The Hidden Island

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Kadaj looked closely at the Kilka, examining him like a scientist peering into a microscope... He sheathed his sword and nodded to Yazoo, who waved his hand and called off the Shadowcreepers. "We are Seraph, children of Jenova," Kadaj answered, as if taking on the duty of a herald. "Our allies are human, of the world neighboring yours on this dimensional plane. But we have come from a much father world, one that was destroyed. On your sister world, we hope to build a new future."

Yazoo joined his two siblings. I can see you haven't lost your gift for speech, brother.

Vincent, appearing totally unrattled, stepped away from the tree he had been slammed into, leaving behind several cracks in it.

****

Amnesty nodded to Abel's assurance... she was starting to get cotton mouthed. She hadn't thought to bring a canteen and was currently berating herself for her oversight.

[lutz]

The kilka stopped and looked at everyone,
"You all come from a different planet....life outside this one...very interesting...and you have all come to stop Lucifet yes?"

Lutz stepped forth.
"This is indeed true wise Kilka, we are already planning to rally the remaining Silken tribes to fight for us...and we are always accepting new allies!"

Kilka: "You can call me Qin! and what are all your names!"
The Kilka now sounded and acted like a child meeting new friends, full of energy.

Lutz: "My name is Lutz, I am a Maloki...."

Kilka nodded.
"Pleased to meet all of you!"

*****************

The rode fast into the sand and Abel stood up a bit a looked out.
"We are here!"
Yet there was no sign of a Village, Abel rose his hand up into the air and the tattoo on it once again glew purple, it was as if the Village appeared from a mirage.
"Slow the bike down don't want to tense anyone up and make them hostle...."

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Ami slowed the bike down but left the engine idling. She didn't want to take the chance that they would shoot first and ask questions later.

Reno opened his mouth.

"Shut up," Ami and Rude insisted at the same time.

He crossed his arms and huffed, like a pouting kid.

He pulled his EMR, but kept it low, so Rude wouldn't elbow him again...

Ami peered around the village square... she couldn't see a soul. "Are you sure this is the right place, Abel?"

****

The brothers exchanged amused looks. "And people say I'M bipolar," Kadaj joked. He shook hands and introduced himself. Yazoo solemnly followed suit. Loz, however, caught on to Qui's enthusiasm far more readily, ginning widely and shaking hands vigorously. Kadaj resisted the impulse to roll his eyes as he approached the Kilka. "Yes, wonderful, now we all get along," he said wearily, breaking up his brother and the woodland mystic. "Qui, as much as I'd love to sit and chat over cookies, urgent matters ARE pressing us all. Have you any allies you could rally to our cause? If nothing else, you could tell them we mean no harm here."

Vincent approached, straightening his cape. "I see you picked the wiser choice. Congratulations. My name is Vincent." He stood impassively, slightly apart from the others.

[lutz]

Abel looked around
"I don't know this is very odd..."
The Village was a ghost town.
Oh great....we are to late the Dark Sarsha got my people!

Voice: "Why if it isn't my little brother!"

Abel spun around to see his older brother and a few Silken troops with spears pointing in their direction.

Abel: "Linken! nice to see you again...."

Linken: "Yeah nice to see you to bro but rules are rules and I have to enforce them, you were banished remember..."

Abel: "I love her!"

Linken: "....I know you do bro I know you do....oh I see you found yourself more Sarsha friends...Who are they!?"

Abel: "They are not Sarsha....the are Humans...from another world..."

Linken: "Another world hahaha! so fathers old magics work eh...why he teached them to you is beyond me....as for your friends their fate lays with the Chief..."

Abel: "Chief Grom....."

Linken: "Good you haven't forgotten..."

Abel: "How could I Linken...."

Linken: "Akasha is royal blood, a blue scaled none the less..."

Abel: "Enough! take us to him....."

Linken: "As you wish brother..."

the Silken troops signaled for the others to move forword.

**************************

The Kilka shook Loz hand with great joy. He looked at the other brothers and lowered his head closer to Loz.
"Whats eating these guys?"
The Kilka nugged Loz with his elbow.
"Yes there are a few more of my kind who roam these woods, go and talk to them I will, I sense war draws near and us Kilka have been walking..."
He turned and viewed Vincent.
"You are a strong warrior, quiet but still over confident, even someone with your power still has things to fear my friend.....becareful....."
The Kilka waved to his friends good bye.
"I will return shortly!"

