A/N: I'm back! Are y'all happy I finally stopped procrastinating about the
Megan/Kuja thing? I know I am! Now I can get to the PLOT! Yay! Erm . .
. Yeah, that's about all I gotta say ^_^ Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em
comin'! I'm getting close to two-hundred soon, so let's see how fast I can
hit the mark, hehe.
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy is, like, so totally not mine . . .
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"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent."
- John Donne, Devotions, 1624
The following morning, Zidane sat around the dining room table with the others. Quina had prepared breakfast as usual, and was bouncing up and down waiting for them all to try it. Everyone except Amarant commented on the surprisingly good taste. The bandit just grunted and shoveled the food down as fast as he could.
To Zidane, nothing seemed different that morning. For him, life had gone on and everything remained relatively the same. It wasn't until a new presence was added to the room that the genome realized how many things had been distorted during the night.
"Megan?" Garnet queried, her voice raised in mild surprise. The young Summoner stood in the doorway, eyes slightly red from lack of sleep. She looked somewhat zombie-like, and in the surrounding cheerful atmosphere, she seemed to stick out like a black spot in the room.
"Can I join you?" Megan queried softly, gazing down at the floor. Garnet noticed immediately that the young girl was not just over-tired but positively sick. Her majesty stood up hurriedly and led Megan to a chair beside her own.
"Of course!" the queen said cheerfully, allowing the brunette to sit down. "You've never come in here for breakfast before. What's changed?"
"Many things . . ." Megan responded simply, her voice barely above a whisper. Garnet threw a silencing glare around the table at the others and then offered Megan a plate.
"Would you like something to eat?"
"No, thank you . . ."
"To drink?"
"I'm fine,"
Garnet threw Zidane a questioning look. "Well . . . Alright, then, I guess . . ." She sat down herself. Slowly, the conversations started back up again. Megan retreated back within herself, eventually zoning out completely. However, at the mention of a now familiar name, her mind snapped back to reality.
". . . Kuja . . . not allowed to leave the castle anymore . . ."
"Good. Maybe now . . . have some order around here . . ."
Across the table from Megan, Steiner was attempting to explain the current situation to Freya and Fratley, who had not yet been informed of the change. Megan strained her ears to listen, realizing for the first time that their voices were probably lowered so that she wouldn't hear Kuja's real name.
". . . One too many deaths . . ."
". . . Can't forget . . . three years ago . . ."
Fratley had a highly disapproving look on his furry face as he listened to his girl-friend, however, the Dragoon Knight refrained from speaking.
". . . Orders by the queen, too . . ."
"Good. Can't ever forgive . . . So many lives . . ."
That did it. Megan, in a surprising bout of sudden energy, slammed her fists down upon the table with a crash and leapt furiously to her feet.
"THAT BASTARD!!!" she screamed, nearly frothing at the mouth with fury. "I'LL KILL HIM, I'LL - " The young woman gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth as she realized what she was saying. With a squeak, she flopped back into her seat. The others were silent. Zidane's brow furrowed.
/What is she . . .?/
"Zidane, I needed to borrow - "
All eyes turned to the newcomer at the doorway. Kuja was staring in horror at Megan, having not noticed her before. "Uh . . . On second thought . . ."
"Stop right there!" Megan cried, throwing down her chair as she flew to her feet once more. Kuja froze obediently.
"I didn't do it," he said immediately, turning to leave. Megan scrambled towards the doorway and stepped down hard on the sorcerer's tail. He yelped but quickly stifled it.
"Just WHERE do you think you're going?!" Megan snarled, poking Kuja in the arm. "You owe me that bag of gil! You told me to take it, so GIVE it to me!"
Kuja hated to admit it, but he was almost afraid of the girl. Rummaging feverishly through his pockets, the warlock turned out the bag of money and quickly tossed it to her. To say thanks, Megan stepped off his tail. Kuja quickly grabbed the damaged limb and vainly attempted to rub some feeling back into it. Megan smirked, eyes glittering malevolently.
"Thanks . . . KUJA . . ."
There was silence. Eiko's eyes had reached saucer-sized proportions. Zidane could scarcely breathe.
/He told her . . ./ the blonde genome thought wistfully. /The bastard finally told her . . . Shit! I've got to find Doctor Tot!/
Zidane stood up instantly, gave a quick nod to Garnet, and tore out of the room. Kuja watched his brother go, blinking. Then he backed timidly out of the hall and attempted to find a part of the castle as far away from Megan as possible.
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"Doctor Tot!" Zidane shouted, knocking angrily on the professor's door. "Open up! Come on!"
"All right, I'm coming!" a voice yelled, annoyed, from the other side. The door creaked open to reveal Tot standing there, looking flustered and a bit agitated. "What is it?"
Zidane folded his arms across his chest. "Megan knows," he said simply. Tot gasped, took off his glasses, and wiped them on his shirt in an excited sort of manner.
"Seriously?" Zidane nodded. The doctor let out a sigh of relief. "Thank god . . . Come inside,"
Zidane stepped through the threshold into Doctor Tot's Alexandrian office. It was roomy if not a bit disorganized. The bookshelves were spilling over with leafy volumes and the desk was cluttered with papers. The teacher signaled for Zidane to pull up a chair before seating himself behind the desk.
"Well," Tot began, leaning back in his seat. "I see we've made some progress. How did the girl take it?"
"Not good," Zidane admitted, scratching his head. "You should've seen her. The poor thing's turned into a wildcat,"
Tot nodded. "But does she at least treat him like Kuja, now? Not whoever she thought he was before?"
Zidane looked confused for a moment. "I . . . I guess so . . . Yeah. She calls him Kuja and acts like just about everyone else. Resentful . . ."
The great Alexandrian scholar tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Well, as much as I hate the idea of Kuja being pestered, this may actually benefit him more than he realizes,"
Zidane cocked his head. "How so?"
