren stared at Athena and gave a wicked smile, and again for one instant he didn't look like himself and his eyes flashed dangerously, but then he shook his head and was back to normal.
He lay down in the snow and spread out.
"Kill me if you must Athena!"
Athena only sighed, and pulled out a second knife, aiming for both of his hearts.
"Killing one by stabbing is usually only doable by stabbing the head, or both hearts at the same time . . . please reconsider. I will give you a good half a second before I connect"
It was then that Oren remembered that many people were only in the world of the living because he was alive, and if he died . . . but it was too late. Athena brought down her blade with tremendous force.
_______________________________________________________________________
AN: One more part to go before this chapter is done, and then the last. Prepare for and ending packed with gigantic events . . . not immediately, though, I must finish this chapter. How will this finally end? Not even I know. (Tell me through a review if you think you have a suggestion, all errors in this fic shall be corrected later)
[Part Two]
By Blue Dragon
Everyone had made it to the final layer that was completely empty. Xu had stayed behind, and Quina was in a state of no immediate recovery, spilling disgusting drool and disgusting everyone who came in contact with her/him.
While most others spent time polishing weapons and reloading ammunition, Jessica would find a quiet place and slowly follow the events unfolding in whatever place the others were, being unable to go by anything other than the life signs of Oren which hadn't been to good until recently.
***
Zidane was more than plenty freaked out.
"What the hell's happenin' to her! I'm not fighting THAT!"
A man came out of the "hut" next door with a small rectangular device.
"Katherine, you must be getting back to school!"
"But--"
"No buts!"
Her eyes returned to normal, her hair unwrapped itself and went back to normal length, and the teeth retracted.
"Yes sir."
The man turned around and Rho pulled her hand across her neck in the universal "death" motion.
She flew off to the large hi-tech building in the distance, and Oren started walking in that direction.
"Oren, where're you going!?" Tidus asked.
"School. You ought to enroll."
"School!? At a time like this?"
"I plan to get her during classes. Remember her name, Katherine Asuka."
Squall started polishing the Lionheart, and Zidane ran up beside Oren.
"What's with the names? They don't sound very alien to me. Like Jessica, Katherine?"
"The translators in my brain automatically shorten long names, a standard Zatach name takes up six syllables. If I know enough, I can tell you the full versions. Jessica is Jhevinessitrica, Oren is actually Matalioniren, Katherine would Kapatratalina."
"Oh."
"Long names are better shortened. Are you following me to school?"
"We all are. When do you graduate?"
"When I'm twenty-one . . . you all really should enroll."
Squall finished polishing Lionheart.
"Isn't Cloud already twenty-one?"
"We can fake him in."
"I'm right here, you know!" he said, brushing back the spikes in his hair and almost cutting himself in the process.
Oren turned abruptly.
"You ALL have spikes in your hair, some really tiny. What's the deal?"
"Hair gel!" they all said at once.
"Do you really think I could keep it like this without it?" Cloud asked, taking out a can of gel and spinning it on his finger.
A large hole opened and everyone fell in, all screaming except Oren, who expected it. They all landed softly in a metal interior, Rho sitting at the waiting room reading a magazine.
Squall immediately drew Lionheart, but Cloud put a hand on his shoulder.
Oren snuck up beside her unknowingly, stealthily took a clump of her hair and slipped a pair of scissors from his pocket.
"Snip snip" he sang.
"Quiet" she ordered, turning the page.
"Snippety snip snip . . . "
She looked annoyed and saw one fifth of her hair in his hand.
"Snip snip snip . . . "
She grabbed his collar and held him high over her head.
"You bastard! I'm going to kill you!"
"Teacher! She's hurting me!"
An official walked by, Rho immediately dropping him.
"Katherine! You know better! Picking on such a fine young man . . ."he walked off, Rho bright red and then purple, Oren laughing like an idiot relaxing on a couch.
Tidus sat by him.
"Yo, I didn't know you had it in you! Snipping was genius!"
"I'm still a child at heart. I'm no grown man!" He started laughing again.
"My boyfriend would kick your ass!" she yelled from across the room.
"Bring him on, you-" Cloud covered his mouth.
"Are you crazy!? This is serious. We gotta nail her before she nails us!"
"I'm sorry . . . bring it on, bitch!" Oren yelled back.
