A/N: I'm back! Be cool, my babies! Oww! Ahem, sorry, that was my Conan O'Brien moment. Anyway, thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. You're the best! Well, here it is as I promised, chapter four. You know, Treno was always one of my favorite places in FFIX, besides Daguerreo. It's so purty, and the fact that it's always night is just awesome.So I've tried to capture its general air in this chapter. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy IX, nor do I own any of its characters, locations, or elements. They belong to Squaresoft, or Square Enix, or whatever the heck they call themselves at the moment.

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Requiem for an Angel

a Final Fantasy IX fanfiction

by Wakizashi

Chapter Four: Creatures of Darkness

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The first thing that struck Claire about Treno was the beauty of the architecture in the more affluent parts of the city. All the buildings were exquisitely designed, and though they looked old, there was no sign of wear on a single one of them. Mansion, shop, and restaurant alike all appeared to be fit for, well, a noble.

The second thing that struck her was the total absence of law enforcement. Obvious criminals prowled the darkened streets, and every guard Claire saw was either asleep or clearly disgruntled about being there. The wealthy people walked about in groups, with fear lurking in the back of their eyes. It didn't take long for Claire to realize that Treno wasn't quite the picturesque town it seemed to be.

"Keep close to me," Kuja ordered as they walked on the cobbled streets through the crowds of well-dressed aristocrats and seedy rogues. "It would not be well for us if you got yourself dragged off by some miscreant."

"You mean, again?" she asked sarcastically. He glared at her from under his hood, and she grinned nervously. "Just kidding." He growled irritably, and she quickly changed the subject. "So who is this guy we're asking for help, who has no reason to help us?"

"We're not going to look for him just yet," he replied, being careful to keep his face hidden. "First, we must get you some different clothes. I'm sure what you're wearing is fashionable on your planet, but here you rather look like a mental deficient."

"Hey!" she exclaimed indignantly. "I got these pants at Bloomingdale's! Besides, it's not like I plan to stay on this planet for very long. What do I care if I look out of place?"

Kuja stopped abruptly in the middle of the street, causing a number of people to grumble angrily as they had to skirt around. "Indeed, little bird?" he said flatly. "You don't care if you look out of place? You don't care if people start to wonder who we are, and start asking questions? You don't care if someone finds out what we're doing, or where you're really from?"

"Okay, I get it," Claire said, rolling her eyes. "But while we're on the subject of looking out of place, what about you, in that Grim Reaper get-up? Don't think people aren't looking at you, and wondering why you won't show your face."

"I have to wear it," he replied elusively. "You don't."

She sighed wearily and looked up at him. "Why don't you want anyone seeing you, anyway?"

For a long time Kuja said nothing. For one brief moment he looked like he was about to answer, but finally he shook his head. "Just drop it," he said quietly, and resumed walking. Claire sighed again and hurried after him.

In the shadows under a nearby building, a pair of glittering golden eyes followed Claire's retreating back as she disappeared into the crowd. "Hello, gorgeous," the eyes' owner said under his breath, and he grinned lasciviously, running one of his four hands through his flame-red hair.

---

"Ta-daaa!" Claire announced as she drew back the curtain of the changing booth. She was wearing a yellow, sleeveless blouse trimmed with lace under an orange sweater that hung off her shoulders and stopped above her midriff. Her tight trousers were green and ended below the knee, and she wore a pair of short brown boots lashed together with leather cord.

She did an elaborate spin for Kuja, who leaned inconspicuously, or at least what he thought was inconspicuously, against the wall in the clothing shop. "How do I look?" she asked expectantly.

He pushed off from the wall and examined her for a long time. Finally he cleared his throat. "It'll do," he said in a tight voice.

"It'll do?" Claire repeated, her hands on her hips. "Geez, Kuja, you're such a man!"

"Quiet down," he hissed, grabbing her arm and looking around the shop anxiously. "Stop calling attention to us, and don't say my name in public, understand?"

She snorted. "Why? Is it illegal? Is it forbidden?" He groaned in exasperation. "Is it... taboo?" she pressed, grinning mischievously.

He held out the tan leather coat she had been wearing, and she pulled it on. "Come on," he said impatiently, dropping a handful of coins on the counter in front of the merchant and herding her out of the shop.

"You know, would it really kill you to be nice once in a while?" she asked as they stepped out into the street. "You'd make a lot more friends if you weren't such a grouch."

