Split Ends

Introduction: Hello, Hello! Yes, Ritz is finally back in the picture, and from here on in everything just gets a little chaotic. Enjoy!

  Italics- thoughts, memories, etc

Bold- actions, important stuff

  VII

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    It was at that moment Marche realized someone was watching him. He turned to see an illusionist, a sniper, an elementalist, a black mage, and a juggler, all who looked oddly familiar. "Hey! Get out of the way!"

   "Marche!!!" the illusiontist came running forward. "Duck!"

 He pounced on Marche and pinned him to the ground, just as a Ritz shot a thunder spell over their heads. The spell grazed the illusionist's cap and split it in two. The hat slowly fell off, and Marche gasped. "Mewt!"

  "Aw man, Ritz ruined Mewt's costume," growled the sniper. Marche cocked his head and looked at them closer. "Lyle, Colin… and Guiness? Is that you?"

   "At your service," the sniper, who was apparently Lyle, bowed.

  The moogle beside them bounded over to Montblanc, "Brother! We brought Mewt!"

    Montblanc stared at him, "Nono?"

 "Yep! Yep!"

    Marche stood, amazed. "You guys… you're helping us?"

  The three boys paraded over to him. "We're Mewt's body guards!"

   Marche looked to each of them in turn. "You three? But I thought you hated us…"

"Naw," Guiness said gently. "Just jealous I guess. We know what we did was wrong… and we wanted to apologize…"

  "We're sorry," they chorused, looking solemn. Marche turned to Mewt, "They helped you escape?"

  Mewt nodded slowly, fumbling with the pieces of his stripped hat. "We're in disguise, we had to get out of prison."

  "Oh…" Marche stared at them all. Then he started laughing. "So that's why you look so ridiculous!"

   "Yep!" Lyle grinned. "Colin wouldn't wear anything girly so we just gave him a black mage's hat. Piece of cake, getting out of that place, you would've thought there'd be more guards or something…"

   Firaga!

Mewt and Marche's eyes widened. "Duck!"

   Everyone ducked down, and Ritz's fire spell zoomed past. The familiar shiver spun up Marche's spine. Mewt stared at Marche. "You can hear her too?"

  "Yes," he nodded. "Montblanc's trying to cast silence on her, but it never works. I think it's because she's mute."

  "Since when was Ritz mute?!" growled Lyle. "And how come we can't hear her?"

 Mewt stared up at Ritz as she zoomed toward them. "Marche… that's not Ritz!!"

   DIE!

She thrust her rapier forward, aiming straight for Marche. However, he was frozen to the spot. That's not Ritz? How can that be…?

  "Marche! Duck!!" Colin cried, getting to his feet. He pushed Marche out of the way, and Ritz's rapier went straight through his arm. "AH!"

   "Colin!" Marche cried, rolling and landing a few feet away. Colin got to his feet slowly, one arm completely covered in his thick blood. "Damn you… you made me mad you son of a-

   Revenge is mine! Die Marche!

 "Ritz!! Stop!" Marche cried, dodging her flying rapier. Ritz merely zipped after him as he ran, thrusting her rapier. "Ritz!"

  I am not Ritz you insolent fool! I am Ztir, personal mage to our future king!!

 He caught her rapier right between his gloved hands. She pressed on him, throwing her strength into the rapier, trying to slide it into his stomach. "If you're Ztir, that must mean…"

  "She's Ritz's hatred," Mewt gasped. "Marche, get out of there!!"

"Ztir!" Marche cried, gripping the rapier tight. "Why are you so intent on killing me?!"

   You… you…you disgust me! Llednar wants you dead, so he sent his most powerful mage to slay you all!!

  She tried to wrench the rapier out of his hands, but he held fast. "But why do you wish to kill me? I'm your friend," Marche looked up at her. 

  "Marche's friends with Ritz's hatred?" Guiness rubbed his chin. "This is new."

 No you're not!

 "Yes I am!" he cried, wrenching the rapier out of her hands and tossing it away. "If you truly are a part of Ritz, then deep down I know you understand! I understand you Ztir, I do!"

  Lies!! All lies!! You understand nothing about me! NOTHING!

"What don't I understand?" Ztir was looming a few feet in front of him as he blocked her from trying to get her rapier. "If you jut tell me, maybe I can help you…"

   No! Leave me alone!! I don't need help!!

She thrust past him for her rapier, but he launched himself around her waist. Lyle whistled, "Way to go Marche!"

   Squished between her breasts his added weight pulled her down. "Where's Ritz and Doned?!" he demanded. "If you won't tell me what's wrong at least tell me where they are!"

  Never! She whipped around in his arms and pushed him back. Firaga!

She hit him full force in the chest, tossing him across the field until he skid to a stop on his back. Blood trickled out of his mouth, his body scratched and scathed. Mewt ran toward him. "Marche!"

   But Ztir was fast. She blasted Mewt away with a thunder spell, leaving her path clear. She dove upon Marche and grabbed him around the neck with her two bare hands. Squeezing the life out of him, her features twisted.

 "Ztir… why…?" he choked, coughing blood onto her hands. The crimson blood rolled down her bare arms. Ztir held him still. Because you murdered my one chance to be normal… all to save your precious real world. I hate you Marche Radiuju! I HATE YOU!!!
  Her scream echoed in his head. Mewt sunk to his knees. "Oh my god…"

Marche no longer struggled, tears in his eyes. "I'm… sorry… I never wanted to hurt you Ritz…"

  My name is Ztir you imbecile!

 Life was slowly draining from him. His hands fumbled for his sword, the others trying desperately to hit her. All Lyle's arrows bounced off her, Colin's sword glanced off her, and Guiness's Holy Blade didn't even leave a mark. Mewt, hapless Mewt, stood there, helpless.