"I saw Athena two days ago with another guy . . . "
Oren leaped up from the couch and landed on her, and they started rolling around, until Oren had gotten on top and pried his hands around her throat until she started turning blue.
"Take it back or I'll break your neck!"
"Oren! You got her! Snap her neck!" Squall cheered.
She kicked him in the stomach and sent him flying back.
"You're not going to make it through the school day alive, Murasaki!" she waved her fist at him and walked off.
Oren stood up abruptly, regained his composure, and then walked through the halls, the other four following him.
"Should you take her threat seriously?" Squall asked.
A guy dropped from up high and landed behind Oren, grabbing his neck.
"You been messin' with my girl?" he asked, clutching his neck.
"I didn't do anything to your bitch!" he yelled, flipping him over, and materializing his blade to his neck.
"W-where'd you learn to do that!?"
"Uh . . . you didn't see anything."
The guy lay mesmerized, and Oren hurried with the others around the corner.
"Watch your temper" Cloud advised. Then he switched to a less serious tone.
"Aren't we going to get enrolled?"
"I'll have to fake you in. They do blood tests, and they'll find our you aren't Zatach and then a whole bunch of confusion will follow."
Oren held out his arm and the four behind him stopped. A hole opened underneath them and as they fell it was completely dark. In a few seconds bright lights snapped on and Tidus and Zidane were the first to land on a platform, followed by Cloud and Squall, and then Oren. The floating platform contained fifteen seats.
"Just blend in and take a seat" Oren advised.
The platform was "orbiting" a podium in the middle where an instructor stood tapping his foot. Five other platforms partially filled with people also levitated around the podium. In three seconds there was a short beep, and then the instructor cleared his throat.
"Welcome back to class, students. Today we will be educated on the orbital patterns of our planet, and their alternating nature between the two suns."
The class groaned and Oren let out a sigh.
"I hate this subject. They've been teaching it to us for eight years!"
"As I educate you, you will work in pairs."
The class cheered.
"But I will choose the partner."
The class groaned and booed.
Oren whispered back:
"You aren't enrolled, so you four just partner up with each other and not look conspicuous."
"Oren Murasaki!? Are you talking?"
"No sir!"
"Hmm . . . who would like to keep an eye on this trouble maker? Do I have any volunteers?"
A hand went up on the other side of the room.
"Katherine, look after him and be his partner."
With a charging sound Rho suddenly appeared next to him, greeting him with mock happiness.
"How are you today?" she said with a painfully fake smile.
"Just fine. And you?" he asked through an equally fake smile through clenched teeth.
"DANDY!"
Squall listened to the whole presentation for bits of useful information, and didn't really understand anything that was being said. He did notice Rho whisper something to Oren, and then the ground started to shake for a short amount of time.
After what was actually a long time but seemed like a short time, class was "adjourned" as the instructor said. A short fifteen-minute break followed that Oren left the four in the hallway saying that he had business with an old friend.
The four withered ones from different corners for the first time stared each other down. They had never been alone together or made any attempt at conversation.
Zidane and Tidus sat on one bench in a medium-sized "rest area", with Cloud and Squall on the benches opposite. There was an eerie silence between the four.
Tidus eventually broke the ice.
"So Cloud, what'd you do that was so great? Oren said you all did something special."
Cloud wasn't sure he felt like talking about that all, but then again there was nothing else to talk about.
"The planet I was from was dying. Machines called Mako reactors would take Mako energy-in a way the blood of the planet-from the inside. The machines were built by a corporation called Shinra that wanted to achieve control of the world through the powering of these reactors."
"What's so bad about reactors? If they extracted energy it must have been for a good cause." Tidus reasoned.
"The energy was killing the planet-and they knew that. Not only that, but they were using harmful and sometimes lethal methods to achieve power. On top of that, reactors were very dangerous, produced monsters, and there was even a probability of them exploding. It would make grass around it black, animals die, machines would gain violent nature. We later encountered Sephiroth, who tried to ascend to the level of a god by using Mako gatherings from a large injury in the planet that he was to create by summoning a meteor with black materia. To make a long story short, he killed Aeris, we fought him, beat him, and Aeris' prayer stopped meteor"
"I was a student at Balamb Garden and had just become a SeeD-a member of a mercenary squadron. We had to assassinate a sorceress, who had recruited Seifer as a lapdog, and we failed. Galbadian's retaliated and launched missiles at Balamb and Trabia Gardens. We got Balamb to fly to avert the missiles, but others hit Trabia garden. Zell, Quistis, Irvine, Selphie and I found out we were from the same orphanage, and Rinoa felt left out. We also found out that Sorceress Edea was our Matron. Edea made a base at Galbadia garden, and they attacked us in Balamb. Their commander, my rival Seifer. When we infiltrated to get the sorceress, he tried to kill me twice and failed. We defeated Edea, but found out that a sorceress from the future, Ultimecia, had possessed her. We went to Esthar; traveled to the future through the time compression Ultimecia caused, defeated her, and kept her from taking over to the world. That's just a breakdown, though." Squall said, taking a deep breath.
