1. Chapter 1: Called From Another World

"Masaru!" A woman's shrill voice yelled from downstairs. "_Masaru_!"

The boy stuck his head out from under the bed, covered in dust. "_What_?" he yelled back.

"You did remember to pack spare clothes, didn't you?"

The boy sighed. _Here we go..._ "Yes, mom!"

"Mobile phone?"

"Mom, they don't let you bring phones!"

"Well, take it anyway! In case of emergencies! How about jerseys?"

"But it's _summer_!" he argued.

"It could still get cold!" came his mother's response. "How about undies?"

"_Mom_!" Masaru wailed. Okay, this was just getting plain embarrassing.

"Well, you _know_ what happened last time!"

Indeed he did. He forgot to pack his pants the last time he was off to summer camp. He only realised when he was getting into bed and had to make sure he got dressed before everyone else, alone, so no-one found out. His ears turned pink with shame whenever he thought about it.

"I remembered them this time! Honest!" he yelled back, and shot downstairs, backpack slung over his shoulder.

His mother greeted him in the hall, her wavy brown hair tied in a messy ponytail and wearing her favourite apron. Her eyes brimmed with tears. They always did when he left for summer camp. _"My little baby_!" she sobbed, and clutched him to her chest.

Masaru rolled his eyes, but played along. "Mom, I'm just going to summer camp. It's not like I'm leaving home." This just made her sob harder. "Mom, _please_!" he begged. This was getting embarrassing enough, but he honestly didn't like seeing his mother cry.

She wiped her tears on a handkerchief. "You're growing up...!" she said, sniffing. "My little boy is becoming a man...!" Masaru's ears turned pink underneath the mass of blond hair. She said that every year, but it never ceased to make him feel a little proud.

He heard the clatter of a bike coming from outside the house. He tried jerking away from his mother. "Mom, that's Kaname! I gotta run or we'll miss the bus."

She nodded. "Be safe, Masaru," she croaked.

"Take care," his father called from his study. "And please don't run wild!"

Masaru grinned as he slipped on his sneakers. "No point of going if I can't!" he replied. "Catch you later!" He ran through the cream coloured hall and out the door as fast as he could.

"The usual drama?" a boy asked. He was standing by the gate, holding on to his green bike by the handle. Kaname Sato, his best friend since first grade.

His hair was deep chocolate-brown, his eyes slanted and grey and his skin was like bronze. According to all the girls in his class, Kaname Sato was a dreamboat. Good at maths, computers and what the girls called sex-appeal. Not that he took any interest. His only love was his laptop.

"You don't know the half of it," Masaru sighed, and hopped on to the back of the bike as Kaname swung across the saddle and gripped the handlebars. Kaname grinned at him, and Masaru saw the rectangular leather bag strapped to his back under his usual blue backpack. "And you're still bringing the dreaded computer of dullness and death?" Masaru laughed.

Kaname shrugged. "I've got a website to make, emails to check- you know how it is."

"Bet you can't last without it for a week!" Masaru teased, snatching at the case.

"Oi! Lay off!" Kaname exclaimed, then laughed as well and started to pedal.

Houses, trees and people became a blur as they sped along the pavement. "So, where did we say we'd meet the girls again?" Masaru asked over the roar of rushing air.

"By the park," Kaname responded. "As usual. Lian's dad gave her a lift."

Masaru wasn't surprised. Her dad (who was also his uncle) ran a taxi firm so it was no bother to give her lifts from time to time. His dad was a lawyer, and a pretty damn good one, too. He'd been raised on justice, even though he often forgot and went wild. He didn't think that it was his problem for wanting to have a good time.

Minutes later, Kaname screeched the bike to a halt next to two girls who were leaning against a wall.

The taller one was finely built, with pale skin and long fair hair. Her eyes were hazel and she slumped against the wall, clearly bored.

It was not so easy to tell with her companion. She perched quietly on the wall with a small smile on her face, her chestnut fringe hiding most of her right eye, which was a bright green, as was the other one.

The blonde one was wearing jogging pants and a red top, emblazoned with the text, _Don't mess with_ me in capital letters whilst the other stuck with brown shorts and a pale blue T-shirt.

Lian Saotome and Tamiko Kutsuki, the other sex of their gang.

Kaname cocked his head in a modest bow. "Ladies," he said deeply, and they all burst out laughing.

"Like _hell _they're ladies!" Masaru snickered, which earned him a punch in the arm from Lian. "Ouch!"

"Watch what you say when your older cousin's a brown belt," she warned, fist raised.

Masaru accepted her warning, rubbing his arm. It didn't really hurt that much, but she had obviously held back. _Beware anyone who goes after her in a dark alley_, he thought to himself. Well-built, strong and fearless, Lian was a weapon of mass destruction to anyone who antagonized her, be they man or beast.

"Excited, Tamiko?" Kaname kindly asked the other girl, who had been completely silent. She nodded quickly, blushing.

Tamiko had always been shy and picked on by others. Her life consisted of going to school and hanging out with her friends, then going home and looking after her grandfather and little brother. She always blushed when attention was paid to her by more than one person or someone she didn't know well. As far as Masaru knew, her father had walked out on her when her baby brother was born and her mother had died in a traffic accident six years ago.

She paid no attention when people mentioned her father, but if anyone mentioned her mother in her presence, she would look away, her face always sad.

"I always am when it's this time of year," Tamiko said nervously. "I hope Ren and Grandpa follow the instructions I gave them..."

"They will," Lian reassured, even though knowing Tamiko's family, they probably didn't even though where the instructions were in the first place. Tamiko smiled gratefully and Kaname readied his bike.

"Bus leaves in half-an-hour," he observed, looking at his watch. "Then a four-hour trip to desolate woodlands, with snacks and karaoke."

"Fine by me...if Masaru doesn't sing," Lian joked, earning a "_Hey_!" from Masaru. The gentle breeze blowing through the trees was slowly picking up.

"Looks like a storm's a' brewing," Kaname said in that wise voice of his, the wind blowing his dark hair into his face.

"But it's clear as day. Besides, the forecast said there's not going to be any rain for days," Tamiko piped up, struggling to be heard over the wailing of the ever-growing breeze.

Kaname turned to his companions. Masaru shrugged. "Freak weather?" he suggested as the wind blew a horde of leaves his way, and the trees began to rustle ferociously, as if trying to free their roots from their prison of soil. "Whatever it is, we should peg it to the bus and have a sugar rush!"

Lian rolled her eyes but nodded in agreement all the same. Masaru hopped off Kaname's bike and Tamiko took his place- Masaru and Lian were both proud athletes and could run for ages without stopping. Kaname began to pedal, and the group began to run.

"Something...feels strange," Tamiko whispered from her perch.

"It's probably that horror film from last night, that's what," Lian replied coolly. "Don't worry about it- it's probably just a freak storm brewing. Anyway, we're only five minutes away from the bus."

"That's _three_ minutes _and_ twenty-four seconds if we maintain this speed," Kaname interrupted. Lian sighed and ignored him, and Tamiko clutched her bag protectively as the bike wobbled dangerously.

Just then, a huge gust blew the bike over and sent its passengers flying into the road. The area was deserted of life, even the trees seemed dead. "_Guys_!" Masaru cried, and tugged Lian back to the two figures lying on the concrete. "You okay?!"

Tamiko pulled her body up off the floor and held her arm, rubbing it. "I'm okay," she said. "What about Kaname?"

Kaname groaned as he sat up, examining his body. "Analysis...no bones broken. No physical damage," he muttered, and got up as Masaru pulled Tamiko to her feet.

The wind was so strong now that the group had to shield their eyes, which were watering. They could hear foliage and leaves surround them. "What the heck?!" Masaru gasped, and he stared down. The others did so and found that it was beginning to glow a bright white. "And _this_ is a freak storm?!" Lian yelled, shutting her eyes before she went blind. Looking down was like staring straight at the sun on a hot summer's day.

"Hey...is it just me or am I sinking?" Kaname called.

"Don't be stupid! We're-" Masaru stopped, and realised that he was closer to the ground. "It's that weird light! It's swallowing us!"

"What's going on?!"

They all stared in horror as the ground swallowed their knees, then their thighs, then their hips, then their torsos. "It's like quicksand!" Tamiko cried, struggling to break free but to no avail.

Moments later, their shoulders were absorbed in celestial light from below, as thick as treacle. They all shut their eyes as they were swallowed whole. Then, it all went quiet.

There was only silence.


	2. Chapter 2: Goddess and a Mission

Cold.

He was frozen when he woke up. And damp. Had the roof leaked or something? He felt a hand gently shake his arm. "Mom, I just had the weirdest dream..." Masaru groaned, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "I was going to summer camp and before we got to the bus we all got swallowed by-"

He gasped and opened his eyes properly. He was lying in a pool of clear water stretching as far as the eye could see, small white rocks breaking the even surface. The water wasn't deep, and he seemed to be on one of the rocks. A large yet low white chair sat a few metres away from him. Where the heck was he? He turned to the person holding gently on to his arm, and his eyes widened.

She was beautiful. Celestial, even. Long blond hair flowed from all over her head even though there was no breeze and her eyes were a clear mystic blue. Her skin was pale and clear, and she was decked in a sleeveless white dress with gold finery and lining. Her arms had golden bangles and around the middle or her arms was a clear, golden shawl. It sparkled, like evening stars on a fading sky. She parted her lips and asked gently, in a delicate voice, "Are you alright?"

Masaru just stared open-mouthed. Okay, he _had_ to be dreaming. What on earth was a woman so beautiful doing in a place like this? It was almost as if she was too perfect to be human... "W-who are you?" Masaru stammered, standing up and staring at his surroundings better. "And where am I...?" He stopped abruptly as he saw his best friends each lying unconscious on a rock, neatly above the water. "_Guys_!" He ran to his cousin's side and shook her roughly. "Get up, Lian! It's not a dream!" he yelled.

The woman stared, her eyes hiding any emotion.

"What...?" Lian mumbled.

"Lian! There's water everywhere and some lady in a dress and rocks and-"

"You're lying..."

"No, I'm not! Look for yourself!"

Lian did and went a ghostly white. "We'd better wake Kaname and Tamiko," she croaked.

After everyone had been roused from their slumber, they all stared in awe at the woman, who stared back at them with a gentle expression on her face. "I am so glad you are all well," she said softly, much to everyone's amazement.

"What's going on?" Kaname asked her.

"I apologise. It was a rough summoning, but I had no choice," the woman responded sadly.

"Summoning?" Tamiko repeated.

"Yes. I had to summon you to this place- Order's Sanctuary- from your world. That is the only possible way to travel between worlds. Or at least it used to be..."

"What are you on about?! Weird lady!" Masaru yelled, and Lian splashed his legs.

"Please do not rouse sacred waters, child," the woman sighed, but she didn't seem cross. Lian looked away.

"Who are you, then?" Masaru asked.

"I am many things. I am the breeze, the light in the shadows, the twilight before the dusk, the sun that lowers whilst the moon rises."

The group exchanged confused glances.

"I meant your name," Masaru frowned.

"My name is Cosmos and I am Goddess or Harmony."

Kaname blinked. "There's no such thing," he stated. Kaname didn't believe in chance or gods or anything supernatural. He placed his faith in science and mathematical calculations.

