The Dark Messenger
Chapter 1
Zidane pulled the covers of his bed over his face. He hadn't slept at all tonight, and it was already three or four. He sighed and climbed out of the big bed, throwing on some shoes.
"No point in wasting my life here." He grabbed a dagger, or more precisely an Orichalcon. It was his preferred weapon currently. He carried it with him just in case – the back alleys of Alexandria could be dangerous sometimes.
As he went to open the wide oak doors and leave the royal quarters, he heard Garnet moan and roll over behind him. He closed the door carefully.
Zidane grew tired of the life of a king. Because… they were married. He felt like he had so much responsibility. And he couldn't deal with it. So he forced it all on Garnet, and that made him feel guilty. He just wanted to get away from it all.
But no, that was not an option.
Trudging down the halls towards the foyer he brushed passed soldiers who were on patrol. "Good morning, sire!" Zidane gave off a "Mnn." in response.
Leaving the castle and heading to the canal docks, he was greeted by a very loud voice rushing towards him. "Sire, what are you doing up so early!"
Adelbert Steiner, Captain of the Knights of Pluto was dashing towards Zidane, his clunky worn armor almost tripping him several times. He raised his broadsword up in salute.
"Rusty, I told you… Don't call me sire."
"But sire, you are the king of Alexandria now, and-" Steiner began. "We're friends, dude. Zidane works fine."
"Yes, si-… Zidane." Steiner said, as if it pained him. "Where are you off to?"
"I'm just restless, that's all. Ruby's Mini-Theater sounds like a good place to go right about now." Zidane murmured. Steiner smiled.
"Well then be careful. I've seen how seedy that part of town is at night."
Zidane nodded and climbed on the elongated barge that connected the castle to the city. Steiner saluted once more as the boat floated off and ran to continue his rounds.
Zidane was shocked to find Ruby's theatre so crowded at this time in the morning, but he had heard rumors of an early morning matinee. Either way, he was glad to see some familiar faces.
Blank sheathed his sword and ran over to Zidane. He had been practicing for a play – Zidane was glad, and oddly enough, jealous, to see Tantalus back into the biz.
"Yo, your Majesty." Blank stated, smiling.
"Eh, shut it, Blank." Zidane stared around the theatre which… wasn't exactly mini anymore. Ruby had made quite the expansion. The stage was about the size of the once great Prima Vista's, and the grand room was filled with tables and chairs to the burst point. They had an impressive bar and dinner menu, and they even functioned as an inn upstairs now, a place Zidane had ofted stayed before he and Garnet tied the knot.
"Baku and Ruby are backstage; I'm sure they'd like to see you." Blank said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Baku's here?" Zidane asked, more than a little bit surprised. Before he got a response he was being tugged by the wrist towards the stage, Blank making crude comments to patrons like "Make way for his Majesty" and "Move it or he'll toss you in the dungeon!" Zidane was hardly amused.
After entering a door and walking through a few halls Zidane found himself confronted by Tantalus, who were all guzzling down shots and laughing like crazy. Baku was giving off his characteristic laugh. Even over this Zidane could make out the loud murmur of patrons behind the red curtains; this theatre had really surprised all of Alexandria. It started out small but was now even more prosperous then the Morning Light Bar.
Ruby came over, staring at Zidane and smiling. "Well rattle mah snake, his highness came to mah little ol' theatuh!" She gave him a hug and smiled again. "Heah for the show, darlin'?"
Zidane hadn't been initially, but it sounded like fun. "Yeah! Man, Ruby, this place is so popular these days."
Baku came swaggering over, hands on his hips. "Gwahahahahahahah, if it isn't my good ol' boy! How's palace life treaten' ya, Ziddy?"
"Oh, it's… fine." Zidane lied. "You guys should visit sometime, you know that you're always welcome."
A stage attendant walked in and called toward Ruby intently. "Five minutes till curtain!" Ruby nodded and started ushering Zidane and Baku out towards the stage door. "You boys take a seat! Enjoy the show, Zidane."
Baku beckoned for the blond Genome to follow him to his table, which was comfortably up front. In a few minutes the curtains opened and Ruby walked out, in costume.
"This mornin's show is The Eidolon and I, a story set in the days of ol'. Ya see, Lord Anthius was a prosperous ol' fellah who-"
Zidane was no longer paying attention to the play, as he had seen and performed it countless times. He turned to Baku and decided to talk; he didn't see the big guy often. Lindblum was so far away…
"Remember when I was little, when you found me wandering the streets of Lindblum?" Zidane asked. Baku nodded. "Yup. Best little thief I ever saw. I should know, you picked three hundred gil right out of mah pocket! Gwahahaha!"
