Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.
*`*`*`*`*
Author's Note: Wow, last chapter I started January 24th and finished February
28th, pretty said, no? Well, anyways, please be sure to leave a review or contact
me! I'm so alone....
~NeoNaoNeo
*`*`*`*`*
Chapter 6: Accident
*`*`*`*`*
"Are we almost there?" Ipsen asked his flying companion with a pant, shifting
feathers and desperately trying to hold his glide in the dead night air. Mortimer
seemed to be doing much better in the night air; small, sparrow-like wings and
muscles working easily, meant to be constantly flapped and used. The waltz
fidgeted with a bell and looked about, getting his bearings straight in the
unfamiliar territory.
"I-it's over this way," Mortimer said to Ipsen, starting to ascend as they
approached a plateau, Treno resting in top. Zidane looked back to Vivi.
"Hang on!" Zidane said and tugged on Choco's reigns, the bird began slowing
down as they neared the plateau.
"Why---whoa!!!" Vivi squeaked as Choco began scaling the sheer rock face,
leaping from boulder to boulder. The mage quickly wrapped his arms around
Zidane's waist, fearing for his life.
"Almost to the top," Zidane reported. The chocobo took one last bound and
landed on the grass, claws digging into the soil for balance. Vivi was still holding
onto Zidane, shaking all over. Ipsen and Mortimer had been waiting, both giving
their wings a brief rest.
"So where does he live?" Zidane asked as he pulled Choco's reigns to bring him
to a stop.
"In that cave, over there," Mortimer said and pointed, starting to walk towards
the small cave just west of Treno. It wasn't long before Mortimer stopped, as
though presenting it to the group. Zidane and Vivi dismounted, the black mage
was the first to pipe up.
"This is Grandpa's home," Vivi murmured, feeling offended that inhuman
MONSTER had taken refuge in his loving grandfather's dwelling. The black
mage was the first to walk in, ready to blast Black Waltz Three four ways to next
week, not just because he was living in Quan's cave. He was going to take
revenge for all the black mages he had killed, for everything that had happened
at Dali.
About halfway across the ridge, Black Waltz Three came out to meet them,
walking as proudly as ever, eyes still burning with the same fierce light. But any
thought of revenge drained from Vivi's mind when he saw the wings on his
back. The left was horribly warped and twisted, several lumps of feathers had
fallen out, the actual wing stuck out at maimed angles. His entire right wing was
missing, only a feathered stump remained where his source of pride once was.
Vivi knew how much Ipsen loved flying and only assumed Three had the same
joy, and if he did, that was consequence enough for what he had done.
"Hi Odin," Mortimer waved. "You know Vivi and Zidane right?"
"Yes, but who might this be?" Odin asked, looking at Ipsen. He caught sight of
the moon topped staff Ipsen held and grinned, but held his tongue.
"This is Ipsen, Vivi's son," Mortimer said. Odin nodded a small greeting.
"So that's where my staff's been all this time," Odin chuckled and motioned
slightly with his shabbily bandaged and gloved hand. He noticed the tip was
covered in dried blood. "May I see?"
"Oh, heh. This is yours?" Ipsen confirmed. Odin nodded and received his staff
gratefully, twirling it in his hand for a moment. He then ran his knuckle over the
outer and inner edges of the moon's crescents, checking the sharpness of the
blade. Odin then examined the actual wooden part of the staff and chuckled,
finding his name raggedly carved along with the words 'six weeks' and a small
notch right below the midpoint of the staff.
"Ah, beautiful workmanship if I say so myself," Odin mused, still examining his
weapon. "I'll clean it up later. But perhaps you would like to tell me your
purposes for being here. I'm sure it wasn't just to visit."
"Kuja, h-he wants the crystals," Mortimer replied.
"Well, that's why we have them," Odin retorted. "To make sure no one else lays a
finger on them."
"B-but, I don't think we alone will be strong enough to protect them from Kuja,"
Mortimer whispered.
Odin looked over to Ipsen.
"Well, why couldn't he help?" Odin asked.
"H-he still has the programming...." Mortimer said.
"As do I, but that hasn't stopped me," Odin chuckled, pulling his hat down over
his eyes a moment in a usual, slightly evil looking pose. Ipsen gulped, beginning
to feel Odin was somewhat eccentric. "Alright, well I can undo that. Is that it?"
Mortimer nodded.
"What do you think they're talking about?" Zidane asked Vivi quietly, the three
black waltzes were excluding the two from their conversation. Vivi cleared his
throat to get their attention.
"Excuse me," Vivi huffed. Odin walked away from the small cluster and waved
sheepishly to Zidane and Vivi.
