Chapter Nineteen: The gathering storm
I awoke early, still plagued by the memories of that dream or vision, I was still unable to determine what it was, whether it was really Fury talking to me, or my overactive imagination playing tricks on me yet again.
There was a gentle knock at the door, I pulled the sheets up around me and then granted the person entry.
It was Kuja, it looked like he had slept rough, his silver hair was messed up, and his feathers which seemed to grow naturally in his hair were bent and disfigured, suddenly my mind flicked back to the moment I had discovered a feather in my own hair, I wondered if Kuja’s DNA was beginning to be more prevalent in my genetics.
“Morning Domino.” He said sheepishly
“Good morning Kuja, what can I do for you?”
“Actually, I just wanted to say thank you, for what you said and did the other night.”
I smiled and nodded
“That’s ok Kuja, you’re my brother I’d do anything I can to help you.”
“I appreciate it Domino…err, actually there was one more thing.”
I raised an eyebrow but waited for him to speak.
“I had a strange dream last night…someone came to talk to me.”
That got my attention immediately.
“Who?”
“I don’t know, some guy with gray hair and a beard.”
“Lawrence.” I hissed
Kuja shrugged
“What did he say Kuja?” I asked, aware that Lawrence might be trying to turn Kuja against us, trying to revert Kuja back to his angel of death status.
“He said that there was still time for me to join him, Fury’s plan isn’t ready yet. Together we could get rid of Fury and take over Gaia ourselves.”
I sighed, that sounded so much like Lawrence, it appeared the alliance between Lawrence and Fury was more one-sided than it first seemed. Trust Lawrence to be so two-faced.
“Did you say anything back?” I asked
Kuja shook his head
“I didn’t know how or what to say.”
I nodded, it was just as well that he didn’t, if Lawrence found out Kuja had lost his memory he could very well use that it his advantage. I couldn’t bear to see Kuja become an Angel of death again, I had been there too and I knew it wasn’t worth the power it gave.
“Thanks for telling me Kuja, I also had a vision last night. It was from Fury, not Lawrence.”
“Fury? What did he want?”
“Just to gloat it seems but there’s something strange about the man, something I can’t quite place. He seems too familiar, and the way he talks to me, it’s like he knows me better than I do.”
Kuja sat down on the bed next to me and put his arm around my shoulder, I buried my face in my hands.
“Oh Kuja, I wish Thunderchild was here, he’d be able to do something about it.”
“He’s still with you Domino,” said Kuja, his hand tapping the area on his chest where his heart was “In here, you loved him and your heart will never forget him.”
I quietly stifled a sob, not wishing to break down yet again, and cursing myself for being so weak.
“You miss him a lot don’t you?” asked Kuja
“He was more than my husband Kuja, he was my soul-mate, we had an understanding which went beyond words and emotions, most of the time we knew exactly what we were thinking, we even used to finish each others sentences. Now he’s gone, it’s like someone’s torn out my heart and my soul, like my reason for living is gone. I don’t know if I can go on living without him.”
Kuja hugged me and looked into my eyes with his, I could see some kind of understanding in his purple iris, almost as though he had been in love as well, or was in love…but I decided not to ask, after all, my guesses had been wrong many times before.
“You have plenty of reason to live Domino, how do you think Thunderchild would have felt if he had heard you speak like that. You’re strong my sister, stronger than most of us genomes, you were built to survive, and survive you will although it may not seem like that now.”
“Thank you Kuja, I wish I had your confidence.” Was all that I could muster in reply
“Just take each day as it comes, that’s all you can do.”
I looked back up at him again as he stood up to leave, I quirked my head to one side and gave him a puzzled frown.
“You speak as though you’ve had experience.”
Kuja shrugged.
“Maybe I have, I can’t remember…all I know is that you’re not the first one to have loved and lost Domino, and you won’t be the last.”
With that he opened the door and walked out and as the door gently swung shut after him I found myself wondering about my brother, whether there was more to him than met the eye, whether he really had loved someone before, or loved someone now. I couldn’t tell.
Sighing again I pulled the sheets off me and got up, walking over to the wardrobe I selected my usual clothing of a light blue halter top and specially altered jeans before pulling my brown no-sleeved jacket off its hook and putting on my fingerless gloves. I then walked over to the en suite bathroom and found my brush, looking into the mirror I brushed down my bed hair into a more manageable style, as I was brushing I suddenly felt something come away from my head, causing me great pain as it did so, I winced and put my hand on my head before looking down at the hair brush.
