Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue. I hope that my stupid life is true! Hwaaaa...!
*`*`*`*`*`*``*`
Author's Note: Hello to everyone out there in TV land. Okay, story is going to be picking up a lot of velocity from here on out, we're reaching the climax! There will be a few cute-y wute-y parts (I love cute-y wute-y parts!) and a load more violent parts with super happy graphic descriptions. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and as a special present, I will upload as many chapters this week as I have written.
And to LordK, Robin won't reappear until the end of the story....sorry...Probably chapter 15.... I apolgize.
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`
"The mind can examine the body and tell when its sick. But the mind can't be conscious of its own illness, and the descent into mental deterioration is often unnoticed by the victim."~'Schizophrenia' (I read it for a report for health class, very informative. Lewis Wain!!! Look at his kitties! Go now, look at Lewis Wain's paintings!)
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`
Chapter 9: Forgotten
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`
Ipsen's confused thoughts were interrupted by the jingle of keys and the turn of his door's knob. He quickly flipped over and watched the intently as Kuja entered the room, his white outfit and pale features radiated in the dim colors of the small room. Kuja smirked as Ipsen's eyes filled with spite and hatred. "I told you you'd feel better in the morning." he told the mage.
"What the hell...why?!" Ipsen shouted, rolling off the mattress and crouching, still wary on his legs, keeping his wings spread for balance.
"I told you I'd answer your questions, not that it'd so you much good." Kuja explained. "You see, I have a plan for completely annihilating every living being on this earth, besides me and another."
"What good would that do you?!" Ipsen said.
"I'll make this planet a sanctuary for my kind, a neo-Terra." he laughed as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I'll create the genomes, just as Garland did."
"And how did you plan on doing this?" Ipsen said skeptically.
"There is a creature by the name of Frios, a summon. But, unlike Bahamut and Phoenix, this creature can only be summoned when the flowing of the Mist is at its peak." Kuja explained. "And that, my puppet, is where you come in."
Ipsen was quivering with rage. Kuja continued. "You see, the Mist ebbs and flows with the number of souls released from their bodies through death. And, Frios can only be summoned when this flow is unusually high... like in a time of war or..." he paused and grinned, "An army goes on a genocidal rampage. And you, you will be the leader of that army. I would do it, but....I find it so demeaning to be working alongside a whole hoard of soulless dolls!"
Ipsen narrowed his eyes and vanished, reappearing beside Kuja. He raised his arm for a spell, but Kuja beat him to it once again. The mage got up and kept up a fierce physical attack, punching and tearing at his target. Kuja mistepped and Ipsen raked him across the face with his claw-like fingers, leaving four deep, bleeding gashes across Kuja's face, drenching it in blood. Ipsen stopped his attack a moment and gave Kuja a smug look, but was surprised when Kuja began laughing. He cast a cure spell on himself, the wounds closing up, to a certain extent. The deep, bleeding gashes were now four paper thin cuts across Kuja's face, although blood still dribbled off his chin as evidence they were just open and possibly lethal.
Ipsen snarled and went to tackle Kuja once again, but stumbled and fell over his own feet. Kuja laughed at Ipsen's clumsiness. "Come now, you'll have to do much better than that my boy."
Kuja closed his eyes and summoned up a powerful Thunder spell to paralyze the waltz, but not to injure him too bad. He smiled and removed another vial and syringe from his pocket. Kuja's face lightened, as though covering up a sense of regret or guilt.
"Wh-what is it?" Ipsen choked out, his lungs aching and burning at every breath taken in.
"An antidote of sorts," he mused.
"What do you mean?"
"You'll go back to your normal, small, clumsy self." Kuja sighed and tossed him the vial. "Hurry up, before I change my mind."
Ipsen picked up the syringe and looked at Kuja. "Why would I need this, why don't you let me go? Why should I trust you?" Ipsen fired off.
"Because, you think your father would be thrilled you coming home as you are, bearing such an uncanny resemblance to Black Waltz No. 3?" Kuja patronized. Ipsen winced, knowing he was right. He didn't know how he knew, but Ipsen knew. "Now, do we want it or not?"
Ipsen nodded. What did he have to lose? "Good choice," Kuja said.
