Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.
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Chapter 2: Revelations
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"Ipsen," Robin murmured, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks as she buried her head in Ipsen's chest. "Please don't die."
Vivi sniffled and shifted on his feet, watching Robin. He couldn't bring himself to say anything. How could he? Part of him had even wished this upon Ipsen, but he never wanted it to happen. Warm, salty tears ran down Vivi's cheeks. He was my son. He can't...
Robin was crying softly. Freya had left, leaving the two alone. Vivi also turned around and began walking off, his mind a flurried mass of questions and accusations, most of them were regretful complaints on his behalf. I've been such a horrible father. If only I had done something....
"Ugh...." he grumbled opening his bright yellow eyes. He noticed Robin's usually pale face was flushed and her eyes were puffy with tears. "Wha-Why are you crying?"
"Ipsen!" Robin shouted, drawing attention to herself from everyone in the church. The girl wrapped her arms around his chest and hugged him fondly. "You're alive!!!"
"Robin!" Ipsen said, over ecstatic about Robin's welcome presence, knowing it wasn't a dream. He quickly sat up and returned her hug, lifting her off the ground.
"Ow, stop. That hurts." Robin chuckled as Ipsen wrapped her in a bear hug. He quickly released her after this statement, ruffling a wing apologetically.
"Sorry," he murmured.
"Don't know your own strength now that you're bigger than me, hm?" Robin said, rubbing her shoulder.
"Heh, right." Ipsen chuckled and looked about the church. "How'd I get here?"
"Well, you passed out in the street and....we brought you here." Robin shrugged.
"The street?" Ipsen asked. "Wh-what street?"
"Um, outside the church." Robin explained and motioned to the door.
"H-how'd I get there?" Ipsen whimpered.
"Don't you remember?" Robin asked.
Ipsen shook his head. "No, the last thing I remember was when Kuja stuck me with another needle in Treno."
"So, Kuja did this to you?" Robin asked with a slight tone of hatred, running her fingers slowly through his collar feathers. She had never met Kuja, but from her father's stories about his adventures, she knew he was a conniving man who was no good.
His eyes brightened in a pleased manner, Robin's touch was warm and gentle against the sensitive grain of his feathers. Robin nearly laughed when she noticed the contented and settled look in Ipsen's eyes. He smiled and brushed a hair from her face gently.
"Yeah, it was Kuja." Ipsen spat. "After I trusted him."
"What do you mean?" Robin asked.
"He was my only friend in Lindblum," Ipsen said, shaking his head. "The bastard."
"Wait! You were FRIENDS with him?!" Robin interrogated, her voice was slightly snappish.
"Don't rub it in, please," Ipsen huffed.
"Didn't your dad ever tell you about...?" Robin started off, but Ipsen cut her off.
"I was wrong, okay Robin?" Ipsen muttered. The girl sighed; afraid she had hurt his feelings.
"Jeez, lighten up," Robin chuckled and gave him a small bat with her fist playfully. Ipsen's expression lit up.
"Yeah, you're right," Ipsen said and looked around. "Where is everyone?"
"Up in the front of the church, come on," Robin said with a smile and tugged on his sleeve. The waltz got up and noticed the moon topped staff on the pew where he had just been sitting.
"Hm, pretty thing," he said admiringly. "Hey, Robin? Whose staff is this?"
"Yours," Robin replied.
He chuckled. "Okay, I'll just nod and pretend I know what you're talking about."
"You don't remember?" Robin asked again. "Do you remember attacking me?"
"What?" Ipsen said, looking very horrified. "I-I wouldn't! I didn't!"
"Heh, just kidding," Robin muttered with a forced smile. If he couldn't remember attacking her, maybe he didn't remember how he attacked Lindblum alongside the black mages. Maybe it was better he remained ignorant of what he had done.
"Don't joke like that, please," Ipsen said pleadingly. "If I ever tried to hurt you, I would never be able to live with myself."
"Sorry," Robin said with a smile as she got out of the pew. "Come on, Vivi's worried sick about you."
"No, he's not...he hates me," Ipsen muttered and began following Robin down the aisle.
*`*`*`*`*`
"Thank you," the little black mage said chirpily, taking the bowl of soup in his hands. The runt began slurping the broth down greedily. Eiko and Garnet watched him cheerfully; proud of how fast they had healed the small black mage into nearly perfect health. Vivi, Zidane, and Steiner were nowhere to be seen, as was Freya.
"Don't thank us, one of the clerics made it," Eiko said with a smile.
"So, what is your name little one?" Garnet asked.
The black mage took one last big gulp of soup and set the bowl down in his lap. "289, but you can call me Runt," he said with an affectionate smile, remembering how the black waltz leading the army had called him that several times.
