Hiii all!
Um, this is the first fic I've posted on this account so plz be nice D
Um the first chapter is really long, I know, but it's more of an introduction sort of thing, just to get all that stuff out of the way. That's when it'll get interesting and (hopefully) different, because I know nothing here is really special, hehe.
Big ups to Nicole, for helping encourage me to write this.
Disclaimer: I do not own Squaresoft, Enix, Final Fantasy IX, or anything else you see here. Deal with it D
"Mornin' hun!"
"Ugh. Go away Ruby."
"Now now! I gone get up early an' cook yer some pancakes, an' this is the thanks I get?"
"You're kidding! Bro, get up, quick before the Boss eats it all!"
"I'm awake." Blank managed to sigh before he could be roughly shaken by the man who shared his tent. "Go save me some."
"All right!" Ruby squeaked loudly as Marcus pushed past her in his eagerness to get to the pancakes. "Make way!"
"Y'all right in there Blank?" The woman eyed the dark-haired man in concern. Blank merely nodded, and rolled over onto his back. "Don' be too long now, Marcus was right about Baku."
"All right." Blank nodded, and waited until Ruby left, and he was alone, before rolling back over, pulling his blanket up to his nose. The truth was, he knew perfectly well that Ruby was making pancakes. He heard her getting up to make them an hour early, struggling with limited food supplies and only an open fire and a few utensils to work with. She had the bluest language when she thought nobody was listening. Blank rubbed at his itching eyes, trying to shake the feeling of tiredness. Once again, he had passed a night with almost no sleep.
But he was far from alone in that respect. Blank heard Baku getting up and pacing the camp site several times during the night, and it was hours before Marcus stopped tossing and turning beside him.
I can't lie here forever. Ruby worked real hard on those pancakes, and I'm starving. Blank groaned as he sat up, running his hands through his hair. Almost in a daze, he pulled on his outer clothing and boots, before standing up and out of the pyramidal moogle's tent.
It was a cold morning, and mist ("regular mist, not monster mist." He reminded himself after a heartbeat of panic) stretched as far as one could see, in all directions. He could not see the ocean. Already a knot of people were gathered around the fire, fighting over Ruby's pancakes, which seemed to be going down a hit.
"Hey, that was mine!"
"Shove off Cinna, I called it. Get up earlier if you wanna be in- Hey!"
"Bwahahahaha! Thanks a pile Marcus. Mmm Ruby these are good!"
"Aw come on Boss! That was saved for Blank!"
"It's all right." Blank sat down cross-legged between Marcus and Ruby. "I'm not so hungry." His stomach growled loudly in protest. "All right, I'm hungry, but don't worry."
"Aw, it's okay hun." Ruby whisked a cloth off a small plate, revealing a small stack of her pancakes. "I saved some for ya."
"Aw, thanks Ruby." Blank forced a smile before taking the plate, staring down at the food glumly.
"Bosses tax!" Baku barked, before quickly striking, snatching a slightly misshapen pancake from Blanks' plate. "So Ruby, what's the occasion? Did I forget someone's birthday again?"
"Nah, I just thought y'all deserved a pick me up..." Her thick blonde locks fell over her face as she stared into the fire. "Uh, I'm going to hafta get back to Conde Petie sometime taday. We're almost completely out of everythin'!"
"Sure." Baku nodded. "How much do you think you'll need?"
"Uh, I aint so sure.."
Blank tuned out, staring at the flickering flames, a shifting puzzle of orange and yellow. He refused to look at the Iifa Tree that loomed above them – no one could.
It's been ten days. Blanks hands' clenched into fists. Ten days since the Mist disappeared and the Tree collapsed. And eight days since we first got here and started looking. He rested his chin on his knees glumly. We don't have much time left before... He closed his mind to the inevitable. But he would not, never, give up, not while there was a hope, a chance, no matter how vague.
It was a memory that would burn on his mind forever. A face he would never forget, not in a million years.
Zidane... Why did you go back?
The entire ship was so amazingly relieved to learn they were all alive. Blank was sure that he spotted tears of joy in Baku's eyes. But when the small band of heroes entered the bridge of the ship, Blank knew in an instant something was horribly wrong. It was written, hauntingly, all over Garnets' face.
"... Where is Zidane...?"
"He... Went back... back for Kuja."
It was as though the room erupted, as the members of Tantalus surrounded the traumatized queen, demanding why, how, when. Only Blank stared at the window with growing horror as the vines starting smothering the tree. The others didn't notice, until it was too late. Garnet sank to her knees as the tree collapsed, hands pressed against the glass. Eiko literally screamed, Vivi sat down and spoke to no one, and even Amarant and Steiner seemed rattled. And to that day, Blank still had no idea why.
What the hell did you risk your life for?
The moment the ship touched down in Lindblum, Baku began arranging things. An airship would have to be stolen, under the cover of darkness, since the Prima Vista had been destroyed. Gil was gathered, supplies sent for, axes and weapons collected.
What made Blank so amazed, and proud, of his brothers, was that not once did anyone object. Even though it was essentially a lost cause, that the chances of even finding his body was slim, and finding him alive was almost nonexistent, no one argued that there was nothing that could be done.
The others knew, of course. Cid, at least, must have known when he woke up the next morning to find one of his fastest battle airships gone and the Tantalus hideout completely empty of life. But so far, no one had even received a piece of mail via mognet, which Ruby was familiar with, much less a visit.
"I said Blank!" The male jumped at the sound of his name, looking over at his Boss. "You go with Ruby to Conde Petie. Keep her safe, in case you run in to any Mist monsters lurking about." Blank nodded, finally tearing his attention away from the flames. "The rest, I want some solid work on breaking through those vines. No more messing about, you hear? If we don't get through that big outer layer by tonight, we might as well pack up and go home, the rate we're moving."
"But Boss," Marcus complained. "We're moving as fast as we can!"
"Well, move faster!" Baku snapped in return, standing up and stretching. "Come on gang, up and at 'em! Let's get well and stuck into it by sunrise!"
"Huh." Marcus muttered as Baku stomped back to his tent. "What a bias. You know Blank, while you were in the Evil Forest, all petrified, Baku took his own sweet time getting around to rescuing you. But when it's his favourite Zidane in trouble, we have to "move faster!" Gah, that's unfair!"
"Aw Marcus that 'aint all true." Ruby started collecting the plates as everyone started standing up, stretching and yawning in the cold morning air. "After all, we've on'y got a few more days before we're... too late." She finally finished.
"Ten days is already a really long time without food and water." Blank muttered quietly, looking down at the ground. "I don't like our chances."
"I know that." Marcus picked up the axe he had been using for the past week to attack the vines with a tone of finality in his voice. "But we have to hope, Blank. What else do we have?"
"He's right ya know." Ruby was staring, not at the Iifa Tree, but the far-off mist, which had turned pink by the approaching sunlight. "Blank, ya look tired. Hows' about ya get a bit more sleep, an' I wash up, hm? Then we can go."
"... All right." Blank arched his neck a little in a stretch, before slouching back to his tent, slumping down with a sigh on his rumpled blanket. He was exhausted, but despite his intense fatigue, his mind was racing. I'm not gonna be able to sleep... But the rest is nice. I need my strength up if I want to get to Conde Petie today... Damnit.