"This will get me back to my old self," Ipsen questioned. "No tricks?"
"Of course," Kuja said with a smirk as he took the syringe and pushed it, once again, between the mage's wings. Ipsen's face contorted with severe pain. Kuja pulled the needle out, although it still hurt as though it was still lodged in his skin. His face lit up with transparent surprise.
Ipsen began feeling tired and slightly stupid, his eyelids were beginning to droop from a combination of both. He was too out of it to make a comment when Kuja broke the silence. "Oops! This was the wrong vial! I guess you'll be serving under me after all. All you'll remember is your spells and alliance to me. Hah, I can't even promise you'll remember how to talk! Oh well, I guess we'll see soon, hm?"
Ipsen yawned, too tired to reply and slipped into a forced slumber.
*`*`*`*`*`*`
Vivi had sent a moogle to Alexandria, hoping of finding Ipsen's whereabouts.
"Hopefully he just went to Alexandria, I'm sure he did," Vivi tried convincing himself. "To visit Robin."
But when the moogle brought back the letter, Vivi's heart sank.
Dear Vivi,
We got your moogle, but I'm afraid Ipsen hasn't been here for a few months. If he does come by, we'll tell him you're looking for him.
Sincerely,
Garnet and Zidane
Vivi sighed. He didn't know why he was so worried. Ipsen was fifteen already and Vivi had been eight when he had started fending for himself.
"He can take care of himself," Vivi murmured aloud, but still felt guilty and worried.
*`*`*`*`*`*`
Ipsen looked about the black void that pressed around him, now a child of six, his whole body shaking with fright and isolation. He pulled his downy wings closer to himself, as though it would fend off the darkness. Ipsen gave a small snivel, when he heard what sounded like talking, and laughing! He stumbled. "Hello!? Who's there? Please, anyone?"
He began walking to where he heard the voices and, finding Blank and Zidane kidding around, giving each other playful shoves and taunts. "Zidane!"
Zidane didn't turn around, neither of them did. Ipsen squinted his eyes. There was something odd about them. "Zidane!" he shouted again, still no response. Just then, he heard a loud bang and a click from overhead. Ipsen looked up and caught a glimpse of something enormous right falling right above Zidane and Blank. "Blank! Zidane! Look out!" They turned around just in time for the object to overtake them and plunge them into the ground. Ipsen's eyes widened when the object was expected to crush the two, but instead, all three, Blank, Zidane and the large object, sunk noiselessly into the shadowy floor of the void.
Ipsen merely stared for a moment. He looked around and saw Garnet. He ran toward her, but another object fell, making the queen disappear. Freya, Amarant, Eiko, Steiner, Quina, one by one, vanished.
He spun around. Robin was standing there, as though nothing had happened to her mother or any of the others. Movement above stirred the blackness above. "Robin! No!!!!" He dove at her, but she was gone. Ipsen sobbed when he heard Vivi.
"D-dad?" he said, falling over himself, still in tears. Vivi was behind him a few feet, also crying. Ipsen stood up, but hesitated to go to Vivi, remembering what had happened to everyone else. He ignored his better judgment and threw himself at Vivi. "Dad!" Nothing stirred overhead.
Vivi wiped the tears from his eyes and held onto Ipsen fondly, clutching the child as close to his body as possible. Ipsen buried his face in Vivi's shirt, savoring the small mage's warmth. "I'm sorry," Ipsen cried, and tightened his embrace.
Vivi shook his head, tears still rolling down his cheeks. "Sh-sh-sh," Vivi coaxed. "It's alright."
"I didn't mean it, I swear." Ipsen continued, his downy wings trembling from his cries. "I don't hate you."
Ipsen snapped to attention when he noticed movement, right above them. "Dad! Get outta the way, it's coming!"
"What are you..." Vivi started, but was cut off as the object was upon the two of them. All Ipsen felt was a sudden blast of cold air and then he was alone again. Vivi had vanished like the others.
Ipsen whimpered and looked around, his trembles increased when he heard a sulky and deep voice mumbling to itself to his right. He pricked his ears but all he could understand out of the muffled commentary was the occasional sniffle and "I only exist to kill", although the statement was said quizzing and unsure.
