A/N: For the first time, this chapter is dedicated to the enemy, for being such a good enemy. Thanks to all who have read this far and reviewed. Things will most definitely get more interesting in the chapters ahead--including this one. Read, enjoy, and review! Oh, and remember any of my characters in here. As a hint: this won't be the last time you see them, no matter how minor they seem.
Disclaimer: I only own the plot and the things I created.
Chapter XX
Time to Play, Kitty
Only what proves itself to every man
And woman is so,
Only what nobody denies is so. -Walt Whitman
XxXxX
When the sound of doors opening and closing behind her echoed throughout the large room, a pleasant smile crept on her face; she needn't turn around to know who entered the room.
"I'm so glad you kould join me, Seymour," her voice was smooth, the way she spoke and moved showed she had power, and she knew how to use it. As she turned around to face him, the smile stayed.
"And I am glad to be here," he walked further into the barely lit room; the only form of light in the room were the torches on the stone walls.
"You wish to speak to me about…?"
Your plans, Ms. Ultimecia," he kept his hands by his sides and his eyes locked with hers. "Since I have been here, you have not told me exactly what you are planning."
The smile slowly disappeared, her face looking more serious. "My plans, exaktly," she started, raising her hands, palms up, as she continued, "are simply to get my revenge and take over the world. Of kourse, I have realized that I kannot do this alone, and those pesky SeeDs will, more than likely, get in my way."
"These SeeDs, as you call them, how do you plan to stop them? If they have defeated you once before, surely they can do it again, can they not?" He walked to his left, stopping after a few feet, and turning to face her. "And this time, they have help --Lady Yuna and her friends are among them."
"Yes, I am aware of that; after all, I was the one who sent the beast into Spira, to gather my prey and send others here." Her voice sounded proud --for she was very pleased with what she had done. Letting that beast loose had been the beginning of her plans, and it had worked beautifully.
"True, true. You did send that monstrosity out."
"If you don't mind, I have somewhere that I have to be, now, but you are more than welkome to join me," she headed for the door.
"Time is something I have a lot of." He turned and followed her out the door. Together, they turned left and headed for a door in the corner. Once they were through, it only took them a second to enter an elevator on the left wall and head down. They passed B2 , and stopped at B3, exiting and walking out of the room to a hallway that turned right further down.
Passing three doors and turning left at the end of the long hall, they walked until they reached a turn to the left. They turned the corner instead of continuing straight, where it looked like it dead-ended a couple hundred yards away. This time they turned right, walking down yet another long hall that opened up at the end to the left. There was a single door to the right at the end of the hall, and where the hall opened up, there were eight solid cages: four on both sides.
Ahead of that, there was a long, metal bridge with water beneath it. At the end of that bridge, there was a door, three guards standing by it and one man in a white coat with a clipboard in hand.
"And how is my prisoner, doktor?" asked Ultimecia, looking at the metal door, then at the doctor.
"He is doing marvelous, madam. His blood work is great, as usual, and he's been eating like he should," the doctor reported, shivering slightly in hers and Seymour's presence.
"That's wonderful news. Kontinue your work." She turned, and she and Seymour started back they way they came.
Seymour glanced back once before asking, "Who is this prisoner you speak of?"
"Oh, you'll find out soon enough," was her reply, that sneaky smile had found its way back on her face.
XxXxX
Kate Hanningson entered the meeting room, also known as the Study. The room wasn't very large, so the oval shaped table took up most of the room --except for the nook to her right which held filing cabinets.
She smoothed out her white lab coat before sitting in her assigned seat next to a brown haired man that looked to be military.
"Good evening, Mr. Syuven," she greeted the man, nodding slightly.
"Good evenin'," he replied, leaning back in his chair.
"Now that most of us are here," started a man in his late forties, with brown hair and beard. He adjusted his glasses before continuing, "we can start."