"Boss, how far do you think these roots go?" Marcus grunted as he slammed the axe into a thick green vine, widening the deep scar which ravaged it, chips the size of saucers flying.
"How the bloody hell should I know?" Baku jumped back as the vine he was attacking dropped to the ground with an unpleasant squelch and oozing of a dark green sap. "Could be miles."
"Great." Cinna wiped at his forehead, which was already beaded with sweat. "I hope he is alive. Cos then I can kill him for this."
"Get in line." Marcus muttered darkly. "Hey Boss, I think... Yeah! Hey Boss, come look at this!"
"What?" Baku dropped his axe, pushing past the Nero brothers in his excitement and eagerness to get to Marcus. "What did you find!"
"Look." Marcus let his own axe dangle from his hand, which hung at his side, as he pointed. They had managed to hack their way close to the Iifa Tree's trunk over the past few days, realising that to get to Zidane, they would need to explore the bowels of the tree. "These roots are different. They're a way darker green than the other ones. And it looks like they're going into a hole..."
"A way in!" Baku clapped Marcus on the back, with excessive force, too, the bandit noticed, his knees almost buckling. "But... How deep are the vines?"
"How the hell should I know?" Marcus stared thoughtfully at the hundreds of vines. "Could be a few feet, could be miles and miles. But if you cut at them, would it support your weight? I mean, we would be tunnelling and it could go nasty..."
"I don't know." Baku sighed. "It's not like what we're standing on is overly solid." As if to prove his point, he jumped up and down on the thick, dead brown vine they all stood on, which creaked ominously. "Let's not poke at it until we have some rope. There's no way I'm risking anyone's life."
"So we're gonna head back?" Baku nodded impassively, his axe on his shoulder. Cinna sighed with relief, and started to follow the bandit leader, Marcus behind him, and the Nero brothers bringing up the rear. "I hope we haven't missed Ruby and Blank..."
"No problem." Baku exclaimed. "I'll just sent Genereo and Zenero here. You wouldn't mind, would you?"
"Not at all Boss!"
"It's our pleasure!" Both waved their arms in affirmation.
"See?" Baku said. "You two rogues could take a leaf outta their book one day."
"Oh, whatever." Marcus rolled his eyes, straightening his bandanna. Even though he'd only been hacking at the vines for half an hour, he was exhausted. "Uh, Boss, how about all of us just take the day off? You know, for a bit of R&R? We really need it."
"We just started!" Baku barked from the front. "No chance! Toughen up Marcus. We'll be done with the hard slogging soon."
"Boss, everyone's exhausted." Marcus said quietly. "Nobody's sleeping right, we're pushing ourselves too hard and not eating enough... We have to take a break."
"We will take a break." Marcus brightened. "When we find Zidane. Bwahahaha! Tell you what. You can have nap time this morning until we finally get our hands on some rope, ya big baby."
"... Thanks." Marcus clutched onto his axe tighter, staring at the ground. Although the roots were thick and wide, he still had balancing issues sometimes. Blank said he saw Zidane clear the whole thing in less than a minute. How was his balance so good? Marcus constantly felt as though he were about to fall off...
"Blank?" Baku dropped his axe carelessly to the ground, peering around the campsite, which was located on the overhanging lip of stone just outside the Iifa Tree, the closest solid ground they could get to the area. "Ruby? You still here?"
"Whut ya want?" Ruby looked out of her own tent. "I was doin' my hair."
"Good, you're still here." Baku reached into one of his many pockets, pulling out a small leather bad. "We need rope. As much as you can get."
"Why?" Ruby caught the small bag her boss tossed, judging its weight. "You find somethin'?"
"A way into the tree." Marcus mumbled before stumbling into the tent, crashing onto his blanket with a groan. "Oi, lazybum, you're going to town, 'aint ya?"
"Yep." Blank screwed his face up, which was still pressed into the pillow. "Why are you back so early?"
"We found a way into the tree." Blank lifted his head in surprise. "But the Boss won't let us go near it without rope. Reckons' it's dangerous."
"That's great." Blank sat up wearily, his heart considerably lighter. "So once we get inside the tree..."
"It's just a matter of time." Marcus finished, his arms folded behind his head. "So hurry up and get to Conde Petie."
"All right, I'll get up." Blank crawled out of the tent, fighting back a yawn.
"I was about to get ya." Baku clapped the dark-haired man on the back as he approached his side. "Rope. Alot of it. Not too hard to remember, I hope."
"Ugh." Blank rolled his eyes. "I'm not stupid. So you guys did find something."
"Yep." Baku scratched absentmindedly at his stomach. "The way in is completely blocked by vines, but if we clear out the tunnel, we can get in. Then the search'll really start."
"When do you think we can get into the tree?" Blank asked, staring into the flickering fire, as opposed to Baku's face.
"I don't know." Baku groaned. "Soon, I hope." He cuffed Blank playfully around the head. "Let's just take it as we go, Blank."
"But What if-"
"No what ifs!" Baku barked. "No arguments. We're not leaving without Zidane. Now come on, Ruby's waitin' for ya."
"... All right." Blank headed towards the girl, shoulders slumped. "Let's go, Ruby."
"All right, hun." She flashed him a weak smile, before making her way down the thin trail that led to the Mountain Path. "We 'aint seen hardly any monsters."
"Yeah." Blank murmured thoughtfully. All the same, he kept his weapon close to him. "Ruby... I'm... Starting to get doubts."
"Whut about?" The girl frowned slightly, surveying Blank. "Not about Zidane..."
"Do you think he's alive?" Blank murmured quietly, his eyes on the path.
"Well... I hope he's alive, I mean-"
"I didn't say hope." Blank looked over to the blonde girl. "Do you really believe, deep down, that he could have survive something as massive as the Iifa Tree collapsing, and still be alive ten days later? Do you?"
"... Don't Blank." There was an unusually hard edge to her voice. "We can' think like that. We just have to try-"
"W-We can't try anymore!" Blank felt as though he was reaching the end of his rope. "Don't you understand, Ruby? This is useless? We're looking for a dead man! And while we're still here, think of all the pain we're putting people through? As long as we're here, Garnet isn't going to stop hoping. We're putting her through hell!"
"We're giving her hope!" Ruby shot back. "As well as Zidane's other friends! Think of that little girl, Eiko. And the mage. They're kids, Blank. Little kids. What's wrong with us trying to give them something to hope for?"
"... Is it wrong that..." Blank shoved his hands in his pockets. "Is it wrong that I don't want to find him?"
"Whut?" Ruby stopped short in her walk, staring wide-eyed at Blank. "Whut do you mean? How can ya?"
"I-I mean, I want to find him alive, so much. There's no doubt about that at all. But... I want to remember Zidane in the good times. I don't want to see what the Tree has done for him. I get these nightmares Ruby. Where we find his body. And it's so bloody awful, so mutilated. I can't go through with that in real life. I-"
"Blank, sit down." Ruby pushed the man down onto a wide, flat rock, before taking a seat rather primly beside him. "Ya can' be thinkin' like this. Now, look at me." Sighing, Blank turned his gaze towards her. "Now. Whut would Zidane say right now if he was here? Whut would 'e say to ya?"