Ipsen followed the voice and saw another person, huddled over himself, holding his long legs close to his body, taloned digits fidgeting and twiddling a moon topped staff. "He has wings too," Ipsen muttered to himself, seeing the other black mage's broad blue and yellow appendages clasped to his back. Ipsen's mood brightened, this was the first time he had ever seen anyone like him, another winged black mage.
He still doubted the choice of greeting the creature. The other mage was huddled over in an unnatural and crooked position and talking to himself. Ipsen thought for a moment he was insane, but continued studying the creature with childish curiosity. His black trench coat was unbuckled, showing a deep, bloody red sweater and a full blue plumage around his throat. His black boots, which were adorned with heavy, sluggish looking buckles, came up to mid leg and a pair of light brown pants were tucked into them in a clumsy fashion. The other mage looked up to Ipsen.
"Oh, hello," he said, studying Ipsen intently.
Ipsen waved shyly. "What are you doing here little one?" the large waltz asked.
"I-I don't know," Ipsen said, still slightly trembling. "I just want to go home!"
Ipsen began crying again as the larger mage stood up and put an arm around him. "Calm down, how'd you get here?" he asked Ipsen.
"I don't know, I just want to leave!"
The waltz sat down again and firmly held his staff straight. "It's not so bad here. You'll see."
"No! It's not safe, I..." he saw movement above. He hardly knew this other mage, but at least it was better taking to someone than being alone. "Look out!"
The waltz looked up nonchalantly. "Oh, those never get me." he chuckled.
"But...who else is...gah!" he was cut off by the large object's force. The large waltz stood alone in the void, sighed and continued fiddling with his staff as though nothing had happened.
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`
Author's Note: Aloha! Lotsa fun doing this story and I have a trilogy on the black waltzes I'm planning on doing (I'm not obsessed!) and then the sequel of this, so I'll be amused for awhile. But I also have a crapload of projects I'm working on. My project for Brit. Lit., radio crap, the comic I'm working on, a scarf for my boyfriend for Christmas (not kidding! Don't tell him though! ^_~)
Thank you for your reviews everyone! Keep it up!
~NeoNaoNeo
*`*`*`*`*`*``*`
Author's Note: Hello to everyone out there in TV land. Okay, story is going to be picking up a lot of velocity from here on out, we're reaching the climax! There will be a few cute-y wute-y parts (I love cute-y wute-y parts!) and a load more violent parts with super happy graphic descriptions. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and as a special present, I will upload as many chapters this week as I have written.
And to LordK, Robin won't reappear until the end of the story....sorry...Probably chapter 15.... I apolgize.
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`
"The mind can examine the body and tell when its sick. But the mind can't be conscious of its own illness, and the descent into mental deterioration is often unnoticed by the victim."~'Schizophrenia' (I read it for a report for health class, very informative. Lewis Wain!!! Look at his kitties! Go now, look at Lewis Wain's paintings!)
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`
Chapter 9: Forgotten
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`
Ipsen's confused thoughts were interrupted by the jingle of keys and the turn of his door's knob. He quickly flipped over and watched the intently as Kuja entered the room, his white outfit and pale features radiated in the dim colors of the small room. Kuja smirked as Ipsen's eyes filled with spite and hatred. "I told you you'd feel better in the morning." he told the mage.
"What the hell...why?!" Ipsen shouted, rolling off the mattress and crouching, still wary on his legs, keeping his wings spread for balance.
"I told you I'd answer your questions, not that it'd so you much good." Kuja explained. "You see, I have a plan for completely annihilating every living being on this earth, besides me and another."
"What good would that do you?!" Ipsen said.
"I'll make this planet a sanctuary for my kind, a neo-Terra." he laughed as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I'll create the genomes, just as Garland did."
"And how did you plan on doing this?" Ipsen said skeptically.
"There is a creature by the name of Frios, a summon. But, unlike Bahamut and Phoenix, this creature can only be summoned when the flowing of the Mist is at its peak." Kuja explained. "And that, my puppet, is where you come in."
