Chapter 26

Gambling With Lives Part 2

"On your marks…"

"She has her father's blood."

"…Get set…"

"Kali has the best chance out of all of us."

"Go!"

"And yet, she's not going," Kadaj gasped. Indeed, she was still sitting at the starting gate, Albus preparing to take a nap.

"You fucking bird, get UP!" Kali yelled. She dug her feet into his sides, but it was no use. He closed his eyes and Kali felt fury rise in her breast. In the crowd, Cid watched the screen that showed the other birds.

"They're way ahead," he muttered. As he spoke, Kali gave the bird a swift kick in the side and, after a loud squawk, began running.

"Come on," she whispered gently. "I'm sorry I kicked you. Please, go faster. Catch up to them."

Albus glanced up at her as he ran through the track. Ahead, Kali could see the other racer's rears. She closed her eyes and felt the air blow her hair around her face. They came around a curve as she opened her eyes. She smiled after listening to the Chocobo's silent cries.

"I promise, if you win this race for me, I'll make sure you get released into the wild," she whispered. "Whoa!"

The bird ran even faster. Kali started laughing as the wind nearly blew her off and the other birds came into her full view. There was only one bird missing as Albus and Kali blew past the other racers.

"Wait…" Rude muttered. He stared at the screen. "Where's Li? His Chocobo isn't on the map."

"Huh?" Kadaj gasped. Rude was right. There was no sign of the black Chocobo.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

The registration woman walked into the stables. She turned at a muffled yell in one of the stalls and gasped.

"Mm!" the jockey yelled. His mouth was gagged with a piece of black cloth and he was stripped of his racing gear except for the sensor that told where the racer was on the track.

"Li! What happened?" the woman yelled. She helped him up. "If you're here, then who's…?"

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

Kali pushed Albus hard, but there was no sign of Li. Finally, she came around the corner and saw the black Chocobo.

"Albus, you can do it. Pass him, and the race is ours," she whispered soothingly. Albus seemed to nod as he went even faster.

"She's catching up!" Devin said excitedly, watching as the two came around the corner and within sight of the crowd that had gathered. They watched as the birds became neck and neck, but Devin's heart sank as he realized who was controlling the black bird.

"You," Kali gasped as she looked into the jockey's face. Zurine smiled and tried to slam into her with her bird.

"You'll lose this race, girl, along with your life."

"No. I'll never lose," Kali replied.

She begged Albus to go faster, to get to the line first, but he was growing tired. Fortunately, their opponent was growing tired as well. They struggled to stay ahead of each other. Finally, the finish line in sight, Kali pushed ahead. The line was only a few hundred yards away… now one hundred… now fifty… now within twenty feet…

She screamed as she fell over. The black bird had pecked a deep gash into her side and upper back. Kali lie on the ground crying and bleeding while Zurine crossed the finish line. She laughed at Kali as several security guards came up and grabbed her by the arms. Kali looked up at Albus, who had also been hit. His feathers were stained red, and his sides weren't moving. Kali muttered an almost silent apology. She blacked out as Zurine grew furious and four Chocobos ran at her. She only heard three things before going under.

"Zurine, you bitch!" Devin yelled.

"Kali!" the others screamed.

I lost… she thought miserably.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"Wake up. Please, Kal, wake up," Devin begged. He held her while the doctor left them in the hospital room. He had said that she might not awaken anytime soon, as she had hit her head hard, but he refused to listen.

"She'll wake soon," Kadaj muttered, staring into his sister's unconscious face. "She has to. Her job here isn't finished."

"Her job?" Cid repeated. Kadaj nodded slowly.

"If she dies, we're all doomed."

"What does she have to do here?" Rude asked.

"I'm really not completely sure. She knows better than I do," Kadaj admitted. He looked up as Devin laid Kali back down and walked out of the room. He rubbed the burn across his chest as he watched Devin disappear.

Zurine had unleashed a massive amount of energy on everyone who tried to take her hostage. The birds and men in the immediate vicinity had been turned to ash. Fortunately, the small band was just out of range and only suffered burns. Kadaj turned back to Kali and held her. He bowed his head and closed his eyes as Kali slept on. A few moments later, the head of Gold Saucer came in.

