Alright, here is a completely new second chapter. Please read and review, to tell me how I am doing, or what you would like to see happen.
Disclaimer: I think I forget these somethimes... Final Fantasy IX is not mine.
Chapter 2
Rain splattered on the outside of the castle, but inside was a festive celebration. The dance floor was lit up, and three beat waltzes kept the dancers going into the night.
Garnet, queen of Alexandria stood tiredly to the outer edge of the marble floor sipping her drink delicately. Ambassadors from every corner of Gaia were present, and talking about the recent changes the new treaty would create.
She sighed, feeling very weary, at least Zidane has energy, she thought as she watched him twirl the ladies on the dance floor. He was such a charmer, even from the first day she met him, but that was one reason she fell in love with the past-less genome.
An angry voice brought her attention back to the conversation not too far from her, "...The treaty is not enough! We need a more concrete presence if peace can be achieved."
Turning around, Garnet spotted Paraphyses, an old noble of Treno. He was speaking to a Bermecian dignitary and several others who must have been from Lindblum by their attire. His daughter, Calyptra, stood behind him silently, her doe eyes wide.
The Bermecian stayed quiet, but one of the members of the Lindblum emissary spoke up, drawing a hand through his short black hair, "Perhaps, but Treno has never had a military. And with the support of the other kingdoms-"
Paraphyses cut him off, his wrinkled face turning red, "-yes, trust the other kingdoms above your own! That is easy for you to say, Lindblum maintains a strong military and still does! However, Treno is constrained to the treaty!"
He was coughing, and Calyptra rushed to his side, "Father, please, you're making a scene."
People around them had stopped and were staring at the old man, but he continued, "I remember the Great War, boy!" he shouted, pointing a spindly finger at the young man who spoke up earlier, "If you didn't have a sword to protect you, you were killed! All this nonsense about trusting the other kingdoms to your own safety... Do you think they will rush to your side when this queen of Alexandria goes mad like her late mother, and destroys your precious city?"
Garnet stood shocked, as most of the room looked to her. That senile old... how dare he!
Paraphyses just chuckled, as Garnet remained frozen in place, "She has nothing to refute it."
"She doesn't need to." a voice from Garnet's side said. She looked to see Zidane there, his features cross.
Tension was thick in the air, but it was a loud crash from above that brought the argument to a close. The whole castle shook, and a high pitched scream resounded off the walls, keeping pace with the sudden crescendo the waltz rose to.
The Queen staggered and fell heavily on her knees, and a shock of pain traveling up her back. The rumble persisted for a moment, then stopped with alarming suddenness.
Garnet opened her eyes, feeling relief when Zidane appeared before her. She looked around her, everyone was cautiously getting up from the floor, no doubt wondering what had caused the commotion.
"Your Highness!"
Her head snapped in the direction of Beatrix's panicked voice. Already the general was running towards her, "Are you injured?"
She got up a bit painfully, but let it slide, "No, I'm fine. What happened?"
"There was an attack."
"What?!"
Beatrix held up her hand, "The situation is under control now-"
"What the hell happened, Beatrix!" Zidane asked angrily, interrupting her.
The general sighed, resentful that she had not prevented the attack, "There was a silver dragon, it entered the nursery and-"
Garnet has panicked now, "The nursery! Where is Terra and Leo? Are they alright?" she said, hurriedly.
"Yes, yes, they are fine. Mikoto protected them until the guards arrived." Beatrix reassured her.
"A silver dragon, you say?" an old voice croaked out.
All three turned to see Paraphyses listening intently to their conversation, an odd smile on his prune face. Calyptra seemed worried, and then just stared at the ground, her dark tousled hair obscuring her profile. He continued, "You do know that Mist monsters are gone now, right?" voice dripping with condescension.
"Father, please."
"Hush, girl. I want to hear what the mighty queen has to say."
Garnet narrowed her eyes at the old man, and started to tell him just where Beatrix could stick her sword, diplomacy be damned, but Zidane spoke out first, "Yes, she does. I'm sure there is a reason for it."
