A/N: Hi everyone...this lil ficcy takes place 5 years after the actual game ended, and answers the question, "What if Kuja never really died?" and many more questions like that. So, I hope you enjoy, and if I screwed up on anything at all, feel free to let me know if/when you review.
Disclaimer: I don own da FF. If I did, I'd be a rich lil monkey boy!
Chapter I:
Unreality
"Wake up, boy....Wake up and realize your destiny...The assimilation of Gaia has
begun anew...Hahaha!"
The young man awoke with a start at the sound of the voice. He had no clue where,
what, or even who he was. All he knew was that it was dark, and someone was next to
him in the bed. He looked around frantically, then fell off the bed. Good. That was
really intelligent, he thought. The figure in the bed sat up, awakened by the noise of the
other's falling. In a flash, all his past and present memories came to him, unbidden.
Hey, wait...I know who I am... he thought. No! Not that again! You.... "...Orion? Hey,
where are you? C'mon, talk to me, love," a female voice called out. "...Amie? I'm okay.
Here...just let me get up," Orion replied. He slowly got to his feet, then reached for the
candle that usually burned on the nightstand; it had burned out. He murmered, "Fire",
and the flame sprung to life again. His fiance, Amie Chantra, looked across the bed at
him, the worry evident on her face. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked him.
"Yeah. I've just been having those dreams again," Orion replied. "About Garland?"
she asked. "Yeah," he answered. The ancient ruler of Terra had been haunting the
nineteen-year-old Genome's dreams for quite some time, although the First Great War
had ended some five years ago with the overseer's and Kuja's deaths. Several of his
neighbors in Dali had suggested he go to the renowned Doctor Tot for help, but he just
shrugged it off. After all, even though they were related somehow-they had the same
surname, what was he other than a mere acquaintance of the King of Alexandria,
Zidane Tribal? No, he reasoned, neither the Doctor nor Zidane would waste their time
on him, even though he was the fourth Angel of Death-a secret prototype Genome that
Garland had created between the time that Mikoto was created and the time Terra was
destroyed.
/FLASH/
A little boy sat on the floor in a laboratory. His black hair was matted with dried blood,
as were his arms and legs. There were tears shining in his eyes-one red, the other blue.
Garland strode into the lab and kicked him in the side. The boy screamed in agony as
he rolled along the floor. "Now, boy," Garland snarled, his white eyes narrowed to slits,
"tell me why you failed to annihliate those soldiers!" "B-b-but M-Master Garland, w-
why? What did they d-do t-t-to me?" the boy managed to splutter between sobs.
"Enough! Now, I didn't give you the gift of immortality just so you could backtalk me
and disregard what I say. I'll give you one more chance. If you fail...I will send you to the basement
lab. Again. This time, you'll not have the luxury of giving in. You are the Neo Genesis
prototype. Now, act like it!" The last few sentences were filled with maliciousness.
Sobbing, the five-year-old Orion picked himself up and headed outside, thinking,
Anything but the basement lab....Anything...
/FLASH/
"You son of a bitch!! I'll kill you! I'll tear you limb from limb! I'll..." "Orion! Snap out
of it! Hey!" Amie shook her fiance frantically. Orion jerked and screamed in fury.
"Gods, I'll KILL HIM!!!" he roared. As quickly as the fit of rage had come on,
however, it had dissipated. He looked around, bewildered. /Glad to see you've finally
come around,/ he heard a voice say. Oddly enough, it sounded familiar... "Amie...? Was
that you just now?" Orion asked, scratching his head. "...No, why?" Amie 's voice and
face were both filled with worry again. "...It's..it's nothing. Guess I'm hearing things,"
he replied. /No you're not. I'm really here,/ the voice said. Orion looked around, his
rage beginning to build again. "Where are you, you cowardly bastard?!" he cried,
reaching for his Serpentine Blade, a custom-made short sword. /Ha, ha, ha. I'm here,
Orion. In your body and mind...As a matter of fact, I do believe we've already met. I'm
someone who tried to kill you, Zidane, and the rest of the Gaian people. But now I'm
here-on your side. I'll give you one guess as to who I am,/ the voice replied. Again, it
sounded so familar to him, so high and melodic..."Kuja?! What the hell?! You're dead!"
Orion was becoming frantic now, as if he had just been informed with bad
news. /Well....physically, yes. But spiritually...no,/ Kuja replied. /The spirit world told me
to help you in the upcoming war-whoops, did I say that out loud?/ "War?! What war?
Tell me!" The fourth Angel of Death was becoming incensed again. /Whoa, whoa, wait.
I'm not supposed to tell you-not yet,/ Kuja told him. /But I'll give you a teaser.../
Zidane Tribal, king of Alexandria, stood on one of the many balconies extending from
Alexandria Castle. He couldn't explain it, but he had a feeling of foreboding. Something
was coming-something bad-but he just couldn't put his finger on it. And he couldn't
shake the feeling, either. No matter what he did. As if out of nowhere, a pair of hands
covered his eyes, and a feminine voice whispered, "Guess who." Zidane feigned
stupidity for a moment. "Umm...lemme guess. Freya?" One of the hands slapped the
back of his head. "Right, okay....Lani??" The hand slapped again, harder this time.