"Okay Runt," Eiko said as Ipsen and Robin walked towards them.
"Hey Eiko," Robin greeted and looked down to Runt. "Hi, you're looking better."
"I'm feeling better," he replied chirpily. Runt looked to Ipsen. "You're okay! What happened?"
"Erm..." Ipsen muttered. The mage spoke to him with a tone of familiarity, but he never recalled seeing him before. Runt looked down, and chuckled.
"You really were like them," Runt mused, looking across the pews at a few of the sleeping black mages.
"What...?" Ipsen murmured, shaking his head.
"My name's Runt," the small mage introduced and held out a hand. Ipsen took it.
"Ipsen," he replied.
"I know!" he chuckled and hopped out of the pew. Ipsen shook his head in slight confusion, but turned to Robin.
...Bring her to Ice Cavern....
Ipsen shook his head and suddenly got a sinking feeling in his stomach. "Frios..." he murmured. Garnet, Eiko and Robin turned and looked at him as though he had just shouted a curse word.
"Wh-what did you say?" Garnet asked, tilting her head to one side.
"I-I said Frios. Kuja...he's..." Ipsen's thoughts raced as he tried to find words to tell them Kuja's plan. He quickly explained what he remembered.
"...and he said he's going to use that summon to create a Neo Terra, for the genomes." Ipsen finally ended, the three summoner's were gawking at him with slightly scowling faces, Eiko and Garnet were most baffled by the fact Kuja was still alive.
"This isn't good." Robin said to her mother. Eiko nodded and turned to Ipsen.
"Does he have the four crystals?" Garnet asked.
"Uh...I don't know....what crystals?" Ipsen asked innocently.
I want you to capture a girl by the name of Robin for me.
He shook his head again.
Bring her to Ice Cavern.
"Well, if Kuja had the crystals, he would have summoned it by now," Garnet said to Robin and Eiko, their conversation had progressed without Ipsen's help.
"If we only knew where he was," Robin mused. "We already know what he's planning."
"Ice Cavern," Ipsen suddenly said.
"What?" Eiko asked, turning to the waltz.
"H-he's at Ice Cavern, I'm sure of it," Ipsen nodded. "He needs Robin."
"What? How do you know? Why me?" Robin fired off.
"I don't know," he muttered. "What are these crystals? Why does he need them to summon Frios? He just told me the flow of the Mist had to be at a peak...." Ipsen remembered what Kuja had said after that, he was the one that was to bring the mist to that point.
Eiko and Garnet nodded to one another, Robin looked to Ipsen and mouthed the words 'Here we go....'
"Did Vivi ever tell you about when they defeated Kuja in Memoria? How he 'destroyed' the Crystal?" Eiko asked. Ipsen nodded slowly. He had never thought that his once trusted friend was the villain from his father's favorite story to tell.
"It wasn't destroyed. He just broke it, but the sudden change in form for the Crystal resulted in Necron's summoning." Garnet continued.
"Necron?" Ipsen asked.
Eiko nodded and answered. "Necron, the undertaker, the universal collector of souls. He and Frios are similar, like cousins or siblings. When Necron was killed, Frios stepped up to take its place, to fill the position of an undertaker."
"Okay, so Frios replaced Necron." Ipsen confirmed.
"Yes, but that can change when the four pieces of the crystal are united at a time when the Mist flow is heavier then usual." she continued. "Then he will be allowed to run rampant in this world, allowed to take all the people's souls without their bodies releasing them. But a body can't live without a soul, after it had one that is, so, essentially, every human and animal will die."
"Right and the crystals have to be united in Memoria." Eiko added.
Garnet nodded. "You see, we gathered the four pieces of the crystal to insure their safe keeping, but we were robbed and the crystals were the only thing the robbers took."
"So we have no idea where they are," Robin sighed and sat beside Ipsen. Garnet looked to Robin.
"Yes, but you may." Garnet mused, touching the girl's horn.
"What?" Robin asked.
"Think about it, only a summoner can sense an eidolon's presence in a crystal," Garnet explained.
"Mom, you know better than anyone else that my summoning skills are minimal if that," Robin moaned in embarrassment.
"Are you sure he needed just Robin?" Eiko asked Ipsen. He nodded.
"Yes," the waltz replied.
"So, what do we do?" Robin asked.
"We can't just turn our backs on the matter...." Garnet said.
"I say we go in there and beat him three ways to next Friday!" Eiko laughed.
"I agree," Robin said solemnly. She added an internal comment. 'For doing all this to Ipsen. It's all Kuja's fault.'
"Okay, let's go explain the situation to everyone," Garnet said, getting up. Eiko, Robin and Ipsen followed after.