"You may not believe me, I understand. Would you care to explain why you are here, now?"

Kaname readied an argument, but decided it wasn't worth it. "So, you_ summoned_ us?"

Cosmos nodded. "That is correct. I take it that you want an explanation of why you are here?" The group looked amongst themselves for any objections. There were none. "Good." Cosmos' lips curved into an elegant smile for the first time. "I need your help."

"I should begin an explanation. Each world had different places in time and space; they co-exist yet they live apart."

"You mean like parallel universes?" Kaname asked; glad to be on his home turf.

"Yes. Or in this case, parallel worlds. They are separated by a veil across reality and fantasy. It has existed since time began and would continue to do so until it ended. That veil is weakening, even as I speak, and becoming thinner and thinner. It will continue to do so until all these separate worlds collide and everything ends."

Masaru shuddered. He didn't know what to make of this. She was either lying or telling the truth. He wanted to believe she was lying to them, but they all knew what had happened on the way to the bus earlier. They had all seen that light. And they had all woken up here.

"Why?" Tamiko stammered. "It's...it's not the end of the universe, is it?"

"It can't be," Kaname reassured. "We won't even be alive when it happens- no-one will."

"In a way, yes," the Goddess said sadly. "All will fade and become dust, then turn to nothingness."

Masaru felt something move inside him. He didn't want to believe this but something- a huge part of his being- told him that Cosmos wasn't lying. He wondered if the others felt the same. "Isn't there a way to stop it?"

"Yes, there is," Cosmos replied. "By stopping the man who is causing it."

"Someone's _causing_ this?!" Lian cried. "Are they insane?!"

"No. His motives are unknown. I know his name is K and that he has acquired strange powers and is using them to try and shape the universe to his own desire. He may well know what he is causing."

"That jerk...!" Masaru growled. "Wait, you're a Goddess, right? You can stop him!"

"Alas, I cannot..."

"Why not?!"

"I cannot kill," Cosmos responded curtly. "I am the light of the universe. It does not fall to me to send someone to the endless abyss that is death. It is like a mother killing her own child."

"You're standing up for this creep?!" Lian and Masaru roared.

"No. His actions are unforgivable, but it goes against the laws of the universe for me to kill someone. If the Goddess of Harmony was to kill, imagine what the reaper would think he could do."

"So what _can_ we do?" Masaru challenged.

"Precisely, Masaru Saotome. What _you_ can do. You as well, Lian Saotome, Kaname Sato and Tamiko Kutsuki." The group froze and shivered.

"How...how do you know our names?"

"I am a Goddess. I helped create life. I know all of my children," Cosmos said softly. "_You_ can stop this man and prevent this terrible fate from happening."

"_How_?!" Lian cried. "We're just kids! How are _we_ meant to stop the end of the universe?!"

"Remain calm. I will share my powers with you," Cosmos said, placing a delicate hand to her chest. Four small glimmers escaped from her fingertips and swirled towards them, enveloping them in a bright, golden light. Seconds later, the remaining magic melted away into the clear air. "It is done."

"So we can fight him now?" Masaru asked, lancing down at his body. He didn't look any different.

Cosmos nodded. "They will emerge when the time comes." The waved her hand swiftly through the air, and the light from before re-appeared under the group's feet, making the water glimmer life it was reflecting the sun. Cosmos, as if sensing their fear, said, "Do not worry. I will guide you and help you as best I can. I wish you all luck..."

And so her warriors faded away.

The man opened his green eyes, and turned to his companions, his long silver hair swaying. "They're here," he said calmly.

"I wondered when they would show up," a woman sighed, striding over to the man, her hair stuck up like horns and her yellow eyes burning in the darkness, her gown silently following as she moved. "Well?"

"Well _what_?"

"What are they like?" another figure persisted, hopping and bounding over to the others, face decked in make-up and cloaked in jester's attire. "Come on now, don't leave me hanging! I want to know whose blood I'm to spill!"

He cackled and the woman rolled her eyes.

"Can we not have a single sensible conversation with you, you oaf?" she snarled. "I have no idea why Lord K decided the needed _you_."

"Because someone's got to keep everyone in line!" he snickered, and the man looked away.

"Because you ran your mouth so much he had to just to silence you," a cutting voice came, and another floated gracefully down to the ground. Blue eyes glowed gently and his robes swished as he moved. "Save your boring speeches for the drama ahead, _fool_."

The clown laughed. "Says you! Aren't you a little young to be giving _me_ orders?"

"Just keep running your insignificant mouth of your and I'll-"

"_Enough_. Instead of fighting each other, why don't you fight Cosmos' chosen warriors instead and save us all the trouble?" a voice interrupted, cool and echoing.

The squabbling ceased and the group bowed, except for the blue-eyed newcomer. "_Bow, fool_!" the woman hissed. Reluctantly, the man did so.

They vanished into darkness.


	3. Chapter 3: The Fighters Collide

A secluded forest area. Leaves fell from their bark-covered hosts and slowly spiralled to the floor. A cool breeze swayed the branches and sunlight poured through from the heavens. It was a lovely day.

"Come on, Dolly!" a little girl laughed, tugging her felt doll along with her through the foliage. `Dolly` had been her best friend since she was born and they loved to play together in her special, secret woods, where they were free to roam and undisturbed by the outside world. The girl's name was Miya, and she had black hair tied in a ponytail and rosy cheeks. The patched and scruffy state of her dress told others how her family lived and freckles covered her face. Her father was a simple farmer. Her mother was a midwife.

She stopped running and danced with her little doll. It was nice weather. Perhaps they could go and paddle in a nearby stream until supper...

Suddenly, she stopped. The wind was picking up amazingly fast and wailing. It reminded Miya of a storm. Miya hated storms. She would always hide under her covers until she and Dolly ran to her parent's room and begged to let her spend the night with them. But she was alone here.

She watched in silent awe as a circle of darkness appeared on the grass in front of her and rose into a sphere. She could make out four figures, each bigger than her and terrifyingly menacing. As the darkness faded, she stared open-mouthed.

"Hmm...I don't see anyone," the woman said, glancing around her.

Miya slowly shuffled away, clutching her beloved felt doll, earning her the attention of a silver-haired, green-eyed, sword-wielding man. "Apart from the little girl there," he said, staring at her straight in the eyes. They were empty.

"Aw, a kid?" a sing-song voice cried, and Miya shrieked in terror as an upside down, white-painted face with a leering red smile appeared in front of her. "You look _weird_! You're the wrong way around!"

Miya screamed and ran past the final figure, a man with lavender hair and rich clothes and boots, robed in white and purple. He didn't even look at her. She clutched Dolly and ran for the safety of her own home.

"Huh? Why didn't you stop her, Kujie-coo?" the clown asked, feigning disappointment.

The man turned to face him. "I am not here to torment children for your pleasure," he said coldly. "Set your sights on something bigger, you idiotic harlequin."

"You're no fun..."

The silver-haired man raised a hand to silence them. "They're here."

Masaru led the way through the forest, the others following behind as they passed trees that stretched up far above them. "Now what?" he asked.

"We find civilisation," Kaname said. "People."

"Okay." Masaru carried on then stopped, and Lian collided with him.

"Geez, what the hell are you doing?" she hissed.

"I found people!" Masaru said proudly, pointing at four figures a few feet away who were staring at them.

"Congratulations," Lian muttered sarcastically. "You must be feeling _so_ proud."

"Yeah, I am," Masaru grinned, giving her the thumbs up sign. She held her hand to her forehead and groaned, amazed by his stupidity at detecting sarcasm.

The observers were the strangest people they had ever seen. They consisted of a tall man decked in black with long silver hair, a blond man decked in jester's attire, a woman with hair spiked into horns with menacing yellow eyes and a man with lavender hair wearing a purple jacket and a boots. They were staring hard at the group, and Masaru felt it was almost as if they were trying to peer into their very souls.

"...they're just children," the silver-haired man said, his voice hollow. "These are Cosmos' warriors?"

"They're so _puny_!" the clown shrieked playfully, bounding closer to them. They took two steps back. "Hey, I think I scared them." He snickered and the woman glared daggers at him

"Children are _all_ you can manage to scare," she growled. "They are still a threat."

Masaru gulped and put on a brave face. "You guys not the welcoming committee?"

The clown laughed. "Well, he's not scared!" He beamed at his companions, then turned to the boy, and said in a deeper, more threatening tone, "...you should be."

"We are Lord K's finest," the woman interrupted. "Hand-picked to destroy you. However, it appears we were not needed. You're only _infants_."

Lian glared at her, and Masaru exclaimed, "Who're you calling infants, you old hag?!"

She stiffened. "What did you just say?" she hissed.

"You heard me, you old crow!"

Tamiko and Kaname stared in horror at their companion. There was a fine line between courage and downright stupidity. Masaru had definitely crossed it. The lady stiffened. "You will pay for that insult, you insignificant _boy_!"

"Well, he could be right-" the jester mused, cackling to himself, seeming rather entertained by the whole affair.

The man in black stepped forward. "I wish to take him on," he said quietly. "He seems to like a challenge."

"_He_ can hear everything you're saying," Masaru blurted out.

The man chuckled, but his smile was merely one of confidence- of knowing that he had found a form of entertainment. "What is your name, boy?"

"I'm Masaru Saotome."

The man stared hard at the boy.

"And I am Sephiroth, the ultimate _SOLDIER_."

The ground they were standing on was swallowed in shadow and they vanished into thin air. "_Masaru_!" Lian shrieked. "_Where'd he go_?!"

Lavender hair strode up to her. "He's taken him away to settle things in private. It seems that the One-Winged Angel does not enjoy a show." He tutted. "Such a waste of talent, really."

"Leaves us to finish things here," the clown's voice cackled, but he was nowhere to be seen. "I want to pick a victim, if you all don't mind!"

"A victim? Elaborate," the woman said flatly. Lavender hair looked upwards, a troubled expression on his face.

"Oh, just someone I can force to watch their friends' tragic deaths, then torture, and then brutally kill. I'm gonna go with..." His voice swirled like a whirlpool around the others, who stood back to back.

Suddenly, Tamiko felt something grab her by the wrist and pull her away from her friends. She was too shocked to scream and found herself in the clown's firm grip. "_You_! My name's Kefka. I think you'll remember it."

"_Let her go_!" Kaname roared, watching Tamiko struggle and try to break free. The woman stared at him.

"Oh, we will..." she said eerily, smirking. "We'll let you all go..."

"..._once you're dead_."


	4. Chapter 4: Awakening the Light

Masaru opened his eyes. More forest, but it was a clearing. Sephiroth was there, too, though he seemed much calmer than Masaru did.

He clenched his fists. He'd not been in a fight for almost two years, when he'd beat up bullies from school who were picking on a little kid from elementary school. He'd won- but he'd had to go to hospital when he broke his wrist from punching.

His father had made him promise to stop. He'd said that everyone had their blind spots and that he was a smart kid. He was too old to settle matters with fist fights. Yet here he was, about to disobey his father. He had to. According to Cosmos, everything depended on it.

Sephiroth looked at him curiously. "Where's your weapon?"

"_I'm_ the weapon," Masaru replied.