"That..." Blank raked his fingers through his hair. "That I'm being stupid. That we can't let his body rot inside the place that killed him. That even while there's the slimmest, wildest chance he's alive, we have to do everything we can to save him."
"Exactly." Ruby placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "So why 'ain ya doin that, huh?"
"... It's hard." Blank mumbled. "How can I not think the worst? Come on Ruby. You can't tell me you're not terrified of coming across a battered corpse, knowing that he died in horrible agony."
"Of course I am." Ruby's shoulders slumped in defeat when she realised there was just no chance of pulling the man out of his depressed torpor.
"That's what I thought." Without another word, Blank stood up, and started to walk the path once more, the blonde following anxiously.
They completed the hike in silence.
"Rally ho!"
"Rally ho!" Ruby replied cheerfully to the dwarves, who stood behind the counter of the small weapons shop.
"Rally ho." Blank mumbled gloomily, following Ruby as she made her way inside the dwarfish village.
"Hun, can ya ask aroun' 'bout the rope? I'll sort out this food business." Blank nodded silently, and crossed the small shop, which bore no rope as far as he could tell, into the small hallway, which he crossed, heading into the small inn, which he hoped could bear some information.
"Margaret?" He asked as sweetly as he could, flashing a smile.
"Ah, good t' see ye, young laddie!" The dwarfish woman beamed in return. "How cannae be a-helpin' ye?"
"Um, I was wondering, if you could tell me where exactly I could find rope." Blank enquired. "As much as you can."
"Ah, ye still be messing in t' Sanctuary?" Her voice took on a scolding tone. "I dinnae think ye should stay there. Ach, we were blocked off! If t' Pyntie-hats dinnae come an' use they' magic..."
"I know, I know." He had seen the wreckage of the burnt stubs of vines at the entrance to Conde Petie, and the Mountain Path. Blank momentarily wondered if Vivi had helped. "Please, it's very important, and the items and weapons' shop both have none, as far as I can tell."
"Ye kin ask t' weapons' men again." She said. "Ye have a good day nae!" With that, Blank left, slightly worried. So the dwarves were against what they were doing as well. Oh well, just more dissenters to join the ranks. Sighing, Blank crossed to where Ruby was haggling with the dwarfish woman behind the counter over the price of a pumpkin, their accents both making comprehension difficult between them, despite the fact that they had met several times before to do business.
"Rally-ho!" Thomas waved at the outsider. "Ah kin be a-selling what ye need!"
"I hope so." Blank sighed. "Um, I really need some rope. As much as you guys have."
"Rope?" Thomas rustled around in a large wooden crate. "Ah kin be a-givin ye soom rope. Hold on ye a minute."
"Take your time." Blank crossed his arms, giving Richard and Matthew Watchmen a slight nod. Amusing, really, the time that Blank and Ruby first entered Conde Petie through the recently cleared path. Indeed, the dwarves were shocked to see them enter through the 'restricted' area, and upon learning they were unmarried, refused to even serve them, unless they attended the 'ceremony'. It was Ruby that reasoned with Blank that there was no way they could work without regularly coming to the village for supplies, and that anyway, outside of Conde Petie it would mean nothing.
I wonder if Zidane did the same thing for Garnet...
"Ah! 'Ere ye go!" Several large coils of rope were slapped onto the table "T'at'll be aboo four-hundred gil apiece!"
"... Ouch." Blank made a face as he reached for the moneybag Ruby had given him. He probably knows how desperate I am, and this is the only place where I can get it, the greedy man. "Okay then. Here you go!" He handed over the money, before looping the coils of rope around his arms, and heading back to Ruby, hoping she had finished her purchases. Alas, she was still fighting with Wendy, this time over a small sack of potatoes. "Oh, come on Ruby." Blank pleaded. "I really want to get going. Please?"
"In a moment, 'old yer horses!" Ruby shot the man a death glare, and turned back to Wendy. "Look at these! Hun, these 'ere potatoes are startin' to sprout! There is no way I'm goin' ta pay a hundred gil for these!"
"Oh, come on!" Blank protested. "Just pay her the money so we can leave."
"But Blank-"
"Please." He begged. The blonde only groaned.
"Hun, why don' ya go an' lie down, hm? I'll tell you when we're finished here."
"Ugh." Blank stamped off, almost acting like a child. But then again, I am being treated like one, so what should honestly be expected?
He lay on one of the inn beds, staring up at the ceiling as he waited for Ruby to finish. He didn't say anything to the dwarves, and they completely ignored him. It was as though he had the plague. As always, when he was alone, his mind drifted back to that of his blonde friend, who lay, trapped beneath miles and miles of vines and branches.
What are we going to do if he's dead? Bring his body back to Lindblum? I spose he'd receive a hero's funeral and all that... But is pomp and ceremony what he really wanted? I know he would definitely appreciate the attention, there's no doubt about that, but I just cannot see him wanting some sort of military-style funeral that they give for fallen heroes. Where would he be buried? What would-
No. Blank sat up, heaving a sigh. I can't be thinking like this, and I know it. Ruby was right. If Zidane could see me, he would laugh at me then hit me for being so stupid. But I can't help it! I don't have any hope, not like Ruby and Baku. God, no wonder nobody wants to be around me right now. I just can't stop... Moping.
I have to keep hoping. Or at least, try to keep hoping. He's not supposed to die like this. He's supposed to get the girl and have a fairy-tale ending. He just can't be... Dead.
"Blank?" The man sat up. "Ya ready ta go, hun?"
"... Yeah." Blank nodded, slowly getting off the bed. "Thanks." He said gratefully to the dwarf, who merely nodded. She was still frosty with them all for messing with the Iifa Tree, but Blank knew that she would never do anything to stop them. Not that she could.
"I managed to get everythin', an' with gil ta spare!" Ruby beamed. "'Aint that great?"
"Yeah." Blank forced a smile. "It is." He passed the doorway, which led to the outside world, the side which led to the ruins of Madain Sari, and the Black Mage village. "This place is so much more... Open than the Mist continent." Blank paused, staring out the door with a strange expression on his face. "It's unsettling."
"Don' think about it hun." Ruby gently pulled at Blanks' wrist. "C'mon, it's time fer us ta leave."
"... All right." Blank was led away, shoulders slouched. He was actually eager to get back, so they could get started on really making their way inside the Tree, and followed obediently. "Lets... Get back."
Ruby gave Blank a small, sad smile.
"There." Baku jumped as Blank threw the coils of rope onto the dirt floor.
"Great." The boss nodded, picking up one of the pieces of rope, and inspecting it. "Good and strong. We'll be going out first thing after lunch. Ruby, lunch!"
"Comin' right up!" She called from her tent, where she also stored the food and supplies, seeing as she was the only member who had a tent to herself.
"Great." Cinna yawned and stretched. "I'm starved."
"Hey. Where's Marcus?" Blank asked Baku, who merely pointed to shared tent. "Oh, okay." The dark-haired man walked towards the tent, and pushed open the loose canvas flap. Marcus lay awake on the bed, staring up at the roof of the tent. "Hey."
"Hey." Marcus looked up as Blank sat down upon his blanket cross-legged. "Have fun?"
"Sort of." Blank shrugged, looking around at the tent. "The dwarves don't like what we're doing."
