Deception?
Pilotslover
Chapter 2 - Some truths
Disclaimer: I don't own FFIX and all it's related places, people etc, I wish I did. I won't be making any profit from this work, again, I wish I did, I need the cash. I do own the idea and the new characters that appear.
Authors Note: A great big thank you to my reviewers, this chapter is only here because you asked me to continue. Also, a shout out to my best friend, whose both read and encouraged me so far, and to Masa for reading this too! Well on with the show!
"W - We're trapped here,"
Noting the defeated tones to the boy's voice, Daihan shook his head; they were on the other side of a small hill and all they could see of Esto Gaza was the smoke that curled slowly from it. "How do you think Kuja got here? Logically, we can leave in the same way." Vivi thought for a while; he and the others had seen to the Silver Dragon a long time ago now; Kuja must now be using something else. "All we need do is find it."
They searched as fast as they could, well aware that every second spent on the search could lead to Kuja finding them. "I - I'm sorry … about everything Daihan." Vivi offered very softly, not looking to the priest as he adjusted his hat with his good arm. "I - I don't know … I never … I …"
"It's alright; they've gone to a better place."
Daihan's voice was gentle as he looked to the boy, who looked a little confused as their eyes locked. "The belief of all the priests of Esto Gaza is that the soul travels the path of souls to a better place when you die; my sister and all those who died today believed in that."
Vivi spent a few moments in silence, they found an airship Kuja had been using, which was deserted save for a few golem mages who offered no real resistance to the mage with third level spells. "Daihan, my …the last of my friends stopped … umm … died a while ago; did he go to the better place too? Even though he was kinda bad, because when Kuja controlled him he killed people?" Vivi asked softly, thinking to the tragic day when 288 had stopped, the last of the Black Mage's in the village. He watched the ground pull away as Daihan piloted the airship.
"If they are judged as worthy then their souls will find peace. Just because a person kills, it does not mean that they are bad." Silence fell once again as both looked down upon the burning wreckage that had once been Esto Gaza.
"I think, before anything else, we'll need to find disguises."
Vivi looked up to Daihan from where he had been plucking thoughtfully at the sling on his left arm. "Even if, as you plan, we go to Burmecia and claim passage to the Queen's court in Alexandria from Freya, we are still being chased." Daihan said gently, telling the boy exactly what he felt. "I can merely change my clothes and hair to look like a different person, what are you planning to do?"
"Wear a white mage robe, it'll hide my face."
'He doesn't know either, what's going on?' Daihan thought with a confused look on his face. "Vivi, you do know that your true face is merely hidden, do you not?" He questioned of the teen bluntly, seeing no reason to avoid the subject.
"W - What do you mean?"
"That the black is just a cover."
Vivi shook his head; he had never heard something so strange before. "No Daihan, I'm just like the others were, made of mist, and faceless like they were." He told the priest, his tones containing complete belief in what he said. "I can bleed, but I don't have flesh like human's do."
Daihan sighed; he had expected this to be difficult for the boy to accept. "Vivi, I know accepting that you are different is hard but if you can alter your appearance to look completely different then you must." He very gently pulled at the red ties on Vivi's jacket and it came undone easily, showing the point at Vivi's neck where black joined white. "Please, just lift it and see."
Tentatively, Vivi raised a hand to the bottom of the 'mask'. "How can I cast black magic if I'm not a mage like the others?" He drew back his hand as he questioned the priest. "Real black mages died out a long time ago. I fell out of the sky and Quan caught me, that wouldn't have happened if I was a human." He told Daihan confidently.
"If you're so certain, why don't you lift the mask and see?"
This taunt drew the desired reaction from Vivi, who removed his hat and returned his hand to the bottom of the 'mask'. In one fluidic movement, using only his uninjured right arm, the mask was pulled off revealing a snow coloured face with the same vibrant yellow eyes as before and dusky black hair that fell to about shoulder length. The boy had a very slender face, small lips and a well-shaped nose. "Yes, that'll work well." The priest offered simply, handing Vivi a mirror.