He'd gone to the same karate club as Lian did until he was eleven. That was when his dad had told him he couldn't fight anymore. He could handle fully-grown men. This guy was toast.

Sephiroth nodded, though he seemed rather bemused. He drew a long katana from his sheath. It was the largest sword Masaru had ever seen in his life. He swallowed; enraged he hadn't bothered to notice before. How had he not noticed that- it was huge!

No wonder the others had glared at him so. He was going to get sliced into pieces, but he couldn't run. He didn't know where to run to, and he needed to get back to the others.

He clenched his fist harder, and waited for the man to make his move.

Lian charged towards the clown, her fist ready to punch him. "_Stop_!" Kaname yelled. "You'll hit her!" Lian froze, and backed up. She cursed him under her breath, but kept her fists clenched. The woman laughed. "You're giving up?"

Kaname gritted his teeth. "Are cheap tricks all you can manage?"

The woman laughed. "No, it's just more fun this way."

Kaname's attention turned to Tamiko, who was still struggling to get free. The clown- he'd called himself Kefka- had her arms held against her back and his hand gripping her neck. Kaname stared straight at her so his reassuring grey eyes met her terrified green ones. He nodded slowly to her.

Tamiko lunged her teeth into Kefka's hand, which released in surprise. Her trainer stomped down hard on his pointed boot and she sprinted away from him as fast as she could. He didn't seem hurt, merely shocked at her sudden attack. "Nice one," Lian grinned as Tamiko ran to her side, her body trembling with a mixture of fear and adrenaline.

Kefka seemed more surprised than angry. "Wow, you're a feisty little thing!" Kefka laughed. "I think I'll have lots of fun tormenting you, little girl!"

Tamiko gulped and stayed as close to Kaname as she could. "You don't seem very shocked that she escaped," he noted.

"Why should we be? You're all going to die anyway."

Masaru fell to the ground, panting. His body was sweating all over and he was bleeding in deep scratches and cuts on his arms and his chest. Sephiroth seemed disappointed. "That's it?" he asked, his voice dull. "No tricks? No weapon? That is all the power that you possess?"

Masaru trembled and scowled.

"Then you're merely a joke. Your bravado was in vain. You're going to die. I'll make sure you know true despair before you do, though. I'll make sure that your body is unrecognisable when I bring it to your allies."

Masaru struggled to his feet. He did have something else. He'd just not thought of it until now. Cosmos had given them each some of her power. They just had to figure out how to muster it, how to use it! That was how it always went in the corny manga he used to read.

He clenched his fists again. "I don't need any of those," he declared. "I'm going to win and stop your stupid K and kick his butt. I won't lose here!" He charged at the man and aimed a blow at his face. It landed, but it seemed ineffective. Sephiroth seemed a little surprised, but slashed the boy across his chest. "_Fool_."

Masaru fell back, writhing with pain, but he had to keep aware.

_I won't lose here!_ he thought. _We're gonna stop K and all these creeps! No matter what, I _will_ win!_

Bright light erupted from his clenched fist. Sephiroth backed away and Masaru gasped and opened his fist, shielding his eyes. He felt something materialise into his grasp. It felt solid, like a handgrip.

He grabbed it and stared in wonder. A huge sword stared right back at him. It wasn't like Sephiroth's- this sword was wider and wasn't a katana. The grip was bandaged and its blade shone silver. It was as long as he was tall, but shorter than his enemy's sword by a few feet.

Was this Cosmos' power?

His thoughts from earlier returned. _I will win!_

He charged at Sephiroth, wielding his weapon as if it were just a light steel pole. The weapons collided.

Lian lunged at the lavender haired man, thrusting her arms and fists continuously at him. She couldn't land any blows as he dodged. _Damn it, he's fast!_

She fell back and tried to attack again. Just then, a burning pain hit her in her back. She gasped in agony and stared in horror as Kefka threw balls of conjured fire at her. She'd never believed in magic, and now it was going to be the end of her. She blinked as Tamiko ran to her side, grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out of range.

"Are you okay?" her friend asked. Lian nodded and thanked her quietly, clutching her back. Tamiko watched as the lavender haired man approached, small orbs of light surrounding him and spiralling in a sort of dance. Tamiko clutched her friend protectively as he approached. She was scared of this man, but...she could almost see a deep sadness in his eyes, as if he didn't want to do this. She still remained wary of him.

She closed her eyes tight. What could she do? Cosmos said she had given them power, but what?

The man hurtled the orbs at them, and Tamiko thought, _I have to do something!_

She felt an energy pulse from her body, bright blue and strong. She still hung on to her friend, who was gritting her teeth from pain. She didn't feel the orbs. There was no pain, no awareness of anything. She allowed her eyes to open and gasped. A small blue barrier surrounded her- protecting her. Her and her friend. The lavender haired man's eyes were wide and almost terrified. "How?" he asked, backing away. "T-that's..._magic_?! No human could ever naturally have that power…! Not one from_ your_ world…!" Tamiko just blinked, gazing at the barrier. Magic...could she...?

She lowered her hand to Lian's back. "W-what're you...?" she began, and then froze. A gentle energy was pulsing towards her wound, stopping the pain. Tamiko watched as a healthy green aura seeped from her fingertips and towards her friend's injury, which was slowly disappearing. She could heal...

Kaname ran to her. "Whatever's going on, keep doing it," he encouraged.

"Kaname...I think it's the power Cosmos gave us..." Tamiko whispered. "What if this is _my_ power? Magic?"

"I don't know. It could be, Tamiko. Just keep healing Lian, okay?"

Tamiko nodded, and Kaname stared at the enemy. He'd never believed in magic either, until it had wounded and healed Lian. As he was startled, they seemed terrified that she could use magic. He rose to his feet, and clenched his fist. If Tamiko was right, he and Lian needed to awaken their powers.

_Fast_.


	5. Chapter 5: Spirit's Call

Lian knelt, staring in wonder at her friend. "You _healed_ me," she whispered in awe. Then she turned to the clown, her face red with anger. "And _you_ ruined my top!"

Tamiko sighed with relief. It was good to see that despite what Lian had just witnessed, she was still herself. Still the strong, confident and powerful young woman that she was. She rose to her feet, her fair hair swaying softly in the wind. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah..." Tamiko replied, still on her knees. "Just a little drained."

"Thanks, Tamiko."

Lian's friend blinked in surprise. "What for?"

"Never mind. Just take it easy, okay?"

Kaname turned to Lian. "Welcome back, Lian," he smiled in relief. "Glad you're alright."

Lian snorted. "Moron. My body's a sheet of metal. There's no-one alive who could hurt me seriously and you know it, Sato."

Kaname laughed at her bravado, despite the situation. "If you say so. Have you got any ninja weapons, per chance?"

"Kaname, the point of karate or any martial art form is to not rely on weapons or when you get caught without them you're stuck. The body is the weapon."

"Right...just checking."

"Hey! Have you finished your little chat or are you not done?" Kefka interrupted, floating in mid-air on his side, feigning what seemed to be a yawn.

Kaname blinked in surprise. "Yeah, we're done now," he called, staring at the trio past the glimmering blue barrier. He could hear short pants coming from behind him, and turned his head slightly. Tamiko was still kneeling and was trembling weakly. Her usual tanned face was pale and she seemed to be struggling to breathe. "Tamiko?"

"I-I'm...alright..." she gasped, clutching her arms.

"It seems that power of yours has a price to pay, girl," the woman smirked. "You should not have used your powers so quickly. The fact that you did only increased the difficulty of killing you slightly, but now it's done."

Tamiko's body shook weakly and she slumped as the barrier protecting her evaporated into the air. "Thought so," Kefka beamed. "You're out of steam!" He bounded towards her, but met a sharp jab inches away from his face. He backed away. "Touch her and I'll beat the snot out of you," she threatened. The clown seemed more bemused than anything else, but still stayed a few feet away.

"Perhaps...we should reveal our names," the woman said. "I am Ultimecia." She pointed a delicate finger towards the lavender haired man. "That is Kuja. And you already know Kefka." Kefka waved.

"_Nice_," Lian said sarcastically. "Want to know ours?"

"No, not really. You'll be dead soon, anyway."

Kaname turned to Lian. "Got a plan?"

"_Me_? _You're_ the human genius!"

"Well, I'm stumped," Kaname muttered.

"Oh, come _on_! You can solve _anything_!" Lian urged.

Kaname nodded. "Yeah, but this isn't a classroom anymore. It's a battleground. Just look at the state you and Tamiko are in!"

"_That's_ why you need to! Think of this as another puzzle, just with lives resting on it!"

Kaname gave her an annoyed frown. "That helps, Saotome. That really helps."

"Well, you _can_!" Lian burst out. "We know you can! Right, Tamiko?"

Tamiko gulped and nodded. "Of course you can, Kaname. You...and Lian are stronger and smarter than me...you'll be great..."

"Aw, how touching!" Kefka cooed. "But miracles just don't exist, kiddies. There's no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and there's no salvation for you."

Kaname stared at the ground, smirking. "That's what you think." A small circular stream of blue span around his wrist. "Too many people have faith in me to die. I can't ignore that."

Lian watched her friend, and the power circling around his wrist. The power of his bravery was coming to the surface, of his responsibility towards his friends.

She couldn't let him fight them alone, powers or not.

"Yeah, me either," Lian added, her body emitting a strong, golden glow. "I can't believe I was ready to let you hog all the glory, Kaname..."

Kaname shrugged. "It's what I do. Ready to ice this cakewalk?"

"Yeah. It's been real," Lian said to the trio, who glared in cool response. "But now we've got a space-time continuum to save."

Kaname raised his hand and glared hard at the enemy. He was holding a gun- a small silver pistol.

"K-Kaname?!" Tamiko gasped. "That's a _gun_!"

Kaname grinned. "Yeah, it is. But judging by the design, I'm guessing it doesn't fire bullets. How about you, Lian?"

Lian jogged on the spot, the golden glow moving with her. "I feel like I'm on fire and ready to go a few rounds!"

"Well, if you get too careless then you'll end up dead," Kaname warned. He pulled the trigger, and Lian charged.

A beam of blue darted towards Ultimecia. She stared unfazed and swiftly moved aside faster than the eye could see. Lian thrust her leg towards Kuja, who backed away, his arm grazed. He stared at the wound curiously.

"So, you've fully awakened your powers..." he whispered to himself, staring curiously as a small trace of blood seeped out. He stood straight, and turned to his companions. "I'm withdrawing."

"_What_?" Ultimecia hissed, a deadly tone to her voice.

"I said I am retreating," Kuja stated, glancing at her, his eyes an icy blue.

"Whatever for, Kujie-coo?" Kefka asked.

"Why kill them now?" Kuja asked. "We can kill them at our leisure. Powers or not, they are no threat. I am returning."

Kefka sighed and followed. Ultimecia turned and faced the group, glaring. "This is not over," she said. "Nowhere is safe for you now. Accept it."

The trio vanished into darkness.

Masaru swung the sword at Sephiroth, who blocked again. This was _seriously_ getting annoying and tiresome. His cuts were hurting and he was bleeding and Sephiroth didn't seem exhausted or fazed at all.

