My hands braced over my knees, I stare at the ground, panting. Long minutes pass while I suck in long breath after long breath, fighting to let each out slowly. My breathing calms. Somehow I manage to stand up fully and stare at the place I've been running towards: Ipsens castle. All I have to do is climb down the cliff walls, go inside, find Uncle, and kill him. That's all that's left.

So I sit down behind a stone and take out some dragon jerky to gnaw on. I'll go in a few minutes. I'm scared, yes, and wondering, but I know I have to do this. So I stand on suddenly shaky legs. Drinking a bit of water, I head down.

The going's easy, laughable after what it took to get here. I carefully maneuver around the weak outcroppings, careful not to put much wait on my recently healed- and still sore- arm. Dropping into the canyon, I dust off my knees from landing and enter.

Nothings changed. The trapdoors still work in just the same way. The floors are still filled with gaps, and there's still hidden switches on each column, activating access to each new part of the tower. Hitting one, I climb a slim pole to the top, and look around the room I slept for so many years. I walk up the stairs on the left quietly, silently, and ease open the door to Uncles personal chambers, closing it quietly behind me as I walk forward. Slowly, slowly. Silently. He's never awake at this hour. I'll catch him by surprise, and

WHAM! I slam against the wall behind me, propelled by the force of the attack. Spikes pop out where I landed, driving into my back, knocking me down. I struggle to lift myself up, and gaze at Uncle Kuja's face.

He's staring down at me, bored, fire glowing in his palm. He's fully clothed and armed for battle. "Clara." His voice is ice. "So kind of you to come. Is there anything you'd like to discuss with me?" He casts the fire down at me, and I scramble out of the way. "Such as your eating the food on the Mist Continent? You know what that does to you."

"Liar. You were a liar all those years." My voice is weak. "They never tried anything like you described, you"

"Meteor." He whispers, and something slams into me, pounding me to the ground. Tears come to my eyes, and as he repeats the attack, I scream.

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My eyes pop open in the dark. Clara. Something's wrong with Clara!

It's instinct, I don't know how, but I know she's hurt. Badly. I stand up, looking around my prison. She's too far away; I'll never get there in time!

But I HAVE to try! Gritting my teeth, I back up and slam against the wall of the cage, propelling it into the wall with a loud crunch. I don't even wait for it to stop spinning; I slam myself into the opposite wall for another loud pound. I'm getting out. Now.

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A loud crunch sounds through the castle, a bang, and King Zidane gets up. By that I mean, HE GETS UP. Straight up about a foot. Covers and all. He and the queen he lands on have about five seconds to wonder what happened before alarm bells go off, signaling a breakout. A successful breakout, and within a few seconds they both have clothes on, heading at a run towards the dungeons. Skidding to a stop, the two are smashed into from behind by Eiko and Freya. News travels fast.

Taking one look at the mangled cage, he orders, "To the invincible. Now."

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Groaning, I lift my head up off the floor as far as I can manage. Then I push myself up and, somehow, get to my knees before the next wave hits me. "Flare." The fire burns so bad, and I fly backwards, into the wall, where I slump weakly. I can barely move right now. His footsteps come closer, slow and deliberate.

"You just don't get it, do you, Clara." He tells me, prodding my bruised chin with his foot. "Poor little girl, abandoned by those she has come to trust. A traitor to your training. A weakling. Why don't you just- AH!" He screams, trying to shake my teeth from his foot. I don't let go.

Clara! It's me, I'm on my way, hang on!

Catalina's in range! Either she escaped or something, bit she's fine! Now, to uphold my end of the bargain…

I spit out his foot and whisper "Curaga." In the same breath. Standing up, I shout "HOLY!"

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Yes. Well, hope this is good for now. It's all I could manage over a weekend.