Star-Crossed
By: Jason Tandro
Even during the age of the Mist, summer nights in Alexandria had been quite dry. One would think with the sea and valley mist below the humidity would be oppressive, but apart from the riverbanks of the lower Alexandrian plateau there was hardly any of note. Not that a dry heat was altogether better, but at least one didn't get the sensation of choking on hot soup whenever they breathed.
Zidane and the Princess Garnet Til Alexandros (who still preferred to be called by her self-chosen moniker 'Dagger') had been living within Castle Alexandria for a few years now. And despite Zidane's insistence that he would never know what to do with himself in such opulent surroundings he had made do, mostly by scurring about the rafters and rooftops. As this was his preferred method of getting around, he was often afforded an unusual view of the castle (and in some cases, some rather compromising views of his betrothed). But when summer in the kingdom came around, everything ground to a halt as Zidane could not bear the heat.
The Prima Vista above the clouds had always been on the chilly side, to say nothing of the Theatre District in Lindblum where the hottest summer day was no warmer than a mild March afternoon in Alexandria. He liked it chilly, and Dagger (having grown up in the city) preferred it warmer. Trying to keep his cool (both figuratively and literally) on dates with her during this season was taxing to say the least. Which is why Zidane had come up with the bright idea of taking an away trip to the glittering city of Treno. It was further aways south where the heat was not so enveloping but was not cool enough to force Dagger to wear any unnecessary layers.
Now this plan would have gone off perfectly, were it not for one complication: the mischievous heart of the young Eiko. Eiko had decided to stay in the Castle as well, at the offer of Dagger. She had been studying under the tutelage of Doctor Tot. She was now eight years old and far craftier than she had been two years ago. Her feelings of affection for Zidane had long since worn off, but her natural knack for trouble-making (the gift of any child worth their salt) compelled her to take every opportunity she could to mess with both him and Dagger. They might be going on a date - but she was going on a hunt.
Operation Broken Tail: Planning
"So it's real simple," Eiko said, standing in front of a chalkboard as she unveiled her battle strategy to her moogle friends. "Zidane and Dagger will be hitting four key stops for their date. My hope is to completely ruin by the first stop, but I have planned something at each one."
The little general pointed to the western part of the map of Treno she had crudely drawn on the board, "First a moonlit stroll by the lakeside. Very romantic, except when you fall into the lake. As they cross the bridge here, the stones are gonna break lose and turn our happy couple into divers."
She paused waiting for signs of affirmation or approval. The moogles just stared blanly back at her.
"I'll admit it might have been a bit hastily put together but I still plan to try it. Anyways, point two is at the Treno Auction House. He wants to win her a trinket. That's where I'll need your guys help the most. Whatever Zidane bids on be sure to bid just high enough to make him lose his bid. Can't let him buy Dagger a trinket of any kind. I have a wagon load of gil saved up from our adventures so don't worry about the bill."
Still there was silence.
"Hey! Are you guys even listening to me?!" Eiko demanded.
"We're listening we just don't like what we hear," came the voice of Stiltzkin who was sitting amongst the moogles, dressed in his usual camouflage finery.
"Stiltz? How'd you get here?" Eiko asked.
"I come where I am needed. And if you're trying to prank your friends, I really hope you have something better planned then two plans that definitely won't work," he said.
Eiko scoffed and moved on. "Okay, how about this buddy? Point 3, a lovely dinner at the Chateau D'Quina, Quina's very own restaurant out in Treno. We will take over the kitchen and make a mockery of whatever meal they get, ensuring their dining experience is ruined!"
"Oh no, a bad meal. How ever will they cope?" Stiltzkin sneered.
Eiko was at her breaking point. "Our FOURTH point of contact is the grand finale, a gondola ride on the lake itself. WE WILL KNOCK THAT BOAT OVER!"
"So your fourth plan is the exact same as the first plan?" Stiltzkin shrugged.
"Okay, do you have a better plan?" Eiko snapped.
"Several. But I'd rather watch you fail," Stiltzkin chuckled. "Unless of course you want to ask nicely for my help." Eiko folded her arms and Stiltzkin grinned widely. "Your loss."
Point 1: Moonlight Stroll
Zidane and Dagger arrived at Treno a little before 8 PM. The sun had set and the night time view of the city stretched out before them. Dagger tossed a gil coin in the wishing fountain at the city gate before the two walked down the western stairs to the lakeside.