Suddenly, Sephiroth froze and stared upwards. "They've gone," he whispered. "Either your allies proved too much for them or they are already dead." Masaru twitched and thrust his sword forwards, and Sephiroth leapt backwards. "This is far from over, boy. Until next time." In a flurry of darkness, the man vanished.

Masaru clutched his bleeding arm. "He got away..."

"W-why are we running?!" Tamiko cried as she raced after Kaname and Lian.

"You want to wait for them to come back and kill us?" she yelled back. "They're gonna come back- count on it!"

"We need to find shelter," Kaname called. "To a town or somewhere we can hide."

Tamiko moved her legs and tried her best to keep up. But that magic had been so draining and she was so tired and dizzy...

A shock coursed through her body, and she collapsed to the ground, her body numb. Her friends ran on, oblivious, whilst she lay in the damp grass.

Alone.


	6. Chapter 6: Resolve

"Stop being such a silly girl," the man scolded as he thrust his shovel into the soil.

"But I'm not lying! There were all these scary people in the woods and me and Dolly-"

"Miya, no-one goes there. No-one knows about that place and there is no such thing as people appearing from nowhere."

"But _Daddy_!" Miya begged, grabbing his tunic.

Suddenly, her father froze. "Daddy?" Miya and Dolly turned to the woods by their house and saw a boy emerging from the trees.

He was bleeding heavily and dragging a huge sword about as tall as he was by the handle. He blinked and turned to them, red liquid staining his clothes and skin.

He staggered and his knees collapsed. He fell to the ground, and Miya's father dropped his shovel and started to run towards him. "Miya, fetch your mother!"

Tamiko groaned and lifted her head. She felt dizzy and sick. Where was she?

She could smell the scent of fresh grass and could feel the texture of leaves around her. When she opened her eyes, her landscape swayed uneasily.

"Kaname...? Lian...?" Despite her pain, she got to her knees and rubbed her head, which was pounding. She remembered running after Lian and Kaname...then the shock and pain of a branch hitting her in the face and collapsing. Maybe she had concussion?

She steadied herself and got to her feet, clutching her backpack.

Despite all the commotion, she still had it with her, much to her amazement. It was dark and she could barely see anything.

She rubbed her head weakly and put one foot in front of the other.

"We have returned, my Lord," Sephiroth said to the masked man, bowing. The man took no notice. He was leaning over a pit, a knife embedded in a vein in his wrist. No-one knew what he was doing. They didn't dare ask him questions. They watched as droplets of blood seeped into the abyss below. "You returned sooner than I expected."

"Yes, sir."

Kuja turned and briskly began to walk away. He had neither the time nor the interest for this. He wanted to be alone with his thoughts and memories, not someone's lapdog.

"Halt, Kuja," the man ordered, his voice low and threatening.

Despite his anger and disobedience towards the man, Kuja stopped.

"Why did you retreat?"

Kuja opened his mouth, and then closed it. "I thought we had the time and the luxury to get rid of them when and as we pleased. They are of no threat," he lied.

The man withdrew the knife from its bloody prison and Kuja watched as the injury swelled with skin until not a mark remained. "I don't think so," he said.

"Beg _pardon_?"

"I think you left to spare them," the man continued.

Kuja felt a bead of sweat roll down his cheek. He had no idea why he feared this man so but he still feared him immensely.

"_I_...!" Kuja stared straight at the masked man with utter hatred. "Why would I _spare_ them?!"

The masked man shrugged. "I have no idea. An influence of your so called successor, perhaps?"

Kuja froze and blinked, one word echoing through his head. _Zidane_.

"It is him, is it not?" the man continued. Kuja scowled and said nothing. "Either way, I told you to kill those children and you didn't. To me, Kuja, that is disobedience."

He clenched his gloved fist and Kuja gasped and collapsed, clutching his chest and writhing in agony. "For this, Kuja, you _will_ be punished."

He felt firm hands grab his arms and hoist him to his feet and then felt them drag him away. He looked on as the other three warriors watched him dragged towards the dungeons. Kefka gave him a curt wave.

Kuja glared in anger at the floor. _Why_? Why had he not done what he was told to do? He knew why, deep down. He recalled to what had happened on the encounter. The smallest child shielding her friend as he approached her. Her bright green eyes full of sympathy and sorrow and fear.

He was no different than before. Before his brother had saved him from the Iifa tree. It was as if that child had seen through him. He had never expected to receive a second chance. He had gotten one and blown it.

He gave a curt, saddened chuckle as he was dragged downstairs.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" the man asked as the boy walked away the next day, sword over his soldier and wearing a borrowed tunic and pants.

"Yeah. Thanks for all you guys have done," Masaru called and waved. "Bye Ian, Nessa, Miya."

Miya frowned.

"Dolly," he quickly added. The girl smiled back at him.

"Where will you go?" the woman asked, holding her child on her hip, who was waving back with her doll.

Masaru beamed. "To find my friends. Then we'll go find somewhere to stay."

"There's a town a few miles off where we trade. If you need to stay at an inn, go there," Ian said.

Masaru nodded. It was surprising how nice people could be sometimes, especially when you needed help. "Later!" He walked towards the rising sun, and away from the storm clouds in the distance. He had a world to save.

Tamiko's teeth chattered uncontrollably, and she thrust her hands to her soaked arms. "C-cold...!" she gasped, shivering.

The tree she was hiding under did not provide much shelter and she felt frozen. Her thoughts drifted from her situation to her family. Whenever that happened, she felt close to tears. This situation was terrible.

"G-grandpa...Ren...if only I could see you two again...!" she whispered, and held her head in her hands, sobbing.

Why was this happening? Why had she been so weak in that battle? Why did she feel so helpless on her own? Her mind filled with doubt. About what she would do, why she was so pathetic...why she didn't deserve to be here right now.

The rain made her recall that day, six years ago. The sound of the car screeching. The scream. The sensation of her mother's grip as she pulled her daughter out of the way. One question swirled around her head: "W-why?"

She buried her head into her knees and cried. She didn't hear the footsteps. She didn't see the figure in front of her. "Hello..._girl_."


	7. Chapter 7: Why Our Wolds Are Different

A pair of trainers crushed dried grass beneath them as Masaru strode across grassy plains. The sky was blue; he was surrounded by tall fields of grass, mountains in front of him and a small band of woods to his left.

Nothing particularly out of the ordinary.

He inhaled the fresh, natural scents deeply as he continued, ignoring the fact that his feet hurt terribly. That wasn't the only problem.

He was lonely. He didn't even know if his friends were still alive, never mind where they were. He shook his head. No. They were alive, and he would find them.

He stared down at the shirt he had borrowed. It was grey and the rims at the sleeves and the neck had a distinct striped pattern that you saw on antique rugs. They'd given him a jacket, too. A short sleeveless one, but he was still grateful.

It was a reminder. People could be nice. If they chose to be.

Suddenly, he heard the sound or grass rustling. Not as if it was gently being caressed by the breeze, but as if someone- something- was there.

He reached for the sword he had strapped on to his back but it was too late. A small flash of cream fur burst out of the greenery and pounced on him. It didn't hurt, but the surprise made Masaru fall over all the same. "Ha! I gotcha, kupo!"

Masaru stared in wonder at the creature. Its eyes were shut tight and a ruff or cream fur spurted wildly from its neck. A red, fluffy ball-like object bobbed above its head, attached by a thin wire.

Its nose was the same colour but smaller. It was barely bigger than Masaru's head and was short and somewhat- as the girls in his class would have probably called it- cute. It loomed over his head and looked quite pleased with itself.

"Okay, now gimme your loot, kupo!" it demanded.

Masaru raised an eyebrow. "Say what?"

"Loot! Y'know, money, cash, dosh, wonga...whatever you call it, kupo."

"What for?"

"Never you mind!" the creature snapped, and seconds later its stomach growled. There was an awkward silence and Masaru raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, I'm hungry, kupo." It hopped of Masaru's chest and waddled back towards the grass.

"Hey, hang on," Masaru called, jolting up. "Why didn't you just say that before?"

The creature turned, surprised. "Well, what kind of impression am I gonna give people if I beg for my next meal, kupo?"

"I don't know. That you're not a murderous little monster?" Masaru suggested, and reached into his backpack.

The creature watched with interest until Masaru pulled out a small rectangular packet. It was a good thing he'd brought loads of candy for the coach trip. He tossed one at the creature. It didn't look too happy.

"Oh, I see," it growled. "Make fun of the moogle, kupo! Just 'cause I'm fluffy and little and cute and whatever! Well, I'm not a pet and I'm not playing fetch!"

Masaru blinked in surprise and frowned. "Geez, I don't want to play fetch! It's _food_, stupid!"

It appeared bewildered as it picked up the bar and began to unwrap it. "Oh, my bad. Sorry, kupo."

"So, you're a moogle, huh?" Masaru asked as the moogle sat next to him, eagerly devouring the candy bar.

It nodded. "Yup! Mmm...this tastes so good! We don't have food like this over in the town! Is this gourmet food, kupo?"

Masaru laughed nervously. "No, it's just a snack. And why do you keep saying _kupo_?"

The moogle frowned. "I don't know, kupo. We just say it instinctively."

"So you have to? If you don't is it like swearing?"

"Yup."

Masaru snickered. "You didn't say kupo! You just swore!"

The moogle cussed under its breath. "_Damn it_! You tricked me, kupo!"

"Did not. You could have said it but you didn't...um...moogle?"

The moogle finished its food then stared up at Masaru. "I got a name, you know. It's not moogle."

"Oh...what is it?" Masaru asked.

"It's Koop. Anyway, what are you doing out here, kupo?"

"I'm looking for some people. About my age. One's got long blonde hair, another's a short redhead. They're both girls. There's also a tall dark guy my age as well. Have you seen them?"

Koop shook his head. "Nope. You don't get people out here often."

Masaru stared in surprise. "Really? Why not?"

"'cause of the monsters, moron," Koop answered, then stared up at Masaru and frowned. "What, you didn't know?"

Masaru froze. "What kind of monsters?" he asked quietly, suddenly alert.

Koop thought for a moment. "Big ones. The kind that eat ya, kupo."

Masaru reached for his sword and slowly turned around.

A huge foot mashed down towards him.

Like lightning, Masaru grabbed Koop and barrel rolled to safety as the monster stomped on the grass where they had just been sitting. Masaru gasped and rose to his feet, holding the sword. The moogle gasped. "Oh crud, it's a Catoblepass!" he shrieked.

Masaru stared at the monster.

Its front legs were huger than its hind ones. Green fur decked its body, except at the torso, and a tail swung wildly behind it.

Horns emerged from its head and its teeth were razor sharp. It turned towards Masaru and charged.

He clutched his blade, glaring at the beat. "_Run_!" Koop screamed. "It's too strong! Get outta there!" Masaru took no heed, and raised his sword.

It struck the monster square in the head, almost splitting it open. It roared and dashed away, blood dripping from its head. Koop stared at the boy in amazement.

"Next time," Masaru said, "please tell me something like that sooner, okay?"


	8. Chapter 8: Allies and Enemies

Lian lay by the makeshift fire that she and Kaname had made, clutching her arms. She wasn't scared of the dark, but fighting those people had made her more aware somehow of how dangerous the night could be.

Kaname sat opposite her, deep in thought. Lian couldn't stand the silence anymore. "Kaname."