*`*`*`*`*`
*`*`*`*`*`*`
Chapter 2: Revelations
*`*`*`*`*`*`
"Ipsen," Robin murmured, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks as she buried her head in Ipsen's chest. "Please don't die."
Vivi sniffled and shifted on his feet, watching Robin. He couldn't bring himself to say anything. How could he? Part of him had even wished this upon Ipsen, but he never wanted it to happen. Warm, salty tears ran down Vivi's cheeks. He was my son. He can't...
Robin was crying softly. Freya had left, leaving the two alone. Vivi also turned around and began walking off, his mind a flurried mass of questions and accusations, most of them were regretful complaints on his behalf. I've been such a horrible father. If only I had done something....
"Ugh...." he grumbled opening his bright yellow eyes. He noticed Robin's usually pale face was flushed and her eyes were puffy with tears. "Wha-Why are you crying?"
"Ipsen!" Robin shouted, drawing attention to herself from everyone in the church. The girl wrapped her arms around his chest and hugged him fondly. "You're alive!!!"
"Robin!" Ipsen said, over ecstatic about Robin's welcome presence, knowing it wasn't a dream. He quickly sat up and returned her hug, lifting her off the ground.
"Ow, stop. That hurts." Robin chuckled as Ipsen wrapped her in a bear hug. He quickly released her after this statement, ruffling a wing apologetically.
"Sorry," he murmured.
"Don't know your own strength now that you're bigger than me, hm?" Robin said, rubbing her shoulder.
"Heh, right." Ipsen chuckled and looked about the church. "How'd I get here?"
"Well, you passed out in the street and....we brought you here." Robin shrugged.
"The street?" Ipsen asked. "Wh-what street?"
"Um, outside the church." Robin explained and motioned to the door.
"H-how'd I get there?" Ipsen whimpered.
"Don't you remember?" Robin asked.
Ipsen shook his head. "No, the last thing I remember was when Kuja stuck me with another needle in Treno."
"So, Kuja did this to you?" Robin asked with a slight tone of hatred, running her fingers slowly through his collar feathers. She had never met Kuja, but from her father's stories about his adventures, she knew he was a conniving man who was no good.
His eyes brightened in a pleased manner, Robin's touch was warm and gentle against the sensitive grain of his feathers. Robin nearly laughed when she noticed the contented and settled look in Ipsen's eyes. He smiled and brushed a hair from her face gently.
"Yeah, it was Kuja." Ipsen spat. "After I trusted him."
"What do you mean?" Robin asked.
"He was my only friend in Lindblum," Ipsen said, shaking his head. "The bastard."
"Wait! You were FRIENDS with him?!" Robin interrogated, her voice was slightly snappish.
"Don't rub it in, please," Ipsen huffed.
"Didn't your dad ever tell you about...?" Robin started off, but Ipsen cut her off.
"I was wrong, okay Robin?" Ipsen muttered. The girl sighed; afraid she had hurt his feelings.
"Jeez, lighten up," Robin chuckled and gave him a small bat with her fist playfully. Ipsen's expression lit up.
"Yeah, you're right," Ipsen said and looked around. "Where is everyone?"
"Up in the front of the church, come on," Robin said with a smile and tugged on his sleeve. The waltz got up and noticed the moon topped staff on the pew where he had just been sitting.
"Hm, pretty thing," he said admiringly. "Hey, Robin? Whose staff is this?"
"Yours," Robin replied.
He chuckled. "Okay, I'll just nod and pretend I know what you're talking about."
"You don't remember?" Robin asked again. "Do you remember attacking me?"
"What?" Ipsen said, looking very horrified. "I-I wouldn't! I didn't!"
"Heh, just kidding," Robin muttered with a forced smile. If he couldn't remember attacking her, maybe he didn't remember how he attacked Lindblum alongside the black mages. Maybe it was better he remained ignorant of what he had done.
"Don't joke like that, please," Ipsen said pleadingly. "If I ever tried to hurt you, I would never be able to live with myself."
"Sorry," Robin said with a smile as she got out of the pew. "Come on, Vivi's worried sick about you."
"No, he's not...he hates me," Ipsen muttered and began following Robin down the aisle.
*`*`*`*`*`
"Thank you," the little black mage said chirpily, taking the bowl of soup in his hands. The runt began slurping the broth down greedily. Eiko and Garnet watched him cheerfully; proud of how fast they had healed the small black mage into nearly perfect health. Vivi, Zidane, and Steiner were nowhere to be seen, as was Freya.
"Don't thank us, one of the clerics made it," Eiko said with a smile.
"So, what is your name little one?" Garnet asked.
The black mage took one last big gulp of soup and set the bowl down in his lap. "289, but you can call me Runt," he said with an affectionate smile, remembering how the black waltz leading the army had called him that several times.
