A/N: Sorry for not replying in a while, but I've been busy trying to contact an old friend. Thanks to the people who reviewed to my story, I hope more find it to their liking. Some people were annoyed and/or curious about the name of this fiction, and if you would like, why not leave a name with your review, and I will decide what fits best with this story, as you can tell, I have no clue on where it will go, but let's see if we can carve out a path for it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or any of its counterparts, nor do I own any of the characters that are likely to show up.

Chapter Two:

A Slender Defiance

"If something is needed to be done, do it without hesitation," were the last words my master told me that fatal night.

My only goal is to delay Zidane and the others at any cost, and not to harm my… canary. I will do as my master wishes.

The curtains folded back to reveal the green landscape surrounding Alexandria. A few weak creatures could be seen wandering aimlessly around the area. I walked out into the open; it had been so long since the last time the fresh scent of Alexandria whipped about my face. I stopped for a moment to revel in its perfection.

"Kuja," the voice of my master came from above, inside of the airship, "we don't have time for you to dawdle."

I turned towards the light blue ship and bowed deeply, showing him that I understood and hurried off towards the sleeping citadel.

----Alexandria----

Vivi, alone, stood searching for the small girl, Eiko. He had lost her when she took a quick corner he had missed in their game of tag back towards the castle. So he waited for Eiko to find him, since he knew she would be upset if he left without her. It would be better to be ridiculed by her for getting lost in their game, then to get her mad because she couldn't find him.

He looked about him to notice that he was back to where he started, towards the center of Alexandria, its big, looming gate over his hay hat. He turned around and faced the entrance and smiled into the night. No matter how scary the dark appeared to be, with his black magic, he could light up his way…at least until Eiko or another one of his friends could find him.

----Gate to Alexandria----

I walked into the dark city. Looking around for anything that could hamper my mission, but nothing moved. I walked farther down the long alley that leads to the Town Square. I slowly raised my gaze towards the square as a gush of wind passed me. I halted my advancement.

I could sense my master's presence hovering over the city. He was preparing to summon one of the Eidolons that he had me drain earlier. I did not know what creature he would summon from the black abyss, and as long as it didn't harm me or hamper my mission, than I didn't care.

The inhabitants of Alexandria also heard the noise coming from the airship. Men, women and children could be seen poking their heads out of windows, as well as running out into the streets to see the menace looming over their fair city.

Soon, as I know well, all of them would run like the cowards they are. Hoping, beyond hope, that their guards would stop all of their troubles; that they could cease the torture that my master would erect upon them all.

Yet that was to come, I still had to succeed in my mission. As I searched the streets of Alexandria, my eyes passed by a peculiar sight. A black mage, a most uncommon thing to be walking in such a large city, stood waiting for something.

The mage was dispensable, so he would be my target, I could only hope that this would suffice. I focused my powers onto the small mage. His brimmed hat slowly looking up to reveal his face to me, but all was too late. My spell went off without any trouble. The hat flew past me and into a now screaming crowd.

I felt no remorse for the dead mage. Even though he was only a creation, nothing amounting to a living mortal, yet be it mortal or not, I could feel nothing for it. I, myself, was created with no feelings of that genre.

The screaming city began its fall, as I took step after step. In front of me lay the town's center, and beyond that, the looming castle. By this time I could hear the descent of the guards. Another thing that I must destroy, no matter how trifling they were.

A small tent stood in the center of the town where the ticket seller would be to sell seats to some of the great shows Alexandria was known for. Now, the seller was gone, long since abandoning his post. People crowded around the tent as if it was a shelter from my powers.

"Run…" I mumbled, and then louder, "Run, people of Alexandria! Tell Zidane I search only for him!" A minor spell demolished the tent and some of its nearer occupants, as the rest struggled to run away, farther towards the castle. A minor wind caught my hair, and

I quickly pushed it back out of my eyes; the castle wasn't far off.

----Inside of the Castle----

Eiko had just barely made it back to the castle when the mayhem became too much. She couldn't find Vivi, and that had her worried. She was running through the halls, something she knew wouldn't be acceptable, but it was important. She had seen him. The one called Kuja was here, trying to destroy Zidane! She couldn't let that happen.

She quickly dashed through the halls towards the chambers she knew they'd be in. Throwing the doors open, she screamed the first thing that came to her head.

"Vivi's gone and Kuja's here!" She thought it would work, but she said it far too fast so the words were lost to the commotion of people quickly standing up.

"What did you say, Eiko?" the Princess asked, leaning forwards a little.

"I said that Vivi's gone, and Kuja's here," she repeated herself, partly annoyed.

"Kuja?" they all gasped.

"Do I have to repeat myself again?" she placed her hands on her hips, daring them to ask again.

"What does he want?" Zidane finally managed to ask.

"He wants you… but we aren't going to give up easily!" she screamed back.

"It might be best if we did give him up," Steiner said. "Even if just for a little while…"

"No, no give him up!" Quina protested.

"We couldn't," the others with a better vocabulary, said.

"My princess," he turned towards her, continuing, "you must understand. If he stays here, than Kuja will kill everyone trying to find him. We shouldn't leave him to Kuja alone, but we cannot stay here. What of the people?"

"Yes… you are right, Steiner. We will go with you, Zidane."

"Hey, I don't need all of you guys standing up for me, I can handle myself," Zidane says, beating one hand on his chest.

