This is a rewrite of a rather good story (IMO) that I had been working on extensively and then stopped…and I haven't touched it since March of 2006. I've improved a lot since then, and after recently replaying FFIX, I was struck with the inspiration to redo it…and redo it right.

You can read the original by going to my profile, since the site won't let me use a link for whatever reason. If you do read it, you'll realize how closely this compares to it.

Anyway, without further ado, I present to you, good reader,

Wicked Melody

by the Rabid Biscuit


Chapter One

The great lake of Alexandria looked oddly surreal at night. The two moons' twin reflections, one red and one blue, rippling on the tranquil surface made it look like a portal to another world.

Well, Zidane had dealt with portals to other worlds, and frankly, he was glad that this was not one of them. Its light did, however, remind him of Terra – the blue light from his birth that pulsed through his soul.

Lately he hadn't slept so well. It was roughly five-thirty in the morning, and Zidane had barely managed to get three hours of sleep from around midnight until about three. He had laid awake next to his peacefully sleeping wife for an hour or so, and then he got up and went out onto the balcony to stare out at the lake.

His eyes glanced often towards South Gate, and beyond it, the Lindblum Regency. Then he would catch himself thinking thoughts best not thought and would snap back to the center of the lake where the moon rippled casually. He could sea the eastern skies begin to light up and figured he had best start the day.

The truth was that he was simply not cut out to be the king. He knew it, and he wished he hadn't been so foolish two years ago when he took Garnet's hand in holy matrimony. His was the blood of a thief, an adventurer, a romantic hero (if he did say so himself). Oftentimes nowadays, as he sat stoically in the throne, he would think of the old days parading around with Tantalus – looting, adventuring, winning over girls with his masterful performing. Then he would remember that he was married, he jointly ruled a kingdom, and that he could never return to those days.

What was worse was that he inevitably forced all of his responsibilities on Garnet, and then he felt guilty. Now he just wanted to get away from it all.

Zidane yawned, stretched, and turned back towards their room. "I think I'll go down to Ruby's Mini-Theatre…catch up with her…"

Zidane slipped a black and gold cloak on and slid a pair of exquisite daggers into scabbards on either hip. He glanced back at the figure of Garnet, felt a little flutter in his stomach (for he still very much cared for her), and opened the great wooden doors carefully as not to disturb her.

As he brushed past a pair of Pluto Knights on his trip through the castle foyer, they gave crisp salutes and a hearty good morning. Zidane gave a weak smile and nodded as he passed.

Honestly, he liked palace life for what it was worth. The food was terrific. He had never been treated so well. He was married to the girl of his dreams. But then he remembered traveling and seeing the world, fighting the bad guys and getting the girl in the first place, and the now died away and the then came flooding back. Twenty years old and he was already retired.

As Zidane walked out to the lakeside where the skiff was parked, he bumped into Steiner, who guffawed , cleared his throat, straightened up and saluted. His voice was like a bloody megaphone to the ear. "Ehem, erm…! Good morning, sire! You're up rather early."

Zidane smiled. "At ease, Sir Rusty. Hey, I told you, you don't have to call me sire. We're friends, after all."

After two years, Steiner had really warmed up to Zidane, and they had become good friends. But Steiner was still a man of etiquette, and he simply insisted on referring to Zidane in any number of regal ways.

"I'm sorry, Zidane. It's just…well, you know." Steiner replied.

"No problem. Well anyway, I'm going to head into town and see if anyone's in at Ruby's place. I've been having trouble sleeping lately," Zidane replied.

"Very well. Be careful. The back alleys tend to be dangerous around that part of town."

Zidane actually laughed. "Hey, cut me some slack, Steiner. I'm not so far out of practice that I need to worry." He stepped onto the skiff and the soldier began rowing.

Steiner saluted and returned to his patrol.

As he arrived and strolled down the steps into the famed Mini-Theatre, he was surprised to see how crowded it was. Patrons filled every seat.

Ruby had done some serious expanding over the last two years. The theater was rather un-mini anymore – the stage was easily as big as the Prima Vista's. Ruby had bought up the entire building and converted the upper floors into an inn, pub, and private home. The theater served food and drinks now, as well.

He was rather surprised to see Blank leaning against the wall near the stage, talking with Ruby. Last he heard, their relationship was going better, but with them, it was hard to tell.

"I wonder if all of Tantalus is here…?"

Zidane walked over to his two friends and pulled down his hood, revealing his "dashing" good looks.

"Well rattle mah snake, if it ain't his majesty the great King Zidane! What brings ya down heah, suguh?" Ruby asked, smiling.

"Yo, yer Majesty," Blank said, grinning. "Good to see you."