There, in amongst the black and purple hair was one single black feather…
I selected my usual dragon mask but before putting it on I looked at myself in the mirror, taking in the contours of my face as I did so.
I looked into my own green eyes, puzzled as to what would lie within, but I saw nothing. Shaking my head slightly I then placed the dragon mask firmly on my head, obscuring the view of my face. I remained anonymous, just the way I liked it.
Just looking at my face reminded me of how weak and pathetic I had been before, and that was something I didn’t want reminding of.
Once the mask was in place I turned and opened the door, leaving my room and entering the corridor beyond it, as I walked down the stone hallway, the echoes from my boots making it sound like I marched with a whole army behind me, I smiled, smiled because I knew that this time in two days I would have instigated fear in the hearts of the population of the Mist Continent and proven to them all just how powerful I was.
I felt the urge to return to my torture chamber, the need to place fear into the heart and soul of one person became quite strong, and so I reached the secret entrance and pushed the stone to gain entry to the staircase.
As I walked down it I suddenly remembered the strangers which my genome guards had found out on the plains, yes…they would be easy to terrify, I stopped by a table which had a tray of day old food on it, I picked it up and held it as I carried on walking, perhaps I could give them food poisoning or something I joked to myself.
The air stank of rotting flesh, the smell made me wrinkle my nose, I stopped and looked at the decaying corpse of a genome lying in the corner.
“Humph,” I muttered “Could have sworn I fed that one to the ogres, oh well…” I raised my hand and vaporised the corpse, the surge of power giving me goosebumps.
Walking over to the cell I knew contained the prisoners, I resisted the urge to burn another genome, after all, burning was too merciful for them, and there was many more ways to use my power, much slower ways.
Inside the cell were the three prisoners, looking very miserable and worse for wear, I chuckled and then frowned. Like this, breaking their will would be too easy, I needed to soften them up a little first.
“My, my what have I done, I’ve forgotten to feed or water you, what was I thinking? Animals need feed and water to survive, tsk, tsk.” I said cheerfully, making all three of them scurry away into the corner, they seemed too terrified to speak.
Well, this is a good start but too easy I thought to myself as I opened to cell door.
“Come, come, there is no need to be scared. I need to give you food and water, mustn’t have you dying on me now, must I?” I softly said with a smirk.
The boy with the baseball cap, which was now ripped and torn in several places, like his clothing, slowly walked forward, he seemed to be the more trusting of the three.
“Ash, what are you doing?! We can’t trust him, look what he did to those genomes!” cried the other male with the purple hair.
“Ash?” the name seemed familiar to me “Ash Ketchum?”
The boy nodded, and walked closer to me “What’s your name?” he asked
I pondered for a moment just how I knew this lads name when I had never met him before in my life, the memory bugged me for a moment but I quickly dismissed it, knowing I had more important things to concentrate on.
“Fury, and don’t you forget it boy!” I snapped at him, making him flinch and step backwards suddenly.
I sighed, torturing these three would bring me no satisfaction, in fact I had gone off the idea of torture at the moment, it just didn’t bring the feeling of power that it used to before, probably because now I had felt the crystals power, all other types of power were meaningless.
I grabbed some bread from the tray I had brought down and threw it at them, I also picked up the tray and placed it on the floor just inside the cell, then turning I walked out and went to slam the door behind me, but before I did the boy started speaking again.
“Do you know a woman called Domino?” he asked
I stopped and stiffened, that damn genome got everywhere, everywhere I turned people knew her name, everywhere I looked people were speaking about her, was there no place I could be without people uttering that cursed wrenches name?!
“Yes, I know her! Now be quiet, I’ve given you food and water, if you continue to plague me I might not be so lenient the next time we meet!” I shouted at them before smashing the door closed with a crash which echoed deafeningly throughout the chamber. I then turned and walked back up the stairs and into the castle, cursing the name of Domino with every step I took.
I stood before the mirror, my purple dress, the only dress I had…my wedding dress. It brought back so many happy memories, I had been wearing this dress when Thunderchild had returned to me before, now I wore it because I knew he never would.
“Why did you have to leave me?” I asked out loud
I blinked, the voice had seemed so real
“Thunderchild?”
“Who’s there?” I looked around for the owner of the voice, it couldn’t be him and yet it had to be him.
“My love, where are you?!”