Kate glanced over at the empty chair to the right of her at the end of the table, and straight ahead of her, next to Dr. Alan, the man who thinks he's special. At the other end sat an Asian woman with short black hair cut chin-length. Cerah Yang was her name, and in Kate's mind, Ms. Yang was fifty times a better scientist that Dr. Alan was, or would ever be.
"Where are Tatte and Mev?" Kate asked Dr. Alan, curious as to where exactly the two men were.
"Ms. Ultimecia had already given them a job weeks ago. Did you not get the message?"
"No, as a matter of fact, I didn't," Kate wasn't surprised. Dr. Alan was the messenger, and he never did like her…
"Oh well." Dr. Alan straightened his glasses once more. "Let's begin. Dr. Yang, what are the updates on your creatures?"
Cerah folded her arms on top of some folders. "The Lf breed, also known as WolvenX, is developing faster than expected. They can now successfully kill a pack of lions with ease, and only after a week of practice. They strength, speed, everything has increased." She looked over at the wall to her left as a howl came from the other side. "And they are more intelligent than any human being."
As is all of her creatures, thought Kate. Yang put her heart and soul into creating those creatures, something that she doubted Tom Alan did with his.
"And Lf 'sbrother?" Dr. Alan didn't seem at all impressed.
"The Ic breed --Hell Hound-- is not progressing as fast as its brother, but is still moving at a good speed. The poison in its tail has become deadly and it can kill a full grown man in under two hours, if not given the antidote. But its only at its second stage," continued Yang.
"The cats? How are they doing?" Kate asked before Alan had the time.
"I'm glad you asked, Dr. Hanningson. The cats are progressing at a faster speed than the WolvenX. Ah --Sabenoth-- is hunting more stealthy than its brother, Spikelos --for short, Lh--, while the Spikelos is more strength and skill. But both sneak up on their prey, the Sabenoth is just more skilled in the area."
"And the…" Dr. Alan had to hold back a laugh. "rats?"
Cerah looked angry, you could also tell by her voice as she spoke. "The Cms --Romidon-- are doing marvelous. They can easily rip a man to tiny pieces in a matter of seconds. If you don't believe me, I can give you a demonstration." Her brown eyes glared at Alan as she finished her sentence.
"And how are your two, Tom?"
All looked at Mitch Syuven., surprised that he actually spoke. Usually he just sat back and listened. He was only there to survey their meetings, and report them to Ms. Ultimecia. Also, he trained the soldiers that worked for Ms. Ultimecia --actually, Kate didn't know of anyone who didn't wok for her, other than the prisoners, who were too out of their minds to tell the difference between dead or alive.
"The Gps and B.D.Bs are in great shape, thank you very much. All are progressing faster than I'd hoped, and I'm actually expecting a baby Gemini in…a matter of days, possibly."
Kate wanted to smack that smug grin off his face. I think he just called this meeting to gloat about his Geminis and B.D.Bs.
"I would like to demonstrate how well the Spikelos are," Cerah said suddenly, regarding what Dr. Alan had said.
Alan raised an eyebrow. "Oh really, now?" Receiving a nod from Yang, he chuckled. "Fine. I hope you know what prey you'll be using to lure your kitty-cat out of hiding."
"I was thinking you, but then I'd lose my job." Yang stood, picking up her folders. "Follow me, please."
They walked to the main lab room, which was in the far left corner of the building, south of the elevators. When they entered the room, Cerah immediately went around the curved control desk in front of a large computer screen and started pressing buttons.
Sounds of machines working in the distance could be heard. A few more seconds of that sound, and it stopped.
"Spikelos and prey have entered the room," informed Cerah.
Kate knew of the room she was talking about. It was an area filled with lots of plants, the room being connected to the B.D.Bs' main cage. The only thing that stopped them from getting out and roaming the Play Room, as Kate had always called it, was a thick, metal door.
With one more press of a button, the large computer screen flickered on and they could now see the tress and bushes inside the Play Room.