"Well," Tot attempted to explain the situation slowly. "You see - though I may be wrong - I think those people - whatever they are - have been with your brother for awhile. I don't know how or why, but I just believe this to be true. Now, you're probably wondering why they haven't made an appearance before now, right?"
Zidane bit his lip, unsure of where this was going. "Right . . ."
Tot straightened his glasses and cleared his throat. "I'll be honest, Zidane. Kuja was living in a dream-world. He really became this "Feather" in a sense. Nobody treated him like Kuja, and he stopped being Kuja. This left him like any other person. Those things inside him were simply subdued while he was Kuja. But as Feather, they saw the perfect opportunity to resurface. And if Garland was blocking Kuja's magic as I've heard, then that only gave them a greater chance,"
"But why would Garland do that?" Zidane queried. "If he knew that would allow those people to resurface?"
"Precisely!" Tot exclaimed, leaning excitedly over his desk. "Why, indeed?! What does Garland plan to accomplish that would involve making Kuja strong enough to defeat even him?"
Zidane shook his head in disgust. "This doesn't make any sense . . . Garland's basically giving Kuja more power! Enough power for Kuja to destroy all the geonomes and his own creator!"
Tot slumped back into his chair. "There is something missing here . . ." he muttered. "Some piece of this puzzle is missing . . . I may need more time to think. I just know that if Kuja remains Kuja, perhaps he can keep those people in check,"
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"Well, well, Drakja," Garland murmured, leering down at the geonome. Drakja shifted nervously. He had only been in Garland's main quarters once before, and that had been for "allowing" the Summoners to escape from Dali. "It seems you've got a hotter temper than I realized . . ."
"I said I was sorry!" Drakja snapped. "What more do you want?!"
Garland smirked. It was like watching his first Angel of Death as a child . . . "What do I want?" he queried. "I want success. If another failure should come about then I would be most displeased. I've planned the next attack, and I want a Summoner by the time it's over. Is that understood?"
Drakja blanched. /Should I tell him . . .? No! That bastard doesn't deserve to know!/
"What is the next target?" the geonome asked, his green eyes flashing. Garland tented his fingers and grinned.
"I think I would enjoy watching Esto Gaza burn. What do you think?"
"Sounds . . . delightful . . ."
Garland nodded approvingly. "Good. But first, have we heard word from Madeline?"
Drakja's lip twitched into a slight smile. "Yes. She's returned to the volcano already in preparation for our little friends. Mist if flowing freely to Terra. And - as you requested - a leak has been sprung on Gaia. The planet shall soon be covered in the dregs of souls once more . . ."
Garland laughed, feeling the joy of blessed victory after so many years. "Excellent, Drakja! Come, let us prepare the weapons!"
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That night, all of the Lost Continent was under strict lockdown. Esto Gaza had burned for the greater part of nine hours before citizens from a nearby village managed to put out the blaze. Though the Lost Continent was the smallest continent on Gaia and the least populated due to the extremely cold temperatures, it was estimated that nearly two thousand people perished in the pyre.
But the loss of life was not what scared Gaia the most. The most frightening thing was that the attack was done - and looked - exactly the same as the attack on Dali. Which meant ALL of Gaia was a target now . . .
"What are we going to do?" Garnet moaned, slumping over in her throne. Zidane watched his fiancé apprehensively from a nearby couch.
"There's not much you CAN do," Regent Cid muttered, shaking his head. "This all seems very random," he glanced at Lady Hilda for a moment but she refused to meet his gaze. Eiko was scowling at him as well. Garnet raised an eyebrow.
Vivi straightened his hat and glanced around the room. "Do you think Garland would go after Alexandria again? M-maybe I should go back to my kids . . ."
Regent Cid cleared his throat. "Speaking of leaving . . . I'm afraid I can no longer stay. Not while my kingdom is in danger . . ."
Garnet sat up immediately. "Uncle Cid . . . Are you going back to Lindblum?"
Cid shifted uncomfortably, eyes averted to the floor. "It cannot be helped. Eiko must come with us,"
"This is so unfair!" Eiko shouted furiously, leaping to her feet. "I don't want to go! Everyone's HERE!"
"Please Eiko," Hilda pleaded. "I know this is hard . . . But your country . . ."
Cid raised a hand. "I'll make a deal," he said as formally as possible. "Eiko can stay. But only if she stays OUT of danger,"
Eiko gasped. "Can I, Dad?!"
Cid nodded glumly. "I spoil you . . ." he grumbled. "But I trust these people and I guess it wouldn't be right, seeing as how you just got here,"
"Besides," Hilda said, putting an arm around Cid's shoulder. "Eiko's used to living alone . . ." Eiko nodded proudly.
Freya's whiskers twitched. "I must be honest . . ." she said slowly. "I've been thinking long and hard about returning to Burmecia . . . If it were to be attacked, I would want to be with it; fighting for it," Fratley looked up in surprise.
"Freya . . . You did not tell me about this,"
"I'm sorry . . ."
"This is a mess . . ." Steiner whispered to Beatrix as they stood stationed at the front doors. The general nodded, watching her friends sadly.
"Quina stay here always!" Quina exclaimed, bobbing his head. Lani nodded.
"I ain't got nowhere else to go. I'm staying. What about you, Amarant?" Amarant shrugged. Vivi bowed his head, his hat drooping down over his orb- like eyes.
"I can't forget my kids . . ." he murmured apologetically. "Mikoto's watching them, but . . ."
"Oh, please!" Garnet pleaded. "Don't leave, Vivi! Freya! You can't! I - I need you guys! This situation . . . I've never had one like this before . . ."
"Yes, you have," Freya countered. "This is like the Great War all over again!"
"Yeah, but you guy were with me then!" Garnet snapped.
Arguments began to break out immediately.