Ipsen was quivering with rage. Kuja continued. "You see, the Mist ebbs and flows with the number of souls released from their bodies through death. And, Frios can only be summoned when this flow is unusually high... like in a time of war or..." he paused and grinned, "An army goes on a genocidal rampage. And you, you will be the leader of that army. I would do it, but....I find it so demeaning to be working alongside a whole hoard of soulless dolls!"
Ipsen narrowed his eyes and vanished, reappearing beside Kuja. He raised his arm for a spell, but Kuja beat him to it once again. The mage got up and kept up a fierce physical attack, punching and tearing at his target. Kuja mistepped and Ipsen raked him across the face with his claw-like fingers, leaving four deep, bleeding gashes across Kuja's face, drenching it in blood. Ipsen stopped his attack a moment and gave Kuja a smug look, but was surprised when Kuja began laughing. He cast a cure spell on himself, the wounds closing up, to a certain extent. The deep, bleeding gashes were now four paper thin cuts across Kuja's face, although blood still dribbled off his chin as evidence they were just open and possibly lethal.
Ipsen snarled and went to tackle Kuja once again, but stumbled and fell over his own feet. Kuja laughed at Ipsen's clumsiness. "Come now, you'll have to do much better than that my boy."
Kuja closed his eyes and summoned up a powerful Thunder spell to paralyze the waltz, but not to injure him too bad. He smiled and removed another vial and syringe from his pocket. Kuja's face lightened, as though covering up a sense of regret or guilt.
"Wh-what is it?" Ipsen choked out, his lungs aching and burning at every breath taken in.
"An antidote of sorts," he mused.
"What do you mean?"
"You'll go back to your normal, small, clumsy self." Kuja sighed and tossed him the vial. "Hurry up, before I change my mind."
Ipsen picked up the syringe and looked at Kuja. "Why would I need this, why don't you let me go? Why should I trust you?" Ipsen fired off.
"Because, you think your father would be thrilled you coming home as you are, bearing such an uncanny resemblance to Black Waltz No. 3?" Kuja patronized. Ipsen winced, knowing he was right. He didn't know how he knew, but Ipsen knew. "Now, do we want it or not?"
Ipsen nodded. What did he have to lose? "Good choice," Kuja said.
"This will get me back to my old self," Ipsen questioned. "No tricks?"
"Of course," Kuja said with a smirk as he took the syringe and pushed it, once again, between the mage's wings. Ipsen's face contorted with severe pain. Kuja pulled the needle out, although it still hurt as though it was still lodged in his skin. His face lit up with transparent surprise.
Ipsen began feeling tired and slightly stupid, his eyelids were beginning to droop from a combination of both. He was too out of it to make a comment when Kuja broke the silence. "Oops! This was the wrong vial! I guess you'll be serving under me after all. All you'll remember is your spells and alliance to me. Hah, I can't even promise you'll remember how to talk! Oh well, I guess we'll see soon, hm?"
Ipsen yawned, too tired to reply and slipped into a forced slumber.
*`*`*`*`*`*`
Vivi had sent a moogle to Alexandria, hoping of finding Ipsen's whereabouts.
"Hopefully he just went to Alexandria, I'm sure he did," Vivi tried convincing himself. "To visit Robin."
But when the moogle brought back the letter, Vivi's heart sank.
Dear Vivi,
We got your moogle, but I'm afraid Ipsen hasn't been here for a few months. If he does come by, we'll tell him you're looking for him.
Sincerely,
Garnet and Zidane
Vivi sighed. He didn't know why he was so worried. Ipsen was fifteen already and Vivi had been eight when he had started fending for himself.
"He can take care of himself," Vivi murmured aloud, but still felt guilty and worried.
*`*`*`*`*`*`
Ipsen looked about the black void that pressed around him, now a child of six, his whole body shaking with fright and isolation. He pulled his downy wings closer to himself, as though it would fend off the darkness. Ipsen gave a small snivel, when he heard what sounded like talking, and laughing! He stumbled. "Hello!? Who's there? Please, anyone?"
He began walking to where he heard the voices and, finding Blank and Zidane kidding around, giving each other playful shoves and taunts. "Zidane!"
