The cavern was crumbelling, bits of rock falling everwhere. He glared, not desiring getting broken again. He knew there would be no jesters with bits of thread to stitch his wings back into place again. Lifting his staff, he felt his hands chill as he focused on the spell. Ice shot forwards as he mustered the most powerful spell he could, the blizzaga coating the room in snow.
The caverns rocks shuddered into place as a blizzard shot like a bullet (from hell) through the cavern, its cloak streaming out and blanketing the cave. With the ice came the cold, seemingly emitting from the sharp needle like structures cutting through the earth.
The waltz floated along the cavern for a few moments before being forced to land. He shuddered in the cold, ice already forming from the sweat on his wings. He hunched over slighty, trying to gain warmth from his body as he squeezed through the cavern.
Finally he came to the main chamber, witnessing the prize he had came to recieve. A giant skeleton lay curled up upon the rocks, forming the shape of some snake-bird by the looks of it. Yet, curled up within the center of it, a figure.
Three cocked his head lightly, feeling pangs of sorrow as he saw his "brother" lying defeated in the snow. His brothers wings were ripped, but not too badly. Wind ran through them, causing the feathers to dance to some unknown music. Beside his body, gleaming in the snow, a bell. Three lifted the golden bell and it chimed weakly in resolve. Despite all the elements that had ravaged it, it still managed to emit a sound, happy to be found.
Three slipped it into a pocket, removing the key. Parting the feathers on One's back, and ripping open a little bit of his clothing, Three unveiled the key hole. Sliding it in, he began to twist it, excitement rising through him as his "brother" awoke.
"Three? That you?" he moaned, rolling to his feet. "I miss anything? We found the princess yet?"
His eyes wandered from Three's face across the cavern to rest upon the skeleton aside him. He convulsed in shock, his eyes widening in horror and pain. His beautiful sealion. Gone. Murdered by that monkey-tailed, motherfucker of a rogue that had made him too 'stop moving'. Tears began to pour down his (for want of a better word) face, getting caught in the vacuum that was his mouth and vanishing into the centre of his head. He let out a piercing howl.
"THE ONLY THING I EVER LOVED! HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM ME!"
He turned to Three with an anguished expression upon his charcoal face.
"WHY DID YOU BRING ME BACK?! WHY DID YOU TAKE ME TO A WORLD WITHOUT MY SEALION?!"
Dropping to his knees, he beat the ground with his fist screaming 'Why?!' His tears began to freeze along with the sleet he lay in. He leaped up, shattering the ice around him and rounded on the third Black Waltz, hysteria crippling his posture more than it already was. Grabbing his robes with both hands, he screamed once more.
"You may think you brought me back to life, but I'm still DEAD! I'M DEAD!"
Three had never seen One filled with such emotion. No, he had never seen anyone filled with such emotion. Sorrow was a weakness. A weakness almost as great as love. Yet love's weakness far surpassed it, causing children of Hate to become hysterical snivveling dogs like One had become. His eyes narrowed in contempt at One, letting him have his little fit over his sealion.
He had taken the bell at first to stop him summoning that horrible beast. He had hoped that One wouldn't be so badly hurt and forget about the Sealion, even though he knew it was in vain. He knew exactly how One would react, though he had underplayed it in his mind. He let a palm drift up to his face, knowing he would be doing this a lot.
He wanted to drown out that horrific shrill shrieking, wanted it to STOP. His wings opened in rage, slicing the cold air and twitching as he resisted killing his ally. He knew he needed One. He hated to admit it, but he would need aid. After the jesters had defeated him, he had to accept he was not as powerful as he once was. He had forgotten what true power was. Forgotten it and had become so weak. So pathetic. He would have too fight if he wished to achieve his final goal, and One would surely help him.
One could see Three's patience wearing very thin, but he was far too hysterical to care. However, when Three's wings snapped open, he knew he'd gone too far. Preparing for the coming pain, he tilted his head downwards. Three pushed One away, cold hands barely having any strength in them.
The shove send One tumbling backwards. He stopped himself from falling but stumbled a good distance, a look of shock on his face. It wasn't so much the push that surprised him. It was the fact that Three was being so obviously needed One for something. Any other day, and he'd get a face full of fira. He quelled his grief for Sealion for just a little while to hear Black Waltz Three out.
Calming, Three began to explain himself,"No, in answer to your mindless question we have not found the Princess yet. It is your fault for not making your magic potent enough for four people. You must always over prepare or such situations. Stop Snivelling. Now."
One sniffled hurt and confused, "I don't see what you mean? What magic? What do you mean by potency? I just told that moogle to rohypnol them. It's not my fault that the monkey wasn't thirsty. And my preparation was flawless. I even ambushed him. Although, if I hadn't, maybe Sealion wouldn't have -"
Three sighed. He waved his hand, pulling out the bell from his pocket. Shaking it he made it chime, feeling an affection for the noise. "The little bastard runt of a mage had this. The monkey-tailed boy refused to let me have it and tossed it off the side of a cargo ship. I had to go through many trials to re-locate this. All I ask is your service and you may have it back"
He knew One would have followed him anyway, but he wanted to make sure it got through his thick head.