"It's great to see you guys too. I just had to get out of the palace for a while. What're you doing here, anyway, Blank?" Zidane asked, feeling much more comfortable with his old friends.

Blank gestured for Zidane to follow him backstage. "We're all here. Tantalus is putting on a performance at 6:30. 'The Eidolon and I.'" He pushed open the door to the dark backstage room and the three entered.

"That's an interesting time for a play."

"Yeah, well we like to mix it up," Blank replied, grinning.

The sound of laughter soon reached his ears and Zidane realized that all of Tantalus, including Baku, were here, sitting around a table, hollering, and downing shots of gysahl whiskey. Even over their hoping and hollering and through the thick red velvet curtains, he could hear the loud crowd beyond.

"Hey y'all, look who dropped in for a visit!" Ruby shouted.

The heads of Marcus, Cinna, and Baku all turned toward him in unison.

"Gwahahaha! Well if it isn't our lord and worship! Come over here Zidane, and take a seat. It's been a while," hollered Baku. Zidane felt more elated to see Baku than he had ever felt before – after all, the man was practically his father.

"Hey man, how's it going?" asked Marcus, who slid him a glass of whiskey. Cinna grinned.

Zidane pulled up a chair and sat down next to Baku. Ruby and Blank sat down across from him.

"You have no idea how good it is to see all of you," Zidane said, taking a choked sip of the whiskey. He hadn't had strong liquor like that for years now.

"Gwahahahaha!!! I figured what with rulin' a country we'd be the last people on your mind!" Baku replied, slapping Zidane heartily on the back.

"Hardly! I think about you guys daily. I…" He was about to say how he often wanted to come back and join them again, but thought against it. "I just really miss you guys. You should come visit the castle sometimes – you're old friends of the family!"

Marcus laughed. "Well that's good to hear. We were actually just talking about you before you showed."

A stage attendant slid in the door. "Hey guys! Five minutes until showtime! Get in positions!"

"Arright, darlin'! You n' Baku go make yerselves comfortable front row-center, n' we'll get this show on the road!" Ruby ordered. Baku stood up, sneezed, and tugged Zidane out the door.

As they sat down at their table, Ruby, in full costume, slipped out between the curtains, the light fell, and she began. "Thank y'all for coming this morning to a very special performance by the esteemed Tantalus Troupe from good ol' Lindblum. We hope you all enjoy this rivetin' rendition of Lord Eliston's classic 'The Eidolon and I!'"

The band to the right of the stage began playing the opening score and Ruby began the play. "Now, Lord Anthius of Treno was a prosperous noble in the age of Ipsen, and he-"

At this point, Zidane turned to Baku to talk and catch up. After all, he had seen and performed this play more times than he could count.

"Boss…?" he began.

At first Baku didn't respond, but then he must have realized that Zidane just spoke because his eyes widened a little and he turned. "Funny hearin' you say boss. Anyway, hmm?"

"Remember when I was little…the day you found me scrounging around the streets of Lindblum?" Zidane asked.

"Hell, I'll never forget. Best little thief I ever met. I should know…after all you did lift 300 gil right outta my back pocket! Gwahahaha!"

"Right then and there, you invited me into Tantalus. You didn't even think twice. You took me in and raised me like a son. And that became my home. After all I've been through, after discovering where I really came from, and after getting married and becoming the king, I realized that Tantalus is my real home. That's where I belong."

"Yeah? I know…It's been different without you, Zidane. But…what's your point?" Baku asked, eyeing his adoptive son curiously.

"Well…I…I just miss my life. My life at home. Where I belong. I love Garnet more than anyone in the entire world, but I'm just not cut out to be royalty," said Zidane. Baku sighed.

"I figured this day might come. Well you know you can always come visit us, and I'll try to come see you guys some more, n'…Well hell, we're here together right now. Let's just enjoy the play, huh?"

Zidane nodded. "Sure." He turned his attention to the stage; they were at the scene where Lord Anthius (Marcus) took on Lord Haverforth (Blank) in a duel over the fair maiden (Ruby)'s heart.

"I'll not stand back and see the fair Cassandra wed to a scoundrel like you!" Anthius proclaimed. Haverforth laughed raucously, drawing his sword.

"A scoundrel like me, say you? Ha! You are the only scoundrel here tonight, Anthius! Have at thee!"

With that, they burst into a flashy and impressive sword fight culminating in Anthius pointing his sword at Haverforth's neck, who then plunged down over the edge of the stage, dying the way he lived.

Blank got up, winked at Zidane, and headed backstage to change for another part.

"Gwahahahaha, the old boys still got it, eh Zidane?" Baku declared clapping his hands along with the crowd.

Zidane applauded too – he felt more at home now than he had in ages.