Seek the truth Domino, look beyond what deceptions may lie in front of you. You’ve never failed before
“Thunderchild, why did you leave me?” I asked him, desperate for him to return.
I never left you Domino…only you can keep me now.
“Thunderchild?” I tried calling him, but only silence greeted my calls, oh how I long to feel him hold me again, to return the kiss I so longed to give him, but now it seemed all I had left was his ghost, an echo of a lost heart.
I sighed, much of this day had been spent preparing for the funeral, it was only right that I should start hearing things, I hadn’t slept well and I was so tired. Perhaps it was the echoes of my lonely heart that I had heard. I looked out at the darkening sky, yet another day had past, another day alone. I had lost count of how many days had passed since he left me, and tomorrow…tomorrow I was to lead a solemn march through Lindblum to lay his ghost to rest.
It had been Cids idea, one large ceremony to allow the public to say goodbye to him, in the middle of the city he liked so much, there would even be a flypast by the Lindblum fleet at the conclusion of the funeral. I thought he would have liked it, it would have been how he would have wanted to have gone.
I rubbed my eyes, trying to release the weariness, trying to stay awake to remember him but things began to run together in my head and suddenly I couldn’t remember him, I couldn’t remember how he looked, how he spoke…I wept because now I had lost him truly, I dropped the dress and curled up on my bed, softly crying myself into a mournful sleep.
Slipping back into the main cave, I quickly checked on Gallion, he seemed to be doing well but was asleep at the moment so I let him rest. Then I walked back to the crystal of sight and summoned the view of Furys headquarters.
It was getting dark over the castle he had located himself in, I had no clear idea where it was since I wasn’t very well travelled on Gaia, in fact I had never left the Mist Continent, certainly not on purpose.
The activity around the castle seemed to be even greater than before, I could see airships lined up along the approach to the grounds, and dragons patrolled the skies overhead while various monsters moved in and around the airships themselves. I was greatly dismayed to see many genomes were also present. I was hoping to be able to keep the genomes out of this war, but it looked like they were playing too integral a part to be ignored.
The more I looked at the images being sent to me from wherever this Fury was working from, the more I was convinced that he was only hours away from launching his plan.
I began to make preparations to leave the forest, knowing I would quite likely not return for some time.
“I want to come with you Reiganna, you may need me.” Said Jara as she saw me making the preparations
I shook my head instantly, it wasn’t that I didn’t trust Jara, she was a complication that I didn’t need on this journey.
“No, you stay here Jara. It’ll be for the best, trust me.”
“But he’s…”
“No Jara.”
Jara sighed and relented, turning her back on me and leaving the room, I wondered just what I was to do with her, what purpose she could have to have been brought back from the dead like that, and in her original form.
I looked closely at the satellite image of the Mist Continent, looking carefully for airship activity around Alexandria, it was that signal I needed, then I knew that my plan was on. Already I could see great activity in Lindblum as the morning dawn began to break. I had been up for most of the night, supervising the arming of the monsters, I would need them soon.
Footsteps broke the silence of my study, I looked up and through the holographic map I could see Ilvian approach, his metallic tail swishing behind him.
“Ilvian…excellent, I was hoping to see you.”
Ilvian nodded and smiled
“Your plan seems ready.” He said
I shook my head gently but remained smiling.
“Not quite Ilvian, not quite, but it is almost there.”
Ilvian looked at the map in front of me and frowned as he looked at the city of Lindblum, his silver hair cascaded over one shoulder as he bent forward to have a closer look.
“What’s happening here?”
“They’re preparing to say goodbye to an old friend.”
Ilvian looked at me strangely but said nothing more, I stood up from the uncomfortable chair I had been sitting in and walked towards Ilvian. I looked deep into his genome eyes and saw the innocence which lay within, I could see it in all genomes, even the infamous Domino had that same child-like innocence as they tried to make sense of the world around them. It was one of the genome races weaknesses, I knew that from experience…they were easily mislead.
Blinking aside my musings on the genome race I put my hand on Ilvians shoulder and softly asked him.
“Ilvian…are you aware of telepathic powers.”
“The power to send thoughts?” he asked, one eyebrow gently raised.
I nodded, glad that the kid was quick to catch on, I had been dreading having to give a lecture about telepathic abilities.
“I want you to have this, it will allow me to keep in contact with you during the plan.” I said, reaching into my cloak and pulling out a white headband with a metallic pattern in the middle of it, and a green stone in the middle of that pattern.