Swiping the bell from Three's hand, One began to think about the offer. It would be fun, getting the old gang back together. But it would mean putting up with a lot of Three's joy-killing. Still, they were brothers at heart so he decided to accept.
"Okay then, I will come with you. It'll be just like old times! Well I don't actually believe we had old times really. But we can make old times! Then in the future we can look back and say: 'Ah, remember the old times?'"
Turning his attention back to the bell in his hand, he let a dominating chime echo throughout the caverns. A huge stalagmite of pure ice rose from the ground, shattering to reveal a frost-toned, winged serpent. A glowing, turquoise gem inlaid to its chest. A huge, fanged face turned to look at one with an expression of joy on its rough, reptilian features.
"IT'S JUST NOT THE SAME!", he cried out, despair made crystal clear.
"Well actually," he seemed to sober,"It's pretty much exactly the same."
Smiling, he threw himself onto the scaly creature, embracing it as best he could.
"That is your problem, one. Your weakness is so obvious and yet you chose to ignore it. You rely far too heavily on others, One. Two is dead because of your mistake. The princess could not be retrieved because I had to go searching for your precious bell. Your preperation was flawed because you where defeated," he uttered harshly. He shook his head, now fully blaming One for causing his horrific nightmares.
However, he was glad that the older Waltz would come with him. It was one step closer to his precious prize. His talons clicked together in anticipation as his neck ruff lowered and his wings folded. He allowed himself to calm now that One had stopped talking in all caps.
Looking towards the sealion, he raised his hand and brought a Fira down upon it, turning the gem on its belly red. Three shook his head, he should have been able to defeat it in one wave of his hand. All the same, it would at least give one the message: Stop being an overaffection lump and pay attention.
As flames licked around Sealion, charring its scales and causing it to whine in pain, a look of rage passed over One's face. He clenched his talons and formed a tacit incantation, directing it towards the Sealion. Crystalline shards flew towards it, the Blizzara spell healing its wounds. The gem at its heart returned to a healthy blue. Rising from its pained, hunched poise, it rounded on Three will a murderous expression. One quickly settled it with a ring of the bell before turning to Three.
"If you ever hurt Sealion again, I won't hold back with the Blizzard spells."
"There will be no again if you do not stop showing your weakness towards that beast..." he thought for a moment, contemplating his weakness. "The only affections from a woman you have ever recieved has been from that beast. I have tamed the wildest being that we know, that bitch of a dog came crawling to me, begging for my touch. Two longed for my strength, my uncut, flawless beauty. She had to live with YOU for a year, wallowing in your weakned, uncouth, prensence. Do you understand? It is because I do not have that weakness that you consume your every day with."
Tending carefully to his Sealion, One became vaguely aware of Three talking. Yeah. He did that a lot. What was he saying? Something about sex and his 'weakness'.
"Stop calling it a weakness!" he whined, for the first time tearing his attention away from his beautiful companion."It functions fine the way it is. I assure you, it's only my spine that doesn't straighten. Besides, I swear I have never shown, or done anything else with it, in front of Sealion!"
Three had a sick, twisted mind! Although at least his actions supported the fact. He didn't hide his perversion or malice. In fact, you could almost say he was honest.
"And you're no better with women than I am, Three. You know fine well Two didn't want you. I was watching in HORROR as you raped her. I know you only exist to kill and all that, but there's a line, Three. There's a line."
He returned the Sealion to its Poké-bell to save it from further injury at Three's vicious hands. He then held his worried gaze on the younger Waltz, awaiting his response.
Three shook his head, unfazed by the older Waltz's threats. He would use that sealion as practise later on. It didn't make sense that his Fira couldn't wipe it out, espically if that was its weakness. He clicked his talons together in dissapointment, making a rather rhythmical sound as he continued to snap his fingers, his mind thinking too the beat. Music had always helped him think, he suspected it was in his mechianical makings. With every turn of the cogs within him so did his talon click, making songs out of heartbeats.
He closed his eyes, quitely contemplating for a few moments, considering how he might grow stronger. Considering what he was going to do with this incompetent fool who bumbled along and his priorities in the wrong places. He knew they would have to retreat somewhere, have to hide somewhere. He was, however, a pretty cool guy. He could kill mages and not be afraid of anything, so long as he kept low and let the people forget. Forget... People where always forgetting. Forgiving and forgetting, weaknesses he chose not to have.
Focusing back into reality, he listened to what his companion had to say. Leaning his head to the side lightly, his eyes narrowed in boredom. Contempt seemed to strike across those amber orbs as he once again let a hand cover his face. He chose not to respond to One, letting him misunderstand. It would maybe be better not to go into details on whether the other Waltz could perform basic bodily functions or not.