"It is undeniably a silver dragon," Beatrix backed up the genome, "You can go see it's corpse of you don't believe it."
The old man just turned his hawkish eyes to the queen and smirked wickedly, "Does your voice not work?"
"I want you out of my home, now." she said clearly, "Leave now, or I'll have you escorted out."
"Please, he is just a harmless old man," Calyptra spoke from her father's side, he snorted in protest to her words, "We can leave without an escort."
"Leave then." Zidane said.
The dark haired woman smiled gratefully at him, "Thank you."
Calyptra then ushered her feeble father out of the ballroom, many people's eyes following them as they left. Garnet shook her head sadly, wallowing in self pity for a moment before hurrying up the stairs to see her children.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mikoto winced in pain as she sat down, the dragon's claw marks on her back burning. She closed her verdant eyes, and cast a Cura spell on herself. The gashes faded, leaving only mildly uncomfortable red welts in their wake.
Letting out a relieved sigh, she glanced around to the frenzy of soldiers in the room. Terra and Leo had already been taken away, the regular nanny awoken to comfort the crying children. Last she had seen, Terra was sobbing openly, and clutching her dirty, wet, plushie in a stranglehold. Leo had been crying, but hadn't made a single noise during the attack.
Mikoto had felt the unrestrained waves of fear the two had emitted, and it hurt her to know the young ones had been exposed to such a traumatic event. They shouldn't have been in danger... they were just children...
The storm had died down, but heavy rain still came through the huge hole in the castle wall, soaking everyone inside. Mikoto got up, a bit unsteadily onto her feet, and shuffled to the doorway, intent on finding a place to collapse where she wouldn't be trampled on.
She brushed some of her long, blonde bangs out of her eyes, and could feel the loose knot of hair pulling on the top of her scalp. I must be a mess..., she thought, as she rubbed a hand over face, wiping away the droplets of water there. Not to mention the back of this dress is shredded.
"Mikoto? There you are."
The genome turned to see Freya, dressed in fashionable Cleyran robes, come towards her. She seemed worried, and if Mikoto was interpreting her feelings correctly, a bit confused as well. Freya started to check the genome for injury, while asking, "What happened? I can't get a single answer from any of the guards."
Mikoto let herself be led away from the destroyed room, grateful for her friend's help, "It was a silver dragon."
The Burmecian stopped, shocked, "What? How can that be? The Mist is gone..."
"Apparently not." the genome said a bit icily, and sat on one of the decorative benches that lined the opulent hallway.
"Ever present cynicism aside," Freya continued, "A dragon could have done some serious damage to you, not to mention the children. You are lucky Garnet posted extra guards."
Mikoto just looked away, and didn't correct her friend. I had been lucky... It took me by surprise. I didn't feel it until it was too late... "My powers have been acting up again." she said eventually.
Freya frowned, "What do you mean?"
She glanced around, making sure no one was eavesdropping on the conversation, "I have been having dreams, no, more like visions. I had one right before the attack, and... here is the strange thing... Terra had one too. The way she described it, I could not help but notice the similarities."
The Burmecian didn't respond right away, "I have always respected your powers, Mikoto. But, this seems a bit far-fetched to me. Sharing dreams? Are you sure it is just not trauma from the attack?"
"Maybe you are right." Mikoto conceded. She had been under a lot of stress lately, helping Garnet organize the celebration. Besides, why would we share a dream? Terra is just a little girl.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The verdant valleys of the Mist Continent passed by underneath Mikoto's matching eyes. Lazy, sapphire rivers meandered easily through the forests and villages, tiny blue veins of Gaia.
The genome leaned on the railing of the airship, feeling the soft wind brush through her messed bangs. Little white birds flew by, fading quickly from sight.
She stared, unaffected by the beauty around her. At the bow of the airship, she stood alone, it would be nice if someone were here...
Frowning, Mikoto straightened, and rested her hands on the top of the wide railing, palms down. Her tail swung behind her, hidden in her skirts, as the Grand Castle of Lindblum came upon the approaching horizon.