“And what part do I play in this plan?” he asked
I paused, unsure of how to tell him…then I shrugged and continued anyway, not really caring how he felt about it, as long as he obeyed.
“Can you ride a silver dragon?”
I awoke suddenly to the sound of hammering at the door, stretching I looked up and around me, remembering just how I had come to be lying fully dressed on the bed with raw eyes.
“Domino? You’d better get up…we’ve got to get to Lindblum. The Red Rose leaves within the hour!” yelled Zidane from behind the door.
“Okay, I’m getting up now.” I said, as I rolled off the bed and onto my feet. I looked at the mirror, I looked terrible so I walked to the bathroom and took the opportunity to run a quick bath, I knew Zidane would warn me again before the airship left, they couldn’t leave without me, after all, I was the reason they were going.
As I removed my clothes and slowly dipped my feet into the hot waters of the bath I thought of what the day ahead might bring, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy but as Kuja had said, I was strong and I could get through it…after all, as lame as it may seem, I had friends around me to help me through.
I softly moaned as the hot water covered my body, I had needed this bath for a long time but it had never seemed like the right time, there had always been something else to do beforehand. I just lay there for a moment, letting the water massage the worries out of me, watching the reflection of the morning sun hitting the water dance across the ceiling in a beautiful pattern of light.
Then I began washing myself all over, hoping to relax slightly as well as clean myself, I had gotten so wound up lately and it was something I didn’t need, it was something Thunderchild wouldn’t have wanted me to do…even though I knew I had a day of grief and sorrow ahead of me, I didn’t want to start it off with sorrow.
Once I had washed myself and my hair, I pulled out the plug and got out of the bath, drying myself with the towel I began to hum a tune which Garnet had taught me a while back, she said that it was a special song that she sang when she had felt alone and confused, it was a song that had brought her and Zidane together.
Carefully brushing my hair I checked for any more feathers but couldn’t see any, so I continued brushing a little more rigorously and then washed my face, clearing away any dried tears that remained from last night.
I then walked into the main bedroom and removed the towel, checking that my body had now dried enough for me to put some clothes on, some areas were still wet so I quickly dried them with the towel. I then sighed and picked up the dress from where it had fallen on the floor, luckily it seemed that the night spent on the floor hadn’t creased it up and it was ready to wear.
I slipped it on over my head, remembering the feel of the silk on my skin, that feeling brought back so many memories to me, and yet it was only the third time I had worn this dress.
There was another knock at the door.
“Come in.” I said
Zidane walked into the room behind me and whistled when he saw me in my dress.
“Wow Dom, I know every time I see you in that dress I say this but you look great.”
I nodded and blushed slightly
“Are we ready?”
Zidane nodded solemnly, all hilarity forgotten
“Yes, follow me, the Red Rose is ready to go.”
There, I saw it, one airship leaving Alexandria, not just any airship but the Red Rose, that could only mean one thing, the plan was on!
I quickly got up and ran to the main hall, there, waiting as I had told them to, were Lawrence, Rhiana and several genomes, dressed in dark clothing with hoods that could fold over their heads.
“Lawrence, is the portal ready?”
“Almost, I’ve yet to finish the destination co-ordinates.” The old man replied.
I shrugged and opened the bag I had been carrying with me all morning, inside were weapons, not swords or bows but particle weapons, from the planet Terra.
“Here, take these…they’re Automatic Particle Rifles, be careful they’re very dangerous.” I made a point of not handing one to Lawrence, I didn’t trust the man not to shoot me in the back during this mission. I wouldn’t have taken him but for two reasons, one I didn’t trust him enough to leave him here on his own, and two I needed his knowledge of the portal system to get to our destination in one piece.
“Lawrence, let’s go and get this damn portal of yours running, we’ve only got less than one hour before it starts.”
As we hurried through the corridors to Lawrence’s laboratory I took the telepathic enhancer out of my cloak pocket and put it on my head, instantly I could feel my already good powers become ten-fold as powerful.
<Ilvian, are you ready?>
<Yes>
<Very well, begin your mission and wait for my orders when you get into position. Remain undetected like I taught you.>
<I won’t let you down>
I smiled as we ran down the corridors, my smile growing larger when we passed the next window and Rhiana gasped, for outside there was what looked like a flock of birds flying across the plain, but those were not birds, they were silver dragons.
My plan was fully underway. Today would be a day those idiots on the Mist Continent would never, ever forget.