"I was a bandit of Tantalus, and we were going to kidnap Princess Garnet, Dagger, because she had requested it of Regent Cid, who had asked us. Our ship was shot down into an evil forest, and I met Rusty, Steiner, a knight trying to protect her. I also had Vivi along, a black mage who had ended up with me by twist of fate. We escaped and eventually took a ship back to Lindblum, where we found the Regent was an oglop! Due to a request, we headed to Gizamaluke's Grotto, but I ended up put to sleep by Dagger and Steiner, who went off on their own to a gate to get back to Alexandria. I found my old friend Freya, and we found a weird character, Quina, in a marsh. The four of us went through the grotto and then to Burmecia, where we fought General Beatrix-one tough woman-and found that a shifty character- Kuja-was using the Queen to instigate war. We went to Cleyra to speak with the king, fought Beatrix again, and escaped just as Cleyra was destroyed due to resistance against Alexandria. We went to Alexandria, converted Beatrix to the good fight, and Steiner and Freya stayed behind with her to fight. Vivi, Dagger and I escaped (Quina had stayed behind near Cleyra) to get to Treno, but ended up in Lindblum, which ended up destroyed by black mages Kuja had created! So from there we headed to Qu's marsh where we found Quina, took an underground path to get to a new continent so we could kill Kuja and stop the madness, fought a bounty hunter Lani, and made it to the Conde Petite, and then to a Black Mage Village where we found mages with souls. After which we returned to the Conde Petite, where we found a summoner named Eiko, and later a hunter named Amarant that I defeated. They all followed us, we went to the Iifa tree, left, came back, saw Kuja, left, went back to Alexandria after the old Queen died Dagger was crowned and I went to Treno to fight a card tournament where I won, and then went back to Alexandria which was under attack by Bahamut!"
"The aeon?" asked Tidus.
"The GF?" asked Squall.
"The summon?" asked Cloud.
Zidane looked around.
"You're all crazy! The eidolon you nitwits! Anyway, Alexander saved them, then we went to Lindblum where Dagger lost her voice, so we could take a ship to get to the Black Mage village, the mages told us where Kuja's hideout was, we went there, he kidnapped us, forced me, Freya, Quina, and Amarant to go to Oeilvert to get a stone for Kuja, we returned, escaped with Cid's wife, followed Kuja through a door in Esto Gaza, went to various locations to find stones to open a portal to Terra, where I found out I was a Genome from there. Kuja instigated revolution to disturb enough souls so our planet could be absorbed. I went back to Gaia with everyone, went into the Iifa tree to confront Kuja, defeated him and another being called Necron, rescued Kuja, and returned to Alexandria"
"I lived in a place called Zanarkand, and was taken 1000 years into the future where an entity called Sin went around destroying technology on random occasions as punishment for sins long ago. Summoners would summon aeons, acquiring them throughout a journey to eventually defeat Sin , after which he'd be gone for ten years, after which he would return. I wanted to get back to Zanarkand, not caring if it was destroyed 1000 years ago. I was separated for my "parent" Auron. By the way, I always hated my real father who had experienced the same fate as I. I met Wakka, who introduced me to Lulu and Kimahri, guardians for Yuna. We went around obtaining aeons, fighting Sin along the way. Seymour, a maester who was greatly respected, was actually a bastard and tried to kill us, but we killed him and were seen as traitors, except he didn't really die and remained unsent, and Yuna kept trying to "send" him, or guide him to the farplane. We found Rikku and Auron much earlier, and with them we went to the Al Bhed home, where I found out that Yuna would die fighting Sin. She turned up missing after the home was attacked, we found her with Seymour, rescued her, escaped, she continued her pilgrimage, we went to Zanarkand, and it was still gone!" Tidus caught his breath.