   Ztir's grip tightened around Marche's neck. It's too late for apologies… goodbye Marche…

  "NO!!" Mewt cried, pulling out his staff and charging at her. "I won't let you kill him!!!!"
  Ztir turned her head to him just as Mewt rammed his staff into her side. AGH!!

Her grip slid from his neck, and Marche fell to the ground, gasping for air. Mewt withdrew his staff and stabbed her again. Ztir recoiled. Th-that staff!! How could it penetrate through my shield…?

  "Because, my hatred produced you…" Mewt explained, withdrawing his now bloody staff. "His magic is my magic."

   Ztir stared at him and then over to where Marche sat. Marche rubbed his throat, trying to regain his breath. Mewt pointed his staff at her again. "I hate doing this to you, but if you make one more move toward him, I'll kill you."

  Why are you so intent on keeping him alive? Even when he broke you from the place where you were happy?

  "Because…" he whispered. "Truly, I was not happy. It was an illusion I'd created, and I knew it. And even though I was hugging my mother, I wasn't. It pained me to know it was a dream, and that it would end. However, Marche helped me realize that I cannot escape my fears, I must face them…"

    Face your fears… Ztir stared at him, her expression softening.

Mewt extended his hand. "What is it you fear?"

   Face my fears… Ztir reached up to touch his hand. Although she was bleeding profusely, she looked much calmer. Ritz and Doned… they are in Ambervale. Llednar has many plans for them…

  "Thank you," Mewt said gently.

Marche managed to regain his breath and stood up, walking over beside Mewt. He extended his hand also. "We'll go together Ztir. We'll help you."

   You… you would do that for me?

  Lyle and the others stood by the chocobo, watching the entire thing. Montblanc was healing Colin's arm when Colin looked up at them, "Does anyone have a clue what's going on?"

  "Mewt mentioned something about her name being Ztir and that she's the essence of Ritz's hatred," Lyle said, folding his arms. Guiness nodded, "I don't think we'd ever want to see Ritz's hatred in full force."

  "Heck no," Colin sighed, "She'd kill us."

"Yes Ztir," Marche said, staring at her with gentle eyes. "We'd do anything for you…"

  Ztir's hand was about to touch theirs, when someone behind her said, "You actually believe them?"

    Ztir whirled around, her eyes slightly widened. Standing behind her  a foot away stood a boy with black hair in the same haircut as Marche's. He opened his eyes and stepped forward. Marche stared into his cold gray eyes, the old chill crawling up his spine.

   U-Ujuidar!

  Marche stepped forward, reaching out to touch Ztir. Ujuidar swooped over Ztir, shielding her with his black cape. Ztir watched them from behind Ujuidar's protective gesture. "Leave her alone."

  Marche frowned, "I do not wish to harm her."

 Ujuidar glared back at him. "Ztir is my friend. Let her be, she has no use for the likes of you."

  Ztir buried her face into his chest. Ujuidar…

  "You can hear her too?" Marche said, slightly thunderstruck. Ujuidar did not look at him.

He turned his cold gray eyes to Marche, "Touch her again and I'll kill you."

   "But-

Ujuidar swished his cape, and they both disappeared. Moments later they reappeared in the air, flying off into the distance.

   Marche sunk to his knees. "Wait…"

Mewt came over to him, "Well, at least we got something out of him. Ritz and Doned are in Ambervale. Let's go back to Cyril, Dad's with them right?"

  "Yes…" Marche stared up at the sky, his heart sinking. Ritz… "Yes…"

   That night, Ujuidar and Ztir arrived in Ambervale, landing lightly on their feet. However, when Ztir landed, she collapsed to the ground in a heap, breathing heavily.

  "You should not have given into them," Ujuidar said gently as he rummaged around in his pockets. "You could've been killed."

  I can take care of myself Ujuidar!

"Hmph, then how come your side is so bloodied?" He said gruffly, sitting down in front of her with bandages.

  I let my guard down. It won't happen again ok?!

Her blood was spilling onto the cobblestone, seeping into the cracks and running through them like little creeks. Ujuidar strapped some bandages on her carefully. He kept his eyes on his work, and did not look up at her.

   She leaned over till her head was touching his. I'm sorry…

 "There is no need to apologize," he said, his eyes still on his work. "I just don't like seeing you hurt…"

   I know…

"So next time, we'll fight together ok?" he said, glancing up at her. "That way, I can protect you."

  I don't need protection! I'm not weak!

He finished wrapping up her side and slid his arms up to her face. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "Yes, you are the strongest person I've ever met. Forgive me, I just want to help."

   Ujuidar…

 "Any news?" Ujuidar turned to see Llednar standing in the shadows, the Gran Grimoire clutched under his arm. He stood, "Ztir carried out your orders, they know to come to Ambervale."

  "Excellent," Llednar scanned them. "Could they hear you Ztir?"

  Yes… Ztir looked at him. How could they though?

  "You are an essence of their friend," Llednar said gruffly. "Because of that, they can hear you speak." He turned his pink eyes to Ztir's leg. "What happened to you?"

 Mewt rammed his staff into my side to prevent me from killing Marche.

"Ah," Llednar sighed. "Can't be helped. Now then Ujuidar, do send our messenger forth with a bodyguard to meet them at the gates. Then come back here and bring forth our soldier that's just dying to see him…" he laughed lightly.

 "And you?"

 "I? I shall relocate myself…" Llednar replied as touched the stone door. "Yes… I shall finish what I have started in the palace. Accompany me while I get ready will you Ztir?"

  He blasted the stone door to pieces and stepped through, Ztir floating after him.

 Yes my lord…

**To Be Continued**