"Ow! Okay, okay....Hey, Dagger," he said, turning to face his wife and the queen of
Alexandria. He whistled softly as he took in her getup. A slim black dress that
accentuated her features very nicely-extremely un-Queen like. Especially for her. He
thought about how many guys would still kill just for one date with her, and remembered
how lucky he was. "What's the occasion?" he asked, not able to look away from her.
She shook her head, smiling a little. "Nothing really, love....just being a little impulsive
today," she told him. "Actually, I came up here to tell you something...something the
Seers said they-well, saw. We're holding a meeting downstairs in the throne room; care
to join us for a minute?" Her face now betrayed the worry in her voice. Seems like I'm
right, Zidane thought. Something bad is going to happen-really bad. Sighing, he nodded
and headed down to the throne room, Dagger behind him.
Down in the Throne Room, there was a small commotion. Some Alexandrian soldiers
and a few Knights of Pluto scrambled to their posts as Zidane and Dagger entered the
majestic room. There was one knight in particular wearing old-looking armor that had
been seemingly refurbished. He approached the royal couple, clanking with every step.
"Zidane! Your Majesty! I bring urgent news," he panted upon reaching them. "What is
it, Steiner? Can it wait until we see what these frauds 'saw'?" Zidane asked him
grumpily. The Seers were three sisters-Cassandra, Lian, and Nicola-that hailed from
the recently rebuilt Cleyra. Although they claimed to be gifted with the ability to see
into the future (as well as what other people were doing in other parts of the world),
many people, including Zidane, had little or no faith in their abilities. One of them-the
oldest, Cassandra-approched Zidane now. "My liege..." she began as usual, but Zidane
stopped her. "Let me guess," the ex-thief snapped. "I'm going to have triplets in two
years. Or I'm going to fall a hundred feet and only bruise my tail. Or I'm going to win
half a million Gil just becuase my lucky color's blue. Or..." he tried to continue, but a
murderous glare from Dagger cut him off. She was one of the few people that had faith
in the sisters three. "No, my lord...but you are all in great danger," the Cleyran replied.
The middle sister, Nicola, now approached, followed by the youngest, Lian. Lian spoke
next. "We have had a vision....." she began. "....that the one person you thought was
dead....." Nicola continued. ".....Has returned to the world of Gaia," Cassandra
finished. "Okay, so tell me who it is already, you fakes!" Zidane yelled. "Stop talking
in riddles!" "The first...." Cassandra began this time. "...Angel of Death..." Nicola
continued. "...has returned," all three finished together. Zidane instantly blanched;
although he wasn't sure he believed them, Kuja coming back was something he'd been
fearing for the last five years. Now, it had come true...or so they said. Kuja's back, he
thought. We're all doomed. This time, he's out for blood...
Orion paced the floor of his and Amie 's flat, thinking. Why him? And why now, less
than a month before their wedding? /Hey, calm down, Orion,/ Kuja reassured him. /I'm
not going to use you to get revenge on Zidane and the others. I-am-here-to-help./
"Right. Prove it, Kuja. I want to see you," Amie -who could hear him-said, malice filling
her voice. She was right to hate Kuja. Like Orion, she was a special 'prototype' black
mage-so special, in fact, that she actually looked human. But it had nearly cost her her
life when she was younger. /Oh really now? Are you sure you want to see me, your
creator? Positive?/ Kuja asked her. "Yes," she hissed. "Very well, if you insist," Orion
said in an odd mix of his and Kuja's voice. Before Amie could say anything else, a
brilliant red and white flash filled the bedroom. After a few minutes, the light died down,
revealing a tall, slender, silver-haired figure, with silver feathers in his hair.....The first
Angel of Death. Kuja.
Zidane stood on a platform in the castle's Airship Dock, watching as a small platoon
prepared the experimental Red Rose Mark IV for departure. Soon after the Seers had
told him of their latest vision, he had, against his gut instinct, ordered for the
Alexandrian ship to be serviced and prepared for a trip to Dali, where a young Genome
by the name of Orion lived. According to Lian, who was apparently the most powerful
Seer, Kuja's spirit-soul-whatever was left of him, had taken residence in Orion's body.
If that was the case....Zidane shuddered to think of the destruction that could be
wrought. He knew Orion well enough to know that the younger Genome was capable of
Trance; he just didn't know what Orion was capable of once Tranced. In other words,
Orion was an x-factor, a wild card. Dagger appeared beside him, putting her arm around
his waist. He looked down at her and smiled. I just hope nothing happens to her-that is,
if those frauds are right, he thought. "Ready to go?" she asked him. He nodded, and
the two boarded the Rose. Five minutes later, the ship exited the dock, and they were
off to Dali...
A/N: o0o...Kinda spooky, doncha think? Well?! Hmm...maybe not, but thanks for asking! Bleh....review please...