*********************Meanwhile in the ship

Samson ended up passing out on the ship.....

[matt]

Seifer summoned Gilgamesh to quickly dispatch his opponents. Pushing Akira forwards the three of them approached the beggining of a desert. Raijin groaned. "Its too hot y'know. I'm gonna head back y'know." Seifer did nothing to stop him except for glare angrily in his direction. Raijin quickly had a change of heart and decided to stay as they headed into the desert in search of Squall.

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Vincent crossed his arms watched the Kilka walk away. Overconfidence.

I have many faults. Overconfidence has never been among them. Still, I have to admit, being looked up to may have had a negative influence on me, even if on a subconscious level.

Such social complications are why, more often than not, I choose to work alone.

He considered following the Kilka, but ruled against the idea, knowing that it would do little to cement their relationship were he to be caught.

Meanwhile, Loz found his two brothers giving him funny looks. "What?"

"How many times must we tell you, never talk to strangers?" Yazoo reprimanded mockingly.

"Yeah... and I can't think of anything stranger than that guy," Kadaj added quietly.

"There's no call to be hard on him," Vincent interrupted, still staring into the woods where the Kilka had disappeared. "He just earned us a valuable ally."

"We weren't exactly sitting on our hands, either," Kadaj protested. "Since when did you have any say in what I say to him, anyway?"

A stony look followed, accompanied by menacing quiet. Loz felt himself getting uncomfortable, but Kadaj was not so easily intimidated-- the irritation could almost be felt radiating off him.

Finally, Vincent spoke. "Since your sister left me in charge." He then lapsed into an impenetrable silence, perching on top of the ship, keeping watch for the Kilka's return.

The brothers were terribly glad. They wordlessly got back to building the shelter.

Kadaj kept shooting dirty looks up at Vincent on the side, which he seemed to not notice. I haven't forgotten that we tangled once upon a time. And unlike certain other past enemies, you have yet to gain anything remotely resembling trust from me.

****

Amnesty cut the ignition on her bike. Apparently, they did not intend to let her ride out of here for quite some time.

Reno and Rude bailed out as she folded the sidecar and started pushing, several spears aimed in thier direction. Reno tried grinning at the guards. "Uh, hey... how ya doin'?" he asked cheerfully.

No responses seemed to be forthcoming. The grin seemed plastered in place. "Guys, help me out here," he said to Ami and Rude out of the corner of his mouth.

Ami shook her head. "Now is not the time to be over the top, Reno."

He sent her a message. No, it's the time to open up a can of whoop-a** on these creeps.

Ami scoffed. Wrong again, Red. It's time to stay low-key and try gaining their trust... theen, if THAT doesn't work, THEN we open the can of whoop-a**.

He shrugged. Whatever, fearless leader.

Ami edged closer to Abel. "What should I know about addressing the chief? Protocols, traditions, all that. The last thing we need right now is to accidentally offend him."

Rude eyed her. Funny, I was about to ask something along those lines. At least she saved me the trouble.

He kept his eye on the guards. Like his partner, he was just waiting for an excuse to fight his way through these guys... but unlike his partner, he hoped it would not have to come to that. They were outnumbered and on their opponent's home ground-- both conditions they had faced before, but not in 105-degree heat. I knew I shouldn't have worn black today...

[lutz]

Abel chuckled to himself.
"Best not to speak at all pretty much anything will offend this guy..."

The guards brought them all the way to a large hut full of feathers,

Linken: "Let me go see if the chief is ready to see a bunch of Sarsha and the Banished one..."

Linken walked into the large hut, a few seconds later a female Silken ran out of the hut heading straight for Abel,

Abel: "Akasha!"
The female ran over to him giving him a big hug.

Akasha: "I thought I would never see you again...."

Abel: "I am here now..."

Akasha: "But my father he will...."

Voice: "Akasha!"

the loud voice came from the enterence of the hut, a huge strong looking red scaled Silken walked out of the hut, he was at least two feet taller then the rest of his race.