"That sure was something," she said. They glanced at her. She was wearing a pair of shorts that were barely as long as Yuffie's and had on a leather vest that was unzipped just above her breasts. Her black hair was cut short and she was very muscular.

"Who are you?" Cid asked.

"Sisu. Dio's daughter," Reeve answered for her. "He died a few years ago. She took over for him."

"Thanks Reeve. You've always been our best and most loyal patron," she smiled. "I came to tell her congratulations on her win."

"Her win? She didn't even make it within a foot of the finish line. How could she have won?" Kadaj whispered bitterly.

"You see, the jockey that rode in on the black Chocobo was not the owner of the bird, nor was she asked to ride it by the owner. She was immediately disqualified. All of the other jockeys died in the blast."

"What's the prize?" Rude whispered.

"Fifty thousand gil," she announced proudly. "Not many jockeys can ride a race like she did."

"If she dies, who gets the money?" Cid asked. Kadaj snapped.

"She's dying and all you care about is who gets her money?" he yelled. He shook angrily. "How can you say that? If she dies, we're all dead anyway, so what does it matter who gets it?"

"I'm sorry," Cid shrugged.
"Fuck you, Cid. I don't want to hear it," Kadaj growled. He stared at Kali as she slept on.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

".pue kaw ilaK"

"Let's not start this again. I'm trying, but I can't."

".neh tem ocsa hemi tehT .lle wyr eV"

"What time?"

"… yro tsym rae hotu oyroF"

Kali suddenly found herself in the middle of a bustling yet primitive looking city. A cart came rumbling down the street and went right through her. After a few moments, she watched as a woman in white battle garb walked into the crowd. He hair was short and black. She seemed to be either pregnant or just fat, as her cloak protruded slightly in the front. Following- no, chasing her was a figure in black battle clothes. She had black and silver hair down to her shoulders and grey eyes. Clutched in one hand was a large sword. In the other, she held a small vial. The woman in white had a katana in one hand and a thin dirk in the other.

"Halt!" the second woman yelled. The white kept going. A moment later, Kali found herself in a small canyon. The white woman was trapped in a small crevice.

"Stop there-" the white woman began, but her voice sounded like static as she said the name. The woman in black froze. Kali could see now what had been under the cloak. Clutched in the woman's arms were two small toddlers, a boy and a girl. She held the dirk over their throats. The children cried, their voices static at first, then bawling.

"- Please, help us!" they cried. They were elegantly dressed, thus telling Kali that they must have been royal children.

"Thief, return the children of thy emperor. Thou shall be killed quickly if thee surrenders."

"Nay, guard of our fathers. The young blood shall remain with me."

"Will thou disobey thy king, he who hast given thou food and shelter?"

"Ay, I disobey," the white woman replied. "The children shall be a sacrifice for the planet. Will thou dare to anger the gods?"

"Thou hast angered the god that matters," the guard replied. She pulled the stopper off of the vial and flung a few drops at the white woman. She screamed as acid hit her hand holding the dirk. As the children tried to run, the injured woman lashed out with her katana and struck them across their backs. Kali started crying as they bled nearly to death in front of her. The white woman scooped them up and ran before the other could grab them. Blackness took over.

".ef ilreh rofde rae fehS .ret aws' gni kru onin osi op gnit tu prof del feh staht dei dIret fatu odnu ofI .d'l'ro weh tot meh tecif irca sot del fehS .sniw tesoh t'mi herob d'nam erahs' relu reht fotra pasas wehs …ret altu odnu ofI .nerd lihc ehtko ot enuriZ .ror epme arteC eh trof'd ra ugA .ebo t'de su Iohw sis ihT"

"How did you die? Why did they sound like static?"

".puek awote mocsa hemi tehT .ret alde idIw ohu oywoh slli wI .ema nymt onwon kIyh w'si tah tsalA"

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"Kadaj…" Kali moaned. She blinked blearily as she became aware of her surroundings. He opened his eyes and spilt stray tears onto her face.

"Thank god," he whispered, holding her close. "We were worried that you had…"

"Not yet," she muttered. Reeve walked over.