"I'm afraid I owe you two an apology for my behavior on the airship at Dali,"
Odin sighed.
"Ah, that was twenty years ago, we've gotten over it," Zidane shrugged.
"What happened to your wing?" Vivi asked childishly.
"Hm?" Odin grunted and looked over his shoulder, as if to remind himself. "It's a
long story...I'll have to tell you later. But first I'll take care of the boy."
Ipsen gulped, looking to his father fearfully.
"....dad?" Ipsen murmured, hoping for some reassurance.
"You can trust him," Vivi nodded, though wasn't completely sure himself.
"Come on now," Odin said, jerking his head towards the kitchen. "Follow me to
the back room. The rest of you can make yourselves at home. Feel free to help
yourselves to some food, just don't touch my bundt cakes."
"Aw," Mortimer grumbled and hobbled into the kitchen as Odin and Ipsen
followed, Zidane and Vivi coming after them. Odin walked over to the corner
and pulled back a ragged, salmon pink curtain, revealing a dim, torch-lit room.
"Well? What are you waiting for?" Odin snapped jokingly, motioning inside.
Ipsen turned to Vivi frightfully, remembering the last time something like this
had happened, but complied with a reassuring nod from the mage. "Don't worry,
I won't do anything but get rid off the programming, nothing more. Trust me."
"I do, I don't know why, but I do." Vivi muttered and went to join Zidane and
Mortimer in the kitchen.
*`*`*`*`*`
"Comfy?" Odin asked. Ipsen shook his head no. "Well, at least try to relax. If not,
you'll make the whole procedure that much more complicated."
"How am I supposed to relax when I know you're going to be prodding my
mind?" Ipsen snapped. "How do I even know that you know what you're doing?"
"I do, I can assure you," Odin said. "Now sit down."
Ipsen sighed and plopped down on the bed.
"Take off your hat," Odin directed, receiving a wide-eyed look from Ipsen.
"N-No!" he grumbled and pulled the brim down. Odin rolled his eyes and
repeated himself.
"Take it off...."
"No..." Ipsen retorted. Odin sighed.
"Last warning, I'll MAKE you take it off if I have to," Odin growled.
Ipsen looked about then gave Odin a challenging glance, feathers bristling
slightly. The third black waltz chuckled and cracked his knuckles.
"Okay," Odin sighed and walked over to Ipsen. Before Ipsen could teleport, Odin
cast a mysterious spell that prevented this sudden movement.
"Wh-what'd you do?!" Ipsen snapped.
"Demo tried the same thing," Odin chuckled, towering over his counterpart.
"Now, are you going to take it off or not?"
Ipsen grumbled and tossed it to the side, black and dusty blonde streaked hair
sticking up in every direction.
"There, that wasn't so hard, now was it?" Odin sighed and ran his fingers
through Ipsen's hair. "Now, I'm warning you...this is going to hurt. Not a small
pinch mind you."
Ipsen gulped.
"You sure you want to go through with it?" Odin asked. Ipsen nodded, head low
and eyes closed.
"Okay, I'll do my best," Odin said and closed his eyes to concentrate on the
procedure.
*`*`*`*`*`
"Ooh....they've been in there nearly an hour..." Vivi muttered, pacing nervously
in a circle in the kitchen. Everything was cleaned up and organized, a stark
contrast to the chaos Quan had kept in his kitchen.
"You're going to make me sick...." Mortimer groaned and leaned back in his
chair, putting a hand over his eyes. Over the past hour they had been talking,
Zidane and Vivi were beginning to accept Mortimer more and more as a friend
and ally, though Vivi was still skiddish about Odin and his intentions.
"Sorry," he apologized.
"Don't worry, Ipsen'll be okay," Zidane said. "He's been through worse."
"I suppose..." Vivi grumbled and took a seat near Zidane, the sound of
Mortimer's bell jingled through the air merrily as he fidgeted with it. The curtain
swished open, Odin walked out with a sigh.
"What's wrong? What happened?" Vivi demanded. "Is Ipsen okay?"
"He's sleeping," Odin replied. "The procedure went through fine, he should be up
soon. He shouldn't have reason to fear Kuja now."
"Besides the fact he's loud and scary and looks like a girl?" Mortimer chuckled
with an uncharacteristically sarcastic tone.
"Well, we could have said the same for Demo for a period of time," Odin replied.
"So, why did you guys take the crystals? How'd you even know we had them?"
Zidane asked, changing the subject.
"Well, you see..." Mortimer started off.