Grom: "Akasha get your hands off the Banished one!"

Abel quickly lifted his head giving her a peck on the cheek followed with.
"I love you!"

Akasha: "Yes father..."
she left abel and walked back up to her fathers side. Grom looked over at Abel.

Grom: "Abel you must have a good reason from coming back here, and I would like to here it! who are these Sarsha!?"

Abel: "These people are not Sarsha....they are from a different world.....MY father teached me the ways of creating portals to cross to other planets!!"

Grom: "Your father was a good man, but here we don't believe in fairytales, other planets, other beings! ha! Abel you will never take my daughters hand, I am looking more towards your brother Linken to take her hand in marriage! he is a fine warrior.....you are weak. "

Abel lowered his head.
"I can't stop you....but you know who I can stop....Lucifer and that is why we have come!"

Grom turned his head quick.
"Lucifer....don't say if name to loud boy....bold statment but it will not win over my daughter...."

Abel: "I am serious!"
a small tear rolled off Abel's face.

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Reno glanced over at Abel. "Smooooth," he commented.

Ami and Rude both elbowed him at once. He grunted and doubled over, the wind knocked out of him.

Ami sighed. She remembered Abel had told her to say nothing, but she didn't think anything she could say now would make things any worse. She came forward and knelt before the chief. "Good sir, please, we need your help," she appealed. "There are other worlds... and ours is in danger. As Lucifer invaded this world, he will invade ours. It has been weakened by decades of war... it won't stand a chance." She bowed her head. "I have already lost one home world to hate and fear. I cannot lose another. And we cannot fight the demon army alone. I beg you to help us."

Rude resisted the impulse to mock-applaud. Drama queen. He kept his hand on the barrel of the Sacrifice, waiting for the first indication that he had to use it.

[lutz]

Grom took a few steps forward and looked at the young girl.
"Well a sarsha bowing to me is just odd enough so you could be who you all say you are, but the Silken live on with untrusting wits, I can not trust you...."
Grom walks back to his hut, but before he could enter

Abel: "Grom! what are you? a coward!"

Grom stopped, one of the guards smacked Abel upside the head. He turned around and walked right up to Abel.

Grom: "Coward....NO if I wasn't mistaken it was you who told me you didn't want to train to become a warrior you hated fighting."
Grom mocked Abel by saying "you hated fighting" in a little girly voice.

Abel: "yes...I do hate fighting....but sometimes you have to fight for life and love...."
Abel looked over a Akasha.

Grom: "I see and as for these....whatever..."

Abel: "They are called Humans..."

Grom: "And these Humans are suppose to lead us to Lucifers hidden base!?"

Abel: "We have already been there...with Samson's help...."

Grom: "The sky Pirate! oohhh this keeps getting better and better."

Abel: "Samson tracked the location with his airship! all we need now is the strength of our people!"

some of the guards around him began to nod and agree with what Abel was saying.

Grom: "Your people!? you turned away from your peoples ways!"

Abel: "No ones ways should be simpley war! you need love and caring as well!"

Grom: ".......Abel you have grown up....I will need time to think about this in my hut..."

Just then the ground shook. Grom looked down at the ground.
what the...
To his suprise two Kilka walked into the village towering over everyone else.

Grom: "My....the Kilka Master Furion...."

Kilka Master Furion: "Yes it is me Grom, please to see you again its been so long."

Grom: "I am honored!"

Furion: "What Abel saids it true my good friend, these beings are from another world and have come to help us, lord Quin has already met the others in the forest...."

Grom looked at Abel in amazment.
"Well then hes braver then I thought....so it is finally time for our races to come out of hiding..."

Furion nodded.
"We your village is ready come back to the forest to regroup and get ready for war!"

Grom: "I asure you not only this village but the rest of the remaining Silken tribes will be there!"
He looked at Amnesty.
Grom: "Young lady there is no need for bowing any more..."

the master Kilka lowered his head and road off.

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Amnesty looked up at him and beamed as Rude helped her to her feet. "Thank you, sir. Thank you." She approached him, her partners following slightly behind. "My name is Amnesty, and these are my friends, Reno and Rude."