"Maybe we shouldn't go through with the next test."

"What was it?" she asked.

"They have a battle arena here. I was going to have you fight your way through it. One set contains eight rounds. It starts off easy, but you have a handicap each time and the monsters get tougher as you go. Do you feel up to it?"

"Yes," she said immediately. She felt Kadaj stiffen next to her. "I'll be fine. The battles aren't to the death, or so I hope, and I need the practice."

"Tonight then? Do you think you'll be okay?" Reeve asked.

"Make it tomorrow. I'm too drained now," Kali sighed. She laid her head against her brother's stomach and half listened to them explain what had happened. Rude laid the bag of gil in front of her and smiled.

"Shall we take her back to her room now?"

"Huh?" Kadaj asked. Cid pointed at her.

"I think she's asleep."

"I guess so. I'll take her up. Meet up in the bar?"

"Sure," Rude nodded.

"I'll go, but I'm not drinking," Cid added as he rubbed his chest.

"I need a good drink after earlier," Reeve agreed.

"Be down in a few," Kadaj called as they left. He picked up his sister gently and carried her from the medical center to her room.

"Where am I?" Kali whispered as Kadaj laid her on her bed. Kadaj sat next to her and held her hand.

"I just brought you to your room. You feeling okay?"

"I'll be fine later. Kadaj?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you for everything."

"I think we should be thanking dad."

"Daddy?" Kali whispered. Her eyes closed as Kadaj nodded.

"After Vincent brought his body here, I thought I was alone. Even before that, after he disappeared in Nibelheim, I felt the same. Now I know what love feels like. I have you and Sachiko. If we ever get her out of the Hitomi clutches, I might even know what having a child's love is like."

"But what did daddy do for me?"

"He had me first. That way, you wouldn't be alone if anything happened to your mother or him. That's what I think, at least."

"Kadaj? Would you please leave? I need to sleep," she said quietly. Kadaj smiled and kissed her on the forehead.

"I'll be in the bar with the others for awhile, then I'll be in my room if you need me. Get some rest."

"I will. Love you."

"Love you, too," he called over his shoulder. Kadaj disappeared behind the door a moment later.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"You could have killed her," Devin said shakily. Zurine stood by the door and glared at him.

"You shouldn't have slept with the girl in the first place. You've been forgetting your job," she said angrily. "Do you want the collar back on?"

"No. I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore."

"You're a fool, mortal," Zurine hissed. "Do you really wish to give up your life for what you call love?"

"I'm afraid to, but I will," he replied defiantly. Zurine walked up to him and shoved him onto the bed.

"Love is weak. It fades with death or separation. It is an emotion. It's not a thing you can feel or taste or see or smell. Only physical notions are worth fighting for. Purity… that is the greatest and only nonphysical thing to fight for."

"You took mine," he muttered, still on his back on the bed. "A week after you brought me back, you took my purity away."

"And what do you think the Cetra emperor did to me?" she asked, raising a white-booted foot to his chest. He winced at the pressure she applied. "I was forced into his harem, he took my purity, and made me go through the pain of bringing two lives into the world at once. Why not spread the pain? You cannot have the pain of birth, but we both know someone who can. Someone who had her purity taken only a short time ago."

"Kali," Devin whispered. He started shaking. "And I was the one to take it."

"Yes. You know that it felt good, didn't it?" she smiled knowingly. She rested her chin and arms on her knee. "So exactly how was it? Taking her virginity away, you know? Did it feel nice to feel her from a different direction so to speak?"

"Shut up!" he yelled, covering his ears with his hands. Zurine tore them away and began pacing the room. Devin stared at her as he sat up and felt tears well up. "It did feel good, I admit it. I would never do that to her again. Not like last night."

"Did it hurt at all?"

"No," he whispered. "Her nails scratched me a little, but otherwise no."

"And she felt no pain?"

"I don't think so."

"What do you think the chances are that she could be pregnant?"

"Huh?"

"You don't know the rules here. On your world, was she using birth control?" Zurine asked, bringing her face close. Devin shook his head weakly.

"Madam Sharmila wouldn't allow it. She kept a close eye on us and forbid anyone to engage in…" he swallowed, Zurine's point beginning to sink in.