He lifted his head and stared at her with tired grey eyes, their life gone from the day's searching. "What?"

"What if...we're the only ones left...?" Lian croaked, biting her thumbnail.

"We're not," he said firmly, staring at her past the flames. "There's a good chance they're-"

"Kaname, that Sephiroth took Masaru somewhere...and Tamiko..." She shut her eyes. It had taken them a while after fleeing to notice that she wasn't there. When they had gone back to look she was gone. Kaname shook his head. "They're alright," he said quietly, but he didn't sound too sure.

Lian stared him straight in the eyes. "Really?" she asked, her eyes pleading him to say what he really thought.

Kaname nodded despite himself. "Really."

It was dark by the time they had reached the town. Masaru inhaled the town air, glad to be back in civilisation. The moogle sat top his head. "Boy, am I beat, kupo," Koop yawned, stretching.

"Says you," Masaru muttered. "I'm the one who was carrying you!"

Koop yawned again. "Details, who needs them, kupo?"

Masaru stared around him. The buildings were made of wood and looked like the ones he used to see in the medieval textbooks. Carts rested outside some of them and the paths were dusty. Hardly anyone was around, and the shops were closing, the candle light inside them flickering out.

"Must be late," Masaru sighed, glancing around. He blinked in surprise as he felt something brush past him swiftly. He turned, and saw a man walk past. He couldn't see his face but could make out a red haori and a huge katana strapped to his back. He didn't fit in with the townsfolk he could see around him.

Maybe he didn't belong there, either.

He strode with purpose, but Masaru couldn't think of what he was doing. "Hey!" Masaru called towards the figure. It ignored him, so he sprinted after him. "Mister, wait up!"

The figure stopped. He didn't turn around. "What?" he asked. His voice was deep and almost like a growl.

"Do you know anywhere we can stay the night?" Masaru asked weakly, breathing hard. He was tired from walking and running. "Like a motel or a hostel?"

The figure slowly turned to face him. It was hard to make out in the darkness, but Masaru could see a pair of sunglasses over his eyes and dark hair with traces of silver in it.

His left arm lay tucked into the front of the haori, a little bit like a sling. He didn't say anything. He just stared at the boy, fixated, like he was staring into his very soul.

Eventually, he spoke. "Where are you from?"

"I'm from Tokyo," Masaru replied quickly, worried that about hesitating.

The man stared blankly at him, and then turned around. "Follow me."

Tamiko cried out as she was flung into a cell. Some soldiers had found her in the forest and dragged her to some kind of portal. After that, she had awoken and found herself in some kind of castle and being dragged down into a dungeon. She didn't even know what they wanted with her.

She didn't know what was going on anymore. She wanted her Grandpa and her little brother. And her mom...

She ran up to the door and pummelled her fist against it as she heard the sound of a door locking. "Let me out!" she half-demanded, half-begged, slamming her fist against rotting wood.

The guard laughed and strode away, and she slumped down to her knees. Why? What had she done wrong? She clasped her hands to her face and sobbed silently.

She heard the sharp sound of boots hitting the floor and walking across the stone floor towards her.

She didn't look. What did it matter anymore? She bent her head into her knees, shivering.

She hadn't had a chance to get dry after she got soaked by the rain. Maybe she'd catch hypothermia or pneumonia. She shuddered at the thought.

The footsteps stopped a few inches away from her, and a voice said, "Please be quiet. I'm trying to sleep." She lifted her head and gasped, her bright green eyes wide.

"So where's our little protégée?" Kefka cooed at Ultimecia, who was striding across the dark marble floor. "I'm surprised that we took her alive, you know."

She snorted and tried to ignore him, her deep red dress following her. "We took her alive because no human alive has ever been born that can use magic naturally, fool."

"Oh, _I_ know someone who was."

"That woman was half-esper. This girl is purely human. We wish to see what we can do with her and whether this can help our Lord in the future."

"So, where is she?" Kefka asked, his voice suddenly serious.

Ultimecia turned to face him. "In the only cell that prevents the occupants using magic."

"So...she's with _him_..."

The man bent down to the girl's level, and she pulled away. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Tamiko shivered, and backed away. It was him. The man who had tried to kill her and her friends. "Stay away from me...!" she stammered, backing away.

He didn't move- he just stared at her with his sad blue eyes. Then he slowly extended his hand towards her. She thrust her hands out in front of her, shaking, hoping to make a barrier- _anything_. It didn't.

"It won't work," the man said. "This room prevents us from using magic-"

"**_Stay away from me_**!" she screamed, tears falling from her eyes. She clasped her knees to her chest and sobbed.

The man blinked in surprise and scowled. "Very well. Stay over there and make yourself ill," he muttered, and strode towards a prison bed that was attached to the wall. As he clambered on to it, he stared at the child, and felt almost sorry.

Hours later, she was cold. Scared. What was going to happen to her? Was she going to die?

She had so many questions. She shivered.

So cold. It was dark. It was hard to see. There were no windows. There was no light. No safety. No more tears left to flow.

She trembled weakly from the cold. Maybe she'd be with her mother soon. No, she didn't deserve to go to that place. Guilt clawed at her heart and she felt like crying again, but there were no tears left for her to cry.

The man stared down at her. She'd been like that since she got there.

Isolated. Scared. Sad.

Alone.

Like he'd felt a while ago.

He slipped off the bed and walked up to her, bent down, and eased her gently into his arms. She trembled weakly and he blinked in surprise and sympathy as one sentence escaped from her lips, "_Mom...I'm so sorry_..."


	9. Chapter 9: The Monk and the Angel

It was dark when the man entered the room, Masaru close behind, Koop snoring on his shoulder. He signalled for the boy to come inside, then shut the door.

Masaru tried his best to see but it was pitch black. No windows, lights, anything. Black in its purest form. He heard footsteps as the man walked past him and lit some candles.

The joint was run down. Masaru could just make out a bed in the corner, a table and some chairs. There was also a sink, along with a storage cupboard that had obviously seen better days. The man leaned his sword against the wall and walked over to the bed, ignoring Masaru. "Hey, where are we?" Masaru asked the man, and froze. "You're not with K, are you?"

The man looked at him seriously. "If I was," he said quietly, "then you would be dead by now."

Masaru stared hard at the man, and decided he held no threat. He was right. Masaru's head span around awkwardly. "Sorry, my bad," he said apologetically. "So, how do you know K?"

The man said nothing as he sat down on the bed. He took of the glasses wearily and laid them down on a bedside table. One of his eyes had a large scar running over it, and was shut. Masaru wondered how it happened.

The man stared at the boy, and gestured to the chair. "Sit." Masaru did so reluctantly, and removed his sword from his back. He set it down on the floor.

"Who are you?"

"Someone who is not your enemy," the man said. "I know who you are."

"You do?" Masaru gasped. "How come? You know Cosmos?"

The man shrugged. "In a way. She told me she was going to summon four chosen ones from another world. Though I never thought you would be children."

Masaru frowned. "I can handle myself just as good as any other guy," he growled.

The man stared at him with his one good eye with a silencing look. "Physically, you may be. Emotionally, you are a child who knows nothing of the world."

Masaru clenched his fist on his trouser leg, but he knew the man was right. What good would an argument do? He needed allies right now, not enemies. He'd almost been killed twice already. "What's your name?"

"...Auron."

"I'm Masaru- Koop's the moogle."

The moogle stirred from his perch and mumbled, "Yo..."

Auron said nothing. He did nothing. Masaru watched as he sat in silence. "Um...why'd you get me to follow you?" he asked, hoping to break the silence. Talking made things seem more comfortable, in a way.

"Because you need to learn how to fight," Auron said simply.

"What do you mean? I've fought a bunch of guys!"

The man stared him in the eye again. "Yes, but think about your situation. You may be able to kill monsters and win battles, but what about people? If you had not awakened your power, you would certainly be dead. That's it."

"So what about it?" Masaru challenged. "I don't have time for this- I have to find my friends!"

"And run head first into danger?" Auron asked. "Think before you act. They have their problems, and you have yours."

"But they're my friends!" Masaru persisted.

"Yes, and they have all awakened their powers as well. By running after them thinking they are helpless you shame them."

Masaru scowled at the floor and gritted his teeth. "So what do I do? To stand a chance against people like Sephiroth...and K?"

"...you know nothing of the ways of the sword, so listen carefully and do as I tell you. I'll teach you to wield it."

Masaru blinked in surprise. "Why? What's the catch?" he asked suspiciously.

"All my life, I have protected people. I doubt I can do that by fighting your battle. By teaching you...I am protecting people a different way."

Tamiko stirred sluggishly as her senses slowly returned.

She wanted to believe that this wasn't real- that it was a dream. But she knew where she was. Trapped in reality.

She realised that her head was resting against wood, not stone. She wasn't cold anymore. She felt warmed up and dry, despite the fact that she was in a cold and damp prison cell.

Her eyes gently flickered open, and she saw the same pair of boots she had seen before standing in the other side of the room. The more her eyes opened, the more she recognised him. Her cellmate, if she could call him that.

Had he helped her? It was a strong possibility as there was no-one else in the cell. She shook her head. He had tried to kill her and her friends. He stared at her from where he was leaning against the wall, expression calm. "Good morning," he said quietly, almost conversationally. "Or evening or afternoon- I can never tell."

Tamiko watched him nervously as she sat up straight, afraid to take her eyes off of him.

"Did you sleep well?"

Tamiko stared in surprise. "I suppose..."

"Good. You really weren't well, you know. You could have caught something, but you seem to be in fairly decent health at the moment. " The man smiled, and Tamiko looked away sadly. Why was he being nice to her? What was he doing in a prison cell? Wasn't he her enemy?

"Why?"

The man looked puzzled. "Why what?"

"Why did you help me?" she whispered.

The man glanced at her, seeming somewhat bewildered by her question. He strode towards and she tensed and shied away, against the wall, expecting the worst.

"Calm yourself, child. I mean you no harm," he said gently, seating himself beside her on the prison bed. She tried to keep a decent amount of space between them all the same.

"If you want the truth, then I really do not know," he replied, tucking a strand of his lavender-silver hair behind his ear.

"...you tried to kill Lian..." Tamiko mumbled, her small body tense.

"I had no choice," he responded sadly, and the girl looked up.

"What do you mean?"

"I did a terrible thing, and I paid the price. I was willing to die in order to amend for my mistakes. But someone..."

He paused and looked away. "Someone came back for me. He saved my life. He gave me a second chance and left me to my own devices. I was recruited into this army as I had nothing left to cling on to but life. I regretted my decision instantly and continuously, but I could do nothing about it."

Tamiko's green eyes glittered sadly. She turned away.

"That is why I helped you. I apologise to you and your friends. From what I've heard, they are all alive and well."

Tamiko sighed weakly with relief. They were alright…

"What are they going to do to you?"

The man shrugged, his lavender hair swaying as he did. "I will be killed, either left to rot or thrown in some desolate wasteland to die."

"Do you..." Tamiko gulped, afraid to ask the question that was constantly nagging at her. "...do you know what will happen to me?"

