Final Fantasy IX
Trance Gone Wrong
By: David Carter
Note: This is a repost. I deleted the other one and made this more improved. It isn't new, but hopefully it gets more attention the first time.
Ch.1: Eventful morning
The sun rose early in the morning in Lindblum and the only sound made was in the streets. The sound belonged to a man with a red band around his face and his skinny form was pale in the new dawn. His name was Blank, a member of the Tantalus group (known throughout Gaia for their performance of "I want to be your canary"). Today was a good day for today he was to meet his older brother Marcus at the business district. Lindblum was once a great palace, then like the other 4 kingdoms it was attacked by the Eidolons summoned up by Kuja and Queen Brahne. Blank made it to the business district by the cab and there he found Marcus busy instructing Cinna on the newly built house.
"Well young brother, what took you so long?" Marcus was 2 years older then Blank and had traveled much more too. Marcus always played the role of Marcus in the play "I want to be your Canary"; though when Zidane Tribal returned from the dead he allowed him to play the role knowing he wanted to surprise the new Queen Garnet. Cinna was the one with the hammer all the time; never once did he let the other members of Tantalus use it. "Well, it probably is a lame excuse anyway, so don't bother telling me. I have some great news to tell you, please follow me inside." Blank followed him inside and he saw the Regent Cid sitting in the chair. "Blank…aren't you going to say hi?"
"Oh…well hello Regent. What brings you to our humble abode?" The Regent was the brilliant mind of the Hilda Gardes and just recently had adopted (or rather the other way around) the young summoner Eiko Carol. The Regent Cid's wife was Hilda (whom he had named his ships after) and had once been kidnapped by the genome Kuja. Blank went over to the cabinet and poked at the model of the Prima Vista.
"Well it appears a disturbance has happened in Madain Sari, and…it appears my new daughter hasn't come back from her visit. I have already informed Baku of the situation and he is preparing the Prima Vista even as we speak. Queen Garnet is aware as well and is sending Zidane. Now for you three, I have a different mission for you. Your dear friend Quina is in dire need of assistance as the Qu's marsh has been stricken by a terrible catastrophe. It is entirely optional, but would be a great help." The Regent got up and he seemed much older then his age showed. I hope Eiko is ok, if she is harmed in anyway then I shall surely suffer. The Regent bowed then took his leave.
"Quina isn't that the same creature Zidane told us about?" Blank thought back to the feast in the castle and sitting across from him was a plump Qu who ate to its' hearts content. The thing about the Qu was they wore dresses; one indication that they were girls, but then it wielded a sharp fork; an indication it was a guy. They lived in marsh like swamps and the delicacy of the day for them was the amphibious frogs. Blank turned to Cinna and found the builder hammering a nail into one of the loose shelves in the corner. The idea of adventuring out of Lindblum was not a new idea to him as after the feast he often found himself dreaming of the scent of forestry or the smell of the hunt. Though the only downside was the fact that he may get petrified again (note: the day in evil forest when the Prima Vista was shot down. He was petrified in order for Zidane to escape).
"Hmmm, this is a difficult decision boys," Marcus muttered. He stepped outside leaving the two to go about with their own thoughts. I can't just pack up and leave again; he thought with his hands behind his back, this is like a second home to me. I had thoughts of settling down and…heck even having a steady relationship, but Baku he just can't turn the Regent down. Well, maybe one more adventure will do; I mean the play is over and we're stuck here waiting for the inevitable, so why not? Marcus decided to straighten up and as he strode in he stood back in shock as Cinna and Blank were already packed. The two pushed past him and that left him in even more disbelief. "Hey, come back here, don't you even want to hear my speech?" Shrugging his shoulders he put his back to their newly remodeled home and chased after his friends…and family.
Zidane Tribal yawned as he woke up from the couch in the living room and rubbed his head with care. He was once the great thief of Tantalus and the most wanted bachelor of Gaia; but now that he was with Queen Garnet his image had been shifted to off the market and most noticeable in a crowd. He was 16 years old with dirty blonde hair and a tail in the back; all due to his family roots. He was originally from the world of Terra where he was created as a back up to another genome (a mindless body; with limitless expressions) Kuja. Kuja was the Angel of Death to the supreme creator Garland; but Garland expected some flaws so he created Zidane. A third was made in case he failed and her name was Mikoto. Things didn't turn out well and Garland gave Kuja a touch of mortality; he didn't like that one bit, Zidane noted as he walked over to the mirror. It took me a long time to even admit my role in Terra and the genomes that roamed there, I even came close to becoming an exact replica of Kuja too, he thought with a shiver. Kuja used ultima as his last move to eliminate us, he did and that's when we faced Necron. If it wasn't for you pulling us out of there Kuja…our lives would still be in the hill of despair, Zidane thought staring at his image. "But how did I survive?"
