Edonil: I wanted to reach fifty chapters… I'm now at fourty! It's going to be more than fifty. I can feel it. I still have no idea how I'm getting to the end. (Hey, at least there is going to be an end!) Does anyone mind that I'll be at this for a while? I hope not…

Disclaimer/Claimer: This if the final time I say this! FFIX is property of SquareSoft/Square-Enix, while Sarah, Crims, Avylonn, Saniiro, and anyone else who was not in the game are property of me!

Advertisement: Go read the stories of everybody who's reviewed more than once! Their names are: RefugeofSouls, Puck of Cleyra, LottiRebel, and APC. If you were just mentioned, I like you. You're nice. If you've ever reviewed (even once), I like you. Just not as much.

To Change

Chapter Forty

Avylonn looked around. Unadorned stone walls. Uncarpeted stone floor. Flickering candles. A single window with heavy white velvet drapes. A bed with a heavy white velvet cover.

She didn't like it. Everything would have to be fixed.

But at least it was 'home'. It didn't feel like home. But this was Kuja's mansion, and she would be living here, so, by definition, it was home.

"Avylonn! Come here! We're going out for dinner!"

"Coming!"

---

Avylonn stared at the grey building in disgust. This was her school? This was what her parents thought would teach her something?

I could be wrong. Appearances can be deceiving. It might be unadorned grey because they spent all their money on books. The uniforms might be so ugly because they're less expensive. My peers might not be as snooty as the look… Who am I kidding?

Sighing heavily, Avylonn started up the cold stone steps.

Suddenly, all the other girls started shrieking. Avylonn looked at them curiously. Was it her? What was going on?

"It's him!" one of the girls shouted. Avylonn turned around to see who 'him' was.

'Him' stepped out of a custom-built airship, nodded to the chauffeur, and waved his hand elegantly at the shrieking girls.

Oh my goshness! He's so… I understand why they're shrieking! Look at that face! And that body! His smile… He is so hot…

Maybe school won't be that bad…

---

School was that bad.

First of all, Cassius Belo- that was his name- had only been in one of her classes so far (it was noon break, so there was still a chance he'd be in more). And he hadn't even glanced at her. No one had. Her classes weren't like she'd expected; they were boring. She already knew all this stuff she was supposed to be learning! It wasn't fair!

"Are you the new girl?" Avylonn turned to look at the speaker. She was blonde, buxom, and beautiful. Avylonn didn't like her.

"Yes."

"I'm Shanda Van der Veen. What's your name?"

"Avylonn."

"Avylonn what?"

"Uh…" What was her last name…? Her father didn't have a last name, and her mother had never said, but a last name was required in school. Avylonn was using the one her father had used last time he resided in Treno. "I'm Avylonn King."

"Oh! Your father is… But… Oh!" Shanda Van der Veen quickly backed away. As soon as she was a safe distance, she turned to a gaggle of similar-looking girls and they began speaking. Avylonn sighed and went back to staring at the sky.

"Hello." Avylonn looked at the boy who'd spoken.

"Uh… Hello."

"Are you really Kuja's daughter?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I was… just wondering. I'm Albin Van der Veen, twin brother of the most popular girl in school. I'm a geek."

"Uh… Hi." Avylonn said perplexedly. She wasn't too sure what else to say. He definitely looked like a geek, with his combed and gelled hair, his thick glasses with the nose-piece covered in tape, and a stack of books half as tall as he at his side. "Uh… It's… nice to meet you."

"I was wondering… Uh… Nevermind." Avylonn looked at him, even more perplexed. Huh?

"Hey," a deep voice said. Now Avylonn was truly confused. It wasn't hey as in 'hey you, get out of my way," or like 'hey, I want your attention". It was more of 'hey. Just hey." Curious, she turned to face him.

And nearly fainted.

It was Cassius. Cassius Belo. Every girl in the courtyard was looking at him. Shanda and her friends surrounded him, looking very pleased with themselves.

"H-h-hello."

"You're the new girl?" Avylonn nodded, not trusting her voice. "I'm Cassius Belo. What's your name?"

"Avylonn King."

"Hmm… King… Whoa! You're Kuja's daughter! I thought that was just a rumour…" He turned around and walked away. Avylonn frowned slightly. Why'd he leave?

Who cared? He'd spoken to her. That was all that mattered.

---

Avylonn hid a yawn. This was terribly boring. She could do algebra like this in her sleep! What a waste of time… It was probably a good thing she already knew it, though. The teacher had left the room for a moment, and her peers were being incredibly noisy. Most didn't seem to understand the work, and were bugging the geekiest kids they could see. Thankfully, Avylonn wasn't one of them. Or maybe it was just that she was Kuja's daughter.

"Hey, Kuja's Daughter!" Avylonn turned around in her seat to face the moron behind her. "Do you get this?"

"Yeah."

"Have you done question three?"

"I'm done."

"Oh! Well, what's the answer to number three?"

"Figure it out yourself."

"Could you help me? Please?" He looked so sad… Avylonn couldn't say no.

"Only if you agree to call me Avylonn, not Kuja's Daughter."

"Deal. I'm Salmoneus Xylander. So how does this work?" Just then the teacher came in, and glared at the class.

"Be quiet, all of you! I can't even leave you alone for five minutes! Now shut up!"

---

School was finally out! That was the best thing that had happened all day-

"Hello Avylonn!" Avylonn looked at Albin Van der Veen.

"Hi, Albin Van der Veen."

"Just Albin. How'd you like your first day at school?"

"It was alright, I guess. I already knew most of what they were teaching us, though."

"Transfer to a higher grade. Then I'd have somebody to talk to in calculus and advanced geometry."

"That's a good idea!" Albin was pretty smart.

"Talk to your parents! You should be able to switch classes tonight."

"Thanks! Oh! Uh… My… parent is here. I'd better go…"

"You don't take the Schoolship?"

"No. See you tomorrow!"

"Bye, Avylonn!"

Avylonn waved, and hurried towards her father's private airship. She got in quickly, so her peers wouldn't see her father. That would be ugly…

"How was school, Avylonn?" he asked, smiling pleasantly.

"Ok. It was kind of easy, though. I knew everything already. One of the other kids suggested I switch to a higher grade."

"Of course! I'll see to it tonight!"

---

Kuja's cheeks hurt. Everyone who saw him was glaring. Lovely. He'd hoped that the citizens of Treno wouldn't hate him… He hadn't killed that many of them. Besides, he had changed! Yes, that's right, changed, goshdanggit!

"How was school, Avylonn?" he asked his daughter. He hoped his smile didn't look too fake.

"Ok," she answered. "It was kind of easy, though. I knew everything already. One of the other kids suggested I switch to a higher grade."

A higher grade! Splendid! This made up for all the glares. His daughter was smart! She was a genius! Crims would be thrilled!

"Of course! I'll see to it tonight!"

---

Garland paced back and forth. That moronic underling had just reported. Everything was as it should be- or so Garland was told. But was the idiot telling the truth…? He said the Third Angel was under his control. That she adored him. It was possible. But not likely. That idiot was a self-centered, arrogant lunatic! Why would he tell the truth? Of course, in this case, he probably was. According to another of his sources, the Third Angel was the type to fall for every man she set her eyes on! Still…

Garland would just have to see how everything played out.

Edonil: I think I've rambled on enough now. Not much about Kuja recently… Don't worry, Kuja is still the most important character in this fanfic! Please R&R! And try to guess who Garland's underling is! You have met him!