Yellow eyes widened; Vivi had always drawn some little strength from being like the others of his kind and now he was not. He reached his right hand to one smooth unblemished cheek, "H - How … it's not possible. I read that the Black Mages disappeared a long time ago." He drew back his hand, eyes lingering on the reflection of an almost completely normal looking boy. "Why are my eyes still glowing?"
"Well that I don't think any one will ever know. We'll reach Conde Petit soon, I'll find us some more supplies and a change of clothes, you'll have to wait here I'm afraid."
Daihan returned to Conde Petit with an interesting assortment of clothing, he dumped them in a pile in front of the shocked mage and went to do something about his hair. He raised the small knife to the silken black lengths, cutting it to about his shoulders. 'Now I look rather like the boy.' Daihan thought, 'I wonder how I'll explain his eyes.' Pondering this he moved back around to Vivi, who was sitting looking at the pile of clothing. "What's wrong?"
"T - There's nothing dark, no black or blue." With this, Vivi held up a rich dark green jacket Daihan had picked out. "This'll just make my eyes more obvious, why can't I wear my own clothes?"
Daihan took the jacket; stripping off the robes he wore other his clothing. "I know, this one's mine," The short green coast stopped by his waist, highlighting how slim the priest was. "There should be a grey coat about, with moons and stars on the sleeve and a pair of white trousers." Daihan squatted nearby, not looking to the boy because he realised that Vivi would be annoyed about having to change so much; Daihan had only had to remove his robes and change his hair to look different. "You can keep your belt and boots."
Vivi picked up the coat, removing his own blue one; he tugged the grey one on over the plain white shirt he wore. It hung to about his knees; the sleeves were a little long, covering his hands, and Daihan had intended this, hoping to deter Vivi from using his magic. "Yes, that works well, you can change your trousers in a moment, take off you hat again." Stubbornly, Vivi shook his head, clamping the hat to his head using his good arm. "You can wear it in private but we need to hide you." Grudgingly, Vivi nodded and removed it. "Yes, now we are ready to go."
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Pilotslover
Chapter 2 - Some truths
Disclaimer: I don't own FFIX and all it's related places, people etc, I wish I did. I won't be making any profit from this work, again, I wish I did, I need the cash. I do own the idea and the new characters that appear.
Authors Note: A great big thank you to my reviewers, this chapter is only here because you asked me to continue. Also, a shout out to my best friend, whose both read and encouraged me so far, and to Masa for reading this too! Well on with the show!
"W - We're trapped here,"
Noting the defeated tones to the boy's voice, Daihan shook his head; they were on the other side of a small hill and all they could see of Esto Gaza was the smoke that curled slowly from it. "How do you think Kuja got here? Logically, we can leave in the same way." Vivi thought for a while; he and the others had seen to the Silver Dragon a long time ago now; Kuja must now be using something else. "All we need do is find it."
They searched as fast as they could, well aware that every second spent on the search could lead to Kuja finding them. "I - I'm sorry … about everything Daihan." Vivi offered very softly, not looking to the priest as he adjusted his hat with his good arm. "I - I don't know … I never … I …"
"It's alright; they've gone to a better place."
Daihan's voice was gentle as he looked to the boy, who looked a little confused as their eyes locked. "The belief of all the priests of Esto Gaza is that the soul travels the path of souls to a better place when you die; my sister and all those who died today believed in that."
Vivi spent a few moments in silence, they found an airship Kuja had been using, which was deserted save for a few golem mages who offered no real resistance to the mage with third level spells. "Daihan, my …the last of my friends stopped … umm … died a while ago; did he go to the better place too? Even though he was kinda bad, because when Kuja controlled him he killed people?" Vivi asked softly, thinking to the tragic day when 288 had stopped, the last of the Black Mage's in the village. He watched the ground pull away as Daihan piloted the airship.
"If they are judged as worthy then their souls will find peace. Just because a person kills, it does not mean that they are bad." Silence fell once again as both looked down upon the burning wreckage that had once been Esto Gaza.
