OOC Warning. English is not my native tongue, might have some errors. Crossover with FFTA and FFIII, but nothing too major and happens mostly in Ivalice. This idea popped into my head: Reks is badass, the King fought Gabaranth off, Ashe helped him out, Reks is badass, Vossler gets a bigger role, FFTA Ninjas are awesome and interdimensional travelling Warriors of Light from FFIII. Oh, and Reks is badass.
Just my rendition of many 'What If' fics, this time, Reks takes the spotlight, not Vaanille this time, thank goodness.
Not hating on Vaanille, but Reks needs more love. The guy was used for tutorial and like WTF they just killed him off without giving two shits? Totally unfair. If so, why put him in the game in the first place? Just skip to the sewers and kill rats with Vaanille and let Kytes or Penelo do tutorial instead.
~Throne room, Palace of Dalmasca~
Reks pants, barely catching his breath as he stumbled into the throne room. His body ached from the beatings he took earlier. Getting to the throne room is harder than he initially thought. If only someone had told him the directions, he wouldn't have to run around aimlessly and might have conserved his energy for more fights.
Now he's the only one in his unit left and if he runs into a particularly strong opponent, he's as good as dead. Reks took a moment to grab a Potion from his pouch (actually Vaan's, but he took it anyway) and gulped it down before turning to the sight in front of him. He gasped in shock.
There, Captain Basch fon Ronsenburg was clashing swords with an aging man whom he presumes to be King Raminas, judging from his regal clothing and crown. There is something strange about the Captain, but he could not figure what. The way he fought seemed a little off. The stance, the strikes, everything was off.
He never saw the Captain in single combat before, but he doubts Captain Basch would be one to use cheap moves. To kick an old man in the knee is just... low. Too low for an honorable knight like Basch fon Ronsenburg. But that was not the only distraction provided by the people in the throne room.
Fighting hordes of Rozarrian soldiers is a woman in what seems to be an incomplete Dalmascans infantry armor. Only the body armor and greaves are present, leaving her face, arms and thighs unarmored. Her helmet had been knocked off, showing short sandy blonde locks and an incredibly beautiful face (or so Reks thinks, despite her furious expression).
A deep gash on her right cheek is or was bleeding, staining parts of her hair and neck. Numerous cuts decorate the exposed parts of her body, especially her arms. She held her longsword with her right hand and a shield on her left. The woman fought gracefully, so unlike the untrained Reks, who relied on brute strength and sheer luck.
Without thinking, he immediately rushed towards the woman, forgetting his duties and instead following his instincts. Though the girl looks capable of defending herself, Reks feels like he has to defend her first. The King seems to be holding out just fine. He has a big-ass sword and a cool shield to boot, so he presumes the King can handle Captain Basch... right?
Reks dashed towards the woman, who just noticed him. She was about to say something when Reks cut down a soldier who tried to attack her. "Careful now! Don't let your guard down just 'cuz ya got a fancy shield!"
The woman frowned at him, but nevertheless accepted his help. She managed to take down five of the eleven Rozarrian soldiers fighting her, and Reks just took care of another one. Releasing a breath, the woman roared, charging at three soldiers while Reks hacked and slashed at the others. His wild, unpredictable pattern is a great contrast to the woman's trained and elegant moves, which resemble a school of swordsmanship known as Dalmascan Fencing (he may not be very educated, but Reks knew that one from his experience in the army).
"Do not bother with me! Defend the King at once, soldier!" the woman calls, trying to fend off her three opponents. "I am but a lowly knight! My life is not worth his Majesty's!"
Reks pretended to ignore her and continued his task of killing the remaining soldiers. He can see her falter from exhaustion, but he couldn't be bothered to cast Cure or toss a Potion at her, so he concentrated on fighting instead. He hoped the King can hang on while he finishes up here. Just as he pulled his sword out of a soldier's chest, he heard a loud clang and whipped around to see the King's large sword laying discarded on the ground.
"NO!" the woman screams, running towards Captain fon Ronsenburg.
She clashed swords with him, looking desperate. Using her remaining strength, she attempted to push him back as far away from the King as possible while he retrieved his sword. Her relentless attack resulted in nothing but a simple chip at the side of his armor. But alas, tired from her previous battles, the Captain easily overpowered her and ruthlessly kicked the woman away. She was sent sprawling on the ground, but she kept a firm hold on her weapon. The woman coughed a few times, holding her stomach. He must have hit her pretty hard.
"ASHIELA!" the King yelled, running after the woman instead of picking his weapon up. As he turned away, Captain Basch readied his sword and thrust it, aiming for the King's heart...
His body moved on its own. Reks, swift as a coeurl, dashed in to defend King Raminas of Dalmasca. He stood in front of the Captain, feet planted on the ground, sword poised to strike. But alas, being a young inexperienced desert thief, Reks was ill-prepared to face the seasoned warrior. Captain Basch did not even hesitate to run through him with his sword.