"The thing is, we thought we owed you for what we did. So we took them for
safe keeping," Odin said. "We thought if we all took one and went off in
somewhat remote places, it'd make it that much harder to find them and that
much harder for them to wander into the wrong person's hands."
"As for how we knew," Mortimer said. "Your friend Amarant told us, quite
unwittingly may I add."
"Oh really?" Zidane asked.
"Uh-huh," Mortimer nodded.
"So, do you know why Kuja wants to summon Frios?" Odin asked, once again
changing the subject slightly.
"No idea..." Zidane shrugged.
"I do," Ipsen said, stumbling through the doorway. "He wants to make a
Neo-Terra, to get rid of all inhabitants on this world besides the genomes."
"What? That's insanity!" Odin snapped.
"That's what he's planning," Ipsen said and took a seat. "Ow...my freakin' head
hurts."
"Language," Vivi scolded.
"Sorry," Ipsen grunted.
"It might hurt for awhile, just be patient," Odin directed. "So, what did you three
plan on doing with the crystals once you got them?"
"We actually just came here just because we wanted to find the girls and warn
them that Kuja has a crystal," Zidane explained. "Not really because we want
them."
"And what if they find Kuja first?" Odin implored.
"Well, we're hoping fate's on our side and leads them our way," Ipsen mused
wistfully.
"Besides, you have two crystals, right? So they're more likely to come here first,"
Zidane said.
"Hm, but you know the saying, 'If something can go wrong, it usually does.'"
Odin replied pessimistically. "But if they do come here first, you should just let
Kuja keep the crystal he has and be done with it. He can't do anything with just
one."
"Okay, we'll keep that in mind." Zidane nodded.
Suddenly, another being appeared in the middle of the kitchen from thin air. He
shook his head and wings, feathers a brilliant azure and bright yellow. His robes
were a vibrant grass green, the sleeves trimmed with yellow. The robes were
fairly baggy and reached to the figure's knees. He was also wearing olive green
pants and leather boots, the outfit throwing the group off for a few moments
before they recognized him as Black Waltz No. 2.
"Demo!" Mortimer exclaimed joyfully and wrapped his arms around his friend's
waist in a hug.
"Mortimer!" Demo retorted and returned the hug. "I'm so glad I got here before
Kuja!"
"What? Kuja?" Zidane asked.
"Yes, i-its terrible!" Demo said. "I-I'll explain everything."
*`*`*`*`*`*`
*`*`*`*`*
Author's Note: Wow, last chapter I started January 24th and finished February
28th, pretty said, no? Well, anyways, please be sure to leave a review or contact
me! I'm so alone....
~NeoNaoNeo
*`*`*`*`*
Chapter 6: Accident
*`*`*`*`*
"Are we almost there?" Ipsen asked his flying companion with a pant, shifting
feathers and desperately trying to hold his glide in the dead night air. Mortimer
seemed to be doing much better in the night air; small, sparrow-like wings and
muscles working easily, meant to be constantly flapped and used. The waltz
fidgeted with a bell and looked about, getting his bearings straight in the
unfamiliar territory.
"I-it's over this way," Mortimer said to Ipsen, starting to ascend as they
approached a plateau, Treno resting in top. Zidane looked back to Vivi.
"Hang on!" Zidane said and tugged on Choco's reigns, the bird began slowing
down as they neared the plateau.
"Why---whoa!!!" Vivi squeaked as Choco began scaling the sheer rock face,
leaping from boulder to boulder. The mage quickly wrapped his arms around
Zidane's waist, fearing for his life.
"Almost to the top," Zidane reported. The chocobo took one last bound and
landed on the grass, claws digging into the soil for balance. Vivi was still holding
onto Zidane, shaking all over. Ipsen and Mortimer had been waiting, both giving
their wings a brief rest.
"So where does he live?" Zidane asked as he pulled Choco's reigns to bring him
to a stop.
"In that cave, over there," Mortimer said and pointed, starting to walk towards
the small cave just west of Treno. It wasn't long before Mortimer stopped, as
though presenting it to the group. Zidane and Vivi dismounted, the black mage
was the first to pipe up.
"This is Grandpa's home," Vivi murmured, feeling offended that inhuman
MONSTER had taken refuge in his loving grandfather's dwelling. The black
mage was the first to walk in, ready to blast Black Waltz Three four ways to next
week, not just because he was living in Quan's cave. He was going to take
revenge for all the black mages he had killed, for everything that had happened
at Dali.
About halfway across the ridge, Black Waltz Three came out to meet them,
walking as proudly as ever, eyes still burning with the same fierce light. But any
thought of revenge drained from Vivi's mind when he saw the wings on his
back. The left was horribly warped and twisted, several lumps of feathers had
fallen out, the actual wing stuck out at maimed angles. His entire right wing was
missing, only a feathered stump remained where his source of pride once was.