"To obtain the final aeon, one of us had to die, but we wouldn't have that. We found an alternate way, went inside Sin, who was actually my father who had had to die long ago, defeated him, defeated Sin, and beat Yu Yevon, a "god" who had put Sin on Spira. Because doing this stilled the fayth, I disappeared, but a few months later was taken back by that same fayth . . . that's actually pretty rough and a LOT more happened than what I just said, but that was to make a long story short . . . "
Though the stories were summarized, hard to keep up with, and vague as hell, the four managed to get a grasp of what the others had done.
Around went stories of reactors, corporations, energy, the planet, sorceresses, rivals, gardens, time compression, castles, wars, Genomes, crystals, temples, summoners, Yevon, and Sin. The long stories and combinations of their elements summoned a freaky kind of harmony.
In a few minutes, Oren came rushing back with a wide grin on his face, abruptly taking a seat next to Cloud and pulling up his sleeves.
"You all, I found some valuable information from my friend. Of course, because this place is simulated life has gone on, but to everyone else I have always been here. You all know I have been gone for five years, so that means there are certain things I don't know. I found out that when I was fifteen, Katherine had feelings for me that grew . . . and they remain even now, and is jealous of Athena."
"She seems to hate you, actually" Tidus said, leaning back.
"Besides, she's been gone for five years too."
"I am aware, but Tidus, the things they say are things that would have happened had she stayed. If she would have loved me in school, then why not when chasing me across the cosmos?"
"Good point" Squall said, sitting more erect. "But how does that help us?"
"I'm glad you asked. You probably know of a Zatach's antisocial instincts, but they're basically incapable of killing one they love, or even like. If she has any feelings for me whatsoever, I can't lose!"
The four of him gave him a disgusted look.
"What?"
"You'd kill her, and use feelings to your advantage? That'd be using her, man!" Zidane explained.
" . . . "
"You shouldn't play with love or one's feelings" Cloud added, looking down.
" . . . You don't seem to understand that this is the fate of the universe, and she's tried to kill me more than once. Did you know that she bullied me mercilessly back at Pyros' ship? She-"
The four just stared at him.
"Think what you want! But I shall do what I must! This is war! Are you all in or out?" Oren stood up and walked through the doors leading to the outside. School was out for the hour, and the others followed him as he strode down the wide field where a lone figure stood with four masked figures.
"Her other friends have returned" Oren whispered into the cool air. Dawn was beginning to set, casting an eerie glow on everything and making the mood seem fitting. The others un in the background was partially set, giving everything two shadows and making the sky turn colors that would have been impossible on a single-sunned planet.
"You all stay prepared. I'll try to handle Rho alone this time."
The dots gradually became more distinguishable, and Squall was the first one to draw a weapon.
There was a sound like distant thunder, and then the scene began to shift. The ground became cold, snow began to fall, and only the nine fighters remained. In a few seconds, bitter cold enveloped, crowds disappeared, and the suns were hidden behind dark clouds.
Rho immediately began closing the gap by walking forward through the deep snow along with the masked figure next to her. Her shape showed a feminine appearance.
"Eta would be embarrassed. She should have come with us, it would have been a great help" Oren said, not drawing a weapon of any kind.
"She and those other two are alive?" Squall asked.
"Alive? Of course! They've been alive this whole time, what made you think they were dead?"
"I thought they shot themselves."
"You think they're crazy? Gungrave seppuku is a fast way to get yourself to a certain area of the supplier ship, in this case Allen's. They're in the ether chambers."
Oren could practically feel the blank looks.
"They can't be reached in the ether chambers, and in the process a certain few people use their power . . . ?"
"So if they come out we're back to normal?" Tidus asked nervously.
"Yep. Eta wasn't tough enough, her energy only supplied one of you. Mu and Theta were tough enough to supply two people each"
"That's five people, and there're only four of us that couldn't do that stuff before" Squall pointed out.
Oren stopped in his tracks.
"So that's what happened to Seifer. And FT should be taking us to a beach . . . "
The scene shifted into that of a beach.
" . . . How did you know that would happen?" Squall asked slowly.
"I'll tell you later"
"What about those Galbadian military ranks on your coat?"
" . . . "
"And how'd you know about the planned attack a few days ago?"