He turned to face her and read the look on her face. She was afraid- not of him, but of her fate. He knew it probably would end in her death but he couldn't say that. She needed to be comforted, not scared further.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her, and she leaned into the embrace. He was unused to this kind of contact, and unsure of how to deal with children, but he didn't seem to be doing anything wrong or anything that unsettled her.

"I don't know," he whispered. "I just don't know..."

"My Lord, we cannot understand why the girl has magical abilities."

"Oh...that's a shame. No clues?"

"No, sir."

"It does not matter," the man said coldly. "It will be one week until the execution."


	10. Chapter 10: The Angel's Memories

"Kuja! Hang on; I'm coming to get you!"

The voice had faintly echoed from outside the collapsing tree, barely audible over its rumbles. He lay in the dark against the remaining foliage.

Alone.

He was sure that he was going to die soon. It would be a waste to come and save him.

"There's still time..." he croaked, struggling to make his voice heard. "Leave while you can..."

"Just shut up and stay where you are!" came his brother's voice.

He sighed, annoyed. Why did he waste so much effort on him?

"...I don't understand you."

Minutes later, his younger sibling sat beside him, conversing with him and urging him to go, saying that he could still have a life that was worth living and that offered some form of redemption.

He couldn't. He had done terrible things that could not and would not be forgiven. Now was the time to accept death. He wasn't afraid anymore.

His lashes weakly closed over his eyes and he turned away, his mind slowly beginning to fade.

His brother noticed and shook him roughly in an attempt to rouse him. "Hey! Don't you go dying on me, alright?!" he cried, his voice full of anguish.

Just then, shrieks erupted from the tree and huge vines blasted through the dead bark, rocketing towards them. "No!"

This was it. Now it would all be over...

He froze, hearing the sound of grunts and feeling sense without pain. His eyes opened abruptly and he gazed up at his brother, clenching his twin blades in a block and using all his strength to hold back the vines.

"_Zidane_...!" he said incredulously.

His brother roared and thrust an arm forward, slashing one of the vines. It squealed in agony and retreated as the sibling sliced the tips of two more, pushing and kicking them back with all he had. He turned to his elder brother, who was watching with awe and grabbed his arm, yanking him to his feet.

"Time to go!" he yelled, dragging him along.

Surprised, the older sibling found the strength to move his legs, to break into a jog and to summon his energy as his brother fought the enraged flora of the Iifa tree.

That was the day they had both escaped death.

He slowly opened his eyes, his body feeling stiff. He stretched his arms and tried to ignore the brutal sound of his joints popping. It was hard to be comfortable in a jail cell.

He yawned silently, holding his hand over his mouth. True, he may have been in a prison, but that was hardly a valid reason for one to forget their manners.

When he didn't feel so sluggish, he turned his head to see his cellmate sitting on the other end of the prison bed. Her body was tense and rigid, her head was ducked into her knees and her arms had been wrapped around her legs.

Silently, he reached his arm towards the girl, wondering if she had fallen asleep. He couldn't tell in this lighting. His hand gently touched her shoulder and she jumped, startled. She blinked with moist eyes, tears falling and meandering from her sad green orbs.

He had no idea why it pained him to see her like this- he didn't even know her. She had only been here for two days, but somehow he felt a connection, a kinsman ship. Perhaps familiarity bred understanding.

She turned away awkwardly, brushing away some of her tears with the back of her hand. He edged closer to her, and asked softly, "What's wrong, child?"

"N-nothing..."

Kuja frowned and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't be silly. Tell me what is the matter."

To his surprise, she once again burst into tears, her broken voice sounding from between sobs. "_I'm in prison_..._my friends are being attacked_..._my and grandpa and brother are back home_..._and I'm never ever going to see them again_!"

She collapsed into a fit of sobs and cries, her body trembling.

Kuja stared sadly down at her, understanding her situation. He held her gently and embraced her as she cried, her tears falling against his purple bolero jacket. "Shh...it's alright, child," he whispered.

She continued to cry in his arms, her head buried in his _haute couture_ garment. He sighed, and stroked the top of her head lightly.

"If I were you, I would have more faith in my friends. Do you honestly believe that they don't stand a chance? That they cannot look after themselves?"

Tamiko envisioned Lian and Kaname- how brave and strong they had been before in the earlier fight. How they had defended her when she was weak and in need of protection.

They hadn't been killed then. They had been fine when they were running.

She shook her head, sniffing.

"And I am certain news of your capture will reach them," Kuja continued, his arms still wrapped around her. "If they truly are your friends, they will not leave you here to die."

Tamiko froze. "No...they can't come here," she whispered in fear. "I'm not worth shedding blood over."

Kuja stroked her cheek, wiping away some of her tears. "That is not true. Have faith, little canary."

"Is anyone coming to help you…?"

"No. I have evaded the reaper before, and I doubt I will do so again. I am hated and despised and the one man who can help me will not do so again."

There was an awkward pause and Tamiko looked up at her cellmate, her young face full of sympathy and eyes brimming with moist tears.

"If my friends come to save me, then you can come too," Tamiko offered quietly.

Kuja thought for a moment, looking down at the child. She had offered for him to leave with her.

Another chance to live.

To repeat his mistakes.

"Alas, I cannot, my little canary."

"Why?"

"Because I fear by then..." He swallowed, afraid, and looked away into the hard, grey cobblestone wall.

"I fear by then my life will already have ended."


	11. Chapter 11: The Brutal Blitzer

**BANG.**

The Jelleyes shrieked as a shimmering bullet rocketed through the air, their only eyes wide and their tentacles outstretched. Another bullet shot towards them as one of them charged towards the boy. It hit dead centre and the monster collapsed. Its companions watched as it fell, only for a girl to strike them from behind with a flurry of powerful punches and kicks. They too fell to the ground.

Lian sighed and tossed back her long blond hair. She gazed down at the enemy, almost sadly. "I know they were monsters," she said aloud, "but we didn't have to kill them."

"I know," Kaname replied. "But they attacked us first, and they weren't messing around. Besides, we need to get to civilisation."

His companion looked away. "What about Tamiko?"

Kaname walked up to her, his face grave. "We can't do anything. We have to hope she used her powers if she met any enemies and made it to safety."

Lian turned to him, her face pale, and nodded.

Auron thrust his blade into the ground as Masaru stretched and warmed himself up. He had no idea why the man was helping him, but he wasn't going to complain. Koop was watching with bemusement, a bag of kupo nuts on his lap, eating them like popcorn. He had no idea what they were going to do.

Once Masaru was done, he grabbed his blade and swung it over his shoulder. "Okay, old man," he called, "what are we gonna do?"

Auron leaned on his blade casually, looking at the boy from over his sunglasses. "Fight me."

Masaru frowned. "Huh?"

"I get the feeling that you're the type who likes to learn to swim before they can walk. So be it." He stood straight, and pulled his weapon out of the dust, removing his arm from its resting place on his haori. "Bring it on."

"Okay, but your loss!" Masaru yelled, gripping his sword and charging as fast as he could. Suddenly, his opponent disappeared.

Eyes wide, he skidded to a halt, his head spinning round as he looked for the man. Nothing. "Hey! I thought this was a fight, not hide and seek!" he shouted angrily, studying the forested area around him. "_Hey_!"

Suddenly, a staggering force shot into his leg. Masaru grimaced in pain as his body was flipped over and slammed into the ground. He coughed as Auron's sword penetrated the earth centimetres from his head. The man stood over him, foot on his chest. Masaru looked on at him with a mixture of astonishment and silent admiration. He grinned, and croaked, "_Woah_."

Auron removed his boot and yanked his sword out of its earthen prison. "You have much to learn," he said coldly.

"So teach me," Masaru persisted, staggering to his feet. "If it means I can learn stuff like that, then I'm all for it."

Auron glanced over his shoulder. "It's not going to be easy."

"I never said I thought it would be."

"It's going to hurt a whole lot more than you think."

"Then I'll meet it head on," Masaru replied, smiling with confidence. "I won't back down!"

Masaru blinked in surprise as the man smirked and readied his sword. "I thought you'd say that. Come on."

The streets bustled as the town came alive. People exchanged goods in the market and children ran about the streets in simple clothes, laughing and playing "_Warrior_". Kaname and Lian meandered through the crowds, trying not to attract attention. The duo crept away into an alley, where people nearby were singing and shouting abuse at the bar. It was okay here, they were drunk anyway.

Kaname plunged his hand into his backpack and pulled out his laptop, opening it with care and placing it on his folded legs. Lian bent over to look, trying to ignore the bustling noises from behind her. Her companion switched on the power button, crossing his fingers. The screen lit up and he cheered, "Yes!" Lian smiled, surprised they had connection in a place like this, but she wasn't going to complain.

Then, Kaname frowned. "Drat, the battery's low," he groaned, switching it off.

"Well, what were you hoping to use it for?"

"To try and find out where we are, get in contact with Masaru and Tamiko...I don't know," Kaname sighed.

"_Oi_! Girl! Get us a drink, why don'tcha?" a slurred voice called from behind them.

"Get it yourself," Lian called back, not bothering to turn around.

"_I_ don't wanna get it, I want _you_ to get it," the man's voice demanded.

Lian turned to the drunken man. "Go home and get sober instead of getting yourself plastered," she said coldly.

"You wha-"

"You heard the girl," another voice joined. This one also sounded drunk, but not as drunk as the other man. Lian turned to the speaker and noticed a man sitting at one of the tables, swigging from a bottle of what seemed to be alcohol. His hair was dark, partly held in a red bandana, and matted and his skin was heavily tanned. His bare top half was covered in tattoos and he wore a ripped cloth and pants on his bottom half.

"Lay off and go home."

"Who's gonna make me?" the drunk challenged, spinning clumsily to face the man.

Lian felt Kaname's hand touch her arm. "We should go- we don't want to attract attention," he whispered.

Lian nodded but didn't move. The drunk was challenging the other man, who was casually chugging his beverage. "Ain't you gonna say summat?" he demanded.

The other man kept silent, then stared into the bottle and decided it was empty. He thrust it into the table, glass shattering and clinking everywhere. "Clear off," he growled.

The man staggered back and ran.

Seconds later, the man stared gloomily at the remains of the bottle, realising what he had just done. He grumbled something inaudible and leant on the table.

Lian slowly approached him. "Thanks," she said weakly.

"S'alright," he replied, turning to her with red eyes. "The guy's been here all day and anyone could be plastered by then."

"You're not," she noted.

The man shrugged. "I've had practice. I can handle my liquor."

"Who are you?"

"Blitzball player. Name's Jecht."

"What's Blitzball?" Lian asked.

"It's a game," Jecht mumbled. "You gotta kick a ball into the other team's net."

"You mean like soccer?"

"What's soccer?"

Lian turned to Kaname, who was anxiously signalling that they had to go. "Uh...never mind. I have to go. Thanks for your help." She jogged towards Kaname, but stopped as she heard Jecht called out something. It sounded like, "Wait".

She turned to him and saw him stride up to her, staring down at her. "Where you headed?"

"We don't know. We're kind of looking for some friends of ours."

"I'm looking for someone as well," Jecht said. "I've known the tyke since he was a kid..."

"Who?"

"My son. His name's Tidus."

"Uh, okay," Lian said, jogging to Kaname. The two walked, and Lian glanced behind her. Jecht was walking behind them, arms behind his head.