"Okay Runt," Eiko said as Ipsen and Robin walked towards them.
"Hey Eiko," Robin greeted and looked down to Runt. "Hi, you're looking better."
"I'm feeling better," he replied chirpily. Runt looked to Ipsen. "You're okay! What happened?"
"Erm..." Ipsen muttered. The mage spoke to him with a tone of familiarity, but he never recalled seeing him before. Runt looked down, and chuckled.
"You really were like them," Runt mused, looking across the pews at a few of the sleeping black mages.
"What...?" Ipsen murmured, shaking his head.
"My name's Runt," the small mage introduced and held out a hand. Ipsen took it.
"Ipsen," he replied.
"I know!" he chuckled and hopped out of the pew. Ipsen shook his head in slight confusion, but turned to Robin.
...Bring her to Ice Cavern....
Ipsen shook his head and suddenly got a sinking feeling in his stomach. "Frios..." he murmured. Garnet, Eiko and Robin turned and looked at him as though he had just shouted a curse word.
"Wh-what did you say?" Garnet asked, tilting her head to one side.
"I-I said Frios. Kuja...he's..." Ipsen's thoughts raced as he tried to find words to tell them Kuja's plan. He quickly explained what he remembered.
"...and he said he's going to use that summon to create a Neo Terra, for the genomes." Ipsen finally ended, the three summoner's were gawking at him with slightly scowling faces, Eiko and Garnet were most baffled by the fact Kuja was still alive.
"This isn't good." Robin said to her mother. Eiko nodded and turned to Ipsen.
"Does he have the four crystals?" Garnet asked.
"Uh...I don't know....what crystals?" Ipsen asked innocently.
I want you to capture a girl by the name of Robin for me.
He shook his head again.
Bring her to Ice Cavern.
"Well, if Kuja had the crystals, he would have summoned it by now," Garnet said to Robin and Eiko, their conversation had progressed without Ipsen's help.
"If we only knew where he was," Robin mused. "We already know what he's planning."
"Ice Cavern," Ipsen suddenly said.
"What?" Eiko asked, turning to the waltz.
"H-he's at Ice Cavern, I'm sure of it," Ipsen nodded. "He needs Robin."
"What? How do you know? Why me?" Robin fired off.
"I don't know," he muttered. "What are these crystals? Why does he need them to summon Frios? He just told me the flow of the Mist had to be at a peak...." Ipsen remembered what Kuja had said after that, he was the one that was to bring the mist to that point.
Eiko and Garnet nodded to one another, Robin looked to Ipsen and mouthed the words 'Here we go....'
"Did Vivi ever tell you about when they defeated Kuja in Memoria? How he 'destroyed' the Crystal?" Eiko asked. Ipsen nodded slowly. He had never thought that his once trusted friend was the villain from his father's favorite story to tell.
"It wasn't destroyed. He just broke it, but the sudden change in form for the Crystal resulted in Necron's summoning." Garnet continued.
"Necron?" Ipsen asked.
Eiko nodded and answered. "Necron, the undertaker, the universal collector of souls. He and Frios are similar, like cousins or siblings. When Necron was killed, Frios stepped up to take its place, to fill the position of an undertaker."
"Okay, so Frios replaced Necron." Ipsen confirmed.
"Yes, but that can change when the four pieces of the crystal are united at a time when the Mist flow is heavier then usual." she continued. "Then he will be allowed to run rampant in this world, allowed to take all the people's souls without their bodies releasing them. But a body can't live without a soul, after it had one that is, so, essentially, every human and animal will die."
"Right and the crystals have to be united in Memoria." Eiko added.
Garnet nodded. "You see, we gathered the four pieces of the crystal to insure their safe keeping, but we were robbed and the crystals were the only thing the robbers took."
"So we have no idea where they are," Robin sighed and sat beside Ipsen. Garnet looked to Robin.
"Yes, but you may." Garnet mused, touching the girl's horn.
"What?" Robin asked.
"Think about it, only a summoner can sense an eidolon's presence in a crystal," Garnet explained.
"Mom, you know better than anyone else that my summoning skills are minimal if that," Robin moaned in embarrassment.
"Are you sure he needed just Robin?" Eiko asked Ipsen. He nodded.
"Yes," the waltz replied.
"So, what do we do?" Robin asked.
"We can't just turn our backs on the matter...." Garnet said.
"I say we go in there and beat him three ways to next Friday!" Eiko laughed.
"I agree," Robin said solemnly. She added an internal comment. 'For doing all this to Ipsen. It's all Kuja's fault.'
"Okay, let's go explain the situation to everyone," Garnet said, getting up. Eiko, Robin and Ipsen followed after.
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