"I don't need friends," Kuja said tersely, assimilating their surroundings with a critical eye. They were in an infrequently visited part of the city, and the street was almost devoid of people.

"Sure you do," Claire was saying. "Everybody needs companionship. It makes them whole. That's why you're so screwed up, because you live all alone in that creepy palace, with no one to keep you company but that little mooble."

"Moogle," he corrected absently.

"Whatever. Anyway, you need friends; whether you think you do or not isn't important. Maybe I could teach you to be less stand-offish, and more - AAAGHHH!"

Two strong arms had suddenly grabbed her around the waist, and another one tightened around her neck. There was a flash of metal as a short dagger was held up to her throat. Wait a minute; that made four arms. That couldn't be right.

"Don't try to struggle, sweetheart," a hoarse, throaty voice said in her ear as he snatched her purse out of her grasp. "I'm not gonna hurt you... unless your boyfriend over there doesn't hand over all his gil."

"Help me, please," Claire whimpered in a high, frantic voice.

Instead of rushing to her rescue, Kuja sighed and tapped his foot impatiently. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked her attacker.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm muggin' you," the four-armed young man replied. "Now gimme all your money, or the cutie gets it in the neck."

"Please don't," she begged.

"Don't worry, honey," the mugger told her with a syrupy sweetness. "As long as your boyfriend cares about you, you're not in any danger."

"He is not my boyfriend, you retard!" she shouted indignantly, trying to wrench herself from his grasp.

His arms tightened painfully around her. "You know, you've got a smart mouth," he snapped. "If you don't watch it, it could get you in trouble."

"Oh, please," Kuja said in disgust. "Could your threats get any more contrived?"

"What are you doing?" Claire hissed at him. "Just give him what he wants! Don't make him mad!"

"Contrived?" the four-armed man repeated, insulted. "Aw, that's it, man, I don't even care about the money anymore! It's go time, you and me, right now!"

In a flash, the man was torn off of Claire, and she was sprawled on the ground, coughing. She looked up and saw Kuja holding her assailant up by the front of his shirt. His hood was drawn back, and his icy blue eyes were glowing dangerously. The four-armed man was quaking in terror.

"Now look here, you filthy little mosquito," Kuja said in a low, menacing voice. "You are just one feeble threat away from getting turned into a blazer beetle, so I suggest you either make it a really good one, or leave us alone. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

"K-Kuja," the young man stuttered, dropping her purse on the ground. "Th-They said you were d-dead..."

"Well, I'm not. And if anyone finds out, I'll know who told them. So keep it to yourself, if you value your life." With that Kuja threw him on the ground, and the man scrambled to his feet and took off running. Kuja turned to Claire, took her by the hand, and helped her up. "Are you all right?" he asked.

She yanked her hand out of his and picked up her purse, staring up at him. "Why was that guy so afraid of you?" she demanded. "How did he know your name?" She shook her head in frustration. "Kuja, who are you?"

He looked away from her. "Let it suffice to say that I... I've done things I'm not proud of, and I'm trying to forget them. At any rate, I'm not that person anymore." Suddenly he turned back to her and looked at her almost challengingly. "Does it really matter who I was, if I'm trying my best to be someone better?"

His eyes dared her to disagree, but she refused to be intimidated. "Trying your best?" Claire repeated in disbelief. "You looked like you were about to kill that guy! I wouldn't exactly call that 'trying your best'."

There was a long silence as Kuja slowly drew on his hood. Then he answered in a low voice, "I saved you, didn't I?"

Claire felt a lump form in her throat, and she regretted her harsh words. Kuja silently took her arm, and they continued on their way down the dark street. "Don't leave my side again, understand?" he said quietly.

She nodded, and they walked in silence for some time. "Sorry," she finally whispered.

---

"Daguerreo technically isn't a city, but a gigantic library," Kuja told Claire as they walked along the dark water. "It holds Gaia's largest collection of rare and ancient books. It sits in a cave behind a waterfall on Sacrobless Island, and everything is powered by water. The people who live there believe it to be protected by the legendary sea-serpent Leviathan."

"Sounds awesome," Claire said, keeping close to his side and watching obsessively for anyone who might be following them. "If we had more time, I'd like to see it."

"Few people know about it," he replied. "But it's quite beautiful. I'm sure you'd like it." They came to a halt for a moment as he looked around. "Ah, here we are." He pointed to a tall, round building with a domed roof that stood nearby across a small canal.

