Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ My Brother, My Blood ❯ Alexandria I ( Chapter 4 )

I still don't own Final Fantasy 9. Woe is me.

 

Chapter 4

 

“Kuja?” I frowned at Eiko, who was sat on the side of the boat.

 

“What is it this time?” I asked. Eiko had been ceaselessly asked questions for over an hour now.

 

“How old are you?” I blinked.

 

“Why do you want to know?”

 

“I'm just curious that's all” She said.

 

“Work it out yourself” I turned back to the wheel, glancing at the map as I did so. Eiko had given up on navigating as, after an hour, she had told me she couldn't read it.

 

“Let's see...you're a little older than Zidane...add on a few years...” My eyebrow twitched. She talked continually, whether someone was listening or not, apparently.

 

“34!” Eiko declared. I sighed “Geez you're old!”

 

“And you are a loud-mouthed brat” I retorted. Eiko frowned then shrugged and smiled.

 

“That's what makes me special” She giggled. I leaned over the map, and then glanced over the sea.

 

“We should be just about...”

 

“There!” Eiko cried, interrupting me. She was pointing to something to our right and I turned so I could see properly. Alexandria's harbour was just visible between the rocks. Eiko was bouncing up and down on the side of ship, so it was no surprise that she fell in.

 

“Kupo!” A sopping wet moogle clambered over the side, its yellow pompom waving as it shook itself. It looked across the sea and quickly ran towards the over end of the Narciss. I frowned and glanced at the water. That's when I spotted it. A huge monster was heading in our direction. I ran to the side and grabbed Eiko's wings (which she still wore) and heaved her over. She sat spluttering on the deck, wringing the water out of her ornament wings. We had barely made it into the harbour before it smashed into where we had been, sending a shock wave through the water. The Blue Narciss crashed into the dock, sending Eiko flat on her face. My tail wrapped around the wheel, preventing my fall.

 

“Really, Eiko. What are you doing on the floor?” She glared at me.

 

“You didn't happen to see a moogle, did you?” She asked, looking around frantically.

“Yep. I think it's hiding behind the crates”

 

“Mog, are you there?” The moogle popped up, looking (I couldn't tell) ashamed. Eiko merely sighed and the moogle disappeared into her dress. She jumped off the ship and I followed her, disturbed by the fact she kept a moogle in her dress.

 

“Come on. They'll let us see Garnet, though I doubt she'll be happy to see you”

 

“Thanks, that's really comforting” I said dryly. She smiled brightly, not understanding the sarcasm. She dragged me through Alexandria, calling greetings to people as we went.

 

/Are you nervous? / Shiva asked as we went.

 

“Maybe. I think I'm more nervous about being killed before I can find Zidane than anything else” She nodded and fell silent again.

 

“Here we are!” Eiko declared announced. I pulled my hood up. We were in front of Alexandria castle. Eiko ran in, looking around excitedly.

 

“Hello? Anyone here?” She called.

 

“Eiko, is that you?” The voice was female and I knew it from somewhere but couldn't place it. Its owner appeared and I recognised the face. Beatrix. Eiko squealed and hugged the girl-general of Alexandria who, much to my surprise, hugged her back. She gave me an odd look but when she asked Eiko told her that I was a friend.

 

“Where's Garnet?” Eiko asked Beatrix, who gestured over her shoulder.

 

“In the Royal Gardens, why?”

 

“I just need to speak to her, that's all” She smiled brightly and Beatrix nodded, stepping aside to let us past.

 

“Garnet? You here?”

 

“Here” The word was prompted with a sigh. We rounded the corner to find the Queen of Alexandria, Garnet Til Alexandros the 12th, sitting on a bench with tear tracks on her cheeks. She wiped them away and smiled at Eiko.

 

“It's good to see you again, Eiko” Eiko nodded distractedly. “What is it?” Garnet asked, noting her distant behaviour.

 

“Garnet...” She gestured to me and the Queen frowned and twisted her head to regard me.

 

“You seem familiar...” She whispered, eyes uncertain.

 

“I suppose I should be” I tugged the hood back, and she gasped, eyes widening. She went pale and...fainted.

“Oh Dear” Eiko leaned over Garnet, trying to rouse her. She woke after a few minutes, sitting up slowly and rubbing her head. I leaned on a nearby tree, watching the Queen stand and look around furiously. She saw me and started to glow, a summoning aura. She was trying to summon Shiva.

 

/What on earth? / Shiva felt the tug of her summoner calling for her. She left my mind, and I winced. Shiva appeared in front of me, blocking me from their view.

 

“Garnet” She said, voice frosty.

 

“Why were you with him?” Garnet spat. I leaned on Shiva's shoulder.

 

“Technically I'm a her now” I corrected. She blinked, and then shook her head.