Vivi knew how much Ipsen loved flying and only assumed Three had the same
joy, and if he did, that was consequence enough for what he had done.
"Hi Odin," Mortimer waved. "You know Vivi and Zidane right?"
"Yes, but who might this be?" Odin asked, looking at Ipsen. He caught sight of
the moon topped staff Ipsen held and grinned, but held his tongue.
"This is Ipsen, Vivi's son," Mortimer said. Odin nodded a small greeting.
"So that's where my staff's been all this time," Odin chuckled and motioned
slightly with his shabbily bandaged and gloved hand. He noticed the tip was
covered in dried blood. "May I see?"
"Oh, heh. This is yours?" Ipsen confirmed. Odin nodded and received his staff
gratefully, twirling it in his hand for a moment. He then ran his knuckle over the
outer and inner edges of the moon's crescents, checking the sharpness of the
blade. Odin then examined the actual wooden part of the staff and chuckled,
finding his name raggedly carved along with the words 'six weeks' and a small
notch right below the midpoint of the staff.
"Ah, beautiful workmanship if I say so myself," Odin mused, still examining his
weapon. "I'll clean it up later. But perhaps you would like to tell me your
purposes for being here. I'm sure it wasn't just to visit."
"Kuja, h-he wants the crystals," Mortimer replied.
"Well, that's why we have them," Odin retorted. "To make sure no one else lays a
finger on them."
"B-but, I don't think we alone will be strong enough to protect them from Kuja,"
Mortimer whispered.
Odin looked over to Ipsen.
"Well, why couldn't he help?" Odin asked.
"H-he still has the programming...." Mortimer said.
"As do I, but that hasn't stopped me," Odin chuckled, pulling his hat down over
his eyes a moment in a usual, slightly evil looking pose. Ipsen gulped, beginning
to feel Odin was somewhat eccentric. "Alright, well I can undo that. Is that it?"
Mortimer nodded.
"What do you think they're talking about?" Zidane asked Vivi quietly, the three
black waltzes were excluding the two from their conversation. Vivi cleared his
throat to get their attention.
"Excuse me," Vivi huffed. Odin walked away from the small cluster and waved
sheepishly to Zidane and Vivi.
"I'm afraid I owe you two an apology for my behavior on the airship at Dali,"
Odin sighed.
"Ah, that was twenty years ago, we've gotten over it," Zidane shrugged.
"What happened to your wing?" Vivi asked childishly.
"Hm?" Odin grunted and looked over his shoulder, as if to remind himself. "It's a
long story...I'll have to tell you later. But first I'll take care of the boy."
Ipsen gulped, looking to his father fearfully.
"....dad?" Ipsen murmured, hoping for some reassurance.
"You can trust him," Vivi nodded, though wasn't completely sure himself.
"Come on now," Odin said, jerking his head towards the kitchen. "Follow me to
the back room. The rest of you can make yourselves at home. Feel free to help
yourselves to some food, just don't touch my bundt cakes."
"Aw," Mortimer grumbled and hobbled into the kitchen as Odin and Ipsen
followed, Zidane and Vivi coming after them. Odin walked over to the corner
and pulled back a ragged, salmon pink curtain, revealing a dim, torch-lit room.
"Well? What are you waiting for?" Odin snapped jokingly, motioning inside.
Ipsen turned to Vivi frightfully, remembering the last time something like this
had happened, but complied with a reassuring nod from the mage. "Don't worry,
I won't do anything but get rid off the programming, nothing more. Trust me."
"I do, I don't know why, but I do." Vivi muttered and went to join Zidane and
Mortimer in the kitchen.
*`*`*`*`*`
"Comfy?" Odin asked. Ipsen shook his head no. "Well, at least try to relax. If not,
you'll make the whole procedure that much more complicated."
"How am I supposed to relax when I know you're going to be prodding my
mind?" Ipsen snapped. "How do I even know that you know what you're doing?"
"I do, I can assure you," Odin said. "Now sit down."
Ipsen sighed and plopped down on the bed.
"Take off your hat," Odin directed, receiving a wide-eyed look from Ipsen.
"N-No!" he grumbled and pulled the brim down. Odin rolled his eyes and
repeated himself.
"Take it off...."
"No..." Ipsen retorted. Odin sighed.
"Last warning, I'll MAKE you take it off if I have to," Odin growled.
Ipsen looked about then gave Odin a challenging glance, feathers bristling
slightly. The third black waltz chuckled and cracked his knuckles.
