Chapter Three - A Desperate seeming Search
Author - Pilotslover )
Disclaimer - I don't own FF IX, Vivi'd be the main character if I did. I do own the concept, and the names of Vivi's sons, so please ask if you want to use this fic or anything within it.
Response to reviewers -
RefugeofSouls - I'm kind of glad that I had the desired affect with that, I wasn't in tears myself and my sister (Having no soul) thought it was funny.
LottiRebel - (Blushes furiously) I wouldn't say it's powerful ... just hyperactive. Thank you very much! Didn't mean to make shoulder demon cry!
ashitaka666 - Thank you! Everyone's sad in this fic, is not a happy story right now.
The Hilda Garde IV was busy with people when it left Alexandria, Zidane stood in front of everyone, his tail flicking behind him in an aggravated fashion. "You all know why you're here," He was saying, there were nods from most people. "I think it's best to work individually, that way we can cover more locations and have more chance of finding him. Beatrix is checking Alexandria as we speak, I'll leave Lindblum in the hands of Cid and Baku."
"Of course," Cid nodded, his face was grave and slightly pale. The news of Vivi's disappearance had struck many of the gathered hard, it were as if something had gone wrong, as if something was wrong in the world.
"Freya, if you take Burmecia, you know it best after all."
"Yes," The knight's answer was tight, as if she were fighting the urge to cry. "And Sir. Fratley will explore Gizamaluke's grotto."
"Marcus, Blank, you take Treno,"
"Sure bro, if he's there, we'll find him." Marcus assured him softly, though he was still trying to picture what Vivi looked like; like the other members of Tantalus it had been some time since he had seen the mage last.
"Steiner, Dali and Ice Carven." Steiner saluted to show his answer. "Ruby, Cinna, can you search Madain Sari? I doubt he'll be there but it's best to check."
"Sure, Darlin', like the boys said, if he's there I'll find him."
"Amarant, Desert palace," The mercenary gave no sign that he had heard, but Zidane knew through experience that he had. The salamander also seemed to be the least affected by everything, but Zidane was starting to wonder if maybe the outside cool was a facade that would melt when Vivi was returned. "Benero, Zenero, Deguerro and Esto Gaza; I don't think he'll be there." The two of the triplets nodded, the final triplet was missing for the group. "Quina, Quan's dwelling," The Qu nodded it's whole body in response. "This leaves me with the Black Mage village,"
"What are we going to do if we find him?" Amarant asked, "From the look of that letter I can't see him coming along quietly."
Zidane shrugged slightly, "If you have to, knock him unconscious." He said, truly determined to get his friend back. "We're not dealing with the same Vivi everyone remembers, we're dealing with a completely different version of him. Whereas before he wouldn't have dreamed of turning his magic on people I get the feeling he'll be slightly less concerned this time." He told them; one of his biggest fears was that he would have to hurt the mage in order to get him back to Alexandria. "All right, everyone knows where they're going, keep in contact by Moogles; if you find any trace of him then send a mog to the airship, they'll come to you at once."
He cast his eyes around the group, each one of them showing mixed degrees of worry and concern, except the ever collected Amarant. No body wanted to face the possibility of a little dead Black Mage, each feeling that maybe something had been wrong when the note had been written. Clutching his fist at his side, Zidane tried to seal his own heart away in a box, not wanting it to be torn to pieces by finding his best friend dead or dying. He shuddered, forcing his heart into the box it did not seem to want to fit into.
Wind whipped across the desert as Amarant stepped from the airship; he was one of the last people to be dropped at his designated site. He shielded his face behind his arm as the ship took off again before he started towards the sand-whirlpool that marked the entrance to Kuja's secret underground palace; he was in no real rush, knowing how unlikely Vivi being there was. Antlions screamed from their holes, and he spent a few moments making sure that he had the right pit before jumping into it.
He landed on his feet, one hand connected with the ground as he checked the soundings; sand trickled onto his head from the desert above and he moved into the main passages of Desert Palace. Still in no great rush he started to walk down the corridors, he checked the ground as an after thought, a thick layer of dust covered it but some footprints marked the covering. 'Why the hell did he come here?' He found himself wondering as he sent the Desert Palace moogle for the airship.