"This city looks just the same as ever," Zidane said.
"Now that the crisis is over people are more willing to spend their money on fun. We've even been helping out the poor so there are-"
"You know what my love," Zidane said in usual theatric fashion. "Tonight is about us. Let's not discuss politics."
"Oh, so you're not interested in what I have to say?" Dagger playfully scoffed. "I guess things aren't going as well as I thought. You can leave me here."
Zidane moved back towards the bridge over the lake. "Hmm. That's an idea. Maybe I can meet up with Ruby. I hear she's in town."
"Hey, you can't do that!" Dagger teased. "Only the girl gets to make jokes like that."
They were now both on the bridge. Eiko, from her safe view on the opposite side of the lake shot a small flare in the air. It served as both a signal to her moogles and something to distract Zidane and Dagger. The moogles beneath the bridge used a bit of their own magic to loosen the mortar between the stones and with one final flick the whole thing began collapsing.
Now, in fairness to Eiko, it might have worked on an ordinary man, but Zidane's reflexes were at the top of their game. As soon as he felt the structure fall apart he scooped up Dagger like a thief in the night (a rather apt metaphor, if you think about it) and leapt to the safety of the lakeside.
"Well that was exciting," Zidane laughed. "You okay, Dagger?"
"Fine thanks to my hero," she smiled. "Uh. You can put me down now."
"I like where my hand is though."
"Zidane. Public place."
Zidane set her down begrudgingly. Eiko cursed her luck and the two moogles responsible for taking down the bridge did the same as they took turns casting fire spells to dry each other off.
Point 2: Auction House
Having to take an alternate route to the Lord Manor Auction House, they arrived slightly behind schedule. Outside the Auction House was a variety of vendors selling all sorts of sweets and trinkets. Zidane reached into his wallet and bought both Zidane and Dagger a bag of caramel covered strawberries, marshmallow treats in the shape of chocobos and, most importantly, two large hats shaped like the top of moogle heads.
"Dang it," Eiko said, immediately foreseeing the communication problem arising. She turned to her moogles. "Listen here's what each of you have to do. You don't stop until you personally get it, okay? And whatever you do, stick together!"
Needless to say the moogles did not stick together. Upon arriving at the Lord Manor most of the seats were already full so only three of Eiko's envoys could actually enter and they were forced to sit far apart. But they had Eiko's instructions. Not to stop bidding until they personally have the item. They were named Palom, Porom and Perom and each one was convinced they were about to do Eiko proud.
Zidane and Dagger arrived last - they had seats reserved for them. Royal benefits. The Impresario tried to get them to hand over their snacks for safe keeping as eating wasn't allowed inside the hall.
"Yes, but this is the Princess Garnet and her royal highness is hankering for sweets, so if you would kindly bugger off we'd be most grateful," Zidane said in a rude (at best) impression of his proper noble accent.
The Impresario scowled at Zidane, but bowed low and let them enter.
"I would have let him hold the sweets," Dagger said.
"I want nothing to spoil this night, my love. And if you're adamant I will immediately turn tail and hand over our bags to the good gentleman, but I notice you haven't stopped popping those berries into your mouth," Zidane nodded.
Dagger swallowed a strawberry and gave him a look of feigned dignity. "I was just showing my gratitude."
"So should I return them to him?" Zidane asked.
"No he can bugger off like you said. Buy me something good," she insisted.
The host began his usual long-winded speech about how the various treasures had wound up in the Lord's hands and how a lucky, elite few would be able to get their hands on them. The first item up for bid was near enough perfect, an emerald brooch.
"That one," Dagger said.
"That one?" Zidane asked.
"Sic boy!" She added.
"10,000 gil!" Zidane shouted.
Now obscured by the scattering of the moogles who were full of desire to please their tiny mistress as well as hellbent on proving their own worth was the simple reality that Zidane's pockets while deep enough were limited by common sense. Therefore even failing to identify Dagger and Zidane in the crowd meaning each moogle for his part thought think that one of their cohorts had possibly begun the bidding war, all hell broke loose. The epicenter was Eiko's purse.
"15,000!" Shouted Palom.
Then, confused and bewildered (to say nothing of hardly being able to see over the tall heads of their neighbors, Perom stood up and retorted. "20,000!"
"25,000!" came the voice of Zidane, making the final bid he would make of the night.