"Eh, screw them." Marcus shrugged. "It's not our fault. And anyways, the Iifa Tree is dead. What do they want with it?"
"How the hell should I know." Blank scratched at his head. "Hey, I've been thinking a bit." He scooted forward a little, looking more than a little concern. "What are we going to do when we find Zidane?"
"What, you mean if he's dead, or if he's alive?" Marcus finally sat up, rubbing at his eyes.
"If he's dead." Blank murmured, sounding very despondent.
"Well, we give him one hell of a send-off and bury him." Marcus shrugged. "Blank, don't think about it like that. Think about what we do when we find him alive."
"... It's just seeming like it's less and less likely to happen." Blank sighed. "How can you stay optimistic about this?"
"I dunno. Maybe I've been around Baku too much." Marcus suggested. "He's determined to find Zidane alive, whatever it takes."
"... I feel bad for him." Blank looked down at his blanket, as Marcus stared at him intently. "I mean, think about it. He's the one that looked after Zidane ever since he was a little kid and looked out for him. He was in that airship with us. Jeez, if he came out and told Zidane to get his butt up there, he probably would of."
"I don't know about that." Marcus couldn't help but smile, despite himself. "Zidane's a stubborn bastard. When he gets an idea in his head, it's not gonna come out. He was determined to stay."
"Idiot." Blank muttered. "It's killed him, after all that."
"We don't know that yet-"
"Oh, come on!" Blank raised his voiced a little, his anger getting the best of him. "There's no chance he can survive that-"
"Blank!" Marcus gritted his teeth. "I mean it. You can't be thinking like this. You keep on, and I'm swapping tents with Cinna."
"I'm just being honest-"
"Listen to me bro!" Marcus cried out. "I'm trying to have a little hope, and optimism here! You think I want to find Zidane dead? I am hoping and praying with all my heart he's okay. But it is so damn hard to do that when you won't stop being so bloody miserable!"
"I can't be happy about this!" Blank retorted. "I was hopeful, I really was! But I've just felt that hope ebb away more and more as time wore on. And now... I can't hope anymore. I just... I know we're too late." He bowed his head, shoulders slumped. "Maybe a few days ago, but not now. He'll be injured, Marcus. Badly injured. No one could get through that unscathed. And I don't know how he could survive for ten days without food and water, not while he's so hurt. You can't expect me to hope."
"Then why are you here." Marcus asked Blank with a deadly serious tone. "Hm? Why are you still sticking around, if it's so incredibly hard?"
"Because." Blank's voice was unusually low. "No member of Tantalus gets left behind. Ever." He gave a long, shuddering sigh. "We can't let his body just lie here for all eternity, not after everything that he's done for the world." He continued after a long pause. "He needs to be remembered properly."
"Then hold on to that, if nothing else." Marcus said quietly. "Because unlike you, Blank. I haven't lost hope. I intend to hold on until I actually see Zidane's body in front of me. So will the Boss. And Ruby. And Cinna. And Benero and Zenereo. No one is willing to give up. Blank, I thought Zidane was one of your closest friends."
"He is." Blank agreed. "That's why it hurts so goddamned much."
"Well, you need to snap out of it, and realise that Zidane is a fighter. He's fought the worst evils in existence, and won. Do you really think that he would let himself be beaten by a stupid tree?"
"... No." Blank smiled, despite himself. "I suppose he wouldn't. But-"
"Exactly." Marcus cut Blank off before he could go any further, and stood up. "Now, I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Let's see if lunch is ready, all right?"
Blank nodded weakly.
OoOoO
"All right!"
Baku spun around to regard his men, his hands behind his back. Blank, Marcus, Cinna, Benero, and Zenero, all stood in a line facing him, while Ruby sat on a particularly large log, examining her fingernails. "This is it. This is why we're here." Marcus and Cinna exchanged glances, and rolled eyes. "Sneer if you like!" Baku, who was pacing in front of the men, shot the pair a withering glare, but continued. "But I all know how excited you are to get in there and get searching."
Yeah, excited. Blank refrained from rolling his eyes, and instead looked down at his shoes. Filled with dread, more like.
"I have decided that we will no longer camp at the edge of the Iifa Tree, as you can probably tell." He gestured to Ruby, and the supplies around her. "The trips in and out were getting too long, and especially once we get in there, and if it seems safe enough, we can find somewhere to bunk down." Oh joy. Nobody was exactly thrilled with the prospect. "Okay. Blank, you're going to go in first." He picked up the first rope, and tied it securely to the strongest tree root that he could find, with a massive knot. The other end he looped around Blanks waist, and spoke as he tied. "I want you to tunnel, if you understand, seeing as you have the best sword skills. Cinna is going to follow you and collect all the cut up pieces of tree, and get the way clear for everyone else. Benero, Zenero, and Marcus, you'll be pulling Cinna up and down." As he gave his orders, he was tying the second rope around Cinna. "Ruby, I want you to go through our supplies. Take only the bare necessities, and distribute them in packs that everyone can wear without it being too cumbersome. Is everyone clear?"
"Yes Boss!" Came the call in unison.
"All right!" Baku repeated, really getting a kick out of it. "Blank, you start."
"Uhh... All right." Blank eventually nodded. Slowly, he approached the blocked tunnel, a strange, almost ethereal blue-grey, and withdrew his sword from its' sheath. He hated using an axe, and found it more convenient to merely keep his sword sharp. Blank sliced through the vines at the end of the tunnel first, and then peered around, trying to judge where to go from there. It was almost like it had to be scooped out, but that was impossible.
Awkwardly, Blank started hacking at the dark green vines, finding it extremely difficult and cumbersome, but nevertheless, he soon settled into a rhythm, and realised he was actually making process. Cinna soon began to follow along behind, feeling quite foolish as he filled the large sack with as much of the mess as he could, before being asked to get pulled back up again, carelessly dumping the plant life over the side.
Meanwhile, Ruby had thoughtfully arranged all the supplies into six piles, which looked as though they could be easy enough to manage. Her main concern was water. She had two large casks, that were almost full (Thank goodness for that small river on the way to Conde Petie), but because she had no idea how long they could even be down there for, she was unsure if it was enough. It would be enough for a week, at a stretch, but anything beyond that would lead them into trouble. Who knew, Baku may have called the entire thing off by that point, anyway.
"You all right there Ruby?" Baku looked over at the girl, slowly feeding more and more rope to Blank, who was out of sight, disappeared down the small hole.
"Just thinkin', Boss." She forced a smile. "Uh, I think we've got plen'y of water and food, but some of the other stuff'll be sure hard ta carry..."
"Don't worry about the tents." Baku instructed the blonde. "We'll be undercover in there, so I guess it won't really matter. And minimize on the cooking stuff. I'm not even sure if we'll be able to light a fire in there, it's a bit dangerous, so..."
"All right." Ruby nodded. "Er, I hafta boil the vegetables then, cos they sure 'aint no good raw." Baku smiled in agreement.
"We're lucky to have you here, Ruby." His smile faded a little. "You didn't have to come with us, ya know."
"I know." Ruby busied herself. "I just wanted ta help, all I could. I know I 'aint no good with the whole rescuing part, but yer can't go without someone to cook and clean for yer."
"Even though you hate it." Baku's smile widened again. "I'm real grateful Ruby. Really. We would have starved without you."
