Life after Death

Chapter 7: Guests in a Castle

LLL

A/N: Here's chapter seven, because I don't have school today. W00t! Anyway, please enjoy. I don't know if this chapter has anything to do with the actual plot though…maybe. I haven't figured it out yet.

Loki: Yes, Malevalla is insane, incase you were wondering.

Lilly: YAY! I have a speaking role in this chapter!

Mel: -.-;; Lilly feels neglected…

Loki: Again…

Disclaimer: I no own.

LLL

Ryoko had set Vee, Lilly, and me in the guest room at the castle for the night. I had to search for several minutes for a towel to dry off with, and after that, I couldn't find any clothing in the closet that looked comfortable enough to sleep in. Ryoko lent me some of her clothes, but they were a bit over sized on me.

The next day Ryoko had woken us up extremely early in the morning. I am not, by any means, a morning person. Ryoko tried to drag me out of bed, and I think I bit her at one point.

She still let me use some of her clothing though. I took a red jacket, buckled at the top with a golden broach, a bright yellow shirt with a black stripe on the bottom, and a pair of brown pants, made of a material I had never felt before, and a pair of knee length red boots. I looked like an oversized, giant red blob, but I couldn't have cared less.

Lilly had changed into some weird, emerald green dress. Vee kept his clothing on, despite Ryoko's coaxing. The next morning, he seemed to have some sort of cold, but he ignored it, and insisted he was fine.

Ryoko dragged us down to breakfast with the Regent, Lady Hilda, and Eiko. I'm sure Eiko would have gladly killed me right then and there.

Cid and Hilda gave me odd glances as I poked the food set on my plate. I had grown up thinking rich people ate really strange things. I was quite correct in thinking this.

A fish stared up at me, its mouth wide open. I swear its tail was still flopping about pathetically. Ryoko elbowed me in the side, and whispered to me that I should just eat it. I looked around for something less…alive, and failed. I set the fork down, and pushed the fish aside, resisting the urge to throw up.

Eiko glared at me the entire time, and wouldn't even take her eyes off me to eat.

"Okay, now, about the entire, 'saving the world' thing," Lilly started, glancing from Eiko, to me, and back to Eiko again. "Loki, Eiko, get over it. There are more important things to worry about."

"Saving the world?" the Regent questioned, raising his eyebrow. "I thought it had already been saved!"

"Yeah, I guess," Lilly shrugged, taking a bite of something that resembled oglop pancakes. "This time though, it's sort of different. People with these gems are destined to save the world this time." Lilly pointed to the bright green gem on her forehead. "Eiko and Loki have one too, so they have to help me save the world. Or, something like that anyway."

Hilda and Cid looked at each other, and then turned back to Lilly. "No," They stated at the same time.

"Good. Wait…no?" Lilly looked up, confused beyond the limits.

"I don't want my little Eiko risking her life again!" Hilda replied, picking the napkin off her lap and setting it on the table.

"Agreed. Besides, we have no reason to trust you," The Regent added in, stroking one side of his mustache once. "I know you are a genome," he continued when Lilly began to protest. "But we do not know how well you can protect Eiko from whatever threat you're fighting."

"I can take care of myself," Eiko grumbled, slumping back in her chair.

"B-but, we need Eiko to help us! Without Eiko's help…w-we can't bring my dad and brothers back!" Vee stuttered, his eyes pleading. He folded his hands together, and looked up at the Regent and his wife.

"You mean Master Vivi?" Cid questioned. He was shocked, but he hid it well. "But I though that Master Vivi…stopped…" He was careful to use the black mage term for it, though I don't think Vee would have noticed.

"The Iifa tree isn't letting souls in or out of Gaia…" Vee explained. "They're all stuck in the middle. That's w-where dad is. T-that's why black mages only live for a year…if we can destroy the Iifa Tree…D-dad and all the other black mages can come back!"

Cid sighed, and didn't speak at all. "Alright," He began, ignoring the death look Hilda gave him. "For Master Vivi, I'll allow Eiko to go." Lilly nearly jumped out of her chair in what I guessed was joy. "Though, you will have to promise me that there will be someone who can take care of her there." He folded his arms a crossed his chest and stared at us, a look that said 'if Eiko gets hurt, you're all dead.'

"No problem!" Ryoko quipped up suddenly. "I'll go with them myself!" She smiled triumphantly, looking at the Regent for his answer.

"We'll take Zidane with us too," I slapped myself mentally as I said this. I hated Zidane for hiding himself from Vivi. I didn't know why, but the fact that he could do that annoyed me greatly.

"Very well," Cid answered with a nod. If you can get Zidane to go with you, I will allow Eiko to help you." Eiko glared at me, probably wishing I was dead.

"Okay," I agreed, nodding my head. "So…can we borrow an airship to Alexandria? Need to get Zidane before we can leave!"

The arrangements were made, and Vee, Lilly, and I went back to the guest room for the day.

"Only one problem with this plan," Lilly pointed out when we got there.

"Oh? And what's that?" I snapped.

"Zidane doesn't know he's coming with us yet. Who's to say he'll even want to come?"

I smiled evilly, trying to scare Lilly. "Oh, Zidane will come alright! He'll come, or find out what fried monkey tastes like!"

LLL

Mel: Haha! Loki is so evil!