Kuja could hear them all the way from the library. Normally he would have joined the conversation, but today he wasn't in the mood. So instead, the sorcerer locked himself in the library and continued to read The Great War book. He was engrossed by it; and rather disgusted too.
He also knew that a conference was coming up in less than an hour. Great leaders from around Gaia were making emergency trips to Alexandria to discuss their plans. Well, one thing was for sure:
Kuja was staying away from that!
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At dawn, Alexandria Castle was so packed that the people could barely fit into the conference room. All over, great nobles and leaders were sitting in a circle: rats from Burmecia and Cleyra, Qus from the marshes, dwarves from Conde Petie, Treno nobles, governors of smaller towns, the priests from Esto Gaza, black mages from the village, and miscellaneous people from every continent in the world. They were all muttering, waiting for Garnet to give the word.
Dagger was talking in a low voice to Zidane, who - as the future ruler of Alexandria - was seated next to her. Finally, the queen cleared her throat and the conference began.
"Good people of Gaia!" Garnet greeted them all. "We're gathered here together because a crisis is at hand. We are always told to learn from our mistakes, and our mistake the last time this happened was that we remained apart and allowed ourselves to be devoured," Garnet glanced accusingly around the circle. "Due to our isolation and tensions with each other, during the last war we allowed Cleyra, Burmecia, Lindblum, Alexandria, and dozens of smaller regions to be destroyed. And when the Iifa Tree uprooted itself, it was every town for itself. Right now, I ask you. Who is with us?"
There was a slow murmur rippling through the circle. However, no one spoke. Seeing that this was getting them nowhere, Regent Cid stood up.
"As the Regent of Lindblum," he said, raising his voice to be heard around the circle. "I have chosen to unite with Alexandria, just as my country did last time. Though I shall be returning to my kingdom shortly, I want it known that I will stand by Queen Garnet throughout this entire thing," Garnet nodded gratefully to him as he sat down, before raising an eyebrow around the circle once more.
Suddenly, the king of Burmecia stood, and his eyes were flashing coldly. "The last time a war like this was sprung, my city was reduced to mere rubble and graveyards. My people were forced to flee to Cleyra, only to meet their doom once more. We have spent three years rebuilding our city, and I personally do not wish to see it go down once more. Two have fallen already, and I have made my decision. Burmecia shall stand by Alexandria,"
Garnet breathed a sigh of relief. Obviously, the king still remembered how she and her friends had saved many of his people last time, not to mention his son. Garnet hesitated as the king sat down.
"Who else here chooses to unite with us?"
A black mage raised his hand timidly. "We shall join," he said softly. "Our numbers are small, but Zidane's people have managed to spare most of us. Their technology is superb, and we will help in any way we can,"
A nearby Qu nodded. "As spokesperson for marshes, I say we stand by Alexandria! Much of land burned away last time, but this time we unite! Qus agree to help! And thank queen for letting Quina stay in castle! He hero now!"
Quina shook his head, looking as embarrassed as Quina can get. Garnet could feel relief sweeping through her body. "Who else?"
Several people stood and stated their loyalty to Alexandria; the priests of Esto Gaza, the rulers of Daguerreo, Queen Stella of Treno, the leader of Conde Petie, and dozens of assorted smaller territories. Garnet could have burst with joy. But only one city had not yet spoken.
The spokesperson from Cleyra had remained relatively silent the entire time. And now all eyes were focused on her. She looked around mildly, before speaking.
"Cleyra chooses isolation," she said simply. "We do not like war, and we wish to stay out of this. Whether at the cost of our new settlement or not,"
"Rubbish!" the king of Burmecia snapped, one of his ears ticking in aggravation. "This is what happened last time! You chose not to fight, and look what happened! You lost EVERYTHING to that war!"
"Do not raise your voice to me," said the Cleyran placidly, gazing at her brethren from Burmecia. "I do not appreciate your tone. This is Cleyra's decision. We will not back Alexandria or anyone. We stay out of war. It is for fools only,"
There was a sudden outburst at her comment, and several people were on their feet. Garnet watched helplessly as the leaders argued. Though they had sworn alliance, none of them agreed with each other. It was obvious that they wanted different things and to use different methods.
Would Gaia repeat the same mistake as last time?
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Megan could hear the arguing from outside the castle. She rested back against one of its stone walls, listening to the shouts of frustration. Would Gaia really fall this time? The only reason it had been spared during the Great War was because Kuja and his creator had finally been defeated.
"Bah," Megan snarled, slamming her fist down in the grass. "I knew he was too good to be true! That IDIOT! I can't believe it . . ."
Megan's voice trailed off as she spotted a strange apparition in the distance. She got up on her hands and knees, squinting to get a better view. A strange fog seemed to be coming over the horizon. It was thick. Very thick. And yet there were no clouds in the sky . . .
Megan's glasses fogged up immediately. She took them off and gently waved her hand through the air. Her eyes widened in shock.
"Is this . . . Mist . . .?!"
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After the attack on Esto Gaza, Garland had - of course - not found a Summoner. He had dispatched geonomes all over Gaia in search of one while he planned his next attack. Naturally, only Drakja and Lulian were told what the next target would be. However, Dart was not content to sit behind the scenes. And she wasn't planning on doing it alone . . .
"Come ON, Ummei! What's the big deal?! It's not like we're gonna get caught!"
"B-b-but what if we do?!" Ummei cried, trying in vain to yank his sleeve out of Dart's grasp. The female growled and gave him a harsh tug that knocked the younger geonome to the floor. From there, she hauled him onto her back and attempted to carry him like a sack of potatoes down the hall. Ummei kicked and shrieked the whole way.
"No!" he screamed. "You can't make me eavesdrop! I'm supposed to be guarding the prisoners!!! We're gonna get caught!"
"Of course we will, if you keep up that RACKET!" Dart screeched, jerking suddenly in an attempt to scare Ummei. It worked and he let out a squeal before shutting up. One of the geonomes nearby smirked as he watched them pass.