For a mercinary as skilled in finding people as Amarant, following the footsteps was not difficult, even at a run. 'I don't suppose he thought anyone would come here.' The mercenary considered, 'I guess he's smarter then I thought.' He soon arrived at the doorway leading into Kuja's room, he contemplated how he should enter, baring in mind the incredible magical strength of the boy he was there to 'save'.
He charged at the door, using his shoulder to force it open. A candle flickered near to the bed and a small figure lay in the same place his creator had once laid. A sense of urgency gripped Amarant as he spotted a bloody dagger on the ground just by the bed, he dropped to Vivi's side; blood stained the mages white sleeve and had started to seep up the arm of the blue coloured part. "Oh geez kid," He murmured, casting a Chakra spell on him expecting the wound to close a little and stop the flow of the blood. It failed.
A cold, anxious feeling wound through his chest and into his throat; never openly caring about anyone, he felt close to all the people he had journeyed with. Even the two 'brats' Vivi and Eiko, they were like the younger siblings he had never had. 'Think Amarant, what were you told about wounds that couldn't be healed?' He thought desperately, trying to draw on a memory that he had buried a long time ago.
The mage stirred slightly, his yellow eyes flickering opening slowly, "You move so much as an inch and I'll knock you out, you little bastard!" Amarant snapped angrily, tearing apart part of the sheet that was on the bed, it was dusty and not the best thing to use to cover a wound but it was all there was; wasting no time on being careful, he roughly grabbed Vivi's arm and tightly bound the wound. That done he picked the small body up and started towards the portal in Kuja's room; it was a long shot, it had been four years now since Kuja had died but he tried anyway.
The blue tingle of magic surrounded them, teleporting them out to where the Hilda Garde I had once stood; its sister ship was there now, a white mage rushing out to meet them. "Your magic isn't going to work; I tried a Chakra on him." Amarant barked at her as they ran, she just managed to keep pace. "It's the old fashioned way or no way."
They soon reached one of the private rooms on board ship, "What can you do for him?" The medic shook her head at the question, eyes on the small teenager. "People coped before there was magic, what can be done for him?"
"If the magic isn't taking then there's a reason for it," She told him softly. "He doesn't want to be healed." The mercenary knew this, he was not an idiot and appreciated more then the others the pain Vivi felt. "In the times before magic, they used stitches on wounds." She went to remove the hastily constructed bandage, before pulling back and shaking her head. "I can't do it sir; I've never even seen it done."
"I have, a long time ago. Fetch me some clean water, something I can use to stitch it with and as many bandages as you can find."
She nodded and left, ordering as many people as she could find to fetch bandages. "You're too young to die." He muttered as he pressed firmly on the blood vessel in Vivi's elbow, stopping the bleeding at the wrist slightly. "And that monkey Zidane isn't going to let you."
The young woman entered again, her arms heaped with bandages, "These were all the bandages I could find. I don't know if you can use this for stitching," She removed a role of fine plastic looking stuff from her pocket, "They use it in repairs," A young knight entered with a bowl of water, setting it down nearby before he left.
"Right, you take over here; make sure you press down hard on the blood vessel, if you loosen your grip the bleeding will get worse." He moved to the bowl and washed his hands as she did as he told him. "Apply something as a tourniquet just above it, or just under your hands, just to make sure." She used one of the bandages to do so, all the time keeping one hand on the desired location.
Authors Note: Yes I know they're making faux pars in their treatment, but they're doing that for a reason, namely that the people on Gaia have relied on magic too much and so the 'old' art of healing has been lost.
They have Vivi back, but he's far from in a good shape. How will Zidane deal with this? Find out in the next part of 'Shattered Soul' - 'Hearts and minds.'
AND:
Merry Christmas to everyone reading this! I certainly didn't intend for this to be what I was posting for x-mas but the Secret Santa I've entered isn't over until the 31st so your going to have to wait (Not that it's very christmasy either!)
Please, as always, leave a review - I like reviews. (Nods)
