Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ My Brother, My Blood ❯ The Iifa Tree ( Chapter 1 )

I've been working on this for ages...sorry if it's been done before but I couldn't resist. Sorry if Kuja acts differently but it's my story. Don't like? Then go away and play in another sandpit and let me build my castle.

/..../ Is Shiva's mental voice.

 

Chapter 1

The return to consciousness hurt more than anything I had ever experienced. I sat up, and frowned slightly. What the...why was I still alive? I hit myself on the head as I remembered. Zidane! He had saved me when the Iifa Tree's roots went wild. It had hurt, seeing him come back to save me. I had told him to leave, that I could handle myself, and though it took several minutes of desperate persuasion, he left slowly, looking back until I sent an ice spell in his direction.

        I tried to stand up, but something caught my attention. I looked down and went scarlet. I had a girl's...

"What the..." I clapped a hand over my mouth. I had spoken in a female voice.

/You are finally awake then/ the cool voice echoed around my head and I glanced up, startled.

"Shiva?" I asked to the empty air, not knowing how I knew her.

/Yes. The others allocated me to speak to you/ was her reply.

"What about?"

/I suppose you have questions/ I frowned. She was avoiding my question.

"What happened...why am I a girl?"

/After Zidane left you...you, well...died/ she sounded uncomfortable and I was silent for several moments. /We have decided to give you a second chance, for you to redeem yourself/

"But why am I a girl?" I repeated my earlier question.

/If you go around in your previous form, no one will hesitate in killing you, apart from maybe Zidane/

"So what now?" I asked.

/You shall do what you can/ I was about to stay something but she interrupted me, her voice stern. /Keep out of trouble/

The darkness around me fled, and I found myself outside the Iifa Tree. I looked around. The plants had overgrown, and I frowned.

"Shiva..." I said dangerously. I could vaguely see Shiva turn and blink nervously in my mind.

/Yes...I suppose I should explain/ she started.

"Please do" I said angrily.

/It has been 10 years/ she murmured. I groaned. /We apologise. But we had to leave you to recover from the wounds you received/

"Very well" I sighed.

/It also might be wise to change your name/ I nodded my agreement before climbing down the roots to the bottom. Something shifted behind me and I turned to look. My silver tail waved absently over my shoulder and I swore quietly.

/What is it?/ Shiva asked. "My tail. If anything is going to give me away, it's that" I sighed. Shiva giggled, a sound like tiny bells. It sounded odd, coming from the `Goddess of Ice'.

/Look in the water/ there was a pool nearby where Leviathan had once rested. I looked into it and a female version of my former form.

"You didn't think to change my appearance?" I said in despair.

/Do you really think people would suspect the great Kuja of changing his gender?/ Shiva said in mild amusement. I shrugged.

"Depends if people thought the 'Great Kuja' was insane" I muttered darkly. I realised that I was still wearing the clothes I had worn 10 years ago.

"Shiva? Might I have a change of clothes?" I asked her, looking at the ragged material.

/That might be...a good idea/ she managed before flicking her hands slightly. The material turned into gothic black top with long sleeves and loose trousers designed for walking. I raised an eyebrow.

"Black?"

/Makes you even more unrecognisable/ she said, her semi-corporeal shape hovered in front of me, admiring her handiwork. I sighed and looked into the distance, the direction that Alexandria lay in.

/Kuja?/ Shiva asked, her shape becoming more defined. I turned to look at her.

"Let's go find my brother"