XxXxX
He stumbled through the bushes, falling to his hands and knees when he tripped over something. Eyes wide and face pale, his body trembled like that of a paranoid man. He glanced down, afraid to see what had tripped him, yet curious. He regretted his decision not even a second later. There, on the ground, was what had tripped him.
He let out a terrified scream, unable to take his eyes off of the bloody remains of what had once been whole and human. Seeing the blood on his pants' legs, he frantically tried to get it off with his hands, only resulting in him screaming again when the blood smeared on his pale skin.
Quickly turning around and crawling further into the maze of trees and plants of all kinds, he stopped suddenly when he just happened to look down and see no blood on his hands. He hesitated a moment, swallowing hard before he glanced back, seeing no remains, nor any blood on his pants.
He sighed heavily, thankful it was just in his head, like all the other times, he silently reminded himself. His mind couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't anymore--
--a sound. Bushes moving. Eyes wide, once more, he looked around, praying it was just in his head. "I-I know yu-you're out th-there," he said, trying to make himself sound brave, but knowing he failed.
XxXxX
He crouched, hearing a new, interesting sound, once he'd heard before, yet different. He could sense the fear in the voice as it spokecould smell it. Ah, yes, new prey. New frightened, smelled-so-delicious prey.
Being rather large --three feet at the shoulder, he heard their master say-- and built of pure muscle, he found it sometimes difficult to run in such a place as this. But now--now he didn't particularly mind.
He heard movement only five yards away --it was his new prey, he knew it. He had nothing to fear about this creature; from the smell of it, it was as scared as that long-eared creature he had for breakfast earlier.
Staying low to the ground, he shortened the distance between him and his prey, until he could taste its flesh as he watched it look around, pure terror in its eyes. His prey was a male version of his and the others' master. Except this one was more frightened than he has ever seen their master get.
XxXxX
He jumped at everything he heard, then all was silent. The person out there scaring him, they were gone! He had scared them!
Proud of what he had done all by himself, he slowly stood, a smile on his face. "Yeah, you know who's the boss, don't you? Run like a scared coward! You don't scare me!" He let out a loud, nervous laugh, suddenly feeling even more proud of himself as he laughed even louder and longer. "You don't scare me!" He repeated, voice more steady this time.
Silence. His laughed subsided, leaving him all alone in the frightening silence. "He-hello?" He looked around nervously, eyes still very much wide. Still nothing. Not even birds.
Birds… how ironic that he remembered what birds sound like, even after four months of being down here, ten years in an asylum in, what was it? Esthar? Oh, yes, he remembered Esthar, too. He once had a family there --but since they were murdered, by him, the cops and everyone else had said, damn them to Hell for blaming me, he had been locked away…
He was happy, thinking about his beloved family; the life he once had; Esthar; birds… You could tell by the smile on his face, and the way his eyes looked, as if he was staring at some far away place.
After a few moments of being in his "happy place", his eyes focused --and he jumped up and turned so suddenly, that there was a sting of pain in his head, but he didn't care; he ran, half stumbling over his own feet, half screaming in his mind. It chased after him --he could hear it! The heavy breathing, heave footsteps pounding after him. He wanted scream, to think and say it wasn't real, to calm down his racing heart and the pounding in his ears, but knew he couldn't --it wasn't possible!
--and then he tripped, or it jumped on his back --he couldn't tell, it was all the same to him. As he hit the ground, only one though ran through his mind, it's going to eat me! He heard soft bird singing in his ears, as if to calm him down, but it wasn't working. And his soul was finally allowed to sleep as all went black…
XxXxX
He had been chasing his prey, enjoying the fact that it ran. His prey was fast, for a two-legger. Then, suddenly, his prey tripped over its own feet, falling to the ground, then turning to look in his direction.