"Glad I could help." She looked up after a pause, and beamed at the man in return.
The day wore on, and everyone had fallen into a pattern. Cinna had grown exhausted from the constant climbing, and replaced himself with Marcus, who worked with renewed vigour. Cinna and the Nero brothers were tired from the repetitive heaving of the heavier Marcus, but managed to handle themselves well, and Baku kept the tension on the rope for Blank just right, who was swiping at the vines the best he could, uncomfortably aware of how increasingly dark his environment was becoming. Ruby had cautiously set up a small fire on the roots, keeping a bucket of water handy in case it got nasty, and was carefully trying to boil the vegetables in a small pot, just a few pieces at a time, before turning it all into a pasty mash, that was easily carried, able to be eaten cold, and, if seasoned, didn't taste too bad. In fact, all was going well, until early afternoon, when Baku had called for a break, and, without thinking, let the rope supporting Blank slip through his fingers.
"Gah!" Blank's stomach dropped, and he clutched into his sword tightly as the support he felt in the gentle tug around his waist gave way, and his full weight was dropped onto the rather feeble vines. As expected, they crashed under his weight, and he experienced the odd sensation of falling, even though he was against something, buffeted about by the walls of the tunnel, the darkness increasing.
Blanks scream was cut short as the rope, which reached the end of its' length, was pulled taught, the huge vine it was tied to and Baku's skilled knot holding fast. Winded, bruised and battered, his stomach in agony, Blank hung, suspended in mid-air, still clutching onto his sword.
"Blank!" Baku roared, his head and shoulders inside the tunnel. "Blank, can you hear me?"
"Yup!" Blank called back after catching his breath, looking up at the small pool of light above him. "Loud and clear Boss! I'm fine!"
"He's fine!" Baku relayed to the rest of his members, who all let out sighs of relief. Marcus, who was in the process of emptying vines over the side of their quite precarious stand when Blank was dropped, swallowed, his hands slightly shaking. "Blank, what do you see down there?"
"Uh, I don't know!" Blank tried to peer around himself, but it was just too gloomy. "All I can see it shadows of vines! It's too dark Baku, I need light!"
"All right!" Baku shouted back down. "I've got an idea." He announced to his team on the outside. "Ruby, light me up a lamp." The girl nodded, and Baku hurriedly untied the rope around from Marcus's waist, which he then attached to the freshly-lit lamp. "I'm gonna send down a light!" He called as he reached the mouth of the tunnel. Slowly, he started to ease it down with the rope, careful to not break the lantern, and also fall in himself (Although he was unsure if he would even fit).
"Thanks!" Blank looked up, and sure enough, after a few moments, he saw a familiar little yellow gleam, as the lamp was lowered towards him. "A little more!" He called out. "More... More... Perfect!" The lantern was eye-level. Blank grabbed it quickly, and held it out away from himself, trying to examine his surroundings.
And then it hit him. The smell. It wasn't strong, not by far, but a faint, niggling sort of odour. Blank barely noticed it at first. Then, unsure of what it was, he breathed in deeply through his nose, and then froze when he realised just what that faint smell was.
Something was dead in here.
Blanks stomach went cold, and his heart was seized with fear. Was it Zidane? Or was it Kuja? Or both? Although if it was both, Blank imagined it would smell worse. Unless they both just recently died...
Oh crap. Blank bit down a whimper. I'm in here, all by myself, hanging on a rope with a dead man... oh God, I need out.
"Get me out of here!" Blank shouted at the top of his lungs. "God Baku, please get me out!" The man who was listening at the mouth of the tunnel nodded, and sprang into action.
"Get him outta there!" He barked, himself heaving at the rope. The other four sprang into action, tugging at their comrade, who was clinging to the rope, shaking. Blank let the lantern go as he felt the rope around his waist being pulled at, and as soon as he was out of the large space he was in, and back inside that small tunnel, he himself climbed, as fast as he could anxious to get out of that cold, dark, awful place that smelt of death, into the light, and warmth, and open arms of his friends.
"Oh thank God." Blank gasped, on his knees at the mouth of the tunnel, still trembling madly. "I-I'm not going back in there, I... Ugh..."
"Oh, Blank." Ruby, bless her, was on her knees beside Blank, a blanket in her hands which soon made its' way around Blanks wiry shoulders. He was lead away from the tunnel mouth, closer to the small fire, which was now dying out. "Yer okay hun?" She rested a concerned hand on Blanks shoulder, the same emotion written all over her face.
"Blank, what was down there?" Baku asked urgently, quickly untying the rope from around Blanks' waist. "What did you see?"
"It's dark, but the space is huge." Blank forced his teeth to stop chattering. "The place is covered with vines though. And I mean covered. I don't know how we're gonna get through them. And..." His voice died in his throat, and he shuddered.
"What?" Baku noted how disturbed Blank was, his own concern growing.
"Baku, something is dead in there." Blanks' hands were clasped together. "I-I don't know what, but I could smell something had died, just recently or it would stink way worse..."
"Zidane?" Ruby's voice was tiny, and cracked with tears.
"Or Kuja." He gave Ruby a look, using the most reassuring tone he could muster, even though he felt as though he had been punched in the stomach. "Bloody hell..." He looked at the other bandits, gathered around the three, looking stricken.
"Well... We found something." Cinna suggested. "So, who's next to go down?"
"... You." Baku grabbed at Cinna's arm, the man protesting in a rather strangled voice. "Well, you shouldn't have suggested it then, should you have?"
"But I hate heights!" Cinna said weakly as Baku began tying the rope around his waist once more. "Come on Boss, you can't be serious..."
"Here yer go, Cinna." Ruby handed the man one of the packs, a small smile on her own face. "It'll be all right."
"I don't like this." Cinna muttered as he walked towards the entrance of the tunnel, peering down into the gloom. "What if the rope snaps?"
"Oh, it wont." Baku waved his hand. "I had a look at it. Those dwarves are damn good at making rope. It'll probably hold me and stay good. Bwahahaha!"
"... All right." Cinna muttered, slowly turning around, and making his way backwards down the tunnel. He was lowered slowly, with the aid of Marcus, the Nero brothers, and eventually Blank, and far too soon (in his opinion) he was out of the tunnel, and suspended in mid air, beside the light.
"Blank was right!" Cinna called back at the top of his lungs, holding his nose. "Ugh, this is disgusting!" It was probably his mind playing tricks on him, more than anything, but Cinna was still positive the place stunk. "It's really thick with vines, all right!" He continued, trying his hardest to see through the gloom. "I spose we can climb through, but I dunno..."
"Boss, this is the end of the rope." Marcus reported with a sigh. "We need more, or he's just going to hang there."
"Damnit, all right." Baku stepped back from the tunnel entrance, and thumped over to where the others stood. "Ruby, rope." He demanded, and the girl handed him the last coil. "All right boys, hold on to Cinna real tight now." The others nodded in agreement, and took a firm grasp of the rope.
"Boss, what are you- Boss!" Marcus gasped as Baku untied the knot that connected the rope to the vine. "What are you doing?"
"Making it longer, idiot." He replied in his usual booming voice, using his expert knot skills to tie the two ropes together, then attach the now much-longer line to the tree. "All right, now let it down!"