"Around here, we have no such thing as birth control. After sex, the woman is either pregnant or not, the first being more likely if they're young. Some women say that birth pain isn't that bad, that there are worse. That is a lie. It is the worst pain one can feel. Do you really want to put her through it?"

"We don't know if she is or not," Devin shrugged. "It'll be awhile before we know."

"But are you willing to take that chance?"

"First of all, if she is pregnant, she won't be able to fight. We'll gain time. Secondly, since when are you so concerned about it?"

"You see, even if she doesn't fight us any longer, she will still go through the pain of birth. Women do tend to recover, so after the birth she will eventually be back on her feet and fighting us if we do not move quickly enough. The point is, do you really want her to feel it?" she asked slowly. Devin hesitated before closing his eyes.

"No."

"Then you know what to do," Zurine smiled, handing him the set of daggers she had given him. He took them shakily and walked out of the room. "And mortal?"

"What?"

"Do what you will with her, so long as she is dead by morning. I will return at dawn to get you and check for the body. If you are found out, you know the signal," she called. When Devin was gone, she shut the door and spread her wings. She spoke quietly to the night air as she prepared to take flight out of the window. "As for why I am concerned about what pain she goes through, what does it matter so long as she is killed and my will is done?"

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

Pradipa lifted his head as the door opened. He sat up from his position on Kali's stomach as Devin walked in.

"What's going on?" the creature asked as Devin picked him up. He threw Pradipa out of the room and shut and locked the door. The Tonberry rubbed his head after bumping it on the opposite wall and listened to the two behind the wood.

Unseen by Pradipa, Devin pulled two sheets from the bedroom's closet. Being careful not to move her too suddenly, he pulled her arms up to the barred headboard. He tied her hands tightly to the bars. He was doing the same to her feet and footboard as she opened her eyes.

"Devin?" she moaned. Kali stared up at him as he sat on her and kissed her like he had the previous night. She shook her head. "I'm hurt. I can't tonight."

"You will," he whispered. It was then that Kali realized that she couldn't move her limbs no matter how hard she tried. She glanced down and saw the dagger clutched in his hand.

"What are you doing?" she asked fearfully. Pradipa, recognizing the tone as fear, ran down to the bar as fast as his legs could carry him.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"You think we should call Yuffie and check up on Reno? It's been a few days," Kadaj pointed out. He drained his beer as Cid answered.

"Yeah, you've got a point. We'll call after the rest of us finish our drinks. Not all of us can drain an entire pint in five minutes, you know."

"You're full of it tonight, Cid," Rude shook his head. He looked up at a scream from the entrance.

"Tonberry!"

"Eek!"

"Don't let it near the knives!"

"Kadaj! Rude! Cid! Help!" Pradipa yelled meekly as he tried to avoid being squashed in the confusion and panic. He leapt into Kadaj's lap and sat on his arm like a bird.

"What's wrong?" he asked nervously as the calming crowd gave them odd looks. "You're supposed to stay in one of our rooms."

"I know. I'm sorry, but it's about Kali."

"What's wrong?" Kadaj asked again, suddenly interested in what this beast had to say.

"I was sleeping when Devin came in. He threw me out of the room and locked the door. I don't know what happened, but I heard her say that she was hurt and she couldn't tonight."

"Couldn't what?" Kadaj pressured as he stood. Pradipa shrugged.

"I don't know, but Devin told her she would. She asked him what he was doing, and she sounded scared. I came here after that. I think… he might be…" Pradipa hesitated.

"Might be what?"

"Raping her."

"Fuck that bastard."

"What are you doing?" Reeve asked as Kadaj shoved Pradipa into his arms. The silver-haired man ran as fast as he could.

"Take him to one of your rooms! Meet me in Kali's!" he called over his shoulder. As he reached the hotel, he stopped in his room and grabbed his sword. A few moments later, he was breaking the lock off of Kali's door while she screamed on the other side.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

(A/N: this next scene will be rather… graphic, let's say, so I advice that ONLY 17 year olds and older or younger readers that are mature (as in watch R rated movies with sex and don't giggle or get embarrassed or anything) read on. Otherwise, read ONLY the paragraph in which Nanashi speaks (I'll put the section in bold lettering), then go to the next page break. This is important, but I think everyone knows what's about to happen. You have been warned.)