"Geez, Dart. Couldn't you have picked a better mate?" he teased.
"Shut the hell up, Chikara! I'm just trying to help him build character!" Ummei let out a sob of misery. Dart jerked him once more.
Chikara was practically exploding with laughter. "You - help HIM?! Ummei's hopeless! The guy can't even teleport properly!"
"Can so!" Ummei hissed as Chikara became further and further away. Chikara smirked.
"Oh yeah? Dodge THIS!" he whipped out a dagger and thrust it with lightning fast accuracy at Ummei. The boy shrieked and attempted to claw his way up Dart's back.
"Cut it OUT!!!" Dart screamed, thrusting Ummei off her shoulders with a thud. He hit the ground hard and looked up in fright at the dagger jammed and quivering in the wall. Chikara's laughter could be heard from down the hall.
"Now then," Dart whispered, pressing a finger to her lips. "Let's see what we can hear . . ."
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Garland stood over the podium, holding out a map for Lulian and Drakja to see.
"Here," he pointed with one black-gloved finger. "This is the next spot. From what I've gathered, the Summoners are in the north. So I've picked the most heavily populated city on Gaia's northern-most continent,"
"That should be an easy target," Lulian observed, peering curiously at the map and the foreign cities she'd never seen. "The nearest populated lands are the marshes and the village of the Black Mages," she ran her electric- green fingernail down the path on the world map. "They pose no threat . . ."
"On the contrary," Garland hissed, brow furrowing. "If my sources are correct, my other creations are living in that village as well. I don't believe them to be a problem, but I can't have them destroyed. I need them alive; for now . . ."
Drakja cocked his head, staring at the map. "I say we just blow the hell out of the place and hope we flush somethin' out . . ."
Garland rolled his colorless eyes but saw the truth in what Drakja said. His only chance was to simply destroy the city and hope he got a Summoner in return . . . He nodded.
"Fine. We'll do it your way. Drakja, Lulian, get prepared. Tonight, Conde Petie shall burn . . ."
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Ummei blinked slowly, unsure of what he'd just heard. Dart gasped, backing away from the door.
"Geez, it's a slaughter!" she exclaimed. "The Master's just taking out random cities now! He must be REALLY desperate!"
Ummei rose to his feet, watching Dart closely. "Can I go . . .?" Dart shrugged.
"Whatever . . . You're a disgrace . . ."
Ummei nodded thankfully and went tearing off for the prison.
When he got there, it was to find Mikoto and the purple-eyed woman sitting in silence. He'd been noticing more and more lately how truly imprisoned they'd been seeming. As if all hope were gone and their minds had long since died.
"Hey," Ummei whispered, walking over and waving a hand in the purple-eyed woman's face. She blinked and looked up at him blandly.
"Oh, hi Ummei . . . 'sup?"
Ummei remained perfectly still. "I know the next target . . ."
". . . Yeah . . .?"
"Uh huh,"
"That's fabulous . . . "
"D'you wanna know what it is?"
"Sure . . ."
A smile crept onto Ummei's lips. "Conde Petie,"
"WHAT?!?!!!" The violet-eyed woman leapt to her feet in horror, looking on the verge of hysteria. "Are you JOKING?!?!!"
"No . . . Why . . .?"
"Fool!" she screamed, smacking Ummei on the arm. "That's where I sent the Yorokobi's!"
". . . So . . .?"
"That's the Summoners, you dolt! Garland's going to get the Summoners!"
Ummei's face clouded over in confusion. The woman groaned and attempted to explain it as you would a child.
"Okay . . ." she said slowly. "Garland wants the Summoners. To protect them, I sent them to Conde Petie. Garland doesn't know where the daughter is, or the rest of the family. If Garland attacks Conde Petie . . ."
Ummei blinked, and his eyes blazed. "Garland will find a means to apprehend the Summoners, but the fulmination could possibly obliterate them! Thus his plans will become feasible and most likely you will meet your demise! Correct?"
In the corner, Mikoto rolled her eyes. The purple-eyed woman sighed.
". . . Correct . . . You are absolutely correct . . ."
Ummei's eyes glazed over. "Correct means right, correct?"
They all groaned once more.
"Listen!" the woman shouted, clutching Ummei's forearms. "You HAVE to save those women! If you don't - "
"Whoa, whoa," Ummei backed away, shaking his head. "What are you saying? That I have to LEAVE the ship?"
"Uh huh,"
"Nope. No. Out of the question. You couldn't get me to do that for a billion gals,"
"Gil," Mikoto corrected from the corner.
"Gil. Whatever. There is NO WAY I'm going to disobey order like that. Not a chance,"
"You wouldn't do it for ME?" the woman whimpered, pretending to be hurt. Ummei shook his head.
"No, I guess I wouldn't . . ."
"Come on, Ummei!" Mikoto shouted, glaring at him. "Be a man! Show us where your loyalties lie!"
"M-my loyalties . . .?"
Mikoto nodded. "Yeah. Think about all the times Drakja whipped you and called you stupid. Think about how they stuck you in here with US. How they don't let you do anything. How Garland called you a defect in the cycle . . ."
Ummei's lip twitched. "A defect in the cycle . . ." he repeated.
"Don't you wanna sock it to 'em?"
Ummei punched a fist into his hand. "I'LL DO IT!"
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A/N: *Gasp* Ummei gone traitor?! Well, we all saw it comin' . . . As for that other geonome, Chikara, he's gonna be trouble. So is Dart. Also, I'm proud to say the crew will be leaving Alexandria soon (thank God). So things will start to pick up pace. Also, did you notice that Vivi doesn't know his kids have left the village and that Mikoto's gone? That's gonna be important later. And I've started work on the next chapter (to avoid big gaps like last time) and it's REALLY angsty at the beginning. Just a warning ^_^
R is for read. E is for everyone. V is for . . . uh . . . veraciously! I is for intellectually. E is for 'else I'll kill ya. And W is for . . . why? As in, why aren't y'all reviewing?! Just kiddin . . . hehe. R/R!!!