"Woa!" Cinna's eyes widened as the rope again took up slackness, and he started to be lowered once more. "Wait!" He squawked, quickly untying the lamp from its own support. "Go!" He yelled back, gripping onto the lantern tightly. Baku nodded, and the bandits slowly released the rope, Cinna being lowered further and further, until finally, his feet touched the vines. Testing them, he jumped up and down a little. It held under his weight. "I'm at the bottom!" Cinna called out.
"Uh, there's no more rope!" Baku yelled back, shooting a worried glance to the others, who had let the rope go.
"... Should I untie myself!?" Cinna hollered back up, peering up at the outside light, which now seemed little more than a pinhole.
"... Okay! But be careful!" Baku replied loudly. Cinna nodded, and managed to untie the knot at his waist, and let the rope dangle freely. He just hoped he could find it again, but with the lantern, he was sure that it wouldn't be that big a problem.
"Okay now." Cinna let out a long sigh. He took in a long, slow breath through his nose, trying to distinguish what direction the... Smell, came from. He took a few steps to the right, and then the left, before turning back to the right, his nose wrinkling. Ugh, this is disgusting and freaky. Clinging tightly to the lantern, he slowly started to walk along the top of the vines, trying to see where he should go, if he can fit in anywhere, try and squeeze through and get to whoever lay dead down there.
Finally, after a few minutes, Cinna crouched down on his hands and knees, thinking he may have found something that he could fit through. He thrust the lantern though the gap in the vines, wondering if it long enough to actually go anywhere, or would it just be a dead end?
"Hey, Baku!" Cinna straightened up, his hands cupped around his mouth as he yelled up at his leader as loud as he could. "Baku, I found a way in!"
"All right!" Baku lifted his head and shoulders. "Okay folks we're all goin' in. Everyone grab a pack off Ruby, and we'll go down one at a time. Marcus, then Benero, then Zenero, then Blank, then Ruby. I'll go last."
"... All right." Marcus, who had already pulled on a pack, stretched as the others started to pull the rope back up, steeled his nerves, biting his lip as he looked down at the dark tunnel. "Lets uh, do this." Baku, not trusting anyone else's knot-tying skills, fastened the rope around Marcus' waist, clapping him on the back. "Okay." He wasn't afraid, as he started to lower himself down the tunnel a little, until the others did the work. Well, at least he wasn't afraid of the dark, not while he had his brothers around him and was well-armed. He knew there was nothing that he couldn't face down in there – except perhaps Kuja, but didn't Dagger say that he had a change of heart and actually rescued the others? There was no doubt that he wanted Kuja to be the corpse that they found, though. The mere thought of finding Zidane dead, after all this work, set a fresh surge of fear through his heart.
"Marcus!" Cinna beamed, and rather wobbily started to walk across the vines, where Marcus landed with a dull thud, and shakily started to untie the long rope. He gave it a few tugs, to explain he was free, and it started to rise back up. "You all right?"
"Fine." Marcus nodded deeply, and sat down, letting out a long breath. "Let's just wait here for the others, all right?"
"Sure." Cinna set down the lamp, and sprawled out on the greenery, toying with his hammer. "Freaky place, huh?"
"Sure is." Marcus looked around. It was rather like being in a cave, laced with vines and roots of green and brown, but more... foreboding. "Huh, you can smell it a little."
"Mmm." Cinna rubbed at his eyes, looking up, at the huge trunk of the tree, which seemed just totally black, punctuated with tiny flecks of light, which faded into nothingness. "This is really something."
"It is." Marcus muttered, at Cinna in the gloom. The shadow and light playing over his face made him look positively horrific. "Man, we just don't see stuff like this anymore, not in the Mist continent."
"No, it is a bit boring." Cinna sighed. "Remember how Baku said there wasn't much treasure in the world? Maybe there is, just... in other places."
"I don't know." Marcus shrugged. "Let's just keep our minds on the job here."
Within a couple of minutes, Benero had landed with a thump on the green vines, and Zenero quickly followed. Rather shakily, Blank joined the group, standing and waiting for Ruby, who was let down by Baku, quaking with nerves, quickly attaching herself to Blanks side, unable to look at the environment around her.
"Calm down." Blank muttered in Ruby's ear as Baku puffed and grunted above them. "It's okay. You're not gonna fall." The girl only mumbled something Blank could not hear, gripping his arm tightly.
"Come on, chickens." Cinna was quite cheerful as he led the way, holding the lamp out in front of him. Baku finally landed on the ground, joining the rest, and wiped at his brow, puffing and panting. "I don't know if you'll fit Baku, we might have to do a bit of chopping."
"No problem." They all pulled up short in their walk as Cinna revealed what he had found, the small gap in the thick web of vines.
"... I 'aint goin' down there." Ruby proclaimed feebly, tightening his hold on Blanks' arm. "Yer can' make me."
"Ruby, this isn't solid enough to stay on." Blank sighed. "Otherwise I would keep you company here but this isn't exactly a place where we can set up camp."
"No one's talking about stopping yet." Baku ordered. "Benero and Zenero, you go in first and clear it out properly for us."
"All right Boss!" They agreed in unison, and began their appointed task. Baku turned to his other men, hands on his hips.
"I'll go, then Marcus, then Cinna, then Blank, and you take Ruby." They all nodded, and Ruby clung tighter to Blank, so hard her nails began to bit into his skin.
"I can' believe yer askin' me ta do this, Boss." She muttered. Unlike the others, she rarely risked her life on a regular basis, continuously putting herself in compromising situations. In fact, her sole reason for joining Tantalus in the outset was to further her acting career. And as few plays had no female roles, Baku was all too happy to let her join. Therefore, the current plunge into the Iifa Tree, which she had never visited before, unlike the others who were aboard the Hilda Garde 3, was scarier than anything else she had ever done.
Except perhaps when Bahamut wreaked havoc on Alexandria...
"C'mon." Blank tried to coax Ruby. "Listen how quiet it is down here. Nothing is going to jump out and attack us, I'm sure."
"I'm jus' not used to this s'all." She squeaked as Blank pushed her into the widened gap in the vines. "Blank!"
"Aw, c'mon, Ruby." Cinna called out from just ahead of her, beaming. "Think of it as an adventure, no?"
"... Nah." She shook her head contemptuously, crawling at a snails pace. "Where are we goin'?"
"Good question." Baku called from up the front. "But we're goin' down. You feel that?"
"Woa, do now." Cinna replied. "How fast are those guys working?"
"Fast." Baku beamed, holding the lantern. "That's my boys! C'mon fellas, keep up the pace."
"... Oh gawd, that smells bad!" Ruby held a hand over her mouth, blinking. "Yer can' tell me that 'aint stronger!"
"Oh, it is." Baku made a face. "Don't know... Ya reckon it smells like dead human?"
"As opposed to what, Boss?" Blank was disgusted the subject was even being mentioned. "Can we not talk about this?"
"Just tryin' to lighten the mood a little." Baku shrugged. "I mean, we are in a bit of a tight spot here..."
"Ya think?" Ruby whimpered, still terrified. It had gotten to the point where the downward slope was so great, that they were all carefully scooting backwards, levering themselves with their legs. "How much longer?"
"How the bloody hell should I know." Baku muttered, shaking his head. "Calm down Ruby, well find something soon."