"Okay," Odin sighed and walked over to Ipsen. Before Ipsen could teleport, Odin
cast a mysterious spell that prevented this sudden movement.
"Wh-what'd you do?!" Ipsen snapped.
"Demo tried the same thing," Odin chuckled, towering over his counterpart.
"Now, are you going to take it off or not?"
Ipsen grumbled and tossed it to the side, black and dusty blonde streaked hair
sticking up in every direction.
"There, that wasn't so hard, now was it?" Odin sighed and ran his fingers
through Ipsen's hair. "Now, I'm warning you...this is going to hurt. Not a small
pinch mind you."
Ipsen gulped.
"You sure you want to go through with it?" Odin asked. Ipsen nodded, head low
and eyes closed.
"Okay, I'll do my best," Odin said and closed his eyes to concentrate on the
procedure.
*`*`*`*`*`
"Ooh....they've been in there nearly an hour..." Vivi muttered, pacing nervously
in a circle in the kitchen. Everything was cleaned up and organized, a stark
contrast to the chaos Quan had kept in his kitchen.
"You're going to make me sick...." Mortimer groaned and leaned back in his
chair, putting a hand over his eyes. Over the past hour they had been talking,
Zidane and Vivi were beginning to accept Mortimer more and more as a friend
and ally, though Vivi was still skiddish about Odin and his intentions.
"Sorry," he apologized.
"Don't worry, Ipsen'll be okay," Zidane said. "He's been through worse."
"I suppose..." Vivi grumbled and took a seat near Zidane, the sound of
Mortimer's bell jingled through the air merrily as he fidgeted with it. The curtain
swished open, Odin walked out with a sigh.
"What's wrong? What happened?" Vivi demanded. "Is Ipsen okay?"
"He's sleeping," Odin replied. "The procedure went through fine, he should be up
soon. He shouldn't have reason to fear Kuja now."
"Besides the fact he's loud and scary and looks like a girl?" Mortimer chuckled
with an uncharacteristically sarcastic tone.
"Well, we could have said the same for Demo for a period of time," Odin replied.
"So, why did you guys take the crystals? How'd you even know we had them?"
Zidane asked, changing the subject.
"Well, you see..." Mortimer started off.
"The thing is, we thought we owed you for what we did. So we took them for
safe keeping," Odin said. "We thought if we all took one and went off in
somewhat remote places, it'd make it that much harder to find them and that
much harder for them to wander into the wrong person's hands."
"As for how we knew," Mortimer said. "Your friend Amarant told us, quite
unwittingly may I add."
"Oh really?" Zidane asked.
"Uh-huh," Mortimer nodded.
"So, do you know why Kuja wants to summon Frios?" Odin asked, once again
changing the subject slightly.
"No idea..." Zidane shrugged.
"I do," Ipsen said, stumbling through the doorway. "He wants to make a
Neo-Terra, to get rid of all inhabitants on this world besides the genomes."
"What? That's insanity!" Odin snapped.
"That's what he's planning," Ipsen said and took a seat. "Ow...my freakin' head
hurts."
"Language," Vivi scolded.
"Sorry," Ipsen grunted.
"It might hurt for awhile, just be patient," Odin directed. "So, what did you three
plan on doing with the crystals once you got them?"
"We actually just came here just because we wanted to find the girls and warn
them that Kuja has a crystal," Zidane explained. "Not really because we want
them."
"And what if they find Kuja first?" Odin implored.
"Well, we're hoping fate's on our side and leads them our way," Ipsen mused
wistfully.
"Besides, you have two crystals, right? So they're more likely to come here first,"
Zidane said.
"Hm, but you know the saying, 'If something can go wrong, it usually does.'"
Odin replied pessimistically. "But if they do come here first, you should just let
Kuja keep the crystal he has and be done with it. He can't do anything with just
one."
"Okay, we'll keep that in mind." Zidane nodded.
Suddenly, another being appeared in the middle of the kitchen from thin air. He
shook his head and wings, feathers a brilliant azure and bright yellow. His robes
were a vibrant grass green, the sleeves trimmed with yellow. The robes were
fairly baggy and reached to the figure's knees. He was also wearing olive green
pants and leather boots, the outfit throwing the group off for a few moments
before they recognized him as Black Waltz No. 2.
"Demo!" Mortimer exclaimed joyfully and wrapped his arms around his friend's
waist in a hug.
"Mortimer!" Demo retorted and returned the hug. "I'm so glad I got here before
Kuja!"
"What? Kuja?" Zidane asked.
"Yes, i-its terrible!" Demo said. "I-I'll explain everything."
*`*`*`*`*`*`