"What's he doing?" Lian hissed to Kaname.

"I don't know," Kaname replied. "It looks like he's coming with us."


	12. Chapter 12: The Bard Bids Farewell

Masaru opened his eyes, awakening from his dream. He'd dreamt of his parents, his friends, the life he'd left behind.

How he missed it so.

He'd been training with Auron for days. His body was bruised and battered and his hands were sore from using his weapon so much. But underneath all of the hurt and the pain, he felt strong. Like he had the power to protect.

Every time Auron knocked him down, he got back up again, the thought of Sephiroth's retreat spurring him to keep going like the stirrups on a horse.

He would not lose to that man.

He would find his friends.

They would stop K and go home.

He got to his feet and walked outside, yawning. Koop the moogle followed, just as tired.

"Mornin', kupo," he said.

"Morning," Masaru replied, rubbing his eyes, gazing at the rising sun. "Gonna get my butt kicked again today..."

"It's weird, kupo."

"What is?" Masaru asked, puzzled.

"You can beat huge monsters and stop them like it was nothing, but you don't even last five minutes against that guy, kupo!"

Masaru looked away. "...he's really strange. When we spar, I just..." He turned to his companion. "...I just get the feeling he's seen it all."

Auron probably had. He didn't speak unless he needed to and had a wise air about him. Masaru hadn't asked Auron about his past yet, but he was curious. He often went off in the middle of the night. Once, Masaru had woken as he was leaving. "Where are you going?" he had asked.

"...out," the reply had been.

"What about your friends? And the mission that Goddess gave you?" Koop persisted.

"I don't know. I just want to get a bit stronger, and then I'll go find them. And then we'll all go find K and kick his butt!"

"K?"

"Yeah," Masaru said. "You know him?"

Koop shrugged. "I know of him. Everyone does. People tend to gossip, kupo."

Masaru nodded, deciding to gather some information from the moogle. "What do you know about him?"

"Just that he's making all these freak soldiers and random people pop out of nowhere, kupo. People have gone to find out why and how, but no-one's ever come back."

"Does..." He gulped. "Does he have soldiers?"

"Sure, I bet he's got a whole army, kupo."

Masaru sighed. This was going to be a lot trickier than he thought.

Just then, footsteps approached. It was Auron.

"Hey, Old Man Auron," Masaru greeted. As usual, Auron didn't seem to be in a jokey mood. But this particular morning, he seemed even more serious.

He spoke. "Tamiko Kutsuki. Know her?"

Masaru froze, then nodded, suddenly eager. "Yeah! Is she here?"

Auron looked away. "Do you want the good news first, or the bad news?" he asked.

"Just spill it," Masaru demanded, mixed with excitement and...fear? What did he mean by bad new?

"The good news is that I know where she is," Auron said. "I overheard some villagers talking about her."

Masaru clenched his fists. "Then we gotta go-"

"Hold it," Auron interrupted. "They also said that a farmer was passing by and saw two soldiers dragging her into some kind of portal."

Masaru's insides shattered inside him, a tremble of fear creeping up his spine. He slowly parted his dry lips to speak. "Y-you don't mean...!"

"Yes. Your friend was captured and is in K's prison as we speak, awaiting execution. She may already be..." He didn't finish.

Memories flooded Masaru's mind. Tamiko, the shy girl who was best friends with his cousin.

Tamiko, with her big green eyes and chestnut-brown hair.

Tamiko, who had lost her mother and been bullied and victimised from such a young age.

Tamiko, his friend.

"We gotta go save her!" Masaru yelled.

"Did you hear me? She's in the enemy's stronghold. Saving her means suicide."

"But they're gonna _kill_ _her_!" he roared. "I can't just stay here and let her _die_!"

Auron said nothing. He turned away, his expression grave. "This conversation is over."

Tamiko rubbed her eyes wearily. Kuja had advised her to rest, but she didn't want to. She couldn't.

She paced around the cell, exercising. Her cellmate sat against the wall on the prison bed, seemingly bored.

He looked rough and sad, and she felt sorry for him.

She walked up to him, rummaging around in her pocket. He watched, bemused, as she pulled out a small metallic blue device with a small wire attached. "D-do you want to listen to some music?" she stammered.

He stared at her blankly, un-amused. "I see no orchestra here," he said.

Tamiko shook her head. "No, I meant on this."

She passed him the metal device, and he let the wire slip through his fingers and examined the item. "It's music player...you listen to music with it."

"How?" Kuja asked.

"Um, you put the headphones in your ears and press the play button," Tamiko explained.

Kuja stared at the small objects attached to the wire and placed them in his ears. He watched Tamiko press a few of the buttons and blinked in surprise as strange music filled his ears.

He closed his eyes. It was strange music, but music nonetheless.

An hour passed, and then the door opened. Two soldiers came in, helmets covering their faces. "It's time, you," one said, looking towards the two.

Tamiko stared in horror as Kuja took out the headphones and got to his feet, then strode towards them.

"_Don't_!" she cried, her face going pale from the fear.

Kuja glanced at the guards. "May you excuse us a minute?" he asked.

They glanced at each other, then nodded and left the room. Kuja walked over to Tamiko and bent down, and watched as tears fell from her eyes. He gently wiped them away. "Don't cry, little canary," he said softly.

"_But...I don't want you to go_...!" Tamiko sobbed. She couldn't believe this. She'd finally felt almost happy ever since she got here, and now the one person she felt she could trust was gone, forever.

It was too sad to think he was going to die now.

Too cruel.

The man hugged her gently, stroking the back of her head as she cried. "There, there. It will all be alright, I promise."

"_But they'll kill you_...!" Tamiko wept, crying against his chest.

"I know. But it's fine. I'm not scared of what awaits me. This time, I am not afraid."

He gave Tamiko one last gentle hug, then walked towards the door. He turned to face her with his sad blue eyes. "Do not give up hope little canary. This...is farewell."

The door opened, and he left.

Tamiko watched him go, her insides once again empty.

Kuja strode to the portal, others looking on. The traitor was going into the portal to a wasteland, used to abandon people and leave them to die. He took a deep breath, and then let it go. He was ready.

"Any last words, Kuja?" the man asked.

Kuja turned to K, his face calm and his body relaxed. "Enjoy what time you have left," he said quietly, then resigned himself to his fate.

He walked into the swirling darkness, and disappeared.


	13. Chapter 13: The Vow

Darkness descended over the town like a thick blanket, wrapping all the civilians with layer upon layer of night. It concealed all like an invisible layer into different worlds. It was perfect for Masaru to make his escape.

As silently as he could, he piled his equipment into his rucksack, Koop looking on. Auron had left not too long ago, so Masaru wanted to leave as soon as he could.

"But he said you weren't to go, kupo!" Koop cried. "You can't take the entire enemy on by yourself!"

Masaru strapped his bag to his back, his face serious. "I don't care."

Koop's mouth dropped. "They'll kill you, stupid, kupo!"

"And if I don't do anything, they'll kill Tamiko."

The moogle clenched its fists. "Why?" he demanded. "Why risk yourself for that girl, kupo?"

Masaru surveyed the area around him and grabbed his sword.

"It's because..." he said. "It's because she's one of my friends. She'd do the same for me- any of us would. I've..."

He closed his eyes. "I've gotta try, at least. Right now, Tamiko needs me and all the others. And we can't just sit here and do nothing."

He rose, clutching his enormous sword and marched towards the door.

To his great surprise, the sound of tiny footsteps followed him. He turned to see the moogle walking with him.

"Koop...?" he asked, staring down at the creature.

"Well, I'm not gonna let you go alone," Koop muttered. "So let's just go and save that girl, alright?"

Masaru nodded, and then smiled. Koop flew on to his shoulder and Masaru ran.

He ran as fast as he could. He wouldn't let his friend die. `Hold on, Tamiko...I vow to save you.`

The cell seemed so empty now. She laid on the prison bed, playing her iPod in her ears, John Rzeznik singing to her through her music player.

_And I want a moment to be real,_

_Wanna touch things I don't feel._

_Wanna hold on, and feel I belong._

_And how can the world want me to change?_

_They're the ones that stay the same._

_They can't see me, but I'm still here._

She closed her eyes, remembering the film the song was from. That was before stupid musicals and high school films.

Those days were classic.

She jumped as a sing-song voice swam through the air.

"_Hello_! Just came to say we killed Kujie-coo!"

Tamiko froze, her insides growing cold.

It was Kefka's voice.

"Oh yes, we hacked him to bits. It was _so_ fun. You should have been there, seeing him screaming and sobbing and crying and dying and-"

"**STOP IT!**" Tamiko shrieked, lasting the volume up as high as she could, bursting into tears.

The sound of Kefka's laughter echoed through the cell like a melancholy melody...


	14. Chapter 14: Retsu

She lay on the prison bed, deep in despair.

Her iPod was playing music in her ears, drowning out the noise of guards conversing and conferring loudly.

_It's a damn cold night,_

_Trying to figure out this life._

_Won't you take me by the hand,_

_Take me somewhere new?_

_I don't know who you are, but I,_

_I'm with you._

But she wasn't.

She was alone in jail. Her brother and grandfather were back home, her father had abandoned her, Kuja was dead and her friends were being hunted down.

Nothing could change that.

Then, she remembered. That day...

A little girl was skipping, treading the puddles, a waterproof coat keeping her dry from the rain.

She held her mother's hand, humming as she went along. Short brown hair swung wildly and green eyes glittered as she watched the rain dance around her.

Her mother walked with her, umbrella sheltering her long wavy brown hair from the onslaught of water. The girl looked up at her and smiled.

Her mother's beautiful dark eyes met her gaze. She, too, smiled.

She seemed to have gotten over it.

Her husband had left once he had found out that there was another baby on the way, two years ago, and she'd been left a devastated, pregnant woman. Months later, as Tamiko and her grandpa were waiting in the hospital, her baby brother came into the world.

She'd first seen a little bundle of bright flesh and blankets in her mother's arms, but as she got closer she noticed a small crop of light brown hair and big green eyes. Mom's hair and Dad's eyes. Just like her.

She'd never stopped loving Ren, even when he cried or had a tantrum. Everyone did. Everyone loved each other in that house.

Tamiko gazed up at her mother, recalling how strong she had been two years before. Ren was now a toddler and a chatterbox. He took after her.

"Mommy?" Tamiko asked, clutching her mother's hand.

"Yes?"

"Can we bake a cake sometime?"

Her mother looked down at her, surprised. "This is sudden. Any reason why, Tamiko?"

"I wanna learn mommy stuff," Tamiko insisted. "I wanna help."

Retsu held her daughter's hand. "Of course we can."

"Ren can eat cake now, can't he, Mommy?"

"He can," her mother replied, leading Tamiko to the crossing and letting her reach up and push the button.

"Then we can all eat it," Tamiko beamed. Her mother nodded and smiled.

Her daughter looked up at her with pride. She was so beautiful, so strong. She was her idol.

She wanted to be just like her...

They crossed the road, happy, carefree, and scurrying out of the paths of any cars.

Just then, Tamiko tripped. Her mother noticed and went back to help her child. She didn't see or hear the car until it was upon them. She shoved her daughter to the pavement ans Tamiko fell.

There was a deafening thud, then a screech.