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy is, like, so totally not mine . . .
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"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent."
- John Donne, Devotions, 1624
The following morning, Zidane sat around the dining room table with the others. Quina had prepared breakfast as usual, and was bouncing up and down waiting for them all to try it. Everyone except Amarant commented on the surprisingly good taste. The bandit just grunted and shoveled the food down as fast as he could.
To Zidane, nothing seemed different that morning. For him, life had gone on and everything remained relatively the same. It wasn't until a new presence was added to the room that the genome realized how many things had been distorted during the night.
"Megan?" Garnet queried, her voice raised in mild surprise. The young Summoner stood in the doorway, eyes slightly red from lack of sleep. She looked somewhat zombie-like, and in the surrounding cheerful atmosphere, she seemed to stick out like a black spot in the room.
"Can I join you?" Megan queried softly, gazing down at the floor. Garnet noticed immediately that the young girl was not just over-tired but positively sick. Her majesty stood up hurriedly and led Megan to a chair beside her own.
"Of course!" the queen said cheerfully, allowing the brunette to sit down. "You've never come in here for breakfast before. What's changed?"
"Many things . . ." Megan responded simply, her voice barely above a whisper. Garnet threw a silencing glare around the table at the others and then offered Megan a plate.
"Would you like something to eat?"
"No, thank you . . ."
"To drink?"
"I'm fine,"
Garnet threw Zidane a questioning look. "Well . . . Alright, then, I guess . . ." She sat down herself. Slowly, the conversations started back up again. Megan retreated back within herself, eventually zoning out completely. However, at the mention of a now familiar name, her mind snapped back to reality.
". . . Kuja . . . not allowed to leave the castle anymore . . ."
"Good. Maybe now . . . have some order around here . . ."
Across the table from Megan, Steiner was attempting to explain the current situation to Freya and Fratley, who had not yet been informed of the change. Megan strained her ears to listen, realizing for the first time that their voices were probably lowered so that she wouldn't hear Kuja's real name.
". . . One too many deaths . . ."
". . . Can't forget . . . three years ago . . ."
Fratley had a highly disapproving look on his furry face as he listened to his girl-friend, however, the Dragoon Knight refrained from speaking.
". . . Orders by the queen, too . . ."
"Good. Can't ever forgive . . . So many lives . . ."
That did it. Megan, in a surprising bout of sudden energy, slammed her fists down upon the table with a crash and leapt furiously to her feet.
"THAT BASTARD!!!" she screamed, nearly frothing at the mouth with fury. "I'LL KILL HIM, I'LL - " The young woman gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth as she realized what she was saying. With a squeak, she flopped back into her seat. The others were silent. Zidane's brow furrowed.
/What is she . . .?/
"Zidane, I needed to borrow - "
All eyes turned to the newcomer at the doorway. Kuja was staring in horror at Megan, having not noticed her before. "Uh . . . On second thought . . ."
"Stop right there!" Megan cried, throwing down her chair as she flew to her feet once more. Kuja froze obediently.
"I didn't do it," he said immediately, turning to leave. Megan scrambled towards the doorway and stepped down hard on the sorcerer's tail. He yelped but quickly stifled it.
"Just WHERE do you think you're going?!" Megan snarled, poking Kuja in the arm. "You owe me that bag of gil! You told me to take it, so GIVE it to me!"
Kuja hated to admit it, but he was almost afraid of the girl. Rummaging feverishly through his pockets, the warlock turned out the bag of money and quickly tossed it to her. To say thanks, Megan stepped off his tail. Kuja quickly grabbed the damaged limb and vainly attempted to rub some feeling back into it. Megan smirked, eyes glittering malevolently.
"Thanks . . . KUJA . . ."
There was silence. Eiko's eyes had reached saucer-sized proportions. Zidane could scarcely breathe.
/He told her . . ./ the blonde genome thought wistfully. /The bastard finally told her . . . Shit! I've got to find Doctor Tot!/
Zidane stood up instantly, gave a quick nod to Garnet, and tore out of the room. Kuja watched his brother go, blinking. Then he backed timidly out of the hall and attempted to find a part of the castle as far away from Megan as possible.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Doctor Tot!" Zidane shouted, knocking angrily on the professor's door. "Open up! Come on!"
"All right, I'm coming!" a voice yelled, annoyed, from the other side. The door creaked open to reveal Tot standing there, looking flustered and a bit agitated. "What is it?"
Zidane folded his arms across his chest. "Megan knows," he said simply. Tot gasped, took off his glasses, and wiped them on his shirt in an excited sort of manner.
"Seriously?" Zidane nodded. The doctor let out a sigh of relief. "Thank god . . . Come inside,"
Zidane stepped through the threshold into Doctor Tot's Alexandrian office. It was roomy if not a bit disorganized. The bookshelves were spilling over with leafy volumes and the desk was cluttered with papers. The teacher signaled for Zidane to pull up a chair before seating himself behind the desk.
"Well," Tot began, leaning back in his seat. "I see we've made some progress. How did the girl take it?"
"Not good," Zidane admitted, scratching his head. "You should've seen her. The poor thing's turned into a wildcat,"
Tot nodded. "But does she at least treat him like Kuja, now? Not whoever she thought he was before?"
Zidane looked confused for a moment. "I . . . I guess so . . . Yeah. She calls him Kuja and acts like just about everyone else. Resentful . . ."
The great Alexandrian scholar tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Well, as much as I hate the idea of Kuja being pestered, this may actually benefit him more than he realizes,"
Zidane cocked his head. "How so?"
"Well," Tot attempted to explain the situation slowly. "You see - though I may be wrong - I think those people - whatever they are - have been with your brother for awhile. I don't know how or why, but I just believe this to be true. Now, you're probably wondering why they haven't made an appearance before now, right?"
