Edonil: I guess I should work on the plot… How long until I reveal all the fun stuff… I think I'll let you lots stew a while. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't know why I'm even writing this… I don't own FFIX.
Claimer: Once again… Crims, Sarah, and Mystery Gal are all mine.
Advertisement: Ok, not really an ad… Go to my profile to see my picture of Kuja! I'm very proud of it, if I do say so myself…
To Change
Chapter Twenty-Three
Garland paced back and forth anxiously. This could become rather… messy. He didn't want to have to deal with mess… Of course, he himself would not deal with it, his creations would, but all the same…
"Master!" A girl around the age of sixteen hurried into the room. It was hard to see what she looked like underneath all the blood. Garland smiled.
"Didn't I tell you to clean up?"
"I'm… sorry, Master. Please… use whatever punishment you see fit." Again, Garland smiled. He had trained her well. Of all of his creations, she was the best.
"Never mind that now. I'll deal with it later. Now, did you accomplish what I told you to do?"
"Yes, Master!"
"And how do you feel?"
"Very powerful, Master. But…"
"But what?"
"Master… Am I supposed to feel… dirty?"
"Covered in blood the way you are, I suppose you would."
"No, that's not what I meant… Are you sure I've done right?"
"Right or wrong does not matter, Child. You must not worry if what you are doing is right. You must do as I tell you, only as I tell you, and nothing else. Do you understand?"
"Yes Master. But… using the blood of innocents to power myself… It doesn't seem…"
"I don't care!" Garland was getting tired of this behaviour. He'd thought he'd gotten rid of all will to oppose him when he'd created her. Well, technically she wasn't done yet… He'd have to do something. The girl shifted a little under his empowering stare. "Go get cleaned up! Then report back here for your punishment!"
"Yes Master!" She turned to go.
"What did I say about leaving without repeating a certain phrase?" She stopped, and turned to face him.
"I exist to kill. I exist to destroy. I exist to end reality. May I go get cleaned up now?"
"I suppose…" She raced off.
Garland snarled at the air. She hadn't sounded like she'd meant it! She was getting too rebellious! She shouldn't have been so rebellious! He'd quenched any thought of revolt before it began! He'd waited sixteen long years…
Soon his new Angel of Death would be ready.
---
It had been a month since Kuja and Crims had arrived in Alexandria. There seemed to be no sign of Garland. He could have died for all they knew! It wasn't fair! He should be dead, but…
Maybe the Eidolons were right. Maybe he should just give up. There was no point in searching any more. Could an infant survive this long without a parent? Kuja didn't think so.
The search was practically suspended anyway. No one wanted to look for his daughter. It wasn't like she could possibly be alive. It was just… She had to be! He couldn't give up! Somewhere, there was a clue…
Then, quite suddenly and out of nowhere, a piece of paper appeared. Kuja grabbed it.
Kuja,
Your daughter is gone. I have destroyed her. As I will destroy Sarah, next. If you do not wish to see Sarah destroyed, follow the instructions…
The letter then went on to list a series of instructions. It wasn't signed, but Kuja knew who it was from.
Garland.
---
The fool had done it! He'd gotten the letter, and taken it to the other failure, and they were planning! Garland had only stayed that long- he was worried about the new Angel, who really couldn't be left alone yet- but he knew what they'd do. They'd bring Garland what he wanted, and think Sarah was safe. And then, when they were least suspecting it…
They were entirely too trusting.
He couldn't destroy Sarah like he had Kuja's daughter. Sarah was much too old. But perhaps his Angel could use another power boost…
Yes, that would be fitting. Use the blood of a failed Angel's spawn to give power to a new Angel. A circle, in a way. All very fitting.
He would have to wait for the crystal, though. How he hated waiting…
---
"We'll have to do it. There's no other way."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Positive. Even if Garland has the power of the Eidolons… Can't they refuse him?"
"I don't think so, Your Highness. But we can hope."
"Dammit, I hate this! I'm going to kill something!"
"I suppose you won't get close enough to Garland to take your rage out on him."
"So we'll do it?"
"… Yes."
"Then shall we go? The sooner Sarah is safe…" The adults nodded. They hated this. Giving Garland the power to summon Eidolons… But it had to be done.
Kuja knew what to do. But he was worried. He'd never before been concerned with keeping the subject of an Eidolon extraction alive. But he really didn't want to kill Queen Garnet… He didn't particularly like her- she didn't particularly like him- but he didn't want to kill his sister-in-law.
They went down into the same room where Queen Garnet had had the ability to summon taken from her five years ago. She should be able to relearn to summon; she'd done it before, after all. But still…
"Are you ready, Your Highness?"
"Just do it, Kuja." She sounded calm, but Kuja detected a bit of fear in her voice.
"Very well, Your Majesty…"
Edonil: What do you think? Do you like it? Do you like the new Angel? Please R&R!