"You invited me into Tantalus, without even thinking about it. That's when I found my home. It wasn't Terra, it was Lindblum. It was Gaia."
"Yup. An' I'm sure you're a better fellah cuz of it." Baku said, requesting a beer from the waitress.
"Well… I… I just miss my life. My true home. I don't belong amongst royalty!" Zidane burst, slamming an empty flask down on the table. Baku sighed.
"You know you're always welcome back with us, kid."
Zidane smiled. "Thanks, but… I just can't abandon Garnet…"
They quit talking and watched the play. Zidane felt good here – he felt right.
Zidane sat at the very large table in the castle's 'breakfast nook.' It almost disgusted him, how big it was, considering it was for one rather insignificant meal. He was cutting up some sausage diligently – this new cook was a bit…original.
"I heard you went out early this morning." Garnet muttered, taking a dainty and incredibly queenly bite.
Zidane nodded. "Uh-huh. I've been having trouble sleeping lately. I just needed something to do." Zidane replied, stuffing a large hunk of sausage into his mouth. The two were sure an odd couple.
Garnet sighed. "Is there something you want to tell me?"
"No, or I'd TELL you." Zidane murmured, eyes half closed.
"Well, there's something I want to tell you." She stated, staring intently at her husband.
Zidane stuffed another bite into his mouth as if in reply.
"I… I want a child." Zidane's eyes widened and he started choking on said piece of meat. He slammed his fist on his chest to get the bit of sausage down. He gasped for air and stared intently at Garnet. "WHAT!"
"I want a child! We need one anyway, it's not like we have any other heirs to the throne!" Zidane raised his hands into a "Stop" sort of gesture. "Whoawhoawhoawhoa! That's a big commitment!"
"Zidane…" Garnet began. "I'm not exactly the most fatherly man around, Garnet! I mean I was born in a lab and raised by thieves for god's sake!" He finally eased up a bit. "And… I'm not sure we're ready. I mean hell, how long have we been married? Not even two years!"
Garnet sighed once more. "Why are you so worked up about this? You're great with kids! Vivi, Eiko…"
"Vivi is getting older and Eiko was more mature then you might want to admit." Zidane muttered, staring into his wife's brown eyes.
"Why are you so concerned, Zidane! I think you'd make a great father!"
The Genome stood up. "Look, I just don't think that it's a good idea yet! Maybe in a year or two, but I'm not ready."
"Beatrix and Steiner are going to have a kid!"
"Yeah, more power to 'em." Zidane said, walking towards the door. "I'm off to the Outer Continent. Today's my monthly 'Visit the Genomes' day. I'm taking the Red Rose."
Garnet considered protesting but decided against it. He did have an obligation, and there would be a better time to talk about this.
The Red Rose had been modified expertly by Regent Cid. It now possessed a non-Mist engine, and was even a parallel in power to the Hilda Garde 3 of Lindblum.
Zidane was shocked at how quickly the non-Mist engine had spread people and traders across Gaia. As he passed over the exit from Fossil Roo he noticed a rather sizeable trading post crowded around it, and, coming closer to Conde Petie he noticed a merchant vessel parked just outside, and a dwarf conversing with a trader from Treno.
It was raining lightly, a sort of slim rain that would get you very wet much faster then you'd think. Zidane was wearing a black cloak to shield himself from the cold; it wouldn't be bad down on terra firma but up here the wind was very fast.
A rather regal swallow was slung over his shoulder. It resembled more of a double bladed glaive then a two sided saber. Its blades were a white platinum, and a garnet was encrusted on either side. Upon the blades was the word Alexander. This was the sword of Alexandria, or at least it had been both of them, but Garnet had given Zidane permission to synthesize them together.
As the great vessel approached the Black Mage Village, Zidane noticed a rather impressive sight in the forest nearby. An airstrip had been carved out, making it MUCH easier to get to the growing town. As the Red Rose came in for a landing, Zidane prepared himself to lunge off the edge. It was faster then climbing out the normal way.
The blond Genome leapt off and landed with a thud. A few mages marched forward, smiling. Or at least, they would have been if you could see their mouths.
"Mister Zidane, it's a pleasure to see you again. How is Dagger?"
"Dagger…?" Zidane muttered. He had almost forgot her former nickname. "Oh, she's fine." Zidane stared behind the mages to the former path to the village, which was now…part of the village. This place was growing.