Reks felt an unexplained pain course through his body as the Captain's blade pierced through his abdomen. He felt blood rise to his mouth and drip down his chin. No, it couldn't end this way. He won't let the traitor of a knight get his hands on the King. He won't let him lay a hand on that woman, regardless of who she is. He won't let this traitor kill anyone anymore.
"What the...?" Captain Basch is in disbelief. Who does he think he is, this desert warrior? Reks used his free hand to grab the Captain's wrists, keeping him in place while he thrust his sword at the traitor's side, where his armor had been chipped. Captain Basch howled as the broadsword pierced in between his ribs and struck one of his lungs. He tried wrenching his arms free from Reks' grasp, but the desert warrior would not let go.
"Bastard..." Reks spat, glaring at the man with all the hatred he could muster. "I fuckin' trusted ya. And not only do ya fuckin' betray Dalmasca, attack the King himself but... but..." the image of Captain Basch striking the woman replayed on his mind. "You also soiled what little is left of your honor by attacking a woman."
Behind him, the woman gasped. Did Reks do all this... because the Captain attacked her? She felt the King aiding her to sit up, and she took a deep breath to calm herself. Muttering a quick Cure to soothe her injuries, she stood up again. The King shot a worried glance at her, but she gestured for him to pick up his sword.
"Though she's a strong warrior, ya gotta remember. She's still a girl. And I'm not sayin' girls are weak. But as a knight, ain't it your fuckin' job to protect girls, not kick 'em around? Eat this, you fuckin' son of a bitch." Reks twisted his sword, further rupturing the Captain's lung. Captain Basch howled in unmistakable pain, blood pouring out of his mouth.
Fiery determination spread through Reks' body like wildfire, negating all pain and exhaustion from his system. From here on out, he'll fight not to merely protect his homeland; not to save the King and this woman, but to fight for his honor as a soldier of Dalmasca. And no soldier's gonna back down against bloody traitors.
~Corridor near Throne room, Palace of Dalmasca~
"Hurry men, we must escape and regroup!" Vossler yells, rallying his remaining troops to the nearest room. They were being chased by a large wave of Rozarrians, and when he sets eyes on the room he led them to, the knight is stumped beyond belief to find himself in the throne room. He should be. Unwise enough to keep track of his surroundings and leading a good chunk of the Rozarrian army to where the King is... Yeah. Smart move, Vossler.
But what stunned him more is the sight of his old friend and comrade, Basch fon Ronsenburg, sword stabbing through the young soldier known as Reks. Behind the desert warrior is the King himself, Raminas B'nargin Dalmasca. And beside him is... is...
"YOUR MAJESTY! PRINCESS ASHIELA!" Vossler exclaimed in surprise. He thought the Princess had evacuated the castle along with the other ladies-in-waiting who serve under her. The woman cursed under her breath.
Captain Basch turned and spat profanities at the sight of Vossler.
The confused knight was looking from the Dalmascan royals to the two of them in alternation He did not know whether to jump in and defend the King and Princess or to break up the fight between his two comrades. But something is strange though, about Captain Basch. He, in no way, would strike one of his own men, let alone a young soldier, considered by him to be a child, like Reks. Also, he does not swear like a drunken sailor. The Captain Basch he knew keeps himself calm and collected at all times.
"Damn you to hell, soldier!" Captain Basch used his last strength to break the sword lodged in Reks' abdomen and ran off, carrying the broken blade with him. He ran past Vossler without a second thought. The knight is even more confused. This is completely out-of-character for the Captain.
Reks grunts, holding onto the wound in his abdomen. "Fuck. The bastard's got some tough lungs if he can still run." he spat, glaring at the retreating figure of the Captain. He was about to give chase when a horde of Rozarrian soldiers came out of nowhere (*cough* behind Vossler *cough*) and charged at them.
Of course, Vossler and his troops tried to fight them off, but they can't exactly stop the soldiers from advancing to the throne room. King Raminas had his sword and shield at the ready, while the woman walked over to Reks.
"Thanks." she said, glancing at the desert warrior. "For helping us."
Reks grinned. The woman's really beautiful. For a 'lowly knight', she's got a pretty face. He wonders if he could score with her when this whole thing's over.
"No shit." Reks says, holding his sword in front of him. "It's all in the day's work."
The woman chuckled lightly. "Well, I do hope you're in for some over-time, soldier."
Reks never felt so safe in the middle of the battlefield. Screw the Rozarrian Empire, this pretty knight girl might be the answer to all his questions regarding his sexuality (Penelo & Filo are cute, but Vaan [WTF he's your own brother] and Kytes are pretty).
"Over-time, huh?" Reks grins wider as the first wave of Rozarrian soldiers reach them. "Then I don't suppose I'll get a 'raise' for this?"
The woman just chuckled again. "We'll see if you'll get the 'raise' you want."
And the battle has just begun.
TBC