It was, however, his second speech that caused Three's head to snap up from his hand. Eyes narrowed in rage as he opened an accusing mouth, "What do you mean by she did not want me? Did you not see her heaving breasts, swollen with desire? Her sultry breaths as she whispered my name, dripping in sensuality? She called out to me in pleasure, One. I could hear it in her cracking voice as her talons tore against me. Perhaps you were too young. Perhaps you had never witnessed something like that and you where confused, One. I do not know what you mean by this... "Raped"
He cocked his head lightly to the side, amber eyes focussing on the elder Waltz. The word hadn't escaped him. He knew it was a bad thing to be raped. Yet he did not know the meaning.
"When I stuck my talon in her and she bled, she had an expression of utter ecstacy upon her face. Did you not see it? Did you not hear her screams of delight? The way her body collapsed weakly into mine as I tore off that dress to reveal those lustful..."
He cut off, realizing he was ranting and that the other may not want to hear.
One stood in stunned silence. Too young? He'd seen sex performed many a time by Sealion. Not on himself of course. No, he had seen her perform sexual acts on that other tall, dark and handsome black waltz with the hunch and sty-lish potato suit jacket. However, this was not the only disturbing thing Three had said. Somehow, though Three was far younger and far more cruel, he was shocked by the ignorance and malice he was showing. Two's screams of pleasure ... It may have sounded that way to the ears of a mentally unstable sexual abuser, but when you thought about it logically, there's no way Two could be interested in Three while One was around. I mean, he was the obvious choice. He even had a Sealion. Women loved that right? Anyway, time to break the silence.
"Much as I'd like to talk about rape for the next hour or so, shouldn't we be looking for the princess? Brahne's going to be a little annoyed if her ultimate weapons are just hangin' in the ice caves.
Raising a talon to his face, Three contemplated the meaning of the word "Rape". It didn't make much sense, whatever it meant. The thing One had acused him of was clearly untrue, and whenever he raised that malevolent bitch from her eternal sleep, he would prove it. If she chose to deny it he would accuse her of being a liar. He did, however, listen to what One had to say. He hissed lightly in realization that the other was correct, that his lust was becoming far too distracting. He filled himself with anger, his neck ruff puffing out slightly as he loathed himself for being put in his place by the incompetent fool of a Waltz. He spat out in spite of himself,
"Ultimate weapon. You forget that you are but a mere Prototype. The power you hold within you is so pathetically weak, One. The nerve you have to claim that you are an Ultimate weapon and putting yourself on par with myself proves your ignorance and your folly, " he nodded to himself, letting his ruff lower as he cooled.
One rolled his eyes at Three's constant untrue and pompous ramblings. He didn't care. He was the oldest. He was the best. Would they really have given him such a sweet jacket if he hadn't been? Well it was a potato sack. Or something similar, but One assumed that was the style. He was then suddenly hit by a snowball. A snowball of realisation. The snowball sealion had just tossed at him made him understand that he was cold. He was hungry, bored of the scenery and wanted to leave.
"What's the plan anyway? Where are we going?" he muttered. This was more for the sake of idle conversation than for an actual answer. One couldn't care less about Brahne's plans. Or Three's for that matter. His only concern was to exact revenge on the monkey-tailed bastard that has injured his love so grievously. He wondered where the thief was. Wherever the princess was no doubt. Maybe in the neighboring village. Surely they can't have gone far in day or two he'd been unconscious. Three of course wouldn't let him steer away from their goal, being the dedicated minion he was. he'd only be interested in finding the princess. He'd have to be subtle in his revenge and convince Three that he was just as loyal.
"Last I saw the girl and her company, they were on their way to Dali. I suggest we go there first and search for clues."
Three clicked his talons together three times in succession to some unknown beat before answering.
"They left Dali a long time ago, again showing your foolishness. Do not contribute such stuporous statements... But let us go anyway, that place has some significance for us." His mind whirred as he searched for places to go, piecing together obvious plans. He glanced upwards, shivering lightly as the cold began to cut into him. He turned, walking away from the main cavern, indicating for One to follow.
He suddenly stopped, turning apprehensively towards One.
"Did you dream?" he asked out of fear, curious if One had felt and seen the same things he had seen.
One's heart stopped. Dreams? How could Three know about his dreams?
Did ... did Three know about his dreams?
Not as if they were wrong as such. I mean, it wasn't sexual. Not very sexual at any rate. It was just friendly if you thought about it. Very friendly. Sealion had been his loyal pet for a long time: it was only natural to expect that he would ... respect it. Even dream about it. And dreams don't always reflect desires anyway. I mean, how do you explain nightmares? But then again, when you have nightmares, you don't normally wake up with a ...
Well anyway, he had to respond fast or Three would be suspicious. Focusing all his mental energy on the lie, he began to speak.
"Dreams? Uh, yeah. I had dreams. I was ... in this cavern. And it was all icey and it wasn't really that interesting to be honest. Sealion definately wasn't in them. Not that the dreams would have been more interesting if she was! You know what? Stop getting in the way of our duty."
"Nice save," he grinned to himself as he headed down the icy trail towards the Dali entrance.