"Is Vivi here?"
One of the mages was about to reply when he was cut off by the genuine deal. "Hey, Zidane!"
Vivi came dashing up, his staff flailing behind him. The little mage was clearly happy to see him. "What's going on?"
"Well, I'm here for a visit, kid. I missed you guys." Zidane replied, smiling. It was good to be with his friend again. "How are the Genomes?"
"They're really progressing. They're way more alert now, in fact, some of the most progressed are developing a sense of humor!" Vivi blurted. He was really excited.
Zidane was about to reply, but Vivi continued. "We got some… new Genomes a while ago."
Zidane was surprised by this comment. "Huh!"
"Well, you see-" Vivi began, but now he was cut off.
"Hello, Zidane." Mikoto said, walking up. She wasn't smiling or frowning. She was one of the Genomes that was… gifted, like Zidane, but you couldn't really tell from the way she looked all the time.
"Hey sis. Vivi was just telling me that you got some new arrivals."
"Yes. Other Genomes, more like you and I. I'm not sure where they've been between Terra and now, but they said that they were always here. I'm not sure what they meant."
Zidane cocked his head quizzically. "That's odd."
Mikoto began walking to the village, so Zidane and Vivi followed. Zidane was met with stares by the other Genomes. They were still interested in him. Maybe they looked up to him. He thought they did.
As they came near the stream, Zidane's gaze turned towards a newer district of huts. About five Genomes were standing there, observing the village vacantly. Zidane would have paid them no heed, had they not been so intriguing.
For these Genomes didn't look like regular Genomes.
Their hair were each different. No blonds. Their tails matched. They weren't wearing the common Genome attire either. It looked more uniform… more blatant. Except for one of them. This one got Zidane VERY suspicious.
Silver hair, blue eyes, and clothing very much so original. It reminded Zidane of Kuja, god forbid. He looked like a regular Genome in every other way, however, so the blond shrugged the suspicion off.
It was still raining, even a little harder now. Mikoto beckoned towards Zidane and so they entered her hut that she shared with Vivi – they were friends now.
"Did you see the new guys?" Vivi asked, drinking a glass of water.
Zidane nodded, staring vacantly into space. He almost looked like one of the others right now. "One of them seemed…more like you and I, Mikoto."
The girl nodded. "He seems to be their leader. They all seem more lively then our common brethren, but he's… like you and I, you're right."
Zidane pondered this for a moment. "They all had different hair… brown, black… and silver. Odd."
Vivi yawned. "Are you guys hungry? The mages in the food hut have probably started on dinner."
Mikoto nodded, but noticed that Zidane was too lost in though to reply, so she put in an order for him as well.
Vivi had left to get dinner, and Zidane was bored. So he decided to have a walk around.
No one was out here. Odd.
'Rain and more rain. Depressing.' He thought, walking towards a bridge to cross the stream. One step, two step, one step, two step. Monotonous rhythm, almost comfort in some way.
"Go back to your true home, Zidane."
Zidane's head lunged up and he looked around. The silver-haired 'new arrival' was staring at him intently. "Follow your heart back home."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Zidane asked.
"You know what it means."
"My true home? How do you know?"
"That is irrelevant, Zidane." The silver-haired Genome muttered. He disappeared and reappeared behind Zidane. "What IS relevant is going home, back to Tantalus."
"How in hell do you know this stuff?"
"Go back home." With this, he vanished.
"Okay. What. The. FUCK?" Zidane asked no one as he stared around. "That was… odd. And stupid."
Or was it? He did want to go home… Lindblum. The place he had grown up in. Ahhhh, what the hell did that kid know? For that matter… how DID he know?
Zidane turned this over in his head for a few moments. At last, he uttered, "Freak."
Vivi called after Zidane as he returned to his hut with dinner. He was using magic to make it float in the air. Resourceful little kid.
"Hey, Zidane! C'mon, while it's still warm!"
"Hakay!" Zidane yelled, turning and running back to the hut.
On his way home. He sighed, watching the rain fall. Staring down at the village. Well, this was one odd day.
The Red Rose sputtered and dropped a bit. The engine did this from time to time, and Zidane was used to it. It would have made anyone else's gut wrench.
Hm… Home. Maybe that freak was right. He had told Baku that he missed Tantalus. What a freak. That incident was not only weird, it was stupid.
They were already passing over the exit of the Fossil Roo when Zidane decided to head in to his quarters. It was late.
END