"Zidane are you up?" Zidane rushed from the mirror and in the doorway to the master room stood Queen Garnet wearing her orange jumpsuit and white blouse. Zidane stood in awe at her beauty and her figure was more attractive everyday he stood up where he now stood. "Sorry for having you sleep on the couch, but I want to make sure our relationship is stable and trustworthy before I allow you in my room. So are you ready-?"
"Yeah, just checking my hair before I leave," he replied sheepishly. Man, why do I make up such crap when I'm around her? I come back from the dead and have Dagger, but now the words won't come. Perhaps a little time out in the fresh air will bring my charm that lured Dagger to me before, he thought happily. "Well I guess a goodbye kiss is now in order…" Zidane walked up to her and as he put his arms around her waist he felt hesitation; then the least expected thing occurred, she gave him a peck on the cheek!
"Have fun with Baku and remember to find Eiko before you go searching for treasure." As Zidane left, she stood there in afterthought before walking over to the couch where she made Zidane sleep. Her short cut brown hair had grown back to its original length and her clothes were getting small for her growing body. Sitting on the couch she sighed and wondered if making Zidane wait for the kiss was too much. We've come so far and I'm afraid still, afraid he might want someone else. No, that is nonsense; I mean that was all settled in the past. Oh I do hope Eiko is alright; I mean she is like a sister to me and we are the last two summoners on Gaia. "Zidane…I promise to try…soon…"
"Zidane you walk slow, even for an ex thief," Baku said as Zidane slid to a stop by the sign post. The boy sure has changed since the feast, maybe that Garnet chick has been feeding him too much, he thought snidely. "The Prima Vista is parked near the forest; make sure you're properly stocked before we leave. Oh and do make sure you carry some soft, you never know when one of us may get petrified," he added as an afterthought. So while Zidane walked around Lindblum getting the best equipment for the trip, Baku kept himself busy by bossing the Nero brothers around on the ship. "Hey watch it with that piece of equipment will you! Hey that isn't cheap you know, put that over there! No I don't want stale coffee, get me another!" Baku left the three in a state of panic and went to his room where he pulled out his sword. The sword was rusty, and why wouldn't it be, the last seen usage of the blade was in Zidane's trip into the Evil Forest. The sound of footsteps made him sigh and the armor made him even more in distress as right before the cabin door opened he knew it was none other then Captain Steiner.
"Well if it isn't the king of thieves," he said as he walked forward, "I hear you're leaving for Madain Sari, quite a trip for one of your stature. I may still not like your kind, but Queen Garnet trusts you, so my word is nothing. Lady Beatrix told me to cool my temper and…hey why am I telling you this?! Just make sure you find Eiko, or else I'll cook your hide with my sword so hard, you'll be wishing you hadn't heard this!" Baku waved him away and collapsed into his chair. The knight of Alexandria was a weird man, especially when he went into his monologue about right and how thieves' gallivanting about like actors was wrong. Baku had been a thief most of his life, and the fact that his reputation as an actor was known as well just made his jobs harder. He tended to now stay away from the life of mugging or stealing and decided to run the ship in case a speedy retreat was in order. The lads were good, too good beyond his standards, but it seemed that over time what they really longed for was a life…like Zidane. Well that was-
"Hey boss Zidane is back!" Baku got up and walked down the worn down spiral stairs and watched the 16 year old ascend the ramp. He still wore the traditional vest and white shirt and blue baggy pants that gave his tail room to roam. The truth about Zidane was hard to handle at first, the parts about outer space and creating souls was no exception. Zidane, when he first met him, was lonely and out of place, so he did the thing that was right; take the boy in and train him in the ways of the thief. Then at the feast he learns that Zidane's soul purpose in life was to replace this guy Kuja in the Angel of Death job, but the guy put him on Gaia in cold spite, or was it fear? Looking at Zidane now made him feel sorry for the guy, after all these genomes couldn't shed a tear, what life would that be? "Boss…you know I've been holding this piece for 2 minutes and-."