" . . . "
"You gonna talk?" Zidane asked.
"There's no time for this!"
The five were now only a few yards in front of Rho and her accomplice.
"Let's finish this." Oren said, floating upwards following Rho up into the air.
The accomplice pulled off a mask, a woman in her early thirties with short blonde hair, and two others appeared beside her.
"We have determined that you cannot be defeated by normal means. It will quite possibly take our combined force"
The other two remained masked and then disappeared again.
"Hold your breath!" Oren yelled loudly from above.
They complied, and Cloud felt himself being grabbed by the collar. He looked right into the purple eyes of the unmasked woman, who had grabbed Squall as well.
"Take his suggestion" she said with no emotion as she flew up and speeds that made the Cloud and Squall's lips press back and soon enough, their inside felt as if they were turning into mush.
The continent became visible, and for brief seconds they were plunging through a burning fire, and then they felt their bodies put on a sort of defensive mechanism that was unplacable.
"What is that?" Cloud tried to ask. His voice, however, couldn't be heard. He opened his eyes, and found that he was in the middle of space, Squall floating by him, and the blonde woman in front. His body must have retained quite a bit of Zatach power, he could hold his breath for hours and he wasn't materializing.
Welcome to space. Your future oblivion, she said telepathically. It didn't sound like a person, however, it sounded like someone being controlled.
Cloud tried directing his thoughts to Squall, and somehow it worked.
One of the Pi's mentioned that most of the others, probably excluding Rho, are under complete control of Allen. Do you think that that means she's being controlled with most of the others?
Squall only nodded.
***
Rho's standing accomplice paced around, waiting for Rho to begin, ignoring Zidane and Tidus. Her other two accomplices that were sitting remained seated.
"Ready?" Rho asked Oren as they both hovered around a few hundred feet up.
Oren nodded, still not drawing a weapon.
She held out her hand in a straight fashion and sent it straight at his throat, stopping just at just a few centimeters. He didn't flinch, but instead just looked at her.
An angry look spread on her face and she took out a small dagger, swinging it at his neck and each time stopping at a few inches.
"Why won't you fight!?"
She thrust the knife forward and stopped again just in front of his face, and she let out an agitated growl as the cold winds blew her hair through her face.
Finally Oren grabbed the knife, twisted her arm around her back, and whispered into her ear.
"You have lost. I know you won't harm me."
She gasped as he launched her down into the ground, and then flew down after her.
"Now surrender!" he said, landing atop a snowy pile, the wind and snow subsiding.
She slowly stood up.
"Athena wasn't the one you needed."
"You are not the judge of that!"
"You know where she is! Because of her, I never even had a chance!"
"You already have a-"
"You know that sometimes the parings are wrong, Oren! Yo know it! You should have been with me!"
" . . . "
"Upsilon! Kill them!"
The seated figure stood up quickly, one removing the mask to reveal a head of white hair, and a face that made him appear in his late teens. His eyes turned white and he stared at Rho, then began talking in Allen's ghostly voice.
"I never needed to control YOU, Rho, you are loyal to the end!"
"Zidane! Tidus! A few weeks ago I injured Upsilon when we were still in space! He shouldn't be able to fight if you find some way to release their possession!" Oren yelled. He then shifted his attention to Rho.
"I will have to knock you out."
"You will do no such thing! You'll talk to me!"
"We have nothing to discuss."
"How can you be so cold!?"
For a second, Oren had a wicked smile that soon disappeared. For that second, he didn't look like himself.
"Rho, please stand down."
"You know Athena is one of us."
Oren charged up.
"I made sure she suffered on her stay."
Oren's eyes flared and he lurched forward, knocking her into a snowy pile, and pinning her with force that knocked the wind form her lungs and rendered her unconscious. He put up his hand to strike the finishing blow, before he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw one of the masked figures.
"Let's not make another Iota." Said a feminine voice.
***
Only a few decided to remain at the chamber where Cloud, Squall, Zidane, and Tidus had mysteriously disappeared along with Oren. Near the entrance to the chamber Tifa, Rinoa, Dagger, and Yuna were scattered around one hundred square meters thinking to themselves about those lost.
Pi number one and two were standing on the right wall, and Jessica continued concentrating on finding Oren, Seifer with her. Seifer looked up as two doors behind him closed, and then more across the chamber until it was completely closed off. Only the two Pi's, Jessica and Seifer remained inside the vast expanse. Two flashes of light appeared and the room became even brighter.