"So that's where Mr. No-Reason-to-Help-Us lives?" she asked.

"Precisely," he answered, ignoring her sarcasm. He led her toward a little bridge that crossed the canal, but stopped her suddenly, his whole body stiffening. "I don't believe it," he muttered.

A familiar, four-armed figure sat on the doorstep of the domed building, spinning his dagger slowly in two of his hands. "Believe it, man," he said cheerfully, getting to his feet. "Did you think I was going to let you get away that easily?"

Kuja's fist clenched until his knuckles were bone-white. "You've been following us?" he asked incredulously.

"Yup!" The man sauntered over to the bridge and jumped spryly onto the railing. Now that she wasn't being held hostage by him, Claire could take in his features. He had a mop of fire-red hair, luminous golden eyes made exotic with black liner - or kohl, as it was called in the Middle Eastern countries of her planet - a small soul patch on his chin, and an easy, if devious, smile. He wore two little silver hoops in his left ear, and across his right cheek ran a thin scar. He could have been attractive, if it weren't for the unfortunate fact that he had four arms.

"See," he was saying, "it occurred to me - how you doin', sweetheart?" He winked roguishly at Claire. "It occurred to me that since I know who you are, I could easily use that knowledge to my advantage. For instance..." He grinned wickedly. "I could tell the authorities that you're alive and have you arrested. Probably executed in the worst imaginable way. Unless you conformed to my terms, that is."

"Or I could kill you," Kuja suggested.

"Kuja!" Claire exclaimed angrily. She turned to the four-armed man. "So you're blackmailing him, is that it?"

He inhaled through his teeth. "Ooh, 'blackmail' is such an... accurate word," he said, scratching his head of wild red hair. "But I don't like that word. I prefer 'extortion'. It sounds cooler."

"And what are your terms?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Trifling," the young man replied assuringly. "At least for now. Just take me as far as Alexandria. We'll see how I feel after that."

"Alexandria?" Claire repeated. "Where's that?"

The redhead looked at her in disbelief. "You're kiddin', right?" he said. "You got a screw loose? It's only--"

"It's a kingdom to the north," Kuja interrupted. He glared venomously at the four-armed man. "Very well. I have business in Alexandria, and you may travel with us. But if you even breathe a word to anyone--"

"Don't worry, my lips are sealed," he told him. "Not that you're in a position to make any demands." He jumped off the railing and bowed ceremoniously. "It's a pleasure doin' business with you."

Kuja shoved him roughly aside, and Claire followed. The four-armed man quickly regained his composure and hurried after her. "So, uhh, you got a name?" he asked huskily.

She suppressed the urge to punch him. "Claire."

He repeated it slowly, caressing every letter. "I like it. Very sultry. And you, my dear Claire, can call me Alleyway Jack."

"Alleyway Jack?" She snorted. "Now there's an obviously made-up name if I ever heard one."

"Yes, well..." He cleared his throat. "I never said my name was Jack; I just said you can call me Jack." She rolled her eyes, and he eased up alongside her. "Anyway, you said Mr. Sunshine over there wasn't your boyfriend. Does that mean you're single?"

"Barf," Claire deadpanned.

"Quiet, both of you," Kuja snapped as they stepped up to the front door. He rapped on it with his knuckles, and they could hear the sound echoing in the vast space inside.

"Just a moment!" called a voice somewhere far above them. There was the sound of shuffling feet, and after an eternity had passed, the door was opened by a strange little man with thick eyeglasses, a pointy beard, and a preposterously large nose. "May I help you?" he asked politely in a nasal voice.

Kuja drew back his hood. "Doctor Tot, I--"

The man slammed the door violently shut.

All three of them stood in silence for a moment.

"That could've gone better," said Jack.

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A/N: Oh, that Jack! Yep, it's Alleyway Jack, better known as the Four-armed Man in FFIX. I always wished he was in the game more, because he's freaking hilarious. The way he steals gil from Dagger, or when he tried to kidnap Eiko, then freaked out when he saw she was with Amarant. As you can see, I took some liberties with his appearance. He does have the scar and the soul patch thingy, but I kind of made up the golden eyes and the eyeliner. I think they give him character. Anyway, drop me a review before you go, please! Tell me what you think of Master Jacky.

Wakizashi