Zidane bit his lip, unsure of where this was going. "Right . . ."
Tot straightened his glasses and cleared his throat. "I'll be honest, Zidane. Kuja was living in a dream-world. He really became this "Feather" in a sense. Nobody treated him like Kuja, and he stopped being Kuja. This left him like any other person. Those things inside him were simply subdued while he was Kuja. But as Feather, they saw the perfect opportunity to resurface. And if Garland was blocking Kuja's magic as I've heard, then that only gave them a greater chance,"
"But why would Garland do that?" Zidane queried. "If he knew that would allow those people to resurface?"
"Precisely!" Tot exclaimed, leaning excitedly over his desk. "Why, indeed?! What does Garland plan to accomplish that would involve making Kuja strong enough to defeat even him?"
Zidane shook his head in disgust. "This doesn't make any sense . . . Garland's basically giving Kuja more power! Enough power for Kuja to destroy all the geonomes and his own creator!"
Tot slumped back into his chair. "There is something missing here . . ." he muttered. "Some piece of this puzzle is missing . . . I may need more time to think. I just know that if Kuja remains Kuja, perhaps he can keep those people in check,"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Well, well, Drakja," Garland murmured, leering down at the geonome. Drakja shifted nervously. He had only been in Garland's main quarters once before, and that had been for "allowing" the Summoners to escape from Dali. "It seems you've got a hotter temper than I realized . . ."
"I said I was sorry!" Drakja snapped. "What more do you want?!"
Garland smirked. It was like watching his first Angel of Death as a child . . . "What do I want?" he queried. "I want success. If another failure should come about then I would be most displeased. I've planned the next attack, and I want a Summoner by the time it's over. Is that understood?"
Drakja blanched. /Should I tell him . . .? No! That bastard doesn't deserve to know!/
"What is the next target?" the geonome asked, his green eyes flashing. Garland tented his fingers and grinned.
"I think I would enjoy watching Esto Gaza burn. What do you think?"
"Sounds . . . delightful . . ."
Garland nodded approvingly. "Good. But first, have we heard word from Madeline?"
Drakja's lip twitched into a slight smile. "Yes. She's returned to the volcano already in preparation for our little friends. Mist if flowing freely to Terra. And - as you requested - a leak has been sprung on Gaia. The planet shall soon be covered in the dregs of souls once more . . ."
Garland laughed, feeling the joy of blessed victory after so many years. "Excellent, Drakja! Come, let us prepare the weapons!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
That night, all of the Lost Continent was under strict lockdown. Esto Gaza had burned for the greater part of nine hours before citizens from a nearby village managed to put out the blaze. Though the Lost Continent was the smallest continent on Gaia and the least populated due to the extremely cold temperatures, it was estimated that nearly two thousand people perished in the pyre.
But the loss of life was not what scared Gaia the most. The most frightening thing was that the attack was done - and looked - exactly the same as the attack on Dali. Which meant ALL of Gaia was a target now . . .
"What are we going to do?" Garnet moaned, slumping over in her throne. Zidane watched his fiancé apprehensively from a nearby couch.
"There's not much you CAN do," Regent Cid muttered, shaking his head. "This all seems very random," he glanced at Lady Hilda for a moment but she refused to meet his gaze. Eiko was scowling at him as well. Garnet raised an eyebrow.
Vivi straightened his hat and glanced around the room. "Do you think Garland would go after Alexandria again? M-maybe I should go back to my kids . . ."
Regent Cid cleared his throat. "Speaking of leaving . . . I'm afraid I can no longer stay. Not while my kingdom is in danger . . ."
Garnet sat up immediately. "Uncle Cid . . . Are you going back to Lindblum?"
Cid shifted uncomfortably, eyes averted to the floor. "It cannot be helped. Eiko must come with us,"
"This is so unfair!" Eiko shouted furiously, leaping to her feet. "I don't want to go! Everyone's HERE!"
"Please Eiko," Hilda pleaded. "I know this is hard . . . But your country . . ."
Cid raised a hand. "I'll make a deal," he said as formally as possible. "Eiko can stay. But only if she stays OUT of danger,"
Eiko gasped. "Can I, Dad?!"
Cid nodded glumly. "I spoil you . . ." he grumbled. "But I trust these people and I guess it wouldn't be right, seeing as how you just got here,"
"Besides," Hilda said, putting an arm around Cid's shoulder. "Eiko's used to living alone . . ." Eiko nodded proudly.
Freya's whiskers twitched. "I must be honest . . ." she said slowly. "I've been thinking long and hard about returning to Burmecia . . . If it were to be attacked, I would want to be with it; fighting for it," Fratley looked up in surprise.
"Freya . . . You did not tell me about this,"
"I'm sorry . . ."
"This is a mess . . ." Steiner whispered to Beatrix as they stood stationed at the front doors. The general nodded, watching her friends sadly.
"Quina stay here always!" Quina exclaimed, bobbing his head. Lani nodded.
"I ain't got nowhere else to go. I'm staying. What about you, Amarant?" Amarant shrugged. Vivi bowed his head, his hat drooping down over his orb- like eyes.
"I can't forget my kids . . ." he murmured apologetically. "Mikoto's watching them, but . . ."
"Oh, please!" Garnet pleaded. "Don't leave, Vivi! Freya! You can't! I - I need you guys! This situation . . . I've never had one like this before . . ."
"Yes, you have," Freya countered. "This is like the Great War all over again!"
"Yeah, but you guy were with me then!" Garnet snapped.
Arguments began to break out immediately.
Kuja could hear them all the way from the library. Normally he would have joined the conversation, but today he wasn't in the mood. So instead, the sorcerer locked himself in the library and continued to read The Great War book. He was engrossed by it; and rather disgusted too.