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"Devin, why are you doing this?" Kali asked again. He only stuck the dagger under her shirt and tore it and her bra open. He took off his own shirt while he explained.

"I'm sorry, Kal," he whispered. "This is something that has to be done. You'll understand shortly, when your soul is in the Lifestream like mine was."

"Your soul was in the Lifestream? What are you talking about?"

Devin didn't reply. She only winced as he undid her pants and pulled them down. He lie on top of her and kissed her roughly. Kali started crying as her dream came flooding back to her. This time, she made her voice work as Devin let off of her mouth.

"Kadaj! Somebody, help me!" she yelled as loud as she could. Devin threw his hand over her mouth, but she bit it in retaliation. "Devin, how could you? We were friends!"

"Exactly. We were friends," he muttered sadly. He kissed her again. Devin suddenly pulled away when she bit his tongue.

"Help! Ah!" she squealed as Devin backhanded her. He laid the knife against her throat.

"I'd hate to cut your beautiful throat sooner than I need to. Shut. Up."

"Devin, let me go, please!" she cried. Kali yelped as he cut her arm open.

"You're getting another one for every time you make a noise unlike what you made last night. Shut the hell up," he hissed. Kali glanced at the dagger and her blood that had just stained it. Her arm became warm with the fresh blood running down it while her face was warm with tears.

"I let you take me last night. This is completely different. Let me up, I beg you!"

"You say you have a job here. If it's not finished yet, then something should happen soon to save you."

"Last night you said that you would never do anything like this to me. What changed? You're so different from when we were on Jahan," she sobbed. "I loved you and I thought you loved me. What's gotten into you?"

"Shut the fuck up!" he yelled suddenly, digging the dagger deep into her arm. She screamed shrilly. "You're making this harder for me. Just stay quiet!"

Kali sobbed loudly and thrashed as Devin continued raping her. She longed to scream, but each time she took a breath, he copied his dream self from nearly one month ago and kissed her roughly. Her nightmare had come true. She finally stopped struggling. Kali only sobbed and let him do it. The dream kept flooding back. She knew what was going to happen when he was finished. She was dead. Her eyes closed and tears slipped out from under the lids. She unwillingly cried aloud after struggling to hold in any vocalizations. As she yelled, Nanashi spoke to her.

".en ift suje bot'g nio gerau oY .wonth giry awsih nos ieH .g'ni mocsi jadaK .ilaK nod loH" she whispered. Kali heard a sort of pity in her voice. All at once, she understood the fear she had. She hadn't been very afraid, for she had wanted to do this with Devin for some time (although at the moment she wished it was more like the previous night). Most of the fear, Kali now realized, came from the part of her that was Nanashi.

Devin finally sat up, put on his shirt, and took the dagger tightly. He held it over Kali's bare breast and trembled.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I love you."

Kali sobbed even louder as he brought the knife up. At that moment, Kadaj managed to break the door open and scrambled in. He glared at Devin, who was pulling his pants back up. Devin held the dagger tightly.

"Kadaj, help!" Kali cried. He was next to the bed in two steps and pulling Devin off of the girl while Rude and Cid charged in and began untying the girl. Kadaj shoved Devin against the wall where the window was.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he hissed, holding the sword threateningly. "Why is it you can't seem to keep your urges under control around my sister?"

"You can't control it around Sachiko," Devin smiled. Kadaj stared at him.

"That's completely different. You just raped my baby sister. I never raped Sachiko."

"So says you," Devin said, grinning slyly the entire time. He stood on the sill and opened the window. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Hold it!" Kadaj yelled, running up to him and holding his weapon ready to strike. Devin smirked and looked to Kali, who was currently clinging to Rude's arm. He blew a kiss to her before he let himself fall backwards. Kadaj ran to the window and looked out as Zurine flew down from the roof of the building and caught the man in midair. He watched them disappear into the night sky.

"Well? Is he dead?" Cid whispered over Kali's gasps.