"35,000!" Shouted Polom.
An even louder Perom called for "50,000!"
And so it went for nearly ten minutes until a panicked Eiko who had been observing from the balcony finally caught on to what was happening and shot a telltale flare. The bid was won by Perom at a "modest" 475,000 gil. But on the plus side, Eiko now had a lovely brooch.
Having spent most of her money on that fruitless endeavor, Eiko ordered a retreat and Zidane was able to snag up a lovely sapphire ring for a mere 5,000.
Point 3: Dinner at Chateau D'Quina
Zidane and Dagger were sitting on the patio - why waste such a clear night as this? Zidane raised his wine glass.
"To the most beautiful girl in the world," he toasted.
"That was exceptionally sappy," Dagger said.
"But my motivation was pure," Zidane replied sipping. He coughed slightly. "This wine appears to be pretty pure too."
"Hey!" Came a small but gruff voice from above them.
They looked up to see Stiltzkin sitting on the awning.
"Stiltzkin!" Dagger smiled. "How have you been?"
Stiltzkin shrugged his tiny moogle arms. "MogNet has been crazy busy since you guys saved the world and I've found all the charm of every nook and cranny of this lovely world of ours. But that's not why I'm here. I came to warn you."
"Warn us?" Zidane asked. "About what?"
"Eiko and her moogle friends are trying to ruin your date. She asked me for help," Stiltzkin said.
"Oh and you said 'no'?" Dagger raised an eyebrow.
"Well, I decided it would be more fun to watch her fail. But I had to step in because she is failing at this even worse than I expected and now I've taken pity on the poor thing," Stiltzkin nodded. "You oughta talk to her and find out why she's doing it. She says she's just wanting to cause a little mischief but there's more to it than that I'm sure."
Just then a large shambling mess in a chef's outfit stumbled out of the door carrying two large platters. The head was hidden under an overlarge cap and the hands seemed rather small and moogle-like.
"Here you go sir," came a tiny voice failing at a Treno accent. "Our finest cuisine. Eat up!"
The figure shambled away, hit its head on the awning and then in a miraculous display all of its limbs and torso began to run away independent from its "head".
"Oh, don't eat that," Stiltzkin warned.
"Yeah, I figured," Zidane nodded.
Point 4: The Moonlit Gondola
"I don't see them anywhere," Eiko cursed, looking out on the crowd of evening boaters.
"Who you looking for?" Dagger asked.
Eiko felt that chill go up the back of her neck - the kind that only happens when you are "busted". She turned around and saw Zidane and Dagger standing side by side, looking as oblivious as anything. Maybe they didn't know. Then she saw Stiltzkin sitting on a nearby awning, who favored her with a wink.
"Well, I was just playing some pranks is all," Eiko blurted out immediately. She didn't react well under pressure.
"And what was the point of it all?" Zidane asked. "I mean bravo on… well I guess attempting to mess with us."
Eiko shrugged. "I don't know."
She really did look her age now, toes turned in, hands behind her back and head down. Dagger sighed. She felt like she could relate.
"Does this have anything to do with the feelings you used to have for Zidane?" She asked.
"No!" Eiko immediately denied. And suddenly she was all fury again. "I grew out of that years ago. The fact is, I'm jealous okay? But not of you Dagger but of both of you." Dagger had tapped the well and now it was overflowing. "You guys are gonna get married and then you'll just be doing your own thing! We never see each other these days. Quina's hardly around these days since she's busy with the restaurant, Freya went back to Burmecia, Steiner's always working, Vivi…"
She didn't say it. They didn't need to hear it.
There were no tears in her eyes, there was just the stoic face of a ten year old girl who had just poured out her heart. "I keep losing people."
Dagger pulled Eiko into a hug. "Eiko, you're never going to lose us."
Zidane joined the hug. It was a touching moment. Until Eiko slipped out of the hug and darted to the other side of the bridge. Dagger looked down, then back to Stiltzkin.
"You ass-"
But she was cut off by the small wooden panel breaking under their combined weight and them plunging into the water.
"You're right Stiltzkin, your idea was better," Eiko laughed.
"Of course it was. Next time, remember that and include me first," he said, flying away.
Zidane pulled Dagger up out of the water, both of them dripping head to toe.
"I hate that brat," he muttered.
"Next time we want go on a date, let's just skip it," Dagger added.