Two women in their late twenties came of the bright lights, one with long black hair and the other with short black hair, wearing easily recognizable garments.
"They are under Allen's complete control! Do not hesitate if you wish to live!" Pi number two yelled, taking out a silver sword and flying forward. Pi number one unsheathed a black sword and followed.
"Phi" the long-haired one said in a strange voice, disappearing.
"Chi" the short-haired one said in a similarly strange voice, disappearing as well.
Pi number one turned around and stabbed just in time to nearly shish-kebab Phi, and Pi number two let out a battle cry as she descended upon the reappearing Chi.
"I'll go after Phi!" Seifer yelled, withdrawing the Hyperion and launching over to assist Pi number two, Jessica preparing to use her own fists to help deal with Chi.
***
The masked figure staring at Oren removed the mask, revealing the face that almost made Oren cry.
"Athena . . . ?"
"Not anymore." She whispered into his ear. "They call me Sigma, now."
She looked into the sky.
"In a few seconds, your two friends will have finished the battle with Tau, the others will have finished Upsilon, and four of your other friends shouldn't have much trouble with Chi and Phi. But will you fight me?"
"What are you talking about? Athena, I never knew!"
She shook her head.
"There are many things more important. And for your sake, there is something very important that I will not tell you. Now show no mercy if you wish to live!"
The next seconds she was gone, and then the next she reappeared behind Oren preparing to strike. Oren nervously sidestepped.
"Athena, stop! Allen is controlling you!"
She shook her head.
"I am doing this of my own free will" she took out a knife and started thrusting. Oren dodged every blow and gradually floated up into the harsh winds as the snow gradually began to fall again.
"Are you going to fight back!?"
"Never!"
"Kill me if you wish to live, Murasaki!"
She thrust herself towards him, spinning on the blade, then swung it like a propeller. Oren was becoming exhausted with the dodging.
"Soon you will tire! Your life is important! Kill me if you wish to live!"
"Why do you want to die so badly?" He asked, dodging with fatigue.
"For your sake, you must not know!"
"I meet you for the first time in years, never seeing you on Allen's ship in the short time I spent there, and now that I meet you all you want to do is kill me!?"
"Shut up and kill me!"
"I won't!"
***
Jessica braced herself as Chi's eyes turned red, she reared her head back, and slammed it forward, the beam engulfing her and then Jessica, slowly tearing her to bits.
Seifer immediately put himself in the way and absorbed another half.
Pi number one shifted her attention closer to Phi as Seifer had taken her place.
"Seifer! Don't do that!" Jessica commanded as she flew around him and began an ineffective assault on Chi.
"I won't let anything happen to you!"
"I won't let anything happen to YOU!" she countered, as Seifer doubled up the power, launching slashes at the head and neck of Chi who dodged and at the same time seemed to slowly move her head to do so, as if she could predict the blows.
Chi somersaulted literally through Jessica, appeared behind her, and grabbed her throat with a crack. Jessica in retaliation began drilling her legs into her stomach, causing her to ease up a bit.
"Let her go!" Seifer roared, smashing the Hyperion down on Chi's arm, causing her to grab it in pain.
She materialized a drill on her left arm and stabbed at Seifer's head, and he grabbed it with both hands just in time, burning his gloves almost right off in the process.
"Hold her off!" Jessica said as she began assembling a spare gun that appeared highly lethal even to someone like Chi.
***
Oren stared at Athena and gave a wicked smile, and again for one instant he didn't look like himself and his eyes flashed dangerously, but then he shook his head and was back to normal.
He lay down in the snow and spread out.
"Kill me if you must Athena!"
Athena only sighed, and pulled out a second knife, aiming for both of his hearts.
"Killing one by stabbing is usually only doable by stabbing the head, or both hearts at the same time . . . please reconsider. I will give you a good half a second before I connect"
It was then that Oren remembered that many people were only in the world of the living because he was alive, and if he died . . . but it was too late. Athena brought down her blade with tremendous force.
_______________________________________________________________________
AN: One more part to go before this chapter is done, and then the last. Prepare for and ending packed with gigantic events . . . not immediately, though, I must finish this chapter. How will this finally end? Not even I know. (Tell me through a review if you think you have a suggestion, all errors in this fic shall be corrected later)