Zidane didn't turn around, neither of them did. Ipsen squinted his eyes. There was something odd about them. "Zidane!" he shouted again, still no response. Just then, he heard a loud bang and a click from overhead. Ipsen looked up and caught a glimpse of something enormous right falling right above Zidane and Blank. "Blank! Zidane! Look out!" They turned around just in time for the object to overtake them and plunge them into the ground. Ipsen's eyes widened when the object was expected to crush the two, but instead, all three, Blank, Zidane and the large object, sunk noiselessly into the shadowy floor of the void.
Ipsen merely stared for a moment. He looked around and saw Garnet. He ran toward her, but another object fell, making the queen disappear. Freya, Amarant, Eiko, Steiner, Quina, one by one, vanished.
He spun around. Robin was standing there, as though nothing had happened to her mother or any of the others. Movement above stirred the blackness above. "Robin! No!!!!" He dove at her, but she was gone. Ipsen sobbed when he heard Vivi.
"D-dad?" he said, falling over himself, still in tears. Vivi was behind him a few feet, also crying. Ipsen stood up, but hesitated to go to Vivi, remembering what had happened to everyone else. He ignored his better judgment and threw himself at Vivi. "Dad!" Nothing stirred overhead.
Vivi wiped the tears from his eyes and held onto Ipsen fondly, clutching the child as close to his body as possible. Ipsen buried his face in Vivi's shirt, savoring the small mage's warmth. "I'm sorry," Ipsen cried, and tightened his embrace.
Vivi shook his head, tears still rolling down his cheeks. "Sh-sh-sh," Vivi coaxed. "It's alright."
"I didn't mean it, I swear." Ipsen continued, his downy wings trembling from his cries. "I don't hate you."
Ipsen snapped to attention when he noticed movement, right above them. "Dad! Get outta the way, it's coming!"
"What are you..." Vivi started, but was cut off as the object was upon the two of them. All Ipsen felt was a sudden blast of cold air and then he was alone again. Vivi had vanished like the others.
Ipsen whimpered and looked around, his trembles increased when he heard a sulky and deep voice mumbling to itself to his right. He pricked his ears but all he could understand out of the muffled commentary was the occasional sniffle and "I only exist to kill", although the statement was said quizzing and unsure.
Ipsen followed the voice and saw another person, huddled over himself, holding his long legs close to his body, taloned digits fidgeting and twiddling a moon topped staff. "He has wings too," Ipsen muttered to himself, seeing the other black mage's broad blue and yellow appendages clasped to his back. Ipsen's mood brightened, this was the first time he had ever seen anyone like him, another winged black mage.
He still doubted the choice of greeting the creature. The other mage was huddled over in an unnatural and crooked position and talking to himself. Ipsen thought for a moment he was insane, but continued studying the creature with childish curiosity. His black trench coat was unbuckled, showing a deep, bloody red sweater and a full blue plumage around his throat. His black boots, which were adorned with heavy, sluggish looking buckles, came up to mid leg and a pair of light brown pants were tucked into them in a clumsy fashion. The other mage looked up to Ipsen.
"Oh, hello," he said, studying Ipsen intently.
Ipsen waved shyly. "What are you doing here little one?" the large waltz asked.
"I-I don't know," Ipsen said, still slightly trembling. "I just want to go home!"
Ipsen began crying again as the larger mage stood up and put an arm around him. "Calm down, how'd you get here?" he asked Ipsen.
"I don't know, I just want to leave!"
The waltz sat down again and firmly held his staff straight. "It's not so bad here. You'll see."
"No! It's not safe, I..." he saw movement above. He hardly knew this other mage, but at least it was better taking to someone than being alone. "Look out!"
The waltz looked up nonchalantly. "Oh, those never get me." he chuckled.
"But...who else is...gah!" he was cut off by the large object's force. The large waltz stood alone in the void, sighed and continued fiddling with his staff as though nothing had happened.
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`
Author's Note: Aloha! Lotsa fun doing this story and I have a trilogy on the black waltzes I'm planning on doing (I'm not obsessed!) and then the sequel of this, so I'll be amused for awhile. But I also have a crapload of projects I'm working on. My project for Brit. Lit., radio crap, the comic I'm working on, a scarf for my boyfriend for Christmas (not kidding! Don't tell him though! ^_~)
Thank you for your reviews everyone! Keep it up!
~NeoNaoNeo