He stood there, starting at his prey as it stared back with wide, terrified eyes. And then, he was startled --jumping slightly--, something inside his prey's chest exploding, sending blood and chunks of skin on everything nearby. He slowly crept up to his prey's body as it hit the ground, completely still. Now that he stood and looked down at the body, he saw a hole in the left side of its chest.
XxXxX
A man in his mid-twenties was pushing a large cart, on it were cages, small and medium sized. In the small cages, there were mice, and rabbits in the others. He softly hummed a song he remember listening to back in his home in Deling City, the silence around him making him nervous. Usually he heard growling, howling, anything but silence, which told him they were sleeping. By the time he would reach the door, though, they would wake, ready to be fed. Everyday, he just hoped they didn't kill the one that fed them; yet, everyday, he hoped this place would burn with him in it.
I took this job, why? Oh yeah, because I thought it would be a part-time job and pay the bills. Boy was I wrong. You live here if thatbitch hires you, and I was one of the lucky ones. He had already passed the three doors that led to Hyne knows where (he guessed bedrooms for what's-her-name's top scientists), and was making his way down the long hall, passing up the turned to his last stop: the eight rats safely in their cages.
He really didn't think his job was so bad, really. Sometimes he enjoyed the fact that the creatures had gotten used to him and didn't jump him and tear him to shreds when he walked through the door. On his first day here, he jumped and fled the room whenever he saw those lion-like cats, and he could've sworn he heard them laughing at him.
"'Oh, Steven, I told you they wouldn't harm you!'" He repeated, in a semi-high voice, what what's-her-name had said to him shortly after he had fled the room.
"Yeah, right, then why do they have such big teeth?" Of course, he hadn't asked that out-loud, for fear that she may have killed him right then and there.
He stopped at a door that was just passed another door that he hated to go through. Opening the door and pushing the cart in, he ignored the dead-end ahead and turned right, stopping at the first door on his right. He reached into a cage and pulled out two rabbits, holding them close to him as he opened the door.
"Dinner-time, kitties," he said, looking at two dark gray cats covered in black spots. Their head (minus jaw, which was white), paws, and almost four-foot long tail was pitch black, matching the spiked-up hair that trailed from the top of their head to the very tip of their tail. They walked toward him on long hind legs and muscular front ones; though only about two and a half feet tall, he knew they were dangerous, even as their white eyes looked at him with much kindness.
The one to his left --the male, he noticed-- softly meowed, eager for food. Steven got a good grip on the still-kicking rabbit and tossed it to the male, who sank his long fangs into its neck when he caught it. He heard the female meow, also wanting her food, so he tossed her hers. She grabbed it with her long tail and went to the corner to eat. He left them to eat in peaces, and shut the door, it automatically locking behind him.
After feeding the last three of that breed in the room across from the others, he pushed the cart down further and stopped at another door on his right. He swallowed hard, knowing that they (hopefully) wouldn't hurt him, but it was their size that intimidated him. Sure, he was a little over six feet, but they could sit on him and kill him if they wanted to.
Finally opening the door after grabbing three rabbits, he walked inside, where he saw only two of the large, built-of-pure-muscle cats. The two that he saw were the females, the male probably still on his practice hunt.
The cats were light gray all over, except for the sharp hair around their neck and down their spine, covering their entire tail. Their teeth inches long, and eyes wide, they were the large sisters of the previous breed he had just fed.
One female walked up to him, the other sitting beautifully in a corner. The female didn't make a sound as she looked up at him, now only inches away. She stood almost to his chest when her head was straight, and he could hear her breathing. Quickly, he handed her a rabbit, and she took it with her mouth, walking away a second later, that tail twitching back and forth.
No, he was wrong. It was her who intimidated him. The male was slightly bigger, and the other female the same size as her sister, but that one female was the dominant, and he could see why.
But now the other wanted her food as she walked to him, not wasting a second. She gently rubbed her head against his right leg, being careful not to hurt him with the spikes on her neck.