"And you'll hold It longer if I say so," Baku snorted back. Zidane gave Baku a pat on the back then headed up to the cockpit. Baku followed him and watched as the boy he raised turned on the engines without sweating. "So Zidane, I hear you finally got a keeper," Baku said with a wink. The young thief shrugged then flipped the throttle sending Baku scuttling over to the chair's back. Zidane was so intent on flying the Prima Vista it almost seemed like (in his opinion) that he was blowing the subject off. But he knew him better then that-"Listen I may not be an expert on young women, but if you want I'll gladly-."
"Listen Baku…boss, I love that we have time to bond like the old days, but now I have to solve these issues alone." Zidane steered the ship past the approaching mountain tops and by the time he got her safe he continued, this time a little more apologetic, "ok you got me…the Queen has been acting hot lately. Not that she never was hot before, but I find myself on the couch these days and every time I make a move…I get the cold hand!"
"Zidane, I detect fear in our young Queen. You two were just reunited, and she may have thoughts about you…and your flirting days. Most couples go through this, and believe me change is not so easy when the woman asks you to. I went through 3 relationships till I had it up to here, so I began calling the shots and that is why I'm here instead of with a rich lady with fine taste. Give her time, and if you get antsy, take a walk, but not to go peeking up some random girl's blouse. Hey watch it!" Baku was sent from his chair and onto his butt as Zidane made a sharp u turn that led them past the ruined Lifa Tree and to the small village of Madain Sari. Zidane worked the controls and hit the landing gears bringing the huge entertainment ship down to a resting place.
Blank held onto the golden fur of the Chocobo as it dashed across the lands in a sprint. Their main transport was away at Madain Sari, so their only option (besides foot) was to borrow a few Chocobos from the kind Moogle. Marcus was revolted by the idea; Cinna himself was worried about his hammer, but in the end it was Blank that dragged their scared hides into the forest to meet the kind Moogle. Now the funny thing about Moogles was that they looked like little dolls with their soft fur and pom poms, but they were far more useful in the world of Gaia then attracting tourists. "Hey is this fun or-?"
"Blank, do not even start with the Chocobo bit again!" Cinna raised his hammer up as they rode up hill. His face was as pale as the moon and his grip was steel on the one thing that meant anything in his life. The hammer was rusty, but rusty to him meant it still had use. The land of Gaia was separated into 4 continents and the Qu's marsh was a place separated into many parts. "Remind me to thank the boss again when we return."
"Sure, I mean how many times has he had us doing these assignments? Zidane was always the favorite of the boss, but who could blame him, I mean he was a master flirt and his thieving skills were above normal. Hey isn't that the marsh up ahead?" Marcus brought his Chocobo to a halt and slid from the saddle followed by his two brothers. The Tantalus gang was considered a family to him, but the only true brother to him was Blank; whom he considered a brat at times. The marsh was quite a sight when they first stepped in' the smell was rancid and the sound was eerie. The loudest sound that cut out the chatter of the frogs was:
"Frogs…too many frogs! Must eat till master is satisfied," and out of the brush came a Qu dressed in some sort of carpet dress and in its hand was a fork. The strange thing was the Qu was surrounded by an intense beam of red and right away the Tantalus brothers recognized the red of trance. Trance was when an emotional state or being is achieved, it appeared to the boys this Qu had achieved that, but not by eating frogs. The Qu noticed them and stuck out its tongue in a mocking gesture. Then it charged across the small water and lunged at the nearest of them. Blank blocked the attack and Marcus was picked up and thrown into the water next to a few frogs. Cinna rushed into the Qu and was thrown also. "This no place for thieves…you look familiar…can't be…"
"Maybe he's talking about Zidane," Blank groaned as he got out of the water. The Qu recognized the name and that was the cue Cinna needed. He raised the hammer over his head and with a swing knocked the Qu over the head and watched as the trance slowly faded. "A trance induced by…does this sound weird to you guys? I mean a Qu doesn't go fight enemies just like that, and a trance takes a while to occur too. By my knowledge, I'd say this trance has been going for 2 days now. But how is that-?"
"If this could happen to Quina here, do you think it could happen to Eiko too?" The three stared at the kicking body of Quina and already they had their concerns for the boss and Zidane. The day had proved to be quite eventful and already it seemed like evening was approaching with no slowing down.
Authors Note: Reprised and better then ever. My first 7 stories I believe were single spaced, so if my stories start disappearing, make note they will reappear more refurbished. As such is for my story here. It should have more credit, now that I'm improving some what. Hope you liked ch.1, ch.2 will be around shortly.