“You didn't answer my question”

 

“I am with him because I choose to be” I looked at Shiva in surprise “I am to assist him in finding Zidane. This is the choice and myself and the eidolons”

 

“I find that hard to believe” Garnet said, folding her arms.

 

“And why is that?” I asked. She glared at me but answered anyway.

 

“You are probably controlling her like you did Bahamut”

 

“Why would he want to control me? The other eidolons would tear him to shreds”

 

“Thank you, Shiva. Really comforting” I said.

 

“I'm not here to be comforting” She replied. I shrugged and looked at Garnet.

 

“Why do you want to find Zidane?” She asked tentatively.

 

“That's why I'm alive, apparently” Shiva nodded.

 

“But...”

 

“I am going to find Zidane; whether you think I can or not” I said “I just came here to see if I could find anything”

 

“I doubt you'll find anything. We scoured Alexandria but couldn't find anything at all”

 

“Well I'm going to look anyway”

 

“Your Majesty!” The shrieking of rusty armour made everyone cringe. I decided that there was no point hiding my face as `Rusty' would find out anyway.

 

“Steiner? What is it?” Garnet asked, her voice and face tired.

 

“There have been reports of a suspicious figure lurking around. The soldiers say it look like Kuja!” He spluttered, waving his hands. I caught a flash of a ring on his wedding finger. Garnet pointed to me, as I was standing behind Steiner he hadn't seen me. He turned, and took several steps back when he saw me. I smiled serenely, leaning on Shiva's shoulder again. He pointed and spluttered incomprehensibly.

 

“Sorry, Steiner. Didn't catch that” Suddenly his sword was out and the tip at my neck. I sighed, and rolled my eyes.

 

“Do you really think I'm threatened?” I asked “I have someone to find and I intend to find them”

 

“Leave him, Steiner” Garnet interrupted.

 

“But Majesty, he...”

 

“I'm a her now” I repeated. He prodded me with his sword.

 

“Poke me again and that sword will suddenly be growing out of your head” I threatened. The broadsword was hastily withdrawn. I smirked.

 

“Come on then” Garnet stood and headed towards the castle. Steiner walked behind me, sword hovering an inch away from my back.

 

“I wish you wouldn't do that. Makes me feel like a convict” I murmured.

 

“You are” Was his reply. Shiva sauntered next to me, discussing eidolons with Eiko. Garnet led us into the meeting room, shutting the doors and dismissing the guards.

 

“So explain everything” She demanded. I ran through everything that had happened since I had been woken up. Shiva added comments and explanations.

 

“So you see...I have to find Zidane” I finished. Steiner was about to say something when Beatrix burst in. I noticed that she was wearing a ring identical to Steiner's. I smirked, which went unnoticed.

 

“Majesty, I heard rumours of...” She noticed me. Her Save-the-Queen was out and pointing at me faster than I could see.

 

“Beatrix...” Garnet shook her head “Leave him”

 

“Her” I corrected. She frowned at me. Beatrix sheathed her sword.

 

“Does someone care to explain what he is doing alive?” She asked.

 

“She” I said. They all glared at me and I shrugged “Get it right” Eiko stepped in this time, telling Beatrix everything.

 

/What is it? / Shiva had returned to my mind once she had decided she wouldn't be needed.

“If it keeps going like this I'll never find Zidane” Shiva chuckled.

 

/ Patience child/ she faded away before I could protest at the `child'.

 

“Are you finished yet, brat?” I asked, yawning. Eiko frowned at me.

 

“When did you last have any sleep, Kuja?”

 

“Not since we left Lindblum...2 days” I calculated.

 

“You're not going to be much help to Zidane if you're tired” Eiko said.

 

/She's right you know/

 

“Ok ok” I held my hands up in defeat.

 

“Good” Eiko smiled, happy to get her own way. She turned to Garnet, who was speaking quietly to Beatrix.

 

“Can we use the guest room, Garnet?” The Queen nodded and I was pulled away, slightly confused. After being tugged around rooms and flights of stairs, we arrived at the guest rooms in the east tower.

 

“I'm upstairs, ok?” Eiko said, running up the stairs. I glanced out the window, and then decided to chance it and climb out. I locked the door and climbed out, sneaking across to the West tower and climbing up the stairs. I strode out onto the balcony at the top of the tower, admiring the beauty of Alexandria at night. I leaned on the edge, the sight bringing a little relief from reality. I noticed a deep gash in the stone, on the floor. I reached out to touch it and I pulled out a piece of a weapon. I tugged out the dagger I kept tucked into my belt and compared them. They were exactly the same. From the material down to the pattern. I ran down the stairs, the blades digging into my hands.

 

“Why didn't they think to look at the towers?” I asked myself. “You better not be dead Zidane Tribal. You better not be...”

 

 

 

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Ok then...I finally got to Alexandria! And, if you didn't realise, Steiner and Beatrix tied the knot! I even have Mog in this chapter!