"Okay, here you go," he gave her a rabbit, and she trotted back to her corner. The dominant female meowed loudly, and he knew what she wanted, so he tossed the last rabbit to her, knowing she wanted to keep it and give it to her mate when he got back.
Quickly he left, hearing the door lock behind him. One more room in this area, he thought happily, but then remembering the next room after this last one. He let out a moan, but grabbed three more rabbits, and opened the last door.
Right as the door opened, a very skinny gray dog greeted him, hopping around eagerly. No matter how much Steven fed these six dogs, they never gained any weight. He carefully watched out for their whip-like demon tail and horns as he fed three of them, leaving to get three smaller rabbits for the last three. They all ate while he left to go to the next room.
It didn't take long, all he did was go back through the door he came through and stop at the door diagonal to it: the one he hated. He swallowed hard, knowing what was inside. Leaving the cart behind, he walked through the door, looking out at the very large pool of water, unable to take his eyes off as he walked over to a glass tank, reaching in and pulled out one large fish after the other and tossing them into the pool. He didn't wait to make sure the monsters ate; he was out of that room before you could say "Hyne".
His breathing was already heavy as he pushed the cart down the hall and around a corner where the rates and the bridge were. Stopping in front of a door to the right of the area where the rats were, he opened the door and grabbed the last remaining two medium-sized cages. Two of the wolf-sized dogs --the brothers to the skinny ones-- greeted him.
These were his favorite; their paws, spine and ridge of their nose and forehead, and short, stubby tail were black. Their belly, throat, and jaw were white, the rest dark gray. From what he over-heard the scientists say, they called this breed Lf --for short Lupis fero. He had never studied Latin, so he didn't really know what that meant; but the soldiers called them WolvenX.
He opened the cages and dumped the remaining rabbits out, watching the dogs eat. They were beautiful --their muscles so defined, so noticeable as they ate. A few minutes later, he finally left to feed the rats. He made sure the door had locked, and grabbed the three small cages full of mice. He peered into one of the eight cages and saw the gray creature, the same height as the black-spotted cat when it stood up straight. Its little black nose sniffed the air, its eyes colorless. The two long-haired tails it had lay lifeless, but its three clawed hands (one for the thumb) grabbed at the air.
He dropped a couple mice into the cage and watched the over-grown rodent sniff around and then eat the mice. After all was fed, he began to push the cart back to his room, but froze--
"Hey, kid, got any of those mice left?"
A man's voice. But where was it coming from? Behind you, he spun around, only seeing the bridge and a door on the other side. Was it coming from inside?
"Well, aren't you rude?"
'I don't know where you are," Steven replied, feeling goosebumps on his arms.
"Behind you."
He spun around, hearing the chuckling of the unknown man, but seeing nothing.
"Just kidding. I'm locked up. You need to loosen up, some."
Taking a few steps toward the bridge, he asked, "Can you see me?"
"Yes; you're looking right at me."
"So you are in there…" Steven muttered.
"Yes, yes I am. Happy now that you've found me? How 'bout you give me some mice?"
"Uh, sorry, but I fed them all to the-"
"Oh just great. No mice for me. Next time save some for me, okay?"
"Oh-okay…" He was unsure about this man, but he only did want some mice, and it's not like they were going to run out of the pesky little creatures any time soon. "I'll make sure to bring extra tomorrow."
"Ah, thank ya, kid; I appreciate it."
"The name's Steven, not kid," he corrected him.
"Pleasure to meet you, Steven. I'm Perfidus."
"Do you know why you are in there, Perfidus?" He asked, curious as to why what's-her-name would keep a person locked up like that.
"Sure don't. But how did you manage to get a job here?" asked the man behind the steel door.
"My bad luck helped me out." Steven now remembered the time. "Uh, I'd better get going before I get in trouble. I'll remember t hose mice, though."
"Thank you, Steven."
He quickly headed back to his room to reload the cart and wait for tomorrow morning…