"I hope so." She whispered.
And so the downward climb continued, at an achingly slow pace, due to the tough work Benero and Zenero had, negotiating their way through the vines, and hacking through when there was nowhere to squeeze. Finally, after over an hour, they were able to ultimately make their way out of the mess, and onto a piece of semi-solid ground. Although it was also covered in roots and vines, after a bit of careful chopping, Benero and Zenero had created a space large enough for the members of Tantalus to all sit, provided they were slightly hunched, and kept their legs crossed.
"Aw, finally!" Ruby exclaimed as she was able to sit, wiping at her sweaty forehead. "But... Ugh!"
"I know." Marcus held his nose. "That really is bad, man. Whoever it was must have died when the Iifa Tree went nuts. You couldn't smell that bad after just a few days."
"Then... It might be Kuja?" Cinna inquired hopefully. Marcus shrugged.
"Hopefully." He sighed. "I know we shouldn't wish death on anyone, but..."
"Ah, he was a bastard." Baku waved his hand dismissively. "He deserved it."
"I don't know." Blank said quietly, looking down at his hands. "Zidane must have seen something in him if he was willing to risk his life to save him."
"Mebbe." Baku shrugged. "But you always said Blank, he loved to play the hero."
"Yeah, but the real hero would have stayed with the Queen." Blank pointed out. "Well, a storybook hero would."
"The real hero would try to save everyone he could." Marcus sighed. "For the good of others, not personal gain."
"Saving Kuja isn't for the good of others, though." Cinna pointed out. "Or were you asleep when he knocked the crap out of Lindblum?"
"True, true." Marcus agreed. "But Zidane would have had a reason for doing this. We just don't know what it is."
"Well, we can ask him when we find him." There was a tone of finality to Baku's voice, implying the conversation was over. "We should keep moving. I don't like being down here."
"Nobody likes being down here." Cinna muttered. "But what are we gonna do?"
"Well..." Baku licked a finger, and then held it in the air. "Hmm. That way!" He pointed straight ahead. "Benero and Zenero take a short break, then help us. We're gonna cut our way to the source if it kills us... Figuratively!" He added defensively, noting the looks on his teammates faces. "My declaration still stands. The moment, we are in serious danger, we're all leaving. It 'aint a suicide mission."
"And this 'aint suicide?" Ruby watched as the others began to tiredly attack at the tree vines.
"Cheer up, Ruby." Baku said. "It could be worse. The ground we're on could collapse and we could fall for miles and miles. Bwahaha!"
"That's not funny." She muttered in protest, arms crossed. The lantern was at her side, and she watched the group of bandits intently, simmering with a strange sense of pride. Clearly, they were all exhausted, broken down from little food, poor sleep, and hard labour, but sheer determination, and loyalty for their own was what fuelled them. Ruby knew that they could complain all that they liked, but no one in Tantalus was going to leave the Tree without Zidane, no matter how long, or how hard, they would be working for. Ruby wondered if hunters, or soldiers, shared such a sense of brotherhood. Would the Knights of Pluto fight so desperately for one of their own? Somehow, she doubted it.
"Woa!" Blank, who was the furthest ahead, cried out as he hit the edge of the ledge that they rested upon. Thinking it would be more of the platform of roots and dirt, Blank put his foot down, but there was no resistance, and he was flung forward, and indeed, would have fallen, were it not for the firm grip Marcus and Cinna had on his arms, rushing to his aid.
"Well." Baku's hands were on his hips. "Looks like we've hit a snag indeed." Blank backed away from the edge, shaking. "Everyone, get back." He barked, worry evident in his voice. "Well this is great."
"What the hell do we do now?" Blank stared at the deep, cavernous pit wide-eyed. "There's no way that we can cut through there, not without some sort of... I don't know..."
"We could make a bridge." Baku suggested. "Some of these vines here are pretty strong. If we managed to build one and sneak it through, we could get in, no sweat, I know it."
"... Boss, I think we have to admit defeat." Blank said weakly, sitting down on the ground. "There's no way that we can get to him, wherever he is. This is getting way too dangerous."
"Nah." Baku brushed away Blanks very real concerns with a shrug. "This is fine. Come on, if Blank is going to sit and mope then Cinna and Marcus, you start getting as those creeping roots up there. Make them as long as you can, we don't know exactly how far across this pit thing goes."
"Blank." Ruby knelt and rested a hand on his shoulder, as the others bustled around them. "Yer okay?"
"No." Blank swallowed, his hands shaking slightly. "I'm... Ruby, this is getting ridiculous. How far is it going to go before we have to say stop, and turn back? I-I mean, we're in danger of never returning as it is now, if we get lost-"
"Then don' think 'bout that." Ruby said simply. She had regained much of her confidence as time progressed, especially as she was resting on solid ground. "We're all gonna get out okay. Everyone." She gave Blank a brief, comforting hug. "It'll be all good, okay?"
"I wish it would be." Blank mumbled weakly.
"Okay, who first?"
"... I'll go." Marcus announced, clutching at the lamp, his own heart pounding. It was his turn to lead. Baku nodded impassively, and Marcus returned the gesture, standing rather anxiously on the edge of the makeshift bridge. "Aw, crap."
"It's okay." Baku finished tying the knot around Marcus' waist. "We've all got you so if it falls, then you're not gonna fall."
"Unless you smack into the side of the cliff wall." Cinna remarked, before receiving a hard thwack on the head. "Ow!"
"Thanks Cinna." Marcus muttered, before taking another tiny step forward. "Well... Here goes nothing." Slowly, almost doubled over, Marcus began to walk, the lamp in one hand, his sword in the other. Eventually, he was forced to crawl, on his hands and his knees, until, finally, it seemed, the lamp handing from his mouth, sword re-sheathed, his hands came into contact with grass. "... Huh." He let out a snort. "That was a let down." The distance was six feet, if that. However, the smell was much worse, and Marcus held a hand over his mouth, swallowing deeply. It really stunk here.
"Hello?" Marcus whispered, holding the lamp at his eye-level, trying to peer through the vines. He thought he could see something... He reached his hand out, snaked through the green tendrils, and tried to flatten them down, so he could just see what it was he was looking at...
A flash of white. Marcus' eyes widened, and he leaned forward expectantly, holding the lantern closer, trying to see through the gloom. True, it was almost completely concealed in shadow, but Marcus managed a glimpse of pure white hair, and the sleeve of a long snowy robe.
Kuja.
Marcus breathed a sigh, both relieved, and disappointed. Relieved that it wasn't Zidane, that there was still hope, no matter how slim, but yet disappointed that the search wasn't over, the tension and exhaustion was not yet through.
"It's not him!" Marcus called back to the rest. "It's Kuja!" There was a collective sigh of relief amongst the others, and Marcus started to head back to the tiny makeshift bridge. "What's he's on is tiny." Marcus reported as he crawled, then walked, bent-over, back to the others. "I don't think Zidane would be there."
"But he would be with Kuja, wouldn't he? If he got to the tree as fast as Blank said he did, then he would here? Where is he?" Cinna protested.
"I don't know." Baku mumbled. "But it looks like we're back where we started." Marcus untied the knot from his waist, and sat down with a long sigh. "We're still somewhere in the right area, if we go back to the outer part of the tree, maybe we can stand up and..."