Reno decided it was safe to try the grin again. "What's up?" This was, unfortunately, his most formal form of greeting.

Rude groaned and facepalmed himself. Reno shrugged defensively. "What? Chosen ones can afford to be a little casual, yo."

Ami rolled her eyes. "But it doesn't give you license to be disrespectful."

"Disrespectful? Man, I am the definition of respectful, yo," he replied. He turned to the chief. "Got nothin' but love for ya, man!"

Ami giggled nervously. "Rude, go shut him up," she giggled insistently.

Rude grabbed his partner by the ear and dragged him away. "Ow, ow ow ow ow ow..."

Ami watched them go and turned apologeetically to the chief. "Sorry. Reno's mouth tends to run away with him. You get used to it."

She proffered a hand for a shake... "Um, you do shake hands around here, right? Or... what? Sorry, this is a strange place to me... I don't know the right customs or anything of that nature." Just carry on following your heart and hope it keeps steering you right.

Rude opened Ami's sidecar and deposited Reno in it before he could cause any more trouble. "Sit. Stay." He turned to the guards. "We are prepared to lead the way back to our base, as soon as you are ready."

[lutz]

Grom looked at Amnesty with confusion.
"Well yes normaly was Silken slap tails to greet but it seems you don't have a tail so this will be fine..."
Grom reached out to shake her hand, it was Groms first time so he squeezed a bit harder then normal.
Grom: "Pleased to meet you Amnesty!"

Abel shook his head.

Grom: "Now you all may leave and head back for the forest and me and all my tribes will join you in a few days.....then we get ready for war!"

[Amnesty Lazuli]

The squeeze didn't bother Amnesty-- life with three older brothers tends to have that effect. She shook and smiled openly. "A pleasure to meet you, sir. We'll be there!"

She boarded her cycle and turned over the ignition. Reno got out of the sidecar and back into the seat behind her as Rude signaled him to give his seat back.

She turned to Abel. "Are you coming with us, or..." She glanced the direction Akasha had gone. "...Would you rather stay here?"

[lutz]

Abel nodded
"I will be joining you later Amnesty....take care..."

Abel walked over to Akasha and held her hand.

*************************

The ground shook once again and Quin returned to the others.
"Hail to you Lutz....I spoke to my master Furion and he spoke to the Silken already...plans to take our planet back and protect yours has begun!"

the ground shook even more and many Kilka entered the camp, about 15 only but from the history of this planet there are few Kilka left. one of them being master Furion himself.

Furion: "Now we wait for your other friends and the remaining Silken tribes!"

[Amnesty Lazuli]

The rumble of the arriving Kilka completely shook down the shelter Kadaj and his brothers were still vainly trying to build.

Kadaj muttered darkly to himself as he paced by the ruins. "D**n it..."

He took a deep breath and counted to a very high number. He calmly turned to his brothers. "OK, new plan. We just burn these oversized pickup sticks, hope it doesn't rain, and call it a day."

He went inside the ship and closed the hatch to vent without an audience.

Yazoo looked up at Vincent, still seated atop the ship. "You were supposed to warn him, you know."

Vincent kept his eyes on the woods. "Was I, really?"

Yazoo turned and walked off, shaking his head. If he hadn't known any better, he would have said Vincent was smiling to himself under that cape of his...

Loz looked around at the sudden crowd of Kilka in the clearing. "Whoa..."

He snapped out of it and gave Yazoo a smug look. Yazoo ignored him.

The motorcycle roared back into the clearing and braked to a sudden stop near its edge at the sight of all the Kilka present.

Amnesty removed her helmet and blinked. She realized her jaw was hanging open. She shut it.

"Um... hello," she hazarded.

Reno nearly said something, but caught Rude glaring at him. "I know, I know... 'Shut up, Reno.' Geez, you're even more boring than usual these days, partner."

[matt]

Seifer saw the Silken gathering. "Taking out a pair of binoculars that Raijin was holding he took a closer look. "Thats where they are." Seifer took a closer look. "Where's Squall." Akira grinned. "He isn't here." Seifer said nothing. "Lie" he suddenly let out. "And if he isn't we'll just have to get him here." He focussed his view on Ami.