"Zurine just took off with him. He was working for her the entire time," Kadaj whispered as he approached his sister and stroked her head.

"What are we going to do now?" Rude asked, his face slightly red, as Kali was still mostly uncovered. They all looked to the girl, her purity stripped away and sobbing face buried in Rude's shoulder.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"I'm surprised she ever fell asleep," Reeve muttered the next morning. The men had decided to stay up with her, just in case Devin came back to finish the job. Kali was stretched out next to Kadaj in his bed, Pradipa curled up between them. Reeve, Rude, and Cid were seated around the bed to keep a close eye on them. Kali had fallen asleep only about an hour ago.

"You all should get some sleep," Kadaj whispered, glancing out the window. Dawn was breaking, the sky a pale grey higher up and the horizon a pale pink. "I don't think he'll try anything this close to day."

Beep beep-beep. Beep, beep. Beep-beep. Beep beep-beep.

"That must be Yuffie. I'll put on the speaker this time," Rude said as he pulled the cell phone out of his pocket. "Yeah?"

"Hey guys. Everything going okay out there? I haven't heard from any of you in a while," Yuffie said through the phone.

"You haven't heard from me in about fifteen years," Reeve smiled. Yuffie giggled.

"I guess that answers the question of whether you found him."

"How's Reno doing?" Cid asked. Yuffie sighed.

"If anything, he's gotten worse. He's gotten awful quiet lately. Alim hasn't been able to do much else for him. He says that we've done just about all we can," she whispered. Her voice cracked slightly. "What about Kali? She doing okay?"

"Well…" Rude hesitated. The men looked at each other while Yuffie asked what it was.

"Devin raped her last night," Kadaj finally whispered. Yuffie gasped loudly.

"Oh my god! Is she okay?" she nearly screamed. When Kadaj replied that she was upset, Yuffie asked, "But aren't they friends?"

"He was working for Zurine the entire time," Cid explained.

"Zurine?" Yuffie repeated.

"Yeah. The monster that attacked us in the buggy," Rude explained.

"All of you hurry back soon. I don't think Reno has much time and I think you should all be here if he…" she trailed off, not wanting to finish.

"I do want to be there. We're leaving here tonight, so we'll be back in a few days," Rude muttered. "Goodbye."

"See you soon," Yuffie called. She hung up a moment later as Kali slowly opened her eyes.

To be continued…

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNININJAMAGEGAMAJNININJAMAGEGAMAJNININJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

NM: Whoa, rape scene! Who here expected him to do that? God, I'm evil… ((insert evil laugh)). Ahem… Review time:

Kizna1200: She wasn't too embarrassed, just really pissed off. All the poor bird wanted was to go back to the wild…

Vampyrevinnie: Nice name! You don't like Vinny at all, do you? I bet you were sad when he died… Ah, well, everyone was. And I reviewed! I like your fic. Oh, and btw after rereading my review to you, I meant one thousand and two thousand (came up 10 and 20 for some reason).

Mediciner: ((hug)) Thanks for reading them! Well, this chapter should have told you whether your ideas were right or not. And you're not alone with the memory thing. I have a poor one myself. As for Pradipa, I finally figured out what his significance is (sort of). But that'll be later on. And I have seen the FF12 Chocobos. WET DODO BIRDS ON CRACK! Or so I've come to call them. Thanks again for reading the poems.

Merielle: I'm assuming you meant you wanted the pic, cuz I sent it to you (hope you got it!). Yes, Kali slept with him. But she didn't know he was a traitor; Kadaj was the only one (everyone else trusted Kali's instinct).

NM: Wow, this is my first three-part chapter… Cool! Anyway, guess what? Up to 92 reviews! Thank you all for turning this fic into my biggest success (my KH only has 85 and it has 3 more chapters than this and has been around longer). I'll try to think of something special that I can do for you all as a thank you without breaking site rules or anything… after all, it's you guys (readers) that make these fictions possible. As my friend Stephan said in his poetry book dedication, "Dedicated to those who choose to read. Without them, who would choose to write?" So thanks everyone, and let's push for 100 reviews!

Signed,

Master of the Physical and Mystical,

NINJA MAGE