Blank, who had tuned out some time before, suddenly froze as a terrible thought came to him. Slowly, his hands trembling, he stood up, and shakily walked the few steps to the edge of the small area they were all standing on. Letting out a deep, long breath, Blank peered over the edge, and into the deep cavern of total blackness, the bottom of his stomach dropping another inch.
"Blank?" Ruby asked. "Whut yer... no..."
"The impact of the crash could have thrown him." The voice that issued from his throat was monotonous, lifeless. "He wasn't crushed by the vines after all. He..." Blanks voice died, and he sank to his knees, head in his hands.
"We have to go back." Cinna murmured. "We... Boss, we can't go down there. It's too far, and we can't even climb, not with the little rope we have. It's too dangerous."
"... Yeah." In the last few seconds, Baku appeared to have aged a good twenty years. Slowly, he stood up, groaning, his shoulders hunched. "C'mon everybody... We tried." The others followed suit, all hauling themselves to their feet, with soft mumbles and groans among them, save for Blank, who still kneeled at the side of the sheer drop, his head bowed.
"Wait!" Ruby stood up, her hands on her hips. "Y'all jus' hold yer horses there!"
"Ruby." Baku sighed tiredly. "It's over. We can't go on."
"Why, yes we can." She said resolutely, her hands still on her hips. "Tha state of yer all!" She looked them all over, tired, defeated, worn down. All hope snuffed out. She couldn't bear to look at Blank. "Now, I know we're tired, and broken down, but we can't let this stop us." She looked over at Baku, a pleading look in her eyes. "Please. Just two days. We got plen'y of food and water ta last us. Two days and if we 'aint at the bottom, then that's it, we're done."
"Ruby..."
"You can't be serious..."
"What if we get lost?" Marcus asked. "Huh? What do we do then?"
"We'll mark our way as we go." Ruby countered quickly. "I know we can make it."
"That fall must be miles down." Cinna argued. "He'll be dead."
"I thought we all gathered he was dead a long time ago." Ruby replied. "C'mon, Cinna. He'd do it for yer, yer know it."
"... I know." Cinna's shoulders slumped. "Goddamn it... All right."
"Great!" Ruby grinned widely, her hands clasped together. "Come on guys, Cinna's on, whut about yer?"
"... Oh, what the heck." Marcus sighed. "We've come this far."
"All right." Baku clapped Ruby on the back. "Bwahahaha! If I knew you were so stubborn, I woulda dragged you 'round more places!"
"We'll go with the boss!"
"Yeah we will!" The Nero brothers were on board.
"Blank?" Ruby walked towards the man, and crouched down behind him, resting her hand on his shoulder. "... Please. I know there's no chance of 'im bein' alive, but we can' just' leave 'im down here like this, can we?" Blanks shoulders were shaking, but eventually, he wiped hurriedly at his nose and eyes, before nodding weakly.
"You're right, we can't." He said softly, his hopes feeling just a little lighter.
They rested, for a long while, before setting out, talking in a circle around one of the lanterns and passing around Ruby's vegetable mix, eating straight from the tightly-woven sugar-sack she had pushed it into with their fingers. Then, they slept, for over nine hours, huddled together like a litter of puppies for warmth and security. Baku had the troupe awake as soon as he got up, and by four the next morning, they were on their way, in single file, heading not straight ahead, but this time to the right. Baku's gamble paid off, and they soon found a large trunk or root that was easy to climb down. They did not know that it was the one Zidane climbed up eleven days before. After that, they noticed, the web of vines had become far less dense. They were heading down, very deep underground, miles below the surface. Baku drew a map as they went, so they didn't get lost, although he sparred with Blank frequently over its' accuracy. Claustrophobia was setting in on everybody, but as Marcus once pointed out cheerfully "It's just like caving, but with more nature." Although personally, he had found the Gargan Roo a little easier to handle.
The second night since the departure, they got less sleep. Baku himself was up the whole night, sitting by himself, and those that awoke from fitful naps didn't dare to question him. He looked... Sad. An emotion Tantalus rarely saw in their great leader.
The next day, the mood was gloomier. The momentum was wearing off, and even Ruby was beginning to wish that it had been called quits back at the site of Kuja's body. However, it was grim determination that kept them going, weaving their way through tree roots in single rile, along deep, spiralling paths, that was taking them to among the deepest places in the earth.
"We could be like, explorers." Blank had announced, at the front of the pack, holding a lantern. "Tantalus, the band of great explorers! Fearless and handsome, they boldly go where no man has gone before. The lowest of lows, the highest of highs!"
"Yeah, yeah." Marcus muttered, feeling none of Blanks' current drive. "Stick to the acting Blank, you were cut out for it... obviously."
"Oh yeah?" Blank lowered his arms, slightly hurt. "Your mother named you Marcus, your role was picked from the start."
"At least my mother named me." Marcus quipped, but in a tone that was not serious. Blank was still hurt, however, and he crossed his arms, not speaking to him again. "Aw, Bro, you know I was kidding. My mother was a cow anyway." Blank, who was still silent, pulled up short in his walk, a frown on his face. "Blank? Look, I'm sorry, I-"
"Marcus, I don't care about that, look!" He pointed at what had caught his attention. A tunnel-like hole was in the side of the tree. To the other side was more of the same they'd been tackling for days. "What do we do?"
"Boss!" Marcus called to Baku, who was a while back. The man came running. "Look at this!"
"Huh." He regarded it in the weak lamplight, a frown on his face.
"Can I go in and have a peek?" Blank turned to the man pleadingly. "Just for a moment?"
"... All right." Baku conceded. "But don't- Hey!" Blank was already inside the tunnel, holding the lamp in front of him.
He didn't know why, but there was something in there, he... almost sensed like. It was like a little voice was in his head, telling him to look there, he had to look there, he couldn't miss it! Oh, please look...
"...Wow." Blank looked up when he realised that he was in a large, cave-like room. It was narrow, but when he looked up, Blank couldn't even see the roof. Although he thought he saw pinpricks of light... He started walking forward slowly, his attention still devoted to the ceiling, when his foot stepped on something that gave an odd 'clink'.
It was something metallic. Blanks' heart skipped a beat, and he bent down, shining his light over what he had stepped on. It was a weapon. With two blue blades, and a dark golden handle. It almost seemed to shine, illuminating even under the weak lamplight... Blank picked it up, eyes widening in surprise. It was very light. But even as he touched it, he swore he could feel it pulsating, like an undercurrent, of power...
He frowned, and examined it further. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to look more like two daggers, placed on end with each other, fused perfectly.
Zidane fought with a dagger!
"Hey guys!" Blanks' heart lifted, and he raised the weapon. "I found Zidane's dagger! He's near! He's got to be..."
Blanks voice died in his throat, as he noticed something at the very edge of the small circle of lamplight. It looked kind of like a little fuzzy blonde coloured snake. The weapon in his hand clattered to the ground, and, knees growing weak, Blank walked towards it, daring to hope. With the first step Blank took, more was revealed. Blue trousers, the edge of a waistcoat...
"Zidane!"
Yaaay, crappy suspense xD
I think I used a couple too many scene breaks. Gah, I hate scene breaks, but sometimes, they're just inevitable ToT
Anyways, R&R?