He also knew that a conference was coming up in less than an hour. Great leaders from around Gaia were making emergency trips to Alexandria to discuss their plans. Well, one thing was for sure:
Kuja was staying away from that!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
At dawn, Alexandria Castle was so packed that the people could barely fit into the conference room. All over, great nobles and leaders were sitting in a circle: rats from Burmecia and Cleyra, Qus from the marshes, dwarves from Conde Petie, Treno nobles, governors of smaller towns, the priests from Esto Gaza, black mages from the village, and miscellaneous people from every continent in the world. They were all muttering, waiting for Garnet to give the word.
Dagger was talking in a low voice to Zidane, who - as the future ruler of Alexandria - was seated next to her. Finally, the queen cleared her throat and the conference began.
"Good people of Gaia!" Garnet greeted them all. "We're gathered here together because a crisis is at hand. We are always told to learn from our mistakes, and our mistake the last time this happened was that we remained apart and allowed ourselves to be devoured," Garnet glanced accusingly around the circle. "Due to our isolation and tensions with each other, during the last war we allowed Cleyra, Burmecia, Lindblum, Alexandria, and dozens of smaller regions to be destroyed. And when the Iifa Tree uprooted itself, it was every town for itself. Right now, I ask you. Who is with us?"
There was a slow murmur rippling through the circle. However, no one spoke. Seeing that this was getting them nowhere, Regent Cid stood up.
"As the Regent of Lindblum," he said, raising his voice to be heard around the circle. "I have chosen to unite with Alexandria, just as my country did last time. Though I shall be returning to my kingdom shortly, I want it known that I will stand by Queen Garnet throughout this entire thing," Garnet nodded gratefully to him as he sat down, before raising an eyebrow around the circle once more.
Suddenly, the king of Burmecia stood, and his eyes were flashing coldly. "The last time a war like this was sprung, my city was reduced to mere rubble and graveyards. My people were forced to flee to Cleyra, only to meet their doom once more. We have spent three years rebuilding our city, and I personally do not wish to see it go down once more. Two have fallen already, and I have made my decision. Burmecia shall stand by Alexandria,"
Garnet breathed a sigh of relief. Obviously, the king still remembered how she and her friends had saved many of his people last time, not to mention his son. Garnet hesitated as the king sat down.
"Who else here chooses to unite with us?"
A black mage raised his hand timidly. "We shall join," he said softly. "Our numbers are small, but Zidane's people have managed to spare most of us. Their technology is superb, and we will help in any way we can,"
A nearby Qu nodded. "As spokesperson for marshes, I say we stand by Alexandria! Much of land burned away last time, but this time we unite! Qus agree to help! And thank queen for letting Quina stay in castle! He hero now!"
Quina shook his head, looking as embarrassed as Quina can get. Garnet could feel relief sweeping through her body. "Who else?"
Several people stood and stated their loyalty to Alexandria; the priests of Esto Gaza, the rulers of Daguerreo, Queen Stella of Treno, the leader of Conde Petie, and dozens of assorted smaller territories. Garnet could have burst with joy. But only one city had not yet spoken.
The spokesperson from Cleyra had remained relatively silent the entire time. And now all eyes were focused on her. She looked around mildly, before speaking.
"Cleyra chooses isolation," she said simply. "We do not like war, and we wish to stay out of this. Whether at the cost of our new settlement or not,"
"Rubbish!" the king of Burmecia snapped, one of his ears ticking in aggravation. "This is what happened last time! You chose not to fight, and look what happened! You lost EVERYTHING to that war!"
"Do not raise your voice to me," said the Cleyran placidly, gazing at her brethren from Burmecia. "I do not appreciate your tone. This is Cleyra's decision. We will not back Alexandria or anyone. We stay out of war. It is for fools only,"
There was a sudden outburst at her comment, and several people were on their feet. Garnet watched helplessly as the leaders argued. Though they had sworn alliance, none of them agreed with each other. It was obvious that they wanted different things and to use different methods.
Would Gaia repeat the same mistake as last time?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Megan could hear the arguing from outside the castle. She rested back against one of its stone walls, listening to the shouts of frustration. Would Gaia really fall this time? The only reason it had been spared during the Great War was because Kuja and his creator had finally been defeated.
"Bah," Megan snarled, slamming her fist down in the grass. "I knew he was too good to be true! That IDIOT! I can't believe it . . ."
Megan's voice trailed off as she spotted a strange apparition in the distance. She got up on her hands and knees, squinting to get a better view. A strange fog seemed to be coming over the horizon. It was thick. Very thick. And yet there were no clouds in the sky . . .
Megan's glasses fogged up immediately. She took them off and gently waved her hand through the air. Her eyes widened in shock.
"Is this . . . Mist . . .?!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After the attack on Esto Gaza, Garland had - of course - not found a Summoner. He had dispatched geonomes all over Gaia in search of one while he planned his next attack. Naturally, only Drakja and Lulian were told what the next target would be. However, Dart was not content to sit behind the scenes. And she wasn't planning on doing it alone . . .
"Come ON, Ummei! What's the big deal?! It's not like we're gonna get caught!"
"B-b-but what if we do?!" Ummei cried, trying in vain to yank his sleeve out of Dart's grasp. The female growled and gave him a harsh tug that knocked the younger geonome to the floor. From there, she hauled him onto her back and attempted to carry him like a sack of potatoes down the hall. Ummei kicked and shrieked the whole way.
"No!" he screamed. "You can't make me eavesdrop! I'm supposed to be guarding the prisoners!!! We're gonna get caught!"
"Of course we will, if you keep up that RACKET!" Dart screeched, jerking suddenly in an attempt to scare Ummei. It worked and he let out a squeal before shutting up. One of the geonomes nearby smirked as he watched them pass.
"Geez, Dart. Couldn't you have picked a better mate?" he teased.