"Do you think I'd miss a fight?" Amarant stated, boldly.

"Aw, and I didn't think you cared, Amarant," Zidane smiled. He only rolled his eyes.

"But where is Master Vivi?" Steiner asked, looking around the room.

"Yes, wasn't he with you, Eiko?" Garnet asked, looking intently at the small, horned girl.

"He… was… but he got lost again, and we need to find him. Who knows what trouble he's gotten himself into?"

"Alright, we'll have to find him before we confront Kuja," Zidane said, pounding his fist into his open hand.

Everyone nodded their agreement and they all began their walk out of the castle, and in to the chaos that only Kuja could have created.

----Alexandria's Ruins----

I had waited for Zidane and his comrades to come; yet they did not heed my call. I slowly walked towards the castle, bringing destruction and mayhem to whom ever stood in my path.

The guards protecting the vile mortals were slain first, followed by more of the town's people. One after the other they fell before me. By this time, my spells were beginning to affect me, draining me the more I casted. I could not relent though; I had to reach my targets.

As I carved my path, I noticed another degrading mage, hiding amongst the commoners. I didn't make my mages for this abomination's cowardice. With a flick of my hand, the mage was sent flying, but I could still sense his life. How could he still be alive? It didn't make sense, but I couldn't linger on such a sniveling creature, one last spell would finish him, and many of the people around him.

I focused my tiring energy into my palm. A drop of cold liquid slid down my back. Another drop landed near my eye as I slowly looked up, the physical power of my spell forming into my hand. Zidane and his canary… no… my canary… with all of their friends came running at that moment. My body already facing them, I looked fully at them, as the raindrop mimicked a tear, and slid down my face.

I cocked my head towards the black mage and the other people. Zidane slowly looked to where I had motioned. It seemed a whimper came from him.

"How uncharacteristic," I said, still facing him, and only him. "You have shown me a valuable weakness, my brother."

"I am not your brother! Now, leave those people alone!" was his obnoxious scream back.

I allowed my hand to flick, as the spell was released, a direct hit on the mage and his crowd.

"Vivi!" the small girl near Zidane screamed.

When his name was screamed, I pulled the spell at the last minute. It had already done much damage, but it wouldn't kill him. I only wanted to delay, not kill, Zidane and his companions, I didn't care about any of the rest. I had other plans that they needed to follow through with.

I stood straight up, allowing more of the water to hit me, showing them that I had no fear. Zidane in his blind fury, charged me, without think of any traps I might of set earlier on our playing field.

As his foot hit a cracked pavestone, it transmuted itself into a voluptuous pound of slime. Sticking him fast, the slime grabbed hold of more of his foot. His other companions were slow in moving, but they now began to draw their weapons. I had traps prepared for them as well.

I allowed myself to stand comfortably as they began their charge. The slime still swarming around Zidane's leg, split itself into dagger like spikes, and intertwined itself into my foes paths. Their legs were grabbed and either forced together, or far apart.

The slime wouldn't hurt them in any way, but it would do it's intention, as long as I could keep a hold of the spell, no harm would come to them. I smiled at them, took a single ostentatious bow, and began to take my leave. I needed nothing more from them, not for the moment at least.

As I was spinning, a ball of darkness hit and swarmed around my head for a moment. Automatically, I placed my hand to where the Demi spell had landed. The soft feel of blood rested on my hands, the headache that the spell caused, already forming. I turned to face its caster.

The mage that they called Vivi, was standing, injured but standing. I glared at my creation, there was little more that I could do until the spell cleared itself from my head. The mage began to prepare another spell, Firaga, it appeared. The mage wasn't that good, his moves were obvious while he casted.

As the spell left his hands, aimed right for me, I countered it with a Blizzaga. My spell proved the more powerful, as his spell was disintegrated in the ice, and the ice moved to strike at him. As my spell moved closer, the armor clad buffoon jumped in its way. He still took the damage from the spell, but it just saved the small mage's life.

I looked at the others, trapped with in my slime, they, too, were almost free. The mage had given them enough time, and assistance, as I could smell burned slime, to allow them to free themselves.

"Alright, Vivi!" Zidane screamed his appreciation. "Now, Kuja, we'll win! So just stop this!" He turned towards me, his doubled bladed sword pointed at me.

"Do you believe I am outnumbered, Zidane? Where my loss is a sure thing? Where my loss possiblyeven means your victory?" I said, looking at him.

"What do you mean by that Kuja," his princess asked, her fear not showing in her voice.

"If you seek to be enlightened, my canary, then just look towards the heavens."

I had said it without thinking, yet it gave them all the understanding. Their eyes quickly left me as my master's air ship slowly propelled itself across the sky. It's red eye glowing menacingly. My mast was going to summon Bahamut, but it would take time for him to fully get its energies under his will.

If I didn't leave soon, then I would go in the blast as well. That was the last thing that I wanted. If my enemies were going to stand and gawk at the machine, then let them. I delayed them, as I found necessary.

I bowed, even though none of them had noticed, I turned on my heel and began to take my leave.

"What is that, Kuja?" Zidane asked quickly, taking a step forwards now that he was free from the slime.

I didn't stop walking, but only looked over my shoulder and whispered.

"Bahamut"

A/N: For those that don't know, Bahamut is the second strongest summon in the game. A summon is a powerful force brought on by one of the great summoners (i.e. Eiko or Garnet).