Cries erupted from the pedestrians and Tamiko got to her feet, shaky, damp and dizzy.

"_Mommy_?" she whimpered. There was no response.

She span around to the road. The traffic had come to a standstill and Retsu lay in the middle of the road at an awkward angle. Tamiko ran to her and shook her arm. "_Mommy! Wake up_!" she sobbed, people gathering around her.

"_Oh my God_, what just happened?"

"That car just mowed her down!"

"Don't just stand there! Call an ambulance!"

Retsu was still, and Tamiko cried against her.

"**MOMMY!**"

The next day, Grandpa came back from the very hospital where Ren had been born. He'd been crying.

He told Tamiko and Ren that mommy had gone to sleep and couldn't wake up. Ren was confused, but Tamiko wasn't.

Retsu Kutsuki had died aged 28, in a car crash.

And it was all Tamiko's fault.

It hurt her to remember.

She'd known that it was her fault from the beginning. For years, she had nightmares about that day. Every so often, she still had them.

That moment, when her mother pushed her out of the way and sacrificed herself. She always woke up in a fit.

When she had been small, her bed and covers would have been sopping wet.

She had tried to cry, but she couldn't. It hurt too much to cry.

She'd kept quiet and disappeared into a shell. A shell she couldn't come out of, no matter how hard she tried. She wanted to suffer. She wanted the guilt to go away.

Now she lay there, in a cell, awaiting death.

Suddenly, the door swung open, making the cell's only occupant jump.

A small group of soldiers stumbled in, swigging from bottled full of liquid. She backed away, terrified.

They chortled and staggered, laughing. The scent of liquor entered Tamiko's nostrils. They stank and their voices were slurred.

It didn't take a moment to realise they were drunk.

Eventually, one of the soldiers noticed her. He smirked at the sight of her backing away. "There's the witch," he sneered, lumbering towards her. She sprinted to the other side of the room, and they laughed.

"She wants to play chase!" one whooped.

"Girl might be some fun later..." another added, nudging his friend and chuckling. She shivered as they approached, blocking her escape.

"G-go away!" she stammered, and they roared with laughter once more.

One lunged at her, grabbing her arms. She flailed and shrieked, kicking at biting. He released her, overcome with drink and surprise.

She charged towards the door, and escape. She didn't see the man beside her.

He drew his sword and slashed.

Her body fell to the floor, twitching and blood seeping from her head.

"**Fool!**" someone roared. "Kefka will have your head!"

The guilty party stared at his blood soaked weapon. "But...she was escaping!"

"Yeah, and now she's dead, ain't she?" another glared, hoisting the girl's body up.

"What do we do?"

"We pretend she escaped. Throw her in that portal and her bag with it and everyone will think she pegged it," one muttered.

The others nodded.

Her body hit cold sand and dust flew at her. Her rucksack was thrown in after her, slowly sinking into the sand. The portal closed behind her as darkness seeped away.

Slowly, she reached a hand out to the distance. She collapsed.


	15. Chapter 15: Operation Rescue Nine Moons

"Stop being such a silly girl," the man scolded as he thrust his shovel into the soil.

"But I'm not lying! There were all these scary people in the woods and me and Dolly-"

"Miya, no-one goes there. No-one knows about that place and there is no such thing as people appearing from nowhere."

"But _Daddy_!" Miya begged, grabbing his tunic.

Suddenly, her father froze. "Daddy?" Miya and Dolly turned to the woods by their house and saw a boy emerging from the trees.

He was bleeding heavily and dragging a huge sword about as tall as he was by the handle. He blinked and turned to them, red liquid staining his clothes and skin.

He staggered and his knees collapsed. He fell to the ground, and Miya's father dropped his shovel and started to run towards him. "Miya, fetch your mother!"

Tamiko groaned and lifted her head. She felt dizzy and sick. Where was she?

She could smell the scent of fresh grass and could feel the texture of leaves around her. When she opened her eyes, her landscape swayed uneasily.

"Kaname...? Lian...?" Despite her pain, she got to her knees and rubbed her head, which was pounding. She remembered running after Lian and Kaname...then the shock and pain of a branch hitting her in the face and collapsing. Maybe she had concussion?

She steadied herself and got to her feet, clutching her backpack.

Despite all the commotion, she still had it with her, much to her amazement. It was dark and she could barely see anything.

She rubbed her head weakly and put one foot in front of the other.

"We have returned, my Lord," Sephiroth said to the masked man, bowing. The man took no notice. He was leaning over a pit, a knife embedded in a vein in his wrist. No-one knew what he was doing. They didn't dare ask him questions. They watched as droplets of blood seeped into the abyss below. "You returned sooner than I expected."

"Yes, sir."

Kuja turned and briskly began to walk away. He had neither the time nor the interest for this. He wanted to be alone with his thoughts and memories, not someone's lapdog.

"Halt, Kuja," the man ordered, his voice low and threatening.

Despite his anger and disobedience towards the man, Kuja stopped.

"Why did you retreat?"

Kuja opened his mouth, and then closed it. "I thought we had the time and the luxury to get rid of them when and as we pleased. They are of no threat," he lied.

The man withdrew the knife from its bloody prison and Kuja watched as the injury swelled with skin until not a mark remained. "I don't think so," he said.

"Beg _pardon_?"

"I think you left to spare them," the man continued.

Kuja felt a bead of sweat roll down his cheek. He had no idea why he feared this man so but he still feared him immensely.

"_I_...!" Kuja stared straight at the masked man with utter hatred. "Why would I _spare_ them?!"

The masked man shrugged. "I have no idea. An influence of your so called successor, perhaps?"

Kuja froze and blinked, one word echoing through his head. _Zidane_.

"It is him, is it not?" the man continued. Kuja scowled and said nothing. "Either way, I told you to kill those children and you didn't. To me, Kuja, that is disobedience."

He clenched his gloved fist and Kuja gasped and collapsed, clutching his chest and writhing in agony. "For this, Kuja, you _will_ be punished."

He felt firm hands grab his arms and hoist him to his feet and then felt them drag him away. He looked on as the other three warriors watched him dragged towards the dungeons. Kefka gave him a curt wave.

Kuja glared in anger at the floor. _Why_? Why had he not done what he was told to do? He knew why, deep down. He recalled to what had happened on the encounter. The smallest child shielding her friend as he approached her. Her bright green eyes full of sympathy and sorrow and fear.

He was no different than before. Before his brother had saved him from the Iifa tree. It was as if that child had seen through him. He had never expected to receive a second chance. He had gotten one and blown it.

He gave a curt, saddened chuckle as he was dragged downstairs.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" the man asked as the boy walked away the next day, sword over his soldier and wearing a borrowed tunic and pants.

"Yeah. Thanks for all you guys have done," Masaru called and waved. "Bye Ian, Nessa, Miya."

Miya frowned.

"Dolly," he quickly added. The girl smiled back at him.

"Where will you go?" the woman asked, holding her child on her hip, who was waving back with her doll.

Masaru beamed. "To find my friends. Then we'll go find somewhere to stay."

"There's a town a few miles off where we trade. If you need to stay at an inn, go there," Ian said.

Masaru nodded. It was surprising how nice people could be sometimes, especially when you needed help. "Later!" He walked towards the rising sun, and away from the storm clouds in the distance. He had a world to save.

Tamiko's teeth chattered uncontrollably, and she thrust her hands to her soaked arms. "C-cold...!" she gasped, shivering.

The tree she was hiding under did not provide much shelter and she felt frozen. Her thoughts drifted from her situation to her family. Whenever that happened, she felt close to tears. This situation was terrible.

"G-grandpa...Ren...if only I could see you two again...!" she whispered, and held her head in her hands, sobbing.

Why was this happening? Why had she been so weak in that battle? Why did she feel so helpless on her own? Her mind filled with doubt. About what she would do, why she was so pathetic...why she didn't deserve to be here right now.

The rain made her recall that day, six years ago. The sound of the car screeching. The scream. The sensation of her mother's grip as she pulled her daughter out of the way. One question swirled around her head: "W-why?"

She buried her head into her knees and cried. She didn't hear the footsteps. She didn't see the figure in front of her. "Hello..._girl_."


	16. Chapter 16: Relief

Her eyelids fluttered weakly as she stirred.

She was leaning against something warm and it felt like an arm was gently holding her. Something soft and thin was being wound around the top of her head.

Slowly, she forced her eyes to open.

Kuja wrapped the bandage around Tamiko's head as gently as he could. He had no desire for her to get hurt any more than she already was.

He was leaning against a cave wall, his companion resting against him, seemingly unconscious.

When he had first arrived in the desert, he had wandered around aimlessly, waiting for death to claim him.

Eventually, in a daze, he had stumbled across a series of caves that served as a kind of shelter. To his great surprise, one had a small spring near the back, so he had rejuvenated himself with water and decided -as absurd it seemed- to cling to life a little longer.

He had not expected company. The girl least of all.

Once they had arrived, he had found a medical kit inside her bag and cleaned her face and wound, then used his powers to temporarily seal the injury. He didn't have enough energy to seal in completely.

He'd given her some water and was now bandaging her cut so it didn't catch anything and open again. She seemed completely out of it, exhausted and leaning against him.

To his surprise, he body moved slightly and her eye lashes lifted, revealing distant green eyes.

"Child?" he asked uncertainly, unsure of whether she was awake.

"Y-yes?" came the weak reply. "W-who's there...?"

He glanced down at her sadly. "Are you alright?" he questioned softly, easing her head against him.

Her eyes opened and closed slowly. "I feel dizzy..." she croaked.

"You don't know who I am?"

"I...I'm sorry...I probably do...I just can't think straight..."

He ruffled her hair gently. "It's alright, little one. It's me." He swallowed, and then said, "It's Kuja."

"K-Kuja?" she asked, life slowly returning to her barren eyes.

"Yes."

He watched in surprise as a tear seeped down her face, and slid off, more forming. "Don't cry," he said gently. "It's alright."

He brushed them away as she said softly, "_I'm...glad you're okay...Kefka said...you'd died_...!"

"Since when did you start believing anything that clown says?" Kuja frowned. "No, I'm right here."

He decided to get to the point. "What happened to you? Surely your sentence wasn't this."

"No..." Tamiko said. "I think...lots of guards came in, and they were drunk..."

Kuja nodded, listening. "Drunk, you say?"

"I think so. Then they started to..." she shook her head sadly. "I-I can't remember..."

He sighed, and looked away. What exactly had they done to her?

"I-I'm sorry..." came her voice.

Kuja turned back to her, and embraced her. "Don't apologise. None of this is your fault, child. Now try to rest."

"_But_-"

"No _but_s. I'm here, and I'll take care of you. You're alright now, I promise."

Tamiko settled against him, seemingly exhausted. "A-are you sure...? I can-"

"No, I am fine. You need to rest and recover," Kuja said seriously.

Tamiko's eyes fluttered shut. "Okay..."

Minutes later, she was asleep. Kuja glanced down at her. He was glad she was getting a little better. Suddenly, he remembered that moment almost a year ago, when his brother had saved him. Had he done the same for this child? It was a strong possibility.

His brother had saved him and helped him recover. He would do the same for the little girl, for the same reason. Because...

Because they were friends.


End file.