"Shut the hell up, Chikara! I'm just trying to help him build character!" Ummei let out a sob of misery. Dart jerked him once more.
Chikara was practically exploding with laughter. "You - help HIM?! Ummei's hopeless! The guy can't even teleport properly!"
"Can so!" Ummei hissed as Chikara became further and further away. Chikara smirked.
"Oh yeah? Dodge THIS!" he whipped out a dagger and thrust it with lightning fast accuracy at Ummei. The boy shrieked and attempted to claw his way up Dart's back.
"Cut it OUT!!!" Dart screamed, thrusting Ummei off her shoulders with a thud. He hit the ground hard and looked up in fright at the dagger jammed and quivering in the wall. Chikara's laughter could be heard from down the hall.
"Now then," Dart whispered, pressing a finger to her lips. "Let's see what we can hear . . ."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Garland stood over the podium, holding out a map for Lulian and Drakja to see.
"Here," he pointed with one black-gloved finger. "This is the next spot. From what I've gathered, the Summoners are in the north. So I've picked the most heavily populated city on Gaia's northern-most continent,"
"That should be an easy target," Lulian observed, peering curiously at the map and the foreign cities she'd never seen. "The nearest populated lands are the marshes and the village of the Black Mages," she ran her electric- green fingernail down the path on the world map. "They pose no threat . . ."
"On the contrary," Garland hissed, brow furrowing. "If my sources are correct, my other creations are living in that village as well. I don't believe them to be a problem, but I can't have them destroyed. I need them alive; for now . . ."
Drakja cocked his head, staring at the map. "I say we just blow the hell out of the place and hope we flush somethin' out . . ."
Garland rolled his colorless eyes but saw the truth in what Drakja said. His only chance was to simply destroy the city and hope he got a Summoner in return . . . He nodded.
"Fine. We'll do it your way. Drakja, Lulian, get prepared. Tonight, Conde Petie shall burn . . ."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ummei blinked slowly, unsure of what he'd just heard. Dart gasped, backing away from the door.
"Geez, it's a slaughter!" she exclaimed. "The Master's just taking out random cities now! He must be REALLY desperate!"
Ummei rose to his feet, watching Dart closely. "Can I go . . .?" Dart shrugged.
"Whatever . . . You're a disgrace . . ."
Ummei nodded thankfully and went tearing off for the prison.
When he got there, it was to find Mikoto and the purple-eyed woman sitting in silence. He'd been noticing more and more lately how truly imprisoned they'd been seeming. As if all hope were gone and their minds had long since died.
"Hey," Ummei whispered, walking over and waving a hand in the purple-eyed woman's face. She blinked and looked up at him blandly.
"Oh, hi Ummei . . . 'sup?"
Ummei remained perfectly still. "I know the next target . . ."
". . . Yeah . . .?"
"Uh huh,"
"That's fabulous . . . "
"D'you wanna know what it is?"
"Sure . . ."
A smile crept onto Ummei's lips. "Conde Petie,"
"WHAT?!?!!!" The violet-eyed woman leapt to her feet in horror, looking on the verge of hysteria. "Are you JOKING?!?!!"
"No . . . Why . . .?"
"Fool!" she screamed, smacking Ummei on the arm. "That's where I sent the Yorokobi's!"
". . . So . . .?"
"That's the Summoners, you dolt! Garland's going to get the Summoners!"
Ummei's face clouded over in confusion. The woman groaned and attempted to explain it as you would a child.
"Okay . . ." she said slowly. "Garland wants the Summoners. To protect them, I sent them to Conde Petie. Garland doesn't know where the daughter is, or the rest of the family. If Garland attacks Conde Petie . . ."
Ummei blinked, and his eyes blazed. "Garland will find a means to apprehend the Summoners, but the fulmination could possibly obliterate them! Thus his plans will become feasible and most likely you will meet your demise! Correct?"
In the corner, Mikoto rolled her eyes. The purple-eyed woman sighed.
". . . Correct . . . You are absolutely correct . . ."
Ummei's eyes glazed over. "Correct means right, correct?"
They all groaned once more.
"Listen!" the woman shouted, clutching Ummei's forearms. "You HAVE to save those women! If you don't - "
"Whoa, whoa," Ummei backed away, shaking his head. "What are you saying? That I have to LEAVE the ship?"
"Uh huh,"
"Nope. No. Out of the question. You couldn't get me to do that for a billion gals,"
"Gil," Mikoto corrected from the corner.
"Gil. Whatever. There is NO WAY I'm going to disobey order like that. Not a chance,"
"You wouldn't do it for ME?" the woman whimpered, pretending to be hurt. Ummei shook his head.
"No, I guess I wouldn't . . ."
"Come on, Ummei!" Mikoto shouted, glaring at him. "Be a man! Show us where your loyalties lie!"
"M-my loyalties . . .?"
Mikoto nodded. "Yeah. Think about all the times Drakja whipped you and called you stupid. Think about how they stuck you in here with US. How they don't let you do anything. How Garland called you a defect in the cycle . . ."
Ummei's lip twitched. "A defect in the cycle . . ." he repeated.
"Don't you wanna sock it to 'em?"
Ummei punched a fist into his hand. "I'LL DO IT!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: *Gasp* Ummei gone traitor?! Well, we all saw it comin' . . . As for that other geonome, Chikara, he's gonna be trouble. So is Dart. Also, I'm proud to say the crew will be leaving Alexandria soon (thank God). So things will start to pick up pace. Also, did you notice that Vivi doesn't know his kids have left the village and that Mikoto's gone? That's gonna be important later. And I've started work on the next chapter (to avoid big gaps like last time) and it's REALLY angsty at the beginning. Just a warning ^_^
R is for read. E is for everyone. V is for . . . uh . . . veraciously! I is for intellectually. E is for 'else I'll kill ya. And W is for . . . why? As in, why aren't y'all reviewing?! Just kiddin . . . hehe. R/R!!!