"I think, before anything else, we'll need to find disguises."
Vivi looked up to Daihan from where he had been plucking thoughtfully at the sling on his left arm. "Even if, as you plan, we go to Burmecia and claim passage to the Queen's court in Alexandria from Freya, we are still being chased." Daihan said gently, telling the boy exactly what he felt. "I can merely change my clothes and hair to look like a different person, what are you planning to do?"
"Wear a white mage robe, it'll hide my face."
'He doesn't know either, what's going on?' Daihan thought with a confused look on his face. "Vivi, you do know that your true face is merely hidden, do you not?" He questioned of the teen bluntly, seeing no reason to avoid the subject.
"W - What do you mean?"
"That the black is just a cover."
Vivi shook his head; he had never heard something so strange before. "No Daihan, I'm just like the others were, made of mist, and faceless like they were." He told the priest, his tones containing complete belief in what he said. "I can bleed, but I don't have flesh like human's do."
Daihan sighed; he had expected this to be difficult for the boy to accept. "Vivi, I know accepting that you are different is hard but if you can alter your appearance to look completely different then you must." He very gently pulled at the red ties on Vivi's jacket and it came undone easily, showing the point at Vivi's neck where black joined white. "Please, just lift it and see."
Tentatively, Vivi raised a hand to the bottom of the 'mask'. "How can I cast black magic if I'm not a mage like the others?" He drew back his hand as he questioned the priest. "Real black mages died out a long time ago. I fell out of the sky and Quan caught me, that wouldn't have happened if I was a human." He told Daihan confidently.
"If you're so certain, why don't you lift the mask and see?"
This taunt drew the desired reaction from Vivi, who removed his hat and returned his hand to the bottom of the 'mask'. In one fluidic movement, using only his uninjured right arm, the mask was pulled off revealing a snow coloured face with the same vibrant yellow eyes as before and dusky black hair that fell to about shoulder length. The boy had a very slender face, small lips and a well-shaped nose. "Yes, that'll work well." The priest offered simply, handing Vivi a mirror.
Yellow eyes widened; Vivi had always drawn some little strength from being like the others of his kind and now he was not. He reached his right hand to one smooth unblemished cheek, "H - How … it's not possible. I read that the Black Mages disappeared a long time ago." He drew back his hand, eyes lingering on the reflection of an almost completely normal looking boy. "Why are my eyes still glowing?"
"Well that I don't think any one will ever know. We'll reach Conde Petit soon, I'll find us some more supplies and a change of clothes, you'll have to wait here I'm afraid."
Daihan returned to Conde Petit with an interesting assortment of clothing, he dumped them in a pile in front of the shocked mage and went to do something about his hair. He raised the small knife to the silken black lengths, cutting it to about his shoulders. 'Now I look rather like the boy.' Daihan thought, 'I wonder how I'll explain his eyes.' Pondering this he moved back around to Vivi, who was sitting looking at the pile of clothing. "What's wrong?"
"T - There's nothing dark, no black or blue." With this, Vivi held up a rich dark green jacket Daihan had picked out. "This'll just make my eyes more obvious, why can't I wear my own clothes?"
Daihan took the jacket; stripping off the robes he wore other his clothing. "I know, this one's mine," The short green coast stopped by his waist, highlighting how slim the priest was. "There should be a grey coat about, with moons and stars on the sleeve and a pair of white trousers." Daihan squatted nearby, not looking to the boy because he realised that Vivi would be annoyed about having to change so much; Daihan had only had to remove his robes and change his hair to look different. "You can keep your belt and boots."
Vivi picked up the coat, removing his own blue one; he tugged the grey one on over the plain white shirt he wore. It hung to about his knees; the sleeves were a little long, covering his hands, and Daihan had intended this, hoping to deter Vivi from using his magic. "Yes, that works well, you can change your trousers in a moment, take off you hat again." Stubbornly, Vivi shook his head, clamping the hat to his head using his good arm. "You can wear it in private but we need to hide you." Grudgingly, Vivi nodded and removed it. "Yes, now we are ready to go."
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